_The Alabamans lucky day--A trial of speed--Brought to--The Ariel--Buying
an elephant--Prisoners of war--Prize-money--Still on the look-out
--Broken down--A dilemma--Yellow fever--Release of the Ariel
--Under repair_.
Sunday again! The Alabama's lucky day; and this time, at
least, destined to be especially marked with white chalk in the
annals of the ship. The morning passed calmly enough; the ship
in her quiet Sabbath trim; and nothing giving token of what was
about to follow, save here and there a group anxiously scanning
the horizon, or eagerly discussing the chances of a rich capture
before nightfall.
The forenoon wore slowly away, and five bells had just sounded,
when the cry of "Sail, ho!" from the masthead put every one on
the _qui vive, _the excitement growing rapidly more and more intense
as bit by bit the description of the stranger became more
accurate and minute. She is a steamer--and a large one! That
sounded well, and the hopes of the sanguine rose higher and
higher. Brigantine rigged--and a side-wheel steamer!--so far so
good. This answers exactly to the description of the Californian
steamers. A few minutes will decide it now; the Alabama's
canvas has some time since been snugly furled, the fires spread and
well supplied with fresh fuel, the propeller lowered, and the ship's
head turned in a direction to intercept the approaching vessel.
Rapidly the chase looms larger and larger, as the two swift steamers
approach each other at almost top speed. And now the huge
walking-beam can be plainly distinguished, see-sawing up and
down between the lofty paddle-boxes, and the decks appear crowded
with hundreds of passengers, conspicuous among whom are to
be seen the gay dresses of numerous ladies; and--yes, surely that
is the glimmer of bayonets, and that military-looking array drawn
up on the hurricane-deck is a strong detachment of United States
marines!
Swiftly, and in grim silence, the Alabama approached her huge
but defenceless prey. From her open ports grinned the black
muzzles of her six 32 pounders, each with its crew standing round,
eager for the word. High above them towered the huge, black
pivot-gun, while from the mizzen-peak floated the delusive Stars
and Stripes, the sight of which was to tempt the stranger into a
confession of his own nationality.
The _ruse_ was, as usual, successful, and as the two vessels crossed,
the Alabama passing a short distance astern of the stranger, the
latter also hoisted United States colours, and expectation gave way
to certainty among the delighted crew of the Confederate steamer.
Down came the Yankee colours from her gaff, and in its stead the
white ensign of the Confederacy fluttered gaily in the breeze,
while a blank shot from the Alabama's lee bow-chaser summoned
the chase to surrender. Surrendering, however, seemed to be the
last thing in the chase's thoughts. Already she was ahead of the
Confederate cruiser, and trusting to her own well-known speed,
appeared determined to make at least one effort to escape. She
held steadily on her course, at top speed, without noticing the
pursuer's summons; the black smoke that poured in volumes from
her funnel, showing no less plainly than the rapid revolutions of
her paddles the strenuous exertions she was making to escape.
This state of things, however, could not last long. For a few
minutes the chase was permitted to try her speed against that of
her pursuer; but the latter soon found that with the highest pressure
of steam she had been able to raise during the short period
that had elapsed since the enemy first hove in sight, she was by no
means overhauling the chase as rapidly as could be desired. So
the friendly warning having been disregarded, the adoption of
more peremptory measures was decided on, and a shotted gun was
ordered to be fired over her.
Boom! went the Alabama's bow-chaser, as she yawed for a
moment to permit the gunner to take aim--and boom! at almost
the same instant went one of her broadside guns, the enthusiastic
captain of which could not contain himself until the order to fire
was given, but must needs bring down upon himself a reprimand
from the authorities of the quarter-deck for his precipitation.
Fortunately, however, this irregular shot did no harm--not improbably,
perhaps, from the very fact of its having been launched
so totally without consideration. The first, however, did its
errand most effectively, and the shower of white splinters that flew
from the chase's foremast as the shell, after grazing the funnel,
struck full against it, afforded most satisfactory evidence of the
accuracy of the line. Happily, the shell contented itself with cutting
the foremast very nearly in two, and did not explode until it
had passed safely overboard, otherwise the havoc created by it on
the crowded deck of the steamer must have been fearful.
The hint, however, was sufficient. The paddles of the chase
ceased to revolve, the huge walking-beam remained poised in midair,
and the steamer rounding to, submitted herself to her captors.
A boat was now lowered and, sent on board of the prize, which
proved to be, as anticipated, the mail steamer Ariel, from New
York to Aspinwall, having on board one hundred and forty marines
on their way to join the enemy's Pacific squadron; several
military and naval officers, among the latter of whom was Commander
Sartori, on his way to take command of the St. Mary's; and about five
hundred other passengers, a large proportion of whom were women and children.
The Alabama had "bought an elephant," and now the question
arose--what was to be done with her valuable but most unwieldy
acquisition? The first step, of course, was to send a prize
crew on board. The second to transfer to the Alabama sundry
important matters, such as the ship's papers, three large boxes of
specie, a 24 pounder rifled gun, 125 new rifles, 16 swords, and
about 1,000 rounds of ammunition. The marines and officers
were then put on parole, the former being disarmed, and all
pledged not to fight again against the Confederate States until
they should be regularly exchanged.
But this done, Captain Semmes' task was not half accomplished.
There was still the ship herself to be disposed of, and with her the
remaining five hundred and odd passengers, including among their
number a large proportion of women and children. What was to
be done? It was clear he could not fire the ship until all these
were safely out of her. It was at least equally clear that, squeeze
and contrive how he would, he could not possibly transfer such a
host of prisoners to his own already sufficiently crowded decks.
His only choice, then, was either to release the captured vessel at
once, upon a ransom bond, or to keep her by him for a time in
the hope that something might turn up to obviate the necessity of
so unsatisfactory a step. Captain Semmes decided upon the latter
course, and detaining the captain of the Ariel on board his own
ship, sent a prize crew to take charge of the Ariel, with orders to
keep company with the Alabama through the night.
This done, the Alabama returned under easy sail to her station
off the Cape, still anxiously looking out for the homeward-bound
steamer, which would of course prove a very far richer prize than
the one home-bound vessel he had captured. The following afternoon
the precaution was taken of disabling the captured vessel,
by removing from her engines the "bonnet of the steam chest
and a steam valve," which were sent into safe custody on board
the Alabama; care being also taken to prevent the Ariel from
availing herself of her sails as a means of escape should-the
Alabama have to start off in pursuit of her homeward-bound
consort.
No homeward-bound steamer, however, appeared, and it was
now determined to convey the Ariel into Kingston, Jamaica,
where it was proposed to land the passengers, and after providing
the Alabama, from the prize, with coal, provisions, and other
matters of which she stood in need, to take her out again to sea
and burn her. With this view the portions of the machinery
which had been removed during the night were restored to their
places, and the two vessels made sail towards Jamaica, on or about
the line which it was supposed would be taken by the Californian
steamer.
The next morning was fine, and, with the prize in company, the
island of Navaza was made at about 9.30 A.M., on the port bow;
and five hours afterwards the two steamers were in sight of the
east end of Jamaica. By half-past seven that evening, the Alabama
was within about nine miles of Point Morant Light, and checked her
speed to enable the prize to come up with her.
And now a catastrophe occurred which, but for the most careful
and excellent management, might have had most serious results.
At about eight o'clock in the evening chase was given to
an hermaphrodite brig, on coming up with which a blank cartridge
was fired, and a boat despatched to board her and examine her
papers. At this moment, up came the engineer to report that the
engine had suddenly become entirely useless from the giving way
of some of the valve castings, and that twenty-four hours, at least,
would be required before the damage could be repaired. At this
untoward intelligence, the captain's first thought was of the chase,
and, casting a rapid glance in that direction, to his equal amazement
and disgust, he perceived that she had not obeyed the signal
to heave to, but was still standing quietly upon her course!
Here was, indeed, a pleasant predicament. Not a step could
he stir in pursuit, nor did he dare fire a shot after the departing
vessel, for fear, in the darkness of the night, of sending to the
bottom his own boat, which was now in full pursuit of her.
What if the boat should be led away too far in the ardour of the
chase, and of course taking for granted that as soon as the brigantine's
contumacy was discovered, the Alabama herself would at
once be after her? What, too, if the Ariel should get scent of
her captor's predicament, and take this favourable opportunity of
showing her a clean pair of heels, carrying off the unlucky prize
crew as a running horse might carry off the unskilful rider who
had imprudently bestridden it?
The moment was an anxious one, and great was the relief to
the minds of all who were in the secret, when the welcome sound
of oars working regularly backwards and forwards in their rowlocks
was again heard, and the boat returned, having managed to
overhaul the stranger; the wind having fortunately fallen too
light for her to escape.
The chase proved to hail from one of the German States, and
was just out of Kingston. According to her statement, this latter
port was now suffering from a severe visitation of yellow-fever.
This intelligence caused an entire change in the Alabama's plans.
It had been Captain Semmes' intention to run into Kingston, and
endeavour, at all events, to obtain permission to discharge his
numerous prisoners; this being, apparently, the only way in
which he could hope to disencumber himself of them, except by
releasing the ship at the same time. To turn some seven hundred
prisoners, however, many of them delicate women and children,
adrift in a place known to be suffering from the fearful scourge of
yellow-fever, would have been an act of inhumanity of which the
Confederate captain was quite incapable. Sorely to his disappointment,
therefore, he felt himself compelled to abandon the Kingston
scheme, and forego the pleasure of making a bonfire of the
splendid steamer that had fallen into his hands. It is an ill wind
that blows nobody any good, and to the yellow-fever were the passengers
by the Ariel indebted for an uninterrupted voyage, and her
owners for the preservation of their valuable vessel.
The question once decided in favour of the Ariel's release, it was,
of course, under existing circumstances, an object of no small importance
to get the matter concluded as speedily as possible. Had
she only known her captor's crippled condition she would have
had nothing to do but just to have steamed quietly away, taking
the prize-crew with her as compensation for the inconvenience to
which she had been put by her detention. And any moment
might reveal the all-important secret; so without delay, a boat
was again sent on board for the master, who was evidently not
a little relieved on being told that the vessel was to be released.
Some little discussion now arose as to the amount of ransom to
be exacted, but both parties were equally, though not as openly,
anxious to conclude the transaction; and the amount was finally
fixed at 261,000 dollars--a handsome sum, indeed, but one by
no means exorbitant, when the value of the vessel to be ransomed
is taken into consideration.
The bond duly signed, and safely deposited among the other
securities of the kind, Captain Semmes breathed more freely, and a
feeling of satisfaction at having steered safely through a situation
of such difficulty, offered some slight compensation for the disappointment
arising from the enforced release of the prize. The two vessels now parted
company; all parties, both civil, naval, and military, on board of the
Ariel, uniting their testimony in eulogy of the quiet, orderly, and
respectful conduct of their unwelcome guests. So with mutual amenities
the two courteous enemies parted, the Ariel steering a course to the S.S.W.,
the Alabama still hard at work in the repairs of her machinery, standing off
and on within easy distance of the Jamaica coast, and keeping as far
as possible from the track of vessels until the untoward disaster
should be repaired.