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diff --git a/old/17863-h.zip b/old/17863-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 41e6c02..0000000 --- a/old/17863-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/17863-h/17863-h.htm b/old/17863-h/17863-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index c4f5291..0000000 --- a/old/17863-h/17863-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2813 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> - -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Blackbeard, by B. Barker. - </title> - <style type="text/css"> -/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ -<!-- - p { margin-top: .75em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .75em; - } - h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centred */ - clear: both; - } - hr { width: 66%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - clear: both; - } - - hr.sm { width: 33%; - margin-top: 0.5em; - margin-bottom: 0.5em; - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; - clear: both; - } - - body {margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; - } - - .blockquot {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} - - .centre {text-align: center;} - .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} - - .figcentre {margin: auto; text-align: center;} - - .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} - .poem br {display: none;} - .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} - .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} - .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} - .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} - // --> - /* XML end ]]>*/ - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Blackbeard, by B. Barker - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Blackbeard - Or, The Pirate of Roanoke. - -Author: B. Barker - -Release Date: February 26, 2006 [EBook #17863] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACKBEARD *** - - - - -Produced by Cori Samuel, Irma Špehar and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -made from images produced by the North Carolina History -and Fiction Digital Library.) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcentre" style="width: 500px;"> -<a href="images/blackbeard-lg.png"> -<img src="images/blackbeard-tb.png" width="500" height="528" alt="Portrait of Blackbeard, the Pirate of the Roanoke." title="Portrait of Blackbeard, the Pirate of the Roanoke." /> -</a> -</div> - -<h1>BLACKBEARD; -<a name="Page_1" id="Page_1"></a><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"></a><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3"></a></h1> - -<h4>OR, THE</h4> - -<h2>PIRATE OF THE ROANOKE.</h2> - -<h3>A Tale of the Atlantic.</h3> - -<hr class="sm" /> - -<h2>BY B. BARKER, ESQ.</h2> - -<h5><i>Author of 'The Sea Serpent,' 'Dwarf of the Channel,' 'Mornilva,' &c.</i></h5> - -<hr class="sm" /> - -<h4>BOSTON:<br /> -PUBLISHED BY F. GLEASON,<br /> -AT THE FLAG OF OUR UNION OFFICE,<br /> -CORNER OF COURT AND TREMONT STREETS.<br /> -<br /> -1847.<a name="Page_4" id="Page_4"></a></h4> - -<hr class="sm" /> - -<p class="centre"><i>Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by F. Gleason, -<br />in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.</i><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"></a></p> - -<hr /> - -<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> - -<div class="blockquot"><p><i>The Island of Trinidad. Landing of the Earl of Derwentwater - and his party upon the Isle—Its Enchanted Scenery. Unnatural - Sounds. Sudden appearance of the Notorious Pirate Blackbeard.</i></p></div> - - -<p>Situated upon the broad bosom of the vast Atlantic Ocean, about two -hundred leagues from the coast of Brazil, is a small but fertile island, -which has retained from the period of its first discovery, the familiar -name of Trinidad. This beautiful island, although a lovely and -sequestered spot, has been for various general reasons, but rarely -visited by the hardy mariners of the deep, and never permanently settled -or inhabited by man. Its surface is agreeably diversified with high -hills and low beautiful valleys, whilst its circumference is almost -wholly surrounded by a chain of dark, rocky cliffs, which gives to this -remote island a somewhat fantastic appearance to the eye of the -beholder, as he approaches it from the sea. On this circumscribed but -favored spot of earth, nature seems to have reveled in almost boundless -profusion, scattering here and there throughout its valleys her choicest -favors, in the shape of delicious tropical fruits, and ever green -luxuriant herbage, whose fragrance as it mingled with the pure fresh -breeze of the ocean, has proved to be a sweet balsam of health to many a -sick and weary mariner as he sailed within reach of its<a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"></a> invigorating -influence. Although this fair island possessed no convenient harbor for -its vessels of any class, still there was upon its southern side, a -small piece of white sandy beach, upon which a single boat might easily -land, and here upon this same spot, a boat did land about an hour after -sunrise, on the thirty-first day of October, 1717.</p> - -<p>The boat in question, was occupied by six persons, who, as soon as its -keel grazed upon the clear white sand, immediately disembarked and -dispersed themselves singly and by twos, in different directions for the -purpose of enjoying a short ramble amongst the shady trees and fragrant -foliage of the island.</p> - -<p>The party to which we have alluded, consisted of the Earl of -Derwentwater, a noble looking gentleman, who, apparently had but just -spent the prime of life,—his fair niece, Mary Hamilton, a stately and -beautiful girl, about twenty-three years of age,—Arthur Huntington and -his twin brother, Henry—a huge red headed but fat and good natured son -of the 'Emerald Isle,' who acted in the capacity of servant to the earl, -and last, though by no means least, a beautiful golden haired, cherry -cheerful nymph of fourteen, whom for the sake of a name we shall call -Ellen Armstrong.</p> - -<p>After having rambled about for a short space of time, the earl and his -fair niece suddenly encountered each other on the brow of a rising -eminence, when the latter then accosted her companion:</p> - -<p>'Dear uncle, this lovely island seems to me, like a miniature paradise, -wherein I could always wish to live as long as the precious boon of life -should be granted unto me.'</p> - -<p>'I declare, Mary,' replied the earl, as a slight smile passed over his -noble countenance, 'you appear to be an enthusiast in every thing. I -grant, that this is a beautiful spot, yet not to be compared in my -estimation, even for a moment, with my lovely park near London, in merry -old England.'</p> - -<p>'But, you forget, dear uncle,' replied Mary Hamilton, 'that our English -parks are not now what they once were.'</p> - -<p>'How so, Mary, do not the staunch old oaks, grow to a height as lofty as -of yore?'</p> - -<p>'Perhaps they do, but still, uncle, there is too much art mixed up with -nature, in our English scenery. Here all is nature.'</p> - -<p>'And I think you must be a very great lover of it, if you prefer this -hilly, iron bound island, to the level green sward of Derwent park,' -replied the earl.<a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"></a></p> - -<p>'I must still plead guilty of the charge of loving nature as it is, -uncle,' responded Mary. 'I have seen it in a great variety of forms. I -have viewed its high grandeur amid the forests and mountains of America; -but never before this hour, have I ever seen it so pure, so serene, and -so calmly beautiful.'</p> - -<p>'I must needs own, that this is at present, a quiet place enough,' -answered the earl, 'but do you not know, dear Mary, that even here, the -face of nature is oft times suddenly changed, by the awful sweep of the -howling hurricane, or the thundering shock of the subterraneous -earthquake.'</p> - -<p>'Why, I really believe, that you are getting to be enthusiastic now, -dear uncle,' replied Mary Hamilton, 'but we cannot exactly agree, I move -that we drop the subject forthwith.'</p> - -<p>'And I second the motion,' laughingly responded the noble earl.—'But -look at the ship, Mary, and see, she is almost hull down in the -distance.'</p> - -<p>The vessel to which the earl alluded, the white sails of which were just -visible to his eyes and those of his companion, from the eminence on -which they stood, was the honorable East India Company's ship Gladiator, -to which belonged the boat that had conveyed the Earl and his party to -the shore, in the manner before related. She was bound to Rio Janeiro, -from thence to Batavia, and as they had a long passage from the Downs, -Captain Rowland was easily persuaded to allow his distinguished -passenger the long coveted recreation of visiting the small though -beautiful island of Trinidad.</p> - -<p>'Rowland is going to make a long tack, this time I guess,' continued the -earl, as they both stood watching the still lessening sails of the huge -Indiaman.</p> - -<p>'Suppose, dear uncle, replied Mary Hamilton, 'that this Captain Rowland -should sail away and leave us here upon this remote island.'</p> - -<p>'Then you would have a most excellent chance to study nature as it is,' -responded the earl playfully. 'But Rowland would never dare to do any -such foolish thing as that to which you have alluded.'</p> - -<p>'It may be so, uncle, but still I must sincerely confess, that there is -something about this Captain Rowland and his general conduct which I by -no means like.'</p> - -<p>'Oh, you are too fastidious, dear Mary,' replied the earl, 'for I am -sure that as far as my observation has gone, Captain Rowland has -conducted himself thus far during our voyage, in a very kind and -gentlemanly manner.'<a name="Page_8" id="Page_8"></a></p> - -<p>'Your observation has not extended as far as mine, uncle, if it had you -would have noticed the sardonic and sinister expression of this -captain's countenance, as he oft times gazed upon the fair form of sweet -Ellen Armstrong.'</p> - -<p>'What a suspicious mortal you are, Mary. Why, I would trust Rowland's -honor amongst a thousand Ellen Armstrongs, or Mary Hamiltons either.'</p> - -<p>'God grant that your trust in his good intentions may be well founded,' -replied Mary seriously, then adroitly turning the conversation, she -continued, 'see uncle, there is Arthur Huntington and Ellen Armstrong at -the bottom of the hill—let us join them.'</p> - -<p>Having thus spoken, Mary Hamilton accepted the aid of the earl's -proffered arm, and both together leisurely descended the hill, intently -gazing upon the sea, they did so as if watching the slow progress of the -ship, which was now standing in towards the land.</p> - -<p>So very busy was sweet Ellen Armstrong, in catching each enthusiastic -word as it fell from the lips of Arthur Huntington, whilst he eloquently -descanted on the beauties of the island scenery—she was scarcely aware -of the near vicinity of her elder intruders, until Mary Hamilton -approached her closely and spoke as follows:</p> - -<p>'Oh, Ellen, what a monopolizer you are of the attention of young -gentlemen. First, you led Mr. Henry Huntington in a wild goose chase all -around the island, and next, we find you holding a very confidential -'tete-a-tete' with young Mr. Arthur. Such proceedings are really too -bad, and, as your watchful 'duenna,' I must enter my serious protest -against them.'</p> - -<p>These words were spoken in a playful bantering kind of manner, which -caused the rich red blood to mantle over the face and neck of the -beautiful Ellen, whilst she answered in the same tone:</p> - -<p>'I humbly crave your pardon, most gracious and prudent 'duenna,' for -having been the only one of the party who designed to treat the young -gentlemen to whom you have alluded, with ordinary civility.'</p> - -<p>'She has you there, Mary,' exclaimed the earl, 'and it is now your turn -to blush for not doing the amiable to at least one of the twin -brothers.'</p> - -<p>Before Mary could find words wherewith to reply to her uncle's bantering -speech, a low sweet strain of mournful music, fell suddenly upon the -ears of our astonished voyagers, which as it died slowly away, like the -departing imagery of a vivid dream, was succeeded instantly by a loud -shout of bacchanalian laughter, which echoed wildly<a name="Page_9" id="Page_9"></a> for a moment -amongst the rocky cliffs of the island, then all was calm and silent as -before.</p> - -<p>The surprise occasioned by these strange and mysterious sounds, caused -the earl and his companions to stand, for some moments after their -conclusion in a state of profound and bewildered silence, almost -breathlessly listening as if to hear them again repeated. But, they -listened in vain, for the strange sounds were no more heard, and the -painful silence which had overpowered our singular group of island -visitors, was soon after broken by the Earl of Derwentwater, who spoke -as follows:</p> - -<p>'I really believe, that this place is a sort of mixture, composed of -equal portions of fairy land and satan's paradise, judging by the -different sounds which we have just heard.'</p> - -<p>'The music must have proceeded from a flute,' said Arthur Huntington.</p> - -<p>'And it must have been played by a master's hand,' interposed Mary -Hamilton.</p> - -<p>'I can never believe that those were earthly sounds,' said Ellen -Armstrong, 'and I must say for one, I have no wish to remain here -longer.'</p> - -<p>'You, surely, cannot be already tired of roaming about this lovely -spot,' exclaimed Mary Hamilton in a deprecating tone. 'I should have -thought, that after complaining as you have of the tediousness and -monotony of our sea voyage, you would be the last one to express a wish -to leave this beautiful island.'</p> - -<p>'I have well appreciated the beauties of this quiet place,' replied -Ellen, 'but at the risk of being considered a very weak and simple girl, -I must own, that the mysterious sounds which just now fell upon my ears, -cannot be accounted for through any natural means, and as I have no -particular liking for supernatural adventures, I must persist in my wish -to go on board our good ship again, as soon as possible.'</p> - -<p>As the fair Ellen finished her speech, light strains of the same -mysterious music which they had before heard, again floated through the -air above their heads, the same bacchanalian shouts of wild laughter -again fell upon their ears, but, as its last strange echo died away, the -surprise of our island visitors was greatly augmented by the sudden -appearance before them, of a tall and handsomely formed man, -effeminately dressed in loose Turkish trousers of crimson silk, which -were elegantly matched by a loose tunic of the same color and -texture.—This<a name="Page_10" id="Page_10"></a> was fastened to his person by a red silken sash, which -also confined in its soft but close embrace, a large pair of pistols and -a small Spanish stiletto of the most costly workmanship. The head of -this strange being was covered with a crimson cap, and his countenance, -might have been truely termed handsome, had not the lower part of it -been enveloped in a mass of long black hair, which gave to its possessor -an air of wild and savage ferocity. (<i><a href="images/blackbeard-lg.png">See Engraving.</a></i>)</p> - -<p>'What strange apparition is this,' exclaimed the earl involuntarily, as -this singular personage stood erect before him.</p> - -<p>'I am no apparition, sir,' exclaimed the stranger, in a voice so finely -modulated, that it might have been easily taken for a woman's, 'but a -substantial specimen of vigorous life, who kindly bids you welcome to -the pirates' palace.'</p> - -<p>'And, who, then are you?' exclaimed the undaunted Earl, altering his -voice to a deep, rough tone. The stranger smiled sardonically upon the -group before him as he answered:</p> - -<p>'I am <span class="smcap">Blackbeard</span>, the far-famed Pirate of the Roanoke!'</p> - -<p>Upon hearing these dread words, sweet Ellen Armstrong was obliged to -lean tremblingly for support, upon the arm of Arthur Huntington, whilst -the stout hearted Earl again addressed the stranger as follows:</p> - -<p>'If you are indeed the person whom you have represented yourself to be, -learn that I have often heard of your murderous exploits before, and I -now call upon you in the name of England's King, to surrender yourself -immediately to me, as my prisoner.'</p> - -<p>After giving utterance to a loud derisive laugh, whose echo as it -reverberated amongst the rocky cliffs, sounded like the fitful mirth of -numerous invisible demons, the pirate thus answered the bold summons of -the earl.</p> - -<p>'You talk boldly for one whose brains I might instantly scatter to the -four winds of heaven. Know you not that you and your companions are in -my power?'</p> - -<p>'I know,' replied the earl, 'that I and my companions by making an easy -signal, can soon be supported by an hundred stout hearts from yonder -ship, whose—'</p> - -<p>'Ha, sayst thou so,' interrupted the stranger, 'I think that they will -soon have other business upon their hands. Look yonder.'</p> - - - -<hr /> -<h2><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> - -<div class="blockquot"><p><i>Description of Characters. Sweet Ellen Armstrong. Sudden - appearance of the Piratical Brig. The Earl's Request. - Blackbeard's Decision. The Desperadoes. The decision is - enforced. Perilous situation of Mary Hamilton and Ellen.</i></p></div> - - -<p>In order to carry forward the plan of our story in a consistent and -intelligible manner, it becomes necessary for us, here, to briefly -explain some important particulars relating to the history of the Earl -of Derwentwater and his companions, previous to their landing upon the -remote Island of Trinidad, as related in the course of our first -chapter.</p> - -<p>The intelligent reader of history, will undoubtedly recollect, that the -year 1715, (two years before the time chosen for the commencement of our -romance,) was rendered famous by the important insurrection which then -took place throughout England and Scotland, in favor of the Chevalier de -St. George, or James the Third, a proud and haughty scion of the Roman -Catholic house of Stuart. This singular and renowned rebellion, although -premature in its beginning, and short in its duration, caused during its -continuence, the Hanoverian incumbent of the English sceptre to tremble -for the permanence of his seat on the throne, and though he at first -pretended to despise both it and its authors, he was finally compelled -to use vigorous and extraordinary means to bring it to a summary and -fatal conclusion. Through the instrumentality of foreign troops, and the -numerous cabels which sprang up in the rebel camp, King George was soon -enabled to quell this Jacobitical insurrection, which otherwise might -have proved formidable enough to have overturned the Protestant dynasty -of the British realm, and established in its place the despotic -hierarchy of the Church of Rome. So well aware was the reigning monarch -and his ministers of the truth of the above important fact, that they -deemed it imperatively incumbent upon them, in order to deal a death -blow to all future attempts of the same nature, to punish all the -noblemen and other leading characters connected with it, in the most -severe and exemplary manner. Acting upon the above principle, the Privy -Council caused immediately to be arrested, about thirty of the Scotch -and English nobility, the majority of whom fell by the bloody axe of -the<a name="Page_12" id="Page_12"></a> executioner, whilst the remainder were sentenced to perpetual -banishment.</p> - -<p>Amongst this latter class of insurgents, was George Armstrong, Earl of -Derwentwater, who succeeded to his father's rank and title, immediately -after his decease, which happened somewhere about the year 1694. Some -time previous to his death, however, the old earl, through his influence -with the crown, had obtained the grant of a large tract of land in the -province of South Carolina, near the mouth of the Roanoke river, which -was soon after settled by these minor and remote branches of his own -extensive family, whose fortunes had become sadly dilapidated by the -frequent intestine revolutions which happened in Great Britain during -the latter part of the seventeenth century. Upon the accession of Queen -Anne to the English throne, the old earl fell into disgrace with the -ministry, and with his family retired soon after that event, to his -plantations in America. Shortly after his arrival, however, the change -of climate proved fatal to his advanced age, and brought on an -intermittent fever, which ended his life, and caused his only son, -George Armstrong, to succeed to his grand title and extensive estates.</p> - -<p>Although the character of the young earl, differed in many important -respects from that of his father, still, in one great feature there was -an exact resemblance between them. The disposition of the old earl was -stubborn, artful and avaricious, whilst that of his son, was frank, open -and generous. In temper, the former was cunning, revengeful and -unforgiving, whilst that of the latter, though hasty and violent in its -outbreaks, would a moment afterwards pass away, leaving no lingering -trace of its harsh and cruel effect upon the young earl's strong and -vigorous mind. Here, the wide contrast between the characters of the -father and son ended,—for the same vaulting ambition which had animated -the father, through a long and eventful life, descended upon the son in -its full and unstinted measure, whilst in blind and extravagant -adherence to the house of Stuart, and the Roman Catholic religion, the -son greatly outstripped the father, who had been moderate enough in his -political and religious machinations to ensure to him his titles, and -cause his estate to remain unconfiscated, and in his own particular -keeping.</p> - -<p>Instead, however, of copying the temporizing and crafty policy of his -father, the young earl, soon after his accession to the title and -fortune of the former, began openly to hold a correspondence with the -court of the pretender, which finally resulted in his becoming one of<a name="Page_13" id="Page_13"></a> -the first noblemen to assist in raising the rebel banner in Scotland, in -the year 1715. After running through a short career of active service, -George Armstrong the last Earl of Derwentwater, found his vast estates -confiscated to the crown, and himself a prisoner in the Tower of London. -This event happened during the spring of 1716. Early in the summer of -the same year, he, with a number of others was brought to trial before a -special commission appointed for that purpose, found guilty of high -treason, (and although, others who had taken a less active part in the -rebellion, were doomed to immediate execution.) The earnest intercession -of the French Ambassador at the court of St. George Armstrong, to be -commuted to foreign and perpetual banishment, and in accordance with -this sentence, he was about to join his brother-in-law, a rich South -American merchant, who was located at Rio Janeiro in Brazil, when his -progress was somewhat singularly arrested by the adventure commenced in -our first chapter.</p> - -<p>Having related as much of the earl's previous history, as is consistent -with the progress of our story, the next of our voyagers in order of -description, is his fair niece, Mary Hamilton. In form, as we have -before said, she was stately and beautiful, her features were striking -and regular, though they could not be called pre-eminently beautiful, -whilst her complexion was fair and elegantly transparent. Her hair, -which was as dark in color as the plumage of the raven, as it clustered -in short, rich, silken curls over her small white neck, gave conclusive -evidence, when combined to a pair of large, languishing black eyes, that -she was not born beneath the ruddy influence of England's cold and -vacillating climate. And such was the fact, for the mother that bore her -was of pure Castilian blood, who had fallen in love with and married -William Hamilton, whilst residing with her father, who, at that time, -held the high situation of Governor of the Island of Cuba. Under the -warm and enervating influences of the climate of this island, Mary -Hamilton first saw the light, but long before she had learnt to lisp her -mother's name, she was sent to England, there to receive, through the -agency of her uncle, an education calculated to fit her for the station -she would be called upon to assume, as the only child and heir of the -ancient house of Hamilton. As she advanced from infancy to childhood, -and her young mind began gradually to expand, nature (that beautiful but -mystic chain which connects man with his Creator,) prompted her to ask -for her mother. The answer which fell from her aunt's lips, in cold and -icy tones, which precluded all farther questioning, was,<a name="Page_14" id="Page_14"></a></p> - -<p>'Mary, your maternal parent is dead, but I will be a mother to you so -long as I live, and my husband shall be to you an indulgent father. And -now, dear Mary,' continued Lady Armstrong, 'for various reasons which -cannot now be explained, I must strictly prohibit you from alluding to -your real mother in my presence, or that of my husband.'</p> - -<p>Many a long and bitter hour as she passed from childhood to youth, and -from thence to woman's estate, did the future heiress of the House of -Hamilton ponder sadly over the mysterious and cruel prohibition of her -noble aunt, and as she thus pondered, a strong but indefinite -presentiment of future sorrow and grief and misery in connection with -the fate of her real parents became so completely fastened upon her mind -as to cause her whole deportment to become tinged with a sort of sad and -mournful melancholy, which all the seductive arts of a London life could -not eradicate.</p> - -<p>Although numberless suitors of almost every variety of rank and -character had knelt in real and assumed adoration before the virtuous -shrine of the beautiful West Indian heiress, she had turned from them -all with almost loathing indifference, and the summons which she -received (about three months previous to the commencement of our story) -calling upon her to join her father, in company with her uncle, found -her at the age of twenty-three, unmarried and unengaged. In less than a -month however, after her embarcation on board of the Gladiator, a -gradual change had taken place in her whole demeanor, caused by the deep -interest she found herself constrained to take in the person of Henry -Huntington, the son of Sir Arthur Huntington, who had followed the -fortunes of the Earl of Derwentwater during the rebellion, and who had -chosen also to share his banishment. The baronet was a fine specimen of -the old English cavaliers, who had freely spent the greater portion of a -handsome fortune in the service of the Stuart family, and now, when -nearly at the close of a long and eventful life, he with his twin sons -(whose poor mother had died in giving them birth,) had left their own -dear and native soil, to live, and perhaps to die in a foreign land.</p> - -<p>These twin sons and brothers, Henry and Arthur Huntington, had arrived -(at the time of which we are speaking,) to the age of twenty-two, and in -personal appearance they might have been considered as correct models of -manly beauty. Their forms were tall, erect, and muscular, and thus far, -each was the exact counterpart of the other, but here the resemblance -between the brothers ended. In temper and disposition, Henry was mild, -generous and forgiving, whilst Arthur<a name="Page_15" id="Page_15"></a> was sanguine, violent and -irascible. Although they had both been educated alike, they differed -very widely in strength of mind and capacity of intellect, for the mind -of Henry was strong, and undeviatingly based on the principles of right, -while that of his brother was weak and vacillating. The affections of -the former when once fixed, were immoveable as the solid rock, whilst -the passions of the latter, although more violent, were not capable of -remaining fixed for any length of time on any particular object. These -two brothers had both felt a partiality for Mary Hamilton, and so far as -Henry was concerned, the partiality was fully reciprocated, but she -looked coldly upon Arthur, which caused him to turn from her in disgust, -and transport his vacillating affections to sweet Ellen Armstrong, whom, -as being our principal heroine, we must now proceed briefly to notice -and describe.</p> - -<p>At the time of her introduction to the notice of our readers, she was to -all outward appearance a bright and joyous being, who seemed to think of -nothing but the happiness of herself and those around her. Although but -fourteen summers had then passed over her head, and her fair form was -slight and fragile as the first pale flower of Spring, her high and -noble thoughts, as they escaped from her vermillion lips in soft and -musical words, gave sufficient evidence that her mind and intellect was -far beyond her years. She was, in very fact and deed, a singular and -uncommon being, such an one as is rarely to be met with in the daily -walks of life. Her form, though slight, was faultless in its -proportions, her countenance was intelligent and highly expressive, -whilst in her fair complexion, the pure red and white, seemed to have -been most judiciously combined. To all these embellishments, permit us -to add, a head of luxuriant hair, of a golden auburn color, with a pair -of large and sparkling blue eyes, shaded by long, dark, silken eye -lashes, and the personal portrait of our heroine is complete. Her -character, also, in many of its traits was as good as her person was -beautiful. The bland sweetness of her disposition and the apparent -mildness of her temper, had even in the years of her childhood, endeared -her to all who happened to be within reach of her acquaintance, but -still she had faults, for there are none perfect, no, not one. Ellen -Armstrong was fanciful, wayward, and highly romantic, a being of strong -and ardent passions which would sometimes, in spite of the watchful -vigilance which she always endeavored to keep over them, get the better -of her right judgment, and high sense of rectitude.<a name="Page_16" id="Page_16"></a></p> - -<p>Presuming, kind reader, that you may have inferred that sweet Ellen -Armstrong, as the Earl was wont to term her, was his daughter, we must -now undeceive you, stating that such was not the case. The history of -her connection with the earl was as follows:</p> - -<p>As he returned home from an exciting session of the House of Peers, late -on a cold night in December, 1703, (nearly 14 years previous to the date -of the commencement of our story,) he was greatly surprised, upon -entering the drawing-room of his elegant mansion, to find his wife -busily employed in fondling and carressing a beautiful infant, -apparently not more than two or three weeks old.</p> - -<p>'What does this all mean, Lady Armstrong?' exclaimed the earl, as soon -as his surprise had in a measure subsided.</p> - -<p>'Listen, and I will tell you,' replied the lady, 'About two hours ago, -the street-door bell rang violently, which caused me to despatch a -serving maid to ascertain from whom this loud summons proceeded. She -immediately went to the door and opened it, but found no one there. Upon -turning back again into the entry, her ears were assailed by the faint -cries of this dear babe, whom she soon after discovered, esconced very -comfortably in a large wicker basket. This with its contents was soon -conveyed to my presence, and upon removing the infant from its place of -rest, I found this note attached to its dress.'</p> - -<p>So saying, Lady Armstrong handed a letter to her husband, which he -opened, and then read from it as follows:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"><p>'To the Right Honorable George Armstrong, Earl of - Derwentwater.</p> - -<p> Sir: The writer of this, being well aware that your - matrimonial union still remains unblest with children, would - earnestly entreat you to adopt the infant which this - accompanies, as your own. If you should see fit to comply with - my request, you can rest assured that no pecuniary means shall - be wanting, to insure to her, if she lives, all the - educational and other accomplishments fitting to your rank, - and that to which at some future day she herself, will be - entitled. A draft for the necessary funds will be punctually - placed at your disposal at the commencement of each year, - until those who have a right, shall claim her at your hands. - If you do right by her, you will gain the approval of a good - conscience; if not, you will feel the vengeance of a parent's - heart. But I can explain no farther. Adieu, yours, &c.,</p> - -<p> <span class="smcap">Montmorenci.</span>'</p></div> - -<p>After having read the above singular epistle, the earl held a long<a name="Page_17" id="Page_17"></a> -consultation with his amiable wife, which resulted in their concluding -to comply with the request of the mysterious writer, to adopt the poor -foundling as their own daughter, and at the same time, they determined -never to reveal to her the secret of her strange advent amongst them. In -accordance with these resolutions a suitable nurse for the young infant -was immediately procured, and when it had reached a proper age, it was -baptized by the name of Ellen Armstrong.</p> - -<p>Such kind readers, is a brief description of the person and fortunes of -our heroine, previous to the commencement of our narrative, and now -presuming your generous permission as granted, we shall now proceed to -extend the great chain of events connected with our singular and -romantic history.</p> - -<p>As the pirate Blackbeard, uttered in a commanding tone the words -recorded at the close of our first chapter, he pointed with his finger -towards the ship, and as the earl involuntarily turned his eyes in the -same direction, he observed a small brig then about two miles off, -making all sail towards the island, which caused him to say, in answer -to the pirate's words:</p> - -<p>'I have looked yonder as you directed me to do, yet I can see nothing -but our own noble ship, and another vessel which appears to be a much -smaller one.'</p> - -<p>'If you will have the goodness to look again,' replied Blackbeard, -somewhat satirically, 'you will see that the small vessel gains very -fast upon the larger one.'</p> - -<p>'There seems to be nothing very strange or alarming about that,' -answered the earl.</p> - -<p>'You may possibly, soon have occasion to entertain a very different -opinion.'</p> - -<p>'How so?' asked the earl.</p> - -<p>'Because the small vessel appears to be a piratical brig, whose -commander, I am well assured, will not pass a rich Indiaman without -politely undertaking to inspect his inventory and overhaul his cargo,' -replied the pirate.</p> - -<p>'I am rather inclined to think,' answered the earl, 'that he will first -be favored through the medium of our guns with an opportunity to -cultivate an extensive acquaintance with the sharks and other monsters -of the deep. Now, sir,' he continued, turning to the pirate, 'we will -with your leave, get as quickly as possible on board of our own ship.'</p> - -<p>'Oh, certainly,' replied Blackbeard, 'only, as it appears to me quite<a name="Page_18" id="Page_18"></a> -probable, that these two young ladies will be exposed to great danger in -getting on board of your noble ship, I shall claim the privilege of -keeping them here under my protection until I learn the result of the -engagement, which I am sure the piratical commander of the brig is about -to venture upon.'</p> - -<p>As the pirate calmly concluded his strange speech, sweet Ellen Armstrong -sank fainting into the arms of Arthur Huntington; and Mary Hamilton, -with a blanched cheek, shrank closer to her uncle's side, as he thus -indignantly addressed the pirate:</p> - -<p>'Villain, I command you to leave the presence of these ladies, -instantly.'</p> - -<p>'Until their safety is duly cared for, I shall not stir from this spot,' -coolly replied the pirate.</p> - -<p>'Take your fair burthen to the boat, Arthur,' exclaimed the earl, -impatiently, 'and I will follow you.'</p> - -<p>'You may go, but the ladies will remain,' said the pirate decidedly, who -at the same time gave a loud peculiar whistle, and the next moment the -earl found himself and his companions surrounded by a band of ferocious -desperadoes, who, with brandished weapons, stood ready to execute the -commands of their leader.</p> - -<p>'Two of you take these ladies to the palace,' exclaimed Blackbeard, -'whilst the remainder of you will see the gentlemen safely embarked for -yonder ship.'</p> - -<p>Although the earl and Arthur Huntington resisted manfully, their efforts -were unavailing, for whilst the two ladies were borne off in one -direction, they were quickly hurried on board their boat and compelled -by the threats of their ruffianly assailants to row swiftly towards the -noble Gladiator.</p> - - - -<hr /> -<h2><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> - -<div class="blockquot"><p><i>Mary Hamilton and Ellen Armstrong Captured and conveyed to - the Pirate Palace. Contemplated Escape—Frustrated by - Blackbeard. Ellen afterwards conveyed on board the Pirate - Brig.</i></p></div> - - -<p>In spite of their entreaties, the females were ruthlessly torn away from -their companions, and conducted by these remorseless ruffians to the -pirate's palace. Mary then thought, that the beauty and loveliness of -the island, which, but a few hours previous she would not have exchanged -for all England, she would now gladly quit for the meanest spot on -Briton's Isle.</p> - -<p>Sweet Ellen murmured to herself that the horrible forebodings she had in -reference to the island, were but the precursor of what might be -expected. The grandeur and sublimity of its scenery, its isolated -position, being surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic—the unnatural -music and noises, all conspired to fill the mind of this young girl with -the idea that something was about to transpire of no ordinary -nature,—and neither was she deceived.</p> - -<p>A great change however, had been wrought in the course of the last few -hours, upon the thoughts and feelings of our two fair captives, a change -which had caused reality to usurp for a time at least, the place of -romance, and constrained them to gaze with a vacant look upon the -superbly natural beauties of the island glen. Therefore with thoughts -concentrated upon their immediate personal prospects and fruitless -conjectures as to the complexion of their coming fate, the fair captives -mechanically followed the footsteps of their guides, who when they had -reached the bottom of the hill, suddenly stopped before the open door of -a long building which had been ingeniously constructed of bamboo and -other light materials well suited for the covering of a cool place of -shelter, under the heat of a tropical sun. There was nothing farther, -worthy of remark about its exterior appearance, with the exception of -its being so thickly covered on all sides by the luxuriant and evergreen -foliage of the surrounding trees, as to preclude it from being seen from -the tops of the adjacent hills, but its interior contained four large -apartments, two of which had been fitted up in a manner luxurious, and -even elegant.<a name="Page_20" id="Page_20"></a></p> - -<p>Into one of these two rooms, whose walls were decorated and hung round -with the richest crimson drapery, and which was as richly furnished in -every other respect, did the strange guides usher their fair prisoners, -after which, they instantly retired, leaving our heroine and her -companion to consult together as they might see fit upon their singular -and mysterious situation.</p> - -<p>'Do we dream dear Mary,' exclaimed Ellen, us she gazed wildly around -this strange apartment, 'or are we laboring under the influence of some -fairy spell of necromantic enchantment?'</p> - -<p>'Would to Heaven, that it was so,' exclaimed Mary, in reply, 'but alas, -it is not. For the present at least, dear Ellen, we are in the power of -ferocious pirates, from whom, I hope we shall soon be released.'</p> - -<p>'How?' asked Ellen, hardly realizing what she said.</p> - -<p>'Through the agency of our friends on ship-board' replied Mary.</p> - -<p>'Oh yes, I recollect now,' said Ellen. 'My father and Arthur have gone -on board our vessel, but I have seen nothing of Henry or Patrick, since -we first landed upon this fatal spot. Where do you think they can be?'</p> - -<p>'I have been trying to convince my mind of their safety, ever since we -fell in with our cruel captors,' answered Mary, 'yet I cannot say that I -have succeeded in so doing. From the top of some adjacent hill, they may -have witnessed the scenes which transpired on the occasion of our -capture, and concealed themselves in some of the fissures of the rocky -cliffs, there to await assistance from the ship, or—'</p> - -<p>'They may have been taken prisoners, by the pirates, as you call them,' -interrupted Ellen.</p> - -<p>'Heaven forbid,' exclaimed Mary earnestly. 'But if that should be the -fact,' continued the fair girl, after a moment's pause, 'I feel greatly -consoled by the hope that they, as well as ourselves, will find a speedy -release from this horrible bondage.'</p> - -<p>'I'm sure it will not be Captain Rowland's fault, if we are not very -soon liberated,' replied Ellen.</p> - -<p>'You seem to be rather partial towards this Captain Rowland,' Mary -carelessly remarked.</p> - -<p>'Partial, what mean you by that, Mary?' asked Ellen, as a slight blush -overspread her beautiful features. 'He has been very kind and attentive -to all of us during our voyage, and such treatment requires, in my -opinion, at least civility in return.'</p> - -<p>Before Mary could find time to reply to the words of her companion,<a name="Page_21" id="Page_21"></a> the -ears of both our fair captives were suddenly astonished by the sound of -a female voice, singing in a sweet, low tone of touching melody the -following words—</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i2">'Beware, beware,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Of the false and fair,<br /></span> -<span>For many a noble form,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Hides a heart within,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Quite as full of sin,<br /></span> -<span>And as black as the midnight storm.'<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>'This must be the very palace of enchantment,' exclaimed Ellen, as the -voice of the singer abruptly ceased, 'where one could almost be led to -forget their own personal identity. But hark, I hear the strange voice -again.'</p> - -<p>Ellen and her companion again listened in almost breathless silence as -the invisible vocalist continued her song, thus:</p> - -<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> -<span class="i2">'Beware, beware,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">For grief and care<br /></span> -<span>Broods over the youthful heart,<br /></span> -<span class="i2">And the chastening rod<br /></span> -<span class="i2">Of an Infinite God,<br /></span> -<span>His justice will soon impart.'<br /></span> -</div></div> - -<p>Here the voice of the invisible songster again ceased, and although both -Ellen and her companion listened long for its repetition, they listened -in vain, for it was heard no more.</p> - -<p>After a short interval of silence had elapsed, Mary Hamilton addressed -her companion as follows—</p> - -<p>'The thought has just entered my mind of attempting to escape from this -strange and horrible place.'</p> - -<p>'I must own, dear Mary,' replied Ellen, 'that the place is strange -enough to terrify a less romantic person than myself, still I think it -far from being horrible. This room is almost as elegantly furnished as -was my dear mother's in London, and then only think of the delightful -music which has so lately greeted our ears.'</p> - -<p>'Think too, of the horrid farce we have seen,' continued -Mary.—'Earnestly consider, dear Ellen, that we are in the power of -pirates and murderers, whose motives for detaining us, cannot be any -thing but evil, and then say if you will join me in making an attempt to -escape.'</p> - -<p>'You talk of escaping from the pirate's palace, as though it were the -most easy and practicable thing in the world,' exclaimed Black<a name="Page_22" id="Page_22"></a>beard, -who had abruptly entered the apartment from an inner room, and had stood -unperceived behind the captives whilst Mary Hamilton had spoken the -words quoted above.</p> - -<p>Startled by the sudden and unexpected appearance of their strange, yet -famous captor, our two maidens were at first awed into silence, but it -was of short duration, for Mary Hamilton quickly gathered sufficient -courage to enable her to answer the pirate's words as follows:</p> - -<p>'If it is not an easy thing for us to escape, surely you possess the -power to make it so.'</p> - -<p>'True, I possess the power,' replied the pirate, somewhat ironically, -'yet for the present at least, I lack the inclination. So you must make -yourselves as contented as you can here in my poor house, until I can -make arrangements for your future government.'</p> - -<p>'Allow me to ask, sir, by what right it is that you, a person totally -unknown to us, have forcibly abducted from their natural protectors, two -poor females who never harmed you nor yours?'</p> - -<p>'Believe me, Miss Hamilton,' answered the pirate earnestly, 'when I tell -you that I have not acted in the manner of which you speak, without -reason. But my motives and reasons, I shall take the liberty of -explaining when and where I please.'</p> - -<p>'Were your motives such as would do honor to an angel,' replied Mary, -'it would not alter my opinion either of yourself or your actions. I -believe you to be both a pirate, and murderer, and—'</p> - -<p>'Stop, you have said enough,' exclaimed Blackbeard, sternly. 'If you do -not fear the consequences of such rash speaking for yourself, know that -I hold in my hand the power of life and death over thy betrothed lover.'</p> - -<p>'My worst forebodings are then realized,' exclaimed Mary in a faltering -tone, 'and I must condescend to sue for mercy at your feet.—Mercy, not -for myself, but for him who is far dearer to me than life.'</p> - -<p>'He is almost too dangerous a character to receive clemency at my -hands,' answered the pirate, 'for his capture and that of his servant, -has cost one of the bravest of my crew his life, therefore, according to -our code of laws, which require blood for blood, he is answerable to -immediate death. But the pardoning power still remains in my hands, and -I am willing to spare him upon one condition.'</p> - -<p>'Name, oh name it,' exclaimed Mary, eagerly.</p> - -<p>'It is this,' continued the pirate. 'You must consent to marry Captain -Rowland.'</p> - -<p>As these dread words fell into accents cold and calm upon her<a name="Page_23" id="Page_23"></a> ears, the -self possession which had distinguished her throughout the foregoing -conversation, suddenly passed away, and poor Mary Hamilton sunk utterly -bereft of consciousness upon one of the richly cushioned seats which -ornamented the apartment, while sweet Ellen Armstrong almost as -terrified as her companion, looked vacantly around, and as if not -comprehending the import of the pirate's significant speech.</p> - -<p>After gazing fixedly for a few moments upon the forms of the two fair -creatures before him, Blackbeard stepped softly to the door from which -he had made his ingress into the apartment, and in a low but distinct -voice uttered the following words:</p> - -<p>'Violette, come hither.'</p> - -<p>A moment or two of dead silence intervened, and then a dark -complectioned but beautifully formed female entered the apartment, and -stood before the pirate, who thus addressed her:</p> - -<p>'Seest thou, Violette, that lady reclining upon yonder seat, with face -as pale as death?'</p> - -<p>Casting her eyes in the direction intimated by the pirate's glance, she -gave a nod of assent as he continued:</p> - -<p>'I am about to leave this place for a short season, and in the meanwhile -I wish to place this fair lady in your keeping.'</p> - -<p>'And her companion also?' asked Violette.</p> - -<p>'No; she accompanies me.'</p> - -<p>'It is well,' replied Violette, 'your orders shall be faithfully -obeyed.'</p> - -<p>The pirate here whispered a few words in the ear of the dark female, who -immediately after approached the seat where Mary was reclining, stamped -thrice with her tiny foot upon the floor, when two hideous looking -negressess entered the apartment, and at a sign from Violette, they -instantly removed the still prostrate form of Mary Hamilton into the -inner room.</p> - -<p>This last singular and unnatural proceeding totally confused the few -ideas which had remained to poor Ellen after her friend had swooned, and -as the loud booming of distant cannon fell upon her ear, she too would -have sank fainting to the floor, had not Violette sprang forward and -caught her in her arms.</p> - - - -<hr /> -<h2><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> - -<div class="blockquot"><p><i>Marine Phraseology. Approach of the Piratical Brig. History - of Captain Rowland. A Conflict expected. A Boat from the - Shore. The Ship Surrenders. Sudden appearance of Blackbeard - and Ellen Armstrong on board of the Brig. Heroic Conduct of - Arthur Huntington. Ellen steps between him and Death. The - Result. Ellen in Despair.</i></p></div> - - -<p>'Mast-head, there!'</p> - -<p>'Halloo.'</p> - -<p>'Keep a sharp look-out there for a sail.'</p> - -<p>'Aye, aye, sir.'</p> - -<p>The above short but professional dialogue took place between Captain -Roderick Rowland, of the good ship Gladiator, and his third officer, (a -Mr. Summers by name,) who had been sent to the main-top gallant -mast-head immediately after the Earl of Derwentwater and his companions -had left the vessel, with the single order, at first, to keep a sharp -look-out for the many rocks and reefs which surrounded the island, but -Summers had not assumed his station for many minutes before he was -peremptorily ordered, (as we have above recorded,) to look out for sails -as well as for rocks, which caused the sailor who stood upon the other -end of the cross-trees, and who was on regular mast-head duty, thus to -address the third officer,—</p> - -<p>'Do you suppose, Mr. Summers, that our captain really expects to fall in -with a sail in this out-o'-the-way kind of spot?'</p> - -<p>'Of course he does,' replied Summers, 'or he wouldn't have told me to -look out for one. But why shouldn't a sail be seen here, Bill, as well -as anywhere else?'</p> - -<p>'Well, I can't exactly say, sir,' answered Bill, (who, by the way, was a -fine specimen of a rough and rugged old tar,) 'but I have understood -that ships in general have of late years given this little bit of an -island a wide berth.'</p> - -<p>'Did ever you hear the reason why?' asked Summers.</p> - -<p>'Yes, sir, more than forty times, and if my watch wasn't almost out I -could spin you a yarn as long as our main-top bowline about the -"reason," as you call it.'</p> - -<p>Smiling at the seriousness with which the old tar had spoken, the -officer replied,<a name="Page_25" id="Page_25"></a></p> - -<p>'O never mind the yarn now, Bill, nor the reason either, but look sharp -there, about three points off our bow, and see if you cannot catch a -glimpse of something high and white, like a sail: I believe I can.'</p> - -<p>'And so can I, too, sir,' exclaimed Bill, after having looked for a few -moments in the direction intimated.</p> - -<p>'It's a strange sail, then, sure enough,' answered the third officer.</p> - -<p>'There's no mistake about that, sir,' replied Bill. 'What do you make -her out to be, sir?'</p> - -<p>'I should take her to be a full rigged brig,' answered Summers.</p> - -<p>'So should I,' rejoined the sailor. 'She has got studding sails out -a-low and aloft, and appears to be coming up with us hand over fist. -Shall I sing out to the captain, sir?'</p> - -<p>'No—I will myself. On deck, there!'</p> - -<p>'Halloo; what do you see?' answered the captain.</p> - -<p>'A full rigged brig, sir.'</p> - -<p>'Where away?'</p> - -<p>'Three points off our weather-bow.'</p> - -<p>'How does she appear to be heading?'</p> - -<p>'Direct for us, sir,' was the answer, and as it reached the ears of the -captain, he turned to the first officer, who stood beside him, and -said—</p> - -<p>'Mr. Howe, that strange vessel must be a pirate.'</p> - -<p>'What makes you think so, sir?' asked the first lieutenant.</p> - -<p>'Because,' replied the Captain, 'if she was anything else she would not -be steering directly for us with studding-sails set.'</p> - -<p>'Perhaps it may be some vessel in distress,' suggested the lieutenant.</p> - -<p>'That may be the case, though I doubt it much,' answered the captain, -abruptly, 'but, as I do not wish to create a premature and unnecessary -alarm amongst the passengers, we will put the ship on the opposite tack, -and then if this stranger is in distress he will show a signal.'</p> - -<p>In accordance with the above decision of her commander, the Gladiator, -which had been previously standing off from the land, was, (to use a -nautical phrase,) immediately put about, which caused her to head in -towards the land, and this movement brought the strange brig on the -weather quarter, or nearly astern of the ship, and also made her visible -to the first lieutenant, who stood eagerly watching for her appearance, -on the Gladiator's deck. As soon as he felt sure<a name="Page_26" id="Page_26"></a> that his eyes had not -deceived him, he said, addressing the captain,</p> - -<p>'There she is, sir.'</p> - -<p>'Where?' exclaimed Rowland, eagerly, snatching his spy-glass from its -place in the cabin gangway.</p> - -<p>'She is in plain sight, sir,' answered the lieutenant, about one point -off our weather-quarter.'</p> - -<p>'Ah, I see her,' exclaimed the captain after he had looked for a moment -through his spy-glass in the direction intimated.</p> - -<p>'Does she show any signal, sir?'</p> - -<p>'She does not,' replied Rowland, 'and I am convinced she is a piratical -vessel. Therefore, Mr. Howe, you will see the ship instantly cleared for -action.'</p> - -<p>Whilst this last order of the captain was in progress of execution, -Rowland, spy-glass in hand, ascended the mizzen rigging of the ship, and -kept his eyes intently fixed upon the brig, thus soliloquising as he did -so:—</p> - -<p>'It is rather a delicate, not to say desperate game, which I have -undertaken to play, though so far I have the vanity to think that I have -acted my part to admiration. By the most consummate art and address I -managed to gain the command of this noble ship, and no one on board, as -far as I can learn, has the least suspicion of the manner in which I -intend to dispose of her. So far, so good. Now as we are pretty snug in -with the land, I will take a look in that direction and see if I can -discover what measures are in progress on shore.'</p> - -<p>So saying he adjusted his glass to his right eye and turned his gaze -towards that part of the island on which the earl and his companions had -landed, and after having looked attentively for a few moments in that -direction, he exclaimed, whilst a smile of exultation passed across his -features,</p> - -<p>'Ah, Rowland, you're a deep one, and a fortunate one, too. Every thing -connected with your plans seems to prosper, on land as well as sea. -Blackbeard has proved himself a good assistant, too, for I can see that -he has taken good care of the young ladies, whilst at the same time I -perceive that he is about to send the gentlemen back again to their old -quarters. I must wear ship, I suppose, and take them on board.' 'On -deck, there!'</p> - -<p>'Aye, aye, sir,' answered the first lieutenant.</p> - -<p>'Put the ship upon the other tack, and brace the head-yards sharp up, -leaving the main and main top-sail yards square.'<a name="Page_27" id="Page_27"></a></p> - -<p>After this last order had been duly and promptly complied with Captain -Rowland descended quickly to the deck, upon reaching which, was thus -addressed by his first officer:—</p> - -<p>'See, sir, how fast that strange brig gains upon us.'</p> - -<p>'I see she does,' answered Rowland, 'and I am sorry that we are obliged -to lay aback here, when we should be trying to get the weather-gauge of -her. But there is no help for it, for I observe that the earl and his -companions have left the shore, and they are now pulling for dear life -in order to reach us in time.'</p> - -<p>Leaving for the present, the noble Gladiator, with her decks clear for -action, and her brave crew awaiting in eager silence, the nearer -approach of the piratical vessel, we will proceed to give our readers as -much information of the previous character of Captain Roderick Rowland, -as is consistent with the present condition and future progress of the -scenes of our story, in some of which he is destined to act a -conspicuous part.</p> - -<p>Descended of wealthy, honorable, and respectable parents, who resided at -the time of his birth, (which event happened some forty years before the -commencement of our story,) young Rowland, gave during his boyhood such -evidences of extraordinary natural capabilities, and superior -intellectual capacity, as led those who were connected and acquainted -with him to suppose that he might, at some future day, rise to a high -rank in the British navy, for which service he seemed to have an -unconquerable predilection, and which he entered as midshipman at the -age of sixteen. Then it was that his true character began to develope -itself, so that during his first cruise, its natural deformity became so -apparent as to cause the rest of the officers to look with fear and -astonishment upon one, in whom the gifts of extraordinary talents seemed -to have been lavished, only to become blended with cunning, artfulness -and licentious profligacy, whose disposition was mean and avaricious, -and whose temper, though not violent, was cruel, revengeful and -unforgiving.</p> - -<p>Although young Rowland was also a complete master of the art of -dissimulation he did not deem it worth his while to exercise it among -the young gentleman of his mess, and he had been but a short time on -board His Majesty's ship Vixen, before he was very much feared, and very -cordially hated by his equals, whilst he was looked upon with uneasiness -and disgust by his superiors.</p> - -<p>All these things combined together, rendered Rowland's situation -anything but agreeable; so after having been a twelvemonth in the<a name="Page_28" id="Page_28"></a> -service, he very abruptly left it by taking, what is vulgarly called, a -'French leave' of the Vixen and her officers, whilst that vessel was -taking in provisions and water at the island of Madagascar. Here, -Rowland, at the age of eighteen, soon fell in with a gang of American -and English bucaniers, who, some years previous to that time, had -pitched upon this island as a convenient rendezvous to which they might -be easily able to repair for recruits and recreation after having, (as -they often did,) successfully robbed the rich homeward bound East -Indiamen, for whom they usually laid in wait near the pitch of the Cape -of Good Hope.</p> - -<p>It required but very little persuasion on the part of the pirates to -induce one to join them, whose spirit was congenial with theirs, so he -very soon became one of the most active and daring of their number. -Courage, cunning and cruelty were considered by them to be the most -important qualifications of a bona-fide bucanier, and they soon found -that these were possessed by Rowland, in a most superlative degree, and -this added to the influence of his talents and early education, caused -him to rise rapidly to a station of command among them. As it was his -motto 'to make hay while the sun shines,' he sailed as soon as possible -from Madagascar, from which he had not been absent but twenty days when -he fell in with and captured a Spanish Galleon, bound from Genoa to -Lisbon, laden with a large amount of gold and silver ornaments, which -was the property of the church, and was under the care of a number of -ecclesiastics who had taken passage in the unfortunate vessel.</p> - -<p>There were a number of other passengers on board, amongst whom was Don -Fernando Herrera, who was accompanied by his daughter a beautiful -Castilian maiden, then about seventeen years of age, who doated upon her -father with all the fondness of a pure and filial affection.</p> - -<p>As Rowland acted almost invariably on the principle that dead men tell -no tales, he caused all the passengers to be put to death, in detail, -until it came the turn of Herrera. As he was about to be cast into the -sea, his daughter sprang wildly forward, and kneeling before the cruel -pirate captain, she beseeched him in such earnest and pathetic tones to -spare her father's life, or let her die in his stead, that Rowland, -fired by the voluptuousness of her extreme beauty, and perhaps touched -by her tears, promised to spare her father on condition that she would -become his wife. Such were the dread alternatives. Death for her father -and herself on one hand, and the sacrifice forever of<a name="Page_29" id="Page_29"></a> her happiness and -peace of mind on the other. In the extremity of her terror, Clarice, -(for that was her name,) chose the latter, and that very same night she -was united to Rowland, by her own priest and confessor who was compelled -to officiate in the ceremony, and her father was compelled to will all -of his vast riches in the event of his death to his murderous -son-in-law. After having taken to himself a wife in the above strange -and summary manner, Rowland repaired to the West Indies, where his -father-in-law died soon after his arrival, leaving to the pirate, a vast -amount of money and other property, which enabled him to establish -himself at Havana, in a most splendid and magnificent manner. His -inordinate desire for wealth however still remained unsatiated, and -although he left off all open communication with his former associates, -(the bucaniers,) still he secretly patronized them, and in return was -made acquainted with the result of all their efforts and received a -goodly share of their plunder.</p> - -<p>Three years had passed away, and Clarice in the interim had presented -her husband a boy, but by this time the Spanish authorities had got wind -of the manner in which Rowland had obtained his riches, and he was -forced to leave Havana, and most of his vast property at the same time, -and sail clandestinely and under an assumed name for England. Here he -took up his residence in an obscure street of the metropolis where after -the expiration of two years, Clarice gave birth to a daughter, whilst -relentless death hovered over the fair form of the mother, and soon -after removed her gently from the sin and sorrows of a wicked world.</p> - -<p>Soon after the decease of his wife, Rowland suddenly left England, but -he returned again about a year previous to the commencement of our -story, and managed, through sundry letters of recommendation which he -himself had forged, to gain the command of the Gladiator.</p> - -<p>Leaving the intervening events of his life to become elucidated in the -further progress of our story, we will here put an end to our long but -important digression and return again to the unravelling of its main -thread, by transporting the attention of our readers once more to the -deck of Rowland's noble ship.</p> - -<p>Here every one was at his station, every thing in its right place, and -every soul on board the Gladiator was almost breathlessly watching the -near approach of the piratical brig, as, with the horrid black flag -flying from her main royal truck, she came sailing majestically down -upon the ship, and it was expected by the crew of the latter that an -instant combat between the two vessels was inevitable.<a name="Page_30" id="Page_30"></a></p> - -<p>Judge then, kind reader, of their supreme astonishment and indignation -when they heard the captain, (as the brig fired a couple of blank -cartridges across his bows as a signal for him to surrender,) give the -following order:</p> - -<p>'Mr. Howe, haul down the colors! immediately.'</p> - -<p>Instead of jumping immediately, as was generally his wont to obey -Rowland's orders, the first lieutenant stood perfectly still, regarding -the captain with a puzzled and undecided manner, as much as to ask if he -had rightly understood the purport of his superior's words.</p> - -<p>'Haul down the colors!' exclaimed the captain the second time, and as he -spoke in a stern, loud tone of voice, which precluded all -misunderstanding, the first lieutenant, for the first time ventured an -answer in the following words:</p> - -<p>'Captain Rowland, I must own that I am at a loss to perceive the -necessity of hauling down our colors, when we have twice the number of -guns possessed by the brig, which would, in case of a conflict, enable -us easily to save the ship as well as our own lives.'</p> - -<p>'I believe this ship is under my command and not yours, Mr. Howe,' -replied Rowland, coolly, 'and I alone am responsible for her safety. -Again, sir, I order you to haul down the colors.'</p> - -<p>There was something in the cold, calm, passionless manner of Rowland, -which awed the lieutenant into compliance, notwithstanding he was -naturally a brave man, and he therefore walked forward and repeated to -one of the men the captain's order, which a moment afterwards was -sullenly obeyed, then a shout of exultation rose up from the crew of the -piratical brig, whilst a gun was fired in triumph as her commander -prepared to board the ship which had been so ingloriously placed without -a struggle within his grasp.</p> - -<p>By the time the boat was lowered from the brig, she had ranged up so -near the side of the ship, as rendered easy to distinguish from the deck -of each the countenances of those on board the other, and as the Earl of -Derwentwater and Arthur Huntington, (who had boarded the ship almost -unperceived at the time of her surrender,) gazed upon the dark swarthy -forms which crowded the sides of the brig, the former suddenly -exclaimed—</p> - -<p>'Gracious Heaven, Arthur,—yonder on that strange vessel's deck stands -Ellen Armstrong with that villain who calls himself the Pirate of the -Roanoke close by her side.'</p> - -<p>'It cannot be,—where is she?' exclaimed Arthur, involuntarily. 'Thank -God, I see her,' he exclaimed, after gazing a moment upon<a name="Page_31" id="Page_31"></a> the brig's -deck. Another minute elapsed and he was in the water, before any one -could anticipate, much less prevent his movements, making towards the -piratical brig, which, (as he was an excellent swimmer,) he managed to -reach, and he soon found himself by the side of sweet Ellen Armstrong -whom he thus addressed:</p> - -<p>'Good God! Ellen, how came you here!'</p> - -<p>'Arthur!' exclaimed Ellen, faintly,—but she said no more, though -Blackbeard answered his query as follows:</p> - -<p>'What rashness, young man, caused you to come here?'</p> - -<p>'I have come here,' replied Arthur, 'with all the calmness of -desperation, to rescue this young lady or die in the attempt.'</p> - -<p>'What an uncommonly heroic young gentleman you must be,' responded -Blackbeard, satirically, 'to attempt unarmed, and single-handed, the -rescue of a young girl from the midst of a hundred armed men. You must -certainly be either moon-struck or love-cracked.'</p> - -<p>'And you must be a cold-blooded, heartless villain,' exclaimed Arthur, -irritated beyond endurance at the scorching irony of the pirate's tone.</p> - -<p>'Those are words, young man, which only your life-blood can atone for,' -exclaimed the pirate, as he drew a pistol from his belt, and presented -it to the young man's breast. 'Die, upstart, die!'</p> - -<p>'Rather let me die,' exclaimed sweet Ellen Armstrong, as, quicker than -thought, she sprang between the murderous weapon and Arthur's person.</p> - -<p>The pirate fired, but the ball did not take effect, and was about to -present his second pistol, when he suddenly stopped, and thus addressed -a portion of his comrades, who had in meantime gathered round this -strange scene.</p> - -<p>'Some of you take these two fools below, and confine them in separate -apartments until I can attend to the hanging of them.'</p> - -<p>Immediately upon the reception of this order, Ellen was dragged by the -rough hands of two piratical officers into the brig's cabin, where she -was locked up in a small state room, whilst Arthur Huntington, was -heavily ironed and confined in the steerage. As the fair Ellen sat in -her narrow prison, brooding in mute despair over the horrid scenes she -had just passed through, she covered her face with her hands and faintly -murmured,</p> - -<p>'If Arthur dies, I cannot survive him.'</p> - - - -<hr /> -<h2><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> - -<div class="blockquot"><p><i>Henry Huntington and Pat O'Leary, the Earl's Servant, start - upon An Exploring Expedition—Its Strange and Sudden - Termination at the Pirates' Cavern.</i></p></div> - - -<p>With a love of adventure, which no sense of anticipated or real danger -could restrain, glowing upon his mind, and beaming forth from his -handsome eyes, did Henry Huntington, upon his first landing upon the -island, declare to his companions that he intended to pass the day in -exploring its beautiful though limited dimensions, and when hunting for -curious sea-shells and other marine curiosities, wherewith to enrich a -sort of miniature museum which he had commenced some years before in -merry England.</p> - -<p>'Is that your real intention, Henry, or are you joking,' asked the earl, -as the young man finished speaking.</p> - -<p>'I certainly intend, sir, to spend the time allotted to me here, in -doing as I have said,' replied Henry.</p> - -<p>'Then it is my opinion that you will have a tiresome time of it,' said -the earl.</p> - -<p>'With all deference to your better judgment, my lord, I anticipate a far -different result.'</p> - -<p>'Well, then, I wish you all prosperity in your adventurous undertaking,' -replied the earl, 'but be careful to keep within sight of the ship.'</p> - -<p>'I shall undoubtedly be very careful about that, sir, for although I own -that I am an enthusiastic lover of romantic adventures, I do not by any -means, aspire to the envious celebrity of being left alone, in all my -glory, upon a desolate island. But who amongst all the party is hardy -enough to volunteer to go with me. Will you, Arthur?'</p> - -<p>'Why, what a selfish fellow you have got to be, Henry,' said Mary -Hamilton, 'to start on a wild goose chase yourself, and then ask the -only other young gentleman of the party to accompany you.'</p> - -<p>'That would be ungallant, without dispute,' chimed in 'sweet' Ellen -Armstrong.</p> - -<p>'Upon a second thought, I am compelled to believe it would,' replied -Henry. 'But to settle the matter, by Lord Armstrong's leave, I will take -his servant Patrick with me.'</p> - -<p>'Do you hear that, Patrick,' asked the earl?</p> - -<p>'Indade, sir, and I do,' replied Mr. Patrick O'Leary, with the true<a name="Page_33" id="Page_33"></a> -Hibernian accent. 'And its to the end of the world that I would follow -swate master Henry, intirely.'</p> - -<p>'Well, Patrick, let us take a start now, then,' said Henry.</p> - -<p>'Stop a bit, if ye plase, master Henry, till I ask yer honor a bit of a -question. Is there any wild bastes on this elligant little island?'</p> - -<p>'Not that I know of. But what made you think of that, Patrick?'</p> - -<p>'Faith, an it was just this, then, your honor. Ould Father McGrave, -rest to his sowl, who was the parish praste at Bully Bannon, when I -was a wee bit spalpeen of a boy, used to tell me that in 'forrin' -places like this, where the sun was as hot as purgatory all the year -round, there was a great plinty of tigers and illifonts, [meaning -probably—elephants,] and sarpints, and all other kinds of savage -bastes. Now I jest thought, master Henry, if that was the case here, I -would just cut a couple of "shillalahs," one for each of us, off of -yonder tree, as they might work in handy in case of accidint.'</p> - -<p>'Although there is no danger of our being attacked by wild bastes, as -you call them,' replied Henry, smiling at the simplicity of the honest -Patlander, 'still, the shillalahs may not come amiss, so make haste and -cut them, and then we will set out upon our journey,'</p> - -<p>Having thus gained Huntington's permission, Pat O'Leary lost no time in -repairing to the tree which he has before mentioned, where he selected -two of its branches, which he thought suitable to his purposes, he -quickly cut them from their parent trunk with his jacknife, and returned -with them to Henry, who chose the shortest one of the two, and then -said:—</p> - -<p>'Now, Patrick, as they have all gone off and left this spot, it is time -for us to follow their example.'</p> - -<p>'Fast as yer honor plases,' replied Patrick, and so saying, he -immediately followed Henry, who had advanced some paces ahead of him, -and they then proceeded both together, on their intended expedition.</p> - -<p>They walked on for some moments in silence, which, however, was broken -by Henry, who thus addressed his companion,—</p> - -<p>'Well, Patrick, what do you think of this beautiful spot?'</p> - -<p>'Och, yer honor, and I think its just the most illigant little spot in -the world, where the pratees, [meaning, possibly, the oranges and -lemons,] grow on the trees, and where one never sees a snake, nor a -sarpint at all, at all. Sure, and I think that the blessed Saint Patrick -must have stopped at this place in the course of his travels, and killed -all the snakes, and the frogs, and the vipers, bad luck to them, as he -did in ould Ireland.'<a name="Page_34" id="Page_34"></a></p> - -<p>'But how should you like to live here altogether?' asked Henry.</p> - -<p>'Live, is it, master Henry? Sure, an I had rather live here than any -place in the wide world, besides barrin my own blessed ould Ireland.'</p> - -<p>'What, alone?' again asked Huntington.</p> - -<p>'By the powers, sir, no, not a bit of it,' replied the Patlander. 'The -devil a bit would Pat O'Leary wish to live alone in any place, bat I was -just thinking, master Henry, that if you and Miss Hamilton, bless the -light of her blessed black eyes, would only consint to be married, and -live upon this pretty, convanient little island, what a nate, clane, -comfortable serving man you might have in Patrick O'Leary.'</p> - -<p>Not knowing exactly, in what way to reply to Patrick's last speech, -Henry remained for the time silent, and they thus proceeded on their -journey, ascending first to the top of one hill, then after passing -through a fertile and beautiful valley, ascending another, until at last -they got completely tired. As they reached the second valley, Henry -spoke as follows:</p> - -<p>'I think we had better rest here awhile, Patrick.'</p> - -<p>'Just as you plase, sir,' answered his companion, 'rest or go on, it's -all one to Paddy O'Leary.'</p> - -<p>'Then I guess we will stop here,' said Henry.</p> - -<p>So saying, he seated himself on the luxuriant green grass, beneath a -fragrant orange tree, and Patrick was about to follow his example, when -the sudden appearance of three men on the summit of an adjacent -eminence, greeted the curious gaze which he cast around, and caused him -to exclaim:</p> - -<p>'By the powers of mud and blarney, master Henry, if there is no four -legged bastes upon this illigant bit of an island, there's plenty of two -legged ones.'</p> - -<p>'What do you mean,' exclaimed Henry, starting to his feet.</p> - -<p>'What do I mane? An sure, and what shall I mane, yer honor, except just -what I said? Just look at the top of that young mountain yonder, and you -will see two ugly looking two legged bastes, headed by a third, who -looks for all the world like the horrid baste with 'sivin heads and ten -horns,' that Father McGrave used to tell us was stabled in purgatory, -and ridden by the very ould divil himself.'</p> - -<p>Turning his eyes in the direction intimated, Henry immediately -discovered the three strong men to whom Patrick had alluded, and they -seemed at the same time to have seen him, for soon afterwards he -observed that they were descending the hill, and walking swiftly towards -the place where he and his servant were standing.<a name="Page_35" id="Page_35"></a></p> - -<p>'By the boys of Bulskerry, them divils are all armed, every mother's son -of them,' exclaimed O'Leary, as the strangers gained a near approach to -them.</p> - -<p>'So they are, sure enough,' answered Henry. 'But what shall we do, Pat, -run away, or stop and see what they want of us?'</p> - -<p>'It would surely be the asiest and most agreeable for both of us, to -show them a light pair of heels, or, in yer honor's own words, to run -away, that is, if so be that we had any where to run to,—but as we -haven't, why, the best thing we can be after doing, is to—to do the -best we can,—by staying where we am.'</p> - -<p>Having arrived at this very logical, and important conclusion, our -honest Hibernian flourished his shillalah above his head, but the next -moment it was snatched from his grasp by Blackbeard, who cast it away to -a considerable distance.</p> - -<p>'Bad luck to yer, for a murthering blackguard,' exclaimed Pat, as -nothing daunted, he closed in with the pirate, and with his superior -strength, would have easily crushed him to the earth, had not one of his -(Blackbeard's) comrades struck poor Pat a violent blow on the head with -the butt of his pistol, which caused him to let go his hold, and as he -afterwards averred, 'knocked the life from his head down to the inds of -his toes.'</p> - -<p>Whilst this curious transaction was in progress, Henry Huntington was -busily engaged in parrying the thrusts which were aimed at him by the -third pirate, with his stout walking stick, (which might, perhaps, be -more properly termed a heavy club,) and so lustily did he lay about him, -that he soon managed to knock his adversary down, through the agency of -a blow, (which, as it was afterwards discovered, fractured the villain's -skull,) when Blackbeard and the other man, who had just got clear of -Pat, fell suddenly upon Henry Huntington, and soon disarmed him.</p> - -<p>This having been accomplished, Blackbeard addressed him as follows:</p> - -<p>'Dost thou know, rash and fool-hardy man, that you have incurred death, -by daring to resist my authority, and wounding one of my comrades?</p> - -<p>'Though I know nothing either of you or your authority, or your -comrades, I do know, that as far forth as I could, I have done my duty.'</p> - -<p>'And I still have mine to do,' answered Blackbeard. 'Knowest thou that -Mary Hamilton is in my power?'</p> - -<p>'What,' exclaimed Henry, wildly, 'do I hear aright? Is my affianced in -the power of—'<a name="Page_36" id="Page_36"></a></p> - -<p>'If Mary Hamilton is your affianced wife, she is certainly in the power -of Blackbeard, the far-famed pirate of the Roanoke.'</p> - -<p>'God help her then,' exclaimed Henry, hardly knowing what he said.</p> - -<p>'Amen,' exclaimed the pirate, in a tone of cruel mockery.</p> - -<p>'If it is true, what you have told me,' said Henry, earnestly, 'only let -her go, free her, Mary Hamilton, from your cruel grasp, and then you may -kill, torture, do anything with my poor body that you will.'</p> - -<p>'I shall dispose of her, and you too, just as I please,' answered -Blackbeard, 'but I shall not stop longer here to bandy words with you.'</p> - -<p>As he finished speaking, the pirate raised his silver call to his lips, -and as its loud clear whistle rung out upon the still air, three more -desperadoes appeared suddenly upon the scene of action, whom Blackbeard -thus addressed:</p> - -<p>'Comrades, convey this young sprig of nobility,' pointing to Henry, 'and -that prostrate Irishman,' pointing to Patrick, (who was just beginning -to recover from the blow which had stunned him,) 'to the cavern, under -the palace, where you will see that they are closely confined.'</p> - -<p>So saying, Blackbeard turned quickly away, and soon disappeared through -the adjoining forest.</p> - -<p>The cavern to which the pirate had alluded in his last speech, as being -under the 'palace,' was a large, subterranean appartment, which was -generally used by the bucaniers as a place of storage for their ill -gotten plunder. This cavern had had many, and various ways of entrance, -the principal one of which, was near the outside of the palace, and was -opened by removing a broad, flat stone, which had been ingeniously set -upright in a small banking, apparently of earth, which surrounded this -singular abode.</p> - -<p>We might as well say here, as anywhere, that we are well aware that the -representation given by us of the pirate's palace and cavern, will be -looked upon by many as unnatural and improbable, but when they consider -that the bucaniers of that period were very numerous, and consisted of -men of almost every variety of genius, which must, even in its times of -relaxation, be employed about something, they will cease, perhaps, to -wonder that the ingenuity of such men should be exerted in building -convenient, and even elegant structures for their accommodation, and -their extensive means of enriching them with ornaments the most costly, -with which the numerous Indiamen they captured were freighted, will not -be farther questioned.<a name="Page_37" id="Page_37"></a></p> - -<p>But to return to our story.</p> - -<p>Finding himself surrounded by four or five armed and desperate men, -Huntington, concluding that resistance would be in vain, signified his -readiness to follow them, whereupon he was led by two of their number to -the cavern above alluded to, whilst the remaining pirates bestowed their -attention upon poor Patrick O'Leary, whom, (as he had not yet recovered -his powers of locomotion,) they lifted upon their shoulders and bore him -away after his master, much in the same manner as they would have -carried a slaughtered beast.</p> - -<p>Having arrived with their prisoners at the place assigned for their -confinement, the pirates conversed amongst themselves, as follows:</p> - -<p>'I say, Poplin,' exclaimed one who seemed to be a kind of petty officer, -'what do you suppose our captain intends to do with these two bear cubs -that we have here?'</p> - -<p>'I cannot say, Mr. Pepper,' replied the person to whom that worthy had -spoken, 'what he will do with that red-headed son of a mushroom, that -lays rolled up there yonder, like a bundle of half dead lobsters, but as -for the other one, he, you know, killed Pedro, and I heard the captain -say that he would be hanged.'</p> - -<p>'Then of course he will be, so that settles that affair,' replied Mr. -Pepper, very coolly. 'But what do you suppose, Poplin, he is going to do -with that fine lady, that he's got up overhead there?'</p> - -<p>'Which one do you mean? He's got two of them,' said Poplin.</p> - -<p>'Ah, yes, so he has, I recollect now. I mean both,' said Pepper.</p> - -<p>'I cannot tell only about the youngest one,' replied Poplin, 'whom the -captain is going to take on board the brig.'</p> - -<p>'What, has the pretty little craft arrived?' asked Pepper.</p> - -<p>'She has,' rejoined the other.</p> - -<p>'Then its all over with the Indiaman.'</p> - -<p>'Of course it is,' replied Poplin, significantly.</p> - -<p>'But the Indiaman you know,' suggested Pepper, 'carried double the -number of guns that the brig does.'</p> - -<p>'She carries a Captain Rowland also,' said Poplin, drily.</p> - -<p>'Ah, I understand it all now,' said Pepper, 'so let us confine the -prisoners, and then go up and see the fun.'</p> - -<p>So saying, a few moments afterwards, Pepper and his companions departed, -leaving Henry Huntington and Pat to their own reflections.</p> - -<p>What these reflections were, we shall leave for the present to the -imagination of our readers, and resume in our next chapter the further -adventures of Blackbeard, Arthur Huntington, and sweet Ellen Armstrong.</p> - - - -<hr /> -<h2><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> - -<div class="blockquot"><p><i>Interview between Blackbeard and Ellen—Attempted Murder of - the latter. Interference of Elvira. Blackbeard's Departure. - Elvira's History. The Escape.</i></p></div> - - -<p>After having ordered her close alongside the East Indiaman, Blackbeard -immediately descended to the place where sweet Ellen Armstrong was -confined as a prisoner, and addressed its occupant, in the following -manner,</p> - -<p>'So Miss Armstrong, you acted the heroine to perfection, this -afternoon.'</p> - -<p>A look of utter loathing and contempt, being the only answer which the -fair Ellen deigned to bestow on the pirate's words, he continued:</p> - -<p>'You must certainly be mad, my lovely lily of the valley, to look so -scornfully upon me, who at present holds in his hand the power of thy -life or death.'</p> - -<p>'As I am well assured that you will use the awful power you speak, to -put a speedy end to my wretched existence,' replied Ellen, 'I must beg -of you, instantly to retire, and thus rid me of your hateful presence.'</p> - -<p>'Stop, stop, my pretty Miss,' exclaimed Blackbeard, 'not quite so fast, -if you please. In the first place you must learn, that I have at present -no intention of taking your life, but on the contrary, I intend to make -you my wife, as soon as circumstances will permit.'</p> - -<p>'Pirate, fiend, villain,' exclaimed Ellen, starting up from her seat and -confronting Blackbeard, with all the majesty of injured innocence, -'learn, that rather than become the wife of a desperate robber like -thyself, Ellen Armstrong will die, die by her own hand, and—'</p> - -<p>'Ha, ha ha, there you go into heroics again,' interrupted the pirate, in -a tone of scornful irony, 'but I will soon find a way to bring you back -to your senses. Now, listen,' he continued, after a moment's pause, and -in a tone of voice changed to stern severity, 'listen I say, to my -words, and mark them well. From the curious scenes which transpired -awile ago on the deck of this vessel, in which you chose to act a -prominent part, I could draw but one inference, and that was, that you -was deeply in love with Arthur Huntington, and now I would ask of you, -if this inference is correct.'<a name="Page_39" id="Page_39"></a></p> - -<p>'Had you any right to put such a question to me, I should not hesitate -to answer it,' replied Ellen, who by this time had attained a sort of -desperate courage which enabled her to bear up under the unaccountable -horrors of her situation.</p> - -<p>'If I have not a right, you will now perceive that I have the might to -compel you to answer,' exclaimed Blackbeard, who having become by this -time, thoroughly infuriated, drew a poniard from his belt, and -advancing, towards Ellen, who sunk pale and terrified upon her knee, at -his approach, he continued:</p> - -<p>'It is far from my wish, Miss Armstrong, to harm even a hair of your -head; but you must, (and mark me, I speak not unmeaningly,) you must, I -repeat, answer my question, fairly, and without equivocation. Do you -love Arthur Huntington?'</p> - -<p>Ellen shuddered, and averted her head, but answered not. Finding his -fair prisoner was not disposed to reply, Blackbeard, exclaimed with a -horrid oath,</p> - -<p>'I tell you, girl, that the pirate of the Roanoke, is not to be tampered -with. Again, and for the last time, I command you to answer my question. -Will you do so?'</p> - -<p>'No,' replied Ellen firmly, 'I will not.'</p> - -<p>'Then your blood be upon your head!' exclaimed the pirate, as springing -suddenly forward, he inflicted a severe wound upon the person of sweet -Ellen Armstrong, with his poniard, which caused her to fall fainting and -bleeding upon the floor of the cabin.</p> - -<p>'My God, what have I done,' muttered Blackbeard, as he gazed upon his -prisoner's prostrate form.</p> - -<p>'Murdered your sister!' exclaimed a shrill female voice, which emanated -from a person who had entered the cabin unperceived, just after Ellen -was wounded.</p> - -<p>'Ha, who is that, that speaks of murder!' exclaimed the Pirate -involuntarily.</p> - -<p>'It is your mother, Elvira, who accuses you of having murdered that -beautiful girl, who now lays gasping at your feet,' replied the strange -female, who although she was far advanced in years, beyond the prime of -life, still possessed a tall and commanding form, together with -features, which, though they were somewhat wrinkled and withered, had -once been pre-eminently fair and beautiful.</p> - -<p>'Avaunt! hag,' exclaimed Blackbeard, as Elvira ceased speaking, 'begone -I say, and if ever thou darest to call thyself, my mother, in my -hearing, I will stab you to the very heart.'<a name="Page_40" id="Page_40"></a></p> - -<p>'Am I not thy father's wife, Herbert?' replied the female.</p> - -<p>'You say so, and it may be so,' rejoined Blackbeard, 'but at any rate -you are only a social one.'</p> - -<p>'If even that is allowed,' answered Elvira, 'you must own that it -legally puts me in your mother's place.'</p> - -<p>'By the bones of Captain Kid, it sounds well and appropriate for you, to -talk about legality,' replied Blackbeard, ironically, 'you, who hast -been born and bred amongst those, who acknowledge no laws, except those -of their own making. Go to, you're an idiot.'</p> - -<p>'But I am not a murderess,' replied Elvira.</p> - -<p>'That is more than I could swear for,' said Blackbeard.</p> - -<p>'At least I never killed my sister,' rejoined Elvira.</p> - -<p>'What do you mean to insinuate by that?' asked the Pirate as his -muscular frame trembled with a sort of indefinable emotion.</p> - -<p>'I mean,' replied Elvira earnestly, 'not only to insinuate, but to -solemnly assert, that, that unfortunate girl, who now lies bleeding -before your eyes, is your only sister.'</p> - -<p>'What!' exclaimed Blackbeard, driven by these singular words almost to -frenzy, 'Witch of Bedlam, thou liest.'</p> - -<p>A low, faint moan, here escaped from the lips of the wounded girl, which -caused Elvira, thus to address the pirate:</p> - -<p>'Say no more at present, Herbert, I entreat you, but leave the cabin, -whilst I endeavor to restore this young creature to consciousness.'</p> - -<p>'You asserted just now, that this girl was my only sister,' replied -Blackbeard, 'and before I depart I must have an explanation of your -words.'</p> - -<p>'For the love of Heaven, Herbert,' said Elvira, 'leave me alone with -this maiden for the present, and to-morrow I will explain everything.'</p> - -<p>'Upon that consideration, I will go,' avowed the pirate, 'and after -which you will carefully examine her wound, and if it is likely to prove -fatal, beware how you lose any time in making me aware of the fact.'</p> - -<p>So saying, and without awaiting Elvira's reply, Blackbeard immediately -left the cabin.</p> - -<p>'Lower away the boat there,' thundered forth the pirate, as he gained -the brig's quarter deck. A score or two men promptly executed this -order, the boat was soon manned; Blackbeard assumed his station in the -stern sheets, and was soon pulled along side of the Gladiator, whose -deck he quickly reached, where he earnestly inquired of the officer in -charge, for Captain Rowland.<a name="Page_41" id="Page_41"></a></p> - -<p>'He went ashore, sir,' replied the man to whom he had applied, 'about -one hour ago, and left orders for you to follow him at your earliest -convenience.'</p> - -<p>Upon hearing this, Blackbeard without stopping to reply, hastily -re-entered his boat, and ordered his coxswain to steer directly for the -shore, which he soon reached, and having landed, made the best of his -way to the palace, where we will for the present leave him, whilst we -look further after the fortunes of our heroine.</p> - -<p>No sooner had the pirate, taken his departure from the cabin, than the -strange female hastened to the assistance of the wounded girl, whom she -supported in her arms, and then conducted her into a small but neatly -furnished state-room, which was Elvira's own apartment, where she had -partly overheard the altercation which took place, as before related, -between Blackbeard and Ellen, and from which she had noiselessly and -unperceived entered the main cabin just after our unfortunate heroine -had fallen to the floor. Here Elvira gently laid her fair charge upon -her own soft couch, and proceeded immediately to examine her wound, -which, although it had bled copiously, was but slight, then, after -carefully dressing it, this strange woman, by the aid of appropriate -restoratives soon succeeded in restoring 'sweet' Ellen Armstrong once -more to consciousness.</p> - -<p>As a confused sense of her situation began to dawn upon her mind, our -heroine, after casting a wild glance around the state-room, addressed -Elvira as follows:</p> - -<p>'Good woman, for the love of Heaven, tell me where I am, and into whose -hands I have fallen?'</p> - -<p>'You are at present on board of a piratical vessel called the Fury, and -in the hands of a merciless and cruel set of black-hearted villains.'</p> - -<p>'And you,' exclaimed Ellen, hardly knowing what she said, 'how came you, -a woman, to be in this horrid place?'</p> - -<p>'That is a question,' replied Elvira 'much easier for you to ask, than -it will be for me to answer, but, as some of the events connected with -the sad history of my presence here, may be found to be somewhat -connected with your present mysterious situation, I will lose no time in -making you acquainted with the story of my past life, that is, if you -think you possess strength enough to listen to the recital, which as it -is to me a painful theme, I shall make as brief as possible.'</p> - -<p>A strange and unaccountable interest in the words of the dejected being -who stood before her, having taken possession of the sympathizing mind -of our heroine, she signified to Elvira, that she felt strong enough to -listen to any thing which might serve to explain the horrible mystery -connected with her sudden captivity, and the subsequent events attendant -upon it.</p> - -<p>As Ellen finished speaking, Elvira, commenced her narration as follows:</p> - -<p>'I was born in Lincoln, near fifty years ago. My parents were poor, but -respectable trades-people, who, had they been permitted to live, until -I, their only child, had reached the age of womanhood, might<a name="Page_42" id="Page_42"></a> have, by -religious counsel and strict government checked, if not wholly -obliterated the reckless propensities of my passionate temper and wild, -wayward disposition. But before my years had numbered ten, my parents -both died within a few weeks of each other, leaving me to the care of a -tyrannical old aunt, who I soon afterwards found, managed to hide, under -an artful affection of religion and prudery, a base malignant and -sensual character. I was immediately sent by my aunt to the -parish-school, where, being naturally tractable and apt to learn I soon -acquired the rudiments of a good education, and besides, I learnt also -to become an expert needle-woman. No sooner did my aunt find that I was -mistress of this latter accomplishment, than she took me at once from -school, and compelled me to toil day and night at my needle, refusing me -at the same time all necessary rest and recreation.</p> - -<p>'Young and high-spirited as I then was, I found it impossible to bear -such brutal treatment, and one day when I was about fourteen years of -age, in a fit of anger and despair, I left the home of my cruel aunt, -and found myself a wretched wanderer in the streets of London, without -money, home, or friends. Still I wandered on, not realizing the horror -of my situation, till the shades of evening began to cover the city, and -the harsh knawings of cruel hunger, began inexorably to crave their -natural satisfaction. Then it was that I felt myself compelled to look -around for some place of shelter, but could find none, and would have -returned again to my cruel aunt, but alas, all my efforts to find her -habitation proved utterly fruitless, and having by this time reached the -banks of the Thames, I plunged without a moment's hesitation, into its -dark waters, resolving to end at once a life which promised nothing to -its possessor, but wretchedness and wo. But my fatal resolution was -frustrated by a man, who, unperceived had for some time previous watched -my wild and desperate course, and who jumped into the water as I a -second time rose to its surface, caught me by the arm, and held me -tightly with one hand, whilst with the other he swam toward a small -vessel, which, being but a short distance off, he managed to reach in -safety.</p> - -<p>'Having received on board this vessel every attention which the greatest -delicacy and kindness could dictate, I soon became impressed with a -strong desire to become acquainted, with the character and designs of -the person who had so disinterestedly preserved my life. It so happened -that during a short illness which was occasioned by the cold bath I had -taken in the Thames, I was assiduously attended by a female, who, as I -afterwards learnt, was the wife of one of the officers of the vessel. To -this woman who was very kind and attentive to my wants, I applied for -the gratification of my curiosity concerning my preserver, upon which -she informed me that he was a young Spaniard of good family, who -commanded the vessel in which we were then situated.</p> - -<p>'This was all I could gather from her, but a day or two afterwards I had -perfectly recovered so that I could verbally thank the generous man who -had saved my life, to his face. After having<a name="Page_43" id="Page_43"></a> listened with modest -though marked attention to my warm protestations of gratitude, Don -Almanzor, (for such was his name,) begged me to relate to him the -untoward events which had driven me to desperation and almost death.</p> - -<p>'In accordance with his request, I gave him a brief history of my -previous life, after which in view as he said, of my helpless and -desolate condition, he offered to take me to his home in Cuba, where he -informed me I should become an inmate of his father's family, he taking -upon himself to act towards me, in every respect, the part of a friend -and generous brother.</p> - -<p>'With redoubled expressions of sincere gratitude and respect, I eagerly -consented to abide by Almanzor's generous offer, and a few days -afterward, the vessel in which I had so strangely become a passenger, -sailed for Havana, where she arrived after a pleasant passage of three -weeks.</p> - -<p>'During the voyage, Almanzor treated me with the most delicate attention -and respect, and as he was young, handsome, and unmarried, you will not -be surprised when I inform you, that long before its termination, I -became deeply and fervently attached to him. However, I resolved to keep -my passion a secret within my own bosom, until I should know whether my -affection would be reciprocated by its object, and in the mean time, I -became regularly domesticated in the family of Don Almanzor, which -consisted of his father, who was a rich old Spanish slave-dealer, his -mother, and himself. The old people treated me in all respects, as -though I had been their only daughter, and for two years I lived with -them in the enjoyment of a pure and tranquil happiness, which, at the -expiration of that time, was enhanced beyond measure, by an honorable -offer on the part of Almanzor, of his hand and heart. As might naturally -be supposed, I readily accepted an offer which agreed so well with my -own inclinations, and shortly afterwards we were married, and after two -more years of increased felicity had passed, I became the mother of a -lovely daughter.</p> - -<p>'My husband was at this time absent on a trading voyage, and the vessel -that he was in having encountered a severe hurricane, was stranded, and -every soul on board of her found a watery grave.</p> - -<p>'This dreadful news was brought to me by Captain Rowland, who visited -the island at that time, in the capacity of master of an English brig, -and need I say that the horrid tidings almost drove me frantic.</p> - -<p>'Then the insiduous tempter came, and offered me his hand, which I -accepted, and thus I became what you see me now, Rowland's wife.'</p> - -<p>'And who is this Captain Rowland?' asked Ellen, eagerly.</p> - -<p>'He is a noted pirate,' replied Elvira.</p> - -<p>'Did you know that when you married him?'</p> - -<p>'I did not, if I had, sooner would I have yielded my life than united my -fortune, desperate as it was, with his. When I discovered his true -character, I was his wife, on board of his vessel, and in his power, -with no avenue through which I could escape, and for the sake of my -child, I was forced to humble myself, and submit to his caprices.'<a name="Page_44" id="Page_44"></a></p> - -<p>'Your situation must have been terrible beyond expression,' ejaculated -Ellen, who had become deeply interested in the story of the unfortunate -woman.</p> - -<p>'God knows that it was so,' answered Elvira. 'The discovery of his -deception came upon me suddenly, like a thunderbolt from the clouds of -heaven, and I upbraided him for it in the bitterness of my heart, and he -answered my reproaches at first with scornful laughter, and afterwards -with a relation of the history of his past life, during which, to my -utter astonishment and surprise, I learnt that he had been once before -married, but that his wife had recently died, leaving two children, a -son who was at that time in the vessel with his father, and an infant -daughter, concerning whom, I could only then learn from Rowland, that -she had been left in London, in the hands of such persons as would take -good care of her.</p> - -<p>'It was in vain after this, that I begged my cruel husband to return me -and my child to Havana, he was utterly deaf to all my entreaties, -although about two months after our embarcation he landed me on this -desolate, but beautiful island, where, in his hours of leisure, he had -with the assistance of his companions, erected and furnished with his -rich but ill gotten spoils, that building which has been signified by -the name of the Pirate's Palace.'</p> - -<p>'That must be the horrid place,' exclaimed Ellen, 'which I saw this -morning, and in which I fear Mary Hamilton is—is—'</p> - -<p>'Now confined,' interrupted Elvira.</p> - -<p>'Is it not worse than that,' exclaimed Ellen, eagerly, 'has she not met -with a cruel death?'</p> - -<p>'Oh no, that is no part of the purpose of those who have detained her,' -answered Elvira.</p> - -<p>'Do you know their true purpose, then,' asked Ellen, 'relative to her, -myself, and the rest of the prisoners?'</p> - -<p>'With regard to Miss Hamilton,' replied Elvira, 'Rowland's purpose is to -force her into a union with his son.'</p> - -<p>'And who may his son be?' again inquired Ellen.</p> - -<p>'No other,' answered Elvira, impressively, 'but Herbert Rowland -otherwise called Blackbeard, the famous pirate of the Roanoke, who is -besides your only brother.'</p> - -<p>'And Captain Rowland?'</p> - -<p>'Is your father.'</p> - -<p>'God of Heaven! can it be possible?' exclaimed the fair Ellen.</p> - -<p>'It is no less possible than true,' replied Elvira.</p> - -<p>'Then, in Heaven's name, let us free Arthur from his fetters,' exclaimed -Ellen, 'and all of us escape through the cabin window into the boat, -that has, I perceive, been left astern.'</p> - -<p>Upon hearing this, Elvira immediately left the cabin, but, to Ellen's -greater joy, she shortly after returned, followed by Arthur Huntington, -who assisted the females into the boat, after which he entered it -himself and succeeded in getting, unperceived, out of sight of the brig, -upon the bosom of the wide ocean.</p> - - - -<hr /> -<h2><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> - -<div class="blockquot"><p><i>Singular Interview between Blackbeard and his Father. The - Sloop-of-war. Meeting of Rowland and Henry Huntington. Life or - Death. The Surprise. The Fight. The Result. Joyful Meeting. - The Double Bridal. Happy Conclusion.</i></p></div> - - -<p>Upon entering the main apartment of the pirate's palace, Blackbeard -encountered Captain Roderick Rowland whom he addressed as follows:</p> - -<p>'Ha, mine honored father, so you happened to arrive here just in the -nick of time to—'</p> - -<p>'Be hung, I suppose,' muttered Rowland from between his teeth.</p> - -<p>'Not quite so bad as that I hope,' rejoined Blackbeard.</p> - -<p>'I hope not, too,' answered Rowland; 'but there is a very dim chance for -us to escape with whole necks.'</p> - -<p>'How so, father? What do you mean?' asked Blackbeard.</p> - -<p>'Did not Lovelace tell you that the Fury was chased all day yesterday by -one of His Majesty's sloops-of-war?'</p> - -<p>'He did not,' replied Blackbeard, who was greatly astonished by the -intelligence thus communicated. 'But what is to be done?'</p> - -<p>'One of two things must be decided upon, and that quickly,' answered -Rowland. 'We must either get the brig underweigh, and sail for it, or -else shut ourselves up here and fight for it.'</p> - -<p>'You will be obliged to decide upon the latter position, then, for the -brig is aground.'</p> - -<p>'D—nation!' muttered Rowland, then recollecting himself, he continued:</p> - -<p>'Well, Herbert, how many of our crew is there now about the palace?'</p> - -<p>'Not more than a dozen.'</p> - -<p>'There should be thirteen, I think,' replied Rowland.</p> - -<p>'And there probably would have been had not one of them had his brains -knocked out this morning in a scuffle with one of your passengers.'</p> - -<p>'Which one of them was it who dared to strike one of us?' asked Rowland.</p> - -<p>'A devilish rum one, I can tell you, father. If I mistake not, his name -was Henry Huntington.'</p> - -<p>'Have you got him in custody?'</p> - -<p>'Ay, he is safely confined in the cavern.'</p> - -<p>'And I hope we shall have an opportunity to hang him,' exclaimed -Rowland. 'And Mary Hamilton, is she too, safe?'</p> - -<p>'She is, I believe, in the next room with Violette,' answered -Blackbeard.<a name="Page_46" id="Page_46"></a></p> - -<p>'Herbert, I have resolved that you shall marry that girl,' said Rowland -abruptly.</p> - -<p>'Hell and fury!' exclaimed Blackbeard. 'I did not expect that. In your -letter, written to me from London, you stated that I was to marry one of -the two girls who were about to take passage with you in the Gladiator, -so I concluded you meant the youngest, and I have made love to her -accordingly.'</p> - -<p>'Good God, Herbert, she is your only sister!'</p> - -<p>'Then I have killed her!'</p> - -<p>'How?' exclaimed Rowland.</p> - -<p>'I have murdered her,' replied Blackbeard, who then related to his -father the conversation that had passed between himself and Ellen, and -its terrible result.</p> - -<p>'I little thought,' said Rowland, as Blackbeard finished speaking, 'that -I was training you up to outvie myself in villany. Are you sure she is -dead?'</p> - -<p>'I hope she is,' replied Blackbeard, ironically.</p> - -<p>'Beware then!' exclaimed Blackbeard; 'for if she has gone, if her pure -spirit has departed, you shall soon follow her.'</p> - -<p>'If I follow her I shall be sure of Heaven, then, which would by no -means be the case if I followed you in your exit from the world,' -muttered Blackbeard.</p> - -<p>'Why, Herbert,' exclaimed Rowland, 'you will soon arrive to be the very -prince of bucaniers, if your career is not cut short by a—'</p> - -<p>'Halter,' interrupted Blackbeard. 'Well, if it is, I shall not have to -swing alone—there is some consolation in that—there is nothing like -plenty of company, whichever road we may be travelling.'</p> - -<p>'Ha! ha! ha!' laughed Rowland. 'You're a sad dog, Herbert, and well -worthy the lineage from which you have descended. Now you will go and -order the men to get their arms in readiness for a desperate fight, and -despatch two of them to the brig with orders for her crew to hasten to -our assistance.'</p> - -<p>'But what shall be done with the passengers and crew of the Indiaman,' -asked Blackbeard.</p> - -<p>'There are none there of any great consequence to us,' answered Rowland, -'and as there is no room for us to be cumbered with them here, we shall -be obliged to let them run a chance of escape. You can also tell Pepper -to bring the prisoners now in the cavern immediately into my presence.'</p> - -<p>Having received the above orders, Blackbeard departed upon his errand, -and soon after, Pepper entered Rowland's presence, followed by Henry -Huntington and his faithful servant, Mr. Patrick O'Leary.</p> - -<p>After surveying the two prisoners for some moments in silence, Rowland -spoke to Huntingdon in the following manner:</p> - -<p>'You are undoubtedly much surprised at meeting me in this place, are you -not, Mr. Huntington?'<a name="Page_47" id="Page_47"></a></p> - -<p>'Since the mysterious events of this morning I have ceased to be -surprised at anything,' answered Henry.</p> - -<p>This reply was apparently unheeded by Rowland, who thus continued:</p> - -<p>'I have sent for you here in order to inform you that to-morrow will be -the last day of your existence. You have forfeited your life in two -several and different ways to the laws of the free sons of the ocean.'</p> - -<p>Here Rowland paused for a reply; but as Henry did not choose to make -any, he continued:</p> - -<p>'When you considered me to be nothing but the master of a paltry -Indiaman, you treated me with haughtiness, contempt, and scorn that I -never did forgive, and never shall.'</p> - -<p>'You was treated by me, as in my estimation, you deserved to be,' -replied Henry, boldly.</p> - -<p>'Very well,' answered Rowland, as a sardonic grin illuminated his -flexible countenance, 'as you are self-condemned on that charge, there -is no occasion for me to bring forward the others, so to-morrow morning -you die!'</p> - -<p>'Oh! say not so, but recall your cruel words!' exclaimed Mary Hamilton, -as she rushed into Rowland's presence from the inner apartment.</p> - -<p>'Ha! who have we here?' exclaimed Rowland, as the wild tones of Mary's -voice fell upon his ear.</p> - -<p>'You see before you, sir,' replied Miss Hamilton, 'a poor unfortunate -girl who only claims from you the boon of her friend's life.'</p> - -<p>'You plead in vain, Miss Hamilton,' answered Rowland, coldly, 'his life -has been twice forfeited, and were an angel from Heaven to ask it, it -would avail nothing—he must and shall die.'</p> - -<p>'Then will I die with him!'</p> - -<p>'Ha! sits the wind in that quarter,' muttered Rowland in a low tone, -then raising his voice, and addressing Mary, he said:</p> - -<p>'I suppose then, I am to infer that you are in love with this Mr. -Huntington.'</p> - -<p>'You must infer what you please, sir,' replied Mary, 'I shall say no -more.'</p> - -<p>'I must speak myself, then,' replied Rowland. 'Now Miss Hamilton, hear -me. Some ten years have elapsed since I first become acquainted with -your father in Rio, where I had landed to dispose of a cargo of negroes. -I also soon became acquainted with the vast extent of his wealth, with -the fact that, upon the event of his death, it would fall into your -hands, and from that hour I resolved that you should marry my son. To -bring about this result I have practised every art which my inventive -genius could suggest in order to get you in my power, and after finding -out where and with whom you resided, I have watched day and night for an -opportunity to secure your person, and at last success crowned my -efforts, as I obtained the command of the vessel in which, as I was well -assured beforehand, you took passage for the purpose of joining your -father. Now my son is<a name="Page_48" id="Page_48"></a> here, and you, his destined bride, we have a -regularly educated Roman priest here also, who can legally solemnize the -marriage rites; therefore consent to wed my son, Herbert Rowland, and -the life of Henry Huntington is saved.'</p> - -<p>For some moments after the conclusion of Rowland's speech, Mary uttered -not a word, but stood with uplifted eyes, as if in silent suppication to -Heaven for guidance in this her hour of peril and danger.</p> - -<p>The solemn silence which reigned in the apartment was soon broken by -Rowland who thus again addressed Miss Hamilton:</p> - -<p>'Will you consent to become my son's wife?'</p> - -<p>'Never!' replied the fair girl, firmly. 'Although the life of my friend -is dearer to me than my own, I will never consent to save it by a -dishonored allegiance with the son of a pirate.'</p> - -<p>'Then an angel spoke,' exclaimed Henry.</p> - -<p>'By the piper that played before Moses, and I can swear on the blissed -book to that same, masther Henry,' ejaculated Pat O'Leary, who, with a -countenance swaying alternately from laughing to crying, formed a -somewhat ludicrous contrast to the rest of the group.</p> - -<p>'Take that young sprig of nobility below again, Pepper,' exclaimed -Rowland.</p> - -<p>As Henry was about to follow the individual in question, who was -preparing to depart with his prisoner, Mary said:</p> - -<p>'Farewell, Henry, be of good cheer, and despair not, for He who tempers -the wind to the shorn lamb, will most assuredly deliver you from your -villanous persecutor.'</p> - -<p>Having thus spoken, Miss Hamilton immediately retired into the adjoining -apartment.</p> - -<p>'Come, young man,' exclaimed Pepper, 'bear a hand, and trot here in my -wake.'</p> - -<p>'Lead on,' answered Henry, and so saying he followed Pepper towards the -door.</p> - -<p>They had hardly reached it, however, before their farther progress was -impeded by the entrance of Blackbeard, who almost breathlessly -exclaimed:</p> - -<p>'It is all over with us, father. The boats from the sloop-of-war on the -other side of the island, and their crews armed to the teeth, are now -within a few rods of the palace.'</p> - -<p>'Be the bones of St. Patrick, an' sure that is the most illegant news -that iver graated the ears iv a jintleman in disthress!' exclaimed Pat -O'Leary, who was in an ecstacy of joy at the prospect of his speedy -deliverance.</p> - -<p>'What is to be done, father?' asked Blackbeard.</p> - -<p>'Done,' exclaimed Rowland, in a voice of thunder, 'why, we must fight -and die, as we have lived, at war with all mankind.'</p> - -<p>By this time a considerable number of the pirates had entered the -palace, and were ordered by Rowland to close the doors and barricade -them with whatever moveables they could find, but before his command -could be executed, the apartment was forcibly entered by the<a name="Page_49" id="Page_49"></a> crew of -one of the launches of His Majesty's sloop of war, Vengeance, headed by -an officer, who called out to the inmates,—</p> - -<p>'Surrender in the name of King George!'</p> - -<p>'In the name of King Lucifer, then, I will never surrender,' exclaimed -Rowland, as he aimed a blow at the officer with his cutlass.</p> - -<p>The fight thus began, and soon became general, but although the pirates -fought desperately, they were soon overpowered by the superior numbers -and coolness of their adversaries, and as a pistol shot laid Rowland -upon the floor, the few desperadoes who remained, agreed to surrender at -discretion, with the exception of Blackbeard, who fought like a tiger, -until he fell covered with wounds by his father's side, the red current -of life mingling with that of his unnatural parent.</p> - -<p>'Some one must have betrayed us, Herbert,' exclaimed the now dying -Rowland, 'and the curse of,—but no, Clarice, I cannot come to thee, -thou art in Heaven. O God, my child, my dearest one, where art thou, -Clarice, Elvira, El—'</p> - -<p>Here the sound of his voice was heard no more. Rowland was dead!</p> - -<p>As his cold hand fell lifeless by his side, it rested upon the cold -clammy cheek of his son, and it became evident to all around that the -short but eventful career of Blackbeard, the far-famed Pirate of Roanoke -was forever ended.</p> - -<hr class="sm" /> - -<p>Although the Fury had managed to outsail the sloop-of-war, on the day -previous to the events above related, the captain of the latter, well -knowing that the island of Trinidad had long been a piratical -rendezvous, naturally supposed that the brig would stop there, and as he -made the land just before night-fall he determined the next day to -explore the island, hoping that he might thereby be enabled to trace the -desperadoes to their lurking-place.</p> - -<p>The wind changing during the night, brought the Vengeance, next morning, -some few miles to the leeward of the island, on the side opposite from -that where the Fury had grounded, so that it was late in the afternoon -before she could get near enough to lower her boats.</p> - -<p>Just before, however, the order was given to embark the several boat's -crews, the man on the look-out exclaimed:</p> - -<p>'There is something close alongside here, which looks like a boat.'</p> - -<p>The captain of the Vengeance, upon going forward to see what the strange -thing might be, was greatly astonished at being hailed as follows:</p> - -<p>'Ship ahoy. For the love of Heaven stop and take on board two helpless -women, who have but just escaped from the pirates.'</p> - -<p>This request was speedily acceded to, the sails of the Vengeance were -hove aback, and the next moment Arthur Huntington, accompanied by Ellen -Armstrong and the pirate's wife, were safe upon her deck, where the -former lost no time in making the captain of the Vengeance acquainted -with the events which had that day transpired, whilst Elvira volunteered -to direct the officer who had been entrusted with the command of the -boats, to the pirate's palace, which otherwise he might not have found.<a name="Page_50" id="Page_50"></a></p> - -<p>Before midnight, the whole party who had landed upon the island in the -morning, met each other once again, upon the deck of the Vengeance, and -many and sincere were the thanks they returned to Heaven for their -deliverance out of the murderous hands of the pirate of the Roanoke.</p> - -<hr class="sm" /> - -<p>Five years after the occurrence of the singular events above narrated, -the mansion of Lord Armstrong, situated near the mouth of the Roanoke -river, in the province of North Carolina, was brilliantly illuminated, -as if for a season of great rejoicing. And such indeed was the fact. -Soon after night-fall a gay party had assembled in the earl's parlor, -and shortly afterwards entered Henry Huntington, holding by the hand the -fair and stately Mary Hamilton, immediately followed by his brother -Arthur and sweet Ellen Armstrong, the whole party being succeeded by a -clergyman, attired in the sacerdotal robes of the church of Rome.</p> - -<p>That night, dear reader, witnessed the consummation of a double bridal.</p> - -<p>Elvira, the pirate's wife, and her daughter Violette, were present at -the wedding, and so was Misther Pat O'Leary, who afterwards declared -that 'by the powers of mud, it was indade the pleasantest night he had -iver passed in his life, so it was.'</p> - -<p>Kind reader, it only remains for us to say that the descendants of -Arthur and Henry Huntington still continue to reside upon the pleasant -banks of the Roanoke, and often take great pleasure in recounting to -each other the exploits of the far-famed Blackbeard, and the -providential and almost miraculous escape of their ancestors from the -blood-stained hands of Herbert and Roderick Rowland.</p> - -<h5>THE END.</h5> - - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Blackbeard, by B. 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Barker - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Blackbeard - Or, The Pirate of Roanoke. - -Author: B. Barker - -Release Date: February 26, 2006 [EBook #17863] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACKBEARD *** - - - - -Produced by Cori Samuel, Irma Špehar and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -made from images produced by the North Carolina History -and Fiction Digital Library.) - - - - - - -BLACKBEARD; - -OR, THE - -PIRATE OF THE ROANOKE. - -A Tale of the Atlantic. - -BY B. BARKER, ESQ. - -_Author of 'The Sea Serpent,' 'Dwarf of the Channel,' 'Mornilva,' &c._ - -BOSTON: -PUBLISHED BY F. GLEASON, -AT THE FLAG OF OUR UNION OFFICE, -CORNER OF COURT AND TREMONT STREETS. - -1847. - -_Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by F. Gleason, -in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts._ - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - _The Island of Trinidad. Landing of the Earl of Derwentwater - and his party upon the Isle--Its Enchanted Scenery. Unnatural - Sounds. Sudden appearance of the Notorious Pirate Blackbeard._ - - -Situated upon the broad bosom of the vast Atlantic Ocean, about two -hundred leagues from the coast of Brazil, is a small but fertile island, -which has retained from the period of its first discovery, the familiar -name of Trinidad. This beautiful island, although a lovely and -sequestered spot, has been for various general reasons, but rarely -visited by the hardy mariners of the deep, and never permanently settled -or inhabited by man. Its surface is agreeably diversified with high -hills and low beautiful valleys, whilst its circumference is almost -wholly surrounded by a chain of dark, rocky cliffs, which gives to this -remote island a somewhat fantastic appearance to the eye of the -beholder, as he approaches it from the sea. On this circumscribed but -favored spot of earth, nature seems to have reveled in almost boundless -profusion, scattering here and there throughout its valleys her choicest -favors, in the shape of delicious tropical fruits, and ever green -luxuriant herbage, whose fragrance as it mingled with the pure fresh -breeze of the ocean, has proved to be a sweet balsam of health to many a -sick and weary mariner as he sailed within reach of its invigorating -influence. Although this fair island possessed no convenient harbor for -its vessels of any class, still there was upon its southern side, a -small piece of white sandy beach, upon which a single boat might easily -land, and here upon this same spot, a boat did land about an hour after -sunrise, on the thirty-first day of October, 1717. - -The boat in question, was occupied by six persons, who, as soon as its -keel grazed upon the clear white sand, immediately disembarked and -dispersed themselves singly and by twos, in different directions for the -purpose of enjoying a short ramble amongst the shady trees and fragrant -foliage of the island. - -The party to which we have alluded, consisted of the Earl of -Derwentwater, a noble looking gentleman, who, apparently had but just -spent the prime of life,--his fair niece, Mary Hamilton, a stately and -beautiful girl, about twenty-three years of age,--Arthur Huntington and -his twin brother, Henry--a huge red headed but fat and good natured son -of the 'Emerald Isle,' who acted in the capacity of servant to the earl, -and last, though by no means least, a beautiful golden haired, cherry -cheerful nymph of fourteen, whom for the sake of a name we shall call -Ellen Armstrong. - -After having rambled about for a short space of time, the earl and his -fair niece suddenly encountered each other on the brow of a rising -eminence, when the latter then accosted her companion: - -'Dear uncle, this lovely island seems to me, like a miniature paradise, -wherein I could always wish to live as long as the precious boon of life -should be granted unto me.' - -'I declare, Mary,' replied the earl, as a slight smile passed over his -noble countenance, 'you appear to be an enthusiast in every thing. I -grant, that this is a beautiful spot, yet not to be compared in my -estimation, even for a moment, with my lovely park near London, in merry -old England.' - -'But, you forget, dear uncle,' replied Mary Hamilton, 'that our English -parks are not now what they once were.' - -'How so, Mary, do not the staunch old oaks, grow to a height as lofty as -of yore?' - -'Perhaps they do, but still, uncle, there is too much art mixed up with -nature, in our English scenery. Here all is nature.' - -'And I think you must be a very great lover of it, if you prefer this -hilly, iron bound island, to the level green sward of Derwent park,' -replied the earl. - -'I must still plead guilty of the charge of loving nature as it is, -uncle,' responded Mary. 'I have seen it in a great variety of forms. I -have viewed its high grandeur amid the forests and mountains of America; -but never before this hour, have I ever seen it so pure, so serene, and -so calmly beautiful.' - -'I must needs own, that this is at present, a quiet place enough,' -answered the earl, 'but do you not know, dear Mary, that even here, the -face of nature is oft times suddenly changed, by the awful sweep of the -howling hurricane, or the thundering shock of the subterraneous -earthquake.' - -'Why, I really believe, that you are getting to be enthusiastic now, -dear uncle,' replied Mary Hamilton, 'but we cannot exactly agree, I move -that we drop the subject forthwith.' - -'And I second the motion,' laughingly responded the noble earl.--'But -look at the ship, Mary, and see, she is almost hull down in the -distance.' - -The vessel to which the earl alluded, the white sails of which were just -visible to his eyes and those of his companion, from the eminence on -which they stood, was the honorable East India Company's ship Gladiator, -to which belonged the boat that had conveyed the Earl and his party to -the shore, in the manner before related. She was bound to Rio Janeiro, -from thence to Batavia, and as they had a long passage from the Downs, -Captain Rowland was easily persuaded to allow his distinguished -passenger the long coveted recreation of visiting the small though -beautiful island of Trinidad. - -'Rowland is going to make a long tack, this time I guess,' continued the -earl, as they both stood watching the still lessening sails of the huge -Indiaman. - -'Suppose, dear uncle, replied Mary Hamilton, 'that this Captain Rowland -should sail away and leave us here upon this remote island.' - -'Then you would have a most excellent chance to study nature as it is,' -responded the earl playfully. 'But Rowland would never dare to do any -such foolish thing as that to which you have alluded.' - -'It may be so, uncle, but still I must sincerely confess, that there is -something about this Captain Rowland and his general conduct which I by -no means like.' - -'Oh, you are too fastidious, dear Mary,' replied the earl, 'for I am -sure that as far as my observation has gone, Captain Rowland has -conducted himself thus far during our voyage, in a very kind and -gentlemanly manner.' - -'Your observation has not extended as far as mine, uncle, if it had you -would have noticed the sardonic and sinister expression of this -captain's countenance, as he oft times gazed upon the fair form of sweet -Ellen Armstrong.' - -'What a suspicious mortal you are, Mary. Why, I would trust Rowland's -honor amongst a thousand Ellen Armstrongs, or Mary Hamiltons either.' - -'God grant that your trust in his good intentions may be well founded,' -replied Mary seriously, then adroitly turning the conversation, she -continued, 'see uncle, there is Arthur Huntington and Ellen Armstrong at -the bottom of the hill--let us join them.' - -Having thus spoken, Mary Hamilton accepted the aid of the earl's -proffered arm, and both together leisurely descended the hill, intently -gazing upon the sea, they did so as if watching the slow progress of the -ship, which was now standing in towards the land. - -So very busy was sweet Ellen Armstrong, in catching each enthusiastic -word as it fell from the lips of Arthur Huntington, whilst he eloquently -descanted on the beauties of the island scenery--she was scarcely aware -of the near vicinity of her elder intruders, until Mary Hamilton -approached her closely and spoke as follows: - -'Oh, Ellen, what a monopolizer you are of the attention of young -gentlemen. First, you led Mr. Henry Huntington in a wild goose chase all -around the island, and next, we find you holding a very confidential -'tete-a-tete' with young Mr. Arthur. Such proceedings are really too -bad, and, as your watchful 'duenna,' I must enter my serious protest -against them.' - -These words were spoken in a playful bantering kind of manner, which -caused the rich red blood to mantle over the face and neck of the -beautiful Ellen, whilst she answered in the same tone: - -'I humbly crave your pardon, most gracious and prudent 'duenna,' for -having been the only one of the party who designed to treat the young -gentlemen to whom you have alluded, with ordinary civility.' - -'She has you there, Mary,' exclaimed the earl, 'and it is now your turn -to blush for not doing the amiable to at least one of the twin -brothers.' - -Before Mary could find words wherewith to reply to her uncle's bantering -speech, a low sweet strain of mournful music, fell suddenly upon the -ears of our astonished voyagers, which as it died slowly away, like the -departing imagery of a vivid dream, was succeeded instantly by a loud -shout of bacchanalian laughter, which echoed wildly for a moment -amongst the rocky cliffs of the island, then all was calm and silent as -before. - -The surprise occasioned by these strange and mysterious sounds, caused -the earl and his companions to stand, for some moments after their -conclusion in a state of profound and bewildered silence, almost -breathlessly listening as if to hear them again repeated. But, they -listened in vain, for the strange sounds were no more heard, and the -painful silence which had overpowered our singular group of island -visitors, was soon after broken by the Earl of Derwentwater, who spoke -as follows: - -'I really believe, that this place is a sort of mixture, composed of -equal portions of fairy land and satan's paradise, judging by the -different sounds which we have just heard.' - -'The music must have proceeded from a flute,' said Arthur Huntington. - -'And it must have been played by a master's hand,' interposed Mary -Hamilton. - -'I can never believe that those were earthly sounds,' said Ellen -Armstrong, 'and I must say for one, I have no wish to remain here -longer.' - -'You, surely, cannot be already tired of roaming about this lovely -spot,' exclaimed Mary Hamilton in a deprecating tone. 'I should have -thought, that after complaining as you have of the tediousness and -monotony of our sea voyage, you would be the last one to express a wish -to leave this beautiful island.' - -'I have well appreciated the beauties of this quiet place,' replied -Ellen, 'but at the risk of being considered a very weak and simple girl, -I must own, that the mysterious sounds which just now fell upon my ears, -cannot be accounted for through any natural means, and as I have no -particular liking for supernatural adventures, I must persist in my wish -to go on board our good ship again, as soon as possible.' - -As the fair Ellen finished her speech, light strains of the same -mysterious music which they had before heard, again floated through the -air above their heads, the same bacchanalian shouts of wild laughter -again fell upon their ears, but, as its last strange echo died away, the -surprise of our island visitors was greatly augmented by the sudden -appearance before them, of a tall and handsomely formed man, -effeminately dressed in loose Turkish trousers of crimson silk, which -were elegantly matched by a loose tunic of the same color and -texture.--This was fastened to his person by a red silken sash, which -also confined in its soft but close embrace, a large pair of pistols and -a small Spanish stiletto of the most costly workmanship. The head of -this strange being was covered with a crimson cap, and his countenance, -might have been truely termed handsome, had not the lower part of it -been enveloped in a mass of long black hair, which gave to its possessor -an air of wild and savage ferocity. (_See Engraving._) - -'What strange apparition is this,' exclaimed the earl involuntarily, as -this singular personage stood erect before him. - -'I am no apparition, sir,' exclaimed the stranger, in a voice so finely -modulated, that it might have been easily taken for a woman's, 'but a -substantial specimen of vigorous life, who kindly bids you welcome to -the pirates' palace.' - -'And, who, then are you?' exclaimed the undaunted Earl, altering his -voice to a deep, rough tone. The stranger smiled sardonically upon the -group before him as he answered: - -'I am BLACKBEARD, the far-famed Pirate of the Roanoke!' - -Upon hearing these dread words, sweet Ellen Armstrong was obliged to -lean tremblingly for support, upon the arm of Arthur Huntington, whilst -the stout hearted Earl again addressed the stranger as follows: - -'If you are indeed the person whom you have represented yourself to be, -learn that I have often heard of your murderous exploits before, and I -now call upon you in the name of England's King, to surrender yourself -immediately to me, as my prisoner.' - -After giving utterance to a loud derisive laugh, whose echo as it -reverberated amongst the rocky cliffs, sounded like the fitful mirth of -numerous invisible demons, the pirate thus answered the bold summons of -the earl. - -'You talk boldly for one whose brains I might instantly scatter to the -four winds of heaven. Know you not that you and your companions are in -my power?' - -'I know,' replied the earl, 'that I and my companions by making an easy -signal, can soon be supported by an hundred stout hearts from yonder -ship, whose--' - -'Ha, sayst thou so,' interrupted the stranger, 'I think that they will -soon have other business upon their hands. Look yonder.' - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - _Description of Characters. Sweet Ellen Armstrong. Sudden - appearance of the Piratical Brig. The Earl's Request. - Blackbeard's Decision. The Desperadoes. The decision is - enforced. Perilous situation of Mary Hamilton and Ellen._ - - -In order to carry forward the plan of our story in a consistent and -intelligible manner, it becomes necessary for us, here, to briefly -explain some important particulars relating to the history of the Earl -of Derwentwater and his companions, previous to their landing upon the -remote Island of Trinidad, as related in the course of our first -chapter. - -The intelligent reader of history, will undoubtedly recollect, that the -year 1715, (two years before the time chosen for the commencement of our -romance,) was rendered famous by the important insurrection which then -took place throughout England and Scotland, in favor of the Chevalier de -St. George, or James the Third, a proud and haughty scion of the Roman -Catholic house of Stuart. This singular and renowned rebellion, although -premature in its beginning, and short in its duration, caused during its -continuence, the Hanoverian incumbent of the English sceptre to tremble -for the permanence of his seat on the throne, and though he at first -pretended to despise both it and its authors, he was finally compelled -to use vigorous and extraordinary means to bring it to a summary and -fatal conclusion. Through the instrumentality of foreign troops, and the -numerous cabels which sprang up in the rebel camp, King George was soon -enabled to quell this Jacobitical insurrection, which otherwise might -have proved formidable enough to have overturned the Protestant dynasty -of the British realm, and established in its place the despotic -hierarchy of the Church of Rome. So well aware was the reigning monarch -and his ministers of the truth of the above important fact, that they -deemed it imperatively incumbent upon them, in order to deal a death -blow to all future attempts of the same nature, to punish all the -noblemen and other leading characters connected with it, in the most -severe and exemplary manner. Acting upon the above principle, the Privy -Council caused immediately to be arrested, about thirty of the Scotch -and English nobility, the majority of whom fell by the bloody axe of -the executioner, whilst the remainder were sentenced to perpetual -banishment. - -Amongst this latter class of insurgents, was George Armstrong, Earl of -Derwentwater, who succeeded to his father's rank and title, immediately -after his decease, which happened somewhere about the year 1694. Some -time previous to his death, however, the old earl, through his influence -with the crown, had obtained the grant of a large tract of land in the -province of South Carolina, near the mouth of the Roanoke river, which -was soon after settled by these minor and remote branches of his own -extensive family, whose fortunes had become sadly dilapidated by the -frequent intestine revolutions which happened in Great Britain during -the latter part of the seventeenth century. Upon the accession of Queen -Anne to the English throne, the old earl fell into disgrace with the -ministry, and with his family retired soon after that event, to his -plantations in America. Shortly after his arrival, however, the change -of climate proved fatal to his advanced age, and brought on an -intermittent fever, which ended his life, and caused his only son, -George Armstrong, to succeed to his grand title and extensive estates. - -Although the character of the young earl, differed in many important -respects from that of his father, still, in one great feature there was -an exact resemblance between them. The disposition of the old earl was -stubborn, artful and avaricious, whilst that of his son, was frank, open -and generous. In temper, the former was cunning, revengeful and -unforgiving, whilst that of the latter, though hasty and violent in its -outbreaks, would a moment afterwards pass away, leaving no lingering -trace of its harsh and cruel effect upon the young earl's strong and -vigorous mind. Here, the wide contrast between the characters of the -father and son ended,--for the same vaulting ambition which had animated -the father, through a long and eventful life, descended upon the son in -its full and unstinted measure, whilst in blind and extravagant -adherence to the house of Stuart, and the Roman Catholic religion, the -son greatly outstripped the father, who had been moderate enough in his -political and religious machinations to ensure to him his titles, and -cause his estate to remain unconfiscated, and in his own particular -keeping. - -Instead, however, of copying the temporizing and crafty policy of his -father, the young earl, soon after his accession to the title and -fortune of the former, began openly to hold a correspondence with the -court of the pretender, which finally resulted in his becoming one of -the first noblemen to assist in raising the rebel banner in Scotland, in -the year 1715. After running through a short career of active service, -George Armstrong the last Earl of Derwentwater, found his vast estates -confiscated to the crown, and himself a prisoner in the Tower of London. -This event happened during the spring of 1716. Early in the summer of -the same year, he, with a number of others was brought to trial before a -special commission appointed for that purpose, found guilty of high -treason, (and although, others who had taken a less active part in the -rebellion, were doomed to immediate execution.) The earnest intercession -of the French Ambassador at the court of St. George Armstrong, to be -commuted to foreign and perpetual banishment, and in accordance with -this sentence, he was about to join his brother-in-law, a rich South -American merchant, who was located at Rio Janeiro in Brazil, when his -progress was somewhat singularly arrested by the adventure commenced in -our first chapter. - -Having related as much of the earl's previous history, as is consistent -with the progress of our story, the next of our voyagers in order of -description, is his fair niece, Mary Hamilton. In form, as we have -before said, she was stately and beautiful, her features were striking -and regular, though they could not be called pre-eminently beautiful, -whilst her complexion was fair and elegantly transparent. Her hair, -which was as dark in color as the plumage of the raven, as it clustered -in short, rich, silken curls over her small white neck, gave conclusive -evidence, when combined to a pair of large, languishing black eyes, that -she was not born beneath the ruddy influence of England's cold and -vacillating climate. And such was the fact, for the mother that bore her -was of pure Castilian blood, who had fallen in love with and married -William Hamilton, whilst residing with her father, who, at that time, -held the high situation of Governor of the Island of Cuba. Under the -warm and enervating influences of the climate of this island, Mary -Hamilton first saw the light, but long before she had learnt to lisp her -mother's name, she was sent to England, there to receive, through the -agency of her uncle, an education calculated to fit her for the station -she would be called upon to assume, as the only child and heir of the -ancient house of Hamilton. As she advanced from infancy to childhood, -and her young mind began gradually to expand, nature (that beautiful but -mystic chain which connects man with his Creator,) prompted her to ask -for her mother. The answer which fell from her aunt's lips, in cold and -icy tones, which precluded all farther questioning, was, - -'Mary, your maternal parent is dead, but I will be a mother to you so -long as I live, and my husband shall be to you an indulgent father. And -now, dear Mary,' continued Lady Armstrong, 'for various reasons which -cannot now be explained, I must strictly prohibit you from alluding to -your real mother in my presence, or that of my husband.' - -Many a long and bitter hour as she passed from childhood to youth, and -from thence to woman's estate, did the future heiress of the House of -Hamilton ponder sadly over the mysterious and cruel prohibition of her -noble aunt, and as she thus pondered, a strong but indefinite -presentiment of future sorrow and grief and misery in connection with -the fate of her real parents became so completely fastened upon her mind -as to cause her whole deportment to become tinged with a sort of sad and -mournful melancholy, which all the seductive arts of a London life could -not eradicate. - -Although numberless suitors of almost every variety of rank and -character had knelt in real and assumed adoration before the virtuous -shrine of the beautiful West Indian heiress, she had turned from them -all with almost loathing indifference, and the summons which she -received (about three months previous to the commencement of our story) -calling upon her to join her father, in company with her uncle, found -her at the age of twenty-three, unmarried and unengaged. In less than a -month however, after her embarcation on board of the Gladiator, a -gradual change had taken place in her whole demeanor, caused by the deep -interest she found herself constrained to take in the person of Henry -Huntington, the son of Sir Arthur Huntington, who had followed the -fortunes of the Earl of Derwentwater during the rebellion, and who had -chosen also to share his banishment. The baronet was a fine specimen of -the old English cavaliers, who had freely spent the greater portion of a -handsome fortune in the service of the Stuart family, and now, when -nearly at the close of a long and eventful life, he with his twin sons -(whose poor mother had died in giving them birth,) had left their own -dear and native soil, to live, and perhaps to die in a foreign land. - -These twin sons and brothers, Henry and Arthur Huntington, had arrived -(at the time of which we are speaking,) to the age of twenty-two, and in -personal appearance they might have been considered as correct models of -manly beauty. Their forms were tall, erect, and muscular, and thus far, -each was the exact counterpart of the other, but here the resemblance -between the brothers ended. In temper and disposition, Henry was mild, -generous and forgiving, whilst Arthur was sanguine, violent and -irascible. Although they had both been educated alike, they differed -very widely in strength of mind and capacity of intellect, for the mind -of Henry was strong, and undeviatingly based on the principles of right, -while that of his brother was weak and vacillating. The affections of -the former when once fixed, were immoveable as the solid rock, whilst -the passions of the latter, although more violent, were not capable of -remaining fixed for any length of time on any particular object. These -two brothers had both felt a partiality for Mary Hamilton, and so far as -Henry was concerned, the partiality was fully reciprocated, but she -looked coldly upon Arthur, which caused him to turn from her in disgust, -and transport his vacillating affections to sweet Ellen Armstrong, whom, -as being our principal heroine, we must now proceed briefly to notice -and describe. - -At the time of her introduction to the notice of our readers, she was to -all outward appearance a bright and joyous being, who seemed to think of -nothing but the happiness of herself and those around her. Although but -fourteen summers had then passed over her head, and her fair form was -slight and fragile as the first pale flower of Spring, her high and -noble thoughts, as they escaped from her vermillion lips in soft and -musical words, gave sufficient evidence that her mind and intellect was -far beyond her years. She was, in very fact and deed, a singular and -uncommon being, such an one as is rarely to be met with in the daily -walks of life. Her form, though slight, was faultless in its -proportions, her countenance was intelligent and highly expressive, -whilst in her fair complexion, the pure red and white, seemed to have -been most judiciously combined. To all these embellishments, permit us -to add, a head of luxuriant hair, of a golden auburn color, with a pair -of large and sparkling blue eyes, shaded by long, dark, silken eye -lashes, and the personal portrait of our heroine is complete. Her -character, also, in many of its traits was as good as her person was -beautiful. The bland sweetness of her disposition and the apparent -mildness of her temper, had even in the years of her childhood, endeared -her to all who happened to be within reach of her acquaintance, but -still she had faults, for there are none perfect, no, not one. Ellen -Armstrong was fanciful, wayward, and highly romantic, a being of strong -and ardent passions which would sometimes, in spite of the watchful -vigilance which she always endeavored to keep over them, get the better -of her right judgment, and high sense of rectitude. - -Presuming, kind reader, that you may have inferred that sweet Ellen -Armstrong, as the Earl was wont to term her, was his daughter, we must -now undeceive you, stating that such was not the case. The history of -her connection with the earl was as follows: - -As he returned home from an exciting session of the House of Peers, late -on a cold night in December, 1703, (nearly 14 years previous to the date -of the commencement of our story,) he was greatly surprised, upon -entering the drawing-room of his elegant mansion, to find his wife -busily employed in fondling and carressing a beautiful infant, -apparently not more than two or three weeks old. - -'What does this all mean, Lady Armstrong?' exclaimed the earl, as soon -as his surprise had in a measure subsided. - -'Listen, and I will tell you,' replied the lady, 'About two hours ago, -the street-door bell rang violently, which caused me to despatch a -serving maid to ascertain from whom this loud summons proceeded. She -immediately went to the door and opened it, but found no one there. Upon -turning back again into the entry, her ears were assailed by the faint -cries of this dear babe, whom she soon after discovered, esconced very -comfortably in a large wicker basket. This with its contents was soon -conveyed to my presence, and upon removing the infant from its place of -rest, I found this note attached to its dress.' - -So saying, Lady Armstrong handed a letter to her husband, which he -opened, and then read from it as follows: - - 'To the Right Honorable George Armstrong, Earl of - Derwentwater. - - Sir: The writer of this, being well aware that your - matrimonial union still remains unblest with children, would - earnestly entreat you to adopt the infant which this - accompanies, as your own. If you should see fit to comply with - my request, you can rest assured that no pecuniary means shall - be wanting, to insure to her, if she lives, all the - educational and other accomplishments fitting to your rank, - and that to which at some future day she herself, will be - entitled. A draft for the necessary funds will be punctually - placed at your disposal at the commencement of each year, - until those who have a right, shall claim her at your hands. - If you do right by her, you will gain the approval of a good - conscience; if not, you will feel the vengeance of a parent's - heart. But I can explain no farther. Adieu, yours, &c., - - MONTMORENCI.' - -After having read the above singular epistle, the earl held a long -consultation with his amiable wife, which resulted in their concluding -to comply with the request of the mysterious writer, to adopt the poor -foundling as their own daughter, and at the same time, they determined -never to reveal to her the secret of her strange advent amongst them. In -accordance with these resolutions a suitable nurse for the young infant -was immediately procured, and when it had reached a proper age, it was -baptized by the name of Ellen Armstrong. - -Such kind readers, is a brief description of the person and fortunes of -our heroine, previous to the commencement of our narrative, and now -presuming your generous permission as granted, we shall now proceed to -extend the great chain of events connected with our singular and -romantic history. - -As the pirate Blackbeard, uttered in a commanding tone the words -recorded at the close of our first chapter, he pointed with his finger -towards the ship, and as the earl involuntarily turned his eyes in the -same direction, he observed a small brig then about two miles off, -making all sail towards the island, which caused him to say, in answer -to the pirate's words: - -'I have looked yonder as you directed me to do, yet I can see nothing -but our own noble ship, and another vessel which appears to be a much -smaller one.' - -'If you will have the goodness to look again,' replied Blackbeard, -somewhat satirically, 'you will see that the small vessel gains very -fast upon the larger one.' - -'There seems to be nothing very strange or alarming about that,' -answered the earl. - -'You may possibly, soon have occasion to entertain a very different -opinion.' - -'How so?' asked the earl. - -'Because the small vessel appears to be a piratical brig, whose -commander, I am well assured, will not pass a rich Indiaman without -politely undertaking to inspect his inventory and overhaul his cargo,' -replied the pirate. - -'I am rather inclined to think,' answered the earl, 'that he will first -be favored through the medium of our guns with an opportunity to -cultivate an extensive acquaintance with the sharks and other monsters -of the deep. Now, sir,' he continued, turning to the pirate, 'we will -with your leave, get as quickly as possible on board of our own ship.' - -'Oh, certainly,' replied Blackbeard, 'only, as it appears to me quite -probable, that these two young ladies will be exposed to great danger in -getting on board of your noble ship, I shall claim the privilege of -keeping them here under my protection until I learn the result of the -engagement, which I am sure the piratical commander of the brig is about -to venture upon.' - -As the pirate calmly concluded his strange speech, sweet Ellen Armstrong -sank fainting into the arms of Arthur Huntington; and Mary Hamilton, -with a blanched cheek, shrank closer to her uncle's side, as he thus -indignantly addressed the pirate: - -'Villain, I command you to leave the presence of these ladies, -instantly.' - -'Until their safety is duly cared for, I shall not stir from this spot,' -coolly replied the pirate. - -'Take your fair burthen to the boat, Arthur,' exclaimed the earl, -impatiently, 'and I will follow you.' - -'You may go, but the ladies will remain,' said the pirate decidedly, who -at the same time gave a loud peculiar whistle, and the next moment the -earl found himself and his companions surrounded by a band of ferocious -desperadoes, who, with brandished weapons, stood ready to execute the -commands of their leader. - -'Two of you take these ladies to the palace,' exclaimed Blackbeard, -'whilst the remainder of you will see the gentlemen safely embarked for -yonder ship.' - -Although the earl and Arthur Huntington resisted manfully, their efforts -were unavailing, for whilst the two ladies were borne off in one -direction, they were quickly hurried on board their boat and compelled -by the threats of their ruffianly assailants to row swiftly towards the -noble Gladiator. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - _Mary Hamilton and Ellen Armstrong Captured and conveyed to - the Pirate Palace. Contemplated Escape--Frustrated by - Blackbeard. Ellen afterwards conveyed on board the Pirate - Brig._ - - -In spite of their entreaties, the females were ruthlessly torn away from -their companions, and conducted by these remorseless ruffians to the -pirate's palace. Mary then thought, that the beauty and loveliness of -the island, which, but a few hours previous she would not have exchanged -for all England, she would now gladly quit for the meanest spot on -Briton's Isle. - -Sweet Ellen murmured to herself that the horrible forebodings she had in -reference to the island, were but the precursor of what might be -expected. The grandeur and sublimity of its scenery, its isolated -position, being surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic--the unnatural -music and noises, all conspired to fill the mind of this young girl with -the idea that something was about to transpire of no ordinary -nature,--and neither was she deceived. - -A great change however, had been wrought in the course of the last few -hours, upon the thoughts and feelings of our two fair captives, a change -which had caused reality to usurp for a time at least, the place of -romance, and constrained them to gaze with a vacant look upon the -superbly natural beauties of the island glen. Therefore with thoughts -concentrated upon their immediate personal prospects and fruitless -conjectures as to the complexion of their coming fate, the fair captives -mechanically followed the footsteps of their guides, who when they had -reached the bottom of the hill, suddenly stopped before the open door of -a long building which had been ingeniously constructed of bamboo and -other light materials well suited for the covering of a cool place of -shelter, under the heat of a tropical sun. There was nothing farther, -worthy of remark about its exterior appearance, with the exception of -its being so thickly covered on all sides by the luxuriant and evergreen -foliage of the surrounding trees, as to preclude it from being seen from -the tops of the adjacent hills, but its interior contained four large -apartments, two of which had been fitted up in a manner luxurious, and -even elegant. - -Into one of these two rooms, whose walls were decorated and hung round -with the richest crimson drapery, and which was as richly furnished in -every other respect, did the strange guides usher their fair prisoners, -after which, they instantly retired, leaving our heroine and her -companion to consult together as they might see fit upon their singular -and mysterious situation. - -'Do we dream dear Mary,' exclaimed Ellen, us she gazed wildly around -this strange apartment, 'or are we laboring under the influence of some -fairy spell of necromantic enchantment?' - -'Would to Heaven, that it was so,' exclaimed Mary, in reply, 'but alas, -it is not. For the present at least, dear Ellen, we are in the power of -ferocious pirates, from whom, I hope we shall soon be released.' - -'How?' asked Ellen, hardly realizing what she said. - -'Through the agency of our friends on ship-board' replied Mary. - -'Oh yes, I recollect now,' said Ellen. 'My father and Arthur have gone -on board our vessel, but I have seen nothing of Henry or Patrick, since -we first landed upon this fatal spot. Where do you think they can be?' - -'I have been trying to convince my mind of their safety, ever since we -fell in with our cruel captors,' answered Mary, 'yet I cannot say that I -have succeeded in so doing. From the top of some adjacent hill, they may -have witnessed the scenes which transpired on the occasion of our -capture, and concealed themselves in some of the fissures of the rocky -cliffs, there to await assistance from the ship, or--' - -'They may have been taken prisoners, by the pirates, as you call them,' -interrupted Ellen. - -'Heaven forbid,' exclaimed Mary earnestly. 'But if that should be the -fact,' continued the fair girl, after a moment's pause, 'I feel greatly -consoled by the hope that they, as well as ourselves, will find a speedy -release from this horrible bondage.' - -'I'm sure it will not be Captain Rowland's fault, if we are not very -soon liberated,' replied Ellen. - -'You seem to be rather partial towards this Captain Rowland,' Mary -carelessly remarked. - -'Partial, what mean you by that, Mary?' asked Ellen, as a slight blush -overspread her beautiful features. 'He has been very kind and attentive -to all of us during our voyage, and such treatment requires, in my -opinion, at least civility in return.' - -Before Mary could find time to reply to the words of her companion, the -ears of both our fair captives were suddenly astonished by the sound of -a female voice, singing in a sweet, low tone of touching melody the -following words-- - - 'Beware, beware, - Of the false and fair, - For many a noble form, - Hides a heart within, - Quite as full of sin, - And as black as the midnight storm.' - -'This must be the very palace of enchantment,' exclaimed Ellen, as the -voice of the singer abruptly ceased, 'where one could almost be led to -forget their own personal identity. But hark, I hear the strange voice -again.' - -Ellen and her companion again listened in almost breathless silence as -the invisible vocalist continued her song, thus: - - 'Beware, beware, - For grief and care - Broods over the youthful heart, - And the chastening rod - Of an Infinite God, - His justice will soon impart.' - -Here the voice of the invisible songster again ceased, and although both -Ellen and her companion listened long for its repetition, they listened -in vain, for it was heard no more. - -After a short interval of silence had elapsed, Mary Hamilton addressed -her companion as follows-- - -'The thought has just entered my mind of attempting to escape from this -strange and horrible place.' - -'I must own, dear Mary,' replied Ellen, 'that the place is strange -enough to terrify a less romantic person than myself, still I think it -far from being horrible. This room is almost as elegantly furnished as -was my dear mother's in London, and then only think of the delightful -music which has so lately greeted our ears.' - -'Think too, of the horrid farce we have seen,' continued -Mary.--'Earnestly consider, dear Ellen, that we are in the power of -pirates and murderers, whose motives for detaining us, cannot be any -thing but evil, and then say if you will join me in making an attempt to -escape.' - -'You talk of escaping from the pirate's palace, as though it were the -most easy and practicable thing in the world,' exclaimed Blackbeard, -who had abruptly entered the apartment from an inner room, and had stood -unperceived behind the captives whilst Mary Hamilton had spoken the -words quoted above. - -Startled by the sudden and unexpected appearance of their strange, yet -famous captor, our two maidens were at first awed into silence, but it -was of short duration, for Mary Hamilton quickly gathered sufficient -courage to enable her to answer the pirate's words as follows: - -'If it is not an easy thing for us to escape, surely you possess the -power to make it so.' - -'True, I possess the power,' replied the pirate, somewhat ironically, -'yet for the present at least, I lack the inclination. So you must make -yourselves as contented as you can here in my poor house, until I can -make arrangements for your future government.' - -'Allow me to ask, sir, by what right it is that you, a person totally -unknown to us, have forcibly abducted from their natural protectors, two -poor females who never harmed you nor yours?' - -'Believe me, Miss Hamilton,' answered the pirate earnestly, 'when I tell -you that I have not acted in the manner of which you speak, without -reason. But my motives and reasons, I shall take the liberty of -explaining when and where I please.' - -'Were your motives such as would do honor to an angel,' replied Mary, -'it would not alter my opinion either of yourself or your actions. I -believe you to be both a pirate, and murderer, and--' - -'Stop, you have said enough,' exclaimed Blackbeard, sternly. 'If you do -not fear the consequences of such rash speaking for yourself, know that -I hold in my hand the power of life and death over thy betrothed lover.' - -'My worst forebodings are then realized,' exclaimed Mary in a faltering -tone, 'and I must condescend to sue for mercy at your feet.--Mercy, not -for myself, but for him who is far dearer to me than life.' - -'He is almost too dangerous a character to receive clemency at my -hands,' answered the pirate, 'for his capture and that of his servant, -has cost one of the bravest of my crew his life, therefore, according to -our code of laws, which require blood for blood, he is answerable to -immediate death. But the pardoning power still remains in my hands, and -I am willing to spare him upon one condition.' - -'Name, oh name it,' exclaimed Mary, eagerly. - -'It is this,' continued the pirate. 'You must consent to marry Captain -Rowland.' - -As these dread words fell into accents cold and calm upon her ears, the -self possession which had distinguished her throughout the foregoing -conversation, suddenly passed away, and poor Mary Hamilton sunk utterly -bereft of consciousness upon one of the richly cushioned seats which -ornamented the apartment, while sweet Ellen Armstrong almost as -terrified as her companion, looked vacantly around, and as if not -comprehending the import of the pirate's significant speech. - -After gazing fixedly for a few moments upon the forms of the two fair -creatures before him, Blackbeard stepped softly to the door from which -he had made his ingress into the apartment, and in a low but distinct -voice uttered the following words: - -'Violette, come hither.' - -A moment or two of dead silence intervened, and then a dark -complectioned but beautifully formed female entered the apartment, and -stood before the pirate, who thus addressed her: - -'Seest thou, Violette, that lady reclining upon yonder seat, with face -as pale as death?' - -Casting her eyes in the direction intimated by the pirate's glance, she -gave a nod of assent as he continued: - -'I am about to leave this place for a short season, and in the meanwhile -I wish to place this fair lady in your keeping.' - -'And her companion also?' asked Violette. - -'No; she accompanies me.' - -'It is well,' replied Violette, 'your orders shall be faithfully -obeyed.' - -The pirate here whispered a few words in the ear of the dark female, who -immediately after approached the seat where Mary was reclining, stamped -thrice with her tiny foot upon the floor, when two hideous looking -negressess entered the apartment, and at a sign from Violette, they -instantly removed the still prostrate form of Mary Hamilton into the -inner room. - -This last singular and unnatural proceeding totally confused the few -ideas which had remained to poor Ellen after her friend had swooned, and -as the loud booming of distant cannon fell upon her ear, she too would -have sank fainting to the floor, had not Violette sprang forward and -caught her in her arms. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - _Marine Phraseology. Approach of the Piratical Brig. History - of Captain Rowland. A Conflict expected. A Boat from the - Shore. The Ship Surrenders. Sudden appearance of Blackbeard - and Ellen Armstrong on board of the Brig. Heroic Conduct of - Arthur Huntington. Ellen steps between him and Death. The - Result. Ellen in Despair._ - - -'Mast-head, there!' - -'Halloo.' - -'Keep a sharp look-out there for a sail.' - -'Aye, aye, sir.' - -The above short but professional dialogue took place between Captain -Roderick Rowland, of the good ship Gladiator, and his third officer, (a -Mr. Summers by name,) who had been sent to the main-top gallant -mast-head immediately after the Earl of Derwentwater and his companions -had left the vessel, with the single order, at first, to keep a sharp -look-out for the many rocks and reefs which surrounded the island, but -Summers had not assumed his station for many minutes before he was -peremptorily ordered, (as we have above recorded,) to look out for sails -as well as for rocks, which caused the sailor who stood upon the other -end of the cross-trees, and who was on regular mast-head duty, thus to -address the third officer,-- - -'Do you suppose, Mr. Summers, that our captain really expects to fall in -with a sail in this out-o'-the-way kind of spot?' - -'Of course he does,' replied Summers, 'or he wouldn't have told me to -look out for one. But why shouldn't a sail be seen here, Bill, as well -as anywhere else?' - -'Well, I can't exactly say, sir,' answered Bill, (who, by the way, was a -fine specimen of a rough and rugged old tar,) 'but I have understood -that ships in general have of late years given this little bit of an -island a wide berth.' - -'Did ever you hear the reason why?' asked Summers. - -'Yes, sir, more than forty times, and if my watch wasn't almost out I -could spin you a yarn as long as our main-top bowline about the -"reason," as you call it.' - -Smiling at the seriousness with which the old tar had spoken, the -officer replied, - -'O never mind the yarn now, Bill, nor the reason either, but look sharp -there, about three points off our bow, and see if you cannot catch a -glimpse of something high and white, like a sail: I believe I can.' - -'And so can I, too, sir,' exclaimed Bill, after having looked for a few -moments in the direction intimated. - -'It's a strange sail, then, sure enough,' answered the third officer. - -'There's no mistake about that, sir,' replied Bill. 'What do you make -her out to be, sir?' - -'I should take her to be a full rigged brig,' answered Summers. - -'So should I,' rejoined the sailor. 'She has got studding sails out -a-low and aloft, and appears to be coming up with us hand over fist. -Shall I sing out to the captain, sir?' - -'No--I will myself. On deck, there!' - -'Halloo; what do you see?' answered the captain. - -'A full rigged brig, sir.' - -'Where away?' - -'Three points off our weather-bow.' - -'How does she appear to be heading?' - -'Direct for us, sir,' was the answer, and as it reached the ears of the -captain, he turned to the first officer, who stood beside him, and -said-- - -'Mr. Howe, that strange vessel must be a pirate.' - -'What makes you think so, sir?' asked the first lieutenant. - -'Because,' replied the Captain, 'if she was anything else she would not -be steering directly for us with studding-sails set.' - -'Perhaps it may be some vessel in distress,' suggested the lieutenant. - -'That may be the case, though I doubt it much,' answered the captain, -abruptly, 'but, as I do not wish to create a premature and unnecessary -alarm amongst the passengers, we will put the ship on the opposite tack, -and then if this stranger is in distress he will show a signal.' - -In accordance with the above decision of her commander, the Gladiator, -which had been previously standing off from the land, was, (to use a -nautical phrase,) immediately put about, which caused her to head in -towards the land, and this movement brought the strange brig on the -weather quarter, or nearly astern of the ship, and also made her visible -to the first lieutenant, who stood eagerly watching for her appearance, -on the Gladiator's deck. As soon as he felt sure that his eyes had not -deceived him, he said, addressing the captain, - -'There she is, sir.' - -'Where?' exclaimed Rowland, eagerly, snatching his spy-glass from its -place in the cabin gangway. - -'She is in plain sight, sir,' answered the lieutenant, about one point -off our weather-quarter.' - -'Ah, I see her,' exclaimed the captain after he had looked for a moment -through his spy-glass in the direction intimated. - -'Does she show any signal, sir?' - -'She does not,' replied Rowland, 'and I am convinced she is a piratical -vessel. Therefore, Mr. Howe, you will see the ship instantly cleared for -action.' - -Whilst this last order of the captain was in progress of execution, -Rowland, spy-glass in hand, ascended the mizzen rigging of the ship, and -kept his eyes intently fixed upon the brig, thus soliloquising as he did -so:-- - -'It is rather a delicate, not to say desperate game, which I have -undertaken to play, though so far I have the vanity to think that I have -acted my part to admiration. By the most consummate art and address I -managed to gain the command of this noble ship, and no one on board, as -far as I can learn, has the least suspicion of the manner in which I -intend to dispose of her. So far, so good. Now as we are pretty snug in -with the land, I will take a look in that direction and see if I can -discover what measures are in progress on shore.' - -So saying he adjusted his glass to his right eye and turned his gaze -towards that part of the island on which the earl and his companions had -landed, and after having looked attentively for a few moments in that -direction, he exclaimed, whilst a smile of exultation passed across his -features, - -'Ah, Rowland, you're a deep one, and a fortunate one, too. Every thing -connected with your plans seems to prosper, on land as well as sea. -Blackbeard has proved himself a good assistant, too, for I can see that -he has taken good care of the young ladies, whilst at the same time I -perceive that he is about to send the gentlemen back again to their old -quarters. I must wear ship, I suppose, and take them on board.' 'On -deck, there!' - -'Aye, aye, sir,' answered the first lieutenant. - -'Put the ship upon the other tack, and brace the head-yards sharp up, -leaving the main and main top-sail yards square.' - -After this last order had been duly and promptly complied with Captain -Rowland descended quickly to the deck, upon reaching which, was thus -addressed by his first officer:-- - -'See, sir, how fast that strange brig gains upon us.' - -'I see she does,' answered Rowland, 'and I am sorry that we are obliged -to lay aback here, when we should be trying to get the weather-gauge of -her. But there is no help for it, for I observe that the earl and his -companions have left the shore, and they are now pulling for dear life -in order to reach us in time.' - -Leaving for the present, the noble Gladiator, with her decks clear for -action, and her brave crew awaiting in eager silence, the nearer -approach of the piratical vessel, we will proceed to give our readers as -much information of the previous character of Captain Roderick Rowland, -as is consistent with the present condition and future progress of the -scenes of our story, in some of which he is destined to act a -conspicuous part. - -Descended of wealthy, honorable, and respectable parents, who resided at -the time of his birth, (which event happened some forty years before the -commencement of our story,) young Rowland, gave during his boyhood such -evidences of extraordinary natural capabilities, and superior -intellectual capacity, as led those who were connected and acquainted -with him to suppose that he might, at some future day, rise to a high -rank in the British navy, for which service he seemed to have an -unconquerable predilection, and which he entered as midshipman at the -age of sixteen. Then it was that his true character began to develope -itself, so that during his first cruise, its natural deformity became so -apparent as to cause the rest of the officers to look with fear and -astonishment upon one, in whom the gifts of extraordinary talents seemed -to have been lavished, only to become blended with cunning, artfulness -and licentious profligacy, whose disposition was mean and avaricious, -and whose temper, though not violent, was cruel, revengeful and -unforgiving. - -Although young Rowland was also a complete master of the art of -dissimulation he did not deem it worth his while to exercise it among -the young gentleman of his mess, and he had been but a short time on -board His Majesty's ship Vixen, before he was very much feared, and very -cordially hated by his equals, whilst he was looked upon with uneasiness -and disgust by his superiors. - -All these things combined together, rendered Rowland's situation -anything but agreeable; so after having been a twelvemonth in the -service, he very abruptly left it by taking, what is vulgarly called, a -'French leave' of the Vixen and her officers, whilst that vessel was -taking in provisions and water at the island of Madagascar. Here, -Rowland, at the age of eighteen, soon fell in with a gang of American -and English bucaniers, who, some years previous to that time, had -pitched upon this island as a convenient rendezvous to which they might -be easily able to repair for recruits and recreation after having, (as -they often did,) successfully robbed the rich homeward bound East -Indiamen, for whom they usually laid in wait near the pitch of the Cape -of Good Hope. - -It required but very little persuasion on the part of the pirates to -induce one to join them, whose spirit was congenial with theirs, so he -very soon became one of the most active and daring of their number. -Courage, cunning and cruelty were considered by them to be the most -important qualifications of a bona-fide bucanier, and they soon found -that these were possessed by Rowland, in a most superlative degree, and -this added to the influence of his talents and early education, caused -him to rise rapidly to a station of command among them. As it was his -motto 'to make hay while the sun shines,' he sailed as soon as possible -from Madagascar, from which he had not been absent but twenty days when -he fell in with and captured a Spanish Galleon, bound from Genoa to -Lisbon, laden with a large amount of gold and silver ornaments, which -was the property of the church, and was under the care of a number of -ecclesiastics who had taken passage in the unfortunate vessel. - -There were a number of other passengers on board, amongst whom was Don -Fernando Herrera, who was accompanied by his daughter a beautiful -Castilian maiden, then about seventeen years of age, who doated upon her -father with all the fondness of a pure and filial affection. - -As Rowland acted almost invariably on the principle that dead men tell -no tales, he caused all the passengers to be put to death, in detail, -until it came the turn of Herrera. As he was about to be cast into the -sea, his daughter sprang wildly forward, and kneeling before the cruel -pirate captain, she beseeched him in such earnest and pathetic tones to -spare her father's life, or let her die in his stead, that Rowland, -fired by the voluptuousness of her extreme beauty, and perhaps touched -by her tears, promised to spare her father on condition that she would -become his wife. Such were the dread alternatives. Death for her father -and herself on one hand, and the sacrifice forever of her happiness and -peace of mind on the other. In the extremity of her terror, Clarice, -(for that was her name,) chose the latter, and that very same night she -was united to Rowland, by her own priest and confessor who was compelled -to officiate in the ceremony, and her father was compelled to will all -of his vast riches in the event of his death to his murderous -son-in-law. After having taken to himself a wife in the above strange -and summary manner, Rowland repaired to the West Indies, where his -father-in-law died soon after his arrival, leaving to the pirate, a vast -amount of money and other property, which enabled him to establish -himself at Havana, in a most splendid and magnificent manner. His -inordinate desire for wealth however still remained unsatiated, and -although he left off all open communication with his former associates, -(the bucaniers,) still he secretly patronized them, and in return was -made acquainted with the result of all their efforts and received a -goodly share of their plunder. - -Three years had passed away, and Clarice in the interim had presented -her husband a boy, but by this time the Spanish authorities had got wind -of the manner in which Rowland had obtained his riches, and he was -forced to leave Havana, and most of his vast property at the same time, -and sail clandestinely and under an assumed name for England. Here he -took up his residence in an obscure street of the metropolis where after -the expiration of two years, Clarice gave birth to a daughter, whilst -relentless death hovered over the fair form of the mother, and soon -after removed her gently from the sin and sorrows of a wicked world. - -Soon after the decease of his wife, Rowland suddenly left England, but -he returned again about a year previous to the commencement of our -story, and managed, through sundry letters of recommendation which he -himself had forged, to gain the command of the Gladiator. - -Leaving the intervening events of his life to become elucidated in the -further progress of our story, we will here put an end to our long but -important digression and return again to the unravelling of its main -thread, by transporting the attention of our readers once more to the -deck of Rowland's noble ship. - -Here every one was at his station, every thing in its right place, and -every soul on board the Gladiator was almost breathlessly watching the -near approach of the piratical brig, as, with the horrid black flag -flying from her main royal truck, she came sailing majestically down -upon the ship, and it was expected by the crew of the latter that an -instant combat between the two vessels was inevitable. - -Judge then, kind reader, of their supreme astonishment and indignation -when they heard the captain, (as the brig fired a couple of blank -cartridges across his bows as a signal for him to surrender,) give the -following order: - -'Mr. Howe, haul down the colors! immediately.' - -Instead of jumping immediately, as was generally his wont to obey -Rowland's orders, the first lieutenant stood perfectly still, regarding -the captain with a puzzled and undecided manner, as much as to ask if he -had rightly understood the purport of his superior's words. - -'Haul down the colors!' exclaimed the captain the second time, and as he -spoke in a stern, loud tone of voice, which precluded all -misunderstanding, the first lieutenant, for the first time ventured an -answer in the following words: - -'Captain Rowland, I must own that I am at a loss to perceive the -necessity of hauling down our colors, when we have twice the number of -guns possessed by the brig, which would, in case of a conflict, enable -us easily to save the ship as well as our own lives.' - -'I believe this ship is under my command and not yours, Mr. Howe,' -replied Rowland, coolly, 'and I alone am responsible for her safety. -Again, sir, I order you to haul down the colors.' - -There was something in the cold, calm, passionless manner of Rowland, -which awed the lieutenant into compliance, notwithstanding he was -naturally a brave man, and he therefore walked forward and repeated to -one of the men the captain's order, which a moment afterwards was -sullenly obeyed, then a shout of exultation rose up from the crew of the -piratical brig, whilst a gun was fired in triumph as her commander -prepared to board the ship which had been so ingloriously placed without -a struggle within his grasp. - -By the time the boat was lowered from the brig, she had ranged up so -near the side of the ship, as rendered easy to distinguish from the deck -of each the countenances of those on board the other, and as the Earl of -Derwentwater and Arthur Huntington, (who had boarded the ship almost -unperceived at the time of her surrender,) gazed upon the dark swarthy -forms which crowded the sides of the brig, the former suddenly -exclaimed-- - -'Gracious Heaven, Arthur,--yonder on that strange vessel's deck stands -Ellen Armstrong with that villain who calls himself the Pirate of the -Roanoke close by her side.' - -'It cannot be,--where is she?' exclaimed Arthur, involuntarily. 'Thank -God, I see her,' he exclaimed, after gazing a moment upon the brig's -deck. Another minute elapsed and he was in the water, before any one -could anticipate, much less prevent his movements, making towards the -piratical brig, which, (as he was an excellent swimmer,) he managed to -reach, and he soon found himself by the side of sweet Ellen Armstrong -whom he thus addressed: - -'Good God! Ellen, how came you here!' - -'Arthur!' exclaimed Ellen, faintly,--but she said no more, though -Blackbeard answered his query as follows: - -'What rashness, young man, caused you to come here?' - -'I have come here,' replied Arthur, 'with all the calmness of -desperation, to rescue this young lady or die in the attempt.' - -'What an uncommonly heroic young gentleman you must be,' responded -Blackbeard, satirically, 'to attempt unarmed, and single-handed, the -rescue of a young girl from the midst of a hundred armed men. You must -certainly be either moon-struck or love-cracked.' - -'And you must be a cold-blooded, heartless villain,' exclaimed Arthur, -irritated beyond endurance at the scorching irony of the pirate's tone. - -'Those are words, young man, which only your life-blood can atone for,' -exclaimed the pirate, as he drew a pistol from his belt, and presented -it to the young man's breast. 'Die, upstart, die!' - -'Rather let me die,' exclaimed sweet Ellen Armstrong, as, quicker than -thought, she sprang between the murderous weapon and Arthur's person. - -The pirate fired, but the ball did not take effect, and was about to -present his second pistol, when he suddenly stopped, and thus addressed -a portion of his comrades, who had in meantime gathered round this -strange scene. - -'Some of you take these two fools below, and confine them in separate -apartments until I can attend to the hanging of them.' - -Immediately upon the reception of this order, Ellen was dragged by the -rough hands of two piratical officers into the brig's cabin, where she -was locked up in a small state room, whilst Arthur Huntington, was -heavily ironed and confined in the steerage. As the fair Ellen sat in -her narrow prison, brooding in mute despair over the horrid scenes she -had just passed through, she covered her face with her hands and faintly -murmured, - -'If Arthur dies, I cannot survive him.' - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - _Henry Huntington and Pat O'Leary, the Earl's Servant, start - upon An Exploring Expedition--Its Strange and Sudden - Termination at the Pirates' Cavern._ - - -With a love of adventure, which no sense of anticipated or real danger -could restrain, glowing upon his mind, and beaming forth from his -handsome eyes, did Henry Huntington, upon his first landing upon the -island, declare to his companions that he intended to pass the day in -exploring its beautiful though limited dimensions, and when hunting for -curious sea-shells and other marine curiosities, wherewith to enrich a -sort of miniature museum which he had commenced some years before in -merry England. - -'Is that your real intention, Henry, or are you joking,' asked the earl, -as the young man finished speaking. - -'I certainly intend, sir, to spend the time allotted to me here, in -doing as I have said,' replied Henry. - -'Then it is my opinion that you will have a tiresome time of it,' said -the earl. - -'With all deference to your better judgment, my lord, I anticipate a far -different result.' - -'Well, then, I wish you all prosperity in your adventurous undertaking,' -replied the earl, 'but be careful to keep within sight of the ship.' - -'I shall undoubtedly be very careful about that, sir, for although I own -that I am an enthusiastic lover of romantic adventures, I do not by any -means, aspire to the envious celebrity of being left alone, in all my -glory, upon a desolate island. But who amongst all the party is hardy -enough to volunteer to go with me. Will you, Arthur?' - -'Why, what a selfish fellow you have got to be, Henry,' said Mary -Hamilton, 'to start on a wild goose chase yourself, and then ask the -only other young gentleman of the party to accompany you.' - -'That would be ungallant, without dispute,' chimed in 'sweet' Ellen -Armstrong. - -'Upon a second thought, I am compelled to believe it would,' replied -Henry. 'But to settle the matter, by Lord Armstrong's leave, I will take -his servant Patrick with me.' - -'Do you hear that, Patrick,' asked the earl? - -'Indade, sir, and I do,' replied Mr. Patrick O'Leary, with the true -Hibernian accent. 'And its to the end of the world that I would follow -swate master Henry, intirely.' - -'Well, Patrick, let us take a start now, then,' said Henry. - -'Stop a bit, if ye plase, master Henry, till I ask yer honor a bit of a -question. Is there any wild bastes on this elligant little island?' - -'Not that I know of. But what made you think of that, Patrick?' - -'Faith, an it was just this, then, your honor. Ould Father McGrave, -rest to his sowl, who was the parish praste at Bully Bannon, when I -was a wee bit spalpeen of a boy, used to tell me that in 'forrin' -places like this, where the sun was as hot as purgatory all the year -round, there was a great plinty of tigers and illifonts, [meaning -probably--elephants,] and sarpints, and all other kinds of savage -bastes. Now I jest thought, master Henry, if that was the case here, I -would just cut a couple of "shillalahs," one for each of us, off of -yonder tree, as they might work in handy in case of accidint.' - -'Although there is no danger of our being attacked by wild bastes, as -you call them,' replied Henry, smiling at the simplicity of the honest -Patlander, 'still, the shillalahs may not come amiss, so make haste and -cut them, and then we will set out upon our journey,' - -Having thus gained Huntington's permission, Pat O'Leary lost no time in -repairing to the tree which he has before mentioned, where he selected -two of its branches, which he thought suitable to his purposes, he -quickly cut them from their parent trunk with his jacknife, and returned -with them to Henry, who chose the shortest one of the two, and then -said:-- - -'Now, Patrick, as they have all gone off and left this spot, it is time -for us to follow their example.' - -'Fast as yer honor plases,' replied Patrick, and so saying, he -immediately followed Henry, who had advanced some paces ahead of him, -and they then proceeded both together, on their intended expedition. - -They walked on for some moments in silence, which, however, was broken -by Henry, who thus addressed his companion,-- - -'Well, Patrick, what do you think of this beautiful spot?' - -'Och, yer honor, and I think its just the most illigant little spot in -the world, where the pratees, [meaning, possibly, the oranges and -lemons,] grow on the trees, and where one never sees a snake, nor a -sarpint at all, at all. Sure, and I think that the blessed Saint Patrick -must have stopped at this place in the course of his travels, and killed -all the snakes, and the frogs, and the vipers, bad luck to them, as he -did in ould Ireland.' - -'But how should you like to live here altogether?' asked Henry. - -'Live, is it, master Henry? Sure, an I had rather live here than any -place in the wide world, besides barrin my own blessed ould Ireland.' - -'What, alone?' again asked Huntington. - -'By the powers, sir, no, not a bit of it,' replied the Patlander. 'The -devil a bit would Pat O'Leary wish to live alone in any place, bat I was -just thinking, master Henry, that if you and Miss Hamilton, bless the -light of her blessed black eyes, would only consint to be married, and -live upon this pretty, convanient little island, what a nate, clane, -comfortable serving man you might have in Patrick O'Leary.' - -Not knowing exactly, in what way to reply to Patrick's last speech, -Henry remained for the time silent, and they thus proceeded on their -journey, ascending first to the top of one hill, then after passing -through a fertile and beautiful valley, ascending another, until at last -they got completely tired. As they reached the second valley, Henry -spoke as follows: - -'I think we had better rest here awhile, Patrick.' - -'Just as you plase, sir,' answered his companion, 'rest or go on, it's -all one to Paddy O'Leary.' - -'Then I guess we will stop here,' said Henry. - -So saying, he seated himself on the luxuriant green grass, beneath a -fragrant orange tree, and Patrick was about to follow his example, when -the sudden appearance of three men on the summit of an adjacent -eminence, greeted the curious gaze which he cast around, and caused him -to exclaim: - -'By the powers of mud and blarney, master Henry, if there is no four -legged bastes upon this illigant bit of an island, there's plenty of two -legged ones.' - -'What do you mean,' exclaimed Henry, starting to his feet. - -'What do I mane? An sure, and what shall I mane, yer honor, except just -what I said? Just look at the top of that young mountain yonder, and you -will see two ugly looking two legged bastes, headed by a third, who -looks for all the world like the horrid baste with 'sivin heads and ten -horns,' that Father McGrave used to tell us was stabled in purgatory, -and ridden by the very ould divil himself.' - -Turning his eyes in the direction intimated, Henry immediately -discovered the three strong men to whom Patrick had alluded, and they -seemed at the same time to have seen him, for soon afterwards he -observed that they were descending the hill, and walking swiftly towards -the place where he and his servant were standing. - -'By the boys of Bulskerry, them divils are all armed, every mother's son -of them,' exclaimed O'Leary, as the strangers gained a near approach to -them. - -'So they are, sure enough,' answered Henry. 'But what shall we do, Pat, -run away, or stop and see what they want of us?' - -'It would surely be the asiest and most agreeable for both of us, to -show them a light pair of heels, or, in yer honor's own words, to run -away, that is, if so be that we had any where to run to,--but as we -haven't, why, the best thing we can be after doing, is to--to do the -best we can,--by staying where we am.' - -Having arrived at this very logical, and important conclusion, our -honest Hibernian flourished his shillalah above his head, but the next -moment it was snatched from his grasp by Blackbeard, who cast it away to -a considerable distance. - -'Bad luck to yer, for a murthering blackguard,' exclaimed Pat, as -nothing daunted, he closed in with the pirate, and with his superior -strength, would have easily crushed him to the earth, had not one of his -(Blackbeard's) comrades struck poor Pat a violent blow on the head with -the butt of his pistol, which caused him to let go his hold, and as he -afterwards averred, 'knocked the life from his head down to the inds of -his toes.' - -Whilst this curious transaction was in progress, Henry Huntington was -busily engaged in parrying the thrusts which were aimed at him by the -third pirate, with his stout walking stick, (which might, perhaps, be -more properly termed a heavy club,) and so lustily did he lay about him, -that he soon managed to knock his adversary down, through the agency of -a blow, (which, as it was afterwards discovered, fractured the villain's -skull,) when Blackbeard and the other man, who had just got clear of -Pat, fell suddenly upon Henry Huntington, and soon disarmed him. - -This having been accomplished, Blackbeard addressed him as follows: - -'Dost thou know, rash and fool-hardy man, that you have incurred death, -by daring to resist my authority, and wounding one of my comrades? - -'Though I know nothing either of you or your authority, or your -comrades, I do know, that as far forth as I could, I have done my duty.' - -'And I still have mine to do,' answered Blackbeard. 'Knowest thou that -Mary Hamilton is in my power?' - -'What,' exclaimed Henry, wildly, 'do I hear aright? Is my affianced in -the power of--' - -'If Mary Hamilton is your affianced wife, she is certainly in the power -of Blackbeard, the far-famed pirate of the Roanoke.' - -'God help her then,' exclaimed Henry, hardly knowing what he said. - -'Amen,' exclaimed the pirate, in a tone of cruel mockery. - -'If it is true, what you have told me,' said Henry, earnestly, 'only let -her go, free her, Mary Hamilton, from your cruel grasp, and then you may -kill, torture, do anything with my poor body that you will.' - -'I shall dispose of her, and you too, just as I please,' answered -Blackbeard, 'but I shall not stop longer here to bandy words with you.' - -As he finished speaking, the pirate raised his silver call to his lips, -and as its loud clear whistle rung out upon the still air, three more -desperadoes appeared suddenly upon the scene of action, whom Blackbeard -thus addressed: - -'Comrades, convey this young sprig of nobility,' pointing to Henry, 'and -that prostrate Irishman,' pointing to Patrick, (who was just beginning -to recover from the blow which had stunned him,) 'to the cavern, under -the palace, where you will see that they are closely confined.' - -So saying, Blackbeard turned quickly away, and soon disappeared through -the adjoining forest. - -The cavern to which the pirate had alluded in his last speech, as being -under the 'palace,' was a large, subterranean appartment, which was -generally used by the bucaniers as a place of storage for their ill -gotten plunder. This cavern had had many, and various ways of entrance, -the principal one of which, was near the outside of the palace, and was -opened by removing a broad, flat stone, which had been ingeniously set -upright in a small banking, apparently of earth, which surrounded this -singular abode. - -We might as well say here, as anywhere, that we are well aware that the -representation given by us of the pirate's palace and cavern, will be -looked upon by many as unnatural and improbable, but when they consider -that the bucaniers of that period were very numerous, and consisted of -men of almost every variety of genius, which must, even in its times of -relaxation, be employed about something, they will cease, perhaps, to -wonder that the ingenuity of such men should be exerted in building -convenient, and even elegant structures for their accommodation, and -their extensive means of enriching them with ornaments the most costly, -with which the numerous Indiamen they captured were freighted, will not -be farther questioned. - -But to return to our story. - -Finding himself surrounded by four or five armed and desperate men, -Huntington, concluding that resistance would be in vain, signified his -readiness to follow them, whereupon he was led by two of their number to -the cavern above alluded to, whilst the remaining pirates bestowed their -attention upon poor Patrick O'Leary, whom, (as he had not yet recovered -his powers of locomotion,) they lifted upon their shoulders and bore him -away after his master, much in the same manner as they would have -carried a slaughtered beast. - -Having arrived with their prisoners at the place assigned for their -confinement, the pirates conversed amongst themselves, as follows: - -'I say, Poplin,' exclaimed one who seemed to be a kind of petty officer, -'what do you suppose our captain intends to do with these two bear cubs -that we have here?' - -'I cannot say, Mr. Pepper,' replied the person to whom that worthy had -spoken, 'what he will do with that red-headed son of a mushroom, that -lays rolled up there yonder, like a bundle of half dead lobsters, but as -for the other one, he, you know, killed Pedro, and I heard the captain -say that he would be hanged.' - -'Then of course he will be, so that settles that affair,' replied Mr. -Pepper, very coolly. 'But what do you suppose, Poplin, he is going to do -with that fine lady, that he's got up overhead there?' - -'Which one do you mean? He's got two of them,' said Poplin. - -'Ah, yes, so he has, I recollect now. I mean both,' said Pepper. - -'I cannot tell only about the youngest one,' replied Poplin, 'whom the -captain is going to take on board the brig.' - -'What, has the pretty little craft arrived?' asked Pepper. - -'She has,' rejoined the other. - -'Then its all over with the Indiaman.' - -'Of course it is,' replied Poplin, significantly. - -'But the Indiaman you know,' suggested Pepper, 'carried double the -number of guns that the brig does.' - -'She carries a Captain Rowland also,' said Poplin, drily. - -'Ah, I understand it all now,' said Pepper, 'so let us confine the -prisoners, and then go up and see the fun.' - -So saying, a few moments afterwards, Pepper and his companions departed, -leaving Henry Huntington and Pat to their own reflections. - -What these reflections were, we shall leave for the present to the -imagination of our readers, and resume in our next chapter the further -adventures of Blackbeard, Arthur Huntington, and sweet Ellen Armstrong. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - _Interview between Blackbeard and Ellen--Attempted Murder of - the latter. Interference of Elvira. Blackbeard's Departure. - Elvira's History. The Escape._ - - -After having ordered her close alongside the East Indiaman, Blackbeard -immediately descended to the place where sweet Ellen Armstrong was -confined as a prisoner, and addressed its occupant, in the following -manner, - -'So Miss Armstrong, you acted the heroine to perfection, this -afternoon.' - -A look of utter loathing and contempt, being the only answer which the -fair Ellen deigned to bestow on the pirate's words, he continued: - -'You must certainly be mad, my lovely lily of the valley, to look so -scornfully upon me, who at present holds in his hand the power of thy -life or death.' - -'As I am well assured that you will use the awful power you speak, to -put a speedy end to my wretched existence,' replied Ellen, 'I must beg -of you, instantly to retire, and thus rid me of your hateful presence.' - -'Stop, stop, my pretty Miss,' exclaimed Blackbeard, 'not quite so fast, -if you please. In the first place you must learn, that I have at present -no intention of taking your life, but on the contrary, I intend to make -you my wife, as soon as circumstances will permit.' - -'Pirate, fiend, villain,' exclaimed Ellen, starting up from her seat and -confronting Blackbeard, with all the majesty of injured innocence, -'learn, that rather than become the wife of a desperate robber like -thyself, Ellen Armstrong will die, die by her own hand, and--' - -'Ha, ha ha, there you go into heroics again,' interrupted the pirate, in -a tone of scornful irony, 'but I will soon find a way to bring you back -to your senses. Now, listen,' he continued, after a moment's pause, and -in a tone of voice changed to stern severity, 'listen I say, to my -words, and mark them well. From the curious scenes which transpired -awile ago on the deck of this vessel, in which you chose to act a -prominent part, I could draw but one inference, and that was, that you -was deeply in love with Arthur Huntington, and now I would ask of you, -if this inference is correct.' - -'Had you any right to put such a question to me, I should not hesitate -to answer it,' replied Ellen, who by this time had attained a sort of -desperate courage which enabled her to bear up under the unaccountable -horrors of her situation. - -'If I have not a right, you will now perceive that I have the might to -compel you to answer,' exclaimed Blackbeard, who having become by this -time, thoroughly infuriated, drew a poniard from his belt, and -advancing, towards Ellen, who sunk pale and terrified upon her knee, at -his approach, he continued: - -'It is far from my wish, Miss Armstrong, to harm even a hair of your -head; but you must, (and mark me, I speak not unmeaningly,) you must, I -repeat, answer my question, fairly, and without equivocation. Do you -love Arthur Huntington?' - -Ellen shuddered, and averted her head, but answered not. Finding his -fair prisoner was not disposed to reply, Blackbeard, exclaimed with a -horrid oath, - -'I tell you, girl, that the pirate of the Roanoke, is not to be tampered -with. Again, and for the last time, I command you to answer my question. -Will you do so?' - -'No,' replied Ellen firmly, 'I will not.' - -'Then your blood be upon your head!' exclaimed the pirate, as springing -suddenly forward, he inflicted a severe wound upon the person of sweet -Ellen Armstrong, with his poniard, which caused her to fall fainting and -bleeding upon the floor of the cabin. - -'My God, what have I done,' muttered Blackbeard, as he gazed upon his -prisoner's prostrate form. - -'Murdered your sister!' exclaimed a shrill female voice, which emanated -from a person who had entered the cabin unperceived, just after Ellen -was wounded. - -'Ha, who is that, that speaks of murder!' exclaimed the Pirate -involuntarily. - -'It is your mother, Elvira, who accuses you of having murdered that -beautiful girl, who now lays gasping at your feet,' replied the strange -female, who although she was far advanced in years, beyond the prime of -life, still possessed a tall and commanding form, together with -features, which, though they were somewhat wrinkled and withered, had -once been pre-eminently fair and beautiful. - -'Avaunt! hag,' exclaimed Blackbeard, as Elvira ceased speaking, 'begone -I say, and if ever thou darest to call thyself, my mother, in my -hearing, I will stab you to the very heart.' - -'Am I not thy father's wife, Herbert?' replied the female. - -'You say so, and it may be so,' rejoined Blackbeard, 'but at any rate -you are only a social one.' - -'If even that is allowed,' answered Elvira, 'you must own that it -legally puts me in your mother's place.' - -'By the bones of Captain Kid, it sounds well and appropriate for you, to -talk about legality,' replied Blackbeard, ironically, 'you, who hast -been born and bred amongst those, who acknowledge no laws, except those -of their own making. Go to, you're an idiot.' - -'But I am not a murderess,' replied Elvira. - -'That is more than I could swear for,' said Blackbeard. - -'At least I never killed my sister,' rejoined Elvira. - -'What do you mean to insinuate by that?' asked the Pirate as his -muscular frame trembled with a sort of indefinable emotion. - -'I mean,' replied Elvira earnestly, 'not only to insinuate, but to -solemnly assert, that, that unfortunate girl, who now lies bleeding -before your eyes, is your only sister.' - -'What!' exclaimed Blackbeard, driven by these singular words almost to -frenzy, 'Witch of Bedlam, thou liest.' - -A low, faint moan, here escaped from the lips of the wounded girl, which -caused Elvira, thus to address the pirate: - -'Say no more at present, Herbert, I entreat you, but leave the cabin, -whilst I endeavor to restore this young creature to consciousness.' - -'You asserted just now, that this girl was my only sister,' replied -Blackbeard, 'and before I depart I must have an explanation of your -words.' - -'For the love of Heaven, Herbert,' said Elvira, 'leave me alone with -this maiden for the present, and to-morrow I will explain everything.' - -'Upon that consideration, I will go,' avowed the pirate, 'and after -which you will carefully examine her wound, and if it is likely to prove -fatal, beware how you lose any time in making me aware of the fact.' - -So saying, and without awaiting Elvira's reply, Blackbeard immediately -left the cabin. - -'Lower away the boat there,' thundered forth the pirate, as he gained -the brig's quarter deck. A score or two men promptly executed this -order, the boat was soon manned; Blackbeard assumed his station in the -stern sheets, and was soon pulled along side of the Gladiator, whose -deck he quickly reached, where he earnestly inquired of the officer in -charge, for Captain Rowland. - -'He went ashore, sir,' replied the man to whom he had applied, 'about -one hour ago, and left orders for you to follow him at your earliest -convenience.' - -Upon hearing this, Blackbeard without stopping to reply, hastily -re-entered his boat, and ordered his coxswain to steer directly for the -shore, which he soon reached, and having landed, made the best of his -way to the palace, where we will for the present leave him, whilst we -look further after the fortunes of our heroine. - -No sooner had the pirate, taken his departure from the cabin, than the -strange female hastened to the assistance of the wounded girl, whom she -supported in her arms, and then conducted her into a small but neatly -furnished state-room, which was Elvira's own apartment, where she had -partly overheard the altercation which took place, as before related, -between Blackbeard and Ellen, and from which she had noiselessly and -unperceived entered the main cabin just after our unfortunate heroine -had fallen to the floor. Here Elvira gently laid her fair charge upon -her own soft couch, and proceeded immediately to examine her wound, -which, although it had bled copiously, was but slight, then, after -carefully dressing it, this strange woman, by the aid of appropriate -restoratives soon succeeded in restoring 'sweet' Ellen Armstrong once -more to consciousness. - -As a confused sense of her situation began to dawn upon her mind, our -heroine, after casting a wild glance around the state-room, addressed -Elvira as follows: - -'Good woman, for the love of Heaven, tell me where I am, and into whose -hands I have fallen?' - -'You are at present on board of a piratical vessel called the Fury, and -in the hands of a merciless and cruel set of black-hearted villains.' - -'And you,' exclaimed Ellen, hardly knowing what she said, 'how came you, -a woman, to be in this horrid place?' - -'That is a question,' replied Elvira 'much easier for you to ask, than -it will be for me to answer, but, as some of the events connected with -the sad history of my presence here, may be found to be somewhat -connected with your present mysterious situation, I will lose no time in -making you acquainted with the story of my past life, that is, if you -think you possess strength enough to listen to the recital, which as it -is to me a painful theme, I shall make as brief as possible.' - -A strange and unaccountable interest in the words of the dejected being -who stood before her, having taken possession of the sympathizing mind -of our heroine, she signified to Elvira, that she felt strong enough to -listen to any thing which might serve to explain the horrible mystery -connected with her sudden captivity, and the subsequent events attendant -upon it. - -As Ellen finished speaking, Elvira, commenced her narration as follows: - -'I was born in Lincoln, near fifty years ago. My parents were poor, but -respectable trades-people, who, had they been permitted to live, until -I, their only child, had reached the age of womanhood, might have, by -religious counsel and strict government checked, if not wholly -obliterated the reckless propensities of my passionate temper and wild, -wayward disposition. But before my years had numbered ten, my parents -both died within a few weeks of each other, leaving me to the care of a -tyrannical old aunt, who I soon afterwards found, managed to hide, under -an artful affection of religion and prudery, a base malignant and -sensual character. I was immediately sent by my aunt to the -parish-school, where, being naturally tractable and apt to learn I soon -acquired the rudiments of a good education, and besides, I learnt also -to become an expert needle-woman. No sooner did my aunt find that I was -mistress of this latter accomplishment, than she took me at once from -school, and compelled me to toil day and night at my needle, refusing me -at the same time all necessary rest and recreation. - -'Young and high-spirited as I then was, I found it impossible to bear -such brutal treatment, and one day when I was about fourteen years of -age, in a fit of anger and despair, I left the home of my cruel aunt, -and found myself a wretched wanderer in the streets of London, without -money, home, or friends. Still I wandered on, not realizing the horror -of my situation, till the shades of evening began to cover the city, and -the harsh knawings of cruel hunger, began inexorably to crave their -natural satisfaction. Then it was that I felt myself compelled to look -around for some place of shelter, but could find none, and would have -returned again to my cruel aunt, but alas, all my efforts to find her -habitation proved utterly fruitless, and having by this time reached the -banks of the Thames, I plunged without a moment's hesitation, into its -dark waters, resolving to end at once a life which promised nothing to -its possessor, but wretchedness and wo. But my fatal resolution was -frustrated by a man, who, unperceived had for some time previous watched -my wild and desperate course, and who jumped into the water as I a -second time rose to its surface, caught me by the arm, and held me -tightly with one hand, whilst with the other he swam toward a small -vessel, which, being but a short distance off, he managed to reach in -safety. - -'Having received on board this vessel every attention which the greatest -delicacy and kindness could dictate, I soon became impressed with a -strong desire to become acquainted, with the character and designs of -the person who had so disinterestedly preserved my life. It so happened -that during a short illness which was occasioned by the cold bath I had -taken in the Thames, I was assiduously attended by a female, who, as I -afterwards learnt, was the wife of one of the officers of the vessel. To -this woman who was very kind and attentive to my wants, I applied for -the gratification of my curiosity concerning my preserver, upon which -she informed me that he was a young Spaniard of good family, who -commanded the vessel in which we were then situated. - -'This was all I could gather from her, but a day or two afterwards I had -perfectly recovered so that I could verbally thank the generous man who -had saved my life, to his face. After having listened with modest -though marked attention to my warm protestations of gratitude, Don -Almanzor, (for such was his name,) begged me to relate to him the -untoward events which had driven me to desperation and almost death. - -'In accordance with his request, I gave him a brief history of my -previous life, after which in view as he said, of my helpless and -desolate condition, he offered to take me to his home in Cuba, where he -informed me I should become an inmate of his father's family, he taking -upon himself to act towards me, in every respect, the part of a friend -and generous brother. - -'With redoubled expressions of sincere gratitude and respect, I eagerly -consented to abide by Almanzor's generous offer, and a few days -afterward, the vessel in which I had so strangely become a passenger, -sailed for Havana, where she arrived after a pleasant passage of three -weeks. - -'During the voyage, Almanzor treated me with the most delicate attention -and respect, and as he was young, handsome, and unmarried, you will not -be surprised when I inform you, that long before its termination, I -became deeply and fervently attached to him. However, I resolved to keep -my passion a secret within my own bosom, until I should know whether my -affection would be reciprocated by its object, and in the mean time, I -became regularly domesticated in the family of Don Almanzor, which -consisted of his father, who was a rich old Spanish slave-dealer, his -mother, and himself. The old people treated me in all respects, as -though I had been their only daughter, and for two years I lived with -them in the enjoyment of a pure and tranquil happiness, which, at the -expiration of that time, was enhanced beyond measure, by an honorable -offer on the part of Almanzor, of his hand and heart. As might naturally -be supposed, I readily accepted an offer which agreed so well with my -own inclinations, and shortly afterwards we were married, and after two -more years of increased felicity had passed, I became the mother of a -lovely daughter. - -'My husband was at this time absent on a trading voyage, and the vessel -that he was in having encountered a severe hurricane, was stranded, and -every soul on board of her found a watery grave. - -'This dreadful news was brought to me by Captain Rowland, who visited -the island at that time, in the capacity of master of an English brig, -and need I say that the horrid tidings almost drove me frantic. - -'Then the insiduous tempter came, and offered me his hand, which I -accepted, and thus I became what you see me now, Rowland's wife.' - -'And who is this Captain Rowland?' asked Ellen, eagerly. - -'He is a noted pirate,' replied Elvira. - -'Did you know that when you married him?' - -'I did not, if I had, sooner would I have yielded my life than united my -fortune, desperate as it was, with his. When I discovered his true -character, I was his wife, on board of his vessel, and in his power, -with no avenue through which I could escape, and for the sake of my -child, I was forced to humble myself, and submit to his caprices.' - -'Your situation must have been terrible beyond expression,' ejaculated -Ellen, who had become deeply interested in the story of the unfortunate -woman. - -'God knows that it was so,' answered Elvira. 'The discovery of his -deception came upon me suddenly, like a thunderbolt from the clouds of -heaven, and I upbraided him for it in the bitterness of my heart, and he -answered my reproaches at first with scornful laughter, and afterwards -with a relation of the history of his past life, during which, to my -utter astonishment and surprise, I learnt that he had been once before -married, but that his wife had recently died, leaving two children, a -son who was at that time in the vessel with his father, and an infant -daughter, concerning whom, I could only then learn from Rowland, that -she had been left in London, in the hands of such persons as would take -good care of her. - -'It was in vain after this, that I begged my cruel husband to return me -and my child to Havana, he was utterly deaf to all my entreaties, -although about two months after our embarcation he landed me on this -desolate, but beautiful island, where, in his hours of leisure, he had -with the assistance of his companions, erected and furnished with his -rich but ill gotten spoils, that building which has been signified by -the name of the Pirate's Palace.' - -'That must be the horrid place,' exclaimed Ellen, 'which I saw this -morning, and in which I fear Mary Hamilton is--is--' - -'Now confined,' interrupted Elvira. - -'Is it not worse than that,' exclaimed Ellen, eagerly, 'has she not met -with a cruel death?' - -'Oh no, that is no part of the purpose of those who have detained her,' -answered Elvira. - -'Do you know their true purpose, then,' asked Ellen, 'relative to her, -myself, and the rest of the prisoners?' - -'With regard to Miss Hamilton,' replied Elvira, 'Rowland's purpose is to -force her into a union with his son.' - -'And who may his son be?' again inquired Ellen. - -'No other,' answered Elvira, impressively, 'but Herbert Rowland -otherwise called Blackbeard, the famous pirate of the Roanoke, who is -besides your only brother.' - -'And Captain Rowland?' - -'Is your father.' - -'God of Heaven! can it be possible?' exclaimed the fair Ellen. - -'It is no less possible than true,' replied Elvira. - -'Then, in Heaven's name, let us free Arthur from his fetters,' exclaimed -Ellen, 'and all of us escape through the cabin window into the boat, -that has, I perceive, been left astern.' - -Upon hearing this, Elvira immediately left the cabin, but, to Ellen's -greater joy, she shortly after returned, followed by Arthur Huntington, -who assisted the females into the boat, after which he entered it -himself and succeeded in getting, unperceived, out of sight of the brig, -upon the bosom of the wide ocean. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - _Singular Interview between Blackbeard and his Father. The - Sloop-of-war. Meeting of Rowland and Henry Huntington. Life or - Death. The Surprise. The Fight. The Result. Joyful Meeting. - The Double Bridal. Happy Conclusion._ - - -Upon entering the main apartment of the pirate's palace, Blackbeard -encountered Captain Roderick Rowland whom he addressed as follows: - -'Ha, mine honored father, so you happened to arrive here just in the -nick of time to--' - -'Be hung, I suppose,' muttered Rowland from between his teeth. - -'Not quite so bad as that I hope,' rejoined Blackbeard. - -'I hope not, too,' answered Rowland; 'but there is a very dim chance for -us to escape with whole necks.' - -'How so, father? What do you mean?' asked Blackbeard. - -'Did not Lovelace tell you that the Fury was chased all day yesterday by -one of His Majesty's sloops-of-war?' - -'He did not,' replied Blackbeard, who was greatly astonished by the -intelligence thus communicated. 'But what is to be done?' - -'One of two things must be decided upon, and that quickly,' answered -Rowland. 'We must either get the brig underweigh, and sail for it, or -else shut ourselves up here and fight for it.' - -'You will be obliged to decide upon the latter position, then, for the -brig is aground.' - -'D--nation!' muttered Rowland, then recollecting himself, he continued: - -'Well, Herbert, how many of our crew is there now about the palace?' - -'Not more than a dozen.' - -'There should be thirteen, I think,' replied Rowland. - -'And there probably would have been had not one of them had his brains -knocked out this morning in a scuffle with one of your passengers.' - -'Which one of them was it who dared to strike one of us?' asked Rowland. - -'A devilish rum one, I can tell you, father. If I mistake not, his name -was Henry Huntington.' - -'Have you got him in custody?' - -'Ay, he is safely confined in the cavern.' - -'And I hope we shall have an opportunity to hang him,' exclaimed -Rowland. 'And Mary Hamilton, is she too, safe?' - -'She is, I believe, in the next room with Violette,' answered -Blackbeard. - -'Herbert, I have resolved that you shall marry that girl,' said Rowland -abruptly. - -'Hell and fury!' exclaimed Blackbeard. 'I did not expect that. In your -letter, written to me from London, you stated that I was to marry one of -the two girls who were about to take passage with you in the Gladiator, -so I concluded you meant the youngest, and I have made love to her -accordingly.' - -'Good God, Herbert, she is your only sister!' - -'Then I have killed her!' - -'How?' exclaimed Rowland. - -'I have murdered her,' replied Blackbeard, who then related to his -father the conversation that had passed between himself and Ellen, and -its terrible result. - -'I little thought,' said Rowland, as Blackbeard finished speaking, 'that -I was training you up to outvie myself in villany. Are you sure she is -dead?' - -'I hope she is,' replied Blackbeard, ironically. - -'Beware then!' exclaimed Blackbeard; 'for if she has gone, if her pure -spirit has departed, you shall soon follow her.' - -'If I follow her I shall be sure of Heaven, then, which would by no -means be the case if I followed you in your exit from the world,' -muttered Blackbeard. - -'Why, Herbert,' exclaimed Rowland, 'you will soon arrive to be the very -prince of bucaniers, if your career is not cut short by a--' - -'Halter,' interrupted Blackbeard. 'Well, if it is, I shall not have to -swing alone--there is some consolation in that--there is nothing like -plenty of company, whichever road we may be travelling.' - -'Ha! ha! ha!' laughed Rowland. 'You're a sad dog, Herbert, and well -worthy the lineage from which you have descended. Now you will go and -order the men to get their arms in readiness for a desperate fight, and -despatch two of them to the brig with orders for her crew to hasten to -our assistance.' - -'But what shall be done with the passengers and crew of the Indiaman,' -asked Blackbeard. - -'There are none there of any great consequence to us,' answered Rowland, -'and as there is no room for us to be cumbered with them here, we shall -be obliged to let them run a chance of escape. You can also tell Pepper -to bring the prisoners now in the cavern immediately into my presence.' - -Having received the above orders, Blackbeard departed upon his errand, -and soon after, Pepper entered Rowland's presence, followed by Henry -Huntington and his faithful servant, Mr. Patrick O'Leary. - -After surveying the two prisoners for some moments in silence, Rowland -spoke to Huntingdon in the following manner: - -'You are undoubtedly much surprised at meeting me in this place, are you -not, Mr. Huntington?' - -'Since the mysterious events of this morning I have ceased to be -surprised at anything,' answered Henry. - -This reply was apparently unheeded by Rowland, who thus continued: - -'I have sent for you here in order to inform you that to-morrow will be -the last day of your existence. You have forfeited your life in two -several and different ways to the laws of the free sons of the ocean.' - -Here Rowland paused for a reply; but as Henry did not choose to make -any, he continued: - -'When you considered me to be nothing but the master of a paltry -Indiaman, you treated me with haughtiness, contempt, and scorn that I -never did forgive, and never shall.' - -'You was treated by me, as in my estimation, you deserved to be,' -replied Henry, boldly. - -'Very well,' answered Rowland, as a sardonic grin illuminated his -flexible countenance, 'as you are self-condemned on that charge, there -is no occasion for me to bring forward the others, so to-morrow morning -you die!' - -'Oh! say not so, but recall your cruel words!' exclaimed Mary Hamilton, -as she rushed into Rowland's presence from the inner apartment. - -'Ha! who have we here?' exclaimed Rowland, as the wild tones of Mary's -voice fell upon his ear. - -'You see before you, sir,' replied Miss Hamilton, 'a poor unfortunate -girl who only claims from you the boon of her friend's life.' - -'You plead in vain, Miss Hamilton,' answered Rowland, coldly, 'his life -has been twice forfeited, and were an angel from Heaven to ask it, it -would avail nothing--he must and shall die.' - -'Then will I die with him!' - -'Ha! sits the wind in that quarter,' muttered Rowland in a low tone, -then raising his voice, and addressing Mary, he said: - -'I suppose then, I am to infer that you are in love with this Mr. -Huntington.' - -'You must infer what you please, sir,' replied Mary, 'I shall say no -more.' - -'I must speak myself, then,' replied Rowland. 'Now Miss Hamilton, hear -me. Some ten years have elapsed since I first become acquainted with -your father in Rio, where I had landed to dispose of a cargo of negroes. -I also soon became acquainted with the vast extent of his wealth, with -the fact that, upon the event of his death, it would fall into your -hands, and from that hour I resolved that you should marry my son. To -bring about this result I have practised every art which my inventive -genius could suggest in order to get you in my power, and after finding -out where and with whom you resided, I have watched day and night for an -opportunity to secure your person, and at last success crowned my -efforts, as I obtained the command of the vessel in which, as I was well -assured beforehand, you took passage for the purpose of joining your -father. Now my son is here, and you, his destined bride, we have a -regularly educated Roman priest here also, who can legally solemnize the -marriage rites; therefore consent to wed my son, Herbert Rowland, and -the life of Henry Huntington is saved.' - -For some moments after the conclusion of Rowland's speech, Mary uttered -not a word, but stood with uplifted eyes, as if in silent suppication to -Heaven for guidance in this her hour of peril and danger. - -The solemn silence which reigned in the apartment was soon broken by -Rowland who thus again addressed Miss Hamilton: - -'Will you consent to become my son's wife?' - -'Never!' replied the fair girl, firmly. 'Although the life of my friend -is dearer to me than my own, I will never consent to save it by a -dishonored allegiance with the son of a pirate.' - -'Then an angel spoke,' exclaimed Henry. - -'By the piper that played before Moses, and I can swear on the blissed -book to that same, masther Henry,' ejaculated Pat O'Leary, who, with a -countenance swaying alternately from laughing to crying, formed a -somewhat ludicrous contrast to the rest of the group. - -'Take that young sprig of nobility below again, Pepper,' exclaimed -Rowland. - -As Henry was about to follow the individual in question, who was -preparing to depart with his prisoner, Mary said: - -'Farewell, Henry, be of good cheer, and despair not, for He who tempers -the wind to the shorn lamb, will most assuredly deliver you from your -villanous persecutor.' - -Having thus spoken, Miss Hamilton immediately retired into the adjoining -apartment. - -'Come, young man,' exclaimed Pepper, 'bear a hand, and trot here in my -wake.' - -'Lead on,' answered Henry, and so saying he followed Pepper towards the -door. - -They had hardly reached it, however, before their farther progress was -impeded by the entrance of Blackbeard, who almost breathlessly -exclaimed: - -'It is all over with us, father. The boats from the sloop-of-war on the -other side of the island, and their crews armed to the teeth, are now -within a few rods of the palace.' - -'Be the bones of St. Patrick, an' sure that is the most illegant news -that iver graated the ears iv a jintleman in disthress!' exclaimed Pat -O'Leary, who was in an ecstacy of joy at the prospect of his speedy -deliverance. - -'What is to be done, father?' asked Blackbeard. - -'Done,' exclaimed Rowland, in a voice of thunder, 'why, we must fight -and die, as we have lived, at war with all mankind.' - -By this time a considerable number of the pirates had entered the -palace, and were ordered by Rowland to close the doors and barricade -them with whatever moveables they could find, but before his command -could be executed, the apartment was forcibly entered by the crew of -one of the launches of His Majesty's sloop of war, Vengeance, headed by -an officer, who called out to the inmates,-- - -'Surrender in the name of King George!' - -'In the name of King Lucifer, then, I will never surrender,' exclaimed -Rowland, as he aimed a blow at the officer with his cutlass. - -The fight thus began, and soon became general, but although the pirates -fought desperately, they were soon overpowered by the superior numbers -and coolness of their adversaries, and as a pistol shot laid Rowland -upon the floor, the few desperadoes who remained, agreed to surrender at -discretion, with the exception of Blackbeard, who fought like a tiger, -until he fell covered with wounds by his father's side, the red current -of life mingling with that of his unnatural parent. - -'Some one must have betrayed us, Herbert,' exclaimed the now dying -Rowland, 'and the curse of,--but no, Clarice, I cannot come to thee, -thou art in Heaven. O God, my child, my dearest one, where art thou, -Clarice, Elvira, El--' - -Here the sound of his voice was heard no more. Rowland was dead! - -As his cold hand fell lifeless by his side, it rested upon the cold -clammy cheek of his son, and it became evident to all around that the -short but eventful career of Blackbeard, the far-famed Pirate of Roanoke -was forever ended. - - * * * * * - -Although the Fury had managed to outsail the sloop-of-war, on the day -previous to the events above related, the captain of the latter, well -knowing that the island of Trinidad had long been a piratical -rendezvous, naturally supposed that the brig would stop there, and as he -made the land just before night-fall he determined the next day to -explore the island, hoping that he might thereby be enabled to trace the -desperadoes to their lurking-place. - -The wind changing during the night, brought the Vengeance, next morning, -some few miles to the leeward of the island, on the side opposite from -that where the Fury had grounded, so that it was late in the afternoon -before she could get near enough to lower her boats. - -Just before, however, the order was given to embark the several boat's -crews, the man on the look-out exclaimed: - -'There is something close alongside here, which looks like a boat.' - -The captain of the Vengeance, upon going forward to see what the strange -thing might be, was greatly astonished at being hailed as follows: - -'Ship ahoy. For the love of Heaven stop and take on board two helpless -women, who have but just escaped from the pirates.' - -This request was speedily acceded to, the sails of the Vengeance were -hove aback, and the next moment Arthur Huntington, accompanied by Ellen -Armstrong and the pirate's wife, were safe upon her deck, where the -former lost no time in making the captain of the Vengeance acquainted -with the events which had that day transpired, whilst Elvira volunteered -to direct the officer who had been entrusted with the command of the -boats, to the pirate's palace, which otherwise he might not have found. - -Before midnight, the whole party who had landed upon the island in the -morning, met each other once again, upon the deck of the Vengeance, and -many and sincere were the thanks they returned to Heaven for their -deliverance out of the murderous hands of the pirate of the Roanoke. - - * * * * * - -Five years after the occurrence of the singular events above narrated, -the mansion of Lord Armstrong, situated near the mouth of the Roanoke -river, in the province of North Carolina, was brilliantly illuminated, -as if for a season of great rejoicing. And such indeed was the fact. -Soon after night-fall a gay party had assembled in the earl's parlor, -and shortly afterwards entered Henry Huntington, holding by the hand the -fair and stately Mary Hamilton, immediately followed by his brother -Arthur and sweet Ellen Armstrong, the whole party being succeeded by a -clergyman, attired in the sacerdotal robes of the church of Rome. - -That night, dear reader, witnessed the consummation of a double bridal. - -Elvira, the pirate's wife, and her daughter Violette, were present at -the wedding, and so was Misther Pat O'Leary, who afterwards declared -that 'by the powers of mud, it was indade the pleasantest night he had -iver passed in his life, so it was.' - -Kind reader, it only remains for us to say that the descendants of -Arthur and Henry Huntington still continue to reside upon the pleasant -banks of the Roanoke, and often take great pleasure in recounting to -each other the exploits of the far-famed Blackbeard, and the -providential and almost miraculous escape of their ancestors from the -blood-stained hands of Herbert and Roderick Rowland. - -THE END. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Blackbeard, by B. 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