The National Register.
London, England, 1815-11-05 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

INTERESTING NARK,ITIVE.

(From the Nat;onal Intellirucee,)
Of the escape of the Hornet from a British seventy-font, after a
chase of 42 hours; extracted from a private journal of one of the
officers on board the Hornet.
United States ship Hornet, off the Cape of
Good Hope, Saturday, May 9, 181.5.
ThursdaN, April 27th, 1815.—At 7, p. m. the Pew.
rock made a signal for a strange sail bearing S. E. by S.
We immediately made all sail in chase. Friday, 28th,
commenced with light breezes and pleasant weather; all
sails set in chase; at sun-down we neared the stranger
considerably, when it fell perfectly calm, and remained
so during the whole of the night; the stranger a-head, and
could just discern his top sails out of the wafer. At day.
light the sail not to be seen from the deck; at 5, a. m. a
breeze sprung up from the N. W. we immediately
crowded all sail, in order if possible to get sight of the
chase again ; soon after descried hiin standing to the
northward and eastward on a wind. Saturday; the 29th,
at three quarters past two, p. m. the Peacock was about
ten miles a-head of the Hornet, we observed Captain
Warrington approaching the stranger with much precau.
tion ; we therefore took in all our larboard steering sails,
set the stay sails, and hauled up for the Peacock., still
under the impression the sail in sight was an English In-
diaman, and from the apparent conduct of the Com-
mander of the Peacock, we were under an impression, as
the ship looked very large, that Capt. W. was waiting
until we came up with him, in order to make a joint
attack. At half past 3, p. m. the Peacock made the
signal, that the chase was a line of battle ship, and an
enemy. Our astonishment may easily be conceived ; we
took in all steering sails and hauled upon the wind,
bringing the enemy upon our lee quarter, about 3 leaegua
distance; the Peacock on his weather-bow, and appa-
rently not more than three miles from the enemy; at
snn-down the enemy bore E. 1.-2.5. the Peacock E. by N.
We soon perceived the enemy sailed remarkably fast,
but the Peacock left him,- running off to the eastward.
The enemy continued by the wind, and evidently in
chase of us ; at six loosed the wedges of the lower
masts; at eight we discovered the enemy weathered upon
us fast, and that there was every appearance he would.
if not come up with us, continue in siglit all night. It
was thought necessary to lighten the ship; at nine we
cut away the sheet anchor, and hove overboard the
cable, a quantity of rigging, spars, &c. At half past.
nine scuttled the ward-room deck to get at the kept-
ledge; hove overboard about 90 piecesl'weighing about
50 tons. At two, a. in. tacked ship to the southward
and westward, which the enemy no sooner discoeerttl
than he tacked also. At day-light he was within shot
distance, on our lee quarter; at seven, a. in. he heisted Eng-
lish colours, and a Roar Admiral's flag at his mizen-
top-gallant-mast-head, and commenced firing from his bow
guns, his stiot over-reaching us about one mile. We there-
fore commenced again to lighten the ship, by cutting
away our remaining anchors and throwing overboard
the cables, cut up the launch and heave it overboard, a.
quantity of provision, with snore kentledge, shot, capstcrn,,