[Aoust 1778, Languedoc, en mer]
du jeudy 13
au jour le peux de vent variable du NNE au NO La mer toujour houleuseSSnous nous sommes occupée à que grayer de Lavant un petit matereaux prou et au mats dartemon pour pouvoir Etablir quelque petite voile Le vaisseau Roulant trop pour sexposer à Etablir des mats de hunier pour Bas mat Comme ont En avoit Les projets à midy,
Latitude Estimé |
38 = 57 |
Longitude arivé |
74 = 22 |
nous avions etablés de Lavant un peroquet et un peroquet volant dessus et un foc pour artimon à 2 heures de Lapres midy petit vent Ciel sombre et Couvert nous vime au vents à nous un vaisseau qui faisoit portee sur nous1 Comme toute nos Batteries etoits tres saisie et nos Gaillard sont Embarassée de debris de notre dematement, des Bouts de hauban et autre chose ayant perdu tous les de grayement nous nous passame à Lexception du Gaillaird davant qui Restat Encombre nous avions jestté tous Bastingage à la mer qui etoit des Balle de Coston que nous avions pris sur une prise et meme six Canons de six que nous avions sur nos passavant Les passant d’un Bord tous les six2 il etoit Bien difficile douvrir La Batterie Basse attendü Les Roulés, il vint nous passer à La voix sous les hunier chacun etoit à son poste ont le helat ont Entendit pas sa Reponse nous-meme notre pavilon il hissa pavillon Englois à la vue de son pavillon ont lui tirats La second Batterie de Larrier du Grand mat et Les Canons du Gaillard darrier etant dépassé il ouvret quelque sabord de sa premiere Batterie et nous tiret quelques Coup de Canons de sa second sans nous faire de mal il Continue sa Routte ¾ de lieue à une Lieue de larrier dans nos Eau pendant Cette intervale nous Etablisse six Canons de Re[traite] et quatre du chasse il virats de Bord et vire nous passer au vents à Babord à Grande porté de Canons
suitte du jeudy 13
nous Cruire quil alloit nous prendre de Lavant il arrive Lof pour Lof et vint nous passer a poupe ou il nous donnais toute sa volé haute et Bat et Gaillard et mousqueteires à la porté du fusil nos Canon de Retraite fusse Bien servú et quelque Canons tribord et Basbord de Larrier il semis sous notre Bouteille de tribord ou il nous donnat une seconde volé nos Canons de Retraite loblige à fuir et arriva dans nos Eaux ou il Recue deux volee de nos Canons de Retraite nous Entendions Le fracas que nos Boulets faisoit à Bord Le soleil etoit couchee dans Ce temps il continué sa Bordé dans nos Eaux nous profitames de la moment pour changer un de nos Canons de Retraite qui avoit eté demonté et Comme nous nous trouvions par Les 35 Brasse deau Le General3 se decidat à profiter de la moment pour mouiller et passer une Embasse pour mouillame—à neuf heure nous Le vue nous passer à Bord à La faveur de Ces faneaux et je Croit quil ne nous vit pas ayant caher nos feux et ne setant pas apercue de notre mouillage il ne Reparat pas de toute La nuit Les vent etoit à Lest petit frais La mer toujour houleuse
[Translation]
[August 1778, Languedoc, at sea]
Thursday 13
at day light the little wind variable from the NNE to the NW the sea still swelling we occupied ourselves with rigging forward and the mizzenmast to be able to establish some small sails the ship rolling too much to hazard setting up topsail masts as lower masts as we had in mind at noon
Latitude estimated |
38 = 57 |
Longitude arrived |
74 = 22 |
we set up forward a topgallant sail and a flying topgallant sail above and a staysail for mizzen at 2 o’clock in the afternoon little wind, the sky somber and overcast we saw to the windward of us a ship that came into range of us1 as all our batteries were strongly lashed and forecastle and quarterdeck were cluttered with debris from our dismasting, the ends of the shrouds and other things, having lost all of the rigging we made shift with the exception of the forecastle which remained encumbered, we had thrown all the bulwarks into the sea, which were bales of cotton we had taken from a prize, and even six cannon, six pounders, that we had on our gangway, throwing all six overboard2 it was very difficult to open the lower battery with the rolling, the ship came to pass us within range of the voice each one at his post we hailed it we did not hear the response ourselves our flag he hoisted an English flag at the sight of his flag we fired the second battery aft of the mainmast and the guns on the quarterdeck being passed he opened several gun ports of his first battery and fired several shots at us from Cannon of his second without doing us injury he continued his route ¾ leagues to one league behind us in our track during this interval we set up six guns of retreat and four of chase he put about and tacked to pass us to the windward on the larboard at long shot
Thursday 13 continued
We believed that he was going to take us from foreward he arrived luff by luff and came to pass our stern where he gave us his full volley, upper and lower, and castles, and musketeers at musket shot our cannon of retreat were well served and some starboard and larboard guns from aft he placed himself under our starboard head where he gave us a second volley our cannon of retreat obliged him to flee and he arrived in our wake where he received two volleys from our cannon of retreat we heard the din that our balls made on board the sun had set by this tim he continued his watch in our wake we took advantage of the moment to change one of our cannon of retreat that had been dismounted and as we were in 35 fathoms of water the general3 decided to use the moment to anchor and to pass a shoulder of a trunnion for mooring—at nine o’clock we saw him pass alongside us by favor of the lanterns and I belief that he did not see us, having extinguished our fires and not having observed our anchoring he did not reappear all night the wind was to the east, light the sea still swelling