It took (I believe) some time at Savannah-la-Mar to convince Mr Paz,
a subtle half-breed, that we were actually fools enough to wish to
purchase one of his vessels, and mad enough to propose working
her alone. He had three boats idle, including a pretty little
fore-and-aft schooner of thirty tons, the _Espriella_, which Captain
Branscome had no sooner set eyes upon than he decided to be the very
thing for our purpose. She was fitted with a large ladies' cabin aft
of the companion, a saloon, and a small single-berth cabin between it
and the fo'c's'le, which would house three men comfortably. We ended
by purchasing her for three hundred and seventy pounds; and into the
fo'c's'le I went with Mr. Goodfellow and Mr. Jack Rogers, who
insisted on resigning the spare cabin to Captain Branscome--
henceforward, or until we should reach the island, by consent the
leader of the expedition.

So on October 30, at six in the morning, after being commended to God
by Mr. Paz, we worked out of Savannah-la-Mar, and, having gained an
offing with a light breeze, hoisted all her bits of canvas, even to a
light jib-topsail we found on board--chiefly, I think, to impress
her late owner, whom we could descry on the shore, watching us.
He had steadfastly refused to believe us capable of handling a boat,
whereas of our party Plinny and Mr. Goodfellow were the only
landlubbers. Miss Belcher could take the helm with the best of us,
and indeed it was reported of her that she had on more than one
occasion played helmswoman to a run of goods upon her own Cornish
estate. Mr. Jack Rogers had once owned a yacht and suffered
from tedium; now, as a foremast hand, he was enjoying himself
amazingly.

But the pride above all prides was Captain Branscome's. After many
years he trod a deck again, commander of his own ship; and the
bearing of the man was that of a prince restored after long exile
to his kingdom. Courteous as ever to the ladies, to the rest of us
he behaved as a master, noble but severe, unwearied in explaining the
least minutiae of seamanship, inexorable in seeing that his smallest
instruction was obeyed. Mr. Rogers at the end of the first day
confided to me that he had much ado to refrain from touching his
forelock whenever he heard the skipper's voice.

I shall not be believed if I say that in all the five days of
our voyage Captain Branscome never snatched a wink of sleep.
Doubtless he did sleep, between whiles; but doubtless also