taking the casks on board, pulled away to communicate the
circumstance to the admiral. Lieutenant Blake told him that he had
recognised Prince Maurice as well as two or three of his officers, and
that the other leaders of our assailants were Portuguese grandees.

The admiral was highly indignant, but how to punish our dastardly foes
as they deserved was a difficult matter to determine. The King of
Portugal would certainly refuse to deliver up the offenders, and we were
not as yet in a position to compel him.

We had therefore to bide our time.

That evening, as I was walking the deck with Lancelot, we saw a small
boat coming off from the shore. She had but one man in her. He hailed
as he got alongside, and asked if he might be permitted to come on
board, as he had a communication to make to the admiral.

Permission was at once given, and after remaining a short time in the
cabin, the stranger took his departure, when the admiral came on deck
and ordered the ports to be closed.

Soon after this another boat was seen coming off, containing a person
dressed as a Portuguese tradesman, and rowed by two negroes. The boat
also carried a large cask. After coming up under the stern, she pulled
round on the starboard side. The seeming Portuguese then handed up a
letter, which one of the officers took. It purported to come from a
merchant on shore, stating that he had sent off a cask of oil for the
use of the crew. The white man was still seated in the boat, when the
boatswain and two other men came aft and informed the admiral that they
were very sure he was no Portuguese, but one of the persons belonging to
Prince Rupert's ship whom they frequently met on shore.

"Let the cask remain in the boat, and order the man up the side," said
the admiral.

The Portuguese, on receiving the order, showed a great disinclination to
obey, and said something to the negroes, who were getting out their oars
to shove off when three of our men jumped into the boat, and having
secured her, the white man and two blacks were brought on deck. The
admiral now turning to the boatswain ordered him to reeve a rope to the
yard-arm.

"So my friend," he said, turning to the white prisoner, "you intended to
blow up this ship and all on board. If that cask is full of oil my
information is incorrect, but if not, be prepared for the consequences."

On this the man fell on his knees, and pleading for mercy, offered to
reveal the plot he had b