n engaged in such enterprises.

Dumb with astonishment and terror, the old couple sat in silent agony,
while the poor girls, who had more evils than death to fear, drowned
in their tears, fell at the captain's feet and embraced his knees,
conjuring him to spare and protect them from his men.

Captain Weatherall, who was, as I have before stated, a generous and
humane man, raised them up, assuring them, on his word, that they
should receive no insult, and as his presence was necessary to direct
the motions of his people, he selected me, as younger and less brutal
than most of his crew, as a guard over them, menacing me with death if
I allowed any man to enter the room until he returned, and ordering me
to defend them with my life from all insults. I was then young and
full of enthusiasm; my heart was kind, and I was pure in comparison
with the major portion of those with whom I was associated.

I was delighted with the office confided to me, and my heart leaped at
having so honourable an employment. I endeavoured by every means in my
power to dissipate their terrors and soothe their anxious minds; but
while I was thus employed, an Irish seaman, distinguished even
amongst our crew for his atrocities, came to the door, and would have
forced his entrance. I instantly opposed him, urging the captain's
most positive commands; but, having obtained a sight of the young
females, he swore with a vile oath that he would soon find out whether
a boy like me was able to oppose him, and finding that I would not
give way, he attacked me fiercely. Fortunately, I had the advantage of
position, and supported by the justice of my cause, I repelled him
with success. But he renewed the attack, while the poor young women
awaited the issue of the combat with trembling anxiety--a combat on
which depended, in all probability, their honour and their lives. At
last I found myself very hard pushed, for I had received a wound on my
sword arm, and I drew a pistol from my belt with my left-hand, and
fired it, wounding him in the shoulder. Thus disabled, and fearing at
the same time that the report would bring back the captain, whom he
well knew would not be trifled with, he retired from the door vowing
vengeance. I then turned to the young women, who had witnessed the
conflict in breathless suspense, encircled in the arms of the poor old
couple, who had rushed towards them at the commencement of the fray,
offering them their useless shelter. Private