The joy on the American side of the Atlantic was about equal to the depression in England. The London _Times_, in speaking of the event, said that it was the first time in history that the English flag had been struck on the high seas to anything like an equal force.
On my second voyage in the Marguerite I kept away to the south and east, in the hope of falling in with a home-bound East Indiaman who had not heard of the declaration of war. A ship of this sort would be a very rich prize, better by far than was the Camperdown, as her cargo would consist of silks, spices, and other goods in which much value is packed in a small space.
My hopes were realized, as I found just such a ship, and took her with very little resistance. She had a large crew and several passengers; and as I had already weakened my force by the prize-crew required for a Jamaica brig, taken three days before, I decided to accompany my new prize to New York.
The crew of the Indiaman filled my hold with prisoners; and as she required a considerable number of men to work her, it would have been impossible for me to spare another prize-crew, even had there been a dozen ships to be had for the work of taking them.
My prize was the Charlotte; and compared with her the Marguerite resembled a terrier alongside of a great mastiff, or a mastiff standing near a big cart-horse. She was not prepared for fighting to any extent, as she carried only four light guns and some cutlasses and muskets; quite sufficient for keeping off Malay pirates, but of little use against an American privateer. I permitted the passengers to remain on board with their cook and private servants, the latter being natives of India, and quite indifferent to what happened around them as long as their own skins and heads did not come to harm.
We kept in company, my orders being very positive in that particular, and I had arranged points of meeting in case we became separated by bad weather, or for any other reason. Luckily the weather was favorable, and we went along in fine style; I was already counting the days, and almost the hours, when I should reach New York and bring my rich prize to anchor off the Battery, at the point where the Marguerite lay on her previous return.