hird day
of our cruise, that, being again off the northern extremity of
Martinique, and heading to the southward, the lookout aloft reported the
upper canvas of what looked like a large ship standing out close-hauled
between that island and Dominica. I immediately got the ship's
telescope and went aloft with it, being just in good time to catch a
glimpse of the royals and heads of the topgallant sails of a ship
steering a course that would carry her some six miles to the northward
of us. Having made as sure as I could of her bearing, distance, and
course, I descended to the deck, and gave orders to wear ship, after
executing which manoeuvre we hauled down all our canvas and lay in wait
for the approaching craft, the schooner, although under bare poles,
head-reaching at the rate of about two miles per hour. I estimated that
the distance of the stranger from us was then some twenty-five miles,
and if she was making a speed of eight knots--which was a fairly liberal
allowance--it would afford us ample time to drift fairly athwart her
hawse; and this I hoped to do undiscovered, as I believed that, from the
cut of her canvas, she was a merchantman belonging to one or another of
our enemies, and I was most anxious that she should not take fright and
bear up for either of the islands, involving us in a long stern-chase,
with possibly a cutting-out job at the end of it if she should succeed
in reaching the refuge of a harbour.

The evening was fine, with a moderate breeze from about east-north-east,
and not very much sea running. The swell, however, was high enough to
hide us for at least half the time, and although the stars soon beamed
forth brilliantly, while a thin silver sickle of moon hung high aloft,
the conditions generally seemed fairly promising for success. Of course
I gave the most stringent orders that no lights whatever should be
permitted to show aboard the schooner, and I was careful to remain on
deck myself to see that these orders were rigorously observed. The
canvas of the stranger seemed to grow upon the horizon very slowly, and
the time of waiting for her approach appeared long; but at length, by
four bells in the first watch, she had drawn up to within about three
miles of us, and I gave the word to see all clear for sheeting home and
hoisting away at a moment's notice; for the time had now arrived when,
if anything like a proper lookout was being kept on board her, we might
be discovered at any inst