S.E.
The end of the week saw her well upon her way towards a new cruising
ground, the Western side of the crossing having been fairly given up as
a hopeless job, and Captain Semmes shaping his course for the Eastern
crossing. At noon on Saturday, the 12th October, the new station was
reached, the vessel's position on that day being in lat. 6.56 N., long.
44.41 W.; the weather calm, the sun shining dimly through a greyish veil
of mist, and the little steamer rolling from side to side upon the long,
heaving swells, her yards creaking and her sails flapping heavily
against the masts with that dull, hopeless sound, more trying to the
sailor than the fiercest gale.
Gales and calms--sunshine and rain-squalls--long rolling swell--heavy
sea, and not a break in the monotonous round. Thirty-eight days out, and
in all that time but two vessels spoken and one solitary prize!
_Thursday, October 24th_.--Cloudy, with the wind from the eastward. At
half-past six in the morning descried a sail in the north east. Got up
steam and gave chase. At nine came up with a brig, which proved to be a
Frenchman, La Mouche Noire, from Nantes to Martinique. Sent a boat on
board of him. He had no newspapers, and said he knew the United States
were at war--we had the United States colours flying--but with whom he
did not know. Enlightened Frenchman! Or this may teach us a lesson of
humility, as showing us how little is thought in Europe of the American
Revolution.
Pages:
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73