esh breeze blowing, before
which the "Chesapeake" rapidly bore down upon the foe that awaited
her. Following cautiously in her track came a number of small
craft,--pilot-boats, sloops, fishing-smacks, and pleasure-boats,--that
had come down the bay to see the outcome of the battle. Hundreds of
people of Boston rode along the coast, in hopes of gaining an outlook
from which the progress of the fight might be viewed.

At noon the ship rounded Boston Light, and made out into the open sea.
The "Shannon" went ahead, under easy sail, making up the coast toward
Salem. Towards five o'clock the "Chesapeake" luffed up for a moment;
while the pilot clambered down the side, and put off in a small boat.
A gun was then fired, as a signal that the Americans were ready for
action.

The "Shannon" evidently understood the purport of the signal; for she
quickly hove to, and troops of agile jackies clambered up her rigging,
and began to take in sail. The "Chesapeake" followed suit, and was
soon under only topsails and jib. She then laid her course straight
for the enemy.

[Illustration: Beating To Quarters.]

A ship preparing for action in that day was a scene of hurry and
confusion that cannot be equalled in this era of machinery and few
guns. At the short, broken, rolling beat of the drums, calling the men
to quarters, the hurried rush of hundreds of feet began, as the men
came pouring from all parts of the ship to their posts. Some clambered
aloft to their stations in the tops; others invaded the sanctity of
the quarter-deck and captain's cabin, where several guns are always
mounted. But the most stirring scene is on the long gun-deck where the
men gradually fall into their places at the two long rows of great
guns that peer through the open ports on either side. All are stripped
to the waist; and at many a gun the fair skin of the American sailor
gleams white by the side of some swarthy Spaniard, or still darker
negro.

[Illustration: The Only Shot Of The "Chesapeake".]

All quiet down on reaching their stations; and, five minutes after the
drum-beats, no sound is heard, save perhaps the steps of the black
boys, taking rations of grog around, that the men may "splice the
main brace" before going into the fight.

Thus silently did the "Chesapeake" bear down upon her adversary. There
was no long-range firing; for the two commanders were veterans, whose
chief desire was to settle the dispute yard-arm to yard-arm. Gradually
the A