With Porter in the Essex

by Amanda M. Douglas

  CHAPTER VII.

  AN ISLAND PORT.

  The _Georgiana_ left us next morning, carrying a sorrowful-looking crew,as can well be imagined, for every man jack of them felt as if he mightbe accused of cowardice in leaving the _Essex_ at a time when there wasgood reason to expect she would meet with a superior force.

  I fail to understand yet why it had come into the minds of all that wewould never double Cape Horn in the old frigate. No one put such abelief into words, and yet I knew full well it was looked upon as afact, because of certain remarks let drop now and then when was beingdiscussed the question of seeing the friends at home.

  It had really come to be the belief of us all, although carefully keptin the background, that the time must come when we would meet with sucha force of Britishers as could put an end to the "luck of the _Essex_."

  And it is little wonder that our crew, even counting the boys, shouldhave considered it as inevitable that the dear old frigate would cometo an end of her cruising before many months had passed, for we knewfull well the English people must soon demand that we who had done somuch mischief be put out of the way of working yet further damage.

  Consider well what had been done, and then it may be seen that theBritish navy would speedily come after us with a heavy force. Here isthe situation as it was defined by a member of the United States Navy,he looking at the matter a few weeks after the _Georgiana_ had sailed,and we were in an island port refitting and overhauling the fleet:--

  "The situation of the _Essex_ was sufficiently remarkable, at thismoment, to merit a brief notice. She had been the first American tocarry the pennant of a man-of-war round the Cape of Good Hope, and nowshe had been the first to bring it into the distant ocean. More than tenthousand miles from home, without colonies, stations, or even a friendlyport to repair to, short of stores, without a consort, and otherwise inpossession of none of the required means of subsistence and efficiency,she had boldly steered into this distant region, where she had found allthat she required, through her own activity; and having swept the seasof her enemies, she had now retired to these little-frequented islandsto refit, with the security of a ship at home. It is due to the officerwho so promptly adopted and so successfully executed this plan, to add,that his enterprise, self-reliance, and skill indicated a man of boldand masculine courage; qualities that are indispensable in forming anaval captain.

  "In the way of service to the public, perhaps the greatest performed bythe _Essex_ was protecting American ships in the Pacific, nearly all ofwhich would probably have fallen into the hands of the enemy but for herappearance in that ocean. But the positive injury done the Englishcommerce was far from trifling. The _Essex_ had now captured about fourthousand tons of its shipping, made near four hundred prisoners, and forthe moment had literally destroyed its fisheries in this part of theworld. In October, 1812, she had sailed from America alone, with sixmonths' provisions and the usual stores in her; and in October, 1813,she was lying, in perfect security, at an island in the Pacific, with arespectable consort, surrounded by prizes, and in possession of all themeans that were necessary to render a frigate of her class efficient.Throughout the whole of these movements we see a constant tendency todistress the enemy, and to maintain the character of the ship as anactive, well-organized, and high-toned man-of-war."

  All this was written concerning us after we had made that island portwhich I shall describe later; but before entering it we were to see someservice, and experience our first disappointment in the way of capturingevery sail we sighted.

  It was on the 25th day of July when the _Georgiana_ left us, only to berecaptured, as we afterward learned to our sorrow, before gaining anAmerican port.

  We remained hove to until the oil-laden prize was hull down on thehorizon, and then, with the _Essex_ leading, our little squadron,consisting of the frigate, the _Greenwich_, _Seringapatam_, and _NewZealander_, trailing along in fine style, cruised here and there insearch of another Britisher.

  On the morning of the third day thereafter, while we lay becalmed, astrange sail was sighted carrying with her a fine breeze.

  As a matter of course she soon ran out of our range of vision, butCaptain Porter was not the kind of a commander to give up the hope ofcatching an enemy, once having clapped his eyes on her; and at sunset,when the wind sprang up again, signals were set for every ship to crowdon sail in pursuit of the Britisher, although by this time she had manyleagues the start.

  The "luck of the _Essex_" was with us yet, for next morning at sunrisethe lookouts at the masthead sighted the stranger standing across ourbow on a bowline.

  By this time the breeze fined down again, and the dullest among us knewthat unless we could get the frigate through the water at a better pace,our hope of taking another prize that day was at an end.

  Captain Porter had a scheme of his own, however, and at once set aboutexecuting it, to the surprise and admiration of all our old shellbacks,even though it cost us considerable labor.

  A three-cornered frame was knocked together by the carpenters, coveredwith canvas, and weighted by four-pound shot on one side. This wasrigged to run from the spritsail-yard to an outrigger aft. It wasdropped into the water forward, and then half the crew, trailing on to asmall hawser made fast to the triangle as boys tie the string of a kite,hauled it quickly astern.

  This, acting as a paddle, sent us ahead in fine style, and as soon asthe contrivance was well aft, it would be hoisted out of the water, runforward, and dropped again.

  The labor required to work such a machine was very great; but we madelight of it on seeing that we were forging ahead faster than thestranger could sail, and, with the perspiration running in greatstreams down our bodies, we pulled and hauled with a will until, havingcome within about four miles of the ship, we counted on making a prize.

  By this time it could be seen that she was a British whaler, and anuncommonly fine craft. What was more, we began to understand that she,unlike many we had already overhauled, did not intend that we shouldcapture her without paying the piper for our dancing.

  Her boats were got out to tow, and we could not work the canvas-paddlefast enough to hold our own in the way of speed.

  The remainder of our fleet were hull down astern, therefore it wasuseless to expect assistance from them,--a fact which caused MasterHackett to say despairingly:--

  "I allow, lads, that we've come to an end of the 'luck' for the timebein'. That 'ere craft will muster more men accordin' to her size thanwe can."

  "Gettin' afraid, eh?" some one shouted scornfully; whereat MasterHackett replied with considerable show of spirit:--

  "Not a bit of it, you lubber; but men count in the kind of a breezewe're tryin' to work up, an' towin' that ship with boats is child'splay compared with what it would be to drag the _Essex_ through thewater."

  I believed our men would begin squabbling among themselves, because oftheir disappointment in being thus prevented from taking a prize; butone of the lieutenants quickly put an end to the words by bawling out anorder which showed us that the Britisher might not find towing a veryprofitable job.

  The word was passed to lower the gig and one of the whale-boats, and ourmen cheered lustily while this was being done, for they had a fairlygood idea of what the captain was counting on doing.

  Lieutenant McKnight, my cousin Stephen, was announced as commander ofthe small expedition, and he began calling off the names of those whomhe counted on taking with him, after word had been passed that each man,as he was thus chosen, should arm himself with a musket and plenty ofpowder and bullets.

  Master Hackett was the first selected, and then followed name after nameso rapidly that I soon understood Phil and I would be left out of thebusiness unless something was done quickly.

  Without waiting to consult my comrade, I walked across the deck,coughing loudly, and passing within a few feet of where the lieutenantwas standing.

  He looked up, smiled oddly, and then, after a show of hesitationcalled:--

  "Ezra McKnight
! Philip Robbins!"

  "You're a beauty!" Phil whispered, as he ran past me on his way below toget the musket and ammunition, and my only regret at that moment wasbecause I could not thank my cousin for the favor he had done us.

  We two lads tumbled into the gig alongside Master Hackett, who askedgruffly:--

  "What is the lieutenant thinkin' of to send a couple of infants out on ajob like this?"

  "Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to ask him; I don't care totake the chances of so doing, even though your curiosity is notsatisfied," I said pertly. "If shooting is to be done, which seemsreasonable after we've been ordered to arm ourselves, I reckon the'infants' can do as much as some others who are older."

  Master Hackett did not reply; but by the movements of his mouth I knewhe was not so displeased but that he was trying to hide a smile.

  Just then Stephen McKnight stepped aboard the gig, and as he did soCaptain Porter cried over the rail:--

  "Remember, McKnight, that you are not to make any effort at boarding,however tempting may be the opportunity. Get ahead of the chase anddrive in her boats, after which you will return as soon as possible."

  "I understand, sir," Stephen replied, and then came the order to "giveway with a will."

  Phil and I were not counted among the oarsmen, as I saw when the workwas begun; but we did a trifle toward helping the good work along bypushing on Master Hackett's oar, and he made no effort to prevent us,even though we were "infants."

  It would not have been good seamanship to go any nearer the enemy thanwas necessary, in the effort to get ahead of her, therefore we made awide sweep around to port; and when we were opposite, not more thanthree hundred yards distant, her gunners let fly a couple of pieceswhich had been loaded with grape.

  The whistling of the shot, which struck everywhere around us, sent thecold shivers up and down my back; but I pushed on Master Hackett's oarall the harder, keeping my eyes fixed straight ahead lest the old manshould read in them more than I cared to have him know.

  Phil started ever so slightly; but managed to hold himself firm afterthat, and each of us knew that the other was sorely afraid, although itis certain neither would have gone back had the opportunity presenteditself.

  We were treated to more grape, the biggest portion of which passed overour heads, and after that second volley I somehow forgot that I wasfrightened; but loaded my musket carefully, hoping the time would sooncome when I could do a little to help balance the account.

  Soon we were out of range of the grape, and then we ran across theship's bow, every man loading and discharging his musket at the crew ofthe towing-boats as rapidly as possible.

  SOON WE WERE OUT OF REACH OF THE GRAPE, AND THEN WE RANACROSS THE SHIP'S BOW.]

  "They can't stand that kind of a game very long," Master Hackett said,as he wounded one of the Britishers in the foremost boat. "They've comeout to pull an oar an' ain't in shape for a fight, so it don't stand toreason they'll hold their ground a great while."

  The British oarsmen were already beginning to slacken their pace, and Ilooked astern to make out what our people counted on doing while we laythere preventing the work of towing.

  The sight was one to warm the blood even of a coward. All our boats wereout and being manned rapidly, and I had no need to ask what would be thenext move.

  "Ay, lad, the captain is goin' to board her," Master Hackett saidquietly, when I called his attention to the frigate. "I counted the oldman would be at that fun mighty soon after we'd got into position, an'the worst of it is that we don't have a hand in the scrimmage."

  We soon learned to our sorrow that we had a scrimmage of our own whichwould occupy us in good shape so long as the towing-boats were kept out.

  The Britishers had brought two guns on the forecastle-deck, and begangiving us our medicine just as the _Essex's_ crew were pulling away fromher side.

  The first discharge did us no damage; but it was not difficult to guessthat after the gunners once got our range we would suffer severely, andagain I had hard work to prevent showing the white feather.

  The grape came nearer and nearer, the gunners working the pieces fasterthan I had ever thought could be possible, and we kept peppering away atthe men in the boats, firing so lively that soon they were driven in;but it had cost two of our fellows slight wounds.

  The grapeshot would settle our business very speedily, I believed,unless our boarding party came along soon, and I looked anxiouslyastern.

  The oars flashed in the water at the rate of forty strokes a minute,and our men were cheering lustily as they thought of adding another tothe long list of prizes credited to the _Essex_.

  Now the grape was coming with truer aim; two of our oars had beensheered off close to the rail, as neatly as if done by an axe, and itseemed certain some one of us would soon lose the number of his mess;yet, strange to say, I was not so terribly frightened as the situationwarranted.

  "The boarders will soon be goin' over the Britisher's rail, an' thencomes the time for us to pull a little nearer," Master Hackett whisperedto me, as if thinking I needed cheering. "Take aim at the gunners, an'it'll make you a heap easier in mind if you can knock one over."

  I discharged my musket with careful aim, and then looked over myshoulder while reloading to ascertain whether the rest of our peoplewere coming up.

  The boats from the _Essex_ were making rapid way over the water, thespray from their bows glittering in the sunlight like diamonds, and theenemy now turned his attention from us ahead to those who were sorapidly overhauling him from astern.

  A full broadside was fired at the boarders, but the heavy shot passedover their heads without doing any damage, and we in advance added ourshouts of joy to those of the boarding party.

  The Britishers must have turned cowardly as they saw our men comingtoward them without heed to their fire, and in another instant we wereyelling at the full strength of our lungs, as the English flag washauled down in token of surrender.

  "The 'luck of the _Essex_' still holds good," Master Hackett criedgleefully. "Yonder ship will show well among our fleet, an' it's a pitywe can't give her a crew of decent size."

  The boats which we had been trying to drive in were now calledalongside, and our people were coming hand over hand to take possession,when a breeze from the eastward sprang up like a squall, filling thesails of the prize in an instant.

  Before I was well aware of what had happened the Britisher was hauled upclose on the wind. Her colors were hoisted again, and off she went tothe northward like a flash, leaving the boarding party astern as iftheir craft had been anchored.

  Just for an instant I believed the enemy would succeed in running downthose of us who were in the gig and whale-boat. She came up until wewere close under her forefoot; but the helmsman could not bring hernearer, and we swept astern like a flash.

  It was well for us that she came so close, otherwise we might have beenknocked to flinders, for no less than six charges of grape were firedpoint-blank at our boats; but the missiles passed over our heads, and,instead of congratulating themselves upon the escape from instant death,the men grumbled long and loud because we had lost the first ship whichby rights should have been made a prize.

  "If that 'ere squall had held off five minutes longer, we'd have been inpossession," Master Hackett said in a tone so sorrowful that one couldwell believe the tears were very near his eyelids.

  To Phil and me it was most singular, this seeing one ship filling awaywith all the wind she needed, and another, our frigate, lying no morethan four miles distant with not breeze enough to lift the vane at hermasthead.

  The only thing which prevented our men from having a desperate fit ofthe sulks was the belief that when the _Essex_ did get the wind shewould make chase; but as the hours wore on we understood that theBritisher was really lost to us, for this time at least.

  It was near to nine o'clock in the evening before the last of our boatswas hoisted inboard, and, owing to the darkness which hid the enemy fromview, it was use
less to think of making sail.

  We laid hove to until our consorts came up, and then the fleet was keptjogging to and fro in the hope that when morning came the "luck of the_Essex_" would show us the Britisher.

  We were doomed to disappointment, however, so far as this particularcraft was concerned, for when day broke not a sail was to be seen.

  Captain Porter did all a commander should do under the circumstances.During three days we cruised to the northward and eastward, and at theend of that time there was no longer any question, even in the minds ofthe most sanguine, but that the Britisher had given us the slip.

  Once this unpleasant fact was impressed upon him beyond the shadow of adoubt, Captain Porter hauled away for James's Island, where we had goodreason to believe more British whalers might be found.

  Not a sail was to be seen in the little bay when we entered on the 4thday of August; but, believing the men would be the better for a shortcruise ashore, our commander gave the word to anchor.

  Next morning, before a single man had time to ask for liberty, it wasreported by one of the gunners that a goodly portion of the powder whichwe had brought with us from the United States, had been damaged by waterwhile we were doubling the Horn. But for the fact that this particularman was nosing around where he really had no business to be, the _Essex_might have gone into action only to discover, when it was too late, thatshe had nothing with which to fight.

  "What will we do?" I asked of Master Hackett when our misfortune wasknown on the gun-deck. "We're not likely to come across ammunition inthese waters, unless by taking more prizes; and it begins to appear asif we'd driven all the Britishers away."

  "It ain't as bad as it might be, lad, although I allow it's roughenough. Accordin' to all accounts the _Seringapatam_ has enough aboard,although when the _Essex_ takes what she needs, it'll leave LieutenantDownes well-nigh helpless."

  It was a disaster so great, that not a man so much as thought of askingfor shore leave, and on the gun-deck we gathered to discuss the suddenchange of affairs until word was brought that one watch might land toenjoy themselves, at the same time that they took in a supply of woodand water.

  After a short run on the island the men succeeded in putting from theirminds all thoughts of the discovery made by the meddlesome gunner,believing that Captain Porter would succeed, no one knew how, insupplying the lack of powder.

  During more than two weeks we lay at James's Island, bringing insupplies of pork, water, and wood, and during all that time not a singlesail hove in sight.

  Then came the word, on the evening of August 21, that the fleet wouldproceed to Banks's Bay, and next morning we were under way, making therun in thirty-six hours.

  No sooner had the ship been brought to anchor than we understood howCaptain Porter proposed to supply us with ammunition. It was reported,by one of the marines, as a matter of course, that the _Essex_ would onthe next morning make a short cruise by herself, leaving the prizes inthe bay.

  Our old shellbacks were perfectly satisfied on hearing this news. Theonly way in which more powder could be procured, was by taking it fromthe Britishers, and we had no doubt but that we should soon pick up anarmed whaler who would be forced to supply us.

  Well, to make a long story short, we cruised from the 24th of Augustuntil the 15th of September without seeing anything in the form of asailing craft, and all hands were growing discouraged when, in the earlymorning, a ship was reported apparently lying to a long distance to thesouthward, and to windward.

  There was no hope of coming up with her if we began the business boldly,for she had a big advantage of us in position; therefore our commanderset about playing a trick which might bring the stranger into our handswith but little labor.

  Our light yards were sent down, and the frigate otherwise disguiseduntil she had much the look of a whaler. Then she was slowly keptturning to windward, each moment drawing nearer the Britisher, for bythis time we had settled in our minds that the stranger was one of theenemy's ships.

  This trick worked to a charm, and by noon we were so near that it waspossible to see that our intended prize was fast to a whale, which shewas cutting in, at the same time drifting rapidly down on us.

  An hour later we were no more than four miles apart, and then it wasthat the Britisher began to scent our trick. He had come to theconclusion that a big ship like ours, even though she might be awhaler, would not loaf around in that fashion unless for mischief; andonce this idea was in his head the skipper cast off from his prize,making all sail to windward.

  There was no longer any reason why we should keep the disguise. Ouryards were hoisted once more, and with everything drawing we began thechase, each man of our crew watching the progress eagerly, for thecapture of this ship meant something more than taking a prize. We couldsee that she was pierced with six ports on a side, and it was reasonableto suppose that on board was powder enough to provide us with as much asmight be needed until another armed Britisher could be overhauled.

  Not until four o'clock in the afternoon did we come near enough to pitcha few shots ahead and over her, when she hove to under our lee, and amighty shout of mingled satisfaction and triumph went up from the crew.

  This prize was the _Sir Andrew Hammond_, of three hundred and one tons,twelve guns, and thirty-one men.

  And now comes the odd part of the capture: From the time our ship hadbrought her well in sight the men declared that she had a familiar look;and when finally she came to within half a mile of us, Master Hackettcried joyously:--

  "We haven't outrun our luck, an' that's a fact! Yonder craft is the samewe lost in the squall--the one that gave us such a long job with nothin'but a few broken oars to show for it!"

  That the old seaman had spoken only the truth we all understood now ithad been suggested; the ship lying under our lee was none other than thelast we had chased and lost, but only to find again on this day when wewere growing discouraged with much useless cruising.

  The _Hammond_ proved to be a rich prize for us just at that time, forshe had on board a large supply of prime beef, pork, bread, wood, andwater, and none of such stores would be wasted. The ammunition was ingood condition, but not of such quantity as to satisfy us; however, halfa loaf is better than none at all, and after taking the prisoners onboard the _Essex_, leaving a small prize crew to handle the new additionto our fleet, we made sail for Banks's Bay.

  We had hardly more than arrived there and overhauled the _Hammond_,than the _Essex Junior_ came into port on her return from Valparaiso,where she had left the prizes to be sold.

  She reported that five or six heavy frigates had been sent out fromEngland to search for us, and, what seemed of more importance at thetime, that the Chilian government was no longer as friendly to us aswhen we left port. The Britishers had most likely been threatening them.

  "Well," Master Hackett said deliberately, when the news I have set downabove was made known on the gun-deck, "if we had all the powder that ourfleet needs, I reckon we could afford to wait for the Britishers, an',what's more, flog the whole boilin' of 'em when they come. But seein'show we ain't in condition for heavy work, it's bound to be a case oftwistin' an' turnin' till we can clean up our job of capturin' whalers."

  "What then, Master Hackett?" Phil asked.

  "What then, lad? Why, I reckon we'll have to take our medicine likelittle men; an' in the swallowin' of it we'll know what British prisonships are like."

  "Then you don't believe we can double the Horn without coming upon someof them?" I asked, my spine growing chilly for an instant.

  "I'm allowin' that the old frigate will see her finish this side thecape, for it ain't good sense to believe she can fight her way through.I've said all along that the Britishers were bound to smash us some day,'cause it don't stand to reason a nation what claims to rule the sea canafford to let a little craft like ours play hob with 'em in such fashionas we've been doin'. For the sake of their reputation they've got togather us in."

  It could plainly be seen that the majori
ty of our crew held the sameopinion as did Master Hackett, and yet I failed to discover anythingwhich looked like fear. The men were satisfied that they had worked thegame for all there was in it, and now believed the day to be near athand when we'd be forced to haul down the stars and stripes, although Iventure to say that never one of them fancied it would be brought aboutin such a cowardly fashion as finally was the case.

  The marines soon brought important news to us of the gun-deck. Theyreported that Captain Porter and his officers had decided to make portsomewhere among the Marquesas, that group of islands in the Pacificconcerning which so little was known at the time.

  We were to search for some secluded harbor, so the marines declared,and there refit the fleet for the homeward bound voyage, which was to bebegun at the earliest possible moment, in the faint hope that we mightsave the frigate from those who were coming in such force to captureher.

  Two days afterward, when the stores from the _Sir Andrew Hammond_ hadbeen distributed among the vessels of the fleet, all the craft wereordered to get under way, and we set out to find a natural dockyard, forit must be remembered that ships cannot remain long at sea withoutgathering so much marine growth on their bottoms that the swiftest soonbecomes a sluggish sailer.

  It was to scrape the hulls, paint all the woodwork and put it incondition for that battle with the elements which awaited us off CapeHorn, if we succeeded in getting there, and otherwise make ready forwhatever might be before us, that we set off in search of a hiding-placewhich should at the time serve as a dock for refitting our batteredfleet.