The 25th February was a blank, only two sail being seen; the one a Dutchman, the other English. The master of the latter coolly asked the Alabama to take to England a discharged British seaman, and on the following morning another master of an English ship made a similar request--both being met with a refusal. On the 26th, no less than thirteen sail were sighted by the Alabama, but not one of them displayed the Yankee flag. The only excitement of the day was an obstinate Hamburgh barque, which refused to show colours until the Confederate cruiser was nearly upon her, and even then a blank cartridge was required to bring her to.
After the large number of neutrals that the Alabama had overhauled, came a prize. On the morning of the 27th February, the United States ship Washington was captured. The vessel was the property of the enemy, but as she carried a cargo of guano from the Chincha Islands, on account of the Peruvian government, consigned to their agents at Antwerp, the Washington was released on giving a ransom bond for 50,000 dollars. The prisoners on board the Alabama having been transferred to the capture, the two vessels parted company; the United States ship going on its course, rejoicing that the neutral cargo she carried had saved her from a fiery end. Two days after, another prize was taken. On the 1st March, the Bethia Thayer, of Rockland, Maine, was overhauled, and like the Washington, having on board guano the property of the Peruvian government, was released on a bond of 50,000 dollars.
Shortly after, a suspicious barque, with the English flag at the peak, hove in sight. Immediately the Alabama set every stitch of canvas, the stranger did the same, and away the two dashed before the fresh south-wester that was blowing. The chase was most exciting, and lasted seven hours; but gradually the Alabama overhauled the suspicious craft, and at 4.30 P.M. was enabled to signal it. The Confederate hoisted the United States flag, and announced herself by an assumed name. The barque replied that she was the William Edward, from Bahia, for Liverpool. After some further communication, which convinced the Alabama that the barque was English, the cruiser announced her real name, and permitted the William Edward to proceed on her course. At nightfall another ship was chased, which, upon being brought to, also proved to be English, the Nile, bound from Akyab to London. The master of this vessel informed the boarding-officer that a United States man-of-war, supposed to be the Ino, was in the South Atlantic, in eager search of the Alabama!