the hands of the Turks than of the Parliamentarians, because with the first we should have been assured of life, and with the others were certain of being killed, on account of the massacre which the Irish had made in their country of the English colonists.96 We did on this occasion all that human power could effect, and doubled the Blac hed [Black head]97 fortunately without accident, thinking that we had escaped, as we kept creeping to windward of the Parliamentary frigate; but the tide being against us, we were brought pretty close together, and she neared us within musket shot. Perceiving the English royal colours, we were in doubt whether this was a Parliamentary frigate, and to ascertain it we hoisted at the stern the English flag.

The first cannon shot which they fired at us, went through the middle of our flag. We recommended ourselves to God, and expected assistance only from heaven. We would willingly have run our vessel ashore, but the coast did not allow it. The wind fell, so that we fired several times a small piece of ordnance which we had on the stern; this made us

96 See Note XXI. in Appendix.-C.

97 A marginal note explains "Blac hed" as "le cap noir."-T. The etymological taste of our French traveller has found its parallel in English mariners about the Downs. Opposite to Folkstone on the Gallic Coast is a promontory of White Chalk, which appropriately enough has been called by our neighbours Blanc nez, (White nose.) On some English charts it has become metamorphosed into Cape Blackness.-M.

F

advance with the least possible wind, and the Parliamentarians firing from their prow retarded them. They chased us ten leagues, firing incessantly, and left us only under the fort of Falmoutz [Falmouth], which fired upon them two vollies of cannon, where Lord Jermein [Jermain] and the greater part of the English court, who were waiting for a passage to France with her most Serene Majesty the Queen, witnessed this unequal engagement, from which we escaped by the providence of God, to whom be the glory, and to me the remembrance of his gracious

mercy.

Two miles from Falmoutz, there is a little town. called Perrine [Penryn], where I went to see some friends with whom I had become acquainted in England. I there met Captain Smitz98 [Smith], who had learned his profession under the late Captain Giron, and who gave me a passage to France in his vessel, promising to treat me with all due respect; which offer I accepted, on account of the friendship he bore me.

98 66

Smitz," says the marginal note on the original, signifies "Mareschal."-T.

CHAP. IX.

On the morning of Sunday, July the 24th, two remberges and three frigates of the English Parliament appeared off Falmoutz to prevent her most Serene Majesty from leaving England, which vessels separated about ten o'clock, with the view not to alarm us. We deliberated upon sailing at noon, because the Parliamentary vessels were under the impression that we should not dare to sail except at night.

The vessel in which the Queen embarked was a Dutch ship mounting forty-six guns, and was the first to sail; she was followed by Captain Smitz's ship, in which I was, and which mounted thirtyeight guns: Then came two heavy English frigates and a Hambourg flutte, loaded with men and baggage. Within cannon-shot of Falmoutz the Dutchman hoisted the Dutch flag at the main-mast, as Admiral of the fleet, and gave orders to Captain Smitz to return shot for shot, if the Parliamentarians attacked us. As we continued our voyage the five vessels of the Parliament were descried, one of which hove too upon the Dutchman, and being equally distant from us fired two broadsides; one

upon the Dutchman, and the other at us, to make us shorten sail. The Dutchman sheered off, and the remberge fired two or three shots at him, which took effect not far from the Captain's cabin which the Queen had left to go into the hold. The Dutchman being the swiftest sailer, but not so strongly built for action as the remberge, was not long in escaping. She had alongside her a small craft of the Felloukque [Felucca] cut, the crew of which was composed of six Bas-Bretons with oars, to save the Queen in case of a calm or an uncertain engagement. We soon lost sight of them; the two English frigates and the Hambourg flutte made for the pier, and we remained alone harassed by the two remberges and three of the enemy's frigates, firing our guns in our defence according to the order of our Admiral, who had left us in the lurch, and in consequence of the cowardice of the captains of the frigates who had abandoned us.

Captain Smitz seeing that we were over-matched, skilfully hove too between the two remberges in order to stand out to sea, because they are not such good sailers as the other vessels. The Admiral alone followed us with one frigate, and the ViceAdmiral gave chace to our flutte; and one of the frigates returned to London and the other to Milfort99 [Milford] in Wales, to announce the news of the departure of the Queen.

99 Milfort, says a note on the original, signifies, "fort du Moulin." -T.

The night was very clear, and we had the two vessels so near ours, that the guns of the remberge were able to hit the frigate which was on the other side of us. In the morning the wind freshened a little, and we passed them at some distance; but towards noon we again closed. Then Captain Smitz quietly spoke as follows:-" Harkee, my boys; I have once already been taken by the Parliamentarians, when my vessel was wrecked with Dutch troops on board for the service of His Majesty. I would rather die a thousand times than fall into their hands, because I promised them and swore upon the Gospel never to carry arms against them. Come all of you upon deck, in order to repel them if they should try to board us, for I am determined, after having made all the resistance possible, to set fire to the powder room, and to meet death in this manner. However, gentlemen, you are here eighteen brave cavaliers upon whom I rely. Let us not be dismayed by the struggle." Every one then showed himself with a musket and drawn sword to prove to the enemy that we were well manned. This stratagem deterred the frigate from boarding us, and she contented herself with firing at us balls, and chainshot hoping to dismast our vessel. We returned their fire, and cut away many parts of their rigging. After this running fight had lasted two days and two nights, we saw the coast of Brittany, and our enemies left us. At the same time our main-sail fell, the great rope being cut in two by a shot; if they