▁its ▁destination ▁of ▁B erm uda , ▁was ▁def ended ▁by ▁only ▁one ▁British ▁war ship , ▁the ▁ 4 0 - gun ▁fr ig ate ▁HMS ▁Se vern ▁under ▁Captain ▁James ▁N ourse . ▁At ▁ 0 7 : 3 0 , ▁N ourse ▁approached ▁the ▁un ident ified ▁ships , ▁determ ining ▁at ▁ 0 8 : 4 0 ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁enemy ▁vessels ▁and ▁giving ▁orders ▁for ▁the ▁con voy ▁to ▁scatter . ▁The ▁French ▁squad ron ▁purs ued ▁Se vern , ▁N ourse ▁opening ▁long - range ▁fire ▁with ▁his ▁stern ▁mounted ▁guns ▁at ▁E to ile ▁at ▁ 1 0 : 3 0 . ▁The ▁French ▁ship ▁held ▁off ▁returning ▁fire ▁with ▁its ▁bow ▁guns ▁until ▁ 1 6 : 0 5 ▁when ▁the ▁range ▁had ▁narrow ed ▁consider ably , ▁Sever ns ▁flight ▁dist ract ing ▁the ▁French ▁sufficiently ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁con voy ▁to ▁escape . ▁Se vern ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁fast ▁ship , ▁N ourse ▁successfully ▁holding ▁off ▁purs uit ▁through ▁an ▁exchange ▁of ▁fire ▁at ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁. ▁At ▁ 1 7 : 3 0 ▁French ▁fire ▁stopped ▁as ▁the ▁range ▁length ened ▁once ▁more , ▁and ▁Se vern ▁began ▁to ▁pull ▁away , ▁Phili bert ▁finally ▁calling ▁off ▁purs uit ▁at ▁ 0 8 : 0 0 ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁January . ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ma io ▁ ▁The ▁French ▁squad ron ▁then ▁sa iled ▁south west , ▁arriv ing ▁at ▁Ma io ▁in ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Cape ▁Ver