The first edition of this book is dated 1858. The edition used is dated 1907. The publisher was George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., London. The number of pages is 341.

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General information

Although this book seems to be very much like the sort of book Kingston wrote, it actually predates that author by a few years. It tells the story of a young boy, well brought up, who runs away to sea, despite his parents’ wishes. Unfortunately he asks for a place on board a ship where many of the officers and crew are the vilest villains, and the trade they engage in is slaving, despite that trade having been banned half a century previously.

The story is told with all that sense of humour that Mayne Reid brings to his works, though there are some harrowing moments when the treatment of the “cargo” is being described.

This edition appeared just fifty years after the first edition, and it may have been slightly condensed, because the earlier edition had many more pages, though the edition used here has quite small, though very clear type. It would have been nice if the proofreader had done a better job.

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Contents

Chapter I.
I was just sixteen when I ran away to sea.

Chapter II.
I was not twelve hours on board—twelve minutes I might almost say—before I was completely cured of my sea fever; and I would have parted with the best tooth in my head to have set my legs once more on land again.

Chapter III.
For many long days and nights I endured this terrible oppression without complaining—not but that I could have complained and would, but to what purpose? and to whom? There was none to whom I might appeal—no one to listen to my tale of woe.

Chapter IV.
My condition, however, was greatly improved. I was allowed my full share of the “lob-scouse,” the “sea-pies,” and “plum-duff,” and was no longer hunted out of the forecastle.

Chapter V.
One of the disagreeables which a boy-sailor encounters on first going to sea is the being compelled to mount up “aloft.

Chapter VI.
My dreams were by no means of a pleasant nature.

Chapter VII.
I climbed with slow and nervous step. I should have gone much slower but that I was forced upward by Le Gros, who followed me with the rope’s end, with which he struck me behind whenever I made a stop.

Chapter VIII.
Strange to say, I received somewhat better treatment after this occurrence, though it was not from any remorse at what had happened, or that either mate or captain had grown more humane or friendly.

Chapter IX.
Yes—beyond a doubt I was on board a slave ship—one regularly fitted up for the inhuman traffic—manned for it.

Chapter X.
Of course I did not give utterance to these sentiments before any of the Pandora’s crew.

Chapter XI.
I need not detail the incidents that occurred during the remainder of our run to the African coast.

Chapter XII.
For my part, I awaited the result with the deepest interest. I watched the two ships as they sped; and, with my eye, kept constantly measuring the sea between them.

Chapter XIII.
The chase, which had lasted for nearly the whole of a day, carried the Pandora a hundred miles out of her course before she had fairly distanced the cutter; but she had to run still fifty miles further to make sure that the latter had lost sight of her, and, of course, abandoned the pursuit.

Chapter XIV.
I could not tell what was said between these two worthies, but I knew what was to be done.

Chapter XV.
It is very probable I should have longed in vain—very probable I should not have been allowed to set foot upon the shore, but for my protector Brace.

Chapter XVI.
I was glad when morning dawned, for I slept but little that night.

Chapter XVII.
Next morning, just after daybreak, Brace and I started upon our excursion.

Chapter XVIII.
I pretended to express surprise, though I was bursting with laughter, for I had become quite satisfied as to the species of the bird.

Chapter XIX.
For more than a mile we walked through this wonderful wood, and, although we had admired it so much on first entering it, we were now very desirous of getting out of it.

Chapter XX.
Ben was now sorry he had not brought a bullet with him, or, at all events, some slugs.

Chapter XXI.
I communicated my convictions to Ben, who still persisted in calling the tree a palm.

Chapter XXII.
No doubt in less than another minute Ben Brace and I would have ceased to live.

Chapter XXIII.
Of course my companion and I kept our places in the top of the tree; we could not do otherwise.

Chapter XXIV.
Yes; we actually talked of descending from the tree, and risking our lives in a knife-conflict with the lion!

Chapter XXV.
It was the intention of Ben and myself to return direct to the barque.

Chapter XXVI.
At first we were inclined to remain where we had cooked and eaten our supper.

Chapter XXVII.
I knew that the tree had other names as well as baobab; that the negroes of Senegal call it the “monkey’s bread-tree,” the “sour gourd,” and “lalo plant,” and my book had been minute enough to give the botanical name, which is Adansonia—so called from a distinguished French botanist, of the name of Adanson, who, long ago, travelled through western Africa, and was the first to describe this wonderful tree.

Chapter XXVIII.
You will be surprised to hear, that I was not far more frightened than he.

Chapter XXIX.
We both fell asleep almost instantaneously, but I am unable to say how long we continued to sleep.

Chapter XXX.
Do not suppose that we considered ourselves safe. We were simply safe for the moment—as our disappearance into the hollow of the tree, being sudden and unexpected, had taken the mandrills by surprise, and they had not followed us inside.

Chapter XXXI.
The Pandora was now rapidly made ready for her voyage across the Atlantic.

Chapter XXXII.
All the slaver’s boats were called into requisition, and the crew—every man of them—were as busy as bees.

Chapter XXXIII.
The living freight was at length all taken aboard and stowed away between decks, the grated hatches were fastened down, and a ruffian sentry with musket and bayonet stood by each, ready to use his weapon upon any of the poor wretches who might try to get on deck.

Chapter XXXIV.
On hearing this explanation I at first felt inclined to laugh, but my mirthful inclinations were soon dissipated.

Chapter XXXV.
I remembered the advice of Brace, and submitted, with as good grace as I could, to the hospitalities of his black majesty.

Chapter XXXVI.
I had observed before starting, that the barque had got up her anchor and was slowly gliding down stream.

Chapter XXXVII.
The barque was not yet opposite me; but, by the rate at which she was moving, I calculated she would be so by the time I could arrive in midstream.

Chapter XXXVIII.
I have no doubt that the skipper knew all about my coming aboard.

Chapter XXXIX.
I was beginning to draw hope from the behaviour of the slave captain and his mate.

Chapter XL.
Of the cutter we never saw more. When the sun rose there was no sail in sight, and the slaver alone upon the ocean, was standing upon her westward course, under a soft gentle breeze and a cloud of sail.

Chapter XLI.
I shall spare the reader many details of this voyage of of the Pandora.

Chapter XLII.
We were in the middle of the wide Atlantic, hundreds of miles from any land.

Chapter XLIII.
I was not so much affected by this laconic piece of intelligence, as I might have been had I known more of the sea; and perhaps I should have regarded it still less, but for the gloomy glances and apprehensive air of those around me.

Chapter XLIV.
Yes—two half casks or one whole one—in all, about one hundred gallons of fresh water to serve for a crew of forty white men and a cargo of five hundred black ones; to serve them for weeks! Why, it would not be a single day’s allowance—far less, indeed—it would scarce give each of them a drink!

Chapter XLV.
During all these deliberations not one word was said about the five hundred unfortunate wretches between decks! It is a question whether even a thought was spent upon them, except by myself, perhaps by Ben Brace, and most likely the captain of the Pandora.

Chapter XLVI.
Unhappy beings! I shuddered as I reflected on what was before them.

Chapter XLVII.
You desire an explanation? You wish to know how the Pandora was destroyed?

Chapter XLVIII.
At this cry all hands rushed toward the after-part of the vessel.

Chapter XLIX.
It needed no conjuror to explain that report. Every one knew what it meant.

Chapter L.
There were three boats belonging to the barque Pandora. They were the “long-boat,” the “pinnace,” and the “captain’s gig.

Chapter LI.
The astounding intelligence, conveyed by the final sentence of this staggering speech, deprived me for the moment of the power of motion.

Chapter LII.
“A raft! a raft!“

Chapter LIII.
But short as was the time it appeared an age to me. With that dread secret shut up in my breast, every minute seemed an hour; and I knew not the moment that was to be our last.

Chapter LIV.
During all this time what was the behaviour of the unfortunate blacks? Where were they? what were they doing? What was being done for them? Were any steps being taken for their safety?

Chapter LV.
During my short absence, Brace had not been idle.

Chapter LVI.
Up to that instant I had not looked back towards the burning barque.

Chapter LVII.
No wonder the sailors were alarmed. Should the blacks carry out their intention, enough of them might reach the raft to sink her—enough of them, perhaps, to fling the white men into the sea and themselves take possession of that frail chance for life.

Chapter LVIII.
The stretch of water that lay between the raft and the burning vessel glittered under the yellow light like a sea of molten gold.

Chapter LIX.
An awful alternative it was, and for a long while the ill-starred victims seemed to linger in their choice.

Chapter LX.
There was much shouting among the white men and many wild exclamations, but no time was lost in idle talk—for every one was doing his best to propel the raft.

Chapter LXI.
It soon became evident that the foremost swimmers, who had been for the moment repulsed, had no intention of turning back.

Chapter LXII.
The breeze died away before the morning, and when day broke there was not a breath stirring.

Chapter LXIII.
As soon as day dawned every eye was bent upon the horizon. Not a point of the whole circle that was not scanned with the minutest earnestness by one and all.

Chapter LXIV.
Yes, the man was mad. The awful occurrences of the preceding night had deprived him of his reason, and he was now a raving maniac.

Chapter LXV.
It was probably on the sixth day after parting from the wreck—though I am not certain about the day—that the horrid design reached its development.

Chapter LXVI.
Yes—it was decreed that I should die.

Chapter LXVII.
I can ill describe the emotions that agitated my bosom. Though delivered from the terror of immediate death, there was nothing in the respite to give me any feeling of joy.

Chapter LXVIII.
It had now grown extremely dark—so much so that I could scarce distinguish the form of my companion, though he was close by me—and the great raft itself with the bodies reclining upon it, was only distinguishable as a shapeless black mass.

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