Bartleby the Scrivener: A Tale of Wall Street

BENITO CERENO 133
authority might be, still, whenever he chose to exert
it, no man so savage or colossal but must, more or less,
bow.
Snatching a trumpet which hung from the bulwarks,
with a free step Captain Delano advanced to the forward
edge of the. poop, issuing his orders in his best Spanish.
The few sailors and many negroes, all equally pleased,
obediently set about heading the ship toward the harbour.
While giving some directions about setting a lower
stun'-sail, suddenly Captain Delano heard a voice faithfully
repeating his orders. Turning, he saw Babo, now
for the time acting, under the pilot, his original part of
captain of the slaves. This assistance proved valuable.
Tattered sails and warped yards were soon brought into
some trim. And no brace, or halyard was pulled but to
the blithe songs of the inspirited negroes.
Good fellows, thought Captain Delano, a little training
would make fine sailors of them. Why, see, the very
women pull and sing too. These must be some of those
Ashantee negresses that make such capital soldiers, I Ve
heard. But who 's at the helm ? I must have a good
hand there.
He went to see.
The San Dominick steered with a cumbrous tiller,
with large horizontal pulleys attached. At each pulleyend
stood a subordinate black, and between them, at
the tiller-head, the responsible post, a Spanish seaman,
whose countenance evinced his due share in the general
hopefulness and confidence at the coming of the breeze.
He proved the same man who had behaved with so
shamefaced an air on the windlass.
*
Ah— it is you, my man/ exclaimed Captain Delano—
'
well, no more sheep's-eyes now ;— look straight for-
ward and keep the ship so. Good hand, I trust ? And
want to get into the harbour, don't ? you
'