d it within a
quarter of a mile, it struck me as very beautiful and fertile.

The wind being light we tarred down the rigging, and a few days
afterwards, when we were about eight hundred miles from the land, one
morning, on coming on deck, I noticed that the shrouds and every
freshly-tarred rope looked as red as if they had been just painted. I
asked the doctor, who allowed me to speak to him in a familiar way, what
had caused this, and he told me that it was the red sand blown off the
coast of Africa, and that it was a common occurrence in these latitudes.

We passed in sight of the Cape de Verde islands, one of which, called
Fogo, seemed of a prodigious height. The first place we touched at was
the island of Brava, into which the captain put to obtain fresh
provisions.

"Now is my time," I thought. "If I can go on shore here, I shall be
able to get back by the next homeward-bound vessel which calls at the
place."

Jim proposed that we should smuggle ourselves on board some shore-boat,
but to this I would not agree.

"We will go with the captain's leave," I answered, "and he surely will
not refuse it now that he has no excuse for doing so."

I therefore went up to him as soon as he came on deck.

"Captain Hawkins," I said, in as firm a voice as I could command, "again
I ask you will you allow Jim Pulley and me to leave your ship and wait
on shore until we can get a passage home?"

"Peter Trawl, if that's your name, I shall do no such thing," he
answered. "If I find you attempting to go on shore I shall put you in
irons."

I knew from previous experience that there was no use in expostulating.
When I told the doctor, he could scarcely conceal his indignation.

"I feel inclined to help you, my lad, at every risk," he said, "but we
must be cautious. Wait until the evening, and then we will see what can
be done."

I thanked him heartily, and promised to follow his advice. Jim was
ready for anything.

The doctor said he would go on shore and then send off a boat which
would wait under the starboard bow, and that we must manage to slip into
her as soon as it was dark.

The captain in the meantime had landed, but returned very shortly with
four tall negroes, whom he had engaged to pull the 'midship oars in the
whale-boats. They are, I should say, first-rate oarsmen, and have a
gentle disposition, ready to obey, and are happy under all
circumstances. Besides the negroes, two boats loaded with fresh
pr