ve minutes later, while the boat's-crew was still
on the Tripolitan ship, she blew up. The watchers heard a sudden
deafening roar; saw a volcanic burst of smoke; saw rising high above
the smoke the main and mizzen masts of the shattered vessel, with the
yards, rigging, and hamper attached. When the smoke cleared away, only
a shapeless hulk occupied the place where the proud corsair had so
recently floated. What caused the explosion, cannot be told. Were it
not for the fact that many of the Tripolitans were blown up with the
ship, it might be thought that she had been destroyed by her own
people.

After this encounter, the three United States vessels proceeded to
Malta. Here Commodore Morris found orders for his recall, and he
returned to the United States in the "Adams." In his place Commodore
Preble had been chosen to command the naval forces; and that officer,
with the "Constitution," forty-four, arrived in the Mediterranean in
September, 1802. Following him at brief intervals came the other
vessels of his squadron,--the "Vixen" twelve, "Siren" sixteen, and
"Argus" sixteen; the "Philadelphia" thirty-eight, and the "Nautilus"
twelve, having reached the Mediterranean before the commodore. Three
of these vessels were commanded by young officers, destined to win
enduring fame in the ensuing war,--Stephen Decatur, William
Bainbridge, and Richard Somers.

Before the last vessel of this fleet reached the Mediterranean, a
disaster had befallen one of the foremost vessels, which cost the
United States a good man-of-war, and forced a ship's crew of Yankee
seamen to pass two years of their lives in the cells of a Tripolitan
fortress. This vessel was the "Philadelphia," Capt. Bainbridge. She
had reached the Mediterranean in the latter part of August, and
signalled her arrival by overhauling and capturing the cruiser
"Meshboha," belonging to the emperor of Morocco. With the cruiser was
a small brig, which proved to be an American merchantman; and in her
hold were found the captain and seven men, tied hand and foot. Morocco
was then ostensibly on friendly terms with the United States, and
Bainbridge demanded of the captain of the cruiser by what right he had
captured an American vessel. To this the Moor returned, that he had
done so, anticipating a war which had not yet been declared.

"Then, sir," said Bainbridge sternly, "I must consider you as a
pirate, and shall treat you as such. I am going on deck for fifteen
minutes. If,