Senhor Silva and his servant had, they told us, once assisted in building a raft to escape from a wreck, and were well able to lend a hand. While the rest of the party were collecting materials, I went aloft, anxious to see what the negroes on shore were about. The mist which usually hangs over the land at early dawn had by this time disappeared. With my glass I could distinguish the boat on the beach, and a number of people moving about. As, however, they did not seem preparing to launch her, I hoped that we might have time, at all events, to get our rafts ready; and quickly again descended with the satisfactory intelligence. Believing that there was but little prospect of getting the vessel off, we did not scruple to use the hatches and bulkheads, and, indeed, to rip off the inner planking. It would require, we saw, two rafts of considerable size to carry so many people with any degree of safety even in smooth water. Still, what other prospect had we of saving our lives? I had not for a moment allowed my mind to dwell more than I could help on our too possible fate; indeed, it would almost have unmanned me to contemplate the hardships to which the young ladies must inevitably be exposed even at the best. However, we were doing all that men could do under the circumstances, and that kept up our spirits. Kydd had become somewhat humbled by this time, and worked away like the rest of us, without taking any leading part; indeed, several of the rest of the party were far more expert in constructing the rafts than he was.
The water, as I said, remained smooth inside of us. We now set to work to launch our rafts. Kydd took charge of the one forward; I of the after one, at the construction of which I had assisted. Having cut away the bulwarks, we worked them over the side with the capstan bars, and then lowered them as gently as we could with ropes. Mine, I found, was somewhat the largest, and floated higher than the other out of the water. We had now to fit masts and sails to them. Fortunately there was a number of spare oars on board, so that our time was not occupied in making fresh ones. I however thought it well to have one long one to serve as a mast. The important business of provisioning our rafts had next to be attended to. We first got up four water-casks, which we secured in the centre of the raft. Round them we formed a strong railing, with a raised platform, on which a few of the party could sit well out of the water, which I feared, as soon as there was any sea, would wash over the main part.
I saw Kydd hurrying on with his preparations. “Now, Miss Rowley,” he said, “I hope you will entrust yourself to my charge. I ought to know better how to manage a raft than those landsmen,” and he cast a glance at me; “and I promise to take good care of you and your brothers.”
I did not hear what the young lady said, but directly afterwards I saw her being lowered down on to Kydd’s raft. Her brothers and the young Irishman followed.
“Come, Handspike; we want you,” sung out Kydd, standing up on the raft.
“No, no,” answered Handspike. “The landsmen, as you say, will want my help, and I must go aboard the other.”
While this was going on, I saw that Timbo had gone aloft. Presently he came gliding down by a backstay on deck. “Quick! quick! Massa Andrew,” he exclaimed. “No time to lose! De niggers coming off in de boat! If we stop and fight, dey take away de rafts. If we sail off, dey come aboard vessel, and stop and steal and get drunk, and we get away.”
Kydd overheard him. “Shove off!” he cried out to his companions. They obeyed him; and immediately the raft was clear of the vessel, he began to hoist his sail.
“Stop! stop!” I cried out. “Take more of our party on board! Senhor Silva and his servant will go with you!”
He paid no attention to my shouts, but continued hoisting his sail, though I saw the gentlemen on board were expostulating with him.