"
He caught a glimpse of my face at this moment; it seemed that I had no
powers of fascination like the snake, for he roared out, "Murder, murder,
de debil, de debil, first like a sarpent, den like himself; see him white
face behind de tree; see him white face behind de tree;" and then, in the
extremity of his fear, he popt, head foremost, into the grave, leaving his
quivering legs and feet sticking upwards, as if he had been planted by the
head, like a forked parsnip reversed.
At this uproar, a number of negroes ran out of the nearest houses, and, to
my surprise, four white seamen appeared suddenly amongst them, who, the
moment they got sight of my uniform, as I ran away, gave chase, and having
overtaken me, as I stumbled in the dark path, immediately pinioned me.
They were all armed, and I had no doubt were part of the crew of the
smuggling schooner, and that they had a depot amongst the negro houses.
"Yo ho, my hearty, heave--to, or here goes with a brace of bullets."
I told them who I was, and that curiosity alone brought me there.
"Gammon, tell that to the marines; you're a spy, messmate, and on board
you go with us, so sure as I be Paul Brandywine."
Here was a change with a vengeance. An hour before I was surrounded by
friends, and resting comfortably, in my ward bed, and now I was a prisoner
to a set of brigands, who were smugglers at the best, and what might they
not be at the worst? I had no chance of escape by any sudden effort of
strength or activity, for a piece of a handspike had been thrust across my
back, passing under both of my arms, which were tightly lashed to it, as
if I had been trussed for roasting, so that I could no more run, with a
chance of escape, than a goose without her pinions.
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