Page:The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance 1832.pdf/129

Rh water side. Drawing a boatswain's call from his bosom, he blew a long, low note, when a small boat, pulled by one man, in obedience to the signal, shot from the schooner, and ran alongside the wharf. " Is all ready, Diego ?' interrogated my companion of the boatman.

" Ay, ay, Sir,' was the reply.

" Jump in, then, shipmate,' said he to me ; and stepping in together, we were quickly on board the schooner. She was a large pilot-boat-built craft, and sat on the water like a duck ; but otherwise, she possessed nothing remarkable in her appearance. A few men were lolling about, or lying listlessly on deck, when we arrived, who sprang up at an order from my companion, and commenced getting the vessel under weigh. We were soon under all sail, and ran rapidly out past the castle, which, to my great surprise, did not even offer to hail us, although I had heard it asserted that it was a standing order, enforced there, never to permit a ship to pass after sun-down. When we had gained some distance from the land, I observed a number of persons coming up from below, by the fore-hatch, who swelled our crew from ten to at least fifty men. Orders were next given by the captain to get the gun up from below ; and all hands busied themselves, for some time, in hoisting a long eighteen-pounder out of the hold, and mounting it on a pivot, which had been before concealed by a tarpaulin. The suspicion that she was a pirate now for the first time flashed across my mind, and must have displayed itself in my countenance ; as the captain, who had been closely watching my motions while these occurrences were passing, said to me with a chuckling laugh :

" We're a free trader, you see, my boy, and are forced to go well armed, to look down all resistance. We pay for our goods in iron, most times ; and generally seal the bargain with blood. You look pale, though. Do my words frighten you ? Come, cheer up. You saved my life just now, and I owe you something for that : so, if you fear the sight of blood, you may stay below, and dress the wounded. That's the doctor's place, too, on board a man-of-war.'

" We cruised for some days off Cape Antonio, and made several rich captures, putting, as I afterward learned, the crews of all to death, without an exception. Some of them made a stout resistance, but all were eventually overcome, and treated alike, without mercy. Neither age nor sex was respected. Many of the pirates were wounded in these rencontres, and I