Part 3 (2/2)

observed Boxall.

”But our signal is seen, though,” cried Ben; and as he spoke the s.h.i.+p's head was turned towards us, while we energetically paddled on to meet her.

In a short time she was up to us, and we got alongside; ropes were hove to us (one of which Ben made fast to the raft), and several men came down the side to a.s.sist us in climbing up. Among the most active were two negroes--one a tall, powerful man, but about as ugly a mortal as I ever set eyes on; the other, a young, pleasant-looking lad, though his skin was as black as jet. The two seized me by the arms and dragged me up, though I could have scrambled on deck without their help.

”Muchas gracias,” (Many thanks), I said.

”I thought you English officer,” said the young black.

”So I am,” I answered. ”How is it that you speak English?”

”I served aboard English man-of-war, and knew that you were English officer directly I saw you,” he answered.

This was said almost before I placed my feet on the deck--where we were all soon standing, looking around us. The s.h.i.+p was apparently a man-of-war; but there were a number of soldiers and people of all ranks, evidently pa.s.sengers, walking the deck, besides the officers.

”I say, Charlie, as you speak Spanish, you had better tell the captain that he will be hard and fast on sh.o.r.e in a few minutes if he does not alter his course,” said Boxall to me.

Followed by my companions, I accordingly stepped aft to an officer whom I took to be the commander, and told him that we had only just before left a reef which ran north and south, and that he would soon be upon it unless he steered more to the westward; also that, if he kept a sharp look-out, he would see the sand-bank behind it. He seemed very much astonished, and at once gave orders to port the helm and trim the sails so as to stand off from the dangerous neighbourhood. I observed that our raft was towing astern. ”We will hoist it on board by-and-by,” said the captain; ”it will serve for firewood, of which we have not too large a supply.”

I heard several people talking about the reef. One very consequential-looking gentleman declared that we had not spoken the truth, and that the reef must be much further off than we had said. I took no notice of this; indeed, I thought that I might possibly be mistaken, especially as I was not accustomed to hear Spanish spoken, although, thanks to honest Andrew, I was able to express myself with tolerable clearness on simple subjects. We convinced the captain, however, that my account was true, by showing him the oysters with which our pockets were filled, and which we were very glad to get rid of.

Being about to throw them overboard, the young negro stopped us and begged to have them, as they would be very welcome at the mess to which he belonged. ”We no get too much food here,” he observed; ”very different to English man-of-war.”

I asked the young black his name.

”They call me Pedro aboard here; but I got many names, according to the people I live among,” he answered with a laugh. ”The English sailors call me Black Jack; and when I once lived with the Moors, my name was Selim; and in my own country, Quasho Tumbo Popo.”

”And what is the name of the big black man who helped me up the side?”

I asked.

”Him called Antonio here,” answered Pedro, glancing round to ascertain that the person we were speaking of was not near. ”Take care of him, ma.s.sa; him no good. Once got flogging aboard man-of-war, and no love English officers, depend on that. He pretend to be great friend to you, but you see what he do.”

I thanked Pedro for his caution, feeling certain from the tone in which he spoke that he was sincere.

The captain seemed really grateful for the service we had rendered him by preventing him from running on the reef. He invited us down to his cabin, and asked us if we would like to turn in and rest while our clothes were drying.

”Will you tell him that we are dying of thirst,” exclaimed Halliday, ”and that we should not object to have something to eat first?”

I explained that we had had no food except oysters since the previous evening, and that we should be grateful if he would order us some supper--for the Spanish dinner-hour had long pa.s.sed.

”Of course,” he observed; ”I forgot that,”--and he immediately ordered some water and light wine to be placed on the table. He seemed amused at the quant.i.ty we drank; having, I suspect, had very little experience of the way men feel who have been exposed to hunger and thirst, as we had been, for so many hours. Some light food was then brought in, to which we did ample justice.

On my mentioning Ben to him, he observed,--”He will be taken good care of by the black Antonio; he understands your language.”

The captain appeared to be a quiet, gentlemanly man; but it struck me at once that he was not the sort of person to keep a disorderly crew and a number of troops and pa.s.sengers in order. He again expressed himself deeply obliged to us for the service we had rendered him; and taking a small telescope in a case from the side-cabin, begged I would accept it as a mark of his grat.i.tude. ”There are some aboard here who pretend to understand better than I do how the s.h.i.+p should be managed; and it was by their advice that I was steering the course I was doing when I fell in with you,” he observed.

I told Boxall what the captain had said.

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