A few minutes afterwards the captain of the slaver came on board to pay
his respects, and I asked him down in the cabin, and gave him beer and
cheese, the two greatest luxuries in those climes. He appeared, as
Captain Irving stated, a very quiet, well-behaved, serious person, which
I was rather surprised at. When we repaired on deck, I observed, as the
vessel was close to us, that there were two very large dogs on board,
who, at the sight of the captain, bayed furiously. He told me that they
were Cuba bloodhounds and that he never went on shore without them, as
they were the most faithful and courageous animals, and he considered
that he was safer with them than with half a dozen armed men. Shortly
afterwards Captain Irving and he both took leave. As there were still
some hours of daylight, Captain Irving sent his boats for the goods, and
after that, as the evening fell, I went down below, as Captain Irving
requested I would do, and by no means remain on deck after sun-down, as
it was extremely unhealthy.
On the following day Captain Irving went on shore with his goods and
trafficked most favourably. Indeed, as we afterwards found out, he had
procured in exchange more ivory than his vessel would hold, besides much
gold-dust. The day after, I went on shore with Captain Irving to call
upon the king, as he called himself. He was seated in front of a hut
made of palmetto leaves, with a lace coat on, but no other garment
whatever, so that he made a curious appearance. After a little
conversation, I went away, and, hearing that the slaver was taking her
cargo on board, about a hundred yards further up, I walked in that
direction. The slaves were brought down in about twenty at a time, all
of them fastened by the neck to a long bamboo pole, which confined them
all together. One string of them had been sent down and put into the
boat, and another was standing ready for embarkation; when, as I cast my
eyes over them and commiserated their misery, I observed a female whom I
thought I had seen before. I looked again, and behold! It was Whyna,
the princess who had been so kind to me in my captivity. I went up to
her and touched her on the shoulder. She turned round, as well as the
lashing to the pole would permit her, and on seeing me gave a faint
scream. Without ceremony I took out my knife and released her, and led
her away. She fell down at my feet and kissed them. The black man who
had charge of the delivery of the slaves was very angry, and ran up to
me, brandishing his long stick; but the captain of the schooner, who was
on shore, and who had witnessed what I had done, saluted him with a kick
in the stomach, which made him quiet enough. In few words I told the
captain of the slaver that I was once in captivity, and this woman had
befriended me, requesting him to name his price and I would willingly
pay it.
"It's not worth mentioning, Sir," replied he; "women are as cheap as
dirt; take her and welcome."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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