effect upon the guilty wretches was dreadful; there they lay, each
man on the deck where he had crouched down, when the lightning had
flashed upon him: the sun rose upon them, yet they moved not; he poured
his beams on their naked bodies when at his meridian height, yet they
still remained: the evening closed in, and found them in the same
positions. As soon as it was dark, as if released from a spell, they
crawled below, and went into their hammocks: at midnight again the bell
struck; again the voice was heard, followed by the shriek; again they
repaired on deck: the fourteen remaining bodies lay in a row: another of
the murderers was summoned, obeyed, and disappeared: again the flash of
lightning burst upon us, and all had vanished; and thus it continued
every night, until the boatswain, who was reserved for the last, was
dragged overboard after the rest by the corpse of the captain; and then
a tremendous voice from the maintop, followed by exulting laughter,
cried out, "_That job's done_." Immediately after which, the water
rushed out of the bottom of the vessel, and she was clear as before.

Returning thanks to heaven that I was not a party sufferer with the
rest, I lay down, and for the first time for many weeks fell into a
sound sleep. How long I slept, I know not: it may have been days; but I
awoke at last by the sound of voices, and found that the people on
board of a vessel bound from Mexico to the South of Spain, perceiving
the brig lying with her sails torn, and her yards not trimmed, had sent
a boat to ascertain whether there was any body remaining in her. I was
afraid that if I told them what had happened, they either would not
believe me, or else would refuse to take on board a person who had been
in company with such examples of divine vengeance. I therefore stated
that we had been attacked by dysentery about six weeks before, and all
had died except myself, who was supercargo of the brig.

As their vessel was but half full, the cargo, consisting chiefly of
cochineal and copper, which is stowed in small space, the captain
offered to take as many of my goods as he could stow, provided I would
allow him the freight. This I willingly consented to, and, examining the
manifest, selected the most valuable, which were removed to the Spanish
vessel.

We had a favourable wind; and having run through the Straits, expected
in a day or two we should anchor at Valencia, to which port she was
bound; but a violent gal