1813	Niger and Tagus with Cérès	267

considering, especially, how near it was fought to the French shore, and how critically circumstanced the Hebrus was, both during its continuance and at its termination. We formerly concluded, that the stock of ammunition on board the Etoile must have been considerably diminished when she fell in with the Hebrus; but it has since been proved to us, that, after her capture by the latter, the Etoile had a considerable quantity of powder and shot left : consequently we erred in our supposition, and are extremely gratified, that the inaccuracy has been pointed out in time to be corrected in these panes. We must not omit to mention, that Captain William Sargent, of the navy, who was a passenger on board the Hebrus during the action, evinced much skill and intrepidity ; as is very handsomely acknowledged by Captain Palmer in his official letter.

The Hannibal was not long in overtaking the disabled frigate of which she went in chase. At 3 h. 30 m. p.m. on the 26th the Sultane hoisted her colours and fired a gun. At 4 h. 15 m., having received two chase shot from the Hannibal, as an earnest of what would presently follow, the French frigate, keeping away a little, discharged her starboard broadside and surrendered.

The leaks of the Etoile, from the well-directed shot of the Hebrus, were so serious, that the ship could not be kept free on a wind, so as to reach Portsmouth : Lieutenant Robert Milborne Jackson, the prize-master, was therefore obliged to bear away for Plymouth ; where, on the 29th, the prize anchored in safety. The Sultane was carried to Portsmouth ; and both the latter and her late consort, being new frigates, were added to the British navy, the Sultane in her own name, and the Etoile under the name of Topaze. The first lieutenant of the Hebrus, Mr. Jackson, who, besides his good conduct in the action, had, as we have seen, some difficulty in getting his charge into port, was promoted to the rank of commander.

On the 5th of January, at 10 a.m., the island of Saint-Antonio, one of the Cape de Verds, bearing south-east by south distant eight or nine leagues, the British 38-gun frigate Niger Captain Peter Rainier, and 18-pounder 36-gun frigate Tagus, Captain Philip Pipon, with a convoy in company, steering to the westward, discovered nearly ahead the French 40-gun frigate Cérès, Captain Hyacinth-Yves-Potentien le baron de Bougainville ; which, in company with the Clorinde, of the same force, Captain Réné-Jean-Marie Denis-Lagarde, the senior officer, had sailed from Brest in the early part of December. Both British frigates proceeded in chase with a light breeze from the east-south-east, the Niger leading. Towards evening the Cérès gained in the pursuit ; but, on the Niger's throwing overboard 800 shot, the latter got near enough, at 11 p.m., to fire three shot from her bow-chasers.

On the 6th, at 1 h. 30 m. a.m., the Niger fired two more

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