midnight before
No sooner , however , did the Frenchmen see our big China ships , with their two tiers of ports and warlike look , than they bore up under a press of sail , and by signal separated . While the _ Belligeux _ steered for the largest of the French ships , she signalled to the Indiamen I have mentioned to proceed in chase of the others , we and the _ Bombay Castle _ of one of them , the _ Medee _ , and the other two of the _ Franchise _ . We , at the time , were nearer the _ Medee _ than was the _ Bombay Castle _ , and we also sailed better . The chase was a long one , but we kept the enemy in sight , and it was near midnight before we came up with her . The _ Bombay Castle _ was a long way astern , and the frigate might have handled us very severely , if not knocked us to pieces , before she could have come up to our assistance . Captain Meriton was not a man to be daunted . With the decks lighted and all our ports up , he ran alongside the Frenchman -- ` Strike , monsieur , to a superior force , to his Britannic Majesty 's ship _ Thunderaboo _ ' he shouted out .