Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-14
A STIRRING CHASE AT SEA.

We were now within less than two miles
of the flying stranger when We opened fire
on her from our ii inch pivot, exploding {
shell right under her bow and nearly
deluging the blockader's decks with water
but doing no further harm. While We
were reloading the pivot she put her helm
hard.a. starbosrd and ran across our bow,
heading directly for the shore-distant
about mile and apparently intend
ing to run herself ashore. Captain Clarey
shouted Put your helm hard'a-star'
board, sir" Hard. a-starboard, sir, an.
swered the officer at the wheel, the same
moment putting the wheel sharply about,
and the ship turned on her heel as il she
knew what was expected of her, and start
ed directly for the shore, with tie stranger,
now right abeam, starboard side about a
mile of, bringing her whole battery Of
five guns to bear on her. The Captain
called out to forward rifles, I" Fire as soon
as you are ready, and without further or
ders, only don't waste the ammunition.
Pivot there, sir fire carefully and aim at
the wheel-house and at no other place.
Sink her if possible ; go ahead and show
US what you can do. Quarter deck bat
terry, take good aim and fire as rapidly as
you Can aim al buo HueSl-uOusS uOu Y
let her get away from u.s." A she'll from
the rife exploded over her a shell from
the eleven. inch burst close beside her, and
the three and eight-inch shell guns were
sending their compliments thick and fast,
but strange to say not single shot had
struck her. She seemed to bear charmed
life. We were about half mile distant
from each other, and about mile from the
shore, when she suddenly changed her
course 10 south southwest and started to
run down along the coast, heading directly
for us. At the same instant the leadsman
in the chains cried out:
% By the deep three fathoms "
"Hard a.starboard, Quartermaster :"
cried Captain Clarey, and as the ships
head swung to port he remarked BY
God, we'd been ashore in another second 9"
The Seminole was drawing sixteen feet,
and deep at that.
1t was now nip and tuck. The stranger
was going to run for it, and had the bar
between ua. Our only chance was to sink
her before she got in. The most tremend-
GUS excitement prevailed on board each
weasel. Captain Clarey raved and swore
and stamped to an intense but subdued
tone, but all to no effect. Shot after shot
went over and exploded beyond on the
shore. We were now rapidly approaching
Galveston hsrbor and it seemed as if she was
going to get away in spite of US. Her Cap
tain for the last hour had been walking the
bridge between the wheel houses, with
both hands in the pocket of his pea Jacket,
smoking a cigar very unconcernedly but
that there was q feeling that their lives and
property hung only on a single thread was
manifest in the way those wheels flew
around, leaving a track Of boiling, foamy
sea far astern, and the thick, huge vol
umes Of black smoke that poured out of
the tunnels told story that did not need
= trumpet to announce. The channel now
began to widen, and if she could only
hold her own for twenty minutes she
would escape. What must have been the
thoughts OF that Captain as he walked to
and fro on that bridge, with the air full Of
living missiles, now hid in their smoke, the
next minute drenched with their spray
again, in a second or two later one flying
a few feet above his head He never
linched an inch or changed his manner,
but kept quietly on as though it was an
everyday affair.
The sight was one OF the most pictur-
esoue that ever saW-the fleet about two
miles below looking with eager eyes to see
us sink the flying stranger: the bay, grad
ually widening, with the white sand hills
in the distance; the city of Galveston to
the south. and its piers filed with sympa-
thetic spectators the fort in the bay, with
the Confederate flag flying and its ramparts
crowded with men watching and praying
for the success of the flying stranger the
three steamers flying through the water
like hounds, Outlines hidden by the smoke
of their guns as they were loaded and fired.
But fate decided in favor of the flying
steamer. In spite of every effort that could
be made to prevent her she reached the
bay Of Galveston, which is nearly three
miles wide, and as the channel is very dan
gerous 10 vessels drawing more than ten
feet OF water, and as we were getting into
three fathoms again, with intense chagrin
we gave up the chase, sending as parting
compliment an eleven.inch shell with our
recrets.-IJ. F. Mackie in Philadelphia
Tines