He understood me perfectly.
“Yes, indeed, Senor,” he replied, significantly, “I will make an English sauce for the gentlemen, such as they cannot find in all Havana.”
He went out, and I went to inquire after the captain.
“I feel much better,” he replied to my inquiries; “only give me something strengthening.”
I retired to the cabin, wrote down what I wanted upon 34 a card, and sent it to the steward. I soon received two dozen oranges and sweet lemons, a great bottle of Canary, half a loaf of bread, a pound of sugar, three spoons full of East India cinnamon, and a bottle of old Malaga wine. From these I prepared most artistically, a strong, delicious drink. I mixed with it, finally, one hundred and fifty drops of opium that I took from the medicine chest. The dose was rather large, but I had to do, not with men, but with beasts. After I had poured it all into a large bowl, I carried it to the captain, who immediately took ten or twelve spoons full of it, and was quite delighted; I told him that he might drink as much of it as he pleased.
“Well,” he said, kindly, “since you are so skilful, go and get two dozen bottles of Bordeaux; you can share them with the officers.”
I thanked him and turned to go.
“Stop!” he cried, “if I am well my men shall feel well too; they have been grumbling for several days; I’ll moisten their throats with rum; we’re perfectly safe here; tell the steward to roll a barrel on deck; they shall drink until they can’t stand.”
The storm had, in the meantime, blown over; the sea was placid, and the full moon was rising gloriously. The table was already spread; I hastened to the cabin, taking with me the laudanum bottle from the medicine chest, out of which I poured a stupefying dose into the rum-cask and into every bottle of Bordeaux, except the one destined for my own use, which I marked by a cut in the cork. Then I gave the captain’s orders to the steward, who immediately 35 obeyed them, and the crew expressed their gratitude by three cheers and a “Long live the captain!”
I now placed the bottles of Bordeaux upon the table so that the one I had marked stood by my plate. Eight o’clock struck during these preparations; supper was brought and we immediately took our places. The crew lay about on the deck, and seemed very good humored. When the keenness of their appetite was appeased, they began to drink, and the officers broke the necks of the bottles of Bordeaux.