Three Commanders — Chapter Ten, part 1

CHAPTER TEN.

NEWS FROM ENGLAND--JACK ROGERS APPOINTED TO THE GAUNTLET--ADAIR PROMOTED, AND SUCCEEDS HIM IN COMMAND OF THE ROMP--THE THREE MIDSHIPMEN TRANSFERRED TO THE GAUNTLET--A TRIP ON SHORE--SAILORS IN THE

SLAVE-MARKET--THE SULTAN APPEARS--GAUNTLET ON THE NORTHERN STATION--TOM KETTLE AND BILL SAUCEPAN, THE KROOMEN--A TRAP FOR SLAVERS--MR LARGE'S EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF WILDFOWL--FINDS MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR--IS THE ISLAND BEWITCHED?

The corvette was within a hundred miles of the African coast, when a sail was sighted on the port-bow coming down before the wind.

She was soon seen to be a large ship, and little doubt was entertained that she was the _Radiant_.

That she was so was in a short time proved, when she got near enough to allow her number to be seen.

The corvette accordingly hove-to, to await her coming.

As she drew near, she shortened sail, and hoisted a signal to send a boat for mail-bag.

No summons could be more willingly attended to.

The boat was soon alongside, when a large letter-bag was lowered into her, and Adair was summoned to give an account of the trip to Seychelles.

He of course inquired the news.

There were some changes in the station.

"Commander Rogers has been confirmed in his rank," said the commodore;

"and I have appointed him to succeed poor Danvers, the late commander of the _Gauntlet_ steamer, which arrived out on the station after you sailed.

I hope that he'll have gained some experience in the _Romp_, for I mean to do something in putting down the slave-trade.

I am determined to strike a blow at the traffic before I return to the Cape, where the doctor tells me I ought to go for the sake of the health of the ship's company and my own; and so I will, as soon as I hear that a few more captures have been made.

By the bye, you've been pretty successful, and I'll give you an acting order to command the _Romp_ till someone is appointed from home.

I expect you to show your zeal in the service, and I have no doubt that you will be able to give a satisfactory account of your proceedings."

Adair, highly pleased, thanked the commodore, and hastened back with the letter-bag to the corvette.

He longed to see its contents, for he felt sure that he should hear from Mrs Murray, if not from Lucy herself.

The contents of the bag were quickly distributed, and every officer, and not a few of the men, were soon deeply immersed in perusing their various epistles.

It was a wonder the corvette did not run away with them; fortunately Jos Green was the officer of the watch, and, shoving his letters into his pocket, he issued the order to brace round the foreyard, and the corvette once more stood close-hauled to the westward, while the commodore ran on for the island of Pemba.

Murray, of course, had a letter from his wife, containing a smaller missive, which he held in his hand while he read the contents of the former.

Adair had just received a long official-looking epistle, at which his eyes sparkled with more than usual animation.

"Good luck has come at last!"

he exclaimed; "I've got my promotion, thanks to Admiral Triton and Lord Derrynane."

"I congratulate you heartily," said Murray; "and here's a little billet which I hope may add to your satisfaction.

I suppose Stella thinks it all right, or she wouldn't have undertaken to forward it."

Adair took the note, and, eagerly opening it, ran his eyes rapidly over the delicately-formed characters.

"Hurrah, my boy, I'm the happiest fellow alive!"

he said, with difficulty restraining an inclination to throw his cap into the air and give an Irish caper.

"That capital fellow, Jack, has been taking my part; and Lucy says that Sir John and Lady Rogers are inclined to relent, and she's certain would not withhold their consent provided I obtain what I've just got; and so I may conclude that it will all be settled, and that I may make my appearance at Halliburton as soon as I return to England."

"I'm truly glad to hear it," said Murray; "from what my wife says, I thought you would be satisfied with her friend's letter.

The only drawback, as far as I am concerned, is that I shall lose you as my first lieutenant.

However, I mustn't complain, and I might have a much worse one than Mildmay, who will, I am sure, turn to with a will when he finds himself once in the position, and I only hope I may get an efficient officer in his place."

Adair was sorely tempted to go home by the first opportunity, instead of taking command of the _Romp_; but two motives prevented him--first, he had been appointed commander; and, secondly, hoped by capturing a number of dhows to be able to pick up some prize-money, which might assist him in setting up house when he got back to England.

"I say, Uncle Terence, am I to follow you on board the brig or to remain here?"

asked Desmond, when he heard of Adair's appointment and promotion.

"If the commander can spare you, I think, Desmond, I will take you with me," answered Adair, "but it must depend upon him.

He may be unwilling to lose the services of so valuable an officer."

"Arrah now, Uncle Terence, you're poking fun at me," exclaimed Desmond;

"but I'm after thinking how Archie Gordon will get on without me.

We've been together ever since he came to sea, and it will seem strange to him and to me if we're separated."

"I've a notion that each of you will get along very well by yourselves, and neither of you will be able to lead the other into mischief," said Adair.

"Mischief d'ye mane, Uncle Terence," cried Desmond; "sure it's what neither of us are capable of."

"No, of course you are both of you wonderfully well-conducted young gentlemen," replied Adair; "and, besides, you are getting rather too old for playing monkey tricks; but still I'd rather keep my eye upon you, and so I intend to ask Commander Murray to lend you to the _Romp_ till she's ordered home."

The next day the corvette reached Zanzibar, where the first object which greeted the eyes of those on board was a fast-looking screw-steamer such as had never before appeared in those waters.

The first person who stepped on board was Jack Rogers, looking as fresh and jolly as if he had just come from England, instead of having been roasting in the East for the last two years or more.

Following him came Tom, who dived down into the midshipmen's berth to have a talk with his old friends.

Jack expressed himself well pleased with the steamer, though he had never belonged to one before.

"The only bother is that I don't understand the engineer's reports; and when he tells me that so much steam has been blown off, all I can reply is, `Make it so,'" he observed, laughing; "however, I suppose I shall know all about it by and by, as I go down as often as I can into the engine-room and inspect the machinery, with as knowing a look as I can assume.

I've a notion that the engineer has found me out, but he is a discreet man, and doesn't take advantage of my ignorance; so I expect to get on very well, and hope that we shall catch no end of dhows, which will be unprepared for our mode of making our way through the water."

Adair at once went on board the _Romp_, accompanied by Desmond, who took Tom's berth.

Thus the three young commanders found themselves all together, each captain of his respective ship.

Their great object was the suppression of the slave-trade; for this purpose they laid their heads together to concoct a scheme to carry it effectually out.

Their plan was to proceed along the coast, each taking up a position a couple of hundred miles or so apart, and to send their respective boats' crews north and south, thus keeping up the chain of communication, imparting information, and the one aiding the other.

Jack was glad to find his old friend Higson first lieutenant of the _Gauntlet_.

He had become, if not a temperance man, at all events as sober as a judge, and devoted to the duties of his position.

His old shipmates were glad to meet him.

He dined with Murray and Adair the two days they remained at Zanzibar, "the only times," he declared, "that he had been out of the ship since she left England."

The three commanders had a consultation regarding the disposal of their three young relatives.

They agreed that as they were all well up in seamanship, and knew nothing about steam, that it would be to their advantage to remain for some time on board the steamer.

"There's no doubt that steam is making great progress, and for the sort of work on which we are engaged, at all events, steamers will be universally employed," observed Murray, with his usual forethought.

"I should not be surprised if we were to have all our larger as well as the smaller vessels fitted with the auxiliary screw, and it is, of course, very important that an officer should be well acquainted with its management, as well as with the working of steam-engines in general."

"Faith, I believe you are right," answered Adair; "though I'm mighty afraid that if steamers come into vogue, they will do away with all the romance once upon a time supposed to belong to a naval life."

"I shall not make myself very unhappy on that account," said Murray, laughing; "it will be a great thing not to have to depend on the fickle wind for making a passage, and still more to know that we may pounce down upon those rascally fast-sailing dhows whenever we can sight them in a calm, and be sure of overtaking them."

"I agree with you," said Jack; "I only wish that I knew a little more about a steamer.

However, I shall pick up some knowledge of the matter before long, and hope to make good use of it.

My engineer appears to be a sensible man, and I shall be glad to have Gordon and Desmond on board, and to place them under his instruction.

I will, of course, look after them as carefully as I do my young brother Tom."

So it was arranged that Archie and Desmond should be lent to the _Gauntlet_, she having only one other midshipman and two old mates on board.

They, of course, were highly delighted to hear the decision to which their elders had come, not so much perhaps on account of the advantage it was expected they would derive, as from the thoughts of the fun they would have together.

As the ship was not to sail till the next day, they all three forthwith asked leave to go on shore for the purpose of getting a ride into the country, in company with the master of the _Opal_ and some of the midshipmen of the other vessels.

As Jos Green undertook to look after them, Jack gave them leave, charging them to be on board before dark.

A party of the men from each ship had likewise obtained leave to go on shore to purchase curiosities for their sweethearts and wives.

The Sultan had lately made it known that his stud, consisting of a hundred horses and more, was at the disposal of the British naval officers who might wish to take a ride into the country; and the midshipmen were therefore directing their course to the palace, when Desmond proposed that they should take a stroll first through the town.

"It isn't the sweetest of places, I'll allow, but we may come upon something worth seeing, and have some fun or other," he exclaimed.

All hands agreed to the proposal, and two and two they made their way through the narrow streets, not exactly knowing where they were going.

They agreed, however, that except the crowds of savage, dirty-looking Arabs, and still more hideous blacks, tumbledown houses, and bazaars full of trumpery goods, there was nothing to be seen in Zanzibar.

Suddenly they found themselves in a square, which Desmond recognised as the slave-market.

It was far more crowded than when Archie and he had been there before.

As they looked round, they calculated that there were three or four hundred slaves of all degrees; some, mostly women, gaudily, if not gorgeously dressed, looking plump and well; and others, who had apparently lately been imported, in a most miserable state of starvation.

The sight was sufficient to excite the feelings of the most callous observers.

Many were little more than skeletons, with their skins, often covered with sores, drawn tight over their distorted bones;

their eyeballs protruding hideously, evidently in consequence of the falling away of the flesh on their faces; their chests sunk, and their joints swelled and knotty, contrasted with their withered limbs.

Several such groups were seen in different parts of the square.

In another part, seated under the shade of a projecting roof, were a group differing greatly from the last described.

They were women-slaves, considered of high value.

On their heads they wore dark veils, covered with glittering spangles, and various ornaments, though the way in which their faces were painted with black and yellow detracted from any natural beauty they might have possessed, according to the taste of the English officers.

Another similar group of ten or a dozen negro girls were still further decorated with mantles of a blue muslin thrown over their shoulders, of which they appeared to be not a little proud, though, from the expression of their faces, it was impossible to say what feelings animated them.

Although some few of the poor girls might have been considered attractive but for the daubs of paint on their faces, the greater number were fearfully scarified, not from cruelty, but in order to increase their beauty according to the taste of their countrymen.

There were numerous groups also of men and boys, such as have before been described.

Each of the groups was in charge of an Arab auctioneer, who put them up to sale, much in the way that ordinary goods and chattels are disposed of at auction marts in England.

A dozen or more auctioneers were busily at work together, trying to attract purchasers, pulling at the sleeve of one as he passed by, then at the skirt of another; somewhat after the fashion of old-clothes sellers in London.

The Arab purchasers showed no eagerness, however, but turned away from the tempting offers, however much they might have desired to possess them.

Business was going on in a tolerably quiet way, the appearance of the midshipmen in no way interrupting matters, till a large party of bluejackets arrived on the scene.

Just then, some of the least interesting lots having been disposed of, an old Arab, with a long white beard, was putting up for sale one of the highly-adorned female lots, his example being followed by several of his rivals in trade.

A stout female, with a face deeply scarred and hideously painted, and an arm strong enough to fell an ox, was speedily disposed of.

As she seemed to take kindly to her new master, no sympathy was raised in her behalf.

The case, however, was different with regard to a group of young girls, many of whom could not fail to excite interest.

Two, especially, who were apparently sisters, were seated together, with their hands clasped, and their arms round each other's necks, their countenances exhibiting a greater expression of shame and grief than did those of most of their companions.

Notwithstanding the horrors innumerable they might have gone through, they seemed to be aware that a still greater trial was in store for them.

Several of the number had been knocked down, not literally, but to buyers, after a considerable amount of bidding, and all, it seemed, had gone off at high prices.

The sailors had been looking on, making remarks, which it was as well neither auctioneers nor purchasers understood.

Their feelings of sympathy, already excited by the sales they had witnessed of the other groups, were rapidly becoming less and less controllable.

They eyed with no very friendly glances the ill-favoured Arabs who, grasping the poor girls by their arms, claimed them henceforth as their chattels.

At length the turn of the two sisters came.

Several bidders stood by, each offering an increase on the price last named by the auctioneer.

Jerry Bird, who was among the seamen, could not make out whether they were to be sold together or singly.

"It will be a shame if they're parted; but the whole thing is a shame, and there's nothing I'd like so much as to send the rascally buyers and sellers to the right-about, and to set the poor creatures free," he exclaimed.

Just then a wizen-faced, one-eyed old Arab, his rich dress showing that he was a man of wealth and importance, came up and fixed his single blinker upon one of the negro girls.

He quickly outbid all competitors.

The auctioneer offered him the other sister, but he only wanted one, and nothing could induce him to offer for the other.

At length, losing patience, he grasped the negro girl by the arm, and was about to drag her off by the wrist, when her sister, not yet sold, threw her arms about her neck, both uttering a wail of despair which might have gone to the hearts of the most obdurate.

It had an electrical effect on the sensitive seamen.

"Well, that's more than I can stand," cried Jerry.

"Down with the brutal Arabs, and let's set the whole lot of the poor creatures free!"

He gave but expression to the feelings which were animating the breasts of his companions.

Dealing blows right and left, they simultaneously set upon the surrounding Arabs, the old fellow who had bought the girl being the first knocked over, and the auctioneer with the glib tongue the second, the others, who drew their daggers, having their weapons whirled from their hands; while the greater number, astonished by the suddenness of the attack, took to flight in all directions, pursued by the now infuriated seamen.

The girls crowded together, more alarmed, probably, than delighted at the efforts made by the gallant tars in their favour.

Having succeeded, as they believed, in rescuing one of the party, the seamen, without an instant's hesitation, set upon the other auctioneers in their immediate neighbourhood, whom they quickly put to flight; and sweeping on, flourishing their cudgels and shouting at the top of their voices, they in a short time cleared the square of every trafficker in human flesh.

Jos Green and the midshipmen, who had been at the farther end of the square, did not understand what was happening till they saw the Arabs scampering off, turbans trailing behind them, daggers whirled through the air, slippers left on the ground, sword-blades shivered into fragments, while not a few long-robed rascals lay sprawling in the dust;

the rest flying at sight of the enraged bluejackets at their heels.

However much Jos and his party might have sympathised with the men, they at once saw that their proceedings might lead to serious consequences.

In vain, however, he shouted out to them to hold fast; the sailors were too eager to be stopped, and continued the pursuit of the Arabs towards every avenue opening into the square.

Whenever a party halted, they immediately, with loud shouts, made at them, compelling them again to take to their heels.

The midshipmen, indeed, who thought the matter very good fun, encouraged the men by their shouts and laughter, instead of abetting Green in his efforts to stop the fray.

They were now undoubted masters of the field, but what to do with the liberated blacks was a question which had not entered their heads.

Had they been allowed, they would have liked amazingly to have followed up their victory till they had driven the Sultan and all his subjects out of the city, or burned it down over their heads; but before they proceeded to extremities, His Highness himself, with a body of his troops, happening to be passing through the neighbourhood, encountered some of the flying populace, and, ascertaining the cause of the uproar, rode into the square.

Instead of charging the British and cutting them down, he wisely, by means of an interpreter who happened to be with him, shouted to them to keep together, and let him hear what they had to say for themselves.

On this Green and the midshipmen hurried after those who were still pursuing the Arabs in different directions, and succeeded in calling them back.

They quickly collected in a body, and, not dreaming that they had done anything especially out of the way, but rather had fought bravely and in a laudable cause, without hesitation, still grasping their cudgels, boldly faced the Sultan and his party.

"Tell His Royal Majesty that we found them rascally Arabs knocking down these here unfortunate blackies, just like so many hogs at Smithfield market," answered Jerry to the interpreter's interrogations.

The latter was sorely puzzled to explain the sailor's reply to the Sultan.

"Neither the auctioneers nor the others would do anything to knock down the slaves or do anything to hurt them," he answered.

"Inshallah!

His Majesty allows no violence in his dominions."

This was a broad assertion on the part of the interpreter, considerably remote from the truth.

However, the Sultan, who was extremely anxious not to get embroiled with the English, at once accepted their excuses, and either believed, or pretended to believe, that the slave-dealers had been using violence towards the blacks.

Catching sight of Green and the other officers, he sent to request their attendance, and desired them to collect their men and march them down to the water, undertaking to protect them from the violence of the inhabitants, who would have otherwise undoubtedly set upon them in overwhelming numbers, and cut them to pieces.

He observed, however, that they must on no account again venture on shore, as it would be impossible to guard them from the violence of the Arabs, who would certainly attack them if they had the opportunity.

Green, thankful to get the men out of the scrape, ordered them to keep close together, and follow the Sultan's advice.

"But what are we to do with the poor nigger gals, sir?"

asked Jerry, who seemed in no way conscious that he and his companions had illegally transgressed the bounds of propriety.

"I'm afraid we must leave them to their fate," answered Green; "if you'd carried them off, you wouldn't have known how to dispose of them; and, when we get to sea, we must do our best to put a stop to the traffic by catching as many slave-dhows as possible."

"Ay, ay, sir," shouted the men.

The affair, which, at first, appeared likely to be very serious, was thus terminated satisfactorily; and the scene they had witnessed certainly contributed to make both men and officers more eager than ever to catch the slavers, independent of any secret hopes they might have entertained of collecting a good quantity of prize-money.

Jos Green and his companions, though deprived of their ride, resolved not to bring the matter before their officers, who might look upon it in a different light to the seamen, unless complaints were made by the authorities.

In that case they determined to defend them as far as they had the power.

The consul, however, was likely to hear of the matter, and it would, they suspected, prevent any man-of-war's men being allowed on shore at Zanzibar.

The three vessels sailed together for the northward, when the _Gauntlet_, with her screw lifted, was found to make as good way as her full-rigged consorts.

She was destined to take the most northern station, the corvette to cruise next to her, and the brig to remain in the south, to watch Pemba and the adjacent coast.

The brig was the first to haul her wind, the corvette next; and Jack then, parting from her, stood for his station in the north.

Higson had been out on the coast before, as had the gunner and boatswain, and Jack was therefore glad to consult them.

The boatswain, Mr Large, was very unlike his brother officer of the corvette, his appearance answering to his name.

Although not unusually tall, he required an unusually wide cot in which to stow himself away.

His countenance was stained red by hot suns and air, rather than by any excess in drinking, though he took his grog, as he used to observe, "like an honest man, whenever it came in his way, either afloat or ashore."

He was sufficiently active, and remarkably strong.

On her outward voyage the _Gauntlet_ had touched at Sierra Leone, and shipped a gang of Kroomen, who proved as efficient as any part of the ship's company.

The head Krooman, a fine-looking fellow, rejoiced among his shipmates in the name of Tom Kettle while his mate was christened Bill Saucepan,--names to which they willingly answered,--while on the rest of the gang similar names were bestowed.

The men of the tribe to which they belonged are infinitely superior to all others of the West Coast, and every man-of-war employed on the station has been for long accustomed to receive a party of them on board to perform the severer labours of the ship, under which English seamen, in that climate, would not fail to suffer.

Their dress is that of ordinary seamen, and they are particularly clean and neat in their persons, while they receive the same rations as the other seamen; indeed, they are treated in all respects like the rest of the crew, except that they mess by themselves, and are under the immediate command of their head man and his mate.

They are good-natured, merry fellows, as brave as lions, active and intelligent, and always ready to perform the most dangerous and fatiguing duties without grumbling.

Tom Kettle and his men were therefore great favourites on board.

Black Tom, as he was generally called by the midshipmen, soon became great friends with his namesake and his companions, who treated him with the respect which was his due, and consequently won his affections.

He had nothing of Captain Marryat's Mesty about him.

He did not pretend to be the son of a prince, or to have any wrongs to avenge; on the contrary, his boast was that his father and grandfather were seamen before him, who had ever proved true to their colours; and he was prouder of that than he would have been of being allied to the greatest potentate under the line.

Jack was on the alert himself, and kept everybody else on board on the alert, in the hopes, by some means or other, of inflicting a heavy blow on the abominable slave-trade, for he felt as much interest in the matter as did the old commodore himself.

It reconciled him completely to being compelled to command a steamer, which formerly, with the feelings of the old school, he had looked upon as a somewhat derogatory employment.

Night and day the brightest lookout was kept, and every suspicious dhow chased and boarded.

For some time, however, only legal traders were fallen in with.