season of oppressive languor, but morning and evening, with
their dawn and twilight,--their lengthened shadows and declining sun,
are draughts of beauty that have often intoxicated less enthusiastic
tempers than mine. The bath, the breeze, the renewed nature, aroused
and restored a degree of tone to my shattered nerves, so that when I
reached the _rancho_, I was ready for any duty that might be imposed.
The twin gangs had gone off in their boats soon after daylight, with
saws and axes; but Rafael left orders with my brutal sentry that I
should assist him in preparing breakfast, which was to be ready by
eleven o'clock.

I never knew the real patronymic of this fellow, who was a Spaniard,
and passed among us by the nickname of Gallego. Gallego possessed a
good figure,--symmetrical and strong, while it was lithe and active.
But his head and face were the most repulsive I ever encountered. The
fellow was not absolutely ugly, so far as mere contour of features was
concerned; but there was so dropsical a bloat in his cheeks, such a
stagnant sallowness in his complexion, such a watching scowl in his
eyes, such a drawling sullenness of speech, such sensuality in the
turn of his resolute lips, that I trembled to know he was to be my
daily companion. His dress and skin denoted slovenly habits, while a
rude and growling voice gave token of the bitter heart that kept the
enginery of the brute in motion.

With this wretch for _chef de cuisine_ I was exalted to the post of
"cook's mate."

* * * * *

I found that a fire had been already kindled beneath some dwarf trees,
and that a kettle was set over it to boil. Gallego beckoned me to
follow him into a thicket some distance from the _rancho_, where,
beneath the protection of a large tarpaulin, we found _filibustero's_
pantry amply provided with butter, onions, spices, salt-fish, bacon,
lard, rice, coffee, wines, and all the requisites of comfortable
living. In the corners, strewn at random on the ground, I observed
spy-glasses, compasses, sea-charts, books, and a quantity of choice
cabin-furniture. We obtained a sufficiency of water for cookery and
drinking from holes dug in the sand, and we managed to cool the
beverage by suspending it in a draft of air in porous vessels, which
are known throughout the West Indies by the mischievous name of
"monkeys." Our copious thickets supplied us with fuel, nor were we
without a small, rough garden, in which th