ortation, many things might have easily detained the two
officers for a year or more, and nothing be heard of them. But, when
two years had passed, inquiries began to be made as to their fate,
both by their friends and the naval authorities. The first step was to
find the vessel upon which they had left Brazil. This was a work of
time; so that it was many years after the disappearance of the
officers when the brig was found lying at a London dock. She was the
brig "Adonis," and the master proved to be the same who had commanded
her when the two officers had taken passage. He readily recalled the
circumstance, but claimed that the two passengers had left him in
mid-ocean to go aboard an American man-of-war; and in proof of this he
brought out the log-book, and, turning back to the year 1814, pointed
out the following entries:--

[Illustration: The End of the "Wasp."]

"AUG. 23.--Left Rio de Janeiro; Stephen Decatur McKnight and
James Lyman, passengers for England.

"OCT. 9.--At eight o'clock in the morning discovered a strange
sail giving chase to us, and fired several guns; she gaining very
fast. At half-past ten o'clock hove to, and was boarded by an
officer dressed in an English doctor's uniform; the vessel also
hoisted an English ensign. The officer proceeded to examine my
ship's papers, etc., likewise the letter-bags, and took from one
of them a letter to the victualling office, London. Finding I had
two American officers as passengers, he immediately left the
ship, and went on board the sloop-of-war. He shortly after
returned, took the American gentlemen with him, and went a second
time on board the ship. In about half an hour he returned, with
Messrs. McKnight and Lyman; and they informed me that the vessel
was the United States sloop-of-war 'Wasp,' commanded by Capt.
Blakely, or Blake, last from France, where she had refitted; had
lately sunk the 'Reindeer,' English sloop-of-war, and another
vessel, which sunk without their being able to save a single
person, or learn the vessel's name; that Messrs. McKnight and
Lyman had now determined to leave me and go on board the 'Wasp;'
paid me their passage in dollars, at 5_s._ 9_d._; and, having
taken their luggage on board, the 'Wasp' made sail to the
southward. Shortly after they had left, I discovered that Lieut.
McKnight had left his writing-desk