here fish are not to be found. In September
Capt. Semmes ran his vessel into a Martinique harbor, to make some
needed repairs, and give the sailors a run ashore. Here they were
blockaded for some time by the United States frigate "Iroquois," but
finally escaped through the cunning of Semmes. Lying in the harbor
near the "Sumter" were two Yankee schooners, whose captains arranged
with the commander of the "Iroquois" to signal him if the "Sumter"
should leave the harbor. If on passing the bar she headed south, a
single red light should gleam at the masthead of the schooner; should
her course lie northward, two lights would be displayed. Semmes, lying
at anchor in the bay, and chafing over his captivity, determined to
break away. He had noticed the frequent communications between the
schooners and the man-of-war, and suspected that his course would be
spied out. Nevertheless, he determined to dare all, and one black
night slipped his cables, and with all lights out, and running-gear
muffled, glided swiftly out of the harbor. In the distance he could
see the lights of the "Iroquois," as she steamed slowly up and down in
the offing, like a sentry on guard. Up in the cross-trees of the
"Sumter" sat a sharp-eyed old quarter-master, with orders not to mind
the "Iroquois," but to keep a close watch on the suspected schooners.
Soon a light gleamed from the maintop of each. Semmes's suspicions
grew. "They have signalled our course," said he: "we'll double." The
ship's head was quickly brought about, and headed south; then all
turned to watch the movements of the "Iroquois." She had headed
northward, and was exerting every power to catch the flying vessel
supposed to be just ahead. Satisfied with having so successfully
humbugged the enemy, the "Sumter" proceeded leisurely on her course to
the southward, leaving the "Iroquois" steaming furiously in the
opposite direction. "I do think, however," writes Capt Semmes in his
log-book, "that a tough old quarter-master, and a grizzled boatswain's
mate, who had clean shaven their heads in preparation for a desperate
fight, were mightily disgusted."

The subsequent career of the "Sumter" was uneventful. She captured but
few more vessels; and in January of the next year ran into the harbor
at Gibraltar, where she was blockaded by a powerful United States
frigate, and finally sold as being worn out. She had been in
commission a little over a year, and in that time had captured
eighteen vessel