dipping into the
clear liquid, and so distinctly reflected that I could not tell where
the real bough ended and its phantom-likeness began. After running on
for half a mile, and making frequent turns, we found ourselves in a wide
lagoon, several other craft of different sizes and rigs being at anchor
in it. On shore, there was a collection of large wooden sheds looking
like stores, and some huts, and a few buildings of more pretensions,
apparently dwelling-houses. There was nothing like order or regularity
in the arrangement of the village; but each store or cottage seemed to
have been placed as suited the fancy of the owner, the whole wearing a
very nautical, shipwreck appearance. Many of the roofs were formed of
the bottoms of boats; sails, with a coating of paint or tar, were nailed
over others; and the planks and ribs of vessels had entered largely into
the construction of all the edifices. I made these observations as we
were shortening sail and coming to an anchor. It was very clearly a
pirate stronghold, and had been probably so for some years. The pirates
had allowed us to remain on deck and see the approach to it, evidently
trusting to the difficulties of the navigation to prevent any of us
finding our way out of it, or in again, should we obtain our liberty.
Though art had done nothing, nature had done everything to make the
place impregnable, unless a pilot could be found to show an enemy the
way. Against such a result they had several safeguards: each man of
this fraternity had bound himself by an oath not to betray any of their
secrets. The Spanish authorities took very little cognisance of them,
as their own vessels were not attacked; while at that time the governors
of the West India Islands did not trouble themselves much about rooting
out piracy; and it was only when some act of especial atrocity had been
committed, that, if a man-of-war was in the way, she was sent in chase
of the pirate.

As soon as we had dropped our anchor, several boats came off from the
shore with people eager to learn the news we brought. They looked
suspiciously at us, and seemed not very well satisfied at the result of
their inquiries. It was far from pleasant to see a number of
cut-throat-looking fellows parading up and down before us with their
hands on the hilts of their long knives, with which they kept playing as
if anxious to try their temper in our bodies. Captain Helfrich stood
all the time with folded arms