t snapdragon, can imagine the unearthly appearance of objects
when seen by this species of firework. In the present instance it was
held aloft on a boat-hook, and cast a strong spectral light on the band
of lawless ruffians, who were so crowded together that they entirely
filled the boats, no part of which could be seen. It seemed as if two
clusters of fiends, suddenly vomited forth from hell, were floating on
the surface of the midnight sea, in the midst of brimstone flames. In a
few moments our crew was strengthened by about forty as ugly Christians
as I ever set eyes on. They were of all ages, countries, complexions,
and tongues, and looked as if they had been kidnapped by a pressgang as
they had knocked off from the Tower of Babel. From the moment they came
on board, Captain Vanderbosh was shorn of all his glory, and sank into
the petty officer while, to our amazement, the Scottish negro took the
command, evincing great coolness, energy, and skill. He ordered the
schooner to be wore as soon as we had shipped the men, and laid her head
off the land, then set all hands to shift the old suit of sails, and to
bend new ones.

"Why did you not shift your canvas before we started?" said I to the
Dutch captain, or mate, or whatever he might be.

"Vy vont you be content to take a quiet passage and hax no question?"
was the uncivil rejoinder, which I felt inclined to resent, until I
remembered that we were in the hands of the Philistines, where a quarrel
would have been worse than useless. I was gulping down the insult as
well as I could, when the black captain came aft, and, with the air of
an equal, invited us into the cabin to take a glass of grog. We had
scarcely sat down before we heard a noise like the swaying up of guns,
or some other heavy articles, from the hold.

I caught Mr. Splinter's eye--he nodded, but said nothing. In half an
hour afterwards, when we went on deck, we saw by the light of the moon
twelve eighteen-pound carronades mounted, six of a side, with their
accompaniments of rammers and sponges, water-buckets, boxes of round,
grape, and canister, and tubs of wadding, while the coamings of the
hatchways were thickly studded with round-shot. The tarpaulin and lumber
forward had disappeared, and there lay long Tom, ready levelled,
grinning on his pivot.

The ropes were all coiled away, and laid down in regular man-of-war
fashion; while an ugly gruff beast of a Spanish mulatto, apparently the
officer of th