ng the rest for mind and body I so much needed. My system
was almost exhausted by want of food and water, while the dreadful
tragedy of the preceding night shattered my nerves far more than they
ever suffered amid the trying scenes I have passed through since. It
was my _first_ adventure of peril and of blood; and my soul shrank
with the natural recoil that virtue experiences in its earliest
encounter with flagrant crime.

In order to escape the incessant torment of insects, I had just
determined to bury my naked body in the sand, and to cover my head
with the only garment I possessed, when I heard a noise in the
neighboring bushes, and perceived a large and savage dog rushing
rapidly from side to side, with his nose to the ground, evidently in
search of game or prey. I could not mistake the nature of his hunt.
With the agility of a harlequin, I sprang to my friendly perch just in
time to save myself from his fangs. The foiled and ferocious beast,
yelling with rage, gave an alarm which was quickly responded to by
other dogs, three of which--followed by two armed men--promptly made
their appearance beneath my tree. The hunters were not surprised at
finding me, as, in truth, I was the game they sought. Ordering me
down, I was commanded to march slowly before them, and especially
warned to make no attempt at flight, as the bloodhounds would tear me
to pieces on the spot. I told my guard that I should of course
manifest no such folly as to attempt as escape from _caballeros_ like
themselves,--upon a desolate sand key half a mile wide,--especially
when my alternative refuge could only be found among the fish of the
sea. The self-possession and good humor with which I replied, seemed
somewhat to mollify the cross-grained savages, and we soon approached
a habitation, where I was ordered to sit down until the whole party
assembled. After a while, I was invited to join them in their evening
meal.

The piquant stew upon which we fed effectually loosened their tongues,
so that, in the course of conversation, I discovered my pursuers had
been in quest of me since early morning, though it was hardly believed
I had either escaped the shot, or swam fully a mile amid sharks during
the darkness. Upon this, I ventured to put some ordinary questions,
but was quickly informed that inquisitiveness was considered very
unwholesome on the sand keys about Cuba!

At sunset, the whole piratical community of the little isle was
assembled. It c