By 5 p.m. the last French ship was outside Cape Sepet ; and at 6h. 30 m. the advanced or reconnoitring division, consisting of two sail of the line and a frigate, was descried by the British frigates Active and Seahorse. On the 18th, at 9 h. 15 m., the French advanced ships, still in sight, hauled their wind to the northward, and the two British frigates did the same. At 4 p.m. the island of Polacross bore from the latter north by west five leagues, and the wind now blew a strong gale from west-north-west. At 9 h. 45 in. the Seahorse, who was to windward of her consort, saw nine sail of the French fleet in the north quarter, only three miles distant, and apparently steering south. The frigate showed a light, and immediately bore up ; on which the enemy's advanced ship threw up two rockets. The Active and Seahorse kept sight of the latter ship until 2 a.m. on the 19th ; and, by carrying a press of sail, were, at 1 h. 50m. P M., sufficiently near to their friends in Agincourt sound, to make the distant signal of the enemy's being at sea.

At 4 h. 30 m. p.m. Lord Nelson weighed with the following 11 sail of the line and two frigates:

The fleet made sail for the passage between the island of

* Lord Nelson was continually complaining to the admiralty of the small number of frigates attached to his command.

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