Captain S---- was a man of enterprise, and never lost an opportunity
of scheming to supplement the freight of the vessel he commanded. His
common phrase was, "Look for business, and you'll meet it on the
road." He was well known all over the Mediterranean, and had done much
trade with the Spanish ports, so that he got to know a good deal about
the character and methods of their business. On one occasion, at
Gibraltar, a deputation of traders, as they called themselves, made
him a proposition that was startling in its remunerative dimensions.
"I presume," said the captain, "this business which you are good
enough to put before me is sound; there is no humbug about it?"
"Not one bit, captain. You undertake to do certain work for which we
pay you before starting."
It was arranged that he should wire from his last port of call when
passing down the Mediterranean. He fixed his mind on the amount he was
to receive, and did not inquire too closely into the character of the
business. He would have been virtuously indignant if any one had
hinted that he was capable of going beyond the limits of stern
rectitude, although he admitted the undertaking to be extraordinary,
otherwise he would not have been so well paid for it. His knowledge of
character told him that he was going to do business with a squad of
rascals who knew no moral law, and yet the fascination of exciting
enterprise held him in its grip. So it came to pass that he sent his
telegram announcing approximately when he might be expected at
Gibraltar, and asking them to have all in readiness against his
arrival. In the early morning of the eighth day after leaving Malta,
the steamer crept from under the Great Rock into the beautiful bay,
and was promptly boarded by a few gentlemen of effusive manners who
were greatly concerned about the health of Captain S----. The latter
requested them to cease their chatter and to get to business.
"Are the craft ready?" said he.
"Oh yes," replied the Rock-scorpions; "but you will have to wait until
dark before they can be brought from their moorings."
This was agreed to. The captain put his vessel alongside the coal
hulk, and by noon the required bunker coal had been shipped, and
through the kindness of the captain of the hulk she was allowed to
remain alongside until darkness set in, on the plea of repairs being
done to defective machinery. She was then slowly moved towards three
feluccas which lay waiting in the bay. The night was still, and the
moon shone bright and made the sea silvery by its reflection; but a
large halo encircled it, and the seamen knew that foreboded stormy
weather. "Telegraph boys" were coming up from the west very swiftly.
There was to be trouble outside Cape Spartel, and they were anxious to
get through the stream before the gale had developed strength. A boat
came alongside. Two Levantines stepped aboard. The captain said--
"So you have come at last. Have you got the money with you? Let me
have no wriggling, or I will have you put over the side and steam away
without your merchandize."
"No, no, capitan, you must not do that! Come to the charthouse and you
shall be paid at once."
After three-fourths of the agreed sum had been counted out the
paymaster stuck, and said, "Capitan, you must be satisfied. We are
poor men like yourself."
In an instant the captain was out of the charthouse _with his money_,
and went on to the upper bridge and called out to his officers to see
the gentlemen into their boat. They pleaded to him to come into the
charthouse again, and every cent due to him would be handed over
according to agreement.
"I did not mean what I said to be taken seriously," said the financial
agent.
"But I did," replied the captain. "And take notice that if you
wriggle again I will make short work of this business."
The balance of freight was handed over without further demur, and the
craft taken in tow as arranged. It was urged that the heaviest laden
of the three lighters should tow astern of the others. The engines
were set easy ahead. The two scorpions were asked to get into their
boat quickly. They wished the captain good luck, and gave him
instructions to steer over to the African side of the gut, as the
current was easier there. He was warned in true Levantine eloquence,
and with an accent and tone that indicated anxiety for the success of
the project, to look sharply after the "wolves" when they got off
Tarifa, for this is the narrowest part of the entrance to the
Mediterranean. It was clear that this traffic welcomed no publicity.
The _C----_ was soon plunging into a strong westerly swell, though
there was as yet but little wind. They had got Tarifa abeam, when the
look-out man reported a small vessel three points on the starboard
bow. In a few more minutes the "wolves" announced themselves by a few
small shot rattled against the smoke stack. Orders were given to the
second officer to go aft with a hatchet, and when the signal was given
he had to snap the tow-rope of the last felucca. All hands were
ordered to lie low--_i.e._, lie under shelter of the bulwarks. The
captain and chief officer took shelter on the port side of the
charthouse. The vessel's course was altered, but being so far over on
the African coast there was not much room to play on. The firing was
still directed at the funnel, though at times it was erratic. One of
the seamen shouted, "I'm hit!" In an instant the captain blew his
whistle, and the tow-line of No. 3 craft was cut. The steamer's speed
increased, though it did not much matter so far as getting out of the
fire zone was concerned, as the Spanish _Costaguardia's_ attention
became fixed on the abandoned craft.
"My God!" soliloquized the chief mate, "the Rock-scorpions are right.
They have pounced upon the derelict like wolves. I almost wish I was
there to see the effect when they realize they have been fooled, and
they find that that craft is loaded with stones. It was just done in
the nick of time; they might have compelled us to heave to."
"I would never have done that," said the captain. "I knew they would
not risk being defeated in their object when they saw so excellent a
prize thrown at them."
"They are setting the sail," observed the officer.
"Yes," responded the captain. "The gentlemen will find one of their
craft anchored in Gibraltar Bay to-morrow morning, and may be the
whole three. I do not like the look of it; both the wind and sea are
making. I hope we may be able to reach to the westward of Trafalgar
Bay before it gets worse."
Instructions were given to have the wounded seaman brought to the
saloon, and it was found that he was not seriously injured. After the
wound was dressed, orders were given to set the regular watch. Little
progress was made during the night, owing to the heavy west wind. By
six the following morning she was just a little west of Cape Spartel,
and the wind had increased to a heavy gale. The engines had to be
slowed down in order to save the two little vessels from being dragged
under water; indeed, as it was, their hulls were sometimes buried. The
captain saw that he was in for a tragedy if the craft were kept in
tow. He did not like to slip them, as it meant certain capture, and
while he was thinking out the wisest and best course to pursue, the
problem was solved by the people aboard the feluccas letting go the
tow-line, and the last that was seen of them was that they were
heading towards the Spanish coast with small storm sails set.
Captain S----'s vessel had a severe passage, and on arrival in
Falmouth he went to an hotel. In the course of the evening he was
relating the incidents of the voyage, as was the custom with orthodox
captains on arrival in port, and of course he included his experiences
with the Rock-scorpions and their feluccas. Before he had completed
the tale, the proprietor interposed by reading as follows from a
shipping paper:--
"Information was conveyed to the Spanish Customs Authority that
a British steamer had run out of Gibraltar Bay with three
feluccas laden with manufactured tobacco destined for Cadiz. She
was to be intercepted at Tarifa by the coastguards, and the
craft with their cargo were to have been seized. When she got to
Tarifa the coastguards fired at her. The third lighter was
slipped, boarded by the officials and their men, and taken
behind the Rock, when it was discovered on removing the hatches
that she was laden with stones. The other two parted their
tow-ropes, and were driven through the Gut and captured. These
were laden with tobacco. The stone-laden craft was obviously
intended as a decoy, and but for the heavy gale that came on,
the other two would have succeeded in reaching their
destination."
A few months later, Captain S---- entered Gibraltar Bay, and was
boarded by the chief commissioner of the last enterprise, accompanied
by a friend, who was introduced as being engaged in "our" trade.
"Ah," said the former in genuine Rock-scorpion dialect, "The last was
a great disaster; but it has never been said that you did not do all
that was possible to carry out your contract properly. If there had
been any appearance of not doing so, my friend and I would not have
said that Captain S---- is the very man to carry out our new affair,
which is doubly better than the other."
"Well, shut up about that," said the captain. "Come to the point. What
is it you wish me to do?"
"Ah! capitan, but for the knowledge we have of your ability, and the
affection my friends and myself have for you, we would have hesitated
to show you this token of our much esteem."
"Shut up!" interjected the sailor. "I don't want a display of pretty
nothings. I want business."
"Oh! capitan, why do you say such things when we are so anxious to put
something your way. I tell you there are thousands of men that would
be glad to have your chance. The job we have is this: three feluccas
are lying up in the harbour laden with tobacco. Tonight you must lie
off the town without anchoring, and they will be brought alongside.
You must take the cargo aboard, and proceed off Amonti Pomoron. A
pilot and interpreter will go with you, and you must not go near the
land until darkness comes on, when craft showing signals which the
pilot understands will be there to meet you and have men to tranship
the cargo into lighters. You will have £400 for doing this--half in
cash before leaving, and the other half on arrival at Amonti. The
transaction will be quite straight."
"It seems to me so uncommonly like a huge smuggling affair, that I
cannot entertain it," replied S----.
"No, no! my dear capitan; here you are mistaken. We would not ask such
a thing of you. How can it be smuggling? The cargo is put aboard in
neutral waters; you take it off the coast of Spain and deliver it as
arranged. You get your money, and know nothing more about it. How can
that be smuggling?"
"Well," said the captain, "it has nothing to do with me where the
stuff comes from, or where it is going to. If you will give me five
hundred pounds, all cash, before leaving here, I will agree to take
it."