ican whalers, whose crews were even
then in the hold of the privateer. He admitted that Peru had no
quarrel with the United States, and no reason for preying upon her
commerce. The confession, so unsuspectingly made, gave Porter ample
grounds for the capture of the offending vessel. Curtly informing his
astounded visitor that he was on a United States man-of-war, Porter
ordered the gunners to fire two shots close to the privateer. This was
done, and the Peruvian quickly hauled down his colors. The American
officers, on boarding the prize, found twenty-three American sailors,
who had been robbed of all that they possessed, stripped of half their
clothing, and thrown into the hold. These unfortunate men were released
and sent to the "Essex;" after which all the guns and ammunition of
the privateer were thrown overboard, and the vessel ordered to return
to Callao.

After this act of summary justice, the "Essex" continued in her
northward course. She touched at Callao; but, much to the
disappointment of all on board, there were no British vessels among
the shipping at that port. Nor could the lookouts, for some days,
discern from the masthead any craft other than the double-hulled rafts
of logs, called catamarans, in which the natives along the Peruvian
coast make long voyages. Weary of such continued ill-luck, Porter
determined to make for the Galapagos Islands, where it was the custom
of the British whaling-ships to rendezvous. But it seemed that
ill-fortune was following close upon the "Essex;" for she sailed the
waters about the Galapagos, and sent out boats to search small bays
and lagoons, without finding a sign of a ship. Two weeks passed in
this unproductive occupation, and Porter had determined to abandon the
islands, when he was roused from his berth on the morning of April 29,
1813, by the welcome cry of "Sail, ho!"

All hands were soon on deck, and saw a large ship in the offing. All
sail was clapped on the frigate; and she set out in hot pursuit,
flying the British ensign as a ruse to disarm suspicion. As the chase
wore on, two more sail were sighted; and Porter knew that he had
fallen in with the long-sought whalers. He had no doubt of his ability
to capture all three; for in those southern seas a dead calm falls
over the ocean every noon, and in a calm the boats of the "Essex"
could easily take possession of the whalers. By eight o'clock in the
morning, the vessel first sighted was overhauled, and hove to i