 With the enemy subdued , Strachan ordered a thorough search of the captured vessels , but could find no contraband and returned control to the French commander . The French officer however refused , insisting that he and his ship were treated as prisoners of war . Cornwallis ordered the merchant ships released to continue their journey and for the frigate to be towed back to Mahé , where it was anchored in the roads with its sails and topmasts struck . Provision was subsequently made at Mahé by Strachan for the wounded French sailors . Soon afterwards Saint @-@ Félix arrived at Mahé in his frigate Cybèle and reacted furiously at the discovery that one of his neutral ships had been attacked and captured by the British . When Cornwallis insisted that his ships had been acting within their orders , Saint @-@ Félix promised reprisals if any of his vessels were attacked again and withdrew with both Cybèle and Résolue later in the day , followed by Minerva and Phoenix . One account reported that Saint @-@ Félix actually ordered his crew to fire on Cornwallis but that they refused . The British shadowed the French for several days , openly stopping and searching French merchant ships but without provoking a response from Saint @-@ Félix . Résolue and Phoenix were subsequently detached by their commanders , Cornwallis and Saint @-@ Félix remaining in contact for several more days before finally separating . 
 With the enemy subdued , Strachan ordered a thorough search of the captured vessels , but could find no contraband and returned control to the French commander . The French officer however refused , insisting that he and his ship <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> treated as prisoners of war . Cornwallis ordered the merchant ships released to continue their journey and for the frigate to be towed back to Mahé , where it was anchored in the roads with its sails and topmasts struck . Provision was subsequently made at Mahé by Strachan for the wounded French sailors . Soon afterwards Saint @-@ Félix arrived at Mahé in his frigate Cybèle and reacted furiously at the discovery <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a>one of his neutral ships <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> been attacked and captured by the British . When Cornwallis insisted that his ships had been acting within their orders , Saint @-@ Félix promised reprisals if any of his vessels <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> attacked again and withdrew with both Cybèle and Résolue later in the day , followed by Minerva and Phoenix . One account reported that Saint @-@ Félix actually ordered his crew to fire on Cornwallis but that they refused . The British shadowed the French for several days , openly stopping and searching French merchant ships but without provoking a response from Saint @-@ Félix . Résolue and Phoenix <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> subsequently detached by their commanders , Cornwallis and Saint @-@ Félix remaining in contact for several more days before finally separating . 
W the enemy subdued , Strachan ordered a thorough search of the captured vessels , but could find no contraband and returned control to the French commander . The French officer however refused , insisting that he and his ship was treated as prisoners of war . Cornwallis ordered da merchant ships released to continue their journey and for the frigate to be towed back to Mahé , where it was anchored in tdaroads witwits sails and topmasts struck . Provision was subsequently made at Mahé by Strachan for thdaounded French sailors . Soon afterwards Saint @-@ Félix arrived at Mahé in his frigate Cybèle and reacted furiously at the discovery one of his neutral ships done been attacked and captured by the British . When Cornwallis insisted that his ships had been acting within their orders , Saint @-@ Félix promised reprisals if any of his vessels was attacked again and withdrew withwidh Cybèle and Résolue later in the day , followed by Minerva and Phoenix . One account reported that Saint @-@ Félix actually ordered his crew to fire on Cornwallis but that they refused . The British shadowed the French for several days , openly stoppin and searching French merchant ships but without provoking a response from Saint @-@ Félix . Résolue and Phoenix was subsequently detached by their commanders , Cornwallis and Saint @-@ Félix remaining in contact for several more days before finally separating .