African Trader; Or, The Adventures of Harry Bayford

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER FOUR.

  MORE VICTIMS TO THE FEVER.--THE CAPTAIN HIMSELF ATTACKED.--WE SHIP SOMEKRUMEN AND OTHER BLACKS, AMONG WHOM IS A CHRISTIAN, PAUL BALINGO.--PAULINSTRUCTS THE CAPTAIN AND ME IN THE TRUTH.--CAPTAIN WILLIS GETS SOMEWHATBETTER, AND WE PREPARE FOR SEA.

  The ship was almost full, and we had a few more empty casks, and wereexpecting some traders on board during the day with oil which would fillthem up. When I turned out of my berth, just as morning broke, I foundthe captain seated in his cabin, with his head resting on his hands. Hefelt a little ill, he acknowledged, but said he was sure it was nothing."We will get under weigh at daylight to-morrow morning, when the tidemakes down, and I shall soon be all to rights," he observed. Still, Icould not help remarking that he looked pale, and moved with difficulty."I have agreed to ship half-a-dozen Krumen, and two or three otherblack seamen, who are knocking about here," he added. "This fever hasmade us terribly short-handed; but I hope the fellows who are sick willcome round when we are in blue water again. Harry, go forward and seehow they are getting on, and send Tom Raven to me." Raven was one ofthe two men who had hitherto escaped the lever, and being a good seaman,had been promoted to the rank of mate.

  I went on deck, but saw neither him nor Grinham, the other man. I mademy way forward to where the crew were berthed, under the topgallantforecastle, expecting to find them there. Grinham was in his berth; heand two other poor fellows were groaning and tossing with fever, but therest were perfectly quiet. I thought they were asleep. What was myhorror, on looking into their berths, to find that their sleep was thatof death!

  "Water, water," murmured Grinham. I ran and fetched some, and as I gaveit to him I asked where Raven was. "I don't know," he answered,somewhat revived by the cool draught. "It's his watch on deck. He saidhe felt a little ill when he relieved me."

  Having done what I could for the other man, I went to look for Raven. Ifound him in the second mate's berth. He too was ill with fever, andseemed to have forgotten that he ought to have been on deck, and thatthe vessel had been left without anyone to look-out. I told him thatthe captain had resolved to put to sea the next day. "Had he gone aweek ago the lives of some of us might have been saved, but it is toolate now," he answered with a groan.

  Sick at heart, after attending to him, I returned to the cabin, to makemy report to the captain.

  "What, all! everyone of them sick!" he exclaimed, sighing deeply. "ThenGod have mercy upon us. You must not fall ill, Harry."

  "Not if I can help it, sir," I replied.

  "I must keep up," he said, and if I can get these Krumen on board wewill still put to sea. They are trustworthy fellows, and, Harry, youmust be my mate. You are somewhat young; but you have got a head onyour shoulders. You must keep your wits alive.

  "I'll do my best, sir," I answered, feeling not a little proud of therank to which I thus was raised. I had, indeed, for some time past beenperforming the duties of mate, supercargo, steward, and not unfrequentlyhelping the black cook, Sambo, and, indeed, lending a hand to everythingwhich required to be done. Now Sambo and I were literally the only twopeople capable of working on board. The captain himself I fearedgreatly had got the fever, notwithstanding his assertions to thecontrary. It was surprising that I, the youngest in the ship, and leastinured to the climate, should have escaped. I had always been veryhealthy; had never done anything to hurt my constitution, and hadfollowed the captain's advice in keeping out of the sun, and wasinclined to feel somewhat self-satisfied on that account--notconsidering that it was owing to God's mercy and loving-kindness that Ihad been preserved.

  The captain said he would go and see Raven; but having got up, aftermoving a few paces, he sat down again with a groan, and a deadly pallorcame over his countenance. He felt that he, too, had got the fever. Iadvised him to lie down again and rest, but to that he would notconsent. He was determined to carry on the trade as usual during theday, and to get ready for sea as soon as the black seamen, whom heexpected every hour on board, arrived. He sent me up frequently to seewhether they were coming off, and now, when too late, he seemed asanxious as anyone had been to get the vessel out of the river.

  I was thankful when at length I found two canoes alongside with theexpected blacks. The Krumen were fine athletic fellows, neatly dressedin shirts and trousers, and having all served on board men-of-war or inmerchant vessels, spoke a little English. They had been hired by thecaptain's agent on shore; and as their wages had been settled, and theyknew the duties they were required to perform, they went to work at onceunder their head man, who had been appointed to act as boatswain, andseemed inclined to be orderly and obedient. Besides the Krumen therewere, as I have before said, several other black seamen engaged, who hadbeen mostly recaptured slaves, and had afterwards entered on boardmen-of-war or merchant vessels touching at Sierra Leone. I was struckwith the manner of one of them, a fine active man, as I, now the onlyrepresentative of the "Chieftain's" officers and crew, stood near thegangway to receive them. Touching his hat in a respectful manner, heasked after Captain Willis. "He know me, Paul Balingo. I sail oncewith him some time ago. He kind man, so I come again." I told him thatthe captain was rather unwell. He had charged me not to let the blacksfancy that he had the fever. I added, that I was sure he would be gladto see him in the cabin.

  "I go when you tell I come on board," answered Paul. "Sorry to hear himill."

  "Oh, he says its nothing," I observed, "and as soon as the tide serveswe are to go down the river, and put to sea."

  I made this remark in obedience to the captain's instructions. I nowgave directions to the black boatswain to get the cargo stowed withoutdelay.

  The captain was much pleased to hear that Paul Balingo had joined thevessel, and said he would see him at once. "I remember him well," heobserved, "a good steady fellow."

  I told Paul to come down, and he received a friendly welcome. I thenreminded the captain that there was another duty to be performed. Itwas to bury the men who had died during the night. This was beyond thestrength of those who still survived.

  "I see to it, sir," said Paul.

  "The sooner the better then," observed the captain. "And when youreturn we will trip the anchor, if there is wind enough to help usalong."

  Four bodies were lowered into the canoe, and Paul and some of hiscompanions took them on shore. He had fastened them up in canvas, forthere was no time to make coffins; indeed, the carpenter was among them.I should like to have accompanied him to pay the last mark of respect Icould to the poor fellows, but there were too many duties to beperformed on board to allow of this. I watched them, however, throughthe glass as they stood on the beach, which formed our burial place. Tomy surprise, after the graves were dug, I observed Paul Balingo take offhis hat--his companions imitating his example--when he seemed to belifting up his hands in prayer. Then he addressed a number of nativeswho were standing round, and the bodies were carefully lowered into thegraves, and covered up.

  When he returned on board I told him that the captain was very muchobliged to him for what he had done. "And I saw too," I observed, "thatyou were praying for the poor fellows."

  "No, massa; I no pray for dem," he answered. "If when dey died deyloved Jesus Christ, den dey no want my prayers; if dey no love Him, denHe no love dem. No, massa, me pray for dose that stand round, and fordose still alive. I pray dat God's Holy Spirit would come into derehearts, and told dem to love Jesus, and dat He died for sinners. Iprayed dat dey would hear His Word, and love Him and serve Him. Den Itell dem that Jesus Christ came down on earth, and become man, and beobedient to God, and do all dat good child should do who lub himparents, and dat He pure and holy like lamb widout spot or blemish, anddat He died on de cross, and be punished instead of wicked man, and datGod den say dat one who not deserve punishment being punished He willforgive all dose His dear Son present to Him, who lub Him and serve Him.Den I tell dem dat Jesus Christ died for dem, and dat if dey trust toHim He put away all dere sins, and Go
d not look at dere sins any more.Den I turn de matter about, and I say dat you and all men are poor andnaked and covered with dirt and sores, and not fit to go into depresence of pure and holy God; but if you love Christ and trust dat Hedied and was punished instead of you, den He put on you a white robe,cover you wid His righteousness, and den when you go to God He longersee that you are poor and naked, but He only see the white robe, and Hesay, `Now you may come into dis pure and bright heaven, and live widMe.' Then once more I say again, look here, God put you into thisworld, and you owe God everything. You ought to obey Him and serve Him,and give Him all your strength and health, and to try and please Him inall things every moment of your life. Next I remind dem dat none of usdo it, so we owe God a debt, and the longer we live the greater is thedebt. It is not den all the things that we do dat God reckon, but themany things that we ought to do and which we leave undone. We receiveall the good things from God, and we give Him nothing in return. Thenwe have no means to pay this debt, so Jesus Christ, because He love us,say He pay it, and God say He accept His payment and set us free. Den Isay to the people, Do you believe dis? If you do, and try to love God,and serve God, and do what Jesus Christ did when He was on earth, denyou have living faith, and you are free, and God no say longer that youowe Him debt, but He call you His dear children, and when you leave thisworld He receive you in heaven."

  "Why, Paul," I exclaimed, after listening with astonishment to what hehad said, "I little expected to hear such things come out of a--" (I wasgoing to say negro's mouth, but changed it to) "African sailor's mouth.You ought to be a missionary."

  "Every Christian man ought to be a missionary," he answered. "If helove the Lord Jesus, and know that the Lord Jesus love him, then heought to tell that love to others, and if he knows the value of his ownsoul then he values the souls of others, and try to win those souls forChrist. The truth is, massa, I do want to be missionary, and I seek togo to England to learn more. I there learn to preach the gospel, andwhen I come back I carry the glad tidings of salvation to my ignorantcountrymen."

  I was very much struck with Paul's earnestness and zeal, though at thattime I could scarcely comprehend all he said--I myself knew nothingexperimentally of the great love of Jesus of which he spoke. The poorblack Christian was far more enlightened than I was. Still I felt asatisfaction at having him on board. He at once showed that he was nota mere theoretical Christian, for as soon as his duty on board the shipwas over, he devoted himself to attending on the sick men. All thehours he could snatch from sleep he spent by the side of their bunks,urging them to trust to Jesus, and to repent of their sins while yetthere was time.

  The poor second mate grew worse and worse. Paul visited him, and heheard from the lips of the black seaman, perhaps for the first time, thefull and free message of salvation; and, I believe, from what Paul toldme, and from the remarks the mate made to me before he died, that he hadfully accepted God's gracious offer of reconciliation.

  I am going ahead though too fast in my narrative. Before the morningcame that we were to have left our anchorage Captain Willis himself waslaid prostrate with the fever, and having now no one on board tonavigate the vessel, we could not venture to sea. I would have done mybest to find our way to Sierra Leone, but the black boatswain refused toleave the harbour without an officer capable of taking charge of thebrigantine. We were compelled, therefore, to wait till Captain Willisshould recover sufficiently, or till the arrival of another Englishvessel which could spare one of her mates to take charge of the"Chieftain."

  Before many days were over Captain Willis, and Sambo, the black cook,and I, were the only persons of those who had come into the river, stillalive on board. Had the Krumen been badly disposed, they might, withoutdifficulty, have taken possession of the vessel, and made off with herrich cargo; but they appeared, as far I could judge, to intend to actfaithfully, and perform their various duties as well as if the captain'seye had been constantly upon them. About Paul I had no doubt. Littleas I knew of vital religion myself, I was sure that he was a true man,and that he acted according to his professions. Nothing could exceedhis attention to the captain; he or I were constantly at his bedside;and Paul showed considerable skill in treating the disease. I believethat it was mainly owing to him, through God's mercy, that the captaindid not succumb to it, as the rest of the crew had done.

  "Paul," said the captain one morning, when he felt himself getting alittle better, "I owe you my life, I will try not to forget you."

  "Oh, no, no captain, poor fellow like me not able to do you good; giveGod de praise," he answered solemnly, looking upwards. "Oh, if you didbut know how God loves you, how He takes care of you, and gives you allthe good things of life, and saves you from danger, and wishes you tocome and live with Him, and be happy for ever and ever, you would try tolove Him and serve Him, and obey Him in all things."

  "I don't think that God can care for one who has cared so little forHim," answered the captain. "I don't mean to say that I call myself abad man, or that I have many great sins on my conscience, and so, Isuppose, if I died He would hot shut me out of heaven altogether."

  "Captain," said Paul, fixing his eyes steadily on him, "the debil toldyou dat; he a liar from the beginning. God says, `There is none thatdoeth good, no not one,' `The soul that sinneth shall surely die.' Whatdoes dat mean? Not, surely, that if you sinner He let you get intoheaven. I ask you, captain, whether you are a sinner, or whether youpure and holy, and trust to Christ, and love Christ, and fit to go andlive for ever and ever in the pure and holy heaven with Him?Understand, I do not ask whether you are a great sinner in your ownsight, but whether you have ever committed any sins; and remember, Godsays, `the soul that sinneth,' not only the soul that is a greatsinner."

  The captain looked much annoyed. "Yes, of course, I have committed somesins; but I don't see why God has any right to charge them against me."

  "God made this world, and all things that are therein. God rules thisworld, and God made His laws, and He says they are just and right, andGod says, `The soul that sinneth shall surely die,'" answered Paul,solemnly. "Captain understand, it is not I who say that. God says it.But though God is a God of justice He is full of love and mercy, and Hehas therefore formed a plan for the benefit of sinning men, by whichman's sins can be washed away, by which His justice will be satisfied,His love and mercy shown. He has allowed another to be punished insteadof the sinner," Paul continued, explaining to the captain God's plan ofsalvation much in the same terms as he had already explained it to me.

  "I never understood that matter before," said the captain. "But still Ido not see how God can expect us to be as good as you say."

  "Massa Captain, I do not say dat God expect us to be good; but still Hehas a right to demand that we should be good. He made man pure and holyand upright, and He gave him free will to act as he chose; but mandisobeyed God and went away from Him, and forgot Him, and so God has theright to punish man. But den God is full of love and mercy, and He doesnot want to punish him, but wants him to come back to Him, and so He hassent His message to man to tell him how he may do that. Now as mancannot be good and pure and holy and do nothing but good, but, on thecontrary, does much harm, he must either accept God's plan of salvation,or be punished. You have heard, captain, about the thief on the cross,even when he was dying he put faith in Jesus, and Jesus told him that heshould be that night with Him in paradise. So you see, captain, thereis hope for the sinner, even at the last, and this shows that God doesnot expect us to do anything good in order to be saved, but only just toput faith in the sacrifice of His dear Son--that is to say, to believethat He was punished instead of us. But then remember, captain, thatonly one thief was saved; and that shows to us that we must not put offturning to Jesus to the last, and, therefore, I pray you, captain, go toHim at once; trust to Him now, and you will not feel unhappy; and ifthis fever takes you away, as it has taken away so many people on boardthis ship, you will hab no fear of death, for you will go to live with
Jesus, and be happy with Him for ever and ever."

  Captain Willis groaned. "I'll pray wid you, captain," said Paul, and heknelt down by the side of the bed, and lifted up his voice in prayer,and earnestly besought God to send His Holy Spirit to soften thecaptain's heart, and to enlighten his mind.

  I had listened attentively to all that Paul had said, and I prayed thatthe blessing which he asked for the captain might descend on me also;for I had begun to discover that my heart was very hard, and prone toevil, and that I had no love for Jesus, no desire to obey His law. Thusthe truths of the gospel, as they fell from the lips of the blacksailor, first came home to my heart.

  Several days passed by--the "Chieftain" was got ready for sea, and thecaptain considered himself well enough to take the command.