The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-04-11

leNly puilt al the celt BRA eel yards ON the
clyde and could steam 10 knots an hour.
she carried two ~ POI ld RS such as are
usually mounted upon Ea Indiameu and
was provisioued for - mon hs While she
was steam 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 a secret
summons score Of gentlemen. natives of
the sunny south, who were stalking live.
and fortunes to embark in the desperate
game of priyatcering. \ tug carried them
to steamer anchored IN the Mersey.
The transit steamer was the blockade
runner LIHrel, bound for Cuba and each Of
the mysterious southerncrs carried in his
wallet passage receipt for a32 fare made
out in a fictitious name. In the hold Of the
Laurel were piled a score OF ordinary goods
boxes, with shipping mark correspond
ing To numbers on the fare receipts. They
contained the personal luggage of the ven
turesome 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 Sam Is cruisers, who were then
securing the seas with argus eyes and point
ed cannons for other Alabamas As soon
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 he transformed
as successor to the Alabama. Among the
Donaiide 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 efTectual
way driven from the seas by the gallant
tars in blue Many yarn those veterans
spun and many a warning tale they told Of
the excitement and danger of an ocean
chase and an ocean fight TO shorten the six
days voyage from Liverpool to Funchal in
the Madeira.
The Sea King was two days behind the
Laurel in reaching the rend azvous, and in
order to assure the utmost 4ecrecy in the
important work to follow owe, sheltered
b. barren, rocky island, w selected for
tie place of transfer. AZ a ickly IA posi-
be heavy cannon and am nunition and
other war materials were he sted from the
Laurel upon the Sea King deck Men
who were To be officers OF thB new cruiser
tugged at the ropes like yeoI en-, and at the
erd of SO honrs of steady toi the quarters
Of the modest merchantma looked like
those of man-of-war just me out of a
bGttle or "A hurricane.
Then the passengers Gud men of both
vessels were called to tbs d ok of the Sea
X ny, and an officer dress d 1 the full uni
form of the Confederate ; ate navy stepped
out of his cabin to ann1uu e the mean
ing of all those mysterious do ngs since the
two vessels left London AID liverpool. He
WAS Captain James !. Wad ell, commits.
stoned to rule the deck of Tia, Confederate
States steamer Shenandoah n, Y hose flag was
hoisted as he spoke. He lid lat he should
at once start the Shenandoah upon cruise
ag linst the commerce of The lation at war
with the south and would rec live as yolun-
teers under bounty and wage in English
money all those within hear lg who chose
to join the venture. Out of company of
so only % cast lots with the new cruiser,
giving her, with the officers taken out in
the Laurel 81 men-less than half her com
plement. And SO with guns unmounted,
the portfolios even uncut, with ammuni-
tion piled loosely in hold and on deck, de.
pending for fighting men upon the officers
only, Captain Waddell put boldly to sea,
trusting to that fortune which favors the
bold TO save his ''timbers" from sudden and
complete disaster, Every man understood
that meeting with United States war
ship as things were would be the end of the
Shenandoah, and all hands worked heartily
to put the merchantInan into shape for an
encounter.
At the close of October the Shenandoah
was fairly at sea, bound for Pacific waters.
Every sail deserted by the wary lookout
was watched with anxious eyes until her
character was made out. Two or three yes
sells were brought round by shots across
the bows, but they proved to be sailing un-
der English colors and were allowed to go
The first prize taken was the bark Alma
Her officers and crew, excepting six sailors
who joined the Shenandoah. were placed