"Bad vessel this," he whispered. "Dey put you on shore soon Massa
Harry, and so no harm come to you, but I fear they make me slave, and I
no get back to see my moder. Still I pray God that He find a way for
escape."
I had too much reason soon afterwards to know that Paul was right in his
conjectures.
The next day we came in sight of a large vessel. Signals were
exchanged, and we hove-to near each other. The boats were then actively
engaged in bringing numerous articles on board the schooner--arms and
ammunition, and cutlery, and Manchester goods, and farinha (the meal on
which slaves on board ship are fed), and cases which I found contained
slave shackles. There was no secret indeed made about the matter.
The schooner having taken her cargo on board, the other vessel sailed
away while we stood towards the coast. The carpenters were busily
employed in fitting an additional deck in the hold, and Paul told me
that it was called the slave deck, and that the slaves we were to take
on board would be seated along it, packed close together side by side,
and that they would thus be kept during the whole run to the Brazils, or
wherever the schooner was bound with her hapless freight.
"You see what this vessel is," said the officer who had spoken to me in
English. "We have saved your life, and must exact a promise from you
not to appear as a witness against any one on board should you at any
future period be called on to do so. Let me advise you indeed not to
take notice of anything that occurs on board and it will be the better
for you. We do not wish to harm you, but there are those among us who
hold human life very cheap, and they are not likely to stand on ceremony
should you interfere with their proceedings."
I replied that I was very grateful to him and the other officers for
treating me kindly, and that I only desired to be put on board an
English trader, in which I could work a passage home, "and I hope," I
added, "that my black companion will be allowed to accompany me."
"As to that I can make no promise," he answered. "The captain will
decide the matter; but, I have no doubt, that if we fall in with an
English trader you will be allowed to go on board her."
A bright look-out was kept from the mast-head, and twice the schooner
altered her course to avoid a sail seen in the distance. At length we
came off the mouth of a river. A signal was made from the shore. With
a fair breeze we ran in, and proceeding up some distance, dropped anchor
in a creek, where the schooner lay concealed by the tall trees which
grew on its banks.