r's boat
took us off, and we were soon on board. Mr Gale had heard rumours of
the attack on the planter's house, and that every one had been murdered,
and he was truly glad to see his captain safe; while my kind friend
Peter assured me that he was not a little pleased to find that I had not
lost the number of my mess.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note. The above was written before the late American Civil War, which
emancipated the slaves of the Southern States.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A PIRATE STRONGHOLD.

The little schooner very soon got her cargo on board, and we then put to
sea, to return to the brig. We had to make a long reach off-shore to
weather a headland, which ran out towards the north, and we were just
about to tack when the wind, which had been very light, failed us
altogether. There we lay, with our sides lazily lapping up the
burnished water, and throwing it off again in showers of sparkling
drops, as we rolled away helplessly in the swell. At the same time a
strong current was running, which was setting us imperceptibly
off-shore. However, after having been exposed to it for three or four
hours, I found, on looking up, that we had very much increased our
distance from the land. The day passed away and the night came, and
there we lay like a log in the water, drifting further and further from
the land.

It was truly a solemn night. Every star which floated in the vast
expanse above us was reflected on the surface of the deep; and as I
looked over the side, I fancied that I could see numberless bright orbs
floating far, far down in the limpid water. Strange sounds reached my
ears. Suppressed shrieks, and groans, and cries--loud hisses, and
murmuring voices, and strange monsters came up from their rocky
weed-covered homes, their fins sparkling, and their eyes flashing as
they clove through the sea. Some would now and again spring into the
air and fall back with a loud splash. Others, of huge bulk, I thought,
would come and float silently, looking at the little schooner, an
intruder on their domain, seemingly devising means how they might drive
her from it. I ought to have been below resting, as the captain had
ordered me, but I was hot and feverish, and could not remain in the
close atmosphere of the forepeak. As I stood gazing at the sea, I
thought I saw the forms of all the unhappy men murdered by the Maroons
pass before me. Each countenanc