CHAPTER VIII.
_HIGH HOCK. MOLL PITCHER THE FORTUNE-TELLER. ARRIVAL OF THE PRIZES.FANNY AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE DOLPHIN. A DECLARATION. AN INSULT. THEDEFENCE. THE FORTUNATE ESCAPE. ARRIVAL AT HOME. MEETING OF FRIENDS._
|No American can or rather, should be, unacquainted with the principalevents that induced the Parliament of great Britain in 1774, to laythose restrictions upon the port of Boston, which so destroyed hertrade, and awoke the inhabitants of the Colonies to a true sense oftheir oppression. It is well known that the towns of Lynn, Salem,and Portsmouth, with a noble determination, refused to profit by thesituation of their neighbors, the port of Boston being under actualblockade. For this reason as early as the date we have just named, andto the spring of the year 1776, when the British army evacuated Boston,it was a rare sight to see the canvass of any other vessel than such aswore the pennant of the King, whitening the waters of MassachusettsBay. There was a virtual cessation of all branches of trade, and theprospects of the Bay Province, as that of Massachusetts was called, wereof the most gloomy and foreboding character.
It was a clear cold morning in early spring, not but a few dayssubsequent to the evacuation of Boston by the minions of the King andParliament, driven from their quarters by the guns of the Continentalsplanted on Dorchester Heights. The clear biting chill of our northernwinter still lingered as if reluctant to give place to the more genialseason that was soon to follow. The fishermen of the High Rock hamletwere impatiently awaiting the return of the season which would againcall them into active service. The winter stock of provisions began tolook dangerously small, and all things reminded the men that thetime for them to renew their daring and venturesome trade was fastapproaching. The nets were all mended, the lines renewed, and all theirfishing tackle was well looked to. The boats hauled under temporarycoverings erected upon the beach for that purpose, were all recaulked,and their seams well tarred, and secured against the element whichwas to bear them upon its breast--all and everything was ready for theopening season, which was soon to come.
As we have said, it was a clear cold morning, when a group of thesefishermen, impatiently awaiting the approach of the time we havereferred to, were seen ascending the steep acclivity of High Rock.Hardly had they gained its summit, before their gaze became rivetedseaward, where they evidently saw some object of interest and surpriseto them all.
‘What vessel is in the service of Congress,’ asked one of the fishermen,‘that might be hereaway at this time? There are not so many incommission, as to permit them to take pleasure cruises along the coast.’
‘That’s true enough,’ said he who was addressed, ‘nor can I say whatvessels these can possibly be. Can you make out the colors?’
‘The brig has the Continental flag,’ said the first speaker.
‘And her companions none at all,’ said the other.
‘The brig is an armed vessel, I should say.’
‘Yes, and so is the barque and ship, I should say,’ observed another,lowering a small spy glass from his eye.
‘It’s some gammon these British scamps are up to,’ said the firstspeaker. ‘But Washington has got possession of the town, and they won’tget it again in a hurry, that’s very certain.’
‘That brig has seen service,’ said he with the glass to his eye. ‘Herspars and rigging are a good deal cut up. I should rather guess thatthe two sails with her were prizes; she’s a sort of man-o-war look abouther--eh? what do you think neighbors?’
‘Ay, ay, somewhat sarsy, with that rake to her masts to be sure,’ saidone.
‘Guess you’re right--guess you’re right,’ said another.
Still the three vessels--a brig, a barque, and a ship--stood on forBoston harbor.--The sharp, cold air seemed to impart a deeper tinge ofblue to the sea, upon which at this moment the sun shone brightly andwarmly, as if awakening from his long winter’s sleep. The little groupwho had first got sight of the strange sails, were now joined by halfthe hamlet, all rife with curiosity at the sight before them.
Among the rest there stood a singular looking female. She was of theordinary height, well formed, and quite handsome in features, and abouttwenty-six years of age. Her dress bespoke the singularity of herfancy, and until you saw the purity of her handsome face you might havesupposed her an Indian maid but partially civilized; her costume beinga singular combination of the Indian dress of America and the gipsyof Europe. There was a vacuum in her mild hazel eye, so to speak, athoughtlessness, an indifference in her manner, that indicated a degreeof mental abstraction.--Her brow was already partially wrinkled withcare, and altogether she was a most singular object.
Her story is soon told. She was of humble but honorable birth, and beingat the gentle age of fifteen, of unrivalled beauty both of form andface, an English officer of high rank, but a profligate at heart, sawher and was enamored of her beauty.
He poured the poison of oily eloquence into her young and unsuspectingear; he gained her confidence and heart, ruined her, and then forsookher! From that hour she became another being, she wandered fromher home, and at length resorted in her half deranged state tofortune-telling, and through her shrewdness and peculiarities gained anample and sufficient livelihoood.
This was the far famed Moll Pitcher, the fortune-teller of Lynn!
Her little cottage was hard by, and impelled by the same spirit that haddrawn so many others hither, she sought the summit of the lofty rock,and mingled with the rest. Many a Boston belle of more modern times haslistened to her strange and, of times, truthful stories of the times ofwhich we now write, or has heard with trembling her predictions of wealor woe. The mariners more particularly, for many miles along the coast,paid willing tribute to the witch of Lynn, believing in their simplicitythat in her good will they bought for themselves security and safetyfrom the perils and dangers of the sea. During the siege of Boston,Moll Pitcher was of essential service on several occasions in obtaininginformation concerning the operations of the enemy, their purposes andplans, and then communicating it to Washington. To be sure, she was wellpaid in gold for the information thus obtained by personal hazard--butGeneral Washington was often heard to say Moll would’nt work for_British_ gold, though she did not refuse the pay of the Colonists inthe secret service she rendered the American army. The after historyand life of this singular woman are too well known among us to requirefarther comment.
‘Moll,’ said one of the group, familiarly to her, ‘who are thesestrangers yonder in the vessels?’
‘Time will show!’ was the reply.
‘Ay, who doubts that?’
‘None, that I know of,’ was the vacant reply of the reputed witch.
‘But can’t you tell us, Moll, by your art who they really are? wetherfriends or enemies, rogues or honest men?’
‘Give me gold and I’ll try!’ was the reply.
‘No, no, Moll, we did but ask thee a friendly question, as a friend, andnot in the way of thy trade.’
‘And as a friend I answered.’
‘Come, come, Moll, thou art dumpish to-day. Give us thy opinion now, andI will promise thee the first mess of fresh fish; there’s pay for thee;wilt speak now, woman?’
‘That brig lay in Boston harbor a couple of months gone by,’ said an oldfisherman to the rest, ‘I know her by the rig.’
‘How’s that, neighbor?’ put in in one hard by; ‘a brig’s a brig, and totell one from another at this distance, would require better eyes thaneither thine or mine.’
‘Aye but see you not that short mainmast, compared with the fore? Shewas just so when I noted her in Boston harbor, the day we pulled roundthere, neighbor Campbell.’
‘That’s all very true, no doubt,’ continued the questioner; ‘but whatis she doing here if that’s the case? She must have been a British brigthen, and now she hoists the flag of the colonies.’
‘Tis odd to be sure,’ said the other.
The three vessels that had so excited the curiosity of the people on therock, came on with a fair wind and flowing s
heets towards the Graves,as Boston lower light was then designated, and being the entrance to theouter harbor.
Suddenly all three, as if actuated by instinct or guided by one hand,tacked boldly to the North, and stood in towards the peninsula ofNahaut. This was the cause of still more surprise to those who werewatching them from the rock.
But a short half hour elapsed before the three vessels rounded the rockyshore of the iron-bound peninsula, and shortly came to anchor in thelittle harbor of Lynn, within a cable’s length of the shore. The sailswere furled, the usual routine of duty performed, and every rope placedin its proper place. The stems swung gracefully towards the shore, withthe incoming tide, and there lay the Constance and her two prizes,safe in port. The purpose of the voyage was consummated at least inthe release of the prisoners; but there was one whose liberty had beensacrificed as the cost.
The shores were soon crowded by the inquisitive inhabitants, who seeingno demonstrations of hostility, ventured boldly down to the shore, toascertain what errand could possibly have brought the strangers intotheir quiet little basin for anchorage. Great was the astonishment ofthe good people to behold landing from the first boat William Lovell,the long absent prisoner, and whom they had all given up as lost to themfor ever. He was always a favorite among them, and now as he landed,the air was rent with cheers of welcome. Warm and sincere were thecongratulations of those weather-beaten seamen and fishermen. Not ahand that grasped William Lovell’s then, but would have gone far andwillingly to have done him a service.
Let us now on board the Dolphin, and see how fares our heroine.
Burnet soon returned to his cabin, and entered into conversation withFanny relative to her strange and almost unaccountable adventures. Fannyblushed through all the stain upon her face, to have Captain Burnetbehold her in her male attire, for he said, as Lovell had done, that henever saw her look more interesting. Neither could hardly realize thefact of their former situation as friends, and their present relation toeach other. It seemed like a dream, too wild and visionary to be true.
‘And were all thy questions and study on the evening that you told me ofLovell’s imprisonment in anticipation of all this?’
‘I thought it was singular that you should be so minute relative tothose questions of navigation, and the course to steer for Cuba, with somany other questions.’
‘I proposed to myself at that time to do that which I have sinceaccomplished, as far as taking the brig and releasing William isconcerned.’
‘Thou art a most singular girl, Fanny.’
‘You have often told me so before now,’ she answered.
‘But I have never told thee how much I loved thee,’ said Burnet, withanimation. ‘Thou hast proved thyself equal to any emergency. Why, Fanny,your story is a romance; no fairy tale could exceed it in extravagance,and yet it’s all true. You have liberated Lovell, let that content you.Now, Fanny Campbell, will you become my wife?’
‘Is this generous, Mr. Burnet? Am I not your prisoner?’
‘Nay, Fanny, I am _thy_ prisoner; for in thy keeping rests my futurehappiness.’
Burnet, who had at first sought Fanny as a mere toy, as something thatpleased his fancy, now really loved her, and would joyfully have madeher his lawful wife. His standing and rank, with the large propertyhe possessed, would entitle him to an alliance far above the sphere inwhich Fanny moved and was born; but the admiration of her heroism,and his former knowledge of her character, together with her beauty ofperson, had decided him, and he would gladly have laid all at her feet.
‘Mr. Burnet,’ said Fanny, ‘I have respected you, nay, have felt asincere regard for you, but I can never love you as a wife should do.I have much, very much, to thank you for; you have acted very noblytowards me, having given me the advantage of your extensive information,have humored my every fancy, and have been more than a brother to me.You are high born, hold a captain’s commission from the King and arerich, honored and honorable; such a man deserves to be united to a womanwho shall be entirely devoted to him, who can give him her undivided andwhole love. Mr. Burnet, I am not that woman!’
‘Thou art an angel, nevertheless,’ murmured the captain, as he sank upona chair, and hiding his face in his hands, he wept like a child.
‘Rouse, thee, Burnet,’ said Fanny, ‘the path of fame and glory areopen before you. You have rank, opportunity, every necessary possessionwhereby to lead thee on to honor and distinction. Fanny’s prayers shallever be raised for thee.’
He took her willing hand, and pressed it to his lips, saying:
‘Oh! each word you utter but shows me the more clearly what I have lost.Yes, you speak truly,’ said he, brushing a tear from his eye, ‘fame mustbe my future mistress; I can love no other.’
At this moment a light knock at the cabin door was heard, and thelieutenant of the Dolphin announced, as he had been instructed to do bythe captain, that they were just passing into Boston harbor. The captainappearing on deck soon discovered that the King’s fleet had sailed, andthat the American flag floated from the town. Observing this, he came tothe very correct conclusion that the English army had evacuated the townduring his cruise off the coast. The Dolphin was brought to anchor inthe outer harbor, and the crew busied in refitting the vessel to enableher to follow the fleet, and also to await the coming up of the prizethey had left to follow them. Burnet little thought of the possibilityof her escape or recapture. A few hours serving to refit, Burnetdetermined to wait no longer for the prize, but to stand out to see andmeet her.
Just as he had made up his mind to this purpose, the surgeon’s reportwas handed to him. He was prepared for a great loss as to the number ofhis crew, but not for so large a sacrifice as he now saw had been made;he looked into the matter personally and was exercised with not alittle fear for his own reputation in being thus severely handled byan half-dozen men, commanded by a female. His feelings were still moreharrowed by the examination that he then made into the state of thevessel under his charge.
As he passed among the wounded men, and heard their sighs and groans,his feelings were moved, and his mind excited beyond what he hadexperienced at any time, during, or since the commencement of the fightwith the Constance. Burnet was somewhat nervous and excitable in hisdisposition, and he was now completely under the control of theseinfluences. He scanned the horizon in the direction whence the prize wasexpected, and which should long since have made her appearance--but invain; she was not to be seen, and though he felt somewhat uneasy abouther, yet it never entered into his head that she might be retaken, theprincipal ground of his fears on the point, was, that he might possiblymiss her in the night, and that if she should, unconscious of herdanger, anchor in the harbor of Boston, why, she must inevitably fallagain into the hands of the Colonists, and he would not have even astick of timber to show for the fearful number of men he had lost in thelate contest with the prize.
He did not dare to keep his present anchorage, for it was alreadyevident that he was noticed, and a boat attack might be expected fromthe shore during the night, if he should attempt to wait for the arrivalof his prize. He saw with his glass that preparations were alreadymaking for such a purpose, and he therefore resolved, as we have said,to sail, and if possible to meet the Constance, or perhaps lie-to offthe harbor at a safe distance, until morning. Everything seemed toperplex and annoy him, and he was, indeed, hardly himself.
The night was dark, and settled coldly about the Dolphin. The lamp hadbeen lit by a servant, in the cabin, and Fanny sat perusing a bookthat she had found upon the table, when Burnet entered. He looked likeanother being from him who had left her but a short time before. Hisdisappointment at finding the city in the hands of the Colonists, hisown prize not arriving, the surgeon’s report of the weak and disabledstate of the crew, the disappointment of his affections, had alltended to bring on a morose and hardened state of feelings that showed,themselves at once in his countenance and manner.
‘Fanny,’ he said, approaching her familiarly, ‘I cannot part with y
ouwithout some token of your kindness.’
‘Mr. Burnet,’ said Fanny, gazing upon him with astonishment.
‘Come, sit thee here,’ said he, drawing her familiarly towards a couchplaced on one side of the cabin.
Fanny looked with the utmost astonishment upon him. She saw the cooldeliberate villany of his face; she read, and translated aright the lookof his eyes, and saw at once what her fate might be.
‘Mr. Burnet, release me,’ she said, struggling to free herself from thearm that encircled her waist. ‘I could not have dreamed this of one whomI have so much respected; nay, regarded like a brother.’
‘I tell thee, Fanny, I must have thy favor,’ said Burnet, still drawingher close to him.
‘Burnet,’ said Fanny, ‘I _beg_ of you to release me.’
‘By Heaven, I cannot,’ said Burnet, passionately.
‘Remember,’ said Fanny, still struggling with him, ‘remember I am your_prisoner_--completely in your power. Nay, then,’ she continued, ‘thoughI am a woman, I am not a defenceless one!’
Exerting her whole strength, she sprang from him and reached the fartherpart of the cabin.
‘Keep thy distance,’ said Fanny, afraid to give any alarm lest sheshould expose herself to the crew of the Dolphin, and looking in everydirection for escape; at length her eye brightened, as some thoughtseemed to strike her.
‘I bid thee fairly to keep thy distance,’ said Fanny, as he againapproached her. ‘For I am able, and will defend myself!’
But Burnet again seized her, and endeavored to confine her hands. Inthe same instant her right arm was raised above her head, and descendedquickly to the breast of Burnet, who immediately staggered back and fellupon the couch. Fanny gazed a moment upon him, locked the door of thecabin, then returning to the windows that looked out upon the sea, sheclimbed through one of them, and dropped herself silently into a boatthat was attached to the stern, and cutting it loose, she quietly pliedthe oars. The tide fortunately favored her, and she was swiftly sailingtowards the town, which she soon reached in safety.
Burnet’s wound was a severe one, and had nearly proved fatal; forFanny’s dagger was sharp and pierced deep. His vessel sailed immediatelyfor the New York rendezvous, where the rest of the fleet lay. Here heexperienced a dangerous fever from his wound. But often did he thankHeaven in secret that himself, not Fanny had suffered. He deeplyregretted the headlong spirit which had actuated him, and prompted theconduct he had displayed; it was deep and bitter disappointment. Now,as he recovered, he deeply regretted his conduct, and wrote to FannyCampbell, stating this, and asking for her forgiveness. He told her too,that he should still love her as he had ever done since they first met.
We have said that Fanny was borne swiftly towards the town, when sheleft the Dolphin, and that she arrived safely there. She reached theshore, and seeking a conveyance, started for her home. That night shemet friends, parents, lover, and all. There never was a happier meeting,you may believe us.
‘Did I not tell thee, wife,’ said the father, ‘that I had greatconfidence in Fanny, and that I would trust her where I would not olderheads?’
‘Yes, and here is as good a plot for a novel as the Bay Province everafforded, even in the times of the Indians or the French war.’
‘True, true; how blessed we are, to be sure; and to think that thegirl should have dressed in man’s clothes, and deceived them all; evenWilliam himself for some time, and that was odd, though they had notseen each other for so long a time. Now if we had read that in a novel,we should have said that the author was telling a very improbable story;but here it is all true, and there is no getting away from it.’
‘Oh, she’s a wonderful girl, our Fanny; and William says all the crewloved her just like that Irishman in the other room, and he will have itthat she is a saint, and no man at all. He doesn’t know of her disguise,and don’t suspect it either.’ Terrence Moony lay upon a comfortable bedin an adjoining room, not yet having recovered from a severe splinterwound, received in the last action on board the Constance; but he wasin good hands, and fast recovering. To use his own words, it was worthwhile to git a sliver into his thigh once a year at laste, to git alongso comfortably, and to be treated so kindly.’ The prisoners confinedon board the vessels were conducted to Boston, and delivered up to theCommander-in-chief as prisoners of war. With them, William Lovell as theagent of Fanny, or as he was obliged to represent it at head-quarters,of Captain Channing, also delivered up a large amount of arms andammunition, which had been taken from the enemy for the use enemy, andas a gift. A sufficient armament and ammunition was, however, retainedto fit the brig for the purpose of a privateer, for it was his intentthus to appropriate her after obtaining letters of marque from Congress.
Some fears were entertained by Fanny and her family, touching thecaptures she had made, inasmuch as, strictly speaking, she had laidherself liable to the charge of piracy, and Fanny, in the eyes ofthe law, was actually a Female Pirate Captain. But there were none toprosecute such a charge, and if there had been, Captain Campbell couldnowhere be found, for only her family knew the secret.
We have said that the prisoners were conducted to Boston. We should haveexcepted the mate of the second prize--the pardoned Englishman, whowas admitted as a member of the Campbell family until a favorableopportunity should offer to ship for his home.
Terence Moony’s surprise at not being able to find his much lovedcaptain after his recovery, was unbounded; but he accounted for thewhole affair in his usual style, and which also proved perfectlysatisfactory, at least to himself.
‘I always said the captain was a holy spirit,’ said Terrence, ‘so hewas, and no man, after all. Sure hadn’t he done the job he came for,and what’s the use of his staying any longer? Though he might have jistgiven me a grip of the hand, and said good-bye to ye, Terrence Moony, myboy. Yes, it’s all clear to my mind that he came straight from hiven tohelp me to bury the old woman, and to liberate the Americans.’
‘He was quite a _gentlemanly spirit_, Terence, wasn’t he?’ asked theEnglishman to whom the above was addressed, and who had learned thesecret by accident with regard to Fanny, but was bound by an oath tosecrecy.
‘Look here, friend,’ said Terrence, clapping him on the shoulder, andlooking round slyly to see if he was overheard by any one else, ‘Ibelieve that spirit has gone into Mr. Lovell’s wife, for she’s sobeautiful that it does my eyes good to look at her, and it so reminds metoo, of the kindness and everything else about Captain Channing, as hewas called, that divil take me if I didn’t find myself crying one day,when she was giving me gruel, when I was sick of this little scratch onthe hip, and laying in that little chamber yonder.’
‘It was a pretty severe wound, Terence, and you bore it like a man, andno mistake,’ said his friend, the Englishman. ‘I have seen older menflinch under smaller ones and far less painful.’
‘Thank ye, though it was your friends that give it to me,’ said theIrishman. ‘Twas a pretty good job all round for us, aich man got twohundred dollars prize-money, saying nothing of the presents. To-morrowwe all iv us ship again in the brig with a dozen to back us. Mrs. Lovellis going to stay with her husband, and I go as a sort of quarter-master,you know. Sure there can’t any harm come to the brig while that swatelady of the Captain’s aboord.’
‘I should hope not,’ said the Englishman, turning away thoughtfully.
‘Oh, there’s no hope aboot it, it’s sure,’ said Terrence.
We may state here that the Englishman reached his home and family withinthe twelve months.
Thus it was, and the good brig Constance, now the ‘Fanny,’ (so hadLovell named her in honor of his wife,) was refitted and fully manned,and Lovell was her captain. Fanny, by her own solicitations, waspermitted to accompany him, and she was not only his companion, butcounsellor also, in many a hard-fought contest. The Fanny took severalvaluable prizes, and fortunately escaped herself without any seriousdamage. Thus at the time of the declaration of peace, the value of theprizes taken, an
d the money judiciously invested, afforded a handsomecompetency, upon which Lovell and his noble wife retired for a while toenjoy the sweets of domestic happiness.
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