Black Ivory | Page 7

coast.
"Here, have somethin' to eat," exclaimed Disco, suddenly filling a tin
plate with rice, and carrying it to the girl, who, however, shook her
head without raising her eyes.
"You're not hungry, poor thing," said the seaman, in a disappointed
tone; "you look as if you should be. Come, try it," he added, stooping,
and patting her head.
The poor child looked up as if frightened, and shrank from the seaman's
touch, but on glancing a second time in his honest face, she appeared to
feel confidence in him. Nevertheless, she would not touch the rice until
her guardians said something to her sternly, when she began to eat with
an appetite that was eloquent.
"Come, now, tell us what your name is, lass," said Disco, when she had
finished the rice.

Of course the girl shook her head, but appeared to wish to understand
the question, while the Portuguese laughed and seemed amused with
the Englishman's eccentricities.
"Look here, now," resumed the tar, slapping his own chest vigorously,
"Disco, Disco, Disco, that's me--Disco. And this man," (patting his
companion on the breast) "is Harold, Harold, that's him--Harold. Now,
then," he added, pointing straight at the girl, "you--what's you name,
eh?"
A gleam of intelligence shot from the girl's expressive eyes, and she
displayed a double row of beautiful teeth as in a low soft voice she
said--"Azinte."
"Azinte? come, that's not a bad name; why, it's a capital one. Just suited
to 'ee. Well, Azinte, my poor girl," said Disco, with a fresh outburst of
feeling, as he clenched his horny right hand and dashed it into the palm
of his left, "if I only knew how to set you free just now, my dear, I'd do
it--ay, if I was to be roasted alive for so doin'. I would!"
"You'll never set anybody free in this world," said Harold Seadrift, with
some severity, "if you go on talking and acting as you have done to-day.
If these men had not, by good fortune, been ignorant of our language,
it's my opinion that they would have blown our brains out before this
time. You should restrain yourself, man," he continued, gradually
dropping into a remonstrative and then into an earnestly confidential
tone; "we are utterly helpless just now. If you did succeed in freeing
that girl at this moment, it would only be to let her fall into the hands of
some other slave-owner. Besides, that would not set free all the other
slaves, male and female, who are being dragged from the interior of
Africa. You and I may perhaps do some small matter in the way of
helping to free slaves, if we keep quiet and watch our opportunity, but
we shall accomplish nothing if you give way to useless bursts of
anger."
Poor Lillihammer was subdued.
"You're right Mister Seadrift, you're right, sir, and I'm a ass. I never

could keep my feelings down. It's all along of my havin' bin made too
much of by my mother, dear old woman, w'en I was a boy. But I'll
make a effort, sir; I'll clap a stopper on 'em--bottle 'em up and screw
'em down tight, werry tight indeed."
Disco again sent his right fist into the palm of his left hand, with
something like the sound of a pistol-shot to the no small surprise and
alarm of the Portuguese, and, rising, went out to cool his heated brow
in the open air.
CHAPTER TWO.
YOOSOOF'S "BLACK IVORY."
When Yoosoof entered the woods, as before stated, for the purpose of
looking after his property, he followed a narrow footpath for about half
a mile, which led him to another part of the same creek, at the entrance
of which we introduced him to the reader. Here, under the deep shadow
of umbrageous trees, floated five large Arab boats, or dhows, similar to
the one which has been already referred to. They were quite empty, and
apparently unguarded, for when Yoosoof went down the bank and
stood on a projecting rock which overlooked them, no one replied to
his low-toned hail. Repeating it once, and still receiving no answer, he
sat quietly down on the rocks, lighted a small pipe, and waited
patiently.
The boats, as we have said, were empty, but there were some curious
appliances in them, having the appearance of chains, and wristlets, and
bars of iron running along and fixed to their decks, or rather to the
flooring of their holds. Their long yards and sails were cleared and
ready for hoisting.
After the lapse of ten or fifteen minutes, Yoosoof raised his head--for
he had been meditating deeply, if one might judge from his
attitude--and glanced in the direction of an opening in the bushes
whence issued a silent and singular train of human