Title:  The Sea-Witch

Author:  Maturin Murray

Release Date:  November, 2003 [Etext #4675] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on February 26, 2002]

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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The sea-witch: 

Or, the African quadroon A story of the slave coast.

By lieutenant Murray.

New York: 

PREFACE.

Let the reader peruse the following story with the same spirit in which it was written, and not conceive that it is either a pro-slavery or anti-slavery tale.  The “peculiar institution” which is herein introduced, is brought forward simply as an auxiliary, and not as a feature of the story.  It is only referred to where the plot and locality upon the slave coast have rendered this necessary, and the careful reader will observe that the subject is treated with entire impartiality.  These few remarks are introduced, because we desire to appear consistent.  Our paper shall neither directly nor indirectly further any sectional policy or doctrine, and in its conduct shall be neutral, free and independent.—­Editor of The Flag of our Union.

THE SEA-WITCH.

CHAPTER I.

Outward bound.

Our story opens in that broad, far-reaching expanse of water which lies deep and blue between the two hemispheres, some fifteen degrees north of the equator, in the latitude of Cuba and the Cape Verd Islands.  The delightful trade winds had not fanned the sea on a finer summer’s day for a twelvemonth, and the waves were daintily swelling upon the heaving bosom of the deep, as though indicating the respiration of the ocean.  It was scarcely a day’s sail