, was originally a German ship, a
sister of the _Wolf_, captured by the British. On her recapture by the
Germans, she was equipped as a raider and mine-layer, and sent off on an
expedition by herself. But soon afterwards near Aden she encountered a
British warship, when the prize crew scuttled her and surrendered.

CHAPTER X

SAVED BY SHIPWRECK

The Germans were now getting very anxious as they approached the
blockade zone. They affected, however, to believe that there was no
blockade, and that there was no need of one now that America was in the
war. "No one will trade with us," they said; "accordingly there is no
need of a blockade." But, as some of the passengers remarked to the
Captain, "If there is no blockade, as the Germans say, why haven't you
more raiders out, instead of only one, and why have so few been able to
come out?" There was, of course, no answer to this! The Captain further
remarked that even if there were a blockade it would always be possible
to get through it at the week-end, as all the British blockading fleet
returned to port for that time! The _Wolf_, he said, came out and got
home through the blockade at the week-end. It was quite simple; we were
to do the same, and we should be escorted by submarines, as the _Wolf_
had been on both occasions.

Nevertheless, the Germans were at great pains to keep as far as possible
from any place in which British ships might appear. But unfortunately
not one did appear, here or anywhere else, to rescue us, although we
felt certain in our own minds that some of our ships would be present
and save us in these parts of the seas, which we believed were regularly
patrolled. What meetings, discussions, and consultations we had in our
wretched tiny cabin during these dreadful days and nights! We had
cheered ourselves up for a long time past that the _Wolf_ would never
get through the British blockade, and that some friendly vessel would
surely be the means of our salvation. The Spanish officers who had had
experience of the blockade also assured us that no vessel could possibly
get through unchallenged; and we, in our turn, had assured the American
captives among us of the same thing. There was no fog to help the enemy,
the condition of the moon was favourable to us, and we had pointed out
to each other on maps various places where there _must_ be British ships
on the watch. It was a bitter disappointment to us that we saw none.
It was heartbreaking. We h