It was, indeed, the greatest and most complete victory gained
throughout the war. Many of the British ships had suffered a good
deal, that which carried the Duke's flag most of all, for it had been
so battered in the fight with De Ruyter that the Duke and Prince
Rupert had been obliged to leave her, and to hoist their flags upon
another man-of-war.
The next morning the Fleet sailed to Schonevelt, which was the usual
_rendezvous_ of the Dutch Fleet, and there remained some time,
altogether undisturbed by the enemy. The _Fan Fan_ was here
thoroughly repaired.
On July 29th they sailed for Ulic, where they arrived on August 7th,
the wind being contrary.
Learning that there was a large fleet of merchantmen lying between
the islands of Ulic and Schelling, guarded by but two men-of-war, and
that there were rich magazines of goods on these islands, it was
determined to attack them. Four small frigates, of a slight draught
of water, and five fire-ships, were selected for the attack, together
with the boats of the Fleet, manned by nine hundred men.
On the evening of the 8th, Cyril was ordered to go, in the _Fan
Fan_, to reconnoitre the position of the Dutch. He did not sail
until after nightfall, and, on reaching the passage between the
islands, he lowered his sails, got out his oars, and drifted with the
tide silently down through the Dutch merchant fleet, where no watch
seemed to be kept, and in the morning carried the news to Sir Robert
Holmes, the commander of the expedition, who had anchored a league
from the entrance.
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