backing and
filling across our bows. Meanwhile the crew of "the pirate" were not
idle; every preparation was made to repel boarders, and to defend our
ship to the last extremity. The crew were inspected, and every man seen
to be properly armed and equipped for action. We fully expected an
attack that night, and remembered the threats and loud pretensions of
not respecting any neutrality which prevented them from destroying the
Sumter, as made by the commander of the Niagara, and the redoubtable
Porter of the Powhattan,--this latter gentleman having actually followed
us as far as Maranham, only to find the people Sumter-mad on his
arrival. Very few on board the Sumter that night felt any inclination
for slumber; the men were sitting about in groups, commenting in low
tones on the contest which now seemed to be imminent; while those
officers who were at leisure were gathered on the quarter-deck, engaged
in the same interesting discussion.

At 2 A.M. the word was passed by the look-outs forward that the Yankee
was bearing down close upon us; and the order passed, almost in a
whisper, "to go to quarters." I never saw men obey an order with more
alacrity. In a few minutes the boarders, pikemen, and small-arm men were
ranged in three lines close to our low rail, to await his attack, all
preserving a perfect silence that seemed death-like. When about twenty
feet distant from us, we heard the deep tones of her bell in the
engine-room, as it rang the order to back; but not before we had
discovered her men at quarters, and, in fact, presenting every
appearance of a ship intending to board an enemy. A single stray
pistol-shot would have brought on the engagement, and to judge from the
lights and signals glancing along the fortifications, the Frenchmen
would have taken a hand, too. The appearance of our decks next morning
was amusing. The men were strewn about promiscuously fully armed and
accoutred for battle, endeavouring to obtain some rest; a stranger might
easily have imagined us to be a buccaneer. Captain Palmer stated next
day that he was afraid we would board him in boats, when asked the
meaning of his threatening manoeuvres; but it was difficult to believe
that the commander of a ship of war would make such a flimsy excuse; and
let us hope for his own credit that he did not really believe his own
statement. The demeanour of the crew was most satisfactory. No noise or
bustle could be noticed; but a quiet, firm determinatio