among the crew; and, besides, he has quarrelled with the people here so damnably, that they will scarce let water or provisions go on board of us, and we expect an open breach every day."

As Bunce received no answer, he turned short round on his companion, and, perceiving his attention otherwise engaged, exclaimed," What the devil is the matter with you? or what can you see in all that trumpery small-craft, which is only loaded with stock-fish and ling, and smoked geese, and tubs of butter that is worse than tallow?-the cargoes of the whole lumped together would not be worth the flash of a pistol.-No, no, give me such a chase as we might see from the mast-head off the island of Trinidado. Your Don, rolling as deep in the water as a grampus, deep-loaden with rum, sugar, and bales of tobacco, and all the rest ingots, moidores, and gold dust; then set all sail, clear the deck, stand to quarters, up with the Jolly Roger*-we near her-we make her out to be well manned and armed

"Twenty guns on her lower deck," said Cleveland. "Forty, if you will," retorted Bunce," and we have but ten mounted-never mind. The Don blazes away -never mind yet, my brave lads-run her alongside, and on board with you to work, with your grenadoes, your cutlasses, pole-axes, and pistols-The Don cries Misericordia, and we share the cargo without co licencio, Stignior!"

"By my faith," said Cleveland, "thou takest so kindly to the trade, that all the world may see that no honest man was spoiled when you were made a pirate. But you shall not prevail on me to go farther in the devil's road with you; for you know yourself that what is got over his back is spent you wot how. In a week, or a month at most, the rum and the sugar are out, the bales of tobacco have become smoke, the moidores, ingots, and gold dust, have

*The piratesgave this name to the black flag, which, with many horrible de vices to enhance its terrors, was their favourite ensign.

got out of our hands, into those of the quiet, honest, conscientious folks, who dwell at Port Royal and elsewhere -wink hard on our trade as long as we have money, but not a jot beyond. Then we have cold looks, and it may be a hint is given to the Judge Marshal; for when our pockets are worth nothing, our honest friends, rather than want, will make money upon our heads. Then comes a high gallows and a short halter, and so dies the Gentleman Rover. I tell thee I will leave this trade; and, when I turn my glass from one of these barks and boats to another, there is not the worst of them which I would not row for life, rather than continue to be what I have been. These poor men make the sea a means of honest livelihood and friendly communication between shore and shore, for the mutual benefit of the inhabitants; but we have made it a road to the ruin of others, and to our own destruction here and in eternity.-I am determined to turn honest man, and use this life no longer!"

"And where will your honesty take up its abode, if it please you?" said Bunce." You have broken the laws of every nation, and the hand of the law will detect and crush you wherever you may take refuge.-Cleveland, I speak to you more seriously than I am wont to do. I have had my reflections too, and they have been bad enough, though they lasted but a few minutes, to spoil me weeks of joviality. But here is the matter,-what can we do but go on as we have done, unless we have a direct purpose of adorning the yard-arm ?”

"We may claim the benefit of the proclamation to those of our sort who come in and surrender," said Cleveland.

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Umph!" answered his companion, dryly; "the date of that day of grace has been for some time over, and they may take the penalty or grant the pardon at their pleasure. Were I you, I would not put my neck in such a venture."

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Why, others have been admitted but lately to favour, and why should not I?" said Cleveland.

"Ay," replied his associate, "Harry Glasby and some others have been spared; but Glasby did what was called good service, in betraying his comrades, and retaking the Jolly Fortune; and that I think you would scorn, even to be revenged of the brute Goffe yonder.”

"I would die a thousand times sooner," said Cleveland.

"I will be sworn for it," said Bunce; " and the others were forecastle fellows-petty-larceny rogues, scarce worth the hemp it would have cost to hang them. But your name has stood too high amongst the gentlemen of fortune for you to get off so easily. You are the prime buck of the herd, and will be marked accordingly." "And why so, I pray you?" said Cleveland; know well enough my aim, Jack."

"Frederick, if you please," said Bunce.

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you

"The devil take your folly !-Prithee keep thy wit, and let us be grave for a moment."

"For a moment-be it so," said Bunce ; "but 1 feel the spirit of Altamont coming fast upon me.-I have been a grave man for ten minutes already."

"Be so then for a little longer," said Cleveland : "I know, Jack, that you really love me; and, since we have come thus far in this talk, I will trust you entirely. Now tell me why should I be refused the benefit of this gracious proclamation? I have borne a rough outside, as thou knowest; but, in time of need, I can show the numbers of lives which I have been the means of saving, the property which I have restored to those who owned it, when, without my intercession, it would have been wantonly destroyed In short, Bunce, I can show""

"That you were as gentle a thief as Robin Hood himself," said Bunce; "and, for that reason, I, Fletcher, and the better sort among us, love you, as one who saves the character of us Gentlemen Rovers from utter reprobation. Well, suppose your pardon made out, what are you to do next?-what class in society will receive you ? -with whom will you associate?—Old Drake, in Queen Bess's time, could plunder Peru and Mexico without a

line of commission to show for it, and, blessed be her memory! he was knighted for it on his return. And there was Hal Morgan, the Welchman, nearer our time, in the days of merry King Charles, brought all his gettings home, had his estate and his country-house, and who but he? But that is all ended now-once a pirate, and an outcast for ever. The poor devil may go and live, shunned and despised by every one, in some obscure sea-port, with such part of his guilty earnings as courtiers and clerks leave him for pardons do not pass the seals for nothing; -and when he takes his walk along the pier, if a stranger asks, who is the down-looking, swarthy, melancholy man, for whom all make way, as if he brought the plague in his person, the answer shall be, that is such a one, the pardoned pirate !—No honest man will speak to him,—no woman of repute will give him her hand."

"Your picture is too highly coloured, Jack," said Cleveland, suddenly interrupting his friend; "there are women- -there is one at least, that would be true to her lover, even if he were what you have described."

Bunce was silent for a space, and looked fixedly at his friend. 66 By my soul!" he said, at length, “I begin to think myself a conjuror. Unlikely as it all was, I could not help suspecting from the beginning that there was a girl in the case. Why, this is worse than Prince Volscius in love, ha ha! ha!"

"Laugh as you will," said Cleveland, "it is true ;— there is a maiden who is contented to love me, pirate as I am; and I will fairly own to you, Jack, that though I have often at times detested our roving life, and myself for following it, yet I doubt if I could have found resolution to make the break which I have now resolved on, but for her sake."

"Why, then, God-a-mercy!" replied Bunce," there is no speaking sense to a madman; and love in one of our trade, Captain, is little better than lunacy. The girl must be a rare creature, for a wise man to risk hanging for her. But, hark ye, may she not be a little touched, as well as yourself?and is it not sympathy that has done

it?. She cannot be one of our ordinary cockatrices, but a girl of conduct and character."

"Both are as undoubted as that she is the most beauti ful and bewitching creature whom the eye ever opened upon," answered Cleveland.

"And she loves thee, knowing thee, most noble Cap tain, to be a commander among those gentlemen of fortune whom the vulgar call pirates?"

"Even so I am assured of it," said Cleveland.

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Why, then," answered Bunce," she is either mad in good earnest, as I said before, or she does not know what a pirate is."

"You are right in the last point," replied Cleveland "She has been bred in such remote simplicity, and utter ignorance of what is evil, that she compares our occupation with that of the old Norsemen, who swept sea and haven with their victorious galleys, established colonies, conquered countries, and took the name of Sea-Kings." "And a better one it is than that of pirate, and comes much to the same purpose, I dare say," said Bunce. "But this must be a mettled wench !-why did you not bring her aboard? methinks it was pity to balk her fancy."

“And do you think," said Cleveland," that I could so utterly play the part of a fallen spirit as to avail myself of her enthusiastic error, and bring an angel of beauty and innocence acquainted with such a hell as exists on board of yonder infernal ship of ours?—I tell you, my friend, that, were all my former sins doubled in weight and in dye, such a villany would have outglared and outweighed them all."

"Why, then, Captain Cleveland," said his confidant, "methinks it was but a fool's part to come hither at all. The news must one day have gone abroad, that the celebrated pirate Captain Cleveland, with his good sloop the Revenge, had been lost on the Mainland of Zetland, and all hands perished; so you would have remained hid both from friend and enemy, and might have married your pretty Zetlander, and converted your sash and scarf into 12* VOL. II.