Captain Canot; Or, Twenty Years of an African Slaver
composed of the scourings of all nations, castes, and colors, bore a
commission from the authorities of Carthagena to burn, sink and
destroy all Spanish property she was strong enough to capture. Lamine
was born in the isle of France, while Lasquetti, the lieutenant, was a
creole of Pensacola. The latter spoke French and Spanish quite well,
but very little English; while both master and mate were almost
entirely ignorant of navigation, having intrusted that task to the
third lieutenant, who was then ill with yellow fever. The second
lieutenant was absent on board a prize.
Thus forced to take charge of a privateer without a moment's warning,
I submitted with the best grace, and, calling for charts and
instruments, I shaped my way for the destined port. All day we steered
west-north-west, but at sunset, as we had run along smartly, I
ordered the schooner to be "laid to" for the night. The wind and
weather were both charmingly fair, and objections were of course made
to my command. But, as the most difficult part of our navigation was
to be encountered during the night, if I kept on my course, I resolved
to persist to the last in my resolution, and I was fortunate enough to
carry my point.
"D--n you," said Lasquetti, as the vessel was brought to the wind and
made snug for the night, "d--n you, Master Teodore; this laying-to
shall give _you_ no rest, at least, if you thought to dodge work, and
get into a hammock by means of it! You shall march the deck all night
to see that we don't drift on a reef, if I have to sit up, or stand up
till day-dawn to watch you!"
Obedience, alas! had been the order of the day with me for a long
while; so I promenaded the lee quarter till nearly midnight, when,
utterly exhausted by fatigue, I sat down on a long brass chaser, and
almost instantly fell asleep.
I know not how long I rested, but a tremendous shock knocked me from
the cannon and laid me flat on the deck, bleeding from mouth, nose and
ears. Lasquetti stood beside me, cigar in hand, laughing immoderately,
blaspheming like a demon, and kicking me in the ribs with his rough
wet-weather boots. He had detected me asleep, and touched off the gun
with his _havanna_!
The explosion aroused all hands, and brought the commander on deck. My
blood flowed, but it did not pour fast enough to relieve my agonizing
rage. As soon as I recovered consciousness, I seized the first heavy
implement I could grasp, and rushed at my aggressor, whose skull was
saved from the blow by descending beneath the combings of the
hatchway, which, the instant after, were shivered by the descent of my
heavy weapon. Lamine was a man of some sensibility, and, though
selfish, as usual with his set, could not avoid at once reprimanding
Lasquetti with uncommon severity in presence of his men.
That afternoon, I was fortunate enough, by the aid of a good chart,
and a sort of _navigating instinct_, to anchor the "Cara-bobo" in the
narrow harbor of Key West. When Lamine went ashore, he ordered me not
to leave the schooner, while sentries were placed to prevent boats
from boarding or even approaching us. Hardly was the master out of the
vessel before two men seized me as I looked at the shore through a
telescope. In the twinkling of an eye, I was hurried below and
double-ironed; nor would I have received a morsel of food save bread
and water during our detention, had I not been secretly fed by some
good fellows from the forecastle, who stole to me after dark with the
remnant of their rations. This was the cowardly revenge of Lasquetti.
On the third day, Lamine returned, bringing an American pilot for the
coast and islands. I was set at liberty as he was seen approaching;
and when we got under way on another cruise, I was commanded to do
duty as sailing-master, which I promptly refused with spirited
indignation, until I received satisfaction from the dastard
lieutenant. But this fellow had taken care to forestall me, by
assuring Lamine that he never dreamed of securing me until I was
caught in the very act of escaping from the schooner!
During a week's cruise of indifferent success with these "patriots," I
won the kind heart of the American pilot, who heard the story of my
late adventures with patience; and, through his influence with the
commander, my lot was mitigated, notwithstanding my refusal to do
duty. By this time, the third lieutenant was restored to sufficient
health to resume the deck. He was a native of Spain and a gallant
sailor. Many an hour did he pass beside me, recounting his adventures
or listening to mine, until I seemed to win his sympathy, and insure
his assistance for relief from this miserable tyranny.
At length, the schooner's course was shaped for the Cruz del Padre,
while I was summoned to the cabin. I perceived at once a singular
change for the better in Monsieur Lamine's manner. He requested me to
be seated; pressed me to accept a tumbler of claret; inquired about my
health, and ended this harmonious overture by saying, that if I would
sign a document exonerating him from all charges of compulsory
detention or ill-treatment, he would pay me two hundred dollars for
my service, and land me again on the key.
I promptly saw that his object in replacing me on the island was to
prevent my complaints against his conduct from reaching the ears of a
tribunal in a neutral port; and, accordingly, I declined the
proposition,--demanding, however, to be put on board of any vessel we
met, no matter what might be her nationality. I sternly refused his
money, and insisted that my only desire was to be free from his brutal
officer.
But Lamine was in power and I was not. In the end, I discovered that
worse consequences might befall me among these ruffians, if I
hesitated to take the recompense and sign the paper. In fact, I began
to be quite satisfied that, in reality, it was an _escape_ to be freed
from the privateer, even if I took refuge once more among pirates!
So, after a good deal of claret and controversy had been wasted, I
signed the document and pocketed the cash.
As the first bars of saffron streaked the east next morning, the reef
of the Cruz del Padre hove in sight dead ahead. The third lieutenant
presented me at my departure with a set of charts, a spy-glass, a
quadrant, and a large bag of clothes; while, in the breast of a rich
silk waistcoat, he concealed three ounces and a silver watch, which he
desired me to wear in honor of him, if ever I was fortunate enough to
tread the streets of Havana. Several of the white sailors also offered
me useful garments; and a black fellow, who had charge of the boat in
which I was sent ashore, forced on me two sovereigns, which he
considered a small gratuity to "_a countryman_" in distress. He hailed
from Marblehead, and protested that he knew me in Salem when I was a
lad.
As the boat approached the _rancho's_ cove, I perceived every body
under arms, and heard Don Rafael command my boatmen, in a loud,
imperious voice, to begone, or he would fire. Standing on the thwarts
of the boat, I ordered the oarsmen to back water, and leaping into the
sea, waist-deep, struggled alone to the beach, calling "mi tio! mi
tio!"--"_my uncle! Don Rafael!_"--who, recognizing my voice and
gestures, promptly rushed forward to embrace me. Our boat was then
allowed to approach the landing and disburthen itself of the gifts. I
thought it best to request my sable ally from Marblehead to narrate,
in as good Spanish or _lingua-franca_, as he could press into his
service, the whole story of my capture and the conduct of Gallego.
This being done, the boat and its crew were dispatched aboard with a
multitude of Spanish courtesies and the substantial gift of some
_Chateau Margaux_.
After an early supper, I became the lion of the evening, and was
requested to give a narrative of my cruise in the "patriot service." I
noticed that some of the gang looked on me askance with an incredulous
air, while others amused themselves by smoking and spitting in a very
contemptuous way whenever I reached what I conceived to be a thrilling
portion of my story. At its conclusion, I arose and deposited in the
hands of Don Rafael my gifts of two hundred dollars and the two
sovereigns. This evidence of reciprocity seemed to restore the good
temper of my impatient hearers, so that, by the time the _patron_ went
round the circle, giving each man his share of my earnings,--not even
omitting Gallego,--my credit was almost restored among the gang.
"As for these two pieces of gold, these charts, instruments and
clothes," said Don Rafael, "they are the property of the youth, and I
am sure none of you are mean enough to divide them. The money was
another thing. That was _his_ earning, as the 'fishing _revenue_' is
ours; and as he is entitled to a share of what _we_ gain, we are
entitled to participate in whatever _he_ wins. Yet, _amigos_, this is
not all. My nephew, _caballeros_, has been accused, by one of this
party, _during his absence_, of being not only a contemptible thief,
but a traitor and coward. Now, as these are three 'blasphemous
vituperations' which are not to be found under any head in my
prayer-book, and never were chargeable on the blood of our family, I
insist on immediate justice to my kinsman. Let that cowardly scoundrel
repeat and _prove_ his accusation of Teodore, face to face! You,
_senores_, shall stand judges. Every thing shall be fair. To-night, my
boy shall be found guilty or purged of the baseness imputed to him;
and, moreover, I apprise you now, that if he is innocent, I shall
to-morrow restore him to liberty. His voluntary return was a voucher
of honesty; and I doubt whether there is a clever man among you who
does not agree with me. Stand forth, Gallego, and charge this youth
again with the infamy you heaped on him while he was away."
But the sullen wretch bowed his head, with a hang-dog look, and rolled
his black and bushy skull slowly from side to side, with an air of
bullying defiance. Still he remained perfectly silent.
"Stand forth, Gallego, once more, I say!" shouted Don Rafael, stamping
with fury and foaming at the mouth; "stand forth, imp of the devil,
and make good your charge, or I'll trice you up to these rafters by
your thumbs, and lash you with a cow-hide till your stretched skin
peels off in ribbons!"
The threat restored Gallego's voice; but he could only say that there
was no use in repeating the charges, because the case was prejudged,
and all feared Don Rafael and his parasite to such a degree that it
was impossible to treat him with justice. "Yet, look ye, senores, if I
can't talk, I can fight. If Don Rafael is ready to meet me, knife in
hand, in support of my cause, why, all I have to say is, that I am
ready for him and his bastard to boot!"
In a moment, Rafael's knife was out of his belt, and the two sprang
forward in a death-struggle, which would doubtless have been a short
affair, had not the whole party interposed between the combatants and
forbidden the fight. In the hurly-burly, Gallego took to his heels and
departed.
The scoundrel's escape caused some alarm in the camp, as it was feared
he might leave the island, and, turning king's evidence, make the
waters of Cuba too hot for the band. Accordingly, all the canoes and
boats that night were drawn up on the beach and kept under double
watch.
When order was restored in the _rancho_, I asked Don Rafael to explain
the "three accusations" that had been made against my fair fame; when
I learned that I was charged by Gallego with having felled him in the
boat, with having shipped voluntarily in the privateer, and with
returning in the Cara-bobo's boats _to rob the rancho of its
valuables_!
The first of the allegations I admitted to be true; the second had