Port Royal was at that time in a state of considerable excitement, for in the castle, heavily ironed, lay five notorious buccaneers, who a week before our arrival had been brought in by the _Assurance_, of thirty-eight guns, after a desperate resistance.  They had been condemned to die; but, owing to a slight difference between the admiral and the governor of Jamaica, their fate was yet undecided, the former wishing to send them to England to grace Execution Dock, the latter desiring to gratify the inhabitants of Port Royal by stringing up the prisoners in front of the castle.  So hot had waxed the dispute that the matter was referred home, and already a swift vessel had left for England to obtain His Majesty’s decision on the matter.