MIGRATION TO GORGONA--FAREWELL DINNERS AND SPEECHES--A
BUILDING SPECULATION--LIFE IN GORGONA--SYMPATHY WITH
AMERICAN SLAVES--DR. CASEY IN TROUBLE--FLOODS AND
FIRES--YANKEE INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM.
I remained at Cruces until the rainy months came to an end, and the
river grew too shallow to be navigable by the boats higher up than
Gorgona; and then we all made preparations for a flitting to that
place. But before starting, it appeared to be the custom for the store
and hotel keepers to exchange parting visits, and to many of these
parties I, in virtue of my recent services to the community, received
invitations. The most important social meeting took place on the
anniversary of the declaration of American independence, at my
brother's hotel, where a score of zealous Americans dined most
heartily--as they never fail to do; and, as it was an especial
occasion, drank champagne liberally at twelve shillings a bottle. And,
after the usual patriotic toasts had been duly honoured, they proposed
"the ladies," with an especial reference to myself, in a speech which
I thought worth noting down at the time. The spokesman was a thin,
sallow-looking American, with a pompous and yet rapid delivery, and a
habit of turning over his words with his quid before delivering them,
and clearing his mouth after each sentence, perhaps to make room for
the next. I shall beg the reader to consider that the blanks express
the time expended on this operation. He dashed into his work at once,
rolling up and getting rid of his sentences as he went on:--
"Well, gentlemen, I expect you'll all support me in a drinking of this
toast that I du----. Aunty Seacole, gentlemen; I give you, Aunty
Seacole----. We can't du less for her, after what she's done for
us----, when the cholera was among us, gentlemen----, not many months
ago----. So, I say, God bless the best yaller woman He ever made----,
from Jamaica, gentlemen----, from the Isle of Springs----Well,
gentlemen, I expect there are only tu things we're vexed for----; and
the first is, that she ain't one of us----, a citizen of the great
United States----; and the other thing is, gentlemen----, that
Providence made her a yaller woman. I calculate, gentlemen, you're all
as vexed as I am that she's not wholly white----, but I du reckon on
your rejoicing with me that she's so many shades removed from being
entirely black----; and I guess, if we could bleach her by any means
we would----, and thus make her as acceptable in any company as she
deserves to be----. Gentlemen, I give you Aunty Seacole!"
And so the orator sat down amidst much applause. It may be supposed
that I did not need much persuasion to return thanks, burning, as I
was, to tell them my mind on the subject of my colour. Indeed, if my
brother had not checked me, I should have given them my thoughts
somewhat too freely. As it was, I said:--
"Gentlemen,--I return you my best thanks for your kindness in drinking
my health. As for what I have done in Cruces, Providence evidently
made me to be useful, and I can't help it. But, I must say, that I
don't altogether appreciate your friend's kind wishes with respect to
my complexion. If it had been as dark as any nigger's, I should have
been just as happy and as useful, and as much respected by those whose
respect I value; and as to his offer of bleaching me, I should, even
if it were practicable, decline it without any thanks. As to the
society which the process might gain me admission into, all I can say
is, that, judging from the specimens I have met with here and
elsewhere, I don't think that I shall lose much by being excluded from
it. So, gentlemen, I drink to you and the general reformation of
American manners."
I do not think that they altogether admired my speech, but I was a
somewhat privileged person, and they laughed at it good-naturedly
enough. Perhaps (for I was not in the best humour myself) I should
have been better pleased if they had been angry.
Rightly, I ought to have gone down to Gorgona a few weeks before
Cruces was deserted, and secured an hotel; but I did not give up all
hope of persuading my brother to leave the Isthmus until the very last
moment, and then, of course, a suitable house was not to be hired in
Gorgona for love or money. Seeing his fixed determination to stay, I
consented to remain with him, for he was young and often ill, and set
hard to work to settle myself somewhere. With the aid of an old
Jamaica friend, who had settled at Gorgona, I at last found a
miserable little hut for sale, and bought it for a hundred dollars. It
consisted of one room only, and was, in its then condition, utterly
unfit for my purpose; but I determined to set to work and build on to
it--by no means the hazardous speculation in Gorgona, where bricks and
mortar are unknown, that it is in England. The alcalde's permission to
make use of the adjacent ground was obtained for a moderate
consideration, and plenty of material was procurable from the opposite
bank of the river. An American, whom I had cured of the cholera at
Cruces, lent me his boat, and I hired two or three natives to cut down
and shape the posts and bamboo poles. Directly these were raised, Mac
and my little maid set to work and filled up the spaces between them
with split bamboo canes and reeds, and before long my new hotel was
ready to be roofed. The building process was simple enough, and I soon
found myself in possession of a capital dining-room some thirty feet
in length, which was gaily hung with coloured calico, concealing all
defects of construction, and lighted with large oil lamps; a
store-room, bar, and a small private apartment for ladies. Altogether,
although I had to pay my labourers four shillings a day, the whole
building did not cost me more than my brother paid for three months'
rent of his hotel. I gave the travelling world to understand that I
intended to devote my establishment principally to the entertainment
of ladies, and the care of those who might fall ill on the route, and
I found the scheme answered admirably. And yet, although the speculation
paid well, I soon grew as weary of my life in Gorgona as I had been at
Cruces; and when I found my brother proof against all persuasion to
quit the Isthmus, I began to entertain serious thoughts of leaving
him.
Nor was it altogether my old roving inclination which led me to desire
a change, although I dare say it had something to do with it. My
present life was not agreeable for a woman with the least delicacy or
refinement; and of female society I had none. Indeed, the females who
crossed my path were about as unpleasant specimens of the fair sex as
one could well wish to avoid. With very few exceptions, those who were
not bad were very disagreeable, and as the majority came from the
Southern States of America, and showed an instinctive repugnance
against any one whose countenance claimed for her kindred with their
slaves, my position was far from a pleasant one. Not that it ever gave
me any annoyance; they were glad of my stores and comforts, I made
money out of their wants; nor do I think our bond of connection was
ever closer; only this, if any of them came to me sick and suffering
(I say this out of simple justice to myself), I forgot everything,
except that she was my sister, and that it was my duty to help her.
I may have before said that the citizens of the New Granada Republic
had a strong prejudice against all Americans. It is not difficult to
assign a cause for this. In the first place, many of the negroes,
fugitive from the Southern States, had sought refuge in this and the
other States of Central America, where every profession was open to
them; and as they were generally superior men--evinced perhaps by
their hatred of their old condition and their successful flight--they
soon rose to positions of eminence in New Granada. In the priesthood,
in the army, in all municipal offices, the self-liberated negroes were
invariably found in the foremost rank; and the people, for some
reason--perhaps because they recognised in them superior talents for
administration--always respected them more than, and preferred them
to, their native rulers. So that, influenced naturally by these freed
slaves, who bore themselves before their old masters bravely and like
men, the New Granada people were strongly prejudiced against the
Americans. And in the second and third places, they feared their
quarrelsome, bullying habits--be it remembered that the crowds to
California were of the lowest sorts, many of whom have since
fertilised Cuban and Nicaraguan soil--and dreaded their schemes for
annexation. To such an extent was this amusingly carried, that when
the American Railway Company took possession of Navy Bay, and
christened it Aspinwall, after the name of their Chairman, the native
authorities refused to recognise their right to name any portion of
the Republic, and pertinaciously returned all letters directed to
Aspinwall, with "no such place known" marked upon them in the very
spot for which they were intended. And, in addition to this, the legal
authorities refused to compel any defendant to appear who was
described as of Aspinwall, and put every plaintiff out of court who
described himself as residing in that unrecognised place.
Under these circumstances, my readers can easily understand that when
any Americans crossed the Isthmus, accompanied by their slaves, the
Cruces and Gorgona people were restlessly anxious to whisper into
their ears offers of freedom and hints how easy escape would be. Nor
were the authorities at all inclined to aid in the recapture of a
runaway slave. So that, as it was necessary for the losers to go on
with the crowd, the fugitive invariably escaped. It is one of the
maxims of the New Granada constitution--as it is, I believe, of the
English--that on a slave touching its soil his chains fall from him.
Rather than irritate so dangerous a neighbour as America, this rule
was rarely supported; but I remember the following instance of its
successful application.
A young American woman, whose character can be best described by the
word "vicious," fell ill at Gorgona, and was left behind by her
companions under the charge of a young negro, her slave, whom she
treated most inhumanly, as was evinced by the poor girl's frequent
screams when under the lash. One night her cries were so distressing,
that Gorgona could stand it no longer, but broke into the house and
found the chattel bound hand and foot, naked, and being severely
lashed. Despite the threats and astonishment of the mistress, they
were both carried off on the following morning, before the alcalde,
himself a man of colour, and of a very humane disposition. When the
particulars of the case were laid before him, he became strongly
excited, and called upon the woman to offer an explanation of her
cruelty. She treated it with the coolest unconcern--"The girl was her
property, worth so many dollars, and a child at New Orleans; had
misbehaved herself, and been properly corrected. The alcalde must be
drunk or a fool, or both together, to interfere between an American
and her property." Her coolness vanished, however, when the alcalde
turned round to the girl and told her that she was free to leave her
mistress when she liked; and when she heard the irrepressible cheering
of the crowded court-hut at the alcalde's humanity and boldness, and
saw the slave's face flush with delight at the judge's words, she
became terribly enraged; made use of the most fearful threats, and
would have wreaked summary vengeance on her late chattel had not the
clumsy soldiery interfered. Then, with demoniac refinement of cruelty,
she bethought herself of the girl's baby at New Orleans still in her
power, and threatened most horrible torture to the child if its mother
dared to accept the alcalde's offer.
The poor girl trembled and covered her face with her hands, as though
to shut out some fearful sight, and, I think, had we not persuaded her
to the contrary, that she would have sacrificed her newly won freedom
for the child's sake. But we knew very well that when the heat of
passion had subsided, the threatener would be too 'cute to injure her
own property; and at once set afloat a subscription for the purchase
of the child. The issue of the tale I do not know, as the woman was
very properly removed into the interior of the country.
Life at Gorgona resembled life at Cruces so nearly that it does not
need a separate description. Down with the store and hotel keepers
came the muleteers and mules, porters and hangers-on, idlers and
thieves, gamblers and dancing women; and soon the monte-tables were
fitted up, and plying their deadly trade; and the dancers charmed the
susceptible travellers as successfully in the dirty streets of Gorgona
as they had previously done in the unwholesome precincts of Cruces.
And Dr. Casey was very nearly getting himself into serious trouble,
from too great a readiness to use his revolver. Still, he had a better
excuse for bloodshed this time than might have been found for his
previous breaches of the sixth commandment. Among the desperadoes who
frequented his gambling-hut, during their short stay in Gorgona, was
conceived the desperate plan of putting out the lights, and upsetting
Casey's table--trusting in the confusion to carry off the piles of
money upon it. The first part of their programme was successfully
carried out; but the second was frustrated by the Doctor promptly
firing his revolver into the dark, and hitting an unoffending boy in
the hip. And at this crisis the Gorgona police entered, carried off
all the parties they could lay hands upon (including the Doctor) to
prison, and brought the wounded boy to me.
On the following morning came a most urgent request that I would visit
the imprisoned Doctor. I found him desperately angry, but somewhat
nervous too, for the alcalde was known to be no friend to the
Americans, owed Casey more than one grudge, and had shown recently a
disposition to enforce the laws.
"I say, Mrs. Seacole, how's that ---- boy?"
"Oh, Dr. Casey, how could you shoot the poor lad, and now call him bad
names, as though he'd injured you? He is very ill indeed--may die; so
I advise you to think seriously of your position."
"But, Madame Seacole," (this in a very altered tone), "_you'll_ surely
help me? _you'll_ surely tell the alcalde that the wound's a slight
one? He's a friend of yours, and will let me out of this hole. Come,
Madame Seacole, you'll never leave me to be murdered by these
bloodthirsty savages?"
"What can I do or say, Dr. Casey? I must speak the truth, and the ball
is still in the poor lad's hip," I answered, for I enjoyed the
fellow's fear too much to help him. However, he sent some of his
friends to the boy's father, and bribed him to take the lad from my
care, and send him to Navy Bay, to a surgeon there. Of course, he
never returned to prosecute Dr. Casey; and he was left with the
alcalde only to deal with, who, although he hated the man, could not
resist his money, and so set him free.
Gorgona lying lower than Cruces, its inhabitants more frequently
enjoyed the excitement of a flood. After heavy rains, the river would
rise so rapidly that in a few hours the chief part of the place would
be under water. On such occasions the scene was unusually exciting. As
the water crept up the street, the frightened householders kept
removing their goods and furniture to higher ground; while here and
there, where the waters had surrounded them unawares, boats were sent
to their rescue. The houses, not made to resist much wind or water,
often gave way, and were carried down the Chagres. Meanwhile, the
thieves were the busiest--the honest folks, forgetting the true old
adage, "God helps those who help themselves," confining their
exertions to bringing down their favourite saints to the water's edge,
and invoking their interposition.
Fortunately my hotel was at the upper end of the town, where the
floods had been rarely known to extend; and although there was a
sufficient chance of the water reaching me to compel me to have all my
stores, etc., ready packed for removal, I escaped. Some distressing
losses occurred. A Frenchman, a near neighbour, whose house was
surrounded by the waters before he could remove his goods, grew so
frantic at the loss, that he obstinately refused to quit his falling
house; and some force had to be used before they could save his life.
Scarcely had the ravages of the last flood been repaired when fire
marked Gorgona for its prey. The conflagration began at a store by the
river-side; but it spread rapidly, and before long all Gorgona was in
danger. The town happened to be very full that night, two crowds
having met there, and there was great confusion; but at last the lazy
soldier-police, aided by the Americans, succeeded in pulling down some
old crazy huts, and checking the fire's progress. The travellers were
in sore plight, many of them being reduced to sleep upon their
luggage, piled in the drenched streets. My hotel had some interesting
inmates, for a poor young creature, borne in from one of the burning
houses, became a mother during the night; and a stout little lassie
opened its eyes upon this waesome world during the excitement and
danger of a Gorgona conflagration.
Shortly after this, tired to death of life in Panama, I handed over my
hotel to my brother, and returned to Kingston. On the way thither I
experienced another instance of American politeness, which I cannot
help recording; first reminding my readers of what I have previously
said of the character of the Californian travellers. Anxious to get
home quickly, I took my passage in the first steamer that left Navy
Bay--an American one; and late in the evening said farewell to the
friends I had been staying with, and went on board. A very kind
friend, an American merchant, doing a large business at Navy Bay, had
tried hard to persuade me to delay my journey until the English
company's steamer called; without, however, giving any good reasons
for his wish. So, with Mac and my little maid, I passed through the
crowd of female passengers on deck, and sought the privacy of the
saloon. Before I had been long there, two ladies came to me, and in
their cool, straightforward manner, questioned me.
"Where air you going?"
"To Kingston."
"And how air you going?"
"By sea."
"Don't be impertinent, yaller woman. By what conveyance air you
going?"
"By this steamer, of course. I've paid for my passage."
They went away with this information; and in a short time eight or
nine others came and surrounded me, asking the same questions. My
answers--and I was very particular--raised quite a storm of
uncomplimentary remarks.
"Guess a nigger woman don't go along with us in this saloon," said
one. "I never travelled with a nigger yet, and I expect I shan't begin
now," said another; while some children had taken my little servant
Mary in hand, and were practising on her the politenesses which their
parents were favouring me with--only, as is the wont of children, they
were crueller. I cannot help it if I shock my readers; but the _truth_
is, that one positively spat in poor little Mary's frightened yellow
face.
At last an old American lady came to where I sat, and gave me some
staid advice. "Well, now, I tell you for your good, you'd better quit
this, and not drive my people to extremities. If you do, you'll be
sorry for it, I expect." Thus harassed, I appealed to the
stewardess--a tall sour-looking woman, flat and thin as a dressed-up
broomstick. She asked me sundry questions as to how and when I had
taken my passage; until, tired beyond all endurance, I said, "My good
woman, put me anywhere--under a boat--in your store-room, so that I
can get to Kingston somehow." But the stewardess was not to be moved.
"There's nowhere but the saloon, and you can't expect to stay with the
white people, that's clear. Flesh and blood can stand a good deal of
aggravation; but not that. If the Britishers is so took up with
coloured people, that's their business; but it won't do here."
This last remark was in answer to an Englishman, whose advice to me
was not to leave my seat for any of them. He made matters worse; until
at last I lost my temper, and calling Mac, bade him get my things
together, and went up to the captain--a good honest man. He and some
of the black crew and the black cook, who showed his teeth most
viciously, were much annoyed. Muttering about its being a custom of
the country, the captain gave me an order upon the agent for the money
I had paid; and so, at twelve o'clock at night, I was landed again
upon the wharf of Navy Bay.
My American friends were vastly annoyed, but not much surprised; and
two days later, the English steamer, the "Eagle," in charge of my old
friend, Captain B----, touched at Navy Bay, and carried me to
Kingston.