The Frenchmen began to haul down their light sails, just as we hove-to.  This was done in a lubberly and irregular manner, as if little concert or order prevailed on board them.  Marble prowled out his remarks, deeming the whole proceeding a bad omen for the tri-color. It is certain that the French marine, in 1803, was not a service to boast of.  The English used to say, that they seldom got a French ship without working for her; and this was probably true, as the nation is warlike, and little disposed to submit without an effort.  Still, France, at that day, could hardly be said to be maritime; and the revolutions and changes she had undergone were not likely to favour the creation of a good corps of naval officers.  Brave men were far more plenty than skilful seamen; and then came the gabbling propensity, one of the worst of all human failings, to assist in producing a disorderly ship.

It was a pretty sight to see those four ships strip for the fight; although the French canvass did not come down exactly according to rule.  The English, however, were in no hurry; the two tri-color men being under their three top-sails, spankers, and jibs, with the top-gallant-sails clewed up, before John Bull reduced even a royal.  The latter, it will be remembered, were to leeward, and had to close with their adversaries.  In doing this, they made one stretch so far in our direction, in the hope of tacking in their enemies wakes, that I saw they would probably speak us.  I confess this was more than I had bargained for; but it was now too late to run, which would probably have led to our seizure I determined, therefore, to await the result with dignity.

Just as the English ships were coming within musket-shot of the Dawn, the French,—­then distant about a mile and a half to the eastward, and half a mile south of us,—­wore ship, and came round with their heads to the westward—­or, in our direction.  As this was coming nearer, instead of moving from them, the Englishmen began to start their tacks and sheets, in order to be ready.  Their six royals were all flying at the same instant, as were their flying-jibs; at the next, the canvass was rolled up, and out of sight.  Then, the yards, themselves, came down, and all the light sails about the ships vanished as a bird shuts its wings.  After this the courses were hauled up snug, but the sails were not handed.  By this time, the leading ship of these two frigates was within a cable’s-length of us, just luffing up sufficiently to give our weather-quarter the necessary berth.

“By George, Miles,” Marble said, as he stood at my side, watching the movements of the stranger, “that second frigate is the Speedy!  I know her by the billet, and the distance of her bridle-port from her head.  You never saw such a space for anchors, before!  Then, you may see she is a six-and-thirty, with white hammock-cloths.  Who ever saw that twice, at sea?”

Marble was right!  There came the Speedy, sure enough; and doubtless the eyes of Lord Harry Dermond and his officers would be on us, in a very few more minutes—­the distance between the two frigates being less than two cable’s-lengths.  In the mean time, I had to attend to the headmost vessel.