I was dragged aft to give an account of myself, and I stated in few words that I had been pursued by the Indians, and swam off to save my life. "Hav'n't we met before?" said a rough voice. I looked, and saw the Jolly Rover, whom I had fallen in with on shore. I said, "Yes; I was escaping from the Indians when I met you, and you showed me the direction of the plantations." "All's right," said he. "It's a true bill; and were those Indians after you that we saw on the beach just now?" "Yes," I replied; and then I stated how it was that they had attacked our cabin, and how we had escaped. "That was well done, and so you swam off three miles. Fire and water won't hurt you; that's clear. You're just the man for us. What thing-um-bob is this that you have hung round your neck?" said he, taking up the leathern bag with the diamond in it. "That," replied I--a sudden thought having struck me--"is my caul; I was born with a caul, and I have always worn it, as it saves a man from drowning." "No wonder that you swam three miles, then," replied the man. You must know, Madam, that some people are born with a membrane over the face, which is termed a caul, and there has been a vulgar error that such people can never be drowned, especially if they wear this caul about their person in after-life. Sailors are superstitious in many things, but particularly in this, and my caul was therefore as much respected by them as it hung round my neck, as it was by the Indians when they thought it was what they call "magic" or "medicine." "Well," said the Jolly Rover, "as you had so much fire, so much water, and so much running, I think you won't be sorry to have a biscuit and glass of grog, and then turn in; to-morrow we will talk to you." I went down below, very glad to accept the offer, and as I was regaling myself, who should come up to me but two of the Portuguese who had been wrecked in the xebeque, and put on shore with me in the little boat by the captain of the Transcendant. I was very glad to see them. They told me that, after great hardship and suffering, they had arrived famished at the banks of this river, and had been taken on board by the pirates, and had remained with them ever since; that they were very anxious to get away, but never had an opportunity. I begged them not to say who I was, but merely that I was once a shipmate of theirs. They promised, and being very tired, I then lay down and fell asleep. I was so worn out, that I did not wake till the next morning, when I found that we were under all sail running down to the southward. I saw the Jolly Rover, as I had termed him, on deck (his real or assumed name, I don't know which, I found out to be Toplift), sitting on a gun abaft. He called me to him. I said, "Are you the captain?" "Yes," he replied, "for want of a better. I told you months ago what we were, so it's no use repeating it. Do you intend to join us?"