e men went to the hatches and slid them over to
leeward; they then descended, and although the seas broke over the
vessel, and a large quantity of water must have poured into her, the
hatches were not put on again by those who remained on deck. But in a
few minutes this mystery was solved; one after another, at first, and
then by dozens, poured forth, out of the hold, the kidnapped Africans
who composed her cargo. In a short time the decks were covered with
them: the poor creatures had been released by the humanity of two
English sailors, that they might have the same chance with themselves
of saving their lives. Still, no attempt was made to quit the vessel.
Huddled together, like a flock of sheep, with the wild waves breaking
over them, there they all remained, both European and African; and as
the heavy blows of the seas upon the sides of the vessel careened and
shook her, they were seen to cling, in every direction, with no
distinction between the captured and their oppressors.

But this scene was soon changed; the frame of the vessel could no longer
withstand the violence of the waves, and as Francisco watched, of a
sudden it was seen to divide amidships, and each portion to turn over.
Then was the struggle for life; hundreds were floating on the raging
element and wrestling for existence, and the white foam of the ocean was
dotted by the black heads of the negroes who attempted to gain the bank.
It was an awful, terrible scene, to witness so many at one moment tossed
and dashed about by the waves--so many fellow-beings threatened with
eternity. At one moment they were close to the beach, forced on to it by
some tremendous wave; at the next, the receding water and the undertow
swept them all back; and of the many who had been swimming one half had
disappeared to rise no more. Francisco watched with agony as he
perceived that the number decreased, and that none had yet gained the
shore. At last he snatched up the haulyards of his boat's sail which
were near him, and hastened down to the spot to afford such succour as
might be possible; nor were his efforts in vain. As the seas washed the
apparently inanimate bodies on shore, and would then have again swept
them away to return them in mockery, he caught hold of them and dragged
them safe on the bank, and thus did he continue his exertions until
fifteen of the bodies of the negroes were spread upon the beach.
Although exhausted and senseless they were not dead, and lon