at 16:00 , with repairs Recovering on `` thames '' ongoing , a french squadron of three frigates and a brig , under captain zacharie allemand , arrived Arriving , firing Use_firearm on `` thames '' as they approached Arriving .

Cruising near the Little Basses Reef on the Southern coast of Ceylon , the 34-gun privateer `` Bellone '' was sighted Hold by the 16-gun British brig HMS `` Rattlesnake '' , which began Process_start chasing Motion the larger French vessel .

The British admiral in command of the eastern Indian Ocean , Rear-Admiral Sir Edward Pellew , led a force of four ships of the line , two frigates and brig to the capital of Java at Batavia ( later renamed Djakarta ) , in search of the squadron , which was reported Reporting to consist Cause_to_be_included of a number of Dutch ships of the line and several smaller vessels .

Discovered Know at anchor off Pointe-Noire on 22 January by the British brig HMS `` Hazard '' , `` Topaze '' was isolated and attacked Attack by two British frigates , led Causation by Captain Samuel Pechell in HMS `` Cleopatra '' .

He also returned Giving many prisoners taken Conquering previously in a captured Conquering brig .

As the strange vessels came Self_motion closer , they were recognised Know as the French frigate `` Duguay Trouin '' , which had been captured Conquering from the East India Company the year before , and a small brig .