The Pirate Slaver | Page 6

Boolambemba Point, the southernmost extremity of the group of islands to which I have already alluded, where the embouchure of the river may be said to begin, the stream here being about three and a half miles across, while immediately below it abruptly widens to a breadth of about five and a half miles at the indentation leading to Banana Creek, in the narrow approach to which we were lying at anchor. Of course it was not possible for us to distinguish, from where we were lying, much of the character of the country on the southern or left bank of the river, but it appeared to be pretty much the same as what we saw around us; that is to say, low land densely covered with bush and trees along the river margin, with higher land beyond. About half-a-mile beyond us, broad on our starboard bow as we were then lying, the anchorage narrowed down to a width of less than half-a-mile, the western extremity of the group of islands already referred to there converging toward Banana Peninsula in a low, mangrove-wooded point. Beyond this, however, could be seen a stretch of water about a mile and a half wide, which I subsequently learned ran for several miles up at the back of the islands, between them and the mainland, in the form of a narrow, shallow, canal-like creek that Bates, the master, seemed to think might well repay the trouble of careful inspection, since the narrow maze of channels to which it gave access offered exceptional facilities for the embarkation of slaves, and a choice of routes for the light-draught slavers from their places of concealment into the main channel of the river.
CHAPTER TWO.
WE RECEIVE SOME IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE.
We had barely got our canvas furled and the decks cleared when we saw a fine, handsome whale-boat, painted white, with a canvas awning spread over her stern-sheets, and the Portuguese flag fluttering from a little staff at her stern, shove off from the wharf and pull toward us. She was manned by four Krumen, and in the stern-sheets sat a tall, swarthy man, whose white drill suit and white, broad-brimmed Panama hat, swathed with a white puggaree, caused his suntanned face and hands to appear almost as black as the skins of his negro crew. The boat swept up to our gangway in very dashing style, and her owner, ascending the accommodation ladder, stepped in on deck with a genial smile that disclosed a splendid set of brilliantly white teeth beneath his heavy, glossy black moustache.
"Good-morning, sar," said he to the first lieutenant, who met him at the gangway. "Velcome to Banana," with a flourish of his hat. "Vat chip dis is, eh?"
"Her Britannic Majesty's brig Barracouta," answered Young. "You are the Portuguese consul here, I suppose?"
"No--no; I not de consul," was the answer. "Dere is no consul at Banana. I am Senor Joaquin Miguel Lobo, Portuguese trader, at your savice, sar; and I have come off to say dat I shall be happie to supply your chip wid anyting dat you may require--vattare, fresh meat, vegetabl', feesh, no fruit--de fruit not ripe yet; plenty fruit by an' by, but not ripe yet--parrots, monkeys--all kind of bird and animal, yes; and curiositie--plenty curiositie, sar."
Here the skipper, who had been below for a few minutes, re-appeared on deck, and, seeing the stranger, advanced toward him, whereupon the first lieutenant introduced Senor Joaquin Miguel Lobo in proper form.
"Glad to see you, senor," remarked the skipper genially. "Will you step below and take a glass of wine with Lieutenant Young and myself?"
"Ver' happie, captain, I am sure," answered the senor with another sweeping bow and flourish of his Panama; and forthwith the trio disappeared down the hatchway, to my unbounded astonishment, for it was not quite like our extremely dignified skipper to be so wonderfully cordial as this to a mere trader.
"Ah, I'm afraid that won't wash," remarked Bates, catching the look of astonishment and perplexity on my face as I turned my regards away from the hatchway. "The captain means to pump the Portuguese, if he can, but from the cut of the senor's jib I fancy there is not much to be got out of him; he looks to be far too wide-awake to let us become as wise as himself. I'll be bound that he could put us up to many a good wrinkle if he would; but, bless you, youngster, he's not going to spoil his own trade. He professes to be an honest trader, of course--deals in palm-oil and ivory and what not, of course, and I've no doubt he does; but I wouldn't mind betting a farthing cake that he ships a precious sight more black ivory than white out of this same river. Look at that