room to
pass the point--not more than a ship's length to spare, in case we had
been obliged to let go our anchor. I felt quite nervous for a few
minutes, but held on, and we caught a light breeze that soon sent us
ahead out of danger.

Well, we are on the sea once more, with our head turned _westward_, or
_homeward_. Shall we ever reach that dear home which we left three years
ago, and which we have yearned after so frequently since? Will it be
battle, or shipwreck, or both, or neither? And when we reach the North
Atlantic, will it still be war, or peace? When will the demon-like
passions of the North be stilled? These are solemn and interesting
questions for us, and an all-wise Providence has kindly hidden the
answers behind the curtain of Fate. A lengthened cruise would not be
politic in these warm seas. The homeward trade of the enemy is now quite
small--reduced probably to twenty or thirty ships per year; and these
may easily evade us by taking the different passages to the Indian
Ocean, of which there are so many, and so widely separated. The foreign
coasting trade (as between one port in China and another, and the trade
to and from Calcutta and to and from Australia), besides facilities for
escape, are almost beyond our reach--at least we could only ransom the
ship, the cargoes being all neutral--that is to say, _such of them as
get cargoes, now not many_. And then there is no cruising or chasing to
be done here successfully, or with safety to oneself, without plenty of
coal; and we can only rely upon coaling once in three months at some
English port. At the other ports there would probably be combinations
made against us, through the influence of the Yankee Consuls. So I will
try my luck around the Cape of Good Hope once more; then to the coast of
Borneo; and thence perhaps to Barbadoes, for coal; and thence---? If the
war be not ended, my ship will need to go into dock, to have much of her
copper replaced, now nearly destroyed by such constant cruising, and to
have her boilers overhauled and repaired; and this can only be properly
done in Europe. Our young officers, who had had so agreeable a change
from the cramped ship to the shores and forests of Condore, with their
guns and their books, had become so attached to the island that they
left it with some regret.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

_In the East--Aor--Marine nomads--Suspicious--At Singapore--A busy
city--Chinese merchants--Whampoa and Co.--Calculating mac