confidence in me by bringing the
pirate craft into harbor.

One morning, when we had been a week at sea, we sighted a wreck on
a small island off Blowing Point; the islet has since totally
disappeared in one of the volcanic disturbances that afflict those
latitudes. We drew in towards the derelict, and then spied a man on
deck waving his shirt very energetically to attract our notice. I
sent Fincham with a boat's crew to bring him off, and learned from
him when he came aboard that he was the sole survivor of the barque
Susan Maria, which was set upon a week before by a buccaneer vessel
and carried to this islet, where she had been plundered and burned,
many of her crew being killed, the rest taken away to be sold to
the Spanish planters in Hispaniola. The man had been left for dead
on the deck, but he had come out of his swoon, and had since
supported himself on some moldy cheese and biscuits which the
buccaneers had not deemed worth taking when they stripped the
vessel.

He told me that the buccaneer vessel was a light brig carrying six
guns and a crew of at least sixty men of all nations, her captain
being a Frenchman. She had sailed away to the westward. I had
little doubt that this was the very vessel I had been sent in
search of, and though she was stronger than I supposed, I was hot
set to find her and see for myself whether we might not attempt to
put a stop to her mischievous career.

We lay becalmed for the rest of that day, but a light easterly
breeze springing up towards morning, we clapped on all sail and
worked steadily along the coast. I examined the chart very
carefully for likely anchorages, and used my perspective glass
constantly; but we saw no sign of the pirate, nor indeed of any
vessel, all that day.

Towards dusk we approached the entrance of the cove whence I had
sailed the brig of which I was now in command. We heaved to behind
a headland about two miles to the east of it, out of view of any
vessel which might be in the cove or at the mouth, and waited for
darkness. I had no reason to suppose that the pirate lay within the
cove, though 'twas likely enough; but it behooved us to go as
cautiously as if we knew she was there for certain. Considering her
strength, if it should come to a fight, 'twas clearly good tactics
to choose my own time and manner of attacking her.

About the end of the second dog watch I lowered a boat, and with
Joe Punchard and half a dozen picked men, together with t