Each of them, however, bore in his hand a large knobkerry of red-wood,
and they marched four by four in martial fashion. It is true that when
we embarked on the big boat to go to the ship much of their warlike
ardour evaporated, since these men, who feared nothing on the land,
were terribly afraid of that unfamiliar element, the water.
We reached the /Maria/, an unimposing kind of tub, and climbed aboard.
On looking aft the first thing that I saw was Stephen seated on the
capstan with a pistol in his hand, as Sammy had said. Near by, leaning
on the bulwark was the villainous-looking Portugee, Delgado,
apparently in the worst of tempers and surrounded by a number of
equally villainous-looking Arab sailors clad in dirty white. In front
was the Captain of the port, a well-known and esteemed gentleman of
the name of Cato, like myself a small man who had gone through many
adventures. Accompanied by some attendants, he was seated on the
after-skylight, smoking, with his eyes fixed upon Stephen and the
Portugee.
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