Concluding Operations 171 



sloops being- fought separately, in succession. The 

 relative force was almost exactly as in the Constitu 

 tion's fight. Each side claimed that the other fled. 

 But this much is sure: the Constitution engaging 

 the Cyane and Levant together, captured both ; while 

 the Nereide, engaging the Rainbow and Avon sep 

 arately, captured neither. 



The three ships now proceeded to the Cape de 

 Verds, and on March loth anchored in the harbor 

 of Porto Praya, Island of San Jago. Here a mer 

 chant-brig was taken as a cartel, and a hundred of 

 the prisoners were landed to help fit her for sea. 

 The next day the weather was thick and foggy, 

 with fresh breezes. 64 The first and second lieuten 

 ants, with a good part of the people, were aboard 

 the two prizes. At five minutes past twelve, while 

 Mr. Shubrick, the senior remaining lieutenant, was 

 on the quarter-deck, the canvas of a large vessel 

 suddenly loomed up through the haze, her hull be 

 ing completely hidden by the fog-bank. Her char 

 acter could not be made out; but she was sailing 

 close-hauled, and evidently making for the roads. 

 Mr. Shubrick at once went down and reported the 

 stranger to Captain Stewart, when that officer coolly 

 remarked that it was probably a British frigate or 

 an Indiaman, and directed the lieutenant to return 

 on deck, call all hands, and get ready to go out and 



64 Log of Constitution, March n, 1815. 



