The steam frigate
Niagara, which, it was stated some days since, was coming off this port to blockade the harbor, was first noticed off here at an early hour on Saturday by pilot boat No. 4, then outside the bar, and also from the steeple of the
Custom House.
The pilot boat had observed in the offing on Friday evening what appeared to be a merchant ship bound into this harbor, and which not being in sight on Saturday, was no doubt ordered off by the
Niagara.
Towards midday the frigate disappeared, but returned off the port in the afternoon.
On Saturday,
Capt. Robert Lockwood,
pilot, in boat No. 2, (the
W. Y. Leitch,) took to sea the schooner
Minnehaha, for
Baltimore, and soon after leaving the schooner outside, he went on board his boat, when he made in the (offing, standing in, a square rigged vessel.
Night coming on, and the
Niagara being in sight, he thought it best to send his pilot boat into port, and to take his skiff and one hand and proceed to the bark.
He reached her about seven P. M., and found her to be the bark
Hilja, from
Liverpool in ballast, consigned to
Messrs. R. Mure & Co., of this city.
The tide being too late to get her into port, he remained on board during Saturday night, his skiff being taken on deck and carefully placed away.
On Sunday morning, it being calm, the pilot was unable to get her under way, and about half-past 8 A. M. she was boarded by a boat from the
Niagara, commnanded by
Lieutenant R. L. May, who informed the captain of the
Hilja that the port was blockaded, the rebels inside having fired on
Fort Sumter with a garrison of less than 100 men, gave him a Yankee paper, containing the latest news, and mentioned that an army of 100,000 men had been landed on the coast of
Louisiana.
The captain of the
Hilja informed the
Lieutenant that he was short of water, and requested to know if the
Niagara could supply him; but he was informed that the frigate had a shorter supply of that than any other necessary article.
The following is a copy of the endorsement of
Lieutenant R. L. May, on the papers of the
Hilja:
Boarded May 12th, and ordered off the whole Southern coast of the
United States of America, it being blockaded.
The officer remained by the
Hilja for about twenty minutes, when he left.
The boat's crew had a revolver each in a belt attached to the waist.
Mr. Lockwood left the
Hilja about 10 o'clock, and reached the city in his skiff, accompanied by a valuable boat hand, who remained faithful, although appearances indicated that the boy had only to open his mouth, when he might have had a passage to some other place than “Dixie's land.”
The
Hilja went
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off during the day, and will proceed to the
British Provinces.
The British ship
Monmouth, from
Liverpool and the ship
General Parkhill, from the same place, were seen off the bar yesterday and were ordered off, and we understand that the
Niagara had previously sent off three other squarerigged vessels.
During Sunday the
Niagara went well off shore, accompanied by two of the above vessels, and while she was absent the British ship A. and A.,
Captain Hutchinson, from
Belfast, stood in from the eastward, when the
Niagara made after her; but the ship, having much the start, was run into shoal water, where the frigate could not well approach her, when the
Niagara put about and proceeded south.
Should the boats of the
Niagara omit to board the A. and A. before morning, she may be got into port with the aid of steam.
The race was anxiously watched from the wharves, and also by a party of gentlemen who were out in the pilot boat
Rover,
Captain Evans.
They went alongside and spoke the ship.--
Charleston Mercury, May 13.
