MOZAMBIQUE--VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR--HAMED, THE INTERPRETER--ESCAPE OF A
SLAVE TO THE OPAL--PREPARATIONS FOR SHARP WORK--A SLAVE DHOW IN SIGHT--
HER WRECK--ADAIR AFTER HER THROUGH THE BREAKERS--SEVERAL OF THE SLAVES
RESCUED--BEN SNATCHBLOCK ATTEMPTS TO COMFORT THEM--HIS EFFORTS NOT
APPRECIATED--RETURN TO THE SHIP--HORRIBLE STATE OF THE RESCUED BLACKS.
While the frigate stood to the northward, and the _Busy Bee_ buzzed
across to Madagascar, the _Opal_ stood for Mozambique, where Murray had
to obtain an interpreter, to pick up all possible information regarding
the movements of slavers. Two days afterwards the corvette came to an
anchor off the chief settlement of the Portuguese on that coast.
The town stands on an island, about a mile and a half in length,
situated on a deep inlet of the sea, into which several small rivers
fall. The harbour is of considerable size, its entrance guarded by a
fort, beyond which appeared an avenue of trees on a gentle slope, then a
collection of flat-roofed whitewashed houses, then the palace of the
Portuguese governor, with pink walls, and a considerably dilapidated
cathedral, below which a stone pier, with buttresses of a sugar-loaf
form, runs out into the sea.
"Not a very attractive-looking place," observed Terence to his brother
lieutenant, as they viewed it from the ship.
"Yet it speaks of the bygone magnificence of the once proud Lusitanian,"
answered the poet. "I must write some lines on the subject. The place
is not without interest."
"Those dhows, and low, dark, piratical-looking schooners, have
considerably more interest to us, however," said Adair; "they are not
employed in any honest calling, depend on that; and there lie two
Spaniards and a Yankee. If they have no slaves on board, they will have
before long, and we must do our best to catch them. We must depend on
our own wits, though, for it's impossible to get any correct information
from the Portuguese officers--they are most of them as arrant
slave-dealers as the Arabs themselves. That man-of-war schooner, for
instance, is much more likely to help the slavers to escape than to
assist us in catching them, and is very likely often employed in
bringing off a cargo of ebony from the shore."
The schooner he pointed at was a handsome vessel, with a thoroughly
piratical look about her. However, she formed a strong contrast to the
Arab dhows by which she was surrounded. They were of all sizes, the
largest measuring, perhaps, three hundred and fifty tons.
"If I had to describe a dhow, I should say that her shape was like half
a well-formed pear, cut longitudinally," observed Adair, looking towards
the large craft over the quarter, which lay at some little distance, and
was preparing apparently to put to sea. "See, her bow sinks deeply in
the water, while the stern floats lightly upon it. Large as that craft
is, she is only partially decked. She has cross-beams, however, to
preserve her shape, and on them are laid flat strips of bamboo, which
enable the crew to make their way from one end to the other. At the
afterpart she has a large house, lightly built, the roof of which forms
a poop, while the interior serves, I have no doubt, for the cabin of the
skipper, and probably for his wives and children, as well as his
passengers and the whole of his crew. She has a heavy, rough spar for a
mast, tapering towards the head and raking forward. The sail which they
are now just hoisting is, in shape, like a right-angled triangle, with a
parallelogram below its base; the hypothenuse or head of the sail is
secured to a yard, like an enormous fishing-rod; the halyards are
secured to it about a third of the way from the butt-end, and it is
hoisted close up to the head of the mast. A tackle brings down the
lower end of the yard to the deck, and serves to balance the lofty
tapering point, while the sheet is secured to the lower after-corner of
the sail. Though many of the smaller dhows have only one mast, that big
fellow has two, with a sail of the same shape as the first, but more
diminutive. The larger sail is of preposterous proportions, and it
seems wonderful that she can carry it without being capsized. It
appears to be formed of a strong soft cotton canvas, of extreme
whiteness. Those vessels don't tack, but when beating to windward wear
by putting up the helm and taking the sheet round before the yard and
bringing it aft again on the other side; the deepest part of the dhow
being, as you see, under the foremast, it forms a pivot round which the
shallow stern, obeying the helm, rapidly turns. Clumsy as they look, I
hear that these craft are wonderfully fast, and, with the wind free,
will put us on our mettle to overhaul them."
"I should like to judge for myself on that point," observed Mildmay.
"Fellows who have allowed prizes to escape them always declare that the
craft they have chased is faster than anything afloat."
"I hope we shall have the chance before long," said Adair; "we must keep
a bright lookout from the ship and try to do what we can. The commander
intends running down the coast, and then despatching all the boats which
can be spared to look into the creeks and harbours, and other
hiding-places in which any slavers are likely to take shelter. I should
like to go on such an expedition myself, if the commander can spare me,
shouldn't you?"
"No, thank you," answered Mildmay; "I've no fancy for going away and
sleeping in an open boat, without a change of linen or any of the
necessaries of life."
"Well, then, I'll leave you to do my duty on board, and volunteer to
command the first expedition sent away," said Adair; "you'll take good
care of the ship in the meantime."
"Ah, yes!--though I have never aspired to the post of first
lieutenant,--to oblige you," said Mildmay.
"Thank you," answered Adair, laughing.
In the afternoon the captain and lieutenants went to pay their respects
to the Portuguese governor, and Desmond and Archie were invited to
accompany them. Landing on the stone pier before described, they made
their way along the narrow, dirty streets, which literally swarmed with
slaves. There were faces of every form, if not of colour, for all were
black as jet; their faces disfigured in every variety of manner, some
with lip-rings, others with rings in their noses, and some with pieces
of bone stuck spritsail fashion through the cartilage. Some, instead of
bone, wore brass-headed nails, while many had pieces of bone through
their ears. The faces of others were fearfully gashed, a yellow dust
filling up the grooves.
Mozambique, indeed, is the chief slave-mart of the Portuguese, and
thousands of unhappy beings are kidnapped and brought there from all
parts of the interior, ready to be shipped to any country where
slave-labour is in demand.
The English officers found the Portuguese governor seated in a broad
verandah, in an easy chair, smoking a cigar, and enjoying the
sea-breeze, while sheltered from the hot sun. He received them
courteously, begging them to be seated, and ordering coffee and
cigarettes, which were immediately brought by his slaves, the latter
accompanied by a plate of hot charcoal, from which to light them. He
expressed himself gratified by their visit, and assured them that his
great desire was to put down the slave-trade; but, shrugging his
shoulders, he acknowledged that it was no easy matter. "In spite of all
I can do," he added, sighing, "my subordinates will indulge in it. What
can be expected? They do not like the country, and are naturally in a
hurry to make their fortunes and get away again. It is a second nature
to the Arabs, and their chief mode of existing; and as long as the
French and Brazilians and Cubans will buy slaves, what can prevent it?
The former, to be sure, ship them as emigrants and free Africans, though
not a negro would leave his country if he could help it."
The governor was so frank, and apparently so sincere in his offers of
assistance, that Murray told him one of his chief objects in coming to
Mozambique was to obtain an interpreter who could thoroughly be trusted.
"I know the man for you," said the governor; "though not a beauty, he is
worthy of confidence--knows the whole coast and the tricks of the
slave-dealers, and would obtain for you all the information you require.
I'll give directions to have him sent on board, and you can there make
any arrangements you think fit."
Murray having thanked the governor for his courtesy, he and his party
took a walk round the island. "Faith, for my part, I'd rather be first
lieutenant of the _Opal_ than governor-general of all the Portuguese
settlements in the East put together," exclaimed Adair; "for of all the
undetectable places I ever set foot in, this surpasses them in its
abominations."
Soon after they returned on board, an individual, who announced himself
as the interpreter sent by the governor-general of Mozambique to serve
on board Her Majesty's warship, came up the side.
"And what's your name, my fine fellow?" asked Murray, as he eyed the
unattractive personage. The governor had certainly not belied him when
he described him as destitute of good looks. On the top of his grisly
head he wore a large white turban. His colour might once have been
brown, but it was now as black as that of a negro, frightfully scarred
and marked all over. He had but one eye, and that was a blinker, which
twisted and turned in every direction when he spoke, except at the
person whom he was addressing. His lips were thick, his nostrils
extended--indeed, his countenance partook more of the negro than of the
Arab type. His feet were enormous, with toes widely spread. He wore a
loose jacket, striped with blue, over a dirty cotton coat reaching to
his knees, and huge blue baggy trousers.
"Me Haggis ben Hamed at your sarvice, Senor Capitan," he answered,
making a salaam; "me undertake show where you find all the slaves on the
coast, and ebbery big ship and dhow that sails."
"And what payment do you expect for rendering us these services?" asked
Murray.
"Forty pesados for one month, sar; eighty, if I take one dhow; and
hundred and sixty, if I help you to one big ship."
"Pretty heavy payment, Master Hamed," observed Murray.
"Ah, Senor Capitan, you not take one vessel without my help--you see,"
answered the interpreter, drawing himself up and looking very important.
Murray suspected that he was right, and finally agreed to pay the
reward demanded. From that moment Hamed was installed on board.
As a fair breeze blew out of the harbour, Murray was in a hurry to be
off. The pilot, however, asserted that he could not venture to take out
the ship except during broad daylight. The _Opal_ had therefore to wait
till the next morning. The pilot accordingly took his departure,
promising to come off again at an early hour. Some time after sunset,
Adair and the master were walking the deck, discussing the plan of their
proposed boat excursion, to which the commander had agreed, when, as
they turned aft, they caught sight of the dark figure of a man who had
just climbed over the taffrail, and now stood quaking and shivering
before them.
"Where do you come from, my friend?" asked Jos; but the stranger did not
reply, except by an increased chattering of his teeth, though he put up
his hand in an attitude of supplication.
"Well, no one wishes to hurt you," said Green; "come forward and let us
see what you are like," and he called to the quartermaster to bring a
lantern. The stranger, gaining courage from the master's kind tone of
voice, followed him and Adair. He was evidently greatly exhausted.
"Bring a cup of hot coffee and some biscuit; it will restore the poor
wretch, and help him to tell us what he wants," said the master.
After taking the food and liquid, the negro speedily revived, and,
drawing his finger across his throat, with the addition of other signs,
he intimated that his master was about to kill him, when he made his
escape; and it was evident that he must have swum a distance of two
miles or more at the risk of his life, to put himself under the
protection of the British flag. His name, he intimated, was Pango; and
that his master, if he should recapture him, would carry him off and
kill him. Hamed, on being summoned, interrogated the black; and from
the account he gave, Adair and Green were convinced that they had
clearly understood Pango's pantomimic language.
The commander, who had not turned in, on coming on deck and hearing the
case, promised poor Pango that he should be protected; and to do so
effectually, at once entered him on the ship's books. The negro
expressed his gratitude by every means in his power, and, being taken
below by Ben Snatchblock the boatswain, was speedily, to his delight and
satisfaction, rigged out in seaman's duck trousers and shirt. He was,
notwithstanding, far from being at ease, dreading lest the tyrannical
master from whom he had fled should discover his place of retreat, and
claim him. Hamed, however, made him understand that he now belonged to
the ship, and that all on board would fight for him with their big guns
and small-arms, and go to the bottom rather than give him up. On
comprehending this, he showed his joy by capering and singing, and
making a variety of demonstrative gestures, signifying that if his
former owner came to look for him, he would get more than he bargained
for. At length he stopped, and a shade of melancholy came over his
countenance. Hamed, who, in spite of his ugliness, possessed some of
the better feelings of human nature, asked him what was the matter.
He sighed, and said that he had a brother on shore who was as badly off
as he had been, and that he should now be parted from him for ever, as
he could never venture back to Mozambique, or set his foot on shore in
the neighbourhood, lest he should be kidnapped and carried back to a
worse bondage than that from which he had escaped.
Hamed, of course, could give him little hope of rescuing his brother,
and advised him to turn in and be thankful that he himself had escaped.
Notwithstanding poor Pango's fears, no one appeared to claim him, and
the next morning he was seen among the men forward, lending a hand at
all sorts of jobs, evidently anxious to make himself useful.
The pilot at length came off, announcing that the tide and wind would
now serve for taking out the ship. "Hands shorten in cable!" shouted
Ben Snatchblock, his pipe sounding shrilly along the decks. Pango
remained forward, concealing himself behind the foremast, though he
every now and then took a glance at the ill-favoured pilot, a big,
cut-throat, piratical-looking individual, who was standing aft near the
master, while his boat hung on alongside the quarter.
Sail was made, the anchor lifted, and the ship was gathering way, when a
black sprang out of the boat alongside through a port, and tried to hide
himself under one of the midship guns. The savage-looking pilot espied
him, and ordered him back into the boat. Instead of obeying, he clung
tightly to the gun. "Remove the man and put him back into the boat,"
said the commander; "but do not handle him roughly." Now, as the poor
black clung with might and main to the gun, and shrieked loudly for
mercy, the latter order prevented the seamen from executing the former.
"The nigger won't let go, sir," shouted the master-at-arms, Ned Lizard,
"unless we cut off his hands and feet--might as well try to haul a
cuttle-fish from a rock without leaving its feelers behind it."
"Let him alone, then," said Murray; and, turning to the pilot, he
intimated that he must take his man himself if he wanted him, but that
he must, in the meantime, look out not to run the ship on shore.
The pilot accordingly continued at his post, every now and then glaring
savagely at the poor negro, and uttering a growl signifying that he
would very soon have him in his power. Blackie still clung fast to the
gun, casting a piteous look at the good-natured countenances of the
seamen, imploring them to help him, which it was evident they would be
very ready to do.
At length the ship was in the open sea, and the pilot, who had received
his payment, was in a hurry to return. Approaching his slave, he
ordered him to get into the boat; the latter only replied by piteous
shrieks and cries, clinging as tightly as before to the gun with arms
and legs, while he seized the tackle in his jaws.
"Tell the pilot, Hamed, that he must carry off the gun and all, if he
wants the man; but take him by force he must not," said Adair.
No sooner had Hamed interpreted this than the pilot, drawing his dagger,
would have plunged it into the back of the miserable slave, had not the
master-at-arms seized his arm, exclaiming, "No, no, my fine fellow;
we'll have none of that sort of thing on board here. If you want the
man, as the lieutenant says, you must take him by fair means; and, if
not, you must let him stay. Tell him, Hamed, if he tries that trick
again, he'll be run up to the fore-yardarm there before he is many hours
older."
The pilot stamped and swore all sorts of Mohammedan oaths, which might
have shocked even the ears of the prophet, and appealed to the
commander, who intimated, in return, that if the slave sought the
protection of the British flag, it would be granted him, and that it was
very evident he had no desire to go back to Mozambique. At last
Mustapha saw that he must make up his mind to lose his slave, and,
casting a last ferocious look at him, as much as to say, "If I ever
catch you on shore, my fine fellow, your skin and bones will part
company," he lowered himself down into the boat.
Blackie peered through the port till he saw that she had actually let go
and was dropping astern, when he jumped up, and the next instant, Pango,
coming from his hiding-place, rushed aft, and the two blacks, throwing
their arms round each other, burst into tears of joy. The last runaway
was no other than Pango's brother, who was forthwith christened Bango.
Not forgetting the pilot, they together ran aft, and waved their hands
triumphantly at him, as the ship, increasing her speed, left the boat
astern, he shouting and grinning with mad and impotent rage.
The corvette stood down the coast, a bright look-out being kept both for
native dhows and square-rigged vessels, of which not a few Brazilians,
Spaniards, and Americans were known to be engaged in the nefarious
traffic. The carpenters had been busy fitting the boats, raising the
gunwales of the smaller ones, and adding false keels to the larger, to
enable them the better to carry sail; and all hands guessed that
something was to be done, but what it was the commander kept to himself,
or made known only to his lieutenants.
In spite of the utmost vigilance of the look-outs, not a vessel had been
seen, till one morning, just at daybreak, as the ship was standing in
for the land, the wind being to the southward, a dhow was discovered
coming up before it, her canvas of snowy whiteness glittering in the
rays of the rising sun. The commander, who was on deck, in a moment
gave the order to lower the lifeboat; and Adair, with Ben Snatchblock
and Desmond, leaped into her and pulled away for the coast, so as to
intercept the dhow should she attempt to pass ahead of the corvette.
"We've caught the dhow in a trap, at all events," observed Adair, "for
she's no chance with the ship on a wind. She is certain to try and run
for it close inshore, when we shall as certainly catch her. Give way,
my lads! she hasn't seen us as yet, and stands on with a flowing sheet,
thinking that she has a good chance of slipping between the corvette and
the land."
The wind being light, the corvette was making but little way through the
water, and had a breeze come off the land, the dhow would have had a
fair chance of escaping, had it not been for the boat ready to intercept
her. The dhow, under her immense spread of canvas, glided on rapidly;
and her Arab captain was probably congratulating himself on the prospect
of escaping from his powerful foe, when he caught sight of the boat
lying in wait for him. Heavy rollers broke on the shore, sending the
surf flying up many yards over the beach. The dhow was seen suddenly to
put up her helm and to steer directly for the shore.
"Good heavens!" cried Adair; "the Arab isn't going to attempt to carry
his vessel through those breakers?"
"He is, though, sir," observed Snatchblock. "It's a pretty sure sign
that he has got a cargo of slaves aboard. Poor beings! not many of them
will reach the beach alive."
Adair immediately steered the boat towards the dhow, though he had
little hope of reaching her in time to prevent her from running on
destruction. Several shots were fired to make her heave-to, but the
Arab crew heeded them not; and Adair had got almost within a cable's
length of the breakers when the doomed vessel was seen plunging in their
midst, to be cast in a few seconds on the shingly beach.
Wildly the sea broke over her, and almost as if by magic, her bulky
hull, melting away, exposed to view a hundred or more black forms
struggling in the water, endeavouring to make their way to dry land.
Some of the unfortunate beings succeeded, but others were carried back
into the surf, and, hurled over and over, were lost to sight, none of
them being drifted out as far as the boat.
All this time Adair was pulling in towards the breakers. He saw that
the Arab crew, who had been the first to reach the shore, were urging on
the blacks to run towards a thick wood, the outer edge of which was a
few hundred yards only from the beach.
"I think we can do it," he said to Snatchblock; "I have been through
worse breakers than those in a less buoyant boat than ours. If we don't
manage to get on shore, the Arabs will carry off every one of the
slaves."
"She'll go through it, sir," answered Snatchblock, looking round at the
breakers.
"We might save some of the poor wretches, at all events. Give way, my
lads!" cried Adair, and the boat, urged forward by the stout arms of the
crew, was speedily in the midst of the breakers. The sea struck her
abaft, and washed clean over her from stern to stem; and had not
Snatchblock aided Adair in hauling away on the yoke-line, she must have
broached-to. A lifeboat alone could have existed amid those heavy
breakers.
The next instant another sea struck her, washing over her whole length,
and covering everyone in her; but as it went right over the bows, only a
few inches of water remained. A third time she was deluged, and then
down she sank, it seemed, into comparatively smooth water, and glided up
easily on to the shelving beach.
The firearms, having been fortunately covered up, were fit for use.
Calling to his men to follow, two only being left in the boat, Adair set
off in pursuit of the Arabs and their captives. It seemed extraordinary
that the latter should have been willing to run off when friends were at
hand eager to rescue them from captivity, but they were evidently as
eager to escape as their masters. The Arabs, seeing only a small number
of Englishmen, would probably, as soon as they had gained the shelter of
the wood, have turned round and fired, and Adair fully expected to be
attacked. Fortunately, in their hurry to escape from the dhow, they had
left their muskets behind them, and their only chance of safety was by
flight. How the slaves, when they found them unarmed and in their
power, might be inclined to treat them was a different question.
Several black forms were still seen running as fast as their legs could
carry them towards the bush, and Adair and Desmond, who kept ahead, came
up with two young men, looking more like skeletons than living beings.
As they caught them by the arm, the poor wretches sank down on the
ground, shrieking with terror. Snatchblock and the men caught three
more, but it was no easy matter to induce them to run to the beach. Not
one Arab was to be seen, and the remainder of the blacks disappeared
among the thick bushes, where it would have been next to madness for so
small a party to have followed them, not knowing what enemies might be
lurking near at hand. After some persuasion the blacks were induced to
come back to the beach, though trembling in every limb from terror and
weakness as they walked along. Here four small children were found in
the same emaciated condition as their elders, and one unhappy woman, to
whom one of the children appeared to belong; she had injured her foot in
landing, and had been unable to run away. From her cries and shrieks it
was evident that she believed some dreadful fate was about to befall
her. How many poor creatures had been lost in the surf it was
impossible to say, and, as Hamed had not accompanied them, no
information could be gained from the blacks.
Adair, indeed, had now to consider how they were to get off again. As
from the higher ground on which he stood he looked over the wide belt of
foaming breakers, it seemed almost impossible that the boat, buoyant as
she was, could be forced through them. Even Snatchblock eyed them
anxiously. "We may do it, sir," he remarked, "if there comes a lull; if
not, we shall have to wait here till the sea goes down. The worst is
the want of grub and water, and we are not likely to find either in
these parts, I've a notion, unless some wild beast or other comes to
have a look at us; then we may give him a shot, and try what his flesh
tastes like."
The day was by this time drawing on. As not a particle of food or a
drop of water had been brought in the boat, all hands were excessively
hungry and thirsty. It was dangerous to separate, though, in search of
provisions, as it was more than possible that the Arabs might instigate
the natives to attack them. Snatchblock and Desmond, however,
volunteered to go, taking different directions, each accompanied by one
man. For the sake of the poor blacks, who seemed literally perishing
from starvation, Adair would willingly have consented, but it would be
far better, he thought, if possible, to get off to the ship. Anxiously
he watched the long line of breakers, but they extended up and down the
coast as far as the eye could reach, without an opening through which
the boat might possibly pass. Another hour or more went by; no shade
was to be obtained except at a distance, under the trees of the forest;
and Adair considered that it would be dangerous to venture so far from
the shore, as the natives might then have the opportunity of stealing on
them unawares. They accordingly sat down on the beach watching the
breakers, in the hopes, as the tide rose, that their violence might
decrease, and an opening appear through which the boat might be forced.
The rays of the sun struck down on their heads with terrific force,
quickly drying their drenched clothes; but they would gladly have
remained wet as they were, could they have found a few yards of shade
beneath a neighbouring tree or rock.
The wretched blacks sat with stolid looks, as if totally unconscious
that their liberators wished to benefit them. Every now and then, when
they fancied that they were not observed, they cast frightened glances
at the sailors. "I don't know what the poor niggers are thinking of,"
observed Snatchblock; "maybe they fancy that we're going to eat them,
though it would be a hard matter to scrape enough off the bones of all
of them to feed a young dog. I wish I knew something of their lingo,
I'd try to make them understand that when we get on board we'll give
them a good blow-out, and that in a week or two they'll not know
themselves. I say, Sambo! we not want to mangy you, old chap," he
added, to the black nearest him, and making significant signs; "we want
to put some honest beef and pork flesh on that carcass of yours and fill
you out, boy; then you dance and sing, and become as merry as a
cricket."
The black certainly did not understand what was said, and probably
misunderstood his pantomimic gestures. One of them, the farthest off
from the men, had been sitting with his head sunk down between his bent
knees, apparently utterly unable to move; turning his head over his
shoulder, he suddenly started up, and, before anyone could seize him,
darted off towards the wood.
"Come back, you silly fellow!" cried Desmond, who, with two of the men,
rose to follow him; but before they had got many paces, a large party of
natives armed with bows, arrows, and spears, accompanied by several of
the Arab crew, rushed out from among the trees, uttering threatening
shouts, as if to intimidate the Englishmen.
"Stand to your arms, my lads," cried Adair; "we must not let those
fellows get near us, or we may be overpowered by numbers." Still the
natives came on, some flourishing their spears, and others preparing
their bows to shoot. Adair lifted his rifle. "Don't any of you fire
till I tell you," he said to his men, while he took aim so as to strike
the ground a few yards in front of the headmost of the party. No one
was hit, but they knew enough of the effect of firearms to be aware that
another bullet might find a billet in one of their bodies. Springing
back, the foremost tumbling the rear-ranks over, they threw themselves
flat on the ground, and began to creep away towards the shelter of the
bush. Adair, shouting to them, pointed to his own rifle and to the
muskets of his men, intimating that if they ventured to advance, they
would have to receive their contents.
The hint, apparently, had the desired effect; for, though the Arabs
seemed to be doing their utmost to induce the blacks to attack the
strangers, they remained carefully hiding themselves among the trees.
As, however, they might at any moment rush forward, the seamen kept
their muskets ready for instant service, with a watchful eye on their
movements. In the meantime, the black who had escaped had joined them.
What account he had given of the white men it was impossible to say.
One thing was certain, that the presence of the natives would prevent
any attempt to go in search of food and water, and that if they could
not get off, their sufferings from thirst and hunger would become
serious. With increased anxiety, Adair cast his eye over the foaming
rollers, both up and down the coast. The breeze blew strong as ever,
and not a break appeared in that long line of glittering surf. The
party were literally hemmed in, almost without hope of escape. They
might have beaten off the natives, and made their way into the interior
till they could fall in with some game and a stream of water, but then
they would have had to leave the boat and the blacks unprotected.
Still, to starve where they were was not to be thought of.
"Faith, I'm growing fearfully peckish," exclaimed Desmond; "if you'll
let me, sir, we'll try and get hold of one of those fellows, and make
him order the rest to bring us some grub; if the sea won't go down, it's
the only chance we have."
Snatchblock was of Desmond's opinion, and of course the men were ready
to follow them. Still, Adair was unwilling to run the risk of being
overpowered. "No, no," he answered; "we can hold out some time longer,
and if at last we find it impossible to get off, we can but do as you
propose."
"I think, sir, the sea is going somewhat down," said Snatchblock, at
length; "we might get through just a little to the right there. See,
sir, some of the rollers come in with only just a slight top to them,
and if we take the right moment, we may get through."
"We can but try it," cried Adair. "Lift the poor blacks into the boat;
they'll not add much to her weight. Be smart about it, my lads,
though."
The negroes seemed very unwilling to move, and shrieked out as if they
were about to be put to death; but they were but as infants in the arms
of the stout seamen. The woman clung to her child as she was lifted
with it into the sternsheets. The men were carried next, and placed at
the bottom of the boat with the little children between them. She was
then run off into the smooth water inside the breakers, the crew jumping
into her; but each time the water receded, she struck on the hard coral
beneath, her admirable construction alone preventing her from being
stove in. The oars were got out, and the boat pulled along till the
spot Snatchblock observed was reached. Her head was then put to the
sea.
"Give way, my lads," cried Adair, he and Desmond holding on to one
yoke-line, while the boatswain held the other, their eyes eagerly cast
towards the foaming breakers, amid which they were about to force their
way. The crew put forth all their strength. The first breaker was
past. Though they bent to their oars like true British seamen, the
second, as it came thundering on, hurled them back; and it required all
the skill of Adair and his companions to manage the boat till they
reached the smooth water.
"Never say die, lads!" cried Adair, after waiting a few minutes to allow
the men to recover their strength; "we'll try it again; if the
ash-sticks hold, your muscles will, I am sure."
"Ay, ay, sir!" answered the crew; "we're ready."
"Then give way." The attempt was made as before, but again a mighty
roller dashed back the boat, and sent her nearly up to the beach. Still
Adair was unwilling to abandon the attempt. He waited as before,
allowing the boat to remain where there was just water to float her.
"I am afraid we shall have, after all, to haul up the boat, and sleep on
the beach without our suppers," he observed to Snatchblock; "we can
easily keep the natives at bay, and must hope for smoother water in the
morning."
"If it must be so, it must," answered the boatswain, standing up,
however, as he spoke, and looking seaward. "We'll tackle them this
time, sir," he exclaimed suddenly; "the outer line of breakers has gone
down since we shoved off."
Adair stood up. "Yes, we'll not be driven back again, lads; never
fear!" he cried, dropping into his seat. The crew, with a hearty shout,
bent to their oars, and the boat, urged by their strong arms, bravely
breasted the foaming rollers. The first and second were past; the third
came on hissing and roaring; the boat still advanced; its heavy curling
crest swept her from stem to stern, but she held her way, and was ready
when another came on to meet it boldly. Over it she went, throwing out
the water which she had taken in, and in another minute was dancing
merrily on the heaving seas outside the breakers.
Adair looked anxiously to see whether any of his sable passengers, young
or old, had been washed away. In spite of the risk they had run, all
were safe. The poor mother had grasped her child, and the men the other
young ones. The sun was by this time sinking behind the land; the crew
pulled away with right good will towards the corvette, which could be
seen at a distance of three miles or so. She was standing away from the
land to get a good offing during the night. "They've seen the state of
the surf, and have thought we couldn't get through it, or maybe that we
were lost," observed Snatchblock.
"Shure, it'll be the greater pleasure to them when we come back," said
Desmond. "Mr Mildmay will be mighty glad to find that he hasn't to do
duty as first lieutenant, though I don't know what old Sandford may wish
in his heart of hearts. He might not object to be made acting
lieutenant." Sandford was the senior mate on board.
"Had he thought that any accident had happened to us, the commander
would have sent in a boat to ascertain the fact," said Adair.
Darkness was rapidly coming on, and by degrees the canvas of the
corvette became shrouded in the mists of night. Adair, however, had
taken her bearings, and by the help of the stars was able to steer
directly for her. Still Desmond, who had become perfectly ravenous,
could not help wishing that the commander, instead of keeping off the
coast, had stood in nearer to pick them up.
The men, however, pulled away cheerily, encouraged with the thoughts of
a good hot supper and a quiet snooze till the next morning. After some
time, a bright light burst forth, sending a lurid glare across the
ocean.
"There's the corvette," cried Snatchblock; "they hadn't forgotten us.
We'll be snug on board before many minutes are over."
At last the boat reached the ship's side, and eager hands were stretched
out to lift the emaciated creatures they had brought off on board. The
doctor took charge of them, and administered some weak broth, while the
rest of the party hurried below to obtain the more substantial viands of
which they stood so much in need.
On Hamed's questioning the liberated slaves, it was discovered that
Snatchblock had been right in his suspicions that the Arabs had told
them, in order to induce them to escape on shore, that if captured by
the white men they would be cooked and eaten. They stated that the dhow
had been crammed full of slaves, many of whom had been drowned in their
attempt to reach the shore, while it was probable that a still larger
number would perish before they were again put on board another
slave-ship by their cruel masters. Had anything been necessary to
induce the officers and crew of the _Opal_ to exert themselves in
putting down the horrible traffic, the state of these poor negroes, and
the account they gave, would have been sufficient to stir them up. One
of the men and two of the children, notwithstanding all the care taken
of them, died before morning. The rest quickly recovered, their skins
filling out perceptibly every day with the good food they received.