The effect upon the guilty wretches was dreadful; there they lay, each man on the deck where he had crouched down, when the lightning had flashed upon him:  the sun rose upon them, yet they moved not; he poured his beams on their naked bodies when at his meridian height, yet they still remained:  the evening closed in, and found them in the same positions.  As soon as it was dark, as if released from a spell, they crawled below, and went into their hammocks:  at midnight again the bell struck; again the voice was heard, followed by the shriek; again they repaired on deck:  the fourteen remaining bodies lay in a row:  another of the murderers was summoned, obeyed, and disappeared:  again the flash of lightning burst upon us, and all had vanished; and thus it continued every night, until the boatswain, who was reserved for the last, was dragged overboard after the rest by the corpse of the captain; and then a tremendous voice from the maintop, followed by exulting laughter, cried out, “That job’s done.”  Immediately after which, the water rushed out of the bottom of the vessel, and she was clear as before.

Returning thanks to heaven that I was not a party sufferer with the rest, I lay down, and for the first time for many weeks fell into a sound sleep.  How long I slept, I know not:  it may have been days; but I awoke at last by the sound of voices, and found that the people on board of a vessel bound from Mexico to the South of Spain, perceiving the brig lying with her sails torn, and her yards not trimmed, had sent a boat to ascertain whether there was any body remaining in her.  I was afraid that if I told them what had happened, they either would not believe me, or else would refuse to take on board a person who had been in company with such examples of divine vengeance.  I therefore stated that we had been attacked by dysentery about six weeks before, and all had died except myself, who was supercargo of the brig.

As their vessel was but half full, the cargo, consisting chiefly of cochineal and copper, which is stowed in small space, the captain offered to take as many of my goods as he could stow, provided I would allow him the freight.  This I willingly consented to, and, examining the manifest, selected the most valuable, which were removed to the Spanish vessel.

We had a favourable wind; and having run through the Straits, expected in a day or two we should anchor at Valencia, to which port she was bound; but a violent gale came on from the N.E. which lasted many days, and drove us over to the African shore.  To increase our misfortunes, the ship sprung a leak, and made so much water that we could scarcely keep her free.

The Spaniards are but indifferent sailors, your highness, and in a storm are more inclined to pray than to work:  they became frightened, gave over pumping, and having lighted a candle before the image of St Antonio, which was fixed on the stern of the vessel, began to call upon him for assistance.  Not immediately obtaining their request, they took the image out of the shrine, abused it, called it every vile name that they could think of, and ended with tying it against the main-mast, and beating it with ropes.