Black Ivory | Page 9

throw off his Oriental dignity
and step out with the activity of a monkey. It was so on this occasion,
insomuch that Azinte was obliged occasionally to run in order to keep
up with him. Proceeding about two miles in the woods along the shore
without halt, he came out at length on the margin of a bay, at the head
of which lay a small town. It was a sorry-looking place, composed of
wretchedly built houses, most of which were thatched with the leaves
of the cocoa-nut palm.
Nevertheless, such as it was, it possessed a mud fort, an army of about
thirty soldiers, composed of Portuguese convicts who had been sent
there as a punishment for many crimes, a Governor, who was
understood to be honourable, having been placed there by his
Excellency the Governor-General at Mozambique, who had been
himself appointed by His Most Faithful Majesty the King of Portugal.
It was in quest of this Governor that Yoosoof bent his rapid steps.
Besides all the advantages above enumerated, the town drove a small
trade in ivory, ebony, indigo, orchella weed, gum copal, cocoa-nut oil,
and other articles of native produce, and a very large (though secret)
trade in human bodies and--we had almost written--souls, but the
worthy people who dwelt there could not fetter souls, although they
could, and very often did, set them free.
Senhor Francisco Alfonso Toledo Bignoso Letotti, the Governor, was
seated at the open window of his parlour, just before Yoosoof made his
appearance, conversing lightly with his only daughter, the Senhorina
Maraquita, a beautiful brunette of about eighteen summers, who had
been brought up and educated in Portugal.
The Governor's wife had died a year before this time in Madrid, and the
Senhorina had gone to live with her father on the east coast of Africa, at

which place she had arrived just six weeks previous to the date of the
opening of our tale.
Among the various boats and vessels at anchor in the bay, were seen
the tapering masts of a British war-steamer. The Senhorina and her sire
were engaged in a gossiping criticism of the officers of this vessel
when Yoosoof was announced. Audience was immediately granted.
Entering the room, with Azinte close behind him, the Arab stopped
abruptly on beholding Maraquita, and bowed gravely.
"Leave us, my child," said the Governor, in Portuguese; "I have
business to transact with this man."
"And why may not I stay to assist you, father, in this wonderful
man-mystery of transacting business?" asked Maraquita, with an arch
smile.
"Whenever you men want to get rid of women you frighten them away
with business! If you wish not to explain something to us, you shake
your wise heads, and call it business! Is it not so?--Come, Arab," she
added, turning with a sprightly air to Yoosoof, "you are a trader, I
suppose; all Arabs are, I am told. Well, what sort of wares have you got
to sell?"
Yoosoof smiled slightly as he stepped aside and pointed to Azinte.
The speaking countenance of the Portuguese girl changed as if by
magic. She had seen little and thought little about slavery during the
brief period of her residence on the coast, and had scarcely realised the
fact that Sambo, with the thick lips--her father's gardener--or the black
cook and house-maids, were slaves. It was the first entrance of a new
idea with something like power into her mind when she saw a delicate,
mild-looking, and pretty negro girl actually offered for sale.
Before she could bethink herself of any remark the door opened, and in
walked, unannounced, a man on whose somewhat handsome
countenance villainy was clearly stamped.

"Ha! Marizano," exclaimed Senhor Letotti, rising, "you have thought
better of it, I presume?"
"I have, and I agree to your arrangement," replied Marizano, in an
off-hand, surly tone.
"There is nothing like necessity," returned the Governor, with a laugh.
"'Twere better to enjoy a roving life for a short time with a lightish
purse in one's pocket, than to attempt to keep a heavy purse with the
addition of several ounces of lead in one's breast! How say you?"
Marizano smiled and shrugged his broad shoulders, but made no reply,
for just then his attention had been attracted to the slave-girl.
"For sale?" he inquired of the Arab carelessly.
Yoosoof bowed his head slightly.
"How much?"
"Come, come, gentlemen," interposed the Governor, with a laugh and a
glance at his daughter, "you can settle this matter elsewhere. Yoosoof
has come here to talk with me on other matters.--Now, Maraquita dear,
you had better retire for a short time."
When the Senhorina had somewhat unwillingly obeyed, the Governor
turned to Yoosoof: "I presume you have no objection to Marizano's
presence during our interview, seeing that he is