f myself, were
in possession of genuine legal documents that should have served as
impregnable barriers against impressment, yet they had witnessed so many
facts showing the utter disregard of human or divine laws on the part
of the commanders of British ships-of-war when in want of men, that they
awaited the result of the visit with fear and trembling.

A lieutenant came on board and conversed pleasantly with the captain and
supercargo. The men were mustered and called aft to the quarter-deck,
and carefully scrutinized by the boarding officer. Our protections were
examined, but being printed or inscribed in the Swedish language, were
not read. Every thing appeared according to rule. The lieutenant looked
hard at me as John Lordick, and asked some questions of the captain, to
which the captain replied, "He is my brother," which seemed to settle
the matter. The boat returned on board the Ringdove, and I, as well as
the others, rejoiced in having eluded impressment in a man-of-war.

The sloop was brought to anchor, and the cook and myself were ordered
into the boat for the purpose of setting the captain and supercargo on
shore. We pulled around the principal fort, which is situated on a point
of land, and entered a beautiful land-locked harbor, or careenage,
where a number of vessels were lying at the wharves. The captain and
supercargo landed on one of these wharves, and the captain directed the
cook to accompany him to the market square for the purpose of procuring
fresh provisions; I was ordered to remain by the boat.

When the captain was gone, and I was left standing alone, my thoughts
again recurred to the subject of impressment, which had so completely
engrossed the minds of the crew that morning; and I thought to myself,
"Suppose some crafty, determined, unscrupulous officer of the Ringdove,
or some other British vessel, should be at this very time on shore,
lounging about the wharves, disguised as an inoffensive citizen, but
watching an opportunity to pounce upon a poor unfortunate fellow,
like myself, and bear him off in triumph, to become a victim of the
cat-o'-nine-tails at the gangway, or food for gunpowder." While I was
shuddering at the idea of such a climax to my adventures, I saw a
man coming towards me, whose countenance and demeanor aroused all my
suspicions. He was a thick-set, swarthy individual, with enormous black
whiskers and sparkling black eyes. He was dressed like a gentleman,
but I thought hi