APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 



217 



tions of shot, supported by three 

 batteries, for the space of twenty- 

 one minutes, and was very de- 

 structive to our sails and rigging. 

 My object during that time was, 

 to prevent their hauling outside the 

 dry dock named Le Graul ; but in 

 steering sufliciently close to it to 

 leave them no room to pass be- 

 tween me and it, and at the same 

 time to avoid running on it myself, 

 the utmost, difficulty and anxiety 

 was produced by the cloud of smoke, 

 which drifted a-head of the ship 

 and totally obscured it. However, 

 by the care and attention of Mr. 

 Hugh Stewart, the master, the 

 ship was carried within the dis- 

 tance of her own length on the 

 south west side, in quarter-less se- 

 ven fathoms, and the enemy were 

 in consequence obliged, as their 

 only alternative, to attempt passing 

 within it, where there was not wa- 

 ter enough, and they all ground- 

 ed, under every sail, on the rocks 

 between it and the shore. The 

 sails and rigging of the Northum- 

 berland were so much damaged, 

 that I was obliged -to leave the 

 enemy to the effects of the falling 

 tide, it being onljr one quarter 

 ebb, while I repaired the rigging, 

 and shifted the foretop-sail, which 

 was rendered entirely useless ; 

 working to windward during that 

 time under what sail I could set, 

 to prevent falling to leeward ; in 

 which interval, at five o'clock, the 

 Growler joined, and fired on the 

 enemy occasionally. At twenty- 

 eight minutes after five, I anchored 

 the Northumberland in six and a 

 half fathoms water. Point de Pierre 

 Laye bearing N. W. half N., the 

 citadel of Port Louis E. three 

 quarters E., and the rock named 



Le Grand N. half E. two cables 

 length distant, with her broadside 

 bearing on the enemy's two frigates 

 and a brig, at point-blank range, 

 all of tiiem having fallen over on 

 their sides next the shore as the 

 tide left them, and expoised their 

 copper to us, and the main-masts 

 of one frigate and the brig were 

 gone ; and from 34 minutes after 

 five till 49 minutes past six (which 

 was near the time of low water), a 

 deliberate and careful fire was kept 

 up on them, at which time, be- 

 lieving I had fully efi'ected the 

 object of my endeavours, the crews 

 having quitted their vessels, all 

 their bottoms being pierced bj very 

 many of our shot, so low down as 

 to ensure their filling on the rising 

 tide, and the leading frigate being 

 completely in flames, communi- 

 cated to the hull from a fire which 

 broke out in her forelop, I got 

 under sail. Three batteries fired 

 at the ship during the whole time 

 she was at anchor, and although 

 the position was so far well chosen 

 that she was out of the range of 

 two of them, the other (to which 

 the enemy's vessels were nearest) 

 reached her, and did as much ex- 

 ecution in the hull as all the fire 

 she had been exposed to before. I 

 directed the commander of the 

 Growler to stand in and fire, to pre- 

 vent the enemy from returning to 

 their vessels after I had ceased. At 

 5 minutes before eight, the frigate 

 on fire blew up with an awful ex- 

 plosion, leaving no remains of her 

 visible. At the close of day I an- 

 chored for the night, out of reach , 

 of the batteries on both sides. Point 

 Taleet bearing N. N. W. half W.; 

 S. E. point of Groa S. S. W. half 

 W. the enemy's vessels N. by E. At 



ten 



