to Newton in French, who he was,
and what he wanted? Newton, who did not understand a word of the
language, shook his head, and opening his hands and extending his arms,
to show that he had no means of defence, he beckoned to them to come up.
The man's head had again disappeared, and, after a little demur, nine
or ten negroes crawled up out of the fore-scuttle, one after another,
each with some weapon or another by way of security. They remained on
the forecastle of the vessel until the last was up, and then at a nod
given by their grizzle-headed leader, they advanced aft, in a body,
towards Newton. Newton rose and pointed to the boat, which had now
drifted about a quarter of a mile astern. He then made signs, to give
them to understand that he had been wrecked.

"Apparemment c'est un pauvre miserable, qui a fait naufrage," observed
the old negro, who appeared to have the charge of the vessel; "Gustave
Adolphe, tu parles bien l'Anglois; demandez-lui les nouvelles,"
continued the old man, folding his arms across, and looking very _big_
indeed, as he reclined against the mainmast of the vessel.

Gustave Adolphe stood forward from the rest of the negroes. He was a
short, fat, shiny-faced fellow, with his hair platted into about fifty
little tails. He first bowed to his old commander, then placing his
arms akimbo, walked up to Newton, and looking him full in the face,
commenced his duty of interpreter; as follows:--

"I say--God dam--"

Newton smiled.

"Oui, monsieur, c'est un Anglois."

"Continuez, Gustave Adolphe," replied the old negro, with a majestic
air.

Gustave Adolphe, with another bow, resumed:

"I say--where com?"

"Barbadoes," replied Newton.

"Monsieur, il vient de Barbadoes."

"Continuez, Gustave Adolphe," replied his superior, with a wave of his
hand.

"I say--where go?"

"Where go?" replied Newton, "go to the bottom."

"Monsieur--il alloit au port de Bo---tom."

"Bo---tom," repeated the old negro. "Ou diable est ca?"

Here a general consultation was held, by which it appeared that such a
port had never been heard of in the West Indies.

"Gustave Adolphe, demandez-lui si c'est un port Anglois."

"I say--Bo---tom--English port?"

"No," replied Newton, amused with the mistake; "I should rather call it
_neutral_."

"C'est un port neutral, monsieur."

"Gustave Adolphe, demandez-lui de quelle ile."

"I say, what isle--Bo---tom?"

Newton, who was faint with hunger and thirst,