Year: 1877

difficult operation than running
out, from the fact that the enemy
knows where you are bound for.
Running out, If we found the way
blockaded for Bermuda, we might
sail for Nassau in the Bahama
islands or any other harbor, but,
going in, the cruisers were well in
formed that we must make for
Wilmington and that no other port
would do. The first two days we
took an indirect route, but in what
direction we cannot say, not having
watched the compass with sufficient
attention; the third day we stood
off and on till evening, keeping
a careful lookout. From our low
build and gray color we could sight
any vessel on the horizon before it
could descry us, and direct our
course accordingly. When the
shades of evening had reduced the
surrounding sea and sky to a uni
form gray that corresponded to our
own we made straight for the
mouth of Cape Fear river, at Il
brisk sailing rate, but by no means
at the top Of our speed, for we
might have tochange our course at
any moment. Presently our look
out man announced a sail on our
larboard quarter nearer than she
ought to have approached without
being recognized, perhaps on ac-
count Of some mistiness in the at.
mosphere. One smoke-stack had
been lowered and the fire fed with
coke that it might make no smoke
and passengers and crew perempto-
rily ordered to pass below the level
of the gunwale, for moving bodies
on board rendered our ship much
more liable to catch the attention
Of our pursuers. There were two
chances for us-first, that her crew
might rot see US, and secondly, that
she might not be a cruiser. 1t
soon became manifest from change
in her course that she did see us and
intended to intercept our course.


When we first sighted her, she
changed it, not SO as to make di-
rectly for us, but so as to make for
the same point on the coast as we
were bound for, so that we were
sailing ON courses conyerging to a
point at an angle of say 80 degrees.


There was no doubt.of our being
able to keep out of range of her
guns if we changed our course so
as to sail directly away from her,
but there were two objections to
doing so 1T would increase the
risk Of meeting with other cruisers,
and she would watch for us as we
returned to the spot where we
wanted to land, and SO chase us
under greater advantage still. We
kept the straight course, therefore,
and the reader is to suppose the
two ships both approaching the
mouth of Cape Fear river by con-
verging courses, the distance be-
tween them rapidly narrowing as
they approached it. If we could
get within half a mile of the coast
before we we're within range of the
cruisers guns we were safe, for the
cruiser would then dare to come no
nearer for fear of the guns of Fort
Fisher. 1t was question, there
fore, of speed, and the Falcon was
to be tried for her life.


At this time Hobart Pasha 1--WE
give him his present title by antici-
pation) was q man worth looking
at; grave, perfectly self-possessed,
he glanced through his telescope
now and then, spoke quiet word
at one time to his lieutenant, at
another to his first engineer, the
Falcon for the first time doing her
utmost, which was a good 16 knots
an hour.


We passengers could tell nothing
except that there was a misty tower
like object on our right, which
seemed to be very slowly falling
astern, and indeed we believed that
more might be learned by watching
the looks of the Pasha than by a
look out on the sea. 1t was rather
an impenetrable countenance to
watch.


After about half an hours sail
ing an ironical curl was slightly
perceptible around the nostrils Of
the Pasha, and minute or two
after he quietly observed "it's all
right, gentlemen" We were, in