Page:History of the French in India.djvu/145

 A STORM SHATTERS HIS FLEET. 123 ship of war of seventy guns, the " Achille," and of four chap. unarmed merchantmen.* To arm and equip these, _ latter, and to reconcile their officers to the displacement 174c of their several cargoes,f tasked all his resources. However, he succeeded. The armament consisted almost entirely of eight and twelve pounders, a calibre insignificant when compared with that of the guns ordinarily found, even in those days, on board a man-of- war. Even of these he had an insufficient number, and almost all his improvised fighting ships were pierced for a greater number of guns than they actually carried. However, one by one, partially equipped as they were, they left the island for the rendezvous at Madagascar. When all had taken their departure, he himself, brimful of bright hopes and enthusiasm, set sail to join them. J This was on March 24. Scarcely, however, had he sighted his squadron, when one of those tempests which periodically sweep over the Indian Ocean burst upon him His ships were driven from their anchoring ground, and for three days were tossed about by the storm. One of them foundered ;§ the admiral's ship, the " Achille," lost her three masts, and many of the others suffered equally. At last, however, they found a. safe refuge in the Bay of Antongil, on the north- eastern coast of Madagascar. In this bay, laying off a garding these vessels runs as follows : "It is proper to observe regarding these vessels that they were very badly off for crews. The 4 Achille ' alone was fitted out as a ship of war. The others were no more armed than simple merchant ships."— Memoire. t The armament of these vessels necessitated the landing of all the merchandise with which they were laden, to the great loss of the owners. X We subjoin a list of the names of the vesseis forming the squadron and their respective armaments. The 41 Achille" of 70 guns; the "Bourbon pierced for 42, carrying 34 guns ; the " Phenix," pierced for 44, carrying 38 guns; the "Neptune," pierced for 36, carrying 30 guns; the "Saint Louis," pierced for 36. carrying 26 guns; the "Lys," pierced for 36, carrying 24 guns; the "Due d' Orleans," pierced for 36, carrying 24 guns ; the " Rehommee " pierced for 28, carrying 24 guns ; and the " Insulaire" of 30, carrying 20 g uns. — Memoire pour La Bourdonnais. § The "Neptune des Indes," of 34 guns, not included in the above list.
 * La Bourdonnais' expression re-