d not to
pray aloud, or to sing, and, when off the farther end of this island, to
their grief they heard the voices of several of their countrymen, who
had come on board. In vain they shouted to warn them. Some at length
heard them, and endeavoured to escape. Many sprang overboard into the
sea in the hope of swimming on shore, when the inhuman wretches fired on
them and killed several; others were knocked down, and, being
recaptured, were forced below to join their poor countrymen. This
treatment was more than even the patient islanders could stand. By
violent efforts, with the aid of a piece of timber they found below,
they forced off the hatch and rushed on deck. Some of them threw
themselves into the water in the hopes of swimming on shore, though now
far from it. At length, the slaver sailed away from the spot, with her
cargo of victims to be offered up at the shrine of Mammon; or, in other
words, to be destroyed in the silver mines of Peru. Even then, did
these till lately savages curse their oppressors? No; even as they
sailed away, torn from home and country, wives and children, to die in a
foreign land--when they all knelt down at the usual hour to offer up
prayer and praise to the God of love and mercy, who had brought them out
of darkness into His marvellous light, they did not omit to pray for
their cruel oppressors, that their hearts might be converted, and that
they might turn to their Maker and live.

Meantime, the boats of the frigate which had gone in chase of the
slaver's overtook them, and brought them on board the Ajax. Their guilt
was so evident, that Captain Bertram had no doubt about the propriety of
detaining them as prisoners. It was necessary, therefore, to send a
prize crew to take charge of the schooner. She was called the Andorina
(the Swallow). Mr Owen, the third lieutenant of the frigate, was
directed to take charge of the prize, to land the natives at the islands
from which they had been taken, and then to follow the frigate to
Callao. Mr Manners was to go as his mate. Ben and Tom hoped that they
would be among those chosen to form her crew, as boys would certainly be
required. Ben wished it, because he should thus be able to make more
inquiries for Ned at the places they might touch at, and he made bold to
tell his wish to Mr Martin, who suggested it to Mr Charlton. The two
boys were therefore delighted when their names were called out to go on
board the prize. They quic