led by the four men who were prisoners with me, and whom
the captain found he could trust on shore better than the others
belonging to the crew, who would indulge in liquor whenever they had an
opportunity. I remained in my bed-place till it was nearly eight
o'clock, and then crept softly up the companion-hatch to ascertain who
was on deck.

The men were all below in the fore-peak at their suppers, and as I had
before observed that their conferences were held on the forecastle, I
went forward, and covered myself up with a part of the main-topsail,
which the men had been repairing during the day. From this position I
could hear all that passed, whether they went down into the fore-peak,
or remained to converse on the forecastle. About ten minutes afterwards
I heard the boat grate against the ship's side, and the men of the
slaver mount on the deck.

"All right?" inquired one of the slavers.

"Yes," replied our second mate; "skipper and his men are on shore, and
the first mate taken with the fever."

"All the better," replied another; "one less to handle. And now, my
lads, let's to business, and have everything settled to-night, so that
we may not be seen together any more till the work is done."

They then commenced a consultation, by which I found it was arranged
that our ship was to be boarded and taken possession of as soon as she
was a few miles out of the bay, for they dared not attack us while we
were at anchor close to the fort; but the second mate and eight men
belonging to us were to pretend to make resistance until beaten down
below, and when the vessel was in their power, the captain, I, and the
other four men who were ashore in the boat, were to be silenced for
ever. After which there came on a discussion as to what was to be done
with the cargo, which was very valuable, and how the money was to be
shared out when the cargo was sold. Then they settled who were to be
officers on board of the ship, which there is no doubt they intended to
make a pirate vessel. I also discovered that, if they succeeded, it was
their intention to kill their own captain and such men of the slaver who
would not join them, and scuttle their own vessel, which was a very old
one.

The consultation ended by a solemn and most villainous oath being
administered to every man as to secrecy and fidelity, after which the
men of the slaver went into their boat, and pulled to their own vessel.
The second mate and our men remained