the leading ship was the 40-gun frigate "melpomène", and propelled by a fresh breeze she hoisted the french tricolour at dawn and opened fire with stern-chaser guns, cannon situated in the stern to fire on a pursuer. periodically the frigate gained enough distance to turn and fire a broadside at the british ship of the line, to which nelson could only respond with a handful of his forward guns. the rest of the french squadron had been left behind in the night, but by 09:00 the battling ships had been becalmed and the pursuit squadron came into sight once more. "melpomène", badly damaged by the british fire, issued flag signals to the new arrivals, and nelson was unable to prevent the frigate rejoining its companions.