1812     JAVA AND CONSTITUTION     135

Britain, we have been informed * ), succeeded in dissuading him from the measure.

If, on coming on board the Constitution, the surviving British officers were surprised at the immense force, both in materiel and personnel, to which they had so long been opposed, the American officers, on boarding the Java, were mortified at seeing the little screwed-up ship (her sides tumbled in so, that she appeared, at the gangways, scarcely wider than the Hornet), which had given them so much trouble to take. The thing, however, was done ; and it only remained, by arts which none know better than Americans how to practise, to swell the victory into one of the grandest triumphs that any nation, except America, had hitherto gained.

Lieutenant Parker, the prize-master of the Java, having reported to the commodore her disabled condition, received orders, as soon as he had removed the prisoners and their baggage, to set the ship on fire. This tedious service, with only one boat to perform it, being at length accomplished, the Java, on the forenoon of the 31st, was set on fire ; and the Constitution retired to a distance to avoid the effects of the explosion. Now occurred a curious scene on board the Constitution. The Java was burning without the customary emblem of her newly-acquired national character. Not finding, as he had expected, an American flag among the Java's signals, and deeming it necessary, owing to the present distance between the ships, to send for one, Lieutenant Parker left the Java burning without any colours at all. Scarcely had Commodore Bainbridge recovered from the rage into which this, in point of national etiquette, very serious event had thrown him, than one of the two or three deserters, that had already entered on board the Constitution, informed him, that the Java had an immense quantity of specie in her hold. After a while some of the late officers of the Java, pitying the acuteness of his feelings, assured the American captain, that the cases contained neither gold nor silver, but copper.

At about 3 p.m. the Java exploded ; and that evening the Constitution, having quite refitted herself, made sail for St.-Salvador. Although entirely dismasted, the Java was not in such a damaged state in the lower part of her hull, but that the crew of a British frigate would have refitted her sufficiently for the voyage to America. But why did not Commodore Bainbridge take her with him into that port ? He carried thither, as a prize, the English schooner Eleanor; and the Hornet went in there with her recapture, the William. There is a mystery about the destruction of the Java, which we cannot penetrate. Shortly after the Constitution had made sail from the scene of her exploit, her consort, the Hornet hove in sight. Another British frigate to a

* His name does not appear in the " Register " of 1816

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