wn. In the first dog-watch, my Cousin Pedro, sitting upon the
companion, gave us an account of his long imprisonment. He had, as the
reader already knows, been sentenced for the murder of the Count ----,
and had toiled and slaved in the streets of Matanzas, till drafted,
with many others, on board of the guarda-costa. He knew of Clara's
fate, and had been undeceived by my father in the belief of Mr.
Stewart's death.

Langley and I stood the middle watch again that night. An easterly
breeze, gentle, but steady, blew most of the night; and when we went
below, and eight bells struck, the moon was silvering the lofty peak
of the Pan of Matanzas, which lay far away on our larboard bow.

CHAPTER VI.

_The Gentile arrives at Matanzas._

I was waked in the morning by Mr. Stewart, who shook me by the
shoulders, crying, "Come, Frank, turn out; it's seven bells, so rouse
and bite; breakfast is almost ready, and a glorious prospect from
deck."

I turned out incontinently at this summons, slipped on my trowsers,
ran up the companion-way, dipped my head in a bucket of water, by way
of performing my morning ablutions, and then made my way aft again to
join the circle on the quarter-deck. The watch had just finished
washing down the decks, and were engaged in laying up the rigging on
the belaying-pins; the boys were stowing away the detested holy-stone
under the chocks of the long-boat; the watch below were performing
their brief morning ablutions upon the forecastle; the steward was
bringing aft the cabin breakfast, sadly incommoded by the mischievous
Rover, who, wet as a sponge, capered about the deck, shaking himself
against everybody who came in his way, and now seemed fully determined
to dive between the lower spars of the unfortunate darkey; the
officers were standing by my side, breathing the cool morning air,
looking out upon the beautiful scene around us, and getting an
appetite for breakfast.

The ship lay about a league from the land, almost abreast the entrance
of Matanzas bay; the land wind blew gently, bearing to us the
delicious perfumes of orange and coffee-blossoms, and crowds of
vessels were coming from the bay, taking advantage of it to gain an
offing before the setting in of the sea-breeze. Half a mile from us a
brig lay motionless upon the water, her yards swarming with men
loosing the sails, which in a moment fell together with a precision
that would have plainly told a sailor that the brig was a m