Percival Keene Part 23

The negro left me, and in a few minutes returned, with a sort of half-Indian, half-negro-looking cut of fellow, with whom he conversed in Spanish.

"He say he know how to make brown like himself but not dark same as me.

Suppose you wish he do it to-night--begin now?"

"Yes, I do wish it," replied I; and so I did sincerely, for I felt that it might be the saving of my life; and I had a great aversion to be torn to pieces by the sharks which followed the vessel, that being anything but an agreeable mode of going out of the world.

The American black remained with me, and we conversed for about half an hour, by which time we were joined by the Spanish Main negro, who brought up with him some decoction or another, boiling hot. They stripped me and rubbed me all over with a bit of sponge, not only the face and hands, but every part of my body and then I was left standing quite naked to dry; the crew had gathered round us, and were very merry at the idea of changing my colour.

As soon as the warm air had dried me, the application was created; and when I was again dry, the American told me to put on my clothes, and that he would call me early to have two more applications of the stuff, and that then I should be quite dark enough.

I asked for Jose, and told him what the captain had said; he gave me a bundle of matting for a bed, and I was soon fast asleep. About three o'clock in the morning I was called up, and the staining repeated twice, and I then lay down again.

When the hands were turned up at five bells (for everything was very regular on board), Jose brought me a gla.s.s to look at myself, and I was quite satisfied that my colour would no longer annoy the captain. I was not as black as a negro, but I was as dark as a mulatto.

I asked the Spanish negro, through Jose, who could speak both languages, whether I might wash myself? He replied, all day long if I pleased; that I should not get the colour off; it would wear off in time, and the stuff must be applied once a month, and that would be sufficient.

I went to the forecastle, and washed myself; the negro crew were much amused, and said that I now was a "bel muchaco"--a handsome boy. I dare say they thought so--at all events, they appeared to be very friendly with me, and my staining myself gave them great satisfaction. I was sitting with Jose between decks when the cabin bell rang.

"You go," said he, showing his white teeth as he grinned; "I go after, see what captain tink."

I went into the cabin, and knocked at the state-room door.

"Come in," said the captain.

I went in, and met him face to face.

"What!" said he, looking earnestly at me--"yet it must be--it is you, is it not?"

"Yes, sir," replied I, "it is me. I've turned dark to please you, and I hope it does please you."

"It does, boy, I can look at you now, and forget that you are white. I can. I feel that I can love you now--you've got rid of your only fault in my eyes, and I'm not sorry. I'm only glad that I did not--"

"Give me to the sharks," said I, finis.h.i.+ng his sentence.

"Exactly so; say no more about it."

I immediately turned the conversation, by asking him what he required; and I attended him while dressing. From that time he became very friendly towards me, constantly conversing with me. I did my duty as his servant for more than a fortnight, during which time we became very intimate, and (I may as well confess it) I grew very fond of my new master, and thought less about the s.h.i.+p and my s.h.i.+pmates. We were going into a port, I knew, but what port I did not know.

I often had conversations with Jose and the American black, and gained a great deal of information from them; but I could not discover much of the history of the captain. On that point they refused to be communicative; occasionally hints were given, and then, as if recollecting themselves, they stopped speaking.

It was about three weeks before we made the land of Cuba, and as soon as we did so, the schooner was hove to till night, when sail was again made, and before ten o'clock we saw the lights of the Havannah. When about three miles off we again hove to, and about midnight we perceived under the land the white sails of a schooner, which was standing out.

Sail was made, and we ran down to her, and before she was aware that we were an enemy, she was laid by the board and in the possession of our crew. The people belonging to the vessel were handed up, and she was examined. She proved to be a vessel fitted out for the slave trade, with the manacles, etcetera, on board of her, and was just sailing for the coast.

I was on the deck when the white men, belonging to the slaver, were brought on board, and never shall I forget the rage and fury of the captain.

All sail was made upon both schooners, standing right off from the land, and at daylight we had left it a long way astern.

Jose said to me, "You better not go to captain dis day. Keep out of his way--perhaps he recollect dat you white."

From what I had seen the night before, I thought this good advice; and I not only did not go into the cabin, but I did not show myself on deck.

About eight o'clock in the morning I heard the boat lowered down and orders given to scuttle the vessel, as soon as she had been well searched. This was done, and the boat returned, having found several thousand dollars on board of her, which they handed upon deck.

I remained below: I heard the angry voice of the negro captain--the pleadings and beggings for mercy of the prisoners--busy preparations making on deck; and several men came down and handed up buckets of sand; an iron grating was handed up. The countenances of the negroes who were thus employed appeared inflamed, as if their wrath was excited; now and then they laughed at each other, and looked more like demons than men.

That some dreadful punishment was about to be inflicted I was certain and I remained crouched behind the foremast on the lower-deck.

At last the men were all on deck again, and I was left alone; and then I heard more noise, begging for mercy, weeping and wailing, and occasionally a few words from the mouth of the negro captain; then rose shrieks and screams, and appeals to Heaven, and a strong smell, which I could not comprehend, came down the hatchways.

The shrieks grew fainter, and at last ceased, and something was thrown overboard. Then the same tragedy, whatever it was, was acted over again--more attempts to obtain mercy--more shrieks--again the same overpowering smell. What could it be? I would have given much to know, but something told me that I must remain where I was. Ten times was this repeated, and then, as evening came on, there was a bustle on deck, and after a time the crew descended the hatchways.

I caught the eye of the American, with whom I was intimate, and as he pa.s.sed me, I beckoned to him. He came to me.

"What has been done?" said I in a whisper.

"Captain punish slave traders," replied he; "always punish them so."

"Why, what did he do to them?"

"Do?--roast 'em alive. Dis third slave vessel he take, and he always serve 'em so. Serve 'em right; captain very savage; no go to him till morrow morning--you keep close." So saying, the American negro left me.

As I afterwards found out, the long boat on the booms had been cleared out, the sand laid at the bottom to prevent the fire from burning the boat, the captain and crew of the slave vessel laid on one after the other upon the iron grating, and burnt alive. This accounted for the horrible smell that had come down the hatchways.

It may be considered strange that I really did not feel so much horror as perhaps I ought to have done. Had this dreadful punishment been inflicted upon any _other_ persons than slave dealers, and _by_ any other parties than negroes, I should not have been able to look at the captain without abhorrence expressed in my countenance; but I know well the horrors of the slave trade from conversation I had had with Bob Cross; and I had imbibed such a hatred against the parties who had carried it on, that it appeared to me to be an act of retaliation almost allied to justice. Had the negro captain only warred against slave dealers, I do not think I should have cared about remaining in the vessel; but he had told me and fully proved to me, that he detested all white men, and had never spared them except in my own instance.

I must acknowledge that I felt very much like going into the lion's den, when the next morning, on his ringing the cabin bell, I presented myself to the captain; but so far from being in an ill-humour, he was very kind to me.

After breakfast, as I was going out, he said to me, "You must have a name: I shall call you Cato--recollect that; and now I have a question to ask you--What is that which you carry round your neck on a ribbon?"

"A letter, sir," replied I.

"A letter! and why do you carry a letter?"

"Because it is of the greatest importance to me."

"Indeed! Now, Cato, sit down on the other sofa, and let me know your history."

I felt that I could not do better than to make this man at once my confidant. He might take a strong interest in me, and it was not likely to go farther. I therefore told him everything connected with my birth and parentage, what my suspicions had been, and how the letter had confirmed them. I unsewed the seal-skin, and gave him the letter to read--without being aware that he could read: he took it and read it aloud.

"Yes," said he, "that's proof under his own hand; and now, Cato, never be afraid of me, for, however I may wreak my vengeance upon others, I swear _by my colour_ that I never will hurt you, or permit others to do so. I am a tiger--I know it; but you have often seen a little spaniel caressed by the tiger, whose fangs are turned against every other living thing. You are quite safe."

"I feel I am, since you say so," replied I; "and since I am to be your pet, I shall take liberties, and ask you, in return, to tell me your history."

"I am glad that you have asked it, as I wish you to know it. I will begin at once--

"I was born in America, in the state of Pennsylvania, of free parents.

My father was a sail-maker, and was worth money; bet a free black in America is even worse treated and more despised than a slave. I had two brothers, who went to school with me.

"My father intended to bring me up for the Church. You look astonished; but in the States we have clergymen of our colour, as well as white ones; looked down upon and despised, I grant, although they do teach the Word of G.o.d; but I was very unfit for that profession, as you may suppose. I was very proud and haughty; I felt that I was as good as a white man, and I very often got into sc.r.a.pes from my resenting injuries.