Although he entered the navy at the age of twenty-three, he had already made eighteen voyages to different parts of Europe and the West Indies, and had seen many adventures and thrilling moments. During the administration of John Adams there occurred “that exceedingly toilsome but inglorious service” of getting rid of the French privateers who infested the West Indian seas. During this quasi-war Hull was first lieutenant of the frigate _Constitution_ under Commodore Talbot. In May, 1798, he had a chance to distinguish himself, and did not neglect the opportunity, although the upshot of it was tragic but bloodless. It might not be out of place to relate the incident here. In the harbor Porto Plata, in the island of St. Domingo, lay the _Sandwich_, a French letter-of-marque. Hull was sent by his superior, in one of the cutters, to reconnoitre the Frenchman. On the way he found a little American sloop that rejoiced in the name of _Sally_. Hull threw his party of seamen and marines on board of her, and hid them below the deck. Then the _Sally_ was put into the harbor, and, as if by some awkwardness, ran afoul of the _Sandwich_, which, as a jocose writer remarks, “they devoured without the loss of a man.” At the same time this rash proceeding was being carried on under the eyes (or, better, guns) of a Spanish battery, Lieutenant Carmick took some marines and, rowing ashore, spiked the guns. The _Sandwich_ was captured at midday, and before the afternoon was over she weighed her anchor, beat out of the harbor, and joined the _Constitution_. In the opinion of nautical judges this was the best bit of cutting-out work on record, for Hull’s men were outnumbered three to one; and if he had not taken precautions, the battery could have blown him out of the water. But, alas and alack! all this daring and bravery went for worse than naught. Spain complained of the treatment she had received, and the United States government acknowledged that the capture was illegal, having taken place in a neutral port. The _Sandwich_ was restored to her French owners, and, worst of all, every penny of the prize money due the _Constitution’s_ officers and men for this cruise went to pay the damages. Before the war of 1812, Hull distinguished himself by his fearlessness and self-reliance during the Tripolitan war. The two occasions that gave him renown during our struggle with Great Britain have been recorded at length, and there is but to set down that, after the conclusion of the war with Great Britain, Commodore Hull was in command at the various stations in the Pacific and the Mediterranean, and departed this life on the 13th of February, 1843. Of him John Frost writes, in 1844, “He was a glorious old commodore, with a soul full of all noble aspirations for his country’s honor--a splendid relic of a departed epoch of naval renown.” III THE “WASP” AND THE “FROLIC” [October 18th, 1812]