I have no doubt that the skipper knew all about my coming aboard.
Indeed, there had been such a noise made by the men while the crocodile
was in pursuit of me, that it was impossible that either he or the mate
could be ignorant of the cause of it. I was taken down to the
forecastle, however, and heard not a word about being sent back. In
truth, as Ben had already informed me in his mutterings, the skipper was
rather pleased than otherwise, at being able to overreach King Dingo,
and as he had found me useful to himself he had no desire to let me go.
It was only the large profit he expected by the exchange that had
tempted him to part with me; but so long as he had kept his bargain and
regularly delivered me over, his conscience was satisfied, and he was in
no way offended or displeased that I found my way back to the barque.
Unless, therefore, the canoe came after us and demanded me to be given
up, I would not have to go back to Dingo Bingo.
It was not until we were cleverly out of the river, and the _Pandora_
had spread her wings to the breeze, and was standing towards the open
sea, that I felt easy in my mind. Many an uneasy glance did I cast up
the river as we floated slowly towards its mouth, noting every dark
object and every ripple that appeared upon its current. It was not the
crocodile that caused me to look tremblingly back; it was a still more
hideous monster I dreaded--the long canoe with its row of sable rowers,
and King Dingo Bingo in the stern.
The thought of being taken back was dreadful in the extreme. I should
no longer be treated with kindness; on the contrary, the spiteful
monarch would punish me for my attempt to escape, would revenge himself
for the deception I had practised upon him--would lead me a life of the
greatest misery.
Yes, it would be a sad affair to be retaken; and not till the _Pandora_
had swept out of the river's mouth--not till the Kroomen's boat had been
passed, and we were scudding out into the wide sea did I get over my
apprehension.
Then was I relieved from all uneasiness on the score of Dingo Bingo, and
the moment after had ceased to think of him and his brutal myrmidons.
Yes--the moment after--for a new scene was upon the stage--a new
spectacle was to be enacted of which I was to be a witness.
As soon as the the _Pandora_ had passed the river-bar she was visible to
the cutter, from the water-line to the truck, and so was the cutter to
her. Both vessels had a full view of each other, or might have had, for
the moon was shining so clear that a ship could be traced at a long
distance off. The cutter's people, however, did not appear to notice
the slaver, until the latter had got several hundred yards out to sea.
Perhaps the shadowy background of the forest obscured her, or the watch
may have been careless. Whether or no, it was some minutes before there
was any movement on board the cruiser. Then a movement was observed
which showed that she had discovered the barque. The drum was heard
sounding the alarm, and her sails were unfurled with all the rapidity
which results from sufficient strength in a crew, combined with perfect
discipline.
Notwithstanding the advantage which the slave-captain had obtained from
the boldness of his attempt and the suddenness of his appearance, there
was one circumstance that had turned against him. During the hour or
two that had intervened since the cruiser had dropped anchor, the wind
had veered round nearly a full quarter, and, instead of blowing direct
from the land, its course was now nearly parallel with the shore.
Of course the experienced skipper had observed the change long ago--it
required only a glance to perceive it--the cutter herself, now lying at
anchor, beam-ends to the shore, indicated the change, for the Kroomen
had reported, that when she first anchored her head was pointed directly
for the land.
The slave-captain with chagrin observed this change in the wind, and
with an apprehension he had not before felt. Had the wind continued in
the same quarter as when the cruiser was first reported, he knew that he
could easily run out past her. The breeze would have then been upon his
own quarter, and in that way his crank-vessel sailed best; and by making
good speed along the diagonal line, he had calculated on being able to
get past, with only the risk from a long shot or two.
The change, however, was against him. The cruiser was directly out to
sea--about two miles from the river's mouth. He could not sail to
windward of her, as that would be too close to the wind for his own
vessel, unless he kept within range of shot; and it so happened that to
leeward there was a shoal, or long sand-bank, that stretched almost from
the shore to where the cutter was lying. There may have been a distance
of half a mile between the cutter and the edge of this shoal, but this
was not a sufficient width for running the gauntlet as the slave-captain
had intended. The warship, running down the wind, would easily have
intercepted the barque before she could have passed through, and given
the latter such a broadside as would have crippled and brought her to at
once.
I was standing near the skipper and his mate, and listening to their
horrid execrations as they perceived the dilemma they were in. I was
listening, because I was as much interested as they could have been in
the result--though with hopes and wishes directly antagonistic to
theirs--I was praying in my heart that we should be captured! Even at
the risk of being killed by a broadside from one of my own country's
ships, I could not help desiring this termination to the affair.
Even though I had been but a few minutes aboard, since the lading of the
cargo, I was already impressed with the awful scene--I felt pity--keen
compassion--blended with loathing. The horrid howling of the blacks,
crowded to suffocation below--their cries of entreaty, and, at times, of
menace--were a foretaste of what I should be compelled to listen to for
weeks, perhaps months. Oh! it would be a fearful existence. In my
heart I prayed that we should be captured.