Tom Cringle's Log Part 52

"I mean neither more nor less than what I say. I speak English, don't I?

I say, that that pestilent young fellow Cringle told me half an hour ago, that he was determined, as he words it, to stick to this Guineaman, who is three times his size, has eighteen guns, while Master Tommy has only three; and whose crew, I will venture to say, triples our number; and the snipe, from what I know of him, is the very man to keep his word so what say you, my darling, eh?"

"Ah, very inconvenient, ah,--I shall stay below," said Paul.

"So shall I," quoth Pepperpot; "won't stick my nose on deck, Aaron dear, no, not for the whole world."

"Why," said Bang, in the same steady low tone, "you shall do as you please, ah,"--and here he very successfully imitated our amigo Gelid's drawl--"and as best suits you, ah; but I have consulted the gunner, an old ally of mine, who, to be plain with you--ah--says that the danger from splinter wounds below, is much greater than from their musketry on deck--ah--the risk from the round shot being pretty equal--ah--in either situation." At this announcement you could have jumped down either Wagtail's or Gelid's throat,--Wagtail's for choice--without touching their teeth. "Farther, the aforesaid Timothy, and be hanged to him, deponeth, that the only place in a small vessel where we could have had a moderate chance of safety was the Run,--so called, I presume, from people running to it for safety; but where the deuce this sanctuary is situated I know not, nor does it signify greatly, for it is now converted into a spare powder magazine, and of course sealed to us. So here we are, my lads, in as neat a taking as ever three unfortunate gentlemen were in, in this weary world. However, now since I have comforted you, let us go to bed-time enough to think on all this in the morning, and I am consumedly tired."

I heard no more, and resumed my solitary walk on deck, peering every now and then through the night-gla.s.s, until my eyes ached again. The tedious night at length wore away, and the grey dawn found me sound asleep, leaning out at the gangway. They had scarcely begun to wash down the decks, when we discerned our friend of the preceding night, about four miles to windward, close hauled on the same tack, apparently running in for the Cuba sh.o.r.e, as fast as canva.s.s could carry him. If this was his object, we had proved too quick for him, as by casting off stays, and slacking shrouds, and, in every way we could think of, loosening the rigid trim of the little vessel, we had in a great measure recovered her sailing; so when he found he was cut off from the land, he resolutely bore up, took in his top-gallant sails, hauled up his courses, fired a gun, and hoisted his large Spanish ensign, all in regular man-of-war fashion. By this time it was broad daylight, and Wagtail, Gelid, and Bang, were all three on deck, performing their morning ablutions. As for myself, I was well forward, near the long gun. Pegtop, Mr Bang's black valet, came up to me.

"Please, Ma.s.sa Captain, can you spare me any muskets?"

"Any muskets?" said I; "why, half a dozen if you choose."

"De wery number my ma.s.sa told me to hax for. Tank you, Ma.s.sa Captain."

And forthwith he and the other two black servants in attendance on Wagtail and Gelid, each seized his two muskets out of the arm-chest, with the corresponding ammunition, and, like so many sable Robinson Crusoes, were stumping aft, when I again accosted the aforesaid Pegtop.

"I say, my man, now since you have got the muskets, does your master really intend to fight?" The negro stopped short, and faced right round, his countenance expressing very great surprise and wonderment. "Ma.s.sa Bang fight? Ma.s.sa Aaron Bang fight?" and he looked up in my face with the most seriocomic expression that could be imagined. "Ah, ma.s.sa,"

continued the poor fellow,--"you is joking--surely you is joking--my Ma.s.sa Aaron Bang fight? Oh, ma.s.sa, surely you can't know he--surely you never see him shoot snipe, and wild-duck--oh dear, why him kill wild duck on de wing--ah, me often see him knock down teal wid single ball, one hundred--ah, one hundred and fifty yards--and man surely more big mark den teal?"

"Granted," I said; "but a teal has not a loaded musket in its claws, a Spanish buccaneer may have a small difference, Master Pegtop, that?"

"None at all, master," chimed in Pegtop, "very energetically myshef, Gabriel Pegtop, Christian man as me is, am one of de Falmouth black shot. Ah, I have been in de woods wid Ma.s.sa Aaron, one time particular, when dem wery debils, Sambo Moses, Corromantee Tom, and Eboe Peter, took to de bush, at Crabyaw estate--after breakfast--ten black shot me was one, go out along wid our good ma.s.sa, Ma.s.sa Aaron. Oh Lord, we walk troo de cool wood, and over de hot cleared ground, six hour, when every body say,--No use dis, Ma.s.sa Bang--all we tired too much--must stop here--kindle fire--cook wittal. Ah, top dem who hab white liver, said Ma.s.sa Aaron; you, Pegtop, take you fusee and cutla.s.s, and follow me, my shild--Ma.s.sa Aaron alway call me him shild, and troo enough, as parson Calaloo say, him family wery much like Joseph coat--many colour among dem, ma.s.sa--though none quite so deep as mine eider"--and here the negro grinned at his own jest. "Well, I was follow him, or rader was go before him, opening up de pa.s.s wid me cutla.s.s, troo de wery tangle underwood. We walk four hour--see no one, all still and quiet--no breeze shake de tree--oh, I sweat too much--dem hot, ma.s.sa, sun shine right down, when we could catch glimpse of him--yet no trace of de runaways. At length, on turning corner, perched on small platform of rock, overshadowed by plumes of bamboos, like ostrich feather lady wear at de ball, who shall we see but dem wery dividual d----rascail I was mention, standing all tree, each wid one carabine pointed at us, at him shoulder, and cutla.s.s at him side? Pegtop, my boy, said Ma.s.sa Aaron, we is in for it--follow me, but don't fire. So him pick off Sambo Moses--oh!

cool as one cuc.u.mber. Now, say he, man to man,--and wid dat him tro him gun on de ground, and drawing him cutla.s.s, we push up--in one moment him and Corromantee Tom close. Tom put up him hand to fend him head whip--ah--ma.s.sa cutla.s.s shred de hand at de wrist, like one carrot down Tom go--atop of him jump Ma.s.sa Aaron. I master de leetle one, Eboe Peter, and we carry dem both prisoners into Falmouth.--Ma.s.sa Aaron fight? Ah, ma.s.sa, no hax dat question again."

"Well, but will Mr Gelid fight?" said I.

"I tink him will too--great friend of Ma.s.sa Bang--good duck--shot too oh yes, fink Ma.s.sa Paul will fight."

"Why," said I, "your friends are all heroes, Pegtop--will Mr Wagtail fight also?" He stole close up to me, and exchanged his smart Creole gibberish for a quiet sedate accent, as he whispered.

"Not so sure of he--nice little fat man, but too fond of him belly.

When I wait behind Ma.s.sa Aaron chair, Pegtop sometime hear funny ting.

One gentleman say--Ah, dat month we hear Lord Wellington take Saint Sebastian--when dat is, what time we hear dat news, Ma.s.sa Wagtail? him say.--Eh, say Ma.s.sa Wagtail--oh, we hear of dem news, dat wery day de first of de ringtail pigeon come to market. Den again, Dat big fight dem had at soch anoder place, when we hear of dat, Ma.s.sa Wagtail?--say somebody else. Oh, oh, de wery day we hab dat beautiful grouper wid claret sauce at Ma.s.sa Whiffie's. Oh, make me laugh to hear white gentleman mark great fight in him memory by what him eat de day de news come; so, Ma.s.sa Captain Cringle, me no quite sure weder Ma.s.sa Wagtail will fight or no."

So saying, Pegtop, Chew Chew, and Yampea, each shouldered two muskets apiece, and betook themselves to the after part of the schooner, where they forthwith set themselves to scour, and oil, and clean the same, in a most skilful manner. I expected the breeze would have freshened as the day broke, but I was disappointed; it fell, towards six o'clock, nearly calm. Come, thought I, we may as well go to breakfast; and my guests and I forthwith sat down to our morning meal. Soon after, the wind died away altogether--and "out sweeps" was the word; but I soon saw we had no chance with the chase at this game, and as to attacking him with the boats, it was entirely out of the question; neither could I, in the prospect of a battle, afford to murder the people, by pulling all day under a roasting sun, against one who could man his sweeps with relays of slaves, without one of his crew putting a finger to them; so I reluctantly laid them in, and there I stood looking at him the whole forenoon, as he gradually drew ahead of us. At length I piped to dinner, and the men having finished theirs, were again on deck; but the calm still continued; and seeing no chance of it freshening, about four in the afternoon we sat down to ours in the cabin. There was little said; my friends, although brave and resolute men, were naturally happy to see the brig creeping away from us, as fighting could only bring them danger; and my own feelings were of that mixed quality, that while I determined to do all I could to bring him to action, it would not have broken my heart had he escaped. We had scarcely finished dinner, however, when the rushing of the water past the run of the little vessel, and the steadiness with which she skimmed along, shewed that the light air had freshened.

Presently Tailtackle came down. "The breeze has set down, sir; the strange sail has got it strong to windward, and brings it along with him cheerily."

"Beat to quarters, then, Tailtackle; all hands stand by to shorten sail.

How is she standing?"

"Right down for us, sir."

I went on deck, and there was the Guineaman about two miles to windward, evidently cleared for action, with her decks crowded with men, bowling along steadily under her single-reefed topsails.

I saw all clear. Wagtail and Gelid had followed me on deck, and were now busy with their black servants inspecting the muskets. But Bang still remained in the cabin. I went down. He was gobbling his last plantain, and forking up along with it most respectable slices of cheese, when I entered.

I had seen before I left the deck that an action was now unavoidable, and judging from the disparity of force, I had my own doubts as to the issue. I need scarcely say that I was greatly excited. It was my first command: My future standing in the service depended on my conduct now, and, G.o.d help me, I was all this while a mere lad, not more than twenty one years old. A strange indescribable feeling had come over me, and an irresistible desire to disburden my mind to the excellent man before me. I sat down.

"Hey day," quoth Bang, as he laid down his coffee cup; "why, Tom, what ails you? You look deuced pale, my boy."

"Up all night, sir, and bothered all day," said I; "wearied enough, I can tell you."

I felt a strong tremor pervade my whole frame at this moment; and I was impelled to speak by some unknown impulse, which I could not account for nor a.n.a.lyze.

"Mr Bang, you are the only friend whom I could count on in these countries; you know all about me and mine, and, I believe, would willingly do a kind action to my father's son."

"What are you at, Tom, my dear boy? come to the point, man."

"I will. I am distressed beyond measure at having led you and your excellent friends, Wagtail and Gelid, into this danger; but I could not help it, and I have satisfied my conscience on that point; so I have only to entreat that you will stay below, and not unnecessarily expose yourselves. And if I should fall--may I take this liberty, my dear sir," and I involuntarily took his hand,--"if I should fall, and I doubt if I shall ever see the sun set again, as we are fearfully overmatched"

Bang struck in.

"Why, if our friend be too big--why not be off then? Pull foot, man, eh?--Havannah under your lee?"

"A thousand reasons against it, my dear sir. I am a young man and a young officer, my character is to make in the service--No, no, it is impossible--an older and more tried hand might have bore up, but I must fight it out. If any stray shot carries me off, my dear sir, will you take"--Mary, I would have said, but I could not p.r.o.nounce her name for the soul of me--"will you take charge of her miniature, and say I died as I have"--a choking lump rose in my throat, and I could not proceed for a second; "and will you send my writing desk to my poor mother, there are letters in"--the lump grew bigger, the hot tears streamed from my eyes in torrents. I trembled like an aspen leaf, and grasping my excellent friend's hand more firmly, I sunk down on my knees in a pa.s.sion of tears, and wept like a woman, and fervently prayed to that great G.o.d, in whose almighty hand I stood, that I might that day do my duty as an English seaman. Bang knelt by me. Presently the pa.s.sion was quelled. I rose, and so did he.

"Before you, my dear sir, I am not ashamed to have...."

"Don't mention it my good boy--don't mention it; neither of us, as the old general said, will fight a bit the worse."

I looked at him. "Do you then mean to fight?" said I.

"To be sure I do--why not? I have no wife,"--he did not say he had no children--"Fight? To be sure I do."

"Another gun, sir," said Tailtackle, through the open skylight. Now all was bustle, and we hastened on deck. Our antagonist was a large brig, three hundred tons at the least, a long low vessel, painted black, out and in, and her sides round as an apple, with immensely square yards.

She was apparently full of men. The sun was getting low, and she was coming down fast on us, on the verge of the dark blue water of the sea breeze. I could make out ten ports and nine guns of a side. I inwardly prayed they might not be long ones, but I was not a little startled to see through the gla.s.s that there were crowds of naked negroes at quarters, and on the forecastle and p.o.o.p. That she was a contraband Guineaman, I had already made up my mind to believe; and that she had some fifty hands of a crew, I also considered likely; but that her captain should have resorted to such a perilous measure, perilous to themselves as well as to us, as arming the captive slaves, was quite unexpected, and not a little alarming, as it evinced his determination to make the most desperate resistance.

Tailtackle was standing beside me at this time, with his jacket off, his cutla.s.s girded on his thigh, and the belt drawn very tight. All the rest of the crew were armed in a similar fashion; the small-arm-men with muskets in their hands, and the rest at quarters at the guns; while the pikes were cast loose from the spars round which they had been stopped, with tubs of wadding, and boxes of grape, all ready ranged, and every thing clear for action.

"Mr Tailtackle" said I, "you are gunner here, and should be in the magazine. Cast off that cutla.s.s; it is not your province to lead the boarders." The poor fellow blushed, having, in the excitement of the moment, forgotten that he was any thing more than captain of the Firebrand's maintop.

"Mr Timotheus," said Bang, "have you one of these bodkins to spare?"

Timothy laughed. "Certainly, sir; but you don't mean to head the boarders, sir--do you?"

"Who knows, now since I have learned to walk on this dancing cork of a craft?" rejoined Aaron, with a grim smile, while he pulled off his coat, braced on his cutla.s.s, and tied a large red cotton shawl round his head.

He then took off his neckerchief and fastened it round his waist, as tight as he could draw.

"Strange that all men in peril--on the uneasiness, like," said he, "should always gird themselves as tightly as they can."

The slaver was now within musket-shot, when he put his helm to port, with the view of pa.s.sing under our stem. To prevent being raked, we had to luff up sharp in the wind, and fire a broadside. I noticed the white splinters glance from his black wales; and once more the same sharp yell rung in our ears, followed by the long melancholy howl, already described.

"We have pinned some of the poor blacks again," said Tailtackle, who still lingered on the deck; small s.p.a.ce for remark, for the slaver again fired his broadside at us, with the same cool precision as before.

"Down with the helm, and let her come round," said I; "that will do master, run across his stern--Out sweeps forward, and keep her there get the other carronade over to leeward--that is it--now, blaze away while he is becalmed--fire, small-arm-men, and take good aim."