Our spirits, which had naturally been at a low ebb, were greatly cheered
by the sight of the strange sail. She had evidently a strong breeze
with her, stronger than we should like when it reached us, as it
probably would do before long. Already, indeed, it had freshened, and
the sea had got up considerably. This made us more than ever anxious to
be seen and taken on board. Gradually her topsails rose above the
horizon. We watched her anxiously. Although we were not seen, Timbo
and Leo could not resist an impulse to stand up and wave towards the
stranger. She was standing steadily to the southward, gradually edging
in towards the land. Our hopes increased of cutting her off. We made
her out to be a large topsail schooner--a rakish-looking craft. Nearer
and nearer she drew. Still she came on so fast that we began to fear
that we should not get sufficiently to the westward to be seen, for
though we could make her out clearly, and could now see her hull, we
were so low in the water, that unless those on board were keeping a
bright look-out, they might easily pass us.
"What do you think, Timbo? Shall we get up with her?" asked Stanley.
"Not quite sure, massa. If dey look dis way, den dey see us; but if dey
not look dis way, den dey pass to westward one mile or perhaps two
mile."
At length Jack Handspike gave a loud shout. The schooner was coming up
to the wind. Her foretopsail was thrown aback, and she lay hove-to.
"We are seen! We are seen!" we exclaimed, one after the other.
Presently a boat was lowered; she came gliding over the water towards
us. As she approached we saw that she had a crew of dark, swarthy men,
evidently not English. They hailed us in a foreign language. Senhor
Silva replied, and a short conversation ensued.
"They are my countrymen," he said, for he spoke English well. "The
schooner is, I understand, a Portuguese man-of-war, and you will be
kindly treated on board."
"We are indeed fortunate," said Stanley.
"Oh! say rather that God has been very merciful to us," said Kate,
looking out towards the beautiful vessel which rose and fell on the fast
increasing seas at no great distance from us.
"The officer desires to know whether you would like to be towed on board
or would prefer getting into the boat," said Senhor Silva.
I was naturally anxious to preserve the raft, and begged that we might
be towed; but Stanley requested that his sisters and the boys, at all
events, should be taken into the boat. Senhor Silva joined them. We
now proceeded rapidly towards the vessel. I saw Timbo and Jack eyeing
her narrowly.
"She seems to be a fine man-of-war schooner," I observed, "and a craft
of which the slavers must have no little dread. We thought the _Osprey_
a clipper, but yonder schooner, I suspect, could easily have walked
round her."
"Not know 'xactly," observed Timbo. "She may be man-of-war schooner,
but she very like some slavers I have seen."
"Senhor Silva surely must know," I observed, "and he told us positively
that she was a man-of-war."
When we got near the schooner the boat cast-off, Senhor Silva saying
that he would go on board, and send her back for us.
"I wish I had gone with them," observed Stanley on hearing this. "I do
not like their appearing on board a strange vessel without David or me
to protect them."
"Oh, but Leo will do that," said David. "He is quite escort enough for
them till we can get alongside."
As we approached still nearer the schooner we hauled down our sail. In
a short time the boat returned and towed us alongside. The crew of the
stranger were looking out eagerly at us over the bulwarks, and ropes
were now thrown to assist us in getting on deck. An officer stood at
the gangway and politely welcomed Stanley, Senhor Silva who stood by
interpreting for him. Kate was seated on a chair, with Bella by her
side.
"Oh, they are very kind and polite," she said to her brother as soon as
he went up to her. "This is indeed a fine man-of-war."
She was certainly a remarkably fine vessel, and I saw that she mounted
six broadside guns and a long gun forward; but as I had not been on
board many English men-of-war, and never any foreigners, I was not well
able to judge of her. She had a numerous crew, of every colour and
shade, from the fair European down to the dark tint of the darkest
African. Our stores and the various articles we brought on the raft
were now hoisted on board, and the structure which had cost us so much
pains to build was cast adrift. The officers, I observed, all wore
jackets and straw caps, which I fancied was not usual for officers of
men-of-war; but probably on account of the heat of the climate the usual
custom was departed from. Senhor Silva and the captain of the schooner
were walking up and down the deck conversing eagerly. At length Senhor
Silva stopped as he was passing me, and said, "I have found an old
friend in the captain of the _Andorinha_ (the _Sea Swallow_), and we are
happy to meet each other again. He begs that you and our other friends
will consider yourselves as welcome and honoured guests on board. I
have told him that we have lost sight of the other raft, and he promises
to keep a look-out for her. He has already given directions to have
cabins prepared for you, and begs that you will make yourself as
thoroughly at home as possible."
This was indeed satisfactory news. Timbo, Jack, and Ramaon were sent
forward, where they were well received by the crew; for although Jack
could not make himself understood, nor understand what was said, Ramaon
was always ready to interpret for him. The wind, which had been for
some time increasing, now blew half a gale, and we had great reason to
be thankful that we had got on board so fine a craft. The captain
insisted on giving up his cabin to Kate and Bella, and Stanley and David
had another prepared close to them, while a third was devoted to the
accommodation of Senhor Silva and I, the two boys being placed in
another rather more forward. Not only were we comfortably accommodated,
but a handsome dinner was, soon after we got on board, placed on the
table. The captain announced himself as Senhor Marques da Costa. He
was very polite, and a good-looking man, though somewhat dark even for a
Portuguese. This, I concluded, arose from having been a long time on
the coast. He understood but little English, so we had to carry on our
conversation chiefly through our friend Senhor Silva. He, however,
never seemed tired of interpreting for us. When the captain heard that
we wished to proceed to the Cape, he expressed his regret that his
duties required him to remain on the coast. He could not, he said,
indeed promise to land us, for some little time, at Loando, but he
begged to assure us that we were heartily welcome on board. Several of
the officers sang very well, and after dinner guitars were produced, and
they sang numbers of their national songs: somewhat die-away sort of
melodies I thought them, but Kate said they were very pretty, and
expressed a wish to learn the guitar. Directly one of the officers
undertook to instruct her, and presented her with a handsome instrument,
which he said he hoped she would keep in remembrance of her visit to the
_Andorinha_. The time thus passed very pleasantly on board. Still
having some doubts from what Timbo had said about the vessel, I asked
Jack, whom I met the next morning, what he thought of her.
"Well, sir," he answered, "the people seem a free-and-easy set, rather
fond of gambling--but that's the way with these foreigners; and most of
them wear long ugly knives stuck in their belts, which is not the
fashion with English seamen; but these Portuguese are odd fellows, and
that is how I accounts for it."
With Timbo I had no opportunity for some time of speaking. Next morning
I saw that the Portuguese flag was flying from the schooner's peak,
while a pennant waved from her mast-head. Certainly the officers did
their best to amuse their fair guests and us. Next day, after dinner,
some of the men were called aft to dance their national dances, but I
can't say much for them. I saw that one or two of the men were always
aloft on the look-out, and while the crew were engaged as I have before
described, one of the look-outs gave a shout from aloft, and presently
two of the officers went up the rigging with glasses at their backs. I
saw them looking eagerly to the southward. Presently they returned on
deck and reported their observations to the captain. The breeze, which
had before been fresh, had by degrees been falling, and now failing us
altogether, the schooner lay becalmed with her sails flapping against
the masts. From this I concluded that a sail had been sighted--a slaver
possibly. The officers continued talking together, while one of them,
who had gone aloft, remained there, his eye constantly fixed in the
direction in which I supposed he had seen the stranger. I was about to
go aloft with my spy-glass, when Senhor Silva came on deck.
"The captain says that passengers going up the rigging will interfere
with the duty of the ship," he observed; "you must remain on deck."
I thought this was very odd, but of course obeyed. The schooner lay
without moving on the calm ocean. Some time passed. The officers
continued pacing the deck, looking even more anxious, I fancied, than
before. At length, as I swept the horizon with my telescope, I observed
a white sail rising above it. I looked again, and made out the royals
and part of the topgallant-sails of a square-rigged vessel. I shut up
my glass quickly, however, as I saw the captain looking somewhat angrily
towards me.
"You had better go below," said Senhor Silva, coming up to me. "Ask no
questions, and do not say what you have seen. It will be better for you
to do as I advise, and before long I will explain matters to you."
As I had no inclination to go below, I begged to be excused doing so;
indeed, I was anxious to learn the character of the stranger, and to
observe what was going forward.
"Well, do as you like," said Senhor Silva; "but I tell you your presence
on deck may possibly annoy our friends."
The stranger approached rapidly, bringing up the breeze with her.
Presently the captain issued some orders to his crew, and a number of
them went aloft with buckets of water, with which they drenched the
upper sails. In a short time some cat's-paws began to play over the
ocean, our royals swelled out to the breeze, and the helm being put up,
we stood away to the northward. Still the vessel in the south-west,
having far more wind, quickly overhauled us. Our lower sails were now
wetted, and every inch of canvas the schooner could carry was packed on
her. I soon discovered that, instead of pursuing, we were pursued by
the stranger. This, if the schooner we were aboard was a man-of-war,
seemed unaccountable. Portugal was at peace, so I fancied, with all the
world; besides which, the stranger did not appear very much larger than
the schooner--a craft which, if she was of the character Senhor Silva
had asserted, was not likely to run away. In a short time I made out
the stranger to be a brig with taunt masts and square yards--remarkably
like a man-of-war. As she drew nearer I saw, to my astonishment, the
glorious old flag of England waving from her peak. I looked and looked
again. I could not be mistaken. The schooner, now beginning to feel
the wind, made rapid way through the water; which, stirred up into
wavelets, hissed and bubbled under her bows as her stem clove a passage
through it. Faster and faster we went, as the breeze, which had now
overtaken us, increased, and, filling our sails, made the yards and
masts crack and crack again. The countenances of the officers, as they
saw the speed at which we were going, brightened considerably, and I saw
them smiling as they gazed astern at our pursuer. Presently a puff of
smoke issued from the bows of the brig, and the sound of a gun was heard
across the ocean. Another and another followed. The Portuguese only
laughed, and made mocking gestures towards the brig. I was glad that
Kate and her brothers were below, for they naturally would have been
anxious at seeing what was going forward. The _Andorinha_ was
undoubtedly a fast craft, and there seemed little probability, if the
breeze continued, of the brig overhauling us. That she was a British
man-of-war, I had no longer any doubt. What then could be the schooner?
It was now late in the day, and I saw that there was every probability
of her escaping. Still, unless she was a slaver, I could not account
for the anxiety of her crew to avoid communication with the British
man-of-war. The Portuguese crew made every effort to keep ahead, by
throwing water on the sails as soon as they dried. Sails were also
rigged close down to the water on either side, and several of the crew
went below with shot, which they slung in hammocks in the hold, under
the idea, I believe, that their weight, as the vessel pitched into the
seas, would urge her forward. Two of the officers were at the helm
steering her, every now and then exchanging remarks as to the best
course to be pursued. The brig, I saw, was also doing her utmost to
come up with us, and had also rigged out studdingsails on either side,
with lighter sails above the royals, often called sky-scrapers, as well
as sails hanging from the lower studding-sail booms. The Portuguese
colours were flying at the peak of the schooner, but I observed that the
pennants had been hauled down. Again the brig fired, but without any
other effect than making the captain utter a low scornful laugh, and
drawing from the crew gestures of contempt. When I first saw the brig I
had hopes that we should be able to get aboard her; for, polite as
Senhor Silva and the Portuguese captain were, I could not help wishing,
for my fair cousins' sakes at all events, that we were in better
company.
Night was drawing on. It threatened to be dark, for there was no moon,
and I saw the mist rising which so often hangs over the water in those
latitudes, near the coast. Still, astern I could distinguish the brig
standing on in our wake with all the sail she had hitherto carried, in
spite of the still increasing breeze. The Portuguese captain and his
officers stood carefully watching their spars strained to the utmost by
the almost cracking canvas, every now and then glancing astern at their
pursuer. I kept my eye fixed on her. Now it seemed to _me_ that she
was again coming up with us. My hopes revived that she would bring the
schooner to, and settle the doubts as to her character. As I was
looking at her, I saw what looked like a vast cloud floating away from
her mast-head. Some of the Portuguese saw it too, and cheered loudly.
Her topgallant-sails, if not her topsails, had been blown away, probably
with their respective masts; but the thickening gloom prevented us
seeing the exact nature of the damage she had received. The Portuguese
no longer feared being overtaken, but still they continued standing on
as before. A few minutes afterwards we altogether lost sight of the
brig. The mist, as I expected, came on, and at length the steward
announcing supper, being very hungry, I went below to partake of it.
The Portuguese captain and Senhor Silva were in very good spirits, and
courteous as usual. I had said nothing about the brig, and was about to
mention her appearance when Senhor Silva stopped me.
"There is no use talking about that matter, Mr Crawford," he observed.
"The young ladies will not be interested by it, and--you understand me--
I will explain matters by-and-by."
Of course after this I said nothing, and we all parted, when we retired
to our berths, very good friends. The next day no sail was in sight.
My cousins were on deck, and the officers treated them with the same
attention as at first. With Timbo I had not exchanged words, but I got
an opportunity at last of speaking to Jack Handspike without being
observed. I asked him if he had seen the man-of-war brig, and what he
thought of the matter.
"Yes, I did see her, and a rum thing I thought it for another man-of-war
of a friendly nation to run away from her. To tell you the truth, Mr
Crawford, I have a notion that this here craft--"
What he was going to say I could not tell, for at that moment one of the
Portuguese officers passing, took my arm, and led me to where Senhor
Silva was standing.
"Our friends do not like to see you talking to your people," he observed
in an undertone. "Remember they do not know who we are, and they have
some suspicion as to our character."
I thought the excuse a poor one, but yet was unwilling to give any
offence, and therefore refrained from again addressing either Jack or
the black.
For two days the schooner continued out of sight of land; but the third
morning when I came on deck I found that she had been headed in towards
it, and as soon as the sea-breeze commenced she ran in under all sail
towards the mouth of a river which opened out ahead of us. On either
side were dense woods of mangroves, appearing to grow directly out of
the water, while on our starboard hand was a glittering sandbank, and
stretching across the river appeared a line of white breakers, which I
fancied must completely bar our ingress. David came on deck at that
moment. I pointed them out to him. "Surely we cannot be going in
there?" he said. Just then Senhor Silva came up to us and said the
captain begged that we and all idlers would go below, as we were about
to cross the bar, and that as occasionally the seas broke on board in so
doing, it might be dangerous to remain on deck. We could but obey.
What could take us into the river? I wondered. Presently I felt the
vessel rise to a sea, then she pitched into it, then rose again, and in
a few minutes she was gliding on in smooth water. I thought we must be
inside the river, but again I felt her rise and once more pitch two or
three times, then again she glided on as before. From this I knew that
we must have passed over two bars, such as are frequently found at the
mouths of the rivers on the west coast of Africa. "What can the vessel
be about?" said David. I could not enlighten him; and at length,
wishing to satisfy our curiosity, we made our way on deck. We were
running up the river, with thick woods on either side. It had the
appearance of a long lake, for we had already lost sight of the sea,
though I knew by the current in which direction it was. In a short time
we caught sight of a number of low cottages and sheds standing in a
cleared space at a little distance from the banks. The crew sprang
aloft and furled sails, and in a few minutes the schooner was brought to
an anchor. Several canoes now came alongside, and in one of them was a
fat black fellow with a cocked hat and red jacket, and a piece of stuff
which looked very like an old flannel petticoat fastened round his
waist. The captain bowed very politely to him, as did his officers, and
he returned the salute in the same fashion. I asked Senhor Silva who he
was?
"Oh, he is King Mungo," he said; "a very important person in these
regions. The schooner has come here on a diplomatic mission, and though
he is an ugly-looking savage, we must treat him with every respect."
After the first greetings were over the captain ushered King Mungo and
three of his sable attendants, dressed in old nankeen jackets and tarry
trousers, into the cabin. Kate's astonishment was naturally very great
when she saw them. His majesty bowed to her with profound respect; and
I saw him afterwards, whenever he had the opportunity, casting glances
of admiration at her. Senhor Silva accounted to Captain Hyslop, as he
had done to me, for our entering the river.
"If we are to wait any time, I should like to go ashore and see the
nature of the country," said Stanley. "We shall probably be able to get
a little sport."
Senhor Silva hesitated, and then addressed the Portuguese captain.
"King Mungo declines to guarantee your safety, and without that it would
be madness to go into the interior," he answered.
"But we can keep along the banks of the river, and we may find some
sport there," said Stanley.
Again Senhor Silva brought forward many reasons for this being
inadvisable. "To say the truth," he added, "as I before explained to
our young friend here, my countrymen do not altogether trust us, and it
would not be wise to offend them."
This answer did not satisfy Stanley, but he made no remark. Wine and
spirits were now placed on the table. His majesty, I observed, after
taking a glass or two of the former, applied himself with warm interest
to the latter beverage, which soon produced a visible effect. His eyes
rolled, and he began to talk away in a thick, husky voice. Senhor Silva
again whispered a few words to Stanley, who thereon recommended Kate and
Bella to retire to their cabin. It now appeared to me that the captain
and King Mungo were warmly engaged in bargaining, judging by their
gestures and way of speaking. The captain pressed more spirits on his
guest. He would, it seemed, have continued drinking till he was unable
to move, had not one of his attendants whispered in his ear, and at
length snatched the glass out of his hand. The bargaining now once more
went on, and seemed to be concluded to the satisfaction of both parties.
At length his majesty rose, and supported by his attendants, made his
way on deck, whence he was lowered in no very dignified state into his
canoe. He was followed on shore by the captain and two of his officers,
and a boat's crew well-armed. I observed that the schooner's guns were
run over to the side nearest the village, which they thus completely
commanded. As he was shoving off Stanley begged that he and I might be
allowed to accompany him. David evidently wished to go, but told me
that he would remain for the protection of his sisters.
"I do not quite like the look of things," he said; "and take care that
you and my brother do not go far from the shore."
I said I would be cautious, and persuade Stanley to follow his advice.
Scarcely had we landed when there appeared, coming through the woods, a
long line of men, women, and children, walking one behind the other. As
they drew nearer I saw that they were bound together with rough ropes
fastened tightly to their necks by collars. At intervals at their sides
walked several savage-looking blacks, with muskets on their shoulders
and thick whips in their hands. There were a dozen or more huts built
of bamboo, the walls and roofs covered with the leaves of the palm-tree.
Some were of good size, from twenty to fifty feet in length, and of
considerable breadth. At the further end of the village was another,
three or four times the size of the largest. Stanley and I made our way
towards it, but the disagreeable odour which proceeded from it as we
approached almost drove us back. We persevered, however, and on looking
through the door our indignation was excited to find that it was full of
human beings--a dense mass, packed almost as closely as they could
exist. They were sitting down in rows, and on a nearer examination we
discovered, to our horror, that they were secured to long bars which ran
across the building. Below were rough benches on which they might sit,
but they could only move a foot or two to the right hand or the left.
There were men, women, and children. Many of the poor little creatures
were crying bitterly, while their mothers were moaning and weeping, as
they tried to comfort them. Some of the men were trying to sing, as if
to show indifference to their sufferings, but the greater number sat
supporting their heads on their knees, with looks expressive of despair.
Outside were several savage-looking negroes armed with muskets, who
every now and then took glances through openings in the side into the
interior, to observe, apparently, if any of the prisoners were trying to
escape.
"Why, these poor beings must be slaves; and, Andrew, the schooner must
be a slaver," exclaimed my cousin.
"There is no doubt about the matter," I answered. "I have for some time
suspected it; nay, I was almost certain of the fact when she ran away
from the English man-of-war. What do you advise, Stanley?"
"That we leave her immediately," he answered.
"But where are we to go?" I asked.
"Anywhere, rather than remain on board so abominable a craft," he
replied.
"That may be very difficult, if not impossible," I remarked. "We cannot
leave her in this place, and I am afraid that the captain would not
venture near any English settlement to land us."
"We must try him, however," he said. "We must bribe him. I would pay
any amount I can command to be quit of her."
We agreed to keep Kate in ignorance as long as possible. Just then two
white men appeared on horseback, swarthy, ill-looking fellows, one tall
and thin, and the other short and paunchy, both dressed alike in
wide-brimmed straw hats and nankeen jackets and trousers. We found that
they were the principal slave-dealers on the coast, having, as we
afterwards discovered, several barracoons at numerous other stations,
and parties constantly engaged in capturing and purchasing slaves. The
party of slaves who had just arrived were made to halt, and sit down on
the ground under the shade of the barracoons. After this several men
opened the front of the building, and led out the slaves, linking them
together as the others had been. In this state they were marched down
to the water's edge, where two dozen or more large canoes had collected.
As soon as these were filled they pulled away towards the schooner. I
counted the blacks as they passed, and at least two hundred human
beings, including several small children, were carried on board the
vessel. The captain of the slaver touched me on the shoulder and
pointed to the boat, signifying that we were to return on board. We of
course obeyed--indeed, what else could we do!--though we intended to beg
Senhor Silva to request him to land us at the nearest European
settlement, either Portuguese or French, if he would not take us to an
English one, which, of course, we could scarcely expect him to do.
As soon as we reached the vessel the anchor was hove up, and, towed by
several boats and canoes, she proceeded down towards the bar. We found
our friends in great agitation on board on discovering the character of
the vessel. Kate was almost in tears.
"Poor creatures! Where are they going to carry them to in that dark
hold? Why, there is scarcely room I should think for one hundred,
instead of the number who have been placed below."
"They are but a small portion, I fear, of his intended cargo," I
answered. "From what I have heard, many more than those who have
already been brought on board will be stowed away. A large vessel like
this will carry between five and six hundred human beings. I trust,
however, that the captain is more humane, and will be content with those
he has already obtained."
"I wish we could manage to let them go again," said Leo. "What right
have people to carry off their fellow-creatures, even though they are
blacks. I am sure they did not come willingly, for I saw many of them
crying, and refusing, till they were beaten, to go down into the hold."
"If you could think of a plan, I would help you," said Natty. "I wish
we could manage to restore them to their friends and to their native
villages."
I was pleased to see this feeling in the boys, although it was hopeless;
for, unless captured by a cruiser, the poor blacks were not likely ever
again to visit their native land, or to set foot on shore until they had
reached the coast of Brazil. I had seen something of the slave-trade on
my former visits to Africa, and was well acquainted with the whole
system.
When crossing the bar, we were all as before ordered below. The wind
was blowing off the land, and with a strong breeze we dashed through the
breakers. I felt by the way the vessel pitched that they were of some
height, and I confess I was glad when at length I found that she was
well outside, and once more gliding through the waters of the Atlantic.
Stanley now addressed Senhor Silva, and begged him to urge the captain
to land us at the nearest European settlement.
"I will do what I can," was the answer; "but I am sorry to tell you
that, as we have all now been let into too many of his secrets, he
purposes carrying us across to the Brazils."
This information made Stanley _very_ indignant.
"My friend," said Senhor Silva, "there is no use exhibiting any anger;
but if you will leave matters in my hands I will do the best I can for
you."
I can scarcely describe the horror and annoyance we all felt on finding
out the character of the vessel we were on board. During all hours of
the day and night, but especially at night, the cries and groans of the
unfortunate slaves reached our ears. Once my curiosity induced me to
look into the hold, but the horrible odour which proceeded from it, and
the sight of those upturned faces, expressive of suffering and despair,
prevented me ever again desiring to witness the sight.
Once more we were close in with the land. Senhor Silva came to us in
the cabin. "I am glad to say that I have made arrangements with the
captain to land you," he said. "There is another barracoon near this,
from whence more slaves are to be brought off, and if you wish at once
to go on shore you can be conveyed there. A heavy surf is however
setting on the beach, and I am afraid that there is some risk. It is a
wild place, too, and you will probably have many hardships to endure
before you can reach any European settlement."
"Oh, we would go through anything, so as to get out of this vessel!"
exclaimed Kate. The same sentiment was echoed by the rest of us.
"I fully sympathise with you," said Senhor Silva, "and will inform the
captain of your determination. I will lose no time, lest he should
change his mind. He knows that I hate this traffic in which he is
engaged as much as you do."
We at once prepared to quit the slaver, and on going on deck found the
boat alongside. The captain and his officers were collected at the
gangway to bid us farewell, but we could with difficulty restrain our
feelings of abhorrence in spite of the politeness with which they
treated us. Notwithstanding the unprepossessing appearance of the
shore, we thankfully hurried into the boat. Timbo and Jack followed us.
Ramaon stood on the deck. His master called to him. He replied in
Portuguese.
"The scoundrel!" said Senhor Silva. "He has been tempted to turn
slaver, and tells me he has entered aboard the vessel as a seaman. I am
well rid of him then."
I was glad to hear these expressions from our friend, because I was
afraid, from his intimacy with the slave captain, that he himself was
engaged in the traffic. The slaver remained hove-to while we pulled
towards the shore. As I saw the heavy surf breaking ahead of us, I felt
great anxiety for what might occur. The boat, however, was a large one,
and the coxswain was an old seaman, who seemed calm and collected as he
stood up and surveyed the breakers through which we had to pass. The
crew kept their eyes fixed on him as they pulled on. Now we rose to the
summit of a sea; now they stopped rowing; now again they urged the boat
forward, bending to their oars with might and main. On we dashed. The
waters foamed on either side. A huge sea came rolling up astern. Once
more we stopped and allowed it to break ahead of us. Again the helmsman
urged the crew to pull away. We dashed on, and the next instant rushed
up on the sandy shore. Some twenty or more blacks were there to receive
us, and dashing into the water, they seized the boat and dragged her up,
and before another sea broke we were high up on the beach. The crew
assisted us to run forward, Stanley helping Kate, while David took
little Bella in his arms, and sprang over the bows on to the sand. The
rest of us followed, Jack catching hold of Natty and Timbo of Leo, and
carrying them up out of reach of the water. I saw Senhor Silva putting
some money into the hands of the coxswain. "Now," he said, "we are on
shore, we must consult what is next to be done." Our clothing, and the
small amount of articles we had saved from the wreck, together with
numerous packages brought by Senhor Silva, were next handed out and
piled together high up on the beach. A little way off we saw a few huts
and a large barracoon, similar to those on the banks of the river from
which the slaves had been embarked. On the shore were hauled up a
number of canoes. Scarcely had we landed when a troop of slaves were
seen issuing from the barracoon, and led by their captors down to the
beach. Several were put on board the boat, which at once shoved off and
pulled for the schooner. The canoes were now launched, and in each a
dozen or more negroes were embarked. The boat passed through the surf
in safety; then one canoe followed, then another. The third had
scarcely left the shore when a huge sea came rolling in. We trembled
for the unhappy beings on board. Those who were paddling her must have
seen their danger; but their only hope of escape was to paddle on. It
was vain, however. The sea struck her, and in an instant over she went,
and all those on board were thrown into the raging surf. The crew,
accustomed to the water, struck out for their lives, swimming to the
nearest canoe ahead; but the unfortunate slaves, unable to swim, were
quickly engulfed. Some cried out for help; but others sank without a
struggle, perhaps glad thus to terminate their miseries. Out of all
those on board the canoe, which must have contained some twenty human
beings, only three or four escaped. One reached the shore; the others
were taken on board by the canoes ahead. Notwithstanding this the
remainder shoved off, and passing through the surf, put their cargoes on
board. They then returned, and the schooner, letting draw her head
sheets, stood out to sea.