and again requested permission to close with la Bellone and her consorts. Shortly afterwards, Lieutenant Watling came from the Sirius, with a message to the same effect as that sent back by Lieutenant Chads. The Iphigenia accordingly resumed her labours; and, as soon as she had removed a little farther off, the French directed the whole of their fire at the Magicienne. By 10 a.m., the Iphigenia was warped close to the Sirius, and Captain Lambert immediately commenced annoying the enemy, who were endeavouring to remount their guns at the battery de la Reine.
Either because Mons. Bouvet, who had taken the command of the French squadron was not willing to risk his boats whilst the Iphigenia and Magicienne still kept up their fire, or that his whole attention was absorbed in preparations to receive the former frigate, seeing that the channel was open to her, he did not send to take possession of la Néreide until nearly p.m. It being then found impracticable to get the Magicienne afloat, her officers and crew were removed to the Iphigenia, preparatory to her being set on fire; and at 7-30 p.m. she blew up with her colours flying. Her stream and both bower-anchors were weighed by Captain Lambert, the cables having been previously hauled on board his ship.
On the 25th, at 4 a.m., the Iphigenia again began warping, but it was not until 7-30 that a light air from the land enabled her to get completely out of gun-shot. In the mean time the enemy had been continually firing at her and the Sirius, both from their ships and a newly erected battery on shore.
The combined efforts of the officers and men of the Sirius, Iphigenia, and Magicienne, to get the former frigate afloat, proving utterly vain, it was next determined to destroy her. The idea of cutting away the masts, and converting her into a floating battery, does not appear to have been entertained. the ship’s company and a very small portion of stores, with some of the grape and canister-shot that were on deck, but neither provisions nor water, were removed to her only remaining consort; and at eleven o’clock the Sirius was no more.
