164 



porter's journal. 



eight, and two other frigates, had sailed for that sea in pur- 

 suit of me. I had also reason to expect the arrival of the 

 Racoon from the N. W. coast of America, where she had 

 been sent for the purpose of destroying our fur establish- 

 ment on the Columbia. A rendezvous was appointed for 

 the Essex Junior, and every arrangement made for sailing, 

 and I intended to let them chase me off, to give the Essex 

 Junior an opportunity of escaping. On the 28th of March, 

 the day after this determination was formed, the wind came 

 on to blow fresh from the southward, when I parted my 

 larboard cable and dragged ray starboard anchor directly 

 out to sea. Not a moment was to be lost in getting sail on 

 the ship. The enemy were close in with the point form- 

 ing the west side of the bay ; but on opening them 1 saw 

 a prospect of passing to windward, when I took in my top- 

 gallant sails, which were set over single reefed top-sails, 

 and braced up for this purpose. But on rounding the point 

 a heavy squall struck the ship and carried away her main- 

 top-mast, precipitating the men who were aloft into the 

 sea, who were drowned. Both ships now gave chase to 

 me, and I endeavoured in my disabled state to regain the 

 port; but finding I could not recover the common anchor- 

 age, I ran close into a small bay, about three quarters of a 

 mile to leeward of the battery, on the east side of the 

 harbour, and let go my anchor within pistol shot of the 

 shore, where I intended to repair my damages as soon as 

 possible. The enemy continued to approach, showing an 

 evident intention of attacking us, regardless of the neu- 

 trality of the place where 1 was anchored. The caution 

 observed in their approach to the attack of the crippled 

 Essex was truly ridiculous, as was their display of their 

 motto flags, and the number of jacks at their mast heads. 

 I, with as much expedition as circumstances would admit, 

 got my ship ready for action, and endeavoured to get a 

 spring on my cable, but had not succeeded when the ene- 

 my, at fifty-four minutes after three P. M. made his attack, 

 the Phoebe placing herself under my stern, and the Cherub 

 on my starboard bow. But the Cherub soon finding her 

 situation a hot one, bore up and ran under my stern also, 

 where both ships kept up a hot raking fire. I had got 

 three long twelve pounders out at the stern ports, which 

 were worked with so much bravery and skill, that in half 



