Benito Cereno, Part Two

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The leader of the rebellion was a slave named Babo. He ordered Captain Cereno to sail the ship back to Senegal, the slaves' homeland.  But food and water were low. So the ship stopped at an island off the coast of Chile to get the needed supplies.

Babo decided to remain close to Captain Cereno and act as if he were the captain's slave. Babo would kill him if he told Captain Delano the truth about what happened.

STORYTELLER:  As Captain Delano came up in his whale boat, he saw that the other ship needed scraping, tarring and brushing.  It looked old and decayed.  He climbed up the side and came aboard.  He was quickly surrounded by a crowd of black men. Captain Delano looked around for the man who commanded the ship. The Spanish captain stood a little away off against the main mast. He was young looking, richly dressed but seemed troubled and tired with the spirit gone out of him. He looked unhappily toward his American visitor. At the Spanish's captain side stood a small black man with a rough face.

Left alone, Captain Delano again observed with fresh surprise the general disorder aboard the ship. Some of the men were fighting. There were no deck officers to discipline or control the violent ones. And everyone seemed to do as he pleased. Captain Delano could not fully understand how this could have happened.  What could explain such a break down of order and responsibility?  He asked Don Benito to give him the full story of his ship's misfortunes.  Don Benito did not answer. He just kept looking at his American visitor as if he heard nothing.

Off Cape Horn we had heavy gales."  Captain Cereno coughed suddenly and almost collapsed.  He fell heavily against his body servant. "His mind wanders," said Babo. "He was thinking of the disease that followed the gales. My poor, poor master. Be patient senor, these attacks do not last long. Master will soon be himself."

And we suffered terribly, especially after a deadly fever broke out among us. Whole families of blacks and many Spaniards, including every officer but myself, were killed by the disease."

Captain Delano saw nothing. His mind was filled with the terrible tale he had just heard. Now he could understand why the other captain seemed so shaken. He took Don Benito's hand and promised to give him all the help possible.  He would give him a large permanent supply of water, and some sails and equipment for sailing the ship. And he also promised to let Don Benito have three of his best seamen for temporary deck officers.  In this way, the San Dominick could without delay start for Concepcion. There the ship could be fixed and prepared for its voyage to Lima.

Captain Delano decided to talk of other matters.  But the Spanish captain showed no further interest.  He answered Captain Delano's questions with sharp words and suddenly with an angry movement he walked back to Babo.

Presently, Don Benito moved back toward his guest, still supported by his servant. His pale face twitched.  He seemed more nervous than usual.  And 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 twenty-five all total." "And at present, senor, all on board?"  "All on board," Captain Delano answered.   "And will be tonight, senor?"

As he answered, Captain Delano again looked straight at Don Benito. But the Spanish captain refused to meet his eyes. Then as before, he suddenly withdrew with his servant. And again the two men began whispering to each other in low voices. Captain Delano tried to push the worry from his mind.  But what were those two strange men discussing?  That will be our story next week.

ANNOUNCER:  You have been listening to the V.O.A. Special English program, American Stories. Your narrator was Shep O'Neal.  We invite you to listen again next week for the final part of "Benito Cereno" by Herman Melville.  I'm Jim Tedder.