By Sheer Pluck
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G. A. Henty >> By Sheer Pluck
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"One day a woman, dressed bery plain, came up to me and said, 'I
hab been tole by my nurse dat you have been asking her if she had
seen your wife.' I s'pose I looked hopeful like for she said at
once, 'Me know nothing ob her, but I was interested about you. You
are an escaped slabe, are you not?'
"'Yes, ma'am,' me said. 'Dere is no law against me here.'
"'None at all,' she said. 'But I thought that you might, like me,
be interested in freeing slabes.'
"'Dat I am,' I said, 'dough I had neber thought much about it.'
"'You hab heard, p'raps,' she said, 'ob de underground railway.'
"'Yes, ma'am,' said I. 'Dat is de blessed 'stitution which smuggles
slaves across the frontier.'
"'Dat is it,' she said, 'and I belongs to it.'
"'Does you, missy?' me says. 'De Lord bless you.'
"'Now,' she said, 'we want two or three more earnest men, men not
afraid to risk deir libes, or what is worse deir freedom, to help
deir follow creatures. I thought that you, habing suffered so much
yourself, might be inclined to devote yourself to freeing oders
from de horrors of slabery.'
"'Sam is ready, ma'am,' me says, 'It may be dat de Lord neber intends
me see my Sally again, but if I can be de means ob helping to get
oder men to join deir wives I shall be content.'
"'Very well,' she said. 'Come into my house now and we will talk
about it.'
"Den she 'splained the whole business to me. Dere were, principally
in lonely places, in swamps and woods, but sometimes libing in
villages and towns in de south, people who had devoted deir libes
to de carrying out of de purposes ob de underground railway. For
de most part dese led libes differing no way from deir neighbors;
dey tilled de land, or kept stores like oders, and none of dose
around dem suspected in de slightest degree deir mission in de
south. To deir houses at night fugitive slabes would come, guided
by dose from de next post. De fugitives would be concealed for
twenty-four hours or more, and den passed on at night again to de
next station. Dose formed the larger portion ob de body.
"Dere were oders who lived a life in de swamps, scattered trough
the country. Deir place of residence would be known to de slabes ob
de neighborhood, but de masters had no suspicion dat de emissaries
ob de association were so near. To dese any negro, driben to desperation
by harsh treatment, would resort, and from dem instructions would
be received as to de route to be taken, and de places where aid
could be obtained. Dose people held deir life in deir hands. Had
any suspicion fallen upon dem ob belonging to de 'stitution dey
would be lynched for sartin. De lady set before me all de dangers
ob de venture. She said it war a case whar dere were no money to
be earned, and only de chances of martyrdom. My mind quite made up.
Me ready to undertake any work dey like to give me. My life ob no
value to no one. De next day me saw some ob de oder people connected
wid de affair, and tree days afterwards I started for de south."
CHAPTER XIV: A CHRISTIAN TOWN
"My share ob de business was to make my way down south and settle in
de swamps ob Carolina. I war to be taken down by trading schooner,
to be landed on de coast, and to make my way to a place in de center
ob a big swamp whar an ole nigger, named Joe, had been carrying
on de work for four years. He had sent to say dat he war bery ill
wid de swamp fever and like to die, dat he should not leabe de
work as long as he libed, but hoped dat dey would send anoder man
out to take on his work after his death.
"Well, sar, I was landed, and I made my way to de place. It war
no easy matter. De niggers all say dey know no such person, but I
found de next post, and dere de man guided me to de path which led
into de swamp. Dey told me dey thought de ole man dead, for dat no
one had come along to dem from him for nigh two month. Well, sar,
as I 'spected I found him dead, and I buried him, and took up my
place in de hut. Soon it became known through de plantations round
dat de hut was occupied again, and dey began to come to me to ask
for assistance. My 'structions war dat only to enable a husband to
join his wife, or a wife her husband, or in cases where de masters
were uncommon cruel, dat I was to send 'em along by de underground
railway. De risks was too great to be run often. If we had tried
to help ebery one to 'scape we should mighty soon hab been hunted
down.
"Well, sar, I libed dere for three year. It was a lonesome life.
I planted a few yams round de hut, and de plantation hands would
bring me tings dat dey got hold of. It was my duty when I found
dat a case was ob de proper description to arrange for de flight,
de man or de woman would come to my hut, and I would guide dem
through de swamps, twenty-five mile away, to de house ob a clergyman,
which was de next station. I would jus' knock in a 'ticular way at
de door, and when dis was open leab de party dere and go straight
away back to de swamp. More dan once de planters got up hunts and
searched de swamp through and through for me wid dogs, and my hut
was twice burnt to de ground, but de slabes always brought me notice
in time, and I went away into de tickest part ob de swamp and lay
dar till dey had gone away.
"Well, sar, one time come, I bery busy, passed tree men away in two
week. One night me hear barking of dogs, and jump up jus' in time
to see party ob men coming out from de little path towards de hut.
I ran for de swamp. Dey fire at me and one ball hit me. Den I ran
in to de swamp, de dogs dey follow, but I get farder and farder
away, and de swamp get deeper, and me tink dey lose me altogether.
I sit quiet on 'tump when I hear someting splashing in swamp, and
all of a sudden a big hound sprang on me, and fix him teeth in my
shoulder. I had no arms, for in de hurry I had not time to catch
dem up. De beast he growl and bite, and hold on like death. I saw
dere only one ting to do. I tumble forward into de swamp wid de
dog underneath me, and dere I lay, wid my mouf sometimes above de
water sometimes below, till de dog was drowned.
"Den I start for de next station. I was hit in de hip, and it took
me tree days to crawl dat twenty-five miles. On de tird ebening I
knock at de door ob de house, and when it was open I tumble down
in faint inside. It war a long time before I come to myself, two
weeks dey tell me, and den I tink I dream, for sitting by de side
of de bed war dat woman Sally. Till she spoke, me couldn't believe
dat it war true, but she told me dat it war her, sure enuf, and
dat I war to ask no questions but to go off to sleep.
"Next day she told me all about it. She had stopped a year at
Philadelphy. Den she heard ob de underground railway, and was tole
dat a clergyman, who war just going down south to work a station,
wanted a black nurse for his children, who would help in de work.
Sally she volunteer, and dar she had been libing eber since, hoping
all de time eider dat I should pass through dere or dat she should
hear from Philadelphy dat I had got dere. She used to act as de
guide ob de runaways to de next station, and ebery man who came
along she asked if they knew me; but, law bless you, sar, de poor
woman knew nufing ob places, or she would hab known dat she war
hundreds ob miles south of Virginia, and though she allowed she
had heard I had gone to Missouri, she s'posed dat de way from der
might be by de sea coast. I hab observed, sar, dat de gography ob
women am bery defective.
"I stopped thar till I was cured. The clergyman knew someting of
surgery, and he managed to substract the ball from my hip. When I
war quite well Sally and me started for the norf, whar we had helped
so many oders to go, and, bress de Lord, we arribed dere safe. Den
I told Sally dat I should like to libe under de British flag, so
we went up to Canada and dere we libed bery comfortable for ten
years together. Sally washed and I kep' a barber's shop, and we made
plenty ob money. Den she die, sar, de tought come into my mind dat
I would come back to Africa and teach dose poor niggers here de
ways ob de white men, and sar," and he pointed to a Bible standing
on the chest, "de ways ob de Lord. So I came across the Atlantic,
and stopped a little while on de coast, for I had pretty nigh
forgotten de language ob de country. When I got it back again I
started up for dis place, wid plenty ob goods and presents.
"I had hard work at fust to get de people to know me. It war nigh
forty year since I had gone away, but at last some ob de ole people
remember me, dat I was de son ob de chief. As I had plenty goods,
and dey did not like de man dat was here, dey made me chief in
my fader's place. I told dem dat I no accept de place unless dey
promise to behave bery well, to mind what I said to dem, and to
listen to my words; but dat if they do dat I gibe dem plenty goods,
I make dem comfortable and happy, and I teach dem de way ob de
Lord. Dey agree to all dis.
"I find de slave trade now all at an end, and dat de people not fight
often now. Still, de twenty muskets dat I bring make de people of
oder villages respec' us very much. Dey come ober to see de village.
Dey see dat de houses are comfortable, dat de gardens are bery
well cultivated, dat de people are well dressed, not like common
nigger, dat dey are happy and contented. Dey see dat dey no believe
in fetish any more, but dat ebery ebening when de work is ober, dey
gadder under de big tree and listen for half an hour while I read
to dem and den sing a hymn. Once a year I send down to de coast
and get up plenty cloth, and hoes for de gardens, and eberyting
dey want. When I land here ten year ago I hab eight hundred pound.
I got five hundred ob him left here still. Dat more dan enuf to last
Sam if he libe to be bery, bery ole man. Dar are some good men in
de village who, when I am gone, will carry on de work ob de Lord
and dat's all, sar, dat I hab to tell you about Sam, and I am sure
dat you must be very tired and want to go to bed."
The hour was, indeed, for Africa, extremely late, but the time had
passed unheeded, so interested were the listeners in the narrative
of the fine old negro. They remained at the village for a week,
and were greatly pleased with the industrious habits and happy
appearance of the people, and with the earnestness and fervor in
which every evening, and twice on Sunday, they joined in devotions
under the great tree. At the end of that time they said goodbye to
their kind host, giving him a large amount of cloth for distribution
among his people. He was unable to furnish them with bearers, as
a considerable tract of uninhabited country extended beyond his
village, and the people on the other side were on bad terms with
his villagers, on account of an outstanding feud which had existed
long before his return from America, and which he had in vain
attempted to settle since he assumed the headship of the village.
On approaching the Niger they again came upon an inhabited country,
but the tribes here being accustomed to trade with the coast were
friendly, and at the first large village they came to no difficulty
was experienced in obtaining a fresh relay of bearers. This was
a matter of great satisfaction, for the Fans were regarded with
extreme antipathy by the natives. As soon as arrangements had been
made to supply their place the Fans were paid the four months' wages
which they had earned. A large "dash" of beads and other presents
were bestowed upon them, three of the remaining sacks of rice
were given to them, and, greatly rejoicing, they started for their
own country, which, by making long marches, they would regain in
a fortnight's time. Although it was not probable that they would
meet with any enemies, six trade muskets, with a supply of powder
and ball, were given to them, as, although they would not be able
to do much execution with these weapons, their possession would
exercise a powerful influence over any natives they might meet.
In crossing the country to the Niger the white men were the objects
of lively curiosity, and the exhibition of the magic lantern, the
chemical experiments, and conjuring tricks created an effect equal
to that which they had produced among the Fans. On reaching the
Niger a canoe was hired with a crew of rowers. In this all the
cases, filled with the objects they had collected, were placed,
the whole being put in charge of the Houssas, Moses and King John,
who had been seized with a fit of homesickness. These were to deliver
the cases to the charge of an English agent at Lagos or Bonny, to
both of whom Mr. Goodenough wrote requesting him to pay the sum
agreed to the boatmen on the safe arrival of the cases, and also to
pay the Houssas, who preferred taking their wages there, as it was
not considered advisable to tempt the cupidity of any of the native
princes along the river. Should they be overhauled the Houssas
were told to open the cases and show that these contained nothing
but birds' skins and insects, which would be absolutely valueless
in the eyes of a native.
When the precious freight had fairly started, the party crossed
the Niger in a canoe, arrangements having already been made with
the potentate of a village on the opposite side for a fresh relay
of carriers, twenty men being now sufficient, owing to the gaps
which had been made in the provisions in the goods, by the payment
of the carriers and presents, and, in the cases, by the despatch
of eight of the largest of these to the coast. They had still,
however, ample space for the collections they might still make.
The cases of goods and provisions were utilized for this purpose
as they were emptied.
For another two months they journeyed on, halting frequently and
adding continually to their stores. The country was fairly populated,
and there was no difficulty in buying plantains and fruit and in
obtaining fresh sets of carriers through the territories of each
petty chief. They were now approaching the Volta, when one day a
native, covered with dust and bathed in perspiration, came up to
their camp, and throwing himself on the ground before Mr. Goodenough
poured out a stream of words.
"What does he say, Ostik?"
"Me not know, sar. P'r'aps Ugly Tom know. He been down near Volta
country."
Ugly Tom was called, and after a conversation with the native,
told Mr. Goodenough that he was a messenger from Abeokuta, that the
people there were threatened by an attack by the King of Dahomey,
and that they implored the white men, who they heard were in the
neighborhood, to come to their aid.
"What do you say, Frank?" Mr. Goodenough asked.
"I don't know anything about it, sir," Frank said. "I have heard
of Dahomey, of course, and its horrible customs, but I don't know
anything about Abeokuta."
"Abeokuta is a very singular town," Mr. Goodenough said. "Its people
were christianized many years ago, and have faithfully retained the
religion. The town lies not very far from Dahomey, and this power,
which has conquered and enslaved all its other neighbors, has been
unable to conquer Abeokuta, although it has several times besieged
it. The Dahomey people have every advantage, being supplied with
firearms, and even cannon, by the rascally white traders at Whydah,
the port of Dahomey. Nevertheless, the Abeokuta people have opposed
an heroic resistance, and so far successfully. Of course they know
that every soul would be put to death did they fall into the hands
of the King of Dahomey; but negroes do not always fight well, even
under such circumstances, and every credit must be given to the
people of Abeokuta. What do you say? It will be a perilous business,
mind, for if Abeokuta is taken we shall assuredly be put to death
with the rest of the defenders."
"I think we ought to help them, sir," Frank said. "They must be
a noble people, and with our guns and the four Houssas we might
really be of material assistance. Of course there is a risk in it,
but we have risked our lives from fever, and in other ways, every
day since we've been in the country."
"Very well, my lad. I am glad that is your decision. Tell him, Ugly
Tom, that we will at once move towards Abeokuta with all speed,
and that they had better send out a party of carriers to meet us,
as you may be sure that these men will not go far when they hear
that the Dahomey people are on the warpath. Learn from him exactly
the road we must move by, as if our carriers desert us we shall be
detained till his people come up. How far is it to Abeokuta?"
Ugly Tom learned from the native that it was about forty-five miles.
"Very well," Mr. Goodenough said, "we shall march twenty this
afternoon. Where we halt they will most likely have heard the rumors
of the war, and I expect the carriers will go no farther, so they
must send out to that point."
The Houssa translated the message, and the native, saying, "I
shall be at Abeokuta tonight," kissed the hands of the white men
and started at a trot.
"Wonderful stamina some of these men have," Mr. Goodenough said.
"That man has come forty-five miles at full speed, and is now going
off again as fresh as when he started."
"What speed will he go at?" Frank asked.
"About six miles an hour. Of course he goes faster when he is
running, but he will sometimes break into a walk. Five miles an
hour may be taken as the ordinary pace of a native runner, but in
cases which they consider of importance, like the present, you may
calculate on six."
The camp was at once broken up, the carriers loaded, and they
started on their way. It was late in the evening when they reached
a village about twenty miles from their starting place. They found
the inhabitants in a great state of alarm. The news had come that
a great army was marching to attack Abeokuta, and that the King of
Dahomey had sworn on his father's skull that this time the place
should be captured, and not a house or a wall left remaining. As
Abeokuta was certain to make a strong resistance, and to hold out
for some time, the villagers feared that the Dahomey people would
be sending out parties to plunder and carry away captives all over
the surrounding country. The panic at once extended to the bearers,
who declared that they would not go a foot farther. As their fears
were natural, and Mr. Goodenough was expecting a fresh relay from
Abeokuta on the following evening, he consented to their demand to
be allowed to leave immediately, and paying them their wages due,
he allowed them to depart at once on the return journey. The tent
was soon pitched and supper prepared, of fried plantains, rice,
a tin of sardines, and tea. Later on they had a cup of chocolate,
and turned in for the night.
In the morning they were awakened just at daybreak by great talking.
"Men come for baggage, sar," Ugly Tom said, putting his head in
the tent door.
"They have lost no time about it, Frank," Mr. Goodenough exclaimed.
"It was midday yesterday when the messenger left us. He had forty-five
miles to run, and could not have been in till pretty nearly eight
o'clock, and these men must have started at once."
There was no time lost. While the Houssas were pulling down and
packing up the tent Ostik prepared two bowls of chocolate with
biscuit soaked in it. By the time that this was eaten the carriers
had taken up their loads, and two minutes later the whole party
started almost at a trot. Ugly Tom soon explained the cause of
the haste. The army of Dahomey was, the evening before, but eight
miles from Abeokuta, and was expected to appear before the town by
midday, although, of course, it might be later, for the movements
of savage troops are uncertain in the extreme, depending entirely
upon the whims of their leader. So anxious were the bearers to get
back to the town in time, that they frequently went at a trot. They
were the better able to keep up the speed as a larger number than
were required had been sent. Many of the cases, too, were light,
consequently the men were able to shift the heavy burdens from
time to time. So great was the speed, that after an hour both Mr.
Goodenough and Frank, weakened by the effect of fever and climate,
could no longer keep up. The various effects carried in the hammocks
were hastily taken out and lifted by men unprovided with loads. The
white men entered and were soon carried along at a brisk trot by
the side of the baggage. When they recovered from their exhaustion
sufficiently to observe what was going on, they could not help admiring
the manner in which the negroes, with perspiration streaming from
every pore, hurried along with their burdens. So fast did they go,
that in less than six hours they emerged from the forest into the
clearing, and a shout proclaimed that Abeokuta was close at hand.
Ten minutes later the white men were carried through the gate,
their arrival being hailed with shouts of joy by the inhabitants.
They were carried in triumph to the principal building of the town,
a large hut where the general councils of the people were held.
Here they were received by the king and the leading inhabitants,
who thanked them warmly for coming to their assistance in the time
of their peril. The travelers were both struck with the appearance
of the people. They were clad with far more decency and decorum
than was usual among the negro tribes. Their bearing was quiet and
dignified. An air of neatness and order pervaded everything, and
it was clear that they were greatly superior to the people around.
Mr. Goodenough expressed to the king the willingness with which
his friend and himself took part in the struggle of a brave people
against a cruel and bloodthirsty foe, and he said, that as the four
Houssas were also armed with fast firing guns he hoped that their
assistance would be of avail. He said that he would at once examine
the defences of the town and see if anything could be done to
strengthen them.
Accompanied by the king, Mr. Goodenough and Frank made a detour of
the walls. These were about a mile in circumference, were built of
clay, and were of considerable height and thickness, but they were
not calculated to resist an attack by artillery. As, however, it
was not probable that the Dahomey people possessed much skill in
the management of their cannon, Mr. Goodenough had hopes that they
should succeed in repelling the assault. They learnt that a large
store of provisions had been brought into the town, and that many
of the women and children had been sent far away.
The spies presently came in and reported that there was no movement
on the part of the enemy, and that it was improbable that they
would advance before the next day. Mr. Goodenough was unable to
offer any suggestions for fresh defenses until they knew upon which
side the enemy would attack. He advised, however, that the whole
population should be set to work throwing up an earthwork just
outside each gate, in order to shelter these as far as possible
from the effect of the enemy's cannonballs. Orders were at once
given to this effect, and in an hour the whole population were at
work carrying earth in baskets and piling it in front of the gates.
In order to economize labor, and to make the sides of the mounds as
steep as possible, Mr. Goodenough directed with brushwood, forming
a sort of rough wattle work. Not even when night set in did the
people desist from their labor, and by the following morning the
gates were protected from the effect of cannon shot, by mounds of
earth twenty feet high, which rose before them. The king had, when
Mr. Goodenough first suggested these defenses, pointed out that
much less earth would be required were it piled directly against
the gates. Mr. Goodenough replied, that certainly this was so,
but that it was essential to be able to open the gates to make a
sortie if necessary against the enemy, and although the king shook
his head, as if doubting the ability of his people to take such a
desperate step as that of attacking the enemy outside their walls,
he yielded to Mr. Goodenough's opinion.
CHAPTER XV: THE AMAZONS OF DAHOMET
A spacious and comfortable hut was placed at the disposal of the
white men, with a small one adjoining for the Houssas. That evening
Frank asked Mr. Goodenough to tell him what he knew concerning the
people of Dahomey.
"The word Dahomey, or more properly Da-omi, means Da's belly. Da was,
two hundred and fifty years ago, the king of the city of Abomey. It
was attacked by Tacudona the chief of the Fois. It resisted bravely,
and Tacudona made a vow that if he took it he would sacrifice the
king to the gods. When he captured the town he carried out his vow
by ripping open the king, and then called the place Daomi. Gradually
the conquerors extended their power until the kingdom reached to
the very foot of the Atlas range, obtaining a port by the conquest
of Whydah. The King of Dahomey is a despot, and even his nobility
crawl on the ground in his presence. The taxes are heavy, every
article sold in the market paying about one eighteenth to the
royal exchequer. There are besides many other taxes. Every slave
is taxed, every article that enters the kingdom. If a cock crow
it is forfeited, and, as it is the nature of cocks to crow, every
bird in the kingdom is muzzled. The property of every one who
dies goes to the king; and at the Annual Custom, a grand religious
festival, every man has to bring a present in proportion to his
rank and wealth. The royal pomp is kept up by receiving strangers
who visit the country with much state, and by regaling the populace
with spectacles of human sacrifices. The women stand high in
Dahomey. Among other negro nations they till the soil. In Dahomey
they fight as soldiers, and perform all the offices of men. Dahomey
is principally celebrated for its army of women, and its human
sacrifices. These last take place annually, or even more often.
Sometimes as many as a thousand captives are slain on these occasions.
In almost all the pagan nations of Africa human sacrifices are
perpetrated, just as they were by the Druids and Egyptians of old.
Nowhere, however, are they carried to such a terrible extent as in
Dahomey. Even Ashanti, where matters are bad enough, is inferior
in this respect. The victims are mostly captives taken in war, and
it is to keep up the supply necessary for these wholesale sacrifices
that Dahomey is constantly at war with her neighbors."
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