Chapter 4

At length we got a new crew, and sailed for home. We had several
passengers on board, masters of American ships who could go back
themselves, but not carry their vessels with them, on account of certain
liberties the last had taken with the laws. These persons were called
"embargo captains." One of them, a Captain B----, kept Captain Johnston's
watch, and got so much into his confidence and favour, that he gave him
the vessel in the end. The passage home was stormy and long, but offered
nothing remarkable. A non-importation law had been passed during our
absence, and our ship was seized in New York in consequence of having a
cargo of English salt. We had taken the precaution, however, to have the
salt cleared in Liverpool, and put afloat before the day named in the law,
and got clear after a detention of two months. Salt rose so much in the
interval, that the seizure turned out to be a good thing for the owners.

While the ship was lying off the Battery, on her return from this voyage,
and before she had hauled in, a boat came alongside with a young man in
her in naval uniform. This was Cooper, who, in pulling across to go aboard
his own vessel, had recognised our mast-heads, and now came to look at us.
This was the last time I met him, until the year 1843; or, for
thirty-four years.

We now loaded with naval stores, and cleared again for Liverpool. Bill
Swett did not make this voyage with us, the cook acting as steward. We had
good passages out and home, experiencing no detention or accidents. In the
spring of 1810, Captain Johnston gave the ship to Captain B----, who
carried us to Liverpool for the third time. Nothing took place this
voyage either, worthy of being mentioned, the ship getting back in good
season. We now took in a cargo of staves for Limerick. Off the Hook we
were brought-to by the Indian sloop-of-war, one of the Halifax cruisers, a
squadron in company. Several vessels were coming out at the same time, and
among them were several of the clippers in the French trade. The Amiable
Matilda and the Colt went to windward of the Englishmen as if the last had
been at anchor; but the Tameahmeah, when nearest to the English, got her
yards locked in stays, and was captured. We saw all this, and felt, as was
natural to men who beheld such things enacted at the mouth of their own
port. Our passages both ways were pleasant, and nothing occurred out of
the usual course. I fell in with a press-gang, however, in Limerick, which
would have nabbed me, but for a party of Irishmen, who showed fight and
frightened the fellows so much that I got clear. Once before, I had been
in the hands of these vermin in Liverpool, but Captain Johnston had got me
clear by means of my indentures. I was acting as second-mate