Hunting the Skipper: The Cruise of the «Seafowl» Sloop
“Ahoy there!” shouted one of the sailors.
That was enough. The black disappeared once more, but only for a few moments before he was peeping again.
“You hail him this time, Mr Murray,” cried the lieutenant.
“Ahoy there!” cried Murray. “What boat’s that?”
The black clung to one of the trees on the bank of the river and watched the speaker eagerly.
“He doesn’t understand,” said the lieutenant. “I dare say he only speaks bad Spanish. But try him again.”
“Can you speak English?” cried Murray.
“Yes, massa!”
“Come, that’s better,” said the lieutenant. “Try him again, Mr Murray.” And the lad shouted —
“Whose lugger is that?”
“Massa’s, sah.”
“Oh!” cried Murray; and then obeying a sudden thought, “Where is the schooner?”
“Gone sail round um ilum, sah.”
“With slaves?” said Murray.
“Gone take big lot black fellow, sah.”
“What for?”
“Hoe de cotton, sah; plant de sugar, sah,” said the black, showing his white teeth.
“When will the schooner come back, Sambo?” said Murray.
“Name not Sambo, sah,” said the black.
“What is it then?”
“Jupe, sah, Jupiter.”
“Ask him where his master lives.”
“Yes, sir! – Where does your master live?”
The black rested the heavy hoe he carried among the thick growth of the trees which rang alongside of the stream, and pointed away into the dense cover at the back.
“Jupe show massa.”
“Is your master away with the schooner?” asked Murray.
“No, sah. Massa never go to sea. Cap’ Huggum go in um schooner.”
“Oh, that’s it, is it?” said Mr Anderson. “Now then, my lad; if we land you will show us the way to your master’s place?”
“Yes, sah. Massa Huggum’s ’long with massa now.”
“Who is Master Huggums?” said the lieutenant.
“Massa, sah. Make um niggah work, sah;” and as he spoke the black showed his teeth, raised his hoe, and brought the handle sharply against the trunk of some kind of palm-tree. “That’s de way make um work. Lazy rascal go to sleep. Massa Huggum wake um up.”
“Oh, that’s it, is it? Does he wake you up like that?”
The black burst into a hoarse laugh.
“Iyah, iyah, iyah!” he cackled out, and evidently thoroughly enjoying the questioning, he threw himself down in the thick cane growth, rolled over and over, and then sprang up again. “No give Jupe de whip, massa. Find Jupe fas’ sleep. Ck, ck, ck!”
And he threw out one bare foot as if emulating some one who had heavily kicked a slave who was lying asleep.
The feeling of fear that had made the black dart back into the cover of the trees had now passed away in favour of a display of eager curiosity, and he came close to the boat, where he watched the sailors laying in their oars and the coxswain hook on to one of the trees, while the officers prepared to land.
“Now, then,” said the lieutenant, “show us a dry place; it is all muddy here.”
“Jupe show landum place, sah,” said the man sharply.
“Very well, and then you can lead us up to the house.”
“Yes, sah. Take buccra up through plantashum, but Jupe no dare go.”
“What do you mean?” said Mr Anderson. “You offered to go just now.”
“Yes, sah; but Jupe forget all ’bout Massa Huggum. De overseer go in great big pashum, sah. Call Jupe ugly black nigger, sah.”
“What for?”
“Take buccra officer up to plantashum see de niggers, sah.”
“Oh, that’s how Mr Huggins or Huggum goes on, is it? Well, never mind him,” said the lieutenant; “lead us up to your master.”
The black showed his teeth again and indulged in his cackling laugh.
“Well, what does that mean, sir?”
“Jupe no dah go, sah. Massa Huggum say cut him libbah out.”
“Never mind Mr Huggins, my lad. He’d better! Here, what’s your real master’s name?”
“Massa Allum, sah.”
“Well, take us to him.”
The black shook his head.
“Mass’ Allum ’fraid Massa Huggum, sah. Massa Huggum call um big name.”
“Then this Huggins is the real master; eh, boy?”
“Dat’s the trufe, sah. Ebbery boy in plantation ’fraid of Massa Huggum.”
“Well, look here, my sable friend, please understand this: nobody here is afraid of your Mr Huggins. Show us the way to the plantation, and if he dares to touch you I’ll take him on board, and the boatswain’s mate shall tie him up and give him the cat – flog him; do you understand?”
“Mass’ say give Mass’ Huggum whip?”
“Yes, or any one else, boy. Now then, show us the way.”
“Massa say quite sewer?”
“Yes, quite sure. Now then, lead on.”
The black grinned at everybody in turn, and tramped along by the edge of the sluggish stream for some hundred yards before stopping short by the trampled bank which was plainly marked, and the commencement of a rough path was seen running in amongst the trees.
The lieutenant gave orders for the men to land, a couple of boat-keepers were left, and the well-armed crew were ready for starting when a black face suddenly presented itself peering round a good-sized tree-trunk and gazing curiously at the newcomers.
Murray was the first to catch sight of the fresh comer and draw the lieutenant’s attention to his appearance.
“Is this one of your men, you sir?” cried the chief officer, and he pointed down the winding path.
The black stared for a moment or two before following the direction of the officer’s pointing hand. Then catching sight of his fellow black he uttered a yell, raised his hoe in both hands, and sent the heavy iron implement whirling along the path, to be brought up with a crash against a good-sized tree. But before it came in contact with the trunk the black at whom it was aimed sprang in among the bushes and disappeared, while the guide trotted on to where the hoe had fallen and picked it up, shouting in through the thick growth —
“You let me catch you ’way from your work, you ugly, lazy, black rasclum, I crack you cocoanut!” Then striking the haft of the hoe he had picked up against the tree-trunk to tighten the loosened head, he turned again to the approaching boat crew. “Lazy black rasclum,” cried the grinning guide, as if for the benefit of all the newcomers. “Jupe gib um toco catch him again. Massa come along now. – Black dog! Let me catch um again!”
The lieutenant frowned and glanced at the two midshipmen, who were exchanging glances which meant a great deal. Then with a shrug of his shoulders he made a sign to the black guide to go on, a sign which was grasped at once, and the fellow stepped out with his heavy hoe shouldered and a grin at the lads.
“Jupe make um run fas’,” he said. “Jupe teach um leave um work!”
“Look sharp, sir, and show the way,” cried the chief officer angrily.
“Yes, massa; yes, massa,” cried the fellow, grinning. “Jupe show massa de way. Jupe de boy teach de black fella do de work. Lazy rasclum. Ketchum ’sleep under tree.”
“Here, May,” cried the lieutenant angrily, “take this black brute forward a dozen yards and make him show the way and hold his tongue the while.”
“Ay, ay, sir!” growled the sailor, with a grim look, as giving his musket a hitch and then turning it in his hands he brought the butt roughly against the guide’s chest. “Now then, Ebony,” he cried, “for’ard it is, and drop all that there palaver. Lead on and show the way.”
“Yes, sah; Jupe show de – ”
“D’yer hear, you black swab!” cried the sailor. “Show the way to your master’s house, and keep that talking box of yours shut up, or – ”
May made an offer at the black as if to bring the butt of the musket he carried down upon his toes, and accompanied it with so meaning a look that the guide’s eyes opened widely and he was in the act of making a dash sidewise into the cane brake at the side, but the sailor’s free hand came down upon the fellow’s shoulder with a loud clap.
“Ah, would you!” he cried. “None of that! Bullets run faster than legs, my lad.”
“That will do, May,” cried the lieutenant; “but mind he does not slip through your fingers.”
“No, sir; right, sir,” said the sailor, keeping a firm grip upon the black’s shoulder and seeming to steer him in and out along the windings of the rough track, while the boat’s crew and officers followed behind.
“The black fellow disgusted me, gentlemen,” said the lieutenant, turning a glance at the lads. “Jack in office generally proves to be the worst tyrant.”
The distance from the creek proved far greater than the officers expected, and they threaded the forest for hours before they came upon cultivated plantations dotted with black figures hard at work, and evidently superintended by men of the same type as the guide, who moved forward quietly and quite cowed by the stern-looking seaman who had him in custody, and who at last stopped short pointing at a long, low, well-built house half hidden amongst the trees and beautiful enough to raise an exclamation from Murray.
“Yes, the place looks beautiful enough,” said the lieutenant, “but I’m afraid its beauty depends upon the supply of poor wretches who are forced to labour beneath the burning sun with the lash as a stimulus whenever they show signs of slackening. Oh, here we are,” continued the speaker. “Is this the redoubtable Mr Huggins?”
“No, sir; I should say it would be Mr Allen,” replied Murray.
“Yes, you must be right, Mr Murray,” said the lieutenant. “He looks more like a sick man than the owner of a slave plantation.”
For a quiet, subdued-looking individual in white cotton garments had stepped out of a wide window with green painted open jalousies, to take off his Panama straw hat and stand screening his eyes with his hand.
The next minute the officer had halted his men in front of the place, and May touched his hat.
“Let the prisoner go, sir?”
“Yes: we can find our way back;” and as the sailor slackened his grasp and gave his head a jerk in the direction of the well-tilled fields, the black made a bound and dashed off, turning sharply before reaching the edge of the trees which backed up the house and seemed to shelter a range of buildings, to raise his hoe and shake it threateningly at the sailor.
“That man ought not to behave in this way,” said the gentleman who had stepped out. “Has he been insolent to you, sir?”
“More unpleasant than insolent,” replied the lieutenant. “I have required him for a guide to find your house, sir.”
“Ah!” said the former speaker slowly, as he looked slowly round. “You are an officer from one of the King’s ships?”
“Yes, sir; exactly so,” replied the gentleman addressed.
“And I presume that your ship is off the island. Can I be of any service to you?”
“Well, yes,” said Mr Anderson, “by giving me the information I am seeking.”
“I shall be glad to do so, sir, of course. May I ask what you require?”
“Information about the slaving that is carried on here. I see you employ many slaves.”
The stranger winced slightly, and then bowed his head.
“Yes,” he said; “I have a large tract of cultivated land here in sugar, cotton and a little coffee, but I have a right to employ slave labour after the fashion of many of my fellow-countrymen.”
“No doubt, sir,” said the lieutenant firmly, while the two midshipmen and the boat’s crew stood listening and looking on – “slaves born upon your estate.”
The owner of the plantation winced again, and then in a nervous hesitating way continued —
“I have employed slave labour for many years now, sir, and I hope with humanity and quite in accordance with the law.”
“I am sorry to say, sir,” said the lieutenant, “that my captain has been otherwise informed. He has been given to understand that at this plantation and in connection herewith a regular trade in the unfortunate blacks is systematically carried on.”
“Do I understand, sir,” said the planter, in the same low hesitating fashion, “that you are connected with one of the King’s ships whose object is to suppress the slave-trade?”
“Yes, sir; that is quite right.”
“Will you step in, sir?” said the planter. “You are heated with your walk in the hot sun, and your men must need refreshment.”
The lieutenant shrugged his shoulders and said gravely, “I am here, sir, to do my duty.”
“Yes, of course, sir,” said the planter; “and I beg you will not think that I am trying to bribe you in any way. I am not surprised at this visit. I have expected it for years. I am sorry, sir, but I must own it: I am not my own master.”
At this moment another figure appeared upon the scene in the shape of a little thin yellow-complexioned man, dressed like the planter in white cotton, and wearing a similar hat of Panama make. He stepped out of the French window where the late speaker had appeared, but with a quick, eager movement, and as he stood glancing sharply round the lieutenant and the midshipmen simultaneously gave a start which seemed to be communicated to the whole of the party, and with a thrill of excitement running through him Murray whispered sharply —
“Our friend the Yankee, Dick!”
“Yes,” whispered back that individual, “and we’re going to hold him tight.”
As for the lieutenant, he took a couple of steps forward, and exclaimed in a sarcastic tone of voice —
“How do, sir! I think we have met before.”
Chapter Twenty Two.
The Overseer
The American turned quickly at the officer’s words, and looked at him curiously.
“Met?” he said, without the slightest sign of recognition. “Very like, sirr,” he added, in a peculiar drawl; “where was it?”
“You do not seem to remember,” said the lieutenant. “Let me refresh your memory: a few weeks back, off the coast of Africa.”
The man half-closed his eyes and stared hard at the first lieutenant and then at the two middies in turn.
“Last year, yew mean, squire?” he said. “No: don’t seem to know you again.”
“Then I shall have to refresh your memory a little more. Mr Murray,” continued the officer, “who do you say this man is?”
“The indiarubber planter, sir, who played us that trick.”
The man turned sharply upon the lad.
“And who do you say he is, Mr Roberts?”
“The skipper of the lugger, sir, who guided us up the African river.”
“There,” said the lieutenant; “will that do for you?”
“I guess I don’t know what you are talking about, mister,” said the man sharply. “You said something about a trick. Is this some trick of yours?”
“Why, confound your impudence, sir!” cried the lieutenant hotly. “How dare you speak like this to a King’s officer!”
“Don’t get in a fuss, mister,” said the Yankee coolly. “We don’t deal in King’s officers here, and don’t want to. Here, Mr Allen, you’re an Englishman; these people are more in your way. What do they want?”
“It is the lieutenant of a ship that has cast anchor here, Huggins,” said the gentleman addressed agitatedly. “It is about the slaves.”
“Eh? About the slaves? Our slaves – your slaves? Well, what about ’em?”
“Yes; about the slaves we have here. You understand?”
“Not me! Not a bit. He’s been talking to you, has he?”
“Yes – yes.”
“Well, then, you’d better finish the business. Tell him I don’t want to trade any away. We’ve got no more than will get in the crops.”
“Speak to him,” said the other, who seemed to grow more nervous and agitated.
“Oh, very well. Look here, mister; you’ve come to the wrong shop. I don’t understand what you mean by making believe to know me, but I don’t know you, and I’m not going to trade in blacks with any British ship. Understand?”
“Understand, sir?” cried the lieutenant, who was growing scarlet with heat and wrath. “It seems to me that you do not understand. Pray, who are you?”
“Business man and overseer of this plantation for my friend here, Mr James Allen, who trusts me to carry on his affairs for him, being a sick man just getting over a fever. There, I don’t want to be surly to an English officer, though I never found one civil to me. You’ve dropped anchor off here, and I suppose you want water. Well, if you do I’ll put a gang of my slaves on to help your men fill their casks.”
“I am exceedingly obliged to you, sir,” said the lieutenant sarcastically.
“Wal, that’s spoke better,” said the American. “And if you want some fresh meat and vegetables you can have a boat-load or two if you like to pay for ’em with a chest or so of tea. You’d like a few bottles o’ port wine, too, for your complaint, wouldn’t you, Allen?” he continued, turning to the pale, nervous man at his side.
“Yes – yes,” faltered the poor fellow.
“Really, you are too condescending,” cried the lieutenant. “Mr Roberts – Mr Murray – did you ever hear the like of this? Here, May – Titely – what do you say to this American gentleman?”
Tom May took off his straw hat and gave his curly hair a rake with his fingers, while Titely stared with all his might.
“It caps me, sir,” said the latter, while Tom May looked at the American, then at the two middies in turn, and shook his head.
“Well, sir, why don’t you speak?” cried his officer angrily.
“’Cause it’s such a rum un, sir.”
“Bah! Speak out, man, and don’t hesitate. You remember seeing this man before?”
“Well, sir, I seem to ha’ seen him afore, and then I don’t seem, and get kind o’ mixed up. Sometimes it looks like him and sometimes it don’t look like him, sir. Beg your pardon, sir, but would you mind asking my messmate here – Titely?”
“Bah, man! The sun has made you giddy.”
“Well, skipper, when you like I’m ready for an answer. Want the water and fresh vittles?”
“My dear Huggins,” said the trembling owner of the place, “it would be far better if you explained to the King’s officer – ”
“You leave me and the King’s officer alone, James Allen,” said the American sturdily.
“But I’m sure – ” whispered the planter.
“So’m I. You keep your tongue between your teeth, and I dessay we can settle matters. Look here, Mr Officer, I’m boss of all the business here, and you needn’t take no notice of this gentleman. I telled you that Mr Allen has been in bed with fever, and it’s left him, as you see, very shaky upon his legs. Your coming has upset him and made him a bit nervous. Here, I’ll put in a word for him, poor chap. Jes’ you ask your skipper to give him a small bottle o’ quinine. You won’t want paying for that, being charity.”
The lieutenant turned his back upon the speaker angrily, and spoke to the feeble-looking planter.
“Look here, sir,” he cried, “you are nominally owner of this plantation and the slaves upon it.”
“Now, look here, mister,” said the American angrily; “I spoke civil to you, and I offered to help you and your ship with what you wanted in the way of fresh meat and vegetables. What’s the good of returning stones for stuff?”
“My good fellow, will you be silent,” cried the lieutenant, “and let me deal with your master?”
“My master!” snarled the American. “I am my own master, sirr. I tell you I’m boss of all this here show, and if I like to turn nasty – ”
“My dear Huggins – ” interposed the planter.
“Shut your mouth, you old fool,” growled the American, “and don’t interfere.”
“Why, you insulting scoundrel!” roared the lieutenant. “Here, Mr Allen – that is your name, I believe? – you had better leave this matter in my hands, and I will settle it.”
The American stood listening with his eyes half closed and a peculiarly ugly look upon his countenance, while the planter made a deprecating sign with his hands.
“I see very plainly, sir,” continued the lieutenant, “that this insolent Yankee is presuming upon your weak state of health and assuming a power that he cannot maintain. You have been placing yourself in a position in which it would be better to – ”
“Now see here, stranger,” burst in the American, “I’m a man who can stand a deal, but you can go too far. You come swaggering here with a boat-load of your men and think that you’re going to frighten me, sirr – but you’re just about wrong, for if I like to call up my men they’d bundle you and your lot back into your boat – for I suppose you have got one.”
“Look here, sir,” said the lieutenant, as he caught the flashing eyes of the two middies and the fidgety movements of his men, “I am loth to treat an American with harshness, but take this as a warning; if you insult your master and me again I’ll have you put in irons.”
“What!” cried the man, with a contemptuous laugh. “You’d better!”
The lieutenant started slightly, and that movement seemed to tighten up the nerves of his men.
“Can’t you understand, sirr, that if I like to hold back you’ll get no provisions or water here?”
“Confound your supplies, sir! And look here, if I must deal with you let me tell you that I have good reason to believe that under the pretence of acting as a planter here, you are carrying on a regular trade in slaves with the vile chiefs of the West Coast of Africa.”
“I don’t care what you believe, mister,” said the American defiantly. “I am working this plantation and producing sugar, coffee and cotton – honest goods, mister, and straightforward merchandise. Who are you, I should like to know, as comes bullying and insulting me about the tools I use for my projuce!”
“You soon shall know, sir,” said the lieutenant, and he just glanced at the pale, trembling man, who had sunk into a cane chair, in which he lay back to begin wiping his streaming brow – “I am an officer of his Britannic Majesty’s sloop of war Seafowl, sent to clear the seas of the miscreants who, worse than murderers, are trading in the wretched prisoners of war who are sold to them by the African chiefs.”
“Don’t get up too much of it, Mr Officer,” said the American, deliberately taking out a very large black cigar from his breast pocket and thrusting it between his lips, before dropping into another cane chair and clapping his hands; “this here ain’t a theayter, and you ain’t acting. That there’s very pretty about his Britannic Majesty’s sloop of war. Look here, sirr; bother his Britannic Majesty!”
At these last words a thrill of rage seemed to run through the line of sailors, and they stood waiting for an order which did not come, for the lieutenant only smiled at the American’s insolent bravado and waited before interfering with him to hear what more he had to say.
“It sounds very lively and high faluting about your sweeping the high seas of miscreants, as you call ’em, and all that other stuff as you keep on hunting up with African chiefs and such like; but what’s that got to do with an invalid English gentleman as invests his money in sugar, coffee and cotton, and what has it to do with his trusted Aymurrican experienced planter as looks after his black farm hands, eh?”
“Only this, sir,” said the lieutenant, “that if he or they are proved to be mixed up with this horrible nefarious trade they will be answerable to one of the British courts of law, their mart will be destroyed, and their vessels engaged in the trade will become prizes to his Majesty’s cruiser.”
“Say, mister,” said the American coolly – and then to a shivering black who had come out of the house bearing a coarse yellow wax candle which he tried to shelter between his hands, evidently in dread lest it should become extinct, – “Take care, you black cuss, or you’ll have it out!”
Murray heard the poor fellow utter a sigh of relief, but he did not even wince, only stood motionless as his tyrant took the wax taper, held it to his cigar till it burned well, and then extinguished it by placing the little wick against the black man’s bare arm, before pitching the wax to the man, who caught it and hurried away.
“Say, mister,” said the overseer again, “don’t you think you fire off a little too much of your Britannic Majesty and your King George fireworks?”
“Go on, sir,” said the lieutenant, biting his lip. “Yes, that’s what I’m going to do,” continued the man coolly. “What’s all this here got to do with a free-born Aymurrican citizen?”
“Only this, sir, that your so-called American citizen will have no protection from a great country for such a nefarious transaction.”
“There you go again, mister! That’s I don’t know how many times you’ve let off that there prize word of yours, neefarious. There, don’t bluff, sir; to use your old country word, them as plays at bowls must expeck rubbers. No, no, no, don’t you begin ordering your fellows to meddle with me, because I’m rather nasty when I’m interfered with, ’sides which I’ve got some one inside the house to take care of me if it was wanted, as you can see for yourself – twenty of ’em, boys who can use a rifle; and that’s what your chaps can’t do.”
