there found my passengers pretty thickly stowed.  I distributed bread among them, and knocked down the bulkhead between the hold and the cabin, in order that they might get into the cabin to cook.  They consisted of men and women, in pretty equal proportions, with a number of boys and girls, and two small children.  The wind kept increasing and hauling to the westward.  Off Fort Washington we had to make two stretches, but the rest of the way we run before the wind.

Shortly after dinner, we passed the steamer from Baltimore for Washington, bound up.  I thought the passengers on board took particular notice of us; but the number of vessels met with in a passage up the Potomac at that season is so few, as to make one, at least for the idle passengers of a steamboat, an object of some curiosity.  Just before sunset, we passed a schooner loaded with plaster, bound up.  As we approached the mouth of the Potomac, the wind hauled to the north, and blew with such stiffness as would make it impossible for us to go up the bay, according to our original plan.  Under these circumstances, apprehending a pursuit from Washington, I urged Sayres to go to sea, with the intention of reaching the Delaware by the outside passage.  But he objected that the vessel was not fit to go outside (which was true enough), and that the bargain was to go to Frenchtown.  Having reached Point Lookout, at the mouth of the river, and not being able to persuade Sayres to go to sea, and the wind being dead in our teeth, and too strong to allow any attempt to ascend the bay, we came to anchor in Cornfield harbor, just under Point Lookout, a shelter usually sought by bay-craft encountering contrary winds when in that neighborhood.

We were all sleepy with being up all the night before, and, soon after dropping anchor, we all turned in.  I knew nothing more till, waking suddenly, I heard the noise of a steamer blowing off steam alongside of us.  I knew at once that we were taken.  The black men came to the cabin, and asked if they should fight.  I told them no; we had no arms, nor was there the least possibility of a successful resistance.  The loud shouts and trampling of many feet overhead proved that our assailants were numerous.  One of them lifted the hatch a little, and cried out, “Niggers, by G—­d!” an exclamation to which the others responded with three cheers, and by banging the buts of their muskets against the deck.  A lantern was called for, to read the name of the vessel; and it being ascertained to be the Pearl, a number of men came to the cabin-door, and called for Captain Drayton.  I was in no great hurry to stir; but at length rose from my berth, saying that I considered myself their prisoner, and that I expected to be treated as such.  While I was dressing, rather too slowly for the impatience of those outside, a sentinel, who had been stationed at the cabin-door, followed every motion of mine with his gun, which he kept pointed at me, in great apprehension, apparently, lest I should suddenly seize some dangerous weapon and make at him.  As I came out of the cabin-door, two of them seized me, took me on board the steamer and tied me; and they did the same with Sayres and English, who were brought on board, one after the other.  The black people were left on board the Pearl, which the steamer took in tow, and then proceeded up the river.