ooner was in ballast, and
skimmed over the seas like a Mother Carey's chicken; ranged up on our
weather quarter and hailed us. It proved to be the Young Pilot, Captain
Moncrieff, bound to Savannah. The mate, whose name was Campbell, was
known to Captain Thompson. They had been boarders in the same house.
After an interchange of salutations and hearty wishes for a pleasant
voyage, the little schooner rapidly drew ahead and passed on her way.
There was nothing remarkable in this incident. I little thought at
the time that this egg-shell of a vessel was destined to exercise an
important influence on the future events of my life.

On the morning of the Fourth of July we were off the Chesapeake Bay,
some twelve or fifteen miles from Cape Henry. Captain Thompson was a
sterling patriot. He dearly loved his country, and gladly caught at
every chance to display the broad flag of the Union. Accordingly, on
this memorable day the gorgeous ensign was hoisted at the peak, the
American jack waved at the fore-topmast head, and a long pennant fell in
wavy folds from the main truck.

"If I had a big gun," exclaimed the worthy skipper, in a paroxysm
of patriotism "a thirty-two-pound carronade, I would fire a genuine
republican salute, and make such a thundering noise, not only in the air
above but in the depths below, as to wake up the lazy inhabitants of
the deep, and make them peep out of their caves to ask the cause of
the terrible rumpus over their heads." At this very moment a
suspicious-looking, double-headed cloud was slowly rising in the west,
and ere long spread over a large space in the heavens. As it rolled
onward, flashes of lightning were seen and a distant rumbling was heard
a thunder squall was at hand. The lightning became more vivid, and the
thunder more frequent and deafening. Every sail was lowered to the deck,
the helm was put hard a-port, and the gust came upon us with terrible
fury. The rain fell in torrents, the lightning kept the atmosphere in
a constant state of illumination, and the peals of thunder were truly
appalling! A grander salute, or a more brilliant and effective display
of fireworks on the Fourth of July, could hardly have been wished by
the most enthusiastic patriot. Even Captain Thompson's longings for "a
thundering noise" were more than realized. He stood firmly on the break
of the quarter-deck, surrounded by most of the crew, who seemed
to gather near him for protection, astonished and terrified a