high, and, in short, every thing appeared of a more
roomy and agreeable nature than I had anticipated. Augustus, however,
would allow me but little time for observation, insisting upon the
necessity of my concealing myself as soon as possible. He led the way
into his own stateroom, which was on the starboard side of the brig, and
next to the bulkheads. Upon entering, he closed the door and bolted it.
I thought I had never seen a nicer little room than the one in which I
now found myself. It was about ten feet long, and had only one berth,
which, as I said before, was wide and convenient. In that portion of
the closet nearest the bulkheads there was a space of four feet square,
containing a table, a chair, and a set of hanging shelves full of books,
chiefly books of voyages and travels. There were many other little
comforts in the room, among which I ought not to forget a kind of
safe or refrigerator, in which Augustus pointed out to me a host of
delicacies, both in the eating and drinking department.

He now pressed with his knuckles upon a certain spot of the carpet in
one corner of the space just mentioned, letting me know that a portion
of the flooring, about sixteen inches square, had been neatly cut out
and again adjusted. As he pressed, this portion rose up at one end
sufficiently to allow the passage of his finger beneath. In this manner
he raised the mouth of the trap (to which the carpet was still fastened
by tacks), and I found that it led into the after hold. He next lit a
small taper by means of a phosphorous match, and, placing the light in a
dark lantern, descended with it through the opening, bidding me follow.
I did so, and he then pulled the cover upon the hole, by means of a nail
driven into the under side--the carpet, of course, resuming its original
position on the floor of the stateroom, and all traces of the aperture
being concealed.

The taper gave out so feeble a ray that it was with the greatest
difficulty I could grope my way through the confused mass of lumber
among which I now found myself. By degrees, however, my eyes became
accustomed to the gloom, and I proceeded with less trouble, holding
on to the skirts of my friend's coat. He brought me, at length,
after creeping and winding through innumerable narrow passages, to an
iron-bound box, such as is used sometimes for packing fine earthenware.
It was nearly four feet high, and full six long, but very narrow. Two
large empty oil-casks lay on