.
The sailors then shipped their capstan-bars, and tramped about the
capstan, until the ship was dragged up to the kedge, which was then
hoisted and again carried ahead and let fall. This manoeuvre was
repeated several times with marked success; for the "Constitution" was
rapidly drawing away from her pursuers, who could not discover her
means of propulsion. Out of sight of land as they were, the British
did not for some time suspect the true cause of the sudden speed of
the fugitive. When, after long scrutiny through their marine-glasses,
they finally did discover the stratagem, the "Constitution" was far
ahead; and though the pursuers adopted the same device, yet their
awkwardness was so great, that even the superior force they were
enabled to employ did not bring them up to their chase.

While the ships were thus being urged on by towing, kedging, and
occasionally by sweeps, an intermittent fire was kept up by the
British, and responded to by the "Constitution" from her stern ports.
The guns which had been mounted by the Americans in the cabin, they
were soon forced to abandon, as the explosions threatened to blow out
the whole stern frame. With the stern-chasers on the gun-deck,
however, a constant fire was maintained, in the hopes of crippling the
enemy by a lucky shot.

For more than forty-eight hours the chase maintained this aspect of
monotony. A dead calm prevailed the greater part of the time.
Occasionally, light breezes filled the sails, and wafted the ships
ahead for a few minutes; then, dying away, left the sea unruffled,
and the sails flapping idly against the masts. British historians
concur with those of our own country, in saying that the
"Constitution," in seizing the advantages of the breeze, showed far
better seamanship than did her enemies. While the British vessels lay
to, to pick up their boats, the "Constitution" forged ahead, picking
up her boats while under way. Later in the chase, the British totally
abandoned their boats, and, when the American frigate had fairly
escaped them, went about for some days picking up such boats as were
found drifting on the broad ocean.

The morning of the second day of the chase dawned with a light breeze
ruffling the water, and filling out the sails of the ships. Before the
breeze died away, which it did in a few hours, the "Constitution" had
gained on her pursuers so that she led them by more than four miles.
Then the calm again held the ships quiet; and ag