The Globe-republican., 1890-07-23
BLOCKADE RUNNING.
kho" the Steamer Leo Throw . Union
Cruiser on Her Track

During the civil war Nassau was the
cn'e1 depot Of supplies for the Confeder
acy. BlOckade-runners Piled between
and the ports Of Charleston and Will
mington. carrying out cotton. and bring
ing back cargoes of general merchan.
disc. Captain Wilkinson, in his ..Narra.
tive of BiOckade-Runner," relates
many adventures which befell him on
such trips. He was in command of the
steamer Lee. and on the 18th of August
1865. sailed from Wilmington to Nassau.
We, passed safely through the block.
aiding fleet of the New Inlet Bar. re.
celTlns no damage from the few shots
hred at US. and gained an Offing of thir-
" miles before daylight. ! y this time
our supply of English coal was exhaust
ed, and we were obliged to commence
upon North Carolina coal of very infer
lor quality. which made terrible smoke.
This was little after daylight. Very
soon afterward the vigilant lookout at
the masthead called out: Sail ho-'
and In reply to the Where away?' from
the deck. sang out, Right astern. sir,
and in chase"
The morning was very clear On 60
ing to the masthead Icould just discern
the royal of the chaser: and before
came down, say in half an hour, her top
gallant showed above the horizon.
1t was evident that our pursuer would
be alongside of us by midday at the
rate we were going. The first orders were
to throw overheard the deck-load of cot
ton and to make more steam. The Sec
ond OF these orders proved to be more
easily given than executed: the chief
engineer reported that it was impossi-
bic to make steam with such wretcheu
fuel. filled with slate and dirt
"A moderate breeze from the north and
east was blowing. and every stitch of
canvass on board the square-rigged
steamer in our wake was drawing Tho
advantage could only be neutralizeI
either by bringing the Lee gradually
head 70 the wind Or edging away to
bring the wind aft.
The former course would be runnin-
toward land, beside incurrinr the addi-
tiOnal risk of being intercepted and
captured by some of the inshore cruisers.
L began to edge away, therefore. and in
two or three hours enjoyed the satisfac-
tlon of seeing our pursuer clew up and
furl his sails. The breeze was still fresh,
but we were now running away from it.
and the cruiser was going literally as
fast as the wind, SO that the sails were
rather hindrance than help. But
the cruiser was still gaining upon us.
happy inspiration occurred to mo
when the case seemed hopeless. and I
sent for the chief engineer
MIR. s.. let us try cotton saturated
with spirits of turpentine."
There were on board. as part of tho
deck-load. thirty or forty barrels of spir-
its. In few moments bale of cotton
was ripped open. a barrel tapped, and
buckets full of the saturated material
were passed down into the fire-room.
The result exceeded our expectations.
The chief engineer, an excitable little
Frenchman. soon made his appearance
on the bridge, his eyes sparkling with
triumph, and reported a full head of
steam. was curious to see the effect
upon our speed, and directed him to
wait moment till the log was hove.
l threw it myself-nine and a half
knots.
Let her go. nOw." l said. Five min.
utes afterward 1 hove the log again
thirteen and a quarter.
We now began to hold our own, and
even to gain little upon the chaser:
but she was fearfully near, and began
to have visions of another residence at
7 Al,
the cruiser could have screwed another
turn of speed out of her if they had
known that the Lee had on board, in adj
dltiOn to her cargo of cotton, large
amount of gold shipped by the Confed.
crate Government.
There was slight change in our rela-
tive positions till about six o'clock in |
the afternoon. when the chief engineer |
that the burnt cotton had |
choked the flues, and that the steam was !
running down.
''Only keep her going till dark" re-
piled, land we will give our pursuer tho |
slip yet"
A heavy bank was lying along tho
horizon to the south and east, and saw
a possible means of escape. At sunset
the chaser was about four miles astern
and gaining on us.
l stationed an officer on each wheel.
house. with glasses, directing them to
let me know the instant they lost sight
of the chaser in the growing darkness.
At the same time l ordered the engi-
neer to make as black smoke as posi-.
BILE, and to be in readiness to cut it of
by closing the dampers instantly, when
ordered.
The twilight was soon succeeded by
darkness. Both officers called out at
the same moment, I'VE have lost sight
Of her." while a dense volume of smoke
was streaming far in our wake.
''Close the dampers," called out, and
1t the same moment ordered the helm
hard a starboard."
Our course was altered eight points,
the cruiser was thrown off the track,
Ind two days later we arrived safely at
Bermuda.
The Rapidity of Thought.
Prof. Donders, of Utrecht, recently
made some interesting experiments in