In her early career she carried flour and cotton down to the West Indies and returned to Baltimore with coffee and sugar.

[citation needed][a] Circa 1824 Nonsuch was sold to Danish West Indies' authorities, who renamed her Vigilant and used her for coast guard duties.

Most famously, while under the command of Danish Captain Irmminger, with thirty soldiers on board, she captured a Spanish pirate ship that had been cruising and harassing merchant vessels in the narrow passage between St. Thomas and Puerto Rico.

In 1865, as steam ships between the islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix became well established the steamer Clara Rothe, 266 tons, replaced Vigilant in her mail packet role.

In the night of 13 September 1876, while at anchor at Christiansted, St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, Vigilant sank during a hurricane.