But unfortunately the Flora had not espied earlier in the day another frigate which was also in the vicinity.  This was the Wasso, and the haze had hidden her movements.  But now, even though the weather was clearing, the bigger ship had been hidden from view because she had been just round the corner in Mevagissey Bay.  And at the very time that the Flora was running away from the Fisgard and travelling finely with every sail drawing nicely and getting clear of the cliffs, the Wasso was working her way round the Dodman.  As soon as the latter came into view she took in the situation—­the cutter Flora foaming along out to sea and the Fisgard coming up quickly under a mountain of canvas.  So now there were two frigates pursuing the cutter, and the Flora’s skipper must have cursed his bad luck for being caught in this trap.  But that unkind haze was favouring the King’s ships to-day, for ere the chase had continued much longer, yet a third frigate came in sight, whose name was the Nymph.  This was too much for the Flora to be chased by three ships each bigger and better armed than herself.  The Nymph headed her off, and the cutter seeing it was all up reluctantly hove-to.  On examination she was found to have a cargo of gin, brandy, and tobacco, which she would have succeeded in running ashore had the haze not played such tricks.  However, she had done her best for three exciting hours, for it was not until six on that wintry evening that she was captured by the Nymph, and if she had been able to hold on a little longer she might have escaped in the night and got right away and landed her cargo elsewhere before the sun came out.  But, as it was, her skipper James Dunn had to take his trial, when a verdict was given in favour of the King, and Dunn was fined L200.

[Illustration:  The Flora with the Fisgard, Wasso, and Nymph.]

We must pass over the next two years and travel from one end of the English Channel to the other till we find ourselves again in Kentish waters.  The year is 1804, and the 14th of June.  On this summer’s day at dawn the gun-brig Jackal, commanded by Captain Stewart, R.N., was cruising about to the Nor’ard of the Goodwins.  As day broke he was informed that three smuggling vessels had just been espied in the vicinity.  The latter certainly was not more than three miles from the land, and it was fairly certain what their intention was.  When Captain Stewart came on deck and convinced himself of their identity he ordered out his boats, he himself going in one, while one of his officers took command of another, each boat having about half-a-dozen men on board.

We mentioned just now how important it was in such cases as this that the position should be defined as accurately as possible.  Immediately the boats had left the Jackal the pilot of the latter and one of the crew on board took bearings from the North Foreland and found the Jackal was about 7-3/4 miles from this landmark.  They also took bearings of the position of the three smuggling luggers, and found these were about three or four miles off and bore from the Jackal E. by S.