The Adventures of Captain Mago

When I returned to the deck, the promontory of Utica (or, as the point on the Libyan coast facing Sicily is sometimes called, the Cape of Hermes) was clearly visible.

In honour of our arrival at so important a city we all took extra pains in dressing ourselves. I put on my best kitonet and my embroidered cap; and Hannibal donned his plumed helmet, and wore a handsome tunic under his cuirass.

We could ere long see not only the cape but the city of Utica itself; and further south, at the other extremity of the bay, a confused white mass, which unquestionably was Carthage. Leaving this on our left, we steered due west right into the bay, and having rounded the headland, coasted for some miles along the low-lying shore that continued all the way to the city, which seemed to rise in gentle gradations from the deep blue waters to where the "bozrah" formed its lofty crown. The red and brown domes of the buildings and the battlements of the citadel stood out in sharp relief against the azure sky; and the masses of verdure all around the city formed a fitting background for the dazzling whiteness of its lime-washed walls.

Having passed a number of imposing edifices on the island, which is separated from the mainland by a canal that forms the trade-harbour, we entered the war-port, in the centre of which, high above the crowds of shipping, rose the massive walls and towers of the Admiralty palace. I found that there was room for my ships on the left-hand quay, where I had them laid to, and then in company with Hanno I got into a small boat and rowed across the harbour to a jetty, wide and paved, that led from the Admiralty to the mainland, and which, being in connection with all the surrounding quays, is always thronged with passengers going to and fro upon business at the Admiralty offices.

From the jetty we passed through a high vaulted gateway, flanked on either side by a tower, into an outer court-yard. Here the sentinels asked our names, and sent us on through another lofty gateway, across a hall hung with red and yellow tapestry into a long dark lobby, at the end of which was a half-open gate leading into the large inner court. We crossed this court, and entered another lobby exactly like the one we had just quitted; and leaving this, we found ourselves in a low square room with a vaulted roof, whence we passed, by a side door, into a gloomy room with a circular dome. We had, however, still farther to go: after ascending three long and very narrow staircases we entered an apartment with a lofty dome on the second floor of one of the towers; but even yet we had not reached our destination. We had now to descend a few steps and pass along a corridor, from which we ascended another staircase, and finally reached a spacious apartment, circular in shape, well lighted by loop-holes in the wall, and having a handsome vaulted ceiling.

I could observe that we had thus made our way to the left-hand tower of the four which are ranged along the north front of the palace, one at each end of the building, and one at each side of the gateway, this one commanding a view of the Admiral's private basin, beyond which I could see my own vessels lying in the Cothôn.

The apartment was hung with strips of tapestry alternately red and yellow, and the paved floor was covered with mats. The guards who had ushered us all the way from the outer court-yard remained standing at the door, and having given us permission to enter, Hanno and I advanced alone towards a window, where, seated in a chair of painted wood, I recognised old Adonibal, the naval suffes, or suffect.

Nearly every one is aware that our Libyan cities are subject to a government in many respects similar to that which existed among the children of Israel before the time of King Saul; that is, they are ruled by suffects, whose office corresponds very nearly to that of the "judges." A council, all eligible as suffects, are nominated by the people, and these from their own number elect two (whom, however, the people reserve to themselves the power of displacing), one to be "naval suffect," entrusted with the control of all maritime matters; the other, popularly called the "sacred suffect," to have the superintendence of all inland affairs. But it is not so generally known that for the last ten years the Libyan suffects have been appointed without any sanction either of the Kings of Tyre or Sidon. The representatives are chosen independently, subject only to the condition that no Tyrians are admitted to the office at Utica, which is essentially a Sidonian colony, and no Sidonian can be elected for Carthage, where it is the Tyrians who have been rearing the new city around the ancient Bozrah.

At the time of our visit, Adonibal, the son of Adoniram, had been for eight years the naval suffect, and it was universally acknowledged that he wielded his magistracy with a resolute and steady hand. After many years of adventure both by sea and land, he had settled at Utica, where he had carried on his affairs, both in trade and warfare, with great success. He had led the forces of the city against the Libyans, had made incursions upon the coast of Tarshish, and in a great measure had contributed to the establishment of Massalia, the city of the Salians, at the mouth of the Rhone, in the land of the Celts. In return for his services, and as a proof of the confidence they had in his judgment and experience, the people of Utica elected him their naval suffect, and the way in which the city and its dependencies prospered under his rule convinced them that their choice could not have fallen on a better man.

In the course of my many voyages I had at various times been brought into contact with Adonibal, and although I was quite aware that he had been a daring freebooter, I knew him to be a brave sailor and a clever merchant. It was therefore with much pleasure that I advanced towards the chair in which the hale old man was seated. Although he had a flowing white beard, his upper lip was shorn perfectly smooth in the old Chittim fashion; he wore his mariner's cap pressed closely over his ears; and his nose, slightly redder than of yore, betokened that he had more than a slight acquaintance with the luscious produce of Helbon and Berytos.

I bowed, and congratulated him that I found him looking so well.

"Ah!" he said, speaking in a sort of facetious way that had become habitual to him, "here's Mago, the Sidonian, the cutest captain that ever took cedar ship to Tarshish! And who is this young man with you?"

I introduced Hanno as my scribe and fellow-townsman.

"And the brave fellows that were with you when you came here before; how are they all?" continued Adonibal, stroking his beard; "Himilco with his one eye, and Gisgo who had lost his ears, how are they? And what has become of the notable Gadita?"

Flattered by the accuracy with which he retained me and my people in his memory, I replied that they were all well and with me, and that he had only to turn his head to the window and he would see all my ships in the harbour, amongst them the Gadita, whose name had been altered to the Cabiros.

The old man laughed significantly.

"I shall see your ships quite soon enough for your liking," he said; "I shall not lose much time in making my official inspection of them. The Melkarth left here only three days since."

"The Melkarth!" I exclaimed in astonishment.

Seeing my amazement he began to jeer me. "An old stager like you! you surprise me very much by trusting yourself here so soon after Bodmilcar."

"Bodmilcar!" I repeated; "surely you must be unaware of how Bodmilcar has acted!"

"I am only aware of this," he said, his eye twinkling as he spoke; "you and your scribe must lay down your swords and be trotted off to the dungeons, and the rest of your people will very soon be trotted after you."

I stood dumb with bewilderment; but Hanno, with whom neither patience nor reticence were prevailing virtues, laid his hand upon the hilt of his sword, and said: —

"This sword was given me by Melek David, and whoever demands its surrender shall first know the feel of its point in his bosom."

White with passion, the old man started to his feet. In an instant a couple of guards had laid their hands upon the shoulders of my impetuous scribe.

"Let him alone!" he bawled; "I can defend myself."

Then suddenly controlling his fury, he said very slowly, addressing us both:

"Lay down your swords at once, or by Baal-Peor! within a quarter of an hour your heads shall be swinging from the highest battlement of this very tower!"

I knew that Adonibal was not a man to swear lightly by his god, and I knew, moreover, that a few heads more or less were a matter of no moment to him. Seeing, therefore, that he was somewhat calmer, I summoned all my courage, and said as firmly as I could:

"My lord suffect, you are bound to show justice to all mariners alike; you would not, I am sure, commit a Sidonian captain to the dungeons without giving him a fair hearing."

He had recovered his equanimity sufficiently to resume his bantering tone:

"They have gone for the handcuffs: they will soon be back; but perhaps you will have time to tell me what you want, while they are fetching them. And, really, I am curious to know what defence you can possibly make for your treachery to Bodmilcar, under whose command, as I see by his letters, you were placed by King Hiram."

"I have but one question to ask," I said; "and if the answer convicts me, why then you may behead me, hang me, or crucify me, as you like. Have you any documents bearing Bodmilcar's seal and signature?"

From a bag that was hanging beside him he drew out a papyrus-roll, which he opened and laid before me.

"There," he said, "is Bodmilcar's deposition, written, signed, and sealed by himself. That convicts you plainly enough, I should think."

"Just the contrary," I replied calmly; "Bodmilcar is caught in his own trap. Here is our charter-party." And taking the deed from the hands of Hanno, I showed it to the suffect.

"Yes," I continued, "that is the indenture which sets forth the contract, and you need only glance at it to see that Bodmilcar covenanted to sail under my command. Why, the very seal with which he ratified his deposition was bought with the few coins I gave him to rescue him from starvation at Tyre! Let me ask you now, who is the traitor?"

Adonibal perused the document carefully, and seemed much distressed. In a few moments he rose and said:

"Mago, my friend, I have manifestly misjudged you. Nothing could be more completely demonstrated than Bodmilcar's faithlessness. Forgive me my too hasty conclusion. I ought to have known that neither you nor your brave companions could ever have been guilty of such treachery."

He went on to say that he should be interested in hearing our whole story, and that he should be only too ready to do us justice. As I detailed the particulars of Bodmilcar's conduct, he could hardly restrain his indignation.

"By Baal-Peor of Berytos!" he said, "if ever Bodmilcar and his crew come within reach of my clutches, they shall all be crucified within an hour."

He then addressed himself to Hanno:

"You, sir scribe, seem to have a spirit of your own, notwithstanding your tender years."

"My lord," replied Hanno, "I should not have been so presumptuous if Mago had not already told me how renowned you were for discrimination and for justice. I felt that there could be nothing to fear from one who knows so well how to unmask the truth."

"You have a sharp fellow here, Mago," said Adonibal to me, smiling as he spoke; "but, come now, we must all drink wine together. I have much to tell about Bodmilcar, and presently I shall hope to see as many of your people as you please, seated at my own table."

Thanking him for his hospitable offer, I made Hanno write down a list of my officers, which was delivered to one of the guards. Wine, meanwhile, had been brought in, and Adonibal himself handed us each an ivory goblet with a rim of Tarshish silver. While we were drinking, he observed that he took it for granted we had not come to Utica empty-handed.

"I am quite aware," he said, "that the bulk of your cargo is for King David; but I reckon that you are rather too old a sailor not to be doing a little business on your own account. What have you got to dispose of?"

I told him that I had brought some sulphur and lava-stones, articles which always used to command a ready sale in Libya.

"And so they do now," he said; "you will be sure to get a good price for them. But what else have you?"

"Well, my lord suffect, you know I have been in three little skirmishes off Ionia and Sicily. You must naturally suppose I have managed to pick up a trifle or two."

"Ha! ha!" he laughed; "you are a genuine Sidonian. Out with it, man! – how many have you got?"