The writer begins his narrative--The schooner boarded by the
_Alabama_--Arrival at Belize, Honduras--American vessels changing
their flag--Effects of the new American currency on the West Indian
market--No market for cargo--Sails for the coast of Mexico--Finds
there a large fleet of shipping--Reasons for the presence of the same.
On imagining myself called upon to give a true and unimbellished
account of my experience on the subject asked for in the conclusion
of the preceding chapter, I feel that I might say, like the needy
knife-grinder, "Story, God bless you, I have none to tell, sir." The
rough, but honest outcast, seeing that he could not with truth relate
a thrilling story of wrongs and oppressions such as the imaginative
soul of the friend of humanity was longing to hear, honestly
confessed that he had no story to tell except the truth, and as this
was far from affording to his pseudo friend the gratification he
desired, he no longer sympathized with, but reviled the outcast.
I have no story to relate of desperate daring, deeds of blood, and
miraculous escapes; but I am obliged to give in a very plain fashion
simply an accurate account of my trading and adventures in a small
way in the Mexican Gulf during the American Civil War.
It was in the position of owner on board the schooner above referred
to that I found myself after about ten years' residence in the
Southern States, the last three years of which had been marked with
considerable excitement and adventure.
The cause in which I had unwittingly, and somewhat unwillingly, got
mixed up was now, I could see, hopeless, and the complete subjugation
of the Southern States was only a question of time, and any prospects
of continuing my business in those States as before the war I
considered now impossible. To obtain any kind of civil employment
was at this time out of the question. I had, therefore, invested in
a small vessel, and after many seizures and detentions, had at last,
by running from under the forts during the night, succeeded in
getting away from the distracted country.
The tiny vessel and part of the cargo was my own, or to me consigned;
the rest of the cargo was freight to be landed at the port of Belize,
Honduras. The fulfilling of this part was what I had now in the
first place to do, but what I should afterwards do was occupying my
thoughts.
To sell the vessel and cargo was my first thought and desire, and
then make an effort to follow my profession as an engineer in the
West Indies or Mexico; this, however, I might not be able to effect,
and my stirring and adventurous life during the last three years had
somewhat unsettled me, and made the quiet routine of ordinary life
less congenial to me.
To seafaring I was no stranger; I had served as a seaman, and while
in the West Indies and other places had acquired considerable
knowledge of the management of small vessels; I had also a fair
nautical education, and considered myself a tolerable good navigator.
As I might however have had some difficulty in getting a crew and
obtaining a clearance, I had retained in command of the vessel for a
short time the captain who was in command of her when I purchased
her, with the understanding that I might shortly sell her or take
command of her myself..
There was little of interest in the voyage from New Orleans to
Belize, and I set myself to observe strictly the sea-going and
weatherly qualities of the vessel, learn thoroughly the management of
her, and study the winds and currents of these seas.
The winds continued steady, but light, veering from S.S.E. to S.,
which kept us tacking until we readied the latitude of 23° N., when,
the wind hauling more to the eastward, the vessel lay her course
through the Yucatan Channel. Here we were met by the full force of
the Gulf Stream flowing from the Caribbean Sea into the Gulf of
Mexico, and so strong was the current, owing to the long prevalence
of southerly winds, that although the log showed the vessel to be
making seven or eight knots, the actual distance run as shown by
observation did not exceed four knots.
So little frequented were those seas at that time that, although we
had been nine days in tacking across the Gulf and passing through the
Yucatan Channel, we had not seen a single sail.
We had now passed into the Caribbean Sea, when, one morning about
daylight, during a dead calm, a large steamer was seen to the
eastward. She was steering to the westward, and towards us. She
seemed to have come from the locality of Jamaica, and was steering as
if she intended to pass through the Yucatan Channel into the Gulf of
Mexico. She looked like a ship of war, and I thought it might be a
British cruiser, probably the _Rinaldo_; but old Jimmy, one of the
seamen, declared it to be the Confederate steamer _Alabama_.
The stranger vessel was soon much nearer, but, as there was a slight
haze, we could not yet make her out very well, and there was
considerable conjecture as to what she was. At last, however, we
made out the Confederate flag, and we showed our British ensign.
She still continued to steer straight for us. I did not altogether
like this, for although I was satisfied that our provisional register
would protect us, I still thought she must have some important object
in bearing down upon such a small vessel, and thus making her
presence known in those waters. I feared that she was going to put
on board of us the crew of some unfortunate American vessel which she
had destroyed.
She came up, stopped, and hailed us. On learning that we were from
New Orleans nine days out, they asked if we had any newspapers, and
could give them one. We replied we could.
They then lowered a boat, which came alongside of us, with an officer
in the stern sheets.
Our captain gave orders to haul the jib to windward; but that was a
mere form, as there was not a breath of wind. They said, never mind,
as they would not detain us a minute--which was also a mere form, for
the same reason as we were not moving--but if we could give them any
newspapers they would be much obliged.
We threw them a line, and asked them to come on board. The officer
came. He said he would not ask to see our papers, but he supposed we
were a "Whitewashed,"[1] and asked the former name of the vessel. On
being told it, he said he recognized the vessel, having seen her
often at Mobile before the war.
I said she was under a provisional register, and was going to Belize
to get a permanent register and official number.
He laughed, and said the official numbers on the British list had
been getting much higher of late.
"Yes," cried our captain, "and thanks to the _Alabama_ for that! and
I suppose that is the name of your vessel?"
He nodded assent, but said, good-humouredly, that we were not to be
too inquisitive on that point.
To which our captain rejoined: "But it has thrown many a poor fellow
out of employment."
"Oh no!" replied he; "you get them to command under the British flag
all the same."
He asked a good deal about New Orleans, the feeling there under
Banks, and remarked that he thought it was a great pity that they had
recalled Butler from New Orleans, as his actions there were doing a
great deal of good to the Confederate cause. He referred with
pleasure to the great defeat which General Lee had inflicted upon
Hooker at Chancellorsville, which was about the last news they had
heard, but expressed great sorrow for the death of Stonewall Jackson.
The greater part of the newspapers and periodicals which we had
brought from New Orleans, of which we had a large number, had been
gathered together, and were handed to him, which he declared to be a
treasure, and would be more highly prized by them than our whole
vessel and cargo would have been had she been a United States vessel,
and captured by them.
He then said he supposed that, being such a short time out, we would
not be short of provisions? He said his reasons for asking this
were, that capturing so many American vessels as they did, which were
often loaded with provisions, and as they had no port to take them
into, they had to destroy them, taking out of them first whatever
they could use or stow away to advantage, so that they were generally
overstocked with provisions, and often helped neutral vessels when
they were in need. Although for this they seemed to get very little
credit, and he spoke somewhat reproachfully about the bad name which
they considered had been unjustly attached to them.
Having bundled up the newspapers, he stepped into his boat.
They then wished us good-bye, and good luck to the _Rob Roy_ under
her new flag, and rowed back to the steamer, which steamed away to
the northward, and was soon out of sight; and a good breeze soon
after springing up, the Rob Roy was bounding away to the southward
towards her destination.
I afterwards learned that the object of the _Alabama_ in going into
the Mexican Gulf at this time was to meet a ship with a supply of
coal, the rendezvous being the Alacran Reefs.
About two days afterwards the vessel arrived at Belize, Honduras.
I may here say that I afterwards learned from the master of a vessel
that sailed from New Orleans a few days after us, that the reason
that we had been stopped at the forts came about in this way: just as
the vessel was leaving New Orleans, the harbour patrol came on board,
who was an Irishman, who seemed to possess more pride of his own
importance than common intelligence or knowledge of his duty,
trifling as that was.
He, in a somewhat imperative tone, said he should stop the vessel
from proceeding, because she had not the name of a hailing port on
her stern. His only authority was his instructions to report at the
custom house all vessels which sailed from the port, giving the name
of the vessel and hailing port in full. The _Rob Roy_ being under a
provisional register, of course had no hailing port; but the tyranny
of ignorant officials was at that time almost incredible; it was no
use to remonstrate, officials then had it all their own way. A bribe
was what was wanted; but the captain, who was greatly enraged,
defeated his object by lowering a boat and ordering the carpenter to
take a paint-brush, and write after the vessel's name the words, "Of
Belize, Honduras," the first three letters of the latter name being
sufficient.
This completely disarmed the official; he had no power to make
further inquiry.
The carpenter, however, being no great artist, the lettering was
somewhat clumsy, and read something like "Balizehon," as already
mentioned.
This the official mistook for Babylon, having probably never heard of
Belize, but probably of Babylon, as some sinful town in the "ould
counthrie," where shipmasters made rich; he accordingly reported at
the custom house as having sailed down the river the "_Rob Roy_, of
Babylon."
The more intelligent officials at the custom house, however,
suspecting that there must be some devilry under this, at once
telegraphed to the forts to stop the vessel until further inquiry,
which was evaded by our slipping away from under the forts during the
night.
Belize was a place of no great pretensions--a small settlement for
the shipment of mahogany; this and dye-woods being the chief exports.
There was no wharf or quay of any size, and the vessels lay in a sort
of bay, which was land-locked by a number of small islands or clumps
of mangroves. The mahogany was floated down rivers and brought
coast-ways to the place, and taken alongside of the vessels in small
rafts.
In the small town there was some good stores, and some pretty, neat
residences, where dwelt the merchants and principal men of the place.
Among the poorer or working class, if they may be so called, were a
good many of the mixed breed, composed of White, Indian, and Negro
blood, and of various complexions; but the greater proportion were of
the old, half-spoiled, emancipated negro.
The place seemed to be thoroughly British, and the population seemed
to get on very well in their own quiet way; and, although the town
was in a rather low situation, with mangroves in front and thick
forests to the back, it appeared to be tolerably healthy.
We discharged what freight we had for the place, which consisted
principally of shingles; but I found that there was no market for the
remainder of the cargo, the market being already glutted with
American goods.
The great depreciation of American currency and the high standard of
gold and silver in the United States, had been the cause of immense
shipments of goods being made from the United States to the West
Indies and other places, where specie could be obtained in payment.
As there was considerable risk and danger from Confederate privateers
on the seas at that time, a great many American shipowners deemed it
expedient to put their vessels under a foreign flag, generally the
British flag.
To effect this the usual way was to procure a British subject to
assume the ownership, or stand godfather, as it was called, and a
bill of sale was made out transferring the vessel to him, and if the
transfer was made within the United States, the British Consul
granted a provisional register to take the vessel to a British port.
The British subject, or godfather, granted back to the real American
owner letters or power of attorney to do what he pleased with the
vessel, so that it often happened that some British subject--often a
clerk or lad in a shipping-office--was nominal owner of several
vessels.
As no vessel can be under the United States flag unless she has been
built in the United States (or condemned in a United States prize
court), and any vessel once transferred from the United States flag
to a foreign flag can never be re-transferred, or again become an
American vessel, and a provisional register holds good for only six
months, it was necessary to send the vessel at once to a British
port, to be entered upon the British shipping-list, and obtain a
permanent register and official number.
The vessel was generally loaded with American goods, and despatched
to some British port, where the goods were sold cheap for specie, and
the vessel put under a permanent register, and that port then became
the hailing port of the vessel. This was the cause of the West India
market being at that time glutted with American goods.
There were several vessels lying at Belize which had recently changed
their flags, and having obtained permanent register had discharged
part of their cargoes, and were going to look for a market for the
remainder.
From conversations with the captains of those vessels, I learned that
a great number of American vessels had recently changed their flag
and had been entered on the British shipping-list, the result being
to add considerably to the number of British ships, and to reduce in
proportion the number of American ships. I now understood the
meaning of the remark made by the officer of the _Alabama_ in regard
to the official numbers in the British shipping-list getting higher.
The vessel was surveyed, the permanent register made out, the
official number and tonnage marked on the main beam, and the _Rob
Roy_ was entered on the shipping-list as a British vessel.
A small quantity of light freight was obtained for Matamoras, and one
passenger; and the vessel was cleared for that port, the two
passengers from New Orleans continuing on board.
There was now a considerable change in the trim of the vessel.
The weight of the freight which we had discharged at Belize was but
little compensated for by the freight which we had taken on board,
and the vessel now drew less than four feet of water with the centre
board up. This was very convenient, as it enabled us to get a short
and easy passage out to sea through the shallow waters among the
mangrove islets.
When we got out to sea the weather we met with was what is generally
termed "fresh trades," that is, trade-winds blowing very strong, and
a pretty high sea. The wind was about due east, and as we lay our
course it took us about a point forward of the beam. This allowed
the vessel a good "full," and she bounded over the waves at a rapid
rate, and so lightly did she rise to the seas that she scarcely wet
her decks.
I was very highly pleased with her sailing qualities, and, going up
to old Frank, the carpenter, said, "Well, what do you think of her
now, Frank?"
Frank shook his head, and replied, "A little bit off her masts, Mr.
W., a little bit off her masts."
"Do you still think so? She don't roll even in this heavy sea; and
see how quick she rises to the seas without taking a drop of water on
board."
"She don't roll," said he, "because there is a good breeze to keep
her steady, and she rises quick to the seas because she is light; but
she is not the better of that, she rises too quick, and that strains
her rigging, for it throws the whole weight of it back with a jerk;
if she was deeper she would not rise so fast; she might take some
water over her bows, but it would be much easier on her rigging."
"But shortening the masts," said I, "would not affect that."
"It would not affect her rising quick to the seas, but it would
greatly ease the strain on her fore- and aft-stays. She parted her
fore-stay last voyage, and that was the way the captain got that
strong new fore-stay put on her before we left New Orleans."
It was just then four bells, and Frank had to go to take his turn at
the wheel; and away he went, continuing to say as he went--"A little
bit off her masts, Mr. W., a little bit off her masts."
The man who Frank relieved at the wheel was old Jimmy the Scotchman,
who, having walked forward as far as the mainmast, and took off his
sou'-wester, which, though perfectly dry, he by sheer force of habit
gave a couple of switches downward to throw off the water.
"What do you think of that, Jimmy?" said I, about shortening her mast.
"Weel, it wad ease her a heap," said Jimmy. "When she is light this
way the water has unco' little grip a' her, and when she meets a big
sea she flees up on it like a dog louping a dyke, and when her bow
jumps up so quick it sends the whole weight of rigging back wae a
seg, and wae the rake of thae tall masts it's gae and sair on the
fore- and aft-stays."
It was not long until we had proof that they were right, for just as
we were to windward of the Island of Cozomel the fore-stay parted
with a loud crack, and the vessel came up with the jibs fluttering in
the wind. The main-boom came down with a sudden jerk, and the masts
quivered as if they would have gone overboard.
Halliards were quickly let go and every sail taken in. The old
fore-stay, which fortunately we had on board, was got up from the
hold and bent to the fore-mast-head and the other end taken to the
windlass and hove up taught, to act as a fore-stay _pro tem._, and
the vessel hove-to under a single-reefed fore-sail.
Darkness having set in, the men worked with lanterns, as there was
not much time to lose, the Island of Cozomel being close under our
lee.
Fortunately the stay which had parted was a new rope, and had
sufficient spare length to allow a long splice being made; this was
done, and the stay again set up, and in a few hours we made sail
again.
I mention this incident merely to show the peculiarities of the
motion of a flat, light-draught vessel of this kind on a wind in a
heavy sea.
I now saw plainly the truth of what the old seaman had said, and
that, unlike a sharp, deep vessel, she did not plough through the
waves, but bounded over them. This gave her a quick, pitching
motion, which with such tall masts threw a very heavy strain upon her
fore- and aft-stays, and that it was necessary for sea-going purposes
to have her masts shortened. And I may here say that when this was
done some time afterwards it greatly improved her sea-going qualities.
The wind continued fresh and steady, and we soon doubled Cape
Catouche, after which we had the wind free on our quarter, and having
now the Gulf stream in our favour we crossed the Yucatan banks at a
rapid rate, and in less than six days from the time we left Belize we
arrived off the mouth of the Rio Grande, on which river is situated
the Mexican town of Matamoras.
There was nothing to indicate the existence of any port or city--a
bare and barren coast, which stretched about north and south, off
which, at a distance of about four miles, in the open sea lay at
anchor a fleet of nearly one hundred steamers and sailing-vessels, of
various sizes and descriptions, in different stages of discharging
and loading.
The place was about 26° north latitude, and being about the edge of
the trade winds; these were rather unsteady, veering from north-east
to south-east, but, coming with one unbroken sweep of over one
thousand miles across the Gulf of Mexico, brought a heavy sea from
east to west, which fell with full force upon the exposed and
unbroken coast. While the Gulf stream, flowing directly along the
coast from south to north, crossed the wind and seas, and kept the
vessels in a most uncomfortable position.
Most of the vessels had storm try-sails set, to keep their heads to
the seas. This helped them so long as the wind held steady, but when
that lulled or veered the current brought them into the trough of the
sea, and many of them, having discharged their cargoes and waiting
for freight, were so light that they rolled and tumbled so that their
keels could almost be seen, and the heavy coating of grass and
barnacles on their bottoms testified that they must have rode long at
anchor.
As we threaded our way through this tumbling mass of shipping, our
captain and several of the crew, who had been here with the vessel in
the previous winter, recognized many of the vessels which they had
seen at that time, waiting for freight, still in the same place, with
apparently little difference in their stage of loading. Yet not one
of these vessels had a single spar sent down to ease her at her
anchors; they had to be in constant readiness to proceed to sea at a
moment's notice, the great danger being the frequent northers which
swept those seas with more or less violence throughout a large
portion of the year.
These northerly gales meeting the current of the Gulf stream raised a
tremendous sea, which made it impossible for a vessel to ride at her
anchors, so that on the slightest indication of a norther the vessels
raised their anchors or slipped their cables and stood out to sea;
many of them being so light were often driven far to the southward,
and it took them many days, and sometimes weeks, to get back to their
anchorage.
On looking upon this fleet of what might be truly called ships
leading an unhappy life, one could not help casting a thought as to
what was the great attraction to the place; and, having got through
the fleet, we cast our eyes towards the shore, about three miles
distant, to discover the source of wealth supposed there to exist, or
where the freight was to come from which was to load up so many
vessels.
Between us and the shore there was an extensive shoal or sand-bar,
over which the seas broke with great violence, and through which
there was no visible passage even for our light-draught vessel.
Here we came to anchor to wait for a pilot to take us in over the bar.
We now surveyed the coast and supposed landing-place with our
glasses; but we could discover not the least appearance of any houses
or landing-place--only a coast and country as barren and dismal as it
would be possible to conceive.
To the northward, near the coast, there were some sand hills, but in
front and to the southward along the coast was a low stretch of sand
wastes, and for miles up the country as far as the eye could reach
there seemed to exist nothing but sand plains and some scrub
brushwood.
Just about the termination of the sand hills, and between them and
the sand plains, about half a mile inland, could be seen the masts of
several small vessels, seemingly schooners, something of the same
size and description as our own vessel, indicating that a river came
down and entered the sea there, and near to them were some things
like tents, and one or two small wooden shanties, and a great number
of things that looked like black hillocks, but which were in reality
piles of goods covered with tarpaulins.
The cause which attracted so many vessels to this place, and sent a
boom of trade to Matamoras, at this time requires a little
explanation.
The Federal forces had now crossed swords with the Confederates in
the field sufficiently to know that they were not a power to be
easily subdued by force of arms, and they saw the necessity of
assailing their more vulnerable points, which was by blockading more
closely their ports, cutting off their supplies, and crippling their
resources.
The blockade, which at first had been rather inefficient, had now
been greatly augmented, and every port in the Confederate States was
strongly blockaded, and though some vessels did succeed in entering,
the risk was very great; still as the Confederates found their
resources to be giving out, the more indefatigable they became in
their exertions and inventions.
A good deal of business had to be done by the Confederate Government
through their agents abroad in regard to cotton bonds and other
matters of importance, and a considerable amount of correspondence
was necessary, for which there was no safe or convenient means of
transmission.
The uncertainty and danger of it falling into the hands of the enemy
precluded it being sent by blockade-running vessels.
The only outlet was through Mexico, a neutral nation, but almost
entirely devoid of resources, having no regular inland postal
conveyance, no safe or convenient seaports or harbours, and that part
of it which lay nearest to the Confederate States was very thinly
settled, and, with the exception of Matamoras on the Rio Grande,
having neither towns, markets, nor roads.
The "Rio Grande," or "Rio Bravo," as it is sometimes called, is an
exceedingly tortuous river about eighty yards in width, and
varying--according to the seasons--from seven to nine feet in depth
for about one hundred miles up from its mouth. On the right or
Mexican side of the river is situated the town of Matamoras, about
thirty miles from the sea, although to follow the windings of the
river the distance would be about double that number of miles.
On the left bank or Texas side of the river, and immediately opposite
Matamoras, is the town of Brownsville.
Between the Mexican town of Matamoras and the American town of
Brownsville there was a ferry, and by this ferry was the only
communication between the Confederate States and the rest of the
world which was not blockaded.
The Rio Grande being a neutral river could not be blockaded; but,
supposing it to have been practicable to have shipped goods in small
vessels up the river direct to Brownsville, or shipped cotton direct
from that place, any vessel bound to, or cleared from, that port
would have been liable to capture on the open sea. Brownsville being
declared a blockaded port by sea, though not against Mexico, it was
therefore necessary to have all goods and correspondence passed
through a neutral port. The amount of goods that were thus passed
through Mexico, and the fearful labour and cost of such means of
transmission, will give some idea of the importance of the blockade.
As regards correspondence, the nearest port from which correspondence
could be sent by a mail route was Tampico, in Mexico; at this place
the British mail steamer called once a month, and the Spanish mail
steamer called once a month, thus making fortnightly mails from that
place.
The distance from Richmond--the Confederate capital--to Brownsville
was about 1,500 miles, and from Brownsville to Tampico about 270
miles. Very little of this distance was covered by railway or water
conveyance, and over several hundred miles of it there were no roads
at all.
But it was in the transmission of goods that the greatest amount of
labour and expense was incurred.
On the whole of the eastern coast of Mexico there was not a single
port or harbour, with the exception of Laguna in Yucatan, which would
admit a vessel drawing over eight feet of water, and very few that
would admit vessels drawing more than six feet. All vessels
exceeding that draught had to ride at anchor in the open sea, and
discharge and embark their cargoes by means of small vessels or
lighters, which carried it over the dangerous bars when the weather
would permit.
The port, or place of landing and embarking for Matamoras was in the
river Rio Grande, near the mouth; but it was only small vessels
drawing four and a half feet of water which could enter that river,
on account of the shoal I have mentioned above.
The danger of loss or damage to the goods in crossing the bar in
lighters was very great, and entailed a high rate of insurance.
Besides the port charges the Mexican Government levied a duty of 12½
per cent. _ad valorem_ upon all goods imported, which must be paid
before the goods were landed, and the latter even then lay on the
open sand of the river bank, without any protection.
They had then to be carted over bad roads a distance of thirty miles
to Matamoras, in order to be ferried to Brownsville. Here again the
Mexican Government levied a duty of 12½ per cent. on all goods
exported before the goods were allowed to cross the ferry. After
paying a high rate for ferriage the goods were landed at Brownsville,
and were within the Confederate States. They were still however over
three hundred miles from any population, town, or market, the nearest
towns of any note being Austin and Houston. Over this distance there
was no formed road, and the goods were conveyed in ox teams across
the plains, the time occupied being generally from six weeks to two
months.
The exports in return for these goods, and also for implementing the
obligation on cotton bonds, was cotton, which had to be conveyed out
by the same route, pass through Mexico, pay to Mexico import and
export duties, and undergo the danger of getting it out over the bar
to the ships.
Notwithstanding all this labour and expense, the demand for goods in
the Confederate States, and the still greater demand for cotton
outside, was so great that the quantity of goods imported and cotton
exported by this route was incredible. The heavy charges were never
considered where money would forward the object.
The chief difficulty was in conveying the goods and the cotton across
the plains between Brownsville and Houston, especially during the
long droughts, which burnt up the grass and dried up the water on the
plains, so that there was neither food nor water for the beasts, and
they died in hundreds, and, I suppose, the track of the route across
the plains might be traced by their bones to this day.
The cotton famine had produced a cotton mania, and the very name of
cotton sounded like magic in the ears of speculators, and caused a
general rush to be made in any direction where it was supposed to be
obtainable.
Such was the cause of so many vessels being attracted to the mouth of
the Rio Grande at this time.
It had been represented to me that very high inducements were held
out for a light-draught sea-going vessel like the _Rob Roy_, which
could cross the bar and proceed up the river direct to Matamoras,
land her cargo, take in a cargo of cotton, and proceed direct to
Havana, where there was a good market for cotton; and, as this would
be a neutral vessel, trading between two neutral ports, she would be
free from all risk of capture from either side.
It was with this object in view that I had come to the Rio Grande,
but it was not long until I discovered that the prospects of an
advantageous trade in that direction were entirely visionary.
[1] A name at that time applied to vessels which had changed their
nationality from the American flag to that of some other nation.