RUNNING THE BLOCKADE.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 37, 1 February 1864, Page 6

RUNNING THE BLOCKADE.

(From St. ,Tames's 3farfazins.) Before long- the passengers arrived. Several Southern gentlemen, a few ladies and children, all making their way back from Europe to their homes in Carolina or Virginia by tins dangerous route, and all in peril of harsh imprisonment, at least, in the event of capture. By the uncertain light I could see thai; most of them were pale and nervous ; but they talked in an undertone among themselves, and did not appear anxious to enter into conversation, with strangers. " Gret up steam ! " By the time the hoarse roar of the escaping vapor grew loud and menacing there was a fresh bustle on deck, and 1 heard, the captain give orders' to " stand by " for slipping from the moorings, and to Jioist the signal, as we only waited for the pilot. 41 There they are, slick and right — three red lights and a green one ! " murmured a tali Virginian at my elbow; and looking up, I saw the colored lamps glimmer from the masthead. Instantly they were answered by a similar signal from some window on shore. " "WeE soon see the piletnow," said Pritchard, rubbing his hands in. a ve:y cheery manner ; " tlie signal's made and repeated. lv. ten iniinites; our man will be with us, Hilloa! — boat ahoy?-^---what d'ye wtmt ? " " Bonnybell ahoy ! " was the rejoinder, in a shrill, harsh: voice, cautiously lowered for the occasion : " pilot wants to come oil board."' There was a stir and astart of fnirpi^ise- among those on deck, and as a rope was thrown, to the boatmen, Captain Pritchard. bent overtheside, exclaiming— -"You're! uncommon quick, my hearty. If you've com© from shore since the lights* were hoisted, you must be own cpusia to the Mying Butchman. Are yost sure you're our pilot ■?" I'm the pilot engaged by Colonel Jeremy Garter, of Spottyalvanja, if that'll do,"- answered a very tall, l?ony, blac^liaired inaii, a* he ivctively asceaclcjcl ijbe side, "ZaoK

Foster's my name, and I know* every inch about "Charleston, "where I was raised.'/ While the captain, reassured by the mention of Colonel Carter's name, gave hasty orders to cast off the cable, and go ahead, I, in common with the rest of the passenger.-*, and the unoccupied portion of the crew, looked with much interest at the new coiner. The latter was about foriry years of age, long and lean of figure, with a hardy, sun-browned face. There was no mistalcing the resolute air and daring of the man ; his mouth was as firm as iron, thogh a little dry humour seemed to lurk about his lips ; and I hardly liked the expression of his half-shut eyes, which had a lazy cunning in thier dark glance. >Still, though dressed in a block suit of shore-going clothes, and swallow -tailed coat of antiquated, cut, there was something about Mr. Zach Foster that bespoke the thoroughbred seaman. He toolc no share in the proceedings, for his duty did not begin till we were clear of Nassau roadstead ; but yet he seemed impatient for ■ the start, gnawing viciously at his quid, and drumming on the tafrrail with a finger that seemed as hard and brown as bronze. It was an anxious time when the Bonnybell, under a full head of steam, went darting out of the bay ; her look-outs straining their eyes to pierce the mist, and give warning to the helsmsman of vessels ahead, while Pritchard walked to and fro, too fidgety and eager to endure conversation, listening every instant for some sound which might indicate that the Federal cruiser had taken the, alarm. ] But on we went, without chock or hindrance ; and we all drew our breath more freely as the lights of the town began one by oue to vanish, as if the sea had swallowed them, and the dark headlands faded away into obscurity. The American gunboat was neither seen nor felt, a circumstance which I did not the less regret because I perceived, not only by the display of the cannon alluded to, but by the resolute demeanonr of several of the crew, ■who «tood grouped about a couple of uncovored arm-chests, that our pigmy foe would not have found an entirely unresisting prize. One slight circumstance, hardly, as I thought, worth mentioning, did occur before we head run half a mile to seaward. There came a long faint hail, from so great a distance as to be hardly distinguishable even by a sailor's practised ear, but which was announced to be adddessed to us. " Some boat, witli a message perhaps for a passenger. The lubbers deserve ropo's-ending for being so late. Can I lie-to safely, do you think?" said Pritchard tb the pilot, irresolutely, and giving the word "Slacken speed!', What the pilot answered I know not' i only caught the concluding phrase, — "Yankee tricks; so, cap., you'd best look sharp about you." So Pritchard thought. lie gave the word to go at full speed, and we heard no more about the matter. The run was speedy and pleasant, over a dimpling summer sea, with no boisterous behaviour on ISTeptune's part to make even the lady passengers uneasy. We saw several vessels, but none of a hostile character ; and the voyage was as agreeable and safe hitherto as any yatching excursion in holiday waters. We were all disposed to be pleased ; and the pilot, although a saturnine and morose personage, viewed through this rose-colored haze of satisfaction and hope, became a popular man on board. Captain Pritchard pronounced him worth his weight in gold ; for .if there were no gales or rough seas to thwart our purpose, fogs were rather frequent, and here tho pilot's intimate acquaintance with the roles, shoals, _ and islets, many of which were not noted doAvn in the chart, more than once saved the Bonnybell from an ugly thump upon poir.e hidden obstacle. Vor an American, Zack Foster was singularly silent ; yet there was something elephantine about his high forehead and narrow dark eyes which .suggested shrewdness rather than varaitv. He did his work, answered when spoken to, but seldom addressed' any one. " : Laud ho !" *ung v out the loclc-out man at the mast-head, and Pritchard aud the pilot, who 'were poring together > over the map close to the binnacle', looked up. Avhile the passengers -edged nearer to hear the news. Prit■chard lifted his telescope, while Foster -went aloft for a better view. " Edisto Island, as I said, cap.!" hailed the pilot : " and beyond i% is the Carolina •coast. We're close to home, gentlemen and ladies." There was a cheer from the little group gathered near -fche helm, but directly ai'fcervrarfis.canie two shrill cries of " Sail ho !" iS tjncle Sam's barkera. We must put out a few miles yet, cap." said the pilot, as lie leisurely descended the rope ladder. There were many good -glssses on board, and we all gazed eagerly through them, and. with- beating hearts we recognized the port-holes, the grinning cannon, the "star-spangled" flags, and warlike display of the Federal blockading squadron. The steamer was put about, and we stood further out, until shore and ships alike were lost to view. The disappointment of the passengers, who had been granted a mere glimpse of the land that to them wa,s home, was considerable ; but none could doubt the prudence of delaying our entry into Charleston Harbour until night should assist us in eluding the hostile war vessels. There was no going to , bed on board the Bonnybail that night ; we all kept to' the deck, eagerly gazing out over the sparkling a-nd phosphorescent sea, glimmering and glancing with St. Elmo's fires. There was a -pale young moon — a mere sickle of silver— in the sky ; and objects were so faintly discernible that the utmost caution was necessary, The second mate took ijko Kelm, "vvhils the first mate euperittteatlecl the almost coatat

• • in- ii*r''"'"T'"'-" ~ ; • * '- heaving of the lead, and the captain and pilot stood on the forecastle noting the replies of the sailor, chanted as they were in a shrill monotone in accordance with old custom. "Ten fathoms sheer !— By the deep nine !— By the mark, seven! " called out the leadsman from the chains. "Water allays does shoakhere, cap. I know the' channel, though, as Avell as I know my parlour ashore, at 2f antueket —at Savannah, I mean, " said the pilot, with some confusion. "By the mark, five!" was the next call. . Captain Pritchard here grew uneasy. He did i not pretend to equal the pilot in local I knowledge, but he was too good a seaman not to take alai*m at the abrupt lessening of the depth of -the water. He gave orders to reduce the speed, and we moved but slowly on, the lead going as before. " Are you sure, Mr. Foster, you are not mistaken ! It seerus to me the water shoals at the rate of a fathom for every hundred yards traversed. We may have missed the 'swash, left Moultrie to leeward, and got into the network of sandbanks near, Hilloa! what's that ahead of us? Boat's as I'm a sinner !" At the same moment, the pilot thrust his hand rapidly into the breast of his coat, drew out " something, and flung it on the deck, where it instantly began to sputter and hiss, and directly afterwards the lurid glare of a blue-ligbt flashed through the darkness, showing funnel and rigging, the pale faces of the passengers, the narrow channel of fretted water, and the sandy islets on either bow. ISTor was this all, for by the ghasbly lights we could distinguish two dark objects on the foamy sea ahead of us-r-^boats. full of men, pulling swiftly but noiselessly towards us, and, no doubt, with muffled oars. "By the mark, two? Shoal water — were aground ! " cried an illboding voice, that of the sailor in the chains; and the Bonnybell came suddenly to a check, 1 throwing most of the landsmen from their feet, . while the ominous scrooping of the keel told that the steamer was aground. A loud clamour instantly arose, many voices shouting at once in tones of inquiry, dismay, or command; but even above this turmoil arose the hurrah of those who manned the boats, and who now came dashing up, pulling and cheering like madmen. "Treachery! treachery ! ' ' cr ied several of the passengers and crew, pointing to where the pilot s^ood beside the blue light that his own perfidious hand had kindled; while already the man-of-war's men, for t such we could [not doubt them to be, began .to scramble on board. " The Yankee bloodhounds, sure enough ; but you shall not live to share the prizemoney !" exclaimed Pritchard, snatching- up a handspike, aud aiming a"" blow at Mr. Zach Foster, that would have been a lethal stroke, had not that astute person swerved aside, receiving the weapon on his left shoulder. Our men set up , a faint cheer, and a shot was fired, luckily without effect. But resistance would" have been madness, so thickly did the. American sailors crowd up our gangway, their pistols and cutlasses ready for the fray ; while, among them were nine or ten marines, well armed with musket and bayonet, and who drove the Bonnyb ell's crew below hatches without any serious show of fighting. The Federal lieutenant in command, to do him justice, seemed anxious that no needless violence should be used ; and while proclaiming the vessel a prize to the boats of the U. S. war-brig Dacotah, he yet restrained the fury of that* precious. Mr Zaeh. Poster, who had recovered from the effects of his knock-down blow, drawn a bowie-knife, and rushed upon Pritchard, who was struggling, in the hands of his captors. " G-ently, sir," said the lieutenant,- " gently, Quartermaster Pitch. These caged birds are under Uncle Sam's ' protection, and I" cannot allow any ill-usage of my prisoners. Do you hear me, sir?" "Quartermaster!" exclaimed poor Captain Pritchard, as his -wrists were thrust into the handcuffs ; " You don't mean that that double-dyed villian, that Judas of a pilot, is a Yanker petty officer, after all; 1 wish I'd only guessed the truth a few hours back, and — if I swung for it — I'd have chucked the spy overboard as I would a mangy puppy !"'" * # * # "That's the town of' Hampton, mister, and yon's the camr of our invincible rebel-whipping troops'; and there.' s the fort, where you are like to be located a good time, I think," said a drawling voice, breaking in upon my bitter reflections just as the Bonnybell's anchor bit the ground in Hampton Boads. I turned, and shrank instinctively back from the hateful spy, Foster, or Fitch, ,who stood at my elbow, with' an exultant twi:ikle in his rascally eyes. He could not but observe mj gesture, for he went on,— "No malice, Britisher ; you'll be none the worse, after all; and you'll be let out in a week or two, if our Sec. of State happens to care about humouring your rotten old country. Them Southern chaps hey more reason to look ugly than you hey, 1 can tell" you. But wasn't the tniag smart, and prettily done. Answer; me that. Our consul spent a considerable lump of dollars, I calculate, for information about what this Bonnybell was doing at JSTassiau. Then we found out the signal and passwords, and out come I, Dan. Fitch, of; the U. S. navy, and get welcomed, aboard as the pilot chosen by that bloody rebel, Colonel Carter. And before we get clear off the real pilot's canoe gives chase, and they hail and hail till they're hoarse, and your blind bat of a Britisn Captain, he takes no notice — haTha! - You must sing small, you must, ybu old country folks, when you rub shoulders with CriuinbiaY children, Here eora.es the boat, with the marshal S)Qaa l 4 her,"