“All these small South American towns are, more or less, dependent upon American trade. The New England States and New York supply them with their domestic cottons, flour, bacon, and notions; sell them all their worthless old muskets, and damaged ammunition, and now and then, smuggle out a small craft to them, for naval purposes. The American Consul, who is also a merchant, represents not only those ‘grand moral ideas,’ that characterize our Northern people, but Sand’s sarsaparilla, and Smith’s wooden clocks. He is, _par excellence_, the big dog of the village. The big dog was present on the present occasion, looking portentous and savage, and when he ope’d his mouth, all the little dogs were silent. Of course, the poor _Sumter_, anchored away off in the bay, could have no chance before so august an assemblage.” The _Abby Bradford_ was ordered to New Orleans, but the _Powhatan_, Capt. D. D. Porter, captured her. The _Sumter_ was at Puerto Cabello on July 26th. She had taken nine prizes cruising in the island region of the Caribbean Sea. To follow her in all the details of her voyage would be monotonous. The reader can find the story in full, even to the number of ladies who showered their favors upon the Confederate captain, for Semmes was so proud of all of his conquests as to omit none. She was usually under sail, but used coal in chasing, and was able to renew her supply at Trinidad as well as other ports. Meantime Semmes had been carrying a considerable number of merchant seamen to abide the fate of the crew of the _Savannah_ (privateer) who were held for trial in New York on a charge of piracy. Semmes informed these merchant seamen that he should hang them if the _Savannah’s_ crew were executed, and he says himself he should have done so, but does not tell by what process of reasoning he concluded it would be right to retaliate on men not engaged in warring against the Confederacy. From Trinidad the _Sumter_ went down the Brazil coast to Maranham, and thence to a point near the equator, where homeward-bound American ships from South America crossed, and then back to the Caribbean Sea islands, where, eventually, at St. Pierre, she was blockaded by the _Iroquois_. The _Iroquois_’ captain made a mistake. He arranged with an American shipmaster in the harbor to hoist signals, in case the _Sumter_ sailed at night, to tell what course she was steering from the open roadstead. The signals were duly hoisted as Semmes started away south, but Semmes saw and understood them, and after running a mile or two with the _Iroquois_ making all steam to head him off, he turned around and ran away to the north and escaped.