Year: 1869


Yankees Of course there were plenty ofspies in
northern pay, both at jamestown and on the coast
We always left Bermuda as the Fanny Flewker,
bet when we got out to sea, strip Of canvass with
another name painted on it was nailed over the
stern, so that we came into port as the Kate per-
haps, or the Daphne, or any other name the cap
tain fancied This ruse not only diverted particu-
lar attention from US, but made the Yankees
believe there was regular feet running; and
didn't it make the blockaders savagel


Well, we made twelve successive runs, and that's 8
a long time for blockade runner. had scraped
together good pile of money, for received a
grafuity from the owners each voyage, in addition
to my pay, and, taught wisdom by experience, had
invested it safely. l cannot tell why dreaded
the thirteenth run, but somehow had forebod!
ing of evil, and could not help telling the chief
officer of my idea. Ofcourse got laughed at for
my pains. Adams wanted to know if I had taken
old Todd's complaint; perhaps my nervous system
was beginning to decay; and lot more OF that
kind of stuff


We started that voyage with cargo consisting
of hospital stores, quinne, clothing, &C., together
with battery of rifed field guns, all going on
smoothly till We got off the mouth of Santee river,
South Carolina, and there big lump Of . paddle
steamer lay right in our way. Directly We sighted
her, our course was altered, and we bore away to
the southwark full speed; and as we went about
three knots to her two it was not long till she was
hull-down. Sharp eyes, however, on board that
paddle had seen us, and it was evident by the
dense smoke still visible on the horizon, that every
effort was made to overtake us, or at least keep up
with U.s. Going too as we were, nearly before the
wind, we could hear at regular intervals the boom
of her heavy gun. Why they were wasting pow
der, could not make out, unless it was impotent
rage at our escape.


"D'ye hear them?" shouted Adams to me,
down the hatch, as another report came up with
the wind.


"Yes," answered, ''wbat can it mean?"


"Hardly know" said he, II don't like the look
oft; Nunky does not burn powder without pur-
pose" The words were barely spoken, when [
heard the lookout forward shout, 'Smoke, no -
"Where away ?" was the Captains quick reply.
'Broad on the port bow and there, plain enoug h,
was to be seen the dense column of smoke mark
ing the presence of hostile steamer That she
was foe was evident from the fact that all run
ners burnt smokeless COAL smoke, therefore be-
tokened danger. We could now detect the mean
ing of the firing; it was the paddle signalling our
arrival to her consort, and we were hemmed in.


Captain Ford was, however, equal to the emer-
gency; our course was shaped for the land; pre-
parstions were made for lowering the masts and
I saw that the maneuvre which had before stood
US in good stead was once more to be tried. The
coast ofSouth Carolina abounds in shoals and sand
banks, stretching out for miles into the sea; these
are ntersected by channels navigabe for vessels Of
light draught like ours. Captain Ford knew the
coast well, and moreover We had Wilmington
pilot on board our course, therefore, was to stand
in for the land as far as possible, and then, by
threading the narrow and to them inaccessible
passages, endeayor to double on our pursuers.


We had been running on parallel lines with the
paddle, she keeping as near inshore as she dared,
with the object Of driving US to sea and into tho
jaws of her consort. As we bore up, Of course the
relative distance between us was lessened. 1t was
evident they understood our tactics, for they fav
ored us with shell from their big gum We could
see the clouds of spray raised by the enormous
missile as it bounded from wave to wave; but it
burst harmlessly half mile from US. Another
and another followed, but the saucy Fan flew along
under head of steam, and soon, with two men at
the wheel, and the pilot coming her, we entered
the only patch Of green water in line Of angry
surf. We held on till darkness fell, and then We
were safe from everything but boat attack; and
as there was heavy sea running, and no moon
visible, it was not likely that either the paddle OF
her consort would risk their men. A single an
chor was let 90 with hemp cable, axes being
placed handy, so that in case of need we could lit
orally ''cut and rum" The fires were banked tar.
paulins placed over the deck lights, for fear a
treacherous gmmer should betray us, double look
outs posted, and all made snug 1t is astonishing
how use reconciles US to peril. The first time
was in similar fix, felt, to say the least, ex
tremely nervous; now turned in and slept till ]
was called. ''Turn out, Mr.. Trereave," said the
chief (who for wonder was sober), "day viii
break in an hour, and the skipper means to rur
past the Yankee in the gray of the morning


Presently the word was passed to stand by the
engines, and saw, as went below, that the cable
was being sawed through to avoid the noise of the
1


falling axe.


"Keep her half speed for the present, Mr.. Ire
reave," said the Captain, land don't get too much
steam will not have any blowing off, to lei
Uncle Sam know where we are


Cautiously and silently we sped along the opposite
channel to our entrance, for we had taken refug'
in small bay closed to vessels Of heavy draugh
by the triangular shaped shoals in the centre. A
narrow and tortuous channel ran round two side
Of this triangle, opening at the angles of the sea
ward base Our point Of entry was no doubt guard
ed by the paddle or her consort; now we hoped
that the outlet might be unknown, and that ou
low, white hull would blend with the waves in tn!
gray morning light, and SO escape detection. Eacl
moment brought the thunder Of the surf nearer
but safely we crossed the bar, and again felt tn
long roll of the open sea. "Give her all you can
below there" was the order now passed down
The stokers worked with will, and soon the Fan
ny went at her best speed. began to think W
should get clear off: Vain hope! for suddenly tn
morning fog lf ed and there, not three miles iron
us on the weather quarter, lay the paddle Iher
was yet chance of eluding them; but no. the


kept bright look out, and we could hear them bea
to quarters. However, we were well under weigh
and she had to heave her anchor and get up steam
but she was soon after US, playingup the same tun
9th har h;o o,,ns