Afloat and Ashore: A Sea Tale

by James Fenimore Cooper

  CHAPTER XX.

  "Pass on relentless world! I grieve No more for all that thou hast riven! Pass on, in God's name--only leave The things thou never yet hast given.--" LUNT.

  After every means had been uselessly exhausted to persuade Marble fromhis design, it only remained to do all we could to make him comfortableand secure. Of enemies, there was no danger, and care was not necessaryfor defence. We got together, however, some of the timber, planks andother materials, that were remaining at the shipyard, and built him acabin, that offered much better shelter against the tropical storms thatsometimes prevailed, than any tent could yield. We made this cabinas wide as a plank is long, or twelve feet, and some five or six feetlonger. It was well sided and tightly roofed, having three windows and adoor. The lights of the wreck supplied the first, and her cabin-door thelast. We had hinges, and everything that was necessary to keep things intheir place. There was no chimney required, fire being unnecessary forwarmth in that climate; but the French had brought their camboosefrom the wreck, and this we placed under a proper covering at a shortdistance from the hut, the strength of one man being insufficient tomove it. We also enclosed, by means of ropes, and posts made of the ribsof the wreck, a plot of ground of two acres in extent, where the landwas the richest and unshaded, so as to prevent the pigs from injuringthe vegetables; and, poor Marble knowing little of gardening, I had amelancholy pleasure in seeing the whole piece dug, or rather hoed up,and sown and planted myself, before we sailed. We put in corn, potatoes,peas, beans, lettuce, radishes, and several other things, of whichwe found the seeds in the French garden. We took pains, moreover, totransport from the wreck, many articles that it was thought might proveof use, though they were too heavy for Marble to handle. As therewere near forty of us, all busy in this way for three or four days, weeffected a great deal, and may be said to have got the island in order.I felt the same interest in the duty, that I should in bestowing a childfor life.

  Marble, himself, was not much among us all this time. He rathercomplained that I should leave him nothing to do, though I could seehe was touched by the interest we manifested in his welfare. The Frenchlaunch had been used as the means of conveyance between the wreckand the beach, and we found it where it had been left by its originalowners, anchored to-leeward of the island, and abreast of the ship. Itwas the last thing I meddled with and it was my care to put it in such astate that, at need, it might be navigated across that tranquil sea, tosome other island, should Marble feel a desire to abandon his solitude.The disposition I made of the boat was as follows:--

  The launch was large and coppered, and it carried two lug-sails. I hadboth masts stepped, with the yards, sails, sheets, &c. prepared, and putin their places; a stout rope was next carried round the entire boat,outside, and a few inches below the gunwale, where it was securelynailed. From this rope, led a number of lanyards, with eyes turned intotheir ends. Through these eyes I rove a sort of ridge-rope, leading italso through the eyes of several stancheons that were firmly stepped onthe thwarts. The effect, when the ridge-rope was set up, was to givethe boat the protection of this waist-cloth, which inclined inboard,however, sufficiently to leave an open passage between the two sides, ofonly about half the beam of the boat. To the ridge-rope and lanyards,I had tarpaulins firmly attached, tacking their lower edges strongly tothe outer sides of the boat. By this arrangement, when all was in itsplace, and properly secured, a sea might break, or a wave slap againstthe boat, without her taking in much water. It doubled her security inthis particular, more than answering the purposes of a half-deck andwash-board. It is true, a very heavy wave might carry all away; but veryheavy waves would probably fill the boat, under any circumstances. Sucha craft could only find safety in her buoyancy; and we made her as safeas an undecked vessel very well could be.

  Marble watched me while I was superintending these changes in theboat, with a good deal of interest; and one evening--I had announced anintention to sail next morning, the Major and Emily having actually goneon board--that evening, he got my arm, and led me away from the spot,like a man who has urgent business. I could see that he was muchaffected, and had strong hopes he intended to announce a change ofpurpose. His hand actually trembled, the whole time it grasped my arm.

  "God bless you! Miles--God bless you, dear boy!" he said, speaking withdifficulty, as soon as we were out of earshot from the others. "If anybeing could make me pine for the world, it would be such a friend asyou. I could live on without father or mother, brother or sister, shipor confidence of my owners, good name even, were I sure of meeting sucha lad as yourself in only every thousandth man I fell in with. But,young as you are, you know how it is with mankind; and no more needbe said about it. All I ask now is, that you will knock off with this'making him comfortable,' as you call it, or you'll leave me nothingto do for myself. I can fit out that boat as well as e'er a man in theCrisis, I'd have you to know."

  "I am well aware of that, my friend; but I am not so certain that you_would._ In that boat, I am in hopes you will follow us out to sea, andcome on board again, and take your old place as master."

  Marble shook his head, and I believe he saw by my manner that I hadno serious expectations of the sort I named. We walked some distancefarther, in silence, before he again spoke. Then he said suddenly, andin a way to show how much his mind was troubled--

  "Miles, my dear fellow, you must let me hear from you!"

  "Hear from me! By what means, pray? You cannot expect thePostmaster-General will make a mail-route between New York and thisisland?"

  "Poh! I'm getting old, and losing my memory. I was generalizing onfriendship, and the like of that, and the idee ran away with me. I know,of course, when you are out of sight, that I shall be cut off from therest of the world--probably shall never see a human face again. But whatof that? My time cannot be long now, and I shall have the fish, fowlsand pigs to talk to. To tell you the truth, Miles. Miss Merton gave meher own Bible yesterday, and, at my request, she pointed out that partwhich gives the account about Moses in the bulrushes, and I've just beenlooking it over: it is easy enough, now, to understand why I was calledMoses."

  "But Moses did not think it necessary to go and live in a desert, or onan uninhabited island, merely because he was found in those bulrushes."

  _"That_ Moses had no occasion to be ashamed of his parents. It wasfear, not shame, that sent him adrift. Nor did Moses ever let a set oflubberly Frenchmen seize a fine, stout ship, like the Crisis, with agood, able-bodied crew of forty men on board her."

  "Come, Marble, you have too much sense to talk in this manner. It is,fortunately, not too late to change your mind; and I will let it beunderstood that you did so at my persuasion."

  This was the commencement of a final effort on my part to induce myfriend to abandon his mad project. We conversed quite an hour, untilI had exhausted my breath, as well as my arguments, indeed; and allwithout the least success. I pointed out to him the miserable plight hemust be in, in the event of illness; but it was an argument that hadno effect on a man who had never had even a headach in his life. As forsociety, he cared not a straw for it when ashore, he often boasted;and he could not yet appreciate the effects of total solitude. Once ortwice, remarks escaped him as if he thought it possible I might oneday return; but they were ventured in pleasantry, rather than with anyappearance of seriousness. I could see that the self-devoted hermit hadhis misgivings, but I could obtain no verbal concession from him to thateffect. He was reminded that the ship must positively sail next day,since it would not do to trifle with the interests of the owners anylonger.

  "I know it, Miles," Marble answered, "and no more need be said on thesubject. Your people are through with their work, and here comes Neb toreport the boat ready to go off. I shall try my hand ashore to-night,alone; in the morning, I suppose you would like to take an old shipmateby the hand for the last time, and you will nat'rally look for me at thewater-side. Good-night! Before we part, however, I may as well thank youfor the supply of clothes I see you hav
e put in my hut. It was scarcelywanted, as I have enough needles and thread to supply a slop-shop; andthe old duck left by the French will keep me in jackets and trowsers forthe remainder of my days. Good-night, my dear boy! God bless you--Godbless you!"

  It was nearly dark, but I could see that Marble's eyes looked moist, andfeel that his hand again trembled. I left him, not without the hopethat the solitude of this night, the first in which he had been left byhimself, would have the effect to lessen his desire to be a hermit.When I turned in, it was understood that all hands were to be called atdaylight, and the ship unmoored.

  Talcott came to call me, at the indicated moment. I had made himchief-mate, and taken one of the Philadelphians for second officer; ayoung man who had every requisite for the station, and one more thanwas necessary, or a love of liquor. But, drunkards do tolerably wellon board a ship in which reasonable discipline is maintained. For thatmatter, Neptune ought to be a profound moralist, as youths are verygenerally sent to sea to cure most of the ethical flings. Talcott wasdirected to unmoor, and heave short. As for myself, I got into a boatand pulled ashore, with an intention of making a last and strong appealto Marble.

  No one was visible on the island when we reached it. The pigs and fowlswere already in motion, however, and were gathering near the door of thehut, where Marble was accustomed to feed them about that hour; the fowlson _sugar_, principally. I proceeded to the door, opened it, entered theplace, and found it empty! Its late inmate was then up, and abroad. Hehad probably passed a sleepless night, and sought relief in the freshair of the morning. I looked for him in the adjacent grove, on the outerbeach, and in most of his usual haunts. He was nowhere visible. A littlevexed at having so long a walk before me, at a moment when we were somuch pressed for time, I was about to follow the grove to a distant partof the island, to a spot that I knew Marble frequented a good deal, whenmoody; but my steps were arrested by an accidental glance at the lagoon.I missed the Frenchman's launch, or the boat I had: myself caused to berigged with so much care, the previous day, for the intended hermit'sespecial advantage. This was a large boat; one that had been constructedto weigh a heavy anchor; and I had left her, moored between a grapneland the shore, so securely, as to forbid the idea she could have beenmoved, in so quiet a time, without the aid of hands. Rushing to thewater, I got into my own boat, and pulled directly on board.

  On reaching the ship, a muster of all hands was ordered. The resultproved that everybody was present, and at duty. It followed that Marble,alone, had carried the boat out of the lagoon. The men who had had theanchor-watches during the past night, were questioned on the subject;but no one had seen or heard anything of a movement in the launch. Mr.Talcott was told to continue his duty, while I went aloft myself, tolook at the offing. I was soon in the main-top-mast cross-trees, wherea view was commanded of the whole island, a few covers excepted, of allthe water within the reef, and of a wide range without. Nowhere was theboat or Marble to be seen. It was barely possible that he had concealedhimself behind the wreck, though I did not see how even this could bedone, unless he had taken the precaution to strike the launch's masts.

  By this time, our last anchor was aweigh, and the ship was clear ofthe bottom. The top-sails had been hoisted before I went aloft, andeverything was now ready for filling away. Too anxious to go on deck,under such circumstances, and a lofty position being the best forascertaining the presence of rocks, I determined to remain where I was,and conn the ship through the passes, in my own person. An order wasaccordingly given to set the jib, and to swing the head-yards, and getthe spanker on the ship. In a minute, the Crisis was again in motion,moving steadily towards the inlet. As the lagoon was not entirely freefrom danger, coral rocks rising in places quite near the surface of thewater, I was obliged to be attentive to the pilot's duty, until wegot into the outer bay, when this particular danger in a great measuredisappeared. I could then look about me with more freedom. Though we sofar changed our position, as respected the wreck, as to open new viewsof it, no launch was to be seen behind it. By the time the ship reachedthe passage through the reef, I had little hope of finding it there.

  We had got to be too familiar with the channels, to have any difficultyin taking the ship through them; and we were soon fairly to windward ofthe reef. Our course, however, lay to leeward; and we passed round thesouthern side of the rocks, under the same easy canvass, until we gotabreast, and within half a cable's length of the wreck. To aid my owneyes, I had called up Talcott and Neb; but neither of us could obtainthe least glimpse of the launch. Nothing was to be seen about the wreck;though I took the precaution to send a boat to it. All was useless.Marble had gone out to sea, quite alone, in the Frenchman's launch; and,though twenty pairs of eyes were now aloft, no one could even fancy thathe saw anything in the offing, that resembled a boat.

  Talcott and myself had a private interview on the subject of Marble'sprobable course. My mate was of opinion, that our friend had made thebest of his way for some of the inhabited islands, unwilling to remainhere, when it came to the pinch, and yet ashamed to rejoin us. I couldhardly believe this; in such a case, I thought he would have waiteduntil we had sailed; when he might have left the island also, and nobodybeen the wiser. To this Talcott answered that Marble probably feared ourimportunities; possibly, compulsion. It seemed singular to me, that aman who regretted his hasty decision, should adopt such a course;and yet I was at a loss to explain the matter much more to my ownsatisfaction. Nevertheless, there was no remedy. We were as much in thedark as it was possible to be with a knowledge of the circumstance thatthe bird had flown.

  We hovered around the reef for several hours, most of which time Ipassed in the cross-trees, and some of it on the royal-yard. Once,I thought I saw a small speck on the ocean, dead to windward, thatresembled a boat's sail; but there were so many birds flying about, andglancing beneath the sun's rays, that I was reluctantly compelled toadmit it was probably one of them. At meridian, therefore, I gave theorder to square away, and to make sail on our course. This was donewith the greatest reluctance, however, and not without a good deal ofvaciliation of purpose. The ship moved away from the land rapidly, andby two o'clock, the line of cocoa-nut trees that fringed the horizonastern, sunk entirely beneath the rolling margin of our view. From thatmoment, I abandoned the expectation of ever seeing Moses Marble again,though the occurrence left all of us sad, for several days.

  Major Merton and his daughter were on the poop, nearly the whole of thismorning. Neither interfered in the least; for the old soldier was toofamiliar with discipline to venture an opinion concerning the managementof the ship. When we met at dinner, however, the conversation naturallyturned on the disappearance of our old friend.

  "It is a thousand pities that pride should have prevented Marble fromacknowledging his mistake," observed the Major, "and thus kept him fromgetting a safe passage to Canton, where he might have left you, andjoined another ship had he thought it necessary."

  "Where we shall do the same thing, I suppose, dear sir," addedEmily, with a manner that I thought marked, "and thus relieve CaptainWallingford from the encumbrance of our presence."

  "Me!--call your delightful society anything but an enumbrance, I beg ofyou, Miss Merton," I rejoined in haste.

  "Now, that Mr. Le Compte has furnished this comfortable cabin, andyou are no longer at any inconvenience to yourselves, I would not bedeprived of the advantage and pleasure of this association, for morethan I dare mention."

  Emily looked gratified; while her father appeared to me to bethoughtful. After a brief pause, however, the Major resumed thediscourse.

  "I should certainly feel myself bound to make many apologies for thetrouble we are giving," he said, "especially, since I understand fromWallingford, he will not accept, either for himself or his owners,anything like compensation even for the food we consume, were it notthat we are here by constraint, and not by any agency of our own. Assoon as we reach Canton, however, I shall feel it a duty to get on boardthe first English ship that will receiv
e us."

  I stole a glance at Emily, but could not understand the expression ofher countenance, as she heard this announcement. Of course, I made anearnest protest against the Major's doing anything of the sort; and yetI could not well find any sufficient reason for urging him to remainwhere he was, beyond my own gratification. I could not go to eitherEngland, or Bombay; and I took it for granted Major Merton wished toproceed, at once, to one, if not to both of these places. We conversed,a little generally perhaps, on the subject for some time longer; andwhen I left the cabin, it struck me, Emily's melancholy had, in nodegree, lessened.

  It is a long road to traverse over half of the Pacific. Weeks and weekswere thus occupied; Talcott and myself profiting by every suitableoccasion, to enjoy the advantages of the association chance had thusthrown in our way. I make no doubt I was greatly benefited by myconstant communications with the Mertons; the Major being a cultivated,though not a particularly brilliant, man; while I conceive it tobe utterly impossible for two young men, of our time of life andprofession, to be daily, almost hourly, in the company of a young womanlike Emily Merton, without losing some of the peculiar roughness ofthe sea, and getting, in its place, some small portion of the gentlerqualities of the saloon. I date a certain _a plomb_, an absence ofshyness in the company of females, from this habitual intercoursewith one of the sex who had, herself, been carefully educated inthe conventionalities of respectable, if not of very elegant orsophisticated society.

  At length we reached the China seas, and falling in to windward, we madea quick run to Canton. It now became necessary for me to attend to theship and the interests of my owners; suffering my passengers to landat Whampoa, with the understanding we were to meet before either partysailed. I soon disposed of the sandal-wood and skins, and found nodifficulty in procuring teas, nankins, china-ware, and the otherarticles pointed out, in the instructions to poor Captain Williams.I profited by the occasion, also, to make certain purchases on my ownaccount, that I had a presentiment would be particularly agreeableto the future mistress of Clawbonny, let that lady turn out to bewhomsoever she might. The dollars obtained on the west coast of SouthAmerica enabled me to do this; my instructions giving the necessaryauthority to use a few of them on private account. My privilege asmaster rendered all proper.

  In a word, the residence of six or eight weeks at Canton, proved a veryadvantageous affair for those whose money was embarked in the Crisis.Sandal-wood and sea-otter skins brought particularly high prices; whileteas, and the manufactures of the country, happened to be low. I had nomerit in this; not a particle; and yet I reaped the advantage, so far asadvantage was connected with the mere reputation of the voyage; successbeing of nearly as great account in commerce, as in war. It is true,I worked like a dog; for I worked under an entirely novel sense ofresponsibility, and with a feeling I am certain that could never haveoppressed me in the care of my own property; and I deserved some portionof the credit subsequently obtained. At all events, I was heartilyrejoiced when the hatches were on, and the ship was once more ready forsea.

  It now became a duty, as well as a pleasure, to seek Major Merton, whomI had seen but once or twice during the last two months. He had passedthat time at Whampao, while I had been either at the factories, oron board. The Major was occupied when I called; and Emily received mealone. When she learned that I was ready to sail for home, and hadcome to take my leave, it was easy to see that she was uneasy, ifnot distressed. I felt unhappy at parting too, and perhaps I had lessscruple about saying as much.

  "God only knows, Miss Merton, whether we are ever to be permitted to seeeach other again," I remarked, after the preliminary explanations hadbeen made.

  The reader will remember that I am now an old man, and that vanity nolonger has any of that influence over me which it might be supposedto possess over one of more juvenile hopes and feelings; that I relatefacts, without reference to their effect on myself, beyond the generalsalvo of some lingering weaknesses of humanity. I trust, therefore, Ishall be understood in all my necessary allusions to the estimation inwhich I was apparently held by others. Emily fairly started when Imade this remark concerning the probable duration of the approachingseparation, and the colour left her cheek. Her pretty white handshook, so that she had difficulty in using her needle; and there was anappearance of agitation and distress about the charming girl, that I hadnever before witnessed in one whose manner was usually so self-possessedand calm. I _now_ know the reason why I did not throw myself on myknees, and beg the charming girl to consent to accompany me to America,though I wondered at myself afterwards, when I came to reflect coollyon all that passed, for my stoicism. I will not affirm that I fanciedEmily's agitation to be altogether owing to myself; but I confess toan inability to account for it, in any other manner, as agreeableto myself. The appearance of Major Merton at that instant, however,prevented everything like a scene, and probably restored us both toa consciousness of the necessity of seeming calm. As for the Major,himself, he was evidently far from being unconcerned, something havingoccurred to disturb him. So very apparent was this, that I commenced thediscourse by asking if he were unwell.

  "Always _that,_ I fear, Miles," he answered; "my physician has just toldme frankly, unless I get into a cold climate as soon as possible, mylife will not be worth six months' purchase."

  "Then sail with me, sir," I cried, with an eagerness and heartiness thatmust have proved my sincerity. "Happily, I am not too late to make theoffer; and, as for getting away, I am ready to sail to-morrow!"

  "I am forbidden to go near Bombay," continued the Major, lookinganxiously at his daughter; "and that appointment must be abandoned. If Icould continue to hold it, there is no probability of a chance to reachmy station this half-year."

  "So much the better for me, sir. In four or five months from thismoment, I will land you in New York, where you will find the climatecold enough for any disease. I ask you as friends--as guests--not aspassengers; and to prove it, the table of the upper cabin, in future,shall be mine. I have barely left room in the lower cabin to sleep ordress in, having filled it with my own private venture, as is my right."

  "You are as generous as kind, Miles; but what will your owners think ofsuch an arrangement?"

  "They have no right to complain. The cabin and passengers, should anyof the last offer, after deducting a very small allowance for the ship'sportion of the food and water, are mine by agreement. All the betterfood I find at my own charge; and, should you insist on remunerating theowners for the coarser, or such as they find, you can do so, it will beless than a hundred dollars, at the most."

  "On these conditions, then, I shall thankfully profit by your offer;attaching, however, one more that I trust you may be permitted tofulfil. It is important to me that I reach England--can you touch at St.Helena?"

  "Willingly, if it be your wish. The health of the crew, moreover, mayrender it desirable."

  "There, then, I will quit you, if an opportunity offer to proceed toEngland. Our bargain is made, dear Miles; and to-morrow I shall be readyto embark."

  I think Emily never looked more beautiful than she did while listeningto this arrangement. It doubtless relieved her mind on the painfulsubject of her father's health, and I fancied it relieved it also on thesubject of our own immediate separation. Months must elapse before wecould reach St. Helena; and who could foresee what those months mightbring forth? As I had a good deal to do at such a moment, I took myleave, with my feelings lightened, as it might be, of a burthen. Thereader will at once infer, I was in love. But he will be mistaken. I wasnot in love; though my imagination, to use a cant phrase of some of thesects, was greatly exercised. Lucy, even then, had a hold of my _heart_in a way of which I was ignorant myself; but it was not in nature for ayouth, just approaching his majority, to pass months and months, almostalone, in the society of a lovely girl who was a year or two his junior,and not admit some degree of tenderness towards her in big feelings. Thecircumstances were sufficient to try the constancy of the most faithfulswain that ever li
ved. Then, it must be remembered that I had neverprofessed love to Lucy--was not at all aware that she entertained anyother sentiment towards me than that she entertained towards Rupert;whereas Emily--but I will not prove myself a coxcomb on paper, whateverI might have been, at the moment, in my own imagination.

  Next day, at the appointed hour, I had the happiness to receive my oldpassengers. It struck me that Talcott was as much gratified as I wasmyself; for he, too, had both pleasure and improvement in Emily Morton'ssociety. It has often been said that the English East-India ships arenoted for quarrelling and making love. The quarrels may be accounted foron the same principle as the love-making, viz., propinquity; the sameproximity producing hostility in whose sterner natures, that, in othersof a gentler cast, produces its opposite feeling. We sailed, and it isscarcely necessary to tell the reader how much the tedium of so long avoyage, and the monotony of a sea-voyage, was relieved by the gracesand gentle intercourse of our upper cabin. The other apartment being socrowded and hot, I passed most of my time in the poop, which was bothlight and airy. Here I generally found the father and daughter, thoughoften the latter alone. I played reasonably well on the flute andviolin, and had learned to accompany Emily on her piano, which, it willbe remembered, Mons. Le Compte had caused to be transferred from theBombay ship to his own vessel, and which had subsequently been savedfrom the wreck.

  Talcott played also on the flute, far better than I did myself; and wefrequently made a trio, producing very respectable sea-music--better,indeed, than Neptune often got for his smiles. In this manner, then,we travelled our long road, sometimes contending with head-winds andcross-seas, sometimes becalmed, and sometimes slipping along at a ratethat rendered everybody contented and happy.

  In passing the Straits of Sunda, I related to Major Merton and Emily theincidents of the John's affair with the proas, and her subsequent losson the island of Madagascar; and was rewarded by the interest theytook in the tale. We all spoke of Marble, as indeed we often did, andexpressed our regrets at his absence. The fate of my old shipmate wasfrequently discussed among us, there being a great diversity of opinionon the subject. As for the Major, he thought poor Marble must be lostat sea, for he did not perceive how any one man could manage a boat allalone by himself. Talcott, who had juster notions of what a seaman coulddo, was of opinion that our late commander had run to leeward, in thehope of finding some inhabited island, preferring the association ofeven cannibals, when it came to the trying moment, to total solitude.I thought he had gone to windward, the boat being so well equipped forthat service, and that Marble was in the expectation of falling in withsome of the whalers, who were known to be cruising in certain latitudes.I was greatly struck, however, by a remark made by Emily, on the eveningof the very day when we passed the Straits of Sunda.

  "Should the truth be ever known, gentlemen," she said, "I am of opinionit will be found that poor Mr. Marble only left the island to escapefrom your importunities, and returned to it after the ship disappeared;and that he is there at this moment, enjoying all the happiness of ahermit."

  This might be true, and from that hour the thought would occasionallyrecur to my mind. As I looked forward to passing at least several moreyears at sea, I secretly determined to ascertain the fact for myself,should occasion ever offer. In the mean time, the Crisis had reached apart of the ocean where, in those days, it was incumbent on those whohad the charge of a ship to keep a vigilant look-out for enemies. Itseems we were not fated to run the gauntlet of these pirates entirelyunharmed.

  Early on the following morning, I was awoke by Talcott's giving me ahearty shake of the shoulder.

  "Turn out at once, Captain Wallingford," cried my mate, "the rascals areclosing around us like crows about a carcase. As bad luck will have it,we have neither room nor breeze, to spare. Everything looks like a busymorning for us, sir."

  In just three minutes from that moment, I was on deck, where all handswere soon collected, the men tumbling up, with their jackets in theirhands. Major Merton was already on the poop, surveying the scene with aglass of his own; while the two mates were clearing away the guns,and getting the ship in a state to make a suitable defence. To me, thesituation was altogether novel. I had been six times in the presence ofenemies before, and twice as commander; but never under circumstancesthat called so imperiously for seamanship and good conduct. The oceanseemed covered with enemies, Major Merton declaring that he could countno less than twenty-eight proas, all full of men, and some of them armedwith artillery. These chaps were ahead, astern, to windward, and toleeward; and, what was worse, they had just wind enough to suit theirpurposes, there being about a five-knot breeze. It was evident thatthe craft acted in concert, and that they were desperately bent onour capture, having closed around us in this manner in the night.Nevertheless, we were a warm ship for a merchantman; and not a man inthe Crisis betrayed any feeling that indicated any other desire than awish to resist to the last. As for Neb, the fellow was in a broad grin,the whole time; he considered the affair as a bit of fun. Yet this negrowas afraid to visit certain places about the farm in the dark, and couldnot have been induced to cross a church-yard alone, under a bright sun,I feel well persuaded. He was the oddest mixture of superstitious dreadand lion-hearted courage, I ever met with in my life.

  It was still early, when the proas were near enough to commence seriousoperations. This they did, by a nearly simultaneous discharge of about adozen guns, principally sixes, that they carried mounted in their bows.The shot came whistling in among our spars and rigging, literally fromevery direction, and three struck, though they were not of a size to doany serious injury. Our people were at quarters, having managed to manboth batteries, though it left scarcely any one to look after the bracesand rigging, and none but the officers with small-arms.

  Mr. Merton must have felt that he and his daughter's liberty, if nottheir lives, were in the keeping of a very youthful commander; still,his military habits of subordination were so strong, he did not ventureeven a suggestion. I had my own plan, and was just of an age to thinkit derogatory to my rank, to ask advice of any one. The proas werestrongest ahead and on both bows, where they were collecting to thenumber of near twenty, evidently with the intention of boarding, shouldan opportunity offer; while, astern, and on our quarter, they were muchfewer, and far more scattered. The reason of all this was apparent byour course, the pirates naturally supposing we should continue to standon.

  Orders were given to haul up the mainsail and to man the spanker-brails.The men were taken from the starboard battery, exclusively, to performthis work. When all was ready, the helm was put up, and the ship wasbrought as short round on her heel, as possible, hauling up, on aneasy bowline, on the other tack. In coming round, we delivered all ourlarboard guns among the crowd of enemies, well crammed with grape; andthe distance being just right for scattering, this broadside was notwithout effect. As soon as braced up, on the other tack, we openedstarboard and larboard, on such of the chaps as came within range;clearing our way as we went. The headmost proas all came round in chase;but, being from half a mile to a mile astern, we had time to open a wayout of the circle, and to drive all the proas who were now ahead ofus, to take refuge among the crowd of their fellows. The manoeuvre washandsomely executed; and, in twenty minutes we ceased firing, having allour enemies to the westward of us, and in one group: this was an immenseadvantage, as it enabled us to fight with a single broadside, preventedour being raked, and rendered our own fire more destructive, by exposingto it a more concentrated, and, at the same time, a larger object. Iought to have said before, that the wind was at the southward.

  The Crisis now tacked, setting the courses and royals. The ship lay upwell, and the proas having collected around their admiral, there was aprospect of her passing to windward of everything. Six of the fellows,however, seemed determined to prevent this, by hauling close on a wind,and attempting to cross our bows, firing as they did so. The ship stoodon, apparently as if to intercept them; when, finding ourselves nearenough, we kept aw
ay about three points, and swept directly down in thevery centre of the main body of the proas. As this was done, the enemy,taken by surprise, cleared a way for us, and we passed the whole ofthem, delivering grape and canister, as fast as we could deal it out. Inthe height of the affair, and the thickest of the smoke, three or fourof the proas were seen quite near us, attempting to close; but I did notthink it necessary to call the people from the guns, which were workedwith great quickness, and did heavy execution. I fancy the pirates foundit hotter than they liked, for they did not keep on with us; though ourlofty sails gave us an advantage, and would have enabled us to leavethem, had they pursued a different course. As it was, we were clear ofthem, in about five minutes; and the smoke beginning to rise, we soongot a view of what had been done in that brief space. In order toincrease our distance, however, we still kept away, running pretty fastthrough the water.

  By the confusion which prevailed among the pirates, the rascals had beenwell peppered. One had actually sunk, and five or six were round thespot, endeavouring to pick up the crew. Three more had suffered intheir spars, and the movements indicated that all had enough. As soon assatisfied of this, I hauled the ship up to her course, and we continuedto leave the cluster of boats, which remained around the spot wheretheir consort had gone down. Those of the fellows to windward, however,did not seem disposed to give it up, but followed us for two hours, bywhich time the rest of their flotilla were hull down. Believing therewas now plenty of room, I tacked towards these persevering gentry, whenthey went about like tops, and hauled off sharp on a wind. We tackedonce more to our course, and were followed no further.

  The captain of a pepper ship afterwards told me, that our assailantslost forty-seven men, mostly killed, or died of their hurts, and thathe had understood that the same officer commanded the Crisis that hadcommanded the "John," in _her_ affair, near the same spot. We had somerigging cut, a few of our spars slightly injured, and two men hurt, oneof whom happened to be Neb. The man most hurt died before we reachedthe Cape, but more from the want of surgical assistance, than from theoriginal character of his wound. As for Neb, he went to duty before wereached St. Helena. For my part, I was surprised one of the proas didnot get down his throat, his grin being wide enough, during the wholeaffair, to admit of the passage of a two-decker.

  We went into the island, as had been agreed, but no ship offering andnone being expected soon, it became necessary for my passengers tocontinue on with us to New York. Emily had behaved uncommonly well inthe brush with the pirates, and everybody was glad to keep her in theship. The men swore she brought good luck, forgetting that the poor girlmust have met with much ill-luck, in order to be in the situation inwhich she was actually placed.

  Nothing occurred on the passage from St. Helena to New York, worthy ofbeing specially recorded. It was rather long, but I cannot say it wasunpleasant. At length our reckoning told us to look out for land. TheMajor and Emily were on deck, all expectation, and ere long we heard thewelcome cry. A hazy cloud was just visible on our lee-bow. It grew moreand more dense and distinct, until it showed the hues and furrows of amountain-side. The low point of the Hook, and the higher land beyond,then came in view. We glided past the light, doubled the Spit, and gotinto the upper bay, just an hour before the sun of a beautiful day inJune was setting. This was in the year of our Lord 1802.