The Republican journal., 1898-08-25

OF lights. In looking over the chart with
Fleming. I asked him if it was not possi-
bic to 90 out through the latter passage,
and 50 avoid the enemy lying off the
mouth Of tile main channel | saw only
five OF six feet marked ON the chart over
the sloalest spot at low water.
How much do you draw cap -
"Ihirteeu feet. allowing for a little
drag"
"TAere is a good tide tonight, and
water enough; but you ale too long to
tuln the corners
But pilot, with our twin screws, can
turn her around on her center as turn
this ruler.
''Well, | never was shipmates with the
likes of them; but if You will steer her,
[ II find the water"
''Are you certain, pilot, there is water
enough? 1t would never do to IN ashore
at this time
"You sha' MT touch anything but the
eelgrass. Better get ready about eleven. -
| hesitated; and divning from my face
that l Was not satisfied, he said as he
rose
Don't be feared; II take you out all
right; you won't see any of those cbaps
off Cbebucto Head"
As he spoke he brought his hand down
on my shoulder with a thud that | felt in
my boots. His confidence, and nv faith
in the man, determined me to make
the attempt. Some friends and English
officers We're on board to the last: and as
we hove up the anchor and started ahead
at midnight, they left us with hearty good
wishes. The moon was old and waaino
|, n layty ,1A
other across its face from the southwark.
Steaming slowly ont, only the dark shores
OF MacNab's Island on one side and the
mainland on the other could be seen. but
whether a stones throw or a mile distant
could not be discovered Once or twice
Fleming appeared lost, but it was only
channel ! sent a boat ahead with a light
to mark the turns, AT one place, by the
lead, there was hardly room between the
keel and the bottom for your open hand,
In an hour we opened the two lights on
Devil 5 Island and the channel broaden
ed and deepened. Soon we felt the pulsat-
ing bosom of the old Atlantic. and were
safe outside, leaving our waiting friends
miles to the westward. Fleming dropped
his boat alongside, and with a hearty
speed swung himself into it, and was
soon lost in the darkness He had kept
his word, bringing us out without feeling
the bottom---a real achievement. Years
after [ often met him, and there was
nothing in the old mans life he was so
fond OF relating as how he piloted the
Tallahassee through the eastern passage
by night.
The Tallahassee sailed from Whining
ton, \. e.. and returned there after a
months cruise, running the blockade out
and in. In this time She made thirty-fiy
captures, about half of which were
square -rigged vessels. She captured and
bonded for so, 900 the Belfast bark Su-
liote, captured and burned the Thomas
ton bark Glena1von, and captured and
scuttled the ship James Littlefield of Ban
gor, the latter bound from Cardiff for
New York, with coal.
Now our steamer is heading down the
harbor, for the martello tower and light
house at the end of Maughers Beach.
while on the right, perched high above
the water, looms up York Redoubt.
Rounding the buoy that marks the outer
end of a chain of lodges making out from
Point Pleasant the steamer enters the
Northwest Arm, an arm of the sea ex-
tending some two or three miles inland in
rear of the city of Halifax. On either
side are more or less pretentious summer
residences, and the facilities here for boat
ing, bathing and fishing are unsurpassed.
little beyond the point where the steam
er turned to return is Melville Island, the
site of the old French prison, and which
contained American prisoners in the war
of 1872. Possibly the excursion man.
ayers thought that this might excite un-
pleasant memories.
On the return we passed quite near to
the club house and moorings of the Royal
Halifax Yacht Squadron at Freshwater
This we understood to be the successor to
the old Royal Halifax Yacht Club, which
had club house at Richmond. The
fleet of to-day, as we saw it, consisted of
half dozen knockabouts, a monde
script looking craft built from Clap
ham design, two typical English cutters