MOSQUITOES--A RUNAWAY SLAVE--I AM WOUNDED--THE STRUGGLE, AND READY AND
PETER COME TO THE RESCUE--PEACE NEGOTIATONS--TREATY OF ALLIANCE,
DEFENSIVE AND OFFENSIVE--THE CANOE VOYAGE--MARCUS'S STORY.
We sat up in the tree, wishing that the alligator would betake himself
to the waters of the Mississippi; but he seemed resolved to make his
supper off one of us, and in this neither of us was willing to indulge
him. Peter made no remarks, but Ready, every now and then, gave a growl
of disapprobation; indeed, I believe, had I allowed him, he would have
jumped down and done battle with the monster. I did not suppose that
the cayman would catch him; but I knew that he could not by any
possibility hurt the cayman, so I kept him safe up on the branch beside
me. The mosquitoes continued as active as ever, and as Peter and I had
only each of us a hand at liberty, we could but partially defend
ourselves from their attacks. Hour after hour passed by.
"I wonder whether it will ever be morning!" observed the poor lad,
giving himself, for the thousandth time, a slap on the cheek.
"We are not the first people who have wished for the return of day, my
boy," said I. "But hark--"
There was a slight sound as of an oar dipped in the water. It
approached the island. It ceased, and I felt sure that the person or
persons in the boat had landed. I listened. I could hear the sound of
a canoe or boat being hauled up, and soon a light bursting forth showed
me that a fire had been kindled, for the purpose probably of cooking.
The alligator heard the sounds also, I suspect; for finding that we were
not likely to come down to satisfy his appetite, he wheeled round and
began to crawl back to the other spot whence the sounds proceeded. I
suspected that he had not seen the fire, which, from our higher position
we had observed, and I knew that he was not likely to approach it. I
should otherwise have shouted out to warn whoever might be there of the
approach of the monster. As soon as the brute had moved off, Peter,
Ready, and I jumped down to the ground and advanced towards the spot
where we had seen the fire. It had now burnt up brightly, and between
us and it I observed the huge form of the alligator crawling on. He
must have suddenly become aware of the fire, for I saw him, much to my
satisfaction, scramble off as fast as he could on one side, and the
sound of a heavy plunge assured me that he had once more taken to the
water. Peter and Ready followed at my heels. I slowly advanced, and in
a short time I saw a man sitting down on his hams before the fire, at
which he was cooking a fish. He was a negro, a big athletic-looking
fellow, with a bare woolly head, and naked to the waist, round which he
wore a belt, and in it were stuck a brace of pistols and a long
bowie-knife. The noise of the river rushing by and the crackling of the
burning sticks had prevented him from hearing our approach. He turned
his head--the glance of the fire fell on us. In a moment he was on his
feet, and, drawing a pistol from his belt, he levelled it at my head.
"I am a friend," I shouted out as rapidly as I could, but the black had
not time to change the impulse given to his finger. There was a flash,
a report, and a sharp stinging sensation in my neck told me that the
bullet had taken effect. To save my life I sprang forward, and throwing
myself with all my might on the stranger, I grasped his arm as he was
drawing a second pistol, and bearing him down we both rolled over
together to the ground and very nearly into the water. He was as strong
as I was, and being naked I had great difficulty in holding his arms and
preventing him from drawing his knife, which he made strenuous efforts
to do, while at the same time he was evidently endeavouring to roll off
the bank into the river, and to drag me with him. I could not help
thinking of my friend, the cayman, who would probably have most largely
benefited by the success of his attempt. When people go to fisty-cuffs,
there are seldom wanting alligators to profit by their quarrels. Had I
been alone, strong and active as I was, I scarcely know what would have
been the result; but I had two trusty friends at hand. We had not been
struggling many moments, when Ready, having laid his plans for the
campaign, flew at the negro's legs, one of which he gripped so firmly
that the poor fellow roared out with pain; while Peter, after hesitating
an instant, caught him by his woolly head and tugged away manfully in an
opposite direction. In our struggles we all rolled into the fire--
black, boy, dog, and I; and had not our clothes been still somewhat
damp, we should have been quickly in flames, and, had the alligator come
back, all ready cooked for his supper. As it was, we kicked about the
burning ashes, tossing them into the air, when they came down in showers
upon us, till, what with the singeing he was undergoing, the biting of
the dog, and the pulling of his hair, the negro cried out lustily for
mercy.
"Well, I have no wish to hurt you," said I, still holding down his arms.
"Don't attempt again to shoot me, and I will very gladly be your
friend. Off, Ready! let go dog! Don't pull the man's hair any more,
boy."
Peter and the dog obeyed me, and the man, getting up and shaking
himself, began to scrape the ashes together, and then, looking for his
fish, stuck it on a stick to roast as if nothing particular had
occurred.
"You are a cool hand, my friend," said I, sitting down opposite to him.
"You might have killed me just now."
"Of course; I took you for an enemy," he answered.
"What enemies have you to fear?" I asked.
"Slave-hunters," he answered, grinding his teeth and uttering a fearful
oath.
"But how do you know that we are not searching for a runaway slave?" I
asked.
"Because you are an Englishman," he replied.
"Why do you fancy that?" said I.
"From the way you spoke to your boy and dog," he observed with a fierce
laugh. "There would have been a kick and a curse had you belonged to
this country; but, though you gripped me hard, and well-nigh squeezed
the breath out of me, I know you to be a man, and I trust you."
"I am obliged to you for your confidence, and I will not betray it;
though, as it may be better, I will ask no questions."
"That's wise; but I must ask you one," said the negro. "How came you
here?"
I told him. He was silent for some time, turning his fish on the spit,
while my companions, imitating my example, seated themselves beside me.
Peter sat gaping with mute astonishment, Ready's lips and eye showed
that he still looked on the big negro rather as an enemy than a friend.
The excitement had hitherto prevented me from feeling the wound in my
neck. The pain and a sensation of blood flowing down my shoulder
reminded me of it, and I was about to call Peter to my aid, when the
negro looked up and said--
"Stranger, you believe that all men have sprung from the same parents?"
"Certainly, my friend," I replied. "I have not the slightest doubt
about the matter."
"Then, do you think that one portion has the right to keep another in
bondage, to spit upon them, to beat and abuse them, and to treat them as
brute beasts without souls?"
He ground his teeth as he continued speaking. I saw that he was working
himself up into a fury, so I interrupted him:
"Assuredly not, my friend," I said. "No man has a right to keep another
in slavery; but slavery is a fact, and facts are stubborn things, not to
be got rid of."
"I don't quite understand you, stranger," he replied. "But, from what
you say, I believe that you would help a slave to escape from his bonds,
if you had the opportunity?"
This was a most disagreeable question. I had resolved, when I entered
the slave states, not to interfere in the slightest way with the subject
of slavery, and now I was asked to commit the most atrocious crime
against the white community of which I could possibly be guilty.
"Do you ask me to help you?" said I.
"I do," was the answer.
"What claim have you on me?" I demanded.
"That of one man on another," said the negro, rising unconsciously, and
stretching out his hand over the fire. "That of one immortal soul on
its fellow, who must both stand, some day, before the judgment-seat of
Heaven, to be judged of the deeds done in the flesh. If you have the
feelings of a true man, the conscience of a living soul, you dare not
refuse my appeal."
"I will not," I exclaimed, rising also and taking the negro's hand. "I
will aid you at every risk, to the best of my power."
"Stranger," said the black, wringing my hand, while his voice trembled
with emotion, "your words may prevent me from doing many a fierce deed,
which I otherwise should have committed; from turning my hand against
every man's; from believing that every man with a white skin is a demon
in human shape."
He came round to me, and sat himself down by my side.
"But you are hurt," he observed, in a tone of concern, "and I, in my
fear, did it. You have a handkerchief. It is only a flesh wound; I
will bind it up. I wish I could do more."
Ready growled when he saw my late antagonist touching me, but proceeded
no further in his hostilities. Peter brought some water in a pannikin,
which the negro had with him, and my wound, being bathed freely, was
bound up: and we sat down to discuss the fish, and another brought from
the canoe, of which the negro insisted that we should partake, Ready
coming in for the heads and bones. No one would have supposed that we
and our entertainer had just before been engaged in a deadly struggle.
I observed that the black man yawned and appeared very weary.
"I should like to sleep for a short time," he said. "You took something
away from my strength. I have had also a long row, and have a longer
before me. I know not when the chase after me may begin; but I do know
that the blood-hounds will not give it up till they run me to earth, or
till they are sure I have escaped them."
"I will gladly watch over you while you sleep," said I. "How long do
you wish to rest?"
"Half-an-hour will be enough. That tussle with you wearied me more than
all my previous exertions. Just keep the fire alight, or we may have
more snakes and alligators visiting us than would be pleasant."
I promised to follow his wishes, and having reloaded the pistol he had
fired at me, stretching himself on the ground, in an instant he showed
me by his heavy breathing that he was fast asleep. What surprised me
most about the man was the way in which he spoke. The remarks he made
caused me to suspect that he possessed a higher amount of education than
I should have expected to find in a negro. I felt gratified, too, at
the perfect confidence he placed in me. He was, at all events,
evidently a man far above the common order, and I hoped to learn more
about him before we separated. I employed Peter in collecting
drift-wood, of which there was a plentiful supply on the island. The
fire kept the mosquitoes off, and from the quiet I thus obtained I had
the greatest difficulty in not going to sleep. The moment Peter sat
down he fell off, and even Ready shut his eyes, though, if I moved in
the slightest degree, he was awake again in an instant. I knew that I
could depend on him for giving me timely notice of the approach of an
enemy of any description; but still I did my utmost to keep my senses
alive. By degrees, however, I began to see all sorts of curious shapes
in the fire, and to hear strange noises; and wild unearthly shrieks
struck on my ear, and snakes seemed to be crawling in and out among the
embers, and then I suddenly found myself at the dear old hall, my home,
with my feet on the parlour fender, while Bunbry's voice informed me
that tea was in the drawing-room. I started up, and saw the negro
watching me across the expiring embers of the fire.
"Pardon me, friend," said I. "Most unintentionally I went to sleep."
"I could not expect aught else," he answered, in a tone which made me
feel rather ashamed of myself. "It is time for me to be moving. What
do you wish to do?"
"To get away from this island. We shall be starved if we remain here,"
was my answer.
"I will take you," said the negro. "Step into the canoe--quick--all of
you. Stay! I will put out the fire. It might betray me, should I be
pursued."
He threw some water on the ashes, and scattered them about.
The canoe was what is called a "dug-out"--a hollowed trunk of a tree
fashioned into a boat shape. Though narrow and light, it was long, and
capable of carrying three or four people. Peter and I stepped in,
followed by Ready. The negro, taking his seat in the centre, turned to
me and asked if I could row. I told him that I could.
"Then I will thank you to take one of the paddles and help me. I have a
long voyage before me. We will go up the stream."
We paddled rapidly along. The negro steered, keeping out of the
strength of the current. He seemed to know the river well. I was
curious to ascertain something about the man. That he was a common
plantation negro I did not think possible.
"You have travelled, friend?" I observed.
"I have. I have visited your country. I have trod a free soil. I have
read much. I know the rights of man, and I resolved no longer to be a
slave," he answered, with a rapid utterance. "I remembered, too, the
days of my childhood, when I roamed free in my native woods on the
shores of Africa, the son of a powerful chief. Indistinctly at first,
but afterwards clearly as I dwelt upon them, those times came back upon
me, and I could bear my chains and degradation no longer. You are
surprised at my telling you that I have read much. In my youth I
accompanied my master to England. He was a kind man. He allowed me to
be instructed in reading. I learned rapidly. My master, on leaving
England, persuaded me to accompany him, promising legally to manumit me
on our arrival in the States. In England I had become a free man. I
had almost forgotten what slavery was. My master died on the voyage. I
apprehended no danger, though, for prudence sake, I contemplated
returning to England; but scarcely had I set foot on shore, than I was
seized by the captain of the ship which brought me, and claimed as a
slave. I was carried off to my master's heir. He has taken care to
make me feel what slavery is. I will not tell you what I have borne--
how my purest and best feelings have been outraged--how one I loved was
torn from me--how--But to go on would unman me; and I have need of all
my coolness and self-possession. About four miles from this there is a
village. I will land you there, and we must part. I shall not tell you
what course I intend to pursue: it may be better for you not to know."
I agreed with him in this, but at the same time I had become so
interested in the fate of the poor fellow, that I was willing to run any
risk to assist him. I told him so. He thanked me, but said that he
would not allow me.
"And by what name shall I remember you?" I asked.
"I have been called Marcus--Marcus the slave. I do not boast of any
other," he answered bitterly. "Dogs and negroes have seldom more than
one name."
"Marcus, I shall never forget you. I hope we may meet again," said I.
"Our first introduction was somewhat unpleasant, but we part as
friends." He leaned forward, and grasped my hand.
"Hark!" he whispered, suddenly. "There is the sound of paddles in the
water." His quick ear had detected the sound before I had done so. I
could hear nothing. "I am certain of it," he exclaimed, with a groan.
He was right.
"Here, take my paddle, and let the boy use yours; it is my only chance
should my pursuers be at hand. I will lay down at the bottom of the
canoe. Now, round with her; and pull down the stream to meet them. The
best way to escape danger is boldly to face it. I may be supposed to be
a wounded or a dead man." The change of places was quickly effected,
and turning round the canoe, Peter and I paddled down the stream, with
Ready standing in the bows, looking out ahead. I could now hear the
sound of paddles in the water. Already the first streaks of dawn had
appeared in the eastern sky. Our only chance of escape was to pass the
strangers before the light should show them the canoe, or, should they
discover us, before they could see that there was any one in her besides
Peter, Ready, and me. We paddled on steadily. The men in the
approaching canoe were talking, and, from the words which reached my
ears, I could have little doubt that they were in search of the fugitive
slave.