ovements and intentions, which they communicated to the crew. If the
crew disapproved of them, they said so, and they were considered to have
some voice in the matter.

Now, although no navigators, these men knew enough of a chart and a
course to find that there must be some reason for its being altered as
it was, instead of running down by the Spanish Main, and they inquired
why the cruise was altered.

Captain Toplift replied that he had taken my advice, and that I had
assured him that at the back of the island of Jamaica we should
certainly fall in with some rich Spanish vessels, if we lay there quiet
in some nook or another for a short time, as this was their time for
coming up from the south to the Havannah, where they rendezvoused for a
convoy.

This reply appeared very satisfactory to the crew, for they were all
cheerful and obedient, and we ran down to Jamaica, and when we were
close in shore we shortened sail and hove-to. We remained three or four
days in the offing, that we might not cause any suspicion by our leaving
too soon. Captain Toplift then told the mates that I proposed anchoring
in some secret bay or inlet, as we were certain to see the Spanish ships
if we could send any one ashore on the hills to look out for them. This
was agreed to, and we made sail and ran along the coast, looking out for
some convenient anchorage.

As we were so doing, a vessel hove in sight, and we immediately made all
sail in chase. As she did not attempt to avoid us, we hauled off as she
came near, to see what she might be. She then hoisted a yellow flag at
her peak (for she was an hermaphrodite brig); this puzzled us not a
little, and we edged down towards her, for she was very rakish-looking,
except in her sails.

As we neared, finding, I suppose, that we did not answer her signals,
and we were not the vessel she expected us to be, she suddenly altered
her course before the wind, setting all the sail that she possibly
could. We immediately crowded canvass in chase, and came up with her
fast. As we ran, the mate and I looked at her through the glass, and I
made her out to be the Transcendant, the captain of which had treated us
so cruelly when we were in the boat, and who had robbed us of our money
and clothes. I called the Portuguese and desired them to look at the
vessel through the glass, and give me their opinion. They directly said
that it was the vessel I supposed.

"Let us only catch the rascal," said