310 THE BLACK CARIBS. 



him to accompany her as far as Jack Eboe's cottage, which was about 

 a mile from the estate. During their short journey Miss Belgrave 

 informed him that the negro was dying, and had sent for both, ex- 

 pressing a great desire to see them and Mustapha ere his death. 



They entered the hut in which lay the old Eboe negro ; they 

 found Mustapha there already. Jack, at seeing Miss Belgrave, mut- 

 tered something in his native tongue which they could not under- 

 stand, and then earnestly desired to be left alone with his mistress ; 

 at the same time begged Mustapha and Charles not to be beyond 

 call ; his looks were haggard, and his complexion had been changed 

 by sickness from its sable to a yellowish hue. 



" Mistress," said he, in a low tremulous voice, " I am now de- 

 parting to the land of my fathers. I know I shall go there, for I 

 never suffered the white priest to sprinkle over me his charmed 

 water ; the assembled Eboe negroes will shortly dance over the 

 grave of him whom the white man called Jack, but who in his country 

 was and will be called Oorra, which signifies * the cunning.' Do not, 

 my mistress, hinder this ceremony from being performed, as I 

 never was baptized.* But this is not what I called you for. I have 

 wronged you deeply wronged you ; I have plundered you, the un- 

 protected orphan of my late kincTmaster : often have I wished to re- 

 store my ill-gotten wealth, yet never was I able to conquer that 

 strong attachment for gold which marks all my race ; but now, on 

 the eve of speeding across yon roving ocean to the land of my fathers, 

 will Oorra make restitution. I am no Christian, yet there is some- 

 thing in my heart which tells me that the curse of the Great Spirit, 

 which white men pray to, will attend him who robs the orphan, yet 

 makes no restitution ! Yet ere I do that, promise me one thing." 



" What is that?" 



" That you will look with favour on that noble youth who but 

 now quitted this chamber, if he ever asks you to become his wife. 

 He loves you I know he does ; and he has been kind to old Jack 

 Eboe, who obtained kindness from few because he bestowed it on 

 none/' 



" What, in the name of Heaven/' stammered Rosetta, " has in- 

 duced you to make such a request ?" 



" No matter ; promise to comply^ and you shall be rich : refuse 

 me, and I speed to the shores of the Eboes, and your treasure lays 

 buried until the billows of the main shall roll over this island. What, 

 do you hesitate ? Think you I bequeath you but the savings of the 

 bondsman? even that is worth inheriting; but I can make you 

 mistress of the wealth your father lost the night ere his death ; 

 I have concealed it ever since; over this secret I have brooded, 

 nursing it like revenge, which is at once the joy and torment of the 

 injured." 



" What say you, old man ? for the sake of Heaven do not de- 

 ceive me : remember, you are now on your death-bed." 



" I know it ; even at this moment the blood of life grows chill in 



* It is customary for Africans in the West Indies to dance only over the graves 

 of such as have not been christened. 



