The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-13

vessels, was very severe strain upon Tue
gear, and at obe moment i Thought
certainly we should lose Il. How
ever. we managed TO land II safely on |
our decks and the rest came on board With
ease. Each gun, carrisgc, and |
were 10 separate ease. marked
and numbered according 10 list that pos.
ses ed; consequently knew the contents OF
each case as IL came on board, aud rs we
took them on board we broke 40 the cises
and. throwing the pieces overheard, put the
C PATENTS OF each la its proper place. As
soon ~ the Portuguese, who were closely
wmching us from the shore, observed the
broken cases thrown overheard they sent
ogt boats 10 gather them up aud they took
careful note Of all marks and numbers found
on them.
CAPTAIN sgaNEs ARRIVES
As the vessels lag very uneasily together
il was well into the second day before we
got the whole on hoard, and then The coal
remained. was Bow getting very anxious
to see steamer with Captain Semnes and
his staff OF officers TO take bcT over and
commission her as u Confederate man-of-
wer. We had Just commenced coaling
when the lookout reported steamers
smoke on the borizos. and you will under
stand how anxious aod excited We felt, for
there were very many on board who were
deeply interested and extremely anxious
for success, and TO be captured now, WIN
gups mounted, ammunition on board.
and far stock OF Goals already IN the bunk
ers, would have been doubly disappointing.
At last, TO NY intense Jog, l could make out
the well-knowu signal. to which, in af swer,
hoisted the new Confederate ensign sith
which we had supplied ourselves in Liver
pool, aud | went out in the boat and met
the steamship Bahama as she came intO the
anchorage; and you can Judge how pleased
Captain semmes and hi, Officers all were
when ! tod them how successful we had
been in getting everything ready for
them. Captain Semmes returned with
me to The "290" and inspected the
vessel and armament, whick, may
a. well say here, consisted Of nincty-fiye-
hundredweiSht or solid siXty-eght- pounds
shot gun aft, B,akelv One-hundrcd-
pouRds shot gun amid,hps, and three
on each side a broad |
side guns, making eight in all. The wind
had now come IN from the east, and though
light. caused sufficient swell IN the bay TO
make it hardly possible for the vessels 10
lay any longer side by side, and Captain
Semme- proposed gong around 10 the other
side Of the island to get smoother water. !
should tell YOU that on asking Captain
SemmeS il he would take charge n ouce
he said N would rather that ] should keep
charge until had compile ed the transfer Of
coal, and then, when al was on board, he
would relieve me Of nv responsibility. We
took the bark in tow and proceeded about &
u. NJ. for the lee side OF the island, with the
view Of going into Ilortl BAY, tue proper
port, for by this time had found out that
there was not even POrtugskc gunbOlt in
the port, but there was rumor that an
American shIrOf-Var was cOnlng shortly.
We were Steaming slowly into The bay at
about +. NJ, with the bark in tow, when,
without auv previous warning. >h0iied
Gun was fired at IL, the shot passing close
10 the foremost
MORE TROUBLE.
CAPTAIN SemmcS was Standing not FAR
from me on the bridge. and | asked him If
he would advise me tu continue going into
the port, and he replied that he thought |
might as well do 50, ut all events until tbcy
showed further hostility. As soon a. the
gun was fired at us The bark c q his ropes
and sailed cut the steamer bahama, which
was following u, also turned round and
went outside, but we went in and came TO
nm anchor. One more gun was fred,
but we were not struck, and afterwaId all
remained quiet. At daylight The bai came
in and anchored close ou>, and the barbOr-
master cane of to ask what our business was.
and when we told him that we had pur-
chased The banks cargo Of coal and only
wanted to transfer the remaining part Of IT,
he told Us that 1t was against The regula-
tons OF the port, and could not be done.
As there was no object in setting the au-
thoiiries at defiance, we made up our minds
10 tow the bark out OF the hlrbor ard finish
our work urder The lee Of the island Ia the
smooihest water Wc could find. Before
getting away, however, boat came on
with three Ofliclal-IoOking envelopes.
bcaling The inscription, "On Her Ma
jes'ys service" and addressed TO the
masters OF the three vessels 1vlnG
the British ensign, and calling upon us TO
bring our -hlp'S papers TO the British Con-
sulate, and there TO explain our conduct In
Praya bay. | thought it would be aS well
TO call and see the COUsdl, even though |
could not offer any TO HIM satisfactory eX-
PLANTATION. This did, ana had very plea
SAINT interview, for, Is il was out OF his power
to delain Us, he accepted my very lame CX-
plantation, and rs | told him that we
were going away the snmr day, be
made no fuss, bui just accepted the
situation pleasantly. | then called upon
the Portuguese Governor and complain
ed that on lbe previous evening a ShDtted
Gun bad been fred from the fort at peace
ful merchant ship under my command when
entering H0ita bay. The Governor was a
very pleasant young nan. He was prOfuse
in his apologies, declaring that the COM
mandcr OF the fort could not have been
aware thai the Gun was loaded, or he would
never have ordered it to b. fired, and that
it was only intended to remind u tbat We
should no. enter the port after sunset OF
course thanked him and said that | was
Qui.e sure 1t was 4 mistake, aud then left
and came on board.
IL THE CONFEDERATE SERVICE.
We then hove mp our anchors, and taking
the bark again in tow, went outside and
took III tue ret Of the coal, and when all
was completed and the decks washed down
The hands were pped ait aud Captain
Scmmes and his officers appeared IN the
Confederate naval uniform then mounting
on the nreCch Of one 81 The brOad>lde guns,
Captain Semmes made very Stlr:lng
speech, telling the men Of the purpose for
which Tie ship WAS httai out ana now wei
adapted she was for that purpose. and that
be now took her over aDd commissioned
her by The authority OF bis & 'yerGment
8s Confederate man'Of.war. ~ this time
the Confederate ensign was ho>trd, and, AZ
ter ,hr,e ringing cheers for the ship and the
cause. Captain Semmcs invited The men TO
come forward and enter the service 10y sign
ing The articles winch were lad ont tur thdt
purpose by the paymasiers clerk, al the
same tine telling them that those who Odd
l. fap IA. m
they dad served and sent home 10 Liverpool
In the >ieamShin Rahnmn. a very lively scene