She certainly did display the most wonderful powers of endurance.
She told me that after the twenty-fifth fuck she gave up counting, and that for more than two hours her hands, mouth and cunt were never without a prick. My belief, from observation, is that if a woman will only submit quietly and keep her temper and humour the men, she can stand almost any amount of fucking without serious injury.
All this time, Sporio had been most liberal supplying them with the strongest rum and other spirits, all well charged with narcotic drugs, and so, by degrees, from the effects of drinking and fucking, they one by one dropped off and fell into a dull and heavy slumber.
Now let us return to the after cabin: Don Pedro, as we have seen, feeling not a little exhausted after his exertions, told Carlo to find out from the governor's servant where he kept his master's store of spirits, and to bring in a good allowance of the best.
Carlo obeyed with great readiness, and soon returned with Sporio, carrying a case of choice rum, 'the finest Old Tom', he said, and proceeded to draw the corks while Sporio provided drinking vessels.
As the latter set a cup before me, he whispered: 'Don't drink, only pretend, to make them take more.' They pressed us to join, and we all sipped a little while we kept their glasses filled, for though I did not know the reason, I saw that both Carlo and Sporio were trying to force drink on them. But indeed they did not require much forcing, and very quickly the drugs began to take effect; they nodded their heads and soon fell into a heavy stupid sleep.
Now came the time for action: their weapons were carefully removed, and then Don Pedro and Federigo were gagged and tied up in the strongest manner, while we poor women, trembling with eagerness and excitement, were joyfully putting on our clothes after having been stripped for the past two hours.
Then Sporio and Carlo went to look after the other pirates; they found that all between decks were asleep, and that Zilla had cautiously put away all their weapons, but there was still the watch on deck and also a couple of men in each of the boats. They had all taken a share, however, with the exception of one man who refuse to take any in the most determined manner – he said he had killed a comrade in a drunken fit, and though acquitted by his fellows he had sworn to his patron saint not to touch spirits for a year.
Zilla was in despair, but Sporio suggested taking in a cup of coffee well dosed with morphia.
She lost no time, and was quickly at his side putting forth her wheedling powers; she wanted to be with him, she said, and had brought him that cup of coffee as a mark of her special favour; who could resist her? The coffee was drunk, and the certain effect speedily followed.
So with respect to all the others, in turn they each succumbed to the influence of the potent drug; then having been securely bound they were lowered into their boats and laid along under the thwarts, without weapons, and with only two oars for each boat, lest they might afterward pursue the ship. Then they were cut adrift and left to their own resources. Our own men had of course been released as soon as it was possible to do so with safety, and they now, under the direction of Sporio, bent every available sail and soon left the pirates far astern.
Sporio, with the consent of all, assumed the command of the ship, with Carlo as his mate, and steered for Trinidad. He was now the hero of the day. The governor was profuse in his thanks, and we all hailed him as our deliverer and lauded his coolness and his skill.
But poor Lady Stanhope was taken very ill. She had long suffered from heart disease, and the excitement and terror of that night proved too much for her, and notwithstanding that her daughter and I attended her most assiduously, aided by Sporio's medical resources, she passed away, and the next day her remains were solemnly committed to the deep.
This sad even threw Blanche and me more together and cemented our newly formed friendship. The old governor, too, in spite of his sorrow seemed relieved, and joined his daughter in requesting me to make their house my home during my stay on the island. He said he would write to my father to allow me to remain with him as companion to his daughter, and that he would look after my education himself.
His invitation was acceptable to me for many reasons and I gladly consented to stay at Government House until a reply had been received from my father.
We saw no more pirates, and after a quick and pleasant sail cast anchor at Port of Spain where, thankful for our miraculous escape, we gladly prepared to enjoy once again the comfort and security of our freedom.
