The two vessels also brought to the Alabama a prize, in the persons of four new recruits, which, in the short-handed condition of the ship, was of more real value to her than the vessels themselves.
[Footnote 8: One of the Alabama's officers writes in his private journal:-- "It seemed a fearful thing to burn such a cargo as the Brilliant had, when I thought how the Lancashire operatives would have danced for joy had they it shared amongst them.

I never saw a vessel burn with such brilliancy, the flames completely enveloping the masts, hull, and rigging in a few minutes, making a sight as grand as it was appalling."] The barque Wave Crest, of and from New York, for Cardiff, with a cargo of grain, was the Alabama's next victim.

She was chased and captured on the 7th of October, and having no evidence of the neutral ownership of her cargo, was condemned and set on fire, after serving for some time as a target, at which her captors might practise their firing.

She was still blazing merrily, when another vessel was descried from the masthead, and at 9.30 P.M.of a beautiful moonlight night, a blank shot from the Alabama brought up the smart little brigantine Dunkirk, from New York, for Lisbon, also loaded with grain.

A boat was sent on board of her, and her papers handed over to one of the Alabama's officers.