Today we continue the story "Benito Cereno". It was written by HermanMelville. Last week we told how African slaves on a Spanish shiprebelled in 1799. They killed most of the Spanish sailors, only theCaptain Benito Cereno and a few others were left alive. The leader ofthe rebellion was a slave named Babo. He ordered Captain Cereno tosail the ship back to Senegal - the slaves' homeland. But food andwater were low. So the ship stopped at an island of the coast of Chileto get the needed supplies. When it arrived, an American ship was inthe harbor. The American Captain Amasa Delano thought the Spanish shipmight be in trouble. He would offer help. Babo decided to remain closeto Captain Cereno and act as if he was the captain's slave. Babo wouldkill him if he told Captain Delano the truth about what happened.
Now, here is Shep O'Neal to continue our story.
As Captain Delano came up in his whaleboat, he saw that the other shipneeded scraping, tarring and brushing. It looked old and decayed. Heclimbed up the side and came aboard. He was quickly surrounded by acrowd of black men.
Captain Delano looked around for the man who commanded the ship. TheSpanish captain stood a little way off, against the main mast. He wasyoung looking, richly dressed, but seemed troubled and tired with thespirit gone out of him. He looked unhappily toward his Americanvisitor. At the Spanish captain's side stood a small black man with arough face. Captain Delano struggled forward through the crowd, wentup to the Spaniard and greeted him. He offered to help him in any wayhe could. Captain Benito Cereno returned the American's greetingpolitely, but without warmth.
Captain Delano pushed his way back through the crowd to the gangway.
He told his men to go and bring back as much water as they could, alsobread, pumpkins, sugar and a dozen of his private bottles of cider.
The whaleboat pushed off. Left alone, Captain Delano again observedwith fresh surprise the general disorder aboard ship. Some of the menwere fighting. There were no deck officers to discipline or controlthe violent ones. And everyone seemed to do as he pleased. CaptainDelano could not fully understand how this could have happened. Whatcould explain such a breakdown of order and responsibility?
He asked Don Benito to give him the full story of his ship'smisfortunes. Don Benito did not answer; he just kept looking at hisAmerican visitor as if he heard nothing. This angered Captain Delano,who suddenly turned away and walked forward to one of the Spanishseamen for his answer. But he had hardly gone five steps when DonBenito called him back.
"It is now 190 days," Don Benito began, “that the ship sailed fromBuenos Aires for Lima with a general cargo: pedigree, tea and thelike, and a number of Negroes now not more than 150 as you see, butthen numbering over 300 souls.
The ship was officered and well-manned with several cabin passengers,some 50 Spaniards in all.”
"Off Cape Horn we had heavy gales,"Captain Cereno coughed suddenly and almost collapsed. He felt heavilyagainst his body servant.
"His mind wandered," said Babo, "He was thinking of the disease thatfollowed the gales. My boor poor master. Be patient, Senor. Theseattacks do not last long. Master will soon be himself."Don Benito recovered, and in a broken voice continued his story. "Myship was tossed about many days in storms of Cape Horn. And then therewas an outbreak of scurvy. The disease carried off many whites andblacks. Most of my surviving seamen had become so sick that they couldnot handle the sails well. For days and nights we could not controlthe ship. It was blown northwestward. The wind suddenly left us inunknown waters with oppressive, hot calms. Most of our water was gone.
And we suffered terribly especially after a deadly fever broke outamong us. Whole families of blacks and many Spaniards, including everyofficer but myself, were killed by the disease."Don Benito paused. He looked down at the black man at his side. Baboseemed satisfied. The Spanish captain saw him take his hand from theknife hidden under his shirt.
Captain Delano thought nothing. His mind was filled with the terribletale he had just heard. Now he could understand why the other captainsseemed so shaken. He took down Don Benito's hand and promised to givehim all the help possible. He would give him a large permanent supplyof water and some sails, and equipment for sailing the ship. And healso promised to let Don Benito have 3 of his best seamen fortemporary deck-officers. In this way, the San Dominick could withoutdelay, start for Concepcion. There the ship could be fixed andprepared for its voyage to Lima.
Don Benito's face lighted up. He seemed excited by Captain Delano'sgenerous offer, but Babo appeared troubled. "This excitement is badfor master," Babo whispered, taking down Don Benito's arm and withsoothing words gently drawing him aside.
When Don Benito returned, Captain Delano observed that his excitementwas gone.
Captain Delano decided to talk of other matters, but the Spanishcaptain showed no further interest. He answered Captain Delano'squestions with sharp words and suddenly with an angry movement, hewalked back to Babo.
Captain Delano watched the two men whispering together in low voices.
It made an ugly picture, which Captain Delano found so extremelyunpleasant that he turned his face to the other side of the ship.
Their actions made Delano suspicious of Captain Cereno. He began towonder about him, his behavior, his coughing attacks, his weakness,his empty wild looks. Was he really half mad or a faker playing apart?
One moment Captain Delano had the worst suspicions of Don Benito, butthe next he felt guilty and ashamed of himself for having such doubtsabout the man.
Presently Don Benito moved back toward his guest, still supported byhis servant. His pale face twitched. He seemed more nervous than usualand there was a strange tone in his husky whisper as he spoke.
"May I ask how many men you have on board, Senor?"Captain Delano became uneasy but answered: "About 25 all total.""And at present, Senor, all on board?”
"All on board." Captain Delano answered.
"And will be tonight, Senor?" At this last question, Captain Delanolooked very seriously at Don Benito, who could not return the look butdropped his eyes to the deck.
Captain Delano could think of only one reason for such a question, butno. It was foolish to think that these weak and starving men couldhave any idea of seizing his ship. But still he remained silent.
"And will they be aboard tonight?” Again the question from DonBenito.
Captain Delano decided to answer truthfully. Some of his men hadtalked of going off on a fishing party about midnight. And he told DonBenito this.
As he answered, Captain Delano again looked straight at Don Benito,but the Spanish captain refused to meet his eyes. Then as before, hesuddenly withdrew with his servant and again the two men beganwhispering to each other in low voices.
Captain Delano tried to push the worry from his mind, but what werethose two strange men discussing?
That will be our story next week.
You have been listening to the VOA Special English program "AmericanStories". Your narrator was Shep O'Neal. We invite you to listen againnext week for the final part of "Benito Cereno" by Herman Melvill. I'mJim Tedder |