During the days of toil5 the temper of the men grew worse, and at one time Martin and Anderson began to talk pretty freely in the watch below. Howard tied the Scandinavian up in the rigging, and was about to use even more severe methods, but Hawkson and Hicks prevailed. He was apprised6 of the murmurings forward by his steward7, Watkins, who took care he lost very little of what went on.
Hawkson and Hicks, backed by Mr. Gull8 and Henry, however, knew that to precipitate9 trouble 172would ruin whatever prospects10 the voyage still held, and they made it plain to the trader that his influence was also necessary to curb11 the captain’s temper. Together they held him in check, and we made harbour without coming to desperate measures.
The behaviour of Mr. Curtis after the storm was most peculiar12. He prayed very often, and seemed to develop a most pious13 disposition14. This went to the extent of asking permission to have the men mustered15 on Sundays, so that by standing16 on the break of the poop he could address and harangue17 them upon religious matters.
The idea tickled18 Howard so keenly that he not only agreed to it, but insisted that it should happen twice a week until the men were in better temper. It was being enforced when the towering sides of Pico Ruivo rose above the eastern horizon.
Miss Allen had not been especially impressed by these harangues19, and this day joined Hicks upon the poop, while the affair took place. Hicks had been below, but had appeared forward talking confidentially20 to Martin, and had passed a package which the brawny21 Scot had taken below very hurriedly just as all hands mustered. When Hicks reached the poop, coming up the cabin companion, we were already standing under the break, lounging in various attitudes of inattention.
I hardly remember what Mr. Curtis said on this 173occasion, but he pointed23 to the distant mountains and waxed very eloquent24. We had seen this land before, but he had not.
“It is the prayers of us poor sinners,” said he, stretching forth25 his hand, “that has at last saved our barque from storm and calm. We are poor, weak mortals, and must ask for help.”
“Who calls er mon like me er weak mortil, hey?” came a voice from the crowd, and there stood Martin, the empty bottle in hand, his eyes shifty and dangerous.
“I’m a true Christian26 man, d’ye ken22 that, an’ if ye dare say I be ither, I’ll wallop ye like er babe.”
Curtis was off the poop in an instant, and there was a mix-up that promised much in the way of diversion, for whatever our preacher lacked, it was not a quick temper. He seized the tipsy Scot by the hair with both hands, and, in spite of the hoots27 and wallops he received, was making a very fair job of him when Jones and Henry separated them.
Howard stood on the poop and cackled away, enjoying the scene, refusing to do anything to Martin unless Curtis ordered it. This the younger man’s vanity would not permit, and upon the whole it was just as well, for it made the feeling a little less uncomfortable forward, which was a good thing for a vessel28 going into a harbour where crews might be scarce.
174There was some hesitancy on Hawkson’s part about going in with such a large crew, for trading-vessels generally were not heavily manned. It might create enough comment to attract the attention of a man-of-war, and even though our papers might be fixed29 satisfactorily, a boarding of the barque would be hazardous30 to a slaving enterprise. At all events, it was decided31 that Mr. Gull should take a boat’s crew and land upon the Desertas, the rocks about a dozen miles to the southward. Here they would kill as many wild goats and hogs32 as they could, and await the barque’s signal before venturing in, bucanning the meat for the voyage back.
We soon anchored in the open roadstead not very far from the beach. The town of Funchal lay before us to the north’ard, its terraces and vineyards rising from the water up the steep sides of the mountains. A very pretty place it was, and in a short time the captain’s gig was called away to take him ashore33. Richards silently brought the boat to the ladder, and sat stiff and motionless, a regular man-o’-war cockswain. The whole after-guard, except Henry and Watkins, clambered into the boat, Yankee Dan and his daughter accompanied by Hicks and Curtis.
The old trader had been somewhat subdued34 in spirits during the latter part of the trip across, owing to our loss of gear and the leaky condition of the 175vessel. Now he spoke35 with his usual spirits, which rose as the distance between him and the shore lessened36.
“Sink me!” said he, “if I don’t try to show these dagoes how to drive a trade for them topmasts.”
“I wouldn’t, if you intend staying ashore,” said Hicks.
“Will I stay ashore?” said Miss Allen.
“Until we can ship you to the Continent,” said her father. “It won’t be long before we put you and Curtis aboard some ship for Havre. Then you’ll both be safe.”
I had realized before this that Mr. Curtis was looked to as the fowl37 who was laying the golden egg for the enterprise, while Dan was to do the trading. His daughter was the principal tie between them, and she was, doubtless, the innocent lever the trader had used to get the younger man interested in slaving. It looked as if there would soon be a marriage.
The girl had nodded to me as I took the stroke oar1, and I will admit I felt interested in her future. Whatever Sir John Hicks felt, he kept it well to himself, for he joined the conversation right merrily, although his behaviour toward Mr. Curtis was unnecessarily polite. We rowed swiftly over the swell38 of the blue roadstead, and ran the boat’s nose 176upon the sand, the light surf splashing into the stern-sheets just enough to cause some scrambling39 for dry places. Then the boat was surrounded by natives, who plunged40 into the water regardless of their white breeches, and offered to carry the passengers ashore.
Jones and myself, however, placed a short board for Miss Allen to sit upon, and then raised it to the height of our shoulders with her upon it, bearing her aloft, while she gave a bit of a scream and fastened her fingers in our hair for support. Then we strode ashore to the dry beach above high water, with small regard for the scowling41 dagoes who failed to earn their silver.
The rest were so busily engaged in getting ashore dry that they failed to note that I seized the little hand upon my head and kissed it fervently42, much to Big Jones’s delight and the young lady’s embarrassment43.
“You know what they’d do to you if they knew you were so rude,” said she, flushing.
“I’ve risked death for less pleasure,” said I, touching44 my forehead.
“Then the fool-killer surely was not in the neighbourhood. You forget your position,” said she, haughtily45.
“I was a mate once,” I answered.
“Well, you’re not now. If it were not that Sir 177John--I mean, Mr. Curtis would kill you, I should report your insolence46.”
“’Tis a small deed to die for,” said I, “and, if I must go, perhaps I had better make my end doubly certain--”
At this moment Yankee Dan’s voice called, and I turned in time to see him approaching.
Jones, who had walked toward the boat, glanced back uneasily at me, but I touched my forelock, having no cap, and left Miss Allen. The big Welshman did not hear all of our conversation, but, lest he retail47 part of it to the men, I took the trouble to make it plain to him that such a trick would be reckoned as a great discourtesy to the lady and myself, and that a necessary settlement would therefore take place. Jones, in spite of his size, was a man of keen discernment and not without discretion48. He was silent.
As the island was well wooded with fine large trees, it was but a short time before we had our topmasts on the beach ready to take aboard and set up. Jorg took charge of the spars, and we floated them alongside and hoisted49 them on deck, where he at once set to work upon them. Much of the ironwork from the wreck4 we had saved, and this shortened the job very considerably50. Within a week from the day we dropped anchor, gant-lines were rigged and the new spars sent aloft. 178The backstays were then set up and the t’gallant-masts were sent up, one of these having been saved from the wreck and the other cut ashore.
The work of rigging kept all hands busy day and night, so we saw little of the town of Funchal. We went ashore once to buy a second-hand51 suit of t’gallantsails and royals, which were to be used as good weather canvas, and have an old maintop-sail recut, but there was little time even for sampling the wines I had heard so much about.
While we lay there, a large American brig came in and anchored near us.
She was evidently a trader by her look, and by her build and rig she appeared very fast and rakish. She flew the American ensign, and I was interested in her. As soon as we had a little respite52 from rigging, I asked permission to visit the stranger, and, to my surprise, it was granted. Neither Hawkson nor Howard appeared the least interested in the vessel, and had neither received a visit from her captain nor made a visit to him. When Bill, Ernest, Martin, and myself took the small boat that evening and started over to her, Hawkson called me aside.
“Take a peep below hatches if ye get the chance, and see what sort o’ guns she carries. Maybe ye’ll care to change ships,” said he, with his ugly smile.
As something of this nature had really been finding 179place in my mind, I suppose I flushed a bit. I had intended to desert, should the brig clear first, for slaving was no more to my taste now than formerly53. From Richards’s silent behaviour I felt that I would not have to go alone, and I intended to broach54 the subject to the bos’n that very night.
“All right,” I answered, with a sinking of spirits I tried to conceal55. “I’ll search her if I get the chance.”
What Hawkson meant was evident as soon as we came within a half-mile of her to leeward56. A most horrible odour, peculiar and penetrating57, seemed to come from her. I had never known it before, but Bill stopped rowing at once and turned toward her.
“Niggers,” said he, spitting in disgust.
“Aboard of her?” I asked.
“Not youst now, maybe, but she’s been full of niggers more’n once. There’s youst a smell left behind, and it never leaves.”
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1
oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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apprised
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| v.告知，通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 )；评价 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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gull
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| n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈 | |
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precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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15
mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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harangue
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| n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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harangues
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| n.高谈阔论的长篇演讲( harangue的名词复数 )v.高谈阔论( harangue的第三人称单数 ) | |
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confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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hoots
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| 咄，啐 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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hogs
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| n.（尤指喂肥供食用的）猪( hog的名词复数 )；（供食用的）阉公猪；彻底地做某事；自私的或贪婪的人 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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40
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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41
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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44
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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45
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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46
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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47
retail
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| v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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49
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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51
second-hand
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| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
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52
respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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53
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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54
broach
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| v.开瓶，提出(题目) | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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56
leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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57
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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