There can be no doubt that the vessel had lost much of her speed, for she had been very hardly pushed on several occasions.

This told sadly against her, as the result will show.

On the third afternoon after leaving Nassau she was in a good position for attempting the run when night came on.

She was moving stealthily about waiting for the evening, when suddenly, on the weather, which had been hitherto thick and hazy, clearing up, she saw a cruiser unpleasantly near to her, which bore down under steam and sail, and it soon became probable that the poor little 'D----n's' twin screws would not save her this time, well and often as they had done so before.
The cruiser, a large full-rigged corvette, was coming up hand over hand, carrying a strong breeze, and the days of the 'D----n' seemed numbered, when C---- tried a ruse worthy of any of the heroes of naval history.
The wind, as I said, was very fresh, with a good deal of sea running.
On came the cruiser till the 'D----n' was almost under her bows, and shortened sail in fine style.

The moment the men were in the rigging, going aloft to furl the sails, C---- put his plan into execution.