ly amused with the discovery, and called her companions to come
and view the phenomenon. He shewed a similar curiosity as it concerned
her, but she shrunk from it with the apparent delicacy of polished
life, before so many men. The colour of these merry girls was that of
the inside of a new leather shoe.

Just as we were about embarking, the commandant told our captain that
he had just received a message from the commandant of Gomora, to seize
him and all his crew and send them to Pernambuco, but that he should
not obey him. We now set sail for the United States, and had not been
at sea long before we were chased by a frigate, but out sailed her.

On the 20th of May we made Gay Head, which is the shining remains of
an extinguished volcano, on the west end of Martha's Vineyard. The
next morning we discovered a ship and a brig standing for us. We
tacked and stood for the ship until we found that she was a man of
war, and then we wore round for the brig, she being nearest of our own
size. We now, for the first time, hoisted American colours, when the
brig gave us a broadside, and kept up a constant fire upon us; but we
soon left her by our superior sailing and management. The frigate, for
such she proved to be, was not so easily got rid of. She was to the
windward of us when we first saw her; and she came within gun shot
about noon. She firing her bow-chasers, and we our stern-chasers. At
length she came almost within musket shot of us, when she fired
repeated broadsides into our little schooner, so as to cut away almost
all our rigging, when our brave little captain went down below, after
telling the men "to fight it out;" but they prudently struck their
colours. A boat soon came on board of us with a lieutenant and twelve
marines, swearing most bravely at the d--d _Yankees_. The name Yankee
is used with pride by an American sailor or soldier; but with derision
by the British. But as our men had, according to custom, when a vessel
surrenders, seized whatever casks of liquor they could come at, soon
filled out a few horns of gin, and passed it round among the marines,
which inspired them with good nature, and for a moment they seemed
"all hale fellows well met." The boarding officer did not appear to be
so intent in securing the vessel, as in searching every hole and
corner for small articles to pocket. The Americans disdain this
dishonourable practice. The officers and crews of our men of war have
never soiled their char