eight o’clock
At daybreak a light breeze sprang up , and the French made sail . Leaving the _ Ethalion _ to watch the French fleet , the _ Boadicea _ sailed to carry the news of the start of the expedition to Lord Bridport . At two o'clock on the 18th the _ Ethalion _ was joined by the _ Amelia _ , a thirty-eight-gun frigate , and at daylight the French directed their course as if for the West Indies . At eight o'clock they bore up , and five of their frigates chased the English ships . Presently , however , finding that they did not gain , they rejoined the squadron , which bore away to the south-west . On the 20th the two frigates were joined by the forty-four-gun frigate _ Anson _ . At noon the French were nearly becalmed .