Thus we find, in the latter part of December, 1812, the old frigate _Constitution_ cruising in southern waters off the coast of Brazil. Her brave little consort, the _Hornet_, she had left blockading the _Bonne Citoyenne_, a British sloop of war, in the harbor of Bahia. Every day the _Hornet_ dared the Englishman to leave her anchorage and meet her, broadside to broadside, in the open sea beyond the neutral limits and the protection of Brazilian guns. Writes Captain Lawrence of the Yankee sloop to Captain Green of the _Bonne Citoyenne_: “I pledge my honor that neither the _Constitution_ nor any other American vessel shall interfere.” And, as if to emphasize this announcement, the _Constitution_ spread her sails and sailed off to the southward, Bainbridge’s last message to the watching Lawrence being, “May glory and success attend you!” But Captain Green was prudent; the English vessel kept to the harbor with her load of specie and her superior armament, and Bainbridge it was who won “the glory and success.” Surely the _Constitution_ was launched on a lucky day. About sixty hours after leaving the Island of San Salvador behind her, the _Constitution_ was again clearing decks for action, and the men were cheering as they jumped to the guns. The following account is compiled from the _Constitution’s_ log and Commodore Bainbridge’s diary: It was the 29th of December; the vessel was in 13° S. latitude and 38° W. longitude, about ten leagues distant from the coast of Brazil. It was 9 A.M. when two strange sails were discovered on her weather bow. At 10 the strange sails were discovered to be ships. One of them stood in for the land; the other stood offshore towards the _Constitution_. At 10 Commodore Bainbridge tacked ship to the northward and westward, and stood for the sail approaching him. At 11 A.M. he tacked to the southward and eastward, hauling up the mainsail and taking in the royals. At 11.30 made the private signal for the day, which was not answered; then the commodore set mainsail and royals, to entice the strange sail off from the neutral ground, and separate her from the sail in company, which, however, was not necessary, as the other, with everything drawing, was making up the coast. At 12 the American ensign and pendant were hoisted on board the _Constitution_. At fifteen minutes past 12 the strange sail hoisted an English ensign, and displayed a signal at her main-mast.