e knew that she had made
out our position. I followed her, and ran in, and anchored in Sheerwater
Bay; my pilot being of no sort of assistance to me, he seeming to have a
very imperfect knowledge of the locality. Soon after anchoring, a boat
came out of the lagoon to us, and we recognised some of our prize-crew
of the Sea Bride in her.

In effect the Tuscaloosa and the prize had both been three days in the
harbour of Angra Pequena. In the afternoon we got up our anchor again,
and ran into the lagoon, and anchored near the Sea Bride in seven
fathoms of water. A number of the officers are off this evening to visit
the Tuscaloosa--no doubt to get a _good drink of fresh water_. I have
sent my pitcher for some, being nearly parched up with the salt-water we
have been drinking for the last three days. We are lying in _smooth
water_, in a snug harbour, and I hope to get what I have not had for
several nights--a good night's rest. A more bleak and comfortless
prospect, in the way of landscape, could scarcely present itself to the
eye. Nothing but land and rock--not a sprig of vegetation of any kind to
be seen. In fact it never rains here, and this is consequently a guano
region. We passed a bank of guano in Halifax island, a shanty, a few
labourers, and a large army of penguins spread out with much solemnity
on the island.

_Saturday, August 29th._--Getting on board flour, &c., from the Sea
Bride, and water from the schooner--1500 gallons, which will enable us
to cruise some twenty days. Hauled a borrowed sieve in the afternoon,
and caught a fine lot of fish.

_Sunday, August 30th._--At 10.30 mustered the crew, and landed James
Adams, O.S., discharged by sentence of court-martial, with forfeiture of
pay and prize-money.

_Monday, August 31st,_--At 7 A.M. got under way, and stood out of the
harbour.

* * * * *

The Alabama was now visited by a succession of the heavy gales prevalent
during winter time in the neighbourhood of the Cape. On the 7th
Sept.--Captain Semmes writes--we had a rough, ugly night of it, with a
continuance, and even increase of the gale, and a short and abrupt sea,
in which the ship occasionally rolled and pitched with violence,
frequently thumping my cot against the beams overhead and awaking me.
Shipped large quantities of water through the propeller well; cabin-deck
leaking.

_Tuesday, September 8th._--Weather cloudy, the sun shining faintly
through the grey mass.