gallant Briton, though he must
have known that there was but little hope of his coming out of the
combat victorious. Still he gallantly came back into the fight,
meeting the "Constitution" ploughing along on the opposite tack.
Broadsides were exchanged at such close range that the Yankee gunners
could hear the ripping of the planks on the enemy's decks as the solid
shot crashed through beam and stanchion. Having passed each other, the
ships wore, and returned to the attack; but the weight of the
American's metal told so severely upon the "Levant" that her flag was
hauled down, and, firing a gun to leeward, she gave up the fight.

As an exhibition of seamanship, this action is unrivalled in naval
annals. For Stewart to have taken his ship into action with two
hostile vessels, and so handle her as not only to escape being raked,
but actually rake his enemies, was a triumph of nautical skill. The
action was hard fought by both parties. The loss upon the British
vessels has never been exactly determined; but it was undoubtedly
large, for the hulls were badly cut up by the American's fire. The
"Constitution" had but three men killed, and twelve wounded. The
officers all escaped unhurt.

After a few hours' pause to repair damages, Stewart took his prizes
into Porto Praya in the Cape Verde Islands, where they arrived on the
10th of March. The day after the ships reached port, a heavy fog
settled over the water, cutting off vision in all directions. As the
first lieutenant of the "Constitution" was walking the quarter-deck,
he heard a young midshipman among the prisoners suddenly exclaim,
"There's a large ship in the offing." The lieutenant peered about on
every side, but could see nothing, until, looking upward, he saw the
top-gallant sails of a large ship moving along above the fog-bank.
Capt. Stewart was quickly notified; and, coolly remarking that the
stranger was probably a British frigate, he ordered that the men be
sent to quarters, and the ship prepared for action. The lieutenant
hastened on deck to execute the orders, but had hardly reached his
station when he saw the sails of two more ships gliding along above
the fog-bank. Hastily he returned to the captain's cabin with the
report. Stewart showed no emotion or alarm, although he knew well that
the fact that he was in a neutral port would be no protection against
the British, should they once discover his presence. The affair of the
"Essex" was still fresh in his m