CHAPTER XXXI.

Wrecked!—­A narrow escape—­Respect for neutral waters—­The Martha Wenzell—­At the Cape—­Dense fogs—­Heavy weather—­“Are you a vessel of war?”—–­Firmness and obstinacy—­Simon’s Town—­Misrepresentations—­A little rest—­Land-sharks—­A night scene—­To the Indian Ocean—­The barque Amanda.

Saturday, August 8th, 1863.—­The gale broke last night, but there is still some breeze blowing, and the sea is quite rough.  Last night a Bremen brig was wrecked off Point Monille.  We heard her firing guns, and I feared at first it was our prize; and yet I could not conceive how my Prizemaster, who was acquainted with the soundings, could have made such a mistake.  The weather has checked the throng of visitors, and yet a few get off to us, asking for autographs, and looking curiously at the ship.  We are finishing our repairs, and getting supplies on board.  Our prize has not made her appearance to-day.  She will rendezvous at Saldanha Bay on the 15th inst.

Sunday, August 9th, 1863.—­Weather has again become fine.  At 6 A.M. precisely, we moved out of the bay, and steamed along the coast towards the Cape.  We gave chase to two sail off the mouth of False Bay, and overhauling them, one proved to be an English, and the other an American barque.  The latter we boarded; but when I came to get bearings and plot my position, it unfortunately turned out that I was within a mile, or a mile and a quarter, of a line drawn from the Cape Lighthouse to the opposite headland of the bay, and therefore within the prescribed limit of jurisdiction.  The master of the barque, in the meantime, having come on board, I informed him of those facts, and told him to return to, and take possession of his ship, as I had no authority to exercise any control over him; which he did, and in a few minutes more, we were under steam standing up the bay.  What a scene for the grim old Cape to look down upon.  The vessel boarded was the Martha Wenzell, of Boston, from Akyab for Falmouth.  At 2 P.M. anchored in Simon’s Bay, and was boarded by a Lieutenant from the flag-ship of Admiral Walker.

Monday, August 10th.—­Weather fine.  I called on Admiral Walker at his residence, and was presented by him to his family, and spent an agreeable half hour with them, giving them a brief outline of our quarrel and war.  Dined on board the Chinese gunboat Kwang-Tung, Commander Young.  This is one of Laird’s side-wheel steamers, built for Captain Sherrard Osborne’s fleet.  Capt.  Bickford, of the Narcissus, and Lieut.  Wood, flag Lieutenant, dined with us.

Tuesday, August 11th.—­Weather fine.  Visited the flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Sir Baldwin W. Walker and the Kwang-Tung.  Employed caulking and refitting ship.  Many visitors on board.

Wednesday, August 12th.—­Wind fresh from the southward and eastward.  Photographers and visitors on board.  The Kwang-Tung made a trial trip of her engines, after having repaired them, with the Admiral’s family on board.  Wind freshened to a gale towards night.