and said he should be glad to interpret, if the captain wished, as he understood the language.

Tell them they are free," said Vaughan. Nolan explained it in such Portuguese as the negroes could understand. Then there was a yell of delight, clinching of fists, leaping and dancing, and kissing of Nolan's feet.

"Tell them," said Vaughan, well pleased, “that I will take them all to Cape Palmas."

This did not answer so well. Cape Palmas was far from the homes of most of them, and their interpreters instantly said, "Ah, non Palmas." Vaughan was rather disappointed, and asked Nolan eagerly what they said. The drops stood on poor Nolan's white forehead, as he hushed the men down and said:

6

"He says, 'Not Palmas.' 'Not Palmas.' He says, Take us home, take us to our own country, take us to our own house, take us to our own pickaninnies and our own women.' He says he has an old father and mother, who will die if they do not see him. And this one says he left his people all sick, and paddled down

to Fernando to beg the white doctor to come and help them, and that they caught him in the bay just in sight of home, and that he has never seen anybody from home since then. And this one says," choked out Nolan, "that he has not heard a word from his home in six months, while he has been locked up in a barracoon."

Vaughan always said he grew gray himself while Nolan struggled through this interpretation. As quick as he could get words, he said,

"Tell them yes, yes, yes; tell them they shall go to the Mountains of the Moon, if they will. If I sail the schooner through the Great White Desert, they shall go home!"

And after some fashion Nolan said so. And then they all fell to kissing him again, and wanted to rub his nose with theirs.

But he could not stand it long; and getting Vaughan to say he might go back, he beckoned me down into our boat. As we lay back in the stern-sheets and the men gave way, he said to me:-"Youngster, let that show you what it is to be without a

family, without a home, and without a country. And if you are ever tempted to say a word or to do a thing that shall put a bar between you and your family, your home, and your country, pray God in His mercy to take you that instant home to His own heaven. Stick by your family, boy; forget you have a self, while you do everything for them. Think of your home, boy; write and send and talk about it. Let it be nearer and nearer to your thought the farther you have to travel from it; and rush back to it, when you are free, as that poor black slave is doing now. And for your country, boy," and the words rattled in his throat," and for that flag," and he pointed to the ship, "never dream a dream but of serving her as she bids you, though the service carry you through a thousand hells. No matter what happens to you, no matter who flatters you or who abuses you, never look at another flag, never let a night pass but you pray God to bless that flag. Remember, boy, that behind all these men you have to do with, behind officers, and government, and people even, there is the Country Herself, your Country, and

that you belong to Her as you belong to your own mother."

I was frightened to death by his calm, hard passion; but I blundered out that I would, by all that was holy, and that I had never thought of doing anything else. He hardly seemed to hear me; but he did, almost in a whisper, say:- Oh, if anybody had said so to me when I was of your age!"

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He never alluded so directly to his story again; but from one and another officer I have learned, in thirty years, what I am telling. When we parted from him in St. Thomas harbor, at the end of our cruise, I was more sorry than I can tell. I was very glad to meet him again in 1830; and later in life, when I thought I had some influence in Washington, I moved heaven and earth to have him discharged. But it was like getting a ghost out of prison.

After that cruise I never saw Nolan again. I wrote to him at least twice a year, but he never wrote to me. And now it seems the dear old fellow is dead. He has found a

home at last, and a country.

P