e "Boston"
continued her voyage, and, after leaving her convoy in the port of her
destination, began a cruise about the islands and the Spanish Main. In
the course of this cruise she met the French corvette "Le Berceau,"
which struck after a plucky action of two hours. The Frenchman was
badly cut up in hull and rigging, and shortly after the surrender her
fore and main masts went by the board. The "Boston" was but little
injured, and took her prize safely into port.

After this the fighting was chiefly confined to short, sharp affrays
between the smaller United States ships and the French privateers,
which were generally good sailers and well manned, although deficient
in metal. The great frigates like the "Constellation" found no more
adversaries worthy of their fighting qualities, and only the sloops
and topsail-schooners gave their crews a chance to smell gunpowder.
Some of these smaller actions, however, were sharp and gallant,
although their details have not been preserved like those of the
famous naval duels.

The "Experiment," after her adventure with the Picaroons, fought two
gallant battles, and was successful in each, although the second for a
time threatened to lead to international difficulties. While cruising
on her station, the vessel made two sail, which, as they came nearer,
proved to be a brig of eighteen guns and a three-masted schooner of
twenty guns, both flying the French tricolor, and both intent on
mischief. The American fled, but laid her course in such a way as to
separate the two pursuers. When night had fallen, Lieut.-Commander
Stewart, who commanded the "Experiment," saw that the enemy's forces
were divided by about a league of green water, and at once determined
to strike a blow. Doubling on his course, he ran his vessel alongside
the schooner, and poured in two or three broadsides with such rapidity
and haste that the Frenchman struck before his consort could come to
his aid. Hastily throwing Lieut. Porter and a prize-crew aboard the
prize, Stewart dashed off after the brig, which fled incontinently,
and proved too good a sailer to be overtaken. Pure audacity had
carried the day for the "Experiment," for the brig was powerful enough
to have blown her pursuer to bits in a short engagement.

The second exploit of the "Experiment" was no less gallant than this,
but in the end proved far less satisfactory. Late in a summer's
afternoon a suspicious sail was made; and the chase, begun at once,