_August 31st._ A vessel arrived from Malta with provisions (p. 146) and stores; brought no news of Commodore Barron or the frigates. We discharged this vessel's cargo and ordered her to return. _September 2d._ The bomb vessels having been repaired and ready for service, Lieutenants Dent and Robinson resumed the command of them. Lieutenant Morris of the Argus, took command of No. 3, and Lieutenant Trippe, having nearly recovered from his wounds, resumed the command of No. 6, which he so gallantly conducted the 3d ultimo. Captain Chauncey, with several young gentlemen, and sixty men from the John Adams, volunteered on board the Constitution. At four P.M., made the signal to weigh; kept under sail all night. At eleven P.M., a general signal to prepare for battle. A Spanish polacre in ballast came out of Tripoli, with an ambassador of the Grand Seignor on board, who had been sent from Constantinople to Tripoli to confirm the Bashaw in his title; this ceremony takes place in all the Barbary regencies every five years. The captain of this vessel informed us that our shot and shells had made great havoc and destruction in the city, and among the shipping, and that a vast number of people had been killed: also informs us that three of the boats which were sunk by our shot in the actions of the 3d and 28th ultimo, had been got up, repaired, and fitted for service. _September 3d._ At two P.M., Tripoli bore south southwest, two miles and a half distant; wind east by north. At half-past two the signals were made for the gunboats to cast off, advance, and attack the enemy's galleys and gunboats, which were all under weigh in the eastern part of the harbour, whither they had for some time been working up against the wind. This was certainly a judicious movement of theirs, as it precluded the possibility of our boats going down to attack the town, without leaving the enemy's flotilla in their rear, and directly to windward. I accordingly ordered the bomb vessels to run down within proper distance of the town and bombard it, while our gunboats were to engage the enemy's galleys and boats to windward. At half-past three P.M., our bombs having gained the station to which they were directed, anchored, and commenced throwing shells into the city; at the same time our gunboats opened a brisk fire on the galleys, &c., within point blank shot, which was warmly returned by them and Fort English, and by a new battery a little to the westward; but as soon as our boats arrived within good musket shot of their galleys and boats, they gave way and retreated to the shore within the rocks, and under cover of musketry from Fort English. They were followed by our boats, and by the Syren, Argus, Vixen, Nautilus and Enterprize, as far as the reefs would