Page:Authentic account of the important battle of the Nile.pdf/6

(6) Bowſprit, but they were ſoon repulſed by our Marines and boarders.

The L'Orient, of one hundred and thirty gus, engaged us on our Larboard bow: about 10 o'clock, as near as I can learn, ſhe took fire in her main chains, and continued burning with great fury till 11 o'clock, when ſhe blew up close to us, the exploſion was terrible: then we had an Eighty-four engaging us on our Larboard ſide, but we ſoon totally diſmaſted her; and then two more French ſhips came to her aſſiſtance, they were all three blazing on us at once: we ſhould have have a narrow eſcape from a watry tomb, had not the Alexander come to our Aſſiſtance: the Alexander had been one of the look out ſhips that day, and had got ſo far to ſea ward, that ſhe could not come into the engagement till late in the evening ſhe was coming into the fleet from ſea, but ſeeing our ſhip hotly engaged with three others of ſuperior force, ſhe came down to our aſſiſtance and lay on our larboard quarter, and engaged the enemy with great gallantry; about half paſt two o'clock our main and mizzen was shot away, near 3 o'clock we ceaſed firing on both ſides: the action was again renewed between 4 & 5 o'clock in the morning, and