a cruise, and
once out of sight of the harbour of Suda, steamed straight for Syra. Now
this port had been the principal delinquent in fitting out and sending
blockade-runners to Crete; so I thought that by going as it were to the
starting-point, I should be somewhat nearer to my quarry than by waiting
for them in Crete. Circumstances favoured me in the most marvellous
manner. As morning broke the day after I left Suda, I was about eight
miles from Syra harbour, steaming slowly, when I saw what made my heart
leap into my mouth, viz., a regular blockade-runner exactly of the type
used in the American war, going at full speed for Syra harbour.

He was _outside_ my little squadron, and must pass within a mile or so
ahead to get to his port.

A somewhat similar position I have so often seen, in fact, taken part
in, of a craft running for dear life into Charleston or Wilmington,
across the bows of blockading ships just at daylight. I saw that he was
firing up all he knew, and was going at a tremendous speed. I signalled
to my despatch boats to chase, and when my flag-ship was within about a
mile and a half I fired a blank gun to make him show his colours. To
this he replied by firing his long Armstrong gun with such effect that
the shot cut away the stanchion of the bridge on which I was standing.
Now, gallant fellow as he was, in doing this he was wrong; he should
have shown his colours and run (if he knew he wasn't honest) for the
shelter of a neutral flag, but not fired at a man-of-war, who in her
duty as forming part of the police of the seas fires a blank gun asking
for colours from a suspicious vessel. He undoubtedly committed an act of
piracy and gave me a splendid hold on him.

My despatch boats chased the blockade-runner close to Syra harbour, both
parties keeping up a warm running fight. When I recalled them, I found
that this vessel was named the 'Enossis.' Her captain was a most
courageous Greek, who thought of nothing but carrying his cargo and
fighting to the last for his ship, evidently ignoring all laws, nor did
he even think that on this occasion someone was acting against him who
knew something of the rules of blockade, and who could have told him
that an armed blockade-runner is a pirate, that is to say, if she uses
her arms against a man-of-war.

I was so satisfied with what had occurred that I sent off one of my
despatch boats to the Governor of Crete, telling him that he need not
fear the blockade-ru