Journal of a cruise made to the Pacific Ocean / by Captain David Porter, in the United States frigate Essex, in the years 1812, 1813, and 1814. Containing descriptions of the Cape de Verd Islands, coasts of Brazil, Patagonia, Chili, and Peru, and of the Gallapagos Islands.
- David Porter
- Date:
- [1815]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Journal of a cruise made to the Pacific Ocean / by Captain David Porter, in the United States frigate Essex, in the years 1812, 1813, and 1814. Containing descriptions of the Cape de Verd Islands, coasts of Brazil, Patagonia, Chili, and Peru, and of the Gallapagos Islands. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![sirous of doing her as little injury as possible, I gave orders that . the great guns should not be fired. J hailed her, and directed her to lower her topsails, haul up her courses, and heave-to to windward ; but as she attempted to run athwart my stern, with a view, as I supposed, to rake us and make her escape, I directed a volley of rnusketry to be fired, which (1 am sorry to say) killed one man on board her. She proved to be his majesty’s packet Nocton, bound to Falmouth, of 10 guns and 31 men. I, that night, took out the prisoners, and a quantity of specie found on board, amounting to about $55,000. On the 13th dispatched the prize under the command of lieu- tenant Finch, and as I sent in her 17 of the prisoners, I was under the necessity of sending as many of my own crew. I sent in the prize the captain, master, and passengers ; and, with a view of securing their neutrality in the event of any attempt to retake the vessel, I permitted them to go on parole of honour, with the pri- — vilege of embarking on board any vessel they might meet, bound to England or elsewhere. As ] have never permitted prisoners to be plundered in any one instance, the ‘officers and passengers of the brig soon felt themselves, while on board the Essex, at per- fect ease, and secure from any violence ; and they seemed to consider their capture and trip to America more in the light of an agreeable adventure, and a party of prepares than a mis- — fortune. A Mr. James Heyworth, a merchant from Brazils, on leaving my ship, presented me with two letters unsealed, which he re- quested me to present in the event of my going to Rio Janeiro, One of them I found to be a letter of introduction; the other announcing his capture. To shew the sentiments by which he was impressed, I shall give a copy of them both. Dear Brother Lawrence, By the extreme civility of the gentleman who offers to for- ward this, 1 am enabled to inform you that we have been cap- tured by an American vessel. However, we are proceeding under the direction of a prize-master to the United States; have liber- ty; if we fall in with a neutral vessel, to go on board ; ‘ead if not, . ing](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29286931_0040.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
