"Drowning is too good for him. Turn him adrift with a cask of brandy;
that's what he'd like best."
This last suggestion seemed to please all the speakers, for they laughed
heartily, but in a low tone, as if they knew that some were near in whom
they could not confide. I had heard quite enough to convince me that a
plot was hatching among some of the men to run off with the ship; but it
was also important to ascertain when the precious scheme was to be put
into execution. That point, though I listened eagerly, I could not
ascertain. I was anxious that the men should not suspect that I
overheard them, which, if I moved, I was afraid they might do; so I sat
quiet, pretending to be asleep. I considered what course I ought to
pursue. Had Captain Gunnel been a different sort of man to what he was,
I should, of course, have at once informed him; but as his ill-conduct
had made the men think of the scheme I had heard them discuss, I felt
that it would be better to try and counteract it, without letting him
know anything about the matter. I resolved, therefore, only to tell Mr
Henley and Mr Vernon, on whose discretion I knew that I could rely, and
let them consider what course to pursue. The mutineers went on talking;
and from further words I occasionally caught, I discovered that the
conspiracy had existed for some time, and had spread much further than I
at first supposed. At last, losing patience at having to sit so long, I
rose and went forward, as if about to look over the bows. I had stood
there a minute, when I felt two hands grasping my shoulders.
"You've heard what we've been talking about," whispered Cobb--I was
certain it was him--in a deep, fierce tone.
"And if I have, what is that?" I asked with an unfaltering voice.
"That dead men don't tell tales," answered the seaman in the same tone
of concentrated fierceness.
"It is folly for you to talk to me in that way," I answered. "Though I
am young, I am not a child to be frightened by you. You will get no
good by doing what you are talking of let me tell you that at all
events, and advise you to give up your notable scheme."
"Then you did overbear us," said the ruffian Cobb; "it won't do to trust
him."
Before I had time to open my mouth I found myself gagged, so that I
could not give the alarm, and I felt that the ruffians were about to
lift me up and heave me overboard. At that moment an ally came to my
aid, on whom the mutineers had not reckoned. The moment the fellows
laid violent hands on me, Solon, who had been standing unobserved under
the bowsprit, sprung on them, biting them right and left, and barking
loudly. They sung out to each other to knock him on the head with a
handspike, but he avoided their blows, now leaping on one side, now on
the other, and with the greatest fury tearing at the legs of the men who
had hold of me, though the others, it seemed to me, he let alone. The
moment, however, that one of them touched me, Solon made his teeth meet
in the calves of his legs. I struggled as hard as I could to free
myself, but what could I do, a mere boy, in the hands of powerful and
desperate men. Knowing that I must be aware of their plot, they seemed
bent on my destruction. Already they had got me off my legs, close to
the bulwarks, and were about to heave me overboard; the gag slipped from
my mouth, and I shouted out hastily for help. The mutineers, alarmed by
my cry, let me go, and aided by Solon, who had not ceased his furious
onslaught at their legs, I made a desperate leap off the topgallant
forecastle, and rushing aft, followed by my faithful ally, I gained the
poop. Looking forward, I saw that several of the men were coming aft.
It was the third mate's watch on deck. He had been asleep, I suspect,
or at all events pretended not to have heard my cry. Happily, however,
it had reached the ears of Mr Henley, even in his berth, and so it had
of Johnny Spratt, forward, and of Mr Vernon, and several of the
gentlemen passengers, whom the heat of the weather prevented sleeping.
Mr Henley and several of the others had pistols in their hands. Their
appearance awed the mutineers, who stopped a little abaft the main-mast,
while Solon stood on the break of the poop, barking furiously at them.
"What is the matter? who cried out, Marsden?" asked Mr Henley,
recognising me.
"I did, sir," I answered. "To the best of my belief some of those men
there were about to throw me overboard, and would have done so if my dog
had not helped me to get away from them."
"Throw you overboard! nonsense," exclaimed Mr Waller; "what should they
want to do that for?"
"Because I overheard them proposing to turn the captain and some of the
officers adrift, land the passengers on a desolate coast, and then to
run off with the ship," I replied in a loud tone, so that the men might
hear me.
"A likely story enough. It is perfectly ridiculous and improbable,"
exclaimed the third mate, vehemently; "you were dreaming, Marsden. The
men finding you forward, I daresay as a joke, lifted you up to frighten
you, though probably they did not like your dog biting their legs."
The mutineers had come sufficiently aft to hear what was said. Cobb,
who was the instigator--so it seemed to me--of the rest, sung out--
"Yes, sir, you're right. It was only a joke. Mr Marsden was
frightened, do ye see, and so we carried it on till his confounded dog
bit our legs, so that we were obliged to let him go."
This explanation appeared to relieve the minds of all on deck. It
seemed so natural, and the seaman spoke in so calm a way, corroborating
so completely the suggestions of the third mate, that I felt I had then
but little chance of having my statement credited.
"All right, my men," said Mr Waller; "go forward, the youngster's cock
and bull story is not likely to be believed."
I said nothing, but I felt that it would be most important to persuade
Mr Henley that I had had all my senses about me and that we ought to be
on our guard against any treachery, as it was not likely that the men
would abandon their plans, if they thought that they were not suspected.
During all this time neither the captain nor first mate had come on
deck. Once more the passengers retired to their cabins, and Mr Henley
went back to his. I felt that it would be more prudent to pretend to
yield to the general opinion that my fancy had deceived me, and so I
resolved to walk the deck with Solon by my side till my watch was out.
I had a suspicion, however, of Mr Waller, from what he had said; and
also, though the men had not mentioned his name, they spoke of some one
on whom they could rely to navigate the ship for them. Neither Sills,
nor Broom, nor the boatswain could do so, and except that there might be
some seaman who had concealed his calling among the passengers, I could
think of no one else to whom they could allude. Solon was no more
pleased with this state of things than I was, and as he walked up and
down with me he kept a bright look out on every side, frequently peering
forward into the darkness and giving a low dissatisfied growl.
At length eight bells struck; the first mate, who had the middle watch,
was called, and as soon as he made his appearance, I went below. Mr
Waller did not at once go to his cabin, so I forthwith went to Mr
Henley's. I found him sitting up reading. I told him briefly all that
had occurred, and assured him that I could not have been deceived.
"I believe you completely," he answered. "We must be cautious. We may
easily put the ruffians down, but I would avoid bloodshed. Their plans
are not yet matured, so we have time to reflect on the matter. Our
difficulty will be to warn the captain and first mate. I doubt, indeed,
whether they will believe your statement. However, we must take our own
measures according to circumstances."
Mr Henley said that he would not turn in, but would go on deck, and get
Spratt and some few of the other men in whom he had confidence, as well
as some of the passengers, to appear with him, and thus to make the
conspirators fancy that their plans were well known. His measures had a
good effect, for Spratt told him that all the men had taken off their
clothes, and gone quietly to their berths, showing that they had no
thoughts of putting their scheme into execution that night.
"Forewarned, forearmed," observed Mr Henley; "it will be our own fault
if they overpower us."
Thus we continued on our course, no longer benefiting by the
trade-winds, but having frequently to encounter the light and baffling
breezes to be met with off the African coast, and now and then to
contend with the heavy black squalls of those regions, which more than
once carried away some of our spars and blew our lighter sails out of
the bolt ropes. By keeping in with the African coast, we had a strong
current in our favour, which helped us along materially, at the same
time that we were exposed to the risk of a westerly gale, which might
send us helplessly on shore. With careful navigation there would have
been little danger of this, but unhappily, with the exception of Mr
Henley, not one of the officers could be depended on. Some of my
readers may be astonished at hearing of a ship sailing from the port of
London, towards the middle of the nineteenth century, being in the
condition in which I describe the _Orion_ but if they will look at the
newspapers they will see not once, but frequently, accounts of
circumstances occurring on board ships both from London and Liverpool,
and other parts, fully as bad as those of which I was a witness.
It surprised me often to see how calm and collected Mr Henley could
keep, knowing as he did the dangers with which we were surrounded. He
was constantly observing the compass, and several times he got the chart
of the African coast, and examined it in his own cabin. He told me also
one morning to tend the chronometer for him, while he made a set of
observations with the sextant to ascertain our exact longitude. When he
had worked them out, his countenance assumed a graver aspect than I had
ever before seen it wear.
"We are far more to the eastward than we ought to be," he remarked.
"There are hereabouts strong currents setting on shore, and with the
light winds we may expect we are too likely to find ourselves hard and
fast on the African coast some night. How it has happened, I don't
know, but depend on it there is some vile treachery concocting on board.
Those villains have not abandoned their designs, as I hoped they might
have done."
This appeared very evident, and we agreed to make every preparation in
our power for any emergency which might occur, and to try and induce Dr
Cuff, Mr Vernon, and two or three other gentlemen among the passengers,
to see the state of affairs in the light we did. I have been unwilling
to sicken my readers with a repetition of the accounts of the captain
and chief mate's barbarity to the crew. Not a day passed but what they
ill-treated one or more of them, and my surprise was, not that the men
should be plotting revenge, but that they had so long endured these
sufferings.
Mr Henley undertook first to speak to Dr Cuff. The doctor, however,
made very light of his suspicions.
"Very careless steering, I have no doubt, and we have got closer to the
coast of Africa than may be altogether pleasant. No wonder at that.
Then the lad dreamed he heard the sailors plotting mutiny--that is not
surprising; they are not attractive looking fellows. Then it is not
unusual for a set of old salts to attempt to play off a trick on a young
midshipman who holds himself somewhat a cut above the common run. No
fear. All will come right at last; just do you keep the ship to the
westward for the present, and then get into Table Bay as fast as you
can. We shall have to put our noble skipper into the sick-lists there,
or I am very much mistaken."
Such was the reply the doctor made to all Mr Henley told him. His
opinion had great weight with all the other gentlemen, though Mr Vernon
did not altogether discredit my account. The result, however, of the
affair was, that no especial steps were taken to counteract the schemes
of the mutineers, if such schemes were still entertained by them. All
Mr Henley and I could do, therefore, was to keep a watchful eye on the
movements of the suspected men.
Two days after this we lay becalmed on the smooth shining ocean with all
our sails flapping against the masts, when just after daybreak a vessel
was made out to the eastward, and with a fair though light breeze
standing towards us. As she drew near, carrying the wind along with
her, we made her out to be a large black brig, probably, from her
appearance, it was supposed, a man-of-war. She was still at some
distance when the passengers came on deck to take their usual walk
before breakfast. Of course she excited no small amount of interest,
and many opinions were passed as to her character, and to what nation
she belonged. Whatever she was, it was pretty evident that she intended
to come and speak us. I asked Spratt if he thought she was an English
man-of-war.
"Not she," was his answer. "That spread of white canvas cloth is of
Brazilian cotton stuff. To my mind she has a wicked, unsatisfactory
look I don't like. There's no good about her, depend on that, Mr
Marsden."
I found, on going aft, that the captain and mates entertained the same
opinion of the stranger which Spratt had expressed.
"What can he want with us?" was the question asked by several.
"Perhaps only to know his longitude," observed the captain. "By the cut
of his sails he looks like a slaver, and, from his size, he is not
likely to be one to knock under to any man-of-war's boats he might fall
in with."
"But suppose he should be a pirate," observed some one.
"A pirate! Oh, there are no pirates now-a-days who would dare to attack
a big ship like this," answered the captain, laughing. "In the Indian
seas or the China coast there are fellows who would come on board and
cut our throats if they could catch us all asleep; but such a thing
never happens about here now."
"I am not quite so sure of that, sir," remarked Mr Henley. "I was not
long ago on this coast, and I heard of several piratical vessels which
did not always let even English merchantmen go free, though the British
blockading squadron has made their game rather a hazardous one."
On came the stranger. We now could make out that she had at least four
ports on each side, with some heavy guns looking out at them; but she
showed no colours from which we might ascertain her nation. We expected
that, as she brought up the breeze, we should feel it also; but as she
approached us it seemed to die away, till she lay becalmed about half a
mile from us. That she had hostile intentions regarding us was soon
evident. Three boats were lowered from her sides, and we saw numbers of
men crowding into them.
"They intend to attack us!" exclaimed the captain, now almost too late
beginning to wonder what steps he should take for the defence of his
ship.
We had only two guns--six-pounders--intended more for firing signals
than for defence; but there was an arm-chest, with a couple of dozen
muskets and some pistols and cutlasses, and a small amount of
ammunition.
The captain, having opened the chest, was about to distribute the arms
generally among the crew. "Stay, sir," exclaimed Mr Henley; "there are
some of the men cannot be trusted with arms. Let them be given to the
cabin passengers and officers, and to three or four of the men I will
call aft. Let them serve the guns, but don't trust them with other
firearms. They may be pointing them aft, depend on that, sir."
"What are you talking about, Mr Henley?--the crew not to be trusted?
We'll soon see what they dare to do when we've settled with these
slaving fellows."
"It's a fancy, sir, Mr Henley has taken into his head in consequence of
a cock and bull story of young Marsden's," put in Mr Waller. "If we
are not sharp about it, the boats will be alongside before the arms are
served out."
Without waiting for the captain's answer, and before Mr Henley could
interfere, he handed both muskets and pistols to Cobb and Clink, another
of the men who had tried to heave me overboard. Mr Henley, seeing
this, as quickly as he could, aided by me, served out the arms to the
passengers and to those of the crew he fancied he could trust. The
captain, however, had the sense to follow his advice, and to give only
three rounds of ammunition to each man. When this was done, I had time
to look towards the approaching boats. They were filled full of fellows
armed to the teeth, and dressed in every variety of costume. Some of
them were whites, but many were mulattoes and blacks. There could not
be a shadow of doubt as to their intentions being hostile, though it was
doubtful how far they might venture to proceed, when they saw us in a
way prepared to receive them. Some of the passengers were very full of
fight; others I saw skulking below, either not liking the look of
things, or going to secure about their persons any articles of value
they might possess. Some of the seamen handled their muskets as if they
were prepared to use them; but others, especially two or three who had
been lately ill-used by the captain and first mate, threw their weapons
down on the deck, and, folding their arms, declared that they would see
the ship sink before they would use them. The captain swore at and
abused them most vehemently; but they listened to him with perfect
unconcern, while Cobb, and Clink, and their companions, backed them up
in their mutinous conduct. Our imperfect preparations, such as they
were, had hardly been completed, when the pirate's boats dashed
alongside.
"Don't fire till I give the order!" shouted the captain; but he did not
speak in time, and several of the passengers and crew discharged their
muskets at the boats. No one was hit that I could see, and the pirates
shouted and shrieked in return as they began to scramble up the sides.
They were bravely opposed aft, and pistols were fired in their faces,
and pikes plunged at them, so that numbers were hurled back into their
boats; but, to my dismay, I saw a band of them beginning to clamber up
about the forechains, where Cobb and his associates had posted
themselves. I shouted to the seamen to drive them back, but instead of
doing so, they only laughed, and, putting out their hands, welcomed the
strangers on board. Mr Henley had been so busily engaged in defending
the after-part of the ship, that he did not see what was occurring. I
shouted to him to call his attention to the circumstance. He instantly,
collecting around him all the men who were disengaged, made a rush at
the pirates; but so many had gained a footing, that the rest had no
difficulty in clambering up, and, notwithstanding his desperate
onslaught, he could make no impression on them, but was compelled to
retire with a wound in his sword arm, several of the rest being also
much hurt. I was by his side, using a cutlass to some effect. I had
learned the broadsword exercise at school, and was considered a
first-rate hand at single-stick. It gave me a wonderful confidence in
the _melee_, which I should not otherwise have felt. A shot, however
grazed my arm. At that instant a big mulatto made towards me. The pain
I felt caused me to drop my arm for an instant, and my antagonist would
certainly have cut me down, had not my faithful Solon, who had been
keeping at my heels, rushed in, and, with his usual tactics, bit the
mulatto's legs so severely, that he had to try and drive off his new
opponent. I sprang back, and Solon, seeing that I was safe, beat his
retreat before the fellow had time to strike him. Tyrannical and cruel
as the captain and first mate were, they proved themselves very far from
being brave in the hour of danger. The pirates, having made good their
footing on board, took entire possession of the forecastle; and when the
captain saw this, he declared that there was no further use in resisting
I felt that even then, had we made a bold rush forward, they might have
been driven overboard; but, instead, taking out a white flag from the
locker, he waved it above his head, and shouted out to the pirates, to
ask them if they would come to terms.
"You are a sensible man, Senhor Capitan," answered one of them in
return, in very fair English. "If you had not made any resistance at
all, you would have saved a great deal of trouble and some hard knocks.
We see that you are a passenger ship, and not laden with Manchester or
Birmingham goods, as we hoped. We don't want to harm you, but we must
be paid for our hot pull and the fighting you have given us. Here,
Antonio, let the captain have a list of the stores we require, and the
provisions and some water. You see your cruisers have driven us off the
coast, and we are rather in want of such things. And then, let me see--
we have been put to a good deal of expense--we shall require some eight
or ten dollars a-head from the passengers and crew. That will not be
much. We should have asked ten times the sum had you been going home;
but we wish to be moderate in our demands."
Thus the pirate captain ran on. Whether he was an Englishman or an
American I could not make out; but he was either one or the other.
Captain Gunnell stood astounded. He began to consider whether it was
still too late to resist; but on glancing towards the brig, he saw that
she had her sweeps out, and was gradually creeping up towards us, to
strengthen with her broadside the arguments which might be employed to
induce us to comply with the requests just made to us. When he saw
this, our captain stamped with rage.
"You have got the better of us," he exclaimed. "But look out. Some of
the men-of-war in these seas may catch hold of you, and they are not
likely to let you go without punishment for this day's work."
"Not the first time I have got the better of you, Captain Gunnell,"
answered the stranger, laughing. "And as for your men-of-war, my brig
can show a faster pair of heels than any of them. However, we are only
indulging in child's play talking thus. We'll proceed to business, if
you please."
The two guns I spoke of were forward. Hauling them inboard, the pirates
turned them aft; and while one party had charge of them, another was
stationed on the topgallant forecastle, and the rest, headed by their
captain, advanced aft, compelling, as he did so, all the seamen and
passengers he met to give up their arms. The best way I can express our
sensations is to say that we all felt very small; at least I did, I
know. The pirates set about the business in such a quiet,
matter-of-fact sort of way, that I cannot say I was in any way alarmed
as to the result of the affair. Having disarmed everybody fore and aft,
the pirates proceeded to get what they wanted. The mate--at least, so I
supposed the man called Antonio to be--pulled out a huge pocket-book,
and in the most systematic way wrote down what was wanted,--so many
casks of biscuit, so many of flour, so many of beef, and so on. He even
insisted on having tea and sugar. Then he came to paint and oil, and so
many fathoms of rope, and so much canvas; indeed, it was very clear that
they would not be content without a complete new outfit for their brig.
More than once Captain Gunnell showed signs of becoming restive, and
vowed that he would give no more, when with the blandest smile the
captain pointed to the guns of his black-looking craft, and intimated
that in that case he should be compelled to call her alongside, when,
perhaps, some of his comrades might not be so leniently disposed as he
was. As soon as the boats were loaded they shoved off, and very quickly
returned for a fresh cargo. At last all Antonio's demands were
satisfied.
"I will give you an acknowledgment for all the supplies with which you
have been good enough to furnish me," said the captain, turning to
Captain Gunnell; "nay, you must not refuse me--we always do that. My
owners will repay you when you call on them; and now, by-the-by--the
dollars--we must not forget them."
The bystanders looked very blue; they fancied that the polite captain
would not press that point. In spite of his politeness, however, there
was a grim, determined look about him which showed that he was a man not
accustomed to be trifled with where his interests were concerned. He
pulled out a gold watch set with jewels from his waistcoat--
"Come, gentlemen, I can but give you ten minutes," he observed, quietly.
"The dollars must be forthcoming or their equivalent--two sovereigns
a-piece for every man, woman, and child on board. The rich must pay for
the poor; but I know well there are very few on board who cannot afford
to pay that trifle. I am letting you off cheap--you ought to be
grateful. Antonio, rouse up everybody from below, and make them come
round and pay their mite into our coffers; be smart about it, lad: the
time is up, and we ought to be parting company with these good people."
Saying this, the pirate captain stationed himself just below the poop,
and he insisted on everybody on board passing in review before him, and
as they did so, dropping into his hat either eight dollars or a couple
of sovereigns. When anybody appeared without the required coins he sent
them back, and would allow no one else to pass till the money was
forthcoming. At first, when any one appeared without the money he took
it very quietly, but the second time he spoke very angrily, and the
third time stamped and swore with rage, threatening to throw overboard
any who had not the required sum. This made their friends very quickly
find it, and, consequently, after this there was very little delay. At
length came Cobb and Clink, and the rest of the men who had joined them
in their conspiracy. I saw Cobb wink to the captain.
"You'll not make us pay, at all events," he said, in a low voice, which
he thought would not be heard. "We helped you aboard, and if you've
berths for us, we shouldn't mind joining you, do ye see."
"You scoundrels," answered the pirate captain, "pay that you shall, and
double too. You betrayed your own shipmates, and do you think that I
would trust you and such as you? No; my fellows would cut a man's
throat without ceremony, but they are faithful to each other."
He spoke loud enough for all to hear him, "We have to supply our
necessities now and then, but we don't go and harm our fellow-creatures,
if we can help it. But quick, quick, you fellows, hand out your four
sovereigns or your sixteen dollars."
The mutineers at first thought that he was joking with them, but he very
quickly showed that he was in earnest, and suddenly clapping a pistol to
Cobb's head, he told him that if he did not instantly pay the sum he
would be a dead man. Cobb's countenance fell; but fumbling in his
pocket, he produced the four sovereigns which had been demanded, while
the pirate captain allowed the other men to pass by paying the usual
sum. As the money was collected he turned it into bags, which he handed
to Antonio and two or three other men, who formed a sort of body-guard
behind him.
"Now, gentlemen and ladies, I wish you a good morning and a prosperous
voyage," he said, making a polite bow to all around, and going down the
side--his retreat being covered by a body of armed men--he stepped with
the treasure he had collected into one of his boats and pulled on board
his brig.
She once more got out her sweeps, and slowly glided away towards the
African coast. We watched her with no very friendly feelings till night
at length hid her from our sight.