The first watch was set, the watch below turned in, and many a grumble was heard at their ill success. Adair, who was officer of the watch, was walking the deck, with Desmond by his side. The wind still blowing fresh, he had his eye aloft on the spars, ready to shorten sail should it increase. The sea, however, was tolerably smooth; a few stars only could be seen among the clouds which passed rapidly across the sky. The night was therefore rather darker than usual. The wind whistled shrilly in the rigging, and Desmond declared that he could hear strange sounds coming across the waters. A sharp lookout was, of course, kept ahead, and hopes were still entertained that the chase might possibly be again sighted. Snatchblock, who was on the forecastle, hailed in a loud, sharp voice, "Sail ahead! the chase! the chase! That's her! No doubt about it." Adair and Desmond hurried forward, but by the time they reached the forecastle no sail was to be seen. Snatchblock, however, was positive that he had not been mistaken. He rubbed his eyes in vain, and peered into the gloom. She was certainly not visible. Adair, who had returned aft, was pacing the deck, when suddenly a tremendous shock was felt. He and others on deck were nearly thrown off their legs, and a cry arose of "We are on shore! we are on shore!" The watch below came tumbling up on deck, fully believing that the ship had struck. One of the hands seizing a leadline, sprang into the chains and hove it. "What induced you to do that?" asked Adair. "I thought we had struck on a rock, sir," was the answer. "You found no bottom?" "No, sir." "We must have run over the chase! Heaven be merciful to the poor creatures!" exclaimed Murray, who unperceived had just come on deck. "She must have attempted to haul her wind, to alter her course, and, being too much lightened, capsized." Desmond and several others who had run aft declared they saw several objects, like the heads of human beings, floating for an instant on the surface, but when they looked again they had disappeared. Not a cry, not a sound of any sort had been heard. At that instant probably some four or five hundred human beings chained in the hold of the slave-ship, with their white captors, had been carried into eternity. Next morning the _Tudor_ spoke the _Supplejack_, which, however, had seen nothing of the chase. No manner of doubt remained that she had been capsized, and that the _Tudor_ had run over her during the night. CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. AN AMERICAN SKIPPER GIVES IMPORTANT INFORMATION--JACK LEADS A BOAT ATTACK ON A SLAVER IN THE RIO FRIO--CAPTURE--SLAVER BLOWN UP--THE SUPPLEJACK EXPOSED TO A HOT FIRE--THE CORVETTE AND BRIG IN THE HARBOUR OF PARANAGUA--SLAVERS ATTACKED--SEVERAL PRIZES MADE--FIRED AT FROM THE SHORE--ENGAGEMENT WITH A FORT--PRIZES DESTROYED--CARRY ONE OFF--A MAN OVERBOARD--PICKED UP--HIS HAIR TURNS WHITE.