We soon learned that the fleet was not yet to the captain's liking, and on the morning after the arrival of Mr. Downes our people set about making a change.
The Atlantic, which, as you will remember, we captured just before running for Tumbez, was an hundred tons larger than the Georgiana, and had shown herself to be a better sailer, as well as possessing superior qualifications for a cruiser; therefore Mr. Downes and his crew were transferred to her. Twenty guns were mounted in this new sloop of war, and she was manned by sixty men. Her name was changed to Essex Junior, and a right trim little ship she was, I can assure you.
The Greenwich we made over into a store-ship, and all the spare stores of the other vessels were put into her. She was armed with twenty guns, but had no more of a crew than was absolutely necessary to work her; therefore we could not count that she would do much in the way of making prizes.
The carpenters were yet busily at work on the Essex Junior when we left port; but we had become accustomed to fitting at sea, therefore a little thing like that did not disturb the most nervous.
A brave show we made as we passed out of the harbor with the stars and stripes floating in the breeze, and I would have given half my share of prize money if the people at home could have seen us, and known how this squadron had been gotten together.
We were yet at sea on the Fourth of July, and then was held a Yankee celebration which must have astonished the mermaids. Every ship fired a salute, and, what pleased us most, did it with powder we had taken from the Britishers. We had plum duff till we could eat no more, to say nothing of roast pig, vegetables, and other such cabin stores as tickle the appetite.
Phil and I had by this time come to believe we were quite brave, and counted on the moment when in action we should do that which would cause Captain Porter to praise us from the quarter-deck in the presence of all the ship's company.
On the 9th of July the Essex Junior was in good sailing trim, and the fleet was hove to in order to part company with the new sloop of war. Our commander had decided to send the prizes, Hector, Catherine, Policy, and Montezuma, as well as the recaptured ship Barclay, into Valparaiso, and Commandant Downes was to take charge of the matter.
We parted company about noon, the frigate, with the Greenwich and Georgiana, remaining hove to until the Essex Junior and her convoy were hull down in the distance, after which we squared away for a cruise among the Gallipagos, so the marines who had stood guard in the cabin reported; but we knew that between where we then were and the islands in question was a good chance of taking more prizes, and, because of the "luck of the Essex," reckoned on adding to our list of captures before arriving at this new cruising ground.