Poe, Edgar Allen - The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe

by Volume 01-05 (lit)

  ground. Jim Bonner belonged to the cook's gang, of which Peters was a

  partisan.

  July 5th. About daybreak there came on a stiff breeze from the

  west, which at noon freshened into a gale, so that the brig could

  carry nothing more than her trysail and foresail. In taking in the

  foretopsail, Simms, one of the common hands, and belonging also to

  the cook's gang, fell overboard, being very much in liquor, and was

  drowned- no attempt being made to save him. The whole number of

  persons on board was now thirteen, to wit: Dirk Peters; Seymour, the

  of the cook's party; the mate, whose name I never learned; Absalom

  party;- besides Augustus and myself.

  July 6th. The gale lasted all this day, blowing in heavy squalls,

  accompanied with rain. The brig took in a good deal of water through

  her seams, and one of the pumps was kept continually going, Augustus

  being forced to take his turn. just at twilight a large ship passed

  close by us, without having been discovered until within hail. The

  ship was supposed to be the one for which the mutineers were on the

  lookout. The mate hailed her, but the reply was drowned in the

  roaring of the gale. At eleven, a sea was shipped amidships, which

  tore away a great portion of the larboard bulwarks, and did some

  other slight damage. Toward morning the weather moderated, and at

  sunrise there was very little wind.

  July 7th. There was a heavy swell running all this day, during

  which the brig, being light, rolled excessively, and many articles

  broke loose in the hold, as I could hear distinctly from my

  hiding-place. I suffered a great deal from sea-sickness. Peters had a

  long conversation this day with Augustus, and told him that two of

  his gang, Greely and Allen, had gone over to the mate, and were

  resolved to turn pirates. He put several questions to Augustus which

  he did not then exactly understand. During a part of this evening the

  leak gained upon the vessel; and little could be done to remedy it,

  as it was occasioned by the brigs straining, and taking in the water

  through her seams. A sail was thrummed, and got under the bows, which

  aided us in some measure, so that we began to gain upon the leak.

  July 8th. A light breeze sprang up at sunrise from the eastward,

  when the mate headed the brig to the southwest, with the intention of

  making some of the West India islands in pursuance of his piratical

  designs. No opposition was made by Peters or the cook- at least none

  in the hearing of Augustus. All idea of taking the vessel from the

  Cape Verds was abandoned. The leak was now easily kept under by one

  pump going every three quarters of an hour. The sail was drawn from

  beneath the bows. Spoke two small schooners during the day.

  July 9th. Fine weather. All hands employed in repairing bulwarks.

  Peters had again a long conversation with Augustus, and spoke more

  plainly than he had done heretofore. He said nothing should induce

  him to come into the mate's views, and even hinted his intention of

  taking the brig out of his hands. He asked my friend if he could

  depend upon his aid in such case, to which Augustus said, "Yes,"

  without hesitation. Peters then said he would sound the others of his

  party upon the subject, and went away. During the remainder of the

  day Augustus had no opportunity of speaking with him privately.

  ~~~ End of Text of Chapter 6 ~~~

  CHAPTER 7

  JULY 10. Spoke a brig from Rio, bound to Norfolk. Weather hazy,

  with a light baffling wind from the eastward. To-day Hartman Rogers

  died, having been attacked on the eighth with spasms after drinking a

  glass of grog. This man was of the cook's party, and one upon whom

  Peters placed his main reliance. He told Augustus that he believed

  the mate had poisoned him, and that he expected, if he did not be on

  the look-out, his own turn would come shortly. There were now only

  himself, Jones, and the cook belonging to his own gang- on the other

  side there were five. He had spoken to Jones about taking the command

  from the mate; but the project having been coolly received, he had

  been deterred from pressing the matter any further, or from saying

  any thing to the cook. It was well, as it happened, that he was so

  prudent, for in the afternoon the cook expressed his determination of

  siding with the mate, and went over formally to that party; while

  Jones took an opportunity of quarrelling with Peters, and hinted that

  he would let the mate know of the plan in agitation. There was now,

  evidently, no time to be lost, and Peters expressed his determination

  of attempting to take the vessel at all hazards, provided Augustus

  would lend him his aid. My friend at once assured him of his

  willingness to enter into any plan for that purpose, and, thinking

  the opportunity a favourable one, made known the fact of my being on

  board. At this the hybrid was not more astonished than delighted, as

  he had no reliance whatever upon Jones, whom he already considered as

  belonging to the party of the mate. They went below immediately, when

  Augustus called to me by name, and Peters and myself were soon made

  acquainted. It was agreed that we should attempt to retake the vessel

  upon the first good opportunity, leaving Jones altogether out of our

  councils. In the event of success, we were to run the brig into the

  first port that offered, and deliver her up. The desertion of his

  party had frustrated Peters' design of going into the Pacific- an

  adventure which could not be accomplished without a crew, and he

  depended upon either getting acquitted upon trial, on the score of

  insanity (which he solemnly avowed had actuated him in lending his

  aid to the mutiny), or upon obtaining a pardon, if found guilty,

  through the representations of Augustus and myself. Our deliberations

  were interrupted for the present by the cry of, "All hands take in

  sail," and Peters and Augustus ran up on deck.

  As usual, the crew were nearly all drunk; and, before sail could

  be properly taken in, a violent squall laid the brig on her

  beam-ends. By keeping her away, however, she righted, having shipped

  a good deal of water. Scarcely was everything secure, when another

  squall took the vessel, and immediately afterward another- no damage

  being done. There was every appearance of a gale of wind, which,

  indeed, shortly came on, with great fury, from the northward and

  westward. All was made as snug as possible, and we laid-to, as usual,

  under a close-reefed foresail. As night drew on, the wind increased

  in violence, with a remarkably heavy sea. Peters now came into the

  forecastle with Augustus, and we resumed our deliberations.

  We agreed that no opportunity could be more favourable than the

  present for carrying our designs into effect, as an attempt at such a

  moment would never be anticipated. As the brig was snugly laid-to,

  there would be no necessity of manoeuvring her until good weather,

  when, if we succeeded in our attempt, we might liberate one, or

  perhaps two of the men, to aid us in taking her into port. The main

  diffic
ulty was the great disproportion in our forces. There were only

  three of us, and in the cabin there were nine. All the arms on board,

  too, were in their possession, with the exception of a pair of small

  pistols which Peters had concealed about his person, and the large

  seaman's knife which he always wore in the waistband of his

  pantaloons. From certain indications, too- such, for example, as

  there being no such thing as an axe or a handspike lying in their

  customary places -- we began to fear that the mate had his

  suspicions, at least in regard to Peters, and that he would let slip

  no opportunity of getting rid of him. It was clear, indeed, that what

  we should determine to do could not be done too soon. Still the odds

  were too much against us to allow of our proceeding without the

  greatest caution.

  Peters proposed that he should go up on deck, and enter into

  conversation with the watch (Allen), when he would be able to throw

  him into the sea without trouble, and without making any disturbance,

  by seizing a good opportunity, that Augustus and myself should then

  come up, and endeavour to provide ourselves with some kind of weapons

  from the deck, and that we should then make a rush together, and

  secure the companion-way before any opposition could be offered. I

  objected to this, because I could not believe that the mate (who was

  a cunning fellow in all matters which did not affect his

  superstitious prejudices) would suffer himself to be so easily

  entrapped. The very fact of there being a watch on deck at all was

  sufficient proof that he was upon the alert,- it not being usual

  except in vessels where discipline is most rigidly enforced, to

  station a watch on deck when a vessel is lying-to in a gale of wind.

  As I address myself principally, if not altogether, to persons who

  have never been to sea, it may be as well to state the exact

  condition of a vessel under such circumstances. Lying-to, or, in

  sea-parlance, "laying-to," is a measure resorted to for various

  purposes, and effected in various manners. In moderate weather it is

  frequently done with a view of merely bringing the vessel to a

  stand-still, to wait for another vessel or any similar object. If the

  vessel which lies-to is under full sail, the manoeuvre is usually

  accomplished by throwing round some portion of her sails, so as to

  let the wind take them aback, when she becomes stationary. But we are

  now speaking of lying-to in a gale of wind. This is done when the

  wind is ahead, and too violent to admit of carrying sail without

  danger of capsizing; and sometimes even when the wind is fair, but

  the sea too heavy for the vessel to be put before it. If a vessel be

  suffered to scud before the wind in a very heavy sea, much damage is

  usually done her by the shipping of water over her stern, and

  sometimes by the violent plunges she makes forward. This manoeuvre,

  then, is seldom resorted to in such case, unless through necessity.

  When the vessel is in a leaky condition she is often put before the

  wind even in the heaviest seas; for, when lying-to, her seams are

  sure to be greatly opened by her violent straining, and it is not so

  much the case when scudding. Often, too, it becomes necessary to scud

  a vessel, either when the blast is so exceedingly furious as to tear

  in pieces the sail which is employed with a view of bringing her head

  to the wind, or when, through the false modelling of the frame or

  other causes, this main object cannot be effected.

  Vessels in a gale of wind are laid-to in different manners,

  according to their peculiar construction. Some lie-to best under a

  foresail, and this, I believe, is the sail most usually employed.

  Large square-rigged vessels have sails for the express purpose,

  called storm-staysails. But the jib is occasionally employed by

  itself, -- sometimes the jib and foresail, or a double-reefed

  foresail, and not unfrequently the after-sails, are made use of.

  Foretopsails are very often found to answer the purpose better than

  any other species of sail. The Grampus was generally laid-to under a

  close-reefed foresail.

  When a vessel is to be laid-to, her head is brought up to the

  wind just so nearly as to fill the sail under which she lies when

  hauled flat aft, that is, when brought diagonally across the vessel.

  This being done, the bows point within a few degrees of the direction

  from which the wind issues, and the windward bow of course receives

  the shock of the waves. In this situation a good vessel will ride out

  a very heavy gale of wind without shipping a drop of water, and

  without any further attention being requisite on the part of the

  crew. The helm is usually lashed down, but this is altogether

  unnecessary (except on account of the noise it makes when loose), for

  the rudder has no effect upon the vessel when lying-to. Indeed, the

  helm had far better be left loose than lashed very fast, for the

  rudder is apt to be torn off by heavy seas if there be no room for

  the helm to play. As long as the sail holds, a well modelled vessel

  will maintain her situation, and ride every sea, as if instinct with

  life and reason. If the violence of the wind, however, should tear

  the sail into pieces (a feat which it requires a perfect hurricane to

  accomplish under ordinary circumstances), there is then imminent

  danger. The vessel falls off from the wind, and, coming broadside to

  the sea, is completely at its mercy: the only resource in this case

  is to put her quietly before the wind, letting her scud until some

  other sail can be set. Some vessels will lie-to under no sail

  whatever, but such are not to be trusted at sea.

  But to return from this digression. It had never been customary

  with the mate to have any watch on deck when lying-to in a gale of

  wind, and the fact that he had now one, coupled with the circumstance

  of the missing axes and handspikes, fully convinced us that the crew

  were too well on the watch to be taken by surprise in the manner

  Peters had suggested. Something, however, was to be done, and that

  with as little delay as practicable, for there could be no doubt that

  a suspicion having been once entertained against Peters, he would be

  sacrificed upon the earliest occasion, and one would certainly be

  either found or made upon the breaking of the gale.

  Augustus now suggested that if Peters could contrive to remove,

  under any pretext, the piece of chain-cable which lay over the trap

  in the stateroom, we might possibly be able to come upon them

  unawares by means of the hold; but a little reflection convinced us

  that the vessel rolled and pitched too violently for any attempt of

  that nature.

  By good fortune I at length hit upon the idea of working upon the

  superstitious terrors and guilty conscience of the mate. It will be

  remembered that one of the crew, Hartman Rogers, had died during the

  morning, having been attacked two days before with spasms after

  drinking some spirits and water. Peters had expressed to us his

  opinion that this man had been poisoned by the m
ate, and for this

  belief he had reasons, so he said, which were incontrovertible, but

  which he could not be pre. vailed upon to explain to us- this wayward

  refusal being only in keeping with other points of his singular

  character. But whether or not he had any better grounds for

  suspecting the mate than we had ourselves, we were easily led to fall

  in with his suspicion, and determined to act accordingly.

  Rogers had died about eleven in the forenoon, in violent

  convulsions; and the corpse presented in a few minutes after death

  one of the most horrid and loathsome spectacles I ever remember to

  have seen. The stomach was swollen immensely, like that of a man who

  has been drowned and lain under water for many weeks. The hands were

  in the same condition, while the face was shrunken, shrivelled, and

  of a chalky whiteness, except where relieved by two or three glaring

  red blotches like those occasioned by the erysipelas: one of these

  blotches extended diagonally across the face, completely covering up

  an eye as if with a band of red velvet. In this disgusting condition

  the body had been brought up from the cabin at noon to be thrown

  overboard, when the mate getting a glimpse of it (for he now saw it

  for the first time), and being either touched with remorse for his

  crime or struck with terror at so horrible a sight, ordered the men

  to sew the body up in its hammock, and allow it the usual rites of

  sea-burial. Having given these directions, he went below, as if to

  avoid any further sight of his victim. While preparations were making

  to obey his orders, the gale came on with great fury, and the design

  was abandoned for the present. The corpse, left to itself, was washed

  into the larboard scuppers, where it still lay at the time of which I

  speak, floundering about with the furious lurches of the brig.

  Having arranged our plan, we set about putting it in execution as

  speedily as possible. Peters went upon deck, and, as he had

  anticipated, was immediately accosted by Allen, who appeared to be

  stationed more as a watch upon the forecastle than for any other