stars and stripes, wave gracefully in the breeze on Fort McHenry, the impression made upon his mind was indelible. He will not attempt to describe the feeling, it being much better expressed in Key's immortal "Star Spangled Banner."

INTERESTING CRUISE OF THE FAMOUS CAPTAIN BOYLE, IN THE PRIVATEER-SCHOONER COMET, ON THE COAST OF BRAZIL, AND AMONG THE WEST INDIA ISLANDS.

Captain Boyle left Baltimore in Dec. 1812, and on a dark, stormy night passed through the midst of the British blockading squadron, at the mouth of the Chesapeake. After getting to sea, Capt. Boyle proceeded to the coast of Brazil, without meeting with any remarkable incident until he arrived off Pernambuco, on the 9th of January, 1813. At this point his Journal proceeds as follows: "On this day I spoke a coaster from Pernambuco, who informed me of some English vessels who were to sail in a few days from that place. On the 11th, spoke the Portuguese brig Wasa, from St. Michael's for Pernambuco. 14th, at 1 P. M., discovered four sail standing out of the harbor-laid-by to give them an opportunity to get off shore, and then to cut them off; at 3 P. M., they were upon the wind, standing S.E., and about six leagues from the land; bore up and made all sail in chase; at 5, we were coming up with them very fast; at 6, discovered one of them to be a very large manof-war brig; called all hands to quarters; loaded all the guns with round and grape; cleared the decks, and got all ready for action. At. 7 P. M., close to the chase, hoisted our colors, and sheered close up to the man-ofwar brig, who had also hoisted her colors. The captain hailed us, and said he would send his boat on board; accordingly I hove to and received it. The officer informed

me that the brig was a Portuguese national vessel, mounting 20 32's, and 165 men; that the three others were English, for Europe, under his protection, and that I must not molest them. I informed him that I was an American cruiser, and insisted on his seeing my authority to capture English vessels, which he did. I then informed him I would capture those vessels if I could; that we were upon the high seas, the common highway of all nations; that he had no right to protect them. That the high seas, of right, belonged to America as much as any other power in the world; and, that at all events (under those considerations), I was determined to exercise the authority I possessed. He said he should be sorry if anything disagreeable took place; that he was ordered to protect them, and should do so. I answered him, that I should feel equal regret that anything disagreeable should occur; that if it did, he would be the aggressor, as I did not intend to fire on him first. That if he did attempt to oppose me, or fire on me when trying to take these English vessels, we must try our respective strength, as I was well prepared for such an event, and should not shrink from it. He then informed me those vessels were well armed, and very strong. I told him I valued their strength but little, and should very soon put it to the test. He then left me to go on board the man-ofwar brig, to communicate our conversation to his captain, with a promise of again returning, which, however, he did not do. Finding he did not mean to return, I spoke the man-of-war immediately, and asked him if he intended sending his boat back; he said he would speak to his convoy, and requested me to send my boat on board. Entertaining some suspicion of his motives for thus asking for my boat, I told him that I did not make a practice of sending my boat from my vessel in the night,

and should not now do it. I then again told him of my determination very distinctly, so that he should not misunderstand me. The English vessels were ahead of us, consisting of a ship of 14 guns, and two brigs of 10 guns each, making in all a force of 54 guns! I made sail immediately for them, came up with the ship (the three, in fact, were close together), hailed her, and ordered them to back the main top-sail; he gave little or no answer. Having quick way at the time, I shot ahead, but told him I should be alongside again in a few minutes; and if he did not obey my orders, I would pour a broadside into him. After a few minutes I tacked, the man-of-war close after me; this was about half past 8, P. M. I then ran alongside the ship, one of the brigs being close to her, and opened my broadside upon them both; we were all carrying a crowd of canvas, and I was, from superior sailing, frequently obliged to tack, and should have profited much by it, had not the man-of-war been so close, who now opened a heavy fire upon us, with round and grape, which we returned. Having now the whole force to contend with, I stuck as close as possible to the English vessels, they frequently separating to give the manof-war a chance, and I, as frequently, poured whole broadsides into them, and at times, into the man-of-war. About 1, P. M., the ship surrendered, being all cut to pieces, and rendered unmanageable. Directly after, the brig Bowes surrendered, she being very much disabled. I then proceeded to take possession of her, and, as the boat was passing, the man-of-war gave us a broadside, and was near sinking the boat, which was obliged to return. I then renewed the action with the man-of-war, who sheered off at some distance; I followed a little, and then made the third vessel surrender, she being also cut to pieces. I was now proceeding to take possession of

the Bowes again, when I spoke the ship, the captain of which I ordered to follow me, who informed me his ship was in a sinking condition, having many shot-holes between wind and water, and not a rope but what was cut away; but for his own safety, he would, if possible, follow my orders. At half past 1, P. M., took possession of the Bowes, and manned her. The man-of-war brig, however, continued to interfere with my taking possession of the three English prizes, so that I was occasionally obliged to exchange broadsides with him. After this, the man-of-war fired a broadside into the prize, and passed her. The moon was now down, and it became quite dark and squally, which caused us to separate from our prizes. At 2 A. M., he stood to the south; it being quite dark, we were out of sight of the brig and ship, which were in a southern direction. I now thought it prudent to take care of the prize till daylight, the Captain of which informed me that the ship and the other brig were loaded with wheat. At daylight, we wore close to the prize, the man-of-war standing for us. I immediately hove about, and stood for him, or rather for the ship and brig; he tacked likewise, and made signals for the convoy to make the first port. Considering the situation of the ship and brig, I determined not to take possession of them, but to watch their manoeuvres. They both bore up before the wind, for the land, in company with the man-of-war, which appeared also much damaged. I followed for some time, taking particular notice of them. It appeared to me that great exertions were made to keep the ship from sinking, which, with the brig, settled in the water.

The man-of-war appeared occasionally to render them assistance; the ship was called the George, of Liverpool, Captain Wilson, and the brig the Gambia, of Hull, Cap

tain Smith. At 10 A. M., went in pursuit of the Bowes, and at meridian spoke her. I have since learned from several vessels which I boarded from Pernambuco, that the man-of-war brig* was damaged very much, besides having her first Lieutenant and five men killed, and a number wounded. Among the latter was the Captain, who had his thigh shot off, and has since died of his wounds. The ship's masts scarcely lasted to carry her to Pernambuco; her cargo was nearly all damaged; she was dismantled, and obliged to get new top-sides. The brig was nearly in the same situation, the greater part of her cargo being damaged, and it was with difficulty they kept her from sinking, before they reached Pernambuco harbor.

Soon after the fight and capture of the three British vessels, the gallant Boyle fell in with, and took the Scotch ship Adelphi, belonging to Aberdeen. She was from Liverpool bound for Bahia, of 361 tons, mounting 8 long twelve-pounders, laden with salt and dry-goods; manned her, with orders to proceed to the United States. He was subsequently chased by the famous British frigate Surprise, which he easily out-sailed, and continued on his cruise down among the West India Islands.

On the 6th of Feb., at daylight, being off the Island of St. Johns, distant two leagues, he discovered two brigs to leeward, when he made all sail in chase of them; called all hands to quarters; soon made out the nearest brig to be armed. At 6 A. M. she hoisted English colors,

* Some three or four months after Captain Boyle's engagement with this fleet, the Portuguese man-of-war brig here alluded to, arrived at Lisbon. The author of this book being there at the time, had the curiosity to examine her, in company with his friend Richard M. Lawrence, Esq., of New York, and several other American gentlemen. We found her a very large vessel, with high bulwarks, a very formidable battery, and to all appearance big enough to hoist the Comet on her decks.