refused to show colours. Upon sending a boat on board, she proved to be
the American ship Highlander, also from Singapore. Captured her. Both of
these ships were very large, being over a thousand tons each. They were
both in ballast, bound to Aycaab for rice. At 10 A.M., having sent off
the crews of the two prizes in their own boats, at their own election,
fired the ships, and steamed out. Passed the lightship at about 11 A.M.,
and discharged the pilot.

From the 26th December to the 13th of January the Alabama steadily
pursued her course, meeting with little adventure. Only four sail were
seen in the period, and these all proved to be neutrals. On the last day
of the year 1863 the North Indian Ocean was entered, and the ship's head
once more laid in the direction of the Cape.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

_The Emma Jane--Quilon--An alarm--Landing prisoners--Johanna and
Mohilla--Friendly authorities--Slavery--A trading monarch--Distance
lends enchantment to the view--Cousins-german of the Sultan--Princes
gardens--Mahommedan sympathy--Off again._

On the 14th January, as the Alabama was lazily drifting in a
north-easterly direction, near the Malabar coast, a ship was discovered
running down towards her. The useful decoy--the United States flag--was
at once hoisted, and the same colours were run up by the stranger. A gun
brought the Yankee vessel to, and the Alabama forthwith took possession
of the Emma Jane of Bath, Maine, bound from Bombay to Amherst in
ballast, and at 8.30 P.M. the prize was set fire to.

About this period the cruiser experienced a series of calms, and she
drifted with the current rather than sailed. On the 16th of January the
Ghaut Mountains were made, and Captain Semmes makes the following entry
in his journal.

_Saturday, January 16th._--At meridian made the town of Quilon, and bore
up east 1/2 south for the town of Angenga, which we made about 2 P.M. At
4.30 came to in the road abreast of the fort, and despatched a
Lieutenant on shore to see about landing my prisoners. In the evening
the residing magistrate's son came on board, and I arranged the matter
with him. There being no external trade or shipping at Angenga, the
prisoners could not well get away by sea; but my visitor stated that
there was lagoon navigation inland all the way to Cochin, some
seventy-five miles to the northward, and that at Cochin there were
always means of reaching Bombay and other ports. Native boats were
passing every d