Part 49 (1/2)
The wind, which had been variable all day, still continued so, and now once more came from the eastward. The chase immediately took advantage of it to alter her course. The corvette had now gained greatly on her.
”I think our bow-chasers will reach her,” said Murray. ”Try them, Adair; we will see if we can knock away some of her spars.”
The excitement on board increased, and every one now felt as if the chase was already within their grasp. The gun was run out. Murray gave the word, ”Fire!” Scarcely had its loud report rung through the air, than his voice again was heard--
”All hands, shorten sail! In studding-sails and royals. Let fly tacks and sheets.”
The corvette had been taken aback, but every man was at his station, and the sails came in without the loss of a royal or studding-sail-boom. As soon as the sails were handed, and the s.h.i.+p wearing round was put before the wind, the chase was eagerly looked for; she was seen running before the wind for the northeast. Her bearings being taken, the corvette steered directly for her, but darkness, which had been rapidly coming on, now hid her from sight, and even the most sanguine gave up all hopes of finding her again. Still Murray determined to keep after her as light as she was; he was convinced that with a strong wind blowing she would continue before it.
The first watch was set, the watch below turned in, and many a grumble was heard at their ill success. Adair, who was officer of the watch, was walking the deck, with Desmond by his side. The wind still blowing fresh, he had his eye aloft on the spars, ready to shorten sail should it increase. The sea, however, was tolerably smooth; a few stars only could be seen among the clouds which pa.s.sed rapidly across the sky. The night was therefore rather darker than usual. The wind whistled shrilly in the rigging, and Desmond declared that he could hear strange sounds coming across the waters. A sharp lookout was, of course, kept ahead, and hopes were still entertained that the chase might possibly be again sighted. s.n.a.t.c.hblock, who was on the forecastle, hailed in a loud, sharp voice, ”Sail ahead! the chase! the chase! That's her! No doubt about it.”
Adair and Desmond hurried forward, but by the time they reached the forecastle no sail was to be seen. s.n.a.t.c.hblock, however, was positive that he had not been mistaken. He rubbed his eyes in vain, and peered into the gloom. She was certainly not visible. Adair, who had returned aft, was pacing the deck, when suddenly a tremendous shock was felt. He and others on deck were nearly thrown off their legs, and a cry arose of ”We are on sh.o.r.e! we are on sh.o.r.e!” The watch below came tumbling up on deck, fully believing that the s.h.i.+p had struck. One of the hands seizing a leadline, sprang into the chains and hove it.
”What induced you to do that?” asked Adair.
”I thought we had struck on a rock, sir,” was the answer.
”You found no bottom?”
”No, sir.”
”We must have run over the chase! Heaven be merciful to the poor creatures!” exclaimed Murray, who unperceived had just come on deck.
”She must have attempted to haul her wind, to alter her course, and, being too much lightened, capsized.”
Desmond and several others who had run aft declared they saw several objects, like the heads of human beings, floating for an instant on the surface, but when they looked again they had disappeared. Not a cry, not a sound of any sort had been heard. At that instant probably some four or five hundred human beings chained in the hold of the slave-s.h.i.+p, with their white captors, had been carried into eternity.
Next morning the _Tudor_ spoke the _Supplejack_, which, however, had seen nothing of the chase. No manner of doubt remained that she had been capsized, and that the _Tudor_ had run over her during the night.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
AN AMERICAN SKIPPER GIVES IMPORTANT INFORMATION--JACK LEADS A BOAT ATTACK ON A SLAVER IN THE RIO FRIO--CAPTURE--SLAVER BLOWN UP--THE SUPPLEJACK EXPOSED TO A HOT FIRE--THE CORVETTE AND BRIG IN THE HARBOUR OF PARANAGUA--SLAVERS ATTACKED--SEVERAL PRIZES MADE--FIRED AT FROM THE Sh.o.r.e--ENGAGEMENT WITH A FORT--PRIZES DESTROYED--CARRY ONE OFF--A MAN OVERBOARD--PICKED UP--HIS HAIR TURNS WHITE.
The corvette and brig had been cruising for some days in company, having chased several vessels, some of which got away, while others were found to be honest traders. They were some way to the southward of Cape Frio, when land just being in sight, a brig was made out, standing towards them. She hoisted American colours, and as she approached, pa.s.sing close to the corvette, a man, who appeared to be her skipper, standing on the p.o.o.p-deck, hailed.
”If you will heave to I will come aboard you, as I have information to give.”
The corvette was immediately brought to the wind, her foretopsail backed, the brig performing the same movement, when a boat was lowered, and a stout florid man, a Yankee in appearance from truck to kelson, dressed in Quaker costume, came alongside in her. Quickly climbing on deck, without making the usual salutation performed by visitors to a man-of-war, he advanced towards Murray, and introduced himself as Captain Aaron Sturge, of the brig _Good Hope_ bound for Boston.
”This s.h.i.+p, I guess, friend, is one of the cruisers engaged in putting down the slave-trade,” he said.
Murray replied in the affirmative, and inquired what information he had to give.
”It is this, friend; I have just come out of the Rio Frio, where I left a wicked-looking craft, called the _Rival_, nearly ready for sea, which will carry, I guess, six hundred slaves at least. She is a vessel I heard that the British cruisers have been long looking after; so if thou dost wish to catch her, now is thy time, and I would advise thee to stand in at once, and thou mayest cut her off as she comes out, or, what would be more certain, catch her before she puts to sea.”
Murray thanked the Yankee skipper for his information, and invited him below.
”No, friend, I thank thee. The sooner thou art on thy way toward the coast and I on mine northward, the better. Thou will do thy best to take this vessel?”
Murray a.s.sured him that he would, and would lose not a moment in standing in for the land.
The honest skipper then shaking hands, swung himself down the side into his boat, and returned to the brig, which stood away to the southward, while the _Tudor_ and _Supplejack_, hauling their wind, stood towards the coast. Murray hoped to be off the mouth of the harbour some time after dark. He hailed Jack, and told him what he intended to do.