ecks and out of sight.
She relied cheerfully on us and on the crew, every man of whom she had
bound to her (I suppose by her remarkable beauty) in the completest
loyalty.

In five weeks Mr. '--' had spent at least as many thousands of pounds; and
still matters were at a stand when, one day, Mr. Tomlinson reported a
boat under our quarter demanding speech with us. I went to the side and
saw a tall lank-haired man, in a suit of white duck, standing in the
stern-sheets with the tiller-lines in his hands.

"No pigtail on me, Cap!" he bawled. "I'm Oliphant Q. Wills, of the
American barque _Independence_: and I want to come aboard." He pointed
to his vessel, which had entered the river soon after us, and now lay,
ready for sea, two cables distant from us.

I saw no reason for refusing; and in less than a minute he came running
up the ladder, and introduced himself again. "Business," said he; so I
led him to my cabin.

"Hullo!" said he, looking over the floor. "I observe you don't chew."
He glanced at the stern-window. I opened it. Our talk then ran as
follows:

Capt. W. "I've come to trade."

Self. "Then you have come, sir, to a very bad ship."

Capt. W. "I allowed you would say that. I know all about it, and came
in consequence. I never miss a chance."

Self. "You wish to buy, of course."

Capt. W. "Not at all. I'm here to sell."

Self. "What, pray?"

Capt. W. "A half-hogshead cask of pretty ordinary Geneva: _with_ a
Dutchwoman inside."

Self. "Now, where on earth could you have picked that up?"

Capt. W. (spitting out of window). "In latitude 28 degrees; in a flat
calm; off a Dutch East Indiaman. The name I have at home on a
bit of paper: you shall have it as warranty with the cask.
The captain was drunk, and I traded with the mate. I never
miss a chance. The mate said nothing of the woman inside.
I believe her to be his captain's wife, preserved for burial
ashore. This is painful for me to speak about; for I had the
worst of the deal, and such is not my reputation. But I
allowed I would sell that cask at a profit if I carried it
around for a hundred years."

Self. "What do you ask?"

Capt. W. "Well, I have been enquiring of Mr. '--', your Chief Factor
here; and he tells me that your brother, Mr. Obed Lanyon, was
with Cook and Vancou