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We now had a fine rattling breeze, which we expected would carry us across the bay and out through the Barcos Channel within the next hour, but, to Courtenay's and my own inexpressible chagrin, Carera now informed us that, in order to escape the possibility of a second rencontre with the frigate we had fallen in with on our passage up, he had determined to go to the westward, returning round Cape San Antonio instead of by way of Cape Maysi.
The Barcos Channel being only some five hours' sail distant from the Cristo Cays, near which we had emerged once more into open water, and as it would be quite impossible for us to traverse the intricate channel through Santa Clara Bay during the hours of darkness, Courtenay stretched off the land under easy canvas, and employed the remainder of the afternoon in getting up the two topmasts which the carpenter had reduced, in place of the spars expended on the previous day.
The Barcos Channel itself was some two miles in length, as nearly as I could guess at it, curving slightly to the eastward from its entrance, and by no means difficult to navigate when once one had fairly hit off its mouth, but so narrow that a passage through it in either direction could only be accomplished with a leading wind.
A man can but die once; and if we fail in this we shall at least have the consolation of feeling that we fell whilst doing our duty for there can be no mistake about its being our duty to bring about the destruction of that gang of pirates who, I now feel convinced, are lurking among those lagoons inside the Barcos Channel." "Yes," said I, "I think there can be no doubt about that.
Now, how long did you understand Carera to say it would take us to complete the run to the Barcos Channel?" "Something like forty-eight hours," I replied. "Exactly," acquiesced Courtenay. "That was what I understood.
Next morning at daybreak we were aroused by Carera, who requested us to put in an appearance on deck as soon as possible, as we were off the mouth of the Barcos Channel and he wished to run in with the first of the sea-breeze.
We are two youthful but intelligent Spanish naval officers commissioned by the captain-general at La Guayra to accompany Carera on a little trading voyage he is making to certain lagoons lying somewhere inside the Barcos Channel. Now where is the Barcos Channel? Do you know?" "Haven't the slightest idea, beyond the exceedingly hazy one I have been able to form from what Carera said," answered I.
"Ah!" remarked Courtenay, as coolly as though he fully understood the whole drift of this singular conversation, "a little over a week, if the weather remains favourable. When you say that the entrance is difficult, do you refer to the Barcos Channel more particularly or to ?"
Then, unless the wind heads us, we may hope to weather Cape Maysi about sunset the same day; after which we may expect to have the breeze well on our starboard quarter, which will enable us to complete the run in good time to pass through the Barcos Channel and reach our anchorage before nightfall on the following Friday evening."
"And, as to our not wanting to go to the Barcos Channel, why should we not want to go there?" "Why, because we want to go to Port Royal instead, I suppose. What d'ye mean, Lascelles? hang it, man, I what are you driving at?" stammered Courtenay, thoroughly taken aback.
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