After this Du Guay Trouin had a bad time in the _Profond_, a very poor sailer, and altogether an unlucky ship, so that he was glad to see the last of her, and take command of the _Hercule_, of 28 guns. After a little good fortune, he again fell upon evil days. No prey was sighted for two months, provisions began to run short, sickness broke out among the crew, discontent and insubordination soon followed. The officers and men demanded that he should return to France, but, partly by conciliation and partly by firmness, he persuaded them to keep the sea for eight days longer, promising them that, if they did capture a prize, they should pillage her and divide the spoil. On the last night at sea, Du Guay Trouin tells us, he had a vivid dream that two deeply laden ships hove in sight; at daybreak he went aloft--and there they were! He took them both; they were rich prizes, and the crew were made happy by being allowed, as he had promised, to pillage one of them. His next ship was the _Diligente_, of 40 guns; and in her he was destined to experience the misfortune of defeat and capture. First, however, he came across the _Prince of Orange_, a hired armed vessel of considerable force--Du Guay Trouin says of 60 guns--convoying a fleet of thirty vessels. Having hailed one of them, and ascertained that they were laden with coal, he determined not to risk loss and damage for such a comparatively worthless cargo. Finding however, that his vessel easily "had the heels" of the other, he indulged in some aggravating antics, taking in sail so as to allow the English to come within gunshot, shooting ahead again, under English colours, which he hoisted "union down," _i.e._ as a signal "Am in need of assistance"; then, dropping down once more, he so far forgot himself as to fire at the other while still under English colours--a gross breach of international law, accounted as an act of piracy. It was done, no doubt, through inadvertence, but the English captain did not forget it, and the Frenchman had cause to regret his carelessness. And then came misfortune; nine days later he fell in with a squadron of six English men-of-war cruising between Ireland and the Scilly Isles. They immediately gave chase. A hard gale blowing, Du Guay Trouin ran for the Scilly Isles, hard pressed by the _Adventure_ and _Dragon_. In among the islands they ran, and by eleven o'clock the _Adventure_ was near enough to engage, the _Diligente_ replying with her stern guns. Still gaining in the heavy breeze, the _Adventure_--a 44-gun ship--was within easy range, the _Dragon_--46 guns--not far astern. Du Guay Trouin engaged the _Adventure_ for nearly three hours, hoping all the time to escape; however, at half-past two his fore and main topmasts were shot away, and the English vessel ranged up alongside, hauling up her courses, the _Dragon_ at the same time signalising her arrival by a broadside.