lose to the "Essex;" and her commander, Capt.
Hillyar, sprang upon the taffrail, and asked after Capt. Porter's
health. Porter responded courteously; and, noticing that the "Phoebe"
was coming closer than the customs of war-vessels in a neutral port
permitted, warned the Englishman to keep his distance, or trouble
would result. Hillyar protested that he meant no harm, but
nevertheless continued his advance until the two ships were almost
fouled. Porter called the boarders to the bow; and they crowded
forward, armed to the teeth, and stripped for the fight. The "Phoebe"
was in such a position that she lay entirely at the mercy of the
"Essex," and could not bring a gun to bear in her own defence.
Hillyar, from his position on the taffrail, could see the American
boarders ready to spring at the word of command, and the muzzles of
the cannon ready to blow the ship out of water. There is little doubt
that he was astonished to find the "Essex" so well prepared for the
fray, for he had been told that more than half her crew had gone
ashore. Relying upon this information, he had probably planned to
capture the "Essex" at her moorings, regardless of the neutrality of
the port. But he had now brought himself into a dangerous position,
and Porter would have been justified in opening fire at once. But the
apologies and protestations of the British captain disarmed him, and
he unwisely let the "Phoebe" proceed unmolested.

In his journal, Farragut thus describes this incident: "We were all at
quarters, and cleared for action, waiting with breathless anxiety for
the command from Capt. Porter to board, when the English captain
appeared, standing on the after-gun, in a pea-jacket, and in plain
hearing said,--

"'Capt. Hillyar's compliments to Capt. Porter, and hopes he is well.'

"Porter replied, 'Very well, I thank you. But I hope you will not come
too near, for fear some accident might take place which would be
disagreeable to you.' And, with a wave of his trumpet, the
kedge-anchors went up to our yard-arms, ready to grapple the enemy.

"Capt. Hillyar braced back his yards, and remarked to Porter, that, if
he did fall aboard him, he begged to assure the captain that it would
be entirely accidental.

"'Well,' said Porter, 'you have no business where you are. If you
touch a rope-yarn of this ship, I shall board instantly.'"

Notwithstanding Porter's forbearance, the incident came near leading
to a battle, through the action of o