A coloured aquatint depiction of the fort and settlement of Tamatave, capital of Madagascar, with the French 44-gun frigate Nereide at anchor with sails furled. Three British Navy vessels, Astrea, Phoebe and Racehorse (from the far left to centre of the picture) are blockading the harbour and preparing for action, indeed gun smoke is billowing from the starboard ports of Racehorse. The yards of all three British vessels are swarming with crew taking in various sails. The capture of Nereide took place in May 1811, after she had already escaped from a confrontation with the same British ships on 20th May 1811 elsewhere off Madagascar in which the French vessel Renommee was captured.

This picture is the last of a set of four, the others being PAI 6166, PAI6167 and PAI6168.