porter's journal. 



227 



which had not been seen since the departure from Valpa- 

 raiso, now hovered about in flocks. On the 8th, the Cherub 

 had fairly entered the Atlantic ocean, and I need not de- 

 scribe to my readers the joy of Lt. Gamble, in being once 

 more blessed with a prospect of reaching his native land. 

 For six months he had been confined to the ship as a pri- 

 soner of war, and it is no wonder that he was now more 

 anxious than ever to be freed from the capricious authority 

 of an enemy, who seemed to be governed by no settled 

 principle of courtesy in his conduct to his prisoners. 



On the 10th, the wind blew a violent gale from the 

 W. S. W. and the prizes Avere lost sight of. At 9 A, M. 

 the helmsman being rather inattentive to his duty, the ship 

 broached to, in a heavy swell, and a sea which struck her, 

 knocked in the after gun-deck ports, and stove in all the 

 bulwarks of the larboard waist. The ship took in a great 

 quantity of water ; the trunks in the gun-room were afloat ; 

 and on the birth-deck the water was a foot deep. The 

 pumps were kept constantly going for two hours ; and it 

 was with the utmost difliculty she could be guarded against 

 a similar accident in encountering the heavy swells. After 

 passing a stormy night, rendered dismal at times by violent 

 squalls of hail and rain, at daylight the Sir Andrew Ham- 

 mond was discovered on the larboard quarter ; but the 

 Charon was not to be seen. Great anxiety was felt for the 

 safety of this ship, having only 9 men on board, and of this 

 number only two were seamen. 



On the 18th, the thermometer stood again as high as 

 58°. — At 5 P. M. a sail was discovered on the weather 

 bow, apparently standing to the north; and at 6 the next 

 morning, the Charon again joined company, after an ab- 

 sence of ten days, Lieut. Gamble had now so far reco- 

 vered from his wound as to be able to take exercise without 

 his crutch ; and this he was in the habit of doing on the 

 quarter deck. But what bounds are there to the senseless 

 whims of a conceited commander ? — On the evening of the 

 25th, while walking the quarter deck as usual, he received 

 an order to go below, without the least provocation or 

 cause therefor. Conduct like this, I leave to the com- 

 ments of my readers. 



On the 27th, at 2 P. M. a sail was discovered, bearing 

 N. W. distant about seven miles. She was soon made out 



