their mutinous plottings,
put out the battle-lanterns, and hid themselves deep in the hold. At
this moment the enemy came up, and opened fire.

Determined to make some defence, Nicholson sent the few faithful
jackies to the guns, and the officers worked side by side with the
sailors. The few guns that were manned were served splendidly, and the
unequal contest was maintained for over an hour, when a second British
man-of-war came up, and the "Trumbull" was forced to strike. At no
time had more than forty of her people been at the guns. To this fact
is due the small loss of life; for, though the ship was terribly cut
up, only five of her crew were killed, and eleven wounded.

The frigate that had engaged the "Trumbull" was the "Iris," formerly
the "Hancock" captured from the Americans by the "Rainbow." She was
one of the largest of the American frigates, while the "Trumbull" was
one of the smallest. The contest, therefore, would have been unequal,
even had not so many elements of weakness contributed to the
"Trumbull's" discomfiture.

Taking up again the thread of our narrative of the events of 1780, we
find that for three months after the action between the "Trumbull" and
the "Watt" there were no naval actions of moment. Not until October
did a United States vessel again knock the tompions from her guns, and
give battle to an enemy. During that month the cruiser "Saratoga" fell
in with a hostile armed ship and two brigs. The action that followed
was brief, and the triumph of the Americans complete. One broadside
was fired by the "Saratoga;" then, closing with her foe, she threw
fifty men aboard, who drove the enemy below. But the gallant Americans
were not destined to profit by the results of their victory; for, as
they were making for the Delaware, the British seventy-four "Intrepid"
intercepted them, and recaptured all the prizes. The "Saratoga"
escaped capture, only to meet a sadder fate; for, as she never
returned to port, it is supposed that she foundered with all on board.

The autumn and winter passed without any further exploits on the part
of the navy. The number of the regular cruisers had been sadly
diminished, and several were kept blockaded in home ports. Along the
American coast the British cruisers fairly swarmed; and the only
chance for the few Yankee ships afloat was to keep at sea as much as
possible, and try to intercept the enemy's privateers, transports, and
merchantmen, on their way across the