There was very little comfort on board La Estrella, after the
suppression of this revolt. We lived with a pent-up volcano beneath
us, and, day and night, we were ceaselessly vigilant. Terror reigned
supreme, and the lash was its sceptre.
At last, we made land at Porto Rico, and were swiftly passing its
beautiful shores, when the inspector called my attention to the
appearance of one of our attendant slaves, whom we had drilled as a
sort of cabin-boy. He was a gentle, intelligent child, and had won the
hearts of all the officers.
His pulse was high, quick and hard; his face and eyes red and swollen;
while, on his neck, I detected half a dozen rosy pimples. He was sent
immediately to the forecastle, free from contact with any one else,
and left there, cut off from the crew, till I could guard against
pestilence. It was small-pox!
The boy passed a wretched night of fever and pain, developing the
malady with all its horrors. It is very likely that I slept as badly
as the sufferer, for my mind was busy with his _doom_. Daylight found
me on deck in consultation with our veteran boatswain, whose
experience in the trade authorized the highest respect for his
opinion. Hardened as he was, the old man's eyes filled, his lips
trembled, and his voice was husky, as he whispered the verdict in my
ear. I guessed it before he said a word; yet I hoped he would have
counselled against the dread alternative. As we went aft to the
quarter-deck, all eyes were bent upon us, for every one conjectured
the malady and feared the result, yet none dared ask a question.
I ordered a general inspection of the slaves, yet when a _favorable_
report was made, I did not rest content, and descended to examine each
one personally. It was true; the child was _alone_ infected!
For half an hour, I trod the deck to and fro restlessly, and caused
the crew to subject themselves to inspection. But my sailors were as
healthy as the slaves. There was no symptom that indicated approaching
danger. I was disappointed again. A single case--a single sign of
peril in any quarter, would have spared the poison!
That evening, in the stillness of night, a trembling hand stole
forward to the afflicted boy with a potion that knows no waking. In a
few hours, all was over. Life and the pestilence were crushed
together; for a necessary murder had been committed, and the poor
victim was beneath the blue water!
* * * * *
I am not superstitious, but a voyage attended with such calamities
could not end happily. Incessant gales and head winds, unusual in this
season and latitude, beset us so obstinately, that it became doubtful
whether our food and water would last till we reached Matanzas. To add
to our risks and misfortunes, a British corvette espied our craft, and
gave chase off Cape Maize. All day long she dogged us slowly, but, at
night, I tacked off shore, with the expectation of eluding my pursuer.
Day-dawn, however, revealed her again on our track, though this time
we had unfortunately fallen to leeward. Accordingly, I put La Estrella
directly before the wind, and ran till dark with a fresh breeze, when
I again dodged the cruiser, and made for the Cuban coast. But the
Briton seemed to scent my track, for sunrise revealed him once more in
chase.
The wind lulled that night to a light breeze, yet the red clouds and
haze in the east betokened a gale from that quarter before meridian. A
longer pursuit must have given considerable advantage to the enemy, so
that my best reliance, I calculated, was in making the small harbor
near St. Jago, now about twenty miles distant, where I had already
landed two cargoes. The corvette was then full ten miles astern.
My resolution to save the cargo and lose the vessel was promptly
made;--orders were issued to strike from the slaves the irons they had
constantly worn since the mutiny; the boats were made ready; and every
man prepared his bag for a rapid launch.
On dashed the cruiser, foaming at the bows, under the impetus of the
rising gale, which struck him some time before it reached us. We were
not more than seven miles apart when the first increased pressure on
our sails was felt, and every thing was set and braced to give it the
earliest welcome. Then came the tug and race for the beach, three
miles ahead. But, under such circumstances, it was hardly to be
expected that St. George could carry the day. Still, every nerve was
strained to effect the purpose. Regardless of the gale, reef after
reef was let out while force pumps moistened his sails; yet nothing
was gained. Three miles against seven were too much odds;--and, with a
slight move of the helm, and "letting all fly," as we neared the line
of surf, to break her headway, La Estrella was fairly and safely
_beached_.
The sudden shock snapped her mainmast like a pipe-stem, but, as no one
was injured, in a twinkling the boats were overboard, crammed with
women and children, while a stage was rigged from the bows to the
strand, so that the males, the crew and the luggage were soon in
charge of my old _haciendado_.
Prompt as we were, we were not sufficiently so for the cruiser. Half
our cargo was ashore when she backed her topsails off the mouth of the
little bay, lowered her boats, filled them with boarders, and steered
towards our craft. The delay of half a mile's row gave us time to
cling still longer to the wreck, so that, when the boats and corvette
began to fire, we wished them joy of their bargain over the remnant of
our least valuable negroes. The rescued blacks are now, in all
likelihood, citizens of Jamaica; but, under the influence of the gale,
La Estrella made a very picturesque bonfire, as we saw it that night
from the _azotea_ of our landlord's domicile.