In this watercolour, three vessels are depicted in a very calm sea.Two are British naval ships, the 38-gun, 5th rate frigate Menelaus and the 18-gun, brig sloop Eclair. The Menelaus, just right of centre, in starboard bow view, has all sails hoisted and is running before the wind, her mainmast pennant curling over the port side towards the bows. The Eclair, on the left of the image, shown in port broadside, similarly has all her sails hoisted, but is on a more close-hauled, starboard tack, her long pennant streaming out over the stern.

The third vessel is a local Mediterranean settee with a single deck and a long, sharp, up-curving bow. It has two masts, both of which have lateen sails. This type of vessel was more common in the Eastern Mediterranean, which fits well with the artist serving in the Adriatic as lieutenant on the Eagle from 1811 to 1814.

Bound with PAF0023-PAF0053, PAF0055-PAF0057; Page 33.