at the time, foresee, or it is doubtful but we
would have hesitated before granting an asylum to the miserable
fugitive from King Thedori's tyranny, who now came aboard. Pedro de
Castro, the name of this refugee, a Spaniard, informed us that for some
time past he had been held as hostage by Thedori. Three years before
our visit to the Moluccas, so ran his tale, a Spanish vessel, of which
de Castro was first officer, had called at the islands. The captain and
crew had been well received by the King, who had pretended the same
friendliness towards them as he had shown to us. But so soon as a
favourable opportunity offered, Thedori had looted the ship, and taken
Pedro prisoner, declaring he would hold him to ransom, until his
friends returned to Spain, from where they must send cotton, and other
goods, not procurable at the Moluccas, in order to ensure his release.
It was by this means that Thedori obtained many useful commodities of
European workmanship, the presence of which we had noticed, with
surprise, among his people. De Castro had contrived to escape his
gaolers, and having swum aboard our vessel, he now besought us to save
him from the miserable condition to which he had been reduced since his
ship had sailed, leaving him dependent upon a vague promise of release
from captivity, which he knew might never be fulfilled.

"And mark you," he said, when we had assembled the officers in the
cabin to hear his story, "Thedori will serve you as he served us, when
the time is ripe for his treachery, for he possesses many guns, hidden
away, together with a great store of ammunition, so that he could send
an army against you that you would find it impossible to resist."

We thanked Pedro for his warning, and since we determined to profit by
it, we could do no less than offer him a berth among our officers. But
I had no love for Spaniards or their ways, and I lived to learn that my
distrust of them was not misplaced. That night we made preparations for
departure, and, with the first breath of dawn, we hove our anchor
aboard, and set a course for the open sea.

When it was seen that we were leaving the island the utmost excitement
prevailed on shore. The natives crowded upon the beach which bordered
the harbour, while some put off in their canoes, making an effort to
overtake us. But the "Golden Seahorse" was a ship very finely built,
which caused her to slip through the water, needing but little wind to
drive her at a rapid