CHAPTER SEVEN.
I WITNESS THE EMBARKATION OF SLAVES COLLECTED AT THE BARRACOONS, AND THECRUEL WAY IN WHICH THEY ARE TREATED AND PACKED IN THE HOLD OF THESLAVER.--UNWILLING TO DESERT PAUL, I REMAIN ON BOARD, AND THE SLAVERPUTS TO SEA.--PAUL IS THREATENED FOR ATTEMPTING TO COMFORT THE SLAVESWITH THE GOSPEL NEWS.--THE SCHOONER RECEIVES MORE SLAVES ON BOARD ALONGTHE COAST.--SOME ARE DROWNED COMING OFF--THE SLAVER GETS ON SHORE JUSTAS A MAN-OF-WAR IS SEEN IN THE OFFING.--A FOG COMES ON, AND THESCHOONER'S CREW MAKING DESPERATE EFFORTS TO GET HER OFF, SHE ESCAPES, TOMY BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT, FROM THE MAN-OF-WAR'S BOATS, ALONG THE COAST.
I found myself once more exposed to the pestilential air of an Africanriver. I in vain tried to sleep. All night long I heard the sound ofthe carpenters at work fitting the slave decks, and fixing the barsacross them, to which the captive negroes were to be secured. The crewwere employed most of their time in hoisting water casks, and a furthersupply of farinha, on board.
At length when morning broke I went on deck to breathe the air, which Ihoped would be somewhat cooler than that of the calm. Through anopening in the trees I saw several long low sheds with cottages and hutsscattered round them, while a number of people were moving about. Thedoor in the end of one of the sheds was thrown open, and there issuedforth a long line of black figures, walking two and two, and securedtogether by iron shackles round their wrists.
They staggered along with unwilling steps, looking round on the treesand distant blue hills, which they were destined never again to see, andeven now it seemed to me that could they have wrenched their hands fromthose iron bonds they would have attempted to strike a blow for freedom,and make their escape into the forest. On either side of them, however,walked ruffianly looking fellows, with pistols in their belts and heavywhips in their hands, with which, if their captives attempted to lagbehind, they urged them on. One or two were whites, but most of themwere negroes, and seemed to have no scruple in leading their countrymeninto captivity.
So long a line came forth that it seemed impossible the building couldhave held so many human beings. Some were strong men, who cast scowlingglances at their guards; others were youths, many mere lads and youngboys, and there were a considerable number of women, mostly young, many,indeed, being mere girls. Several of the elder women had infants intheir arms, and children of various ages trotted by the sides of others,or clung to their hands. The sad procession came towards the vessel. Abridge had been formed from her deck to the shore. The leading slaveshesitated as they reached it, and refused to move forward till urged onby the lash of their guards.
Their condition had been bad before, but they knew now that they were tobe shut down and crowded together in the dark noisome hold of the slaveship. As they arrived on board they were compelled to go below and taketheir seats on the bare deck, side by side, with their legs secured tothe iron bars, and so closely packed that their knees were drawn upalmost to their chins. Still, although nearly a hundred had come onboard, a considerable portion of the deck remained unoccupied.
I took an opportunity of going on shore, no one interfering with me. AsI went through the village I passed a house of some size, in front ofwhich the captain was seated in the verandah with another white man,with whom he appeared to be eagerly bargaining. The latter was, Ifound, the principle slave-dealer, to whom the sheds or barracoons, inwhich the slaves were confined, belonged. Going on I looked into one ofthe barracoons. The heat and odour which proceeded from it made meunwilling to enter. It was full of blacks, seated on narrow benches,with their arms and legs secured to long bars which ran in front ofthem. Here they had been placed as they were brought down from theinterior, and kept in readiness for the arrival of the slaver. This, Isuspect, was the gang for whom the captain had been bargaining withtheir owner, as they were immediately afterwards summoned out andmarched down, as the others had been, to the vessel.
While I was still on shore I saw coming through the woods another longline of captives. They had come, apparently, a long distance, for theywere mostly foot-sore, and several could scarcely move along; not a fewwere wounded, and many of the men, and even of the women, bore traces ontheir backs of the cruel lash which had been inflicted to make themhasten their steps when they had showed any unwillingness to proceed.They were allowed but a short time to rest in the barracoons, and havingbeen fed with farinha, mixed into porridge, were marched down to theship. They gazed at her with looks of dismay, for they knew that shewas to convey them away over the wide ocean they had heard of, but neverseen, to an unknown land, where they were to toil, unrequited, for hardtask-masters.
I thought of remaining on shore rather than proceed in the slave vessel;but was unwilling to desert Paul, and he had not been allowed to land.I therefore returned, hoping to obtain his release.
"You must remain with us a little longer," said my friend the officer,who spoke English, "and we will land you on another part of the coast,where you are more likely than here to meet with a trader."
I was compelled to comply, indeed I knew by his tone and manner, that Ishould not be allowed to remain behind.
All the slaves which had been collected in the depot having beenreceived on board, the schooner cast off from the bank, and proceededdown the river. As we crossed the bar the vessel pitched heavily, andshipped several seas. The poor wretches below, as the water rushed downupon them, fancying that they were about to be drowned, gave vent topiercing shrieks and cries. The Spanish crew heard them with perfectindifference, and no one, with the exception of Paul, took the slightesttrouble to calm their fears--he managing to slip down into the holdassured them that there was no danger; but he could offer them verylittle comfort besides as to their prospects in this world. Still hecould speak to them of another and a better land, "where the weary areat rest, and the wicked cease from troubling," and where the shackles ofslavery are cast aside, and to which the God of mercy invites all Hiscreatures to come and dwell with Him, and be at rest. He wasendeavouring to explain to the miserable beings the simple troths of thegospel, when he was overheard by one of the officers, and ordered ondeck, with a threat that should he again be found speaking to the slaveshe would be shackled along with them.
We ran down the coast and came to an anchorage in-shore. There werenumerous huts and several large canoes drawn up on the beach, on which aheavy surf was breaking. In a short time people appeared collectingfrom all quarters and a canoe came off with a burly negro on board, who,as he climbed up the side was treated with great ceremony. He was, Ifound, the king of that part of the country, his chief revenue beingderived from slave dealing. His business with the captain was quicklyconcluded. A signal was made from the vessel, and soon afterwards I sawa long line of slaves coming forth from behind a wood which concealedthe barracoons where they had been confined. They were marched down tothe canoes, and thrust in one after the other in spite of theirstruggles.
The canoes were now launched, and began to make their way through thesurf. Three succeeded in getting alongside, but the fourth wasoverturned by a heavy roller, and the unfortunate passengers thrown outamid the foaming waters. Some, as if thus glad to escape from theirpersecutors, sank without making a struggle for life; others clung tothe canoe, and a few were either washed back on the beach or picked upby the surrounding canoes, to which the crew had already made their way.Eight or ten human beings thus lost their lives, but the event seemedto cause no concern to the captain or his officers. He had only agreedto pay for those brought off to him in safety. The embarkationcontinued as before, and we were soon surrounded by canoes full ofslaves, who were forthwith hoisted on board and stowed below. Theirprice, chiefly in goods, was then lowered into the canoes, whichreturned to the shore with much more caution than they had come out.
Two days afterwards we obtained an other addition to our cargo stillfurther down the coast. On this occasion we brought up in a shelteredbay. Here the slaves were conveyed on large rafts. Every expeditionwas used in getting them on board, for news h
ad been received that anEnglish cruiser was in the neighbourhood. The moment they were stowedaway the anchor was hove-up and sail was made.
As we were going out, and appeared to be clear of the harbour, I heard agrating sound, and felt the vessel's keel touch the ground. At the samemoment the look-out from the mast-head gave notice that a sail was insight in the offing.
Every effort was made to get the schooner off, but she stuck fast. Oneof the officers had gone aloft with a spy-glass. On his return Iobserved a look of consternation in the countenance of the captain andhis mates. After talking eagerly together one of them went aloft. Heremained for sometime with his spy-glass turned towards the stranger,which, in a short time, could be seen clearly from the deck, and fromthe expressions I heard them utter, I found that she was supposed to bea British man-of-war. I endeavoured to conceal my satisfaction, for Ihoped that the unfortunate slaves would be rescued, and that Paul and Imight be taken on board her.
It shortly, however, fell perfectly calm, and the spirits of theslaver's crew revived. The tide was rising, anchors were carried out,and desperate efforts were made to heave the vessel off. A report nowcame from aloft that several boats were approaching from the directionof the cruiser. The Spaniards, on hearing this, began to stamp aboutthe deck, grinding their teeth and shaking their fists towards where theboats were supposed to be, working themselves into a perfect fury. Armswere got up on deck, and the two guns the vessel carried were loaded andrun out. The savage cries and oaths, and fierce gestures of the crew,made them look more like demons than men.
I looked anxiously for Paul, fearing that in their fury they mightinjure him, but he had wisely taken shelter in the berth forward so asto be out of their sight. I had thought of hiding in the cabin where Islept, but felt too anxious to watch the issue of events to do so. Ofone thing I felt very sure, that though the Spaniards might fight, theBritish seamen would soon be in possession of the slaver.
The day was drawing to a close, however, and I began to fear that theboats might not reach the schooner before darkness set in. In a shorttime too, I observed a thick mist gathering over the land, which rosehigher and higher, and came moving towards us. We were soon completelyenveloped in it. This seemed to give the slaver's crew greatsatisfaction, and they again began to talk and laugh in their usualtone, while all the time they continued their exertions to get thevessel off. Lazy as the Spaniards are they can work as hard as any onewhen they have a sufficient motive to arouse them.
I observed the captain frequently wetting his finger and holding it up,and soon I felt a light breeze blowing from the land. The sails werelet fall, and the crew making another desperate effort, the schoonerglided away up to her anchors. No time was lost in weighing them. Ithought the crew would have shouted to show their satisfaction, but nota sound was uttered. Onward she glided, keeping close in-shore.
My heart sank within me, and my hopes of escaping from the vile slaveship vanished. The lead was kept going. I felt sure that no strangerwould venture to stand in so close to the coast as we were doing. On westood till the Spanish seamen seemed satisfied that they had made goodtheir escape from the boats of the cruiser. As the schooner had by thistime nearly a full cargo of slaves, I feared that she would not againtouch on the coast, and that I was destined to make a voyage on boardthe hateful craft across the Atlantic.
CHAPTER EIGHT.
THE SPANIARDS BELIEVING THE MAN-OF-WAR TO BE FAR AWAY, STEER TO THEWESTWARD.--WE SIGHT HER, AND SHE CHASES US.--CRUEL DEVICE OF THESLAVER'S CREW TO ASSIST THEIR ESCAPE.--PAUL, AMONG OTHERS, BEING THROWNOVERBOARD THAT THE MAN-OF-WAR MIGHT HAVE TO PICK THEM UP; I FEAR THAT HEHAS BEEN LOST.--MY LIFE PRESERVED BY ONE OF THE OFFICERS, WHENTHREATENED BY THE SLAVER'S CREW.--THE SCHOONER ESCAPES, BUT DISMASTED INA GALE, AND AGAIN OVERTAKEN.--PAUL AND MY COUSIN JACK COME ON BOARD, ANDI JOIN THE CORVETTE AS A MIDSHIPMAN.--RETURNING TO ENGLAND I RESTORECHEEBO TO HIS MOTHER.--MY ADVENTURES SHOW THAT "ALL WORKS TOGETHER FORGOOD TO THEM WHO LOVE GOD."--JACK BECOMES A COMMANDER, MARRIES MY SISTERMARY, AND I FIND AMPLE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE REST OF MY DEAR SISTERS.
The schooner ran on during the night, keeping the coast close aboard toenjoy the advantage of the land breeze. I managed to get a word withPaul to ask him whether he thought there was a probability of her makingher escape. "I pray God for the poor slaves," he answered, "and hopeEnglish cruiser still catch her."
As may be supposed a very bright look-out was kept for the cruiser. Asthe day advanced she was no where to be seen, and the captain, anxiousto make as quick a run as possible across the Atlantic, the vessel'shead was turned to the westward, the wind still blowing off shore.Still, however, a haze hung over the ocean, sufficiently thick toprevent objects being seen in the far distance. This seemed stillfurther to favour the escape of the slaver.
We had got some distance off the land when the haze lifted, and away tothe southward a sail was seen, which the Spaniards at once seemed toknow was the British man-of-war. She saw us at the same moment, andcrowded all sail in chase. The schooner was put before the wind, whichnow came from the southward, and every stitch of canvas she could carrywas set, men also going aloft with buckets of water to wet the sails.
Again the same scene of impotent rage I had before witnessed wasenacted, and the fury of the Spaniards increased as they saw theman-of-war gaining on us, she apparently having more wind than we had.
I, as I had previously done, kept as much as I could out of their way,and tried to prevent any gleam of satisfaction appearing in mycountenance.
The man-of-war was a corvette--evidently a powerful and very fast craft,against which the slaver would not have had the shadow of a chance, hadeven her crew possessed the courage to fight, which I felt very sure, inspite of their bravado, they would not.
The corvette had been bringing the breeze up with her, and now theschooner felt it herself, and began to move more rapidly through thewater. She, too, was a fast vessel, and her crew might justly haveentertained hopes of escaping. I little thought of the cruel devicethey were contemplating to aid them in so doing.
At length the man-of-war had got almost near enough to reach the slaverwith her bow-chasers. She tried the range of one of them, but the shotfell short. On this the captain turned, with a savage determination inhis eye, and spoke to one of the officers. Directly afterwards I sawhim descend to the slave deck with two or three of the men, and theyquickly returned with one of the unfortunate captives. Instantly theunhappy slave was secured to a plank, and, in spite of his cries andentreaties, hove overboard. As the poor wretch floated astern I couldnot help recollecting that the sea swarmed with sharks, and that hewould probably be seized before many minutes were over by one of theravenous monsters. I guessed the object of the Spaniards; it wasconfiding in the humanity of my countrymen that they would heave-to inorder to pick up the poor black, should he escape the sharks, and thusallow the schooner to gain ground.
The device answered the expectations of its cruel perpetrators. Thecorvette hove-to, a boat was lowered, and the slave taken up. TheSpaniards seemed delighted with the result of their experiment, andprepared to try it again. Another slave was brought up on deck, and,like the former, hove overboard. Scarcely had he reached the water whena fearful shriek was heard, and the poor wretch and the plank togetherdisappeared below the surface. This, however, did not prevent theSpaniards from again attempting the plan to impede the progress of theirpursuer, and three more slaves were brought up.
Just then I heard several of the crew shouting out "El heretico!" andwhat was my horror to see them dragging Paul aft. He spoke to them insuch Spanish as he could command, but uttered no cry, and when heunderstood their object, walked calmly among them to the gangway.
I could not restrain myself, but ran up to him and implored myEnglish-speaking friend to plead on his behalf.
"Take care my lad, or you may be treated in the same way," was theanswer.
"Oh, but he has just heard of his mother, who longs to see him, and Ihave p
romised to take him to her," I cried out. "Oh, ask them if any ofthem have mothers from whom they have been long parted, would they notdesire to see them again? Will they not have compassion on my poorfriend?"
"Don't grieve for me, Massa Harry," said Paul, while the sailors werelashing him to the plank. "God take care of me. Give my lub to mymoder, and tell her I meet her in heaven, and she know me den."
In vain I pleaded. My friend seizing me by the arm, dragged me away,while the savages hove Paul overboard.
"Go into my cabin," he exclaimed, "its your only chance of safety."
I saw, as he dragged me aft, that the Spaniards were preparing to throwseveral other slaves into the sea; and, as I turned my head, three inrapid succession were thrust through the gangway, secured, as the othershad been, to floats.
My friend had not cautioned me without reason, for I heard the crewclamouring for the "Englez." My friend went out to them, and on hisreturn told me that they wished to throw me into the sea, but that hehad advised them not to do so lest after all the schooner should becaptured, when the captain of the man-of-war would certainly deal morehardly with them for having thus treated a countryman.
I thanked him for interfering as far as I was concerned, but, at thesame time, could not help observing that the English captain wouldconsider the crime of throwing any one overboard equally great, whateverthe colour of the sufferer.
"Ah, we think little about the life of a black," he answered carelessly.
"So it seems," I said, for I felt utterly horrified at what I hadwitnessed. A feeling of desperate indifference to my own fate had creptover me. "Poor Paul! that the wretches should have treated you thus," Isaid to myself. Then I remembered how Paul would have acted, and Iprayed that he might be protected, though I confess I had littleexpectation of his escaping the ravenous jaws of a shark.
So eager was I to ascertain what had happened, that had not my friendlocked the door on me, in spite of his warnings, I should have gone outagain to watch the progress of the chase. Some time elapsed; I longedagain to hear the sound of the corvette's guns, but in vain. The windhad increased, as I could judge by the movement of the vessel; and I atlength began to fear that she would after all escape.
Some hours passed away, my friend at length came back. "You are hungry,I dare say," he said, "and you may come into the cabin and have somesupper, but it is not safe for you to go on deck, the crew are angry atyour having interfered about the black seaman; although our plan hasanswered, for your good natured-countrymen, by stopping to pick up thenegroes, have enabled us to escape them. A few of the wretches were, tobe sure, picked off by the sharks."
"Did my friend, the black sailor, escape?" I asked eagerly.
"As to that I cannot say," he answered, "undoubtedly some escaped, orthe corvette would not have hove-to so often. But come, the supper ison the table."
I declared that I had no appetite; but he insisted upon my going intothe cabin, and said that he should be offended if I did not. "It wouldbe better for you also to put an indifferent face on the matter," headded.
Those of the officers who came to supper were laughing and talking ingood spirits, and, as far as I could judge, seemed to be amusingthemselves at my expense. I, however, had the wisdom to follow myfriend's advice, and showed no signs of annoyance. I confess, too, thatthe sight of the food quickly restored my appetite.
When supper was over my friend advised me to go back to my cabin. "Weshall be far away from the corvette by to-morrow morning, and then youcan come on deck if you like," he observed.
As I lay in my berth the dreadful scenes I had witnessed came constantlybefore my sight, and I kept alternately hoping that Paul might have beensaved, and fearing that he was lost. For a long time too it seemed Icould not go to sleep. The vessel also was pitching heavily, the seadashed against her sides, and I could hear the roaring and whistling ofthe wind in her rigging; it was evidently blowing very hard. At last Idropped off to sleep. I was awakened by a loud crash, and the fearfulshrieks and cries which arose from the hold.
No longer heeding my friend's caution, slipping on my clothes, I rushedon deck. The schooner's masts had gone by the board, and she layhelpless on the foaming ocean. The crew were shouting and swearing asthey endeavoured to cut away the masts, which were battering against hersides, while ever and anon a heavy sea striking her, swept over herdeck, and from the shrieks which came up out of the waters a shortdistance away to leeward, I had little doubt that several of the peoplehad been washed overboard. Fearing that such might be my fate were I toremain on deck, I hurried back again into the cabin. I knew thatnothing could be done till daylight, and that it would be impossible torig jury-masts until the sea was somewhat smoother. Perhaps before thenthe slaver and her living freight might be carried down into the depthsof ocean. I would not venture to lie down, but sat in the cabin, readyto rush out and make an attempt for my life should such a catastropheappear imminent.
The night seemed very long. At length I saw daylight through thebull's-eye overhead, and the movement of the vessel was less violentthan before. I could no longer restrain my curiosity, and made my wayon deck. The crew, much diminished, were sheltering themselves underthe bulwarks, while the officers were collected in the after part of thevessel. I saw that their eyes were directed to windward, I looked inthe same direction, and there to my infinite satisfaction I caught sightof the corvette standing towards us. I was glad to see my Englishfriend among the officers, but the captain and first mate were gone.They had been carried overboard. I felt that they deserved their fate,terrible as it was.
The corvette soon came up, and hove-to to windward; a boat was loweredand pulled towards us. I watched her eagerly. A lieutenant wassteering, and among her crew I observed a black man. I tried to makeout his features, but at that distance it was impossible. The hope rosein my breast that he might be Paul.
As the schooner still rolled heavily it was no easy matter for the boatto get alongside without the risk of being swamped. She at length cameup under our quarter. I looked anxiously over the bulwarks, and to myjoy saw that the black was indeed Paul. He caught sight of me.
"All right Massa Harry," he shouted, "we soon aboard, praise God thatyou safe."
"Silence!" said the officer, for Paul had forgotten the discipline of aman-of-war in speaking. At that moment I thought I recognised thelieutenant's countenance; yes, I was nearly certain it was my cousinJack Haultaught, whose yarns, when he was a midshipman, first made mewish to go to sea. He and his crew soon sprang on to the low deck ofthe schooner, while the boat, with a couple of hands in her, was veeredastern.
I first greeted Paul warmly. His joy at seeing me was excessive, for hehad been afraid that the slavers would have thrown me overboard as theyhad him, and as I had not been picked up thought my life had beensacrificed. As my cousin Jack did not know me I had time to talk toPaul.
"Oh Massa Harry we must praise God for all His mercy and goodness to us,what we think going to be very bad for us He make turn out for the best.The captain of the corvette, my old friend, he good Christian man, hesay he take me to England with him, and then I see my dear moder, andlearn more of the Bible, and then come back and preach the gospel to mypoor countrymen."
The hatches, which had hitherto been kept battened down, were now takenoff. The five hundred human beings crowded below were evidence of thecharacter of the vessel, and enabled the lieutenant at once to claim heras a prize to Her Majesty's ship "Triton."
I do not wish to dwell on the fearful sight which met our eyes as welooked down below on the mass of humanity jammed, pressed, and huddledtogether. And oh, the horrible odour which arose from that foul hold!It seemed impossible that human beings could have existed a minute init, much less the many hours during which those unhappy people had beenshut up during the gale. How fearful would have been their sufferingshad they been compelled thus to make the passage across the Atlantic.How enormous a proportion of them would have died. As it was
, many ofthem had their limbs broken, and many were sadly crushed and bruised.
At length I went up to the lieutenant and put out my hand. "You don'tknow me, cousin Jack," I said.
"What, Harry!" he exclaimed, looking at me hard. "I am delighted to seeyou my boy. The negro sailor told me that there was a young Englishmanon board, but I did not expect to find you. You will be welcome onboard the `Triton,' and if you have a fancy for continuing at sea, Ithink the captain will be able to enter you as a supernumerary, and getyou regularly appointed when we return to England."
I told him that above all things it was what I should like.
I now accompanied him to the "Triton," carrying with us the survivingofficers of the slaver. They were treated with scant ceremony, butwithout any undue harshness, on board, and berthed together in a cabinrun up on the lower deck. I was, however, able to speak a good word forthe officer who had treated me kindly, and been the means of saving mylife, and I was pleased to hear the captain thank him, and afterwardsthe officers, to show their sense of his conduct, invited him to messwith them. He declined doing so, however. He afterwards told my cousinJack that in consequence of the scenes he had witnessed he had resolvedto have nothing more to do with the slave trade.
"It was a great temptation," he said. "I expected to make my fortune ina short time, and that induced me to engage in the accursed traffic."
The corvette now took the schooner in tow. As soon as the sea was calmenough hands were sent on board her to rig jury-masts, and a course wassteered for Sierra Leone. The slaver, as may be supposed, wascondemned, the slaves liberated, and the whole of them settled in thecolony. Paul entered on board the "Triton," and I was placed as amidshipman on her quarter-deck.
We cruised for a short time longer on the coast, and captured anotherslaver, and then, as the corvette had been her due time on the station,she was ordered home.
Jack, from having been at sea, had not heard of the misfortunes of myfamily.
As soon as the ship was paid off he insisted on accompanying me and Paulback to Liverpool. We reached the house where I had left my sistersunder Mammy's care. Flowers bloomed before the windows, and there wasan air of neatness and comfort about the little abode which looked verypleasing.
I begged Jack and Paul to remain outside while I went in to prepare theinmates for their arrival. Mammy opened the door. She seized me in herarms the moment she saw me, and I did not at all mind the kisses shebestowed on my cheeks, though her lips were thick and her black faceshrivelled.
"Your sisters up stairs, Massa Harry. They so glad you come back," sheexclaimed, and dragged me along. She opened the door where they wereseated at work.
"I have brought some strangers to see you," I said, after our greetingswere over. "You remember our cousin Jack Haultaught; he insisted oncoming, he is a first-rate capital fellow, and a true friend of mine."
"We shall be very glad to see him and to thank him," said Mary and Janetogether.
"And I shall be delighted," cried Emily. "I recalled his giving me allsorts of curious things when he came back from his first voyage. I'llrun down and ask him in."
"Mammy," I said, feeling very doubtful how I could best prepare her formeeting her son. "You remember the commission you gave me, I did mybest to execute it. I asked all the people I met if they knew Cheebo."
"Ah, you no hear of him," said Mammy, with a sigh.
"I did not say that," I answered. "Mammy, you believe that God hearsyour prayers."
"Yes, Massa Harry, I am sure He does," she said, and then it seemed toflash across her that I had something of interest to communicate abouther son.
"You hear of Cheebo, he become Christian, oh say dat, Massa Harry, saydat."
"Yes, Mammy," I answered, taking her hand, "I not only heard of him, butI have seen him; and, Mammy, do you think the joy would not be too muchfor you if I were to tell you that I hope you will see him too?"
"Oh, he is come! he is come!" exclaimed Mammy.
I made a sign to my sisters to remain with our old nurse, whispering toMary that I was going to bring up her long lost son. I hurried downstairs, and found that Emily had already invited Jack and his companioninto the house. I led Paul to the door, and my sisters slipping out; weleft the old woman and her son together.
And now it is time that I should bring my yarn to a conclusion. Jackseemed to find Liverpool a very delightful place; and perhaps it mayaccount for his so doing, when I say that before he went away he askedmy sister Mary to marry him. She did not refuse. Soon afterwards hegot his promotion, which he well deserved for his activity and zealduring his long service on the African coast.
Through the interest of the captain of the "Triton" I got appointed to aman-of-war brig on that station, where, being pretty well up to thetricks of the slavers, I was instrumental in capturing a number ofvessels, and assisting to put down the abominable slave trade. As agood deal of prize money came into my pocket, I had the gratification ofsending home considerable sums to my sisters. Mammy's joy, when shefound that not only had her son become a Christian, but that her husbandhad accepted the truth, was full. She willingly parted with Paul whenshe heard of his wish to become a missionary of the gospel. He returnedto Sierra Leone, and after remaining a short time there, went on toAbeokuta, to labour with others in spreading the glad tidings ofsalvation among the dark-skinned sons of Africa.
African Trader; Or, The Adventures of Harry Bayford Page 7
