MS porter's journal. 



At day-light on the morning of the 29th, I was roused 

 from my cot, where I passed a sleepless and anxious night, 

 by the cry of sail ho /" " sail ho /" which was re-echoed 

 through the ship, and in a momeni all hands were on deck. 

 The strange sail proved to be a large ship, bearing west, to 

 which we gave chase ; and in an hour afterwards we dis- 

 covered two others, bearing southwest, equally large in 

 their appearance. I had no doubts of their being British 

 whale-ships ; and as I was certain that toward mid-day, 

 as usual, it would fall calm, I felt confident we should suc- 

 ceed in taking the whole of them, I continued my pur- 

 suit of the first discovered vessel, and at nine o'clock spoke 

 her under British colours. She proved to be the British 

 whale-ship Montezuma, captain Baxter, with one thousand 

 four hundred barrels of spermaceti oil. I invited the cap- 

 tain on board ; and while he was in my cabin, giving me 

 such information as was in his power respecting the other 

 whale-ships about the Galhpagos, I took his crew on board 

 the Essex, put an officer and crew in the Montezuma, and 

 continued in pursuit of the other vessels, which made all 

 exertions to get from us. At eleven A. M., according to 

 my expectation, it fell calm ; we were then at the distance 

 of eight miles from them. I had reason, from the informa- 

 tion obtained, to believe them to be the British armed whale- 

 ships Georgiana, of six eighteen-pounders, and the Pohcy, 

 ef ten six-pounders, the one having on board thirty-five, 

 and the other twenty-six men ; but that they were British 

 ships, there could not be a doubt, and we were determined 

 to have them at all hazards. Thick and hazy weather is 

 prevalent here, and, as there was every indication of it, I 

 was fearful that, in the event of a breeze, one or the other 

 of them might make its escape from us, as I had under- 

 stood that they were reputed fast sailers. I therefore 

 thought it adviseabie to attempt them in our boats, and 

 with this view had them prepared for the purpose, and in 

 a few minutes they departed in two divisions. Lieutenant 

 Downes, in the whale-boat, commanded the first division, 

 consisting of the third cutter, lieutenant M'Knight, jolly- 

 boat, sailing-master Cowell, and second cutter, midship- 

 man Isaacs ; and lieutenant Wilmer, in the pinnace, com- 

 manding the second division, consisting of the 1st cutter, 

 lieutenant Wilson^ and gig, Ueutenant Gamble of the ma- 



