Nostromo - A Tale of the Seaboard.pdf - Planet eBook

Mitchell, after directing the commander of the Minerva toland ‘these gentlemen’ in the first port of call outside Costaguana,went back in his gig to see what could be done for theprotection of the Company’s property. That and the propertyof the railway were preserved by the European residents;that is, by Captain Mitchell himself and the staff of engineersbuilding the road, aided by the Italian and Basqueworkmen who rallied faithfully round their English chiefs.The Company’s lightermen, too, natives of the Republic, behavedvery well under their Capataz. An outcast lot of verymixed blood, mainly negroes, everlastingly at feud with theother customers of low grog shops in the town, they embracedwith delight this opportunity to settle their personalscores under such favourable auspices. There was not one ofthem that had not, at some time or other, looked with terrorat Nostromo’s revolver poked very close at his face, orbeen otherwise daunted by Nostromo’s resolution. He was‘much of a man,’ their Capataz was, they said, too scornfulin his temper ever to utter abuse, a tireless taskmaster, andthe more to be feared because of his aloofness. And behold!there he was that day, at their head, condescending to makejocular remarks to this man or the other.Such leadership was inspiriting, and in truth all theharm the mob managed to achieve was to set fire to one—only one—stack of railway-sleepers, which, being creosoted,burned well. The main attack on the railway yards, on theO.S.N. Offices, and especially on the Custom House, whosestrong room, it was well known, contained a large treasurein silver ingots, failed completely. Even the little hotel kept