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from Nassau with a cargo of priceless value to the gasping Confederacy；
she was observed and chased by one of our vessels； a swifter sailer；
even； than herself。 The war ship closed rapidly upon her。 She sought
the protection of the guns of Fort Fisher； which opened venomously on the
chaser。 They did not stop her； though they were less than half a mile
away。 In another minute she would have sent the Rebel vessel to the
bottom of the sea； by a broadside from her heavy guns； but the Captain of
the latter turned her suddenly； and ran her high up on the beach；
wrecking his vessel； but saving the much more valuable cargo。 Our vessel
then hauled off； and as night fell； quiet was restored。 At midnight two
boat…loads of determined men； rowing with muffled oars moved silently out
from the blockader towards the beached vessel。 In their boats they had
some cans of turpentine； and several large shells。 When they reached the
blockade…runner they found all her crew gone ashore； save one watchman；
whom they overpowered before he could give the alarm。 They cautiously
felt their way around； with the aid of a dark lantern； secured the ship's
chronometer； her papers and some other desired objects。 They then
saturated with the turpentine piles of combustible material； placed about
the vessel to the best advantage； and finished by depositing the shells
where their explosion would ruin the machinery。 All this was done so
near to the fort that the sentinels on the parapets could be heard with
the greatest distinctness as they repeated their half…hourly cry of
〃All's well。〃 Their preparations completed； the daring fellows touched
matches to the doomed vessel in a dozen places at once； and sprang into
their boats。 The flames instantly enveloped the ship； and showed the
gunners the incendiaries rowing rapidly away。 A hail of shot beat the
water into a foam around the boats； but their good fortune still attended
them； and they got back without losing a man。
The wind at length calmed sufficiently to encourage our Captain to
venture out； and we were soon battling with the rolling waves； far out of
sight of land。 For awhile the novelty of the scene fascinated me。 I was
at last on the ocean； of which I had heard； read and imagined so much。
The creaking cordage； the straining engine； the plunging ship； the wild
waste of tumbling billows； everyone apparently racing to where our
tossing bark was struggling to maintain herself； all had an entrancing
interest for me； and I tried to recall Byron's sublime apostrophe to the
ocean：
Thou glorious mirror； where the Almighty's form
Classes itself in tempest： in all time；
Calm or convulsed…in breeze； or gale； or storm；
Icing the pole； or in the torrid clime
Dark…heavingboundless； endless； and sublime
The image of eternitythe throne
Of the invisible； even from out thy slime
The monsters of the deep are made； each zone
Obey thee： thou goest forth； dread； fathomless； alone；
Just then； my reverie was broken by the strong hand of the gruff Captain
of； the vessel descending upon my shoulder； and he said：
〃See； here； youngster！ Ain't you the fellow that was put in command of
these men？〃
I acknowledged such to be the case。
〃Well；〃 said the Captain； 〃I want you to 'tend to your business and
straighten them around； so that we can clean off the decks。〃
I turned from the bulwark over which I had been contemplating the vasty
deep； and saw the sorriest； most woe…begone lot that the imagination can
conceive。 Every mother's son was wretchedly sea…sick。 They were paying
the penalty of their overfeeding in Wilmington； and every face looked as
if its owner was discovering for the first time what the real lower
depths of human misery was。 They all seemed afraid they would not die；
as if they were praying for death； but feeling certain that he was going
back on them in a most shameful way。
We straightened them around a little； washed them and the decks off with
a hose； and then I started down in the hold to see how matters were with
the six hundred down there。 The boys there were much sicker than those
on deck。 As I lifted the hatch there rose an odor which appeared strong
enough to raise the plank itself。 Every onion that had been issued to us
in Wilmington seemed to lie down there in the last stages of
decomposition。 All of the seventy distinct smells which Coleridge
counted at Cologne might have been counted in any given cubic foot of
atmosphere； while the next foot would have an entirely different and
equally demonstrative 〃bouquet。〃
I recoiled； and leaned against the bulwark； but soon summoned up courage
enough to go half…way down the ladder； and shout out in as stern a tone
as I could command：
〃here； now！ I want you fellows to straighten around there； right off；
and help clean up！〃
They were as angry and cross as they were sick。 They wanted nothing in
the world so much as the opportunity I had given them to swear at and
abuse somebody。 Every one of them raised on his elbow； and shaking his
fist at me yelled out：
〃O； you go to ； you 。 Just come down another step；
and I'll knock the whole head off 'en you。〃
I did not go down any farther。
Coming back on the deck my stomach began to feel qualmish。 Some wretched
idiot； whose grandfather's grave I hope the jackasses have defiled； as
the Turks would say； told me that the best preventive of sea…sickness was
to drink as much of the milk punch as I could swallow。
Like another idiot； I did so。
I went again to the side of the vessel； but now the fascination of the
scene had all faded out。 The restless billows were dreary； savage；
hungry and dizzying； they seemed to claw at； and tear； and wrench the
struggling ship as a group of huge lions would tease and worry a captive
dog。 They distressed her and all on board by dealing a blow which would
send her reeling in one direction； but before she had swung the full
length that impulse would have sent her； catching her on the opposite
side with a stunning shock that sent her another way； only to meet
another rude buffet from still another side。
I thought we could all have stood it if the motion had been like that of
a swing…backward and forwardor even if the to and fro motion had been
complicated with a side…wise swing； but to be put through every possible
bewildering motion in the briefest space of time was more than heads of
iron and stomachs of brass could stand。
Mine were not made of such perdurable stuff。
They commenced mutinous demonstrations in regard to the milk punch。
I began wondering whether the milk was not the horrible beer swill；
stump…tail kind of which I had heard so much。
And the whisky in it； to use a vigorous Westernism； descriptive of mean
whisky； it seemed to me that I could smell the boy's feet who plowed the
corn from which it was distilled。
Then the onions I had eaten in Wilmington began to rebel； and incite the
bread； meat and coffee to gastric insurrection； and I became so utterly
wretched that life had no farther attractions。
While I was leaning over the b