among the "young gentlemen" who followed the
fortunes of the "Essex." In those days the midshipmen were often mere
boys. Farragut himself was then but eleven years old. But, boys as
they were, they ordered the hardy old tars about, and strutted the
streets when on shore-leave with all the dignity of veterans.

That the discipline of the "Essex" was of the strictest, and that the
efficiency of her crew was above criticism, we have the testimony of
Farragut himself to prove. "Every day," he writes, "the crew were
exercised at the great guns, small arms, and single stick; and I may
here mention the fact, that I have never been on a ship where the crew
of the old "Essex" was represented, but that I found them to be the
best swordsmen on board. They had been so thoroughly trained as
boarders, that every man was prepared for such an emergency, with his
cutlass as sharp as a razor, a dirk made by the ship's armorer out of
a file, and a pistol."

Hardly were the Highlands of Navesink lost to sight below the horizon,
when Porter began to receive evidences that his cruise was to be a
lucky one. Several brigs were captured, and sent into New York; but
the tars of the "Essex" were beginning to grow weary of small game,
and hoped, each time a sail was sighted, that it might be a British
man-of-war. At last a small squadron hove into sight, the appearance
of which seemed to indicate that the jackies might smell gunpowder to
their hearts content before the next day.

It was late at night when the strange fleet was sighted; and the
"Essex" was soon running down upon them, before a fresh breeze.
Although the moon was out, its light was obscured by dense masses of
cloud, that were driven rapidly across the sky; while over the water
hung a light haze, that made difficult the discovery of objects at any
distance. The "Essex" soon came near enough to the squadron to
ascertain that it was a fleet of British merchantmen and transports
convoyed by a frigate and bomb-vessel. The frigate was at the head of
the line; and the "Essex," carefully concealing her hostile character,
clapped on all sail and pressed forward, in the hopes of bringing on
an action. After passing the hindermost transport, however, the
American ship was hailed by a second transport, which soon suspected
her hostile character and threatened to give the alarm. Instantly the
ports of the "Essex" were knocked out, the guns trained on the enemy,
and the transport was ordered t