1811	Rinaldo and Redpole with Boulogne Flotilla	337

and three marines wounded. The ship also received considerable damage in her hull, masts, and rigging.

On the 3d of September, at 11 a.m., while the two 10-gun brig sloops Rinaldo, Captain James Anderson, and Redpole, Captain Colin Macdonald, were watching the main body of the French flotilla, moored along the coast of Boulogne bay, under the protection of the heavy batteries in that neighbourhood, four of the 12-gun prames, one bearing a commodore's broad pendant, four 4-gun brigs, and seven lugger-rigged gun-boats, of one gun each, got under way from the west end of the bay, with the flood tide and a strong breeze from the east-north-east, apparently to shift their birth upon the eastern land. Hoping that a chance might offer, should these vessels venture a little way from the shore, of intercepting some of them, Captain Anderson, with his two brigs, hovered about them to windward. Observing, after a while, one of the prames and a brig astern of the others, the Rinaldo and Redpole made all sail, in the expectation to cut one or the other of them off ; but, seeing the British captain's intention, the French prame and brig also made sail, and succeeded in joining the others, who were lying to for them within the Basse bank.

At 1 p.m., having followed the prame and brig within the bank, the Rinaldo and Redpole commenced action with them and the rear of the flotilla. Having stood as close in-shore as they could, the prames, gun-brigs, and luggers tacked and stood out in two lines, pointing in the direction of the two British brigs., who were lying to receive them. After a little partial firing, the flotilla stood in again, followed and engaged by the Rinaldo and Redpole. This manoeuvre was repeated once or twice ; and eventually the flotilla bore round up, and came to at their former anchorage, having done no greater injury to the two British brigs, than cutting away some of their rigging and making a few holes in their sails. Considering that the two British brigs mounted only 18-pounder carronades, and their antagonists long French 24-pounders, although we may wish for some further particulars of this action before we apply a term to the behaviour of the latter, we may safely say of the former, that they conducted themselves in the most gallant manner.

On the 20th of September, at noon, as the British 38-gun frigate Naiad, Captain Philip Carteret, was at anchor off Boulogne road, the French emperor, who was honouring the Boulognese with a visit, embarked in his barge, and, proceeding along the line of primes and gun-brigs, went on board the centre prame. The imperial flag immediately waved at the main topgallantmast-head, and remained there for a short time ; when, Napoléon departing, it was lowered down, and the flag of Rear-admiral Baste hoisted at the mizen. Several of the other vessels were honoured in a similar manner, and Buonaparte continued rowing about the road. All this was plainly seen from on board

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