Happy Jack, and Other Tales of the SeaKingston, William Henry Giles
General
Happy Jack, and Other Tales of the Sea
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Sea stories
This living cargo was composed of all ages. There were strong men and
youths, little boys, women, young girls, and children, and several
mothers with infants at their breasts. How fondly and tenderly the poor
creatures pressed them there, and endeavoured to shelter them from the
salt spray and cold! Fully two hundred were carried on board the
corvette during the morning, and it was found that the immortal spirits
of nearly fifty of those who had been left on board during the night had
passed away. The last poor wretch being rescued, the wreck was set on
fire, both fore and aft; the flames burst quickly forth, surrounding the
masts, from which still floated that flag which, professing to be the
flag of freedom, has so often protected that traffic which has carried
thousands upon thousands of the human race into hopeless and abject
slavery. The seamen instinctively gave a cheer as they saw it disappear
among the devouring flames.
The labours of Captain Fisher and his brave crew were not over. They
had to provide food and shelter for fully four hundred of the rescued
negroes. Rice, as before, was boiled, and cocoa was given them, and
those who most required care were clothed and carried to the galley fire
to warm. Among the last rescued was a young woman with a little boy, on
whom all her care was lavished. Though herself almost perished, before
she would touch food she fed him, and when some clothing was given her
she wrapped it round him. She had been found in the fore part of the
ship in an almost fainting condition, where she had remained unnoticed,
apparently in a state of stupor, with her little boy pressed to her
heart. Orlo had been placed under the doctor's care. It was not till
the next morning that he was allowed to come on deck, where his services
were at once called into requisition as interpreter. Though
unacquainted with the language of many of the tribes to which the
captives belonged, he was generally able to make himself understood. A
sail had been spread over part of the deck, beneath which the women and
young children were collected. The doctor, when about to visit it,
called Orlo to accompany him, as interpreter. Among them, sitting on
the deck, and leaning against a gun carriage, with her arm thrown round
the neck of a little boy, was a young woman, though wan and ill, still
possessing that peculiar beauty occasionally seen among several of the
tribes of Africa. Orlo fixed his eyes on her; his knees trembled; he
rushed forward; she sprang up, uttering a wild shriek of joy, and his
arms were thrown around her. He had found his long lost Era and their
child. "Ah! God hear prayer; I know now!" he exclaimed joyfully.
"Wife soon be Christian, and child. God berry, berry good!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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