Page:Final French Struggles in India and on the Indian Seas.djvu/72

44 proceed at once to join Suffren, and to announce that he himself would shortly follow with the bulk of his troops.

It was of the arrival of this squadron at Galle that Suffren received information at Kadalúr on the 28th July, whilst still discussing affairs with Haidar Ali.

He lost no time in delay. Some preparations were still necessary. But these were soon completed, and on the morning of the 1st August, the French fleet leaving the roadstead in which it had patched up its repairs, fired a parting salute to the great warrior her commodore was never destined again to behold.

Suffren had two objects in view, the one avowed, the other concealed: the first to effect a junction with d'Aymar; the second to capture Trincomali: the first appeared certain; the second could only be accomplished by "great daring."

Passing Karikál, Naoúr, and Negapatam, the fleet arrived at Batacola, twenty leagues south of Trincomali, on the 9th August. Here it was joined by the Bellona, a frigate of 36 guns, just returning from an indecisive hand-to-hand encounter with the Coventry, 32. Her captain, M. de Pierrevert, a nephew of Suffren, had been killed in the action.

Suffren waited at Batacola till the 21st August, when he was joined by the St. Michael and the Illustre, escorting seven transports with troops and stores, and accompanied by the corvette La Fortune. Whilst lying at Batacola he received despatches from France and