on to matters nearer at hand, and allowed
his gaze to wander over the galleon's spacious decks. They were
disgracefully dirty, speaking of the lax discipline that had been
permitted to prevail by the easy-going officers of the ship, and he gave
a sharp order which presently brought all hands on deck, considerably
refreshed, as he could see, by even the short spell of rest which they
had enjoyed. Scrubbing brushes, mops, and buckets were searched for and
found; and a few minutes later the decks were undergoing such a vigorous
process of cleansing as they had not known for many a day. Then, as the
planking rapidly dried in the hot rays of the sun, the baggage which the
adventurers had brought with them across the isthmus was unpacked and,
as the hour of eight boomed out from the Cathedral, Saint George's Cross
was run up on the ensign staff of the galleon! A few fishing-boats were
by this time returning to the harbour, and one of these George hailed
and ordered alongside. The crew were negroes, and they gaped in open-
mouthed astonishment as they passed through the entry port and beheld
the decks alive with lithe, active seamen, florid-faced beneath the
bronze of their skins, and most unquestionably foreigners. They
hazarded no remarks, however, nor--to do them justice--did they exhibit
any very great amount of alarm; they were doubtless slaves, animated by
a whole-hearted hatred of their Spanish masters, and if the truth could
been have arrived at they were probably by no means sorry to find that
so fine a ship had fallen into the hands of men who were obviously
enemies of the hated Spaniard. They took, with extravagant thanks, the
gold which George offered them, and vowed to faithfully perform the
service which the young captain demanded of them in return, which was,
first to affix, in the most prominent position they could find in the
market place, the Proclamation which he had prepared; and, secondly, to
deliver at the Governor's house the letter addressed to that
functionary, with which he entrusted them. Then, as soon as the
fishermen had departed, all hands except the anchor watch went to
breakfast.

Breakfast over, the sail-trimmers, under the boatswain, were sent round
the decks to inspect and acquaint themselves thoroughly with the running
rigging of the galleon, some of which was rove and led in a fashion
different from that in vogue in English ships of the time, in order that
they might know exactly wh