, I suspect, that he could not undo it, he forced it down over
my face, to the considerable damage of my nose, and then, giving his
knuckles a turn with the dexterity of a Thug, very nearly throttled me.
When I had somewhat recovered, and the stars had done flying about
before my eyes, I perceived that I was in a large cave, standing at the
foot of a rude table, at the further end of which sat a
powerfully-built, bold-looking man, dressed in a nautical costume, while
a number of other men, mostly seamen, sat on either side of him.

I looked anxiously round for my uncle, and my mind was much relieved to
see him standing, unhurt apparently, a few paces from me. However, my
satisfaction was much mitigated when, being able to distinguish objects
more clearly, I perceived that there were two men standing on either
side of him, with pistols in their hands; and it instantly occurred to
me that they were there to act the part of executioners, and to blow his
brains out, at the command of the ruffian I saw sitting as judge in this
lawless court. We recognised each other at the same moment; and if I
could judge by the expression of his countenance, he had more compassion
for me than fear for himself. He made no attempt to speak to me, but
instantly resumed his former undaunted attitude, with his arms folded on
his bosom, and his eye resting on the leader of the smugglers.

But there was another object which was, indeed, well calculated to fill
me with horror. It was the corpse of the murdered man, stretched out on
some rough planks, resting on four casks placed on end; the face
uncovered and bloody; the eyes staring wide open, for no one had taken
the trouble to close them; and the features distorted by the wound or,
perhaps, by fear of the fate which he saw prepared for him when his
murderers appeared. The corpse was close to me, and I could not keep my
eyes from it, dreadful as it was. It seemed to possess a terrible
fascination; and every time I turned my eyes away, it attracted them
back again; so that, wild and remarkable as was the whole scene, that
horrible object is to this day the most prominent to my mental vision,
and all the rest is but an indistinct background to the picture.

I found that Jack Stretcher was close to me, on my left side, also in
custody of two smugglers. The cave itself was a complete storehouse of
goods of every description. There were arms--swords, pistols, and
muskets; and bales of silks,