tting for some time, and now that we were nearing
New York where I was likely at any moment to meet an acquaintance, I was
a little nervous, I walked about the lower deck. In doing so I met Mr.
Cushing face to face. He was passing the time in a similar manner. I
lifted my cap, as I would to any superior officer, or public man.
Immediately Mr. Cushing stopped and said:

"Good morning, Mr. Huse, you are with the South, I understand."

For the moment I was staggered, but quickly calling to mind that Mr.
Cushing had been chairman of the Charleston Democratic Convention which
nominated John C. Breckenridge for President, I replied:

"Yes, sir, what chance do you think the South has?"

"What chance can it have?" he said, "the money is all in the North; the
manufactories are all in the North; the ships are all in the North; the
arms and arsenals are all in the North; the arsenals of Europe are
within ten days of New York, and they will be open to the United States
Government, and closed to the South; and the Southern ports will be
blockaded. What possible chance can the South have?" There was nothing
for me to say in reply, and I probably did the best I could have done
under the circumstances. Looking him squarely in the eye, I lifted my
cap and said: "Good morning, Mr. Cushing." I never saw him afterwards.

On landing at the Battery, I gave my baggage checks to an expressman,
taking his receipt and telling him to hold the baggage till called for.
As it might be very important not to be recognized, I took the
precaution to leave no trail by my baggage, which was taken to Liverpool
later by one of the young men who had been my carriage companion from
Baltimore. I went at once to the Bank of the Republic, where I was to
find letters which would enable me to obtain money for my voyage.

I was told to call for Mr. S----, the cashier of the bank. On his coming
to the window, I asked if he had any letters from Montgomery. His face
immediately showed real fear. Opening a door near by, he said, "Come
in," and I found myself in the bank parlor. He immediately locked the
door, pulled down the window shades and then asked, "Now what is it?"

In the brief time occupied in drawing down the shades, etc., I
determined what to do, and replied,--

"I see, Mr. S., that you are much agitated by my visit, and I will not
further compromise you by giving you my name; but if you have any
letters from Montgomery, which you do not recognize, wi