VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
_Paladore_. I have heard, Have read bold fables of enormity, Devised to make men wonder, and confirm The abhorrence of our nature; but this hardness Transcends all fiction. LAW OF LOMBARDY.
We must now relate what had occurred on deck during the struggle ofNewton to escape from his prison. At one o'clock, Jackson hadcalculated that in an hour, or less, the brig would strike on the reef.He took the helm from the man who was steering, and told him that hemight go below. Previous to this, he had been silently occupied incoiling the hawser before the door of Newton's cabin, it being hisintention to desert the brig, with the seamen, in the long boat, andleave Newton to perish. When the brig dashed upon the reef, which shedid with great violence, and the crew hurried upon deck, Jackson, whowas calm, immediately proceeded to give the orders which he had alreadyarranged in his mind; and the coolness with which they were givenquieted the alarm of the seamen, and allowed them time to recall theirscattered senses. This, however, proved unfortunate to Jackson. Hadthey all hurried in the boat at once, and shoved off; he would in allprobability have been permitted to go with them, and Newton in the hurryof their self-preservation, would have been forgotten; but his coolbehaviour restored their confidence, and, unhappily for him, gave theseamen time to reflect. Every one was in the boat; for Jackson hadquietly prepared and put into her what he considered requisite, when oneof the men called out for Newton.
"Damn Newton now!--save your own lives, my lads. Quick in the boat, allof you."
"Not without Mr Newton!" cried the men, unanimously. "Jump down, TomWilliams, and see where he is; he must sleep devilish sound."
The sailor sprung down the companion hatch, where he found the hawsercoiled against the door, and heard Newton struggling inside. It wasenough. He hastened on deck, and told his companions; adding, that "itwould take half an hour to get the poor fellow out, and that's longerthan we dare stay, for in ten minutes the brig will be to pieces."
"It is you, you murdering rascal, who did it!" cried the man to Jackson."I tell you what, my lads, if poor Mr Newton is to die, let thisscoundrel keep him company."
A general shout proclaimed the acquiescence of the other seamen in thisact of retributive justice. Jackson, with a loud oath, attempted tospring into the boat, but was repelled by the seamen; again he made theattempt, with dreadful imprecations. He was on the plane-sheer of thebrig, and about to make a spring, when a blow from a handspike (the samehandspike with which he had murdered the unfortunate seaman) struck himsenseless, and he fell back into the lee-scuppers. The boat then shovedoff, and had not gained more than two cables' lengths from the vessel,when Newton effected his escape and ran on deck, as narrated in our lastchapter.
The brig had now beat up so high on the reef, that she remained firmlyfixed upon it; and the tide having ebbed considerably, she was lessexposed to the beating of the waves. The sun was also about to make hisappearance, and it was broad daylight when Jackson first came to hisrecollection. His brain whirled, his ideas were confused, and he hadbut a faint reminiscence of what had occurred. He felt that the waterwashed his feet, and with a sort of instinct he rose, and staggered upto windward. In so doing, without perceiving him, he stumbled over thebody of Newton, who also was roused up by the shock. A few momentspassed before either could regain his scattered senses; and, at the sametime, both sitting up on the deck, at about a yard distant, theydiscovered and recognised each other.
Newton was the more collected of the two, for Jackson's insensibilityhad been occasioned by bodily--his, by mental concussion. The effect ofthe blow was still felt by Jackson; and although recovered from thestupor, a dull, heavy sensation affected his eyesight and confused hisideas.
The sight of Newton went far to recover Jackson, who started up as if tograpple with the object of his hatred. Newton was on his legs at thesame moment, and retreating, seized upon the handspike which lay on thedeck, close to where Jackson had been struck down, and placed himself inan attitude of defence. Not a word was exchanged between them. Theyremained a few minutes in this position, when Jackson, whose brain wasaffected by the violence of his feelings, dropped down upon the deck ina renewed state of insensibility.
Newton had now time to look about him, and the prospect was any thingbut cheering. It was almost low water, and in every direction heperceived reefs of coral rock, and large banks of sand, with deepchannels between them, through which the tide flowed rapidly. The reefupon which the brig had been grounded was of sharp coral; and, in thedeeper parts, the trees could be discerned, extending a submarine forestof boughs; but it was evident that the reef upon which the vessel laywas, as well as most of the others, covered at high water. As a meansof escape, a small boat was still hanging over the stern, which Newtonwas able to manage either with her sails or her oars, as might berequired.
As there was no time to be lost, and the only chance of escape remainedwith the boat, Newton commenced his arrangements. The mast and sailswere found, and the latter bent;--a keg was filled with water,--acompass taken out of the binnacle,--a few pieces of beef, and some breadcollected in a bag, and thrown in. He also procured some bottles ofwine and cider from the cabin: these he stowed away carefully in thelittle locker, which was fitted under the stern-sheets of the boat. Inan hour every thing was ready; and throwing into her some pieces ofspare rope, and a small grapnel to anchor with, there being stillsufficient water alongside to float her, Newton gradually lowered onetackle and then another, until the boat was safe in the water. He thenhauled her up alongside, made her fast by the painter, and stepped hermast.
All was now ready--but to leave Jackson to be washed away by thereturning tide, when the brig would unquestionably go to pieces?--Newtoncould not do it. True, he had sought his life, and still displayed themost inveterate rancour towards him; and Newton felt convinced that nofuture opportunity would occur, that his enemy would not profit by, toinsure his destruction. Yet to leave him--a murderer!--with all hissins upon his soul, to be launched so unprepared into the presence of anoffended Creator!--it was impossible--it was contrary to his nature, andto the religion which he professed. How could he hope for the Divineassistance in his perilous undertaking, when he embarked on it,regardless of the precept to forgive his enemy?
Newton ascended to that part of the deck where Jackson laid, and rousedhim. Jackson awoke, as from a deep sleep, and then stared at Newton,who, as a precaution held the handspike in his hand.
"Mr Jackson," said Newton, "I have roused you to let you know that theboat is now ready, and that I am going to shove off."
Jackson, who recollected the scene of the previous night, and perceivedNewton standing over him with the handspike, appeared wholly unnerved.In point of muscular power, Newton was his superior, independent of theweapon in his possession.
"Not without me!--not without me!" cried Jackson, raising himself uponhis knees. "For mercy's sake, Mr Newton, do not leave me to thishorrid death!"
"You would have left me to one even more dreadful," replied Newton.
"I beg your pardon!--Pardon me, Mr Newton, I was drunk at the time--indeed I was. I don't know what I do when I'm in liquor.--Don't leaveme!--I'll obey your orders, and do any thing you wish!--I'll wait uponyou as your servant!--I will indeed, Mr Newton!"
"I neither ask that you will obey my orders, nor wait upon me," repliedNewton. "All I request is, that you will lay aside your wantonanimosity, and exert yourself to save your life. For what you havealready attempted against me, may God forgive you, as I do! For whatyou may hereafter attempt, you will find me prepared. Now follow intothe boat."
Without further exchange of words Newton, followed by Jackson, went intothe boat, and shoved off. The weather was moderate and the wind light.There were two islets which Newton had marked, which apparently were notcovered at high water, one about ten miles distant in the supposeddirection of the land, for Newton had shrewdly guessed the locality ofthe reef; and the other about two miles fro
m the first, further out,with trees growing to the water's edge. To this latter, Newton proposedpulling, and waiting there until the next morning. When they were bothin the boat, Newton finding that the wind was contrary, unshipped themast, and taking the foremost oar, that Jackson might not sit behindhim, desired him to take the other. The tide, which was now flood, andswept out to the southward, obliged them to pull at an angle to reachtheir intended destination. It was not until sunset that, with greatexertion, they fetched the island nearest to the land, not the one thatwas covered with trees, as they had its tended. As soon as the boat wassecured, exhausted with fatigue, they both threw themselves down on thesand, where they remained for some time. Having recovered a little,Newton procured from the boat some of the supplies which they required,and after satisfying their hunger in silence, they both lay down torepose. Newton, who was still afraid of Jackson's diabolical enmity,which his silence implied to be again at work, closed his eyes, andpretended for some time to be asleep. As soon as it was dark, he rose,and first listening to the breathing of his comrade, who appeared to bein a sound slumber, he walked away from him about one hundred yards, sothat it would be difficult to find him; he placed the handspike underhis head for a pillow, and worn out with; mental and bodily fatigue, wassoon in a state of oblivion.
His sleep, although profound for three or four hours was subsequentlyrestless. The mind, when agitated, watches for the body, and wakes itat the time when it should be on the alert. Newton woke up: it was notyet daylight, and all was hushed. He turned round, intending to get upimmediately; yet, yielding to the impulse of wearied nature, he againslumbered. Once he thought that he heard a footstep, roused himself,and listened; but all was quiet and still, except the light waverippling on the sand. Again he was roused by a sort of grating noise;he listened, and all was quiet. A third time he was roused by a soundlike the flapping of a sail: he listened--he was sure of it, and hesprung upon his feet. It was dawn of day, and as he turned his eyestowards the beach, he perceived to his horror that the boat was indeedunder sail, Jackson, who was in it, then just hauling aft the mainsheet,and steering away from the island. Newton ran to the beach, plungedinto the sea, and attempted to regain the boat; but he was soon out ofhis depth, and the boat running away fast through the water. He shoutedto Jackson, as a last attempt. The scoundrel waved his hand in ironicaladieu, and continued his course.
"Treacherous villain!" mentally exclaimed Newton, as his eyes followedthe boat. "Was it for this that I preserved your life in return foryour attempts on mine? Here then must I die of starvation!--God's willbe done!" exclaimed he aloud, as he sat down on the beach, and coveredhis face with his hands.
Newton Forster; Or, The Merchant Service Page 17