The Peregrine went into the bay with its gallant crew, and came out safe, but not without having run great risks.

Caermarthen reported that the defences, of which however he had seen only a small part, were formidable.

But Berkeley and Talmash suspected that he overrated the danger.

They were not aware that their design had long been known at Versailles, that an army had been collected to oppose them, and that the greatest engineer in the world had been employed to fortify the coast against them.

They therefore did not doubt that their troops might easily be put on shore under the protection of a fire from the ships.