Upon learning the full details of Richards' story, Captain Vernon had
come to the conclusion that the brig which destroyed the _Juliet_ was a
vessel devoted to the combined pursuits of piracy and slave-trading;
that she was, in all probability, one of the three vessels reported by
the _Fawn_ as daily-expected to arrive on the coast from Cuba; and that
it was more than likely her destination was the Congo. He therefore
determined to make the best of his way back to that river, in the
sanguine hope of effecting her capture; after which he intended to run
down to Saint Paul de Loando to land the crew of the _Juliet_, Richards
having expressed a desire to be taken there if possible.
It was on the fourth day after we had picked up the _Juliet's_ crew, and
we were working our way back toward the mouth of the Congo, making short
tacks across the track of vessels running the notorious Middle Passage,
when the look-out aloft reported a sail about three points on the
weather-bow, running down toward us under a perfect cloud of canvas. It
was at once conjectured that this might be Richards' late free-and-easy
acquaintance outward-bound with a cargo of slaves on board; and the
_Daphne_ was accordingly kept away a couple of points to intercept him,
the hands being ordered to hold themselves in readiness to jump aloft
and make sail on the instant that the stranger gave the slightest sign
of an intention to avoid us. At the same time Mr Armitage, our third
lieutenant, proceeded aloft to the main topmast crosstrees with his
telescope to maintain a vigilant watch upon the motions of the
approaching vessel.
All hands were of course in an instant on the _qui vive_, the momentary
expectation being that the stranger would shorten sail, haul upon a
wind, and endeavour to evade us. But minute after minute passed without
the slightest indication of any such intention, and very shortly his
royals rose into view above the horizon from the deck; then followed his
topgallant-sails, then his topsails, his courses next, and finally the
hull of the ship appeared upon the horizon, with studding-sails alow and
aloft on both sides, running down dead before the wind, and evidently
going through the water at a tremendous pace.
Every available telescope in the ship was now brought to bear upon the
craft, and presently her fore-royal and fore-topgallant-sail were
observed to collapse, the yards slid down the mast, and the sails were
clewed up, but not furled. The next instant the French tricolour
fluttered out from her fore-royal-mast-head, the only position from
whence it could be made visible to us; and simultaneously with its
appearance the conviction came to us all that in the approaching vessel
we were about to recognise our recent acquaintance the _Vestale_. Our
ensign, which was already bent on to the peak-halyards, was promptly run
up in response, whereupon the French ensign disappeared, to be instantly
replaced by a string of signals. Our signal-book was at once produced,
our answering pennant run half-mast up, and we then began to read off
the following signal:
"Have you sighted?--"
Our pennant was then mast-headed to show that we understood; the flags
disappeared on board the Frenchman, and another batch was run up, which,
being interpreted, meant:
"Brig--"
This also was acknowledged, and the signalling was continued until the
whole message was completed, thus:
"Same tonnage as--"
"Ourselves--"
"Hull--"
"Painted--"
"All black--"
"Steering west-north-west?"
The final string of flags then disappeared, and the _Vestale's_
answering pennant directly afterwards showed just above her topgallant
yard, indicating that she had completed her signal and awaited our
reply.
The entire signal then, freely interpreted, ran thus:
"Have you sighted a brig of the same tonnage (or size) as ourselves,
with hull painted all black, steering a west-north-west course?"
We answered "No;" and, in our turn, inquired whether the _Vestale_ had
seen or heard of such a craft.
The French gun-brig was by this time crossing our bows, distant about
half a mile; her reply was accordingly made from her gaff-end, the fore-
topgallant-sail and royal being at the same time sheeted-home and mast-
headed.
It was to the following effect:
"Yes. Brig in question sailed from Congo yesterday, six hours before
our arrival, with three hundred slaves on board."
By the time that this message had been communicated--by the slow and
tedious process then in vogue--the two vessels were too far apart to
render any further conversation possible, and in little more than an
hour after the final hauling-down of the last signal the _Vestale's_
main-royal sank beneath the verge of the western horizon, and we were
once more alone.