ion to the commandant, saying, that as
Captain Stott was one of the oldest officers in his Majesty's service,
we considered that he ought to be buried with as much form and ceremony
as circumstances would allow in the public cemetery of the place. Our
request was, however, peremptorily refused. We all of us, accordingly,
assembled in our uniforms, and bore the body of the old captain to the
savannah, where, at a lonely spot, we dug a grave with such implements
as we possessed, and, prayers being said, deposited him in it near his
midshipman and steward.

There they rest, in that scarcely known locality, free from that trouble
and care which has followed many of those who attended them to their
graves. Some of those were, however, soon to be laid to rest alongside
them. Perhaps it was through some feeling of humanity that, a few days
afterwards, the son and nephew of Captain Stott--two little fellows
scarcely more than ten years old--were allowed to go to Jamaica under
charge of Mr Varmes, purser of the Minerva. Bartholomew, one of the
lieutenants of the same ship, was very ill of the fever. He had
scarcely been able to creep to the burial of his late commander, but
still he had some hopes of recovery. Our medical man had very little
experience of the nature of the fell disease which was attacking us, so
that those taken ill had but a small chance of getting well.

I was sitting one day by the side of poor Bartholomew, endeavouring to
afford him what consolation I could. Alas! with regard to his worldly
prospects there was little I could offer. I tried to point to higher
things--to the world to come. Unfortunately men do not think enough of
that till they are on its very threshold. He was expressing a hope that
he should get better, and I entertained the same; suddenly the door of
the room was thrown open, and Adams, another of the Minerva's
lieutenants, rushed into the room with an animated countenance--

"Cheer up, Bartie, old fellow!" he exclaimed. "An order has just
arrived for our release. I have seen it, and we are to set off at once
for Jamaica."

"Hurrah!" exclaimed the other lieutenant, lifting himself up in his bed.
"Then I shall not have to leave my bones in this horrid hole. Hurrah!
On, my fine fellows, on!"

He waved his hand above his head as if he had his sword in it, and was
leading a party of boarders. I heard a rattling sound. I looked at his
countenance. An awful change had come o