We paced the bridge, anxiously waiting for daylight. The watch having been set, the rest of the officers and crew were permitted to go below, except the chief engineer and the pilot. The night wore slowly away and once or twice we caught a glimpse, by a flash of lightning, of the blockading fleet around us, rolling and pitching in the heavy sea. The cable was then well stoppered at the "bitts," and unshackled and two men stationed at the stopper, with axes, and the order to cut the lashings, instantly, when so ordered the fore-staysail was loosed, and hands stationed at the halliards and the chief engineer directed to keep up a full head of steam. It seemed an age before the cry came from the leadsmen "by the mark five." The Lee was instantly stopped, and one of the bower anchors let go, veering to thirty fathoms on the chain. We could not prudently anchor in less than five fathoms water, as the sea was rising rapidly and that depth would carry us into the midst of the blockading fleet at anchor outside. At the moment when both of the leadsmen almost simultaneously called out "and a quarter less three," the helm was put hard a-starboard, and the Lee's bow was pointed seaward. The course and distance run, and the soundings up to this point proved, beyond doubt, that we had now reached the "horse shoe" north of New Inlet bar. I knew that if my calculated position was correct, the water would shoal very suddenly just before reaching the bar but a trying hour or more of suspense had passed before the welcome fact was announced by the leadsmen. The sounding continued quite regular three and three and a quarter fathoms, with the surf thundering within a stone's throw on our starboard beam, and nothing visible in the blinding torrents of rain. Knowing the "trend" of the land north of New Inlet bar, the engine was slowed down and the lead kept going on both sides. Being quite confident of our position, however, I determined to run down the coast, and anchor off the bar till daylight. Our supply of coals was too limited to enable us, with prudence, to put to sea again and of course, the marks or ranges for crossing the bar would not be visible fifty yards in such thick weather. We had been unable to distinguish any landmark before the storm burst in all its fury upon us, and the rain poured in torrents. The weather had been pleasant during the voyage, and we had sighted the fires from the salt works along the coast, but before we could get hold of the land, a little before midnight, a densely black cloud made its appearance to the north and east and the rapidity with which it rose and enlarged, indicated too surely that a heavy gale was coming from that quarter. Our return voyage was uneventful, until we reached the coast near Masonborough Inlet, distant about nine miles north of the "New Inlet" bar. After discharging our cargo of cotton and loading with supplies for the Confederate Government, chiefly for the army of Northern Virginia, we sailed for Wilmington in the latter part of the month of March.
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