The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-03-12

pay. But the ammunition at last gave
 out. The attacking force was closing
 in when a detachment from the ship
 came running up the beach to the res
 cue, The besleged party now sailed out | boldly and joined their companions.
 There was a sharp skirmish and the
 Mexicans were sent flying back. | In 1S4S the Portsmouth sailed for Af-
 rica, where she joined the squadron up- der Commodore Cooper as his flagship. She kept sharp lookout for vessels in
 the slave trade on the west coast and
 closely hugged the shore. The men
 were in the habit of going up the river
 for fresh water, and once, according to
 the story told about the ship, this prac-
 tice caused a horrible dread to reign on
 board for day and a night.
 The waterboat had been taken up the
 Niger river and was lowed back, after
 having been filled at a clear and limpid little tributary. The water was hoist ed aboard, and was being poured into the barrels before anybody noticed great slimy thing lying half concealed in the bottom of the boat. When it made its appearance there was a rush to kill it, but it glided into the hold of the ship and the men knew that they had for a passenger one of those huge water moccasins of the African coast known as anacondas. The snake was ultimately killed during the voyage in a curious way. There was trouble with the rudder. and the snake was discov- cred in the cabin locker with its body wound around the steering gear.
 The Portsmouth was a member Of Commodore Perry's fleet when he sailed to Japan and negotiated the treaty which opened Japanese ports to west ern trade and civilization. Her longest cruise began in 1856 when she was in charge of Commodore Foote Her log book showed when she returned in 1858 that she had travelled forty-nine thou sand miles, On this trip she discovered the dangerous reef since known as the Portsmouth Breakers. and her guns, moreover, were given another chance to thunder.
 Commodore Foote's gig was fired upon from a fort at Canton. A landing party was formed and under cover of the fire of the Portsmouth, San Jacinto and Levant, marched upon the fort, which was defended by about six thou sand Chinese. The assault was an i'm petuous and spirited one, and the na- tive soldiers were quickly driven from the Notifications. The attacking party soon afterward returned to their yes sells, and nothing came of the brief skirmlsh.
 As one of the fleet under Farragut lying below New Orleans in the spring of 1862 and preparingto make that fa- nous run of the river past Forts Jack l son and St Philip, the Portsmouth next distinguished herself in history She was the flagship of Admiral Por- ter. commander of the mortar flotilla, | and in the midst of this curious fleet of | which were painted a mud l color and had trees and branches ashed to their masts in order that l those in the forts might not distin- suish them from the woods near which | hey He. Mortars on every side of her with tremendous explosions are send ng shells high in the air. It was still lark when the order came on April 16 70 get under way for the run past the 'orts. The Portsmouth, too slow with | Ter sails threw line to a small steam ,r and swept up the stream with the feet. Tongues of flame leaped out rom the Qualifications in thousand places. The concussion of sound aused fish to float past the vessels lead. Shells screamed over the water Ind smoke blacker than the night rose n clouds over the scene. With her own runs laundering, the Portsmouth moved on without serious injury until he reached a point opposite Fort Jack on, when a shot severed the line be- ween her and her escort. She began o float helplessly down stream, The nerny saw the ships plight before here was time to make fast another inc, and poured broadsides into her in uick succession. The Portsmouth es- aped by a miracle.