other man to rig up as he had done, and regular blackamoors we made of
ourselves. We laughed, I can tell you, as we looked at each other and
talked the nigger lingo, so that even if a boat had come alongside they
would not have discovered who we were. We had besides a real black and
mulatto on board belonging to our crew. The rest of the people were
sent below, with their cutlasses and pistols ready for the moment they
were wanted. Everything was prepared by the time we got near the mouth
of the harbour. The midshipman, a fine young fellow, taking the helm,
the lieutenant sat on the companion-hatch smoking a cigarette, and
Sutton, the other man, and I, with the mulatto and negro, lolled about
the deck with our arms folded. On we stood close under the batteries,
which, if we had been discovered, would have sunk us in pretty quick
time, but as the schooner was very well-known in the harbour, her real
character was not suspected. As soon as we got inside the harbour, we
saw the corvette anchored right in the centre. The breeze headed us.
That would be all in our favour, we knew, when we had to come out again.
We made four or five tacks, taking care not to do things too smartly.
The lieutenant turned his eye every now and again on the batteries. I
think he expected, as I can tell you I did, that the Spaniards would
before long smell a rat, and begin blazing away at us. They seemed,
however, to have no suspicion, and we were allowed to beat up the
harbour without being interfered with. We had got nearly up to the
corvette, when we saw two or three boats coming off from the shore
towards us. We well knew that if they got alongside they would soon
find out that the schooner had changed hands. We could see only a few
people on the deck of the corvette, and the rest of her crew we guessed
were either below or gone ashore. In the latter case we hoped soon to
master her. As the boats drew near us the breeze freshened, and the
lieutenant ordering the helm to be put down, we luffed up alongside the
corvette, before those on board suspected what we were about to do. No
sooner did they discover what we were up to, than they began shouting
and shrieking, some running to the guns, others to get hold of muskets
and cutlasses, while numbers of the crew came swarming up from below.
Several officers made their appearance. We didn't give them much time,
you may be sure, to defend themselves, before, led by our brave
lieutenant