Wright American Fiction

Search Options

page: Illustration[View Page Illustration]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page Illustration

[View Figure]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Figure

SEYMOUR HARRANGUING THE CREW OF THE ALBATROSS FROM THE QUARTER DECK.

page: (TitlePage) [View Page (TitlePage) ]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page (TitlePage)

page: [iii][View Page [iii]]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page [iii]

ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by A. J. Williamson, for THE AUTHOR, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court, for the Southern District of New York.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

A PREFACE is generally considered to be a necessary appendage to a book. It is true that some readers pass it over with a psha! indicative of contempt; nevertheless there are others who would consider a book incomplete without it.

In the following story the author has endeavored, under the garb of fiction to embody various romantic facts, which have come under his notice in the course of his early wanderings. He does not pretend to insult his readers by asserting that he has strictly adhered to literal facts. The veriest tyro in romance reading would know that this were impossible, even if it were desirable. No person, even in recounting historical truths, can adhere to the letter of actual fact. Such and such things he may know to have occurred at certain periods. It rests with him to show in what way they were brought about; to relate a conversation here, to speak of a fact which happened there, and, so to speak, to dovetail the fiction and the fact together in such a manner that the one may reasonably bring about, or explain the cause of the other, and according to the skill with which he has effected this depends the excellence of his work. Whether or not, in the present instance, the author page: iv-v[View Page iv-v]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page iv-v has succeeded, he leaves to the judgment of his readers. With regard to the plot of the story, the following explanations as to the origin of some of the characters may be acceptable.

Some years since, it was the fortune of the author to fall in with a sea captain whose characteristics he has endeavored to portray in his delineation of Seymour. This erratic individual commanded a ship of his own, and during his early peregrinations he had fallen in with, purchased, educated, and eventually married a Greek girl, almost literally under the circumstances detailed in the narrative. Guided by eccentricity in all his actions, he resolved, as much as possible, to isolate this lady from society, and he actually kept her for many years almost secluded from the world. The author met her on board her husband's ship, and was much delighted with her extraordinary personal beauty and the innocence and amiability of her disposition, as was every one who saw her. She, some few years after her marriage, came to an untimely end, and her husband, who really loved her to distraction, did not long survive her.

With regard to those portions of the story which illustrate the method of slave dealing on the African coast, the author has merely presented disconnected facts in a connected manner. King Kettle and the Loango Chiefs, are living illustrations of the native slave dealers on the coast, and their portraiture is drawn from life—"nothing extenuate."

As to the character of Mr. Mordant the author has endeavored to portray the vraisemblance of one of those men, by no means scarce in our community, who, while professing to be actuated by philanthropy in their hatred of the system of southern slavery and their open admiration of the principles of abolitionism, are really and truly interested in procuring slaves for the Cuban market, and it is a well known fact, that vessels have cleared from this and other ports, with false papers, whose destiny was to the coast, for the purpose of procuring negroes.

The author has not ventured to discuss the question of slavery, as it at present exists in this country. He is fully aware that all argument on that subject is vain, and that very much evil has arisen from the ill directed zeal of Abolitionists, whose efforts only seem to exasperate the slaveholder and to bind faster the fetters of the slave. Slavery as it at present exists in the southern portion of this Union is an evil that can never be eradicated by violent diatribe, and it is equally as certain that the efforts made to prevent the kidnapping of negroes from Africa, have led and do lead still to greater hardships being inflicted upon the unhappy wretches thus ruthlessly torn from their homes, although the use of steamers upon the coast has rendered, of late years, the practice of slave catching, more hazardous than it has been heretofore.

The Cabin Boy, in this narrative has told his own story, very little varnished, or exaggerated; he has had little occasion to do so; for to use a hackneyed yet veritable phrase, "Truth is strange—stranger than fiction."

With this explanation, he gives the story to his readers.

page: vi-vii (Table of Contents) [View Page vi-vii (Table of Contents) ]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page vi-vii (Table of Contents)

CONTENTS.

• CHAPTER I. Ho! for California—Shipping Hands for the new El Dorado. 13
• CHAPTER II. The reader is introduced to a New York merchant and his family—The mysterious disappearance of Jane Miller. 19
• CHAPTER III. The Albatross sails from New York, and the secret object of her voyage becomes known. 24
• CHAPTER IV. Showing how the slave trade is maintained, and exposing the heartlessness engendered by fashion. 38
• CHAPTER V. The origin of the Cabin Boy, and a brief history of his family—leaving more to be explained hereafter. 45
• CHAPTER VI. The Albatross on her voyage—Harry is startled by discovering a locket containing the portrait of a beautiful female in the captain's cabin, and discovers the original in the Recluse of Annabon. 54
• page: viii-ix (Table of Contents) [View Page viii-ix (Table of Contents) ]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page viii-ix (Table of Contents)
• CHAPTER VII. A letter from a correspondent of Mr. Mordant's at Sierra Leone—Another anonymous letter received by the Widow Miller—A letter from Captain Seymour, denying any knowledge of the abduction of Jane Miller—Some account of the widow's family—Charles Mordant endeavors to obtain money on the security of his expectations. 70
• CHAPTER VIII. Which introduces the reader to Zuleika's abode on the Island of Annabon—Interview between Captain Seymour, King Kettle, and the Loango chiefs—The Yunga Jagos woman and her children—The infants cast to the lions in the canebrake. 76
• CHAPTER IX. The Birth and Parentage of Seymour—His first meeting with Zuleika in the Slave Market at Constantinople—He resolves to Educate and then to Marry the Greek Girl—The Deception of Antorine Dichet and the Consequences thereof—Seymour engages in the Slave Trade—Marries Zuleika, and finds her a secluded Home on the Island of Annabon. 87
• CHAPTER X. Zuleika's bower—Harry Davis's secret is, by accident, discovered by the Greek girl. 99
• CHAPTER XI. Captain Junot relates his mishaps in consequence of falling in with a cruiser—Captain Seymour visits Annabon—The secret is kept from him—Harry is left with Zuleika—A slave drove—The Yunga Jagos woman and the lions in the canebrake—Seymour nearly catches a Tartar. 108
• CHAPTER XII. The departure of the young midshipman on his first voyage to sea—The peculiarities of Mr. Mordant's views regarding slave dealing on the coast of Africa. 123
• CHAPTER XIII. Frank Martin's dangerous escape from the slaver—His rescue from the wreck by the G——, frigate—Miss Herbert is introduced to the reader. 128
• CHAPTER XIV. The origin of the Mystery of the Rings. 140
• CHAPTER XV. Showing how Mr. Mordant obtained possession of the Widow's Property. 145
• CHAPTER XVI. A Shark Story—The Mystery of the Recluse of the Island of Annabon. 160
• CHAPTER XVII. A Surprise and somewhat of a Mystery arising out of the Visit to the White Lady of Annabon, and still more Mystery arising out of the Interview. 172
• CHAPTER XVIII. Junot's diabolical Vengeance—A Pampero disables the Slaver, which is captured by a Cruiser, and Junot and his crew are carried to Sierra Leone to take their Trial. 189
• CHAPTER XIX. Seymour revisits Annabon, and finds an unwelcome visitor. 205
• page: x-xi (Table of Contents) [View Page x-xi (Table of Contents) ]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page x-xi (Table of Contents)
• CHAPTER XX. The Sinking of the Portuguese Schooner—Zuleika Departs from the Island of Annabon—The Destruction of the Cottage by Fire. 209
• CHAPTER XXI. Mr. Mordant displays his Charity in the midst of his Misfortunes—He meets with a severe Domestic Affliction. 225
• CHAPTER XXII. Which treats of Strange Matters, involving not a little Mystery. 234
• CHAPTER XXIII. Wherein the Scenes depicted are laid in another quarter of the Globe—The Reader is introduced to Zuleika's new home. 242
• CHAPTER XXIV. The Meeting with Marca—The Ancient Sibyl of the Archipelago, and her Daughter Zoe. 247
• CHAPTER XXV. The Return of Charlotte Herbert, and her Introduction into Mr. Wilson's Family—What arises therefrom. 260
• CHAPTER XXVI. An Easily on Familiarity with Death—Captain James is Rewarded for his Kindness to the Yunga Jagos Negress. 268
• CHAPTER XXVII. Some further Mystery, leading to an Unexpected Dénoûment, arising out of the Rings. 274
• CHAPTER XXVIII. The Birth of Zuleika's Infant—Some Account of the Parentage of Zuleika. 282
• CHAPTER XXIX. In which King Kettle shows that he possesses as great Skill in Diplomacy as more Civilized Potentates—Mr. Mordant hears more Unwelcome News, and receives a visit from the Yankee Mate, Tolcroft. 289
• CHAPTER XXX. Frank Martin Returns Home, and has an Interview with Seymour, during which some Strange Revelations are made. 309
• CHAPTER XXXI. Marca and Zoe relate the Events which occurred during their long Separation from each other—Seymour's Return to Zuleika's Isle. 320
• CHAPTER XXXII. Which treats of Domestic Matters—Sarah Mordant finds she has made a bad bargain—Mr. Harvey displays his cunning, with advantage to himself. 328
• CHAPTER XXXIII. Which describes various Unexpected Interviews. 340
• CHAPTER XXXIV. Seymour's first sight of his Child—Jane Miller discovers herself to Seymour. 351
• CHAPTER XXXV. Marie makes her Escape from her Guardian, and is Rescued by Captain de Sylva. 363
• CHAPTER XXXVI. The reader is introduced to Abdallah, the Greek Pirate Chief—the interview between Abdallah and Zoe. 173
• page: xii (Table of Contents) -13[View Page xii (Table of Contents) -13]Switch to Image ModeCLOSE Page xii (Table of Contents) -13
• CHAPTER XXXVII. The Gale in the Ægean Sea—The meeting of De Sylva and Seymour—Zuleika begs her Husband to become a Christian—Death of Zuleika and her Child. 378
• CHAPTER XXXVIII. The last of Zuleika—Her Burial on the Island, and the Departure of Seymour and Jane Miller for Odessa, on board the Petrel. 419
• CHAPTER XXXIX. Which treats of various Characters—and Commences to wind up the Story. 422
• CHAPTER XL. The Conclusion. 433