Marooned. Chap

M A R O O NED

W . C LARK RUSSELL

” “ ‘ A T H OR T H E O L EN H O P E T H E W RE K F T H E G ROSV ENOR U OF G D , C O 3) ” ’ HE L AD A D A SEA UEEN A C K S C O UR T SH IP T Y M U , ! , ! 3 ,

T H E R Z EN P IR A T E ET . ET . F O , C C

— M A R OON TO pu t a perso n asho re o n an unmhabi te d island Na u tz ca l

IN THREE V OL UM ES

V L I O .

ﬂonhun

M A C M i L L A N fUH D C O .

AND NEW Y ORK

1 8 89

7‘ ‘ ' 27x R 2g7z z o f Trai sa Zzo n a nd R ep? 2s Reserved R ( HARD CLAY AND SONS L IM IT E D C , ,

LO N D ON AND B UNGAY . Rﬂ ﬂ m w m l

C O N T E N T S

C H I APT E R .

RECEIVE A LETTER

C H E II AP T R . gM ISS AURELIA GRANT

CHAP T ER I I I .

THE IRON CR OWN

P C HAP T ER IV . 2 WE EM BARK

CHAP T E R V .

THE VOY AGE BEGINS vi C ONTENTS .

C H P T V I A E R .

AN INCIDENT IN THE CHANNEL

C H P V II A TE R .

B OTHWELL CHIE F M ATE

C HAPT E R V I I I .

THE HALF-BLOOD ’ S PUNI SH M ENT

C HAP T ER IX .

THE HALF-BLOOD IS RELEASED

H C AP TER X . A M IDNIGHT ALARM

C H P E A T R X I.

A TRAGEDY

CH P X II A T E R .

M UTINY C ONTENTS . vii

CH X III AP T E R .

BROADWATER PROVES OBSTINATE

C HAP T E R X IV .

T E L R’ S L ST TOSS H SAI O A .

C HAP T E R X V .

WE SAIL THR OUGH A STRANGE LIGHT

C H P XV I A T E R .

BROADWATER’ S PROP OSAL

M A R NE D O O .

C HAP TER I .

I I A REC E VE LETTER .

I RETURN ED to my lodgings in London o ne night in ! une in the year eighteen hundred and something , and found a letter lying upon the

a w as A t ble . I t from my cousin , lexander

s w as Fra er, and dated at Rio ! aneiro . This was a man Whom I had neither seen nor heard

Of for some years . We had been sent to sea

’ the as boys in East I ndia Company s service , and together had made three voyages in the same ship to Bombay which in those ambling

’ o f f days trade , when a our months passage to

o f the Bay Bengal was considered a good run , meant a long and intimate association . Through

V OL . I. B C . MAROONED . HAP the death Of my dear mother I came into money

so enough to render me independent , and I

a quitted Old ocean after three ye rs Of seafaring . Fraser made a fourth voyage and I then lost

o n sight Of him . When later I wrote to his sisters in the north Of Scotland , I was told he had left his ship at Bombay to accompany a

- w ho tea grower , had been a passenger in the vessel , to his plantations . That was the last

o f AS I heard him . I held his letter in my

- hand , memory recalled him as a fair , blue eyed ,

n - bronzed you g fellow , exceedingly good looking ,

b fo r a very nim le and alert seaman , ﬁtter the n fo r - avy indeed than the tea waggon service , full of spirit and resolution and extremely impulsive .

f : H e wrote to the following ef ect ﬁrst Of all ,

o f he said , he had heard me and Obtained my address from a friend o f mine w ho had sailed a L few months before for ima , but whose ship had been obliged to put into Rio to . repair some damage she had sustained in a heavy gale Off

Cape Agostino . H e had a long story to relate about his misfortunes in I ndia , how he had been villainously deceived in the character Of his a a ssociate and lmost ruined by him , and how , I I RECE VE A LETTER . 3

as he had no wish to die Of starvation , he had shipped as a foremast hand aboard a

Yankee vessel , from which he ran on her arrival at Pernambuco—where he fell in with a sugar

w ho f grower belonging to Rio , Of ered him a good berth o n his estate in the neighbourhood o f that town . H e had not been long settled

o f when he made the acquaintance a M r . and

M rs d A . Grant , with whose only aughter , urelia , he immediately fell in love . M r . Grant was a Scotchman who had married a Spanish lady of

o n noble birth , and their daughter , Fraser went

sa w as to y, the most majestic , stately , and beautiful woman that ever walked the earth .

The parents consented to their betrothal , but obj ected to the marriage until Fraser was in a O condition to support a wife in comfort . ne

M rs night , very suddenly , . Grant died . H er

u h sband , who adored her, found her dead at

SO his side , and the shock was great that both his h ealth and his mind gave way . H e declared that he could not support life in a town where every Object which met his eye reminded him Of

’ his loss ; and within a month of Mrs . Grant s death he broke up his home and sailed with

B 2 4 MAROONED CHAP .

A f r urelia o England . Fraser added that folks

O f - - at Rio spoke M r . Grant as a well to do man , and talked Of Aurelia as an heiress but the truth

o ut w as w as came when he gone , and it then understood that so far from being rich he had just contrived to come to a stand within a fe w fathoms Of the brink Of insolvency . The lovers Of course agreed to write by every

w as su ship . Fraser cocksure Of being able to p

o ut port a wife before another year had run , and it was settled that he was to send for o r fetch her at the expiration of the twelvemonth , as there was not the least likelihood Of M r .

Grant returning to Rio . Eight months after the arrival of the girl in

England the father died . She wrote to acquaint

Fraser with her loss , and hinted quite enough to intimate that she was not only friendless in ” L A no w ondon , but in poverty . nd , continued

w ho my cousin , I want you , were as a brother

sea to me when we were together at , to stand me in a brother ’ s stead again in about as trying and perplexing a passage as ever formed part f ’ O a man s life . The business I have charge Of

so is tender , it needs such cherishing , such per I R I RECE VE A LETTE . 5

sistent personal attention , that I am persuaded were I to let go Of it to fetch Aurelia I should return to ﬁnd myself bankrupt . The population o f Rio comprises a great number Of rogues , and though the people I employ are not worse than the rest , they are rascals nevertheless , and I make no doubt whatever that if I were to turn my back upon them for three months they would ruin me . Now , my dear Dick , this is what you ” will do fo r me : yo u will call upon Aurelia —here came in the address advance what

she ever money may require , engage a cabin fo r he r in the next ship that sails for Rio , furnish her with all such delicacies and comforts as your seafaring experiences , backed by a fastidious appetite , will suggest , and then , all this being

acco m an éer o u rsel Y o u ! done , p y y f start But ,

! a my dear boy , you will do this y, indeed you

’ u t Y o u fo r see o u m s . will d ye , y , Dick will need but glance at her to perceive instantaneously that she cannot be suffered to embark alone . A nd consider how happy it will make her , thrown as no t she must needs be into the company , Of — o ur polished glittering species the sparkling — dandies of ! ohn Company but o f men with 6 O A . MAR ONED . CH P

- faces like walnut shells , with voices hoarse and

raw with hard drinking , whose language is thick ened and stiffened with horrid Objectionable

—ho w words happy , I say , it will make her to feel that she has the protection Of her sweet ’ o w n O f heart s cousin , a man muscle and nerve , who can tell the toughest salt Of themall where the ﬂying-jibboom ends and ho w many gudgeons

’ a liner s r udder hangs on Consider the ease Of mind that I shall enjoy through knowing that

o u y are at her side . Consider again the pro — digio usdelight it will give me to meet you to thank you—to entertain you—to yarn with you over the past and hearken to the home news

o u o u NO y will bring with y . excuse , as you

’ m u ! st se e . love me You come , d ye , Dick

o u Yes , y must absolutely accompany my poor

Y o u o u lonely darling girl . are an idle man , y know your friend told me you were unmarried

when he last saw you , and I have a right to

believe , as I certainly hope , that you are single

at this minute o f reading my letter . The

o ne O voyage is a pleasant . nce clear Of the

’ Bay , tis no more than the pleasant fanning Of

- - the north east trade wind , with a brief instructive I C I RE E VE A LETTER . halt o n the equator fo r a glance at john Sharke e and the pretty little ﬂying ﬁshes , and then a delightful run to the noblest bit Of scenery the

fl u wide world over . Re ect a little pon your health and yo u are sure to discover that a change

Of u A air will do yo good . nd name me an air s ! o u weeter than the ocean breeze Besides , y A were never in South merica , and cannot there fore imagine the delights in store for yo u in the shape of the rivers , the mountains , the shining ﬂowers and exquisite fruits o f this grand contin

Of ent , or at all events Of that part it to which I ” o u invite y .

A so o n nd the letter went , terminating in a whole jumble o f exhortations to me to come —to squire his sweetheart—to behold from the summit Of the regal Corcovado the magniﬁcent harbour , the sparkling city , the green country

aﬂam e beyond with coloured growths .

I t was a letter to se t me pacing t he room . The voyage was a considerable o ne and though I had gone to sea fo r love Of ships when I w as

a boy , a very few months sufﬁced to break the

spell , and I had long ceased , as I believed , to

be sensible o f any sort Of oceanic inﬂuence . I 8 . MAROONED . CHAP

sat down , ﬁlled a pipe , and entered into certain

calculations . I reckoned that a tolerably true course to Rio from the Thames would come hard upon five thousand nautical miles , and as it was hopeless to expect that any British South American trader would average more than o ne — hundred and fifty knots in the twenty four hours , I judged that though all conditions should prove favourable , the outward passage alone would six run me into five or weeks . Then Of course

so I should have to return , that I must look upon the round voyage as promising me three solid months , at least , upon a bosom that had

ceased to rock me for some years . The ﬁrst movement Of my mind was o ne Of recoil ; but after turning the proj ect over I got to think

that , after all , the voyage would prove a complete

and healthy change , inexpensive too , and much

less troublesome than a trip across the Channel . Possibly the Old instincts which had drive n me

sea to as a lad , and which I had thought dead

long ago , lived still , and were now faintly stirring

o f to sudden visions frothing billows , Of the small green moon shearing like a cannon -ball

- through the ﬂying scud , Of the star touched I I . RECE VE A LETTER . 9

well rolling in dark folds silently , Of the tropic shore that sweetens the warm breath Of the languid breeze with the odours Of spices and the perfume Of a nameless vegetation . London was ho t and dull the seaside tedious and common

u place . My exc rsions abroad formed no genial memories , for in I nearly died Of fever at l Brussels , and in lay ill Of a poisonous sme l for close upon a month at Florence . Besides , my cousin pleaded to me as a brother and a sailor , and I knew him well enough to feel certain that if he were in my place he would m e do this service . But what soft Of a girl was this M iss Aurelia Grant ? My cousin expressed her perfections

o f in the impassioned language love , and he might possibly be very right in all he said but I re member a man who had passed some years

a in Spain , and who knew the Spanish char cter well , telling me that he took particular notice there was a deal Of the mule mixed up in the — disposition Of the women Of that country a quality, as he described it , Of bland and even polite obstinacy , that was however very easily excited into a most unpleasant , clamorous , I O . . MAROONED . CHAP I

A peevish stubbornness . M iss urelia was indeed half English but suppose the other half O f her was not to my taste 9 I do protest on my word that I would rather go to j ail fo r a fortnight than be locked up in a ship fo r a month with a

sat disagreeable woman . Thus I debating but though I was some distance on the road towards

sa a t forming a resolution , I cannot y that I had

to b d all made up my mind when I went e .

H MAROONED . C AP .

’ cou sin s description ; but imagination had not

o f gone beyond that , with a pair dark eyes and an upper lip shaded with down . No w M iss Aurelia Grant had as fair and delicate a complexion as any that ever I witnessed in the most matchless English

’ woman s face . H er hair was brown , very

o f plentiful thick and soft , and it had a kind light Of Its o w n upon it as though dusted with

— SO gold . H er eyes were black profoundly Spanish eyes in passion and power and mean ing , but subdued to an expression of beauty by , as I took it , the English heart in her , that rendered them remarkable beyond my capacity

w as Of expression . Her ﬁgure extremely ﬁne ,

full yet girlish to o . She was dressed in mourn

she ing , and as stood looking at me a moment

o r tw o l in the doorway , I said to myse f, This is the handsomest creature I have ever seen ! There was a little blush o n her cheeks that brightened the light in her eyes she smiled and

gave me her hand .

I am indeed glad to see you , M r . Musgrave . Alexander has talked Of you to me again and . ’ II M ISS AURELIA GRANT . 3

him again . I n a letter I received from yester

Y o u day he told me yo u would call . are very ” good to come SO soon . “ I shall be truly rejoiced if I can be of

u service to you , said I , still a triﬂe conf sed ; ’ — my cousin s description Of you eloquent as — his devotion would naturally m ake him here “ — I fumbled for the letter, would perhaps , ” ’ madam (we m adam d the ladies in those days

Of - high coat collars , splendid waistcoats and “ - immense breast pins), you would like to ” read it .

She took it eagerly , and her eyes grew so

she SO fond as read , whilst a look yearning entered her face—such an expression as the memory Of her loneliness might put into her when she should meet her sweetheart again after their long separation—that I felt I acted

sneakishly in watching her . She smiled happily when she came to the part in which Fraser

s Of she poke her beauty , and when had made an end she folded the letter carefully as though

it were something precious , and pressed it between her hands as if it was her sweetheart ’ s

she own ﬁngers held . . H I 4 MAROONED C AP .

I t seemed to me as I sur v eyed her that my cousin exhibited uncomm o n courage in c o nﬁd ing so much beauty as this to the care and attention Of a man whom he knew to be young

sa Of and single , to y no more , for a spell ship board that might last fo r two o r even thre e

O : months . ur eyes met her colour deepened

somewhat , but her brilliant gaze was as steady

sin as the shining Of a star . There was a

ularl f g y engaging , most unaf ected quality or

tone Of frankness in her voice . “ Alexander has asked yo u to do him a great t ” o o . favour . I t is really great I seemed to “

. dissent I t is positively enough , M r . Musgrave ,

o u that y should hire a cabin for me . TO make the voyage also And yet I know he would b e s o verjoyed to ee yo u . Still it is a tedious

A o u j ourney , and if you are like lexander y ” e detest the s a. ” “ NO I fe w , said I , believe I shall enjoy a

o n . I weeks the ocean The fact is , madam ,

so — want time to realize the thing , to speak not

fo r to understand it , of course it is intelligibl e

o u enough , but to accustom my thoughts to it, y know and here I coughed and brought myself u I I . M SS AUREL A GRANT . 1 5

sa up all standing as sailors y, for indeed there was something in her shining steadfast gaze that caused me to talk as though I was ill

at ease . “ Should you decide to be my companion , ” “

. she M r Musgrave , said , the voyage will be I something to look forward to , greatly as dis

sea o r o n . like the , rather existence board ship “ I bowed . But you will not dream Of doing more than securing a cabin for me and helping

o ne o r —if o u me in two other ways , y have the I least reluctance . t is quite possible that I may ﬁnd a pleasant companion among the passengers -i As f there Should be ladies o n board . a rule the captains and mates o f the ships that trade to South America are a very rough and rude

o f, set men . Should I be the only passenger ,

n r she Of it is atu al , said , with a little droop the head , that I should not choose to be alone in s such ociety .

This was like an appeal in its way , and her manner Of speaking rendered it irresistible .

’ Besides , there was Fraser s letter calling upon

to me protect her , imploring me as one who was do as a brother to him this great service , 1 6 . P MAROONED CHA . and these considerations coming on top Of my concern for her loneliness and helplessness , my sympathy with her in the grief that was still recent , and above all the perception that she I desired my company , and that should be acting unchivalrously to refuse her , made me “ is whip out , M iss Grant , it settled . We sail toge t her . There is nothing to keep me ashore .

I t will be delightful to meet Fraser again , and I shall ﬁnd im mense satisfaction in feeling that my enjoyment Of your society also includes the ” pleasure O f O bliging you . She clapped her hands with a gesture that w as like telling you she had something besides

E nglish blood in her . Ho w good you are ! Ho w glad yo u make

! I w o nde r me , M r . M usgrave what kind Of ? w e she ship shall sail in cried , with the vivacity Of a mind that has suddenly lost its ! burden . She must prove swift She cannot ” sail too fast for me l and here she told me Of the vessel in which she and her father had

—a made the voyage home clumsy , round bowed polacca , apparently , that stirred to

Of so n o thing less than half a gale wind , and u I . I 1 M SS AUREL A GRANT. 7 leaky that the crew were at the pumps fo r fourteen hours o u t Of the twenty -four with a

- -f Old bow legged , beef aced swab for captain , whose favourite boast was that he had once swallowed at a draught a bowl Of punch con

- taining ten half pints Of rum , whiskey , brandy and water . She described this man and his habits with so much humour as to give me a high opinion Of her talent as an Observer ; and she made me laugh heartily by an account Of a quarrel between him and his mate over a — p udding the latter (an I rishman)beginning it by swearing that he had seen dried currants and raisins growing naturally like capers o n trees , and the captain ending it by grasping a lump Of the hot and steaming stuff and ﬂinging

’ it plump into the mate s face . Maybe some thing Of the merriment Of the tale and her delivery Of it lay to my mind ! in the contrast

se a- between the rough anecdote and the dignity , reﬁnement , and beauty Of the speaker . But I confess I liked her the better for her archness , and for her easy recital Of a story which Miss P rim would consider rather vulgar since it

ver referred to such y common people .

V OL. I. 8 I MAROONED . CHAP .

O ur conversation presently went to her

s she father . H e died in the hou e in which was still lodging , and She declared that when , after

sat she the funeral , she down to reﬂect did not know what in the world she should do . She

’ had not a friend in England , and Of her mother s

she relatives in Spain knew nothing . The few

o ut pounds her father had left were fast giving , and she frankly told me that the money she still had would no t have carried her o n another “ ” o u no t P month . Why did y call upon me I asked her . But it seems that Fraser had omitted to give my address in the last letter but o ne a o r he sent to her, and it was only week tw o before he wrote that he had learnt it from my friend whose ship had been forced into Rio .

tw o I was with her for hours , and never did time pass more pleasantly and quickly. We ar ranged that I should call fo r her next day and accompany her to the shops she had occasion to visit , and afterwards make inquiries about the next ship and start o n all the necessary pre h paratio nsfor the voyage . She cried when s e

- she f said good bye to me . I ndeed had suf ered

and no w w as grievously , that the darkness

2 0 MAROONED . CHAP .

fl reliance in the peculiar oating pose of her head , I felt persuaded that a very great deal Of the heroine went to her composition , that she was a woman whose qualities would best discover

Of themselves in a time extremity , a person by nature so ardent that no theory about her could touch the limits Of the romantic exploits she was

she equal to in the service of the man loved . These were my thoughts as I sat watching her whilst she handled the stuffs the shopmen put u before her , freq ently turning to me to speak , when I would notice that every sudden c o n fro ntm e nt Of her full beauty surprised me as a fresh revelation . She managed to buy all she needed in o ne day , which I thought very clever and very kind

. n o u also H ow lo g , said I will it take y to ? prepare fo r the voyage “ O she h , answered , if you were to tell me the ship sails to - morrow I should be quite ready . I told her that I would devote the next day

to making inquiries and arrangements , and would do myself the pleasure to call in the

evening and let her know what I had done . MISS AURELIA GRANT .

“ A o u to t all events , said I , y would wish me book ourselves for the next ship ”

o u she . I f y please , answered with anxiety ” “ In w e which case , I Observed , must not The be fastidious . best procurable cabins will

’ satisfy us , and the skipper s appearance need

not count . Yet it will not do to sail away in a vessel whose seams yawn and whose hold has

been abandoned by the rats . I have some small d knowle ge Of ships , and if the ﬁrst that Offers is not as she should be w e must wait for ” the next . “ she I will leave everything to you , said , ” only, looking around with a slight shudder we were conversing in her lodgings I am so

very weary Of this gloomy house , this dull

so se e o ne street ; longing to my dear again , and the bright sun and the ﬂowers o f my o wn ” home . “ “ I will do my best , I exclaimed ; there

should be and perhaps will be a choice o f ships .

o u f I f we have to wait , y will suf er me to ﬁnd ” u yo pleasanter quarters . A nd with that I bade her goodb ye and left her. A P C H T E R I I I .

H I N WN T E RO C RO .

IN those days a large number Of vessels bound to all parts of the world loaded in the P L ool , a little way below ondon Bridge .

Steam then was young , and not much was made o f se e it . I have lived to steamers trading to South A merica big enough to stow aw ay in their holds many of the sailing vessels w hich were then carrying goods and passengers to all parts Of the world . I t is difﬁcult in this age to realize the kind Of experiences o ur forefathers — suffered when they took ship it mattered little to what countries—if it were not the ports to which the I ndiamen were despatched . I have heard my mother say that in her young days country people who proposed a trip to London would make their wills before entering the . I . CH . III THE RON CROWN 2 3

no t c oach . I do know that the coach was much more dangerous than the locomotive , but l am certain that there were no limits to the perils which menace the ocean - borne traveller in the time Of the little passenger - ship and smaller passenger-brig ; when the sailor was

so n o f still an exceeding rough a gun , charged to the throat with the traditional inﬁrm ities O f his calling when no special qualiﬁcations were insisted upon as conditions o f a man taking charge Of a vessel ; when ships sailed without

- side lights , and when collisions were averted by the easy remedy of whipping the lamp Out o f the binnacle and flourishing it over the rail ; when the cabin provisio ns were only a little

t he less coarse than forecastle fare , and when a passage that is now made in a week occupied

two o r three months . I had Obtained the addresses Of a fe w brokers A and owners in the South merican trade , hoping thus to ﬁnd two o r three ships proceeding much

o u t about the same time , but it turned that the ﬁrs t vessel o n the berth sailed next day and

that her cabin accommodation was full . H er

w as A . name , I remember , the mazon The 2 4 MARO ONED . CHAP .

x e ne t v ssel , a brig named the I ron Crown , did

no t 2 rd so she sail until the 3 , that even if

satisﬁed me we should have to wait eight days . The Ofﬁce of the owner Of this craft was in

Tower H ill , and whilst I was inquiring about her cabin accommodation the person to whom

I was speaking, motioning towards a man who

: had entered a moment before , exclaimed

sir H ere is the master himself, , Captain Guy

B roadwater , and he will tell you that a stouter , swifter , more comfortable ship than the I ron Crown never sailed out of an English port

o u . Captain , y will conﬁrm me What is it now , inclining his head and screwing up one eye as “ ? A if in thought , on a bowline with you ? cool thirteen , I believe I ndeed , he cried , “ chaﬁng his hands and grinning , we may safely consider the good ship I ron Crown the o ne ” favourite trader between Rio and the Thames . “ Well , said Captain B roadwater in the hoarse voice Of a man who has broken his pipes by “ rum and years Of bawling aloft in gales , it ’ fo r sir isn t me to praise the I ron Crown , .

She can speak fo r herself. She only needs to

’ is u know that a man s eye pon her to talk o ut . 1 I . 2 1 1 . THE RON CROWN 5

Handsome Well I knew Old j arge Rowley who

laid her keel , and always reckoned him a man without the least ﬂavey o f sentiment in his intellectuals until this here I ron Crown was

and t o launched lay ﬂoating , and then I says

’ ‘ s sw alle r my elf, Broadwater , I says , your own

’ ’ ar e ! precious eyes , mate , if j g ain t a poet “ You hear what the captain says , sir cried

the other continuing to chafe his hands . I took a short survey Of Captain G uy Broad

water . and there stood before me a wide

, , shouldered exceedingly muscular man , Of ﬁfty

- a short , with iron gray hair and a beard th t hung like a bush at his throat, the chin being shaved .

H e saw had the smallest eyes I ever , and their colour as I now took stock Of them seemed red , but I afterwards discovered that this w as due

o r to congestion caused by rheumatism , punch , or both . H is nose was Of the exact shape Of a pear , and being purple at the nostrils and point , looked Hi as if it had been lately stung by a bee . s mouth o n the other hand was so small as to corre s o nd p , as a deformity, with his eyes . When he w asnot speaking he seemed from the posture Of his s lip to be trying , but in vain , to whistle . The 2 6 MAROONED . CHAP .

skin Of his face was much burnt by the weather , and it was adorned with a strange subcutaneous

ﬁli re e- o r t o f g work , net rather let me erm it ,

dusky crimson meshes . H e was dressed in

- his - pilot cloth , and carried in hand a bell shaped

o f beaver , the brim which was large enough to

furnish o ut a bishop . Yet ugly and queer as

w as he , there was nothing whatever in his

f r appearance to Of end o prejudice me . I put

him down at once as a coarse , unlettered , but

- good natured sailor Of the hearty lively type , whose physical peculiarities were to a certain extent to be attributed to bad victuals In early

~ u o n and life , to too m ch liquor later , through out to the rough usage of the vocation Of the

sea when followed before the mast . I told him

w as that I glad to make his acquaintance , and that I had called with the intention o f taking a

u passage in his ship , tho gh I would not decide u ntil I had inspected her . “ “ Sir, said he , I am going aboard myself when I have done my business with this

’ ’ o u gentleman , and if y don t mind lettin go

’ your anchor here fo r ﬁ v e minutes Ill carry ye

straight to the vessel .

2 8 MAROONED . CHAP .

o f -Of- she scantling a line battle ship , but was certainly no beauty . She was painted black , with a narrow yellow streak running the le ngth of her sides , and had been newly coppered to the bends ; the lustre Of the bright metal was

she under her, and seemed to ﬂoat in a little surface Of pale sunshine . She was loftily rigged for a craft Of her size and carried e xee e di ngly

n d square yards , whence I i ferre that with her studding sails abroad she could expand canvas enough in a breeze Of wind to start an island from its moorings . We gained the side , climbed

- up a stout rope ladder and j umped aboard . There was a lighter o n the starboard bo w and a number Of intoxicated lumpers were hoisting in cargo . I t should have been no

t o new scene me , yet I found it confusing enough . The sails were unbent , and the

so running rigging unrove , there were no

’ ropes ends to trip over . N evertheless the

Of decks were encumbered with all sorts rafﬂe, — as sailors term lumber casks , hencoops , sacks , planks , and I know not what else besides . There was a full -rigged ship a short distance

Off getting her anchor, and the fellows at the I . 2 III . THE RON CROWN 9

Windlass were roaring o ut with hurricane lungs One Of the many working songs with which the

British seaman inspires his heart and nerves , his hands and legs . The melody awoke echoes

n long ago silent in me . I t was at Cape Tow

that I had heard it last , and the rough salt air brought the picture before me in a vision so

— Of clear , sunbright , real the blue waters the

- wide haven , the groups Of ivory white houses

O f upon the low shore , the polished azure back the huge Atlantic comber poising its arched summit in a ridge o f glassy opal light for a breath ere thundering its burthen Of sno w upon

the beach , the great mountains beyond with Streaks Of lace -like mist crawling along their

Of brows , as though the viewless spirits the blue atmosphere up there were Spinning a white fabric Of exquisite delicacy o ut Of their airy looms for the adornment Of those giants ’ heads—that I seemed to waken with a start to Captain Broadwater ’ s invitation to step belo w n and View the cabi . O ne hears of the Swiss weeping when

c o w - some one tunes up their national strain . Mariners are a people who have no tears 0 . AP 3 MAROONED CH .

to spare : what they posse ss in that way they devote to their private woes ; but I do think nothing so stirs a man who has been a sailor ’ Ti as the melody Of a forecastle chorus . s i like the wand Of a wizard : the curtain—r ses to it and there before you lies the past the

rolling ocean , the gallant fabric in whose heart you scoured your thousand leagues Of

sea a r , your hearty Shipmates , the g y Satu day

carousal , the girl in the distant home from whose sunny head yo u snicked the golden

wisp , which many a time you have pressed

to - your lips in some mid ocean solitude , when there was nobody but the man in the moon and the m an at the wheel to see what you

were at . “ l have been a sailor myself, captain , said

- I , as I followed him to the companion hatch “ and the sound o f that stormy chorus o ut

sw abbish o u yonder makes me feel a bit , do y ”

w . kno , for quitting the Old life “ ? ” Bin a sailor yourself, hey he cried , rounding when at the bottom Of the ladder “ ’ dessa to take a view Of me . Well , an I y did ’ it ye no harm . There s worse people I H I O C . T II . T E R N ROWN 3

knocking about the world than sailors , though I haven ’ t much respect for that class of

’ ” f n em which goes by the name o Ha ds . “ ” I see . Your sympathies are aft .

’ Well , I don t know about that either, he exclaimed rather warmly , as though he objected to my considering that he had any

m at sy pathies all , and methought that his pear -Shaped nose as he spoke took a deeper dye ; then with a flourish o f the arm he “ ’ h t e . A said , This here s cabin noble room , sir Must board the I ndiamen to find the ” like Of it . The vessel had so much beam t hat her cabin was larger than I had expected to find it .

: The furniture was simple enough a table ,

- lockers for seats , snuff coloured bulkheads with f o ut any sort O ornamentation . At the after end were four cabins , two Of a side , whilst forward were other but smaller berths . “ ’ That end s for the passengers , said the captain , pointing aft . I inspected the accommodation and found it airy and roomy . “ ? ” Which are to let I aske d . 2 . H 3 MAROONED C AP .

“ A ho w Of ll , he replied ; many you are ? there , Sir “ Myself and a lady . ’ I reckon there ll be no more then , said he . H ere ’ s four beautiful bedrooms to choose

from . “ ? Where do yo u Sleep ” Forwards there , said he , pointing with i h s nose as a negro does with his chin . M e

’ ’ an my ﬁrst mate lodges there . The bo sun

’ ’ arv s fo k sl w ho s e as second mate lies in the e .

’ ’ There s no interference . You ll be as private

Of as a chick in its egg . Case more coming

’ I d take the two foremost berths , if I was you . ’ m so The hel don t feel to kick much there , and if the chap at the wheel should warm his ’ ” toes by stamping you won t hear him plain . I should have been better pleased with a vessel Of twice the burthen Of this craft ; but then to be sure w e Should start in the height o f the summer when the Bay Of Biscay is least — formidable though let me remember that

w as the heaviest gale I ever in was fifty—miles south o f Ushant in the month Of july and once clear Of those waters we had a right to I . III . THE RON CROWN 33 look for quiet weather during the rest O f the passage . The Short chat I had with Broad water O u returning o n deck confirmed my first impression O f him : he was indeed no very polished companion for ladies , but he was well enough as sea - captains O f his class

n and in his trade then went . I w as o t surprised to ﬁnd that the vessel did not carry a stewardess . You had to look to the height Of the I ndiamen in those days for luxuries

h O f e Of this kind . I asked him w at sort tabl he kept

A A I - he an n copper bottom table ,

S r d O f rim est— w e e . Salt beef the p roast pork poultry twice a week—currant dumplings

taking it all round , a list nigh as long as my arm . P l retty substantial , exclaimed . A “ ’ y, said he , grinning , there s never no twopenny kickshaws to be found aboard o f m O b b - b Sir e. N is ee ashees here , , with French A ’ o — names . ll s good S lid eating dishes which

’ makes a man feel that he s dined when he

’ ’ gets up . Give me food that ll coil a chap s d ’ a . ppetite own for him That s why , to my

V OL . I D . 34 MAROONED . CHAP . III .

’ ’ Of notion , there s ne er a bit vittles on this ’ ” 0 airth to beat a good leg roast pork . I gathered from these Observations that M iss Grant and I were no t likely to be i o ur nvariably entertained to tastes , and that it would therefore be necessary to lay in a ’ st ock o f wines and stores fo r Our separate use ; and having ascertained that I was at liberty to ﬁll o ne of the hencoops with poultry for ourselves , and that if the other cabins were unlet o ne o f them w as at my service as

o f w as a larder , I took leave him , and rowed

t o ashore , and without further ado walked Tower H ill and engaged two berths in the

b . A rig I ron Crown , Broadwater master lso ,

at this Ofﬁce , to save time , I wrote a letter

w e to my cousin , in which I named the vessel

o f o ur u were to sail in and the date depart re , and handed it to the owner o f the I ron Crown t o transmit w ith despatches Of his o w n to Rio

by the ship Amazon proceeding next day .

6 C . 3 MAROONED . HAP her mind Of the distracti ng burthen of poverty and anxiety , the feeling that I was by her

she Side and that had a protector in me , and that in a fe w weeks She would be with w her s eetheart and married to him , combined to make another woman Of her in | those eight

r o ten days . Her eyes shone with a clearer d light , and their dark luminous epths gathered a softness beyond description fro m the hap piness t hat was in her . A delicate bloom

u w as lay pon her cheeks , her laugh sincere ,

o f A her smiles full an honest gaiety . s we walked together I would notice that both m e n t and women stopped to stare af er her . I remember an Old dandy with his hat cocked

o n and a tuft his chin , coming to a dead

o n stand seeing her , then following us and passing as an excuse to turn again to have another look . I will not say that She—was insensible to the admiration She excited she would have been no true woman to feign such a thing—but I cannot conceive that any girl f could have Shown herself less af ected by it . We took the coach for Deal early o n a

r Friday morning . The jou ney was long and v K I . R WE EMBA . 37

w e s tedious . I t w as after sunset when at down to the dinner I had ordered in a quaint hotel that looked directly upon the sea but

the moon rode high , clear as crystal in the

dark blue air , and her glorious reﬂection came to o f the very margin the beach , upon whose shingle the rippling summer breakers t rembled into snow in a fan - shaped path Of glory that ﬂoated as steadily upon the quiet surface as

o rb the herself in the breathless sky.

After dinner we wa lked to the esplanade . The luggers lying high and dry looked hoary in the clear and icy light : the seaward gazing windows sparkled o ut to the gush Of the radiance in silver stars ; every shadow lay like an ebony carving upon a sand -w hite ground . Far away , past the yellow winking spots Of the signal lanterns ﬂoating Off the

ﬁtful Goodwins , was the ﬂashing Of violet lightning . The planets hung large and burnt

- richly , and , clear Of the sphere Of mist like radiance that circled the moon , the stars shone in such numbers that I never remember witnessing the heavens so crowded . After the roaring of metropolitan streets , the low wash P 38 MAROONED . CHA .

ing sound Of the surf along the coast was

inexpressibly soothing and refreshing , and one ’ s blood coursed to the cool sweetness Of the ocean atmosphere as to a draught Of

rare and generous cordial . m There were any Ships in the Downs , wan

and spectral in the moonshine . Their riding

ﬁr -ﬂi s lights resembled a swarm Of e e . By bend ing the ear yo u caught from the nearer vessels

Of the sounds laughter , the thin strains Of a

e C Of conc rtina , the lank a chain cable dragged along the deck ; o r from the further distance the faint Chorusing Of a crew pulling and haul ing aboard some hidden craft that had softly sneaked into the Downs on the t o p O f the subtle tide . Which amid that ashen muddle Of ships o ut yonder will be ours , I wonder said I . “ H ow ghostly is the atmosphere that is ” made by moonlight at sea ! exclaimed Miss

Grant , sending her glance along the shining wake Of the luminary , and then looking into the eastern darkness and talking as if she spoke

- to herself. I t must be the low lying stars , I think , which cause the distance to appear so Iv K . WE EMBAR . 39

terribly remote . The beauty Of such a night as this used to awe me when we were coming to —it England does so now , though I am on

dry land . I t should be as lovely to me as to

so it others , but it is not . The mystery Of is — t o o great the mystery of the silence and the pale air and the whispering Of the sea along the ” shore . I t may be that what is mysteri o us cannot

be beautiful , said I , ﬁnding talk Of this sort a

little above my art , though not wanting her to i h f think that I did not understand her e t e r. “ ’ Yet I don t know. I have seen eyes in my

sea time as secret as the dark yonder , and they

r were wonde fully beautiful , I assure you . As I said this a rumbling voice close behind

sir ! no i ht me exclaimed , Bort , beautiful g for

a row , Sir Water smooth as satin , lady . I turn—ed and Observed a Deal boatman . N O w e shall have enough Of the sea

presently . Can you tell me if a vessel named the I ron Crown has brought up Off here

’ VVhat sshe loike he asked .

A bri I g, said , three hundred tons , newly

sheathed , painted black with a yellow stripe . 0 4 MAROONED . CHAP .

’ I s her c apt n a man with werry small eyes

’ ’ an a nose like a sailor s duff ? ’ ” That s right . “ h Then s e brought up j ust afore sundown . ’ O w as ﬁshin i Off with a party at the time , and

’ the chap Oi v e described sung o ut to me to git

' o ut o f the road and he pointed seawards w 1th m a shadowy hand , but it was i possible to dis t inguish any o ne ship among the congregation t there . H e hung about me a li tle as though he

u would engage me in f rther conversation , and “ ” sir W . then said , erry thirsty weather, I gave him the value of a glass Of ale and he s left u . A t the head Of human disenchanters , said “ n - I sta ds the British long shoreman , with his

‘ ’ cry Of Bort sir. Hark ! exclaimed my companion lifting her ﬁnger .

w as - o u t I t half past nine , and the bells upon the water were sounding the hour . There were probably two hundred sail in the Do w ns the tinkling ran in ripples as though a wave O f air raised scores Of metallic echoes Of

as different tones it swept onwards . Some of Iv K 1 , WE EMBAR . 4

the bells sounded simultaneously ; some fol

lowed o ne another ' in chimes ; a fe w were

mellow, many shrill , more yet Of a silver singing

cadence . From the pallid remoteness the tones

came in faint and tiny sounds , after which fell the

o u silence , and y heard nothing but the fountain

like seething of foam upon the shingle .

YV e e returned to the hotel , but I ling red ,

e after M iss Grant had r tired , for a long hour

u a se a pon the b lcony overlooking the , smoking a cigar and musing much on the girl and my c ousin Fraser and the voyage o n which we

Should probably start next day . The moon

hung over the Downs , and through the steady rain Of her silver twinkled the yellow sparks Of

’ the ships lights . There was a lugger heading for Deal and coming fair down the middle Of the

- ice like path upon the waters . She ﬂoated black against the tremulous shining that went up

se a- behind her to the line , and as you marked her sweeps o r long oars rising and falling you would have imagined her some gigantic marine m i nsect stealt hily creeping shorewards . Fro every lifted blade the water dripped to the

ckee wee moonshine in diamonds , and the ﬁ , p 2 . H 4 MAROONED C AP .

O f the oars grinding betwixt the thole - pins sent the fancy roaming to the tropic swamp and to

f - the mysterious croakings o the tree toad .

A be I was up betimes , but M iss urelia was fore me . She looked as fresh and as fragrant ’ a as Cowper s rose newly washed by Shower . “ ” “ sea u se The , said I , promises to you kindly ” “ to o Yes , and I feel well , , which is better n tha looking so .

She was robed in black , her dress ﬁtted her s excellently , her hair was coiled into the likene s

o f a crown , her dark eyes were full Of ﬁre and

n ' life . I did o t m uc h like to think of her as being obliged to sit and converse with such a man as Broadwater and with s uch people as i h smates were tolerably certain to prove . But it could no t be helped ; though w hen the captain ’ s purple face came into my head I felt that I should have been ungenerous and mean

f n indeed to have suf ered her to sail alo e .

There was a light breeze from the southward .

— o t w a The upward bound vessels had g under y, and the picture was gay and brilliant with the

o f crowded white canvas the numerous craft ,

4 4 MAROONED . CHAP .

H e answered that he had already breakfasted , but that o n reﬂection he felt himself equal to

n a other meal , and the waiter arriving with the ham and coffee we sat down . I have seen men with immense appetites in my day , but no man ' a who ever came near to B roadwater in this w y. I t was not only the quantity he devoured ; it w as the rapidity with which he ate . H e took a ho t o u t roll , tore the crumb , buttered and then bolted the whole without winking and in a

- breath . H e picked up an egg spoon , and after inspecting it an instant , called the waiter and

as i . asked him what it w . The waiter expla ned “ B ring me a proper spoon ! ” he roared in a voice that caused M iss Grant to start and glance at me with a little air Of consternation .

ss - The man handed him a de ert spoon , with which he struck the egg as though it had been

’ a sailor s head , then scooped out the inside and

i a swallowed the whole , afterwards se zing nother

so egg , all quickly that it was like watching the f performance Of a conj uror . H e never Of ered to speak a word until he had eaten as much f breakfast as would have su ﬁced me for a week , though he made an end before Miss Grant and K IV . WE EMBAR . 45

I had fairly begun . My companion looked at “ she sa me as if would y, I told you what sort Of people the captains are in this trade ; I was more struck however by his manner Of roaring to the waiter than by the rest O f his “ ’ behaviour . I f this is not a ship s bully all Of “ the Olden time , I thought to myself, let his

appetite be called delicate . H e no w began to tell me in a hoarse voice

about his passage down the river to the Downs , and ho w a West I ndiaman in bringing up at midnight had fouled his cable and nearly run ” “ ’ s . ea aboard him But , said he , there s no manship to be expected from the men who gets f ’ command O them big ships . They re hired for their faces and their tricks Of Speechifying

- .and caper cutting and grinning out answers without losing their tempers when the ladies

’ bother em with questions . Put them into a situation that requires real nautical knowledge

and they can only stand and look on . I f you

want to be cut down , or your Spars brought

’ a w bout your ears , them s the gents to Sho ye

’ ” ho w it s done . All this was very pig - headed talk but if he 6 N H P . 4 MAROO ED . C A

Of should prove , as I suspected , full salt

sea- prejudices and antique notions , I at all events should not be without o ne favourite source Of diversion during the voyage . n O ur baggage was o board the brig . The little w e had with us was conveyed to o ne of

’ the vessel s boats that was lying o ff the beach waiting for the captain . M iss Grant sprang to the gunwale and thence to a thwart with ih i m itable grace that w asfull Of a generous disdain o f the extended hand Of one Of the seamen .

I followed , and B roadwater bundled in after me . ” ff as Shove o ! he bawled though in a passion .

’ The boat s head was slewed for the brig , and the three men fell to their oars . There were fifty things to admire as our little keel was swept forwards : the gray bald stare Of the Foreland point with the sheen o f the chalk trembling Off it upon the blue atmo sphere beyond the ships still at anchor growing l arge to our approach , their glossy sides twink ling to the rippling lustre in the water like the tremble of sunlight amid the shadows of dancing leaves ; the sudden flash Of a cabin -window to the movement Of the hull as though a cannon WE K . w . EMBAR 4 7 had been fired from it the various colours and devices of a dozen different nations ’ ensigns languidly fluttering their bright folds from mast head and peak ; the line Of green and yello w coast sweeping into an airy dimness Of pallid cliff as wan in the distance Of the brillia nt north as the crescent Of the moon floating in the noon tide heavens ; the quaint aspect Of the hearty Old smuggling town Whose foreground Of brown shingle gleamed black to the recoil Of the f washing breaker , whilst it Of ered the saltest imaginable picture in the shape Of fleets Of yellow luggers high and dry , and the figures

Of boatmen lounging , scrubbing , mending

- nets , and boiling pitch pots .

Of I sa There were plenty things , y, to look

e t I at , y I do not remember that took notice of much outside the three men who were rowing

us to the brig . They belonged Of course to

’ - the ship s company . O ne was a half blood Of a dark Olive complexion and eyes like sloes

resting o n slices Of lemon . H is hands were as

’ as a girl s , beautifully shaped , though d and horny and palm -blackened by the

drudgery o f shipboard . The others 8 O . A 4 MARO NED CH P . were plai n ginger - haired British lo bsc o users one with a beard Of stubble that proj ected from

’ o f - his chin like the thatch a sou wester , both knob -nosed and rugged as the shell Of a wal

a nut . Their feet were n ked , their rough breasts lay bare to the light , their nervous muscular

c ruc iﬁxe s arms were decorated with bracelets , , anchors , female ﬁgures , pricked in with the

’ pale blue Of the sailor s pigment . All three O f them wore a sullen look— not the expression Of

— O f evil minded men , but persons rendered sulky

- - and resentful by ill usage . I saw the half blood

Of glance at M iss Grant , and a sort light broke upon his face and swept the dogged air o u t Of it as a smile clears a sour brow ; but his eye instantly went from her to Broadwater and fell , a Singular look o f loathing and hate darkened his countenance , and I witnessed the impulse Of a violent emotion in him in the quick , savage swing he gave his o ar. I t was like a curse

H ere were tokens not to please me who , as a

se a man that had passed some years at , had preserved an eye for the interpretation Of

’ sailors meanings . I f the crew were dissatisﬁed at this early stage , then Old Broadwater and his K IV. WE EMBAR . 49

mates must have gone to work with an in credible promptitude to make their true charac ? ters known to them . Had they a grievance Their provisions would have been fresh meat

Of.bread and loaves down to this point , and they could not therefore know what the forecastle ? stores were like . Was the vessel leaky I t

was to be hoped she was not . N 0 ! it could be

nothing less than Broadwater . Well , if the

no w men were growling , what would be their

o n ? w as w e ll ac posture later I sufﬁciently . quainted with the character O f merchant seamen to know that Often the very best sailors amongst them are those who curse the deepest in their

iz z fg ards. I was also aware that there was [nothing uncommon in a crew ﬁnding plenty o f time and excuses to mutiny in a run from Black wall to the Forelands , going ashore with bag and baggage in a body , and Obliging the ship to wait Off Deal until the crimps could roll a new

. A w into her forecastle ll this was , as it still

in the ordinary course o f the ocean life . ut the looks o f the three thinly- clad fellows ade yo u think Of something more signiﬁcant

’ Of the fo re c astle he familiar causes rebellion . E ° 5 MAROONED . CHAP . IV .

H owever they pulled too briskly to give me time to consider them very attentively . The boat buzzed through the water , and the brig ahead rapidly enlarged upon the view .

IS that the ship exclaimed M iss Grant .

I . answered , yes IS there anything aﬂoat to beat her

- exclaimed Broadwater in a deep sea voice . The half-blood turned his head upon his Shoulder as if he would have his mates Observe what was in his mind by his look . “ ” “ Oars ! bawled the captain . O ut boat

o u do ! . hook , y g to the man in the bows ! ” “ Good thunder he growled , what is there to make the so je rsw ho ship assailors nowadays ’ skip , if it ain t gunpowder in their shoes and a lighted match ’ twixt their toes

We swang alongside and gained the deck .

2 5 MAROONED . CHAP .

f . C C O heave You heard the lank , lank , the pawls and the grinding Chink Of the cable

liv elies! coming in link by link . Sing out , my

and ! heave to the girls , lads heave Sing heave ! ! and raise the dead sing out, men clap a ! ! ” tune to your muscles , my splicers heave cried out the mate (as I supposed the dark yo ung fellow w ho spoke these words to be); and I was no t a little relieved to hear after a minute o r two the peculiar long -drawn notes o f a seaman breaking into a working song , followed at the proper interval by the whole body of men delivering the chorus with the true Old hurricane note . I t would have been

. O a bad Sign had they not sung . nly a sailor would appreciate the meaning Of silence among the crew of a merchantman getting her anchor . I took M iss Grant below to show her her berth . There was no smiling and curtseying stewardess to receive her no O bliging steward and his mates to ﬂy to my bidding . The very - W cabin boy was at the indlass , and there was nothing living under deck if it were not a lurk ing cockroach o r a concealed rat . But then I ~ H S . T E VOYAGE BEG N 5 O happily we could not miss what w e had not

no r been used to , complain Of the omission of what w e had no reason to e xpect . Put the mail -boat traveller o f to - day back ﬁfty years and he would probably be the most forlorn and

s a- k melancholy e borne Object under the s y. I had forgotten to ask Captain Broadwater if

w as there were other passengers , but there no further need to trouble him : the doors o f the berths were open , and a single glance sufﬁced to let me know that M iss Grant and I were

. A alone ll for the best no doubt , thought I think Of some fellow here In these pent - up

o f quarters with a snore like the escape steam ,

Of s le ntic or some lean p Spaniard , constantly ill ,

and full Of growlings in smooth water , and Of aves and litanies in stormy weather I t is not every o ne who would choose to ” w t sail with Captain Broad a er , said Miss

u o u r Grant , evidently s rprised at being the

only passengers .

Y o u no t w as do like him I am sorry . I glad to get an e arly ship “

NO . , no , M r Musgrave , I do not mean

Ho w o u o f that . could y tell what sort a person 5 4 MAROONED . CHAP .

w he ould prove to be . I think you will ﬁnd

that he treats his crew inhumanly . I lifted my eyebrows ; I had not imagined she would have seen ' so quickly into such a

matter as that . “ She n N or , continued smiling , do I fa cy that we shall ﬁnd him a ve ry agreeable table

so companion . But no matter . Rio is not

ver Off very , y far now We exchanged these sentences Whilst we

ur - O stood before o cabin doors . ur luggage

’ lay in a heap aft against the transom , but it was better there than in the hold . There w as o ne fo r no to help us , and so we shifted

w e ourselves . Between us dragged the boxes

o ur and portmanteaux into berths , and I found a ne w quality to admire in M iss Grant in the form Of a sturdy spirit O f independence .

O N complaints , no regrets , no peevish murmurs over our being neglected . I recollect that — I thought were we to be cast away , here

ho w is the girl to show the sailors to manage . L ittle did I imagine What was before us when that fancy passed through my head ! The necessary furniture for sleeping lay in I THE VOYAGE BEG NS . 5 5

my bunk , but it was evident I should have w to make my o n bed . I n the spare cabin

o u r next mine was private stock Of provisions . I cast my eyes over the hampers and cases and knowing what they contained , considered

o u r w e that , taking live stock into account , should fare on the whole tolerably enough . Calling to M iss Grant that she would ﬁnd

o n - me deck , I mounted the companion ladder , and o n emerging discovered that the crew had tripped the anchor and were running about making sail . There were many vessels getting under way at this time , and the p icture was full O f animation and colour .

’

The j ib had been hoisted , and the brig s head was slowly paying Off hands aloft were shouting to people below to hoist away and sheet home ; the men o n deck were hoarsely bawling as they dragged upon the sheets and halliards ; purple -faced Old Broadwater stand ing near the wheel was roaring o ut orders in whole volleys , and the mate in the waist who had a singularly shrill voice for a man , heightened the general clamour by re -echoing the captain ’ s orders in notes which sounded R 6 M . 5 A O ONED . CHAP

l As ike screams . if all this were not distract

- ing enough , the pigs under the long boat;

o r irritated by neglect , by fasting , by the

hubbub about them , were squealing as though

somebody were stirring them up , whilst the concert was still further intensiﬁed by the crowing and the crackling Of the cocks and hens in the Coops . That the sailors should sing out at the ropes was reasonable and desir able ; seamen as they haul take time from their songs , otherwise the business Of hoisting , — bracing up , sheeting home would be like draw ing teeth . But what purpose could Captain Broadwater serve by roaring to his crew as if they were a company Of villains whom nothing Short Of noise and execrations could urge to exertions

As o n I stood looking , my eye was taken by h f t e mate . H e was a man apparently o my o w n age , tall and thin , with nothing of the air of a sailor about him . H is complexion was exceedingly sallow , but his features were strik in l — g y handsome such a nose , mouth , and fore head as yo u would expect to ﬁnd only in some f H marble fancy o a heathen deity . is eyes v . E I TH VOYAGE BEG NS . 5 7 were large and black and amazingly rapid in their movements , insomuch it seemed incredible that glances could be darted with the swiftness

I have witnessed in this man . An extraordinary

w as point , his hair was that Of a negro as sheer curly black wool as ever adorned the pate O f a

- M umbo jumbo . I t was a very puzzling feature , for assuredly there was no more Of the African l in him than there was in me . H e had a sma l m 5 0771 674 370 oustache , and only needed a hat , a

Of cutlass , and a girdle full pistols , to Offer the completest imaginable copy of a pirate . H is shrill words leapt as rapidly from his lips as his glances from his eyes , but he seemed incapable o f delivering even the most commonplace order

w as without temper . H is English that of an educated man , nor could I discover that it w as tainted in the least degree by a foreign accent .

Before long all plain sail had been made , and the brig , with her bowsprit pointing to a down

Channel course , was leaning lightly under the pressure o f the summer breeze and pushing gently through the trembling blue surface . The men had ceased their songs there was no 8 OO . HAP 5 MAR NED C .

further occasion for the captain to bawl , and something like silence was upon the little ship .

Well , thought I , here am I fairly started at last ! and as I looked at the town Of Deal

sun Old sparkling to the high , and at the chalk ramparts soaring to the brow Of the Foreland giant , a queer feeling thickened my sight for an P instant , though it vanished with the shaw it evoked from me . But this was an Old weakness I believe had I used the ocean for twenty years , and was still going a voyage every

o f Old twelvemonth , the sight of the cliffs the home quietly sliding away on the quarter and melting into the blue atmosphere would affect me as it did in my boyhood .

I turned to join the captain , and was con fronted by Miss Grant . The joyousness in her face seemed to rebuke me . She had brought her hands together , and was gazing from the sails to the land with her lips parted , her breath

o f coming and going quickly , her eyes full gladness . “ o ne There is gay heart aboard , said I quietly . ! I t is like a dream to me , Mr . Musgrave

0 . H 6 MAROONED C AP .

H e looks ﬁtter for the stage than for ship

hO e no t board . I p I do misjudge him ; but if he would no t knife a sailor with as little com

as punction he would harpoon a dolphin , then ” the cut Of his j ib badly libels his soul . She watched him with fast failing curiosity and w presently sent her gaze sea ards . The draught of air had Slightly freshened we were Slipping past the South Foreland and Opening the broad

bo w range Of the Channel over the starboard .

There was a small swell here , just enough to give a Slight lift and fall to the j ibboom , and to raise a faint seething noise at the cutwater , along with the airy tinkle Of foam - bells Sliding iridescent as beads Of o il into the eddies Of the

short wake under the counter . There were

sea- ships all about us , and upon the far line you

saw - o f the snow like shining canvas , serenely

luminous as any star , and the dim pearly

shadow beyond Of the coast Of France . I walked aft with M iss Grant to survey the brig from the best place in which a ship is to be

o u viewed when y are aboard her , and here

w e w ho as were j oined by Broadwater , , he

o ut approached us , pulled and cast his little v . I THE VOYAGE BEG NS . 6 I

eyes upon an immense , almost round , Silver

watch . “ P O retty nigh time to g to dinner , said he . I t ’ s a blessed thing to be born with a good ’ appetite . There s never no harm in a man that

’ ’ f a f ll - eats hearty . I d rather judge O e OW being s

conscience by his appetite than by his actions . “ What country does your chief mate belong

to I inquired .

’ o u sir That s more than I can tell y , , he “ replied . H e calls himself a Scotchman , but

’ ’ his hair don t look N orth Country . H is name s — ’ Bothwell N eil Bothwell . H e s the proper s r O f w as o t man for sailors . N ever a chap who ” could work up Old iron like him . “ Are sailors animals that they require ? ” working up , as you term it inquired Miss

Grant . “ ’ Well , perhaps they ain t , miss , he replied .

’ ’ Animal s too soft a term fo r em . The proper ’ — word s beast wild beast , mum there ye have it ! ” I Observed that whenever this captain la boured under any sudden excitement his nose reddened to it as though emotion could ﬁnd 6 2 MAROONED . CHAP . no other feature to express itself in ; owing to his eyes being much to o small to convey his m ind , and to the purple meshes which over spread hiscountenance like a net that prevented any particular expression Of intelligence from rising to the surface . M ethought there was something malevolent in the air with which he turned his eyes from M iss Grant to cast a glance aloft . Nothing Off N othing Off ! he suddenly shouted , whipping round upon the fellow that “ ’ ’ was steering ; where d ye think the ship s bdund ? K to , you scowbanker eep her to her course ! he rolled menacing to the wheel and

e lo w addr ssed the man in a voice , whilst he thrust his face into the binnacle The fellow

o r put the wheel down by a spoke two , with a dogged look and a sullen twist Of hiseye upon the captain . I think he believed the skipper A had meant to strike him . sheath knife lay upon his hip , and the muscles Of his arms , which were bare to the elbow , stood up like

o f - ﬂ ridges iron under the weather browned esh . Broadwater after some further muttering re

us turned to . 6 IN . V . THE VOYAGE BEG S 3

“ ’ Y o u were speaking Of sailors , ma am , said “ ’ he there s but o ne way Of ﬁnding o ut the sort

Of u people they are . Y o must take command

’ o f O a ship . f course there s nothing good

’ enough for em . They come to the vessel imbe cile with drink o ut Of the alleys in which they live when ashore , with nothing to wear but the rags they stand up in , and without having tasted

’ food for a week maybe ; and they re no sooner aboard than up turns their noses to whatever ’ s li ’ ro w n . Offered to them , and the g begins What s

w ittles? their Beef, pork , tea , bread , mollasses , winegar—things they ’ d never have knowed the

’ names Of if they hadn t been sailors ; fo r as landsmen they couldn’ t have earned as much as

’ would have brought their eyes to the Sight Of em .

They like the money they take up , but the work

’ ’ e don t suit their delicate constitutions . Tell e

’ what it is : there s been a great deal too much

’ He s said about the British sailor . been led into such fancies Of his own consequence that

’ ’ he s no w i ‘ ate up with w an ty. N e er another ’ ’ he ‘ nation , I m told , he says , says , can produce the likes Of me ! An ’ he don ’ t know how ’ is do ! Fo r right he . N e er another nation 6 . H 4 MAROONED C AP .

what ’ s the name Of the country whose sailors are within hailing distance Of him in the art

Of lo aﬁn g, growling , mutineering , and giving trouble all round “ ? ” Your crew are contented , I hope said I . ’ ll ’ M e and the mate keep em satisﬁed , I

warrant ye , he answered . I must confess I did not like this man ’ s

i v ews and talk . But then I reﬂected that

- sailors are , on the whole , a long suffering people ; that in every crew there is a propor tion of sensible men who keep the others straight by their resolution to o ut - weather the

Old captain , even if he should prove N ick himself, sooner than be betrayed by injurious usage into an act that would procure the for

i r fe tu e of their wages . I likewise considered that Broadwater had doubtless been master

v e ars for some , and that he had experience enough to distinguish the line where surly and dissatisﬁed Obedience ends , and mutiny — deﬁant , reckless , and Often deadly begins .

w as M eanwhile I held my tongue , for I in no humour to enter into an argument with him upon the virtues and vices Of the British THE VOYAGE BEGINS . 6 5

sailor . I Observed that M iss Grant watched

o him furtively , but with attenti n Yet his face

w as but little better than 3 a mask . I t was i ind impossible to decipher h s.m by looking at

- him . H e had no other faculty of self interpreta

at re had tion than his speech . N u ; restricted

x r ssio n o his capacity Of e p e t that . Shortly after this the cabin -boy arrived to

he - announce dinner . T time had slipped away ’

o ne . swiftly , and it was now O clock

u t [u m /z The lad m s mean said I . ” “ NO e ! sir f ar said Broadwater ; dinner , dinner ! “ And pray what is the next meal called ?

I asked .

sarv e d — Supper , Sir at half past ﬁve much

’ as a man can eat o r ought to eat long with

u - tea . Sho ld ye feel faint towards bed time ,

’ ’ NO there s biscuit,cheese an pickles . chance ” Of passengers starving aboard me I “ O h , we shall manage very well , I have no doubt , I exclaimed soothingly . H e trudged below leaving M iss Grant and me to follow . “ - sh Atrue sea . e bear , M r Musgrave , whispered .

V OL . I F 6 6 O . A MARO NED CH P .

Yet he was fairly well spoken ashore , said

’ I . But to keep one s temper is the great

. A secret Of happiness nd , besides we need

see as little Of him as we choose .

H e kept us waiting , and when he emerged from his cabin his face shone from what he “ Y o u himself would have called a wash down . might have thought he had soaped his hair as well as his face : it lay as a skull -cap o n his head and glistened in the light , and I took notice of a po lished spike of it proj ecting beyond either ear as though the Old fellow had rounded Off his toilet with a couple o f notes of admira tion . I t is not many years since I made a voyage to the West I ndies in a mail -steamer

o n that would have carried me to Rio , had I desired ° to visit that port ; and I well remember

o ur [ ro rz Cro w n that this , ﬁrst meal aboard the , recurred to me as vividly as though it had been an experience Of yesterday when I sat down in the shining saloon Of the great steam

at palace a table , white , rich , glittering with damask and glass and Silver, and a waiter behind my chair to attend to my selections from a bill Of fare which no excellent hotel

8 H . 6 MAROONED . C AP

without appetite . The skylight lay open , but the atmosphere was nevertheless Oppressive , and I was no t a little grateful that the brig should be sailing along o n a level keel ; for though I was never sea - sick in my life I am

’ persuaded that , had the vessel s motion been lively , the hot atmosphere Of the cabin coupled with the strong fumes Of the repast would have rendered me very uneasy . Broadwater was so well pleased with his dinner that he suffered the cabin - boy to stagger through the task of waiting without giving him o ne injurious word but the terriﬁed concern Of the lad satisﬁed me that though the brig had sailed from the

o r Thames but a day two before , he had in that brief time undergone discipline enough to make him heartily wish himself at home again with hisfriends . A s I handed M iss Grant up the companion

she steps , exclaimed I fear you will have to thank me for some uncomfortable experiences and yet think o f me alone in this vessel

N ever trouble yourself about me , M iss ” “ Grant , said I , I shall begin to enjoy myself

presently . H ere am I face to face with an 6 v H I S . . T E VOYAGE BEG N 9

aspect of life quite worth examining , believe me . O ne might Wish indeed that there were other passengers , for Broadwater has the look Of a man in whom decorousness is only to be con t riv ed by a combination o f fares . But he Shall help to divert us yet I returned to the cabin to get a deck - chair I w had purchased , together ith a parcel of books ,

and made her comfortable . But there was nothing in literature to detain her eye Or mine j ust then . The breeze had freshened , yet it

blew a little before the beam , and the brig with her port tacks aboard had just heel enough to \ suggest speed by her posture . V e were haul ing out from the land that trended away to star board in streaks Of dim green and white and

- brown , with here and there a brilliant star like shining upon it from some object that sent back A the sunlight . bout a quarter of a mile to

windward Of us , was a large I ndiaman , bound

w e . as were , and passing us , but slowly There

Of were soldiers aboard her , and the line the forecastle and main - deck was spotted with bright

red uniforms ; whilst , from under the violet twilight Of the awning stretched over the poop o AP . 7 MAROONED . CH

the deck , you caught glance Of twinkling lace

and metal buttons , and the ﬂuttering coloured

r drapery Of ladies standing o walking . Her large cabin - windows trembled back the shivering lustre that rose to them Off the ﬂashing hurry Of waters . H er wake followed her like a narrow

o f band white satin , and as the dark blue curl at the cutwater arched its luminous ridge into snow , the leap O f the froth to the afternoon Splendour

l o r resemb ed a scattering Of gems , the Shattering of a fragment Of rainbow . That is the sort Of ship to make a voyage in , I thought to myself ;

sa s but it would not have been kind to y o . M iss

’ Grant s gaze was full Of delight and admiration .

’ She let me know that she had a sailor s eye for at m o spheric effect when she bade me Observe ho w the white light of the canvas appeared to overﬂow

o f the boundaries the gleaming spaces , and dis solve up o n the blue beyond like the sheen from a sky-line o f snow - clad hills standing fair against f the liquid sapphire O the winter heavens . But though the I ndiaman was soon ahead o f us we

w as were sailing , too , and there comfort in

o f knowing it . Round as were the bows the Iro n Cro w n I judged that she had the trick Of E I 1 THE VOYAG BEG NS . 7 blowing along whenever the wind found her a chance , and that her run to Rio might prove

she P nimbler than her shape , as lay in the ool , had promised me . Thus we slipped onwards , diminishing the land until it fell into blobs Of ﬁlm and hovering streaks Of blue and by sun down we might have been in the heart Of o ne Of Ocean ’ s deepest solitudes but for three or four

- orange tinctured sail , like dashes Of light in the

o ur far distance , and but for the water stem was rending being o f a hue as different from the

o f deep , dark , beautiful , pure blue the fathom less surge as were Old Broadwater ’ s eyes from

o f A those M iss urelia . A P R V C H T E I .

IN I N IN H C HAN N AN C DE T T E EL .

HAD I embarked on this voyage despondently , I believe I should have found a reason fo r the gloom o n my mind in a very extraordinary incident that occurred on this the ﬁrst night o f our departure from England . “ - Supper had been served at half past ﬁve . Broadwater thus spoke Of this meal because it w as still‘ is o ne , as it , Of the perversities of the

SO - o t forecastle parlance , to entitle the hook p Of

’ o f tea , the pieces Ship s bread , and the remains Of the contents Of the noontide kid Of beef o r

’ pork , which form the last Of the mariner s three repasts . I had requested the captain to order o ne Of my fowls to be killed and cooked as a provision agai nst the Oppressively substantial fare Of the cabin ; and though to be sure the . I I IN . CHAP VI . AN NC DENT THE CHANNEL 73

bird came to the table somewhat tough for the

t un wan Of keeping , and somewhat prickly with plucked quills , it at least provided us with a lighter entertainment than we should have

Of found in the cold leg Of pork , in the dish fried

Of slices pudding , and in the liver and bacon

- which the cabin boy placed upon the table . A great teapot was put before Broadwater , who poured o ut cupfuls Of a liquor black as ink ;

o n from the depths Of which , stirring it , there arose quite a little plantation Of twigs and leaves . H e told us that there was milk enough o n

- W board to last until to morrow , after hich we “ ” m o ur ust be satisﬁed to take tea neat , as he called it. “ Few vessels Of the size Of this brig carry ? I . cows , suppose said I ” “ ’ N o , he answered , nor goats neither . I t s astonishing that the art Of feeding people o n

c o n board ship should have rose to what it is ,

’ sidering how few vittles there are which ain t Of

’ e fﬁ ies a perishable kind . They ll put up g to

to - chaps who write books , play actors , to folks like politicians w ho get o n for themselves and ’ don t do nobody else any good ; but if ever 74 MAROONED . CHAP .

’ m o rtial‘ man in this here blo o m in world de sarv ed a statue it w as the fellow who ﬁrst hit o n the notion Of steeping beef in brine to f ’ keep it ﬁt and sweet o r sailors use . Think of

aflo at— being able to get when mind ye , miss , — ’ I says aflo ai such a dinner as we ve had to — day The mere sight Of such food at sea not an ounce Of salt in the whole biling neither—is enough to make a man think his eyes must have gone wrong and he lifted his hands and gazed upwards with the air Of a person over whelmed with astonishment . A t this early stage it w as difficult to tell whether he desired us to accept him as a humorist . But it was not long before I dis

w as a w a covered that he neither wit nor a g, and that he was only comical when he had not s the least intention Of being o . Whilst we were at supper the mate came be low and took his seat quietly , saluting M iss

Grant and me with a bow . But for his hair I must certainly have thought him o ne Of the

I had I handsomest men ever seen , now that could view him closely and Observe the delicacy o f w as his lineaments . H is woolly crop how

6 H 7 MAROONED . C AP . ll

wester as ever sailor put to his lips , though he f had already swallowed three large cups O tea . ” H e has not the air Of a seamen , said M iss

Grant . “ su r So little , I exclaimed , that I am

Of prised , captain , to hear you speak him as ” a taut hand .

’ Taut well , that s perhaps the word , Sir . I

’ ’ he s don t know that not almost as taut as me , and in saying that I pay him as handsome a compliment as o ne man could give to another

o u . for let me tell y , Mr Musgrave , that you might coast the whole o f Great Britain and not meet with a shipmaster w ho could hold a candle ” to me in the art Of managi ng sailors . ” Glad to hear it , said I , rising , not very well pleased by the languishing glance he cast at the bottle , as though debating whether to take another sup o r return the liquor to the locker . The afternoon had been hot and blinding with sunshine . The evening that now stole down upon us from astern with a single jew el sk glittering upon its brow , albeit the western y was still crimson , with lagoons Of delicate green amid the amber and rose and scarlet Of the . A I I VI N INC DENT N THE C HANNEL . 77

he w as light high clouds t re , delicious and tran

u illiz in o f q g, full dewy softness and the balm of the shadows which trail in the wake of a glar

ing day . The radiance was so illusive that the sea looked to go bare to its confines , and the sense of solitude you got when yo u gazed over the rail could not have been more complete had the Iro n Cro w n been floating deep in the heart of the Pacific . l M iss Grant and paced the deck , greatly f enj oying the coolness and repose o the night . O ur talk was chiefly about her early life , her father and mother , Rio , Fraser , and the like .

’ It seems that o n her mother s side She came Of

o ne a race Of grandees , Of whom was an Ofﬁcer under Don P edro de Valdez when that Admiral

she w as surrendered to Drake , and said it a tradition in the family that he was the only man aboard the Spaniard w ho exhibited any kind o f reluctance to being made a prisoner by Sir

Francis . H er mother took her to Old Spain , as she she w as called it , when a child , but though she met several relatives she could recollect nothing Of them beyond their haughty manners

. I and grandiose airs I ndeed , gathered that 8 H 7 MAROONED . C AP . her mother’ s noble connections accepted her “ marriage as a blo w to the family dignity . And ” “ O f yet my father , said M iss Grant , came as P good a stock as any in Scotland . ray , what Spanish woman Of title is too good fo r a Scotch gentleman Of high descent ? ” I ought to love my mother ’ s native country but sheis poor and

so she has sunk low that , until can take her Old

Of place in Europe again , the pretensions her ancient nobility must continue to be almost too ” ridiculous to laugh at . Whilst w e walked and chatted the time in sensibly slipped away . O nce Broadwater rolled over to us pufﬁng a pipe . H e Offered no apology to M iss Grant for smoking in her

be presence , though those were days when haviour Of this sort was considered a barbarous incivility to a lady .

There is grog and biscuit to be had below , “ o r he exclaimed , if you the lady has a mind fo r a sup before turning in .

Thank you , we require nothing more . ” - be The boys lock up at half past nine , said ’ - but the cabin light s left burning all night .

’ There s never no need for groping aboard Of me . I IN I C H CH . VI . AN N DENT T E ANNEL 79

What I says to my owner is , treat your passengers

’ ’ well and they ll stick to ye . I m not a man to be

’ ’

. e e . scared by a ha porth of ile Tell , M r Mus

’ ho w a : grave , to read a man s char cter watch

’ ’ sir ? 11 him carve , There s some as help ye as

’ though when what they re sarv ing o ut is gone ’ there 11 be nothing more left to eat o n this O ’ 11 blooming airth . thers act as though they

’

m an . understood you was a That s my kind . A ’ ” board me everything s up to the knocker . H e uttered a loud unmeaning laugh that instantly ﬂavoured the atmosphere with the

Odour Of rum . “ We must consider ourselves very fortunate ”

I . A to fall into such good hands , said man

Of purple cheer , to use the language of the poet , is a person quite to my liking . H is eyes were so small that it was impossible

r to judge whether they were unsteady o not . H e seemed to look at me as if he suspected a

a sarc sm in my words , and an Objectionable mean “ ” ing in my employment Of the word purple ; he then with a ﬂourish Of the stem Of his pipe to his forehead walked over to the binnacle , and after blowing some clouds o f smoke with many 8 0 O . MARO NED CHAP .

a long look around and up at the canvas ,

o f knocked the ashes out his bowl , gave some

directions to the boatswain , who , acting as

second mate , had charge Of the deck , and went

below .

H e thinks Of nothing but eating, said

Miss Grant .

I hope that may be all , I answered then checking some expression Of dislike and mistrust

I was about to utter , I changed the subject by calling her attention to the lovely effect o f the f moonlight upon the sails o the brig . By day light the vessel w asthe sheerest bit Of common place ; but now that the magic pencils Of the

w as moon were busy with her , every feature

chastened , the homeliest and coarsest detail softened by the rich clear glow into a fairy

delicacy Of airy outline and silvered substance .

She ﬂoated clothed with beauty , and swam like

a sweet imagination through the shining air . H er decks gleamed o u t with the whiteness Of the peeled almond the black line Of every seam between the planks lay as sharp to the sight as the ebon Shadows Of the rigging sliding to and fro to the sleepy stirring Of the vessel ; there I I I . 8 1 VI . AN NC DENT N THE CHANNEL was weight enough in the draught of air to hold

o the canvas motionless , and every holl w was like the image Of a sail carved in alabaster.

- The boatswain stumped the weather deck , and his shadow at his feet was more keenly black sk there than his ﬁgure against the y. The o fellow at the wheel sto d stirless , but for an

o f o u occasional movement his arms , and y would have thought it was the stars that ran as

so im they slipped up and down past him ,

perceptible was the curtseying Of the brig .

The dew along the rail sparkled crisply , as

c though , since moonrise , some se ret ﬁngers had

encrusted the line of bulwarks with gems . Forward all was still save under the yawn o f the fore -course I could distinguish the ﬁgure of

-Ou t the look man stepping athwart the forecastle ,

‘ so m e tim espausing to lean over the side to send

his gaze into the pale distance ahead . There w asno gleam Of light along the range O f the

starboard seaboard where the. coast w as. ” I f this were to last , exclaimed M iss Grant ,

b e O f the voyage would delightful in Spite the.

disagreeable Obligation o f having to take o ur. W meals ith the captain .

V OL . I. 8 2 OO . H MAR NED C AP .

Delightful , yes but too long I fear , said I .

We want wind , M iss Grant ; we need what the shipbrokers term despatch . This moonlight ,

sea w 1nd s this quiet , this gentle , the tran forma tion Of this Old bucket into a fabric Of marble d and diamonds and pearl , are enchanting indee ,

- but conditions ﬁt only for pleasure making .

Y o u no t are in a hurry , and I Shall be reluctant s ee V . to Rio heave into iew either Give me ,

Of instead the beauty Of such a night as this , the thunder of half a gale o f wind blowing over o ur quarter , a high green frothing sea chasing us , that same moon up yonder whisking like a silver rou nd - shot from the edge o f o ne dark cloud to another , and the brig with a reef in her — fore - sail and the main - top gallant sail se t over the double - reefed topsail hurling through an

Of acre Of foam her own making, with the white seething and hissing smother boiling into her w ake that stretches to the very line Of the tumbling horizon “ A . n excellent description , M r Musgrave ,

u sa Y o u and it is what we want as yo y. have

Y u not forgotten your o ld calling . o talk easily ” enough Of reefs and sails .

8 . 4 MAROONED CHAP .

e unl ss I should turn in thoroughly sleepy , these bothersome noises promised to keep me

awake all night . Cigar in mouth I walked the

deck for some time , ﬁnding a constant pleasure

in the moonlit scene , and greatly enjoying the delicious hush that rested upon the vessel and

. A the ocean fter all , thought I , this is a voyage

to do me a great deal Of good . I t is a complete

no change there is cold weather to be dreaded , O no Cape Horn , no Southern cean in ! une . There should be some fun to be got out Of Old A Broadwater , though I do not like him . nd A then I fell to thinking Of M iss urelia . There had been so much moonlight mixed up in our

SO oceanic intercourse far , that it seemed to me as if I should never be able to cast my eyes

her upon the planet without thinking Of L Well , no woman could desire a lovelier fancy and

’ habit of association in a man s mind . My ’ “ humour took a poetic turn ; Byron s line She ” walks in beauty like the night , came into my

’ head , along with Shelley s ﬁne thought

o ne Moonlight and music and feeling are .

O f H ere is plenty moonlight , thought I , but A even if I should call M iss urelia the music , x . 8 v . AN INCIDENT IN THE CHANNEL 5

where is the feeling ? But what wonderful

she eyes has I mused what spirit , power , life , ! intelligence She talks very ﬁnely too , by

George Fraser is her dear boy , and deserves

’ SO I to be , don t doubt ; but the shape Of his head must have vastly changed since he was

sea my shipmate at , if he is able to understand

o ne half Of the fancies which take her . P ‘ I resently feeling somewhat lonesome , crossed the deck to where the boatswain was

quietly pacing . “ A ﬁne night , said I .

I sir - t is , , lovely indeed , he replied , coming to a stand and touching his cap very civilly “ Y o u are the second mate , I believe

’ ” Second mate and bo sun , Sir .

P I o u . ray do not stand , will walk with y We started to pace the length Of the quarter

deck together . I particularly Observed in him

a very respectful , quiet manner , the sort Of sailor-like civility o ne wanted to hear O f in such I a ship as the ro n Cro w n . The moonshine

’ gushed so clearly that my companion s face could not have been more visible had I viewed

- it by daylight . H e was a hearty looking man 8 6 MAROONED . CHAP .

fiv e - - Of about and forty , clean shaven save in a streak of iron - grey whisker ; a real splicer in aspect down to such minuti ae as the hang O f his arms and the curl O f his fingers as he walked . I s this your first voyage with Captain

Broadwater M r . “ — Z . Gordon s my name , sir ana Gordon

Yes , this is my ﬁrst voyage with Captain ” Broadwater . “ I suppose he is reckoned a pretty smart seaman ’ ’ Sir I don t know I m sure , .

The crew at least strike me as a lively lot .

They tumble about very briskly , a good sign in

men newly shipped . But Of course most Of

them will run when the brig arrives at Rio . jack has his peculiarities as have other folks

H e has a right to be peculiar , sir . H is

’ life s a good deal out o f the common ; little

to o w ho understood , , save by them have to eat

and drink and jump aloft with him . And it

’ ’ isn t enough that he s expected to work fo r ’ - t he twenty four hours in day , and that he s got to eat victuals which no man ashore who values VI . AN INCIDENT IN THE C HANNEL . 8 7

his dog would give it , unless it went mad and

’ had to be choked ; and that his labour s Of a ’ sort ne er a landsman would undertake , no , not if instead O f signing for three pounds a month

’ f r o . he agreed a hundred That isn t enough , I

’ say . I t s what lies behind , sometimes deep ,

’ o ut and nearly always of sight , that s the worst ’ ” part Of all that s bad in the seafaring calling . “ a You mean bullying , brutal tre tment , ? “ injurious language H e was silent . I “

. I should understand you , said I n coming aboard this morning I found a bigger hint than would have sufﬁced me in the faces Of the

’ boat s crew . I was a sailor myself for three

’ years , and one doesn t want to serve longer than that to make plain words Of the looks o f ” seamen . i H e still held his peace , but he had sa d enough to let me know his silence was mere

o t wariness . When we g on to other topics he was as talkative as I could desire . I found he had been able seaman aboard the I ndiaman I

sea u had ﬁrst gone to in , tho gh he had left her before I joined . She had been commanded in

' his time by the same man who ha d her when I 8 8 OO . MAR NED CHAP .

was a midshipman SO here was a topic that was enough to at once establish a sort Of bond

between us . Whilst we were pacing the deck the man o n

- — the look o ut forward hailed my companion as f . O he seemed to think N either | us caught h ll ’ d a O . what he said , and Gordon back The m an o ut sang again , but without making him self heard ; o n which the boatswain went t s forward o e e what was wanted . H e left me n sta ding near the wheel . There yet remained

o f o u t half my cheroot to smoke . S ix bells eleven O ’ clock—had been struck some ten minutes before ; but the loveliness Of the night still

w as no detained me , and I in mood yet to exchange the warm sweetness Of the ocean

- night breeze fo r the atmosphere Of my cabin . O n a sudden the man who w assteering started

violently , let go the wheel , and ran to the

’ vessel s side , where he hung in a strained

o ne . listening p osture , with hand to his ear I

o n hastily crossed the deck , wondering what earth he could have heard to cause him to start

SO wildly , and above all to desert his post at the

helm as though he had gone o ut o f his mind . 8 VI . AN INCIDENT IN THE CHANNEL . 9

The moonshine streamed full upon him , and the his complexion Of that light , combined with extreme pallor , made the face he slowly turned

’ upon me ghastlier than any dead man s fo r the very life that worked with a sort Of grin in it . “ D id you hear him he inquired in the low tremulous voice Of a man newly recovered from a faint . “ W H ear hom I answered , staring my hardest into the distance , misty with the radiance . “ Something away yonder called me ! ” said he , still speaking in the same voice , weak with terror and astonishment . “ “ Y o u I exclaimed ' called yo u But

’ n — there s othing there , man nothing in sight , anyway . What should there be then for a ” human V o Ic e to sound from ? “ 77 ! ' ri H ark There again he c ed , with another violent start as though he had been electriﬁed . I had heard nothing . “ What is your name I asked . ” sir j esse Cooper , , he responded , trembling pitifully .

I to had begun think that the fellow was ill , 0 9 MAROONED. CHAP . or that he had suddenly gone wrong in his head , when he lifted his hand as if to motion silence , and then I certainly did seem to hear a

G o d faint sound coming from knows where , that

fo r might have passed a feeble human cry , though it syllabled nothing that was intelligible

r O o to my ea s . N doubt it was no m re than the sheer imagination in me wrought o n by some

Of o r delicate murmur wind aloft , by the stir

o r Of one rope lying in the chafe Of another, by the jerk Of a sheet to the gentle strain Of the

f r o r o r . o sail , the creak Of parrel truss But the moment I w ashardly less startled than t he man himself. “ ” Very extraordinary ! I said . ” Y o u sir ? heard it , he cried , looking wildly at me . I certainly heard something confoundedly ” like a human voice hailing , I answered ,

sea peering with all my eyes at the , as though I must certainly se e something there if I stared long enough .

O my Go d ! O my Go d ! he groaned . ! ’ sir It s . You heard it too , no fancy then

’ ’ o I m called , and must g . I t was father s

2 H 9 MAROONED . C AP .

for a chew Of tobacco , and thought , when I answered that I was the man he had sung

o ut to .

“ ’ It s V Ve v e Glad no worse , said—I . had a bit Of a scare aft here , all happening in a minute—too Odd Of its kind to require im ” O proving by anything f the same sort forward , and then I told him what had happened . We stood in the shadow cast by the main

c rigging as we conversed . H e cast a glan e

o f in the direction the wheel , and said , in a voice made up Of pity and contempt : “ There ’ s always sailors knocking about

’ with notions O f that kind . I ve seen a man plump down upon his knees and pray in a loud voice all because he caught sight Of a

m - - c o pre esant a burning at the yard arm . That

o n there Cooper struck me , ﬁrst setting eyes

o n v . him , as ha ing a queerish look in his face I f there was more learning in forecastles there ’ d be a deal less Of these here fanciful

alliv an ins g t . Fancy a chap supposing that

’ ’ 0 his father , who was drownded t other side

Cape H orn , could hail him after all these

’ ” years o u t 0 the English Channel ! v1 I C I IN H CH . . AN N DENT T E ANNEL 95

Yet wiser men than this same Cooper ,

M r . Gordon , hold and stoutly cling to stranger beliefs than the midnight halloing Of drowned ! ” I men said , hammering at a ﬂint for a “ l ight for my fragment Of cigar . I f any m ortal being has a right to believe in

. L ghosts , it should be the sailor ook aloft , ! ” M r . Gordon he turned up his weather beaten face Mark ho w spectrally those

sails Show out to the moonlight . What , to

o f a fanciful eye , should the ﬂitting the shadows up there to the swaying Of the masts signify but the pinions Of spirits hover ? ing over those glimmering heights and what ,

to the imaginative ear , should the mutterings Of the breeze in the shrouds mean but the dark and secret whispered conversation Of beings

o u o r . as little like y me , M r Gordon , as the

su n ? A moon is like the gain , look over the

—it : sea Side is all wide , white silence mere

o u and moonshine to y and me , but to the l onely distempered vision the ﬁttest canvas the wide world over fo r the magic lantern 0 1 ” the mind to cast its imaginations on . H e tilted the peak Of his cap o n to his AP . 94 MAROONED . CH

nose as he scratched the back Of his he ad , “ ’ : and said Well , if a man s weak enough

’ ’ to believe in ghosts , I don t doubt he d get more ideas about them out o f such a night ’ as this upon the ocean than maybe he d collect o ut Of the most crowded Of grave yards ashore . But supposing such things as

’ s e rrits p to be , who s going to make me believe ’ ’ they ha n t got too much sense to choose the ? ’ sea to knock about in A spectre s right enough in an Old country house and the

’ likes Of them places ashore ; fo r he s not only go t a roof over his head and a ﬁre to warm himself at when the weather draws

o f up cold , but the pick the best room to lay in , and a larder to help himself from

so S errit if be a p ever gets hungry . But ? ’ what does a ghost do at se a I f he s a la nd

’ ghost he ll stop ashore ; and is it imaginable ,

’ ’ sir he s o f d ye think , , that if the ghost a

’ retarn sailor he d , without being forced , to the life he was bound to hate when he w as

ﬂesh and blood , and keep company , Of his o w n accord , with such people as skippers and mates , and endure again the cold and

ED . . 96 MARo o N CHAP

“ ’ ’ said , the wheel s deserted ; the brig s coming round ! ahd H e sprang to the helm , ground at

- the spokes till the tiller chains rattled again ,

t meanwhile looking right and lef . “ ’ ” “ Sir ? Where s Cooper , he cried ; he

’ ’ hasn t gone forward . I ll swear he never

’ passed us ; he wouldn t quit the helm unless he was mad ! ” There was a grating abaft the wheel ; I sprang o n to it and strained my sight at the

k ' aste rn w as w a e . The moon westering and

r - looking over our foretopsail ya d arm , and

w as her light very clear and broad . I could

see nothing . The wake went away slowly

in small black holes and little seething clouds , with here and there a faint ﬂash O f green

light , as though a strange ﬁsh with a green eye ﬂoated up to the surface to take a View

no w O f us and again . “ H e is overboard—drownded hisself “ ” cried the boatswain . Man overboard ! he “ L ’ . ! o r roared ay aft the watch lively , ye ll be too late ! ” and he fell to grinding at the

wheel again to steady it . I I IN . VI . AN NC DENT THE CHANNEL 97

The brig came round slowly . H is cry w as electrical in its effect . I had seen nothing

o n -o ut stirring save the man the look , and now in an instant the planks re -echoed the thumping and slapping Of the booted o r naked feet Of the watch tumbling aft as if fo r their lives . They were busy with the boat , clearing away the falls and casting Off

u the gripes , when p came Old Broadwater . What ’ s the matter ? what ’ s the matter ? ” he bawled .

sir ! Man overboard , shouted the boat swain . “ Where is he ? where is he ? Anybody ” see ? him roared the skipper , springing with his oval shanks on to the grating alongside

me .

o ut I have been looking , but can make no ” signs Of him , I answered . “ H ow long has he been overboard he

shouted . “ o r Three four minutes , I expect , answered

the boatswain . ” H ow did he git there ? he bellowed ° w as he knocked overboard

V OL. I. 98 MAROONED . CHAP .

! ” Good God I cried , wild to think Of the precious time the Old fool was losing by “ ’ these questions , there s a man overboard ,

’ ih captain , and he must drown if you don t

’ ” stantl . y seek him , if indeed he s still aﬂoat K ” eep all fast with the boat , he vociferated

’ if he s only been overboard three o r four

’ minutes he ought to be visible if he s o n the

’ ’ ’ he s surface , and since he ain t it s a proof under . I t ’ s murder said an angry voice amongst the men standing near the davits . j ust then the mate sprang through the

companion . “ Who was it said it’ s murder ? ” shouted f Broadwater , half suf ocated with passion . M r.

o u t ! ! Bothwell , ﬁnd the man ﬁnd out the man I must know who it is ! “ “ Captain Broadwater , I exclaimed , the poor fellow has only been overboard a few

minutes , and you really “ o w n sir M ind your blasted business , , he shouted in such a raging way that I have no “ pen to portray it with . Find me the man ’

who . ! said it s murder , M r Bothwell Find me

that man , Sir

MAROONED . CHAP

ﬂourished in the air . The men , however , would

not tell who it was that had spoken the words .

Some blows were exchanged , and presently the

sailors came staggering my way , driven and

beaten along by Broadwater and his mate . “ Forward with ye ! Forward with ye !

roared the Old fellow , ﬂourishing his arms like a windmill , whilst the mate shoved and pushed as a drover would thrust a congregation O f

irresolute o r deﬁant calves . I t would have struck a landsman as incredible that the men should have suffered themselves to be thus six f driven . They were to two , yet they Of ered no resistance . But the habit Of discipline is

- strong in the sailor , and the quarter deck is sacred ground . I n no man who has command Of his fellow - beings is there vested such des

o t ic p powers as in the master Of a ship . The spirit o f mutiny will skulk long ere it dare

Show its face . There is no doubt the men would have gone forward quietly enough ; but

’ ’ w as Broadwater s and his mate s blood up , and the wild and wretched business did not end until the men had been driven forward Of the

mainmast . Blowing and gasping , though still I L AN INCIDENT N THE CHANNE .

ﬂ ourishing his hands , Broadwater came to a

so stand , his face crimsoned by his exertions that he looked like a mulatto in the moonlight .

o w see o ut N here , he said , sputtering the

fo r to o ex words in wheezy accents , he was “ u s r il ha te d tO ro a , o nt _ the name Of the man

’ who spoke them words is given to me , you re o n bread and water ! M ind that ! O ne Of yo u it was , and I must know who and if bread and

’ ’ ’ ’ water don t sarve , I ll stop em both , I ll stop ’ ’ ll em both Hunger make a mad beast rational .

’ ” SO now you know what ye ve go t to expect .

With this he walked aft , followed by his mate . By this time I had had enough Of the deck , and was sick , grieved , and deeply worried . Broadwater ’ s insulting expression stuck in my

to gorge , and I made up my mind have a short conversation with him next morning o n the

to o subject . I t was depressing beyond words , , to think that the unhappy man , who beyond question had dropped silently overboard whilst the boatswain and I conversed forwards , may have perished fo r the want Of a boat nimbly

o f sent to seek him . One the crew had called it murder , and that would be the universal 2 . 1 0 MAROONED CHAP .

feeling of the forecastle I was sure . Broadwater

w as marching to and fro near the wheel , with a lurch in his gait that satisﬁed me he must have

gone to bed pretty well primed . H e was talking

vehemently to the boatswain , who still held the

wheel . The mate overhung the nail , gazing

astern . I went below unnoticed by them , and had Opened the door Of my cabin when I heard

saw my name called . I turned and M iss Grant standing in her doorway robed in a pink ' dress

- ing gown . H er dark eyes ﬂashed back the

‘ zlzenz light Of the lamp in my berth , and with and her pale face and coronal Of fair hair and

She she commanding posture would , attired as was , have nobly ﬁlled the canvas Of a painter as

Of the Muse Tragedy . What was the cause Of that great commotion ” o n no w ? deck just she inquired , without the

r least exhibition Of alarm o nervousness . “ I had hoped that you would have been

. A peacefully sleeping , Miss Grant fellow who was at the wheel fell crazy , and quietly Slipped himself overboard . H e was missed , and the alarm given . H ence the hurried tread over ” head which disturbed you .

A P V C H T E R I I .

B THWELL C H IEF MATE . O ,

I WAS awakened early by the scrubbing brushes Of the men overhead washing down the

O f decks . The movement the little ship was

o n tolerably lively , insomuch that quitting my 3 bunk l had some di fﬁculty for a fe w minutes in

no r w as keeping my legs , it hard to tell , by the dim humming noise that seemed to tremble through the fabric like the vibration in a harp string after it has been twanged , that it was

‘ f blowing a fresh breeze o wind . I was soon

o n dressed , and gaining the deck found the brig storming along with her royals furled and her

- sea trysail boom well on the quarter . A high

fo r chased us , and but the wind being abaft the beam we must have found no little spite in the weight Of the sudden gusts and brisk squalls CH. . H CH I . 1 0 VII BOT WELL, EF MATE 5 which distended o ur canvas until the sheets groaned again to the strain . The heavens were covered with large white clouds , which rolled along very stately and solemnly , with a brown ish scud speeding under them like smoke ; but there were everywhere great breaks Of clear blue sky Of the true summer tint Of the English

s a Channel . The e was as grand as one could wish it with ﬂying Shadow and leaping dazzle

- blue ridges with a mile long head Of foam , bits

Of rainbow in the showering of spray , weltering spaces Of violet gloom cast by the clouds and the swift glory that chased them . The brig

’ use was buzzing through it as if, to the sailor s sh e . phrase , had the scent at last She rose to the head Of a sea in a boiling smother , then sank all very solemnly with a leeward heel that seemed to bring the to p- gallant rail within

’ arm s - reach Of the hissing yeast that went wildly

Of swirling past , and out which the rush Of wind from under the foot of the mainsail would tear

o f up bucketfuls blobs and flakes , and send them scattering with a scream through the air with something Of the pearly glint Of the flying-fish in their flight . I O 6 MAROONED . CHAP .

Z My friend , M r . ana Gordon , had once

o f . again charge the deck Bucket in hand , with trousers turned above the knee , he swirled the sparkling green water that was W handed to him along the deck , hilst the men scrubbed with their brushes . Recollecting that these were the fellows who were to be disciplined by a diet Of bread and water into telling the captain which o f them it was who had used the words that had enraged him , I ran my eye from o ne O f to another them with a little attention , but Observed nothing particular , unless it were a sort Of sullenness in their deliberate manner o f - handling their scrubbing brushes , which after all might have been a mere imagination o n my part .

I t was a lively enough scene in its way , and brought back Old memories to me . The smoke o f the newly - lighted galley - ﬁ re blew swiftly and merrily from the chimney Of the caboose into

sea - the , and you noticed the farm yard noise about of the crowing o f cocks and the grunting

w as of pigs . There but one vessel in sight , a large topsail schooner heading to cross under

fo r our stern a course to some French port .

1 0 8 MAROONED . CHAP .

I inclined my head coldly and distantly to him , and then suspecting that any kind Of sub -acid o r chilly posture would be entirely lost upon such an intelligence as his , I resolved to deal with him in a way that should at least be intelligible . “ o u I wish to speak a word with y , Captain

o ut . Broadwater , I called H e looked at me a moment as though he feared his dignity and importance would suffer by having to go to me , and then after a half glance at the fellow at the wheel with a slow pulling down Of his nose with his fore - ﬁnge r and

thumb , a trick that seemed to help him to arrive

at a conclusion , he came to where I stood , but

very leisurely , appearing the while to think o f nothing but the appearance O f the deck and

the movements Of the men swabbing . ” “ Well , M r . Musgrave , he exclaimed , what ? ? is it , sir Slept pretty comfortable , I hope N othing the lady can ﬁnd to complain abo ut/ I trust “ “ o u Sir , said I , y were extremely rude and

Y o u o f Offensive to me last night . are captain

I who this ship , and am a passenger has paid T W I0 B H I . . O CH VII ELL , EF MATE 9 — for certain rights civility from yo u amongst — the rest which I intend to claim ; and if you do no t concede me every tittle of what I have

parted with my money to obtain , I will make it so hot fo r you on my return to England that yo u shall wish yourself hanged ere yo u ever set ”

o n . A no w sir eyes me nd , , I continued , with

o n the Sternest face I could contrive to put , though my gravity was no t a little staggered by the ludicrous expression o f bewilderment his “ that overspread singular countenance , I

insist upon your apologizing to me at once ,

fo r Captain Guy Broadwater , the insolent manner in which yo u addressed me last ” night . H e cast his little eyes from the deck to the sk his y and back again , frowned , scratched head , and by other Signs seemed to wish me to sup

in o f . pose that he was an agony thought Then ,

o f with an inimitable air being all abroad , he

pointed with his foreﬁnger to his waistcoat , and

’ ! m e ! a- said , Me insult you You re dreaming ,

M r . Musgrave . “ o u N o dream at all , sir , said I y were

confoundedly insolent to me , and ruder even in MAROONED . CHAP .

and I your manner than in your speech , de ” mand an apology . Again he looked up at the sky and down at

f to t the deck , as though the ef ort recollect wha had passed caused him acute suffering .

sa What did I y he suddenly asked .

I told him . . “ ’ Well , M r M usgrave , said he , you re a gentleman , and I should be sorry for to swear

o u that I never spoke them words , seeing that y

did . o u sir o n tell me I But I can assure y , , my

[ ro n Cro w n honour as master of this here , that I have no recollection o f using the term you

’ ' . I o lo iz e mention I f I did , why then p g , and do no man can more . O n hearing this I bowed coldly and walked aft , congratulating myself upon my resolution , for I believed I had made him understand he would have to be very cautious henceforth in

o t se e his dealings with me , and I had also g to that the man , like all other bullies , was very

- white livered at bottom . There was indeed danger that a person of this nature would ex tend something o f the treatment he exhibited to his crew to M iss Grant and me ; and unless I

I I 2 MAROONED . CHAP . conjecture ; though indeed the sailor o f that period could scarcely suffer a very severe hardship in the deprivation o f lumps o f meat

ut o f o r o which , whether raw cooked , the mariner beguiled the tedium o f the voyage by

- manufacturing snuff boxes for his grandfather ,

- work boxes for his sweetheart , and tobacco boxes for himself. M iss Grant did not leave her cabin till break

w as fast was upon the table . Broadwater , who

she seated when arrived , got up and distorted his ﬁgure with a bow , whilst he asked her , with much such a pleasant face as he wore when I

n o f ﬁrst made his acquainta ce , what sort a night

’ She t u mble ﬁc atio n had passed , and if the brig s

troubled her much . This stroke o f politeness

fo r A was meant as much for me as her . fter the exchange o f a few common - places about the

so weather and forth , Miss Grant said to the “ captain , Were they not able to save the poor fellow who fell overboard last night

No , mum , he answered , with a half look from me to a lump o f sausage which he held

’ aloft o n a fork the long and short o f it s this . The man was in the water some minutes afore W I M 1 H C H . 1 VII . BOT ELL, EF ATE 3

the alarm was given . The surface lay clear under the moon , and had he been showing there was enough o f us looking for some o ne m se e . to him H e eant to drown hisself, and ” he did it . “ “ o f But apart from the chance , said I ,

o f rescuing him as a mere matter humanity ,

no t would his loss , by weakening your working

o u strength , make y anxious to be sure that he was not to be recovered

o f There was no signs him , sir , he answered “ ’ doggedly . I don t want to lose no men if I can help it but if a chap chooses to slip over board so quietly that no o ne hears him touch W ’ the water , hat s to be done

’ But yo u didn t know when you ﬁrst came o n ” no d deck that he drowned himself, said I . “ ’ N o , he answered , but didn t I act as if I ’ did ? which means that I m o ne o f those men

’ ” who don t need to know a thing to understand it .

I turned to M iss Grant , and related the

o f strange story the preceding night , whilst Broadwater worked away at his breakfast with

h as bot hands , and masticated with such energy to apparently hold him deaf.

V OL. I. I I4 MAROONED . CHAP .

“ Strange , She exclaimed , that you should have tho ught yo u heard the voice that called O him . f course it was fancy , but it is dreadful to think how even a little imagination may ” overpower the reason . There was everything to help the imagin ” ation , said I the silence upon the vessel and — upon the ocean the wild , straining look in the

’ man s eyes with the sparkle o f moonlight in I them as he turned them upon me , full , as can

see — now , with the anguish of madness and then the misty silvery distance towards which he bent his ear with his hand to it . I believe had

o ut he told me there was a phantom there , and

' ‘ so m eznzn pointed to it , I should have seen g , if not the apparition he himself beheld .

P aft e r a resently , prodigious meal , B roadwater arose and left the cabin . Why did not he attempt to save the man

M iss Grant said . I believe the fellow when he ﬁrst came o n deck was still muddled with the fumes o f the l iquor he had swallowed , and barely understood what h ad happened o r knew what he was about . And then I told her ho w he had in

H I 1 6 MAROONED . C AP .

o u sir ened y mean , lifting his gaze from his

fo r plate and eying me steadily a moment .

I thought to myself, as I glanced at his woolly head , his handsome features and dark eyes , which when they fell from my face rolled in a hundred nimble glances , fastening upon nothing , and yet “ o u sa L seeing everything as y would y, ord , what a corsair this rogue would make in the hands o f a Byron or a M ichael Scott !

’ N o , said I I mean they won t like Captain Death boarding their craft almost be fore the anchor they have broken out has dried ” at the cathead . H is swift glance darted from me to M iss

Grant , and then with a smile that exhibited a

o f i e fo r set ﬁne , even wh te teeth , the whit r his dark moustache , he said , in an almost effeminate “ O way , h , sir , we must not trouble ourselves about what the sailors forward think . “ no t ? Why asked M iss Grant quickly . Are they no t men like yo u and Captain Broadwater Y o u would be unable to sail this

n shIp without them . A master o land dare no t treat his men -servants as captains at sea treat ” their crews . I . 1 v u . H CH 1 BOT WELL, EF MATE 7

H e answered softly , N o , madam , because no doubt men - servants would give notice and seek another situation . “ ? Do you believe it , Sir she exclaimed , “ ﬂushing and gazing at him irefully ; indeed you would ﬁnd they would not rest there

She checked herself, and added laughingly , and looking at me , I have not a very high opinion , f . o o f M r Musgrave , the spirit and courage lackeys and footmen , but I truly believe that if they were treated by their masters as sailors are by their commanders there would be a great many mysterious disappearances happening amongst the nobility and gentry “ I am always glad , madam , said the mate , “ s showing his teeth again , to hear the ladie

championing poor jack . H e has very few ” friends , very few friends . H e shook his head without any suggestion of sarcasm about him , and the gesture seemed to me to make his eyes shine as if they had been formed o f some black liquid with a gleam upon

o f it that danced to the rippling their movement . Ho w long have you been at sea I asked

bluntly . 8 O . A I I MARO NED CH P .

i Ten years sr. “ ! o f H umph I exclaimed , a good deal hard weather and knocking about may be packed

o u o f into ten years . Apparently y are Captain

’ Broadwater s mind , that the sailor moves for ” ward the better for being kicked .

H e made no answer . “ ” I I have heard , said , addressing M iss

G o f o f rant , captains whose hatred the sailors serving under them was really phenomenal . I remember being told o f the commander o f a ship that he could never bring himself to offer o ne o f his seamen anything with his hand , but that he would put it down upon the deck and h i it at him . By the way , I continued , “ ’ turning upon the mate again , what ll be the upshot o f this trouble with the starboard watch The men are not likely to peach upon their messmate , and if the man who used the ’ ’ ? words won t confess himself, what s to follow The fellows will not surely put up fo r a w hole voyage with nothing to eat and drink but ship ’ s

— sa — bread bad enough , I dare y and a draught from the scuttle -butt

Before he could reply , M iss Grant said

I 2 0 MAROONED . CHAP .

Seeds of a startling romance in that chap but I fear that it is nothing but the vilest sea - going commonplace made a little o dd by good looks

and Hottentot wool . “ she : I agree with you , answered he is even more colourless than his captain ; yet

prosaic as they both are , they are equal to creating a very great deal o f trouble ; and do

she you know , M r . M usgrave , said , suddenly “ and even vehemently , I am extremely sorry that w e ever took berths in this ship . O h , but it is a little early to be anxious , “ said I cheerfully . I quite know what is in your mind : yo u fear that the behaviour of Broadwater and his mate may lead to the crew giving trouble . Well , the same misgiving is my reason for speaking o ut so plainly to both men . I f they are made to understand that I am watching them and observing their conduct , they may have sense enough to restrain them selves for the reason that I should be at hand as a witness to testify to their inhumanity , and to justify any act o f insubordination that the ” sailors might be driven to .

She was silent for a little , and then O H C HI F . B T WELL , E MATE

“ said , Whereabouts is the ship now, M r . M usgrave I suppose we are hardly abreast o f the I sle ” o f Wight yet , I answered .

She reﬂected again , and then clasping her hands and bringing them to her lips , and looking at me with a sort of wistfulness , though she she spoke with hesitation , said , I almost I a lm o si wish that the captain would put us ” ashore . This w asa desire to puzzle me considerably

O o u I answered , f course , M iss Grant , if y are reluctant to proceed I will unhesitatingly ask the captain to put us ashore ; but I Should not like him to refuse , and unhappily there is no

o f doubt that he will refuse , because course he would conclude that we should return to London

so and lodge a complaint against him , and lose him his berth . N ow , if he should decline to put us ashore my position would be an awk ward o ne . H e need do nothing but keep the

o n ship heading steadily her course, and we are helpless . “ She interrupted me : And the passage money would be forfeited . N o , I am silly to A 1 2 2 . V I. M ROONED CHAP . I

wish such a thing . I was all eagerness and

impatience yesterday . I t is j ust a little passing ”

. to . No misgiving I was about speak , “ she exclaimed with energy , we are here and ” will remain here .

Be it so , said I , not a little relieved , for I foresaw a very great deal more o f trouble than

to I had the least disposition to undergo , even

no r she o n oblige , had insisted my asking old

Broadwater to haul his brig in to the land , and se t us and our baggage once more o n

Zo rr n o ﬁ r za .

1 2 4 MAROONED . CHAP .

No t the next buoyant climb . above a cannon shot to windward was a large frigate , close hauled under double - reefed topsails and reefed foresail . She showed no colours , but to a nau tical eye a single glance sufﬁced to prove her

English . She was plunging heavily, and would lift her head out o f the boiling white about her bows until eight o r ten feet of the keel at her forefoot showed clear , with a dull yellow glancing from the metal sheathing that looked

o f o n like a mirroring pale light the wet black , f gleaming sides o the beautifully moulded hull . AS she rolled she gave us a View o f a portion o f - o f her weather deck , with a hint black artillery in certain covered , muzzled shapes , crouching under the defences of her bulwarks crowned with the white line of hammocks . The movement o f a Spot o f red here and there

o f marked the mechanical pacing a marine . I never remember a nobler sea-Show than was f of ered by this ﬁne frigate , with her broad

- white line broken by the closed gun ports , the

se t o f superb her reefed canvas , the airy grace o f her rigging ruling the piebald hurrying sky

o f e with dark lines Shrouds , thinning as th y ’ - I . 1 2 VIII . THE HALF BLOOD S PUN SHMENT 5

o f soared , till they rose delicate as the ﬁbres a Spider ’ s web to the glimmering button of the

- truck at the royalmast head , whence streamed

a o ut the long pennon str ight upon the wind , like a streak o f light up there ; whilst over the — weather bo w there was the sharp and frequent ﬂash o f a green sheet of water that broke into

o r smoke as it ﬂew , a sudden lifting above the b - o f ulwark rail a column of froth , which the blow o f the bo w would send arching back till

’ twas a sheer huddle o f dazzling yeast under

’ ﬁ ure he ad the radiant g , that , with some hero s wreath in its hand , plunged to the giddy white ness only to soar triumphant a moment after . ’ I t was o ld Broadwater s duty to hoist and dip the ensign to her . This is a civility I should be very punctual in exacting if I were c o m

o f - o f— mander a British man war . The skipper ,

o n - however , rolling along his bow legs by the

o f no t he side the mate , did look as if even knew there was anything in sight . H e never

so threw much as a glance in her direction , though I could se e some men at work o n the fore -rigging watching her with an admiration

fo r that rendered them , the time being , I 2 6 MAROONED . CHAP . insensible to the presence o f the skipper and his companion . There was o ne o f a dozen coils of rope hang ing over a belaying-pin swinging to the heave

s t f r o f . a o the hull I went and myself in it , the shelter of the bulwark there from the gusty blasts which were splitting upon the rigging full o f whistlings and cryings ; and there swayed ,

- f cradle like , by the hanging akes , I leisurely

to loaded my pipe , and fell chipping , in the old

o f world style that age , at a ﬂint for a light .

Whilst thus occupied , my eye was taken by the ﬁgure o f a man standing at the foot of the fore

o f mast . I was thinking other matters at that moment , and yet I can recollect wondering , as my gaze went from him after a brief glance , that any man belonging to either watch should have the courage to stand idle o n deck whilst

o f h the rest the people were at work , when bot

the captain and the chief mate were pacing , f within eyeshot o him . P resently glancing his way again , I noticed that he still remained in

sa his the same posture , that is to y, with back against the mast and his face looking a little

o f - forward the fore rigging , his arms folded

1 2 . 8 MAROONED CHAP .

Whether owing to the strangulation o f the rope

o r about him , to the thoughts in him , his com

be o f plexion , that I had observed to a clear olive , had changed to an indescribably ugly

o f colour , which I can only speak as an ashen

o f s green . I t reminded me the hue I once aw in the face o f a dead sailor whose cheeks had been burnt to an almost chocolate tint by ex

o sure O p in an open boat in the I ndian cean . H e turned his dark eyes upon me with a savage glare in them of mutiny , malice , hatred ,

so the and full of deﬁance withal , that but for evil passions his countenance expressed you

' might have accepted his air as o ne of bi t ter and contemptuous pride . I t was intolerable that he should think I had inspected him o ut o f mere

saw su curiosity , which I from his manner he p posed ; and since he would be to o wild in his mind to interpret the sympathy which I am sure — sa must have been visible in me for , as I y, the sight o f the poor bound fellow inexpressibly — shocked and grieved me I turned my back o n him and walked right aft .

Broadwater left the mate and came up to me . ’ l ” o d . sir That s true North Country style , , ’ - . 1 2 VIII THE HALF BLOOD S PUNISHMENT . 9

sit o f he exclaimed , to in the bight the rigging f over the pin under the lee o the bulwarks . ’ sat I ve been hove to in the North Sea , and for

o f hours along with the rest my mates , just as

’ a- you ve been sitting , waiting for what was to ” happen next .

I t is hard to ﬁnd a corner to smoke in ,

- I o n . W said , board a ﬂush decked vessel here

’ - there s a poop or a round house , a man may

o f discover a nook clear the gale, and manage to keep the C inders in his bowl till the ﬁre ’ s all gone . Did you ever serve aboard a Dutchman , captain ! “ ’ N o , by thunder he answered ; what s put such a question as that into your head , sir

o t Why , I said , I notice that you have g o ne o f your hands forward there seized to the

, foremast . —The Dutch used to serve their rogues so sometimes however going a little

o f further than you , for to make sure the fellow

’ ” they d pin him through the hand with a knife . “ ’ You re keeping a bright ~ look ~ out aboard ” S o dd this vessel , ir , he exclaimed , shooting an look at me o ut o f his little eyes .

V OL . I. 1 9 . 3 MAROONED . CHAP

My good fellow , I cried , I should be

s e blind not to e such a sight as that . What has he done M urdered a shipmate “ A fo r lmost wish he had , he growled , that

’ ud o f bring about the sort treatment he wants .

’ H e s the man w ho spoke them words last

night . “ “ ! fo r o u Ha I exclaimed , and that y are closing him with a spell o f fresh air that he may go to hisdinner with a good appetite H e left me under pretence o f looking into the

no t sa w as o f compass . I will y that he afraid

me , but I am quite sure that if it had not been

fo r fo r my talk with him in the morning , the

manner I then put on , and which I still wore , he would have dealt with me scarce less roughly and insolently than had I been o ne o f his sea

. n o ut o f men I k ocked the ashes my pipe ,

looking away towards the horizon , below which

o ut o f o f the and sight lay the line English coast , and felt myself urged by a very strong impulse

to to request him head for the nearest port , and

to put M iss Grant and myself ashore , as his

w e no t behaviour to his men , though were yet

- us twenty four hours from Deal , had rendered

1 3 2 MAROONED . CHAP .

Why have they bound him What has he done to deserve such a punishment as that “ ” “ w ho H e is the man , I answered , cried

’ ’ o ut It s ! last night , murder when the captain ” o ordered the boat t be kept fast . “ And they hav e tied him to the mast merely fo r uttering those words ’ Ay l I t s a bitter burning shame ; the indig nity o f this sort o f punishment Is the worst

o f part it . “ I shall ask Captain B roadwater to release

she him , exclaimed , with the indignation in her surging up hot to her face and ﬂashing in her eyes . I shall tell him that the sight pains s and disgust me , and that he has no right to oblige his passengers to witness such painful s ” and miserable pectacles . Before I could check her she swept up to o ld w Broadwater, and towering over him ith such an air as Siddons would have worn in her

o n tragedy parts , her face ﬂushed , her eyes ﬁre ,

she her head thrown backwards , levelled her

- white foreﬁnger at the half blood , gazing mean while full into the crimson expanse o f the

’ ! ‘ skipper s countenance , and exclaimed , What ’ - 1 VIII . THE HALF BLO OD S PUN ISHMENT . 33 has that m an done to merit the sufferings o f mind and body he must be enduring there

The captain was a broad and muscular man , but short ; and her erect , swelling , impassioned ﬁgure made him look like a bo y by her side as

he stared up at her . H er sudden dramatic

accost took him completely by surprise . H is countenance wore a ludicrous expression o f

bewilderment . H e half turned towards the

mate , as if to invoke his assistance , and then “ exclaimed in a hoarse stutter , Why , mum , — ’ that there man he s about the impu dentest so n

’ o f — o t is a swab the long and short , he as good

a as c lled me a murderer last night . H ad he

’ ’ ’ been a man - o -war s man he d have been spread eagled to the toon o f twelve dozens for saying much less than that ! I j oined M iss Grant and offered her my arm fo r though no woman ever stepped a heavi ng

e she d ck more easily and gracefully than , yet the slope now was sometimes so sharp as even

w as o f to make Broadwater lurch , and I afraid

se a she her carrying away , to use the term , as

w as see quite forgetful , as I could , in the temper

o f and mood that then possessed her , the I 34 MAROONED . CHAP .

tumbling of the platform o n which She

stood .

she The words , exclaimed , were no doubt forced from the man by a sudden im

o u pulse . Why did y hear them You would not punish a man for I ” Yes , would , if I knew it , answered Broad

u water , plucking p a bit, and yet looking t uneasy o o . “ Y o u sir must release him , , She exclaimed it is a sight that makes the whole ship painful and distressing to me . ’ Y o u cannot refuse the lady s request , ” captain , said I . “ wh But I can , though , he blustered ; y, smother my precious eyes and bile every ’ ’ blooming limb that I o w n ! who s cap n o f this ? ! here craft Release him Certainly not . I f

’ ’ the sight s too painful to view , the lady needn t

’ ’

. A look n what s there painful about it Why , some men would have chucked him into the forepeak , smothered him up down there in the blackness , with nothen but rats to keep him

’ o f sarv in company , stead benevolently g him as I do by suffering him to stop up in the fresh air

6 A . I 3 M RO ONED CHAP .

dec lar deck , and then went below to her cabin , ing that she could not bear to see the man

standing helpless and motionless , as if he were

she dead , suffering grievously as feared from

w o f his posture , hich rested the whole weight

him upon his naked feet, and from the many coils o f rope which girt him so tautly and

o f plentifully to the spar , that the mere sight them made one draw one ’ s breadth with difﬁ culty o ut o f sheer sympathy with their sugges

tion o f strangulation . The men at work in the rigging and about the decks did not give him

the least heed that I could discover . I noticed o ne o r two o f them glance aft when M iss Grant

Spoke to the captain and pointed forward , but

w as in a sulky, incurious way , as though what

passing had no interest whatever for them . This behaviour might have been due to the

e o pres nce of the mate , wh se rapid glances i seemed to dart all over the br g in a breath , and e f who , as I had alr ady observed, never suf ered a man to halt for an instant in any job he was upon . N o doubt his almost preternatural quick ness in detecting the least hint o f laziness o r languor was already as well known to the men ’ I - I 1 VII . THE HALF BLOO D S PUN SHMENT . 37

as if the vessel had been o n the high seas a f ’ couple o months . Yet M iss Grant s speaking to the captain about the pinioned half- blood was in its w ay an incident so far removed from all ordinary Shipboard occurrences that the sullen inattention o f the men to it impressed

no t me greatly . I f heavy troubles do befall

I no t this ship ere long , thought , it will be because the spirit o f mischief is even already wanting amongst her crew ; and I sent a gloomy glance seawards in the direction where o ld i I no t England lay , feel ng that would only —m I gladly forfeit the passage oney had paid ,

a but ten times that amount over gain , to ﬁnd myself and M iss Grant once m ore safe in n n and snug Lo do . A P IX C H T E R .

H HA F- I AS T E L BLOOD S RELE ED .

WEVER H O , since we were to be locked up with o ld Broadwater fo r a spell of weeks that

o ur w as might run into months , policy to put

ur the best face w e could upon o condition . But M iss Grant was not to be induced to re turn o n deck whilst the man continued lashed

o ut n to the foremast . I pointed that he was o t

f she suf ering as fancied , that at all events he had not yet been pinioned long enough to be in pain , and I also begged her to remember that a posture and exposure which might strike her as a severe punishment would sit lightly upon a sailor, whose vocation is supposed to harden him into the most extraordinary capacity of endurance . But it would not do . S he refused to quit the cabin until the man had been re

1 0 4 MARO ONED . CHAP .

o f to o o f concern , , as though the cutting up such a dish as that was a business not to be lightly and irreverently approached .

so I t was necessary to talk to the man , I said , I f this breeze holds I suppose we shall soon be swept out of soundings “ o ut Yes , he answered , pouring a caulker o f rum , and holding up the glass to the skylight “ se e to how much it held . We shall be having

L o u r - the izard over starn this time to morrow , sir w e o n if keep all as we are . ” Upon my word , said I , speaking some

o u t o f o f what heedlessly , the mere fulness my “ so thoughts just then , much has happened since the anchor was lifted o ff Deal that it seems as if we had been a week o n the road ” already . ’ What s happened he asked quickly .

’ ’ ’ It s ? all been plain sailing , hasn t it There s been nothen that yo u as a passenger have had cause to grumble about I The time seems long , anyhow , responded curtly .

’ ’ et I t ll have to be longer y afore it s ended ,

s t. said he , turning his little eyes upon Mi s Gran - x IS . 1 1 I . THE HALF BLOO D RELEASED 4

She had hitherto kept silent , scarce glancing

: no w she at him suddenly exclaimed , with a

o f ﬂash her dark eyes full into his ruddy face , When do you intend to release the unfo rtu nate man you have fastened to the mast ? H e took a long pull at his glass o f rum and

water before answering her, and then said , “ ’ No t until I think the weather s had time to

purge him . “ ? ” Is he to be kept there all day she

continued . “ A to o . y, mum , and all night , Billy, “ - addressing the cabin boy , j ump with this here

so beef, my lad away with it if ye drop much

o f as a toothful grease, stand by and mind that ’

the pudden s covered up as ye bring it along ,

’ to ? fo r and keep leeward with it , d ye hear

’ ’ there s a showering o f spray to w ind ard no w

’ o u and again , and if y salt the pudden I ll salt ” o n is y The fact , mum , he continued , address “ ’ t ing M iss Grant afresh , here s no use in — ’ half measures with sailors . We ve got a crew

aboard as wants riding down , and the man as

’ a- needs it most is the yaller rogue you re pitying .

’ Were the fellow an E nglishman Ido n t kno w 1 2 . C 4 MAROONED HAP .

that I Shouldn ’ t consid er a twelve hours ’ spell at the foot o f the fore mast as much as he

’ desarv es he s - - ; but a half and half, and my

experience is , the blacker the blood that runs in

’ ’ a man s veins the longer s the t arm o f teaching

o f he stands in need . ” Is he to be kept without food ? she exclaimed . is H e , mum , he answered cheerfully. On this she rose and left the tabl e without another word . “ What makes the lady so terribly sensitive ’ s? ” to sailors feeling exclaimed Broadwater , with as much puzzlement o n him as his “ ’ see she countenance could express . I ain t

sh a s a ? married . Has e sweetheart at e O n

o u o ne less maybe y H e shut eye , and looked at me with the other . N ever concern yourself about her o r me ” “ K either , said I . eep your mind clear, my

’ n o f friend , for you ll be wanti g plenty Space ’ presently for the thoughts your c rew ll ﬁll you with ” ” o u a sir ? he What do y me n , exclaimed coarsely and angrily.

1 44 MARO ONED . CHAP .

’ be a mutiny aboard mo afore another week s U o ut ! I ndeed answered the mate blandly , but nevertheless exhibiting his teeth in a smile that made his handsome face mighty malevolent O while the grin lasted I hope not . n what

his sir ? does M r . Musgrave found fears , “ ’ O n the captain s and your usage o f the

I o f men , said , resenting the sarcastic air the

fellow . But what have Captain Broadwater and I

sir done , , to justify this terrible apprehension o n your part

I want you to understand , Captain Broad ” ’ water , said I , not choosing to heed the mate s “ o u and re s o n question , that y you alone are p

’ sible for M iss Grant s and my safety . I now warn yo u that that safety is bei ng seriously imperilled by your treatment o f the crew o f this ” f brig . I ndeed , I continued , suf ering my “ o f temper to get the better me , already the outlook o f this voyage ﬁlls me with so much uneasiness that since we are still in the English — — Channel , and with this wind within a few ’ o f hours run a port , M iss Grant and I are x - I . 1 THE HALF BLOOD IS RELEASED . 4 5

willing and desirous that you Should se t us b ashore ; the conditions eing , of course , that ” - we forfeit our passage money . N ow I had fully believed that on my saying

this he would have fallen into a violent passion ,

raged at and insulted me , deﬁed me to compel s o . him to head the ship for the coast , and on

I nstead , to my very great surprise , the blood faded out o f his face ; pale in deed he could not

o f become , but the disorder his mind manifested , itself in a complexion that would answer to ’ pallor in another man s countenance . H e pushed his plate from him as though his

appetite were gone for ever , and in a

wonderfully subdued , changed voice , exclaimed , i ’ . S r Mr Musgrave , , I beg that you ll banish

sir. se t that wish from your mind , To ye

’ ashore would be my ruination . There s nothing

se e in the world , that I can , that need make

o nc o m fo rtable ye . The cabins are roomy ,

’ ’ the living up to the hammer, there s ne er a

stouter vessel aﬂoat than the I ron Crown ; and ,

’ ’ as so though it s me says , there s no man

’ ’ living that C apt n Guy Broadwater ll yield to in the knowledge of navigating and handling a

V OL I. L . 1 6 4 MAROONED . CHAP . ship under all sarc u m stanc e s of wind and ’ b e weather . There s nothen either in the

’ o r o f haviour of the crew , in my treatment em , sin ss o ne a e . n to breed I deed , he continued , ’ ab e c te dl speaking most j y, if the lady s really so consarned by the sight o f that there Ernest

Charles at the foremast , why , then , to please

’ lubberat e - her I ll him in the second dog watch ,

’ o f w as stead keeping him there all night , as my intention . The mate ate his dinner with a woode n face . “ Y o u o u can do as y please , Captain Broad ” water , said I , rising . I have not the slightest intention to meddle with your notions o f

to o u discipline . I simply desire point t to you that your treatment o f the crew is such as to render the prospects o f the voyage very gloomy

indeed , and if you will head the ship for some

adjacent English port, Miss Grant and I will ” be very glad to leave her . ’ ! us I hope not , sir I d rather not , M r . M ” ! so grave he exclaimed , speaking and looking dejectedly that I suspected his manner was to a

large degree assumed . To shift the helm in

1 48 MAROONED . CHAP .

’ captain s treatment of the half- blood but he was sh very y and wary , and I believe would not have conversed with me upon the subject at all had it not been for the sort of kindness o ur chat o n the previous night had established between us . H is reply was to the effect that the crew were cautious in what they said before him , but that

o f as far as he could gather , the securing the m an to the mast had raised a very strong feeling against the captain and mate ; and he said he believed it w as only because the culprit w asa foreigner that they suffered him to remain in “ u f that post re o indignity and pain . H ad he been an E nglishman , he added , my Opinion

’ is that thev d have gone o n cutting hi m adrift

’ a n as fast as the c pt could seize him up .

The fellow still stood at the mast , bound as

I have already described . Thus he had been standing since some time before nine o ’ clock

in the morning . Whether the crew had at any time o f the day fed him o r put a drink to his lips I could not kno w ; but though it was not three o ’ clock in the afternoon when I made these

— sa observations , the man already that is to y — after seven hours o r thereabouts exhibited - 1 THE HALF BLOOD IS RELEASED . 49 such signs o f weakness and distress that o ne would have said he was merely kept upon his feet by the ropes round his body . I never longed in all my life for anything so heartily as fo r the power to cast the unhappy creature adrift and send him below fo r a warm meal but I had

o u t spoken freely and done my best , and more

t o f was not to be hought , though I vowed in my heart , as I saw the unhappy creature wearily pass his hands over his eyes , and drop his chin o n to his breast as if his neck could no t support

o f the burthen his head , that if redress was to be obtained for him from such machinery of law as I might ﬁnd ﬂourishing at Rio I would no t spare my purse to procure it . The wind blew strong throughout the day .

’ I ndeed before six o clock it had freshened into — half a gale the topgallant sails had been furled , and the brig swept roaring through it under

o f reefed topsails and foresail . The height the seas which chased us might have made a man f A think himself in the middle o the tlantic . Each billow rolled under us with the weight of the ocean surge , and it was hard to realize that

’ we were still in the narrow waters . The Sky f 0 . 5 MAROONED CHAP .

o f had Settled into that high , hard stratiﬁcation

- greenish gray cloud , with a dark streak in places ,

compact and apparently motionless , which nearly

always signiﬁes wind , and as a rule plenty of it .

The brig steered wildly , and the perspiration poured from the face o f the man at the helm as he swung to the wheel , putting i t down and up , w hilst every ﬂoating rush o f the fabric o ff the liquid brows brought the seas boiling about her

o f quarters , till the curl the yeast there would A sometimes be ﬂush with the rail . t sunset the wildness of the glory was more like the rising o f o n the luminary a stormy December morning , when the heavens open and shut with snow

’ o n squalls , than his descent a summer s night .

- — The heavens ﬂushed to a furnace glow ah angry , smoking crimson , lightening into pink zenithwards , and thence ﬂoating away in rose into the very heart of the east . But the sea

o f kept its dark green colour , and the run its frothing peaks from o ne shining line to another made the glow o f the ﬁ rm am e nt as startling as an unreality by the contrast . Miss Grant remained in the cabin At the meal called by the captain “ supper I had

1 5 2 MAROONED . CHAP .

Fo r . su n ever my fortune to view whilst the , h idden as he was , hung , as I might suppose ,

some four or ﬁve degrees above the horizon , a

o f a cloud canv s loomed up almost dead astern . The brig was swarming through it at not less

e t than eight or nine knots , and y here was a ship growing out o f the olive - coloured welter as

though in very truth She was the rising moon . A She was a large black merican clipper , fresh

from the Thames , with canvas white as cotton ,

she exc e and had every cloth abroad , with the p tion of her mizen - royal and her fore and main

w as o ne skysails . The press prodigious looked

se e ﬂash to the great , swelling , soft white fabric

n ing into a thousand fragments , and melti g away

o f - flake s upon the roar the gale like snow . H er speed was no t less than fifteen knots in the hour I judged it so by comparing her approach with o ur A she progress . ll forward was smothered to the spritsail - yard ; but at irregular intervals she shot her long black shape clear o f the dazzle and fury about her bows , but only to smite the trough with a blow that hurled up a very storm o f e white wat rs , until you would have taken her to be a ship sweeping through the first gatherings - Ix IS . 1 . THE HALF BLOOD RELEASED 5 3

s ﬂ In of a water pout . She passed us close , y g

w e along as though were at anchor , and her passage was that o f a thunderstorm fo r the

o f fo r - sound the gale in her canvas , the rain like

fo r m ultitu din hissing all about her Sides , and the o us o f re so n shrieking the wind in her rigging , ant as ﬁddle -strings to the enormous strain put upon every shroud , backstay , and brace . Broadwater gazed at her with an inimitable

o f saw air astonishment . I him looking up at his o f own canvas , and then over the stern the brig at the wake there , as though he could not persuade himself that the great clipper yonder carried the same weight o f wind under which

w a fe w the I ron Crown s staggering . I n a

w as us minutes her elliptical stern upon , with swift upward heavings o f the gleaming gilt -work

o f upon it , till the letters her name showed i ﬂ glaring over her rudder, and w th ying plunges

e a and slow maj stic rollings , the st tely fabric

to nw ards m n swep with the gloo i to the west , until presently she was as visionary in the IIqu id obscurity ahead as the creaming o f the seas there .

O e a n eight bells b ing struck , Bro dwater, . C IIAP 1 5 4 MAROONED .

o u t who was standing near the wheel , bawled ,

M r. Gordon , cast that there Ernest Charles adrift from the foremast , and tell him to lay aft I wondered what the captain meant to say to h the unfortunate wretch , w ose long punishment certainly did no t need the topping off o f a round o f abuse ; but ﬁnding he did not appear , I crossed the deck and observed a group o f se a f men collected at the foot o the mast . O n approaching I saw the ﬁgure o f the half-blood prone upon his back . “ What ails the man , M r . Gordon said I has he fainted

’ It s exhaustion , I allow , he answered . H e ’ s been belayed too taut—enough to

o ut o f prize his heart its moorings , exclaimed o ne o f the sailors in a gruff voice . “ ’ There s a ﬂask o f brandy in my c ab In I

’ ’ exclaimed . Where s the boy H e ll ﬁnd it . A ’ t this moment the mate arrived . What s ? ” the trouble now he called out in his shrill ,

ﬁerce voice . “ is Charles in a swound , responded the boatswain .

1 56 MAROONED . CHAP .

’ H e d better be helped aft , said the boats wain small wonder if he should have lost the ” use o f his legs .

A ! t he ft with you persisted mate . f The inhumanity o the fellow was maddening . Murder him at once I cried it would be kinder ! ”

The mate did not answer , did not even look

round at me . O ne o f the sailors muttered

something ; I did not catch the words , but the growl had a very ugly note in it . The half

blood made a step , reeled , and fell heavily . I walked aft sick at heart , but ere I had made a

few paces I heard the mate exclaim , Take him ! ” below , then , take him below and passing me

he joined the captain , and they fell to pacing

the deck together .

and The night was damp , the force of the f wind put an edge o cold into it . There w as nothing to court M iss Grant o n deck no r to detain me there ; so I spent the rest o f the

evening with her in the cabin , though conver

sation after a time grew somewhat laborious , owing to the dismal c reakingsand groanings in the heart o f the hull as it strained from hollo w - Ix IS . 1 . THE HALF BLOO D RELEASED 5 7

to summit , and groaned again to the stormy sweep o f the blast into the iron -hard canvas

- aloft . I told my companion that the half blood had been freed and taken below, but said nothing about the brutality of the mate nor

the condition the man appeared in , whether

o r actual affected , when released from the

mast . A nd indeed I do not know that I Should

so have entered closely into these particulars , but for the obligation I am under to exhibit the causes which led to the extraordinary adv e n tures I Shall have to relate before I bring this m . A narrative to a conclusion t the same ti e , as pictures o f the sea-life are so seldom

attempted , and as the secret history of the

- so merchant sailor is little understood , I cannot but think it proper that all forms of the voca

o r tion , whether sunny sombre , whether elevating

o f or debasing , Should , in the interests the

w ho mariner , be described by those have an

acquaintance with the calling, and who are able to plainly write down their recollections and

experiences . I am happy to know that many of the o ld forms of inhumanity o n shipboard 1 8 5 MAROONED . CHAP .

are extinct , or fast decaying ; yet enough sur

sa vives to render , I am sorry to y, even such a sketch as I have atte mpted true in many respects of much that happens in the sailing

- . n ship of to day The coarse , u principled skipper still ﬂourishes ; mates of the Bothwell pattern still are to be found in plenty and though the condition o f the sailor has been improved and fortiﬁed by laws which had no existence in the

o f his days which I am writing , grievances yet remain sufﬁciently abundant to render even a recurrence to the usages and practices o f half a century ago useful t o him at the present moment as much that continues habitual to his hard , toilsome , hazardous and unrepresented voca

tion . But to proceed . w The ind blew fresh all that night , and did not fail us until w e had put twenty leagues between us and the Scilly I slands . I t then fell light and drew ahead , and forced us upon a bow

- line , and for twenty four hours we were stagger ing most abominably upon a long swell , with a true Biscayan sweep in the run o f it ; wrinkled with the wind , but foamless swollen enough to fetch a harsh voice of small ordnance from the

1 6 0 MAROONED . CHAP . pe c ted however that both he and Broad water moderated their behaviour only when Miss

Grant and I were on deck . At all events the

’

Ship s . work seemed to be carried on without

w as much fret and j ar ; yet , whether it because the old sailorly instincts in me sharpened my

o r sympathies , because I feared that the conduct o f the captain and his mate had already raised

w uIe te r a devil for ard , which even the q bearing of such men as they was not likely to lay , I confess I could never look at the crew without seeming sensi ble of an inde ﬁnable air amongst them which I can best convey by speaking of it as o f a sort morose uneasiness .

sa Broadwater , I am bound to y, showed no sulkiness towards us for our plain speaking and dealing . You would have thought there had been no trouble whatever between us had you heard him praising the meals at table , bragging

o f of his old experiences , boasting his brig as

w as though She the loveliest frigate then aﬂoat ,

s S to o . A and forth the mate , we gave him so wide a berth that often a whole day passed without our exchanging a sentence with him . The only companionable creature aboard was x - I . IS A 1 1 THE HALF BLOOD RELE SED . 6

- Gordon , in whose quarter deck walk I was always glad to join when the night came round that gave him the ﬁrst w a h as we call it at sea — that is , from eight to twelve . N aturally M iss

t Gran and I were very much together . This ,

o w n to be sure , was unavoidable but I that I would get a bit troubled in my mind when , after turning in and extinguishing the lamp , I found h my imagination aunted by her ﬁne eyes , her n ﬁ oble gure , and above all by a certain sweet ness in the tone o f her voice that would at all

she times , long after was silent , linger upon my

o f ear like a memory glad and gentle music . I I sometimes said to myself, Suppose fall in love with her I t would be impossible to conceive of a more inconvenient passion . I t was idle to argue with myself and pretend that I need not fall in love with her unless I chose . Reason might talk very soberly about such a thing , but my instincts knew better . I n short , not being

o f n able to make sure myself in this directio , I arrived at the concl usion that I had acted as a fool in consenting to lock myself up in a small brig with a handsome woman whose heart was

’ another s , and to the fascination of whose person M V OL. 1 . 1 . I 6 2 MAROONED . CHAP . x

and manners I was expected to oppose as im

’ o ld movable a countenance as Broadwater s . H ad there been other passengers we might

v ha e made shift, for considerable intervals at all

’ o ne c o m events , to manage without another s — pany ; but we were alone a condition o f the voyage I cannot say I had seriously contem plated o r even lightly thought o f before em — barking o n this adventure and the result was

w e were incessantly together. I had purchased

- o r o f a chess board and a pack two cards , and

d us o r when the deck bore , the weather there sit was uncomfortable , we would down and play a game in the cabin ; and I say it was difﬁcult for me to be hour after hour and day after day

encountering her spirited , sparkling glances ,

watching her smiles , listening to her graceful

fancies , observing the ﬁfty fascinating elegances

o f her posture and movements , without thinking a very great deal more about her when I was

w as alone , and perhaps even when I in her

o r company , than my honour could approve my j udgment understand .

1 6 . 4 MAROONED CHAP .

to the movements o f the brig bothered the eye f with a ﬂitting o shadows . Broadwater was

o f at his usual place at the table , with a bottle

rum and a steaming glass before him . H e

sat o ne apparently lost in thought , with eye

shut and the other ﬁxed upon the lamp , his little mouth rounded into the familiar whistling

- shape , his pear shaped nose as ruddy as the liquor in the bottle , and the expression on his face indescribably absurd with itsrubicund cast o f tipsy sentiment . d o f an . H ave a glass rum water, M r ” a ? Musgr ve he said to me , with a stupid

smile , pointing with a drooping ﬁnger to the

tumbler before him , yet speaking as if the silence had grown oppressive and he was glad

to break it .

I declined , and asked M iss Grant what she

she was reading . Before could answer , Broad

water said , Beg pardon , M r . M usgrave , but l ’ can you te l me if you re a married man , sir

can o u I certainly tell y , I replied , bursting “ into a laugh ; I am not married Are yo u I I . 1 6 x. A M DN GHT ALARM 5

Y es SIr , he answered , and I wish I

’ wasn t . She s a nice young lady , but , he ’ sir added gloomily , I don t like her mother , . That there mother of hers is always inter

’ ’ t o t fe ing ; and what s worse , she s g no respect ” for me . H is hand wandered somewhat m ai lessly towards his glass , which he presently

grasped , half emptied , and replaced with a “ ” heavy sigh . M r. Musgrave , he went on , ’ ’ sir o u you ll excuse me , , if y please . You ll — be marrying some of these days bound to it — ’ ’ an I d strongly recommend ye to take ’ ’ — C apt n Broadwater s advice the advice o f o ld

’ Guy Broadwater , who s as well known from Freshw harf down to Blackwall as the Monu

’ ’

o r . P : o u ment is , the dome of St aul s don t y go and get m arried to a party that ’ s got a ’ ’ mother . I f you do , you ll ﬁnd you ve gone and married ’ em both There ’ s nothing as weighs upon a man ’ s feelings like his wife ’ s

sir a mother. You mind , . Remember wh t I

’ says , and you ll recall this voyage as the one sarc um stanc e o f your life that was the ” o f making ye .

his o ut H e drained glass , and pulling his 1 66 MAROONED . CHAP .

great silver watch , that seemed to pop from his ’ - trousers band like a cork from a bottle , he

cast an uncertain glance at it , and rose with a

o f succession nods at me , whilst he said , “ ’ ’ C a t n sir : Recollect p Broadwater s advice ,

’ ” o f it ll be the making ye , fell about a little

whilst he replaced the bottle in the locker , and s then , saluting Mi s Grant with a tipsy smile , lurched towards his cabin , talking to himself as

o f he went , the burthen his words being , as far as I could collect it , Take my advice , M r . ’ M usgrave it ll be the making of ye . AS he was nightly in the habit o f withdraw ing to his cabin more o r less overtaken with liquor, we had by this time grown used to the V practice , had come indeed to iew it as part

o f of the navigation the I ron Crown , and had

no w therefore nothing to say about it . We sat talking for half an hour o r so Miss Grant then went to bed and after smoking my pipe in the companion hatchway , from which sheltered point I took notice o f the heavy — gloom amid which the ship was sailing a shadow so thickened with the deep dusk o f

the night , through which here and there a star

I 6 8 MAROONED . CHAP .

o ur o f found under keel , and the slenderness o f o f - the structure plank , tree nail , and beam , which w as o ur only barricade against the f intrusion o the spectre . Then M iss Grant

o f came into my head , and the thought her

o f m beauty put a sort light into y mood , though my fancies continued to hang in a nervous j umble upon my mind . H owever ,

w fo r after a hile I fell asleep , and lay dreamless some time , as I believe ; and may have rested

o r so for an hour more , when I had a hideous

- nightmare . I dreamt that the cabin door was suddenly ﬂung open , and that Captain B road water entered with his eyes o n ﬁre and his

- face blood red with drink . H e grasped the immense carving-knife he was in the habit o f

ﬂourishing at table , and approached me close . Whence came the light by which I viewed him I know no t ; but he w as horribly distinguish

sa able H e seemed to y, and I quite under i h t r. stood him , t at was his intention to murde me because I wished to leave his ship ; but

o f w as to o that , as his hatred me intense to f suf er him to despatch me quickly , it was his intention to destroy me by degrees . I lay ID I 1 6 A M N GHT ALARM . 9

o ut paralyzed , tried to bawl , but could utter no sound , endeavoured to stir, but felt as dead as A a log of wood . gony at length broke the w spell ; I a oke , sprang into a sitting posture , with the perspiration pouring from my face , and stared , panting as if I had been wounded to

o f death , into the blackness the cabin . As I sat peering and endeavouring to collect

o f t e my senses , I heard the sound what sembled a human groan . I t seemed to come

f w as from the ﬂoor o my cabin . I still suffering from the agitation caused by my nightmare ; and my nerves having been unduly wrung , whilst I had scarcely yet had time to recollect myself, I confess that this strange and alarming noise ﬁlled me with so much consternation that I felt almost as helpless as when Broadwater stood beside me in the vision . The extrao r dinary noise was repeated ; I could not doubt my hearing . I t rose from the deck under my

w asso o f bunk , and exceedingly like the groan a drunken man in pain that I thought to my ! self, Good God there may be more in my dream than I am as yet conscious o f The sense o f the presence of a real danger 1 70 MAROONED . CHAP .

- —I served to rally me . My tinder box had no — other means o f procuring a light was in the

o f pocket my coat that hung near the door , and it w as necessary to get out of bed to obtain it . I threw my legs over the edge o f the bunk , intending to very warily slide round

that I by the bulkhead to where the coat was , might no t tread upon whatever the object o might be that groaned up n the deck , when

—a the noise sounded again thick , snoring , choking moan . I whipped my legs into my bunk , much more alarmed than it pleases me

. ! to confess Great mercy thought I , is it conceivable that B roadwater in a drunken ﬁt has really entered this cabin with the design of murdering me , and that the liquor he has swallowed has proved too potent at the last moment to enable him to execute his horrid ! project I f he has a knife in his hand , I

n reﬂected , starti g as another groan arose , I may stumble over him in groping and fall upon the blade ; o r if I should roll over him he might not be to o drunk to imagine that I was

o f attacking him , when course he would defend himself and perhaps kill me .

2 . I 7 MAROONED CHAP .

struck against it . M iss Grant opened her door .

She had lighted her lamp , and fearing that the “ ’ o ut : It s beast would make for her , I cried

’ only a pig . I ll have him out of this in a

’ o r minute . Shut your door quickly , he ll run ”

o u . in upon y She instantly did as I told her , but a moment after I could hear her laughing as though she had fallen hysterical .

I stepped cautiously towards the passage , and found the door that shut o ff the after

- accommodation from the state cabin closed .

fo r I But this , should have had light enough from the reﬂection o f the dimmed lantern that swung in the cabin to have seen by . By sliding my hands about I succeeded in feeling

o f I o ened the handle the door , which p ; but the moment the light streamed in the pig ran

o n for it , and striking me the legs as it swept past , threw me again to the deck The cabin skylight was opened , and the voice of some o ne dis above called to me . I could j ust t in uish o f g the features the boatswain , but before I could tell him what was the matter ,

Broadwater, followed by the mate , came running out from their berths in the fore end . MI I H . I x. A DN G T ALARM 73

What is it ? what is it ? ” shouted the old “ A skipper . nybody being murdered But the mate ’ s swiftly rolling eye instantly

u ht o f g sight the pig , at which he made a

spring . The creature with a prodigious squeal its slipped , as though back had been greased ,

o ut o f - u o f his grip , and with a wild kick p its

- o f hind quarters , and a deﬁant ﬂourish its tail ,

o f made in a gallop in the direction the captain ,

- through whose bow legs it bolted , bringing

him down as if he had been shot . By this

time the boatswain , peering through the Sky

l ight and seeing how it was , had ordered some o f the men o f his watch to j ump below and

o f catch the pig , and down they trundled , four

o f o f them , ﬁlled with anticipations a ﬁne bout — — Skylarking for jack dearly loves a pig hunt .

no w The uproar was prodigious . The pig raced round the cabin and under the table yelling like a steam -horn to every clutch that

was made at it and after it went the sailors ,

tumbling , swearing , laughing , whilst the mate shouted to them in a shrill voice to bear a hand d an . O catch the brute ld Broadwater , who

appeared somewhat dazed by his fall , sat upon 1 H . 74 MAROONED . C AP

o f a locker rubbing the back his head , now and again lifting his clenched ﬁst as the pig galloped past him , and heaping curses upon

- the thing in a half smothered tone . The men however enjoyed the sport too keenly to be in

o f a hurry to end it , and a full ﬁve minutes

roaring , pufﬁng , laughing , and squeaking passed before the pig was captured . I t was

o ne o f then carried away by the fellows , whom ,

it seemed to me , must have tormented it in

o f some secret manner , for the squealing the beast as it was borne up the ladder and along the deck was so violent and sharp -edged that it might have been heard a league distant . Scarce had these distracting notes been

as silenced , and j ust I was about to put a — question to Captain Broadwater for talk w as — not to be dreamt o f whilst that noise lasted I heard the boatswain o n deck cry o ut in a loud “ ! ! O and fearful tone , H ard up H ard up ver

fo r o ur ! with it , man , lives and then an “ ! ” instant after , Ship ahoy he roared , with the same note o f violent hurry and sense o f “ P ! danger in his voice , ort your hellum port ’ o r your hellum , you ll be into us

1 6 OO . P 7 MAR NED CHA .

up so close aboard that the sight was something

to hold a man breathless . I n the brief interval o f silence that followed

’ the boatswain s cry to her to port her helm , I could distinctly hear the hiss and splash o f the curl o f water breaking at her stem ; the voice o f a man rapidly delivering orders as though for life o r death ; the rattle o f tiller - Chains to the swift revolution o f the wheel ; the ﬂap o f some light sail aloft buried in the black void , hollowing inwards as the ship , answering her

O She helm , rounded to the wind . ne moment

o ff o ur bo w o f was , the next abreast us , so close that the face o f the man holding the streaming ﬂare - tin glimmered o ut yellow as the rind o f a ripe lime and as he leaned from the

’ - bulwark rail , torch in hand , swinging at arm s

k o f length from a bac stay , the ﬁgure him upon the yellow atmosphere o f light was fo r all the world like a human shape wrought in black silk upon a ground of rusty amber . I cowered ’ involuntarily , believing the stranger s j ibbooms to be over us , and expecting every minute to hear the t ending and crashing of masts and I I x. A M DN GHT ALARM . 1 77 strong fastenings to the sheering sweep o f those outstretched spars . She was soon o n our quarter , and then it was possible to fetch a

ig/Z breath ; though even when there , you j her terrifying presence in the Oppression o f the vast shadow o f her black heights upon the P dusk . resently the ﬂare over her side went

— she o ut the blotch— made melted into the general shadow and then she was as utterly

’ gone from the sight , though but a few cables

she lengths distant , as though had foundered . By this time Broadwater had recovered his faculties , and he now let ﬂy a whole hurricane of questions at the boatswain ; demanding to know how it was that the vessel had not been

e sighted sooner , whether there was a man for

o n -o ut ward the look , and the like . But neither rage nor rum could blind him to the almost

o f preternatural gloom the night . I ndeed it O was like being in a vault . ne or two stars showed faint as the dimmest of their own re

ﬂe c tio ns se e so , and it staggered one to them , o unreal w astheir wan gleam . What had bec me

f no t o the moon I do know . The outline of the brig met the blackness without a break , and

V L 1 N O . . . C 1 78 MAROONED HAP . x .

though I stood within a couple o f yards o f the

boatswain and Broadwater , I should not have known there were people near me but for their a voices . Gordon nswered the skipper quietly , said that he had been keeping as bright a look o ut as was practicable to mortal sight o n such

had a night , but that , had he as many eyes in

a s his head a peacock carries in its tail , and

Mo i each eye a telescope at , it would have been all the same to which o ld Broadwater answered ’ so with a gro wling , Well , boil me , if it ain t and after that cooled d o wn and spoke ration ally . But j ust before I went below I heard Gordon

n o f sir exclaim , I t was the cryi g the pig , , that

o ur n . made presence k own The ship heard it , a nd showed a light , guessing there was some

’ craft close aboard . I f it hadn t been fo r that

o n squeaking , I allow that we should have been

the road to the bottom before this .

I 8 0 MARO ONED . CHAP .

w as its way aft , when I surprised by M iss Grant peeping through the door that led to our berths , and then advancing . “ I expected you would be up , M r . ” she Musgrave , exclaimed , seating herself at “ my side ; what a noisy time this has been ! Far more alarming indeed than the commotion the other night when the poor man committed ” suicide . I have really felt frightened .

She no t o Yet did look s . H er eyes were as

he r steady, lips as composed , her manner as quiet as ever they had been in the tranquillest hour w e had passed together since o ur ﬁrst

’

~ . . w meeting H er hair , roughened by the pillo ,

‘ made her be auty the more striking for the diso rderr o f it upon her w hite forehead and whiter neck . I t was no moment to take notice

o f su c h f t riﬂes m , but it see ed to me that this woman c ould never look more fascinating than when newlyand hastily arisen from her couch , and hurriedly attired in a pink dressing - gown I related my story o f the adventure with the

she pig , at which laughed continuously , until

to o f o ur I came tell her narrow escape , and how , under H eaven , an incident that would I 8 1 x1 . A TRAGEDY . seem merry enough to everybody but the

o f person who took part in it , was the cause o u r escape from a catastrophe that might have sent every soul of us to the bottom and then r she grew ve y grave . “ f “ I t needs an ef ort of mind , said I , to conceive of the genius o f luck taking upon

itself the aspect of a pig . H enceforward I ’ shall think respectfully o f Broadwater s affe c ” tion for roast and boiled pork . “ I wish this voyage were over, Mr . “ M usgrave , she exclaimed . I feel as if we

a at sea had already passed couple of months . Do yo u think if the ship had run into us w e sho uld have been drowned ? ” “ to sa n t . I mpossible y, M iss Gra She was

o f a lump a craft, to j udge by the huge loom

o f her shadow ; and I fear that , staunch as

the I ron Crown may be, one thrust from that big chap would have made o ld staves f o the little hooker . At this moment Broadwater ’ s bow legs

- appeared in the companion way . Down he

o ff came , pulling his hat as he arrived . Sleep ,

o f - the a larm and the turmoil the pig hunt , and 1 8 2 MAROONED . CHAP .

h ad he was fresh from , cleared his head , and he w as as sober as one could wish .

fo r a- u Rather late you to be sitting p, ” “ ’ miss , said he approaching the table ; there s ’ to all no longer call be afraid . I t ll be plain ’ fo r o f sailing now the rest the night . “ ? ” What time is it , captain She inquired . ” H e pulled o ut his watch weighed it would be the correct term , for it was like — “ breaking out an anchor and said , Close — ’ upon four bells two o clock , mum . I s that there bottle yours , M r . Musgrave

w as I replied that it , and grasping the hint conveyed by the question , begged him to help

. to himself H e smacked his lips the draught ,

o f o w n for the brandy was my buying , choice “ : A and old , and said close shave that just i ’ sr. now , I don t know that I ever remember

’ it s a darker night , considering ﬁne weather . “ A to o y, said I , dark it is ; much dark for human eyesight , as your second mate truly ’ Tis said . fortunate that we are endowed with other faculties than vision only . H ad there not been ears aboard the stranger to catch the squeaking o f my pig where Should we be now

I 8 OO . C 4 MAR NED HAP .

u so berth , and observed that the tong e caught

thinly that it yielded to the slightest pressure . I think Broadwater would have gone straightway to bed had it not been for my

- brandy bottle . M iss Grant protested that she felt too restless to return to her cabin , and said sh e wished it were daylight . “ ’ daw n ll The soon be coming along , miss , “ ’ e said the captain ; m antime , what s there to be uneasy about now

a The lady is not uneasy , captain , s id I ,

~ her rest has been broken , and she no longer feels sleepy ; and I wondered that even his little eyes should not have observed her c o m

posed and tranquil expression . I ndeed it seemed to me that what uneasiness there was

la mm sub y altogether in . H is manner was

dued , he spoke with a note of respect ; there was that in his bearing which suggested that

the weight of his alarm had not yet lifted , and I would se e him sometimes shoot a look at the

o r companion up at the skylight , and then

thoughtfully stroke down his nose , whilst his little eyes met in a squint upon the glass around

- which his carrot shaped ﬁngers were curled . x1 . 8 . A TRAGEDY 1 5

H e was too much of a seaman not to know that w e had all of us come o ff just now very narrowly indeed with our lives ; and though , as I have said , he would no doubt have gone to bed but for the brandy , he could not sit there and reﬂect upon what had occurred Without indications of discomposure , which contrasted strongly with ’ t M iss Grant s reposeful expression , . steadfas

‘ eyes , and calm , sweet utterance . And yet from the fe w words She ha d let fall ; I was sure that she had mastered the full sigh i ﬁ c ance o f the danger we had escaped as c—om ple tely as if she had witnessed the scene as completely indeed as if She had been as prac tical a sailor as the captain himself. Once She lifted her ﬁnger to the light moan of a sea run ning stealthily along the side against which we

: Ho w were leaning , and exclaimed cold the sound is there ! I remember once telling Alexander that qualities s e nsible to the touch

no t m ay also be so to the hearing . H e did

n . understa d me ; but surely , M r Musgrave , ’ ’ o f isn t the icy breath a winter s blast , as it s the weeps past the window , as perceptible to I 8 6 MAROONED . CHAP . ear as it would be to the face if o ne should ? ” look o ut o f doors I ﬁnd nothing hard to understand in that fancy , I replied ; meanly willing , I fear , to

exhibit , my understanding as in some senses ’ “ ' A saw superior to her lexander s . I once a — man lying dead in a posture o f terror he h had died with a s riek , I learned ; but I did

Mo i see not need to be told , for I could ’ his cry in the attitude , though Death s fore ﬁnger had been upon his lips fo r twenty-four hours . “ ’ A o f u queer sort of twisting the fac lties , ain t ” ? o ld see it , sir exclaimed Broadwater ; to a

’ near ! o f shriek , and cold weather That s a kind

’ boiling above most men s intellectuals , I should

. W . think ith your good leave , M r M usgrave ,

’ i ld am aik sr. o I ll take another drop , Good j y, as a standing drink , is to my taste unsurpassable

’ by any sort 0 liquor to be found in the ﬁrst nobleman ’ s cellar in the country but a drop of brandy after this h ere pattern is an agreeable

’ change , and I ve heard , he continued , helping

w ariatio n is rec o m himself, that an occasional

1 8 8 MAROONED . CHAP .

Broadwater had started to his feet at the

Sound , but he then appeared to be stricken helpless , for he stood staring with a sort of gape in the se t of his lips towards the com

’ - f panion ladder . Miss Grant s face was full o

she consternation , and kept her eyes ﬁxed on f me with a wild look o consternation in them .

I listened , expecting to hear a second cry . There was a sound of swift running overhead

o f a sharp , angry shout in the voice the boat swain ; a minute after the chief mate came staggering down the ladder with his hand t o

see his side , his dark face dreadful to with the ghastly colouring upon it . H e stood whilst yo u could have counted ten at the foot o f the ladder , swaying , his left hand upon his heart his in right hand extended , his ashen lips articulately moving ; then dropped without a groan , and lay motionless .

’ hall a d n A voice o o deck . I could not

w as catch the words , but it easy to recognize ’ Gordon s tone , and it seemed to me that he w as a o r bawling for ssistance from the wheel , close to it . The light bur nt dully in the cabin lantern I turned the m esh high that we might 1 1 x . A TRAGEDY . 8 9

se e what was the matter with the mate , and

. o n then went up to him H e lay his side , and when I looked at his face I could not question

as ad that he w dead . H e h run from the cabin in his shirt and trousers o n hearing the squealing o f o n the pig , and in that attire had bounded deck when the boatswain ’ s sudden cry had

l o f raised the a arm coll ision , and thus was he — — habited as he lay a clearly murdered man at the foot of the cabin steps . H is left side was dark in the lamplight with the saturation o f blood , and already there was a large dusky

w o ut patch slo ly sifting , like ink upon blotting

- o n paper , over the sand coloured planks which the man rested . H is head was uncovered , his

e t eyes half closed , his lips had not y had time to softe n down out o f the rigours o f their grinni ng twist of agony and terror ; the gleam o f his white teeth was as though he snarled ,

o f his . spite lying still God knows , handsome as the lineaments were , it was now a face as villainous for the wrinkled torment and ﬁerce sneer about the mouth , and the Sly brutality o f - o f the half closed eyes , and the savageness n In the woolly hair , that eve life when all was I 90 MAROONED . CHAP . well with him was enough to repel most sorts f o . sympathy , as imagination could depicture

o f I know that the memory it , with its base

c o f d ac entuation stained eck and dyed shirt ,

fo r haunted me years , and the thing is before

o ld me at this moment , though without the horror . This is a passage that takes some time to desc rIbe , though the interval between the dropping of the killed man and my bending over him was to have been spanned by twenty o r thirty seconds . Broadwater appeared to f o . A have be—en bereft reason professional danger the thundering down o f a squall

catching him aback , a big ship under a press

close aboard him , white water under the bows —might have found him equal to its con m n fro nt e t . The vocational instincts would

have gone to work , and preserved him from

gaping like a fool . But here was something

wide of his experience , a sudden violent shock

itsw a a frightful menace in y, too , for it was impossible to say what greater and blacker

e tragedy yet lay secret , but sur , behind this

o ne ﬁrst and most bloody .

1 9 2 MAROONED . CHAP .

’ ! a- Goggling who s goggling he roared . ” t By this and by tha , and here he bellowed “ ’ o ut o f a whole volley curses , the man who s done this thing shall swing for it ! From my o w n - yard arm he shall swing for it , though

’ ’ there s ne er a pair o f hands on board but mine to run the villain aloft ! M urder ! Murder

o f m e ! aboard Why , what do they hope to do what ’ s their intention H e made for the companion -ladder with fury in his looks and gestures ; but at that instant

w - do n thundered the second mate , with his face as white as i ts dark tincture of weather would

to suffer it be , as wild in his manner as a de m e nte d man ; so distractedly agitated that his d quick , distressful breathing broke up his wor s

h r w as as they rolled oa sely from his lips , and it

o u with an effort y caught his meaning .

’ Captain captain he cried , there s been

! —a a murder done The mate y, there he lies

sir - stabbed , , stabbed by the half blood Charles “ is w ho Where he bellowed B roadwater ,

o n had come to a stand seeing the boatswain , but w ho -now gathered himself together afresh fo r a spring on deck . D 1 . x A TRAGE Y . 1 93

! ” “ ! Hold , sir cried Gordon , hold hear me

’ ut F r A o . o God lmighty s sake deal with them as though an ill word no w Should tarn ’ — em all into wild be asts ! M r . M usgrave sir

’ — a Y u w you ve been to se . o kno that when sailor -men are ripe for mischief the sight and smell o f blood will change the most peaceable

f the ‘ c a tain o . them into devils Tell p this ,

’ ! si r sir beg him to listen to me , , or there ll be

’ not a life of one of us now here collected asll stand the chance o f that ﬂame there if yo u w as to try and blow it out . ” ” h Captain , said I , alf wild with the thoughts such talk as this put into my head , as I looked for an instant at M iss Grant to mark what effect the incoherent co nsternation o f the boat swain produced upon her, you must listen to this man . H e has something to tell you . There are three of us ; I have weapons o f my

Fo r own , and you will not be without arms .

’ ’ God s sake , don t let the worst happen without —b ” ! e . I preparation Sit cool There , cried , “ o f a pointing to the body the m te , is something to warrant a cold debate ! and with that I

a the arm a o f gr sped him by , with quick sense

V 0] I. O 1 . A 94 MAROONED CH P .

o r satisfaction coming to me , somehow other, o u t o f the feel o f the mass o f muscle my n ﬁ gers gripped , and shoved him towards a

sat locker . H e down , with his face as dark as

o n the stain the cabin deck , without speaking ,

o f 'at with a ﬁxed glare his little eyes Gordon ,

and o f f o f a kind suf ocated heaving his breast . ”

o w ! I . N , Gordon exclaimed The man had already gro wn somewhat calmer . “ ho w Captain , he said , this is it happened .

- w Charles , the half blood , was at the heel . W hen you went below , the mate , here he turned his eyes with a sickly roll upon the

o f body , and a sharp catching his breath ,

o f came up to me , and talked the craft that had nearly run us down . H e spoke in a

- passion , gave me hard words told me I had

’ no eyes , wasn t ﬁt to take charge of the deck , and swore cruelly that he ’ d reckon his own eyesight to have been blasted if he ’ d have missed the shadow long afore they showed the binnacle light over the side . We argued , and

o f aw I fell asho t as he . After a long spell j ’ fo rra ds ing he went , and I heard him talking

1 96 MAROONED . CHAP .

by the white o f his shirt a-flitting about the deck , and after a bit he walks to the wheel where Charles was , and spoke to him . There ” ni ne was some muttering ; then I heard , pointing with his finger at the body without “ fishw ife looking at it , talking shrill as a , whilst

- the half blood answered sulkily , as a man struggling with his temper ; and this went o n till of a sudden M r . Bothwell made the cry

e y must have heard , and before I could run aft he had slipped to the companion , where I lost f o . sight him I found the wheel deserted . The half-blood had gone forward in the murky blackness along the line o f the larboard bul warks , and though I noticed the slapping of shoes , yet , not seeing him , I supposed he was

‘ ’ hallo a d still at the helm . I for so me o ne to lay aft and take the wheel . The moment he ’ ‘ ? ’ ‘ came , I says , Where s Charles I n the ‘ ’ ? ’ he answers . What s he done

’ fo r o f says I , I couldn t guess at the truth the

’ o f B hw lls o t e . matter from the noise Mr . yell

’ ’ ‘ Ho w H e s knifed the mate , says he . do ? ’ ‘ ’ o u . y know that says I Why , he says ,

‘ o u t afore dropping down the scuttle he sings , x1 1 . A TRAGEDY . 97

‘ — ’ — —m Nat Dan Terence is there e er a one o f ” ’ ? w as you on deck am , says I , who ‘ ! ’ ‘ standing close . By God says he , the

’ m ate ll trouble us no more ; my knife has

’ ’ found his heart o ut ! I t ll be the skipper s turn next !

Broadwater started to his feet .

’ ’ o ut ! For H eaven s sake , hear him I “ cried ; time may be precious ; how o n earth shall we know what to do unless we get the truth The Skipper had lifted his arm with a frenzied gesture , and would have plunged , spite of my

o ne o f no w entreaty , into his familiar roaring bouts ; but happily he was half-suffocated by

? rage and terror , and scarcely able to articulate

H e continued to watch the boatswain , whilst his i extended arm fell to h s side . “ When I heard this , continued Gordon , throwing a look up the companion - ladder as if “ fo rrards he suspected listeners there , I went put my head into the scuttle , and called to

n Charles . H e answered without showi g him

’

. o u self I says , I n God s name , what have y ? ’ ’ ’ gone and done I ve sent a villain to hell , 8 1 C . 9 MAROONED . HAP

‘ ’

w . he ans ers , let him come ba ck if he can

Some of the chaps laughed at this . They had

’ ’ fo k sle trimmed the lamp afresh , and all hands

seemed wide awake , as no doubt they would be after the row o f the pig and the danger w e

o f e scraped clear but I tell y , Captain B road ” n water , he continued , with a other look up the ’ ladder , that there was a sound in them men s laughter which gave me to know that a cask o f

o ff gunpowder , with the head knocked lying

’ clear for the ﬁrst spark , wouldn t be a bigger

’ danger in the hold o f this vessel than s her ’ ’ ” f k sle n i o o w sr. to her as it stands , H e paused ,

o n dried his face a great blue handkerchief, and “ o n then went speaking hurriedly . I says ,

o ut o f ! Charles , you must come that N o use l ’ skulking be ow . There s no stabbing men in

this here craft and lying snug after it . Up with — ’ ’ no w . ye , don t give me the trouble to fetch ye

o ut H e bawled a curse , keeping hidden all the

time . I put my leg over , but ere I could lift

o r the other , four ﬁve men sprang under the

‘ o ne o f . hatch , and them said , See here , M r ’

o w e o u . Gordon . We don t y no grudge Th ese are your quarters asthey are ourn ; but

2 0 0 MAROONED . CHAP .

o f her eyes whenever they met mine the short ,

o f square , muscular ﬁgure Broadwater pacing the length of the cabin , staring ahead of him with

o f ﬁ ure - the blind , wooden look a g head ; the play o f shadows se t dancing by the lamp ; the

o n midnight silence deck ; the soft , washing sound o f water running in some sobbing black fold along the bends the creak and jar of the

she o n fabric as rolled the light swell , with many a mufﬂed note like the Short laughs o r sullen

o f o f grumblings a company giants below , stealing to our ear from the freighted hold be — neath o ur feet I say there is nothing in ink to give you the colour , the horror , the strangeness o f this cabin picture , and the noises breaking

o f into the interval silence , during which the

o ne captain stepped from end to the other , whilst M iss Grant and I waited for the arrival h t e w as . of boy , knowing what he wanted for

A fe w moments before he came , Broadwater

o f halted at the Side the dead man , stooped and listened , grasped his wrist and held it , as though

fo r feeling the life there , then shot erect , and

o ut cried , N ever before did such a thing happen aboard o f me never before ! And they 2 0 I XI . A TRAGEDY.

o f to o ? Ho w talk murdering me , hey many ’ lives must it cost em Ho w many lives must it cost ’ em H e thrust his hand into the bosom o f his shirt , and made as if to run to his cabin , w but checked himself, heeled round , and fell to pacing the deck afresh . “ bo The y arrived . H ere , shouted Broad “ water ﬁercely , help me to carry that body to ” his berth . The unhappy youth s tood with his knock knees trembling one against the other , whilst he stared at the corpse with eyes which threatened to leap from their sockets . I f ever human hair stirred upon the head to the

f his o f o . agitation the spirit , his did But fear

“ B roadwater was livelier than his dread o f the corpse . Between them they carried the body

- to its berth in the fore end , and I had not known ho w heavily the presence o f the thing had hung upon me until it was gone , when I fetched a breath as easy as a sigh . h B roadwater returned , and the boy s ambling in his wake went stealthily to the ladder , and then ﬂed up it as though the mate were in pu r

o f suit him . The captain looked through the 2 0 2 M O . AP ARO NED CH .

o n hatch as if he meant to mount deck , but hung irresolute , with a short glance round to

o w n me that was like a question . I that the difﬁculty with which he was confronted was enough to stagger a brighter intellect than his

- - pork fed and rum tinctured brains . Yet his hesitation at such a juncture was mighty dis O composing too . bserving that he continued to stand in a posture o f doubt at the foot o f the I ladder, said bluntly , believing that a plain

C o u question might help him , aptain , what do y mean to do

H e looked at me oddly for some moments , sent a glance into the black arch of atmosphere

-w a and formed by the cover of the companion y,

- answered in a deep , sea growling note , Cursed

n if I know . What would yo do

Wait till daylight , anyhow , I replied ; ’ remain cool , and keep my temper . That s

Fo r what [ should resolve upon ﬁrst . the rest ” I should be guided by events . And who says I ain ’ t cool he cried in a “ w a quarrelsome y, and as to losing my temper he stopped dead to the sudden choke

o f rage in his throat, clenched both ﬁsts till

2 0 4 MAROONED . CHAP .

w e can step ashore at Rio before it ends , we ” shall have reason to be satisﬁed .

o n She glanced at the dark stain the deck , a

she slight shiver ran through her , and folded her arms across her breast as though fo r the

warmth of them . “ ” What a night this has been ! She cried ;

indeed , what a time the whole voyage has

so as ! been , far it has gone I have heard stories o f wild doings in vessels of this kind trading to the West I ndies and to South A merica , but nothing to equal our experiences She shivered again ; I caught a tremble in her

u n - o f der lip , and a swift expression mingled

worry and horror in her eyes , and fearing that — she would break down and surely what she had seen and suffered since she had quitted her berth might well have broken a hardier spirit — than ever woman w as yet informed with I

poured a little brandy into a glass , and begged her to drink it ; but she waved it aside with a

sudden proud smile , sweet with kindness too . ” she Do not misj udge me , M r . Musgrave , “ said if I seem to falter in a time of trouble , it f o . is not , I think , from want courage I t is the x1 . 2 9 . A TRAGEDY 5 sense o f uncertainty that always weakens me — ” most the not knowing what to do . She

suddenly ceased , lifting her hand to motion silence ; but the noise was no more than the

’ growling o f o ld Bro adwater s voice talking to

a the boatswain close gainst the cabin skylight ,

n o f o e frame which stood open . We strained

o ur ears , but could not catch words enough to

o enable us t gather the import of their talk . I

advised her to return to her berth , and sleep

o f s out the rest the night if he could . She

she smiled at my speaking of Sleep , and said

would go to her berth and dress herself.

o u o n But y will not come deck , Miss Grant Why not ?

v Be ad ised by me , I beg you . I t is bleak

o n and black ; what can you do deck N ext ,

o f in the present temper the men , I could wish

o ut o f you to keep of sight them . The dawn

will soon be at hand , and sunrise may give a ” n o ur e w complexion to affairs . “ do o u I will whatever y please , She said

I merely need advice . What follows I hope ” I shall have courage enough to meet , and with — another smile so full of spirit that it was 2 0 6 . x1 . MAROONED CHAP . almost enough to make one doubt that she fully grasped the signiﬁcance o f o u r dangerous situation , in a small brig with murder newly h done , and the crew s eltering and making a — hero of the assassin she entered her berth .

‘ o w n Ten minutes after , I quitted my cabin ,

o n . fully dressed , and went deck

2 0 8 MAROONED . CHAP .

o f Short spouts sea , which leaped without life

’ round about the vessel s quarters . Even as the dawn broke it was yet so dark that there w as nothing to be seen b ut the ﬁltering light ; but this brightened fast into a ragged sort o f staring of the radiance over

— o f streaks and through tail ends clouds , until the whole circu mference o f the horizon sloped

o f Sk dark to the vague gray the y, with a Slow

o f writhing , wonderful to behold , the shadowy

’ o f substance the brig s sails , masts , and hull ,

o u t o f w as into determinable forms , what just no w mere impalpable blocks o f dusk o ne o n top o f another . I can conceive of no spectacle more melan c ho ly and cheerless than the ﬁrst b reaking o f day over the wide and troubled ocean . There is a bleakness in the aspect o f pallid heaven

c o m and yet darkling water , and in the gray

o f o f plexion the canvas and rigging the ship , that enters the atmosphere asa sensible quality o f cold ; and I have known men who , though they had been on deck fo r several hours without

o f feeling the edge the wind , have slapped their breasts with a shudder to the ﬁrst opening o f I I . 2 XI . MUT NY 9 9

the desolate faintness in the east . But it was

soon broad daylight . The broken , blind sort o f stare among the clouds to larboard melted — o u t into the ﬂooding o f effulgent pink the su n — lifted a segment o f rose - red glory a sinuous stream o f radiance ﬂashed from o ne blue brow to another down to within a musket -shot o f us

o u saw sk and then y a piebald y, mottl—ed into rich marble with dashes o f white vapour a broad bosomed swell rolling in folds o f dark blue and

o ur brimming to channels , freckled with foam

ing wrinkles . There were some men talking near the fore hatch ; occasionally they directed their glances

- aft to the quarter deck , where the captain and

boatswain stood in silent waiting , as it seemed

o f sun to me , until the spring the from the

ocean should fairly settle the dawn into day . I

o f took a long survey the blue circle , but there

w as w as nothing to be seen . N ot that there

o f anything to be hoped from the sight a ship ,

she -o f- war unless , indeed , should prove a man ; for our tro uble was not o f a kind that a a merch ntman could meddle with . H ow could her people serve us Advice was hardly likely

V OL. 1 . P MAROONED . CHAP .

to prove proﬁtable to Broadwater , and more than that he w as no t going to obtain by back ing his topsail to speak a stranger and asking

re him to send a boat . And yet even the m o t est gleam o f a ship would have yielded me

o f o f a sort feeling relief, by qualifying , how

o f ever worthlessly , the profound sense loneliness that possessed me on ﬁrst seeing the vast stretch o f liquid waste bathed in the delicate light o f

the sunrise . There w asan air o f surly and deﬁant stubborn ness in the postures and glances o f the group

forward that was instantly noticeable . I counted

o f seven them , and supposed therefore that amongst them was o ne o r more o f that division

o f the crew which had the watch below . They appeared to be holding a council ; and it was

to so startling , I can tell you , mark their forms ,

to speak , come out from the blackness into the

o f n dawn , and to think them as having bee

o ne no w there talking to another , as they were w hen the darkness hid them .

o I looked for th man Charles , but he was not

o n No deck . doubt it was the fancies put into my head by the thought o f the dead creature

2 1 2 OO . A MAR NED CH P .

him to look gaunt his purple countenance w as

o f him o r as much a part as his ears his feet , and he would die with it o n him as a negro dies

with a black skin . But the incidents of the night had done their work with him nev e rthe S less . The arch over each eye was harper ; in quiet times this would have made him appear

as though labouring under astonishment , but there were other features and other expressions to lift this aspect of surprise into a look of

Savage consternation . H ad I viewed him

w as without knowing what the matter , I should have im agIned “ that he had been o n deck day w and night for a eek , exposed to violent and

dangerous weather , during which his mind had been heavily strained by anxiety .

w as L d There a man named Daniel a ova ,

- another half blood , as I supposed , standing at the wheel , and I could have laughed outright

’ at the pat ﬁt o f the fellow s face to the circum stances o f the time for though I dare say he

may have been at bottom as steady , respectable , and sober a creature as o ne could wish to se e

’ a shi s so in p forecastle , yet he was confoundedly s ugly , with his ﬂat no e , the nostrils whereof I 2 1 XII . MUT NY . 3

were stretched past the line of his eyes , his

o f wide mouth and negro fulness lips , his c oal

n black , lo g , streaky I ndian hair , low forehead

o f and complexion saffron , the whole topped o ff - o f by the sieve like pitting smallpox , that o ne might have searched every shipping - yard in Great B ritain without meeting with a fellow better qualiﬁed by his looks to stand at the brig ’ s helm in this particular

u j unct re . Suddenly Broadwater made some observation to Gordon , and walked aft . The boatswain called out , Forward there Send Charles aft , ” o ne of yo u ! but there w asa half-heartedness in his way o f singing out that made o ne feel he regarded the captain ’ s command as purposeless and ridiculous . The fellows loungin g about the foremast looked round to the hail , but only quitted their posture to that extent . N o one called to

o ne Charles , no even approached the scuttle to s do o . “ ’ ” sa ? D ye hear what I y, men repeated the - Gordon , but in same half spirited tone , as though the bother o f this time had taken most 2 I 4 MAROONED . CHAP . of the manhood out of him ; o ne o f you tell

Charles that the captain wants him aft .

Charles has got nothen to do with us , cried

’ back o ne o f the fellows huskily if the c apt n ” wants him , he knows where to ﬁnd him . Broadwater bawled from the station he occupied near the wheel , What are they

- - a . a saying , M r Gordon What are they saying , sir

The boatswain replied , I f we want the half ” blood, we must call him ourselves . “ Send all hands aft ! send all hands aft ! shouted Broadwater furiously , stepping forward

-a- by half dozen angry strides , and then halting , with his chest rising and falling to his passionate

fo r breathing , that was not all pure wrath either, I could f eel the irresolution that lay under all this Show of temper , and guessed that but very little likely to prove useful to us could follow

n hi o any intentions he might have in smind . “ o u t L The boatswain instantly roared , ay aft all hands ! ” in much such a hurricane note as he would have delivered in a gale of wind , in summoning all hands to reef topsails .

no w M y heart beat fast , I confess , for the

2 6 I MAROONED . CHAP .

would have you understand the little forecastle hatch through which the men—emerged from , or dropped into their quarters he delivered a “ Second leather-lunged roar o f All hands lay aft ! ” emphasizing his cry with a further smiting w of the deck with his bar, which he then thre

. and down This done , he came away , stood a

- little abaft the main rigging , the captain having

hImself o f - posted abreast the companion hatch . I n a fe w moments the rest o f the men w ho

were in the forecastle tumbled up , hoisting

o u t themselves with their elbows , and vaulting ’ o n lightly to the deck , with a sailor s enjoyment of an incident that at least gave them some

thing else to think of than the cheerless ,

’ o f laborious routine the ship s work .

sun w as The now risen , and some degrees

w as - above the horizon . I t half past four in the

morning , maybe later ; one takes no particular

account of time in such passages as these . The warm breeze blew steadily , and the brig buzzed

o f softly over the blue hills swell , which , as they

- ran into the south east quarter , lifted the molten

’ Silver o f the sun s reﬂection upon their broad

the shoulders in regular procession , till white x1 1 . M UTINY . 2 1 7 dazzle there w asas blinding as a glance at the luminary himself. I had often read o f difﬁ c ultie so f sea this kind happening at , but never been brought face to face with the reality and

as I o n I remember thinking , stood the larboard side of the vessel , close against the quarter boat , and ran my eye over the group that had come to a stand a little abaft the mainmast , that though the perils of the deep be many ,

o f some frightful , and all them formidable , the

o f a worst them , y—, even fire itself, must yield in horror to mutiny where men arm themselves against their fellows , where the passions of n u disciplined minds are let loose , where tyrannic authority and bitter grievance come in conflict , and where the struggle is inflamed and rendered wilder than anything o f a like sort could ever become ashore through the forecastle percep !

the tion that , bad business once entered upon , there is no mercy to be expected in the event o f failure, no hope to be cherished should rebellion prove successful . I n disaster men work together fo r their lives ; in mutiny they work together for their o w n destruction . The s weep o f the sparkling sea-line round about us 2 1 8 . MAROONED CHAP . w as like the compression o f the very spirit

w as o f loneliness into o ur little brig . There nothing to help the eye , to ease , by a solitary

o f detail discipline , the perturbation excited by O the scene . n board an I ndiaman , for instance , there would have been mates and midshipmen

t o in plenty , loyal the commander ; with an

o f array passengers , maybe , in whose ﬁdelity

- o ne could count in the name o f self concern .

l to o I t wou d be strange , , if the whole of a big

’ ship s company should prove disaffected ; so that the quarter- deck might reckon at least o n f the negative services o f a portion o the crew .

But if yonder crowd , gathered about the main mast , and staring with mingled derision and

- ~ hate at the square , round legged , red faced man whose lifted brows and whistling mouth put the

o f expression a gape into his countenance ,

o ur ? broke into revolt, what should case prove

o f I counted ten them , and the man who steered would make eleven , and Charles . who w skulked below, twelve . T elve reckless fellows ,

’ with the scent o f the assassin s knife fresh in

their nostrils , with instincts and yearnings perhaps made devilish by the memory o f a

2 2 0 MAROONED . CHAP .

caboose with its head o f black chimney whence blew a vein o f blue smoke the yellow long-boat

amid ships snugged under the spare booms , with a black snout projecting from the st y under it and a darting and withdrawal beyond o f the heads o f cocks and hens glancing like red rags as they showed and vanished through A the bars of the coops . loft , swelling gently ,

rose courses and topsails to the little royals ,

o f with a breezy stir shadows in the hollows ,

and a pearly curve sunwards where the bosom , — arching beyond the bolt rope , caught the full n sple dour Shining o ut of the east .

o ff Broadwater pulled his hat , dried his

' a forehead , covered himself afresh , and p

r ache d -a- p o the men by half dozen paces . I s the man Charles among ye said he ; ! ’ ' s o ut it s nzzn no t if so let him tep , for I want , yo n . O f course he knew perfectly well that the

- half blood did not form o ne of that little crowd . Perhaps he meant to convey that he had not deigned to glance at the fellows ; but this w as

absurd , for every man as he stepped aft must have observed that the captain watched him as I x1 1 . 2 2 1 . MUT NY

O a terrier does an approaching rat . ne or two o f them glanced over their shoulders, as though believing that the half- blood had come from the

forecastle . N o answer was returned to Broad ’ water s inquiry .

o w u N , look here , men , he contin ed , with an air o f bluster which I hoped would not

o u o f increase upon him , y know , course , that Charles committed murder this morning by stabbing the mate , who lies a dead body in his bunk below ; and yo u likewise know that for

’ o f an act this kind , when he gets ashore , he ll e l be hung up by the n ck , and left to dang e

’ there till his bones blow away . N ow , as he s a ’ r it s murde er, my duty to put him in irons , and keep him under hatches till I ’ m able to hand him over to the people employed by the law to sentence and strangle him , and all such folks as

’ see he . D ye , men with a powerful ﬂourish o f his arm , and a slight increase of bluster, as though he was gaining in spirit from the air o f attention with which the sailors seemed to listen “ ’ to him . We don t want no difﬁculties . Abo ard me everything has always been plain sailing , and up to the knocker . My mate lies 2 2 2 MAROONED . CHAP .

a dead man , and I want the chap as killed ” him . n H e paused , ru ning his eye over them . Tw o o r three o f the crew gave their heads a

o f quick shake , but none them spoke . “ ” a w The man , proceeded B ro d ater, is ’ ’ fo k sle No w lying snugged away in the . , look

’ T ye here , my lads . here need be no trouble ’ about it at all . All that you ve got to do is

o u just to remain where y are—, whilst me and the second mate fetches him seeing that he ’ s won t come under milder per uasions . I thought by the manner o f the men that they hung in the wind , and would let the captain have his way . H e must have fancied this also , fo r he started to walk to the forecastle w ith a gesture of his hand to the boatswain ; but, ere

o ne he could get leg fair before the other, a tall , powerfully-built seaman ﬂung himself with a stride o r two upon the line of deck which the

o ut captain was about to measure , and cried , “ ! ! ’ Stop , sir no furder We don t mean to let

' yo u hav e the man . I f Broadwater had been shot through the

o f s heart , the arrest his movement could not

2 2 4 MAROONED . CHAP .

’ yet to crush you with , I d do it , and go naked

o f die ! for the rest my time , and easy You scoundrel

H e fell speechless again , with another mad f brandishing o his arms towards the tall sailor . o d The man watched him with a c l , insolent w . O c grin ne of the rew exclaimed , Soft ords , master, soft words . Ye want that there man

’ a w e Ch rles , and don t mean to let ye have him .

The boatswain , with a glance at the captain , L ” turned upon the crew . ads , he exclaimed , “ ’ consider what you re a-doing of I n protect ing this here murderer you ’ re making your selves parties to his crime and though I don ’ t

’ - know much about Shore going law , I can t question that your abetting o f the Villain may end in Stringing most of ye up alongside o f him whilst it should sinnify transportation for f life to the rest o ye . “

. d M r Gor on , answered the tall seaman “ ’ tarned Mole , we ve the matter over , and we’ ve made up our minds not to let the man

r Charles suffe , leastways aboard this brig , for ’ f ” . o his act H e s rid us a devil , he pronounced . I 2 2 XII MUT NY. 5

o f the word with a sudden snap the teeth , “ ’ and if he hadn t done it some o ne else would

w as though it for him , by rights , to make a ” ho w w as sarv e d beginning , seeing he , he pointed with a dark thumb in the direction of “ the foremast , merely for commiserating the

’ ’ o f c a t n s fate a drownded shipmate . I f the p

’ ’

so w e . w ﬂesh an blood , are We re illing

so w e enough to listen to reason , but long as

o f continue to be the crew this here brig ,

’ Charles don t go into irons nor shall w e allow him to be punished in any other way . his With that he folded arms , rearing his

ﬁgure erect , and angrily staring at the captain . The boatswain turned to Broadwater as much “ ir S . t as to say , Speak , , speak You hear wha

o ld the man says . The fellow swung on his heel and walked aft , and stood with his hands behind him gazing seawards . The men fell to

w as talking among themselves , and there a

o r tw o laugh , but the hilarity had a very false

w as ring, and instantly checked by a growling

o u ! Dowse it , y fool , dowse it I observed

o f some the seamen regarding me , but I pretty well understood that by this time they knew

V L O . I. ! 2 2 6 . MAROONED CHAP .

that whatever might be my sympathies they assuredly did not incline towards the cabin end o f the ship . Besides , I had a right to listen and look on at all events , and leaning against the rail , with my hands in my pockets , I kept

o n my eyes ﬁxed them , unmoved by their gaze . Although Broadwater scarcely remained a

so minute abaft the wheel , the time seemed long that I believed that he intended the men should break up and go forward o f their o w n

o f accord , without giving himself the trouble

d . ismissing them But I was mistaken . H e suddenly wheeled round and came along at a

e rapid pace , abruptly stopping how ver at some distance from the crew .

’ It s n u your intention , the , he sho ted , not to allow me to clap this murderer in irons and lock him up “ w as o ne o f You heard what said , them exclaimed . “ ! “ M r . Gordon he suddenly roared , for rards u o f with us both By the th nder heaven ,

’ fo r we ll have a try the bloody villain , let follow what will

X I C H APTE R I I.

I BROADWATER P ROVES OBST N ATE .

W E got Broadwater , wheezing , panting , and gasping , to the cabin skylight , upon which we

sit no t forced him to , a little blown ourselves by our uncommon exertions ; by which time the crew had broken up as advised by the boatswain , and were going forward in twos and threes

sat quietly enough . Broadwater for some min utes without offering to speak ; when he had

o t o ff g his breath again , he ﬂung the skylight and ran below with the swiftness and gestures f o a madman . “ —a This is a bad business bad business , sir o f , said Gordon , speaking in a voice full concern . “ o f The deuce it is , I exclaimed , the cap tain has not the least i—dea how to act . The men are wildly to blame no doubt o f that ; it AP . . S S I 2 2 CH XIII BROADWATER PROVE OB T NATE . 9 is monstrous that British seamen should sympa thiz e with a murderer and a foreigner ; but I am certain , from signs of a disposition I took

o f notice in them as they stood together yonder , that were the master o f this vessel any other man than Broadwater , the sailors might easily ” be brought over .

sir— I . I know it , know it , he cried bitterly

They began well . Had they been properly used they would have gone o n and ended well .

’ ’ But though the man s dead I don t mind saying ,

M r . M usgrave , that a crueller mate never walked

’ ’ ’ Tw asn t a ship s deck than Mr. Bothwell . only

’ ’ u se o f the words he d , twas the insulting tone them—like coating with poison the knife you ’ tarm s stab with . The brutal cut to the men s

sir re hearts , and lay festering there , , with the

’ collection o f the fellow s voice and looks . Ye

’ o nde rstand me I t rose above the half- blood s A e restraint . horrid murd r , M r . M usgrave ,

’ ” but It don t surprise me . What will Broadwater do H e threw a glance down the skylight and ex “ ’ ’ do e sll claimed , I m afraid whatever he be ” wrong . 2 0 H . 3 MAROONED . C AP

? But what would you advise , M r . Gordon

res o n There is a lady below , remember I am p

fo r sible her safety ; if for her sake only , this trouble should be speedily ended by some deci f i ” sive course o act on .

a an Why , Sir , seeing how matters st nd , he sw e re d the mate dead , his murderer screened

o f by the men , the crew in a state mutiny , the captain ought to head fair for M adeira—’ tis e ’ the near st point , where no doubt he d get help f so rom the shore , if be there was no English or ” - f- foreign man o war riding there . “ “ Certainly , I cried that should be his

‘ plan There is no man forward , I suppose , cap

’ able o f guessing the captain s intentions by a change of course “ The change would be too small to take their “ notice , he responded . But suppose they did

’ ffi guess what he was at , they d make no di culty — about it at least whilst their feelings remain as

’ ud they are now . They hate the vessel , and be

o f glad a chance to get away from her , though

the road to their liberty lay through a jail . Have you suggested this notion to the captain

2 2 . 3 MAROONED . CHAP

talking hotly , out of the ﬁt of nervous irritability A that had seized me . nd what does he mean by saying that he would sooner cut away his

’ masts than haul in for the island and the pro t e c tio n it would afford him Confound the fellow ! Does he suppose that the lady and I parted with our money for the privilege of ship ping in a sheer hulk

sir de ssa Well , , said Gordon , I y if ye put

’ it to him warmly he ll listen to ye . I f not to i ’ sr. you , to nobody else for sartain , There s too much feeding mixed up with the brains in his

’ head and the machinery s go t clogged and

’ inc e s don t travel properly , spite of his being ’ santl A y greasing of it with liquor . nd what s he going to do about the watches , I wonder Why ,

’ o n six it must be drawing for o clock , and here ” o n have I been deck since midnight . H e dodged about the skylight in his efforts to com

o f see mand a view the cabin , to if the captain

’ ’ were there . There s ne er a man more willing ” “ ’ to do his bit than me , he said , but it ain t in ﬂesh and blood to keep all o n watching and

nothen else .

o u I f he likes to make y his chief mate , and 2 XIII . BROADWATER PROVES OBSTINATE . 33

me his second , said I , I shall be quite willing

to ﬁll the berth , and take watch and watch with

’

. se t o nr you I shouldn t myself up as y match ,

’ o f Gordon , course ; but if I couldn t trim sail

o ld o r o r with Broadwater , take Sights , note a

o f change wind , or mark the head of a growing

’ squall with him , he shall tell me I can t dis tinguish the difference between the sheet of

his trysail and the hanks of his standing j ib .

P Sir ut it to him , ; put it to him , cried the w boatswain , rubbing his hands ith a small “ o f emoti n o glee in his worried face . I tell

’ ’ c a t n u d hac tin you what , sir , if the p make you g second mate—unbecoming as such a post would be for a gentleman like you to occupy—I allow

’ that the appointment u d go further to reconcile

the men to the brig , and to the voyage , than all

’ c a t n the excuses the p could make for himself,

’ and all the wisest sort o f kindness he d be

’ o f O w capable Showing em . f course they kno

that you have been a sailor , sir . H 3 o w I asked . “ “

t . y, he replied , I told them N ext , they ’ re aware that the man Charles was saved from spending the night lashed to the foremast 2 A . 34 MAROONED . CH P by your and the lady ’ s entreaties and threats to leave the ship . That bit o f news w as brought fo rrards by Billy the cabin -boy ; likewise by the chap w hose trick it was at the wheel when the

’ to a n - lady spoke the c pt about the half blood . ” e Depend upon it , sir, he added mphatically , “ u o r that if you Sho ld be made second mate , ,

’ u d so sat better still , chief mate , the men feel isﬁ d ’ e to kno w they d go t a gentleman to ofﬁcer

’ ’ them , that I m conﬁdent they d give no further trouble this side of Rio . Will you put it to the ’ c a t n sir p ,

Certainly I will , I replied , struck by the poor ’ o fellow s eagerness , th ugh my fancy hung much less in this direction than in a desire to urge

B roadwater to make promptly fo r Madeira .

I left the honest creature and went below , pretty shrewdly guessi ng that M iss Grant lay all this while sleepless in her cabin , and was in bad need o f the encouragement o f a chat . I h also wished to meet B roadwater , that I mig t tackle him whilst I was in the mood to pitch my key to any sort o f note that he might choose to

- strike . Billy the cabin boy , with his lank , yel

o n his low hair dangling over his eyes , was

2 36 MAROONED . CHAP .

your orders . I would not even enter the cabin , though you would imagine how dull , expectant , — miserable , I felt alone listening , waiting , — dreading I cannot tell yo u what in this ” gloomy little box . I took her hand and conducted her to the cabin , and she seemed to lift her head like a drooping lily to the refreshment o f water as she entered an atmosphere bright with the spark

o f sun ling the ﬂowing full upon the skylight , and crawling in sheets of gold upon the bulk heads and deck . She looked with attention at

the lad at work under the hatch , as though she

wondered what he was doing ; then , under

she standing , partly turned her back upon him with a manner that was like dIsm Issmg the per

’ c eptio n of the meaning o f the fellow s labour

from her memory .

o u she What have y got to tell me asked ,

seating herself, and resting her chin in the palms

she of her hands , whilst gazed at me from under the shadow o f her broad straw hat with such

o f saw a spirit resolution in her eyes , that I she had prepared herself fo r the darkest

disclosures . 11 1 1 1 . I 2 BROADWATER PROVES OBST NATE . 37

I related exactly all that had happened dur

o n w as ing the time I had been deck , and in the midst of repeating my recent conversation with the boatswain when She slightly coughed , W k ith a signiﬁcant glance past me . I loo ed ,

saw and Broadwater coming from his cabin . H e stood near the boy a moment o r tw o watching him , then gave the lad a kick that threw him on to his face . “ ” “ ih Away with ye ! he cried . Scraping

’ ’ ! - deed I t s bottle washing that s in your line , ! Off you young scaramouch with ye for a broom , and collect these here shavings , and tell the cook ” - to get the cabin breakfast ready by six bells .

The boy picked himself up , and mounted the “

. A ladder Broadwater turning to me said , n

- fo r all night job regularly sets me pining food , long afore I should feel the need o f it after a

o f . proper allowance sleep I thought to myself,

I w o r Shall begin with the fello at once , wait till he has broken his fast A meal might

make him more sensible , render him more tractable but my present mood w as an o ppo r tunity I ought no t to miss ; and then time was

excee dingly precious . So I began D H . 2 38 MAROONE . C AP

Captain Broadwater , unless you are going

w ho on deck to relieve the boatswain , has had charge since midnight H e interrupted me by saying in his roughest

o f manner , M r . M usgrave , the discipline

’ ’ the I ron Crown s my affair . Don t , I beg it of you , give yourself any trouble about , sir

Then sit down , said I , warmly and sternly ,

o f o nr for if the discipline the vessel is y affair ,

’ m i n e no w this lady s safety is So , sir , give me

o u your attention , for y will ﬁnd that I am more in earnest than even the most rebellious o f your

. no t f sit men forward H e did of er to , but d “ ” contente himself with watching me . First , “ o n ? I went , what do you mean to do “ ’ ” sir se e . Wait , , and you ll

o w N , I cried , bringing my hand do n with a sounding whack upon my thigh “ that answer will not satisfy me , Captain Broadwater . The crew are in a state o f mutiny ; your mate lies murdered the only living creature aboard that

’ o u o n ne y can depe—nd is your bo sun , and even may fail yo u honest to the bottom of his soul — as I know him to be for he is no more than a

2 0 4 MAROONED . CHAP .

w as understand by my manner that I in earnest , yo u must be perfectly well aware that as mat ters are yo u will never succeed in carrying your ! . A ship to Rio moment , if you please The

to crew have rebelled a man , and have deﬁed Y yo u . o u know it ! The respect yo u might

o btam ed o u e have y have forfeit d , and they

Y o u t ! laugh at your commands . know that o o By protecting the half—blood they share in his

‘ o ur fo re c astle crime , and every fellow in y is therefore an assassin at heart . And you mean

sa o u to tell me that , all this being as I y, y will be able to complete a voyage which may run us o r into two three months , but which is as ? yet but a week o ld only ! ’ Certainly he cried we re bound to Rio , ” and I mean to keep all on till we get there .

‘ “ so I f that be , said I vehemently , this ” lady and I decline to proceed with yo u . ! ” Decline to proceed he shouted , evidently misunderstanding me . “ si ” “ r to o . Yes , , I answered , shouting We insist upon your steering the brig for the island

’ o f Madeira . The place is within a few days

’ sail . I don t doubt that the crew would cheer W 2 1 R . XIII . B OAD ATER PROVES OBSTINATE 4

fully help yo u to navigate the vessel there . They loathe the brig as much as they dislike you , and would exult in their release , even if it came to their going ashore in irons . Therefore ,

o u Captain Broadwater , as y are in no condition to continue the voyage to Rio , I must insist , by

o f virtue my rights as a passenger , and of the

- claim that this lady has upon my protection , that you shape your course without any further loss ” o f time for Madeira .

H e breathed hard , then raised his ﬁst and brought it down with a mighty whack upon the table . H is face was dark with passion , his little eyes reeled as they took me in from head to “ ”

. sa foot Sooner than do what you y, he “ I’ d muttered rather than Spoke , scuttle the “ ship with these hands , lifting them both , and

— o f send everyman jack us aboard to the devil .

H e backed away , as though he meant to walk

- - o n crab fashion to the companion ladder , and a “ ’ a- sudden shouted out , You ve been talking

’ with the bo sun , M r . Musgrave . “ A o f nd what that I responded , in a voice that gave him to know I had lungs enough to outshout him even if occasion should render

V OL . I. R 2 2 . A 4 MAROONED CH P .

“ such a contest needful . Am I to under stand that you refuse to head the ship for

Madeira , that M iss Grant and I may go ashore there , and escape the barbarous perils which your treatment o f the crew is certain to plunge us into if yo u persist in continuing this voyage ? ” ” Y e s o o u ! , he r ared , y are to understand it you are to understand it a hundred times over My instructions are to carry this ship to ’ ! ” Rio , and sooner than deviate I ll scuttle her

so and flinging his fist at me , to speak , with a loud snap of his fingers , he went with a heavy

‘ o ut lurching tramp up the ladder , growling ﬁfty curses in an undertone that reminded m e o f a

do . g gnawing a bone , watched by another “ Of - I looked at M iss Grant . all pig headed ! ” “ varlets Where , cried I , could have been

my eyes , that I was unable to decipher the

’ o ld lobster s true nature under his complicated purple skin when I ﬁrst met him “ We are confronted with a difﬁculty , M r .

she M usgrave , said quietly , mechanically

n twisti g a ring upon her ﬁnger , with thoughtful “ eyes ﬁxed upon it , and we must look at it

2 P . 44 MAROONED . CHA . XIII

’ suggestion that , the mate being dead , the sailors grievances would be diminished to the extent o f

the bitter usage he had given them . But the scene o n deck that morning had been to o sig niﬁ c ant not to ﬁll me with dark and melancholy misgivings , which were accentuated yet by the feeling that , let me talk as hotly as I would , and

w as e threaten as clamorously as I chose , I pra tically powerless . I had felt this in the Channel , and I felt it more violently now that we were

o ut A far upon the surface of the broad tlantic , at the disposal o f a man whose resolutions there

o f so were no means thwarting , far as I was concerned , unless indeed I Sided with the men , encouraged them to deprive him of the command o f b the brig , and sailed her myself ack to E ng

o r land , to the nearest port , leaving the vindi f cation o my behaviour to the story of cru—elty and peril it would be in my power to relate a romantic project indeed , and to be instantly dismissed ! V C H A P T E R X I .

’ H SAI S AS o ss T E LOR L T T .

I REMAIN ED with M iss Grant in the cabin until O breakfast was served . ur talk referred to

o u r o u nothing but situation , as y will suppose . Before long I found my worry and anxiety yielding to the inﬂuence o f her calm yet ani mated gaze and clear good sense . I ndeed there is no kind o f human encouragement that equals the feeling a woman can inspire . The moral help a man will get from the posture and lan guage o f a brave girl is so invigorating that it will give his heart a new spirit , though there be the pulse o f a lion in its beat . Whilst we conversed I heard Broadwater

o n talking deck , and it seemed to me as if he were delivering a harangue ; but I gave it little

o f heed , being heartily sick him and the mutinous 2 46 MAROONE D . CHAP .

l disturbances raised by his base o d tongue . There was a sound o f scrubbing - brushes gritting along upon the deck overhead , with a noise of f pumping—and o water washing about in the scuppers assurance , at all events , that the crew

’ were doing the ship s work . This I| bade M iss

o f Grant take notice , being now rendered almost hopeful by the ﬁne cordial inﬂuence o f her Intelligent thoughts and by the inspiriting

o f power her smiles , her sparkling regard , the

o f music her voice , the resolution of soul that held her beauty as composed as if she

slumbered . — ’ — P unctually at six bells seven o clock the

- cabin boy arrived with the breakfast , and almost immediately afterwards Broadwater made his

appearance . I had got my cue from M iss Grant ,

who had urged me not to question the man , and above all in conversing with him never to lose my temper so that w e had nearly ﬁnished the repast before a single word was uttered by any f o f the three o us . The captain gobbled as

heartily as if all had been well with the ship .

I n truth , his jaws were so incessantly occupied

that they gave him no chance to utter a syllable .

2 8 . 4 MAROONED CHAP .

He drained his cup and cried , N ever doubt it , mum . Give me wind enough to blow us ’ 11 along , the rest be as easy as swallowing

w hilks.

This new manner o f conﬁdence in him made “ sa me y, The behaviour of the crew , I hope , has improved since sunrise “ ” “ M r . M usgrave , he exclaimed , rising, I ’ o f have to beg and pray you , sir , that you ll allow the behaviou r o f the crew to be my business . judging from the observations you

’ let fall this morning , it s middling plain to me that all that yo u want is to feel sure that you

’ ’ lad ll il . Ont and the y arrive at Rio , then , you ve

’ got good cause to be alarmed , you ve got no

’ right to tell me what my duty is , how I m to ’ i treat my crew , and what port it s my bus ness

fo r ! to head saying which , he picked up his

cap , and buttoning his coat around him , with a ludicrous expression of m mgled dignity and

- self complacency he went o n deck .

A to couple of minutes later , not a little my

surprise , Gordon came down the companion steps and stood a moment at the bottom of

them , looking shyly at the table , cap in hand . ’ I 2 XIV . THE SA LOR S LAST TOSS . 49

H e tweaked an imaginary lock of hair on his w forehead at M iss Grant , and exclaimed , ith a

fo r . nervous laugh , Rather a novelty me , M r ’ Musgrave , sir , to breakfast long with ladies and ’ gents in the land 0 knives and forks ; but it s ’ ’ s ’ c a t n . the p orders H e s made me chief mate ,

’ and and I m to live down here take M r . Both

’ ’ ” — he s o ut o f well s cabin when it , with a look at the stain at his feet . “ We are glad to welcome you aft , Gordon ,

’ believe me ! I cried . Take that seat . H ere s the teapot—I don ’ t think Broadwater has emptied it .

sat H e down and fell to his breakfast , and I cannot express to yo u what a new element o f c hee rfulne ss~ c am e into the atmosphere o f that

’ o ut o f rude old interior this sailor s plain , hearty ,

honest face and bearing . I was extremely

fo r anxious to get the news , the captain had

told me nothing , and asked him if anything

fresh had happened o n deck since I came below .

H e replied , subduing his voice , with a heave

o f up his eyes at the skylight , till nothing but

o f the whites them showed , that the captain

had called the men aft and made them a Speech , 2 0 C 5 MAROONED . HAP .

in which he told them that , if they agreed to go o n with their work quietly and give him no more trouble , he would not insist upon their

- surrendering the half blood , though the fellow would have to come o n deck and share in the

O o n general work as heretofore . f co urse , his arrival at Rio , he would report the matter , and leave the rest to the law . That was his duty . H e further told the men that Gordon would

o f he take the place M r . Bothwell , and that

sa — that is to y, the captain would stand watch — fo r o f and watch with him the rest the voyage , unless , amongst the crew , he should later on discover a man ﬁt to take the duties o f second mate , when , if the hands consented , he should be willing to bring him aft . I ndeed Gordon told me that Broadwater talked so soberly to the sailors that they stared at him and at o ne m another , as though they suspected so e ugly scheme behind this sudden queer shift o f face . H owever it ended in their expressing them selves satisﬁed ; and Gordon particularly noticed that when the watch were turned to wash th down , they sprang to e work with the live liness o f people from whom a shadow and

2 5 2 MAROONED . CHAP .

o f - a sluggish jumble folds , round browed as

o f domes , with never a ridge in twenty miles them to break the monotony o f the hump - backed procession with the sparkling o f a glass - clear — head and then a swift rush o f breeze that swept the foam o ut o f the water as it broke with

o ut o f - a long cry the south east dinginess , and

- bowed the brig down to her covering board .

Broadwater was ready for it . The topgallant sails had been furled , the mainsail snugged to

- - its yard , some fore and aft canvas (no need to

to o be particular)hauled down , and the topsails were blowing o ut from the yards o n the caps

- o ut with the reef tackles hauled , and hands danc m g aloft to knot the points , when the ﬁrst o f u r the weather rang between o masts . I t w as not a moment when o ne wanted to think

as there w a mutiny aboard . Broadwater helped the man at the wheel to put the helm hard - a

o f A weather , and to the long wash the tlantic swell foaming to the sudde n scourging of the wind , with the sail swelling from the foretop

- sail yard , the foresail yearning high as though

o f it would ﬂy into the rush shadows overhead , C G ’ hands horusing upon the main , with ordon s I ’ . 2 XIV THE SA LOR S LAST TOSS. 53

ﬁgure at the weather yard - arm coming o ut clean as a pencil - drawing against the soft dark

- race past him , the half blood Charles swinging

ﬂe m ish upon the horse at his feet , the other fellows ranged along with many a kick - up abaft — o f the foo t ropes as they plunged to the reef points curving o ut o f reach as the line o f the band arched to the slings and quarters—the s brig , re ponding to her helm and to the heavy leeward drag of her big thunderous j ib , gave

o utﬂ her quarter to the tempestuous y, and went with long seething rolls through it like a Sleigh f over falls and risings o snow . I t w as blowing so hard presently that they found the reefed fore -course and topsails with a stay - foresail and a fragment of trysail as much as the vessel could carry and before long there w as o f a plentiful washing water forward , for she lay no w as close to her course as she would

o n o f come , and the ridged seas foaming top the backs o f the swell brimmed with a roar to

bo w the under the larboard cathead , where they

rose in a dazzle of white water , then tumbling inboard with the clatter o f twenty tons o f ﬂ shingle , and oating coils of the running rigging 2 . H 5 4 MAROONED C AP .

o f up amongst the legs the men , and converting

locomotion in the waist into sheer ﬂoundering . The men worked briskly and with a will ; in deed I accepted this burst o f weather as a

o f P stroke rovidence , designed to rally the minds

o f o f the crew to their strict business seafaring , and to bring old Broadwater to recognition o f the value o f willing sailors in the navigation of a ship—considerations which appeared to have fallen asleep in the tender breezes that had

o ut C fanned us of the Bay , under lear skies by

day and sparkling constellations by night , down to the latitude and longitude o u r keel was no w

w as — traversing . Certain it this half gale for — it came to that was dead in the road o f Madeira indeed the brig could not have looked up for the island to within six points ; and me thought as I stood near Broadwater , whilst the

o n - crew were the foretopsail yard , that he turned his eyes from the foaming windward sea “ sa Y o u board to me , as if he would y, see what ” M ade ir n chance your y scheme would have o w . Thiswas really the ﬁrst bit o f hard weather w e had yet encountered . The brig proved a wetter craft than I should have imagined , though

2 5 6 MAROONED . CHAP .

The storm -Shrouded day howled itself stead

o f fastly onwards into the blackness night , when the scene of commotion took a new character o f wildness from the swarmings o f

- fi re o f sea in the curl each dark summit , and in the soft sheet -lightning -like flashes o f the phosphor flying with the water through o ur

w as o f rigging . But though it a time dis

to o comfort , it was a time of comparative ease , ,

’ for it blew all thoughts of mutiny o ut o f one s head . Recollections of tragedy , anxiety , and distress seemed to have been washed over board by the ﬁrst se a the brig Shipped and M iss Grant said to me that she would be glad never to se e a sunlit day nor a placid night o f

o f moonshine again during the rest the voyage , providing the Iron Crown continued to stem fairly onwards for Rio , and the men remained quiet , and Broadwater too occupied by the

o f o ld weather to bluster and bully as . I confess I had forgotten all about the dead

o n mate , when returning from a short look

- — round o n deck at about half past ten M iss Grant having withdrawn to her berth an hour — before I saw Gordon and the cabin -bo y stag ’

I . 2 XIV. THE SA LOR S LAST TOSS 5 7

o ut o ne o f gering of the foremost cabins , bearing between them a long white bundle . I

an asked the boatswain what it was , and he “ i sw e re d sr. , The body of the mate , The

- thing , bolster shape , was stitched up in sail im cloth , and more ghastly , maybe , to the aginatio n for lacking suggestion of human outline . ? What are yo u going to do with it I asked .

sir . H eave it overboard , , answered Gordon I might have suspected as much yet I could not make sure that Bro adwater would have dismissed the remains o f hisfactotum without n a be ediction . “ ’ ’ The c apt n wouldn t trust the handling of ” o f n him to any the people forward , said Gordo ,

nor bury him by daylight under their noses .

’ I reckon he s right . This here , said he , with

o f a look at the burden , at one end which he swayed whilst the cabin -boy staggered at the other , but without the pale consternation in his face that would have shown in it had the cap tain been his assistant , is still as a red rag to more than o ne pair o f horns which have sprouted

V s OL. I. 2 8 A 5 MAROONED . CH P .

. ! aboard us of late days Steady , my lad

’ ’ Slew round now ! I ll go bac k ards up the ’ ! ” steps , and don t you pull The brig rolled so heavily that I expected every moment to se e the boatswain plump down with his ghastly burthen and ; overset the

t n boy . They managed o get it o deck however without mishap , and following , I watched them from over the edge o f the companion -hatch

o ne swing the white thing with a low growling , tw o TH REE ! , from Gordon , and send it with a ﬂash like any o ne of the sheets o f milk - white foam bursting over the weather - rail into the ’ ! dark waters beyond . The sailor s last toss

t e - I thought , as I entered the cabin and whose

- child had been that negro headed , handsome featured fellow ? The w o lﬁsh yell o f the wind high aloft swept to the black oriﬁce of the hatchway as an answer to the question , and no icy blast could have struck such a shudder through me as the chill that trembled from my hair to my feet to the sudden lighting of my eyes upon the mahogany - like stain upon the cabin

’ O o n to o f deck . ne thing p another , twas almost enough to make a man feel sorry for the mur

2 6 0 N MAROO ED . CHAP .

December night and though we were supposed to be in warm parallels , I could not have snugged me in my blankets with heartier relish . of the clinging comfort of them had the gale been

Splitting upon frozen rigging , and the blackness

’ upon the sea dashed with the iceberg s spectral tinge of faintness . This dirty weather troubled us for four days . I t seemed to have blown the ocean

o f clear ships and birds , for we sighted nothing ,

r whether winged with canvas o feathers . All day long ’ twas the same steadfast rush of the — surge , green as bottle glass , freckled with the foam ﬂying from the champing courser in ad

o f vance , lifting a head melting white to the sullen slate of the shadow overlaying the sky — — with onc e it was on the second evening a

o f ﬁerce sunset smoking crimson , red spokes o f a dingy brightness cleaving the black scud

o f and the boiling , angry haze the west , and

m irr rin touching the u n o g welter into s—paces o f - a rusty blood like colour , as though and ’ — the fancy was M iss Grant s each beam o f coarse effulgence were a material weapon darted

o n by some mighty hand high , and making the ’ I 2 6 1 XIV . THE SA LOR S LAST TOSS . ocean bleed to the thrust ; followed by a sort o f o ut o f su n melting the into a brief, shape less running as o f molten o re low upon the se a- - line , where the billows leapt black against it ; till the gale , like some bafﬂed , sentient thing , stormed up afresh with a long victorious yelling in its western ﬂight , crowding cloud upon cloud there with such rapid smothering o f the tarnished hectic , that in a few moments yo u knew not where to look for the place behind which the luminary had foundered .

o f Then followed several days fair weather , and if it had no t been for a lurking feeling o f

o f b e uneasiness , a sense trouble impending, I lieve I should have found enjoyment enough in this time to fully compensate me for the worries and anxieties I had suffered . For three succes sive days a pleasant wind from the north and east blew almost directly over our stern and the

- brig , with studding sails overhanging the water

o ut o n o f far either side her , and soothingly

o f cradled by a subdued heave liquid fold , as regular as a pulse , and soft as the rise and fall

’ o f o n a sleeper s breast , ﬂoated steadily her

o f course , irradiating the blue the surge with 2 2 HA . 6 MAROONED . C P

silver reﬂection from her extended canvas , whilst the short wake streamed off w hite as a

- o f looking glass , as though indeed the lines dark ripples breaking from the bow shivered spaces o f the translucent sheen under the

swinging booms into fragments , which veering aft occasioned the lovely metallic shining which

u yo u noticed in the f rrow under the counter . Already from the mpe Of the ro llmg brows o f dark blue brine the flying- fish were whisking n in short , u certain flights ; the swinish outline of the porpoise rose black and wet to the flash of the sun ; afar the snow - white spire o f a ship ’ s canvas would break the melancholy f — continuity o the sea line . O ur shadows short

so w as w e ened at noon , and fair the course headed that the eye had almost the ac c urac v o f the sextant in determining the period o f the meridian , by observing the wake of the luminary rising and falling in a fan - shaped stream o f gold transversely from the ho riz o n to o ur lar board cathead . One scarcely needed the comforts o f the pleasure vessel to have found it all as full o f

o such delights as g to a yachting cruise , if the

2 6 . C AP 4 MAROONED H . that regularly affected me with a violent stir o f

i o n emotion every t me my eye lighted him , though I should se e him twenty times in a day ;

w as o f it the shock also , at least to my notion shipboard discipline , to the marine habits of thought I had carried away with me from my

o f early voyagings , coming from perception his being at large , when without doubt he should be in irons below , and of the liberty he was no w o f enjoying being the will the crew . My

’ abhorrence of Broadwater s early usage o f him could in nowise temper my loathing of the olive ’ f . O o coloured dastard s act f course , the crime w hich the fellow had been guilty might well make o ne suspect a deeper signiﬁcance in every

o f action , gesture , and speech his than they in reality possessed ; but sometimes , in watching

o f o r him furtively over the top a book , whilst

w as no t conversing with M iss Grant , when he

o ff too far for his features to be inexpressive , I would get it into my head that if ever the swift , askant glance of a human eye indicated treachery and black resolution , matured and waiting only , his did whenever Broadwater ’ s approach courted a glance from under his dusky , drooping lids at ’ I 2 XIV. THE SA LOR S LAST TOSS . 6 5

the old fellow . I reasoned thus : I said to m y

o f m self, this man being guilty urder , albeit he has his freedom in the brig—the liberty of a bird in a cage —is fully aware that the gallows awaits

o n him his arrival in port , and that the person

' who w ill m ake it his especial business to procure

- his prompt despatch is that same red faced , hec

toring , noisy , and tyrannous skipper , at whom ,

when he imagines himself unperceived , he darts

’ as malignant a glance as e v e r I witnessed in Wh mortal eyes . at then ! I s it reasonable to suppose that yonder half-blood intends to t e

si nedl f g y suf er himself to be carried to Rio , and o n the testimony o f the depositions of that Ship

master there , whom he abhors , to suffer with his life fo r his deed ? Then I would say to

myself, But what is he to do Certainly he cannot prevent the master from navigating

the brig to her South American destination . Does he contemplate suicide as his only chance o f escaping the executioner H e is under the protection o f the crew ; has he any inﬂuence A with them ssuming that he has , what use can he make of it ? Thus would I sometimes

speculate , idly indeed ; yet the thoughts that . H 2 . 66 MARO ONED C AP . XIV occurred to me were of a kind to ro b the smooth

o f o f ocean its placidity , and the gay picture the

o f brig , brilliant with the serene splendour the

o f o f heavens , something its beauty .

H owever , I kept my thoughts to myself. I took care that M iss Grant should have no sus

ic io n w as p of what passing in my mind , nor

o n did I utter a word the subject to Gordon , mainly because I felt the whole thing w as

o f mere foreboding , and that discussion it could therefore Serve no end .

8 . 2 6 MAROONED . CHAP movement o f phosphoric swarmings in the quiet

v ebon brine , when the essel has just way enough to stir the liquid blackness into shining con

ﬁ u ratio ns o f g all sorts along her sides , and to mark her passage by a je wel - like trailing o f

o f and o f luminous bells foam , the emerald glare f - o . misty puffs fire The brig , with studding sails o ut o n either side , was floating through the shadow o f the night at some four o r five miles

o f in the hour . H er wide stretch canvas rose pallid to the gloom , and died upon the eye in mere ﬁlms and spaces o f faintness ere the sight could penetrate to the forms o f the little sails which c rowned the stone -coloured pyramid — All w as silent every cloth aloft was asleep . U nder the black arches o f the distended canvas the stars would come and go to

o f o f the movement the fabric , like eyes invisible shapes , peering an instant over the edge o f the yards down upon the dim

’ glimmer o f the brig s decks . Gordon was

- an- in charge . I had killed half hour some time before with him in talk , but when M iss

o ff Grant arrived I paired with her , and left my hearty friend to ﬁll the interval betwixt I I . 2 XV . WE SA L THROUGH A STRANGE L GHT 6 9 the wheel and the main - rigging with lonely meditations .

wn o n I do not mind o ing here , that such a night as this it w as not very easy to check in myself something o f those sentimental thoughts concerning my fascinating companion which had

bothered me , as I have elsewhere said , at an

earlier date , and which no doubt would have continued to worry and vex me down to this

o f hour , but for the murder the mate and the

o f . posture the crew The quiet weather , and the apparent peace in the brig during the last

three days , had enabled us to be much together

o n a o n o f deck gain , and to converse subj ects a kind ve ry different from assassination o n ship

o f board , and the perils passengers in vessels

worked by mutinous sailors . I ndeed , the long

o f and short it is , as we stepped the deck

o ur together this night , I felt that if voyage to

Rio should be long delayed , it must infallibly

end in my falling in love with M iss Aurelia . I t would no t do to call the emotion a disloyalty to

my cousin . What must happen cannot be

helped , and there is nothing in philosophy to

o ne balk the issue , though it may teach how to 2 70 MAROONED . CHAP .

support it . The utmost I could hope to do was to disguise my feelings , quit Rio as promptly as the Shipping there would suffer , and leave the l rest to o d Time with his brush and whitewash . Still the position was an exceedingly unc o m fo rtable o ne , and it was likely to endure long enough to render me very unhappy . For in those days I was a young man with the heart and sensibilities o f youth ; and to fall in love w ith a woman w ho was betrothed to another ; to ﬁnd my happiness subtly sneaking away , and making its existence dependent upon con dit io ns which never could be fulﬁlled ; to feel moreover that the emotions , which it was not in my power to suppress , were in a sense unfair — ’ to the girl tho ugh l must always maintain that the highest compliment a man can pay a — woman is to fall in love w ith her whilst they were dishonouring to myself in my existing

w as relations with my cousin , to place myself,

so without being able to help it , in a position immediately distressful as to threaten by and by to become distracting . The worst of it was

v that , whilst I would wish the oyage over , my conscience was sensible that the desire was

2 72 MAROONED . CHAP . no t to be supposed that she would have the least suspicion of what was passing in my mind . There was nothing o f the coquette in her ; no capacity of courting admiration for the mere

o f A selﬁsh pleasure enjoying it . s she walked

a o f o n by my side , the warm fr grance her the ’

- atmosphere , her face white to the star shine with the sparkles of it in her eyes , I had very little doubt , believe me , that , had She guessed at the thoughts which had my heart in tow , she would have rapidly made shift to conquer the ﬂoating movements o f the deck without the support o f my arm upon which her left hand now rested .

o f — Upon my word , the cruellest all women not the more forgivable because she is unconsciously

— w ho she cruel is the girl , knowing that is

o f beautiful , acts without perception the magic

o f and inﬂuence her graces . Fortunately for

o f the peace men , such women are rare . But

A o ne o f M iss urelia Grant was them ; and , though the more intimate o ur association was the more , in one sense , and in a mean sense I am afraid , I enjoyed it yet She could never touch

ﬁre - my hand , bend her impassioned eyes upon ﬁ mine , incline her stately gure to me with the I TH I . 2 XV. WE SA L ROUGH A STRANGE L GHT 73

o f In gracious , maidenly familiarity a girl the

o f S he society a man whom values as a friend , without a sort o f wild o dd regret in me that

l had no t Nature , in making her beautifu , also dowered her with the capacity o f appreciating

’ the signiﬁcance o f beauty s most artless pro d vocation . But then the Spanish blood woul account fo r much in her that was as teasing as

it was delightful .

No w o f , as we quietly moved from one end

to so the deck the other , there happened strange a thing , that the like of it in these parallels , at

to all events , has , my knowledge , been witnessed

once only . We had been chatting as soberly as though we were uncle and niece : not the lightest of the inspirations o f this most glorious night coming o ut o f it to tincture o ur words o r

o f r thoughts into any complexion omance , though never might a scene o f starlit gloom furnish a young fellow , already rendered senti

a fo r mental enough , with better excuse frequent poetical ﬂight than this in whose shadow I paced A with M iss urelia , her ungloved hand (with the

o f gleam , by the way , an engaged ring meeting my eye each time I looked down) lying white

V OL. I. T 2 . A 74 MAROONED CH P .

o f sea- o f as a ﬂake foam in the bight my arm .

o ld I was talking about Broadwater , and ex pressed my wonder that he should be able to accommodate his love of rum and his taste for “ sa sea all night in , as they y at , with the obligation he had imposed upon himself o f

’ taking Bo thw e llsplace . “ o f she Spite his many shortcomings , “ exclaimed , I should think he is too ex

e rie nc e d to o p a sailor , much a seaman by habit not to be vigilant during his ” watch . “ O i “ ’ h , sa d I , I don t doubt that he keeps — a bright look o u t when his turn to take charge

. o dd comes round What I mean is , it is that he should no t have chosen some o ne from

amongst the men forward to act as second mate ,

no w Gordon being ﬁrst , for then he would be

to o f able go to bed drunk as usual , with plenty time to sleep o ff the fumes ; but the long and ” “ ’ short of it is , I added , there s no living creature in this forecastle to whom he durst

conﬁde his ship . As I said this , I heard my name called , apparently from the forecastle We were at

2 . 76 MAROONED CHAP .

? Gordon wondering why he wanted us , and

what had carried him away from his post aft . “ O sir n the starboard bow , , he rejoined ; mind the ﬂuke o f the stowed anchor as ye

’ ” come along ! I m just forrard o f it .

’ I held M iss Grant s hand , walking in front of

f r her . The galley was locked up o the night there was not the faintest gleam of light any

w if no t o f here visible , it were a sort ghostly sheen lurking like a churchyard exhalation over

- the fore scuttle , from the slush lamp , as I

’ se a- presumed , swinging in the sailors parlour

so below . I ndeed I was engrossed by the

o f saw occupation picking my way , that I

o f nothing until I was fairly alongside Gordon , w ho pointed , with a long shadowy arm , the ﬁngers at the end of which showed like a

’ giant s against the stars , over the horizon , and “ sir saw exclaimed , M r . M usgrave , , any man

’ ever the like 0 that What can it be

H e held his arm levelled , and following its

saw o f indication I , right ahead the ship , standing apparently upon the ocean at the

o f o f o r distance the horizon , an arch light ,

sa o f rather , let me y, a shape dim white radiance , WE I I 2 R . xv . SA L TH OUGH A STRANGE L GHT 77 that arched in perfect outline from one leg to another that appeared to rest upon the black surface o f the deep to within three or four de

sea- grees of the line , as though its foot had broken away . There is nothing so deceptive

sea saw as distance at . The light , when I ﬁrst

w ithin unsho t h it , might have been g , or it mig t have been a couple of leagues away from us .

The radiance had the tint of moonshine , and was as visibly deﬁned upon the velvet dusk as though painted there by the sweep of a brush

Y o u saw dipped in white ﬁre . the stars shining

o f close against the rim it , all round and under

o f the arch it , where they sparkled like the

- o f riding lights ships . “ ? What is it , M r . M usgrave exclaimed

o f Gordon,in the voice a man not only awed , but even alarmed .

I wish I could tell you , said I . I t looks like the ﬁery trail o f a comet that has swept in an arc from behind the sea , and gone to pieces in the blackness before it had perfected the ” - semi circle . We are steering directly for it ! exclaimed

M iss Grant . 2 8 A . 7 MAROONED . CH P

o n The watch deck , disturbed in the naps 'they were taking in secret corners by Gordon ’ s

call to me , had collected near us , and you heard the growling of their voices as they pointed

o ne ahead, marvelling , as we did , to another ,

at the startling , beautiful , radiant appearance .

’ o ne sa im it s o f c o m I heard y, j , a sort vast

’ pre e sant There s no luck for the vessel as

sights them shows . “ A w e nother said , I f are to sail through it ,

’ he erd stand by The likes of them lights , I ve ,

’ ” strikes men green if they smites em full . “ What in thunder can it be ? ” repeated

’ ’ Gordon ; tain t anything burning out there , is it ? H ow fur do it stretch Can any

a— man tell Looks to me to be widening . O ne o f the shadowy group beside me ex

o b o ff . claimed , j is to know how fur it lies I

’ ” allow there s all ten mile between them legs . V “ ! ’ ast there cried another , ten mile I ll swap my chest agin your Scotch cap afore eight bells this blooming night if them legs is a mile

wide .

’ o I ll g aft and report it to the captain , said

Gordon , in a voice that betrayed the agitation

2 8 0 . MAROONED CHAP . concavities mounting in pale vague surfaces into

o r the stooping dusk but whether near distant , the mystic arch o f light ahead threw not the feeblest gleam upon that soaring surface that spectrally dilated o n either hand to the pinions — o f the studding sails which faded into a hovering faintness far beyond the sides . The mysterious sheen to our approach seemed to gather a quicker

o f o f o r tincture lustre , as the diamond , some clear glittering star . I t is impossible to express the startling love liness o f this apparition o f sk luminous arch against the midnight y, with the stars shining down to its rim , and spangling

’ sea- the hollow to the line within . Twas as

’ though God s hand had se t up a Sign in the sky for us to behold ; and the men now were so

o f dumb in the face it , that you easily guessed ho w o f impressed and awed they were . Most the watch below had come up to have a look ,

’ but each new - comer s ﬁrst murmur o f wonder speedily died in the hush that was upon the others . “ ? o u Mr. What is it , do y think , Musgrave said M iss Grant , in a voice a little above a whisper . 8 I I I . 2 XV . WE SA L THROUGH A STRANGE L GHT

o r Were we far north south , I replied , o ne would make it intelligible by reference to the . Northern Lights o r to the magniﬁcent

o f A A display the urora ustralis , with its

fl h n sudden pale as i gs and spiral coruscations . N o doubt yonder beautiful object is something o f — ho s ho ric fi c all the kind , electric p p it what ? you will . But is it not worth seeing Why , o ne would sail round the world even with o ld Broadwater fo r such possession o f memory as that glorious span will yield I t will fill these poor fellows with super st iti us o she . fancies , said , speaking very softly Did you hear o ne o f them say that people who sail through such things are struck green “ I could not help laughing , and said , Yes ; but it is possible to be green without passing through such an arch as that . I f these sailors ,

o f now , were Roman Catholics after the type

’ o f the mariners Columbus s day , they would be o n their knees chanting litanies , and making the

’ air melodious with their Salt/e R egi na s. But is not superstition excusable amongst seamen ?

L . ook at that wonderful sight , M iss Grant I magine yourself run backwards by the stream 2 8 2 M . C AP AROONED H . — o f time three hundred years before the sc ie n t iﬁ c man had broken loose , when the world was

- bare of problem solvers , when all interpretation w as a deliciously rom ntic and tenderly poetical . What then would you think o f such a Sight as that ! I t would be no mere phosphoric o r e lectric arch . N o , no ; but some paradisiacal

d o f bri ge ethereal crystal , such as St . john may have gazed upon without haV Ing recorded it ; and be sure that your young- eyed imagin

ation , ﬁred by sheer ecstasy of superstition , would readily discern the forms o f angelic

o f beings with wings pearly light , and raiment

as lustrous as a moonbeam , ﬂitting along it to the stars upon which its unﬁnished end to the ” l eft there seems to rest .

I merely talked thus to provoke her, delight ing in the high moods which even such idle

u n stuff as this would induce in her . But fortunately it w as not only that we were not

I o ld alone ; had scarcely made an end , when

ﬂo un Broadwater, followed by Gordon , rolled

dering and tumbling o n to the forecastle . H e

came and stood close against me , pufﬁng and blowing in such a manner that my nose was a

2 8 C . 4 MAROONED . HAP

’ n d n had spoke , exclaime , H ope you re e joying

’ ’ o f k it , M r . Musgrave . Tain t often a sight li e that ’ s chucked in for naught in a voyage to ” Rio .

A n . m I to shift the helm , sir said Gordo

! o ld w Certainly not roared the fello , ’ ? didn t ye hear me say so just no w Cook me alive , M r . M usgrave , if sailors be men ﬁt even to make soldiers of D iw e rge because ’ ” there s a lunar rainbo w in the road ! H e

’ to w n It s seemed be struck by his o fancy . a “ n o ne o f lu ar rainbow , he shouted , the ﬁnest s ” I ever e e . “ ’ v o ic e Where s the moon to make him said a .

K o n -M r o n eep all as ye are , . Gordon ; all ” ! w as ye are said Broad ater , with an ominous

w as growl in his tones , that like an intimation t o the little company o f shadows standing near “ him to hold their peace . Steady as she goes . ” sir ! And so sayi ng he staggered away from the rail , and went swinging towards the

-d o ut m quarter eck , singing to the helms an as ! he went , Steady as she goes , my man steady as she goes ! ” We had neared the Shining appearance so XV . I 2 8 WE SA L THROUGH A STRANGE LIGHT . 5

rapidly , that I suspected it must have been very much closer to us when ﬁrst sighted than we

had imagined . I t cast no reﬂection upon the

dark waters under it , nor sheen upon the air

‘ beyond the line of its own irradiation , as you saw by the shine of the stars close down upon

. A it s we were under a steady helm , it soon became plain that the sparkli ng arch was Slowly

trending to larboard . When it ﬁrst showed

o ut , our j ibbooms seemed to point fair for the

no w centre of it , whereas the right leg had n drawn o to our starboard bow . The obscurity

’ seemed the blacker fo r th at light l d look

o t al f and around , wondering that no illumina tion came from the mystical burning to touch

the sails , or to put a sparkle into the eyes of

the staring men . They were grumbling freely, swearing that nothing but ill -luck could attend

o ur passage through the luminous thing , and heaping curses upon the captain for his drunken

obstinacy . Gordon had followed Broadwater

to - on the quarter deck , but Miss Grant and

- I held o ur place against the forecastle rail . Within half-an- hour o f the obj ect heaving into

V . o ur iew , we were close upon it Even when 2 8 6 MAROONED . CHAP .

ﬂying-jibboom end was silvered by contact with the luminosity , the j ibs themselves hung black as

- thunder clouds against the shining . I had j ust time to note the wondrous sweep o f this mighty arch , extending like a vast hueless rainbow into the clear obscure , when the light was all about us . I begged my companion to look aft ; the spectacle was incomparable for splen dour and shadow , heightened by the elements o f mystery and fear . The swelling sails at the — fore studding - sail upon studding - sail to the

- topgallant yard arm , and white cloths rounding and rising from forecourse to crowning royal

— - leapt into spaces of bland , almost milk white

light to the touch of this atmospheric radiance , and ﬂoated gleaming whilst the rest o f the brig from the fore - rigging lay black and buried but very swiftly the whole vessel leapt into this h l V midnig t effu gent ision , and no searching moonlight could have offered a clearer view o f

’ her . Every man s Shadow swung at his feet ; the atmosphere was a wide white gushing ; the very trucks at the lofty mastheads shone

o f out with the dull light frosty silver buttons .

A the - o u saw ft, upon quarter deck , y the motion

M 2 8 8 AROONED . CHAP . XV . beyond expression was the spectacle o f the swelling canvas , bright for a breath to us who stood in blackness , then vanishing upon the SIght as though the whole fabric had been formed o f star -lighted mist that had melted o n a sudden . I n a few minutes the brig w as once more sailing along in darkness , and the

was glorious arch was over her stern , with what no w l its left imb , viewing it from the forecastle

o ur veering away upon larboard quarter. CHAP TE XV I R .

’ A WA S P P SA B RO D TER RO O L .

HAD o f we been a large ship full passengers ,

such an astonishing sight as a silver arch , self

luminous , yet without power to pale the close its lying stars , with overﬂow of sheen , Spanning a space o f the midnight waters and resembling

as o f nothing , I then supposed , ever seen south the polar verge of the temperate parallels north

of the equator , would have given us enough to talk about to serve to the end o f the voyage But wonderment is brief when its sphere of

diffusion is slender . M iss Grant and I talked

o Ut w as the subject promptly , and then there

sa . nobody left to y more about it Broadwater ,

it is true , at breakfast next morning persisted in

’

declaring that it was a lunar rainbow ; though , had he stuck to his ﬁrst notion that it was a U V OL . I. 0 H . 2 9 MAROONED . C AP

l uminous mist , I am not sure that his guess

ut would have been far o . Ho w are you going to get a lunar rainbow

without the moon I said .

Who says that it isto be got he answered .

’ The moon s always somewheres about , I sup pose and why shouldn ’ t she be able to chuck one o f them appearances upon the sky when

’ ’ o ut o f she s sight , just as She do when she s within view of the eye There ’ s no call for her to be overhead for shows o f that kind to hap

se e pen . I once a beautiful rainbow , right over

o u r - su n mastheads , a full half hour after the

had gone down . You may depend upon it that

there arch last night was a lunar rainbow .

I liked him too little to argue with him , lover

o f o f as I am the absurd ideas stupid , prejudiced , s . w a ignorant old sailors Besides , the thing a phenomenon no t to be explained by anybody

ac aboard that brig at all events , and to be c epte d therefore as o ne o f the many thrilling

’ and beautiful mysteries o f o ld ocean s sombre

o r sunlit solitudes . I was not however a little surprised to ﬁnd that what I had deemed the mere passing de

2 2 . H 9 MAROONED C AP .

she The fancy amongst the men , exclaimed , must have arisen from the o ld belief that the shining o f the moon full on the face o f a sleeper

the distorts features , and puts an ugly colour into the complexio n . The arch looked like moon

m so shine , and I suppose the sight ade the men nervous that it was enough fo r o ne of them to t hint a anything alarmi ng to terrify the whole . “ ’ I wish I d never seen it , he exclaimed ;

’ ” it s done me no good , miss . ” But surely , cried I , wondering at him , for his had always seemed to me asprosaic a mind — as ever I met with in a sailor nor could I fo r get his ridicule o f the s uperstitious craze o f the man w ho had drowned himself in the English “ Channel you do not want yourself to b e lieve that there is anything in a mere body

o f so to o r luminous vapour , to call it , hurt

o u o r inﬂuence y , either in body mind H e shook his head very despondently : I

observed that he ate little , though he drank a “ ’

o f . quantity tea , thirstily and feverishly I m “ sir so a poor man , , he exclaimed , but , help

’

me H eaven , M r . M usgrave , I d gladly have parted with every Shilling o f my savings sooner ’

1 P . 2 xv . BROADWATER S PRO OSAL 93

’ than that the c apt n should have headed the

h . brig slick into that S ining Beg your pardon , ” miss , he continued , addressing M iss Grant with a sudden eagerness , but when ye entered that light did it feel cold to ye

sur N she answered , without exhibiting

at prise the question . “ — You , M r . M usgrave did it feel chilly like not so much upon your skin as here and he put his hand to his heart . I The only sensation can recollect , I “ o ne o f answered , is delight at the glorious

she w picture the brig made , as slo ly ﬂoated into

o u t the radiance of the blackness , coating her self with the quicksilver of it from the truck to ” 1 the end o f the sw 1ng ng boom .

t d H e was silent , hen shook his hea , and “ ’ : W . exclaimed ell , mere fancy , no doubt I t s all fancy in this here world . Without imagina

’ fo r tion there d be nothing to hope , nothing to

o f be afraid . “ There might have been a chill in the light , though we enjoyed the picture to o much to be ” o f conscious it , said M iss Grant , talking to me though speaking at Gordon . 2 94 MAROONED . CHAP .

o f w as The strangest part it this , miss , he

said , looking at her earnestly , I felt it was cold

’ afore we entered it . Twas that which made

’ so c a t n me earnest the p should shift the hellum . I knew so soon as ever I came in contact with that light the bleakness of it would catch me

here , again putting his hand to his heart , and ’ ’ — ’ . I d have given all I m worth all I m worth ,

the poor fellow cried , with a vehemence unusual

hIm . in , to have escaped it Up to the moment when the light had slided within a foot of me I ’ d no sensation but the fear o f what w as a - coming ;

but the moment it touched me I felt the chill .

sir w as ! There was death in it , , there death in it

’ ” 11 - N o man ever persuade me contrary wise . H e checked what I was about to say by

a rising with an apologetic gl nce at the skylight ,

to let us know he could linger no longer , and

immediately went on deck . I had so much faith in the steadiness o f

’ Gordon s intellect that I could only accept this: odd posture in him as due to some triﬂing functional derangement , which a dose of physic

’ or a fe w hours rest would correct . Yet it gave

M iss Grant and me something to t alk about . I

2 H 6 . 9 MAROONED . C AP

o f First all , I was more troubled than I was pe rhaps conscious o f by the recollection o f the

murder that had been committed . I t worried me mostly o f nights ; again and again in the

a o f o f d rkness my cabin , and in the silence

the long watches , when the brig was sailing

w as smoothly forwards , and all still upon the

sea , when nothing broke upon the ear but the

‘ mufﬂed washing of water outside , and the

faInt ar o f j and creak the fabric within , the vision o f the mate as I saw him when he stood at the foot o f the companion - steps with the

o f grin death in his moving and speechless lips ,

his right hand extended , his left hand dabbling his in shirt that was soaked , where his ﬁngers

- pressed , with the life blood draining from his

u se heart , would before me horribly distinct ,

u and keep me rolling and tumbling in my b nk , till more than once it ended in my j umping

up , lighting the lamp , and clothing myself, and killing a couple o f sleepless hours with pipes o f tobacco and a drain o r two from the private

stock in the next cabin . Then again , as I have

o f before said , it was a cause no small con sternatio n to me , secret as the emotion was , to ’ 2 XVI . BROADWATER S PROPOS AL . 97

feel that the man w ho had committed this

murder moved freely about the ship , enjoying

o f his liberty and the protection the crew , and had all necessary leisure besides to converse

with the men , and to inﬂuence them to any

purpose he might have in his mind . I ndeed I formed a darker opinion o f the sailors from

ru fﬁ an their willing association with the , and the jokes I would hear them exchangi ng with

him , than from any other sort of conduct I had

w asu n - ' as yet witnessed in them . I t English

a harsh , bad , jarring note in the rough and r ude harmony o f British forecastle - life and this feature o f our shipboard exis tence w as the

uglier to my mind for the man being a foreigner .

- Such half bloods as this Charles , at best , are a people alongside whom o ur jacks do not much care to sling their hammocks nor eat o ut o f the

’ same kid with ; but in addition to this man s defo rm itv of breed was his proved quality as a — knifer a characteristic unpleasantly common

' tho se t o skins , and half the secret at least of the

aversion they inspire in English crews . Detest

able as Bothwell had been as a man , the crime o f his murder was more to be abhorred even 8 . 2 9 MAROONED CHAP . than he ; and I say it worked in me like a superstition to se e his assassin coming and going about the decks , fetching his meals from

o u t the caboose along with the others , singing

o r at the ropes , hailing from aloft in the voice of a lively hearty—but always with the same sharp , stabbing gleam in his eyes whenever he — turned them upon Broadwater and making a

’ part of the brig s honest routine , when his proper lodging was the forepeak , his ﬁt

u equipment the bilboes , and his rightf l con dition the completest practicable isolation from his shipmates . These and twenty more such thoughts were in my mind after M iss Grant had withdrawn to n her berth , and whilst I remained alone watchi g the shambling ﬁgure of the cabin - boy stripping

- o f the cabin table , with a hungry goggling his eyes at the remains o f the meal as he ' stag

e red w as g up the hatchway with the dishes . I mechanically rolling a cigar betwee n mv ﬁ n gers , with the intention of lighting it and going

o n . deck , when Broadwater came below I sup

no w posed he would pass to his cabin , for, that

- w as he divided the look out with Gordon , he

30 0 MAROONED . CHAP .

’ ’ n N ow , M r . Musgrave , what d ye say Gordo s

s ear agreeable to fall back into his old p , and if

’ sir you ll take his place as mate , , I should be

’ glad , very glad indeed though of course I won t

sa re m o o ne ratio n y nothing about , that being a matter you might afterwards settle with the

owner . “ I am obliged to you for your offer , said I . I certainly did say something to Gordon about being willing to lend a hand in the navigation of

the brig , should my services in that way ever be required ; but as to taking a post of com m and over your crew I Shook my head . “ ’ ’ I don t like their attitude ; I don t like the

’ idea o f your mate s murderer being at large I

’ ’ don t like to think that there s any body o f English sailors who can not only protect but

- remain friends with a half blood , a foreign mis

creant , whose knife , in my humble opinion , is as ready for another man ’ s heart as it was

’ ” fo r B hw l . o t el s M r , A y, said he hoarsely , leaning towards me

with a look at the skylight , and then at the “ ’ ’ hatch , that s just it . Ye ve hit it true as a I ’ s ’ hair . t more because I want to feel that we re ’ 0 1 X VI . BROADWATER S PROPOSAL . 3 stronger than we are aft than because I may

’ fall sick that I d be glad to se e you mate ﬁrst o r

’

o u . second , as y may elect I don t mind telling you , he continued , in the same hoarse , subdued voice , and with another look up and around , “ that the aspect of the present biling don ’ t sit

sir. pleasingly upon my eyes , Ye heard what

Gordon said that night of the murder , when he

’ — — u d nee came down how the half blood do for ,

’ - l too , if I didn t keep a bright look out . Wel , I

’ ’

o u . tell y , I ve learnt to fear that man I don t

no w like his looks . I met his eye j ust , and it was

’ like the snap of a musket at me . I haven t said

’ much ab o ut it in fact I haven t said anything a nd maybe it s weighed the more upon me ,

’ cause I kept myself shut up on the subj ect . B ut

’ sir it s a long way to Rio yet, , and my fear of

’ what that man s capable o f is a weight that I must chuck over the side somehow or other. ’ My notion is , then , that if you took the mate s

’ ud berth the men like it , you being a gentle

’

man . They d feel your inﬂuence after a bit , and by expressing of your feelings to them in the sor t o f language that my neglected edu cation as a boy k e eps me as a man a- falling 30 2 MAROONED . CHAP .

o f short , they might grow ashamed of their

o f - protection the half blood , and be willing

le t o f to us clap him in irons , when course I should be able to sleep sound again , and enjoy my meals with the o ld satisfaction .

H e looked at me with a . mixture o f eagerness and cunning in his little eyes . I did not need to reﬂect , for whilst he had been speaking I had made up my mind .

fo r o f I thank you your good Opinion me , “ said I ; I cannot accept any such post as ’ o u y propose . Twas a mere fancy tossed to ’ the bo sun in the course of a talk , with no

o r wish resolution in it at all ; but , though

o u o f u n I decline your offer , y will course derstand that I am quite prepared to sup port yo u in any time o f trouble ; always ” “ presuming , I added Signiﬁcantly , that the

o u authority y exercise , but which may be

is n resisted , fair, legitimate , and consiste t ” sea- with regular duties . H ave ye got any weapons of your o w n he asked , with another look up and around . “ ” Yes , I answered .

W sir ? hat are they ,

30 4 MAROONED . CHAP .

o u y and me and Gordon Should arm ourselves ,

se have the handcuffs ready , fall upon and — c ure the half blood when no man could sus

e o ur him pe t intentions , drag aft and lock him

u o ur p down here , and with pistols keep any of the crew o ff who should attempt a

rescue . “ The scheme is practicable , said I , after “ A a little , but it requires consideration . t

’ se e the ﬁrst sight I don t half like it . I your — difﬁc ulty I clearly perceive that unless this half-blood be secured and removed from all

intercourse with the crew, diabolical mischief

: may follow . I realize this that at one end

o f the ship is a murderer , at the other end a m an w ho is only waiting to get him to Ri ” o . to hang him H e nodded vehemently .

He u knows that , and the q estion is , is he going to give yo u the chance to hang him “ ’ ” u ! That s the q estion he cried , bringing

his ﬁst down heavily upon the table . “ ” “ Yes , I exclaimed , and it has haunted f o a o u. me pretty smartly late , I can ssure y

m e lhee But , on the other hand , a , as you — call it this project o f seizing the half- blood ’ 0 XVI . BROADWATER S PROPOSAL . 3 5 and threatening the sailors with our small — w o n/d , arms might , indeed it , end in rank ’ Vt hat staring , hellish mutiny . then would ? yo u do There are but three of us against

’ C o f the whole ship s ompany . The safety the lady who is o n board this vessel under

my protection is my ﬁrst consideration . I t would be a poor look - out to se t ﬁre to a ship

in order to get rid of a rat . I t would be an equally poor look -out to excite the men into

o f wild revolt against the three us , to the imperilling o f the life and honour o f M iss

Grant , for all we dare predict , simply that your mind may be eased by having the half

blood under lock and key . “ Then what ’ s to be done ? ” he exclaimed

coarsely , and in a deﬁant, quarrelsome way “ o f The safety the brig depends upon me ,

’ m e o f and if harm befalls , what s to become

’ o u so her , and y , and the lady you re consarned about—and unwisely consarned about in my

’ Opinion , for , by not helping me , you ll be ” C to hancing let her go adrift . “ I have told you , Captain Broadwater ,

said I , greatly disliking this sudden change

o f su es manner in him , for I had met his gg

V OL . I. X 0 6 O . 3 MAR ONED . CHAP

“ tion in a very earnest spirit , that in a time o f — extremity , which shall not understand me have been brought about by any act of cruelty and brutality on your part , I will

o u u support y and M r . Gordon heart and so l . But I cannot accept the duties yo u ask me

u no r f to ndertake , do I see my way to of ering to help yo u in any wild scheme o f seizing

- o f o f the half blood , under cover the muzzles o ur o f pistols , with perhaps the obligation having to shoot down o ne o r more o f your crew , to the assured end of raising a murderous spirit amongst the men , and exciting them ” into God knows what act of terrible mutiny . As I said this , M iss Grant came from her berth . I made a gesture to him to signify that no more must be said no w ; o n which he rose and went to his cabin . She looked at me earnestly , but was silent . I handed

- her up the companion ladder , lighted a cigar , and followed . The morning was deliciously

ﬁne . There was a pleasant breeze a little abaft the beam , which enabled the brig to

w - u Sho her lower studding sail to it , and nder broad wings packed to the trucks , the lit tle

sea o f vessel glided crisply over a blue ,

30 8 MAROONED . CHAP .

w I thre a swift glance along our decks , and noticed that the men worked qu ietly upon their

o f n various jobs . A couple them were busy o some c haﬁng- gear in the fore - rigging ; a spun yarn winch w as rattling on the forecastle and

- a , the half blood Ch rles , with his back upon us e dressed in blue dungaree , a red cap on his h ad .

- and chocolate coloured shanks bare to the knees , m was balling up the stuff as it was anufactured . The cook was standing in the door of his little

galley , smoking a sooty pipe , his naked arms

- folded upon his breast , watching the cabin boy close by washing some plates and dishes in a

— - tub . H igh aloft on the fore royal yard stood

o f the ﬁgure a man , who had paused in some work he was upon up there to stand erect with

h o f his hand on the truck , and the s arp his his other hand over eyes , whilst he gazed into the immeasurable distance visible to him from

that altitude . The tall , muscular seaman ,

r w as Te ence Mole , at the helm , his hands

o f carelessly gripping the spokes the wheel , his

o f inde ﬁ nable attitude full that , ﬂoating ease that enters as a sort of grace into the posture and

f - A movements o the true deep water sailor . ll these were details to ﬁll my eye in a breath ; ’

. AD WATER P S 0 XVI BRO S PRO O AL . 3 9

o n so and the surface the picture was homely ,

so there seemed much salt , plain honesty in the

o f complexion , quality , aspect the full scene , that m y in stant recurrence to what but a little while before had passed between the captain and myself, affected me as an unreality , as something that I had imagined , as an affront to the truth of this quiet , inboard picture , and to the high , wide , refreshing splendour through which o u r lit tle craft w as softly pushing .

w e When emerged from the cabin , M iss G rant made some commonplace remark abo ut the beauty o f the morning but we had scarcely m n o f easured half the le gth the deck when , looking at me wistfully and searchingly also , “ she to exclaimed , What has happened worry you , M r . Musgrave “ t an I mus look worried , I suppose , I sw ere d o r o u , smiling , y would not ask the ” question . “ You do , indeed . I t is some anxiety that

o f concerns this voyage , course . There can be nothing else , for there are no postmen here to bring you disagreeable news ; at least I 12 272 ” the cause lies in the voyage . I f it does , will yo u tell me what it is 1 0 A . 3 MAROONED . CH P

No w my immediate impulse w as to answer

v o n her evasi ely ; but meeting her gaze , I

so so observed much fearlessness in it , much

so clear and keen intelligence , along with direct a challenge to m e to be plain with her o r not

so u speak at all , and nmistakable an assurance besides o f a guess that had already carried her

- half way into the truth , that I said to myself “ o ne with the swiftness of who thinks , Why not be perfectly candid with this woman ? The wit and instincts o f her sex may help ” me .

She kept her gaze fastened upon me , and seemed to read my thoughts . She said , with a

o f little smile very full pride , Do you know ,

. u A M r M sgrave , if lexander ever had a doubt , he would come to me to settle it fo r him . I am

o f fond problems . I f I were a man , I should wish to be a politician above all things . I should love to be in a position where my j udgment would be constantly tested , and W where I should have to act quickly . hat is best in a sailor ’ s character springs from this

habit . H e is incessantly confronted by surprises ,

o f many them tragical , all of them requiring ” instant resolution . She preserved her smile ,

2 . 3 I MAROONED CHAP .

H e also knows that the man who is resting in the cabin under o u r feet means to get him ” - killed for his crime . The half blood turned

o u r his head at this moment , and we resumed “

l Y o u sa u f . wa k . y yo are fond o problems

H ere is one for yo u . That fellow forward has the sympathies of the whole crew . H e has

: more he has their protection , and they will Aft not allow a ﬁnger to be laid upon him . is a captain who stands alone . “ The problem , M r . Musgrave H ow is Captain B road water to sail the ship to Rio , and set you and me safely ashore there , with yonder olive - coloured villain closely and intimately associated with the crew—popular amo ngst them as the hero who freed them

o f — from the tyranny the mate conscious ,

o f n maybe , their willing ess to help him save

o n his life , which he knows must be forfeited the arrival o f the brig “ What do you fear That Master E rnest Charles yonder will contrive that this brig shall never reach her ” port .

’ By w hat m eans “ H a said I , there it is , M iss Grant . ’ X V L 1 BROADWATER S PROPOSAL. 3 3

She threw another swift glance around her “ w e and slightly knitted her brows . Can not contrive to ﬁnd o u t what Captain Broadwater thinks She said . I exactly repeated my conversation with him in the cabin . She listened until I had made an end , and then said quickly , M r . Musgrave , if

o u b - o u no y will be advised y me , y will take part in any scheme the captain may decide f upon as regards the discipline o the vessel . The men know that they have your sym

athie s p , and Should trouble come , they will — — at least they m ay remember that you were their friend . But what would be the

o f result your siding with the captain , helping him to put that wretched creature yonder in irons , perhaps being obliged in self-defence to shoot one o f the crew We f have a right to think o our safety . Captain Broadwater has imperilled it by his treatment o f s a . the men , and I y we have a right , Mr f o . Musgrave , to think ourselves M y advice ” is , be neutral . I dare say I was the more impressed by

o f what she said , because her having given prompt and clear expression to my o w n secret 1 . 3 4 MAROONED . CHAP

n opinio s . The j udgment that concurs with o u r o w n o f must be , course , very shrewd and sagacious . But I could also ﬁnd a good deal to admire in the quickness with which she had seen into the thing , and the accuracy of her

F r . o insight , after all , it only needed a little thought to enable me to conclude , that as Gordon hardly seemed a man to prove b — servicea le in a crisis being j ust a plain ,

- sober , slow minded sailor , whose tastes were

w ho his altogether forward , and in heart loved — the captain as little as the others the main

’ burden o f Broadwater s proj ect must be borne by him and me that a conﬂict between uS and

r o u r the c ew must inevitably end in defeat , and

o u r o f perhaps in destruction , for the sight a

levelled pistol would serve , as a wand in the

o f o f hand a wizard , to raise the foulest evil spirits among the people o f the brig and that if I were not slaughtered outright in the

struggle with the men , they would extend their

o f hatred the captain to me in an equal measure ,

so that , in a word , I should be practically helpless as a protector in any form o r fashion

e for M iss Grant . I nd ed , this was the essential meaning of her advice to me—her entreaty

1 6 AP . 3 MAROONED . CH

Were I a landsman making my ﬁrst voyage , I should ﬁnd little o r nothing to worry me in what has happened ; particularly now that the

o f roll the commotion is smoothed out , and ” everything , I added , with a look along the “ peaceful decks , is as placid on the surface as the waters of a canal . “ A ! little patience , M r . Musgrave she ex claimed . Rio is closer than it was a fortnight ” a o . so g I was not sure of that , but I said “ ” “

. A she nothing t all events , continued , we must take care that you return home in a good ”

n . ship , with a pleasa t captain “ Y “ es . , said I , we must see to that

A she lexander will be able to advise you ,

o f said , with a softening her voice to the utter “ f o f ance o his name . H e is sure to know a

o ne good ship , that might be quite worth ” n waiti g for if she is not at Rio . Confound Alexander ! I thought to myself ;

so and her way of speaking of him teased me , that it would have soothed the momentary irritation to have told her that I heartily wished

he stood in my boots on board this brig . But a glance at her made me feel that the expression o f such a wish would have been preposterously ’ m 1 . BROADWATER S PROPOSAL . 5 7

insincere . N o o ur situation was uncommonly dark and uncomfortable : no man knowing the truth would have dared venture t o predict that to - morrow would ﬁnd us as we were to -day and still my enjoyment Of her society topped every risk I could contemplate ; and ho w detestable the project of o ur association coming to an end

a was to me , I knew by my inward perturb tion that follo w ed o n her speaking o f Alexander

and his choosing me a good ship to return in . A O n hour passed . ur conversation was

chieﬂy about the crew , and the outlook they

she threatened , and again and again advised me not to entertain any scheme o ld Broadwater

might submit , but to view myself wholly as

a passenger , without further concern in the

a voy ge than its conclusion . She then , feeling

tired , took a chair under the awning and put

a book upon her knee , but seemed to have no

she eyes for anything but the crew , whom

watched curiously , as might an artist who gazes

fo r effects of colour, posture , and expression . All this while Gordon trudged the weather

deck alone . I now crossed over to him . “ Feel more cheerful by this time , I hope , ? ” “ ’ M r Go rdon said I ; a ma n s spirits must 8 1 H . 3 MAROONED . C AP be gloomy indeed that don ’ t brighten out to d ” such a ay asthis . “ c VVo rrit sir He for ed a grin , and said , , ,

’ ’ worrit ; there s no accounting for a man s ’ d w 1sh u . feelings . I it come on to blow This here smiling kind o f weather is all very well

’ ’ when ye ain t in a hurry ; but when ye ve go t

o f bows forrard like the head a puncheon , and beam enough for a score of fandangoes ’ twixt

to o f the rails , without call stop even a coil halliards to the standing rigging to get more

o ne room , then what wants is the relieving C tackles hauled taut , and two haps sweating at

- o ut o f the wheel , and the spritsail yard sight in the smother over the bows . “ ’ You re in as great a hurry as M iss Grant ,

I exclaimed . “ “ de ssa To Greater , I y, he exclaimed .

’

. o f tell ye the truth , Mr M usgrave , I m sick the

o f voyage . N one these here small brigs for

si r . ! me again , N ever no more N othen less ’ h n t an a thousand ton . A man s ature seems able to stand upright when he ’ s aboard a big ship in these here small craft it’ s all stooping f r o fear o f knocking your brains o ut . There w as a sour expression o n his face

2 0 . 3 MAROONED CHAP . XVI .

I ’ s f ’ like the scheme . t the sort o chance they re

’ ’ waiting for . For H eaven s sake , don t go and ’ ’ c a n H s t . e suggest your notion to the p , Sir j ust the sort of man to entertain it , and to ” come and ask me to help him . “ Would yo u help him said I .

L ask et him me ﬁrst , M r . M usgrave , he

I' e lie d o dd o f p , with an look at me out the f w ’ o . as corner his eyes I f this not news , twas what I needed to get from his lips . E ven had M iss Grant ’ s advice not already settled my d ’ mind , Gor on s askant glance, that was more

eloquent than words , would have decided me

o u t . of hand , there and then I n truth it could but prove as I had foreseen , Should I consent to help the captain ; and I remember that I let o ut my breath in a half-wild sigh of relief Over the determination I had formed as I t urned from Gordon to take a chair at

’ M iss Grant s side .

END OF V OL. I.