While the latter had been coaling at Trinidad, she was performing a similar operation at Barbados, arriving thence at Trinidad after the Sumter had sailed.

From this port she again started "in pursuit," but her chances of overtaking her enemy may perhaps have been somewhat affected by the fact, that on learning that the Sumter had started eastward, she at once followed upon a westerly track, which, doubtless to the great grief of her commander and crew, somehow failed to bring her alongside of the vessel of which she was in search.[2] [Footnote 2: The writer of the Notes in the _Index_ remarks on this curious proceeding:--"Rather a strange idea we thought.

It put us in mind of a sportsman in California who was very anxious to kill a grisly bear.

At length he found the trail, and after following it for some hours gave it up and returned to camp.

On being questioned why he did not follow in pursuit, he quietly replied that the trail was getting _too fresh_.