Master Hackett, Phil, and I were no more than on board before the _Essex_ was under way, and I believe of a verity we would have been left behind had we loitered half an hour longer. We had been at sea two days when we spoke the Yankee whaleship _Charles_, and ran so close alongside that it was possible to hail her, when the skipper was summoned on board to give information. A more surprised set of men than those who rowed the Nantucket captain over to us, I never saw. They stared at the _Essex_ in open-mouthed amaze, and fired volleys of questions at us as we overhung the rail, knowing full well that we could get the same news from these men as was being dealt out in the cabin to our commander. Not until after we had explained the meaning of our being in the Pacific, however, could we get any information, and then we learned that there was work in plenty before us. A Peruvian corsair, in company with an armed British brig, had already captured the ships _Walker_ and _Barclay_ while they were cruising off Coquimbo, and unless we took a hand the entire Yankee fleet would soon be gobbled up. The Nantucket skipper did not stay in the cabin more than half an hour; and immediately he was over the rail, our ship was being brought around "to take a hand in the fun," as Master Hackett announced, while the _Charles_ followed in the wake of the _Essex_. It can readily be imagined that all hands were in a fine state of excitement by this time, knowing as we did that our work was cut out for us; but we counted on cruising two or three days at the very least before coming up with an enemy. Our surprise was quite as great as our pleasure, when, not more than three hours later, and while the _Charles_ was within two miles of us, we sighted the Peruvian vessel to the northward. In a twinkling we ran up the British colors to coax her within striking distance; and the captain of the _Charles_ showed himself to be quite as shrewd as are Nantucket men in general, for no sooner was our false ensign straightened out than he hoisted the English flag over the stars and stripes, thus making it appear as if he had been captured by us. The Peruvian fell into the trap at once, and came down upon us in fine style, throwing a shot ahead of the _Essex_ when he was about a mile away. It was carrying matters with a high hand; but I reckon Captain Porter wasn't very greatly displeased, since it only made our work more simple. Orders were at once given to pitch three shots directly over the stranger as a token for him to come nearer, which the Peruvian did, at the same time sending an armed boat to board us. Every man jack of us, save those at the starboard guns, were on deck when the boat came alongside, a lieutenant in full rig standing in the stern-sheets, and thus it was Phil and I heard all that was said between this fine fellow and our commander.