The vessel continued in pursuit, changing her course as we changed
ours, to keep before the wind. The captain, who watched her with his
glass, said that she was armed, and full of men, and showed no colors.
We continued running dead before the wind, knowing that we sailed
better so, and that clippers are fastest _on_ the wind. We had also
another advantage. The wind was light, and we spread more canvas than
she did, having royals and sky-sails fore and aft, and ten studding
sails, while she, being an hermaphrodite brig, had only a gaff-topsail
aft. Early in the morning she was overhauling us a little, but after
the rain came on and the wind grew lighter, we began to leave her
astern.