ave suspected that we were
contemplating plans for our escape, nor would he have been far off the
truth. Harry and I, when we were certain that no one was listening, had
discussed the matter, intending to let Tom Tubbs into our plan, and
invite him to join us. At present, however, we had no means of holding
communication with him. He was sent forward, while we remained either
on the quarter-deck, or in a sort of cockpit to which the wounded had
been carried. It was a dark, close place, its only advantage being that
it was out of the way of shot in action. In the course of a few hours,
death removed all but six of our patients and Harry and I had enough to
do to attend to them. They were groaning and complaining all day long,
and constantly calling out for liquor, though, when we supplied them
with water instead, they drank it greedily, sometimes fancying that it
was what they had asked for. We kept them constantly supplied with
liquid, which, although often hot and tepid, appeared like nectar to
their fevered lips. No one interfered with us. How the poor fellows
would have fared had they been left to themselves I know not, but I
suspect that they would have been allowed to suffer with very little
commiseration felt for them. Still all this time our position was far
from comfortable. I was doubtful how Captain Roderick might treat
Harry. I had no doubt that he knew who he was, though he had never
addressed him by name; indeed, after having spoken to us about the
wounded men, he took no further notice of us, allowing us to take our
food in the cockpit, and to sleep in a couple of hammocks which were
slung there, which had belonged to two of the men who had been killed.
We had to do everything for ourselves, the seamen being either surly to
us or rude. Harry and I separately, on two different occasions,
endeavoured to speak to Tubbs, but a man immediately stepped up and
asked us what we wanted, he having, I suppose, been directed by the
Captain to watch us and Tubbs, to see that we held no communication,
while Growler--for so we found that the captain's dog was called--came
snuffing and growling round and round us, ready to fall to and tear us
to pieces at the word of command. We fortunately had fine weather as we
continued our voyage towards the Bight of Biafara, for which we were
bound. All this time we did not lose the hope of falling in with a
British man-of-war by which we might be rescued. Day after day