19a 



1 OKTER S JOURNAL. 



approach to the distaDce. of five or six miles of us, when 

 the headmost vessel hove to, and shortly afterwards we dis- 

 covered a boat, which had left them for the purpose of re- 

 connoitering us. I directed two of the fastest rowing boats 

 to be prepared. to pursue her; but on her nearer approach 

 she showed the private signal of the Georgiana, and short- 

 ly afterwards lieutenant Downes came on board the Essex, 

 where his arrival was greeted by our crew with three 

 hearty cheers. 



He informed me that he had captured, near James^ 

 Island, three British ships, to wit : 



The Hector of 1 1 guns, 25 men, 270 tons 

 Catharine 8 29 270 

 Rose 8 21 220 



The Catharine and Rose approached the Georgiana 

 without the least suspicion of her being an enemy, and the 

 captains of them did not find out their mistake until they 

 got on board her. The Hector was discovered in the af- 

 ternoon ; but lieutenant Downes did not succeed in getting 

 along side of her until late at night ; and, as she was very 

 warlike in her appearance, he had made every preparation 

 for action, supposing her at lirst to be a Spanish sloop of 

 war. His crew at this time only amounted to twenty men 

 and boys, the rest being on board his two prizes, the Ca- 

 tharine and Rose, while his prisoners amounted to upwards 

 of fifty, the most of whom he had confined in irons, to pre- 

 vent their carrying into execution a plan that had been laid 

 for taking his vessel from him. They all, however, volun- 

 teered their services to attack the supposed Spaniard ; but 

 lieutenant Downes very prudently considered, that, as he 

 now had them in security, he had better keep them so, as 

 they might not be disposed to return to their irons after be- 

 ing placed at liberty, with arms in their possession. He 

 consequently declined accepting their offers, and trusted to 

 the bravery and exertions of his own men for the success of 

 the attack. 



When he had got within hail of the Hector, and ascer- 

 tained that she was a British ship, he summoned her to sur- 

 render ; to which he received no reply, but heard her cap- 

 tain give directions for the guns to be cleared avvay. He 

 now fired a shot, which entered her stern, and did consider- 

 able damage, wheil the captain of the Hector gave orders 



