The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-09-02

The following narrative of a stirring
adventure at sea, written by a mis-.
siOnary woman, Mrs. H. Dwight viii
liams, is especially interesting at this
time when the semi-centennial of the
Civil War is bringing out so many
"reminiscences. The writer shared the
bitter feeling toward the South OF
most northerners in 1864, when the
story was written:
From the I'd of February to the 18th
we had favorable winds, and for three
or four days our speed had averaged
ten or eleven knots an hour. At noon
of that day, when in latitude 240 l.
north and longitude Ga So west, our
captain and officers observed a sail in
our wake, which gradually gained
upon us, until it could be. plainly seen
that she was a steamer. At this time
the wind had lulled; and we were only
making eight knots an hour; so that
about 8 o'clock in the afternoon the
Ihaps six miles, and following directly
astern, with the stars and stripes
run up on her foremost. We had not
thought Of being molested by south.
ern pirates, but hoped she might
prove to be a gunboat of our Govern
ment; and being nearly famished
after five months fast, for news
from home, were happy in the pros
pect of hearing how it Jared with our
country. A little before O'Clock
went to the quarterback, and seated
back of the stern, She was then di
rectly in our track, having every
stitch of canvas out, even to her stud
ding-sails, and her steamer power in
full operation. Soon after this an or
der was given to unfurl our flag at the
peak, and observed that our captain
who was constantly using his glass
and watching the approaching vessel
seemed little nervous and ill at ease
> Indeed, doubt had already begun to
settle upon us all, for the steamer was
gaining upon us at the rate of three
miles an hour, and her appearance, to
say the least, did not bode us any
=, good. We were making all the sail we
could, and had the wind which had
favored us the day previous continued
we could have kept out of the range
of her guns until evening, and then
probably have been able to elude her
But it was otherwise decreed, and
down she came upon us, firing a shot
, when about three miles distant, which
2 struck the water a ships length and q
half astern of the Bell, on the port
: side. That shot was potential, carry
ing conviction to all that our vessel
J was doomed, and that we were about
to fall into the hands of an enemy. II
/ required but little reflection to maks
us painfully conscious of the fact, the
whole truth of which flashed upon us
as suddenly and Unexpectedly as the
booming of the distant gun which
, seemed to announce our doom; in an
instant, as it were, paralyzing all
thought and feeling. Directly on the
. hring of the gun Captain Frisbie rose
up, and turning his face towards the
bow, looked first at his ship and then
at the sail, saying,-"Well, / guess
you'll heave to, now!" and ordering
his men to ''clew up the crotchet sail, y
and back the yards, we quietly waited
for the decision of our fate.
We had just sailed through the heat
of the tropics, and having been i'll for
more than three weeks, and of course
weak and easily perturbed, the firing
of the gun sent me directly into the
cabin; but, through Master Charlie, ]
learned that in about ten minutes
after had left the deck, the steamer
which proved to be the Florida
pirate, differed and manned by the
rebels of the Southern States,-came
round our stern. to the port side, and
when within two ships lengths of us
ran up the rebel Confederate flag
taking down the stars and stripes
and hailed us. On being answered
and told WHITTIER we were bound, we
were ordered to strike our colors; and
no answer being returned, nor any
movement made to carry the order
into execution, there came a second
and more peremptory summons, with
which Captain Frisbie complied. and
our eolors were struck! The steamer