between herself and
her prize of not more than twenty yards. From the hill it appeared as if
there were no water at all between the two vessels. This done, she sent
a boat with the prize crew off, took possession in the name of the
Confederate States, and sent the barque off to sea. The Alabama then
made for the port.

We came round the Kloof to visit Captain Semmes on board. As we came we
found the heights overlooking Table Bay covered with people; the road to
Green Point lined with cabs. The windows of the villas at the bottom of
the hill were all thrown up, and ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and
one and all joined in the general enthusiasm; over the quarries, along
the Malay burying-ground, the Gallows Hill, and the beach, there were
masses of people--nothing but a sea of heads as far as the eye could
reach. Along Strand Street and Adderley Street the roofs of all the
houses from which Table Bay is overlooked, were made available as
standing-places for the people who could not get boats to go off to her.
The central, the north, the south, and the coaling jetties, were all
crowded. At the central jetty it was almost impossible to force one's
way through to get a boat. However, all in good time, we did get a boat,
and went off in the midst of dingies, cargo-boats, gigs and wherries,
all as full as they could hold. Nearly all the city was upon the bay;
the rowing clubs in uniform pulled off with favoured members of their
respective clubs on board. The crews feathered their oars in
double-quick time, and their pulling, our "stroke" declared, was "a
caution, and no mistake." Just before getting alongside, we passed
Captain Wilson in the port-boat, who told us that the prize taken was
the Sea Bride, and that there was no difficulty in hearing from Captain
Semmes himself the whole story of the capture. We passed the Federal
barque Urania at her anchorage, and that ship, disregardful of the
privateer, sported all her bunting with becoming pluck. The Stars and
Stripes floated defiantly from her-mizen peak, and her name from her
main. On getting alongside the Alabama, we found about a dozen boats
before us, and we had not been on board five minutes before she was
surrounded by nearly every boat in Table Bay, and as boat after boat
arrived, three hearty cheers were given for Captain Semmes and his
gallant privateer. This, upon the part of a neutral people, is,
perchance, wrong; but we are not arguing a case--we are recordin