clear that we had had a narrow escape; but I felt no alarm on account of
the owner, as I knew that although they might suspect, they could prove
nothing. When about three miles out we hove-to, hoisted in the boat,
and shaped our course.

All I had now to fear was the falling in with the ship of war in the
offing, and I placed men to keep a sharp look-out in every direction,
and told the officers that it was necessary that we should avoid her.
When last seen, about an hour before dark, she was well to windward, and
as the wind was from the northward, she would probably sail faster than
we could, as a schooner does not sail so well free as on a wind. We had
run out about four hours, and were steering our course for Holyhead,
when suddenly we perceived the ship of war close to us, and to leeward.
She had been lying with her mainsail to the mast, but she evidently had
made us out, for she filled and set top-gallant sails.

I immediately hauled my wind, and as soon as she had way, she tacked and
followed in pursuit, being then right astern of us, about half a mile
off. It was very dark, and I knew that as our sails were set, and we
bore from her, it would be difficult for her to keep us in sight, as we
only presented what we call the feather-edge of our sails to her. I
therefore steered on under all sail, and, finding that the schooner
weathered on her, I kept her away a little, so as to retain the same
bearings, and to leave her faster.

In an hour we could not make out the ship, and were therefore certain
that she could not see us; so as I wanted to get clear of her, and be at
Holyhead as soon as possible, I lowered down all the sails and put my
helm up, so as to cross her and run to leeward under bare poles, while
she continued her windward chase. This stratagem answered, and we saw
no more of her; for, two hours afterwards, we fell in with the Arrow,
and, hailing her, we both made sail down the Bristol Channel as fast as
we could, and at daybreak there was no vessel in sight, and of course we
had nothing more to fear from the Liverpool cruiser.

As we now sailed rapidly along in company, with the wind on our quarter,
it was high time for me to look to my passengers, who had remained on
deck in perfect silence from the time that they had come on board. I
therefore went up to them, and apologised for not having as yet paid
them that attention that I should have wished to have done under other
circumstances.

"Ca