[ HOWLEY] SVIGARAICIPI 175 
Everything being ready Le Croisic sent a boat to the enemy, flying 
the white banner, to call on them to surrender. As they approached, 
a shaloupe was sent forward from the Admiral’s ship escorted by several 
others. The signal calling on them to surrender was flown from the 
mast head of Croisic’s vessel. The answer they received was that the 
Dutch were surprised at the audacity of the French to challenge such 
a number of opponents, and especially in dangerous waters full of shoals 
and rocks and entirely unknown to them (the French). They added 
that the French must have taken them for the greatest cowards (coquins) 
in the world to think that they with their two little frigates (moyennes 
frégates) should force them to capitulate. The French shaloupe re- 
turned to her frigate and on the way was fired upon from the fort. The 
shaloupe was struck but no serious harm was done. On the 6th August 
about 8.30 a.m., the battle commenced in the most implacable and 
desperate manner. <A tremendous cannonade was delivered from the 
Dutch fleet and lasted, like a volley of musketry so quick was the firing, 
till two hours after noon. The French kept on firing even after the 
enemy’s fire was spent. Each of the enemy’s ships had some 10 to 18 
guns and about 45 men, all good sailors, and their artillery was well 
served. The French fire was better adjusted (aimed) than that of the 
enemy. Each of the French frigates fired about 1600 shots, and if the sea 
had not been a little agitated, all the enemy’s fleet would have been sunk. 
After about 5 hours of this desperate fighting, the enemy’s fire began to 
slacken, and the French hoped to see the white flag raised to demand 
quarter. But instead of that, they began to cut their cables and get 
away, towed by their shaloupes. All the shaloupes of the French had 
been destroyed by the shots of the enemy, so that they could not fol- 
low them, except by putting anchors ashore and warping the ship along. 
They cut their cables and made every effort to prevent the enemy from 
getting away, but they did not entirely succeed. They only captured 
16 ships, the rest escaped towed by the boats. Several of the enemy’s 
vessels were rendered unfit to sail and were burnt there and then. 
The enemy’s fleet had altogether about 300 guns, and 1,500 men. 
If the Commander, de Varenne, had only been there, as he should have 
been, the whole fleet would have been captured without a shot being 
fired. 
During the battle the French frigates had received a good deal of 
damage both in the hull and rigging. The Aigle had lost her fore-mast 
(mât de misaine), and was obliged to fish (jumeller) her lower yards. 
The Favory had her main-mast (mât de hwne) and mizzen-mast (artimon) 
carried away. The number of men lost by the Aigle is not known. 
The Favory lost two, among whom, unfortunately, was Le Sieur de 
Larreguy, mate, or second officer of the Pelican. When he saw that 
