Both Phil and I would like very much to know if that letter was ever delivered, and in case the officers kept their promise, what was done with them for having made prizes of vessels belonging to a nation with which Spain was not at war. There was no need for any one to ask what our course would be after parting company with the Peruvian cruiser. Captain Porter would search for the captured Yankees, as a matter of fact; and the only question in the minds of us on the gun-deck was as to where he would look for them. It goes without saying that our old shellbacks wagged their tongues furiously over this, and finally it was settled among them that the _Essex_ must perforce cruise around the island of San Gallan. It was exactly this which our commander did, and those who had predicted it plumed their feathers mightily at showing so much seamanship. Well, we made good headway until the 28th day of March, with nothing of interest occurring save that half the crew were constantly on the lookout for the captured vessels, and then we were well up with San Gallan. On this day we hauled off to the northward and westward, counting to cross the track of inward-bound craft. It appeared that again were we just in the nick of time, for in less than sixteen hours after changing the course we sighted three sail standing for Callao. It was a case of prize money and no mistake, for there wasn't one chance in an hundred that either of the strangers was a Yankee, and there was some lively jumping and hauling as we put the _Essex_ in trim for a stiff chase. The crew of the _Barclay_ declared that the craft nearest was the one which had been taken from them by the Peruvian, and Captain Porter set about cutting her out, regardless of others. During four hours we had a most exciting time of it, and then it began to look very much as if we would get the worst end of the bargain. I wish I was able to set down here a picture of our ship and crew as we stood with our eyes fixed on the chase, save at such times as it became necessary to perform some task; but it is beyond a thickheaded lad like me. One must needs take part in such a race in order to understand all the sensations which come to a fellow as he watches eagerly the progress of the craft, trembling with excitement lest the chase will escape, and then feeling the cold shivers run down his spine as he realizes that when he is once where he wants to be, he may, perhaps, be called upon to scrape an acquaintance with death; for if all the enemy in those waters were heavily armed, it was not probable every one would fall into our hands as readily as had the Peruvian privateer. It was the "luck of the _Essex_," so Master Hackett declared, which enabled us to win that race; for when the chase doubled the point of San Lorenzo we were fully three miles astern, and the most sanguine among us believed that she'd gain harbor before we could run near enough to fire a shot.