Marines were under orders to return to Belize.

Captain Carton had, in the boat by him, a curious long-barrelled Spanish
gun, and he had said to Miss Maryon one day that it was the best of guns,
and had turned his head to me, and said:

"Gill Davis, load her fresh with a couple of slugs, against a chance of
showing how good she is."

So, I had discharged the gun over the sea, and had loaded her, according
to orders, and there it had lain at the Captain's feet, convenient to the
Captain's hand.

The last day but one of our journey was an uncommonly hot day. We
started very early; but, there was no cool air on the sea as the day got
on, and by noon the heat was really hard to bear, considering that there
were women and children to bear it. Now, we happened to open, just at
that time, a very pleasant little cove or bay, where there was a deep
shade from a great growth of trees. Now, the Captain, therefore, made
the signal to the other boats to follow him in and lie by a while.

The men who were off duty went ashore, and lay down, but were ordered,
for caution's sake, not to stray, and to keep within view. The others
rested on their oars, and dozed. Awnings had been made of one thing and
another, in all the boats, and the passengers found it cooler to be under
them in the shade, when there was room enough, than to be in the thick
woods. So, the passengers were all afloat, and mostly sleeping. I kept
my post behind Miss Maryon, and she was on Captain Carton's right in the
boat, and Mrs. Fisher sat on her right again. The Captain had Mrs.
Fisher's daughter on his knee. He and the two ladies were talking about