l^ORTER S JOUKiNAL, 



209 



tkai moment, it was with some considerable difficulty we 

 escaped getting on shore on it. As the sea was beating 

 with great violence against its perpendicular and inacces- 

 sible sides, this apprehension was calculated to produce re- 

 flections of no very agreeable nature. 



As soon as the ship was out of danger, we began again to 

 think of our chase. We were not in the habit of readily 

 giving up a pursuit while it was probable the chase was an 

 enemy, our uncommon success having taught us to beheve 

 that to see and to capture were one and the same thing. 

 Although we had lost sight of her, we still felt confident it 

 would only be for a short time, and that she owed her safe- 

 ty solely to her having a fresh breeze ; an advantage we 

 hoped to enjoy equally with her, so soon as v/e should be 

 enabled to pass the northeast point of Albemarle. I firmly 

 believed that the stranger was a British whale-ship, and 

 bound to James' Island, and every advantage was taken of 

 the fight airs which prevailed all that day and the next 

 night, to endeavour again to get sight of her. The iiext 

 morning, at half past seven o'clock, she was discovered to 

 the northeast from the masthead, standing on a wind to- 

 wards us, and across our bows. At half past nine she was 

 directly to windward of us, distant about feeven miles ; and 

 as she had discovered that we were a frigate, and no doubt 

 had intelligence of our being in this quarter, she hoisted 

 American colours, and made all sail from us. Every ex- 

 ertion was made to come up with her, as she was evidently 

 a whale-ship ; and from every appearance I had no doubt 

 of her being Engfish. The winds becoming light, incfina- 

 ble to calm, we made use of our drags, and found consi- 

 derable advantage from them ; but, from the constant la- 

 bour requisite to work them, our people became very much 

 harassed, and finally worn out with fatigue. We had, how- 

 ever, by the greatest exertions, approached within four 

 miles of the chase, and were enabled, by the assistance of 

 our glasses, to see all his movements. He now got his boats 

 ahead to tow his ship, with a view, as I supposed, of run- 

 ning her on shore on the island of Abington, which was not 

 far distant. To prevent his effecting this object, I despatch- 

 ed the gig and whale-boat, the first under command of lieu- 

 tenant M'Knight, the other under Mr. Bostwick, clerk, 

 with a few good marksmen to drive them from their boats, 



VOL* I, 27 



