e reef was already outside of
us, and there was now no alternative between going ashore, or going
through Marble's channel. We succeeded in the last, gaining materially on
the Leander by so doing, the Englishman hauling his wind when he thought
himself as near to the danger as was prudent, and giving up the chase. I
ran on to the northward an hour longer, when, finding our pursuer was hull
down to the southward and westward, I took in our larboard studding-sails,
and brought the ship by the wind, passing out to sea again, to the
eastward of Block Island.

Great was the exultation on board the Dawn at this escape; for escape it
proved to be. Next morning, at sunrise, we saw a sail a long distance to
the westward, which we supposed to be the Leander; but she did not give
chase. Marble and the people were delighted at having given John Bull the
slip; while I learned caution from the occurrence; determining not to let
another vessel of war get near enough to trouble me again, could I
possibly prevent it.

From this time, for twenty days, the passage of the Dawn had nothing
unusual. We crossed the Banks in forty-six, and made as straight a course
for the western extremity of England, as the winds would allow. For
several days, I was uncertain whether to go north-about, or not, believing
that I should fall in with fewer cruisers by doubling Scotland, than by
running up channel. The latter was much the nearest route; though so much
depends on the winds, that I determined to let these last govern. Until we
had made two-thirds of our distance across the ocean, the winds had stood
very much at south-west; and, though we had no heavy weather, our progress
was good; but in 20 deg. east from Greenwich, we got north-easters, and our
best tack being the larboard, I stood for ten days to the southward and
eastward. This brought us into the track of every thing going to, or
coming from, the Mediterranean; and, had we stood on far enough, we
should have made the land somewhere in the Bay of Biscay. I knew we should
find the ocean dotted with English cruisers, however, as soon as we got
into the European waters, and we tacked to the north-west, when about a
hundred leagues from the land.

The thirty-third day out proved one of great importance to me. The wind
had shifted to south-west, and it was blowing fresh, with very thick
weather--rain, mingled with a fine mist, that often prevented one's seeing
a quarter of a mile from the ship. T