not permitted to land, the reason given being,
that they were without a clean bill of health from their last port. It
was in vain to represent the perfect state of health of the crew, and
the length of time they had been at sea. The official mind was closed
against any argument but that of the _consigne_. Five days' quarantine
were ordered, and five days' quarantine must be undergone, before the
salubrious shores of Cayenne could be exposed to the danger of infection
from the new comers; and as the authorities accompanied this fiat with
the statement, that there was no coal to be had in the place even for
the supply of their own government vessels, our captain determined to
make no further trial upon the discussion, but to seek his supplies
elsewhere.

The afternoon of the next day brought the Sumter to the coast of (Dutch)
Guiana; but there being no pilot to be found, she was compelled to come
to an anchor in about four fathoms of water. Here, as the sun set, the
dark smoke of a steamer was discovered against the glowing sky, and
suspicion was at once aroused that the new comer must be a Yankee
cruiser on the look-out for the Confederate "pirates." The drums beat to
quarters on board of the little Sumter; decks were cleared for action;
ports were triced up, guns run out, and every preparation made to give
the supposed enemy a warm reception. Darkness had closed in as the
suspected vessel approached; the thump, thump, thump of her screw
sounding plainly on the still night air. Silently she approached the
watchful cruiser, steering completely round her anchorage, as though
herself suspicious of the character of her new companion. No hostile
demonstration, however, followed; the night was too dark to distinguish
friend from foe; and the strange sail having come to anchor at some
little distance from the Sumter, and evincing no disposition to assume
the offensive, the guns were run in again, and the men were at length
dismissed to the hammocks.

Early next morning steam was again got up on board the Confederate
cruiser, which ran down under French colours for a closer examination of
the stranger, who was lying quietly at anchor about two miles in-shore
of her. As the Sumter approached she also mounted the tricolor, at the
sight of which the pretended nationality of the cruiser was laid aside,
and the stars and bars flew out gaily from her mizen-peak. The Frenchman
appeared much pleased at having thus fallen in with the c