_Disappointment--Out of the track--The Levi Starbuck--Fresh vegetables
--News--The other side of the case--Kindness repaid--The T.B. Wales--A
family--Volunteers--In man-of-war trim_.
The month of October went out as it came in with severe and blustering
weather. The Alabama was still upwards of two hundred miles from New
York, and it seemed as though a change would become necessary in her
plans. Ever since starting upon his adventurous cruise, it had been a
favorite scheme with Captain Semmes to make his appearance off this the
very chief of the enemy's ports, and, if not strong enough actually to
threaten the place itself, at all events to make a few captures within
sight of the capital city of the North. It had been, therefore, a
special disappointment to find himself baffled by a continued succession
of hostile winds and contrary currents; and even the brilliant success
that had thus far attended him in the capture of twenty-one vessels and
the destruction of property to very nearly a million of dollars, seemed
hardly to compensate for the failure of his pet project.
It was fast becoming evident, however, that the scheme for putting in an
appearance off New York must be abandoned, at all events for the
present; and on the 30th October the chief engineer was consulted as to
the amount of coal remaining in the bunkers. The report was unfavorable.
Four days' fuel only was left; and it was clear that even had the vessel
been nearer than she was to her intended cruising ground, this would
have been rather a short supply with which to venture on so dangerous an
experiment. Reluctantly, therefore, the scheme was relinquished, the
fires let down, propeller hoisted up again, and sail made to the
southward and eastward _en route_ for the coal depôt.
The ship was now out of the track of commerce, and for some time
scarcely a vessel was seen. The 2d November, however, brought a prize in
the shape of the ship Levi Starbuck, five days out from New Bedford, on
a whaling voyage of thirty months to the Pacific Ocean. Like all
whalers, she carried a stronger crew than is common with other vessels
of similar tonnage, and twenty-nine prisoners were transferred from her
to the Alabama. Being bound, too, on so long a cruise, she was well
furnished with all necessaries, and the captor was enabled to supply
himself from her with various articles of which, by this time, and after
the rough weather he had experienced, he had begun to stand somewhat
sorely in need.
Not the least highly-prized among the spoils of the Levi Starbuck was a
noble collection of cabbages and turnips, fresh from their native soil!
These were, indeed, invaluable. The Alabama had now been upwards of
seventy days at sea, and during nearly the whole of that period her crew
had subsisted entirely on salted provisions. Happily, as yet, no ill
effects had appeared; but the fresh vegetables came most opportunely to
ward off any danger of that scourge of the sailor's existence, scurvy,
to which a longer confinement to salt diet must inevitably have exposed
them.
Indeed, but for the consciousness of how vitally necessary a change of
diet is to the health of a ship's crew, there would have been something
almost ludicrous in the delight with which the men, who for the last six
months had been almost daily destroying thousands of pounds' worth of
the most valuable property of every description, now hailed the
acquisition of a sack or two of turnips and a few strings of humble
cabbages. But abstinence is a wonderful quickener of apprehension; and
for teaching the true value of the good things of this life, there are
few recipes more effectual than a voyage in the forecastle of a cruising
man-of-war.
Besides the cabbages and turnips, which were so welcome forward, the
Levi Starbuck contributed not a little to the comfort of the after-part
of the vessel by her contribution of newspapers, which passed eagerly
from hand to hand, through wardroom and steerage, affording a pleasant
change from the worn-out topics of discussion that had now grown
threadbare through the wear-and-tear of many a dull day and stormy
night. The Starbuck's papers brought news from Yankeeland as late as the
28th of October, and not the least important item was that which told of
the excitement occasioned among the enemy by the little craft whose
officers were now jesting merrily over the consternation she had raised,
and the measures that were being taken for her destruction.
It was certainly not a little amusing to read in the angry columns of
Yankee newspapers, the magnificently-exaggerated accounts of the
depredations of the dreaded Confederate "pirate." It was difficult
sometimes to recognise the events referred to under the gorgeous
embellishments with which they were invested. Occasionally, too, an
exclamation of disgust would be heard from some officer, more excited or
less philosophic than his comrades, as with his head half-buried in some
broad, ill-printed, vilely-smelling sheet, he would declaim from its
columns, for the edification of the mess, paragraph after paragraph of
abuse of the vessel and her officers, and withering denunciations of the
barbarity with which their unfortunate prisoners were treated while on
board. Among those who thus revealed their true nature by abusing and
vilifying the men, who, though enemies, had endeavoured while they had
them in their power to alleviate in every possible way the inevitable
hardships of captivity, the master of the ship Brilliant obtained for
himself an unenviable pre-eminence, by the grossness of the falsehoods
with which he retaliated upon his captors for their mistaken kindness;
and many a vow was registered in the wardroom and gun-room of the
Alabama, that should this gentleman ever again fall into their hands,
they would be wiser than to waste courtesy on one who could so little
appreciate it.
The Levi Starbuck having been disposed of in the usual manner, sail was
again made upon the Alabama, and on the 5th November, Bermuda, "the
still vexed," was passed, though at too great a distance to sight the
land.
_Saturday, November 8th._--... In the mid-watch a sail was reported--a
schooner, standing south. Wore ship (1.30 A.M.) and gave chase. Soon
after daylight, the chase being some five miles dead to windward of us,
a ship was discerned standing to the northward and westward.
Discontinued the chase of the schooner, and gave chase to the ship. At
10 A.M., the latter having approached to within a mile of us (we having
United States colours flying), hove her to with a gun, and a change of
flags. Sent a boat, and brought the master on board. She, proved to be
the ship T.B. Wales, of Boston, from Calcutta for Boston. There being no
claim of neutral property among the papers, and the master having no
knowledge on the subject, except that the linseed belonged to the owner
of the ship, condemned both ship and cargo. A large portion of this
cargo was consigned to Baring Brothers, Boston, including 1704 bags of
saltpetre--contraband of war--which would have condemned all the
property of the Barings, even if proof of ownership had been found on
board, which was not the case.
We are to be embarrassed with two females and some children, the master
having his wife with him, and there being also a passenger and his wife.
I shall bestow them upon the wardroom, having a couple of state rooms
vacated for them. Poor women! They are suffering for the sins of their
wicked countrymen who are waging this murderous war upon us.
* * * * *
About nightfall another sail was descried from aloft, and a light was
seen after dark; but we did not get hold of the sail. Just at dark,
having taken all the prisoners on board from the prize, and got her
mainyard on board to replace ours, carried away in, the storm of the
16th ultimo, we set fire to her, and filled away on our course. Nine of
the crew of this ship volunteered, and were shipped as part of our own
crew--an acquisition more valuable than the prize herself.
_Sunday, November 9th._--... My _ménage_ has become quite home-like
with the presence of women and the merry voices of children. We have had
a quiet Sabbath-day, there being nothing in sight.
* * * * *
For some time from this date quiet days preponderated. The Alabama was
now in the region of the trade winds, but it was some time before they
were fairly taken. From the 9th November, in Lat. 27.52 N., Long. 58.24
W., to the 15th November, in Lat. 21 N., Long. 57.49 W., the wind
continued light and variable, sometimes even for a few hours blowing
directly from the southward. On the 15th November the N.E. trade
appeared to have fairly set in, and from this time fine weather and
favouring breezes became the order of the day.
* * * * *
_Sunday, November 16th_.--Beautiful clear weather, with a moderate trade
from about east by south. Woollen clothes becoming uncomfortable. At 11
A.M. mustered the crew, and inspected the ship. A quiet Sabbath-day,
with nothing in sight. Our ship begins to look quite like a ship of
war--with her battery in fine order, her decks clean, freshly-painted
outside, masts scraped, &c., &c., and the crew well disciplined. Thus
far I have never seen a better disposed or more orderly crew. They have
come very kindly into the traces.
_Monday, November 17th_.--... Running before the wind, with
studding-sails set on both sides. At 2 P.M. made the island of Dominica,
half a point on the starboard bow.