ne of the crew, who had come off
from shore with his brain rather hazy from heavy drinking. This man
was standing by a gun, with a lighted brand in his hand, ready to fire
the piece, when he thought he saw an Englishman grinning at him
through one of the open ports of the "Phoebe." Highly enraged, he
shouted out, "My fine fellow, I'll soon stop your making faces!" and
reached out to fire the gun; when a heavy blow from an officer, who
saw the action, stretched him on the deck. Had that gun been fired,
nothing could have saved the "Phoebe."

The two hostile ships cast anchor within long gunshot of the
Americans, and seemed prepared for a long season in port. For the next
few weeks the British and American officers and seamen met frequently
on shore; and a kind of friendship sprang up between them, although
they were merely waiting for a favorable moment to begin a deadly
strife. Some incidents, however, took place which rather disturbed the
amicable relations of the two parties. At the masthead of the "Essex"
floated a flag bearing the motto, "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights."
This flag gave great offence to the British, who soon displayed a flag
with the inscription, "God and Country, British Sailors' Best Rights.
Traitors offend both." To this Americans responded with, "God, our
Country and Liberty. Tyrants offend them." Here the debate closed, and
seemed to arouse no unfriendly feeling; for Porter and Hillyar talked
it over amicably on shore. In the course of this conversation, Porter
challenged the "Phoebe" to meet the "Essex" alone; but Hillyar
declined the proposition. Shortly after this, the crews of the hostile
ships began the practice of singing songs _at_ each other; the
Americans beginning with "Yankee Doodle," while the British retorted
with "God save the King." Then the poets of the forecastle set to
work, and ground out verses that would prove particularly obnoxious to
the enemy. One of the American songs recited at full length the
capture of the "Guerriere." The character of the poetry may be judged
by the first verse.

"Ye tars of our country, who seek on the main
The cause for the wrongs your country sustain,
Rejoice and be merry, for bragging John Bull
Has got a sound drubbing from brave Capt. Hull."

The British responded with triumphant verses upon the capture of the
"Chesapeake," news of which had just reached Valparaiso. Their poetry
was quite as bad.

"B