HERNANDO SPEAKS.
The governor's progress lasted about five weeks. The galley sometimes
lay at anchor for several days, and on these occasions the slaves went
ashore for a time in chained gangs for the sake of the fresh air and
the walking exercise; but they spent the greater part of the day
chained to the benches, and always slept on them at night. At one
place there had been some insubordination amongst the garrison, so the
governor paraded the whole of his gaunt, dishevelled, whip-scarred crew
through the town, in order to impress the disloyal ones with the power
and terror of the law.
During these weeks, and especially during the times of leisure in
harbour, the two Englishmen got better acquainted with their companion.
At first the Spaniard was moody and inclined to be spiteful: he could
not forget that his neighbours were English; but Johnnie's repeated
acts of courtesy and kindness, and his cheeriness at times when the
three sailors from the _Golden Boar_ got dangerously despondent, broke
down the barrier of race and creed and speech. Hernando began to talk
of himself. He had been a gentleman adventurer aboard a Spanish ship;
was hot-tempered and impatient of official control. On several
occasions whilst in harbour at Panama he had come into wordy conflict
with the authorities. A sailor aboard his vessel, who had acted as his
servant, abused his trust, and had been soundly thrashed in
consequence, had gone to the governor with a plausible story concerning
a conspiracy which he declared his master was hatching. Hernando was
in bad odour with the authorities at the time; had been certainly
guilty of rash and foolish speeches; so the story was believed, and he
was sent to the galleys. The treacherous servant was rewarded with the
post of boatswain, and he used his authority over his old master with
the most offensive vindictiveness.
The Europeans talked with one another fairly freely. Morgan and
Jeffreys were looked up to by the English section. The two stranger
sailors had both been captured in Spanish waters some years before,
and, after a period in the jail of Cadiz, sent out to the Indies; they
had been galley slaves at Panama for about two years.
One afternoon whilst lolling on his bench, no boatswain or free sailor
within hearing, Hernando asked his two English comrades whether they
had considered the idea of attempting an escape. They replied that at
first they had thought of nothing else, but no ways or means offered,
and they had almost abandoned the idea. They detailed the story of
their attempt to escape from the prison in Panama. The Spaniard
listened carefully.
"Now," he said, "I have seen chances of escape from these chains over
and over again; not for one man, mind you, but for a body of resolute
fellows who would follow a leader. There are some thorough rascals
chained to these benches; I have sounded them, and found that I dared
not trust them. It is not difficult for a man to earn his freedom by
turning traitor on his comrades; indeed, it is well known that liberty
will be given for the betrayal of any plot for revolt: a coward or
rogue would take such a chance instantly."
"What about the Indians?" asked Jeffreys.
"Sheep! I do not count upon them, and I have shown you that we dare
not depend much on some of our own colour. It is the coming of you two
and the three sailors from your ship that has revived my hopes and
plans. All the world knows how you Englishmen can fight. I know it,
and have hated you for it. I hope to live and find my hatred turned to
esteem and affection. The two sailors that were here before you I
sounded long ago. One is eager enough; the other has become
broken-spirited, and hesitates to venture upon anything where failure
would add to his present miseries. Five of you are strong, and not yet
cowed at all by the lash. The whip will never cow me. I have a
revenge to take; and I will take it, or die in a bold attempt to do so.
There are seven of us prepared to plot and dare all in the dash for
liberty; one of your countrymen is weak. I can depend pretty
confidently on four of my own tongue, and on the gray-bearded Portugee
at number one oar. The cut-throats and thieves, that help to make up
our number, will fight stoutly enough if suddenly they find themselves
free and armed. Love of plunder and thirst for slaughter and revenge
will nerve them. But we must not trust them beforehand. The poor
Indians, too, will strike a blow at their oppressors if a clear chance
of freedom offers."
"You are not hoping for an opportunity in one of these harbours?"
"No, nor in Panama either. Our chance will not come on this voyage;
there are too many troops aboard. But we sometimes go out with empty
cabins; no one but the captain and his officers. Stores have to be
carried from port to port, and treasure fetched from places farther
down the coast. It is then, at night, that our hour will come. We
must watch for it, prepare for it, and use it without hesitation. Are
you with me in the matter?"
"Heart and soul! Heart and soul!"
A boatswain's step was heard, and nothing more was said.