carried into the large and handsome
cabin--which, however, could not afford accommodation for all of them;
the rest were therefore placed, with such spare bedding as could be
found, on the upper slave-deck.

By the time these arrangements were made, it was nearly daylight. A
prize crew of twenty men was left on board the _Sea-Hawk_, with the
assistant-surgeon to look after the wounded, the second lieutenant
coming on board to take command of them. I was thankful to be ordered
to return to the corvette, for I was heartily sick of the scene I had
witnessed.

Just as I was going over the side, I heard Paddy Doyle sing
out,--"Arrah! my dead man's come to life again! Bear a hand, and help
me to haul him in;" and looking back, I saw that the Irishman's prisoner
had jumped up, and was endeavouring to spring through a port--having
watched the moment that Paddy's back was turned on him. Paddy had
seized one of his legs, and was tugging away with might and main; while
the Spaniard, with his other foot on the port-sill, had nearly effected
his purpose, notwithstanding the Irishman's desperate efforts to prevent
his escape. "Arrah! now he's done it!" exclaimed Doyle, holding up the
Spaniard's shoe and a piece of his trousers which had come away in his
hand.

The man, who was evidently a good swimmer, and had been trusting to this
for escape, was striking out at a rapid rate for the shore.

"Give way after him!" cried Lieutenant Worthy to Mudge, who was in the
boat on the opposite side to that from which the pirate had escaped.

The boat shoved off, but had to pull ahead of the ship. It was not till
then that Mudge could see the swimmer, who had already made considerable
progress towards the shore. I jumped into the rigging to watch him.
Should he once land, and get in among the thick trees, he might effect
his purpose. Possibly he expected to find friends to assist him.

He was still some way ahead of the boat, when I caught a momentary
glimpse of the dark fin of a shark. It disappeared, and the next
instant a piercing shriek rent the air; the pirate threw up his arms,
and sank beneath the surface! Then the boat pulled round and returned
to the ship.

Just as I got on board the corvette, a loud sound of tom-toms and horns
was heard from the upper part of the river, and presently a fleet of
large canoes appeared paddling rapidly towards us. It seemed scarcely
possible that they should venture to attack an English