There are casual readers who may consider the scene described in the
last chapter unnatural. It may be said that a youth, whose life had
been chequered by trials and disasters, but who preserved a pure
sensibility throughout them, is sadly distorted when portrayed as
expanding, at a leap, into a desperado. I have but little to say in
reply to these objections, save that _the occurrences are perfectly
true as stated_, and, moreover, that I am satisfied they were only the
natural developments of my character.
From my earliest years I have adored nobility of soul, and detested
dishonor and treachery. I have passed through scenes which will be
hereafter told, that the world may qualify by harsh names; yet I have
striven to conduct myself throughout them, not only with the ideas of
fairness current among reckless men, but with the truth that, under
all circumstances, characterizes an honorable nature.
Now, the tragedy of my first night on the Rio Pongo was my transition
from pupilage to responsible independence. I do not allege in a
boastful spirit that I was a man of courage; because courage, or the
want of it, are things for which a person is no more responsible than
he is for the possession or lack of physical strength. I was,
moreover, always a man of what I may style _self-possessed passion_. I
was endowed with something more than cool energy; or, rather, cool
energy was heightened and sublimated by the fire of an ardent nature.
Hitherto, I had been tempered down by the habitual obedience to which
I was subjected as a sailor under lawful discipline. But the events
of the last six months, and especially the gross relaxation on the
voyage to Africa, the risks we had run in navigating the vessel, and
the outlaws that surrounded me, not only kept my mind for ever on the
alert, but aroused my dormant nature to a full sense of duty and
self-protection.
Is it unnatural, then, for a man whose heart and nerves have been laid
bare for months, to quiver with agony and respond with headlong
violence, when imperilled character, property and life, hang upon the
fiat of his courageous promptitude? The doubters may cavil over the
philosophy, but I think I may remain content with the fact. _I did my
duty_--dreadful as it was.
Let me draw a veil over our gory decks when the gorgeous sun of Africa
shot his first rays through the magnificent trees and herbage that
hemmed the placid river. Five bodies were cast into the stream, and
the traces of the tragedy obliterated as well as possible. The
recreant mate, who plunged into the cabin at the report of the first
pistol from the forecastle, reappeared with haggard looks and
trembling frame, to protest that _he_ had no hand in what he called
"the murder." The cook, boatswain, and African pilot, recounted the
whole transaction to the master, who inserted it in the log-book, and
caused me to sign the narrative with unimplicated witnesses. Then the
wound of the cabin-boy was examined and found to be trifling, while
mine, though not painful, was thought to imperil my sight. The flint
lock of a rebounding pistol had inflicted three gashes, just beneath
the eye on my cheek.
There was but little appetite for breakfast that day. After the story
was told and recorded, we went sadly to work unmooring the vessel,
bringing her slowly like a hearse to an anchorage in front of
Bangalang, the residence and factory of Mr. Ormond, better known by
the country-name of "Mongo John." This personage came on board early
in the morning with our returned captain, and promised to send a
native doctor to cure both my eye and the boy's leg, making me pledge
him a visit as soon as the vessel's duties would permit.
That evening the specie was landed, and the schooner left in my
charge by the master, with orders to strip, repair, and provide for
the voyage home. Before night, Mongo John fulfilled his promise of a
physician, who came on board with his prescription,--not in his
pocket, but by his side! He ordered my torn cheek to be bathed, every
half-hour, _with human milk fresh from the breast_; and, in order to
secure a prompt, pure, and plentiful supply, a stout negress and her
infant were sent, with orders to remain as long as her lacteal
services might be required! I cannot say whether nature or the remedy
healed my wound, but in a short time the flesh cicatrized, and all
symptoms of inflammation disappeared entirely.
It required ten days to put the Areostatico in ship-shape and supply
her with wood and water. Provisions had been brought from Havana, so
that it was only necessary we should stow them in an accessible
manner. As our schooner was extremely small, we possessed no
slave-deck; accordingly, mats were spread over the fire-wood which
filled the interstices of the water-casks, in order to make an even
surface for our cargo's repose.
When my tiresome task was done, I went ashore--almost for the first
time--to report progress to the master; but he was still unprepared to
embark his living freight. Large sums, far in advance of the usual
market, were offered by him for a cargo of _boys_; still we were
delayed full twenty days longer than our contract required before a
supply reached Bangalang.
As I had promised _Mongo John_, or John the Chief, to visit his
factory, I took this opportunity to fulfil my pledge. He received me
with elaborate politeness; showed me his town, barracoons, and stores,
and even stretched a point, to honor me by an introduction to the
_penetralia_ of his _harem_. The visit paid, he insisted that I should
dine with him; and a couple of choice bottles were quickly disposed
of. Ormond, like myself, had been a sailor. We spoke of the lands,
scenes, and adventures, each had passed through, while a fresh bottle
was called to fillip our memories. There is nothing so nourishing to
friendship as wine! Before sundown our electric memories had circled
the globe, and our intimacy culminated.
While the rosy fluid operated as a sedative on the Mongo, and glued
him to his chair in a comfortable nap, it had a contrary effect on my
exhilarated nerves. I strolled to the verandah to get a breath of
fresh air from the river, but soon dashed off in the darkness to the
sacred precincts of the _harem_! I was not detected till I reached
nearly the centre of the sanctuary where Ormond confined his motley
group of black, mulatto, and quarteroon wives. The first dame who
perceived me was a bright mulatto, with rosy checks, sloe-like eyes,
coquettish turban, and most voluptuous mouth, whom I afterwards
discovered to be second in the chief's affections. In an instant the
court resounded with a chattering call to her companions, so that,
before I could turn, the whole band of gabbling parrots hemmed me in
with a deluge of talk. Fame had preceded me! My sable nurse was a
servant of the harem, and her visit to the schooner, with the tale of
the tragedy, supplied anecdotes for a lifetime. Every body was on the
_qui vive_ to see the "white fighter." Every body was crazy to feel
the "white skin" she had healed. Then, with a sudden, childish freak
of caprice, they ran off from me as if afraid, and at once rushed back
again like a flock of glib-tongued and playful monkeys. I could not
comprehend a word they said; but the bevy squealed with quite as much
pleasure as if I did, and peered into my eyes for answers, with impish
devilry at my wondering ignorance.
At last, my sable friends seemed not only anxious to amuse themselves
but to do something for my entertainment also. A chatter in a corner
settled what it should be. Two or three brought sticks, while two or
three brought coals. A fire was quickly kindled in the centre of the
court; and as its flames lit up the area, a whirling circle of
half-stripped girls danced to the monotonous beat of a _tom-tom_.
Presently, the formal ring was broken, and each female stepping out
singly, danced according to her individual fancy. Some were wild, some
were soft, some were tame, and some were fiery. After so many years I
have no distinct recollection of the characteristic movements of these
semi-savages, especially as the claret and champagne rather fermented
in my brain, and possessed me with the idea that it was my duty to
mingle in the bounding throng. I resolved that the barbarians should
have a taste of Italian quality!
Accordingly, I leaped from the hammock where I had swung idly during
the scene, and, beginning with a _balancez_ and an _avant-deux_,
terminated my terpsichorean exhibition by a regular "double shuffle"
and sailor's hornpipe. The delirious laughter, cracked sides,
rollicking fun, and outrageous merriment, with which my feats were
received, are unimaginable by sober-sided people. Tired of my single
exhibition, I seized the prettiest of the group by her slim, shining
waist, and whirled her round and round the court in the quickest of
waltzes, until, with a kiss, I laid her giddy and panting on the
floor. Then, grasping another,--another,--another,--and another,--and
treating each to the same dizzy swim, I was about waltzing the whole
_seraglio_ into quiescence, when who should rise before us but the
staring and yawning _Mongo_!
The apparition sobered me. A quarteroon pet of Ormond,--just spinning
into fashionable and luscious insensibility,--fell from my arms into
those of her master; and while I apologized for the freak, I charged
it altogether to the witchcraft of his wit and wine.
"Ha!" said the Mongo, "St. Vitus is in your Italian heels the moment
you are within hail of music and dancing; and, by Jove, it seems you
can scent a petticoat as readily as a hound tracks runaways. But
there's no harm in _dancing_, Don Teodore; only hereafter I hope you
will enjoy the amusement in a less uproarious manner. In Africa we are
fond of a _siesta_ after dinner; and I recommend you to get, as soon
as possible, under the lee of another bottle."
We retired once more to his mahogany; and, under the spell of my
chieftain's claret and sea-yarns, I was soon lapped in delicious
sleep.
* * * * *
Next day the captain of the Areostatico drew me aside confidentially,
and hinted that Ormond had taken such a decided fancy for me, and
_insinuated_ so warm a wish for my continuance _as his clerk_ at
Bangalang, that he thought it quite a duty, though a sad one, to give
his advice on the subject.
"It may be well for your purse, Don Teodore, to stay with so powerful
a trader; but beside the improvement of your fortunes, there are
doubts whether it will be _wholesome_ for you to revisit Havana, at
least at present. It may be said, _amigo mio_, that you _commenced_
the warfare on board the schooner;--and as five men were slain in the
affray, it will be necessary for me to report the fact to the
_commandante_ as soon as I arrive. Now it is true, _hijo mio_, that
you saved the vessel, cargo, specie, and my cousin; yet, God knows
what may be the result of Havana justice. You will have a rigid
examination, and I rather think you will be _imprisoned_ until the
final decision is made. When that consummation shall occur is quite
uncertain. If you have friends, they will be bled as long as possible
before you get out; if you have none, no one will take pains to see
you released without recompense. When you see daylight once more, the
rest of these ragamuffins and the felon friends of the dead men, will
begin to dog your steps, and make Havana uncomfortable as well as
dangerous; so that I have no hesitation in recommending you to stay
where you are, and take the doubloons of the Mongo."
I thought I saw at a glance the drift of this hypocritical
_fanfaronade_, and was satisfied he only desired to get rid of me in
order to reinstate the chief mate in a situation which he surely could
not occupy as long as I was on board. As I meant to stay in Africa, I
told him at once that I grieved because he had not spoken his wishes
openly, boldly, and honestly, like a man, but had masked an ungrateful
cowardice by hypocritical solicitude for my welfare. I departed
abruptly with a scowl of contempt; and as he hastened to hide his
blanched face in the cabin, I called a boat, and throwing my sea
chest, bedding, and arms, aboard, committed my fate to the African
continent. _A half-hour turned and decided my fate!_
Mr. Ormond received me very cordially, and, installing me in my new
secretaryship, promised a private establishment, a seat at his table,
and a negro per month,--or its value at the rate of forty
dollars,--for my services.
When the runners returned from the interior with the slaves required
to complete the Areostatico's cargo, I considered it my duty to the
Italian grocer of Regla to dispatch his vessel personally.
Accordingly, I returned on board to aid in stowing _one hundred and
eight boys and girls, the eldest of whom did not exceed fifteen
years_! As I crawled between decks, I confess I could not imagine how
this little army was to be packed or draw breath in a hold but
_twenty-two inches high_! Yet the experiment was promptly made,
inasmuch as it was necessary to secure them below in descending the
river, in order to prevent their leaping overboard and swimming
ashore. I found it impossible to adjust the whole in a sitting
posture; but we made them lie down in each other's laps, like
_sardines_ in a can, and in this way obtained space for the entire
cargo. Strange to tell, when the Areostatico reached Havana, but
_three_ of these "passengers" had paid the debt of nature.
As I left the schooner a few miles outside the bar, I crossed her side
without an adieu save for the English cabin-boy, whose fate I was
pained to intrust to these stupid Spaniards. Indeed, the youth almost
belonged to me, for I may say he owed his life to my interference.
Previous to the voyage, while waiting in the harbor of Havana for a
crew, our vessel was anchored near the wharves, next to an English
merchantman. One afternoon I heard a scream from the neighboring
craft, and perceived a boy rush from the cabin with his face dyed in
blood. He was instantly pursued by a burly seaman, inflicting blows
with his fist. I implored the brute to desist, but my interference
seemed to augment his choler to such a degree, that he seized a
handspike to knock the stripling down. Upon this I called the child to
leap overboard, at the same time commanding a hand to lower my boat
and scull in the direction of his fall. The boy obeyed my voice; and
in a few minutes I had him on board blessing me for his safety. But
the drunken Briton vented his rage in the most indecent language; and
had his boat been aboard, I doubt not a summary visit would have
terminated in a fight on my deck.
However, as good luck would have it, his skiff was at the landing, so
that there was ample time, before he could reach the Areostatico, to
tie up the bruised face and broken rib of the child, and to conceal
him in the house of a Spanish crone in Havana, who cured the maladies
of credulous seamen by witchcraft!
After nightfall the master of the British vessel came aboard to claim
his boy; but as he was petulant and seemed disposed to carry matters
with a high hand, my temper rose in resistance, and I refused to
release the child until he sealed with an oath his promise to treat
him better in future. But the cruel scoundrel insisted on
_unconditional_ surrender; and to end the controversy, I was compelled
to order him off the schooner.
British pluck of course would not allow a captain to be deprived so
easily of his property, so the British consul was invoked to appeal
to the captain of the port. This personage summoned me before him,
and listened calmly to a story which added no honor to English
mariners. In my last interview with the boy he implored my continued
protection and concealment; so that when the Spanish official
declared--notwithstanding the officer's conduct--that the vessel was
entitled to her crew, and that I must surrender the child, I excused
myself from complying by pleading utter ignorance of his whereabout.
In view of this contingency, I directed the woman to hide him in a
place of which I should be ignorant. So I told no lie, and saved the
boy from his tyrant.
The inquiry was dropped at this stage of proceedings. When the British
vessel sailed a few days after, I caused the youth to be brought from
his concealment; and, with our captain's consent, brought him aboard
to serve in our cabin.
I have narrated this little episode in consequence of my love for the
boy, and because _he was the only English subject I ever knew to ship
in a slaver_.
I requested the Areostatico's owners to pay him liberally for his
fidelity when he got back to Havana; and I was happy to learn next
year, that they not only complied with my request, but sent him home
to his friends in Liverpool.