-seated conviction. While
the United States ship "Essex" was lying in an English port, it became
known that one of her crew was a deserter from the British navy, and
his surrender was immediately demanded. Although the man stoutly
protested that he was an American, yet no proof could be shown; and,
as the ship was in British waters, it was determined to surrender him.
A British officer and squad of marines boarded the "Essex" and waited
on the deck while the sailor went below to get his kit. Bitterly
complaining of the hardness of his fate, the poor fellow went along
the gun-decks until he passed the carpenter's bench. His eye fell upon
an axe; and after a minute's hesitation he stepped to the bench,
seized the axe in his right hand, and with one blow cut off the left.
Carrying the severed member in his hand, he again sought the deck and
presented himself, maimed, bleeding, and forever useless as a sailor,
to the British officer. Astonished and horrified, that worthy left the
ship, and the wounded man was sent to the sick-bay. The incident was a
forcible commentary on the state of the British service at that time,
and left a deep impression on the minds of all beholders.

In the next contest over deserters, however, the Americans rather
secured the best of the argument. The "Constitution" was lying at
anchor in Portsmouth roads, when one of the crew slily slipped
overboard and swam down with the tide to the British ship "Madagascar"
that lay at anchor near by. When he had reached the Englishman, he was
too exhausted to speak; and the officers, supposing that he had fallen
overboard accidentally, sent word to the "Constitution" that her man
had been saved, and awaited the orders of his commander. The next
morning a boat was sent down to the "Madagascar" to fetch the man
back; but, to the astonishment of the visiting officer, he was told
that the sailor claimed to be a British subject and wished to escape
from the American service.

"Have you any evidence," asked the American officer of the British
admiral, "beyond the man's own word, that he is an Englishman?"

"None whatever, sir," was the response, "but we are obliged to take
his declaration to that effect."

The American officer returned to his ship, vowing vengeance on the
harborers of the deserter. His opportunity came that very night.

In the dead watches of the night, when all was still on deck save the
monotonous tramp of the sentries, there suddenly rang ou