Having lights up, and looming up large, I called all hands to quarters and cleared the ship for action, pivoting on the port side, and loading the guns.

As the stranger ranged up nearly abeam of us, distant about eight hundred yards, we discovered him to be a heavy steamer, under steam, and with all studding sails set on both sides.

Here was a fix! We had no steam ourselves, and our propeller was triced up! A few minutes, however, decided our suspense.

From the quiet movement of the steamer on her course, without shortening sail, or otherwise, so far as we could see, making preparation for battle, it was quite evident that he was not an enemy.

He was a ship of war--probably a Spaniard, bound from San Domingo to Cuba.
My first intention was to range up alongside and speak him, and for this purpose I set the foresail and topgallant sails.