"Somewhat, padre."

66

Prythee, tell me again what number of ships thou expectest to join thee?" said the jesuit.

"I said not any number," answered Sir Walter, who now began to suspect that his companion had some object in his questions.

"Oh, 'tis of no sort of consequence!" exclaimed the priest as unconcernedly as he might, and on the instant turned the conversation into another channel. Each tried to obtain of the other such information as he required—the one concerning of the force possessed by Don Antonio-the other of the number of men and ships under Sir Walter's command; and each strove to mislead his companion as much as was possible of him.

I have changed my mind as to going to your new city," observed Raleigh.

"The Señor Gobernador will be right glad to se thee," replied the padre. "And he will take it unkind of thee shouldst thou leave the island without paying him a visit. I should earnestly advise thee, as a friend, to neglect such a thing on no account."

"I will think of it," said Sir Walter.

are proceeding thither I believe?”

"But you

"I shall go by land immediately I get me on shore," answered the jesuit.

"Is the distance very great by land?” enquired the other.

"Some few leagues, my son; but the roads are not of the best, and the way by sea being the shortest, I usually prefer it."

"When you see the worshipful Don Antonio de Berrio, present my duty to him, and say I be most earnest in wishing him all the prosperity in his government his great merit deserveth: and that if he come not to see me straight, I will do my best to pay him a visit.”

"I will not fail, my son."

Soon after this the Padre Bartolomé and the man Tobias went ashore, but not before the latter had expressed in Spanish to Harry Daring, with a look that could not be misunderstood, that he would be glad to cut his throat on the very first opportunity; to the which Harry replied by an action more expressive than elegant, that the Spaniard could not help interpreting much better thạ if any language had been used, in what contempt he was held.

Towards the evening of the same day the good ship, the Lion's Whelp, being at anchor about the same place in which she lay in the morning, and a strong watch being set for fear of a surprise, Harry Daring being on duty, observed several boats leaving the land. These made towards the ship, and it was presently noticed that they were filled with natives. Upon this Sir Walter and his officers, being told of it, hastened on the deck having every

thing in readiness in case of any hostile intention on the part of those in the boats; but upon closer inspection, seeing that they were without arms it was evident that their object was peaceable. As they neared the vessels they were hailed, and one, in good Spanish, cried out to be taken aboard. To some who seemed the caciques or chiefs this was allowed, and presently there came aboard the Lion's Whelp five or six Indians, most of them very proper looking men, though of a dusky hue, clad in little else save a linen cloth girt about the middle, a head dress of tall feathers very stately to look on, and a sort of cloak made of a curious stuff very bright, and ornamented with feathers and shells. They came upon the quarter-deck where Sir Walter Raleigh was with his officers, and an interpreter which Captain Whiddon had brought from these parts on his voyage last year. The latter was named Ferdinando, and was an Aruacan Indian from some place betwixt the Orinoco and the Amazons, and had been taken with his brother in canoes laden with cassava bread to sell at a neighbouring island called Margarita. One of these Indians was a tall old man who carried himself very stately, and whether because of his being the chiefest among them, or the more experienced, is not know, but he acted as spokesman for the rest. He called the acarawana or lord. Upon being asked their intention of coming on

board, he said that it was for the purpose of trading for such things as they could have, and that the reason of their not attempting it by daylight was, because of the governor having given orders through the whole island that none of the natives should go aboard of the English ships, upon pain of hanging and quartering. Upon this, Sir Walter Raleigh, who had had his doubts of the jesuit, did question them through the interpreter, of the manner in which behaved the Spaniards to them; and the acarawana did reply right movingly, that Don Antonio had divided the island, and given each soldier a part, making of all the ancient caciques, who were the rightful proprietors, to be their slaves, some of whom he kept in chains, torturing of them by dropping upon their naked bodies burning bacon and the like: others of these Indians then spoke divers tales of cruelty and oppression which had been suffered by their countrymen of these Spaniards, till all who heard were in a monstrous passion at such barbarous doings.

Sir Walter then enquired of them where the governor was, and was told as the padre had stated, with the which he was informed that Don Antonio, upon hearing of the arrival of the ships, had sent for soldiers to Margarita, and likewise to a small place on the main land called Cumana, that it was known the padre had come straight from the very place he was pretending to go to; and that the

way the pilot was directing the ship, was right upon the most dangerous part of the coast, it doubtless being his intention to get the vessels so entangled among the rocks that they must needs strike; upon which, all on board could not but fall an easy prey to the soldiers which should be brought against them. The hearing of this convinced Sir Walter Raleigh that his suspicions had been correct, that some treachery was intended him; and he did congratulate himself on the manner he had acted, so as to be able to rescue his ships from the snare without exciting the alarm of the jesuit. This he knew to be necessary, should he have any design for punishing the governor for his malice, which had been his intention all along, and he forthwith began considering the properest way to set about it. In the meantime other of the Indians were allowed to come on board, and presently the whole ship was in the completest bustle ever seen- - all were so busy a trading.

On the next evening the acarawana came again with many of his countrymen, and they were exceeding wrath because of the Spaniards having executed of those who had ventured on board the previous ight. Upon this Sir Walter sounded them as to whether, in case he commenced hostilities against their tyrants, he could depend on them for any assistance, which, when they heard,