1813	Phoebe and Essex	287

and her fore, main, and mizen stays shot away. Having, besides increasing her distance by wearing, lost the use of her jib, mainsail, and main stay, the Phoebe was now at too great a distance to fire more than one or two random shot. At 4 h. 40 m. the Phoebe tacked towards the Essex ; and Captain Hillyar soon afterwards informed Captain Tucker, by hailing, that it was his intention to anchor, but that the Cherub must keep under way.

On closing the Essex at 5 h. 35 m., the Phoebe recommenced a fire from her bow guns ; which was returned by the former, the weather at. this time nearly calm. In about 20 minutes the Essex hoisted her flying jib, cut her cable, and, under her foresail and fore topsail, endeavoured to run on shore. This exposed her to a tolerably warm carronade from the Phoebe ; but the Cherub, owing to the baffling winds, was not able to get near. Just as the Essex had approached the shore within musket-shot, the wind shifted from the land, and paid her head down upon the Phoebe. That not being a course very desirable to Captain Porter, the Essex let go an anchor, and came to within about three quarters of a mile of the shore.

The object now was to get the specie and other valuables in the ship removed on shore ; and, as the boats of the Essex had been nearly all destroyed, it was considered fortunate that Lieutenant Downes was present with the three boats from the Essex-Junior. A portion of the British subjects belonging to the crew took this opportunity of effecting their escape ; and others, alarmed by Captain Porter's report that " flames were bursting up each hatchway, " flames of which not a trace could afterwards be discovered, leaped overboard to endeavour to reach the shore. In the midst of all this confusion, at about 6 h. 20 m. p.m., the Essex hauled down her numerous flags, and was taken possession of just in time to save the lives of 16 of her men, who were struggling in the waves : 31 appear to have perished, and between 30 and 40 to have reached the shore.

The damages of the Phoebe were trifling. She had received seven 32-pound shot between wind and water, and one 12-pound shot about three feet under water. Her main and mizen masts, and her sails and rigging, were rather seriously injured. Out of her crew of 278 men, and 22 boys, total 300, the Phoebe had her first lieutenant (William Ingram) and three seamen killed, four seamen and marines severely, and three slightly wounded. The Cherub's larboard foretopsail sheet was shot away, and replaced in five minutes : several of her lower shrouds were cut through, also the main topmast-stay, and most of the running rigging ; and three or four shot struck her hull. One marine killed, her commander severely, and two marines slightly, wounded, was all the loss which that ship sustained ; making the total loss on the British side five killed and 10 wounded. When the Essex was boarded by the British officers, buckets of spirits were found in all parts of the main deck, and most of the

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