Blackbird

by David Crookes

  drawing-room table. Inside the box lay an immense broadsword, blocked and cushioned in

  red velvet. The great sword had a shiny, sharply honed, double blade, a wide cross-guard

  studded with gemstones, and long hilt with a huge pommel covered in solid jade. He held up the sword with both hands. `This broadsword has hung in the hall of our

  ancestral home for centuries Ben. It has always been regarded as a symbol of our willingness

  and determination to defend our property. When I returned to England with my brother's

  ashes, I told my father of the kindness shown to me by you and your man Ho Lim. I also told

  him of the great fire here at Jarrah.He asked me to give you this sword as a token of his

  appreciation. He said he would be honored if you would hang it in your house, just as we have

  hung it in ours for so long.

  Ben took the sword in his hands and admired it. `I don't know what to say Captain. How

  can I accept this magnificent gift, something which has been of such significance to so many

  generations of your family.'

  `Say nothing Ben,' Waverly said. `Just hang it above your fireplace, beside your carbine.

  And may it see as many peaceful years at Jarrah as it has seen in my father's house.' Later, over lunch, Waverley explained how he came to be back in Australia. `I have been

  stationed with the Hong Kong Squadron for the last year. Recently we received orders to send

  one of our vessels to replace one which was lost in the Australian Squadron. I volunteered and

  was given the command of HMS Harrier.' Waverley smiled apologetically. `I'm afraid she's

  one of the smallest ships in the entire Navy.'

  `But you are its captain.' Ben said. He reached for his glass of white wine. `And you must

  enjoy this part of the world if you volunteered to come here.'

  `Indeed I do,' Waverley replied enthusiastically. 'To me, the best of the warm water regions

  are the South Seas—where the tradewinds blow. I have already applied for a command of one

  of the ships presently being built for the new Australian Squadron which goes into service in

  1891.'

  `And what kind of ship's will they be?' Ben asked. ﾁ

  `New cruisers and torpedo boats. The fastest and most formidable in the world. At present

  many of our ships are like the Harrier, too old and weak to stand and fight, and too slow to

  run away.But there are great changes coming. There have been more advances in naval shipbuilding over the past twenty five years than in the last two hundred. There is a new modern

  Royal Navy coming and I want to be a part of it all.'

  Ben smiled. `And I'm sure you will be. But in the meantime what are to be the duties of the

  Harrier?'

  `We are in Brisbane to take on provisions. Then we sail immediately for the New Guinea

  Protectorate to resume the patrols in the Solomon Sea which ceased when the vessel the

  Harrier is replacing was lost.'

  ﾁ`How was she lost?' Ben asked.

  `She was bound for Queensland from the Trobriand Islands when she ran into a cyclone.

  She went down with all hands. They identified her from a few bits of wreckage found on the

  Great Barrier Reef.' Waverley shook his head. `As I was saying earlier Ben, some of our ships

  are old and none too strong. I'm afraid the vessel in question, HMS Superior was among the

  very oldest.'

  *

  Charles and Vivian fell hopelessly and totally in love. Aboard the Southern Star, they were

  just two young people, with similar wants and needs, brought blissfully together among

  hundreds of total strangers, on a voyage so long, it seemed it would never end. Free from constraints imposed by society on lovers ashore, there was nothing to hold them

  back. Their shipboard romance soon turned into an intense affair. What started with a touch,

  then a kiss, quickly culminated in fiery, unbridled passion, which neither of them tried to

  control for even a second.

  It was only when the Southern Star left the waters of the Arafura Sea astern, and

  approached the northern shores of the continent of Australia, that they were obliged to address

  reality.

  The ship neared the coast during the night. Charles, unable to sleep, left his cabin and went

  up to the deck in order to witness the landfall and also to ponder the future.

  Although it was the middle of the southern winter, the night air was warm and humid.

  Charles stood in his shirt-sleeves near the stern rail. Below him, he watched the effect of

  phosphorescent light on the water, turning the wake of the steamer into a trail of fire. He heard a movement behind him. He turned around and saw Vivian standing in the

  moonlight. She was dressed in a long black skirt, white blouse, and a light red wrap around

  her shoulders.

  `I thought I would find you here Charles.' she said. She came and stood by his side at the

  rail. Charles tried to take her in his arms, but she moved away and stared down into the water.

  `You know it must all end now Charles. What happened on this voyage was just a shipboard

  thing. One of those silly affairs that otherwise sensible people have when they are carried

  away with the romance of the sea, and the moon, and the...'

  `We can't just pretend it never happened Vivian,' Charles interrupted. `What we have is

  real. I told you it's all over between Catherine and me. When we get to Brisbane I will ask her

  to divorce me.

  `You can't Charles. Don't be ridiculous. Your whole life is at stake here. You must be

  practical. You would be giving up your entire future. What would you do if you didn't have

  your position at Stonehouse's?'

  `I wouldn't care if I had you.'

  `Oh Charles you're such a dreamer. Besides, what about me?What do you think the people

  at Exeter Hall would think?They send me first class to Australia to report on the immorality

  and social injustices of the South Seas labor-trade, and the first thing I do is run off with a

  married man whose company is actively engaged in the trade.'

  Charles said nothing. Vivian linked her arm in his, and they stood for a long time in

  unbroken silence, staring out onto the night.

  Soon the first streaks of dawn's light appeared over the port side. They walked toward the

  bow, anxiously looking for the first sign of land. Up ahead a low rocky island slowly rose up

  out of the sea.

  `That's Booby Island,' Charles said, `It's named after its thousands of sea-birds. It's a part

  of Queensland—less than twenty miles from the islands of the Torres Strait, which lie just off

  the mainland. The island has always been a symbol of hope for all who see her. In the old

  days, I've been told, passing ships left provisions in a cave on the island for less fortunate

  wayfarers, such as the shipwrecked and distressed. And sailors in these far off waters would

  leave letters for their loved ones in that cave, with the request that the first homeward bound

  ship would take them aboard and see to their mailing.'

  Vivian looked at Booby Island which was now directly over the starboard rail. She took

  Charles' hand firmly in hers.

  `Then perhaps this island can be a symbol of hope for us too my darling,' she said softly.

  `Perhaps we may yet still find a way to be together.'

  *

  A few hours later, the Southern Star tied up at the wharf at Thursday Island in the Torres

  Strait. The harbor, despite being exposed to the prevailing wind, was alive with small craft,

&n
bsp; mainly pearling luggers and canoes of Torres Strait Islanders.

  Charles and Vivian were among the first passengers to go ashore and feel land under their

  feet for the fist time since leaving Colombo. They found the small island, like its harbor, to be

  alive with activity. As Australia's most northerly settlement, it was a very important centre.

  The remote outpost was crammed with people: traders, fishermen, soldiers from the island's

  fortifications, native Torres Strait islanders, and Aborigines from the mainland. Charles went directly to a small office near the wharf. It housed the Stonehouse Shipping

  Company's passenger and cargo agent on the island. He went in alone, and stayed just long

  enough to instruct the agent to advise Silas Moser by telegraph of his arrival back in

  Australia.

  When Charles had finished his business, he and Vivian took a stroll up the main street,

  which overlooked an emerald-green passage between Thursday Island and the bigger islands

  of Horn, and Prince of Wales, to the south.

  Soon a combination of the walk, and heat from the morning sun, began to tire Vivian, and

  they decided to walk back to the steamer. On the way, they passed directly outside one of the island's numerous watering holes. Two noisy drunks, hanging out of a bar window, eyed Vivian lecherously and made lewd comments as she walked by. Angered, Charles turned to confront the louts. Just as he did, a big, blond-haired man, who was standing behind the

  ruffians, cracked their heads together like a couple of coconuts.

  `A lady doesn't have to put up with that kind of talk, now does she, Mr WorthingtonJones?'

  The voice in the window was American. The big man looked familiar. An instant later,

  Charles matched the face with a name.

  `Why, Captain Christian Blue,' he exclaimed in surprise. `What on earth are you doing on

  Thursday Island?'

  `Just brought the Trader in from the Dutch Indies.' Christian Blue swung his long legs over

  the window sill into the street. `And you?'

  `We just arrived on the Southern Star—en route from London to Brisbane,' Charles said.

  He turned to Vivian. `And this is Mrs Stokes—a fellow traveler. She is visiting Australia for

  the first time.'

  Christian Blue bowed slightly. `It's a pleasure to meet you Ma'am. And what took you all

  the way to England Mr Worthington-Jones?' he asked without taking his eyes off Vivian. `I went to buy new ships.'ﾁ

  Christian Blue turned his attention back to Charles. ﾁ

  `Well since you're buying ships, perhaps this is my lucky day. I just happen to have one for

  sale.'

  `You're selling the Mendocino Trader?'

  `Hell no. What I have for sale is a fine brig. Claimed her under the law of the sea after she

  was abandoned off the Solomons. She was damaged some, but I left six men here from the

  Trader to repair her, while I sailed on to the Indies.'

  `A brigantine, Captain Blue!' Charles shook his head slowly. `No, I don't think so. I'm

  afraid the Stonehouse Shipping Company is only buying steam vessels at the present time.' `All the same, I figure maybe you'd better have a look at this particular sailing ship.'

  Christian Blue drew a telescope from his wide belt and handed it to Charles. From where they

  stood there was a clear view across the channel to the neighboring islands. `Look over there,

  across the reef.' The captain pointed toward a cluster of masts at the anchorage on Horn

  Island.

  Charles took the glass and looked through it. When he saw the four tall masts of the

  Mendocino Trader, he adjusted the lens, and focused on the smaller vessel beside her. He

  examined the brigantine for some time and then exclaimed, `Good God Captain, that's the

  Faithful.'

  As they walked back down to the Southern Star, Christian Blue gave his account of how he

  had come into possession of the Faithful and of Bates' account of what had happened to the

  rest of the crew in the storm. He was also quick to point out, he had documentation

  confirming his ownership from no less than the captain of HMS Superior of the Australian

  Squadron.

  `Just as well I have it in writing Mr Worthington-Jones,' Christian Blue said. 'I just found

  out the Superior went down with all hands only a couple of months later. Folks in these parts

  are saying the cyclones of last summer were the worst in living memory.'

  A few minutes later they were standing at the gang-plank of the Southern Star `We won't be leaving for Brisbane until tomorrow,' Charles said. `If I may, I'd like to come

  over to Horn Island later in the day and see what condition the Faithful is in. And as for

  buying her back—well perhapsﾁwe may be able to come to some arrangement, but I will

  need to see the ownership documentation you spoke of.'

  Christian Blue smiled. `Maybe you and Mrs Stokes would care to join me for dinner after

  you've seen the Faithful.' He turned to Vivian. `If so, I will have my ship's cook prepare

  something special.'

  `Thank you,' Vivian said. `But it really is just men's business. I'm afraid I'm not really

  interested in ships.'

  She started up the gangplank. `But tell me, Captain Blue, what kind of vessel is the

  Faithful?'

  `She's what Mr Worthington-Jones would call a labor-ship Ma'am. I call her a slaver.' Vivian turned in her tracks. Her wide brown eyes grew wider. `How interesting... Well, in

  that case I would be delighted to join you gentlemen later.'

  The sun was low in a cloudless sky when the launch carrying Charles and Vivian picked its

  way through scores of Thursday Island pearling luggers. Once clear of the vessels, the launch

  headed directly across the channel for Horn Island, passing over the coral reef between the

  two islands with the aid of the high tide.

  Christian Blue and Jackson the mate, showed Charles and Vivian over the Faithful, which

  was now fully repaired and quite obviously seaworthy. While Charles inspected the vessel

  from stem to stern, Vivian asked dozens of questions in an effort to understand the workings

  of a labor-ship, and the conditions in which blacks were transported in them. Two hours passed before they boarded the Mendocino Trader and entered the large

  master's cabin. Two dim lanterns cast a soft glow over a small, but immaculate table set for

  three.As soon as they were seated, the ship's Chinese cook, helped by Christian Blue's cabin

  boy, carried in several steaming silver dishes, all piled high with whole buttered rock lobsters,

  rice, fresh vegetables and sauces. When all the food was on the table and white wine had been

  uncorked, the cook backed out of the cabin, smiling and bowing as he went. During the meal Charles and Vivian sat opposite each other with Christian Blue between

  them. Outside the cabin windows the lights of Thursday Island twinkled in the darkness

  across the channel.

  `What price have you got on the Faithful, Captain?' Charles asked.

  Christian Blue rubbed his chin. `Today, as is, where is, and to the Stonehouse Shipping

  Company—just fifteen hundred pounds.'

  `That's far too much for an old brig Captain.'

  `But she'll make more than that on her first trip in the labor-trade.'

  `If I remember correctly Captain Blue, we had the Faithful insured for eight hundred

  pounds which is much more like her real value. I can assure you, we would never agree to pay

  a penny more than that.'

  `And I would be more than happy to accept that, if I knew she would not be used as a
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  slaver.'

  Charles smiled. `Unfortunately for you Captain, your personal views on the Queensland

  labor-trade have no bearing on the market price of the Faithful. And I should point out, that

  these days, most South Sea Islanders are brought to the colony of their own free will, under

  the indentured laborers system.'

  Christian Blue laughed out loud. `Which is the very same system under which Africans

  were brought to the cotton plantations of South Carolina.'

  After a long pause Charles said, `But I'm sure it's different here, Captain.' `I don't think so Mr Worthington-Jones. And let me tell you why.'

  Christian Blue explained how he had found Kiri and Sky aboard the Faithful and how Kiri

  had told him and the captain of HMS Superior about her kidnapping years earlier from

  Kiriwina aboard the brigantine. He went on to tell them how she had escaped her captors in

  Brisbane, then been recaptured and sold into a brothel, to be later rescued and taken in by Ben

  Luk, an act which led to the razing of Jarrah and the death of Ho Lim.

  As Christian Blue spoke, Charles sat wooden-faced, while Vivian listened in horror as the

  story unfolded.

  Christian Blue told them of Kiri's second kidnapping, with her son—Stonehouse's child—

  on the instructions of Catherine Stonehouse and Silas Moser. When he had finished, the

  captain pulled open a drawer beneath the table top and took out a number of leather bound

  journals.

  I have here the logs of the Faithful, and also the personal diaries kept over the years by her

  master Captain Cockburn. On the voyage to the Dutch Indies I read these journals. It's all

  recorded here. Everything the island girl said happened to her and this man Ben Luk is true.'

  Christian Blue shook his head. `The worst thing is, the captain of the Superior said he would

  take the matter up with the authorities when his ship reached Brisbane. He said he would

  personally see to it that Ben Luk was told where the girl is, and those responsible for killing

  his Chinese brick-maker were brought to justice. Now there's no chance of that, not with the

  Superior and her crew lying at the bottom of the sea.'

  As Christian Blue spoke, tears welled up in Vivian's eyes. She stared at Charles in

  disbelief. When her lips began to tremble, she bit them hard, until she tasted blood. `I didn't know Vivian. Please believe me,' Charles said lamely.