The trip out was equally exciting, as I had as passengers General Randolph, ex-Secretary of State for War, who was going to Europe invalided, and his wife. I did not want to take them, as the _Banshee_ had practically no accommodation whatever, particularly for ladies. However, _she_ had such a good character for safety, that they pleaded hard to be taken, and I at last consented, though I did not like at all the responsibility of having a lady on board. I was determined, however, to make Mrs. Randolph as safe as possible, so told the stevedore to keep a square space between the cotton bales on deck, into which she could retire in case the firing became hot. And hot it did become. Running down with a strong ebb tide through the Smith's inlet channel, we suddenly found a gunboat in the middle of the channel on the bar. It was too late to stop, so we put her at it, almost grazing the gunboat's sides and receiving her broadside point blank. Mrs. Randolph had retired to her place of safety, but she told me afterwards that, alarmed as she was, she could not help laughing when, after she had been there only an instant, my coloured servant, who had evidently fixed upon the place as appearing to be the most safe, jumped right on the top of her, his teeth chattering through fear. How we laughed the next morning, and how poor Sam got chaffed, but he became quite a cool hand, and when we were running in, in daylight, in the _Will-o-the-Wisp_ (as I have already related), and the shot were coming thick, Sam appeared upon the bridge with his usual "Coffee Sar!" After we had got rid of our friend on the bar, we were heavily peppered by her consorts outside, from whom we received no damage, but we fell in with very bad weather, and the ship was under water most of the time. Right glad I was to land my passengers, who were half dead through sea-sickness, exposure, and fatigue. Although it was a hard trip it paid well, as we had on board coming out a most magnificent cargo, a great deal of it Sea Island cotton, the profit upon which and the provisions I had taken in amounted to over £85,000—not bad work for about twenty days! CHAPTER XI HAVANA AND GALVESTON The most expensive city in the world—An adventurous trip—A furious gale in the gulf-stream—A run to Galveston—A worthless pilot—A "Norther"—Drifting in the middle of a blockading squadron—An old friend again—The _Banshee_ nearly lost—Uncomfortably close quarters—A choice of alternatives—A reckless undertaking—Galveston—A scarcity of cotton—A trip to Houston—A sporting conductor and engine-driver—The execution of a deserter—Return to Nassau—Ending of the war—A disastrous liquidation—Home.