ing given in our honour by the officers of the garrison; and
then all defects being made good, we once more put to sea.

We appeared by this time to have come to the end of our run of good
luck, however; for, though we most assiduously worked the entire
archipelago, not a sign of an enemy could we find.

At length, the period of our cruise having expired, we bore up and
returned to Port Royal, where Captain Annesley was received by the
admiral with effusion.

The frigate remained at anchor in the harbour ten days, during which all
hands indulged in a little welcome recreation, the officers attending
quality balls, shooting, and visiting at various estates belonging to
new-made, but most hospitable Kingstonian friends.

I had accepted an invitation from a Mr Finnie--whose acquaintance I had
made on my previous visit to Kingston--to spend a few days on his estate
among the Blue Mountains and enjoy a little shooting on a small lake
adjoining it; and in my indefatigable pursuit of this amusement I
managed to contract a severe attack of yellow fever.

I was most kindly and carefully nursed through it by Mrs Finnie, and it
was chiefly owing to her unceasing attention, under God, that I
recovered at all. I was ill for weeks, what with the fever, a relapse,
and the terrible prostration which followed; and when at length I was
able once more to crawl about, the "Astarte" had been long gone to sea
upon a sort of roving commission, from which it was quite uncertain when
she would return.

Under such circumstances the time soon began to hang heavily on my
hands, and I longed for a sniff of the pure salt sea-breeze, once more.
I was therefore greatly delighted when, on calling at the country house
of the admiral--to whom I had been introduced by Captain Annesley--the
following conversation occurred.

"Ah! Chester," said the admiral, "glad to see you on your pins once
more; you have had a very narrow squeak of it, I hear."

"Indeed I have, sir," I replied. "So narrow was it that they had my
coffin all ready built for me. I have managed to weather upon Yellow
Jack this time, however, thank God; and now, if I could only get to sea
again, I believe I should soon pull round and completely recover my
strength."

"Ah! say you so? It is quite likely." The old gentleman was silent for
a few minutes, and then, turning abruptly to me, he said,--

"Have you heard that the `Juanita'--that pirate brigantine which the
`Astarte' t