PORTER’S JOURNAL” 
159 
captain Baxter, with 1400 bbls. of sperm oil on board. I invited 
the captain on board; and while he was in my cabin, giving me 
such information as was in his power respecting the other whale- 
ships about the Gallapagos, I took his crew on board the Essex, 
put an officer and crew on board the Montezuma, and continued 
in pursuit of the other vessels, which made all exertions to get 
from us. At 11 A. M., according to my expectation, it fell calm ; 
we were then at the distance of eight miles from them. I had 
reason, from the information obtained, to believe them to be the 
British armed whale-ships Georgiana, of six eighteen-pounders, 
and the Policy, of ten six-pounders, the one having on board 35 
and the other 26 men ; but that they were British ships there 
could not be a doubt, and we were determined to have them at 
all hazards. Thick and hazy weather is prevalent here, and, as 
there was every indication of it, I was fearful that, in the event 
of a breeze, one or the other of them might make its escape from 
us, as I had understood that they were reputed fast sailers ; I 
therefore thought it advisable to attempt them in our boats, and 
with this view had them prepared for the purpose, and in few 
minutes they departed in two divisions : lieutenant Downes, in the 
whale-boat, commanded the first division, consisting of the 3d 
cutter, lieutenant M<Knight, jolly boat, sailing-master Cowell, and 
2d cutter, midshipman Isaacs ; and lieutenant Wilmer, in the 
pinnace, commanding the second division, consisting of the 1st 
cutter, lieutenant Wilson, and gig, lieutenant Gamble of the ma¬ 
rines. The heavy-rowing boats occasioned considerable delay to 
the whole, as I had given the most positive orders that the boats 
should be brought into action altogether, and that no officer should 
take advantage of the fleetness of his boat to proceed a-head of 
the rest, believing that some of the officers, from their extreme 
anxiety to join with the enemy, might be so imprudent as to do 
so. At 2 o’clock, the boats were about a mile from the vessels 
(which were about a quarter of a mile/apart), when they hoisted 
English colours, and fired several guns. The boats now formed 
in one division, and pulled for the largest ship, which, as they ap¬ 
proached, kept her guns trained on them. The signal was made 
for boarding; and, when lieutenant Downes arrived within a few 
