Captain Canot; Or, Twenty Years of an African Slaver
would induce him to liberate either of us without payment of the bill.
While we were talking, a crowd of canoes was seen shoving off from
Bangalang, filled with armed men; whereupon the excited Gaul ordered
his men to quarters, and double-shotted his guns.
As the first boat came within striking distance, a ball was fired
across her bows, which not only sent back the advance, but made the
entire fleet tack ship and steer homeward in dismay. Soon after,
however, I heard the war-drum beating in Bangalang, and could see the
natives mustering in great numbers along the river banks; yet, what
could undisciplined savages effect against the skinned teeth of our
six-pounders? At sunset, however, my clerk came off, with a white
flag, and the captain allowed him to row alongside to receive our
orders in his presence. Ormond was not yet in a state to consult as to
our appropriate means of rescue from the trickster's clutches; so I
directed the young man to return in the morning with changes of
raiment; but, in the mean while, to desire the villagers of both
settlements to refrain from interference in our behalf. An excellent
meal, with abundance of claret, was served for our entertainment, and,
on a capital mattress, we passed a night of patient endurance in our
iron stockings.
At daylight, water and towels were served for our refreshment. After
coffee and cigars were placed on the board, Brulot put by his
sarcasm, and, in an off-hand fashion, demanded whether we had come to
our senses and intended to pay the debt? My Italian blood was in a
fever, and I said nothing. Ormond, however,--now entirely sober, and
who was enjoying a cigar with the habitual _insouciance_ of a
mulatto,--replied quietly that he could make no promises or
arrangements whilst confined on board, but if allowed to go ashore,
he would fulfil his obligation in two or three days. An hour was
spent by the Frenchman in pondering on the proposal; when it was
finally agreed that the Mongo should be set at liberty, provided he
left, as hostages, four of his children and two of the black chiefs
who visited him in my boat. The compact was sealed by the hoisting of
a flag under the discharge of a blank cartridge; and, in an hour, the
pledges were in the cabin, under the eye of a sentry, while the Mongo
was once more in Bangalang.
These negotiations, it will be perceived, did not touch _my_ case,
though I was in no manner guilty; yet I assented to the proposal
because I thought that Ormond would be better able than myself to find
the requisite number of slaves at that moment. I ordered my clerk,
however, to press all the indifferent and useless servants in my
factory, and to aid the Mongo with every slave at present in my
_barracoon_.
Before sunset of that day, this young man came aboard with fifty
negroes from my establishment, and demanded my release. It was
refused. Next day forty more were despatched by the Mongo; but still
my liberty was denied. I upbraided the scoundrel with his meanness,
and bade him look out for the day of retribution. But he snapped his
fingers at my threat as he exclaimed: "_Cher ami, ce n'est que la
fortune de guerre!_"
It was a task of difficulty to collect the remaining one hundred and
ten slaves among factories which had been recently drained by Cuban
vessels. Many domestic menials escaped to the forest when the story
became known, as they did not wish to take the place of their betters
in the "French service."
Thrice had the sun risen and set since I was a prisoner. During all
the time, my blood tingled for revenge. I was tricked, humbled and
disgraced. Never did I cease to pray for the arrival of some
well-armed _Spanish slaver_; and, towards evening of the fourth day,
lo! the boon was granted! That afternoon, a boat manned by negroes,
passed with the Spanish flag; but, as there was no white man aboard,
Brulot took it for a _ruse_ of the Mongo, designed to alarm him into
an unconditional release of his captives.
I must do the Gaul the justice to declare, that during my confinement,
he behaved like a gentleman, in supplies from the pantry and
spirit-room. Neither was he uncivil or unkind in his general demeanor.
Indeed, he several times regretted that this was the only means in his
power "to collect a promissory note on the coast of Africa;" yet, I
was not Christian enough to sympathize with the sheriff, or to return
his compliments with any thing but a curse. But, now that a Spaniard
was within hail, I felt a sudden lifting of the weight that was on my
heart. I shouted for champagne! The steward brought it with alacrity,
and poured with trembling hand the bumpers I drained to Saint Jago and
old Spain. The infection soon spread. They began to believe that a
rescue was at hand. The news was heard with dismay in the forecastle.
Brulot alone stood obstinate, but indecisive.
Presently, I called him to join me in a glass, and, as we drank the
foaming liquid, I pledged him to another "within twenty-four hours
beneath the Spanish flag." The Gaul feigned a sort of hectic hilarity
as he swallowed the wine and the toast, but he could not stand the
flash of revenge in my eye and burning cheek, and retired to consult
with his officers.
CHAPTER XXVII.
I slept soundly that night; but the sun was not clear of the forest
when I hobbled on deck in my shackles, and was searching the seaward
horizon for my beloved Castilian. Presently the breeze began to
freshen, and the tall, raking masts of a schooner were seen gliding
above the tops of the mangroves that masked the Rio Pongo's mouth.
Very soon the light wind and tide drifted her clear of the bends, and
an anchor was let go within musket shot of my prison, while springs
were run out to the bushes to give range to her broadside. I saw at
once, from her manoeuvres, that Ormond had communicated with the
craft during the night.
Brulot felt that his day was over. The Spaniard's decks were crowded
with an alert, armed crew; four charming little bull-dogs showed their
muzzles from port holes; while a large brass swivel, amidships, gave
token of its readiness to fight or salute. For a minute or two the
foiled Frenchman surveyed the scene through his glass; then, throwing
it over his shoulder, ordered the mate to strike off my "darbies." As
the officer obeyed, a voice was heard from the Spaniard, commanding a
boat to be sent aboard, under penalty of a shot if not instantly
obeyed. The boat was lowered; but who would man her? The chief officer
refused; the second declined; the French sailors objected; the
Creoles and mulattoes from St. Thomas went below; so that no one was
left to fulfil the slaver's order but Brulot or myself.
"_Bien!_" said my crest-fallen cock, "it's your turn to crow, Don
Teodore. Fortune seems on your side, and you are again free. Go to the
devil, if you please, _mon camarade_, and send your imps for the
slaves as soon as you want them!"
By this time the Spaniard had lighted his matches, levelled his guns,
and, under the aim of his musketry, repeated the order for a boat.
Seeing the danger of our party, I leaped to the bulwarks, and hailing
my deliverer in Spanish, bade him desist. The request was obeyed as I
threw myself into the yawl, cut the rope, and, alone, sculled the
skiff to the slaver.
A shout went up from the deck of my deliverer as I jumped aboard and
received the cordial grasp of her commander. Ali-Ninpha, too, was
there to greet and defend me with a chosen band of his people. While I
was absorbed in the joy of welcome and liberation, the African stole
with his band to the Frenchman's boat, and was rapidly filling it to
board the foe, when my clerk apprised me of the impending danger. I
was fortunate enough to control the enraged savage, else I know not
what might have been the fate of Brulot and the officers during the
desertion of his mongrel and cowardly crew.
The captain desired his mates to keep an eye on the Gaul while we
retired to the cabin for consultation; and here I learned that I was
on board the "Esperanza," consigned to me from Matanzas. In turn, I
confirmed the account they had already heard of my mishap from the
Mongo's messengers; but hoped the Cuban captain would permit me to
take pacific revenge after my own fashion, inasmuch as my
captor--barring the irons--had behaved with uncommon civility. I had
no trouble, of course, in obtaining the commander's assent to this
request, though he yielded it under the evident displeasure of his
crew, whose Spanish blood was up against the Frenchman, and would
willingly have inflicted a signal punishment on this neutral ground.
After these preliminaries, Captain Escudero and myself returned to
the "La Perouse" with two boat-loads of armed followers, while our
approach was covered by the cannons and small arms of the "Esperanza."
Brulot received us in moody silence on the quarter-deck. His officers
sat sulkily on a gun to leeward, while two or three French seamen
walked to and fro on the forecastle.
My first command was to spike the vessel's guns. Next, I decreed and
superintended the disembarkation of the stolen slaves; and, lastly, I
concluded the morning call with a request that Brulot would _produce
the five hundred doubloons and his "promissory note" for two hundred
slaves_!
The fatal document, duly indorsed, was quickly delivered, but no
persuasion or threat induced the angry Gaul to show his gold, or a
manifest of the cargo.
After ample indulgence, I despatched a man to seek his writing-desk,
and discovered that six hundred doubloons had in reality been shipped
in St. Thomas. Of course, their production was imperiously demanded;
but Brulot swore they had been landed, with his supercargo, in the
neighboring Rio Nunez. I was near crediting the story, when a slight
sneer I perceived flickering over the steward's face, put me on the
_qui vive_ to request an inspection of the log-book, which,
unfortunately for my captor, did not record the disembarkation of the
cash. This demonstrated Brulot's falsehood, and authorized a demand
for his trunk. The knave winced as the steward descended to bring it;
and he leaped with rage as I split it with a hatchet, and counted two
hundred and fifty Mexican doubloons on the deck. _His cargo, however,
proved to be a sham of samples._
Turning innocently to Escudero, I remarked that he must have been put
to considerable trouble in rescuing me from this outlaw, and hoped he
would suffer his men to be recompensed for their extra toil under the
rays of an African sun. I would not venture to judge the value of such
devoted services; but requested him to fix his own price and receive
payment on the spot.
Escudero very naturally supposed that _about_ two hundred and fifty
Mexican ounces would compensate him to a fraction, and, accordingly,
the two hundred and fifty shiners, glistening on the deck, forthwith
returned to their bag and went overboard into his boat.
"_Adieu! mon cher_," said I, as I followed the gold; "_la fortune de
guerre_ has many phases, you see; how do you like this one? The next
game you play on the coast of Africa, my chicken, recollect that
though a _knave_ can take a trick, yet the _knave may be trumped
before the hand is played out_!"
CHAPTER XXVIII.
La Esperanza discharged her cargo rapidly, but, before I was ready to
send back a living freight, poor Escudero fell a victim to African
fever.
I had seen much of the country; I had made some money; my clerk was a
reliable fellow; I was growing somewhat anxious for a change of scene;
and, in fact, I only wanted a decent excuse to find myself once more
aboard a "skimmer of the seas," for a little relaxation after the
oppressive monotony of a slaver's life. Escudero's death seemed to