The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-14
BLOCKADE RUNNER
that GOT OUT
Stray Dog Got aboard and !. Was as
Used to Save the
Tramp
CRUISE OF LAUGHING LASS
Captain Rockhill's Experience il
Bringing Supplies to the
Needy Confcderaey.
CRUISE OF LAUGHING LASS.

Captain Harry Rockhll. who recent
~ died in London, spent the greater
part Of his life in search OF sport.
Every corner Of the earth was visited
by him in the course Of his seventy
Years, and the story of his adventures
would fill volumes. 1t was purely ms
love Of adventure that prompted him 70
become bockade-runner for the
Southern Confcderacy during the ClVll
War, and he often declared that this
Il occupation had furnished the Sreatest
sport he ever experienced
II suppose 1t was the novelty OF the
thing" he remarked; "a sort OF Chang
ing places with the game--becomln
the hunted instead of the hunter
fought Malay pirates one whole
summer but it was not nearly SO IN
teresting as slipping in ana out OF
Charleston harbor through the tedef-
al guard ships.
While Captain Rocltil owned and
commanded his ship, the Laughing
I.ass he never derived q cent OF proht
from his Notwithstanding llo Wou!u
/ take on q cargo of medicine ana olhef
supplies purchased in England by
conrederate agent and land them III
Confederate territory without chars-
ing ANYTHING for the service, and there
can be little loubt that he was tue
means Of saving many lives that Wouiu
otherwise have been sacrificed for lnch
of proper medicines.
A Fast Runner.
The Laughing Lass was a handsome
~ appointed and very swift schooner
yacht, and in all her career no United
states ship ever saw more Of her tnan
her topsails as they faded away In tho
distance, although on one occasion sho
must have passed within fifty feet OF
a steam war ship, and when there was
scarcely enough wind to give steerage-
way This occurred off Charldston,
.ylen the schooner was coming out
utter having landed cargo.
The Laughing Lass had lain with
loosened sails behind the Confederate
batteries for ten days before an OPP
portunity presented itself for her es-
cape from the iron.ringcd harbor but
on the night of February II, 1851
the same night that the submarine
Hunlcy went out to her tragic but
glorious fate--a heavy fog rolled up
from the south, and 1t was decided to
make the attempt.
Every prccaution was taken against
the occurrence of the slightest noise
aboard the schooner; every rope-end
was secured and the crew was sup
piled with felt-soled shoes. The hull
of the vessel had been painted lead
gray, very similar to the war paint OF
the United States vessels of the pres
mt day, and her sails, instead of being
white canvas were of II brownsl
shade. Not a light Of any kind was
shown, and the schooner slipped off
through tho fog like some spirit ship
~. ~. ~
rho -, E. ..,.,,.s,
ne w, wiz, ~, mug sliiltea 10 inc west
g. ra,na ~ 80 unmetS knew INA,
rho foo han,. ,yos Nav. ~ oeio,'
and thcv intended n nos itie = - 90. -,
with a. ~ saan,aa ,.an,, ~, " ~, :,
mis- wo,,,d 10 ,,,a casa 1i MY, M, .n.
schooner was some ion mites n,,t frn,,
~ bn,.t,o, s,,Ia,, ,ta.a a,ss ". iioii
likely IN enco,,ntnr onn ~ IN h,oni,
ns,nc. shins ~ INV n,on,nn, ,,a ~
the wind failed al,nnst cntirciv ~
casionally sail would nan and ,hnr
was a hardly audible ripple under he
forefoot.
Suddenly. sounding with startlin,
distinctncss in the deatllke sllenc
which prevailed there came to tn
straining ears of those aboard tn
schooner the sound Of oars, ana
moment later hail
Boat ahoyi came the voice out c
tine non fog sb ana d +ncn the sound of fec
"Ahov, is mis- Tho T,oneatonic.
H., 49, 80, ~
eviae,tiv ,as,nd ,,,,on IT, 80. 'o'
IVES WAT bont t'' 10 80 ,n o % -
"Boat from me gaeship.f n,ns ,ha j,