108 THE AFRICAN TRADER.

Livery effort was made to get the schooner off,
but she stuck fast. One of the officers had gone
aloft with a spy-glass. On his return I observed
a look of consternation in the countenance of the
captain and his mates. After talking eagerly
together one of them went aloft. Ile remained
for sometime with his spy-glass turned towards
the stranger, which, in a short time, could be seen
clearly from the deck, and from the expressions
I heard them utter, I found that she was supposed
to be a British man-of-war. I endeavoured to
conceal my satisfaction, for I hoped that the un-
fortunate slaves would be rescued, and that Paul
and. I might be taken on board her.

Ii shortly, however, fell perfectly calm, and the
spirits of the slaver’s crew revived. The tide wag
rising, anchors were carried out, and desperate
efforts were made to heave the vessel off. A report
now came from aloft that several boats were
approaching from the direction of the cruiser. The
Spainards, on hearing this, began to stamp about
the deck, grinding their teeth and shaking their
fists towards where the boats were supposed to be,
working themselves into a perfect fury. Arms
were got up on deck, and the two guns the vessel