room for their movements. Such
considerations, however, had no weight with Decatur, who had seen his
ships lying idly at their anchorage off Staten Island long enough. In
the night of May 24, he accordingly got up anchors and started for the
sound.

Hell Gate was passed safely, thanks to a skilful pilot, whom neither
the darkness of the night, nor the perils of the narrow channel, could
daunt. Once past this danger, the three vessels made their way up the
sound, with the flag-ship leading. They had gone but a little way when
black clouds to the westward told of a coming storm. The cloud-bank
came rolling up rapidly; and soon, with a burst of rain, the three
vessels were enveloped in the thunder-shower. The lightning flashed
through the black clouds, the thunder crashed and roared, and the wind
shrieked fiercely through the cordage. The "United States" held her
place at the head of the squadron; while behind, at the distance of
half a cable's-length, came the "Macedonian." Suddenly the men on the
deck of the latter vessel were horrified to see a jagged flash of
lightning cut its zigzag course through the clouds, then dart,
straight as an arrow, at the main-mast of the "United States." Hoarse
cries were heard from the deck of the stricken frigate; and the
captain of the "Macedonian," fearing lest the "States" should blow up,
threw all aback on his ship, to escape the explosion. But happily the
thunderbolt had done little serious injury. In its course it had cut
away the pendant; shot into the doctor's cabin, extinguishing that
worthy's candle, to his vast astonishment; then, gliding away, broke
through the ship's hull near the water-line, and plunged into the sea,
after ripping off a few sheets of copper from the ship's bottom. No
delay was caused by the accident; though the superstitious sailors
pronounced it an evil omen, and dismally predicted all sorts of
disasters.

On the 29th of May the squadron reached the strait through which
Decatur hoped to gain the ocean; but, to the intense disappointment of
all on board, a formidable British fleet barred all egress. Three days
later the Americans made an attempt to slip out unseen; but, failing
in this, they returned to New London harbor, where the two frigates
were kept rotting in the mud until the war was ended. The "Hornet"
luckily managed to run the blockade, and of her exploits we shall hear
later.

Upon the arrival of the three American ships at New London, the ene