out.  Permitted her to proceed on her course after a detention of about half-an-hour.  We showed her the United States colours.  This evening, having directed the junior lieutenant to send to the master of the prize schooner Daniel Trowbridge, for the log slates of the schooner which he, the master, had put among his private baggage, it was reported to me that the master in delivering these articles to the messenger, the sergeant of marines, used this insolent language—­“D——­ them.  I hope they will do them no good, and if they want a shirt I can lend them that too.”  I had the man seized and put in double irons.  Lat. 16.40 N., long. 58.16 W.

Thursday, October 31st.—­Beautiful clear weather, with a light breeze from the North and East.  Got up and sunned the ball cartridges, some of which had been damaged by the damp, and overhauled the pumps which had gotten out of order.  At 2 A.M. a light having been reported to me, I ordered steam gotten up and made pursuit.  As we came up with it, we found it to be a burning fragment of the schooner which we had fired eighteen hours before.  Banked fires.  We have been greatly interested since our last capture in examining a lot of newspapers found on board.  They are as late as the 8th October, and give us most cheering accounts of the war.  We have gloriously whipped the enemy at all points, and have brought Missouri and Kentucky out of the Union.  The tone of the European press is highly favourable to our cause, and indicates a prompt recognition of our independence.  And all this cheering information we get from the enemy himself!  Lat. 16.54 N., long. 57.59 W. The master of the prize schooner Trowbridge, having made a very humble apology for his conduct of yesterday, and asked to be released from confinement, I directed him to be discharged from close custody and to have his irons taken off.

The Daniel Trowbridge, however, was the last prize that fell to the Sumter’s lot on this cruise.  She was now in the full track of vessels crossing the Line, and scarcely a day passed without one or more being overhauled; but the Stars and Stripes appeared to have vanished from the seas.  Vessel after vessel was brought-to, now English, now French, now belonging to some one or other of the innumerable neutral nations, but not a Yankee was to be seen, and the ship’s company began almost to weary of their profitless task.

One brief morning’s excitement there was, as a large steamer was descried in the offing, evidently a man-of-war.  All was at once alive and eager on board the little Sumter.  The drums beat to quarters, decks were cleared for action, and every preparation made for combat, as the Confederate cruiser stood boldly out to meet her expected foe.  But again the eager crew were doomed to disappointment.  They were no more to fight than to capture prizes.  As the stranger drew near, the white ensign of St. George fluttered gracefully to her peak, and after the customary interchange of civilities, the two vessels went on their respective courses, and the little Sumter was once more alone on the wide ocean.