econd captain of the Chermente,
having explained to us the alternative to which we should be subject if
we refused to pledge our words of honour, told us that we should be at
liberty to go on shore whenever we liked, and to walk about within a
distance of a mile from the shore. Some of us complained of the
narrowness of the circle to which we were confined. The governor looked
quietly up, and remarked that we might consider ourselves fortunate that
it was no narrower. The observation was interpreted for our benefit,
and no further remark was made on the subject. We all went through the
ceremony required of us, and then, without loss of time, were once more
marched down to the boats and conveyed on board the Chermente, where all
the rest of the prisoners were collected. Most of the men were sent
away in a cartel. Nol Grampus parted from me with great reluctance, but
when Tom Rockets was told he must go, he turned round towards me and
exclaimed--

"Mr Hurry, sir, do you want to part with me? I've sailed with you
since I was a boy, and, come foul weather or fair, if I have my will
I'll follow you still. Just tell these mounseers that you want a
servant to tend on you, and that you can't do without me, and then maybe
they'll let me stay."

I tried to persuade Tom that it would be better for him to go away, but
all I could say would not turn him from his purpose, and so I made his
wishes known to the governor. To my surprise, he was allowed to remain
in the capacity of my servant, on my pledging my word that he would not
attempt to escape. I afterwards found that a considerable number of
seamen were detained by the French, to be exchanged afterwards when more
Frenchmen were taken prisoners. On the outbreak of the war on this
station, at all events, the French had, I believe, the advantage in that
respect. Afterwards, however, it was all the other way, and we English
had more prisoners than we could well look after.

We spent a week on board the Chermente while, I suppose, our captors
were considering what was to be done with us. Now I must say that,
though I have no love for the French, or French manners or customs or
ideas, still I should be very ungrateful if I did not acknowledge the
kindness and attention we all received from Captain McNamara and his
officers. O'Driscoll said it all arose from his father being an
Irishman. However, as his officers were not Irishmen, I am inclined to
believe that a porti