during
the whole of the night.

I started from my reverie and hastened on deck to get the schooner under
weigh. It was soon done, although we were, comparatively speaking,
short-handed. There was a fine breeze, and lightened as she now was,
the little vessel flew through the water. Liverpool was soon out of
sight, and we were dashing down the Irish Channel.

"She sails well now," said I to the second mate, a very clever man, and
much hotter educated than most seamen, for he could navigate, as well as
being a first-rate seaman.

"Yes, Sir," replied Olivarez, "she walks fast. She is not too deep
now," replied he; "what a slaver she would make."

This man was not an Englishman, but a Brazilian Portuguese by birth,
although he had long been out of his country. Having set her course, I
went down below, that I might indulge in my castle-building more at my
ease. The wind increased to a gale, but as it was from the northward,
and bore us to our destination, it was welcomed. We soon crossed the
Bay of Biscay, and were in more genial latitudes; and, after a rapid run
of about four weeks, I found myself nearly in the latitude given to us
of the river where the Amy was at anchor. I then hauled in for the
shore, which was very low, and required being approached with caution.
We saw some towering palm-trees at sunset, and then we hove-to; the next
day we again stood in, and having ascertained our exact latitude at
noon, we found ourselves about four miles to the northward of the
river's mouth. We shaped a course, and in two hours I made out the
marks given for our guidance in the rough sketch of Captain Irving, and
thus satisfied that I was right, ran directly for the mouth of the
river. Captain Irving was correct in saying it was difficult, for it
was not until we were within a mile that we could find any opening; but
at last we did, and at the same time perceived the masts of two vessels
at some distance up the river. We stood in, and found that there was no
bar at the river mouth, which was a very unusual circumstance on this
coast. The soundings were gradual, and in an hour afterwards we
anchored between the Amy and a fine schooner under British colours.
Captain Irving recognised the Sparrow-Hawk, and immediately came on
board. After the usual salutations, he told me that his vessel was
half-laden, but that he waited for the articles he had sent for to
enable him to complete his cargo. I told him that I had the