ture: this we did with no little labor, wading into the mud
and water breast high. After we had anchored her about half a
mile abreast of the huts, and discharged the fish from the canoes
into her, we returned to the huts to breakfast.

When the master fisherman returned in the morning, I observed
that his trowsers were wet up to his hips, and he appeared as
though he had been wading several miles.

After breakfast we finished loading the little schooner, and
returned to the huts to bring down some small stores. As we were
all standing before the huts, the master fisherman was seen
pointing to the Eastward and laughing with his companions. On
looking in the direction he was pointing, I discovered the object
of his amusement to be a small vessel just doubling an Easterly
point of the key, about seven miles distant _within the Reef_,
and bearing away for us. I had too often seen the grin of a
Spaniard accompanied with the stab of his stiletto, to pass the
circumstance unnoticed. By my request Manuel inquired of the
Spaniards what vessel it was, and received for answer, that "it
was the King's Cutter in search of Pirates." This answer
satisfied us, and in a short time we were all hands, the master
fisherman and three of his crew, on board our vessel. As soon as
we were ready to weigh anchor, observing the Spaniard intent on
watching the "Cutter," and delaying unnecessarily to get under
way, I began to hoist the foresail, on which, he, for the first
time, sang out to me in broken English, "no foresail, no
foresail." By this time the sail was within three quarters of a
mile of us. As I stood on the forecastle watching her, I saw one
of her people forward, pointing at us what I supposed a spy
glass; but in an instant the report of a musket and whistle of a
bullet by my ears, convinced me of my mistake. This was followed
by the discharge of, at least, twenty blunderbusses and muskets,
from which the balls flew like hail-stones, lodging in various
parts of our schooner; one of which pierced my trowsers and
another Mr. Merry's jacket, without any essential injury.

At the commencement of the firing the four fishermen concealed
themselves below deck, out of danger, and our Portuguese
attempting to follow their example was forced back. I remained on
the forecastle watching the vessel until the whistleing of six or
seven bullets by my ears, warned me of my danger. At first I
settled down on my knees, still anxious to ascertain