nformed that Captain Starkey had left the
house, after impressing upon Senora Arguellas that the _Neptune_ would
sail the next morning precisely at nine o'clock. A renewed torrent of
rage, contempt, and scorn broke forth at this announcement, and a duel at
one time seemed inevitable between Lieutenant Arguellas and Mr. Desmond,
the last-named gentleman manifesting great anxiety to shoot somebody or
other in vindication of his Anglo-Saxon lineage. This, however, was
overruled, and the party broke up in angry disorder.

We were all on board by the appointed time on the following morning.
Captain Starkey received us with civil indifference, and I noticed that
the elaborate sneers which sat upon the countenances of Dupont and the
lieutenant did not appear in the slightest degree to ruffle or affect him;
but the averted eye and scornful air of Donna Antonia as she passed with
Senora Arguellas toward the cabin, drawing her mantilla tightly round her
as she swept by, as if--so I perhaps wrongfully interpreted the action--it
would be soiled by contact with a poltroon, visibly touched him--only,
however, for a few brief moments. The expression of pain quickly vanished,
and his countenance was as cold and stern as before. There was, albeit, it
was soon found, a limit to this, it seemed, contemptuous forbearance.
Dupont, approaching him, gave his thought audible expression, exclaiming,
loud enough for several of the crew to hear, and looking steadily in the
captain's face: "_Lache!_" He would have turned away, but was arrested by
a gripe of steel. "_Ecoutez_, monsieur," said Captain Starkey:
"individually, I hold for nothing whatever you may say; but I am captain
and king in this ship, and I will permit no one to beard me before the
crew, and thereby lessen my authority over them. Do you presume again to
do so, and I will put you in solitary confinement, perhaps in irons, till
we arrive at Jamaica." He then threw off his startled auditor, and walked
forward. The passengers, colored as well as white, were all on board; the
anchor, already apeak, was brought home; the bows of the ship fell slowly
off, and we were in a few moments running before the wind, though but a
faint one, for Point Morant.

No one could be many hours on board the _Neptune_ without being fully
satisfied that, however deficient in dueling courage her captain might be,
he was a thorough seaman, and that his crew--about a dozen of as fine
fellows as I have ever se