"They say we are pirates!" exclaimed Norris.
"I only hope they won't take it into their heads to hang us before they
find out their mistake, and from the rough way they are handling us, I
should not be surprised if they do," cried Desmond. "Set our arms free,
you fellows. If you want us to go along with you, we will walk quietly
enough, since we can't help ourselves."
The Brazilians, of course, not understanding this, only grinned, and
having collected various articles scattered about on the grass, they
prepared to leave the waterside. Just then, Snatchblock and the rest of
the party from different directions, appeared, very much astonished at
seeing the way in which their companions were being treated, and that
their boat was carried off. Before they could unite, several more
natives coming to the spot, rushed down on them and made them prisoners.
Snatchblock showed fight, and two or three of his assailants bit the
ground before they succeeded in capturing him. The whole naval party
were then marched up the hill towards a village which appeared in the
distance, their captors being joined on the way by several more people,
who abused and threatened them with violent gestures.
"I can't make out whom they take us for," said Higson to Norris, who was
dragged along near him. "Try and ascertain. There is surely some
mistake."
Norris expostulated as well as he could, but received the same reply as
before, "Piratas! piratas!" while their captors pointed with significant
gestures to some horizontal branches of trees which stretched across the
path, intimating, as they all supposed, that the branches would be
convenient for hanging them on.
"I say, Gerald, I don't like this at all at all!" cried Desmond; "if the
people are giving to practising Lynch law here abouts, they may hang us
up as they threaten to do without ceremony."
"I don't think they will dare to do that, for they must guess who we
really are," answered Tom.
"Whatever they may think, they call us `pirates,'" said Desmond.
"Arrah, now, you unmannerly brutes, just behave properly to a
gentleman!" he exclaimed, turning round to the Brazilians, who were
roughly hauling him on away from Tom. Snatchblock and his messmate
walked along, abusing their captors for their own gratification, knowing
pretty well that not a word they uttered could be understood.
At last they arrived in front of a building, with a door and a couple of
strongly-barred windows on either side. The door being opened by an
official-looking personage, who produced a huge key from his pocket,
they were all unceremoniously thrust in one by one. Again Higson
protested against the treatment they were receiving, but the Brazilians
were utterly indifferent to what he or any of his companions said.
Snatchblock, who had till then been walking on quietly, suddenly got his
arms loose, and knocking aside, with some well-directed blows from his
iron fists, two or three of the persons nearest to him, shouted out--
"Now is the time to get our liberty! We will soon send the fellows to
the right about. Come on, Mr Higson, the coast is clear."
The lieutenant and midshipmen having their arms lashed behind them could
not quite so easily follow his advice, and the next instant the
Brazilians making a rush together threw themselves on the brave sailor
and brought him to the ground, when he was quickly bundled in after the
rest, and the door shut. As, however, his arms were at liberty, he at
once released his companions.
"This is very provoking," exclaimed Higson, after they had somewhat
recovered from the rough handling they had received. "We can soon set
ourselves to rights, though, if we could manage to send on board one of
our ships."
"Easy enough, but we must get out first," observed Desmond.
"Perhaps we might contrive to get through the roof, I have heard of such
things being done," said Tom. "The door and windows are evidently
strong, and there is no chance of getting out through them."
The building, which was about twenty-five feet long and fourteen wide,
was carefully examined, but they soon discovered that the roof was
strong and heavy, and there was but little prospect of making their way
through it. Even should they get outside, how were they to reach Rio
was the question, unless they could find their boat; and over that their
captors would probably keep a strict watch.
There were some rough wooden benches fixed to the walls round the room,
but no table or any place on which they could rest. The floor, which
was excessively dirty, being strewed with the remains of the meals of
other prisoners, they had no wish to lie down on it.
At last, Higson, seating himself on a bench, said, "Well, all we can do
at present is to practise patience, and see what turns up next."
It was now quite dark. Fortunately, having enjoyed a good supper just
before they were captured, they were not hungry. The rest of the party
followed the lieutenant's example, and lay down on the benches. No one
came into the prison, but they could hear voices outside and a great
number of people apparently passing up and down before the door. Thus
they passed the night.
Next morning, some time after daylight, they heard a number of people
collecting outside. Presently the door opened, and a couple of men
appeared with trays containing basins of broth, and some dark-looking
loaves of Indian corn. Without speaking the men put the viands on the
ground and hurried out of the room, afraid, apparently, the prisoners
might set upon them.
"Come, at all events, they don't intend to starve us; though I can't say
that this stuff looks very tempting," remarked Higson.
However, as all hands were very hungry, they ate up the food.
Fortunately, several of them having cigars or pipes in their pockets,
they sat down to console themselves with a smoke.
An hour or two passed away, and they saw through their windows a larger
crowd than before assembled, among whom were a number of armed men,
though they were too irregularly dressed to be taken for soldiers.
"We shall get more kicks than ha'pence if we resist should they be come
to take us anywhere, so it will be wiser to go quietly," observed
Higson. "I don't suppose that they really intend to injure us."
As he spoke the door opened, and the armed men entering, the whole party
were dragged out and marched up, each of them between a couple of
guards, through the village to a building which appeared to be a sort of
courthouse. That it was so was evident on their entering, when they
found themselves placed together on one side of a large room, at the end
of which sat a burly-looking personage before a table, and two men on
either hand, with paper and pens before them. Several persons whom they
recognised as the leaders among their captors of the previous evening,
now came forward and addressed the judge, or district magistrate, he
might have been more properly called the _Juiz da Fora_, violently
gesticulating, and occasionally pointing at the prisoners. What they
said was put down on paper, the judge nodding and trying to look very
wise, and sometimes frowning as he glanced towards the accused. At last
their captors came to an end of what they had to say. The judge turned
towards the Englishmen to hear what reply they had to make in their
defence. Now arose a considerable difficulty. As Higson had not
understood a word of the accusation brought against him and his
companions, he was excessively bothered how to form a reply.
"Well, Norris, what did the fellows say?" he asked. "I must get you to
be our spokesman."
"As to what they said, I have not the slightest conception," answered
Norris; "but I will try and make the judge understand who we are, and
that is the thing of most importance."
With such Portuguese as he could command, Norris then tried to explain
to the judge that they were a party of English officers on a pleasure
excursion, that they had no intention of committing any illegal act; and
that while he and his companions were quietly sitting on the ground they
had been attacked by a number of people, who had carried them up to
prison and made off with their boat.
The judge gave Norris to understand, that though he had caught a word
here and there, he could not comprehend what had been said, except as to
their being English officers, and that their very appearance
contradicted such an assertion.
Norris fortunately understood this remark, and at once said that if
their uniform jackets, which were on board the boat, were restored to
them they would put them on.
"Very likely you may have the uniforms of British officers, which you
may have stolen, perhaps after putting their owners to death," observed
the judge, an assertion which appeared to highly please their captors.
In vain Norris asserted that he spoke the truth. The judge evidently
sided with their accusers, and he was about to order that they should be
taken back to prison, when a negro from the farther end of the court
made his way up to them.
"Me Sangaree Jack, understand all you say, sare; once serve on board
English man-of-war. These here fellows say dey hang you up on de trees
tomorrow if you no show who you are."
"Well, Sangaree Jack, that is pleasant information," observed Higson,
"but how can you help us?"
"Me go down to English man-of-war, and tell all dat you say, and dey den
send up armed boats to make dese fellows let you go," answered the
negro.
"I shall be very glad to accept your offer," said Higson, "and the
sooner you start the better."
"All right, massa lieutenant, but me no go for nothing, you sabbe,"
answered Sangaree Jack, with a knowing look.
"Well, then, we will give you ten dollars, that will be handsome, won't
it?" said Higson.
Sangaree Jack grinned till his mouth almost pushed back his ears to
allow it full expansion, as he answered--
"Ten dollars! oh no! massa, dat not enough."
"Then suppose we double it," said Higson.
"Oh no! massa, twenty dollars not enough."
At last, after a little more bargaining, Sangaree Jack agreed for thirty
dollars to go down and carry information as to what had happened, on
board the corvette.
"Well, massa lieutenant, where de dollars, though?" asked the black,
with a cunning leer.
"The dollars! You will get them when we are set free, my friend," said
Higson.
"I neber do anyting of dat sort on trust, sare," answered the negro,
grinning.
"But suppose we have not got the dollars, you will lose them, and we
shall remain in the prison?" observed Higson.
"Oh, Buccra officers always carry dollars," answered the black. "Just
try what the young gentlemens got in dare pockets."
"Possibly we may have some of the money among us," said Higson, not
willing to trust the fellow altogether. "Suppose you take fifteen
dollars, and then we will pay the remainder when the boats come up--
come, fair play is a jewel."
"Massa lieutenant know how to manage tings," grinned blackie. "Come, I
take fifteen dollars, and you see I true man. Honour bright among
teves, you know; you trust me and I trust you--he! he! he!" and blackie
grinned at his own wit.
The dollars were with some difficulty collected among them.
"Don't let de people see what you give me," said blackie, putting his
fingers to his thick lips, and looking very wise. "I tell dese rascals
that I got a little money to buy some wine, and oder tings. I tell dem
too, dat I know you English officers, and dat dey better take care what
dey do."
The money was conveyed into Sangaree Jack's large paws, without any
remark being made by the people in court. Sangaree Jack then addressed
the court, and though Norris could not make out exactly what he said, it
had some effect, as the judge bowed to them as they left the court, and
they were afterwards treated with more respect. Their new friend then
hurried off, assuring them that he would lose no time in getting down
the harbour.
The party were now marched back to prison amidst the cries and hooting
of the populace.
"At all events they don't intend to lynch us," said Tom. "That's one
comfort."
"If each of us had a good shillelah in our hands, we would be after
making them sing a different tune," exclaimed Desmond, turning round
every now and then, and casting a contemptuous look on the mob. Higson
and Archy Gordon walked on, however, in an unconcerned manner, thinking
it more dignified to take no notice of the ill-feeling shown by the
people.
They were thankful when at last they got back to their prison. Messes
somewhat similar to those they had in the morning were again brought to
them. Norris asked the man if they could not purchase something better,
and offered a dollar if he would bring them some fruit.
"Stop a little, and I will see what can be done," he answered in
Portuguese.
An hour or two more passed, by which time the people had gone away, when
the same man again appeared at the window, and bringing a large basket
of oranges and other fruit, he asked for the dollar.
"You shall have it when you have given us its value in fruit, but not
until then, my friend," answered Norris, holding it up.
The man, knowing that they could not run away, thought that he might
trust them, and threw the oranges, and limes, and grapes, and other
fruit through the bars of the window, when they were eagerly caught by
the thirsty prisoners.
The fruit was not worth a quarter the sum the man received, so he was
well contented, and signified that he would bring some more next day.
For a second night they were shut up; they could only hope that Sangaree
Jack would prove faithful, and inform their friends of the treatment
they had received.
"But suppose he does not?" said Desmond; "we may be kept here till we
starve."
"No great fear of that," said Higson. "Rogers and several others know
that we were going up the harbour; and if we don't appear, boats will be
sent to look for us before long."
The following morning better provisions were sent to them, and not long
afterwards they were again marched up to the court-house. The same
farce as on the previous day was gone through, and no interpreter
appearing, the judge and his assistants left the court as wise as they
entered it, while the prisoners were unable to make out of what crime
they were accused. It was just possible that they might have been sent
out and shot, had not the judge entertained some strong suspicions that
their account of themselves was true, and that if they were ill-treated,
he and the inhabitants of his village would be made seriously to suffer.
However, once more they were sent back to prison, very naturally
considerably indignant at the scandalous way in which they were being
treated. Some of the party, indeed, began to entertain doubts whether
Sangaree Jack would prove faithful. Perhaps being a cunning fellow, he
might be contented with the fifteen dollars, and avoid the risk he might
run of being punished by the Brazilians, should they discover that he
had carried information to the English ships of what had taken place.
Even Higson began to fear that they had been duped.
"I think that it's high time that we should try and set ourselves free,
at all events," he said, after sitting silent for some time. "Though we
may be unable to escape either through the window or roof, perhaps we
may make our way under the walls, and, if we are once outside, we may
get hold of the sentry's arms, and manage to reach our boat."
All agreed to Higson's proposal. Archy Gordon and Desmond were
stationed at the window to give notice should any one attempt to look
in, while the rest carefully examined the ground round the walls. A
soft spot was found, and they agreed that it would be easy to excavate
it with their knives and pieces of the bench which had been easily
wrenched off. Believing nobody would come in for the remainder of the
day, they at once set to work, and before long had dug a tunnel through
which Snatchblock could creep, and he declared that he could easily
force the ground up on the outside. The earth, as they took it out,
they rammed under the benches. They had observed that the hut in which
they were confined stood in an open space by the side of a road, so that
people only passed in front of it. This greatly assisted them, and
prevented the risk of discovery, for the ground above their tunnel was
so thin that any one stepping on it would have inevitably fallen
through. The whole work was completed soon after nightfall. They then
waited anxiously till the sounds in the village should have ceased.
"Now the sooner we are off the better," said Higson. "Snatchblock and I
will creep out first and seize the sentry, and the rest of you follow
directly you find that we have got hold of him."
"Let me go first, sir," said Snatchblock; "my shoulders are best fitted
for shoving up the earth."
Higson agreed to this, and they crept into their tunnel. Snatchblock
had taken a piece of board which he put on his shoulders, and, giving a
hearty shove, up flew the earth, and out he came into the open air.
Higson and the rest followed. While the two first crept cautiously
round the hut, the remainder crouched down. Snatchblock waited till the
sentry came close to the end of the wall, then, making a spring, he
clapped his hands over the man's mouth, while Higson seized his musket.
They then dragged him back, and, putting a piece of wood, to serve as a
gag, into his mouth, they secured his hands and feet with their
handkerchiefs, and pulled him through the tunnel into the hut.
"Now," said Desmond, "we have got a musket, some pieces of wood, and our
fists; and, as we shall probably find some thick sticks as we go along,
it ought to take a good many Brazilians to recapture us."
On going to the courthouse, they had observed the water of the harbour
shining in the distance, and they therefore knew the direction to take.
Keeping outside the village, they were making their way to the brow of
the bill on which it stood, when they came suddenly on a large
farmhouse, out of which several dogs rushed, barking furiously; the
animals, however, contented themselves with making a noise, without
venturing to attack the strangers, but the noise was what they had to
dread. Lights were soon seen in the windows, and directly afterwards a
party of men appeared at the door, armed with blunderbusses and pistols.
Higson, knowing that if they ran, both dogs and men would follow,
halted, and, presenting his musket, told Norris to order the men to
stand back or that he would fire. They appeared to understand what they
said, for they all hurried back into the house; but as they did so, two
of them let fly with their blunderbusses. Fortunately no one was hit,
but the slugs came whizzing over their heads.
"Now we must run for it," cried Higson. "Whatever we do, though, keep
together."
The noise of the blunderbusses aroused the inhabitants of several
neighbouring houses, some of whom came out, while others discharged
their firearms from their windows. This of course aroused the whole
village, and it soon became known that the English pirates had escaped.
Higson and his party were in the meantime making the best of their way
down the hill, though, as they were unacquainted with the road, they
were uncertain whether they were directing their course for the
landing-place. They could tell by the sounds that a large body of men
were collecting in their rear. Higson regretted that they had not
waited till a later hour in the night, when all the inhabitants would
have retired to rest. The road was extremely rough and uneven, such as
it would have been difficult to traverse rapidly even in the daytime.
Tom had a severe tumble, and then down came Gerald, while poor Archy
Gordon found it very difficult to get along. Their pursuers, who knew
the road, were gaining on them.
"It won't do to be taken running," said Higson.
At length they reached an open space on one side of the road. Higson
called a halt, and facing about said--
"I will see if I can't make the fellows keep their distance."
The Brazilians in considerable force, some with firearms in their hands
and others with pikes or ox-goads, were seen not a hundred yards off,
coming towards them.
At that moment the tramp of feet was heard in the rear.
"We are surrounded, I am afraid," said Higson, "but we won't give in
notwithstanding."
The party from the opposite side came rapidly on, and to Higson's
surprise the Brazilians suddenly halted, amid began to talk in excited
voices to each other. The tramp of feet grew louder and louder, when,
by the light of the moon, which, by-the-bye, it should have been said,
was shining brightly, Higson and his companions, as they looked along
the road, saw a dozen bluejackets and as many marines coming towards
them, with an officer at their head, who was quickly recognised as Jack
Rogers. He and the rest were soon shaking hands, when Jack told them
that as soon as notice was brought on board of what had happened, Murray
had sent him and his party off in a couple of boats, and that on landing
and hearing the firing he had hurried up, thinking it possible that his
assistance might be required.
"Then Sangaree Jack proved faithful, and told you the position in which
we have been placed," said Higson.
"Yes, massa, and he well gained de oder fifteen dollars," exclaimed the
black, coming out from among the bluejackets, behind whom he had
concealed himself.
No sooner did the Brazilians perceive the English party than away they
scampered as fast as their legs could carry them. Jack determined at
once to go to the judge's house, and to demand satisfaction for the
insult which had been offered to the majesty of England in the persons
of some of her naval defenders, and his black namesake undertook to
guide him there.
The magistrate, aroused out of his first sleep by hearing his door-bell
ringing violently, was naturally in a great fright, and stood trembling
and bowing as Jack walked into the house. He excused himself on the
plea that he had no notion the prisoners were English officers, fully
believing that they were pirates, as the people who had captured them
had asserted. He acknowledged, however, that most of the said officious
personages were connected with slave-dealers, and that he had little
doubt they had committed the outrage to revenge themselves for the
number of vessels which had been captured by the English ships of war.
Jack and his party, with the rescued prisoners, declined accepting the
magistrate's offered hospitality, and having received all the apologies
he could make, went back to the boats, which some of the natives had
even ventured to approach.
Having lighted fires to serve the double purpose of cooking their
provisions and keeping off the mosquitoes, they passed the night seated
round them.
Next morning the magistrate, attended by several of the principal people
in the place, trembling in their shoes, came down, and again tendered
the most abject apologies for what had occurred. The captured boat was
soon afterwards seen coming round the point, and being brought alongside
by a black crew, who had been placed in her by the Brazilians, she was
found not only to contain all the arms, and other articles which had
been taken, but six fat pigs, several dozen ducks and fowls, with heaps
of oranges and other fruit, which the magistrate begged the English
officers would accept as a peace-offering.
Again he declared that what had happened had been from no fault of his;
that the rascally slave-dealers had sworn that the people they had
captured were pirates, and he had only acted according to his duty in
judging the case brought before him. He took great credit to himself
for allowing the negro, Sangaree Jack, to go down to the ships of war,
and hoped that this would prove the honesty of his intentions.
Rogers having received instructions not to push matters to extremities,
accepted the old gentleman's apology.
"He would have shown his disinterestedness had he sent down himself,
without allowing our friend Sangaree here the opportunity of doing us
out of our thirty dollars," observed Higson. "Ah, blackie, how many is
the old fellow to get of them?"
Sangaree Jack gave one of his broadest grins.
"One half, massa lieutenant, as I a gentleman. He bigger rascal than
all the rest--he one slave-dealer hisself. Ah! ah! ah!" and the negro
chuckled with delight, rubbed his hands, and twisted and wriggled about,
till he set the boat's crew all laughing.
Whether the fellow's description of the magistrate was correct or not,
Rogers felt that he could take no further steps in the matter, no one
having fortunately really suffered damage or hurt, beyond the
inconvenience of being shut up in a dirty hut for a couple of nights.
A pleasant breeze blowing down the harbour the boats made sail, and in a
few hours reached the ships. The next day the _Tudor_ and _Supplejack_
were again at sea, having received orders to cruise along the Brazilian
coast in search of slavers. The ships got some way to the northward of
Rio when Murray directed Jack to keep in shore as close as he could
venture, while he himself stood off the land; they might thus hope to
fall in, either with vessels fitted for the slave-trade about to cross
to the African coast, or with full slavers attempting to make a
Brazilian port. The latter class it was of course the most desirable to
capture, though should the former be taken it would materially assist to
put a stop to the traffic, and save a certain number of blacks from
undergoing, for a time, at all events, the horrors of a middle passage.
The _Tudor_ shortly after daybreak was standing in under easy sail for
the land, when from the masthead a schooner was observed, beating up
against the breeze, which then blew off the shore, the rays of the
rising run striking her canvas bringing her clearly into view. Murray
ordered all sail to be made, and hoped to gain on the chase before the
corvette was observed by her. As the _Supplejack_ was likely to be
inside of her, there was every probability of her being caught by one or
the other. It was soon evident, however, that she had made out the
corvette, as she was seen to set all sail, and to stand away to the
northward: as the _Tudor_ was a long way to leeward, the chase would
probably be a long one. From the appearance and movements of the
schooner Murray was convinced that she was a slaver with a cargo on
board, and he determined therefore to persevere till he could come up
with her, and ascertain her real character. The land was barely
visible, and the _Supplejack_ might therefore be a long way off in
shore, and not yet have caught sight of the chase.
The day wore on, and the _Tudor_ had gained considerably on her, when
about six bells in the forenoon the sails gave some ominous flaps
against the masts, and the wind dropping more and more, the corvette lay
almost becalmed, with only just steerage way. As the schooner was,
however, likewise almost becalmed she did not gain any advantage from
this circumstance. A light wind, in a short time, again filled the
corvette's sails; but as it was continually shifting, all hands were on
deck employed in hauling on the braces, as necessity required. Now the
corvette gained slightly on the chase, now the schooner's sails felt the
breeze, and she once more glided along through the smooth water.
"She seems to be heaving something overboard, sir," said Desmond to
Higson, who was standing on the forecastle with him.
"Yes, indeed," said Higson, looking through his telescope. "There goes
one of her boats! now she has lowered another. The fellows are
determined to make their escape if they can, she is heaving overboard
cask after cask, and plank and spare spars--she must have a full cargo,
or she would not do that--we shall catch her though, notwithstanding."
"I hope they won't heave any of the poor negroes overboard. That is
what I have heard the slavers do when hard pressed," observed Desmond.
"The fellows would do it fast enough if they thought that we should stop
to pick up the unfortunate creatures, and give them a better chance of
getting off," answered Higson.
"But our commander won't let the poor wretches drown, surely," remarked
Desmond.
"No, I should think not, indeed," said Higson. "I have never actually
seen that done, but I have heard from others of half-a-dozen negroes
being hove overboard, and if they were not carried off by sharks, picked
up by a British cruiser, and the scoundrel slaver captured,
notwithstanding."
"I hope we shall catch that fellow, then, at all events," said Desmond.
"There is many a slip between the cup and the lip, youngster," observed
Higson. "Depend on it, however, that we will do our best as long as we
can keep the schooner in sight."
By this time every possible article had been hove overboard from the
schooner, and it was thought that even the water from her leaguers had
been pumped out, and the stores and provisions from her hold thrown into
the sea. As the corvette got up to the spot where she had been at the
time, casks and spars were seen floating on every side, together with
the boats, hencoops, and other articles. She benefited by the
proceeding, for she now once more drew considerably ahead of the
corvette. Both vessels were, however, soon afterwards becalmed, and
Murray began to consider the advisability of sending the boats in chase.
Adair begged leave to command them, and Desmond and the rest were
delighted at the thoughts of a hand-to-hand tussle with the slaver
screw; when, just as the men were coming aft to lower the boats, the
sails were once more filled and a fresh breeze from the eastward sprang
up, the schooner felt it at the same moment, when, keeping before the
wind she rigged out her studding-sails, and lightened as she was, she
skimmed like a bird over the blue ocean.
Murray ordered studding-sails and royals to be set, and kept the _Tudor_
away towards the chase, which, however, it was soon evident gained on
her. Both vessels were now rising the land.
"Sail on the port bow," cried the lookout from aloft.
"That must be Rogers," exclaimed Murray; and before long the
_Supplejack_ was made out standing to the northward, so as it was hoped
to cut off the chase. No sooner did the schooner discover her, than
taking in her studding-sails she hauled to the wind. The corvette did
the same, and had now to depend on her own speed more than on the
assistance she could obtain from the _Supplejack_.
The chase now became more exciting than ever, the breeze freshened, and
both vessels tore along through the water; their bows, as they clove
their way through it, throwing up masses of sparkling foam, while they
left a long white line in their wake.
The wind after some time again shifting to the southward, both the
schooner and her pursuer once more set studding-sails, the former
somewhat edging in towards the land, behind which the bright sun was
rapidly sinking.
"I would give a half-year's pay if we could but catch her," exclaimed
Snatchblock to some of his messmates. "If night comes on before we are
up to her, she may give us the go-by after all."
The wind, which had been variable all day, still continued so, and now
once more came from the eastward. The chase immediately took advantage
of it to alter her course. The corvette had now gained greatly on her.
"I think our bow-chasers will reach her," said Murray. "Try them,
Adair; we will see if we can knock away some of her spars."
The excitement on board increased, and every one now felt as if the
chase was already within their grasp. The gun was run out. Murray gave
the word, "Fire!" Scarcely had its loud report rung through the air,
than his voice again was heard--
"All hands, shorten sail! In studding-sails and royals. Let fly tacks
and sheets."
The corvette had been taken aback, but every man was at his station, and
the sails came in without the loss of a royal or studding-sail-boom. As
soon as the sails were handed, and the ship wearing round was put before
the wind, the chase was eagerly looked for; she was seen running before
the wind for the northeast. Her bearings being taken, the corvette
steered directly for her, but darkness, which had been rapidly coming
on, now hid her from sight, and even the most sanguine gave up all hopes
of finding her again. Still Murray determined to keep after her as
light as she was; he was convinced that with a strong wind blowing she
would continue before it.
The first watch was set, the watch below turned in, and many a grumble
was heard at their ill success. Adair, who was officer of the watch,
was walking the deck, with Desmond by his side. The wind still blowing
fresh, he had his eye aloft on the spars, ready to shorten sail should
it increase. The sea, however, was tolerably smooth; a few stars only
could be seen among the clouds which passed rapidly across the sky. The
night was therefore rather darker than usual. The wind whistled shrilly
in the rigging, and Desmond declared that he could hear strange sounds
coming across the waters. A sharp lookout was, of course, kept ahead,
and hopes were still entertained that the chase might possibly be again
sighted. Snatchblock, who was on the forecastle, hailed in a loud,
sharp voice, "Sail ahead! the chase! the chase! That's her! No doubt
about it."
Adair and Desmond hurried forward, but by the time they reached the
forecastle no sail was to be seen. Snatchblock, however, was positive
that he had not been mistaken. He rubbed his eyes in vain, and peered
into the gloom. She was certainly not visible. Adair, who had returned
aft, was pacing the deck, when suddenly a tremendous shock was felt. He
and others on deck were nearly thrown off their legs, and a cry arose of
"We are on shore! we are on shore!" The watch below came tumbling up on
deck, fully believing that the ship had struck. One of the hands
seizing a leadline, sprang into the chains and hove it.
"What induced you to do that?" asked Adair.
"I thought we had struck on a rock, sir," was the answer.
"You found no bottom?"
"No, sir."
"We must have run over the chase! Heaven be merciful to the poor
creatures!" exclaimed Murray, who unperceived had just come on deck.
"She must have attempted to haul her wind, to alter her course, and,
being too much lightened, capsized."
Desmond and several others who had run aft declared they saw several
objects, like the heads of human beings, floating for an instant on the
surface, but when they looked again they had disappeared. Not a cry,
not a sound of any sort had been heard. At that instant probably some
four or five hundred human beings chained in the hold of the slave-ship,
with their white captors, had been carried into eternity.
Next morning the _Tudor_ spoke the _Supplejack_, which, however, had
seen nothing of the chase. No manner of doubt remained that she had
been capsized, and that the _Tudor_ had run over her during the night.