CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
THE BLACK SLAVER (CONTINUED)--THE CHASE--THE SLAVER--THE CAPTURE--THEESCAPE--THE PURSUIT.
THE CHASE.
We left her Britannic Majesty's brig "Sylph" in chase of a strange sailon the coast of Africa. The wind was from the westward, and she wasstanding on a bowline to the southward, with the coast clearly seenbroad on the lee-beam. Captain Staunton ordered every expedient hecould think of to be tried to increase the speed of his vessel, for thestranger was evidently a very fast sailer, though it was at firstdifficult to say whether or not she was increasing her distance fromthem. At all events, the British crew soon saw that it would behopeless to expect to come up with the stranger before dark, for the sunwas just sinking below the horizon, and the thick mists were alreadyrising over the wooded shore, and yet they appeared to be no nearer toher than they were when they first made sail in chase. It was amagnificent sailing breeze, just sufficient for both vessels to carrytheir topgallant-sails and royals without fear of springing their spars,and the sea was perfectly smooth, merely rippled over by the playfulwind. Indeed, as the two vessels glided proudly along over the calmwaters, they appeared rather to be engaged in some friendly race thananxious to lead each other to destruction. All the officers of the"Sylph" were on deck with their glasses constantly at their eyes, as thelast rays of the sun tinged the royals of the chase, and so clearly wasevery spar and rope defined through that pure atmosphere, that it wasdifficult to believe that she was not within range of their guns.Captain Staunton and his first lieutenant walked together on theweather-side of the deck.
"Do you think she is the `Espanto,' Mr Collins?" asked the captain.
"I have no doubt about it, sir," answered the officer addressed. "Iwatched her narrowly when we chased her off Loanda the last time she wason the coast, and I pulled round her several times when she lay in theharbour of St. Jago da Cuba, just a year and a half ago."
"She has had a long run of iniquity," said the captain; "two years ourcruisers have been on the look-out for her, and have never yet been ableto overhaul her."
"That Daggerfeldt must be a desperate villain, if report speaks true,"observed the lieutenant; "I think, sir, you seemed to say you once knewhim."
"I did, to my cost," answered Captain Staunton; "that man's life hasbeen a tissue of treachery and deceit from his earliest days. He oncedisgraced our noble service. He murdered a shipmate and ran from hisship on the coast of America. It was reported for some time that he wasdead, by his clothes having been found torn and bloody on the shore, andhis family, fortunately for them, believed the story. It was, however,afterwards discovered that he had been sheltered by a Spanish girl, and,in gratitude for his preservation, he carried her off, robbed her fatherof all his wealth, and either frightened him to death or smothered him.The unhappy girl has, it is said, ever since sailed with him, and it isto be hoped she is not aware of the enormity of his guilt. Pirate andslaver, he has committed every atrocity human nature is capable of."
"A very perfect scoundrel, in truth, sir," answered Mr Collins. "Itwas said, too, I remember, that he was going to marry a very beautifulgirl in England. What an escape for her!"
"No, he was not going to marry her!" exclaimed the captain, with unusualvehemence. "Her father, perhaps, wished it, but she would never haveconsented. Collins, you are my friend, and I will tell you the truth.That lady, Blanche D'Aubigne, was engaged to me, and never would havebroken her faith to me while she believed me alive. By a series offorgeries, Daggerfeldt endeavoured to persuade her that I was false toher, though she would not believe him. On my return home she is tobecome my wife. We were to have married directly I got my promotion,but I was so immediately sent out here that I was able to spend but oneday in her society. I wished to have secured her a pension in case thisdelightful climate should knock me on the head, but she would not hearof it. Poor girl, I have left her what little fortune I possess,Collins; I could not do less. Those who live on shore at ease can't saywe enjoy too much of the pleasures of home, or don't earn the Queen'sbiscuit. Bless her Majesty!"
"I don't know that, sir. There are, I hear, though I never fell in withany of them, a set of lying traitors at home, who say we are no betterthan pirates, and want to do away with the navy altogether. If theywere to succeed in their roguish projects, there would be an end of OldEngland altogether, say I."
"They never will succeed, Collins, depend upon that. There is still toomuch sense left in the country; but if her Majesty's government were toemploy her cruisers in any other part of the world than on thispestiferous coast, the cause of humanity would benefit by the change.For every prize we capture, ten escape, and our being here scarcelyraises the price of slaves in the Cuban and Brazilian markets fivedollars a head; while the Spaniards and Portuguese, notwithstandingtheir treaties, do all they can to favour the traffic. Do we gain onthe chase, do you think, Collins?"
"Not a foot, I fear, sir," answered the lieutenant. "That brig is afast craft, and though I don't believe, as some of the people do, thatthe skipper has signed a contract with Davy Jones, she is rightly calledby them the `Black Slaver.'"
"If the breeze freshens, we may overhaul her, but if not, she may doubleon us in the dark, and again get away," observed the captain. "Takecare a bright look-out is kept for'ard."
"Ay, ay, sir," answered the lieutenant, repeating the order andadjusting his night-glass; "she hasn't altered her course, at allevents."
By this time daylight had totally disappeared, although a pale crescentmoon in the clear sky afforded light sufficient for objects to bedistinguished at some distance. Few of the officers turned in, but thewatch below were ordered to their hammocks to recruit their strength forthe services they might be required to perform on the morrow, as CaptainStaunton had determined, should the wind fail, to attack the chase inhis boats. When the enemy is well-armed and determined, this a verydangerous operation, and in the present instance there could be no doubtthat he who commanded the "Black Slaver" would not yield without adesperate resistance. Lookouts were stationed at the mastheads as wellas forward, and every eye was employed in endeavouring to keep her insight--no easy task with the increasing darkness--for a light mist wasgradually filling the atmosphere, and the moon itself was sinking intothe ocean. The breeze, however, appeared to be increasing; the brigfelt its force, and heeled gracefully over to it as the water bubbledand frothed against her bows.
"What are the odds we don't catch her after all?" said young Wildgraveto his messmate; "I hate these long chases, when one never comes up withthe enemy."
"So do I," answered his companion. "But to tell you the truth, I have apresentiment that we shall come up with her this time, and bring her toaction too. She has escaped us twice before, and the third time will, Ithink, be fatal to her. By-the-by, where is she though?"
"Fore-yard, there!" sang out the first lieutenant, "can you see thechase?"
"I did a moment ago, sir;--no, sir, I can see her nowhere."
A similar answer was returned from the other lookouts. She was nowherevisible.
THE SLAVER.
The "Black Slaver" well deserved her name. Her hull was black, withoutthe usual relief of a coloured ribbon; her masts and spars were of thesame ebon hue, her cargo was black, and surely her decks were dark asthe darkest night. She was a very large vessel, certainly upwards ofthree hundred tons, and also heavily armed with a long brass gunamidships, and ten long nines in battery, besides small brassswivel-guns mounted on her quarter, to aid in defending her against anattack in boats.
Her crew was composed of every nation under the sun, for crime makes allmen brothers, but brothers who, Cainlike, were ready any moment toimbrue their hands in each other's blood; and their costume was asvaried as their language--a mixture of that of many nations. A mongrelSpanish, however, was the language in which all orders were issued, asbeing that spoken by the greater number of the people. She was a verybeautiful and powerful vessel, and all the arrangements on
boardbetokened strict attention to nautical discipline. For more than twoyears she had run her evil career with undeserved success, and hercaptain and owner was reputed to be a wealthy man, already in possessionof several estates in Cuba. Slaving was his most profitable and safeoccupation, mixed up with a little piracy, as occasion offered, withoutfear of detection. Several slavers had unaccountably disappeared, whichhad certainly not been taken by English cruisers, and others hadreturned to the coast complaining that they had been robbed of theirslaves by a large armed schooner, which had put on board a few bales ofcoloured cottons, with an order to them to go back and take in a freshcargo of human beings. The "Espanto" was more than suspected of beingthe culprit; but she was always so disguised that it was difficult tobring the accusation home to her, while they themselves being illegallyemployed, could obtain no redress in a court of law.
She had for some time been cruising, as usual, in the hopes of pickingup a cargo without taking the trouble of looking into the coast for it,when, weary of waiting, and being short of water and provisions, thecaptain determined to run the risk of procuring one by the usual method.
From the ruse practised by the "Sylph," she was not seen by his lookoutstill he was nearly close up to her. He was in no way alarmed, however,for he recognised the British man-of-war, and knowing the respectiverate of sailing of the two vessels, felt certain, if the wind held, tobe able to walk away from her. To make certain what she was, he hadstood on some time after he had first seen her, a circumstance whichhad, as we mentioned, somewhat surprised Captain Staunton and hisofficers. Having ascertained that the sail inside of him was the"Sylph," he hauled his wind, and making all sail, before an hour of thefirst watch had passed, aided by the darkness, he had completely run herout of sight. When he stood in he had been making for the Pongos River;but being prevented from getting in there, he determined to run for theCoanza River, some forty miles further to the south, before daybreak,and as the mouth is narrow, and entirely concealed by trees, he had manychances in his favour of remaining concealed there while the Britishman-of-war passed by. A slave-agent, also, of his resided in theneighbourhood, who would be able to supply him at the shortest notice,and at moderate prices, with a cargo of his fellow-beings. At thisrendezvous he knew there would be a look-out for him, and that therewere pilots ready to assist him in entering the river.
"Square the yards and keep her away, Antonio," he sung out to his firstmate, a ferocious-looking mulatto, who was conning the vessel. "We arejust abreast of--Point, and Diogo, if he has his eyes open, ought to seeus."
The helm was kept up, the yards were squared, and the vessel stood stemon towards the shore.
Before long the dark line of a tree-fringed coast was visible, when shewas again brought to the wind; her lower sails were furled, and she washove-to under her topsails.
"We must make a signal, or the lazy blacks will never find us out, senorcaptain," observed Antonio to his chief.
"Yes, we must run the risk: we shall not be in before daylight if we donot, and the enemy will scarcely distinguish from what direction thereport of the gun comes. Be smart about it though."
A gun from the lee quarter was accordingly discharged, the dull echoesfrom which were heard rebounding along the shore, and directlyafterwards a blue-light was fired, the bright flame giving aspectre-like appearance to the slaver and her evil-doing crew. Theymight well have been taken for one of those phantom barks said to cruiseabout the ocean either to warn mariners of coming danger or to lure themto destruction.
Soon afterwards a small light was seen to burst out, as it seemed, fromthe dark line, and to glide slowly over the water towards them.Gradually it increased, and as it approached nearer, it was seen toproceed from a fire burning in the bow of a large canoe pulled by adozen black fellows. When it came alongside, two of them scrambled onboard, and recognising the captain, welcomed him to the coast. Theirlanguage was a curious mixture of Spanish, Portuguese, English, andAfrican.
"Ah, senor captain, berry glad you et Espanto, come esta nocha, vientoes favoravel, for run up de river Diogo--me vos on the look-out you,sabe."
Having thus delivered himself, the chief pilot went aft to the helm withmuch the same air as one of his European brethren, habited in Flushingcoat and tarpaulin hat, although the only garment he boasted was a blueshirt, secured at the waist by a piece of spun-yarn, and a redhandkerchief bound round his head.
"Up with the helm, then square away the yards!" sung out the captain,and the vessel, under the direction of the negro, was standing dead onto the apparently unbroken line of dark shore.
It required great confidence in the honesty and knowledge of the pilotfor the crew not to believe that he was running the schooner on shore,for such a thing had been more than once before done.
"Remember," whispered Antonio, as he passed him, "if the vessel touches,my pistol sends a ball through your head."
"No tien duvida, senor, contremestre," answered Quacko, quite unmoved bythe threat, as being one to which he was well accustomed.
"Viento favoravel, rio fundo. Have de anchor pronto to let go."
The bowsprit of the schooner was now almost among the mangrove bushes.
"Stivordo!" sung out the pilot.
A yellow line of sand was seen over her quarter. This seemed to springup from the sea on either side, like dark, shapeless phantoms, eager todestroy the slaver's crew, the spirits of those their cruelty had sentfrom this world. Taller and taller they grew, for so calmly did thevessel glide on, that she appeared not to move, yet the broad open seawas completely shut out from the view of those on board; a narrow darkline, in which the reflection of a star was here and there visible, wasthe only water seen as still, on the schooner moved.
"Bombordo!" sung out the pilot.
The helm was put to port, and the schooner glided into another passage,her yards, as they were squared away or braced up to meet thealterations in her course, almost brushing the branches of the loftytrees. For some minutes more she ran on, till the stream grew suddenlywider, and a little bay, formed by a bend of the shore, appeared on thestarboard hand, into which she glided. The anchor was let go, thetopsails were furled, and so entirely was she concealed by theoverhanging boughs, that a boat might have passed down the centre of thestream without seeing her.
At dawn the next morning a busy scene was going on on board and roundthe slaver. Her crew, aided by a number of negroes, were employed insetting up her rigging and fitting slave-decks, while several canoeswere assisting her boats in bringing water and provisions alongside.Thus they were employed without cessation for two days. There was noplay, it was all hard, earnest work. It is a pity they were notlabouring in a good cause instead of a bad one.
In the mean time the King of --, as he was called, in reality theprincipal slave-dealer and greatest rogue in the district, wascollecting the negroes who had been kidnapped by him or his allies, fromwhom he had bought them in the neighbouring provinces--some as they werequietly fishing in their canoes on the coast, others as they were seatedbeneath the shade of the palm-tree in their native forest, or werecoming from the far interior with a load of oil or ivory, to sell to thenearest trader--untutored savages, who perhaps had never before seen theface of a white man, or the blue dancing ocean. It is no wonder thatthey paint the Devil white, and believe the sea is the passage to hisrealms. Eight hundred human beings were thus collected to be conveyedin that fell bark to the Far West, there to wear out their lives inhopeless slavery.
The greater part of the fourth day was spent in receiving half thenumber on board, and stowing them below. This operation was performedby men whose especial trade it is. The unhappy wretches are compelledto sit down with their legs bent under them, so closely packed that theycover but little more space than the length of their feet,between-decks, little more than a yard high; and thus they remain,bolted down to the decks, the whole voyage, a few only being allowed tocome up at a time to be aired, while the smallest quantity of waterpossible is
afforded them to quench their burning thirst.
THE CAPTURE.
The work for the day was nearly concluded, and the captain of the slaverwas walking by himself beneath the awning spread over the after-part ofthe deck, when he observed a canoe suddenly dart out of the main streaminto the bay where the schooner lay concealed. It was soon alongside,when a black jumped on board.
"Senor capitan, you must be pronto," he said. "Big man-of-war come, bigcanoe, mucho hombres, come up river."
"Ah, have they found me out?" muttered the captain to himself. "I'llgive them a warm reception if they do come. Very well, Queebo," he saidaloud, "now pull back and watch them narrowly. Take care they don't seeyou, and come and report their movements to me."
At a signal all the crew were summoned on board, the awning was handed,boarding-nettings were triced up, the guns were double-shotted and runout, and a thick screen of boughs was carried across the part of the bayso as still further to conceal the schooner from the eye of anystranger. Two guns were also sent on shore and planted in battery, soas to command the entrance of the bay. Every other precaution waslikewise taken to avoid discovery; all fires were extinguished, and theblacks were ordered to remove from the neighbourhood.
By the time these arrangements had been made, the scout returned to givenotice that two boats had entered the river, and were exploring one ofthe numerous passages of the stream. The captain on this ordered thescout to remain on board, lest he might betray their whereabouts to theenemy. He had no wish to destroy the boats, as so doing would notbenefit him; concealment, not fighting, was his object. When night,however, came on, he sent out the scout to gain further intelligence.Scarcely had the man gone, when he returned, and noiselessly stepped ondeck.
"Hist, senor, hist!" he whispered. "They are close at hand, littledreaming we are near them."
"Whereabouts?" inquired the captain.
"On the other side of the long island which divides the middle from thesouthern stream," was the substance of the reply.
"We'll attack them then, and either kill or make them all prisoners.They may be useful as hostages," muttered the captain, and callingAntonio to him, he ordered him to man two boats with the mosttrustworthy of their people, and carefully to muffle the oars. Thisdone, both boats left the schooner, under his command, in the directionindicated by the scout.
They pulled across the channel to a thickly-wooded island indicated bythe scout. The negro landed, and in a few minutes came back.
"Dere dey are, senor," he whispered; "you may kill all fast asleep;berry good time now; no make noise."
On hearing this, the slavers, all of whom were armed to the teeth,advanced cautiously across the island, by a path with which Queeboseemed well acquainted. The black pointed between the trees, and therewas seen the head of a man, fast asleep in the stern-sheets of a boat.Just then a light rustling noise was heard, and a figure was seenadvancing close up to where the slavers were crouching down, ready forthe command of their officer to fire.
He advanced slowly, looking out for the very path apparently by whichthey had gained the spot. He reached within almost an arm's length ofthe captain. The impulse was irresistible; and before the stranger wasaware any one was near him, he was felled to the ground, and ahandkerchief was passed over his mouth, so that he could not utter a cryfor help. Two other men, who were doing duty as sentinels on shore,were in like manner surprised and gagged, without uttering a sound toalarm the rest. The slavers then advanced close up to the nearest boat,and pouring a volley from their deadly trabucos into her, killed orwounded nearly all her crew. A larger boat was moored at some littledistance farther on, and her people being aroused by the firing, they atonce shoved off into the stream, which the survivors of the other alsosucceeded in doing. They then opened a fire on the slavers, butsheltered as they were among the trees, it was ineffectual.
The contest was kept up for some time; but reduced in strength as thecrews of the boats were, they were at last obliged to retreat, while theslavers returned with their prisoners to the schooner. As the slavers'boats were left on the other side of the island, which extended for morethan a mile towards the sea, they were unable to follow their retreatingenemy had they been so inclined; but in fact they did not relish thethought of coming in actual contact with British seamen, as they hadgood reason in believing the enemy to be, although weakened anddispirited by defeat.
When the prisoners, who had not uttered a word, were handed up on deck,the captain ordered lights to be brought, for he had no longer any fearof being discovered. One evidently, by his uniform, was an officer; theother two were seamen. The captain paced the deck in the intervalbefore lights were brought, grinding his teeth and clinching his fistswith rage, as he muttered to himself,--
"He shall die--he wears that hated uniform: it reminds me of what I oncewas. Oh, this hell within me! blood must quench its fire."
A seaman now brought aft a lantern; its glare fell as well on thefeatures of the prisoner as on that of the slave captain. Both started.
"Staunton!" ejaculated the latter.
"Daggerfeldt!" exclaimed the prisoner.
"You know me, then?" said the captain of the slaver, bitterly; "it willavail you little, though. I had wished it had been another man; but nomatter--you must take your chance."
The slaver's crew were now thronging aft.
"Well, meos amigos," he continued, in a fierce tone, "what is to be donewith these spies? You are the judges, and must decide the case."
"Enforca-los--hang them, hang them--at least the officer. The other twomay possibly enter, and they may be of service: we want good seamen towork the vessel, and these English generally are so."
"You hear what your fate is to be," said Daggerfeldt, turning to CaptainStaunton. "You had better prepare for it. You may have some at home toregret your loss. If you have any messages, I will take care totransmit them. It is the only favour I can do you."
While he spoke, a bitter sneer curled his lip, and his voice assumed ataunting tone, which he could not repress.
The gallant officer, proud in his consciousness of virtue, confrontedthe villain boldly.
"I would receive no favour, even my life, from one whose very name is adisgrace to humanity. Even if the message I were to send was conveyedcorrectly, it would be polluted by the bearer. It would be littlesatisfaction for my friends to know that I was murdered in an Africancreek by the hands of a rascally slaver."
While Staunton was uttering these words, which he did in very bitternessof spirit, for, knowing the character of the wretch with whom he had todeal, he had not the remotest hope of saving either his own life or thatof his people, the rage of Daggerfeldt was rising till it surpassed hiscontrol.
"Silence!" he thundered, "or I will brain you on the spot!"
But Staunton stood unmoved.
"Madman, would you thus repay me for the life I saved?" he asked,calmly.
"A curse on you for having saved it," answered the pirate, fiercely,returning his sword, which he had half drawn from its scabbard. "Myhand, however, shall not do the deed. Here, Antonio Diogo, here are thespies who wish to interfere in our trade, and would send us all toprison, or to the gallows, if they could catch us."
"The end of a rope and a dance on nothing for the officer, say I,"answered the mulatto mate. "See what his followers will do; speak tothem in their own lingo, captain, and ask them whether they choose towalk overboard or join us."
While he was speaking, some of the crew brought aft the two Britishseamen, with their hands lashed behind them. Others, headed by Antonio,immediately seized Captain Staunton, and led him to the gangway, one ofthe men running aloft to reeve a rope through the studding-sailsheet-block on the main-yard. Staunton well knew what the preparationsmeant, but he trembled not; his whole anxiety was for the boats' crewshe had led in the expedition which had ended so unfortunately, and forthe two poor fellows whose lives, he feared, were about also to besacrificed by the miscreants.
The British seamen watched what was going forward, and by the convulsiveworkings of their features, and the exertions they were making to freetheir arms, were evidently longing to strike a blow to rescue him.Daggerfeldt was better able to confront them than he had been to faceStaunton.
"You are seamen belonging to a man-of-war outside this river, and youcame here to interfere with our affairs?"
"You've hit it to an affigraphy, my bo'," answered one of the men, glad,at all events, to get the use of his tongue. "We belongs to herMajesty's brig `Sylph,' and we came into this here cursed hole to takeyou or any other slaver we could fall in with; and now you knows what Iam, I'll just tell you what you are--a runaway scoundrel of apiccarooning villain, whom no honest man would consort with, or evenspeak to, for that matter, except to give him a bit of his mind; and ifyou're not drowned, or blown up sky high, you'll be hung, as youdeserve, as sure as you're as big a rascal as ever breathed. Now, putthat in your pipe, my bo', and smoke it."
While he was thus running on, to the evident satisfaction of hisshipmate, who, indifferent to their danger, seemed mightily to enjoy thejoke, Daggerfeldt in vain endeavoured to stop him.
"Silence!" he shouted, "or you go overboard this moment!"
"You must bawl louder than that, my bo', if you wants to frighten JackHopkins, let me tell you," answered the undaunted seaman. "What is ityou want of us? Come, out with it; some villainy, I'll warrant."
The captain of the slaver ground his teeth with fury, but he dared notkill the man who was bearding him, for he could not explain to his crewthe nature of the offence, a very venial one in their eyes, and hewanted some good seamen.
"I overlook your insolence," he answered, restraining his passion. "Mycrew are your judges. You have been convicted of endeavouring tocapture us, and they give you your choice of joining us, or of goingoverboard; the dark stream alongside swarms with alligators. That fateis too good for your captain: he is to be hung."
"Why, what a cursed idiot you must be to suppose we'd ship with such apretty set of scoundrels as you and your men are," answered JackHopkins, with a laugh. "I speak for myself and for Bob Short, too.It's all right, Bob, I suppose?" he said, turning to his companion."There's no use shilly-shallying with these blackguards."
"Ay, ay; I'm ready for what you are," replied Bob Short, who had gainedhis name from the succinctness of his observations apparently, ratherthan from his stature, for he was six feet high, while the name by whichJack Hopkins was generally known on board was Peter Palaver, from hisinveterate habits of loquacity.
"Well, then, look ye here, Mr Daggerfeldt, I knowed you many years agofor an ill-begotten spawn of you knows what, and I knows you now for thebiggest scoundrel unhung, so you must just take the compliments I've gotto give you. Now for the matter of dying, I'd rather die with a brave,noble fellow like our skipper than live in company with a man who hasmurdered his messmate, has seduced the girl who sheltered him fromjustice, and would now hang the man who saved his life. Your favours!I'll have none on 'em."
The fierce pirate and slaver stood abashed before the wild outbreak ofthe bold sailor, but quickly recovering himself, livid and tremblingwith rage, he shouted out to his crew--
"Heave these fools of Englishmen overboard; they know more of oursecrets than they ought, and will not join us. Send this talking fellowfirst."
"If it comes to that, I can find my tongue too, let me tell you,"exclaimed Bob Short; "you're a murderous, rascally, thieving--"
"Heave them both together," shouted Daggerfeldt.
"Stay," said Antonio, who was refined in his cruelty; "let them have thepleasure of seeing their captain hang first, since they are so fond ofhim. He well knows what their fate will be, and perhaps he would ratherthey went overboard than joined us."
"Do as you like, but let it be done quickly," answered Daggerfeldt."I'm sick of this work, and we must be preparing to get out of theriver, or their friends will be sending in here to look for us."
Hopkins and Short did not understand a word of this conversation, andfinding themselves brought close up to where their captain stood engagedin his devotions, and preparing like a brave man for inevitable death,they believed that they were to share his fate.
"Well, I'm blowed if that ain't more than I expected of the beggars,"whispered Jack Hopkins to his companion; "they're going to do the thingthat's right after all, and launch us in our last cruise in the same wayas the captain."
"Jack, can you pray?" asked Bob Short.
"Why, for the matter of that I was never much of a hand at it," answeredJack; "but when I was a youngster I was taught to thank God for all hismercies, and I do so still. Why do you ask?"
"I was thinking as how as the skipper is taking a spell at it, whetherwe might ask him just to put in a word for us. He knows more about it,and a captain of a man-of-war must have a greater chance of beingattended to than one of us, you see, Jack."
Poor Bob could never thus have exerted himself had he not felt that heshould only have a few words more to speak in this life. Jack looked athim in surprise.
"I'll ask him, Bob, I'll ask him; but you know as how the parson says,in the country we are going to all men are equal, and so I suppose weought to pray for ourselves."
"But we are still in this world, Jack," argued the other; "CaptainStaunton is still our captain, and we are before the mast."
He spoke loud, and Captain Staunton had apparently overheard theconversation, for he smiled and looked towards them. He had beenoffering up a prayer to the throne on high for mercy for the failings ofthe two honest fellows, whose ignorance it was now too late toenlighten. Antonio was a pious Catholic, and, villain as he was, he wasunwilling not to give the chance of a quiet passage into the other worldto his victims.
"What are you about there?" shouted Daggerfeldt; "is this work never toend?"
"The men are praying, senor, before they slip their cables foreternity," answered Antonio.
"Is there an eternity?" muttered the pirate, and shuddered.
On Captain Staunton's turning his head, on which the light from thelantern fell strongly, Antonio believed it was the signal that he wasprepared,--"Hoist away!" he shouted, in Spanish; but at that instant alight female form rushed forth from the cabin, and seizing the whip,held it forcibly down with one hand while she disengaged the noose fromthe captain's neck.
"Oh, Juan! have you not murders enough on your head already that youmust commit another in cold blood?" she exclaimed, turning toDaggerfeldt, "and that other on one who saved your life at the risk ofhis own. I knew him--before all my misery began, and recognised him atonce. If you persist, I leave you; you know me well, I fear not to die;Antonio, you dare not disobey me. Unreeve that rope, and leave me tosettle with our captain regarding these men."
The slaver's crew stood sulky and with frowning aspect around her, yetthey in no way interrupted her proceedings, while Daggerfeldt stood asilent spectator in the after-part of the vessel.
"Unreeve that rope! again I say," she exclaimed, stamping on the deckwith her foot. The order was obeyed without the captain's interference."Your lives are safe for the present," she said, addressing theEnglishmen. "I know that man's humour, and he dares not now contradictme. I am the only thing who yet clings to him, the only one he thinkswho loves him, the only being in whom he can place his trust; thatexplains my power." She spoke hurriedly and low, so that Staunton alonecould hear her, and there was scorn in her tone. "Cast those menloose," she continued, turning to the crew, while with her own hands sheundid the cords which lashed Staunton's arms, and as she did so shewhispered, "Keep together, and edge towards the arms-chest. There arethose on board who will aid me if any attempt is made to injure you."
Saying this she approached the captain of the slaver; she touched hisarm: "Juan," she said, in a softened tone, totally different from thatin which she had hitherto spoken; "I am wayward, and have my fancies. Ifelt certain that your death would immediately follow that of those men.I w
as asleep in my cabin, and dreamed that you were struggling in thewaves, and they, seizing hold of you, were about to drag you down withthem."
Daggerfeldt looked down at her as she stood in a supplicating attitudebefore him. "You are fanciful, Juanetta; but you love me, girl."
"Have I not proved it?" she answered in a tone of sadness; "you willsave the lives of these men?"
"I tell you I will. We will carry them in chains to Cuba, and theresell them as slaves."
"You must let them go free here," she answered.
"Impossible, Juanetta; do you wish to betray me?" he asked, fiercely."Go to your cabin. The men shall not be hurt, and they will be betteroff than the blacks on board."
She was silent, and then retired to her cabin, speaking on her way aword to a negro who stood near the entrance. "Mauro," she said, "watchthose men, and if you observe any signs of treachery, let me know."
The black signified that he comprehended her wishes, and would obeythem.
THE ESCAPE.
Captain Staunton and his companions were not allowed to remain long atliberty; for as soon as the lady had retired, at a sign fromDaggerfeldt, the slaver's crew again attempted to lash their arms behindthem, not, however, without some resistance on the part of Hopkins andShort. The most zealous in this work was the negro Mauro, whocontrived, as he was passing a rope round Captain Staunton's arm, towhisper in his ear, "Make no resistance, senor, it is useless. You havefriends near you. Tell your followers to keep quiet. They can dothemselves no good."
Staunton accordingly told his men to follow his example, when theyquietly submitted to their fate. Before this, he had contemplated thepossibility of their being able to succeed in getting arms from thearms-chest, and either selling their lives dearly, or jumping overboardand attempting to reach the shore. In most slavers the lower deck isdevoted entirely to the slaves and the provisions, the men sleepingunder a topgallant-forecastle, or sometimes on the open deck, and thecaptain and mates under the poop deck. There was, therefore, no spareplace in which to confine the prisoners, and they were accordingly toldto take up their quarters under an awning stretched between two guns inthe waist. This was better accommodation than they could have expected,for not only were they sheltered partially from the dew, but werescreened from the observation of the crew, and were not subject to thesuffocating heat of the between-decks.
A night may, however, be more agreeably spent than on a hard plank, upan African river, with a prospect of being sent to feed the alligatorsin the morning, and the certainty of a long separation from one'sfriends and country, not to speak of the nine hundred and ninety-ninechances out of a thousand of one's losing one's health, if not one'slife, by the insatiable yellow-fever.
The reflections of Captain Staunton were most bitter. He thought not ofhimself, but of her he had loved so long and faithfully; she wouldbelieve him dead, and he knew how poignant would be her grief. He feltsure that she would not be faithless to his memory, but months, evenyears, might pass before he might escape, or have the means of informingher of his existence. While these ideas were passing through his mind,it was impossible to sleep. There were, too, the midnight noises of theAfrican clime: the croaking of frogs, the chirrup of birds, the howl ofwild beasts, the cries, if not of fish, of innumerable amphibiousanimals of flesh and fowl, and, more than all, the groans and moans ofthe unhappy beings confined in their noisome sepulchre below; allcombined to make a concert sounding as might the distant echoes ofPandemonium. At length, however, towards the morning, nature gave way,and he forgot himself and his unfortunates in slumber. It had notlasted many minutes when he was aroused by a hand placed on hisshoulder, while a soft hush was whispered in his ear. At the same timehe felt that there was a knife employed in cutting the ropes which boundhis arms. Something told him that the person performing this office wasa friend, so he did not attempt to speak, but quietly waited to learnwhat, he was next expected to do. Again the voice whispered in hisear,--
"Arouse your companions, if possible, but beware that they do not speakaloud; caution them in their ear as I did you--their heads are nearwhere yours lies."
The voice which spoke, from its silvery tones, Staunton felt certain wasthat of a female, as was the hand which loosened his bonds. Withouthesitation, therefore, he did as he was desired, and putting his mouthdown to Hopkins's ear, he ordered him on his life not to utter a word.Jack was awake in a moment, and alive to the state of affairs. They hadmore difficulty in arousing Bob Short, who uttered several verytreacherous groans and grunts before he was quite awake, though hefortunately did not speak. Had Captain Staunton been aware that asentry was actually posted outside the screen, he would have trembledfor their safety. Fortunately the man was fast asleep, recliningagainst the bulwarks--a fact ascertained by Jack Hopkins, who poked hishead from under the screen to ascertain how the coast lay. Not a soundwas heard to give notice that any of the crew were stirring on deck.Staunton, feeling that his best course was to trust implicitly to hisunseen guide, waited till he received directions how to proceed. Hesoon felt himself pulled gently by the arm towards the nearest port,which was sufficiently raised to enable him to pass through it. Onputting his head out, he perceived through the obscurity a canoe with asingle person in it, hanging on alongside the schooner. His guidedropped noiselessly into it, and took her place in the stern; Stauntoncautiously followed, and seating himself in the afterthwart, found apaddle put into his hands; Jack and Bob required no one to tell themwhat to do, but quickly also took their places in the boat. As soon asthey were seated, the man who was first in the canoe shoved her offgently from the side of the schooner; and while the guide directed theircourse, began to paddle off rapidly towards the centre of the stream.So dexterously did he apply his oar, that not a splash was heard, thoughthe canoe darted quickly along through the ink-like current withoutleaving even a ripple in her wake. Not a word was uttered by any of theparty; every one seemed to be aware of the importance of silence, andeven Peter Palaver forebore to cut a joke, which he felt very muchinclined to do, as he found himself increasing his distance from theblack slaver.
THE PURSUIT.
The canoe held her silent course down the dark and mirror-like streamtowards the sea. Not a breath of wind moved the leaves of the loftypalm-trees which towered above their heads, casting their tall shadowson the calm waters below, while here and there a star was seen piercingas it were through the thick canopy of branches; the air was hot andoppressive, and a noxious exhalation rose from the muddy banks, whencethe tide had run off. Now and then a lazy alligator would run his longsnout above the surface of the stream, like some water demon, and againglide noiselessly back into his slimy couch.
"Tell your people to take to their paddles and ply them well," said theguide, in a louder tone than had hitherto been used.
Staunton was now certain that it was Juanetta's voice--that of the ladywho had preserved his life.
"We are still some distance from the sea, in reaching which is our onlychance of safety; for if we are overtaken--and the moment our flight isdiscovered, we shall be pursued--our death is certain."
The instant Bob and Jack had leave to use their paddles they plied themmost vigorously, and the canoe, which had hitherto glided, now sprang,as it were, through the water, throwing up sparkling bubbles on eitherside of her sharp bows.
"Pull on, my brave men," she exclaimed to herself, more than to theseamen, "every thing depends on our speed. The tide is still makingout, and if we can clear the mouth of the river before the flood sets inall will be well."
She spoke in Spanish, a language Staunton understood well. Her eye wasmeantime turning in every direction as her hand skilfully guided theboat.
"There are scouts about who might attempt to stop us if they suspectedwe were fugitives. I have, however, the pass-word, and can withoutdifficulty mislead them if we encounter any. Your own people, too, maybe in the river looking out for the schooner."
"I think not," answered Staunton.
"We had lost one of our boats, and asI am believed dead, my successor (poor fellow, how he will bedisappointed!) will, if he acts wisely, not attempt to capture the`Espanto' except with the `Sylph' herself."
"The greater necessity, then, for our getting out to sea. It is alreadydawn. Observe the red glare bursting through the mist in the easternsky, just through the vista of palm-trees up that long reach. We shallsoon have no longer the friendly darkness to conceal us."
As she was speaking a large canoe was seen gliding calmly up the stream,close in with the bank. The people in her hailed in the negro language,and the man who was first in the canoe promptly answered in the same.
"Ask them if they have seen the English man-of-war," said Juanetta.
The negroes answered that she was still riding at anchor off the mouthof the river.
"We shall thus be safe if we can reach the open sea," she observed; "butwe have still some miles to row before we can get clear of thetreacherous woods which surround us; and perhaps when our flight isdiscovered, our pursuers may take one of the other channels, and we mayfind our egress stopped at the very mouth of the stream. This suspenseis dreadful."
"We may yet strike a blow for you, and for our own liberty, senora,"answered Staunton. "It was fortunate the obscurity prevented the peoplein the canoe from discovering us."
"That matters little. No one would venture to stop me but that man,that demon rather in human disguise, Daggerfeldt, as you call him," shereplied, bitterly, pronouncing the name as one to which she wasunaccustomed. "Ah, senor; love--ardent, blind, mad love--can be turnedto the most deadly hatred. Criminal, lost as I have been, I feel thatthere is a step further into iniquity, and that step I have refused totake. The scales have fallen from my eyes, and I have seen the enormityof my wickedness, and have discovered the foulness of my wrongs. Fromhis own lips the dreadful information came. In the same breath heacknowledged that he had murdered my father and deceived me. As heslept he told the dreadful tale; the sight of you conjured up the pastto his memory; other murders he talked of, and treachery of all sortsattempted. He mocked, too, at me, and at my credulity. I learned alsothat he still contemplated your destruction as well as mine. I who hadpreserved his life, who had sacrificed my happiness here and hereafterfor his sake, was to be cast off for another lady fairer and younger, soit seemed to me, but I could not understand all his words, for sometimeshe spoke in his native language, sometimes in Spanish. Enough was heardto decide me. I had long contemplated quitting him. I knew that it waswrong remaining, but had not strength before to tear asunder my bonds,till the feeling that I might rescue you, and make some slightreparation to heaven for my wickedness, gave me strength to undertakethe enterprise. There, senor, you know the reason of your liberation;my trusty Mauro, who has ever been faithful, provided the means."
She spoke in a hurried tone, and her sentences were broken, as if shehesitated to speak of her disgrace and misery, but yet was urged on byan irresistible impulse. Even while she was speaking her eye was on thealert, and her hand continued skilfully to guide the canoe. The starshad gradually disappeared, sinking as it were into a bed of thickleaden-coloured mist, which overspread the narrow arch overhead, whilein the east a red glow appeared which melted away as the pale daylightslowly filled the air. It was day, but there was no joyousness inanimated nature, or elasticity in the atmosphere, as at that time inother regions. A sombre hue tinted the trees, the water, and the sky;even the chattering of innumerable parrots, and the cries of thosecaricatures of men, many thousands of obscene monkeys, appeared ratherto mock at than to welcome the return of the world to life.
The canoe flew rapidly on. Suddenly Juanetta lifted her paddle from thewater; her ears were keenly employed.
"Hark!" she said, "cease rowing; there is the sound of oars in thewater. Ah! it is as I thought. There is a boat endeavouring to cut usoff by taking another channel; she is still astern of us though, but wemust not slack our exertions."
Captain Staunton redoubled his efforts, as did his men on his tellingthem they were pursued. After the story he had heard, he was now doublyanxious to rescue the unfortunate girl from the power of the miscreantDaggerfeldt. They now entered a broader reach of the river below thefork, where the channel which Juanetta supposed their pursuers had takenunited with the one they were following. They had got some way down itwhen Staunton observed a large boat emerging from behind the woodyscreen. Juanetta judged from his eye that he had caught sight of theboat.
"Is it as I thought?" she asked, calmly.
Staunton told her that he could distinguish a boat, evidently pursuingthem, but whether she belonged to his ship or to the slaver, he couldnot judge.
"We must not stay to examine; if we were mistaken we should be lost,"she observed; "but we have the means of defending ourselves--see, I hadfire-arms placed in the bottom of the canoe, and here are powder-hornsunder the seat. Mauro has carefully loaded them, and if they attempt tostop us we must use them."
On they pulled, straining every nerve to the utmost, but the canoe washeavily laden, and the boat gained on them. Staunton trusted that theirpursuers might be his own people, but his hope vanished when one of themrose; there was a wreath of smoke, a sharp report, and a bullet flewover their heads and splintered the branch of a tree which grew at theend of a point they were just then doubling.
"Aim lower next time, my bo', if you wish to wing us," shouted JackHopkins, who saw no use in longer keeping silence.
"Ah!" exclaimed Juanetta, "the blue sea--we may yet escape."
As she spoke, another shot better aimed took effect on the quarter ofthe canoe, but did no further injury. It showed, however, that therewere good marksmen in the boat intent on mischief, and that they wereperilously near already. For some time they were again shut out fromtheir pursuers, but as the latter doubled the last point, they had, tooevidently, gained on them.
"If any one again rises to fire, you must take also to your arms,senor," said Juanetta, a shudder passing through her frame; "and if itis he, kill him--kill him without remorse. He has shown none. Thatrifle at your feet was his--it was always true to its aim."
She had scarcely ceased speaking, when a figure stood up in the boat.It seemed to have the likeness of Daggerfeldt. Staunton seized therifle to fire--he was too late. Ere he had drawn the trigger, a flashwas seen, and Juanetta, with a wild shriek, fell forward into the canoe.Staunton fired; the man who had sent the fatal shot stood unharmed, butthe oar of one fell from his grasp, and got entangled with those of theothers. This would have enabled the canoe to recover her lost ground,had not Mauro, on seeing his beloved mistress fall, thrown up hispaddle, exclaiming that he wished to die with her.
"She may yet be saved if you exert yourself," cried Staunton, inSpanish; "row--for your life row; I will attend to your mistress."
Urged by the officer's commanding tone, the negro again resumed hispaddle. Staunton, still guiding the canoe, raised Juanetta, and placedher back in the stern-sheets--she scarcely breathed. The ball hadapparently entered her neck, though no blood was to be seen. Hesuspected the worst, but dared not utter his fears lest Mauro shouldagain give way to his grief. Several other shots were fired at themfrom the boat, which was rapidly gaining on them. They were close onthe bar, in another moment they would be in clear water.
The slaver crew shouted fiercely; again a volley was fired, the ballsfrom which went through and through the sides of the slight canoe,without wounding any one, but making holes for the water to rush in.One more volley would sink them, when a loud cheerful shout rung intheir ears, and two boats with the British ensign trailing from thestern were seen pulling rapidly towards them.
Jack Hopkins and Bob Short answered the hail; the pirates, too, saw theboats, they ceased rowing, and then pulling round, retraced their courseup the river. The canoe, with the rapid current, flew over the bar, andhad barely time to get alongside the barge of the "Sylph," when she wasfull up to the thwarts. We need not say that his crew
welcomed CaptainStaunton's return in safety with shouts of joy, after they had believedhim dead.
With the strong current then setting out of the river it was foundhopeless to follow the slaver's boat. They were soon alongside thebrig.
Poor Juanetta was carried carefully to the captain's cabin, watchedearnestly by Mauro. The surgeon examined her wound.
"Her hours are numbered," he said. "No art of mine can save her."
THE ACTION.
Calm and treacherously beautiful as was the morning on which CaptainStaunton regained his ship, scarcely had she got under way to stand incloser to the mouth of the river, in order to watch more narrowly forthe schooner, should she attempt to run out, than a dark cloud was seenrising over the land. It appeared on a sudden, and extended rapidly,till it spread over the whole eastern sky.
"I fear that it will not do with the weather we have in prospect to sendthe boats up the river again to retrieve our defeat, Mr Collins," saidCaptain Staunton, pointing to the threatening sky.
"I think not, sir, with you," answered the lieutenant; "in fact, if Imay advise, the sooner we shorten sail the better, or we may have itdown upon us before we are prepared."
"You are right, Mr Collins; shorten sail as soon as you please," saidthe captain.
"All hands shorten sail," was sung along the decks.
"Aloft there"--"Lay out"--"Be smart about it"--"In with everything"--"Let fly"--"Haul down"--"Brail up"--"Be smart, it will be downupon us thick and strong, in a moment"--"Up with the helm"--"Look outthere aloft"--"Be smart, my lads."
Such were the different orders issued, and exclamations uttered insuccession by the officers.
A moment before, the sea was smooth as glass, and the brig had scarcelysteerage-way. Now the loud roaring of the angry blast was heard, andthe flapping of the yet unfolded canvas against the masts; the ocean wasa sheet of white foam, and the sky a canopy of inky hue. Away the brigflew before it, leaving the land astern, her sails were closely furled,and she remained unharmed, not a spar was sprung, not a rope carriedaway, not a sail injured. Thus she flew on under bare poles till thesquall subsided as quickly as it had arisen, and sail was again made torecover the ground they had lost.
Land was still visible, blue and indistinct, but many fears werenaturally entertained lest the slaver, which had already given them somuch trouble, should have got out of the river with her living cargo,and by keeping either way along shore, have escaped them. For someminutes the wind entirely failed, and curses loud and deep were utteredat their ill luck, when, as if to rebuke them for their discontent, thefine fresh sea-breeze set in, and, with a flowing sheet, carried themgayly along.
Every eye was employed in looking out for the slaver, for they could notsuppose she would have lost the opportunity of getting out during theirabsence. They were not kept long in suspense.
"A sail on the starboard bow," cried the look-out from the masthead.
"What is she like?" asked the first lieutenant.
"A schooner, sir. The slaver, sir, as we chased afore," answered theseaman, his anxiety that she should be so making him fancy he could notbe mistaken.
"The fellow must have sharp eyes indeed to know her at this distance,"muttered the lieutenant to himself with a smile; "however, I supposehe's right. We must not, though, be chasing the wrong craft while theenemy is escaping. Which way is she standing?" he asked.
"To the southward, sir, with every stitch of canvas she can carry," wasthe answer.
The officer made the proper official report to the captain.
"We must be after her at all events," said Captain Staunton. "Haul up,Mr Collins, in chase. Send Mr Stevenson away in the barge to watchthe mouth of the river."
The brig was forthwith brought to the wind, the barge in a very shortspace of time was launched and manned with a stout crew well-armed andprovisioned, and she shoved off to perform her duty, while the "Sylph"followed the strange sail. The man-of-war had evidently an advantageover the stranger, for while the sea-breeze in the offing blew fresh andsteady, in-shore it was light and variable.
On perceiving this, Captain Staunton kept his brig still nearer to thewind, and ran down, close-hauled, along the coast, thus keeping thestrength of the wind, and coming up hand over hand with the stranger,who lay at times almost becalmed under the land. The breeze, however,before they came abreast of her reached her also, and away she flew likea startled hare just aroused from sleep.
"Fire a gun to bring her to," exclaimed the captain; "she shall have noreason to mistake our intentions."
The British ensign was run up, and a gun was discharged, but to noeffect. Two others followed, which only caused her to make more sail;and by her luffing closer up to the wind, she apparently hoped toweather on them, and cross their bows. She was a large schooner, and bythe way sail was made on her, probably strongly-handed, so that therecould be little doubt that she was the vessel for which they were insearch.
"Send a shot into the fellow," exclaimed the captain; "that will provewe are in earnest, and make him show his colours."
The shot clearly hit the schooner, although the range was somewhat long,but it did slight damage. It had the effect though of making him showhis ensign, and the stripes and stars of the United States streamed outto the breeze.
"Those are not the fellow's colours, I'll swear," said Mr Collins, ashe looked through his glass. "Another shot will teach him we are not tobe humbugged."
"Give it him, Collins, and see if you can knock away any of his spars,"said the captain. "We must follow that fellow round the world till webring him to action, and take or sink him. He'll not heave-to for us,depend upon that."
"Not if Daggerfeldt is the captain," answered the first lieutenant.
"I think she is his schooner; but he is so continually altering herappearance that it is difficult to be quite certain."
"Though I was some hours on board of her, as I reached her in the dark,and left her before it was light, I cannot be certain," observed CaptainStaunton, as he took a turn on the quarter-deck with his officer. "Bythe by, there is that poor girl's black attendant; he will know thevessel at all events. Tell him to come up and give us his opinion."
The lieutenant went into the captain's cabin, and soon after returned,observing,--
"He will not quit his mistress, sir; and the surgeon tells me he has satby her side without stirring, watching every movement of her lips as amother does her only child. As no one on board can speak his languagebut you, sir, we cannot make him understand why he is wanted on deck."
"Oh, I forgot that: I will speak to him myself," answered the captain."Keep firing at the chase till she heaves-to, and then see that she doesnot play us any trick. Daggerfeldt is up to every thing."
Captain Staunton descended to his cabin. Juanetta lay on the sofa, asheet thrown over her limbs, her countenance of a corpse-like hue, butby the slight movements of her lips she still breathed. The black hungover her, applying a handkerchief to her brow to wipe away the colddamps gathering there. Her features, though slightly sunk, as seen inthe subdued light of the cabin, seemed like those of some beautifulstatue rather than of a living being. The surgeon stood at the head ofthe couch, endeavouring to stop the haemorrhage from the wound.
"I dare not probe for the ball," he whispered, as if the dying girlcould understand him; "it would only add to her torture, and I cannotprolong her life."
"And this is thy handiwork, Daggerfeldt--another victim of thy unholypassions," muttered the captain, as he gazed at her for a moment. "Poorgirl, we will avenge thee!"
He had considerable difficulty in persuading Mauro to quit his mistress;but at length the faithful black allowed himself to be led on deck. Helooked round, at first bewildered, as if unconscious where he was; butwhen his eye fell on the schooner, it brightened up, as if meeting anobject with which it was familiar, and a fierce expression tookpossession of his countenance.
"Es ella, es ella, senor!" he exclaimed, vehemently. "It is she,
it isshe--fire, fire--kill him, kill him, he has slain my mistress!"
A gun was just then discharged, the shot struck the quarter of theschooner, and the white splinters were seen flying from it. On seeingthis he shouted with savage joy, clapped his hands, and spat in thedirection of the slaver, exhibiting every other sign he could think of,of hatred and rage. Having thus given way to his feelings, therecollection of his mistress returned, and with a groan of anguish herushed down below.
The two vessels had been gradually drawing closer to each other, inconsequence of the schooner luffing up to endeavour to cross the bows ofthe brig, and if she could, to get to windward of her, the only chanceshe had of escaping. The eyes of the officers were fixed on her towatch her movements.
"She's about--all right!" shouted the captain. "Give her a broadsidewhile she is in stays, and knock away some of her spars. Fire high, mylads, so as not to hurt her hull."
The brig discharged her whole larboard battery, and the fore-topmast ofthe schooner was seen tumbling below.
"By Jingo, we've dished him!" exclaimed Jack Hopkins, to his chum, BobShort; "and I'm blowed, Bob, if it wasn't my shot did that ere for him.I never lost sight of it till it struck."
"Maybe," answered Bob; "hard to prove, though."
The schooner had sufficient way on her to bring her round before thetopmast fell, and she was now brought into a position partially to rakethe brig, though at the distance the two vessels were from each other,the aim was very uncertain.
That Daggerfeldt had determined to fight his vessel was now evident, forthe flag of the United States being hauled down, that of Spain was runup in its stead, and at the same moment a broadside was let fly from theschooner. The shot came whizzing over and about the brig, but one onlystruck her, carrying away the side of a port, a splinter from whichslightly wounded Bob Short in the leg.
"Ough!" exclaimed Bob, quietly binding his handkerchief round the limbwithout quitting his post, "they're uncivil blackguards."
"Never mind, Bob," said Jack Hopkins, "we'll soon have an opportunity ofgiving them something in return. See, by Jingo, we've shot away hisforestay! we'll have his foremast down in a jiffy. Huzza, my boys,let's try what we can do!"
Whether Jack's gun was well aimed it is difficult to say, but at allevents the shot from the brig told with considerable effect on therigging of the schooner. The brig did not altogether escape from thefire of the enemy, who worked his guns rapidly; but whenever a brace wasshot away it was quickly again rove, so that she was always kept wellunder command. The loss of her fore-topmast made the escape of theschooner hopeless, unless she could equally cripple her pursuer; butthat she had not contrived to do, and accordingly, as the two vesselsdrew closer together, the fire from each took more effect. Daggerfeldt,to do him justice, did all a seaman could do, and in a very short spaceof time the wreck of his topmast was cleared away, and he was preparingto get up a new one in its place. The sea was perfectly smooth, and thewind gradually fell till there was scarcely enough to blow away thesmoke from the guns of the combatants, which in thick curling wreathssurrounded them, till at intervals only could the adjacent land and theocean be seen.
Although Daggerfeldt could scarcely have hoped to succeed either inescaping or coming off the victor, he still refused to haul down hiscolours, even when the "Sylph," shooting past ahead of him, poured inher whole broadside, sweeping his decks, and killing and woundingseveral of his people. Dreadful were the shrieks which arose from thepoor affrighted wretches confined below, although none of them wereinjured. The "Sylph" then wore round, and, passing under her stern,gave her another broadside, and then luffing up, ran her alongside--thegrappling-irons were hove on board, and she was secured in a deadlyembrace. The miserable blacks, believing that every moment was to betheir last, again uttered loud cries of horror; but the slaver's crew,some of whom fought with halters round their necks, still refused toyield, and, with cutlass in hand, seemed prepared to defend their vesselto the last, as the British seamen, led on by their captain, leaped uponthe decks. Staunton endeavoured to single out Daggerfeldt, but he couldnowhere distinguish him; and after a severe struggle, in which severalof the Spaniards were killed, he fought his way aft, and hauled down thecolours.
At that instant a female form, with a white robe thrown around her, wasseen standing on the deck of the brig; the crew of the slaver also sawher, and, believing her to be a spirit of another world, fancied she hadcome to warn them of their fate. The energies of many were paralysed,and some threw down their arms and begged for quarter. A loud, piercingshriek was heard.
"I am avenged, I am avenged!" she cried, and sank upon the deck.
It was Juanetta. Mauro, who had followed her from the cabin, threwhimself by her side, and wrung his hands in despair. They raised up herhead, and the surgeon felt her pulse. She had ceased to breathe.
No further resistance was offered by the crew of the slaver. Eighthundred human beings--men, women, and children--were found stowed below,wedged so closely together, that none could move without disturbing hisneighbour. Some had actually died from sheer fright at the noise of thecannonading.
Instant search was made for Daggerfeldt; he was nowhere to be found, andthe crew either could not or would not give any information respectinghim. The prize was carried safely to Sierra Leone, where she wascondemned; the slaves were liberated, and became colonists; and CaptainStaunton, and his officers and crew, got a handsome share ofprize-money.
The "Sylph" was in the following month recalled home, and a few weeksafterward the papers announced the marriage of Captain Staunton, RN, toMiss Blanche D'Aubigne.
The Cruise of the Frolic Page 14
