There was much shouting among the white men and many wild exclamations,
but no time was lost in idle talk--for every one was doing his best to
propel the raft. The shouts were only an accompaniment to their
actions. Nearly every one wielded some implement, which had been
grappled in the hurry of the moment. Some were provided with oars,
others had only handspikes, and still others assisted in paddling with
pieces of board that had been obtained from old coops, or the bulwarks
broken by the falling mast. Those who could find nothing better
stretched themselves along the edge of the raft and beat the water with
their hands, in order to aid in producing a forward motion.
But the great masses of timber--not yet firmly lashed together--lay
loose and loggish upon the water, and moved very slowly and irregularly
under such ill-assorted propulsion: and, notwithstanding that the raft
had obtained a hundred yards the start of the swimmers, its occupants
began seriously to dread being overtaken.
They had reason to fear it. There could be no doubt that the pursuers
were gaining upon us, and this soon became evident to all upon the raft.
Nay, more, they were gaining rapidly; and, at the rate at which they
were swimming, five minutes could not pass before they would overtake
us.
Those upon the raft were now quite conscious that such would be the
event. Paddle and beat the water as they might they could not propel
the heavy timbers beyond a certain rate of speed--not so fast as a man
could swim. Notwithstanding their exertions, and the advantage of their
long start, they saw they were going to be overtaken.
It could not be otherwise--there was nothing now to obstruct the
pursuit--nothing to stay the pursuers. The sharks, having sated their
appetites, had let most of the swimmers escape. Occasionally one was
seen to go down with a shriek, but this was the exception--the rest swam
freely on.
What was their motive in following us? was it vengeance, or a despairing
hope of being saved? Perhaps both,--but no matter which, there were
enough of them to overpower the white men by sheer strength; and, once
they succeeded in reaching us, it was not likely they would fail to
avenge themselves for the wrongs that had been put upon them.
Should they succeed in overtaking the raft they would easily climb upon
it; a few might be kept back, but it would be impossible for thirty men
to repulse hundreds; and the crowd would soon crawl over the edge, and,
with their additional weight, sink the frail structure to the bottom of
the sea.
Should they succeed in reaching the raft--there was no need of any
supposition--they would be certain to overtake it--even at that moment
there were some of them scarce ten yards off, and coming nearer at every
fresh stroke of their arms. These, however, were the strongest
swimmers, who were far ahead of the rest. The main body were still
twenty yards further off; but it was plain that the slowest of them swam
faster than the raft was moving.
Most of the sailors began to give way to despair. The wicked deeds of
an ill-spent life were rising before them. To all appearance their last
hour had come.
And mine, too--at least, so believed I at that moment.
It was hard to die thus--by such horrid means, and in such company.
Sound in health, the love of life was strong within me; and under this
impulse I almost repented what I had done. It was I who had brought
about this last terrible contingency, and my own life was now to be the
forfeit. Yes; I had acted imprudently, rashly, and I will not deny that
at that moment I came near repenting of what I had done.
It was not a time for reflection. The crisis had arrived. We must all
yield up life. The sea would soon receive us within its ample embrace.
Masters and slaves, tyrants and their victims, must all perish together!
Such were the thoughts that were rushing through my brain, as I saw the
black swimmers approach. I no longer felt sympathy or pity for them.
On the contrary, I viewed them as enemies--as dreaded monsters who were
about to destroy and devour us--to engulph us all in one common
destruction, and among the rest myself--their late benefactor. Really,
at that moment, in the confusion of my thoughts, I was regarding these
unfortunate creatures as though they were voluntary agents--as though
they were actuated by gratuitous cruelty and revenge, and not victims of
despair struggling for the preservation of their own lives.
My senses had become confused; my reasoning faculties had forsaken me;
and, in common with those around me, I regarded the pursuers as enemies!
Under this impression--false though it may have been--I was the less
disposed to sympathise with them, when I saw the first who came near the
raft beaten back by the oars and handspikes of the sailors; for to this
it had now come.
It was a cruel scene that followed. I took no part in it. Though ever
so desirous that my life should be saved, I could never have gone to
such extremes to preserve it. I was but a looker-on.
I saw the foremost swimmers struck upon the head, or pushed away by
violent "jabbing" from the oars and handspikes. I saw some disappear
below the surface, as if they had gone to the bottom under the blow,
while others, not injured, swam off, and then circled round as if to get
ahead of us.
Though the fierce, angry shouts, and the still fiercer actions of the
white men intimidated the foremost swimmers, these demonstrations did
not drive them away. They only kept out of reach of the oars and
handspikes, but still followed on. Indeed, they no longer followed; for
the raft was no longer in motion; the rowers had enough to do without
propelling it further, and it had now come to a stand still!