e continued for several years; and only
resigned it to accept of a similar situation on board a fine bark,
commanded by _Captain Benjamin Brace_, engaged in the African trade.
But not _that African trade_ carried on by such ships as the _Pandora_.
No; the merchandise transported in Captain Brace's bark was not black
men, but white ivory, yellow gold-dust, palm-oil, and ostrich-plumes;
and it was said, that, after each "trip" to the African coast, the
master, as well as owner, of this richly laden bark, was accustomed to
make a trip to the Bank of England, and there deposit a considerable sum
of money.

After many years spent thus professionally, and with continued success,
the _ci-devant_ whalesman, man-o'-war's-man, ex-captain of the
_Catamaran_, and master of the African trader, retired from active life;
and, anchored in a snug craft in the shape of a Hampstead Heath villa,
is now enjoying his pipe, his glass of grog, and his _otium cum
dignitate_.

As for "Little William," he in turn ceased to be known by this
designation. It was no longer appropriate when he became the captain of
a first-class clipper-ship in the East Indian trade,--standing upon his
own quarter-deck full six feet in his shoes, and finely proportioned at
that,--so well as to both face and figure, that he had no difficulty in
getting "spliced" to a wife that dearly loved him.

She was a very beautiful woman, with a noble round eye, jet black waving
hair, and a deep brunette complexion. Many of his acquaintances were
under the impression that she had Oriental blood in her veins, and that
he had brought her home from India on one of his return voyages from
that country. Those more intimate with him could give a different
account,--one received from himself; and which told them that his wife
was a native of Africa, of Portuguese extraction, and that her name was
_Lalee_.

They had heard, moreover, that his first acquaintance with her had
commenced on board a slave bark; and that their friendship as
children,--afterwards ripening into love,--had been cemented while both
were castaways upon a raft--Ocean Waifs in the middle of the Atlantic.

THE END.

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