about eight o'clock in the evening
`` I was afraid that some trick was intended , and that we should soon have to up stick , and run for it . '' `` No , no ; no fear of that ! I do n't think our captain is the man to run from anything . '' It was now about eight o'clock in the evening , and the French ships , having formed in line , seemed to have no intention of avoiding us . A feeling of pride and confidence animated the bosoms of all our crew as we stood round the short heavy guns with which our ship was armed , while advancing towards an enemy of a force apparently so overwhelming . One French frigate , the _ Brutus _ , was a razeed 64-gun ship , and now carried 46 guns . Then there were the _ Incorruptible _ , of 32 guns ; the _ Magicienne _ , of 36 ; the _ Republicain _ , of 28 ; and the two corvettes , of 22 guns each .