on of her cargo had consisted--everything had
been removed, and only great piles of dunnage remained, and I came to
the conclusion that the _Agostino Rombo_ of Leghorn had been bound from
some Australian port to China with a general cargo, when her incapable
skipper ran her ashore--to Bully Hayes's satisfaction and benefit.

Ascending from the dark and silent 'tween decks, where our footsteps and
voices echoed and re-echoed as though we were walking and speaking in
some mountain cavern, we ascended to the main deck into the fresh, sweet
daylight, though the sun was now low down on the western sky, and the
first thing that attracted our attention was a lengthy notice on the
mainmast, carefully and neatly painted on a sheet of copper. And as I
read it, I could but laugh at Captain Hayes's natural American business
instincts, combined with his usual humorous mendacity--

"Notice to Wrecking Parties.

"I, William Henry Hayes, master and owner of the brig _Leonora_, of
Shanghai, hereby notify all and sundry that the barque _Agostino Rombo_,
of Leghorn, as she now lies on this reef, has been purchased by me from
Captain Pasquale Lucchesi, and any person attempting to remove any of
her deck-houses, spars, anchors, or cables, or certain nickel ore in
the lower hold, are liable to be indicted for piracy. But all anchors,
cables, and ground tackle generally may be removed on payment of 250
dols. to my native agent on this island."

From the main deck we ascended to the poop, and went below into the
now darkening cabin, which we found was gutted of everything of value,
except the captain's and officers' bedding, which had been tossed aside
by Hayes and his crew, and which even the natives of Ujilon had regarded
as too worthless to take away, though many a poor sailor man, shivering
in northern seas, would have clutched at them as eagerly as a Jew
pawnbroker would clutch at a necklace of pearls or a diamond-set tiara.
The panelling of the main cabin was painted in white and gold, and
presented a very handsome appearance, and on the door of every stateroom
was an exceedingly well-painted picture of some saint renowned in
history--evidently the owners of the _Agostino Rombo_ were of pious
minds. Underneath one of these pictures, that of St. Margaret of
Hungary, was scribbled in pencil, "Maggie is my fancy. Frank Hussey,
mate brig _Leonora_."

I scratched out the ribald words with my knife, and then we went up
through the compani