Leaves from a middy's log

by Arthur Lee Knight

What was this mysterious craft?

There was no time to ruminate further on this head, for we had now arrived upon the beach, which was composed of patches of firm sand and shingle, interspersed here and there with a few slab rocks, and terminated at either end by low but precipitous dark cliffs.

I peered about me intently, fully expecting to see boats drawn up on the beach, and attendant crews waiting close at hand. Nothing of the kind, however, was visible.

“The chief will send up a rocket,” I muttered to myself, “and then boats will be dispatched from the vessel in the bay.”

How earnestly I hoped that the bandage over my eyes would not be examined by any of my meddlesome jailers! I considered it of great importance that I should continue to see, even to a limited extent, what was going on.

My conjecture as to the firing of a rocket was falsified. No such fiery messenger clove through the darkness, nor did we halt for a moment. Without uttering a word, the chief led the way along the beach in the direction of the cliffs at the northern extremity of the bay. I glanced again and again at the dusky outline of the vessel, fully expecting to see the flashing of lights, or to detect the sound of voices. All, however, remained still, silent, and dark, as if every one on board was buried in slumber. Once, indeed, I thought a signal rocket had soared up into the air from her upper deck, but it turned out to be a bright and beautiful meteor which shot across the sky just above her masts.

As we neared the cliffs, I saw that there were many lofty detached rocks on the sands close to them, and others jutting out into the sea in every direction. On these latter the waves were breaking in showers of foaming spray. It was not at all rough, but the tide was evidently flowing.

Suddenly my eye fell upon a natural archway amid some of the loftiest rocks, and as I gazed the chief disappeared through it, followed closely by the leading files. The next moment I had passed through the aperture myself; and so surprised was I at the scene that burst upon my view that I almost gave vent to a cry of astonishment.

Fortunately I restrained myself just in time, or the consequences might have been fatal to my seeing anything more.

We were advancing along the shores of a miniature almost land-locked cove, the beach of which was composed of extraordinarily fine white sand, quite free from pebbles and rocks. Drawn up on the strand were two black boats, the crews of which were lounging about close at hand. The instant, however, that we appeared upon the scene, these men were on the alert, and began making preparations for launching the boats. A slight tall man, however, who was enveloped in a Spanish cloak, detached himself from the crowd, and advanced to meet us with hasty strides. I was alarmed to see that he had in close attendance on him a Cuban bloodhound, of much the same aspect and dimensions as the one with which I had already made acquaintance. As this individual approached, we were ordered by the chief to halt, and the latter took the stranger aside and held a private conference with him. The two dogs took the opportunity to greet each other, and judging by their whimpers of delight seemed to be very old friends.