1813	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	192

supernumeraries, 141 men and nine boys. But this inferiority was in a great degree compensated, by the pains which Captain Greene had taken to teach his men the use of their guns.

After the Constitution had sailed for Boston as already stated, * the Hornet continued blockading the Bonne-Citoyenne and her dollars, until the arrival, on the 24th of January, of the British 74-gun ship Montagu, Captain Manley Hall Dixon, bearing the flag of Rear-admiral Manley Dixon. The American sloop, on being chased, ran for the harbour : but, night coming on, the Hornet wore, and, by standing to the southward, dexterously evaded her pursuer. Escorted by the Montagu, the Bonne-Citoyenne, with her valuable cargo on board, put to sea on the 26th of January ; and on the 22d of February, in latitude 5� 20' south, longitude 40� west, the rear-admiral left Captain Greene to pursue his voyage alone. Sometime in the month of April, having stopped at Madeira by the way, the Bonne-Citoyenne arrived in safety at Portsmouth.

After escaping from the Montagu, the Hornet hauled her wind to the westward, and on the 14th of February, when cruising off Pernambuco, captured an English brig, with about 23,000 dollars in specie on board. Having removed the money and destroyed the prize, Captain Lawrence cruised off Surinam until the 22d ; then stood for Demerara, and on the 24th chased a brig, but was obliged to haul off on account of the shoals at the entrance of Demerara river. Previously to giving up the chase, the Hornet discovered a brig of war, with English colours flying, at anchor without the bar. This was the brig-sloop Espiègle, of sixteen 32-pounder carronades and two sixes, Captain John Taylor, refitting her rigging.

At 3 h. 30 m. p.m., while beating round Caroband bank to get at the Espiègle, the Hornet discovered a sail on her weather quarter bearing down for her. This was the British brig-sloop Peacock, of sixteen 24-pounder carronades and two sixes, Captain William Peake ; who had only sailed from the Espiègle's anchorage the same day at 10 a.m. At 4 h. 20 m. p.m. the Peacock hoisted her colours; and at 5h. 10 m., having kept close to the wind to weather the Peacock, the Hornet tacked for that purpose and hoisted her colours. At 5 h. 25 m., in passing each other on opposite tacks, within half pistol-shot, the ship and brig exchanged broadsides. After this, the Peacock wore to renew the action on the other tack ; when the Hornet, quickly bearing up, received the Peacock's starboard broadside; then, at about 5 h. 35 m., ran the latter close on board on the starboard quarter. In this position, the Hornet poured in so heavy and well-directed a fire, that at 5 h. 50 m., having had her commander killed, and being with six feet water in the hold and

See p. 137.

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