Part 45 (1/2)

”They came in pretty strong force then, and I should have certainly fired at them had they attempted to come on board. What redress can you make us?” asked Adair.

”I will direct that the fellows be looked for, and if we catch them they shall be tried and hung immediately.”

”That will not be much satisfaction to us,” observed Adair.

The Governor shrugged his shoulders, and Terence observed that he should lay the matter before the admiral at Rio, who would certainly not allow it to pa.s.s unnoticed.

The British consul, of course, said he would have the matter looked into, but as there appeared to be no use in waiting longer, as soon as Adair could obtain provisions and water, he and Rogers got up anchor and sailed for Rio.

The only information the admiral was able to gain on the subject was, that the attack had been made by a party of slave-dealers, who hoped to surprise the brigantine, cut the throats of the prize-crew, and then make sail to another port, and land the slaves, trusting of course to the effects of bribery to escape detection.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

RIO--EXPEDITION UP THE HARBOUR--YARNS SPUN--HIGSON AND THE MIDs.h.i.+PMEN CAPTURED BY SLAVE-DEALERS--IMPRISONED--TRIED--A FRIEND IN NEED--SENT BACK TO PRISON--ESCAPE--PURSUED--JACK AS USUAL APPEARS--AGAIN AT SEA-- CHASE A SLAVER--RUN OVER HER AT NIGHT.

Every one knows that Rio de Janeiro is one of the most magnificent harbours in the world, with its Organ mountains in the distance, its surrounding heights covered with the richest foliage, its curiously-shaped rocks at the entrance, and its stately city scattered along its sh.o.r.es.

On entering, Jack and Terence, much to their satisfaction, found not only the corvette but the frigate also at anchor. Having gone on board the admiral's s.h.i.+p to report their arrival and the occurrence which had taken place at Bahia, they paid a visit to Murray. Of course, Terence gained great credit for having beaten off the pirates. He was glad to find that he was to be relieved of the charge of the slaver, which he had been afraid he might have to carry over to Sierra Leone.

In the harbour lay a considerable squadron of steamers and sailing-vessels, for which a variety of work had been cut out.

The Brazilian Government had at last united with the English in the determination of putting a stop to the importation of slaves into the country, though they acknowledged that their own men-of-war could do little or nothing; the fact being that the Brazilian officers were more or less interested in supporting the abominable traffic.

Two or three other s.h.i.+ps were in the harbour, taking in water and provisions before going for a long cruise in the Pacific, and an expedition was also to be sent to the Parana against General Rosas, who, setting all treaties at defiance, had stopped up the navigation of the river. As neither the corvette nor brig were likely to sail for some days, the officers made excursions on sh.o.r.e. Tom and Desmond were delighted to find that Archy Gordon had so greatly recovered that he was able to go to sea in the frigate--he was now nearly as well as ever, but still was not allowed to take exercise on sh.o.r.e.

They proposed making a trip up the harbour, and Higson got permission to take the corvette's pinnace.

”You must take care of the youngsters better than you did once upon a time,” said Adair. ”Don't expend any of them if you can help it.”

”No fear,” answered Higson, ”I will watch over them as carefully as a hen does her chickens, or a nurserymaid the half-dozen small children committed to her care.”

A good store of provisions in the way of substantials, with a proportionate amount of liquor, cigars, and tobacco, was laid in; fish and fruit might easily be obtained. Their uniform jackets being stowed away in their carpet-bags, all hands were dressed in white flannel jackets, white trousers, and straw hats or caps; while their only weapons were a couple of s.h.i.+ps' muskets, the same number of boarding-pikes, and a brace of pistols. Not that they expected to require them for their defence, but for the slaughter of any game they might meet.

The party mustered eight in all, including s.n.a.t.c.hblock and Tim Brady, an Irishman, who was taken to act as cook. Tim's only qualification for the post was that he professed to be able to boil praties with any man in the service. The mids.h.i.+pmen had forgotten that no potatoes were among their stores; but then Tim told a good story and sang a song in first-rate style, which made ample amends for his deficiency of knowledge in the culinary art.

Soon after daybreak Higson shoved off from the side of the corvette, calling on board the brig for the remainder of the party. Then making sail, they stood away up the harbour. The city was soon left astern as they glided over the calm waters. In the far distance could be seen the curiously-shaped Organ mountains, while on either hand rose conical hills amidst forests of lofty trees of every variety. Cocoa-nuts and orange groves, palms, and mangroves, and others, bearing a variety of nuts or blossoms of gorgeous hue, scarlet, orange, yellow, pink, and white. Gaily-plumaged birds, and beautifully-tinted b.u.t.terflies, of wonderful size, flitted through the air. The party, though well accustomed to the rich vegetation of the West Indies, agreed that few scenes in the tropics could surpa.s.s this in beauty.

Curiously-rigged boats came floating by, some loaded with fruit and vegetables, others like haystacks gone adrift, and others of considerable size carrying cattle to the market at Rio. Several picturesque islets were pa.s.sed, covered like the main land with rich vegetation and numberless flowers of various hues.

”Well, I think we shall have a jolly trip of it,” exclaimed Tom. ”There is no necessity to bother ourselves by taking observations or keeping a dead reckoning, but, like the navigators of old, we shall never lose sight of land.”

”No; but we must stand by to lower the sail pretty sharply if a squall comes off one of those pointed hills there,” observed Higson, ”and that is not at all unlikely to happen.”

”Who is after getting hungry?” sung out Desmond. ”I suspect it must be past eight bells, and so I vote we land, and look out for a pleasant place to take our dinner.”

”There is one,” said Higson, pointing to a spot where the landing appeared easy, and there was a tolerably wide s.p.a.ce of open ground backed by an orange grove, on the branches of which golden and green fruit, with white and pink blossoms, all hung together.

All hands were soon on sh.o.r.e, with such provisions as they required, and the greater number employed themselves in collecting wood for their proposed fire, which was soon blazing away. From the sparkling stream which rushed down from the mountains, they obtained a supply of water.

The dark green leaves of the orange-trees overhead afforded sufficient shade, and they were soon all seated round a substantial repast, to which they were well inclined to do full justice.