at I said to him was meant for
earnest, and it cowed him. It is only natural to think that he held a
grudge against me forever after, and waited only for his opportunity;
knowing, too, that I was the owner of the bark, and supposed to have
money. He was heard to say in a rum-mill a day or two before the attack
that he would find the ---- money and his life, too. His chum and bosom
friend had come pretty straight from Palermo penitentiary at Buenos
Aires when he shipped with me at Rosario.

It was no secret on board the bark that he had served two years for
robbing, and cutting a ranchman's throat from ear to ear. These records,
which each seemed to glory in, were verified in both cases.

I met the captain afterwards who had been "busted in the jaw"--Captain
Roberts, of Baltimore, a quiet gentleman, with no evil in his heart for
any one, and a man, like myself, well along in years.

Two of the gang, old Rosario hands, had served for the lesser offence of
robbery alone--they brought up in the rear! The other two of my foremast
hands--one a very respectable Hollander, the other a little Japanese
sailor, a bright, young chap--had been robbed and beaten by the four
ruffians, and then threatened so that they deserted to the forest
instead of bringing a complaint of the matter to me, for fear, as the
Jap expressed it afterwards, when there was no longer any danger,--for
fear the "la-la-long mans (thieves) would makee killo mi!"

The ringleader bully had made unusual efforts to create a row when I
came on board early in the evening; however, as he had evidently been
drinking, I passed it off as best I could for the natural consequence of
rum, and ordered him forward; instead of doing as he was bid, when I
turned to hand my wife to the cabin he followed me threateningly to the
break of the poop. What struck me most, however, was the conduct of his
chum, who was sober, but in a very unusual, high, gleeful mood. It was
knock-off time when I came along to where he was seizing off the mizzen
topgallant backstay, the last of the work of refitting the late
_pampeiro_ damage; and the mate being elsewhere engaged, I gave the
usual order to quit work. "Knock off," I said to the man, "and put away
your tools. The bark's rigging looks well," I added, "and if to-morrow
turns out fine, all will be finished"; whereupon the fellow laughed
impertinently in my face, repeating my words, "All will be finished!"
under his breath, adding, "before