"Then you belong to that frigate that chased us the day before
yesterday?"
"Yes," replied I.
"What is her name?"
"The Calliope."
"She sails well," said he.
"Yes," replied I; "she is the fastest sailer on this station."
"That's all the information I want of you, boy: now you may go."
"Go where?" replied I.
"Go where?--go overboard, to be sure," replied he, with a grin.
My heart died within me; but I mustered courage enough to say, "Much
obliged to you, sir; but I'd rather stay where I am, if it's all the
same to you."
The other negroes laughed at this reply, and I felt a little confidence;
at all events, their good-humour gave me courage, and I felt that being
bold was my only chance.
The negro captain looked at me for a time, as if considering, and at
last said to the men, "Overboard with him."
"Good-bye, sir, you're very kind," said I; "but this is a capital
spy-glass, and I leave it to you as a legacy." And I went up to him and
offered him my spy-glass. Merciful Heaven! bow my heart beat against my
ribs when I did this!
The negro captain took the glass, and looked through it.
"It is a good glass," said he, as he removed it from his eyes. It was
poor Green's spy-glass, which he had given me for showing him the
mason's signs.
"Well, white boy, I accept your present; and now, good bye."
"Good-bye, sir. Do me one kindness in return," said I, very gravely,
for I felt my hour was come.
"And what is that?" replied the negro.
"Tie a shot to my heels, that I may sink quickly; it won't take them
long."
"You don't ask me to spare your life, then?" replied the negro.
"He de very first white dat not ask it," said one of the negroes.
"Dat really for true," said another.
"Yes, by gum," replied a third.
Oh, how I wished to know what to say at that moment! The observations
of the negroes made me imagine that I had better not _ask_ for it and
yet how I clung to life! It was an awful moment--I felt as if I had
lived a year in a few minutes. For a second or two I felt faint and
giddy--I drew a long breath and revived.
"You don't answer me, boy," said the negro captain.
"Why should I ask when I feel certain to be refused? If you will give
me my life, I will thank you: I don't particularly wish to die, I can
assure you."
"I have taken an oath never to spare a white man. For once I am sorry
that I cannot break my oath."
"If that is all, I am a boy, and not a man," replied I. "Keep me till I
grow bigger."
"By golly, captain, that very well said. Keep him, captain," said one
of the negroes.
"Yes, captain," replied another; "keep him to tend your cabin. Proper
you have white slave boy."
The negro captain for some time made no reply; he appeared to be in deep
thought. At last he said--
"Boy, you have saved your life: you may thank yourself and not me.
Prossa, let him be taken below; give him a frock and trousers and throw
that infernal dress overboard, or I may change my resolution."
The negro who was addressed, and who wore a sort of uniform as an
officer--which he was, being second mate--led me below,--nothing loth, I
can assure my readers.
When I was between decks. I sat down upon a chest, my head swam, and I
fainted. The shock had been too powerful for a lad of my age. They
brought water, and recovered me. When I revived, I felt that I might
have lost in their good opinion by thus knowing my weakness; and I had
sufficient presence of mind to ask for something to eat. This deceived
them; they said to one another that I must have been on board that
vessel for two days without food, and of course I did not deny it.
They brought me some meat and some grog. I ate and drank a little.
They then took off my uniform, and put on me a check frock and white
trousers; after which, I said I wished to lie down a little, and they
left me to sleep on the chest where I had been seated.
I pretended to sleep, although I could not; and I found out by their
conversation that I gained the goodwill not only of the crew, but of the
captain, by my behaviour.
I considered that I had gained my life, at least for the present; but
what security could I have in such company?
After an hour or two I felt quite recovered, and I thought it advisable
to go on deck. I did so, and went right aft to the negro captain, and
stood before him.
"Well, boy," said he, "why do you come to me?"
"You gave me my life; you're the greatest friend I have here, so I come
to you. Can I do anything?"
"Yes; you may assist in the cabin, if your white blood does not curdle
at the idea of attending on a black man."
"Not at all. I will do anything for them who are kind to me, as you
have been."
"And think it no disgrace?"
"Not the least. Is it a disgrace to be grateful?"
The reader will observe how particularly judicious my replies were,
although but fifteen years old. My dangerous position had called forth
the reflection and caution of manhood.
"Go down into the cabin; you may amuse yourself till I come."
I obeyed this order. The cabin was fitted up equal to most yachts, with
Spanish mahogany and gold mouldings; a beaufet full of silver (there was
no glass) occupied nearly one-half of it; even the plates and dishes
were of the same material. Silver candelabras hung down from the middle
of the beams; a variety of swords, pistols, and other weapons were fixed
up against the bulkhead; a small bookcase, chiefly of Spanish books,
occupied the after-bulkhead, and the portraits of several white females
filled up the intervals; a large table in the centre, a stand full of
charts, half a dozen boxes of cigars, and two most luxurious sofas,
completed the furniture.
A door from the starboard side led, I presumed, to the stateroom, where
the captain slept; but I did not venture to open it.
I surveyed all this magnificence, wondering who this personage could be;
and more still, how it was that the whole of the crew were, as well as
the captain, of the negro race.
We had heard that the pirate we were in search of was a well-known
character--a Spaniard--who went by the name of Chico, and that his crew
consisted of Americans, English, and Spaniards. That this was the
vessel, I knew, from the conversation of the men when I was below for
they called her the Stella.
Now, it appeared that the vessel had changed masters; the crew were
chiefly Spanish negroes, or other negroes who spoke Spanish, but some of
them spoke English, and a few words of Spanish; these, I presumed, were
American or English runaways. But the captain--his language was as
correct as my own; Spanish he spoke fluently, for I heard him giving
orders in that language while I was in the cabin; neither was he
flat-nosed, like the majority. Had he been white, his features would
have been considered regular, although there was a fierceness about them
at times which was terrible to look at.
"Well," thought I, "if I live and do well, I shall know more about it;
yes, if I live, I wish I was on the quarterdeck of the Calliope, even as
Tommy was with his pockets stuffed full of the purser's raisins, and
looking like a fool and a rogue at the same time."
I had been down in the cabin about half an hour, when the negro captain
made his appearance.
"Well," said he, "I suppose you would as soon see the devil as me--eh,
boy?"
"No: indeed," replied I, laughing--for I had quite recovered my
confidence--"for you were about to send me to the devil, and I feel most
happy that I still remain with you."
"You're exactly the cut of boy I like," replied he, smiling. "How I
wish that you were black!--I detest your colour."
"I have no objection to black my face, if you wish it," replied I: "it's
all the same to me what colour I am."
"How old are you?"
"I was fifteen a few months back."
"How long have you been to sea?"
"About eighteen months."
He then asked me a great many more questions, about the captain, the
officers, the ship, and myself; to all of which I answered in a guarded
way.
A negro brought down his supper; it was hot, and very savoury; without
any order on his part, I immediately attended upon him during his meal.
He told the negro not to wait and conversed with me during the time that
he was eating: at last, he told me how he had doubled the frigate during
the night. I then remarked that we had been informed that the vessel
was called the Stella, that the captain's name was Chico, and the crew
were composed of white men of different nations.
"A month or two ago, it was the case," replied the captain. "Now I have
done, and you may clear away," continued he, rising from his chair and
throwing himself down on one of the sofas. "Stop; you are hungry, I
don't doubt; you can sit down and eat your supper, and remove the things
afterwards."
I did as he told me: it was the first time in my life I had supped off
massive plate--but I was in strange company; however, it did not spoil
my appetite, and I did not forget to drink a goblet of wine by way of
washing down my repast.
"Thank you, sir," said I, rising, and then performing my office of
attendant.
At his order, I rang the bell for the negro, who assisted me in clearing
away, and then went out with the remains of the supper.
"Am I to stay or go?" said I, respectfully.
"You may go now. Find the man who came in just now--Jose he is called;
tell him to give you something to sleep upon."
"Good-night, sir," said I.
"Good-night, boy."
As I went forward looking for the negro servant, I was accosted more
than once very kindly by the negro seamen. At last I went up on the
forecastle, and they asked me to tell them how I was left on board the
schooner. I did so to those who spoke English, and one of them, who
could speak both languages, translated into Spanish for the benefit of
the others.
"You be first white he hab spared, I tell you," said the American negro,
who had translated into Spanish what I had told them, after the other
had left me with him.
"The captain says he wishes I were black," said I to the negro; "I wish
I was, too, while I am on board of this vessel--my colour makes him
angry, I see that. Could not I be stained black?"
"Well, I do think it will be a very safe thing for you, if it could be;
for you have not seen him sometimes in his moods; and if to-morrow
morning he was chased and hard pressed by the frigate, you would stand a
poor chance, suppose his eyes light upon you. I can't tink what make
him to let you off, only but cause you give him de spy-glass in dat hold
way. I tink I know a chap on board who understand dat--I go see--you
wait here till I come back."
The negro left me, and in a few minutes returned, with a sort of
half-Indian, half-negro-looking cut of fellow, with whom he conversed in
Spanish.
"He say he know how to make brown like himself but not dark same as me.
Suppose you wish he do it to-night--begin now?"
"Yes, I do wish it," replied I; and so I did sincerely, for I felt that
it might be the saving of my life; and I had a great aversion to be torn
to pieces by the sharks which followed the vessel, that being anything
but an agreeable mode of going out of the world.
The American black remained with me, and we conversed for about half an
hour, by which time we were joined by the Spanish Main negro, who
brought up with him some decoction or another, boiling hot. They
stripped me and rubbed me all over with a bit of sponge, not only the
face and hands, but every part of my body and then I was left standing
quite naked to dry; the crew had gathered round us, and were very merry
at the idea of changing my colour.
As soon as the warm air had dried me, the application was created; and
when I was again dry, the American told me to put on my clothes, and
that he would call me early to have two more applications of the stuff,
and that then I should be quite dark enough.
I asked for Jose, and told him what the captain had said; he gave me a
bundle of matting for a bed, and I was soon fast asleep. About three
o'clock in the morning I was called up, and the staining repeated twice,
and I then lay down again.
When the hands were turned up at five bells (for everything was very
regular on board), Jose brought me a glass to look at myself, and I was
quite satisfied that my colour would no longer annoy the captain. I was
not as black as a negro, but I was as dark as a mulatto.
I asked the Spanish negro, through Jose, who could speak both languages,
whether I might wash myself? He replied, all day long if I pleased;
that I should not get the colour off; it would wear off in time, and the
stuff must be applied once a month, and that would be sufficient.
I went to the forecastle, and washed myself; the negro crew were much
amused, and said that I now was a "bel muchaco"--a handsome boy. I dare
say they thought so--at all events, they appeared to be very friendly
with me, and my staining myself gave them great satisfaction. I was
sitting with Jose between decks when the cabin bell rang.
"You go," said he, showing his white teeth as he grinned; "I go after,
see what captain tink."