A "Thousand-Mile JValk 



was resolved to face it, confident in the strength 

 of his all-oak little schooner. 



Vessels leaving the harbor are stopped at the 

 Morro Castle to have their clearance papers 

 examined; in particular, to see that no runa- 

 way slaves were being carried away. The offi- 

 cials came alongside our little ship, but did not 

 come aboard. They were satisfied by a glance 

 at the consul's clearance paper, and with the 

 declaration of the captain, when asked whether 



he had any negroes, that he had "not a d d 



one." "All right, then," shouted the officials, 

 "farewell! A pleasant voyage to you!" As my 

 name was not on the ship's papers, I stayed 

 below, out of sight, until I felt the heaving of 

 the waves and knew that we were fairly out on 

 the open sea. The Castle towers, the hills, the 

 palms, and the wave-white strand, all faded in 

 the distance, and our mimic sea-bird was at 

 home in the open stormy gulf, curtsying to 

 every wave and facing bravely to the wind. 



Two thousand years ago our Saviour told 

 Nicodemus that he did not know where the 

 [ 172 1 



