by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXX
ANOTHER SAILING CONTEST INAUGURATED
Although the Raven had not yet been disposed of, the ship's companywere immediately interested in the vessel which the lookout had tardilyannounced; and the vigor with which he had given the hail to the deckindicated that he was conscious of the defect.
"Where away?" returned Mr. Baskirk; though it was a superfluousquestion, for all on the deck who cast their eyes to the westward couldsee the sail.
"On the starboard, sir."
Commander Passford was already examining the distant sail with hisglass, as were all the officers who were not otherwise occupied. Therewere fog banks in that direction; and the craft might have suddenlyloomed up out of them, though this did not appear to have been the case.The sail was too far off to be made out with anything like distinctness.It was a steamer headed to the east, and the quantity of smoke thattrailed in the air above indicated that she had been liberal in the useof coal in her furnaces.
As the sail was diminishing her distance from the St. Regis, Christyturned his attention again to the prize alongside his ship. The twochasers that had been pursuing the Raven, neither of which appeared tobe capable of making more than fourteen knots an hour, were now almostwithin hailing distance.
The Raven was a steamer of nearly the size of the St. Regis. She was notarmed, and had a ship's company of about thirty men, including officers.Her cargo was miscellaneous in its character, consisting of suchmerchandise as was most needed in the Confederacy, especially in thearmy. A watch had been set below on board of her to extinguish fires ifany more appeared; but this peril had been effectually removed. Theattempt to destroy the steamer and her cargo looked like malice andrevenge, and some of the officers of the ship thought it ought to beregarded and treated as an act of war.
To burn, scuttle, blow up, run ashore, or otherwise destroy ablockade-runner after her situation has become absolutely hopeless canresult only to the benefit of the enemy, since it deprived the Federalsof the property that would otherwise be confiscated under internationallaw. But blockade-runners are regarded as neutrals unless proved to beAmericans, in which case they are subject to the penalties of treason,and the forfeiture of the ship and cargo is the only punishment.
Christy had never been able to regard this class of persons with muchrespect, for they appeared to be in league with the enemy. CaptainBristler had not only attempted to break through the blockade, which heand many of his countrymen regarded as a legitimate business; but he hadattempted to burn his vessel. He had got out his boats; and when she waswrapped in flames, he evidently expected the Federal victor to pick uphimself and his ship's company, and treat the whole of them as thoughthey had not been, at least constructively if not really, in the serviceof the enemy.
"The cold water applied to the commander of the Raven has had a goodeffect upon him," said the first lieutenant, as he touched his cap onthe quarter-deck of the St. Regis. "He sends word that he regrets hisconduct, and asks to be released from confinement."
"He has behaved himself more like a swine than a gentleman; but I haveno ill-will towards him, for I regarded him as beneath my contempt,"replied Captain Passford. "I can understand his condition, for of coursehe is suffering under a tremendous disappointment; but that does notatone for his brutality."
"Certainly not, sir. He was running away from the two blockaders thatwere pursuing him, and had beaten them both. He was absolutely sure ofhis escape till he encountered the fleet in shore when the St. Regiscame upon the scene," added Mr. Baskirk.
"Her captain had no particular respect for our steamer when he saw her,and kept on his course as if in contempt of her, till we dropped a shotnear him. If he had headed to the south when he first made out the St.Regis, he would have improved his chances, but he would only have givenus a longer chase. Let Captain Bristler out of the brig, Mr. Baskirk; wewill see if he can behave himself any better; but I will not allow anyman to swear at me if I can help myself."
A little later Captain Bristler came on deck in charge of the ship'scorporal. He was dressed in his best clothes, and his personalappearance had been greatly improved.
"Captain Passford," said he, raising his cap to the commander, "underthe influence of my awful disappointment at the failure of the Raven tooutsail you, I was rude and ungentlemanly, and some of my forecastlehabits came back to me. I beg your pardon; and I shall show you that Iknow how to be a gentleman, if I did forget myself for a time."
"That is sufficient, and I accept your apology, Captain Bristler,"replied Christy with abundant dignity.
"I did not believe there was a ship in the Federal navy that couldoutsail the Raven, for she was built more for speed than for cargo,"continued the captain of the prize.
"The St. Regis is not the only one that can outsail the Raven. I haveserved in a steamer that could beat her four knots an hour in anemergency," added Christy.
"What steamer is that, Captain?" asked Captain Bristler.
"That is not important, but it was the one that outsailed and capturedthe St. Regis when she had another name."
"Then your ship was a blockade-runner?"
"She was, and also a Confederate man-of-war; she was the Trafalgar."
"Ah! Then I know her very well; and the company owning the Raven, ofwhich I am a member, offered nearly double what it cost to build theRaven for her," replied Captain Bristler. "I can understand now how Ihappened to be so thoroughly beaten in the last chase. She was built fora yacht, and no money was spared upon her."
By this time the two steamers that had first chased the Raven hadstopped their screws, and a boat was on its way from each of them. Thetwo cutters came up to the gangway, and the officer in each ascended tothe deck. Christy permitted the captain of the Raven to take care ofhimself, while he waited for the visitors to present themselves.
"I am very glad to see you, Mr. Amblen!" exclaimed Christy, as heextended his hand; for he recognized in the first officer the gentlemanwho had been his third lieutenant in the Bronx.
"I am delighted to see you again, Captain Passford," replied LieutenantAmblen, for such was his present rank. "I am now the executive officerof the Muskegon. I have the pleasure of presenting to you Mr. Cartright,first lieutenant of the St. Croix."
"I am happy to meet you, Mr. Cartright."
"I have often heard of you, Captain Passford, and I am glad to see youin command of so fine and fast a steamer as the St. Regis, though Inever heard of her before," added the executive officer of the St.Croix. "Of course you are aware that there is a steamer in sight to thewestward of us."
"I am aware of it; and for that reason we should hasten our presentbusiness," replied Christy, as he glanced at the steamer in the distanceand the trails of smoke astern of her. "I do not know who is the rankingofficer here; and I have not yet reported to the admiral, for I tookpart in the chase from the moment of my arrival."
"You are a lieutenant"--Mr. Amblen began.
"A lieutenant-commander, if you please," interposed Christy with asmile.
"Then you are the ranking officer, Captain Passford, for both of theother commanders are lieutenants," added the executive officer of theMuskegon. "We are ready to transmit your orders to our superiors."
"My orders will depend somewhat upon the steamer astern of us; and ifyou will excuse me a few moments, I shall soon be ready to issue them,"replied Christy, as he took his spy-glass from the brackets, anddirected it to the approaching steamer from the west. "What do youmake of her, Mr. Baskirk?"
The executive officer had been observing the steamer astern with hisglass; and she was not more than four miles distant by this time.
"She is a large vessel, I judge, not less than a thousand tons. She hasall sail set and drawing, and she seems to be making very rapid progressthrough the water," replied the first lieutenant. "But there are notless than three steamers pursuing her, though they are a long way asternof her."
"I make out the chasers, and I should judge that she is getting awayfrom t
hem," added Christy.
"The leading steamer is turning her head to the south!" exclaimed Mr.Baskirk, with no little excitement in his manner.
"I only wonder she has not done so before," added the commander,rejoining the officers of the other steamers. "I believe Captain Wrightof the Muskegon outranks Captain Boyden of the St. Croix," he continued.
"He does, Captain Passford," replied Mr. Amblen.
"If you will excuse me a moment, I will write an order for him;" andChristy retired to his cabin for this purpose.
His communication directed Captain Wright to take possession of theRaven, and treat her precisely as though she were the prize of theMuskegon and her consort; and constructively she was concerned inthe capture of the vessel, especially in the distribution of theprize-money. He added to the order the fact that what appeared to be ablockade-runner astern of his ship was outsailing her pursuers, and theSt. Regis being a very fast steamer, his duty did not permit him to makeany further delay in taking part in the chase.
With this order in the hands of Mr. Amblen, Christy took leave of thetwo officers and they departed in their boats. But he was obliged toawait the arrival of one or both of the blockaders before starting thescrew, for he was not willing to leave any number of his crew in chargeof the prize. While he was waiting, he wrote a letter to the actingadmiral of the station, announcing his arrival, and copying into it thematerial portion of his orders from the department.
The Muskegon was the first to come alongside of the Raven, which she didon the starboard side. Captain Wright, crossing the deck of the Raven,presented himself to Captain Passford on the quarter-deck of the St.Regis; he was received with Christy's accustomed politeness, and theprize was handed over to him verbally, as it had been done before inwriting.
Captain Wright began to compliment Captain Passford, with whosebrilliant reputation he was already very familiar; but Christyinterposed, declaring that he was in a great hurry, and could hear nomore, if his orders were clearly understood. Mr. Baskirk had directedthe recall of all the ship's company, with the exception of a master'smate, who was to remain on board to give any further information neededto the officers of the Muskegon, and to be a witness in New York at theprize court.
Captain Bristler and his effects were sent back to the Raven, thegrappling irons and the fasts were cast off, and the St. Regis backedout from her position on the port side of the prize. During all thistime Christy was very busy with his glass. As Mr. Baskirk haddiscovered, the leading steamer had three blockaders in chase of her.She was now headed to the south, having done so as soon as she saw thefour vessels lying in her course.
"Make the course south-west by south, Mr. Baskirk," said the youngcommander, after he had brought his trigonometry into use again.
Then it became a very exciting question to ascertain which was thefaster steamer of the two.