"Why didn't you heave-to, sir, at once?" "Because, sir," said the master of the vessel, whom Lanyard had addressed, "I had serious suspicions as to who or what you were. I now see I was mistaken; and a sure proof that I was so, you appear not to have taken offence at my incredulity, in the first instance." "Well--well," said the lieutenant, "what ship is this?" "The Hermes, bound for the Cape of Good Hope, with an assorted cargo. Will you please step below, and look at my papers, sir?" We descended, and on finding myself in the cabin, I was somewhat startled to perceive that the two men who had done us the honour to receive us with naked weapons at the side, had followed us below. The eldest and tallest of the two was about thirty, as near as I could judge; a dark, sunburned, very powerful man, with a determined, but not unpleasing expression. The other was nearly as tall, but slighter, and of a very pale complexion. Both were dressed in white trowsers and check shirts, without any other garment whatever. Who they were I could not divine. They were not seamen, I at once made out. "Oh, passengers, I suppose." I was much struck with the very handsome figure of the master of the vessel, who sat down directly opposite me. There was a lamp burning brightly overhead, that hung down between us over the table, which cast a strong light on his face and figure. He might have been fifty years of age; very bald, but what little hair he had, curled short and crisp over his ears, as black as jet, as were his eyebrows and whiskers, without the blemish of one single grey hair. He was dressed in white trowsers, a check shirt, and blue jacket. His features were remarkably fine; teeth good; eyes dark and sparkling; and a forehead high and broad. The cabin appeared to be exceedingly comfortably, without being gaudily furnished; and there were several shawls, and sundry miscellaneous gloves and bonnets lying about the lockers, indicating that there must be lady passengers on board. We found all the papers right, so far as the cargo went, and then glanced at the list of the passengers. There was the Reverend William This, and the Reverend James That, and the Reverend Thomas Such-a-Thing; and Mrs So-and-so, and Mrs Thingamy. "I see you are busy with the list of my passengers;--but won't you take a little wine and water, sir?" I bowed, and the steward immediately placed wine and glasses, and some biscuit, on the table. "They are missionaries, sir, for the back settlements at the Cape. Moravians, I believe, you call the sect they belong to; but I care little for the denomination which their peculiar tenets have acquired for them, so long as I can say this, that a more amiable set of people I never have come across, sir; and, man and boy, I have been to sea in passenger-carrying merchant craft for six-and-thirty years."