we had on the former occasion
afforded such material assistance to the felucca's crew in their evasion
of capture, so now by a little judicious manoeuvring on our part we
might be the means of effecting it; and it was a severe disappointment
to us to find that this--the most promising opening we had so far been
able to think of--was going to slip through our fingers. We urged upon
Carera the importance of time, and reiterated, as often as we dared, our
(assumed) belief that the frigate was by that time far enough away from
the Bahama Channel; but it was all in vain, the fellow was not to be
dissuaded from his purpose, and accordingly, on leaving the Conconil
lagoons, instead of stretching away before the wind straight for the
Barcos Channel, the felucca was headed to the westward, on the larboard
tack, for the Manou Channel, leading from Santa Clara Bay into Cardenas
Bay.

As this course would take us over new ground, Courtenay and I determined
to remain on deck to pick up any information likely to be of use to us
in the future; and I went to the helm, whilst my companion busied
himself with the sounding-line. An hour's run brought us to the inner
end of the channel, which we found to be somewhat serpentine in its
course, but trending generally in a north-north-west direction, with a
minimum depth of two and a half fathoms. A run of about twenty minutes
carried us clear of this channel and we found ourselves in Cardenas Bay,
an almost landlocked sheet of water nearly double the area of Santa
Clara Bay and with slightly deeper water, though even here navigation
was only possible for vessels of very light draught. Stretching across
the bay we, half an hour later, passed through a group of small cays,
after which the water began to deepen somewhat. At two o'clock a.m. we
passed Molas Point, and, hauling sharp round it, found ourselves a
quarter of an hour later fairly out at sea and clear of all dangers.
After which, thoroughly tired out by our long and busy day, Courtenay
and I went below and turned in.

By noon next day--or rather, _the same_ day, to speak with strict
accuracy--we were off Havana; and I was in hopes that Carera would put
in there, as he seemed at first to have some idea of doing; for our
whole thoughts were now bent on effecting our escape from the felucca as
early as possible, and I considered it not improbable that in so
important a harbour some neutral ship might be found, on board which we
mig