CHAPTER FIVE.
SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOUR OF THE LASCARS.
Numerous telescopes were turned towards the object I have described. "Isee a man's head!" cried one. "Yes; and his shoulders!" exclaimedanother. "He is leaning back in the stern of the canoe, steering with apaddle." He had not discovered us, though, for on he went careeringover the seas as unconcernedly as if he were not some hundreds of milesaway from land.
In a short time we were abreast of the canoe, passing her to leeward. Adark-skinned man, lightly clad, sat in the stern steering with an oar.His sail was a piece of calico spread on a slender yard, the mast beingscarcely thicker than the yard. Not till we were close to him did heperceive us. Lifting up his hands towards the ship, he pointed to hismouth, making an imploring gesture at the same time. Apparently he wastrying to speak, but his voice was too weak to be heard. Still he satas before, not attempting to rise and lower the sail; but on went thelight canoe, dancing from wave to wave, now gliding down from the top ofone, quickly to mount to the summit of another.
"I doubt, sir, whether he has got the strength to move," said MrThudicumb to the captain. "Or he is afraid of his canoe broaching to,should he attempt to leave the helm."
"We must run on, and heave to for him," said Captain Davenport. "We canthen lower a boat and pick him up. It is as you suppose, Thudicumb; Ihave no doubt about it."
The poor occupant of the canoe made a gesture of despair as he saw theship leaving him astern. Apparently he did not understand the meaningof the words addressed to him through the captain's speaking-trumpet.Still he sat as before, his eyes kept constantly ahead, while with onearm he directed the course of his canoe. She flew so fast that we hadto get a considerable distance ahead before we hove to. A boat was thenlowered, into which Mr Tarbox and six stout hands jumped for thepurpose of intercepting the approaching canoe. The boat had only justtime to get ready, with her head in the direction towards which thecanoe was sailing, when she was up to her. We watched her anxiouslyfrom the ship. She was soon alongside the boat. Several strong handsseized her, while the occupant was lifted out and placed in thestern-sheets of the boat. Quick as lightning the canoe was passedastern and secured, and the boat pulled back towards the ship. With theheavy sea there was running, it was a difficult matter to get alongside,and still more so to lift up a helpless person without risk of injury.By the management of the boatswain, however, helped by those above, thedark-skinned stranger was soon lifted up on deck. He was too weak tospeak, but he had still consciousness sufficient to point to his lips.Soup for the passengers' luncheon was just being brought aft. A littlewas immediately poured down his throat. It had the effect of revivinghim somewhat, and he uttered a few words, but none of those standinground were able to comprehend their meaning. The canoe was safely goton board and examined. Not a particle of food was found, but in thebottom of a small cask there remained about half a pint of water. Thewood, however, from the sides of the canoe had been scraped off.
"That is what the poor fellow has been living on," observed Tarbox."Hard fare, to be sure. It would not help much to keep an Englishman'ssoul in his body; but it is wonderful what these black fellows can liveon."
The canoe was about eighteen feet long, cut out of a single log, workedvery fine, with wash-boards nailed on above. It seemed surprising thatshe could have gone through the heavy sea which had been running forsome days past. Her owner was carried below, and after a little morefood had been given him, he fell fast asleep.
When he awoke, he appeared to be perfectly recovered, sitting up andlooking round him with an air of astonishment, as if he had not beenaware how he had been brought on board. I had accompanied the surgeonto visit him. He again uttered some of the strange words we had beforeheard, but finding no one understood him, he stopped, and appeared to becollecting his senses. He then said something which sounded likeFrench. It was very bad French, to be sure; but we shortly made outthat he was expressing his thanks to us for having rescued him.
The next day he was up and dressed, and though somewhat weak, perhaps,apparently as well as anybody on board. He now came aft, when, in hisbroken language, helped out with a word or two of English, he gave us astrange story. I cannot pretend to give his account in his ownlanguage--indeed it would not be very clear if I did so, as it was onlyafter he had been on board some time that we gained all the particulars.He told us that his name was Macco, that he was born in Madagascar, ata village in the north of that large island. With several lads from thesame village he had gone on board a vessel which had carried them to theMauritius. There he had worked as a field-labourer for some time, andthough not a slave, treated very little better than one. He had learnedsomething about Christianity, but not much, I am afraid. He knew thatsome of his countrymen had become Christians; but as large numbers ofthem had been murdered, he was afraid, should he ever go back toMadagascar, that he might be treated in the same way, and was thereforeunwilling to acknowledge that he was a Christian. After a time he hadengaged with several other people from Madagascar, as well as Creoles ofthe Mauritius, to accompany a person to the island of Rodrigez, to beemployed under him as fishermen. They were at once embarked on board asmall colonial vessel, which conveyed them to that island, where theywere hired out to different masters. It appeared, however, that theCreoles were very jealous of the Malagasys, and poor Macco found himselfvery ill-treated by them. Frequently they beat him, and oftenthreatened his life. Several times he complained of their conduct tohis master; but the man was hard-hearted, and only laughed at hiscomplaints, telling him to go and thrash the Creoles, and they wouldsoon cease to torment him. Poor Macco, however, was a mild-temperedyoung man, and probably thought that he would only be treated worse ifhe made any such attempt. At length, to avoid the persecutions to whichhe was subjected, he determined to run away from the island, andendeavour to reach the Mauritius. He mentioned his determination to oneof his fellow-countrymen, who advised him to put it into execution. He,however, had to wait some time before he could carry out his project.He began, however, at once to store up a supply of food to supporthimself during his projected voyage. At first he contemplated buildinga canoe for himself, but as that might raise suspicions of hisintentions, he resolved to take one belonging to his master. He hadsome scruples about stealing it, but at the same time he persuadedhimself that as his master would not redress his grievances, he wasjustified in doing so. He probably was unacquainted with the goldenrule of never doing wrong that good might come of it. It was a subject,indeed, on which casuists might differ. Be that as it may, Macco fixedon a canoe which he thought would answer his purpose. His countrymenassisted him, and he procured a piece of calico to serve as a sail, andsoon cut a mast and spar on which to spread it. The only food he wasable to provide for supporting existence was eight pounds of uncookedrice, and a small barrel of water.
One evening as it was growing dark he stole down to the shore, and thewind being as he thought fair, shoved off the canoe, hoisted a sail, andwith an oar for steering, which he secured to the stern of the canoe,stood away from the land. The weather at first was very fine, and heglided smoothly over the sea, hoping before long to reach either theMauritius or Bourbon. He was unable to restrain his hunger, which theuncooked rice could have done little to appease, and therefore ate upnearly a pound a day. Thus at the end of eight or nine days he hadfinished the whole of his provisions. He had still some water left,however, and he knew very well that he could go without food for a day,hoping before the end of it to have land in sight. He scarcely stirredfrom his seat in the stern of the canoe. When he dropped off to sleep,the movement of the oar very soon awoke him. Few Europeans on such farewould have lived beyond the first ten days. Macco, however, when hisrice was expended, began to scrape away the wood from the inside of hiscanoe. This, cut up fine, he ate, washing it down with water. Dayafter day passed by, and still no land, no sail appeared. Often heslept, steering instinctively, it must have been, before the
wind, andwaking up to feel the gnawing of hunger. This he satisfied with thescraped wood. Incredible as it may appear, such was the only food onwhich he supported existence for thirteen days. We had manyopportunities of testing the man's honesty and had no reason to doubthis veracity. He was of course little more than skin and bone when hewas brought on board. He had actually been twenty-two days at sea whenwe found him.
Note. The narrative is true, and is given exactly as described in theoriginal account.
In the course of a few days he had completely recovered his strength,and seemed very well satisfied with his lot. As he was a smart, activefellow, he was entered as one of the seamen of the _Bussorah Merchant_.He knew a little English already, and quickly picked up more. He wasthus well able to understand the orders given him. He did not appear tobe a favourite with the men. He was evidently retiring and unsociable.Perhaps he had been so long subjected to ill-treatment from others, thathe was unwilling to place confidence in those among whom he was cast,until he had ascertained that they were well-disposed towards him. Iobserved, however, that Ali was constantly speaking to him, but I ratherdoubt that their words were very intelligible to each other, as Englishwas the only common language they possessed. Ali knew it veryimperfectly, and Macco still less. More than once I observed Ali'squick, piercing, fierce eyes fixed on him attentively, as he appeared tobe endeavouring to impress some matter on his mind. Macco's look allthe time was passive, and he either did not comprehend what was said, orwas uninfluenced by it.
One night, when it was my watch on deck, I had been standing looking outon the forecastle, when I heard a voice near me say, "When you step aft,Massa Walter, I got word to whisper in your ear." It was Potto Jumbowho spoke. I had thought that he had been in his bunk asleep.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I tell presently--not here, though," he answered, gliding away from me,and going over to the other side of the deck, where he stood, as iflooking up and admiring the stars which glittered above our heads.
As soon as I could leave the forecastle, I went and stood near thegangway, where the black cook soon joined me.
"I no like what going forward on board, forward there," and he pointedto the fore-peak. "Dat Ali Tomba one big rascal. He go talky talky tode men, and try to make dem mutinous like hisself."
"But what can he have to complain of?" I observed; "the crew seem allwell treated."
"Dere it is dat make me angry," said Potto. "He come to me one day, hesay, `Potto Jumbo, you black slave, you peel potato for white men; deymake you do what dey like. Why not strike one blow for freedom?' Isay, `I free as any man on board. I come here because I like come here.I go away when voyage over, and live ashore like one gentleman tillmoney gone, and den come to sea again. No man more free dan I.'"
"I think you are right, Potto," I observed, "on that point; but surelyAli fancies that he has some cause of complaint. Why does he not speakout like a man, and say what it is? Have you any idea?"
"Just dis, Massa Walter," he answered; "in de last ship Ali sailed in,de captain was one big tyrant. He flogged de men, he stopped de men'swages, he feed dem badly, and treat dem worse dan de dogs in de streetwithout masters. One day dis Captain Ironfist--dat was his name--go toflog Ali, but Ali draw his knife and swear he die first or kill decaptain; but de captain knocked him down wid one handspike, and put Aliin irons, and den flog him, and den put him back in irons; and dencarried him to port, and den put him into prison. Captain Ironfistsailed away in another ship, and Ali not find him; so Ali swore dat hewould have his revenge on de next captain he sailed wid. He no findopportunity to do harm to Captain Davenport as yet, but he wait likesnake in de grass to spring up and sting him when he can. Now he andhis men want to go to Calcutta, and dey thought when de ship sailed datdey were going dere. Now dey find dat we go to Japan, dey bery angry,and all swear dat de ship shall go to Calcutta in spite of de captain.Dere are some bad Englishmen on board as well as demselves, and dey upto any mischief, and Ali tink he count on dem. He tink too he count onPotto Jumbo, but he make one big mistake. I no say anything when hetalk to me, but shrug my shoulders, and make one ugly face at him, andso he tink all right. He tink too he got Macco, but Potto not socertain of dat."
"But, surely," I observed, "he and his Lascars would not attempt to takethe ship from the captain and officers, with the larger number of thewhite crew, who would certainly side with us?"
"Don't know," said Potto. "He one daring fellow, and he try anyting;but if he find he no strong enough, he try to burn de ship or to scuttleher. At all events, he try to do some mischief."
"This is, indeed, a serious matter," I observed; "and I am grateful toyou, Potto, for telling me. At the same time, however, bad as Ali'sintentions may be, I really do not think we have much cause for alarm.Still, I am sure the captain also will be grateful to you for thewarning you give him; but I am afraid he will be very much annoyed whenhe hears of it. I think I must first tell Mr Thudicumb, and he canarrange the best way of letting the captain know."
"Dat's it, Massa Walter. Tell de first officer. He wise man. He noput out by dis or any oder matter. I now go forward, lest Ali come ondeck, or any of his people, and see me talking to you."
"Do so," I said; "but, Potto, I think you will assist us if you wouldpretend to be more ready to listen to what Ali has to say to you, andyou can give me information of his plans."
Potto did not answer immediately.
"I not certain dat Ali speak de truth to me," he answered. "At first hedid; but he big, cunning rogue, and he suspect dat I no love his plans.Still, Massa Walter, I do as you wish, dough Potto Jumbo no like to actspy over any one, even big rascal like Ali. Potto Jumbo once prince inhis own country, before de enemies of his people came and burnt hisvillage, and kill his fader, and moder, and broders, and sisters, andcarry off him and all dey did leave alive on board de slave-ship. Dende British cruiser take her, and Potto Jumbo enter on board deman-of-war, and dere became boy to de cook, and now Potto Jumbo is cookhisself on board de _Bussorah Merchant_. Dere, Massa Walter, you havemy history. You see I do not wish to do anything derogatory to myfamily and my rank;" and Potto Jumbo drew himself up, as if he was againthe monarch of half-a-dozen bamboo-built cottages, and their unclothed,dark-skinned inhabitants. "Now, good-night, Massa Walter, again; I goforward."
Potto Jumbo glided away to the fore-peak, and I walked aft. I had,however, some little time to wait before my watch was over. I thenhurried into the first mate's cabin. He was about to leave it to takecharge of the deck.
"Will you let me have a word with you, sir," I said, "before you leavethe cabin. I have something somewhat unpleasant to communicate, and Ido not like to delay doing so."
"Let me have it out then at once, Walter," he said. "Nothing like thepresent moment; and, for my part, I always like to know the worst, if Ican get at it."
I at once told him in a low voice the information I had received fromPotto Jumbo. The light of the lamp in his cabin fell on hisweather-beaten countenance, but I saw no change in it.
"Very likely," he observed; "that serang has a hang-dog look, whichshows that he is capable of attempting any atrocity; but I do not thinkhe will succeed notwithstanding. I will tell the captain in themorning, but there is no necessity to do so now. For his own sake, hewill not set the ship on fire, or scuttle her, at this distance fromland; and as to his hope of overpowering us, or the English part of thecrew, the idea is absurd. However, I will warn the other officers. Yougo and tell Mr Tarbox I wish to speak to him. Take care the Lascarfellows do not see you; and then go back to your berth and turn in."
I made my way to the boatswain's cabin, and, rousing him up, told himthat the first officer wished to see him on a matter of importance.
"I need ask no questions, Walter," he observed. "Do you know what it isabout?"
"Mr Thudicumb will tell you all about it," I replied; keeping to myresolution of not speaking to any one else about the matter.
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I then went to my berth, and feeling sure that all would be managedwisely by the first officer, was in less than a couple of minutes fastasleep. In my dreams, however, I heard fearful noises. I fancied I sawthe mutineers rushing aft; but instead of ten Lascars, there were fiftyor one hundred dark-skinned fellows, with sharp krisses in their hands,threatening destruction to all who opposed them.