hi the Pacific Ocean. 



51 



on our starboard, and the Policy on our larboard quarter, the 

 men on the look-out on board the Essex discovered a sail right a- 

 head, and immediately the Montezuma was cast off, and all sail 

 made in chase. At sunset we could see her plainly from deck, 

 and, as she was standing from us with all the sail she could 

 crowd, I entertained no hopes of coming up with her in the 

 night. I directed three of the fastest rowing boats to be manned 

 with as many armed men as they could carry, and to proceed, 

 under the command of Lieutenant Wilmer, to the Montezuma, 

 with orders to take three of that ship's boats, and before night to 

 proceed to take his station astern of the stranger, so that he could 

 keep sight of him, placing the other in a line astern of him, so 

 that a communication could be had by signal from the headmost 

 boat to the Montezuma, and from thence to the Essex. By this 

 arrangement I hoped to be guided by flashes in my pursuit of 

 the enemy, and prevent the probability of his escaping. I di- 

 rected Lieutenant Wilmer not to make any attack on her, unless 

 it should prove perfectly calm, and then to row up with muffled 

 oars, and board her by surprise. To prevent any other mode of 

 attack being made, I allowed them no other arms than a pistol, 

 cutlass, and boarding-axe, each. 



We were soon alongside of him, when I hoisted English 

 colours, and directed her commander to come on board, which 

 order was soon complied with, when at this instant another 

 strange sail was descried from the mast-head. A few men were 

 taken out of our prize, which proved to be the British letter of 

 marque ship Atlantic, Obadiah Wier master, employed in whal- 

 ing, and mounting six guns, (eighteen pounders.) As soon as 

 the Montezuma came up, I threw some men on board the At- 

 lantic, with Lieutenant M'Knight, and sent lier in pursuit of the 

 other stranger to the north-west, while I steered more northerly ; 

 for, as the Atlantic was reputed the fastest sailer in those seas, I 

 had no doubt, by this means, of rendering her capture certain. 

 We were soon convinced that the Atlantic deserved her character 

 lor sailing, as during the chase we had very little advantage of her, 

 notwithstanding we had all the sail we could carry, and she the 

 whole time without her studding-sails, having none bent. Night 

 was now fast approaching ; we were doubtful whether we were 

 near enough to keep sight of our new chase, which our prisoners 

 informed us was another Britsh letter of marque. As it grew 

 dark, we once lost sight of her ; but we soon discovered her again 

 by means of our night-glasses, and on her heaving about to elude 

 us, on the supposition that we could no longer see her, we soon 

 got alongside of her, and on firing a shot at her, she hove to. I 

 directed her commander to repair on board, which he refused to 

 do until he know who we were. I now perceived by his lights 



