Anxious to have communication with the people on board, he sat down, awaiting their coming up from below.

In a minute or two, a black head was seen to rise slowly and fearfully out of the fore-scuttle; then it disappeared.

Another rose up and went down again as before; and thus it went on until Newton reckoned ten different faces.

Having individually ascertained that there was but one man, and that one not provided with any weapons, the negroes assumed a degree of courage.

The first head that had made its appearance, the woolly hair of which was of a grizzly gray from age, was again popped up the fore-scuttle, with an interrogatory to Newton, in French, who he was, and what he wanted?
Newton, who did not understand a word of the language, shook his head, and, opening his hands and extending his arms, to show that he had no means of defence, he beckoned to them to come up.
The man's head had again disappeared, and, after a little demur, nine or ten negroes crawled up out of the fore-scuttle, one after another, each with some weapon or another by way of security.