he Gut
towards our destination. Inside the straits, we had light and baffling
winds, and found ourselves drifted over to the African shore, not far
from the Riff Coast. We kept a sharp look-out and had our guns ready
shotted, for the gentry thereabouts have a trick of coming off in their
fast-pulling boats if they see an unarmed merchantman becalmed; and, as
a spider does a fly caught in his web, carrying her off and destroying
her. They are very expeditious in their proceedings. They either cut
the throats of the crew or sell them into slavery, carry all the cargo,
and rigging, and stores on shore, and burn the hull, that no trace of
their prize may remain. Charley told me this; but we agreed, as we were
well armed, if they came off to us, they might find that they had caught
a Tartar.

The captain and mates had their glasses constantly turned towards the
shore. The sun was already sinking towards the west, when I heard the
captain exclaim, "Here they come! Now, my lads, let's see what you are
made of." We all, on this, gave a loud cheer, and I could see six or
eight dark specks just stealing out clear of the land. Charley and I
were in high glee at the near prospect of a skirmish, for we both of us
had a great fancy for smelling gunpowder.

Old Cole heard us boasting of what we would do. "Just wait, my boys,
till you see some hundreds of those ugly blackamoors, with their long
pikes, poking away at you, and climbing up the side of the schooner, and
you will have reason to change your tone, I suspect," said he, as he
turned on his heel away from us.

"Here comes a breeze off the land!" exclaimed Mr Iffley; "we may wish
the blackguards good-bye before they come up with us." The breeze came
and sent us a few fathoms through the water, and then died away and left
the sails flapping as before idly against the masts, while at the same
time the row-boats came nearer and nearer. The captain walked the deck
with his glass under his arm, every now and then giving a glance at the
approaching boats, and then holding up his hand to ascertain if the
breeze was coming back again. Once more the sails filled, and his
countenance brightened. Stronger and stronger came the breeze. The
schooner felt its force, and now began to rush gaily through the water.
"Hurrah! she walks along briskly!" he exclaimed, looking over the side.
"We may wish the gentlemen in the boats good evening."

I was surprised to find the captain s