"That's right, shoot 'em, father; dead men tell no tales, as you have always said." "No, no," said the seaman who was on guard, motioning them back with his cutlass, "there will be no shooting nor hanging either; we are all sworn to that. If so be they be pirates, there's the law of the country to condemn them; and if they be not pirates, why then that's another story." The captain looked at the seaman as if he could have shot him if he dared. Then turned round hastily and went back to the cabin, followed by his worthy offspring. For seven days we remained in irons, when we heard land announced by the sailors on deck, and the brig's head was put towards it. At night she was hove to, and the next morning again stood in, and we perceived that we were in smooth water. Towards night the anchor was let go, and we asked the guard if we had arrived at James Town. He replied, "No, but we were in a river on the coast, but he did not know what river it was nor did any of the crew, nor could they tell why the captain had anchored there. But they had seen several canoes with Indians cross the river, but that there appeared to be no white settlement that they could discover." The mystery was, however, cleared up on the following morning. A small boat, which could barely hold eight people, was lowered from the stern, and hauled up alongside. We were taken up, one by one, the scoundrel of a captain having first stripped each of us to our trowsers, not even allowing us a shirt. We were ordered to get into the boat. As soon as we were all in, and our weight brought the boat down to her gunnel, two oars were handed to us, and then the captain of the brig said, "Now, you rascally pirates, I might have hanged you all, and I would have done so, for I know you well. I recollect your faces when you plundered the 'Eliza,' when I was off Porto Rico; but if I put you in prison at James Town, I shall have to wait two or three months until the court sits, and I cannot be detained for such scoundrels as you; so now you may pull on shore, and get on how you can. Shove off, directly, or I'll put a bullet through your brains." "Hold fast," cried I, "and let him fire if he dares. You men belonging to the _Transcendant_, I call you to witness this treatment. Your captain has robbed us of a large sum of money, and now turns us adrift, so as to compel us to land among savages, who may kill us immediately. I appeal to you, will you permit this cruelty and injustice? If you are English, I conceive you will not." There was some talk and expostulation with the captain of the brig, in consequence of what I said; but while it was going on, the captain's son leaned over the side, and, with his knife, cut the painter, or rope which held the boat, and as the tide was running on very strong, in less than half a minute we were a long way astern of the brig, and drifting fast up the river.