152 PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
pointed for the Essex Junior, and every arrangement made for sail¬ 
ing, and I intended to let them chase me off, to give the Essex 
Junior an opportunity of escaping. On the 28th of March, the 
day after this determination was formed, the wind came on to blow 
fresh from the southward, when I parted my larboard cable and 
dragged my starboard anchor directly out to sea. Not a moment 
was to be lost in getting sail on the ship. The enemy were close 
in with the point forming the west side of the bay; but on opening 
them I saw a prospect of passing to windward, when I took in my 
top-gallant sails, which were set over single reefed top-sails, and 
braced up for this purpose: but on rounding the point, a heavy 
squall struck the ship and carried away her main-top-mast, pre¬ 
cipitating the men who were aloft into the sea, who were drown¬ 
ed. Both ships now gave chase to me, and 1 endeavoured in my 
disabled state to regain the port; but finding I could not recover 
the common anchorage, I ran close into a small bay, about three 
quarters of a mile to leeward of the battery, on the east side of the 
harbour, and let go my anchor within pistol shot of the shore, 
where I intended to repair my damages as soon as possible. The 
enemy continued to approach, and showing an evident intention 
of attacking us, regardless of the neutrality of the place where I 
was anchored—and the caution observed in their approach to the 
attack of the crippled Essex was truly ridiculous, as was their 
display of their motto flags, and the number of jacks at their mast 
heads. I, with as much expedition as circumstances would ad¬ 
mit of, got my ship ready for action, and endeavoured to get a 
spring on my cable, but had not succeeded when the enemy, at 
fifty-four minutes after three, P. M. made his attack, the Phoebe 
placing herself under my stern, and the Cherub on my starboard 
bow—-but the Cherub soon finding her situation a hot one, bore 
up and ran under my stern also, where both ships kept up a hot 
raking fire. I had got three long twelve pounders out at the stern 
ports, which were worked with so much brayery and skill, that in 
half an hour we so disabled both as to compel them to haul oft't® 
repair damages. In the course of this firing, I had by the great 
exertions of Mr. Edward Barnewall the acting sailing master, as¬ 
sisted by Mr. Linscott the boatswain, succeeded in getting springs 
mi our cables three different times—but the fire of the enemy 
