Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/537

Book XI. appear until five minutes after, when the Yarmouth was very near and ranged against the Corate de Provence. The firing then became general through both lines; but the Sunderland, the last but one of the English line, sailing very ill, kept back the Weymouth behind her. By this mischance the Salisbury, which was much the weakest ship, being only of 50 guns, and they only eighteen and nine-pounders, ranged, unsupported, against the lllustre, and sustained likewise the fire of the Fortunée behind, which the Sunderland should have taken up, at least in this state of the action: the consequence was equal to the disparity, and in 15 minutes the fall of the Salisbury's main top gallant, and then her foresail, obliged her to quit the line: but by this time, the Sunderland shooting a-head, engaged the lllustre. The three ships of the English van, a-head of the Grafton, had luckily fallen soon, and in good order, into their stations, and in less than a quarter of an hour, the Actif, which was opposed to the Elizabeth, took fire, which brought the crew from the batteries, and the Elizabeth taking advantage of their confusion plyed her excessively, and soon drove her out of the line to extinguish the fire: the Elizabeth still edging down upon her, was shopped by the Minotaur starting forward; which obliged her to haul her wind again, and this operation shot her beyond the line of action. The Newcastle then took up the Minotaur, although a 60 to a 74; and the Tiger, of which the Captain had been blamed in a former engagement, supported the Newcastle, by taking on herself the fire of the two next ships. The fight between these five continued with the utmost violence for 70 minutes; when neither the Newcastle nor Tiger had a sail under command; on which Mr. Stevens, who had left the Zodiaque to Mr. Pococke, and had beaten the Vengeur out of the line, came between, and seeing the two ships of the French line next beyond the Vengeur much crippled, set forward to engage the Minotaur; and her broad-side, as she was passing on, drove the St. Louis out of the line. In the rear, the Sunderland, which had taken up the lllustre, was likewise attacked by her follower, the Forfunée; and in ten minutes, before she had fired three rounds, her maintop-sail fell, and her