▁the ▁fr ig ates ▁were ▁thousands ▁of ▁miles ▁from ▁a ▁friendly ▁port ▁and ▁unable ▁to ▁effect ▁any ▁but ▁the ▁most ▁basic ▁rep airs . ▁S ult ane ▁in ▁particular ▁needed ▁substantial ▁temporary ▁rep airs ▁and ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁ere ct ▁j ury ▁m asts ▁as ▁the ▁damage ▁was ▁too ▁severe ▁for ▁regular ▁service . ▁Unable ▁to ▁continue ▁their ▁cru ise , ▁the ▁fr ig ates ▁turned ▁north ▁towards ▁Europe . ▁By ▁ 2 6 ▁March ▁the ▁squad ron ▁was ▁sail ing ▁east wards ▁in ▁the ▁English ▁Channel , ▁approximately ▁ ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Î le ▁de ▁B atz ▁in ▁Brit t any ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁the ▁Norm andy ▁port ▁of ▁Saint ▁Mal o . ▁At ▁ 0 9 : 0 0 ▁two ▁vessels ▁were ▁sight ed ▁close ▁by , ▁their ▁approach ▁mask ed ▁by ▁heavy ▁fog . ▁These ▁were ▁the ▁British ▁ 3 6 - gun ▁fr ig ate ▁HMS ▁Heb rus ▁under ▁Captain ▁Edmund ▁Pal mer ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 6 - gun ▁brig - s loop ▁HMS ▁S par row ▁under ▁Commander ▁Francis ▁Er sk ine ▁L och , ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁block ade ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Channel ▁ports . S par row ▁had ▁been ▁sight ed ▁so ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁ships ▁that ▁it ▁came ▁under ▁immediate ▁fire , ▁which ▁t ore ▁up ▁the ▁rig ging , ▁killed ▁a ▁pet ty ▁officer ▁and ▁wounded ▁another ▁sail or . ▁S par row ▁closed ▁with ▁Heb rus ▁for ▁support , ▁Pal mer ▁firing ▁long - distance ▁broad s ides ▁at ▁the