eft the whole place was in an uproar with tipsy seamen and natives
quarrelling and fighting. Escaping from the disgraceful scene we made
our way to the house of Donna Anna, the old lady who had been so civil
to us when we landed. She received us very kindly, and hearing why we
left the town commended us for our discretion, telling us that we were
welcome to remain till we had to return to our ship. As the heat was
too great to make us wish to go out, we spent the day lolling about in a
cool room, and eating when food was brought to us. In the evening we
strolled through the orange groves, eating as much of the fruit as we
desired. Our hostess still further showed her kindness by supplying us
with mosquito curtains to sleep under at night.

We were all sorry when the time came for us to embark, but our men did
not make their appearance, and I don't know when they would have come
had not the second mate gone into the town at daybreak and compelled the
more sober to bring off the others. As we pulled down the river we met
the captain coming up it to look for us. He was very angry, and
declared that he was much inclined not to let the other watch go on
shore on account of the behaviour of the men. He relented, however,
charging them to look out how they conducted themselves.

Soon after they had shoved off, the first mate said that he saw a small
craft of some sort under sail coming in from the offing. All the
telescopes on board were at once directed towards her, and before long
she was pronounced to be a whale boat. On she came, steering for our
ship, which, as we had the British flag flying, was easily distinguished
from the American's. The crew were lying along on the thwarts, the
heads of two of them just raised above the gunwale, as if their eyes
were directed towards us; one man only was sitting up steering, and he
was leaning back seemingly in an exhausted state. I looked at him
several times through my glass till the boat drew nearer, when I was
convinced that he was my kind friend Captain Bland. Yes, there was no
doubt about it. Fearful apprehensions crowded into my mind. What could
have become of the "Lady Alice"?--had any accident happened to her?
Captain Bland would, I was certain, not willingly have deserted his wife
and daughter. How eager I felt to inquire!

Directly the boat came alongside the mate and I, with two other men,
descended to assist up the people in her. "Take them first; they