tly, smiled, looking
first at the yard and then at my neck, and the hate in his eyes seemed
to burn me.

'I have a better thought than that,' said the third officer. 'If we hung
him questions might be asked, and at the least, it would be a waste of
good money. He is a finely built young man and would last some years in
the mines. Let him be sold with the rest of the cargo, or I will take
him myself at a valuation. I am in want of a few such on my estate.'

At these words I saw de Garcia's face fall a little, for he wished to
be rid of me for ever. Still he did not think it politic to interfere
beyond saying with a slight yawn:

'So far as I am concerned, take him, comrade, and free of cost. Only I
warn you, watch him well or you will find a stiletto in your back.'

The officer laughed and said: 'Our friend will scarcely get a chance at
me, for I do not go a hundred paces underground, where he will find his
quarters. And now, Englishman, there is room for you below I think;'
and he called to a sailor bidding him bring the irons of the man who had
died.

This was done, and after I had been searched and a small sum in gold
that I had upon my person taken from me--it was all that remained to me
of my possessions--fetters were placed upon my ankles and round my neck,
and I was dragged into the hold. Before I reached it I knew from
various signs what was the cargo of this ship. She was laden with slaves
captured in Fernandina, as the Spaniards name the island of Cuba, that
were to be sold in Hispaniola. Among these slaves I was now numbered.

How to tell the horrors of that hold I know not. The place was low, not
more than seven feet in height, and the slaves lay ironed in the bilge
water on the bottom of the vessel. They were crowded as thick as they
could lie, being chained to rings fixed in the sides of the ship.
Altogether there may have been two hundred of them, men, women and
children, or rather there had been two hundred when the ship sailed a
week before. Now some twenty were dead, which was a small number, since
the Spaniards reckon to lose from a third to half of their cargo in this
devilish traffic. When I entered the place a deadly sickness seized me,
weak as I was, brought on by the horrible sounds and smells, and the
sights that I saw in the flare of the lanterns which my conductors
carried, for the hold was shut off from light and air. But they dragged
me along and presently I found myself chained in th