As the morning dawned we watched the horizon around us with the
closest scrutiny. At length we could discern the land on our right,
(the northern shore of the river,) about eight miles distant. It had at
first the appearance of a long black cloud, low upon the horizon; but
as the light of day grew stronger, we could see clumps of trees defined
upon it, and in one place was a whitish spot, which we took to be a
house.

The day at length commenced, and the sky over us began to be
flushed with crimson. We could now look around us, and see whatever
was upon the water within the circle of the horizon. Our first
search was for the ship of the blockading squadron, which we could
just discover like a black spec full three leagues down the river.—
South and west of us all was clear—not a boat or vessel was in sight.
We had the river, as far as we could see above us, all to ourselves.

The sun now rose and enlivened us with his beams and made us
feel cheerful. We had every reason to be in high spirits—we had met
with the most triumphant success, and left the fleet of the enemy far
astern. A hundred miles above us, or a little more, was the city of
Buenos Ayres, though on the southern shore. If we fell in with no
Brazilian cruisers in this hundred miles, we should be at the blockaded
port in safety.

`Now, fellows,' said Radsworth, rubbing his hands as the sun sent
his bright rays aslant the water; `what do you think of running the
gauntlet, hey? Don't you say that we are four of the luckiest fellows
in the world?'

`If I had time,' said Fairfax, `I would propose we went back and
take breakfast with old Lobo.'

[figure description] Page 056.[end figure description]

`Talking of breakfast reminds me of our salt beef and biscuit,' said
I; `suppose we set the table and breakfast on board our own craft.
What with rowing and the night air I feel as hungry as seven men.'

`I second the proposition,' said Fairfax. `Gentlemen, suppose we
omit the table-cloth for this morning, seeing they are gone to be washed;
the first frigate we take we'll lay in a supply of clean ones.'

`I am not particular,' said Bedrick. `We will supply ourselves
with silver forks also then; but we must carve and eat with our sabres
for what I see.'

`I wonder,' said I, `how the old man breakfasts this morning? I
should n't wonder if he had lost his appetite.'

`He has certainly lost four first rate appetites,' said Fairfax, cutting
off a huge slice of corned beef with a jack-knife and thrusting it into
his jaws.

At this we all laughed heartily; and thus in the merriest mood possible
we breakfasted. Besides the beef and cold ham, we had ship-bread,
and some bottles of ale, with which we washed down the beef
and hard-tack. I never ate a heartier breakfast in my life: and the
others were very positive that they never had. While we were eating
we let the skiff drive on with a flowing sheet, it requiring only a little
attention now and then at the helm, between our mouthfuls, to keep
her steady on her course.

`Now if we had cigars,' said Bedrick, as we carefully put away the
remains of the breakfast into the locker; `we should feel like aldermen!
'

Cigars, however, were a luxury to be denied to us, and we bore the
deprivation like philosophers. As we had been awake all night it was
now proposed that we should divide ourselves into two watches, of four
hours each, so that we all might have a chance to sleep. Lots were
drawn, and the first watch fell to Fairfax and myself. The other two
then rolled themselves up into a knot and coiled away, one forward
and the other in the centre of the boat, to take a nap. In a few minutes
they were fast asleep, rocked by the cradling motion of the waves.

The wind had lulled as the sun rose, and by the time we had got
through our breakfast, it blew very gently from the south-east. The
skies were clear and the waves gradually fell, till the river by and by
became as smooth as a lake. We moved pleasantly along within three
leagues of the shore, at about four knots, while our `watch below'
slept, and part of the time caught ourselves napping.

The shores, which I examined with the spy-glass, presented only a
barren ridge sloping to the water, and here and there diversified by a
ravine or clump of low wild peach trees. No signs of habitation were
apparent. In one instance I saw a drove of wild horses, that covered
full an acre of ground, galloping along the ridge-slope for a while, and
then disappearing over the verge towards the interior. The prospect
was barren and uninviting. The line of the shore was nearly straight,
with scarcely an indenture for serveral miles. We compared our observations
with our chart, and at length discovering, some distance up
the river, a projection like a cape, we found on looking for it in the
chart that we were forty miles above Montevideo. This was about ten

[figure description] Page 057.[end figure description]

o'clock in the forenoon—a pretty good run since twelve o'clock the
night before, all the circumstances taken into consideration.

Our `watch below' were waked at twelve o'clock, just after we had
passed the point above mentioned. They had slept without stirring
hand or foot for four hours. They waked heavily at first, but were
soon made to understand where they were and what was wanted of
them. The first thing they did was to look sharply all about to see if
any enemy was in sight; and they did so with such eagerness and suspicion
that, sleepy as we were, we could not help laughing.

I now proposed that we should dine before going to sleep; this was
seconded and carried. Our dinner was corned beef and hard-tack, like
our breakfast, but instead of beer was washed down with champagne.
Fairfax and I now coiled ourselves up in the bottom of the boat, and in
three minutes were both in oblivion.

At four o'clock we were called out, and found to our regret that we
had been laying almost becalmed, and that the watch had rowed two
hours out of their four. We had, however, gained six miles, which
was something. We now all four took to the oars, and began to pull
vigorously up the river, for there was not a breath of air. We were
desirous of getting as soon as possible out of the neighborhood of the
blockading squadron and their cruisers; and we were aware that the
farther we ascended the less likely we were to fall in with them.

The shores along which we pulled, and towards which we had gradually
approached till we were within four miles of them, still presented
no feature of cultivation or of inhabitants. The whole coast was a
black sun-burnt ridge, with here and there a patch of stunted trees.
Our chart showed us no inhabited spot until we should come to Colonia,
a fort and small town, directly opposite to which was Buenos Ayres.
But as Colonia, with all the shore on this side of the river, was in the
possession of Brazil, we had no intention of going up so high before
crossing over; we also deemed it best to keep a good offing, as possibly
there might be parties of the enemy on the land provided with boats.
We might have crossed the river where we were, but as it was fifty
miles wide there, and pamperos often came up suddenly, in which our
boat could not have lived, we thought it best to hug the Bonda Oriental
shore until we came near Colonia, where, the river being but two
leagues across, we might run less danger.

We now kept our glasses constantly sweeping the horizon, seaward
and landward, and up the river, scanning the shore and the offing with
the closest scrutiny. If we were seen by any cruiser, we felt quite
sure of being chased; and to render our skiff a less prominent object,
we began to discuss the expediency of keeping our mast and sail down
while daylight lasted, and sailing only at night. But in this we were
divided, as rowing all day was not by any means desirable or pleasant.
There was, however, no wind at present. As the sun drew towards the
west the night breeze began to blow in from the sea, at first gently.—
We hailed its approach for its refreshing influence, as well as a relief to
our rowing. We again put it to vote whether to hoist sail or not, and
we decided to make sail and run as long as we could in safety, but to
keep a good look-out all around.

[figure description] Page 058.[end figure description]

`We shall be sure to see any vessel before it can discover us,' said
Fairfax; `they will loom up so much larger than ourselves; and if we
douse sail at once and keep low or pull in shore we shall escape.'

We therefore hoisted sail, and once more glided smoothly along.—
The sun was about half an hour high. Nothing was visible but sky
and water, and the strip of barren coast, parallel with which we were
steering. I had the helm and Fairfax the look-out, while the other
two were seated amidships dozing, for they had not slept since noon.
I had just taken the glass and swept the horizon outside, but seeing
nothing was about to lay it down, when it occurred to me that I would
look in shore, from which we were about three and a half miles. I
levelled the glass and slowly swept the line of beach, when, at the
mouth of a ravine, I discovered a large boat or lugger with two masts.
I could hardly credity my eyes, but after exnmining closely I was convinced
that it was no delusion, and what was more, that it contained
men, while others were ashore.

`Fairfax,' said I, `take the glass and look at that dark hollow in
shore, and see what you can discover.'

He came aft and took the spy-glass, and the next instant cried out
aloud,—

`Portuguese, by Heaven!'

The exclamation roused our two dozers, and springing to their feet
bewildered, they gazed wildly round, and cried,—`Where? where?'
One of them at the same time grasped a pistol and the other seized a
sabre. We laughed at their alarm, and then cautioning them to be silent
and keep collected, we gave them the spy-glass and showed them
the enemy.

`They are skinning cattlet,' said Bedrick; `it is a gun-boat that has
run in there for fresh provisions. Boys, we must douse sail and take
to the oars, and pull dead out into the river.'

The mast was struck instantly, and we seized our oars and began to
run away from the land. After pulling about ten minutes at a hard
rate, I took the spy-glass and levelled it at the land. To my dismay I
saw that the lugger was in motion towards us, pulled by at least six
sweeps on a side.

`Now, boys,' said I, `we must run for it; it is neck or nothing—
Portuguee and Yankee! They have seen us, and put off after us with
as many legs as a centipede!'

Each one took the glass in turn to satisfy himself, and then we took
off our jackets and began to pull like club-oarsmen racing for a silver
cup. The sun was now about a quarter of an hour high; it seemed
to me it would never go down—for on the darkness depended our
escape; for in a dead pull in daylight the lugger was sure to have the
best of it, for we should by and by have to give in for want of wind.
We watched the slow sun with the most anxious eyes—yet there was
no signs of fear on any face—we were cool and firm: yet we were by
no means solicitous to be any nearer the gun-boat than we were!

`For my part,' said Radsworth, as he kept his eyes fixed on the sun,
`I can't conceive what Joshua wanted it to stand still for—I would
give a bag of dollars, if I had it, if it would take a dive and disappear.

[figure description] Page 059.[end figure description]

If it should stand still now where it is, we should have to fight or be
taken and shot.'

The sun at length went down, and as it disappeared we shouted and
bent with more energy to our oars. The little skiff fairly jumped beneath
our efforts, and in truth all the life we had in us we lent her.

The lugger gained perceptibly, but the twilight was as rapidly deepening
into night.—We began to gain confidence.

`I wonder,' said I, `if that lugger does n't carry a long Tom? If
she does we are likely to have a game at bowls with her—we playing
the part of the nine pins.'

Hardly had the words fallen from my mouth when a flash lighted up
the dusk; the next instant a rushing was heard in the air above us,
and then a splashing in the water beyond us, and then the deep roar of
the gun upon our ears. For a moment we were appalled.

`Let us up sail and drive her,' I cried; `they can't do more than sink
us, and they have seen us already as plain as they can.'

The mast was stepped, the sail hoisted, and away we went scudding
before a six-knot breeze, the starboard gunwale dipping under water.