There was no other man-of-war in the bay; but my attention was directed
to a beautiful little vessel, a schooner, whose fairy form contrasted
strongly with a West India trader which lay close to her. All of a
sudden, as I was looking at her beautiful outline, a yell rose from her
which quite startled me, and immediately afterwards her deck was covered
with nearly two hundred naked figures with woolly heads, chattering and
grinning at each other. She was a Spanish slaver, which had been
captured, and had arrived the evening before. The slaves were still on
board, waiting the orders of the governor. They had been on deck about
ten minutes, when three or four men, with large panama straw hats on
their heads, and long rattans in their hands, jumped upon the gunnel,
and in a few seconds drove them all down below. I then turned round,
and observed a black woman who had just climbed up the side of the
frigate. O'Brien was on deck, and she walked up to him in the most
consequential manner.
"How do you do, sar? Very happy you come back again," said she to
O'Brien.
"I'm very well, I thank you, ma'am," replied O'Brien, "and I hope to go
back the same; but never having put my foot into this bay before, you
have the advantage of me."
"Nebber here before, so help me Gad! me tink I know you--me tink I
recollect your handsome face--I Lady Rodney, sar. Ah, piccaninny
buccra! how you do?" said she turning round to me. "Me hope to hab the
honour to wash for you, sar," curtsying to O'Brien.
"What do you charge in this place?"
"All the same price, one bit a piece."
"What do you call a bit?" inquired I.
"A bit, lilly massa?--what you call um _bit_? Dem four _sharp shins_ to
a pictareen."
Our deck was now enlivened by several army officers, besides gentlemen
residents, who came off to hear the news. Invitations to the mess and
to the houses of the gentlemen followed, and as they departed, Mr
Falcon returned on board. He told O'Brien and the other officers, that
the admiral and squadron were expected in a few days, and that we were
to remain in Carlisle Bay, and refit immediately.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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