204 Naval War of 1812 



hard as wire, were triced out-board toward the yard- 

 arms, and loaded with kentledge to fall on the at 

 tacking boats when the tricing lines were cut, while 

 the carronades were loaded to the muzzle with mus 

 ket balls, and depressed so as to sweep the water 

 near the ship. 4 Twice, a force of British, estimated 

 by their foes to number 2,000 men, started off at 

 night to carry the Constellation by surprise; but 

 on each occasion they were discovered and closely 

 watched by her guard-boats, and they never ventured 

 to make the attack. However, she was unable to get 

 to sea, and remained blockaded to the close of the 

 war. 



At the beginning of the year several frigates and 

 smaller craft were at sea. The Chesapeake, Cap 

 tain Evans, had sailed from Boston on Dec. 13, 

 i8i2. 5 She ran down past Madeira, the Canaries, 

 and Cape de Verde, crossed the equator, and for six 

 weeks cruised to the south of the line between longi 

 tudes 1 6 to 25 W. Thence she steered to the west, 

 passing near Surinam, over the same spot on which 

 the Hornet had sunk the Peacock but a day previous. 

 Cruising northward through the West Indies, she 

 passed near the Bermudas, where she was chased by 

 a 74 and a frigate ; escaping from them she got into 

 Boston on April Qth, having captured five merchant 

 men, and chased unsuccessfully for two days a brig- 

 sloop. The term of two years for which her crew 



4 For an admirable account of these preparations, as well 

 as of the subsequent events, see Cooper, ii, 242. 



5 Statistical "History of the U. S. Navy," by Lieutenant 

 C. E. Emmons. 



