This pronouncement seemed to make an impression, but they still coveted and cavilled for the goods.  They endeavoured to persuade the master of the steamer, who had gone on to the bridge again, to anchor, and the money would be brought off in the morning.  He prevaricated with them, and at the same time told the chief engineer secretly to put the engines easy ahead.  She was brought head on to the sea, and the wind having risen, a nasty swell came with it, which caused the lighters to jump and put jerky strains on their moorings.  A few of their crew jumped aboard, and were trying to pass additional ropes around the rigging of the steamer when the captain blew his whistle.  In an instant the tow-rope of the forward lighter was cut; then it was that the Spaniards realized what was happening.  They remonstrated with the captain; they shouted to each other excitedly; those that had not got aboard the feluccas flew along the deck and jumped, one after the other, on to their vessel as she swung round.  Another shrill whistle, and the last rope of lighter No. 2 was snapped.  Captain S——­ called out to the interpreter, who was pleading piteously to allow them to have only some of the cargo, to jump at once if he did not wish to lose his passage, and to be taken away with the steamer.  He quickly realized his true position, and sprang over the stern.  It was supposed that he was picked up by one of the craft.  They then commenced to fire wildly from the feluccas, but little harm was done, and in a brief time the steamer had travelled far outside the range of their guns, and was heading towards Cape St. Vincent, with the whole of the contraband aboard of a value of something like L5000.  The question of how it was to be disposed of was a problem not easily solved.  The first thought was to take it to Lisbon.  This idea having broken down, the next thought was one of the Channel Islands (Jersey or Guernsey).  This also, for specific reasons, gave way.  It was then decided to take it to the port of discharge of the ordinary cargo; but after calculating all the trouble, the payment of duty, time lost, and possible legal technicalities, the captain resolved that the best and cleanest way of disposing of it was to jettison the whole of it.  This decision brought him into sharp conflict with his chief officer, who entirely disagreed with such a course.

“Is it for this,” he said, “that we risked being shot and having the steamer seized and confiscated?  The tobacco belongs to us by right of conquest, as well as by moral right, and it will be an abomination to throw it overboard.  Even if we make only a thousand pounds out of it, it is always something; but to put it into the sea would be sinful beyond description.  I cannot bring myself to be a party to such a thing.”