Chapter 42:
- The ‘crossing’ of the thirtieth parallel -- the toll-gate upon the sea -- how the travellers Pass along the highway -- capture of the Washington; the John A. Parks; the Bathiah Thayer; the Punjaub; the morning Star; the Kingfisher; the Charles Hill; and the Nora -- crosses the equator -- capture of the Louisa Hatch -- arrival at Fernando de Noronha.
Reaching the blazed road, of which I spoke in the last chapter, I shortened sail, at the crossing mentioned, that I might waylay such of the passengers as chanced to be enemies. There were a great many ships passing, both ways, on this road, some going to the Pacific, or the Far East, and others returning from those distant points; but they were nearly all neutral. The American ships, having, by this time, become thoroughly alarmed, especially since they learned that neither English sealing-wax, nor Admiral Milne could save them, had dodged the highways, as skulkers and thieves are wont to do, and taken to the open fields and by-ways for safety. On the day after the capture of the Olive Jane and Golden Eagle, the weather being cloudy and rainy, and the wind light, four more sail were seen—all European bound. At eight A. M. we showed the United States colors to one of them, which proved to be a French bark. It now became calm, and we were compelled to get up steam, to overhaul the rest. They lay long distances apart, and we were several hours in passing from one to the other. They were all Englishmen, with various histories and destinations, one of them— a fine frigate-built ship—being a Melbourne and Liverpool
