The semi-weekly mountain Democrat., 1860-09-05


little way off, which seemed to vibratc
from sleep. We tum6led from our ham
mocks and looked anxiously around.
Scarce a stones throw distant on the
starbOard side, in the very track Of the
moonlight We saw the jolly yboat adrift, and
in it the gigantic figure Of the negro stoOp-
ing over something which lay postrate at
his feet. II was the PoFtiBgalle, naked
to the waist, gagged and bound hand and
foot As we gazed, the negro attached a
second rope to one Of those by which tho
Portingallo was already fastened. In the
thrilling light Of the mOonbeams every
detail shown distinct and clear as in the
picture Of a martyrdom lighted by a thou
sand tapers at high mass
We shuddcrcd as we saw the negro
make this rope well fast, while the POrti-
gallo lay wrthing in the boat before him.
We saw his white teeth glisten again as
he griuucd in his revenge, and the metallic
shine Of agony on the PortingalIo's face,
and the sweat pouring down him, and the
wrinklcd anguish Of his brow, and the
bristling Of his hair, in the extremity Of
his terrors; and then, last Of all, we heard
the gentle FLASHING Of the waters as the
boat swaycd with their movement, and
tho fretting Of the rope, and each touch Of
their naked limbs, and the gurgle in the
victims threat, and the breathing Of the
avengcr and the doomed Your stage
lamps, ladies', do not cast so fair and true
a light as that beautiful tropic moonshine
on the face. Then the negro carefully lift
al. Il
out his rope, and padded little distance
off. Ills purpose flashed simultaneously
upon us. lie Was fishing with humaA
livebait for sharks.
An imperial lady at bull-Gght could
not be moro entranccd than we were.
! Presently dark shadow rose from the
water near the boat, and then another and
another, until dozen sharks, small and
large, slowly moving their ruddcr-likc
tails, were poised in full sight beneath.
When the Portingallo saw them, he leapt
half out Of the water with q convulsive Ct.
fort that nearly bent him double, as ye
may have seen fish on dry land jerk it.
self spasmodically towards the ocean.
The largest shark quickly turned over un-
derneath; but Zanga twitched his line, and
then second and third cssayed to seize
that living bait. Then the gag got lose,
and the doomed inan yelled to Heaven and
the ship for aid, and shricked brief and
piteous tale, how the boy overbalanccd
fell into the sea, and how but for the
shark he would himself have saved him.
But Zanga yelled with triumph, and they
both yelled together, until you could bare
ly distinguished between their cries, and
untwist the sacred harmony of revenge
from the bowling discord of despair. Obi
revenge, tell you it is gift Of the gods,
the only joy that the grudging immortals
freely share
So the black cried in his fury, and the
white man in his agony, until the ships
crew suddenly found their sweet voices,
and raised chorus to them both and the
dog, who had got loose, bayed in fierce
answer to all; and the sharks made .
bubbIing and cOmmotion, that you would
have thought hell itself had risen from
the deep. But Zanga putied hts iinU ne
longer; and, like hounds in at the death,
the sharks closed upon their prey, and
the boat rocked to aud fro, and the black
danced screcching and bowling; and by
the time wo had lowered the gig and long
boat-both Of which we found STAYED fun
of holes, as woman's reputation when
handled by score Of her own sex-we
saw nothing save few shivcred planks,
and dark.red stain on the placid water,
to tcllus Of the scene that had been there.
Within an hour a breeze sprung up,
within two it had freshcned to o gale,
within three we were scudding under bare
poles. During four days the hurricane
ragged, on the fifth the ship struck and
foundcred, and alone escaped to tell the
story Of the Negro's Revenge.