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Title: The Privateer's-Man, One hundred Years Ago

Author: Frederick Marryat

Release date: June 7, 2008 [eBook #25719]
                Most recently updated: February 21, 2023

Language: English

Credits: Produced by David Edwards, Sam W. and the Online Distributed
        Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was
        produced from scanned images of public domain material
        from the Google Print project.)


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PRIVATEER'S-MAN, ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO ***




Produced by David Edwards, Sam W. and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was
produced from scanned images of public domain material
from the Google Print project.)









                          THE
                    PRIVATEER'S-MAN

                 ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.


                           BY

                    CAPTAIN MARRYAT.


 _SANCTIONED BY THE AUTHOR FOR CONTINENTAL CIRCULATION._




LEIPZIG
BERNH. TAUCHNITZ JUN.
1846.




EXTRACTS FROM THE LOG OF A PRIVATEER'S-MAN.




CHAPTER I.

    We cruise off Hispaniola--Capture a French Ship--Continue
    our Cruise--Make a Nocturnal Attack upon a Rich Planter's
    Dwelling--Are repulsed with Loss.


              _To Mistress ----._

      RESPECTED MADAM,

In compliance with your request I shall now transcribe from the
journal of my younger days some portions of my adventurous life. When
I wrote, I painted the feelings of my heart without reserve, and I
shall not alter one word, as I know you wish to learn what my feelings
were then, and not what my thoughts may be now. They say that in every
man's life, however obscure his position may be, there would be a
moral found, were it truly told. I think, Madam, when you have perused
what I am about to write, you will agree with me, that, from my
history, both old and young may gather profit, and, I trust, if ever
it should be made public, that, by divine permission, such may be the
result. Without further preface, I shall commence with a narrative of
my cruise off Hispaniola, in the Revenge privateer.

The Revenge mounted fourteen guns, and was commanded by Captain
Weatherall, a very noted privateer's-man. One morning at daybreak we
discovered a vessel from the masthead, and immediately made all sail
in chase, crowding every stitch of canvas. As we neared, we made her
out to be a large ship, deeply laden, and we imagined that she would
be an easy prize, but as we saw her hull more out of the water she
proved to be well armed, having a full tier of guns fore and aft. As
it afterwards proved, she was a vessel of 600 tons burden, and mounted
twenty-four guns, having sailed from St. Domingo, and being bound to
France.

She had been chartered by a French gentleman (and a most gallant
fellow we found him), who had acquired a large fortune in the
West-Indies, and was then going home, having embarked on board his
whole property, as well as his wife and his only son, a youth of about
seventeen. As soon as he discovered what we were, and the
impossibility of escape from so fast a sailing vessel as the Revenge,
he resolved to fight us to the last. Indeed, he had every thing to
fight for; his whole property, his wife and his only child, his own
liberty, and perhaps life, were all at stake, and he had every motive
that could stimulate a man. As we subsequently learnt, he had great
difficulty in inspiring the crew with an equal resolution, and it was
not until he had engaged to pay them the value of half the cargo
provided they succeeded in beating us off, and forcing their way in
safety to France, that he could rouse them to their duty.

Won by his example, for he told them that he did not desire any man to
do more than he would do himself, and perhaps more induced by his
generous offer, the French crew declared they would support him to the
last, went cheerfully to their guns and prepared for action. When we
were pretty near to him, he shortened sail ready for the combat,
having tenderly forced his wife down below to await in agony the issue
of a battle on which depended every thing so dear to her. The resolute
bearing of the vessel, and the cool intrepidity with which they had
hove to to await us, made us also prepare on our side for a combat
which we knew would be severe. Although she was superior to us in
guns, yet the Revenge being wholly fitted for war, we had many
advantages, independent of our being very superior in men. Some few
chase-guns were fired during our approach, when, having ranged up
within a cable's length of her, we exchanged broadsides for half an
hour, after which our captain determined upon boarding. We ran our
vessel alongside, and attempted to throw our men on board, but met
with a stout resistance. The French gentleman, who was at the head of
his men, with his own hand killed two of our stoutest seamen, and
mortally wounded a third, and, encouraged by his example, his people
fought with such resolution, that after a severe struggle we were
obliged to give it up, and retreat precipitately into our own vessel,
leaving eight or ten of our shipmates weltering in their blood.

Our captain, who had not boarded with us, was much enraged at our
defeat, stigmatizing us as cowards for allowing ourselves to be driven
from a deck upon which we had obtained a footing; he called upon us to
renew the combat, and leading the way, he was the first on board of
the vessel, and was engaged hand to hand with the brave French
gentleman, who had already made such slaughter among our men. Brave
and expert with his weapon as Captain Weatherall undoubtedly was, he
for once found rather more than a match in his antagonist; he was
slightly wounded, and would, I suspect, have had the worst of this
hand-to-hand conflict, had not the whole of our crew, who had now
gained the deck, and were rushing forward, separated him from his
opponent. Out-numbered and over-matched, the French crew fought most
resolutely, but notwithstanding their exertions, and the gallant
conduct of their leader, we succeeded in driving them back to the
quarter-deck of the vessel. Here the combat was renewed with the
greatest obstinacy, they striving to maintain this their last hold,
and we exerting ourselves to complete our conquest. The Frenchmen
could retreat no further, and our foremost men were impelled against
them by those behind them crowding on to share in the combat. Retreat
being cut off, the French struggled with all the animosity and rage of
mingled hate and despair; while we, infuriated at the obstinate
resistance, were filled with vengeance and a thirst for blood. Wedged
into one mass, we grappled together, for there was no room for fair
fighting, seeking each other's hearts with shortened weapons,
struggling and falling together on the deck, rolling among the dead
and the dying, or trodden underfoot by the others who still
maintained the combat with unabated fury.

Numbers at last prevailed; we had gained a dear-bought victory--we
were masters of the deck, we had struck the colours, and were
recovering our lost breaths after this very severe contest, and
thought ourselves in full possession of the ship; but it proved
otherwise. The first lieutenant of the privateer and six of us, had
dashed down the companion, and were entering the cabin in search of
plunder, when we found opposed to our entrance, the gallant French
gentleman, supported by his son, the captain of the vessel, and five
of the French sailors; behind them was the French gentleman's wife, to
whose protection they had devoted themselves. The lieutenant, who
headed us, offered them quarter, but stung to madness at the prospect
of the ruin and of the captivity which awaited him, the gentleman
treated the offer with contempt, and rushing forward attacked our
lieutenant, beating down his guard, and was just about to pierce him
with the lunge which he made, when I fired my pistol at him to save
the life of my officer. The ball entered his heart, and thus died one
of the bravest men I ever encountered. His son at the same time was
felled to the deck with a pole-axe, when the remainder threw
themselves down on the deck, and cried for quarter. So enraged were
our men at this renewal of the combat, that it required all the
efforts and authority of the lieutenant to prevent them from
completing the massacre by taking the lives of those who no longer
resisted. But who could paint the condition of that unhappy lady who
had stood a witness of the horrid scene--her eyes blasted with the
sight of her husband slain before her face, her only son groaning on
the deck and weltering in his blood; and she left alone, bereft of all
that was dear to her; stripped of the wealth she was that morning
mistress of, now a widow, perhaps childless, a prisoner, a beggar, and
in the hands of lawless ruffians, whose hands were reeking with her
husband's and offspring's blood, at their mercy, and exposed to every
evil which must befal a beautiful and unprotected female from those
who were devoid of all principle, all pity, and all fear! Well might
the frantic creature rush, as she did, upon our weapons, and seek
that death which would have been a mercy and a blessing. With
difficulty we prevented her from injuring herself, and, after a
violent struggle, nature yielded, and she sank down in a swoon on the
body of her husband, dabbling her clothes and hair in the gore which
floated on the cabin-deck. This scene of misery shocked even the
actors in it. Our sailors, accustomed as they were to blood and
rapine, remained silent and immoveable, resting upon their weapons,
their eyes fixed upon the unconscious form of that unhappy lady.

The rage of battle was now over, our passions had subsided, and we
felt ashamed of a conquest purchased with such unutterable anguish.
The noise of this renewed combat had brought down the captain; he
ordered the lady to be taken away from this scene of horror, and to be
carefully tended in his own cabin; the wound of the son, who was found
still alive, was immediately dressed, and the prisoners were secured.
I returned on deck, still oppressed with the scene I had witnessed,
and when I looked round me, and beheld the deck strewed with the dead
and dying--victors and vanquished indiscriminately mixed up
together--the blood of both nations meeting on the deck and joining
their streams--I could not help putting the question to myself, "Can
this be right and lawful--all this carnage to obtain the property of
others, and made legal by the quarrels of kings?" Reason, religion,
and humanity, answered, "No."

I remained uneasy and dissatisfied, and felt as if I were a murderer;
and then I reflected how this property, thus wrested from its former
possessor, who might, if he had retained it, have done much good with
it, would now be squandered away in riot and dissipation, in
purchasing crime and administering to debauchery. I was young then,
and felt so disgusted and so angry with myself and everybody else,
that if I had been in England, I probably should never again have put
my foot on board of a privateer.

But employment prevented my thinking; the decks had to be cleaned, the
bodies thrown overboard, the blood washed from the white planks, the
wounded to be removed, and their hurts dressed, the rigging and other
damages to be repaired, and when all this had been done, we made sail
for Jamaica with our prize. Our captain, who was as kind and gentle to
the vanquished as he was brave and resolute in action, endeavoured by
all the means he could think of to soften the captivity and sufferings
of the lady. Her clothes, jewels, and every thing belonging to her,
were preserved untouched; he would not even allow her trunks to be
searched, and would have secured for her even all her husband's
personal effects, but the crew had seized upon them as plunder, and
refused to deliver them up. I am almost ashamed to say that the sword
and watch of her husband fell to my lot, and whether from my wearing
the sword, or from having seen me fire the pistol which had killed
him, the lady always expressed her abhorrence of me whenever I entered
her presence. Her son recovered slowly from his wound, and, on our
arrival at Port Royal, was permitted by the admiral to be sent to the
King's Hospital, and the lady, who was most tenderly attached to him,
went on shore and remained at the Hospital to attend upon him. I was
glad when she was gone, for I knew how much cause she had for her
hatred of me, and I could not see her without remorse. As soon as we
had completed our repairs, filled up our provisions and water, we
sailed upon another cruise, which was not so successful, as you will
presently perceive.

For five or six weeks we cruised without success, and our people began
to grumble, when one morning our boats in shore off Hispaniola
surprised a small schooner. A negro who was among the prisoners
offered to conduct us through the woods by night to the house of a
very rich planter, which was situated about three miles from a small
bay, and at some distance from the other plantations. He asserted that
we might there get very valuable plunder, and, moreover, obtain a
large ransom for the planter and his family, besides bringing away as
many of the negro slaves as we pleased.

Our captain, who was tired of his ill-success, and who hoped also to
procure provisions, which we very much wanted, consented to the
negro's proposal, and standing down abreast of the bay, which was in
the Bight of Lugan, he ran in at dark, and anchoring close to the
shore, we landed with forty men, and, guided by the negro, we
proceeded through the woods to the house. The negro was tied fast to
one of our stoutest and best men, for fear he should give us the slip.
It was a bright moonlight; we soon arrived, and surrounding the house,
forced our way in without opposition. Having secured the negroes in
the out-houses, and placed guards over them, and videttes on the
look-out to give timely notice of any surprise, we proceeded to our
work of plunder. The family, consisting of the old planter and his
wife, and his three daughters, two of them very beautiful, was secured
in one room. No words can express their terror at thus finding
themselves so suddenly in the power of a set of ruffians, from whose
brutality they anticipated every evil. Indeed the horrid excesses
committed by the privateers'-men, when they landed on the coast, fully
justified their fears, for as this system of marauding is considered
the basest of all modern warfare, no quarter is ever given to those
who are taken in the attempt. In return, the privateers'-men hesitate
at no barbarity when engaged in such enterprises.

Dumb with astonishment and terror, the old couple sat in silent agony,
while the poor girls, who had more evils than death to fear, drowned
in their tears, fell at the captain's feet and embraced his knees,
conjuring him to spare and protect them from his men.

Captain Weatherall, who was, as I have before stated, a generous and
humane man, raised them up, assuring them, on his word, that they
should receive no insult, and as his presence was necessary to direct
the motions of his people, he selected me, as younger and less brutal
than most of his crew, as a guard over them, menacing me with death if
I allowed any man to enter the room until he returned, and ordering me
to defend them with my life from all insults. I was then young and
full of enthusiasm; my heart was kind, and I was pure in comparison
with the major portion of those with whom I was associated.

I was delighted with the office confided to me, and my heart leaped at
having so honourable an employment. I endeavoured by every means in my
power to dissipate their terrors and soothe their anxious minds; but
while I was thus employed, an Irish seaman, distinguished even
amongst our crew for his atrocities, came to the door, and would have
forced his entrance. I instantly opposed him, urging the captain's
most positive commands; but, having obtained a sight of the young
females, he swore with a vile oath that he would soon find out whether
a boy like me was able to oppose him, and finding that I would not
give way, he attacked me fiercely. Fortunately, I had the advantage of
position, and supported by the justice of my cause, I repelled him
with success. But he renewed the attack, while the poor young women
awaited the issue of the combat with trembling anxiety--a combat on
which depended, in all probability, their honour and their lives. At
last I found myself very hard pushed, for I had received a wound on my
sword arm, and I drew a pistol from my belt with my left-hand, and
fired it, wounding him in the shoulder. Thus disabled, and fearing at
the same time that the report would bring back the captain, whom he
well knew would not be trifled with, he retired from the door vowing
vengeance. I then turned to the young women, who had witnessed the
conflict in breathless suspense, encircled in the arms of the poor old
couple, who had rushed towards them at the commencement of the fray,
offering them their useless shelter. Privateer's-man as I was, I could
not refrain from tears at the scene. I again attempted to reassure
them, pledged myself in the most solemn manner to forfeit my life if
necessary for their protection, and they in some degree regained their
confidence. They observed the blood trickling down my fingers from the
wound which I had received, and the poor girls stained their
handkerchiefs with it in the attempts to staunch the flow.

But this scene was soon interrupted by an alarm. It appeared that a
negro had contrived to escape and to rouse the country. They had
collected together from the other plantations, and our party being, as
is usually the case when plunder is going on, very negligent, the
videttes were surprised, and had hardly time to escape and apprise us
of our danger. There was not a moment to be lost; our safety depended
upon an immediate retreat. The captain collected all hands, and while
he was getting them together that the retreat might be made in good
order, the old planter who, by the report of the fire-arms and the
bustle and confusion without, guessed what had taken place, pressed me
to remain with them, urging the certainty of our men being
overpowered, and the merciless consequences which would ensue. He
pledged himself with his fingers crossed in the form of the crucifix,
that he would procure me safe quarter, and that I should ever enjoy
his protection and friendship. I refused him kindly but firmly, and he
sighed and said no more. The old lady put a ring on my finger, which
she took from her own hand, and kissing my forehead, told me to look
at that ring, and continue to do good and act nobly as I had just
done.

I waved my hand, for I had no time even to take the proffered hands of
the young ones, and hastened to join my shipmates already on the
retreat, and exchanging shots with our pursuers. We were harassed by a
multitude, but they were a mixed company of planters, mulattoes, and
slaves, and not half of them armed, and we easily repelled their
attacks, whenever they came to close quarters. Their violent
animosity, however, against us and our evil doings, induced them to
follow close at our heels, keeping up a galling irregular fire, and
endeavouring to detain us until we might be overpowered by their
numbers, every minute increasing, for the whole country had been
raised, and were flocking in. This our captain was well aware of, and
therefore made all the haste that he could, without disturbing the
regularity of his retreat, to where our boats were lying, as should
they be surprised and cut off, our escape would have been impossible.
Notwithstanding all his care, several of our men were separated from
us by the intricacies of the wood, or from wounds which they had
received, and which prevented them from keeping up with us. At last,
after repelling many attacks, each time more formidable than the
preceding, we gained our boats, and embarking with the greatest
precipitation, we put off for the schooner. The enemy, emboldened by
our flight, flocked down in great numbers to the water's edge, and we
had the mortification to hear our stragglers, who had been captured,
imploring for mercy; but groans and then silence too plainly informed
us that mercy had been denied.

Captain Weatherall was so enraged at the loss of his men that he
ordered us to pull back and attack the enemy on the beach, but we
continued to pull for the schooner, regardless of his threats and
entreaties. A panic had seized us all, as well it might. We even
dreaded the ill-aimed and irregular fire which they poured upon us,
which under other circumstances would have occasioned only laughter.
The schooner had been anchored only two hundred yards from the beach,
and we were soon on board. They continued to fire from the shore, and
the balls passed over us. We put a spring upon our cable, warped our
broadside to the beach, and loading every gun with grape and
cannister, we poured a whole broadside upon our assailants. From the
shrieks and cries, the carnage must have been very great. The men
would have reloaded and fired again, but the captain forbade them,
saying, "We have done too much already." I thought so too. He then
ordered the anchor to be weighed, and with a fresh land-breeze, we
were soon far away from this unlucky spot.




CHAPTER II.

    We are pursued by Two Schooner-Privateers, and failing to
    escape them a terrible Contest ensues--Three Acts of a
    Murderous Naval Drama--We are worsted--Captain Weatherall
    is killed--I am plundered and wounded.


About six weeks after the unlucky affair before described, we met with
a still greater disaster. We had cruised off the Spanish Main and
taken several prizes; shortly after we had manned the last and had
parted company, the Revenge being then close in shore, a fresh gale
sprung up, which compelled us to make all sail to clear the land. We
beat off shore during the whole of the night, when the weather
moderated, and at daybreak we found out that we had not gained much
offing, in consequence of the current; but what was more important,
the man who went to the look-out at the masthead, hailed the deck,
saying there were two sail in the offing. The hands were turned up to
make sail in chase, but we found that they were resolutely bearing
down upon us; and as we neared each other fast, we soon made them out
to be vessels of force. One we knew well--she was the Esperance, a
French schooner-privateer of sixteen guns, and one hundred and
twenty-men; the other proved to be a Spanish schooner-privateer,
cruising in company with her, of eighteen guns, and full manned.

Now our original complement of men had been something more than one
hundred, but by deaths, severe wounds in action, and manning our
prizes, our actual number on board was reduced to fifty-five effective
men. Finding the force so very superior, we made every attempt with
sails and sweeps to escape, but the land to leeward of us, and their
position to windward, rendered it impossible. Making, therefore, a
virtue of necessity, we put a good face upon it, and prepared to
combat against such desperate odds.

Captain Weatherall, who was the life and soul of his crew, was not
found wanting on such an emergency. With the greatest coolness and
intrepidity, he gave orders to take in all the small sails, and
awaited the coming down of the enemy. When every thing was ready for
the unequal conflict, he ordered all hands aft, and endeavoured to
inspire us with the same ardour which animated himself. He reminded us
that we had often fought and triumphed over vessels of much greater
force than our own; that we had already beaten off the French
privateer on a former occasion; that the Spaniard was not worth
talking about except to swell the merits of the double victory, and
that if once we came hand to hand our cutlasses would soon prove our
superiority. He reminded us that our only safety depended upon our own
manhood; for we had done such mischief on the coast, and our recent
descent upon the plantation was considered in such a light, that we
must not expect to receive quarter if we were overcome. Exhorting us
to behave well, and to fight stoutly, he promised us the victory. The
men had such confidence in the captain that we returned him three
cheers, when, dismissing us to our quarters, he ordered St. George's
ensign to be hoisted at the main-masthead, and hove to for the enemy.

The French schooner was the first which ranged up alongside; the wind
was light, and she came slowly down to us. The captain of her hailed,
saying that his vessel was the Esperance, and our captain replied that
he knew it, and that they also knew that his was the Revenge. The
French captain, who had hove to, replied very courteously that he was
well aware what vessel it was, and also of the valour and
distinguished reputation of Captain Weatherall, upon which, Captain
Weatherall, who stood on the gunnel, took off his hat in
acknowledgment of the compliment.

Now Captain Weatherall was well known, and it was also well known that
the two vessels would meet with a severe resistance, which it would be
as well to avoid, as even if they gained the victory, it would not be
without great loss of men. The French captain therefore addressed
Captain Weatherall again, and said he hoped, now that he was opposed
to so very superior a force, he would not make a useless resistance,
but as it would be no disgrace to him, and would save the lives of
many of his brave men, his well known humanity would induce him to
strike his colours.

To this request our commander gave a gallant and positive refusal. The
vessels lay now close to each other, so that a biscuit might have been
thrown on board of either. A generous expostulation ensued, which
continued till the Spanish vessel was a short distance astern of us.

"You now see our force," said the French captain. "Do not fight
against impossible odds, but spare your brave and devoted men."

"In return for your kind feeling towards me," replied Captain
Weatherall, "I offer you both quarter, and respect to private
property, upon hauling down your colours."

"You are mad, Captain Weatherall," said the French captain.

"You allow that I have lived bravely," replied Captain Weatherall;
"you shall find that I will conquer you, and if necessary I will also
die bravely. We will now fight. In courtesy, I offer you the first
broadside."

"Impossible," said the French captain, taking off his hat.

Our captain returned the salute, and then slipping down from the
gunwale, ordered the sails to be filled, and, after a minute to give
the Frenchman time to prepare, he fired off in the air the fusee,
which he held in his hand, as a signal for the action to begin. We
instantly commenced the work of death by pouring in a broadside. It
was returned with equal spirit, and a furious cannonading ensued for
several minutes, when the Spaniard ranged up on our lee quarter with
his rigging full of men to board us. Clapping our helm a-weather and
hauling our fore sheets to windward, we fell off athwart his hawse,
and raked him with several broadsides fore and aft; our guns having
been loaded with langridge and lead bullets, and his men being crowded
together forward, ready to leap on board of us, her deck became a
slaughter-house. The officers endeavoured in vain to animate their
men, who, instead of gaining our decks, were so intimidated by the
carnage that they forsook their own. The Frenchman perceiving the
consternation and distress of his consort, to give her an opportunity
of extricating herself from her perilous condition, now put his helm
a-weather, ran us on board, and poured in his men; but we were well
prepared, and soon cleared our decks of the intruders. In the meantime
the Spaniard, by cutting away our rigging, in which his bowsprit was
entangled, swung clear of us, and fell away to leeward. The Frenchman
perceiving this, sheered off, and springing his luff, shot ahead clear
of us. Such was the first act of this terrible drama. We had as yet
sustained little damage, the enemy's want of skill and our own good
fortune combined, having enabled us to take them at such a
disadvantage.

But although inspirited by such a prosperous beginning, our
inferiority in men was so great that our captain considered it his
duty to make all sail in hopes of being able to avoid such an unequal
combat. This our enemies attempted to prevent by a most furious
cannonade, which we received and returned without flinching, making a
running fight of it, till at last our fore yard and foretop-mast being
shot away, we had no longer command of the vessel. Finding that,
although we were crippled and could not escape, our fire continued
unabated, both the vessels again made preparations for boarding us,
while we on our part prepared to give them a warm reception.

As we knew that the Frenchman, who was our most serious opponent, must
board us on our weather bow, we traversed over four of our guns loaded
to the muzzle with musket balls to receive him, and being all ready
with our pateraroes and hand grenades, we waited for the attack. As he
bore down for our bows, with all his men clinging like bees, ready for
the spring, our guns were discharged and the carnage was terrible. The
men staggered back, falling down over those who had been killed or
wounded, and it required all the bravery and example of the French
captain, who was really a noble fellow, to rally the remainder of his
men, which at last he succeeded in doing, and about forty of them
gained our forecastle, from which they forced our weak crew, and
retained possession, not following up the success, but apparently
wailing till they were seconded by the Spaniard's boarding us on our
lee quarter, which would have placed us between two fires, and
compelled us to divide our small force.

By this time the wind, which had been light, left us, and it was
nearly a calm, with a swell on the sea, which separated the two
vessels; the Spaniard, who was ranging up under our lee, having but
little way and not luffing enough, could not fetch us, but fell off
and drifted to leeward. The Frenchmen who had been thrown on board,
and who retained possession of our forecastle, being thus left without
support from their own vessel, which had been separated from us by the
swell, or from the Spaniard, which had fallen to leeward, we gave
three cheers, and throwing a number of hand-grenades in among them, we
rushed forward with our half-pikes, and killed or drove every soul of
them overboard, one only, and he wounded in the thigh, escaped by
swimming back to his own vessel. Here, then, was a pause in the
conflict, and thus ended, I may say, the second act.

Hitherto the battle had been fought with generous resolution; but
after this hand-to-hand conflict, and the massacre with which it
ended, both sides appeared to have been roused to ferocity. A most
infernal cannonade was now renewed by both our antagonists, and
returned by us with equal fury; but it was now a dead calm, and the
vessels rolled so much with the swell, that the shot were not so
effective. By degrees we separated more and more from our enemies, and
the firing was now reduced to single guns. During this partial
cessation our antagonists had drawn near to each other, although at a
considerable distance from us. We perceived that the Spaniard was
sending two of his boats full of men to supply the heavy loss
sustained by his comrade. Captain Weatherall ordered the sweeps out,
and we swept our broadside to them, trying by single guns to sink the
boats as they went from one vessel to the other. After two or three
attempts, a gun was successful; the shot shattered the first of the
boats, which instantly filled and went down. The second boat pulled up
and endeavoured to save the men, but we now poured our broadside upon
them, and, daunted by the shot flying about them, they sought their
own safety by pulling back to the vessel, leaving their sinking
companions to their fate. Failing in this attempt, both vessels
recommenced their fire upon us, but the distance and the swell of the
sea prevented any execution, and at last they ceased firing, waiting
till a breeze should spring up which might enable them to renew the
contest with better success.

At this time it was about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and the
combat had lasted about five hours. We refreshed ourselves after the
fatigue and exertion which we had undergone, and made every
preparation for a renewal of the fight. During the engagement we were
so excited, that we had no time to think; but now that we were cool
again and unoccupied, we had time to reflect upon our position, and we
began to feel dejected and apprehensive. Fatigued with exertion, we
were weak and dispirited. We knew that our best men were slain or
groaning under their severe wounds, that the enemy were still
numerous, and as they persevered after so dreadful a slaughter, that
they were of unquestionable bravery and resolution. Good fortune, and
our captain's superior seamanship had, up to the present, enabled us
to make a good fight, but fortune might desert us, and our numbers
were so reduced, that if the enemy continued resolute, we must be
overpowered. Our gallant captain perceived the despondency that
prevailed, and endeavoured to remove it by his own example and by
persuasion. After praising us for the resolution and courage we had
already shown, he pointed out to us that whatever might be the
gallantry of the officers, it was clear that the men on board of the
opposing vessels were awed by their heavy loss and want of success,
and that if they made one more attempt to take us by the board and
failed, which he trusted they would do, no persuasion would ever
induce them to try it again, and the captains of the vessels would
give over such an unprofitable combat. He solemnly averred that the
colours should never be struck while he survived, and demanded who
amongst us were base enough to refuse to stand by them. Again we gave
him three cheers, but our numbers were few, and the cheers were faint
compared with the first which had been given, but still we were
resolute, and determined to support our captain and the honour of our
flag. Captain Weatherall took care that this feeling should not
subside--he distributed the grog plentifully; at our desire he nailed
the colours to the mast, and we waited for a renewal of the combat
with impatience. At four o'clock in the afternoon a breeze sprang up,
and both vessels trimmed their sails and neared us fast--not quite in
such gallant trim as in the morning it is true--but they appeared now
to have summoned up a determined resolution. Silently they came up,
forcing their way slowly through the water; not a gun was fired, but
the gaping mouths of the cannon, and their men motionless at their
quarters, portended the severity of the struggle which was now to
decide this hitherto well-contested trial for victory. When within
half a cable's length, we saluted them with three cheers, they
returned our defiance, and running up on each side of us, the combat
was renewed with bitterness.

The Frenchman would not this time lay us on board until he was certain
that the Spaniard had boarded us to leeward--he continued luffing to
windward and plying us with broadsides until we were grappled with the
Spaniard, and then he bore down and laid his gunwale on our bow. The
Spaniard had already boarded us on the quarter, and we were repelling
this attack, when the Frenchman laid us on the bow. We fought with
desperation, and our pikes gave us such an advantage over the swords
and knives of the Spaniards, that they gave ground, and appalled by
the desperate resistance they encountered, quitted our decks strewed
with their dead and dying shipmates, and retreated in confusion to
their own vessel. But before this repulse had been effected, the
French had boarded us on the weather-bow, and driving before them the
few men who had been sent forward to resist them, had gained our main
deck, and forced their way to the rise of the quarter-deck, where all
our remaining men were now collected. The combat was now desperate,
but after a time our pikes, and the advantage of our position,
appeared to prevail over numbers. We drove them before us--we had
regained the main deck, when our brave commander, who was at our head,
and who had infused spirit into us all, received a bullet through his
right wrist; shifting his sword into his left hand, he still pressed
forward encouraging us, when a ball entered his breast and he dropped
dead. With his fall, fell the courage and fortitude of his crew so
long sustained--and to complete the mischief, the lieutenant and two
remaining officers also fell a few seconds after him. Astonished and
terrified, the men stopped short in their career of success, and
wildly looked round for a leader. The French, who had retreated to the
forecastle, perceiving our confusion, renewed the attack, our few
remaining men were seized with a panic, and throwing down our arms, we
asked for quarter where a moment before victory was in our hands--such
was the finale of our bloody drama.

Out of fifty-five men twenty-two had been killed in this murderous
conflict, and almost all the survivors desperately or severely
wounded. Most of the remaining crew after we had cried for quarter
jumped down the hatchway, to avoid the cutlasses of their enraged
victors. I and about eight others, having been driven past the
hatchway, threw down our arms and begged for quarter, which we had
little reason to expect would be shown to us. At first no quarter was
given by our savage enemies, who cut down several of our disarmed men
and hacked them to pieces. Perceiving this, I got on the gunwale ready
to jump overboard, in the hopes of being taken up after the slaughter
had ceased, when a French lieutenant coming up protected us, and
saved the poor remains of our crew from the fury of his men. Our
lives, however, were all he counted upon preserving--we were instantly
stripped and plundered without mercy. I lost every thing I possessed;
the watch, ring, and sword I had taken from the gallant Frenchman were
soon forced from me, and not stripping off my apparel fast enough to
please a Mulatto sailor, I received a blow with the butt-end of a
pistol under the left ear, which precipitated me down the hatchway,
near which I was standing, and I fell senseless into the hold.




CHAPTER III.

    We are sent in, on board the Revenge and treated with
    great cruelty--Are afterwards recaptured by the Hero
    privateer, and retaliate on the French--I am taken to
    the hospital at Port Royal, where I meet the French
    lady--Her savage exultation at my condition--She is
    punished by one of my comrades.


On coming to my senses, I found myself stripped naked, and suffering
acute pain. I found that my right arm was broken, my shoulder severely
injured by my fall; and as I had received three severe cutlass-wounds
during the action, I had lost so much blood that I had not strength to
rise or do any thing for myself. There I lay, groaning and naked, upon
the ballast of the vessel, at times ruminating upon the events of the
action, upon the death of our gallant commander, upon the loss of our
vessel, of so many of our comrades, and of our liberty. After some
time the surgeon, by the order of the French commander, came down to
dress my wounds. He treated me with the greatest barbarity. As he
twisted about my broken limb I could not help crying at the anguish
which he caused me. He compelled me to silence by blows and
maledictions, wishing I had broken my rascally neck rather than he
should have been put to the trouble of coming down to dress me.
However, dress me he did, out of fear of his captain, who, he knew
well, would send round to see if he had executed his orders, and then
he left me with a kick in the ribs by way of remembrance. Shortly
afterwards the vessels separated. Fourteen of us, who were the most
severely hurt, were left in the Revenge, which was manned by an
officer and twenty Frenchmen, with orders to take her into
Port-au-Paix. The rest of our men were put on board of the French
privateer, who sailed away in search of a more profitable adventure.

About an hour after they had made sail on the vessel, the officer who
had charge of her, looking down the hatchway, and perceiving my naked
and forlorn condition, threw me a pair of trousers, which had been
rejected by the French seamen as not worth having, and a check shirt,
in an equally ragged condition, I picked up in the hold; this, with a
piece of old rope to tie round my neck as a sling for my broken arm,
was my whole wardrobe. In the evening I gained the deck, that I might
be refreshed by the breeze, which cooled my feverish body and somewhat
restored me.

We remained in this condition for several days, tortured with pain,
but more tortured, perhaps, by the insolence and bragging of the
Frenchmen, who set no bounds to their triumph and self-applause. Among
those who had charge of the prize were two, one of whom had my watch
and the other my ring; the first would hold it to me grinning, and
asking if Monsieur would like to know what o'clock it was; and the
other would display the ring, and tell me that his sweetheart would
value it when she knew that it was taken from a conquered Englishman.
This was their practice every day, and I was compelled to receive
their gibes without venturing a retort.

On the eleventh day after our capture, when close to Port-au-Paix, and
expecting we should be at anchor before nightfall, we perceived a
great hurry and confusion on deck; they were evidently making all the
sail that they could upon the vessel; and then hearing them fire off
their stern-chasers, we knew for certain that they were pursued.
Overjoyed at the prospect of being released, we gave three cheers. The
French from the deck threatened to fire down upon us, but we knew that
they dared not, for the Revenge was so crippled in the fight, that
they could not put sail upon her so as to escape, and their force on
board was too small to enable them to resist if overtaken--we
therefore continued our exulting clamours. At last we heard guns
fired, and the shot whizzing over the vessel--a shot or two struck our
hull, and soon afterwards a broadside being poured into us, the
Frenchmen struck their colours, and we had the satisfaction of seeing
all these Gasconaders driven down into the hold to take our places. It
was now their turn to be dejected and downcast, and for us to be
merry; and now also the tables had to be turned, and we took the
liberty of regaining possession of our clothes and other property
which they carried on their backs and in their pockets. I must say we
showed them no mercy.

"What o'clock is it, Monsieur?" said I to the fellow who had my watch.

"At your service, Sir," he replied, humbly taking out my watch, and
presenting it to me.

"Thank you," said I, taking the watch, and saluting him with a kick in
the stomach, which made him double up and turn round from me, upon
which I gave him another kick in the rear to straighten him again.
"That ring, Monsieur, that your sweetheart will prize."

"Here it is," replied the fellow, abjectly.

"Thank you, Sir," I replied, saluting him with the double kick which I
had given to the former. "Tell your sweetheart I sent her those,"
cried I, "that is, when you get back to her."

"Hark ye, brother," cries one of our men, "I'll trouble you for that
jacket which you borrowed of me the other day, and in return here are
a pair of iron garters (holding out the shackles), which you must wear
for my sake--I think they will fit you well."

"Mounseer," cries another, "that wig of mine don't suit your complexion,
I'll trouble you for it. It's a pity such a face as yours should be
disfigured in those curls. And while you are about it, I'll thank you
to strip altogether, as I think your clothes will fit me, and are much
too gay for a prisoner."

"I was left naked through your kindness the other day," said I to
another, who was well and smartly dressed, "I'll thank you to strip to
your skin, or you shall have no skin left." And I commenced with my
knife cutting his ears as if I would skin them.

It was a lucky hit of mine, for in his sash I found about twenty
doubloons. He would have saved them, and held them tight, but after my
knife had entered his side about half an inch, he surrendered the
prize. After we had plundered and stripped them of every thing, we set
to to kick them, and we did it for half an hour so effectually that
they were all left groaning in a heap on the ballast, and we then
found our way on deck.

The privateer which had recaptured us proved to be the Hero, of New
Providence; the Frenchmen were taken out, and some of her own men put
in to take us to Port Royal; we being wounded, and not willing to join
her, remained on board. On our arrival at Port Royal, we obtained
permission to go to the King's Hospital to be cured. As I went up
stairs to the ward allotted to me, I met the French lady whose husband
had been killed, and who was still nursing her son at the hospital,
his wounds not having been yet cured. Notwithstanding my altered
appearance, she knew me again immediately, and seeing me pale and
emaciated, with my arm in a sling, she dropped down on her knees and
thanked God for returning upon our heads a portion of the miseries we
had brought upon her. She was delighted when she heard how many of us
had been slain in the murderous conflict, and even rejoiced at the
death of poor Captain Weatherall, which, considering how very kind and
considerate he had been to her, I thought to be very unchristian.

It so happened that I was not only in the same ward, but in the cradle
next to her son, and the excitement I had been under when we were
recaptured, and my exertion in kicking the Frenchmen, had done me no
good. A fever was the consequence, and I suffered dreadfully, and she
would look at me, exulting in my agony, and mocking my groans, till at
last the surgeon told her it was by extreme favour that her son had
been admitted into the hospital instead of being sent to prison, and
that if she did not behave herself in a proper manner, he would order
her to be denied admittance altogether, and that if she dared to
torment suffering men in that way, on the first complaint on my part,
her son should go to the gaol and finish his cure there. This brought
her to her senses, and she begged pardon, and promised to offend no
more, but she did not keep her word for more than a day or two, but
laughed out loud when the surgeon was dressing my arm, for a piece of
bone had to be taken out, and I shrieked with anguish. This
exasperated one of my messmates so much that, not choosing to strike
her, and knowing how to wound her still worse, he drove his fist into
the head of her son as he lay in his cradle, and by so doing re-opened
the wound that had been nearly healed.

"There's pain for you to laugh at, you French devil," he cried.

And sure enough it cost the poor young man his life.

The surgeon was very angry with the man, but told the French lady as
she kneeled sobbing by the side of her son, that she had brought it
upon herself and him by her own folly and cruelty. I know not whether
she felt so, or whether she dreaded a repetition, but this is certain,
she tormented me no more. On the contrary, I think she suffered very
severely, as she perceived that I rapidly mended, and that her poor
son got on but slowly. At last my hurts were all healed, and I left
the hospital, hoping never to see her more.




CHAPTER IV.

    Sail for Liverpool in the Sally and Kitty--Fall in with
    a Gale--Boy overboard--Nearly drowned in attempting to
    save him--See the owners at Liverpool--Embark in the
    Dalrymple for the Coast of Africa--Arrive off Senegal.


A great deal of prize-money being due to us, I called upon the agent
at Port Royal to obtain an advance. I found him in a puzzle. Owing to
the death of Captain Weatherall and so many of the officers, he hardly
knew whether those who applied to him were entitled to prize-money or
not. Whether he thought I appeared more honest than the others, or
from what cause I know not, he requested me, as I knew every thing
that had passed, to remain with him for a short time; and finding that
I could read and write well, he obtained from me correct lists of the
privateer's crew, with those who were killed, and on what occasion.
All this information I was able to give him, as well as the ratings of
the parties; for on more than one occasion the privateers'-men had
come to him representing themselves as petty officers, when they were
only common seamen on board, and had in consequence received from him
a larger advance than they were entitled to. As soon as his accounts
were pretty well made up, he asked me whether I intended to go to
England, as if so, he would send me home with all the papers and
documents to the owner at Liverpool, who would require my assistance
to arrange the accounts; and as I had had quite enough of privateering
for a time, I consented to go. About two months after leaving the
hospital, during which I had passed a very pleasant life, and quite
recovered from my wounds and injuries, I sailed for Liverpool in the
Sally and Kitty West-Indiaman, commanded by Captain Clarke, a very
violent man.

We had not sailed twelve hours before we fell in with a gale, which
lasted several days, and we kept under close-reef-topsails and
storm-staysails. The gale lasting a week, raised a mountainous swell,
but it was very long and regular. On the seventh day the wind abated,
but the swell continued, and at evening there was very little wind,
when a circumstance occurred which had nearly cost me my life, as you
will acknowledge, Madam, when I relate the story to you. During the
dog-watch between six and eight, some hands being employed in the
foretop, the other watch below at supper, and the captain and all the
officers in the cabin, I being at the helm, heard a voice apparently
rising out of the sea, calling me by name. Surprised, I ran to the
side of the ship, and saw a youth named Richard Pallant in the water
going astern. He had fallen out of the forechains, and knowing that I
was at the helm, had shouted to me for help. I immediately called all
hands, crying a man overboard. The captain hastened on deck with all
the others, and ordered the helm a-lee. The ship went about, and then
fell round off, driving fast before the swell, till at last we brought
her to.

The captain, although a resolute man, was much confused and perplexed
at the boy's danger--for his friends were people of property at
Ipswich, and had confided the boy to his particular care. He ran
backwards and forwards, crying out that the boy must perish, as the
swell was so high that he dared not send a boat, for the boat could
not live in such a sea, and if the boat were lost with the crew, there
would not be hands enow left on board to take the vessel home. As the
youth was not a hundred yards from the vessel, I stated the
possibility of swimming to him with the deep-sea line, which would be
strong enough to haul both him and the man who swam to him on board.
Captain Clarke, in a great rage, swore that it was impossible, and
asked me who the devil would go. Piqued at his answer, and anxious to
preserve the life of the youth, I offered to try it myself. I
stripped, and making the line fast round my body, plunged from the
ship's side into the sea. It was a new deep-sea line, and stiff in the
coil, so that not drawing close round me, it slipped, and I swam
through it, but catching it as it slipped over my feet, I made it
secure by putting my head and one arm through the noose. I swam direct
for the boy, and found that I swam with ease, owing to the strength
and buoyant nature of the water in those latitudes. I had not swum
more than half-way before the line got foul on the coil on board, and
checking me suddenly, it pulled me backwards and under water. I
recovered myself, and struck out again. During this time, to clear the
line on board, they had cut some of the entangled parts, and in the
confusion and hurry, severed the wrong part, so that the end went
overboard, and I had half the coil of line hanging to me, and at the
same time was adrift from the ship. They immediately hailed me to
return, but from the booming of the waves I could not hear what they
said, and thought that they were encouraging me to proceed. I shouted
in return to show the confidence which I had in myself. I easily
mounted the waves as they breasted me, but still I made my way very
slowly against such a swell, and saw the boy only at intervals when I
was on the top of the wave. He could swim very little, and did not
make for the ship, but with his eyes fixed upon the sky, paddled like
a dog to keep himself above water. I now began to feel the weight of
the line upon me, and to fear that I should never hold out. I began to
repent of my rashness, and thought I had only sacrificed myself
without any chance of saving him. I persevered, nevertheless, and
having, as I guessed, come to the spot where the boy was, I looked
round, and not seeing him, was afraid that he had gone down, but on
mounting the next wave, I saw him in the hollow, struggling hard to
keep above water, and almost spent with his long exertion.

I swam down to him, and hailing him, found he was still sensible, but
utterly exhausted. I desired him to hold on by my hand but not to
touch my body, as we should both sink. He promised to obey me, and I
held out my right-hand to him, and made a signal for them to haul in
on board, for I had no idea that the line had been cut. I was
frightened when I perceived the distance that the ship was from me--at
least a quarter of a mile. I knew that the deep-sea line was but a
hundred fathoms in length, and therefore that I must be adrift, and my
heart sunk within me. All the horrors of my situation came upon me,
and I felt that I was lost; but although death appeared inevitable, I
still struggled for life--but the rope now weighed me down more and
more. While swimming forward it trailed behind, and although it
impeded my way, I did not feel half its weight. Now, however, that I
was stationary, it sank deep, and pulled me down with it. The waves,
too, which, while I breasted them and saw them approach, I easily rose
over, being now behind us, broke over our heads, burying us under
them, or rolling us over by their force.

I tried to disengage myself from the line, but the noose being jammed,
and having the boy in one hand, I could not possibly effect it. But
what gave me courage in my difficulties was, that I perceived that the
people on board were getting out the boat; for although the captain
would not run the risk for one person, now that two were overboard,
and one of them risking his life for the other, the men insisted that
the boat should be hoisted out. It was an anxious time to me, but at
last I had the satisfaction of seeing her clear of the ship, and
pulling round her bow. The danger was, however, considered so great,
that when they came to man the boat, only three men could be found who
would go in her, and in the confusion they came away with but two oars
and no rudder. Under these disadvantages they of course pulled very
slowly against a mountainous sea, as they were obliged to steer with
the oars to meet it, that the boat might not be swamped. But the
sight of the boat was sufficient to keep me up. My exertions were
certainly incredible; but what will not a man do when in fear of
death. As it approached--slowly and slowly did my powers decrease. I
was now often under water with the boy, and rose again to fresh
exertion, when at last a crested wave broke over us, and down we went
several feet under the water. The force of the sea drove the boy
against me, and he seized me by the loins with my head downwards. I
struggled to disengage myself! It was impossible. I gave myself up for
lost--and what a crowd of thoughts, and memories passed through my
brain in a few moments, for it could not have been longer. At last,
being head downwards, I dived deeper, although I was bursting from so
long holding my breath under water.

This had the desired effect. Finding me sinking instead of rising with
him, the boy let go his hold that he might gain the surface. I turned
and followed him, and drew breath once more. Another moment had sealed
our fates. I no longer thought of saving the boy, but struck out for
the boat which was now near me. Perceiving this, the boy cried out to
me for pity's sake not to leave him. I felt myself so far recovered
from my exhaustion, that I thought I could save him as well as myself,
and compassion induced me to turn back. I again gave him my hand,
charging him on his life not to attempt to grapple with me, and again
resumed the arduous struggle of keeping him as well as myself above
water. My strength was nearly gone, the boat approached but slowly,
and we now sunk constantly under the water, rising every few seconds
to draw breath. Merciful God! how slow appeared the approach of the
boat. Struggle after struggle--fainter and fainter still--still I
floated. At last my senses almost left me, I took in water in
quantities. I felt I was in green fields, when I was seized by the men
and thrown into the bottom of the boat, where I lay senseless
alongside of the boy. There was great danger and difficulty in getting
again to the ship. More than once the boat was half filled by the
following seas, and when they gained the ship it was impossible to get
us out, as, had they approached the side, the boat would have been
dashed to atoms. They lowered the tackles from the yard-arms. The
three men clambered up them, leaving us to take our chance of the
boat being got in, or her being stove to pieces; in which latter case,
we should have been lost. They did get us in, with great damage to the
boat, but we were saved. The line was still round me, and it was found
that I had been supporting the weight of seventy yards. So sore was I
with such exertion, that I kept my hammock for many days, during which
I reviewed my past life, and vowed amendment.

We arrived at Liverpool without any further adventure worth recording,
and I immediately called upon the owner with the papers intrusted to
me. I gave him all the information he required, and he asked me
whether I should like to return to privateering, or to go as mate of a
vessel bound to the coast of Africa. I inquired what her destination
was to be, and as I found that she was to go to Senegal for ivory,
wax, gold dust, and other articles, in exchange for English prints and
cutlery, I consented. I mention this, as, had she been employed in the
slave-trade, as were most of the vessels from Liverpool to the Coast,
I would not have joined her. A few days afterwards, I went on board of
the Dalrymple, Captain Jones, as mate; we had a very quick passage to
Senegal, and brought our vessel to an anchor off the bar.




CHAPTER V.

    In crossing the Bar at Senegal the boat is upset by a
    Tornado--We escape being devoured by Sharks only to be
    captured by the Natives--Are taken into the interior of
    the country, and brought before the Negro King, from
    whose wrath we are saved by the intercession of his
    female attendants.


A day or two after we had arrived, the master of another vessel that
was at anchor near to us came on board and borrowed our long-boat and
some hands that he might go in it to Senegal. The captain, who was an
old friend of the party who made the request, agreed to lend it to
him, and as accidents are very frequent with boats crossing the bar,
on account of the heavy breakers, the best swimmers were selected for
the purpose, and the charge of the boat was given to me. We set off,
five men rowing and I at the helm. When we approached the bar, a
tornado, which had been for some time threatening, came upon us. The
impetuosity of these blasts is to be matched in no part of the world,
and as it came at once in its full force, we endeavoured, by putting
the boat before it, to escape its fury. This compelled us to run to
the southward along the coast. We managed to keep the boat up for a
long while, and hoped to have weathered it, when, being on the bar,
and in broken water, a large wave curled over us, filled the boat, and
it went down in an instant.

Our only chance now was to reach the shore by swimming, but it was at
a distance, with broken water the whole way; and our great terror was
from the sharks, which abound on the coast and are extremely
ravenous--nor were we without reason for our alarm. Scarcely had the
boat gone down, and we were all stretching out for the shore, when one
of our men shrieked, having been seized by the sharks, and instantly
torn to pieces. His blood stained the water all around, and this
attracting all the sharks proved the means of our escape. Never shall
I forget the horrible sensation which I felt as I struggled through
the broken water, expecting every minute a limb to be taken off by one
of those voracious animals. If one foot touched the other, my heart
sank, thinking it was the nose of a shark, and that its bite would
immediately follow. Agonized with these terrors, we struggled on--now
a large wave curling over us and burying us under water, or now forced
by the waves towards the beach, rolling us over and over. So battered
were we by the surf, that we dived under the waves to escape the blows
which we received, and then rose and struck out again. At last, worn
out with exertion, we gained the shore, but our toil was not over.

The beach was of a sand so light that it crumbled beneath us, and at
the return of the wave which threw us on shore we were dragged back
again, and buried in sand and water. We rose to renew our endeavours,
but several times without success, for we could not obtain a firm
footing. At last the Negroes, who had witnessed our accident, and who
now came down in great numbers on the beach, laid hold of us as the
sea threw us up, and dragged us beyond the reach of the waves. Worn
out with fatigue we lay on the sand, waiting to ascertain what the
savages would do with us; they were not long in letting us know, for
they soon began to strip us of every article of clothing on our backs.
One of our men attempted to resist, upon which a Negro drove a spear
through his thigh.

Having divided our apparel, after some consultation, they tied our
hands, and placing us in the midst of a large force, armed with
spears, and bows and arrows, they went off with us for the inland part
of the country. We set off with heavy hearts; taking, as we thought, a
last farewell of the ocean, and going forwards in great apprehension
of the fate that awaited us. The sand was very deep, and the heat of
the sun excessive, for it was then about noon. Without any garments,
we were soon scorched and blistered all over, and in intolerable
anguish, as well as fatigued; but the Negroes compelled us to move on,
goading us with their spears if we slackened our pace, and threatening
to run us through if we made a halt. We longed for the night, as it
would afford a temporary relief to our sufferings. It came at last,
and the Negroes collected wood and lighted a fire to keep off the wild
beasts, lying round it in a circle, and placing us in the midst of
them. We hoped to have some rest after what we had gone through, but
it was impossible--the night proved even worse than the day. The
musquitoes came down upon us in such swarms, and their bites were so
intolerable that we were almost frantic. Our hands being tied, we
could not beat them off, and we rolled over and over to get rid of
them. This made matters worse, for our whole bodies being covered with
raised blisters from the rays of the sun, our roiling over and over
broke the blisters, and the sand getting into the wounds, added to the
bites of the musquitoes, made our sufferings intolerable. We had
before prayed for night, we now prayed for day. Some prayed for death.

When the sun rose, we set off again, our conductors utterly
disregarding our anguish, and goading us on as before. In the forenoon
we arrived at a village, where our guards refreshed themselves; a very
small quantity of boiled corn was given to each of us, and we
continued our journey, passing by several small towns, consisting, as
they all do in that country, of huts built of reeds, round in form,
and gathered to a point at top. This day was the same as the
preceding. We were pricked with spears if we stumbled or lagged,
threatened with death if we had not strength to go on. At last the
evening arrived, and the fires were lighted. The fires were much
larger than before, I presume because the wild beasts were more
numerous, for we heard them howling in every direction round us, which
we had not done on the night before. The musquitoes did not annoy us
so much, and we obtained some intervals of broken rest. At daylight we
resumed our journey, as near as we could judge by the sun, in a more
easterly direction.

During the first two days we were badly received by the inhabitants of
the towns, whose people had been kidnapped so often for the
slave-trade; they hated the sight of our white faces, for they
presumed that we had come for that purpose; but as we advanced in the
interior, we were better treated, and the natives looked upon us with
surprise and wonder, considering us as a new race of beings. Some of
the women seeing how utterly exhausted we were with fatigue and
hunger, looked with compassion on us, and brought us plenty of boiled
corn and goats' milk to drink. This refreshed us greatly, and we
continued our journey in anxious expectation of the fate for which we
were reserved.

On crossing a small river, which appeared to be the boundary of two
different states, a multitude of Negroes approached, and seemed
disposed to take us from our present masters, but after a conference,
they agreed among themselves, and a party of them joined with those
who had previously conducted us. We soon came to the edge of a desert,
and there we halted till the Negroes had filled several calabashes and
gourds full of water, and collected a quantity of boiled corn. As soon
as this was done, we set off again, and entered the desert. We were
astonished and terrified when we looked around us, not a single
vestige of herbage, not a blade of grass was to be seen--all was one
wide waste of barren sand, so light as to rise in clouds at the least
wind, and we sank so deep in walking through it that at last we could
hardly drag one foot after the other. But we were repaid for our
fatigue, for when we halted at night, no fires were lighted, and to
our great delight we found that there were no musquitoes to annoy us.
We fell into a sound sleep, which lasted till morning, and were much
refreshed; indeed, so much so as to enable us to pursue our journey
with alacrity.

In our passage over the desert we saw numbers of elephants' teeth, but
no animals. How the teeth came there, unless it were that the
elephants were lost in attempting to cross the desert, I cannot
pretend to say. Before we had crossed the desert, our water was
expended, and we suffered dreadfully from thirst, walking as we did
during the whole day under a vertical sun. The night was equally
painful, as we were so tortured with the want of water; but on the
following day, when our strength was nearly exhausted, and we were
debating whether we should not lie down and allow the spears of our
conductors to put an end to our miseries, we came to the banks of a
river which the Negroes had evidently been anxiously looking for. Here
we drank plentifully, and remained all the day to recruit ourselves,
for the Negroes were almost as exhausted as we were. The next morning
we crossed the river, and plunged into a deep wood: the ground being
high, the musquitoes did not annoy us so much as they did down on the
low marshy land near the sea-coast. During our traverse through the
wood, we subsisted solely upon the birds and animals which the Negroes
killed with their bows and arrows.

When we had forced our way through the forest, we found the country,
as before, interspersed with wicker villages or small hamlets at a few
miles' distance from each other. Round each village there were small
patches of Guinea corn, and we frequently came to clusters of huts
which had been deserted. Between the sea-coast and the desert we had
traversed we observed that many of the inhabitants had European
fire-arms, but now the only weapons to be seen were spears and bows
and arrows. As we advanced we were surrounded at every village by the
natives, who looked upon us with surprise and astonishment, examining
us, and evidently considering us a new species. One morning we arrived
at a very large Negro town, and as we approached, our guards began to
swell with pride and exultation, and drove us before them among the
crowds of inhabitants, singing songs of triumph, and brandishing their
weapons. Having been driven through a great part of the town, we
arrived at a number of huts separated by a high palisade from the
rest, and appropriated, as we afterwards found, to the use of the king
of the country, his wives and attendants. Here we waited outside some
time, while our guards went in and acquainted this royal personage
with the present which they had brought for him.

We had reason to think that our captors were not his subjects, but had
been at variance with him, and had brought us as a present, that they
might make peace with an enemy too strong for them. We were at last
ordered to go inside the inclosure, and found ourselves in a large
open building, constructed like the others, of reeds and boughs. In
the centre was squatted a ferocious-looking old Negro, attended by
four young Negro women. He was raw-boned and lean, and of a very large
frame. A diabolical ferocity was imprinted on his grim countenance,
and as he moved his arms and legs he showed that under his loose skin
there was a muscle of extraordinary power. I never had before seen
such a living type of brutal strength and barbarity. On a mat before
him were provisions of different kinds. Behind him stood several grim
savages who held his weapons, and on each side, at a greater distance,
were rows of Negroes, with their heads bent down and their arms
crossed, awaiting his orders. The chief or king, as well as the four
women, had clothes of the blue cotton cloth of the country, that is,
one piece wrapped round the loins and descending to the ankles, and
another worn over their shoulders; but, with few exceptions, all the
rest, as well as the inhabitants generally, were quite naked. So were
we, as the reader may recollect. Round the necks of the women were
rows of gold beads, longer by degrees, until the last of the rows hung
lower than their bosoms, and both the king and they had large
bracelets of gold round their arms, wrists, and legs. The women, who
were young and well-looking, stared at us with eager astonishment,
while the old king scowled upon us so as to freeze our blood. At last,
rising from the ground, he took his sabre from the man who held it
behind him, and walked up among us, who with our heads bowed, and
breathless with fear, awaited our impending fate. I happened to be
standing the foremost, and grasping my arm with a gripe which made my
heart sink, with his hand which held the sword he bent down my head
still lower than it was. I made sure that he was about to cut off my
head, when the women, who had risen from the ground, ran crowding
round him, and with mingled entreaties and caresses strove to induce
him not to put his intentions, if such he really had, into execution.
They prevailed at last; the youngest took away his sword, and then
they led him back to his seat, after which the women came to us to
gratify their curiosity. They felt our arms and breasts, putting
innumerable questions to those who brought us thither. They appeared
very much amazed at the length of my hair, for I had worn it tied in a
long cue. Taking hold of it, they gave it two or three severe pulls,
to ascertain if it really grew to my head, and finding that it did so,
they expressed much wonder. When their curiosity was satisfied, they
then appeared to consider our condition, and having obtained the old
king's permission, they brought us a calabash full of cush-cush, that
is Guinea corn boiled into a thick paste. Our hands being still tied;
we could only by shaking our heads express our inability to profit by
their kindness. Understanding what we meant, they immediately cut our
thongs, and the youngest of the four perceiving that my arms were
benumbed from having been confined so many days, and that I could not
use them, showed the most lively commiseration for my sufferings. She
gently chafed my wrists with her hands, and showed every sign of pity
in her countenance, as indeed did all the other three. But I was by
far the youngest of the whole party who had been captured, and seemed
most to excite their pity and good-will. Shortly afterwards we were
all taken into an adjoining tent or hut, and our bodies were rubbed
all over with an oil, which after a few days' application left us
perfectly healed, and as smooth as silk. So altered was our condition,
that those very people who had guarded us with their spears and
threatened us with death, were now ordered to wait upon us, and as
the king's wives frequently came to see how we were treated, we were
served with the utmost humility and attention.




CHAPTER VI.

    I am given as a Slave to the old King's Favourite,
    Whyna--Assist my young Mistress to make her Toilet--Hold
    frequent Conversations with her, and become strongly
    attached to her--My Hatred and Dread of the old King
    increase--He shoots a Man with Bird-arrows.


One morning, after we had been about three weeks in these comfortable
quarters, I was summoned away from my companions into the presence of
the king. When I came before him a small manacle was fixed round my
left ankle, and another round my left wrist, with a light chain
connecting the two. A circle of feathers was put round my head, and a
loose cloth wrapped round my loins. I was then led forward to him with
my arms crossed over my breast, and my head bowed. By his orders I was
then placed behind the youngest of the four women, the one who had
chafed my wrists, and I was given to understand that I was her slave,
and was to attend upon her, to which, I must say, I gave a joyful
assent in my heart, although I did not at that time show any signs of
gladness. There I remained, with my arms folded, and bowed as before,
until dinner was brought in, and a calabash full of cush-cush was put
into my hands to place before the king and his wives. My first attempt
at service was not very adroit, for, in my eagerness to do my duty, I
tripped over the corner of the mat which served them for a table, and
tumbling headlong forward, emptied the calabash of cush-cush which I
held in my hand upon the legs of the old king, who sat opposite to
where I was advancing. He jumped up roaring out with anger, while I in
my fear sprung on my legs, and rushed to the side of the apartment,
expecting immediate death. Fortunately the victuals in this country
are always served up cool, and my new mistress easily obtained my
pardon, laughing heartily at the scene, and at my apprehension.

The repast being over, I was ordered to follow my mistress, who
retired to another hut, according to their custom, to sleep during the
heat of the day. I was placed before the door to prevent her being
disturbed. My only duty now was to attend upon my young mistress. She
was the king's favourite wife, and as she was uniformly kind and
gentle, I should have almost ceased to lament my loss of liberty had
it not been from the fear I had of the old monarch. I knew that my
preservation depended entirely upon my mistress's favour, and I
endeavoured all I could to conciliate her by the most sedulous
attentions to please. Young and generous in disposition, she was
easily satisfied by my ready obedience and careful service. I do not
think that she was more than seventeen years of age; but they are
women at fourteen in that country, and even earlier. She was a Negress
as to colour, but not a real Negress; for her hair, although short and
very wavy, was not woolly, and her nose was straight. Her mouth was
small, and her teeth beautiful. Her figure was perfect, her limbs
being very elegantly formed. When she first rose in the morning, I
attended her to the brow of a hill just without the palisades, where
with devout but mistaken piety she adored the rising sun--at least it
appeared to me that she did so. She then went down to the river to
bathe, and as soon as her hair was dry she had it dressed. This
office, after a short time, devolved upon me, and I became very
expert, having to rub her hair with a sweet oil, and then roll it up
in its natural curls with a quill, so as to dispose them to the most
fanciful advantage as to form.

After her toilet was complete, she went to feed her poultry, and some
antelopes and other beasts, and then she practised at a mark with her
bow and arrows and javelin till about ten o'clock, when she went to
the king's hut, and they all sat down to eat together. After the
repast, which lasted some time, if she did not repose with the king,
she retired to her own hut, where she usually refreshed herself till
about four o'clock, when she returned to the king, or ranged the
woods, or otherwise amused herself during the rest of the evening. I
will say for the old savage that he did not confine his wives. Such
was our general course of life, and wherever she went I attended her.
The attachment I showed and really felt for her secured her
confidence, and she always treated me in a kind and familiar manner.
Their language consists of few words compared to our own, and in a
short time, by help of signs, we understood each other tolerably well.
She appeared to have a most ardent curiosity to know who we were, and
from whence we came, and all the time that we passed alone was
employed in putting questions, and my endeavouring to find out her
meaning and answer them. This, although very difficult at first, I was
eventually enabled to accomplish indifferently well. She was most
zealous in her mistaken religion, and one morning when I was following
her to her devotions on the hill, she asked me where my God was? I
pointed upwards, upon which she told me with great joy and innocency,
that hers was there too, and that, therefore, they must be the same
God, or if not they must be friends. Convinced that she was right, she
made me worship with her, bowing my head down to the sand, and going
through the same forms, which of course I did not understand the
meaning of; but I prayed to my God, and therefore made no objection,
as it was pleasing to her. This apparent conformity in religion
recommended me more strongly to her, and we became more intimate, and
I was certainly attached to her by every tie of gratitude. I was quite
happy in the friendship and kindness she showed towards me; the only
drawback was my fear of the proud old king, and the recollection of
him often made me check myself, and suddenly assume a more distant and
respectful demeanour towards her. I soon found out that she dreaded
the old savage as much as I did, and hated him even more. In his
presence she treated me very sternly, and ordered me about in a very
dictatorial manner; but when we were alone, and had no fear of being
seen, she would then be very familiar, sometimes even locking her arm
into mine, and laughing as she pointed out the contrast of the
colours, and in the full gaiety of her young heart rejoicing that we
were alone, and could converse freely together. As she was very
intelligent, she soon perceived that I possessed much knowledge that
she did not, and that she could not comprehend what I wanted to teach
her. This induced her to look upon me with respect as well as
kindness.

One day I purposely left her bow behind in the hut where my
companions resided; and on her asking me for it, I told her that I had
done so, but that I would make my companions send it without my going
back. I tore off a piece of the bark of a tree, and with the point of
an arrow I wrote to one of them, desiring him to send it by bearer;
and calling a young Negro boy, told him in her presence to give that
piece of bark to the white man, and come back again to the queen.
Whyna, for such was the name of my mistress queen, stood in suspense,
waiting the result; in a few minutes the boy returned, bringing the
bow. Astonished at this, she made me write again and again for her
arrows, her lance, and many other things. Finding by these being
immediately sent that we had a method of communicating with each other
at a distance, she earnestly insisted upon being taught so surprising
an art. Going at a distance from me, she ordered me to talk to her
when out of hearing, and finding that I could not, or, as she seemed
to suppose, that I would not, she became discontented and out of
humour. I could by no means make her comprehend how it was performed,
but I made her understand that as soon as I was fully acquainted with
her language, I should be able to teach her. She was satisfied with
this, but made me promise that I would teach nobody else.

By the canoes in the river, I easily made her comprehend that I came
in a vast boat from a distant land, over a great expanse of water, and
also how it was that we fell into the Negroes' power. I then found out
from her that the Negroes had pretended that we had invaded their land
to procure slaves, and that they had vanquished us in battle; hence
their songs of triumph on bringing us to the king. I pointed out the
heavenly bodies to her in the evenings, trying to make her comprehend
something of their nature and motions, but in vain. This had, however,
one good effect; she looked up to me with more respect, hoping that
some day, when I could fully explain myself, she might be herself
taught all these wonders. With these feelings towards me, added to my
sedulous endeavours to please her, and obey her slightest wishes, it
is not surprising that she treated me as a companion, and not as a
slave, and gave me every innocent proof of her attachment. More I
never wished, and almost dreaded that our intimacy would be too
great. Happy when alone with her, I ever returned with reluctance to
the presence of the old king, whose sight and company I dreaded.

The boundless cruelty of this monster was a continual check to all my
happiness. Accustomed to blood from his childhood, he appeared wholly
insensible to human feelings, and derided the agonies of the wretches
who daily fell by his hands. One day he amused himself by shooting
small bird-arrows at a man who was bound to a post before the tent,
which was placed there for the punishment of those who were his
victims. He continued for hours fixing the arrows in different parts
of his body, mimicking and deriding his cries. At last, contrary to
his intentions, one of the arrows hit the man in the throat, and his
head drooped. As the old savage saw that the poor man was dying, he
drew another arrow and sent it through his heart, very much annoyed at
his disappointment in not prolonging the poor creature's sufferings. I
was witness to this scene with silent horror, and many more of a
similar nature. I hardly need say, that I felt what my punishment
would be if I had by any means roused the jealousy of this monster;
and I knew that, without giving him real cause, a moment of bare
suspicion would be sufficient to sacrifice my mistress as well as me.




CHAPTER VII.

    I attend the King on a hunting Expedition--Chase of
    wild Animals--Whyna and I in great danger from a
    Tiger--Barbarity of the King to my young Mistress--I
    try to soothe her--I and my Companions are ransomed--Sad
    parting with Whyna--After an Encounter with a hostile
    People, we reach Senegal--Return to England.


I had been about three months in captivity, when the old king with his
four wives and a large party of Negroes, left the town, and went into
the woods to hunt. My companions were left in the town, but I was
ordered to attend my mistress, and I went with the hopes of being able
by some means to make my escape, for my fear of the old monarch was
much greater than my regard for my mistress. As I had not become a
proficient with the bows and arrows, or in hurling the javelin, I was
equipped with a strong spear. My mistress was skilful to admiration
with the arrow and javelin; she never missed her aim that I knew, and
she certainly never appeared to such advantage as she did at this
hunting-party. Her activity, her symmetry of limb, and her courage,
her skill with her weapons, all won the heart of the old king; and I
believe that his strong attachment to her arose more from her
possession of the above qualities than from any other cause. Certain
it is, that the old savage doted on her--she was the only being who
could bend his stubborn will. As his age prevented him from joining in
the chase, he always appeared to part with her with regret, and to
caution her not to run into useless danger; and when we returned at
night, the old man's eyes sparkled with the rapture of dotage as he
welcomed her return.

The method of our chase was to beat the country, with a number of men,
in a vast circle, until we had gathered all the game into one thicket;
then the strongest warriors with their large spears went in and drove
out the game, which was killed by the hunters who hovered about within
the circle.

The animals which we had to encounter were large fierce black pigs,
leopards, jackals, tigers, mountain cats, and others which I have no
name for--and in spite of the ferocity of many of these animals when
they bounded out, they were met with such a shower of javelins, or
transfixed by the strong stabbing-spears of the warriors, that few
escaped, and they rarely did any mischief. One day, however, the
beaters having just entered a thicket, Whyna, who was eager for the
sport, and plied within the circle with the other hunters, hearing a
rustling in the jungle, went to the verge of it, to be the first to
strike the animal which came out. As usual, I was close to her, when a
large tiger burst out, and she pierced him with her javelin, but not
sufficient to wound the animal so severely as to disable him. The
tiger turned, and I drove my spear into his throat. This checked him,
as it remained in, but in a spring which he gave the handle broke
short off, and although the iron went further in, our danger was
imminent. Whyna ran, and so did I, to escape from the beast's fury;
for, although after I had wounded it with my spear, we had both
retreated, we were not so far, but that in two or three bounds he
would have been upon us. My mistress was as fleet as the wind, and
soon passed me, but as she passed me she caught me by the hand, and
dragged me along at a pace that with difficulty I could keep my legs.
The surrounding hunters alarmed at her danger, and knowing what they
had to expect from the mercy of the old king if she was destroyed by
the animal, closed in between us and the tiger, and after a fierce
combat, in which some were killed and many wounded, they despatched
him with their spears. The head of the animal, which was of unusual
size, was cut off and carried home to the old king in triumph; and
when he heard of the danger that Whyna had been in, he caressed her
with tears, and I could not help saying that the old wretch had some
heart after all. Whyna told the king that if I had not pierced the
animal with my spear, and prevented his taking his first spring, she
should have lost her life, and the monster grinned a ghastly smile at
me, which I presume he meant for either approbation or gratitude.

At other times the chase would be that of the multitude of birds which
were to be found in the woods. The bow and arrow only were used, and
all I had to do now was to pick up all my mistress had killed, and
return her arrows--she would constantly kill on the wing with her
arrow, which not many could do besides her. By degrees I imbibed a
strong passion for the sport, attended as it was with considerable
danger, and was never so happy as when engaged in it. We remained
about two months in the woods, when the king was tired, and we
returned to the town, where I continued for some time to pass the same
kind of life as I had done before.

I should have been quite happy in my slavery from my affection to my
mistress, had not a fresh instance of the unbounded cruelty of the old
monarch occurred a few days after our return from the chase, which
filled us all with consternation and horror, for we discovered that
not even my mistress, Whyna, could always prevail with the savage
monster.

One morning I perceived that one of the king's guards, who had always
treated me with great kindness, and with whom I was very intimate, was
tied up to the executioner's post before the hut. Aware of the fate
which awaited him, I ran to the hut of Whyna, and so great was my
distress that I could not speak; all I could do was to clasp her knees
and repeat the man's name, pointing to the post to which he was tied.
She understood me, and eager to save the man, or to oblige me, she ran
to the large hut, and attempted to intercede with the old barbarian
for the man's life; but he was in an agony of rage and passion; he
refused her, lifting up his sabre to despatch the man; Whyna was rash
enough to seize the king's arm, and prevent the blow, at this his rage
redoubled, his eyes glowed like live coals, and turning to her with
the look of a demon, he caught her by the hair, and dragging her
across his feet, lifted up his scimitar in the act to strike off her
head. I sickened with horror at the danger she was in, but I thought
he would not strike. I had no weapon, but if he had done so, I would
have revenged her death, even if I had lost my life. At last the old
monster let go her hair, spurning her away with his foot, so that she
rolled over on the sand, and then turning to the unhappy man, with an
upward slanting blow of his sabre, he ripped him up from the flank to
the chest, so that his bowels fell down at his feet; he then looked
round at us all with an aspect which froze our blood, and turned away
sulkily to his hut, leaving us to recover our spirits how we might.

Poor Whyna, terrified and enraged at the same time, as soon as I had
led her to her hut, and we were by ourselves, gave way to the storm of
passion which swelled her bosom, execrating her husband with the
utmost loathing and abhorrence, and lamenting in the most passionate
manner her having ever been connected with him. Trembling alike at the
danger to which I had exposed her, and moved by her condition, I could
not help mingling my tears with hers, and endeavoured by caresses and
condoling with her to reduce her excitement. Had the old king seen me,
I know what both our fates would have been, but at that time I cared
not. I was very young, very impetuous, and I was resolved that I would
not permit either her or myself to die unavenged. At last she sobbed
herself to sleep, and I took my usual station outside of the hut. It
was well that I did so, for not five minutes afterwards the old
wretch, having got over his temper, came out of his tent and bent his
steps towards the hut, that he might make friends with her, for she
was too necessary to his happiness. He soon treated her with his
accustomed kindness, but I perceived that after the scene I have
described, her aversion for him was doubled.

There were some scores of women in the various huts within the
palisade, all of whom I understood were wives to the old monarch, but
none but the four we found with him when we were first brought into
his presence were ever to be seen in his company. I had, by means of
my kind mistress, the opportunity of constantly supplying my
companions with fowls and venison, which was left from the king's
table, and through her care, they always met with kind and gentle
usage.

For another two months did I thus remain happy in the company of
Whyna, and miserable when in the presence of the king, whose eye it
was impossible to meet without quailing; when one morning we were all
ordered out, and were surrounded by a large party armed with spears,
javelins, and bird-arrows--I say bird-arrows, as those that they use
in war are much larger. We soon discovered that we were to be sent to
some other place, but where or why, we could not find out. Shortly
afterwards the crowd opened, and Whyna made her appearance. She took
the feather circle off my head, and the manacles off my wrist and leg,
and went and laid them at the king's feet. She then returned, and told
me that I was free as well as my companions, but that I only, if I
chose, had permission to remain with her.

I did not at first reply. She then, in the most earnest manner, begged
me to remain with her as her slave; and as she did not dare to say
what she felt, or use caresses to prevail upon me, she stamped her
little feet with eagerness and impatience. The struggle in my own
heart was excessive. I presumed that we were about to be made a
present to some other king, and I felt that I never could expect so
easy and so pleasant a servitude as I then enjoyed. I was sincerely
attached, and indeed latterly, I was more than attached, to Whyna; I
felt that it was dangerous. Had the old king been dead, I would have
been content to pass my life with her; and I was still hesitating,
notwithstanding the remonstrances of my companions, when the crowd
opened a little, and I beheld the old king looking at me, and I felt
convinced that his jealousy was at last aroused, and that if I
consented to remain, my life would not be worth a day's purchase.

Whyna also turned, and met the look of the old king. Whether she read
in his countenance what I did, I know not; but this is certain, she
made no more attempts to persuade me, but waving her hand for us to
set off on our journey, she slowly retired, and when arrived at the
hut turned round towards us. We all prostrated ourselves before her,
and then set off on our journey. She retired to the door of her own
hut, and two or three times waved her hand to us, at which our guards
made us every time again prostrate ourselves. She then walked out to
the little hill where she always went up to pray, and for the last
time waved her hand, and then I perceived her sink down on the ground,
and turn her head in the direction which she always did when she
prayed.

We now proceeded on our journey in a north-west direction, our guards
treating us with the greatest kindness. We rested every day from ten
till four o'clock in the afternoon, and then walked till late at
night. Corn was supplied us from the scattered hamlets as we passed
along, and our escort procured us flesh and fowl with their bows and
arrows; but we were in a state of great anxiety to know where we were
going, and nobody appeared able or willing to tell us. I often thought
of Whyna, and at times repented that I had not remained with her, as I
feared falling into a worse slavery, but the recollection of the old
king's diabolical parting look was sufficient to make me think that it
was best as it was. Now that I had left my mistress, I thought of her
kindness and amiable qualities, and her affection for me; and although
it may appear strange that I should feel myself in love with a black
woman, I will not deny but that I was so. I could not help being so,
and that is all the excuse I can offer.

Our guards now informed us that we were about to pass for a few miles
through the territory of another king, and that they were not sure
what our reception might be; but this was soon made evident, for we
observed a party behind us, which moved as we moved, although they did
not attack us; and soon afterwards a larger body in front were
blocking up our passage, and we found that we were beset. The
commander of our party, therefore, gave orders for battle, and he put
into our hands strong spears, they being the only weapons we could
use, and entreated us to fight. Our party was greatly outnumbered by
the enemy, but ours were chosen warriors. As for us white men, we kept
together, agreeing among ourselves, that we would defend ourselves if
attacked, but would not offend either party by taking an unnecessary
part in the fray, as it was immaterial to us to whom we belonged.

The battle, or rather skirmish, soon began. They dispersed, and shot
their arrows from behind the trees, and this warfare continued some
time without damage to either party, till at last they attacked us
closely; then, our commander killing that of the enemy, they gave way
just as another party was coming forward to attack us white men; but
finding us resolute in our defence, and our own warriors coming to our
assistance, the rout was general. They could not, however, prevent
some prisoners from being taken; most of them wounded with the
bird-arrows, which, having their barbs twisted in the form of an S,
gave great pain in their extraction. I observed that a particular herb
chewed, and bound up with the bleeding wound, was their only remedy,
and that when the bone was injured, they considered the wound mortal.

We now turned to the eastward to get back into our own territory; we
left the prisoners and wounded at a village, and receiving a
reinforcement, we took a circuit to avoid this hostile people, and
continued our route. On the eighth morning, just as we were stopping
to repose, one of the warriors, who had mounted a hill before us,
shouted and waved his hand. We ran up to him, and as soon as we gained
the summit, were transported with the sight of the British flag flying
on Senegal fort, on the other side of the river. We now understood
that by some means or another we had been ransomed, and so it proved
to be; for the governor hearing that we were prisoners up the country,
had sent messengers offering the old king a handsome present for our
liberation. I afterwards found out that the price paid in goods
amounted to about fifty-six shillings a-head. The governor received us
kindly, clothed us, and sent us down to the ship, which was with a
full cargo in the road, and intending to sail the next day, and we
were received and welcomed by our messmates as men risen from the
dead.

We sailed two days afterwards, and had a fortunate voyage home to
Liverpool.




CHAPTER VIII.

    The Liverpool Ladies are very civil to me--I am admitted
    into good Society--Introduced to Captain Levee--Again
    sail to Senegal--Overhear a Conspiracy to seize the Ship
    by the Crew of a Slaver, but am enabled to defeat it--Am
    thanked and rewarded by the Owner--Take a Trip to London
    with Captain Levee--Stopped by Highwaymen on the
    Road--Put up at a Tavern--Dissipated Town Life--Remove
    to a genteel Boarding-House--Meet with a Government
    Spy--Return to Liverpool.


As the captain reported me to be a very attentive and good officer,
although I was then but twenty-three years of age, and as I had been
previously on good terms and useful to the owner, I was kindly
received by him, and paid much more attention to, than my situation on
board might warrant. My captivity among the Negroes, and the narrative
I gave of my adventures, were also a source of much interest. I was at
first questioned by the gentlemen of Liverpool, and afterwards one of
the merchant's ladies, who had heard something of my adventures, and
found out that I was a young and personable man, with better manners
than are usually to be found before the mast, invited me one evening
to a tea-party, that I might amuse her friends with my adventures.
They were most curious about the Negro queen, Whyna, inquiring into
every particular as to her personal appearance and dress, and trying
to find out, as women always do, if there was any thing of an intrigue
between us. They shook their little fingers at me, when I solemnly
declared that there was not, and one or two of them cajoled me aside
to obtain my acknowledgment of what they really believed to be the
truth, although I would not confess it.

When they had tired themselves with asking questions about the Negro
queen, they then began to ask about myself, and how it happened I was
not such a bear, and coarse in my manners and address, as the other
seamen. To this I could give no other reply but that I had been
educated when a child. They would fain know who were my father and
mother, and in what station of life it had pleased God to place them;
but I hardly need say, my dear Madam, to you who are so well
acquainted with my birth and parentage, that I would not disgrace my
family by acknowledging that one of their sons was in a situation so
unworthy; not that I thought at that time, nor do I think now, that I
was so much to blame in preferring independence in a humble position,
to the life that induced me to take the step which I did; but as I
could not state who my family were without also stating why I had
quitted them, I preserved silence, as I did not think that I had any
right to communicate family secrets to strangers. The consequences of
my first introduction to genteel society were very agreeable; I
received many more invitations from the company assembled,
notwithstanding that my sailor's attire but ill corresponded with the
powdered wigs and silk waistcoats of the gentlemen, or the hoops and
furbelows of satin which set off the charms of the ladies.

At first I did not care so much, but as I grew more at my ease, I felt
ashamed of my dress, and the more so as the young foplings would put
their glasses to their eyes, and look at me as if I were a monster.
But supported as I was by the fair sex, I cared little for them. The
ladies vowed that I was charming, and paid me much courtesy; indeed my
vanity more than once made me suspect that I was something more than a
mere favourite with one or two of them, one especially, a buxom young
person, and very coquettish, who told me, as we were looking out of
the bay window of the withdrawing-room, that since I could be so
secret with respect to what took place between the Negress queen and
myself, I must be sure to command the good-will and favour of the
ladies, who always admired discretion in so young and so handsome a
man. But I was not to be seduced by this flattery, for somehow or
another I had ever before me the French lady, and her conduct to me;
and I had almost a dislike, or I should rather say, I had imbibed an
indifference for the sex.

This admission into good society did, however, have one effect upon
me; it made me more particular in my dress, and all my wages were
employed in the decoration of my person. At that time you may
recollect, Madam, there were but two styles of dress among the seamen;
one was that worn by those who sailed in the northern seas, and the
other by those who navigated in the tropical countries, both suitable
to the climates. The first was the jacket, woollen frock, breeches,
and petticoat of canvas over all, with worsted stockings, shoes, and
buckles, and usually a cap of skin upon the head; the other a light
short jacket, with hanging buttons, red sash, trowsers, and neat shoes
and buckles, with a small embroidered cap with falling crown, or a hat
and feather. It was this last which I had always worn, having been
continually in warm climates, and my hair was dressed in its natural
ringlets instead of a wig, which I was never partial to, although very
common among seamen; my ears were pierced, and I wore long gold
earrings, as well as gilt buckles in my shoes; and, by degrees, I not
only improved my dress so as to make it very handsome in materials,
but my manners were also very much altered for the better.

I had been at Liverpool about two months, waiting for the ship to
unload and take in cargo for another voyage, when a privateer
belonging to the same owner, came into port with four prizes of
considerable value; and the day afterwards I was invited by the owner
to meet the captain who commanded the privateer.

He was a very different looking person from Captain Weatherall, who
was a stout, strong-limbed man, with a weather-beaten countenance. He,
on the contrary, was a young man of about twenty-six, very slight in
person, with a dark complexion, hair and eyes jet black. I should have
called him a very handsome Jew--for he bore that cast of countenance,
and I afterwards discovered that he was of that origin, although I
cannot say that he ever followed the observances of that remarkable
people. He was handsomely dressed, wearing his hair slightly powdered,
a laced coat and waistcoat, blue sash and trowsers, with
silver-mounted pistols and dagger in his belt, and a smart hanger by
his side. He had several diamond rings on his finger, and carried a
small clouded cane. Altogether, I had never fallen in with so smart
and prepossessing a personage, and should have taken him for one of
the gentlemen commending the king's ships, rather than the captain of
a Liverpool privateer. He talked well and fluently, and with an air of
command and decision, taking the lead in the company, although it
might have been considered that he was not by any means the principal
person in it. The owner, during the evening, informed me that he was a
first-rate officer, of great personal courage, and that he had made a
great deal of money, which he had squandered away almost as fast as he
received it.

With this person, whose name was Captain Levee (an alteration, I
suspect, from Levi), I was much pleased; and as I found that he did
not appear to despise my acquaintance, I took much pains to please
him, and we were becoming very intimate, when my ship was ready to
sail. I now found that I was promoted to the office of first mate,
which gave me great satisfaction.

We sailed with an assorted cargo, but very light, and nothing of
consequence occurred during our passage out. We made good traffic on
the coast as we ran down it, receiving ivory, gold-dust, and wax, in
exchange for our printed cottons and hardware. After being six weeks
on the coast, we put into Senegal to dispose of the remainder of our
cargo; which we soon did to the governor, who gave us a fair exchange,
although by no means so profitable a barter as what we had made on the
coast; but that we did not expect for what might be called the refuse
of our cargo. The captain was much pleased, as he knew the owner would
be satisfied with him, and, moreover, he had himself a venture in the
cargo; and we had just received the remainder of the ivory from the
governor's stores, and had only to get on board a sufficiency of
provisions and water for our homeward voyage, when a circumstance took
place which I must now relate.

Our crew consisted of the captain, and myself, as first mate, the
second mate, and twelve seamen, four of which were those who had been
taken prisoners with me, and had been released, as I have related, in
our previous voyage. These four men were very much attached to me, I
believe chiefly from my kindness to them when I was a slave to the
queen Whyna, as I always procured for them every thing which I could,
and, through the exertions of my mistress, had them plentifully
supplied with provisions from the king's table. The second mate and
other eight men we had shipped at Liverpool. They were fine, stout
fellows, but appeared to be loose characters, but that we did not
discover till after we had sailed. There was anchored with us at
Senegal a low black brig, employed in the slave-trade, which had made
the bay at the same time that we did; and to their great surprise--for
she was considered a very fast sailer--she was beaten at all points by
our ship, which was considered the fastest vessel out of Liverpool.
The crew of the slaver were numerous, and as bloodthirsty a set of
looking fellows as ever I fell in with. Their boat was continually
alongside of our vessel, and I perceived that their visits were made
to the eight men whom we had shipped at Liverpool, and that they did
not appear inclined to be at all intimate with the rest of the crew.
This roused my suspicions, although I said nothing; but I watched them
very closely. One forenoon, as I was standing at the foot of the
companion-ladder, concealed by the booby-hatch from the sight of those
on deck, I heard our men talking over the side, and at last, as I
remained concealed, that I might overhear the conversation, one of the
slaver's men from the boat said, "To-night, at eight o'clock, we will
come to arrange the whole business." The boat then shoved off, and
pulled for the brig.

Now, it was the custom of the captain to go onshore every evening to
drink sangaree and smoke with the governor, and very often I went with
him, leaving the ship in charge of the second mate. It had been my
intention, and I had stated as much to the second mate, to go this
evening, as it was the last but one that we should remain at Senegal;
but from what I overheard I made up my mind that I would not go. About
an hour before sunset, I complained of headache and sickness, and sat
down under the awning over the after part of the quarter-deck. When
the captain came up to go on shore, he asked me if I was ready, but I
made no answer, only put my hand to my head.

The captain, supposing that I was about to be attacked by the fever of
the country, was much concerned, and desired the second mate to help
him to take me down to the state-room, and then went on shore; the
boat was, as usual, pulled by the four men who were prisoners with me,
and whom the captain found he could trust on shore better than the
others belonging to the crew, who would indulge in liquor whenever
they had an opportunity. I remained in my bed-place till it was nearly
eight o'clock, and then crept softly up the companion-hatch to
ascertain who was on deck.

The men were all below in the fore-peak at their suppers, and as I had
before observed that their conferences were held on the forecastle, I
went forward, and covered myself up with a part of the main-topsail,
which the men had been repairing during the day. From this position I
could hear all that passed, whether they went down into the fore-peak,
or remained to converse on the forecastle. About ten minutes
afterwards I heard the boat grate against the ship's side, and the men
of the slaver mount on the deck.

"All right?" inquired one of the slavers.

"Yes," replied our second mate; "skipper and his men are on shore, and
the first mate taken with the fever."

"All the better," replied another; "one less to handle. And now, my
lads, let's to business, and have every thing settled to-night, so
that we may not be seen together any more till the work is done."

They then commenced a consultation, by which I found it was arranged
that our ship was to be boarded and taken possession of as soon as she
was a few miles out of the bay, for they dared not attack us while we
were at anchor close to the fort; but the second mate and eight men
belonging to us were to pretend to make resistance until beaten down
below, and when the vessel was in their power, the captain, I, and the
other four men who were ashore in the boat, were to be silenced for
ever. After which there came on a discussion as to what was to be done
with the cargo, which was very valuable, and how the money was to be
shared out when the cargo was sold. Then they settled who were to be
officers on board of the ship, which there is no doubt they intended
to make a pirate vessel. I also discovered that, if they succeeded, it
was their intention to kill their own captain and such men of the
slaver who would not join them, and scuttle their own vessel, which
was a very old one.

The consultation ended by a solemn and most villainous oath being
administered to every man as to secrecy and fidelity, after which the
men of the slaver went into their boat, and pulled to their own
vessel. The second mate and our men remained on deck about a quarter
of an hour, and then all descended by the ladder to the fore-peak, and
turned into their hammocks.

As soon as I thought I could do so with safety, I came out of my
lurking-place, and retreated to the state-room. It was fortunate that
I did, for a minute afterwards I heard a man on deck, and the second
mate came down the companion-hatch, and inquired whether I wanted any
thing. I told him no; that I was very ill, and only hoped to be able
to go to sleep, and asked him if the captain had returned. He replied
that he had not, and then went away. As soon as I was left to myself,
I began to consider what would be best to be done. I knew the captain
to be a very timorous man, and I was afraid to trust him with the
secret, as I thought he would be certain to let the men know by his
conduct that they were discovered, and their plans known. The four men
who were prisoners with me I knew that I could confide in. This was
the Tuesday night, and we proposed sailing on the Thursday. Now we had
no means of defence on board, except one small gun, which was
honeycombed and nearly useless. It did very well to make a signal
with, but had it been loaded with ball, I believe it would have burst
immediately. It is true that we had muskets and cutlasses, but what
use would they have been against such a force as would be opposed, and
two-thirds of our men mutineers. Of course we must have been
immediately overpowered.

That the slavers intended to take possession of their own vessel
before they took ours, I had no doubt. It is true that we outsailed
them when we had a breeze, but the bay was usually becalmed, and it
was not till a vessel had got well into the offing that she obtained a
breeze, and there was no doubt but that they would take the
opportunity of boarding us when we were moving slowly through the
water, and a boat might easily come up with us. The slaver had stated
his intention of sailing immediately to procure her cargo elsewhere,
and if she got under weigh at the same time that we did, no suspicion
would be created. To apply for protection to the governor would be
useless--he could not protect us after we were clear of the bay.
Indeed, if it were known that we had so done, it would probably only
precipitate the affair, and we should be taken possession of while at
anchor, for the shot from the fort would hardly reach us. It was,
therefore, only by stratagem that we could escape from the clutches of
these miscreants. Again, allowing that we were to get clear of the
slavers, we were still in an awkward position, for, supposing the
captain to be of any use, we should still only be six men against
nine, and we might be overpowered by our own crew, who were determined
and powerful men.

All night I lay on my bed reflecting upon what ought to be done, and
at last I made up my mind.

The next morning I went on deck, complaining very much, but stating
that the fever had left me. The long-boat was sent on shore for more
water, and I took care that the second mate and eight men should be
those selected for the service. As soon as they had shoved off, I
called the other four men on the forecastle, and told them what I had
overheard. They were very much astonished, for they had had no idea
that there was any thing of the kind going forward. I imparted to them
all my plans, and they agreed to support me in every thing--indeed,
they were all brave men, and would have, if I had acceded to it,
attempted to master and overpower the second mate and the others, and
make sail in the night; but this I would not permit, as there was a
great risk. They perfectly agreed with me that it was no use
acquainting the captain, and that all we had to do was to get rid of
these men, and carry the vessel home how we could. How that was to be
done was the point at issue. One thing was certain, that it was
necessary to leave the bay that night, or it would be too late.
Fortunately, there was always a light breeze during the night, and the
nights were dark, for there was no moon till three o'clock in the
morning, by which time we could have gained the offing, and then we
might laugh at the slaver, as we were lighter in our heels. The boat
came off with the water about noon, and the men went to dinner. The
captain had agreed to dine with the governor, and I had been asked to
accompany him. It was to be our farewell dinner, as we were to sail
the next morning. I had been cogitating a long while to find out how
to get rid of these fellows, when at last I determined that I would go
on shore with the captain, and propose a plan to the governor. His
knowledge of what was about to be attempted could do no harm, and I
thought he would help us; so I went into the boat, and when we landed
I told the men what I intended to do. As soon as I arrived at the
governor's, I took an opportunity, while the captain was reading a
book, to request a few moments' conversation, and I then informed the
governor of the conspiracy which was afloat, and when I had so done, I
pointed out to him the propriety of saying nothing to the captain
until all was safe, and proposed my plan to him, which he immediately
acceded to. When he returned to where the captain was still reading,
he told him that he had a quantity of gold-dust and other valuables,
which he wished to send to England by his ship; but that he did not
wish to do it openly, as it was supposed that he did not traffic, and
that if the captain would send his long-boat on shore after dark, he
would send all the articles on board, with instructions to whom they
were to be consigned on our arrival. The captain of course consented.
We bade the governor farewell about half an hour before dark, and
returned on board. After I had been a few minutes on deck, I sent for
the second mate, and told him as a secret what the governor had
proposed to do, and that he would be required to land after dark for
the goods, telling him that there was a very large quantity of
gold-dust, and that he must be very careful. I knew that this
intelligence would please him, as it would add to their plunder when
they seized the vessel; and I told him that as we sailed at daylight,
he must lose no time, but be on board again as soon as he could, that
we might hoist in the long-boat. About eight o'clock in the evening,
the boat, with him and the eight men, went on shore. The governor had
promised to detain them, and ply them with liquor, till we had time to
get safe off. As soon as they were out of sight and hearing, we
prepared every thing for getting under weigh. The captain had gone to
his cabin, but was not in bed. I went down to him, and told him I
should remain up till the boat returned, and see that all was right;
and that in the mean time I would get every thing ready for weighing
the next morning, and that he might just as well go to bed now, and I
would call him to relieve me at daylight. To this arrangement he
consented; and in half an hour I perceived that his candle was out,
and that he had retired. Being now so dark that we could not perceive
the slaver, which lay about three cables' length from us, it was
fairly to be argued that she could not see us; I therefore went
forward and slipped the cable without noise, and sent men up aloft to
loose the sails. There was a light breeze, sufficient to carry us
about two knots through the water, and we knew that it would rather
increase than diminish. In half an hour, weak-handed as we were, we
were under sail, every thing being done without a word being spoken,
and with the utmost precaution. You may imagine how rejoiced we all
were when we found that we had manoeuvred so well; notwithstanding, we
kept a sharp look-out, to see if the slaver had perceived our motions,
and had followed us; and the fear of such being the case kept us under
alarm till near daylight, when the breeze blew strong, and we felt
that we had nothing more to dread. As the day broke, we found that we
were four or five leagues from the anchorage, and could not see the
lower masts of the slaver, which still remained where we had left her.

Satisfied that we were secure, I then went down to the captain, and,
as he lay in bed, made him acquainted with all that had passed. He
appeared as if awakened from a dream, rose without making any reply,
and hastened on deck. When he found out that we were under weigh, and
so far from the land, he exclaimed:

"It must all be true; but how shall we be able to take the ship home
with so few hands?"

I replied, that I had no fears on that score, and that I would answer
for bringing the vessel safe to Liverpool.

"But," he said at last, "how is it that I was not informed of all
this? I might have made some arrangements with the men."

"Yes, Sir," I replied, "but if you had attempted to do so, the vessel
would have been taken immediately."

"But why was I not acquainted with it, I want to know?" he said again.

I had by this time made up my mind to the answer I should give him; so
I said: "Because it would have placed a serious responsibility on your
shoulders if, as captain of this vessel, you had sailed to England
with such a valuable cargo and so few hands. The governor and I,
therefore, thought it better that you should not be placed in such an
awkward position, and therefore we considered it right not to say a
word to you about it. Now, if any thing goes wrong, it will be my
fault, and not yours, and the owner cannot blame you." When I had said
this, the captain was silent for a minute or two, and then said:

"Well, I believe it is all for the best, and I thank you and the
governor too."

Having got over this little difficulty, I did not care. We made all
sail, and steered homewards, and, after a rapid passage, during which
we were on deck day and night, we arrived, very much fatigued, at
Liverpool. Of course the captain communicated what had occurred to the
owner, who immediately sent for me, and having heard my version of the
story, expressed his acknowledgment for the preservation of the
vessel; and to prove his sincerity, he presented me with fifty guineas
for myself, and ten for each of the men. The cargo was soon landed,
and I was again at liberty. I found Captain Levee in port; he had just
returned from another cruise, and had taken a rich prize. He met me
with the same cordiality as before; and having asked me for a recital
of what had occurred at Senegal, of which he had heard something from
the owner, as soon as I had finished, he said:

"You are a lad after my own heart, and I wish we were sailing
together. I want a first-lieutenant like you, and if you will go with
me, say the word, and it will be hard but I will have you."

I replied that I was not very anxious to be in a privateer again; and
this brought on a discourse upon what occurred when I was in the
Revenge with Captain Weatherall.

"Well," he said at last, "all this makes me more anxious to have you.
I like fair fighting, and hate buccaneering like yourself; however, we
will talk of it another time. I am about to start for London. What do
you say, will you join me, and we will have some sport? With plenty of
money, you may do any thing in London."

"Yes," I replied, "but I have not plenty of money."

"That shall make no difference; money is of no use but to spend it,
that I know of," replied Captain Levee. "I have plenty for both of us,
and my purse is at your service; help yourself as you please, without
counting, for I shall be your enemy if you offer to return it. That's
settled; the horses are all ready, and we will start on Wednesday. How
will you dress? I think it might be better to alter your costume, now
you are going to London. You'll make a pretty fellow, dress how you
will."

"Before I give you an answer to all your kind proposals, I must speak
to the owner, Captain Levee."

"Of course, you must; shall we go there now?"

"Willingly," I replied. And we accordingly set off.

Captain Levee introduced the subject as soon as we arrived at the
counting-house, stating that he wanted me to be first-lieutenant of
the privateer, and that I was going to London with him, if he had no
objection.

"As for going to London with you for five or six weeks, Captain Levee,
there can be no objection to that," replied the owner; "but as for
being your first-lieutenant, that is another question. I have a vessel
now fitting out, and intended to offer the command of it to Mr.
Elrington. I do so now at once, and he must decide whether he prefers
being under your orders to commanding a vessel of his own."

"I will decide that for him," replied Captain Levee. "He must command
his own vessel; it would be no friendship on my part to stand in the
way of his advancement. I only hope, if she is a privateer, that we
may cruise together."

"I cannot reply to that latter question," replied the owner. "Her
destination is uncertain; but the command of her is now offered to Mr.
Elrington, if he will accept of it, before his trip to the
metropolis."

I replied that I should with pleasure, and returned the owner many
thanks for his kindness; and, after a few minutes' more conversation,
we look our leave.

"Now I should advise you," said Captain Levee, as we walked towards
his lodgings, "to dress as a captain of a vessel of war, much in the
style that I do. You are a captain, and have a right so to do. Come
with me, and let me fit you out."

I agreed with Captain Levee that I could not do better; so we went and
ordered my suits of clothes, and purchased the other articles which I
required. Captain Levee would have paid for them, but I had money
sufficient, and would not permit him; indeed with my pay and present
of fifty guineas I had upwards of seventy guineas in my purse, and did
not disburse more than fifty in my accoutrements, although my pistols
and hanger were very handsome.

We did not start until three days after the time proposed, when I
found at daylight two stout well-bred horses at the door; one for
Captain Levee, and the other for me. We were attended by two
serving-men belonging to the crew of the privateer commanded by
Captain Levee--powerful, fierce-looking, and determined men, armed to
the teeth, and mounted upon strong jades. One carried the valise of
Captain Levee, which was heavy with gold. The other had charge of
mine, which was much lighter, as you may suppose. We travelled for
three days without any interruption, making about thirty miles a-day,
and stopping at the hostelries to sleep every night. On the fourth day
we had a slight affair, for as we were mounting a hill towards the
evening, we found our passage barred by five fellows with crape masks,
who told us to stand and deliver.

"We will," replied Captain Levee, firing his pistol, and reining up
his horse at the same time. The ball struck the man, who fell back on
the crupper, while the others rushed forward. My pistols were all
ready, and I fired at the one who spurred his horse upon me, but the
horse rearing up saved his master, the ball passing through the head
of the animal, who fell dead, holding his rider a prisoner by the
thigh, which was underneath his body. Our two men had come forward and
ranged alongside of us at the first attack, but now that two had
fallen, the others finding themselves in a minority, after exchanging
shots, turned their horses' heads and galloped away. We would have
pursued them, but Captain Levee said it was better not, as there might
be more of the gang near, and by pursuing them we might separate and
be cut off in detail.

"What shall we do with these fellows?" asked our men of Captain Levee.

"Leave them to get off how they can," replied Captain Levee. "I will
not be stopped on my journey by such a matter as this. I dare say they
don't deserve hanging more than half the people we meet. Let us push
on and get into quarters for the night. After all, Mr. Elrington,"
said Captain Levee to me, as we were setting off, "it's only a little
land privateering, and we must not be too hard upon them."

I confess, Madam, when I recalled all that I had witnessed on board of
the Revenge, that I agreed with Captain Levee, that these highwaymen
were not worse than ourselves.

No other adventure occurred during our journey, and when we arrived in
London we directed our horses' steps to a fashionable tavern in St.
Paul's, and took possession of apartments, and as Captain Levee was
well known, we were cordially greeted and well attended. The tavern
was in great repute, and resorted to by all the wits and gay men of
the day, and I soon found myself on intimate terms with a numerous set
of dashing blades, full of life and jollity, and spending their money
like princes; but it was a life of sad intemperance, and my head
ached every morning from the excess of the night before, and in our
excursions in the evenings we were continually in broils and
disturbances, and many a broken head, nay, sometimes a severe wound,
was given and received. After the first fortnight, I felt weary of
this continual dissipation, and as I was dressing a sword-cut which
Captain Levee had received in an affray, I one morning told him so.

"I agree with you," he replied, "that it is all very foolish and
discreditable, but if we live with the gay and pretty fellows, we must
do as they do. Besides, how could I get rid of my money, which burns
in my pocket, if I did not spend as much in one day as would suffice
for three weeks?"

"Still I would rather dress a wound gained in an honourable contest
with the enemy than one received in a night brawl, and I would rather
see you commanding your men in action than reeling with other
drunkards in search of a quarrel in the streets."

"I feel that it is beneath me, and I'm sure that it's beneath you. You
are a Mentor without a beard," replied Captain Levee. "But still it
requires no beard to discover that I have made an ass of myself. Now,
what do you say, shall we take lodgings and live more reputably, for
while in this tavern we never shall be able to do so?"

"I should prefer it, to tell you the honest truth," I replied, "for I
have no pleasure in our present life."

"Be it so, then," he replied. "I will tell them that I take lodgings,
that I may be near to a fair lady. That will be a good and sufficient
excuse."

The next day we secured lodgings to our satisfaction, and removed into
them, leaving our horses and men at the tavern. We boarded with the
family, and as there were others who did the same, we had a very
pleasant society, especially as there were many of the other sex among
the boarders. The first day that we sat down to dinner, I found myself
by the side of a young man of pleasing manners, although with much of
the coxcomb in his apparel. His dress was very gay and very expensive,
and he wore a diamond-hilted sword and diamond buckles--at least so
they appeared to me, as I was not sufficient connoisseur to
distinguish the brilliant from the paste. He was very affable and
talkative, and before dinner was over gave me the history of many of
the people present.

"Who is the dame in the blue stomacher?" I inquired.

"You mean the prettiest of the two, I suppose," he replied, "that one
with the patches under the eye? She is a widow, having just buried an
old man of sixty, to whom she was sacrificed by her mother. But
although the old fellow was as rich as a Jew, he found such fault with
the lady's conduct that he left all his money away from her. This is
not generally known, and she takes care to conceal it, for she is
anxious to make another match, and she will succeed if her funds,
which are not _very_ great, enable her to carry on the game a little
longer. I was nearly taken in myself, but an intimacy with her cousin,
who hates her, gave me a knowledge of the truth. She still keeps her
carriage, and appears to be rolling in wealth, but she has sold her
diamonds and wears paste. And that plain young person on the other
side of her has money, and knows the value of it. She requires
rent-roll for rent-roll, and instead of referring you to her father
and mother, the little minx refers you to her lawyer and man of
business. Ugly as she is, I would have sacrificed myself, but she
treated me in that way, and upon my soul I was not very sorry for it,
for she is dear at any price, and I have since rejoiced at my want of
success."

"Who is that elderly gentleman with such snow-white hair?" I inquired.

"That," replied my companion, "nobody exactly knows, but I have my
idea. I think," said he, lowering his voice to a whisper, "that he is
a Catholic priest, or a Jesuit, perhaps, and a partisan of the house
of Stuart. I have my reasons for supposing so, and this I am sure of,
which is, that he is closely watched by the emissaries of government."

You may remember, Madam, how at that time the country was disturbed by
the landing of the Pretender in the summer of the year before, and the
great successes which he had met with, and that the Duke of Cumberland
had returned from the army in the Low Countries, and had marched to
Scotland.

"Has there been any intelligence from Scotland relative to the
movements of the armies?" I inquired.

"We have heard that the Pretender had abandoned the siege of Fort
William, but nothing more; and how far the report is true, it is hard
to say. You military men must naturally have a war one way or the
other," said my companion, in a careless manner.

"As to the fighting part of the question," I replied, "I should feel
it a matter of great indifference which side I fought for, as the
claim of both parties is a matter of mere opinion."

"Indeed," he said; "and what may be your opinion?"

"I have none. I think the claims of both parties equal. The house of
Stuart lost the throne of England on account of its religion--that of
Hanover has been called to the throne for the same cause. The
adherents of both are numerous at the present moment; and it does not
follow because the house of Hanover has the strongest party, that the
house of Stuart should not uphold its cause while there is a chance of
success."

"That is true; but if you were to be obliged to take one side or the
other, which would it be by preference?"

"Certainly I would support the Protestant religion in preference to
the Catholic. I am a Protestant, and that is reason enough."

"I agree with you," replied my companion. "Is your brave friend of the
same opinion?"

"I really never put the question to him, but I think I may safely
answer that he is."

It was fortunate, Madam, that I replied as I did, for I afterwards
discovered that this precious gossiping young man, with his rings and
ribbons, was no other than a government spy, on the look-out for
malcontents. Certainly his disguise was good, for I never should have
imagined it from his foppish exterior and mincing manners.

We passed our time much more to my satisfaction now than we did
before, escorting the ladies to the theatre and to Ranelagh, and the
freedom with which Captain Levee (and I may say I also) spent his
money, soon gave us a passport to good society. About a fortnight
afterwards, the news arrived of the battle of Culloden, and great
rejoicings were made. My foppish friend remarked to me:--

"Yes, now that the hopes of the Pretender are blasted, and the
Hanoverian succession secured, there are plenty who pretend to
rejoice, and be excessively loyal, who, if the truth were known, ought
to be quartered as traitors."

And I must observe, that the day before the news of the battle, the
old gentleman with snow-white hair was arrested and sent to the Tower,
and he afterwards suffered for high treason.

But letters from the owner, saying that the presence of both of us was
immediately required, broke off this pleasant London party. Indeed,
the bag of gold was running very low, and this, combined with the
owner's letter, occasioned our breaking up three days afterwards. We
took leave of the company at the lodgings, and there was a tender
parting with one or two buxom young women; after which we again
mounted our steeds and set off for Liverpool, where we arrived without
any adventure worthy of narration.




CHAPTER IX.

    I am put in command of the Sparrow-Hawk--Am directed to
    take four Jacobite Gentlemen secretly on board--Run with
    them to Bordeaux--Land them in safety--Dine with the
    Governor--Meet with the Widow of the French Gentleman I
    had unfortunately killed--Am insulted by her second
    Husband--Agree to fight with him--Sail down the River
    and prepare for Action.


On our arrival, Captain Levee and I, as soon as we had got rid of the
dust of travel, called upon the owner, who informed us that all the
alterations in Captain Levee's vessel, which was a large lugger of
fourteen guns, and a hundred and twenty men, were complete, and that
my vessel was also ready for me, and manned; but that I had better go
on board and see if any thing else was required, or if there was any
alteration that I would propose. Captain Levee and I immediately went
down to the wharf, alongside of which my vessel lay, that we might
examine her now that she was fitted out as a vessel of war.

She had been a schooner in the Spanish trade, and had been captured
by Captain Levee, who had taken her out from under a battery as she
lay at anchor, having just made her port from a voyage from South
America, being at that time laden with copper and cochineal--a most
valuable prize she had proved--and as she was found to be a surprising
fast sailer, the owner had resolved to fit her out as a privateer.

She was not a large vessel, being of about a hundred and sixty tons,
but she was very beautifully built. She was now armed with eight brass
guns, of a calibre of six pounds each, four howitzers aft, and two
cohorns on the taffrail.

"You have a very sweet little craft here, Elrington," said Captain
Levee, after he had walked all over her, and examined her below and
aloft. "She will sail better than before, I should think, for she then
had a very full cargo, and now her top hamper is a mere nothing. Did
the owner say how many men you had?"

"Fifty-four is, I believe, to be our full complement," I replied, "and
I should think quite enough."

"Yes, if they are good men and true. You may do a great deal with this
vessel, for you see she draws so little water, that you may run in
where I dare not venture. Come, we will now return to our lodgings,
pack up, and each go on board of our vessels. We have had play enough,
now to work again, and in good earnest."

"I was about to propose it myself," I replied, "for with a new vessel,
officers and men not known to me, the sooner I am on board and with
them the better. It will take some time to get every thing and
everybody in their places."

"Spoken like a man who understands his business," replied Captain
Levee. "I wonder whether we shall be sent out together?"

"I can only say, that I hope so," I replied, "as I should profit much
by your experience, and hope to prove to you that, if necessary, I
shall not be a bad second."

And as I made this reply, we arrived at the house where we had lodged.

Captain Levee was a man, who, when once he had decided, was as rapid
as lightning in execution. He sent for a dealer in horses, concluded a
bargain with him in five minutes, paid his lodgings and all demands
upon him, and before noon we were both on board of our respective
vessels. But, previous to the seamen coming up for our boxes, I
observed to him, "I should wish, Levee, that you would let me know, if
it is only at a rough guess, what sum I may be indebted to you; as I
may be fortunate, and if so, it will be but fair to repay you the
money, although your kindness I cannot so easily return."

"I'll tell you exactly," said Levee. "If I take no prizes this cruise,
and you do make money, why then we will, on our return, have another
frolic somewhere, and you shall stand treat. That will make us all
square, if I am not fortunate; but if I am, I consider your pleasant
company to have more than repaid me for any little expense I may have
incurred."

"You are very kind to say that," I replied; "but I hope you will be
fortunate, and not have to depend upon me."

"I hope so too," he replied, laughing. "If we come back safe and
sound, we will take a trip to Bath--I am anxious to see the place."

I mention this conversation, Madam, that I may make you acquainted
with the character of Captain Levee, and prove to you how worthy a man
I had as a companion.

It required about ten days to complete my little schooner with every
thing that I considered requisite, and the politeness of the owner was
extremely gratifying. We were, however, but just complete, when the
owner sent for me in a great hurry, and having taken me into a back
room next to the counting-house, he locked the door, and said--

"Captain Elrington, I have been offered a large sum to do a service to
some unfortunate people; but it is an affair which, for our own sakes,
will demand the utmost secrecy: indeed, you will risk more than I
shall; but at the same time I trust you will not refuse to perform the
service, as I shall lose a considerable advantage. If you will
undertake it, I shall not be ungrateful."

I replied that I was bound to him by many acts of kindness, and that
he might confide in my gratitude.

"Well, then," he replied, lowering his voice, "the fact is this; four
of the Jacobite party, who are hotly pursued, and for whose heads a
large reward is offered, have contrived to escape to this port, and
are here concealed by their friends, who have applied to me to land
them at some port in France."

"I understand," I replied; "I will cheerfully execute the commission."

"I thank you, Captain Elrington; I expected no other answer from you.
I would not put them on board Captain Levee's vessel for many reasons;
but, at the same time, he knows that he is to sail to-morrow, and he
shall wait for you and keep company with you till you have landed
them; after which you may concert your own measures with him, and
decide whether you cruise together or separate."

"Captain Levee will of course know that I have them on board?"

"Certainly; but it is to conceal these people from others in his ship,
and not from him, that they are put on board of your vessel. At the
same time, I confess I have my private reasons as well, which I do not
wish to make known. You can sail to-morrow?"

"I can sail to-night, if you wish," I replied.

"No; to-morrow night will be the time that I have fixed."

"At what time will they come on board?"

"I cannot reply to that till to-morrow. The fact is, that the
government people are on a hot scent; and there is a vessel of war in
the offing, I am told, ready to board any thing and every thing which
comes out. Captain Levee will sail to-morrow morning, and will in all
probability be examined by the government vessel, which is, I
understand, a most rapid sailer."

"Will he submit to it?"

"Yes, he must; and I have given him positive orders not to make the
least attempt to evade her or prevent a search. He will then run to
Holyhead, and lay-to there for you to join him, and you will proceed
together to the port which the people taken on board shall direct,
for that is a part of the agreement they have made with me."

"Then of course I am to evade the king's vessel?"

"Certainly; and I have no doubt but that you will be able so to do.
Your vessel is so fleet, that there will be little difficulty: at all
events, you will do your best: but recollect, that although you must
make every attempt to escape, you must not make any attempt at
resistance--indeed, that would be useless against a vessel of such
force. Should you be in a position which might enable them to board
you, you must find some safe hiding-place for your passengers; for I
hardly need say, that if taken with them on board, the vessel will be
confiscated, and you will run some danger of your life. I have nothing
more to say to you just now, except that you may give out that Captain
Levee sails to-morrow, and that you are to follow him in ten days.
Your powder is on board?"

"Yes; I got it on board as soon as we hauled out in the stream."

"Well, then, you will call here to-morrow morning about eleven
o'clock, not before, and (I hardly need repeat it), but I again
say--secrecy,--as you value your life."

As soon as I had left the owner, I went down to the wharf, stepped
into the boat, and went on board Captain Levee's vessel, which, I have
omitted to state, was named the Arrow. I found him on board, and very
busy getting ready for sea.

"So you are off to-morrow, Levee?" said I, before all the people on
the deck.

"Yes," he replied.

"I wish I was, too; but I am to remain ten days longer, I find."

"I was in hopes we should have cruised together," replied Captain
Levee; "but we must do as our owner wishes. What detains you?--I
thought you were ready."

"I thought so too," I replied; "but we find that the head of the
mainmast is sprung, and we must have a new one. I have just come from
the owner's, and must set to work at once, and get ready for shifting
our mast. So, fare you well, if I do not see you before you sail."

"I am to see the owner to-night," replied Levee. "Shall we not meet
then, and take a parting glass?"

"I fear not, but I will come if I can," I replied; "if not, success to
the Arrow!"

"And success to the Sparrow-Hawk!" replied Levee, "and God bless you,
my good fellow."

I shook hands with my kind friend, and went over the side of the
lugger into my boat, and then pulled for my own vessel. As soon as I
got on board, I sent for the officers and men, and said to them--

"We are to shift our mainmast for one that is three feet longer, and
must work hard, that we may be able to sail as soon as possible. I
cannot allow any of you to go on shore till the work is finished; when
it is done, you will have leave as before till we sail."

That afternoon I sent down the topsail-yard and topmast, unbent the
mainsail, main-topsail, and gaff--sent down the topmast and
running-rigging on deck--cast loose the lanyards of the lower rigging,
and quite dismantled the mainmast, so as to make it appear as if we
were about to haul to the wharf and take it out. The men all remained
on board, expecting that we should shift our berth the next day.

On the following morning I laid out a warp to the wharf, as if
intending to haul in; and at the time appointed, I went on shore to
the owner, and told him what I had done.

"But," he said, "I find that you will have to sail this night as soon
as it is dark. How will you get ready?"

I replied that at nightfall I would immediately replace every thing,
and in an hour would be ready for sea.

"If such be the case, you have done well, Mr. Elrington, and I thank
you for your zeal on my behalf, which I shall not forget. Every thing
has been arranged, and you must come up here with some of your seamen
as soon as you are ready to sail. Your men, or rather four of them,
must remain in the house. The four gentlemen who are to be embarked
will be dressed, in seamen's attire, and will carry down their boxes
and trunks as if they were your men taking your things on board. You
will then remain a little distance from the wharf in the boat till
your own men come down, and if there is no discovery you will take
them on board with you; if, on the contrary, there is any suspicion,
and the officers of the government are on the watch, and stop your
men, you will then push off with the passengers, slip your cable if it
is necessary, and make all sail for Holyhead, where you will fall in
with the Arrow, which will be waiting there for you. Is the Arrow
still in sight?"

"No," I replied; "she was out of sight more than an hour ago, and from
our masthead we could see the top-gallant sails of the vessel of war
bearing N.N.W."

"Keep a look-out upon her, and see how she bears at dark," replied the
owner, "for you must not fall in with her if possible. I think you had
better return on board now, that you may keep your people quiet."

When I arrived on board the schooner, I told my officers that I did
not think that we should shift the mast as proposed, and that every
thing must be got ready for refitting. I did not choose to say more,
but I added that I was to go on shore in the evening to smoke a pipe
with the owner, and then I should know for certain. I employed the men
during the whole of the day in doing every thing in preparation which
could be done without exciting suspicion; and as soon as it was dark I
called the men aft, and told them that I thought it was very likely,
from the Arrow not having made her appearance, that we might be sent
to join her immediately, and that I wished them to rig the mainmast,
and make every thing ready for an immediate start, promising them to
serve out some liquor if they worked well. This was sufficient, and in
little more than an hour the mast was secured, the rigging all
complete, and the sails ready for bending. I then ordered the boat to
be manned, and telling the officers that they were to bend the sails,
and have every thing ready for weighing on my return on board, which
would be in an hour, or thereabouts, I pulled on shore, and went up to
the owner's, taking four men with me, and leaving three men in the
boat. I ordered these three men to remain till the others came down
with my trunks and effects, and not to leave the boat on any
consideration.

When I arrived at the owner's, I told him what I had done, and he
commended my arrangements. In the back room I found four gentlemen
dressed in seamen's clothing, and as there was no time to be lost,
they immediately shouldered the trunks and valises; desiring my own
men to remain with the owner to bring down any thing that he might
wish to send on board, I left them in the counting-house. The
gentlemen followed me with their loads down to the boat, and when I
got there the men told me that some people had come down and asked
whose boat it was, and why they were lying there, and that they had
told the people that the captain had taken four men with him to bring
down his things, and that they were waiting for him; so it was lucky
that I said to my men what I did.

We hastened to put the trunks into the boat, and to get in ourselves
after we had received this intelligence, and then I shoved off from
the wharf, and laid about a stone's throw distant for my other men. At
last we heard them coming down, and shortly afterwards we perceived
that they were stopped by other people, and in altercation with them.
I knew then that the officers were on the alert, and would discover
the stratagem, and therefore desired my men and the gentlemen, who had
each taken an oar in readiness, to give way and pull for the schooner.
As we did so, the king's officers on search who had stopped my four
men came down to the wharf and ordered us to come back, but we made no
reply. As soon as we were alongside, we hoisted the things out of the
boat, veered her astern by a tow-rope, slipped the cable, and made
sail. Fortunately it was very dark, and we were very alert in our
movements. We could perceive lights at the wharf as we sailed out of
the river, and it was clear that we had had a narrow escape; but I
felt no alarm on account of the owner, as I knew that although they
might suspect, they could prove nothing. When about three miles out we
hove to, hoisted in the boat, and shaped our course.

All I had now to fear was the falling in with the ship of war in the
offing, and I placed men to keep a sharp look-out in every direction,
and told the officers that it was necessary that we should avoid her.
When last seen, about an hour before dark, she was well to windward,
and as the wind was from the northward, she would probably sail faster
than we could, as a schooner does not sail so well free as on a wind.
We had run out about four hours, and were steering our course for
Holyhead, when suddenly we perceived the ship of war close to us, and
to leeward. She had been lying with her mainsail to the mast, but she
evidently had made us out, for she filled and set top-gallant sails.

I immediately hauled my wind, and as soon as she had way, she tacked
and followed in pursuit, being then right astern of us, about half a
mile off. It was very dark, and I knew that as our sails were set, and
we bore from her, it would be difficult for her to keep us in sight,
as we only presented what we call the feather-edge of our sails to
her. I therefore steered on under all sail, and finding that the
schooner weathered on her, I kept her away a little, so as to retain
the same bearings, and to leave her faster.

In an hour we could not make out the ship, and were therefore certain
that she could not see us; so, as I wanted to get clear of her, and be
at Holyhead as soon as possible, I lowered down all the sails and put
my helm up, so as to cross her and run to leeward under bare poles,
while she continued her windward chase. This stratagem answered, and
we saw no more of her; for, two hours afterwards, we fell in with the
Arrow, and, hailing her, we both made sail down the Bristol Channel as
fast as we could, and at daybreak there was no vessel in sight, and of
course we had nothing more to fear from the Liverpool cruiser.

As we now sailed rapidly along in company, with the wind on our
quarter, it was high time for me to look to my passengers, who had
remained on deck in perfect silence from the time that they had come
on board. I therefore went up to them, and apologized for not having
as yet paid them that attention that I should have wished to have done
under other circumstances.

"Captain," replied the oldest of them, with a courteous salute, "you
have paid us every attention; you have been extremely active in saving
our lives, and we return you our sincere thanks."

"Yes, indeed," replied a young and handsome man who stood next him,
"Mr. Elrington has saved us from the toils of our enemies; but now
that we are in no fear from that quarter, I must tell him that we have
hardly had a mouthful of food for twenty-four hours, and if he wishes
to save our lives a second time, it will be by ordering a good
breakfast to be prepared for us."

"Campbell speaks the truth, my dear Sir," said the one who had first
spoken. "We have lately gained the knowledge of what it is to hunger
and thirst; and we all join in his request."

"You shall not wait long," I replied; "I will be up again in a moment
or two." I went down into the cabin, and ordering my servant to put on
the table a large piece of pressed Hamburg beef, a cold pie of various
flesh and fowl combined, some bread and cheese, and some bottles of
brandy and usquebaugh, I then went up again, and requested them all to
descend. Hungry they certainly were, and it was incredible the
quantity that they devoured. I should have imagined that they had not
been fed for a week; and I thought that if they were to consume at
that rate, my stock would never last out, and the sooner they were
landed the better. As soon as they left off eating, and had finished
two bottles of usquebaugh, I said to them, "Gentlemen, my orders are
to land you at any port of France that you should prefer. Have you
made up your minds as to which it shall be, for it will be necessary
that we shape a course according to your decision?"

"Mr. Elrington, on that point we would wish to advise with you. I
hardly need say that our object is to escape, and that falling in with
and being captured by a ship of war, and there are many out in pursuit
of us and other unfortunate adherents to the house of Stuart, would be
extremely disagreeable, as our heads and our bodies would certainly
part company, if we were taken. Now, which port do you think we should
be most likely to reach with least chance of interruption?"

"I think," I replied, "as you pay me the compliment to ask my opinion,
that it would be better to run down the Bay of Biscay, and then put in
the port of Bordeaux, or any other, where you could be landed in
safety; and my reason is this: the Channel is full of cruisers looking
after those of your party who are attempting to escape; and my vessel
will be chased and searched. Now, although we might sail faster than
any one vessel in the Channel, yet it is very possible that in running
away from one, we may fall into the jaws of another. And besides, we
are two privateers, and cruising off Bordeaux will excite no
suspicion, as it is a favourite cruising-ground; so that, if we were
boarded, there would be little danger of discovery; but, of course, as
long as I can prevent that, by taking to my heels, I shall not be
boarded by any one. The only objection to what I propose is, that you
will be confined longer in a vessel than you may like, or than you
would be if you were to gain a nearer port."

"I agree with the captain of the vessel," said a grave-looking
personage, who had not yet spoken, and whom I afterwards discovered to
be a Catholic priest, "the stanchest adherent to the cause could not
have given better advice, and I should recommend that it be followed."

The others were of the same opinion; and, in consequence, I edged the
schooner down to the Arrow, and hailed Captain Levee, stating that we
were to run to Bordeaux. After that I prepared for them sleeping
accommodations as well as I could, and on my making apologies, they
laughed, and told me such stories of their hardships during their
escape, that I was not surprised at their not being difficult. I found
out their names by their addressing one another, to be Campbell,
M'Intyre, Ferguson, and M'Donald; all of them very refined gentlemen,
and of excellent discourse. They were very merry, and laughed at all
that they had suffered; sang Jacobite songs, as they were termed, and
certainly did not spare my locker of wine. The wind continued fair,
and we met with no interruption, and on the fourth evening, at dusk,
we made the mouth of the Garonne, and then hove to, with our heads off
shore, for the night. Captain Levee then came on board, and I
introduced him to my passengers. To my surprise, after some
conversation, he said--

"I have now escorted Captain Elrington, according to the orders I
received, and shall return to Liverpool as soon as possible; if,
therefore, gentlemen, you have any letters to send to your friends
announcing your safety, I shall be most happy to present them in any
way you may suggest as most advisable."

That Captain Levee had some object in saying this, I was quite
certain; and therefore I made no remark. The passengers thanked him
for his proposal; and, being provided with writing materials, they all
wrote to their friends, and put their letters into Captain Levee's
hands, who then bade them farewell, and went on deck with me.

"Of course, you were not serious in what you said, Captain Levee?" I
inquired, as we walked forward.

"No," he replied; "but I considered it prudent to make them believe
so. Although Englishmen, they are enemies to our country, so far as
they are enemies to our government, and, of course, wish no harm to
the French, who have so warmly supported them. Now, if they knew that
I remained here waiting for your coming out of the river, they would
say so, and I might lose the chance of a good prize, as nothing would
sail, if they knew that the coast was not clear. Now, I shall part
company with you in an hour, and make all sail for England, as they
may suppose, but without fail, to-morrow night I shall be off here
again, about five leagues from the port, with my sails furled;
therefore, stay in the river as long as they will let you, as, while
you are in port with the flag of truce, vessels may sail out."

"I understand you, and will do all I can to assist your views, Captain
Levee. Now, we will go down again. I will give you a receipt for a
coil of rope, which you will send your boat for, and write a letter to
the owners, after which you will wish me good bye, and make sail."

"Exactly," Captain Levee replied, who then ordered his boat to go for
a coil of three inch, and bring it on board.

We then descended to the cabin, and I wrote a letter to the owner, and
also a receipt for the coil of rope, which I delivered to Captain
Levee. The boat soon returned from the lugger, the rope was taken on
board, and then Captain Levee wished me farewell, and made his polite
adieus to the gentlemen who followed him on deck, and waited there
till he had hoisted in his boat, and made all sail.

"How long will she be before she arrives at Liverpool with this
wind?" inquired Mr. Campbell.

"She will carry her canvas night and day," I replied; "and, therefore,
as she sails so fast, I should say in five or six days."

"Well, I am grateful that we have such an early and safe opportunity
of communicating with our friends in England, we might have waited two
months otherwise."

"Very true," replied the priest, "but Heaven has assisted our anxious
wishes. Let us be grateful for all things."

My passengers watched the lugger until she was nearly out of sight. I
dare say that their thoughts were, that those on board of her were
going to the country of their birth, from which they were exiles,
probably for ever: they did not speak, but went down below, and
retired to their beds. At daylight the next morning I ran the schooner
in; and as soon as I was within three miles of the coast, I hoisted
the white flag of truce, and stood for the mouth of the river Garonne.
I perceived that the batteries were manned, but not a shot was fired,
and we entered the river.

When we were a mile up the river, we were boarded by the French
authorities, and my passengers, who had dressed themselves in their
proper costume, informed the officer in the boat who they were, upon
which he was very polite, and calling a pilot out of the boat, the
schooner was taken charge of by him, and we very soon afterwards,
having wind and tide in our favour, were anchored alongside of two
large merchant vessels and a French privateer of sixteen guns, which I
instantly recognized as our old antagonist off Hispaniola, in the
action in which the Revenge was captured, and Captain Weatherall lost
his life. However, I kept my knowledge to myself, as the French
officer and the Jacobite gentleman were present. As soon as we had
anchored, the passengers were requested to go into the boat, and the
French officer and I to accompany them, that I might report myself to
the governor, and we pulled away to the town, one of my boats
following with the passengers' luggage.

On our landing, there was a great crowd assembled, and they looked
very hard at me, as I was dressed in my lace coat and a cocked-up
hat, also bound with broad gold lace. On our arrival in the presence
of the governor, we were received with much urbanity; and as I had
brought the Jacobite gentlemen in my schooner, it was presumed that I
was favourable to the cause, and I was very politely treated. The
governor invited us all to dine with him on that day. I made some
excuse, saying, that I was anxious to return to Liverpool; that I
might fit out for the coast of Africa, in which service I was to be
employed by my owners; but the passengers insisted upon my staying a
day or two, and the governor added to their solicitations, his own.

I therefore accepted, not only because I was glad to have an
opportunity to see so celebrated a town, but because it would meet the
views of Captain Levee. We took leave of the governor, and went to an
hotel, and I then sent my boat on board for necessaries, and hired a
handsome apartment in the hotel. I had not been there half an hour,
when the priest came to me and said, "Captain, you are not aware of
the rank and consequence of the three gentlemen whom you have been so
successful in escorting to a place of safety. I am requested by them
to make you a handsome remuneration for your kindness and skilful
conduct on this occasion."

"Sir," I replied, "that must not be. I am most happy in having
assisted in the escape of unfortunate gentlemen; and all the pleasure
I feel at having so done would be destroyed if I were to accept of
what you offer. It is useless to repeat it; and if you do, I shall
consider it an insult, and immediately repair on board of my vessel.
You will therefore tender my best thanks and my refusal, with ardent
wishes for their future welfare."

"After what you have said, Captain Elrington, I will, of course, not
resume the offer. I will tell my fellow-passengers what you have said,
and I am sure that they will, as I do, admire your high sense of
honour."--The priest shook me by the hand, and then quitted my
apartment. I did not see the other passengers till it was the hour to
go to dine at the governor's, when they embraced me cordially, and the
one calling himself Campbell said, "Should you ever be in distress or
a prisoner in this country, recollect you have a friend who is ready
to serve you. Here is an address to a lady, to whom you must write,
and say that you wish the assistance of your passenger to
Bordeaux--that will be sufficient--I trust you may never require it."

We had a pleasant dinner at the governor's, and among the people
invited to meet us, I perceived the French captain of the privateer. I
knew him immediately, although he did not recognize me. We had some
conversation together, and he spoke about his cruises in the West
Indies, and asked me whether I knew Captain Weatherall. I said there
was a Captain Weatherall who commanded the Revenge privateer, and who
was killed when his vessel was taken.

"Exactly," said the captain; "he was a brave man, and fought nobly,
and so did all his people--they fought like devils."

"Yes," I replied, "they fought as long as they could, but Captain
Weatherall was very short-handed. He had but fifty-five men on board
at the commencement of the action."

"More than that, I'm sure," replied the French captain.

"He had not, I assure you," I replied; "he had lost so many in an
attack on shore, and had so many away in prizes."

Our conversation had attracted general notice, and a French army
officer observed, "Monsieur speaks so positively, that one would
imagine that he was actually on board."

"And so I was, Sir," replied I, "and have my wounds to show for it. I
knew this officer immediately I saw him, for I was close to Captain
Weatherall at the time that this officer expostulated with him before
the action; and I crossed my sword with him during the combat."

"You have convinced me that you were on board," replied the captain of
the privateer, "by your mentioning the expostulations previous to the
combat taking place. I am delighted to have met with so brave an
enemy, for every man on board that vessel was a hero."

The conversation was then general, and many particulars were asked;
and I will do the French captain the justice to say, that he was very
correct in all his statements, and neither vaunted his own success,
nor did us less than justice.

The party then broke up to go to the theatre, and afterwards we
repaired to the hotel. I remained there two days more, and on the last
of these two days I had promised to sup with the French captain of the
privateer, who had called upon me, and behaved very politely. The
following day, after noon, when the tide served, I was to sail.
Accordingly, after the theatre was over, I went with the French
captain to his house, in company with two or three more. Supper was on
the table when we arrived there, and we went into the room, waiting
for the presence of the captain's lady, who had not gone to the
theatre, and to whom I had not been introduced. After a few minutes
she made her appearance, and as she entered the room, I was struck
with her extreme beauty, although she was past the meridian of life. I
thought I had seen her face before, and as she came forward with her
husband, it at once rushed into my mind that she was the widow of the
French gentleman who had so gallantly fought his vessel, and who fell
by my hand--the lady who was nursing her son at the King's Hospital at
Jamaica, and who had been so inveterate against me. Our eyes met, and
her cheeks flushed; she recognized me, and I coloured deeply as I
bowed to her. She was taken with a faintness, and fell back.
Fortunately her husband received her in his arms.

"What is the matter, my love?" he said.

"Nothing; but I am taken with a vertigo," replied she; "it will go off
directly. Make my excuses to the company, while I retire for a few
minutes."

Her husband went out of the room, and after a minute or two came back,
saying that Madam was not well enough to return to the room, and
begged that they would admit her excuse, and sit down to supper
without her. Whether his wife had informed him of who I was, I know
not; but nothing could exceed the civility of the French captain
towards me during the supper. We did not, however, remain very late,
as the lady of the house was indisposed.

I found out, as I walked home with another French officer, that the
captain of the privateer had fallen in with the French lady on her
return from Jamaica, where her son died in the hospital, and had
married her; and that, moreover, unlike most French husbands, he was
most ardently attached to her.

I had breakfasted the next morning, and packed up my clothes
preparatory to going on board, and had just returned from a visit of
leave-taking with the governor, when who should walk up into my
apartment but the French captain of the privateer, accompanied by
three or four French officers of the army. I perceived by his looks
when he entered that he was a little excited, but I met him cordially.
He began a conversation about his action with Captain Weatherall, and
instead of speaking handsomely as he had done before, he used
expressions which I considered offensive, and I at once took him up by
observing that being under a flag of truce, it was impossible for me
to notice what he said.

"No," he replied; "but I wish we were once more on the high seas
together, for I have a little debt of gratitude to pay off."

"Well," I replied, "you may have; and I should not be sorry to give
you an opportunity, if it were possible."

"May I inquire whether you intend to go home as a cartel, and carry
your flag of truce to Liverpool?"

"No, Sir," I replied; "I shall haul down my flag of truce as soon as I
am out of gun-shot of your batteries. I understand what you mean, Sir.
It is very true that your vessel carries nearly double the number of
men and guns that mine does, but nevertheless I shall haul down my
flag of truce, as I say I will."

"Not if I follow you down the river, I presume?" he said with a sort
of sneer.

"Follow me, if you dare," I cried; "you will meet with your master,
depend upon it."

"Sacre!" replied he, in a passion, "I will blow you out of the water;
and if I take you I will hang you for a pirate."

"Not the last, certainly," I said coolly.

"Look you, Sir," he cried, shutting his fist upon the palm of his
other hand, "if I take you, I will hang you; and if you take me, you
may serve me in the same way. Is it a bargain, or are you a coward?"

"Gentlemen," I said to the officers present, "you must feel that your
countryman is not behaving well. He has insulted me grossly. I will,
however, consent to his terms on one condition, which is, that he will
permit one of you, after he has sailed, to make known the conditions
upon which we fight to his wife; and that one of you will pledge me
his honour that he will impart these conditions as soon as we are
gone."

"Agree to do so--pledge yourself to do so, Xavier," cried the French
captain to one of the officers present.

"Since you wish it, certainly," he said.

"You pledge yourself to make the conditions known to Madam, as soon as
we have sailed?"

"I do, upon the honour of an officer and a gentleman," replied he,
"painful as it will be to me."

"Then, captain," I replied, "I agree to your conditions, and one or
the other of us shall hang."

You may suppose, Madam, that I must have been in a state of great
irritation to have consented to such terms. I was so, and could not
brook such insult in the presence of the French officers. Moreover, as
you will observe, in my conversation I did not commit myself in any
way. There was nothing dishonourable. I told him that I should haul
down my flag of truce, and I also told him that he would meet with his
master, which was true enough, as he would meet with the Arrow,
commanded by Captain Levee, as well as with my vessel; while he
thought that he would have to fight with my inferior vessel alone,
and, making sure of conquest, he purposely insulted me, to make me
accept such conditions as would administer to the revenge of his wife,
who had evidently worked him up to act in such a manner; and I
accepted them, because I hoped the fate would be his if Captain Levee
joined me, and if not, I was determined that I never would be taken
alive.

After I had agreed to his conditions, they all took a very ceremonious
leave, and I bowed them out with great mock humility. I then bade
farewell to my passengers, who lodged in the same hotel, and went down
to my boat, and pulled on board. As soon as the tide served, the pilot
came on board, and we got under weigh. I observed a great bustle, and
a hurrying to and fro of boats on board of the French privateer, and
we had not gone above two miles down the river, before I perceived the
men were aloft and lowering her sails. I told my officers that I had
received a challenge from the French privateer, and had accepted it,
and that we must get every thing ready for action. They were much
astonished at this, as the disparity of force was so great, but they
went cheerfully to their duty, as did the men, among whom the news was
soon spread.




CHAPTER X.

    Captain Levee and I engage with the French Privateer--We
    come off victorious--My revenge against the French
    Lady--We take our Prize to Liverpool.


The wind was light, and we did not gain the mouth of the river till
near sun-down, when the pilot left us; and as soon as we were three
miles in the offing, I hauled down the flag of truce in the sight of
the French privateer, who was following us close, and was not more
than four miles from us. To avoid mistake, I had agreed with Captain
Levee that should I be coming out after dark, I would carry a light at
the peak, and this light I now hoisted. It enabled the French
privateer to follow me, and appeared only as a mark of contempt
towards him. I stood on in the direction where I was to find Captain
Levee, and could make out the Frenchman following me, and gradually
nearing me. As it became dark I made more sail to keep him further off
till I had joined the Arrow, but the light at my peak pointed out to
him where I was. All this seemed a mystery to my officers and men,
until having run out about four leagues, I desired them to keep a
sharp look-out for the Arrow.

About half-past eight o'clock we perceived her lying-to; she had
furled her sails after dark, as usual. The light I bore told her who I
was, and I ran close to her, and, hailing Captain Levee, desired him
to prepare for action, and that I would come on board to speak to him.
This, of course, created a great bustle on board of the Arrow, and I
hastened on board that they might not show any lights. I then informed
Captain Levee of all that had passed, and that the Frenchman was not
more than five miles from us. We agreed that I should still keep up
the light, and bear away a little to draw the Frenchman to leeward of
the port, and also to leeward of the Arrow;--that the Arrow should
lower her sails again, so as not to be perceived until I had drawn the
Frenchman past him, and that then I should commence the action under
sail, and fight till the Arrow came up to my assistance. This being
arranged, I hastened on board of my schooner, and keeping away four
points, I waited for the coming up of my antagonist. In half an hour
we could perceive him through the gloom, not more than a mile from us,
under all sail, standing steadily for the light which we carried at
our peak.

As I had already discovered that my little schooner sailed faster than
my opponent, I allowed her to come up within a quarter of a mile of
me, when I rounded to; and desiring my men to aim at his rigging, so
as to dismantle him, poured in my broadside of grape and langridge,
and then shifted my helm and resumed my course, putting more sail on,
so as to increase my distance to what it was before. This manoeuvre I
executed three times with success, and I had the satisfaction of
perceiving that his foretop-mast was shot away; but when I rounded-to
the fourth time, he did the same, and we exchanged broadsides. The
effect of his superior artillery was evident, for my rigging and sails
were much damaged; happily nothing so serious as to impede our speed,
and I again put before the breeze as before, and increased my distance
previous to again rounding-to; for, as the water was very smooth, I
knew that if I was crippled she would lay me by the board immediately,
and I might be taken and hanged before the Arrow could come up to my
assistance. I therefore continued a running fight at such a distance
as rendered me less liable to suffer from his guns.

It is true that this distance made my guns even more ineffective, but
I was decoying my Frenchman off from the land, and placing the Arrow
between him and his port, so that his return would be intercepted.
This continued for about an hour, when I perceived that the Frenchman
had got up a new foretop-mast, and had set the sail upon it. He now
ran out his bow-chasers, and continued to fire upon me with them
alone, not choosing to lose ground by rounding-to, to give me a
broadside; and as his canvas was all out, and I was occasionally
rounding-to to dismantle him, we retained much the same distance from
one another. At last a shot from his bow-chaser struck off the head of
my mainmast, and my gaff came down.

This was serious. We hastened to reef the mainsail, and hoist it up
again upon the remainder of the mast, but having no gaff-topsail, our
speed was necessarily decreased, and the enemy appeared to be
gradually closing with us. I looked out for the Arrow, but could
perceive no signs of her; indeed it was too dark to see farther than
half a mile. Finding that on the point of sailing we were on I had no
chance, I determined to alter my course, and put my schooner right
before the wind, so that I might set the square mainsail, which would
give time for the Arrow to arrive; indeed at this time I was in a
state of great anxiety. However, I had made up my mind not to be taken
alive, and to sell my life as dearly as I could.

When the enemy perceived that we had put before the wind, he did the
same, and as we were about half a mile from each other, we continued
to exchange broadsides as we ran, she gradually nearing us so as to
make her heavy artillery more effective. This portion of the contest
continued for an hour, during which my little schooner had received
much injury, and we were constantly repairing damages. At last, much
to my delight, the day began to dawn, and I then discovered the Arrow
about a mile and a half from us, right astern, under a press of sail.

I pointed her out to my officers and men, who were inspired with fresh
courage at the sight. The enemy also perceived her, and appeared
determined to bring the combat to an issue previous to her coming up,
and I feared that, at all events, I might swing at the yard-arm, let
the issue of the coming combat be what it might. She neared, steering
a course so as to cut me off, and I continued to pour in my broadsides
to cripple her if possible, as she did not now fire, but ran steadily
for me, and my chances were bad.

Anxious that the Arrow should close as soon as possible, I hauled
down my square mainsail, that we might not run from her, and prepared
for an obstinate resistance if boarded. At last the Frenchman was
within a cable's length, and at this critical moment the Arrow was
about a mile to windward. We poured in our last broadside, and
hastened to seize our pikes and cutlasses to repel the boarders, when
to my satisfaction I found that one of our shot had cut his gaff in
two. I immediately rounded to the wind; and as my antagonist was
within pistol-shot of me, with her men all ready for the leap on
board, I put my helm down, went round in stays, and crossed her so
near to windward that you might have thrown a biscuit on board.

This manoeuvre prevented his boarding, and I may say saved my life,
for his gaff being shot away, he could not heave in stays to follow
me, but was obliged to wear round after me, which increased his
distance at least a cable's length to leeward. A furious broadside,
however, which he poured in, crippled me altogether. Every thing came
running down upon the decks, and I was left a complete wreck; but I
was to windward of him, and although he might sink me, he could not
board or take possession until he had refitted his after-sail.

But now his time was come. A fresh antagonist, with equal weight of
metal, was close to him, and he had to decide whether he would fight
or run. Whether he conceived that running was useless, which it
certainly was, or was determined to take us both or die, I know not,
certain it is that he did not put his vessel before the wind, but
waited with determination the coming up of the Arrow. Captain Levee
passed under the Frenchman's stern, raking him with a broadside that
almost unrigged him, and then engaged him to leeward, so as to cut off
all chance of his escape.

The Frenchman returned the fire with spirit, and I took my men from my
guns that we might set some sail upon the vessel, for after the Arrow
commenced her fire no further notice was taken of me by the Frenchman.
After a contest well maintained for half an hour, the mainmast of the
Frenchman went by the board, and this almost settled the question, as
he could not keep his vessel to the wind, and consequently she fell
off, and received a raking fire from the Arrow. At last her bowsprit
was between the main and fore rigging of the Arrow, and her decks
were swept by the Arrow's raking fire. I had got some sail up forward,
and was anxious to be at the close of the action. I perceived that the
Frenchman was attempting to board the lugger, and was pouring all his
people on the forecastle, and I therefore edged down to him that I
might, with my people, board him on the quarter, which would place
him, as we say, between two fires. The conflict was at its highest;
the French attempting and the Arrow's crew repelling them, when I laid
my schooner on her quarter, and leaped on board of her with my few
remaining men. The Frenchmen turned to repel my attack, and thus
weakened their party opposed to the Arrow's men; the consequence was,
that they were first beaten back, and then boarded by Captain Levee
and his crew.

As soon as I had gained the deck of the Frenchman, I thought of
nothing but to single out the French captain. At first I could not see
him, but as his crew retreated from Captain Levee and his men, I
perceived him, pale and exhausted, but still attempting to rally them.
As my object was to take him alive, I rushed in advance at him,
wrestled, and threw him on his back on the deck. There I held him,
while the combatants fighting and retreating, tumbled over us one
after another, and bruised us severely with their weight. At last the
French were beaten below, and I had time to breathe; calling to two of
my men, I desired them to take charge of the French captain, and as
they valued their lives, not to let him escape, or destroy himself,
but to take him into our vessel and guard him carefully in my cabin.
Having done this, I went to Captain Levee, and we embraced.

"You did not come a minute too soon," I said, wiping the blood from my
face.

"No, indeed; and but for your clever manoeuvre, you would have been
beaten. Your vessel is a mere nutshell compared to this;--you did
well, more than well, to maintain the combat so long. Have you lost
many men?"

"We had ten sent below before we boarded; what may have followed since
I do not know. I have the French captain safe in my cabin."

"I saw the men hand him over:--well, now to repair damages, and then
I will tell you what you shall do. I must send on board and help you;
the Arrow has not suffered much considering, and I can spare the men.
As soon as we have cleared up the decks a little, we will breakfast
together, and talk the matter over."

It required two hours before we could clear the decks of our vessels,
for we had separated, and the Arrow had taken charge of the prize.
Before I took the boat to go on board the Arrow, I went down into my
cabin, where the French captain lay bound and watched by two of the
men.

"You are prepared to pay the penalty agreed upon, Monsieur?" said I.

"I am, Sir," he replied. "I now understand what you meant when you
said that I should meet with my match. I have no one to blame but
myself. I urged you to the conditions, expecting an easy and certain
conquest with my superior vessel. I have fallen into my own net, and
there's an end of the matter--except that when things go wrong, a
woman is certain to be at the bottom of it."

"I am aware, Sir," I replied, "that your wife instigated you to act as
you did, or you would never have so behaved. In attempting to revenge
the death of one husband, she has lost two."

"_C'est vrai_," replied the Frenchman, composedly, and I then quitted
the cabin, and went on board of the Arrow.

"Well, Elrington," said Captain Levee, "what do you intend to do with
the French captain? Is he to pay the forfeit, and swing at the
yard-arm?"

"I don't like hanging a man, especially a brave man, in cold blood," I
replied. "It was all his wife's doing, and he has confessed as much."

"He would certainly have hanged you," replied Levee.

"Yes, that I believe; but it would have been that he might have a
quiet life at home--not from any resentment against me. Now I have no
feeling of that kind to actuate me."

"What will you do, then?"

"Not hang him, certainly; and yet I should like to punish her."

"She deserves it," replied Captain Levee. "Now, Elrington, will you
approve of my suggestion?"

"Let me hear it."

"It is this: they do not know that I have assisted in taking the
privateer, as they have no idea that I am here. As soon as we have
refitted her and your vessel, I will remain where I am. You shall run
into the mouth of the Garonne, with your colours flying, and the
English Jack over the French flag on board of the prize. This will
lead them to suppose that you have taken the vessel without
assistance. When just out of gun-shot, heave-to, fire a gun, and then
swing an effigy to the yard-arm, and remain there, to make them
suppose that you have hung the French captain. At nightfall you can
make sail and rejoin me. That will punish her, and annoy them
generally."

"I will do so; it is an excellent device, and she will never know the
truth for a long time to come."

We remained all that day refitting; in the evening I made sail, in
company with the French schooner, which was manned by Captain Levee,
and stood in shore. At break of the following day I ran in, standing
for the harbour, without my colours being hoisted, and then it
occurred to me that I would make their disappointment greater, by
allowing them first to imagine that the victory was theirs; so, when
about six miles off, I hoisted French colours on the French schooner,
and French colours over English on board of my own.

I continued to stand on till within two miles and a half of the
batteries, and could see crowds flocking down to witness the supposed
triumphant arrival of their privateer into port; when of a sudden I
hauled my wind, hove-to, brailed up my sails, and changed the colours,
firing a gun in bravado. Allowing them half an hour to comment upon
this disappointment, I then fired another gun, and hoisted up to the
yard-arm the figure of a man, composed of clothes stuffed with hay,
made to represent the French captain; and having so done, I remained
during the whole forenoon, with my sails brailed up, that they might
have a clear view of the hanging figure. At last we perceived a large
boat, with a flag of truce coming out of the river. I remained where I
was, and allowing it to come alongside, I perceived in it the French
officer, who had pledged himself to give the conditions of the combat
to the lady; and seated by him was the French captain's wife, with her
head sunk down on her knees, and her face buried in her handkerchief.

I saluted the officer as he came on the deck. He returned my bow, and
then said, "Sir, the fortune of war has proved in your favour, and I
perceive that the conditions of the issue of the combat have been
adhered to on your side. Against that I have not a word to say, as my
friend would have as rigidly adhered to them. But, Sir, we war not
with the dead, and I have come off at the request of his miserable
wife, to beg that you will, now that your revenge is satisfied,
deliver up to her her husband's body, that it may receive the rites of
the Church, and Christian burial. You surely, as a brave man, will not
deny this small favour to a woman whom you have twice deprived of her
husband?"

"Sir," I replied, "on condition that his lady will step on board and
make the request herself, I will comply with it, but on no other
terms."

"It will be most painful, and her feelings might well have been spared
such a trial as to meet your face again, and make the request in
person; but as you insist upon it, I will make known your terms."

As he went into his boat I ran down into the cabin, and desired them
to cast loose the French captain, saying to him, "Sir, your wife is
here requesting your body, which she believes to be swinging at the
yard-arm, for I have put that trick into execution to punish her. I
never intended to take your life, and I shall now do more, I shall
give you not only life, but liberty--such shall be my revenge."

The French captain stared as if confounded, but made no reply. I then
went on deck, where I found the lady had been lifted up the side. They
led her to me, and she fell on her knees, but the effort was too much
for her, and she fainted away. I ordered her to be taken down into the
cabin, and, without any explanation, desired the French officer to
accompany her, not wishing to be present at the unexpected meeting. I
therefore remained on deck, and ordering the men to lower down the
effigy, they did so, laughing at the French seamen in the boat, who
for the first time perceived, for they had not looked up before, that
it was only a sham captain. I looked over the side, and told them that
the captain was alive and well, and would be in the boat very soon, at
which they were greatly rejoiced. In the mean time the explanation
took place in the cabin, and after a few minutes the French officer
came up, and expressed his satisfaction at what I had done.

"You have given a lesson, Sir, without being guilty of barbarity. Your
conduct has been noble."

He was soon followed by the French captain and his lady, who was now
all gratitude, and would have kissed my hands, but I prevented her,
and said, "Madam, at least now you have no occasion to hate me. If I
was so unfortunate, in self-defence, as to slay your first husband, I
have restored to you your second. Let us, then, part in amity."

The French captain squeezed my hand, but said nothing. I begged they
would take some refreshment, but they were too anxious to return and
undeceive their friends, and requested permission to go into the boat.
Of course I consented, and as the boat pulled away, the crew gave
three huzzas, as a compliment to us. When they were a mile in shore, I
hauled down the colours of both vessels, and made sail out to rejoin
Captain Levee, which I did in the evening, and then related all that
had passed.

He was much pleased with the result of the affair, and we then, having
consulted, considered it advisable to run back to Liverpool with the
prize, for she required so many hands to man her as to render us by no
means efficient vessels. Moreover, I have omitted to state that while
I was in the Garonne, the Arrow had taken two good prizes, which she
had manned and sent to Liverpool. We therefore made sail to the
northward, and in a week were again in port, with our prize. We found
that the other vessels had arrived safe, and the owner was much
pleased with the results of this short and eventful cruise.




CHAPTER XI.

    I cause myself to be dismissed from my Owner's
    Service--Am arrested--Conveyed to London, and confined
    in the Tower--Am visited by a Romish Priest, and through
    his interference obtain my Liberation--Set off to
    Liverpool, and find my Owner and Captain Levee--Their
    surprise--Miss Trevannion.


When I called upon our owner, which I did as soon as I had dropped my
anchor and furled sails, he embraced me, and then led me into the back
room next to his counting-house.

"My dear Elrington," said he, "well as you managed to get off the
Jacobite gentlemen, there is a strong suspicion on the part of the
government, that they were on board of your vessel, and that I was a
party to their escape. Whether they will take any measures now that
you have returned, I know not; they may have gained some intelligence,
or they may worm out something, by their emissaries, from those who
compose your crew, and if so, we must expect their vengeance. Now tell
me where you landed them, and all the events of your cruise, for I
have heard but little from those who brought in the prizes taken by
the Arrow. Captain Levee is too busy with his own vessel and the prize
to come on shore for these two hours, and I wish to talk with you
alone upon this affair."

After I had narrated all that had passed, and the manner in which the
French privateer had been captured, the owner said--

"If the government spies, and there are plenty of them about, find out
from your crew that you landed passengers at Bordeaux, depend upon it
you will be arrested and examined, without you get out of the way till
the affair has blown over. Now, the men will narrate in the taverns
the curious history of this French privateer, and in so doing cannot
fail to state that you were on shore in France. Now, Elrington, you
have run the risk to oblige me, and I must keep you out of difficulty;
and, if you feel inclined to hide yourself for a time, I will of
course pay all your expenses."

"No," I replied; "if they find out what has taken place, and wish to
get hold of me in consequence, I think it will be better to brave it
out. If I hide away, it will make them more anxious to have me, and
will confirm their suspicions that I am what they are pleased to call
a traitor; a reward will be offered for my apprehension, and at any
time that I do appear, the reward will cause me to be taken up. If, on
the contrary, I brave it out, and if I am asked, say at once that I
did land passengers, at all events they will not make it high treason;
so, with your leave, I will stay. I hardly need say that I shall take
the whole responsibility on myself, and declare that I took them on
board without your knowledge; that you may rest assured of."

"On consideration, I think that your plan is the best," replied my
owner. "I am grateful for your offer of screening me, which I would
not permit, were it not that I shall be useful to you if any mischance
takes place, and, if in prison, could be of no service."

"Then, Sir," I replied, "the wisest course will be for you at once to
dismiss me from the command of the privateer, in consequence of your
having been informed that I carried passengers and landed them in
France. That step will prove you a friend to the government, and will
enable you, after a time, to get me out of my scrape more
effectually."

"You are sacrificing yourself, Elrington, and all for me."

"Not so, Sir. I am only securing a friend in case of need."

"That you certainly are," replied my owner, squeezing my hand. "Well,
it will be the best plan even for you, and so let it be."

"Then I will now return on board, and tell the officers that I am
dismissed. There is no time to be lost; and here comes Captain Levee;
so for the present, Sir, farewell."

On my return on board, I called up the officers and men, and told them
that I had offended the owner, and that he had dismissed me from the
command of the privateer. One of the officers inquired what I had
done; and I said, before the men, that it was for landing the
passengers in France. They all condoled with me, and expressed their
sorrow at my leaving them, and I believe that they were sincere. It
was fortunate that I did as I had done, for I found that the
government emissaries were on board at the time that I made the
communication, and had already gained the information from some of my
crew. I ordered my chest and bedding to be put into the boat, and as
soon as they were ready, I gave up the command to the first officer,
and bidding them all farewell, went down the side, and pulled on
shore, repairing to my former lodgings.

I had not been there two hours before I was arrested and taken to
prison. I was, however, very comfortably lodged, because I was a state
prisoner, and I presume that more respect is paid to a man when he is
to be drawn and quartered, and his head set above the Tower gates,
then a petty malefactor. The next day I was summoned before what was
called the Commission, and asked whether I had not landed some people
in France? I replied immediately that I had done so.

"Who were they?" was the next inquiry.

"They stated themselves to be Roman Catholic priests," replied I, "and
such I believed them to be."

"Why did I do so?"

"Because, in the first place, they paid me one hundred guineas each;
and, in the second, because I considered them mischievous, dangerous
men, conspiring against the government, and that the sooner they were
out of the country the better."

"How did I know that they were traitors?"

"All Roman priests were traitors in my opinion, and I hated them as
bad as I did the French, but it is difficult to deal with a priest,
and I thought that I was performing a good service in ridding the
country of them."

"Who else was privy to the affair?"

"No one; I had made the arrangement with them myself, and not an
officer or man on board knew any thing about it."

"But my owner, Mr. Trevannion, was he a party to it?"

"No, he was not; and on my return he dismissed me from the command of
the privateer, as soon as he found out that I had landed the priests
in France."

A great many more questions were put to me, all of which I answered
very cautiously, yet without apparent hesitation; and after an
examination of four hours, the president of the Commission told me
that I had been, by my own acknowledgment, aiding and abetting the
escape of malignant traitors, and prevented them meeting their just
fate on the scaffold. That, in so doing, I had been guilty of treason,
and must abide the sentence of the supreme Commission in London,
whither I should be sent the following day. I replied that I was a
loyal subject; that I hated the French and Romish plotters, and that I
had done what I considered was best; that if I had done wrong, it was
only an error in judgment; and any one that said I was a traitor, lied
in his throat.

My reply was taken down, and I was sent back to prison.

The following afternoon the gaoler came into my room accompanied by
two persons, one of whom informed me that I was delivered over to
their custody to be taken to London. I was led out, and at the door I
found three horses, upon one of which I was desired to mount. As soon
as I was in the saddle, a rope was passed from one leg to the other
under the horse's belly, so as to prevent my escape; and my horse was
led between the other two, upon which my keepers rode, each having a
hand-rein made fast from my horse's bridle to his own. A crowd was
assembled round the entrance of the gaol, and among the lookers-on I
perceived Captain Levee and my owner; but of course I thought it
imprudent to take any notice of them, and they did not make any
recognition of me.

I hardly need say, my dear Madam, how very revolting it was to my
feelings to be thus led away like a felon; but at the same time I must
acknowledge the courtesy of my conductors, who apologized for being
compelled to take such measures of security, and on the way showed
great kindness and good-feeling.

Every thing being arranged, we proceeded on our journey; but it was
late when we set off, owing to one of my conductors being sent for by
the commissioner, and having to wait for letters for nearly three
hours. As it may be supposed, we could not travel at speed, and we
seldom went faster than a walk, which I was sorry for, as I was
anxious that the journey should be over, and my fate decided as soon
as possible.

Almost an hour after dark, a party of men rushed from the side of the
road, and some seizing the bridles of the horses, the others threw the
two conductors off their saddles by taking them by the leg and heaving
them over on the other side. This was done so quickly, that the two
men, who were well armed, had not time to draw out a pistol or any
other weapon of defence; and as soon as they were on the ground, they
were immediately seized and overpowered. The faces of the men who had
thus assailed the king's officers were blackened so as to disguise
them, but from their voices I knew them to be the men and officers of
the privateer. "Now then, Captain Elrington," said one of them, "be
off with you as fast as possible, and we will take care of these
fellows."

I still remained in my saddle, and although somewhat flurried with the
surprise of the attack, I had had time to recover myself, and had
decided upon my mode of behaviour. I felt as I had said to the owner
when we consulted together, that an escape now would be only putting
off the evil day, and that it was better to meet the case boldly at
once; so I rose in my stirrups, and said to the men in a loud voice,
"My good fellows, I am much obliged to you for your exertions in my
behalf, as it proves your good-will, but I cannot and will not take
advantage of them. By some mistake I am accused of being a traitor,
when I feel that I am a true and loyal subject, which I have no doubt
will be fully established upon my arrival in London. I cannot,
therefore, take advantage of this opportunity to escape. I respect the
laws of my country, and I beg you to do the same. Oblige me by
releasing the two gentlemen whom you have made your prisoners, and
assist them to remount their horses, for I am resolved that I will go
to London and be honourably acquitted. Once more, my lads, many thanks
for your kind intentions; and now I wish you farewell, and if you
would do me a great favour, you will disperse peaceably, and leave us
to proceed on our journey."

The men perceived that I was in earnest, and therefore did as I
requested, and in another minute I was again alone with my two
keepers.

"You have behaved honourably, Sir, and perhaps wisely," observed one
of my conductors, as he was about to remount his horse. "I will not
ask you who those people were, although I have no doubt but you
recognized them yourself."

"No," I replied, "I did not. I guessed from whence they came, but I
did not recognize any one individual."

I gave this cautious answer, although I had recognized Captain Levee
and one of my own officers.

"Well, Captain Elrington, you have proved to us that you may be
trusted, and therefore, on your pledging your word that you will not
escape, we shall have a great pleasure in removing all unpleasant
precautions."

"I certainly have proved that I would not escape, and will readily
give you my assurance that I will not alter my mind."

"That is sufficient, Sir," replied the officer; and he then cut away
the rope which bound my legs, and also look off the two leading reins
attached to the other horses. "We shall now," he said, "proceed not
only more pleasantly, but more rapidly."

My conductors then mounted their horses, and we set off at a good
trot, and in an hour arrived at the place where we were to put up for
the night. We found supper prepared for us, and good beds. My
conductors now left me free of all restraint, and we retired to our
beds. The next day we continued our journey in the same manner. My
companions were pleasant and gentlemen-like men, and we discoursed
freely upon every topic; no one could have imagined that I was a state
prisoner.

We arrived at London on the fifth day, and I was then delivered over
to the keeper of the Tower, according to the instructions that my
conductors had received. They bade me farewell, and promised that they
would not fail to represent my conduct to the authorities, and gave me
hopes of a speedy release. I had the same idea, and took possession of
the apartments prepared for me (which were airy and well ventilated)
with almost cheerfulness.

On the third day after my arrival a Commission was sent to the Tower
to examine me, and I gave the same replies as before. They were very
particular in obtaining the descriptions of the persons of those whom
I had landed in France, and I answered without disguise. I afterwards
found out that I had done a very foolish thing. Had I misrepresented
their persons, it would have been supposed that they really were four
Catholic priests, but from my exact description, they discovered that
I had rescued the four traitors (as they termed them) that they were
most anxious to secure and make an example of; and their annoyance at
this discovery had so angered them against me, that my subsequent
conduct could not create any feeling favourable towards me.

Three weeks elapsed, and I was wearied of confinement. My gaoler told
me that he feared my case was a bad one; and after another week had
passed, he said that I was condemned as aiding and abetting treason. I
must say that I little expected this result, and it quite overthrew
me. I asked my gaoler what was his authority. He said that so many
people had assisted and effected the escape of the rebels without one
having been convicted of having so done except myself, on my own
avowal, that they deemed it absolutely necessary that an example
should be made, to deter others from aiding those who were still
secreted in the country; and that in consequence it had been decided
by the Privy Council that I should be made an example of. He told me
much more which I need not repeat, except that it proved the malignant
feeling that was indulged by the powers in authority against those who
had assisted their defeated opponents, and I felt that I had no
chance, and prepared my mind to meet my fate.

Alas, my dear Madam, I was but ill-prepared to die,--not that I feared
death, but I feared what must be my condition after death. I had lived
a reckless, lawless life, without fear of God or man; all the
religious feelings which had been instilled into me by my good tutor
(you know my family history, and I need say no more) during my youth,
had been gradually sapped away by the loose companionship which I had
held since the time that I quitted my father's house; and when I heard
that I was to die, my mind was in a state of great disquiet and
uncomfortable feeling. I wished to review my life, and examine myself,
but I hardly knew where to begin.

All was chaos and confusion. I could remember many bad actions, but
few good ones. I felt that I was like a vessel without a rudder, and
without a pilot; and after hours and hours of deep thought, I would
give up the task of examination in stern despair, saying to myself,
"Well, if it must be so, it must." I felt an inclination to defy that
Heaven which I felt would never be opened to me. This was the case for
more than a week after I heard of my condemnation, until I began to
reflect upon the nature of our creed, and the terms of salvation which
were offered; and, as I thought over them, I felt a dawn of hope, and
I requested the gaoler to furnish me with a Bible. I read it day and
night, for I expected every morning to be summoned to execution. I
felt almost agony at times, lest such should be the case; but time
passed on, and another fortnight elapsed, during which I had profited
by my reading, and felt some contrition for my many offences, and my
life of guilt, and I also felt that I could be saved through the
merits of Him who died for the whole world. Day after day my faith
became more lively, and my mind more at ease. One morning the gaoler
came to me, and said that there was a priest who wished to see me. As
I understood he was a Roman, I was about to refuse; but on
consideration, I thought otherwise, and he was admitted. He was a
tall, spare man, with a dark Spanish countenance.

"You are, I believe," said he, "Captain Elrington, who effected the
escape of some of our poor friends, and who are now condemned for your
kind act?"

"I am, Sir," replied I.

"I am aware," said he, "that your profession of faith is not mine, and
do not, therefore, come to talk with you on serious points, without
you should wish it yourself; my object is, being indebted as we are to
you for saving our friends, to offer to be of any use that I can to
you, in executing any wishes, or delivering any messages, which you
may wish to give, should you suffer for your generous conduct, and you
may trust any thing to me with safety, that I swear to you;" and he
took a crucifix from the folds of his garment, and kissed it, as he
said so.

"I thank you for your kind offer, Sir," replied I, "but I have nothing
to trouble you with. I have long quitted my family, who know not
whether I am alive or dead, for reasons that I need not explain. I am
under an assumed name, and it is my intention to suffer under that
name, that my family may not be disgraced by my ignominious death, or
be aware that I have perished on the scaffold."

"Perhaps you are right," replied the priest; "but let us talk upon
another point; have you no friends that could exert themselves in your
favour so as to procure your pardon and release?"

"None," replied I, "except those who, I am sure, are exerting
themselves to the utmost of their power, and to whom no message from
me is necessary."

"Do you know nobody at court," said the priest, "no person of rank in
the government--or I may say opposed to the government--for people
now-a-days are not what they seem or pretend to be?"

"I have no knowledge of any titled person," replied I; "when I parted
with one of the gentlemen whom I landed at Bordeaux, he gave me the
name of a lady of quality at Paris, desiring me, if in difficulty, to
apply to him through her; but that was, if in difficulty in France; of
course, she could do nothing for me in this country."

"Have you the name of the lady?"

"Yes," replied I; "it is on the first leaf of my pocket-book. Here it
is."

The priest read the name, and then said--

"You must write immediately a few words, acquainting her with your
position. I will see the letter safely delivered before the week is
over."

"What good can she possibly do me?" replied I.

"I cannot say; but this I know, that if any thing is to be done, it
will be. Write immediately."

The priest called the gaoler, and requested writing materials, which
were brought, and in a few minutes I had done as he requested.

"There, Sir, I have written to please you; but I candidly state that I
consider it a useless attempt."

"Were I of your opinion, I should not have advised you to write,"
replied he. "There are wheels within wheels that you have no
conception of, in these troubled times. What I most fear is, that it
may arrive too late."

The priest took his leave of me, and I was left to my own thoughts.
When I considered that the address of this lady had been given to me
by the very man whom they were so anxious to secure as a traitor, I at
once decided that no benefit could arrive from any interference on her
part; and I therefore, after a quarter of an hour, dismissed the whole
subject from my thoughts, and commenced my reading of the sacred
writings. The following morning, when the gaoler came in, I could not
help observing to him, that as I had been condemned so many days, I
felt much surprise at the delay of my execution. His reply was, that
he heard that others were in custody upon the same charge, and that
they waited for their convictions that we might all suffer at the same
time; for the order for my execution had come on the Friday last, but
had been countermanded on the afternoon of the same day. Although this
satisfied me that I had no hopes of escape, yet I was pleased that I
had obtained more time for preparation, and I renewed my reading with
ardour. Another week passed, when the gaoler, with a solemn face, and
much apparent concern, came in, and informed me that the other parties
arrested had been tried before the Commission, and had been condemned,
and that it was expected that the execution would take place either on
the morrow or the day after. The announcement did not affect me much.
I had made up my mind that I should suffer, and had to a degree weaned
myself from life. I considered how all hopes of my ever enjoying the
delight of family and kindred ties had flown away, and I looked with
disgust upon my career as a privateer's-man--a career of recklessness
and blood, so denounced by the sacred writings which I had before me.
I reflected that if I were to leave the prison, I should have no
other means of sustenance, and should probably return to my former
life, and load my soul with a still heavier weight of crime, and,
although I felt an occasional bitter pang at the idea of leaving the
world so young--a world which I could not hate--still I was, after a
few hours' communing and reflection, resigned to my fate, and
exclaimed with sincerity, "Thy will be done." I think, Madam, you may
have observed that, sinful as I was, my whole career proved that I was
not a hardened sinner. Good was not driven entirely out of me, but was
latent, notwithstanding all my excesses, and the bad company which had
influenced me.

I now prayed, and prayed earnestly, and I thought that my prayers were
heard. Such was my state of mind on the day before the one appointed
for my execution, when the gaoler and one of the sheriff's officers
came into my cell, accompanied by the Roman Catholic priest whom I
have before mentioned. I perceived by the countenance of the gaoler,
who was a humane man, that he had no unpleasant news. The sheriff's
officer delivered to him an order for my liberation, and to my
astonishment I was told by the gaoler that my pardon was signed, and
that I was free. I was stupified with the intelligence, and I stood
without making any reply. The priest waved his hand to them as a hint
to leave the room, which they both did. As they left, my eyes followed
them, and then I cast them down upon the Bible which lay before me on
the table, and slipping down from the bench upon my knees, I covered
up my face and prayed. My prayers were confused--I hardly knew what I
said--but I knew that they were intended to be grateful to Heaven for
my unexpected preservation from an ignominious death. After a time, I
rose up, and perceived the priest, whose presence I had till then
forgotten. He had been kneeling at the other side of the table praying
with me, and I am sure for me--and he was rising up just after I had.

"I trust, Captain Elrington," said he, after a pause, "that the peril
you have been in will influence your future life; and that this severe
trial will not be thrown away upon you."

"I trust not, Sir," replied I. "I feel that it has been good for me
to have been afflicted. I believe that I have been indebted to your
exertions for my deliverance."

"No further than having seen your letter duly and speedily delivered.
I could do no more, for with all will, I have no power; and that was
little to do for one who so generously assisted our friends in their
distress."

"Am I then to believe that I am indebted to the interest of a French
lady, residing at the court of Versailles, for my deliverance?"

"Even so--this may appear strange to you, Captain Elrington, but such
is the case. Understand, that in these troubled times, the ruling
monarch of this country cannot distinguish his friends from his
enemies. He can only trust to professions, and they are not always
sincere. There are many in the council at this time, who, if the
Pretender, as he is called, had succeeded, would long before this have
joined him, and who had wished him success, although they dared not
venture to assist him. The interest of the lady in question with these
people has prevailed over the true adherents of the Hanoverian king,
and thus through this lady have you obtained your release. I state
this to you in confidence; to publish what I have told you would be to
betray your friends. Can I be of any further service to you? for you
can leave your prison as soon as you please."

"None, I thank you, good Sir," replied I; "I have money more than
sufficient to reward my gaoler, and to defray my expenses to
Liverpool."

"You have my best thanks and sincere wishes for your happiness. Then I
will not intrude upon you any more, except to give you my address in
case of need. You have made warm friends by your conduct, and if you
ever require their assistance, it will not be withheld."

The priest gave his address upon a piece of paper, and then came to
me.

"Our creeds are not exactly the same, but you will not, my son, refuse
my blessing?" said he, putting his hand upon my head.

"Oh, no," said I, dropping on my knees, "I receive it all in
thankfulness."

"May God bless you, my son," said he, with emotion--and he then
quitted the cell.

What with the previous excitement when my liberation was announced,
and the parting with the kind priest, my feelings were so powerful,
that, as soon as I was alone, I gave vent to them in a flood of tears.
As soon as I was more composed, I rose from the bench, put my
necessaries into my valise, and summoned the gaoler, to whom I made a
handsome present, thanking him for his kindness during my
incarceration. I then shook hands with him, fee'd the turnkey who had
attended upon me, and in a minute more I was clear of the Tower gates.
How my heart heaved when I was once more in the open air.

I looked around me, and perceived that many men were busy in erecting
a scaffolding. My heart sank as I beheld them, as I felt certain what
it was for; but to verify my opinion, I turned to an old woman who had
a sort of stall from which she dispensed mead to the populace, and
inquired of her for what the scaffold was being erected.

"It's for the men who are to be executed to-morrow for aiding the
Jacobites to escape," said she. "Won't your worship take a glass of
mead this morning?"

"I am not thirsty," I replied, as I walked hastily away with my valise
upon my shoulders.

A stranger to this part of London, I hardly knew where to direct my
steps; I walked past the square before the Tower, until I came into a
street called Catherine-street, where a tavern met my view, and into
it I entered immediately, glad, as it were, to hide myself, for I felt
as if all the world looked upon me as a person just discharged from
prison. I obtained good entertainment there, and slept there that
night. The next morning, the host having provided me two good horses,
and a youngster to take them back, I set off for Liverpool, and after
five days' travel without adventure, I arrived at the town, and
proceeded direct to the house of Mr. Trevannion, my owner. I took my
valise off the boy's horse, and having paid him for his attendance, I
knocked at the door, for it was late in the evening, and dark, when I
arrived. The door (for it was at his private house door, which was
next to the counting-house door, that I knocked) was opened; and the
woman who opened it shrieked, and let drop the candle, exclaiming,
"Help, oh God--a ghost, a ghost!" for it appeared that the news had
arrived at Liverpool from a messenger who had been sent express after
I had been condemned, stating that there was no hope, and that I was
to suffer on the Monday previous; and this was the Saturday evening on
which I had arrived. Mr. Trevannion's clerk hearing a noise in the
passage, came out with another candle, and seeing me, and the woman
lying on the floor in a swoon, stared, staggered to the door of the
room where his master was sitting, and the door being a-jar, he fell
back with great force into the room, dropping under the table between
Mr. Trevannion and Captain Levee, who was sitting with him, smoking,
as was very often their wont. This brought out Captain Levee with one
of the table-candlesticks, who, upon seeing me, ran to me, and
embracing me warmly, cried out, as the clerk made his escape--

"Here is Elrington alive and well, Sir!"

At this announcement Mr. Trevannion came out, and threw himself into
my arms, saying--

"I thank God for all his mercies, but above all, that I have not been
the cause of your death, my dear Elrington. Come in," he exclaimed, in
a faultering voice; and as soon as he gained his seat, he laid his
head down and sobbed with excitement and joy.

I followed Captain Levee into the room, and was taking a chair, when I
perceived there was another person present besides Captain Levee and
Mr. Trevannion, which was the daughter of the latter; that is, I
presumed as much, for I knew that he was a widower, and had one
daughter living, out of a family of three children. She appeared to be
about seventeen years of age, and had just come from a Protestant
convent, as they called establishments where young women were educated
at Chester. Mr. Trevannion was still with his face covered, and not
yet recovered from his burst of feeling, when this young gentlewoman
came up to me, and said--

"Captain Elrington, you have behaved nobly to my father; accept my
hand and my friendship."

I was so dazzled from coming out of the dark, and so excited from what
had just passed, that I was almost bewildered; but I accepted the
offered hand, and bowed over it, although I declare that at the time I
could not distinguish her features, although I perceived that her
person was slight and elegant. As she retreated to her seat, Mr.
Trevannion, who had recovered from his emotion, said--

"I thought that, at this moment, your head was exhibited over the
gates of Temple-bar. The idea, as Captain Levee will tell you, has
haunted me; for I felt, and should always have felt, that I was the
cause of your death. God bless you, my dear Sir, and may I have an
opportunity of showing you my gratitude and regard for your noble
conduct towards me, and the sacrifice which you would have made. You
need not tell me, for I know too well, that you took all the onus and
blame of the affair upon your own shoulders, and preferred death to
impeaching me."

"My dear Elrington," said Captain Levee, "I told our crew, and you
have proved me a true prophet, that you never would peach, but die
game. We were talking of you, supposing you dead, when you came in. I
must tell you, that more than once Mr. Trevannion had made up his mind
to deliver himself up, and acknowledge the truth, but I prevented him,
as it would have been a useless sacrifice."

"You did; but, nevertheless, it was so heavy on my conscience, that
had it not been for your perseverance, and the thoughts of leaving my
poor girl here an orphan in the world, I certainly should have so
done, for I felt life to be a burden."

"I am very glad that you did not, Sir," I replied; "my life is of
little value; I have no one to support, no one to love, and no one to
lament me if I fall. A shot from the enemy may soon send me out of the
world, and there will only be a man the less in it, as far as people
are interested about me."

"That is not the case now, at all events," replied Mr. Trevannion;
"but pray, tell us how it is that you have escaped."

"I have not escaped," I replied; "here is my pardon, with the
sign-manual."

"And how was it obtained?" exclaimed Captain Levee; "all intercession
made through some of the strongest friends of the government was in
vain, that I can assert; for you must not suppose that we have been
idle down here. We did not leave London till after you were condemned,
and every entreaty to see you, or to communicate by letter, was denied
to us."

"I had better, then, begin at the beginning, and state all that
occurred. I will first thank you, my dear Levee, for your kind
assistance, which I would not avail myself of, as I calculated
(wrongly I own) that it would be wiser to remain a prisoner; and I
considered that my very refusal to escape would be admitted by the
government as a proof of my innocence. I did not know that I had to
deal with such malignant people."

I then commenced my narrative, which occupied the remainder of the
evening, and, having received their congratulations, we had a pipe or
two, and, as I was fatigued, we retired to bed. I slept little on
this, I may say, first night of rest and quiet, after my liberation. I
was happy, and yet perplexed. During the time of my imprisonment, it
had occurred to me that the life of a privateer's-man was not one
which I could follow up with a good conscience; and I had, on my
journey down to Liverpool, made up my mind that I would give it up. I
knew this might annoy Mr. Trevannion, and that I should have to meet
with the ridicule of Captain Levee, and I was thinking whether it were
possible, in the first place, that I could give some well-grounded
excuse; and, in the next, what other means of gaining my livelihood I
could substitute in its stead. My restlessness induced me to get up
earlier than usual, and I went out for an hour's walk upon the wharfs.
I saw my little schooner riding on the stream, and, as she gently
rose, and dipped to the swell which ran in with the tide, she looked
so beautiful that my resolutions were already giving way. I would look
at her no longer; so I turned from the river, and walked back to the
owner's house. It was still early when I went into the eating-hall,
where I found Miss Trevannion alone.




CHAPTER XII.

    I state my newly-awakened scruples as to the lawfulness
    of a Privateer's-man's Life to Mr. Trevannion, but
    nevertheless undertake another Cruise--Save a Youth from
    drowning, who he proves to be--Conflict with a French
    Privateer--Take her and deliver a Prize--Return to
    Liverpool--Resign the Command of the Sparrow-Hawk, and
    agree to superintend Mr. Trevannion's Business.


Miss Trevannion, my dear Madam, was taller than your sex usually are,
her figure slight, and still unformed to a certain degree, but
promising perfection. Her hair was very dark, her features regular and
handsome, her complexion very pale, and her skin fair as the snow. As
she stood in silence, she reminded you of a classical antique statue,
and hardly appeared to breathe through her delicate lips, but when she
was animated with conversation, it almost reminded you of the
Promethean fire which poets state was stolen from Heaven to animate a
piece of marble. Then the colour came in her cheeks, intelligence
played on her countenance, and every thing which at first sight
appeared wanting, was, like magic, found to light up her face. Her
smiles were the sweetest I ever beheld, and one of those smiles she
bestowed upon me as I entered the room and paid her my obeisance. The
night before, I had not observed her much, I was too busy with her
father and Captain Levee, and she sat remote from the table and
distant from the light, and she never spoke but when she took my hand
and thanked me, as I mentioned before. I thought then that her voice
was like a silver bell, but made no other remark upon her. We had,
however, exchanged but few words before her father came in,
accompanied by Captain Levee, and we sat down to our morning's repast
of chocolate.

After we had broken our fast, Captain Levee hastened away on board of
his vessel. My imprisonment had detained him from sailing, and Mr.
Trevannion was anxious that he should be off as soon as possible to
make up for lost time, as the expenses of the vessel were heavy.

"Farewell, Elrington, for the present," said he; "I shall come to you
on board of your schooner some time during the day." When Captain
Levee was gone--for, to tell the truth, I was afraid of his
ridicule--I thought it a good opportunity to give my thoughts to my
owner, and as I had nothing to say, which his daughter might not hear,
I began as follows:

"Mr. Trevannion, I think it right to state to you that during my
imprisonment a great change has come over my feelings upon certain
points. I am not ashamed to acknowledge that it has been occasioned by
the death which stared me in the face, and from my having seriously
communed with myself, and examined, more than I perhaps have done
during the whole of my former life, the sacred writings which are
given us as our guide. The point to which I refer is, that I have come
to a conviction that privateering is not a lawful or honourable
profession, and with these feelings I should wish to resign the
command of the schooner which you have had the kindness to give me."

"Indeed, Elrington," replied Mr. Trevannion. "Well, I should not have
thought to have heard this from you I confess. Much as I respect your
scruples, you are too scrupulous. I can hardly imagine that you have
turned to the sect of the Quakers, and think fighting is contrary to
the Scriptures."

"No, Sir, not so far as that. I consider war, as a profession, both
necessary and honourable, and a nation is bound to be prepared for any
foreign attack, and to act upon the defensive, or on the offensive, if
it is necessary. It is not that. I do not consider the soldier who
fights for his country is not doing his duty, nor the seamen who are
employed by the state are not equally justified in their profession.
What I refer to is privateering. That is, vessels fitted out for the
purpose of aggression by private merchants, and merely for the sake of
profit. They are not fitted out with any patriotic motives, but merely
for gain. They are speculations in which the lives of people on both
sides are sacrificed for the sake of lucre--and had you witnessed such
scenes of bloodshed and cruelty as I have during my career, such
dreadful passions let loose, and defying all restraint, you would
agree with me, that he who leads such miscreants to their quarry has
much to answer for. Were it possible to control the men on board of a
privateer as the men are controlled in the king's service, it might be
more excusable; but manned as privateers always will be, with the most
reckless characters, when once they are roused by opposition,
stimulated by the sight of plunder, or drunken with victory, no power
on earth can restrain their barbarity and vengeance, and a captain of
a privateer who attempted, would, in most cases, if he stood between
them and their will, unless he were supported, fall a victim to his
rashness. All this I have seen; and all I now express I have long
felt, even when younger and more thoughtless. You know that I did give
up privateering at one time, because I was shocked at the excesses to
which I was a party. Since that, I have accepted the command of a
vessel, for the idea of being captain was too flattering to my vanity
to permit me to refuse; but reflection has again decided me not to
engage in it further. I hope this communication will not displease
you, Mr. Trevannion. If I am wrong in my opinion, at all events I am
sincere, for I am giving up my only source of livelihood from a sense
of duty."

"I know that you are sincere, Elrington," replied Mr. Trevannion, "but
at the same time I think that you are much too strait-laced in your
opinions. When nations are at war, they mutually do all the mischief
that they can to each other, and I cannot see what difference there is
between my fitting out a privateer under the king's authority, or the
king having vessels and men for the national service. The government
fit out all the vessels that they can, and when their own funds are
exhausted, they encourage individuals to employ their capital in
adding to the means of distressing the enemy. If I had property on the
high seas, would it be respected any more than other English property
by the enemy? Certainly not; and, therefore, I am not bound to respect
theirs. The end of war is to obtain an honourable peace; and the more
the enemy is distressed, the sooner are you likely to obtain one. I do
not, therefore, consider that privateering is worse than any other
species of warfare, or that the privateer's-man is a whit more
reckless or brutal than soldiers or men-of-war's men in the hour of
victory in the king's service."

"There is this difference, Sir," replied I; "first, in the officers
commanding; although glad to obtain prize-money, they are stimulated
by nobler feelings as well. They look to honour and distinction; they
have the feeling that they are defending their king and country, to
support them and throw a halo on their exertions; and they have such
control over their men, that, although I admit they are equally
inclined to excess as the privateer's-man, they are held in check by
the authority which they dare not resist. Now, Mr. Trevannion,
privateer's-men seek not honour, and are not stimulated by a desire to
serve the country; all they look to is how to obtain the property of
others under sanction; and could they without any risk do so, they
would care little whether it was English property or not, provided
that they put the money into their pockets. If I held this opinion as
a seaman on board of a privateer, what must I feel now, when I am the
leader of such people, and the responsibility of their acts is thrown
upon my shoulders, for such I feel is the case?"

"I think," replied Mr. Trevannion, "that we had better not discuss
this question any further just now. Of course you must decide for
yourself; but I have this favour to ask of you. Trusting to your
resuming the command of the vessel, I have no one to replace you at
present, and I hope you will not refuse to take the command of her for
one more cruise: should you, on your return and on mature reflection,
be of the same opinion as you are now, I certainly shall no longer
press you to remain, and will do all I can to assist you in any other
views you may have."

"To that, Sir, I can have no objection," replied I; "it would be
unfair of me to leave you without a captain to the vessel, and I am
therefore ready to sail in her as soon as you please, upon the
understanding that I may quit her, if I am of the same opinion as I am
now, upon my return to port."

"I thank you, my dear Sir," said Mr. Trevannion, rising, "that is all
I request. I must now go to the counting-house."

So saying, he left the room, but his countenance showed that he was
far from pleased.

Miss Trevannion, who had been a silent listener to the conversation,
as soon as her father had closed the door after him, thus spoke:

"Captain Elrington, the opinion of a young maiden like me can be of
little value, but you know not how much pleasure you have given me by
the sentiments you have expressed. Alas! that a man so good, so
generous, and so feeling in every other respect, should be led away by
the desire of gain, to be the owner of such a description of property.
But in this town, wealth is every thing; the way by which it is
obtained is not thought of. My father's father left him a large
property in vessels employed wholly in the slave-trade, and it was
through the persuasions of my poor mother, that my father was induced
to give up that nefarious traffic. Since that, his capital has been
chiefly employed in privateering, which, if not so brutal and
disgraceful, is certainly nearly as demoralizing. I have been home but
a short time, and I have already ventured to express my opinion,
certainly not so forcibly and so well as you have, upon the subject;
but I was laughed at as a tender-hearted girl, who could not be a fit
judge of such matters. But now that you, a captain of one of his
vessels, have expressed your dislike to the profession, I think some
good may arise. If my father were a poor man, it would be more
excusable, if excuse there can be, but such is not the case. He is
wealthy, and to whom has he to leave his wealth but to me, his only
child? Captain Elrington, you are right--be firm--my father's
obligations to you are very great, and your opinion will have its
influence. I am his daughter--his only daughter--his love for me is
great, I know, and I also have my power over him. Supported as I have
been by you, I will now exert it to the utmost to persuade him to
retire from further employment of his means in such a speculation. I
thanked you yesterday, when I first saw you, for your noble behaviour,
I little thought that I should have again, in so short a time, to
express my thanks."

Miss Trevannion did not wait for any reply from me, but then quitted
the room.

I must say, that although so young a person, I was much pleased at
Miss Trevannion's approval of my sentiments. She appeared, from the
very short acquaintance I had had with her, to be a person of a firm
and decided disposition, and very different from the insipid class of
females generally met with. Her approval strengthened my resolution;
still, as I had promised her father that I would go another cruise in
the privateer, I left the house and went on board to resume the
command. My return was joyfully hailed by the officers and men, which
is not always the case. I found her, as may be supposed, ready for sea
at a minute's warning, so that I had nothing to do but to embark my
effects, which I did before the noon was passed, and then went on
shore to Mr. Trevannion, to receive his orders. I found him with
Captain Levee in the back room; and I told Mr. Trevannion that I had
resumed the command, and was ready to sail as soon as he pleased.

"We must make up for lost time, Elrington," replied he; "I have
ordered Captain Levee to cruise to the northward of the Western Isles,
occasionally working up as far as the Scilly Isles. Now, I think, you
had better take your ground in the Channel, between Dunkirk and
Calais. There is as much to be made by salvage in recapturing English
vessels in that quarter, as there is in taking the enemy's vessels;
and I am sure," added Mr. Trevannion, smiling, "you will think that
legitimate warfare."

At this Captain Levee laughed, and said, "I have been told what you
said to Mr. Trevannion, Elrington. I said that it was the effects of
being condemned for high treason, and would wear off in a
three-months' cruise."

"Good impressions do wear off very soon, I fear," replied I; "but I
hope that it will not be the case in this instance."

"We shall see, my good fellow," replied Captain Levee; "for my part I
hope they will, for otherwise we shall lose the best privateer's-man I
ever fell in with. However, it's no use bringing up the question now,
let us wait till our cruises are over, and we meet again. Good-bye,
Elrington, and may you be fortunate. My anchor is short stay apeak,
and I shall be under sail in half an hour."

Captain Levee sailed at the time that he mentioned; I remained at
anchor till the next morning, and then once more was running down the
Irish Channel before a stiff breeze. I forgot to mention that while
at Mr. Trevannion's I had looked at the address of the Catholic priest
who had announced to me my release from prison, and had left copies of
it, as well as of that of the lady at Paris, in the care of Mr.
Trevannion. It was now cold, autumnal weather, and the Channel was but
rough sailing-ground. During the first fortnight we were fortunate
enough to make two recaptures of considerable value, which arrived
safely in the Thames, after which we had a succession of gales front
the southward, it being the time of the equinox, which drove us close
to the sands of Yarmouth, and we even had difficulty in clearing them
and getting into sea-room by standing to the eastward. The weather
still continued very bad, and we were lying-to under storm sails for
several days, and at last found ourselves a degree and a half to the
northward, off the coast of Norfolk, when the weather moderated, and
the wind changed to the northward. It was a fine clear night, but with
no moon, and we were running before the wind to regain our
cruising-ground; but the wind again shifted and baffled us, and at
last it fell light, and, being on a wind, we did not make more than
four miles an hour, although there was very little sea. About one
o'clock in the morning, I had gone on deck, and was walking to and fro
with the first officer, Mr. James, when I thought that I heard a faint
hallo from to windward.

"Stop," said I; "silence there forward."

I listened, and thought that I heard the cry again. "Mr. James," said
I, "did you not hear some one shout?"

"No, Sir," replied he.

"Wait, then, and listen."

We did so, but I could not hear it repeated.

"I am certain that I heard a voice as if on the waters," said I.
"Perhaps some one has fallen overboard. Turn the hands up to muster,
and haul the fore-sheet to windward."

The men were mustered, but no one was missing.

"It was your fancy, Sir," observed the first officer.

"It may have been," replied I; "but I am still in my own mind
persuaded that such was the case. Perhaps I was mistaken."

"Shall we let draw the fore-sheet, Sir?" said Mr. James.

"Yes, we may as well; but the wind is lighter than it was. I think we
shall have a calm."

"It will be as much as she can do to stem the tide and hold her own,"
observed Mr. James. "Let draw the fore-sheet, my lads."

Somehow or another I had a feeling which I could not surmount, that I
certainly had heard a faint shout, and although admitting such to be
the case, there was little chance of being of service to any one, I
felt a reluctance to leave the spot, and as I walked the deck silent
and alone, this feeling became insurmountable.

I remained on deck till the tide turned, and then, instead of taking
advantage of it so as to gain to the southward, I put the schooner's
head the other way, so as to keep as near as I could to the spot where
I heard the voice, reducing her sail so as just to stem the tide. I
cannot now account for my anxiety, which, under the circumstances, I
most certainly never should have felt, unless it was that Providence
was pleased to interpose on this occasion more directly than usual. I
could not leave the deck; I waited for daylight with great impatience,
and as the day dawned I had my telescope in my hand looking round the
compass.

At last, as the sun rose from the fog on the horizon, something
attracted my eye, and I made it out to be the two masts of a vessel
which had sunk in about six fathoms water. Still I could see nothing
except the masts. However, to make sure, I made sail on the schooner,
and stood towards them. A short tack enabled us to fetch, and in half
an hour we passed the wreck about a half-musket-shot to windward, when
we perceived an arm lifted up out of the water, and waved to us.

"There is somebody there," said I, "and I was right. Quickly, my lads;
fore-sheet to windward, and lower down the stern-boat."

This was done in a minute, and in a short time the boat returned,
bringing with them a lad about sixteen years old, whom they had found
in the water, clinging to the masts of the vessel. He was too much
exhausted to speak or move. He was put into bed, covered up with
blankets, and some warm spirits and water poured down his throat. We
then hoisted up the boat, and made sail upon the schooner, and I went
down below to breakfast, rejoicing that I had acted upon the impulse
which I had felt, and had thus been instrumental in saving the life of
a fellow-creature. A few minutes after he was put into bed, the lad
fell into a sound sleep, which continued during the whole of the day.
The next morning he awoke greatly recovered, and very hungry, and as
soon as he had eaten he rose and dressed himself.

I then sent for him, as I was impatient to see him and learn his
history. When he entered the cabin, it struck me I had seen his
features before, but where I could not say. To my inquiries he stated
that the brig was the Jane and Mary, of Hull, laden with coals; that
they had started a wooden end during the gale, and that she had filled
so rapidly that they got the boat from off the boom to save their
lives, but from the heavy sea running, and the confusion, the boat had
been bilged against the bulwarks, and went down as they were shoving
off; that he had supported himself by one of the oars, and was soon
separated from his companions who floated around him; that during this
time the brig had sunk, and he, clinging to the oar, had been drawn
towards her as she sank, and carried some feet under water. On his
rising he perceived the top-gallant masts above water, and had made
for them, and on looking round he could not see any of the rest of the
crew, who must have all perished; that he had been two days on the
mast, and was perished with cold. Finding that his feet, which hung
down on the water, were much warmer than the other portions of his
body exposed to the wind, he had sunk himself down in the water, and
remained there, and had he not done so, he must have perished.

I asked him how long he had been at sea, and he said he had only gone
one voyage, and had been but three months on board. There was
something in his manner so superior to the condition of apprentice
(which he stated himself to be) on board of such a vessel; and I felt
such an interest, which I could not account for, towards the lad, that
I then asked who were his friends. He replied, stammering, that he
had not a friend in the world except a brother older than himself by
many years, and he did not know where he was.

"But your father's name? Is he alive, and who is he? You must tell me
that, or I shall not know where to send you."

The youth was very confused, and would not give me any answer.

"Come, my lad," I said, "I think as I have saved your life, I deserve
a little confidence, and it shall not be misplaced. I perceive that
you have not been brought up as a lad for the sea, and you must
therefore trust me."

"I will, Sir," he replied, "if you will not send me back to my father
and--mother."

"Certainly not against your will, my good lad," I replied, "although I
shall probably persuade you all I can to return to them. I presume you
ran away from your home?"

"Yes, Sir, I did," replied he; "for I could not possibly stay there
any longer, and my brother did so before me, for the same reason that
I did."

"Well, I promise you, if you will confide in me, that I will not force
your inclinations, so now tell me who are your father and mother, and
why you left home. You want a friend now, and without confidence you
cannot expect friendship."

"I will tell you all, Sir," he replied, "for I see by your face that
you will not take advantage of me."

He then commenced, and you may imagine my surprise, my dear Madam,
when I found that it was my own brother Philip, whom I had left a
child of ten years old, who was addressing me. He had, as he had
asserted, left his home and thrown himself on the wide world for the
same reason which I had; for his spirit, like mine, could not brook
the treatment which he received. I allowed him to finish his
narrative, and then made myself known to him.

You may imagine the scene, and the delight of the poor fellow, who, as
he encircled me in his arms, clinging to me with the tears of joy on
his cheeks, told me that his great object had been to find me out, and
that although he had no idea what had become of me, he thought it
most likely that I had taken to a seafaring life.

I now felt certain that Providence had specially interposed in this
business, and had, for its own good reasons, created those unusual
feelings of interest which I described to you, that I might be the
saviour of my brother; and most grateful was I, I can assure you. I
had now a companion and friend, one to love and to cherish. I was no
longer alone in the world, and I do not know when I had felt so happy
for a long while.

I left my brother below in the cabin, and went on deck to acquaint the
officers with this strange meeting. The intelligence soon ran through
the vessel, and of course the poor shipwrecked boy became an object of
unusual interest. That whole day I was interrogating and receiving
intelligence from him relative to our family. I made him describe his
sisters and every member of it, even the servants and our neighbours
were not forgotten, and for the first time since I had quitted home, I
knew what had occurred during the six years of my absence. From the
accounts he gave me, I certainly had no inclination ever to return as
long as certain parties were in existence; and my brother declared
that nothing but force should ever induce him. The more I talked with
him, the more I was pleased with him. He appeared of a frank, noble
disposition, full of honour and high sentiments, winning in his
manners, and mirthful to excess. Indeed his handsome countenance
implied and expressed as much, and it did not deceive.

I hardly need say that he took up his quarters in my cabin, and having
procured for him more suitable apparel, he looked what he was, the
perfect young gentleman. He was soon a general favourite on board, not
only with the officers but with the men. One would have thought that
the danger and distress we had found him in would have sickened him
for the sea for ever; but it was quite the contrary. He delighted in
his profession, and was certainly born to be a sailor. I asked him
what he felt when he had remained so long clinging to the mast; if he
had not given up all hopes of being saved? and he replied no, that he
had not; that he did not know how long he might have had to remain
there, but that he had never abandoned the idea of being taken off by
some vessel or another, and that he thought that he might have
continued there for twenty-four hours longer without being exhausted,
as after he had sunk himself into the water he felt warm, and no
exertion was necessary. It is of such buoyant spirits as these, Madam,
that seamen should be made.

You cannot have an idea of the pleasure which I experienced at this
falling in with my brother Philip. It appeared to have given a new
stimulus to my existence; even privateering did not appear so hateful
to me, after I had heard him express his delight at being likely to be
so employed, for such he stated had long been his ardent wish. Two
days afterwards we had regained our cruising-ground, and perceived a
French privateer steering for the port of Calais, in company with a
large merchant vessel which she had captured. The wind was light, and
we discovered her at daybreak, just as the fog cleared away, she being
then about mid-channel, and not more than five miles distant. We made
all sail, and soon were within gun-shot. The Frenchman appeared
determined not to part with his prize without a trial of strength, but
as the captured vessel was the nearest to us, I decided to retake her
first, and then fight him if he wished. I therefore steered to lay the
prize by the board. The Frenchman, a lugger of twelve guns, perceiving
our intention, made also for the prize to defend her, he steering up
for her close-hauled, we running down to her free, the prize lying
between us, and sheltering each of us from the other's guns. It is
difficult to say whether the Frenchman or we were the first to touch
her sides with our respective vessels; I rather think that the
Frenchman was a second or two before us. At all events they were
quicker than we were, and were on the deck first, besides having the
advantage of the assistance of their men already on board, so that we
were taken at a great disadvantage. However, we did gain the deck by
boarding at two points, forward and aft, and a fierce contest ensued.
The French were more numerous than we were, but my men were better
selected, being all very powerful, athletic fellows. Philip had
boarded with the other party forward, which was led by my chief
officer. My party, who were abaft, not being so numerous, were beaten
back to the taffrail of the vessel, where we stood at bay, defending
ourselves against the furious assaults of the Frenchmen. But if we
lost, the other party gained, for the whole body of the Frenchmen were
between us and them, and those who faced Philip's party were driven
back to abaft the mainmast. It so happened that Philip was thrown down
on the deck, and his men passed over him; and while in that position,
and unable to rise from the pressure upon him, he heard a calling out
from below: this told him that the English prisoners were in the hold;
and as soon as he could rise he threw off the hatches, and they rushed
up, to the number of twenty-three stout fellows, to our support,
cheering most manfully, and by their cheers announcing to the French
that we had received assistance. This gave fresh courage to my men,
who were hard pressed and faint with their great exertion. We cheered,
and rushed upon the enemy, who were already weakened by many of them
having turned round to resist the increased impetus from forward. Our
cheers were replied to by Philip's party and the prisoners, and the
French were losing the day. They made another desperate rush upon
Philip's men, and succeeded in driving them back to before the
main-hatches; but what they gained forward, they lost abaft, as we
pushed on with vigour. This was their last attempt. The main-hatch
being open, several of them in the confusion fell into it, others
followed them of their own accord, and at last every one of them was
beaten down from the deck, and the hatches were put over them, with
three cheers.

"Now, for the privateer--she is our own," cried Philip; "follow me, my
men," continued he, as he sprang upon the bulwarks of the prize, and
from thence into the main rigging of the lugger alongside.

Most of my men followed him; and as there were but few men left on
board of the lugger, she was soon in our possession, and thus we had
both the enemy and the prize without firing a cannon-shot. It was
strange that this combat between two privateers should thus be decided
upon the deck of another vessel, but such was the fact. We had several
men badly wounded, but not one killed. The French were not quite so
fortunate, as seven of their men lay dead upon the decks. The prize
proved to be the Antelope West-Indiaman, laden with sugar and rum,
and of considerable value. We gave her up to the captain and crew, who
had afforded us such timely assistance, and they were not a little
pleased at being thus rescued from a French prison. The privateer was
named the Jean Bart, of twelve guns, and one hundred and fifteen men,
some away in prizes. She was a new vessel, and this her first cruise.
As it required many men to man her, and we had the prisoners to
incumber us, I resolved that I would take her to Liverpool at once;
and six days afterwards we arrived there without further adventure.
Philip's gallant conduct had won him great favour with my officers and
men, and I must say that I felt very proud of him.

As soon as we had anchored both vessels, I went on shore with Philip
to Mr. Trevannion's, to give him an account of what had occurred
during the short cruise, and I hardly need say that he was satisfied
with the results, as we had made three recaptures of value besides a
privateer. I introduced Philip to him, acquainting him with his
miraculous preservation, and Mr. Trevannion very kindly invited him
for the present to remain in his house. We then took our leave,
promising to be back by dinner-time, and I went with Philip to fit him
out in a more creditable way; and having made my purchases and given
my orders (it being then almost two o'clock _post meridiem_), we
hastened to Mr. Trevannion's, that we might be in time for dinner. I
was, I must confess, anxious to see Miss Trevannion, for she had often
occupied my thoughts during the cruise. She met me with great
friendliness and welcomed me back. Our dinner was very agreeable, and
Philip's sallies were much approved of. He was, indeed, a mirthful,
witty lad, full of jest and humour, and with a good presence withal.
Mr. Trevannion being called out just as dinner was finished. Miss
Trevannion observed--

"I presume, Mr. Elrington, that your good fortune and the reputation
you have acquired in so short a time, have put an end to all your
misgivings as to a privateer's-man's life?"

"I am not quite so light and inconstant, Miss Trevannion," replied I;
"I rejoice that in this cruise I have really nothing to lament or
blush for, and trust at the same time we have been serviceable to our
country; but my opinion is the same, and I certainly wish that I had
fought under the king's pennant instead of on board of a privateer."

"You are, then, of the same mind, and intend to resign the command?"

"I do, Miss Trevannion, although I admit that this lad's welfare makes
it more important than ever that I should have some means of
livelihood."

"I rejoice to hear you speak thus, Mr. Elrington, and I think my
father's obligations to you are such, that if he does not assist you,
I should feel ashamed of him--but such I am certain will not be the
case. He will forward your views, whatever they may be, to the utmost
of his power--at the same time, I admit, from conversations I have had
with him, that he will be mortified at your resigning the command."

"And so shall I," said Philip, "for I do not agree with you or my
brother: I see no more harm in privateering than in any other
fighting. I suppose, Miss Trevannion, you have been the cause of my
brother's scruples, and I tell you candidly to your face, that I do
not thank you for it."

Miss Trevannion coloured up at this remark, and then replied, "I do
not think, Mr. Philip, that I have had the pleasure of seeing your
brother more than three times in my life, and that within these last
six weeks, and sure I am that we have not had a quarter of an hour's
conversation altogether. It is, therefore, assuredly, too much to say
that I am the cause, and your brother will tell you that he expressed
these opinions before I ever had had any conversation with him."

"That may be," replied Philip, "but you approved of his sentiments,
and that concluded the business, I am sure, and I don't wonder at it.
I only hope that you won't ask me to do any thing I do not wish to do;
for I am sure that I could never refuse you any thing."

"I am glad to hear you say so, Mr. Philip; for if I see you do that
which I think wrong, I shall certainly try my influence over you,"
replied Miss Trevannion, smiling. "I really was not aware that I had
such power."

Here Mr. Trevannion came in again, and the conversation was changed;
and shortly afterwards Miss Trevannion left the room. Philip, who was
tired of sitting while Mr. Trevannion and I took our pipes, and who
was anxious to see the town, also left us; and I then stated to Mr.
Trevannion that having now completed the cruise which I had agreed
that I would, I wished to know whether he had provided himself with
another captain.

"As you appear so determined, my dear Elrington, I will only say that
I am very sorry, and will not urge the matter any longer. My daughter
told me since your absence that she was certain that you would adhere
to your resolution; and, although I hoped the contrary, yet I have
been considering in which way I can serve you. It is not only my
pleasure, but my duty so to do; I have not forgotten, and never will
forget, that you in all probability saved my life by your
self-devotion in the affair of the Jacobites. When you first came to
me, you were recommended as a good accountant, and, to a certain
degree, a man of business; and, at all events, you proved yourself
well acquainted and apt at figures. Do you think that a situation on
shore would suit you?"

"I should endeavour to give satisfaction, Sir," I replied; "but I fear
that I should have much to learn."

"Of course you would; but I reply that you would soon learn. Now,
Elrington, what I have to say to you is this: I am getting old, and in
a few years shall be past work; and I think I should like you as an
assistant for the present, and a successor hereafter. If you would
like to join me, you shall superintend the more active portion of the
business; and I have no doubt but that in a year or two you will be
master of the whole. As you know, I have privateers and I have
merchant vessels, and I keep my storehouses. I have done well up to
the present; not so well, perhaps, now, as I did when I had
slave-vessels, which were most profitable; but my deceased wife
persuaded me to give up that traffic, and I have not resumed it, in
honour of her memory. These foolish women should never interfere in
such matters; but let that pass. What I have to say is, that if you
choose after a year to join me as a partner, I will give you an eighth
of the business, and as we continue I will make over a further share
in proportion to the profits; and I will make such arrangements as to
enable you at my death to take the whole concern upon favourable
terms."

Mr. Trevannion knocked the ashes out of his pipe, and, as he
concluded,--

"I am," I replied, "as you may imagine, Sir, much gratified and
honoured at your proposal, which I hardly need say that I willingly
accept. I only hope you will make allowance for my ignorance at first
setting off, and not ascribe to any other cause my imperfections. You
may assure yourself that good-will shall never be wanting on my part,
and I shall work day and night, if required, to prove my gratitude for
so kind an offer."

"Then, it is settled," said Mr. Trevannion; "but what are we to do
with your brother Philip?"

"He thinks for himself, Sir, and does not agree with me on the
question in point. Of course, I have no right to insist that my
scruples should be his; indeed, I fear that I should have little
chance in persuading him, as he is so fond of a life of adventure. It
is natural in one so young. Age will sober him."

"Then you have no objection to his going on board of a privateer?"

"I would rather that he was in any other service, Sir; but as I cannot
control him, I must submit, if he insist upon following that
profession. He is a gallant, clever boy, and as soon as I can, I will
try to procure him a situation in a king's ship. At present he must go
to sea in some way or the other, and it were, perhaps, better that he
should be in good hands (such as Captain Levee's for instance) on
board of a privateer, than mix up with those who might demoralize him
more."

"Well, then, he shall have his choice," replied Mr. Trevannion. "He is
a smart lad, and will do you credit wherever he may be."

"If I may take the liberty to advise, Sir," replied I, "I think you
could not do better than to give the command of the Sparrow-Hawk to
the chief officer, Mr. James; he is a good seaman and a brave man,
and I have no doubt will acquit himself to your satisfaction."

"I was thinking the same; and as you recommend him, he shall take your
place. Now, as all this is settled, you may as well go on board and
make known that you have resigned the command. Tell Mr. James that he
is to take your place. Bring your clothes on shore, and you will find
apartments ready for you on your return, for in future you will of
course consider this house as your residence. I assure you that, now
that you do not leave me, I am almost glad that the affair is arranged
as it is. I wanted assistance, that is the fact, and I hold myself
fortunate that you are the party who has been selected. We shall meet
in the evening."

Mr. Trevannion then went away in the direction of his daughter's room,
instead of the counting-house as usual, and I quitted the house. I did
not go immediately down to the wharf to embark. I wanted to have a
short time for reflection, for I was much overpowered with Mr.
Trevannion's kindness, and the happy prospects before me. I walked out
in the country for some distance, deep in my own reflections, and I
must say that Miss Trevannion was too often interfering with my train
of thought.

I had of course no fixed ideas, but I more than once was weighing in
my mind whether I should not make known to them who I was, and how
superior in birth to what they imagined. After an hour passed in
building castles, I retraced my steps, passed through the town, and
going down to the wharf, waved my handkerchief for a boat, and was
soon on board. I then summoned the officers and men, told them that I
had resigned the command of the vessel, and that in future they were
to consider Mr. James as their captain. I packed up my clothes,
leaving many articles for my successor which were no longer of any use
to me, but which he would have been compelled to replace.

Philip I found was down in the cabin, and with him I had a long
conversation. He stated his wish to remain at sea, saying that he
preferred a privateer to a merchant vessel, and a king's ship to a
privateer. Not being old enough, or sufficient time at sea to be
eligible for a king's ship, I agreed that he should sail with Captain
Levee, as soon as he came back from his cruise. He had already sent in
a good prize. As soon as my clothes and other articles were put into
the boat, I wished them all farewell, and was cheered by the men as I
pulled on shore.

My effects were taken up to Mr. Trevannion's house by the seamen, to
whom I gave a gratuity, and I was met by Mr. Trevannion, who showed me
into a large and well-furnished bed-room, which he told me was in
future to be considered as my own. I passed away the afternoon in
arranging my clothes, and did not go down to the parlour till
supper-time, where I found Miss Trevannion, who congratulated me upon
my having changed my occupation to one more worthy of me. I made a
suitable reply, and we sat down to supper. Having described this first
great event in my life, I shall for the present conclude.




CHAPTER XIII.

    After staying a year with him, Mr. Trevannion proposes
    to take me into Partnership, but I decline the offer
    from conscientious motives--Miss Trevannion treats me
    with unmerited coldness--This and her Father's anger
    make me resolve to quit the House--What I overhear and
    see before my departure--The Ring.


You may now behold me in a very different position, my dear Madam;
instead of the laced hat and hanger at my side, imagine me in a plain
suit of gray with black buttons, and a pen behind my ear; instead of
walking the deck and balancing to the motion of the vessel, I am now
perched immoveably upon a high stool; instead of sweeping the horizon
with my telescope, or watching the straining and bending of the spars
aloft, I am now with my eyes incessantly fixed upon the ledger or
day-book, absorbed in calculation. You may inquire how I liked the
change. At first, I must confess, not over much, and, notwithstanding
my dislike to the life of a privateer's-man, I often sighed heavily,
and wished that I were an officer in the king's service. The change
from a life of activity to one of sedentary habits was too sudden, and
I often found myself, with my eyes still fixed upon the figures
before me, absorbed in a sort of castle-building reverie, in which I
was boarding or chasing the enemy, handling my cutlass, and sometimes
so moved by my imagination as to brandish my arm over my head, when an
exclamation of surprise from one of the clerks would remind me of my
folly, and, angry with myself, I would once more resume my pen. But
after a time I had more command over myself, and could sit steadily at
my work. Mr. Trevannion had often observed how absent I was, and it
was a source of amusement to him; when we met at dinner, his daughter
would say: "So, I hear you had another sea-fight this morning, Mr.
Elrington;" and her father would laugh heartily as he gave a
description of my ridiculous conduct.

I very soon, with the kind assistance of Mr. Trevannion, became master
of my work, and gave him satisfaction. My chief employment consisted
in writing the letters to correspondents. At first I only copied Mr.
Trevannion's letters in his private letter-book; but as I became aware
of the nature of the correspondence, and what was necessary to be
detailed, I then made a rough copy of the letters, and submitted them
to Mr. Trevannion for his approval. At first there were a few
alterations made, afterwards I wrote them fairly out, and almost
invariably they gave satisfaction, or if any thing was added, it was
in a postscript. Mr. Trevannion's affairs, I found, were much more
extensive than I had imagined. He had the two privateers, two vessels
on the coast of Africa trading for ivory and gold-dust and other
articles, two or three vessels employed in trading to Virginia for
tobacco and other produce, and some smaller vessels engaged in the
Newfoundland fisheries, which, when they had taken in their cargo, ran
to the Mediterranean to dispose of it, and returned with Mediterranean
produce to Liverpool. That he was a very wealthy man, independent of
his large stakes upon the seas, was certain. He had lent much money to
the guild of Liverpool, and had some tenanted properties in the
county; but of them I knew nothing, except from the payment of the
rents. What surprised me much was, that a man of Mr. Trevannion's
wealth, having but one child to provide for, should not retire from
business--and I once made the remark to his daughter. Her reply was:
"I thought as you do once, but now I think differently. When I have
been on a visit with my father, and he has stayed away for several
weeks, you have no idea how restless and uneasy he has become from
want of occupation. It has become his habit, and habit is second
nature. It is not from a wish to accumulate that he continues at the
counting-house, but because he cannot be happy without employment. I,
therefore, do not any longer persuade him to leave off, as I am
convinced that it would be persuading him to be unhappy. Until you
came, I think the fatigue was too great for him; but you have, as he
apprizes me, relieved him of the heaviest portion of the labour, and I
hardly need say that I am rejoiced that you have so done."

"It certainly is not that he requires to make money, Miss Trevannion;
and, as he is so liberal in every thing, I must credit what you
assert, that it is the dislike to having no employment which induces
him to continue in business. It has not yet become such a habit in
me," continued I, smiling; "I think I could leave it off with great
pleasure."

"But is not that because you have not yet recovered from your former
habits, which were so at variance with a quiet and a sedentary life?"
replied she.

"I fear it is so," said I, "and, I believe, of all habits, those of a
vagrant are the most difficult to overcome. You used to laugh at me
the first few months that I was here. I presume that I am a little
improved, as I have not been attacked lately?"

"My father says so, and is much pleased with you, Mr. Elrington, if my
telling you so gives you any satisfaction."

"Certainly it does, because I wish to please him."

"And me, too, I hope?"

"Yes, most truly, Miss Trevannion; I only wish I had it in my power to
show how much I study your good opinion."

"Will you risk my father's displeasure for it?" replied she, looking
at me fixedly.

"Yes, I will, provided--"

"Oh! there is a proviso already."

"I grant that there should not have been any, as I am sure that you
would not ask me to do any thing which is wrong. And my proviso was,
that I did not undertake what my conscience did not approve."

"Your proviso was good, Mr. Elrington, for when a woman would
persuade, a man should be particularly guarded that he is not led into
error by a rash promise. I think, however, that we are both agreed
upon the point. I will therefore, come at once to what I wish you to
do. It is the intention of my father, in the course of a few days,
when you shall have accomplished your year of service, to offer to
take you into partnership; and I am certain it will be on liberal
terms. Now I wish you to refuse his offer unless he gives up
privateering."

"I will do so at all risks, and I am truly glad that I have your
encouragement for taking such a bold step."

"I tell you frankly that he will be very indignant. There is an
excitement about the privateering which has become almost necessary to
him, and he cares little about the remainder of his speculations. He
is so blind to the immorality to which it leads, that he does not
think it is an unlawful pursuit; if he did, I am sure that he would
abandon it. All my persuasion has been useless."

"And if a favourite and only daughter cannot prevail, what chance have
I, Miss Trevannion?"

"A better chance, Mr. Elrington; he is partial to me, but I am a
woman, and he looks upon my observations as a woman's weakness. The
objections raised by a man, a young man, and one who has so long been
actively engaged in the service, will, therefore, carry more weight;
besides, he has now become so accustomed to you, and has had so much
trouble taken off his hands, and, at the same time, has such implicit
confidence in you, that I do not think, if he finds that he has to
choose between your leaving him and his leaving off privateering, he
will hesitate in relinquishing the latter. You have, moreover, great
weight with him, Mr. Elrington; my father is fully aware of the deep
obligation he is under to your courage and self-devotion in the affair
of the Jacobite refugees. You will, therefore, succeed, if you are
firm; and, if you do succeed, you will have my gratitude, if that is
of any importance to you; my friendship you know you have already."

The entrance of Mr. Trevannion prevented my reply. We had been waiting
for his return from a walk, and dinner had been ready some time. "I
have just seen some of the men of the Arrow," said Mr. Trevannion,
taking off his hat and spencer, "and that detained me."

"Has Captain Levee arrived, then, Sir?" said I.

"No; but he has sent in a prize--of no great value--laden with light
wares. The men in charge tell me he has had a rough affair with a
vessel armed _en flute_, and that he has lost some men. Your brother
Philip, as usual, is wounded."

I should here observe, that during the year which had passed away, the
two privateers had been several times in port--they had met with
moderate success, barely sufficient to pay their expenses; my brother
Philip had always conducted himself very gallantly, and had been twice
wounded in different engagements.

"Well, Sir," replied I, "I do not think that the loss of a little
blood will do any harm to such a hot-headed youth as Master Philip;
but I hope in a short time to give him an opportunity of shedding it
in the service of the king, instead of in the pursuit of money.
Indeed," continued I, as I sat down to table, "the enemy are now so
cautious, or have so few vessels on the high seas, that I fear your
privateering account current will not be very favourable, when
balanced, as it will be in a few days, notwithstanding this cargo of
wares just arrived."

"Then we must hope better for next year," replied Mr. Trevannion.
"Amy, my dear, have you been out to-day?"

"Yes, Sir; I was riding for two hours."

"Have they altered your pillion yet?"

"Yes, Sir; it came home last night, and it is now very comfortable."

"I called at Mrs. Carleton's, who is much better. What a fop that Mr.
Carleton is--I don't know what scented powder he uses, but it perfumed
the whole room. Had not Mrs. Carleton been such an invalid, I should
have opened the window."

Mr. Trevannion then turned the conversation to some political
intelligence which he had just received, and this engaged us till the
dinner was over, and I returned to the counting-house, where I found
the men who had brought in the prize, and who gave me a letter from
Philip, stating that his wound was of no consequence.

The communication of Mr. Trevannion took place, as his daughter had
assured me it would, on the anniversary of my entering into Mr.
Trevannion's counting-house. After dinner, as we, as usual, were
smoking our pipes, Mr. Trevannion said: "Elrington, you have been with
me now one year, and during that time you have made yourself fully
master of your business; much to my surprise, I acknowledge, but still
more to my satisfaction. That I have every reason to be satisfied with
you, you may imagine, when I tell you that it is now my intention to
take you into partnership, and I trust by my so doing that you will
soon be an independent man. You know the capital in the business as
well as I do. I did say an eighth, but I now propose to make over to
you one-fourth, and to allow your profits of every year (deducting
your necessary expenses) to be invested in the business, until you
have acquired a right to one-half. Of future arrangements we will
speak hereafter."

"Mr. Trevannion," replied I, "that I am truly grateful for such
unexpected liberality, I hardly need say, and you have my best thanks
for your noble offer; but I have scruples which, I must confess, I
cannot get over."

"Scruples!" exclaimed Mr. Trevannion, laying down his pipe on the
table. "Oh! I see now," continued he after a pause; "you think I am
robbing my daughter. No, no, the labourer is worthy of his hire, and
she will have more than sufficient. You carry your conscientiousness
too far, my dear fellow; I have more than enough for Amy, out of the
business altogether."

"I am aware of that, Sir," added I, "and I did not, therefore, refer
to your daughter when I said that I had scruples. I must be candid
with you, Sir. How is it that I am now in your employ?"

"Why, because you had a dislike to privateering, and I had a debt of
gratitude to pay."

"Exactly, Sir; but whether you had been pleased to employ me or not, I
had made up my mind, as you well know, from conscientious motives, not
to continue on board of a privateer."

"Well, I grant that."

"The same motives, Sir, will not allow me to be a sharer in the
profits arising from such sources. I should consider myself equally
wrong if I did so, as if I remained on board. Do not be angry with me,
Sir," continued I; "if I, with many thanks, decline your offer of
being your partner; I will faithfully serve you upon any salary which
you may consider I may merit, and trust to your liberality in every
thing."

Mr. Trevannion made no reply; he had resumed his pipe, and continued
to smoke it, with his eyes fixed upon the mantelpiece. As soon as his
pipe was out, he rose, put on his hat, and walked out of the room,
without making any further observation. I waited a few minutes, and
then went back to the counting-house.

That Mr. Trevannion was seriously offended, I was convinced; but I
valued the good opinion of his daughter more than I did that of Mr.
Trevannion; indeed, my feelings towards her had, during the year that
I had been in the house, gradually become of that nature that they
threatened much my peace of mind. I cannot say that I loved her in the
usual acceptation of the term, adoration would better express what I
felt. She was so pure, so perfect, such a model of female perfection,
that I looked up to her with a reverence which almost quelled any
feeling of love. I felt that she was above me, and that, with her
wealth, it would be madness for one in my present position to aspire
to her. Yet with this feeling I would have sacrificed all my hopes and
present advantages to have obtained her approving smile. It is not,
therefore, to be wondered at that I risked Mr. Trevannion's
displeasure to gain her approbation; and when I resumed my seat at my
desk, and thought of what had passed, I made up my mind to be once
more an outcast in the world rather than swerve from the promise which
I had made to her. I knew Mr. Trevannion to be a very decided man,
and hasty when offended. That he was seriously offended with me there
was no doubt. I found that he had quitted the house immediately after
he had left the room. I had hoped that he had gone to his daughter's
apartments, and that a conversation with her might have produced a
good effect; but such was not the case.

In about half an hour Mr. Trevannion returned, and as he walked into
the back room adjoining the counting-house, he desired me to follow
him; I did so: "Mr. Elrington," said he, sitting down, and leaving me
standing at the table, "I fear, after what has passed that we shall
not continue on good terms. You have reproached me, an old man, with
carrying on an unlawful business; in short, in raising your own
scruples and talking of your own conscience, you have implied that I
am acting contrary to what conscience should dictate. In short, you
have told me, by implication, that I am not an honest man. You have
thrown back in my face my liberal offer. My wish to oblige you has
been treated not only with indifference, but I may add with contumely;
and that merely because you have formed some absurd notions of right
and wrong in which you will find no one to agree with you, except,
perhaps, priests and women. I wish you well, Mr. Elrington,
nevertheless. I am truly sorry for your infatuation, and wished to
have served you, but you will not be assisted by me."

Here Mr. Trevannion paused, but I made no reply. After a time, wiping
the perspiration from his forehead with his handkerchief, for he
evidently was in a state of great excitement he continued:

"As you do not choose to join me from conscientious scruples, I cannot
but imagine that you do not like to serve me from similar motives, for
I see little difference between the two (and here, Madam, there was
some force in his observation, but it never occurred to me before); at
all events, without weighing your scruples so exactly as to know how
far they may or may not extend, I feel that we are not likely to go on
pleasantly together. I shall always think that I am reproached by you
when any thing is said connected with the privateers--and you may have
twinges of conscience which may be disagreeable to you. Let us,
therefore, part quietly. For your services up to the present, and to
assist you in any other engagements you may enter on, take this--"

Mr. Trevannion opened a lower drawer of the table, and put before me a
bag containing, as I afterwards discovered, 250 gold jacobuses.

"I wish you well, Mr. Elrington, but I sincerely wish that we had
never met."

Mr. Trevannion then rose abruptly, and, before I could make any reply,
brushed past me, went out at the door, and again walked away at a
rapid pace down the street. I remained where I stood; my eyes had
followed him as he went away. I was completely surprised. I
anticipated much anger, much altercation; but I never had an idea that
he would be so unjust as to throw off in this way one who for his sake
had gone through a heavy trial and come out with honour. My heart was
full of bitterness. I felt that Mr. Trevannion had treated me with
harshness and ingratitude.

"Alas!" thought I, "such is the world, and such will ever be the case
with such imperfect beings as we are. How vain to expect any thing
like consistency, much less perfection, in our erring natures. Hurt
but the self-love of a man, wound his vanity, and all obligations are
forgotten."

I turned away from the bag of money, which I was resolved not to
accept, although I had not at the time twenty guineas at my own
disposal. It was now within half an hour of dark; I collected all my
books, put some in the iron safe, others as usual in my desk, and
having arranged every thing as completely as I could, I locked the
safe, and inclosed the keys in a parcel, which I sealed. Putting Mr.
Trevannion's name on the outside, I laid the parcel on the table in
the room where we had had our conference, by the side of the bag of
money.

It was now dark, or nearly so, and leaving the confidential porter, as
usual, to shut up the house, I went up to the sitting-room with the
expectation of seeing Miss Trevannion, and bidding her farewell. I was
not disappointed; I found her at her netting, having just lighted the
lamp which hung over the table.

"Miss Trevannion," said I, advancing respectfully towards her, "I
have fulfilled my promise, and I have received my reward"--she looked
up at me--"which is, I am dismissed from this house and your presence
for ever."

"I trust," said she, after a pause, "that you have not exceeded my
wishes. It appears to me so strange, that I must think that such is
the case. My father never could have dismissed you in this way for
merely expressing an opinion, Mr. Elrington. You must have gone too
far."

"Miss Trevannion, when you meet your father, you can then ascertain
whether I have been guilty of intemperance or rudeness, or a proper
want of respect in making the communication--which I did in exactly
the manner you yourself proposed, and my reward has been such as I
state."

"You have a better reward, Mr. Elrington, if what you assert is really
correct. You have the reward of having done your duty; but I cannot
imagine that your dismissal has arisen from the mere expression of an
opinion. You'll excuse me, Mr. Elrington, that as a daughter, I
cannot, in justice to a much respected father, believe that such is
the case."

This was said in so cold a manner, that I was nettled to the highest
degree. Miss Trevannion had promised me her gratitude, instead of
which I felt that she was doubting my word, and, as it were, taking
the side of her father against me. And this was the return from her. I
could have upbraided her, and told her what I felt; namely, that she
had taken advantage of my feelings towards her to make me a cat's-paw
to obtain her end with her father; and that now, having failed, I was
left to my fate, without even commiseration; but she looked so calm,
so grave, and so beautiful, that I could not do it. I commanded my
wounded feelings, and replied:

"Since I have the misfortune to meet the displeasure of the daughter
as well as of the father, Miss Trevannion, I have not another word to
say, but farewell, and may you prosper."

My voice faltered as I said the last words, and, bowing to her, I
quitted the room. Miss Trevannion did not even say farewell to me, but
I thought that her lips appeared to move, as quitting the room I took
my last look upon her beautiful face. I shut the door after me, and,
overpowered by my feelings, I sank upon a settee in the ante-room, in
a state of giddy stupor. I know not how long I remained there, for my
head turned and my senses reeled; but I was aroused from it by the
heavy tread of Mr. Trevannion, who came along the corridor without a
light, and not perceiving me, opened the door of the sitting-room
where his daughter still remained. He threw the door too after he had
entered, but it did not quite close, leaving a narrow stream of light
through the ante-room.

"Father," said Miss Trevannion in my hearing, "you look warm and
excited."

"I have reason so to be," replied Mr. Trevannion, abruptly.

"I have heard from Mr. Elrington the cause of it," replied Miss
Trevannion; "that is, I have heard his version of it. I am glad that
you have come back, as I am most anxious to hear yours. What has Mr.
Elrington said or done to cause such irritation and his dismissal?"

"He has behaved with insolence and ingratitude," replied Mr.
Trevannion; "I offered him partnership, and he refused, unless I would
give up privateering."

"So he stated; but in what manner was he insolent to you?"

"Insolent!--told me that he acted from conscientious motives, which
was as much as to say that I did not."

"Was his language very offensive?"

"No, not his language--that was respectful enough; but it was the very
respect which made it insolent. So I told him that as he could not,
from scruples of conscience, join me in privateering, of course his
scruples of conscience could not allow him to keep the books, and I
dismissed him."

"Do you mean to say, my dear father, that he, in a respectful manner,
declined entering into partnership from these scruples which you
mention; that he gave you no other offence than expressing his
opinion, and declining your offer?"

"And what would you have more?" replied Mr. Trevannion.

"I wish to know where was the insult, the ingratitude, on his part
which you complain of?"

"Simply in refusing the offer. He ought to have felt grateful, and he
was not; and he had no right to give such reasons as he did; for the
reasons were condemning my actions. But you women cannot understand
these things."

"I rather think, my dear father, that we cannot; for I cannot perceive
either the insult or the ingratitude which you complain of, and such I
think will be your own opinion when you have had time to reflect, and
are more cool. Mr. Elrington expressed nothing more to-day, when he
stated his dislike to privateering from conscientious motives than he
did after his return from his confinement in the Tower, when he gave
up the command of the privateer on those very grounds; and then, when
still warm with gratitude to him for his self-devotion, you did not
consider it an insult, but, on the contrary, took him still nearer to
you into your own house. Why, then, should you consider it an insult
now? Neither can I see any ingratitude. You made him an offer, the
value of which, in a worldly point of view, he could not but
appreciate, and he declined it from conscientious motives; declined
it, as you acknowledge, respectfully; proving that he was ready to
sacrifice his worldly interests to what he considered his duty as a
Christian. When Mr. Elrington told me that you had dismissed him, I
felt so certain that he must have been guilty of some unpardonable
conduct towards you to have induced you to have resorted to such a
step, that I did not credit him when he asserted the contrary. I could
not believe, as a daughter, any thing so much to the prejudice of my
own father, and so much at variance with his general conduct. I now
feel that I have been most unjust to Mr. Elrington, and conducted
myself towards him in a way which I bitterly regret, and hope by some
means to be able to express my contrition for--"

"Amy--Amy," said Mr. Trevannion, severely, "are you blinded by regard
for this young man, that you side against your own father? Am I to
understand that you have given your affections without my sanction or
approval?"

"No, Sir," replied Miss Trevannion; "that I do respect and regard Mr.
Elrington is true, and I cannot do otherwise for his many good
qualities and his devotion towards you; but if you would ask me if I
love him, I reply that such a thought has not yet entered my head.
Without a knowledge of who he is, or his family, and without your
approval, I should never think of yielding up my affections in so
hasty a manner; but I may say more: these affections have never been
solicited by Mr. Elrington. He has always behaved towards me with that
respect, which, as the daughter of his patron, I have had a right to
expect; but in no instance has he ever signified to me that he had any
preference in my favour. Having assured you of this, my dear father, I
cannot but say that I consider that he has, in this instance, not only
been treated with injustice by you, but also by me."

"Say no more," replied Mr. Trevannion. As he said this, I heard
footsteps in the passage, and was about to retreat to my own room; but
as the party came without a light, I remained. It was the porter, who
knocked at the sitting-room door, and was requested to come in by Mr.
Trevannion.

"If you please, Sir, Mr. Elrington is gone out, I believe, and I found
this packet directed to you on the table of the inner room, and also
this bag of money, which I suppose you forgot to put away before you
left."

"Very well, Humphrey, leave them on the table."

The man did so, and quitted the room, not perceiving me in the dark as
he passed through the ante-room.

"He has not taken the money," observed Mr. Trevannion. "He might have
done so, as he ought to be paid for his services."

"I presume, my dear father, that his feelings were too much hurt by
what passed," said Miss Trevannion. "There are obligations which
cannot be repaid with gold."

"These, I perceive, are the keys of the safe; I did not think that he
would have gone away this night."

I now considered it high time to quit the ante-room, where I had been
irresistibly detained by the conversation which took place. I hastened
to my own chamber, determined that I would leave the house the next
morning before any one was stirring. I gained it in the dark, but
having the means of striking a light, I did so, and packed up all my
clothes ready for my departure. I had just fastened down my valise,
when I perceived a light on the further end of the long corridor which
led to my apartment. Thinking it might be Mr. Trevannion, and not
wishing to see him, I blew out my own light and retreated to a small
dressing-room, within my chamber, communicating by a glass door. The
light evidently approached, and at last I perceived the party was
entering my room, the door of which was wide open. It was Miss
Trevannion who entered, and turning round with her chamber-light in
her hand, appeared to survey the apartment with a mournful air. She
perceived my valise, and her eyes were fixed upon it for some time; at
last she walked up to the dressing-table, and, sitting on the stool
before it, leant down her head upon her hands and wept.

"Alas!" thought I, "if those tears were but for me; but it is not
so--she has been excited, and her tears have come to her relief."

After a time she raised her head from the table, and said, "How unjust
have I been--and I shall see him no more!--if I could but beg his
pardon, I should be more happy. Poor fellow!--what must he have felt
at my harsh bearing. Oh! my father, I could not have believed it. And
what did I say?--that I had no feeling for--well, I thought so at the
time, but now--I am not quite sure that I was correct, though
he--well, it's better that he's gone--but I cannot bear that he should
have gone as he has done. How his opinion of me must have changed!
That is what vexes me--" and again she bent her head down on the table
and wept.

In a moment she again rose, and took her candle in her hand.
Perceiving on the dressing-table a small gold ring which I had taken
off my finger the day before, and had forgotten, she took it up and
examined it. After a little while she laid her light down on the
table, and put the ring upon her finger.

"I will keep it till I see him again," murmured she; and then taking
her light, she walked slowly out of the room.

The knowledge I had gained by this unintentional eavesdropping on my
part, was the source of much reflection--and as I lay on the bed
without taking off my clothes, it occupied my thoughts till the day
began to break. That I still retained the good opinion of Miss
Trevannion was certain, and the mortification I had endured at our
final interview was now wholly removed. It was her duty to suppose her
parent not in fault till the contrary was proved. She had known her
father for years--me she had only known for a short time, and never
before had she known him guilty of injustice. But her expressions and
her behaviour in my room--was it possible that she was partial to me,
more partial than she had asserted to her father when she was
questioned!--and her taking away the ring!




CHAPTER XIV.

    A Conspiracy, which ends satisfactorily to all
    Parties--Privateering is abandoned, and Captain
    Levee and Philip serve the King.


The night passed away in attempts at analyzing the real feelings of
Miss Trevannion, and also my own towards her; and now that I was to be
separated from her, I discovered what I really had not before
imagined, that my future happiness was seriously endangered by my
sentiments towards her: in short, dear Madam, that I was most
seriously in love.

"And now," thought I, "of what avail is it to have made this discovery
now, except it were to convince me, as Miss Trevannion had said, that
it were better that I were gone."

I did not fail to call to mind her observation about my unknown
parentage and family, and this I reflected upon with pleasure, as it
was the chief objection raised by her, and, at the same time, one that
I could proudly remove, from my birth being really more distinguished
than her own. Should I make it known? How could I?--we should,
probably, never meet again. All this, and much more, was canvassed in
my mind during the night, and also another question of more real
importance, which was, what I was to do, and where I was to go? On
this last point I could not make up my mind, but I determined that I
would not leave Liverpool for a day or two, but would take up my
quarters at my old lodgings, where I had lived with Captain Levee.

As the day dawned, I rose from the bed, and, taking my valise on my
shoulder, I went softly down-stairs, opened the street door, and
shutting it again carefully, I hastened down the street as fast as I
could. I met nobody; for it was still early, and arrived at the
lodging-house, where I had some trouble to obtain admittance; the old
lady at last opening the door in great dishabille.

"Captain Elrington! is it possible," exclaimed she, "why, what's the
matter?"

"Nothing, Madam," replied I, "but that I have come to take possession
of your lodgings for a few days."

"And welcome, Sir," replied she; "will you walk up-stairs while I make
myself more fit to be seen. I was in bed and fast asleep when you
knocked; I do believe I was dreaming of my good friend, Captain
Levee."

I went up-stairs and threw myself on the old settee which was so
familiar to me, and somehow or another, in a few minute's I was in a
sound sleep. How long I might have slept on I cannot tell, but in less
than an hour I was waked up by loud talking and laughter, and a few
seconds afterwards found myself embraced by my brother Philip and
Captain Levee. The Arrow had anchored at break of day, and they had
just come on shore. I was delighted to see them, as every one is when
he meets with friends when he is in distress. I briefly stated how it
was that they found me there, and when breakfast was on the table, I
entered into full details of what had passed, with the exception of
Miss Trevannion having entered my room--that I considered too sacred
to repeat to any one.

"You know, my dear Elrington," said Captain Levee, "that I have not
the scruples which you have relative to privateering, but still I
respect the conscientious scruples of others. There is no excuse for
Mr. Trevannion's conduct, and I cannot think but there is something
else at the bottom of all this. You haven't been making love to his
daughter, or, what would amount to the same thing, she has not been
making advances to you?"

"I have not dared the first, Levee, and you do not know her, to
suppose her capable of the latter."

"Well, if she had done so, there would have been no harm done,"
replied he; "but I will say no more as you look so grave. Philip and I
will now call upon Mr. Trevannion, and while I engage the old
gentleman, Philip shall run alongside of the young maiden, and between
the two we shall get our bearings and distance, and know how the land
lies--and I will tell you more, Elrington, although I have no
objection to be captain of a privateer, I certainly consider the
command of a king's ship more reputable; and if I could manage to get
the Arrow hired into the king's service (I still remaining in command
of her), I should prefer it being so. At all events, I'll side with
you, and that will drive the old gentleman on a dead lee-shore. Come
along, Philip--we shall be with you in two hours, Elrington." With
these words Captain Levee left the room, followed by my brother.

It was nearly three hours before they returned, and then I received
the following narratives: Captain Levee, as he sat down, said, "Now,
Philip, we'll hear your account first."

"Well, mine is soon told," replied Philip; "I had made up my mind how
to act, and did not tell Captain Levee what I intended to do. When Mr.
Trevannion met us in the room behind the counting-house, he appeared
very much flurried: he shook hands with Captain Levee, and offered me
his hand, which I refused, saying, 'Mr. Trevannion, I have just seen
my brother, and I hardly need say that nothing will induce me to
remain in your employ. I will, therefore, thank you for my wages at
your convenience.'

"'Hey-day, young man,' cried he, 'you give yourself strange airs.
Well, Sir, you shall have your discharge; I can do without such
snip-jacks as you are.'

"'Snip-jacks! Mr. Trevannion,' replied I; 'if I must say it, we are
better born and better bred than you or any of your connections, and
you were honoured by our service.'"

"You said that, Philip?--then you were wrong."

"I told the truth."

"Still, you should not have said it; we took his service, and
therefore--"

"We are not snip-jacks," interrupted Philip, "and his calling names
brought on the reply."

"You must admit the provocation, Elrington," said Captain Levee.

"Well, go on, Philip."

"'Indeed,' said Mr. Trevannion, in a great passion; 'well, then, I
will soon rid myself of the obligation. Call this afternoon, Master
Philip, and you shall receive your wages. You may now quit the room.'

"I did so, and put my hat a-cock to annoy him."

"So far his narrative is quite correct," said Captain Levee;--"now go
on."

"Well," said Philip, "instead of turning out of the house, I turned
into it, and went to the young lady's sitting-room. I opened the door
softly, and found her with her hand up to her head, looking very
sedate and sorrowful. 'Master Philip,' said she, 'you startled me; I
am glad to see you--when did you arrive?'

"'This morning, Miss Trevannion.'

"'Well, sit down, and bear me company for a time. Have you seen your
brother?'

"'I have, Miss Trevannion,' replied I, still remaining on my feet,
'and I have just seen your father. I come now to bid you farewell. I
have left the privateer, and shall never join her again; perhaps I may
never see you again either, which, believe me, I am truly sorry for.'

"She covered her eyes with her hand, as she leant on the table, and I
saw a tear fall as she said--

"'It is a sad business altogether, and has distressed me very much. I
hope your brother does not think that I blame him; tell him that I do
not in the least, and that he must forget my behaviour to him when we
parted. I did him injustice, and I beg his pardon. Tell him so,
Philip.'"

"Did she say those words, Philip?"

"Yes, word for word, and looked like an angel when she said so. I
replied that I would certainly deliver her message, but that I must
not remain, for fear of Mr. Trevannion finding me with her, as he
ordered me to quit the house.

"'Indeed,' said she; 'what can be the matter with my poor father?'

"'Why, Miss Trevannion,' said I, 'he was very angry, and he had
reason, for I was very saucy, and that's the truth.'

"'Why, Philip, what did you say to him?'

"'Oh, I hardly know,' replied I, 'but I know that I said more than I
ought; for I was very angry at my brother's dismissal. Good-bye, Miss
Trevannion.'

"Miss Trevannion was taking a ring off her finger as I said good-bye,
and I thought she was going to give it me as a keep-sake; but, after a
little hesitation, she put it on again, and then held out her hand,
saying, 'Good-bye, Master Philip, let us not part in anger, at all
events.' I took her hand, bowed, and turned away to quit the room;
when I was at the door I looked round, and she was sitting with her
face in her hands, and I think she was weeping. I went out into the
street, and waited for Captain Levee, and there's an end of my story."

"Well, now I'll give you my portion, Elrington:--As soon as Philip
went out of the room, Mr. Trevannion said, 'That's a most impudent
boy, and I am glad that he is gone. You are of course aware that his
brother has left me, and the cause of our disagreement.'

"'Yes, Sir,' replied I, drily, 'I have heard the whole particulars.'

"'Did you ever hear of such ridiculous scruples?' said he.

"'Yes, Sir, I heard them before, and so did you, when he gave up the
command of the privateer, and I respected them, because I knew that
Mr. Elrington was sincere. Indeed, his observations on that head are
undeniably true, and have had great weight with me; so much so, that I
intend to enter into the king's service as soon as I possibly can.'

"I wish you had seen the look of Mr. Trevannion when I said this--he
was stupified. That I, Captain Levee, who had commanded his vessels so
long--I, the very _beau ideal_ of a privateer's-man, a reckless,
extravagant dare-devil, should also presume to have scruples, was too
much for him. 'Et tu, Brute,' he might have exclaimed, but he did not;
but he stared at me without speaking for some time; at last he said,
'Is the golden age arrived, or is this a conspiracy?'

"'Neither one nor the other, Sir,' I replied; 'I follow privateering,
because I can do no better; but as soon as I can do better, I shall
leave it off.'

"'Perhaps,' said Mr. Trevannion, 'you would wish to resign the command
at once. If so, I beg you will not make any ceremony.'

"'I have not wished to put you to any inconvenience, Mr. Trevannion,'
replied I, 'but as you kindly beg me to use no ceremony, I will take
advantage of your offer, and resign the command of the Arrow this
day.'"

"Surely, Levee, you have not done so?"

"Yes, I have," replied Captain Levee, "and I have done so, in the
first place, out of friendship to you, and, in the second, because I
wish to be employed in the king's service, and my only chance of
obtaining that wish is doing what I have done."

"How will that effect your purpose?"

"Because the men have sailed so long with me, that they will not sail
under any other person, if I tell them not. Mr. Trevannion will find
himself in an awkward position, and I think we can force him to hire
his vessel to government, who will gladly accept such a one as the
Arrow."

"That I believe, if from her reputation alone," replied I. "Well,
Levee, I thank you very much for this proof of sincere friendship. The
plot thickens, and a few days will decide the question."

"Very true, and now let me finish my story. 'I am afraid,' said Mr.
Trevannion, in a very sarcastic tone, 'that I shall not be able to
find any one to replace you in this moral age, Captain Levee; but I
will try.'

"'Sir,' I replied, 'I will now answer your sarcasm. There is some
excuse for ignorant seamen before the mast, who enter on board of
privateers: they are indifferent to blood and carnage, and their
feelings are blunted--there is some excuse even for decayed gentlemen
like me, Mr. Trevannion (for I am a gentleman born), who, to obtain a
maintenance without labour, risk their lives and shed their blood; but
there is no excuse for those who, having already as much wealth and
more than they can require, still furnish the means and equip vessels
of this description to commit the destruction which they do, for the
sake of gain. There is a sermon, Sir, for you from a captain of a
privateer, and I now wish you good morning.' I then got up, and,
making a profound bow, I quitted the room before Mr. Trevannion made
any reply, and here I am. Now all we have to do is to wait quietly,
and see what takes place; but first, I shall go on board the Arrow,
and let them know that I have quarrelled with the owner. The men are
not very well pleased as it is with their want of success these two
last voyages, and it will require but little to blow up the discontent
into a mutiny. Come, Philip, I shall want you to assist me. We shall
be back to dinner, Elrington."

When I was again alone, I had time to consider what had passed. What I
chiefly dwelt upon was the interview between Philip and Miss
Trevannion--her message to me--her hesitation--and keeping the ring. I
could not help surmising that our feelings towards each other were
reciprocal, and this idea gave me infinite delight, and repaid me for
all that had passed. Then my brother's hasty declaration to her
father, that we were better born and bred than he was, would certainly
be repeated by him to his daughter, and must make an impression. And
what would Mr. Trevannion do? Would he give way to the unanimous
opinion against him? I feared not, at least without another struggle.
All these questions occupied my thoughts till the return of Captain
Levee and Philip from the privateer. They had well managed their
business. The crew of the Arrow had come to an unanimous resolution
that they would not sail with any other captain but Captain Levee; and
that if he did resign the command of the vessel, as soon as their
wages were paid, and they received their share of prize-money, they
would leave, and enter into the king's service.

That afternoon Mr. Trevannion sent for the officer next in command, to
give him the command of the vessel; but as he went over the side, the
men expecting that he was sent for, for that purpose, told him that
they would serve under no one but Captain Levee, and that he might
acquaint the owner with their determination. This put the finishing
blow to Mr. Trevannion. As soon as this was communicated to him, he
was wild with rage in being thus thwarted in every way. As I
afterwards was informed, he went even to his daughter, acquainted her
with all that had passed, and gave vent to his indignation, accusing
her of being a party in the conspiracy. But this was to be his last
effort: the excitement had been too great, and after dinner he felt so
unwell that he went to bed. The next morning he was in a raging fever,
and at times delirious. The fever was so violent that the doctors had
much to do to reduce it, and for ten days Mr. Trevannion was in great
danger. At last it was got under, leaving him in a state of great
weakness and exhaustion, and his recovery was any thing but rapid.
Humphrey, the porter, had brought us this intelligence; as now there
was no one to transact the business of the house, and the poor fellow
did not know what to do, I desired him to apply to Miss Trevannion for
directions, and told him that, although I would not enter the house, I
would, if she wished it, see to the more important concerns which
could not be neglected. She was then attending her father, and sent me
a message, requesting, as a favour to her, that I would assist all I
could in the dilemma. I consequently sent for the books, and gave
orders, and made the necessary arrangements as I had done before I had
been dismissed by Mr. Trevannion.

It was nearly five weeks before Mr. Trevannion had sufficiently
recovered to mention any thing about business to him, and then it was
that he learnt from his daughter that I had carried it on for him
during his illness, and that every thing had gone on as well as if he
had acted for himself. Although Miss Trevannion had not expressed a
wish that I should call, she had sent Humphrey for my brother Philip,
to let us know the dangerous state in which her father was, and after
that Philip called every day, and was the bearer of messages to me. As
her father recovered, she told Philip that he had expressed himself
very strongly as to his conduct towards me, and had acknowledged that
I was right in my scruples, and that he was astonished that he had not
viewed privateering in the same light that I did. That he felt very
grateful for my considerate and kind conduct in conducting the
business during his illness, and that as soon as he was well enough he
would call upon me, to beg my pardon for his conduct towards me. Miss
Trevannion also told him that her father had said that he considered
his illness a judgment upon him, and a warning to open his eyes to his
sacrifice of principle to the desire of gain, and that he received it
accordingly with humility and thankfulness; that it was his intention
to offer the privateer vessels to government, and if they did not hire
them, he should dispose of them in some other way. This was very
agreeable intelligence, and was the source of much conversation
between Captain Levee and me.

About a fortnight afterwards, Mr. Trevannion, who was still weak, sent
me a billet, in which he said that he was afraid that his anxiety to
see me and his being still confined to his room, rather retarded his
recovery, and begged as a favour that I would accept his
acknowledgment in writing, and come to see him. That I consented to
do, and repaired to his house accordingly. I found him in his room,
sitting in his dressing-gown, and he had evidently suffered much.

"Mr. Elrington," said he, "I trust to your excellent nature to accept
my apologies for the very unjust treatment you have received at my
hands. I am ashamed of myself, and I can say no more."

"I beg, Mr. Trevannion, that you will say no more; I accept the return
of your friendship with pleasure," replied I; "I am sorry that you
have been so ill."

"I am not," replied he; "it is good for us to be chastised at times.
My sickness has opened my eyes, and made me, I trust, a better man.
May I ask a favour of you?"

"Most certainly, Sir," replied I.

"It is that you will execute a commission for me, which is to go to
London on my account, see the government people who control the naval
affairs, and offer the Arrow as a hired vessel. You know all her
qualities so well, and have kept her accounts so long, that you will
be able to furnish them with all necessary information. I should wish
Captain Levee to go with you, and, if you possibly can, make it a
condition that he is taken into the king's service, and appointed the
captain of her."

"I will do so with pleasure," replied I.

"One more favour I have to beg, Mr. Elrington. When I so foolishly
quarrelled with you, you left a bag of money, to which you were fully
entitled from your good services, upon the table in the inner room. I
trust now that you will not mortify me by refusing it, or I shall
think that you have not really forgiven me."

I bowed assent.

"I thank you, Mr. Elrington--thank you very much. Now I shall soon get
well. To-morrow, perhaps, you will have the kindness to come and see
me again. I feel rather overcome at present. Remember me kindly to
Philip. Good-bye for to-day," said Mr. Trevannion, holding out his
emaciated hand. "God bless you."

I took his hand and quitted the room, shutting the door softly. Mr.
Trevannion was quite alone when I was with him. Humphrey, the porter,
had shown me up-stairs to the room.

Anxious as I was to see Miss Trevannion, I did not venture into the
sitting-room, but passed the door and went down-stairs; when I was
going out of the street door, Humphrey followed me, and said Miss
Trevannion wished to see me. I went back again with a beating heart, a
sensation I had not felt before, when about to go into her presence.
She was standing by the table.

"Mr. Elrington," said she, as I bowed upon entering, "I did not think
that you could carry your resentment against me so far as to leave the
house without asking to see me; but if you do not wish to see me, 'tis
a duty I owe to myself to wish to see you, if only for a moment, that
I may beg your pardon for my conduct towards you when we last parted.
I have suffered much since that, Mr. Elrington; do not make me suffer
more by continuing your resentment. Recollect I am but a weak woman,
and must not be judged so severely as one of your own sex."

"I have nothing to pardon that I am aware of, Miss Trevannion,"
replied I; "I did not intrude upon you just now, because being no
longer an inmate of the house, and not having parted with you in
complete amity, I thought it would be presumptuous in me so to do."

"You are very generous, Mr. Elrington," replied she; "now take my
hand, and I promise never to be so hasty again."

I took the proffered hand, and raised it respectfully to my lips. I
had never done so before; but Miss Trevannion showed no signs of
displeasure, or attempt to withdraw it.

"Do you think my father looks very ill, Mr. Elrington?" said she.

"From his appearance, I think that he must have suffered much."

"I am most thankful that you have come to see him, Mr. Elrington. You
have no idea how his mind was troubled, and how he longed to be
reconciled to you. I trust he has made his peace."

"I have always had too much respect for your father, and gratitude for
his kindness to me, to have made that a work of difficulty."

"You rejoice me much--make me very happy, Mr. Elrington," replied Miss
Trevannion, as the tears dropped fast from her eyes. "You must excuse
me," said she; "I have become very weak and nervous during my father's
illness--and sitting up with him so much,--but it is over now."

"You have had much anxiety, I see, Miss Trevannion; you are pale and
thin to what you were."

"Did my father--? but I have no right to ask such questions."

"You would inquire, Miss Trevannion, whether any thing was said as to
future arrangements?"

Miss Trevannion made a sign of assent.

"I have promised to execute a commission for him, and am going to
London, accompanied by Captain Levee."

"To get rid of those wretched privateers, is it not?"

"Yes, it is, and I am to come to-morrow to arrange further; but I
think you want to return to your father's room, so I will now take my
leave."

"You are considerate, Mr. Elrington; I did want to go up-stairs; but
before I go I have some property of yours to place in your hands."

I bowed, thinking that she referred to the ring, which I perceived on
her finger, and was annoyed that she was in such haste to return it.
But, on the contrary, she went to the buffet and brought out the bag
of gold jacobuses, which she laid on the table.

"You are very proud, Mr. Elrington, not to take what was fairly your
due," said Miss Trevannion, smiling.

"It is much more than I have ever earned," replied I; "but your father
made me promise not to refuse it a second time, and of course I shall
now take it."

My heart was much lightened when I found that it was the gold, and not
the ring.

"Then good-bye, Mr. Elrington; to-morrow I shall see you, of course."

Miss Trevannion then left the room and hastened up-stairs to her
father, and I went home to my lodgings. I narrated the substance of
what had passed between Mr. Trevannion and me to Captain Levee and
Philip, and also that I had been kindly received by Miss Trevannion.

"Well, I like the reconciliation and arrangement very much," said
Captain Levee; "and as you have such a bag of gold, and I have not
fifty guineas in the world, you shall stand treat in London,
Elrington."

"That I will, with pleasure; it will only be discharging an old debt,
Levee. Philip shall go with us."

"But," said Captain Levee, "do you not think they will recognize their
state prisoner, and be cautious of a Jacobite?"

"They may remember the name," said I, "but my person was seen but by
few. I do, however, think it would be advisable, as I shall have to
sign papers, to take another."

"I think so, too," replied Captain Levee; "what shall we call you?"

"Let me see; I'll have a good name. I had a relative of the name of
Musgrave; I think I will borrow his name. What say you, Philip. Will
you be for the future Philip Musgrave?"

"Yes, brother, with all my heart. The name appears to fit me better
than that of Elrington."

Thus, Madam, did I resume my real name without any suspicion on the
part of Captain Levee; but I could not well sign government papers
with an assumed one.

On the following day I called upon Mr. Trevannion, who received me
with great affection, and it was arranged that I should set off in
three days, which time would be required for preparation, and to make
the necessary purchases. To supply funds for the journey, Mr.
Trevannion gave me another bag of jacobuses, of the same amount as the
former, saying that he wished us to appear bravely when we arrived in
London, and that he should require no account of the expenditure, only
that if the contents of the bag were not sufficient, he would supply
more. This was nothing more but an excuse on his part to be generous;
for one quarter of the money would have been sufficient for all
needful expenses. I told him that I had taken the name of Musgrave, as
that of Elrington might be remembered to the injury of the proposal,
and he said that it was well thought of by me. Miss Trevannion had
entered the room when I mentioned that to her father, and afterwards
had quitted it. After I had taken leave of Mr. Trevannion, I went down
to the sitting-room, where I found his daughter waiting for me. We had
much friendly discourse, and at one time she said, "I heard you say
that you had taken the name of Musgrave for your intended journey. Do
you intend to retain that name when you return?"

"Why should I?" replied I.

"Because," replied she, "perhaps it is your real name. Excuse a lady's
curiosity, but is not that the fact?"

"Miss Trevannion," replied I, "my real name must at present remain a
secret."

"That is to say, it will no longer be a secret if intrusted to me? I
thank you, Sir, for the compliment."

"I do not intend to imply that, Miss Trevannion; I fully believe that
you can keep a secret."

"If you fully believe so, you might, then, reply to my question; the
more so, as I now pledge myself to keep your secret most faithfully."

"Then, Miss Trevannion, my real name is Musgrave," replied I.

"I thank you for your confidence, Mr. Musgrave, which shall not be
misplaced. I might now follow up my inquiries as to why you changed
your name, with many other queries; but I am too discreet for
that--the time may come when I shall know all; but I am content with
your proof of confidence, and thank you for it."

Miss Trevannion never was so lively and communicative with me before,
as she was this morning; there was a friendliness without any of her
usual reserve, and I left her more full of admiration and devotion
than ever.

In three days more our preparations were made, and taking leave of
Miss Trevannion and her father, who was recovering, and had admitted
company to his room, we set off on horseback, as we had done before,
and attended by the same two men of Captain Levee's who had served us
on a former journey to London. We had no adventure whatever on this
journey which could be worth narrating, and I shall therefore say that
we arrived in good health and spirits, and took up our abode at once
at our former lodging-house, instead of going to the inn. We were
welcomed by the hostess, who had her house almost empty. The following
day I made inquiries, and, in consequence, went to the Navy Office,
and requesting to see one of the head clerks, informed him of the
occasion of my coming up to London. He was very civil, and replied
that the government were in want of vessels, and he had no doubt but
they would have the Arrow, as she was well known as a strong
privateer. I then inquired whether they thought it likely that Captain
Levee might be taken into the service, stating what an excellent crew
the Arrow had, and that they would not remain in her, unless they were
commanded, by him, in whom they had great confidence.

The clerk replied that it might be done certainly,--"but," added
he--"Sir, you cannot expect people to do such kind offices without
they are rewarded."

I perfectly understood him, and replied, that, of course, I did not
expect it; but I was so ignorant as to what ought to be done, that I
begged that he would give me his advice, for which I should be most
grateful.

"Well, well, you understand me, Mr. Musgrave, and that is sufficient.
I will be plain with you. It will cost 100 guineas to obtain what you
want for Captain Levee, and of that money I shall not receive a doit."

"I shall be most happy to give that sum and half as much more, to
obtain my wish, Sir, and shall feel much obliged to you in the
bargain; and while I am negotiating, I may as well state that I have a
brother who sails with Captain Levee, who is most anxious to be with
him, and sail as his lieutenant."

"That will cost another fifty guineas, Mr. Musgrave."

"I am most willing," replied I.

"Well, we must first get the vessel hired into the service. You have
your tonnage and equipment all on paper?"

"Every thing that is requisite; and, moreover, every cruise she has
made, the actions she has fought, and the prizes she has taken under
the command of Captain Levee, and with the crew now on board."

"Furnish all these documents, Mr. Musgrave, and leave it to me. I am
to understand that you perfectly agree to the terms I have proposed?"

"Perfectly, Sir; and, if you please, I will sign a memorandum to that
effect."

"No, no," replied he, "we never put such things down on paper. It is
an affair of honour and good faith. You say your money is all ready."

"At a minute's warning."

"That is sufficient, Mr. Musgrave. I will now wish you good morning.
Send me the documents."

"I have them in my pocket, Sir."

"Better still; then the affair may be arranged this afternoon, and you
may call to-morrow at about two in the afternoon; and you may as well
bring the money with you, as you can but take it away again if every
thing is not to your satisfaction."

I returned to the lodgings quite delighted with the prospect of such a
fortunate issue to my mission, and was in good time for dinner. I did
not tell Captain Levee or Philip of what had passed, but merely that I
considered that there was a good chance of success, and that I was to
call on the following day. That night we went to the theatre, and saw
a play performed written by Shakspeare, in the time of Queen
Elizabeth, and called the "Merry Wives of Windsor." We were much
pleased with the character _Falstaff_, a fat knight, full of humour.
The next day, at the time appointed, I called upon the head clerk, who
told me that every thing was arranged according to my wishes; that the
hiring of the vessel was according to her tonnage; and he considered
that the price offered by the government was fair and liberal; so did
I, and immediately accepted it. He then drew from his desk the
articles of agreement between the government and the owner of the
vessel, and at the same time, the warrants for Captain Levee and
Philip, to act as commander and lieutenant.

"Now, Mr. Musgrave, all you have to do is to sign the first paper, and
fulfil the other portion of our agreement."

I immediately pulled out the bag of money which I had brought with me,
and after counting it over, the clerk gave me his pen to sign the
document, and handed to me the warrants for Philip and Captain Levee.

"You have behaved liberally in this affair, Mr. Musgrave," said the
gentleman, as he locked up the bag of money in his desk; "if at any
time I can be of use to you, you may command me."

"I thank you, Sir," replied I, "I may by-and-by have to ask you to
exert your influence in behalf of my brother, that he may obtain the
command of one of the king's ships, and if you can help me, I shall be
most grateful."

"Depend upon it I will," replied he, "and I beg you will use no
ceremony on making the application."

He then shook hands with me, and I went home. Dinner was over when I
came back, but the hostess had put away some victuals for me, and
while I was eating them, I gave them an account of my success, handing
their warrants to Captain Levee and Philip. They could hardly credit
me, even when the documents were in their hands, but pledging them to
secrecy, I told them by what means I had been so successful. Whereupon
they thanked me, and we then went out to procure the uniforms suitable
to their respective ranks, and this occupied us till the evening, when
we agreed to go to the cockpit and see the fights between the various
animals, with which Philip particularly was much delighted. As we had
nothing to detain us in London, and it was necessary that the Arrow
should immediately run round to the Nore, we determined, as the
uniforms were to be ready on the following day, that the day after
that we would return to Liverpool.




CHAPTER XV.

    We return to Liverpool--I have an interview with Miss
    Trevannion--Plutus interferes with Cupid, and I sail
    again for the coast of Africa.


We set off and arrived at Liverpool, without accident, late on the
sixth night, when we repaired to our usual lodgings. The next day I
called to tell Mr. Trevannion that I had returned, and was informed by
Humphrey that he was quite strong again, and very anxious to see me,
although he had no idea that I should return so soon. Humphrey went up
to announce my arrival, and Mr. Trevannion admitted me immediately,
although he was not yet out of bed.

"I fear that you have not been successful," said he, as he took my
hand.

"On the contrary, Sir, I have succeeded in every thing," and I then
gave him an account of what had happened.

"Well," replied he, "I am very glad of it, and recollect I must be at
the expense, as, without you had incurred it, the schooner would not,
in all probability, have been hired. And now I want to consult with
you about something else. Here is a letter from Captain Irving, of the
Amy, brought home by the Chester Lass."

These were two vessels employed on the Gold Coast, which belonged to
Mr. Trevannion.

"Read it," said Mr. Trevannion, "and give me your opinion."

I did so: Captain Irving stated that he had pushed the two vessels up
a small river on the coast, which he had not known of before, and had
fallen in with a black ruler, who had never yet treated with the
English; but only with the Spaniards, for slaves. That his English
commodities were quite new to the natives, and that, in consequence,
he had made a most fortunate traffic with them, and had loaded a
vessel with ivory, wax, and gold-dust to the amount of 1,000 pounds,
and that he had sent the Chester Lass, remaining himself, to continue
the barter before it was known to the other ships on the coast, which
it would soon be. He continued, that he had not sufficient of the
articles which were most valued by the natives, and requested that Mr.
Trevannion would immediately despatch another vessel with various
goods enumerated, and that then he should be able to fill his own
vessel as well as the one that he had despatched home; that the river
was in such a latitude, and the mouth difficult to discover; that he
sent a little sketch of the coast, which would facilitate the
discovery--but that no time was to be lost, as the sickly season was
coming on, and it was very unhealthy at that time.

As I folded up the letter, Mr. Trevannion said,

"Now, here is an invoice of the whole cargo sent home by the Chester
Lass. I reckon it worth about 7,000_l._"

I looked over the invoice, and agreed with Mr. Trevannion, that it was
well worth that, if not more.

"This is most important, you will acknowledge, Musgrave," said Mr.
Trevannion; "but before I go any further, I trust that, now the only
difficulty is got over, you will not refuse to be my partner; the only
difference I intend to make is, that I now offer you one-fourth
instead of one-eighth. Silence gives consent," continued Mr.
Trevannion, as I did not immediately reply.

"I was so astonished at your munificent offer, Sir, that I could not
well speak."

"Then it's agreed; so say no more about it," said Mr. Trevannion,
taking me by the hand, and pressing it warmly--"and now to business.
My idea is, to sent out the Sparrow-Hawk, being so fast a sailer. Of
course, as a privateer, she has done her work; and as the government
wish the complement of the Arrow to be increased, I think we cannot do
better than to fill her up with some of the Sparrow-Hawk's men,
leaving about twenty-five on board of her, and sending her out as soon
as possible to the coast, with the articles which Captain Irving
requests."

"I agree with you, Sir, that it will be the best plan."

"But whom to send is the difficulty," said Mr. Trevannion. "Captain
Paul, of the Chester Lass, is very ill, and not likely to be out of
bed for some time; and even if he were well, I have no opinion of him
in an affair of this moment. If, as Captain Irving says, he can fill
the Amy, her cargo will be worth three times that of the Chester Lass;
but, of course, the destination of the Sparrow-Hawk must be a secret,
and I do not know whom to intrust her to. We require some one in whom
we can put confidence."

"I agree with you, Sir," replied I; "and, if you have no objection, I
think that the best plan will be for me to go myself; I shall be back
again in ten weeks at the furthest."

"Well, as you will now have a strong interest in it, I really think so
too. In fact, I don't know whom else we can trust."

"I agree with you, Sir, and I will go myself, and I think the sooner
the better; but I do not know whether we can obtain all the goods
requisite immediately."

"We can have them in five or six days," replied Mr. Trevannion; "I
sent Humphrey out to make inquiry."

"At all events, I must look to them myself; and there are many other
things to manage, so I had better wish you a good morning now, Mr.
Trevannion, and in the evening I will call again, and let you know
what I have done."

"Do so," said he, and I then took my leave.

I certainly was very much astonished as well as much pleased at Mr.
Trevannion's liberality relative to the partnership, and I could now
look forward to competency in a few years at the furthest. Certainly,
if Mr. Trevannion had been hasty in his conduct towards me, he had
made most noble reparation. I first returned to the lodgings and told
Captain Levee and Philip what had passed; they immediately proposed
that we should all go together on board the Sparrow-Hawk, that I might
make my arrangements, and that they might persuade some of the men to
join the Arrow. I first picked out the men I wished to sail with me;
and then they talked over the rest, who that evening went on shore for
their wages, and the next morning joined the Arrow, as Captain Levee
was anxious to get round to the Nore. The day after the men joined,
the Arrow sailed, which I was not sorry for, as it left me more at
leisure to expedite my own affairs. Philip promised to be my
correspondent, and I bade them both farewell with regret. I called in
the evening, as I had promised, upon Mr. Trevannion, and he then gave
me the deed of partnership, signed and dated the day when he first
made the offer, and we had quarrelled; but I did not see Miss
Trevannion; much to my regret, her father said that she was ailing.
The business I had to transact, and fitting out the Sparrow-Hawk, so
completely occupied me, that it was now three days that I had been at
Liverpool without having seen her, and I was much annoyed at it, as I
had called every day. My feelings towards her were now stronger than
before. She was never out of my thoughts, and I hardly know how it was
that I transacted business as I did. This evening I was determined, if
possible, that I would see her, and find out why she avoided me, as it
appeared to me that she did. When I called, therefore, I did not ask
to see her father, but told Humphrey to find out where Miss Trevannion
was, and say that I requested to speak with her. Humphrey returned,
and said that she was in the sitting-room, to which I instantly
repaired.

"I am fearful, that I have given you some unintentional cause of
displeasure, Miss Trevannion," said I, as I entered, "for you have
appeared to avoid me since my return."

"Indeed, Mr. Musgrave, I have not," replied she; "I was most anxious
to see you, and have thought it very unpolite, I may add, unkind, on
your part not to have come to me."

"I have been in the house every day, and sometimes twice a-day, with
your father, Miss Trevannion, and have never met you. Once I inquired
for you, and your father told me you were unwell, whereas Humphrey had
but five minutes before told me that you were well and in good
spirits."

"Humphrey told the truth, and so did my father. I was in good health
and spirits, and in five minutes afterwards I was ill and unhappy."

"I trust I was no party to it, Miss Trevannion."

"You were a party to it, but not the great offender, who was my
father. He had told me that upon your return he had installed you as
his partner, and had done you the justice you had deserved; and then
he told me that you were going out to the coast of Africa in the
Sparrow-Hawk."

"It is very true, Miss Trevannion; but where is the offence?"

"The offence is this: my father no sooner does you justice than he
wants more ivory and gold-dust, having more than enough already; but I
told him it was as bad as privateering, for in either case he sends
people out to sacrifice their lives, that he may gain more money. I
have no patience with this foolish pursuit of wealth."

"After all your father's kindness to me, Miss Trevannion, I could do
no less than accept the offer."

"You would have been more wise and more just to yourself to have
refused it, Mr. Musgrave. I read the letters to my father when they
arrived, and you know what Captain Irving says about the unhealthiness
of the climate. You have been my father's best friend, and he should
not have treated you thus."

"I never did value life, Miss Trevannion; but really the kind interest
you have expressed on this occasion makes me feel as if my poor life
was of some value. To one who has been such a football of fortune as I
have been, and who has hardly, known a kind feeling towards him ever
expressed, it is a gratification that I really appreciate, and coming
from one whom I respect and esteem more than any other person in the
world, it quite overpowers me. Indeed, Miss Trevannion, I am truly
grateful."

I was correct when I said that it overpowered me, for it did
completely, and I was so oppressed by my feelings, that I reeled to a
chair, and covered up my face with my hands. What would I have given
to have dared to state what I felt!

"You are ill, Mr. Musgrave," said Miss Trevannion, coming to me. "Can
I offer you any thing?"

I made no reply; I could not speak.

"Mr. Musgrave," said Miss Trevannion, taking my hand, "you frighten
me. What is the matter? Shall I call Humphrey?"

I felt her hand tremble in mine, and, uncertain what to think, I came
to the resolution to make the avowal.

"Miss Trevannion," said I, after a pause, and rising from my chair, "I
feel that this internal conflict is too great for me, and if it lasts
it must kill me. I give you my honour that I have for months tried
every thing in my power to curb my desires and to persuade myself of
my folly and rash ambition, but I cannot do so any longer. It were
better that I knew my fate at once, even if my sentence should be my
death. You will ridicule my folly, be surprised at my presumption,
and, in all probability, spurn me for the avowal, but make it I must.
Miss Trevannion, I have dared--to love you; I have but one excuse to
offer, which is, that I have been more than a year in your company,
and it is impossible for any one not to love one so pure, so
beautiful, and so good. I would have postponed this avowal till I was
able to resume my position in society, by the means which industry
might have afforded me; but my departure upon this business, and the
kind of presentiment which I have, that I may not see you again, has
forced it from me. In a few days I leave you--be gentle with me for my
involuntary offence--pity me while you condemn, and I will return no
more."

Miss Trevannion did not reply; she breathed quick, and stood
motionless. I gathered courage; I looked in her face, there was no
displeasure--I approached her, she was half-fainting, and put her hand
upon my shoulder to steady herself. I put my arm round her waist; and
led her to the sofa, and knelt at her feet, watching every change in
her beautiful countenance. I took her hand and pressed it to my lips;
by degrees I became more bold, and got by her side, and pressed her to
my heart. She burst into tears, and wept with her head on my bosom.

"Do not be angry with me," said I, after a time.

"Do I appear as if I was angry with you?" replied she, raising her
head.

"Oh, no; but I cannot believe my happiness to be real. It must be a
dream."

"What is life but a dream?" replied she mournfully. "Oh, the coast of
Africa! How I dread it!"

And so I confess did I from that moment; I had a presentiment, as I
had told her, that something would go wrong, and I could not get over
the feeling.

I shall no longer dwell upon what took place on that delightful
evening, Madam; suffice to say, that Miss Trevannion and I were
mutually pledged, and, after an exchange of thought and feeling, we
parted, and when we did part I pressed those dear lips to mine. I went
home reeling with excitement, and hastened to bed, that I might have
unrestrained freedom of thought. I enacted the scene of the evening
over and over again; recalled each motion, each look, every word which
had passed, and, defying fever and presentiment of evil, imagined also
our happy meeting to part no more. It was long before I could compose
myself to sleep, and when I did, I need not say who it was who
occupied my dreams. I called as soon as I could venture so to do on
the following day, and had a long interview with my dear Amy. Before I
went up to her father, I tried to soothe her anxiety upon my
approaching voyage, and to persuade her that there was little or no
danger to be apprehended in so short a stay. Willingly would I have
given it up, but Mr. Trevannion had so set his mind upon it, and I
had, by my consent, rendered it so impossible for him to find a
substitute in time, that I could not do so, and I persuaded Miss
Trevannion that I was right in acting to my promise. One question that
came forward was, whether we should make known our engagement to her
father at once, and this was decided in the negative. Much as he
liked me, he was not yet prepared to receive me so suddenly as a
son-in-law, and Amy was of opinion that the communication had better
be postponed. To this, of course, I gave a willing assent. I was
satisfied with the knowledge of her affection, which I felt would
never change. As I was talking with her father, after my interview
with Amy, he said:

"Really, Elrington, or Musgrave, I hardly know which to call you."

"Musgrave is my real name, Sir," replied I.

"Musgrave--Musgrave--where did I know a Musgrave?"

"We are from the north," replied I.

"Well," said he, "I was going to say, that I really wish I could find
some one else to take your place in this voyage, for I do not much
like your going."

"Do, my dear father," said Miss Trevannion, who was standing by him.

"Hey! Miss Amy, what have you to do with it, I should like to know,
and how can it concern you whether Mr. Musgrave goes or not?"

"I said so, Sir, because I know how you will feel his loss for so long
a period. You know how you did feel his loss before, and I do not wish
to see you working so hard, as you will have to do it without his
assistance."

"Well, that's kindly thought, Amy, at all events; but still I fear
that Mr. Musgrave must go, and I must work by myself till he comes
back; so it's no use saying any more about it."

Amy sighed and made no reply. On the third day after this interview,
every thing was ready, and on the following morning I was to sail. Mr.
Trevannion had so many directions to give, and kept me so wholly with
him, that I could hardly find time to speak to his daughter. However,
it was agreed that as I was to sail at daylight, that she would see me
after her father had gone to bed. Our meeting took place--need I say
that it was a tender one. We renewed our vows over and over again, and
it was not till past midnight that I tore myself away. Old Humphrey
looked very knowingly at me when he let me out of the street-door. I
slipped a guinea in his hand and wished him good-bye. I hastened on
board of the Sparrow-Hawk, and desiring to be called before daylight,
went down into the cabin. There I remained sitting at the table, and
thinking of Amy so long, that when the mate came down to wake me, he
found that I was still sitting there, having never been to bed during
the whole of the night.

I started from my reverie and hastened on deck to get the schooner
under weigh. It was soon done, although we were, comparatively
speaking, short-handed. There was a fine breeze, and lightened as she
now was, the little vessel flew through the water. Liverpool was soon
out of sight, and we were dashing down the Irish Channel.

"She sails well, now," said I to the second mate, a very clever man,
and much better educated than most seamen, for he could navigate, as
well as being a first-rate seaman.

"Yes, Sir," replied Olivarez, "she walks fast. She is not too deep
now," replied he; "what a slaver she would make."

This man was not an Englishman, but a Brazilian Portuguese by birth,
although he had long been out of his country. Having set her course, I
went down below, that I might indulge in my castle-building more at my
ease. The wind increased to a gale, but as it was from the northward,
and bore us to our destination, it was welcomed. We soon crossed the
Bay of Biscay, and were in more genial latitudes; and, after a rapid
run of about four weeks, I found myself nearly in the latitude given
to us of the river where the Amy was at anchor. I then hauled in for
the shore, which was very low, and required being approached with
caution. We saw some towering palmtrees at sunset, and then we hove
to; the next day we again stood in, and having ascertained our exact
latitude at noon, we found ourselves about four miles to the northward
of the river's mouth. We shaped a course, and in two hours I made out
the marks given for our guidance in the rough sketch of Captain
Irving, and thus satisfied that I was right, ran directly for the
mouth of the river. Captain Irving was correct in saying it was
difficult, for it was not until we were within a mile that we could
find any opening; but at last we did, and at the same time perceived
the mast of two vessels at some distance up the river. We stood in,
and found that there was no bar at the river mouth, which was a very
unusual circumstance on this coast. The soundings were gradual, and in
an hour afterwards we anchored between the Amy and a fine schooner
under British colours. Captain Irving recognized the Sparrow-Hawk, and
immediately came on board. After the usual salutations, he told me
that his vessel was half-laden, but that he waited for the articles he
had sent for to enable him to complete his cargo. I told him that I
had them on board, and he should have them as soon as he sent his
boats. He stated that no vessels, except those engaged in the
slave-trade, had ever come into this river, and that they only brought
the cloth and other articles usual in the trade; but that his assorted
cargo had astonished the people, and they were wild to possess things
which they had never before seen. They had offered slaves in
quantities, but finding that he would not take them in exchange, they
had now brought down ivory and gold-dust. He told me how glad he was
that I had come, as the river was very sickly, and was becoming more
and more so every day; that out of twelve men he had already four down
with fever.

I inquired of him what that vessel was on the other side of us. He
replied it was a Liverpool slave-trader, and that the captain appeared
to be a very good sort of man; that he never indulged in liquor, nor
was given to profane language.

A few minutes afterwards the captain of the slaver came on board to
pay his respects, and I asked him down in the cabin, and gave him beer
and cheese, the two greatest luxuries in those climes. He appeared, as
Captain Irving stated, a very quiet, well-behaved, serious person,
which I was rather surprised at. When we repaired on deck, I observed,
as the vessel was close to us, that there were two very large dogs on
board, who, at the sight of the captain, bayed furiously. He told me
that they were Cuba bloodhounds, and that he never went on shore
without them, as they were the most faithful and courageous animals,
and he considered that he was safer with them than with half a dozen
armed men. Shortly afterwards Captain Irving and he both took leave.
As there were still some hours of daylight, Captain Irving sent his
boats for the goods, and after that, as the evening fell, I went down
below, as Captain Irving requested I would do, and by no means remain
on deck after sun-down, as it was extremely unhealthy.

On the following day Captain Irving went on shore with his goods and
trafficked most favourably. Indeed, as we afterwards found out, he had
procured in exchange more ivory than his vessel would hold, besides
much gold-dust. The day after I went on shore with Captain Irving to
call upon the king, as he called himself. He was seated in front of a
hut made of palmetto leaves, with a lace coat on, but no other garment
whatever, so that he made a curious appearance. After a little
conversation, I went away, and hearing that the slaver was taking her
cargo on board, about a hundred yards further up, I walked in that
direction. The slaves were brought down in about twenty at a time, all
of them fastened by the neck to a long bamboo pole, which confined
them all together. One string of them had been sent down and put in
the boat, and another was standing ready for embarkation; when as I
cast my eyes over them and commiserated their misery, I observed a
female whom I thought I had seen before. I looked again, and behold!
is was Whyna, the princess who had been so kind to me in my captivity.
I went up to her and touched her on the shoulder. She turned round, as
well as the lashing to the pole would permit her, and on seeing me
gave a faint scream. Without ceremony I took out my knife and released
her, and led her away. She fell down at my feet and kissed them. The
black man who had charge of the delivery of the slaves was very angry,
and ran up to me, brandishing his long stick; but the captain of the
schooner, who was on shore, and who had witnessed what I had done,
saluted him with a kick in the stomach, which made him quiet enough.
In few words I told the captain of the slaver that I was once in
captivity, and this woman had befriended me, requesting him to name
his price and I would willingly pay it.

"It's not worth mentioning, Sir," replied he; "women are as cheap as
dirt; take her and welcome."

"Not so," replied I; "I must pay her ransom."

"Well then, Sir," said he, "I am in great want of a telescope; you
have one on board, will you let me have it?"

"Most certainly," replied I, "and many thanks into the bargain."

I lifted up the poor creature, who was sadly emaciated and weak, and
led her to the boat of the Amy and put her in. Captain Irving came
down, and we returned on board. It was with great difficulty that,
after I had given the poor creature some refreshment, which she was
really in need of, I could recollect sufficient of her language to
make myself understood by her; but by degrees words came to my memory,
and as she spoke I recovered more. As well as I could make her out,
the warriors had risen against the king on account of his barbarity,
and had cut him to pieces; and that all his wives and servants had
been sold as slaves. I promised her that she should not be a slave,
but should come to my country and be taken care of.

She kissed my hands, and as she smiled her thanks, she reminded me of
the Whyna of former times. I did not, however, think it advisable that
she should come on board of the schooner, and I requested Captain
Irving to take charge of her, and let her want for nothing, telling
him that I intended that she should go home in his vessel. He
willingly consented, and I hailed the schooner for a boat and went on
deck. Whyna followed, but I told her I was obliged to go on board of
the schooner, and that she had better go and lie down. As she probably
thought that the Amy was my vessel, and that I was going away on a
visit, she complied with my request, and went down with Captain
Irving, who led her into a state-room which was not occupied.

As soon as I arrived on board the schooner, I sent the telescope which
the captain of the slaver had begged for. Whyna had said to me, "I
shall be your slave now," evidently expecting that she was to remain
with me, but that I could not consent to. Miss Trevannion had heard
from me my adventures when in captivity, and I would not on that
account allow Whyna to be in the same vessel with me. The next day
Captain Irving came on board to tell me that he had two more men down
with the fever, and that he wished I could give them some assistance
in getting his cargo on board, which I did, and before night the Amy
was loaded up to the hatchways, and there still remained a considerate
number of elephants' teeth on shore in the hut where he received them.
I therefore determined, as his crew were evidently sickening fast,
that he should sail immediately, and that I would take the remainder
of the ivory on board of the schooner and follow him, giving him a
rendezvous to wait at until I joined him, that we might proceed home
in company. That night three of my men were ill.

I was on board of the Amy, and had been talking with Whyna, who wanted
to know why I did not sleep on board of the vessel. I told her that I
could not, but that we were to go to England directly, and that I was
living on board of the schooner. Captain Irving weighed at daybreak,
and in an hour was out of the river, and as I was as anxious to be
clear of such an unhealthy spot, I manned my boats and went on shore
for the ivory that was left. I found that it would take the whole of
the day to embark it, as we had to go two miles further up the river
than the depth of water would permit the vessel to do; for the ivory
was in a hut close to the king's house. I had sent off four
boat-loads, and it being then noon, I went off with the fifth myself,
that I might get my dinner, leaving the second mate to attend on
shore, and taking with me the first mate who messed in the cabin. As
we were in the middle of the stream, the boat struck against a stump
of a tree, as we supposed, and knocked so large a hole in the bow that
she began to fill. I immediately ordered the men to pull for the
nearest point, which was on the opposite side of the river, that we
might ground the boat to prevent her sinking.

The first mate, who was a very active man, finding that the elephants'
teeth prevented his reaching the bow of the boat, and stuffing into it
some oakum which he had found in the stern sheets, sounded with the
boat-hook, and finding that there was not more than three feet of
water where we were pulling, jumped over the bows to push the oakum
into the hole; but the poor fellow had not been a few seconds in the
water, when he gave a shriek, and we perceived that a large shark had
snapped him in two. This was a sad mishap, and the men, terrified,
pulled as hard as they could, while two of them baled out the boat, to
gain the shore, for we knew what fate awaited us if we sunk in the
river. With great exertion we succeeded, running her up among the
canes, with grew on that side of the river so thick that it was
difficult to force your way through them.

We landed up to our knees in mud, and, throwing out the ivory, we
found that a whole plank was rent out, and that it was impossible to
repair our boat; and we were hidden by the canes from those who could
have assisted us, had they known that we required their assistance,
and we had no possible means of communication. At last I thought that
if I could force my way through the canes to the point down the river,
I could hail and make signals for assistance; and, desiring the men to
remain by the boat, I set off upon my expedition. At first I got on
pretty well, as there were little paths through the canes, made, as I
imagined, by the natives; and, although I was often up to my knees in
thick black mud, I continued to get on pretty fast; but at last the
canes grew so thick that I could hardly force my way through them, and
it was a work of excessive labour. Still I persevered, expecting each
second that I should arrive at the banks of the river, and be rewarded
for my fatigue; but the more I laboured the worse it appeared to be,
and at last I became worn out with fatigue, and quite bewildered. I
then tried to find my way back, and was equally unsuccessful, and I
sat down with any thing but pleasant thoughts in my mind. I calculated
that I had been two hours in making this attempt, and was now quite
puzzled how to proceed. I bitterly lamented my rashness, now that it
was too late.

Having reposed a little, I resumed my toil, and was again, after an
hour's exertion, compelled, from fatigue, to sit down in the deep
black mud. Another respite from toil, and another hour or more of
exertion, and I gave myself up for lost. The day was evidently fast
closing in--the light overhead was not near so bright as it had been;
and I knew that a night passed in the miasma of the cane was death. At
last it became darker and darker. There could not be an hour of
daylight remaining. I determined upon one more struggle, and, reeking
as I was with perspiration and faint with fatigue, I rose again, and
was forcing my way through the thickest of the canes, when I heard a
deep growl, and perceived a large panther not twenty yards from me. It
was on the move as well as I was, attempting to force his way through
the canes, so as to come to me. I retreated from him as fast as I
could, but he gained slowly on me, and my strength was fast
exhausting. I thought I heard sounds at a distance, and they became
more and more distinct, but what they were, my fear and my struggles
probably prevented me from making out. My eyes were fixed upon the
fierce animal which was in pursuit of me, and I now thanked God that
the canes were so thick and impassable; still the animal evidently
gained ground--until it was not more than five yards from me, dashing
and springing at the canes, and tearing them aside with his teeth.

The sounds were now nearer, and I made them out to be the howling of
other animals. A moment's pause, and I thought it was the baying of
dogs; and I then thought that I must have arrived close to where the
schooner was, and that I heard the baying of the bloodhounds. At last
I could do no more, and I dropped, exhausted and almost senseless, in
the mud. I recollect hearing the crashing of the canes, and then a
savage roar, and then yells, and growls, and struggles, and fierce
contention--but I had fainted.

I must now inform the reader that about an hour after I had left the
boat the captain of the slaver was pulling up the river, and was
hailed by our men in our long-boat. Perceiving them on shore on that
side of the river, and that they were in distress, he pulled towards
them, and they told him what had happened, and that an hour previous I
had left the boat to force my way through the cane-brakes, and they
had heard nothing of me since.

"Madness!" cried he. "He is a lost man. Stay till I come back from the
schooner."

He went back to the schooner, and taking two of his crew, who were
negroes, and his two bloodhounds, into the boat, he returned
immediately, and as soon as he landed he put the bloodhounds on my
track, and sent the negroes on with them. They had followed me in all
my windings, for it appeared that I had travelled in every direction,
and had come up with me just as I had sunk with exhaustion, and the
panther was so close upon me. The bloodhounds had attacked the
panther, and this was the noise which sounded in my ears, as I lay
stupified and at the mercy of the wild beast. The panther was not
easily, although eventually, overcome, and the black men coming up,
had found me and borne me in a state of insensibility on board of the
Sparrow-Hawk. The fever had come on me, and it was not till three
weeks afterwards that I recovered my senses, when I learnt what I have
now told the reader, and much more, with which I am about to make him
acquainted.

When I recovered my senses, I found myself in the cabin of the
Sparrow-Hawk. For some hours I was confused and wandering, but I
rallied from time to time, till I could at last recognize the beams
and carlines over my head. I was too weak to move, and I continued to
lie on my back till I again fell asleep; how long I do not know, but
it must have been for many hours, and then when I awoke I found myself
much stronger.

I could now turn on my bed, and doing so I perceived a young man of
the name of Ingram by my side in a doze, with his eyes shut. I called
him in a faint voice, and he started up.

"I have been very ill," said I, "have I not?"

"Yes, Sir, indeed you have."

"I have been trying to recollect all about it, but I cannot as yet."

"It's not worth remembering, Sir," replied he. "Do you wish any thing
to drink?"

"No," replied I.

"Then you had better go to sleep again."

"I cannot do that. I feel as if I should like to get up. Where is Mr.
Thompson? I must see him."

"Mr. Thompson, Sir," replied he; "don't you recollect?"

"What?"

"Why, Sir, he was bitten in two by a shark."

"Shark!" this was the key-note required, and my memory returned.
"Yes, yes, I recollect now all, all. I recollect the panther and the
cane-brakes. How was I preserved?"

"The bloodhounds killed the panther, and you were brought on board
insensible, and have been in a raging fever ever since."

"It must be so," replied I, collecting my senses after a few moments
of thought. "It must be so. How long have I been ill?"

"This is the twenty-first day."

"The twenty-first day!" cried I. "Is it possible? Are none of the men
ill?"

"No, Sir, they are all well."

"But I hear the water against the bends. Are we not still at anchor?"

"No, Sir, the second mate got the schooner under weigh as he found you
were so ill."

"And I have been ill twenty-one days. Why we must be near home?"

"We expect to make the land in a few days, Sir," replied Ingram.

"Thank Heaven for all its mercies," said I. "I never expected to see
old England again. But what a bad smell there is. What can it be?"

"I suppose it is the bilge-water, Sir," replied Ingram. "People who
are ill and weak always are annoyed by it; but I think, Sir, if you
would take a little gruel, and then go to sleep again, it would be
better."

"Well, I fear I am not very strong, and talking so much has done me no
good. I think I could take a little gruel."

"Then, Sir, I'll go and get some made, and be back very soon."

"Do, Ingram, and tell Mr. Olivarez, the second mate, that I would
speak to him."

"Yes, I will," replied the man, and he left the state-room.

I waited some time listening for the arrival of the second mate, and
then I thought that I heard odd noises in the hold before the
bulk-head of the state-room in which I was lying, but I was still very
weak, and my head swam. After a time Ingram came down with the gruel,
into which he put some sugar and a spoonful of rum, to flavour it, as
he said. He offered it to me, and I drank it all, for I had an
appetite; but whether it was that I was very weak, or the rum he put
in was more than he said, it is certain that I had hardly given him
back the basin than I felt so drowsy that I turned away from him, and
was soon again in forgetfulness.

This Ingram was a young man who had been apprenticed to an apothecary,
and had taken to the sea. He was well educated, and a very merry
fellow, and I had chosen him as one who could attend upon me in the
cabin, and at the same time be otherwise useful if required, as he was
a very good seaman, and very active. When I awoke again I felt
convinced that I must have slept through the night, as it was broad
daylight, as before, but Ingram was not by my bed-side. There was no
bell in the state-room, and I was obliged to await his coming. I felt
much stronger than the day before, and now proposed getting out of bed
as soon as Ingram should come down into the cabin. I now remembered
that the second mate had not come down to me, and heard noises and
murmurings in the hold as I had the day previous, which surprised me,
and I became more anxious for the return of Ingram. At last he came,
and I told him that I had been awake more than an hour.

"How do you feel yourself, Sir?" said he.

"Quite strong. I should like to get up and dress. Perhaps I may be
able to get on deck for a quarter of an hour."

"I think," replied he, "that you had better wait, and hear what I have
to tell you, Sir. I would not tell you yesterday, because I thought it
would be too much for you; but as I see you are really better to-day,
I must say that I have strange things to tell you."

"Indeed!" cried I, with surprise. "Strange things. By the bye, why did
not Olivarez come to me yesterday?"

"I will explain all to you, Sir, if you will lie down and listen to
what I have to say, and take the news quietly."

"Very well, Ingram, I will do so. Now pray go on."

"You were brought on board in a state of fever and insensibility by
the captain of the slaver. He said, as he lifted you over the side,
that you were a dead man. We all thought the same, and you were taken
down into the cabin with that persuasion on the part of the whole
crew. Your delirium and fever increased, and every hour it was
expected that you would give up the ghost. Now, Sir, two days
afterwards the slaver sailed with his cargo, and we were left alone in
the river. Olivarez, who of course commanded, talked to the men. He
said that you were as good as dead already, and that he thought that
this was a fair opportunity for their making money. He proposed that
the ivory still on shore should be changed for slaves, which he said
the negroes would gladly do, and that we should run with our cargo to
the Brazils. He said that it was useless our remaining in the river,
as we should all lose our lives in the same way that you had done, and
that he thought, as commanding the schooner, he knew what would best
please the owner, who had long employed vessels in the slave-trade,
and would not be sorry to find that we had run a cargo, and would
reward them all liberally. That this would be an excuse to leave the
river immediately, whereas otherwise they would have to wait till you
recovered or died, and by that time they might half of them be dead
themselves. Do you understand me, Sir?"

"Yes, perfectly. Go on, Ingram."

"Well, Sir, the men did not perceive what he was about, and replied
that so long as they left the river they did not care how soon, and
that it was better that we should take a cargo of slaves at all
events, for Olivarez was in command now, and they should do as he
ordered them. I made no reply, indeed Olivarez never put the question
to me. Well, Sir, the ivory was soon exchanged for slaves, who are now
on board, and it is the slaves whom you have smelt and complained of.
We received on board 140, and provisions sufficient with what we had,
and having taken in all the water we could below and on deck, we made
sail out of the river, and have since steered for the Brazils."

"But Olivarez has taken a most unwarrantable responsibility," said I;
"and one that he shall answer for."

"Stop, Sir," replied Ingram, "you have only heard the first part of
the story. When we had been three days at sea, Olivarez, who had been
talking to the men, one by one and apart, called them together, and
said, it was an opportunity not to be lost, that they had possession
of the vessel, and the owner would never have a clue to where she had
gone, and that now was the time to take possession of her for
themselves, and employ her in the slave-trade on their own account.
That, sailing so fast, nothing could overhaul her or board her, and,
therefore, they were free from danger. He then proposed that he should
command and navigate, and receive one-half of the profits, and that
the other half should be divided among the crew--the expense of the
provisions, &c. being paid out of it previous to their sharing and
making a calculation, he showed them that every voyage would be worth
about 100_l._ a-man after all expenses were paid. The crew consented
at once to the terms--all but me; and when he asked me, my answer was,
that I would consent to nothing while you were yet alive. I said that,
because I was afraid that they would murder me, or throw me
overboard."

"Go on, Ingram; go on, and let me hear it all at once."

"'Then you will soon be freed from your difficulty,' said Olivarez.

"'I do not know that, Sir,' I replied, 'for I think Mr. Musgrave may
get over it.'

"'Indeed,' he returned, 'well, then, so much the worse for him.'

"As he, Olivarez, said this, the whole of the crew, to do them
justice, cried out, that there should be no murder, for if there was,
they not only would have nothing to do with the affair, but would make
it known at the first port to which they came. That you had always
been a kind, good officer, and were too brave a man to die in that
way.

"'Well, my men,' said Olivarez, 'I never had an idea of the kind, and
I promise you, if he lives through it, there shall be no murder; I
will put him on shore at the first port we arrive at, but in such a
way as to secure our safety--that we must look to.'

"The men said, that that was all right, and then they all agreed to
join him.

"'And you, Ingram,' said Olivarez, 'what do you say?'

"'What I said before,' I replied; 'that as long as Mr. Musgrave lives
I will come to no agreement whatever.'

"'Well,' said Olivarez, 'it is but postponing your decision; I know
that you will join us. So now, my lads, as we're all agreed, we may as
well go to dinner.'"

"The scoundrel shall pay for this," cried I.

"Hush, Sir, hush, I pray; say nothing, but wait patiently and see what
turns up. We are not yet at Rio, and when we are, we may be able to do
something, but every thing depends upon keeping quiet, for if the men
become alarmed, they may be persuaded to kill you to save themselves."

"That is very true, Ingram," replied I. "Leave me now for half an
hour, I wish to be alone."

You may imagine, my dear Madam, my agitation at hearing this
intelligence. I who had thought that I was within a few days' sail of
Liverpool, to be there received by my cherished Amy, to find myself in
the hands of pirates, and close to the Brazils with a cargo of slaves;
which they, or rather Olivarez, had taken in the vessel to Rio that he
might not be discovered, for he might have found a better mart for his
live cargo. And then what would be the anxiety of Amy and her father
when I was not heard of? It would be supposed that the schooner was
upset in a squall, and all hands had perished. Excited and angry as I
was, I felt the truth of what Ingram said, and that it was necessary
to be quiet. Perhaps I might by that means not only preserve my life,
but again find myself in my own country. When Ingram returned, I asked
him if Olivarez knew that I was better, and had recovered my reason.
He replied that he did, but that he had told him I was so weak that I
could hardly recover.

"That is well," said I; "keep him in that belief as long as you can."

He now offered me more gruel, which I took, and I believe that he put
an opiate in it, for shortly after I had taken it, I again felt
drowsy, and was soon fast asleep. I awoke sooner than before, for it
was night, and I heard the voice of Olivarez on deck; from what I
gathered, land was in sight, and I heard him order the schooner to be
hove to. In the morning Ingram came down in the cabin, bringing me
some breakfast, which I ate heartily, for I was recovering fast, and
had become quite ravenous.

"Land is in sight," said I.

"Yes, Sir, it is; but we are many miles to the northward of Rio, I
understand, for Olivarez knows the coast well. We shall not be in
to-day, if we are to-morrow."

"I feel quite strong now," replied I, "and I want to get up."

"Do so, Sir," said he; "but if you hear any one coming down the
ladder, get into bed again."

With Ingram's assistance I dressed myself, and went into the cabin. I
reeled as I walked, but as soon as I felt the cool breeze from the
stern-ports, I was revived, and in an hour I could walk quite strong.

"Have you heard any more?" inquired I of Ingram.

"Olivarez asked me this morning how you were. I replied that you were
recovering fast.

"'Very well,' said he, 'you will share his fate, whatever it may be,
since you have been so careful of him, and have put us in such a
dilemma; but I'll contrive to dispose of you both.'

"I made no reply, Sir, as I knew that would only irritate him."

"You did right, Ingram; a few days will decide our fate. I do not
think that he dares to murder us."

"Nor do I think he wishes it, if he can be clear of us with safety to
himself," replied Ingram.

Two days more passed away, and then Ingram told me that we were a few
miles from the town, and should soon be at anchor.

"Go softly," replied I, "and tell me what is going on."

He went up the ladder, but soon came down again, saying, "We are
locked in, Sir."

I was very much annoyed at this, but it could not be helped--our only
remedy was patience; but I must confess that I was in a state of
great anxiety. We heard the anchor let go, and boats came on board,
after which all was silent for the night. The next morning we heard
them open the hatches, and the slaves were ordered upon deck. The day
was passed in landing them. I was ravenously hungry, and asked Ingram
whether they intended to starve us. He went up the ladder to call for
victuals, when he found on the upper step of the ladder a large vessel
full of water and some cooked provisions, which had probably been put
there during the night. There was enough to last two or three days.
The next day passed and no one came near us, and I had some thoughts
of dropping out of the stern-ports and attempting to swim on shore;
but Ingram, who had put his head out of them as far as he could, told
me that we must be at some distance from the shore, and there were
several sharks playing round the stern, as is always the case with
vessels laden with slaves.

The next morning, however, put an end to our suspense, for the
companion was unlocked, and Olivarez, accompanied by four Portuguese,
came down into the cabin. He spoke to them in Portuguese, and they
advanced, and seizing Ingram and me by the collar, led us up the
ladder. I would have expostulated, but of course could not make myself
understood. Olivarez, however, said,

"Resistance is useless, Mr. Musgrave; all you have to do is to go
quietly with these men. As soon as the schooner has sailed, you will
be released."

"Well," replied I, "it maybe so, Olivarez; but mark my words, you will
repent this, and I shall see you on a gibbet."

"I trust the wood is not yet out of the ground," replied he; "but I
cannot waste any more words with you."

He then spoke to the Portuguese, who appeared to be government
officers of some kind, and they led us to the gangway; we went into
the boat, and they pulled us to the shore.

"Where can they be taking us, Ingram?" said I.

"Heaven knows, Sir, but we shall find out."

I attempted to speak to the officers, but they cried "_Silentio_,"
which word I fully understood to mean "silence," and finding that I
could not induce them to hear me, I said no more. We landed at a
jetty, and were then led through the streets to a large square. On one
side of it was a heavy building, to which they directed their steps.
The door was opened for us, and we were led in. A paper was produced
by our conductors, and was apparently copied into a book, after which
they went away, leaving us with the people who had received us, and
who, by their appearance, I knew to be gaolers.

"Of what crime am I accused?" inquired I.

No reply was given, but two of the subordinates took us away, unlocked
a massive door, and thrust us into a large court-yard, full of men of
every colour.

"Well," said I, as the door closed upon us, "we are in gaol at all
events; but the question now is, shall we be released as Olivarez had
stated?"

"It is hard to say," replied Ingram. "The question is, what gaol is
this? Could we find any one who could speak English, we might
discover."

Several of those around us had come towards us to examine us, and then
left us, when, as we were conversing, a negro came up, and hearing
what we said, addressed us in English.

"Massa want one to speak English--I speak English--some long while on
board English vessel."

"Well, then, my good fellow," said I, "can you tell us what this gaol
is, and what prisoners are confined here for?"

"Yes, massa, every body know that, suppose he live at Rio. This gaol
for people that go dig diamonds."

"How do you mean?"

"Mean! massa--people sent here to work in diamond-mines all life long
till they die. Keep 'em here till hab plenty to send up all at one
time. Then guard take them up the country, and they go dig and wash
for diamond. Suppose you find very big diamond, you go free. Suppose
not, den you die there."

"Merciful Heavens!" cried I to Ingram, "then we are condemned as
slaves to the mines."

"Yes," replied Ingram with a sigh. "Well, it's better than working in
the quicksilver-mines. At all events, we shall have fresh air."

"Fresh air without liberty," cried I, clasping my hands.

"Come, Sir, courage, we do not yet know our fate. Perhaps we may, as
Olivarez said, be allowed to go free after the schooner sails."

I shook my head, for I was convinced otherwise.




CHAPTER XVI.

    The Diamond-Mines, and what occurred there--I lose my
    friend Ingram, and another acquaintance, but they both
    leave me valuable Legacies.


After remaining in the court about two hours, it being then near to
nightfall, the gaolers came out into the yard, and we were all driven
into a large apartment, the walls of which were of such solid
materials, and the floor of large flag-stones, as to prevent any
possibility of escape. I was never in such a scene of filth and
wretchedness. There was not a spot where one could be driven without
being defiled in some way or another; and so many human beings--one
half of whom were negroes--being crowded into so small a space, with
only one barred window, so high up as only to serve as a ventilator,
created an atmosphere worse than any slave-vessel's hold. I leaned
with my back against the wall, and, I must say, never was so miserable
in my life. I thought of Amy, and my sanguine hopes and anticipations
of happiness, now all wrecked. I thought of Captain Levee and my
brother Philip careering over the seas, free as the wind. I thought of
poor Whyna, and the distress she must feel at finding I did not rejoin
her. I planned a hundred schemes to make known my situation, but every
scheme, as soon as I weighed it, I found was hopeless. Still weak from
previous disease, I felt as if I should be suffocated if I remained
long in this pestiferous abode, and I wept like a child. Daylight came
at last, and soon afterwards the door was opened; we were admitted
into the yard, and all hastened to the large tub of water, which was
soon emptied. The fighting and scrambling to obtain first possession
was really revolting. An hour afterwards some coarse provisions were
served out, and then we learnt, to our great delight, that we were
immediately to set out for the mines. It would be thought that this
could be no great cause for exaltation; we were about to go to pass
the rest of our lives in bondage; but all misery is comparative, and
sooner than have remained another night in that dreadful hole, I would
have welcomed any change. About an hour afterwards a guard of
dirty-looking soldiers came in; we were all handcuffed to a long
chain, at about two feet apart, one on each side, so that we walked in
pairs, and as soon as the first chain was full--and I was handcuffed
to it--we were ordered out into the square to wait for the others. My
superior dress and appearance as an Englishman excited much curiosity;
people pointed to me and made remarks, but I had no opportunity of
communicating with any of the authorities, nor would it have been of
any use if I had had. We remained there more than an hour, as the
other chains of prisoners came out one by one; we were five chains in
all, about forty on a chain. We were then ordered to move on, walking
between a guard of about twenty or thirty soldiers, who marched, on
each side of us, with their muskets and bayonets fixed, about three
yards from each other. In another hour we were clear of the town, and
threading our way through a lane bounded on each side by prickly pears
and other shrubs. There was no want of merriment among the party; they
talked and laughed with one another, and the soldiers who guarded
them, and appeared to care little for their fate. As for me, I was
broken-hearted with the disgrace and the villainous manner in which I
had been thus sacrificed. My heart was full of bitterness, and I could
gladly have lain down and died, had I not been still buoyed up with
some faint hope that I should have an opportunity of making my
position known, and obtain my release. I will pass over the journey,
as one day was but the forerunner of the other. We halted at noon, and
were supplied with fruit and maize, but we were never unchained, day
or night. In a short time I was like all the rest--covered with
vermin, and disgusting to myself. It was, I think, between four and
five weeks before we arrived at our destination, which was in the
district of Tejuco, and the locality of the diamond-mines was called
the Sierra de Espinhaço. This sierra, or mountain, was a ridge of
inaccessible precipices on each side of a narrow valley, traversed by
a small river called the Tequetinhonha, and in this valley, and in the
bed of the river, were the diamonds found, for which we were condemned
to toil for the remainder of our days. As we entered the ravine, I
perceived how impossible it would be to escape; even if a person could
find his way back, after having succeeded in his escape. For many
miles the road was a narrow path cut on the side of the mountain,
yawning precipice below and inaccessible rocks above, and this narrow
way was at every two miles blocked up by a guard-house built upon it,
and through the portcullis of which it would be necessary to force a
way. And here we were, thousands of miles away from civilized life, in
the heart of a country uninhabited except by occasional bands of
Indians. At last we filed through the last of the guard-houses, and
found ourselves in a wider part of the ravine, which was crowded with
buildings of various descriptions. We were led up to the director's
house, and our names, persons, and descriptions were taken down by a
clerk. When my turn came, and I was asked in Portuguese who I was, I
shook my head, and replied "Ingles." An interpreter was called, and I
then stated my name, and begged the director would hear what I had to
say. He shook his head, and, after they had taken my description,
desired me to go away.

"Why did you not explain for me?" said I to the interpreter.

"Because he won't hear what you have to say; if he would, every man on
the chain would attempt to prove that he was sent here by mistake. You
may, by-and-by, find an opportunity to speak to him, that is, after
you have learnt Portuguese, and have been here a year or two; but it
will do no good."

During the whole of the journey, I had been separated from Ingram, and
now, for the first time since we left prison, I had an opportunity of
shaking him by the hand. I need not say how glad I was to meet again
my companion in misfortune, and our only fear was now, that we should
be again separated; but such was not the case. There were regular
lodgings or barracks for the slaves, which were certainly not bad; but
as all escape was considered impossible, any one who chose to raise a
little hut for himself out of the bushes which grew on the rocks was
permitted so to do. The hours of work were regular; we were allotted
out in gangs, which took up a certain square of the river, or river's
side; we worked from daylight till near dusk, with only an hour
allowed for repose in the heat of the day. There was a superintendent
over each gang of twenty, who watched them and made them work. These
superintendents were controlled by inspectors, who had the charge of
four or five gangs, and who brought unto the director the produce of
the day's toil. The work was simple. The sand and alluvial soil were
thrown into troughs with small sieve bottoms, out of which escaped all
the smaller matter, when it was washed with the water from the river.
The stones and larger particles were then carefully examined, and any
diamonds found were taken out and delivered to the superintendents,
who then made them over to the inspectors, when they came round. The
inspectors carried them to their houses (for they had houses from
government), and in the evening delivered every diamond found to the
director. After a short time, I found that the office of
superintendent, and also of inspector, was open to any of the slaves
who conducted themselves well; and that the whole of those now
employed in the offices were slaves for life, as well as ourselves.
What puzzled me was, how so many people, for in all we amounted to
seven hundred or more, were to be found in food; but I afterwards
discovered that the government had farms and herds of cattle at a few
miles' distance, cultivated by slaves and Indians expressly for the
purpose. Our rations were scanty, but we were permitted to cultivate
as well as we could any spot we could find on the arid side of the
mountain as a garden; and some of them, who had been there for many
years, had, in course of time, produced a good soil, and reared plenty
of vegetables. To my surprise, I found at least twenty Englishmen
among the whole mass of slaves; and one or two of them were
inspectors, and several of them superintendents--saying much in favour
of my countrymen. Their conversation and their advice tended much to
soothe the hardships of my captivity, but I found from them that any
hopes of ever leaving the mines were useless, and that our bones must
all be laid by the side of the mountain. Of course, Ingram and I were
inseparable; we worked in the same gang, and we very soon built a hut
for ourselves; and Ingram, who was a light-hearted young man, set to
work to make a garden. He moved heavy stones on the sides of the
mountain, and scraped up all the mould he could find; sometimes he
would get his handkerchief full, but not often, but, as he said, every
little helped. He killed lizards for manure, and with them and leaves
he made a little dung-heap, which he watered, to assist putrefaction.
Every thing that would assist, he carefully collected; and by degrees
he had sufficient for a patch of four or five yards square. This he
planted; and with the refuse made more manure; and in the course of a
few months, by incessant activity and assisted by me, he had a very
tolerable patch of ground covered with this manure and the alluvial
soil washed out by the diamond-seeking, mixed up together. We then
obtained seeds, and grew vegetables like the rest, and this proved a
great increase to our comforts--that is our bodily wants; but my mind
was far away. Amy Trevannion was never out of my thoughts, and I fell
into a deep melancholy. I worked hard at my vocation, and was
fortunate enough to find some good diamonds, long before I had been a
year at the mines. Having acquired the Portuguese language, I was soon
after raised to the office of superintendent. I now no longer worked,
but overlooked others, with a cane in my hand to administer punishment
to those who neglected their business. I cannot say that I liked the
change, I was not so miserable when I was employed, but I did my duty
with diligence. Ingram was in my gang, and another Englishman, an old
man,--I should think not less than seventy years old. He told me that
he belonged to a merchant vessel, and in a drunken brawl a Portuguese
had been killed; he and two others had been condemned to the mines,
but the others were dead long ago. About a month after my elevation,
this old man, who was very feeble, and whom I treated with great
kindness on account of his age--exacting no more than I thought he
could well perform--fell sick. I reported him as being really ill, and
Ingram, who was by no means a bad doctor, told me that he would die.
A few hours before his death he sent for me to his hut, and after
thanking me for my kindness to him, he said that he knew he was dying,
and that he wished to leave me all his property (which the slaves are
permitted to do), that is, he left me his garden, which was the best
on the Sierra, his hut, which also was a very good one, and then
putting his hand under the leaves which formed his bed, he pulled out
a tattered, thumbed book, which he told me was a Bible.

"At first I read," said he, "to pass away time, in this melancholy
place, but of late I have read it I hope to a better purpose."

I thanked the poor man for his present, and wished him good-bye. A few
hours afterwards he was dead, and Ingram and I buried him by the side
of the mountain. Shortly afterwards our inspector died, and, to my
astonishment, I was put into his place. I could not imagine why I was
thus so fortunate in being promoted, but I afterwards found out that,
although I had never but casually seen her, I was indebted for my good
fortune to a fancy which the director's eldest daughter (for he had
his family with him) had taken for me.

This was singular, for I had never spoken to her, and what is more
strange, I never did speak to her, nor did she ever attempt to speak
to me, so that it was wholly disinterested on her part. I had now
still less to do, and was in constant communication with the director,
and one day stated to him how it was that I had been brought there. He
told me that he believed me, but could not help me, and after that,
the subject was never again mentioned between us. Having little to do,
I now took up the Bible given me by the old Englishman, as I had time
to read it, which I had not before, when I was employed the whole day;
but now I had a convenient cottage, as I may call it, of my own, and
plenty of leisure and retirement.

I studied the Bible carefully, and found much comfort in it. Not that
I was content with my lot--that I never could be while I was separated
from Amy--but still I found much consolation, and I became, to a
certain degree, resigned. I thought of my former life with disgust,
and this second reading of the Bible, for the reader may recollect
that the first took place when I was first confined in the Tower, was
certainly of great advantage to me. I had more time to dwell upon
it--more time for reflection and self-examination--and every day I
reaped more advantage and became more worthy of the name of Christian.
I now prayed fervently, and I think my prayers were heard, as you, my
dear Madam, will also think as I continue my narrative. About three
months after I had been appointed an inspector, Ingram was taken ill.
At first he complained of disordered bowels, but in a few days
inflammation came on, which ended in mortification. He was in great
agony until the mortification took place, when he obtained comparative
relief.

"My dear Mr. Musgrave," he said, as I was at his bed-side, "in a few
hours I shall have escaped from the mines, and be no more in bondage.
I shall follow the poor old Englishman, who left you his executor. I
am about to do the same. I shall now make my will verbally, as we have
no writing-materials here, and leave you all I possess."

"Why are you not more serious, Ingram," I said, "at such a moment as
this?"

"I am most serious," he replied. "I know that in a few hours I shall
be no more, and I trust in the mercy of Him who died for kings and for
slaves; but, Musgrave, I have a secret to tell you. Do you recollect
the story in the fairy tales of the little white cat whose head was
obliged to be cut off, and who then turned into the most beautiful
princess in the world? Well, my secret is something like hers."

I thought, by his continuing in this strain, that his head was
wandering. I was about to speak to him, when he continued:

"Do you know what has occasioned my death? I will tell you the secret.
I was washing for diamonds, when I found one of a size which
astonished me. I knew it was of great value, and I did not choose that
the King of Portugal should receive such a benefit from my hands. I
put it into my mouth to secrete it, hardly knowing what I should do
afterwards, but I was thinking how I should act, when one of the
superintendents passing (that crabbed old Portuguese belonging to the
next gang), and seeing me idle and in deep thought, he struck me with
his cane such a smart rap on the shoulders, that he not only made me
jump out of my reverie, but the diamond went down my throat. I'm sure
if I had tried to swallow it I could not have done so, but the shock
forced it down. Well, this has occasioned my death, for it has
remained in my stomach and occasioned the stoppage, which has ended in
inflammation and mortification. I feel it here even now; give me your
finger, don't you feel it? Well, now you understand why I talked of
the little white cat. Don't cut off my head, but when I am dead, just
put your knife down there and take out the diamond and bury it, for I
tell you--and they say dying men see clearer than others--but that I
am certain you will be released from these mines, and then the diamond
will be a fortune to you, and you will find that being my executor was
of some value to you. Now, pray--no scruple--I entreat it as a last
favour, promise me that you will do as I wish--pray promise me, or I
shall die unhappy."

I could not help promising him to execute his wishes, he appeared so
earnest and asked it as a last favour, but I felt very repugnant at
the idea. In another hour poor Ingram breathed his last, and I was
most melancholy at the loss of so worthy a friend, who had by serving
me been subjected to the same slavery as myself. I left the hut and
went to my own house, thinking over the strange communication that had
been made to me. And why, thought I, should I obtain this diamond? I
have no chance of leaving this; yet, who knows, Ingram prophesied in
his dying moments that I should--well, at all events, I will keep my
promise to the poor fellow. I reported his death to the director, and,
about an hour afterwards, went to the hut where he lay. His
countenance was placid, and I looked at him for a long while, and
queried whether he was not happier than I was or ever could be. But,
to comply with his request--I could not bear the idea. I did not want
the diamond, and I, who in my early career had thought nothing of
cutting and maiming the living man, now shuddered at the idea of
making an incision in a dead body. But there was no time to be lost,
the burials always took place at sunset, and it was near the hour. I
bent a piece of bamboo cane double, like a pair of sugar-tongs, and
then putting my finger to the part of his stomach which he had pointed
out, I felt that there was a hard substance, and I made an incision
with my knife--probing with the blade. I touched the diamond, and then
using the piece of cane as a pair of pincers, I contrived, after one
or two attempts, to extract it. I threw the diamond without
examination into a pan of water which stood by the bed, and covering
up the body, I made a hole in the floor of the hut and buried the
knife, which I felt I never could use again.

I looked out of the hut and perceived two of the slaves, who performed
that office, coming towards me to take away the body. I desired them
to carry it leaving the clothes on, followed them, and saw it
deposited in the earth; after which I read prayers over the grave and
could not refrain from shedding many tears to the memory of my
faithful associate. I then returned to the hut, and taking the pan of
water in my hand went to my own abode. I could not bear to touch the
diamond, but I dared not leave it where it was; so I poured all the
water out of the pan, and then rolled the diamond out on the floor,
which was of hardened clay. I saw at once that it was one of great
value, weighing, I should think, thirteen or fourteen _grammes_, and
of a very pure water. It was in the form of an obtuse octohædron, and
on one side was quite smooth and transparent. Having made this
examination, I picked up some of the clay with a piece of iron, and
rolling the diamond into the hole, I jammed the clay down over it.
"There," said I, "you may remain till doomsday, or till some one finds
you; you will be of no use to me;" and I thought of the cock in the
fable. My tattered Bible caught my eye, and I said to it, "You are of
more value than all the diamonds in the world;" and I only uttered
what I felt.

For a long time I mourned for Ingram, and thought nothing of the
diamond. Three months more passed away, and I had been eighteen months
in the mines, when some visitors made their appearance--no less than
one of the principals of the Jesuit order, who had been sent by the
king of Portugal out to the Brazils, on a tour of inspection, as it
was called, but in fact to examine into the state of affairs, and the
way in which the government revenue was collected. There had lately
been so much peculation on the part of the various officers, that it
was considered necessary to make minute inquiry. A Portuguese nobleman
had been sent out the year before, but had died shortly after his
arrival, and there was every reason to suppose that he had been
poisoned, that the inquiry might be got rid of. Now this Jesuit priest
had been sent out, probably because a Portuguese, who thought little
of poisoning and stabbing a layman, would not dare to attempt the life
of so sacred a character. Having full and extraordinary powers, he had
made a short inquiry into the different departments of government, and
had now come to the mines to ascertain how far the delivery of the
diamonds at the treasury agreed with the collection at the mines; for
these mines had usually produced from a million to a million and a
half of revenue. The director was in a great fuss when he heard of
this arrival at the further barrier; although immediately announced to
him, he had scarcely an hour to prepare before the superior of the
Jesuits arrived with his suite, consisting of about twenty people, and
fifty or sixty sumpter mules and riding-horses. We were all called out
to receive him, that is, all the inspectors. I went to attend the
parade, and awaited with much indifference; but my feelings were soon
changed, when in this superior of the Jesuits I beheld the Catholic
priest who had visited me in the Tower and obtained my release. The
superior bowed to the director and to all around him, and as he then
looked at us all, he recognized me immediately.

"You here, my son?" said he.

"Yes, holy father," replied I, "and I thank Heaven that your arrival
will enable me to prove my innocence."

"Pray how is this?" said he.

In a few words I narrated my story.

"And you were thrown into prison without being permitted to defend
yourself?"

"Even so, good father, and sent to the mines to slave for life."

"Did you not make known your case to the director of the mines?"

"I did, Sir, but he stated that he pitied me, but could not help me."

"Is this the case, Mr. Director?" said the Jesuit, severely.

"It is, Sir," replied the director; "I have more than once reported
cases of what appeared to me great hardship, if what those condemned
have said was true, and have been told that I was too officious, and
that there could be no reversal of sentence. I can prove to you, Sir,
by my journals and letter-books how many cases I did formerly attempt
to bring before the government; but I at last received such replies,
which I can show you, as will prove that there has been no fault of
mine."

"Allow me to add, holy father," said I, "that the kindness and
consideration of the director have been very great to all those under
his charge, and I think it very fortunate that such a person has been
appointed to this situation, as he has done every thing that has been
in his power to alleviate the miseries of bondage."

"I am glad to hear you say so, Mr. Elrington; Mr. Director, this
gentleman is a dear friend of mine, let him instantly be released. My
orders are not to be disputed by the viceroy himself."

The superior then embraced me cordially, and told me that I was free,
and should return with him to Rio. Imagine, my dear Madam, my joy and
gratitude. I fell on my knees before him, and kissed his hands. He
gave me his blessing, and raised me up.

"Where is your companion in misfortune?" said he.

"Alas! Sir, he is dead," replied I.

The superior shook his head and turned away, saying, "I will search
into this affair to the bottom, depend upon it, when I get back to
Rio."

He then desired the director to bring out his books, and his own
secretary to follow him, leaving his servants in the court-yard with
me and the other inspectors. I received the congratulations of all
parties present, and as soon as possible I escaped from them, and
returned to my own room, where I knelt and fervently thanked God for
my unexpected deliverance; and having paid my duty to the Most High, I
sat down, and fell into a most delightful reverie of anticipations.
In the evening, after the superior had dismissed him, the director
sent for me, and said,

"Allow me to return you many thanks for your kindness in speaking so
favourably of me as you have done. You have, indeed, been of service
to me, and I am most grateful."

"I only did you justice, director," replied I.

"Yes, but how few have justice done them in this world," replied he.
"The superior desired me to tell you, that you are to live with the
gentlemen of his suite. Of course, you know, it is not etiquette for
him to admit any body to his table. At all events you must allow me
one pleasure, which is to supply you with clothes proper to your
appearance, which I can easily do without inconvenience to myself."

The director then led me into his room, and opened a wardrobe full of
rich suits, selected two of the handsomest, with linen and every other
article requisite, a handsome sword and hat, all of which he begged me
to accept. Calling one of his servants, he ordered him to put them
into a valise, and take them to my apartment.

"Is there any thing else that I can do?--speak freely."

"No, director," replied I, "I will accept these things from you, as I
cannot procure them here, but when at Rio, I have means to obtain
every thing that I require. I return you many thanks."

"I will send my servant to arrange your hair," said he; "and I pray
you to consider him at your disposal during the few days which the
superior may remain here."

"Do you think it will take him so long?"

"Yes," replied the director, "I will tell you in confidence, that he
has brought with him the produce of the mines accounted for to the
government at home, and on his first inspection has found such
defalcation from that which has been transmitted by me to Rio, that I
expect there will be serious business. They never imagined at Rio that
he would have undertaken such a tedious journey as he has done, and
they are in much alarm about it; but I will leave you now, that you
may go home and make your toilet. Allow me to congratulate you, with
all my heart, at the fortunate termination to your unjust bondage."

Having again thanked him for his kindness, I went to my lodging, where
I found his servant waiting for me; and having had my hair arranged in
a very tolerable manner, and a little powder thrown in, I put on one
of the suits, which fitted me pretty well, requiring but a slight
alteration, from being rather full, which the servant soon managed.
Thus did I once more appear as a gentleman--contrary to all my
expectations--and I then went and joined the suite of the superior,
who, when they perceived the difference which dress made in my
appearance, congratulated me, and warmly welcomed me to join the meal
which had just been prepared for them. On the following day, the
superior sent for me, and ordering me to sit down, requested that I
would enter into full detail of what had happened to me since we last
parted. I did so, and my narrative occupied the whole afternoon.

"Your life has been full of vicissitude," replied he; "I trust,
however, that your adventures are now over, and that you will be
restored to your friends: the service you performed for our cause will
never be forgotten."

I ventured to ask him how it was that he was now in the employ of the
King of Portugal? He replied,

"I am an Irishman by birth, and educated at St. Omers. I was first
sent to Spain by the order when I was young, and have since been
employed all over the world in the advancement of our holy church.
Country with our order is of no consequence. We all serve the holy
church, and go wherever our services are required. I would you were a
Catholic, I could advance you beyond all your hopes; but you are
engaged to be married, and that puts an end to the question."

As I thought the holy father must be tired with our long conference, I
rose and took my leave.

Three days afterwards I was informed by him that he intended to set
off on his return to Rio, and now I thought of the diamond, which I
resolved to carry with me. I had no fear of being searched while under
this excellent superior's protection, and therefore I went to my
lodging, dug up the diamond, and having washed it, for the first time
gave it the examination which it deserved. It certainly was a stone of
great value, but of what value I could not exactly say. From what I
had learnt from the director, who usually put his idea of the value
upon any diamond of size which was brought to him, I considered that
20,000_l._ was the least which could be put upon the stone. I took the
precaution not to carry it loose in my pocket, but to sew it within
the lining of my clothes. Glad I was, indeed, when the orders to start
the next morning were given out. I found that a horse was appointed
for me, and having made up my valise, not forgetting my tattered
Bible, I went to my bed, thanking God that this was to be the last
night that I was to pass in the accursed Sierra de Espinhaço.

At daylight the superior took his leave, mounted his mule, and we set
forth, passing the guard-house in the narrow road, which I never
expected to pass again. Before noon we were clear of the Sierra, and
once more in the open country. The attendants, with a portion of the
sumpter mules, went in advance, to prepare for the superior's arrival
at the spot where we were to halt.

The weather was excessively sultry, and the glare of the sun was very
distressing. At noon we stopped to take our dinner, and the usual
siesta after it. The attendants in advance had raised a sort of
palanquin for the superior, and every thing was ready. The superior
alighted, and sat down under the palanquin, which protected him from
the rays of the sun; we all sat round at a respectful distance. The
heat was so intense, that to relieve himself, the superior had, when
he sat down, thrown off his long black robe, such as is worn by the
priests of his order. Dinner was served up, and we had a merry party,
notwithstanding the great heat. After our meal, we all shaded
ourselves as well as we could, and took our siesta for about two
hours, when the superior rose up, and gave the signal for resuming our
journey. The horses were soon ready, and the superior's mule being
brought up to the palanquin, he rose up, and one of his attendants was
lifting up his robe for the superior to resume it, when my eye
detected the head of a snake just showing itself out of the
side-pocket of the robe in which he carried his breviary and his
handkerchief. I knew the snake well, for we often found them in the
Sierra de Espinhaço, and some two or three of the slaves had lost
their lives by their bite, which was so fatal, that they died in less
than five minutes afterwards. The superior had his handkerchief in his
hand, and would have undoubtedly put it in his pocket before he
mounted his mule, and if so, would certainly have been bitten, and
lost his life. As the superior was fastening his robe at the throat, I
darted forward, seized it, threw it on the ground, and commenced
stamping upon it with all my force, much to the surprise of the whole
party. Some of them thought me mad, and others, who were horrified at
such treatment of the holy garment, called out, "Heretico maldetto!"
which, Madam, you must know, means, accursed heretic. Having felt the
snake (which is very short, but very thick in the body, with a head
like a toad) several times moving under my feet, and then moving no
more, I then stepped off the garment, and turning it over, I lifted it
up by the skirt, so that the dead snake rolled out of the pocket.

"I thank the God whom we all worship, and the Son of God, who died for
us all, whether Catholic or Heretic," cried I, "that I have been the
means of preserving our holy father."

I had knelt down as I thus prayed, and the superior, perceiving the
danger that he had been in, did the same, and silently returned his
thanks; at his example all the rest went down on their knees.

"Yes," said the superior; "would to God that instead of reviling each
other, all denominations of Christians would join in thus bruising the
head of the serpent which seeks our spiritual death."

He then rose and said,

"My son, I thank thee for the kind service thou hast performed."

I then explained to the superior the deadly nature of the animal, and
my fear that he would have put his handkerchief in the pocket of his
robe before I had time to prevent him, and begged him to excuse my
seeming abruptness.

"There needs no apology for saving a man's life," replied he,
smiling.--"Come, let us go forward."

I hardly need say that we were not quite so long in returning to Rio
as we were in going to the mines. We accomplished our journey, without
using extreme haste, in about half of the time. On our arrival, we
took up our quarters at a magnificent palace, which had been
appropriated to the superior during his residence at Rio, and I found
myself sumptuously lodged. For some days, during which the superior
had frequent interviews with the viceroy, I did not see him, but one
day I was summoned to his pretence.

"My son," said he, "I have lost no time in investigating your affair,
and I find that all you have said is quite correct. To the disgrace of
the government here, and the manner in which justice is administered,
it appears that this man, Olivarez, on his arrival, went to the
secretary of the judge of that court in which such offences are tried,
and stated that he had two English mutineers on board, who had
attempted to take the vessel, and wounded several of his men
dangerously; that he wished, of course, to deliver them up to justice,
but that the immediate departure of his vessel would be prevented by
so doing, as his crew would be required as evidence; that the delay
would be very disadvantageous; and he inquired whether it could not be
managed that these men might be punished without the appearance of
himself and his men, as he would pay a good sum rather than be
detained. The secretary perfectly understood the trick, and upon the
receipt of five hundred cruzados, he accepted the deposition of
Olivarez, sworn to by him, as sufficient evidence, and you were
consigned to the mines upon this deposition by a warrant from the
judge. We have had some trouble to obtain all the facts, but the
question has been severely applied, and has elicited them. Now, first,
as to the judge and his secretary, they have gone to the gaol, and
will take your place in the mines for life. Next as to Olivarez. It
appears that, on his arrival, he sold his cargo of slaves very
advantageously; that having received the money, he gave a small
portion to each of his men, and that they went on shore, and, like all
English seamen, were soon in a state of intoxication; that Olivarez
took such steps with the police, as to have them all thrown into
prison when in that state; and, on the following morning, he went to
them, persuaded them that they had committed themselves during their
intoxication, and that it required a large sum to free them. This he
pretended to have paid for them, and having purchased a cargo for his
voyage, he got them all on board, and again ran for the coast of
Africa. In three months he returned with another cargo, which he sold.
He had found out his mother, and now he expended the money he had made
in purchasing a good property about seven miles from Rio, where he
placed his mother and some slaves to take care of it, and cultivate
it. He contrived to defraud his crew as much as he could, and before
he went to the coast again, he married an amiable young person, the
daughter of a neighbour. He made a third and a fourth voyage with
equal success, but on the third voyage he contrived to get rid of a
portion of his English crew, who were now becoming troublesome, by
taking some Portuguese sailors out with him, and leaving the English
on the coast, as if by mistake. Previous to the fourth voyage, it
appears that he satisfied the remainder of the English crew by
producing accounts, and sharing out to them several hundred dollars
previous to their departure for the coast. He made a slight addition
to his Portuguese sailors, not putting too many on board, to avoid
suspicion, and when on the coast of Africa, a portion of the English
crew died; whether by poison or not is not known, and the others he
put on shore, seizing all their property, and the dollars with which
he had satisfied them. On his return from his fourth voyage, having
now nothing to fear from the partners in his atrocious deed, having
realized a large sum, he determined to remain on shore altogether, and
live on his property with his mother and wife. He did so, and sent out
the schooner under a Portuguese captain and crew, to be employed for
him as owner in the slave traffic, and she has made two voyages since,
and is expected back again every day. Now, my son, retribution has
fallen heavily upon this bad man. Had he been discovered and punished
when he first did the deed, it would have been as nothing compared to
what it has been now; he then had no property--no ties--in fact,
nothing or little to regret; but now, with a wife and child, with a
valuable property, living in independence, and increasing that wealth
daily--now, when he is at the very summit of his ambition, restored to
his own country, respected and considered as being a man of wealth, he
has been seized, thrown into a dungeon, put to the question, and now
lies in a state of misery, awaiting the sentence of death which has
been pronounced against him. Neither has he the consolation of knowing
that he leaves those whom he loves in a state of affluence, for all
his property, having been gained by making use of your property,
necessarily is your property, and not his, and it has been confiscated
accordingly for your use and benefit. As soon as every thing is
collected, it will be paid into your hands. Thus, my son, I have at
last attained justice for you."

I was, as you may imagine, my dear Madam, profuse in my
acknowledgments, but he stopped me, saying,

"I was sent here to see that justice was done to every body, if I
possibly could--no easy task, when all are amassing money, not caring
how they obtain it; but, surely, if any one has peculiar claims upon
me, it is you."

The superior then asked me many questions relative to my parentage,
and I did not conceal any thing from him. I told who I was, and why,
at an early age, I had left my father's house. He asked me many
questions, and, after about two hours' conversation, he dismissed me,
saying,

"You may always depend upon my protection and gratitude."

Before he dismissed me, he told me that he was about to send a
despatch-boat to Lisbon, and as I might wish to inform my friends of
my safety, if I would write letters, he would insure their being
safely delivered to my friends in England. I gladly availed myself of
this offer, and indeed would have begged a passage for myself, if it
had not been that I considered Olivarez's money to be the property of
Mr. Trevannion, and was determined to remit it to him before I left
Rio. This detained me about six weeks longer, during which interval
Olivarez had suffered the penalty due to his crimes, having been
strangled in the market-place.

The money received was 28,000 cruzados, and not knowing how to dispose
of it, I applied to the superior, who gave me orders for it in
duplicates upon the treasury at Lisbon, one of which I had very soon
an opportunity of sending home to Mr. Trevannion, with a duplicate of
my first letter, and a second to him and Amy, stating my intention of
returning as soon as possible. But this was by a Portuguese frigate,
which made a very circuitous route home, and I did not choose to go by
that conveyance, as her detention at the different ports was so
uncertain. At last I became very impatient for my departure, and
anxiously awaited the sailing of some vessel to any port of Europe.

I had reserved 1,000 cruzados for my own expenses, which I considered
as quite sufficient, but they were gradually wasting away, for I was
everywhere received, and in the best company of Rio. At last one day
the superior sent for me, and told me that he was about to send an
advice-boat to Lisbon, and I might take a passage if I wished; that it
was a very small one, but a very fast sailer. I thanked him heartily,
accepted the proposal, and went to my room to pack up my clothes. In
the afternoon the captain of the xebeque called upon me, and told me
that he would start on the following morning if I would be ready. I
replied that I should be, put some dollars into his hands, requesting
that he would procure for me any thing that he considered would be
necessary and agreeable, and if the sum I had given him was not
enough, I would repay him the remainder as soon as we were out of
harbour. I took my leave of the superior, who parted with me with many
protestations of regard on his side, and tears of gratitude on mine,
and early the next morning I was on board of the xebeque. In light
winds she was extremely fast, but she certainly was too small to cross
the Atlantic Ocean; nevertheless, as the captain said, she had crossed
it several times, and he hoped that she often would again.

The passage, however, that he usually made, was to run up to the
northward of the Antilles, and then cross over, making the Bahama
Isles, and from thence taking a fresh departure for Lisbon. Our crew
consisted of only eight men, besides the captain; but as the vessel
was not more than thirty tons, they were sufficient. We made a good
run, until we were in about twenty-four degrees of north latitude,
when, as we stretched to the eastward to cross the Atlantic, we met
with a most violent gale, which lasted several days, and I fully
expected every hour that the vessel would go down, buried as she was
by the heavy sea. At last we had no chance but to scud before the
wind, which we did for two days before a raging and following sea,
that appeared determined upon our destruction. On the second night, as
I was on deck, watching the breaking and tossing of the billows, and
the swift career of the little bark, which enabled her to avoid them,
the water suddenly appeared of one white foam, and as we rose upon the
next sea, we were hurled along on its crest, reeling on the foam until
it had passed us, and then we struck heavily upon a rock. Fortunately,
it was a soft coral rock, or we had all perished. The next wave lifted
us up again, and threw us further on, and, on its receding, the little
xebeque laid high and dry, and careened over on her bilge.

The waters rose and fell, and roared and foamed about us, but they
lifted us no more, neither did they wash us off the decks as we clung
to the rigging; for the stout short mast, upon which the lateen sail
was hoisted, had not been carried away. We remained where we were till
morning, every one holding on, and not communicating with each other.
As the night wore away, so did the gale decrease and the sea subside.
The waters now gradually left us; at intervals, when the waves
receded, we could walk on shore; but we remained on the vessel till
noon, by which time we found our vessel high and dry, having been
carried over a coral reef, which appeared to extend one or two miles
into the offing.

The men, who had been much buffeted by the waves, and who were
exhausted by clinging so long to the rigging, now that they found
themselves safe, and were warmed by the heat of the sun, rallied, and
began to move about. We had a long consultation as to how we should
act. There was no chance of getting the vessel off again, and we did
not exactly know where we were; but the captain and I agreed that it
must be upon one of the small islands of the Bahama group that we had
been cast away, and our conjecture was right. After some consultation,
the captain and I called the men together, and told them that it was
very probable that we might be some time before we could find the
means of getting off the island, and that, therefore, we must all do
our best; that we would land and erect a tent with the sails, and
obtain provisions; after that we would consider the vessel and her
stores as public property, but that every man's private property
should be secured to him as if we were still on board of the xebeque;
that the captain should retain the command as before, and his orders
should be obeyed by every body, as long as they were reasonable and
just.

The men, who were well-behaved, quiet fellows--and not, like English
seamen, given to liquor--readily agreed, and it was arranged that the
following morning we should commence our labours. This was a sad blow
to me, who was anticipating a speedy meeting with Amy. I knew how
doubtful was the chance of our being seen by any vessel, and that I
must remain here for months, if not longer--but I had been schooled,
and could now say with fervency, "Thy will, oh Lord, and not mine, be
done."

We remained on board of the vessel that night, and the next morning
the gale had ceased, and the waters, to our astonishment, had receded,
so as to leave us at least sixty yards from the sea, which was now
almost calm. We first took a survey of the island, to ascertain if
there was any water, and, as the island was not more than two miles in
circumference, this did not take us long. Fortunately, in the centre
we found a deep hole sunk in the soft coral rock by some other people
who had been wrecked here, and in the hole the water was, although a
little brackish, somewhat palatable. It evidently was the sea-water
filtered through the soft rock.

The whole of the island was surrounded with coral reefs, with lanes of
deep water running between them, and the fish were sporting in
thousands after the storm, but there was not a tree or vestige of
vegetation upon the whole island. We soon, however, discovered that
it was frequented by turtle, for we found some eggs, fresh-buried, in
the sand. Having made this survey, we then went back to the vessel,
and with spars and sails rigged a tent upon the highest point of the
island, which might be ten or fifteen feet above the level of the sea.
The tent was large enough to hold fifty men, if required, so we
brought our bedding and chests and all our cooking apparatus on shore,
made a fire-place outside the tent with the little cabouse we had on
board of the vessel, sent a man to obtain water from the hole, and put
on some meat to boil for our dinners. In the evening we all went out
to turn turtle, and succeeded in turning three, when we decided that
we would not capture any more until we had made a turtle-pond to put
them in, for we had not more than two months' provisions on board of
the vessel, and did not know how long we might be detained. The men
behaved very well, and indeed seemed determined to make themselves as
comfortable as they could under existing circumstances. The next day
we put out some lines in deep water, and caught several large fish,
and then we went to find a proper spot for a turtle-pond. We selected
a hole in the reef which we thought would answer, as we had only one
end of it to fill up, and we commenced breaking away the rock with
crowbars, and worked hard the whole of the day, some breaking and
others carrying the masses broken off. By degrees they rose to the
surface of the water, and in two days more we calculated that the pond
would be ready to receive the turtle. We had killed one turtle in the
morning, and we now lived upon it altogether, as we wished to save our
salt provisions. The captain and I had many consultations as to what
we should do, and what attempts we should make to get off from this
spot. Build a boat we could not, as we had not a carpenter among us,
or the means of making the iron-work necessary. We had some tools,
such as are usually used on board of vessels, and several pounds of
large nails, but none fit for boat-building. I proposed that we should
examine the bottom of the xebeque, and see what damage was done to it.
We did so, and found that the garboard streak was broken and two of
her timbers, but they were easy to repair; in every other respect she
was sound. I then proposed that we should cut down the xebeque to a
large boat, which we could easily do by ripping off her planks and
decks, and sawing down her timbers to the height we required. It would
be a heavy boat, it was true, but we should be able to launch her with
rollers, and the draught of water would be so small that we could get
her over the reefs, which we could not possibly do the xebeque. The
captain approved of the idea, and we agreed that as soon as the
turtle-pond was finished we would make the attempt. In two days more
we had finished the pond, and had turned thirty turtle, which we put
into it. The men, now that they found that they had plenty to eat,
began to show signs of laziness, and did not very readily commence the
work upon the xebeque. They ate and slept, ate and slept again, on the
mattresses spread in the tent. At times they would fish, but it was
with difficulty that the captain and I could persuade them to work,
and if they did work half an hour, they then threw down their axes and
crowbars, and went back to the tent. They had plenty of tobacco, and
they smoked half the day, ate turtle, and then slept again.
Nevertheless, as the captain and I worked hard, the work progressed;
in about ten days after we began the work, we had ripped off her decks
and her side-planks as low as we thought right, and we were now sawing
through the timbers, when the quiet of our party was disturbed by what
may be considered a very strange quarrel. One of the men asserted in
conversation that St. Antony was born in Padua; one or two of the
other seamen denied it, and this difference of opinion, which at first
was a mere nothing, from sullenness, I presume, and something being
required to excite them, in the course of a day or two ended in a
serious feud; the Paduans terming the anti-Paduans heretics and Jews.
The epithet of Jew was what irritated so much, and the parties being
exactly even, four on each side, on the third day, after an angry
altercation, they all rushed out of the tent to decide the affair with
their knives. The conflict was very fierce, and took place when the
captain and I were at the xebeque, and before we could separate them,
four of them had fallen; two were killed, and the other two badly
wounded. It may appear ridiculous that people should take each other's
lives for such a trifle; but, after all, nations declare war against
each other, and thousands are killed on both sides for causes almost
as slight. With great difficulty we separated the remaining
combatants, and such was their rage and excitement, that every now and
then they would attempt to break from us and attack each other again;
but at last we disarmed them.

This was a sad business; and it was melancholy to think that
companions in misfortune should take each other's lives, instead of
feeling grateful to the Almighty for their preservation.

We buried the two men who had fallen, and dressed the wounds of the
hurt; but after this quarrel the four others came to their work, and
continued steady at it. We had now removed the upper portion of the
xebeque, and commenced fixing beams and carlines on the lower part, so
as to make a decked boat of it, and in another week we had decked her
over. But we had a great deal more to do: we had to reduce the mast
and yard to a proper size, to alter the sail and rigging, to make a
small rudder, and rollers to launch her upon. All this, with our
reduced force, occupied us another month; for the two wounded men,
although recovering, could but just crawl about. We turned many more
turtle at night, that we might have a sufficient supply. We now looked
out for a channel of deep water through the reef, to get our boat out,
and made one out to a certain extent, but could not survey further
without getting off the reef, and the sharks were so numerous that we
dared not venture. However, we took it for granted, as we had found
deep water in shore, that we should be sure to do so in the offing;
and we now got our boat upon the rollers which we had made, by digging
away the sand from beneath her, and a trench to the water's edge. We
had been two months on the island when all was ready for launching.

Anxious as I was to return to England, I cannot say that I was unhappy
when on this island: there was always a fine sea-breeze, which cooled
the air, and enabled us to work without exhaustion. With the exception
of the unfortunate quarrel I have referred to, every thing went on
quietly. After work was over, I resorted as usual to my Bible, and
read for hours; and this calmed and allayed any impatient feelings
which might at times arise. I felt that I had great cause to be
grateful to the Almighty for preserving me as he had done, and that it
would be folly and wickedness on my part to repine because I could not
obtain all that I wished. I waited, therefore, for His own good time,
without murmuring, and in full confidence that all was for the best.

At last we contrived to get our boat into the water, and she floated
much lighter than we thought she would have done, considering the
weight of wood that was in her. As soon as she was anchored about ten
feet from the beach, we made a gangway to her with planks, and
commenced getting all our salt provisions, water, and stores, which we
had selected as most necessary, on board of her. The stowage of these
occupied us two days; we then got the yard up and bent the sail, and
having fitted oars, we determined that the next day we would embark.
As she still swam light, we got on board of her as many turtle as we
could conveniently carry, and then, for the last time, went onshore to
sleep.

As there was no room for our chests, it was agreed that we each should
have a bundle on board, selecting those things which we most required
and most valued. This proposal, which was made by the captain, put me
in mind of the diamond, which had scarcely once entered my thoughts
since I had been on the island. When I took it out of my chest, I
thought that I might as well make it more convenient to carry, as
there was no saying what might be the result of our new expedition;
so, when the other men were all busy about their own effects, or
asleep, I first took the precaution to roll it up in a covering of
pitch, so that, if taken from me or lost, it might not be known to be
a diamond, and then I sewed it up in a piece of leather, which I cut
from an old glove, putting a strong leather lanyard to it, so that I
might wear it round my neck. Having done this without any one taking
notice, and having nothing else to do, I took some fine twine, and
worked it over, like the mousing of a stay, in a way peculiar to
sailors, so that, when finished, it was very much in the shape of a
miniature buoy to an anchor, and reminded me of a _fend-off_, or
fender, such as they use to prevent any injury to the sides of a
vessel when coming in contact with another. Having finished my work,
I put the leather lanyard round my neck, inside of my shirt, so that
my diamond was concealed from sight; I then put up my remaining
pieces-of-eight--which were nearly 500, the best of my clothes (for
during my stay at Rio I had very much increased my stock), and I
hardly need say that the old Bible was not left behind.

It was a beautiful, calm morning when we embarked, and, lifting the
anchor, took to our oars, and pulled out through the deep channel, the
captain standing at the bow and conning us through, while I took the
helm. The boat pulled well and steered well; we had yet to see what
she could do under canvas. After a pull of two hours we were clear of
the reef, and out in the open sea. We then laid in the oars, and
commenced our preparations for hoisting the sail to a breeze, which
then blew from the southward. When all was ready, the men hoisted the
sail, but in so doing, a rope being foul, as I was attempting to clear
it, I was tripped up, and fell with my right knee on a spike, which
entered deep, putting me to excruciating pain, and laming me
completely. I was obliged to sit down abaft, for I nearly fainted
away. In the mean time the sail was set, and the boat stood well up to
it. She proved to be very stiff under canvas, which was a source of
great congratulation. My knee became so painful and stiff that I could
not move it; I took one of my shirts out of my bundle, tore it up into
bandages, and put them on. We had resolved to attempt to make New
Providence, the largest of the Bahama group, where we knew that there
was a town called Nassau, and from whence we hoped to obtain some
conveyance to Europe; but we knew nothing of the port, or the
inhabitants, or what trade was carried on with them.

For several hours our little bark went gaily over the water, but
towards nightfall the wind shifted, and the weather looked
threatening. We hardly knew how to steer, as we did not know the
position of the island which we had left, and now the wind heading us,
we hauled up on the larboard tack, with our head to the northward and
eastward. As the sun went down, the wind increased, and the sea ran
fast. Our boat behaved well, till it began to blow very hard, and
then it took in so much water, that we were forced to bale.

We had reefed our sail, and made every thing as snug as we could, but
the sea rising fast, and the boat taking in more water, we considered
it prudent to lighten her, which we did by throwing overboard all the
turtle. This we did without regret, as we were tired of eating them
for so long a while. The day broke, and there appeared every sign of
bad weather, and the waves now tossed and foamed too much for such a
small craft as we were in. About noon we saw a vessel on a wind to
leeward of us, which was a source of great delight to us all, and we
bore down to her. We soon made her out to be an hermaphrodite brig,
under her close-reefed topsails and trysails. We ran under her counter
and hailed. We perceived several men standing abaft, and apparently
they suspected us for a rover, for they had muskets and other weapons
in their hands. We told them that we had been shipwrecked, and the
boat was sinking in the gale, and then we rounded to under her lee.

There we remained for four or five hours, during which the wind and
the sea went down very fast, and the boat no longer took in water; but
we had been all too much alarmed with the danger in which we had been,
to like to continue our voyage in her, and as we thought that we could
now go alongside with safety, we hailed again, and asked permission.
After some parleying, they threw us a rope, which we made fast to the
boat, and lowered our sail, keeping off on a broad sheer, as there
still was a great deal of sea. They then entered into conversation
with us. I told them all that had happened, and inquired where the
brig was bound to.

They replied, to James Town, Virginia. I asked them if they could give
us a passage there, as we were afraid to proceed in our boat; or if
not, would they see us safe into New Providence.

The captain then came forward. He was a very dark man, dark as a
mulatto, with keen small eyes, and a hooked nose. I never beheld a
more deformed and repulsive countenance.

He said, that he could not go to New Providence, as it was out of his
way, and that we might easily get there ourselves if we thought
proper.

I replied, that the boat was not sufficiently large and seaworthy, and
that we had already nearly gone down, and if another gale should come
on, we certainly should founder, and again requested that he would
take us on board.

"Have you any money to pay for your passage?" inquired he.

"Why," said I, "common charity and the feelings of a seaman towards
sailors in distress should be sufficient to induce you to take us on
board, and not leave us to perish; but if you require money," I
replied, "we have more than sufficient to satisfy you."

"How much?" screamed out a lad of about fourteen, who was the very
image of the captain in miniature.

I did not reply to this question, and the captain then said, "What do
you propose to do with the boat?"

"Let her go adrift, to be sure," replied I.

"What have you got on board of her?" said he.

I enumerated, as well as I could recollect, the provisions and stores
that we had.

"Well," replied he, "I will wait till it is a little smoother, and
then we will clear the boat and take you on board."

He then left the gangway, where he had been standing, and we continued
to be towed by the brig.

"I do not like that fellow," said I to the Portuguese captain; "he
appears, or pretends, to take us for pirates, but he is more like a
pirate himself."

"He looks like the devil himself," replied the captain, "and to ask
people in our condition to pay for their passage! He is a monster!
However, we all have a few doubloons, thank Heaven."

About an hour afterwards, it being much more moderate, the captain of
the brig told us to sheer alongside, and that four of us might come
out and the others remain in the boat till she was cleared.

"I think you had better go," said I to the captain, "for with so much
motion I never shall be able to get up the side with my bad knee."

We then sheered the boat alongside, and the captain and three of our
men got on board, but not without difficulty. I saw them go aft and
down below with the captain of the brig, but I never saw them on deck
again, much to my surprise, although we were more than half an hour
before they again hailed us, and told us to come alongside again.
During this half-hour my mind misgave me sadly that all was not right,
from not seeing the Portuguese captain, or either of the three men,
and I took it into my head that the vessel was a pirate; and I knew if
such was the case, we should instantly be rifled, if not murdered. I
took the precaution of taking off the bandage from my knee, and having
removed the diamond from my neck, I put it under my ham in the cavity,
which held it with ease, and then put the bandage on again over it, as
I thought they would hardly take a bandage off a bad knee to see if
there was any thing concealed beneath it. It was with difficulty that
I contrived to get on board the brig, and as soon as I had gained the
deck, I was ordered to go down into the cabin; as I went aft, I looked
round for the Portuguese captain and the men, but could not see them.
I contrived, with difficulty, to get down into the cabin, and as soon
as I was there I was seized by the arms and held fast by two of the
men, while others bound me with seizings.

As the captain was looking on, I inquired into the cause of this
outrage. He replied, that we were a parcel of rascally pirates, who
would have taken his vessel if he had not been too deep for us; I told
him it was false, and that I could easily prove it, as we still had
the despatches on board with which we had been charged, and that I
could show full proof that I was the same person that I stated myself
to be; that I very much feared that we had fallen into the hands of
pirates ourselves, but that I would have justice done as soon as we
arrived at James Town, without he intended to murder us all before we
arrived. His answer was, that he was too old a bird to be caught with
such chaff, and that he would secure us and deliver us up to the
authorities as soon as he arrived. I replied, in great anger, that he
would then be convinced of his error, if it was an error, on his part;
that his conduct was infamous, and he looked like a scoundrel, and I
believed him to be one.

"You call me a scoundrel, do you," said he, levelling a pistol at my
head.

"You call us scoundrels, do you," cried the boy I have made mention
of, and who was evidently the son of the captain, taking up another
pistol in his hand. "Shall I shoot him, father?"

"No, Peleg; not yet; we will pay them all when we get in. Take him
away, and put him in irons with the rest," said the captain; and I was
immediately dragged forward between decks through a door in the
bulk-heads, where I found the Portuguese captain and three seamen
already in irons.

"This is pretty treatment," said he to me.

"Yes, it is, indeed," replied I; "but I will make him smart for it
when we arrive."

"Shall we ever arrive?" said the Portuguese captain, looking at me and
compressing his lips.

"I say, my man," said I to the seaman who stood over us with a pistol
and a cutlass, "who are you; and what are you? Tell us the truth: are
you pirates?"

"I never was yet," replied he, "nor do I mean to be; but our skipper
says that you are, and that he knew you as soon as you came alongside.
That's all I can say about it."

"Why, if we are pirates, as he says, and he recognizes us, he must
have been in pirates' company, that is clear."

"Well; he may have been, for all I know," replied the man. "I don't
consider him any very great things; but he is our captain, and we must
obey orders."

The man now brought forward the other three men who had been left in
the boat. They told us that the boat had been cleared; all the
provisions, stores, sails, &c. had been taken out of her;--a proof
that she had been gutted and then cut adrift;--that all our bundles
were down in the captain's cabin, and that the ill-looking urchin, his
son, had overhauled them, one after another, and handed to his father
all the money that he had found; that they had been searched very
carefully; and that they had heard the captain say that we were all to
be sent up, one by one, and searched in the same manner;--and so it
proved. I was first taken aft to have my pockets rummaged by the
little villain, and as soon as I had been led forward and again put
into irons, the Portuguese captain and three other seamen were sent
for and treated in the same way. We inquired of the men what money
they had in their bundles and about their persons. They had each man
four doubloons at Rio for wages, and the captain had about forty
doubloons. I had five hundred pieces-of-eight: so that, altogether, we
had been robbed to the tune of about four hundred pounds sterling,
independent of our clothes, which were of some value to us; that is,
mine were, at all events.

The seamen who guarded us, and who relieved each other every watch,
were not at all surly or ill-natured. I asked one of them during the
night watch whether he thought the captain would take our lives.

"No;" said he, "we will not allow that. You may be pirates, as he
says, although we do not think you are; but if pirates, you shall have
fair play; that we have all made up our minds to. No hanging first,
and trying afterwards."

I had a long conversation with this man, who appeared very much
inclined to be sociable. He told me that the vessel was named the
_Transcendant_; that she sailed from Virginia to the West Indies, and
that sometimes she went to England; that the captain of her was also
the owner, but where he came from, or what he was, they did not know,
except that he was a Virginian,--they believed so, for that he had a
tobacco estate there, which was carried on by his eldest son. He
called the captain a stingy, miserly fellow, who would sacrifice any
man's life to save a shilling, and that there were odd stories about
him at James Town.

I was well satisfied with my conversation with this man, as it assured
me that our lives would not be taken, and I had no fear of the result
upon my arrival at James Town, for, as I have mentioned before, Mr.
Trevannion had vessels which sailed to that port, and I well
recollected the names of the parties to whom the vessel and cargo were
consigned.

On the following day the captain of the brig, followed by his
ill-favoured son, came forward and looked at us as we sat in irons,
upon which I addressed him,

"You have put me in irons, Sir, when I threw myself upon your
protection. You have robbed us of our money to the amount of nearly
400_l._, and you detain our other property. I now again desire that I
may be released. I offered to convince you that I was a person of
property, but you refused to listen to me. Now, Sir, I will tell you
that I am a partner in the house of Trevannion, at Liverpool, and that
we have vessels that trade between James Town and that port. Our
vessels are consigned to Messrs. Fairbrother and Wilcocks, of James
Town, and on my arrival I will soon prove that to you; and also not
only make you surrender the property you have robbed us of, but I will
make you smart pretty handsomely for your treatment of us, that you
may depend upon."

"Fairbrother and Wilcocks," muttered he; "confound the fellow. Oh,"
said he, turning to me, "you got the name of that firm from some ship
you have plundered and sunk, I suppose. No, no, that won't do, old
birds are not to be caught with chaff."

"I believe you to have been a pirate yourself, if you are not one
now," replied I; "at all events you are a thief and a paltry
villain--but our time will come."

"Yes, it will," said the captain of the xebeque, "and remember, you
scoundrel, if you can escape and buy off justice, you shall not escape
seven Portuguese knives, mind you that."

"No, no," cried the Portuguese sailors; "stop till we are on shore,
and then come on shore if you dare."

"I say, father," said young Hopeful, "this looks like mischief; better
hang them, I reckon, than to be stuck like pigs. They look as if
they'd do it, don't they?"

I shall never forget the diabolical expression of the captain of the
brig after the Portuguese sailors had done speaking. He had a pistol
at his belt, which he drew out.

"That's right, shoot 'em, father; dead men tell no tales, as you have
always said."

"No, no," said the seaman who was on guard, motioning them back with
his cutlass, "there will be no shooting nor hanging either; we are all
sworn to that. If so be they be pirates, there's the law of the
country to condemn them; and if they be not pirates, why then that's
another story."

The captain looked at the seaman as if he could have shot him if he
dared. Then turned round hastily and went back to the cabin, followed
by his worthy offspring.

For seven days we remained in irons, when we heard land announced by
the sailors on deck, and the brig's head was put towards it. At night
she was hove to, and the next morning again stood in, and we perceived
that we were in smooth water. Towards night the anchor was let go, and
we asked the guard if we had arrived at James Town.

He replied, "No, but we were in a river on the coast, but he did not
know what river it was nor did any of the crew, nor could they tell
why the captain had anchored there. But they had seen several canoes
with Indians cross the river, but that there appeared to be no white
settlement that they could discover." The mystery was, however,
cleared up on the following morning. A small boat, which could barely
hold eight people, was lowered from the stern, and hauled up
alongside. We were taken up, one by one, the scoundrel of a captain
having first stripped each of us to our trowsers, not even allowing us
a shirt. We were ordered to get into the boat. As soon as we were all
in, and our weight brought the boat down to her gunnel, two oars were
handed to us, and then the captain of the brig said,

"Now, you rascally pirates, I might have hanged you all, and I would
have done so, for I know you well. I recollect your faces when you
plundered the 'Eliza,' when I was off Porto Rico; but if I put you in
prison at James Town, I shall have to wait two or three months until
the court sits, and I cannot be detained for such scoundrels as you;
so now you may pull on shore, and get on how you can. Shove off,
directly, or I'll put a bullet through your brains."

"Hold fast," cried I, "and let him fire if he dares. You men belonging
to the _Transcendant_, I call you to witness this treatment. Your
captain has robbed us of a large sum of money, and now turns us
adrift, so as to compel us to land among savages, who may kill us
immediately. I appeal to you, will you permit this cruelty and
injustice? If you are English, I conceive you will not."

There was some talk and expostulation with the captain of the brig, in
consequence of what I said; but while it was going on, the captain's
son leaned over the side, and, with his knife, cut the painter, or
rope which held the boat, and as the tide was running on very strong,
in less than half a minute we were a long way astern of the brig, and
drifting fast up the river.

We got out our oars, and attempted to pull for the brig, for we knew
that the seamen were taking our parts; but it was in vain; the tide
ran several miles an hour, and in another minute or two, with all our
exertions, we were nearly a quarter of a mile astern of her, and the
boat was so loaded that we hardly dared move lest we should upset it.
We had, therefore, no option but to go on shore and take our chance;
but when the men were pulling round for the shore, on reflection I
thought that we had better not land so soon, as the sailors had told
us that they had seen the Indians in their canoes. I therefore
recommended that we should allow the boat to drift up the river with
the tide, and then drift down again when the tide turned, remaining in
the middle of the stream till it was dark, when we would land and make
our way into the woods. My advice was followed; we sat still in the
boat, just keeping her head to the stream with the oars, and, being
without our shirts, the sun scorching and blistering our backs, till
past noon, during which time we must have drifted nearly twenty miles
up the river, which was as broad as the arm of a sea at the entrance;
then the tide turned, and we drifted back again till it was dusk, when
it was again slack water. All this while we kept a sharp look-out to
see if we could perceive any Indians, but not one was to be seen. I
now proposed that we should take our oars and pull out of the river,
as if we had only gone up on a survey, for the brig had got under
weigh, and had anchored, for want of wind, about four miles off, and
the Indians, if there were any, would suppose that we were returning
to the ship. We did so, and pulled till it was dark, and were within
two miles of the brig, where the flood-tide again made strong, when we
turned the boat's head up the river, and pulled with the oars to get
up as far as we could before we landed. This we did, suffering much
from hunger and thirst, as well as being confined so long in one
position. As my knee was quite well, I now took off the bandage, and
hung my diamond round my neck as before. I could not help feeling a
satisfaction, when I thought that the thief of a captain little
imagined what a mine of wealth he was losing when he turned me adrift.
It was about midnight when the tide ceased to flow, and we then agreed
to land, and the question then was, whether we should separate or keep
together. After some discussion, we agreed to separate in twos, and
the Portuguese captain and I agreed to keep each other company. We
first pushed the boat into the stream, that she might drift away, and
then, shaking each other by the hand and bidding adieu, we all started
in different directions. For some time the captain and I threaded the
woods in silence, when we were stopped by a stream of deep water, with
such high banks, that in the dark we did not know how to cross it. We
walked by the side of it for some time to discover a passage, and in
so doing, we at last found ourselves again on the banks of the river,
and our boat lying close to us, having grounded not far from where we
had shoved her off. We tasted the water in the creek, and found it
quite fresh: we had several times tried it on the river, and found it
quite salt from the tide running in. We drank plentifully, and sat
down to recover ourselves, for although we had not walked more than
half an hour, the pushing through the brushwood was very fatiguing.

"I think," said I, "that this boat will certainly betray us, and would
it not be better to take possession of it again? It will hold two
comfortably, and I think we shall get on as well, if not better, in a
boat than in the woods without compass and without guide."

"I agree with you," said the captain; "but what shall we do?"

"Let us retrace our steps; let us pull again, with the ebb-tide, for
the mouth of the river, and then coast it along shore; we may arrive
at some settlement, if we do not starve by the way."

"I agree with you," he said, "it will be the best plan; we must
conceal ourselves in the day, and coast along at night."

We waded into the river, got into the boat, and again pulled out. The
boat being light, now pulled well, and we made good speed; and at
daylight we were clear of the river, and close to a small island near
the mouth of it. Upon this, we agreed to land, to try if we could
procure food, for we were much exhausted, and also to conceal
ourselves from the natives. We ran our little boat on shore, and
concealed her among some bushes which grew down at the water's edge.
We looked well round, but could see nothing, and we then walked out in
search of food; we found some wild plums, which we eagerly devoured;
and going down again to the beach, where there were some rocks, we
found shell-fish, of which we broke the shells between two stones, and
made a meal of. After our hunger was satisfied, we lay down under the
shelter of the boat, and fell fast asleep. We were so tired that we
did not wake up till it was nearly dark, when we agreed to start
again, and pull along the coast to the northward. We were just
launching our boat, when we perceived a canoe about three miles off,
steering for the mouth of the river to the island. This stopped us,
and we remained in our hiding-place. The canoe approached, steering
directly for the spot where we lay concealed, and we imagined that
they had discovered us. Such, however, proved not to be the case, for
they ran on shore about fifty yards from us, and hauling up the canoe,
they got out and walked away on land. There were four men, but it was
now too dark to distinguish any more. We remained quiet for a quarter
of an hour, when I proposed that we should embark.

"Have you ever managed a canoe?" said the Portuguese captain to me.

"I have been in one in Africa very often," I said, "but they are
dug-outs, as we call them."

"So have I, and I do not think there is so much difference between
them and these canoes. Can you paddle?"

"Yes," I replied.

"So can I," he said. "Now observe, the best thing we can do is to take
possession of that canoe; and then we shall get on better, for our
boat will always attract notice, whereas a canoe will not; besides, it
will prevent these Indians, if they are come to look for us, which I
suspect they have, from following us."

"I think you are right," I said; "but how shall we manage?"

"In this way. You shall shove off our boat and walk by its side,
dragging it up to where the canoe lies; I will go to the canoe, launch
it, and then we will make off with both till we are too far out to be
taken; then, when we have got into the canoe, we will turn our boat
adrift."

I agreed to the proposals. We launched our boat very quietly, and I
walked in the water up to my knees, drawing it after me till I arrived
opposite to the canoe. The Portuguese crept on his hands and knees
till he had gained the canoe, pushed her off, and joined me. We made
her fast to the tow-rope of our own boat, then got into the boat, and
pulled away from the island.

We had not gained more than a hundred yards, when the whiz of an arrow
met our ears. The Indians had discovered us, it was evident. Two or
three more arrows came flying by us, but we had now got well out, and
they fell harmless. We continued to pull till we were half a mile from
the island, and then we laid on our oars. The stars shone bright;
there was a young moon, so as to enable us to see pretty well. We
found the paddles of the canoe lying on the cross-pieces. We had
nothing to take from the boat but our tow-rope and the two small oars;
these we put into the canoe, and then getting in ourselves, we let the
boat go adrift. We put her head to the northward, between the island
and the main, and paddled away as fast as we could.

The captain was a much better hand than I was, and he therefore took
the office of steersman. The water was as smooth as glass, and we made
rapid progress, and did not discontinue our exertions, except now and
then resting for a few moments, till the morning dawned, when we could
hardly distinguish the island we had left, and found ourselves about
five miles from the mainland. We had now time to examine the contents
of the canoe, and had much reason to be gratified with our
acquisition. It had three bear-skins at the bottom, several pounds of
yams, cooked and uncooked, two calabashes full of water, bows and
arrows, three spears, a tomahawk, three fishing-lines and hooks, and
some little gourds full of black, white, and red paint; and what we
prized more than all, some flints and a large rusty nail, with rotten
wood to serve as tinder.

"We are fortunate," said the captain; "now, before we pull in for the
shore we must paint ourselves like Indians; at all events, you must
black yourself, as you have no shirt, and I must do the same, although
I do not require it so much as you do."

"Let us have something to eat and drink first," replied I, "and we
will proceed to our toilet afterwards."




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 captain
painted me black, with here and there a line of red and white on the
face and shoulders. I performed the same duty towards him, and we then
resumed our paddles, and pushed in a slanting direction for the shore.
The tide now ran down against us, and we could hardly stem it, and
finding ourselves opposite a beach clear of trees for a quarter of a
mile, we agreed to run on shore to look for a large stone. We soon
found one which answered our purpose, and paddling off again to three
or four hundred yards, we made the stone fast to the bow-rope of our
boat, and anchored the canoe with it. Having succeeded in this, we got
out the fishing-lines, and with a piece of raw meat as a bait, we soon
had 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 anchor
and recommenced our paddling to the northward.

At night we landed on a rock, close to the beach, having well
reconnoitred before it was dark to see if there were any canoes or
Indians 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 had
gained, as we supposed, more than 150 miles along the coast, but how
much to the northward we could not tell, as we followed the windings
of the shore. We were twice obliged to land to obtain water, but we
always did so in the daytime, having taken the precaution to black the
whole of our bodies and take off our trowsers before we landed. Our
deer's flesh was all gone, and we continued to live on fish, cooking
as much as we could at one time. The collecting firewood was the great
risk which we ran; for we were then obliged to land where there was
wood. It was on the sixth day that we were first in danger. As we
rounded a point, we fell in with another canoe with six or seven
people in it. They were not more than 300 yards off when we first saw
them. The Indians stood up in the canoe, looked at us very earnestly,
and then perceiving that we were not of their tribe, I presume, pulled
towards us. We immediately turned and pulled away. They had been
fishing, and two of them were pulling up the lines, while the others
paddled, which gave us a little advantage; but they had three paddles
and 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 and
two women, and deep in consequence. As they gained slowly upon us,
notwithstanding all our exertions, the Portuguese said to me, "They
have no weapons in the boat, I should think; if they had, they would
use 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 was
captive with Whyna, she would often practise the bow and arrow with
me, and I became somewhat expert before I left her.

"Well, then," said he, "let me paddle on, and do you put an arrow in
the bow and threaten them, at all events."

I did so, and stood up, taking aim as if about to shoot, at which they
ceased paddling, and after talking a little they turned the head of
their canoe round, and made for the shore. We proceeded, as may be
imagined, with all diligence. I laid down my bow and arrows and
resumed my paddle, and in an hour we could no longer see our late
pursuers. We continued our voyage, and for three days met with no
further adventures, when about noon, on the fourth day, the sky became
overcast, and there was every prospect of rough weather. Before night
the wind and sea rose, and it was no longer possible for us to keep
along the coast, which already was covered with breakers.

We had, therefore, no remedy but to make for the shore and haul up the
canoe, for we could not perceive any inlet which might shelter us. It
was quite dark when we dashed the canoe through the breakers and
landed. We hauled her up some distance, as there was every appearance
of worse weather, and sheltered ourselves under the lee of a high
rock. The wind now blew fiercely, and rain descended in torrents. We
tried to light a fire to warm ourselves, but could not succeed, so we
lay down on one bear-skin, and covered ourselves with the others,
waiting impatiently for daylight. When the day dawned, the weather was
worse than ever. We now looked out for a better place of concealment
for 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 both
from the storm and from the sea. Into this cleft we hauled our canoe
and withdrew ourselves, making a meal off some fish we roasted on the
embers. We remained there for two days, when the weather moderated,
but the sea was still too rough for us to launch the canoe; so we
decided upon remaining one day more, although our provisions were all
gone and our calabashes quite empty. On the third day, to our great
surprise 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 English
settlements, for it was only the Indians near to the settlements who
had obtained muskets. But whether it was an Indian or a white man who
fired we could not, of course, tell. I recollected that, in the last
advices we had had from James Town, our factors had stated that there
was a cruel war carried on between the Indians and the settlers, and
that the Indians had ravaged the plantations; but that was two years
ago, and how it might be now it was impossible to tell. A second
report of a musket still nearer induced me to creep along by the side
of the rock, and look out to see if any one was near. To my great
alarm, 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 too
keen. They had discovered me; and whilst I was relating to the
Portuguese captain what I had seen, they were suddenly upon us. We had
no time to make resistance, even if we were inclined so to do, we
therefore sat still. They came up and looked at us. The wet had washed
off a great portion of the paint upon my back and shoulders. One of
the Indians touched me on the shoulder, and said, "Ugh!--white man
paint like Indian." They then examined the canoe and its contents, and
having spoken a few words to each other, apparently relating to the
canoe, they put a thong of leather round each of our arms, and, making
a motion for us to follow them, they led us away.

"We've done our best, and could do no more," said the Portuguese; "I
feel that it's all over with me now, and I shall soon sleep in the
bosom of Jesus."

My heart was too full to make any reply. The Indians led on, and I
followed in silence.

We passed through the woods, which appeared to be interminable, till
the night closed in, and then the Indians halted, and while one
remained as guard over us, the others collected wood for a fire. They
had some provisions, but offered none to us. After an hour they lay
down to sleep round the fire, placing me and the Portuguese captain
next 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 can
cut the leather thong which the Indian holds in his hand, and then
watch your opportunity, I will do the same, and we may escape."

"I have my knife, but my Indian is not asleep," replied he; "I will
wait 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 am
ready, I will do the same. Agreed; and now let us be quiet, for depend
upon it our conversation has roused them all."

We then composed ourselves, as if to sleep, and remained in that way
for more than an hour, by which time we were convinced that our
captors were slumbering. I then drew out my knife, for the Indians had
not 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. I
remained quiet for a quarter of an hour, when the Portuguese lifted up
his arm as a signal that he was free. I listened attentively, and
being certain that the Indians were asleep, I lifted up my arm also.

The Portuguese then rose up carefully, and without noise, stepping
past the bodies of the Indians, till he was clear of the circle. I did
the same, and pointed to the muskets, which lay on the grass by the
Indians. He took one up and I another, and we retreated to a short
distance.

"We must have the other muskets," said I; "stay where you are."

I advanced cautiously and took up the other three muskets, and was
retreating with them, when one of the Indians turned round as if
awaking. I ran past the Portuguese, and making a sign for him to
follow me, we retreated a few yards into the wood, where we could
watch the Indians without being seen ourselves. The Portuguese
motioned to be off, but I detained him, and I was right. The Indian
roused 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 a
consultation. At last they appeared to have made up their minds to
follow, and, if possible, recapture us, for they went back in the
direction 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 Portuguese
then said to me, "There are five of them. If they meet with us, and we
discharge 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 better
carry 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 path
towards 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 had
the start of us, so that we were not likely to come up with them. It
was severe work, but we did not slacken our pace, and before dawn the
sea was quite visible through the branches of the trees, for we had
arrived at the outskirts of the wood.

As soon as we had gained the beach, which was 500 yards wide, we
looked round to see if we could perceive the Indians, but we could
observe nobody.

"Let us, while it is yet dark, go round so as to get on the opposite
side of the rocks where we were concealed," said the Portuguese. "If
they 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 entered
the 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 are
hidden somewhere, and intend to surprise us while we are launching our
canoe, and when our muskets will be out of our hands."

"I agree with you; let us now wait at some little distance from the
rocks till broad daylight, we shall then be secure from surprise."

We did so, and when the sun rose we looked well round, but could see
nobody. 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 to
drop down. This caused me immediately to suspect the truth, and I
cried to the Portuguese to come back with me. He did so, and I told
him that I was certain that the Indians had climbed the rock, and were
lying down on the top of it, ready to pounce upon us.

"Depend upon it, they must be there," said he, when I mentioned the
falling piece of rock; "let us walk round and see if we can discover
them."

We did so, but they were too well concealed.

"But what must be done now?" said he. "It is useless our attempting to
clamber to the top of the rock, for no one could do it with a musket
in his hand."

"No," replied I, "that is certain; and if we attempt to bring the
canoe 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 in
our hands, which is several yards long, we might haul out the canoe by
it, and when once it is clear of the cleft they cannot move without
our seeing them."

"We will try, at all events," replied I. "Do you stay on the watch
while I get hold of the tow-rope and bring it out."

The Indians did not expect this manoeuvre, it was clear. Still keeping
the muskets in our possession, the butts on the sand, and the muzzles
resting on our shoulders, we laid hold of the tow-rope, and by great
exertion hauled the canoe several yards away from between the two
rocks. We then paused for breath after a minute or two, with our eyes
fixed upon the top of the rock to see if they moved, and then we
hauled it at least a hundred yards further off, when for the first
time I perceived that the bow and arrows were not in the canoe, and
that they must have been taken by the Indians.

"Then we must haul again," said the Portuguese, when I stated this to
him, "till we are out of bow-shot. Let us put the muskets into the
canoe, and drag it as fast as we can."

We did so, and gained another hundred yards before we stopped, when an
arrow was discharged from the summit of the rock, and buried itself in
the 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, during
which two more arrows were discharged, and one of them went through
the left arm of my comrade; but as it was through the fleshy part, and
did not touch the bone, it did not disable him. A third arrow was
sent after us, but did not reach us, and we knew that we were out of
distance.

"Cut the shaft of the arrow, and draw it through the arm," said the
Portuguese.

"Not now," said I; "they will perceive me doing so, and will think
that you are disabled. That may induce them to rush upon us, thinking
they have only one man to deal with."

"Well, it's no great matter," replied he; "we must now drag our canoe
down to the water and launch her, if they will let us. We have
outwitted them so far."

We now turned the head of the canoe towards the sea, and slowly
dragged her down; our eyes, as may be supposed, constantly kept upon
the rock, to see if the Indians would move, but they did not. They
perhaps felt that they had no chance with us, having all the fire-arms
and an open beach in our favour. We launched our canoe without further
interruption on their part, and in a few minutes, taking care to be
out of arrow distance, we passed the rock with our head to the
northward. When about two miles off, we perceived the Indians to
descend from the rock and walk away into the woods.

"Let us praise God for this miraculous escape," said I to the
Portuguese.

"I do; and the holy patron saint who has preserved me," replied the
Portuguese captain; "but I am still heavy at heart. I feel that we have
escaped only to come into more strange and fresh calamity. I shall
never get back to Lisbon, that I feel convinced of."

I tried all I could to encourage him, but it was of no avail. He told
me that the presentiment was too strong, and could not be overcome by
any argument. Indeed he appeared to have allowed the idea so to have
taken possession of his mind, that his reason became enervated; and
having heard how the Indians burnt their prisoners, he talked about
martyrdom at the stake, and rising up to Heaven in great glory, there
to 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; "why
not at once let us go ashore and receive the crown of martyrdom? I am
ready; for I long for the hour, and shall rejoice."

I said all I could to keep him quiet, but it was useless, and such was
his insanity, that he gradually neared the shore by steering against
me with his paddle, so that I could not prevent it. I had drawn the
shaft of the arrow through his arm, and he appeared to feel no pain. I
expostulated 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 me
very much to hear him talk so loud as he did, as the Indians must have
heard him, and I thought would follow us along the coast; but he
ransacked the whole book of martyrs, telling me how one had his body
sawn in two, another was pinched to death; this one burnt, that
tortured; every variety of death he entered upon during the whole of
that 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 the
night 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 to
talk loud and rave without intermission, and I now considered our fate
as sealed. We had no water in the boat or provisions of any kind, and
I proposed that we should heave-to and catch some fish, telling him
that if he talked we should scare them away.

This made him quiet for a time, but as soon as we had hooked four or
five fish, he again commenced his history of the glorious martyrs. I
prayed him to be silent, for a short time at least, and he was so for
about four or five minutes, when he would break out into some
ejaculation, which I immediately stopped. At last he could talk no
more for want of water; his lips were glued together, and so were
mine. Nevertheless, I continued paddling for two hours more, when I
found 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, which
we found about half of a mile from where our canoe was beached.

We drank heartily, filled the calabash, and were returning to the
canoe, when he again commenced talking as loud as ever. I was in great
anger, but I put my hand before his mouth, beseeching him in a whisper
to be quiet. As we were doing this, we were suddenly sprung upon and
seized 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 am
prepared; are not you, my good friend?"

I made no reply. I felt that in his madness he had sacrificed his own
life and mine also; but it was the will of Heaven. The Indians left
two to guard us, and went down to the canoe, returning with their
muskets. I soon perceived that they were the same whom we had escaped
from the night before, and the one who had spoken a little English
when we were first captured now came to me and said, "White man paint
like 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 our
arms. The Portuguese now began to find his tongue again, and talked
incessantly, the Indians not checking him; from which, it was evident
that they were on their own domains. After four hours' walking they
kindled a fire, and went to repose as before; but this time they took
our knives from us, and bound our legs so tight that they gave us much
pain. I did not expostulate, as I knew it was useless. My companion,
as the thong entered into his flesh, seemed pleased, saying, "Now my
martyrdom 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 Indian
corn every day, just sufficient for our sustenance, and no more. On
the fourth morning the Indians, after an hour's travelling, set up
some shrill and barbarous cries, which I afterwards discovered was
their warhoop. These cries were replied to by others at a distance,
and in about a quarter of an hour afterwards we found ourselves close
to a number of wigwams, as they are termed (the Indian houses), and
soon surrounded by a large party of men, women, and children, who
greeted us with taunts and menaces.

We were led into a larger wigwam than the others, where we found
several Indians of grave aspect assembled, and a man who could speak
English was ordered in as interpreter. He asked us where we came from
in the canoe. I replied, that we came from the south, but we had been
wrecked in a big ship, and had taken the canoe, which we found on the
beach. They asked no more questions. We were led out, and in about an
hour afterwards the Indian who had spoken English to us when we were
captured, came up with two others and painted us black, saying, "The
white man like paint. Black paint good."

I did not know till afterwards that this painting black was a sign
that we were condemned to death, but so it was. They took off our
trowsers, the only garments we had on, and left us naked. To my
surprise, they did not take the diamond which was sewed up in leather
from off my neck; but as I learnt subsequently, the Indians are much
given to conjurors and charms, wearing many round their own necks and
about their persons, and they respect the charms that their enemies
wear, indeed are afraid of them, lest they should be harmed by having
them 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 some
description 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 were
remaining in doubt as to what was to be our fate, an old woman, who
had been menacing and grinning at me for some time, and who was the
most hideous animal that I ever beheld in the shape of a woman, thrust
a straw into my eye, giving me most excruciating agony. I was so
carried away by rage and pain, that I saluted her with a kick in the
stomach, which laid her doubled up on the ground, expecting to be
scalped for so doing the next moment. On the contrary, the Indians
laughed, while some of the other women dragged her away.

At last the interpreter came, and from him we learnt that we had to
run the gauntlet, and that, as soon as we gained the large lodge
where we had been examined by the old Indians on the day previous, we
were safe, and that we must run for that as fast as we could. The
Portuguese, who was still as mad as ever, was then pushed on; he would
not run, but walked, glorying in the blows, which showered down upon
him like hail; and, moreover, he prevented me from running for some
time, till I got past him. I had been cruelly punished, and was mad
with pain, when I perceived a tall, gaunt Indian waiting for me with a
heavy club. Careless of life or consequences, I rushed past him, and
as I passed I threw out my fist with such impetus, that, hitting him
under the right ear, he fell senseless, and it appears that he never
rose again, for the blow killed him; after which I at last gained the
council-house, and was soon afterwards followed by my companion, who
was streaming with blood. We were then led away, and tied by our necks
to two stakes about twenty yards apart, and there we remained for the
night.

The Portuguese passed the night in singing; I passed it in silence and
prayer. I felt convinced that we were to die, and I feared that it
would be by fire or torture, for I had heard something of the manners
and customs of these Indians. I made my peace with God as well as a
poor sinner could, prayed for mercy through Jesus Christ, sighed my
adieu to Amy, and made up my mind to die.

Early the next morning the Indians brought firewood, and placed it in
bundles round the stakes, at a distance of about fourteen yards from
the centre. They then went to the Portuguese, tied his hands behind
him, and exchanged the rope by which he had been fastened for a much
stronger 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 was
plain that the Portuguese was to suffer first. They then set fire to
the piles of wood which were round the stake, which were too far from
him to burn him, and I could not imagine what they intended to do, but
you 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 be
my own.

During these appalling preparations, the Portuguese appeared as if he
really enjoyed the scene.

"Now, my good friend," said he to me, "you shall see how I can suffer
for the true faith. Even a heretic like you shall be converted by my
example, and I shall ascend to Heaven with you in my arms. Come on, ye
fiends; 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 his
reason had left him, as I thought his sufferings would be less; but
his 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 could
not perceive what they were doing, but after that they separated, and
I beheld him bleeding profusely, his ears and nose having been cut
off, and a broken iron ramrod passed through both cheeks. And now a
scene took place, at the remembrance of which, even now, my blood
curdles. Some caught up the burning sticks and applied them to his
flesh, others stuck him full of small splints, the ends of which they
lighted. The Indian warriors shot at him with muskets loaded with
powder only, so as to burn him terribly on every part of the body. The
women 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 he
walked upon fire.

Red-hot irons were now brought forward, and his body seared in all
parts, his tormentors seeking out where they could give him the most
pain. At last one applied the hot iron to his eyes, and burnt them
out. Imagine my feelings at this horrid scene--imagine the knowledge
that this was to be also my fate in a short time; but, what is more
strange to tell, imagine, Madam, my companion not only deriding his
torturers, but not flinching from the torture; on the contrary,
praising God for his goodness in thus allowing him to be a martyr for
the true faith, offering his body to their inflictions, and shouting
manfully; but such was the behaviour of my insane friend, and this
behaviour appeared to give great satisfaction to the Indians.

For nearly two hours did this torture continue, his body was black
and 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 as
before upon the burning coals, but appeared not to know when further
torture was applied to him or not. He now sang hymns in Portuguese in
a low voice, for he was much exhausted. Soon afterwards he staggered
and fell down with his face upon the burning embers; but even the
flesh of his face grilling, as it were, appeared to have no effect
upon him. An Indian then went up to him, and with his knife cut a
circle round his head, and tore off the whole scalp, flesh and hair
together, and when he had done this the old woman whom I had saluted
with a kick before I ran the gauntlet, and who had his ears hanging on
her neck to a string, lifted up a handful of burning coals, and put
them upon his bleeding head.

This seemed to rouse him. He lifted up his head, but his features were
no 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 my
great astonishment, he again rose on his legs, and tottered round and
round for a few minutes. At last he sank down, with his back against
the stake, and one of the Indians cleaved his brain with his tomahawk;
and thus ended the life and the misery of my unfortunate
companion--and it was now my turn.

"Well," thought I, "it is but two hours of suffering, and then I shall
be beyond their malice. May God have mercy upon my soul."

The same preparations were now made for me. I was fastened with the
stout rope, and my arms tied behind me, the wood was fired, and one of
the chiefs was haranguing the Indians. He finished, the low yell was
given, when the old woman whom I had before mentioned ran up to me,
and saying something which I could not understand, put her hand upon
me.

When she did this the other Indians, who were about to rush on me,
drew back with signs of disappointment on many of their wild
countenances. The chiefs then went into the council-house, leaving me
tied where I was, and the wood burning around me, the mass of Indians
standing about as if waiting the decision of the chiefs. After a time
three 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 kill
Indian here (pointing to his own ear), you kill him dead. Squaw lose
husband--want another--take you--stead of him."

They led me to the council-house before the chiefs. The old woman whom
I had kicked was there. It was her husband that I had killed by the
blow behind the ear, and she had claimed me in his stead, and,
according to the custom of the country, her claim was allowed, and I
was made over to her, and received into the tribe. Strange custom for
a 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 expected
it. The principal chief made me a speech, which was interpreted, in
which he told me that I was now the husband of Manou, and was one of
their own tribe; that I must be strong in war, and must hunt and
procure venison for my family.

They then washed off the black paint, and after a few more speeches
and ceremonies, I was handed over to the hideous old hag, whose neck
was still decorated with the two ears of my companion. To say that I
would have preferred the torture would be saying too much, but that I
loathed 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. As
soon 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 the
leggings, as they call them, which the Indians wear, and the other
portions of the Indian dress, which probably belonged to her late
husband. I put them on, as I was glad to cover my nakedness, and, worn
out with walking and exertion, I first thanked God for my miraculous
preservation, and then lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

It was not until the next day that I awoke, and I then perceived the
old woman rubbing oil upon the deep cuts made in my wrists and
shoulders by the leather thongs. She again set meat before me, and I
ate heartily, but I looked upon her with abhorrence, and when she
attempted to fondle me, I turned away and spit with disgust, at which
she retired, grumbling. I now had leisure to reflect. I passed over
with a shudder the scenes that had passed, and again returned thanks
to God for my deliverance. I called to mind how often I had been
preserved and delivered. From my bondage in Africa, from my
imprisonment in the Tower, from my hopeless slavery in the mines, from
our wreck on the island, and now, after passing through such dangers,
from an almost certain cruel death by torture. Truly did I feel how
grateful I ought to be for that Providence which had so often
preserved me, and that my only reliance in future must be in its
gracious protection.

But here I was, married to a woman I detested, and living with
barbarians; and I said to myself, "That kind Heaven which has already
done so much for me will, in its own good time, also release me from
this thraldom. In the meanwhile let me not murmur, but be thankful."
My squaw, as they call their wives among the Indians, now came up to
me and offered to paint me, and I thought it advisable that she
should, as I felt that the sooner I conformed myself to their customs
the more chance I had of making my escape, which I was resolved to do
the 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 were
sauntering about, met me with a friendly "Ugh," which appeared a
favourite monosyllable with them. At last I met with the interpreter,
and began to converse with him. I asked what nation I was now
belonging to, and he said the Massowomicks. I asked how large their
country was, and he told me much which I could not understand, except
that it appeared to me a very powerful nation.

I was very careful of mentioning the English, or any thing about their
settlement, although I was anxious to know where it was; but I asked
him whether they were at war with any other nation. He said "No, they
had been at war with other tribes, but that they had all made peace
that 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 red
blood in your veins. You marry Indian wife, you all the same as one
Indian."

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 people
say?"

"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 the
slightest idea of profiting by his information by taking another wife,
but I felt such a disgust at my present one, and had already seen what
a fury she could be, that I was resolved, if necessary, to show her
that I was master, for I felt certain that if I did not, she would
soon 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 me
to go out, and, I presumed, bring back food; and as there was nothing
in the house, I thought the request reasonable. I therefore went out
of the wigwam and found that many of the young men were going out on a
hunting-party, and that I was to join them. We set off and travelled
for six hours before we came to the hunting-ground, and as the deer
passed me I thought of Whyna and my hunting excursions with her. I
was, however, fortunate, and killed two deer, much to the surprise of
the 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 was
cut 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 next
morning we all carried home our loads, and mine was as large as any of
the others, if not larger; neither did I flag on the way, for I was
naturally very strong and active, and had lately been inured to
fatigue. When we arrived, the squaws and men among the others were
despatched for the remainder of the venison. I now went out every day
by 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 a
long knife. I began to pick up a few words of the language, and by
means of the interpreter I gained them very fast. Before I had been
three months with the Indians I had acquired their confidence and
respect. They found that I was expert, and able to gain my own
livelihood, and I may add that before I had been three months I had
also mastered my wife. When she found that I would not submit to her
caresses, she was very indignant and very violent, but I immediately
knocked her down, and beat her unmercifully. This brought her to her
senses, 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 better
for it.

You may think that this was not fair treatment towards a woman who had
saved my life; but she only saved it for her own purposes, and would
have worn my ears, as well as my companion's, if I had not killed her
husband. The fact is, I had no alternative; I must have either treated
her kindly and submitted to her nauseous endearments, or have kept her
at a respectful distance by severity, and I hardly need say that I
preferred 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 her
presuming to "talk too much," as the Indian said, when the interpreter
told me that one of the chiefs was willing that I should marry his
daughter, 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 to
Amy would be in great danger if the marriage was to take place; and if
proposed, I dared not refuse so great a distinction.

I replied that I was fortunate, but that I feared my present wife
would make her very unhappy, as she wanted to be the chief woman of
the wigwam, and when I was away I could not tell what the old woman
might do to her, and the conversation was dropped.

This little Indian had, before this, shown me as much favour as an
Indian girl ever ventures to show, sufficient, at all events, to
satisfy me that I was not disagreeable to her, and what the
interpreter had said made me very uncomfortable. However, I consoled
myself with the recollection that if I were compelled to marry this
girl, it would be an involuntary infidelity on my part, and on that
account might well be excused; for the hope of again rejoining Amy
never left me at any time.

One day I went out in search of deer, and was led away from my
companions 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 followed
for several hours, continually coming up with it and as continually
losing it again. At last, I heard the report of a musket close to
where the deer was last seen by me, and I thought that some Indian had
shot it. I walked forward, however, very cautiously, and perceived a
white man standing by the animal, which lay at his feet. I started
back, for I did not know whether I had fallen in with a friend or a
foe; but as I knew that he had not had time to reload his musket, I
hallooed 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 his
musket.

"Don't be afraid," said I.

"Afraid!" said he; "I should like to see what I am afraid of; but I'll
be on my guard."

"That's right," I replied.

I then told him that I had been taken by the Indians, and they saved
my life because one of their women chose me as her husband, and that I
was anxious to escape from them.

"Well," said he, "I am on board of a schooner at anchor down below in
the 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 were
down here so close to the English settlements."

"How close are we, then?" said I; "for I know not where I am. This is
certainly not our usual hunting-ground, for I have been led many miles
from it, in pursuit of the animal you have just shot."

"Well, I thought so; for I have been on shore here more than once, and
I have never met with an Indian. You ask how far you are from the
settlement; that I can hardly tell you, because the settlers have
spread out so far; but you are about forty or fifty miles from James
Town."

"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 a
name. We come here for wood and water, because it is quiet, not
inhabited, 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 knew
that 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 cannot
live long on board of a vessel. Will you now tell me which is the
right track to the English plantations?"

"Why," said he, "they bear right out in that direction; and I dare
say, if you travel five or six leagues, you will fall aboard of some
plantation or another--right in that quarter; follow your nose, old
fellow, and you can't go wrong."

"Many thanks," I replied; "am I likely to meet your companions?--they
may take me for an Indian."

"Not in that direction," replied he; "they were astern of me a long
way."

"Farewell, then, and many thanks," I replied.

"Good-bye, old fellow; and the sooner you rub off that paint, the
sooner you'll look like a Christian," said the careless rover, as I
walked away.

"No bad advice," I thought: for I was now determined to make for the
English settlements as fast as I could, "and I will do so when I once
see an English habitation, but not before; I may fall in with Indians
yet."

I then set off as fast as I could, and being now inured to running for
a long time without stopping, I left the rover a long way behind me in
a very short time. I continued my speed till it was dark, when I heard
the barking of a dog, which I knew was English, for the Indian dogs do
not bark. I then proceeded cautiously and in the direction where I
heard the dog bark, and arrived in a quarter of an hour to a cleared
ground, 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 I
therefore sat down under the lee-side of a large tree, and remained
there till morning. I then looked about for water, and having found a
running 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 a
hill, about four hundred yards off. The trees were cleared away for
about three hundred yards all round it. It was built of heavy logs,
let into one another, with one window only, and that very small. The
door 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 from
the Indians."

"Well, we'll see what you are in a very short time," replied the
voice. "James, get me my gun."

In a minute the door opened, and I beheld a woman more than six feet
high, of gaunt appearance and large dimensions: I thought that I had
never seen such a masculine creature before. It was her voice which I
had 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 I
afterwards discovered that it was to ascertain whether I was one of
those who had been transported to the settlement, as they all had the
letter R branded on them.

"Oh, you're not a gaol-bird, then, I see: you may come in; but you'll
give 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 you
look a very peaceable, good-looking sort of personage, notwithstanding
your 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 hear
what 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 with
his musket between his knees. I sat down by the fire, at the request
of 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 my
adventures, from the time that I left Rio.

"Well," says she, "we seldom hear stories like them; it's all the
world like a book; and pray what's that thing (pointing to the diamond
in its case) you have hanging to your neck there? you have left that
out in your history."

"That's a charm given me by my Indian wife, to preserve me from
disasters from wild animals; no panther, wolf, or bear will ever
attack me."

"Well," said she, "if so be it has that power, all I can say is, it's
not a bad charm to wear in these parts, for there are animals enough
in the woods in summer, and round the house all night in winter; but I
don't believe a bit in the charm, and that's the truth; however, if it
does no good, it can't do no harm, so you may keep it on, and
welcome."

"May I ask how far it is to James Town?" said I.

"What, going to James Town already? I suppose you expect to be there
to-night?"

"Not exactly, my good woman," replied I. "I must trespass upon your
kindness to give me something to eat, for I am hungry."

"Good woman! bah! and pray how dare you call me good woman? Call me
mistress, if you want any thing."

"I beg your pardon," said I. "Well, then, mistress, will you give me
something to eat?"

"Yes, I will. James, fetch the meal-cake and a bit of salt pork, and
give him to eat, while I call the cows from the bush."

The mistress, as I shall in future call her, then put down her musket
and left the cabin. During her absence I entered into conversation
with the man called James, for the other had gone out. To my inquiry
how 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 husband
of the mistress, who had died two years ago; that this man had a small
vessel, in which he went to James Town by water, and that he had
returned with him in his vessel; that the distance by water, he
considered about one hundred and fifty miles, but by land it was not
half that distance; that he did not know the way, nor did he believe
that there was any road as yet made to James Town, as this plantation
was quite by itself, and a long way from any other. He understood that
the nearest plantation was twenty miles off, and he knew there was no
road to it, as no one ever went or came except by water.

"But," said I, "are not the settlers at war with the Indian tribes
that surround them?"

"Yes; and have been now for three or four years; and the Indians have
done great mischief to the plantations, and killed a great many
people; but the settlers have punished them severely."

"Then how is it that this plantation, which is so solitary, has not
been attacked?"

"Because the mistress's husband was a great friend of the Indians, and
it is said used to bring them cargoes of muskets and ammunition from
James Town, contrary to all law and regulation. But if he was friendly
with them, the mistress is not; for she has quarrelled with the
principal chief, and I should not be surprised if we were attacked
some 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 men
either. 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 was
drowned 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 there
unless 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 the
man. "I don't think that she will let you go--I don't know; but that's
my 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 has
a right to detain you. Any person found roving here, who cannot give a
satisfactory account of himself, may be detained till something is
heard about him; for he may be a runaway convict, or a runaway
apprentice, which is much the same, after all. Now, she may say that
your account of yourself is not satisfactory, and therefore she
detained you; and if you won't work, she won't give you to eat; so
there 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 have
to 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 a
gentleman's coat-pocket, you know. You can only tell the truth by
halves yet, I see."

Wishing to ascertain how far the man's suspicions were correct, I said
to her,

"I have good friends in James Town: if I were once there I could
procure 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 go
out to-day. One would think, after all your wanderings and
difficulties, that you'd be glad to be quiet a little, and remain
here; 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 you
handsomely, on my arrival at James Town, for your kind treatment and
any trouble you may take for me."

"Pay me! what do I want with money?--there's no shops here with
ribbons, and calicoes, and muslins; and if there were, I'm not a fine
madam. Money! why I've no child to leave what I have to--no husband to
spend it for me. I have bags and bags of dollars, young man, which my
husband heaped up, and they are of as much use to me as they are now
to him."

"I am glad that you are so rich, mistress, and more glad that your
money is so little cared for and so little wanted; but if you do not
want money, I do very much want to get back to my friends, who think I
am dead, and mourn for me."

"Well, if they have mourned, their sorrow is over by this time, and
therefore your staying here will not distress them more. I may as well
tell you at once that you shall not go; so make up your mind to be
contented, and you'll fare none the worse for it."

This was said in so decided a tone, that, bearing in mind what I had
heard from the convict servant, I thought it advisable to push the
question no further for the present, making up my mind that I would
wait a short time, and then make my escape, if she still persisted in
detaining me by force; but this I could not venture upon until I was
in possession of fire-arms, and I could not obtain them while she had
any suspicion. I therefore replied--

"Well, since you are determined I shall not go, I have nothing more to
say, except that I will wait your pleasure, and, in the mean time, let
me make myself as useful as I can, for I don't want to eat the bread
of idleness."

"You're a very sensible young man," replied she; "and now you shall
have a shirt to put on, which will improve your appearance a great
deal."

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 not
help wondering at her. On examination, I felt assured that she was
more than six feet high, and her shoulders as broad and her arms as
nervous as a man's of that stature. Her chest was very expanded, but
bosom she had none. In fact, she was a man in woman's clothing, and I
began to doubt her sex. Her features were not bad, had they been of
smaller dimensions, but her nose was too large, although it was
straight; her eyes were grand, but they were surmounted with such
coarse eyebrows; her mouth was well shaped, and her teeth were good
and regular, but it was the mouth of an ogress; her walk was
commanding and firm; every action denoted energy and muscle; and
certainly, from the conversation I have already made known, her mind
was quite as masculine as her body--she was a splendid monster. In a
minute she returned, bringing me a good check shirt and a pair of
duck 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 the
plantation."

In a minute or two I joined her, and she led me round the
tobacco-fields, then to the maize or Indian corn grounds, pointing out
and explaining every thing. She also showed me the cows, store pigs,
and poultry. Wishing to please her, I asked many questions, and
pretended to take an interest in all I saw. This pleased her much, and
once or twice she smiled--but such a smile! After an hour's ramble we
returned, and found the two servants very busy, one husking maize, and
the other in the shed where the tobacco was dried. I asked some
questions of her about the tobacco--how many casks or bales she made a
year? 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 it
round."

"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 the
drying-sheds has been already drawn; in three or four weeks it will
all be housed, and then we begin to pack: in about two months from
this the sloop will take it round."

"But is it not very expensive keeping a sloop on purpose, with men to
have her in charge?" inquired I, to hear what she would say.

"The sloop lies at anchor, without a soul on board," said she. "No one
ever comes up this river. I believe Captain Smith, who made the
settlement, did do so once. There is another river, about twenty miles
farther down, which is occasionally frequented by buccaneers, I am
told--indeed, I know it, for my husband had more to do with them than
perhaps was good for his soul, but this little river is never
visited."

"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 at
me again.

If I had not been so afraid of affronting her, I certainly would have
said to her, "Do any thing, I beg, but smile."

I said no more on that point. She called Jeykell, who was in the
tobacco-shed, and desired him to kill a couple of chickens, and bring
them in. We then entered the cabin, and she observed--

"I don't doubt but you are tired with so much fatigue; you look so; go
and sleep on one of their beds; you shall have one for yourself by
night."

I was not sorry to do as she proposed, for I was tired out. I lay
down, and did not wake till she called me and told me that dinner was
ready. I was quite ready for that also, and I sat down with her, but
the 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 her
two men on her farming avocations, and I was for a long while
cogitating on what had passed. I perceived that I was completely in
her power, and that it was only by obtaining her good-will that I had
any 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 for
me at night, in an ante-room where the two servant-men slept. It was a
luxury that I had not enjoyed for a long while. For several days I
remained very quiet, and apparently very contented. My mistress gave
me no hard work, chiefly sending me on messages or taking me out with
her. She made the distinction between me and the convicts that I
always took my meals with her and they did not. In short, I was
treated as a friend and visitor more than any thing else, and had I
not been so anxious about going to England, I certainly had no reason
to complain except of my detention, and this, it was evident, it was
not in her power to prevent, as, until the sloop went away with the
tobacco, she had no means of sending me away. One day, however, as I
was walking past the tobacco-shed, I heard my name mentioned by the
two convicts, and stopping, I heard James say,

"Depend upon it, that's what she's after, Jeykell; and he is to be our
master, whether he likes it or not."

"Well, I shouldn't wonder," replied the other; "she does make pure
love to him, that's certain."

"Very true; every thing's fierce with her--even love--and so he'll
find it if he don't fancy her."

"Yes, indeed:--well, I'd rather serve another ten years than she
should fall in love with me."

"And if I had my choice, whether to be her husband or to swing, I
should take the cord in preference."

"Well, I pity him from my heart; for he is a good youth, and a
fair-spoken and a handsome, too; and I'm sure that he has no idea of
his unfortunate situation."

"No idea, indeed," said I to myself, as I walked away. "Merciful
Heaven! is it possible!" And when I thought over her conduct, and what
had passed between us, I perceived not only that the convicts were
right in their supposition, but that I had, by wishing to make myself
agreeable 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 more
than a year now."

When she said that, which she did at dinner, while she was clawing the
flesh off the bone of a wild turkey, there was something so ridiculous
in that feminine confession, coming from such a masculine mouth, that
I 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 man
who has been burnt on the hand. No, no, my husband shall be able to
open both hands and show them."

I replied, "You are right there. I would never disgrace myself by
marrying a convict."

When I thought of these and many other conversations which had passed
between us, I had no doubt, in my own mind, but that the convicts were
correct in their suppositions, and I was disgusted at my own
blindness.

"At all events," said I to myself, after a long cogitation, "if she
wants to marry me, she must go to James Town for a parson, and if I
once get there, I will contrive, as soon as extra constables are sworn
in, to break off the match." But, seriously, I was in an awkward
plight. There was something in that woman that was awful, and I could
imagine her revenge to be most deadly. I thought the old Indian squaw
to 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 to
marry against my will, and be separated from her whom I adored. I was
a long while turning over the matter in my mind, and at last I
resolved that I would make no alteration in my behaviour, but behave
to her as before, and that if the affair was precipitated by my
mistress, that I would be off to the woods, and take my chance of wild
beasts and wild Indians, rather than consent to her wishes. I then
went into the cabin, where I found her alone.

"Alexander," said she (she would know my Christian name, and called me
by it), "they say widows court the men, and that they are privileged
to do so" (I turned pale, for I little thought that there was to be an
explanation so soon); "at all events, whether they are or not, I know
that a woman in my position cannot well expect a young man in yours to
venture without encouragement. Now, Alexander, I have long perceived
your feelings and your wishes, and I have only to say that mine are
such as yours" (oh, I wish they were, thought I), "and therefore you
have but to ask and to have."

I was mute with fear and despair, and could not find a reply to make
to 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--so
unlooked for--so unhoped for--I am so overcome."

Observe, Madam, how strangely the sexes were changed. I was the woman
in this instance.

"I should like to consult my friends."

"Consult your fiddlesticks," replied she, quickly. "Who have you got
to consult? I hope, Alexander," said she, setting her broad teeth
together, "that you are not trifling with me?"

"Indeed, I never should think of trifling with you, mistress," replied
I. "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, give
me 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 you
candidly how I am situated; and if after that you do not withdraw your
proposal, I shall be most happy to be yours as soon as we can go to
James Town to be married."

"If," replied she, "you mean to insinuate, Alexander, that you have a
wife in England, that is of no consequence in this settlement; for
those who live here are free from all English marriages; and as for
going to James Town, that is quite unnecessary. If the people in the
settlement were to wait for a parson when they married, they would
never be married at all. All that is necessary is, that we shall draw
up an agreement of marriage, on paper, sign it, and have it witnessed.
However, as I perceive that you are flurried, I will wait till
to-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 to
my nerves. I walked out into the open air to recover myself, and to
reflect upon what course I should take in this awkward and dangerous
dilemma. Marrying was out of the question--but how to avoid it? It was
almost like being stopped by a highwayman. He says, "Your money or
your life." My mistress's demand was, "Marriage or your life." There
was but one hope, which was to escape that very night, and take my
chance in the woods, and so I resolved to do.

I did not go in till dark; my mistress was in her own room; the two
convicts were sitting by the fire. I took my seat by them, but did not
speak, except in a whisper, telling them that their mistress was not
well, and that we had better go to bed, and not talk. They stared at
me at the idea of the mistress being ill; they had never known her to
complain of any thing since they resided with her; but the hint was
sufficient. 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 was
out. In about half an hour the little thin beams through the chinks of
her door disappeared, and then I knew that she had gone to bed. I
watched two hours more before I ventured to stir. The convicts were
both snoring loud, and effectually drowned any slight noise I might
make in moving about. I went to the locker, secured all the cold meat
for provision, took down one of the muskets and ammunition-belts, and
having put the latter over my shoulders, I then took the musket in my
hand and crept softly to the door of the cabin. Here was the only
difficulty; once out, but five yards off, and I was clear. I removed
the heavy wooden bar, without noise, and had now only to draw the
bolt. I put my finger to it, and was sliding it gently and
successfully back, when my throat was seized, and I was hurled back on
the 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 a
great weight upon my chest, and opening my eyes, found my mistress
sitting upon me, and giving orders to the convicts, one of whom had
already 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, hand
them to me."

James handed some chains to his mistress, who, turning round as she
sat on my body, made the manacle at the end of the chain fast round my
ankle. This went with a snap-spring, which could not be opened
without a key belonging to it. At last she rose off my body, and I
could breathe free. She then called to the convicts, saying,

"Go both of you into the tobacco-shed, and wait there till I call you
out. 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, my
mistress said,

"So you were about to escape, were you? You would avoid the chances of
matrimony, and now you have other chances which you little dreamt of."

"I thought it was the wisest thing that I could do," replied I. "Since
I must be plain, I am sacredly betrothed to another person, and I
could not even for you break my faith. I meant to have told you so
to-morrow morning, but I was afraid it would annoy you, and therefore
I wished to go away without giving you any answer."

"Well, Sir, I offered to be your wife, which would have made you my
lord and master. You refuse it, and now I make you my slave. I give
you your option; you shall either consent to be my husband, or you
shall remain as you are, and toil hard; but any time that you think
better 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 I
married 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 a
slave 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 walk
out and cool myself, as she proposed; but when I was on my legs, I
found that to the other end of the chain, which was very heavy, and
about two yards long, was, riveted an iron ball of about thirty pounds
weight, so that I could not walk without carrying this heavy weight in
my hands, for it could not be dragged. I lifted up the iron ball, and
went out of the house. I was no longer afraid of her. I was in too
great a rage to fear any thing. As I calmed, I considered my case, and
found it to be hopeless; as I thought of Amy, and the many months of
hope deferred, I wept bitterly; and I had no consolation, for the
reader 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 my
chance of seeing her that I loved was indeed hopeless. I might remain
chained in such a solitude for years, or I might expire under her
barbarous treatment, for I fully knew what I had to expect. However, I
was resolved. I prayed fervently for support and succour in my time of
trouble, and became more composed. I remained out the whole of the
night, and watched the rising sun. The two convicts came out to their
work, and shrugged their shoulders as they passed me, but they dared
not speak to me.

My mistress at last came out. She commenced with abuse, but I gave no
answer. She tried soothing, but I was mute. At last she became frantic
in her passion, hurled me away from her, and after being dreadfully
beaten, I fell to the ground. She put her foot upon my neck, and she
stood there, looking like a fury. She loaded me with epithets, and
then 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 to
her wishes. Never was there such a tigress in love before, I really
believe.

"Hear me," replied I; "as long as I am chained, I never will give any
answer upon the present subject, that I swear."

She rose from my side, and walked away.

It is impossible, my dear Madam, for me to describe what I suffered
from this woman for more than six weeks, during which she kept me
chained in this way--at one time entreating me, the next moment
kicking me, and throwing me down. I had no peace--my life became a
burden to me, and I often entreated her, in mercy, to put an end to my
sufferings. 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 could
imagine, to show my hatred and contempt. At other times I was sullen,
and that always annoyed her. She would bear my reproaches
patiently--bear any thing, so long as I would talk; but if I remained
obstinately silent, then, in a short time, her fury would break forth.
I pitied her, notwithstanding her ill-treatment, for the woman did
love me (after her own fashion) most intensely.

It was on the seventh week of my confinement on the chain, that one
morning very early, as I was lying in the tobacco-shed, for she had
turned me out of the cabin, I perceived among the trees, which were
about three hundred yards from the cabin, two Indians, in what is
called their war-paint, which is a sign that they were on a hostile
excursion. I remained perfectly quiet, and well concealed, that I
might watch them. The convicts had more than once told me that the
Indians would attack us, in consequence of an insult which my mistress
had offered to their chief, with whom her husband had been so
friendly; and when they stated what had passed, I agreed with them
that they would not fail to resent the insult as soon as they could. I
had therefore always been on the look-out, but had never seen any
Indians before. My mistress, to whom I had, in our days of sweet
converse, spoken about them, always laughed at the idea of their
attacking her, and said that they might come if they liked. She had
made every preparation for them, as she had loop-holes stuffed up with
moss just below the roof of the cabin, from which you could fire down
upon them till they were within four yards of the cabin, and other
loop-holes, from which you might shoot them when close to; the window
and door were impregnable, and provided that we were once in the
cabin, there was no doubt but that a serious, if not effectual,
resistance might be made. That the Indians were reconnoitring the
cabin was evident, and that they did not do so for nothing was equally
certain. After a while, during which I made out six of them, they fell
back in the wood, and disappeared. The dog at that moment came out to
me, 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 close
to us. I waited till the convicts came out, and then I went into the
cabin, and said,

"You drove me out of the house last night, and I come to return good
for 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 that
you will be attacked this night, so I give you notice."

"And you hope that, by this fear of their attack, you will be set
free, is it not?"

"It is perfectly indifferent to me whether I am or not. I have often
asked you to put an end to my misery, and as you have not done it, I
shall bless those Indians for the friendly act; a blow of a tomahawk
will release me, if you will not."

"Well, then, let them come with their tomahawks," replied she, "and I
will 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 I
have seen, and you may take precautions or not; for myself I care
nothing."

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 not
know whether my mistress took any precautions or not, but I told the
two convicts what I had seen, and advised them not to go far from the
cabin, as they would run great danger.

They inquired of me where I had seen the Indians, and I pointed out
the spot in the wood, after which they went away. I was certain that
the attack would be on this night, as there was no moon till three
hours before daybreak; and as it was very dark, it would probably take
place in the early part of the night. I had made up my mind what I
would 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 be
killed 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 was
not molested by my mistress. At dark she called the convicts, but they
did not answer; she came out to look for them, and asked me whether I
had seen them.

I told her that I had not seen them for two hours, and I had thought
that they were in the house.

"Did you tell them about the Indians?"

"Yes, I did," I replied, "and stated my opinion that they would attack
us this night, and I advised them not to go far from the cabin, or
they might be cut off."

"Then the cowardly sneaks have run off to the woods, and left us to
defend 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 one
hand, with her other arm she caught me round the waist, and carried me
into the house.

"Well," replied I, "it is only deferring it a little longer; they will
force their way in it at last, and I will die here."

"Wait until they arrive," replied my mistress. "But do you mean to say
that 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 door
and window. She then placed the table and stools so that she might
stand upon them and fire out of the upper loop-holes; pulled the moss
out of the loop-holes; took down the muskets--of which there were
six--from their rests, examined the priming of those which were
loaded, and loaded those which were not. She then got out a supply of
powder and ball, which she put ready on the table, brought the axes
out, that they might be at hand, examined the water-jars to ascertain
whether the convicts had filled them as she had ordered, and then,
when all was prepared for defence, she removed the lamp into the inner
room, leaving the one we were in so dark, that the Indians could not,
by looking through the chinks or loop-holes, discover where the
occupants of the cabin might be. All these arrangements she made with
the greatest coolness, and I could not help admiring her courage and
self-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 you
notice of their coming, as they will first occupy the tobacco-shed as
an 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, you
would never be able to escape, and I never could save you; but they
should hack me to pieces first."

"Answer me one question," said I. "In a time of peril like this, would
you, as a conscientious person, think that you were justified in
retaining in such fetters even a convict who had robbed you? And if
you feel that you would not, on what grounds do you act in this way to
a man whom you profess to love?--I leave it to your conscience."

She remained silent for some time: when the dog barked, and she
started up.

"I believe I am mad, or a fool," said she, sweeping back her hair from
her forehead.

She then took the key of the manacle out of her dress, and released
me.

"Alexander"--

"Silence!" said I, putting my hand to her mouth, "this is no time to
be 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 was
very dark, but as the Indians stood on the hill, there was clear sky
behind them as low down as their waists, and I could perceive their
motions, as they appeared to be receiving orders from their chief; and
they advanced to the door of the cabin with axes and tomahawks. My
mistress had mounted on the table at the same time that I had got on
the stool. We now got down again without speaking, and each taking a
musket, we kneeled down at the lower loop-holes which I have
described. 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 be
let in. No reply was given, and they commenced their attack upon the
door with their axes. As soon as this aggression took place, I took
good aim at their chief, as I presumed him to be, who was now standing
alone on the hill. I fired. He fell immediately.

As I leaped from the stool my mistress discharged her musket, and we
both caught up others and returned to the loop-holes below. By this
time the blows of the axes were incessant, and made the cabin-door
tremble, and the dust to fly down in showers from the roof; but the
door was of double oak with iron braces, and not easily to be cut
through; 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 at
last I succeeded, and as his comrades were taking the body away my
mistress shot another. After this the blows of the axes ceased, and
they evidently had retreated. I then went into the inner room and
extinguished the lamp, that they might not be able to see us--for the
lamp gave a faint light. We returned to the table, and loaded the
muskets in the dark.

As I put my musket on the table, my mistress said, "Will they come
again?"

"Yes;" replied I, "I think they will; but if you wish to talk, we had
better retreat to the fire-place: there we shall be safe from any
shot."

We retreated to the fire-place, and sat down on the ashes; it just
held us both, and my mistress took this opportunity of embracing me,
saying--

"Dear Alexander, if I had a thousand lives, I would sacrifice them for
you."

"We have but one," replied I, "and that one I will devote for your
defence; 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 must
expect a hard fight for it."

"Why, what can they do? They never can break through the door, and
when daylight comes we can shoot them by dozens."

"Depend upon it," said I, "they will try to burn us out. The wind is
high, which is all in their favour, and I suspect they are now gone to
collect firewood."

"And if they do fire the cabin, what shall we do? I never thought of
that."

"We must remain in it as long as we can, and then sally out and fight
to the last; but every thing depends on circumstances. Be guided by
me, 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 all
the courage of a man, still you have not been so accustomed to warfare
as I have been. I have long been accustomed to command, to plan, and
to execute, in times of peril like this."

"You have great strength and courage; I little thought what a lion I
had 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 the
best head of the two. Hark! What is that?"

"It is what I said," replied I; "they are laying firewood against the
logs of the cabin on the windward side--(this was on the side
opposite to the door). Now we must try if we cannot pick off some more
of them," said I, rising and taking a musket. "Bring the stools over
to this side, for we must fire from the upper loop-holes."

We remained at our posts for some time without seeing an Indian. They
had gone back to the wood for more combustibles. At last we perceived
them coming back with the wood. I should imagine there were at least
twenty 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 her
station. We fired several times; sometimes with and sometimes without
success; for the Indians went away twice for firewood before they had
collected what they considered sufficient. By this time it was piled
up to the eaves of the cabin, and our loop-holes were shut up; we
therefore went over to the other side, where the door was, to see if
there were any Indians there, but could not see one. We had been on
the 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 up
so that the flame poured through every chink and loop-hole, and
lighted up the cabin.

"We must retreat to the fire-place," said I. "Come quickly, or we
shall 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 where
the 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 increases
we shall not be able to speak to one another."

This she said about five minutes after we had remained standing in the
fire-place, with our heads up the chimney.

"Perhaps it will be as well," replied I, "that I do speak so. This
fierce wind drives the smoke to leeward in volumes, but the great
burst of smoke will be when the roof is well on fire. It is now
burning fiercely on the windward side, but we must wait till the
lee-side has caught, and then the volume of smoke will be greater. The
great point is to hit the precise time of opening the door, and
escaping shrouded in a volume of smoke. If too soon, they will
perceive us, and we shall be shot down; if too late, the roof will
fall upon us, and we shall be smothered or burnt. We had better now, I
think, leave this, and be all ready. Our best weapon, if we have to
fight our way, will be an axe. Let us each take one, and, by now going
near to the door, and putting our mouths to one of the loop-holes, we
shall breathe freer, and unbar the door at the right time. Do you
agree 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, we
went near the door, and put our mouths to the loop-holes below; and
the smoke passing above them enabled us to breathe freer. I looked out
and perceived that, with the exception of about six yards to leeward
of the cabin, there was a dense volume of smoke rolling along the
ground for a long distance, and that if we could only once gain it
without being perceived, we should probably be saved. I therefore
unbarred the door, drew the bolt, and held it in my hand, all ready
for a start. The cabin was now in flames in every part as well as the
roof. I touched my mistress, and then took her hand in mine, watching
at the loop-hole. At last, when the heat was almost unbearable, an
eddy of the wind drove back the smoke close to the lee-side of the
cabin, and all was dark. I jumped up, opened the door, and dragged my
mistress after me; we walked out into the black mass completely hid
from our enemies, and then running hand-in-hand as fast as we could to
leeward in the centre of the smoke, we found ourselves at least one
hundred yards from the cabin without the Indians having any idea that
we were not still inside. As we retreated, the density of the smoke
became less, and I then told her to run for her life, as the Indians
would discover that the door of the cabin was open and that we had
escaped--and so it proved. We were still a hundred yards from the wood
when a yell was given which proved that they had discovered our
escape, and were in pursuit. We gained the wood; I turned round a
moment to look behind me, and perceived at least forty or fifty
Indians in full pursuit of us--the foremost about two hundred yards
distant.

"Now we must run for it, mistress," said I, "and we must no longer
take hands. We shall have to thread the wood. Away! We have no time to
lose."

So saying, I snatched my hand from her and sprang forward; she
following me as fast as she could, more fearful, evidently, of my
making my escape from her than of her own escape from the Indians. As
soon as I was a hundred yards in the wood, I turned short to the
right, and fled with all my speed in that direction, because I hoped
by this means to deceive the Indians, and it was easier to run where
the wood was not so thick. My mistress followed me close: she would
have 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 encumbered
with her clothes, or perhaps not so much used to exercise, I heard her
panting after me. I could easily have left her, but my fear was that
she would have called to me, and if she had, the Indians would have
heard her, and have known the direction I had taken, and, when once on
my trail, they would, as soon as daylight came, have followed me by it
to any distance; I therefore slackened my speed so as just to enable
my mistress to keep up with me at about ten yards' distance; when we
had run about three miles I felt certain that she could not proceed
much further: speak she could not, and as I ran without once looking
behind me, she could make no sign. I continued at a less rapid pace
for 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 was
clear that they had not discovered the direction which we had taken. I
knew, therefore, that they could not hear her now, if she did cry out
as loud as she could, and I gradually increased my speed, till I
could no longer hear her panting behind me; I then went off at my full
speed, and after a few minutes I heard her voice at some distance
faintly calling out my name. "Yes," thought I, "but I have not
forgotten the ball and chain; and if you thought that you had let
loose a lion while we were in the cabin, you shall find that you have
loosed a deer in the woods." I then stopped for a few moments to
recover my breath; I did not, however, wait long; I was afraid that my
mistress might recover her breath as well as myself, and I again set
off as fast as I could. The idea of torture from the Indians, or again
being kept confined by my mistress, gave me endurance which I thought
myself incapable of. Before morning I calculated that I had run at
least twenty miles, if not more.

With the perspiration running down me in streams, and hardly able to
drag one leg before the other, I at last, just about daybreak, gave it
up, when I threw myself on the ground, and dropped out of my hand my
axe, which I had carried the whole way. I lay there for more than half
an hour, tormented with thirst, but quite unable to move. At last I
recovered; and, as I well knew that the Indians would divide in
parties of three or four, and hunt every part of the woods, and by
daylight probably discover my track, I rose and prepared to resume my
toil, when, looking round me, I perceived that I was exactly on the
spot where I had followed the deer, and had fallen in with the Jolly
Rover, as he termed himself, who had pointed out the way to the
plantations. I turned and saw the river below, and as he had told me
that 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 in
half an hour arrived at the skirts of the wood, and found that the
river was about four hundred yards from me and clear of trees at the
mouth for some distance. I went down to the river, which ran swiftly
out, 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 should
do. To get to James Town appeared to me to be an impossibility, unless
by water, and I was not likely to meet with any other vessel here but
a pirate. Should I then go aboard of a pirate? It appeared to me to
be 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 out
to 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 her
or 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 of
sailing as soon as there was any wind, for now it was calm. The river
ran out swiftly, and I thought I should be able to swim the distance
with the assistance I should obtain from the current, which swept down
right for her, and she was riding to its strength.

I was demurring. I had been perhaps two hours on the beach, waiting to
see if she might send a boat on shore, when, as I stood at the
river-side, still hesitating, I happened to turn round and perceived
three Indians coming down upon me as fast as they could. I hesitated
no longer, but plunged into the stream, and was swept out two hundred
yards before they arrived at the beach. I made for the schooner; and
the 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. This
induced some of the crew to look over the bows, and they handed me a
bowling 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 few
words that I had been pursued by the Indians, and swam off to save my
life.

"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 you
showed me the direction of the plantations."

"All's right," said he. "It's a true bill; and were those Indians
after you that we saw on the beach just now?"

"Yes," I replied; and then I stated how it was that they had attacked
our cabin, and how we had escaped.

"That was well done, and so you swam off three miles. Fire and water
won't hurt you; that's clear. You're just the man for us. What
thing-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; I
was born with a caul, and I have always worn it, as it saves a man
from drowning."

"No wonder that you swam three miles, then," replied the man.

You must know, Madam, that some people are born with a membrane over
the face, which is termed a caul, and there has been a vulgar error
that such people can never be drowned, especially if they wear this
caul about their person in after-life. Sailors are superstitious in
many things, but particularly in this, and my caul was therefore as
much respected by them as it hung round my neck, as it was by the
Indians 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 and
glass 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 was
regaling myself, who should come up to me but two of the Portuguese
who had been wrecked in the xebeque, and put on shore with me in the
little boat by the captain of the Transcendant. I was very glad to see
them. They told me that, after great hardship and suffering, they had
arrived famished at the banks of this river, and had been taken on
board by the pirates, and had remained with them ever since; that they
were very anxious to get away, but never had an opportunity. I begged
them not to say who I was, but merely that I was once a shipmate of
theirs. They promised, and being very tired, I then lay down and fell
asleep. 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 the
southward. I saw the Jolly Rover, as I had termed him, on deck (his
real 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 what
we 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 driven
as it were on board of your vessel, but certainly without knowing
exactly what she was. Now, captain, I have to ask you one
question:--Would you, if you could go on shore in England, with plenty
of money at your command, and plenty of good friends,--would you be
here?"

"No; certainly not," replied he.

"Well; I am in that position. If once in England, I have money enough
to live upon, and plenty of friends; I therefore naturally want to get
back to England, and not to run the risk of my neck on board of this
vessel."

"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 if
you will not, I cannot protect you,--they will throw you overboard. We
don'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 a
witness against one of you; it were most ungrateful if I did. While I
am on board, I will do any duty you please to put me to, for I cannot
expect to eat my bread for nothing."

"And suppose we come to action?"

"There's the difficulty," replied I; "against an English ship I never
will fight."

"But if we are opposed to any other nation, and there is a chance of
our being overpowered?"

"Why, then, if you are overpowered, as I shall be hung along with the
rest, 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 against
my 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 as
I 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 have
commanded a privateer. I have served many years in privateers, and
have seen a great deal of hard fighting."

"So I thought," replied he; "and now answer me another question,--Was
it not you that played that trick to that French privateer captain at
Bordeaux?"

"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 on
board of; for, being put in quarantine, we were not sent to prison
till 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 captain
if you pleased, for I do not suit them. Our captain--for I was his
officer--was killed about six months ago; and I really am not fit for
the 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 that
they will be all condemned if taken, from my not destroying the crews
of the vessels we take; that they will be so many witnesses against
them; and I cannot make up my mind to cold-blooded murder. I am bad
enough; I rob on the high seas; I kill on the high seas--for we must
kill when we fight; but I cannot commit deliberate murder either at
sea or on shore, and so I tell them. If any one else could navigate
the vessel, I should be superseded immediately."

"I am glad to hear you say what you have, captain, it makes me less
dissatisfied at finding myself here. Well; I have said all I can, and
I 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 like
this (after all, there is not so much difference between a pirate and
privateer as you may think)--and that I will not be under the command
of 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 you
can; but," added he, in a low tone; "there are some desperate villains
among them."

"That I take for granted," replied I; "so now I leave you to speak to
them."

Toplift did so. He told them that I was a pirate captain, who had lost
his vessel and been thrown on shore, but I refused to join any ship
except as captain of her; that I would not serve as first officer, and
would obey no one. He told them that he knew me before, and he
narrated 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, after
consultation, came to Toplift and said that I must take the oath.

Toplift replied that he had desired me so to do, and that I had
answered that I would not. "But," said he, "you had better speak to
him 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 my
name."

The fact is, Madam, I was determined to carry it out bravely; knowing
that 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 the
oath."

"Take the oath," replied I, with scorn; "no; I administer the oath to
others. I make them take it. I make them swear fidelity to me. Such
has been my conduct, and I shall not depart from it."

"Well, but, Captain Toplift, you don't mean to say that he is to
remain on board with us and not take the oath," said a surly-looking
ruffian. "In spite of you, he shall take the oath, Captain Toplift."

"Captain Toplift," said I, calmly, "do you allow one of your crew to
use such language as this. Had I been captain of this ship, I would
have blown his brains out as he stood. You don't know to deal with
these rascals. I do."

Captain Toplift, who appeared much pleased at being supported in this
way by me--(strange that a single individual, whom they might have
thrown overboard in a minute, should have gained such an ascendency,
but so it was)--and who perceived that the men fell back, as if taken
by surprise, then said, "Captain, you have taught me a good lesson,
which I will take advantage of. Seize that fellow and put him in
irons."

"Hah!" cried the man, seeing that no one touched him: "who is to bell
the 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 good
fellow, 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 was
aware of it, and, seizing him by the waist, I threw him flat on his
back and put my foot on his neck.

"Now," cried I, in an authoritative voice, "put this man in irons
immediately--refuse who dares. Here, you Sirs, lay hold of this
fellow," continued I, looking to the Portuguese; who accordingly came
forward and led him away, assisted by others, who now joined them.

"Are there any more mutineers here?" inquired I; "if so, let them step
forward."

No one stirred.

"My lads," said I, "it is very true that I have refused to take the
oath, for the oath is not given to those who command, but to those who
obey; but at the same time I am not one to betray you. You know who I
am; 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 man
we want."

"You have a captain already," replied I, "and in a few weeks I shall
command 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 Captain
Toplift in any way, and you can desire no more. And now, my men, as an
old hand, I have but this advice to give you, which is--to return to
your duty; for every thing in a vessel of this description depends
upon obedience; and to you, Captain Toplift, I have also advice to
give, which is--to shoot the first man who behaves as that scoundrel
did who is now in irons. Boatswain! pipe down."

I hardly knew whether this latter order would be obeyed by the
boatswain, or, if obeyed by the boatswain, whether it would be obeyed
by the men; but, to my great satisfaction, it was; and the men retired
peaceably.

"Well, Captain Toplift," said I, "I have done you no harm, and myself
some good."

"You have indeed," replied he; "come down into the cabin." When we
were in the cabin he said, "You have unarmed and subdued the most
mutinous rascal in the vessel, and you have strengthened my authority.
They fully believe you are what you assert from your behaviour, and I
feel, with you at my side, I shall get on better with these fellows
than 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 clothes
he offered me, which were handsome, I soon afterwards went on deck
with him, and received the greatest respect from the men as I passed
them. A cot was slung for me in the cabin, and I lived altogether with
Captain Toplift, who was a good-hearted, rough sort of a man,
certainly wholly unfit for the command of a vessel manned by such a
set of miscreants, and employed on such a service. He told me that he
had been taken three years before by a pirate vessel, and finding that
he could navigate, they had detained him by force, and that at last he
had become accustomed to his position.

"We all must live," said he, "and I had no other means of livelihood
left 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 the
Spanish Main.

"But," said I, "it is peace with the Spaniards just now."

"I hardly knew," said he, "it was peace. Not that peace makes any
difference to us, for we take every thing; but you refer to myself, I
know, and I tell you frankly that I have preferred this cruise merely
that we may not fall in with English vessels, which we are not likely
to 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 you
put 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, and
you shall gain your living in an honest way."

"God bless you, Sir," said he; "I will try what I can do. We must talk
the matter over, for they may suspect something, and then it would be
all over with us."

We continued to run down till we were in the latitude of the Virgin
Isles, and then we altered her course for Jamaica. The first and
second mates generally received information of Captain Toplift as to
his movements and intentions, which they communicated to the crew. If
the crew disapproved of them, they said so, and they were considered
to have some voice in the matter.

Now, although no navigators, these men knew enough of a chart and a
course to find that there must be some reason for its being altered as
it was, instead of running down by the Spanish Main, and they inquired
why the cruise was altered.

Captain Toplift replied that he had taken my advice, and that I had
assured him that at the back of the island of Jamaica we should
certainly fall in with some rich Spanish vessels, if we lay there
quiet in some nook or another for a short time, as this was their time
for coming up from the south to the Havannah, where they rendezvoused
for a convoy.

This reply appeared very satisfactory to the crew, for they were all
cheerful and obedient, and we ran down to Jamaica, and when we were
close in shore, we shortened sail and hove to. We remained three or
four days in the offing, that we might not cause any suspicion by our
leaving too soon. Captain Toplift then told the mates that I proposed
anchoring in some secret bay or inlet, as we were certain to see the
Spanish ships if we could send any one ashore on the hills to look out
for them. This was agreed to, and we made sail and ran along the
coast, looking out for some convenient anchorage.

As we were so doing, a vessel hove in sight, and we immediately made
all sail in chase. As she did not attempt to avoid us, we hauled off
as she came near, to see what she might be. She then hoisted a yellow
flag at her peak (for she was an hermaphrodite brig); this puzzled us
not a little, and we edged down towards her, for she was very
rakish-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 suddenly
altered her course before the wind, setting all the sail that she
possibly could. We immediately crowded canvas in chase, and came up
with her fast. As we ran, the mate and I looked at her through the
glass, and I made her out to be the Transcendant, the captain of which
had treated us so cruelly when we were in the boat, and who had robbed
us of our money and clothes. I called the Portuguese and desired them
to 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 his
own coin;" and I immediately gave directions for the better trimming
of the sails, so anxious was I to come up with him.

The men of the schooner were much pleased at the anxiety I displayed
to come up with the chase, and by the alacrity with which they obeyed
me, I saw how anxious they were that I should be their captain. In two
hours we were within gun-shot, and sent one of our bow-chasers after
him. Perceiving that it was useless to run, the fellow hove to, and as
we came alongside, he was all ready with his boat to come on board. He
did so, and at first I kept out of sight to hear what he would say. He
was followed up the side by his amiable son. Captain Toplift received
him 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 in
the free trade?"

"Yes," replied Toplift, "we are."

"Yes, I thought so, captain, but I expected to meet another schooner
which is very like to yours, and is also in the trade. I made my
signal to her, as, when she has any thing to get rid of, why I take it
off her hands. Perhaps you may have something of the kind which is not
exactly safe to show,--church-plate and the like. I pay ready
money--that's my plan."

As it afterwards appeared, Madam, this scoundrel had been in the free
trade, or pirating, himself for many years, but he had taken an
opportunity of walking off with a large sum of money belonging to the
pirate crew, and with this money he had purchased his property in
Virginia and the brig which he now commanded. Although he did not
follow up the free trade any more, he had made arrangements with a
pirate captain whom he met at Port Royal to meet them at the back of
the island and receive such articles as the pirate might want to turn
into 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 Royal
for dollars, he had always cash to pay for what the pirate wished to
get rid of. But he had now run into the lion's jaws, for not only were
I and the Portuguese on board to denounce him as a robber, but, what
was still more unfortunate for him, three of the pirate's crew, whom
he had swindled out of their property, were also on board of us, and
recognized him immediately.

As Captain Toplift knew how I had been treated by him, he thought it
was time he should be confronted with me, and to his question as to
whether there was any thing to dispose of, he replied to him, "You
must put that question to the captain. There he is."

The fellow turned to me; he looked at me, stared, and was mute, when
his cub of a boy cried out, "As sure as a gun it's he, father, and no
mistake."

"Oh, you imp of Satan, you know me, do you?" replied I. "Yes, it is
he. Send all the men aft."

The men came fast enough. They were only waiting till I had spoken to
them to come and give information against him.

"Now, my lads," said I, "this is a scoundrel who fell in with some of
us when we were in distress, after we had lost our vessel. Instead of
behaving 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 and
the two Portuguese you took on board about four months back are the
only three left: the others perished. The one who was with me was
burnt to death by the Indians, and I narrowly escaped. I leave you to
decide what this scoundrel merits."

"But there is more against him, captain," said the men, and then four
of them stepped out and declared that he had run away with the money
belonging to the crew of which they were a part, and that the sum he
had 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 shall
therefore leave you to decide upon the fate of this miscreant;" and
having said that, I was going below to the cabin, when the captain of
the 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 him
what he had to say.

"I have that to tell you which is of more value than the lives of a
hundred boys like me."

"Boys like you? Why I thought it was to save your father's life that
you came down, Sir?"

"Pooh!" said he, "let him hang; he was born for a halter. I am come to
save my own life. I only said that to gammon him."

"You're a hopeful youth," said I; "and pray what is that you can tell
me that will save your own neck from the halter?"

"That which will save your own, most likely," replied the boy, "and
tit-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 as
father, but I'd rather not, 'cause I know where all his money is
hidden."

"I can't make any promise," replied I.

"Then I can't tell," replied he, "so I may e'en go on deck and tell
father that I cannot manage it;" and as he said the latter part of
this speech, the undaunted little villain actually laughed at the idea
of gammoning his father, as he termed it.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart from
it, is mostly true; but it is more certain that if you train a child
up 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 of
this young villain? but his father had made him so, and thus was he
rewarded.

"Stop," said I, for I had reflected whether, after all, there were any
grounds for hanging the boy, and come to a conclusion that a jury
would have probably acquitted him. "Stop," said I; "you say that what
you can tell is of the greatest consequence."

"And becomes of more consequence every minute that passes," replied
he. "I will tell you every thing, and let you into father's secrets. I
peach upon father altogether."

"Well, then," replied I, "if what you have to disclose proves
important, I will do all I can to save your life, and I have no doubt
that I shall be able so to do."

"No more have I," replied he, "or I would not have come to you. Now
then, father came to the back of the island to do a little business
with a pirate schooner, as he said just now; and he has very often
done 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's
vessel who is there, having been sent to put down the pirates if
possible, and he offered this captain of the king's ship, for a
certain 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 so
late in the bay that the king's ship should come upon him all of a
sudden and take him, and this was father's intention, only you have
pinned him. The king's ship will be round that point in two hours or
thereabouts, so if you are found here you will be taken and hanged as
sure as I ain't hanged yet. Now ain't this important news, and worth
all 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 me
with every thing. I saw the paper signed. The king's ship is called
the Vestal, and the captain who signed the paper, signed it Philip
Musgrave."

"Indeed," said I, turning away, for I did not wish the boy to perceive
my emotion at this announcement. I recovered myself as soon as I
could, and said to him, "Boy, I will keep my promise. Do you stay
below, 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 spare
yourself and him that painful meeting."

"No, I don't want to wish him good-bye; I'll wait till it's over, only
I never did see a man hanged, and I have a curiosity to have just a
peep."

"Out, you little monster," cried I, running up on deck, for the
information I had received was too important not to be immediately
taken 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 his
neck and run out to the yard-arm for some time, and the men had manned
the rope, only awaiting my return on deck. In a second, the captain of
the Transcendant was swinging in the air, and certainly if ever a
scoundrel merited his fate, it was that man. Shortly afterwards I
turned round, and there was the young hopeful looking at his father's
body 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 of
emotion. 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 received
intelligence of that importance that I recommend that we should cut
that 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"--"that
plunder they would"--that "I was not the captain of the vessel," and
many more expressions showing how soon a man may lose popularity on
board 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 lower
down the boats, for it was now calm, that they might tow the schooner
alongside of the Transcendant.

"You might as well talk to the wind as talk to them when there is
plunder 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 we
came 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 informed
Captain Toplift of what he had told me.

"If you had told them, they would not have paid attention to you. The
boat's crew who came with the captain have told them that there is
money 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 force
opposed, 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 they
will blow up the vessel rather than be taken. Not all of them, but two
or 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 in
the magazine passage. See," said he, opening the door, "there is the
scuttle where they hand the powder up."

"I will be on the watch, depend upon it; and, Captain Toplift, if the
schooner 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 position
am I in, and how much will be in suspense before twenty-four hours are
over. My own brother here, not ten miles perhaps from me, commanding
the vessel which will attack this on which I am on board. That they
will take us I have no doubt; but what risk do I run--of death by
shot, or by their blowing up the vessel in spite of me, or of no
quarter being given. Well, I wish it were decided. At all events, I am
long supposed dead, and I shall not be recognized among the heaps of
bodies."

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 those
clothes, and be thrown overboard as a common seaman. I then went on
deck, for I had heard the grating of the sides of the two vessels and
knew that they were in contact.

All was uproar and confusion on board of the Transcendant, but there
was nobody on board the schooner except Toplift and myself. I cannot
say that I never saw such a scene, for I had seen quite as bad on
board of a privateer. The common seamen, as well as the soldiers, when
let loose to plunder, are like maniacs. In half an hour they had
broken open every thing, cut the crew to pieces, found out the hoard
of dollars, which was shown them by young Peleg, who tried for his
share, but for so doing received a chop with a cutlass, which cut off
his right ear, and wounded him severely on the shoulder; but his right
arm was not disabled, and while the man that cut him down was bending
over a heap of dollars, which took both hands to lift them, the boy
ran his knife deep into the man's side, who fell mortally wounded. The
rush for the dollars thus at the mercy of the rest was so great, that
Peleg was not minded, and he crept away and came on board the
schooner. We saw that he was bleeding profusely, but we asked no
questions, 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 he
had 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 more
or less intoxicated. They had found plenty of good clothes, and were
strutting about with gold-laced waistcoats and embroidered coats over
their dirty frocks. The uproar increased every minute, when Toplift,
who had been looking out with the glass, exclaimed, "There she is, by
all 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 were
still becalmed, and she was bringing the wind down with her, so that
to escape appeared impossible.

"Now, what shall we do?" said Captain Toplift; "shall we allow her to
come down upon us and say nothing to the men, or shall we point out
the danger, and persuade them to come on board and prepare?"

"You must do as you please," replied I, "I am indifferent which. It
will be dark in another hour, and she will not be down by that time. I
would rather avoid fighting, and get away from the schooner quietly if
I could, but that I fear is impossible now."

"Well, I must go on board of the brig and let them know, for if they
find it out themselves, they will throw us overboard."

Captain Toplift then went on board of the brig, and calling to the men
who were still sober, told them that there was a king's ship coming
down upon them not seven miles off. This had the effect of putting an
end to the confusion and noise of a great portion of the men, who
hastened 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 the
brig, was made ready for action; but Toplift was obliged to make some
alteration in the stationing of the men, as those who were to hand up
the powder were all of them tipsy. By the time that the schooner was
ready, and the breeze had come down to her, the corvette was not more
than three miles from us; but it was quite dark, for there is no
twilight in those parts. We consulted what course we should take to
avoid her, if possible, and agreed that we would stand in shore and
pass her if we possibly could. We knew that, if seen, we were then
certain 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 not
steered in this direction more than a quarter of an hour, when the
Transcendant was perceived to be on fire, having been fired by the
drunken men before they left her, and soon afterwards she burst out
into flames that threw a strong light to a great distance, discovering
the corvette to us at two miles' distance, and of course exposing us
to the corvette, who immediately altered her course for us. We had
therefore only to fight, and the crew, being most of them in liquor,
declared that they would fight till the schooner sunk under them. In a
quarter of an hour, the corvette being close to us, and standing stem
on, we opened our fire, raking her masts and yards, and then I went
down below. I had changed my clothes for the duck trowsers and shirt
which 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 shot
did great execution. The cries of the wounded and the shouts of the
tipsy men were mingled together, but the crew of the schooner tired
with great rapidity, and sustained the unequal conflict most
gallantly.

After a time some men darted down into the cabin. I was then at the
door which led to the magazine passage, and busied myself handing up
the powder, as it secured me from observation, and it was supposed
that I was one of the crew sent down for that duty.

The men roared out, "Where is the captain? We want him to fight the
ship. 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 up
the 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 her
broadsides with fatal execution, the shot passing in every direction
through her, so that there was as much danger below as on deck, and it
was evident that the schooner could not oppose them much longer. Still
they continued to fire with great resolution, being now sobered into
more steadiness than at first. But by this time more than half the men
were killed and wounded, and our guns were encumbered with the wreck
and bodies. I heard them, at the very time that a crashing broadside
was poured in by the corvette, cry out, "Avast firing for a moment and
clear the decks."

They did so, and having thrown the bodies overboard and cut away the
spars and rigging which had fallen, so as to enable them to work their
guns, during which time three broadsides were poured in, they remanned
their guns, and fought with as much spirit as before. I could not help
admiring the courage of the scoundrels, for nothing could exceed it;
but resistance was useless, further than they preferred dying at their
guns to being hanged on the gibbet.

But the shouts of the pirates and the reports of the guns gradually
decreased. The men were swept away by the enemy's fire, and the guns
were one by one disabled. The schooner's sides were torn out, and the
water poured in below so fast that it was rising to the magazine. I
heard 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 the
magazine passage. It was the fellow whom I had struck down on the
quarter-deck and had put into irons.

"Come along," said he, to the others; "we'll send the corvette and
ourselves 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 he
attempted to draw it out of his belt, but before he could effect it I
blew out his brains with the pistol which I had ready cocked in my
hand.

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 the
magazine; they have attempted to blow up the vessel already."

"Who are you?" said an officer.

"A prisoner," replied I.

"Well, then, lead him on deck, and stay here, two of you; shut down
the magazine scuttle and keep guard."

"Thank Heaven," thought I, "that this affair is over," as a seaman
led me by the collar on deck, and handed me to others, who took me on
board 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 Captain
Toplift, although badly wounded with a splinter, was among the number.
We remained there huddled together with a guard of ten men over us for
more than an hour, when we heard, from the conversation on deck, that
the schooner had sunk. After that the guns of the corvette were
secured, and the men had an allowance of liquor served out to them,
the watch was called, and all was quiet during the remainder of that
night. For some time I was in a state of excitement from the events of
the last twenty-four hours crowding so rapidly, but by degrees I
became calm. I asked one of the guard who was the captain of the
corvette.

"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 my
cutlass down your throat, you will hold your tongue."

But I did not require to repeat the question, as I heard one of the
officers 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 would
be hanged In a few days, if not the next morning, should sleep so
sound--but so it was--while I, who had every reason to believe that my
sufferings were over, could not sleep one wink. I was, however, fully
satisfied with my own castle-buildings during the night, and more
satisfied when it was again broad daylight. After the men had had
their breakfast, an order came down for all the prisoners to be
brought on deck. We were led up under guard, and made to stand all in
a row. I looked round for my brother, but he was not on deck. It was
the first lieutenant who was there, with several other officers, and
the 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. What
is 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 happened
that I was the last; for, anxious to see my brother, I had walked up
the foremost, and they had commenced their interrogation at the other
end 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 good
fellow, for your life is forfeited now."

"I rather think not, Sir," replied I. "On the contrary, I feel it is
quite 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, Philip
Musgrave, and I will thank you to go into his cabin and inform him
that I am here."

The first lieutenant and officers started back in astonishment, and so
did Captain Toplift and the pirates. The first lieutenant hardly knew
whether to consider it as a pretence on my part or not, and was
undecided how to act, when Captain Toplift said, "I do not know
whether the gentleman is as he says, but this is certain, and all the
men can prove it as well as myself, that he did swim on board, as he
said, to escape from the Indians, and that he has never joined the
crew. They offered to make him captain in my stead, and he positively
refused it."

"Yes," said all the pirates; "that's true enough."

"Well, Sir," replied the first lieutenant, "I will certainly carry
your message."

"To make all certain," replied I, "I will write my name on a slip of
paper 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 the
cabin. In a minute he returned, and requested me to follow him. I did
so, and in another minute I was in the arms of my brother. For some
time we neither of us could speak. At last Philip said, "That you are
alive 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 of
a vessel which I have been riddling with shot, any one of which might
have caused your death. Thank God I was ignorant that you were on
board, or I never could have done my duty. I will not ask how you came
on 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, and
afterwards 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 those
letters; but I will not anticipate my story, nor will I now ask for
yours; it is sufficient at present that you are alive, my dear
Alexander, 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 in
mind from having no account of you. Her father and others have
reasoned with her, and painted the impossibility of your being in
existence, as the xebeque you sailed in had never been heard of. She
still adheres in the opinion that you are alive, and will not abandon
the hope of seeing you again; but hope deferred has paled her cheek
even more pale than it usually is, and she evidently suffers much, for
her life is wrapped in yours. Now having told you this, you must come
into my state-room, and allow me to enable you to appear as my brother
ought to do. I do not think that there is any difference in our size
now, although there was when we last parted."

"Many thanks, Philip, but before I adonize my outward man I should
wish to satisfy my inward cravings; and, to tell you the truth, I'm so
hungry from not having broken my fast for nearly twenty-four hours,
that if you could order something to eat while you are looking out the
clothes, I should feel in no small degree grateful."

Philip rang the bell and ordered the steward in bring something to eat
and drink, and after eating I occupied a quarter of an hour more in
getting rid of the pirate smoke and dirt, and putting on one of his
uniforms, 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 _tête-à-tête_, come out
with me, and let me introduce you to the officers as my brother."

I went out with him, and was formally introduced. The first lieutenant
apologized for his rough speech, but I told him that there was no
occasion for any apology, as I had no doubt that I looked very much
like 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 prisoners
who, 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 kindly
treated? His name is Toplift--and also two Portuguese, my former
companions."

"Certainly," replied Philip, "your word is sufficient. Let those
persons be released and taken care of," said he to the first
lieutenant. "We will wait for the particulars by-and-by."

I remained on deck about ten minutes, and then returned to the cabin
with 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 eventually
may prove a very important one. I don't think that I can afford to
make 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 a
drawer and locked it up, he said, "Now, Alexander, let me have your
history."

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 resumed
it. When I had finished, he expressed his astonishment, and asked many
questions. Among others he said, "And that little wretch Peleg, the
captain of the Transcendant's son, is he on board?"

"I have not seen him," replied I, "and therefore presume that he was
not 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 have
had some extraordinary escapes. You must have a charmed life, and you
appear to have been preserved to prove that Amy's persuasion of your
being still alive was just and well-founded; and now it is my turn to
talk, and yours to listen. When I left you as lieutenant of Captain
Levee's schooner, we very shortly afterwards had an action with a
Spanish vessel of very superior force, for she mounted thirty guns.
Having no chance with her, from her superior weight of metal, we threw
ourselves on her bow and boarded. The Spaniards did not relish this
kind of close fighting, and gave us immediate possession of their
deck. Captain Levee, when he brought in his prize, was appointed to a
frigate of thirty-six guns, and I followed him as his first
lieutenant. We had another combat with a vessel of equal force, in
which we were the victors, and I was sent in the prize. Captain Levee
wrote very kindly in my behalf, and I was made a captain, and given
the command of a small brig. But let me first finish with Captain
Levee. He captured a galleon, which gave him a large fortune, and he
then gave up the command of his ship, and went on shore, telling me in
a letter that he had hitherto squandered away all his money, but now
that he had got so much, he intended to keep it. He has done so, for
he 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 having
information that the vessel which you are now on board of was at
anchor in a bay close to the Havannah, I ran in and reconnoitred. She
hoisted Spanish colours, and I did the same. It fell calm, and I lay
about four miles outside. I was mistaken for another Spanish vessel,
and the captain of this vessel, or, to speak correctly, the Spanish
captain of the Spanish brig, came out to see me, and did not discover
his 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 I
put the head of the brig right for the bay, as if I were going in to
anchor. The breeze being light, it was dark before I got in and
alongside this vessel. They were completely surprised, for they
imagined that their captain was dining with his old friend, and having
no idea that we were any thing but Spanish, had not the least
preparation for resistance. We had possession of her decks before they
could seize their arms, and I brought her out without any one knowing
that she had been captured. On my arrival, the admiral gave me the
command of her, which I have held for nine months; but she is very
defective, and I was ordered home, and should have sailed, had it not
been that that scoundrel, the captain of the Transcendant, gave me the
information which induced me to come round to the back of the island.
Little did I think what happiness awaited me. So much for myself. Do
not think me an egotist for speaking of myself, I am only clearing
away the less important information to arrive at that which most
interests you. The Amy arrived safe with her valuable cargo. The
captain reported that he had remained at the rendezvous until blown
off 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 in
remaining with so valuable a cargo, but was bound to make the best of
his way to Liverpool. He was right, and his conduct was approved of by
Mr. Trevannion, who looked for your arrival every hour. At last a week
passed away and you did not make your appearance, and great alarm was
entertained for your safety. The weeks grew into months, and it was
supposed that you had been upset in the same hurricane which had
driven the Amy so far off from her rendezvous. The poor girl, Whyna,
was, as you may suppose, kindly received by Mr. Trevannion and his
daughter, and soon gained their affection; but she pined for your
return, and when she was told that you were dead she never recovered
it. The climate certainly did not agree with her, and she contracted a
very bad cough during the winter, but I believe from my heart that it
was your loss which affected her the most severely. After she had been
about eighteen months in England, she fell into a consumption and
died."

"Poor Whyna!" said I, with a sigh.

"Alexander," said Philip, "perhaps it was all for the best, for that
poor girl loved you sincerely, and supposing that she was now still
alive and living with Miss Trevannion, and on your return your
marriage should (which of course, unless Heaven decrees otherwise, it
will) take place, that poor creature would have been very unhappy; and
although the idea of her being a rival to Miss Trevannion is something
which may appear absurd to us, yet she had the same feelings, and must
have endured the same pangs as any other woman, let her colour be what
it may. I think, therefore, that her removal was a blessing and a
happy dispensation. I saw Mr. Trevannion and his daughter but once
previous to their receiving your letters from Rio acquainting them
with your misfortunes and happy deliverance from slavery. They were
both very dejected, and Mr. Trevannion talked of retiring from
business, and living upon his property near Liverpool. As I
corresponded regularly with Amy, I learnt that he had done so, and had
just wound up his affairs when your letters arrived from Rio with an
order on the Portuguese Exchequer for a considerable sum. I hardly
need say that the joy occasioned by this intelligence was great. Amy
recovered her good looks, and her father bitterly lamented his having
retired from business, as he had wished to have made the whole over to
you. The money you remitted from Rio he considered as your own, and he
also set apart your share of the business from the time that you were
admitted as a partner. He was not aware that you could carry a diamond
of such immense value about your person, exposed to the view of every
one; among Indians, settlers, and pirates. That my delight was equal
to theirs you will, I am sure, give me credit to believe; and although
I was obliged to sail for the West Indies, every day I anticipated
receiving a letter informing me of your arrival in England. Judge then
my distress at first receiving letters stating that you had not been
heard of for three months after your leaving Rio, and expressions of
fear that some accident had happened, and then month after month many
more and more desponding letters, in which Mr. Trevannion plainly
stated that the xebeque must have foundered; and only Amy clinging to
the hope that you were still alive. I acknowledge that I considered
you dead, and you may therefore imagine my surprise and delight when
your signature on the slip of paper proved that you were not only in
existence, but on board of the same vessel with me."

Such was the narrative of my brother Philip in return for mine, and it
was late at night when we parted. Oh! how sincerely did I pray that
night, thanking Heaven for all its mercies, and entreating that the
cup might not be again dashed from my lips. When I arose the next
morning 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 hope
to find the admiral still there."

I had some conversation with the officers, and then went below to see
Toplift. He was in his hammock, for he had much fever and suffered
from his wound, but the surgeon said that he would do well.

"Toplift," said I, "you must keep your mind at ease, for my brother
has promised me that you shall not be tried with the others, and has
no doubt that when he explains the whole to the admiral you will be
thanked for your service."

"Thanked!" said Toplift, "if I am not hanged, I shall be fortunate
enough."

"No fear of that," replied I, "so keep your mind easy and get well as
fast as you can."

"Well then, Sir, you have saved my life, at all events, for had you
not come on board, no one would have ever spoken for me, or believed
that I was not a pirate in heart like all the others, except the two
Portuguese."

"If necessary, they will be evidence in your favour, but I do not
think any evidence will be required except mine, and that will be
sufficient with the admiral. I promised you that you should never want
the 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 the
cabin to breakfast.

The following day we were at anchor at Port Royal; my brother reported
what had occurred, and the admiral sent for all the pirate prisoners
except Toplift, whose case was so fully represented by me and my
brother, that he was permitted to go at large, and to take a passage
home to England free of expense if he wished it. It is hardly
necessary to say that Toplift accepted this offer, and remained in the
vessel with me. The two Portuguese were also liberated. Three days
after our arrival we sailed for England, and after a quick run of
between five and six weeks, we anchored at Spithead. My brother could
not leave his ship, and I therefore requested him to write to
Liverpool stating that he had intelligence of me, and that I was
alive; that I had been wrecked and had fallen into the hands of the
Indians near the English settlements in Virginia, and that I had
escaped and was, he believed, at James Town.

I considered it wise to make a communication like this at first, as
too sudden an announcement might be dangerous to one in so weak a
state of health as Philip stated my Amy to be from the letter he had
received from her father. I remained with him at Portsmouth until the
reply came. Mr. Trevannion wrote and told Philip that his
communication had, as it were, raised his daughter from the grave--as
she had fallen into a state of profound melancholy, which nothing
could remove--that he had very cautiously introduced the subject, and
by degrees told her what was reported, and eventually when he found
that she was more composed, that he had put Philip's letter into her
hand.

He concluded that he trusted that I would arrive, and soon, for if any
accident was now to happen to me it would be the death of his
daughter, who had not strength enough left to bear another reverse. At
my request Philip then wrote that he had received a letter from a
brother officer stating that I was well and safe on board, and that
they 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 my
diamond, requesting that he would weigh it and then estimate its
value. He was much astonished at the sight of such a stone, as well he
might be, and after weighing it and examining it, he pronounced it
worth £47,000, provided a purchaser could be found for an article of
such value.

I told him that I was not a merchant, and could not be travelling
about to show the diamond to crowned heads, but if he would give me a
liberal price for it, I would abate a great deal, that he might
dispose of it to his own advantage. He requested that he might call
upon me with two of his friends, that they might see the diamond and
consult with him; and then he would give me an answer. We fixed the
time for twelve o'clock on the following day, and I took my leave.

The next day he called at the time appointed, accompanied by two
gentlemen of his own persuasion. They weighed the stone again very
carefully, examined it by the light of a powerful lamp to ascertain
its water, and to see if there were any flaws in it, calculated the
reduction of weight which would take place in cutting it, and, after a
consultation, I was offered £38,000. I considered this an offer that I
ought not to refuse, and I closed with them. The next day the affair
was settled. I received money and bills on government to the amount,
and wrote to Philip telling him what had taken place. Strange that
from two slaves in the mines I should have received such valuable
legacies; from poor Ingram a diamond worth so much money, and from the
other Englishman a tattered Bible which made me a sincere Christian--a
legacy in comparison of which the diamond was as dross.

Philip replied to my letter congratulating me on the sale of the
diamond, and informing me that to his letter he had received a reply
containing so satisfactory an account of Amy's restored health, that
he had written to tell them that I had arrived safe in England, and
would be very soon with them. He recommended my going immediately, as
the anxiety and suspense would be very injurious to Amy's health. I
therefore made every arrangement for my departure, purchased horses,
and procured four stout serving men, well armed, to accompany me, and
wrote a letter, which I sent by an express courier, stating the exact
day 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 give
time for the express to arrive before me, as I intended to travel very
fast. My stay in London was the occasion of an important discovery. I
was at the coffee-house at St. Paul's, and was talking with one of
Captain 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 of
looking personage, in a black suit, who was standing at the
bay-window, turned round, and coming up to me said, "Sir, as a
stranger I must apologize, but hearing your friend call you by the
name of Musgrave, may I venture to ask if you are any relative to Sir
Richard 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 are
looking 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 the
estates are entailed."

"His eldest son, Richard, Sir, is dead. We have authenticated
documents to prove that; and, moreover, his second son, Charles, is
also 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 third
son, Alexander Musgrave, whom we seek, and seek in vain. He is now the
heir to the baronetcy and estates, but we have lost all clue to him.
We understand that a Captain Philip Musgrave is just arrived from the
West Indies. He is, we presume, the fourth son. But until we can find
out what has become of Alexander Musgrave, and whether he is dead or
alive, we cannot act. I have written this day to Captain Musgrave,
requesting any information he can give, but have received no answer. I
presume, 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 to
us."

"The evidence of my brother, Captain Philip Musgrave, in whose ship I
have just arrived from the West Indies; that his answer to your letter
will be satisfactory enough, I have no doubt. Here is a letter from
him to me, in which you see he addresses me 'my dear Alexander,' and
concludes with 'your affectionate brother, Philip Musgrave.'"

"This is indeed, satisfactory, Sir," replied the gentleman, "and I
have only to receive an answer from your brother to make all right and
clear. Allow me, Sir, to congratulate you upon your accession to the
title and property. I presume you will have no objection, as soon as
the 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 I
cannot go down with you to Cumberland at present. I leave London for
Liverpool the day after to-morrow on important business, and cannot
disappoint the parties."

"Well, Sir, it must indeed be an important business which will prevent
you from taking possession of a title and £4,000 per annum," replied
he; "but here is my address, and I hope I shall hear from you as soon
as possible, as I shall remain in town till I can bring the heir down
with me."

The man now looked as if he doubted me. He could not imagine that I
could neglect the taking possession of the estate for any other
business, and it did appear singular, so I said to him, "Sir, I have
been long out of England, and am affianced to a young lady who lives
near 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 a
day. I cannot disappoint her, and, I tell you more, that, without I
possess her, the possession of the title and estates will give me very
little pleasure."

"Sir," replied he, making a bow, "I honour your sentiments, and she
must be a worthy lady who can inspire such feelings. I only hope that
you will not remain too long at Liverpool, as London is expensive, and
I am anxious to return to Cumberland."

I then wished the gentleman farewell, and went home to my lodgings. I
had given him my address in case he wanted to see me before my
departure.

The next day I received a letter from Philip inclosing the one written
to him by this gentleman, whose name was Campbell, and who was a
lawyer. Philip told me what reply he had made to him, and
congratulated me on my accession to the title and estates. Almost an
hour afterwards Mr. Campbell called upon me with Philip's letter,
which he declared to be highly satisfactory, and sufficient in any
court 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 have
heard your name in my youth, although I cannot recollect ever having
seen you."

"I was the confidential adviser of your father at one time, Sir,"
replied he, "but latterly all intercourse had ceased; it was not until
he was on his death-bed, and fully repented the foolish step which he
had taken, and the injustice he had been guilty of, that he sent for
me, much to the annoyance of Lady Musgrave, who would have prevented
me from coming into the house even when I arrived, had it not been for
the servants, who disobeyed her."

"And my sisters, Sir, Janet and Mabel?"

"Are both well, and have grown up very fine girls. Your father
destroyed the deed by which Lady Musgrave was to have had a large
jointure upon the estate, and she is now entirely dependent upon you
for what she may receive. When do you expect to be able to come up
from Liverpool?"

"I can hardly say, but of course as soon as I can."

"Well, Sir, my own affairs will require my presence in the metropolis
for a month. In the meantime, although I should have preferred to have
gone down with you to Faristone Hall, and have at once put you in
possession, yet affairs may remain as they are (for every thing is
under seal, and Lady Musgrave has been compelled to remove), till it
suits your convenience. I shall, however, write to let them know that
you have been found, and will soon come down and take possession."

Mr. Campbell then asked me a few questions, to which I replied
satisfactorily, and then for the first time he saluted me with my
title, saying, "Sir Alexander, I will now take my leave."

The next morning I set off on my journey, and travelled with as much
speed 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 the
avenue of chestnut trees, I perceived a female form looking out from
an upper window, which soon afterwards made a precipitate retreat. I
alighted, and was received at the door in the embrace of Mr.
Trevannion, who welcomed me with tears, and taking me by the hand he
led me into an apartment where I found my adored Amy, who threw
herself into my arms and wept as if her heart would break; but her
sobs were the sobs of joy, and when she did raise her head and look at
me, it was with eyes beaming with pleasure, and with smiles upon her
beautiful lips. I clasped her to my bosom, and felt that I was more
than repaid for all I had suffered, and my heart was throbbing with
gratitude and love.

It was some time before we could sufficiently compose ourselves to
enter into lengthened conversation, and then Amy inquired what had
occurred to me to occasion such a lengthened absence. We sat down on a
sofa, and with Amy on one side of me and her father on the other, I
entered 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 second
wife a little better than I did my first."

"I hope so too," replied Amy; "but I have great fear that your
Virginian mistress may come over and claim you."

"I do not think that likely. From the Indians having followed me to
the 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, and
fought with her axe to the last."

That evening I had a long conversation with Mr. Trevannion. He told me
what he had done with the money, which he considered as mine, and I
put into his care the sum I had received for the diamond. I then spoke
to him about our marriage, and requested that it might not be
postponed.

"My dear Musgrave," said he, "my daughter's happiness so depends upon
her union with you, that I can only say I am willing that it should
take place to-morrow. For yourself you know that I have the highest
esteem, and that you must be convinced of when I have consented to
the match without even making inquiry as to your family and
connections. Now, however, is the time that I should wish to have some
information about them."

"My dear Sir, if you will only make inquiries, you will find that the
family 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, of
Faristone Hall, in Cumberland. I am a near relative of his, as I can
satisfactorily prove."

"That is sufficient," replied Mr. Trevannion. "I shall leave you to
plead your cause with Amy to-morrow; so now, good night."

The following day I told Amy that, since my arrival in England, I had
heard of the death of my father, and that it was necessary that I
should 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 I
made arrangements with the legal adviser of our family that I would be
there in less than a month."

"It is a long journey," said Mr. Trevannion, "and how long to you
stay?"

"That I cannot possibly say," replied I; "but not longer than I can
help."

"I do not think that I shall let you go," said Amy; "you are not to be
trusted out of sight. You are so born for adventure that you will not
be heard of again for another two years."

"Such is my misfortune, I grant," replied I; "but, Amy, you look pale
and thin; change of air would do you much service. Suppose you and
your father were to come with me. Indeed, Mr. Trevannion, I am in
earnest. At this delightful time of the year nothing would prove so
beneficial to her health; and, Amy, then, you know, that I shall not
be 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 travelling
with me as Amy Trevannion. You are right. Then let me propose that you
travel with me as Amy Musgrave."

"I second that proposal," said Mr. Trevannion.

"Consent, Amy, let our marriage be quite private. I know you will
prefer that it should be so, and so will your father. You will then
travel 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 it
should be so. Recollect it will be the last time that you have to obey
your father, so do not annoy me by a refusal."

"I will not, my dear father," replied Amy, kissing him. "Your last
command I obey with pleasure. And oh! if I have sometimes been a
wilful 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 a
wife as she has been a daughter, you now receive a treasure," and I
felt 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 bridal
clothes; in fact, no one was invited, and it was at my request quite a
secret marriage. A clergyman had been engaged to perform the ceremony,
and, on the day appointed, I received the hand of my Amy in the
drawing-room, and in the presence only of Humphrey and two other
confidential servants.

After the ceremony was over, the clergyman requested me to come with
him into the adjoining room, and said, it was necessary that he should
give a certificate of the marriage, which must be inserted in the
parish register. He had called me aside for that purpose, that I might
give him my exact name, profession, &c.

"My name is Alexander Musgrave, as you have heard when you married
us."

"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 in
future 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, has
she 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 be
in the care of the lady, and therefore, my lady, I hand it over to
you."

"My lady is much obliged to you for your kindness," replied Amy, for
she thought that the clergyman was only facetious.

She held the certificate in her hand folded as it had been given her
for some time. At last curiosity, or, perhaps, having nothing else to
do, induced her to open it and read it. I was at this time talking
with the clergyman, and presenting him with a handsome douceur for his
trouble; but perceiving her to open the certificate, I watched her
countenance. She read and started. I turned away as if not observing
her. 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 the
way in which he looked at his daughter with his spectacles falling off
his nose. He then came up, and pointing to the certificate said, "Pray
how am I in future to address my daughter?"

"As Amy, I trust, Sir, unless you wish to scold her, and then you must
call her Lady Musgrave. I am, my dear Sir, as the certificate states,
Sir Alexander Musgrave, of Faristone, with a handsome property
descended to me. I did not know it till I arrived in London, and if I
concealed it from you till now, it was only that my Amy should have
the satisfaction of proving to me that she wedded me in pure
disinterestedness of affection."

"It was very, very kind of you, Alexander, to do as you have done, and
I thank you sincerely for it."

"And now, my dear Amy, you understand why I wished you to come with me
to Cumberland, that you may take possession of your future abode, and
assume 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 roof
will always cover us, as long as Heaven thinks fit to spare our
lives."

"May God bless you both," replied Mr. Trevannion, "I cannot part with
you, and must follow."

About half an hour after this, I requested Amy and Mr. Trevannion to
sit by me, as I had now another narrative to give them, which was an
explanation why and how it was that they found me in the position that
they had done; in short, what were the causes that induced me, and
afterwards my brother Philip, to quit our parental roof, and to come
to the resolution of fighting our own way in the world. It was as
follows:

"Sir Richard Musgrave, my father, married a young lady of high
connection, a Miss Arabella Johnson, and with her lived, I have every
reason to believe, a very happy life for nearly twenty-five years,
when it pleased God to summon her away. I have a good recollection of
my 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 die
till I was nearly sixteen; and I can only say, that a more elegant,
amiable, and truly virtuous woman, as I believe, never existed. By
this marriage my father had four sons and two daughters; Richard, the
eldest; Charles, the second; myself, the third; and Philip, the
fourth; and my sisters, who came last, were named Janet and Mabel. At
the time of my mother's death, my eldest brother was serving with the
army, 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._ per
annum, he of course had no occasion for a profession. My second
brother, Charles, being of an adventurous turn, had gone out to the
East Indies in a high position, as servant to the Company. I was still
at home, as well as Philip, who is four years my junior, and my
sisters were of course at home. I pass over my regrets at my mother's
death, and will now speak more of my father. He was a good-tempered,
weak man, easily led, and although, during my mother's lifetime, he
was so well led that it was of little consequence, the case proved
very different at her death. For a year my father remained quiet in
the house, content with superintending his improvements on his
property, and he had lately become infirm, and had given up the hounds
and rural sports in general. The dairy was one of his principal
hobbies; and it so happened that a young girl, the daughter of a
labourer, was one of the females employed in that part of the
establishment. She was certainly remarkably good-looking; her features
were very small, and she did not show that robust frame which people
in her class of life generally do. She was about seventeen years old,
slight in figure, and certainly a person that you would not pass
without making some commendatory remark upon her good looks and modest
appearance. She was not, however, what she appeared; she was beyond
measure cunning and astute, and, as it proved, inordinately ambitious.
My father, who was naturally of an amorous disposition, was attracted
by her, and very soon was constantly in the dairy, and his attentions
were so marked, that the other servants used to call her 'my lady.' A
few months after my father had shown a preference for this girl, he
was 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 to
her. Philip and I, who were at our tutor's, when we came home, heard
from others what was going on, and very foolishly played the girl many
tricks, and annoyed her as much as we could. After we returned, my
father had another fit of the gout, and when he was confined to his
room, he desired this girl to be sent for to attend upon him. I cannot
say what took place, but this is certain, that my father's
unfortunate passion became so great, and I presume the girl's ambition
rose in proportion, that about six months afterwards, this daughter of
a menial was raised to the dignity of Lady Musgrave--she being at that
time about eighteen, and my father verging on seventy.

"When this ill-assorted and disgraceful connection was known, the
gentry and aristocracy of the county refused any longer to visit my
father, and all communication was broken off. In a short time the
ascendency which this artful girl gained over the old man was most
wonderful. He lived but in her sight, and knew no will but hers. Her
father and family were removed to a good house in the neighbourhood,
and gave themselves all the airs of gentlepeople. The good old steward
was dismissed, and her father established in his room, although the
man could not read or write, and was wholly unfit for the office. The
expense which she launched out into, by his permission, was excessive.
New liveries, new coaches, diamonds, and dresses fit for the
court--indeed, every kind of luxury that could be conceived, and much
greater than my father could afford. She now showed herself in her
true colours; vindictive and tyrannical to excess, she dismissed all
the 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 not
till four months after the marriage that Philip and I came home, and
our new step-mother had not forgotten our treatment of her. She
treated us with great harshness, refused our taking meals at my
father's table, and ordered us the coarsest fare; and when we
complained to my father, denied every thing that we said. As we found
that 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 not
more, than she annoyed us, by talking of her mean origin and her
former occupation; we defied her, and, in so doing, we ruined
ourselves; for, after a useless struggle on my father's part, he gave
way to her imperious commands, and sending for me, told me that I had
become such a reprobate that I was no longer a son of his. He threw me
a purse, telling me that it was all I might expect from him, and that
I was instantly to leave the house, and never show my face in it any
more. I replied, with more spirit than respect, that it was high time
that the son of a gentleman and lady should leave the house, when such
lowborn creatures were installed in it as the mistress. My father, in
a 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 been
listening to what had passed, and she was full of exultation.

"'It is your turn now, you she-devil,' said I, in my rage; 'but wait
till my father dies. You shall go a-milking again.'

"I do not mean to defend my conduct, but I was then no seventeen, and
that must be my excuse. I little thought, when I said so, that it
would be from my hands that she would have to receive bounty, but so
it is, as Mr. Campbell informs me that my father destroyed, previous
to his death, the papers which he had signed to secure her a large
jointure on the estate. I set off with my wardrobe and the purse of
twenty guineas, which my father had given me, and having a desire to
see the world, I went on board of a merchant vessel. Six months
afterwards, 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 Philip
was 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 my
father from him by every means in her power. Three years afterwards
she succeeded in having him dismissed, also, and you know how I found
him out. All these circumstances were very well known in the
neighbourhood and to our own relations; and one only, my aunt, called
upon my father, and, after a long conversation, my father consented
that my sisters should go away, and remain under her charge. My
step-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 she
had no other view but her own aggrandisement, and that she cared
little for him. Her repeated attempts, however, to make him sign in
her favour, in case of his death, were successful, and it was not
till after her conduct had alienated him from her, and he deplored the
loss of his children, that he committed the deed to the flames. About
three years after I had quitted the house, my eldest brother, who had
information of all that had passed, and who remained in the army
because he declared that he never would go home till after his
father's death, was killed by a cannon-ball; and my second brother
died of a fever about a year ago, when resident at the court of a
native 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 down
to Cumberland, if it were only to undo the wickedness which this woman
had 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 demands
it of me."

"And I shall go with you with pleasure, to help you in your good
work," said Amy, "and also because I want to see how she will now
behave to one whom she has so persecuted, and who has become the
arbiter of her fate."

"Well, Amy, I will not trust myself on this question. You shall be the
arbitress of her fate, and what you decide shall be irrevocable."

"I fully appreciate the compliment you pay me," said she, "but I
prefer that it should be decided in council, and we will call in my
father to our assistance."

A fortnight after our marriage, we set off for London, in a coach with
six handsome black horses, and eight armed servants in liveries on
horseback. We arrived safely on the seventh day, and there we reposed
for a time previous to setting out for Cumberland. My aunt was in
London and attending the court, which I was not aware of, and with her
were my two sisters, Janet and Mabel, whom I had not seen for years,
and who warmly embraced me, promising that they would soon come down
and take up their abode at the hall. They expressed their admiration
of Amy, but, in so doing, they only followed the general opinion, for
it was impossible to see and not admire her elegance and beauty. My
aunt 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 his
ship, and the day after he joined us I said,

"Philip, there are only you and I left. Do you recollect when you
inquired about the diamond, the day we met on board of your ship, what
reply I made to you?"

"Yes; you said that you were afraid that you could not afford to make
me 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 the
£38,000 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 can
afford it."

"I do not hesitate, my dear Alexander, because I would do the same to
you, and you would not refuse me. At the same time, that is no reason
that 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 scenery
compensated for the ruggedness of the way. In six days we arrived at
the Hall, where Mr. Campbell, who had called upon me on my arrival in
London, had preceded me to make preparations for our reception, which
was enthusiastic to the highest degree. We were called upon and
congratulated by all the county, who were delighted to find that such
a personage as Amy was to be the future mistress.

As soon as all this bustle and excitement were over, I sat down with
Mr. Campbell to look over the state of affairs, and to set things to
rights.

After having done justice to many claimants, engaged again the old
servants that had been discharged, promised farms to the tenants who
had been unfairly turned out, &c., we then proceeded to decide upon
what was to be done to the Dowager Lady Musgrave. It appears that at
my father's death, when she found that the deed had been destroyed by
his own hands in presence of others, she became frantic with rage,
and immediately hastened to secure the family jewels, and every
article 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 her
taking them away, and, putting seals upon every thing and leaving
careful 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 her
errors, she was still the lawful wife of my father, and she trusted
that respect to his memory would induce me to allow her sufficient to
maintain her as Lady Musgrave should be. We had the consultation that
Amy proposed, and called in Mr. Campbell as a fourth, and it was at
last decided, that, on consideration that she removed with her family
to a distance of fifty miles from Faristone, she should have an income
of £300 per annum, as long as she conducted herself with propriety and
did not marry again. The last clause was the only one which she
complained of. Mr. Campbell had, at the request of my father,
discharged Lady Musgrave's parent from the office of steward and
called in the old steward to resume his situation, and before
dismissal, 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 all
that I have passed through, I have been rewarded by many years of
unalloyed happiness. My two sisters are well married, and my three
children are all that a father could wish. Such, my dear Madam, have
been the vicissitudes of a "Privateer's-man," and I now subscribe
myself,

    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 £ have been used to indicate currency; this has been
preserved as printed.

Punctuation errors have been repaired, and hyphenation has been made
consistent, 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 this
version of the e-text.





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