228 



:r outer's journal. 



to be a large ship, standing for the Cherub under a press 

 of canvass ; and at 4 P. M. the Achilles, of 74 guns, (but 

 mounting 86) hove to on the weather beam, and ordered 

 Captain Tucker on board. By the return of the boat, 

 lieut. Gamble learnt that she vs^as last from Rio de Janeiro, 

 in search of the American frigate Guerriere, which had 

 several times been seen off the mouth of the harbour.*^ 

 He was more pleased to learn, however, of the capture of 

 the British ships Reindeer and Epervier, by the U. S. 

 ships Peacock and Wasp, and of the arrival of the Epervier 

 at Savannah, with some thousands of pounds specie on 

 board. The next day at 2 P. M. land was discovered, 

 bearing W. N. W., distant about eight miles ; and at 6 the 

 next morning, the Cherub, with her prizes, came to an 

 anchor in Rio de Janeiro Bay, about four miles below fort 

 Santa Cruz. — On the 29th, at noon, they again weighed 

 anchor to proceed into the harbour; and passing by the 

 Portuguese guard sliip, the Queen, a beautiful vessel of 

 74 guns, they anchored in the safe and commodious har- 

 bour before the town. At this time, there were lying in 

 the harbour, the British sloop of war Penguin, (afterwards 

 sunk by the U. S. ship Hornet) and a large ship with 200 

 isonvicts on board, bound to port Jackson, 



The day following, lieut. Gamble was so fortunate as to 

 ©btain permission to lodge in town ; and on landing, he had 

 the pleasure to meet with several American gentlemen, 

 not a few of them, like himself, extremely desirous to go 

 home. His first business was to address a note to Mr. 

 Sumpter, the American minister, describing his situation ; 

 and the next day he was received by that gentleman in the 

 most friendly manner, and invited to his house. He met 

 with little encouragement as to an early prospect of pro- 

 ceeding to the United States ; but there being here at this 

 time upwards of 60 American prisoners of war besides 

 himself, a hope was held out, that some neutral vessel 

 might be chartered to carry them home, under a passport 

 from the British admiral then in command. The weather 

 was now excessively warm, and the thermometer generally 

 stood at 84% and 88". Captain Whittemore and his officers 

 «ame ashore on the 2d of December, and lieut. Gamble, 



- The Guerriere was at this time filting for sea at Philadelphia. 



