ion of the
Detroit, his largest vessel. But, at length, as further delay was
dangerous, she had to be launched as she was, in a rough and
imperfect condition. In default of other guns, she was armed with
long battering pieces taken from the ramparts of the fort. Every
calibre of gun was used, and so incomplete was her equipment that
her cannon had to be discharged by flashing pistols at the touch-holes.

Long and vainly had Barclay waited for the arrival of the promised
seamen from Lake Ontario, with whom he hoped to man his ships. His
insistent appeal and final remonstrance were treated with indifference.
There were but fifty experienced seamen in the British ships, the
remainder of the crews consisting of two hundred and forty soldiers
and eighty Canadian volunteer sailors, who had no proper training
in seamanship and gunnery. While Barclay was obliged to enter the
contest with his fleet thus wretchedly equipped, Perry had a force
of over five hundred men, hardy frontiersmen and experienced
soldiers, and a sufficiency of trained seamen to work his squadron
in any weather or circumstance. On the night of September 9 the
British commander ran up his flag, weighed anchor, and set sail,
hoping to encounter early next morning the American fleet, which
lay thirty or more miles distant at Put-in-Bay.

The grey curtain of morning mist rolled up from Lake Erie, where
the British fleet stood out in battle array. A light breeze rippled
the surface of the lake and filled the swelling sails. Barclay took
advantage of the favourable wind and bore towards the American
vessels, which were lying among a cluster of islands. He put forth
every effort to reach them before they could sail clear of the
islands to form their line. But the wind was so light that they
had got away from their cramped quarters before Barclay could come
near them.

The enemy's fleet now bore towards the British, Perry leading in
his flagship the _Lawrence_. From his mast-head flew a flag with
the motto, 'Don't give up the ship'--the dying words of Captain
James Lawrence of the _Chesapeake_, after whom the vessel was named.
The British fleet, compactly formed and under easy sail, awaited
the enemy's approach. Captain Barclay in his flagship _Detroit_
headed towards the south-west. The _Chippewa_, _Hunter_, _Queen
Charlotte_, _Lady Prevost_, and _Little Belt_, in close column,
followed in his wake. The breeze, still light, veered to the
north-east, giving the