438 THE SERVICES OP UEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS EOWNMAN R.A. 
terruption till their fleet, which consisted of eleven line of battle ships, 
among them two of 84 or 90 guns each, had passed in regular suc¬ 
cession. After going before the wind till quite out of reach of our 
cannon, the enemy hauled their wind and stood towards the Gros Hot. 
Every British heart was beating with transports of joy, and defied 
d'Estaing even should he come again with double the number of ships. 
We were soon informed that our fleet had received no damage, nor 
had they any men killed. 
In the afternoon about 3 o'clock, the French admiral had got far 
enough to windward to form his fleet in the same order of battle as in 
the morning. In this order he again came on with twelve ships. 
He was again received with the warmth of all our hearts, and 
again was he driven away, notwithstanding he and his officers had 
dined, and had taken sans doute an extra bottle. It was this bottle I 
believe that spirited several of them to venture nearer than they did 
in the former attack, by which some of their ships were a good deal 
disabled in their rigging and hobbled but lamely from the combat. 
This rough true English mode of treatment so displeased our 
Frenchmen, already I fancy devilish sick with noise and smell of sul¬ 
phur, that they determined both for their own welfare and from the 
regard they generally pay to thek* master's ships, not to adventure 
another attack. Had Byron arrived at this fortunate juncture, no 
longer should we call him the unfortunate Byron. 1 
1 Vice Admiral Byron had sailed from North America with the object of taking part in the ex¬ 
pedition to St. Lucia, but most of his ships were so damaged in a storm that he was forced to put 
back. 
(To be Continued.) 
