Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-03-03
From the Raleigh Progress
Tap OF the Advance.

! rap the AUFanfS.
1t is already known that The \. o. steamer Advance
has just returned from short and successful trip tc
| ST. Georges, Bermuda. short history Of the trip
may be acceptable to the public generally and to the
people CT North Carolina especially.
| The Advance left her wharf at Wilmington Oh Sat
urday morning, Oh inst, at 8 O'Clock About 10
O'Clock she got aground the Lower Slough she
remained until o'clock, p m, waiting Tor the tide
By night she had succeeded is running the "hOme block
ade," by which mean she bad passed out Of reach Of
military and naval autho ltiea of whom came on
board for some purpose another at almost every fort
station, &c.
And DOW commenced what is generally termed "run.
Ding the block" The anxiety CT all on board and es-
pecially of the officers, may we'll be imagined The
is calm, and is very pleasant on deck Our lights are
out and we glide almost hoiselessly a0Lg Every eye
is straining upon the dark bosom of the ocean, and
every ear is listening aentively for the voice of the
watch at the masthead More steam crowded o. end
away we dart But Olockader is seen, and that is
too far Cf to occasion the least apprehension, esn
are discovered Presently two lights far to our
right, but whether shore vessels We neither
know nor By midnight consider ourselves out
of danger and all "turn n except those necessary for
working and watching the vessel
The weather remsiLed mild and baImy We passed
several sails each day, to one of which showed the
Confederate flag, but obtained no response. On Tues
day evening, we were near Bermuda, but we could
not go in at night, we tackled about until morning
when pilot came on board and carried US in.
The Advance carried out GO bales Of cotton,
which were soon rolled out upon the wharf Ga
Thursday night the cotton was discovered to be on fire.
supposed to have bee1 the work Of an incendiary-
Comparatively small quantity consEned4pcr-
haps 40 or 80 bales burned and injured.
My impressions Of Bermuda were favorable. 1t
certainly presents romantic appearance. But as |
only design account of our trip will not now speak
more of the island
By Saturday evening we had taken in our return
cargo, and just before night we~ steamed away. We
found the rougher than our outward trip but
still we made good progress antil Monday night, when
it blew furious gale. 1t was well for the writer that
be was land lubber" aud did not know when TO get
scared The vessel was eased to about KNOTS an hour
bat even at this speed the deck was hooded continually
with the brinv waters The cold was also intense-
Trulv was the metal OF both ship and crew tested and
lust as truly was it proven pune.
With the coming of the day the storm abated some, !
though the wind still blew strongly and the waves fire.
1uentIy broke on deck. 1t became matter Of doubt
whether we could make the distance 80 as to run
through the bleckadng feet during the fw dark hours
ter moon down that nj ht-or rather next morning.
t was important to do so, as the dark hours were
rowing fearfully fewer every night. But we sue
eeded
And BOW behold US without light on board the
Iind, though much abated still blowing cold and strong,
srting soL at speed nearly 20 miles an hour. Eve
, man at his post--every one locking for what be
opes not to fnd-a blockades. But we did find; not
My oae but seven. We left them upon our right and
ur left It were contrary to the human mind not to
eel deep anxiety at such tme but do not believe
here was q quaing spirit on board. All felt the ut
,ost confidence In the vessel and her officers and that
onfdence gave them courage. If
And now we are nearly outrof reach of the huge 3
oDsters lying behind rs, not one Of which has per.