Whatever might have been the natural tendency of our adventurer to mercy, he had not been educated on the sea to look with lenity on the crime of mutiny. Had his recent escape from the wreck of the Bristol trader been already banished from his mind, the impressions of a whole life still remained to teach the necessity of keeping tight those cords which experience has so often proved are absolutely necessary to quell such turbulent bands, when removed from the pale of society, the influence of woman, and when excited by the constant collision of tempers rudely provoked, and equally disposed to violence Though he “set down naught in malice,” it is certain that he did “nothing; extenuate,” in the account he rendered. The whole of the facts were laid before the Rover in the direct, unvarnished language of truth.
“One cannot keep these fellows to their duty by preaching,” returned the irregular chief, when the other had done. “We have no ‘Execution Dock for our delinquents, no ‘yellow flag’ for fleets to gaze at, no grave and wise-looking courts to thumb a book or two, and end by saying, ‘Hang him.’—The rascals knew my eye was off them. Once before, they turned my vessel into a living evidence of that passage in the Testament which teaches humility to all, by telling us, ‘that the last shall be first, and the first last.’ I found a dozen roundabouts drinking and making free with the liquors of the cabin, and all the officers prisoners forward—a state of things, as you will allow, a little subversive of decency as well as decorum!”
“I am amazed you should have succeeded in restoring discipline!”
“I got among them single-handed, and with no other aid than a boat from the shore; but I ask no more than a place for my foot, and room for an arm, to keep a thousand such spirits in order. Now they know me, it is rare we misunderstand each other.”
“You must have punished severely!”
“There was justice done.—Mr Wilder, I fear you find our service a little irregular; but a month of experience will put you on a level with us, and remove all danger of such another scene.” As the Rover spoke, he faced his recruit, with a countenance that endeavoured to be cheerful, but whose gaiety could force itself no further than a frightful smile. “Come,” he quickly added, “this time, I set the mischief afoot myself; and, as you see we are completely masters, we may afford to be lenient. Besides,” he continued, glancing his eyes towards the place where Mrs Wyllys and Gertrude still remained in deep suspense awaiting his decision, “it may be well to consult the sex of our guests at such a moment.”
Then, leaving his subordinate, the Rover advanced to the centre of the quarter-deck, whither he immediately summoned the principal offenders. The men listened to his rebukes, which were not altogether free from admonitory warnings of what might be the consequences of a similar transgression, like creatures who stood in presence of a being of a nature superior to their own. Though he spoke in his usual quiet tone, the lowest of his syllables went into the ears of the most distant of the crew; and, when his brief lesson was ended, the men stood before him not only like delinquents who had been reproved though pardoned, but with the air of criminals who were as much condemned by their own consciousness as by the general voice. Among them all was only one seaman who, perhaps from past service was emboldened to venture a syllable in his own justification.
“As for the matter with the marines,” he said “your Honour knows there is little love between us, though certain it is a quarter-deck is no place to settle our begrudgings; but, as to the gentleman who has seen fit to step into the shoes of”——
“It is my pleasure that he should remain there,” hastily interrupted his Commander. “Of his merit I alone can judge.”
“Well, well, since it is your pleasure, sir, why, no man can dispute it. But no account has been rendered of the Bristol-man, and great expectations were had aboard here from that very ship. Your Honour is a reasonable gentleman, and will not be surprised that people, who are on the look-out for an outward-bound West-Indiaman, should be unwilling to take up with a battered and empty launch, in her stead.”
“Ay, sir, if I will it, you shall take an oar, a tiler a thole, for your portion. No more of this You saw the condition of his ship with your own eyes; and where is the seaman who has not, on some evil day, been compelled to admit that his art is nothing, when the elements are against him? Who saved this ship, in the very gust that has robbed us of our prize? Was it your skill? or was it that of a man who has often done it before, and who may one day leave you to your ignorance to manage your own interests? It is enough that I believe him faithful. There is no time to convince your dulness of the propriety of all that’s done. Away, and send me the two men who so nobly stepped between their officer and mutiny.”
Then came Fid, followed by the negro, rolling along the deck, and thumbing his hat with one hand, while the other sought an awkward retreat in a part of his vestments.
“You have done well, my lad; you and your messmate”——
“No messmate, your Honour, seeing that he is a nigger,” interrupted Fid. “The chap messes with the other blacks, but we take a pull at the can, now and then, in company.”
“Your friend, then, if you prefer that term.”
“Ay, ay, sir; we are friendly enough at odd times, though a breeze often springs up between us. Guinea has a d—d awkward fashion of luffing up in his talk; and your Honour knows it isn’t always comfortable to a white man to be driven to leeward by a black. I tell him it is inconvenient. He is a good enough fellow in the main, howsomever, sir; and, as he is just an African bred and born, I hope you’ll be good enough to overlook his little failings.”
“Were I otherwise disposed,” returned the Rover, “his steadiness and activity to-day would plead in his favour.”
“Yes, yes, sir, he is somewhat steady, which is more than I can always say in my own behalf. Then as for seamanship, there are few men who are his betters; I wish your Honour would take the trouble to walk forward, and look at the heart he turned in the mainstay, no later than the last calm; it takes the strain as easy as a small sin sits upon a rich man’s conscience.”
“I am satisfied with your description; you call him Guinea?”
“Call him by any thing along that coast; for he is noway particular, seeing he was never christened, and knows nothing at all of the bearings and distances of religion. His lawful name is S’ip, or Shipio Africa, taken, as I suppose, from the circumstance that he was first shipp’d from that quarter of the world. But, as respects names, the fellow is as meek as a lamb; you may call him any thing, provided you don’t call him too late to his grog.”
All this time, the African stood, rolling his large dark eyes in every direction except towards the speakers, perfectly content that his long-tried shipmate should serve as his interpreter. The spirit which had, so recently, been awakened in the Rover seemed already to be subsiding; for the haughty frown, which had gathered on his brow, was dissipating in a look which bore rather the character of curiosity than any fiercer emotion.
“You have sailed long in company, my lads,” he carelessly continued, addressing his words to neither of them in particular.
“Full and by, in many a gale, and many a calm, your Honour. ‘Tis four-and-twenty years the last equinox, Guinea, since master Harry fell across our hawse; and, then, we had been together three years n the ‘Thunderer,’ besides the run we made round the Horn, in the ‘Bay’ privateer.”
“Ah! you have been four-and-twenty years with Mr Wilder? It is not so remarkable that you should set a value on his life.”
“I should as soon think of setting a price on the King’s crown!” interrupted the straight-going seaman “I