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diff --git a/21448.txt b/21448.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6354685 --- /dev/null +++ b/21448.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2824 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The African Trader, by W. H. G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The African Trader + The Adventures of Harry Bayford + +Author: W. H. G. Kingston + +Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21448] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AFRICAN TRADER *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The African Trader; or, The Adventures of Harry Bayford, by W.H.G. +Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This is rather a short book, only 120 small pages in book format. Harry +is a young chap, just about ready to leave school, when his father +suffers some business losses, and the stress kills him. Harry is left +with some sisters, and he does not want to be a burden to them so he +gets a job on board a trading vessel, and off they go to Africa. + +Here many of the crew catch the Yellow Fever, and die. The captain is +ill, but appears to be surviving. An African seaman is a senior rating +aboard the vessel. With a rich cargo, and badly under-manned, the +vessel sets off for home. There is a fire in one of the holds, to which +the vessel succumbs. Harry and the African seaman make themselves a +raft, but the captain perishes. They are picked up almost at once by a +slave trader, but a Royal Navy man-of-war appears and gives chase. The +slave trader delays the chase by chucking slaves overboard, who then +have to be picked up by the pursuer. It all gets sorted out, and +Harry's cousin is an officer on the man-of-war. The African seaman is a +religious man, and it actually turns out that he is the very person +Harry had been asked to look out for by his old nurse. So there is a +happy ending, as far as Harry is concerned, but there certainly were a +few casualties on the way. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +THE AFRICAN TRADER; OR, THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY BAYFORD, BY W.H.G. +KINGSTON. + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +MY FATHER, AFTER MEETING WITH A SEVERE REVERSE OF FORTUNE, DIES, AND MY +SISTERS AND I ARE LEFT DESTITUTE.--OUR FAITHFUL OLD BLACK NURSE MAMMY, +TAKES CARE OF MY SISTERS, WHILE I, INVITED BY A FORMER ACQUAINTANCE, +CAPTAIN WILLIS OF THE "CHIEFTAIN," SAIL WITH HIM ON A TRADING VOYAGE TO +THE COAST OF AFRICA. + +Our school was breaking up for the midsummer holidays--north, south, +east, and west we sped to our different destinations, thinking with glee +of the pleasures we believed to be in store for us. + +I was bound for Liverpool, where my father, a West India merchant, now +resided. He had for most of his life lived in Jamaica, where I was +born, and from whence I had a few years before accompanied him to +England to go to school. + +"I am sorry we shall not see you back, Bayford," said the good doctor, +as he shook me warmly by the hand. "May our heavenly Father protect +you, my boy, wherever you go." + +"I hope to go as a midshipman on board a man-of-war, sir," I answered. +"My father expects to get me appointed to a ship this summer, and I +suppose that is the reason I am leaving." + +The doctor looked kindly and somewhat sadly at me. "You must not, +Harry, raise your hopes on that point too high," he answered, in a grave +tone. "When I last heard from your father, saying he desired to remove +you, he was very unwell. I grieve to have to say this, but it is better +that you should be prepared for evil tidings. God bless you Harry +Bayford. The coach will soon be up; I must not detain you longer." + +The doctor again warmly wrung my hand. + +I hastened after Peter the porter, who was wheeling my trunk down to the +village inn where the coach stopped, and I had just time to mount on the +top when the guard cried out, "All right;" the coachman laid his whip +along the backs of the horses, which trotted gaily forward along the +dusty road. + +My spirits would naturally have risen at finding myself whirled along at +the rate of ten miles an hour on my way homeward, but the last words +spoken by the doctor continually recurred to me, and contributed greatly +to damp them. I managed, however, at length, to persuade myself that my +anticipations of evil were mere fancies. On reaching Liverpool, having +called a porter to carry my things, I hurried homewards, expecting to +receive the usual happy greetings from my father and sisters. My +spirits sank when looking up at the windows, I saw that all the blinds +were drawn down. I knocked at the door with trembling hand. A strange +and rough-looking man opened it. "Is my father at home?" I asked, in a +low voice. The man hesitated, looking hard at me, and then said, "Yes; +but you can't see him. There are some ladies upstairs--your sisters, I +suppose--you had better go to them." + +There was an ominous silence in the house; no one was moving about. +What had become of all the servants? I stole gently up to Jane and +Mary's boudoir. They, and little Emily our younger sister, were seated +together, all dressed in black. Sobs burst from them, as they threw +their arms round my neck, without uttering a word. I then knew to a +certainty what had happened--our kind father was dead; but I little +conceived the sad misfortunes which had previously overtaken him and +broken his heart, leaving his children utterly destitute. + +Jane, on recovering herself, in a gentle sad voice told me all about it. +"Mary and I intend going out as governesses, but we scarcely know what +to do for dear Emily and you Harry, though we will devote our salaries +to keep you and her at school." + +"Oh, I surely can get a place as a nursemaid," said Emily, a fair +delicate girl, looking but ill-adapted for the situation she proposed +for herself. "And I, Jane, will certainly not deprive you and Mary of +your hard-earned salaries, even were you to obtain what would be +required," I answered, firmly. "I ought rather to support you, and I +hope to be able to do so by some means or other." + +My sisters even then were not aware of the sad position in which we were +placed. Our father had been a man of peculiarly reserved and retiring +manners; he had formed no friendships in England, and the few people he +knew were simply business acquaintances. An execution had been put into +the house even before his death, so that we had no power over a single +article it contained. + +The servants, with the exception of my sisters' black nurse, had gone +away, and we had not a friend whose hospitality we could claim. She, +good creature (Mammy, as we called her), finding out, on seeing my trunk +in the hall, that I had arrived, came breathless, from hurrying up +stairs, into the room, and embracing me, kissed my forehead and cheeks +as if I had still been a little child; and I felt the big drops fall +from her eyes as she held me in her shrivelled arms. "Sad all this, +Massa Harry, but we got good Fader up dere, and He take care of us +though He call massa away," and she cast her eyes to heaven, trusting +with a simple firm faith to receive from thence that protection she +might have justly feared she was not likely to obtain on earth. + +"We all have our sorrows, dear children," she continued, "massa had many +sorrows when he lose your mother and his fortune, and I have my sorrows +when I was carried away by slaver people, and leave my husband and +piccaniny in Africa, and now your sorrows come. But we can pray to the +good God, and he lift us out of dem all." + +Mammy had often told us of the cruel way in which she had been +kidnapped, and how her husband had escaped with her little boy; and +after she became a Christian (and a very sincere one she was), her great +grief arose from supposing that her child would be brought up as a +savage heathen in ignorance of the blessed truths of the gospel. My +sisters and I, as children, had often wept while she recounted her sad +history, but at the time I speak of, I myself was little able to +appreciate the deeper cause of her sorrow. I thought, of course, that +it was very natural she should grieve for the loss of her son, but I did +not understand that it arose on account of her anxiety for his soul's +salvation. + +"I pray day and night," I heard her once tell Jane, "dat my piccaniny +learn to know Christ, and I sure God hear my prayers. How He bring it +about I cannot tell." + +We and Mammy followed our father to the grave, and were then compelled +to quit the house, leaving everything behind us, with the exception of +my sisters' wardrobes and a few ornaments, which they claimed as their +property. Mammy did her best to cheer us. She had taken, unknown to my +sisters, some humble, though clean, lodgings in the outskirts of the +town, and to these she had carried whatever we were allowed to remove. + +"See, Massa Harry," she said, showing me an old leathern purse full of +gold. "We no want food for long time to come, and before then God find +us friends and show us what to do." + +My sisters possessed various talents, and they at once determined to +employ them to the best advantage. Jane and Mary drew beautifully, and +were adepts in all sorts of fancy needle-work. Emily, though young, had +written one or two pretty tales, and we were sure that she was destined +to be an authoress. Mammy, therefore, entreated them not to separate, +assuring them that her only pleasure on earth would be to labour and +assist in protecting them. Had they had no other motive, for her sake +alone, they would have been anxious to follow her advice. + +I was the only one of the family who felt unable to do anything for +myself. I wrote too bad a hand to allow me any hopes of obtaining a +situation in a counting-house; and though I would have gone out as an +errand boy or page rather than be a burden to my sisters, I was sure +they would not permit this, and, besides, I felt that by my taking an +inferior position they would be lowered in the cold eyes of the world. +I had ardently wished to go to sea, and I thought that the captain who +had promised to take me as a midshipman would still receive me could I +reach Portsmouth. I did not calculate the expense of an outfit, nor did +I think of the allowance young gentlemen are expected to receive on +board a man-of-war. + +I had wandered one day down to the docks to indulge myself in the sight +of the shipping, contemplating the possibility of obtaining a berth on +board one of the fine vessels I saw fitting out, and had been standing +for some time on the quay, when I observed a tall good-looking man, in +the dress of a merchantman's captain, step out of a boat which had +apparently come from a black rakish looking brigantine lying a short +distance out in the stream. I looked at him hard, for suddenly it +occurred to me that I remembered his features. Yes, I was certain. He +had been junior mate of the "Fair Rosomond," in which vessel we had come +home from Jamaica, and a great chum of mine. "Mr Willis," I said, "do +you remember me? I am Harry Bayford." + +"Not by looks, but by your voice and eyes I do, my boy," he answered, +grasping my hand and shaking it heartily. "But what has happened? I +see you are in mourning." + +I told him of my father's misfortunes and death; and as we walked along +frankly opened out on my views and plans. "You will have no chance in +the navy without means or friends, Harry," he answered. "There's no use +thinking about the matter; but if your mind is set on going to sea I'll +take you, and do my best to make a sailor of you. I have command of the +`Chieftain,' an African trader, the brigantine you see off in the stream +there. Though we do not profess to take midshipmen, I'll give you a +berth in my cabin, and I don't see that in the long run you will run +more risk than you would have to go through on board vessels trading to +other parts of the world." + +"Thank you, Captain Willis, very much," I exclaimed, "I little expected +so soon to go to sea." + +"Don't talk of thanks, Harry," he answered, "your poor father was very +kind to me, and I am glad to serve you. I had intended calling on him +before sailing; and if your sisters will allow me, I'll pay them a +visit, and answer any objections they may make to your going." + +After dining with the captain at an inn, I hurried home with, what I +considered, this good news. My sisters, however, were very unwilling to +sanction my going. They had heard so much of the deadly climate of the +African coast, and of dangers from slavers and pirates, that they +dreaded the risk I should run. Captain Willis, according to his +promise, called the next day, and not without difficulty quieted their +apprehensions. + +Mammy, though unwilling to part with me, still could not help feeling a +deep interest in my undertaking, as she thought that I was going to +visit her own still-loved country; and while assisting my sisters to +prepare my outfit she entertained me with an account of its beauties and +wonders, while I promised to bring her back from it all sorts of things +which I expected to collect. "And suppose, Mammy, I was to fall in with +your little piccaniny, shall I bring him back to you?" I asked, with +the thoughtlessness of a boy--certainly not intending to hurt her +feelings. She dropped her work, gazing at me with a tearful eye. + +"He fine little black boy, big as you when four year old," she said, and +stopped as if in thought, and then added, "Ah, Massa Harry, he no little +boy now though, him great big man like him fader, you no know him, I no +know him." + +"But what is his name, Mammy? That would be of use," I said. + +"Him called Cheebo," she answered, heaving a deep sigh. "But Africa +great big country--tousands and tousands of people; you no find Cheebo +among dem; God only find him. His eye everywhere. He hears Mammy's +prayers, dat great comfort." + +"That it is, indeed," said Jane, fearing that my careless remarks had +needlessly grieved poor Mammy, by raising long dormant feelings in her +heart. "And oh, my dear Harry, if you are brought into danger, and +inclined to despair--and I fear you will have many dangers to go +through--recollect that those who love you at home are earnestly praying +for you; and at the same time never forget to pray for yourself, and to +feel assured that God will hear our united prayers, and preserve you in +the way He thinks best." + +"I will try to remember," I said, "but do not fancy, Jane, that I am +going to run my head into all sorts of dangers. I daresay we shall have +a very pleasant voyage out, and be back again in a few months with a +full cargo of palm oil, ivory, gold-dust, and all sorts of precious +things, such as I understand Captain Willis is going to trade for." + +"You will not forget Cheebo though, Massa Harry," said Mammy, in a low +voice. The idea that I might meet her son was evidently taking strong +possession of her mind. + +"That I will not," I answered. "I'll ask his name of every black fellow +I meet, and if I find him I'll tell him that I know his mother Mammy, +and ask him to come with me to see you." + +"Oh, but he not know dat name," exclaimed Mammy. "Me called Ambah in +Africa; him fader called Quamino. You no forget dat." + +"I hope not; but I'll put them in my pocketbook," I said, writing down +the names, though I confess that I did so without any serious thoughts +about the matter, but merely for the sake of pleasing old Mammy. When I +told Captain Willis afterwards, he was highly amused with the notion, +and said that I might just as well try to find a needle in a bundle of +hay as to look for the old woman's son on the coast of Africa. + +The day of parting from my poor sisters and our noble-hearted nurse +arrived. I did not expect to feel it so much as I did, and I could then +understand how much grief it caused them. + +"Cheer up, Harry," said Captain Willis, as the "Chieftain," under all +sail, was standing down the Mersey. "You must not let thoughts of home +get the better of you. We shall soon be in blue water, and you must +turn to and learn to be a sailor. By the time you have made another +voyage or so I expect to have you as one of my mates, and, perhaps, +before you are many years older, you will become the commander of a fine +craft like this." + +I followed the captain's advice, and by the time we had crossed the line +I could take my trick at the helm, and was as active aloft as many of +the elder seamen on board. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +THE "CHIEFTAIN" ARRIVES OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA, AND WE CARRY ON A BRISK +TRADE WITH THE NATIVES, WHO COME OFF TO US THROUGH THE SURF.--AT LENGTH +CAPTAIN WILLIS PROPOSES TO RUN UP THE RIVER BONNY TO COMPLETE OUR CARGO. +NOT FORGETFUL OF MY PROMISE TO MAMMY, I MAKE INQUIRIES FOR HER SON +CHEEBO. + +It was my morning watch. I was indulging in the pleasure particularly +enjoyable after sweltering in the close hot atmosphere of the cabin, of +paddling about with bare feet on the wet deck, over which I and some of +the men were heaving buckets of water, while others were lustily using +holy-stones and scrubbing brushes, under the superintendence of Mr +Wesbey, the first mate. The black cook was lighting his fire in the +caboose, from whence a wreath of smoke ascended almost perpendicularly +in the clear atmosphere. The sea was smooth as glass, but every now and +then a slowly heaving swell lifted the vessel, and caused her sails, +which hung down against the masts, to give a loud flap, while here and +there the surface was broken by the fin or snout of some monster of the +deep swimming round us. Our monkey, Quako, who had been turned out of +his usual resting-place, was exhibiting more than his ordinary agility-- +springing about the rigging, and chattering loudly, now making his way +aloft, whence he looked eastwards, and now returning to the caboose, as +if to communicate his ideas to his sable friend. + +"What makes Quako so frisky this morning?" I asked of Dick Radforth, +the boatswain, a sturdy broad shouldered man of iron frame, who, with +trousers tucked up, and bare arms brawny as those of Hercules, was +standing, bucket in hand, near me, deluging the deck with water. + +"He smells his native land, Harry," he answered, "and thinks he is going +to pay a visit to his kith and kindred. We shall have to keep him +moored pretty fast, or he will be off into the woods to find them. I +have a notion you will get a sight of it before long, when the sea +breeze sets in and sends the old barky through the water." + +"What! the coast of Africa!" I exclaimed, and thoughts of that +wonderful region, with its unexplored rivers, its gloomy forests, and +its black skinned inhabitants, with their barbarous customs and +superstitious rites, rose in my mind. + +"Aye, sure and it will be a pleasant day when we take our departure from +the land, and see the last of it," observed Dick. "If those niggers +would trade like other people we might make quick work of it, and be +away home again in a few weeks, but we may thank our stars if we get a +full cargo by this time next year, without leaving some of our number +behind." + +"What? I should not fancy that any of our fellows were likely to +desert," I observed. + +"No; but they are likely to get pressed by a chap who won't let go his +gripe of them again," answered Dick. + +"Who is that?" I asked. + +"Yellow-fingered Jack we call him sometimes, the coast fever," said +Dick. "If they would but take better care of themselves and not drink +those poisonous spirits and sleep on shore at night, they might keep out +of his clutches. I give this as a hint to you, Harry. I have been +there a score of times, and am pretty well seasoned, but I have felt his +gripe, though I do not fear him now." I thanked the boatswain for his +advice. It was given, I suspected, for others' benefit as well as mine. + +As the bright hot red sun rose in the sky, casting his beams down on our +heads, and making the pitch bubble up from the seams in the deck--as it +had done not unfrequently during the voyage--a few cats' paws were seen +playing over the mirror-like deep. The sails bulged out occasionally, +again to hang down as before; then once more they swelled out with the +gentle breeze, and the brigantine glided through the water, gradually +increasing her speed. I was eagerly looking out for the coast; at +length it came in sight--its distant outline rendered indistinct by the +misty pall which hung over it. As we drew nearer, its forest covered +heights had a particularly gloomy and sombre appearance, which made me +think of the cruelties I had heard were practised on those shores, of +the barbarous slave trade, of the fearful idolatries of its dark-skinned +children, of its wild beasts, and of its deadly fevers. There was +nothing exhilarating, nothing to give promise of pleasure or amusement. +As our gallant brigantine glided gaily on, sending the sparkling foam +from her bows through the tiny wavelets of the ocean, which glittered in +the radiance of a blue and cloudless sky, and her sails filled with the +fresh sea breeze, these feelings rapidly wore off. Now, on either side, +appeared a fleet of fishing canoes, the wild songs of their naked crews +coming across the water, as with rugged sails of matting lolling at +their ease, they steered towards the shore. We overtook some of them, +and such a loud jabber as they set up, talking to each other, or hailing +us, I had never heard. + +Being near enough to the dangerous coast, we hove-to, and watched them +as they fearlessly made their way to shore on the summits of a +succession of rollers which burst in fearful breakers on the beach. +With our glasses we could see hundreds of dingy figures like black ants, +hurrying down to meet them, and to assist in hauling up their canoes. +As I cast my eye along the coast I could see many a bay and headland +bordered with a rim of glittering white sand, fringed by an unbroken +line of sparkling surf. Now we could make out the mud walls and +thatched roofs of the native villages, scattered here and there along +the shore, mostly nestling amid groves of graceful cocoa-nut trees, +while further inland appeared, at distant intervals, that giant monarch +of the tropical forest, the silk cotton tree, stretching its mighty +limbs upwards towards the sky, and far and wide around. Such was my +first view of the African coast. + +"Well, what do you think of it?" asked Captain Willis. + +"It looks better than I expected," I said. "But I don't see how we are +ever to reach it, much less carry on any trade with the people. How can +we possibly send any goods on shore?" + +"You will see presently," he answered. "We have hoisted our trading +signal, and before long we shall have plenty of dealers along side +unless some other vessel has been before us; if so, we may have to wait +some days till the black merchants can bring more goods down from the +interior. The people about here are imbued with the very spirit of +commerce. They understand too how to make a sharp bargain. We have to +be wide awake, or, naked savages as they are, they will contrive to +outwit us." + +Our various assortments of cotton and other goods had been got up from +the hold ready for the expected trade. The captain had also taken out +from his strong box a supply of sovereigns and Spanish dollars, should +coin be demanded, though he relied chiefly on the more advantageous +proceeding of barter. + +After standing off and on the coast for some hours, we perceived several +large canoes about to be launched. On either side of each canoe stood a +dozen or fifteen men, holding to the gunwale with one hand, and carrying +a paddle in the other. At a signal from their head man the canoe was +hurried into the foaming surf; but, instead of getting in, they swam by +her side, guiding her course, until the first heavy swell was past, then +they threw themselves simultaneously into her, and began to paddle with +might and main till they got beyond the outer swell, and on they came, +shouting with satisfaction at the success of their enterprise. Two got +off without accident; but three others, when in the very midst of the +breakers, were swamped, and I thought that their crews, and, at all +events, their cargoes, would be lost. But no such thing. As I watched +them through the glass I saw that they were all holding on to the +gunwale, shoving her from side to side, until the water was thrown out, +when in they got again, and began to gather up numerous articles +floating around them. This accomplished, off they came as if nothing +had happened. As they got alongside I discovered the reason why their +effects did not sink--some were casks of palm oil, which naturally +floated, while the elephants' tusks and other pieces of ivory, were +fastened to large floats of cork-wood, and several of the men had small +light wooden boxes, which contained gold-dust, secured to their waists. +Though these were of a weight sufficient greatly to incumber, if not to +sink, an ordinary swimmer, so expert were, they in the water that they +appeared in no way to be inconvenienced. Several of them recognised +Captain Willis, who had frequently before been off the coast, and having +been fairly dealt with by him, and aware that he knew the price they +would be ready to take, gave him very little trouble. Some, however, +tried to outwit him, but he was very firm with them, and let them +understand that he was indifferent to trading except on equitable terms. +Altogether he was well satisfied with the result of his first day's +business. + +We stood off the coast before the sea breeze died away, and returned +again on the following morning. This sort of work we continued for +several days. It was, however, a very tedious mode of proceeding. At +length we found that the amount of produce, brought off from day to day, +rapidly diminishing, while the natives began to demand higher prices +than at first. We accordingly stood down the coast towards another +native town, with the inhabitants of which we began to trade in the same +way as before. + +From the time we first came into these latitudes we kept a bright +look-out night and day. I asked old Radforth what was the use of doing +this when we were engaged in a lawful commerce, which must of necessity +prove an advantage to the negroes. "Why, you see, Harry, there are +other gentry visit this coast with a very different object in view," he +answered. "For the Spaniards and Portuguese, especially, come here to +carry off the unfortunate inhabitants as slaves, and sometimes the +villainous crews of their craft, if in want of provisions and water, +will help themselves, without ceremony, from any merchantman they may +fall in with. And should she have a rich cargo on board, they have been +known, I have heard say, to make her people walk the plank, and sink or +burn her, so that no one may know anything about the matter. Now our +skipper has no fancy to be caught in that fashion, and if we were to +sight a suspicious looking sail, as the `Chieftain' has got a fast pair +of heels of her own, we should do our best to keep out of her way. You +see when once fellows take to slaving they go from bad to worse. I have +known something of the trade in my time, and it made my heart turn sick +to see the way in which they crowd hundreds of their fellow-creatures +down on the slave decks of their vessels, packed as close together as +herrings in a cask, for their run across the Atlantic to the Brazils or +Cuba. It may be, before we leave this coast, you will have the +opportunity of seeing for yourself, so I need not tell you more about it +now." + +After this I was as vigilant as anyone on board in looking out for +suspicious craft,--for I had no fancy to be caught by a piratical +slaver, and be made to walk the plank, and have our gallant little +"Chieftain" sent to the bottom. + +We continued cruising along the coast for some weeks, slowly exchanging +our cargo for African products. + +At length Captain Willis got tired of this style of doing business. "I +am going to run up the river Bonny, Harry, where we are certain in time +to get a full cargo of palm oil, though I would rather have filled up +without going into harbour at all, for the climate, I own, is not the +healthiest possible, and we may chance to have a touch of sickness on +board." + +He spoke, however, in so unconcerned a way that I had no serious +apprehensions on that score. + +I had not forgotten my promise to Mammy, and had asked all the blacks I +could manage to speak to if they could tell me anything of Cheebo. I +need scarcely say that my question was received with a broad grin by +most of them. "Plenty Cheebos," was the general reply. "Dat black +fellow Cheebo; and dat, and dat, and dat Quamino," was added, when I +said that such was the name of the father of the Cheebo of whom I was in +search, but none of them answered the description of poor Mammy's son. +At length I felt very much inclined to give up my inquiries as hopeless. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +WE ENTER A RIVER.--ITS SCENERY DESCRIBED.--RECEIVE A VISIT FROM THE +KING, AND TRADE WITH THE NATIVES.--THE PRODUCTS OF AFRICA, FOR WHICH WE +TRADE, MENTIONED, AND THE CURIOUS MODE IN WHICH TRADE IS CONDUCTED.-- +FEVER BREAKS OUT ON BOARD, AND SEVERAL OF THE CREW DIE.--SAD END OF POOR +BOB.--THE BOATSWAIN AND MATES ATTACKED WITH FEVER.--MORE DEATHS.--THE +CAPTAIN'S UNWILLINGNESS, NOTWITHSTANDING THIS, TO LEAVE THE RIVER TILL +HIS CARGO IS COMPLETED. + +Standing in towards the coast with the sea breeze we saw before us an +opening between two low mangrove covered points, which formed the mouth +of the river we were about to ascend. The scarcely ever ceasing +rollers, coming across the wide Atlantic, broke on the bar which ran +across its entrance with somewhat less violence than on the coast +itself. Still there was an ugly looking line of white foam which had to +be crossed before we could gain the smooth water within. We hove-to, +making the signal for a pilot. A canoe in a short time came off, having +on board a burly negro, dressed in a broad brimmed hat, nankeen +trousers, and white jacket, with a sash round his waist. He produced +several documents to show that he was capable of taking a vessel over +the bar. + +"Wait bit captain," he said, "high water soon, and den ship go in +smooth--batten down hatches though, case sea break aboard." + +Captain Willis followed this advice; it was well that he did so. "Up +helm now captain--bar berry good--plenty breeze." We stood on with all +canvas set; the hands at their stations ready to shorten sail when +necessary. Soon we found ourselves mounting to the top of a high +roller, then on we glided, till in another instant down we came amid the +hissing roaring breakers, their foam-topped summits dancing up on either +side, and deluging our decks. I saw our black pilot holding on pretty +tightly by the main shrouds--I followed his example, for I expected +every moment to feel the vessel's keel touching the bar, when I knew +that if she were to hang there even for the shortest possible time, the +following sea might break over her stem, and make a clean sweep of her +deck. On she sped though, lifted by another huge roller; downwards we +then glided amid the eddying creamy waters on to the calm surface of the +river, up which the next minute we were gliding rapidly. + +The appearance of the banks on either side was not attractive. As far +as the eye could reach was one dense jungle of mangrove bushes, and +though we ran on for several miles it in no way improved. The wind died +away as we advanced, and the atmosphere became hot and oppressive. I +had expected to see pleasant openings, with neat cottages, plantations +of maize, rice, and other grain, pepper, palms and palmetos; but +instead, a uniform line of the sombre tinted mangrove alone presented +itself, the trees just too high to prevent our having a view over them +of any more attractive scenery which might have existed beyond. + +I asked our black pilot when we should come to the town. "By by den you +see," he answered with a look which denoted that we should in time +witness something worth beholding. + +The water was as smooth as glass. Here and there coveys of birds might +be seen skimming along the surface, while overhead a flight of scarlet +winged flamingos swept in wide circles, their plumage flashing in the +sun as they prepared to descend on one of the many sandbanks in the +stream, to carry on their fishing operations. As we advanced, now and +then a canoe would shoot out from among the jungle; the black skinned +paddlers coming quickly alongside, to ascertain our character and the +objects for which we wished to trade. Sometimes too we could see troops +of monkeys making their way among the branches, their small grinning +faces peering out at us as we glided by through some channel near the +shore. Hour after hour thus passed by, but at length, towards evening, +the belt of mangrove bushes diminished in thickness, and other trees of +more attractive appearance began to take their place, and openings +appeared with a few huts scattered about on the slopes of gently rising +ground. + +As evening was closing in we caught sight, in the far distance, of a +congregation of huts, and the pilot gave the captain the welcome +information, that he might shorten sail, and prepare to come to an +anchor. By the time we had made everything snug darkness closed down +upon us. We could just see a few lights twinkling ahead, while on +either side, across the stream, appeared the dark outline of the tall +trees which clothed the river's banks. Silence reigned around us, with +the exception of the ripple of the water against the vessel's bows; but +from afar off came a confused mixture of sounds, which appeared like the +croaking of frogs, the chirruping of crickets, and other creeping and +flying things, the screeching and chattering of monkeys, mingled with +the voices of human beings making merry round their huts. The air was +damp and heavy and hot; at the same time I felt that I should like to be +seated by a roaring drying fire. + +We kept a watch on deck as if we were at sea, with arms ready for use, +for though our pilot had assured us "that all good people here," Captain +Willis was too well acquainted, both with the character of the natives, +and the sort of gentry who might possibly be in the river waiting for a +cargo of slaves, to put himself in their power. + +I tumbled and tossed about during the night in my berth, unable to +sleep, both on account of the heat, and, strange to say, of the perfect +quiet which prevailed. Next morning a large canoe was seen coming off +from the shore, in which was seated a white headed old negro in a glazed +cocked hat, a red hunting coat on his shoulders, a flannel petticoat +round his waist, and a pair of worsted slippers on his feet. The pilot, +who had remained on board, notified to the captain, with great +formality, that he was King Dingo, coming to receive his dash or payment +for allowing us to trade with his people. His majesty was received with +due ceremony, and conducted into the cabin, when, as soon as he was +seated, notwithstanding the early hour of the day, he signified that it +was his royal pleasure to be presented with a bottle of rum. Having +taken two or three glasses, which seemed to have no other effect on him +than sharpening his wits, he handed it to one of his attendants, and +then applied himself to the breakfast, which had just been placed on the +table, and I dare not say how many cups of coffee, sweetened to the brim +with sugar, he swallowed in rapid succession. Having received half a +dozen muskets, as many kegs of powder, brass pans, wash basins, plates, +gunflints, and various cotton articles, as his accustomed dash, and +requested a dozen bottles of rum in addition, he took his departure, +promising to come again and do a little trade on his own account. + +The subjects of the sable potentate were now allowed to come on board, +and several canoes were seen approaching us from different parts of the +shore. One brought a tusk of ivory, others jars of palm oil, several +had baskets of India-rubber, or gum-elastic, as it is called. Besides +these articles, they had ebony, bees'-wax, tortoise-shell, gold-dust, +copper-ore, ground nuts, and others to dispose of. + +We soon found that the business of trading with these black merchants +was not carried on at the rate we should have desired. + +The trader, having hoisted his goods out of his canoe, would place them +on deck, and seat himself before them, looking as unconcerned as if he +had not the slightest wish to part with them. Some would wait till the +captain came forward and made an offer; others would ask a price ten +times the known value of the article, extolling its excellence, hinting +that very little more was likely to be brought down the river for a long +time to come, and that several other traders were soon expected. The +captain would then walk away, advising the owner to keep it till he +could obtain the price he asked. The trader would sit still till the +captain again came near him, then ask a somewhat lower price. On this +being refused he would perhaps make a movement as if about to return to +his canoe, without having the slightest intention of so doing; and so +the game would go on till the captain would offer the former price for +the article, when, perhaps, the trader would sit on, time being of no +consequence to him, in the hopes that he might still receive a larger +amount of goods. On other occasions the captain had to commence +bargaining, when he invariably offered considerably below the true mark, +when the trader as invariably asked something greatly above it. The +captain would then walk aft, and, perhaps, come back and talk about the +other ports he intended to visit, where the natives were more reasonable +in their demands. Captain Willis was too cool a hand to show any +impatience, and he thus generally made very fair bargains, always being +ready to give a just value for the articles he wished to purchase. As +each jar of oil, each tooth or box of gold-dust, or basket of +India-rubber, could alone be procured by this process, some idea may be +formed of the time occupied every day in trading. + +Palm oil was, however, the chief article we were in search of; but two +weeks passed by, and still a considerable number of our casks remained +unfilled. Fever too had broken out on board. Three of our men were +down with it, and day after day others were added to the number. The +two first seized died, and we took them on shore to be buried. This had +a depressing effect on the rest. + +When we returned on board we found that a third was nearly at his last +gasp. Poor fellow, the look of despair and horror on his countenance I +can never forget. "Harry," he exclaimed, seizing my hand as I went to +him with a cup of cooling drink, "I am not fit to die, can no one do any +thing for me? I dare not die, can't some of those black fellows on +shore try to bring me through--they ought to know how to man handle this +fever." + +"I am afraid that they are but bad doctors, Bob," I answered, "however, +take this cooling stuff it may perhaps do you good." + +"A river of it won't cool the burning within me," he gasped out. "Oh +Harry, and if I die now, that burning will last for ever and ever. I +would give all my wages, and ten times as much, for a few days of life. +Harry, I once was taught to say my prayers, but I have not said them for +long years, and curses, oaths, and foul language have come out of my +lips instead. I want to have time to pray, and to recollect what I was +taught as a boy." I tried to cheer him up, as I called it, but alas, I +too had forgotten to say my prayers, and had been living without God in +the world, and though I did not curse and swear, my heart was capable of +doing that and many other things that were bad, and so I could offer the +poor fellow no real consolation. I persuaded him to drink the contents +of the cup; but I saw as I put it to his lips that he could with +difficulty get the liquid down his throat. + +"You have had a hard life of it, Bob, and perhaps God will take that +into consideration," I said, making use of one of the false notions +Satan suggests to the mind of seamen as well as to others. Bob knew it +to be false. + +"That won't undo all the bad things I have been guilty of; it won't +unsay all the blasphemies and obscene words which have flowed from my +lips," he gasped out. + +"Then try to pray as you used to do," I said, "I will try and pray with +you, but I am a bad hand at that I am afraid." + +"Oh, I can't pray now, it's too late! too late!" he exclaimed in a low +despairing voice, as he sank back on his pillow, turning his fast +glazing eye away from me. He had been delirious for some time before +then, but his senses had lately been restored. He seemed instinctively +to feel that I could offer him none of the consolation he needed. + +While I was still standing by the side of his bunk, one of the mates +came forward to see how the sick were getting on. He spoke a few words +to try and comfort the dying man. They had no more effect than mine, he +only groaned out, "It's too late! too late! too late!" His voice +rapidly grew weaker--there was a slight convulsive struggle; the mate +lifted his hand, it fell down by his side. + +"Poor Bob has gone," he said, "there will be more following before long, +I fear. If I was the captain I would get out of this river without +waiting for a full cargo, or we shall not have hands enough left to take +the vessel home." + +This scene made a deep impression on me; too late! too late! continued +sounding in my ears. What if I were to be brought to utter the same +expression? Where was poor Bob now? I tried not to think of the +matter, but still those fearful words "too late" would come back to me; +then I tried to persuade myself that I was young and strong, and as I +had led a very different sort of life to most of the men, I was more +likely than any one to escape the gripe of the fever. + +We had another trip on shore to bury poor Bob. The captain seemed sorry +for him. "He was a man of better education than his messmates, though, +to be sure, he had been a wild chap," he observed to me. Bob's +conscience had been awakened; that of the others remained hardened or +fast asleep, and they died as they had lived, foul, unwashed, unfit to +enter a pure and holy heaven. + +I am drawing a sad and painful picture, but it is a true one. I did not +then understand how full of horror it was, though I thought it very sad +to lose so many of our crew. + +We continued to carry on trade as before, and the captain sent +messengers urging the natives to hasten in bringing palm oil on board, +but they showed no inclination to hurry themselves; and as to quitting +the river till he had a full cargo on board, he had no intention of +doing that. + +Hitherto the officers had escaped; but one morning the second mate +reported that the first mate was unable to leave his berth, though he +believed that it was nothing particular; but Dick Radforth, who was +considered to be the strongest man on board, when he had tried to get up +that morning, had been unable to rise. The captain sent me forward to +see him. + +Some hours must have passed since he was attacked. He was fearfully +changed, but still conscious. + +"Black Jack has got hold of me at last, Harry, but I'll grapple with him +pretty tightly before I let him get the victory, do you see," he +observed, when I told him that the captain had sent me to see him. "I'm +obliged to him, but if he wishes to give me a longer spell of life, and +to save the others on board, he will put to sea without loss of time, +while the land breeze lasts. A few mouthfuls of sea air would set me up +in a trice. If we don't get that there will be more of us down with +fever before night." + +The boatswain had scarcely said this when he began to rave and tumble +and toss about in his berth, and I had to call two of the men to assist +me in keeping him quiet. When I got back to the cabin, I told the +captain what Radforth had said. "Oh, that's only the poor fellow's +raving. It will never do to leave the river without our cargo, for if +we do some other trader will sure to be in directly afterwards and take +advantage of what has been collected for us. However, I have had notice +that lots of oil will be brought on board in a few days, and when we get +that, we will put to sea even though we are not quite full." + +The captain shortly afterwards paid Radforth a visit; but the boatswain +was raving at the time, and never again spoke while in his senses. The +following day we carried him to his grave on shore. The death of one +who was looked upon as the most seasoned and strongest man, had, as may +be supposed, a most depressing effect among the crew. It was soon also +evident that the first mate was ill with the fever, and indeed more than +half our number were now down with it. + +Still the captain could not bring himself to quit the river. "In a few +days very possibly we shall have a full cargo Harry," he said to me. +"In the meantime, I daresay, the rest will hold out. Radforth +overworked himself, or he would not have caught the fever. Take care +Harry you don't expose yourself to the sun, and you will keep all to +rights my boy,--I am very careful about that--though I am so well +seasoned that nothing is likely to hurt me." + +"I wish we were out of the river, Captain Willis," I could not help +replying. "The mates and the men are always talking about it, and they +say the season is unusually sickly or this would not have happened." + +"They must mind their own business, and stay by the ship, wherever I +choose to take her," he exclaimed, in an angry tone, and I saw that I +should have acted more wisely in not making the observation I had just +let fall. Still, to do him justice, Captain Willis was as kind and +attentive as he possibly could be to the sick men; he constantly visited +the first mate, and treated him as if he had been a brother. + +All this time not a word about religion was spoken on board; I had, it +is true, a Bible in my chest, put there by my sisters, but I had +forgotten all about it, and there was not another in the ship. + +Except in the instance I have mentioned, and in one or two others, not +even the sick men seemed concerned about their souls. The only +consolation which those in health could offer to them, was the hope that +they might recover. "Cheer up Dick," or, "cheer up Tom, you'll struggle +through it, never say die--you will be right again before long old boy," +and such like expressions were uttered over and over again, often to +those at their last gasp, and so the poor fellows went out of the world +believing that they were going to recover and enjoy once more the base +pursuits and unholy pleasures in which their souls' delighted. Alas, I +have often though what a fearful waking up there must have been of those +I had thus seen taking their departure from this world, yet the rest of +us remained as hardened, and in most cases as fearless, of consequences +as before. + +The death of the first mate, which very soon occurred, made the second +mate, I perceived, somewhat more anxious than before about himself. The +first mate had been a strong healthy man, and had often before been out +on the coast, while the second mate was always rather sickly, and this +was his first visit to the shores of Africa. Whether or not his fears +had an effect upon him, I cannot say, but he began to look very ill, and +became every day more anxious about himself. The captain tried to +arouse him, telling him that we should be at sea enjoying the fresh +breeze in a few days, and that he must hold out till then. "Still it is +of no use, Harry," he said to me, as I was walking the deck with him one +evening, trying to get a few mouthfuls of air. "I know I shall never +leave this horrible place alive unless the captain would give the order +at once to trip the anchor, then perhaps the thought of being free of it +would set me up again." + +I told the captain when I went into the cabin what the poor mate had +said, for I really thought our going away might be the means of saving +his life, as well as that of others aboard. He took what I said in very +good part, but was as obstinately bent in remaining as before. "Those +are all fancies, Harry," he answered. "He has taken it into his head +that he is to die, and that is as likely to kill him as the fever +itself." + +"But then he fancies that he would get well if we were at sea," I +replied. "Perhaps that really would set him up again." + +"Well, well, just tell him that you heard me ay I hoped to get away in +two or three days, perhaps that will put him to rights," answered the +captain, laughing. "Now, Harry, don't let me hear any more of this sort +of thing; I have bother enough with these black traders without having +to listen to the fancies of my own people." + +I told the mate what the captain had said. "If the vessel does get away +at the time he mentioned, I hope that I may be able to help in taking +her to sea, if not, mark my words Harry, there will be a good many more +of us down with the fever." He spoke too truly. The traders continued +to arrive but slowly, as before, with their oil. The captain waited and +waited like an angler anxious to catch more fish. Before the week was +over the second mate was dead, and we had only two men fit for duty on +board. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +MORE VICTIMS TO THE FEVER.--THE CAPTAIN HIMSELF ATTACKED.--WE SHIP SOME +KRUMEN AND OTHER BLACKS, AMONG WHOM IS A CHRISTIAN, PAUL BALINGO.--PAUL +INSTRUCTS THE CAPTAIN AND ME IN THE TRUTH.--CAPTAIN WILLIS GETS SOMEWHAT +BETTER, AND WE PREPARE FOR SEA. + +The ship was almost full, and we had a few more empty casks, and were +expecting some traders on board during the day with oil which would fill +them up. When I turned out of my berth, just as morning broke, I found +the captain seated in his cabin, with his head resting on his hands. He +felt a little ill, he acknowledged, but said he was sure it was nothing. +"We will get under weigh at daylight to-morrow morning, when the tide +makes down, and I shall soon be all to rights," he observed. Still, I +could not help remarking that he looked pale, and moved with difficulty. +"I have agreed to ship half-a-dozen Krumen, and two or three other +black seamen, who are knocking about here," he added. "This fever has +made us terribly short-handed; but I hope the fellows who are sick will +come round when we are in blue water again. Harry, go forward and see +how they are getting on, and send Tom Raven to me." Raven was one of +the two men who had hitherto escaped the lever, and being a good seaman, +had been promoted to the rank of mate. + +I went on deck, but saw neither him nor Grinham, the other man. I made +my way forward to where the crew were berthed, under the topgallant +forecastle, expecting to find them there. Grinham was in his berth; he +and two other poor fellows were groaning and tossing with fever, but the +rest were perfectly quiet. I thought they were asleep. What was my +horror, on looking into their berths, to find that their sleep was that +of death! + +"Water, water," murmured Grinham. I ran and fetched some, and as I gave +it to him I asked where Raven was. "I don't know," he answered, +somewhat revived by the cool draught. "It's his watch on deck. He said +he felt a little ill when he relieved me." + +Having done what I could for the other man, I went to look for Raven. I +found him in the second mate's berth. He too was ill with fever, and +seemed to have forgotten that he ought to have been on deck, and that +the vessel had been left without anyone to look-out. I told him that +the captain had resolved to put to sea the next day. "Had he gone a +week ago the lives of some of us might have been saved, but it is too +late now," he answered with a groan. + +Sick at heart, after attending to him, I returned to the cabin, to make +my report to the captain. + +"What, all! everyone of them sick!" he exclaimed, sighing deeply. "Then +God have mercy upon us. You must not fall ill, Harry." + +"Not if I can help it, sir," I replied. + +"I must keep up," he said, and if I can get these Krumen on board we +will still put to sea. They are trustworthy fellows, and, Harry, you +must be my mate. You are somewhat young; but you have got a head on +your shoulders. You must keep your wits alive. + +"I'll do my best, sir," I answered, feeling not a little proud of the +rank to which I thus was raised. I had, indeed, for some time past been +performing the duties of mate, supercargo, steward, and not unfrequently +helping the black cook, Sambo, and, indeed, lending a hand to everything +which required to be done. Now Sambo and I were literally the only two +people capable of working on board. The captain himself I feared +greatly had got the fever, notwithstanding his assertions to the +contrary. It was surprising that I, the youngest in the ship, and least +inured to the climate, should have escaped. I had always been very +healthy; had never done anything to hurt my constitution, and had +followed the captain's advice in keeping out of the sun, and was +inclined to feel somewhat self-satisfied on that account--not +considering that it was owing to God's mercy and loving-kindness that I +had been preserved. + +The captain said he would go and see Raven; but having got up, after +moving a few paces, he sat down again with a groan, and a deadly pallor +came over his countenance. He felt that he, too, had got the fever. I +advised him to lie down again and rest, but to that he would not +consent. He was determined to carry on the trade as usual during the +day, and to get ready for sea as soon as the black seamen, whom he +expected every hour on board, arrived. He sent me up frequently to see +whether they were coming off, and now, when too late, he seemed as +anxious as anyone had been to get the vessel out of the river. + +I was thankful when at length I found two canoes alongside with the +expected blacks. The Krumen were fine athletic fellows, neatly dressed +in shirts and trousers, and having all served on board men-of-war or in +merchant vessels, spoke a little English. They had been hired by the +captain's agent on shore; and as their wages had been settled, and they +knew the duties they were required to perform, they went to work at once +under their head man, who had been appointed to act as boatswain, and +seemed inclined to be orderly and obedient. Besides the Krumen there +were, as I have before said, several other black seamen engaged, who had +been mostly recaptured slaves, and had afterwards entered on board +men-of-war or merchant vessels touching at Sierra Leone. I was struck +with the manner of one of them, a fine active man, as I, now the only +representative of the "Chieftain's" officers and crew, stood near the +gangway to receive them. Touching his hat in a respectful manner, he +asked after Captain Willis. "He know me, Paul Balingo. I sail once +with him some time ago. He kind man, so I come again." I told him that +the captain was rather unwell. He had charged me not to let the blacks +fancy that he had the fever. I added, that I was sure he would be glad +to see him in the cabin. + +"I go when you tell I come on board," answered Paul. "Sorry to hear him +ill." + +"Oh, he says its nothing," I observed, "and as soon as the tide serves +we are to go down the river, and put to sea." + +I made this remark in obedience to the captain's instructions. I now +gave directions to the black boatswain to get the cargo stowed without +delay. + +The captain was much pleased to hear that Paul Balingo had joined the +vessel, and said he would see him at once. "I remember him well," he +observed, "a good steady fellow." + +I told Paul to come down, and he received a friendly welcome. I then +reminded the captain that there was another duty to be performed. It +was to bury the men who had died during the night. This was beyond the +strength of those who still survived. + +"I see to it, sir," said Paul. + +"The sooner the better then," observed the captain. "And when you +return we will trip the anchor, if there is wind enough to help us +along." + +Four bodies were lowered into the canoe, and Paul and some of his +companions took them on shore. He had fastened them up in canvas, for +there was no time to make coffins; indeed, the carpenter was among them. +I should like to have accompanied him to pay the last mark of respect I +could to the poor fellows, but there were too many duties to be +performed on board to allow of this. I watched them, however, through +the glass as they stood on the beach, which formed our burial place. To +my surprise, after the graves were dug, I observed Paul Balingo take off +his hat--his companions imitating his example--when he seemed to be +lifting up his hands in prayer. Then he addressed a number of natives +who were standing round, and the bodies were carefully lowered into the +graves, and covered up. + +When he returned on board I told him that the captain was very much +obliged to him for what he had done. "And I saw too," I observed, "that +you were praying for the poor fellows." + +"No, massa; I no pray for dem," he answered. "If when dey died dey +loved Jesus Christ, den dey no want my prayers; if dey no love Him, den +He no love dem. No, massa, me pray for dose that stand round, and for +dose still alive. I pray dat God's Holy Spirit would come into dere +hearts, and told dem to love Jesus, and dat He died for sinners. I +prayed dat dey would hear His Word, and love Him and serve Him. Den I +tell dem that Jesus Christ came down on earth, and become man, and be +obedient to God, and do all dat good child should do who lub him +parents, and dat He pure and holy like lamb widout spot or blemish, and +dat He died on de cross, and be punished instead of wicked man, and dat +God den say dat one who not deserve punishment being punished He will +forgive all dose His dear Son present to Him, who lub Him and serve Him. +Den I tell dem dat Jesus Christ died for dem, and dat if dey trust to +Him He put away all dere sins, and God not look at dere sins any more. +Den I turn de matter about, and I say dat you and all men are poor and +naked and covered with dirt and sores, and not fit to go into de +presence of pure and holy God; but if you love Christ and trust dat He +died and was punished instead of you, den He put on you a white robe, +cover you wid His righteousness, and den when you go to God He longer +see that you are poor and naked, but He only see the white robe, and He +say, `Now you may come into dis pure and bright heaven, and live wid +Me.' Then once more I say again, look here, God put you into this +world, and you owe God everything. You ought to obey Him and serve Him, +and give Him all your strength and health, and to try and please Him in +all things every moment of your life. Next I remind dem dat none of us +do it, so we owe God a debt, and the longer we live the greater is the +debt. It is not den all the things that we do dat God reckon, but the +many things that we ought to do and which we leave undone. We receive +all the good things from God, and we give Him nothing in return. Then +we have no means to pay this debt, so Jesus Christ, because He love us, +say He pay it, and God say He accept His payment and set us free. Den I +say to the people, Do you believe dis? If you do, and try to love God, +and serve God, and do what Jesus Christ did when He was on earth, den +you have living faith, and you are free, and God no say longer that you +owe Him debt, but He call you His dear children, and when you leave this +world He receive you in heaven." + +"Why, Paul," I exclaimed, after listening with astonishment to what he +had said, "I little expected to hear such things come out of a--" (I was +going to say negro's mouth, but changed it to) "African sailor's mouth. +You ought to be a missionary." + +"Every Christian man ought to be a missionary," he answered. "If he +love the Lord Jesus, and know that the Lord Jesus love him, then he +ought to tell that love to others, and if he knows the value of his own +soul then he values the souls of others, and try to win those souls for +Christ. The truth is, massa, I do want to be missionary, and I seek to +go to England to learn more. I there learn to preach the gospel, and +when I come back I carry the glad tidings of salvation to my ignorant +countrymen." + +I was very much struck with Paul's earnestness and zeal, though at that +time I could scarcely comprehend all he said--I myself knew nothing +experimentally of the great love of Jesus of which he spoke. The poor +black Christian was far more enlightened than I was. Still I felt a +satisfaction at having him on board. He at once showed that he was not +a mere theoretical Christian, for as soon as his duty on board the ship +was over, he devoted himself to attending on the sick men. All the +hours he could snatch from sleep he spent by the side of their bunks, +urging them to trust to Jesus, and to repent of their sins while yet +there was time. + +The poor second mate grew worse and worse. Paul visited him, and he +heard from the lips of the black seaman, perhaps for the first time, the +full and free message of salvation; and, I believe, from what Paul told +me, and from the remarks the mate made to me before he died, that he had +fully accepted God's gracious offer of reconciliation. + +I am going ahead though too fast in my narrative. Before the morning +came that we were to have left our anchorage Captain Willis himself was +laid prostrate with the fever, and having now no one on board to +navigate the vessel, we could not venture to sea. I would have done my +best to find our way to Sierra Leone, but the black boatswain refused to +leave the harbour without an officer capable of taking charge of the +brigantine. We were compelled, therefore, to wait till Captain Willis +should recover sufficiently, or till the arrival of another English +vessel which could spare one of her mates to take charge of the +"Chieftain." + +Before many days were over Captain Willis, and Sambo, the black cook, +and I, were the only persons of those who had come into the river, still +alive on board. Had the Krumen been badly disposed, they might, without +difficulty, have taken possession of the vessel, and made off with her +rich cargo; but they appeared, as far I could judge, to intend to act +faithfully, and perform their various duties as well as if the captain's +eye had been constantly upon them. About Paul I had no doubt. Little +as I knew of vital religion myself, I was sure that he was a true man, +and that he acted according to his professions. Nothing could exceed +his attention to the captain; he or I were constantly at his bedside; +and Paul showed considerable skill in treating the disease. I believe +that it was mainly owing to him, through God's mercy, that the captain +did not succumb to it, as the rest of the crew had done. + +"Paul," said the captain one morning, when he felt himself getting a +little better, "I owe you my life, I will try not to forget you." + +"Oh, no, no captain, poor fellow like me not able to do you good; give +God de praise," he answered solemnly, looking upwards. "Oh, if you did +but know how God loves you, how He takes care of you, and gives you all +the good things of life, and saves you from danger, and wishes you to +come and live with Him, and be happy for ever and ever, you would try to +love Him and serve Him, and obey Him in all things." + +"I don't think that God can care for one who has cared so little for +Him," answered the captain. "I don't mean to say that I call myself a +bad man, or that I have many great sins on my conscience, and so, I +suppose, if I died He would hot shut me out of heaven altogether." + +"Captain," said Paul, fixing his eyes steadily on him, "the debil told +you dat; he a liar from the beginning. God says, `There is none that +doeth good, no not one,' `The soul that sinneth shall surely die.' What +does dat mean? Not, surely, that if you sinner He let you get into +heaven. I ask you, captain, whether you are a sinner, or whether you +pure and holy, and trust to Christ, and love Christ, and fit to go and +live for ever and ever in the pure and holy heaven with Him? +Understand, I do not ask whether you are a great sinner in your own +sight, but whether you have ever committed any sins; and remember, God +says, `the soul that sinneth,' not only the soul that is a great +sinner." + +The captain looked much annoyed. "Yes, of course, I have committed some +sins; but I don't see why God has any right to charge them against me." + +"God made this world, and all things that are therein. God rules this +world, and God made His laws, and He says they are just and right, and +God says, `The soul that sinneth shall surely die,'" answered Paul, +solemnly. "Captain understand, it is not I who say that. God says it. +But though God is a God of justice He is full of love and mercy, and He +has therefore formed a plan for the benefit of sinning men, by which +man's sins can be washed away, by which His justice will be satisfied, +His love and mercy shown. He has allowed another to be punished instead +of the sinner," Paul continued, explaining to the captain God's plan of +salvation much in the same terms as he had already explained it to me. + +"I never understood that matter before," said the captain. "But still I +do not see how God can expect us to be as good as you say." + +"Massa Captain, I do not say dat God expect us to be good; but still He +has a right to demand that we should be good. He made man pure and holy +and upright, and He gave him free will to act as he chose; but man +disobeyed God and went away from Him, and forgot Him, and so God has the +right to punish man. But den God is full of love and mercy, and He does +not want to punish him, but wants him to come back to Him, and so He has +sent His message to man to tell him how he may do that. Now as man +cannot be good and pure and holy and do nothing but good, but, on the +contrary, does much harm, he must either accept God's plan of salvation, +or be punished. You have heard, captain, about the thief on the cross, +even when he was dying he put faith in Jesus, and Jesus told him that he +should be that night with Him in paradise. So you see, captain, there +is hope for the sinner, even at the last, and this shows that God does +not expect us to do anything good in order to be saved, but only just to +put faith in the sacrifice of His dear Son--that is to say, to believe +that He was punished instead of us. But then remember, captain, that +only one thief was saved; and that shows to us that we must not put off +turning to Jesus to the last, and, therefore, I pray you, captain, go to +Him at once; trust to Him now, and you will not feel unhappy; and if +this fever takes you away, as it has taken away so many people on board +this ship, you will hab no fear of death, for you will go to live with +Jesus, and be happy with Him for ever and ever." + +Captain Willis groaned. "I'll pray wid you, captain," said Paul, and he +knelt down by the side of the bed, and lifted up his voice in prayer, +and earnestly besought God to send His Holy Spirit to soften the +captain's heart, and to enlighten his mind. + +I had listened attentively to all that Paul had said, and I prayed that +the blessing which he asked for the captain might descend on me also; +for I had begun to discover that my heart was very hard, and prone to +evil, and that I had no love for Jesus, no desire to obey His law. Thus +the truths of the gospel, as they fell from the lips of the black +sailor, first came home to my heart. + +Several days passed by--the "Chieftain" was got ready for sea, and the +captain considered himself well enough to take the command. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +WE AT LENGTH GET OUT OF THE RIVER INTO THE OPEN SEA, BUT A CALM COMES +ON, AND THE CAPTAIN AGAIN BECOMES VERY ILL.--NO ONE ON BOARD +UNDERSTANDING NAVIGATION, I DOUBT WHETHER I SHALL FIND MY WAY TO SIERRA +LEONE.--THE CAPTAIN DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT HE IS IN DANGER.--PAUL PLEADS +WITH HIM ABOUT THE SAFETY OF HIS SOUL.--A FIRE BREAKS OUT IN THE HOLD.-- +WE IN VAIN ENDEAVOUR TO EXTINGUISH IT.--THE REST OF THE CREW DESERT +US.--PAUL AND I ENDEAVOUR TO SAVE THE CAPTAIN, BUT DRIVEN FROM THE CABIN +BY THE FLAMES LEAP OVERBOARD AND REACH A SMALL BOAT, WHICH WE RIGHT AND +GET INTO.--SEE A SCHOONER APPROACHING US. + +At day-break the pilot came on board, the sails were loosed, the anchor +hove-up, and the "Chieftain," with a hot land breeze, which still blew +strong, glided down the river. Captain Willis, who had been brought +from his cabin by Paul and Sambo, sat propped up with pillows on the +deck. It was melancholy to see him, his once strong frame reduced to a +mere skeleton, his countenance pale and haggard, and his strong voice +now sounding weak and hollow, and scarcely to be heard by those to whom +he issued his orders. I stood by him to repeat them. I saw him cast an +eye towards the spot which contained the graves of our shipmates, and I +could divine his thoughts. Perhaps he might have reflected that had he +not been so greedy of gain, many of them might be still alive, while he +himself might be enjoying health and strength. + +The mangrove covered shores looked even more sombre and monotonous than +before, in the grey light of morning, as we glided down between them. +The air was hot and oppressive, and full of pestilence, and it seemed a +wonder to me that I should have lived so many weeks while breathing such +an atmosphere. I dreaded lest the breeze should fail us, and we should +be compelled to spend another night under its influence; but the wind +held, the tide was in our favour, and we had nearly reached the mouth of +the river before the wind dropped, and we had to bring up. A few +minutes afterwards the fresh sea breeze came rushing in, pure and sweet, +and comparatively cool. With what delight did I gulp it down. I +quickly felt like another creature. The captain also seemed to revive +rapidly under its influence, and I began to hope that he would +ultimately recover. + +I eagerly watched the sparkling lines of white foam as the ocean waves, +meeting the ebbing current of the river, broke across the bar. How I +longed for the evening, when the land breeze would again fill our sails, +and carry us out into the open bounding ocean. It seemed to me that +then all difficulty would be passed, and we should only have to shape +our course for England, and steer on till we should reach it. + +The captain, unwilling again to go below, sat all day on deck under an +awning, ready for the moment when we might venture to weigh anchor. It +came at last. Just before sunset the hot wind began to blow. Although +the bar still wore a threatening aspect, the pilot declared that, +without fear, we might venture over it. + +Not a moment was lost, on we stood towards it. In a short time foaming +breakers were hissing and bubbling around us. Once more I felt the +vessel rising to the heaving wave, and welcomed the showers of spray +which flew over her deck. On she sped, but very slowly; now she sank +downwards, and it seemed as if the next roller would send her back on +the bar. It glided under her, however, and then she appeared floating, +as it were, almost at rest on its summit, and then downwards she slid, +slowly making her onward way. + +In a few minutes more we were in the free open ocean, and the dark +sombre river, with its gloomy associations, was far astern. Every inch +of canvas the vessel could carry was set, that we might get a good +offing before nightfall, when a calm was to be expected. + +"I never wish to see that place again," I could not help exclaiming. + +"Don't say that, Harry," answered the captain. "We may hope to have +better luck the next time. If you ever want to grow rich you must run +some risk. We have had an unusually sickly season, which may not again +occur; and if the owners ask me to go back, I am not the man to refuse +to do so, and I should look to you to go along with me." + +Can it be possible, I thought, that a man, after running so fearful a +risk, would willingly again expose himself to the same danger, merely +for the sake of rapidly gaining wealth? I forgot at the moment that +people not only hazard their health but their souls, for that object. +Had I remembered the fact, I should not have been surprised at what the +captain had said. + +We had got out of sight of land, but the wind was very light, and we +made little progress. In a short time it fell calm altogether, and the +vessel lay like a log on the water. The heat, too, was very great, and +the captain appeared to suffer from it. It was evident, indeed, that he +was falling rapidly back, and he had now no strength to come on deck. I +was much alarmed on his account, for I thought it too likely that, after +apparently being so near recovery, he would die. I was anxious also on +our own account, for knowing so little as I did about navigation, I +could not tell how I should take the vessel into port. I got out a +chart and studied it, and marked the spot where I believed we then were. +I then drew a line from it to Sierra Leone, the place for which I +intended to steer. It lay about north-west of us, and I hoped that if I +could sight the land to the southward I might coast along till I came to +it. There were, however, I knew, strong currents running, which might +take us out of our course, and we might have contrary winds, which would +further increase the difficulty. I thought that very likely some of the +blacks knew more about the matter than I did, but I did not like to +confess my apprehensions to them lest they might be tempted to play some +trick, and perhaps run away with the vessel altogether. + +The only person in whom I could confide was Paul. I knew that I could +trust him thoroughly, but then I suspected that he was not a better +navigator than I was, as he had only served on board a man-of-war and +merchantmen, when he would not have been able to learn anything about +the matter. + +The captain caught sight of me through the open door of his berth, as I +was poring over the chart spread out on the table of the main cabin. +"What are you about, Harry?" he asked. + +I told him that I was looking at the chart to see what course we ought +to steer. + +"Don't trouble yourself about that, lad," he answered; "I shall be well +as soon as the breeze comes. It's this hot calm keeps me down. If the +wind had continued, I should have been myself again by this time, though +I have had a narrow squeak for it I'll allow." + +His face looked so pale and haggard, his eyes so sunken, his voice so +weak and trembling, that I could not help fearing that he was mistaken. +I was unwilling to alarm him, but it was so important that I should know +how to act in case of his death, that I could not help saying,--"But +suppose anything was to happen to you, sir, what should you advise me to +do?" + +"I do not intend that anything shall happen to me, Harry," he answered, +evidently annoyed at my remark. "After having got this valuable cargo +on board we must not think of such a thing. Why Harry, in all my +voyages I have never collected half so rich a freight." + +"I earnestly hope that you may recover your health, sir," I said. "I +mentioned the subject simply in case of accidents, and I did not suppose +that you would be offended." + +"Of course I am not, Harry," he replied. "You don't suppose that I am a +coward and afraid to die; and if it was not for the sake of the vessel +and her freight, I should not care, I fancy, so much about the matter; +but it would never do now to knock under--so don't, Harry, put those +gloomy thoughts again into my head." + +On going on deck I told Paul my fears about the captain. "Yes, he very +bad," he said; "but I more sorry about him soul. He think more of the +cargo, which may go to the bottom in one moment, than of his soul, which +live for ever and ever. O Massa Harry, we must speak again to him about +dat. We will plead with him with tears in our eyes, that he think about +his soul, and we will tell him not to trouble about the vessel." + +Without loss of time we went to the captain. At first he listened +somewhat coldly to what Paul said, but he did not grow angry. "I thank +you for interesting yourself about me," he said at last. "You may be +right, and if you will pray with me I will try to join you." + +Paul and I thereon knelt down, as we had done before, and Paul, in very +plain language, earnestly besought God to send His Holy Spirit to soften +the captain's heart, to show him that he was a lost sinner, and had need +of a Saviour--to enlighten his mind, and to enable him to take hold of +Christ as the only way whereby he could be saved. + +The captain remained for a long time afterwards silent. At length he +put out his hand and grasped Paul's. "I see it now," he said, sighing +deeply. "I have been, and still am, a great sinner. Oh, that I knew +better how I could be saved." + +"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," said Paul, +in a firm voice. "That is God's loving message. He sends no other; +and, captain, if all the ministers of your country were to come to you, +they could bring you no other. If you do believe on Jesus, and are to +die this very day, He says to you just what He said when hanging on the +cross on Calvary to the dying thief, `This night thou shalt be with me +in paradise.'" + +The captain was greatly moved, and I heard him, between his sobs, +exclaiming, "Lord, I believe, help Thou my unbelief." + +Oh how necessary is that prayer! and I am sure it is one which is always +answered, when the sinner is truly desirous of turning from his sins, +and is seeking, by every means in his power, to strengthen his belief. + +I had got out my Bible several days before, and I now read it constantly +to the captain, as well as to myself. Whenever I came to a passage +which seemed to meet his case, he desired me to read it over and over +again. Notwithstanding this, the desire was strong within him to +recover, for the sake of carrying home the vessel and her rich freight +in safety. That was but natural, and I earnestly hoped that he might be +restored to health. Instead, however, of gaining strength, he appeared +to grow weaker and weaker. + +The calm had now continued for several days. Often as I looked over the +side I saw dark triangular fins just rising above the surface, and +moving here and there round the ship, and frequently the whole form of +the monster could be discerned as it glided by; and when I saw its keen +cruel eyes glancing up towards me, I felt a shudder pass through my +frame, such as, according to the vulgar notion, a person feels when it +is said that some one is walking over his grave. Occasionally, when +anything was thrown overboard, a white flash was seen rising out of the +deep, and a large pair of jaws, armed with sharp teeth, opening, gulped +it down, and directly afterwards the creature went swimming on, watching +for any other dainty morsel which might come in its way. "How dreadful +it would be to fall overboard," I thought. "Calm as the sea is, a +person, with those creatures around, would have very little chance of +escaping with life." + +Dark clouds had been gathering around, and the wavelets began to play +over the hitherto calm ocean. Although as yet there was not much wind, +the sails were trimmed, and, by the captain's orders, the vessel was put +on a north-west course. I concluded, consequently, that he at all +events intended touching at Sierra Leone, to obtain a mate and some +white hands. The wind, however, rapidly increased, sail was taken in, +and before long it was blowing a perfect hurricane. This made the poor +captain more anxious than ever to get on deck, but when he attempted to +move he found that he had not strength even to sit up. The wind howled +and whistled, the vessel tumbled fearfully about, and the seas, which +rose up in foaming masses, frequently broke on board, deluging her deck. + +I had gone down to the captain, who had directed me to visit him every +quarter of an hour to let him know how things were going on, when, as I +entered the cabin, I discovered a strong smell of burning, and directly +afterwards I saw thin wreaths of black smoke making their way through +the forward bulk-head. The dreadful conviction came upon me that the +vessel was on fire. I sprang on deck, and calling the boatswain and +Paul, I told them my fears. That they were too well founded we had soon +fearful evidence, for the smoke, now in thick volumes, rose above the +deck, both fore and aft. Still there might be time to extinguish the +fire. To do this it was necessary to take off the main-hatchway, and, +in spite of the risk of a sea beating over us, it was done. The instant +it was off dense masses of black smoke rose up from below, preventing +all attempts which the boatswain and some of his men made to discover +the seat of the fire. + +"We must take to the boats," he exclaimed, "the ship soon all in flames, +then the boats burn and we no get away." + +Paul and I as well as Sambo tried to persuade him and his Krumen to make +more efforts to put out the fire before they lowered the boats. With +the sea then running, indeed there was every probability that they would +be swamped. We set them the example, by rigging the pumps, and filling +buckets from alongside to heave down the hold. Thus encouraged, they +laboured for a short time, but finding their efforts of no effect, they +abandoned the work and began to lower the boats. + +The wind had happily by this time somewhat moderated; while most of the +people were engaged in launching the long boat, Paul and I with two +other men set to work to lower one of the smaller boats. We had not +forgotten the poor captain, and as the smoke had not yet made its way +into his cabin, I did not intend to let him know what had occurred till +the last, when I hoped, with the assistance of Paul and others, to get +him lowered safely into one of the boats. + +All hands were working away with frantic haste, for we could not tell at +what moment the flames might burst forth, and render the deck untenable. +At length the long boat was launched, and the boatswain and the Krumen +leaped into her. They called to Sambo and the rest to follow. I +thought Sambo would have remained faithful to the captain, and have come +to assist him, but at that moment a forked flame burst up from the hold, +so alarming him, that he followed the rest. Paul and I entreated the +other men to remain by the smaller boat, while we went into the cabin to +bring up my poor friend the captain. As I was descending the companion +hatch, I heard the boatswain shouting to the other men, and caught sight +of them running to the side. Still I hoped that should they desert us, +Paul and I might be able, after placing the captain in the boat, to +lower her in safety. + +"The ship on fire," exclaimed Captain Willis, when I told him what had +occurred, "Heave water down the hold. Do all you can to save our rich +freight, that must not be lost on any account." + +I told him that we had done what we could, and that the rest of the crew +had already deserted the vessel. + +The captain sank back on his pillow, "I Have no strength to move," he +murmured, "and you and Paul cannot lift me." + +"We will try, Massa Captain," said Paul. + +I proposed that we should lift him in his cot through the skylight. The +captain at length agreed to this. I sprang on deck, intending to secure +a tackle to the main boom, by which we might carry out my proposal with +greater ease. What was my horror on reaching the deck, to find that the +blacks, on quitting the falls, had neglected to secure them, and that +the boat having fallen into the water had been washed away and capsized. +The flames, too, which were now ascending through the main-hatchway had +caught the other boat, and already her bows were burned through. + +With this appalling intelligence I returned below. Escape seemed +impossible. I proposed building a raft, it was a desperate resource, +and there might not be time even to lash a few spars together. I could +not bear the thought of allowing the poor captain to perish miserably +without an attempt to save him. He divined my thoughts. "Its of no +use, Harry, I am prepared for death, and resign myself to the arms of +that merciful God whom I have so lately learned to know," he said, with +perfect calmness. + +Paul, while the captain had been speaking, seized a bright axe which +hung against the bulk-head as an ornament, intending to cut away +whatever might assist in forming a raft, and had sprang on deck with it. +He now came down through the skylight hatch, "It is too late," he +exclaimed, "the flames come aft." + +He spoke too truly. At that instant dense masses of smoke rushed into +the cabin, and the flames burst through the after bulk head. I was +scorched, by the heat and almost suffocated. So dense was the smoke +which filled the captain's berth, that I could no longer see him. + +I felt Paul grasping my hand, "Come Harry, come, too late to save poor +captain," he said, dragging me after him. I was almost stifled, and +gasped for breath. In another moment I should have fallen, indeed I was +so overcome with the smoke that I did not know what was happening. + +Happily however I kept firm hold of Paul, and suddenly I found myself +plunged headlong into the water. He had hauled me through the cabin +window. + +"Now strike out Massa Harry, I see boat not far off, we get to her," he +exclaimed. I did as he directed me, but the thought of the horrid +sharks I had seen swimming about the vessel, almost paralysed my senses, +and every moment I expected to find myself seized by the cruel jaws of +one of them. + +"Cheer up Harry, cheer up," shouted Paul; "there is the boat, we got +Friend in heaven who look after us; never fear, we reach her soon, cheer +up." + +With such like cries he continued to animate me. He shouted thus not +only for that object, but to keep any sharks which might be inclined to +seize us at a distance. The boat, as we got near her, was, I saw, keel +upwards. + +"Never fear Massa Harry," said Paul, "we soon right her." + +We at length reached the boat, and Paul showing me the way, after some +exertion, he going ahead and I keeping astern, we managed to turn her +over. We then shook her from side to side till we had hove out a +considerable amount of water in her. He told me to get in over the +stern, and to begin bailing with my hat. I did as he advised, thankful +to find myself out of the grasp of the sharks. He kept splashing about +with his heels, and constantly turning round to see that none of the +monsters were near. Looking up I caught sight of the long boat standing +away from us under sail towards the shore. She had already got too far +off to allow of our cries reaching her, or even indeed for those on +board to see us. We were thus cruelly deserted by our shipmates. We +could only hope for their credit that they supposed we had already lost +our lives, and that there would be no use looking for us. + +At length I having partially cleared the boat, Paul also got in, and we +both began bailing away as hard as we could with our hats. While thus +employed I saw a huge shark approaching, and I fancied looking +disappointed at our having escaped his hungry maw. Happily the sea by +this time had gone considerably down, or our task would have been +rendered hopeless. As it was it took us a considerable time to lessen +the water in the boat, for deep as she was, the water which leaped in +often again nearly refilled her. Still we persevered, for we were, we +knew, labouring for our lives. Meantime the shark, as if longing to +make us its prey, kept swimming round and round the boat. At a short +distance the brigantine was burning furiously, and already the flames, +ascending the masts, had caught the rigging and sails. + +While as I could not help doing, I turned my gaze at her I saw far away +in the horizon the white sail of a vessel. "A sail! a sail!" I +shouted; "we are saved Paul, we are saved." + +Paul looked up for a minute. "Yes," he said, "she standing this way. +The burning ship bring her down to us. She big schooner. May be good, +may be bad! though." + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +A CALM COMES ON, AND WE REMAIN DURING THE NIGHT SUFFERING FROM HUNGER +AND THIRST.--PAUL TELLS ME HIS HISTORY, AND I FIND THAT HE IS CHEEBO, OF +WHOM I AM IN SEARCH.--HIS JOY AT HEARING OF HIS MOTHER MAKES HIM +REGARDLESS OF THE SUFFERING WE ARE ENDURING--THE SCHOONER PICKS US UP.-- +PAUL SUSPECTS HER CHARACTER.--BEFORE LONG WE DISCOVER THAT SHE IS A +SLAVER, AND SHE RUNS UP A RIVER TO RECEIVE HER CARGO ON BOARD. + +Scarcely had we caught sight of the stranger than the wind entirely fell +and she lay totally becalmed. The smooth sea enabled us to free the +boat completely, and now we had nothing to do but to sit down and watch +the burning brigantine. + +First one of the tall masts, completely encircled by the flames, fell +hissing into the water. The other, after standing awhile in solitary +grandeur, formed a fiery pinnacle to the flaming hull below. + +At length it followed its companion, and then the fire ran riot fore and +aft. Sometimes wearied by the sight, I put my hands before my eyes to +shut it out, but then I could not help thinking of the sad fate of the +poor captain, whose body lay on its funeral pile on board. + +"Ah, he happy now," whispered Paul. He had also been thinking of him. +"He say he love Jesus; he trust to Jesus, no fear for him." + +Paul's words brought consolation to my heart. Our own condition might +well have made me depressed, yet I felt supported by the strong faith of +my companion in a way I formerly should not have thought possible. + +We had no food, and not a drop of fresh water to quench our burning +thirst. + +Some way off we could see pieces of burnt spars floating about. I +thought of trying to paddle the boat up to them with our hands, hoping +to find some which might serve as oars, and enable us to reach the +schooner in the distance. I quickly, however, gave up the attempt, for +scarcely had I put my hand into the water than I saw a huge pair of jaws +darting towards it, and I had just time to pull it out before they made +a snap close to me, which would, in a moment, have bitten it off. + +Night soon came down upon us as we thus sat utterly helpless in our +boat, while the sea around was lighted up with the flames of the burning +vessel. Loaded as she was almost entirely with combustible materials, +they burned with unusual fierceness. Her whole interior, as the sides +were burned away, appeared one glowing mass, surrounded by a rim of +flames which fed upon her stout timbers and planking. Suddenly there +came a loud hissing noise across the water, then a dense vapour ascended +from her midst, and in an instant after all was darkness. The remains +of the "Chieftain" had sunk into the depths of ocean. + +"I am afraid our chance of being picked up by the schooner is gone," I +observed to Paul. "She very probably, when the breeze comes, will stand +away from us." + +"There is no such thing as chance, Massa Harry," he answered. "If it is +God's will she come, if not, He find some other way to save us. Let us +pray that He do what He judge best." + +Thereon Paul, without waiting for my reply, knelt down in the bottom of +the boat and lifted up his voice in prayer to our merciful Father in +heaven, for that protection which we more than ever felt we so much +needed. I imitating his example, heartily joined him. + +As we sat in the boat side by side talking together, for neither of us +were inclined to sleep, I asked him how it was that he, a common sailor, +had become so well instructed a Christian? + +"Ah, Massa Harry, I knew about Jesus when I quite a little boy; but only +a few years ago I learned to love Him and trust to Him as I now do," he +answered. "I'll tell you how dis was. When I piccaniny I hab kind +fader and moder, and we live in Yourba country, in our own village, far +away. One night the enemy come and attack the village, and carry off +many men and women and children. My fader take me up and run away into +de wood, my moder follow, but she fall, and the slaver people catch her +and take her with the rest. My poor fader, like to break him heart, but +for my sake he live and hide away till the slaver people gone. He tried +to find my moder, but from dat day to dis he neber hear of her more. +After some time it was told him dat a great many people go to a place +called Abeokuta, and dat dere day built town, and let no slave-takers +come near them, so my fader go there, and we live there, and work and +grow rich, and many more people come, and we not fear any of our +enemies. All the people were heathens, and prayed to the fetish. + +"After some time many people come from Sierra Leone, who had been +carried off in slavers, and taken by the English cruisers, and landed +there. They find relations and friends in Abeokuta, and so they stop to +live with us. Some of them had learned in Sierra Leone about God and +His Son Jesus Christ, and they tell us, and many of the people of +Abeokuta say they will no longer pray to the fetish, but will only pray +to God, and love Him and serve Him. My fader was among these, and now +the only thing he cared for in life was to listen to the missionaries +and hear about Jesus Christ. Only one thing made him unhappy, that was +that my poor moder should not learn the truth of the gospel. He knew +that she was carried away by bad people, and he afraid that she become +bad like them; but he pray day and night that God in His mercy would +make known to her His great love, as He had made it known to him. + +"Oh, if I could but hear that she had become a Christian how happy I +should be!" he used to say to me over and over again. "Paul," that was +the name I had got when I was christened, "you must pray for your moder +wid me, and I am sure that God will hear our prayers." + +"At last my fader grew sick, and he made me promise, if he died, that I +would go to Sierra Leone and try to find if my moder was dere. My fader +grew worse and worse, but still him very happy, and taking my hand, he +say, `Paul, you must meet me in heaven, and you must bring your moder +there, and then we all live together for ever and ever, where there are +no more slave-dealers, and no more war, and no more cruelty,' and den +him die. + +"After dat I set off to go to Sierra Leone, but slave-dealer catch me on +the way and take me on board slaver, with nearly four hundred other +black fellows, and we were all put down in ship's hold, and carried away +to the coast of Brazil. But English man-of-war catch the slaver. The +English captain find out that I was a Christian, and so he ask me if I +like to serve on board de man-of-war, and I say yes. The captain, good +Christian man himself, so I learn to speak English, and he taught me to +read Bible, and I learn still more about Jesus than I did in Abeokuta. +At last we got back to Sierra Leone, and then I remember my promise to +my father, and while I on shore trying to learn about my moder, the ship +sail away, and no more come back. I no hear about my moder, and have no +money, so I ship on board merchant vessel, and after sailing in her +along the coast for some time I go on board another, and then I again go +on board man-of-war. At last I get back to Sierra Leone, and fall very +sick, and sent to hospital, then a good missionary come to me and I tell +him what my fader had said, and he ask me if I think I going to heaven, +and then he tell me more about the right way, and pray with me. And now +I find Jesus as my own Saviour and Friend, and love Him, and wish to +serve Him, and obey Him. Then the wish came into my heart to preach the +gospel to my countrymen, but I, still poor and very ignorant, and I +thought if I could make two or three voyages and save money, I would go +to England and study there, and be better able to declare the glad +tidings of salvation, and that the people would more willingly listen to +me. + +"It was on the second trip I made that the vessel I was in was wrecked +not far from the mouth of the Bonny, and I was making my way with some +of those who had escaped with me to Sierra Leone when Captain Willis +engaged me to serve on board the `Chieftain.'" + +While Paul was giving me this sketch of his history an idea had forcibly +taken possession of my mind. "Tell me," I exclaimed suddenly, "what was +your name before you were christened?" + +"Cheebo," he answered. + +"And your father's name," I inquired eagerly. + +"My father, him called Quamino," he said, in a surprised tone. + +"Oh Paul!" I cried out, seizing his hand, "I have indeed then good news +for you. Your father's and your prayers have been answered, for I can +assure you that your mother is a true and faithful Christian. I have +known her all my life, her name she has told me was Ambah, and that she +was torn away from her husband and child as your mother was from you." + +"Yes, yes, Ambah was my mother's name, and did she tell you that her +husband's name was Quamino, and their piccaniny was called Cheebo?" he +asked, almost gasping for breath. + +"Those were the very names she gave me, and I wrote them in my pocket +book so that I might not forget them." I answered. + +"Oh, Massa Harry, that is indeed joyful news," he cried out. "Then I +and my mother and father will all meet in heaven, Praise God! I now not +fear what man can do unto me." + +It would be difficult to do justice to the feeling displayed by Paul, +even were I to repeat all he said, his piety, his gratitude, and his +joy. He could talk of nothing else during the night. He seemed to be +insensible to hunger and thirst, and to forget altogether the dangerous +position in which we were placed. Now he kneeled down in prayer, now he +gave vent to his feelings in a hymn of praise. I could not help +sympathising with him, and rejoicing that I had been the means of giving +him the information which made him so happy. Still I must confess that +I myself suffered not a little from the pangs of hunger, and would have +given much for a glass of cold water. + +When morning dawned the schooner was still in sight. I looked anxiously +round for the sign of a breeze, hoping that if it did come the stranger +would stand towards us. At all events it seemed probable that having +seen the burning vessel those on board, in common humanity, would sail +over the spot where she had been, on the chance of picking up any of her +crew who might have escaped. Paul, however, did not seem to wish this +as much as I did. I saw him narrowly watching the vessel, then he shook +his head as if he did not like her looks. + +The sun rose high in the sky, and beat down on our heads. My thirst +became intolerable, and whatever might be the character of the stranger, +I could not help longing that she would pick us up. The breeze came at +last, her sails filled. How eagerly I watched her. + +"She is standing towards us," I cried out, "we must soon be seen." I +stood up on a thwart and waved a handkerchief. + +"Better not Massa Harry," said Paul, but I did not heed him. + +The schooner came on rapidly. Again I waved my handkerchief, and held +it between my two hands, so that it might flutter in the breeze. The +stranger approached. She was a fine large square topsail schooner, with +a black hull and taunt raking masts. She rounded to close to us, so +that she could drop down to where our boat lay. + +A rope was hove to us, and I clambered up her side, Paul following me. +We were both so weak when we reached her deck that we could scarcely +stand. I pointed to my mouth, just able to murmur, "water! water!" + +"Si, si, aqua aqua," said a man, who appeared to be an officer; when one +of the men dipped a mug into a cask on deck, and brought it to us. I +took part of the contents then handed it to Paul; but the seaman signed +to me to drain it myself, casting, I thought, a contemptuous glance at +my negro companion. However, he brought another cup full, and even +though I emptied it to the bottom, still my thirst was scarcely +quenched. + +An officer now appeared from below, and addressing me in English, asked +me how I came to be in the boat. I told him exactly what had occurred. + +"It is fortunate for you that we picked you up, for another vessel might +not pass this way for days to come," he observed. "But what a pity so +rich a cargo should have been lost." + +The unhappy fate of the poor captain did not seem to concern him much. + +I could not make out the character of the vessel. + +She was Spanish, I guessed, and her officers and crew appeared smart +active fellows; and though she looked in some respects like a +man-of-war, she certainly was not one. Her hatches were off, and as far +as I could judge there was nothing to show that she was a slaver. + +The officer who had spoken to me finding that I was a young gentleman, +politely invited me down into the cabin, telling Paul that he might go +forward among the men. Paul thanked him, and took advantage of the +permission granted him. The officers were going to breakfast, and I was +very thankful when they invited me to join them. Altogether they +treated me very civilly. + +I found an opportunity of speaking to Paul during the day. + +"Bad vessel this," he whispered. "Dey put you on shore soon Massa +Harry, and so no harm come to you, but I fear they make me slave, and I +no get back to see my moder. Still I pray God that He find a way for +escape." + +I had too much reason soon afterwards to know that Paul was right in his +conjectures. + +The next day we came in sight of a large vessel. Signals were +exchanged, and we hove-to near each other. The boats were then actively +engaged in bringing numerous articles on board the schooner--arms and +ammunition, and cutlery, and Manchester goods, and farinha (the meal on +which slaves on board ship are fed), and cases which I found contained +slave shackles. There was no secret indeed made about the matter. + +The schooner having taken her cargo on board, the other vessel sailed +away while we stood towards the coast. The carpenters were busily +employed in fitting an additional deck in the hold, and Paul told me +that it was called the slave deck, and that the slaves we were to take +on board would be seated along it, packed close together side by side, +and that they would thus be kept during the whole run to the Brazils, or +wherever the schooner was bound with her hapless freight. + +"You see what this vessel is," said the officer who had spoken to me in +English. "We have saved your life, and must exact a promise from you +not to appear as a witness against any one on board should you at any +future period be called on to do so. Let me advise you indeed not to +take notice of anything that occurs on board and it will be the better +for you. We do not wish to harm you, but there are those among us who +hold human life very cheap, and they are not likely to stand on ceremony +should you interfere with their proceedings." + +I replied that I was very grateful to him and the other officers for +treating me kindly, and that I only desired to be put on board an +English trader, in which I could work a passage home, "and I hope," I +added, "that my black companion will be allowed to accompany me." + +"As to that I can make no promise," he answered. "The captain will +decide the matter; but, I have no doubt, that if we fall in with an +English trader you will be allowed to go on board her." + +A bright look-out was kept from the mast-head, and twice the schooner +altered her course to avoid a sail seen in the distance. At length we +came off the mouth of a river. A signal was made from the shore. With +a fair breeze we ran in, and proceeding up some distance, dropped anchor +in a creek, where the schooner lay concealed by the tall trees which +grew on its banks. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +I WITNESS THE EMBARKATION OF SLAVES COLLECTED AT THE BARRACOONS, AND THE +CRUEL WAY IN WHICH THEY ARE TREATED AND PACKED IN THE HOLD OF THE +SLAVER.--UNWILLING TO DESERT PAUL, I REMAIN ON BOARD, AND THE SLAVER +PUTS TO SEA.--PAUL IS THREATENED FOR ATTEMPTING TO COMFORT THE SLAVES +WITH THE GOSPEL NEWS.--THE SCHOONER RECEIVES MORE SLAVES ON BOARD ALONG +THE COAST.--SOME ARE DROWNED COMING OFF--THE SLAVER GETS ON SHORE JUST +AS A MAN-OF-WAR IS SEEN IN THE OFFING.--A FOG COMES ON, AND THE +SCHOONER'S CREW MAKING DESPERATE EFFORTS TO GET HER OFF, SHE ESCAPES, TO +MY BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT, FROM THE MAN-OF-WAR'S BOATS, ALONG THE COAST. + +I found myself once more exposed to the pestilential air of an African +river. I in vain tried to sleep. All night long I heard the sound of +the carpenters at work fitting the slave decks, and fixing the bars +across them, to which the captive negroes were to be secured. The crew +were employed most of their time in hoisting water casks, and a further +supply of farinha, on board. + +At length when morning broke I went on deck to breathe the air, which I +hoped would be somewhat cooler than that of the calm. Through an +opening in the trees I saw several long low sheds with cottages and huts +scattered round them, while a number of people were moving about. The +door in the end of one of the sheds was thrown open, and there issued +forth a long line of black figures, walking two and two, and secured +together by iron shackles round their wrists. + +They staggered along with unwilling steps, looking round on the trees +and distant blue hills, which they were destined never again to see, and +even now it seemed to me that could they have wrenched their hands from +those iron bonds they would have attempted to strike a blow for freedom, +and make their escape into the forest. On either side of them, however, +walked ruffianly looking fellows, with pistols in their belts and heavy +whips in their hands, with which, if their captives attempted to lag +behind, they urged them on. One or two were whites, but most of them +were negroes, and seemed to have no scruple in leading their countrymen +into captivity. + +So long a line came forth that it seemed impossible the building could +have held so many human beings. Some were strong men, who cast scowling +glances at their guards; others were youths, many mere lads and young +boys, and there were a considerable number of women, mostly young, many, +indeed, being mere girls. Several of the elder women had infants in +their arms, and children of various ages trotted by the sides of others, +or clung to their hands. The sad procession came towards the vessel. A +bridge had been formed from her deck to the shore. The leading slaves +hesitated as they reached it, and refused to move forward till urged on +by the lash of their guards. + +Their condition had been bad before, but they knew now that they were to +be shut down and crowded together in the dark noisome hold of the slave +ship. As they arrived on board they were compelled to go below and take +their seats on the bare deck, side by side, with their legs secured to +the iron bars, and so closely packed that their knees were drawn up +almost to their chins. Still, although nearly a hundred had come on +board, a considerable portion of the deck remained unoccupied. + +I took an opportunity of going on shore, no one interfering with me. As +I went through the village I passed a house of some size, in front of +which the captain was seated in the verandah with another white man, +with whom he appeared to be eagerly bargaining. The latter was, I +found, the principle slave-dealer, to whom the sheds or barracoons, in +which the slaves were confined, belonged. Going on I looked into one of +the barracoons. The heat and odour which proceeded from it made me +unwilling to enter. It was full of blacks, seated on narrow benches, +with their arms and legs secured to long bars which ran in front of +them. Here they had been placed as they were brought down from the +interior, and kept in readiness for the arrival of the slaver. This, I +suspect, was the gang for whom the captain had been bargaining with +their owner, as they were immediately afterwards summoned out and +marched down, as the others had been, to the vessel. + +While I was still on shore I saw coming through the woods another long +line of captives. They had come, apparently, a long distance, for they +were mostly foot-sore, and several could scarcely move along; not a few +were wounded, and many of the men, and even of the women, bore traces on +their backs of the cruel lash which had been inflicted to make them +hasten their steps when they had showed any unwillingness to proceed. +They were allowed but a short time to rest in the barracoons, and having +been fed with farinha, mixed into porridge, were marched down to the +ship. They gazed at her with looks of dismay, for they knew that she +was to convey them away over the wide ocean they had heard of, but never +seen, to an unknown land, where they were to toil, unrequited, for hard +task-masters. + +I thought of remaining on shore rather than proceed in the slave vessel; +but was unwilling to desert Paul, and he had not been allowed to land. +I therefore returned, hoping to obtain his release. + +"You must remain with us a little longer," said my friend the officer, +who spoke English, "and we will land you on another part of the coast, +where you are more likely than here to meet with a trader." + +I was compelled to comply, indeed I knew by his tone and manner, that I +should not be allowed to remain behind. + +All the slaves which had been collected in the depot having been +received on board, the schooner cast off from the bank, and proceeded +down the river. As we crossed the bar the vessel pitched heavily, and +shipped several seas. The poor wretches below, as the water rushed down +upon them, fancying that they were about to be drowned, gave vent to +piercing shrieks and cries. The Spanish crew heard them with perfect +indifference, and no one, with the exception of Paul, took the slightest +trouble to calm their fears--he managing to slip down into the hold +assured them that there was no danger; but he could offer them very +little comfort besides as to their prospects in this world. Still he +could speak to them of another and a better land, "where the weary are +at rest, and the wicked cease from troubling," and where the shackles of +slavery are cast aside, and to which the God of mercy invites all His +creatures to come and dwell with Him, and be at rest. He was +endeavouring to explain to the miserable beings the simple troths of the +gospel, when he was overheard by one of the officers, and ordered on +deck, with a threat that should he again be found speaking to the slaves +he would be shackled along with them. + +We ran down the coast and came to an anchorage in-shore. There were +numerous huts and several large canoes drawn up on the beach, on which a +heavy surf was breaking. In a short time people appeared collecting +from all quarters and a canoe came off with a burly negro on board, who, +as he climbed up the side was treated with great ceremony. He was, I +found, the king of that part of the country, his chief revenue being +derived from slave dealing. His business with the captain was quickly +concluded. A signal was made from the vessel, and soon afterwards I saw +a long line of slaves coming forth from behind a wood which concealed +the barracoons where they had been confined. They were marched down to +the canoes, and thrust in one after the other in spite of their +struggles. + +The canoes were now launched, and began to make their way through the +surf. Three succeeded in getting alongside, but the fourth was +overturned by a heavy roller, and the unfortunate passengers thrown out +amid the foaming waters. Some, as if thus glad to escape from their +persecutors, sank without making a struggle for life; others clung to +the canoe, and a few were either washed back on the beach or picked up +by the surrounding canoes, to which the crew had already made their way. +Eight or ten human beings thus lost their lives, but the event seemed +to cause no concern to the captain or his officers. He had only agreed +to pay for those brought off to him in safety. The embarkation +continued as before, and we were soon surrounded by canoes full of +slaves, who were forthwith hoisted on board and stowed below. Their +price, chiefly in goods, was then lowered into the canoes, which +returned to the shore with much more caution than they had come out. + +Two days afterwards we obtained an other addition to our cargo still +further down the coast. On this occasion we brought up in a sheltered +bay. Here the slaves were conveyed on large rafts. Every expedition +was used in getting them on board, for news had been received that an +English cruiser was in the neighbourhood. The moment they were stowed +away the anchor was hove-up and sail was made. + +As we were going out, and appeared to be clear of the harbour, I heard a +grating sound, and felt the vessel's keel touch the ground. At the same +moment the look-out from the mast-head gave notice that a sail was in +sight in the offing. + +Every effort was made to get the schooner off, but she stuck fast. One +of the officers had gone aloft with a spy-glass. On his return I +observed a look of consternation in the countenance of the captain and +his mates. After talking eagerly together one of them went aloft. He +remained for sometime with his spy-glass turned towards the stranger, +which, in a short time, could be seen clearly from the deck, and from +the expressions I heard them utter, I found that she was supposed to be +a British man-of-war. I endeavoured to conceal my satisfaction, for I +hoped that the unfortunate slaves would be rescued, and that Paul and I +might be taken on board her. + +It shortly, however, fell perfectly calm, and the spirits of the +slaver's crew revived. The tide was rising, anchors were carried out, +and desperate efforts were made to heave the vessel off. A report now +came from aloft that several boats were approaching from the direction +of the cruiser. The Spaniards, on hearing this, began to stamp about +the deck, grinding their teeth and shaking their fists towards where the +boats were supposed to be, working themselves into a perfect fury. Arms +were got up on deck, and the two guns the vessel carried were loaded and +run out. The savage cries and oaths, and fierce gestures of the crew, +made them look more like demons than men. + +I looked anxiously for Paul, fearing that in their fury they might +injure him, but he had wisely taken shelter in the berth forward so as +to be out of their sight. I had thought of hiding in the cabin where I +slept, but felt too anxious to watch the issue of events to do so. Of +one thing I felt very sure, that though the Spaniards might fight, the +British seamen would soon be in possession of the slaver. + +The day was drawing to a close, however, and I began to fear that the +boats might not reach the schooner before darkness set in. In a short +time too, I observed a thick mist gathering over the land, which rose +higher and higher, and came moving towards us. We were soon completely +enveloped in it. This seemed to give the slaver's crew great +satisfaction, and they again began to talk and laugh in their usual +tone, while all the time they continued their exertions to get the +vessel off. Lazy as the Spaniards are they can work as hard as any one +when they have a sufficient motive to arouse them. + +I observed the captain frequently wetting his finger and holding it up, +and soon I felt a light breeze blowing from the land. The sails were +let fall, and the crew making another desperate effort, the schooner +glided away up to her anchors. No time was lost in weighing them. I +thought the crew would have shouted to show their satisfaction, but not +a sound was uttered. Onward she glided, keeping close in-shore. + +My heart sank within me, and my hopes of escaping from the vile slave +ship vanished. The lead was kept going. I felt sure that no stranger +would venture to stand in so close to the coast as we were doing. On we +stood till the Spanish seamen seemed satisfied that they had made good +their escape from the boats of the cruiser. As the schooner had by this +time nearly a full cargo of slaves, I feared that she would not again +touch on the coast, and that I was destined to make a voyage on board +the hateful craft across the Atlantic. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE SPANIARDS BELIEVING THE MAN-OF-WAR TO BE FAR AWAY, STEER TO THE +WESTWARD.--WE SIGHT HER, AND SHE CHASES US.--CRUEL DEVICE OF THE +SLAVER'S CREW TO ASSIST THEIR ESCAPE.--PAUL, AMONG OTHERS, BEING THROWN +OVERBOARD THAT THE MAN-OF-WAR MIGHT HAVE TO PICK THEM UP; I FEAR THAT HE +HAS BEEN LOST.--MY LIFE PRESERVED BY ONE OF THE OFFICERS, WHEN +THREATENED BY THE SLAVER'S CREW.--THE SCHOONER ESCAPES, BUT DISMASTED IN +A GALE, AND AGAIN OVERTAKEN.--PAUL AND MY COUSIN JACK COME ON BOARD, AND +I JOIN THE CORVETTE AS A MIDSHIPMAN.--RETURNING TO ENGLAND I RESTORE +CHEEBO TO HIS MOTHER.--MY ADVENTURES SHOW THAT "ALL WORKS TOGETHER FOR +GOOD TO THEM WHO LOVE GOD."--JACK BECOMES A COMMANDER, MARRIES MY SISTER +MARY, AND I FIND AMPLE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE REST OF MY DEAR SISTERS. + +The schooner ran on during the night, keeping the coast close aboard to +enjoy the advantage of the land breeze. I managed to get a word with +Paul to ask him whether he thought there was a probability of her making +her escape. "I pray God for the poor slaves," he answered, "and hope +English cruiser still catch her." + +As may be supposed a very bright look-out was kept for the cruiser. As +the day advanced she was no where to be seen, and the captain, anxious +to make as quick a run as possible across the Atlantic, the vessel's +head was turned to the westward, the wind still blowing off shore. +Still, however, a haze hung over the ocean, sufficiently thick to +prevent objects being seen in the far distance. This seemed still +further to favour the escape of the slaver. + +We had got some distance off the land when the haze lifted, and away to +the southward a sail was seen, which the Spaniards at once seemed to +know was the British man-of-war. She saw us at the same moment, and +crowded all sail in chase. The schooner was put before the wind, which +now came from the southward, and every stitch of canvas she could carry +was set, men also going aloft with buckets of water to wet the sails. + +Again the same scene of impotent rage I had before witnessed was +enacted, and the fury of the Spaniards increased as they saw the +man-of-war gaining on us, she apparently having more wind than we had. + +I, as I had previously done, kept as much as I could out of their way, +and tried to prevent any gleam of satisfaction appearing in my +countenance. + +The man-of-war was a corvette--evidently a powerful and very fast craft, +against which the slaver would not have had the shadow of a chance, had +even her crew possessed the courage to fight, which I felt very sure, in +spite of their bravado, they would not. + +The corvette had been bringing the breeze up with her, and now the +schooner felt it herself, and began to move more rapidly through the +water. She, too, was a fast vessel, and her crew might justly have +entertained hopes of escaping. I little thought of the cruel device +they were contemplating to aid them in so doing. + +At length the man-of-war had got almost near enough to reach the slaver +with her bow-chasers. She tried the range of one of them, but the shot +fell short. On this the captain turned, with a savage determination in +his eye, and spoke to one of the officers. Directly afterwards I saw +him descend to the slave deck with two or three of the men, and they +quickly returned with one of the unfortunate captives. Instantly the +unhappy slave was secured to a plank, and, in spite of his cries and +entreaties, hove overboard. As the poor wretch floated astern I could +not help recollecting that the sea swarmed with sharks, and that he +would probably be seized before many minutes were over by one of the +ravenous monsters. I guessed the object of the Spaniards; it was +confiding in the humanity of my countrymen that they would heave-to in +order to pick up the poor black, should he escape the sharks, and thus +allow the schooner to gain ground. + +The device answered the expectations of its cruel perpetrators. The +corvette hove-to, a boat was lowered, and the slave taken up. The +Spaniards seemed delighted with the result of their experiment, and +prepared to try it again. Another slave was brought up on deck, and, +like the former, hove overboard. Scarcely had he reached the water when +a fearful shriek was heard, and the poor wretch and the plank together +disappeared below the surface. This, however, did not prevent the +Spaniards from again attempting the plan to impede the progress of their +pursuer, and three more slaves were brought up. + +Just then I heard several of the crew shouting out "El heretico!" and +what was my horror to see them dragging Paul aft. He spoke to them in +such Spanish as he could command, but uttered no cry, and when he +understood their object, walked calmly among them to the gangway. + +I could not restrain myself, but ran up to him and implored my +English-speaking friend to plead on his behalf. + +"Take care my lad, or you may be treated in the same way," was the +answer. + +"Oh, but he has just heard of his mother, who longs to see him, and I +have promised to take him to her," I cried out. "Oh, ask them if any of +them have mothers from whom they have been long parted, would they not +desire to see them again? Will they not have compassion on my poor +friend?" + +"Don't grieve for me, Massa Harry," said Paul, while the sailors were +lashing him to the plank. "God take care of me. Give my lub to my +moder, and tell her I meet her in heaven, and she know me den." + +In vain I pleaded. My friend seizing me by the arm, dragged me away, +while the savages hove Paul overboard. + +"Go into my cabin," he exclaimed, "its your only chance of safety." + +I saw, as he dragged me aft, that the Spaniards were preparing to throw +several other slaves into the sea; and, as I turned my head, three in +rapid succession were thrust through the gangway, secured, as the others +had been, to floats. + +My friend had not cautioned me without reason, for I heard the crew +clamouring for the "Englez." My friend went out to them, and on his +return told me that they wished to throw me into the sea, but that he +had advised them not to do so lest after all the schooner should be +captured, when the captain of the man-of-war would certainly deal more +hardly with them for having thus treated a countryman. + +I thanked him for interfering as far as I was concerned, but, at the +same time, could not help observing that the English captain would +consider the crime of throwing any one overboard equally great, whatever +the colour of the sufferer. + +"Ah, we think little about the life of a black," he answered carelessly. + +"So it seems," I said, for I felt utterly horrified at what I had +witnessed. A feeling of desperate indifference to my own fate had crept +over me. "Poor Paul! that the wretches should have treated you thus," I +said to myself. Then I remembered how Paul would have acted, and I +prayed that he might be protected, though I confess I had little +expectation of his escaping the ravenous jaws of a shark. + +So eager was I to ascertain what had happened, that had not my friend +locked the door on me, in spite of his warnings, I should have gone out +again to watch the progress of the chase. Some time elapsed; I longed +again to hear the sound of the corvette's guns, but in vain. The wind +had increased, as I could judge by the movement of the vessel; and I at +length began to fear that she would after all escape. + +Some hours passed away, my friend at length came back. "You are hungry, +I dare say," he said, "and you may come into the cabin and have some +supper, but it is not safe for you to go on deck, the crew are angry at +your having interfered about the black seaman; although our plan has +answered, for your good natured-countrymen, by stopping to pick up the +negroes, have enabled us to escape them. A few of the wretches were, to +be sure, picked off by the sharks." + +"Did my friend, the black sailor, escape?" I asked eagerly. + +"As to that I cannot say," he answered, "undoubtedly some escaped, or +the corvette would not have hove-to so often. But come, the supper is +on the table." + +I declared that I had no appetite; but he insisted upon my going into +the cabin, and said that he should be offended if I did not. "It would +be better for you also to put an indifferent face on the matter," he +added. + +Those of the officers who came to supper were laughing and talking in +good spirits, and, as far as I could judge, seemed to be amusing +themselves at my expense. I, however, had the wisdom to follow my +friend's advice, and showed no signs of annoyance. I confess, too, that +the sight of the food quickly restored my appetite. + +When supper was over my friend advised me to go back to my cabin. "We +shall be far away from the corvette by to-morrow morning, and then you +can come on deck if you like," he observed. + +As I lay in my berth the dreadful scenes I had witnessed came constantly +before my sight, and I kept alternately hoping that Paul might have been +saved, and fearing that he was lost. For a long time too it seemed I +could not go to sleep. The vessel also was pitching heavily, the sea +dashed against her sides, and I could hear the roaring and whistling of +the wind in her rigging; it was evidently blowing very hard. At last I +dropped off to sleep. I was awakened by a loud crash, and the fearful +shrieks and cries which arose from the hold. + +No longer heeding my friend's caution, slipping on my clothes, I rushed +on deck. The schooner's masts had gone by the board, and she lay +helpless on the foaming ocean. The crew were shouting and swearing as +they endeavoured to cut away the masts, which were battering against her +sides, while ever and anon a heavy sea striking her, swept over her +deck, and from the shrieks which came up out of the waters a short +distance away to leeward, I had little doubt that several of the people +had been washed overboard. Fearing that such might be my fate were I to +remain on deck, I hurried back again into the cabin. I knew that +nothing could be done till daylight, and that it would be impossible to +rig jury-masts until the sea was somewhat smoother. Perhaps before then +the slaver and her living freight might be carried down into the depths +of ocean. I would not venture to lie down, but sat in the cabin, ready +to rush out and make an attempt for my life should such a catastrophe +appear imminent. + +The night seemed very long. At length I saw daylight through the +bull's-eye overhead, and the movement of the vessel was less violent +than before. I could no longer restrain my curiosity, and made my way +on deck. The crew, much diminished, were sheltering themselves under +the bulwarks, while the officers were collected in the after part of the +vessel. I saw that their eyes were directed to windward, I looked in +the same direction, and there to my infinite satisfaction I caught sight +of the corvette standing towards us. I was glad to see my English +friend among the officers, but the captain and first mate were gone. +They had been carried overboard. I felt that they deserved their fate, +terrible as it was. + +The corvette soon came up, and hove-to to windward; a boat was lowered +and pulled towards us. I watched her eagerly. A lieutenant was +steering, and among her crew I observed a black man. I tried to make +out his features, but at that distance it was impossible. The hope rose +in my breast that he might be Paul. + +As the schooner still rolled heavily it was no easy matter for the boat +to get alongside without the risk of being swamped. She at length came +up under our quarter. I looked anxiously over the bulwarks, and to my +joy saw that the black was indeed Paul. He caught sight of me. + +"All right Massa Harry," he shouted, "we soon aboard, praise God that +you safe." + +"Silence!" said the officer, for Paul had forgotten the discipline of a +man-of-war in speaking. At that moment I thought I recognised the +lieutenant's countenance; yes, I was nearly certain it was my cousin +Jack Haultaught, whose yarns, when he was a midshipman, first made me +wish to go to sea. He and his crew soon sprang on to the low deck of +the schooner, while the boat, with a couple of hands in her, was veered +astern. + +I first greeted Paul warmly. His joy at seeing me was excessive, for he +had been afraid that the slavers would have thrown me overboard as they +had him, and as I had not been picked up thought my life had been +sacrificed. As my cousin Jack did not know me I had time to talk to +Paul. + +"Oh Massa Harry we must praise God for all His mercy and goodness to us, +what we think going to be very bad for us He make turn out for the best. +The captain of the corvette, my old friend, he good Christian man, he +say he take me to England with him, and then I see my dear moder, and +learn more of the Bible, and then come back and preach the gospel to my +poor countrymen." + +The hatches, which had hitherto been kept battened down, were now taken +off. The five hundred human beings crowded below were evidence of the +character of the vessel, and enabled the lieutenant at once to claim her +as a prize to Her Majesty's ship "Triton." + +I do not wish to dwell on the fearful sight which met our eyes as we +looked down below on the mass of humanity jammed, pressed, and huddled +together. And oh, the horrible odour which arose from that foul hold! +It seemed impossible that human beings could have existed a minute in +it, much less the many hours during which those unhappy people had been +shut up during the gale. How fearful would have been their sufferings +had they been compelled thus to make the passage across the Atlantic. +How enormous a proportion of them would have died. As it was, many of +them had their limbs broken, and many were sadly crushed and bruised. + +At length I went up to the lieutenant and put out my hand. "You don't +know me, cousin Jack," I said. + +"What, Harry!" he exclaimed, looking at me hard. "I am delighted to see +you my boy. The negro sailor told me that there was a young Englishman +on board, but I did not expect to find you. You will be welcome on +board the `Triton,' and if you have a fancy for continuing at sea, I +think the captain will be able to enter you as a supernumerary, and get +you regularly appointed when we return to England." + +I told him that above all things it was what I should like. + +I now accompanied him to the "Triton," carrying with us the surviving +officers of the slaver. They were treated with scant ceremony, but +without any undue harshness, on board, and berthed together in a cabin +run up on the lower deck. I was, however, able to speak a good word for +the officer who had treated me kindly, and been the means of saving my +life, and I was pleased to hear the captain thank him, and afterwards +the officers, to show their sense of his conduct, invited him to mess +with them. He declined doing so, however. He afterwards told my cousin +Jack that in consequence of the scenes he had witnessed he had resolved +to have nothing more to do with the slave trade. + +"It was a great temptation," he said. "I expected to make my fortune in +a short time, and that induced me to engage in the accursed traffic." + +The corvette now took the schooner in tow. As soon as the sea was calm +enough hands were sent on board her to rig jury-masts, and a course was +steered for Sierra Leone. The slaver, as may be supposed, was +condemned, the slaves liberated, and the whole of them settled in the +colony. Paul entered on board the "Triton," and I was placed as a +midshipman on her quarter-deck. + +We cruised for a short time longer on the coast, and captured another +slaver, and then, as the corvette had been her due time on the station, +she was ordered home. + +Jack, from having been at sea, had not heard of the misfortunes of my +family. + +As soon as the ship was paid off he insisted on accompanying me and Paul +back to Liverpool. We reached the house where I had left my sisters +under Mammy's care. Flowers bloomed before the windows, and there was +an air of neatness and comfort about the little abode which looked very +pleasing. + +I begged Jack and Paul to remain outside while I went in to prepare the +inmates for their arrival. Mammy opened the door. She seized me in her +arms the moment she saw me, and I did not at all mind the kisses she +bestowed on my cheeks, though her lips were thick and her black face +shrivelled. + +"Your sisters up stairs, Massa Harry. They so glad you come back," she +exclaimed, and dragged me along. She opened the door where they were +seated at work. + +"I have brought some strangers to see you," I said, after our greetings +were over. "You remember our cousin Jack Haultaught; he insisted on +coming, he is a first-rate capital fellow, and a true friend of mine." + +"We shall be very glad to see him and to thank him," said Mary and Jane +together. + +"And I shall be delighted," cried Emily. "I recalled his giving me all +sorts of curious things when he came back from his first voyage. I'll +run down and ask him in." + +"Mammy," I said, feeling very doubtful how I could best prepare her for +meeting her son. "You remember the commission you gave me, I did my +best to execute it. I asked all the people I met if they knew Cheebo." + +"Ah, you no hear of him," said Mammy, with a sigh. + +"I did not say that," I answered. "Mammy, you believe that God hears +your prayers." + +"Yes, Massa Harry, I am sure He does," she said, and then it seemed to +flash across her that I had something of interest to communicate about +her son. + +"You hear of Cheebo, he become Christian, oh say dat, Massa Harry, say +dat." + +"Yes, Mammy," I answered, taking her hand, "I not only heard of him, but +I have seen him; and, Mammy, do you think the joy would not be too much +for you if I were to tell you that I hope you will see him too?" + +"Oh, he is come! he is come!" exclaimed Mammy. + +I made a sign to my sisters to remain with our old nurse, whispering to +Mary that I was going to bring up her long lost son. I hurried down +stairs, and found that Emily had already invited Jack and his companion +into the house. I led Paul to the door, and my sisters slipping out; we +left the old woman and her son together. + +And now it is time that I should bring my yarn to a conclusion. Jack +seemed to find Liverpool a very delightful place; and perhaps it may +account for his so doing, when I say that before he went away he asked +my sister Mary to marry him. She did not refuse. Soon afterwards he +got his promotion, which he well deserved for his activity and zeal +during his long service on the African coast. + +Through the interest of the captain of the "Triton" I got appointed to a +man-of-war brig on that station, where, being pretty well up to the +tricks of the slavers, I was instrumental in capturing a number of +vessels, and assisting to put down the abominable slave trade. As a +good deal of prize money came into my pocket, I had the gratification of +sending home considerable sums to my sisters. Mammy's joy, when she +found that not only had her son become a Christian, but that her husband +had accepted the truth, was full. She willingly parted with Paul when +she heard of his wish to become a missionary of the gospel. He returned +to Sierra Leone, and after remaining a short time there, went on to +Abeokuta, to labour with others in spreading the glad tidings of +salvation among the dark-skinned sons of Africa. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The African Trader, by W. H. G. Kingston + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AFRICAN TRADER *** + +***** This file should be named 21448.txt or 21448.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/4/4/21448/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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