miles
from the entrance of the river. I had determined to try a new method of
getting through the blockading squadron, seeing that the usual plan, as
described above, was no longer feasible or, at least, advisable. I have
mentioned that our position was well defined by observations and
soundings, so we determined to run straight through the blockaders, and
to take our chance. When it was quite dark we started steaming at full
speed. It was extremely thick on the horizon, but clear overhead, with
just enough wind and sea to prevent the little noise the engines and
screws made being heard. Every light was out--even the men's pipes; the
masts were lowered on to the deck; and if ever a vessel was invisible
the _D----n_ was that night.

We passed several outlying cruisers, some unpleasantly near, but still
we passed them. All seemed going favourably, when suddenly I saw through
my glasses the long low line of a steamer right ahead, lying as it were
across our bows so close that it would have been impossible to pass to
the right or left of her without being seen. A prompt order given to the
engine-room (where the chief engineer stood to the engines) to reverse
one engine, was as promptly obeyed, and the little craft spun round like
a _teetotum_. If I had not seen it, I could never have believed it
possible that a vessel would have turned so rapidly, and (although,
perhaps, it is irrelevant to my subject) I cannot refrain from bearing
testimony to the wonderful powers of turning that are given to a vessel
by the application of Symond's turnscrews, as he loves to call them. On
this occasion L50,000 of property was saved to its owners. I do not
believe the cruiser saw us at all, and so very important to us was the
fact that we had turned in so short a space, that I scarcely think we
lost five yards of our position. Having turned we stopped to
reconnoitre, and could still see the faint outline of the cruiser
crawling (propelled, probably, only by the wind) slowly into the
darkness, leaving the way open to us, of which we at once took
advantage. It was now about one o'clock in the morning; our lead, and
an observation of a friendly star, told us that we were rapidly nearing
the shore. But it was so fearfully dark, that it seemed almost hopeless
ever to find our way to the entrance of the river, and no one felt
comfortable. Still we steamed slowly on and shortly made out a small
glimmer of a light right ahead. We eased steam a litt