elf with a d--d nutshell;' and then he went below for his pistols.
I called my right-hand man of the crew, and told him my situation; I
also informed him that I wanted the main topsail filled. He answered
with a clear 'Ay, ay, sir!' in a manner which was not to be
misunderstood, and my confidence was perfectly restored. From that
moment I became master of the vessel, and immediately gave all
necessary orders for making sail, notifying the captain not to come on
deck with his pistols unless he wished to go overboard; for I would
really have had very little trouble in having such an order obeyed."

On the 30th of September, the squadron fell in with the "Essex
Junior," which had come from Valparaiso. Lieut. Downes reported that
he had disposed of the prizes satisfactorily, and also brought news
that the British frigate "Phoebe," and the sloops-of-war "Raccoon" and
"Cherub," had been ordered to cruise the Pacific in search of the
audacious "Essex." More than this, he secured statistics regarding the
fleet of British whalers in the Pacific, that proved that Porter had
completely destroyed the industry, having left but one whaler
uncaptured. There was then no immediate work for Porter to do; and he
determined to proceed with his squadron to the Marquesas Islands, and
there lay up, to make needed repairs and alterations.

The Marquesas are a desolate group of rocky islands lying in the
Pacific Ocean, on the western outskirts of Oceanica. In formation they
are volcanic, and rise in rugged mountain-peaks from the bosom of the
great ocean. Sea-fowl of all sorts abound; but none of the lower
mammals are to be found on the island, save swine which were
introduced by Europeans. The people at the time of Porter's visit were
simple savages, who had seldom seen the face of a white man; for at
that early day voyagers were few in the far-off Pacific.

The island first visited by the "Essex" was known to the natives as
Rooahooga. Here the frigate stopped for a few hours. During her stay,
the water alongside was fairly alive with canoes and swimming natives.
They were not allowed to come on board, but were immensely pleased by
some fish-hooks and bits of iron let down to them from the decks of
the frigate. Not to be outdone in generosity, the islanders threw up
to the sailors cocoanuts, fruits, and fish. A boat-crew of jackies
that went ashore was surrounded by a smiling, chattering throng of
men, women, and children, who cried out ince