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On Sunday, the 15th September, the Sumter was again under way, and passed out of the harbour in charge of a pilot, Mr. Wetson accompanying her until she was fairly outside.  No Yankee vessels were found, as had been reported, and the pilot being discharged, and a warm farewell exchanged with Mr. Wetson, the Sumter stood away upon a north-east course in the direction of her proposed cruising-ground in the calm belt between the trades, the Cape San Roque project being for the present abandoned.  A dull time now commenced, great difficulty being experienced in forcing the vessel towards her cruising-ground against the current, which at times would carry her out of her course at the rate of more than fifty miles a day.  Whilst thus beating wearily and patiently towards the station where it was hoped that more prizes might be obtained, a curious phenomenon was observed, of which the following account is given in the journal:—­

Monday, September 23d.—­Clear, with passing clouds.  Wind right from the south-east, veering and hauling two or three points.  We have experienced in the last two or three days a remarkable succession of tide lips, coming on every twelve hours, and about an hour before the passage of the moon over the meridian.  We have observed five of these lips, and with such regularity, that we attribute them to the lunar influence attracting the water in an opposite direction from the prevailing current, which is east, at the rate of some two miles per hour.  We had a small gull fly on board of us to-day at the distance of five hundred miles from the nearest land.  The tide lips came up from the south and travelled north, approaching first with a heavy swell, which caused us, being broadside on, to roll so violently that we kept the ship off her course from two to three points to bring the roller more on the quarter.  These rollers would be followed by a confused tumultuous sea, foaming and fretting in every direction, as if we were among breakers.  We were in fact among breakers, though fortunately with no bottom near.  No boat could have lived in such a cauldron as was produced by this meeting of the waters.  They generally passed us in about three quarters of an hour, when everything became comparatively smooth again.  No observation to-day for latitude, but by computation we are in latitude 5.25 N. and longitude (chronometer) 42.19 W. Current east by north 58 miles.  So curious were the phenomena of the lips that the officers and men came on deck upon their approach to witness them.

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It was many a long week now since the sight of an enemy had gladdened the eyes of the Sumter’s little crew, when, on the 25th of September, the welcome cry of “Sail, ho!” was once more heard from the masthead.  Steam was at once got up, and the United States colors displayed from the Confederate cruiser.  A short pause of expectation, an eager scrutiny of the stranger, as the blue and red bunting fluttered for a few moments upon his deck, while his men were busy with the signal halyards, and then a joyous cheer greeted the well-known stars and stripes, as they rose above her bulwarks, and mounted slowly to her mizen peak.