214 CAPTAIN ZACHARY G. LAMSON 



hard, and at daylight was within eight or 

 nine miles of Alicante, when the wind 

 veered off shore, and directly I saw a Frig- 

 ate and Brig, men of war, under my lee. 

 I tacked ship and stood toward Cape Palos 

 again in hopes they would not notice me, 

 but directly the brig made all sail in pur- 

 suit, and by nine A. M. was alongside and 

 sent his boat on board. She was the Grass- 

 hopper, 1 Captain Searle. He informed 

 me that every port in the Mediterranean 

 was under blockade and I must proceed 

 to Gibraltar, Malta or England. 2 Under 

 these circumstances I went on board the 

 Brig and stated to Captain Searle that my 

 cargo was of a perishable nature, and as 

 such was not included as coming from an 

 enemy's port. I requested that he would 

 endorse on my papers a privilege of pro- 



1 "Grasshopper," 12, Commander, afterwards Rear 

 Admiral Thomas Searles. 



2 That is, to some English port. Orders in Council of 

 Nov. 11, 1807, no trade with the Continent except through 

 English ports. 



