Du Guay Trouin, shortly after this, had cause of complaint against a naval captain whom he encountered at sea, and who, evidently jealous of his successes, fired on his boat, and, calling him on board his ship, rated him in the most contemptuous and insulting manner, threatening to "keel-haul" him, and so on. This is a good example of the behaviour of the aristocratic naval officers towards privateersmen, and it is not surprising if the latter demurred to accepting commissions in the Navy. Du Guay Trouin, however, was destined ere long to take his place there, after a most tremendous and bloody encounter with some Dutch men-of-war escorting a fleet of merchantmen. He was then commanding the _St. Jacques des Victoires_, and had in company his old ship the _Sanspareil_, commanded by his cousin, Jacques Boscher, and the _Leonore_, of 16 guns. Being joined, after sighting this fleet, under the care of two 50-gun and one 30-gun ship, by two large St. Malo privateers, Du Guay Trouin reckoned that he was strong enough to attack--with five ships to three, though the _Leonore_ did not count for much in such an action. However, he despatched her to seize some of the convoy, told his cousin in the _Sanspareil_ to tackle one of the 50-gun ships while he went for the other, and the two St. Malo men took care of the frigate in the middle. By the action of the Dutchmen Du Guay Trouin and his cousin exchanged antagonists; the ship destined for Boscher fell foul of the _St. Jacques_, and Trouin, with his customary promptitude and impetuosity, immediately launched half his crew on board and carried her. The Dutch commodore's ship, the _Delft_, proved a very hard nut to crack. The _Sanspareil_ was repulsed with great loss, her poop on fire, cartridges exploding promiscuously, and nearly a hundred men blown up, shot dead, or wounded. She sheered off, and Du Guay Trouin ran alongside the _Delft_, to be received with even greater warmth. Her captain, an heroic man, fought like a demon, and the _St. Jacques_ also was forced to haul off to breathe the men, who were getting somewhat disheartened, and repair considerable damages. Meanwhile, the larger of the St. Malo vessels, the _Faluère_, was directed to keep the redoubtable Dutchman amused, but she soon had enough of it, losing her captain, and running to leeward. Du Guay Trouin was not going to give in, however. He rallied his men, and, summoning the _Faluère_ to his aid, he went for the _Delft_ once more--as he says, "with head down." He got her--but it cost him more than half his crew, and every one of the Dutch officers was killed or wounded. The commodore, Baron de Wassenaer, fell on his quarter-deck with four deadly wounds, his sword still grasped in his hand, and was made prisoner.