Three months later, Cornwallis was sent by Parker to accompany a body of merchant ships for England as far as the neighborhood of Bermuda.  This duty being fulfilled, he was returning toward his station, having with him two 74’s, two 64’s, and one 50, when, on the morning of June 20, a number of sail were seen from north-east to east (a); the British squadron (aa) then steering east, with the wind at south-south-east.  The strangers were a body of French transports, carrying the six thousand troops destined for Rhode Island, and convoyed by a division of seven ships of the line—­one 80, two 74’s, and four 64’s—­under the command of Commodore de Ternay.  Two of the ships of war were with the convoy, the other five very properly to windward of it.  The latter therefore stood on, across the bows of the British, to rejoin their consorts, and then all hauled their wind to the south-west, standing in column (bb) towards the enemy.  Cornwallis on his part had kept on (b) to reconnoitre the force opposed to him; but one of his ships, the Ruby, 64, was so far to leeward (b’) that the French, by keeping near the wind, could pass between her and her squadron (b, b, b’).  She therefore went about (t) and steered southwest, on the port tack (c’), close to the wind.  The French, who were already heading the same way, were thus brought on her weather quarter in chase.  Cornwallis then wore his division (w), formed line of battle on the same tack as the others (c), and edged down towards the Ruby.  If the French now kept their wind, either the Ruby (c’) must be cut off, or Cornwallis, to save her, must fight the large odds against him.  De Ternay, however, did not keep his wind but bore up,—­yielded ground (cc).  “The enemy,” wrote Cornwallis, “kept edging off and forming line, though within gunshot.  At 5.30 P.M., seeing we had pushed the French ships to leeward sufficiently to enable the Ruby, on our lee bow, to join us, I made the signal to tack.”  As the British squadron went about to stand east again (d), the French, heading now west-south-west (cc), hoisted their colours and opened fire in passing.  The Ruby kept on till she fetched the wake of the British column (d’), when she too tacked.  The French then tacked also, in succession (d), and the two columns stood on for awhile in parallel lines, exchanging shots at long range, the British to windward.  Cornwallis very properly declined further engagement with so superior a force.  He had already done much in saving a ship so greatly exposed.

[Illustration]

The account above followed is that of the British commander, but it does not differ in essentials from the French, whose captains were greatly incensed at the cautious action of their chief.  A French commissaire in the squadron, who afterwards published his journal, tells that de Ternay a few days later asked the captain of one of the ships what English admiral he thought they had engaged, and received