JACK ROGERS IN COMMAND OF THE SUPPLEJACK--ALICK'S LETTER TO JACK--THE
CAYMANS--SHOAL OF TURTLE--DOLPHINS--CHASES A SLAVER--HAVANNAH--SCENES ON
SHORE--SLAVERS IN HARBOUR--POLITE INVITATION FROM A SLAVE-DEALER--JACK
ACCEPTS IT--THE VENUS SLIPS OUT OF HARBOUR.
Sometime after the events related in the last chapter, Jack Rogers
walked the deck of the _Supplejack_ as her commander, he having
superseded Murray, who had been promoted, as every one acknowledged--a
just reward for his gallantry at Carthagena.
Higson had been made a lieutenant, and appointed to the _Tudor_, while
Terence Adair had rejoined the _Plantagenet_. The commander who had
been appointed to the corvette in the place of poor Captain Babbicome
had fallen sick, and as there was every probability of his having to
return to England, Jack had hopes that the admiral would appoint Murray
to the command.
"If I hadn't the _Supplejack_ I should have been delighted to serve
under him," said Jack to Adair, who had come on board to see him.
"I have no idea of a fellow being jealous of another's good fortune, for
no one deserved his more than Alick Murray. I only wish that I may get
the chance of doing something in the _Supplejack_; I won't throw it away
if I can help it."
"You will have more opportunity than I shall have aboard the frigate,"
answered Terence; "and I only wish that I could be with you or Murray,
if he gets the command of the _Tudor_."
"I'm sure, at all events, to fall in with a slaver or two, or perhaps
have some such work as that of Saint Juan cut out for me," said Jack.
"I am now, I believe, to be ordered to Havannah, so Johnny Ferong
assured me yesterday, and as he is certain to be well informed, I expect
every hour to receive my despatches from the admiral."
While Jack was speaking, a boat was seen coming down the harbour, and in
a short time he received from the officer who came in her an order to
proceed at once to Havannah, and on his way to keep a sharp lookout for
slavers, of which it was known there were a good many on the coast. He
at the same time got a letter from Murray, who had been residing with
his friends at Saint David's since he gave up the command of the
_Supplejack_. We may take a glance at its contents, which thus ran:--
"Dear Jack,--Since I cannot tear myself away from this Eden, though
had I a pair of wings I would do so for a brief space, to see how you
are getting on on board the little brig, I must beg you to be content
with the few lines I have the time to write, before our sable
`Mercury' starts for Kingston. I am, as you may suspect, supremely
happy. Stella has recovered her spirits, and every day becomes more
attractive. It is beautiful to see her watch over my young kinsman
Archy, who is slowly recovering from his dangerous wound. The doctor
says that had it not been for her watchful care he would have
succumbed to the fever, which attacked him after his arrival here.
"You ask me when our marriage is to take place. Stella will not hear
of it; her father's death is too recent; and she will not tempt me
away from my duty, for she thinks that if I became a married man I
shall wish to remain on shore; and I cannot help acknowledging that,
in that respect, she is right. She wants me, at all events, to serve
as a commander till I obtain a post-rank; and her kind friends here
offer her a home till she has one of her own.
"I long for the time, however, when I may take her to Scotland as my
bride and present her to my family. In truth, though I have often
fancied that nothing would make me wish to leave the navy, I have
begun to meditate doing so rather than be separated from her.
Perhaps, however, I may be able to persuade her to yield to my wishes,
and as the _Tudor_ will probably remain on the station, I shall
constantly be returning to port and be able to enjoy her society.
"I am sure, you say, to get command of the corvette, provided Grafton
goes home; and the doctors say that there is no chance of his
recovering out here.
"Stella desires to be kindly remembered to you, as do all your friends
at Saint David's. You have won their hearts, I assure you, and they
will be happy to see you whenever you return to Jamaica.
"They press me to remain here till I am ordered to join the ship; and
as you may suppose, I am perfectly happy to accept their hospitality.
"My cousin Archy desires to be remembered to those young reefers, your
brother Tom and Desmond. I hope some day to be among them and assist
in keeping them out of mischief. Give my kind regards to Terence, and
believe me,
"Your very affectionate friend,
"Alexander Murray."
Jack had no time to answer this letter, as, the breeze proving
favourable, he was obliged to put to sea according to his instructions.
During his run westward he kept a bright lookout for slavers in all
directions. It was just daylight; a mist lay on the surface of the
ocean, which completely shut out any object at a distance; while a light
breeze from the South-east filled the brig's sails and impelled her at
the rate of two or three knots an hour through the water. Harry Bevan,
who had joined from the frigate, was officer of the watch. The men,
with trowsers tucked up and buckets in hand, were about to commence the
operation of washing decks.
"I say," exclaimed Tom, who had been sent forward on some duty, "I never
believed in the great sea serpent, but, as sure as I'm alive, that must
be the fellow right ahead, wriggling along at a tremendous rate! If you
listen you'll hear the noise he's making!"
"Broken water ahead!" shouted the lookout forward.
"That I'm sure it cannot be!" said Bevan.
He, however, as a precaution, brought the brig to the wind, and directed
Tom to call the commander. Jack was quickly on deck.
"Keep her away again!" he exclaimed, after he had examined the object
which had so astonished Tom. "That is neither the head nor tail of the
big sea serpent, but a shoal of turtles, which having come from the Bay
of Honduras, are bound for the Cayman Islands, where they are going to
lay their eggs?" he said, laughing heartily at Tom's notion.
The brig was soon in the midst of them, their columns dividing to get
out of her way. It was wonderful the noise they made, as their fins
rapidly struck the water in their onward course. Soon afterwards the
mist lifted, and the lofty trees which grew on the great Cayman could be
seen rising out of the water some fifteen miles off, appearing like a
grove of masts emerging from the ocean. Directly afterwards the mist,
which still hung in the west, was swept away, exposing to view the sails
of a square topsail schooner shining in the rays of the sun with snowy
whiteness. Jack immediately ordered the brig to be kept away, and made
all sail in chase. The schooner held her course for some time, but at
length discovering that the brig had kept away, set also every stitch of
canvas she could carry. This at once betrayed her character, for had
she been an honest trader, she would have had no reason to run from an
English brig.
The crew felt as eager to overtake her as did the commander. It was the
first of this sort of work they had had, and they indulged with immense
satisfaction in the idea of carrying back a prize full of slaves to Port
Royal.
Long Tom was got ready for action, as it was not likely that the slaver,
if such she was, would yield without making every effort to escape. The
chase showed that she had a remarkably nimble pair of heels, for fast as
the _Supplejack_ was, after a couple of hours had passed by, she
appeared to have gained little or nothing on her.
"Do you think we shall take her?" asked Tom of Needham, who had been
appointed as gunner of the _Supplejack_.
"If the wind freshens, and we have the first of it before it reaches
her, we may get her within range of Long Tom, and it then won't be my
fault if we don't bring down some of her spars; but if night comes on
before our shot can reach her, she may manage to slip out of our hands
in the dark."
"But we have most of the day before us, and we surely shall get up with
her before then," observed Tom.
"You see, we have run on already two hours, and are no nearer than at
first," said Needham. "If we were to chase her round the world, and she
was to sail twelve knots to our ten, she would soon be out of sight, so
I don't feel very certain that we shall have her ladyship; but if we
miss her this time we may fall in with her another."
At the time the men were piped to dinner, the _Supplejack_ had not
gained more than at first on the chase. Still Jack persevered, trusting
that something might happen to favour him.
The men in their eagerness to watch the chase hurried up on deck, and
the officers remained below as short a time as possible. Every
expedient that could be thought of was adopted to increase the speed of
the brig. Every variation of the breeze was carefully watched by Jack's
vigilant eyes. Now he ordered a pull at the starboard, now at the
larboard braces, while every inch of canvas that could be set was kept
thoroughly wetted so that not a thimbleful of the precious wind could
escape till it had done its duty.
The day wore on; it was tantalising in the extreme to see the stranger
still keeping so far ahead. The breeze, however, at length freshened,
and the stronger it blew the faster the brig sailed. She was evidently
nearing the chase, but the sun, casting a ruddy glow over the western
sky and across the laughing sea, was sinking rapidly towards the
horizon, turning the sails of the schooner, which had hitherto appeared
of snowy whiteness, into deep shadow. "Long Tom will reach her now,
I've a hope, sir," said Needham, "and if we can knock away some of her
flying kites, she may be ours before the day is over."
"Try, at all events," answered Jack, and Needham, giving a friendly slap
on the breech of the gun, while he cast his eye along the sight, brought
it to a proper elevation, and the brig yawing slightly, he pulled the
trigger. The shot flew straight for the chase, but as Jack watched its
course, he saw that it fell into the water short of the mark.
"It was not far off, though, sir," said Needham, "and if we hold on at
the rate we are going, we shall soon have her within range."
The gun was again loaded, and after another few minutes Jack ordered it
once more to be fired, but with no better success than at first, and, as
he saw, it would be useless to fire till he had gained still more on the
chase.
The lower limb of the sun had now, however, reached the horizon, below
which the glowing orb rapidly sank, and the shades of night came
creeping over the ocean.
Still the shadowy outline of the schooner, like a dark phantom stalking
over the deep, could be discerned ahead. A vigilant lookout was kept,
but hour after hour went by and the brig appeared to have got no nearer
to her than at first. Jack and most of his officers remained on deck.
Towards morning the distance seemed somewhat lessened. He had his eyes
on the chase, and could not help hoping that by daylight they might be
near enough to try what Long Tom could do, when the sails of the
schooner began to grow less and less distinct. He had a moment before
seen her; he rubbed his eyes; she had disappeared! It was very
provoking, still he could but hope that in the morning they would again
get sight of her. Ordering the same course to be kept, he at length
turned in, desiring to be immediately called should she be again seen.
When morning broke, a mist, similar to that which had risen the previous
day, obscured all distant objects. A lookout was sent aloft, but he
could see nothing; and when the sun rose in the sky, and the mist
dispersed, the chase was nowhere visible.
"Better luck next time," observed Jack, when he came on deck, and he
ordered the brig to be kept on her proper course for Saint Antonio, the
westernmost point of Cuba. Several vessels were sighted during the day,
but they were too far off to make it worth while, Jack considered, to go
out of his course to speak them.
The midshipmen employed themselves in a variety of ways. Tom had, of
course, brought Spider, who assisted them to idle away many a spare
hour.
Tom and Desmond one day amused themselves by making a target of a piece
of canvas. It was painted in circles of different colours, with a
yellow bull's-eye in the usual fashion. This was suspended by a line at
the end of a spar, rigged from the fore yardarm, on about a level with
the bulwarks, and well answered the purpose intended. With half-a-dozen
ship's pistols they began blazing away, sometimes hitting the mark,
though as often, it must be confessed, missing it. Tom proved himself
decidedly the best shot. Desmond declared that his pistol somehow or
other shot crooked whenever he failed to hit the target. They thus
passed away many an hour in calm weather, and Jack considered that the
powder was well expended, as it taught them how to handle their weapons.
McTavish and the purser in the meantime got out lines and hooks baited
simply with pieces of canvas, the former wishing to obtain some dolphins
for examination, which had been seen darting through the water on either
side of the brig.
"Hurrah!" exclaimed McTavish, "I have got hold of a big fellow at last.
Lend a hand to haul him in, Norris." In another minute a good-sized
fish was hauled on deck.
"Do you call that a dolphin?" said Tom. "I thought a dolphin was a
fellow with a big head and large fins, of all the colours of the
rainbow."
"It is undoubtedly a dolphin," answered McTavish. "If you haul it out
of the shade of the bulwarks, you will see that it is of cerulean hue.
There, it won't retain that colour long; it's changing already. Now it
is purple, and before long, as its life ebbs, it will become black. But
hurrah! I have another bite."
Three other dolphins were hauled up in quick succession, and taken
forward to be anatomised by the surgeon.
Several spectators watched the operation. "Hallo!" cried McTavish, as
he cut open one of the fish. "This fellow has swallowed something very
hard;" and to the astonishment of all, he pulled out two bullets. In
another were found three, and inside a third a similar number. There
could be no doubt that they had swallowed the bullets which fell into
the water from the midshipmen's pistols. The fact proved the rapidity
with which dolphins are capable of swimming, as it could not be supposed
that they had all been close to the spot where the bullets fell, nor
could they have seen them till they reached the surface. As, however,
many of the bullets had _ricocheted_ for a considerable distance, the
fish had probably caught sight of them as they first struck the water,
and darting after them, caught them as they began to sink.
The brig continued her course, and having rounded Cape Saint Antonio
sailed eastward for Havannah; keeping, however, at a respectful distance
from the numerous low sandy islands, or keys as they are called, which
lie off the northern shore of the island, and have brought many a tall
ship to destruction. At length the irregular outline of the hills above
the magnificent harbour of Havannah appeared in sight.
A fair and fresh breeze filled the sails of the brig, and carried her
rapidly towards the mouth of the harbour. Presently a lateen-rigged
craft, a pilot vessel, came sweeping out from behind the high,
threatening rocks, on the summit of which the massive fortifications
guarding the entrance of the port were now discernible.
The pilot vessel was soon close on board, but Jack waved her off, being
very well able he considered to take in his small brig without
assistance. The brig was now running through a channel between three or
four hundred yards broad, and half a mile in length, which leads into
the magnificent landlocked harbour.
High on the starboard side rose the massive fortress of El Moro and on
the port, that of La Ponta extending from either side of which could be
seen the encircling line of fortifications which protect the city and
harbour.
The brig, passing through the narrow entrance, the whole panorama of the
magnificent landlocked bay with its fleet of vessels, some at anchor,
others moored with their heads to the quay, its numberless boats with
lateen sails and hulls painted, some of a bright blue, others of a
scarlet hue, and others again striped with green and white, darting
about in all directions; its great square stone warehouses fronting the
water; its many mansions, the residences of nobles and merchants; its
beautiful-looking villas, and groves of palm-trees; the high-peaked
roofs of its convents, and tall grey towers of its churches rising above
the whole, now appeared in full view. The brig appeared in a complete
lake, the fort of La Ponta high above, near which she had passed,
completely shutting out the entrance of the harbour. On the shores
around were seen numberless hamlets of every hue, the rich foliage of
the tropical trees and shrubs, giving a cheerful aspect to the
surrounding barren slopes, as did the bright green jalousies of most of
the residences, and the flowering trees which rose among them, to the
city. In every open space visible were seen slaves hurrying here and
there with heavy loads, seamen of all nations strolling along intermixed
with the far-famed volantes, brilliant with burnished metal, rolling in
and out of gateways, the steed which drew it, bestrode by a postillion,
six or eight feet from the body of the vehicle.
The brig was quickly surrounded by boats bringing off vegetables, fruit,
and fish, some of them containing those persevering personages ever
present in foreign ports, washerwomen and washermen, their laudable
object being to solicit the honour of cleansing the dirty linen of the
officers and crew.
Jack hoped to find some amusement on shore. Before, however, ordering
his gig to be got ready, he was engaged for some time, not in examining
the beauties of the harbour, but in casting searching glances around to
discover such rakish, wicked-looking craft as were likely to be engaged
in the slave-trade. He marked several of suspicious appearance.
"We must have some of these fellows, Bevan," he observed, "keep a bright
lookout on their movements; if we are off watch they will take the
opportunity, depend on it, to slip out of the harbour; I have no doubt
that the fellows cursed us in their hearts when they saw the little brig
enter the harbour."
Among the commercial cities of the western hemisphere, Havannah ranks
next to New York; the harbour is the best in the West Indies, and is
unequalled in beauty by any in the world. It is nearly three miles
long, and a mile and a half in width. While completely sheltered from
every wind by the surrounding heights, so great is the depth of water
that the largest ships can come close up to the quays.
The city stands on the western shore of the bay. The streets of the old
part within the walls are narrow and far from clean, but those of the
suburbs, which cover a much larger space than the city itself, are broad
and well laid out, many of them being handsome and tolerably free from
dirt. Besides the two strong fortresses at the entrance, batteries run
along both shores, while fortifications frown from all the surrounding
heights.
The houses, which are in the Moorish style, have excessively thick
walls, and are mostly of one storey. The windows, however, are
unglazed, and, on account of the heat of the climate, always kept open.
The object of most interest in the city is the cathedral, not on account
of its beauty, but because it contains the bones of Columbus, which were
removed here from the church of Santa Domingo, in Hispaniola, at the end
of the last century.
The chief attractions of the place are its paseos or public drives, of
which it possesses three, two inside, and one outside the walls. Some
of them are ornamented with statues of royal personages, more or less
ugly, with rows of poplars on either side, and with fountains and
gardens. Here, in the afternoon, the world of fashion resort, and they
are thronged with young creoles in evening dress and round hats,
employed in casting admiring glances at the fair dames, who drive slowly
up and down the carriage-road in their wide and open volantes, their
heads adorned as if for a ballroom, with natural flowers, and generally
arrayed in costumes of all the colours of the rainbow.
Jack felt, at first, somewhat indignant as he observed the impudent
glances, so he considered them, cast by the youths at the young ladies;
but soon came to the conclusion that they had no objection to be so
looked at, and would indeed have felt injured had they not received this
style of homage from the opposite sex. As he passed through the
streets, he could look with ease through the large open windows into the
drawing-rooms of the houses, where in the evening, when not abroad, the
ladies of the family are wont to assemble; the older dames seated in
rocking-chairs, the younger in front of the iron bars, by which alone
ingress from without is prevented. Here they can see every one passing
and be seen in return.
The volante is as worthy of a description as the gondola of Venice. The
dames of Cuba delight in it, for it is not only picturesque, but
luxurious in the extreme. It is made to contain two sitters with
comfort, but when a duenna is in attendance, she is seated on a middle
seat between her charges. It has two enormous wheels, strong and thick;
the body is supported on the axle-tree, and swings forward from it on
springs; it is somewhat low down, and affords abundance of room for the
feet, which are supported by a brightly polished metal bar, which runs
across the footboard. It is most remarkable for the shafts, which are
fourteen feet in length, the extreme ends resting on the saddle of the
horse, who has thus entirely to support the whole weight of the vehicle;
there is thus between the horse's tail and the carriage a space of
nearly seven feet. The postillion is generally a very heavy negro, who
rides the unfortunate horse. Those used by people of fashion are drawn
by two horses, one outside the shafts, on which the postillion sits. He
is as remarkable an object as the vehicle itself. He wears a huge pair
of footless boots, the top rising ten inches or so above his knees, so
that they nearly touch his elbows, while, to the bottom are secured huge
iron spurs, his breeches are white, and his jacket red, ornamented with
gilt lace, while a broad-brimmed hat covering his woolly pate completes
his costume. Still barbarous and awkward as the affair appears, it
looks perfectly suitable to surrounding objects; the fair occupants seem
also in their proper places, with their gaily-coloured costumes, and
their dark hair fastened by a high comb, and ornamented generally with
natural flowers. Jack did not consider their beauty so surpassing as he
had been led to expect, while he thought the older dames perfectly
hideous; but then the recollection of the lily and rose in the cheeks of
his fair countrywomen was too recent to allow him to admire them as he
might otherwise have done. He was highly amused at seeing in some of
the dining-halls one of those silver ornamented vehicles placed at the
farther end, its usual position when not in use.
As far as he could judge, the male portion of the population passed
their evenings in smoking cigars and playing billiards, when not engaged
in dancing or listening to music. Every evening, before the
captain-general's house in the Plaza, a military band played for an
hour, when the men collected by hundreds, but a few ladies, however,
appearing among them.
Gambling, in one form or another, appeared to be the occupation of all
orders, encouraged considerably by the government, who had public
lotteries, tickets and minute portions of tickets being daily vended in
the streets.
Jack and his officers were overwhelmed with invitations, not only from
English and Americans, but from Spaniards, some of whom, he was warned,
might possibly have a motive in wishing to make their stay on shore
agreeable, they being owners, or in some way interested in the
rakish-looking craft in the harbour, and on which it was his special
duty to keep an eye.
Picturesque and attractive as Havannah is in many respects, Jack came to
the opinion that it would undoubtedly become a much finer place were it
in the hands of the English or Americans.
Once upon a time it did become a British possession. When in the year
1762 the Spaniards and English went to war, as soon as hostilities had
broken out, the British government despatched a fleet under Sir George
Pocock, with an army of 1600 men, commanded by the Earl of Albemarle.
The fleet consisted of twenty-two sail of the line, four ships of fifty
guns, ten frigates, and seventeen small vessels. That so powerful a
force was sent out, showed the belief of the English in the strength of
the fortifications. The Spaniards, however, had but little stomach for
the fight.
While the fleet threatened them on the sea side, the troops landed to
the east and west of the city, and attacking it in the rear quickly made
themselves masters of the renowned fortifications. On the return of
peace, a few months afterwards, it was once more placed under the
fearful mismanagement of the Spaniards, and now only awaits a favourable
opportunity to be taken possession of by the Yankees.
Whatever may be said of Havannah, Jack found it a very pleasant place,
but he took good care never to sleep on shore, or indeed at any time to
remain longer away from his ship than possible. He made several
excursions round the harbour, not so much to enjoy its beauties, as to
examine the before-mentioned rakish-looking craft which lay moored to
the quays, apparently for the purpose of taking in cargo; he could
never, however, observe anything going forward on board them during the
daytime. Needham had, however, several times in the evening, taken a
pull in the dinghy among the vessels. He reported that there was some
bustle on board one of them in particular, and that he could hear the
sound of hammering going on within her.
"It is my idea, sir, that they are fitting up slave-decks. Depend on
it, before long some of them will be trying to get out, if they have the
chance, without our seeing them. I marked a craft called the _Venus_
which came in at sunset, when you were on shore, and if she is not the
very schooner we chased, she is wonderfully like her. She is large, and
to my mind faster than any of them; but if she can get whatever she
wants, and her cargo shipped, we may be sure it won't be long before she
tries to slip out unknown to us."
Jack thought that Needham was probably right in his conjectures, but one
thing was certain, that while the commander of the _Venus_ knew that he
was watched and likely to be followed, he would not attempt to put to
sea. Jack waited patiently. He knew that, at all events, he was of
some service in thus locking up these traders in human flesh. If he
could not catch them, he could, at all events, prevent them from doing
harm. He had accepted several invitations, and had been seen at both
English and Spaniards' houses; at one of the latter, he had met a
Spaniard, Don Matteo, who spoke English well, and paid him great
attention. On inquiry, he found that he was a slave-merchant, the owner
of a number of vessels employed in making frequent trips to the coast of
Africa and back.
Jack had hitherto refused his invitations, though his parties were among
the most brilliant, and his daughters the most attractive of the
black-eyed damsels of Cuba. Jack, however, as every British officer
engaged in the suppression of the slave-trade ought to be, was wide
awake; and when Don Matteo, notwithstanding his former refusals, again
invited him and as many of his officers as he could bring, to attend a
dance to be given at his house the following evening, he accepted the
invitation, and promised to bring all that could be spared from the
ship; on making inquiries he found, as he suspected, that the Don was
the owner of the _Venus_.
"He goes by the name of Don Matteo at present, but he was long known on
the coast of Africa by that of Pepe the pirate," added his informant.
"Innumerable are the atrocities of which, there is not the slightest
doubt, the fellow was guilty; but he managed to escape hanging, and
having realised a large fortune, got whitewashed by the authorities,
whom he still keeps in his pay, changed his name, and settled down in
Havannah as a respectable merchant and shipowner; though to avoid the
risk of personal inconvenience, he no more goes to sea, as was his wont
formerly. He has a fleet of a dozen vessels or more employed in the
middle passage. As he bribes the government officials, the captain of
the port, and others, as well as the commanders of the Spanish ships of
war, his vessels find no difficulty in getting in and out of harbour,
even though completely fitted for the slave-trade, and the latter
frequently convoy them till they are free from the risk of capture by
the English cruisers on this station. On the other side of the
Atlantic, they have to look after themselves, but they get pretty
correct information, and three in four escape capture, so that his
adventures pay him handsomely. Having, as I said, grown honest, he
deals at present exclusively in blacks, but he is known to have
committed not a few acts of piracy in his younger days, and the deaths
of two or three British officers, and the crews of several merchantmen,
are placed to his account."
"The scoundrel!" exclaimed Jack. "I do not fancy partaking of his
hospitality."
"As you please, Mr Rogers; but I would advise you to put your feelings
in your pocket," was the answer. "Remember that you do not go to the
fellow's house for your own amusement, but for the good of the service
in which you are engaged."
"Yes, I see that you are right," said Jack. "I will do my best to catch
one of his craft, at all events."
Accordingly, on his arrival on board, he sent Needham in the dinghy, as
before, to take a quiet pull among the ships. The gunner came back
about midnight, and reported that the people were as busy as bees on
board the schooner, that the sails were being bent, and, according to
his opinion, she was getting ready for sea.
"Then she intends to sail tomorrow night, while I am on shore," observed
Jack. "I'll go, however, and try if we can play as good a game as she
can."
"That's it, sir; you will have plenty of time to get on board after she
slips out, and we can soon be after her."
Jack accordingly ordered a boat to be in waiting for him and his
officers, at one of the less-frequented landing-places, a couple of
hours after dark, intending to remain at the party till that time, and
then to return on board. He also gave directions to Needham to have the
cable hove short, and everything to be ready for getting under weigh at
a moment's notice. He then told Bevan and the other officers who were
to accompany him that they were to leave Don Matteo's house, if
possible, without being noticed, and that he himself would follow at the
time he had fixed on.
It was still daylight when he and his officers, including three
midshipmen in full rig, pulled on shore to attend the ball.
The sun was just setting as they arrived at the wide entrance of Don
Matteo's handsome mansion, to which numerous volantes, in rapid
succession, were bringing up the fair dancers, while gentlemen were
arriving either in various conveyances or on foot.
Passing through a courtyard, they were ushered upstairs into a spacious
and well-lighted saloon, with enormous windows looking on one side into
a courtyard, in the midst of which a fountain threw up jets of cooling
water, and on the other, into a garden fragrant with sweet-scented
flowers.
The dancing soon began. No people could be more polite and attentive
than their host and hostess, to whose lovely daughters the English
officers were immediately introduced. At first Jack found it somewhat
difficult to get through the contradanza, the dance for which Havannah
is especially celebrated, but his partner smiled graciously, and assured
him that he performed it to perfection. When, however, he contrasted
his own performance with that of the active-toed Spaniards, he could not
help feeling that he was receiving undue flattery. As to his companions
they soon had to give it up as a bad job, though they did their best to
make themselves agreeable by tucking their partners' arms under theirs,
and chattering away in execrable Spanish. Tom noticed that their host
and his spouse kept a bright lookout on them, and no sooner was a dance
finished than they were taken up and introduced to other partners, who
were quite ready to forgive their mistakes; the midshipmen, at all
events, thought it very good fun, and Tom, on looking at his watch, felt
very sorry that the hour was approaching at which Jack had directed them
to leave; however, his orders were not to be disobeyed, so, giving a
hint to Desmond and Morris, they made their way to the door, when,
followed by Bevan, they slipped downstairs.
Jack, who watched them, hoped that their departure had not been
observed, but Don Matteo begged to know why the midshipmen were gone.
Jack replied that he considered early hours the best for such
youngsters, as they had their duty to attend to in the morning, and that
the elder one had gone to take care of them.
Soon afterwards the surgeon and purser made their bow: the former
remarked that he must go on board and attend to his patients. Jack and
Jos Green were the only officers remaining. The latter had very little
notion of dancing, but that did not deter him from hauling his reluctant
partner, shrieking with laughter, through the mazes of the dance; at
length, losing his equilibrium, as might have been expected, down he
came, dragging the lady with him. He managed, however, to save her from
injury, though he himself was somewhat severely hurt. Jack, hastening
up, apologised, explaining that the officer was but little accustomed to
this sort of amusement, and, pretending to be very angry, ordered him
forthwith to return on board. Green, who had received his instructions,
putting on a sulky look, obeyed, and joined the surgeon and purser, who
had been waiting for him outside.
Jack, who was in a hurry to be off, walked up to his host and hostess,
and thanked them for their hospitality, observing that he felt it his
duty to go and look after his officers. In vain Don Matteo pressed him
to remain, and offered to send an escort with him to the harbour.
"It may be safer for you not to go alone, my dear friend," observed the
Don, with a bland smile. "There are villains of all sorts about in the
streets at night, and you know that you English are not held in much
love by those slaving gentry to whose business you are attempting to put
a stop. They would not scruple to stick a knife into your back if they
found you walking alone."
"I am much obliged to you for the warning, and coming from you, who must
be well acquainted with the proceedings of the rascals, it is of value;
but I am not afraid of them," answered Jack, laughing. "We are prepared
for all the tricks they may attempt to play us. Good night, Don
Matteo."
Donna Isabella, the Don's buxom wife, joined her solicitations to those
of her husband and their fair daughters, who gathered round Jack,
resolved to prevent him from leaving, but he was as determined as they
were, and, making his best bow, hurried out of the room.
He found his officers, as had been agreed on, a short distance from the
house, and, keeping their swords ready for defence should they be
attacked, an event they were aware not at all unlikely to happen, they
made their way down to the landing-place as quickly as possible. Bevan
and the midshipmen had already reached the boat, and, jumping in, they
pulled rapidly towards the _Supplejack_. As they did so, they caught
sight of a vessel gliding across the harbour, which, having passed the
brig, was soon lost to sight.
"She has slipped by us, sir, and is standing out to sea," exclaimed
Needham, as soon as they stepped on board. "She is the _Venus_, sir, I
know, for I was not far from her in the dinghy as she began to haul out
from the quay. I went away soon after dark to watch her, as I felt sure
we were right in thinking that she was about to put to sea."
The breeze was very light, and the schooner could still be discerned
from the deck of the _Supplejack_. Jack waited till she had disappeared
behind the rocks of the Moro: the anchor was then hove up, and sail
being made on the brig, she slowly glided out of the harbour, the
magnificent lighthouse on the west enabling her without difficulty to
find her way through the narrow channel. The schooner could be dimly
seen ahead, but it was doubtful whether she herself was aware that she
was followed.