Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-01-13

ioThanks to the fayoring gale, we wert
off the entrance 10 the Chesapeake on
the following forenoon, and found q
| feet of briggs and schooners, all Ameri
cans. but, no thanks to the gale, we
we're unable to lower boat to secure
the prizes. / think we had ten or a
dozen in sight at one time, all hove-to
under short canvas making the best OF
the weather. We steamed up through the
feet passing so close to several of the
vessels as to be able to read their names
with the naked eye. But nothing was
to be done, and we waited in patience
for the sea to go down. Thus the day
passed away, and the sun was nearly
down to the water when | happened to
look out on the side opposite the fleet
and saw q large black sidewheel steamer
standing in toward the capes. This fell
low we judged to be o man,of-war; he
was not more than four miles away, and
being larger and heavier than we, and a
sidewheeler, had a decided advantage in
chase with gale blowing and heavy
sea running. However, there was but
one thing to do, and that was to run, sea
or no sea, and we did it. We carried a
couple of fore and aft sails, and unfor-
tunately it was deemed proper to run up
our foresail, which attracted the notice
of the steamer, he not having seen us
before. AS soon as he observed our sail
he headed for us, and we commenced
doing our best in getting away from him.
Following us was heavy flowing sea
running after and hosting the stern of
the ship high in the air, and then, as it
passed forward, letting her down into the
trough, leaving the screws out Of water,
when the engines would gather a fright
ful velocity (called racing and
as they were Rgain suddenly dropped in
the water it would seem as though
the whole stern of the ship must
certainly be torn out. The strain was
simply fearful. But the good craft
stood the test, and we soon saw that
we were gaining and as dark was near
at hand. we had but little apprehension
of real trouble. By midnight the gale
had abated and the sea gone down, and
as we had no fear of our competitor in
moderate weather, we did not consider it
necessary to elnde him by changing our
course, which Twas shaped for o point
off Hatteras, from where we would run
hack to Wilmington. We had on board
the officers and crews of our three last
prizes.. with whom we were anxious to
part company. AT daylight next morn
ing the sea was smooth, and conveniently
near was a brig in which we concluded
to send away our incpmbrances. Ac-
cordingly we ran down to her and low
cred oufeboats, preparatory to sending
the people away, when, as ill-luck would
have It. a steamer hove in sight, and |
came down pretty near to us before we
we're ready to start. However, we had
the heels of him, as usual, and stood |
away on our course as qpeoncerned as
though no armed enemy was on orr |
rack. This chase lasted the entire day.
At FIVE o'clock in the afternoon we dis
covered ourselves in dilemma. In the
forenoon we had taken sights for the
to determine the longi-
.ude; we did the same at four o'clock,
md to our astonishment found the two
o vary seventy-fve miles. Before the
discovery was made it was too late to
make another observation to determine
ghich was correct. Therefore we were
It sea seventy.fve miles from anywhere.
Dead reckoning would not do to test the
by, as We he'd been several
LAYS without the sun, and had been In
luenced by currents and gales. The
,rror had come by carelessness in read
M the time off the face of the chronom-
ter. As the difference was just seventy
i've miles, we knsE that ? mistake OF
i've minutes had been made. une party
n other had called twenty minutes
twenty-five, or twenty-five minutes
wenty-but which was right2 If the
resterly position was correct, the ship
ould 20 into Wilmington before day
ight; Il the other, It gould be an impos-
ibility, and We had better ban round
be chase and wait for the morrow. Frn-
ence dictated the latter course, and we
hauled round the chase that is to say,
re changed our course to the left one
,oint every FIVE minutes, which would
ring us back to the spot we started from
n one hundred and sixty minutes, sup
,osing our speed to be uniform. And
q we uau Huu III inc nSahtAAAc eDeNt
hirty-two miles it was reasonable to
uppose ths enemy had passed the
oint and was many miles from us
lear out Of sight II il were daylight |
Iaying nothing to fear and nothing to
o we banked the fires on one boiler
which had been Our custom when not {
hasing) and steamed slowly around in
small circle waiting for to-morroEs
IN. Speaking from memsry, ] think
ie we're about one hundred and twenty
We miles from WILMINGTON should the
-esterly position be correct. or two hun
red il - sST.erly one was right IN
uy event We felt very safe Is being out
de the Of shore line Of cruisers, and |
herefore relaxed much Of our usual
igilance; and besides We were az er-