e fine appearance of the vessel until the worthy skipper was greatly
pleased.

An account was given of the running down of the San Diego, and of the
miraculous escape of one of her crew, who, the skipper said, died the
next day of his bruises. A name for this unfortunate man had been
furnished by Pedro; and in our excess of caution, this was given to
the officers as the name rendered by the survivor. The officers looked
grave for a moment, but finally said that it was the act of God, and
inevitable; and that as the crew had been principally convicts, it was
not so much matter; and after drinking two or three bottles of wine,
and taking bonds of the captain for the good behavior of our darkies,
they departed.

CHAPTER VII.

_Third Mate and Ship's Cousin go ashore on liberty._

Many shipmasters and owners will remember how very dull were freights
for Europe, at Cuba, in the spring and summer of 1839; and Captain
Smith had been in Matanzas but a day or two when he became convinced
of the unwelcome truth. We lay day after day sweltering in the sun,
until nearly a week had passed, and there was as yet no freight
engaged. As our orders were to lay four weeks waiting, unless we
should be loaded and ready to sail before that time had elapsed,
Langley and I determined that, as I had plenty of money, we would beg
a week's liberty of the skipper in this time of idleness, and take a
cruise ashore; and we had secretly resolved that in some manner, not
yet discovered, we would effect the escape of my Cousin Clara--Langley
also, in full intention to take the life of Don Carlos Alvarez, should
he run athwart his hawse. Mr. Stowe had been on board during the first
day or two after our arrival, and had given us both pressing
invitations to spend a week at his house, and to renew our
acquaintance with the girls. So the Saturday night after our arrival,
Langley and I preferred our petition to the skipper at the
supper-table.

"Why, boys," said our good-natured captain, "if I thought you wouldn't
get into some confounded scrape, I'd as lief spare you awhile as not;
we've nothing to do aboard ship, so--"

"Beg your pardon, Captain Smith," interrupted Mr. Brewster, who had
been on bad terms with my friend William for a day or two; "I beg your
pardon, sir, but there can be plenty of work to do. It's a slick time
to refit the rigging."

"Why, Mr. Brewster," said the captain, "our rigging was thoroughly
refitted at Valetta."

"Ye