no 



PORTER^S JOURNAL. 



that the first intelligence they had received of the war was 

 at the time of their capture. 



The Nerejda was now under the muzzle of our guns, and 

 I directed the American flag to be hoisted, and tired two 

 shot over her, when she struck her colours. I then sent 

 lieutenant Downes to take possession of her, with direc- 

 tions to send all the Spaniards on board the Essex ; and as 

 I had reason to expect that the Nimrod and the other ships 

 were somewhere in our neighbourhood, I stood in shore, 

 with a view of looking into Tongue Bay and Coquimbo, 

 sending lieutenant M' Knight to take charge of the Nereyda 

 for the night. Next morning had all her guns, ammuni- 

 tion and small arms thrown overboard, as well as all her 

 light sails. What surprised us very much was, that all the 

 shot of this vessel, round, bar, and star-shot, were made of 

 copper ; and I have since been informed that this metal is 

 in such abafidance, and so cheap in Peru and Chili, as to 

 be held in very little estimation, there being no compari- 

 son between the value of that and iron. Wanting a few 

 nails while at Valparaiso, I found they could not be pro- 

 cured for less than one dollar per pound. But it seemed 

 equally curious that, although copper was in such abun- 

 dance, and brass guns are so far preferable to iron, yet all 

 the guns of this vessel, except one, were cast of the latter 

 metal, differing in this respect from the customs of every 

 other part of the world. After I had completely disman- 

 tled her, leaving her only her topsails and courses to take 

 her back to Callao, which is the port of Lima, I liberated 

 all the Americans from on board of her, sent back all the 

 Spaniards, and directed her commander to proceed to Li- 

 ma with the following letter to the viceroy. 



United States frigate Essex, at sea. 

 Your Excellency, March 26, 1813. 



I have this day met with the ship Nereyda, mounting fif- 

 teen guns, bearing your excellency's patent, and sailing un- 

 der the Spanish flag. 



On examination of said ?hip, I found on board her, as 

 prisoners, the oflicers and crews of two vessels belonging 

 to the United States of America, employed solely in the 

 whale-fishery of those seas, captured by her, and sent for 

 Lima, after being plundered of boats, cordage, provisions, 



