then went into the dockyard, where we found the other deserter in a ship's boat, from whose officer he had claimed protection as a British subject. To our request for his delivery, the officer stated the necessity of his referring the decision to his commander, but at the same time he politely offered to take us on board with him, that we might obtain it. He belonged to the frigate Medusa, Captain Sir John Gore. When we arrived on board, we remained on the quarter-deck while the English lieutenant went to make his report to the captain. We were thus detained nearly half an hour, during which time no one entered into conversation with us or offered any civility. On the contrary, when Mr. Mc Donough asked for some water to allay his thirst, he was directed to the scuttle-butt by the mainmast. The captain came on deck while Mc Donough was thus absent, which left me to commence the conversation. When the claim for the man was made, on the ground of his being a deserter from our service, the captain replied that he had avowed himself to be a British subject and as such had claimed protection. It was urged in answer that if such was really the fact, he must have practised a deception on our officers, as we did not enter English subjects if we knew them to be such; and that his word ought to have as much weight in one instance as in the other, in the absence of all proof. The captain said he should retain him, and remarked that the man had stated that there were many other English in the Constitution. Feeling excited by the manner of Captain Gore, I replied that it was possibly true, but I thought not. He remarked, "We shall take steps to make you give them up," and I replied that I did not think they would. "We have done such things before as taking men from your ships of war," was his next remark; and I answered that they would not do it again. A formal demand was then made for the man, to which as formal a denial was given. A request was then made for a boat to land us, as we had come on board by the invitation of his officer, and this was granted. During our absence, our national character had been ascertained by the officer of the guard, and the men we had left in charge of the sentry had been released. The commander of the prize, and subsequently the commander of the Siren, repeated the demand for this deserter, but without success.

Peace having been concluded with Morocco by Commodore Preble, the prize was ordered to join him at Tangier, where she was returned to the Moors. The difficulty respecting the deserter having been reported to the commodore, I was sent for to relate the circumstances

to him.

The repetition of the conversation roused all the violence of his passion, which, in the absence of the real object, fell upon me. As I could not believe myself deserving of this severe censure, I made some remarks which only served to increase his anger, and I left the cabin with the assurance of an immediate arrest. As a precautionary measure I prepared a statement of the conversation with Captain Gore, with McDonough's sanction to its correctness, as he had joined us in time to hear all but the very commencement.

No arrest was made, however, and my anxieties were relieved soon after by an assignment to a special and very responsible service, with instructions from the commodore himself. The Medusa had left Gibraltar before the commodore's return, and they did not afterwards meet, which probably prevented some serious difficulties. The other vessels of war at Gibraltar, however, were open in their arrangements for encouraging and facilitating desertions from our vessels, and to this cause it was probably owing that Syracuse was selected by the commodore as our rendezvous, in preference to Malta, where our vessels had previously resorted for supplies.

On our passage from Gibraltar toward Malta, we met a British frigate, from which we learned the loss of the frigate Philadelphia, and the capture of her officers and crew by the Tripolines. This was a

severe blow. The really efficient force of the squadron for all offensive operations against the city was diminished nearly one half, and the capture of so many of our people strengthened the means of the enemy to insist on terms of peace that would be more in his favor than he could otherwise have expected. When we arrived off Malta letters were sent out to the commodore from Captain Bainbridge, which gave all the particulars of this sad disaster. The ship proceeded to Syracuse, accompanied by the Enterprise, Lieutenant Decatur, which we had met near that place.

Arrangements were made for landing spare stores and provisions at this place, as the port of rendezvous for the squadron. Another midshipman and myself were placed in charge of these stores, and resided on shore. This employment was very agreeable, but not very advantageous. With no knowledge of the language or of the people, the

* The Philadelphia was maintaining alone the blockade of Tripoli, and on the 31st of October, while chasing a blockade-runner, she grounded on a shoal. In this situation she was attacked by a division of Tripolitan gunboats, and surrendered, being unable to offer any resistance.

pleasure as well as the improvement to be gained from social intercourse was very limited, whilst my separation from the ship diminished my opportunities for professional improvement. I endeavored to learn the language, but I was soon after recalled on board, under circumstances that again seemed to destroy my hopes of favor from the commodore. In the attendance to our shore duties, my companion and myself had agreed to take alternate days, during the absence of the squadron, which had proceeded off Tripoli. The commodore returned on a day when my companion should have been on the lookout; but he happened to neglect an early visit to the harbor, and the morning was well advanced when I accidentally discovered the arrival of the ship, and proceeded to receive orders. It so happened that the receipt of articles had been delayed in consequence of our neglect, and having first presented myself, the commodore neither asked nor waited for any excuses, but publicly ordered me to rejoin the ship immediately, as a punishment for my negligence. As my companion escaped all censure and was continued in his duties, I thought myself treated with injustice, and my feelings strongly prompted me to ask permission to leave the squadron; and if it could not be otherwise obtained, to leave the service. The better judgment of my uncle and his persuasions induced me, however, to continue, and to hope for more favorable consideration; and I resumed my ordinary duties. Subsequent events proved the wisdom of this decision, and showed that the circumstances which, at the time, seemed most adverse to my interest were to contribute most essentially to my advantage.

The arrangements for the destruction of the Philadelphia in the harbor of Tripoli, were soon after determined upon and the officers selected for the enterprise. It was my fortune to be among the number, which probably would not have been the case had I remained on shore duties. The general arrangements and success of this expedition have become matters of naval history, but, as it was among the earliest of the operations in the Mediterranean which gave reputation to the Navy, and was the means of introducing me to the favorable notice of my brother officers, a statement from me may have sufficient interest to justify the repetition.

A ketch which had been recently captured from the enemy, when on her way to Constantinople with a present of slaves and other articles for the Grand Vizier, was fitted to receive the persons who were specially selected for the enterprise. She was about sixty tons burden and was manned by sixty-four persons, of whom Lieutenant

Stephen Decatur had the command.* The brig Siren, Lieutenant Stewart, was to accompany us, to assist with her boats and to receive the crew of the ketch (which had been named the Intrepid), in case of her destruction, which was considered probable. The officers were told to take only a single change of linen, and no time was allowed to prepare stores, as we embarked within an hour after receiving notice, and sailed immediately, on the evening of the 3rd of February, 1804. Combustibles had been previously prepared and placed in the vessel, with ship's provisions for two or three weeks' supply. A Maltese had also been obtained to accompany us as a pilot into the harbor, with which he was well acquainted. We arrived in sight of Tripoli about the 10th, but the wind was fresh from the westward, with strong indications of an approaching gale. After some consultation between the commanders, the vessels anchored under cover of the night near the entrance, and a boat was sent with the pilot to determine by observation if the entrance was practicable and safe, of which he had expressed strong doubts. To my surprise I was ordered to go with him. We went quite close to the entrance, where we found the surf breaking entirely across it; and my own opinion concurred with that of the pilot that no attempt ought to be made. It was, however, a severe trial to make such a report. I had heard many of the officers treat the doubts of the pilot as the offspring of apprehension, and the weather was not yet so decidedly boisterous as to render it certain that an attempt might not be made, notwithstanding our report. Should such be the case and should it succeed, the imputations upon the pilot might be repeated upon me, and, unknown as I was, might be the cause of my ruin in the estimation of my brother officers. My sense of duty and propriety, however, prevailed over these apprehensions, and my report was decidedly against any attempt to enter the barbor at that time, and sustained all the objections of the pilot. These opinions were evidently received with much dissatisfaction by a majority, and with some murmurs, but the attempt was abandoned for the time, and the vessels weighed again to get beyond the view from the town before daylight. This was not done without some difficulty, as the gale increased rapidly. It continued for four or five days with

* The officers of the Intrepid were Lieutenant Decatur, commanding; Lieutenants Lawrence, Joseph Bainbridge, and Thorn; Midshipmen McDonough, Izard, C. Morris, Laws, Davis, and Rowe; and Surgeon Heerman. The Maltese pilot, Salvadore Catalano, afterwards became a sailing-master in the Navy.

great violence, and drove us considerably to the eastward, and at one time nearer the coast than was agreeable.

Our situation on board was far from comfortable. The commander, three lieutenants, and the surgeon occupied the very small cabin. Six midshipmen and the pilot had a platform laid on the water casks, whose surface they covered when they lay down for sleep, and at so small a distance below the deck that their heads would reach it when seated on the platform. The marines had corresponding accommodations on the opposite side, and the sailors had only the surface of the casks in the hold. To these inconveniences were added the want of any room on the deck for exercise, and the attacks of innumerable vermin, which our predecessors the slaves had left behind them. The provisions proved to be decayed and offensive. Fortunately our confinement did not continue long enough to affect our health or vigor.

On the morning of the 16th we again obtained sight of Tripoli, with light winds, pleasant weather, and a smooth sea, and stood in for the town. By arrangement the Siren kept far without us during the day, and her appearance had been so changed as to lull all suspicion of her being a vessel of war. The lightness of the wind allowed us to keep up all appearance of an anxious desire to reach the harbor before night, without bringing us too near to require any other change than the use of drags, which could not be seen from the city. All the crew were also kept below, excepting six or eight persons at a time, that suspicion might not be awakened by unusual numbers; and such as were visible were dressed as Maltese.

As the evening advanced our drags were taken in, so that we were within two miles of the eastern entrance at dark, the Siren being some three miles without us. The concerted arrangements were for the ketch to wait for the boats of the Siren to join us after dark, that they might accompany us to the attack; but as the sun descended the wind grew fainter, and there was good reason to apprehend that any delay in waiting for the boats might render it very difficult for the ketch to reach the ship. Decatur, therefore, determined to proceed without waiting, and accompanied his decision with the remark, "The fewer the number the greater the honor." One boat from the Siren, with six men, had joined us a few days before, and was still with us.

The final arrangements were now made, and the respective duties of the several officers, which had been previously allotted, were again specified and explained. The presumed number of our enemy was stated, and the necessity for our utmost exertions enjoined upon us.