n was expressed
in the countenance of each man to defend our noble little ship to the
bitter end, and never strike our flag to the foe. These flagrant
violations of neutrality greatly irritated the inhabitants, and the
better portion of them threw off their thin mask of indifference, and
openly expressed sympathy for us. Some were so excited as to volunteer
to go with us; but their kind offers were not accepted. The negroes,
however, did not seem to recognise us for what we really are, their best
friends, but were somewhat opposed to the Sumter; and their allegiance
to our enemy was made the subject of one of Captain Palmer's voluminous
despatches to Mr. Gideon Welles.--_Index._]

_Saturday, November 10th._--The Iroquois ahead of us, about a mile
distant. At 10 A.M., I returned the visit of the French commander. I
pointed out to him the insolent manner in which the Iroquois was
violating the neutrality of the port. No additional order had been
received from the Governor. Scraping and painting ship, and repairing
the engine to put it in thorough condition for service. At meridian the
Iroquois came to anchor about half a mile from us, at the man-of-war
anchorage. The captain of the Acheron visited me, to say the Governor
had directed him to inform me that if I preferred it, he would be glad
to have me visit Fort de France with my ship, where he could afford me
more ample protection, and whither, he presumed, the Iroquois would not
follow me; and if she did, that he would compel her to depart from
French waters.

I replied that before deciding upon this invitation, I would wait and
see whether the Iroquois accepted the condition of remaining twenty-four
hours after my departure, or departing twenty-four hours before me. The
Iroquois got under way again immediately after anchoring, and in the
evening the captain of the Acheron sent a lieutenant on board of me, to
say that the commander of the Iroquois refused to accept the condition,
and that he had been directed to withdraw himself beyond the marine
league in consequence. She remained a few hours to supply herself with
refreshments, and as night fell took her station; but not at the
distance of a marine league _during the night_.

We have thus taught this ignoramus Yankee captain some knowledge of, and
some respect for, the laws of neutrality. In the afternoon I took a
delightful stroll along the beach northward.

_Sunday, November 17th._--Morning fine. Visited the c