ANOTHER DHOW CHASED--SLAVES THROWN OVERBOARD--DHOW CAPTURED--HER HOLD--
ZANZIBAR--"SPICY ODOURS"--A TRIP ON SHORE--THE SLAVE-MARKET--HORRORS OF
THE SLAVE-TRADE IN THE INTERIOR--A STORE IN ZANZIBAR--MURRAY AND ADAIR
PAY A VISIT TO THE SULTAN--SUMMARY JUSTICE.
Upwards of a fortnight had gone by since the corvette and brig last
weighed anchor. Neither of them had been idle; numerous dhows had been
chased, some of them overtaken and boarded. A large proportion of them
had been of necessity let go, from want of sufficient evidence to
warrant their condemnation. The corvette had captured two with slaves
on board, and continued her course with them; while the _Romp_ had
parted company, chasing a suspicious sail which made every effort to
escape. On being turned from the shore by the _Opal_, whose boats had
been sent after her, she had stood to the eastward.
She was a large craft, with an enormous spread of canvas, and the little
_Romp_ had to put her best foot foremost to keep her in sight. Jack
Rogers, however, was not to be disappointed of his prey. Setting every
stitch of canvas the brig could carry, he steered after her, hoping that
by some fortunate chance he might at length get her under his guns.
Dick Needham and Tom were standing on the forecastle, with their glances
directed towards the chase, on which it was evident they were at length
gaining. "It seems to me, Mr Needham," observed Tom, who had been
taking a long, steady look at the chase, "they're heaving something
overboard; what it is I can't make out,--scarcely a cargo of ballast,--
but we shall soon discover when we get up to her, as we shall, I hope,
before long."
Needham took another steady look. "As true as I'm an Englishman, it is
her cargo though," he exclaimed; "a living cargo, or what was living not
long ago. They're heaving overboard the black slaves; not one at a
time, as I've seen down on the West Coast, just to induce the cruiser in
chase to heave-to for the purpose of picking them up, but dozens at a
time, so it seems to me. Yes, I am sure of it, the outrageous villains!
they've no notion of the power of our glasses. I wish our guns would
carry as far; we'd soon make them understand that we'd our eyes upon
them."
"I'll go and tell the commander," exclaimed Tom. "Can nothing be done
to stop them?"
"We're doing all we can, for we can't make the brig walk faster than
she's going," answered Needham.
Tom hurried aft with the information, and Jack and most of his officers
were soon directing their glasses on the dhow. Although some doubted
that the black objects they saw thrown over the side could really be
human beings, the majority were of opinion that such was the case.
Little had Jack thought, when going in chase of the slaver, that he was
to be the unintentional cause of the death of numbers of his
fellow-creatures; yet he was convinced that such really was the case.
Eager as all were to stop the butchery they believed going forward, it
was impossible to set more sail or to do anything else to make the brig
move along faster. They could only wish that they had steam-power,
when, if a dead calm should come on, they might quickly have got up with
the dhow. As it was, all they could do was to steer steadily after her,
and as soon as they could get her within range of their bow-chasers, to
fire away, and compel her to heave-to. The best of the day was before
them, so that, should the wind hold, they must ultimately come up with
her. This was their only consolation. Since she was first sighted they
had gained a couple of miles on her, and should they continue to gain on
her at the same rate, they might soon be throwing shot and shell through
her canvas.
The men, when they heard what was taking place, entered fully into the
feelings of their officers. Many a sincere prayer was offered up that
the dhow might be taken and the murderers punished. Anxiously the
course of the sun was watched as it sank towards the distant coast; for
should night come on before the dhow was captured, the murderous Arabs
might escape from the avenger of blood in hot pursuit after them.
"If they have been guilty of the horrible deed we suspect, I don't think
that they will escape," said Jack. "Even if they do get free of us,
Heaven will inflict on them the punishment they deserve, by some other
means."
Two more hours passed, when, the brig having gained another mile, the
hopes of all on board rose proportionately. At length Needham came aft.
"I think, sir, we might reach her with our long six-pounder, and a shot
or two through her sails would take the speed out of her." Already the
sun's lower limb was touching the horizon.
"The experiment is worth trying," answered Rogers.
The gun was mounted on the forecastle, and charged with a shell. The
first shell burst astern of the dhow, which still continued standing on.
Needham was quickly ready, and fired another. "Hurrah!" he exclaimed;
"I thought so." It touched her large sail, and, exploding at the same
moment, rent it in all directions. Still she did not heave-to. A third
and fourth shell were thrown, the sail being again torn by the latter.
The brig now gained fast on the chase; still, so rapidly does darkness
come on after sunset in that latitude, that the Arabs possibly still
hoped to effect their escape. Their courage, however, at length gave
way, as one shot after another struck them, and both sails were seen to
come down together. The brig now quickly got up with the chase, and,
heaving-to to leeward, two boats were lowered, Tom accompanying the
second lieutenant in one, with the interpreter, while Needham had charge
of the other.
As they got up alongside, about thirty piratical-looking ruffians,
headed by their skipper, stood prepared to receive them. They appeared
in no way disconcerted as the English leaped on board.
"Ask the negoda what has become of the slaves with which he lately
sailed, Hamed," said the lieutenant.
The Arab answered at some length: "He says they have had no slaves on
board, and the dhow was becoming leaky, and they had to throw the cargo
into the sea," said Hamed.
"Then inquire why he ran away from us," said the lieutenant.
Again Hamed and the skipper had a long talk. "The negoda says he was in
a hurry, and thought the brig was a pirate," said Hamed.
"Very likely. You don't think he speaks the truth?" observed the
lieutenant.
"He speakee lie," said Hamed.
"Tell him we, at all events, intend to search his vessel," said the
lieutenant, "and we shall judge whether she's leaky or not, or whether
there's any foundation for his statement."
Lanterns had been brought in the boat. While one-half of the English
kept watch over the villains on deck, the others descended with Tom and
Needham into the horribly-smelling hold. A large quantity of bamboos
were found, the remains of slave-decks, with a larger supply of rice,
millet, and water than the Arabs were likely to carry for themselves.
There was a miscellaneous cargo below under the slave-deck, which had
certainly not been interfered with. There was evidence sufficient to
condemn the vessel, but not a proof that the slaves had been murdered,
though there could be no doubt that, if not lately landed, they must
have been disposed of by foul means.
"I fancied I heard a groan," said Tom, as he was groping about. Needham
came to the spot, and eager hands were soon engaged in removing some of
the cargo; when, from beneath it, in a hollow space, they drew forth a
human being, a boy ten or, twelve years of age, fearfully emaciated.
One of the seamen carried him on deck, his appearance causing a
considerable agitation among the Arab crew. Hamed addressed the lad,
who replied to him in a faint voice. Even the interpreter's
unattractive countenance expressed horror.
"He say he got loose, and hide away because he hear the cries of the
rest of the slaves. The Arabs cut their throats, and tumble them into
the sea. He sure they were two hundred or more this morning, men and
women and children, and now he alone remain," said Hamed. No further
evidence than this was necessary to condemn the Arab crew, and the
lieutenant immediately ordered them into the boats, and sent them on
board the brig, leaving Tom with four hands to take charge of the dhow.
On their arrival Jack immediately held a court to try the accused, with
himself as judge, and his two lieutenants as assistants. The evidence
of the slave boy was considered conclusive; the prisoners were called up
one by one for their defence, but as they had no time to concoct a
story, they each of them told a different tale. Jack felt very much
inclined to run them all together up to his yard-arm, but as this might
be looked upon as too summary a way of proceeding, he ordered them to be
placed in irons, to undergo a regular trial as soon as he could fall in
with the commodore. He arrived, however, at the conclusion that the
dhow was a lawful prize, and to prevent the risk of her ever carrying
more slaves, he issued an order that she should immediately be set on
fire. Tom, who had been anticipating the result, was very much pleased
when the gunner returned with Jack's orders for her destruction. Light
was set to her fore and aft, and as the boats pulled away, flames burst
out from all directions, the glare, as they rose higher, extending to a
far distance across the ocean.
The Arabs were kept on deck to witness the burning of their vessel. For
a few minutes the fire raged furiously, the flames rising in one huge
pyramid, till on a sudden they disappeared as she sunk beneath the
surface, to which so many of her hapless passengers had lately been
consigned.
"It would have served the villains right if they'd been left on board,"
observed Needham; "and I say, Hamed, just tell them so, and it is to be
hoped they will get their due before long."
Meantime, the _Opal_, with her prizes, sighted the southern end of
Zanzibar. As she ran along the western shore, the flat-roofed
buildings, like palaces with numerous windows, gave the place an
appearance of considerable opulence and magnificence. On either side of
the city stretched away a low coast-line of glittering sand, above which
could be seen cocoanut palms, raising their lofty heads at intervals,
while the country, gradually rising towards the centre, appeared covered
with bright green plantations of cloves, pineapples, and sweetly
blossoming mangoes, the perfume of which Mildmay declared he could
inhale even from that distance.
"Wait till you visit the town, and then you may talk of inhaling
perfumes, though they're not of the sweetest," observed Jos Green. "If
the wind comes off-shore we may get a sniff of spicy odours, but I never
found them quite strong enough to swear to, whatever the poets may say
on the subject."
"Your olfactory powers are too coarse to enjoy them, that's the fact,"
observed Mildmay.
Here and there valleys opened up covered with orange-groves, sugar-cane,
cassava, and other valuable productions of the soil. The harbour was
full of dhows of all sizes, some at anchor full of slaves bound
northward, but which, having licences from the Sultan, the English
cruisers could not touch; others close to the wharves, landing or
trans-shipping ivory, brought across from the African coast, gum, copal,
spices, cocoanuts, rice, mats, and other produce of the island, besides
several German, American, French, and other foreign vessels. Here also
lay the Sultan's fleet, with blood-red ensigns floating from their
mastheads, the ships being remarkable, if for nothing else, for their
weather-beaten, sunburned appearance.
"They put me in mind of scarecrows in a garden, which the birds have
learned to look at with contempt; and so, I doubt not, do the Arab
slavers or piratical gentry who cruise in these seas laugh at these
useless ships," observed Green.
In the afternoon, Murray, accompanied by his second lieutenant and the
two midshipmen, went on shore. "We shall be after smelling the spicy
odours in full vigour," observed Desmond to Mr Mildmay, he having
overheard the conversation of the morning. They had not, however, set
foot on the shore many seconds, and commenced their walk through the
narrow streets, before the lieutenant had his handkerchief to his nose.
"Horrible! detestable!" he muttered; "never was in so vile a place in my
life."
The whitewashed houses, too, which appeared handsome palaces in the
distance, were now discovered, with few exceptions, to be sadly
dilapidated; while the streets were thronged by an ill-favoured mob of
all hues, from jet black to a sickly parchmentlike yellow. There were
shops in the dirty-looking town, filled with all sorts of goods from
Birmingham and Sheffield. Their owners were chiefly Banians, who were
seen sitting cross-legged among their wares, the men dressed in turbans
of many folds, reaching to a point, with long robes and collars of gold
or silver round their necks; the women profusely decorated with
ornaments, with rings on their fingers and toes, and golden
nose-ornaments and ear-ornaments studded with precious stones; while
many had massive silver bracelets and anklets.
In an open court under the verandah was seated a schoolmaster, with long
white beard, his pupils sprawling about on not over-clean mats, studying
a huge Koran placed on a stand before them, mumbling in monotonous tones
their lessons; the teacher more asleep than awake, the pupils imitating
his example, and looking as lazy and indifferent as possible.
Inside and out of many of the shops were heaps of ivory-tusks, collected
by the traders in the interior of Africa, and brought down to the coast;
and in others food of the most disgusting appearance--sharks' flesh,
rancid ghee, and other unsavoury articles, the vendors of which were
hideous negresses, rolling in fat, scarcely bearing any resemblance to
the female sex. The commander and his followers, glad to get out of the
narrow streets, found themselves in a square, where in a semicircle they
saw collected a number of slaves, some standing up, others sitting down,
incapable of supporting themselves on their feet; most of them miserably
emaciated skeletons, looking as if they had not many hours to live.
Within the semicircle were a number of Arabs of high and low degree, a
few of them well-dressed and armed to the teeth, others dirty and
shabby; but all intent on business. They were either slave--dealers, or
purchasers of slaves for their private establishments. In one part of
the square were five or six female slaves for sale, their ages ranging
from twelve to sixteen, gorgeously dressed in coloured garments. One of
the gentlemen Arabs approached to make a purchase. The slave-dealer
vaunted the qualifications of his merchandise, much as an auctioneer
does the goods of which he has to dispose. The purchaser felt the poor
girls' limbs, looked into their mouths, and trotted them out to see
their paces; then, after haggling for some time, walked off with two
which he had selected. The others were purchased much in the same
manner; the remainder of the lots were disposed of with much less
ceremony. On one side was a row of little boys from four to six years
old, who were valued, so Hamed said, at about three dollars apiece. The
girls, who were of a somewhat maturer age, went at from six to twelve
dollars, while stout young fellows, out of whom plenty of work might be
got, went for much higher prices.
The rest were wretched old men, broken down by the hardships they had
endured during the fearful overland journey, and the not less miserable
voyage. Many fetched not more than a dollar apiece. The old women, all
of whom were either hideously tattooed, or had their lips extended with
large holes, showing their teeth, went for very little more than the
men. There they had been sitting since the morning, exposed to the
fierce rays of the sun, their brutal owners having given them no food,
or even a cup of water to quench their thirst. So worn out were
several, that even when told to get up, they, as if not understanding
the order, stared in stolid apathy. Had they exhibited the same
obstinacy on the mainland, they would, in all probability, have been
knocked on the head, and left to die on the roadside. Perhaps the most
melancholy sight was the group of little children, all infantine life
and animation crushed out of them. There they silently sat, without
attempting to move, till ordered by their owners to rise. Poor little
creatures! long ago they had been torn from their parents, and those
parents probably murdered, or, if captured, disposed of to some other
slave-dealers, while the persons around were in most instances utter
strangers, perhaps from distant parts of the country, and unable to
understand their language. They had been brought in legal traders under
the sanction of the Sultan, and were intended either for domestic
service, or to labour in the various plantations on the island.
Murray was glad to quit the scene, but it was important that he should
have seen it. He was satisfied that his midshipmen should have done so
likewise, that they might the better understand the horrors and
abominations of the slave-trade.
"Faith, I'll never complain of any hard work we may have to go through,
provided we can catch more of those slavers," exclaimed Desmond; "it
would be a glorious thing to put a stop to the traffic altogether."
"We'll do our best, Desmond," said the commander; "though it may take us
long before we can teach the Arabs that it is more profitable to them to
deal in the produce of the country than in their black-skinned
fellow-creatures."
Every seaport town abroad has its general store, kept by some noted
individual, at which articles of every possible description, from a
chain cable to a paper of needles, can be purchased, at more or less
exorbitant prices; where masters and mates of merchantmen, and ofttimes
their crews, as well as traders of high and low degree, congregate to
discuss their business affairs, and to renovate the inner man with
beverages more or less potent. Zanzibar, albeit not one of the most
civilised cities, boasted such an establishment, kept by a personage
yclept French Charlie. Although he possessed a Gallic appellation, he
had nothing French besides his name about him; he being a mongrel of
mongrels, with a large dash of Portuguese, and perhaps some African and
Arab blood. Whatever his other qualifications, he had his eye open to
the main chance.
Murray having now to order some stores, directed Hamed to lead him to
the house. With pocket-handkerchiefs at their noses, the party
proceeded along one of the narrowest and most dirty of the streets till
they arrived before a stone edifice in a most dilapidated condition--
such, indeed, is the normal state of all the buildings in the city. The
main door opening into the street, they immediately entered the store,
having to pick their way amid casks and huge coarse sacks filled to
bursting, piled up to the ceiling; the dirty earthen floor full of holes
more or less deep, while countless ants, cockroaches, spiders,
centipedes, and other reptiles, crawled in all directions. On one side
through an archway was seen a second apartment, in which, round a large
table covered with tumblers, jugs, and flat round bottles, were seen
seated a dozen or more merchant seamen of various nations, those from
Yankee-land predominating, with an equal number of half-caste females
gaudily dressed in Oriental costume, the whole party by their attitudes
and looks already more than half-seas-over; some shouting and singing at
the top of their voices, others attempting to sing, but uttering only
spasmodic sounds, as the fumes of the liquor they were pouring down
their throats mounted to such brains as they might possess.
Murray turned from the disgusting scene, and, passing on, was met by
Monsieur Charlie, who, order-book in hand, with his dark-skinned,
woolly--covered cranium and squat figure, resembled more a toad than a
human being. "Anything, Senor Captain, you vant?--me got in my store,
all so cheap and so excellent," he said, making an attempt to bow, his
keen, twinkling eyes fixed on his visitors, while he waited eagerly to
note down the orders he might receive. "You will take vun glass, sare,
of something cool? I have Bordeaux just arrived; and de young
gentlemen, dey surely like something--and my goot friend Hamed, we know
each oder, and surely de Prophet not object to him to take just a little
vine for him tummuck."
Murray, who had no wish to inhale longer than necessary the ill odours
of the place, declined his liberal offers for himself and his
companions, and, examining his list, gave an order for the articles he
required, which Senor Charlie promised should be on board punctually the
first thing next morning.
On their way back to the landing-place they caught sight of several of
the _Opal's_ crew, who had been allowed to come on shore, surrounded by
a group of ill-looking Arabs, all with arms in their hands, by their
gestures showing that they were endeavouring to incite the Englishmen to
quarrel, as they kept stalking round them, clutching their daggers. The
sailors, each of whom carried a thick stick, regarded the Arabs with the
utmost contempt, as they rolled onward along the streets, every now and
then only turning round and advising them to keep at a respectful
distance. As they caught sight of their commander, touching their hats,
they came to a standstill, while the Arabs, scowling fiercely at them,
hung back. Murray was thankful that he had fallen in with them, for it
was evident that the Arabs would have taken the earliest opportunity of
attacking them, in revenge for the loss of the slaving dhows which they
had assisted to capture. He ordered them, much to their disappointment,
to return with him to the boat, thereby saving them from the Arab
daggers, or an almost equally dangerous visit to French Charlie's store.
As he got down to the harbour, much to his satisfaction, he saw the
_Romp_ standing in, and before returning to his own ship he went on
board her. Jack gave him an account of his capture of the slaver, and,
having Hamed with him, they were at once able to interrogate the slave
boy who had been saved, and to examine some of the prisoners. The boy,
who had lately recovered by a few days' good food and kind treatment,
showed more than the ordinary intelligence exhibited by captured slaves.
He had been taken while away from his native village, with several
other boys, watching their cattle. The men of their tribe, hearing of
their capture, attempted to rescue them, but were driven back with the
loss of several killed and a considerable number taken alive. They were
all, he and his friends, dragged away, till they joined the main body,
who were forced along, secured two and two by a heavy pole with a fork
at each end, into which their necks were fixed. He saw several drop
from fatigue, whom the Arabs endeavoured to compel to rise with the
points of their spears; if they refused to do so, the masters either
killed them with their axes, or, driving their spears into their bodies,
left them weltering in their blood, either to die of their wounds or to
be devoured by wild beasts. After travelling for upwards of twenty
days, the coast was reached, and they were embarked on board the dhow,
which ran in to receive them, taking many more at other places, till her
hold was filled. Having been detained by calms, they had been badly
fed, with a limited amount of water; and, an epidemic breaking out among
them, several had died, and not only they but others who appeared in a
dying state were hove overboard. He, being strong and active, had been
employed in assisting to carry food to the other slaves. He had,
moreover, learned a little Arabic.
When chased by the brig-of-war, he had overheard the Arabs talking about
what they would do should it become likely that they would be captured.
He understood that they intended to throw all the slaves overboard, so
as to pass for a legal trader. On finding this, he managed to creep
below, and to stow himself away in the place where he had been found.
Scarcely had he concealed himself when he knew, by the cries and shrieks
of his own countrymen, that the work of butchery had begun. He had
little hopes of escaping, but life even to him was dear, and he kept in
his hiding-place, hoping, at all events, to prolong it. His evidence
was clear and circumstantial.
Several of the Arabs were next examined, and had no valid excuse to
offer, except that the slaves were their own property, and they had a
right to do with them as they thought fit. As many had already died,
and as, probably, the greater number would have been carried off by
disease before they could reach their destination, this was probably
their real opinion, and accounted for their determination to murder the
whole of their captives in the hopes of saving their vessel from
condemnation.
Murray and Jack at once resolved to call on the Sultan, and to state the
case to him, on the possibility of its opening his eyes to the horrors
of the slave-trade, and inducing him the more willingly to assist in its
suppression.
As it was still daylight, and Hamed informed them that the evening was
the best time to see the Sultan, they at once pulled on shore. Going
through the dirty streets, they reached the Sultan's tumbledown-looking
palace, where His Majesty was seen seated in a half-open apartment
facing the street, furnished with divans and piles of mats. He was
surrounded by Arabs of rank, many of them dressed in rich costumes,
talking familiarly with him, while his bodyguard of Beloch soldiers,
cut-throat-looking individuals, lounged outside.
Murray and Jack, accompanied by the midshipmen, entering the hall, made
their salaams, Hamed following them to act as interpreter. The
universal pipes and coffee having been produced, they sat smoking, with
intervals of dignified silence, while Hamed did the talking. The Sultan
inquired whether the English commanders had made many captures, to which
Murray replied that they had condemned only such vessels as were without
legal permits; and Jack then introduced the subject of his capture, and
described the murder of the slaves by the Arab crew.
The Sultan did not look quite as horrified as they expected he would.
"Surely the villains deserve condign punishment," observed Jack; "if
they are your Highness's subjects, you will, of course, at once have
them all hung up."
His Highness shrugged his shoulders. "If I had to hang all the
cut-throats in my dominions, there would be more work than a dozen
executioners could get through," he answered. "If they are my subjects,
I give you full leave to treat them as you think fit; and if they are
not, you are the best judges as to what should be done with them."
Jack, who was convinced that all the Arabs on board the dhow, taken
red-handed as they were, deserved hanging, would gladly have left the
task of putting them out of this world to the Sultan. The difficulty
was to prove that they were his subjects; and they were not likely to
acknowledge this to be so, unless they thought that he would pardon
them. After some further conversation, the two officers, with their
companions, took their leave, feeling that they had taken very small
change out of His Highness.
Jack accompanied Murray on board to dinner, and Adair, of course, was
asked to join them. It was the first time for several years that they
had been together with time to talk over old days. Though now and then
a shade of melancholy came over Jack's honest face, a joke of Adair's,
or some pleasant recollection conjured up by Murray, quickly banished
it, and a very pleasant evening they had.
"Here's to your speedy promotion, Terence," said Jack; "the last letter
I had from Admiral Triton, he told me that he had seen Lord Derrynane,
who had promised that he would stir heaven and earth, and such bowels of
compassion as the Lords of the Admiralty might possess, to obtain it, so
that I've little doubt that you will ere long hear that you've got your
step."
"Faith, I've a great deal of doubt about the matter," answered Terence.
"To tell you the truth, I would rather get it in consequence of some
dashing deed which would give me a claim to it than through family
influence, by which any dolt may be pushed forward in the service."
"Well, for my part, I hold that we should be thankful for favours on
whatever account they may be granted," said Jack; "you have seen as much
service as any officer nowadays, and have twice been highly spoken of,
and no one who knows you doubts that you will do any work which may fall
in your way as well as it can be done."
The three old shipmates were laughing and talking right merrily, when
they were interrupted by a loud cry. Murray sprang on deck, followed by
the rest of the party. Just as he reached it, an uproar of voices arose
from forward, amid which those of Pango and Bango were the loudest,
shrieking for help, while Ben Snatchblock was calling out, "Seize the
rascals! tumble them overboard! knock them on the head! they've no
business here!" while other voices in Arabic and negro language were
uttering various incomprehensible cries, betokening either anger or
alarm.
On going forward, Murray saw a confused mass of his own men, with three
or four turbaned strangers and several blacks in their midst, among whom
he distinguished Bango and Pango by their nautical costume. The
strangers were quickly mastered by the seamen. Among the crowd he
perceived the old pilot, who was forthwith dragged up to him.
"What's all this disturbance about. You seem to have something to do
with it," said Murray.
"Me know nothing except that man come to take away him slaves," was the
answer.
"Who are the men who dared to venture on board with any such intent?"
asked Murray; "and as to slaves, none remain such under our flag."
"Me know nothing," answered the pilot, in a dogged tone, which showed
that he did not intend any more information should be got out of him.
Hamed, who had turned in, was summoned on deck, and the strangers were
speedily examined. One of them, with considerable hesitation, believing
that he should be put to the torture if he did not, answered that he and
his companions had come by the express orders of the pilot, for the
purpose of seizing his former slave Bango; that while the boat was
alongside, Bango having been enticed on deck to come and hear about some
of his old friends on shore, he had been suddenly gagged and nearly
tumbled over the side, when Pango, who, suspecting mischief, had drawn
near, shouted out and called some of the watch to their assistance, who
had seized the Arabs before they could make their escape.
Murray was much inclined to have the fellows who had attempted so daring
an outrage triced up and thoroughly flogged; but, not wishing to create
more ill-feeling among the Arab population of the island than already
existed, he merely ordered them and the pilot to be trundled forthwith
into the boat and dismissed, with a warning not again to attempt a
similar undertaking. The pilot, to whom some pay was due, was mulcted
of it--a punishment which he would consider pretty severe; besides
which, he was warned that he would never again be employed on board one
of Her Majesty's ships.
It was some time before poor Bango could recover from his alarm, and the
thoughts of the narrow escape he had had. "If him me get, he sure kill,
after floggee," he exclaimed; "oh! him poor black feel de whip even
now," and he wriggled and rubbed his shoulders about, as if undergoing
the torture he believed his late master would have inflicted.
"Never fear, my man," said Snatchblock, to whom he spoke; "we'll take
care the Arabs don't get hold of you, and as long as you do your duty
aboard here, and don't get drunk, there's no fear of the cat and your
back becoming acquainted."
The next morning Jack again examined his Arab prisoners, when one and
all declared themselves to be the subjects of the Sultan of Zanzibar.
As there was no proof to the contrary, Jack handed them over to the
authorities to be tried and punished for the murder of the slaves.
They, having numerous friends in the island, fully believed that through
their influence they would escape. No one appeared to assist them, and
the Sultan, wishing to prove his zealous desire to put down the
slave-trade, ordered them to be taken out and shot; and as they had lost
the means of bribing their guards to assist them in effecting their
escape, they met the fate they so richly deserved.