nterest, as showing the
strong preoccupation of men's minds at the opening of war, before
meetings with the enemy have lost novelty. Pellew's younger brother,
Israel, a commander in the navy, being otherwise unemployed, had come
out with him for the cruise. The _Cleopatre_ having been first seen in
the early morning, Edward would not have him called till just as the
_Nymphe_ was closing. As he came on deck, the brother said
affectionately, "Israel, you have no business here. We are too many eggs
from one nest. I am sorry I brought you from your wife." But the other
was unheeding, his eyes fixed upon the stranger. "That's the very
frigate," he cried, "that I've been dreaming of all night! I dreamt that
we shot away her wheel." And, hastening to the after-gun, he made the
French ship's wheel the object of an unremitting fire.

By the way the enemy was handled it was evident that she was well
manned and ably commanded. She had, in fact, been in commission for over
a year. Great as was his own skill, Pellew could not venture upon
manoeuvres with a green crew, untrained save at the guns, and only
filled the night before by pressing from a merchant vessel. He therefore
determined upon a simple artillery duel. The Frenchman waited under
short canvas, while the _Nymphe_, with greater way, drew slowly up on
his starboard, or right-hand side; both ships running nearly before the
wind, but having it a little on the left side. Each captain stood
uncovered, and as the bows of the _Nymphe_ doubled upon the stern of the
_Cleopatre_, within three hundred feet, a French sailor was seen to run
aloft and fasten a red cap of liberty to the mainmast head. The eyes of
the British seamen were fastened upon their commander, awaiting the
gesture which he had set, instead of word of mouth, for opening fire. At
quarter-past six he gave it, raising his cap to his head. A furious
cannonade at once began, and, the _Nymphe_ shortening sail as soon as
fairly abreast her antagonist, the two frigates continued on parallel
lines, maintaining their relative positions as though at anchor, and
rolling easily in the soft summer sea under the recoil of their guns. So
nearly matched were the gunners that the conflict, unusually deadly
though it was, might have lasted long, but at a little before seven
Israel Pellew's dream was fulfilled. The Frenchman's wheel was shot
away, and, the mizzenmast going overboard at the same time, the
_Cleopatre_ yielded to the im