after we arrived off the east end of Jamaica; and that same evening, in
obedience to the orders of the admiral on the windward Island station,
we hove to in Bull Bay, in order to land despatches, and secure our
tithe of the crews of the merchant-vessels bound for Kingston, and the
ports to leeward, as they passed us. We had fallen in with a pilot
canoe of Morant Bay with four negroes on board, who requested us to
hoist in their boat, and take them all on board, as the pilot schooner
to which they belonged had that morning bore up for Kingston, and left
instructions to them to follow her in the first vessel appearing
afterwards. We did so, and now, as it was getting dark, the captain
came up to Mr. Treenail.

"Why, Mr. Treenail, I think we had better heave to for the night, and
in this case I shall want you to go in the cutter to Port Royal to
deliver the despatches on board the flag-ship.

"I don't think the admiral will be at Port Royal, sir," responded the
lieutenant; "and, if I might suggest, those black chaps have offered to
take me ashore here on the _Palisadoes_, a narrow spit of land, not
above one hundred yards across, that divides the harbour from the
ocean, and to haul the canoe across, and take me to the agent's house
in Kingston, who will doubtless frank me up to the pen where the
admiral resides, and I shall thus deliver the letters, and be back
again by day-dawn."

"Not a bad plan," said old Deadeye; "put it in execution, and I will go
below and get the despatches immediately."

The canoe was once more hoisted out; the three black fellows, the pilot
of the ship continuing on board, jumped into her alongside.