420 LOSS OF THE PHOENIX. 
the orders were g-iven. A lieutenant at the mast head, with 
a spy-glass, " What is she ?" " A large ship studding athwart 
right hefore he wind. P-o-r-t ! Keep her away ! set the stud- 
ding sails ready!" Up comes the little doctor, rubbing his 
hands ; " Ha ! ha ! I have won the bag." " The devil take 
you and the bag ; look, what's ahead will fill all our bags." 
Mast-head again : " Two more sail on the larboard beam !" 
" Archer, go up and see what you can make of them." " Upon 
deck there ; I see a whole fleet of twenty sail coming right 
before the wind." " Confound the luck of it, this is some 
convoy or other ; but we must try if we can pick some of 
them out." " Haul down the studding sails ! Luff! brmg her 
to the wind! Let us see what we can make of them." 
About five we got pretty near them, and found them to be 
twenty-six sail of Spanish merchantmen, under convoy of 
three line of battle ships, one of which chased us ; but when 
she found we were playing with her (for the old Phoenix had 
heels) she left chase and joined the convoy ; which they drew 
up into a lump, and placed themselves at the outside ; but we 
still kept smelling about till after dark. O for the Hector, 
the Albion, and a frigate, and we should take the whole fleet 
and convoy, worth some millions ! About eight o'clock per- 
ceived three sail at some distance from the fleet ; dashed in 
between them and gave chase, and were happy to find they 
steered from the fleet. About twelve, came up with a large 
ship of twenty-six guns. " Archer, every man to his quar- 
ters ! run the lower deck guns out, and light the ship up : 
show this fellow our force ; it may prevent his firing into us 
and killing a man or two." No sooner said than done. 
" Hoa, the ship ahoy ! lower your sails and bring to instantly, 
or I'll sink you." Clatter clatter went the blocks, and 
away flew all their sails in proper confusion. " What ship is 
that ?" " The Polly." " Whence came you ?" " From Ja- 
maica." " Where are you bound ?" " To New- York." 
" What ship is that ?" " The Phoenix." Huzza, three times 
by the whole ship's company. An old grum fellow of a sailor 
standing close by me : " O d — n your three cheers, we took 
you to be something else." Upon examination we found it to 
be as he reported, and that they had fallen in with the Spanish 
fleet that morning, and were chased the whole day, and that 
nothing saved them but our stepping in between ; for the 
Spaniards took us for three consorts, and the Polly took the 
Phcenix for a Spanish frigate, till we hailed them. The other 
vessels in company were likewise bound to New-York. Thus 
