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Updated: May 13, 2025
The next morning Mr Clare and Captain Mugford went over to , where they found Commander Treenail, to whom they gave all the information they possessed about the smugglers' cave. He heard this account with surprise, for he did not suppose it possible that any spot of ground had remained in that neighbourhood unvisited by his people.
Treenail, and myself, and sixteen men, with cutlasses, were sent on board. We jumped on deck, and at the gangway Mr. Treenail stumbled and fell over the dead body of a man, no doubt the one who had hailed last, with his skull cloven to the eyes, and a broken cutlass-blade sticking in the gash.
The Captain consulted the chart "Sand and shells; why, you should have deeper water, Mr Treenail. Any of the fishing boats near you?" "Not at present, sir; but we cannot be far off some of them." "Well, let me know when you come near any of them." A little after this, as became my situation, I rose and made my bow, and went on deck.
I made no scruples, but forthwith arrayed myself in the slops contained in the bundle; in a pair of shag trowsers, red flannel shirt, coarse blue cloth jacket, and no waistcoat. "Now," said Mr Treenail, "stick a quid of tobacco in your cheek, and take the cockade out of your hat; or stop, leave it, and ship this striped woollen night cap so and come along with me."
"I say, friend Bungo, how shall we manage? You don't mean to swamp us in a shove through that surf, do you?" said Mr. Treenail. "No fear, massa, if you and toder leetle man-of-war buccra only keep dem seat when we rise on de crest of de swell dere." We sat quiet enough. Treenail was coolness itself, and I aped him as well as I could.
"Not a bad plan," said old Deadeye; "put it in execution, and I will go below and get the despatches immediately." The canoe was once more hoisted out; the three black fellows, the pilot of the ship continuing on board, jumped into her alongside. "Had you not better take a couple of hands with you, Mr. Treenail?" said the skipper.
We had fallen in with a pilot canoe off Morant Bay with four negroes on board, who requested us to hoist in their boat, and take them all on board, as the pilot schooner, to which they belonged, had that morning bore up for Kingston, and left instructions to them to follow her in the first vessel appearing afterwards. We did so, and now, as it was getting dark, the captain came up to Mr Treenail.
It was done; and now broad awake, I determined not to be caught napping again, so I descended, and swung myself in on deck out of the main rigging, just as Mr. Treenail was mustering the crew at eight bells. When I landed on the quarterdeck, there he stood abaft the binnacle, with the light shining on his face, his glazed hat glancing, and the rain-drop sparkling at the brim of it.
"Do you see and hear that, sir?" said Lieutenant Treenail to the Captain. We all looked eagerly forth in the direction indicated.
"Why, Mr Treenail, I think we had better heave to for the night, and in this case I shall want you to go in the cutter to Port Royal to deliver the despatches on board the flag ship."
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