Tales of Whalers in the Civil War 385 



and one trader. On June 22 five whalers were 

 taken, among them being the MY/o, the captain 

 of which told Waddell that the war was ended. 

 As the Milo had no papers on board to sub- 

 stantiate the statement, Waddell refused to be- 

 lieve it. The Milo was bonded for $46,000, 

 her master agreed that the owners would pay 

 that sum to the cruiser's commander within six 

 months after the independence of the Confederacy 

 was acknowledged by the United States. She was 

 then released to carry home the crews of other 

 whalers which were burned. One ship was taken 

 on the 23d of June and another on the 25th, and 

 then on the 26th six more were secured. All the 

 eight were destroyed. On the 27th the trader 

 Susan Abigail came to the Skenandoab, wholly 

 unaware that she was in any danger. She had 

 sailed from San Francisco on April 19, and had 

 on board files of newspapers to that date. These 

 papers told of the surrender of General Lee and 

 the Confederate army of Northern Virginia; of 

 the occupation of the Confederate capital by 

 Federal troops; of the flight of President Davis 

 and his cabinet. Fort Fisher, at Wilmington, 



2C 



