THE TUDOR AND SUPPLEJACK AT TRINIDAD--JACK'S ACCOUNT OF HIS TRIP UP THE ORINOCO--THE VICE-CONSUL AND HIS BELONGINGS--A KNOWING PILOT--TOM BIT BY A TURTLE--TORTOISES--THE BRIG AMONG THE TREES--SPIDER'S ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE--THE MIDSHIPMEN GO IN CHASE AND LOSE THEMSELVES--BOARDED BY ANTS--NEARLY TAKE THE BRIG--SEARCH FOR THE MIDSHIPMEN IN THE FOREST--A NATIVE HABITATION--ANGOSTURA AND ITS PEOPLE--LAND THE CONSUL AND HIS BETTER HALF--RETURN. The _Tudor_ once more came to an anchor off Port of Spain, in the beautiful island of Trinidad. Terence Adair had been appointed to her as first lieutenant, and Higson as second; she was accompanied by the Supplejack, of which Rogers still retained the command, with Bevan as his senior officer, Jos Green as master, and Needham as boatswain. The old shipmates were thus, much to their satisfaction, still employed together. As soon as the sails were furled, Murray went on shore, accompanied by Jack and Terence, taking with them Tom and Gerald. Higson had insisted on doing Adair's duty. "Of course you will want to go and call on your fair cousins, and I never have been nor ever shall be a lady's man, so they would not be well pleased to see me in your stead," he said as he made the offer which Terence very readily accepted. After Murray had delivered his despatches to the governor, he rejoined the two lieutenants, who had in the meantime gone to pay a visit to Antonio Gomez. They found the Don just starting out for his country house, and he, as they expected, at once ordered horses, and insisted that they should accompany him. "Donna Caterina and her daughters will be delighted to see you, and would not pardon me if I did not bring you along with me," he said in a warm, hearty tone. "They will be anxious to hear all about their sweet friend Stella, and what you have been doing since you were here last. We some time ago received an account of Colonel O'Regan's death. Well! well! poor man, I confess it was only what I expected, he seemed determined to court such a fate; and I could never make out why a person who could honourably live at his ease at home should be so eager to knock his head against stone walls--however, the tastes of people differ." The horses having arrived, the philosophical Don led the way, with Murray by his side. The party received a hearty welcome, as before, from Donna Caterina and her fair daughters, and Terence as usual had a long conversation with the old lady about Ballymacree; he had, however, not much news to tell her; he had only occasionally heard from home, and the letters he had received were brief, stating simply that things went on as usual; Gerald, however, pleased her much by showing her the letter from his mother, in which she expressed her gratitude for the kindness he had received from his West India cousins.