All resistance having ceased, the few of the pirates who escaped having scampered into the woods, where it would have been vain to follow them, we secured our prisoners, and at the close of a bloody day, for fatal had it been to friend and foe, the prizes were got under weigh, and before nightfall we were all at sea, sailing in a fleet, under convoy of the corvette and Gleam. CHAPTER X.--Vomito Prieto. “This disease is beyond my practice.” Macbeth, Vi.59. The second and acting third-lieutenants were on board the prizes--the purser was busy in his vocation--the doctor ditto Indeed, he and his mates had more on their hands than they could well manage. The first lieutenant was engaged on deck, and the master was in his cot, suffering from a severe contusion; so when got on board the corvette, and dived into the gunroom in search ol some crumbs of comfort, the deuce a living soul was there to welcome me, except the gunroom steward, who speedily produced some cold meat, and asked me if I would take a glass of swizzle. The food I had no great fancy to, although I had not tasted a morsel since six o’clock in the morning, and it was now eight in the evening; but the offer of the grog sounded gratefully in mine ear, and I was about tackling to a stout rummer of the same, when a smart dandified shaver, with gay mother-of-pearl buttons on his jacket, as thick set as peas, presented his tallow chops at the door. “Captain Transom desires me to say, that he will be glad of your company in the cabin, Mr Cringle.” “My compliments--I will wait on him so soon as I have had a snack. We have had no dinner in the gunroom to-day yet, you know, Mafame.” “Why, it was in the knowledge of that the Captain sent me, sir. He has not had any dinner either; but it is now on the table, and he waits for you.” I was but little in spirits, and, to say sooth, was fitter for my bed than society; but the Captain’s advances had been made with so much kindliness, that I got up, and made a strong endeavour to rouse myself; and, having made my toilet as well as my slender means admitted, I followed the Captain’s steward into the cabin. I started--why, I could not well tell--as the sentry at the door stood to his arms when I passed in; and, as if I had been actually possessed by some wandering spirit, who had taken the small liberty of using my faculties and tongue without my concurrence, I hastily asked the man if he was an American?--He stared in great astonishment for a short space, turned his quid--and then rapped out, as angrily as respect for a commissioned officer would let him,--“No, by ----, sir!”