the advancing boats, but notwithstanding
they pulled alongside, drove the crew below, and took possession. We
saw them make a gallant effort to tow off the vessel, but in three or
four minutes, so heavy became the fire, they were compelled to
relinquish the attempt. When they reached the ship we found that three
men had been wounded, but happily none were killed.

"A tremendous loss we have had!" exclaimed Mr Heron, who commanded the
expedition, with a look of disgust. "She is worth twenty thousand
pounds at least, if not much more. It is not every day the rebels have
a vessel like her to give us."

"We must keep a sharp look-out after her, and if she gets off, try to
get hold of her another day," said Mr Willis.

In the evening we were directed to stand close in shore to cannonade and
endeavour to destroy her, but scarcely had we opened our fire when a
gale of wind sprung up, and we were compelled for our own safety to run
to sea. We, however, did not yet give up all hopes of capturing her. A
few days afterwards, indeed, she fell into our hands, but we were not a
little disappointed to find that the rebels had in the meantime removed
the greater portion of her cargo.

Nothing for some days occurred to break the monotony of our existence
except innumerable unsuccessful chases which sorely tried our first
lieutenant's temper, and the capture of a prodigious quantity of fish.
So abundant was the supply that it was the business of the mate of the
dog-watch to see that what were not eaten were thrown overboard every
night, to prevent the people from keeping them too long. At length I
was engaged in an expedition with more serious results than had for some
time occurred.

On the 14th we rounded the end of that narrow neck of land known by the
name of Cape Cod, and which, circling round like an arm with its elbow
bent, forms a wide and extensive bay. We stood along the eastern shore,
eagerly looking into every nook and inlet in which a craft could take
shelter. As we got abreast of Cape Cod Harbour we saw three vessels at
anchor there--a brig, a schooner, and a sloop. Mr Willis reported them
to the captain.

"We'll stand in and overhaul them, then," was the reply, and the ship's
course was altered accordingly.

No sooner were we perceived by the three vessels than they slipped their
cables and made sail in the hopes of escaping. They steered across to
the western shore, either on the chance of finding shelt