er trouble, easily avoiding a
sloop of war cruising off the end of the Frying Pan Shoals. The fact is,
a blockade-runner was almost as invisible at night as Harlequin in the
pantomime. Nothing showed above the deck but the two short masts, and
the smoke-stack; and the lead colored hull could scarcely be seen at the
distance of one hundred yards. Even in a clear day, they were not easily
discovered. Upon one occasion, when bound to Wilmington, we had crossed
the Gulf Stream and struck soundings, when the look-out aloft reported a
cruiser in sight ahead, and lying "_a-hull_" with her broadside exposed
to us. It was evident, of course, that we were undiscovered so long as
she lay in this position, and we continued to steam towards her, until
we could plainly see her broadside guns. It was time for us to stop, but
we preserved the same distance, undiscovered, for at least two hours.
The engineer then reporting that the steam was running down, I directed
him to fire up cautiously. The second shovel-full had scarcely been
tossed into the furnace when a slight puff of smoke passed out of our
smoke-stack, and at the same instant, the cruiser ahead wore round, and
commenced a pursuit. There was clearly no want of vigilance on board of
her. But to return from this digression. By next morning we had got
beyond dangerous waters. Some amusement was occasioned at the breakfast
table by Johnny T., who had overheard the soliloquy of Colonel B. the
night before. The Colonel, who was a member of the expedition, had seen
service in the army of Northern Virginia. He was sitting upon the wheel
house when the first shot was fired, and calmly remarked (to no one in
particular,) "that is pretty firing," at the second "that is _very_
pretty firing," and when the third shell burst upon the deck, he jumped
upon his feet and exclaimed, with much emphasis, "if that isn't the
prettiest firing I ever saw, I wish I may be d----d!"

CHAPTER XI.

The Lee Captured at Last.--Sandy Keith alias Thomassen. Recruiting
in the British Provinces for the United States Army.--Failure of
the Expedition.--Return to Bermuda.

On our voyage to Halifax, we passed many vessels, and exciting no
suspicion, for at that period many of the captured blockade-runners were
afloat in the United States service. We showed American colors to those
which passed near us and once, in thick weather off New York, we passed
within hailing distance of a man of war