erly a frigate, and
she being at the rear, Stewart opened fire from the long guns of his
port battery. The response from the starboard guns of the enemy was
prompt, and for a time the cannonade was deafening. The _Constitution_
gave most of her attention to the rear ship. The smoke around the
American becoming so dense as to cloud the vision, Stewart slipped
forward and quickly delivered a double-shotted broadside. Before it
could be repeated the other ship attempted to gain a raking position
across the stern of the _Constitution_. By a splendid manoeuvre,
Stewart defeated the purpose, and, placing himself abreast the rear
ship, delivered another destructive broadside before the more sluggish
enemy comprehended their danger. He maintained his tremendous fire for a
time, when he observed the other ship luffing across his course to
secure a raking position, whereupon, with the same unsurpassable
seamanship that he had shown from the first, he crossed the wake of the
foremost ship and obtained a raking position himself. Before the vessel
could extricate itself Stewart raked her twice. Then the second ship
repeated the attempt of its consort, but Stewart not only defeated her,
but again laid the _Constitution_ so as to rake her.

In the manoeuvring the two ships drew up side by side, and, the enemy
opening with the port battery, Stewart replied with his starboard guns.
The fire of the American was so amazingly accurate and effective that in
a short time the enemy hoisted a light and fired a gun in token of
surrender. The battle occurred in the early hours of evening.

Upon sending an officer to take possession, it was found that the
captured vessel was the English 32-gun frigate _Cyane_. It took an hour
to transfer and secure the prisoners, when the _Constitution_ started
after the other ship, which was some distance away, engaged in repairing
her rigging. Seeing the American approaching, and not knowing what fate
had befallen her consort, the Englishman gallantly bore down to meet his
formidable enemy. The two vessels passed each other and exchanged
broadsides, but with another display of masterly seamanship Stewart,
before the other was aware of her danger, crossed her wake and raked
her.

This startling experience convinced the Englishman that he had met his
master and he crowded on all sail in the desperate effort to escape. The
_Constitution_ was immediately after her, and by ten o'clock secured a
position from whic