I had so hastily become
the victim. As they lowered him again into the boat, he jeered at my
incredulity, and in ten minutes was towed to the edge of the reef,
where the scamp was turned adrift to make for the island.

When the schooner was once more under full sail, I was ordered to give
the course for Key West. I at once informed the captain, whose name I
understood to be Lamine, that he really labored under a mistake in
translating the Spanish word _pilote_ into _port guide_, and assured
him that Gallego had been prompted by a double desire to get rid of
him as well as me by fostering his pernicious error. I acknowledged
that I was a "_pilot_," or "navigator," though not a "_practico_," or
harbor-pilot; yet I urged that I could not, without absolute
foolhardiness, undertake to conduct his schooner into a port of which
I was utterly ignorant, and had never visited. Hereupon the first
lieutenant or mate interposed. This fellow was a short, stout-built
person of thirty-five, with reddish whiskers and hair, a
long-projecting under-jaw, and eye-teeth that jutted out like tusks.
To add to his ugliness, he was sadly pitted by small-pox, and waddled
about on short duck legs, which were altogether out of proportion to
his long body, immense arms, and broad, massive shoulders. I do not
remember a more vulgarly repulsive person than this privateering
lieutenant.

"He is a liar, Captain Lamine, and only wants to extort money for his
services," interjected the brute. "Leave him to me, sir; I'll find a
way to refresh his memory of Key West that will open the bottom of the
gulf to his eyes as clearly as the pathway to his piratical hut on the
sand key! To the helm, sir--to the helm!"

What possible object or result could I gain by resistance amid the
motley assemblage that surrounded me on the deck of the "CARA-BOBO?"
She was a craft of about 200 tons; and, with her crew of seventy-five,
composed of the scourings of all nations, castes, and colors, bore a
commission from the authorities of Carthagena to burn, sink and
destroy all Spanish property she was strong enough to capture. Lamine
was born in the isle of France, while Lasquetti, the lieutenant, was a
creole of Pensacola. The latter spoke French and Spanish quite well,
but very little English; while both master and mate were almost
entirely ignorant of navigation, having intrusted that task to the
third lieutenant, who was then ill with yellow fever. The second
lieutenant