surroundings. Except for the presence of the prisoners the deck
presented no unusual scene. The _Romping Betsy_ was a large,
full-rigged brig, not overly clean, and had evidently been in
commission for some time. Not heavily loaded she rode high, and was a
broad-nosed vessel, with comfortable beam. I knew her at once as a
slow sailor, and bound to develop a decidedly disagreeable roll in any
considerable sea. She was heavily sparred, and to my eye her canvas
appeared unduly weather-beaten and rotten. Indeed there was
unnecessary clutter aloft, and an amount of litter about the deck
which evidenced lack of seamanship; nor did the general appearance of
such stray members of the crew as met my notice add appreciably to my
confidence in the voyage.

I stared aft at the poop deck, seeking to gain glimpse of the skipper,
but was unable to determine his presence among the others. There were
a number of persons gathered along the low rail, attracted by the
unusual spectacle, and curiously watching us being herded aboard, and
dispatched below, but, to judge from their appearance, these were
probably all passengers--some of them adventurers seeking the new land
on their first voyage, although among them I saw others, easily
recognized as Virginians on their way home. Among these I picked out a
planter or two, prosperous and noisy, men who had just disposed of
their tobacco crop, well satisfied with the returns; some artisans
sailing on contract, and a naval officer in uniform. Then my eyes
encountered a strange group foregathered beside the lee rail.

There were four in the little party, but one of these was a negress,
red-turbaned, and black as the ace of spades, a servant evidently,
standing in silence behind the others. Another was clearly enough a
Colonial proprietor, a heavily built man of middle age, purple faced,