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," courtesying to O'Brien.
"A bit, lilly massa?--what you call um _bit_? Dem four _sharp shins_ to a pictareen."