THE TUDOR AND SUPPLEJACK AT TRINIDAD--JACK'S ACCOUNT OF HIS TRIP UP THE
ORINOCO--THE VICE-CONSUL AND HIS BELONGINGS--A KNOWING PILOT--TOM BIT BY
A TURTLE--TORTOISES--THE BRIG AMONG THE TREES--SPIDER'S ATTEMPT TO
ESCAPE--THE MIDSHIPMEN GO IN CHASE AND LOSE THEMSELVES--BOARDED BY
ANTS--NEARLY TAKE THE BRIG--SEARCH FOR THE MIDSHIPMEN IN THE FOREST--A
NATIVE HABITATION--ANGOSTURA AND ITS PEOPLE--LAND THE CONSUL AND HIS
BETTER HALF--RETURN.
The _Tudor_ once more came to an anchor off Port of Spain, in the
beautiful island of Trinidad. Terence Adair had been appointed to her
as first lieutenant, and Higson as second; she was accompanied by the
Supplejack, of which Rogers still retained the command, with Bevan as
his senior officer, Jos Green as master, and Needham as boatswain.
The old shipmates were thus, much to their satisfaction, still employed
together. As soon as the sails were furled, Murray went on shore,
accompanied by Jack and Terence, taking with them Tom and Gerald.
Higson had insisted on doing Adair's duty.
"Of course you will want to go and call on your fair cousins, and I
never have been nor ever shall be a lady's man, so they would not be
well pleased to see me in your stead," he said as he made the offer
which Terence very readily accepted.
After Murray had delivered his despatches to the governor, he rejoined
the two lieutenants, who had in the meantime gone to pay a visit to
Antonio Gomez. They found the Don just starting out for his country
house, and he, as they expected, at once ordered horses, and insisted
that they should accompany him.
"Donna Caterina and her daughters will be delighted to see you, and
would not pardon me if I did not bring you along with me," he said in a
warm, hearty tone. "They will be anxious to hear all about their sweet
friend Stella, and what you have been doing since you were here last.
We some time ago received an account of Colonel O'Regan's death. Well!
well! poor man, I confess it was only what I expected, he seemed
determined to court such a fate; and I could never make out why a person
who could honourably live at his ease at home should be so eager to
knock his head against stone walls--however, the tastes of people
differ."
The horses having arrived, the philosophical Don led the way, with
Murray by his side.
The party received a hearty welcome, as before, from Donna Caterina and
her fair daughters, and Terence as usual had a long conversation with
the old lady about Ballymacree; he had, however, not much news to tell
her; he had only occasionally heard from home, and the letters he had
received were brief, stating simply that things went on as usual;
Gerald, however, pleased her much by showing her the letter from his
mother, in which she expressed her gratitude for the kindness he had
received from his West India cousins.
Though they had not been informed of Murray's engagement to Stella, they
very quickly guessed the truth, and by adroitly questioning the
midshipman, ascertained all particulars as far as they were known.
Jack and Terence very nearly lost their hearts, as the young ladies were
thus able to concentrate all those efforts to attract them, which might
have been expended in vain on the young commander, but as they returned
to their ships early the next morning they quickly recovered their usual
serenity of mind.
"I am afraid they would be very miserable at Halliburton, and I somewhat
doubt whether Mary and Lucy would quite like them as sisters-in-law,"
observed Jack to Terence while they were freely discussing the young
ladies.
"May be, the dear creatures wouldn't be quite as happy as I should wish
them to be at Ballymacree, seeing that they mightn't take altogether to
our ways," said Terence. "So I don't think that I'll make the promise I
was meditating, of coming back some day or other, when I am a commander
for instance, and carrying one of them over to Ireland with me."
On returning to town Murray again called on the governor, who told him
that he had received a communication from a certain Senhor Bernado
Guedes, acting as British consul at Angostura, up the Orinoco,
complaining of outrages inflicted on certain British subjects as well as
on himself, and requesting that a man-of-war might be sent to punish the
offenders.
"As the navigation of the river is, however, very difficult, I doubt
whether a ship of any size could get up it, though, perhaps, the
smallest of your vessels would be able to do so," he added.
Murray, of course, said that he should be happy to send the _Supplejack_
up, should her draft of water not be too great, and that he could
perfectly trust her commander, Lieutenant Rogers, to act with discretion
in the matter. Senhor Bernardo soon afterwards made his appearance. He
had not only come himself to make his complaint, but had brought his
wife with him, without whom, he observed, he never moved from home.
He was not a very favourable specimen of a British consul, and it was
difficult to say how he had attained the post. He was a short,
dark-skinned personage, with apparently a mixture of negro blood in his
veins. With considerable volubility, though in somewhat broken English,
he repeated all his complaints, and finished up, requesting that he
might be conveyed, with his wife, back to his home.
"But as we are not acquainted with the navigation, it would be
impossible for the brig to go up without a pilot," observed Murray.
"Oh! dat sir, I will provide," he answered. "I will obtain the services
of Anselmo; he knows ebery inch of de way up to Angostura, each sandbank
and ebery snag, I might almost say."
"You saw the brig-of-war in the harbour, do you think she will be able
to get up so far?" asked Murray.
"Oh yes, captain; your big ship even would get up as the waters are
rising at present, sure. She might, to be sure, stick coming down,
though," answered the consul.
"Thank you, I should prefer then not attempting to take her up," said
Murray, laughing.
"Well, Captain Murray, I will leave you to make arrangements with the
consul, and I conclude that Lieutenant Rogers will be ready to give this
gentleman and his wife a passage?" observed the governor.
"I can answer for that," answered Murray, as he took his leave,
accompanied by Senhor Guedes.
He returned to the quay.
"I conclude, Mr Consul, that you and your lady will be ready to go on
board the brig this evening, as she will sail tomorrow morning by
daylight," said Murray. "Where is Senhora Guedes residing?"
"She, my wife, is on board that schooner dere, the mail-packet, in which
we came from Angostura. I left her locked up in the cabin," answered
the consul.
"Locked up in the cabin!" exclaimed Murray, with no little surprise,
beginning to suspect that Rogers would have curious passengers on board
the _Supplejack_.
"Oh yes, sare, I always lock up my wife when I do go out, for she is
young, you see, and it is the safest plan; she can then no run away
herself, and no one can run off with her--that what I always fear. It
make my life miserable at Angostura;" and this curious representative of
the "majesty of England" shrugged his shoulders and made a grimace which
showed the intensity of his feelings.
"Well, go and get your wife and your traps, and I will inform Lieutenant
Rogers of the governor's wishes, that he should afford you and your wife
a passage home."
"Thank you, sare," answered Senhor Guedes, bowing low as he strutted off
to a boat, and returned on board the schooner, which lay at a short
distance from the shore.
Murray had invited Rogers to dine on board the _Tudor_, and a very
pleasant party the three old messmates had. They talked of times gone
by, and enjoyed a hearty laugh at the description Murray gave of the
consul and his fair partner.
"I shall be happy to give up my cabin to the lady, but I hope her
husband won't lock her in it during the whole voyage; at all events, he
cannot be afraid of any one running away with her while we are at sea."
"I wish you may at all events enjoy the company of your passengers,"
said Adair, laughing; "I want you to write me a full account of what
occurs, or the chances are that by the time you rejoin us you will have
forgotten all about it."
Jack, promising to comply with Adair's request, returned to the
_Supplejack_ somewhat earlier than he would otherwise have done, that he
might be on board to receive his expected guests. He at once gave
orders to his steward to clear out his cabin and prepare it for the
reception of the consul's lady; however, as Jack faithfully fulfilled
his promise to Adair, we have the opportunity of giving an account of
the expedition in his own words:--
"I had been walking the deck for some time, thinking now of one thing,
now of another, when a boat with two persons in the sternsheets came
alongside, and answered to the quarter-master's hail--
"`Her Majesty's British Consul of Angostura and his family.'
"The accommodation-ladder had already been rigged in preparation for the
arrival of these important personages. The sides being manned, the next
instant a stout gentleman who must be, I knew, the consul, began to
ascend, shoving up before him a veiled female figure. She, I rightly
guessed, was his wife. I advanced to meet them, and was about to
address the lady, when her husband informed me that `She no speak
English--and, as she is very tired, she wishes at once to go to her
cabin.'
"I accordingly conducted the veiled lady below. From her figure, and a
glimpse I caught of her countenance as the light from the lamp fell on
it (as by chance, of course, her veil fell on one side), I saw that she
was young and undoubtedly pretty, thus accounting for the jealousy
displayed by her `lord and master.'
"The old gentleman followed and remained for a short time in the cabin.
When he came out I observed that he examined the door, and seemed rather
nonplussed on discovering that there was no key with which he could
follow his usual custom of locking up his better half. I invited him to
walk the deck with me, that he might give me a fuller account of the
circumstances which had occurred at Angostura, requiring the visit of a
British man-of-war.
"He told me a long rigmarole tale of an attack which had been made on
his house by a party of brigands, as he called them, from Venezuela, the
chief object of which, as he suspected, was to carry off his wife;
however, they, or some one else, had pulled down the consular flagstaff.
A half-caste, who claimed to be a British subject, belonging to
Trinidad, had been killed, and two or three others had been made
prisoners. All the time he was speaking he was in a state of agitation,
and soon hurried back into the cabin, to ascertain (as he said), whether
his wife wanted anything.
"He supped with us in the gunroom, and though he played a very good
knife and fork, he exhibited the same uneasiness, jumping up two or
three times during the meal, to pay his spouse a visit.
"McTavish, who had not suspected the cause of his anxiety, remarked,
`that he had never seen more devoted affection displayed, and that he
could not help admiring the old gentleman,' though he owned that he
possessed very few other likeable qualities.
"For my own part, I did not anticipate much pleasure in the society of
my guests.
"By break of day we got under weigh and stood for the `Boca de Huevos,'
or the Umbrella Passage. Till I consulted our sailing directions I had
fancied that we might have made a short cut to the southward through one
of the Serpent's Mouths, but the hot current which sets into the Gulf of
Paria, caused by the immense mass of water flowing out of the Orinoco,
would have effectually prevented us from gaining our object. The
longest way round, therefore, was the shortest to our destination.
"A fresh breeze on our quarter enabled us to get out into the open sea
sooner than I expected, when we stood along the northern shore of
Trinidad to the eastward. We carried the breeze with us till we rounded
the point of Galera. I should not have supposed that Trinidad is the
fertile place it really is, from the appearance of its northern shore,
which is that of an immense ridge of barren rocks. Not, indeed, till we
were running down the eastern coast, did its rich and smiling valleys
again appear in view.
"I had good reason to be glad that we had not attempted the Serpent's
Mouth; for when standing across from the southern end of Trinidad
towards the Orinoco the wind fell light, and we were nearly swept by the
current back again into the Gulf.
"Even before we came in sight of the mainland, we found ourselves
sailing through the brown waters of the mighty stream, which as we got
nearer its many mouths, became almost the consistency of pea-soup, and
we had to keep a lookout to avoid the huge trunks of trees swept out by
the current, the ends of some of which, broken off by lightning or the
wind, might have made an ugly hole in our bows. We stood for the centre
and broadest entrance of the river, the only one through which we could
make our way up against the current, and hove-to off the far from
attractive looking town of Cangrayos--here we were to find, the consul
informed me, the trustworthy pilot Anselmo.
"A signal having been made for a pilot, a canoe speedily put off from
the shore, bringing on board a big mulatto, dressed in an excessively
dirty white jacket and trowsers, with a broad-brimmed straw hat which
had seen better days, on his head. He greeted the consul with a
profound bow, and introduced himself to me as `de pilot of de Orinoco,'
who `knowed ebery part of de river from one end to de other, and take up
all de English ships which come dare.'
"`Well, Senhor Anselmo, do you think you can pilot this brig and carry
her back again, without leaving her high and dry on a sandbank?' I
asked.
"`Oh yes, sare, if she twice the size, I take her up all de same,' he
answered with a scornful laugh at the supposition that he might not
fulfil his engagement.
"`Senhor Guedes assured me that you were the best pilot to be found for
the river,' I remarked. At his request we hoisted up his canoe, which
contained a hammock and several articles which he had brought off to
administer to his creature comforts. The only fresh provisions that we
were able to procure at the place were three turtles, one of which was
immediately put to death; the others were slung in hammocks, and secured
to temporary stanchions fixed to the bulwarks; we kept the reptiles
alive by covering them with damped swabs which were continually wetted
as the heat absorbed the water. We had to wait till the next morning,
when the sea-breeze set up the river, to enable us to stem the muddy
current. The shores on either side, as far as the eye could reach, were
covered with dense masses of mangrove trees which rose up out of the
water, no firm ground being visible on either side; the scenery, indeed,
was not attractive, though we supposed that in time we should come to
something more interesting. It was satisfactory to find that we did
make headway, though slowly.
"I have said nothing about Senhor Guedes and his better half. He
allowed her to come out to meals; but he sat opposite to her at table,
and fixed a glance at her all the time, and frowned savagely if he saw
her for a moment turn her eyes towards me. Had I not suggested, for the
sake of her health, that she should be allowed to come on deck, I
believe he would have kept her shut up in the cabin for the whole
voyage. When she did appear she was closely veiled, and he stood by her
the whole time, looking expressively angry when any of the officers
approached her, though as she did not speak English, few of them could
exchange a word with her. Before we got into the river, he had some
reason for keeping her in her cabin; for the poor lady was very ill.
Several times I heard her Bluebeard of a husband scolding her fearfully,
and I felt strongly inclined to pitch him overboard. She recovered
rapidly when she got into the river, and was able to hold her own, and
prove that she could scold as well as he could.
"I won't bother you with an account of our daily progress, which was as
I have said, dreadfully slow. I had expected to witness grand and
majestic views on the Orinoco, the second river in point of size in
South America; but its very width is a drawback from any beauty it might
possess; and although aware that the trees on either side are of great
height, they are so far off as to appear like mere bulrushes growing out
of the water, while the mountains of which we caught sight were at such
a distance as to produce but little effect in the landscape. When the
breeze was fresh we made tolerable way through the water, but directly
it fell we were compelled to anchor, or we should have speedily been
swept down, and lost all the distance we had gained.
"We had to bring up every night and for some hours during the day, so
you will understand what toilsome work it was.
"I suggested one evening to Anselmo, that as he knew the river so well
we might run on when the breeze favoured us during the night: he shook
his head, answering, `Oh no, sare, that is not to be done; we get into
mischief; I only pilot for the day.' As the rascal was paid by the day
he was in no hurry; nothing I could say would induce him to take charge
by night. I tried what threatening would do, but he only smiled, as he
well knew that he had us in his power.
"Having gone on deck some time after sunset one evening, and found a
steady breeze blowing up the stream, I thought I would again try to
overcome his resolution. I sent the quartermaster of the watch to look
for him, but he was nowhere to be found. `Anselmo!' was called along
the lower deck; no answer came. At last, turning my eyes aloft I
observed something unusual in the rigging, and there between the main
and foremast was slung a hammock, in which the rogue had stowed himself.
After he had been repeatedly hailed, he looked out of his eyrie, and
getting into the main rigging came down. I asked him why he had taken
up his berth aloft.
"`Because, sare, it dare cool and pleasant; no mosquito; plenty air.'
"He certainly was not likely to have been interrupted as long as the
sails were furled, though had he suddenly awoke he would have run a
great risk of toppling down on deck. Habit, however, is second nature,
and he, I dare say, recollected, even in his sleep, where he was.
"Had I at the time known one of his peculiarities I should have kept a
stricter watch on him that I had done hitherto. I soon, however, found
it out. We were brought up one day for want of a breeze, when an
American schooner loaded with hides came rapidly gliding down the
stream. Anselmo begged to have his canoe lowered, as he said that he
had friends on board whom he wished to see. I gave him permission, and
after a brief visit to her he returned singing merrily as he got
alongside, and his canoe again at his request was hoisted up. It did
not occur to me to send any one to look into her, or to look myself.
Soon afterwards the schooner was out of sight. After waiting for some
time a breeze sprang up, and as we had not anchored in any great depth
of water we soon got the anchor to the bows and made sail. Anselmo was
more loquacious than usual. We had gone up a mile or two when I felt
the vessel touch the ground. As the breeze freshened, however, she
glided on, stirring up the thick mud at the bottom.
"I rated our pilot soundly, but he only laughed, observing, `Oh, senhor
capitan, that is noting.' I happened to remark that he made frequent
visits to his canoe, and in a short time after I went below. When I
returned on deck I found that he was completely drunk, and not willing
to trust the brig any longer to his charge, as the wind also was
falling, I brought up; of this fact, however, Anselmo did not appear to
be aware, for he stood at his usual post conning her with the gravity of
a post-captain who has royalty on board his ship. `Starboard now,'
`steady,' `port,' he sung out every now and then, while holding on by a
stanchion to support himself, notwithstanding which he occasionally
surged forward, and I thought would have tumbled over on his nose,
while, of course, he afforded infinite amusement to the midshipmen and
crew. We were unable to move again during the day. Notwithstanding his
condition he managed to climb into his hammock and sleep away the fumes
of liquor.
"Next morning he seemed greatly surprised to find that the brig had not
made better way, and declared that she had dragged her anchor, as to his
certain knowledge we had sailed on three or four hours after we had left
the spot where we were now brought up.
"We had eaten another of our turtles. I had ordered the last to be
killed, and was standing aft watching a large cow-fish which came
sweeping by on our quarter, its snout and shining body rising just above
the surface, when I heard a loud cry from Tom, and I saw him with one
hand in the turtle's hammock dancing up and down, and crying lustily,
`Quick, quick! if you don't, he will have my thumb off.'
"I ran forward to his assistance, and found that having forgotten at
which end the animal's head lay, he had intended, as he said, to give
its tail a pull, when to his dismay the creature's mouth caught his
thumb. With a boathook, fortunately at hand, I managed to wrench open
the turtle's mouth and extract Tom's thumb. Had the creature been in
full strength it would undoubtedly have bitten it off; even as it was,
though at its last gasp, it had given him an ugly gripe, which
necessitated his being under the care of McTavish for several days.
"Of animal life we saw but little, though birds of gay plumage flew
across the stream, and cow-fish, porpoises, and other creatures
gambolled in the waters. We met, also, several floating islands,
composed of trunks of trees bound together by their branches, and
interwoven by sipos or long vines. Sometimes they were even covered
with grass, and on one of them was a jaguar still feeding on its prey,
and not aware of the fate which to a certainty awaited it. The animal
had probably leaped on the island to seize a deer which had taken refuge
there, when the victim and its destroyer had been together swept away,
the latter being afraid to venture into the rushing stream to make its
escape. It was too far off to shoot; indeed, I had no rifle ready.
When passing near the trees which grew in the water--for land was
nowhere visible--I caught sight of flocks of herons resting on the
branches.
"I went on one occasion, when we had brought up, in Anselmo's canoe, and
in an hour killed a sufficient number of them to serve all hands for
breakfast.
"Having consumed our last turtle we became badly off for fresh
provisions, as we generally anchored too far from the trees to get a
shot at a bird, or to catch any of the animals which inhabited them.
"Occasionally, however, we were visited by the canoes of the natives,
who supplied us with bananas, cocoanuts, and the dried flesh of some
large fish. The most welcome provisions they brought us were a number
of small land-tortoises, a foot and a half or two feet in length, which
were as delicate as anything I could wish to eat. As we got higher up,
the river became somewhat narrower, and we thus frequently had to pass
close to the trees.
"We had been making good way one morning with a fresh breeze, when as
the day advanced the wind began to fall: still Anselmo encouraged us
with the hope that it would get up again, and we continued our course
under all the sail we could spread.
"As he appeared to be perfectly sober at the time, I had not, as I
generally did, kept an eye on him, and therefore did not bring up as I
should have done. Finding, however, that we were going astern I ordered
the anchor to be dropped, and sent the hands to furl sails. The
topsails and topgallant-sails had fortunately been handed, and the men
were coming down from aloft when the brig swung right in among the
trees, and the end of a thick bough which had been shivered by
lightning, or broken off by a storm, ran through the head of the
mainsail just under the gaff. There we lay with our fore-topgallant and
topsail yards caught in the branches, and our mainsail securely locked.
"`A pretty job it will be to get clear,' I thought. Though at present
the brig had suffered no great damage, she was in a position in which it
would not have been satisfactory to remain long, and I therefore ordered
a boat to be lowered to carry out a kedge. As it was necessary,
however, first to clear our mainsail and yards, I sent some hands aloft
with axes to chop away the network of vines, the nooses of which nearly
caught two or three fellows and swung them off the yards into the trees.
"The most excited person on board was the midshipmen's pet, Master
Spider. Seeing the green foliage overhead, he became inspired with the
idea of visiting the haunts of his childhood. The owners, not thinking
of this, had allowed him to be loose: up the rigging he sprang, with Tom
and Gerald after him. They were very nearly as nimble as he was. He
had reached the fore-topgallant-yard, close to which temptingly hung a
mass of vines just such as one might suppose he had been accustomed to
swing in, in his early days: into it he sprang, and began to climb one
of the many widespreading branches to which the vines were attached.
Tom and Gerald, afraid of losing him, followed and were soon lost to
sight among the dense foliage. I did not myself see this, but supposed
them still to be among the men on the yards, for I was busy at the
moment in getting the boat lowered, and pointing out the direction in
which the kedge was to be carried. Calling the men down, I ordered them
to haul away on the warp to get the head of the brig out again into the
stream. While, however, the branch was fixed in the mainsail, this
could not be done. Needham, who saw what was necessary, called for the
assistance of the pilot, who was a wonderfully strong man, and having
lowered the peak, the two put their shoulders under the boom, and by a
wonderful exertion of strength lifted it out of the crutch and let it
run forward. At that moment a large mass fell from the branch on deck:
I turned round to ascertain what it was, when I saw issuing from the
fragments myriads of large ants, which went crawling all over the deck.
"`Oh! they will bite us to death,' exclaimed Anselmo, making a bolt up
the rigging. Needham, who had already had his feet attacked, followed
his example; the consul, who had been sitting on deck with his wife,
well knowing the biting powers of the creatures, seized her round the
waist and attempted to carry her down the companion-hatchway, but in his
terror he let her go by the run, and she lay shrieking at the bottom,
for she was much hurt, while he pitched down headforemost after her, a
whole army of ants following. The deck literally swarmed with them; the
creatures came creeping forward, attacking our shoeless feet and biting
in a most frightful manner. For the instant I thought that they would
have driven me and my crew overboard; the men at the warp quickly
recovering hauled away as before, though they were unable to withstand
stamping and leaping in their vain efforts to free themselves of the
fiery pests. We had managed to get the brig free of the boughs, when I
bethought me of attacking the creatures with water, and ordering all the
buckets to be filled, we immediately began deluging the decks, the ants
which still remained on it being quickly swept through the scuppers.
Numbers having, however, already gained the hammock-nettings and
rigging, it was no easy matter to dislodge them. Bevan, with the boat's
crew, who had gone off with the kedge, fortunately for themselves,
escaped; and he told me afterwards, that not knowing what had happened,
he fancied for a moment that we were all gone mad, from the curious way
in which, I setting the example, every one on board had begun suddenly
to leap and skip about. A gouty gentleman, subjected to the discipline
we went through, would quickly have been cured of his complaint. Our
next puzzle was to get rid of the creatures in the rigging. I partly
accomplished the task by sending hands into the tops with buckets, who
dashed the water down in every direction. To clear the cabin of them,
however, was a more difficult task; as soon as the deck was somewhat
free, I went down below, where, from the conversation I heard, with
occasional cries which proceeded from the cabin, I guessed that the
consul and his wife were employed in freeing their persons from the
pests. Senhor Guedes presently afterwards appeared with a basin, in
which were floating countless numbers of the slain; still I saw them
crawling about the cabin in every direction, and it struck me that the
youngsters might be usefully employed in catching them. I accordingly
sent for them, when, to my dismay, I was told that they were nowhere to
be found. At last one of the topmen said that he had seen them chasing
Master Spider among the boughs of the forest. A vision of jaguars,
venomous sea snakes and other reptiles, rose up before me, and I began
to fear that they might have met with some accident. We looked towards
the forest, but they could nowhere be seen. We shouted to them to show
themselves, but no answer came to our repeated hails. I immediately
ordered Anselmo's canoe to be lowered, and as soon as the brig had been
brought safely to an anchor at a distance from the trees, I paddled off
to look for them. I was quickly under the boughs, but as far as my eye
could reach water alone was to be seen, with huge trees apparently
growing out of it. By sounding I found that the depth, even some way
in, was fully six feet. Again and again I shouted, but got no answer,
and as for seeing anything above my head, that was impossible, from the
mass of sipos, as Anselmo called them, or vines, which hung in festoons
from the branches of the trees, uniting them in one vast network. I
began to fear that the youngsters had, in their hurry to overtake
Spider, slipt from aloft and fallen into the water, where they might
have stuck in the mud, or been carried off by some voracious alligator
watching for his prey. Going a little farther, I again shouted, when a
cry came from among the branches above my head: I looked up, expecting
to see the lads, but could not make them out. At last I distinctly
heard Tom's voice, exclaiming, `Here we are, sir, but Spider will hold
on by the boughs with his tail, and we cannot get him along.'
"`But that is nothing, sir,' added Gerald. `We are surrounded by
hundreds of monkeys, and are afraid that they will carry him off if we
let him go again.'
"`Wring his neck and pitch him down, and then come down yourselves,' I
shouted out, losing temper.
"`That's not so easily done, sir,' cried Gerald. `The monkeys may take
it into their heads to carry us off.'
"`No fear of that,' I shouted out; `tie Spider's tail over his head and
you will easily bring him down by some of these vines. If you happen to
fall into the water I will pick you up.' The youngsters did as I
directed them, though Spider showed fight and bit Gerald while he was
trying to perform the operation. Tom, however, very wisely thought of
tying his handkerchief over the monkey's head, and now dragging him
along they began to make their way down to the lower branches. Not
being able, however, to ascertain how near the vines reached to the
water, they came down by some which hung eight or ten feet from the
surface. This was too great a height to drop from into the canoe.
Supposing that I was losing patience, and that I might punish them for
their freak, they let go, and monkey and midshipmen came down by the run
into the water, where the three adventurers cut a ludicrous figure,
splashing, spluttering, and kicking till I got up to them. The latter
were not much the worse for their ducking, but the monkey was very
nearly drowned before I had helped him out. `We have got Spider
anyhow,' sung out Tom, not holding me in much awe, but Gerald took
matters more seriously.
"`Faith, sir. We could not help it,' he exclaimed, `the baste of a
monkey would set off to join his brothers in the bush, and if we had not
gone after him they would have made a hathen of him to a certainty.'
"`I suppose, then, Master Gerald, you consider that he has become a
Christian under your instruction?'
"`Well, sir,' answered Gerald, looking up with a comical expression,
which reminded me of an old shipmate of mine, `he is as good a
Christian, any how, as many who call themselves so, and considering that
he has got a tail he is a remarkable civilised baste.'
"`Well, I will overlook your offence of quitting the ship without
permission,' I said, trying to keep from laughing. `You were not aware
probably that you were to be left among the tops of the trees when we
hauled off from them? I don't accuse you of intending to desert.'
"`Thank you, sir. We will promise not to go monkey-hunting again,
without your leave,' answered the two midshipmen in chorus.
"As I was in no hurry to get on board, and the youngsters were not
likely to suffer from sitting in their wet clothes, I paddled away for
some distance among the trees. The greatest number were palms, but
there were others of all descriptions, of which I am unable even to give
the names. After going a little way we came to a somewhat more open
space, when we heard a peculiar chattering overhead, while showers of
sticks came pattering down on our heads. On looking up to ascertain the
cause, we saw, high above up, among the tops of the tallest trees a
whole clan of large bushy-tailed monkeys; there must have been a hundred
or more, some old, and some young, gambolling about and playing all
sorts of pranks. No sooner did they catch sight of us than they
stopped, and scampered off helter-skelter, the old ones catching hold of
the young ones in their arms, all equally anxious to make their escape.
Some took prodigious leaps, catching the branches with their long tails,
and, after a swing or two, throwing themselves to another branch, and so
made their way amid the boughs till the whole of them were quickly lost
to sight. They, however, had not gone far, when Tom's quick eyes
detected several bushy faces grinning out from among the boughs where
they had concealed themselves. We paddled on a short distance and then
remained quiet, when in a few minutes, first one bolder than the rest
came out from his hiding-place, and then another, and another, uttering
sharp cries; presently the whole troop came back, and began amusing
themselves as before, the spot for some reason or other suiting their
tastes. It was great fun, I confess, and Tom and Gerald enjoyed it
immensely. They declared that the monkeys were the same fellows who
came to look at them and had threatened, as they supposed, to make them
prisoners. I had paddled for some distance into the forest when I
considered that it was time to turn back, for the sun was getting low;
it was just possible that I might lose my way, and I suspected it would
be no easy matter to find it in the dark. How far the water might
extend over the country I could not tell, probably for miles and miles.
I had begun, as I believed, to direct the head of the canoe towards the
brig, steering by the rays of the sun, which still came across the
forest and struck the topmost boughs of the trees, of which I
occasionally caught a glimpse, when presently Tom caught sight of some
tempting fruit like plums, which hung from the branches almost within
our reach. I tried to get at them with my paddle by standing up in the
canoe. On finding this impossible, Tom and Gerald volunteered to climb
along the branch, when they managed to get hold of a good number, which
they threw into the canoe, though, by-the-bye, they very nearly toppled
down head foremost into the water when making the attempt. I tried the
plums and found them excellent. Knowing how welcome they would be on
board, we took as many as the canoe would hold: no one enjoyed them more
than Spider, who munched away at them with amazing gusto, till his
masters declared that he would burst if he took any more. Some time was
occupied in gathering and eating the plums. We had turned about so
often that when I began to paddle back, on my life I could not tell
which direction to take; not a gleam of sunlight could I see on any of
the trees, and before we had gone far the gloom of night began to settle
down among the tall trunks. I did not wish to spend a night in the
forest, with a chance of being capsized by an alligator, or cow-fish, or
grabbed by an anaconda.
"`Well, at all events, we shall not starve,' said Tom; `these plums are
very pleasant after the salt pork and dried fish we have had between our
teeth for the last few days.'
"`You forget the turtle soup and the tortoises.'
"`We did not have a very large share of the former in the gunroom,'
answered Gerald, `and the tortoises were such ugly looking beasts that
we did not take to them kindly.'
"`That was your own fault then,' I remarked; `I should advise you to try
the next you get sent in, and you will find it superior to fish, flesh,
or fowl, dressed according to a receipt Senhor Guedes gave the cook.'
"On going round the spot where we fell in with the plums, I discovered
the branch on which we had first seen them, and recollecting its
position, I was able to pull on in the direction we were then taking.
Thinking that we might be possibly near enough to the ship to be heard,
the midshipmen and I shouted at the top of our voices, but no reply
came; indeed, among those huge trunks, sounds penetrate to no great
distance. Still hoping to reach the brig, I persevered, as far as I
could judge, in the same direction. I felt that with all the scientific
knowledge possessed by the white man, how helpless he is in one of those
mighty forests, while a native would have found the way without the
slightest difficulty.
"Monkeys poked out their heads from the boughs on which they nestled and
chattered at us; macaws, parrots, toucans, and other strange birds,
screamed at us, and Gerald and Tom declared that they saw huge snakes
wriggling along the branches, and about to drop down and attack us, but
I suspected they were merely sipos, which, seen in the uncertain light,
as we went along, appeared to be moving. At last I began to fear that
we should not find the brig till daylight, and should have to pass the
night in the forest. The canoe, laden as she was with plums, not
allowing us space to lie down, I proposed, if we failed, after a further
attempt to find the brig, that we should look out for a tree with
widespreading branches, into which we could climb, and remain till
daylight.
"`But pray don't think of such a thing,' cried Tom; `we should have a
whole troop of monkeys down upon us, and be carried off in our sleep by
an army of anacondas.'
"I laughed at his fears, though I thought that we should very likely be
attacked by ants, such as had almost taken the brig from us. I never
like to be beaten in an object should it seem possible of attainment,
and so I persevered, and again we all shouted, but with the same want of
success as before. I thought that very possibly by this time we might
be two or three miles away from the brig, just as likely as near her,
for I confess I was extremely doubtful as to the direction we had taken.
"`Well, youngsters, I am afraid there is no help for it,' I remarked;
`if you do not like to sleep among the branches, we must run the risk of
turning our plums into jam. We will make the canoe fast to a tree, and
try to get some rest. One at a time, however, must keep watch, though I
don't think we run much risk of being attacked by human or savage foes.'
"I was looking out for a branch to which to make the painter fast, when
Tom declared that he saw a light far off between the tall trunks. By
moving a little on one side, I also caught sight of it, and at once
paddled away in that direction. It grew brighter as we advanced, and
appeared to be elevated some little distance above the water. I was
very certain that it could not proceed from the brig; it seemed, indeed,
to be produced by a fire, but how a fire could exist in such a place, it
was puzzling to say, unless it was on the bank of the river, or on an
island elevated some height above the surface of the water. At all
events, we were likely to meet with human beings, who, if natives, would
probably be able to pilot us back to the brig.
"I told the youngsters to keep silent, and paddled cautiously on. It
was necessary, indeed, to be very careful, for fear of capsizing the
canoe against a floating log or projecting branch, unseen in the
darkness. After going on for some distance, what was our surprise to
find directly ahead a large platform, secured to the trunks of several
lofty palms, elevated about six feet above the water. A fire was
burning in the centre, round which were seated a number of dark-skinned
natives, with scarcely a particle of clothing on their bodies. Above
the platform was a roof of palm leaves, below which were hung a number
of hammocks, of various sizes, the small ones containing children, and
under them were a variety of other articles, while two canoes were made
fast to the crossbeams which afforded support to the structure. The
flames from the fire lighted up the figures of the natives, and cast a
ruddy glare on the trunks of the trees, the dark foliage, the
surrounding water, and on our canoe. As we approached, the men
perceiving us, started up and seized their lances. Guessing that they
understood Spanish, I shouted `Amigo! amigo!' and paddling on towards
them, they were soon satisfied that we came with no hostile intent; and
as Tom made fast the canoe to a ladder which rested against the
platform, they stretched out their hands to assist us up. Though unable
to speak any language but their own, they seemed to comprehend that we
were officers; and when I uttered the word `navio,' they nodded to show
us that they knew we had come from a ship out in the river, and that we
wished to return to her. As I had no wish to pass the night among them,
I tried to explain to them that I would reward them well, if they would
at once pilot us back. After some time I got them, as I supposed, to
understand my meaning, for they again nodded their heads, and pointed in
the direction from which we had come, showing me, that when I fancied I
had been paddling out towards the stream, I had in reality been
directing my course inland.
"They offered us some of their meal, consisting of broiled fish and
cakes, made, I suspect, from the flour, or pith of the very palm-trees
on which the platform was erected. They gave us also some palm-wine; we
did not ask how it was made, but it tasted very well. Indeed, our hosts
showed every wish to be friendly. The flooring of this strange
habitation was, I found on examination, composed of the split trunks of
small palms; the hearth consisted of a mass of clay thick enough to
prevent the heat from injuring the wood below. The people I afterwards
found from the consul, belonged to a tribe of the Guarinis, who are the
only inhabitants of this submerged region of the Orinoco. When the
waters subside, they take up their abode on shore. Their only vegetable
food is what they obtain from the palm-trees, and they subsist generally
on turtle, tortoises, and the flesh of the manatee or cowfish, and other
fish, which they spear or take with nets. Some of the young women were
pretty good-looking, and wore scant petticoats made of the cabbage palm
leaves, but the men had on little more than a belt round the waist with
a few leaves hung from it.
"As I was afraid that my people would be going in search of us, and very
likely lose themselves, I made the natives understand that I should be
glad to take my departure; they nodded, and two of them got into the
smallest of their canoes and paddled a little way, to show that they
were ready to pilot us. Shaking hands with all round, the youngsters
and I got into our canoe and followed our guides. I had to exert
myself, however, to keep up with them, but as I knew that where they
went my canoe could pass, we made good way. We had gone some distance
when the sound of a gun reached us echoing from trunk to trunk
throughout the forest, but it was not easy to ascertain from what
direction it came, and had I been alone, it would scarcely have served
to guide me. The natives, however, paddled on in their former course,
showing me that they knew perfectly well what they were about. We soon
came out into an open part of the river, a short distance above where
the brig lay, and I at once made out her spars rising against the sky.
"Our absence had caused some anxiety to Bevan and the rest. He had just
lowered a boat and was about to send Norris and Needham to look for us.
The natives were well satisfied with the reward I bestowed on them, not
so Anselmo at seeing it given.
"`One bullet through the head or poke with a pike, good enough for dem,'
observed the rascal.
"I resolved the next time I went plum-picking to carry a compass, and to
get back before the sun should sink below the tops of the trees.
"By-the-bye, the sun is often not to be obtained as a guide, for I
afterwards visited parts of the forest where even his rays could not
penetrate.
"We got under weigh the next morning as soon as the sea-breeze reached
us, but again Senor Anselmo managed to get drunk as a fiddler, and after
we had nearly been run on shore, I was obliged to bring up, a fact of
which he was totally unaware. There he stood at his usual post,
shouting out to the helmsman, `Starboard! port! steady!' and at last, as
grave as a judge, he observed to me--
"`It's time to bring up, captain; us no make headway, I see.'
"`I should think not, mate,' said Needham, `vessels don't often go ahead
with the anchor down. We are not going astern either, as we did
yesterday, eh?'
"It would have been useless to flog the fellow or to put him in the
black-list, for he would probably have slipped into his canoe, and left
us to find our way as best we could; besides, when he was sober, he was
as good a pilot as could be desired. I determined therefore to bear
with him and to keep liquor out of his way. I was fortunate in finding
his calabash, which I hove overboard, and gave notice that I would flog
any man who supplied him with liquor beyond his portion. This had a
good effect, and Anselmo kept sober for some time afterwards.
"I made frequent trips in the canoe, taking the youngsters, and always
returned with a good supply of plums. We fell in with several families
of the wild natives I have described. They seemed quiet and
well-disposed, though somewhat low in the scale of humanity.
"I should like to give you an idea of the sort of scenery we met with.
Starting from the ship, we began to force our way under the branches and
amongst dense bushes, till we got into a part where the trees were much
loftier, and the lower branches were level with the surface of the
water, most of them covered with flowers. Besides the plums we found
bunches of delicious fruit growing on the branches of a smaller species
of palm. Frequently we heard the rattle of leaves overhead and caught
sight of troops of monkeys peeping down among the thick foliage.
Paddling on among the lofty trunks which rose like columns out of the
water, presently down came a shower of leaves, and on looking up, we
discovered a flock of parrots or a family of trogons, large
gaily-coloured birds, with clamorous voices and heavy flight, who made
the branches shake as they alighted to seize the fruit pendent from
them. Palm-trees of various species prevailed; there was no underwood,
or it had been destroyed by water, but the sipos or vines hung in dense
masses among the upper branches. I wish that I could describe the
wonderful birds we saw, one perfectly black, with a headdress like an
umbrella, while some lovely specimens of the feathered tribe had white
wings and claret-coloured plumage. Flowers were of all hues, and of
immense size; some of the more lofty trees were literally covered with
clusters of rich golden flowers. On the decayed trunks we caught sight
of crabs of every variety of tint and size, watching for their prey,
while butterflies and dragonflies of gorgeous hues flitted amid the more
open spots wherever the sunlight found its way, some of the latter with
crimson bodies and black heads and burnished wings, others with green
and blue bodies. A fine region this for frogs, but many of them live in
trees, finding, I suppose, that they are likely to be gobbled up, if
they keep, as frogs in northern countries do, in the water. As night
drew on, we heard them `hoo-hooing, quack-quacking,' keeping up the
strangest concert imaginable; indeed, had not the consul assured me that
frogs produced the noises, I should have supposed that they were caused
by some species of nightbird; however, I am, I confess, no great hand at
description, nor had we a naturalist on board, or I might have given you
a better account of the various trees and curious things we met with.
Now and then we caught sight of an alligator, but the monsters generally
betake themselves to pools and quiet places, while the waters are, as at
present, at their height. By-the-bye, we did pass a town, which was
seen in the distance. I did not touch at it, but Anselmo informed me
that the inhabitants were engaged in a little civil war of their own,
murdering each other to their hearts' content. Had we had time, I dare
say we might have supplied ourselves with monkey and sloth-flesh,
opossums, snakes, crabs, and a variety of birds, but I doubt whether the
crew would have appreciated the exertions of the sportsman. At last
Anselmo informed me, much to my satisfaction, that we were drawing near
to the termination of our voyage. The trees receded to a distance, and
on either side of us appeared fields of grass, I should think, nearly a
mile in width. Though web-footed birds here and there stalked over it,
not an animal was to be seen; the reason of this was that the grass
floated on the calm surface of the water. I should think we must have
sailed through at least fifteen miles of it. At last we came to off the
town of Angostura. Though not a place possessed of many attractions, I
never dropped anchor with more satisfaction.
"I was not sorry to get the jealous consul and his veiled lady out of
the ship, for, as you may suppose, I wanted to be back among more
stirring scenes, and escorted him and his wife on shore at the head of a
score of bluejackets and five marines, to make as imposing an appearance
as I could. Having seen him reinstated in his abode, and the consular
flagstaff set up again with the flag of old England flying from it, I
delivered my despatches from the Governor of Trinidad to the chief
authority in the place, and informed him that the Majesty of England
must not be insulted in the person of one of her consuls.
"`But Senhor Guedes is very jealous of his wife, and that is all about
it,' answered the governor of Angostura, who, I found to my surprise,
was able to converse pretty freely in English. Such, I had suspected,
was the case, and I could not help feeling that I had been sent up on a
fool's errand.
"From the appearance of Angostura, I fancied that it must have been a
place of some importance in the past days of Spanish glory, but like
every other former dependency of that unhappy country, it everywhere
shows marks of decay. There are churches and priests, but the best
thing it can boast of is a very good market, in which being able to
supply all our wants, we revelled luxuriously on fresh provisions during
our stay. The town also can boast of the very fattest negress I ever
set eyes on; she would make her fortune in an exhibition in England or
America. The midshipmen asked Needham if he would like to marry her.
"`Bless my heart, no, young gentlemen; she's big enough to be the wife
of six men, twice my size,' he answered.
"I can think of nothing else to tell you about this remote city. It has
some commerce, for there were three or four American vessels in the
harbour loading with hides.
"Having paid farewell to the obnoxious consul, who, shedding a flood of
tears, gave me a hug which nearly drove the breath out of my body, I
returned on board, and ordering the anchor to be weighed, directed
Anselmo to pilot us back the way we had come, and `mark me, my friend,'
I added, `if you get drunk, and run us on shore, I will give you three
dozen as sure as you are a living man.'
"`But, cap'n, I would no' do that same, on no account,' he answered,
with a bland smile; however, I had given Needham instructions to keep a
watch on him, and to throw overboard any liquor he might have stowed
away. Three or four cocoanuts full of rum were discovered among his
traps, the contents of which were started, and water substituted. It
was amusing to see Anselmo's face, when he found out the trick that had
been played him.
"`Never mind, pilot, it's better to go without your grog than have a
taste of the cat,' observed Needham, patting him on the shoulder, `when
you get home you shall have enough to keep you drunk for a week; at
least, you will then be ready to pilot another of her Majesty's ships up
the river, if one of them ever comes this way.'
"As we could now sail or drift on all day by sending the boats ahead
occasionally to tow us off the trees, we made good progress, and soon
reached the mouth of the river.
"Though our trip was not destitute of interest, I can only hope that I
shall never be sent up the Orinoco again."
Terence thanked Jack for this description of his trip when they next
met, which they did off Georgetown, the capital of British Guiana, at
the mouth of the Demerara river. Its gaily painted wooden houses, with
broad verandahs, raised on supports some feet above the ground, its
canals and dykes, and numerous windmills, might make it easily mistaken
for a Dutch town, were it not for the tall palm-trees which rise in its
midst and the rich tropical scenery around. Here the corvette and brig
remained for some days, and then sailed to join the squadron ordered to
rendezvous at Rio.
A bright lookout was kept for slavers, which, notwithstanding the treaty
lately made by the Brazilian Government with England, were known to
swarm on the coast; the local authorities, like those of Havannah,
encouraging the nefarious traffic, which put thousands of dollars into
their purses.