Prime Ocean
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The wind lay a little to the east of southeast, and there was a fine breeze upon the surface. But as we were now in latitude 41°, and our position was between two great capes, the land could not be seen. We were therefore compelled to keep on board all night; and I must confess that I was very sorry for it, although I had been so long out at sea, that my appetite for fresh food was gone.
However, the captain said he would try whether could find us a reef if the current did not carry us too far from it; but he assured me that we should see land again before noon when I could take something good to eat.
As I was sitting alone on deck, gazing at the dark horizon in every direction, a faint reflection appeared among the distant stars, which soon resolved itself into a line of dim light, and showed itself gradually to be the edge of a mountain range.
A moment or two afterward I perceived another, and then another, forming an angle with the first; they were separated by about seven degrees’ distance, and were nearly parallel, being some sixty miles off. It was impossible to determine their height above the sea, as the whole horizon was covered with vapours like smoke, except where there is a clear view of the sea.
The sky seemed to have lost all its deepness; it became like looking through a misty fog, while the moonlight made everything appear pale and indistinct. At length a vast number of specks, which were scarcely distinguishable as clouds at a distance, appeared on the western horizon.
When this occurred, the appearance of the water changed altogether. There was no longer any doubt that these were clouds, which, rising from the bottom of the ocean, might be seen at so high a velocity, that they formed but very small objects against the starlight.
I was so much astonished at this phenomenon, that I could hardly credit it. They increased in number until a thick black mass appeared on the west side of the horizon. This soon disappeared into the sea, and left the sky clear again.
It was impossible to say how many clouds there were; they seemed innumerable; but it must have been a large multitude, because each separate cloud only extended for a space about fifty degrees broad, from the horizon up to twenty or thirty miles above it.
I looked at the captain, who was standing near, and asked him whether he did not think the earth round. He smiled and said “Yes.” I thought he was rather pleased than otherwise, as he answered, “It may seem strange to you that I should not believe so plain an observation; yet I am sure I saw that same cloud pass over me three times, and twice more, before I could convince myself of the truth of it.
I am not a man easily deceived; and I never believed a ship’s topgallantmast blown down when I saw her still standing after she had struck. You will excuse me for saying that I cannot believe it, though I may not have seen it fall; and yet I cannot conceive of the nature of that cloud which can rise so swiftly from the sea, and be visible in one place, and then disappear into another, without falling, and being swallowed up by it.”
“But,” said I, “it must be the vapours rising from the sea, which are mistaken for clouds; and those clouds do sometimes look white against the moon, or when reflected by the sun. If you will allow me, I will go into the cabin and get some coffee or chocolate: I should like to drink a cup with you before I return on deck.”
In about half an hour I returned, and found the captain in the act of smoking. He had not taken his glass from his eye when I entered, and he continued to gaze at the horizon with the air of a man who looks at something which interests him deeply.
“Captain,” said I, “there are a great many vapour-like clouds just above the water. Shall we ever see them again?”
He looked steadily in my face, and replied —
“I cannot say; but if we do not see them again, we shall know what to expect from this part of the world.”
This made me shudder, for I did not like to lose sight of the ship again; nor did I much relish the idea of a storm in such latitudes. We now stood well south of the equator, and there was no chance of our returning to port.
Captain Arbuthnot seemed anxious to be rid of me, as he seldom conversed with me afterwards; but I could not help thinking that he was really uneasy at his own thoughts.
I tried to cheer him with talk, and told him we should see land every day as long as we kept within forty or fifty miles of it; but I was obliged to acknowledge to myself that I was not quite satisfied with his assurances. My mind was so much employed during the night that I slept little.
The morning passed without event; but towards noon there appeared a dense vapour, which rose from the sea, and extended upwards from a point about thirty miles out of the ship, until it was lost among the stars. A few minutes afterwards I saw several more clouds rising from different points.
They were very large masses of vapour, which appeared at first to be clouds; but when they got up into the air they became mere wisps of cloud like those which sometimes rise from a boiling cauldron. They continued to increase in size until they reached the level of the horizon.
I now felt assured that they were vapours, and nothing more; but I was unable to account for their appearance against the sun.
At sunset I was sitting at the window with the captain, when he suddenly pointed to the horizon to the westward, and exclaimed —
“Land! land!”
We both looked in the same direction, and presently perceived a long line of dark spots on the horizon, extending nearly five degrees from north-west to east-north-east. As soon as possible we went on board the caravels, and sent a boat in search of land. It was only ten minutes before it came back with the joyful news that we had sighted the coast of Africa.
***
The next day our latitude was 31 degrees 30′. The weather was fine all the time; but it began to be hot, and I could no longer endure the damp of the tropics, or keep awake. Our course now lay due north-westwards. We had now been three days on shore, and I did not feel any wish to return. The captain was very anxious to proceed; but I wished to remain where I was for a few hours.
About seven o’clock, Mr. Arbuthnot called me to him; and, as I expected, he said, “Mr. Arliss, let us now return to our ships; for this is a country of considerable importance to the navigation of these seas.”
“Why,” said I, “you have told me already how far this island extends, and that there are not less than four hundred miles of coast here which has not been charted; so you might be certain that we shall find plenty of work for your officers and men in a short while.”
“That may be, sir,” answered the captain; “but there are other considerations — I want to leave a few boats behind — some of my people would be glad to make a stay on this coast.”
I could not resist the temptation, and remained on shore.
There were two caravels in company with us, besides a large schooner belonging to the English East India Company, which had sailed from Bombay with the governor’s party. These vessels were manned by seamen, and were commanded by captains, but their crews consisted chiefly of negroes.
Their principal business in Africa was to take and carry off slaves; and they frequently made voyages to different parts of the continent. At this time the trade was going on rather better than formerly, as the price of labour was now high, and the demand for labour very urgent among the plantations of the United States and West Indies.
Some of the negroes who belonged to our ships were allowed to come ashore to visit their friends, if they had any. There was one particular man whom I wished to see, and I determined to wait for him; so I walked along the beach towards the town. I did not think he would attempt to avoid me, and he probably knew what I wanted.
He was a native of Barbados, and had lived with us several years. He was a black fellow named Peter; he used to laugh heartily at his own jokes; but there was something in his face and eyes which made people afraid of him; and though he was well known among the crew, and respected by most of them, none of the officers dared trust themselves with him alone, or even near him.
When he joined us on shore, they immediately surrounded him, and held him close to himself; and, as they were all talking together in a low voice, I did not think it safe to join the group; but I followed behind for some distance, and then overtook him.
“Hallo, old fellow!” said I, “where do you mean to go?”
“Where should I go to, Mr. Arliss? To look after my own affairs.”
“Oh, yes; I suppose you have been on shore, and you know there are many pretty girls among the natives.”
“Ah, indeed! Do you think there are pretty women?”
“Yes; don’t you?”
He stopped for a moment and looked up at me; then he laughed again; I had never seen him laugh before; and his whole countenance was altered. I felt quite alarmed.
“Come, come,” said I, “do tell me about them, for I am sure you must have seen them.”
“You will be sorry for having asked me that question, Mr. Arliss; I’ll answer you frankly — the best woman for any man is another man’s wife; she is always ugly and cross.”
Then he took off his hat and held it up against the sun; and, looking round, he saw two young women approaching, and he beckoned to them. “They are very beautiful, Mr. Arliss,” said he, laughing, “and very handsome; do you think I should like to marry either of them?”
“No, Peter,” answered I; “I do not believe you would care for any woman — unless she was the devil herself.”
“I’m not such an idiot, Mr. Arliss,” replied he, “as not to understand that you have taken me for a fool. No, no — I won’t marry any woman, nor any one else either; but I’m thinking of buying some land in this country, and settling down here.”
It appeared he had bought a plantation of eight or ten acres about fifty miles inland, and lived in a small hut among the trees, which was built entirely by his own hands, and which was the envy of all his neighbours. The negroes who worked on his estate were allowed to remain there during the greater part of the year, excepting when they came over to the ship to load up with supplies.
As soon as we landed, the captain sent for me, and told me that a number of vessels were expected to put into St. George’s harbour in two or three weeks’ time, and that a considerable cargo of slaves was to be sold on behalf of the Company. “And I have no doubt, my dear Arliss,” added he, “that you will find something here which will suit your taste — perhaps more than one thing.”
I thought it advisable to let him suppose that I cared nothing for the things of this world; but he understood better than I supposed how little I valued them. I did not care much whether the captain believed me indifferent to objects of pleasure, or whether he did not; but I did not wish my friend to suspect my interest in anything that might be offered for sale; so I said I should be delighted to examine the merchandise as soon as it arrived.
In a few days after we arrived, the sloop was sent off to get provisions, and she returned early in the morning with orders from the captain for us all to go on board; and in a short time a boat put off and brought us to the brig.
We found her lying off the town, and we were told that the wind blew fresh from the north-west, which gave us hopes of a favourable passage home. I went on shore with my friend Peter, who remained behind to manage his estate.
He had given instructions that everything should be done in a proper manner until he should return; and as it was necessary to keep the house supplied with food, and water pumped to the cisterns in case of fire or accident, it was arranged that some one should remain there, while two or three others went on board with the captain to see if there could not be found some suitable property in the neighbourhood where we might purchase some land and settle down.
There were several other people with us in the little vessel; besides those engaged in our service, there was an elderly gentleman named Mr. Larkin, who was evidently a friend of the captain, and who seemed to be acquainted with many persons of distinction both on the island and elsewhere.
As soon as we were well aboard, the captain ordered his men to stand off and make sail; then we made a hearty dinner together; and I observed that it was generally accepted that this voyage should be a pleasant one. It was not long before the brig got under way; and as she began to pick up the westerly breeze, her crew worked briskly at their work.
We saw St. George’s, which lies on a point of land projecting into the sea, and beyond it the great bay of which we had heard so much. There was no sign of ships, but the anchorage was very good; and I thought we should not have many difficulties in getting a safe place for the schooner in which to take refuge.
Our course lay between two islands, and although we could not see far, we fancied that we might hear the noise of cannon; so we determined to pass the night off the northern extremity of one of these islands, and to run in with the main-land next day.
The schooner followed a line towards the south, and we stood out to sea once more, keeping close to the wind, which set fair and freshened as we proceeded along our route; and before dark we were near enough to the island to be able to distinguish the buildings on it.
They were situated on the western side of the island, and consisted chiefly of houses of the most miserable appearance. There were two churches — one Protestant, and the other Roman Catholic, with a few small huts thrown among them; and a large stone battery, constructed with such care and regularity as to show that its proprietors had a purpose in view.
The captain ordered his people to hoist anchor, and when he judged it safe to approach within gunshot of the fortifications, he took his course towards them. In about an hour he dropped his cables, and then we anchored, and went on shore in the boat.
When we reached the battery we found no less than twenty muskets, all well loaded with balls. Some were pointed at port, others at starboard; and we were assured by our guides that they had been recently fired, but as they appeared undamaged we concluded that it was a useless piece of precaution.
As we approached nearer, we perceived some people on board the batteries, who came towards us, saluted, and told us to proceed. One of them had the appearance of a chief. As he advanced towards us he asked the name of each of us as he met us. When he came to me he said, “You are Mr. John Mangles, I think?”
“I am,” I answered; “but how do you know it?”
“Oh! I have known your name since I saw you last in Jamaica.”
“Why did you not say so then? You might have saved us much trouble, as now we must tell you our names.”
He said nothing; and when he came to me again, I remarked that I was surprised to see him.
“How can you be so stupid?” he said; “you must remember me better than that; I was in the same ship with you, and was with you till just before we left Jamaica.”
I recollected that he was a lieutenant of marines in the brig we had hired in Porto Bello, and that I had been on good terms with him. I therefore told him so; he smiled slightly, and then said:
“Come, come, don’t waste time over what does not matter. What is your business?”
It appeared to me that it would have been wiser to have given him my full name, or at least my Christian name; but, being unwilling to commit myself, I said merely that we came from the United States to look after the plantations of Barbados.
“What!” exclaimed our guide, “you Americans are going to buy sugar?”
“Yes, sir; we wish to buy a certain quantity of sugar from the estate of Lord Melville, who has just returned from Europe.”
“Lord Melville!” echoed the captain; “who is that? Why did you not tell us that you wished to visit him?”
This was too much for the lieutenant, whom I knew well to be a clever fellow. He turned round and shouted to his companions at the battery, and presently four young men ran down the inclosure, and joined us; these were evidently his companions, though none of them had any idea who we were.
The captain addressed himself to them in French, which they understood better than their leader’s English; and in a short time we had become acquainted. It appeared that our guide was named Tissier, and that he belonged to a family which, in consequence of its ancient connection with the island, commanded great influence in the settlement.
We were taken to the house of this Tissier — his father having died many years before — where we were served with excellent supper, and the best wines we had tasted since we left the Cape of Good Hope. After we had dined we remained long discussing a variety of subjects of interest, while the rest of the company passed the evening in conversation around the table.
I had a talk with the captain of the battery; he told me that he was a nephew of M. Tissier; that he had received his appointment only six months before — that he was a young man still but not without experience, and that he expected to remain there several years longer, as it was his intention to learn Spanish and English in that town; and also that he was in command of one hundred and fifty men, all well armed.
The lieutenant, whose name was Tissier, made me an offer to accompany him in his excursions in the neighbourhood, but I declined it, and said I should go to bed. As I was walking up stairs, he said to me, “If you have any more money to spare, don’t hesitate to give it to me; I need it for my own use.”
As I walked along in the moonlight I could hear the voices of the people on the other side of the fortification; I saw them seated together, talking earnestly, and smoking a large number of pipes. They seemed very friendly, but I thought it better not to join them in conversation; it would have been difficult for me to speak without attracting attention.
There was a large moon shining, and the light streamed across the river, throwing a brilliant glare on the water and the buildings on both sides, as if all night had been spent in making them bright.
I slept soundly until morning, when I awoke refreshed and feeling quite rested. When I looked out upon the terrace I found the weather clear and cold. I went down and breakfasted with Captain Bligh.
He informed me that the French frigate was anchored close under the bridge, where she lay at anchor, and that we must not be surprised at seeing her come out and take a passage through the lock in the wall. This she did not do, but sailed off towards the south-west; and, as she was a good deal larger than ours, we took no great alarm at it.
We had some difficulty in getting our vessel free from the dock, as there were many boats belonging to the town moored to it. The French officer came up, looking very smart and handsome; he saluted Captain Bligh, and then addressed himself to us.
“Mr. Wood,” said he, “it will please me greatly, and I think my men also, if you would allow them to take a walk over the island. They are tired with sitting in the boat all day long; and although I shall be obliged to keep guard at the door all night, it will be a pleasant change for them to get a breath of fresh air once in a way.”
“Certainly,” answered Captain Bligh, “but as you must keep a sharp lookout you may not find it comfortable for them.”
The officer smiled pleasantly and said, “No doubt; but I hope to keep myself awake by thinking of the French coast and the dangers that lie in wait for us. But let me know how many men you want to accompany them.”
“You have already given orders about this?” inquired Captain Bligh.
“Yes; but it does not appear to me so necessary to make them as I thought yesterday. I can take thirty men into the country with me, and I think that is ample.”
This answer was perfectly satisfactory to Captain Bligh, and the Frenchman went away to give it effect. We had now no cause for uneasiness; there was nothing unusual in this French officer’s conduct; and we hoped that he would continue to behave like a civilised person, and not betray the slightest disposition either of hostility or curiosity.
His manner showed that he felt little or no fear on the subject of our vessel, and we hoped that it would be some days ere he ventured to send us an officer who would endeavour to discover what sort of a ship we possessed.
Captain Bligh ordered two sailors to go ashore with the French officer, and he accompanied them. I wished to go too; but the captain advised me to stay on board, assuring me that it would not be safe to venture outside the walls.
He was right; we had hardly got to the point where the wall begins to descend into the water, when three Spaniards, each armed with a musket, appeared round the corner of the bastion and stopped our progress.
“Who goes there?” inquired the foremost of these men.
“A gentleman on business of importance,” said the officer to whom they belonged, as he introduced us into their midst.
They were three of the most ferocious-looking men I ever saw, with a countenance which betrayed them to be of the blood royal, and I should not have cared much to encounter any one of them at such a moment. Their faces were scarlet, and their eyes were like coals of fire; they looked more savage than fierce.
As they advanced towards us they talked among themselves in their own language, and as they passed us by a few words escaped in English: “It is a British vessel!” and “It is the privateer La Conqueteur!” These words gave us no concern; we knew them to be merely formalities.
We stood still till they passed us; and they made no attempt to detain us, though, had we chosen to return to the town, I believe we could have taken a passage across the river in a boat without danger of being molested.
There was nothing more to prevent us from entering the town; but Captain Bligh forbade his men to leave the deck while the boats were in possession of the place. I did not choose to remain below, and I strolled along with the lieutenant and some others of the officers and men, to see the town, and to enjoy a view of the country beyond.
The Spaniards, who watched us carefully, seemed satisfied with what they saw. Our presence in the bay was evidently known by their people; but they did not trouble us in any way, and we walked peacefully through the streets as far as the end of the fortification.
Here we found a road running parallel to the beach, which was quite deserted except for a few Spaniards, who were busy carrying off provisions from a warehouse which we noticed upon our left hand.
The road continued to wind along between the fortifications for half a mile farther, after which it turned abruptly into a side street, from the mouth of which a steep ascent ascended to a lofty hill, which commanded a view of the whole surrounding district.
The End