The Captain of the ship beginning to realize the fact that we were in earnest, rolled out a volley of oaths, not only loud, but deep also.  That little ebullition being finished, he hauled his mainsail up and lay to.  Captain Semmes then gave me orders to board and ascertain who the vessel was, as the reluctance to heave to was suspicious in itself.

On boarding, the Mate met me at the gangway and introduced me to a tall, burly man, who proved to be the Master.  With the utmost suavity I inquired, “What ship is this?” “Who are you?” he blurted out.  “What ship is this, captain?” I repeated.  “I sha’n’t tell you,” was the polite reply.  “Captain, what vessel is this?” “Are you a man-of-war?” asked he.  “Of course we are,” replied I.  “Who are you?” queried he.

With the greatest distinctness possible, and with the utmost sternness, I said, “We are—­we are the United States steamer Iroquois, Captain Palmer, on a cruise; and now, having told you this, I have something more to tell you—­namely, that I am come on board to ask questions, not to answer them; further, I have asked you three times who you are, and have not yet received an answer.  So just step down into the cabin, and produce the ship’s papers.”

With a very ill grace he descended into the cabin, I following, and I had just removed my cap when he roared out, “Who are you?  Are you English?  Say you are an English man-of-war, and I will let you look at my papers.”  Said I, “Captain, either you are crazy or else you think I am.  Here we fire a gun, and any man with a grain of sense would have understood that it was meant for a ship to heave to, more especially when a nation is at war.  You are told to heave to, are boarded, and asked a question.  Instead of replying, you ask, perfectly savagely, ’Who are you?’ I tell you we are the United States ship Iroquois, and then you ask, ‘Are you English?  Tell me you are an English man-of-war!’ It’s absurd, I tell you.”

“Mr. Officer,” yelled he, “‘crazy!’ ‘sense!’ ‘absurd!’ By G—­d, sir, if an English man-of-war were here, no Yankee dare set foot on this deck, sir.  Who are you?” “Captain,” I said to the man, “it is time this piece of folly were ended.  Now understand me.  Look at that clock:  it wants twelve minutes to eleven; I want to see your papers; I give you two minutes to produce them in.  If, at ten minutes to eleven, the papers are not forthcoming, I shall adopt measures to place them in my possession.”

I then sat down.  Question after question did the worthy skipper ask, but no reply did I deign to give.  At length it wanted but a few seconds to the time specified, when with a bad grace the irate Master produced his key, unlocked his safe, and brought forth his papers.  Upon examination I found it was the ship Flora, of and to Liverpool, from Manilla, with a general cargo.