EPISODES 



343 



wounds are mortal, and I must and will die without what 

 you call confession.' 



" The moon rose in the east. The majesty of her placid 

 beauty impressed me with reverence. I pointed towards 

 her, and asked the pirate if he could not recognize God's 

 features there. ' Friend, I see what you arc driving at, ' 

 was his answer; 'you, like the rest of our enemies, feel 

 the desire of murdering us all. Well — be it so. To die 

 is, after all, nothing more than a jest; and were it not 

 for the pain, no one, in my opinion, need care a jot about 

 it. But, as you really have befriended me, I will tell you 

 all that is proper. ' 



"Hoping his mind might take a useful turn, I again 

 bathed his temples, and washed his lips with spirits. 

 His sunk eyes seemed to dart fire at mine; a heavy and 

 deep sigh swelled his chest, and struggled through his 

 blood-choked throat, and he asked me to raise him for a 

 little. I did so, when he addressed me somewhat as fol- 

 lows; for, as I have told you, his speech was a mixture of 

 Spanish, French, and English, forming a jargon the like 

 of which I had never heard before, and which I am utterly 

 unable to imitate. However, I shall give you the sub- 

 stance of his declaration. 



" ' First, tell me how many bodies you found in the boat, 

 and what sort of dresses they had on. ' I mentioned their 

 number and described their apparel. 'That's right,' 

 said he ; ' they are the bodies of the scoundrels who fol- 

 lowed me in that infernal Yankee barge. Bold rascals 

 they were, for when they found the water too shallow for 

 their craft, they took to it, and waded after me. All my 

 companions had been shot, and to lighten my own boat I 

 flung them overboard ; but as I lost time in this, the two 

 ruffians caught hold of my gunwale, and struck on my 

 head and body in such a manner that after I had disabled 

 and killed them both in the boat, I was scarce able to 

 move. The other villains carried off our schooner and 



