porter's journal. 



147 



had hoisted, containing the following motto : " God and 

 country ; British sailors best rights ; traitors offend both 

 and asked him the object of it. He said it was in reply 

 to my motto of " free trade and sailors' rights," which gave 

 great offence to the British navy — whenever I hoisted that 

 flag, he should not fail to hoist the other. I told him, my 

 flag was intended solely for the purpose of pleasing our- 

 selves, and not to insult the feelings of others ; that his, on 

 the contrary, was considered as highly insulting in the light 

 of an offset against ours ; and that, if he continued to hoist 

 it, I should not fail to retort on him. The next day, this 

 flag being hoisted, I displayed one bearing the motto of 

 " God, our country, and Liberty — tyrants offend them." 

 Three cheers followed on the part of the crew of the 

 Phoebe, which were returned from my ship. The thing 

 was taken in good part by Captain Hillyar ; we talked 

 freely and good humouredly of the object of his coming to 

 that sea ; the long hunt he had after me, and of my views 

 in coming to Valparaiso. He asked me what I intended 

 to do with my prizes ; when I was going to sea; and va- 

 rious other inquiries were put and answered. I told him, 

 whenever he sent away the Cherub, I should go to sea ; 

 that it would depend upon him altogether, when I depart- 

 ed ; that, having thus met him, 1 should seek an opportu- 

 nity of testing the force of the two ships. 1 added, that 

 the Essex being smaller than the Phoebe, I did not feel 

 that I should be justified to my country for losing my ship, 

 if I gave him a challenge ; but if he would challenge me, 

 and send away the Cherub, I would have no hesitation in 

 fighting him. 



To these, and similar observations. Captain IJillyar 

 would reply, that the results of naval actions were very 

 uncertain : they depended on many contingencies — and 

 the loss of a mast or a spar, often turned the fate of the 

 day. He observed, that notwithstanding the inferiority of 

 my ship, still, if I could come to close quarters with her 

 carronades, I should no doubt do great execution. On 

 the whole, therefore, he should trust to circumstances to 

 bring us together, as he was not disposed to yield the ad- 

 vantage of a superior force, which would effectually block- 

 ade me until other ships arrived, and at all events, prevent 

 my doing any further injury to the commerce of Britain* 



