porter's journal. 



157 



some apprehensions with respect to my crew, and the pro- 

 bable danger of trusting them on board of the Phoebe, 

 which carried a large quantity of specie on freight to 

 England. 



The remainder of my brave crew were accordingly em- 

 barked in the Essex Junior ; and on taking leave of Captain 

 Hillyar, after acknowledging his attentions, I seized the 

 opportunity to tell him, that though 1 should take every 

 occasion to do him free justice in that respect, I should 

 nevertheless be equally plain in making known his con- 

 duct in attacking me in the manner he had done. The 

 tears came into his eyes, and, grasping my hand, he re- 

 plied, " My dear Porter, you know not the responsibility 

 that hung over me, with respect to your ship. Perhaps 

 my life depended on my taking her." I asked no explana- 

 tion at that time, and he gave none. He still has it in his 

 power, however, to clear up the atfair to the world ; and if 

 he can show that the responsibility rests on his govern- 

 ment, I shall do him justice, with more pleasure than I 

 now impeach his conduct. Until then, the stigma rests on 

 him. 



On leaving Valparaiso, every effort was made to reach 

 home in time to fit out ships to proceed to the British 

 channel, for the purpose of intercepting the Phoebe and 

 her prize ; and, favoured by the wind, of which we took 

 every advantage, we arrived off Sandy Hook, in seventy- 

 three days. Here we fell in with the Saturn, a British 

 ship of war, commanded by Captain Nash, who treated 

 me, in the first instance, with great civility ; examined the 

 papers of the Essex Junior ; furnished me with late news- 

 papers ; and sent me some oranges — -at the same time 

 making oifers of his services. The boarding officer en- 

 dorsed my passport, and permitted the ship to proceed. 

 She stood on in the same tack with the Saturn ; and about 

 two hours afterwards, was again brought to — the papers 

 examined, and the ship's hold overhauled by a boat's crew 

 and officer. 1 expressed my astonishment at such pro- 

 ceedings ; and was informed that Captain Nash had his 

 motives. It was added, that Captain Hillyar had no au- 

 thority to make such arrangements ; that the passport must 

 go on board the Saturn again, and the Essex Junior be 

 detained. I insisted, that the smallest detention would be 



