Part 48 (2/2)

Soon as together, the pirates enter upon discussion, the first question before them being about the place where they shall land.

Upon this point there is difference of opinion. Some are for going ash.o.r.e at once, on a convenient part of the coast in sight; while others counsel running on till they enter Panama Bay.

At the head of those in favour of the latter is the chief mate, who gives his reasons thus:

”By runnin' up into the Bay o' Panyma, we'll get closer to the town; an'

it'll be easier to reach it after we've done the business we intend doin', Panyma bein' a seaport, an' plenty o' vessels sailin' from it.

After gettin' there we'd be able to go every man his own way. Them as wants can cross over the Isthmus, an' cut off on t'other side. An'

Panyma bein' full o' strangers goin' to Californey, an' returnin' from it, we'd be less like to get noticed there. Whiles if we land on the coast here, where thar an't no good-sized town, but only some bits o'

fis.h.i.+n' villages, we'd be a marked lot--sartin to run a good chance o'

bein' took up, an' put into one o' thar prisons. Just possible too, we might land on some part inhabited by wild Indyins, an' lose not only the s.h.i.+nin' stuff, but our scalps. I've heerd say thar's the worst sort o'

savages livin' on the coast 'long here. An' supposin' we meet neither Indyins nor whites, goin' ash.o.r.e in a wilderness covered wi' woods, we might have trouble in makin' our way out o' them. Them thick forests o'

the tropics an't so easy to travel through. I've know'd o' sailors as got cast away, peris.h.i.+n' in 'em afore they could reach any settlement.

My advice, tharfore, s.h.i.+pmates, be, for us to take the barque on into the Bay; an' when we've got near enough the port, to make sure o' our bein' able to reach it, then put in for the sh.o.r.e. Panyma Bay's big enough to give us plenty choice o' places for our purpose.”

”We've heard you out, Mr Blew,” rejoins Gomez, ”Now, let me say in answer, you haven't given a single reason for going by Panama Bay, that won't stand good for doing the very opposite. But there's one worth all, you haven't mentioned, and it's against you. While running up into the Bay, we'd be sure to meet other vessels coming out of it--scores of them. And supposing one should be a man-of-war--a British or American cruiser, say--and she takes it into her head to overhaul us; where would we be then?”

”An' if they did,” returns Blew, ”what need for us to be afeerd? Seein'

that the barque's papers are all s.h.i.+pshape, they'd have to leave us as they found us. Let 'em overhaul, an' be blowed!”

”They mightn't leave us as they found us, for all that,” argues Gomez.

”Just when they took it into their heads to board the barque, might be when we would be slipping out of her. How then? Besides, other s.h.i.+ps would have the chance of spying us at that critical moment. As I've said, your other arguments are wrong; I'll answer them in detail. But first, let me tell you all, I've got a pretty accurate knowledge of this coast. I ought to have, considering that I spent several years on and off it in a business which goes by the name of _contraband_. Now, all round the sh.o.r.es of Panama Bay there's just the sort of wild forest-covered country Mr Blew talks about getting strayed in. We might land within twenty miles of that port, and yet not be able to reach it, without great difficulty. Danger, too, from the savages, our first officer seems so much afraid of. Whereas, by putting ash.o.r.e anywhere along here, we won't be far from the old Nicaraguan road, that runs all through the Isthmus. It will take us to the town of Panama; any that wish to go there. But there's another town as big as it, and better for our purpose; one wherein we'll be less likely to meet the unpleasant experience Mr Blew speaks of. It isn't much of a place for prisons. I'm speaking of Santiago, the capital city of Veragua; which isn't over a good day's journey from the coast. And we can reach it by an easy road. Still that's not the question of greatest importance.

What most concerns us is the safety of the place _when we get to it_-- and I can answer for Santiago. Unless customs have changed since I used to trifle away some time there--and people too--we'll find some who'll show us hospitality. With the money at our disposal--ay, a tenth part of it--I could buy up the _alcalde_ of the town, and every judge in the province.”

”That's the sort of town for us--and country too!” exclaim several voices. ”Let's steer for Santiago!”

”We'll first have to put about,” explains Gomez, ”and run along the coast, till we find a proper place for landing.”

”Yes,” rejoins Harry Blew, speaking satirically, and as if exasperated by the majority going against him. ”An' if we put about just now, we'll stand a good chance of goin' slap on them rocks on the port beam.

Thar's a line o' breakers all along sh.o.r.e, far's I can see. How's a boat to be got through them? She'd be bilged to a sartinty.”

”There are breakers, as you say,” admits Gomez; ”but their line doesn't run continuous, as it appears to do. I remember several openings where a boat, or s.h.i.+p for that matter, may be safely got through. We must look out for one of them.”

”_Vaya, camarados_!” puts in Padilla, with a gesture of impatience.

”We're wasting time, which just now is valuable. Let's have the barque about, and stand along the coast, as Gil Gomez proposes. I second his proposal; but, if you like, let it go to a vote.”

”No need; we all agree to it.”

”Ay; all of us.”

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