nd the
spot, who eagerly remarked to each other upon the courage and
indomitable spirit of the British seaman, and dwelt upon the pleasure it
would afford them to quell that courage and humble that proud spirit to
the dust. The result of it all was a keen competition for the
possession of the man, and Bowen was at length "knocked down" to a tall
man with thin aquiline features, the expression of which was pretty
evenly made up of pride, resolution, and relentless cruelty.

Walford was next put up, but the miserable condition of the unfortunate
man, and his vacant look of imbecility, excited nothing but laughter and
ridicule, and no one would make a bid for him.

Seeing that it would be impossible to sell this "lot" alone, the
Spaniard with the whip ordered George to be released and placed upon the
block also, stepping forward at the same time and whispering eagerly in
the ear of the auctioneer.

The latter thereupon explained to the crowd that while the first of the
two men offered was undoubtedly valueless of himself and alone, he could
be made very useful if purchased along with the second, who had been
found to have great influence over him, and could, in fact, persuade him
to do anything which might be required; and so on, and so on.

A little brisk bidding then ensued for the two on the part of the more
speculative among the buyers, who were willing to risk a little possible
loss on the chance of obtaining two slaves for a trifle more than the
price of one; and finally they were purchased by a man who had all the
appearance of being an overseer on some extensive estate. The lad Tom,
who was next put up, was also bought by the same purchaser; and in a few
minutes the three white men--now slaves--found themselves chained to a
gang of negroes--men and women--who had also fallen into the hands of
the same owner.

Half an hour afterwards the gang was put in motion, and, with the
overseer (for such he eventually proved to be) at their head, and three
other men, mounted--one riding on each side and one in the rear--as a
guard, took their way through the town (which George at last ascertained
was Havana), out into the country, and inland toward the hills, along a
fairly good road, well shaded for the most part with a dense growth of
tropical verdure.

A wearisome tramp along this road for a distance of some ten miles
brought them late in the afternoon to the plantation which was to be
their future home, or prison;