74 



Porter's Voyage 



full cargoes, and were waiting for a convoy to protect them some 

 distance from the coast, that they might be enabled to take the 

 advantage of the winter season for getting into a port of the 

 United States. This protection Lieutenant Downes was enabled 

 to afford them on his departure from thence ; and the four ships 

 lying there, as well as my prize, the Policy, sailed in company 

 with him until he had seen them a sufficient distance beyond the 

 usual cruizing ground of British armed ships. 



CHAPTER XI. 



Passage to Washington Islands. 



After leaving the Gallipagoes, it was my intention to have 

 run to the westward, keeping on or in the neighbourhood of the 

 equator, to endeavour to fall in with a group of islands said to 

 have been discovered by the Spaniards and laid down in some 

 charts. But, on reflection, I determined to make the best of my 

 way for the Washington Islands. 



On the 6th October, finding that some of my prizes occasioned 

 C(Misiderable delay, I determined to dispatch the Essex Junior 

 for the Marquesas. My reasons for so doing were founded on a 

 firm belief that the Mary- Ann, a British ship left by Mr. Downes 

 at Valparaiso, would touch at those islands on her way to India. 

 Under the impression that she would touch at St. Christiana, I 

 directed Lieutenant Downes to proceed there, and afterwards 

 join me at Port Anna Maria, in the Island of Nooaheevah, one of 

 the Washington Islands, which place I also appointed as a ren- 

 dezvous for all the other vessels, in case of separation. Lieu- 

 tenant Downes consequently made all sail, and at sunset was out 

 of sight a head. 



From the time of the departure of Lieutenant Downes until 

 the 2Sd October, when we mad^ the island of Teebooa, one of 

 the group of the Marquesas, few circumstances of any moment 

 took place. The weather throughout the passage was remark- 

 ably pleasant, gradually increasing in temperature as we increased 

 our distance from the Gallipagoes ; but the heat was unaccompa- 

 nied by squalls, thunder and lightning, or rain. Two of my 

 prisoners, at the time of making land, were slightly affected with 

 the scurvy ; but (with the exception of these) we had not a sick 

 man on board. We frequently saw tropic birds, sea swallows, 

 gulls, and other birds that indicate an approach to land, but in 

 greater numbers between the longitude of 100° and lOS*' than in 

 any other part, except in the neighbourhood of the Marquesas, 

 where we observed vast numbers the day before making land, at 



