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Updated: July 4, 2025
A few hours afterwards, a fleet of gunboats and two frigates came to look for them; but they were beyond reach of the former, and though the frigates followed, they were driven back by the sight of an English squadron, and both the Ruby and La Ralieuse reached Portsmouth in safety.
They ceased only now and then, when, as Paul conjectured, the English frigate was passing either ahead or astern of them, so that they could not reach her. Now La Ralieuse had to stand the effects of another raking broadside. This time it was astern, and came in at the after-ports, tearing away the head of the rudder, and sweeping both decks from one end to the other.
She had good reason to do so, for the Frenchman was steering to the southward and land was ahead. One of the shot struck the counter of La Ralieuse, the other passed a little on one side. True Blue gazed earnestly and long at the English frigate.
True enough, the shot did come, thick and fast not one seemed to have missed right into the bows of La Ralieuse. Some seemed to be sweeping her main, others her upper deck, or flying among her masts and spars, while more than one struck between wind and water.
Here they expected to be better treated; but no sooner did the Captain enter, than, walking up and down and showering on them the most abusive epithets, he ordered his men to take away their swords and dirks, and to strip off their coats and waistcoats, exclaiming as he did so: "No one on board La Ralieuse shall wear the livery of a despot one of those hateful things, a King. Bah!"
"How far off were the bells?" he asked. "Half a mile, sir," was the prompt answer. "Large or small, should you say?" "Large, sir," said True Blue. "English or French? I take it that there is a difference in the sound." "And so there is, sir," quickly replied True Blue. "I marked it when we were aboard the Ralieuse; and now, sir, you ask me, I should say they were French."
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