on her way to jamaica "decouverte" chased the french privateer "comet", of five guns and 80 men, for two hours. williams had to give up the chase after a squall sent overboard "decouverte"s fore-top-gallant mast and sprung her two lower masts, the fore mast badly. when "decouverte" reached port royal she was ordered to undergo a thorough refit, something that would take nine months.