ut it could not be; they forced the war
upon us--they endeavoured to destroy us. For this, and for this alone,
we burn their ships and destroy their commerce. We have no feeling of
enmity against them, and all we ask is to be let alone--to be allowed to
tread the path we have chosen for ourselves."--"_Cruise of the
Sumter_," from the "_Index_" May 1st, 1862.]

The following day saw two more prizes fall into the Sumter's hands.
These were the brigantines Cuba and Machias, both of Maine. The captures
were taken in tow and carried off in the direction of Cienfuegos. The
next day, however, the Cuba broke adrift from her hawser, and on being
recovered, a prize crew was sent on board the vessel, with directions to
carry her into Cienfuegos, for which port Captain Semmes was now shaping
his course.

Arrived off that harbour on the evening of the same day, it was found
too late to attempt to enter, and two more vessels being descried in the
offing, the Machias was cast off, with orders to lay-to until the
morning, and the Sumter started off in chase. On coming up with the two
vessels, at about half-past nine o'clock, they proved to be the United
States brigantines, Ben Dunning and Albert Adams. They were at once
taken possession of, and ordered to make the best of their way in charge
of a prize crew to Cienfuegos.

The night was passed in standing off and on outside the harbour, and
with the earliest dawn preparations were made for running in. The
weather was bright and clear, and the brief twilight of the tropics
flushed rapidly into the full glare of day, and showed to the watchful
eyes on board the Sumter the welcome spectacle of three more vessels
being towed out to sea by a steamer, the stars and stripes floating
gaily from their peaks. Warily and patiently the little Sumter lay in
wait, under the shelter of the land, until the steamer had cast off her
convoy, and the three unsuspecting vessels were fairly beyond the
maritime league from the neutral shore, within which the law of nations
forbids that captures should be made. Then suddenly her decks swarmed
with men, the black smoke poured from her funnel, the sails filled, and
out she came in pursuit. The chase was brief, and ere long the barque
West Wind, the brigantine Naiad, and the barque Louisa Kilham were in
charge of prize crews, and wending their way sadly back to the port they
had so recently left in full expectation of a prosperous voyage.

So, with her lit