I expect first we shall go west and try and pick up some prizes among the islands, and after that perhaps go round the cape and lie in wait for Indiamen on their way home.

You see, one of those ships is worth a dozen of these Mediterranean traders, and one is not bothered down there as one is between the strait and the channel with your cruisers and privateers; they swarm so there that one can hardly fire a gun without bringing them down on us.

I don't suppose the captain would have meddled with that Indiaman if it hadn't been that he thought the owners would be pleased by a prize being sent in so soon.

As to the bark, we were obliged to take her to get a new mast.

It would never have done to have started on a long cruise with a badly-injured spar." "But I should think it would be difficult to send home prizes from the West Indies," Ralph said.
"Well, you see, although you have taken most of our islands, there are still two or three ports we can take prizes into.