Ralph Henry Barbour

“ A second shell from the German raider fell short and was followed quickly by a third which flung up the water close aboard. Not until then did the Gyandotte reply. Her bow guns spoke, but there were no hits. The enemy was evidently more desirous of running away than giving battle, for her firing was desultory and inaccurate for the succeeding quarter of an hour during which the pursuer fired seldom and with no effect. At about eight thousand yards the real music began. It was then about two-thirty-five and the cruiser was approximately one hundred and twenty miles southwest of Bermuda. ”

“ But after a short while it became evident that the enemy, if she was the enemy, which there was no reason to doubt, was making nearly if not quite as good speed. By the middle of the afternoon it was apparent that there was no hope of overtaking the raider before dark, if ever, for the Gyandotte's best effort had gained only a few miles in the six hours that had elapsed since sighting the quarry. There were grumbles and mutters uncomplimentary to the Gyandotte amongst the men, and it is not to be doubted that the officers, too, sighed for something speedier underfoot than the little cruiser. ”

“ Spirits arose on the cruiser and for the rest of that day, while she ran southward, every man off duty elected himself lookout. But finding the raider, about whom little was known, was a difficult task. They passed a British gunboat just before evening and exchanged signals, with the result that the Gyandotte turned groaningly back and steamed northward again. Several times smoke was sighted, but each chase only raised a friendly ship. The next morning the Gyandotte was out of sight of anything that even suggested land and doing her best clip, which proved to be nineteen and a half knots. ”