The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-12
PART III.

aSklD WuO VIC WCLCa II "ho % OeA -
inessi Friends" ] answered. Curious
TO come disturbing people at night. Why.
what do you wishf''
''Senor Souza has been so delighted with
his entertainment on board the Alligator
that he has yielded TO the entreaties OF his
host and allowed us TO come ashore to in
vite you all on board to Join In the fun. 1t
Is rare sport: there is puncheon of rum on
deck, with the head knocked out, and you
can swim in liquor.
'Souza never sent such q message as that.
He knows II is all we can do TO keep the
black cattle we have here from escaping.
ard there are gentes braves lurking round
who would come and carry off everything
if we only ave them the chance. No. IN
less Souza comes and gives us the order
himself. we will not admit q soul until day
light comes"
"Oh, as for that, Souza is so well content
with his lodging and entertainment that
he won't move. you may be sure OF that;
and as you won't come aboard or a US IN
we must even climb your stockade and
force ourselves upon your care. for we can't
stand parleying here in the swamp all
night"
Before an answer could be returned the
drink maddeDed mob who were with me
rushed at the stockade and attempted to
scale it. Frenzled as were their essays to
force an entrance. for long they availed
nothing against the steady resistance of
the defenders of the stocksde. and twice
or thrice we had to retire amid the shouts
and jeers of our opponents, when, at last,
unfortunately for them. thinking We were
thoroughly beaten and discounted, they
opened their gates to make a sally upon us,
&c the same time loosing six Cuban blood.
hounds.
In the melee which ensued our superior
umbers told. and we managed to force our
way inside the stockade, q struggling mass
of men and dogs, and soon fresh horrors
were added 20 the scene. for the thaJched
roofs of the houses caught fire and many of
the wretched slaves who were chained
and cooped up so that they had no possi-
bility TO escape were burned to death. many
even of those who were fighting tor the pos
session of their poor creatures fell wound
ed into the flames and persisted miserably.
unregarded by their comrades. who. flushed
with heat of combat and lust OF blood,
fought on, rocking of nothing save how TO
quickest slay their adversaries.
AT last the rays of the rising sun enabled
us TO zee what ne were really doing, and l
heard the shout of Wilmshurst and more
men from the schooners. who. having &C
cOmDiisned their part OF the task. were
now coming 10 our aid.
TIE defenders of the stockade were now
reduced TO but some half-dozen wounded
men. grimed by smoke and battle. while of
those who had landed with me over q score
had persisted, and not one save myself had
come through scathless. i had been al
ways in the thickest of the fight, but
neither shot nor steel, tooth of hound nor
flame had injured Inc. and my fellows well
coined this as q sign that 1 was indeed
favored by the devil. and that under mo
their wicked undertakings would always
prosper.
= Wilmshurst's arrival put an end to the
struggle. The 70 " survivors of those who
had SO long and so brsyely opposed us were
pistoled or ponIarded and tossed into the
burning ruins. and then we began to turn
our attention to the slaves. the booty for
which we had fought. l will not harrow
the readers mind with q description of the
scene of horrors presented in the barra-
coon. Some had persisted by fire. some by
stray shots. some had died of fear or ex-
haustion and others had been crushed and
trampled to death by their fellows in their
vain efforts TO escape. Some stood huddled
together quaking with fear. and
some few bad escaped into the
WOODS and swamps. After collecting
Jul W ano III t1ODl VII
board. We set TO WORK TO hunt up the slaves
who had escaped. and N fresh caravan of
captiyes coming down from the interior,
we were soon able 20 till the holds of the
Alligator and the Lucy Bates. Mean while.
so many OF our men had died of the
wounds they had received. and from fever
generated by the miasma of the foul
swamps by which we were surrounded,
that We found that We had scarce enough
left TO navigate these two. and determined.
after taking all that was of value out of the
Santa Caterina and sending down her up
per masts. To haul her into the creek and
leave her there 10 be used IN case of need
II we should ever visit the place again.
Whilst we were employed about this,
news was brought us by a native canoe
that an Engiieh corvette and a ten-gun
brig were In the river and were searching
out every nook and Granny, IN search of
pirates and slavers, and that they might be
expected MP at the place we were lying the
next day.
Warner, Wilmshurst and myself upon
this held q council of war. Both of them
knew the Congo we'll and all the creeks
and channels. and considered il would be
more dangerous To try and slip down the
riVer uDnOticed than 10 wait for the ar
rival of our enemies abreast OF us; indeed.
II might chance they would pass our
anchorsge without seeing Us. when we
would be sure 10 be able TO make our es-
cape unnolested.
l now proposed to lay them q trap by
placing several casks of powder on board
the Caterina and laying a match which we
could fire when we started. Perhaps the
English would board Der before she blew
MP and go up with Ter; If not, the explo-
sion would attract them to the spot, by
which time we should be miles away.
The plan was no sooner proposed than it
was adopted. The Lucy Bates aud Alliga-
tor were both love short. gafs swayed up
and sails secured With split yarns, 90 that
not O moment should be lost when the time
arrived to get under way: and the Catarina
pared. and thu powder placed In some of
her water casks. and . piece of match led
through others. so that It would be as Off
fcult 10 trace as possible.
These preparations were scarcely finished
before the sun set, and as Is the case In
tropical climates. IL became almost imme-
diately dark. Secure that the English
ships would not risk cruising about in the
dangerous. unsurveved waters of the Con-
20 at night. we 5000 turned in, excepuan
anchor watch. which with the vessels lying
~ short stay was absolutely necessary.
70 some extent, we had reckoned without
our hosts. AT n little after 4 o'clock n
tornado which had been brewing for some
time burst upon us. and unless we had
veered very smartly both the schooners
would have been driven ND among the
mangroves. As it was, the Catarina. from
whom all ~hands-save n couple who had
been left TO fire the match when the signal
was given-was forced ashore at the en-
trance OF the creek which led up to the
destroyed barracoon.
Though IL blows hard while it lasts. q tor
nado Is soon finished. ana by daylight all
trace OF the storm. except the Santa Cata-
I'm lying stranded on the shore. had
passed away. ~ soon were again ready