I had all hands called to quarters, and the battery made ready, fires extinguished, and chains got right for slipping.

Although she came within a mile of us, with the intention, as we thought, of coming to anchor, she kept on her course to the southward and we piped down, the men, much fagged from coaling, not having lost more than half an hour's rest by the operation.
_Sunday, April 12th._--The exigencies of war compel me to work to-day in coaling ship.

Weather clear and very hot during morning, clouding about noon and raining for several hours.
I visited the island this morning in company with the Surgeon, and called on the Governor.

The surf was too heavy to land, but we found a bolsa moored at some distance from the shore, and transferring ourselves to this we were very skillfully put through the surf by three or four naked fellows, two of them not having even a breech-cloth about their loins.

Fine, well-made fellows they were too.