File:The boys of 1812 and other naval heroes (1887) (14742207966).jpg

Identifier: boysof1812othern00sole (find matches)
Title: The boys of 1812 and other naval heroes
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Soley, James Russell, 1850-1911
Subjects: United States. Navy
Publisher: Boston, Estes and Lauriat
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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had sailed the day before, and he sent the Vixen off to lind her. Next day, it being the olst of October, a Tripolitan vesselwas descried to the eastward of the city, attempting to workinto the harbor. Captain Bainbridge at once gave chase. Thewily Tripolitan kept on his course, not far from the shore, wherehe knew the water was full of reefs and sunken rocks wdiich hecould easily avoid, but which he hoped might prove a trap forhis unsuspecting enemy. And so it came about; for the cap-tain, whose zeal, as we have already seen, was sometimes greaterthan his prudence, forgetting the dangers of the treacherouscoast, followed the Tripolitan, with a fair breeze and a goodeight-knot speed, until suddenly the water began to shoal. Thenrealizing for the first time his peril, he turned his vessels head offshore. But it was now too late ; and an instant later the • Phila-delphia had shot up on a sunken reef, where she hung hard andfast, her great stem and bowsprit pointing upward in the air.
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HE CUT AWAY THE ANCHORS, . . . BUT STILL THE SHIi HUNG FAST. TRIPOLI. 110 Even now the captain did not lose his confidence, and settingall sail he tried to force the vessel over; but this only had theeffect of thrusting her higher on the rocks, and making escapemore hopeless than ever. It was clear that this plan would notwork. The boats were then sent out with leadsmen, wh(j founddeep water astern of the ship, and the yards were braced aback,and every one watched anxiously to see if she would not backoff ; but she did not move an inch. Then Bainbridge tried tolighten her. He cut away the anchors and threw overboard theforward guns, but still the ship hung fast. Meantime the enemy discovered that their stratagem hadproved successful, and word having been sent to the city, the Tri-politan galleys could now be seen in motion, evidently preparing tomake an attack upon the helpless frigate. Soon they came outin a long line, their white lateen sails glistening in the after-noon sunlight, a

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