Esther was launched in 1783 and entered British hands as a French prize of 1793. She took part in a notable single-ship action in 1794 in which she repelled a French privateer. Between 1801 and 1805 she made four slave trading voyages. A French privateer captured her in a sanguinary single-ship action in 1805. Career Esther entered Lloyd's Register in 1794. Her owner was Daniels, her master was Devonish, and her trade Bristol to Barbados. On 20 February 1794 John Perrott Devonish received a letter of marque for Esther. On 5 September 1794, Esther, Devonish, master, encountered Républicaine, which Devonish described as being armed with twenty 6-pounder guns and 18 swivel guns, and having a crew of 100-150 men. At 5p.m. a four-hour engagement commenced, that resumed the next morning, when after two-and-a-half hours Républicaine withdrew. Esther had one man fatally wounded, her mate, out of a crew of 18 men and three boys. As Esther was returning from Barbados, she overset in the Avon River at Bristol and filled with water. Esther was refloated on 9 October and in November sailed again. Although there was a report that the French had succeeded in capturing Esther in 1795 as she was sailing from Jamaica to London, that was a different Esther. In 1799 her master became T. Goodall and her owner T. Allan & Co. She also underwent repairs. In 1800 her master changed from T. Goodall to Stephen Bowers. Bowers received a letter of marque on 30 April 1800. In 1801 ownership of Esther changed to Caldcleugh. 1st slave voyage (1800–1802): Captain Bowers sailed from London on 22 May 1800. She acquired her slaves at Cape Mount and arrived at Kingston on 18 June 1801 with 291 slaves. She sailed from Kingston and arrived back at London on 21 February 1802. On this voyage James Main, and then "Abbot" apparently successively replaced Bowers. Captain Duncan Stewart attempted to sail to Africa in 1802, but in early September 1802 he and Esther grounded on "The Flatts" and she had to return to Gravesend with damage. He then received a letter of marque for Esther on 2 September 1803. 2nd slave voyage (1802–1803): Captain Stewart sailed from London on 30 August 1802. Esther was reported on 29 October 1803 to be "all well" at . She acquired her slaves in the region of West Central Africa and St. Helena . She