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Updated: June 23, 2025
This manoeuvre was still a mystery to most of the slaver's crew, who, of course, acted only in obedience to orders. There were a few of them, however, in the confidence of their officers who knew the intention. The cruiser evidently did not. No doubt the idea of her commander was that the barque was making back for the river, for towards that point was she now heading.
Faulkner and his crew by surprise, he did not find them entirely unprepared, and after dropping eight of his people upon the slaver's deck, and being himself, severely wounded in the arm, Captain Bramble thought it best to beat a retreat, at least for a few moments, and so sought again the shelter of the jungle.
Some small tiny puffs showed that fighting was going on. Then came a pretty considerable number, though the reports which reached them sounded no louder than those of pop-guns. Tom declared that he could see the flash of steel as the cutlasses glittered in the sunshine. One thing was certain, that the British crew had gained the slaver's deck for that a slaver she was there could be no doubt.
The captain addressed them kindly before they left the frigate, urged them to maintain discipline, to obey Mr Owen and Mr Manners, and hoped that he should have a good report of them all when they rejoined the frigate. All arrangements being made, the frigate stood to the eastward with the slaver's crew on board, while the schooner made sail for Samoa, Tonga, and Savage Islands.
With all her sails set, through the roaring surf she dashed, then rose on the summit of a sea, and down she came, striking heavily, her ropes flying wildly and her sails flapping furiously in the breeze. What mattered it to the slaver's crew that they left their hapless passengers to perish!
The king was waddling by his side, and just behind them were six large negroes, chained two and two, and driven forward by as many armed myrmidons of their own colour. It was for the first six I was to be "swopped," or rather had already been, for the bargain was concluded and the blacks were being delivered over to form part of the slaver's cargo.
"Why's that?" whispered Mark. "Let the other boat know the slaver's dropping down," was whispered back. "But is she?" said Mark, excitedly. "No doubt about that, my lad. Pull steady." The men obeyed, and the boat was steered in a zigzag fashion down the river, but there was no sign of the slaver.
As we ranged under his counter "Mainchains are your chance, men boarders, follow me." And in the enthusiasm of the moment I jumped into the slaver's main channel, followed by twenty eight men. We were in the act of getting over the netting when the enemy rallied, and fired a volley of small arms, which sent four out of the twenty eight to their account, and wounded three more.
"The slaver's people have just found out that their ship is not made to put in a glass case, to be looked at by women and children," cried the speaker in tones loud enough to send his words into the fore-top, where the messmate he addressed was attending to some especial duty. "Ay, ay," was the answer; "seeing us in motion, has put him in mind of his next voyage.
He was forced half to lift, half to drag the slaver's body, but he caught the crest of the next incoming wave, one of unusual height and strength, and the two were carried far up the beach. When it died in foam and spray he lifted the man wholly and ran until he fell exhausted on the sand. When another wave roared inland it did not reach him, and no others came near.
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