Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard
Mitchell, after directing the commander of the Minerva to land "these gentlemen" in the first port of call outside of Costaguana, went back in his gig to see what could be done for the protection of the Company's property. That and the property of the railway were preserved by the European residents; that is, by Captain Mitchell himself and the staff of engineers building the road, aided by the Italian and Basque workmen who rallied faithfully round their English chiefs. The Company's lightermen, too, natives of the republic, behaved very well under their capataz. An outcast lot of very mixed blood, mainly negroes, everlastingly at feud with the other customers of low grog-shops in the town, they embraced with delight this opportunity to settle their personal scores under such favorable auspices. There was not one of them that had not, at some time or other, looked with terror at Nostromo's revolver poked very close at his face, or been otherwise daunted by Nostromo's resolution. He was "much of a man," their capataz was, they said, too scornful in his temper ever to utter abuse, a tireless taskmaster, and the more to be feared because of his aloofness. And, behold! there he was that day, at their head, condescending to make jocular remarks to this man or the other.
Such leadership was inspiriting, and in truth all the harm 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 the O.S.N. offices, and especially on the custom-house, whose strong-room, it was well known, contained a large treasure in silver ingots, failed com-
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