第19章

Stillhedidnotthinkitpolitictointerferebeyondsayingwithaslightyawn:

’SofarasIamconcerned，takehim，comrade，andfreeofcost。

OnlyIwarnyou，watchhimwelloryouwillfindastilettoinyourback。’

Theofficerlaughedandsaid:’Ourfriendwillscarcelygetachanceatme，forIdonotgoahundredpacesunderground，wherehewillfindhisquarters。

Andnow，Englishman，thereisroomforyoubelowIthink；’andhecalledtoasailorbiddinghimbringtheironsofthemanwhohaddied。

Thiswasdone，andafterIhadbeensearchedandasmallsumingoldthatIhaduponmypersontakenfromme——itwasallthatremainedtomeofmypossessions——fetterswereplaceduponmyanklesandroundmyneck，andIwasdraggedintothehold。

BeforeIreacheditIknewfromvarioussignswhatwasthecargoofthisship。

ShewasladenwithslavescapturedinFernandina，astheSpaniardsnametheislandofCuba，thatweretobesoldinHispaniola。

AmongtheseslavesIwasnownumbered。

HowtotellthehorrorsofthatholdIknownot。

Theplacewaslow，notmorethansevenfeetinheight，andtheslaveslayironedinthebilgewateronthebottomofthevessel。

Theywerecrowdedasthickastheycouldlie，beingchainedtoringsfixedinthesidesoftheship。

Altogethertheremayhavebeentwohundredofthem，men，womenandchildren，orrathertherehadbeentwohundredwhentheshipsailedaweekbefore。

Nowsometwentyweredead，whichwasasmallnumber，sincetheSpaniardsreckontolosefromathirdtohalfoftheircargointhisdevilishtraffic。

WhenI

enteredtheplaceadeadlysicknessseizedme，weakasIwas，broughtonbythehorriblesoundsandsmells，andthesightsthatI

sawintheflareofthelanternswhichmyconductorscarried，fortheholdwasshutofffromlightandair。

ButtheydraggedmealongandpresentlyIfoundmyselfchainedinthemidstofalineofblackmenandwomen，manyfeetrestinginthebilgewater。

TheretheSpaniardsleftmewithajeer，sayingthatthiswastoogoodabedforanEnglishmantolieon。

ForawhileIendured，thensleeporinsensibilitycametomysuccour，andIsankintooblivion，andsoImusthaveremainedforadayandanight。

WhenIawokeitwastofindtheSpaniardtowhomIhadbeensoldorgiven，standingnearmewithalanternanddirectingtheremovalofthefettersfromawomanwhowaschainednexttome。

Shewasdead，andinthelightofthelanternIcouldseethatshehadbeencarriedoffbysomehorriblediseasethatwasnewtome，butwhichIafterwardslearnedtoknowbythenameoftheBlackVomit。

Norwasshetheonlyone，forIcountedtwentydeadwhoweredraggedoutinsuccession，andIcouldseethatmanymoreweresick。

AlsoIsawthattheSpaniardswerenotalittlefrightened，fortheycouldmakenothingofthissickness，andstrovetolessenitbycleansingtheholdandlettingairintoitbytheremovalofsomeplanksinthedeckabove。

HadtheynotdonethisIbelievethateverysoulofusmusthaveperished，andIsetdownmyownescapefromthesicknesstothefactthatthelargestopeninginthedeckwasmadedirectlyabovemyhead，sothatbystandingup，whichmychainsallowedmetodo，Icouldbreatheairthatwasalmostpure。

Havingdistributedwaterandmealcakes，theSpaniardswentaway。

Idrankgreedilyofthewater，butthecakesIcouldnoteat，fortheyweremouldy。

ThesightsandsoundsaroundmeweresoawfulthatIwillnottrytowriteofthem。

Andallthewhileweswelteredintheterribleheat，forthesunpiercedthroughthedeckplankingofthevessel，andIcouldfeelbyherlackofmotionthatwewerebecalmedanddrifting。

Istoodup，andbyrestingmyheelsuponariboftheshipandmybackagainstherside，IfoundmyselfinapositionwhenceIcouldseethefeetofthepassers-byonthedeckabove。

PresentlyIsawthatoneoftheseworeapriest’srobe，andguessingthathemustbemycompanionwithwhomIhadescaped，I

strovetoattracthisnotice，andatlengthsucceeded。

Sosoonasheknewwhoitwasbeneathhim，thepriestlaydownonthedeckasthoughtoresthimself，andwespoketogether。

Hetoldme，asI

hadguessed，thatwewerebecalmedandthatagreatsicknesshadtakenholdoftheship，alreadylayinglowathirdofthecrew，addingthatitwasajudgmentfromheavenbecauseoftheircrueltyandwickedness。

TothisIansweredthatthejudgmentwasworkingonthecaptivesaswellasonthecaptors，andaskedhimwherewasSarceda，astheynameddeGarcia。

ThenIlearnedthathehadbeentakensickthatmorning，andIrejoicedatthenews，forifIhadhatedhimbefore，itmaybejudgedhowdeeplyIhatedhimnow。

Presentlythepriestleftmeandreturnedwithwatermixedwiththejuiceoflimes，thattastedtomelikenectarfromthegods，andsomegoodmeatandfruit。

Thesehegavemethroughtheholeintheplanks，andImadeshifttoseizetheminmymanacledhandsanddevouredthem。

Afterthishewentaway，tomygreatchagrin；why，Ididnotdiscovertillthefollowingmorning。

Thatdaypassedandthelongnightpassed，andwhenatlengththeSpaniardsvisitedtheholdoncemore，therewerefortybodiestobedraggedoutofit，andmanyothersweresick。

AftertheyhadgoneIstoodup，watchingformyfriendthepriest，buthedidnotcomethen，noreveragain。

ForanhourormoreIstoodthuscraningmyneckupwardstoseekforthepriest。

AtlengthwhenIwasabouttosinkbackintothehold，forIcouldstandnolongerinthatcrampedposture，Isawawoman’sdresspassbytheholeinthedeck，andknewitforonethatwaswornbyaladywhohadescapedwithmeintheboat。

’Senora，’Iwhispered，’fortheloveofGodlistentome。

ItisI，d’Aila，whoamchaineddownhereamongtheslaves。’

Shestarted，thenasthepriesthaddone，shesatherselfdownuponthedeck，andItoldherofmydreadfulplight，notknowingthatshewasacquaintedwithit，andofthehorrorsbelow。

’Alas！senor，’sheanswered，’theycanbelittleworsethanthoseabove。

Adreadfulsicknessisragingamongthecrew，sixarealreadydeadandmanymoreareravingintheirlastmadness。

I

wouldthattheseahadswalloweduswiththerest，forwehavebeenrescuedfromitonlytofallintohell。

Alreadymymotherisdeadandmylittlebrotherisdying。’

’Whereisthepriest？’Iasked。

’Hediedthismorningandhasjustbeencastintothesea。

Beforehediedhespokeofyou，andprayedmetohelpyouifIcould。

ButhiswordswerewildandIthoughtthathemightbedistraught。

AndindeedhowcanIhelpyou？’

’Perhapsyoucanfindmefoodanddrink，’Ianswered’andforourfriend，Godresthissoul。

WhatoftheCaptainSarceda？

Isbealsodead？’

’No，senor，healoneisrecoveringofallwhomthescourgehassmitten。

AndnowImustgotomybrother，butfirstIwillseekfoodforyou。’

Shewentandpresentlyreturnedwithmeatandaflaskofwinewhichshehadhiddenbeneathherdress，andIateandblessedher。

Fortwodaysshefedmethus，bringingmefoodatnight。

Onthesecondnightshetoldmethatherbrotherwasdeadandofallthecrewonlyfifteenmenandoneofficerremaineduntouchedbythesickness，andthatsheherselfgrewill。

Alsoshesaidthatthewaterwasalmostfinished，andtherewaslittlefoodleftfortheslaves。

Afterthisshecamenomore，andIsupposethatshediedalso。

ItwaswithintwentyhoursofherlastvisitthatIleftthisaccursedship。

Foradaynonehadcometofeedortendtheslaves，andindeedmanyneedednotending，fortheyweredead。

Somestilllivedhowever，thoughsofarasIcouldseethemostofthemweresmittenwiththeplague。

Imyselfhadescapedthesickness，perhapsbecauseofthestrengthandnaturalhealthinessofmybody，whichhasalwayssavedmefromfeversanddiseases，fortifiedasitwasbythegoodfoodthatIhadobtained。

ButnowIknewthatI

couldnotlivelong，indeedchainedinthisdreadfulcharnel-houseIprayedfordeathtoreleasemefromthehorrorsofsuchexistence。

Thedaypassedasbeforeinswelteringheat，unbrokenbyanyairormotion，andnightcameatlast，madehideousbythebarbarousravingsofthedying。

ButeventhereandthenIsleptanddreamedthatIwaswalkingwithmyloveinthevaleofWaveney。

TowardsthemorningIwasawakenedbyasoundofclankingiron，andopeningmyeyes，Isawthatmenwereatwork，bythelightoflanterns，knockingthefettersfromthedeadandthelivingtogether。

Asthefetterswereloosedaropewasputroundthebodyoftheslave，anddeadorquick，hewashauledthroughthehatchway。

Presentlyaheavysplashinthewaterwithouttoldtherestofthetale。

NowIunderstoodthatalltheslaveswerebeingthrownoverboardbecauseofthewantofwater，andinthehopethatitmightavailtosavefromthepestilencethoseoftheSpaniardswhostillremainedalive。

Iwatchedthemattheirworkforawhiletilltherewerebuttwoslavesbetweenmeandtheworkers，ofwhomonewaslivingandtheotherdead。

ThenIbethoughtmethatthiswouldbemyfatealso，tobecastquickintothesea，andtookcounselwithmyselfastowhetherIshoulddeclarethatIwaswholefromtheplagueandpraythemtospareme，orwhetherIshouldsuffermyselftobedrowned。

Thedesireforlifewasstrong，butperhapsitmayservetoshowhowgreatwerethetormentsfromwhichIwassuffering，andhowbrokenwasmyspiritbymisfortunesandthehorrorsaroundme，whenIsaythatIdeterminedtomakenofurtherefforttolive，butrathertoacceptdeathasamercifulrelease。

And，indeed，Iknewthattherewaslittlelikelihoodofsuchattemptsbeingofavail，forIsawthattheSpanishsailorsweremadwithfearandhadbutonedesire，toberidoftheslaveswhoconsumedthewater，andastheybelieved，hadbredthepestilence。

SoIsaidsuchprayersascameintomyhead，andalthoughwithagreatshiveringoffear，forthepoorfleshshrinksfromitsendandtheunknownbeyondit，howeverhighmaybethespirit，Ipreparedmyselftodie。

Now，havingdraggedawaymyneighbourinmisery，thelivingsavage，thementurnedtome。

Theywerenakedtothemiddle，andworkedfuriouslytobedonewiththeirhatefultask，sweatingwiththeheat，andkeepingthemselvesfromfaintingbydraughtsofspirit。

’Thisoneisalivealsoanddoesnotseemsosick，’saidamanashestruckthefettersfromme。

’Aliveordead，awaywiththedog！’answeredanotherhoarsely，andIsawthatitwasthesameofficertowhomIhadbeengivenasaslave。

’ItisthatEnglishman，andheitiswhobroughtusillluck。

CasttheJonahoverboardandlethimtryhisevileyeuponthesharks。’

’Sobeit，’answeredtheotherman，andfinishedstrikingoffmyfetters。

’Thosewhohavecometoacupofwatereachaday，donotpresstheirgueststoshareit。

Theyshowthemthedoor。

Sayyourprayers，Englishman，andmaytheydoyoumoregoodthantheyhavedoneformostonthisaccursedship。

Here，thisisthestufftomakedrowningeasy，andthereismoreofitonboardthanofwater，’andhehandedmetheflaskofspirit。

Itookitanddrankdeep，anditcomfortedmealittle。

ThentheyputtheroperoundmeandatasignalthoseonthedeckabovebegantohaultillI