tigate Turner's punishment.

While we were lying in Lynn Haven Bay, the Dragon had captured a small
vessel, put on board of her a cannonade or short nine-pounder, a
quantity of small arms, and called her the "Snap Dragon." They sent her
out in pursuit of plunder and slaves, about one hundred and fifty of
whom were captured as runaways from their masters. But on one of the
expeditions of the Snap Dragon, she was captured by the Americans,
having thirty men on board, and the prisoners sent to Baltimore. Soon
after an exchange was agreed upon by which the prisoners of the Snap
Dragon were exchanged for the Americans on board the ship. When the crew
of the Snap Dragon were brought on board the ship we were all
discharged, which caused no little rejoicing among us. We then returned
to Baltimore, took leave of each other and made our way to our
respective homes.

CHAPTER III.

Sloop Biddle.

Soon after my unfortunate adventure in the New-York, I took command of a
schooner called the Caty Ann, and made a voyage to Savannah and back to
New-York, without capture. Although Sir James Yeo, in the South Hampton
frigate, was closely blockading Savannah at the time, I made a second
attempt to proceed to the same port. After sailing a few miles south of
Sandy Hook light-house we were chased back by an English frigate, and
the schooner narrowly escaped being captured. The whole coast was so
closely blockaded that I abandoned going to sea again until after peace
was proclaimed.

About the first of May, 1813, I took charge of the brig Cyrus, of
New-York, and made one voyage to Georgetown, South Carolina, and back,
and then made another to Bermuda and Turk's Island.

Ever ready to sacrifice my personal comfort for the prospect of
increasing the means of gaining an honest living--being in the prime of
life and enjoying good health, and that huge monster, Fear, seldom
throwing his dark shadow across my path--I engaged again to open a
trade with the Indians on the Musquito Shore, on the borders of South
America, now called New Greneda, or Central America. This country
formerly belonged to the government of Spain, which still tried to
exercise authority over it, although rebellions had broken out both in
the North and South of it; and, the then called government of Columbia,
under General Bolivar, aided by a number of Americans and others, with
vessels commissioned as privateers, and land forces, made a strong
resistance to the