Charlie Bell, The Waif of Elm Island
Page 2
CHAPTER I.
ROUSING THE LION.
When the English army, during the war of the Revolution, were drivenout of Boston by the batteries of Washington, erected upon DorchesterHeights, those traitors to the liberties of their country (called inthose days Tories), who had taken part with the British, accompaniedthem to Halifax, being more than a thousand in number, as they werefearful of the vengeance of their countrymen if they remained behind.During the war that followed, they, with their British friends, wereaccustomed to come along the coast and islands of Maine in vessels andarmed boats, and maltreat and plunder the unarmed inhabitants. Thesevessels were called “shaving mills,” and they were wont to shave veryclose.
In Eaton’s History of Thomaston and Rockland, it is said that a Toryby the name of Pomeroy, who was captain of one of these mills, tookRobert Jameson from his mowing field, carried him on board his vessel,and put him in irons, while his men killed a yoke of oxen and three fathogs, and put them on board the vessel, together with three firkins ofbutter and two guns. Jameson vowed revenge.
As is usual in such cases, Pomeroy’s ill-gotten gains did not thrivewith him. After the war he became poor, and finally shipped before themast in a coaster, commanded by Paul Jameson, Robert’s brother, whotold him that if they met his brother he would protect him, as he wasthe stouter of the two. But Robert got on board the vessel in Paul’sabsence, and gave Pomeroy his choice to fight or take a whipping.But he refused, endeavoring to excuse his conduct by the usages ofwar, saying that, now the war was over, all ought to be forgotten andforgiven.
Jameson replied, “Strip and defend yourself! fight! only fight! I shallbe satisfied.”
But the other refusing, he began beating, kicking, and bruising thepassive Pomeroy, still trying to induce him to defend himself, but invain. At last he took a bayonet, and pricking him a little, to seeif life remained, left him with the assurance that this was only thepayment for his butter; and that wherever and whenever he found him, heshould, in the same manner, take pay,--first for his hogs, and then forhis oxen.
After peace was concluded, both the ports of Maine and Nova Scotia werefull of old privateersmen, returned soldiers of low character, andvagabonds of all sorts, who, having become accustomed to plunder, andunwilling to labor, would get hold of some vessel or large boat, goalong shore, fish a little to keep up appearances, and when they cameto an island or lonely point, where the men were timid, would take fishoff the flakes, a lamb out of the flock, dig potatoes, or gather corn;sometimes enforcing submissiveness with knives or pistols. When the menwere away fishing, they would compel the women to get them food andliquor (which every family in those days kept in the house), and abuseand frighten them most outrageously.
A crew of such fellows, running the shore along to see what they couldfind, and being rather short both of liquor and provisions, made ElmIsland at daylight, and seeing there was but a single house on it, anda good harbor, while the occupant was too far from neighbors to obtainhelp in case of need, thought it a most excellent opportunity toobtain all they wanted.
Sally knew something, and had heard more, of her husband’s vaststrength; she knew that when he took her up, to carry her from the boatto the shore, she was a feather in his hands; she knew, also, that JohnStrout and Uncle Isaac, who were both strong men,--especially UncleIsaac, who was celebrated for his strength,--had as much as they coulddo to haul up the great log canoe, but Ben would haul it up, with herin it, apparently without an effort. Sally had also heard the youngfolks say that he had an awful temper when he did get started, and thatwhen he rose he was the devil all over; but she didn’t believe it, forshe had known him ever since they were children, and had never seenanything of it.
Ben had gone into the woods to hew a stick of timber. Sally had justwashed up her breakfast dishes, and was singing at her wheel, whensuddenly six savage-looking fellows appeared at the door, and orderedher, with curses, to get them some victuals, and be quick about it,too. Sally’s heart was in her throat. She told the leader, who, likehis companions, was armed with pistols, and a sailor’s knife in hisbelt, that she was willing to give them breakfast, but they mustgive her better language, or she should call her husband; upon which,drawing a sheath-knife from his belt, he flourished it in her face, andtold her she might call him as soon as she pleased, and he would cuthis throat for him.
Her first impulse was to run for Ben; but she was afraid they mightkill her before she could accomplish her purpose; or, as they were somany, and fully armed, kill him. She instantly put the best she had inthe house before them. They soon called for liquor, when she took agallon jug of rum, which they kept in the house for special occasions,and placed it on the table.
Beginning to feel at home, they took their pistols from their beltsand laid them on the table, as they were drinking and singing vulgarsongs. Sally contrived, while waiting upon them, to shake the primingfrom their pistols. They were now become so abusive, that, watching heropportunity, she ran for the woods, and urged Ben to take the canoeand flee, and leave the house to them. At her news, Ben’s face assumedan expression like that of a wild beast; all the grosser elements ofhis tremendous animal power came uppermost. Hissing out the wordsbetween his teeth, he asked her to describe the leader, and where hesat. So absolute was his self-confidence, that he never even took thebroad-axe with him, but, striking it into the timber with a force thatsplit through the eight inch stick, left it quivering. Sally, afraid tostay behind, followed, running to keep up with the long strides of herhusband, who, kicking off his shoes, crept in at the eastern door, likea lion upon his prey. His face was livid with passion; his lips coveredwith foam and drawn apart, showing his great white teeth and squarejaws; his bare arms and breast covered with hair; and his immenseframe, increased by the swelling of the muscles, gave him a terribleappearance.
As he entered the door, he came face to face with the leader of thegang, who, sobered by fright, grasped a pistol; but, before he couldcock it, Ben caught him by the nape of his neck, lifted him over thetable, and catching the slack of his breeches with the other hand,raised him to the ceiling, and smashed him down upon the stone hearthwith such violence that the blood gushed from his mouth and nostrils,and he lay quivering and moaning in helpless agony. Seizing the one onhis right hand, he flung him against the walls of the house, from whichhe dropped senseless upon the bed that stood in that part of the room.The one on his left hand succeeded in getting his head and shouldersout at the door, which Ben noticing, he clapped his foot against it andheld him as in a vise, while he reached after another, who was runningfor the front door, and, catching him by the leg, dragged him back,and slapping him first upon one side of his head and then the other,completely disabled him. Catching up the one imprisoned in the door,who had been screaming murder with all his might, he shook him as a catwould a mouse, till his rum and his breakfast ran out of his mouth,then flung him into the fireplace among the ashes, telling him if he orone of them moved till he came back, he would finish him.
The other two, escaping at the front of the house, ran for the vessel,cut the cable, and were hoisting the foresail. Before they couldaccomplish their object, Ben was alongside in his canoe. The cook, whomthey had left to take care of the vessel, catching sight of Ben first,instantly leaped overboard, and swam for the shore. He caught the othertwo as they were mounting the rail to follow, and taking them to thewindlass, flung them across it, on their bellies, and bringing theirnecks and heels together, fastened them with a rope, then flogged themtill the blood ran. One of them, hoping to find mercy, cried out, “I aman American.”
“Then you shall have double,” said Ben.
He then ordered them to run the vessel on to the beach, where, as itwas ebb tide, she stuck fast; and thus they were completely in hispower, and needed no watching, at least for six hours, till the tidemade.