odor," continued he, "I must _confess_!"

I could not repress a smile as I replied,--"But, Jose, I am no
_padre_, you know; a _clerigo_ in no part of a slave factory; I cannot
absolve your sins; and, as for my _prayers_, poor fellow, alas! what
can they do for your sins when I fear they will hardly avail for my
own!"

"It's all one, _mi capitan_" answered the dying man; "it makes not the
least difference, Don Teodor, if you are a clergyman or any thing
else; it is the law of our church; and when confession is over, a
man's soul is easier under canvas, even if there's no regular _padre_
at hand to loosen the ropes, and let one's sins fly to the four winds
of heaven. Listen,--it will be short.

"It is many years since I sailed from Havana with that notorious
slaver, Miguel ----, whose murder you may have heard of on the coast.
Our vessel was in capital order for speed as well as cargo, and we
reached Cape Mount after a quick voyage. The place, however, was so
bare of slaves, that we coasted the reefs till we learned from a
Mesurado Krooman that, in less than a month, the supply at Little
Bassa would be abundant. We shipped the savage with his boatman, and
next day reached our destination.

"Miguel was welcomed warmly by the chiefs, who offered a choice lot of
negroes for a portion of our cargo, inviting the captain to tarry with
the rest of his merchandise and establish a factory. He assented; our
brig was sent home with a short cargo, while I and two others landed
with the captain, to aid in the erection and defence of the requisite
buildings.

"It did not take long to set up our bamboo houses and open a trade,
for whose supply Miguel began an intercourse with Cape Mesurado,
paying in doubloons and receiving his merchandise in vessels manned by
American blacks.

"Our captain was no niggard in housekeeping. Bountiful meals every
day supplied his friends and factory. No man went from his door hungry
or dissatisfied. When the colonists came up in their boats with goods,
or walked the beach from the Cape to our settlement, Miguel was always
alert with a welcome. A great intimacy, of course, ensued; and, among
the whole crowd of traffickers, none were higher in our chief's
estimation than a certain T----, who rarely visited the _barracoons_
without a gift from Miguel, in addition to his stipulated pay.

"In due time the brig returned from Havana, with a cargo of rum,
tobacco, powder, and _a box of doubloons_; but she