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ward, and at the same time we bore away in pursuit of her with, 
all the sail we could carry, and it was not until two hours after 
we had given chase to her that we could discover her from our 
masts’ heads. About meridian the wind began to die away ; I 
had now sight of the stranger from deck, and had no doubt of his 
being an enemy. The Montezuma was still between us and him, 
and distant from us about six miles. I determined now that he 
should not again escape us, for I was fully convinced this was the 
same vessel we had chased the day before. I directed three of the 
fastest rowing boats to be manned with as many men as they could 
carry, and armed, and to proceed, under the command of lieut. 
Wilmer, to the Montezuma, with orders to take three of that 
ship’s boats, and before night to proceed to take his station astern 
of the stranger, so that he could keep sight of him, placing the 
other in a line astern of him, so that a communication could be 
bad by signal from the headmost boat to the Montezuma, and from 
thence to the Essex ; and by this arrangement I hoped to be 
guided by flashes in my pursuit of the enemy, and prevent the 
probability of his escaping. I directed lieutenant Wilmer not 
to make any attack on her, unless it should prove perfectly calm, 
and then to row up with muffled oars, and board him by surprize; 
and to prevent any other mode of attack being made, I allowed 
them no other arms than a pistol, cutlass, and boarding-axe 
each. 
After the boats had left us, a breeze sprung up, which enabled 
us to continue the chase ; and, as we soon passed the boats, 1 
made a signal for the Montezuma to heave to and pick them up 
As we approached the chase, she hauled close on a wind to the 
eastward, and shortly afterwards hove about to stand for us; and, 
from her warlike appearance, and the signals made by her, I 
supposed her to be an English sloop of war, as she wore both the 
English ensign and pendant. I now made such preparations for 
action as my weak crew would admit of, directing the marines 
and top-men to lay by their muskets, and for them, as well as the 
bracemen and all others on board, to take their stations at the 
guns. All my officers were away from the ship, but still I could 
