them of, and of these there were only some half-dozen
puncheons--for I had ascertained that most of the great casks in the
hold were water-butts filled with water, and of course intended to
supply the living cargo on their voyage across the Atlantic.

A pirate, therefore, reasoned the crew of the _Pandora_, would only rob
them of their six puncheons of spirits, and that would be all. Perhaps
he might take a fancy to the fine barque, and insist on pressing some of
them into his service. That would be a misfortune to the owners; but,
as for the crew themselves, I was under the belief that very few of them
would have required "pressing." Most of them would have been willing
enough to take a hand at buccaneering, or any other sort of villainy.

As the cutter drew near, however--for she was drawing near--it became
evident she was no pirate. Indeed, she made no secret of what she was,
for the British flag was run out to her peak, at once proclaiming her a
British vessel of war. It is true a pirate might have used that signal
for a decoy; but, considering the time and place, it was not likely, and
the _Pandora's_ people did not entertain the thought of its being one.
The cutter was a British cruiser beyond doubt. That was their full
belief and conviction.

No flag could have been more unwelcome to the eyes of the slaver's crew
than the one now spread to the breeze from the peak of the cutter's
main-sail. Had it been the Portuguese ensign, or the Spanish, or even
the French, they would have dreaded it less; for, notwithstanding the
promises of these nations to aid in putting a stop to the slave-trade,
it is well-known that they have acted with great lukewarmness in the
matter. Indeed, worse than that--since the governors of their
Transatlantic possessions--even the captains of their ships of war--have
been known, not only to connive at the slave-traffic, but actually to
assist in carrying it on! Had it been a ship of one of these nations
the _Pandora_ would have been less desirous of escaping from her. She
would have been brought-to, perhaps; and after a slight examination--
with a word or two of secret intelligence between her captain and the
commander of the war-vessel--allowed to go about her business; and this
would have ended the affair. But no such an easy _conge_ would be given
by the commandant of a British cutter; for, to the honour of the British
officers be it said, that in all such cases they have perfo