, brought a spirit cask on deck, which they forthwith
broached. I trembled for the consequences. Jones did all he could to
prevent their becoming intoxicated; but they only laughed and jeered at
him, and asked who made him an officer over them.

I ought to have said that, as soon as the barque had anchored, those of
her crew who were in their boats were turned adrift without oars or
masts or sails, or anything to guide them, and allowed to float wherever
the current might carry them. As it happened, there was but little
current there, and consequently they remained but a short distance off,
afraid to attempt either to regain the ship or to reach the shore.

Louder and louder grew the mirth of the pirates, and wilder their looks
and gestures, as the powerful liquor they were swallowing took effect on
their brains. I saw Mary cling closer to her father in fear and
trembling, all the time watching me with furtive glances, lest she
should be observed by her captors. I kept my musket in my hand,
pretending to be watching the boats; and as they were now astern, I came
aft for that purpose. What might have been the result of the prolonged
orgies of the pirates it is impossible to say; but just as two or three
had begun to stagger on their feet, and, with their knives in their
hands, to cast their bloodshot eyes round as if looking for some victim
for their insane fury, a small boat shot out of the harbour and rapidly
approached the ship.

In a few minutes Captain Hawk stood on the deck of the prize, just in
time to prevent one of his men from killing the first mate of the
vessel, who remained all the time bound to the mast. He then turned
fiercely on Jones, and reprimanded him for not having restrained the
people more effectually. With a blow of his fist he knocked down the
three most drunken of his followers, and the rest appeared instantly
sobered. Without a murmur they threw the remainder of the spirits
over-board, and under his directions commenced hoisting out such part of
the cargo as he considered most valuable.

Captain Dean was not molested; nor was any notice taken of the boats
which were drifting in shore, and would, I hoped, reach it, and thus
enable the crews to find means by which to return to the ship, and
perhaps to escape. On a sudden it seemed to strike some of the pirates
that there was no use working while there were people they could compel
to work for them; and to my sorrow two armed boats we