_Excitement--Taking the bull by the horns--official visits--H.M.S.
Cadmus--Captain Semmes' commission--At sea again--A dull time--Wind and
current hostile--Cayenne--French politeness--False hopes--At
Paramaribo--A hot pursuit--A loyal Yankee--Doubtful security--Not to be
beaten--To sea again--A parting arrow_.
The arrival of the Sumter at Port of Spain appeared to create no small
excitement among the inhabitants, official and non-official, of that
little colony. The Governor at once proceeded to take legal opinion as
to the propriety of permitting the suspicious stranger to coal, and a
long leading article in the colonial paper gave expression to the
editor's serious doubts whether the Sumter were really what she
represented herself to be, a regularly commissioned vessel of war, and
not, after all, a privateer. The legal advisers of the Governor seem to
have reported favourably on Captain Semmes' request, for permission was
given to take on board the requisite supplies, and the Sumter's coaling
proceeded, though not with much rapidity.
The morning of the 2nd August introduced on board a visitor of a new
description. Through the heavy tropical rain which had been pouring
almost incessantly since the arrival of the Sumter, covering the calm
water of the harbour with little dancing jets, and drumming on the
steamer's decks the most unmusical of tattoos, a little dingy was seen
approaching, and in due time brought alongside of the Confederate
man-of-war the master of a Baltimore brig, which, was lying at anchor
some little distance off. The worthy skipper had heard of the terrible
doings of his new neighbour, and in no little anxiety for his own fate
had determined to take the bull by the horns, and inquire on board the
Sumter herself whether he would be permitted to depart without
molestation. Great was the poor, man's delight when he was hailed as a
native of a sister State, and informed that Maryland, though compelled
by superior force to maintain an apparent allegiance to her enemy, was
still considered a friend by her natural allies of the South, and that
strict orders had therefore been given to Set her commerce pass
unharmed. With a lightened heart he returned on board his vessel, and
the Baltimore brig went on her way rejoicing.
The afternoon of the same day brought two more visitors in the persons
of two English officers in mufti; but the international courtesy did not
extend so far as returning the official visit made on Captain Semmes'
behalf by Lieutenant Chapman, and Government-house remained
unrepresented on board the Sumter. "His Excellency," it is to be feared,
had taken offence at the slight passed upon his official position by
Captain Semmes, in not having taken care to recover his health and
strength sufficiently early to be able to make the official visit in
person!
The morning of the 4th August would have seen the Sumter again under way
but for some informality in the paymaster's vouchers, which had to be
rectified; and during the delay thus occasioned, H.M. ship Cadmus
entered the harbour, and the Sumter's departure was postponed with the
object of communicating with her. Accordingly, a lieutenant was sent on
board the new arrival, the visit being promptly returned by an officer
of similar rank from the Cadmus, who, after exchanging the usual
civilities, delivered himself of a polite message from Captain Hillyer,
to the effect, that as the Sumter was the first vessel he had as yet
fallen in with under the flag of the Confederate States, he would be
obliged if Captain Semmes would favor him with a sight of his
commission. To this, of course, the latter had no objection; and the
demands of courtesy having been satisfied by the previous production of
the English lieutenant's commission, that of Captain Semmes was duly
exhibited, and the ceremonial visitor departed.
The next morning brought Captain Hillyer himself on board, and a long
conversation ensued on the war and various kindred topics, the English
Captain leaving behind him a most agreeable impression. The visit over,
steam was once more got up on board the Sumter, and at 1 P.M. she
steamed out through the eastern or Mona Island passage, and running down
the picturesque coast, with its mountain sides uncultivated but covered
with numerous huts, passed at ten o'clock that evening between Trinidad
and Tobago, and entered once more upon the broad North Atlantic.
For some days the time now hung somewhat heavily upon the hands of the
little community. A solitary brigantine only was seen, and she so far to
windward, that with the short supply of coal afforded by the not
overscrupulous merchants of Port of Spain, it was not thought worth
while to incur the expense and delay of a chase. The Sumter was now
terribly in need of an excitement. Not a living thing was in sight, but
the glittering schools of flying fish which ever and anon darted into
view, and skimming rapidly over their surface sank again beneath the
waves, only to be once more driven for a brief refuge to the upper air
by their unseen but relentless enemies below. Drill and exercise were
now the order of the day during the hours of light, and as the sun set
and the tropic night came rushing swiftly up over the yet glowing sky,
chessboards and backgammon-boards were brought out, and discussions,
social, political, and literary, divided the long hours of inaction with
the yarn and the song, and other mild but not ineffectual distractions
of life at sea.
Still it was with feelings of no small satisfaction that "green water"
was again reached, and the Sumter found herself within about ninety
miles of the (Dutch) Guiana coast. Hopes were now entertained of soon
reaching Maranham, but the next day showed them to be fallacious. A
strong northerly current had set in, and, in addition to this drawback,
it was discovered that the defalcations of the Port of Spain coal
merchants were more serious than had been supposed, and there was not
sufficient fuel left for the run. Next day matters were worse rather
than better. The northerly current was running at the extraordinary rate
of sixty miles in the twenty-four hours, a speed equal to that of the
Gulf Stream in its narrowest part. Only three days' fuel remained, and
making allowance for the northerly set, there were fully 550 miles to be
accomplished before Maranham could be reached.
Still the Sumter held patiently on her course in hopes of a change; but
no change came. Wind and current were as hostile as ever, and the
observations of the 11th August giving lat. 2° 38' N., long. 47° 48' W.,
the question of the voyage to Maranham, or even to Para, appeared
definitely settled, and letting his fires go down, Captain Semmes put up
his helm, made all sail, and stood away on a N.W. course, hoping to find
a fresh supply of coal at some of the ports of Guiana under his lee.
The afternoon of that day saw the sky clear, the sea almost calm, and
the little Sumter, rolling along on the long, lazy swell, with all her
starboard studding-sails set, at about three or four knots an hour,
towards Cape Orange, from which point it was intended to make her way
into Cayenne.
Here she arrived on the 15th August, but her hopes were again doomed to
disappointment. On coming to anchor, officers were at once despatched
with the usual complimentary messages to the Governor, and a request to
be informed whether the vessel could be supplied with coal. These
officers, however, were not permitted to land, the reason given being,
that they were without a clean bill of health from their last port. It
was in vain to represent the perfect state of health of the crew, and
the length of time they had been at sea. The official mind was closed
against any argument but that of the _consigne_. Five days' quarantine
were ordered, and five days' quarantine must be undergone, before the
salubrious shores of Cayenne could be exposed to the danger of infection
from the new comers; and as the authorities accompanied this fiat with
the statement, that there was no coal to be had in the place even for
the supply of their own government vessels, our captain determined to
make no further trial upon the discussion, but to seek his supplies
elsewhere.
The afternoon of the next day brought the Sumter to the coast of (Dutch)
Guiana; but there being no pilot to be found, she was compelled to come
to an anchor in about four fathoms of water. Here, as the sun set, the
dark smoke of a steamer was discovered against the glowing sky, and
suspicion was at once aroused that the new comer must be a Yankee
cruiser on the look-out for the Confederate "pirates." The drums beat to
quarters on board of the little Sumter; decks were cleared for action;
ports were triced up, guns run out, and every preparation made to give
the supposed enemy a warm reception. Darkness had closed in as the
suspected vessel approached; the thump, thump, thump of her screw
sounding plainly on the still night air. Silently she approached the
watchful cruiser, steering completely round her anchorage, as though
herself suspicious of the character of her new companion. No hostile
demonstration, however, followed; the night was too dark to distinguish
friend from foe; and the strange sail having come to anchor at some
little distance from the Sumter, and evincing no disposition to assume
the offensive, the guns were run in again, and the men were at length
dismissed to the hammocks.
Early next morning steam was again got up on board the Confederate
cruiser, which ran down under French colours for a closer examination of
the stranger, who was lying quietly at anchor about two miles in-shore
of her. As the Sumter approached she also mounted the tricolor, at the
sight of which the pretended nationality of the cruiser was laid aside,
and the stars and bars flew out gaily from her mizen-peak. The Frenchman
appeared much pleased at having thus fallen in with the celebrated
Sumter; and being, like her, bound into Paramaribo, and of considerably
lighter draught, invited her to follow him into the river, where a pilot
might be obtained.
Arrived in Paramaribo the Sumter received tidings of the United States
steamer Keystone State, which had been "in pursuit" of her for some
time. This vessel was not very much larger than the Sumter, and their
crews and armaments were very nearly equal, so there were great hopes on
board the Confederate of a brush with the enemy on something like equal
terms. These hopes, however, like so many others, were doomed to
disappointment. By some fatality the Keystone State could never manage
to come up with her quarry. While the latter had been coaling at
Trinidad, she was performing a similar operation at Barbados, arriving
thence at Trinidad after the Sumter had sailed. From this port she again
started "in pursuit," but her chances of overtaking her enemy may
perhaps have been somewhat affected by the fact, that on learning that
the Sumter had started eastward, she at once followed upon a westerly
track, which, doubtless to the great grief of her commander and crew,
somehow failed to bring her alongside of the vessel of which she was in
search.[2]
[Footnote 2: The writer of the Notes in the _Index_ remarks on this
curious proceeding:--"Rather a strange idea we thought. It put us in
mind of a sportsman in California who was very anxious to kill a grisly
bear. At length he found the trail, and after following it for some
hours gave it up and returned to camp. On being questioned why he did
not follow in pursuit, he quietly replied that the trail was getting
_too fresh_. It must have been so with the Keystone State--the trail was
getting too fresh."]
But if the United States war vessels were somewhat eccentric in their
notion of a hot pursuit, it must be admitted that the United States
consuls and other agents on shore were by no means equally scrupulous.
Every possible expedient to prevent the Sumter from obtaining the
necessary supplies of coal was tried by the consul at Paramaribo, but
with less success than his strenuous exertions deserved. His first idea
was to buy up all the coal in the port, and a handsome price was
offered--in bonds on the United States government--for that purpose. But
with singular blindness to their own interests the merchants of
Paramaribo declined to put their trust in these bonds, and the ready
money not being forthcoming the hopeful scheme was compelled to be
abandoned. Undismayed by this first failure, the gallant Yankee next
sought to charter all the lighters by which the coal could be conveyed
on board, and here he was very nearly successful. One or two of the
owners however declined to be bought up, and in the lighters supplied
by them the process of coaling commenced. Still the persevering consul
was not to be beaten. Failing the owners of the contumacious barges,
their crews were yet accessible to the gentle influences at his command,
and some forty tons of coal found their way to the bottom of the
harbour, instead of to the Sumter's bunkers for which they had been
destined.
At length, however, in spite of both active Yankee and dilatory
Dutchmen, the operation was completed, and the little Sumter once more
ready for sea. Even now, however, she was not to get away without a
parting arrow from her indefatigable enemy. On the morning of her
proposed departure the captain's negro servant went on shore as usual
for the day's marketing, when he was waylaid by the worthy Yankee and
persuaded indefinitely to postpone his return. Poor fellow! if his fate
was anything like that of thousands of others "set free" by their
so-called friends of the North, he must have long ere this most bitterly
repented his desertion.
There was no time, however, to spare for searching after the runaway, so
after a brief conference with the authorities, who were apparently not
over anxious for his arrest, the Sumter got up steam and once more
proceeded in the direction of Maranham.