Part 35 (1/2)
It was so, and I reported it to O'Brien, who came up, and gave chase.
In half-an-hour we were alongside of her, when she hoisted American colours, and proved to be a brigantine laden up to her gunwale, which was not above a foot out of the water. Her cargo consisted of what the Americans called _notions_; that is, in English, an a.s.sorted cargo.
Halfway up her masts, down to the deck, were hung up baskets containing apples, potatoes, onions, and nuts of various kinds. Her deck was crowded with cattle, sheep, pigs, and donkeys. Below was full of s.h.i.+ngle lumber, and a variety of different articles too numerous to mention. I boarded her, and asked the master whither he was bound.
”Why,” replied he, ”I'm bound for a market--nowise particular; and I guess you won't stop me.”
”Not if all's right,” replied I; ”but I must look at your log.”
”Well, I've a notion there's no great objection to that,” replied he; and he brought it up on deck.
I had no great time to examine it, but I could not help being amused at the little I did read, such as--”Horse lat.i.tudes--water very short-- killed white-faced bullock--caught a dolphin, and ate him for dinner-- broached mola.s.ses cask, Number 1, letter A. Fine night--saw little round things floating on the water--took up a bucket full--guessed they were pearls--judge I guessed wrong, only little Portuguese men-of-war-- threw them overboard again--heard a scream, guessed it was a mermaid-- looked out, saw nothing. Witnessed a very strange rippling a-head-- calculated it might be the sea-serpent--stood on to see him plain, and nearly ran on Barbuda. Hauled off again--met a Britisher--treated _politely_.”
Having overhauled his log, I then begged to overhaul his men, to ascertain if there were any Englishmen among his crew. This was not pleasing, and he grumbled very much; but they were ordered aft. One man I was satisfied was an Englishman, and told him so; but the man, as well as the master, persisted to the contrary. Nevertheless I resolved to take him on board for O'Brien to decide, and ordered him into the boat.
”Well, if you will use force, I can't help it: my decks a'n't clear, as you see, or else--I tell you what, Mr Lieutenant, your vessel there will be another Hermione, I've a notion, if you presses true-blooded Yankees; and what's more, the States will take it up, as sure as there's snakes in Virginny.”
Notwithstanding this remonstrance, I took them on board to O'Brien, who had a long conversation with the American in the cabin. When they returned on deck, he was allowed to depart with his man, and we again made sail. I had the first watch that night, and as we ran along the coast, I perceived a vessel under the high land, in what the sailors called the _doldrums_; this is, almost becalmed, or her sails flapping about in every direction with the eddying winds. We steered for her, and were very soon in the same situation, not more than a quarter of a mile from her. The quarter-boat was lowered down, and I proceeded to board her; but as she was large and rakish, O'Brien desired me to be careful, and if there were the least show of resistance to return.
As I pulled up to her bows, they hailed me in French, and desired me to keep off, or they would fire. This was quite sufficient; and, in obedience to my orders, I returned to the brig and reported to O'Brien.
We lowered down all the quarter-boats, and towed round the brig's broadside to her, and then gave her half-a-dozen carronades of round and grape. Hearing great noise and confusion on board, after we had ceased firing, O'Brien again sent me to know if they had surrendered. They replied in the affirmative; and I boarded her. She proved to be the _Commerce de Bordeaux_, with three hundred and thirty slaves on board, out of five hundred embarked from the coast, bound to Martinique. The crew were very sickly, and were most of them in their hammocks.
Latterly, they had been killing parrots to make soup for them; a few that were left, of the grey species, spoke remarkably well. When they left the coast, they had nearly one thousand parrots on board.
O'Brien perceiving that I had taken possession, sent another boat to know what the vessel was. I desired the surgeon to be sent on board, as some of the men, and many of the poor slaves, were wounded by our shot.
Of all the miserable objects, I know of none to be compared to the poor devils of slaves on board of a slave-vessel; the state of suffocation between decks--the dreadful stench arising from their filth, which is hardly ever cleared away--the sick lying without help, and looked upon by those who are stronger with the utmost indifference--men, women and children, all huddled and crowded together in a state of nudity, worn to skin and bone from stench, starvation, and living in an atmosphere that none but a negro could exist in. If all that occurs on a slave-s.h.i.+p were really known, I think it would be acknowledged that to make the slave-trade piracy would be nothing more than a just retribution; and this is certain, that unless it be made piracy, it never will be discontinued.
By daylight the vessel was ready, and O'Brien determined to take her to Dominica, so that the poor devils might be immediately set on sh.o.r.e. We anch.o.r.ed with her, in a few days, in Prince Rupert's Bay, where we only had twenty-four hours, to obtain some refreshments and arrange about our prize, which I hardly need say was of some value.
During the short time that I was on sh.o.r.e, purchasing some fowls and vegetables for O'Brien and our own mess, I was amused at witnessing a black sergeant drilling some of his regiment of free negroes and mulattoes. He appeared resolved to make the best appearance that he could, for he began by saying, ”You hab shoe and 'tocking, stand in front--you hab shoe no 'tocking, stand in centre--you hab no shoe no 'tocking, stand in um rear. Face to mountain--back to sea-beach. Why you no 'tep out, sar?--you hangman!”
I was curious to count the numbers qualified for the front rank; there were only two mulattoes. In the second rank there were also only two.
No shoe and no 'tocking appeared to be the fas.h.i.+on. As usual, we were surrounded by the negroes; and although we had been there but a few hours, they had a song composed for us, which they constantly repeated:
”Don't you see the _Rattlesnake_ Coming under sail?
Don't you see the _Rattlesnake_ With prizes at um tail?-- _Rattlesnake_ hab all the money, ding ding-- She shall hab all that's funny, ding, ding!”
CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.
MONEY CAN PURCHASE ANYTHING IN THE NEW COUNTRY--AMERICAN INFORMATION NOT ALWAYS TO BE DEPENDED UPON--A NIGHT ATTACK; WE ARE BEATEN OFF--IT PROVES A ”CUT UP,” INSTEAD OF A ”CUT OUT”--AFTER ALL, WE SAVE SOMETHING OUT OF THE FIRE.
The next morning we weighed anchor, and returned to our station off Martinique. We had run within three miles of St. Pierre's, when we discovered a vessel coming out under jury-masts. She steered directly for us, and we made her out to be the American brigantine which we had boarded some time before. O'Brien sent a boat to bring the master of her on board.
”Well, captain,” said he, ”so you met with a squall?”
”I calculate not,” replied he.
”Why, then, what the devil have you been about?”
”Why, I guess I sold all my cargo, and, what's more, I've sold my masts.”