The British _Canada_, Cornwallis's hard-hitting seventy-four, fresh from her victorious bout with the French _Hector_, came on in the forefront of the pursuing British and fastened at once on the _Ville de Paris_. The French flagship by now had fallen quite to the rear. The _Couronne_ had failed her admiral at the last moment. De Grasse, as he himself reported to Versailles, had personally hailed her just before, and ordered her to keep station close in the flagship's wake. They had answered back, 'Oui, General!' but as the _Canada_ came up the _Couronne_ shifted out of the way and edged off past the flagship, letting Cornwallis in.[42] Cornwallis knew what he had to do, and pointed his guns high. Stationing the _Canada_ on the quarter of the _Ville de Paris_, out of direct reach of De Grasse's broadside, he hung on there fixedly, pounding his hardest meanwhile into the French flagship with every gun the _Canada_ could bring to bear, cutting away spars and rigging and holding the great vessel back until other British ships were at hand to take up the task. The _Canada_ then moved off after the other French ships farther on, passing over the work of holding the _Ville de Paris_ to Saumarez of the _Russell_, the only captain of Admiral Drake's squadron who was 'in at the death'--thanks to his own intelligent anticipation of probable events earlier in the day. The _Russell_ during the afternoon had had a series of long-range encounters with four of the French fleet elsewhere, but she was fresh enough for the business before her. Saumarez pushed in boldly, hauled up under the stern of the _Ville de Paris_, and gave her a raking broadside that swept the giant three-decker from end to end. After that the _Russell_ placed herself on the lee quarter of the _Ville de Paris_, to prevent her from edging off after the other French ships of her group, which were now giving way everywhere as the attack on them was being driven home. There she remained until Hood himself with the _Barfleur_ came on the scene.