Don　Benito；　but　with　mask　tom　away；　flourishing　hatchets　and　knives；　in　ferocious　piratical　revolt。　Like　delirious　black　dervishes；　the　six　Ashantees　danced　on　the　poop。　Prevented　by　their　foes　from　springing　into　the　water；　the　Spanish　boys　were　hurrying　up　to　the　topmost　spars；　while　such　of　the　few　Spanish　sailors；　not　already　in　the　sea；　less　alert；　were　descried；　helplessly　mixed　in；　on　deck；　with　the　blacks。　　　　　Meantime　Captain　Delano　hailed　his　own　vessel；　ordering　the　ports　up；　and　the　guns　run　out。　But　by　this　time　the　cable　of　the　San　Dominick　had　been　cut；　and　the　fag…end；　in　lashing　out；　whipped　away　the　canvas　shroud　about　the　beak；　suddenly　revealing；　as　the　bleached　hull　swung　round　toward　the　open　ocean；　death　for　the　figurehead；　in　a　human　skeleton；　chalky　comment　on　the　chalked　words　below；　〃Follow　your　leader。〃　　　　　At　the　sight；　Don　Benito；　covering　his　face；　wailed　out：　〃'Tis　he；　Aranda！　my　murdered；　unburied　friend！〃　　　　　Upon　reaching　the　sealer；　calling　for　ropes；　Captain　Delano　bound　the　Negro；　who　made　no　resistance；　and　had　him　hoisted　to　the　deck。　He　would　then　have　assisted　the　now　almost　helpless　Don　Benito　up　the　side；　but　Don　Benito；　wan　as　he　was；　refused　to　move；　or　be　moved；　until　the　Negro　should　have　been　first　put　below　out　of　view。　When；　presently　assured　that　it　was　done；　he　no　more　shrank　from　the　ascent。　　　　　The　boat　was　immediately　despatched　back　to　pick　up　the　three　swimming　sailors。　Meantime；　the　guns　were　in　readiness；　though；　owing　to　the　San　Dominick　having　glided　somewhat　astern　of　the　sealer；　only　the　aftermost　one　could　be　brought　to　bear。　With　this；　they　fired　six　times；　thinking　to　cripple　the　fugitive　ship　by　bringing　down　her　spars。　But　only　a　few　inconsiderable　ropes　were　shot　away。　Soon　the　ship　was　beyond　the　guns'　range；　steering　broad　out　of　the　bay；　the　blacks　thickly　clustering　round　the　bowsprit；　one　moment　with　taunting　cries　toward　the　whites；　the　next　with　up…thrown　gestures　hailing　the　now　dusky　expanse　of　ocean…　cawing　crows　escaped　from　the　hand　of　the　fowler。　　　　　The　first　impulse　was　to　slip　the　cables　and　give　chase。　But；　upon　second　thought；　to　pursue　with　whale…boat　and　yawl　seemed　more　promising。　　　　　Upon　inquiring　of　Don　Benito　what　firearms　they　had　on　board　the　San　Dominick；　Captain　Delano　was　answered　that　they　had　none　that　could　be　used；　because；　in　the　earlier　stages　of　the　mutiny；　a　cabin…passenger；　since　dead；　had　secretly　put　out　of　order　the　locks　of　what　few　muskets　there　were。　But　with　all　his　remaining　strength；　Don　Benito　entreated　the　American　not　to　give　chase；　either　with　ship　or　boat；　for　the　Negroes　had　already　proved　themselves　such　desperadoes；　that；　in　case　of　a　present　assault；　nothing　but　a　total　massacre　of　the　whites　could　be　looked　for。　But；　regarding　this　warning　as　coming　from　one　whose　spirit　had　been　crushed　by　misery；　the　American　did　not　give　up　his　design。　　　　　The　boats　were　got　ready　and　armed。　Captain　Delano　ordered　twenty…five　men　into　them。　He　was　going　himself　when　Don　Benito　grasped　his　arm。　〃What！　have　you　saved　my　life；　Senor；　and　are　you　now　going　to　throw　away　your　own？〃　　　　　The　officers　also；　for　reasons　connected　with　their　interests　and　those　of　the　voyage；　and　a　duty　owing　to　the　owners；　strongly　objected　against　their　commander's　going。　Weighing　their　remonstrances　a　moment；　Captain　Delano　felt　bound　to　remain；　appointing　his　chief　mate…　an　athletic　and　resolute　man；　who　had　been　a　privateer's　man；　and；　as　his　enemies　whispered；　a　pirate…　to　head　the　party。　The　more　to　encourage　the　sailors；　they　were　told；　that　the　Spanish　captain　considered　his　ship　as　good　as　lost；　that　she　and　her　cargo；　including　some　gold　and　silver；　were　worth　upwards　of　ten　thousand　doubloons。　Take　her；　and　no　small　part　should　be　theirs。　The　sailors　replied　with　a　shout。　　　　　The　fugitives　had　now　almost　gained　an　offing。　It　was　nearly　night；　but　the　moon　was　rising。　After　hard；　prolonged　pulling；　the　boats　came　up　on　the　ship's　quarters；　at　a　suitable　distance　laying　upon　their　oars　to　discharge　their　muskets。　Having　no　bullets　to　return；　the　Negroes　sent　their　yells。　But；　upon　the　second　volley；　Indian…like；　they　hurtled　their　hatchets。　One　took　off　a　sailor's　fingers。　Another　struck　the　whale…boat's　bow；　cutting　off　the　rope　there；　and　remaining　stuck　in　the　gunwale；　like　a　woodman's　axe。　Snatching　it；　quivering　from　its　lodgment；　the　mate　hurled　it　back。　The　returned　gauntlet　now　stuck　in　the　ship's　broken　quarter…gallery；　and　so　remained。　　　　　The　Negroes　giving　too　hot　a　reception；　the　whites　kept　a　more　respectful　distance。　Hovering　now　just　out　of　reach　of　the　hurtling　hatchets；　they；　with　a　view　to　the　close　encounter　which　must　soon　come；　sought　to　decoy　the　blacks　into　entirely　disarming　themselves　of　their　most　murderous　weapons　in　a　hand…to…hand　fight；　by　foolishly　flinging　them；　as　missiles；　short　of　the　mark；　into　the　sea。　But　ere　long　perceiving　the　stratagem；　the　Negroes　desisted；　though　not　before　many　of　them　had　to　replace　their　lost　hatchets　with　handspikes；　an　exchange　which；　as　counted　upon；　proved　in　the　end　favourable　to　the　assailants。　　　　　Meantime；　with　a　strong　wind；　the　ship　still　clove　the　water；　the　boats　alternately　falling　behind；　and　pulling　up；　to　discharge　fresh　volleys。　　　　　The　fire　was　mostly　directed　toward　the　stern；　since　there；　chiefly；　the　Negroes；　at　present；　were　clustering。　But　to　kill　or　maim　the　Negroes　was　not　the　object。　To　take　them；　with　the　ship；　was　the　object。　To　do　it；　the　ship　must　be　boarded；　which　could　not　be　done　by　boats　while　she　was　sailing　so　fast。　　　　　A　thought　now　struck　the　mate。　Observing　the　Spanish　boys　still　aloft；　high　as　they　could　get；　he　called　to　them　to　descend　to　the　yards；　and　cut　adrift　the　sails。　It　was　done。　About　this　time；　owing　to　causes　hereafter　to　be　shown；　two　Spaniards；　in　the　dress　of　sailors　and　conspicuously　showing　themselves；　were　killed；　not　by　volleys；　but　by　deliberate　marksman's　shots；　while；　as　it　afterwards　appeared；　during　one　of　the　general　discharges；　Atufal；　the　black；　and　the　Spaniard　at　the　helm　likewise　were　killed。　What　now；　with　the　loss　of　the　sails；　and　loss　of　leaders；　the　ship　became　unmanageable　to　the　Negroes。　　　　　With　creaking　masts　she　came　heavily　round　to　the　wind；　the　prow　slowly　swinging　into　view　of　the　boats；　its　skeleton　gleaming　in　the　horizontal　moonlight；　and　casting　a　gigantic　ribbed　shadow　upon　the　water。　One　extended　arm　of　the　ghost　seemed　beckoning　the　whites　to　avenge　it。　　　　　〃Follow　your　leader！〃　cried　the　mate；　and；　one　on　each　bow；　the　boats　boarded。　Sealing…spears　and　cutlasses　crossed　hatchets　and　handspikes。　Huddled　upon　the　long…boat　amidships；　the　Negresses　raised　a　wailing　chant；　whose　chorus　was　the　clash　of　the　steel。　　　　　For　a　time；　the　attack　wavered；　the　Negroes　wedging　themselves　to　beat　it　back；　the　half…repelled　sailors；　as　yet　unable　to　gain　a　footing；　fighting　as　troopers　in　the　saddle；　one　leg　sideways　flung　over　the　bulwarks；　and　one　without；　plying　their　cutlasses　like　carters'　whips。　But　in　vain。　They　were　almost　overborne；　when；　rallying　themselves　into　a　squad　as　one　man；　with　a　huzza；　they　sprang　inboard；　where；　entangled；　they　involuntarily　separated　again。　For　a　few　breaths'　space　there　was　a　vague；　muffled；　inner　sound　as　of　submerged　sword…fish　rushing　hither　and　thither　through　shoals　of　black…fish。　Soon；　in　a　reunited　band；　and　joined　by　the　Spanish　seamen；　the　whites　came　to　the　surface；　irresistibly　driving　the　Negroes　toward　the　stern。　But　a　barricade　of　casks　and　sacks；　from　side　to　side；　had　been　thrown　up　by　the　mainmast。　Here　the　Negroes　faced　about；　and　though　scorning　peace　or　truce；　yet　fain　would　have　had　a　respite。　But；　without　pause；　overleaping　the　barrier；　the　unflagging　sailors　again　closed。　Exhausted；　the　blacks　now　fought　in　despair。　Their　red　tongues　lolled；　wolf…like；　from　their　black　mouths。　But　the　pale　sailors'　teeth　were　set；　not　a　word　was　spoken；　and；　in　five　minutes　more；　the　ship　was　won。　　　　　Nearly　a　score　of　the　Negroes　were　killed。　Exclusive　of　those　by　the　balls；　many　were　mangled；　their　wounds…　mostly　inflicted　by　the　long…edged　sealing…spears…　resembling　those　shaven　ones　of　the　English　at　Preston　Pans；　made　by　the　poled　scythes　of　the　Highlanders。　On　the　other　side；　none　were　killed；　though　several　were　wounded；　some　severely；　including　the　mate。　The　surviving　Negroes　were　temporarily　secured；　and　the　ship；　towed　back　into　the　harbour　at　midnight；　once　more　lay　anchored。　　　　　Omitting　the　incidents　and　arrangements　ensuing；　suffice　it　that；　after　two　days　spent　in　refitting；　the　two　ships　sailed　in　company　for　Concepcion　in　Chili；　and　thence　for　Lima　in　Peru；　where；　before　the　vice…regal　courts；　the　whole　affair；　from　the　beginning；　underwent　investigation。　　　　　Though；　midway　on　the　passage；　the　ill…fated　Spaniard；　relaxed　from　constraint；　showed　some　signs　of　regaining　health　with　free…will；　yet；　agreeably　to　his　own　foreboding；　shortly　before　arriving　at　Lima；　he　relapsed；　finally　becoming　so　reduced　as　to　be　carried　ashore　in　arms。　Hearing　of　his　story　and　plight；　one　of　the　many　religious　institutions　of　the　City　of　Kings　opened　an　hospitable　refuge　to　him；　where　both　physician　and　priest　were　his　nurses；　and　a　member　of　the　order　volunteere