ed to the bottom, and a
salute from the ship, answered by the forts, added to the effect of the
scene. The sails were furled, the boats lowered down, the boatswain
squared the yards from the jolly-boat ahead. Mr Falcon dressed, and his
boat being manned, went on shore with the despatches. Then, as soon as
the work was over, a new scene of delight presented itself to the sight
of midshipmen who had been so long upon his Majesty's allowance. These
were the boats, which crowded round the ship, loaded with baskets of
bananas, oranges, shaddocks, soursops, and every other kind of tropical
fruit, fried flying fish, eggs, fowls, milk, and everything which could
tempt a poor boy after a long sea voyage. The watch being called, down
we all hastened into the boats, and returned loaded with treasures,
which we soon contrived to make disappear. After stowing away as much
fruit as would have sufficed for a dessert to a dinner given to twenty
people in England, I returned on deck.

There was no other man-of-war in the bay; but my attention was directed
to a beautiful little vessel, a schooner, whose fairy form contrasted
strongly with a West India trader which lay close to her. All of a
sudden, as I was looking at her beautiful outline, a yell rose from her
which quite startled me, and immediately afterwards her deck was covered
with nearly two hundred naked figures with woolly heads, chattering and
grinning at each other. She was a Spanish slaver, which had been
captured, and had arrived the evening before. The slaves were still on
board, waiting the orders of the governor. They had been on deck about
ten minutes, when three or four men, with large panama straw hats on
their heads, and long rattans in their hands, jumped upon the gunnel,
and in a few seconds drove them all down below. I then turned round, and
observed a black woman who had just climbed up the side of the frigate.
O'Brien was on deck, and she walked up to him in the most consequential
manner.

"How do you do, sar? Very happy you com back again," said she to
O'Brien.

"I'm very well, I thank you, ma'am," replied O'Brien, "and I hope to go
back the same; but never having put my foot into this bay before, you
have the advantage of me."

"Nebber here before, so help me Gad! me tink I know you--me tink I
recollect your handsome face--I Lady Rodney, sar. Ah, piccaninny buccra!
how you do?" said she, turning round to me. "Me hope to hab the honour
to wash for you, sar,