 On 9 July 1806, the small British brig HMS Rattlesnake under Commander John Bastard was cruising off the Southern coast of the British colony of Ceylon in search of French privateers that had been attacking small British traders, known as country ships, in the region. Most notorious of these was the Bellone, known to be operating in the area. In the early afternoon, lookouts on Rattlesnake spotted sails near the Little Basses Reef and approached the ship, which turned with the wind and fled to the southwest. Bastard immediately gave chase, and soon came close enough to identify the vessel as the Bellone. Although Bellone was much larger than the British warship, Captain Perroud was unwilling to risk his vessel in an unprofitable confrontation with Rattlesnake and seemed to be making an effective withdrawal when, at 15: 15, a large ship came within sight directly ahead.
