NOVEMBER 203 



visions , he made the same demand to the magistrates of 

 Carrickfergus, which they having imprudently refused to 

 comply with, the town was plundered. Thurot, having vict- 

 ualled and gained as much reputation by this action as could be 

 expected from a fleet which was no more than a wreck of the 

 grand enterprise, set sail and was off. 1 But he had not left 

 Belfast Lough many hours when near the Isle of Man he 

 perceived three sail bearing down upon him. These were 

 three British frigates which happened to be in the harbour 

 of Kinsale when Thurot made his descent. The Duke of 

 Bedford, Lord Lieutenant [of Ireland], dispatched orders to 

 the commander of the frigates to go in quest of the French 

 armament. These frigates were one of 36 guns commanded 

 by Captain Elliot, and two of 32. Such was their diligence 

 and success that they overtook Thurot's squadron before he 

 could get out of the Irish Sea. They were exactly three 

 frigates to three. The French ships were much the larger, 

 and their men much more numerous ; but both ships and 

 men were in a bad condition. A sharp and close engage- 

 ment began. None of the French could possibly escape, and 

 they must take or be taken. Thurot did all that could be 

 expected from the intrepidity of his character; he fought 

 his ship till she had her hold almost tilled with water and 

 her decks covered with dead bodies. At length he was killed. 

 The crew of his ship, and, by her example, those of the other 

 two, struck, and were carried into Eamsey Bay in the Isle 

 of Man. This sole insult on our coasts was severely punished, 

 and not a vessel concerned in it escaped. The public, 

 indeed, lamented the death of the brave Thurot, who, even 

 whilst he commanded a privateer, fought less for plunder 

 than for honour ; whose behaviour was on all occasions full 

 of humanity and generosity, and whose undaunted courage 

 raised him to rank and merited distinction.' 



1 It had been intended that Thurot's squadron should co-operate 

 with the fleets of Admiral de Constans at Brest and Admiral de la 

 Clue at Toulon ; but these had been scattered by the British Admirals 

 Hawke and Boscawen. 



