Sibylle was a 38-gun Hébé-class frigate of the French Navy. She was launched in 1791 at the dockyards in Toulon and placed in service in 1792. After the 50-gun fourth rate HMS Romney captured her in 1
Sibylle (left) at the Battle of Mykonos
Capture of Sybille by Romney
Sybille fighting Forte
HMS Sybille capturing Chiffonne
HMS Black Joke
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HMS Black Joke was a cutter, probably built in Baltimore in 1824, originally launched as the Brazilian slave ship Henriqueta. The Royal Navy captured her in September 1827, and purchased her into the
French frigate Sibylle (1791)
…of whom 546 survived to be liberated in Sierra Leone. In December the Admiralty purchased Henriquetta for £900 as a tender to Sybille and renamed her HMS Black Joke. Black Joke would go on to be one of the most successful anti-slavery vessels in the squadron. On 14 March 1828 Sybille was reported to have captured…
Henriqueta's owner José de Cerqueira Lima
HMS Black Joke and prizes (clockwise from top left) Spanish brig Providentia, Brazilian brig Vengador, Buenos Ayrean privateer Presidente, brigantine El Hassey, Spanish brig El Almirante, and brigantine Marianna
HM Brig Black Joke engaging the Spanish slave brig Maranerito in the Bay of Biafra, 26 April 1831, by George Philip Reinagle