We left her Britannic Majesty's brig "Sylph" in chase of a strange sail
on the coast of Africa. The wind was from the westward, and she was
standing on a bowline to the southward, with the coast clearly seen
broad on the lee-beam. Captain Staunton ordered every expedient he
could think of to be tried to increase the speed of his vessel, for the
stranger was evidently a very fast sailer, though it was at first
difficult to say whether or not she was increasing her distance from
them. At all events, the British crew soon saw that it would be
hopeless to expect to come up with the stranger before dark, for the sun
was just sinking below the horizon, and the thick mists were already
rising over the wooded shore, and yet they appeared to be no nearer to
her than they were when they first made sail in chase. It was a
magnificent sailing breeze, just sufficient for both vessels to carry
their topgallant-sails and royals without fear of springing their spars,
and the sea was perfectly smooth, merely rippled over by the playful
wind. Indeed, as the two vessels glided proudly along over the calm
waters, they appeared rather to be engaged in some friendly race than
anxious to lead each other to destruction. All the officers of the
"Sylph" were on deck with their glasses constantly at their eyes, as the
last rays of the sun tinged the royals of the chase, and so clearly was
every spar and rope defined through that pure atmosphere, that it was
difficult to believe that she was not within range of their guns.
Captain Staunton and his first lieutenant walked together on the
weather-side of the deck.
"Do you think she is the `Espanto,' Mr Collins?" asked the captain.
"I have no doubt about it, sir," answered the officer addressed. "I
watched her narrowly when we chased her off Loanda the last time she was
on the coast, and I pulled round her several times when she lay in the
harbour of St. Jago da Cuba, just a year and a half ago."
"She has had a long run of iniquity," said the captain; "two years our
cruisers have been on the look-out for her, and have never yet been able
to overhaul her."
"That Daggerfeldt must be a desperate villain, if report speaks true,"
observed the lieutenant; "I think, sir, you seemed to say you once knew
him."
"I did, to my cost," answered Captain Staunton; "that man's life has
been a tissue of treachery and deceit from his earliest days. He once
disgraced our noble service. He murdered a shipmate and ran from his
ship on the coast of America. It was reported for some time that he was
dead, by his clothes having been found torn and bloody on the shore, and
his family, fortunately for them, believed the story. It was, however,
afterwards discovered that he had been sheltered by a Spanish girl, and,
in gratitude for his preservation, he carried her off, robbed her father
of all his wealth, and either frightened him to death or smothered him.
The unhappy girl has, it is said, ever since sailed with him, and it is
to be hoped she is not aware of the enormity of his guilt. Pirate and
slaver, he has committed every atrocity human nature is capable of."
"A very perfect scoundrel, in truth, sir," answered Mr Collins. "It
was said, too, I remember, that he was going to marry a very beautiful
girl in England. What an escape for her!"
"No, he was not going to marry her!" exclaimed the captain, with unusual
vehemence. "Her father, perhaps, wished it, but she would never have
consented. Collins, you are my friend, and I will tell you the truth.
That lady, Blanche D'Aubigne, was engaged to me, and never would have
broken her faith to me while she believed me alive. By a series of
forgeries, Daggerfeldt endeavoured to persuade her that I was false to
her, though she would not believe him. On my return home she is to
become my wife. We were to have married directly I got my promotion,
but I was so immediately sent out here that I was able to spend but one
day in her society. I wished to have secured her a pension in case this
delightful climate should knock me on the head, but she would not hear
of it. Poor girl, I have left her what little fortune I possess,
Collins; I could not do less. Those who live on shore at ease can't say
we enjoy too much of the pleasures of home, or don't earn the Queen's
biscuit. Bless her Majesty!"
"I don't know that, sir. There are, I hear, though I never fell in with
any of them, a set of lying traitors at home, who say we are no better
than pirates, and want to do away with the navy altogether. If they
were to succeed in their roguish projects, there would be an end of Old
England altogether, say I."
"They never will succeed, Collins, depend upon that. There is still too
much sense left in the country; but if her Majesty's government were to
employ her cruisers in any other part of the world than on this
pestiferous coast, the cause of humanity would benefit by the change.
For every prize we capture, ten escape, and our being here scarcely
raises the price of slaves in the Cuban and Brazilian markets five
dollars a head; while the Spaniards and Portuguese, notwithstanding
their treaties, do all they can to favour the traffic. Do we gain on
the chase, do you think, Collins?"
"Not a foot, I fear, sir," answered the lieutenant. "That brig is a
fast craft, and though I don't believe, as some of the people do, that
the skipper has signed a contract with Davy Jones, she is rightly called
by them the `Black Slaver.'"
"If the breeze freshens, we may overhaul her, but if not, she may double
on us in the dark, and again get away," observed the captain. "Take
care a bright look-out is kept for'ard."
"Ay, ay, sir," answered the lieutenant, repeating the order and
adjusting his night-glass; "she hasn't altered her course, at all
events."
By this time daylight had totally disappeared, although a pale crescent
moon in the clear sky afforded light sufficient for objects to be
distinguished at some distance. Few of the officers turned in, but the
watch below were ordered to their hammocks to recruit their strength for
the services they might be required to perform on the morrow, as Captain
Staunton had determined, should the wind fail, to attack the chase in
his boats. When the enemy is well-armed and determined, this a very
dangerous operation, and in the present instance there could be no doubt
that he who commanded the "Black Slaver" would not yield without a
desperate resistance. Lookouts were stationed at the mastheads as well
as forward, and every eye was employed in endeavouring to keep her in
sight--no easy task with the increasing darkness--for a light mist was
gradually filling the atmosphere, and the moon itself was sinking into
the ocean. The breeze, however, appeared to be increasing; the brig
felt its force, and heeled gracefully over to it as the water bubbled
and frothed against her bows.
"What are the odds we don't catch her after all?" said young Wildgrave
to his messmate; "I hate these long chases, when one never comes up with
the enemy."
"So do I," answered his companion. "But to tell you the truth, I have a
presentiment that we shall come up with her this time, and bring her to
action too. She has escaped us twice before, and the third time will, I
think, be fatal to her. By-the-by, where is she though?"
"Fore-yard, there!" sang out the first lieutenant, "can you see the
chase?"
"I did a moment ago, sir;--no, sir, I can see her nowhere."
A similar answer was returned from the other lookouts. She was nowhere
visible.