CHAPTER XV.
VAUCLIN.
If the crew of the Perseverance thought their young captain somewhatdilatory, they soon had reason to modify that opinion, since he turnedthem out at three o'clock the next morning to raft one of the framesashore, and raise it on the beach.
A large crowd of buyers came to look at it, and among the firstLemaire. All were anxious to buy, not merely the frames, but thehardware, some edge-tools that were in the vessel, and, in short, thewhole cargo; but Lemaire outbid the rest, and made a bargain withWalter to go to his plantation at Vauclin, and there exchange hisframes and other cargo for coffee, indigo, tortoise-shell, and cloves,at certain prices agreed upon between them. Walter, for the sake ofgoing to the spot where Peterson was, would have closed with theplanter at almost any price; but the rates now agreed upon left him avery large profit. The frame on the beach was taken down, and put onboard of one of the drogers that had discharged her cargo of sugar, andshe immediately made sail for the plantation.
That night, when the crew of the Perseverance assembled in thecuddy,--for, like all pink sterns, she had her accommodations forward,and the salt-room aft,--Walter told them that in two days, during whichtime Lemaire would get through with his business, they were to setsail for his plantation. The announcement gave rise to a most animateddiscussion as to the course to be pursued after they arrived there. Itwas much nearer morning than midnight when they turned in.
French and Spanish vessels are all well modelled, and, in general, sailwell. The West India drogers, being constantly obliged to work outin creeks and coves, and contend with head winds, are generally fastvessels; but although, during the war of Independence, the Americanshad been brought by necessity to build sharp vessels to prey uponBritish commerce, and escape from their men-of-war, the great majorityof the American vessels employed in the West India trade were of theold English model, built after the fashion of the colonial period.Beauty and speed were sacrificed to capacity, and the vessel that couldcarry the most lumber and molasses, with the least tonnage on thecustom-house books, was considered the best, since in that trade, atthat period, capacity was more profitable than speed. But the inventivegenius of the people, always equal to the situation, was manifested intheir fishermen. In respect to this class of vessels, always on a leeshore, and navigating among shoals and breakers, where both life andproperty depended upon their weatherly qualities, speed paid. Thus itcame to pass that occasionally, in the winter, after the fishing seasonwas over, an Ipswich chebacco boat or Marblehead pink-stern wouldtake a cargo of onions, codfish, or small lumber, and go to the WestIndies, when those who confounded her with the common lumber drogers,and supposed they could sail two feet to her one, caught a Tartar. Itwas so in the present instance. Lemaire prided himself upon the sailingqualities of his droger, and thought nothing on the coast could holdway with her.
He came alongside of the Perseverance, the morning of the dayappointed, and said,--
"Captain, I shall be ready in about two hours. I must go ashore again.You had better get your anchor and make sail."
"But I don't know the way."
"No matter; you can be jogging along the coast. I'll overtake you, andthen you can follow me."
"Very well," was the reply.
It was a good working breeze, the wind for a portion of the way nearlyahead--a direction well adapted to show the weatherly qualities of avessel.
"Make sail," said Walter; "we'll be _jogging_."
With only her fore, mainsail, and jibs set, the Perseverance soon leftthe harbor astern. Hour after hour passed, and nothing was seen ofLemaire; but as they knew the general direction, and that there were noreefs or shoals, they kept on till they made Diamond Rock, on the porthand, when they must round the southern extremity of the island, anda pilot was needed. They accordingly hove to abreast of this singularrock, rising perpendicularly between five and six hundred feet abovethe sea, except on the western side, which is accessible, and where area few small trees and bushes.
Lemaire was astonished, when, after getting his anchor, he looked invain for the Yankee schooner, and knew not what to make of it, as shewas hidden from his view by the island. After waiting till the drogercame up, and passed ahead for nearly a mile, they put the bonnet onthe jib, set the gaff-topsails, came up with and passed her, as DickCameron said, "hand over fist," then hove to, and waited for her tocome up.
"I guess," said Walter, "we can spare him the gaff-topsails, the bonnetoff the jib, and the flying-jib, and then keep jogging."
Having thus shortened sail, they fell into the wake of the droger.
Lemaire was excessively annoyed at being beaten so outrageously by alumber carrier, and internally resolved to buy the American schooner,as he had not the least doubt but a Yankee would sell anything, onlygive him his price; and if she would sail like that loaded, whatwouldn't she do in a set of pig-iron ballast, and with copper on herbottom!
Rounding Cape Ferre, they entered the Passe Vauclin, where thenavigation was most intricate. Sewall Lancaster was one of those whoseem by nature constituted for pilots. If he went to a place once, hecould go again. In the woods, or on the water, Sewall could find hisway. Though an uncouth, awkward being, caring little whom he pleasedor displeased, he was a good navigator, had been mate several voyages,and only went before the mast in the brigantine because of the profits,and volunteered to go in the Perseverance because he was a relative ofWalter, and greatly attached to Captain Rhines. When Walter saw thenature of the navigation, he said,--
"Sewall, I must calculate on you to bring us out again; this is acrooked place."
"Never fear, cap'n; I'll take my landmarks, crooked as it is."
The plantation of Lemaire was of great extent, comprising two coves,separated by a point of moderate height, rocky at its extremity. Thecove on the southern side being appropriated to the house and officesconnected with it, and the northerly one, where was a greater depthof water, was the site of the mill, the house of the overseer, negroquarters, hospital, and other buildings. Here were a wharf, andfacilities for repairing vessels, work-shop, and so on, and here thedrogers were moored. The great wealth of this planter was evident fromthe character of the buildings, which were to a great extent of stoneor timber, and the roofs covered with tiles, instead of thatch andpalm-leaf, as is generally the case. Many of the work-shops were builtof timber framed together, the walls covered with narrow pine boardslapped one over the other to shed rain, and the roofs either tiledor shingled after the fashion in America--constant intercourse withthe States having taught the French planters many of the methods ofbuilding in use there; and, as in that climate timber decayed rapidly,there was a steady demand for lumber.
As they slowly entered the harbor, the sound of hammers, axes, andcalking mallets was heard from the northern cove. With eager curiositythe boys strove to make out the form of Peterson among some negroesdriving oakum into the gar-board seams of a droger that lay agroundupon the beach.
"There is no man there large enough for him," said Walter.
The schooner dropped her anchor in the cove, and the ship's companyhad the rest of the day--it being two hours before night--at their owndisposal, as nothing could be done towards discharging till the negroesmoved some sugar that occupied the wharf.
After supper they went ashore, and took a stroll over the plantation,hoping they might get some inkling of Peterson, but without making anyinquiries, or manifesting any undue curiosity to excite suspicion, forall felt that they were treading on dangerous ground. They went amongslaves employed in all sorts of work, calkers, coopers, carpenters, notdaring to inquire, and, without obtaining any information, returned onboard.
"Where do you suppose he can be?" said Ned. "We've looked everywhere."
"Perhaps they've carried him to some of his other plantations," saidLancaster.
"No, he's here," said Walter.
"Where is he, then?"
"Locked up. That was what that droger was sent off in such a hurryfor,--that we put the
frame aboard of, that was on the beach,--to tellthe overseer that an American vessel was coming into the creek. Lemaireis not such a fool as not to know that a fellow as smart as Petersonwould do his best to get aboard of her. He will probably be kept out ofsight as long as we are here, and we must find where he's confined, andget at him."
"What puzzles me," said Dick, "is why so smart a nigger as you say heis hasn't got away before, and got aboard some vessel."
"That is what puzzles me, too," said Walter.
"What kind of a vessel do you call that, captain?" said the planter,when he came down in the morning.
"We call them pink-sterns."
"Why don't you build larger vessels of the same model?"
"They would draw too much water, and would not carry enough."
"What are they made for?"
"Fishing. They will carry all the fish necessary, and are excellentsea-boats."
"She sails like the wind. Will you sell her?"
"She doesn't belong to me."
"Your captains are always allowed discretionary powers. Your ownerswould not object to a round price."
"She is owned by one man, who would not part with her, as she oncebelonged to a dear friend of his."
Every effort was made by Walter and his crew, by prowling round in thenight, to discover the place of Peterson's confinement.
They cultivated the acquaintance of the negroes, who for their longresidence on the estate, and supposed devotion to their master'sinterests, were promoted to the office of night watchmen, in hopessomething might drop from them to throw light on the matter, while, atthe same time, they dared not commit themselves by inquiry. The captainalso became more and more intimate with Lemaire and the overseer, butall to no purpose, till at length the matter grew serious. The vesselwas discharged, would soon begin to load, and there would be no longerany excuse for remaining.
One night, as Walter lay feverish and wakeful in his berth, hismechanical turn furnished him with an excuse for prolonging his stay.
"Monsieur," said he the next day to Lemaire, "I thought you wanted anew house for your overseer."
"So I do; but these frames are not large enough."
"Put three of them together, one on top of the other, and the third fora porch."
"That would be a great deal of work."
"I'll do it for you with my crew, if you will find us, and pay usmoderate wages, cover the outside, lay the floors, and shingle theroofs."
To this the planter agreed, and forthwith all hands went to work, butin a manner very much resembling that of the negroes, as they desiredto prolong the time.
For some time the attention of Walter had been attracted by a stonebuilding of moderate size, of which no use seemed to be made as astorehouse, the windows of which were some feet from the ground andgrated. He noticed a negro, a body servant of the planter, go in thereabout meal times with something in a basket, and thought it must be theplace where Peterson was confined.
Access was difficult, even to the outside, in the night, as a negrocalled Jean Baptiste, and in whom great confidence was placed, kept thenight watch before it. Walter made the acquaintance of Jean, which wasnot at all difficult, as the negro was delighted with the notice ofboth him and Ned. Nothing, however, came of it for some days.
At length Walter, being at work with Ned on the frame of the overseer'shouse, and thus brought above the level of the grates in the buildingwhich had been so long the object of intense curiosity, thought, as helooked towards it, he perceived something moving behind the grates,although the distance was too great to determine its character.
But the very possibility that Peterson was confined there made Walter'sheart leap to his throat. He looked around. Below were Sewall, Dick,and three negro assistants. He made a signal to Ned, and directed hisattention to the place, and received a nod of intelligence.
Every few moments that afternoon their eyes were fastened on thosegrates. As the sun declined, the rays, falling on the apertures, madethem quite confident that they saw a human figure pacing back andforth. It seemed to Walter and Ned as though the sun would never, neverset that night.
The moment they reached the vessel the announcement was made. Walter,Ned, and Dick began to devise methods to ascertain whether theirsuspicions were well founded.
"If you want to know, and can't see," said Lancaster, who stoodlistening in silence, "why don't you take the glass? That's what theyhave 'em for."
"What precious fools we are," said Walter, "looking and longing all theafternoon, and couldn't think of that!"
Within a short distance of the frame they had been at work upon, rosethe high ground, forming the point that separated the two coves. Inthe evening, Walter hid the glass among some bushes on the side of theascent, and while the rest were at breakfast the next morning, he andNed repaired to the spot.
Walter put the glass to his eye, and was rewarded by seeing thewell-known features of his black friend pressed against the grates.
"It's he," whispered Walter, trembling with suppressed delight, ashe passed the glass to Ned. The boys sat and looked at each other insilent ecstasy, with hand clasped in hand for a few moments, and then,creeping stealthily from the place, by a look and gesture conveyed theintelligence to their shipmates as they joined them at the building.How to establish communication with Peterson was the subject thatoccupied the thoughts of Walter during the entire day.
Having made the habits of Jean a study for some time, he ascertainedthat he, like most negroes, kept a very poor watch. An old log laybeside the wall of the pig-yard, several rods from Peterson's window;upon this the negro would often sit, lean his back against the wall,and get sound asleep. During this time a good opportunity offered toattract the attention of Peterson, and communicate with him; but asit was not until late at night that Jean fell asleep, Peterson wouldbe asleep also, and it would be impossible to arouse him within thosethick walls without making noise enough to wake Jean likewise. Theytherefore determined to do it in the daytime, as exposing them to theleast chance of detection, there being no watch kept then, the buildingnot situated in any common thoroughfare, and the risk of observationfrom any transient passer very little. There is a great difference inthe treatment of slaves by different planters, some being of a cruel,others of a more mild disposition, and disposed not to aggravate thehardships of their slaves by savage treatment; and there are somein whose hands the institution assumes somewhat of a patriarchalcharacter. Lemaire was one of this latter class; whether it sprangfrom kindness of natural disposition or calculation, as thinking theywould last longer and accomplish more in the end, his slaves were wellfed, lightly worked, and seldom flogged. He kept a strict watch overhis overseers, and the negro drivers especially, and has been known,when he heard the lash too frequently, to go to the spot, take thewhip from the negro driver, and giving him three or four severe cuts,say, "See how you like that yourself!" The chief business of the daywas over at three o'clock; then came the dinner hour at the mansion,after which Lemaire took his afternoon nap. The overseer did the same;the negroes improved the opportunity to shirk and sleep, and whilework went on in the field and at the cane mill more leisurely, all wasrepose in the vicinity of the dwelling.
The boys had succeeded so well in gaining the confidence of all on theplantation, that they went everywhere without question, both night andday, sat down and gossiped with the children and worn-out darkies whowere employed in picking over coffee and cloves, strolled into thefields, and among the carpenters and calkers, at work upon the drogers,for Lemaire built his own vessels.
This hour of napping was the time of the day selected by the boys asmost favorable for their purpose. It was a little after four in theafternoon of the day succeeding that on which they had obtained aglimpse of Peterson, when they strolled leisurely towards the lock-upto reconnoitre.
A superannuated negro, partially blind and wholly deaf, sat halfasleep on the steps; a parcel of negro children were burrowing inthe sand beneath the walls of the adjoining sta
ble, and teasing aturkey-cock by holding up before him a tattered red handkerchief.
With these exceptions, no person was seen around the premises. "We neednot fear that old negro, nor these little children," said Walter, "andwe never shall have a better opportunity than at this very time."
In the yard was a small building used for storing the coarse clothof which coffee-bags were made; a cart was tipped up against it, byclambering on which it was not difficult to reach the roof.
"I will get up to the roof of that shed," said Ned, "where I can seeall around, and make a signal if any one is coming."
No sooner had Ned gained the roof of the shed, than Walter placedhimself directly beneath the grated window, at which they had seenPeterson the morning previous. The blacks possess a wonderful abilityfor singing those songs of labor used by both black and white seamento lighten their toil. Negroes in general possess a great facility forremembering tunes, and even the words of songs. In the West Indiesyou will hear negroes who cannot speak a word of English (to know whatit means), sing a song which they have caught from white sailors, allthrough, without knowing the meaning of one word.
Peterson had a large stock of these songs, which he had picked up inthe course of his sea life from sailors of different nations, with whomhe had been shipmate. It had been a favorite recreation of Walter,in years past, to sit on Peterson's knee, and coax him to sing thosesongs, while the little fellow would clap his hands, join in thechorus, and applaud most lustily at the close, always winding up withan entreaty for just one more. Sometimes on a rainy Saturday afternoon,when the weather prevented Peterson from working, half a dozen of theboys would get round him, and, together with his own children, make theold house ring with their screams, while Luce, Peterson's wife, wouldtake her hands out of the suds and join the merry company.
Walter stood some minutes leaning against the wall, striving to recallsome favorite song that had often served them upon those occasions. Allength, suddenly exclaiming, "I have it," he began in a low tone tosing,--
"Where have you been all this day, Bonnie laddie, Highland laddie, From your hills so far away, My bonny Highland laddie?"
Instantly, in the same cautious tone, came through the grates thesucceeding stanza,--
"Donald's been to Aberdeen, Bonnie lassie, Highland lassie, To see de duke in his Highland green, My bonnie Highland lassie."
"Peterson," said Walter.
"Here I is. Who is you?"
"Walter--Walter Griffin."
"Bress de Lord! Who is wid you?"
"Little Ned, Sewall Lancaster, and Dick Cameron, your shipmate in theLeonidas, and old Neptune as cook. We are here in the Perseverance, andhave come after you. Luce and the children, Captain Rhines, Lion Ben,and all our folks are well."
"Bress de Lord. He's too good; O, bress de Lord."
"Here, Peterson, take this;" and Walter took from his pocket a longpiece of tarred twine, with a nail at the end of it, and fastening thestring to a piece of rattan, thrust it through the grates.
"What dis for?"
"I dare not stay any longer now. When it is dark, tie this string roundyour wrist, and drop the nail out of the window. I'll come here attwelve o'clock to-night, when Jean is asleep, pull it to wake you up,and then we can talk more, and lay our plans."
At the appointed time Walter was on the spot. After telling Petersonhow they ascertained he was sold and where he was, he asked,--
"Could you get out of that window, if we take the bars out?"
"No, sonny; it no large enough."
"Then we must break the door."
"Dat make too much noise. You bring strong string, piece of spun-yarn,and crowbar; tie de bar to de spun-yarn; I pull him up, hide him inmy bed; den, when time come, pull de staple out de stone what hold debolt. De stones of dis island bery soft, Peterson bery strong; pull himout; make no noise."
The plantation at Vauclin abounded in domestic animals and fowls ofall kinds. Hogs were not suffered to run at large, but were kept ina yard surrounded by a high stone wall, laid in lime mortar; herewere hogs, sucking pigs, and shotes of all ages. The fowls run atlarge. There were ducks, geese, guinea-fowl, turkeys, and hens inabundance. These were all under the supervision of an old negro,assisted by several boys. Philip was a Guinea negro, uncommonly stupidand indolent, although his office was no sinecure, as the other slavesstole all the fowls and pigs they could lay their hands on. But thedepredations of the negroes upon their master's poultry and pigs werefew indeed compared with those of Dick Cameron. From the time Dick wasten years old, and held horses for a baubee in the streets of Greenock,he had been flung upon his own resources, was an old forager, andhis miscellaneous life was not favorable to the cultivation of veryaccurate distinctions in respect to the rights of individuals in suchthings as fruit, fowl, and other outlying property.
Dick would have cut his right hand off sooner than have cheated hislandlord, backed out after signing the ship's articles, or run awayafter taking his advance wages; but he would not hesitate an instant inhelping himself to a pair of trousers, or a frock, from any piece ofcanvas that was lying about decks, or to any rope, small line, twine,or worming he wanted for beckets to his chest, hammock lashings, orstrings to a clothes-bag. Entertaining such sentiments, it was notwonderful that, since the arrival of the Perseverance, turkeys, ducks,and guinea-fowl should disappear with astonishing rapidity, especiallyturkeys. At length Walter objected to the process by which he had goodreason to suppose the table of the Perseverance was supplied; but allthe difference this made was, that, although he and Ned fared lesssumptuously, Sewall, Dick, and old Nep lived none the worse, takingtheir meals at extra hours by themselves; and what they were unable toconsume there were plenty of invited guests to finish.
At length the disappearance of some very fine turkeys attracted theattention of the cook, who told his master. He threatened to flog Philif the matter went on.
"It is these white sailors," said the planter. "They steal them in thenight. There's never a vessel comes here but the fowl and pigs arestolen. You must set a watch while this vessel is here,--there's enoughof you,--or shut them up."
As the easiest method, Phil and his understrappers shut up the fowl;but every night, when Phil drove them in, some of the turkeys weremissing.
"You lazy rascal," said Lemaire, "can't you keep them from stealingthem in broad daylight? They don't take the geese; why don't you keepthem from taking the turkeys as well?"
"Wharra fur you flog poor nigga, massa? How I help it, massa? Whenbuckra man come, goose he say, 'Sailor man, sailor man.' Den Phil helook sharp. Buckra man go 'way; no git him. Turkey he big fool; goround all de day long, head one side, hollerin, 'Quit, quit, quit.'Wharra poor nigga do? He no tell when sailor man dere, 'cause turkeyholler, 'Quit, quit,' all de time."
A few days after this conversation with his master, Phil was asleep inthe sun, in the midst of his feathered charge, when he was aroused bya great outcry among the turkeys. Rousing up, he heard all the turkeyscrying, "Quit, quit," and saw Dick running for dear life, with thegobbler after him, his neck outstretched, and his wings flapping.
"Yah, yah!" he exclaimed, rubbing his eyes; "wharra fur you run so,buckra man? Turkey no bite you."
"WHARRA FUR YOU RUN SO, BUCKRA MAN? TURKEY NO BITEYOU."]
It is said "a stern chase is a long chase." It proved so in thisinstance; for the gobbler never returned. The simple truth was, Dickhad baited a hook with corn, and was dragging the old gobbler afterhim.
Ned was quite fond of going up and sitting among the negroes Sundays,listening to their queer expressions, and watching the frolics ofthe little darkies. One Sunday morning, there were many of them in alarge yard near the house, one part of which was a garden, separatedby an open fence of bamboo from the pig-yard. On the other side of thepig-yard was a smaller place, set apart for hens with young chickens.
The children were playing in the dirt and among the hogs, the oldernegroes sitting in the sun on a ben
ch, in their holiday clothes,chatting and laughing. In the yard was a sow, with twelve pigs almostweaned. Ned sat next to Phil, who, as usual, was half asleep, and sawa pollock-line, which was not far from the color of the wall, flungover, attached to which was a hook, baited with a piece of bread. Ina few moments a great squealing drew the attention of all, and one ofthe pigs was seen going right up the wall as fast as he could move hislegs, and in a moment disappeared over the summit.
"Je hay, buckra man!" cried Phil, in amazement, and, turning to Ned,said, "Eighteen year dis nigga been in Martinique; nebber see pig runober dat wall 'fore dis morning."
It may strike some of our young readers as rather singular, since wehave spoken of a garden, that vegetables should be salable in the WestIndies, where the soil and climate are so favorable to vegetation,and even bring high prices, especially in Martinique, which is wellwatered. One great reason of this, undoubtedly, was neglect, sincemost of the garden vegetables are raised in Martinique now. It must berecollected that many vegetables used on the table are not palatablewhen grown in a hot climate. Peas ripen so fast that you can only havethem just for one picking. It is the same with corn, which, insteadof being a long time in the milk, as with us at the north, ripens asit grows. Potatoes are not half as good as those of cold climates;beets and carrots soon grow tough and stringy, running up to seed thefirst year; cabbages won't form a close head, and are now exported bytons to Cuba. Add to this, that so many fruits grow spontaneously, andattention is all directed to sugar, coffee, and cotton.