It was now nearly slack water, on a high flood, and the schooner lay just above the bend of the creek. Presently a large, portly-looking man, dressed like as Yorkshire farmer, came, to the bank, and in a stentorious voice ordered the captain to haul into the creek at once! The manner in which the order was given rather taxed the captain's feelings, yet he immediately set his men to work heaving up the anchor and carrying out “a line” to warp her in. But that slow motion with which negroes execute all orders, caused some delay, and no sooner had he, begun to heave on the line than the tide set strong ebb and carried him upon the lower point, where a strong eddy, made by the receding water from the creek, and the strong undertow in the river, baffled all his exertions. There she stuck, and all the warps and tow-lines of a seventy-four, hove by the combined strength of the plantation, would not have started her. When the tide left, she careened over toward the river, for there was no means at hand to shore her up. One of the drivers went up and reported “Massa captain got 'im ship ashore,” and down came Colonel Whaley, with all the pomp of seven lord mayors in his countenance. “What sort of a feller are you to command a ship? I'd whip the worst nigger on the plantation, if he couldn't do better than that. Rig a raft out and let me come o' board that vessel!” said he, accompanying his demands with a volley of vile imprecations that would have disgraced St. Giles'. “Do you know who you're talking to? You mus'n't take me for a nigger, sir! I know my duty, if you don't good manners,” rejoined the captain. “Do you know who owns that ship? you impudent feller, you! Take the sails off her, immediately-at once! or I'll shoot you, by heavens!” he bawled out again. “Why didn't you say mud-scow? Call such a thing as this a ship? I don't care who owns her, I only know it's a disgrace to sail her; but I've got the papers, and you may help yourself. When you pay me for my time, and give me something for myself and these men to eat, you may take your old jebac--car-boat,--but you don't put a foot aboard her till you do!” This made the colonel rage worse. “I'll teach you a lesson how you disobey my orders. Go get my rifle, Zeke,” said the colonel, turning to an old negro who stood close by. And then calling to the men on board, he ordered them to take charge of the vessel and take the sails off her at once. “Don't you move a hand to unbend a sail, Cesar! I don't know that man ashore there. This vessel is mine until further orders from the persons who shipped me,” rejoined the captain with an imperative demand to his men. “Why, la! massa, he own em dis ere vessel, an' he shoot em sartin if we done do him; ye done know dat massa, as I does,” said Cesar.