nswer, when the sight of
the schooner brought to his recollection that he had finally captured
her, and had enjoyed the fiendish pleasure of abusing and maltreating
her crew, and that, to crown his triumph, he had seen them set out for
the mines. Poor man! he did not know, what indeed was a kind of state
secret, that the viceroy, not wishing to embroil his sovereign in an
unpleasant quarrel, or, as he was about returning to old Spain, wishing
to leave behind him a character for clemency and humanity, had ordered
them to be set at liberty, and they had actually embarked at Acapulco on
board an English South Sea whaler. This had taken place a full year
previous; and while the vindictive Spaniard was chuckling over their
fancied sufferings "many a fathom deep" in the damp and unhealthy
galleries of a silver mine, the objects of his hatred were jogging along
comfortably towards London, with a full ship and light hearts.

In reply to the governor's "quip modest," he merely growled out
something about zeal in discharging his duty, and anxiety to prevent
smuggling, to which the governor replied,

"There is no danger of these foreigners smuggling, while they are so
strictly watched by his majesty's ships and faithful soldiers. I wish,
signor, you would go out with your ship, and bring this stranger in; I
do not like to see him hovering about in this suspicious manner."

"It is impossible to go out, now that the sea-breeze is just setting
in," said the naval officer, who had no more idea of working out with a
head wind, than he had of flying, though the bay is open enough for the
channel fleet to beat out in order of battle.

While this question was in agitation, an officer crossed in a skiff from
the battery, and informed Don Gaspar that the sea-breeze had set in
the offing, and that the stranger had hauled by the wind, and was
standing off shore; further, that she was an American whaleman, that had
probably pursued her huge prey close in shore. Don Gaspar was somewhat
disappointed at this intelligence.

"I almost wish she had come in," said he, in a low tone, "for, heretics
as they are, and damned to all eternity as they certainly will be, (for
which blessed be the saints,) it cannot be denied that the puncho, or
pontio, which they make, is most refreshing and delicious in this warm
weather."

But as the Yankee manifested no symptoms of coming in to anchor, and
thereby give him a chance for his glass of punch, he yielded