The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-12
Running the
Blockade
Bv DONALD CHAMBEI2LlN

Port ROYAL. South Carolina. is il ''he
harbor. In that region are many Is
lands lying between the mainland ana
fine oreau on which is produced VITA,
is called sea island cotton, an article OIL
very superior grade. When the war De
tween the states opened and the south
ern ports were blockaded this was a
favorite point for running tn" DIo'kl"t
with cHrgups Of this valuable cotton
Where il was grown ii was worthless
beyond the Yankee bluckading squad
ron if was often worth more than !;
dollar pound.
The United States government Sent
n naval and military force to Port kov
nj To occupy the harhOr. and adl"inlh"
the iSlaniS. some fifteen ar twenty
miles from the mouth of the harbor, Is
the town of Beaufort, and one day
during the early part of IN" war Il
steamer lay at the wharf taking on cot
ton. 4 man on the deck was watching
n gan. of negroes rolling the bales
aboard \ long. thin man with lean
checks and tuft of beard on his chin
and wearing huttcrnut suit came
sauntnring along and stood looking at
the loading.
Are yo' the cap'n o this hyer shipT'
he said to the man on deck
81 am"
I'm lookin' fur transportation. ]
want to git ont o this d"d rotted.
Yankee ridden country I'VE sold out
my little plantation and put the money
into cotton. got twenty bales"
Don't you know that the Lincoln
government won't let any cotton leave
the Confedcracy"
"You don't say so"'
YES I'll take your cotton for You.
but there's big chance of its being
captured by a Yankee guuboat lying
off the mouth of the harbor If so II
will he couiiscatcd"
"Waal now. | reckon that's inter
FERN with a mans nateral rights"
"Rut if You cit it through, If it's
sea island cotton, you'll make a small
fortune ont Of It,"
"Well?"
"If yo want to take the risk I'll
carry it for you for % per cent Of what
yo sell 1t for"
"Yo' roin to carry over this what
yo' takin' aboa'dt"
I'm gOin' to try"
I'm afeard mought lose my cot
ton"
"In that case yo' bette not risk it."
but yo say yo' goin' to risk it with
20 cotton"
"a am
what yo' paintin' yo' ship that colo
to-"
That's the color OF fog I shall
not go to sea till | can cit misty
night That gray paint is exactly the
shade of misty moning Just befo'
day"
A bargain was struck between the
two. the captain agreeing to take the
lean man and his cotton to England
for 90 per cent of its value in Liver.
pool provided the blockade could be
run safely. The twenty bales We're
taken to the wharf and rolled aboard
The owner remained ashore till fog.
gy night should enable the ship to get
to sea, there being five chances Of
success to one Of capture
Finally an east wind brought in
murky weather. and the captain told
his passenger that there was pros
poet of her getting out early the next
The latter went aboard with
his baggage, hair trunk. a handbook
and leather case evidently contain
ing n musical instrument. But the
captain, who was busy experimenting
getting the ship off. had no time to
inspect the passengers baggage.
Steaming down on to the broader
waters the ship cast anchor between
two Confederate forts on either shore
to wait for an opportunity There were
wind and rain during the
night. but nothing to conceal shin
About ! o'clock in the morning the
wind lulled and dense fog settled
down. The captain concluded to try to
slip out between the gunboats outside
the harbor. Just before the fog shut
everything from view he took his bear.
ings from his compass and. with speed
only sufficient for steerage way, aided
by an outgoing tide. drifted to the har
boris mouth.
On passing out dim hulk appeared
On his port quarter. He knew that it
was a blockader, but he had the nd.
Of his ships being the color of
The mist. and he passed safely. Half
an hour passed, and he was congratn.
lating himself on having cleared the
ships, when from below
here arose the resonant sound of bu.
rle. Dashing down the companion
way. be followed the sound, which led
him TO his passengers stateroom. The
man was practicing on a cornet. The
captain with blow sent it scurryinc
on the floor.
You IDIOT. ne exclaimed. w ma,
do you meanT"
What do yo' mean yo'self? al.
ii,