Chapter I

A country distracted by war--Effects of a blockade--Getting away from the turmoil--The schooner _Rob Roy_--Description of centre-board vessel.

It was in the early part of the year 1863, when the Civil War in America was at its height, and the extensive fields, prairies, and forests in the Southern States had become one gigantic battle-field, and the noble rivers--on whose waters three years before magnificent steamers had been plying up and down, embarking and disembarking their freights and passengers at the numerous thriving towns and villages along the fertile banks--were now unruffled except by grim-looking war vessels armed with heavy guns, whose frowning muzzles threatened destruction to the almost deserted towns along the shores.

Over the whole length and breadth of the land all commercial industries, business pursuits, and even pleasures and enjoyments, were suppressed by the authority and din of war. Shut off from communication with the outer world, and surrounded by a hostile force, the whole country might be compared to one vast besieged garrison, where but one object was paramount, that of resistance to the enemy, and the will of the commander the only law, and the only liberty such as he chose to grant.

The Northern States, with a view of crushing the South into obedience, had, with a powerful fleet, blockaded every Southern port, and completely shut off the Southern States from all communication with other nations.

These States, being entirely agricultural, little attention had been given to manufacturing industries within themselves; they had hitherto almost entirely depended upon the export of their stable products, to supply in return, by way of imports, all articles of foreign manufacture or production necessary for their use. When therefore the blockade was in force, the effect caused by the shutting off of these imports was severely felt.

While the want of munitions of war hampered the combatants, and the want of other necessaries of life caused great privation and suffering among the inhabitants generally, within these blockaded and beleaguered States, the want of their products, particularly cotton, also began to be much felt by other nations.

Previous to the outbreak of hostilities, these States had been the world's chief source of the cotton supply, in the production of which they almost held a monopoly. And thus when that supply was stopped the consequences were severely felt throughout the large manufacturing districts in Europe and the Northern States.

Factories were closed from want of raw material and thousands of operatives thrown out of employment.

Throughout the world there was a great dearth of this article, and this era will long be remembered for the cotton famine which caused much distress among the working classes, the price, as may be imagined, having reached an enormous figure; while, within those States, cotton was piled up in millions of bales a cumbersome drug, and the people were suffering severely from want of the very merchandise that other nations would gladly have supplied in exchange.

From month to month and from year to year did this state of matter continue.

The seas, which three years previously had been thickly studded with the white sails of shipping, were now deserted, and nearly as solitary as when discovered by Columbus.

Such being the state of affairs, it is obvious that attempts were not wanting to break through the cordon which caused misery and privation to so many, and which was, or could be, maintained by no other right than that accorded to sheer force of arms.

Standing guard over every port or inlet where any entrance could be effected were armed vessels, ready to dispute with shot and shell any attempt at entrance or egress, while in the open sea solitary cruisers might be seen occasionally on the look-out for, and ready to overhaul, search, and seize if they thought proper, any vessel which they thought suspicious, or which might dare to approach the guarded waters.

At rare times might be seen a steamer with low hull, painted so as to be scarcely distinguishable from the waves, speeding along at a rapid rate, to make a landfall about dusk, or lying near the offing with banked fires waiting for the cover of night to attempt to run through the blockading fleet. Also, at times, a small, low-hulled schooner might be observed making for some of the inland bays, shoals, or river mouths, into which she could retreat if chased by a cruiser.

It was about the time referred to--June, 1863--that a small, low-hulled schooner was making her way from these coasts and standing southward into the Gulf of Mexico. The mere existence of a vessel in these waters, particularly a vessel of that description, would have excited suspicion and would certainly have brought down upon her any United States cruiser had she been observed by them. But although her appearance and description was exactly the same as a blockade runner's, it was easy to see from the position she was in, from the course she was steering and the cargo she carried, that she was not at that time engaged in the business.

Her position was about sixty miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi river; which was the entrance to the port of New Orleans, and that city was then in the hands of the Federal forces, and was not blockaded, but was under martial law, and all trade with it was restricted.

From the direction the vessel was steering, it was evident that she had come out from that port. She had a general or mixed cargo, and part of a deck-load of shingles.

It was blowing a stiff breeze, about S.S.E., and the vessel was close hauled on the port tack, which showed that she was bound for some port in Cuba, or that she intended to pass through the Yucatan Channel into the Caribbean Sea.

As this vessel is to occupy a prominent place in our narrative, and as she was of a kind seldom seen on the European side of the Atlantic, and until very recently comparatively unknown, we may here give a slight description of her.

She was called a centre-board boat, and since vessels of the kind have lately created a little sensation in yachting circles, we may give a rough sketch of their origin, construction, and utility, at least such of them as are employed in sea-going and cargo-carrying purposes.

Along the shores of the Southern States, particularly on the borders of the Gulf of Mexico, there are numerous land-locked bays, which are navigable to a considerable extent inland, as well as many rivers more or less navigable falling into the gulf. At the entrances to these bays and rivers there are generally bars of shallow water, which prevent the entrance of vessels of deep draught. To enable vessels of some size to enter, the plan of the centre-board was adopted.

Vessels of this kind are built in a particular way, and it is important that the proportions should be strictly observed. If this is done the vessel is stable and seaworthy; if not, she is dangerous.

The model of a vessel best adapted for sea-going purposes is of what is called the flat-sharp kind.

The rise in floor from keel to bilge, about one in six. The breadth of beam should never be less than three and a half times the depth of hold, or three times the total depth, and the length for sea-going purposes never to exceed four times the breadth of beam.

The keel, which must be of great breadth and strength, extends only a few inches below the planking of the bottom. Up the centre of the keel, in a line straight fore and aft, is made a slot, of sufficient width to admit the centre-board, and as long as can be gained with convenience and safety. From the upper side of the keel this slot is cased round with strong planking, which is carried up to the deck beams, this forming a casing, or well, on which rests the deck beams. In this well works the centre-board, the breadth of which corresponds with the depth from the lower side of the deck beams to the bottom of the keel. It is rounded on the forward end, and at the extreme point a hole is made and a strong pivot bolt, passing through the casing, passes through the hole in the centre-board, and holds it there, allowing the after end to work up and down. This end is generally worked up and down by means of an iron bar with tackle attached, or other appliance. By means of this bar the centre-board is pushed out through the keel and forms a blade which holds up the vessel and prevents her going to leeward, which she would otherwise do on account of her flat bottom and light draught of water.

In a properly constructed centre-board vessel it is difficult to get as much side-resisting surface as in a sharp deep vessel, but there is a great advantage gained by that surface being more effective, by the vessel maintaining her perpendicular and not laying over so much on her side on a wind.

Such vessels may lose their masts, but, if of the proper proportions, it is very difficult for them to be thrown on their beam ends or capsized.

They are generally very weatherly, and have an advantage in plying to windward, as they go round quickly and in a small circle, and have so little keel. Moreover, the centre-board being short, acts as a pivot on which they turn, and when they are sailing free or off the wind, the centre-board is partly drawn up which lessens the friction. Their great utility however is in crossing bars and shoals where a deep vessel cannot go, as the centre-board can be drawn up and the draught of the vessel reduced to suit the depth of water, and then let down again as the water deepens.

They have, however, some disadvantages as sea-going vessels, the chief of which is their light hold on the water, which causes then to swag more to leeward than a deep vessel when on a wind in a heavy sea: as it is then not prudent to put the centre-board full down, as with the heavy surging of the vessel to leeward the leverage of the centre-board might strain the casing and spring a leak, or the centre-hoard might be carried away. Their breadth of beam and light draught of water also throws upon their masts and rigging a quick and jerking motion when in a light wind with considerable sea, on which causes chafing and tear and wear of tackling. These vessels are peculiarly adapted for crossing the shallow bars which block the entrances to many of the inland bays and rivers on the coasts of the Southern States and Mexico, and also for the shoals and reefs of the Bahamas; and it is there that they are thoroughly understood, built, and navigated to perfection.

Of this class was the schooner now referred to.

She had the appearance of an ordinary trading schooner of the clipper build, with low bulwarks, tall masts, and large sails of heavy cotton canvas. Her length was about 78 feet, her breadth of beam about 22 feet 6 inches, and her depth of hold about 6 feet; her draught of water when loaded was about 4 feet 9 inches with centre-board up, and 13 feet with it down. The space between the fore and main masts was more than is generally seen in schooners on the European side of the Atlantic, the main mast being placed a little further aft, and the main boom projecting out a considerable length beyond the taffrail, thus allowing space for a larger foresail, and also affording space for the centre-board, which in a schooner is between the main and fore masts.

She had what is called a trunk cabin, which rose about two feet above the main deck, the entrance to which was by a companion stair facing the stern.

The name _Rob Roy_ was newly painted upon her stern in neat letters, followed by some rather clumsy lettering, which looked liked "Balizehon," but which was intended for--of "Belize Honduras." The fact of these names being newly placed there showed that she had recently changed her name as well as her nationality.

She carried a crew of eight all told, being captain, mate, cook, cabin boy, and four seamen. There were besides, three other persons on board, two of whom were passengers, the other was the owner and supercargo of the vessel.

As the person here last referred to undertakes to give a brief account of his adventures and the general mode of traffic with the Southern States during that exciting period, he maybe permitted to tell his own story, with the full understanding that what he has to relate--be it ever so tame and commonplace--shall be facts and not fiction.