While we had some doubts about the last statement, we were entertained to a high degree, and Shannon became rapidly a favourite. More especially as we had already had some evidence of his prowess, and a look from his faded eyes following a drawling request for tobacco or other commodity had the usual effect of producing considerable attention from the person addressed. His arms, of course, had been delivered aft, but he had a way of gazing at one that made a person feel that his good-will was of the utmost value. Martin was his devoted companion, and Anderson, who had been badly bruised and stunned by the shot that had killed Pete, even forgave the damage and appeared much more friendly than we had reason to expect. Bill and I had several talks over the Scot’s peculiar manner with the stranger, and we became more friendly and confidential over the subject. Big Jones kept his own counsel, and seemed to admire the long limbs of the Yankee skipper, yet did not care too much for his company.
Jorg, with a gang of helpers consisting of Tom and Tim, two Liverpool dock-rats of the other watch, and Ernest and Heligoland, kept hard at work repairing the damage done us by the brig’s six-pounders, and were hardly finished by the time we sighted the low coast near Lagos.
The haze which hangs over the surf in the Guinea Gulf hides the land until a vessel is almost upon it. We were close in, and could hear the dull thunder of the swell falling upon the sand before we realized that the run was over, and the work of trading and capturing human beings would begin.
No time was lost after we came to soundings. The boats were made ready and the anchors gotten over the bows, while the topsails, though clewed up, were left hanging ready to sheet home at a moment’s warning. A man was posted in the foretop all day, and everything done to prevent a surprise of some prowling man-of-war. Even Hawkson showed signs of peculiar alertness, and his nervousness, though slight, was quickly transmitted to both Gull and Henry.
Only old Howard seemed impervious to the excitement, and ambled about the poop unconcernedly, watching the shore until we had reached the mouth of a low, marshy river.
The breeze was off the land, and the barque was hove to, while the small boat was manned and sent in with Yankee Dan and Hicks to see if there were any negroes to be procured.
I managed to pull stroke oar, and went more to see how the business was to be conducted than anything else. We had half a dozen muskets in the boat, with powder and lead, to use in defence, if necessary, or in trade if possible. Yankee Dan was so nervous that Hicks insisted on taking the tiller as we headed for the beach, and he picked up a loaded gun and laid it handy upon the stern-sheets in case of emergency.
The breeze being light and offshore, the heat of the equatorial sun was intense. It was about nine o’clock in the morning when the barque stood in, and it was nearly eight bells now, the sun being at its height, and the sky a brazen dome of heat above us.
It took quite half an hour to pull in, for the shore was really several miles distant, and by the time we neared the huge white combers rolling in upon the sand, we were so hot that under other conditions an upset in the breakers would have been welcomed by all hands.
As it was, we skirted the shore just outside the lift of the outer breaker, and soon found an opening over the bar at the river mouth. Hicks headed in through this opening, regardless of consequences, and we were soon carried by the current well in behind the southern point of sand. Here we found the marshy banks of the river stretching away inland, and upon one just behind a little rise covered with low trees, we saw the slave factory, as the pens were called where the unfortunates were corralled.