in sail, the fore top-mast and jib-boom were carried away, and the ship encumbered by the wreckage, became the sport of winds and waves.
Sporio offered his help and soon proved himself to be a smart and skilful seaman. After great exertions the wreckage was cleared away and the ship got under some control but so great was the violence of the storm, that we were compelled to let the ship drive before it under a treble-reefed spanker and foresail.
Meanwhile in the cabin all was terror and confusion. Lady Stanhope and her daughter caught hold of one another and shrieked. The sea poured down the open hatches. The smashing of glass and crockery added to the din. The lights were out, we were up to our knees in water; and everything that could move was knocking and plunging about.
At last the ship righted herself a little, and, with Zilla's help, I got the lamps relighted, and the place into some kind of order.
Sporio and the captain visited us occasionally, and assured us there was no further cause for alarm, as the worst was over, and they were now busy putting the ship to rights.
Next afternoon the storm ceased almost as suddenly as it began; but when our position could be ascertained, it was found that we had been driven far out of our course, and that we were not far from the coast of Mexico.
The sea gradually went down, and every effort was now being made to get the ship into sailing trim again. In this service, Sporio turned out to be a valuable aid. The captain was delighted with him, and with the governor's permission appointed him mate – his jury-mate, as he called him – for the time being.
But now came a sad and sorrowful turn in my ever-changing life.
During the calm of that night, when most of the crew were taking a little rest after their violent and long- continued exertion, we were boarded by two large boats crammed with armed pirates. They had observed the crippled condition of the ship, and stole upon us in the dark without being noticed until just alongside.
The captain and the watch on deck made the best fight they could, but were quickly overpowered by numbers, and my gallant friend, so kind, so genial and so true, was slain bravely defending his ship and doing all in his power to protect those entrusted to his charge. Alas! Alas!
Such is life.
The pirate chief, whom they called Don Pedro, soon made his way into the after cabin, accompanied by his two lieutenants.
Then commenced such a scene of outrage, lust and violence, as is difficult to describe.
Don Pedro had already made himself acquainted with the number and quality of the women on board, and also with the rank and office of Governor Stanhope. He addressed him in a kind of Spanish patois, mixed up with Yankee oaths and slang phrases, to the effect that he was his prisoner, and that he would keep him under strict guard until a full and sufficient ransom was paid by the British government; that he regarded the ladies as his proper spoil, but that their lives would be spared if they were obedient and submissive to him and his mates. 'But remember,' he shouted, turning to us with a dreadful look and a fearful curse, 'Mesdames, if you oppose me, or offer any resistance, I will shoot you through the head, and pitch you out of the cabin window,' and by way of emphasis he fired off his pistol close to our faces as we sat crouching together.
He then bound the old governor to his seat, and directed his lieutenants to drag out Lady Stanhope and strip her naked.
She cried and entreated, but it was all of no avail; they never stopped until they had her stripped of every stitch except her stockings, and placed her standing in the midst with her hands tied over her head, and the cord fastened to a ring in the beam above.
Don Pedro surveyed her with the cool air of a connoisseur, and with a Spanish oath pronounced her a fairer bit of mutton than might have been expected.
And indeed, I was surprised myself; I knew her to be fair and fat, but I had no idea that she had such a smooth white skin. Her belly was round and full, a little protruding perhaps, but it was set off by an unusually large tuft of jet black hair that filled up all the space between its lower part of the adjoining thighs; but what attracted my attention were the two half-globes behind; not only were they extremely full and beautifully shaped, but they had a more dazzling whiteness than any buttocks I had ever seen.
The next order was given to strip her daughter in like manner. Poor Blanche, sobbing bitterly and shivering with fright, clung to me; our common misfortune having drawn us together, and dissipated her foolish pride, she cried most piteously, 'Oh, Queenie, can't you save me? Oh! What shall I do?'
I tried to comfort her by saying, 'We have nothing to do but to submit as best we can, and hope for better things.'
As they were dragging her away, one of the men, whom I heard called Carlo, stooped close to my ear and whispered in good English: 'Offer no opposition – be courageous, trust and wait,' and giving me a significant look, added 'Sporio.'
My heart bounded at the word. 'Sporio will save us,' I said to myself, 'I will be courageous, trust and wait.'
Blanche resisted more than her mother, and when they attempted to remove her chemise and drawers, she screeched and kicked with all her might.
Don Pedro grinned in satanic pleasure, and told them to throw her on her back on the table, and hold her legs asunder, while he fucked her in the presence of her father and mother; but first, let the old fellow enjoy a good view of his daughter's cunt and ass; I suppose he has not looked upon those precious secrets since she was a baby.
They took her up bodily and carried her over to him, and held her up, so that he could not help looking at the rich hairy gap that extended down between her widespread thighs. But to say the truth, he did not seem to regard it as any great punishment to be forced to gaze on his daughter's nakedness.
'Make him kiss it, boys, rub his old nose into his daughter's private scent-bottle.' They pressed her cunt and bottom to his face, and rubbed it up and down over his mouth and nose.
I hope I don't wrong him, but I saw him smack his lips when they let her down, as if the taste and smell were both pleasant and exciting.
'Lay her down on the table again, and now bring forward that little half-breed' (poor me), 'and let us see what she is like when peeled.'
When they put their hands on me, I said, 'Please don't, let me do it myself.' And Carlo nodded approvingly, as I quietly divested myself of all my usual coverings. Then Don Pedro, beckoning me to him, said: 'Good, my little dame, you are now the best; now find my pego and bring it into view.'
I understood him tolerably well, for I had learned something of the mongrel jargon he spoke from two runaway slaves that were found by Captain St John in an open boat off the island of Cuba and brought by him to my father, who treated them well and placed them among his negroes. They were great friends of Zilla's, and we picked up from them a smattering of Spanish as it was then spoken in the Indies.
So I at once obeyed, and knowing something of his dress, I unbound the rich shawl round his waist, and opening his tight-fitting breeches, I groped for his prick, and soon drew it out together with the wrinkled bag that held his large firm stones.
Pirate though he was, he had a handsome tool, and his cods were large and round like a stallion's.
He was evidently pleased at the way I regarded his affair, especially when I frigged it softly up and down; but I quite won his heart when I pressed its smooth glossy head to my lips, and allowed its point to pass into my mouth.
After enjoying this little by-play for a moment, he got up and went to the table where the other two were holding Blanche still struggling on her back. She was keeping one hand pressed firmly on her cunt, while she kicked violently with her feet, and bit and scratched any part of them that came within her reach.
Don Pedro laughed at the frantic exhibition she was making of herself, and seizing her hand he pulled it roughly off her cunt, whereupon she drew it back and fetched him such a box on the ear that the smack sounded through the cabin.
The two lieutenants, though somewhat alarmed, could not refrain from laughing; while he, stunned at first by the affront, grinned most maliciously, and ordered them to turn her over.
He then smacked her bare bottom with the full force of his muscular arm until he made it all over as red as a
