PORTER’S JOURNAL, 
i8S 
not perceive that the small remains of my men had in time of 
need lost any of their wonted energy and zeal. 
We were soon along side of him, when I hoisted English co¬ 
lours, and directed her commander to come on board, which or¬ 
der was soon complied with, when at this instant another strange 
sail was descried from the mast head. A few men were taken 
out of our prize, which proved to be the British letter of marque 
ship Atlantic, Obadiah Wier master, employed in whaling, and 
mounting six guns (eighteen pounders). As soon as the Monte¬ 
zuma came up, I threw some men on board the Atlantic, with 
lieutenant M‘Knight, and sent her in pursuit of the other stranger, 
to the N.W., while I steered more northerly; for, as the Atlan¬ 
tic was reputed the fastest sailer in those seas, I had no doubt, by 
this means, of rendering her capture certain. We were soon con¬ 
vinced that the Atlantic deserved her character for sailing, as du¬ 
ring the chace we had very little advantage of her, notwithstand¬ 
ing we had all the sail we could carry, and she the whole time 
without her studding-sails, as she had none bent. Night was now 
fast approaching ; we were doubtful whether we were near enough 
to keep sight of our new chace, which our prisoners informed 
us was another British letter of marque; and, as it grew dark, 
we once lost sight of her; but we soon discovered her again by 
means of our night glasses, and on her heaving about to elude us 
(on the supposition that we could no longer see her), we soon got 
along side of her, and on firing a shot at her, she hove to. I di¬ 
rected her commander to repair on board, which he refused to do, 
until he knew who we were. I now perceived by his lights that 
he was prepared for action, and fired one shot between his masts 
to intimidate him, threatening him with a broadside if he did not 
repair on board immediately ; and this had the desired effect, as 
he soon came on board, prepared to meet in us an enemy. This 
vessel proved to be the British letter of marque ship Greenwich, 
of ten guns, a prime sailer, employed in the whale fishery. Her 
captain had taken in a good stock of Dutch courage, and, from 
the preparations that were made on board his vessel, there could 
be no doubt of his intentions to have fired into us, had he not been 
intimidated by the shot we fired between his masts. He express* 
