Sentence:  “But throughout these calamities.“ huskily continued Don Benito. painfully turning in the <WSD>half-embrace</WSD> of his servant. “I have to thank those Negroes you see, who, though to your inexperienced eyes appearing unruly, have, indeed, conducted themselves with less restlessness than even their owner could have thought possible under such circumstances." 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A partial hug.