I could not avert my gaze from a scene which was made more horrible by a struggle which took place between the first pirate of the long row in which they stood and the executioner.
The man shouted out some words angrily, and Ching interpreted them in my ear, his explanation being in company with a strange surging noise-- "Say he come back and killee him if he choppee off head.

Oh, he velly bad man." But quickly, as if quite accustomed to the task, two of the executioner's assistants rushed at the pirate; one of them forced him down into a kneeling position; they then seized his long tail, drew it over his head and hung back, thus holding the pirate's neck outstretched; lastly, I saw the executioner draw back, the sword flashed, I heard a dull thud--the head fell, and the body rolled over on one side.
Before I could drag my eyes from the horror there was the same terrible sound again, and another head fell upon the ground, while, with a rapidity that was astounding, the assistants passed from one culprit to the other in the long row, the miserable wretches making not the slightest resistance, but kneeling patiently in the position in which they were thrust, while _whish, whish, whish_, the executioner lopped off their heads at one blow.
"Allee done," said Ching.

"Execution man have velly much plactice." He said this to me, but I made no reply, for the whole place seemed to be going round and round.
"You thinkee they all come back again and have junk?
Go kill shoot evelybody, pilate ghost-man ?" "No," I said hoarsely; "can we go now ?" "Velly soon.

Gleat clowd all along gate.

Lookee, Mis' Tanner go s'eep." These words roused me, and I turned to Barkins, who was lying back with his eyes nearly closed and looking ghastly, while Smith sat staring straight before him, with his hands grasping the seat on either side, in a stiff, awkward position.
"Here, Smithy," I said, "quick, Tanner has fainted;" but he took no notice, and I whispered to him angrily-- "Get up.