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English Year 1972
Angel
Family
Animal
Fate
Aristocracy
Form
Art
Astronomy
God Good and
Beauty
Government
Being
Habit
Can
Happiness
Chance
History
Change
Honor
Citiz
like, accidental destruction would put an end to the species. Any organism therefore to
he
is
this necessity
if
value
it
perfect individuals
and take their would remain even individuals possessed the power of continually
and
perfectly obvious that
of
species. Individ-
for this reason alone
new and
animals became immortal; it
its
uals are injured by the operation of exter-
should
death. 8
1
lived, the more defective and crippled it would become, and the less perfectly would
are not only valueless to the species, but
they are even harmful, for they take the place of those which are sound.
Hence by
the operation of natural selection, the
life
of our hypothetically immortal individual
would be shortened by the amount which useless to the species. It would be re-
was
and hence the larger individuals would probably decompose or diminish in size. The scarce,
deficiency of
nourishment would lead
to parts
of the organism not being renewed; they would become fixed, and liable to more or less slow
decomposition as dead parts within a living body. The smaller organisms would have a better chance of finding food, the larger ones less chance. That one which gave off several small portions to form each a new organism would have a better chance of leaving descendants like itself than one which divided equally or gave off a large part of itself. Hence it would happen that those which gave off very small portions would probably soon after cease to maintain their own existence while they would leave a numerous offspring. This state of things would be in any case for the advantage of the race, and would therefore, by natural selection, soon become established as the regular course of things, and thus we have the origin of old age,
decay,
when one
and death; for it is evident that more individuals have provided
or
viduals did not die they would soon multipl) inordinate!) and would interfere with each
number of successors they themconsumers of nourishment in a constantly increasing degree, are an injury to those successors. Natural selection therefore weeds them out, and in many cases favours such races as die almost immediately after they have left successors. Many moths and other insects are in this condition, living only to propagate their kind and then immediately dying, some not even taking any food in the perfect and re-
other's health)
productive
that.
l)\
accidental oi spontaneous fission, could
become two organisms, and thus multiply itself indefinitely without increasing in size beyond tfie limits most favourable foi nourishment and ii...
the
stroyed,
408
toidd not he thus exterminated: since be accidentally de
individual only could the
race
would
existence.
survive,
but
if
indi-
Food would become
a
sufficient
selves, as
state.
The Duration of
duced to a length which would afford the most favourable conditions for the existence of as large a
number
individuals, at the
same time.
by these considerations death
If
to
as possible of vigorous
be a beneficial occurrence,
follows that
is
shown
by no means
be solely accounted for
to
it is
it
on grounds of utility. Death might also depend upon causes which lie in the nature of life itself. The floating of ice upon water seems to us to be a useful arrangement,
although the fact that
upon
does
it
depends
float
molecular structure and not upon the fact that its doing so is of any advanits
manner
tage to us. In like
the necessity of
death has been hitherto explained
poraries believe that a race of
I
I
consider that death
not a primary necessity, but that
been secondarily acquired I
believe that
life is
it
has
an adaptation.
as
endowed with
duration, not because
it
a fixed
contrary to
is
its
existed
constructed, contain within
The
question
however arises as to how this has come to pass; and I reply that death is to be looked upon as an occurrence which is advantageous to the species as a concession to the outer conditions absolute
of
Death, that
is
and not
life,
essentially
necessity,
end
the
of
as
an
inherent
in
life,
by no
is
usually assumed, an attribute
is
An immense number
of all organisms.
of this explanation; is
now
themselves the germs of death.
means, as
in the validity
contem-
the least doubt, that the higher organisms, as they are
which are inherent in organic naand not to the fact that it may be
do not however believe
his
men
which the individuals died regularly every year on the 27th of November, and returned to life on the 24th of the following April. There cannot however be
life itself.
advantageous.
Weismann
in Russia, of
to causes ture,
made
Colonel Aless. Guaguino
due
as
Lite:
low organisms do not
die,
of
although they are
being killed by heat, poi-
easily destroyed,
As long, however, as those conditions which are necessary for their life are fulfilled, they continue to live, and they thus carry the potentiality of unending life sons, etc.
am
speaking not only of
nature to be unlimited, but because the
in themselves.
unlimited existence of individuals would
the
be a luxury without any corresponding ad-
but also of far more highly organized uni-
vantage.
upon leads
The above-mentioned
the
me
origin
and
hypothesis of
necessity
to believe that the
The
process of fission in the
Amoeba has I am well
been recently much discussed, and
not finally cease to renew the worn-out
cell
aware that the
material because the nature of the
did
erally believed to
cells
the low unicellular Algae,
cellular animals, such as the Infusoria.
death
organism did
I
Amoebae and
of the individual
life
come
not permit them to multiply indefinitely,
division which gives rise to two
but because the power of multiplying
viduals, as
was
definitely
lost
when
it
in-
ceased to be of
I
consider that this view,
if
not exactly
proved, can at any rate be rendered ex-
It is useless to
object that
the higher animals)
dies
man
(or
any of
from the physical
necessity of his nature, just as the specific
gravity of ice results from ture.
I
am
its
physical na-
quite ready to admit that this
is
John Hunter,* supported by his experiments on anabiosis, hoped to prolong
the case.
the
life
freezing
of
man
indefinitely
and thawing; and
by alternate the
Veronese
new
indi-
the same thing. But this process cannot be
What
is it
Where
that dies?
is
the dead body?
Nothing
dies; the
bod)
of the animal only divides into two siinil.n parts, possessing the
tremely probable.
gen-
death and reproduction were
if
truly called death.
use.
is
an end with the
to
of these parts
is
same constitution. Each
exactly
like
1
its
parent, lives
same manner, and finally also cli\ul( is into two hakes. As lar as these organisms are concerned, death can onl\ be spoken ol in the
in
the most
There
are
figurative sense.
no grounds
lot
the assumption
•(1728-93), English surgeon, anatomist, and physiologist.
409
Great Books Library
Amoeba
the two halves of an
thai
are dif-
ferently constituted internally, so that after
time our
them will die while the other continues to live. Such an idea is disproved l>\ a recently discovered fact. It has been .i
noticed
l
Euglypha (one of the Foraminilow animals of the same
in
and group,
in other
when
that
division
is
almost com-
and the two halves are only con-
plete,
there
nothing comparable
is
the higher organisms. Unicellular animals are too simply constructed for this to be
an infusorian
possible. If
some part
loss of
its
jury
too great
is
always
both parts begins to circulate, and for some
destruction.
complete mingling of the
whole substance of the animal and a resulting identity in the constitution of each half brought
thus
is
about
before
the
final
separation.
The it
parent animal does not exactly
vidual. it is
nevertheless disappears as an indi-
cannot however
I
also
let this
maintained that the
pass unless
man
of to-day
no longer the same individual as the boy of twenty years ago. In the growth of man, neither structure nor the components of structure remain precisely the same; the is
material
continually changing.
is
If
we can
an Amoeba endowed with selfconsciousness, it might think before dividimagine
ing "I will give birth to a daughter," and I
have no doubt that each half would
re-
paid the other as the daughter, and would consider itself to be the original parent.
We
cannot however appeal to
personality in the
of
this criterion
Amoeba, but
there
decide the matter:
to
uity of
Now with
life if
I
is
refer to the contin-
same form. numerous organisms, endowed in the
the potentiality of never-ending
life,
have real existence, the question arises as to whether the- fact can be understood from the
point
of
been shown for
the
view to
higher
of
be a
utility.
If
death has
necessary adaptation
organisms,
why should
it
not be so for the lower also? Are they not
decimated by enemies? Are they not often impelled:' \re they not worn out by contact
410
with the external world? Although they
it
The
dies.
if
often
the in-
alternative
or
integrity
may
complete
leave this part of the sub-
obvious that normal death,
is
death which
arises from interan impossibility among these lower organisms. In those species at any
that
to say,
is
is
which
fission
is
accompanied by a
circulation of the protoplasm of the parent,
must possess the same
the two halves
potentiality for
endowed
so
is
the species
if
the
that
clear
is
to persist,
other exactly
similar
must be endowed with equal
now
Let us
quali-
endowed with a unending life, and must be
Since one of them
ties.
consider
how
it
is
half
potentiality.
happened and plants,
it
that the multicellular animals
which arose from unicellular forms of life, came to lose this power of living for ever. The answer to this question is closely
bound up with
the principle of division of
labour which appeared
among
multicellu-
and which has gradually led to the production of greater and greater complexity in their lar
organisms
at
a
very early stage,
structure.
me
nevertheless a criterion which seems to
it
nal causes,
rate in
objection might perhaps be raised
that, if the die,
for
ject,
injured by the
is
body,
its
it
perfect
We may now
time passes backwards and forwards between
of
former integrity, but
recover
is
A
to that deteri-
oration of the body which takes place in
nected by a short strand, the protoplasm of
the two halves.
destroyed by other animals,
certainly
are
The
first
multicellular organism was prob-
but these units
ably a cluster of similar
cells,
soon
homogeneity. As the
lost their original
result of cells
the
mere
relative position,
were especially
fitted
to
some
of the
provide for
nutrition of the colony, while others
undertook the work of reproduction. Hence the single group would come to be divided into two groups of cells, which may be called
somatic and reproductive— the
cells
body as opposed to those which are concerned with reproduction. This differentiation was not at first absolute, and indeed
of the
it
is
not always so to-day.
Among
the lower
The Duration of
Metazoa, such as the polypes, the capacity for reproduction still exists to such a degree in the somatic cells, that a small number of
them are able to give rise to a new organism—in fact new individuals are normally produced by means of so-called buds. Furthermore,
well
it is
known
many
that
of the
higher animals have retained considerable powers of regeneration; the salamander can replace
its
lost tail or foot,
can reproduce
horns, eyes,
its
and the
snail
Weismann
Life:
tecting the individual from accidents, and from the deterioration which follows them.
Normal death could not
take place
among
unicellular organisms, because the individ-
and the reproductive cell are one and on the other hand, normal death possible, and as we see, has made its ap-
ual
the same: is
among
pearance,
multicellular organisms in
which the somatic and reproductive
cells
are distinct.
etc.
have endeavoured
I
death as
to explain
As the complexity of the Metazoan body increased, the two groups of cells became more sharply separated from each other. Very soon the somatic cells surpassed the reproductive in number, and during this increase they became more and more broken
have suggested that such restriction may conceivably follow from a limitation
up by
unable to indicate the molecular and chem-
into
As
the principle of the division of labour
separated systems of
sharply
tissues.
power
these changes took place, the
of
reproducing large parts of the organism was lost, while the power of reproducing the whole individual became concentrated in the reproductive cells alone.
But
it
somatic
power
does not therefore follow that the cells
of
were compelled to
unlimited
lose
the
cell-production,
al-
though in accordance with the law of heredity, they could only give rise to cells which resembled themselves, and belonged to the same differentiated histological system. But
normal death seems to teach us that they have lost even this power, the causes of the loss must be sought outside
the result of restriction in the powers of re-
production possessed by the somatic
and
in the
the organism, that life;
is
to say, in the external
and we have already seen
that death can be very well explained as a
acquired adaptation.
secondarily
productive
cells
The
re-
cannot lose the capacity
number
of cell-generations possible
and
for the cells of each organ
duration of
its
upon which the power of reproduction de-
demand an
explana-
tion of the nature of heredity— a
problem
pends: to ask this
is
to
occupy many generations of scientists. At present we can hardly venture to propose any explanation
may
the solution of which
still
of the real nature of heredity.
But the question must be answered as whether the kind and degree of reproductive power resides in the nature of the cell itself, or in any way depends upon the to
quality of
its
nutriment.
Virchow, in his Cellular Pathology, has
remarked that the
cells are
not only nour-
ished, but that they actively supply themselves
with food.*
condition of the
therefore the internal
If
cell
is
offered,
cells
may
it
whether
decides
shall accept or reject the
becomes conceivable that power of refusing
possess the
absorb nutriment, and therefore
which they belong would suffer extincBut the somatic cells have lost this power to a gradually increasing extent, so that at length they became restricted to a fixed, though perhaps very large number of cell-generations. This restriction, which
to
tion.
implies the continual influx of viduals,
has
new
been explained above
of
undergo further division, 'Modern embryology affords
proofs,
and
in
the segmentation
in
the
changes,
that
cmscs
forms of reproductive
f
us
the
all
to
ceasing
man) ovum,
developmental
subsequent the
it
nutriment which
for unlimited reproduction, or the species to
am
tissue. I
ical properties of the cell
as the fact of
conditions of
cells,
I
i
activity
the
different
witnessed
in
indias
a
result of the impossibility of entirely pro-
*
Rudolf Virchow (1821-1902), the founder of
cellular pathology. See
GBWW,
Vol.
3. p.
1213.
411
Great Books Library
cell*
the essential nature of the cells
in
lie
Wh)
themselves.
one
hall
eggs proceed twice as
certain
ol
as
rapidl)
does the segmentation of
Why do ectoderm divide so much
of the other half?
that
the cells of the
mote quickly than those of the endoderm? does not only the rate, but also the
\\'h\
produced (so far as we can follow them) always remain the same? Why
number
of cells
does the multiplication of
cells
every
in
part of the blastoderm take place with the
amount
exact
and rapidity
of energy
neces-
produce the various elevations,
sary to
invaginations,
which the different
in
etc.,
folds,
organs and tissues have their origin, and
from which
finally the
organism
itself arises?
There can be no doubt that the causes of these
all
phenomena
themselves; that in the
which
ovum and
immediately
are
derived
cells
(I
might almost say
Why
should
and
it
any more than that of unlimited is
as
everywhere a
maximum
our experience goes,
The mosquito
size,
There
life.
which, as far
never surpassed.
is
never reaches the
size of
an
elephant, nor the elephant that of a whale.
Upon what
does
this
depend?
tation entirely
Is
Or
external obstacle to growth?
there any
is
the limi-
imposed from within?
Perhaps you may answer, that there
is an between the increase of surface and mass, and it cannot be denied that these relations do largely deter-
established
mine the
relation
size of
never reach the
A
the body.
of an
size
cause, constituted as
it
it
is,
beetle could
elephant,
be-
would be
in-
from
dimensions. But nevertheless the relations
it,
specific)
not also exist in
mature animal? The phenomena of heredity which make their appearance even in old age afford us the young,
this that
capable
mode and energy of cell-multiplication. And why should we regard this inherited tendency as confined to the building up of the embryo?
we do not mean by
life,
they possess the power of unlimited growth
the cells
tendency towards a certain
there exists a
determined
within the
lie
animals are said to grow during the whole of their
later in the
existence
of
if
attained
it
such
between surface and mass do not form the why any given individual does
only reason
not exceed the average
size
Each individual does not the largest possible tion
from
its its
cause
cells
it
grow
to
becomes insuffigrow be-
ceases to
cannot be
ished in consequence of
species.
its
until the absorp-
digestive area
mass; but
cient for its
size,
of
strive to
nour-
sufficiently its
increased
size.
regulate the growth of the organism during
The giants which occasionally appear in the human species prove that the plan upon which man is constructed can also be car-
the whole of
ried out
proofs that a tendency towards a certain
mode
ol
he
I
continues
(ell-multiplication
its
to
life.
above-mentioned
considerations
show us that the degree of reproductive present
fit]
regulated
is
interna] causes, while the natural death
Ia ol
the tissues
in
an organism
is
the termination— the he-
reditary
limitation— of the process of
division,
which began in the segmentation
ol
the
ovum.
Ulow me tion
mer.
to suggest a
further considera-
which may be compared with the
The organism
is
time, but also in space: a
cell-
limited period, but
for-
not only limited in it
it
not onl\ lives for
can only attain
Many animals grow
a
limited
size.
lull si/e
long before their natural end: and
although
412
many
fishes,
reptiles,
to
their
and lower
on
a scale
the normal one.
which
If
is
far larger
the size of the
than
body
depends upon amount of nutriment, would be possible to make giants and dwarfs at will. But we know, on the contrary, that the size of the body is hereditary in families to a very marked extent; in fact so much so that the size of an individual depends chiefly upon heredity, and not upon amount of food. These observations point to the concluchiefly
it
sion
that the size of the individual
reality pre-determined, tially
and
that
it is
is
in
poten-
contained in the egg from which the
individual develops.
We know
further that the growth of the
individual depends chiefly
upon
the multi-
a
The Duration of plication of cells
upon
tent
and only
to a slight ex-
the growth of single
cells.
It
is
therefore clear that a limit of growth is imposed by a limitation in the processes by which cells are increased, both as regards the number of cells produced and the rate at which they are formed. How could we
otherwise explain the fact that an animal
grow long before
ceases to
its
has reached
it
the physiologically attainable
maximum
without at the same time
species,
of
suffer-
ing any loss of vital energy?
In
many
cases at least, the
duty of an organism,
upon
lows
the
viz.
tion—the
upon
most important
attainment of
full
fol-
size—
which induced Johannes Miiller to the prevailing hypothesis which explained the death of animals as due to "the
of
increase of which
gave
first
ture animal, cell-reproduction
but
time
compensates for
just
it
begins to decline. sated for,
the
The
tions incompletely, is
waste
environment,
inorganic
ginning," while the facts indicate that this is
not
why the egg should give rise to a fixed number of cell-generations, although perhaps a number which varies widely within certain limits, we may now refer to the operation of natural selection upon the relation of surface to mass, and upon other physiological necessities further asked
which are peculiar a certain size
is
to the species.
Because
the most favourable for a
certain plan of organization, the process of
natural selection size
determined that such
should be within certain variable This
characteristic of each species.
a
limits, size
is
then transmitted from generation to generation, for
when once
for the species, the
established as normal
most favourable
size is
potentially present in the reproductive
from which each individual If
that
conclusion holds, and
this
no
against
is
essential it,
cell
developed. I
believe
objection can be raised
some and then not compen-
loss, is
and thus the way
prepared, until
its
final
for
appearance
by one of the three great Atria mortis. I admit that which to base
reproduction of
deficient
same time
the
at
cells:
supposition gains in prob-
this
when we
ability
wanting upon is a pure changes are due to
facts are still
this hypothesis. It
are enabled to reduce the
limitations of the organism in both time
and space
to
one and the same principle.
cannot however be asserted under any
It
circumstances that that the
ovum
it
is
a pure supposition
possesses a capacity for cell-
multiplication which
so. 4
If it is
goes on, for
perform their func-
tissues
supposition that senile
the
still
no longer exceeds the waste;
it
a
of
rise to the char-
form of the mature body, and then continued at a slower rate. In the ma-
fact
which gradually wear away the life of the individual." He argued that, if this were the case, "the organic energy of an individual would steadily decrease from the be-
the rapid
cells,
acteristic
reject
influences
depends
life— also
the multiplication of
death
reproduction,
duration
Weismann
Life:
is
limited both as to
numbers produced and
rate of production.
The
fact
average
each species maintains an
that
size is a sufficient
proof of the truth
of this conclusion.
Hitherto
I
have only spoken of animals
and have hardly mentioned
plants.
should
I
not have been able to consider them
had
it
not happened that a work
at all,
Hilde-
i
brand's* has recently appeared, which has, for the
first
time, provided us with
exact
observations on the duration ol plant-life.
The
chief results obtained
this
l>\
agree very well with the view which
brought
before
you
also
is
that
by no
it
ma\
l
life
means completely be
\ci\
I
have
Eiildebrand
to-day.
shows that the duration
author
in
plants
fixed,
considerably
alti
and red
through the agency ol the externa] condi tions of lib'. He shows th.it, in COUTSC ol time,
and under (hanged conditions
entering
same
the
unlike
i
intriguante's one stnistei eye peering
across the Plaza from the Indian loop-hole oi
her dusk saya-y-manto. It
might have been but
Cap-
watched
might have deepened into some uneasiness had he not been a pertain Delano's surprise
of
company with
in
vapours,
at that day, associated with those
matin
Ear
from her cabin streamed equivocally enough; like the sun— In tins time hemisphered
sort of stories, seas,
the
much
on the run
a
facili
tated
foreshadowing
upon entering
however uninhabited
watch her— a proceeding not much
they
Delano's surprise, the stranger,
viewed through the
though
fitfully
meadows
Shadows present, deeper shadows to come. storms.
To Captain
flights
among which
that ocean.
but,
the
a
deception
oi the
longer the strangei
was
Ik appean manoeuvres, lie long it seemed hard t e rendered. But. .is it was, to
unwilling anew to subjei
I
himseli
i
rebuffs,
455
Tsm
»
,¥
[^
-f-
Benito Cereno: Melville
now
he resolved,
Dominick
had seen the San
that he
moored, immediately
safely
to
quit her, without further allusion to hos-
motioned toward his hat; then, in an instant, all was eclipsed in sinister muteness and gloom. Did this imply one brief, re-
pitality or business. Indefinitely
pentant relenting
his ulterior plans,
some iniquitous
ture
according
actions
future
to
His boat was ready
stances.
but
postponing he would regulate his fu-
his
host
still
him;
below.
Well,
tarried
thought Captain Delano,
circum-
to receive
he has little breeding, the more need to show mine. He descended to the cabin to bid a ceremonious, and,
it
may
if
be, tacitly rebukeful adieu.
But to his great satisfaction, Don Benito, as if he began to feel the weight of that treatment with which his slighted guest had,
return to
less
followed by remorse-
His
it?
moment, from
at the final
plot,
glance seemed to
last
express a calamitous, yet acquiescent farewell to Captain Delano forever.
Why
de-
cline the invitation to visit the sealer that
evening?
Or was
the Spaniard less hardened
Jew, who refrained not from supping at the board of him whom the same
than
the
What imported
night he meant to betray? all
those day-long enigmas
and contradic-
except they were intended to mystify,
tions,
not indecorously, retaliated upon him,
now
preliminary to some stealthy blow? Atufal,
supported by his servant, rose to his
feet,
the pretended rebel, but punctual shadow, that
moment
out.
He seemed
and grasping Captain Delano's hand, stood tremulous; too much agitated to speak. But the good augury hence drawn was suddenly
by his
dashed, by his resuming
there?
serve,
all his
with augmented gloom,
previous
as,
re-
on
With
his cushions.
turn of his
own
a corresponding re-
Captain
chilled feelings,
Delano bowed and withdrew. He was hardly midway in the narrow corridor, dim as a tunnel, leading from the cabin to the
stairs,
when
tolling for execution in
on
his ears. It
flawed
bell,
a sound, as of the
some
jail-yard, fell
was the echo of the
ship's
striking the hour, drearily re-
verberated in this subterranean vault. In-
a sentry, and more. Who, own confession, had stationed him Was the negro now lying in wait?
The Spaniard behind— his
with half-
averted eyes, he silently reseated himself
lurked by the threshold with-
fore:
The next moment, with clenched jaw and hand, he passed Atufal, and stood unharmed in the light. As he saw his trim ship lying peacefully at anchor, and almost within ordinary
and
fingers;
He
paused. In
minutest details of
all his
former distrusts
Hitherto, credulous good-nature had been too ready to furnish excuses for reasonable
Why
was the Spaniard,
fluously punctilious at times,
of
common
falling
plying
gravely
still
their
and heard the low, bu/zing whistle
and industrious hum ishers, still bestirring
endless occupation;
of
hatchet-pol-
the
themselves over their
and more than
all,
as
he saw the benign aspect of nature, taking
swept through him.
fears.
pa-
it,
on the short waves by the San Dominick's side; and then, glancing about the decks where he stood, saw the tiently rising
oakum-pickers
images far swifter than these sentences, the
he saw his house-
as
call;
hold boat, with familiar faces in
stantly,
with superstitious suspicions.
be-
the involuntary choice.
his
by a fatality not to be withstood, mind, responsive to the portent, swarmed
creature
rush from darkness to light was
to
so
now
super-
heedless
propriety in not accompanying
her innocent repose in
the
screened sun in the quiet
camp
shining out like the mild
light
ham's all
tent; as
these,
evening;
the
of the west
from
Abra-
charmed eve and ear took
with
the
chained
figure
i
in
the
den more irksome exertion that day. His last equivocal demeanour recurred. He had
and hand relaxed. Once phantoms which had mocked him, and felt something like a tinge of remorse, that. I>\ harbouring them
risen to his feet, grasped his guest's hand.
even for a moment, he should, by implica-
to the side his
departing guest? Did indispo-
sition forbid? Indisposition
had not
forbid-
black, clenched jaw
again he smiled
a!
the
457
Great Books Library
tion,
There was
a
hooked along interval,
a
few minutes' delay, while, in to the
sort
gangway. During
saddened
of
had
the kindly offices he
much
however
that day discharged
Ah, thought he, after good
actions one's conscience
may
is
never ungrateful, party
benefited
the
so
be.
Presently, his foot, in the
the
side-ladder,
his
act of de-
first
scent into the boat, pressed the of
this
satisfaction
over Captain Delano, at thinking of
for a stranger.
face
first
round
presented in-
ward upon the deck. In the same moment, he heard his
name
courteously sounded; and,
to his pleased surprise,
saw
Don
Benito ad-
vancing— an unwonted energy in
his air, as
moment, intent upon making amends for his recent discourtesy. With instinctive good feeling, Captain Delano, withdrawing his foot, turned and reciprocally advanced. As he did so, the Spaniard's at the last
if,
up
their curious eyes.
for the
Spaniard
tone, he said, "I can go no further; here I must bid you adieu. Adieu, my dear, dear Don Amasa. Go— go!" suddenly tearing his hand loose, "go, and God guard you better than me, my best friend." Not unaffected, Captain Delano would now have lingered; but catching the meekly admonitory eye of the servant, with a hasty farewell he descended into his boat, followed by the continual adieus of Don Benito, standing rooted in the gangway. Seating himself in the stern, Captain
Delano, making a
on end.
ordered the
off.
sufficient distance for the oars to
Don
The
be length-
instant that was done,
Benito sprang over the bulwarks,
fall-
ing at the feet of Captain Delano; at the
naked shoulder, and gently holding formed himself into a sort of
same time calling towards his ship, but in tones so frenzied, that none in the boat could understand him. But, as if not equally obtuse, three sailors, from three different and distant parts of the ship, splashed into
on
his
it
there,
crutch.
When
the two captains met, the Span-
iard again fervently took the
American,
at
the
hand
of the
same time casting an
earnest glance into his eyes, but, as before,
much overcome
ness has deceived
me; in no instance has he
to offend.
terminate as a
the servant seemed anxious to it.
And
so
still
presenting him-
and walking between the he advanced with them to-
crutch,
two captains, wards the gangway; while
as
if full
of
Benito would not go the hand of Captain Delano, but
let
kindly contrition,
it
if
intent
still,
swimming after upon his rescue.
asked what
Don
in his, across the black's body.
re-
this
their captain,
officer of the
meant.
To
as
boat eagerly
which, Captain
Delano, turning a disdainful smile upon the
unaccountable Spaniard, answered his part,
Meanwhile, as if fearful that the continuance of the scene might too much unstring his master,
the sea,
The dismayed
to speak.
have done him wrong, self-reproachfully thought Captain Delano; his apparent coldI
458
last salute,
The crew had their oars The bowsman pushed the boat a
boat shoved
hand
him, the servant, placing his master's
tained
open
gangway; but still Don Benito would not let go his hand. And yet, with an agitated
energy failed; so that, the better to support
self
lifted his
foot, to overstep the threshold of the
wise dropped.
meant
Waiting a moment
to relinquish his hold, the
now embarrassed Captain Delano
nervous eagerness increased, but his vital
too
side, look-
ing over into the boat, whose crew turned
obedience to his orders, the boat was being
stole
Soon they were standing by the
have betrayed an atheist doubt of the
ever-watchful Providence above.
that, for
he neither knew nor cared; but
it
seemed as if Don Benito had taken it into his head to produce the impression among his people that the boat wanted to kidnap him. "Or else— give way for your lives," he wildly added, starting at a clattering hub-
bub
in
the
ship,
above which rang the
tocsin of the hatchet-polishers;
and
seizing
Don Benito by
the throat he added, "this
plotting pirate
means murder!" Here,
apparent
verification
of
the
words,
in
the
Benito Cereno: Melville servant, a dagger in his hand,
was seen on the rail overhead, poised, in the act of leap-
ing, as if
with desperate
befriend
fidelity to
his master to the last; while, seemingly to
aid the black, the three white sailors were trying to clamber into the hampered bow.
Meantime, the whole host of negroes,
as
if
inflamed at the sight of their jeopardized
impended
captain,
one sooty avalanche
in
over the bulwarks. All
with what preceded, and what
this,
followed, occurred with such involutions of rapidity,
that
and
present,
past,
future
seemed one.
countenance
lividly
expressing
vindictive,
the centered purpose of his soul; while the
Spaniard, half-choked, was vainly shrinking away, with husky words, incoherent to all
but the Portuguese.
That moment, across the long-benighted mind of Captain Delano, a flash of revelation swept, illuminating, in unanticipated his host's whole mysterious demeanour, with every enigmatic event of the clearness,
day, as well as the entire past voyage of the
He
San Dominick. but his
own
smote Babo's hand down,
heart smote
him
With
harder.
Benito.
he withdrew his hold from Not Captain Delano, but
Benito,
the
Don Don
infinite pity
Seeing the negro coming, Captain Delano
had flung the Spaniard
aside,
almost in the
very act of clutching him, and, by the un-
black,
leaping
in
into
the
presented at Captain Delano's heart, the
had intended to stab. Both the black's hands were held, as, glancing up towards the San Dominick, Captain Delano, now with scales dropped from his eyes, saw the negroes, not in mis-
black seemed of purpose to have leaped
rule,
conscious
servant
in
his
his place, with promptly grappled the
shifting
recoil,
arms thrown up,
so
descent,
there as to his mark.
that
with dagger
But the weapon was
boat,
not in tumult, not as
Don
concerned for
frantically
if
mask
Benito, but with
wrenched away, and the assailant dashed down into the bottom of the boat, which now, with disentangled oars, began to speed
in ferocious piratical revolt. Like delirious
through the
on the poop. Prevented by
At
sea.
this juncture, the left
Delano, on one half-reclining
side,
Don
hand
of Captain
again clutched the
Benito, heedless that he
was in a speechless faint, while his right foot, on the other side, ground the prostrate negro; and his right arm pressed for added speed on the after oar, his eye bent forward, encouraging his men to their utmost. But here, the officer of the boat, who had at last succeeded in beating off the towing sailors, and was now, with face turned aft,
bowsman
torn away, flourishing hatchets, and knives,
black dervishes, the six Ashantees danced
from
their foes
springing into the water, the Spanish boys
were hurrying up
to
topmost
the
while such of the few Spanish already in the sea, helplessly
mixed
on
not
were descried,
less alert, in,
spars,
sailors,
with
the
hailed his
own
deck,
blacks.
Meantime Captain Delano vessel,
ordering the ports up, and the guns
run out. But by this time the (able of the San Dominick had been cut; and the fag« end,
in
lashing
whipped away
out,
the
at his oar,
suddenly
canvas shroud about the beak, sudden 1\
called to Captain Delano, to see
what the
vealing, as the bleached hull
assisting the
black was about; while a Portuguese oars-
towards the open ocean, death
man
what
ure-head, in a
Captain Del-
your leader."
shouted to him to give heed
to
ment on
the Spaniard was saying.
Glancing down
at his feet,
ano saw the freed hand of the servant aiming with a second dagger— a small one, before
concealed in his wool— with
this
he
was snakishly writhing up from the boat's bottom,
at
the
heart
of
his
master,
his
At the face,
human
re
swung round foi
the
skeleton: chalk)
fi.u
com
the chalked words below. "Follow
sight,
wailed
Don
out:
Benito,
"'lis
he,
covering lus
Arandal
my
calling
for
murdered, unburied friend!"
Upon ropes,
reaching
Captain
the
sealer,
Delano bound the negro, 459
Benito Cereno: Melville
who made no
and had him
resistance,
He would then have assisted the now almost helpless Don Benito up the side; but Don Benito, wan as he was,
hoisted to the deck.
refused to move, or be moved, until the
negro should have been
When,
of view.
first
put below out
presently assured that
was
it
done, he no more shrank from the ascent.
The back
was
boat
to pick
up
immediately
sailors.
Meantime, the guns were in readiness, though, owing to the San Dominick having glided somewhat astern of the sealer, only the aftermost one could be brought to bear.
With
this,
they fired six times; thinking to
cripple the fugitive ship by bringing
down
her spars. But only a few inconsiderable ropes were shot away. Soon the ship was
beyond the gun's range, steering broad out of
bay;
the
round
the
the
blacks
thickly
clustering
moment
one
bowsprit,
with
taunting cries towards the whites, the next
with upthrown gestures hailing the
now
dusky moors of ocean— cawing crows
es-
caped from the hand of the fowler. The first impulse was to slip the cables
and give to
upon second
chase. But,
thoughts,
pursue with whale-boat and yawl seemed
The
officers
inquiring of
Don
Benito what
connected
for reasons
also,
with their interests and those of the voyage,
and
a duty
owing
to the owners, strongly
Weighing their remonstrances a moment, Captain Delano felt bound to remain; appointing his chief mate— an athletic and resolute man, who had been a privateer'sman— to head the party. The more to encourage the the
they were
sailors,
Spanish
captain
fire-
told,
that
his
ship
considered
good as lost; that she and her cargo, including some gold and silver, were worth more than a thousand doubloons. Take her, and no small part should be theirs. The sailors replied with a shout.
The
fugitives
had now almost gained an
was nearly night; but the moon was rising. After hard, prolonged pulling, the boats came up on the ship's quarters, at offing.
It
upon their Having no
a suitable distance lying
discharge their muskets. to return, the
upon
the second volley,
fingers.
One
oars to bullets
yells.
But,
Indian-like,
they
negroes sent their
hurled their hatchets.
more promising.
Upon
"What! have you saved my life, Sefior, and are you now going to throw away your own?"
objected against their commander's going.
dispatched
swimming
the three
grasped his arm.
took
off a sailor's
Another struck the whale-boat's bow.
arms they had on board the San Dominick, Captain Delano was answered that they had
cutting off the rope there, and remaining
none
Snatching
because, in the
that could be used;
earlier stages of the
mutiny, a cabin-passen-
stuck in the gunwale like a
the
mate hurled
now
gauntlet
what few muskets there were. But with all his remaining strength, Don Benito entreated the American not to give
quarter-gallery,
chase,
either
with
ship
or
boat;
for
the
negroes had already proved themselves such desperadoes, that, in case of a present assault,
nothing but a
total
whites could be looked
for.
massacre of the But, regarding
The
and
its
the
Hovering now
just
encounter
broken
out
which
a
reception,
respectful distance
reach
of
hurtling hatchets, they, with close
returned
ship's
so remained.
more
a
axe,
lodgment,
The
back. in
negroes giving too hot
the whites kept
a
must
ol
tin
view
to the
soon
come,
SOUght to decoN the blacks into eniiieh (lis arming themselves l their most murderous
hand-to-hand
warning as coming from one whose spirit had been crushed by misery, the
weapons
American did not give up his design. The boats were got ready and aimed Captain Delano ordered his men into them. He was going himself when Don Benito
mark, into the
this
it
stuck
ger, since dead, had secretly put out of order
the locks of
woodman's
quivering from
it,
in
a
ishly flinging
ing
the
them, sea.
stratagem,
their
lost
I"1
i>\
ol
the
But. eie Long, peiceix
the
though not before main place
fight,
as missiles, shoit
negroes ol
desisted.
them had
hatchets with
to ie
handspikes; 461
Great Books Library
exchange
an
proved,
which,
as
upon,
counted
favourable
end,
the
in
the
to
assailants.
Meantime, with
wind, the ship
a strong
clove the water; the boats alternately
still
falling behind,
and pulling up,
to discharge
was mostly directed towards the
fire
since
stern,
like
sprang
they
huzza,
where,
inboard,
en-
tangled, they involuntarily separated again.
For a few breaths' space, there was a vague,
fresh volleys.
The
and one without, plying their carters' whips. But in vain. They were almost overborne, when, rallying themselves into a squad as one man, with a bulwarks,
cutlasses
there,
chiefly,
present, were clustering.
the negroes, at
But
to kill or
maim
muffled, inner sound, as of
rushing
fish
shoals
of
hither
black-fish.
submerged sword-
and
thither
through
a
reunited
Soon,
in
To take To do
band, and joined by the Spanish seamen,
them, with the ship, was the object.
the whites
must be boarded; which could not be done by boats while she was sailing
driving the negroes toward the stern. But a
so fast.
he called to them to descend to
side, had been thrown up by the main-mast. Here the negroes faced about, and though scorning peace or truce, yet fain would have had respite. But, without pause, overleaping
and
the
negroes was not the object.
the
the ship
it,
A
thought
now
struck the mate. Observ-
ing the Spanish boys
could
get,
the yards,
still aloft,
cut adrift the
high
as they
It
sails.
was
done. About this time, owing to causes hereafter
be shown, two Spaniards, in the
to
and conspicuously showing
dress of sailors,
themselves, were killed; not by volleys, but
by deliberate marksman's shots; while, as
it
afterwards appeared, by one of the general discharges, Atufal, the black,
iard at the
helm
and the Span-
likewise were killed.
What
and loss of the ship became unmanageable to
now, with the leaders,
loss of the sails,
With creaking ing
to the
into
to the surface, irresistibly
barricade of casks and sacks, from side to
the
barrier,
unflagging
closed. Exhausted, the blacks
sailors
now
again
fought in
Their red tongues lolled, wolf-like, black mouths. But the pale sailors' teeth were set; not a word was spoken; and in five minutes more, the ship was won. Nearly a score of the negroes were killed. Exclusive of those by the balls, many were mangled; their wounds— mostly inflicted by despair.
from
the
their
long-edged
resembling
sealing-spears,
those shaven ones of the English at Preston
the negroes.
round
came
masts,
came heavily
she
wind; the prow slowly swing-
view of the boats,
skeleton
its
made by
Pans,
Highlanders. killed,
On
the
poled scythes of the
the other side,
none were
though several were wounded; some
The
gleaming in the horizontal moonlight, and
severely, including the mate.
shadow upon the water. One extended arm of the ghost
negroes were temporarily secured, and the
casting a gigantic ribbed
seemed beckoning the whites to avenge it. "Follow your leader!" cried the mate; and, one on each bow, the boats boarded. Seating-spears and cutlasses crossed hatchets and handspikes. Huddled upon the long-
ship,
surviving
towed back into the harbour
night, once
more
at
mid-
lay anchored.
Omitting the incidents and arrangements it that, after two days spent
ensuing, suffice
in refitting, the ships sailed in
company
for
Concepcion, in Chile, and thence for Lima,
boat amidships, the negresses raised a wail-
in Peru; where, before the vice-regal courts,
ing chant, whose chorus was the clash of
the whole affair, from the beginning, underwent investigation. Though, midway on the passage, the illfated Spaniard, relaxed from constraint, showed some signs of regaining health with
i
eel.
For roes
time,
a
the
attack
wedging themselves
wavered; to beat
it
the half-repelled sailors, as yet unable
gain
a
saddle,
462
the
back; to
footing, fighting as troopers in the
one
leg
sideways
flung
over
the
free-will;
yet,
agreeably
to
his
own
fore-
boding, shortly before arriving at Lima, he
Benito Cereno: Melville
becoming
relapsed, finally
so
reduced
as to
be carried ashore in arms. Hearing of his
one of the many religious opened an hospitable refuge to him, where both physician and priest were his nurses, and a mem-
and
story
one
plight,
order volunteered
the
and
special guardian
be his
to
consoler, by night
and by day.
The following extracts, translated from one of the official Spanish documents, will, it is hoped, shed light on the preceding
Declaration
the
of
The same day and month and year, His Honour, Doctor Juan Martinez de Rozas, Councillor of the Royal Audience of this Kingdom, and learned in the law of this Intendency, ordered the captain of the ship San Dominick, Don Benito Cereno, to ap-
first
place, re-
pear; which he did in his
and true
by the
narrative, as well as, in the
down
history of the San Dominick's voyage,
time of her touching at the island of
But, ere the extracts come,
it
may
be well
them with a remark. document selected, from
The many others,
for partial
among
translation,
con-
tains the deposition of Benito Cereno; the
taken
in
the
case.
Some
Infelez; of
litter,
whom
disclosures
attended
he received
the oath, which he took by God, our Lord,
and
a Sign of the Cross; under which he
of the act,
commencing
on the twentieth
that
whatever he
to tell the truth of
should know and should
be
being interrogated agreeably
to preface
first
monk
promised
Santa Maria.
Don
Witness,
first
Benito Cereno.
veal the true port of departure
to the
the following
me was made:
declaration before
institutions of the City of Kings
ber of
the ship San Dominick,
of
and
asked;
the tenor
to
the process, he said, of
May
last,
he
produce of the country beside hardware and one hundred
therein were, at the time, held dubious for
with
both learned and natural reasons. The tribunal inclined to the opinion that the
thirty cases of
and
deponent, not undisturbed in his mind by
longing to
recent events, raved of some things which
man,
could never have happened. But subsequent
of the ship consisted of thirty-six
depositions of the surviving sailors, bearing
side
out the revelations of their captain in sev-
that the negroes were in part as follows:
the
of
eral
strangest
credence to the in
its
rest.
sixty blacks, of both sexes, mostly
Don Alexandro Aranda, Mendoza;
of the City of
who went
the persons
be-
gentle-
that the crew
men,
be-
as passengers;
[Here, in the original, follows a
So that the tribunal,
final decision, rested its capital sen-
upon statements which, had they lacked confirmation, it would have deemed but duty to
the
gave
particulars,
tences
it
set
with his ship from the port of Valparaiso, bound to that of Callao; loaded sail
some
fifty
of
list
names, descriptions, and ages,
compiled from certain recovered documents and also from recollections of
of Aranda's
the deponent, from which portions onl\ arc
reject.
extracted.]
I,
Don
Jose de Abos and Padilla, His
Majesty's Notary for the Royal Revenue,
and Register Public
Bishoprick,
Do
of this Province,
the
of
Holy
and Notary
Crusade
of
this
and
declare,
as
much
as
is
requisite in law, that, in the criminal cause
commenced
andro, and xuho speaks well the Spanish,
having served him
etc.
certify
—One, from about eighteen to nineteen named Josi, and this was the man Ilex that waited upon his master. Don
years,
the twenty-fourth of the
month
of September, in the year seventeen hundred and ninety-nine, against the negroes
a
mulatto,
\ur or free years; •
named
I-'raneeseo.
the
*
*
cabin
steward, of a good person and voice having sun^ in the Valparaiso churches, native of (he province Of
Buenos Ayres, aged about
thirty-five years. * * *
A
smart negro,
named 463
Great Books Library
.
digger years.
who had been for many years a graveamong the Spaniards, aged forty-six * * * Four old negroes, born in from
Africa,
sixty
seventy, but sound,
to
the
first
whose names are as follows: was named Mure, and he was killed
(as
was
also his son
named Diamelo);
Nacta;
third,
calkers by trade,
second,
the
the
likewise
Yola,
Ghofan; and six fullgrown negroes, aged from thirty to fortyfive, all raw, and born among the Ashantees —Matinqui, Yau, Lecbe, Mapenda, Yambaio, the fourth,
killed;
whom
made them-
wounded went through
to
it
the cockpit,
without any hindrance on their part; that
during the act of revolt, the mate and another person, whose name he does not recol-
attempted
lect,
to
come up through
the
hatchway, but being quickly wounded, were obliged
to
return
cabin; that
the
to
the
deponent resolved at break of day to come up the companion-way, where the negro
have been a chief in Africa, his great store by him. * * * And a
such atrocities, asking them, at the same
were killed;
*
*
*
a
to
owner
set
small
negro
some years
but
Senegal,
of
Spaniards, aged about
the
which negro's name was Babo;
*
*
thirty, *
that
he does not remember the names of the others, but that still expecting the residue of
Don
negroes
Babo was, being the ringleader, and Atufal, who assisted him, and having spoken to
of
powerful negro named Atufal,
among
in the act of revolt the
selves masters of the hatchway, six or seven
who being
Akim, four supposed
themselves, remained also alive. Although
Alexandro's papers will be found, will
then take due account of them all, and remit to the court; * * * and thirty-nine
women and
children of
[The catalogue
all ages.
over, the deposition goes
on:
them, exhorted them to cease committing
what they wanted and intended to himself, to obey their commands; that notwithstanding this, they threw, in his presence, three men, alive and tied, overboard; that they told the deponent to come up, and that they would not kill him; which having done, the negro Babo asked him whether there were in those seas any negro countries where they might be carried, and he answered them, No; that time,
do,
offering,
the negro
Babo afterwards
them
Senegal, or to the neighbouring
to
told
him
to carry
and he answered, was impossible, on account of the
islands of St. Nicholas; *
*
That
*
deck, as
is
customary in
none wore
fetters,
tractable; * * * that
leaving port, at
morning,
all the
this
because the owner, his
friend Aranda, told
ter
upon navigation, and
the negroes slept
all
him
that they were on the seventh day
three
o'clock
all af-
the
in
Spaniards being asleep ex-
cept two officers of the watch,
who were
the
Juan Robles, and the carpenter, Juan Bautista Gayete, and the helmsman and his boy, the negroes revolted sudboat-swain,
denly,
wounded dangerously
and the carpenter, and -en
upon
men
of
those
the boat-swain
successively killed
who were
some with handspikes and others by throwing them
overboard, after tying them;
Spaniards upon deck, they as
left
that
464
distance,
the
involved
necessity
of
rounding Cape Horn, the bad condition of the vessel, the want of provisions, sails, and water; but that the negro Babo replied to him he must carry them in any way; that they would do and conform themselves to anything the deponent should require as to eating and drinking; that after a long conference, being absolutely compelled to please
them, for they threatened if they were not, at
whites
ried to Senegal, he told
to
kill
all
the
all events, car-
them
that
what was
and alive
thence they would proceed on their course;
the
that the negro Babo agreed to it; and the deponent steered towards the intermediate ports, hoping to meet some Spanish or foreign vessel that would save them; that
of
about seven,
he thinks, alive and tied, to manoeuvre
the ship,
great
most wanting for the voyage was water; that they would go near the coast to take it, and
sleeping
deck,
hatchets,
that this
and three or four more, who hid
Benito Cereno: Melville
within ten or eleven days they saw the land,
the death of
and continued
would
cinity of
their course by
in the vi-
it
Nasca; that the deponent observed
that the negroes were
now
restless
and mu-
tinous, because he did not effect the taking in
of
water,
the
negro Babo having
quired, with threats, that
without
fail,
re-
should be done,
it
the following day; he told
him
he saw plainly that the coast was steep, and
maps were not
the rivers designated in the to be
found, with other reasons suitable
to
Don Alexandro,
best be given; but, that
that the death of
Don Alexandro was
ponent,
all
him and
he should perceive any
the rest; that the de-
the friend,
from youth,
of
Alexandro, prayed and conjured, but was useless; for the negro Babo answered
nent did not go to Pisco, that was near, nor
moment
who was
Don
island, as the foreigners did; that the depo-
make any other port of the coast, because the negro Babo had intimated to him several times, that he would kill all the whites
in-
Raneds, who was sleeping in the cabin, before the thing was done, for fear, as the deponent understood it, that the mate, who was a good navigator, should be killed with
Don Alexandro and
being a solitary
this last
tended; and moreover the negro Babo proposed to the deponent to call the mate
be to go to the island of they might water easily,
it
warning
meant, the deponent did not at the time comprehend, nor could not, further than
the circumstances; that the best
way would Santa Maria, where
that
what
if
in
that the thing could not be prevented, that all the Spaniards risked their death
they should attempt to frustrate his will this matter, or
any other,
that, in
this
Santa Maria, as the deponent had planned,
deponent called the mate, Raneds, who was forced to go apart, and immediately the negro Babo commanded the Ashantee Matinqui and the Ashantee Lecbe to go and commit the murder; that
for the purpose of trying whether, on the
those two went
passage or near the island
berth of
the very city,
town, or settlement of any kind on the
shores to which they should be carried: that
having determined
to
go
to
the island of
itself,
they could
conflict,
the
Don
down
with hatchets to the
Alexandro;
that, yet half alive
find any vessel that should favour them, or
and mangled,
whether he could escape from it in a boat to the neighbouring coast of Arauco, to adopt the necessary means he immediately changed
that they were going to throw
him on deck; him overboard in that state, but the negro Babo stopped them, bidding the murder be com-
his course, steering for the island; that the
pleted on the deck before him, which was
negroes
Babo and Atufal held
ferences, in
daily
con-
which they discussed what was
necessary for their design of returning to
they dragged
done, when, by his orders, the body was carried below, forward; that nothing
was seen of
it
Don Alonzo
Senegal, whether they were to kill all the
days; * * * that
Spaniards, and particularly the deponent;
man, long resident
that eight days after parting
from
the coast
of Nasca, the deponent being on the watch a little after day-break, and soon after the
negroes had their meeting, the negro
Babo
appointed
more
by the deponent for three Sidonia, an old
Valparaiso,
at
and
to a civil office in Peru,
he had taken passage, was ing in the berth opposite
awakening at his them, and at the sight that
at the
lately
whi her t
time sleep-
Don Alexandro's;
cries,
surprised
by
came to the place where the deponent was, and told him that he had determined to kill his master, Don Alexandro Aranda, both because he and his companions could not otherwise be sure of their liberty, and that to keep the seamen in subjection, he wanted to prepare a warning of what road they
short time after killing Aranda. they brought
should be made to take did they or any of them oppose him; and that, by means of
Don
their
bloody hatcJiets
of the negroes with in
their
hands,
he
threw himself into the sea through a window which was near him, and was drowned, without nent to
it
being
assist
Upon deck
his
power him up;
in the
or take
of the depo•
•
•
(hat a
(ousin-german, of middle-age.
Francisco Masa, of Mendoza, and the
465
Great Books Library
young Don Joaquin, Marques de Aramboathen lately from Spain, with his Spanish
laza,
servant Ponce,
A ran da,
and
the three
young
clerks
peated the words in the *
the deponent; *
*
being then assembled
iards),
place said to
first
that they (the Spanaft,
Babo harangued them, saying
the negro
though they made no resistance, nor begged
had deponent (as navigator for the negroes) might pursue his course, warning him and all of them that they should, soul and body, go the way of Don Alexandro, if he saw them (the Spaniards) speak or plot anything against them (the negroes), a threat which was repeated every day; that, before the events last mentioned, they had tied the cook to throw him overboard, for it is not known what thing they heard him speak, but finally the negro
for anything else but mercy; that the boat-
Babo spared
of
Jose Morairi, Lorenzo Bargas,
and Hermenegildo Gandix, all of Cadiz; that Don Joaquin and Hermenegildo Gandix, the
negro Babo, for purposes hereafter preserved alive; but Don Fran-
to appear,
Masa,
cisco
and Lorenzo
Morairi,
Jose
Bargas, zuith Ponce the servant, beside the
Juan Robles, the boat-swain's Viscaya and Roderigo Hurta,
boat-swain,
mates,
Manuel
Babo
or-
dered to be thrown alive into the sea,
al-
and four
of the sailors, the negro
swain Juan Robles,
who knew how
to
swim,
kept the longest above water, making acts
words he utdeponent to cause mass to be said for his soul to our Lady of Succour; * * * that, during the three days which followed, the deponent, uncertain what fate had befallen the remains of Don of contrition, and, in the last tered,
charged
this
Alexandro, frequently asked the negro Babo where they were, and, if still on board,
whether they were
to
be preserved for inter-
ment ashore, entreating him
so to order
it;
Babo answered nothing till the fourth day, when at sunrise, the deponent coming on deck, the negro Babo showed him a skeleton, which had been that the negro
now done
all;
that the
his life, at the request of the
deponent; that a few days ponent, endeavouring not
means
that he
after,
to
to preserve the lives of the
the
de-
any
omit
remaining
and and agreed to draw up a paper, signed by the deponent and the sailors who whites,
spoke
to
negroes peace
the
tranquillity ,
could write, as also by the negro Babo, for blacks, in which the
himself and all the
deponent obliged himself to carry them to and they not to kill any more, and he formally to make over to them the ship, with the cargo, with which they were for that time satisfied and quieted. * * * But the next day, the more surely to guard Senegal,
against the sailors' escape, the negro
commanded
all
Babo
the boats to be destroyed
substituted for the ship's proper figure-head
but the long-boat, which was unseaworthy,
—the image of Cristobal Colon, the discoverer of the New World; that the negro Babo asked him whose skeleton that was, and whether from its whiteness, he should
and another, a which knowing
not think
it
upon
a white's; that,
words
the blacks in
spirit,
to this effect:
from here as
now
"Keep
body,
nme morning
the negro
you
follow
Under," pointing to the prow; ession each
faith with
to Senegal, or in
*
that
each
Spaniard
466
into the hold. * * *
*
*
[Various particulars of the prolonged and
perplexed navigation ensuing here follow, with incidents of a calamitous calm, from
your
which portion one passage
that
is
extracted, to
wit:]
Babo took by
him whose skeleton that was, and whether, from its whiteness, he should not think it a while's;
casks,
yet be
shall
Spaniard forward, and asked
fare; that then to each the
would
discover-
ing his face the negro Babo, coming close, said
towing the water
down
good condition, wanted for he had it lowered
cutter in it
covered
negro Babo
— That
on the fifth day of the calm, all on board suffering much from the heat, and want of water, and five having died in fits,
his
and mad,
re-
for a chance gesture, which
the negroes
became
and deemed
irritable,
they
Benito Cereno: Melville
suspicious— though
it
was harmless— made by deponent in the
the mate, Raneds, to the
handing a quadrant, they
act of
killed
him;
but that for this they afterwards were sorry, the
mate being the only remaining naviga-
tor on
board, except the deponent.
would be
alert as his eye;
Babo then announced
companions, which pleased them; that he then, the better to disguise the truth, de-
many
vised
expedients,
—That
omitting other events which daily happened, and which can only serve userecall past
misfortunes and con-
to
flicts,
after seventy-three
navigation,
days'
and distribute them at need, and at a given word he told them; that, among other devices,
his right
with
the
calms
and were
af-
mentioned,
before
them he
his bravoes; that
part of the cargo), but in reality to use them,
reckoned from the time they sailed from a scanty allowance of water,
them
of
stationed on the break of the poop, as if to clean certain hatchets (in cases, which were
Nasca, during which they navigated under
flicted
some
in
uniting deceit and defense; that of this sort was the device of the six Ashantees before
named, who were
lessly
that the negro
the plan to all his
a
was the device of presenting Atufal, hand man, as chained, though in
moment
that
the chains could
every particular he
in
be dropped;
informed the
they at last arrived at the island of Santa
deponent what part he was expected
Maria, on the seventeenth of the month of August, at about six o'clock in the after-
enact in every device, and what story he
noon,
at
which hour they
cast
anchor very
was to tell on every occasion, always threatening him with instant death if he varied
near the American ship, Bachelor's Delight,
in
same bay, commanded by the generous Captain Amasa Delano; but at six o'clock in the morning, they had already descried the port, and the negroes became uneasy, as soon as at distance they saw the ship, not having expected to see one
the negroes
which
lay in the
there; that the negro
Babo
pacified them,
assuring them that no fear need be had; that straightway he ordered the figure
the
bow
repairs,
on
to be covered with canvas, as for
and had
the decks a
little
order; that for a time the negro
set
in
Babo and
would be turbulent,
the four aged negroes
were calkers,
keep what domestic order
to
they could on
the
decks;
that
companions, informing them of
and
he came
him
to the de-
and do all have said and
to say
deponent declares to American captain; * * * thai the negro Babo warned him that if he varied in the least, or uttered any word, o% that the
done
to the
gave any look that should give intimation
of
the
past
tlic
least
events or present
he would instantly kill him, with all companions, showing a dagger, which he carried hid, saying something which, as he understood it, meant that that d,i..
state,
his
and
his intent,
and of the invented story that this deponent was to tell; charging them lest any of them varied from that story; that these arrangements were made and matured during the interval of two devices,
his
of
or three hours, between their
and
Amasa Delano;
tain
first
sighting
the arrival on hoard oj Cap-
about half-past seven o'clock
to
again
who
again he harangued the Spaniards and his
Atufal was for sailing away, but the negro Babo would not, and, by himself, cast about to do; that at last
of
the negro
Babo appointed
the ship
what
many
the least: that, conscious that
the negro Atufal conferred; that the negro
ponent, proposing
to
that
this
in
happened the morn-
Captain Amasa Delano coming
ing,
boat,
and
deponent,
all
as well OS
then
acting
in
Ins
gladly retei, ing him; that the
the
he