At daybreak on the 14th of August, 1779, the vessels weighed anchor from the harbor of L’Orient. The squadron consisted of the same vessels which had sailed before, and all of which had rendezvoused at L’Orient. Two French privateers also sailed in company, the Monsieur and the Granville. When four days out, on the 18th, the fleet came in sight of a large French ship which had been captured by an English privateer. A British crew was hurrying with the prize to the nearest British port. The squadron gave chase, and the prize was overtaken and recaptured by the swift-sailing privateer Monsieur. This fine ship carried forty guns. The privateersman assumed that the prize was his own property, to which the squadron had no claim. He therefore, in the night, dropping astern, took from the prize such articles as he needed, and placed a portion of his crew and one of his own officers on board to hold possession. But Captain Jones promptly reversed this decision, and sent the prize, under his own orders, to L’Orient, to be disposed of in accordance with the laws provided for such an occasion. The captain of the Monsieur was so displeased with his manifestly just decision, that the next day he separated from the squadron. Two days after, on the 20th of August, another large ship was caught sight of, far away to the windward. The squadron gave chase, but the ship escaped. The next day another ship was seen in the distant horizon, and pursued. But being to the windward, she also escaped. While engaged in the chase, one of the squadron overtook a brig laden with provisions, bound for London. She was easily captured, and under a prize crew was sent into L’Orient. On the 23d, the squadron was in sight of Cape Clear, the extreme southwestern point of Ireland. Scarcely a breath of wind rippled the mirrored surface oi the sea. The sails flapped idly against the masts, as the vessels gently rolled on the vast ocean swells. Far away in the northwest a brig was seen. The calm prevented any advance of the squadron. Captain Jones sent two large boats, well manned, and propelled by oars, to capture the vessel. The afternoon wore away, and as evening came on it was perceived that a strong ocean current was sweeping the Richard into a very dangerous position, between two rocks, called the Skallocks and the Blaskets. The captain sent out his own barge, with strong rowers, to tow the ship from her dangerous course. About one-third of the crew were English sailors. The best men had been sent off in the boats to capture the brig. He had therefore to man his barge mainly with the English. They were unprincipled adventurers, and when night came on they cut the tow-rope, and pulled for the shore.