t of his bargaining, as
indeed he very well might be, for he must have secured fully four times
the value of the money and goods he had brought with him to the lagoons.
He informed us that, if we had seen all we considered necessary to the
successful issue of our projected expedition, he would be off again at
daybreak next morning, as Giuseppe was in a most unamiable, and indeed
dangerous temper, having been badly mauled a week previously by a
British frigate--most probably the one which had manifested such a very
marked interest in the _Pinta's_ movements--and that he had only scraped
clear of her and made good his escape at last by the happy accident of
being close to shoal water, into which he had retreated, with his
schooner half unrigged and seven eighteen-pound shot-holes through her
sides and bottom, which he had inefficiently plugged with the utmost
difficulty, reaching the lagoons at last in a water-logged and sinking
condition. Carera further informed us that, by a lucky combination of
circumstances, he had not only discovered the locality of but had
actually been permitted to enter the pirates' treasure-house--a cellar
hollowed out of the earth beneath Giuseppe's dwelling--and that there
was a considerably larger accumulation of treasure in it than even he
had imagined; and that, further, there was no time to be lost in
organising the expedition against the pirates, as it had transpired that
many of them were growing anxious to enjoy the fruit of their nefarious
labours, and serious thoughts were entertained of a speedy general
division of the spoil and dispersion of the gang. I may as well
mention, _en passant_, that it appeared to be the fashion for everybody
visiting the lagoons to speak of Giuseppe, whenever they had occasion to
mention him, as "Captain Merlani," whilst within the limits of Santa
Clara Bay. I have not the least idea why it was so, but such is the
fact; and as the use of a man's Christian name seems to imply a closer
degree of intimacy with, and personal friendship for, him than we could
rightfully claim, I will, with the reader's kind permission, refer to
him henceforward as "Merlani" The reason why I have not done so earlier
in my story is, that it was not until our arrival within his territory,
so to speak, that we became acquainted with the fellow's surname. This
by the way.

As night closed down upon the lagoons with that rapidity which is
peculiar to the tropics and the regions i