Before leaving the _Jacob Bell_ our captain obtained permission of the prize-master to leave his steward and a waiting-man on board, who were to look after his effects and our trunks of sea-clothing; which, with our bundles and a small basket of stores that they were to put up for us, we hoped to receive on board the _Florida_. In the morning, on learning that Captain Frisbie had already gone on board the _Jacob Bell_, I handed Captain Maffit, as requested, a list of the packages we had in the ship, which having read, he returned to me, saying,--“Mrs. W---- I cannot take all your things on board; for we have not room, and we cannot have much on deck, as it will prevent the free working of the guns.” I then said, “It will be very hard, Captain Maffit, to lose all our packages; for those in the hold contain the greatest and best part of our wardrobes, besides some household supplies, and many other articles of rare value; and we were assured by your officer when taken that all our private effects should be saved.” “Yes,” was the reply, “but it is quite impossible in this case; and you must take what you most need. I shall then allow you more than is usual in such cases.” After this conversation I mentioned to Captain Maffit the fact of my having a small insurance on my property, but remarked that I was not sure of its being good for anything in this case. At his request I then handed him the policy, which he read and returned to me, saying,--“Yes, that is a war risk.” In a few moments after, he asked to look at the policy again; and once more having conned it apparently with great care, remarked, “Yes, your policy is good in this case, and I am surprised that any one will attempt to travel with valuables in these times without being properly insured. I advise you to leave the insured packages. They are not numbered, and you can take whichever parcels you please, only be sure to leave twenty packages, for if you do not, your policy will be contested.”[43] In this seemingly disinterested manner he advised me what to do; telling me he could not save our property, but at the same time appeared to deplore the necessity of the case, and expressed his regret at what I must suffer in seeing the destruction of so much of the nice, curious, useful, and valuable. He thus so completely deceived me that I never once suspected his object; nor that his officers would be allowed to break open and plunder our property. He then told us that he was going on board the _Jacob Bell_, and would send the few packages that we were to have on board his vessel. I directly handed him the meagre list, saying,--“Then all the rest, Captain Maffit, must burn and go down with the ship.” I also interceded in every possible way that I could, in order to save Master Charlie’s large box-like trunk, which was not insured, but was of great value to him, and was in the hold with my packages. I was the more anxious on this point for the reason that Charlie’s father,