A Narrow Shave.

The crew of the Alabama's boat were a pretty tough-looking lot, and they were armed to the teeth. At first the Queen of Beauty people did not think the shots were intended for their ship, and Mr. Farrell says they were lucky in getting off as they did. It was just a toss-up whether the third shot (which was ball and not blank charge like the first two shots) struck the ship, but fortunately it did not.

"At the time," writes Mr. Farrell, "there was considerable excitement among the Queen's passengers, many of whom, believing they would be taken off the ship and landed on some island, hurried to collect their valuables in bags and kits, and any other receptacles they could rake up. When the officer and men of the Alabama's boat came on board the Queen the officer went down to the captain's cabin and examined the ship's papers. Being satisfied that she was a British ship the officer apologised to Captain Chapman for delaying him. Refreshments were then served out, and the Alabama's boat left the ship's side to the accompaniment of hearty cheers from the people on the Queen. While the officer was down in Captain Chapman's cabin examining the ship's papers some of the crew of the Alabama's boat mingled with our passengers, and they told us that they had used up all their tobacco pipes. Many of our people were bringing out boxes of the old clay pipes that were the fashion in those days, and they at once rushed below and got them to give to the Alabama men. The Americans said it was a pity they had not known it was an immigrant ship they were boarding, as they had great quantities of tobacco on board and could have brought some off to exchange. The American sailors told Mr. Phillips, our second mate, that the night before they had been chasing the American ship Onward, but failed to overtake her. Early next morning they picked up the Queen of Beauty, and seeing that she was American-built and similarly rigged they thought they had got the Onward."

The commander of the Alabama was Admiral Semmes, a typical Southerner, with a superb contempt for the "Yankee.' He wrote a most interesting account of the adventures of the Alabama from the start right up to the time she was sunk by the Kearsage. In that book, which is called "Memoirs of Service Afloat," and is probably now out of print, the Admiral mentions the boarding of the Queen of Beauty, which he says was formerly the American ship Challenger. Describing the cruise of the Alabama off the Brazil coast, he says: "On the 16th of June, 1863, we overhauled two more American ships under English colours. One of these was the Azzapali, of Port Louis, in the Mauritius. Having to put into Port Louis in distress, she had been sold for the benefit 'of whom it might concern,' and purchased by English parties two years before. The other was the Queen of Beauty, formerly the Challenger. Under her new colours and nationality she was running as a packet between London and Auckland. These were both bona fide transfers, and were evidence of the straits to which Yankee commerce was being put. Many morepage 222 ships disappeared from under the 'flaunting lie' by sale than by capture, their owners not being able to employ them."