confidence he placed in me. He looked surprised, I thought, but
said nothing. Under other circumstances I should have been well pleased
with the task confided to me, but now, when I had set my heart on
landing on the shores of Virginia, suddenly to find that I might have to
go back to New York was a sore trial to me. Little do we know, however,
what is the best for us. As soon as the Arrow privateer came up, I and
my crew went on board, and, getting out all the long sweeps, away we
pulled in chase of the strangers. Every man put his full strength into
the work, and we sent the little vessel along at the rate of fully three
knots an hour. We felt as if we were going at a great speed, and we
rapidly neared the strangers. Little did I think in those days that in
my old age I should see vessels sent along in a dead calm without the
slightest exertion of human agency at four or five times that speed. We
kept minutely examining the strangers as we drew near. One was a
man-of-war--of that there was no doubt; the others were merchantmen,
probably, under her convoy. Still she did not show her colours. The
Arrow carried a couple of unusually long guns, and I fully expected to
commit great execution with them. They were all ready. Nol Grampus had
charge of one of them. We had got within range of the ship. I hoisted
English colours. The ship showed none in return. I waited a minute
longer. The word "fire" was on my lips when up went the British ensign
at her peak. Still I was not convinced till she made the private
signal.

Never perhaps in my life before had I been so satisfied at finding a
friend instead of an enemy. She proved to be HMS Royal Oak, the other
vessels being prizes she had taken. Two days after this we took two
other prizes, the charge of which was given to Lieutenants Seymour and
Bruton. Their absence of course gave me much more work to do--not a bad
thing, perhaps, under my circumstances. The following day a heavy gale
of wind sprang up, and we separated from the fleet as well as from our
prizes. We were knocking about for three days somewhat concerned for
the fate of the convoy. There were so many privateers cruising about,
that it was likely some of them could be picked off, and if any of the
transports were taken or lost, the whole plan of the expedition might be
disconcerted. General Arnold especially was in a state of considerable
anxiety for several reasons. If this, his first expe