remained concealed, that I might overhear the conversation, one of the
slaver's men from the boat said, "To-night, at eight o'clock, we will
come to arrange the whole business." The boat then shoved off, and
pulled for the brig.
Now, it was the custom of the captain to go onshore every evening to
drink sangaree and smoke with the governor, and very often I went with
him, leaving the ship in charge of the second mate. It had been my
intention, and I had stated as much to the second mate, to go this
evening, as it was the last but one that we should remain at Senegal;
but from what I overheard I made up my mind that I would not go. About
an hour before sunset, I complained of headache and sickness, and sat
down under the awning over the after part of the quarter-deck. When
the captain came up to go on shore, he asked me if I was ready, but I
made no answer, only put my hand to my head.
The captain, supposing that I was about to be attacked by the fever of
the country, was much concerned, and desired the second mate to help
him to take me down to the state-room, and then went on shore; the
boat was, as usual, pulled by the four men who were prisoners with me,
and whom the captain found he could trust on shore better than the
others belonging to the crew, who would indulge in liquor whenever
they had an opportunity. I remained in my bed-place till it was nearly
eight o'clock, and then crept softly up the companion-hatch to
ascertain who was on deck.
The men were all below in the fore-peak at their suppers, and as I had
before observed that their conferences were held on the forecastle, I
went forward, and covered myself up with a part of the main-topsail,
which the men had been repairing during the day. From this position I
could hear all that passed, whether they went down into the fore-peak,
or remained to converse on the forecastle. About ten minutes
afterwards I heard the boat grate against the ship's side, and the men
of the slaver mount on the deck.
"All right?" inquired one of the slavers.
"Yes," replied our second mate; "skipper and his men are on shore, and
the first mate taken with the fever."
"All the better," replied another; "one less to handle. And now, my
lads, let's to business, and have every thing settled to-night, so
that we may not be seen together any more till the work is done."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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