"We kept them under well enough at sea, but when we got into Rio Janeiro, what did the scamps do but set fire to the ship, and burn her up; and two days after a gang of 'em caught me one evening in the street, and gave me such a pounding that I couldn't see out of my eyes for a fortnight. I believe they'd have killed me if the police hadn't come along and rescued me. I vowed then I would sail just once more with a nigger crew, and from what I hear of this captain, I think he's just the man that'll suit me." The "Dublin" had a fair start. In three days we sighted the Capes of Virginia and in two more worked up the James River to City Point. City Point then consisted of about twenty dwelling houses beside the negroes' cabins, and had wharves at which the vessels lay while receiving their cargoes of tobacco, which came to them in lighters from the city of Richmond, about thirty miles above, the shallowness of the river preventing anything but vessels of light draft from proceeding there. The tobacco was packed in large hogsheads, weighing from one thousand to eighteen hundred pounds, and as the crew hoisted them in they kept up a song from morning till night. Negro stevedores from the shore stowed them in the hold, and the captain spent almost all his time down there, watching that they saved all the room possible, frequently making them "break out" again, to the great disgust of the negroes. I heard one of them saying to the others: "I nebber see such a man as dis cap'n afore; he tinks he knows eberyting and nobody else don't know nuffin." There was of course nothing here to interest us beyond receiving our tobacco, and when the ship was loaded to sixteen feet draft she dropped down the river ten miles, into deeper water, and there completed her cargo. On a fine clear day in the end of December, we left the shore of Virginia astern and steered for the Straits of Gibraltar. Fresh and favorable winds prevailed for several days and we made good progress on our voyage. One evening the captain in a confidential mood read us some extracts from the owner's letter of instructions, and was particularly merry over the latter part of it, which read: "You will distribute to the men the books and tracts which are supplied. You will endeavor to suppress all vice and immorality on board of your vessel and use your best efforts to promote the welfare of your crew." The inmates of the ship now felt acquainted with each other, and as a general thing their good opinions were very much modified. Capt. Streeter having no taste for reading, and being a man of energetic and active temperament, could not content himself in his cabin, and was almost constantly on deck roaming about the ship, criticizing every job of work, "in every body's mess and nobody's watch."