Sailing from Valparaiso on March 20, 1813, Porter fell in with the American whaler _Charles_, of Nantucket, and learned that a Spanish ship of the coast had captured the American whalers _Walker_ and _Barclay_ off Coquimbo, only two days before. At this, Porter headed for the scene of the trouble, and the next morning (March 26th) saw a sail. “Immediately, from her appearance and the description I had received of her, I knew her to be one of the picaroons that had been for a long time harassing our commerce,” wrote Porter in his journal. So he hoisted British colors and sailed up beside the stranger and learned that she was the Peruvian cruiser _Nereyda_, of fifteen guns. Her commander being deceived by the British flag, boasted of having captured the two Yankee whalers. Then Porter got from him a list of the British ships in those waters, with a description of each, so far as the Peruvian could remember. This done, Porter disclosed the character of the _Essex_ to the astonished Peruvian, threw overboard all the guns and arms of his corsairs, and wrote a letter to the Viceroy of Peru telling why this was done, after which the _Nereyda_ was allowed to go. Porter’s next work was in “disguising our ship, which was done by painting in such a manner as to conceal her real force and exhibit in its stead the appearance of painted guns, etc.; also by giving her the appearance of having a poop, and otherwise so altering her as to make her look like a Spanish merchant-vessel.” The sailormen were still at this work when a sail was seen that, when captured, proved to be the British whaler _Barclay_. With this vessel in company the _Essex_ sailed to the Galapagos group, where, on April 29th, the British whaler _Montezuma_, with 1,400 barrels of whale oil on board, was taken. On the same day the whalers _Georgiana_ and _Policy_ were overhauled. The wind having failed, Porter got out his boats to attack these two vessels. When the boats drew near the _Georgiana_ her crew gave three cheers at the sight of the American flag and one of them shouted, “We are all Americans.” And that was very near the truth, for she was a British whaler, licensed as a letter of marque, and had a pressed crew of whom the majority were Americans. The _Policy_ surrendered also without a fight. As the _Georgiana_ was pierced for eighteen guns, and was a smart sailer, Porter transferred the ten guns carried by the _Policy_ to her, which, with the six she already had on board, made her quite a respectable cruiser. She was manned by forty-one men under Lieutenant Downes. It was estimated that the three ships taken, with their cargoes, were worth $500,000; but their real value to Porter was in the fact that they carried an abundance of spare canvas, cordage, etc., so that he was able to fit out the _Essex_ with new sails, running gear, and standing rigging wherever needed, and provide liberally for future needs.