Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-07-23

south, and made the journey on foot in the
company of ten or twelve men, whose looks
and language indicated anything but Jolly
good fellows. But for the fact that two or
three of them took liking to me and kept
me braced up with pleasant falsehoods,
should have run away before had been with
them two hours.
1--WE found the schooner lying in the mouth
of creek, and when the crew was mustered
we numbered lG without the officers. The
captain was an American, the mate a half
breed Spanard, and the cook negro. II was
arranged that WAS to wait upon the captain
and keep certain accounts. l had been we'll
educated for boy Of that period, and wrote
good hand aud was quick at figures. was
made a ships clerk and in this capacity re-
ceived rice, hard bread and other provisions
in great quantities, and checked them of to
the debit of the schooner, which was Of Amer
lean build and called the AlbatroH. We lay
there three or four days, taking in provisions
and water, and during this time half dozen
Spaniards came on board TO do business with
the captain. The last two who came brought
number of small, stout, wooden boxes,
which were carried into the cabin by some OF
our men. | heard it whispered about that
the boxes we're full of gold and silver, and it
WAS only then that | began to puzzle over the
ure. We were taking in altogether too much
provision and water tor such trip, aud why
we're we taking boxes of money along2 l
had heard about the black birds of the slave
trade, but l had no suspicion that the Alba
tros was in that line. | did, however, make
up my mind that she was a smuggler but
there was no opportunity to get away after
coming to this conclusion. We had hauled
out to an anchorage, and communicated with
all.s. - IA
treatment on the part OF the captain or mate,
might have made an attempt to swim ashore
but they were very friendly.
After We we're ready to sail we still re-
manned at anchor, and | caught up enough
from one aud another to understand that
British war weasel was of the Isle OF Pines
watching ~. This fitted into my theory OF
smuggling, and became anxious for fear we
should be captured. On the evening of the
second day after we we're quite ready to sail,
boat came in from the island with news for
the captain, and in few minutes we weighed
anchor The easiest way out was by the
western channel but we took the eastern one
aud by so doing avoided the cruiser, which
was probably waiting for us at the western
end of the island. At least, we got safely
out to SEA- and then began a voyage which
did not end until we were in the river Mpashi,
which empties into the sea about 80 miles
above Cape Frio.
Long before this had come to know the
business in which the Abstros was engaged.
AT first | looked upon it with horror, but, be-
ing native of the South, and my father hav-
ing been slave owner, the captain had no
great difficulty in making me believe that we
were doing great favor to the barbarisns by
removing them from their savage life and ter
rible surroundings to the plantations of Cuba,
where, a. he put it, they could be civilized,
enlightened, and taught the precious Gospel
Ii would have been all the same whether |
was satisfied or dissatisfied l was aboard OF
SLAYER aud could not leave her until the end
Of the return voyage and peril ,ps not then,
though | was fully determined to lump her
at the peril Of my life.
I'VE ran up the river about 90 miles to a
large native village, and we found at least half
a cargo in the barracoons. 1t was spot cash
business. We paid so much per head cash
down, and inside of week the schooner had
her complement We took on more water
aud provisions, rugged up the spare deck and
as fast as the negroes came aboard they were
slowed away by the mate. Men and women
were huddled into the smallest possible space,
and it WAS pitifu to note their looks and bear
ing as they descended into the hold after
last glance around them. As the schooner
was very fast she was crowded, and when
the hold was finally packed with its living
freight, not only the sight but the smell was
something to be remembered for a lifetime.
We were loaded aud ready TO sail when word
came up the river that a suspicious sail was
lowering about. The weather was horribly
warm, and the blacks would soon begin dying
off if We did not get to sea. In spite OF the
news we ran down that afternoon, and came
to anchor just above the bar There were
scouts at the mouth OF the river, and they re.
y,Nrta1 Rrifiab arpicar aln har
way in against the land breeze. 1t would be
dark before she could come up, and, as the
night promised to be dark and stormy, we
made all preparations TO run out as soon AS
darkness fell.
There was plenty of water on the bar for
the schooner. and as soon as it was fairly dark
we ran out The wind was favorable for us
TO keep up the coast, thus having the black
forests for background, and it was not I'M
til we were ten miles above the river that We
laid our course. Nothing whatever was seen
of the cruiser. BY midnight We had a stiff
| gale and a smart sea, and, although not oblig
| ed to batten down matches, the poor victims
below were racked with seasick ness and made
| the rest of the night hideous with their cries
| and lamentations. We were seven days out,
and the horrors of the slave traffic we're strong
upon me from the sights and smells l was
| compelled to endure, when at daylight one
morning, after running for several hours I'M
der easy sail. we discovered British man of
war on our beam. She must have run par
allel course with us for hours. We were un
der her guns before she was made out, and a
shift on the part of our captain to increase
his distance resulted in a shot being pitched
| aboard of us. Half an hour later we were
| prisoners, charged with a crime which had
hung hundreds of men. We were taken into
Sierra Leone-saves, prisoners and all. was
| the only one of the crew of the Albatros not
put on trial. The captain aud most of the
crew testified to the fact that l was enticed
aboard the schooner under false pretenses,
aud, after lying in Jail for a month l secured
passage to the Canary islands. whence got
a ship for Boston"