AMERICAN NOTES.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1616, 10 September 1861, Page 4

AMERICAN NOTES.

By W. H. Russell Special Correspon-

DENT OF THE " TIMES."

This gentleman has forwarded from Mobile some excellent sketches of a visit to the confederate camp at Pensaoola and the Federal fortress of Fort Pickens. Wishing to proceed to Pensacola by sea, he chartered the small schooner Diana, the captain of which was a tall wild-haired young man, resembliDg more a mechanic than a sailor.

The party sailed from Mobile at five in the evening of Tuesday, May 14th, with the flag of the Confedrate States flying; but as a precautionary measure, I borrowed from our aoting Consul, Mr, Ma-

gee, a British ensign, which, with a flag I of truce, would win the favouroble con- 1 sideraliou of the United States squadron. Our craft, the somewhat Dutoh build of which gave no great promise of speed, came, to our surprise and pleasure, up with the lights of Fort Morgan at uiue o'clock, and we were allowed to pass unchallenged through a " swash," as a narrow channel over the bar is called, which, despite the absence'of beacons and buoys, our skipper shot through under the guidance of a sounding pole, which gave at various plunges but few inches to spare. The flagstaff of Fort M'Rae soon came in sight, and beyond it could be observed Fort Pekins and the Federal feet, — three steamers, a frigate, a sloop-of-war, and a sharp-looking schooner. The latter immediately bore down upon them.

As the Goverument schooner approaches, the Diana throws her foresail aback, and the pretty Utile craft, with a full-sized United States, ensigu flying, aud the muzzle of a brass howitzer peeping over her forecastle, ranges up luff, , and taking an easy sweep lies to alongside us. A boat is lowered from her and is soon alongside, steered by an officer;; her crew armed to the teeth with pistols and cutlasses. " Ah, I think I have seen you before. What schooner is this ?" I "The Dian-i from Mobile." The offioer steps on deck and announced himself as Mr. Brown, master in the United States navy, in oharge of the boarding vessel Oriental. The crew secuie their boat and steps up after him. The skipper, looking very sulky, hands his papers to the officers. " Now, sir, make sail, and lie to under the quarter of that steamer, the guardship Powhattan. On board the Powhatten Mr. Russell found a very polite aud frank reception from Capt. Porter,. In the course of con versation Oaptain Porter said he had been repeatedly in the harbour and along the enemy's woiks at night, and knew their positions thoroughly. The vessel was all ready for action. A sigual was made from the flag-ship Sabine to send Mr. Russell on board. On the way he passed the Brooklyn, which exhibited a very powerful arma-. ment of twenty-two guns. The crew of the flagship numbered about 300 or 400 quid- rolling, sunburnt, and resolute-look-ing blue-shirted tars, to whom a three years's cruise had imparted a family aspect which made them almost as hard to distinguish apait as so many Chinamen. Captain Adams, the commander of the ship, was peculiarly situated in regard to his family. He has recently joined the blockade of this port, where he finds a son enlisted injjthe ranks of the C.S.A., and learns that two others form part of the Virginia division of Mr. Jefferson Davis's forces. Born in Pennsylvania, he married in Louisiana, where he has a plantation and the remainder of his family, and he smiles grimly as one of our companions brings him the playful message from his daughter, who has been elected vivandiere of a New Orleans regiment, " that she trusts that he may be starved while blockading the South, and that she intends to push on to Washington, and get a lock of Old Abe's hair " — a Sioux lady would have said his scalp-

After receiving the permission of Captain Adams to pass the blockade and visit the euemy's quarters, Mr. Russell returned to the Diana, which, with two table-cloths at the mast-head, dropped slowly down with the tide through . the channel that was parallel to the face of Fort Pickens.

As the vessel approached the landing pier of the Navy-yard one could hear the bustle of the military and the hammers, of the artificers, aud descry the orimsbh and blue trappings of the Zouaves, recalling Crimean reminiscences. A train of heavy, tumbrils, drawu by three or four pairs of mules, was the first indication of a transport system in the army of the Confederate States, and the high-bred chargers mounted by the escorts of these ammunition waggons correlated the accounts of the wealth and breeding of its Volunteer cavalry. He ( Mr. Russell) in passant remarks : — Here we have an important fortress (Fort Pickens) threatened with siege for the last sixty days, suffering the assailants of the flag it defends to amass battery upon battery, and string the whole ooast of low hills opposite with every variety of apparatus for its own devastation, without throwing a timely shell to prevent their establishment.

The master of the Diana pulled, his leaking boat ashore with letters of introduction tp the Commander-in-Chief, and soon returned with an orderly who carried the regiment's permission, and, accordingly, he landed at tbe Wharf, and after being shown round the Navy-yard &c. without any reserve, he obtained permission from General Bragg to visit the Confederate fort Pickens. The skipper of the Diana opened his eyes and shook his rough bead a little when he was ordered to get under way for Fort Pickens and to anchor off the jetty.

Up went the flag of truce to the fore onoe more, but the ever-watchful sentry, diverted for the time from his superintendanoe of the men who were fishing at our pier, forbade our departure till the corporal of the guard had given leave, and the corporal of the guard would not let ithe fair Diana cast off her warp till he had consulted the-sergeant of the guard, aud sothere was some delay occasioned by the necessity for holding an interview with that functionary, who finally permitted the captain to proceed on his way, and with a fair light breeze the schooner fell round into the tideway and glided off to-

wards the fort. We drew up with it rapidly, aud soon attracted the notice of the look out men and some officers, who came down to the jetty.

Mr. Russell was informed by the officers in charge that colonel Moore would permit him to go over the fort. The description of the fort being technical, we omit. Mr. Russell remarks that in the course of strengthening some portions of tbe outworks sixty rattlesnakes were killed by the workmen. Having re-embarkod, the Diana stood up towards tho Navy-yard once more, in the glare of the setting sun.

The seutinels aloug the battery and beach glared at as with surprise as the schooner, wilh her flag of truce still flyiug, ran past them. " Halloa ! v Mr. Captain, what's that you're at ?" His male was waving the Confederate flag from the deck. " It's only a signal, sir, to the gentlemen on shore." " Wave some other flag, then, while there's a flag of truce flying, and while we. are in these waters."

Mr. Russell, in the evening, started iv

the Diana on his returu to Mobile

It was dark before the Diana was well dowu off Fort Pickens again, and, as she passed out to sea between it and Fort M'Rae, it was certainly to have been expeoted that one side or other would briug her to. Certainly our friend Mr. Brown, in his clipper Oriental, would overhaul us outside, arid there lay a friendly bottle in a nest of ice waiting for the gallantsailor who was to take farewell of us according I to promise. Out we glided into night and into the cool sea breeze, which blew fresh aud strong from the nortb. In the distance the blaok form of the Powhattan could be just distinguished; the rest of the squadron could not be made out by either eye or glass, nor was the schooner in sight. A lantern was hoisted by my orders, and kept aft for some time after the schooner was clear of the forts. Still no schooner. The wind was not very favorable for running towards the Powhattan, and it was too late to approach her with perfeot confidence from the enemy's side. Besides, it was lato ; time pressed. The Oriental was s,urely lying off somewhere to the westward, and the word was given to make all sail, and soon the Diana was bowling along the shore, where the sea melted away in a fiery line of foam, so close to us that a man could, in nautical phrase, " shy a bisouit" on the sand. The wind was abeam, and the Diana seemed to breathe it through her sails, and flew along at an astonishing rate through the phosphorescent waters, with a prow of flame and a bubbling wake of dancing meteor-like streams flowing from her helm, as though it were a furnace whenceboiled a stream of liquid metal. "Np sign of tho Oriental on our lee bow ?" "Nothin' at all in sight, sir." The sharks and huge rays flew off froth the shore as we passed and darted out seawards, marking their runs in brilliant trails of light. On sped the Diana, but no Oriental came in sight. Mr. Russell turned iv thoroughly wearied.

It never entered ray head, even my dreams, that the captain would break the blockade if he could — particuliarly as his papers had not been endorsed, and the penalties would be sharp aud sure if he were caught. But the confidence of coasting captains in the extraordinary capabilities of their craft is a madness — an halluciation so strong that no danger or risk will prevent their acting upon it whenever they can. I was assured once by the " captain" of a " Billiboy," that he could run to windward of any frigate in her Majesty's service, and there is not a skipper from Hartlepool to Whitstable who does not believe his own "Mary Ann," or "Three Grandmothers," is, on certain " piuts," able to bump her fat bows and scuttle-shaped stern faster through the seas than any clipper which ever flew a pendant.

He had been some two hours and a half asleep, when he was awakened by a whispering in the little cabin.

Charley, the negro cook, ague -stricken with terror, Avas leaning over the bed,and in broken French was chattering through his teeth, " Monsieu, Monsieu, nous sommes perdas ! Le bateman de guerre nous poursuit. II n'a pas enoore tire. II va tirer bientol! O mon Dieu ! mon Dieu !" Through the hatchway I could see the skipper was at the helm, glancing anxiously^from tbe compass to to the quivering reefpoints of his mainsail. " What's all this we hear, captain ?" " Well, sir, there's been somethin' a runnin' after us these two hours (very slowly). But I don't think he'll keeoh us up no how tbis time." " But, good heavens, you know, it may be the Oriental, (with Mr. Brown on board." "Ah wall — may bee. But he kep quite close upon me in the dark — it gey me quite a stark when I seeu bim. May be, says I, he's a privateering' chap, and so [ draws in on shore close as I cud, — gets mcc centreboard in, and, says I, I'll see what yer mcd of, mcc boy. He au't againing muoh on us."

Mr. Russell looked, and sure enough, about half or three quarters of a mile astern, and somewhere to the leeward of the Diana, a vessel, with sails aud hull all blended into a black lump, was standing on iv pursuit. I strained my eyes and furbished up the glasses, but I could make out nothing definite. The skipper held grimly on. The shore was so close we could have almost leaped into the surf, for the Diana, when her oentre-board is up, does not draw much over four feet " Captain, I think you had better shake ybttr wind, and see who he is. It may be Mr. Brown."

Meester Brown or no, I can't help currine on now. I'd be on the bank outside iv a minit if I didn't hold my course." The captain had his own way ; he argued that it was the Oriental she would have fired a blank guv loug ago to briug us to ; and as to uot calling us when the sail was discovered, he took up the general line of the cruelty of disturbing people when they're asleep. Ah, captain, you knew well it was Mr. Brown, as you let out when you were safe off Fort Morgan. By keepiug so close in shore in shoal water the Diana was eu abled to creep along to windward of the stranger, who evidently was deeper . than ourselves, j See there! her sails shiver! so one of the crew says : she's struok ! But she's off again, and is after us. We are just within range, and one's eyes become quite bliiiky watching for the flash from the bow, but whether privateer.or United States schooner, she was too magnanimous to fire. A stern chase is a loug chase. It must be somewhere about two in the morning. Nearer and nearer to shore creeps the Diana. " I'll lead him into a pretty mess whoever he is, if he tries to follow me through the Swash," grins the skipper: The Swash is a very shallow, narrow and dangerous passage into Mobile Bay, between the sandbanks on the east of the main channel and the shore. Our pursuer holds .on, but gains nothing. The Diana is now only somo nine or ten miles from Fort Morgan, guarding the entrance to Mobile. Soon an uneasy dancing motion welcomes her approach to the Swash. " Take a cast of lead, John ! " " Nine foet." " Good ! Again ! " " Seven feet." " Good— Churlej, bring tho lantern." (Ob, Charley, why did that lautern go out just as it was wanted, aijjd not only expose us to the most remarlrable amount of " cussiu," and imprecation, « strange oaths our ears ever heard, but expose our lives and your head to more imminent danger ?) But so it was, just at the critical juncture when a turn of the helm port or starboard made the difference perhaps between life and death, light after light went out, and the captain went dancing mad at intervals of deadly calmness as the male sang out, " Five feet and a half! seven feet, — six feet-Aeight feet — five feet — four aud a half feet,— (oh Lord!) six feet," and so ou, through a measurement of death by inches, not at all agreeable. And where was Mr. Brown all this time ? Really we were so much interested in the state of the lead-line, and in the very peculiar behaviour of the lanterns, which would not burn, that we scarcely cared much when we heard from the odd hand and Charley that she had put about, after running aground once or twice, they thought, as soon as we entered tlie Swash, and had vanished rapidly in the darkness. It was little short of a miracle that we got past tho elbow, for just at the critical moment, in a channel not more than ,100 yards broad, with only six feet water, the binnacle light, which had burned steadily for a minute, sank with a sputter into black night.

When the passage was accomplished the captain relieved his mind, by chasing Charley into a corner, and with a shark, which he held by the tail, as the first weapon that came to hand, inflicting on him condign punishment, and then returning to the helm.

Charley, however, knew his master, for he slyly seized the shark and fluug his defunct corpse overboard before another fit of passion came on, and by the morning the skipper was good friends with him, after he had relieved himself by a series of castigations of the negligent lamplighter with every variety of Rhadamanthine implement.

The Diana had thus distinguished her dirty little person by breaking a blockade. But she had a still greater triumph. As she approached Fort Morgan all was silence. The morning was just showing a grey streak in the east.

" Why they're all asleep at the fort," observed the idomitable captain, and, regardless of gnus or sentries, down went his helm, and away the Diana thumped into Mobile Bay, and stole off iv the darkness towards the opposite shore. There was, however, a miserable day before us. When the light fairly broke we had got only a few miles inside, a stiff northerly wind blew right in our teeth, aud the whole of the. blessed day we spent lacking backwards and forwards between one low shore and another low sfcore, iv water the oolour of pea-soup, so that temper and patience were exhausted, aud we were reduced to such a state that we took intense pleasure iv meeting with a drowning alligator. He was a nice looking young fellow, about ten feet long, aud had evidently lost his way, and was going out to sea bodily; but it would have been the height of cruelty to take him on board our ship, miserable as he was, though he passed within two yards of us. There was, to be sure, the pleasure of seeing Mobile in eveiy possible view/ far and near, and east and west, aud in a lump and run out, but it was not relished any more than our dinner, which consisted of a very gamy Bologna sausage, pig who had not decided -whether he would be pork or bacon, and buions fried in a terrible preparation of Charley, the cook. At five in the evening, however, having been nearly fourteen hours beating about twenty-seven miles, we were landed at an outlying wharf, and I started off for the Battle-house and rest.