CHAPTER XVII.
My adventures with the Indians, with what happened to the Portuguese Captain, my companion.
Having eaten some venison, and drunk out of the calabash, the captainpainted me black, with here and there a line of red and white on theface and shoulders. I performed the same duty towards him, and we thenresumed our paddles, and pushed in a slanting direction for the shore.The tide now ran down against us, and we could hardly stem it, andfinding ourselves opposite a beach clear of trees for a quarter of amile, we agreed to run on shore to look for a large stone. We soonfound one which answered our purpose, and paddling off again to threeor four hundred yards, we made the stone fast to the bow-rope of ourboat, and anchored the canoe with it. Having succeeded in this, we gotout the fishing-lines, and with a piece of raw meat as a bait, we soonhad several fish in the canoe; after which we put on no more baits,but pretended to fish till the tide slacked, when we lifted our anchorand recommenced our paddling to the northward.
At night we landed on a rock, close to the beach, having wellreconnoitred before it was dark to see if there were any canoes orIndians to be seen on the shore; and thus we continued for five days,during which we passed the mouths of one or two rivers, and hadgained, as we supposed, more than 150 miles along the coast, but howmuch to the northward we could not tell, as we followed the windingsof the shore. We were twice obliged to land to obtain water, but wealways did so in the daytime, having taken the precaution to black thewhole of our bodies and take off our trowsers before we landed. Ourdeer's flesh was all gone, and we continued to live on fish, cookingas much as we could at one time. The collecting firewood was the greatrisk which we ran; for we were then obliged to land where there waswood. It was on the sixth day that we were first in danger. As werounded a point, we fell in with another canoe with six or sevenpeople in it. They were not more than 300 yards off when we first sawthem. The Indians stood up in the canoe, looked at us very earnestly,and then perceiving that we were not of their tribe, I presume, pulledtowards us. We immediately turned and pulled away. They had beenfishing, and two of them were pulling up the lines, while the otherspaddled, which gave us a little advantage; but they had three paddlesand we had only two. They shouted and paddled with all their might,but they gained little, as they were seven in the canoe, five men andtwo women, and deep in consequence. As they gained slowly upon us,notwithstanding all our exertions, the Portuguese said to me, "Theyhave no weapons in the boat, I should think; if they had, they woulduse them, for we are within bow-shot. Can you use a bow and arrow?"
"I could once," replied I, "use it very fairly," for when I wascaptive with Whyna, she would often practise the bow and arrow withme, and I became somewhat expert before I left her.
"Well, then," said he, "let me paddle on, and do you put an arrow inthe bow and threaten them, at all events."
I did so, and stood up, taking aim as if about to shoot, at which theyceased paddling, and after talking a little they turned the head oftheir canoe round, and made for the shore. We proceeded, as may beimagined, with all diligence. I laid down my bow and arrows andresumed my paddle, and in an hour we could no longer see our latepursuers. We continued our voyage, and for three days met with nofurther adventures, when about noon, on the fourth day, the sky becameovercast, and there was every prospect of rough weather. Before nightthe wind and sea rose, and it was no longer possible for us to keepalong the coast, which already was covered with breakers.
We had, therefore, no remedy but to make for the shore and haul up thecanoe, for we could not perceive any inlet which might shelter us. Itwas quite dark when we dashed the canoe through the breakers andlanded. We hauled her up some distance, as there was every appearanceof worse weather, and sheltered ourselves under the lee of a highrock. The wind now blew fiercely, and rain descended in torrents. Wetried to light a fire to warm ourselves, but could not succeed, so welay down on one bear-skin, and covered ourselves with the others,waiting impatiently for daylight. When the day dawned, the weather wasworse than ever. We now looked out for a better place of concealmentfor ourselves and our canoe, and found one at about fifty yards'distance: between two high rocks there was a narrow cleft or passage,which was large enough for us and for the canoe, and this hid us bothfrom the storm and from the sea. Into this cleft we hauled our canoeand withdrew ourselves, making a meal off some fish we roasted on theembers. We remained there for two days, when the weather moderated,but the sea was still too rough for us to launch the canoe; so wedecided upon remaining one day more, although our provisions were allgone and our calabashes quite empty. On the third day, to our greatsurprise and alarm, we heard the report of a musket not far from us.From this we knew that we could not be very far from the Englishsettlements, for it was only the Indians near to the settlements whohad obtained muskets. But whether it was an Indian or a white man whofired we could not, of course, tell. I recollected that, in the lastadvices we had had from James Town, our factors had stated that therewas a cruel war carried on between the Indians and the settlers, andthat the Indians had ravaged the plantations; but that was two yearsago, and how it might be now it was impossible to tell. A secondreport of a musket still nearer induced me to creep along by the sideof the rock, and look out to see if any one was near. To my greatalarm, I perceived five Indians with muskets not a hundred yards off.I drew back, as I hoped, unperceived, but the eye of an Indian was tookeen. They had discovered me; and whilst I was relating to thePortuguese captain what I had seen, they were suddenly upon us. We hadno time to make resistance, even if we were inclined so to do, wetherefore sat still. They came up and looked at us. The wet had washedoff a great portion of the paint upon my back and shoulders. One ofthe Indians touched me on the shoulder, and said, "Ugh!--white manpaint like Indian." They then examined the canoe and its contents, andhaving spoken a few words to each other, apparently relating to thecanoe, they put a thong of leather round each of our arms, and, makinga motion for us to follow them, they led us away.
"We've done our best, and could do no more," said the Portuguese; "Ifeel that it's all over with me now, and I shall soon sleep in thebosom of Jesus."
My heart was too full to make any reply. The Indians led on, and Ifollowed in silence.
We passed through the woods, which appeared to be interminable, tillthe night closed in, and then the Indians halted, and while oneremained as guard over us, the others collected wood for a fire. Theyhad some provisions, but offered none to us. After an hour they laydown to sleep round the fire, placing me and the Portuguese captainnext to the fire, and lying outside of us. They were soon fast asleep,or appeared to be, when I said to the captain, "Have you your knife?for if they remain asleep, let us wait an hour or so, and if you cancut the leather thong which the Indian holds in his hand, and thenwatch your opportunity, I will do the same, and we may escape."
"I have my knife, but my Indian is not asleep," replied he; "I willwait till he is."
"What signal shall we make if we succeed?" said I.
"When you are ready, lift your arm up, I shall understand, and if I amready, I will do the same. Agreed; and now let us be quiet, for dependupon it our conversation has roused them all."
We then composed ourselves, as if to sleep, and remained in that wayfor more than an hour, by which time we were convinced that ourcaptors were slumbering. I then drew out my knife, for the Indians hadnot attempted to rifle us, and cut the thong which was round my arm,without awaking the Indian who had the other end in his hand. Iremained quiet for a quarter of an hour, when the Portuguese lifted uphis arm as a signal that he was free. I listened attentively, andbeing certain that the Indians were asleep, I lifted up my arm also.
The Portuguese then rose up carefully, and without noise, steppingpast the bodies of the Indians, till he was clear of the circle. I didthe same, and pointed to the muskets, which lay on the grass by theIndians. He took one up and I another, and we retreated to a shortdistance.
"We must have the other muskets," said I; "stay where you a
re."
I advanced cautiously and took up the other three muskets, and wasretreating with them, when one of the Indians turned round as ifawaking. I ran past the Portuguese, and making a sign for him tofollow me, we retreated a few yards into the wood, where we couldwatch the Indians without being seen ourselves. The Portuguesemotioned to be off, but I detained him, and I was right. The Indianroused up and sat upon his haunches; perceiving that we had escaped,he waked up the others. They started on their feet, and looking round,found that the muskets were all gone; and then they held aconsultation. At last they appeared to have made up their minds tofollow, and, if possible, recapture us, for they went back in thedirection of the sea.
"Now, then, we must hide three of the muskets," said I, in a whisper,"and keep the others to defend ourselves."
We examined and found that they were all loaded, and the Portuguesethen said to me, "There are five of them. If they meet with us, and wedischarge two muskets and we do not kill, we shall be at their mercy.If we do kill, still there will be three against two; we had bettercarry all the muskets. Do you take two, and I will take three."
As I thought he was right, I consented, and we now went the same pathtowards the sea which the Indians had done before us in pursuit of us.We walked fast, as we knew the Indians would do the same, and they hadthe start of us, so that we were not likely to come up with them. Itwas severe work, but we did not slacken our pace, and before dawn thesea was quite visible through the branches of the trees, for we hadarrived at the outskirts of the wood.
As soon as we had gained the beach, which was 500 yards wide, welooked round to see if we could perceive the Indians, but we couldobserve nobody.
"Let us, while it is yet dark, go round so as to get on the oppositeside of the rocks where we were concealed," said the Portuguese. "Ifthey are there, we shall take them by surprise."
Keeping just within the wood, we walked half a mile to the southward,and then emerged just as the day was breaking, and made for the rocks.As soon as we arrived, we examined very cautiously before we enteredthe cleft, but there was nobody there, and the canoe was safe.
"They are not here," said I; "where can they be?"
"They cannot be far off," said the Portuguese; "I suspect they arehidden somewhere, and intend to surprise us while we are launching ourcanoe, and when our muskets will be out of our hands."
"I agree with you; let us now wait at some little distance from therocks till broad daylight, we shall then be secure from surprise."
We did so, and when the sun rose we looked well round, but could seenobody. We entered the cleft, and were about to lay down the muskets,and lay hold of the canoe, when I perceived a small piece of rock todrop down. This caused me immediately to suspect the truth, and Icried to the Portuguese to come back with me. He did so, and I toldhim that I was certain that the Indians had climbed the rock, and werelying down on the top of it, ready to pounce upon us.
"Depend upon it, they must be there," said he, when I mentioned thefalling piece of rock; "let us walk round and see if we can discoverthem."
We did so, but they were too well concealed.
"But what must be done now?" said he. "It is useless our attempting toclamber to the top of the rock, for no one could do it with a musketin his hand."
"No," replied I, "that is certain; and if we attempt to bring thecanoe out of the cleft, they may drop down upon us."
"I think," said he, "that if we were to go in and take the tow-rope inour hands, which is several yards long, we might haul out the canoe byit, and when once it is clear of the cleft they cannot move withoutour seeing them."
"We will try, at all events," replied I. "Do you stay on the watchwhile I get hold of the tow-rope and bring it out."
The Indians did not expect this manoeuvre, it was clear. Still keepingthe muskets in our possession, the butts on the sand, and the muzzlesresting on our shoulders, we laid hold of the tow-rope, and by greatexertion hauled the canoe several yards away from between the tworocks. We then paused for breath after a minute or two, with our eyesfixed upon the top of the rock to see if they moved, and then wehauled it at least a hundred yards further off, when for the firsttime I perceived that the bow and arrows were not in the canoe, andthat they must have been taken by the Indians.
"Then we must haul again," said the Portuguese, when I stated this tohim, "till we are out of bow-shot. Let us put the muskets into thecanoe, and drag it as fast as we can."
We did so, and gained another hundred yards before we stopped, when anarrow was discharged from the summit of the rock, and buried itself inthe sand close to my feet.
"Haul again," said the Portuguese, "we are not out of shot yet."
Again we exerted ourselves, and gained another hundred yards, duringwhich two more arrows were discharged, and one of them went throughthe left arm of my comrade; but as it was through the fleshy part, anddid not touch the bone, it did not disable him. A third arrow wassent after us, but did not reach us, and we knew that we were out ofdistance.
"Cut the shaft of the arrow, and draw it through the arm," said thePortuguese.
"Not now," said I; "they will perceive me doing so, and will thinkthat you are disabled. That may induce them to rush upon us, thinkingthey have only one man to deal with."
"Well, it's no great matter," replied he; "we must now drag our canoedown to the water and launch her, if they will let us. We haveoutwitted them so far."
We now turned the head of the canoe towards the sea, and slowlydragged her down; our eyes, as may be supposed, constantly kept uponthe rock, to see if the Indians would move, but they did not. Theyperhaps felt that they had no chance with us, having all the fire-armsand an open beach in our favour. We launched our canoe without furtherinterruption on their part, and in a few minutes, taking care to beout of arrow distance, we passed the rock with our head to thenorthward. When about two miles off, we perceived the Indians todescend from the rock and walk away into the woods.
"Let us praise God for this miraculous escape," said I to thePortuguese.
"I do; and the holy patron saint who has preserved me," replied thePortuguese captain; "but I am still heavy at hart. I feel that we haveescaped only to come into more strange and fresh calamity. I shallnever get back to Lisbon, that I feel convinced of."
I tried all I could to encourage him, but it was of no avail. He toldme that the presentiment was too strong, and could not be overcome byany argument. Indeed he appeared to have allowed the idea so to havetaken possession of his mind, that his reason became enervated; andhaving heard how the Indians burnt their prisoners, he talked aboutmartyrdom at the stake, and rising up to Heaven in great glory, thereto be received by the whole body of saints and legions of angels.
"What is the use of our thus labouring at the paddle?" said he; "whynot at once let us go ashore and receive the crown of martyrdom? I amready; for I long for the hour, and shall rejoice."
I said all I could to keep him quiet, but it was useless, and such washis insanity, that he gradually neared the shore by steering againstme with his paddle, so that I could not prevent it. I had drawn theshaft of the arrow through his arm, and he appeared to feel no pain. Iexpostulated with him at his keeping the canoe so near to the shore,but he smiled and gave no reply.
We had the stream against us, and made but little way, and it vexed mevery much to hear him talk so loud as he did, as the Indians must haveheard him, and I thought would follow us along the coast; but heransacked the whole book of martyrs, telling me how one had his bodysawn in two, another was pinched to death; this one burnt, thattortured; every variety of death he entered upon during the whole ofthat day without ceasing.
I ascribed much of this to the pain arising from the wounded arm,notwithstanding which he paddled with as much vigour as ever. As thenight came on, I entreated him to hold his tongue, but it was in vain,and I felt assured that his reason was quite gone. He continued totalk loud and rave without intermission, and I now considered our fateas sealed. We had no water in
the boat or provisions of any kind, andI proposed that we should heave-to and catch some fish, telling himthat if he talked we should scare them away.
This made him quiet for a time, but as soon as we had hooked four orfive fish, he again commenced his history of the glorious martyrs. Iprayed him to be silent, for a short time at least, and he was so forabout four or five minutes, when he would break out into someejaculation, which I immediately stopped. At last he could talk nomore for want of water; his lips were glued together, and so weremine. Nevertheless, I continued paddling for two hours more, when Ifound by the canoe grounding that he had steered her on the beach.There was no help for it. We landed and went in search of water, whichwe found about half of a mile from where our canoe was beached.
We drank heartily, filled the calabash, and were returning to thecanoe, when he again commenced talking as loud as ever. I was in greatanger, but I put my hand before his mouth, beseeching him in a whisperto be quiet. As we were doing this, we were suddenly sprung upon andseized by several Indians, and in a minute were bound hands and feet.
"I knew it," cried the Portuguese; "I knew it would be so. Well, I amprepared; are not you, my good friend?"
I made no reply. I felt that in his madness he had sacrificed his ownlife and mine also; but it was the will of Heaven. The Indians lefttwo to guard us, and went down to the canoe, returning with theirmuskets. I soon perceived that they were the same whom we had escapedfrom the night before, and the one who had spoken a little Englishwhen we were first captured now came to me and said, "White man paintlike Indian, steal gun--ugh."
When the Indians had returned from the canoe, our feet were unbound,and we were again led away by the leather thong which was fast to ourarms. The Portuguese now began to find his tongue again, and talkedincessantly, the Indians not checking him; from which, it was evidentthat they were on their own domains. After four hours' walking theykindled a fire, and went to repose as before; but this time they tookour knives from us, and bound our legs so tight that they gave us muchpain. I did not expostulate, as I knew it was useless. My companion,as the thong entered into his flesh, seemed pleased, saying, "Now mymartyrdom is commencing."
Alas! poor man; but I will not anticipate. We travelled three days,during which we were supplied with a small portion of parched Indiancorn every day, just sufficient for our sustenance, and no more. Onthe fourth morning the Indians, after an hour's travelling, set upsome shrill and barbarous cries, which I afterwards discovered wastheir warhoop. These cries were replied to by others at a distance,and in about a quarter of an hour afterwards we found ourselves closeto a number of wigwams, as they are termed (the Indian houses), andsoon surrounded by a large party of men, women, and children, whogreeted us with taunts and menaces.
We were led into a larger wigwam than the others, where we foundseveral Indians of grave aspect assembled, and a man who could speakEnglish was ordered in as interpreter. He asked us where we came fromin the canoe. I replied, that we came from the south, but we had beenwrecked in a big ship, and had taken the canoe, which we found on thebeach. They asked no more questions. We were led out, and in about anhour afterwards the Indian who had spoken English to us when we werecaptured, came up with two others and painted us black, saying, "Thewhite man like paint. Black paint good."
I did not know till afterwards that this painting black was a signthat we were condemned to death, but so it was. They took off ourtrowsers, the only garments we had on, and left us naked. To mysurprise, they did not take the diamond which was sewed up in leatherfrom off my neck; but as I learnt subsequently, the Indians are muchgiven to conjurors and charms, wearing many round their own necks andabout their persons, and they respect the charms that their enemieswear, indeed are afraid of them, lest they should be harmed by havingthem in their possession. We remained in a wigwam during that day,with guards over us. The following day we were led out and cast loose,and we found all the Indians, women and children, ranged in two lines,each holding in their hands a club or stick, or rod of somedescription or another.
We were led to the end of the row, and looked about us in amazement.They made signs to us which we did not understand, and while we wereremaining in doubt as to what was to be our fate, an old woman, whohad been menacing and grinning at me for some time, and who was themost hideous animal that I ever beheld in the shape of a woman, thrusta straw into my eye, giving me most excruciating agony. I was socarried away by rage and pain, that I saluted her with a kick in thestomach, which laid her doubled up on the ground, expecting to bescalped for so doing the next moment. On the contrary, the Indianslaughed, while some of the other women dragged her away.
At last the interpreter came, and from him we learnt that we had torun the gauntlet, and that, as soon as we gained the large lodgewhere we had been examined by the old Indians on the day previous, wewere safe, and that we must run for that as fast as we could. ThePortuguese, who was still as mad as ever, was then pushed on; he wouldnot run, but walked, glorying in the blows, which showered down uponhim like hail; and, moreover, he prevented me from running for sometime, till I got past him. I had been cruelly punished, and was madwith pain, when I perceived a tall, gaunt Indian waiting for me with aheavy club. Careless of life or consequences, I rushed past him, andas I passed I threw out my fist with such impetus, that, hitting himunder the right ear, he fell senseless, and it appears that he neverrose again, for the blow killed him; after which I at last gained thecouncil-house, and was soon afterwards followed by my companion, whowas streaming with blood. We were then led away, and tied by our necksto two stakes about twenty yards apart, and there we remained for thenight.
The Portuguese passed the night in singing; I passed it in silence andprayer. I felt convinced that we were to die, and I feared that itwould be by fire or torture, for I had heard something of the mannersand customs of these Indians. I made my peace with God as well as apoor sinner could, prayed for mercy through Jesus Christ, sighed myadieu to Amy, and made up my mind to die.
Early the next morning the Indians brought firewood, and placed it inbundles round the stakes, at a distance of about fourteen yards fromthe centre. They then went to the Portuguese, tied his hands behindhim, and exchanged the rope by which he had been fastened for a muchstronger one, one end of which they fastened to his wrists behind him,and the other to the stake. As they left me as I was before, it wasplain that the Portuguese was to suffer first. They then set fire tothe piles of wood which were round the stake, which were too far fromhim to burn him, and I could not imagine what they intended to do, butyou may conceive that I was in a state of awful suspense and anxiety,as I was well convinced that his fate, whatever it might be, would bemy own.
During these appalling preparations, the Portuguese appeared as if hereally enjoyed the scene.
"Now, my good friend," said he to me, "you shall see how I can sufferfor the true faith. Even a heretic like you shall be converted by myexample, and I shall ascend to Heaven with you in my arms. Come on, yefiends; come on, ye heathens, and see how a Christian can suffer."
Much as I felt for him and for myself, I could not lament that hisreason had left him, as I thought his sufferings would be less; buthis exclamations were soon drowned by a loud yell from the Indians,who all rushed upon my unfortunate companion.
For a moment or two they were crowded so thick round him that I couldnot perceive what they were doing, but after that they separated, andI beheld him bleeding profusely, his ears and nose having been cutoff, and a broken iron ramrod passed through both cheeks. And now ascene took place, at the remembrance of which, even now, my bloodcurdles. Some caught up the burning sticks and applied them to hisflesh, others stuck him full of small splints, the ends of which theylighted. The Indian warriors shot at him with muskets loaded withpowder only, so as to burn him terribly on every part of the body. Thewomen took up handfuls of lighted ashes and showered them down on him,so that the ground he trod upon was a mass of burning embers, and hewalked upon fire.
Red-hot iro
ns were now brought forward, and his body seared in allparts, his tormentors seeking out where they could give him the mostpain. At last one applied the hot iron to his eyes, and burnt themout. Imagine my feelings at this horrid scene--imagine the knowledgethat this was to be also my fate in a short time; but, what is morestrange to tell, imagine, Madam, my companion not only deriding historturers, but not flinching from the torture; on the contrary,praising God for his goodness in thus allowing him to be a martyr forthe true faith, offering his body to their inflictions, and shoutingmanfully; but such was the behaviour of my insane friend, and thisbehaviour appeared to give great satisfaction to the Indians.
For nearly two hours did this torture continue, his body was blackand bloody all over, and the smell of the burning flesh was horrible;but by this time it appeared as if he was much exhausted, and, indeed,appeared to be almost insensible to pain. He walked round the stake asbefore upon the burning coals, but appeared not to know when furthertorture was applied to him or not. He now sang hymns in Portuguese ina low voice, for he was much exhausted. Soon afterwards he staggeredand fell down with his face upon the burning embers; but even theflesh of his face grilling, as it were, appeared to have no effectupon him. An Indian then went up to him, and with his knife cut acircle round his head, and tore off the whole scalp, flesh and hairtogether, and when he had done this the old woman whom I had salutedwith a kick before I ran the gauntlet, and who had his ears hanging onher neck to a string, lifted up a handful of burning coals, and putthem upon his bleeding head.
This seemed to rouse him. He lifted up his head, but his features wereno longer to be distinguished, as his face was burnt to a black coal,and he said, "Take me, ye holy saints. Angels, receive me," and, to mygreat astonishment, he again rose on his legs, and tottered round andround for a few minutes. At last he sank down, with his back againstthe stake, and one of the Indians cleaved his brain with his tomahawk;and thus ended the life and the misery of my unfortunatecompanion--and it was now my turn.
"Well," thought I, "it is but two hours of suffering, and then I shallbe beyond their malice. May God have mercy upon my soul."
The same preparations were now made for me. I was fastened with thestout rope, and my arms tied behind me, the wood was fired, and one ofthe chiefs was haranguing the Indians. He finished, the low yell wasgiven, when the old woman whom I had before mentioned ran up to me,and saying something which I could not understand, put her hand uponme.
When she did this the other Indians, who were about to rush on me,drew back with signs of disappointment on many of their wildcountenances. The chiefs then went into the council-house, leaving metied where I was, and the wood burning around me, the mass of Indiansstanding about as if waiting the decision of the chiefs. After a timethree Indians, one of whom was the interpreter, came up to me, and,kicking aside the burning poles, cast me loose.
I asked the interpreter what he was about to do. He replied, "You killIndian here (pointing to his own ear), you kill him dead. Squaw losehusband--want another--take you--stead of him."
They led me to the council-house before the chiefs. The old woman whomI had kicked was there. It was her husband that I had killed by theblow behind the ear, and she had claimed me in his stead, and,according to the custom of the country, her claim was allowed, and Iwas made over to her, and received into the tribe. Strange custom fora woman to marry the murderer of her husband, but still such it was,and thus did I find myself freed from the stake when I least expectedit. The principal chief made me a speech, which was interpreted, inwhich he told me that I was now the husband of Manou, and was one oftheir own tribe; that I must be strong in war, and must hunt andprocure venison for my family.
They then washed off the black paint, and after a few more speechesand ceremonies, I was handed over to the hideous old hag, whose neckwas still decorated with the two ears of my companion. To say that Iwould have preferred the torture would be saying too much, but that Iloathed the creature to excess was certain. However, I said nothing,but allowed her to take me by the hand and lead me to her wigwam. Assoon as we were in she brought me some venison, which I ate greedily,for I had had nothing for thirty-six hours. She then offered me theleggings, as they call them, which the Indians wear, and the otherportions of the Indian dress, which probably belonged to her latehusband. I put them on, as I was glad to cover my nakedness, and, wornout with walking and exertion, I first thanked God for my miraculouspreservation, and then lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
It was not until the next day that I awoke, and I then perceived theold woman rubbing oil upon the deep cuts made in my wrists andshoulders by the leather thongs. She again set meat before me, and Iate heartily, but I looked upon her with abhorrence, and when sheattempted to fondle me, I turned away and spit with disgust, at whichshe retired, grumbling. I now had leisure to reflect. I passed overwith a shudder the scenes that had passed, and again returned thanksto God for my deliverance. I called to mind how often I had beenpreserved and delivered. From my bondage in Africa, from myimprisonment in the Tower, from my hopeless slavery in the mines, fromour wreck on the island, and now, after passing through such dangers,from an almost certain cruel death by torture. Truly did I feel howgrateful I ought to be for that Providence which had so oftenpreserved me, and that my only reliance in future must be in itsgracious protection.
But here I was, married to a woman I detested, and living withbarbarians; and I said to myself, "That kind Heaven which has alreadydone so much for me will, in its own good time, also release me fromthis thraldom. In the meanwhile let me not murmur, but be thankful."My squaw, as they call their wives among the Indians, now came up tome and offered to paint me, and I thought it advisable that sheshould, as I felt that the sooner I conformed myself to their customsthe more chance I had of making my escape, which I was resolved to dothe first opportunity.
As soon as she had completed my toilet I walked out of the wigwam,that I might look about me and be seen. The Indians, who weresauntering about, met me with a friendly "Ugh," which appeared afavourite monosyllable with them. At last I met with the interpreter,and began to converse with him. I asked what nation I was nowbelonging to, and he said the Massowomicks. I asked how large theircountry was, and he told me much which I could not understand, exceptthat it appeared to me a very powerful nation.
I was very careful of mentioning the English, or any thing about theirsettlement, although I was anxious to know where it was; but I askedhim whether they were at war with any other nation. He said "No, theyhad been at war with other tribes, but that they had all made peacethat they might join against the white man, who had taken their land."
"I am an Indian now," said I.
"Yes, and you will forget the white man," said he. "You have now redblood in your veins. You marry Indian wife, you all the same as oneIndian."
I said, "War Indian beat his wife, suppose she talk too much?"
"Plenty talk, plenty beat," said he.
"Suppose my wife talk too much and I beat her, what Indian peoplesay?"
"Say good. Suppose wife too old, you take two wife, one more young."
I was very much pleased with this conversation; not that I had theslightest idea of profiting by his information by taking another wife,but I felt such a disgust at my present one, and had already seen whata fury she could be, that I was resolved, if necessary, to show herthat I was master, for I felt certain that if I did not, she wouldsoon attempt to master me, and so it turned out.
On the third day she took down a bow and arrows and made a sign to meto go out, and, I presumed, bring back food; and as there was nothingin the house, I thought the request reasonable. I therefore went outof the wigwam and found that many of the young men were going out on ahunting-party, and that I was to join them. We set off and travelledfor six hours before we came to the hunting-ground, and as the deerpassed me I thought of Whyna and my hunting excursions with her. Iwas, however, fortunate, and killed two deer, much to the surprise ofthe Indians, who thought a white man
could not use a bow and arrows,and I rose very much in their estimation in consequence. The deer wascut up, and we hung upon branches what we could not carry.
We did not go home that night, but feasted over a large fire. The nextmorning we all carried home our loads, and mine was as large as any ofthe others, if not larger; neither did I flag on the way, for I wasnaturally very strong and active, and had lately been inured tofatigue. When we arrived, the squaws and men among the others weredespatched for the remainder of the venison. I now went out every dayby myself and practised with my bow, till I had become more expert,for I wanted practice. I had no musket, but I had a tomahawk and along knife. I began to pick up a few words of the language, and bymeans of the interpreter I gained them very fast. Before I had beenthree months with the Indians I had acquired their confidence andrespect. They found that I was expert, and able to gain my ownlivelihood, and I may add that before I had been three months I hadalso mastered my wife. When she found that I would not submit to hercaresses, she was very indignant and very violent, but I immediatelyknocked her down, and beat her unmercifully. This brought her to hersenses, and after that I treated her as my slave with great rigour,and as she was a notorious scold, the Indians liked me all the betterfor it.
You may think that this was not fair treatment towards a woman who hadsaved my life; but she only saved it for her own purposes, and wouldhave worn my ears, as well as my companion's, if I had not killed herhusband. The fact is, I had no alternative; I must have either treatedher kindly and submitted to her nauseous endearments, or have kept herat a respectful distance by severity, and I hardly need say that Ipreferred the latter. So far as her choice of a husband was concerned,she made a bad one, for she received nothing but blows and bad usage.I had one day driven my wife out of the wigwam in consequence of herpresuming to "talk too much," as the Indian said, when the interpretertold me that one of the chiefs was willing that I should marry hisdaughter, polygamy being one of their customs.
I was very much annoyed at this, for I knew the young girl very well:she was very graceful and very pretty; and I felt that my fidelity toAmy would be in great danger if the marriage was to take place; and ifproposed, I dared not refuse so great a distinction.
I replied that I was fortunate, but that I feared my present wifewould make her very unhappy, as she wanted to be the chief woman ofthe wigwam, and when I was away I could not tell what the old womanmight do to her, and the conversation was dropped.
This little Indian had, before this, shown me as much favour as anIndian girl ever ventures to show, sufficient, at all events, tosatisfy me that I was not disagreeable to her, and what theinterpreter had said made me very uncomfortable. However, I consoledmyself with the recollection that if I were compelled to marry thisgirl, it would be an involuntary infidelity on my part, and on thataccount might well be excused; for the hope of again rejoining Amynever left me at any time.
One day I went out in search of deer, and was led away from mycompanions after a buck which I had wounded and attempted to overtake.They saw me in chase of my quarry, and left me in pursuit. I followedfor several hours, continually coming up with it and as continuallylosing it again. At last, I heard the report of a musket close towhere the deer was last seen by me, and I thought that some Indian hadshot it. I walked forward, however, very cautiously, and perceived awhite man standing by the animal, which lay at his feet. I startedback, for I did not know whether I had fallen in with a friend or afoe; but as I knew that he had not had time to reload his musket, Ihallooed to him, concealing myself at the same time behind a tree.
"Is that you, Evans?" said the man in reply.
"No," said I, "it is an Englishman."
"Well, show yourself, then," said he.
"I am dressed as an Indian," replied I; "I was taken by the Indians."
"Well, come along," said the man, who was attired as a seafaring man.
I came from behind the tree, and when he saw me he snatched up hismusket.
"Don't be afraid," said I.
"Afraid!" said he; "I should like to see what I am afraid of; but I'llbe on my guard."
"That's right," I replied.
I then told him that I had been taken by the Indians, and they savedmy life because one of their women chose me as her husband, and that Iwas anxious to escape from them.
"Well," said he, "I am on board of a schooner at anchor down below inthe river. There are a few of us come on shore to get some venison,and I have lost my comrades; but I had no idea that the Indians weredown here so close to the English settlements."
"How close are we, then?" said I; "for I know not where I am. This iscertainly not our usual hunting-ground, for I have been led many milesfrom it, in pursuit of the animal you have just shot."
"Well, I thought so; for I have been on shore here more than once, andI have never met with an Indian. You ask how far you are from thesettlement; that I can hardly tell you, because the settlers havespread out so far; but you are about forty or fifty miles from JamesTown."
"And what river, then, is your schooner at anchor in?"
"I don't know the name," replied the man; "I'm not sure that it has aname. We come here for wood and water, because it is quiet, notinhabited, and no questions asked."
"What are you, then?" inquired I.
"Why, to tell you the truth, we are what are called 'Jolly Rovers;'and if you have a mind to come on board, we can find a berth for you,I dare say."
"Many thanks," replied I; "but I am not sufficiently fond of the sea,and I should be of no use" (for, by his term of Jolly Rover, I knewthat they were pirates).
"That's as you please," replied he; "no harm's done."
"No," replied I; "and I thank you for your kind offer, but I cannotlive long on board of a vessel. Will you now tell me which is theright track to the English plantations?"
"Why," said he, "they bear right out in that direction; and I daresay, if you travel five or six leagues, you will fall aboard of someplantation or another--right in that quarter; follow your nose, oldfellow, and you can't go wrong."
"Many thanks," I replied; "am I likely to meet your companions?--theymay take me for an Indian."
"Not in that direction," replied he; "they were astern of me a longway."
"Farewell, then, and many thanks," I replied.
"Good-bye, old fellow; and the sooner you rub off that paint, thesooner you'll look like a Christian," said the careless rover, as Iwalked away.
"No bad advice," I thought: for I was now determined to make for theEnglish settlements as fast as I could, "and I will do so when I oncesee an English habitation, but not before; I may fall in with Indiansyet."
I then set off as fast as I could, and being now inured to running fora long time without stopping, I left the rover a long way behind me ina very short time. I continued my speed till it was dark, when I heardthe barking of a dog, which I knew was English, for the Indian dogs donot bark. I then proceeded cautiously and in the direction where Iheard the dog bark, and arrived in a quarter of an hour to a clearedground, with a rail fence round it.
"Thank God!" I cried, "that I am at last among my own countrymen."
I considered, however, that it would not be prudent to show myself,especially in my Indian paint, at such a time of night, and Itherefore sat down under the lee-side of a large tree, and remainedthere till morning. I then looked about for water, and having found arunning stream, I washed off my paint, and appeared what I really was,a white man in an Indian dress. I then went up again to the clearing,and looked for the habitation, which I discovered on the top of ahill, about four hundred yards off. The trees were cleared away forabout three hundred yards all round it. It was built of heavy logs,let into one another, with one window only, and that very small. Thedoor was still shut. I walked up to it, and tapped at the door.
"Who's there?" replied a hoarse voice.
"An Englishman, and a stranger," I replied. "I have just escaped fromthe Indians."
"Well, we'll see what you are
in a very short time," replied thevoice. "James, get me my gun."
In a minute the door opened, and I beheld a woman more than six feethigh, of gaunt appearance and large dimensions: I thought that I hadnever seen such a masculine creature before. It was her voice which Ihad heard. Two men were seated by the fire-place.
"Who are you?" said she, with the musket ready for the present.
I told her in a few words.
"Show me the palm of your hand--turn it up at once."
I did so, without the least idea of the reason for the demand; but Iafterwards discovered that it was to ascertain whether I was one ofthose who had been transported to the settlement, as they all had theletter R branded on them.
"Oh, you're not a gaol-bird, then, I see: you may come in; but you'llgive me that bow and arrows, if you please."
"Certainly," replied I, "if you wish it."
"Why, there's nothing like making sure in this world; and although youlook a very peaceable, good-looking sort of personage, notwithstandingyour Indian set-out, still I've known just as amiable people as you,in appearance, very mischievous at times. Now come in, and let us hearwhat you have to say for yourself. Jeykell, get some more wood."
One man went out to obey her orders; the other sat by the fire withhis musket between his knees. I sat down by the fire, at the requestof the woman, who had seated herself by the side of the man, and then,on her repeating her question, I gave her a narrative of myadventures, from the time that I left Rio.
"Well," says she, "we seldom hear stories like them; it's all theworld like a book; and pray what's that thing (pointing to the diamondin its case) you have hanging to your neck there? you have left thatout in your history."
"That's a charm given me by my Indian wife, to preserve me fromdisasters from wild animals; no panther, wolf, or bear will everattack me."
"Well," said she, "if so be it has that power, all I can say is, it'snot a bad charm to wear in these parts, for there are animals enoughin the woods in summer, and round the house all night in winter; but Idon't believe a bit in the charm, and that's the truth; however, if itdoes no good, it can't do no harm, so you may keep it on, andwelcome."
"May I ask how far it is to James Town?" said I.
"What, going to James Town already? I suppose you expect to be thereto-night?"
"Not exactly, my good woman," replied I. "I must trespass upon yourkindness to give me something to eat, for I am hungry."
"Good woman! bah! and pray how dare you call me good woman? Call memistress, if you want any thing."
"I beg your pardon," said I. "Well, then, mistress, will you give mesomething to eat?"
"Yes, I will. James, fetch the meal-cake and a bit of salt pork, andgive him to eat, while I call the cows from the bush."
The mistress, as I shall in future call her, then put down her musketand left the cabin. During her absence I entered into conversationwith the man called James, for the other had gone out. To my inquiryhow far it was to James Town, he replied that he really did not know;that he was sent out a convict, and sold for ten years to the husbandof the mistress, who had died two years ago; that this man had a smallvessel, in which he went to James Town by water, and that he hadreturned with him in his vessel; that the distance by water, heconsidered about one hundred and fifty miles, but by land it was nothalf that distance; that he did not know the way, nor did he believethat there was any road as yet made to James Town, as this plantationwas quite by itself, and a long way from any other. He understood thatthe nearest plantation was twenty miles off, and he knew there was noroad to it, as no one ever went or came except by water.
"But," said I, "are not the settlers at war with the Indian tribesthat surround them?"
"Yes; and have been now for three or four years; and the Indians havedone great mischief to the plantations, and killed a great manypeople; but the settlers have punished them severely."
"Then how is it that this plantation, which is so solitary, has notbeen attacked?"
"Because the mistress's husband was a great friend of the Indians, andit is said used to bring them cargoes of muskets and ammunition fromJames Town, contrary to all law and regulation. But if he was friendlywith them, the mistress is not; for she has quarrelled with theprincipal chief, and I should not be surprised if we were attackedsome day, and all scalped."
"And what does the mistress say to that?"
"Oh, she don't care; she'd fight a hundred Indians, or white meneither. I never saw such a creature--she's afraid of nothing."
"Who is the other man I saw here?"
"Oh, he's another like myself. There were three of us, but one wasdrowned by falling overboard from the sloop."
"Well, but my good fellow, how shall I get to James Town?"
"I'm sure I can't tell; but my idea is that you will never get thereunless mistress chooses."
"Why, surely she won't detain me by force?"
"Won't she?--you don't know her. Why, she'd stop an army," replied theman. "I don't think that she will let you go--I don't know; but that'smy opinion. She wants another hand."
"What, do you mean to say that she'll make me work?"
"I mean to say that, according to the laws of the settlement, she hasa right to detain you. Any person found roving here, who cannot give asatisfactory account of himself, may be detained till something isheard about him; for he may be a runaway convict, or a runawayapprentice, which is much the same, after all. Now, she may say thatyour account of yourself is not satisfactory, and therefore shedetained you; and if you won't work, she won't give you to eat; sothere you are."
"Well, we will see if she is able."
"Able! if you mean strong enough, why she'd take you up with one hand;and she is as resolute and severe as she is strong. I had rather haveto deal with three men, and that's the truth."
"What's the truth, James?" cried the mistress, coming in at the door."Let's hear the truth from your lips, it will be something new."
"I said that I was sent here for finding a pocket-book, mistress;that's all."
"Yes; but you did not tell him where you found it--at the bottom of agentleman's coat-pocket, you know. You can only tell the truth byhalves yet, I see."
Wishing to ascertain how far the man's suspicions were correct, I saidto her,
"I have good friends in James Town: if I were once there I couldprocure money and any thing else to any amount that I required."
"Well," says she, "you may have; but I'm afraid that the post don't goout to-day. One would think, after all your wanderings anddifficulties, that you'd be glad to be quiet a little, and remainhere; so we'll talk about James Town some time about next spring."
"Indeed, mistress, I hope you will not detain me here. I can pay youhandsomely, on my arrival at James Town, for your kind treatment andany trouble you may take for me."
"Pay me! what do I want with money?--there's no shops here withribbons, and calicoes, and muslins; and if there were, I'm not a finemadam. Money! why I've no child to leave what I have to--no husband tospend it for me. I have bags and bags of dollars, young man, which myhusband heaped up, and they are of as much use to me as they are nowto him."
"I am glad that you are so rich, mistress, and more glad that yourmoney is so little cared for and so little wanted; but if you do notwant money, I do very much want to get back to my friends, who think Iam dead, and mourn for me."
"Well, if they have mourned, their sorrow is over by this time, andtherefore your staying here will not distress them more. I may as welltell you at once that you shall not go; so make up your mind to becontented, and you'll fare none the worse for it."
This was said in so decided a tone, that, bearing in mind what I hadheard from the convict servant, I thought it advisable to push thequestion no further for the present, making up my mind that I wouldwait a short time, and then make my escape, if she still persisted indetaining me by force; but this I could not venture upon until I wasin possession of fire-arms, and I could not obtain them while she hada
ny suspicion. I therefore replied--
"Well, since you are determined I shall not go, I have nothing more tosay, except that I will wait your pleasure, and, in the mean time, letme make myself as useful as I can, for I don't want to eat the breadof idleness."
"You're a very sensible young man," replied she; "and now you shallhave a shirt to put on, which will improve your appearance a greatdeal."
She then went into the inner room, which I presumed was her bed-room,as there were but two rooms in the cabin. As she went out, I could nothelp wondering at her. On examination, I felt assured that she wasmore than six feet high, and her shoulders as broad and her arms asnervous as a man's of that stature. Her chest was very expanded, butbosom she had none. In fact, she was a man in woman's clothing, and Ibegan to doubt her sex. Her features were not bad, had they been ofsmaller dimensions, but her nose was too large, although it wasstraight; her eyes were grand, but they were surmounted with suchcoarse eyebrows; her mouth was well shaped, and her teeth were goodand regular, but it was the mouth of an ogress; her walk wascommanding and firm; every action denoted energy and muscle; andcertainly, from the conversation I have already made known, her mindwas quite as masculine as her body--she was a splendid monster. In aminute she returned, bringing me a good check shirt and a pair ofduck trowsers, which I thankfully accepted.
"I've plenty more for those who please me," said she, carelessly;"when you've put them on, come out to me, and I'll show you theplantation."
In a minute or two I joined her, and she led me round thetobacco-fields, then to the maize or Indian corn grounds, pointing outand explaining every thing. She also showed me the cows, store pigs,and poultry. Wishing to please her, I asked many questions, andpretended to take an interest in all I saw. This pleased her much, andonce or twice she smiled--but such a smile! After an hour's ramble wereturned, and found the two servants very busy, one husking maize, andthe other in the shed where the tobacco was dried. I asked somequestions of her about the tobacco--how many casks or bales she made ayear? She replied that she made it in bales, and sold it by weight.
"It must be heavy carriage from here to James Town?" said I.
"Yes, indeed, if it went that way it never would arrive, I imagine,"replied she; "but I have a sloop in the river below, which carries itround."
"When is the time it is harvested and fit to be carried round?"inquired I.
"It is now turning fast," said she; "all that you see hanging in thedrying-sheds has been already drawn; in three or four weeks it willall be housed, and then we begin to pack: in about two months fromthis the sloop will take it round."
"But is it not very expensive keeping a sloop on purpose, with men tohave her in charge?" inquired I, to hear what she would say.
"The sloop lies at anchor, without a soul on board," said she. "No oneever comes up this river. I believe Captain Smith, who made thesettlement, did do so once. There is another river, about twenty milesfarther down, which is occasionally frequented by buccaneers, I amtold--indeed, I know it, for my husband had more to do with them thanperhaps was good for his soul, but this little river is nevervisited."
"Then your servants take her round?"
"Yes; I leave one in charge, and take two with me."
"But you have but two."
"Not till you came--one died; but now I have three," and she smiled atme again.
If I had not been so afraid of affronting her, I certainly would havesaid to her, "Do any thing, I beg, but smile."
I said no more on that point. She called Jeykell, who was in thetobacco-shed, and desired him to kill a couple of chickens, and bringthem in. We then entered the cabin, and she observed--
"I don't doubt but you are tired with so much fatigue; you look so; goand sleep on one of their beds; you shall have one for yourself bynight."
I was not sorry to do as she proposed, for I was tired out. I laydown, and did not wake till she called me and told me that dinner wasready. I was quite ready for that also, and I sat down with her, butthe two convict servants did not. She ate in proportion to her size,and that is saying enough. After dinner she left me, and went with hertwo men on her farming avocations, and I was for a long whilecogitating on what had passed. I perceived that I was completely inher power, and that it was only by obtaining her good-will that I hadany chance of getting away, and I made up my mind to act accordingly.I found a comfortable bed, of the husks of Indian corn, prepared forme at night, in an ante-room where the two servant-men slept. It was aluxury that I had not enjoyed for a long while. For several days Iremained very quiet, and apparently very contented. My mistress gaveme no hard work, chiefly sending me on messages or taking me out withher. She made the distinction between me and the convicts that Ialways took my meals with her and they did not. In short, I wastreated as a friend and visitor more than any thing else, and had Inot been so anxious about going to England, I certainly had no reasonto complain except of my detention, and this, it was evident, it wasnot in her power to prevent, as, until the sloop went away with thetobacco, she had no means of sending me away. One day, however, as Iwas walking past the tobacco-shed, I heard my name mentioned by thetwo convicts, and stopping, I heard James say,
"Depend upon it, that's what she's after, Jeykell; and he is to be ourmaster, whether he likes it or not."
"Well, I shouldn't wonder," replied the other; "she does make purelove to him, that's certain."
"Very true; every thing's fierce with her--even love--and so he'llfind it if he don't fancy her."
"Yes, indeed:--well, I'd rather serve another ten years than sheshould fall in love with me."
"And if I had my choice, whether to be her husband or to swing, Ishould take the cord in preference."
"Well, I pity him from my heart; for he is a good youth, and afair-spoken and a handsome, too; and I'm sure that he has no idea ofhis unfortunate situation."
"No idea, indeed," said I to myself, as I walked away. "MercifulHeaven! is it possible!" And when I thought over her conduct, and whathad passed between us, I perceived not only that the convicts wereright in their supposition, but that I had, by wishing to make myselfagreeable to her, even assisted in bringing affairs to this crisis.
That very day she had said to me: "I was very young when I married,only fourteen, and I lived with my husband nine years. He is dead morethan a year now."
When she said that, which she did at dinner, while she was clawing theflesh off the bone of a wild turkey, there was something so ridiculousin that feminine confession, coming from such a masculine mouth, thatI felt very much inclined to laugh, but I replied,
"You are a young widow, and ought to think of another husband."
Again, when she said, "If ever I marry again, it shall not be a manwho has been burnt on the hand. No, no, my husband shall be able toopen both hands and show them."
I replied, "You are right there. I would never disgrace myself bymarrying a convict."
When I thought of these and many other conversations which had passedbetween us, I had no doubt, in my own mind, but that the convicts werecorrect in their suppositions, and I was disgusted at my ownblindness.
"At all events," said I to myself, after a long cogitation, "if shewants to marry me, she must go to James Town for a parson, and if Ionce get there, I will contrive, as soon as extra constables are swornin, to break off the match." But, seriously, I was in an awkwardplight. There was something in that woman that was awful, and I couldimagine her revenge to be most deadly. I thought the old Indian squawto be bad enough, but this new mistress was a thousand times worse.What a hard fate, I thought, was mine, that I should be thus forced tomarry against my will, and be separated from her whom I adored. I wasa long while turning over the matter in my mind, and at last Iresolved that I would make no alteration in my behaviour, but behaveto her as before, and that if the affair was precipitated by mymistress, that I would be off to the woods, and take my chance of wildbeasts and wild Indians, rather than consent to her wishes. I thenwent into the cabin, where
I found her alone.
"Alexander," said she (she would know my Christian name, and called meby it), "they say widows court the men, and that they are privilegedto do so" (I turned pale, for I little thought that there was to be anexplanation so soon); "at all events, whether they are or not, I knowthat a woman in my position cannot well expect a young man in yours toventure without encouragement. Now, Alexander, I have long perceivedyour feelings and your wishes, and I have only to say that mine aresuch as yours" (oh, I wish they were, thought I), "and therefore youhave but to ask and to have."
I was mute with fear and despair, and could not find a reply to maketo her.
"Why do you not answer, Alexander? Do you think me too forward?"
"No," stammered I; "you are very kind, but this is so unexpected--sounlooked for--so unhoped for--I am so overcome."
Observe, Madam, how strangely the sexes were changed. I was the womanin this instance.
"I should like to consult my friends."
"Consult your fiddlesticks," replied she, quickly. "Who have you gotto consult? I hope, Alexander," said she, setting her broad teethtogether, "that you are not trifling with me?"
"Indeed, I never should think of trifling with you, mistress," repliedI. "I feel much obliged to you for showing such a preference for me."
"I think, Alexander, that you ought; so now then, if you please, giveme your answer," replied she.
"Had I been prepared for your kindness, I would have done so at once,but I have many serious questions to put to myself, and if you please,we will renew the subject to-morrow morning. I will then tell youcandidly how I am situated; and if after that you do not withdraw yourproposal, I shall be most happy to be yours as soon as we can go toJames Town to be married."
"If," replied she, "you mean to insinuate, Alexander, that you have awife in England, that is of no consequence in this settlement; forthose who live here are free from all English marriages; and as forgoing to James Town, that is quite unnecessary. If the people in thesettlement were to wait for a parson when they married, they wouldnever be married at all. All that is necessary is, that we shall drawup an agreement of marriage, on paper, sign it, and have it witnessed.However, as I perceive that you are flurried, I will wait tillto-morrow morning for your decision."
My mistress then rose from her stool, and went into her chamber,shutting to the door with more emphasis than was at all agreeable tomy nerves. I walked out into the open air to recover myself, and toreflect upon what course I should take in this awkward and dangerousdilemma. Marrying was out of the question--but how to avoid it? It wasalmost like being stopped by a highwayman. He says, "Your money oryour life." My mistress's demand was, "Marriage or your life." Therewas but one hope, which was to escape that very night, and take mychance in the woods, and so I resolved to do.
I did not go in till dark; my mistress was in her own room; the twoconvicts were sitting by the fire. I took my seat by them, but did notspeak, except in a whisper, telling them that their mistress was notwell, and that we had better go to bed, and not talk. They stared atme at the idea of the mistress being ill; they had never known her tocomplain of any thing since they resided with her; but the hint wassufficient. They went to bed, and so did I with my clothes on,watching the crevices of the door of her room to see if her lamp wasout. In about half an hour the little thin beams through the chinks ofher door disappeared, and then I knew that she had gone to bed. Iwatched two hours more before I ventured to stir. The convicts wereboth snoring loud, and effectually drowned any slight noise I mightmake in moving about. I went to the locker, secured all the cold meatfor provision, took down one of the muskets and ammunition-belts, andhaving put the latter over my shoulders, I then took the musket in myhand and crept softly to the door of the cabin. Here was the onlydifficulty; once out, but five yards off, and I was clear. I removedthe heavy wooden bar, without noise, and had now only to draw thebolt. I put my finger to it, and was sliding it gently andsuccessfully back, when my throat was seized, and I was hurled back onthe floor of the cabin. I was so stunned by the violence of the fall,that for a short time I was insensible. When I recovered, I felt agreat weight upon my chest, and opening my eyes, found my mistresssitting upon me, and giving orders to the convicts, one of whom hadalready lighted the lamp.
"For mercy's sake, get off my chest," said I, in a faint voice.
"Yes, I will, but not yet," replied my mistress. "Now, James, handthem to me."
James handed some chains to his mistress, who, turning round as shesat on my body, made the manacle at the end of the chain fast round myankle. This went with a snap-spring, which could not be openedwithout a key belonging to it. At last she rose off my body, and Icould breathe free. She then called to the convicts, saying,
"Go both of you into the tobacco-shed, and wait there till I call youout. If I find you one foot nearer to us, I'll flay you alive."
The servants ran off as fast at they could. When they were gone, mymistress said,
"So you were about to escape, were you? You would avoid the chances ofmatrimony, and now you have other chances which you little dreamt of."
"I thought it was the wisest thing that I could do," replied I. "SinceI must be plain, I am sacredly betrothed to another person, and Icould not even for you break my faith. I meant to have told you soto-morrow morning, but I was afraid it would annoy you, and thereforeI wished to go away without giving you any answer."
"Well, Sir, I offered to be your wife, which would have made you mylord and master. You refuse it, and now I make you my slave. I giveyou your option; you shall either consent to be my husband, or youshall remain as you are, and toil hard; but any time that you thinkbetter of it, and are willing to embrace my offer, you will be free,and I will be as a wife in subjection."
"So you say," replied I; "but suppose I was to make you angry after Imarried you, you would do to me as you have done now. I may, perhaps,one day get free from this chain, but, once married to you, I am aslave for ever."
"You may think otherwise before long," replied she; "in the mean time,you may walk out and cool yourself."
She then returned to her room, and I rose, having determined to walkout and cool myself, as she proposed; but when I was on my legs, Ifound that to the other end of the chain, which was very heavy, andabout two yards long, was, riveted an iron ball of about thirty poundsweight, so that I could not walk without carrying this heavy weight inmy hands, for it could not be dragged. I lifted up the iron ball, andwent out of the house. I was no longer afraid of her. I was in toogreat a rage to fear any thing. As I calmed, I considered my case, andfound it to be hopeless; as I thought of Amy, and the many months ofhope deferred, I wept bitterly; and I had no consolation, for thereader may recollect that I lost my Bible when I was sent on shore,naked almost, by the rascally captain of the Transcendant.
I had now been twenty months away from Liverpool, and I felt as if mychance of seeing her that I loved was indeed hopeless. I might remainchained in such a solitude for years, or I might expire under herbarbarous treatment, for I fully knew what I had to expect. However, Iwas resolved. I prayed fervently for support and succour in my time oftrouble, and became more composed. I remained out the whole of thenight, and watched the rising sun. The two convicts came out to theirwork, and shrugged their shoulders as they passed me, but they darednot speak to me.
My mistress at last came out. She commenced with abuse, but I gave noanswer. She tried soothing, but I was mute. At last she became franticin her passion, hurled me away from her, and after being dreadfullybeaten, I fell to the ground. She put her foot upon my neck, and shestood there, looking like a fury. She loaded me with epithets, andthen of a sudden went down on her knees by me, and begged my pardon,calling me her dear Alexander--her life--entreating me to accede toher wishes. Never was there such a tigress in love before, I reallybelieve.
"Hear me," replied I; "as long as I am chained, I never will give anyanswer upon the present subject, that I swear."
She rose from my si
de, and walked away.
It is impossible, my dear Madam, for me to describe what I sufferedfrom this woman for more than six weeks, during which she kept mechained in this way--at one time entreating me, the next momentkicking me, and throwing me down. I had no peace--my life became aburden to me, and I often entreated her, in mercy, to put an end to mysufferings. I also had my paroxysms of rage, and would then spurn her,spit at her, and do every thing I could, and say all that I couldimagine, to show my hatred and contempt. At other times I was sullen,and that always annoyed her. She would bear my reproachespatiently--bear any thing, so long as I would talk; but if I remainedobstinately silent, then, in a short time, her fury would break forth.I pitied her, notwithstanding her ill-treatment, for the woman didlove me (after her own fashion) most intensely.
It was on the seventh week of my confinement on the chain, that onemorning very early, as I was lying in the tobacco-shed, for she hadturned me out of the cabin, I perceived among the trees, which wereabout three hundred yards from the cabin, two Indians, in what iscalled their war-paint, which is a sign that they were on a hostileexcursion. I remained perfectly quiet, and well concealed, that Imight watch them. The convicts had more than once told me that theIndians would attack us, in consequence of an insult which my mistresshad offered to their chief, with whom her husband had been sofriendly; and when they stated what had passed, I agreed with themthat they would not fail to resent the insult as soon as they could. Ihad therefore always been on the look-out, but had never seen anyIndians before. My mistress, to whom I had, in our days of sweetconverse, spoken about them, always laughed at the idea of theirattacking her, and said that they might come if they liked. She hadmade every preparation for them, as she had loop-holes stuffed up withmoss just below the roof of the cabin, from which you could fire downupon them till they were within four yards of the cabin, and otherloop-holes, from which you might shoot them when close to; the windowand door were impregnable, and provided that we were once in thecabin, there was no doubt but that a serious, if not effectual,resistance might be made. That the Indians were reconnoitring thecabin was evident, and that they did not do so for nothing was equallycertain. After a while, during which I made out six of them, they fellback in the wood, and disappeared. The dog at that moment came out tome, and it was probably the sight of the dog which made them retreat,as they feared that he would have given notice of their being so closeto us. I waited till the convicts came out, and then I went into thecabin, and said,
"You drove me out of the house last night, and I come to return goodfor evil. As I lay in the tobacco-shed, I saw six Indians in the wood,to the east of the cabin, reconnoitring, and I have no doubt but thatyou will be attacked this night, so I give you notice."
"And you hope that, by this fear of their attack, you will be setfree, is it not?"
"It is perfectly indifferent to me whether I am or not. I have oftenasked you to put an end to my misery, and as you have not done it, Ishall bless those Indians for the friendly act; a blow of a tomahawkwill release me, if you will not."
"Well, then, let them come with their tomahawks," replied she, "and Iwill protect you from them, for no one shall release you but myself."
"As you please," replied I; "I have done my duty in telling you what Ihave seen, and you may take precautions or not; for myself I carenothing."
So saying, I lifted up my ball of iron and went away out of the door.I remained out of doors the whole of the day, and therefore did notknow whether my mistress took any precautions or not, but I told thetwo convicts what I had seen, and advised them not to go far from thecabin, as they would run great danger.
They inquired of me where I had seen the Indians, and I pointed outthe spot in the wood, after which they went away. I was certain thatthe attack would be on this night, as there was no moon till threehours before daybreak; and as it was very dark, it would probably takeplace in the early part of the night. I had made up my mind what Iwould do, which was not in any way to defend the cabin while chained,but, when I was freed, I would fight to the last, so that I might bekilled where I stood, and not be taken alive and tortured.
I did not go out from home all that day, and, to my surprise, I wasnot molested by my mistress. At dark she called the convicts, but theydid not answer; she came out to look for them, and asked me whether Ihad seen them.
I told her that I had not seen them for two hours, and I had thoughtthat they were in the house.
"Did you tell them about the Indians?"
"Yes, I did," I replied, "and stated my opinion that they would attackus this night, and I advised them not to go far from the cabin, orthey might be cut off."
"Then the cowardly sneaks have run off to the woods, and left us todefend ourselves how we can."
"I shall not defend myself," replied I. "I shall stay here where I am.I wait for death, and will not avoid it."
"Come into the house," said she, abruptly.
"No," replied I, "I will not."
"You will not," said she, and catching up the chain and ball in onehand, with her other arm she caught me round the waist, and carried meinto the house.
"Well," replied I, "it is only deferring it a little longer; they willforce their way in it at last, and I will die here."
"Wait until they arrive," replied my mistress. "But do you mean to saythat you will not help to defend the house?"
"Certainly not, as long as I am chained as a slave," replied I.
My mistress made no reply, but busied herself with barring the doorand window. She then placed the table and stools so that she mightstand upon them and fire out of the upper loop-holes; pulled the mossout of the loop-holes; took down the muskets--of which there weresix--from their rests, examined the priming of those which wereloaded, and loaded those which were not. She then got out a supply ofpowder and ball, which she put ready on the table, brought the axesout, that they might be at hand, examined the water-jars to ascertainwhether the convicts had filled them as she had ordered, and then,when all was prepared for defence, she removed the lamp into the innerroom, leaving the one we were in so dark, that the Indians could not,by looking through the chinks or loop-holes, discover where theoccupants of the cabin might be. All these arrangements she made withthe greatest coolness, and I could not help admiring her courage andself-possession.
"Is there any more to be done, Alexander?" said she, in a mild voice.
"Where is the dog?" replied I.
"Tied up in the tobacco-shed," said she.
"Then there is no more to be done," replied I; "the dog will give younotice of their coming, as they will first occupy the tobacco-shed asan advanced post."
"Alexander, will you promise not to escape if I set you free?"
"Certainly not," replied I. "You set me free for your own purposes,because you wish me to help to defend your property; and then,forsooth, when the Indians are beat off, you will chain me again."
"No, no; that was not my feeling, as I sit here alive," replied she;"but I was thinking that, if forced to retreat from the cabin, youwould never be able to escape, and I never could save you; but theyshould hack me to pieces first."
"Answer me one question," said I. "In a time of peril like this, wouldyou, as a conscientious person, think that you were justified inretaining in such fetters even a convict who had robbed you? And ifyou feel that you would not, on what grounds do you act in this way toa man whom you profess to love?--I leave it to your conscience."
She remained silent for some time: when the dog barked, and shestarted up.
"I believe I am mad, or a fool," said she, sweeping back her hair fromher forehead.
She then took the key of the manacle out of her dress, and releasedme.
"Alexander"--
"Silence!" said I, putting my hand to her mouth, "this is no time tobe heard speaking. Silence!" repeated I, in a whisper, "I hear them,they are round the house."
I stood upon one of the stools and looked through a loop-hole. It wasvery dark, but as the Indians
stood on the hill, there was clear skybehind them as low down as their waists, and I could perceive theirmotions, as they appeared to be receiving orders from their chief; andthey advanced to the door of the cabin with axes and tomahawks. Mymistress had mounted on the table at the same time that I had got onthe stool. We now got down again without speaking, and each taking amusket, we kneeled down at the lower loop-holes which I havedescribed. On second thoughts, I mounted the stool, whispering to her,"Don't fire till I do."
The Indians came to the door and tapped, one asking in English to belet in. No reply was given, and they commenced their attack upon thedoor with their axes. As soon as this aggression took place, I tookgood aim at their chief, as I presumed him to be, who was now standingalone on the hill. I fired. He fell immediately.
As I leaped from the stool my mistress discharged her musket, and weboth caught up others and returned to the loop-holes below. By thistime the blows of the axes were incessant, and made the cabin-doortremble, and the dust to fly down in showers from the roof; but thedoor was of double oak with iron braces, and not easily to be cutthrough; and the bars which held it were of great size and strength.
It was some time before we could get another shot at an Indian, but atlast I succeeded, and as his comrades were taking the body away mymistress shot another. After this the blows of the axes ceased, andthey evidently had retreated. I then went into the inner room andextinguished the lamp, that they might not be able to see us--for thelamp gave a faint light. We returned to the table, and loaded themuskets in the dark.
As I put my musket on the table, my mistress said, "Will they comeagain?"
"Yes;" replied I, "I think they will; but if you wish to talk, we hadbetter retreat to the fire-place: there we shall be safe from anyshot."
We retreated to the fire-place, and sat down on the ashes; it justheld us both, and my mistress took this opportunity of embracing me,saying--
"Dear Alexander, if I had a thousand lives, I would sacrifice them foryou."
"We have but one," replied I, "and that one I will devote for yourdefence; I can do no more."
"Who did you fire at?" said she.
"The chief, as I believe, who was on the hill giving orders. He fell;and I think that he fell dead."
"Then depend upon it they will retreat," said she.
"I think not; they will be revenged, if they possibly can; and we mustexpect a hard fight for it."
"Why, what can they do? They never can break through the door, andwhen daylight comes we can shoot them by dozens."
"Depend upon it," said I, "they will try to burn us out. The wind ishigh, which is all in their favour, and I suspect they are now gone tocollect firewood."
"And if they do fire the cabin, what shall we do? I never thought ofthat."
"We must remain in it as long as we can, and then sally out and fightto the last; but every thing depends on circumstances. Be guided byme, and I will save you if I can."
"Be guided by you!"
"Yes! Recollect I am not in chains now, and that although you have allthe courage of a man, still you have not been so accustomed to warfareas I have been. I have long been accustomed to command, to plan, andto execute, in times of peril like this."
"You have great strength and courage; I little thought what a lion Ihad chained up," replied she. "Well, I love you all the better for it,and I will be guided by you, for I perceive already that you have thebest head of the two. Hark! What is that?"
"It is what I said," replied I; "they are laying firewood against thelogs of the cabin on the windward side--(this was on the sideopposite to the door). Now we must try if we cannot pick off some moreof them," said I, rising and taking a musket. "Bring the stools overto this side, for we must fire from the upper loop-holes."
We remained at our posts for some time without seeing an Indian. Theyhad gone back to the wood for more combustibles. At last we perceivedthem coming back with the wood. I should imagine there were at leasttwenty of them.
"Now, take good aim," said I.
We both fired almost at the same moment, and three Indians fell.
"Get down, and give me another musket," said I to my mistress.
She handed me one, and, taking another for herself, resumed herstation. We fired several times; sometimes with and sometimes withoutsuccess; for the Indians went away twice for firewood before they hadcollected what they considered sufficient. By this time it was piledup to the eaves of the cabin, and our loop-holes were shut up; wetherefore went over to the other side, where the door was, to see ifthere were any Indians there, but could not see one. We had been onthe look-out for about five minutes, when the crackling of the wood,and the smoke forcing itself through the crevices between the logs,told us that the fire had been applied, and the wind soon fanned it upso that the flame poured through every chink and loop-hole, andlighted up the cabin.
"We must retreat to the fire-place," said I. "Come quickly, or weshall be shot."
"Why so?" said she, as she did as I requested.
"They will peep through the loop-holes on the side of the cabin wherethe door is and see us plainly, until the cabin is filled with smoke,which it soon will be."
"But tell me what we are to do now, for I feel if this smoke increaseswe shall not be able to speak to one another."
This she said about five minutes after we had remained standing in thefire-place, with our heads up the chimney.
"Perhaps it will be as well," replied I, "that I do speak so. Thisfierce wind drives the smoke to leeward in volumes, but the greatburst of smoke will be when the roof is well on fire. It is nowburning fiercely on the windward side, but we must wait till thelee-side has caught, and then the volume of smoke will be greater. Thegreat point is to hit the precise time of opening the door, andescaping shrouded in a volume of smoke. If too soon, they willperceive us, and we shall be shot down; if too late, the roof willfall upon us, and we shall be smothered or burnt. We had better now, Ithink, leave this, and be all ready. Our best weapon, if we have tofight our way, will be an axe. Let us each take one, and, by now goingnear to the door, and putting our mouths to one of the loop-holes, weshall breathe freer, and unbar the door at the right time. Do youagree with me?"
"You are right," said she; "you are a _man_, and I am a _woman_."
We left the fire-place, and having felt for and found the axes, wewent near the door, and put our mouths to the loop-holes below; andthe smoke passing above them enabled us to breathe freer. I looked outand perceived that, with the exception of about six yards to leewardof the cabin, there was a dense volume of smoke rolling along theground for a long distance, and that if we could only once gain itwithout being perceived, we should probably be saved. I thereforeunbarred the door, drew the bolt, and held it in my hand, all readyfor a start. The cabin was now in flames in every part as well as theroof. I touched my mistress, and then took her hand in mine, watchingat the loop-hole. At last, when the heat was almost unbearable, aneddy of the wind drove back the smoke close to the lee-side of thecabin, and all was dark. I jumped up, opened the door, and dragged mymistress after me; we walked out into the black mass completely hidfrom our enemies, and then running hand-in-hand as fast as we could toleeward in the centre of the smoke, we found ourselves at least onehundred yards from the cabin without the Indians having any idea thatwe were not still inside. As we retreated, the density of the smokebecame less, and I then told her to run for her life, as the Indianswould discover that the door of the cabin was open and that we hadescaped--and so it proved. We were still a hundred yards from the woodwhen a yell was given which proved that they had discovered ourescape, and were in pursuit. We gained the wood; I turned round amoment to look behind me, and perceived at least forty or fiftyIndians in full pursuit of us--the foremost about two hundred yardsdistant.
"Now we must run for it, mistress," said I, "and we must no longertake hands. We shall have to thread the wood. Away! We have no time tolose."
So saying, I snatched my hand from her and sprang f
orward; shefollowing me as fast as she could, more fearful, evidently, of mymaking my escape from her than of her own escape from the Indians. Assoon as I was a hundred yards in the wood, I turned short to theright, and fled with all my speed in that direction, because I hopedby this means to deceive the Indians, and it was easier to run wherethe wood was not so thick. My mistress followed me close: she wouldhave hallooed to me, but she had not breath after the first half-mile.I found out that I was more fleet than she was. Whether encumberedwith her clothes, or perhaps not so much used to exercise, I heard herpanting after me. I could easily have left her, but my fear was thatshe would have called to me, and if she had, the Indians would haveheard her, and have known the direction I had taken, and, when once onmy trail, they would, as soon as daylight came, have followed me by itto any distance; I therefore slackened my speed so as just to enablemy mistress to keep up with me at about ten yards' distance; when wehad run about three miles I felt certain that she could not proceedmuch further: speak she could not, and as I ran without once lookingbehind me, she could make no sign. I continued at a less rapid pacefor about a mile further. I did this to enable her to keep up with me,and to recover my own breath as much as possible previous to a start.The voices of the Indians had long been out of hearing, and it wasclear that they had not discovered the direction which we had taken. Iknew, therefore, that they could not hear her now, if she did cry outas loud as she could, and I gradually increased my speed, till Icould no longer hear her panting behind me; I then went off at my fullspeed, and after a few minutes I heard her voice at some distancefaintly calling out my name. "Yes," thought I, "but I have notforgotten the ball and chain; and if you thought that you had letloose a lion while we were in the cabin, you shall find that you haveloosed a deer in the woods." I then stopped for a few moments torecover my breath; I did not, however, wait long; I was afraid that mymistress might recover her breath as well as myself, and I again setoff as fast as I could. The idea of torture from the Indians, or againbeing kept confined by my mistress, gave me endurance which I thoughtmyself incapable of. Before morning I calculated that I had run atleast twenty miles, if not more.
With the perspiration running down me in streams, and hardly able todrag one leg before the other, I at last, just about daybreak, gave itup, when I threw myself on the ground, and dropped out of my hand myaxe, which I had carried the whole way. I lay there for more than halfan hour, tormented with thirst, but quite unable to move. At last Irecovered; and, as I well knew that the Indians would divide inparties of three or four, and hunt every part of the woods, and bydaylight probably discover my track, I rose and prepared to resume mytoil, when, looking round me, I perceived that I was exactly on thespot where I had followed the deer, and had fallen in with the JollyRover, as he termed himself, who had pointed out the way to theplantations. I turned and saw the river below, and as he had told methat the Indians never came there, I resolved to go to the river,where, at least, I should find shell-fish and water. I did so; and inhalf an hour arrived at the skirts of the wood, and found that theriver was about four hundred yards from me and clear of trees at themouth for some distance. I went down to the river, which ran swiftlyout, and I drank till I was ready to burst. I then rose on my feet,and walked along its banks towards the mouth, thinking what I shoulddo. To get to James Town appeared to me to be an impossibility, unlessby water, and I was not likely to meet with any other vessel here buta pirate. Should I then go aboard of a pirate? It appeared to me tobe my only resource, and that I should be happy if I could find one.
By this time I had arrived at the mouth of the river, and, looking outto seaward, I saw a schooner at anchor. She was about three miles off.That she was a pirate vessel, I presumed. Should I go on board of heror not? and if so, how was I to get on board? All her boats were up:and I surmised that she had just left the river with the intention ofsailing as soon as there was any wind, for now it was calm. The riverran out swiftly, and I thought I should be able to swim the distancewith the assistance I should obtain from the current, which swept downright for her, and she was riding to its strength.
I was demurring. I had been perhaps two hours on the beach, waiting tosee if she might send a boat on shore, when, as I stood at theriver-side, still hesitating, I happened to turn round and perceivedthree Indians coming down upon me as fast as they could. I hesitatedno longer, but plunged into the stream, and was swept out two hundredyards before they arrived at the beach. I made for the schooner; andthe current ran out so fast, that in half an hour I was close to her.I swam for her cable, which I clung to, and then shouted loudly. Thisinduced some of the crew to look over the bows, and they handed me abowling knot, into which I fixed myself, and was hauled on board.
I was dragged aft to give an account of myself, and I stated in fewwords that I had been pursued by the Indians, and swam off to save mylife.
"Hav'n't we met before?" said a rough voice.
I looked, and saw the Jolly Rover, whom I had fallen in with on shore.I said, "Yes; I was escaping from the Indians when I met you, and youshowed me the direction of the plantations."
"All's right," said he. "It's a true bill; and were those Indiansafter you that we saw on the beach just now?"
"Yes," I replied; and then I stated how it was that they had attackedour cabin, and how we had escaped.
"That was well done, and so you swam off three miles. Fire and waterwon't hurt you; that's clear. You're just the man for us. Whatthing-um-bob is this that you have hung round your neck?" said he,taking up the leathern bag with the diamond in it.
"That," replied I--a sudden thought having struck me--"is my caul; Iwas born with a caul, and I have always worn it, as it saves a manfrom drowning."
"No wonder that you swam three miles, then," replied the man.
You must know, Madam, that some people are born with a membrane overthe face, which is termed a caul, and there has been a vulgar errorthat such people can never be drowned, especially if they wear thiscaul about their person in after-life. Sailors are superstitious inmany things, but particularly in this, and my caul was therefore asmuch respected by them as it hung round my neck, as it was by theIndians when they thought it was what they call "magic" or "medicine."
"Well," said the Jolly Rover, "as you had so much fire, so much water,and so much running, I think you won't be sorry to have a biscuit andglass of grog, and then turn in; to-morrow we will talk to you."
I went down below, very glad to accept the offer, and as I wasregaling myself, who should come up to me but two of the Portuguesewho had been wrecked in the xebeque, and put on shore with me in thelittle boat by the captain of the Transcendant. I was very glad to seethem. They told me that, after great hardship and suffering, they hadarrived famished at the banks of this river, and had been taken onboard by the pirates, and had remained with them ever since; that theywere very anxious to get away, but never had an opportunity. I beggedthem not to say who I was, but merely that I was once a shipmate oftheirs. They promised, and being very tired, I then lay down and fellasleep. I was so worn out, that I did not wake till the next morning,when I found that we were under all sail running down to thesouthward. I saw the Jolly Rover, as I had termed him, on deck (hisreal or assumed name, I don't know which, I found out to be Toplift),sitting on a gun abaft. He called me to him. I said,
"Are you the captain?"
"Yes," he replied, "for want of a better. I told you months ago whatwe were, so it's no use repeating it. Do you intend to join us?"
"Then," replied I, "I will be very candid with you. I have been drivenas it were on board of your vessel, but certainly without knowingexactly what she was. Now, captain, I have to ask you onequestion:--Would you, if you could go on shore in England, with plentyof money at your command, and plenty of good friends,--would you behere?"
"No; certainly not," replied he.
"Well; I am in that position. If once in England, I have money enoughto live upon, and plenty of friends; I therefore naturally want to getback to England
, and not to run the risk of my neck on board of thisvessel."
"That's very true," replied he, "but there are other considerations;my men won't have a man on board who will not swear fidelity, and ifyou will not, I cannot protect you,--they will throw you overboard. Wedon't carry passengers."
"That's very true, also; and I will swear fidelity so far as this,that you never shall be betrayed by me, and I never will appear as awitness against one of you; it were most ungrateful if I did. While Iam on board, I will do any duty you please to put me to, for I cannotexpect to eat my bread for nothing."
"And suppose we come to action?"
"There's the difficulty," replied I; "against an English ship I neverwill fight."
"But if we are opposed to any other nation, and there is a chance ofour being overpowered?"
"Why, then, if you are overpowered, as I shall be hung along with therest, I think I must do all I can to save my own life; but,overpowered or not, I will not fire a shot or draw a cutlass againstmy own countrymen."
"Well, I cannot deny but that's all very fair."
"I think," replied I, "it is as much as you can expect; especially asI never will share any prize-money."
"Well; I will talk to the men, and hear what they say; but, now,answer me one question--Are you not a seaman?"
"I will answer the truth to every thing; I am a seaman, and I havecommanded a privateer. I have served many years in privateers, andhave seen a great deal of hard fighting."
"So I thought," replied he; "and now answer me another question,--Wasit not you that played that trick to that French privateer captain atBordeaux?"
"Yes it was," replied I; "but how came you to know that?"
"Because I was the mate of a merchant vessel that had been captured,and I saw you three or four times as you passed the vessel I was onboard of; for, being put in quarantine, we were not sent to prisontill the pratique was given. I thought that I knew you again."
"Well; I have no concealment to make."
"No: but I will tell you candidly, my men, if they knew all this,would not allow you to leave the vessel. Indeed, you might be captainif you pleased, for I do not suit them. Our captain--for I was hisofficer--was killed about six months ago; and I really am not fit forthe office--I am too tender-hearted."
"Well; you don't look so," replied I, laughing.
"Can't judge of outsides," replied he; "but it's a fact. They say thatthey will be all condemned if taken, from my not destroying the crewsof the vessels we take; that they will be so many witnesses againstthem; and I cannot make up my mind to cold-blooded murder. I am badenough; I rob on the high seas; I kill on the high seas--for we mustkill when we fight; but I cannot commit deliberate murder either atsea or on shore, and so I tell them. If any one else could navigatethe vessel, I should be superseded immediately."
"I am glad to hear you say what you have, captain, it makes me lessdissatisfied at finding myself here. Well; I have said all I can, andI must trust to you to manage with your ship's company."
"It will be a difficult job," said he, musing.
"Tell them," replied I, "that I was once a captain of a vessel likethis (after all, there is not so much difference between a pirate andprivateer as you may think)--and that I will not be under the commandof any one."
"If they hear that, they will give you the command of this vessel."
"I will refuse to take it; and give my reasons."
"Well; I'll tell them that: I leave you to settle with them how youcan; but," added he, in a low tone; "there are some desperate villainsamong them."
"That I take for granted," replied I; "so now I leave you to speak tothem."
Toplift did so. He told them that I was a pirate captain, who had losthis vessel and been thrown on shore, but I refused to join any shipexcept as captain of her; that I would not serve as first officer, andwould obey no one. He told them that he knew me before, and henarrated the business at Bordeaux when I commanded a privateer,extolling me, as I afterwards found, beyond all measure.
The crew, having heard what he had to say, went forward, and, afterconsultation, came to Toplift and said that I must take the oath.
Toplift replied that he had desired me so to do, and that I hadanswered that I would not. "But," said he, "you had better speak tohim yourselves. Call all hands aft and hear what he has to say."
This was done, and I was sent for.
"I have told them what you said, Sir. I don't know your name."
"I have no name," replied I, proudly, "except 'Captain'--that's myname."
The fact is, Madam, I was determined to carry it out bravely; knowingthat it is the best way to deal with such people as I now had in hand.
"Well, then, Captain, I have told the men that you will not take theoath."
"Take the oath," replied I, with scorn; "no; I administer the oath toothers. I make them take it. I make them swear fidelity to me. Suchhas been my conduct, and I shall not depart from it."
"Well, but, Captain Toplift, you don't mean to say that he is toremain on board with us and not take the oath," said a surly-lookingruffian. "In spite of you, he shall take the oath, Captain Toplift."
"Captain Toplift," said I, calmly, "do you allow one of your crew touse such language as this. Had I been captain of this ship, I wouldhave blown his brains out as he stood. You don't know to deal withthese rascals. I do."
Captain Toplift, who appeared much pleased at being supported in thisway by me--(strange that a single individual, whom they might havethrown overboard in a minute, should have gained such an ascendency,but so it was)--and who perceived that the men fell back, as if takenby surprise, then said, "Captain, you have taught me a good lesson,which I will take advantage of. Seize that fellow and put him inirons."
"Hah!" cried the man, seeing that no one touched him: "who is to bellthe cat! hah!" and he drew his cutlass.
"I will, then," said I to Captain Toplift, "if you desire it;" and,stepping forward, I went up to the man, saying, "Come, come, my goodfellow, this won't do here; I'm used to deal with such chaps as you,and I can manage worse than you, a good deal."
I advanced till I was within the stroke of his cutlass before he wasaware of it, and, seizing him by the waist, I threw him flat on hisback and put my foot on his neck.
"Now," cried I, in an authoritative voice, "put this man in ironsimmediately--refuse who dares. Here, you Sirs, lay hold of thisfellow," continued I, looking to the Portuguese; who accordingly cameforward and led him away, assisted by others, who now joined them.
"Are there any more mutineers here?" inquired I; "if so, let them stepforward."
No one stirred.
"My lads," said I, "it is very true that I have refused to take theoath, for the oath is not given to those who command, but to those whoobey; but at the same time I am not one to betray you. You know who Iam; and is it likely?"
"No, no," replied the men.
"Sir," asked one of them, who had been most forward and insolent,"will you be our captain?--say but the word,--you are the sort of manwe want."
"You have a captain already," replied I, "and in a few weeks I shallcommand a vessel of my own; I cannot, therefore, accept your offer;but while I am on board I will do all in my power to assist CaptainToplift in any way, and you can desire no more. And now, my men, as anold hand, I have but this advice to give you, which is--to return toyour duty; for every thing in a vessel of this description dependsupon obedience; and to you, Captain Toplift, I have also advice togive, which is--to shoot the first man who behaves as that scoundreldid who is now in irons. Boatswain! pipe down."
I hardly knew whether this latter order would be obeyed by theboatswain, or, if obeyed by the boatswain, whether it would be obeyedby the men; but, to my great satisfaction, it was; and the men retiredpeaceably.
"Well, Captain Toplift," said I, "I have done you no harm, and myselfsome good."
"You have indeed," replied he; "come down into the cabin." When wewere in the cabin he said, "You have unarmed and sub
dued the mostmutinous rascal in the vessel, and you have strengthened my authority.They fully believe you are what you assert from your behaviour, and Ifeel, with you at my side, I shall get on better with these fellowsthan I have done. But now, to keep up the idea, you must, of course,mess in the cabin with me, and I can offer you clothes, not my own,but those of the former captain, which will suit your shape and make."
I readily agreed with him; and having equipped myself in the clotheshe offered me, which were handsome, I soon afterwards went on deckwith him, and received the greatest respect from the men as I passedthem. A cot was slung for me in the cabin, and I lived altogether withCaptain Toplift, who was a good-hearted, rough sort of a man,certainly wholly unfit for the command of a vessel manned by such aset of miscreants, and employed on such a service. He told me that hehad been taken three years before by a pirate vessel, and finding thathe could navigate, they had detained him by force, and that at last hehad become accustomed to his position.
"We all must live," said he, "and I had no other means of livelihoodleft me; but it's sorely against my conscience, and that's the truth.However, I am used to it now, and that reconciles you to any thing,except murder in cold blood, and that I never will consent to."
On my inquiring where they were about to cruise, he said on theSpanish Main.
"But," said I, "it is peace with the Spaniards just now."
"I hardly knew," said he, "it was peace. Not that peace makes anydifference to us, for we take every thing; but you refer to myself, Iknow, and I tell you frankly that I have preferred this cruise merelythat we may not fall in with English vessels, which we are not likelyto do there. I wish I was out of her with all my heart and soul."
"No doubt of it, Captain Toplift; I think you are sincere. Suppose youput into one of the inlets of Jamaica, they won't know where we are;let us take a boat on shore and leave her. I will provide for you, andyou shall gain your living in an honest way."
"God bless you, Sir," said he; "I will try what I can do. We must talkthe matter over, for they may suspect something, and then it would beall over with us."
We continued to run down till we were in the latitude of the VirginIsles, and then we altered her course for Jamaica. The first andsecond mates generally received information of Captain Toplift as tohis movements and intentions, which they communicated to the crew. Ifthe crew disapproved of them, they said so, and they were consideredto have some voice in the matter.
Now, although no navigators, these men knew enough of a chart and acourse to find that there must be some reason for its being altered asit was, instead of running down by the Spanish Main, and they inquiredwhy the cruise was altered.
Captain Toplift replied that he had taken my advice, and that I hadassured him that at the back of the island of Jamaica we shouldcertainly fall in with some rich Spanish vessels, if we lay therequiet in some nook or another for a short time, as this was their timefor coming up from the south to the Havannah, where they rendezvousedfor a convoy.
This reply appeared very satisfactory to the crew, for they were allcheerful and obedient, and we ran down to Jamaica, and when we wereclose in shore, we shortened sail and hove to. We remained three orfour days in the offing, that we might not cause any suspicion by ourleaving too soon. Captain Toplift then told the mates that I proposedanchoring in some secret bay or inlet, as we were certain to see theSpanish ships if we could send any one ashore on the hills to look outfor them. This was agreed to, and we made sail and ran along thecoast, looking out for some convenient anchorage.
As we were so doing, a vessel hove in sight, and we immediately madeall sail in chase. As she did not attempt to avoid us, we hauled offas she came near, to see what she might be. She then hoisted a yellowflag at her peak (for she was an hermaphrodite brig); this puzzled usnot a little, and we edged down towards her, for she was veryrakish-looking, except in her sails.
As we neared, finding I suppose that we did not answer her signals,and we were not the vessel she expected us to be, she suddenlyaltered her course before the wind, setting all the sail that shepossibly could. We immediately crowded canvas in chase, and came upwith her fast. As we ran, the mate and I looked at her through theglass, and I made her out to be the Transcendant, the captain of whichhad treated us so cruelly when we were in the boat, and who had robbedus of our money and clothes. I called the Portuguese and desired themto look at the vessel through the glass, and give me their opinion.They directly said that it was the vessel I supposed.
"Let us only catch the rascal," said I, "and we will pay him in hisown coin;" and I immediately gave directions for the better trimmingof the sails, so anxious was I to come up with him.
The men of the schooner were much pleased at the anxiety I displayedto come up with the chase, and by the alacrity with which they obeyedme, I saw how anxious they were that I should be their captain. In twohours we were within gun-shot, and sent one of our bow-chasers afterhim. Perceiving that it was useless to run, the fellow hove to, and aswe came alongside, he was all ready with his boat to come on board. Hedid so, and at first I kept out of sight to hear what he would say. Hewas followed up the side by his amiable son. Captain Toplift receivedhim on deck, and he looked around him, saying, "I believe I am right.I was afraid I had made more mistakes than one. I believe you are inthe free trade?"
"Yes," replied Toplift, "we are."
"Yes, I thought so, captain, but I expected to meet another schoonerwhich is very like to yours, and is also in the trade. I made mysignal to her, as, when she has any thing to get rid of, why I take itoff her hands. Perhaps you may have something of the kind which is notexactly safe to show,--church-plate and the like. I pay readymoney--that's my plan."
As it afterwards appeared, Madam, this scoundrel had been in the freetrade, or pirating, himself for many years, but he had taken anopportunity of walking off with a large sum of money belonging to thepirate crew, and with this money he had purchased his property inVirginia and the brig which he now commanded. Although he did notfollow up the free trade any more, he had made arrangements with apirate captain whom he met at Port Royal to meet them at the back ofthe island and receive such articles as the pirate might want to turninto cash, by which he, of course, took care to secure large profits.
This he had done several times, and as he sold his cargo at Port Royalfor dollars, he had always cash to pay for what the pirate wished toget rid of. But he had now run into the lion's jaws, for not only wereI and the Portuguese on board to denounce him as a robber, but, whatwas still more unfortunate for him, three of the pirate's crew, whomhe had swindled out of their property, were also on board of us, andrecognized him immediately.
As Captain Toplift knew how I had been treated by him, he thought itwas time he should be confronted with me, and to his question as towhether there was any thing to dispose of, he replied to him, "Youmust put that question to the captain. There he is."
The fellow turned to me; he looked at me, stared, and was mute, whenhis cub of a boy cried out, "As sure as a gun it's he, father, and nomistake."
"Oh, you imp of Satan, you know me, do you?" replied I. "Yes, it ishe. Send all the men aft."
The men came fast enough. They were only waiting till I had spoken tothem to come and give information against him.
"Now, my lads," said I, "this is a scoundrel who fell in with some ofus when we were in distress, after we had lost our vessel. Instead ofbehaving as one seaman does to another, he robbed us of all we had,and turned us adrift naked to be killed by the Indians. Of all, I andthe two Portuguese you took on board about four months back are theonly three left: the others perished. The one who was with me wasburnt to death by the Indians, and I narrowly escaped. I leave you todecide what this scoundrel merits."
"But there is more against him, captain," said the men, and then fourof them stepped out and declared that he had run away with the moneybelonging to the crew of which they were a part, and that the sum hehad stolen amounted to 25,000 dollars.
"What have
you to say for yourself?" said I to him.
"That I have been a cursed fool to be caught as I have been."
"What will they do, father?"
"Hang us, I suppose," replied he.
"Captain Toplift," said I, "I do not command this vessel, and I shalltherefore leave you to decide upon the fate of this miscreant;" andhaving said that, I was going below to the cabin, when the captain ofthe Transcendant's son ran to me, and said, "I want to speak to you,Sir, when you are alone."
"What are you after, Peleg?" cried his father.
"I'm going to save your life, father, if I can," replied he.
"You'll be clever if you do that, boy," said the man, sneeringly.
I allowed the boy to follow me down into the cabin, and then asked himwhat he had to say.
"I have that to tell you which is of more value than the lives of ahundred boys like me."
"Boys like you? Why I thought it was to save your father's life thatyou came down, Sir?"
"Pooh!" said he, "let him hang; he was born for a halter. I am come tosave my own life. I only said that to gammon him."
"You're a hopeful youth," said I; "and pray what is that you can tellme that will save your own neck from the halter?"
"That which will save your own, most likely," replied the boy, "andtit-for-tat's all fair."
"Well, let's hear it, then," replied I.
"No, not unless you promise. I can swing, if need be, as well asfather, but I'd rather not, 'cause I know where all his money ishidden."
"I can't make any promise," replied I.
"Then I can't tell," replied he, "so I may e'en go on deck and tellfather that I cannot manage it;" and as he said the latter part ofthis speech, the undaunted little villain actually laughed at the ideaof gammoning his father, as he termed it.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart fromit, is mostly true; but it is more certain that if you train a childup in the way that he should not go, he will be a more true disciple.Could there be a more decided proof of the above than the behaviour ofthis young villain? but his father had made him so, and thus was herewarded.
"Stop," said I, for I had reflected whether, after all, there were anygrounds for hanging the boy, and come to a conclusion that a jurywould have probably acquitted him. "Stop," said I; "you say that whatyou can tell is of the greatest consequence."
"And becomes of more consequence every minute that passes," repliedhe. "I will tell you every thing, and let you into father's secrets. Ipeach upon father altogether."
"Well, then," replied I, "if what you have to disclose provesimportant, I will do all I can to save your life, and I have no doubtthat I shall be able so to do."
"No more have I," replied he, "or I would not have come to you. Nowthen, father came to the back of the island to do a little businesswith a pirate schooner, as he said just now; and he has very oftendone it before, as he said just now; but father did not tell you all.When we were in Port Royal, father went to the captain of a king'svessel who is there, having been sent to put down the pirates ifpossible, and he offered this captain of the king's ship, for acertain sum, to put our friends that we exchange with into his hands."
"What, betray his friend the pirate?"
"Yes, father agreed that he would come round as he has done this day,and would contrive to chaffer and bargain with him and keep him solate in the bay that the king's ship should come upon him all of asudden and take him, and this was father's intention, only you havepinned him. The king's ship will be round that point in two hours orthereabouts, so if you are found here you will be taken and hanged assure as I ain't hanged yet. Now ain't this important news, and worthall I asked for it?"
"It certainly is, if it is true, boy."
"Oh, I'll prove it, for I always goes with father, and he trusts mewith every thing. I saw the paper signed. The king's ship is calledthe Vestal, and the captain who signed the paper, signed it PhilipMusgrave."
"Indeed," said I, turning away, for I did not wish the boy to perceivemy emotion at this announcement. I recovered myself as soon as Icould, and said to him, "Boy, I will keep my promise. Do you staybelow, and I will go on deck and plead for your life."
"Mayn't I go on deck for a bit?" said he.
"What, to wish your father good-bye? No, no, you had better spareyourself and him that painful meeting."
"No, I don't want to wish him good-bye; I'll wait till it's over, onlyI never did see a man hanged, and I have a curiosity to have just apeep."
"Out, you little monster," cried I, running up on deck, for theinformation I had received was too important not to be immediatelytaken advantage of.
"Well, captain, has the boy saved his father's life?"
"No," replied I, in a loud voice.
"Then, up he goes," said the men, for the halter had been round hisneck and run out to the yard-arm for some time, and the men had mannedthe rope, only awaiting my return on deck. In a second, the captain ofthe Transcendant was swinging in the air, and certainly if ever ascoundrel merited his fate, it was that man. Shortly afterwards Iturned round, and there was the young hopeful looking at his father'sbody swinging to and fro with the motion of the vessel.
I looked in vain for a tear in his eye; there was not a symptom ofemotion. Seeing me look sternly at him, he hastened down below again.
"My lads," said I to the men, who were all on deck, "I have receivedintelligence of that importance that I recommend that we should cutthat vessel adrift, and make sail without a moment's loss of time."
"What, not plunder?" cried the men, looking at the Transcendant.
"No, not think of it, if you are wise."
At this reply all of the men exclaimed that "that would not do"--"thatplunder they would"--that "I was not the captain of the vessel," andmany more expressions showing how soon a man may lose popularity onboard of a pirate vessel.
"I gave my opinion, my men, and if you will hear why I said so--"
"No, no, out boats," cried they all, and simultaneously ran to lowerdown the boats, for it was now calm, that they might tow the schooneralongside of the Transcendant.
"You might as well talk to the wind as talk to them when there isplunder to be obtained," said Toplift to me in a low tone.
"Come down with me," said I, "and I will tell you what I have heard."
"Ain't they going to plunder the brig?" said Master Peleg, when wecame down; "I know where father's dollars are," and up he ran on deck.
I made a short remark upon the depravity of the boy, and then informedCaptain Toplift of what he had told me.
"If you had told them, they would not have paid attention to you. Theboat's crew who came with the captain have told them that there ismoney on board, and all authority is now at an end."
"Well," replied I, "I believe that the boy has told the truth."
"And what do you mean to do?"
"Remain below quietly, if I am allowed," replied I.
"But I cannot," said he; "they would throw me overboard."
"Make as bad a fight of it as you can," replied I.
"That I will," said Captain Toplift, "and with so superior a forceopposed, we cannot stand long. But I must tell you where you must be."
"Where?" replied I.
"At the entrance of the magazine, for as sure as we stand here theywill blow up the vessel rather than be taken. Not all of them, but twoor three I know are determined so to do, and resolute enough to do it.My pistols are there. You have only to open this door, and you are inthe magazine passage. See," said he, opening the door, "there is thescuttle where they hand the powder up."
"I will be on the watch, depend upon it; and, Captain Toplift, if theschooner is taken, and I am alive, you may have no fear for yourself."
"Now let us go on deck again."
"I will follow you," replied I.
"I am alone at last, thank Heaven!" said I to myself. "What a positionam I in, and how much will be in suspense before twenty-four hours areover. My own brother here,
not ten miles perhaps from me, commandingthe vessel which will attack this on which I am on board. That theywill take us I have no doubt; but what risk do I run--of death byshot, or by their blowing up the vessel in spite of me, or of noquarter being given. Well, I wish it were decided. At all events, I amlong supposed dead, and I shall not be recognized among the heaps ofbodies."
I then went to the locker and took out my duck frock and trowsers,determining that I would, if I were killed, be killed in thoseclothes, and be thrown overboard as a common seaman. I then went ondeck, for I had heard the grating of the sides of the two vessels andknew that they were in contact.
All was uproar and confusion on board of the Transcendant, but therewas nobody on board the schooner except Toplift and myself. I cannotsay that I never saw such a scene, for I had seen quite as bad onboard of a privateer. The common seamen, as well as the soldiers, whenlet loose to plunder, are like maniacs. In half an hour they hadbroken open every thing, cut the crew to pieces, found out the hoardof dollars, which was shown them by young Peleg, who tried for hisshare, but for so doing received a chop with a cutlass, which cut offhis right ear, and wounded him severely on the shoulder; but his rightarm was not disabled, and while the man that cut him down was bendingover a heap of dollars, which took both hands to lift them, the boyran his knife deep into the man's side, who fell mortally wounded. Therush for the dollars thus at the mercy of the rest was so great, thatPeleg was not minded, and he crept away and came on board theschooner. We saw that he was bleeding profusely, but we asked noquestions, and he went down the ladder forward.
"What has that young villain been after?" said Toplift.
"I presume he has been quarrelling for plunder, and considered that hehad a greater right to his father's money than anybody else."
Among other plunder the people had not forgotten to look for liquor,and an hour had not passed before three-fourths of the men were moreor less intoxicated. They had found plenty of good clothes, and werestrutting about with gold-laced waistcoats and embroidered coats overtheir dirty frocks. The uproar increased every minute, when Toplift,who had been looking out with the glass, exclaimed, "There she is, byall that's sacred!"
I caught the glass out of his hand, and found it was the king's ship.She was a large flush vessel, apparently of eighteen or twenty guns,just opening from the point, and not seven miles from us. We werestill becalmed, and she was bringing the wind down with her, so thatto escape appeared impossible.
"Now, what shall we do?" said Captain Toplift; "shall we allow her tocome down upon us and say nothing to the men, or shall we point outthe danger, and persuade them to come on board and prepare?"
"You must do as you please," replied I, "I am indifferent which. Itwill be dark in another hour, and she will not be down by that time. Iwould rather avoid fighting, and get away from the schooner quietly ifI could, but that I fear is impossible now."
"Well, I must go on board of the brig and let them know, for if theyfind it out themselves, they will throw us overboard."
Captain Toplift then went on board of the brig, and calling to the menwho were still sober, told them that there was a king's ship comingdown upon them not seven miles off. This had the effect of putting anend to the confusion and noise of a great portion of the men, whohastened on board of the schooner, but others, who were intoxicated,were with difficulty persuaded to return.
At last they were all got on board, and the schooner, clear from thebrig, was made ready for action; but Toplift was obliged to make somealteration in the stationing of the men, as those who were to hand upthe powder were all of them tipsy. By the time that the schooner wasready, and the breeze had come down to her, the corvette was not morethan three miles from us; but it was quite dark, for there is notwilight in those parts. We consulted what course we should take toavoid her, if possible, and agreed that we would stand in shore andpass her if we possibly could. We knew that, if seen, we were thencertain to be obliged to fight; but if not seen, we might escape.
We then shifted the helm and bore up across her bows, but we had notsteered in this direction more than a quarter of an hour, when theTranscendant was perceived to be on fire, having been fired by thedrunken men before they left her, and soon afterwards she burst outinto flames that threw a strong light to a great distance, discoveringthe corvette to us at two miles' distance, and of course exposing usto the corvette, who immediately altered her course for us. We hadtherefore only to fight, and the crew, being most of them in liquor,declared that they would fight till the schooner sunk under them. In aquarter of an hour, the corvette being close to us, and standing stemon, we opened our fire, raking her masts and yards, and then I wentdown below. I had changed my clothes for the duck trowsers and shirtwhich I had swum on board in, and I now remained quietly in the cabin.A few minutes afterwards the corvette opened her fire, and the shotdid great execution. The cries of the wounded and the shouts of thetipsy men were mingled together, but the crew of the schooner tiredwith great rapidity, and sustained the unequal conflict mostgallantly.
After a time some men darted down into the cabin. I was then at thedoor which led to the magazine passage, and busied myself handing upthe powder, as it secured me from observation, and it was supposedthat I was one of the crew sent down for that duty.
The men roared out, "Where is the captain? We want him to fight theship. Toplift is an old fool, and don't know what he is about."
I made no reply, but with my back towards them continued to hand upthe powder, and, having changed my dress, they did not recognize me,so they rushed upon deck again.
The corvette was now alongside of the schooner, pouring in herbroadsides with fatal execution, the shot passing in every directionthrough her, so that there was as much danger below as on deck, and itwas evident that the schooner could not oppose them much longer. Stillthey continued to fire with great resolution, being now sobered intomore steadiness than at first. But by this time more than half the menwere killed and wounded, and our guns were encumbered with the wreckand bodies. I heard them, at the very time that a crashing broadsidewas poured in by the corvette, cry out, "Avast firing for a moment andclear the decks."
They did so, and having thrown the bodies overboard and cut away thespars and rigging which had fallen, so as to enable them to work theirguns, during which time three broadsides were poured in, they remannedtheir guns, and fought with as much spirit as before. I could not helpadmiring the courage of the scoundrels, for nothing could exceed it;but resistance was useless, further than they preferred dying at theirguns to being hanged on the gibbet.
But the shouts of the pirates and the reports of the guns graduallydecreased. The men were swept away by the enemy's fire, and the gunswere one by one disabled. The schooner's sides were torn out, and thewater poured in below so fast that it was rising to the magazine. Iheard a cry of boarders, and the striking of the two vessels together,and then there was a rush down below, when a man came aft to themagazine passage. It was the fellow whom I had struck down on thequarter-deck and had put into irons.
"Come along," said he, to the others; "we'll send the corvette andourselves all to the devil together. Out of the way there."
"Stand back," said I.
"Stand back," replied he, pointing his pistol down to the magazine.
I threw up his arm, and the pistol went off, striking the beams above.
"Blast you," cried he, "whoever you are; but I've another," and heattempted to draw it out of his belt, but before he could effect it Iblew out his brains with the pistol which I had ready cocked in myhand.
His companions started back, and I pointed my second pistol at them,saying, "The man who comes forward this way dies."
As I said this the crew of the corvette, who had cleared the decks,charged down below, and the pirates ran away and secreted themselves.Perceiving them coming forward, I said to them, "Put a guard over themagazine; they have attempted to blow up the vessel already."
"Who are you?" said an officer.
&nbs
p; "A prisoner," replied I.
"Well, then, lead him on deck, and stay here, two of you; shut downthe magazine scuttle and keep guard."
"Thank Heaven," thought I, "that this affair is over," as a seamanled me by the collar on deck, and handed me to others, who took me onboard of the corvette.
We were all put down below that remained out of the schooner's crew,about eighteen or nineteen, not more, and I was glad to find CaptainToplift, although badly wounded with a splinter, was among the number.We remained there huddled together with a guard of ten men over us formore than an hour, when we heard, from the conversation on deck, thatthe schooner had sunk. After that the guns of the corvette weresecured, and the men had an allowance of liquor served out to them,the watch was called, and all was quiet during the remainder of thatnight. For some time I was in a state of excitement from the events ofthe last twenty-four hours crowding so rapidly, but by degrees Ibecame calm. I asked one of the guard who was the captain of thecorvette.
"What's that to you, you gallows-bird?" replied he.
"A civil question might receive a civil reply," answered I.
"So it might with any one else; but if you don't want the hilt of mycutlass down your throat, you will hold your tongue."
But I did not require to repeat the question, as I heard one of theofficers on deck say, "It's Captain Musgrave's orders."
This satisfied me, and I lay down with the rest of the prisoners,waiting for daybreak, when I trusted my troubles would soon be over.They were all sound asleep. Strange that men who knew that they wouldbe hanged In a few days, if not the next morning, should sleep sosound--but so it was--while I, who had every reason to believe that mysufferings were over, could not sleep one wink. I was, however, fullysatisfied with my own castle-buildings during the night, and moresatisfied when it was again broad daylight. After the men had hadtheir breakfast, an order came down for all the prisoners to bebrought on deck. We were led up under guard, and made to stand all ina row. I looked round for my brother, but he was not on deck. It wasthe first lieutenant who was there, with several other officers, andthe clerk, with pen and ink, to take down the names of the prisoners.
"Who was the captain of this vessel?" said the first lieutenant.
"I was, Sir," replied Toplift; "but much against my will."
"Oh, of course; every man was on board of her against his will. Whatis your name? Put him down, Mr. Pearson. Any other officers alive?"
"No, Sir," replied Toplift.
The name of every man was then asked and put down, and it so happenedthat I was the last; for, anxious to see my brother, I had walked upthe foremost, and they had commenced their interrogation at the otherend of the line.
"What is your name?"
"I do not belong to the schooner," replied I.
"Of course not; you dropped on board her from the clouds."
"No, Sir, I did not; I swam on board of her to save my life."
"Then you went out of the frying-pan into the fire, I reckon, my goodfellow, for your life is forfeited now."
"I rather think not, Sir," replied I. "On the contrary, I feel it isquite safe."
"Give us none of your jaw, my good fellow, but give us your name."
"Certainly, Sir, if you require it. My name is Alexander Musgrave,Sir," replied I; "I am the elder brother of your captain, PhilipMusgrave, and I will thank you to go into his cabin and inform himthat I am here."
The first lieutenant and officers started back in astonishment, and sodid Captain Toplift and the pirates. The first lieutenant hardly knewwhether to consider it as a pretence on my part or not, and wasundecided how to act, when Captain Toplift said, "I do not knowwhether the gentleman is as he says, but this is certain, and all themen can prove it as well as myself, that he did swim on board, as hesaid, to escape from the Indians, and that he has never joined thecrew. They offered to make him captain in my stead, and he positivelyrefused it."
"Yes," said all the pirates; "that's true enough."
"Well, Sir," replied the first lieutenant, "I will certainly carryyour message."
"To make all certain," replied I, "I will write my name on a slip ofpaper for you to take in to the captain. He knows my signature."
I did so, and the first lieutenant took the paper, and went into thecabin. In a minute he returned, and requested me to follow him. I didso, and in another minute I was in the arms of my brother. For sometime we neither of us could speak. At last Philip said, "That you arealive and well, let me thank Heaven. I have considered you as dead,and so have others; and to find you on board of a pirate--on board ofa vessel which I have been riddling with shot, any one of which mighthave caused your death. Thank God I was ignorant that you were onboard, or I never could have done my duty. I will not ask how you cameon board of this vessel, for that must be the end of your narrative,which I must have from the time that you first left Rio, andafterwards in detail the whole from the time that you left the Coast."
"Then they received my letters from Rio?"
"Yes, after imagining you were dead, they were rejoiced by thoseletters; but I will not anticipate my story, nor will I now ask foryours; it is sufficient at present that you are alive, my dearAlexander, and once more in my arms."
"Let me ask one question," replied I.
"I know what it will be. She was in good health, but suffering much inmind from having no account of you. Her father and others havereasoned with her, and painted the impossibility of your being inexistence, as the xebeque you sailed in had never been heard of. Shestill adheres in the opinion that you are alive, and will not abandonthe hope of seeing you again; but hope deferred has paled her cheekeven more pale than it usually is, and she evidently suffers much, forher life is wrapped in yours. Now having told you this, you must comeinto my state-room, and allow me to enable you to appear as my brotherought to do. I do not think that there is any difference in our sizenow, although there was when we last parted."
"Many thanks, Philip, but before I adonize my outward man I shouldwish to satisfy my inward cravings; and, to tell you the truth, I'm sohungry from not having broken my fast for nearly twenty-four hours,that if you could order something to eat while you are looking out theclothes, I should feel in no small degree grateful."
Philip rang the bell and ordered the steward in bring something to eatand drink, and after eating I occupied a quarter of an hour more ingetting rid of the pirate smoke and dirt, and putting on one of hisuniforms, for he had no other clothes on board, when I came out,looking not at all like a pirate.
"Now, then," said Philip, "before we have our _tete-a-tete_, come outwith me, and let me introduce you to the officers as my brother."
I went out with him, and was formally introduced. The first lieutenantapologized for his rough speech, but I told him that there was nooccasion for any apology, as I had no doubt that I looked very muchlike a pirate at the time.
"More than you do now. Sir, at all events," replied he.
"By the bye, brother," said I, "there is one man among the prisonerswho, although compelled to act as captain by the men, is no pirate.His conduct I will explain to you. May I request him to be kindlytreated? His name is Toplift--and also two Portuguese, my formercompanions."
"Certainly," replied Philip, "your word is sufficient. Let thosepersons be released and taken care of," said he to the firstlieutenant. "We will wait for the particulars by-and-by."
I remained on deck about ten minutes, and then returned to the cabinwith my brother.
"What is this which you have left on my dressing-table?" said Philip,surveying the leather bag which contained the diamond.
"That, Philip," said I, "is a portion of my narrative, and eventuallymay prove a very important one. I don't think that I can afford tomake you a present of it, but I shall see."
"It does not look very valuable," replied he.
"At all events, do me the favour to lock it up carefully," replied I.
"Well, if you are in earnest I will," he said, and having put it in
adrawer and locked it up, he said, "Now, Alexander, let me have yourhistory."
I commenced, and told him all that the reader is now acquainted with.Dinner broke off my narrative, and as soon as it was over I resumedit. When I had finished, he expressed his astonishment, and asked manyquestions. Among others he said, "And that little wretch Peleg, thecaptain of the Transcendant's son, is he on board?"
"I have not seen him," replied I, "and therefore presume that he wasnot able to move, and went down in the schooner." Which was the case.
"You have indeed told me a strange tale," said Philip, "and you havehad some extraordinary escapes. You must have a charmed life, and youappear to have been preserved to prove that Amy's persuasion of yourbeing still alive was just and well-founded; and now it is my turn totalk, and yours to listen. When I left you as lieutenant of CaptainLevee's schooner, we very shortly afterwards had an action with aSpanish vessel of very superior force, for she mounted thirty guns.Having no chance with her, from her superior weight of metal, we threwourselves on her bow and boarded. The Spaniards did not relish thiskind of close fighting, and gave us immediate possession of theirdeck. Captain Levee, when he brought in his prize, was appointed to afrigate of thirty-six guns, and I followed him as his firstlieutenant. We had another combat with a vessel of equal force, inwhich we were the victors, and I was sent in the prize. Captain Leveewrote very kindly in my behalf, and I was made a captain, and giventhe command of a small brig. But let me first finish with CaptainLevee. He captured a galleon, which gave him a large fortune, and hethen gave up the command of his ship, and went on shore, telling me ina letter that he had hitherto squandered away all his money, but nowthat he had got so much, he intended to keep it. He has done so, forhe has purchased a large landed property, is married, and I believe,is very happy."
"He deserves it," replied I; "and long may he be so."
"Well, to continue. I was sent out on this station, and havinginformation that the vessel which you are now on board of was atanchor in a bay close to the Havannah, I ran in and reconnoitred. Shehoisted Spanish colours, and I did the same. It fell calm, and I layabout four miles outside. I was mistaken for another Spanish vessel,and the captain of this vessel, or, to speak correctly, the Spanishcaptain of the Spanish brig, came out to see me, and did not discoverhis mistake till he was on board. I detained him and his boat's crew.It continued calm till the evening, when the breeze sprung up, and Iput the head of the brig right for the bay, as if I were going in toanchor. The breeze being light, it was dark before I got in andalongside this vessel. They were completely surprised, for theyimagined that their captain was dining with his old friend, and havingno idea that we were any thing but Spanish, had not the leastpreparation for resistance. We had possession of her decks before theycould seize their arms, and I brought her out without any one knowingthat she had been captured. On my arrival, the admiral gave me thecommand of her, which I have held for nine months; but she is verydefective, and I was ordered home, and should have sailed, had it notbeen that that scoundrel, the captain of the Transcendant, gave me theinformation which induced me to come round to the back of the island.Little did I think what happiness awaited me. So much for myself. Donot think me an egotist for speaking of myself, I am only clearingaway the less important information to arrive at that which mostinterests you. The Amy arrived safe with her valuable cargo. Thecaptain reported that he had remained at the rendezvous until blownoff by a sort of hurricane, and that finding himself a long way off,he considered, when the gale had ceased, that he was not justified inremaining with so valuable a cargo, but was bound to make the best ofhis way to Liverpool. He was right, and his conduct was approved of byMr. Trevannion, who looked for your arrival every hour. At last a weekpassed away and you did not make your appearance, and great alarm wasentertained for your safety. The weeks grew into months, and it wassupposed that you had been upset in the same hurricane which haddriven the Amy so far off from her rendezvous. The poor girl, Whyna,was, as you may suppose, kindly received by Mr. Trevannion and hisdaughter, and soon gained their affection; but she pined for yourreturn, and when she was told that you were dead she never recoveredit. The climate certainly did not agree with her, and she contracted avery bad cough during the winter, but I believe from my heart that itwas your loss which affected her the most severely. After she had beenabout eighteen months in England, she fell into a consumption anddied."
"Poor Whyna!" said I, with a sigh.
"Alexander," said Philip, "perhaps it was all for the best, for thatpoor girl loved you sincerely, and supposing that she was now stillalive and living with Miss Trevannion, and on your return yourmarriage should (which of course, unless Heaven decrees otherwise, itwill) take place, that poor creature would have been very unhappy; andalthough the idea of her being a rival to Miss Trevannion is somethingwhich may appear absurd to us, yet she had the same feelings, and musthave endured the same pangs as any other woman, let her colour be whatit may. I think, therefore, that her removal was a blessing and ahappy dispensation. I saw Mr. Trevannion and his daughter but onceprevious to their receiving your letters from Rio acquainting themwith your misfortunes and happy deliverance from slavery. They wereboth very dejected, and Mr. Trevannion talked of retiring frombusiness, and living upon his property near Liverpool. As Icorresponded regularly with Amy, I learnt that he had done so, and hadjust wound up his affairs when your letters arrived from Rio with anorder on the Portuguese Exchequer for a considerable sum. I hardlyneed say that the joy occasioned by this intelligence was great. Amyrecovered her good looks, and her father bitterly lamented his havingretired from business, as he had wished to have made the whole over toyou. The money you remitted from Rio he considered as your own, and healso set apart your share of the business from the time that you wereadmitted as a partner. He was not aware that you could carry a diamondof such immense value about your person, exposed to the view of everyone; among Indians, settlers, and pirates. That my delight was equalto theirs you will, I am sure, give me credit to believe; and althoughI was obliged to sail for the West Indies, every day I anticipatedreceiving a letter informing me of your arrival in England. Judge thenmy distress at first receiving letters stating that you had not beenheard of for three months after your leaving Rio, and expressions offear that some accident had happened, and then month after month manymore and more desponding letters, in which Mr. Trevannion plainlystated that the xebeque must have foundered; and only Amy clinging tothe hope that you were still alive. I acknowledge that I consideredyou dead, and you may therefore imagine my surprise and delight whenyour signature on the slip of paper proved that you were not only inexistence, but on board of the same vessel with me."
Such was the narrative of my brother Philip in return for mine, and itwas late at night when we parted. Oh! how sincerely did I pray thatnight, thanking Heaven for all its mercies, and entreating that thecup might not be again dashed from my lips. When I arose the nextmorning I found that Philip was on deck, and I followed him.
"We shall soon be in Port Royal with this wind," said he, "and I hopeto find the admiral still there."
I had some conversation with the officers, and then went below to seeToplift. He was in his hammock, for he had much fever and sufferedfrom his wound, but the surgeon said that he would do well.
"Toplift," said I, "you must keep your mind at ease, for my brotherhas promised me that you shall not be tried with the others, and hasno doubt that when he explains the whole to the admiral you will bethanked for your service."
"Thanked!" said Toplift, "if I am not hanged, I shall be fortunateenough."
"No fear of that," replied I, "so keep your mind easy and get well asfast as you can."
"Well then, Sir, you have saved my life, at all events, for had younot come on board, no one would have ever spoken for me, or believedthat I was not a pirate in heart like all the others, except the twoPortuguese."
"If necessary, they will be evidence in your favour, but I do notthink any evidence will be required
except mine, and that will besufficient with the admiral. I promised you that you should never wantthe means of getting your livelihood, and I repeat that promise now."
"Thank you, Sir," replied he, and I then left him and went up to thecabin to breakfast.
The following day we were at anchor at Port Royal; my brother reportedwhat had occurred, and the admiral sent for all the pirate prisonersexcept Toplift, whose case was so fully represented by me and mybrother, that he was permitted to go at large, and to take a passagehome to England free of expense if he wished it. It is hardlynecessary to say that Toplift accepted this offer, and remained in thevessel with me. The two Portuguese were also liberated. Three daysafter our arrival we sailed for England, and after a quick run ofbetween five and six weeks, we anchored at Spithead. My brother couldnot leave his ship, and I therefore requested him to write toLiverpool stating that he had intelligence of me, and that I wasalive; that I had been wrecked and had fallen into the hands of theIndians near the English settlements in Virginia, and that I hadescaped and was, he believed, at James Town.
I considered it wise to make a communication like this at first, astoo sudden an announcement might be dangerous to one in so weak astate of health as Philip stated my Amy to be from the letter he hadreceived from her father. I remained with him at Portsmouth until thereply came. Mr. Trevannion wrote and told Philip that hiscommunication had, as it were, raised his daughter from the grave--asshe had fallen into a state of profound melancholy, which nothingcould remove--that he had very cautiously introduced the subject, andby degrees told her what was reported, and eventually when he foundthat she was more composed, that he had put Philip's letter into herhand.
He concluded that he trusted that I would arrive, and soon, for if anyaccident was now to happen to me it would be the death of hisdaughter, who had not strength enough left to bear another reverse. Atmy request Philip then wrote that he had received a letter from abrother officer stating that I was well and safe on board, and thatthey would be in England a few days after the receipt of the letter.
Leaving directions to Philip how to proceed, I now went off to London,and having fitted myself out with every requisite of dress and toilet,I called upon a celebrated Jew diamond merchant and showed him mydiamond, requesting that he would weigh it and then estimate itsvalue. He was much astonished at the sight of such a stone, as well hemight be, and after weighing it and examining it, he pronounced itworth L47,000, provided a purchaser could be found for an article ofsuch value.
I told him that I was not a merchant, and could not be travellingabout to show the diamond to crowned heads, but if he would give me aliberal price for it, I would abate a great deal, that he mightdispose of it to his own advantage. He requested that he might callupon me with two of his friends, that they might see the diamond andconsult with him; and then he would give me an answer. We fixed thetime for twelve o'clock on the following day, and I took my leave.
The next day he called at the time appointed, accompanied by twogentlemen of his own persuasion. They weighed the stone again verycarefully, examined it by the light of a powerful lamp to ascertainits water, and to see if there were any flaws in it, calculated thereduction of weight which would take place in cutting it, and, after aconsultation, I was offered L38,000. I considered this an offer that Iought not to refuse, and I closed with them. The next day the affairwas settled. I received money and bills on government to the amount,and wrote to Philip telling him what had taken place. Strange thatfrom two slaves in the mines I should have received such valuablelegacies; from poor Ingram a diamond worth so much money, and from theother Englishman a tattered Bible which made me a sincere Christian--alegacy in comparison of which the diamond was as dross.
Philip replied to my letter congratulating me on the sale of thediamond, and informing me that to his letter he had received a replycontaining so satisfactory an account of Amy's restored health, thathe had written to tell them that I had arrived safe in England, andwould be very soon with them. He recommended my going immediately, asthe anxiety and suspense would be very injurious to Amy's health. Itherefore made every arrangement for my departure, purchased horses,and procured four stout serving men, well armed, to accompany me, andwrote a letter, which I sent by an express courier, stating the exactday which I expected to arrive at Mr. Trevannion's country seat.
I waited in London two days to wind up all my affairs, and to givetime for the express to arrive before me, as I intended to travel veryfast. My stay in London was the occasion of an important discovery. Iwas at the coffee-house at St. Paul's, and was talking with one ofCaptain Levee's officers, with whom I had picked up an acquaintance,when on his calling me by the name of Musgrave, a pinched-up sort oflooking personage, in a black suit, who was standing at thebay-window, turned round, and coming up to me said, "Sir, as astranger I must apologize, but hearing your friend call you by thename of Musgrave, may I venture to ask if you are any relative to SirRichard Musgrave, Baronet, who lived in Cumberland?"
"Lived, did you say, Sir? Is he then dead?"
"Yes, Sir; he has been dead these last seven months, and we arelooking out for his heir and cannot find him."
"I knew the family very well," replied I, "for I am connected with it.His eldest son, Richard, of course, must be his heir, as all theestates are entailed."
"His eldest son, Richard, Sir, is dead. We have authenticateddocuments to prove that; and, moreover, his second son, Charles, isalso dead. He came home very ill and died, not at his father's house,but at the house of one of his tenants on the estate. It is his thirdson, Alexander Musgrave, whom we seek, and seek in vain. He is now theheir to the baronetcy and estates, but we have lost all clue to him.We understand that a Captain Philip Musgrave is just arrived from theWest Indies. He is, we presume, the fourth son. But until we can findout what has become of Alexander Musgrave, and whether he is dead oralive, we cannot act. I have written this day to Captain Musgrave,requesting any information he can give, but have received no answer. Ipresume, Sir, it is useless to inquire of you?"
"Not exactly, Sir, for I am the Alexander Musgrave you seek."
"Indeed, Sir, but what proof have you of your identity to offer tous."
"The evidence of my brother, Captain Philip Musgrave, in whose ship Ihave just arrived from the West Indies; that his answer to your letterwill be satisfactory enough, I have no doubt. Here is a letter fromhim to me, in which you see he addresses me 'my dear Alexander,' andconcludes with 'your affectionate brother, Philip Musgrave.'"
"This is indeed, satisfactory, Sir," replied the gentleman, "and Ihave only to receive an answer from your brother to make all right andclear. Allow me, Sir, to congratulate you upon your accession to thetitle and property. I presume you will have no objection, as soon asthe necessary proofs are obtained, to accompany me down to Cumberland,where I doubt not you will be recognized by many."
"Of that, Sir, I have not the slightest doubt," replied I, "but Icannot go down with you to Cumberland at present. I leave London forLiverpool the day after to-morrow on important business, and cannotdisappoint the parties."
"Well, Sir, it must indeed be an important business which will preventyou from taking possession of a title and L4,000 per annum," repliedhe; "but here is my address, and I hope I shall hear from you as soonas possible, as I shall remain in town till I can bring the heir downwith me."
The man now looked as if he doubted me. He could not imagine that Icould neglect the taking possession of the estate for any otherbusiness, and it did appear singular, so I said to him, "Sir, I havebeen long out of England, and am affianced to a young lady who livesnear Liverpool. She has been waiting to hear from me for some time,and I have sent an express to say that I will be with her on such aday. I cannot disappoint her, and, I tell you more, that, without Ipossess her, the possession of the title and estates will give me verylittle pleasure."
"Sir," replied he, making a bow, "I honour your sentiments, and shemust be a worthy lady who can inspire such feelings. I only ho
pe thatyou will not remain too long at Liverpool, as London is expensive, andI am anxious to return to Cumberland."
I then wished the gentleman farewell, and went home to my lodgings. Ihad given him my address in case he wanted to see me before mydeparture.
The next day I received a letter from Philip inclosing the one writtento him by this gentleman, whose name was Campbell, and who was alawyer. Philip told me what reply he had made to him, andcongratulated me on my accession to the title and estates. Almost anhour afterwards Mr. Campbell called upon me with Philip's letter,which he declared to be highly satisfactory, and sufficient in anycourt of justice.
"But," said he, "I would wish to ask you a few particulars."
"And I also would wish to make a few inquiries, Mr. Campbell. I haveheard your name in my youth, although I cannot recollect ever havingseen you."
"I was the confidential adviser of your father at one time, Sir,"replied he, "but latterly all intercourse had ceased; it was not untilhe was on his death-bed, and fully repented the foolish step which hehad taken, and the injustice he had been guilty of, that he sent forme, much to the annoyance of Lady Musgrave, who would have preventedme from coming into the house even when I arrived, had it not been forthe servants, who disobeyed her."
"And my sisters, Sir, Janet and Mabel?"
"Are both well, and have grown up very fine girls. Your fatherdestroyed the deed by which Lady Musgrave was to have had a largejointure upon the estate, and she is now entirely dependent upon youfor what she may receive. When do you expect to be able to come upfrom Liverpool?"
"I can hardly say, but of course as soon as I can."
"Well, Sir, my own affairs will require my presence in the metropolisfor a month. In the meantime, although I should have preferred to havegone down with you to Faristone Hall, and have at once put you inpossession, yet affairs may remain as they are (for every thing isunder seal, and Lady Musgrave has been compelled to remove), till itsuits your convenience. I shall, however, write to let them know thatyou have been found, and will soon come down and take possession."
Mr. Campbell then asked me a few questions, to which I repliedsatisfactorily, and then for the first time he saluted me with mytitle, saying, "Sir Alexander, I will now take my leave."
The next morning I set off on my journey, and travelled with as muchspeed as the horses would permit. I arrived on the fifth day at Mr.Trevannion's seat, about nine miles from Liverpool. As I rode up theavenue of chestnut trees, I perceived a female form looking out froman upper window, which soon afterwards made a precipitate retreat. Ialighted, and was received at the door in the embrace of Mr.Trevannion, who welcomed me with tears, and taking me by the hand heled me into an apartment where I found my adored Amy, who threwherself into my arms and wept as if her heart would break; but hersobs were the sobs of joy, and when she did raise her head and look atme, it was with eyes beaming with pleasure, and with smiles upon herbeautiful lips. I clasped her to my bosom, and felt that I was morethan repaid for all I had suffered, and my heart was throbbing withgratitude and love.
It was some time before we could sufficiently compose ourselves toenter into lengthened conversation, and then Amy inquired what hadoccurred to me to occasion such a lengthened absence. We sat down on asofa, and with Amy on one side of me and her father on the other, Ientered into my narrative.
"And so you have been married since we last heard from you?" said Amy,smiling, when I had finished my history.
"Yes," replied I, "I have been; but I hope I shall treat my secondwife a little better than I did my first."
"I hope so too," replied Amy; "but I have great fear that yourVirginian mistress may come over and claim you."
"I do not think that likely. From the Indians having followed me tothe beach, they must have fallen in with her."
"And what do you think became of her?"
"Of course I cannot exactly say; but I presume she died gallantly, andfought with her axe to the last."
That evening I had a long conversation with Mr. Trevannion. He told mewhat he had done with the money, which he considered as mine, and Iput into his care the sum I had received for the diamond. I then spoketo him about our marriage, and requested that it might not bepostponed.
"My dear Musgrave," said he, "my daughter's happiness so depends uponher union with you, that I can only say I am willing that it shouldtake place to-morrow. For yourself you know that I have the highestesteem, and that you must be convinced of when I have consented tothe match without even making inquiry as to your family andconnections. Now, however, is the time that I should wish to have someinformation about them."
"My dear Sir, if you will only make inquiries, you will find that thefamily of Musgrave is one of the most highly connected in the north,and that the head of it is a or was Sir Richard Musgrave, Baronet, ofFaristone Hall, in Cumberland. I am a near relative of his, as I cansatisfactorily prove."
"That is sufficient," replied Mr. Trevannion. "I shall leave you toplead your cause with Amy to-morrow; so now, good night."
The following day I told Amy that, since my arrival in England, I hadheard of the death of my father, and that it was necessary that Ishould go to the north, as family affairs required my presence.
"Are you serious?" replied she.
"Never more so in my life. My presence is absolutely necessary, and Imade arrangements with the legal adviser of our family that I would bethere in less than a month."
"It is a long journey," said Mr. Trevannion, "and how long to youstay?"
"That I cannot possibly say," replied I; "but not longer than I canhelp."
"I do not think that I shall let you go," said Amy; "you are not to betrusted out of sight. You are so born for adventure that you will notbe heard of again for another two years."
"Such is my misfortune, I grant," replied I; "but, Amy, you look paleand thin; change of air would do you much service. Suppose you andyour father were to come with me. Indeed, Mr. Trevannion, I am inearnest. At this delightful time of the year nothing would prove sobeneficial to her health; and, Amy, then, you know, that I shall notbe out of your sight."
"I should like the tour very much," replied she, "but--"
"I know what you would say. You do not like the idea of travellingwith me as Amy Trevannion. You are right. Then let me propose that youtravel with me as Amy Musgrave."
"I second that proposal," said Mr. Trevannion.
"Consent, Amy, let our marriage be quite private. I know you willprefer that it should be so, and so will your father. You will thentravel with me as my wife, and we never shall part again."
Amy did not reply till her father said, "Amy, it is my wish that itshould be so. Recollect it will be the last time that you have to obeyyour father, so do not annoy me by a refusal."
"I will not, my dear father," replied Amy, kissing him. "Your lastcommand I obey with pleasure. And oh! if I have sometimes been awilful girl, forgive me every thing at this moment."
"My dear child, I have nothing to forgive. May God bless you; and, Mr.Musgrave," said he, putting her hand in mine, "if she proves as good awife as she has been a daughter, you now receive a treasure," and Ifelt that the old man stated what was true.
It was arranged that the marriage should take place on that day week,and that it should be quite private. There was no parade of bridalclothes; in fact, no one was invited, and it was at my request quite asecret marriage. A clergyman had been engaged to perform the ceremony,and, on the day appointed, I received the hand of my Amy in thedrawing-room, and in the presence only of Humphrey and two otherconfidential servants.
After the ceremony was over, the clergyman requested me to come withhim into the adjoining room, and said, it was necessary that he shouldgive a certificate of the marriage, which must be inserted in theparish register. He had called me aside for that purpose, that I mightgive him my exact name, profession, &c.
"My name is Alexander Musgrave, as you have heard when you marriedus."
"Yes, I know that, but
I must be particular. Have you no other name?Is that the name that you have been and will be in future known by?"
"Not exactly," replied I; "I have been known by that name, but infuture shall not be."
"Then what am I to say?"
"You must say, Sir Alexander Musgrave, Baronet, of Faristone Hall,Cumberland."
"Good," said he, "that is what I required; and the lady your wife, hasshe any other name but Amy?"
"None, I believe."
The clergyman then wrote out the marriage certificate, and signed it,taking a copy for registry, and we returned into the drawing-room.
"Here is the certificate of marriage, Madam," said he; "it ought to bein the care of the lady, and therefore, my lady, I hand it over toyou."
"My lady is much obliged to you for your kindness," replied Amy, forshe thought that the clergyman was only facetious.
She held the certificate in her hand folded as it had been given herfor some time. At last curiosity, or, perhaps, having nothing else todo, induced her to open it and read it. I was at this time talkingwith the clergyman, and presenting him with a handsome douceur for histrouble; but perceiving her to open the certificate, I watched hercountenance. She read and started. I turned away as if not observingher. She then went up to her father and desired him to read it.
The old gentleman took out his glasses, and it was amusing to see theway in which he looked at his daughter with his spectacles falling offhis nose. He then came up, and pointing to the certificate said, "Prayhow am I in future to address my daughter?"
"As Amy, I trust, Sir, unless you wish to scold her, and then you mustcall her Lady Musgrave. I am, my dear Sir, as the certificate states,Sir Alexander Musgrave, of Faristone, with a handsome propertydescended to me. I did not know it till I arrived in London, and if Iconcealed it from you till now, it was only that my Amy should havethe satisfaction of proving to me that she wedded me in puredisinterestedness of affection."
"It was very, very kind of you, Alexander, to do as you have done, andI thank you sincerely for it."
"And now, my dear Amy, you understand why I wished you to come with meto Cumberland, that you may take possession of your future abode, andassume that position in society which you will so much grace. I trust,Sir," continued I, "that you will not part from us, and that one roofwill always cover us, as long as Heaven thinks fit to spare ourlives."
"May God bless you both," replied Mr. Trevannion, "I cannot part withyou, and must follow."
About half an hour after this, I requested Amy and Mr. Trevannion tosit by me, as I had now another narrative to give them, which was anexplanation why and how it was that they found me in the position thatthey had done; in short, what were the causes that induced me, andafterwards my brother Philip, to quit our parental roof, and to cometo the resolution of fighting our own way in the world. It was asfollows:
"Sir Richard Musgrave, my father, married a young lady of highconnection, a Miss Arabella Johnson, and with her lived, I have everyreason to believe, a very happy life for nearly twenty-five years,when it pleased God to summon her away. I have a good recollection ofmy mother; for although I lived with my brother at a private tutor's,about six miles off, I was continually at home, and she did not dietill I was nearly sixteen; and I can only say, that a more elegant,amiable, and truly virtuous woman, as I believe, never existed. Bythis marriage my father had four sons and two daughters; Richard, theeldest; Charles, the second; myself, the third; and Philip, thefourth; and my sisters, who came last, were named Janet and Mabel. Atthe time of my mother's death, my eldest brother was serving with thearmy, which he had entered from a love of the profession, although,as heir to the baronetcy and estates, which are a clear 4,000_l._ perannum, he of course had no occasion for a profession. My secondbrother, Charles, being of an adventurous turn, had gone out to theEast Indies in a high position, as servant to the Company. I was stillat home, as well as Philip, who is four years my junior, and mysisters were of course at home. I pass over my regrets at my mother'sdeath, and will now speak more of my father. He was a good-tempered,weak man, easily led, and although, during my mother's lifetime, hewas so well led that it was of little consequence, the case provedvery different at her death. For a year my father remained quiet inthe house, content with superintending his improvements on hisproperty, and he had lately become infirm, and had given up the houndsand rural sports in general. The dairy was one of his principalhobbies; and it so happened that a young girl, the daughter of alabourer, was one of the females employed in that part of theestablishment. She was certainly remarkably good-looking; her featureswere very small, and she did not show that robust frame which peoplein her class of life generally do. She was about seventeen years old,slight in figure, and certainly a person that you would not passwithout making some commendatory remark upon her good looks and modestappearance. She was not, however, what she appeared; she was beyondmeasure cunning and astute, and, as it proved, inordinately ambitious.My father, who was naturally of an amorous disposition, was attractedby her, and very soon was constantly in the dairy, and his attentionswere so marked, that the other servants used to call her 'my lady.' Afew months after my father had shown a preference for this girl, hewas seized with his first attack of gout. It did not last him long,and in six weeks he was about again, and resumed his attentions toher. Philip and I, who were at our tutor's, when we came home, heardfrom others what was going on, and very foolishly played the girl manytricks, and annoyed her as much as we could. After we returned, myfather had another fit of the gout, and when he was confined to hisroom, he desired this girl to be sent for to attend upon him. I cannotsay what took place, but this is certain, that my father'sunfortunate passion became so great, and I presume the girl's ambitionrose in proportion, that about six months afterwards, this daughter ofa menial was raised to the dignity of Lady Musgrave--she being at thattime about eighteen, and my father verging on seventy.
"When this ill-assorted and disgraceful connection was known, thegentry and aristocracy of the county refused any longer to visit myfather, and all communication was broken off. In a short time theascendency which this artful girl gained over the old man was mostwonderful. He lived but in her sight, and knew no will but hers. Herfather and family were removed to a good house in the neighbourhood,and gave themselves all the airs of gentlepeople. The good old stewardwas dismissed, and her father established in his room, although theman could not read or write, and was wholly unfit for the office. Theexpense which she launched out into, by his permission, was excessive.New liveries, new coaches, diamonds, and dresses fit for thecourt--indeed, every kind of luxury that could be conceived, and muchgreater than my father could afford. She now showed herself in hertrue colours; vindictive and tyrannical to excess, she dismissed allthe old servants, and oppressed all those to whom she owed a grudge;yet my poor father could see nothing but perfection in her. It was nottill four months after the marriage that Philip and I came home, andour new step-mother had not forgotten our treatment of her. Shetreated us with great harshness, refused our taking meals at myfather's table, and ordered us the coarsest fare; and when wecomplained to my father, denied every thing that we said. As we foundthat we could not induce our father to listen to us or to believe us,we tried all we could, and retaliated and annoyed her as much, if notmore, than she annoyed us, by talking of her mean origin and herformer occupation; we defied her, and, in so doing, we ruinedourselves; for, after a useless struggle on my father's part, he gaveway to her imperious commands, and sending for me, told me that I hadbecome such a reprobate that I was no longer a son of his. He threw mea purse, telling me that it was all I might expect from him, and thatI was instantly to leave the house, and never show my face in it anymore. I replied, with more spirit than respect, that it was high timethat the son of a gentleman and lady should leave the house, when suchlowborn creatures were installed in it as the mistress. My father, ina rage, flung his crutch at my head, and I left the room.
"As I went out I met her in the passage; she
had evidently beenlistening to what had passed, and she was full of exultation.
"'It is your turn now, you she-devil,' said I, in my rage; 'but waittill my father dies. You shall go a-milking again.'
"I do not mean to defend my conduct, but I was then no seventeen, andthat must be my excuse. I little thought, when I said so, that itwould be from my hands that she would have to receive bounty, but soit is, as Mr. Campbell informs me that my father destroyed, previousto his death, the papers which he had signed to secure her a largejointure on the estate. I set off with my wardrobe and the purse oftwenty guineas, which my father had given me, and having a desire tosee the world, I went on board of a merchant vessel. Six monthsafterwards, when we were at Liverpool, I went on board of a privateer.The remainder of my history you are already acquainted with.
"As soon as she had wreaked her vengeance upon me, my brother Philipwas the next; but he was too young at that time to be turned adrift,so she put it off till the time should come, irritating and weaning myfather from him by every means in her power. Three years afterwardsshe succeeded in having him dismissed, also, and you know how I foundhim out. All these circumstances were very well known in theneighbourhood and to our own relations; and one only, my aunt, calledupon my father, and, after a long conversation, my father consentedthat my sisters should go away, and remain under her charge. Mystep-mother's violent temper, her exactions, her imperious conduct,which was now shown even towards him, with what my aunt had advanced,had to a certain extent opened my father's eyes. He perceived that shehad no other view but her own aggrandisement, and that she caredlittle for him. Her repeated attempts, however, to make him sign inher favour, in case of his death, were successful, and it was nottill after her conduct had alienated him from her, and he deplored theloss of his children, that he committed the deed to the flames. Aboutthree years after I had quitted the house, my eldest brother, who hadinformation of all that had passed, and who remained in the armybecause he declared that he never would go home till after hisfather's death, was killed by a cannon-ball; and my second brotherdied of a fever about a year ago, when resident at the court of anative prince. I had heard nothing of these deaths, or of my father's,until my arrival in London; of course, I was most anxious to go downto Cumberland, if it were only to undo the wickedness which this womanhad done, and to make amends to those whom she had so cruelly treated.I do not feel any spirit of revenge, but I feel that justice demandsit of me."
"And I shall go with you with pleasure, to help you in your goodwork," said Amy, "and also because I want to see how she will nowbehave to one whom she has so persecuted, and who has become thearbiter of her fate."
"Well, Amy, I will not trust myself on this question. You shall be thearbitress of her fate, and what you decide shall be irrevocable."
"I fully appreciate the compliment you pay me," said she, "but Iprefer that it should be decided in council, and we will call in myfather to our assistance."
A fortnight after our marriage, we set off for London, in a coach withsix handsome black horses, and eight armed servants in liveries onhorseback. We arrived safely on the seventh day, and there we reposedfor a time previous to setting out for Cumberland. My aunt was inLondon and attending the court, which I was not aware of, and with herwere my two sisters, Janet and Mabel, whom I had not seen for years,and who warmly embraced me, promising that they would soon come downand take up their abode at the hall. They expressed their admirationof Amy, but, in so doing, they only followed the general opinion, forit was impossible to see and not admire her elegance and beauty. Myaunt showed us every attention, and we were presented to his Majesty,who was pleased to compliment Lady Musgrave in very flattering terms.We were joined in London by my brother Philip, who had paid off hisship, and the day after he joined us I said,
"Philip, there are only you and I left. Do you recollect when youinquired about the diamond, the day we met on board of your ship, whatreply I made to you?"
"Yes; you said that you were afraid that you could not afford to makeme a present of it."
"At that time I did not think so, Philip, but now I know that I can,and I have desired Mr. Trevannion to put out to good security theL38,000 that the diamond was sold for, in your name, and for your use.You'll not hesitate to accept it, Philip, for you know that I canafford it."
"I do not hesitate, my dear Alexander, because I would do the same toyou, and you would not refuse me. At the same time, that is no reasonthat I should not thank you kindly for your generous behaviour."
Philip accompanied us on our journey to Cumberland. It was tedious,for the roads were any thing but good, but the beauty of the scenerycompensated for the ruggedness of the way. In six days we arrived atthe Hall, where Mr. Campbell, who had called upon me on my arrival inLondon, had preceded me to make preparations for our reception, whichwas enthusiastic to the highest degree. We were called upon andcongratulated by all the county, who were delighted to find that sucha personage as Amy was to be the future mistress.
As soon as all this bustle and excitement were over, I sat down withMr. Campbell to look over the state of affairs, and to set things torights.
After having done justice to many claimants, engaged again the oldservants that had been discharged, promised farms to the tenants whohad been unfairly turned out, &c., we then proceeded to decide uponwhat was to be done to the Dowager Lady Musgrave. It appears that atmy father's death, when she found that the deed had been destroyed byhis own hands in presence of others, she became frantic with rage,and immediately hastened to secure the family jewels, and everyarticle of value that she could lay her hands upon, but Mr. Campbell,having due notice of what she was about, came in time to prevent hertaking them away, and, putting seals upon every thing and leavingcareful guards in the Hall, my lady had gone to her father's house,where she still remained. She had, on my arrival, sent me a message,imploring my mercy, and reminding me that whatever might be hererrors, she was still the lawful wife of my father, and she trustedthat respect to his memory would induce me to allow her sufficient tomaintain her as Lady Musgrave should be. We had the consultation thatAmy proposed, and called in Mr. Campbell as a fourth, and it was atlast decided, that, on consideration that she removed with her familyto a distance of fifty miles from Faristone, she should have an incomeof L300 per annum, as long as she conducted herself with propriety anddid not marry again. The last clause was the only one which shecomplained of. Mr. Campbell had, at the request of my father,discharged Lady Musgrave's parent from the office of steward andcalled in the old steward to resume his situation, and beforedismissal, he had to refund certain sums of money not accounted for.
I have now told my eventful tale; I have only to add, that after allthat I have passed through, I have been rewarded by many years ofunalloyed happiness. My two sisters are well married, and my threechildren are all that a father could wish. Such, my dear Madam, havebeen the vicissitudes of a "Privateer's-man," and I now subscribemyself,
Your most obedient,
ALEXANDER MUSGRAVE.
THE END.
PRINTED BY BERNH. TAUCHNITZ JUN.
Transcriber's Note
This book uses some archaic and alternative spelling--for example,befal, stupified, faultering--which has been preserved as printed.
Both _l._ and L have been used to indicate currency; this has beenpreserved as printed.
Punctuation errors have been repaired, and hyphenation has been madeconsistent, without note.
The following typographic errors have been repaired:
Page 34--ancle to ankle--"... a small manacle was fixed round my left ankle, ..."
Page 51--villanous to villainous--"The consultation ended by a solemn and most villainous oath ..."
Page 55--mahing to making--"... rose without making any reply, and hastened on deck."
Page 75--in to it--"... I shall consider it an insult, and immediately repair ..."
Page 89--except to expect--"... and if so, we must
expect their vengeance."
Page 104--lite to little--"I slept little on this, I may say, first night ..."
Page 122--prefered to preferred--"... saying that he preferred a privateer to a merchant vessel, ..."
Page 151--me to we--"Well, we must first get the vessel hired into the service."
Page 155--asid to said--"... said Mr. Trevannion, taking me by the hand, ..."
Page 201--laynyard to lanyard--"... putting a strong leather lanyard to it, ..."
Page 202--laynyard to lanyard--"... I put the leather lanyard round my neck, ..."
Page 207--althogether to altogether--"... that, altogether, we had been robbed to the tune of ..."
Page 236--ke to he--"... and he knew there was no road to it, ..."
Page 301--Travannion to Trevannion--"... and I have desired Mr. Trevannion to put out to good security ..."
The oe ligatures in manoeuvre(d) have not been retained in thisversion of the e-text.
The Privateer's-Man, One hundred Years Ago Page 17