On the stroke of four o'clock a spurt of flame leapt from one of the stern-chase ports of the _Foudroyant_, and as the smoke blew away to leeward the boom of a heavy gun came over the waters towards the _Monmouth_. It was the first shot. The ball splashed in the water not far off, and then the _Foudroyant_ fired a second shot--followed quickly by a third. The enemy had got the range. That, too, was enough for Captain Gardiner. His heavier guns could at least carry as far as the _Foudroyant's_ guns, and without waiting longer the _Monmouth's_ bow-chasers took up the game. 'Soon after being in gunshot of our chase,' says Lieutenant Carkett, the first lieutenant of the _Monmouth_, in his journal, 'she, having up French colours, began to fire her stern-chase at us, which we soon after returned with our bow-chase, and continued for about an hour, then ceased firing as she did, except a single gun now and then.'[5] By this time, about five o'clock, the wind had fallen very light, but the _Monmouth_ still continued to gain steadily on her opponent. She was single-handed. The _Swiftsure_ and the _Hampton Court_ were hull down on the horizon, though they were still following with all sail set. The rest of the fleet was quite out of sight. Just before the _Foudroyant_ began firing, Captain Gardiner, as we are told, called all hands aft. His address to them was brief, but what he said was to the point. 'That ship has to be taken, my lads, above our match though she looks. I shall fight her until the _Monmouth_ sinks.' Then they piped down and returned to quarters. A little before this, while pacing up and down the quarter-deck with Lieutenant Campbell, a young army officer from Gibraltar who was on board in charge of a small detachment of soldiers (600 men from the Gibraltar garrison had been lent to Admiral Osborn to assist on deck in ships that were short-handed), he had said to the young officer, pointing to the _Foudroyant_ ahead of them: 'Whatever happens to you and me, that ship must go into Gibraltar.' In that spirit Captain Gardiner took the _Monmouth_ into action as the evening began to close in-- Her ports all up, her battle-lanterns lit, And her leashed thunders gathering for their leap.