curely under the "Stars and Stripes," our hotel being kept by
a "Yankee" who hoisted the flag upon his house-top every day, and was
not so cosmopolitan, perhaps I should say not so politic, as our St.
Thomas friend. He soothed his conscience for associating with "rebels,"
and avenged himself by charging us heavily, and, no doubt, congratulated
himself after our departure, upon having "spoiled the Egyptians."

We received many courtesies from Mr. B., an English gentleman, and his
family. Our susceptible young men lost their hearts with his _seven_
beautiful daughters, all of them fair, tall, and stately.

As soon as the Giraffe was coaled we took our departure for St. John's,
Porto Rico. A sea-voyage has elsewhere been described in two lines.

"Sometimes we ship a sea,
Sometimes we see a ship."

The monotony of our voyage was rarely disturbed by either of these
incidents.

After two days' detention at St. John's for the purpose of coaling we
got under way for that haven of blockade-runners, El Dorado of
adventurers, and paradise of wreckers and darkies--filthy Nassau. In
making our way to this port we had a foretaste of some of the risks and
dangers to be subsequently encountered. In order to economize coal and
to lessen the risk of capture I determined to approach Nassau by the
"Tongue of Ocean," a deep indentation in the sea bounded on the south by
the Bahama Banks; and to reach the "Tongue" it was necessary to cross
the whole extent of the "Banks" from Elbow Key light-house. On arriving
off the light-house we were disappointed in our hope of finding a pilot,
and no alternative was left but to attempt the transit without one, as
we had not a sufficient supply of coal to enable us to pursue any other
course. Our charts showed twelve feet water all over that portion of the
Banks and the Giraffe was drawing eleven feet; but the innumerable black
dots on the chart showed where the dangerous coral heads were nearly
"awash." On the other hand, we knew there could be no "swell" in such an
expanse of shallow water; so waving adieu to the keeper of the
light-house we pointed the Giraffe's bow for the Banks, which showed
ahead of us smooth as a lake, and almost milk white. It was early in the
morning when we started, and the distance to be run to the "Tongue" was
only sixty or seventy miles. Taking my station in the fore-rigging I
could easily direct the helmsman bow to avoid those treacherous black
spots. It