Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/93

Rh cessful attempt to find us anywhere up stream. It was, no doubt, the noise of their engines that had struck my dreaming ear as I was dozing off to sleep; and now as we rounded the first point below New Orleans we saw to our dismay a mighty flotilla stretching in a long line across the water, prepared to dispute our passage.

There was no evading them. No friendly night to cover us; no wooded creek in which to ride unobserved, for we had fairly confronted them now; no alternative course by which we might give them the slip, and escape to sea.

I made the signal to drop anchor, and then for Dana and Gell to come aboard at once. The spirits of our poor folks had again sunk to zero. Fortunately however the sailors, who had not yet encountered the foe and had no superstitious terror of him, were rather elated at the prospect of a fight.

"Well, gentlemen," said I as soon as we were in my state-room, "what are we to do now?"

"I see nothing for it," said Dana, "but to run through them."