Memoirs of Service Afloat During the War Between the States

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1869. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XLIV. The Alabama Leaves Fernando De Noronha For A Cruise On The Coast Of Brazil -- Enters The Great Highway And Begins To Overhaul The Travellers -- Capture Of The Whaler Nye; Of The Dorcas Prince; Of The Union Jack; Of The Sea Lark -- A Reverend Consul Taken Prisoner Alabama Goes Into Bahia -- What Occurred There -- Arrival Of The Georgia Alabama ProCeeds To Sea Again Captures The Following Ships: The Gilderslieve; The Justina; The JaBez Snow; The Amazonian, And The Talisman. THE 22d of April having arrived, we gave up all further hopes of the Agrippina, and went to sea. As we passed out of the roadstead, we cut adrift the four whale-boats which we had brought in from the captured whalers, rather than destroy them. They would be valuable, to the islanders, who had treated us kindly, and it was amusing to see the struggle which took place for the possession of them. The good people seemed to have some anticipation of what was to take place, and all the boatmen of the island had assembled to contest the prizes, in every description of craft that would float, from the dug-out to the tidy cutter. The boatmen stripped themselves like athletes for the fray, and as whale-boat after boat was cut adrift, there was a pulling and splashing, a paddling and a screaming that defy all description; the victors waving their hats, and shouting their victory and their good-bye to us, in the same breath. We steamed due east from the island some forty miles, when we let our steam go down, raised the propeller, and put the ship under sail. The Alabama, with full coal-bunkers and a refreshed crew, was again in pursuit of the enemy's commerce I had at last accomplished my cherished design -- which had been frustrated in the Sumter--of a cruise on the coast of Brazil....