And now the fort opened fire at the chasing cruisers, from whom the blockade-runner was crawling, being by this time well inshore.

One vessel was evidently struck, as she dropped out of range very suddenly.

On came the 'Old J----,' one of the fastest boats in the trade, and anchored all right; two or three shots in her hull, but no hurt.

Didn't we cheer her! the reason of her being in the position in which we saw her at daylight was that she had run the time rather short, and daylight broke before she could get into the river; so that, instead of being there, she was in the very centre of the blockading fleet.

Many men would have given in, but old N---- was made of different stuff.
We got well clear of the cruisers before daybreak, and keeping far out to sea, were unmolested during the run to Nassau, where we arrived safely with our second cargo of cotton, having this time been eighteen days making the round trip.
Having made two round trips, we could afford to take it easy for a short time, and as the dark nights would not come on for three weeks, we gave the little craft a thorough refit, hauling her up on a patent slip that an adventurous American had laid down especially for blockade-runners, and for the use of which we had to pay a price which would have astonished some of our large ship-owners.