Beginning the cruise—­The first prize the Golden Rocket—­The capture burnt—­The Cuba and Machias—­Cienfuegos—­The Ben Dunning and Albert Adams—­Three at once:  the West Wind, the Naiad, and the Louisa Kilham—­A fleet of prizes—­Saluting the Confederate States’ flag—­At Cuba—­Strict neutrality—­A prize agent—­The Governor-General of Cuba—­Recapture by the United States—­An accident to the commander—­A gale—­At Curacao—­The Dutch Governor—­An ex-president in difficulties—­The Abby Bradford—­Venezuela—­An inhospitable port—­The Joseph Maxwell—­Military v. naval—­Sagacious skipper—­Gulf of Bahia.

The Sumter had now fairly commenced her gallant career.  The 1st July dawned bright and fair with, a light breeze from the south-west, and the little vessel sped through the water at an average speed of about eight knots an hour.  All that day not a sail appeared in sight.  Night settled down in all the calm splendour of the tropic seas, and nothing disturbed its serenity save the monotonous beating of the Sumter’s propeller as she steered a south-easterly course down the Gulf of Mexico.  The following day brought her safely to Cape Antonio, which she rounded under sail and steam, and striking the trade-winds, hoisted up her propeller and stood away towards the west.

The afternoon of the 3rd July brought the Sumter her first prize.  At about 3 P.M. a sail was descried in shore, beating to windward, and steering a course that would bring her almost into contact with the Confederate vessel.  To avoid suspicion, no notice was taken of the stranger until the two vessels had approached within the distance of a little more than a mile from each other, when a display of English colours from the Confederate was answered by the stranger with the stars and stripes of the United States.  Down came the St. George’s ensign from the Sumter’s peak, to be replaced almost before it had touched the deck by the stars and bars, which at that time constituted the flag of the Confederate States.  A shot was fired across the bows of the astonished Yankee, who at once hove-to, and a boat was sent on board to take possession of the Sumter’s first capture.

The prize proved to be the ship Golden Rocket, from the Yankee State of Maine—­a fine ship of 690 tons burthen, only three years old, and worth from 30,000 to 40,000 dollars.  She Was bound to Cienfuegos in Cuba, but had no cargo on board, and Captain Semmes, being unwilling at that early stage of his cruise to spare a prize crew, determined to destroy the vessel, and after taking the captain and crew on board the Sumter set the prize on fire and left her to her fate.[1]