He was headed up the coast, and about noon we overhauled him.
He paid no attention to the first shot, and it was only when the
second one hulled him that he came into the wind. It was then seen
that he had fifteen or sixteen men aboard, and that all were armed
with muskets, and meant to defend the ship. The lieutenant was sent
off with his boat; but no sooner was he within fair musket-range, than
the whaler opened on him, killing one man, and wounding two, at the
first volley. The officer pushed ahead, and demanded a surrender;
but he got another volley, and the reply that the whaler 'would go to
the bottom before he would surrender to a Rebel!'

"The boat was recalled, and our gunners were instructed to hull the
whaler with solid shot. We approached him within rifle-range, and
opened fire. Every one of the balls plumped through his side at and
above the water-line, and he answered with his muskets, severely
wounding two men. He was repeatedly hailed to surrender, but in reply
he encouraged his men to maintain their fire. We soon had the sea
pouring into his starboard side through a dozen holes; and when it was
seen that he would soon go down, we ceased firing, and again demanded
his surrender. I can remember just how he looked as he sprang upon the
rail,--tall, gaunt, hair flying, and eyes blazing,--and shouted in
reply,--

"'The 'Ben Scott' don't surrender! Come and take us--if you can.'

"Five minutes later his craft settled down, bow first. We lowered the
boats to save his crew, and, strangely enough, not a man was lost.
When we brought them aboard, the Yankee skipper walked up to Semmes,
bareheaded, barefooted, and coatless, and said,--

"'If I'd only have had one old cannon aboard, we'd have licked ye out
of yer butes! Here we are, and what are ye going to do with us?'

"He was voted a jolly good fellow, and the crew were better treated
than any other ever forced aboard. In order to give them their
liberty, the very next capture we made was bonded, and they were put
aboard to sail for home."

But now the decks of the "Alabama" were getting rather uncomfortably
crowded with prisoners, and it became necessary to put into some port
where they could be landed. Accordingly the ship was headed for
Martinique, and soon lay anchored in the harbor of that place, where
she began coaling. While she lay there, a Yankee schooner put into the
port, and was about to drop anchor near the dangerous cruiser, when
some one ga