The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-10-13

newly built ut the celebrated yards on the
Clyde and could steam 10 knots an hour
She carried two II Founders such as are
usually mounted upon East Indiamen and
was provisioned for l2 months. While she
was steam z away from London in the
most commonplace manner scene of un-
usual character intimately connected with
the future of the Sea King was being en-
acted on the landing stage at Liverpool.
There Were gathered in response to secret
summons u score of gentlemen, natives of
the sunny south, who were stalking lives
and fortunes TO embark In the desperate
game of privateering. A tug carried them
to steamer anchored in the Mersey.
The transit steamer was the blockade
runner Laurel, bound for Cuba, and each of
the mysterious southerners carried in his
wallet a passage receipt for e32 fare made
out in ficl iOus name In the hold of the
Laurel werc piled a score of ordinary goods
boxes, with u shipping mark correspond
ing to numbers on the fare receipts. They
contained the personal luggage of the ven
turesomc gentlemen, who were not bound
for Havana at all, but for the island of Ma
deira to meet the Sea King, provided both
she and the Laurel should escape overhaul
ing by Uncle Sans cruisers, who were then
securing the seas with argus eyes and point
eO CuullOlS AOT OJutT AldDdIldS. AS SOOl
as the Laurel was clear of the coasts, all
restraint was thrown off, and the 20 south
erners announced themselves as the Of
ficers of the Confederate privateer into
which the SEA King was to be transformed
as successor to the Alabama. Among the
bonafide Havana passengers on board the
Laurel were many Confederate sea dogs,
some of them from the decks of the Ala
bama and the other privateers that had
been sunk or burned or in some elTectual
way driven from the seas by the gallant
tars in blue. Many yarn those veterans
spun and many warning tale they told OF
the excitement and danger of an ocean
chase and an ocean fight to shorten the sin
days voyage from Liverpool to Funchal il
the Madeira.
The Sea King was two days behind the
Laurel in reaching the rendezvous and il
order to assure the utmost secrecy in the
important work to follow cove, sheltered
by barren, rocky island, was selected fol
the place of transfer. AS quickly as posi-
BILE heavy cannon and ammunition anC
other war materials were hoisted from thu
Laurel upon the Sea Kings deck. Mel
who were to be officers of the new cruise
tugged at the ropes like yeomen, and at TIT
end of IS hours of steady toll the quarter
those of man-of-war just come out of
battle or hurricane.
Then the passengers and men of boil
vessels were called to the deck of the Sc
King, and an officer dressed in the full uni
form of the Confederate States navy steppe
out of his cabin to announce the mean
ing of all those mysterious doings since tn
two vessels left London and Liverpool. ii
was Captain James l. Waddell commits
stoned to rule the deck of the Confederat
States steamer Shenandoah, whose flag wa
hosted as he spoke. He said that he shoul
at once start the Shenandoah upon cruis
against the commerce of the nation at wa
with the south and would receive as volur
teers under bounty and wages in Englis
money all those within hearing who chos
to join the venture. Out of a company {
80 only % cast lots with the new cruiser
giving her, with the officers taken out j
the Laurel, - men-less than half her con
plement. Afd so with guns unmountet
the portfolios even uncut, with ammun
ton piled loosely in hold and on deck, d.
pending for fighting men upon the Officer
only, Captain Waddell put boldly to SCI
trusting to that fortune which favors til
bold to save his climbers" from sudden an
complete disaster. Every man understoo
that meeting with United States wa
ship as things were would be the end of IL
Shenandoah, and all hands worked hearth
to put the merchantmen into shape for a
encounter
At the close of October the Shenandoa
was fairly at sea, bound for Pacific water
Every sail deserted by the wary lookol
was watched with anxious eyes until HI
character was made out. Two or three We
sells were brought round by shots aero
the bows, but they proved to be sailing u
der English colors and were allowed to g
The first prize taken was the bark Ain
Her officers and crew, excepting six sailo
who Joined the Shenandoah, were place