1810	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	240

Rousseau, doubtful probably of the force of the two ships in chase of him, continued his course, but could not, on account of the change in the wind, weather Cape Barfleur, nor, without some difficulty, the isles of St.-Marcouf. At 4 a.m. on the 13th the two French frigates tacked off shore. The Diana who lay on the starboard bow of the Amazone, the leading frigate, tacked also ; while the Niobe, as she came up ahead of the Diana on the starboard tack, passed to-windward of the two frigates, and pushed on to endeavour to cut them off, particularly the Eliza, from the narrow passage at the west end of Marcouf. In the mean time the Diana had also tacked to the westward, and, passing close to the windward of the two French frigates, exchanged with them two ineffectual broadsides. The latter then bore up, and, being better acquainted with the navigation of the spot, succeeded in entering the passage of Marcouf ; under the batteries of which island they anchored. At 11 a.m. the Amazone and Eliza weighed, and kept under sail between Marcouf and the main until 3 p.m.; when, observing that the Diana and Niobe had been drifted by the ebb-tide to the northward of Cape Barfleur, they steered for the road of Lahougue. Here the two French frigates anchored, under the protection of a strong battery.

On the 14th, in the morning, Captain Grant despatched the Niobe to Captain Malcolm of the Donegal, cruizing off Cherbourg, with intelligence of the situation of the enemy's ships, and then made all sail to the anchorage of Lahougue. In the mean time, owing to a strong gale from the southward in the night, the Eliza had dragged her anchors, and had been obliged to strike her topmasts, and throw overboard a part of her stores and provisions, to save herself from being lost on the rocks. At 1 p.m. the Diana came to an anchor, and on the morning of the 15th, at the first of the flood, weighed and stood in to attack the Amazone; who, in her present position, appeared more assailable than her consort. But the Amazone quickly got under way, and proceeded close to the shoals of St.-Vaast; where she again anchored between the batteries of Lahougue and Tatillon, Captain Grant, being resolved nevertheless to make the attack, stood in twice close alongside of the Amazone ; but, having to sustain, not only the frigate's fire, but the fire of two powerful batteries, the Diana was compelled to abandon the attempt. Shortly afterwards the Donegal, Revenge, and Niobe arrived, and renewed the attack ; the four ships successively opening their broadsides while going about. In this way they stood in three times, bringing their guns to bear only when head to wind. At 1 p.m., the British ships, having been drifted to-leeward by the ebb-tide, desisted from the attack, and anchored out of gun shot. All four ships suffered more or less in masts, sails, rigging and hull: the Diana had one man wounded, the Donegal three and the Revenge seven, two of them mortally. On board the

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