“It may be that aboard this ship also we have a Jonah among us,” and it seemed to me that he cast a look my way. Now I am ashamed to tell that at first I could not recall what Jonah should have to do with our present plight, but anon the old man himself come up to me, saying-- “Have you considered these gales that meet us so often of late, Master Carlyon?” “I have,” said I, “since indeed they keep me back when I desire to reach Bengall, but what of that?” “I don’t know,” says he, “what your past life may have been, but I counsel you to try yourself and see whether you have left any sins unrepented or unamended, for whose sake God is even now punishing this ship and all that are in her.” “And if so,” said I, “am I to throw myself overboard?” “Nay,” says he, “that must be settled by the decision of all of us, together with your own conscience.” “But prythee tell me,” says I, “why you should single me out to be the cause of your misfortunes?” “What but misfortune has befell us ever since our taking you on board?” asked he. “I dare not say that it wan’t the Lord’s will you should be released from the hands of the Inquisition, but if He did so intend it He is trying the faith of His servants very sorely.” “I think you will scarce suffer for a deed of mercy,” said I. “I have done many sinful acts, as I must sorrowfully confess, but I can’t charge myself with any such unrepented crime as you speak of, nor do I perceive why you should all fasten upon me to be your Jonah, and no other person in the ship.” But in spite of this discourse I had with him, the old man held very firm to his opinion, and the gales continuing, the other seamen began to believe him, so that I saw them casting black looks at me several times. The captain also, as I perceived, was sad and anxious of countenance, and I saw that he had his pistols ready charged in his cabin. ’Twas not until long time afterwards that I learned that the crew had demanded of him to set me on shore in some convenient place, for to live or die as I might, that their ill-fortune might thus be reversed, and that he refusing, they were wellnigh ready to fall upon him. But at last there come a favouring breeze, and for two days we sailed northward with good speed. But on the evening of the second day was there a mighty strange sunset, all of a fiery and copperish red, and as we looked upon it, there sailed between us and it, from the side where the land lay, a whole fleet of great ships, whereat we marvelled greatly. “That,” says Captain Freeman, “must needs be the Dutch fleet that is besieging the Frenchmen in St Thomas,[82] for there an’t no other that I have heard on in these waters. But why are they putting out to sea? Sure they, coming from the shore, must see signs of an _hurracan_ that we can’t perceive.” “But are there Frenchmen in these seas?” says I.