the entrance of the river, and how it was she was not sunk I cannot
tell. As she came on we could see N----, her commander, a well-known
successful blockade-runner, standing on her paddle-box with his hat off,
as if paying proper respect to the men-of-war. And now the fort opened
fire at the chasing cruisers, from whom the blockade-runner was
crawling, being by this time well inshore. One vessel was evidently
struck, as she dropped out of range very suddenly. On came the 'Old
J----,' one of the fastest boats in the trade, and anchored all right;
two or three shots in her hull, but no hurt. Didn't we cheer her! the
reason of her being in the position in which we saw her at daylight was
that she had run the time rather short, and daylight broke before she
could get into the river; so that, instead of being there, she was in
the very centre of the blockading fleet. Many men would have given in,
but old N---- was made of different stuff.

We got well clear of the cruisers before daybreak, and keeping far out
to sea, were unmolested during the run to Nassau, where we arrived
safely with our second cargo of cotton, having this time been eighteen
days making the round trip.

Having made two round trips, we could afford to take it easy for a
short time, and as the dark nights would not come on for three weeks, we
gave the little craft a thorough refit, hauling her up on a patent slip
that an adventurous American had laid down especially for
blockade-runners, and for the use of which we had to pay a price which
would have astonished some of our large ship-owners. I may mention that
blockade-runners always lived well; may be acting on the principle that
'good people are scarce'; so we kept a famous table and drank the best
of wine. An English man-of-war was lying in the harbour, whose officers
frequently condescended to visit us, and whose mouths watered at what
they saw and heard of the profits and pleasures of blockade-running.
Indeed, putting on one side the sordid motives which I dare say to a
certain extent actuated us, there was a thrilling and glorious
excitement about the work, which would have well suited some of these
gay young fellows.

Time again came round too soon, and we had to start on another trip, and
to tear ourselves away from all sorts of amusements, some of us from
domestic ties: for there were instances of anxious wives who, having
followed their husbands to the West Indies, vastly enjoyed all the
novel