The Two Supercargoes; Or, Adventures in Savage Africa
Kingston
eBook
Chapter One.The office of Frank, Trunnion & SwabâHarry Bracewell reports the arrival of the âArrowââHistory of Nicholas SwabâThe slave tradeâOur firm gives up all connection with itâCaptain Roderick TrunnionâSomething about myself and friendsâInterview between Mr Trunnion and Godfrey Magor, mate of the âArrowââAn unexpected arrivalâA strange accusationâSuspicions of Captain TrunnionâMrs Bracewell and her daughter Mary.âThe âArrowâ has come in, sir, from the Coast of Africa, under charge of Mr Godfrey Magor, the second mate,â I heard Harry Bracewell, one of our shipping clerks, say, as I was seated on a high stool, pen in hand, leaning over my desk in the office of Messrs Crank, Trunnion & Swab, general merchants, of Liverpool Harry addressed the senior partner, Mr Peter Crank, who had just then stepped out of his private room with a bundle of papers in his hand into the counting-house, where I, with a dozen other clerks, senior and junior, were driving our quills as fast as we could move them over the paper, or adding up columns of figures, or making calculations, as the case might be.As I turned my head slightly, I could see both Mr Crank and Harry. They afforded a strange contrast. Harry was tall, well-built, had a handsome countenance, with a pleasant expression which betokened his real character, for he was as kind, honest, and generous a young fellow as ever livedâthe only son of his mother, the widow of a naval officer killed in action. She had come to Liverpool for the sake of giving a home to Harry, who had been for some time in the employment of the firm. The difference between Mr Crank and Harry was indeed most conspicuous in their personal appearance. Whereas Harry was tall, Mr Crank was short and stout; he had a bald head, shining as if it had been carefully polished, a round face, with a florid complexion, and a nose which was allowed by his warmest friends to be a snub; but he had a good mouth, bright blue eyes, often twinkling with humour, which seemed to look through and through those he addressed, while his brow exhibited a considerable amount of intellect. Had not he possessed that, he would not have been at the head of the firm of Crank, Trunnion & Swab.âBrought home, did you say, by Godfrey Magor? What has happened to Captain Rig and the first mate?ââBoth died from fever while up the Nunn, as did all hands except himself and three others. So Mr Magor told me; and the survivors were all so weak, that he could not have brought the vessel home had he not shipped six Kroomen. He had also a narrow escape from pirates, who actually boarded his vessel, when a man-of-war heaving in sight, they made off without plundering her or killing any one.ââBless my heart! Iâm sorry to hear about Captain Rigâs death. The poor man remained longer up the river than he should have done, no doubt about that I have over and over again charged the masters of our vessels to be careful in that respect, but they wonât attend to what I say. Let me see! that makes the fifth who has lost his life during the last two years. Iâm thankful he got clear of the pirates. Those rascals have long been the greatest pests on that coast. It is time the British Government should take effectual steps to put a stop to their depredations by sending a squadron into those seas. Have you brought the manifest and the other papers with you?â.....