de ▁Islands ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁January . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁anch ored ▁at ▁Porto ▁Ingl ês , ▁and ▁was ▁discovered ▁there ▁at ▁ 0 9 : 5 5 ▁the ▁following ▁morning ▁by ▁a ▁British ▁fr ig ate ▁squad ron ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 6 - gun ▁ships ▁HMS ▁Ast rea ▁under ▁Captain ▁George ▁Charles ▁Mack en zie ▁and ▁HMS ▁Cre ole ▁under ▁Captain ▁John ▁E ve le igh . ▁The ▁British ▁ships ▁were ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁Porto ▁Ingl ês ▁from ▁F uerte vent ura ▁and ▁first ▁sp ied ▁the ▁French ▁ships , ▁with ▁two ▁small ▁pri zes , ▁at ▁anchor ▁from ▁across ▁a ▁prom ont ory , ▁assuming ▁them ▁to ▁be ▁Spanish ▁or ▁Portuguese ▁ships . ▁When ▁the ▁French ▁failed ▁to ▁respond ▁to ▁the ▁c oded ▁signals ▁however ▁the ▁British ▁capt ains ▁real ised ▁that ▁the ▁str angers ▁must ▁be ▁enemy ▁vessels ▁and ▁resolved ▁to ▁attack ▁them ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁anch ored . ▁ ▁At ▁ 1 2 : 0 0 ▁the ▁French ▁ships ▁sa iled ▁for ▁the ▁open ▁sea ▁sout heast ▁along ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Ma io , ▁purs ued ▁by ▁the ▁British . ▁Ast rea ▁suffered ▁in ▁the ▁high ▁wind s , ▁losing ▁several ▁to ps ails ▁which ▁imp eded ▁her ▁speed . ▁With ▁Cre ole ▁in ▁the ▁lead , ▁the ▁British ▁ships ▁succeeded ▁in ▁cutting ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁by ▁ 1 2 : 4 5 , ▁E ve le igh ▁firing ▁his ▁bow ▁guns ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁ex ch anging ▁broad s ides ▁with ▁S ult