large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_08_ballou_64kb_52
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_08_ballou_64kb
English
3098
Mrs. Huntington gathered enough from their open and undisguised talk to learn, that as there was not a sufficient number of negroes at the present moment on hand, that the "Sea Witch," with her light draft of water, must be run up a neighboring river and be there moored away from the prying eyes of the cruisers on the coast, until the proper hour should arrive for shipping her freight. Therefore when Captain Ratlin left them, it was with a promise to return and join them again within a few hours. MISSUS HUNTINGTON GATHERED ENOUGH FROM THEIR OPEN AND UNDISGUISED TALK TO LEARN THAT AS THERE WAS NOT A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF NEGROES AT THE PRESENT MOMENT ON HAND THAT THE SEA WITCH WITH HER LIGHT DRAUGHT OF WATER MUST BE RUN UP A NEIGHBOURING RIVER AND BE THERE MOORED AWAY FROM THE PRYING EYES OF THE CRUISERS ON THE COAST UNTIL THE PROPER HOUR SHOULD ARRIVE FOR SHIPPING HER FREIGHT THEREFORE WHEN CAPTAIN RATLIN LEFT THEM IT WAS WITH A PROMISE TO RETURN AND JOIN THEM AGAIN WITHIN A FEW HOURS
. In the rear of the house was a spacious barracoon, where the slaves were collected and kept for shipment, and where they were plentifully supplied with rice and vegetables, with salt meats, and the means of doing their own cooking. All these things the new corners noted at once, and indeed were very curious in fully understanding. There seemed to be little restraint exercised about the place; the slaves were looked at in the light of prisoners of war, and did not attempt escape. They seemed to be quite indifferent themselves as to their fate, and were very happy, with good food to eat, and a plenty of it. One thing that both Mrs. Huntington and her daughter marked well was the fact that Don Leonardo greeted Capt. Ratlin as one whom he had met before, and that Maud, his daughter, also sprang forward to meet him with unmistakable tokens of delight. On his part, both were cordially greeted, and they spoke together like people whose time was precious and whose business required despatch. AND EVEN MANY LUXURIES IN THE REAR OF THE HOUSE WAS A SPACIOUS BARRACOON WHERE THE SLAVES WERE COLLECTED AND KEPT FOR SHIPMENT AND WHERE THEY WERE PLENTIFULLY SUPPLIED WITH RICE AND VEGETABLES WITH SALT MEATS AND THE MEANS OF DOING THEIR OWN COOKING ALL THESE THINGS THE NEWCOMERS NOTED AT ONCE AND INDEED WERE VERY CURIOUS IN FULLY UNDERSTANDING THERE SEEMED TO BE LITTLE RESTRAINT EXERCISED ABOUT THE PLACE THE SLAVES WERE LOOKED AT IN THE LIGHT OF PRISONERS OF WAR AND DID NOT ATTEMPT ESCAPE THEY SEEMED TO BE QUITE INDIFFERENT THEMSELVES AS TO THEIR FATE AND WERE VERY HAPPY WITH GOOD FOOD TO EAT AND PLENTY OF IT ONE THING THAT BOTH MISSUS HUNTINGTON AND HER DAUGHTER MARKED WELL WAS THE FACT THAT DON LEONARDO GREETED CAPTAIN RATLIN AS ONE WHOM HE HAD MET BEFORE AND THAT MAUD HIS DAUGHTER ALSO SPRANG FORWARD TO MEET HIM WITH UNMISTAKABLE TOKENS OF DELIGHT ON HIS PART BOTH WERE CORDIALLY GREETED AND THEY SPOKE TOGETHER LIKE PEOPLE WHOSE TIME WAS PRECIOUS AND WHOSE BUSINESS REQUIRED DESPATCH
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_08_ballou_64kb
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