BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville - [PDF Document] (2024)

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

1/50

BENITO CERENO

IN THE YEAR 1799, Captain Amasa Delano, of Duxbury, inMassachusetts, commandinga large sealer and general trader, lay atanchor, with a valuable cargo, in theharbour of St. Maria -- asmall, desert, uninhabited island towards the southern extremity ofthe long coast of Chili. There he had touched for water.On thesecond day, not long after dawn, while lying in his berth, his matecamebelow, informing him that a strange sail was coming into thebay. Ships were then not so plenty in those waters as now. He rose,dressed, and went on deck.

The morning was one peculiar to that coast. Everything was muteand calm; everything grey. The sea, though undulated into longroods of swells, seemed fixed, and was sleeked at the surface likewaved lead that has cooled and set in the smelter's mould. The skyseemed a grey mantle. Flights of troubled grey fowl, kith and kinwith flights of troubled grey vapours among which they were mixed,skimmed low and fitfully over the waters, as swallows over meadowsbefore storms. Shadows present, foreshadowing deeper shadows tocome.

To Captain Delano's surprise, the stranger, viewed through theglass, showed nocolours; though to do so upon entering a haven,however uninhabited in its shores, where but a single other shipmight be lying, was the custom among peaceful seamen of allnations. Considering the lawlessness and loneliness of the spot,and the sort of stories, at that day, associated with those seas,Captain Delano'ssurprise might have deepened into some uneasinesshad he not been a person of asingularly undistrustful good nature,not liable, except on extraordinary and repeated excitement, andhardly then, to indulge in personal alarms, any way involving theimputation of malign evil in man. Whether, in view of what humanityiscapable, such a trait implies, along with a benevolent heart,more than ordinary quickness and accuracy of intellectualperception, may be left to the wise todetermine.

But whatever misgivings might have obtruded on first seeing thestranger would almost, in any seaman's mind, have been dissipatedby observing that the ship, innavigating into the harbour, wasdrawing too near the land, for her own safety's sake, owing to asunken reef making out off her bow. This seemed to prove herastranger, indeed, not only to the sealer, but the island;consequently, she could be no wonted freebooter on that ocean. Withno small interest, Captain Delano continued to watch her- aproceeding not much facilitated by the vapours partly mantling thehull, through which the far matin light from her cabin streamedequivocally enough; much like the sun- by this time crescented onthe rim of thehorizon, and apparently, in company with the strangeship, entering the harbour-which, wimpled by the same low, creepingclouds, showed not unlike a Lima intriguante's one sinister eyepeering across the Plaza from the Indian loop-hole ofher dusksaya-y-manta.

It might have been but a deception of the vapours, but, thelonger the strangerwas watched, the more singular appeared hermanoeuvres. Ere long it seemed hardto decide whether she meant tocome in or no- what she wanted, or what she was about. The wind,which had breezed up a little during the night, was now extremelylight and baffling, which the more increased the apparentuncertainty of her movements.

Surmising, at last, that it might be a ship in distress, CaptainDelano orderedhis whale-boat to be dropped, and, much to the waryopposition of his mate, prep

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

2/50

ared to board her, and, at the least, pilot her in. On the nightprevious, a fishing-party of the seamen had gone a long distance tosome detached rocks out ofsight from the sealer, and, an hour ortwo before day-break, had returned, having met with no smallsuccess. Presuming that the stranger might have been long offsoundings, the good captain put several baskets of the fish, forpresents, into his boat, and so pulled away. From her continuingtoo near the sunken reef, deeming her in danger, calling to hismen, he made all haste to apprise those on board of theirsituation. But, some time ere the boat came up, the wind, lightthough it was, having shifted, had headed the vessel off, as wellas partly brokenthe vapours from about her.

Upon gaining a less remote view, the ship, when made signallyvisible on the verge of the leaden-hued swells, with the shreds offog here and there raggedly furring her, appeared like awhitewashed monastery after a thunder-storm, seen perched upon somedun cliff among the Pyrenees. But it was no purely fancifulresemblance which now, for a moment, almost led Captain Delano tothink that nothing less than a ship-load of monks was before him.Peering over the bulwarks were what really seemed, in the hazydistance, throngs of dark cowls; while, fitfully revealed throughthe open port-holes, other dark moving figures were dimly descried,as of Black Friars pacing the cloisters.

Upon a still nigher approach, this appearance was modified, andthe true character of the vessel was plain- a Spanish merchantmanof the first class; carrying Negro slaves, amongst other valuablefreight, from one colonial port to another.

A very large, and, in its time, a very fine vessel, such as inthose days were at intervals encountered along that main; sometimessuperseded Acapulco treasure-ships, or retired frigates of theSpanish king's navy, which, like superannuatedItalian palaces,still, under a decline of masters, preserved signs of formerstate.

As the whale-boat drew more and more nigh, the cause of thepeculiar pipe-clayedaspect of the stranger was seen in the slovenlyneglect pervading her. The spars, ropes, and great part of thebulwarks looked woolly, from long unacquaintancewith the scraper,tar, and the brush. Her keel seemed laid, her ribs put together,and she launched, from Ezekiel's Valley of Dry Bones.

In the present business in which she was engaged, the ship'sgeneral model and r

ig appeared to have undergone no material change from theiroriginal warlike andFroissart pattern. However, no guns wereseen.

The tops were large, and were railed about with what had oncebeen octagonal net-work, all now in sad disrepair. These tops hungoverhead like three ruinous aviaries, in one of which was seenperched, on a ratlin, a white noddy, a strange fowl, so called fromits lethargic somnambulistic character, being frequently caught byhand at sea. Battered and mouldy, the castellated forecastle seemedsomeancient turret, long ago taken by assault, and then left todecay. Towards the stern, two high-raised quarter galleries- thebalustrades here and there coveredwith dry, tindery sea-moss-opening out from the unoccupied state-cabin, whose dead lights, forall the mild weather, were hermetically closed and caulked- thesetenantless balconies hung over the sea as if it were the grandVenetian canal.

But the principal relic of faded grandeur was the ample oval ofthe shield-likestern-piece, intricately carved with the arms ofCastile and Leon, medallionedabout by groups of mythological orsymbolical devices; uppermost and central ofwhich was a dark satyrin a mask, holding his foot on the prostrate neck of a writhingfigure, likewise masked.

Whether the ship had a figure-head, or only a plain beak, wasnot quite certain,owing to canvas wrapped about that part, eitherto protect it while undergoinga refurbishing, or else decently tohide its decay. Rudely painted or chalked, as in a sailor freak,along the forward side of a sort of pedestal below the canv

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

3/50

as, was the sentence, "Seguid vuestro jefe" (follow yourleader); while upon thetarnished head-boards, near by, appeared, instately capitals, once gilt, the ship's name, "SAN DOMINICK," eachletter streakingly corroded with tricklings ofcopper-spike rust;while, like mourning weeds, dark festoons of sea-grass slimilyswept to and fro over the name, with every hearse-like roll of thehull.

As at last the boat was hooked from the bow along toward thegangway amidship, its keel, while yet some inches separated fromthe hull, harshly grated as on a sunken coral reef. It proved ahuge bunch of conglobated barnacles adhering belowthe water to theside like a wen; a token of baffling airs and long calms passedsomewhere in those seas.

Climbing the side, the visitor was at once surrounded by aclamorous throng of whites and blacks, but the latter outnumberingthe former more than could have been expected, Negrotransportation-ship as the stranger in port was. But, inonelanguage, and as with one voice, all poured out a common tale ofsuffering; in which the Negresses, of whom there were not a few,exceeded the others in their dolorous vehemence. The scurvy,together with a fever, had swept off a great partof their number,more especially the Spaniards. Off Cape Horn, they had narrowlyescaped shipwreck; then, for days together, they had lain trancedwithout wind; their provisions were low; their water next to none;their lips that moment were baked.

While Captain Delano was thus made the mark of all eagertongues, his one eager

glance took in all the faces, with every other object abouthim.

Always upon first boarding a large and populous ship at sea,especially a foreign one, with a nondescript crew such as Lascarsor Manilla men, the impression varies in a peculiar way from thatproduced by first entering a strange house withstrange inmates in astrange land. Both house and ship, the one by its walls and blinds,the other by its high bulwarks like ramparts, hoard from view theirinteriors till the last moment; but in the case of the ship thereis this addition: that the living spectacle it contains, upon itssudden and complete disclosure, has, in contrast with the blankocean which zones it, something of the effectof enchantment. Theship seems unreal; these strange costumes, gestures, and faces, buta shadowy tableau just emerged from the deep, which directly mustreceive back what it gave.

Perhaps it was some such influence as above is attempted to bedescribed which,in Captain Delano's mind, heightened whatever, upona staid scrutiny, might haveseemed unusual; especially theconspicuous figures of four elderly grizzled Negroes, their headslike black, doddered willow tops, who, in venerable contrast to thetumult below them, were couched sphynx-like, one on the starboardcat-head, another on the larboard, and the remaining pair face toface on the opposite bulwarks above the main-chains. They each hadbits of unstranded old junk in their hands, and, with a sort ofstoical self-content, were picking the junk into oakum, a smallheap of which lay by their sides. They accompanied the task withacontinuous, low, monotonous chant; droning and drooling away likeso many grey-headed bag-pipers playing a funeral march.

The quarter-deck rose into an ample elevated poop, upon theforward verge of which, lifted, like the oakum-pickers, some eightfeet above the general throng, sat along in a row, separated byregular spaces, the cross-legged figures of six other blacks; eachwith a rusty hatchet in his hand, which, with a bit of brick and arag, he was engaged like a scullion in scouring; while between eachtwo wasa small stack of hatchets, their rusted edges turned forwardawaiting a like operation. Though occasionally the fouroakum-pickers would briefly address some person or persons in thecrowd below, yet the six hatchet-polishers neither spoketo others,nor breathed a whisper among themselves, but sat intent upon theirtask, except at intervals, when, with the peculiar love in Negroesof uniting ind

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

4/50

ustry with pastime, two-and-two they sideways clashed theirhatchets together, like cymbals, with a barbarous din. All six,unlike the generality, had the raw aspect of unsophisticatedAfricans.

But the first comprehensive glance which took in those tenfigures, with scoresless conspicuous, rested but an instant uponthem, as, impatient of the hubbub of voices, the visitor turned inquest of whomsoever it might be that commanded the ship.

But as if not unwilling to let nature make known her own caseamong his suffering charge, or else in despair of restraining itfor the time, the Spanish captain, a gentlemanly, reserved-looking,and rather young man to a stranger's eye, dressed with singularrichness, but bearing plain traces of recent sleepless caresanddisquietudes, stood passively by, leaning against the main-mast, atone moment casting a dreary, spiritless look upon his excitedpeople, at the next an unhappy glance toward his visitor. By hisside stood a black of small stature, in whose rude face, asoccasionally, like a shepherd's dog, he mutely turned it up intothe Spaniard's, sorrow and affection were equally blended.

Struggling through the throng, the American advanced to theSpaniard, assuring him of his sympathies, and offering to renderwhatever assistance might be in hispower. To which the Spaniardreturned, for the present, but grave and ceremoniousacknowledgments, his national formality dusked by the saturninemood of ill health.

But losing no time in mere compliments, Captain Delano returningto the gangway,had his baskets of fish brought up; and as the windstill continued light, so that some hours at least must elapse erethe ship could be brought to the anchorage, he bade his men returnto the sealer, and fetch back as much water as the whaleboat couldcarry, with whatever soft bread the steward might have, all theremaining pumpkins on board, with a box of sugar, and a dozen ofhis private bottles of cider.

Not many minutes after the boat's pushing off, to the vexationof all, the windentirely died away, and the tide turning, begandrifting back the ship helplessly seaward. But trusting this wouldnot last, Captain Delano sought with good hopes to cheer up thestrangers, feeling no small satisfaction that, with persons i

n their condition he could- thanks to his frequent voyages alongthe Spanish main- converse with some freedom in their nativetongue.

While left alone with them, he was not long in observing somethings tending toheighten his first impressions; but surprise waslost in pity, both for the Spaniards and blacks, alike evidentlyreduced from scarcity of water and provisions;while long-continuedsuffering seemed to have brought out the less good-naturedqualitiesof the Negroes, besides, at the same time, impairing the Spaniard'sauthority over them. But, under the circ*mstances, precisely thiscondition of things was to have been anticipated. In armies,navies, cities, or families- in nature herself- nothing morerelaxes good order than misery. Still, Captain Delanowas notwithout the idea, that had Benito Cereno been a man of greaterenergy,misrule would hardly have come to the present pass. But thedebility, constituti

onal or induced by the hardships, bodily and mental, of theSpanish captain, wastoo obvious to be overlooked. A prey to settleddejection, as if long mocked with hope he would not now indulge it,even when it had ceased to be a mock, the prospect of that day orevening at furthest, lying at anchor, with plenty of water for hispeople, and a brother captain to counsel and befriend, seemed in noperceptible degree to encourage him. His mind appeared unstrung, ifnot still moreseriously affected. Shut up in these oaken walls,chained to one dull round ofcommand, whose unconditionality cloyedhim, like some hypochondriac abbot he moved slowly about, at timessuddenly pausing, starting, or staring, biting his lip, biting hisfinger-nail, flushing, paling, twitching his beard, with othersymp

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

5/50

toms of an absent or moody mind. This distempered spirit waslodged, as before hinted, in as distempered a frame. He was rathertall, but seemed never to have been robust, and now with nervoussuffering was almost worn to a skeleton. A tendency to somepulmonary complaint appeared to have been lately confirmed. Hisvoice was like that of one with lungs half gone, hoarselysuppressed, a husky whisper. No wonder that, as in this state hetottered about, his private servant apprehensively followed him.Sometimes the Negro gave his master his arm, or took hishandkerchief out of his pocket for him; performing these andsimilar offices with that affectionate zeal which transmutes intosomething filial or fraternal acts in themselves but menial; andwhich has gained for the Negro the repute of making the mostpleasing body-servant in the world; one, too, whom a master needbeon no stiffly superior terms with, but may treat with familiartrust; less aservant than a devoted companion.

Marking the noisy indocility of the blacks in general, as wellas what seemed the sullen inefficiency of the whites, it was notwithout humane satisfaction thatCaptain Delano witnessed the steadygood conduct of Babo.

But the good conduct of Babo, hardly more than the ill-behaviourof others, seemed to withdraw the half-lunatic Don Benito from hiscloudy languor. Not that such precisely was the impression made bythe Spaniard on the mind of his visitor.The Spaniard's individualunrest was, for the present, but noted as a conspicuous feature inthe ship's general affliction. Still, Captain Delano was not alittle concerned at what he could not help taking for the time tobe Don Benito's un

friendly indifference toward himself. The Spaniard's manner,too, conveyed a sort of sour and gloomy disdain, which he seemed atno pains to disguise. But thisthe American in charity ascribed tothe harassing effects of sickness, since, informer instances, hehad noted that there are peculiar natures on whom prolongedphysical suffering seems to cancel every social instinct ofkindness; as if forced to black bread themselves, they deemed itbut equity that each person coming nigh them should, indirectly, bysome slight or affront, be made to partake oftheir fare.

But ere long Captain Delano bethought him that, indulgent as hewas at the first, in judging the Spaniard, he might not, after all,have exercised charity enough. At bottom it was Don Benito'sreserve which displeased him; but the same reserve was shown towardall but his personal attendant. Even the formal reports whi

ch, according to sea-usage, were at stated times made to him bysome petty underling (either a white, mulatto or black), he hardlyhad patience enough to listento, without betraying contemptuousaversion. His manner upon such occasions was, in its degree, notunlike that which might be supposed to have been his imperialcountryman's, Charles V., just previous to the anchoritishretirement of thatmonarch from the throne.

This splenetic disrelish of his place was evinced in almostevery function pertaining to it. Proud as he was moody, hecondescended to no personal mandate. Whatever special orders werenecessary, their delivery was delegated to his body-servant, who inturn transferred them to their ultimate destination, throughrunners, alert Spanish boys or slave boys, like pages or pilot-fishwithin easy call continually hovering round Don Benito. So that tohave beheld this undemonstrativ

e invalid gliding about, apathetic and mute, no landsman couldhave dreamed thatin him was lodged a dictatorship beyond which,while at sea, there was no earthly appeal.

Thus, the Spaniard, regarded in his reserve, seemed as theinvoluntary victim ofmental disorder. But, in fact, his reservemight, in some degree, have proceeded from design. If so, then inDon Benito was evinced the unhealthy climax of that icy thoughconscientious policy, more or less adopted by all commanders oflarge ships, which, except in signal emergencies, obliterates alikethe manifestation of sway with every trace of sociality;transforming the man into a block, or

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

6/50

rather into a loaded cannon, which, until there is call forthunder, has nothingto say.

Viewing him in this light, it seemed but a natural token of theperverse habit induced by a long course of such hardself-restraint, that, notwithstanding the present condition of hisship, the Spaniard should still persist in a demeanour,which,however harmless- or it may be, appropriate- in a well-appointedvessel,such as the San Dominick might have been at the outset ofthe voyage, was anything but judicious now. But the Spaniardperhaps thought that it was with captainsas with gods: reserve,under all events, must still be their cue. But more probably thisappearance of slumbering dominion might have been but an attempteddisguise to conscious imbecility- not deep policy, but shallowdevice. But be all this as it might, whether Don Benito's mannerwas designed or not, the more Captain Delano noted its pervadingreserve, the less he felt uneasiness at any particularmanifestation of that reserve toward himself.

Neither were his thoughts taken up by the captain alone. Wontedto the quiet orderliness of the sealer's comfortable family of acrew, the noisy confusion of the San Dominick's suffering hostrepeatedly challenged his eye. Some prominent breaches not only ofdiscipline but of decency were observed. These Captain Delanocouldnot but ascribe, in the main, to the absence of those subordinatedeck-officers to whom, along with higher duties, is entrusted whatmay be styled the police department of a populous ship. True, theold oakum-pickers appeared at times to act the part of monitorialconstables to their countrymen, the blacks; but

though occasionally succeeding in allaying trifling outbreaksnow and then between man and man, they could do little or nothingtoward establishing general quiet. The San Dominick was in thecondition of a transatlantic emigrant ship, amongwhose multitude ofliving freight are some individuals, doubtless, as littletroublesome as crates and bales; but the friendly remonstrances ofsuch with theirruder companions are of not so much avail as theunfriendly arm of the mate. What the San Dominick wanted was, whatthe emigrant ship has, stern superior officers. But on these decksnot so much as a fourth mate was to be seen.

The visitor's curiosity was roused to learn the particulars ofthose mishaps which had brought about such absenteeism, with itsconsequences; because, though deriving some inkling of the voyagefrom the wails which at the first moment had greeted him, yet ofthe details no clear understanding had been had. The best acc

ount would, doubtless, be given by the captain. Yet at first thevisitor was loth to ask it, unwilling to provoke some distantrebuff. But plucking up courage,he at last accosted Don Benito,renewing the expression of his benevolent interest, adding, thatdid he (Captain Delano) but know the particulars of theship'smisfortunes, he would, perhaps, be better able in the end torelieve them. WouldDon Benito favour him with the whole story?

Don Benito faltered; then, like some somnambulist suddenlyinterfered with, vacantly stared at his visitor, and ended bylooking down on the deck. He maintainedthis posture so long, thatCaptain Delano, almost equally disconcerted, and involuntarilyalmost as rude, turned suddenly from him, walking forward to accostone of the Spanish seamen for the desired information. But he hadhardly gone five paces, when with a sort of eagerness Don Benitoinvited him back, regretting h

is momentary absence of mind, and professing readiness togratify him.

While most part of the story was being given, the two captainsstood on the after part of the main-deck, a privileged spot, no onebeing near but the servant.

"It is now a hundred and ninety days," began the Spaniard, inhis husky whisper,"that this ship, well officered and well manned,with several cabin passengers-some fifty Spaniards in all- sailedfrom Buenos Ayres bound to Lima, with a general cargo, Paraguay teaand the like- and," pointing forward, "that parcel of Negroes, nownot more than a hundred and fifty, as you see, but then numberingov

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

7/50

er three hundred souls. Off Cape Horn we had heavy gales. In onemoment, by night, three of my best officers, with fifteen sailors,were lost, with the main-yard; the spar snapping under them in theslings, as they sought, with heavers, tobeat down the icy sail. Tolighten the hull, the heavier sacks of mata were thrown into thesea, with most of the water-pipes lashed on deck at the time. Andthis last necessity it was, combined with the prolonged detentionsafterwards experienced, which eventually brought about our chiefcauses of suffering. When-"

Here there was a sudden fainting attack of his cough, broughton, no doubt, by his mental distress. His servant sustained him,and drawing a cordial from his pocket placed it to his lips. He alittle revived. But unwilling to leave him unsupported while yetimperfectly restored, the black with one arm still encircled hismaster, at the same time keeping his eye fixed on his face, as ifto watch for the first sign of complete restoration, or relapse, asthe event might prove.

The Spaniard proceeded, but brokenly and obscurely, as one in adream.

-"Oh, my God! rather than pass through what I have, with joy Iwould have hailedthe most terrible gales; but-"

His cough returned and with increased violence; this subsiding,with reddened lips and closed eyes he fell heavily against hissupporter.

"His mind wanders. He was thinking of the plague that followedthe gales," plain

tively sighed the servant; "my poor, poor master!" wringing onehand, and with the other wiping the mouth. "But be patient, Senor,"again turning to Captain Delano, "these fits do not last long;master will soon be himself."

Don Benito reviving, went on; but as this portion of the storywas very brokenlydelivered, the substance only will here be setdown.

It appeared that after the ship had been many days tossed instorms off the Cape, the scurvy broke out, carrying off numbers ofthe whites and blacks. When at last they had worked round into thePacific, their spars and sails were so damaged, and so inadequatelyhandled by the surviving mariners, most of whom were becomeinvalids, that, unable to lay her northerly course by the wind,which was powerful, the unmanageable ship for successive days andnights was blown northwestw

ard, where the breeze suddenly deserted her, in unknown waters,to sultry calms.The absence of the water-pipes now proved as fatalto life as before their presence had menaced it. Induced, or atleast aggravated, by the more than scanty allowance of water, amalignant fever followed the scurvy; with the excessive heatof thelengthened calm, making such short work of it as to sweep away, asby billows, whole families of the Africans, and a yet largernumber, proportionally,of the Spaniards, including, by a lucklessfatality, every officer on board. Consequently, in the smart westwinds eventually following the calm, the already rent sails havingto be simply dropped, not furled, at need, had been graduallyreduced to the beggar's rags they were now. To procure substitutesfor his lost sailors, as well as supplies of water and sails, thecaptain at the earliest opportunity had made for Baldivia, thesouthermost civilized port of Chili and SouthAmerica; but uponnearing the coast the thick weather had prevented him from so

much as sighting that harbour. Since which period, almostwithout a crew, and almost without canvas and almost without water,and at intervals giving its addeddead to the sea, the San Dominickhad been battle-dored about by contrary winds,inveigled bycurrents, or grown weedy in calms. Like a man lost in woods,morethan once she had doubled upon her own track.

"But throughout these calamities," huskily continued Don Benito,painfully turning in the half embrace of his servant, "I have tothank those Negroes you see, who, though to your inexperienced eyesappearing unruly, have, indeed, conductedthemselves with less ofrestlessness than even their owner could have thought po

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

8/50

ssible under such circ*mstances."

Here he again fell faintly back. Again his mind wandered: but herallied, and less obscurely proceeded.

"Yes, their owner was quite right in assuring me that no fetterswould be neededwith his blacks; so that while, as is wont in thistransportation, those Negroes have always remained upon deck- notthrust below, as in the Guineamen- they have, also, from thebeginning, been freely permitted to range within given boundsattheir pleasure."

Once more the faintness returned- his mind roved- but,recovering, he resumed:

"But it is Babo here to whom, under God, I owe not only my ownpreservation, butlikewise to him, chiefly, the merit is due, ofpacifying his more ignorant brethren, when at intervals tempted tomurmurings."

"Ah, master," sighed the black, bowing his face, "don't speak ofme; Babo is nothing; what Babo has done was but duty."

"Faithful fellow!" cried Captain Delano. "Don Benito, I envy yousuch a friend;slave I cannot call him."

As master and man stood before him, the black upholding thewhite, Captain Delan

o could not but bethink him of the beauty of that relationshipwhich could present such a spectacle of fidelity on the one handand confidence on the other. Thescene was heightened by thecontrast in dress, denoting their relative positions. The Spaniardwore a loose Chili jacket of dark velvet; white small clothes andstockings, with silver buckles at the knee and instep; ahigh-crowned sombrero, of fine grass; a slender sword, silvermounted, hung from a knot in his sash;the last being an almostinvariable adjunct, more for utility than ornament, ofa SouthAmerican gentleman's dress to this hour. Excepting when hisoccasional nervous contortions brought about disarray, there was acertain precision in hisattire, curiously at variance with theunsightly disorder around; especially inthe belittered Ghetto,forward of the main-mast, wholly occupied by the blacks.

The servant wore nothing but wide trousers, apparently, fromtheir coarseness an

d patches, made out of some old top-sail; they were clean, andconfined at the waist by a bit of unstranded rope, which, with hiscomposed, deprecatory air at times, made him look something like abegging friar of St. Francis.

However unsuitable for the time and place, at least in the bluntthinking American's eyes, and however strangely surviving in themidst of all his afflictions,the toilette of Don Benito might not,in fashion at least, have gone beyond thestyle of the day amongSouth Americans of his class. Though on the present voyage sailingfrom Buenos Ayres, he had avowed himself a native and resident ofChili, whose inhabitants had not so generally adopted the plaincoat and once plebeian pantaloons; but, with a becomingmodification, adhered to their provincial costume, picturesque asany in the world. Still, relatively to the pale history ofthevoyage, and his own pale face, there seemed something soincongruous in the

Spaniard's apparel, as almost to suggest the image of an invalidcourtier tottering about London streets in the time of theplague.

The portion of the narrative which, perhaps, most excitedinterest, as well as some surprise, considering the latitudes inquestion, was the long calms spoken of, and more particularly theship's so long drifting about. Without communicating the opinion,of course, the American could not but impute at least part ofthedetentions both to clumsy seamanship and faulty navigation.Eyeing Don Benito'ssmall, yellow hands, he easily inferred that theyoung captain had not got intocommand at the hawse-hole but thecabin-window, and if so, why wonder at incomp

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

9/50

etence, in youth, sickness, and aristocracy united? Such was hisdemocratic conclusion.

But drowning criticism in compassion, after a fresh repetitionof his sympathies, Captain Delano having heard out his story, notonly engaged, as in the first place, to see Don Benito and hispeople supplied in their immediate bodily needs,but, also, nowfurther promised to assist him in procuring a large permanentsupply of water, as well as some sails and rigging; and, though itwould involve no small embarrassment to himself, yet he would sparethree of his best seamen for temporary deck officers; so thatwithout delay the ship might proceed to Concepcion, there fully torefit for Lima, her destined port.

Such generosity was not without its effect, even upon theinvalid. His face lighted up; eager and hectic, he met the honestglance of his visitor. With gratitude he seemed overcome.

"This excitement is bad for master," whispered the servant,taking his arm, andwith soothing words gently drawing himaside.

When Don Benito returned, the American was pained to observethat his hopefulness, like the sudden kindling in his cheek, wasbut febrile and transient.

Ere long, with a joyless mien, looking up toward the poop, thehost invited hisguest to accompany him there, for the benefit ofwhat little breath of wind migh

t be stirring.

As during the telling of the story, Captain Delano had once ortwice started atthe occasional cymballing of the hatchet-polishers,wondering why such an interruption should be allowed, especially inthat part of the ship, and in the ears of an invalid; and,moreover, as the hatchets had anything but an attractive look, andthe handlers of them still less so, it was, therefore, to tell thetruth,not without some lurking reluctance, or even shrinking, itmay be, that CaptainDelano, with apparent complaisance, acquiescedin his host's invitation. The more so, since with an untimelycaprice of punctilio, rendered distressing by his cadaverousaspect, Don Benito, with Castilian bows, solemnly insisted upon hisguest's preceding him up the ladder leading to the elevation;where, one on each side of the last step, sat four armorialsupporters and sentries, two of the omin

ous file. Gingerly enough stepped good Captain Delano betweenthem, and in the instant of leaving them behind, like one runningthe gauntlet, he felt an apprehensive twitch in the calves of hislegs.

But when, facing about, he saw the whole file, like so manyorgan-grinders, still stupidly intent on their work, unmindful ofeverything beside, he could not but smile at his late fidgetingpanic.

Presently, while standing with Don Benito, looking forward uponthe decks below,he was struck by one of those instances ofinsubordination previously alluded to. Three black boys, with twoSpanish boys, were sitting together on the hatches, scraping a rudewooden platter, in which some scanty mess had recently been cooked.Suddenly, one of the black boys, enraged at a word dropped by oneof his w

hite companions, seized a knife, and though called to forbear byone of the oakum-pickers, struck the lad over the head, inflictinga gash from which blood flowed.

In amazement, Captain Delano inquired what this meant. To whichthe pale Benitodully muttered, that it was merely the sport of thelad.

"Pretty serious sport, truly," rejoined Captain Delano. "Hadsuch a thing happened on board the Bachelor's Delight, instantpunishment would have followed."

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

10/50

At these words the Spaniard turned upon the American one of hissudden, staring,half-lunatic looks; then, relapsing into historpor, answered, "Doubtless, doubtless, Senor."

Is it, thought Captain Delano, that this helpless man is one ofthose paper captains I've known, who by policy wink at what bypower they cannot put down? I know no sadder sight than a commanderwho has little of command but the name.

"I should think, Don Benito," he now said, glancing toward theoakum-picker whohad sought to interfere with the boys, "that youwould find it advantageous to keep all your blacks employed,especially the younger ones, no matter at what useless task, and nomatter what happens to the ship. Why, even with my little band, Ifind such a course indispensable. I once kept a crew on myquarterdeck thrumming mats for my cabin, when, for three days, Ihad given up my ship- mats, men,and all- for a speedy loss, owingto the violence of a gale in which we could do nothing buthelplessly drive before it."

"Doubtless, doubtless," muttered Don Benito.

"But," continued Captain Delano, again glancing upon theoakum-pickers and thenat the hatchet-polishers, near by, "I see youkeep some at least of your host employed."

"Yes," was again the vacant response.

"Those old men there, shaking their pows from their pulpits,"continued CaptainDelano, pointing to the oakum-pickers, "seem toact the part of old dominies tothe rest, little heeded as theiradmonitions are at times. Is this voluntary ontheir part, DonBenito, or have you appointed them shepherds to your flock of blacksheep?"

"What posts they fill, I appointed them," rejoined the Spaniardin an acrid tone, as if resenting some supposed satiricreflection.

"And these others, these Ashantee conjurors here," continuedCaptain Delano, rather uneasily eyeing the brandished steel of thehatchet-polishers, where in spots it had been brought to a shine,"this seems a curious business they are at, Do

n Benito?"

"In the gales we met," answered the Spaniard, "what of ourgeneral cargo was notthrown overboard was much damaged by thebrine. Since coming into calm weather,I have had several cases ofknives and hatchets daily brought up for overhauling andcleaning."

"A prudent idea, Don Benito. You are part owner of ship andcargo, I presume; but not of the slaves, perhaps?"

"I am owner of all you see," impatiently returned Don Benito,"except the main company of blacks, who belonged to my late friend,Alexandro Aranda."

As he mentioned this name, his air was heart-broken, his kneesshook; his servant supported him.

Thinking he divined the cause of such unusual emotion, toconfirm his surmise, Captain Delano, after a pause, said, "And mayI ask, Don Benito, whether- since awhile ago you spoke of somecabin passengers- the friend, whose loss so afflictsyou, at theoutset of the voyage accompanied his blacks?"

"Yes."

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

11/50

"But died of the fever?"

"Died of the fever.- Oh, could I but-"

Again quivering, the Spaniard paused.

"Pardon me," said Captain Delano slowly, "but I think that, by asympathetic experience, I conjecture, Don Benito, what it is thatgives the keener edge to yourgrief. It was once my hard fortune tolose at sea a dear friend, my own brother, then supercargo. Assuredof the welfare of his spirit, its departure I could have borne likea man; but that honest eye, that honest hand- both of which had sooften met mine- and that warm heart; all, all- like scraps to thedogs- to throw all to the sharks! It was then I vowed never to havefor fellow-voyager a manI loved, unless, unbeknown to him, I hadprovided every requisite, in case of afatality, for embalming hismortal part for interment on shore. Were your friend's remains nowon board this ship, Don Benito, not thus strangely would themention of his name affect you."

"On board this ship?" echoed the Spaniard. Then, with horrifiedgestures, as directed against some spectre, he unconsciously fellinto the ready arms of his attendant, who, with a silent appealtoward Captain Delano, seemed beseeching him not again to broach atheme so unspeakably distressing to his master.

This poor fellow now, thought the pained American, is the victimof that sad sup

erstition which associates goblins with the deserted body ofman, as ghosts withan abandoned house. How unlike are we made! Whatto me, in like case, would have been a solemn satisfaction, thebare suggestion, even, terrifies the Spaniardinto this trance. PoorAlexandro Aranda! what would you say could you see your friend-who, on former voyages, when you for months were left behind, has,I daresay, often longed, and longed, for one peep at you- nowtransported with terrorat the least thought of having you anywaynigh him.

At this moment, with a dreary graveyard toll, betokening a flaw,the ship's forecastle bell, smote by one of the grizzledoakum-pickers, proclaimed ten o'clockthrough the leaden calm; whenCaptain Delano's attention was caught by the moving figure of agigantic black, emerging from the general crowd below, andslowlyadvancing toward the elevated poop. An iron collar was abouthis neck, from whic

h depended a chain, thrice wound round his body; the terminatinglinks padlockedtogether at a broad band of iron, his girdle.

"How like a mute Atufal moves," murmured the servant.

The black mounted the steps of the poop, and, like a braveprisoner, brought upto receive sentence, stood in unquailingmuteness before Don Benito, now recovered from his attack.

At the first glimpse of his approach, Don Benito had started, aresentful shadowswept over his face; and, as with the sudden memoryof bootless rage, his whitelips glued together.

This is some mulish mutineer, thought Captain Delano, surveying,not without a mixture of admiration, the colossal form of theNegro.

"See, he waits your question, master," said the servant.

Thus reminded, Don Benito, nervously averting his glance, as ifshunning, by anticipation, some rebellious response, in adisconcerted voice, thus spoke:

"Atufal, will you ask my pardon now?"

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

12/50

The black was silent.

"Again, master," murmured the servant, with bitter upbraidingeyeing his countryman. "Again, master; he will bend to masteryet."

"Answer," said Don Benito, still averting his glance, "say butthe one word pardon, and your chains shall be off."

Upon this, the black, slowly raising both arms, let themlifelessly fall, his links clanking, his head bowed; as much as tosay, "No, I am content."

"Go," said Don Benito, with inkept and unknown emotion.

Deliberately as he had come, the black obeyed.

"Excuse me, Don Benito," said Captain Delano, "but this scenesurprises me; whatmeans it, pray?"

"It means that that Negro alone, of all the band, has given mepeculiar cause ofoffence. I have put him in chains; I --"

Here he paused; his hand to his head, as if there were aswimming there, or a sudden bewilderment of memory had come overhim; but meeting his servant's kindlyglance seemed reassured, andproceeded:

"I could not scourge such a form. But I told him he must ask mypardon. As yet he has not. At my command, every two hours he standsbefore me."

"And how long has this been?"

"Some sixty days."

"And obedient in all else? And respectful?"

"Yes."

"Upon my conscience, then," exclaimed Captain Delano,impulsively, "he has a roy

al spirit in him, this fellow."

"He may have some right to it," bitterly returned Don Benito;"he says he was king in his own land."

"Yes," said the servant, entering a word, "those slits inAtufal's ears once held wedges of gold; but poor Babo here, in hisown land, was only a poor slave; ablack man's slave was Babo, whonow is the white's."

Somewhat annoyed by these conversational familiarities, CaptainDelano turned curiously upon the attendant, then glancedinquiringly at his master; but, as if long wonted to these littleinformalities, neither master nor man seemed to understand him.

"What, pray, was Atufal's offence, Don Benito?" asked CaptainDelano; "if it wasnot something very serious, take a fool's advice,and, in view of his general docility, as well as in some naturalrespect for his spirit, remit his penalty."

"No, no, master never will do that," here murmured the servantto himself, "proud Atufal must first ask master's pardon. The slavethere carries the padlock, but master here carries the key."

His attention thus directed, Captain Delano now noticed for thefirst time that,

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

13/50

suspended by a slender silken cord, from Don Benito's neck hunga key. At once,from the servant's muttered syllables divining thekey's purpose, he smiled andsaid: "So, Don Benito- padlock and key-significant symbols, truly."

Biting his lip, Don Benito faltered.

Though the remark of Captain Delano, a man of such nativesimplicity as to be incapable of satire or irony, had been droppedin playful allusion to the Spaniard's singularly evidenced lordshipover the black; yet the hypochondriac seemed insome way to havetaken it as a malicious reflection upon his confessed inabilitythus far to break down, at least, on a verbal summons, theentrenched will ofthe slave. Deploring this supposed misconception,yet despairing of correcting it, Captain Delano shifted thesubject; but finding his companion more than everwithdrawn, as ifstill slowly digesting the lees of the presumed affrontabove-mentioned, by-and-by Captain Delano likewise became lesstalkative, oppressed, against his own will, by what seemed thesecret vindictiveness of the morbidly sensitive Spaniard. But thegood sailor himself, of a quite contrary disposition, refrained, onhis part, alike from the appearance as from the feeling ofresentment, and if silent, was only so from contagion.

Presently the Spaniard, assisted by his servant, somewhatdiscourteously crossedover from Captain Delano; a procedure which,sensibly enough, might have been allowed to pass for idle capriceof ill-humour, had not master and man, lingeringround the corner ofthe elevated skylight, begun whispering together in low voi

ces. This was unpleasing. And more: the moody air of theSpaniard, which at times had not been without a sort ofvaletudinarian stateliness, now seemed anythingbut dignified; whilethe menial familiarity of the servant lost its original charm ofsimple-hearted attachment.

In his embarrassment, the visitor turned his face to the otherside of the ship.By so doing, his glance accidentally fell on ayoung Spanish sailor, a coil ofrope in his hand, just stepped fromthe deck to the first round of the mizzen-rigging. Perhaps the manwould not have been particularly noticed, were it not that, duringhis ascent to one of the yards, he, with a sort of covertintentness,kept his eye fixed on Captain Delano, from whom,presently, it passed, as if bya natural sequence, to the twowhisperers.

His own attention thus redirected to that quarter, CaptainDelano gave a slightstart. From something in Don Benito's mannerjust then, it seemed as if the visitor had, at least partly, beenthe subject of the withdrawn consultation going on- a conjecture aslittle agreeable to the guest as it was little flattering tothehost.

The singular alternations of courtesy and ill-breeding in theSpanish captain were unaccountable, except on one of twosuppositions- innocent lunacy, or wickedimposture.

But the first idea, though it might naturally have occurred toan indifferent observer, and, in some respects, had not hithertobeen wholly a stranger to Captain Delano's mind, yet, now that, inan incipient way, he began to regard the stra

nger's conduct something in the light of an intentional affront,of course the idea of lunacy was virtually vacated. But if not alunatic, what then? Under thecirc*mstances, would a gentleman, nay,any honest boor, act the part now acted by his host? The man was animpostor. Some lowborn adventurer, masquerading as anoceanicgrandee; yet so ignorant of the first requisites of meregentlemanhoodas to be betrayed into the present remarkableindecorum. That strange ceremoniousness, too, at other timesevinced, seemed not uncharacteristic of one playing apart above hisreal level. Benito Cereno- Don Benito Cereno- a sounding name. One,too, at that period, not unknown, in the surname, to supercargoesand sea captains trading along the Spanish Main, as belonging toone of the most enterpris

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

14/50

ing and extensive mercantile families in all those provinces;several members ofit having titles; a sort of Castilian Rothschild,with a noble brother, or cousin, in every great trading town ofSouth America. The alleged Don Benito was inearly manhood, abouttwenty-nine or thirty. To assume a sort of roving cadetshipin themaritime affairs of such a house, what more likely scheme for ayoung knave of talent and spirit? But the Spaniard was a paleinvalid. Never mind. For even to the degree of simulating mortaldisease, the craft of some tricksters hadbeen known to attain. Tothink that, under the aspect of infantile weakness, the most savageenergies might be couched- those velvets of the Spaniard but thevelvet paw to his fangs.

From no train of thought did these fancies come; not fromwithin, but from without; suddenly, too, and in one throng, likehoar frost; yet as soon to vanish asthe mild sun of CaptainDelano's good-nature regained its meridian.

Glancing over once again toward Don Benito- whose side-face,revealed above theskylight, was now turned toward him- CaptainDelano was struck by the profile, whose clearness of cut wasrefined by the thinness incident to ill-health, as well as ennobledabout the chin by the beard. Away with suspicion. He was a trueoff-shoot of a true hidalgo Cereno.

Relieved by these and other better thoughts, the visitor,lightly humming a tune, now began indifferently pacing the poop, soas not to betray to Don Benito that be had at all mistrustedincivility, much less duplicity; for such mistrust wo

uld yet be proved illusory, and by the event; though, for thepresent, the circ*mstance which had provoked that distrust remainedunexplained. But when that little mystery should have been clearedup, Captain Delano thought he might extremely regret it, did heallow Don Benito to become aware that he had indulged in ungeneroussurmises. In short, to the Spaniard's black-letter text, it wasbest, for a while, to leave open margin.

Presently, his pale face twitching and overcast, the Spaniard,still supported by his attendant, moved over toward his guest,when, with even more than usual embarrassment, and a strange sortof intriguing intonation in his husky whisper, the followingconversation began:

"Senor, may I ask how long you have lain at this isle?"

"Oh, but a day or two, Don Benito."

"And from what port are you last?"

"Canton."

"And there, Senor, you exchanged your seal-skins for teas andsilks, I think yousaid?"

"Yes. Silks, mostly."

"And the balance you took in specie, perhaps?"

Captain Delano, fidgeting a little, answered-

"Yes; some silver; not a very great deal, though."

"Ah- well. May I ask how many men have you on board, Senor?"

Captain Delano slightly started, but answered:

"About five-and-twenty, all told."

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

15/50

"And at present, Senor, all on board, I suppose?"

"All on board, Don Benito," replied the captain now withsatisfaction.

"And will be to-night, Senor?"

At this last question, following so many pertinacious ones, forthe soul of himCaptain Delano could not but look very earnestly atthe questioner, who, insteadof meeting the glance, with every tokenof craven discomposure dropped his eyesto the deck; presenting anunworthy contrast to his servant, who, just then, was kneeling athis feet adjusting a loose shoe-buckle; his disengaged facemeantime, with humble curiosity, turned openly up into his master'sdowncast one.

The Spaniard, still with a guilty shuffle, repeated hisquestion:

"And- and will be to-night, Senor?"

"Yes, for aught I know," returned Captain Delano,- "but nay,"rallying himself into fearless truth, "some of them talked of goingoff on another fishing party about midnight."

"Your ships generally go- go more or less armed, I believe,Senor?"

"Oh, a six-pounder or two, in case of emergency," was theintrepidly indifferentreply, "with a small stock of muskets,sealing-spears, and cutlasses, you know."

As he thus responded, Captain Delano again glanced at DonBenito, but the latter's eyes were averted; while abruptly andawkwardly shifting the subject, he madesome peevish allusion to thecalm, and then, without apology, once more, with his attendant,withdrew to the opposite bulwarks, where the whispering wasresumed.

At this moment, and ere Captain Delano could cast a cool thoughtupon what had just passed, the young Spanish sailor beforementioned was seen descending from the rigging. In act of stoopingover to spring inboard to the deck, his voluminou

s, unconfined frock, or shirt, of coarse woollen, much spottedwith tar, openedout far down the chest, revealing a soiledunder-garment of what seemed the finest linen, edged, about theneck, with a narrow blue ribbon, sadly faded and worn. At thismoment the young sailor's eye was again fixed on the whisperers,and Captain Delano thought he observed a lurking significance init, as if silent signs of some freemason sort had that instant beeninterchanged.

This once more impelled his own glance in the direction of DonBenito, and, as before, he could not but infer that himself formedthe subject of the conference.He paused. The sound of thehatchet-polishing fell on his ears. He cast anotherswift side-lookat the two. They had the air of conspirators. In connection withthe late questionings, and the incident of the young sailor, thesethings nowbegat such return of involuntary suspicion, that thesingular guilelessness of t

he American could not endure it. Plucking up a gay and humorousexpression, he crossed over to the two rapidly, saying: "Ha, DonBenito, your black here seems high in your trust; a sort ofprivy-counsellor, in fact."

Upon this, the servant looked up with a good-natured grin, butthe master started as from a venomous bite. It was a moment or twobefore the Spaniard sufficiently recovered himself to reply; whichhe did, at last, with cold constraint: "Yes, Senor, I have trust inBabo."

Here Babo, changing his previous grin of mere animal humour intoan intelligent

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

16/50

smile, not ungratefully eyed his master.

Finding that the Spaniard now stood silent and reserved, as ifinvoluntarily, orpurposely giving hint that his guest's proximitywas inconvenient just then, Captain Delano, unwilling to appearuncivil even to incivility itself, made some trivial remark andmoved off; again and again turning over in his mind the mysteriousdemeanour of Don Benito Cereno.

He had descended from the poop, and, wrapped in thought, waspassing near a darkhatchway, leading down into the steerage, when,perceiving motion there, he looked to see what moved. The sameinstant there was a sparkle in the shadowy hatchway, and he saw oneof the Spanish sailors, prowling there, hurriedly placing his handin the bosom of his frock, as if hiding something. Before the mancould have been certain who it was that was passing, he slunk belowout of sight. But enough was seen of him to make it sure that hewas the same young sailor before noticed in the rigging.

What was that which so sparkled? thought Captain Delano. It wasno lamp- no match- no live coal. Could it have been a jewel? Buthow come sailors with jewels?-or with silk-trimmed undershirtseither? Has he been robbing the trunks of the dead cabinpassengers? But if so, he would hardly wear one of the stolenarticleson board ship here. Ah, ah- if now that was, indeed, asecret sign I saw passing between this suspicious fellow and hiscaptain awhile since; if I could only be certain that in myuneasiness my senses did not deceive me, then-

Here, passing from one suspicious thing to another, his mindrevolved the pointof the strange questions put to him concerninghis ship.

By a curious coincidence, as each point was recalled, the blackwizards of Ashantee would strike up with their hatchets, as inominous comment on the white stranger's thoughts. Pressed by suchenigmas and portents, it would have been almostagainst nature, hadnot, even into the least distrustful heart, some ugly misgivingsobtruded.

Observing the ship now helplessly fallen into a current, withenchanted sails, drifting with increased rapidity seaward; andnoting that, from a lately intercepted projection of the land, thesealer was hidden, the stout mariner began to qu

ake at thoughts which he barely durst confess to himself. Aboveall, he began tofeel a ghostly dread of Don Benito. And yet when heroused himself, dilated hischest, felt himself strong on his legs,and coolly considered it- what did allthese phantoms amount to?

Had the Spaniard any sinister scheme, it must have reference notso much to him(Captain Delano) as to his ship (the Bachelor'sDelight). Hence the present drifting away of the one ship from theother, instead of favouring any such possiblescheme, was, for thetime at least, opposed to it. Clearly any suspicion, combining suchcontradictions, must need be delusive. Beside, was it not absurd tothink of a vessel in distress- a vessel by sickness almostdismanned of her crew-a vessel whose inmates were parched forwater- was it not a thousand times absurd that such a craft should,at present, be of a piratical character; or her comm

ander, either for himself or those under him, cherish any desirebut for speedyrelief and refreshment? But then, might not generaldistress, and thirst in particular, be affected? And might not thatsame undiminished Spanish crew, allegedto have perished off to aremnant, be at that very moment lurking in the hold? Onheart-broken pretence of entreating a cup of cold water, fiends inhuman formhad got into lonely dwellings, nor retired until a darkdeed had been done. Andamong the Malay pirates, it was no unusualthing to lure ships after them into their treacherous harbours, orentice boarders from a declared enemy at sea, by the spectacle ofthinly manned or vacant decks, beneath which prowled a hundredspears with yellow arms ready to upthrust them through the mats.Not that Captain

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

17/50

Delano had entirely credited such things. He had heard of them-and now, as stories, they recurred. The present destination of theship was the anchorage. There she would be near his own vessel.Upon gaining that vicinity, might not the San Dominick, like aslumbering volcano, suddenly let loose energies now hid?

He recalled the Spaniard's manner while telling his story. Therewas a gloomy hesitancy and subterfuge about it. It was just themanner of one making up his tale for evil purposes, as he goes. Butif that story was not true, what was the truth? That the ship hadunlawfully come into the Spaniard's possession? But in many of itsdetails, especially in reference to the more calamitous parts, suchasthe fatalities among the seamen, the consequent prolonged beatingabout, the past sufferings from obstinate calms, and stillcontinued suffering from thirst; in all these points, as well asothers, Don Benito's story had been corroboratednot only by thewailing ejacul*tions of the indiscriminate multitude, whiteandblack, but likewise- what seemed impossible to be counterfeit-by the very expression and play of every human feature, whichCaptain Delano saw. If Don Benito'sstory was throughout aninvention, then every soul on board, down to the youngest Negress,was his carefully drilled recruit in the plot: an incredibleinference. And yet, if there was ground for mistrusting the Spanishcaptain's veracity,that inference was a legitimate one.

In short, scarce an uneasiness entered the honest sailor's mindbut, by a subsequent spontaneous act of good sense, it was ejected.At last he began to laugh atthese forebodings; and laugh at thestrange ship for, in its aspect someway sid

ing with them, as it were; and laugh, too, at the odd-lookingblacks, particularly those old scissors-grinders, the Ashantees;and those bed-ridden old knitting-women, the oakum-pickers; and, ina human way, he almost began to laugh at thedark Spaniard himself,the central hobgoblin of all.

For the rest, whatever in a serious way seemed enigmatical, wasnow good-naturedly explained away by the thought that, for the mostpart, the poor invalid scarcely knew what he was about; eithersulking in black vapours, or putting random questions without senseor object. Evidently, for the present, the man was not fit to beentrusted with the ship. On some benevolent plea withdrawing thecommandfrom him, Captain Delano would yet have to send her toConcepcion in charge ofhis second mate, a worthy person and goodnavigator- a plan which would prove nowiser for the San Dominickthan for Don Benito; for- relieved from all anxiety,

keeping wholly to his cabin- the sick man, under the goodnursing of his servant, would probably, by the end of the passage,be in a measure restored to healthand with that he should also berestored to authority.

Such were the American's thoughts. They were tranquillizing.There was a difference between the idea of Don Benito's darklypreordaining Captain Delano's fate,and Captain Delano's lightlyarranging Don Benito's. Nevertheless, it was not without somethingof relief that the good seaman presently perceived his whale-boatin the distance. Its absence had been prolonged by unexpecteddetention at thesealer's side, as well as its returning triplengthened by the continual recession of the goal.

The advancing speck was observed by the blacks. Their shoutsattracted the atten

tion of Don Benito, who, with a return of courtesy, approachingCaptain Delano,expressed satisfaction at the coming of somesupplies, slight and temporary as they must necessarily prove.

Captain Delano responded; but while doing so, his attention wasdrawn to something passing on the deck below: among the crowdclimbing the landward bulwarks, anxiously watching the coming boat,two blacks, to all appearances accidentally incommoded by one ofthe sailors, flew out against him with horrible curses, whichthesailor someway resenting, the two blacks dashed him to the deck andjumpedupon him, despite the earnest cries of the oakum-pickers.

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

18/50

"Don Benito," said Captain Delano quickly, "do you see what isgoing on there? Look!"

But, seized by his cough, the Spaniard staggered, with bothhands to his face, on the point of falling. Captain Delano wouldhave supported him, but the servantwas more alert, who, with onehand sustaining his master, with the other applied the cordial. DonBenito, restored, the black withdrew his support, slipping aside alittle, but dutifully remaining within call of a whisper. Suchdiscretionwas here evinced as quite wiped away, in the visitor'seyes, any blemish of impropriety which might have attached to theattendant, from the indecorous conferences before mentioned;showing, too, that if the servant were to blame, it mightbe morethe master's fault than his own, since when left to himself hecould conduct thus well.

His glance thus called away from the spectacle of disorder tothe more pleasingone before him, Captain Delano could not avoidagain congratulating Don Benito upon possessing such a servant,who, though perhaps a little too forward now andthen, must upon thewhole be invaluable to one in the invalid's situation.

"Tell me, Don Benito," he added, with a smile- "I should like tohave your man here myself- what will you take for him? Would fiftydoubloons be any object?"

"Master wouldn't part with Babo for a thousand doubloons,"murmured the black, o

verhearing the offer, and taking it in earnest, and, with thestrange vanity ofa faithful slave appreciated by his master,scorning to hear so paltry a valuation put upon him by a stranger.But Don Benito, apparently hardly yet completelyrestored, and againinterrupted by his cough, made but some broken reply.

Soon his physical distress became so great, affecting his mind,tool apparently,that, as if to screen the sad spectacle, theservant gently conducted his master below.

Left to himself, the American, to while away the time till hisboat should arrive, would have pleasantly accosted some one of thefew Spanish seamen he saw; butrecalling something that Don Benitohad said touching their ill conduct, he refrained, as a shipmasterindisposed to countenance cowardice or unfaithfulness in

seamen.

While, with these thoughts, standing with eye directed forwardtoward that handful of sailors- suddenly he thought that some ofthem returned the glance and with a sort of meaning. He rubbed hiseyes, and looked again; but again seemed to see the same thing.Under a new form, but more obscure than any previous one, theoldsuspicions recurred, but, in the absence of Don Benito, with lessof panicthan before. Despite the bad account given of the sailors,Captain Delano resolved forthwith to accost one of them. Descendingthe poop, he made his way throughthe blacks, his movement drawing aqueer cry from the oakum-pickers, prompted by whom the Negroes,twitching each other aside, divided before him; but, as if curiousto see what was the object of this deliberate visit to theirGhetto, closing in behind, in tolerable order, followed the whitestranger up. His progress

thus proclaimed as by mounted kings-at-arms, and escorted as bya Caffre guard of honour, Captain Delano, assuming a good-humoured,off-hand air, continued to advance; now and then saying a blitheword to the Negroes, and his eye curiouslysurveying the whitefaces, here and there sparsely mixed in with the blacks, like straywhite pawns venturously involved in the ranks of the chessmenopposed.

While thinking which of them to select for his purpose, hechanced to observe asailor seated on the deck engaged in tarringthe strap of a large block, with acircle of blacks squatted roundhim inquisitively eyeing the process.

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

19/50

The mean employment of the man was in contrast with somethingsuperior in his figure. His hand, black with continually thrustingit into the tar-pot held for him by a Negro, seemed not naturallyallied to his face, a face which would have been a very fine onebut for its haggardness. Whether this haggardness had aughtto dowith criminality could not be determined; since, as intense heatand cold,though unlike, produce like sensations, so innocence andguilt, when, through casual association with mental pain, stampingany visible impress, use one seal-a hacked one.

Not again that this reflection occurred to Captain Delano at thetime, charitable man as he was. Rather another idea. Becauseobserving so singular a haggardness to be combined with a dark eye,averted as in trouble and shame, and then, however illogically,uniting in his mind his own private suspicions of the crew with theconfessed ill-opinion on the part of their captain, he wasinsensibly operated upon by certain general notions, which, whiledisconnecting pain and abashment from virtue, as invariably linkthem with vice.

If, indeed, there be any wickedness on board this ship, thoughtCaptain Delano,be sure that man there has fouled his hand in it,even as now he fouls it in thepitch. I don't like to accost him. Iwill speak to this other, this old Jack here on the windlass.

He advanced to an old Barcelona tar, in ragged red breeches anddirty night-cap,cheeks trenched and bronzed, whiskers dense asthorn hedges. Seated between two

sleepy-looking Africans, this mariner, like his youngershipmate, was employedupon some rigging- splicing a cable- thesleepy-looking blacks performing the inferior function of holdingthe outer parts of the ropes for him.

Upon Captain Delano's approach, the man at once hung his headbelow its previouslevel; the one necessary for business. Itappeared as if he desired to be thought absorbed, with more thancommon fidelity, in his task. Being addressed, he glanced up, butwith what seemed a furtive, diffident air, which sat strangelyenough on his weather-beaten visage, much as if a grizzly bear,instead of growlingand biting, should simper and cast sheep's eyes.He was asked several questionsconcerning the voyage- questionspurposely referring to several particulars inDon Benito'snarrative- not previously corroborated by those impulsive criesgreeting the visitor on first coming on board. The questions werebriefly answered,

confirming all that remained to be confirmed of the story. TheNegroes about the windlass joined in with the old sailor, but, asthey became talkative, he by degrees became mute, and at lengthquite glum, seemed morosely unwilling to answer more questions, andyet, all the while, this ursine air was somehow mixed withhissheepish one.

Despairing of getting into unembarrassed talk with such acentaur, Captain Delano, after glancing round for a more promisingcountenance, but seeing none, spokepleasantly to the blacks to makeway for him; and so, amid various grins and grimaces, returned tothe poop, feeling a little strange at first, he could hardlytellwhy, but upon the whole with regained confidence in BenitoCereno.

How plainly, thought he, did that old whiskerando yonder betraya consciousness

of ill-desert. No doubt, when he saw me coming, he dreaded lestI, apprised by his captain of the crew's general misbehaviour, camewith sharp words for him, and so down with his head. And yet- andyet, now that I think of it, that very oldfellow, if I err not, wasone of those who seemed so earnestly eyeing me here awhile since.Ah, these currents spin one's head round almost as much as theydothe ship. Ha, there now's a pleasant sort of sunny sight; quitesociable, too.

His attention had been drawn to a slumbering Negress, partlydisclosed through the lace-work of some rigging, lying, withyouthful limbs carelessly disposed, under the lee of the bulwarks,like a doe in the shade of a woodland rock. Sprawli

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

20/50

ng at her lapped breasts was her wide-awake fawn, stark naked,its black littlebody half lifted from the deck, crosswise with itsdam's; its hands, like two paws, clambering upon her; its mouth andnose ineffectually rooting to get at themark; and meantime giving avexatious half-grunt, blending with the composed snore of theNegress.

The uncommon vigour of the child at length roused the mother.She started up, atdistance facing Captain Delano. But, as if not atall concerned at the attitudein which she had been caught,delightedly she caught the child up, with maternal transports,covering it with kisses.

There's naked nature, now; pure tenderness and love, thoughtCaptain Delano, well pleased.

This incident prompted him to remark the other Negresses moreparticularly thanbefore. He was gratified with their manners; likemost uncivilized women, they seemed at once tender of heart andtough of constitution; equally ready to die for their infants orfight for them. Unsophisticated as leopardesses; loving as doves.Ah! thought Captain Delano, these perhaps are some of the verywomen whom Mungo Park saw in Africa, and gave such a noble accountof.

These natural sights somehow insensibly deepened his confidenceand ease. At last he looked to see how his boat was getting on; butit was still pretty remote.He turned to see if Don Benito hadreturned; but he had not.

To change the scene, as well as to please himself with aleisurely observation of the coming boat, stepping over into themizzen-chains he clambered his way into the starboardquarter-galley; one of those abandoned Venetian-lookingwater-balconies previously mentioned; retreats cut off from thedeck. As his foot pressed the half-damp, half-dry sea-mossesmatting the place, and a chance phantom cat's-paw- an islet ofbreeze, unheralded, unfollowed- as this ghostly cat's-paw camefanning his cheek, his glance fell upon the row of small, rounddead-lights,all closed like coppered eyes of the coffined, and thestate-cabin door, once connecting with the gallery, even as thedead-lights had once looked out upon it,but now caulked fast like asarcophagus lid, to a purple-black, tarred-over panel, threshold,and post; and he bethought him of the time, when thatstate-cabinand this state-balcony had heard the voices of theSpanish king's officers, and

the forms of the Lima viceroy's daughters had perhaps leanedwhere he stood- asthese and other images flitted through his mind,as the cat's-paw through the calm, gradually he felt rising adreamy inquietude, like that of one who alone onthe prairie feelsunrest from the repose of the noon.

He leaned against the carved balustrade, again looking offtoward his boat; butfound his eye falling upon the ribboned grass,trailing along the ship's water-line, straight as a border of greenbox; and parterres of sea-weed, broad ovals and crescents, floatingnigh and far, with what seemed long formal alleys between, crossingthe terraces of swells, and sweeping round as if leading to thegrottoes below. And overhanging all was the balustrade by his arm,which, partly stained with pitch and partly embossed with moss,seemed the charred ruin of some summer-house in a grand garden longrunning to waste.

Trying to break one charm, he was but becharmed anew. Thoughupon the wide sea,he seemed in some far inland country; prisoner insome deserted chateau, left tostare at empty grounds, and peer outat vague roads, where never wagon or wayfarer passed.

But these enchantments were a little disenchanted as his eyefell on the corroded main-chains. Of an ancient style, massy andrusty in link, shackle and bolt, they seemed even more fit for theship's present business than the one for whichprobably she had beenbuilt.

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

21/50

Presently he thought something moved nigh the chains. He rubbedhis eyes, and looked hard. Groves of rigging were about the chains;and there, peering from behind a great stay, like an Indian frombehind a hemlock, a Spanish sailor, a marlingspike in his hand, wasseen, who made what seemed an imperfect gesture towardthe balcony-but immediately, as if alarmed by some advancing step along thedeck within, vanished into the recesses of the hempen forest, likea poacher.

What meant this? Something the man had sought to communicate,unbeknown to any one, even to his captain? Did the secret involveaught unfavourable to his captain? Were those previous misgivingsof Captain Delano's about to be verified? Or,in his haunted mood atthe moment, had some random, unintentional motion of theman, whilebusy with the stay, as if repairing it, been mistaken for asignificant beckoning?

Not unbewildered, again he gazed off for his boat. But it wastemporarily hiddenby a rocky spur of the isle. As with someeagerness he bent forward, watching for the first shooting view ofits beak, the balustrade gave way before him likecharcoal. Had henot clutched an outreaching rope he would have fallen into thesea.The crash, though feeble, and the fall, though hollow, of therotten fragments, must have been overheard. He glanced up. Withsober curiosity peering downupon him was one of the oldoakum-pickers, slipped from his perch to an outsideboom; whilebelow the old Negro- and, invisible to him, reconnoitring from aport-hole like a fox from the mouth of its den- crouched theSpanish sailor again.

From something suddenly suggested by the man's air, the mad ideanow darted intoCaptain Delano's mind: that Don Benito's plea ofindisposition, in withdrawingbelow, was but a pretence: that he wasengaged there maturing some plot, of which the sailor, by somemeans gaining an inkling, had a mind to warn the strangeragainst;incited, it may be, by gratitude for a kind word on first boardingtheship. Was it from foreseeing some possible interference likethis, that Don Benito had, beforehand, given such a bad characterof his sailors, while praising the Negroes; though, indeed, theformer seemed as docile as the latter the contrary? The whites,too, by nature, were the shrewder race. A man with some evildesign, would not he be likely to speak well of that stupiditywhich was blind to his depravity, and malign that intelligence fromwhich it might not be hidden? Notunlikely, perhaps. But if thewhites had dark secrets concerning Don Benito, could then DonBenito be any way in complicity with the blacks? But they weretoo

stupid. Besides, who ever heard of a white so far a renegade asto apostatize from his very species almost, by leaguing in againstit with Negroes? These difficulties recalled former ones. Lost intheir mazes, Captain Delano, who had now regained the deck, wasuneasily advancing along it, when he observed a new face: an agedsailor seated cross-legged near the main hatchway. His skin wasshrunk upwith wrinkles like a pelican's empty pouch; his hairfrosted; his countenance grave and composed. His hands were full ofropes, which he was working into a large knot. Some blacks wereabout him obligingly dipping the strands for him, hereand there, asthe exigencies of the operation demanded.

Captain Delano crossed over to him, and stood in silencesurveying the knot; hismind, by a not uncongenial transition,passing from its own entanglements to those of the hemp. Forintricacy such a knot he had never seen in an American ship

, or indeed any other. The old man looked like an Egyptianpriest, making Gordian knots for the temple of Ammon. The knotseemed a combination of double-bowline-knot, treble-crown-knot,back-handed-well-knot, knot-in-and-out-knot, and jamming-knot.

At last, puzzled to comprehend the meaning of such a knot,Captain Delano, addressed the knotter:-

"What are you knotting there, my man?"

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

22/50

"The knot," was the brief reply, without looking up.

"So it seems; but what is it for?"

"For some one else to undo," muttered back the old man, plyinghis fingers harder than ever, the knot being now nearlycompleted.

While Captain Delano stood watching him, suddenly the old manthrew the knot toward him, and said in broken English,- the firstheard in the ship,- something tothis effect- "Undo it, cut it,quick." It was said lowly, but with such condensation of rapidity,that the long, slow words in Spanish, which had precededandfollowed, almost operated as covers to the brief Englishbetween.

For a moment, knot in hand, and knot in head, Captain Delanostood mute; while,without further heeding him, the old man was nowintent upon other ropes. Presently there was a slight stir behindCaptain Delano. Turning, he saw the chained Negro, Atufal, standingquietly there. The next moment the old sailor rose, muttering, and,followed by his subordinate Negroes, removed to the forward part ofthe ship, where in the crowd he disappeared.

An elderly Negro, in a clout like an infant's, and with a pepperand salt head,and a kind of attorney air, now approached CaptainDelano. In tolerable Spanish,and with a good-natured, knowing wink,he informed him that the old knotter wassimple-witted, butharmless; often playing his old tricks. The Negro concluded

by begging the knot, for of course the stranger would not careto be troubled with it. Unconsciously, it was handed to him. With asort of conge, the Negro received it, and turning his back ferretedinto it like a detective Custom House officer after smuggled laces.Soon, with some African word, equivalent to pshaw, hetossed theknot overboard.

All this is very queer now, thought Captain Delano, with aqualmish sort of emotion; but as one feeling incipient seasickness,he strove, by ignoring the symptoms, to get rid of the malady. Oncemore he looked off for his boat. To his delight, it was now againin view, leaving the rocky spur astern.

The sensation here experienced, after at first relieving hisuneasiness, with unforeseen efficiency, soon began to remove it.The less distant sight of that wel

l-known boat- showing it, not as before, half blended with thehaze, but with outline defined, so that its individuality, like aman's, was manifest; that boat,Rover by name, which, though now instrange seas, had often pressed the beach of Captain Delano's home,and, brought to its threshold for repairs, had familiarly lainthere, as a Newfoundland dog; the sight of that household boatevoked athousand trustful associations, which, contrasted withprevious suspicions, filled Him not only with lightsome confidence,but somehow with half humorous self-reproaches at his former lackof it.

"What, I, Amasa Delano- Jack of the Beach, as they called mewhen a lad- I, Amasa; the same that, duck-satchel in hand, used topaddle along the waterside to the schoolhouse made from the oldhulk;- I, little Jack of the Beach, that used togo berrying withcousin Nat and the rest; I to be murdered here at the ends of

the earth, on board a haunted pirate-ship by a horribleSpaniard?- Too nonsensical to think of! Who would murder AmasaDelano? His conscience is clean. There issome one above. Fie, fie,Jack of the Beach! you are a child indeed; a child ofthe secondchildhood, old boy; you are beginning to dote and drool, I'mafraid."

Light of heart and foot, he stepped aft, and there was met byDon Benito's servant, who, with a pleasing expression, responsiveto his own present feelings, informed him that his master hadrecovered from the effects of his coughing fit, and had justordered him to go present his compliments to his good guest, DonAmas

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

23/50

a, and say that he (Don Benito) would soon have the happiness torejoin him.

There now, do you mark that? again thought Captain Delano,walking the poop. What a donkey I was. This kind gentleman who heresends me his kind compliments, he, but ten minutes ago,dark-lantern in hand, was dodging round some old grind-stone in thehold, sharpening a hatchet for me, I thought. Well, well; theselongcalms have a morbid effect on the mind, I've often heard,though I never believed it before. Ha! glancing toward the boat;there's Rover; a good dog; a white bone in her mouth. A pretty bigbone though, seems to me.- What? Yes, she has fallen afoul of thebubbling tide-rip there. It sets her the other way, too, forthetime. Patience.

It was now about noon, though, from the greyness of everything,it seemed to begetting toward dusk.

The calm was confirmed. In the far distance, away from theinfluence of land, the leaden ocean seemed laid out and leaded up,its course finished, soul gone, defunct. But the current fromlandward, where the ship was, increased; silently sweeping herfurther and further toward the tranced waters beyond.

Still, from his knowledge of those latitudes, cherishing hopesof a breeze, anda fair and fresh one, at any moment, CaptainDelano, despite present prospects,buoyantly counted upon bringingthe San Dominick safely to anchor ere night. Thedistance swept overwas nothing; since, with a good wind, ten minutes' sailing

would retrace more than sixty minutes' drifting. Meantime, onemoment turning tomark Rover fighting the tide-rip, and the next tosee Don Benito approaching, he continued walking the poop.

Gradually he felt a vexation arising from the delay of his boat;this soon merged into uneasiness; and at last, his eye fallingcontinually, as from a stage-boxinto the pit, upon the strangecrowd before and below him, and by-and-by recognizing there theface- now composed to indifference- of the Spanish sailor who hadseemed to beckon from the main-chains, something of his oldtrepidations returned.

Ah, thought he- gravely enough- this is like the ague: becauseit went off, it follows not that it won't come back.

Though ashamed of the relapse, he could not altogether subdueit; and so, exerting his good nature to the utmost, insensibly hecame to a compromise.

Yes, this is a strange craft; a strange history, too, andstrange folks on board. But- nothing more.

By way of keeping his mind out of mischief till the boat shouldarrive, he triedto occupy it with turning over and over, in apurely speculative sort of way, some lesser peculiarities of thecaptain and crew. Among others, four curious points recurred.

First, the affair of the Spanish lad assailed with a knife bythe slave boy; an

act winked at by Don Benito. Second, the tyranny in Don Benito'streatment of Atufal, the black; as if a child should lead a bull ofthe Nile by the ring in hisnose. Third, the trampling of the sailorby the two Negroes; a piece of insolence passed over without somuch as a reprimand. Fourth, the cringing submission to theirmaster of all the ship's underlings, mostly blacks; as if by theleast inadvertence they feared to draw down his despoticdispleasure.

Coupling these points, they seemed somewhat contradictory. Butwhat then, thought Captain Delano, glancing toward his now nearingboat,- what then? Why, this Don Benito is a very capriciouscommander. But he is not the first of the sort I h

7/28/2019 BENITO CERENO by Herman Melville

24/50

ave seen; though it's true he rather exceeds any other. But as anation- continued he in his reveries- these Spaniards are all anodd set; the very word Spaniard has a curious, conspirator,Guy-Fawkish twang to it. And yet, I dare say, Spaniards in the mainare as good folks as any in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Ah, good!Atlast Rover has come.

As, with its welcome freight, the boat touched the side, theoakum-pickers, withvenerable gestures, sought to restrain theblacks, who, at the sight of three gurried water-casks in itsbottom, and a pile of wilted pumpkins in its bow, hungover thebulwarks in disorderly raptures.

Don Benito with his servant now appeared; his coming, perhaps,hastened by hearing the noise. Of him Captain Delano soughtpermission to serve out the water, sothat all might share alike,and none injure themselves by unfair excess. But sensible, and, onDon Benito's account, kind as this offer was, it was received withwhat seemed impatience; as if aware that he lacked energy as acommander, DonBenito, with the true jealousy of weakness, resentedas an affront any interference. So, at least, Captain Delanoinferred.

In another moment the casks were being hoisted in, when some ofthe eager Negroes accidentally jostled Captain Delano, where hestood by the gangway; so that, unmindful of Don Benito, yielding tothe impulse of the moment, with good-naturedauthority he bade theblacks stand back; to enforce his words making use of ahalf-mirthful, half-menacing gesture. Instantly the blacks paused,just where the

y were, each Negro and Negress suspended in his or her posture,exactly as the word had found them- for a few seconds continuingso- while, as between the responsive posts of a telegraph, anunknown syllable ran from man to man among the perchedoakum-pickers. While Captain Delano's attention was fixed by thisscene, suddenly the hatchet-polishers half rose, and a rapid crycame from Don Benito.

Thinking that at the signal of the Spaniard he was about to bemassacred, Captain Delano would have sprung for his boat, butpaused, as the oakum-pickers, dropping down into the crowd withearnest exclamations, forced every white and everyNegro back, atthe same moment, with gestures friendly and familiar, almostjocose, bidding him, in substance, not be a fool. Simultaneouslythe hatchet-polishers resumed their seats, quietly as so manytailors, and at once, as if nothing had happened, the work ofhoisting in the casks was resumed, whites and blacks si

nging at the tackle.

Captain Delano glanced toward Don Benito. As he saw his meagreform in the