Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/97

Book I. and two of 40 guns, sent from France. The two 40 gun ships had been in India, and had taken an English East India ship in sight of the island of Bombay. This prize would have been very considerable, had not the vigilance of the governor of the island saved the silver that was on board, by sending from the shore two fishing-boats, which brought away the treasure, whilst the ship was defending itself against the enemy.

On the 9th of June at night the English 20 gun ship returned from a cruize, and brought intelligence to Fort St. David, that she had discovered seven large ships and two smaller vessels to the south. These were the French squadron which had sailed from Mauritius in the latter end of April. The English squadron, lately reinforced by three ships from England, was now composed of three ships of 60 guns, three of 50, three of 40, and one of 20 guns. These were at anchor in the road; but the rudders of two of the 40 gun ships were unhung, and Mr. Griffin and several of the officers were on shore, where many of the men were likewise, in the hospital.

During the southern monsoon the wind blows constantly from the south-west in all parts of the Bay of Bengal, except at the distance of 10 or 15 leagues from the land; and here it generally changes in 24 hours, blowing a part of this time from the sea at south-east, and during the rest from the land at south-west: the land-wind generally rises about midnight, and lasts till noon, but it is not always confined to this interval; for some days it continues until the evening, and at other times, when very strong, blows for three or four days without interruption. The sea-wind very seldom continues more than 12 hours, and is generally preceded by a short interval of calm. During the southern monsoon the currents, as well near the land as out at sea, drive strongly to the north. A ship during the sea-wind cannot gain way to the south; for the sea is then rough, and the wind seldom inclines to the east of the south-east point: but as the land-wind often veers to the west point, and always renders the sea smooth within sight of the coast, ships bound to the south make some progress during this wind, and either drop anchor to maintain their ground if they are near shore when the land-wind fails, or if they are at some distance they continue under