ed.

Of all this the gallant Capt. Blakely was ignorant; and, indeed, it is
probable that he never knew with whom he had fought his last battle.
For the subsequent history of the "Wasp" is more tragic in its
unfathomable mystery than is the fate of the bravest ship ever sent to
the bottom by the broadsides of an enemy. What was the end of the
"Wasp," and where her bones now lie, no one knows. For some little
time after her battle with the "Avon," her movements can be traced.
Sept. 12, she captured the British brig "Three Brothers," and scuttled
her; two days later, the brig "Bacchus" met the same fate at her
hands. Sept. 21, she took the brig "Atlanta," eight guns; and, this
being a valuable prize, Midshipman Geisinger of the "Wasp" was put on
board, and took her safely to Savannah. He brought the last news that
was heard of the ill-fated cruiser for many years. Months passed, and
lengthened into years; and still the "Wasp" came not into port, nor
could any trace of her whereabouts be found. As time passed on, the
attempts to account for her delay changed into theories as to the
cause of her total disappearance. All sorts of rumors were afloat.
According to one account, the ship was wrecked on the African coast,
and her gallant lads were ending their weary lives as slaves to the
turbaned Moors of Barbary. Another theory was based on the rumor that
an English frigate went into Cadiz much crippled, and with her crew
severely injured, and reported that she had been engaged with a heavy
American corvette, which had so suddenly disappeared that she was
thought to have sunk with all on board. But, as time passed on, the
end of the "Wasp" was forgotten by all save a few whose hearts ached
for some of the gallant lads thus blotted from the face of the earth.

Years after, the fate of the daring cruiser was again brought into
remembrance by fresh news curiously found. When the officers and crew
of the "Essex," after that vessel's gallant battle with the "Phoebe"
and "Cherub," were sent to the United States under parole, two
officers remained at Valparaiso, to give testimony before the
prize-court. These gentlemen were Lieut. McKnight, and Mr. Lyman a
master's mate. After going to Brazil in the "Phoebe," the two officers
took passage in a Swedish brig bound for England. Months passed; and,
nothing being heard from them, their friends became alarmed for their
safety. In that time, before the day of the telegraph and steam
transp