FOETER^S ;30UKNAL 



163 



guns and five hundred men — in addition to which, they 

 took on board the crew of an EngHsh letter of marque 

 lying in port. Both ships had picked crews, and were sent 

 into the Pacific in company with the Racoon of twenty-two 

 guns, and a store-ship of twenty guns, for the express pur- 

 pose of seeking the Essex, and were prepared with flags 

 bearing the motto, " God and country ; British sailors' 

 best rights ; traitors offend both." This was intended as a 

 reply to my motto, " Free trade and sailors'' rights^'''' under 

 the erroneous impression that my crew were chiefly Eng- 

 lishmen, or to counteract its effect on their own crews. — » 

 The force of the Essex was forty-six guns, forty thirty-two 

 pound carronades, and six long twelves, and her crew, 

 which had been much reduced by prizes, amounted only 

 to t\Vo hundred and fifty-five men. The Essex Junior, 

 which was intended chiefly as a store-ship, mounted twenty 

 guns, ten eighteen pound carronades, and ten short sixes, 

 with only sixty men on board. In reply to their motto, I 

 wrote at my mizen — " God^ our Country^ and Lihertif ; 

 tyrants offend them,^'' 



On getting their provisions on board, they went off the 

 port for the purpose of blockading me, where they cruised 

 for near six weeks ; during which time I endeavoured to 

 provoke a challenge, and frequently, but ineffectually, to 

 bring the Phoebe alone to action, first with both my ships, 

 and afterwards with my single ship, with both crews on 

 board. I was several times under way, and ascertained 

 that I had greatly the advantage in point of sailing, and 

 once succeeded in closing within gun shot of the Phoebe, 

 and commenced a fire on her, when she ran down for the 

 Cherub, which was two and a half miles to leeward. This 

 excited some surprise and expressions of indignation, as 

 previous to my getting under way, she hove too off the 

 port, hoisted her motto flag, and fired a gun to windward. 

 Commodore Hillyar seemed determined to avoid a contest 

 with me on nearly equal terms, and from his extreme pru- 

 dence in keeping both his ships ever after constantly with- 

 in hail of each other, there were no hopes of any advan- 

 tages to my country from a longer stay in port. I therefore 

 determined to put to sea the first opportunity which st^ld 

 offer ; and 1 was the more strongly induced to dp^o, as I 

 had gained certain intelligence that the Tagus, rafed thirty- 



