The Pirate Slaver: A Story of the West African Coast, Page 2

  CHAPTER TWO.

  WE RECEIVE SOME IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE.

  We had barely got our canvas furled and the decks cleared when we saw afine, handsome whale-boat, painted white, with a canvas awning spreadover her stern-sheets, and the Portuguese flag fluttering from a littlestaff at her stern, shove off from the wharf and pull toward us. Shewas manned by four Krumen, and in the stern-sheets sat a tall, swarthyman, whose white drill suit and white, broad-brimmed Panama hat, swathedwith a white puggaree, caused his suntanned face and hands to appearalmost as black as the skins of his negro crew. The boat swept up toour gangway in very dashing style, and her owner, ascending theaccommodation ladder, stepped in on deck with a genial smile thatdisclosed a splendid set of brilliantly white teeth beneath his heavy,glossy black moustache.

  "Good-morning, sar," said he to the first lieutenant, who met him at thegangway. "Velcome to Banana," with a flourish of his hat. "Vat chipdis is, eh?"

  "Her Britannic Majesty's brig _Barracouta_," answered Young. "You arethe Portuguese consul here, I suppose?"

  "No--no; I not de consul," was the answer. "Dere is no consul atBanana. I am Senor Joaquin Miguel Lobo, Portuguese trader, at yoursavice, sar; and I have come off to say dat I shall be happie to supplyyour chip wid anyting dat you may require--vattare, fresh meat,vegetabl', feesh, no fruit--de fruit not ripe yet; plenty fruit by an'by, but not ripe yet--parrots, monkeys--all kind of bird and animal,yes; and curiositie--plenty curiositie, sar."

  Here the skipper, who had been below for a few minutes, re-appeared ondeck, and, seeing the stranger, advanced toward him, whereupon the firstlieutenant introduced Senor Joaquin Miguel Lobo in proper form.

  "Glad to see you, senor," remarked the skipper genially. "Will you stepbelow and take a glass of wine with Lieutenant Young and myself?"

  "Ver' happie, captain, I am sure," answered the senor with anothersweeping bow and flourish of his Panama; and forthwith the triodisappeared down the hatchway, to my unbounded astonishment, for it wasnot quite like our extremely dignified skipper to be so wonderfullycordial as this to a mere trader.

  "Ah, I'm afraid that won't wash," remarked Bates, catching the look ofastonishment and perplexity on my face as I turned my regards away fromthe hatchway. "The captain means to pump the Portuguese, if he can, butfrom the cut of the senor's jib I fancy there is not much to be got outof him; he looks to be far too wide-awake to let us become as wise ashimself. I'll be bound that he could put us up to many a good wrinkleif he would; but, bless you, youngster, he's not going to spoil his owntrade. He professes to be an honest trader, of course--deals inpalm-oil and ivory and what not, of course, and I've no doubt he does;but I wouldn't mind betting a farthing cake that he ships a precioussight more _black_ ivory than white out of this same river. Look atthat brig, for instance--the one flying Spanish colours, I mean. Justlook at her! Did you ever set your eyes upon a more beautiful hull thanthat? Look at the sweep of her run; see how it comes curving round toher stern-post in a delivery so clean that it won't leave a single eddybehind it. No drag _there_, my boy! And look at her sides: round as anapple--not an inch of straight in them! And do you suppose that a brigwith lines like that was built for the purpose of carrying palm-oil?Not she. I should like to have a look at her bows; I'll be bound theyare as keen as a knife--we shall see them by and by, when she swings atthe turn of the tide. Yet if that brig were overhauled--as she probablywill be--nothing whatever of a suspicious character would be foundaboard her, except maybe a whole lot of casks, which they would say wasfor stowing the palm-oil in. Well, here we are; but we shall have tokeep our eyes open night and day to weather upon the rascally slavers;they are as sly as foxes, and always up to some new circumventingtrick."

  With which reflection, followed by a deep sigh at the wily genius of theslaving fraternity in general, the worthy master turned upon his heeland retired below.

  The Portuguese remained in the cabin for over an hour; and when he cameon deck again, accompanied by the captain and the first lieutenant, Ithought that the two latter looked decidedly elated, as though, despitethe master's foreboding, they had succeeded in obtaining some importantinformation. The captain was particularly gracious to his visitor,going even to the length of shaking hands with him ere he passed outthrough the gangway, the first luff of course following suit, as in dutybound.

  "Then we may rely upon you to send us off the fresh meat and vegetablesearly this afternoon?" remarked Young, as he stood at the gangway.

  "Yais, yais; dey shall be alongside by t'ree o'clock at de lates'!"answered the Portuguese. "And as soon as you have receive dem you hadbetter veigh and leave de creek. Give dat point"--indicatingBoolambemba Point--"a bert' of a mile and you veel be all right."

  "Yes, thanks, I will remember," returned the first lieutenant. "Andwhere are we to pick you up?"

  "Hus-s-sh! my dear sair; not so loud, if you please," answered Lobo,hastily leaving his boat and coming half-way up the gangway ladderagain. "Dere is a leetl' creek about two mile pas' de point, on denort' bank of de river. I vill be on de look-out for you dere in asmall canoe vid two men dat I can trus'. And you mus' pick me up_queevk_, because if eet vas known dat I had consent to pilot you myt'roat would be cut before I vas a mont' oldaire."

  "Never fear," answered Young. "We will keep a sharp look-out for youand get you on board without anybody being a penny the wiser.Good-bye."

  The Portuguese bowed with another flourish of his hat, seated himself inthe stern-sheets of his boat, gave the word to his Krumen, and a fewminutes later was on the wharf, walking toward his factory, into theopen door of which he disappeared.

  "Come," thought I, "there is something afoot already. The captain andthe first luff have, between them, evidently contrived to worm someintelligence out of the Portuguese. I must go and tell Bates the news."

  Before I could do so, however, the captain, who had been standing nearthe gangway, listening to what was passing between Young and Lobo,caught sight of me and said--

  "Mr Dugdale, be good enough to find Mr Bates, and tell him that Ishall feel obliged if he will come to me for a few minutes in my cabin."

  I touched my hat, dived down the hatchway, and gave the message,whereupon the master stepped out of his cabin and made his way aft. Hewas with the captain nearly half-an-hour; and when he re-appeared helooked as pleased as Punch.

  "I'll never attempt to judge a man's character by his face again," heexclaimed, as he caught me by the arm, and walked me along the deckbeside him. "Who would have thought that a piratical-looking rascallike that Portuguese would have been friendly disposed towards therepresentatives of law and order? Yet he has not only given the captainvaluable information, but has actually consented to pilot the ship tothe spot which is to serve as our base of operations, although, as hesays, should the slavers get to know of his having done such a thing,they would cut his throat without hesitation."

  "Yes," said I, "I heard him make that remark to Mr Young just beforeshoving off. And pray, Mr Bates--if the question be not indiscreet--what is the nature of the expedition upon which we are to engage thisafternoon?"

  "Well, I don't know why I shouldn't tell you," answered Bates, a littledoubtfully. "Our movements are of course to be conducted with allpossible secrecy, but if I tell you I don't suppose you'll go ashore andhire the town-crier to make public our intentions; and all hands willhave to know--more or less--what we're after, very soon, so I suppose Ishall not be infringing any of the Articles of War if I tell you now;but you needn't go and publish the news throughout the ship, d'ye see?Let the skipper do that when he thinks fit."

  "Certainly," I assented. "You may rely implicitly upon my discretion."

  "Oh yes, of course," retorted the master ironically. "A midshipman is aperfect marvel in the way of prudence and discretion; everybody knows_that_! However," he continued, in a much more genial tone, "I will doyou the justice to say that you seem to have your ballast pretty wellstowed, and that you stand up to you
r canvas as steadily as anyyoungster that I've ever fallen in with; so I don't suppose there'll bevery much harm in trusting you. You must know, then, that there's a bitof a creek, called Chango Creek, some fourteen or fifteen miles up theriver from here; and in that creek there is at this moment lying snuglyat anchor, quite unconscious of our proximity, and leisurely filling upher complement of blacks, a large Spanish brig called the _Mercedes_hailing from Havana. She is a notorious slaver, and is stronglysuspected of having played the part of pirate more than once, whencircumstances were favourable. Moreover, from what our Portuguesefriend Lobo says, she was in the river when the _Sapphire's_ two boatswith their crews disappeared; and according to the dates he gives, shemust also have been the craft that the plucky little _Wasp_ was in chaseof when last seen. There is very little doubt, therefore, that the_Mercedes_ is the craft--or, at all events, one of them--which it is ourespecial mission to capture at any cost; and we are therefore going toweigh this afternoon for the purpose of beating up her quarters. Lobohas undertaken to pilot us as far as the mouth of the creek; and as hetells us that the brig is fully a hundred tons bigger than ourselves, isarmed to the teeth, and is manned by a big crowd of desperadoes, everyman of whom has bound himself by a fearful oath never to lay down hisarms while the breath remains in his body, I shouldn't wonder if we findout before all is done that we have undertaken a pretty tough job."

  "It would seem like it, if Senor Lobo's information is to be reliedupon," said I, an involuntary shudder and qualm thrilling me as my vividimagination instantly conjured up a vision of the impending conflict."But I suppose every precaution will be taken to catch the rascalsunawares?"

  "You may be sure of that," answered the master, peering curiously intomy face as he spoke. "Captain Stopford is not the man to court areverse, or a heavy loss of life, by unduly advertising his intentions.But you look pale, boy! You are surely not beginning to funk, are you?"

  "No," said I, a little dubiously, "I think not. But this will be myfirst experience of fighting, you know--I have never been face to facewith an enemy thus far--and I must confess that the idea of ahand-to-hand fight--for I suppose it will come to that--a life-and-deathstruggle, wherein one has not only to incur the awful responsibility ofhurling one's fellow-creatures into eternity, but also to take thefearful risk of being hurled thither one's self, perhaps without amoment of time in which to breathe a prayer for mercy, is something thatI, for one, can hardly contemplate with absolute equanimity."

  "Certainly not," assented Bates kindly, linking his arm in mine as hespoke; "certainly not; you would be something more or less--_less_, Ishould be inclined to say--than human if you could. But, as to theresponsibility of hurling those villains into eternity, do not let thattrouble you for a single moment, my lad; in endeavouring to put downthis inhuman slave-trade we are engaged upon a righteous and lawfultask--lawful and righteous in the eyes of God as well as of man, Ihumbly believe--and if the traffickers in human flesh and human freedomand human happiness choose to risk and lose their lives in the pursuitof their hellish trade, the responsibility must rest with themselves,and in my humble opinion the earth is well rid of such inhuman monsters.And as to the other matter--that of being yourself hurried intoeternity unprepared--it need not occur, my boy; _no one_ need dieunprepared. What I mean is, of course, that _all_ should take especialcare to be prepared for death whenever it may meet us, for we know notwhat a day, or an hour, or even a moment may bring forth; the man whowalks the streets of his native town in fancied security is actuallyjust as liable to be cut off unawares as are we who follow the terriblebut necessary profession of arms; the menaces to life ashore are asnumerous as they are afloat, or more so; the forms of accident areinnumerable. And therefore I say that _all_ should be careful to soconduct themselves that they may be prepared to face death at anymoment. And if they are not, they may easily become so; for God's earis always open to the cry of His children, and I will take it uponmyself to say that no earnest, heartfelt prayer is ever allowed to gounanswered. So, if you have any misgivings about to-night's work, go toGod and ask for His mercy and protection and help; and then, _whatever_happens, you will be all right."

  So saying, the good old fellow halted just abreast the hatchway, whichwe had reached at this point in our perambulation fore and aft the deck,and, gently urging me toward it suggestively, released my arm and turnedaway. I took the hint thus given me and, without a word--for indeed atthat moment I was too deeply moved for speech--made my way below to themidshipmen's berth, which I found opportunely empty, and there castmyself upon my knees and prayed earnestly for some minutes. When Iarose from this act of devotion I was once more calm and unperturbed;and from that moment I date a habit of prayer that has been aninexpressible comfort and support to me ever since.

  Upon returning to the deck the first object that caught my eyes was ourgig, with the first luff and little Pierrepoint--our junior mid butone--in the stern-sheets, pulling toward the very handsome Spanishbrig--already spoken of as lying at anchor a short distance inside ofus--upon a visit of inspection. That the inspection to which she wassubjected was pretty thorough was sufficiently attested by the fact thatthe gig remained alongside her a full hour, the British brig and theDutch barque being in their turn afterwards subjected to a similarlysevere examination; but, as Bates had predicted, nothing came of it, alltheir papers being perfectly in order, while a rigorous search failed todiscover anything of an incriminating character on board either of them.

  "Of course not," commented the master, when he learned the substance ofthe first luff's report to the skipper; "of course not. Bless ye, thepeople that trade to this river aren't born fools, not they! Justconsider the matter for a moment. Let's suppose, for argument's sake,that the Spaniard yonder is a slaver. Would she ship her cargo here inthe very spot that would be first visited by every man-o'-war thatenters the river? Of course she wouldn't; she'd go away up the riverinto one of the many creeks that branch into it on either side for thefirst twenty miles or so, and ship her blacks there, watching for thechance of a dark night to slip out and get well off the land beforedaylight. If she came in here at all, it would be to fill up her waterand lay in a stock of meal upon which to feed her niggers when she'd got'em; and you may depend on it that when a slaver comes in here upon anysuch errand as that, a very bright look-out is kept for cruisers, andthat, upon the first sight of a suspicious-looking sail in the offing,her irons, her meal, and everything else that would incriminate her arebundled ashore and hidden away safely among the bushes, while her waterwould be started and pumped out of her long enough before a man-o'-warcould get alongside of her. What is that Spanish brig taking in?" hecontinued, turning to little Pierrepoint, who, with the firstlieutenant, had visited her.

  "Nothing," answered the lad. "She only arrived yesterday; and her holdis half full of casks in which she is going to stow her palm-oil."

  "Of course," remarked the master sarcastically, turning to me. "Whatdid I say to you this morning? Whenever a ship is found in an Africanriver with a lot of casks aboard, that ship is after palm-oil--at least,so her skipper will tell ye. And that's where they get to wind'ard ofus; for unless they've something more incriminating--something pointingmore directly to an intention to traffic in slaves--than mere casks, wedaren't touch 'em. But, you mark me, that brig's here to take off acargo of blacks; and unless I'm greatly mistaken she'll have vanishedwhen we turn up here again to-morrow."

  It was just six bells in the afternoon watch when two boats--onecontaining fresh water in casks, and the other loaded to her gunwalewith fresh meat--mostly goat-mutton strongly impregnated with thepowerful musky odour of the animal--appeared paddling leisurely off tothe _Barracouta_ under the guidance of four powerful but phenomenallylazy Krumen, who would probably have consumed the best part ofhalf-an-hour in the short passage from the wharf to the brig had not ourimpatient first luff dispatched a boat to tow them alongside. The waterwas pumped into the tanks, the provisions were passed up the side
andstowed away below in the coolest part of the ship; and no sooner werethe boats clear of the ship's side than the boatswain's whistle shrilledalong the deck, followed by the gruff bellow of "All hands unmoor ship!"the messenger was passed, the anchor roused up to the bows, and in a fewminutes the _Barracouta_, under her two topsails, and wafted by a lightwesterly zephyr, was moving slowly down the narrow channel toward theestuary of the river.

  So light was the draught of air that now impelled us, that, althoughevery cloth was quickly spread to woo it, the ship was a full hour and ahalf reaching as far as Boolambemba Point, where we met the fullstrength of the river current; and when we bore away on our course upthe river, our patience was severely taxed by the discovery that, evenwith studding-sails set on both sides from the royals down, we couldscarcely do more than hold our own against the strong rush of the tideand current together. Slowly, however, and by imperceptible degrees, byhugging the northern shore as closely as we dared, with the leadconstantly going, we managed to creep insidiously past the mangrove anddensely bush-clad river bank until, just as the sun was dipping into thehorizon astern in a brief but indescribably magnificent blaze of purpleand scarlet and gold, we reached the place of our rendezvous with SenorLobo. And soon afterwards we had the satisfaction of discovering thatgentleman making his way toward us out of the narrow creek, hisconveyance being a small native canoe about fifteen feet long, roughlyhewn and hollowed out of a single log, and propelled by two natives, whoapparently regarded clothes as an entirely unnecessary superfluity, forthey were absolutely naked. They were fine, powerful specimens of negromanhood, however, and smart fellows withal, for they propelled theirungainly little craft along at a truly wonderful pace with scarcely anyapparent effort, sheering her alongside the brig in quite respectablestyle without obliging us to start tack or sheet in order to pick themup, and shinning up the side with the agility of a couple of monkeys assoon as they had securely made fast the rope's-end that was hove tothem.

  Our impatience at the slow progress that we had thus far made wassomewhat relieved by Lobo's assurance that we might confidently relyupon a brisk breeze speedily springing up that would carry us to ourdestination as soon as was at all desirable; his opinion being that ourbest chance of success lay in the postponement of our attack until abouttwo o'clock in the morning, by which time the moon would have set, andthe slaver's crew would probably be wrapped in their deepest slumber.So far as his prognostication relative to the wind was concerned, it wassoon confirmed, a strong breeze from the southward springing up, underthe impulsion of which, and with considerably reduced canvas, we reachedour destination, so far as the brig was concerned, about five bells inthe first watch.

  This spot was situated on the northern bank of the river, at a distance,up-stream, of about thirteen miles from Boolambemba Point. It was atthe mouth of a creek, named Chango Creek, and in a small bay orroadstead about a mile long by perhaps half that width formed by sixislands, the largest of which was nearly two miles long by half-a-milewide, while the smallest and most easterly of all was a very diminutiveaffair, of perhaps not more than an acre in area, densely overgrown,like the rest of them, with thick, impenetrable bush. In the verycentre of this small roadstead, to which we had been piloted by thePortuguese trader, we anchored the brig in two and a half fathoms ofwater; when, the canvas having been furled, and all our preparations forthe attack having been fully made before dark, a strong anchor-watch wasset, and everybody else turned in to get an hour or two's sleep, strictinjunctions being laid upon the master, who had charge of the watch, tokeep a bright look-out, and to have all hands called at two bellsprecisely in the middle watch. As for Lobo, he took leave of usdirectly that our anchor was down, and, rousing out his sable crew, whowere fast asleep and snoring melodiously underneath the long-boat, tookto his canoe, once more and almost immediately vanished among the deepblack shadows of the islets that hemmed us in.

  I know not what were the feelings of others on board the brig on thateventful night, or how those two short hours of inaction were spent inother parts of the ship, but I am convinced that when we all went belowto turn in, a very general conviction had spread among us that theenterprise upon which we were shortly to engage was one that would proveto be more than ordinarily difficult and dangerous, and while not one ofus probably had a moment's doubt as to its ultimate result, I believethe feeling was pretty general that the struggle would be fierce andobstinate, and that our loss would probably be unusually heavy. Igathered this from the demeanour of the ship's crew generally, officersas well as men; the former revealing the feeling by the extreme carewith which they scrutinised and personally superintended the severalpreparations for the expedition, and the latter by the grim and silentearnestness with which they performed their share of the work. True,there was some faint attempt at jocularity among a few of the occupantsof the midshipmen's berth as we sought our hammocks, but it wasmanifestly braggadocio, utterly lacking the true ring of heartiness thatusually characterised such attempts, and it was speedily nipped in thebud by Gowland, the master's mate, who gruffly recommended the offendersto "say their prayers and then go to sleep, instead of talkingnonsense." Though I was not one of the offenders I took his advice,earnestly commending myself to the mercy and protection of the Almighty,both in the coming conflict and throughout the rest of my life, shouldit please Him to spare it, after which I sank quickly into a deep,untroubled sleep.