diff options
Diffstat (limited to '35648.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 35648.txt | 4797 |
1 files changed, 4797 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/35648.txt b/35648.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f460290 --- /dev/null +++ b/35648.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4797 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mayne Reid, by Elizabeth Reid + +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: Mayne Reid + A Memoir of his Life + +Author: Elizabeth Reid + +Release Date: March 21, 2011 [EBook #35648] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAYNE REID *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Mayne Reid +A Memoir of his Life +By Elizabeth Reid +Published by Ward and Downey, 12 York Street, Convent Garden, London. +This edition dated 1890. + +Mayne Reid, by Elizabeth Reid. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ +MAYNE REID, BY ELIZABETH REID. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +EARLY LIFE. EMIGRATION TO AMERICA. EDGAR ALLAN POE. + +To most of the world, Captain Mayne Reid is known only as a writer of +thrilling romances and works on natural history. It will appear in +these pages that he was also distinguished as a man of action and a +soldier, and the record of his many gallant deeds should still further +endear him to the hearts of his readers. + +He was born in the north of Ireland, in April, 1818, at Ballyroney, +county Down, the eldest son of the Reverend Thomas Mayne Reid, +Presbyterian minister, a man of great learning and ability. His mother +was the daughter of the Reverend Samuel Rutherford, a descendant of the +"hot and hasty Rutherford" mentioned in Sir Walter Scott's "Marmion." + +One of Mayne Reid's frequent expressions was: "I have all the talent of +the Reids and all the deviltry of the Rutherfords." He certainly may be +said to have inherited at least the "hot and hasty temper" of his +mother's family, for his father, the Reverend Thomas Mayne Reid, was of +a most placid disposition, much beloved by his parishioners, and a +favourite alike with Catholics and Protestants. It used to be said of +him by the peasantry, "Mr Reid is so polite he would bow to the ducks." +Several daughters had been born to them before the advent of their +first son. He was christened Thomas Mayne, but in after life dropped +the Thomas, and was known only as Mayne Reid. Other sons and daughters +followed, but Mayne was the only one destined to figure in the world's +history. + +Young Mayne Reid early evinced a taste for war. When a small boy he was +often found running barefooted along the road after a drum and fife +band, greatly to his mother's dismay. She chided him, saying, "What +will the folks think to see Mr Reid's son going about like this?" To +which young Mayne replied, "I don't care. I'd rather be Mr Drum than +Mr Reid." + +It was the ardent wish of both parents that their eldest son should +enter the Church; and, at the age of sixteen, Mayne Reid was sent to +college to prepare for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, but +after four years' study, it was found that his inclinations were +altogether opposed to this calling. He carried off prizes in +mathematics, classics, and elocution; distinguished himself in all +athletic sports; anything but theology. It is recorded, on one occasion +when called upon to make a prayer, he utterly failed, breaking down at +the first few sentences. It was called by his fellow-students "Reid's +wee prayer." + +Captain Mayne Reid has been heard to say, "My mother would rather have +had me settle down as a minister, on a stipend of one hundred a year, +than know me to be the most famous man in history." + +The good mother could never understand her eldest son's ambition; but +she was happy in seeing her second son, John, succeed his father as +pastor of Closkilt, Drumgooland. + +In the month of January, 1810, Mayne Reid first set foot in the new +world--landing at New Orleans. We quote his own words: "Like other +striplings escaped from college, I was no longer happy at home. The +yearning for travel was upon me, and without a sigh I beheld the hills +of my native land sink behind the black waves, not much caring whether I +should ever see them again." + +Soon after landing, he thus expressed himself, showing how little store +he set upon his classical training as a stock-in-trade upon which to +begin the battle of life: "And one of my earliest surprises--one that +met me on the very threshold of my Transatlantic existence--was the +discovery of my own utter uselessness. I could point to my desk and +say, `There lie the proofs of my erudition; the highest prizes of my +college class.' But of what use are they? The dry theories I had been +taught had no application to the purposes of real life. My logic was +the prattle of the parrot. My classic lore lay upon my mind like +lumber; and I was altogether about as well prepared to struggle with +life--to benefit either my fellow-men or myself--as if I had graduated +in Chinese mnemonics. And, oh! ye pale professors, who drilled me in +syntax and scansion, ye would deem me ungrateful indeed were I to give +utterance to the contempt and indignation which I then felt for ye; +then, when I looked back upon ten years of wasted existence spent under +your tutelage; then, when, after believing myself an educated man, the +illusion vanished, and I awoke to the knowledge that I knew nothing." + +We shall not here follow Mayne Reid through the ever varying scenes of +this period--his life in Louisiana, encounters on the prairies with +buffaloes, grizzly bears, and Indians on the war-path with their +trophies of scalps; his excursions with trappers and Indians up the Red +River, the Missouri, and Platte--for all of these are embodied in his +writings, which contain more reality than romance. + +Mayne Reid tried his hand at various occupations, both in the civilised +and uncivilised life of the new world. + +For a brief space he was "storekeeper" and "nigger driver," then tutor +in the family of Judge Peyton Robertson, of Tennessee. Soon tiring of +this, he set up a school of his own in the neighbourhood, erecting a +wooden building as school house, at his own expense. He was very +popular as a teacher, but hunting in the backwoods being more to his +taste, he soon went in quest of fresh sport. + +At Cincinnati, Ohio, by way of a change, he joined a company of +strolling players, but very soon convinced himself that play-acting was +not his _forte_. This little episode in his life, the gallant Captain +was anxious to keep from the knowledge of his family in Ireland. They, +strict Presbyterians as they were, looked upon play-actors as almost +lost to the evil one. However, the fact got into print some years +later. + +Of all his varied adventures, the Captain would never tell us of his +failure in this one line of business, though he would dwell on his +talent as "storekeeper" and schoolmaster. + +Between the years 1842 and 1846 we hear of him as a poet, newspaper +correspondent and editor. In the autumn of 1842 Mayne Reid had reached +Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Here he contributed poetry to the _Pittsburgh +Chronicle_, under the _nom de plume_ of the "Poor Scholar." In the +spring of 1813 he settled in Philadelphia, and devoted all his energies +to literature, the most ambitious of his efforts being a poem, "La +Cubana," published in "Godey's Magazine." Here he also produced a +five-act tragedy "Love's Martyr," which is full of dramatic power. + +During Mayne Reid's residence in Philadelphia he made the acquaintance +of the American poet, Edgar Allan Poe, and the following account of the +poet's life, written by Mayne Reid some years later, in defence of his +much maligned friend, is of interest. + +"Nearly a quarter of a century ago, I knew a man named Edgar Allan Poe. +I knew him as well as one man may know another, after an intimate and +almost daily association extending over a period of two years. He was +then a reputed poet; I only an humble admirer of the Muses. + +"But it is not of his poetic talent I here intend to speak. I never +myself had a very exalted opinion of it--more especially as I knew that +the poem upon which rests the head corner-stone of his fame is not the +creation of Edgar Allan Poe, but of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In +`Lady Geraldine's Courtship,' you will find the original of `The Raven.' +I mean the tune, the softly flowing measure, the imagery and a good +many of the words--even to the `rustling of the soft and silken +curtain.' + +"This does not seem like defending the dead poet, nor, _as a poet_, is +his defence intended. I could do it better were I to speak of his +prose, which for classic diction and keen analytic power has not been +surpassed in the republic of letters. Neither to speak of his poetry, +or his prose, have I taken up the pen; but of what is, in my opinion, of +much more importance than either--his moral character. Contrary to my +estimate, the world believes him to have been a great poet; and there +are few who will question his transcendent talents as a writer of prose. +But the world also believes him to have been a blackguard; and there +are but few who seem to dissent from this doctrine. + +"I am one of this few; and I shall give my reasons, drawing them from my +own knowledge of the man. In attempting to rescue his maligned memory +from the clutch of calumniators, I have no design to represent Edgar +Allan Poe as a model of what man ought to be, either morally or +socially. I desire to obtain for him only strict justice; and if this +be accorded, I have no fear that those according it will continue to +regard him as the monster he has been hitherto depicted. Rather may it +be that the hideous garment will be transferred from his to the +shoulders of his hostile biographer. + +"When I first became acquainted with Poe he was living in a suburban +district of Philadelphia, called `Spring Garden.' I have not been there +for twenty years, and, for aught I know, it may now be in the centre of +that progressive city. It was then a quiet residential neighbourhood, +noted as the chosen quarter of the Quakers. + +"Poe was no Quaker; but, I remember well, he was next-door neighbour to +one. And in this wise: that while the wealthy co-religionist of William +Penn dwelt in a splendid four-story house, built of the beautiful +coral-coloured bricks for which Philadelphia is celebrated, the poet +lived in a lean-to of three rooms--there may have been a garret with a +closet--of painted plank construction, supported against the gable of +the more pretentious dwelling. + +"If I remember aright, the Quaker was a dealer in cereals. He was also +Poe's landlord; and, I think, rather looked down upon the poet--though +not from any question of character, but simply from his being fool +enough to figure as a scribbler and a poet. + +"In this humble domicile I can say that I have spent some of the +pleasantest hours of my life--certainly some of the most intellectual. +They were passed in the company of the poet himself and his wife--a lady +angelically beautiful in person and not less beautiful in spirit. No +one who remembers that dark-eyed, dark-haired daughter of Virginia--her +own name, if I rightly remember--her grace, her facial beauty, her +demeanour, so modest as to be remarkable--no one who has ever spent an +hour in her company but will endorse what I have above said. I remember +how we, the friends of the poet, used to talk of her high qualities. +And when we talked of her beauty, I well knew that the rose-tint upon +her cheek was too bright, too pure to be of earth. It was consumption's +colour--that sadly-beautiful light which beckons to an early tomb. + +"In the little lean-to, besides the poet and his interesting wife, there +was but one other dweller. This was a woman of middle age, and almost +masculine aspect. She had the size and figure of a man, with a +countenance that, at first sight, seemed scarce feminine. A stranger +would have been incredulous--surprised, as I was--when introduced to her +as the mother of that angelic creature who had accepted Edgar Poe as the +partner of her life. + +"Such was the relationship; and when you came to know this woman better, +the masculinity of her person disappeared before the truly feminine +nature of her mind; and you saw before you a type of those grand +American mothers--such as existed in the days when block-houses had to +be defended, bullets run in red-hot saucepans, and guns loaded for sons +and husbands to fire them. Just such a woman was the mother-in-law of +the poet Poe. If not called upon to defend her home and family against +the assaults of the Indian savage, she was against that as ruthless, as +implacable, and almost as difficult to repel--poverty. She was the +ever-vigilant guardian of the house, watching it against the silent but +continuous sap of necessity, that appeared every day to be approaching +closer and nearer. She was the sole servant, keeping everything clean: +the sole messenger, doing the errands, making pilgrimages between the +poet and his publishers, frequently bringing back such chilling +responses as `The article not accepted,' or, `The cheque not to be given +until such and such a day'--often too late for his necessities. + +"And she was also messenger to the market; from it bringing back, not +the `delicacies of the season,' but only such commodities as were called +for by the dire exigencies of hunger. + +"And yet were there some delicacies. I shall never forget how, when +peaches were in season and cheap, a pottle of these, the choicest gifts +of Pomona, were divested of their skins by the delicate fingers of the +poet's wife, and left to the `melting mood,' to be amalgamated with +Spring Garden cream and crystallised sugar, and then set before such +guests as came in by chance. + +"Reader! I know you will acknowledge this to be a picture of tranquil +domestic happiness; and I think you will believe me, when I tell you it +is truthful. But I know also you will ask, `What has it to do with the +poet?' since it seems to reflect all the credit on his wife, and the +woman who called him her son-in-law. For all yet said it may seem so; +but I am now to say that which may give it a different aspect. + +"During two years of intimate personal association with Edgar Allan Poe, +I found in him the following phases of character, accomplishment and +disposition: + +"First: I discovered rare genius; not at all of the poetic order, not +even of the fanciful, but far more of a practical kind, shown in a power +of analytic reasoning such as few men possess, and which would have made +him the finest detective policeman in the world. Vidocq would have been +a simpleton beside him. + +"Secondly: I encountered a scholar of rare accomplishments--especially +skilled in the lore of Northern Europe, and more imbued with it than +with the southern and strictly classic. How he had drifted into this +speciality I never knew. But he had it in a high degree, as is apparent +throughout all his writings, some of which read like an echo of the +Scandinavian `Sagas.' + +"Thirdly: I felt myself in communication with a man of original +character, disputing many of the received doctrines and dogmas of the +day; but only original in so far as to dispute them, altogether +regardless of consequences to himself or the umbrage he gave to his +adversaries. + +"Fourthly: I saw before me a man to whom vulgar rumour had attributed +those personal graces supposed to attract the admiration of women. This +is the usual description given of him in biographical sketches. And +why, I cannot tell, unless it has been done to round off a piquant +paragraph. His was a face purely intellectual. Women might admire it, +thinking of this; but it is doubtful if many of them ever fell, or could +have fallen, in love with the man to whom it belonged. I don't think +many ever did. It was enough for one man to be beloved by one such +woman as he had for his wife. + +"Fifthly: I feel satisfied that Edgar Allan Poe was not, what his +slanderers have represented him, a rake. I know he was not; but in +truth the very opposite. I have been his companion in one or two of his +wildest frolics, and can certify that they never went beyond the +innocent mirth in which we all indulge when Bacchus gets the better of +us. With him the jolly god sometimes played fantastic tricks--to the +stealing away his brain, and sometimes, too, his hat--leaving him to +walk bareheaded through the streets at an hour when the sun shone too +clearly on his crown, then prematurely bald. + +"While acknowledging this as one of Poe's failings, I can speak truly of +its not being habitual; only occasional, and drawn out by some +accidental circumstance--now disappointment; now the concurrence of a +social crowd, whose flattering friendship might lead to champagne, a +single glass of which used to affect him so much that he was hardly any +longer responsible for his actions, or the disposal of his hat. + +"I have chronicled the poet's crimes, all that I ever knew him to be +guilty of, and, indeed, all that can be honestly alleged against him; +though many call him a monster. It is time to say a word of his +virtues. I could expatiate upon these far beyond the space left me; or +I might sum them up in a single sentence by saying that he was no worse +and no better than most other men. + +"I have known him to be for a whole month closeted in his own house--the +little `shanty' supported against the gable of the rich Quaker--all the +time hard at work with his pen, poorly paid, and hard driven to keep the +wolf from his slightly-fastened door, intruded on only by a few select +friends, who always found him, what they knew him to be, a generous +host, an affectionate son-in-law and husband; in short, a respectable +gentleman. + +"In the list of literary men, there has been no such spiteful biographer +as Dr Rufus Griswold, and never such a victim of posthumous spite as +poor Edgar Allan Poe." + +Mayne Reid left Philadelphia in the spring of 1846, spending the summer +at Newport, Rhode Island, as correspondent to the _New York Herald_, +under the name of "Ecolier." In September of the same year he was in +New York, and had secured a post on Wilkes' _Spirit of the Times_, but +in November he abandoned the pen for the sword. + +The following extract from a letter of Mayne Reid to his father tells +something of his life in Philadelphia: + +"Headquarters, U.S. Army, + +"City of Mexico, + +"January 20th, 1848. + +"Can I expect that my silence for several years will be pardoned? When +I last wrote you I made a determination that our correspondence, on my +side at least, should cease until I had made myself worthy of continuing +that correspondence. Since then circumstances have enabled me to take +rank among _men_--to prove myself not unworthy of that gentle blood from +which I am sprung. Oh, how my heart beats at the renewal of those +tender ties--paternal, fraternal, filial affection; those golden chains +of the heart so long, so sadly broken. + +"If I mistake not, my last letter to you was written in the city of +Pittsburgh. I was then on my way from the West to the cities of the +Atlantic. Shortly after I reached Philadelphia, where for a while my +wild wanderings ceased. In this city I devoted myself to literature, +and for a period of two or three years earned a scanty but honourable +subsistence with my pen. My genius, unfortunately for my purse, was not +of that marketable class which prostitutes itself to the low literature +of the day. My love for tame literature enabled me to remain poor--ay, +even obscure, if you will--though I have the consolation of knowing that +there are understandings, and those, too, of a high order, who believe +that my capabilities in this field are not surpassed, if equalled, by +any writer on this continent. This is the under-current of feeling +regarding me in the United States; the current, I am happy to say, that +runs in the minds of the educated and intelligent. Perhaps in some +future day this under-current may break through the surface, and shine +the brighter for having been so long concealed. + +"But I have now neither time nor space for theories. Facts will please +you better, my dear father and best friend. During my trials as a +writer, my almost anonymous productions occasionally called forth warm +eulogies from the press. A little gold rubbed into the palm of an +editor would have made them wonders! During this time I made many +friends, but none of that class who were able and willing to lift me +from the sink of poverty. + +"There are no Maecenases in the United States. I found none to forge +golden wings for me, that I might fly to the heights of Parnassus. +During this probation I frequently sent you papers and magazines, +containing my productions, generally, I believe, under the _nom de +plume_ of `The Poor Scholar.' Have these missiles ever reached you? As +I have said, for three or four years I struggled on through this life of +literature, and amid the charlatanism and quackery of the age I found I +must descend to the everyday nothings of the daily press. I edited, +corresponded, became disgusted. The war broke out with Mexico. I flung +down the pen and took up the sword. I entered the regiment of New York +Volunteers as a 2nd lieutenant, and sailing--" + +The letter is torn here, and the remaining portion has unfortunately +been lost. The regiment in which Mayne Reid obtained a commission was +the 1st New York Volunteers, the first regiment raised in New York for +the Mexican War, and of which Ward B. Burnett was colonel. Mayne Reid +sailed with his regiment in December, 1846, for Vera Cruz. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +THE MEXICAN WAR. + +Shortly before his death Captain Mayne Reid conceived the idea of +publishing his recollections of the Mexican war, and had commenced to +roughly sketch out two or three chapters entitled "Mexican War +Memories." From these the following account in his own words is taken. +The ink was scarcely dry on the last pages when he took to the bed from +which he never more arose. + +"During the first months of 1847, the look-out sentinel stationed on the +crenated parapet of San Juan d'Ulloa must have seen an array of ships +unusual in numbers for that coast, so little frequented by mariners: +equally unusual in the kind of craft and the men on board. For, in +addition to the half-score ships flying the flags of different nations, +some at anchor close to the Castle, some under the lee of Sacrificios +Isle, there was a stream of other craft out in the offing, not at anchor +or lying to, but passing coastwise up and down, beyond the most distant +range of cannon shot: craft of every size and speciality, schooners, +brigs, barques and square-rigged three-masters, from a 200-ton sloop to +a ship of as many thousands. Not armed vessels either, though every one +of them was loaded to the water-line either with armed and uniformed men +or the materials of war; in the large ones a whole regiment of soldiers, +in the less, half a regiment, a consort ship containing the other half, +and in some but two or three companies, all they were capable of +accommodating. Some carried cavalrymen with their horses, others +artillerymen with their mounts and batteries, while a large number were +but laden with the senseless material of war-tents, waggons, the effects +coming under the head of commissariat and quartermaster stores. Not one +out of twenty of these vessels was an actual man-of-war. But one might +be seen leading and guiding a group of the others, as if their convoy to +some known pre-arranged destination. Just this were they doing, +escorting the transport ships to their anchorage pre-determined. + +"Two such anchorages were there, quite thirty miles apart from one +another, though in the diaphanous atmosphere of the Vera Cruz coast a +bird of eagle eye soaring midway between could command a view of both. +The one northernmost was the Isle of Lobos; that south, Punta Anton +Lizardo. To the first I shall take the reader, as to it I was first +taken myself. + +"Lobos Islet lies off the Vera Cruz coast, opposite the town of Tuxpan, +and about two miles. It is of circular form, and, if I remember +rightly, about a half-mile in diameter. Its availability as an +anchorage comes from a surrounding of coral reefs, with a gap in its +northern side that admits ships into water the breakers cannot disturb. +Chiefly is it a harbour of refuge against the dreaded norther of the +Caribbean coast, and a vessel caught in one of these might run for it; +but not likely, unless her papers were not presentable to the Vera Cruz +custom house. If they were, the shelter under Sacrificios would be +safer, and easily reached. In later times the contrabandist a is the +man who has most availed himself of the advantages of Lobos, and in +times more remote the filibusters; the Tuxpan fishermen also +occasionally beach their boats upon it. But that neither buccaneer, +smuggler, nor fisherman had frequented it lately, we had proof given us +at landing on its shore by its real denizens, the birds. These--several +species of sea-fowl--were so tame they flew screaming over the heads of +the soldiers, so close that many were knocked down by their muskets. +They became shy enough anon. + +"We found the island covered all over with a thick growth of +_chapparal_; it could not be called forest, as the tallest of the trees +was but some fifteen or twenty feet in height. The species were varied, +most of them of true tropical character, and amongst them was one that +attracted general attention as being the `india-rubber tree'. Whether +it was the true _siphonica elastica_ I cannot say, though likely it was +that or an allied species. + +"A peculiarity of this isle, and one making it attractive to +contrabandista and filibusters, is that fresh water is found on it. +Near its summit centre, not over six feet above the ocean level, is a +well or hole, artificially dug out in the sand, some six feet deep. The +water in this rises and falls with the tide, a law of hydraulics not +well understood. Its taste is slightly brackish, but for all that was +greatly relished by us--possibly from having been so long upon the +cask-water of the transport ships. Near this well we found an old +musket and loading pike, rust-eaten, and a very characteristic souvenir +of the buccaneers; also the unburied skeleton of a man, who may have +been one of their victims. + +"The troops landed on Lobos were the 1st New York Volunteers, S. +Carolina, 1st and 2nd Pennsylvania, etc, etc. One of the objects in +this debarkation was to give these new regiments an opportunity for +drilling, such as the time might permit, before making descent upon the +Mexican coast. But there was no drill-ground there, as we saw as soon +as we set foot on shore--not enough of open space to parade a single +regiment in line, unless it were formed along the ribbon of beach. + +"On discovery of this want, there followed instant action to supply it-- +a curious scene, hundreds of uniformed men plying axe and chopper, +hewing and cutting, even the officers with their sabres slashing away at +the _chapparal_ of Lobos Island: a scene of great activity, and not +without interludes of amusement, as now and then a snake, scorpion, or +lizard, dislodged from its lair and attempting escape, drew a group of +relentless enemies around it. + +"In fine, enough surface was cleared for camp and parade-ground. Then +up went soldiers' bell-tents and officers' marquees, in company rows and +regimental, each regiment occupying its allotted ground. + +"The old buccaneers may have caroused in Lobos, but never could they +have been merrier than we, nor had they ampler means for promoting +cheer, even though resting there after a successful raid. Both our +sutlers and the skippers of our transport ships, with a keen eye to +contingencies, were well provided with stores of the fancy sort; many +the champagne cork had its wire fastenings cut on Lobos, and probably +now, in that bare isle, would be found an array of empty bottles lying +half buried in the sand. + +"Any one curious about the life we led on Lobos Island will find some +detailed description of it in a book I have written called `The Rifle +Rangers,' given to the public as a romance, yet for all more of a +reality. + +"Our sojourn there was but brief, ending in a fortnight or so, still it +may have done something to help out the design for which it was made. +It got several regiments of green soldiers through the `goose-step,' +and, better still, taught them the ways of camp and campaigning life. + +"Mems.--A fright from threatened small-pox, trouble with insects, +scorpions and little crabs. Also curious case of lizard remaining on my +tent ridge pole for days without moving. No wonder at Shakespeare's +`Chameleon feeding on air.' Amusements, stories, and songs; mingling of +mariners with soldiers. Norther just after landing, well protected +under Lobos. + +"_La Villa Rica de Vera Cruz_ (the rich city of the True Cross), viewed +from the sea, presents a picture unique and imposing. It vividly +reminded me of the vignette engravings of cities in Goldsmith's old +geography, from which I got my earliest lessons about foreign lands. +And just as they were bordered by the engraver's lines, so is Vera Cruz +embraced by an _enceinte_ of wall. For it is a walled city without +suburbs, scarce a building of any kind beyond the parapet and fosse +engirdling it. Roughly speaking, its ground plan is a half circle, +having the sea-shore for diameter, this not more than three-quarters of +a mile in length. There is no beach or strand intervening between the +houses and the sea, the former overlooking the latter, and protected +from its wash by a breakwater buttress. + +"The architecture is altogether unlike that of an American or English +seaport of similar size. Substantially massive, yet full of graceful +lines, most of the private dwellings are of the Hispano-Moriscan order, +flat-roofed and parapetted, while the public buildings, chiefly the +churches, display a variety of domes, towers and turrets worthy of Inigo +Jones or Christopher Wren. + +"From near the centre of the semicircle a pier or mole, El Muello, +projects about a hundred yards into the sea, and on this all visiting +voyagers have to make landing, as at its inner end stands the custom +house (_aduana_). Fronting this on an islet, or rather a reef of coral +rocks, stands the fortress castle of San Juan d'Ulloa, off shore about a +quarter of a mile. It is a low structure with the usual caramite +coverings and crenated parapet, surmounted by a watch and flag-tower. + +"The anchorage near it is neither good nor ample, better being found +under the lee of Sacrificios, a small treeless islet lying south of it +nearly a league, and, luckily for us, beyond the range of Ulloa's guns, +as also those of a fort at the southern extremity of the city. + +"Hundreds of ships may ride there in safety, though not so many nor so +safe as at Anton Lizardo. Perhaps never so many, nor of such varied +kind, were brought to under it as on March 9th, 1847. + +"The surf boats are worthy of a word, as without them our beaching would +have been difficult and dangerous, if not impossible. They were of the +whale boat speciality, and, as I remember, of two sizes. The larger +were built to carry two hundred men, the smaller half this number. Most +of them were brought to Anton Lizardo in two large vessels, and so +hastily had they been built and dispatched, that there had not been time +to paint them, all appearing in that pale slate colour known to painters +as the priming coat. Of course none had any decking, only the thwarts. + +"The commander-in-chief had made requisition for 150 of these boats, +though only sixty-nine arrived at Anton Lizardo in time to serve the +purpose they were intended for. + +"The capture of Vera Cruz was an event alike creditable to the army and +navy of the United States, for both bore part in it; and creditable not +only on account of the courage displayed, but the strategic skill. It +was, in truth, one of those _coups_ in which boldness was backed up by +intelligence even to cunning, this last especially shown in the way we +effected a landing. + +"The fleet, as already said, lay at Anton Lizardo, each day receiving +increase from new arrivals. When at length all that were expected had +come to anchor there, the final preparations were made for descent upon +the land of Montezuma, and all we now waited for was a favouring wind. +I do not remember how many steam vessels we had, but I think only two or +three. Could we have commanded the services of a half-score steam tugs, +the landing might have been effected at an earlier date. + +"The day came when the wind proved all that was wanted. A light +southerly breeze, blowing up coast almost direct for Vera Cruz, had +declared itself before sunrise, and by earliest daybreak all was +activity. Alongside each transport ship, as also some of the war +vessels, would be seen one or more of the great lead-coloured boats +already alluded to, with streams of men backing down the man-ropes and +taking seat in them. These men were soldiers in uniform and full +marching order. Knapsacks strapped on, haversacks filled and slung, +cartouche box on hip, and gun in hand. In perfect order was the +transfer made from ship to boat, and, when in the boats, each company +had its own place as on a parade-ground. Where it was a boat that held +two companies, one occupied the forward thwarts, the other the stern, +their four officers--captain, first lieutenant, second and brevet-- +conforming to their respective places. + +"But there were other than soldiers in the boat, each having its +complement of sailors from the ships. + +"A gun from the ship that carried our commander-in-chief gave the signal +for departure from Punta Anton Lizardo, and while its boom was still +reverberating, ship after ship was seen to spread sail; then, one after +another, under careful pilotage, slipped out through the roadway of the +coral reef, steaming up coast straight for Vera Cruz, the doomed city. + +"While sweeping up the coast, I can perfectly remember what my own +feelings were, and how much I admired the strategy of the movement. Who +should get credit for it I cannot tell. But I can hardly think that +Winfield Scott's was the head that planned this enterprise, my after +experience with this man guiding me to regard him as a soldier +incapable--in short, such as late severe critics have called him, `fuss +and feathers.' `The hasty plate of soup' was then ringing around his +name. Whoever planned it is deserving of great praise. Its ingenuity, +misleading our enemy, lay in making the latter believe that we intended +to make landing at Anton Lizardo. Hence all his disposable force that +could be spared from the garrison of Vera Cruz was there to oppose us. +And when our ships hastily drew in anchor and went straight for Vera +Cruz, as hawks at unprotected quarry, these detached garrison troops saw +the mistake they had made. The coast road from Vera Cruz to Anton +Lizardo is cut by numerous streams, all bridgeless. To cross them +safely needed taking many a roundabout route--so many that the swiftest +horse could not reach Vera Cruz so soon as our slowest ship, and we were +there before them. We did not aim to enter the port nor come within +range of its defending batteries, least of all those of San Juan +d'Ulloa. The islet of Sacrificios, about a league from the latter, +whose southern end affords sheltering anchorage, was the point we aimed +at; and there our miscellaneous flotilla became concentrated, some of +the ships dropping anchor, others remaining adrift. Then the beaching +boats, casting off hawsers, were rowed straight for the shore, some half +mile off. A shoal strand it was, where a boat's keel touched bottom +long before reaching dry land. That in which I was did so, and well do +I remember how myself and comrades at once sprang over the gunwales, +and, waist deep, waded out to the sand-strewn shore. + +"There we encountered no enemy--nothing to obstruct us. All the +antagonism we met with or saw was a stray shot or two from some +long-range guns mounted on the parapet of the most southern fort of the +city. But we had now our feet sure planted on the soil of Mexico." + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +FIGHTING IN MEXICO. + +I give now some accounts written by Mayne Reid of the various +engagements of the American army in Mexico. Some of these were written +from the seat of war, and others subsequently. + +"The capture of Vera Cruz was an affair of artillery. The city was +bombarded for several days by a semicircle of batteries placed upon the +sandhills in its rear. It at length surrendered, and with it the +celebrated castle of San Juan d'Ulloa. + +"During the siege a few of us who were fond of fighting found +opportunities of being shot at in the back country. The sandhills-- +resembling Murlock Banks, only more extensive--form a semicircle round +Vera Cruz. The city itself, compactly built, and of picturesque +appearance, stands upon a low sandy plain--semicircular, of course--the +sea-shore being the boundary diameter. Behind the hills of sand, for +leagues inward, extends a low jungly country, covered with the forests +of tropical America. This, like all the coast lands of Mexico, is +called the _tierra caliente_ (hot land). This region is far from being +uninhabited. These thickets have their clearings and their cottages, +the latter of the most temporary construction that may serve the wants +of man in a climate of almost perpetual summer. There are also several +villages scattered through this part of the _tierra caliente_. + +"During the siege the inhabitants of these cottages (_ranchos_) and +villages banded together under the name _jarochos_ or _guerrilleros_, +but better known to our soldiers by the general title _rancheros_, and +kept up a desultory warfare in our rear, occasionally committing murders +on straggling parties of soldiers who had wandered from our lines. + +"Several expeditions were sent out against them, but with indifferent +success. I was present in many of these expeditions, and on one +occasion, when in command of about thirty men, I fell in with a party of +_guerrilleros_ nearly a hundred strong, routed them, and, after a +straggling fight of several hours, drove them back upon a strong +position, the village of Medellini. In this skirmish I was fired at by +from fifty to a hundred muskets and escopettes, and, although at the +distance of not over two hundred yards, had the good fortune to escape +being hit. + +"One night I was sent in command of a scouting party to reconnoitre a +guerilla camp supposed to be some five miles away in the country. It +was during the mid-hours of the night, but under one of those brilliant +moonlights for which the cloudless sky of Southern Mexico is celebrated. +Near the edge of an opening--the prairie of Santa Fe--our party was +brought suddenly to a halt at the sight of an object that filled every +one of us with horror. It was the dead body of a soldier, a member of +the corps to which the scouting party belonged. The body lay at full +length upon its back; the hair was clotted with blood and standing out +in every direction; the teeth were clenched in agony; the eyes glassy +and open, as if glaring upon the moon that shone in mid-heaven above. +One arm had been cut off at the elbow, while a large incision in the +left breast showed where the heart had been torn out, to satisfy the +vengeance of an inhuman enemy. There were shot wounds and sword cuts +all over the body, and other mutilations made by the zopilotes and +wolves. Notwithstanding all, it was recognised as that of a brave young +soldier, who was much esteemed by his comrades, and who for two days had +been missing from the camp. He had imprudently strayed beyond the line +of pickets, and fallen into the hands of the enemy's _guerrilleros_. + +"The men would not pass on without giving to his mutilated remains the +last rites of burial. There was neither spade nor shovel to be had; but +fixing bayonets, they dug up the turf, and depositing the body, gave it +such sepulture as was possible. One who had been his bosom friend, +cutting a slip from a bay laurel close by, planted it in the grave. The +ceremony was performed in deep silence, for they knew that they were on +dangerous ground, and that a single shout or shot at that moment might +have been the signal for their destruction. + +"I afterwards learnt that this fiendish act was partly due to a spirit +of retaliation. One of the American soldiers, a very brutal fellow, had +shot a Mexican, a young Jarocho peasant, who was seen near the roadside +chopping some wood with his machete. It was an act of sheer wantonness, +or for sport, just as a thoughtless boy might fire at a bird to see +whether he could kill it. Fortunately the Mexican was not killed, but +his elbow was shattered by the shot so badly that the whole arm required +amputation. It was the wantonness of the act that provoked retaliation; +and after this the _lex talionis_ became common around Vera Cruz, and +was practised in all its deadly severity long after the place was taken. +Several other American soldiers, straying thoughtlessly beyond the +lines, suffered in the same way, their bodies being found mutilated in a +precisely similar manner. Strange to say, the man who was the cause of +this vengeance became himself one of its victims. Not then, at Vera +Cruz, but long afterwards, in the Valley of Mexico; and this was the +strangest part of it. Shortly after the American army entered the +capital, his body was found in the canal of Las Vigas, alongside the +`Chinampas,' or floating gardens, gashed all over with wounds, made by +the knives of assassins, and mutilated just as the others had been. It +might have been a mere coincidence, but it was supposed at the time that +the one-armed Jarocho must have followed him up, with that implacable +spirit of vengeance characteristic of his race, until at length, finding +him alone, he had completed his vendetta. + +"Vera Cruz being taken, we marched for the interior. Puente Nacional, +the next strong point, had been fortified, but the enemy, deeming it too +weak, fell back upon Cerro Gordo, another strong pass about twenty miles +from the former. Here they were again completely routed, although +numbering three times our force. In this action I was cheated out of +the opportunity of having my name recorded, by the cowardice or +imbecility of the major of my regiment, who on that day commanded the +detachment of which I formed part. In an early part of the action I +discovered a large body of the enemy escaping through a narrow gorge +running down the face of a high precipice. The force which this officer +commanded had been sufficient to have captured these fugitives, but he +not only refused to go forward, but refused to give me a sufficient +command to accomplish the object. I learnt afterwards that Santa Anna, +commander-in-chief of the Mexican army, had escaped by this gorge. + +"After the victory of Cerro Gordo, the army pushed forward to Jalapa, a +fine village half-way up the table-lands. After a short rest here we +again took the road, and crossing a spur of the Cordilleras, swept over +the plains of Perote, and entered the city of Puebla. Yes, with a force +of 3,000 men, we entered that great city, containing a population of at +least 75,000. The inhabitants were almost paralysed with astonishment +and mortification at seeing the smallness of our force. The balconies, +windows and house-tops were crowded with spectators; and there were +enough men in the streets--had they been men--to have stoned us to +death. At Puebla we halted for reinforcements a period of about two +months. + +"In the month of August, 1847, we numbered about 12,000 effective men, +and leaving a small garrison here, with the remainder--10,000--we took +the road for the capital. The city of Mexico lies about eighty miles +from Puebla. Half-way, another spur of the Andes must be crossed. On +the 10th of August, with an immense siege and baggage-train, we moved +over these pine-clad hills, and entered the Valley of Mexico. Here halt +was made for reconnaissance, which lasted several days. The city stands +in the middle of a marshy plain interspersed with lakes, and is entered +by eight roads or causeways. These were known to be fortified, but +especially that which leads through the gate San Lazaro, on the direct +road to Puebla. This was covered by a strong work on the hill El Pinol, +and was considered by General Scott as next to impregnable. To turn +this, a wide diversion to the north or south was necessary. The latter +was adopted, and an old road winding around Lake Chalco--through the old +town of that name, and along the base of the southern mountain ridge-- +was found practicable. + +"We took this road, and after a slow march of four days our vanguard +debouched on the great National Road, which rounds southward from the +city of Mexico to Acapulco. This road was also strongly fortified, and +it was still further resolved to turn the fortifications on it by making +more to the west. San Augustin de las Cuenas, a village five leagues +from Mexico on the National Road, became the point of reserve. On the +19th of August, General Worth moved down the National Road, as a feint +to hold the enemy in check at San Antonio (strongly fortified) while the +divisions of Generals Worth and Twiggs, with the brigade of Shields--to +which I was attached--commenced moving across the Pedregal, a tract of +country consisting of rocks, jungle and lava, and almost impassable. On +the evening of the 19th, we had crossed the Pedregal, and became engaged +with a strong body of the enemy under General Valencia, at a place +called Contreras. Night closed on the battle, and the enemy still held +his position. + +"It rained all night; we sat, not slept, in the muddy lanes of a poor +village, San Geronimo--a dreadful night. Before daybreak, General +Persifer Smith, who commanded in this battle, had taken his measures, +and shortly after sunrise we were at it again. In less than an hour +that army `of the north,' as Valencia's division was styled, being men +of San Luis Potosi and other northern States, the flower of the Mexican +army, was scattered and in full flight for the city of Mexico. + +"This army was 6,000 strong, backed by a reserve of 6,000 more under +Santa Anna himself. The reserve did not act, owing, it was said, to +some jealousy between Valencia and Santa Anna. In this battle we +captured a crowd of prisoners and twenty seven pieces of artillery. + +"The road, as we supposed, was now open to the city; a great mistake, as +the sharp skirmishes which our light troops encountered as we advanced +soon led us to believe. All at once we stumbled upon the main body of +the enemy, collected behind two of the strongest field works I have ever +seen, in a little village called Cherubusco. + +"The road to the village passed over a small stream spanned by a bridge, +which was held in force by the Mexicans, and it soon became evident +that, unless something like a flank movement were made, they would not +be dislodged. The bridge was well fortified and the army attacked +fruitlessly in front. + +"General Shields' brigade was ordered to go round by the hacienda of Los +Portales and attack the enemy on the flank. They got as far as the +barns at Los Portales, but would go no farther. They were being shot +down by scores, and the men eagerly sought shelter behind walls or +wherever else it could be found. Colonel Ward B. Burnett made a +desperate attempt to get the companies together, but it was +unsuccessful, and he himself fell, badly wounded. + +"The situation had become very critical. I was in command of the +Grenadier Company of New York Volunteers, and saw that a squadron of +Mexican lancers were getting ready to charge, and knew that if they came +on while the flanking party were in such a state of disorganisation the +fight would end in a rout. On the other hand, if we charged on them, +the chances were the enemy would give way and run. In any case, nothing +could be worse than the present state of inaction and slaughter. + +"The lieutenant-colonel of the South Carolina Volunteers--their colonel, +Butler, having been wounded, was not on the field--was carrying the blue +palmetto flag of the regiment. I cried out to him: + +"`Colonel, will you lead the men on a charge?' + +"Before he could answer, I heard something snap, and the colonel fell, +with one leg broken at the ankle by a shot. I took the flag, and as the +wounded officer was being carried off the field, he cried: + +"`Major Gladden, take the flag. Captain Blanding, remember Moultrie, +Loundes and old Charleston!' + +"Hurrying back to my men, reaching them on the extreme right, I rushed +on in front of the line, calling out: `Soldiers, will you follow me to +the charge?' + +"`Ve vill!' shouted Corporal Haup, a Swiss. The order to charge being +given, away we went, the Swiss and John Murphy, a brave Irishman, being +the first two after their leader--myself. + +"The Mexicans seeing cold steel coming towards them with such gusto, +took to their heels and made for the splendid road leading to the city +of Mexico, which offered unequalled opportunities for flight. + +"A broad ditch intervened between the highway and the field across which +we were charging. Thinking this was not very deep, as it was covered +with a green scum, I plunged into it. It took me nearly up to the +armpits, and I struggled out all covered with slime and mud. The men +avoided my mishap, coming to the road by a dryer but more roundabout +path. + +"As we got on the road Captain Phil Kearney came thundering over the +bridge with his company, all mounted on dappled greys. The gallant Phil +had a weakness for dappled greys. As they approached I sang out: `Boys, +have you breath enough left to give a cheer for Captain Kearney?' + +"Phil acknowledged the compliment with a wave of his sword, as he went +swinging by towards the works the enemy had thrown up across this road. +Just as he reached this spot, the recall bugle sounded, and at that +moment Kearney received the shot that cost him an arm. + +"Disregarding the bugle call, we of the infantry kept on, when a rider +came tearing up, calling upon us to halt. + +"`What for?' I cried. + +"`General Scott's orders.' + +"`We shall rue this halt,' was my rejoinder. `The city is at our mercy; +we can take it now, and should.' + +"Lieutenant-Colonel Baxter, then in command of the New York Volunteers, +called out: + +"`For God's sake, Mayne Reid, obey orders, and halt the men.' + +"At this appeal I faced round to my followers, and shouted `Halt!' + +"The soldiers came up abreast of me, and one big North Irishman cried: + +"`Do you say halt?' + +"I set my sword towards them, and again shouted `Halt!' This time I was +obeyed, the soldiers crying out: + +"`We'll halt for you, sir, but for nobody else.'" + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +THE ASSAULT ON CHAPULTEPEC. + +Captain Mayne Reid continues the account: "Thus was the American army +halted in its victorious career on the 20th of August. Another +hour, and it would have been in the streets of Mexico. The +commander-in-chief, however, had other designs; and with the bugle +recall that summoned the dragoons to retire, all hostile operations +ended for the time. The troops slept upon the field. + +"On the following day the four divisions of the American army separated +for their respective headquarters in different villages. Worth crossed +over to Tacubaya, which became the headquarters of the army; Twiggs held +the village of San Angel; Pillow rested at Miscuac, a small Indian +village between San Angel and Tacubaya, while the Volunteer and Marine +division fell back on San Augustine. An armistice had been entered into +between the commanders-in-chief of the two armies. + +"This armistice was intended to facilitate a treaty of peace; for it was +thought that the Mexicans would accept any terms rather than see their +ancient city at the mercy of a foreign army. No doubt, however, a great +mistake was made, as the armistice gave the crafty Santa Anna a chance +to fortify an inner line of defence, the key to which was the strong +Castle of Chapultepec, which had to be taken three weeks later with the +loss of many brave men. + +"The commissioners of both governments met at a small village near +Tacubaya, and the American commissioner demanded, as a necessary +preliminary to peace, the cession of Upper and Lower California, all New +Mexico, Texas, parts of Sonora, Coahuila and Tamaulipas. Although this +was in general a wild, unsettled tract of country, yet it constituted +more than one-half the territory of Mexico, and the Mexican +commissioners would not, even if they dared, agree to such a +dismemberment. The armistice was therefore abortive, and on the 6th of +September, the American commander-in-chief sent a formal notice to the +enemy that it had ceased to exist. This elicited from Santa Anna an +insulting reply, and on the same day the enemy was seen in great force +to the left of Tacubaya, at a building called Molino del Rey, which was +a large stone mill, with a foundry, belonging to the government, and +where most of their cannon had been made. It is a building notorious in +the annals of Mexican history as the place where the unfortunate Texan +prisoners suffered the most cruel treatment from their barbarous +captors. It lies directly under the guns of Chapultepec, from which it +is distant about a quarter of a mile, and it is separated from the hill +of Chapultepec by a thick wood of almond trees. + +"On the afternoon of the 7th of September, Captain Mason, of the +Engineers, was sent to reconnoitre the enemy's position. His right lay +at a strong stone building, with bastions, at some distance from Molino +del Rey, while his left rested in the works around the latter. + +"The building on the right is called Casa Mata. It is to be presumed +that this position of the enemy was taken to prevent our army from +turning the Castle of Chapultepec and entering the city by the Tacubaya +road and the gate San Cosme. All the other _garitas_, Piedas, Nino +Perdido, San Antonio and Belen were strongly fortified, and guarded by a +large body of the enemy's troops. Having in all at this time about +30,000 men, they had no difficulty in placing a strong guard at every +point of attack. + +"On the 7th General Worth was ordered to attack and carry the enemy's +lines at Molino del Rey. His attack was to be planned on the night of +the 7th and executed on the morning of the 8th. + +"On the night of the 7th the 1st Division, strengthened by a brigade of +the 3rd, moved forward in front of the enemy. The dispositions made +were as follows: + +"It was discovered that the weakest point of the enemy's lines was at a +place about midway between the Casa Mata and Molino del Rey. This +point, however, was strengthened by a battery of several guns. + +"An assaulting party of 500 men, commanded by Major Wright, were +detailed to attack the battery, after it had been cannonaded by Captain +Huger with the battering guns. To the right of this assaulting party +Garland's brigade took position within supporting distance. + +"On our left, and to the enemy's right, Clark's brigade, commanded by +Brevet-Colonel Mackintosh, with Duncan's battery, were posted; while the +supporting brigade from Pillow's division lay between the assaulting +column and Clark's brigade. + +"At break of day the action commenced. Huger, with the 24th, opened on +the enemy's centre. Every discharge told; and the enemy seemed to +retire. No answer was made from his guns. Worth, becoming at length +convinced--fatal conviction--that the works in the centre had been +abandoned, ordered the assaulting column to advance. + +"These moved rapidly down the slope, Major Wright leading. When they +had arrived within about half musket shot the enemy opened upon this +gallant band the most dreadful fire it has ever been the fate of a +soldier to sustain. Six pieces from the field battery played upon their +ranks; while the heavy guns from Chapultepec, and nearly six thousand +muskets from the enemy's entrenchments, mowed them down in hundreds. +The first discharge covered the ground with dead and dying. One half +the command at least fell with this terrible cataract of bullets. The +others, retiring for a moment, took shelter behind some magney, or, in +fact, anything that would lend a momentary protection. + +"The light battalion and the 11th Infantry now came to their relief, and +springing forward amid the clouds of smoke and deadly fire, the enemy's +works were soon in our possession. At the same time the right and left +wing had become hotly engaged with the left and right of the enemy. +Garland's brigade, with Duncan's battery, after driving out a large body +of infantry, occupied the mills, while the command of Colonel Mackintosh +attacked the Casa Mata. + +"This building proved to be a strong work with deep ditches and +entrenchments. The brigade moved rapidly forward to assault it, but on +reaching the wide ditch the tremendous fire of muskets to which they +were exposed, as well as the heavy guns from the Castle, obliged them to +fall back on their own battery. + +"Duncan now opened his batteries upon this building, and with such +effect that the enemy soon retreated from it, leaving it unoccupied. + +"At this time the remaining brigade of Pillow's division, as well as +that of Twiggs', came on the ground, but they were too late. The enemy +had already fallen back, and Molino del Rey and the Casa Mata were in +possession of the American troops. The latter was shortly after blown +up, and all the implements in the foundry, with the cannon moulds, +having been destroyed, our army was ordered to return to Tacubaya. + +"Thus ended one of the most bloody and fruitless engagements ever fought +by the American army. Six hundred and fifty of our brave troops were +either killed or wounded, while the loss of the enemy did not amount to +more than half this number. + +"The fatal action at Molino del Rey cast a gloom over the whole army. +Nothing had been gained. The victorious troops fell back to their +former positions, and the vanquished assumed a bolder front, celebrating +the action as a victory. The Mexican commander gave out that the attack +was intended for Chapultepec, and had consequently failed. This, among +his soldiers, received credence and doubled their confidence; we, on the +other hand, called it a victory on our side. Another such victory and +the American army would never have left the Valley of Mexico. + +"On the night of the 11th of September, at midnight, two small parties +of men were seen to go out from the village of Tacubaya, moving silently +along different roads. One party directed itself along an old road +toward Molino del Rey, and about half-way between the village and this +latter point halted. The other moved a short distance along the direct +road to Chapultepec and halted in like manner. They did not halt to +sleep; all night long these men were busy piling up earth, filling +sand-bags, and laying the platforms of a gun battery. + +"When day broke these batteries were finished, their guns in position, +and, much to the astonishment of the Mexican troops, a merry fire was +opened upon the Castle. This fire was soon answered, but with little +effect. By ten o'clock another battery from Molino del Rey, with some +well-directed shots from a howitzer at the same point, seemed to annoy +the garrison exceedingly. + +"A belt of wood lies between the Castle and Molino del Rey on the south. +A stone wall surrounds these woods. Well-garrisoned, Chapultepec would +be impregnable. The belief is that 1,000 Americans could hold it +against all Mexico. They might starve them out, or choke them with +thirst, but they could not drive them out of it. There are but few +fortresses in the world so strong in natural advantages. + +"During the whole of the 12th the shot from the American batteries kept +playing upon the walls of the Castle, answered by the guns of the +fortress, and an incessant fire of musketry was kept up by the +skirmishing party in the woods of Molino del Rey. Towards evening the +Castle began to assume a battered and beleaguered appearance. Shot and +shell had made ruin on every point, and several of the enemy's guns were +dismounted. + +"To enumerate the feats of artillerists on this day would fill a volume. +A twenty-pound shot from a battery commanded by Captain Huger and +Lieutenant Hagney entered the muzzle of one of the enemy's howitzers and +burst the piece. It was not a chance shot. This battery was placed on +the old road between Tacubaya and Molino del Rey. The gate of the +Castle fronts this way, and the Calzada, or winding road from the Castle +to the foot of the hill, was exposed to the fire. As the ground lying +to the north and east of Chapultepec was still in possession of the +enemy, a constant intercourse was kept up with the Castle by this +Calzada. + +"On the morning of the 11th, however, when Huger's and Hagney's battery +opened, the Calzada became a dangerous thoroughfare. The latter officer +found that his shot thrown on the face of the road ricochetted upon the +walls with terrible effect, and consequently most of his shots were +aimed at this point. It was amusing to see the Mexican officers who +wished to enter or go out of the Castle wait until Hagney's guns were +discharged, and then gallop over the Calzada as if the devil were after +them. + +"A Mexican soldier at the principal gate was packing a mule with +ordnance. + +"`Can you hit that fellow, Hagney?' was asked. + +"`I'll try,' was the quiet and laconic reply. The long gun was pointed +and levelled. At this moment the soldier stooped by the side of the +mule in the act of tightening the girth. `Fire!' said Hagney, and +almost simultaneous with the shot a cloud of dust rose over the +causeway. When this cleared away the mule was seen running wild along +the Calzada, while the soldier lay dead by the wall. + +"On the day when Chapultepec was stormed, September 13th, 1847, I was in +command of the Grenadier Company of 2nd New York Volunteers--my own--and +a detachment of United States Marines, acting with us as light infantry, +my orders being to stay by and guard the battery we had built on the +south-eastern side of the Castle during the night of the 11th. It was +about a thousand yards from, and directly in front of, the Castle's main +gate, through which our shots went crashing all the day. The first +assault had been fixed for the morning of the 13th, a storming party of +500 men, or `forlorn hope,' as it was called, having volunteered for +this dangerous duty. These were of all arms of the service, a captain +of regular infantry having charge of them, with a lieutenant of +Pennsylvanian Volunteers as his second in command. + +"At an early hour the three divisions of our army, Worth's, Pillow's and +Quitman's, closed in upon Chapultepec, our skirmishers driving the +enemy's outposts before them; some of these retreating up the hill and +into the Castle, others passing around it and on towards the city. + +"It was now expected that our storming party would do the work assigned +to it, and for which it had volunteered. Standing by our battery, at +this time necessarily silent, with the artillery and engineer officers +who had charge of it, Captain Huger and Lieutenant Hagney, we three +watched the advance of the attacking line, the puffs of smoke from +musketry and rifles indicating the exact point to which it had reached. +Anxiously we watched it. I need not say, nor add, that our anxiety +became apprehension when we saw that about half-way up the slope there +was a halt, something impeding its forward movement. I knew that if +Chapultepec were not taken, neither would the city, and failing this, +not a man of us might ever leave the Valley of Mexico alive. + +"Worth's injudicious attempt upon the intrenchments of Molino del Rey-- +to call it by no harsher name--our first retreat during the campaign, +had greatly demoralised our men, while reversely affecting the Mexicans, +inspiring them with a courage they had never felt before. And there +were 30,000 of these to our 6,000--five to one--to say nothing of a host +of _rancheros_ in the country around and _leperos_ in the city, all +exasperated against us, the invaders. We had become aware, moreover, +that Alvarez with his spotted Indians (_pintos_) had swung round in our +rear, and held the mountain passes behind us, so that retreat upon +Puebla would have been impossible. This was not my belief alone, but +that of every intelligent officer in the army: the two who stood beside +me feeling sure of it as myself. This certainty, combined with the slow +progress of the attacking party, determined me to participate in the +assault. As the senior engineer officer out-ranked me, it was necessary +I should have his leave to forsake the battery--now needing no further +defence--a leave freely and instantly given, with the words: `Go, and +God be with you!' + +"The Mexican flag was still waving triumphantly over the Castle, and the +line of smoke-puffs had not got an inch nearer it; nor was there much +change in the situation when, after a quick run across the intervening +ground with my following of volunteers and marines, we came up with the +storming party at halt, and irregularly aligned along the base of the +hill. For what reason they were staying there we knew not at the time, +but I afterwards heard it was some trouble about scaling ladders. I did +not pause then to inquire, but, breaking through their line with my +brave followers, pushed on up the slope. Near the summit I found a +scattered crowd of soldiers, some of them in the grey uniform of the +Voltigeur Regiment; others, 9th, 14th and 15th Infantry. They were the +skirmishers, who had thus far cleared the way for us, and far ahead of +the `forlorn hope.' But beyond lay the real area of danger, a slightly +sloping ground, some forty yards in width, between us and the Castle's +outward wall--in short, the glacis. It was commanded by three pieces of +cannon on the parapet, which, swept it with grape and canister as fast +as they could be loaded and fired. There seemed no chance to advance +farther without meeting certain death. But it would be death all the +same if we did not--such was my thought at that moment. + +"Just as I reached this point there was a momentary halt, which made it +possible to be heard; and the words I then spoke, or rather shouted, are +remembered by me as though it were but yesterday: + +"`Men! if we don't take Chapultepec, the American army is lost. Let us +charge up to the walls.' + +"A voice answered: `We'll charge if any one leads us.' + +"Another adding: `Yes, we're ready!' + +"At that instant the three guns on the parapet belched forth their +deadly showers almost simultaneously. My heart bounded with joy at +hearing them go off thus together--it was our opportunity; and, quickly +comprehending it, I leaped over the scarp which had sheltered us, +calling out: + +"`Come on; I'll lead you!' + +"It did not need looking back to know that I was followed. The men I +had appealed to were not the men to stay behind, else they would not +have been there, and all came after. + +"When about half-way across the open ground I saw the parapet crowded +with Mexican artillerists in uniforms of dark blue with crimson facings, +each musket in hand, and all aiming, as I believed, at my own person. +On account of a crimson silk sash I was wearing, they no doubt fancied +me a general at least. The volley was almost as one sound, and I +avoided it by throwing myself flat along the earth, only getting touched +on one of the fingers of my sword-hand, another shot passing through the +loose cloth of my overalls. Instantly on my feet again, I made for the +wall, which I was scaling, when a bullet from an escopette went tearing +through my thigh, and I fell into the ditch." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Even as he lay wounded in the ditch, brave Mayne Reid painfully raised +himself, addressing the men and encouraging them. Above the din of +musketry his voice was heard. + +"`For God's sake, men, don't leave that wall.' + +"Only a few scattered shots were fired after this. The scaling ladders +came up, and some scores of men went swarming over the parapet and +Chapultepec was taken. + +"The second man up to the walls of the Castle was Corporal Haup, the +Swiss, when he fell, shot through the face, over the body of Mayne Reid, +covering the latter with his blood. The poor fellow endeavoured to roll +himself off, saying, `I'm not hurt so badly as you.' But he was dead +before Mayne Reid was carried off the field. + +"Mayne Reid's lieutenant, Hypolite Dardonville, a brave young Frenchman, +dragged the Mexican flag down from its staff, planting the Stars and +Stripes in its place--the standard of the New York regiment. + +"The contest was not yet over. The advantage must be followed up, and +the city entered. Worth's division obliquing to the right followed the +enemy on the Tabuca Road, and through the gate of San Cosme; while the +volunteers, with the rifle and one or two other regiments, detached from +the division of General Twiggs, were led along the aqueduct towards the +citadel and the gate of Belen. Inch by inch did these gallant fellows +drive back their opponents; and he who led them, the veteran Quitman, +was ever foremost in the fight. + +"A very storm of bullets rained along this road, and hundreds of brave +men fell to rise no more; but when night closed the gates of Belen and +San Cosme were in possession of the Americans. + +"During the still hours of midnight the Mexican army, to the number of +some 20,000, stole out of the city and took the road for Guadaloupe. + +"Next morning at daybreak, the remnant of the American army, in all less +than 3,000 men, entered the city without further opposition, and formed +up in the Grand Plaza. Ere sunrise the American star-spangled banner +floated proudly over the Palace of Moctezuma, and proclaimed that the +city of the Aztecs was in possession of the Americans. + +"Chapultepec was in reality the key to the city. If the former were not +captured, the latter in all probability would not have been taken at +that time, or by that army. + +"The city of Mexico stands on a perfectly level plain, where water is +reached by digging but a few inches below the surface; this everywhere +around its walls, and for miles on every side. + +"It does not seem to have occurred to military engineers that a position +of this kind is the strongest in the world; the most difficult to +assault and easiest to defend. It only needs to clear the surrounding +_terrain_ of houses, trees, or aught that might give shelter to the +besiegers, and obstruct the fire of the besieged. As in the wet ground +trenching is impossible, there is no other way of approach. Even a +charge by cavalry going at full gallop must fail; they would be +decimated, or utterly destroyed, long before arriving at the entrenched +line. + +"These were the exact conditions under which Mexico had to be assaulted +by the American army. There were no houses outside of the city walls, +no cover of any kind, save rows of tall poplar trees lining the sides of +the outgoing roads, and most of these had been cut down. How then was +the place to be stormed, or rather approached within storming distance? +The eyes of some skilled American engineers rested upon the two +aqueducts running from Chapultepec into the suburbs of the city. Their +mason work, with its massive piers and open arches between, promised the +necessary cover for skirmishers, to be supported by close following +battalions. + +"And they did afford this very shelter, enabling the American army to +capture the city of Mexico. But to get at the aqueducts Chapultepec +need to be first taken, otherwise the besiegers would have had the enemy +both in front and rear. Hence the desperate and determined struggle at +the taking of the Castle, and the importance of its succeeding. Had it +failed, I have no hesitation in giving my opinion that no American who +fought that day in the Valley of Mexico would ever have left it alive. +Scott's army was already weakened by the previous engagements, too much +so to hold itself three days on the defensive. Retreat would have been +not disastrous, but absolutely impossible. The position was far worse +than that of Lord Sale, in the celebrated Cabool expedition. All the +passes leading out of the valley by which the Americans might have +attempted escape were closed by columns of cavalry. The Indian general, +Alvarez, with his host of spotted horsemen, the Pintos of the Acapulco +region, had occupied the main road by Rio Frio the moment after the +Americans marched in. No wonder these fought on that day as for very +life. Every intelligent soldier among them knew that in their attack +upon Chapultepec there were but two alternatives: success and life, or +defeat and death." + +The following are extracts from dispatches and official documents: + +From Major-General Winfield Scott, commander-in-chief. + +"September 18, 1847. + +"The following are the officers and corps most distinguished in these +brilliant operations... Particularly a detachment under Lieutenant +Reid, New York Volunteers, consisting of a company of the same, with one +of marines." + +From Major-General G.J. Pillow, commanding division. + +"September 18, 1847. + +"Lieutenant Reid, in command of the one company of the New York Regiment +and one of marines, came forward in advance of the other troops of this +command, Quitman's, participated in the assault and was severely +wounded." + +From Major-General J.A. Quitman, commanding division. + +"September 29, 1847. + +"Two detachments from my command not heretofore mentioned in this report +should be noticed. Captain Gallagher and Lieutenant Reid, who, with +their companies of New York Volunteers, had been detailed on the morning +of the 12th, by General Shields, to the support of our battery, Number +2, well performed the service. The former, by the orders of Captain +Huger, was detained at that battery during the storming of Chapultepec. +The latter, a brave and energetic young officer, being relieved from the +battery on the advance to the Castle, hastened to the assault, and was +among the first to ascend the crest of the hill, where he was severely +wounded... The gallant New York Regiment claims for their standard the +honour of being the first waved from the battlements of Chapultepec." + +From Brigadier-General Shields. + +"September 25, 1847. + +"The New York flag and Company B of that regiment, under the command of +a gallant young officer, Lieutenant Reid, were among the first to mount +the ramparts of the Castle, and then display the Stars and Stripes to +the admiration of the army." + +From Captain Huger, chief of ordnance. + +"September 20, 1847. + +"As there were two companies in support of batteries 2 and 3, I now +allowed one of them, commanded by Lieutenant Reid, New York Volunteers, +his command, composed of volunteers and marines, to join its proper +division, and he gallantly pushed up the hill and joined it during the +storming of the Castle." + +From Colonel Ward B. Burnett, commanding New York Regiment. + +"Order Number 35. + +"The following promotions and appointments having been made `upon good +and sufficient recommendations' will be obeyed and respected +accordingly: + +"2nd Lieutenant Mayne Reid, of Company B, to be 1st lieutenant of +Company G, _vice_ Innes, promoted." + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +HE IS MOURNED AS DEAD. + +It was reported that Lieutenant Mayne Reid had died of his wounds. This +intelligence reached his family in Ireland, who mourned him as dead +until the joyful contradiction arrived. It may be interesting as +evidence of his reputation at this time to give an extract from a +contemporary notice in the _Newport News_. + +"The lamented Lieutenant Reid. + +"Lieutenant Reid has been in this country some five or six years, and +during that time has been mostly connected with the press, either as an +associate editor or correspondent; in this last capacity, he passed the +summer of 1846 in Newport, R.I., engaged in writing letters to the _New +York Herald_, under the signature of `Ecolier.' It was at this time +that we became acquainted with him, and there are many others in the +community who will join us in bearing testimony to his worth as a man, +all of whom will be grieved at the announcement of his death. He +returned to New York about the first of September, and shortly after +sailed for Mexico with his regiment. He was at the battle of Monterey, +and distinguished himself in that bloody affair. We published a little +poem from his pen, entitled `Monterey,' about three months ago, which +will undoubtedly be remembered by our readers; towards the close of the +poem, was this stanza: + + "`We were not many--we who pressed + Beside the brave who fell that day; + But who of us has not confessed + He'd rather share their warrior rest, + Than not have been at Monterey?' + +"Alas! for human glory! The departed, probably, little thought at the +time he penned the above lines that he should so soon be sharing `their +warrior rest.' At the storming of Chapultepec he was severely wounded, +and died soon after from his wounds. He was a man of singular talents, +and gave much promise as a writer. His temperament was exceedingly +nervous, and his fancy brilliant. His best productions may be found in +`Godey's Book,' about three or four years ago, under the signature of +`Poor Scholar.' It is mournful that talents like his should be so early +sacrificed, and that his career should be so soon closed, far--very +far--from the land of his birth and the bosom of his home, as well as +the land of his adoption. But thus it is! When the day arrives for our +army to return, if it ever does, it will present a sad spectacle. The +ranks will be thinned, and hearts made sorrowful at their coming that +hoped to rejoice in the fullest fruition of gladness. Many a gallant +spirit has fallen to rise no more; and the wild note of the bugle cannot +awake them to duty, or the sweeter call of friendship and home. The +triumphs may be as splendid as ever crowned a human effort, but they +have been purchased at the price of noble lives, and too dearly not to +mingle the tear of sorrow with the shout of joy." + +The verses by Captain Mayne Reid referred to are: + + Monterey. + + We were not many--we who stood + Before the iron sleet that day-- + Yet many a gallant spirit would + Give half his years if he but could + Have been with us at Monterey. + + Now here, now there, the shot it hailed + In deadly drifts of fiery spray, + Yet not a single soldier quailed, + When wounded comrades round them wailed + Their dying shouts at Monterey. + + And on--still on our columns kept, + Through walls of flame, its withering way; + Where fell the dead, the living stept, + Still charging on the guns which swept + The slippery streets of Monterey. + + The foe himself recoiled aghast, + When, striking where he strongest lay, + We swooped his flanking batteries past, + And braving full their murderous blast, + Stormed home the towers of Monterey. + + Our banners on those turrets wave, + And there our evening bugles play; + Where orange boughs above their grave + Keep green the memory of the brave + Who fought and fell at Monterey. + + We were not many--we who pressed + Beside the brave who fell that day; + But who of us has not confessed + He'd rather share their warrior rest, + Than not have been at Monterey? + +At a public dinner held in the city of Columbus, Ohio, to celebrate the +capture of Mexico, Mayne Reid's memory was toasted, and the following +lines, by a young poetess of Ohio, were recited with great effect: + + Dirge. + + Gone--gone--gone, + Gone to his dreamless sleep; + And spirits of the brave, + Watching o'er his lone grave, + Weep--weep--weep. + + ***** + + Mourn--mourn--mourn, + Mother, to sorrow long wed! + Far o'er the mighty deep, + Where the brave coldly sleep, + Thy warrior son lies dead. + + Lone--lone--lone, + In thine own far island home, + Ere thy life's task is done, + Oft with the setting sun, + O'er the sea thy thoughts will roam. + + ***** + + Sound--sound--sound, + The trumpet, while thousands die! + Madly forcing his way, + Through the blood-dashing spray + He beareth our banner on high! + + Woe--woe--woe! + Like a thought he hath sunk to rest. + Slow they bear him away, + In stern martial array, + The flag and the sword on his breast. + + High--high--high, + High in the temple of fame, + The poet's fadeless wreath, + And the soldier's sheath, + Are engraven above his name. + + Long--long--long, + As time to the earth shall belong, + The sad wind o'er, the surge + Shall chant its low dirge + To this peerless child of song. + + Gone--gone--gone! + Gone to his dreamless sleep; + And spirits of the brave, + Watching o'er his lone grave, + Weep--weep--weep. + +The muse of the poetess perhaps required chastening, but the verses are +not without power and at least show the love and admiration felt for the +hero. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +MAYNE REID REMAINS IN MEXICO. CONTEMPORARY NOTICES IN THE UNITED +STATES. + +Mayne Reid was laid up in the city of Mexico for some time. It was at +first supposed that amputation of the leg would be necessary; but on the +doctors consulting, they came to the conclusion that this would be +certain death, as the bullet had only just escaped severing the femoral +artery. At last, under skilful care, he made a good recovery, and by +the following December we find him on the eve of fighting a duel, but +the challenged one "backed out," his friend sending the following +letter: + +"City of Mexico, + +"December 19th, 1847. + +"Sir, + +"Captain McKinstry has received your note of yesterday, and has +requested me, as his friend, to inform you that he has not made any +remarks reflecting upon you as a gentleman and a man of honour. + +"Very respectfully, + +"Your obedient servant, + +"John B. Grayson, + +"Captain 165 A. + +"Lieutenant Mayne Reid, + +"N.Y. Volunteers." + +The following letter from Mr Piatt was addressed to Dr Halstead, city +of Mexico: + +"Mac-o-Chee, December 1847. + +"Dr Halstead, + +"Dear Sir, + +"I address you with pain and regret on account of the late intelligence +brought us by the papers of the severe wound received by Lieutenant Reid +and his death. Whilst we look with pride upon the many gallant deeds he +performed, it but poorly remunerates us for so severe a loss. And we +should receive with sad but infinite pleasure any further account of him +whilst wounded. It is with regret that we call upon you to give us this +sad intelligence, as it may inconvenience you, but the deep interest we +felt for Mr Reid has tempted us to trouble you with these inquiries, +and remain, + +"Yours respectfully, + +"A.L. Piatt." + +The Piatts were originally a French family, and the elder Mr Piatt, the +writer of the letter, was a great friend of Mayne Reid. + +It is not given to every man to read obituary notices of himself, but +this happened to Mayne Reid more than once. So marvellous, indeed, were +his recoveries from the brink of death, that he came to be regarded by +his friends as bearing a "charmed life." + +Two or three weeks after the announcement of his death, the _New York +Herald_ published a contradiction of the report: + +"Through misinformation, it was currently reported that Lieutenant Mayne +Reid, whose gallant behaviour at the battle of Chapultepec called forth +a merited compliment from General Scott in one of his late dispatches, +had died of his wounds. We are informed by one of our returned officers +that although wounded severely by an escopette ball in the left leg +above the knee, he has since recovered, and intends to remain. Of +course he will be promoted." + +In the _National Gazette_ of Philadelphia was printed:--"We perceive in +the list of wounded in the recent battles in Mexico, the name of +Lieutenant Mayne Reid, of New York. If we mistake not, the gentleman +named is favourably known throughout the country as a writer, and a +contributor to our leading magazines. For several years he resided in +Philadelphia. While in this city he won for himself many friends, as +well as a high literary reputation. His first essays appeared as the +compositions of the `Poor Scholar.' Lieutenant Reid is a ripe scholar +as well as a ready writer." + +The following paragraph appeared in the Pittsburgh _Daily Dispatch_, in +March, 1848:--"Lieutenant Mayne Reid, whose death was reported some time +since, is about to be married to Signorina Guadaloupe Rozas, a beautiful +lady, daughter of Senator Rozas, and said to be the wealthiest heiress +in the Valley of Mexico. He formerly resided here, and was known as the +`Poor Scholar.'" + +This report was untrue. Mayne Reid had not yet "met his fate." + +He was equally distinguished in love and in war, and by some fair +_Mexicaines_ was entitled the "_Don Juan de Tenorio_." + +An American journal describes the gallant Captain as a "_mixture of +Adonis and the Apollo Belvidere, with a dash of the Centaur_!" + +He possessed a faultless figure, and the grace of his manner was very +captivating. + +It was one of Mayne Reid's duties in Mexico to protect the inmates of a +convent, and the nuns frequently sent him little delicacies in the shape +of sweetmeats, made by their own fair hands, with his initials in +comfits on the top. In a letter he wrote: + +"During the campaign in which I had taken part, chance threw me into the +company of monks of more than one order. Under the circumstances that +gave me _entree_ of their convents, and an intimate acquaintance with +the brethren, even to joining them in their cups--these consisting of +the best wines of Spain and her colonies, Xeres, Canario, Pedro Ximenes, +with now and then a spice of Catalan brandy, opening the hearts and +loosening the tongues of these cloistered gentry--I can speak to the +character of the present monks of Mexico as Friar Guage spoke of their +fraternity more than a century ago." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +The following letter from Mayne Reid to the _Ohio State Journal_ in +1882, may be here fitly introduced: + +"Sir,--My attention has been called to a letter which lately appeared in +some American newspapers headed `Mayne Reid's Mexican War Experiences,' +in which certain statements are made gravely affecting my character and +reputation. The writer says that in Pueblao, Mexico, `Lieutenant Reid, +while reproving one of the men of his company, became very much heated, +and ran his sword through the man's body. The man died the same night.' + +"Now, sir, it is quite true that I ran a soldier through with my sword, +who soon after died of the wound. But it is absolutely untrue that +there was any heat of temper on my part, or other incentive to act, save +that of self-defence and the discharge of my duty as an officer. On the +day of the occurrence I was officer of the guard, and the man a prisoner +in the guard prison--where, indeed, he spent most of his time--for he +was a noted desperado, and, I may add, robber, long the pest and terror +not only of his comrades in the regiment, but the poor Mexican people +who suffered from his depredations, as all who were then there and are +still living may remember. Having several times escaped from the +guard-house prison, he had that day been recaptured, and I entered the +cell to see to his being; better secured. While the manacles were being +placed upon his wrists--long-linked heavy irons--he clutched hold of +them, and, rushing at me, aimed a blow at my head, which, but for my +being too quick for him, would have been dealt me with serious if not +fatal effect. He was a man of immense size and strength, and as all +knew, regardless of consequences. He had been often heard to boast that +no officer dare put him in irons, and threaten those who in the line of +their duty had to act towards him with severity. Still, when I thrust +out, it was with no intention to kill, only to keep him off, and in +point of fact, in his mad rush toward me he impaled himself on my sword. + +"The writer of the letter goes on to say: `Lieutenant Reid's grief was +uncontrollable. The feeling against him, despite the fact that he had +provocation for the act, was very strong in the regiment... If the +regiment had not moved with the rest of the army toward Mexico the next +day, Lieutenant Reid would have been court-martialled, and might have +been shot.' + +"In answer to these serious allegations, not made in any malice, I +believe, but from misinformation, I have only to say that I _was_ tried +by court-martial, and instead of being sentenced to be shot, was ordered +to resume command of my company for the forward march upon Mexico. And +so far from the feeling being strong against me in the regiment, it was +just the reverse, not only in the regiment, but throughout the whole +army--the lamented Phil Kearney, commanding the dragoons, with many +other officers of high rank, publicly declaring that for what I had +done, instead of condemnation I deserved a vote of thanks. This because +the army's discipline had become greatly relaxed during the long period +of inaction that preceded our advance into the Valley of Mexico, and we +had much trouble with the men--especially of the volunteer regiments. +My act, involuntary and unintentional though it was, did something +toward bringing them back to a sense of obedience and duty. That I +sorrowed for it is true, but not in the sense attributed to me by the +newspaper correspondent. My grief was from the necessity that forced it +upon me, and its lamentable result. It is some satisfaction to know +that the unfortunate man himself held me blameless, and in his dying +words, as I was told, said I had but done my duty. So I trust that this +explanation will place the affair in a different light from that thrown +upon it by the article alluded to." + +In February, 1876, Mr Henry Lee wrote to Captain Mayne Reid for some +account of the Mexican axolotl, and received the following answer: + +Chasewood, Ross, Herefordshire, February 28, 1876. + +My dear Henry Lee,--You ask me to tell you what I know of that strange +Protean--the _axolotl_. Such knowledge as I have is at your service. + +First, as to its name; which is a word purely Aztecan. The Spaniards, +adopting it, have made some change in the spelling without materially +altering the pronunciation. Their form is _ajolote_--the final syllable +sounded, though with the accent on the penultimate. But, to one +unacquainted with Spanish orthoepy, it may be observed that the "j" is +pronounced as an aspirated "h"--in short, as the Greek chi--and so also +is "x" in the Aztec orthography. The final "tl" of the latter, common +to many Aztec and Zapoteque words--as in _tepetl_ (mountain), _metatl_ +(millstone), which the Indian lingeringly lets fall from the tip of his +tongue--cannot well be symbolised by any exponent of vocal sound in our +language. The Spaniards represent it indifferently by "te," sometimes +with the addition of a "c," thus, _metate, Popocatepec_. The _ajolote_, +however, is without the added "c," and pronounced, as nearly as +possible, _ah-ho-loat-e_, with emphasis on the "loat," and the +terminating "e" barely distinguishable. + +So much for the name of the reptile-fish. As to its nature, I fear I +can add but little to the information already before the public; though, +perhaps, something of its _habitat_ that may be interesting. Your +species, of the Brighton Aquarium, dwells in the Laguna de Tezcoco--the +largest of six lakes that lie in the Valley of Mexico. An ordinary map +will indicate only five: Chalco, Xochimilco, Tezcoco, San Christobal, +and Zumpango; and of these alone does Humboldt speak in his "Essai +Politique." But there are in reality six--the sixth called Xaltocan. +The two first-named are in the southern section of the valley--which, by +the way, is not a _valley_, but a _plain_, with a periphery of +mountains; an elevated plateau, slightly over 7,000 feet above the sea's +level, the mountain rim around, composed of parallel and transverse +_sierras_ of the great Andean Cordillera, having several summits that +rise from 8,000 to 10,000 feet higher, with two--Popocatepec and +Ixticihuatl--that carry the eternal snow. Chalco and Xochimilco, as +observed, occupying a southern position on this plain, are both fresh +water lakes--if lakes they can be called, for at the present time their +surface is concealed by a thick sedge of _tulares_--various species of +aquatic plants--whose roots, entwined, form a floating coverture termed +_cinta_, which is in places so close and tough as to permit de-pasturage +by horses and horned cattle. Here and there only are spots of clear +water of very limited extent, while the vast morass, miles upon miles, +is traversed by three or four canals--in the language of the country, +_acalotes_--partly natural, but for the most part hewn out of the sedge, +and kept open by the passage of the Indian boats and canoes navigating +them. It was upon sections of this _cinta_ that the famed _chinampas_, +or "Floating Gardens," were constructed, and not, as erroneously stated +by Humboldt, and other writers following him, on rafts of timber and +sticks. I may here interpolate a fact not generally, if at all, known +to Europeans: that these _chinampas_ (of which I hope some day to give +an account) are in existence at the present time. + +Several species of very small fish inhabit lakes Chalco and Xochimilco; +indeed, the fish marker of the Mexican capital is chiefly supplied from +them. But I have never heard of the axolotl being taken, or observed in +either; and you surprise me by saying it has spawned in _fresh_ water in +the Brighton Aquarium. Tezcoco, from which I presume your Protean must +have come, is altogether of a different character, being salt as brine +itself--so much that a man bathing in it comes out with a scaly crust +over his skin, while waterfowl are often caught upon it, unable to fly +through their wings getting thus encrusted! No fish can live in it, for +the few minnow-like species there observed are found only by the +estuaries of influent fresh-water streams. Even vegetation struggles in +vain against the blighting influence of its atmosphere, and around its +shores are seen but the forms of plants belonging to species that grow +in salitrose soil; these so stunted and sparse as rather to heighten the +impression of sterility. Tezcoco is, in truth, a Dead Sea of the +Western world. Not so small, neither, since its area may be estimated +at a hundred square miles, more or less. Once it was much larger--at +the time of the Conquest--this being the lake whose waters washed the +walls of the ancient Tenochtitlan. At the present time its edge is, at +least, a league from the suburbs of the modern city standing on the same +site. At certain seasons, however, after a long spell of rain, but more +from the effects of a strong east wind, the lake is brought nearer, by +overflow of the adjacent plain, a phenomenon leading to the popular but +erroneous idea that Tezcoco, like the ocean, has a tide. Once, too, if +we are to credit Humboldt, this lake was much deeper than it is now. +Writing of it in 1803, he states its depth then to have been from three +to five French metres. I think the great German traveller must have +been misinformed, as there has been no silting up to account for its +present shallowness. There is not a spot in Lake Tezcoco where a man, +standing upright, would have his head under water. It is traversed by +market boats of the bread-basket pattern, flat bottomed, and impelled by +poling--just the same sort as Cortez found navigating it when he +launched his brigantine on its eastern edge, which vessel was doubtless +nothing more than a rude raft. The _periaguas_, and other craft which +now ply upon it, bringing produce from Tezcoco, and other lake shore +towns to the capital city, are all of the punt species, none of them +drawing over eighteen inches of water. Notwithstanding, they have to +keep to well-known ways, where the lake is deepest, guiding their course +by certain landmarks on the shore, passing a wooden cross, "La Cruz," +planted near the centre, coming in sight of which the devout--or rather, +I should say, superstitious--boatmen uncover, and offer up a prayer to +"Al Virgen." + +This grand shallow sheet, then, so saline that fish cannot live in it, +and vegetation withers under its blighting breath, is the congenial +dwelling-place of the axolotl, and, if I mistake not, its only one in +the Valley of Mexico; at least I am not aware of its existence in the +other three lakes lying northward, their waters salt, too, but at times +so low as to be almost dried up, or showing only a residuum of mud, its +surface an efflorescence, akin to soda, and resembling hoar frost, +called "tequiqzuite." + +Though in a sense the sole inhabitant of Tezcoco, the axolotl is not +left to peaceful or undisputed possession of the lake. It has its +enemies in the predatory aquatic birds--herons, cranes, and cormorants-- +while man is also among them. To the "Lake Indian" its capture is a +matter of economic industry, its flesh being a saleable commodity in the +market. It is not absolutely relished as an article of food, except by +the Indians themselves; who, as is well known, will eat anything and +everything that lives, moves, and has being, be it fish, fowl, reptile, +or insect. This, from ancient usage, originally a thing of necessity, +not choice, when the Aztec, surrounded by Tlascallan, with other warlike +enemies, was confined to the islands of this inland sea, and from it +compelled to draw part of his sustenance--to eat indifferently frogs, +tadpoles, newts, and such repulsive reptiles; as also the eggs of a +curious water-fly--the axavacatl (_Ahuatlea Mexicana_)--a sort of +"caviar," still obtainable in the markets of the Mexican capital. I +have seen the axolotl of respectable dimensions--at least a foot in +length, while specimens of fifteen and sixteen inches are occasionally +exhibited. Fish or flesh, relished or not, it is often eaten by +invalids, the Mexican _medicos_ pronouncing it a specific for liver +inflammation and pulmonary complaints, as we do cod-liver oil; while it +is also supposed to be serviceable in cases of hectic fever, and as a +food for children. A mucilaginous syrup, compounded of its gelatinous +portions and certain medicinal herbs, is sold in the _boticas_ of the +apothecaries as a balsam for colds, coughs, and other bronchial +maladies. + +I refrain from touching on the zoological character of this creature, so +strangely abnormal, as I could add nothing to what is already known to +you. Besides, that is a question for the scientific naturalist, to whom +I leave it. But it may not be generally known that, in addition to your +Brighton Aquarium species--which is, I suppose, the _Siredon +Humboldtii_, or _Siredon Harlanii_, of Laguna de Tezcoco--there is a new +and quite distinct one recently discovered, inhabiting Lake Patzcuaro. +This large sheet of water, lying centrally in the State of Michoacan-- +more than a hundred miles from the Mexican valley, in a direction nearly +due west--has also its axolotl. Its discoverer has named it _Siredon +Dumerilii_, after the accomplished French herpetologist; while its local +vulgar name on the shores of Patzcuaro is "achoque de agua," or "water +achoque," to distinguish it from a sort of land lizard called "achoque +de tierra"--the _Bolitoglossa Mexicana_ of Dumeril and Bibron, also +common around the edges of the Michoacan Lake. The Patzcuaro species +differs from yours of the Brighton Aquarium in several respects. In +size it is somewhat the same; but its colour, instead of being blackish, +or white, as in the Albino varieties of Humboldt's Siredon, is of a +violet-red, slightly blemished with grey, the gills only being black, +while the neck, throat, and breast are of a pale, whitish hue. + +Without dwelling longer on this subject, I will venture to say that when +all of the great Mexican saline lakes--such as Chapa'a and Cuitzoc--are +searched, there will be found other species of axolotl, distinct from +any of those yet known to science. Mexico is a fine field for the +scientific explorer; its paths hitherto but little trodden by the +naturalist, because unsafe from being so much frequented by the "Knights +of the Road," ycleped _salteadores_. + +Mayne Reid. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +WHO WAS FIRST INTO CHAPULTEPEC? + +Captain Mayne Reid returned from Mexico to the United States in the +spring of 1848. + +He spent the autumn and winter at his friend Donn Piatt's house in the +valley of the Mac-o-Chee, Ohio. Here he wrote the greater part of "The +Rifle Rangers," in which he gives us pictures of his Mexican life, +returning to New York in the spring of 1849. The question was then +going the round of the newspapers, "Who was first into Chapultepec?" + +The following is an extract from a letter written by Mayne Reid in +reference to the storming of Chapultepec, and in which he inclosed some +testimonies of his part in the affair: + +"These documents were hastily collected in New York in the spring of +1849, when I heard of other individuals claiming to have been first into +Chapultepec. I do not claim to have been first over the walls, as I did +not get over the wall at all, but was shot down in front of it; but I +claim to have led up the men who received the last volley of the enemy's +fire, and thus left the scaling the wall a mere matter of climbing, as +scarcely any one was shot afterwards. + +"While collecting this testimony I was suddenly called upon to take the +leadership of a legion organised in New York to assist the revolutionary +struggle in Europe, and I sailed at the latter end of June, 1849. +Otherwise I could have obtained far more testimony than contained in +these scant documents here. + +"Mayne Reid. + +"P.S.--General Pillow was at the time using every exertion to disprove +my claims, it being a life and death matter with him, having an eye to +the Presidency, to prove that the men of his division were the first to +enter Chapultepec." + +The following testimony was given to Mayne Reid, and, as he says, +"generously given, as only one of these officers was my personal friend, +the others being almost unknown to me." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Testimony of Lieutenant Cochrane, Second Regiment of Voltigeurs. + +"On the morning of the 13th of September, 1847, the regiment of +Voltigeurs, to which I was attached as subaltern officer, was ordered to +clear the woods and the western side of the wall, extending from Molino +del Rey to the Castle of Chapultepec, of the Mexican Infantry (light), +and to halt at the foot of the hill, in order to allow the storming +party of Worth's division to scale the hill. + +"We drove the Mexicans as ordered, but in so rapid a manner that, along +with some of the infantry of the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Ninth of +Pillow's division, we kept driving the enemy under a heavy fire from the +Castle, and a redan on the side of the hill, clear into their works--the +storming party coming up rapidly. + +"After driving them from the redan, I pushed for the south-western +corner of the Castle with all the men about me, and scarcely ten yards +from the wall, an officer of infantry, and either an officer or sergeant +of artillery--judging from the stripe on his pants--were shot, and fell. +They were the only two at the time that I saw in advance of me along +the narrow path, the rock of which we were scrambling. On collecting +under the wall of the Castle there were some thirty or forty of us +infantry and Voltigeurs at the extreme corner of the Castle, and several +other officers were there at the same point. The main body had halted +at the scarp of the hill, some forty yards from the wall, awaiting the +arrival of the scaling ladders before making the final and decisive +assault. + +"I ordered two men of the Voltigeurs to go back a little way and assist +the ladders up the hill. As they proceeded to do so they passed the +point where the infantry officer above alluded to lay wounded, who, with +evident pain, raised himself and sang out above the din and rattle of +musketry: + +"`For God's sake, men, don't leave that wall, or we shall all be cut to +pieces. Hold on, and the Castle is ours!' or words to that effect. + +"I immediately answered from the wall: `There is no danger, Captain, of +our leaving this. Never fear'--or words to that amount. + +"Shortly after the ladders came--the rush was made and the Castle fell. + +"In the course of a casual conversation about the events of that +memorable morning, while in the city of Mexico, this incident was +mentioned, and the officer who was wounded proved to be Lieutenant Mayne +Reid, of the New York Volunteers, who had been ordered to guard the +battering guns upon the plain, and had joined the party in the assault +on the Molino del Rey side of the Castle. I spoke freely of this +matter, and was quite solicitous to become acquainted, while in Mexico, +with the gallant and chivalric officer in question. This is a hasty and +imperfect sketch of this transaction. I heard that Lieutenant Reid had +made a speech to the men of all arms, which had induced them to ascend; +but, as a party were fiercely engaged at the redan for a few seconds, I +could not have heard his remarks above the din, as I was one of the +redan party. It may be possible that the above speech is the one +alluded to, though from what I heard said of it, he must have made other +remarks at an earlier moment. + +"Of course, I have not given the exact words, as some eighteen months +have elapsed since that never-to-be-forgotten day, but I have given the +_fact_ and the substance of the words, which shows far more--the _fact_, +I mean--credit and honour to his courage and his gallant conduct than +the mere words could. + +"Theo. D. Cochrane, + +"Late Second Lieutenant Regiment of Voltigeurs. + +"Columbia, Pa., May 20, 1849." + +"Cleveland, O., June, 1849. + +"Captain Mayne Reid, + +"Dear Sir, + +"Very much surprised was I yesterday, when Mr Grey, of the +_Plain-dealer_, honoured me with a call, and communicated to me some +lines of your letter to him, wherein it is stated that you had sent me +about fourteen days ago a letter, with inclosure to Upman. I never have +received your letter, and can obtain no information at the post office +about it. Nevertheless will I testify to what I have seen of your +military bravery and valour at Chapultepec--the only place where I have +personally observed your gallant conduct. + +"When our regiment--Fifteenth Infantry--had charged through the cypress +trees on the foot of the Chapultepec Hill, and after our skirmishers had +taken the first redan, and chased the Mexicans out of it, I saw a young +officer on my right hand side collecting about thirty or forty men of +different corps, and encouraging the same with an address, which the +roaring of the cannon and the musketry hindered me from understanding. +Shortly after I saw the little band of heroes, with their brave leader +in front, charge the right side battery, where a howitzer was posted; +and they tried very hard to climb the mud walls, which were about twenty +feet high. Soon after I perceived through the dense smoke, caused by +the last discharge of the battery towards that small command, that the +officer had scaled the wall and fell, what I then took for dead. + +"All this was done in half the time I take to write it, and I was too +much occupied with the command of my own detachment to enter into more +particulars of that deciding moment. My earnest admiration was paid to +the dead hero; and onward we went to the left corner of the +fortification. How we entered the Castle, and what great excitement +prevailed in the first half-hour of that glorious victory, is too well +known for further description. But one thing I must add, that my first +inquiry after the abating of the excitement was, `Who was that young +officer leading the charge on our right?' and one of my men gave me the +answer: `It is a New Yorker by the name of Mayne Reid--a hell of a +fellow.' That name I had heard several times before very favourably +mentioned, without being personally acquainted with the man; and just as +I was going to see if he was really dead, or wounded, General +Cadwallader addressed the troops from the window of the Castle, and gave +orders to rally the different companies and be prepared for further +orders. I had to stay with my company, of course, and could not satisfy +my great desire to ascertain the fate of that brave young man. One +thing more I wish to say, namely, that this same brave conduct of yours +helped on the left a great deal, because it turned the fire of the +infantry in our front and gave us time to storm the walls the right +moment. + +"Yours most respectfully, + +"Charles Peternell, + +"Captain Fifteenth Infantry." + +Donn Piatt received the following statement, made on affidavit by +Lieutenant Marshall, of the Fifteenth Infantry: + +"I was in command of our company ordered to the attack of Chapultepec +(Captain King being indisposed), and had approached, under cover of +trees and rocks, to the brow of the hill upon which the Castle stands, +where we halted to await the coming of the scaling ladders. At this +point the fire from the Castle was so continuous and fatal that the men +faltered, and several officers were wounded while urging them on. At +this moment I noticed Lieutenant Reid, of the New York Volunteers. I +noticed him more particularly at the time on account of the very +brilliant uniform he wore. + +"He suddenly jumped to his feet, calling upon those around to follow, +and without looking back to see whether he was sustained or not, pushed +on almost alone to the very walls, where he fell badly wounded. All the +officers who saw or knew of the act pronounced it, without exception, +the bravest and most brilliant achievement performed by a single +individual during the campaign; and at the time we determined, should +occasion ever require it, to do him justice. I am satisfied that his +daring was the cause of our taking the Castle as we did. Nor was it an +act of blind courage, but one of cool self-possession in the midst of +imminent danger. Lieutenant Reid had observed from the sound that the +Castle was poorly supplied with side guns, and knew that could he once +get his men to charge up to the walls they would be almost upon equal +footing with the defenders. What makes this achievement more +remarkable, Lieutenant Reid was not ordered to attack, but volunteered." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +He also received letters from Captain D.J. Sutherland, of the United +States Marines, and Captain D. Upman, of the United States Infantry, to +the same effect. + +The chief honours of the assault on the Castle at Chapultepec were +undoubtedly his. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +HE SEEKS TO AID THE REVOLUTIONARY AGITATIONS IN EUROPE. + +About the middle of June, 1849, Captain Mayne Reid, in company with the +revolutionary leader Hecker, and others bent upon the same errand, +sailed in the Cunard steamship "Caledonia" for Liverpool, to aid the +revolutionary movements then disturbing Europe. + +The men composing the legion raised in New York, were to follow in +another steamer. + +On arrival at Liverpool, Captain Reid and Hecker received the +intelligence, which had just arrived, that the Bavarian revolution was +at an end. They were therefore to proceed direct for Hungary, so soon +as their men should arrive. Their plans had been to make for Baden +first, and then on to Hungary. + +Taking leave of his friend Hecker, Captain Mayne Reid appointed to join +him in London in about a week or ten days. Mayne Reid then took the +first boat leaving for Warren Point, to visit his native home before +embarking on his perilous expedition. He landed in Ireland on the +morning of July 12th, and at once took a car to Rathfriland, some twenty +miles distant, reaching it about mid-day. Here he dispatched a +messenger to Ballyroney to break the news of his return to his family, +who were in ignorance of his having left America, fearing the shock that +his sudden appearance might have upon his mother, for _la joie fait +peur_. + +The Captain quickly followed on the heels of his messenger. We leave +the reader to imagine this reunion after so long an absence. He had +left home a mere youth. He returned a man who had passed through many +fires, and bore their scars upon him. + +There was a glad welcome for him in his native place, but the rejoicings +were saddened with the reflection that he must so soon depart on the +errand of war. All the neighbours vied each with the others in doing +honour to the hero. + +Captain Reid, amongst his luggage, had brought over from America a +quantity of Colt's revolvers; the sight of these weapons caused no +little consternation at Ballyroney. + +The time agreed upon with Hecker expired, and Mayne Reid bade adieu to +his home, and arrived in London at the beginning of August. He at once +threw all his energies into the Hungarian cause. + +Shortly after his arrival in London a public meeting was held at the +Hanover Square Rooms to advocate the recognition of Hungary as a nation. +Mayne Reid was present, and the following is a report of his part in +the proceedings: + +"Colonel Reid, United States, moved the next resolution, and announced +himself to be at the head of a band of bold Americans, who had arrived +in this metropolis on their way to Hungary, to place their swords and +lives at the disposal of her people. The resolution he moved was as +follows: `That the immediate recognition of the government _de facto_ of +the kingdom of Hungary by this country is no less demanded by +considerations of justice and policy and the commercial interests of the +two States, than with a view to putting a stop to the effusion of human +blood, and of terminating the prospect of the fearful and bloody +sepulchre of a soldier.' `Gentlemen,' he said, `let us hope that this +result may never be--let us pray that it may never be; and before I +resume my seat I will offer a prayer to the God of Omnipotence, couched +in a paraphrase upon the language of the eloquent Curran: May the +Austrian and the Russian sink together in the dust; may the brave Magyar +walk abroad in his own majesty; may his body swell beyond the measure of +his chains, now bursting from around him; and may he stand redeemed, +regenerated, and disenthralled by the irresistible genius of universal +emancipation.'" + +But Captain Mayne Reid was not destined to fight in the cause of +Hungary, any more than in the Baden insurrection. Fate held different +purposes for him to fulfil. + +Before the expedition had started came the news of the defeat at +Temsevar, on August 9th, 1849. Kossuth had been compelled to abandon +his position and flee into Turkey, and the subjugation of Hungary was +soon after completed. + +There was now no use for the legion, and Captain Reid helped them in +returning to America. + +To raise sufficient funds for this purpose he sold most of the Colt's +revolvers he had brought over. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Captain Mayne Reid now finally sheathed his sword, once more took up the +pen, and began those marvellous tales of adventure which have made his +name famous. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +HIS FIRST ROMANCES. + +Captain Mayne Reid now sought to find a publisher for his first romance, +"The Rifle Rangers," which he had written at Donn Piatt's house in Ohio, +and to which he had now put the finishing touches in London. + +To find a publisher for a book by an unknown author was no easy task. +Eventually the work was published by William Shoberl, Great Marlborough +Street, in two volumes, at one guinea, on an agreement to pay the author +half the profits. The preface to "The Rifle Rangers" is as follows: + +"The incidents are not fictitious, but allowance must be made for a +poetic colouring which fancy has doubtless imparted. The characters are +taken from living originals, though most of them figure under fictitious +names; they are portraits nevertheless." + +The book was dedicated to his friend, Lord Dudley Coutts Stuart. + +"The Rifle Rangers" became at once a success, and the reviews in the +press were of the most flattering description. The _Observer_, April +7th, 1850, says: + +"Two extraordinary volumes, teeming with varied Mexican adventures, and +written by no everyday man. Of Captain Mayne Reid may be said, +according to his own analysis of himself, what Byron wrote of Bonaparte: + +"`And quiet to quick bosoms is a bell!' + +"The volumes contain some wild love passages, and many descriptions of +manners and scenery." + +Of this book a writer in an American journal says: "In London he found a +publisher, and awoke to a world-wide fame. The book that could not be +published here, was translated and republished in every language in +Europe, and returning to this country, found thousands of delighted +readers. Your correspondent, calling once to pay his respects to +Lamartine, found that gentleman with Mayne Reid's book in his hand, and +the eminent Frenchman loud in its praise. Dumas, senior, said he could +not close the book till he had read the last word." + +This was followed by his second romance, the world-famed "Scalp +Hunters," which was written by Mayne Reid in Ireland, at Ballyroney, in +the old house in which he was born. On its completion he returned to +London, and the book was published in 1851, by Charles Street, in three +volumes. + +It at once became one of the most popular books of the season, and has +maintained its popularity ever since. Over a million copies have been +sold in Great Britain alone, and it has been translated into as many +languages as "The Pilgrim's Progress." The preface to "The Scalp +Hunters" is dated June, 1851: + +"My book is a _trapper_ book. It is well known that trappers swear like +troopers; some of them, in fact, worse. I have endeavoured to +christianise my trappers as much as lay in my power. I, however, see a +wide distinction between the impiety of a trapper's oath and the +immorality of an unchaste episode." + +There was not an adverse criticism in any of the press notices. + +David Bogue, publisher, of Fleet Street, proposed to Mayne Reid to write +a series of boys' books of adventure, the books which earned for him the +title of the "Boy's Novelist." The first of these was "The Desert +Home," or "English Family Robinson." It was published by Bogue at +Christmas, 1851, in an illustrated cloth edition at 7 shillings 6 pence. +The _Globe_, February 2nd, 1852, says: "Captain Mayne Reid offers to +the juvenile community a little book calculated to excite their surprise +and to gratify their tastes for the transatlantic, and the wonderful. +The dangers and incidents of life in the wilderness are depicted in +vivid colours." + +In addition to his literary work Captain Mayne Reid now established a +Rifle Club. His military ardour was not quite quenched. The Belvidere +Rifle Club was the title. + +The preliminary conditions for obtaining recognition by the Crown were +stated by the Marquis of Salisbury, Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex, to be +that the numbers of a Volunteer Rifle Corps should exceed sixty, and +that particulars of the names of the members, and of the mode of +training in arms practised, should be supplied. + +The Christmas of 1852 saw the production of "The Boy Hunters." "For the +boy readers of England and America this book has been written, and to +them it is dedicated; that it may interest them, so as to rival in their +affections the top, the ball, and the kite--that it may impress them, so +as to create a taste for that most refining study, the study of Nature-- +that it may benefit them, by begetting a fondness for books, the +antidotes of ignorance, of idleness, and vice, has been the design, as +it is the sincere wish, of their friend the author." + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +KOSSUTH. "THE TIMES." + +During the year 1852 a strong friendship had sprung up between Captain +Mayne Reid and Louis Kossuth, the ex-governor of Hungary, who was at +that time living in London. Captain Reid entered enthusiastically into +the Hungarian cause and attended many public meetings on behalf of the +refugees. + +In February, 1853, when the ill-fated insurrection at Milan took place, +Kossuth was anxious to join the insurgents as soon as possible. + +Captain Reid proposed that Kossuth should travel across the Continent +disguised as his servant. A passport was actually got from the Foreign +Office for this purpose, and bears date 24th February, 1853, "for the +free passage of Captain Mayne Reid, British subject, travelling on the +Continent with a man-servant, James Hawkins, British subject." All was +in readiness for their departure, when a telegram in cipher was received +by Kossuth that the rising had proved only an _emeute_. + +Fortunately for Captain Reid, who was thus spared risking his life on +the altar of friendship, as he was quite prepared to do. Capture in +Austria would have been certain death for one, if not both of them. + +He remained a staunch friend to Louis Kossuth during the latter's +residence in England, ever ready to defend him with the pen, as he had +been with the sword. + +_The Times_ of February 10th, 1853, contained these lines at the head of +its Notices to Correspondents: "At 2 o'clock this morning we received a +letter, signed `Mayne Reid,' denying, in absurdly bombastic language, +the genuineness of the proclamation which we published on the 10th +inst., and which we introduced as `professing to be addressed by M. +Kossuth to the Hungarian soldiers in Italy.' Such documents are seldom +very formal, but we had good reason for believing it to be genuine, and +shall certainly not discredit it without better authority than that of +`Mayne Reid.'" + +The letter to which _The Times_ refers--or rather a copy of it--was sent +by its author to the _Sun_. + +"Louis Kossuth and the Italians. + +"The following note has been addressed to ourselves by Captain Mayne +Reid, inclosing, as will be seen, a somewhat remarkable communication +addressed to one of our morning contemporaries. In our leading columns +of this evening we have referred more directly to the very curious +documents here subjoined: + +"To the Editor of the _Sun_. + +"30, Parkfield Street, Islington. + +"February 16th, 1853. + +"Sir,--I regret that I am a stranger to you, but I have a confidence +that your sense of `fair play' will influence you to insert the +accompanying letter in your journal of to-morrow. I need hardly add +that the facts which it states have been drawn from an authentic source. + +"With high respect, sir, + +"I am, etc, + +"Mayne Reid." + +"To the Editor of _The Times_. + +"Sir,--In your journal of the 10th inst. appears a telegraphic dispatch +announcing an insurrection in Milan; and underneath, in the same column, +a document which you state `purports to be from Kossuth,' and to which +is appended the name of that gentleman. + +"Now, sir, M. Kossuth either did write that document, or he did not. If +he did, and you have published it without his authorisation, you have +committed, by all the laws of honour in this land, a dishonourable act. +If he did not write it, you have committed, by the laws of justice in +this land, a criminal act. I charge you with the committal of both. +You are guilty of the latter; and the latter, like a parenthesis, +embraces the former. + +"You have published that document without any authorisation from the man +whose name is subscribed to it; and upon the day following, in an +additional article, you have declared its authenticity, as a +proclamation addressed by M. Kossuth, from Bayswater, for the purpose of +engaging the Lombard and Hungarian patriots in the late insurrection at +Milan. + +"As such, sir, in the name of M. Kossuth, _I disavow the document. I +pronounce it to be a forgery_. + +"It remains with M. Kossuth to bring you before the bar of the law. It +has become my duty to arraign you before the tribunal of public opinion. + +"I charge you, then, with having given utterance to a forged document, +which was calculated to reflect with a damning influence upon the fame +of its reputed author. Such conduct is in any case culpable. In yours +it is inexcusable, since you daily tell us that `whatever is intended +for insertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the +writer.' + +"But this is not all, sir. In the editorial referred to, you take +occasion to speak of the man whose name has been thus abused in a tirade +of vengeful invective, whose epithets I, as a gentleman, shall not +condescend to reproduce. + +"Calling the false proclamation `bombastic fustian,' you have charged M. +Kossuth with aiding to incite the late insurrection in Milan, and +thereby causing the wanton shedding of blood--of `hallooing on the +wretched victims to certain destruction, while he himself enjoys the +most perfect personal security under the guardianship of British law.' + +"This is a serious charge, and, if not true, a slander which, by the +mildest construction, must be termed most cruel and atrocious. _It is +not true_. It is a slander, and I feel confident that all who read will +pronounce it, as I have done, cruel and atrocious. + +"With regard to its first clause, I here affirm that M. Kossuth had not +only no part in inciting the Italians to a revolution at this time; but, +that up to the latest moment, he opposed such an ill-judged and +premature movement with all the might of his counsel. He had weighty +reasons for so doing. Perhaps you, sir, may know what these `weighty +reasons' are; but whether you do or not, I am not going to declare them +for the benefit of Austrian ears. This is not the question now, but +your charge is; to which I oppose the affirmation that it is _not true_. +With regard to the latter clause of your quoted assertion, I have thus +to answer; that the moment in which M. Kossuth received the news of the +insurrection in Milan--and which came upon him as unexpectedly as upon +any man in England--upon that moment he hurried to make preparation for +his departure to the scene of action. Although filled with a prophetic +apprehension that the affair would turn out to be an _emeute_, and not a +national revolution, he, nevertheless, resolved to fling his body into +the struggle. I, who was to have had the honour of sharing his dangers, +can bear testimony to the zeal with which he was hurrying to face them, +when he was frustrated by the news that the insurrection was crushed. +Were I to detail, as I may one day be called upon to do, the sacrifices +which he made to effect that object, the slanders, sir, which you have +uttered against him would recoil still more bitterly upon yourself. For +the present I content myself with the assertion of the fact; but should +you render it necessary I am ready with the proofs. + +"But no such explanation was needed to shield Louis Kossuth from your +unmanly accusation. Shall I recall a circumstance in the life of that +heroic man to refute you? You, sir, must know it well. It has been +recorded in the columns, and engraven in the tablets, of history. In +August, 1849, upon the banks of the Danube stood Louis Kossuth. On one +side was the avenging Austrian, thirsting for his blood; on the other +his weak and wavering protector, who had declared that unless he-- +Kossuth--and his associates would consent to abandon the religion of +their fathers they must be yielded up, to what? On the part of Kossuth, +to death--certain death--upon the ignominious scaffold. In this +perilous crisis, others, less compromised, accepted life upon the terms +proposed. What did Kossuth, when it came to his turn to speak? He +uttered these words of glory: `Death, death upon the scaffold, in +preference to such terms for life! Accursed be the tongue that could +make to me such an infamous proposal.' + +"In such language, at such a time, there is no `bombastic fustian.' I +could believe that there were men incapable of comprehending the sublime +courage, the heroic virtue of such an act; but I did not believe there +existed a man in all England who would have the effrontery--the positive +and palpable meanness--to stigmatise the hero of that act with a charge +of cowardice. + +"Such, sir, are the facts connected with this affair. I may at some +future time treat you to a few opinions, and review more copiously the +history of your conduct in relation to M. Kossuth. Meanwhile, I leave +you to purify your soiled escutcheon as you best may. + +"I am, sir, yours obediently, + +"Mayne Reid. + +"February 15th. + +"P.S.--February 16th. Sir,--In your journal of this morning, instead of +publishing the above letter, you have noticed it in a short paragraph, +worthy of the pen that would malign a patriot. But do not imagine that +you are to escape thus easily from the unpleasant position in which you +have placed yourself. In this country the character of a gentleman, +though he be a stranger, is not to be wantonly assailed with impunity, +and you, sir, shall be as amenable to the laws of honour and justice as +the meanest citizen in the land. + +"You say, in relation to your pseudo proclamation, that you `had good +reason for believing it to be genuine, and shall certainly not discredit +it without better authority than that of Mayne Reid.' + +"If you had no better authority for publishing it than what is implied +by the tenor of the above paragraph, I fancy you will have some +difficulty in explaining to your readers why you published it at all, +and to your countrymen why--_so long as a doubt existed in your mind as +to its genuineness_--you took advantage of the sentiments expressed by +it to defame the character of its reputed author. You take occasion to +characterise my letter as `absurdly bombastic language.' It is before +the public as above. Let them be the judges; and the only favour I +should ask of them would be, to read your editorial article upon the +same subject. Having given yours a prior perusal, I feel satisfied that +their ears will not be so delicately attuned as to be jarred by the +`absurdly bombastic' of mine. + +"`Bombastic' seems to be a favourite phrase with you, and for the style +itself no writer in England is more accustomed to its usage than that +mythical personage--the editor of _The Times_. + +"Your sneer at the `authority of Mayne Reid,' is equally characteristic. +It is true I am but a plain gentleman, who make my living, like +yourself, by literature. But I did not calculate upon the statement of +a plain gentleman having any weight with you. In my letter I offered +you full proof of my assertions. You do not seem inclined to call them +forth. + +"And now, sir, one word more. If you flatter yourself that by means of +bold swagger and personal invective you can cover your misdeeds, you are +sadly mistaken. You may insult the understanding of Englishmen, as you +repeatedly do, with your wordy sophistry, and mystify the masses, who +`run as they read.' I, sir, have a higher faith in the intelligence of +my countrymen, and a full confidence that the majority of them have +heads clear enough to understand, and hearts pure enough to repudiate, +an unprovoked and unproven slander. + +"I am, sir, etc, + +"Mayne Reid." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +In the _Morning Advertiser_ of February 19th, 1853, appeared the +following: + +"M. Kossuth and `The Times.' + +"To the Editor of the _Morning Advertiser_. + +"Sir, + +"Your kindness in giving a place in your widely circulated journal to my +former communication in relation to M. Kossuth leads me to hope that you +will also publish the inclosed document. + +"I am, sir, + +"With high respect, + +"Truly yours, + +"Mayne Reid. + +"301, Parkfield Street, February 17th." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +"To the Editor of _The Times_. + +"Sir, + +"You have refused to disavow the pseudo proclamation which you published +over the name of M. Kossuth, _without better authority than that of +Mayne Reid_. Perhaps you will be satisfied with the authority of the +gentleman whose name is in autograph appended to the communication I now +inclose you. + +"I am, sir, etc, + +"Mayne Reid." + +"To Captain Mayne Reid. + +"London, February 18, 1853. + +"My Dear Sir, + +"I feel myself under high obligations for the generous and chivalric +manner in which you stepped forth to do me justice, when you knew me to +be wronged in that `proclamation' matter; as also I feel bound to +lasting gratitude towards you for the noble readiness with which you +gave me at once your helping hand, at my request, to aid me to reach the +field of that action which I did not approve, but which, of course, I +must have been anxious to join. + +"Your generous assistance, which you so readily granted me, I can the +more appreciate, as I am sorry to say with us there are many +difficulties, even in reaching any field of honourable danger at all. +We are not free to move. Evidence of it: That when not long ago my +departed dear mother was on her death-bed in exile, a certain +`constitutional' government would allow me to go to imprint the parting +kiss of filial devotion on her brow upon the condition only that I +should submit to the disgraceful profanation of being accompanied by a +`gendarme' to my dying mother's bed. + +"I thank you, sir, most affectionately, for that your assistance, as +well as your chivalric defence. I was just about myself to publish a +formal disavowal of that `Proclamation to the Hungarian Soldiers.' I +hope you, as well as every Englishman, will appreciate my motive for not +having done it earlier. + +"My motive, sir, was this: that my disavowal would, of course, have been +telegraphed to Austrian quarters; and, supposing the fight in Italy +still pending, might have possibly done some harm to my beloved brethren +in oppression, the Italians. So I took it to be my simple duty rather +silently to submit to any virulent indignity than to harm the chances of +the struggling patriots at Milan, who, though inconsiderately and at an +ill-chosen moment, risked their life and blood and their sacred honour +to free their country from insupportable oppression, and that a foreign +one, too; just as England once rose and risked blood and life and sacred +honour--nay, more, sent one king to the scaffold and one other into +eternal exile--to free herself from oppression, though it was not a +foreign one. + +"The history of past revolutions is but too readily forgotten by those +who now reap their fruits in peace and happiness. But I would like to +recall it to memory now, when men will be but too ready to add bitter +blame to the misfortune of the vanquished. + +"I certainly, sir, did highly disapprove of any idea of rising in Italy +now; but the failure of the unfortunate victims I will consider but as a +new claim upon my compassion and sympathy. Men, in the peaceful +enjoyment of freedom and prosperity, can scarcely imagine what +aspirations and what thoughts can and must cross the hearts of a people +suffering what Italy does. That should be borne in mind before we cast +the stone of blame upon those who fell. + +"I, sir, am so much penetrated by this sentiment, that, were it not for +higher motives--which are entirely of no personal susceptibility that I +am not permitted to take upon myself the imputation of an imprudent act +which I did not commit--I, perhaps, would have preferred to be injured +by letting pass in silence the whole proclamation matter, and all the +venomous slander connected with it. + +"But for those higher motives I feel infinitely obliged to you for +having so generously undertaken to vindicate my prudence, and my plain +but honest character. May be that this, your chivalry, will entirely +release me from the necessity of any further public steps in that +respect. That I shall see, and leave in the meantime my ready disavowal +where it is. + +"However, as following the generous impulse of your heart, you may, +perhaps, feel inclined to fight on the battle, if required, in which you +so nobly engaged, I thought it would perhaps be as well to state to you +some particulars. + +"I think any intelligent reader of that purported proclamation may have +at once become aware of its not being genuine on reading it. Because, +to say in one and the same, document something to this effect: `I send +the bearer to you that he may inform me who amongst you are faithful and +true, and inform me how you should organise;' and to say in the same +document, as it were with the same breath: `Rise! Strike! The moment +is at hand,' which, is as much as to say, `Don't organise'--this is, +indeed, too absurd a blunder in logic to be believed. + +"Do I then disavow the sentiments contained in that document? No, sir; +all my life is, and will be, summed up in this idea: my country's +freedom--my country's rights; and consistently with this, I am, and will +remain, an irreconcilable enemy to Francis Joseph of Austria, who stole +by perjury from my country sacred rights, freedom, constitution, laws, +and national existence; and beaten back in his criminal attack, robbed +it by treason and by foreign force--and now murders it. Yes, sir, I +avow openly these my sentiments, and trust in God that the day of +justice and retribution will soon come. And why should I not avow them? +I am not bound to any allegiance to Francis Joseph of Austria. Not I; +not my exiled countrymen; not our dear Hungary. He is no lawful +sovereign of Hungary. Justice is at home in England, sir; and, +therefore, I defy any man to get up a jury, or to point out a court in +all England which would find a verdict for Francis Joseph being a lawful +sovereign of Hungary--or I and my country owing him allegiance. + +"Nor do I desire to be understood that I have never written anything +like the contents of that apocryphal document. I, indeed, sir, never +thought to have any claim to the reputation of a classical authorship. +Bad as it is, sir, I have written worse things in my life. I may have +written every sentence of it; some of them at one time, some at another +on different occasions--probably when I was a prisoner at Kutayah, for +different exigencies, all past, long past, years ago, out of which +writings the present document might have been patched up without my +knowledge, and used on the present occasion without my consent. + +"All this is not the question. The question, sir, is--have I addressed +this (or whatsoever else) proclamation from English soil for the purpose +of engaging the Hungarian soldiers, or whomsoever else, in the late +insurrection at Milan, or wherever else, in Italy? + +"That is the question. Answering to this question, you disavowed the +document as such, and pronounced it to be a forgery--and you are +perfectly right. I neither invited, nor gave any authority to any one +to invite, the Hungarian soldiers to join in any insurrection in Italy +now. Nay, whenever I heard anything said about the Lombard patriots +being incapable of enduring longer their oppression, and that perhaps +they might feel inclined to break forth at any risk, I condemned the +very idea of thinking now upon an insurrection in Italy, declaring that, +for the present, no revolutionary movement would succeed in Lombardy, +but `would turn out to be but a deplorable _emeute_;' and I, for one, +declared every _emeute_, however valiantly fought, would but render +impure the well-founded, legitimate prospects of the cause of liberty. + +"All this, sir, you have known, when you gave your chivalric _dementi_ +to that purported proclamation of mine. You have known more yet; you +have seen a letter from one of the most renowned Italian patriots, dated +on the 10th of February, from the field of action, in which he +categorically confesses that `I in my views was perfectly right, and +they have been wrong;' and in which he further, giving me the first +notice of my name having been used `clandestinely' at Milan, gives me +himself full evidence that it was done without my knowledge, without my +consent. + +"You have known all this, sir; but one thing you may not yet know, and +that is: + +"I came to England about the end of June, 1852. Since that time I have +been always on English soil; and since I have been on English soil, I +never addressed any proclamation to the Hungarian soldiers in Italy. + +"But stop. Yes, I have addressed a proclamation to them. A single one, +dated February 15th, a copy of which I beg leave to send to you; and +remain with the highest regards and sincere gratitude, + +"Dear sir, + +"Yours affectionately and obediently, + +"L. Kossuth. + +"P.S.--You may make any public or private use of this my letter, and of +the annexed proclamation, you may think proper.--Kossuth." + +"To the Hungarian Soldiers quartered in Italy. + +"Gallant Countrymen!--It is with indignation I learn that on the +occasion of the troubles of February 6th, at Milan, an appeal has been +circulated there in my name, calling on you to join in that abortive +movement. + +"Soldiers! that document was not genuine. I have not approved of an +insurrection in Italy for the present moment. I issued no appeal +calling on you to take a part in it. + +"Once the time will come--and come it shall, undoubtedly--when I, in the +name of our country, will desire you, wheresoever you may then be, to +side with the people around the banner of liberty. That is a sacred +duty. Our enemy is the same everywhere, and the people's cause is one +and the same; alike as there is but one God, one honour, and one +liberty. + +"But this one I shall do at the right time. The present time was not +the right one. + +"Of one thing you may rest assured, and that is, that I shall never play +with your blood a wanton play. + +"Whensoever I shall say to you, `Ye braves, the time is at hand!' I +will tell you this neither from London, nor from any distant safe place, +but from headquarters. In person will I lead you on, and claim the +first share in your glorious dangers. + +"Never shall I invite you to risk any danger in which I myself do not +share. + +"And as no one can be present in two places at once, should I, for that +reason, not place myself, at the head of your heroic ranks--because duty +will call on me to do that in our own dear country, where I shall have +to fight for freedom and right in Hungary, while you will be fighting +for it in Italy--my appeal will reach you by the hand of a gallant +Hungarian commander, whom I will charge to lead you on to the field of +glory--fighting forward home to join the banner which I shall hold +there. + +"Of this you may rest assured. Until then be prepared--but wait. Don't +play your blood wantonly. The Fatherland, the world, is needing it. + +"For freedom and Fatherland! + +"L. Kossuth. + +"London, February 15, 1853." + +The "forged proclamation" correspondence elicited numerous editorials +from the Press, all warmly in praise of Captain Mayne Reid's able +defence of Kossuth. + +From the _Morning Advertiser_ of February 19 the following is extracted: + +"_The Times_--we say it with regret, because the character of the entire +newspaper press is more or less affected by the misdeeds of one of its +leading members--has earned for itself an unenviable notoriety by the +frequency with which it gives circulation to calumnies against those to +whom it is opposed, and then refusing to allow the parties affected to +prove that they are calumniated. + +"A striking case, illustrative of this, has occurred within the last few +days. _The Times_, by some means or other, becomes possessed of a +document purporting to be a proclamation from Kossuth, addressed to the +Hungarian soldiers in that portion of the Austrian army employed to put +down the insurrection in Milan. We do not charge our contemporary with +publishing this proclamation knowing it not to be genuine. We are +willing to give _The Times_ credit for believing in the perfect +genuineness of the document when it opened its columns to its insertion. +Nor do we blame that journal for inditing a leading article, in which +the proclamation in question was made the groundwork of a furious +onslaught on Kossuth, because we are still assuming that _The Times_ all +this while believed the document to be an emanation from the pen of the +illustrious Magyar. + +"But farther than this, in our allowances for our contemporary, we +cannot go. _The Times_ is told that the proclamation to the Hungarian +soldiers in the Austrian army was not the production of Kossuth's pen, +and that he was in no wise responsible for its sentiments or its +exhortations. Captain Mayne Reid writes to _The Times_, not only +denying the genuineness of the document but producing facts and +assigning reasons, which ought to have satisfied that journal that it +had preferred a charge against Kossuth as groundless as it was +injurious. But instead of giving a ready insertion to Captain Mayne +Reid's vindication of the character of the Hungarian chief from the +calumnies which _The Times_ put into circulation, that journal, without +assigning, or being able to assign, any reason for still believing that +the document was genuine, reiterates the assertion of its having +proceeded from Kossuth's pen. + +"Fortunately for the character of the English press, there is not +another journal of any reputation in the country that would act in this +matter as _The Times_ has done. However much a paper may chance to be +opposed to a particular individual, we know of no instance, with this +solitary exception of _The Times_, in which an editor, having preferred +a groundless charge against a man whose character is everything to him, +would refuse to allow a contradiction and disproof of the accusation. +The force of injustice could no further go. To act in this way is to +play the part of a moral assassin, and ought to draw down on the head of +the journalist who could play so criminal a part the indignation and +abhorrence of the public. + +"_The Times_ has not yet forgotten its old grudge against the Magyar +chief, nor is it likely it ever will. It not only greatly damaged its +commercial interests by the system of calumny which it pursued towards +the Hungarian exile, but it had also to endure the mortification of +finding that all its efforts to injure Kossuth's character, or to +diminish the interest felt in the cause of Hungary, were entirely +unsuccessful. Never was the utter powerlessness of a journal more +thoroughly demonstrated than was that of _The Times_ on the arrival of +Kossuth in this country, and the mortification of its signal failure to +prevent the tide of popular feeling from flowing in favour of the +ex-governor of Hungary, still rankles in the heart of _The Times_. The +gross act of injustice which we have sought to expose, and which we have +so unsparingly denounced, is the consequence of that intolerable +mortification. + +"The character of Kossuth needed not the able and unanswerable defences +which Captain Mayne Reid, a popular author as well as gallant officer, +published in the columns of this journal on Thursday. Least of all was +it necessary to vindicate the Hungarian chief from the charge of want of +courage. The entire conduct of Kossuth, during the most troublous and +perilous period of the struggle for the national independence of his +country, proved him to be a man possessed of courage, of heroism, and of +a disregard of all considerations of personal safety, as his civil +administration of the affairs of Hungary showed him to be a statesman of +consummate capacity. + +"Afterwards came the other, and, in some respects, still nobler display +of lofty heroism, which Kossuth made when a prisoner in Turkey. Those +are indeed heartless calumniators who would seek to brand with the guilt +of cowardice one of the bravest of men, overwhelmed with sorrow and an +exile from his country--a country dearer to him than life itself. But +for the credit of English journalism be it spoken, there is only one +paper amidst the entire press of this country of which he can complain. +We need not name that journal. Every one knows we allude to _The +Times_--a journal whose name has for some time past been everywhere +regarded as synonymous with all that is unprincipled and ungenerous. + +"Since the above was in the printer's hands, we have received another +communication from Captain Mayne Reid, inclosing a letter from Kossuth +himself, which completely settles the question of the forged +proclamation. No one can read the letter of the illustrious Hungarian +without blushing to think that he should be systematically assailed in +the most savage manner, and be made the victim of a series of the +grossest calumnies by a paper arrogating to itself the title of `the +leading journal of Europe.' Captain Mayne Reid deserves, and will +receive, the thanks of every lover of justice for his spirited and +triumphant defence of the character of Kossuth." + +_The Times_ afterwards stated that Kossuth was storing arms at +Rotherhithe. In the issue of that journal on April 18th, 1853, appeared +the following editorial note: + +"We have received another highly complimentary letter from Mr Mayne +Reid--we mean a whole sheet full of abuse--and so long as we continue +what we are, and Mr Mayne Reid continues what he is, we shall consider +his abuse the greatest praise it is in his power to bestow. A feeling +of regard for the English language induces us, however, to refrain from +giving publicity to Mr Mayne Reid's balderdash, which we dare say may +be read in another place." + +A copy of this letter had been forwarded to the _Morning Advertiser_, +and appeared in full in its columns on April 18th. It is as follows: + +"To the Editor of _The Times_. + +"Sir,--It is written--`Whom the gods would destroy, him they make mad.' +Your doom then seems inevitable; for if an utter abandonment of the laws +of morality, a reckless disregard of the laws of honour, a desperate +determination to court the contempt of your countrymen--if these be +symptoms of madness, then are you mad indeed--mad as moon can make you. + +"But the gods are guiltless of the act. The demons have done it. Your +own vile passions have crazed you. + +"Once more you have assailed M. Kossuth; once more you have shot your +envenomed shaft; and once more, glancing back from the pure shield of +that gentleman's honour, your poisoned arrow has recoiled upon yourself. +Unscathed stands he. His escutcheon is unstained. Even your foul ink +has not soiled it. It is pure as ever; spotless as the pinions of the +swan, as the wing of the wave-washed albatross. + +"You have created an abyss of infamy. Into this you designed to drive +M. Kossuth. You essayed to push him from the cliff. Headlong you +rushed upon him; but, blinded by bad passions, you missed your aim. You +have staggered over yourself; and your intended victim stands +triumphantly above you. + +"From the declarations of the gentleman himself, from my own personal +knowledge of facts, I pronounce your whole statement regarding M. +Kossuth and his Rotherhithe arsenal a web of wicked falsehoods. But the +cold-blooded audacity, the harlotic _abandon_, with which you have +uttered these falsehoods, and commented upon them, are positively +astounding. It is difficult to believe you in earnest; and one is +inclined to fancy you the dupe of some gross deception. + +"But the palpable _animus_ that guides your pen will not permit this +charitable construction, and we are prevented from giving you even the +benefit of a doubt. We have no alternative but to believe you guilty, +with deliberate forethought, with `malice _prepense_.' + +"But, sir, if you are to be suffered to drag innocent men from the +privacy of their hearth to charge them with imaginary crimes--to support +your charges with not a shadow of evidence, but, upon the contrary, to +substitute coarse calumny and vengeful vituperation--if all this be +permitted you with impunity, it is full time that we inquire, in what +consists English freedom? + +"There are other tyrannies besides that of despotic governments. There +is the tyranny of a licentious press; and, for my part, I would rather +submit me to the rule of the sabre and the knout, than live at the mercy +of a conclave of dissipated adventurers who sneak around the purlieus of +Printing House Square. + +"I shall not condescend to repeat the slanders you have lately uttered. +I am saved the necessity of refuting them. The pen and the tongue have +already accomplished this. Higher names than mine have endorsed the +refutation. In the House of Commons, Duncombe, Walmsley, Bright and +Dudley Stuart, have nailed the lie to the wall. + +"I know not what course M. Kossuth may pursue towards you. Doubtless he +may treat you with that dignified silence he has hitherto observed. He +can well afford it. He need not fear to be silent. He shall not lack +defenders. + +"You may double your staff of facile scribes, and arm each of them with +a plume plucked from the fetid wing of the Austrian eagle. You will +find among the champions of truth, brains as clear and pens as clever as +your own; and though you may stuff your columns with wordy sophistry, it +will be scattered like chaff before the heaven-born wind. + +"I repeat it, M. Kossuth can afford to treat you with sublime silence; +but I, who am gifted neither with the divine endurance nor Christian +forbearance of that noble man--I cannot help telling you the contempt I +feel for you and yours. I feel the paucity of language to express it, +and I doubt not but that every Englishman will experience a similar +difficulty. True, we might get over that by borrowing a little from +your vocabulary, but I shall not condescend to do so. Even now I feel +that I am sinking the gentleman in coming thus forward a second time to +call you to account. + +"But as the citizen of a country by you disgraced--as the friend of a +man by you injured--I cannot submit myself to silence. When you charge +M. Kossuth and other Hungarian leaders with a violation of our +hospitality, I cannot do otherwise than pronounce your statements false. +You perhaps do not know how much you yourself are indebted to the high +respect which these gentlemen have for the laws of English hospitality. +But for that, sir, I can assure you that you would long since have been +dragged from your incognito, and treated in a manner I will not +describe; and although I for one should not approve of such a +proceeding, I could not deny that you have done all in your power to +deserve it. But if the laws of our country protect you, they also +protect the stranger from personal insult. The host has duties as well +as the guest, and may equally violate the laws of hospitality. You, +sir, have been guilty of that violation. + +"I call upon you, then, to make some atonement for the wrong you have +done, to apologise to the man you have wronged, to your countrymen, +whose honour you have compromised, whose intelligence you have insulted. +I counsel you to this course, which you will find the most prudent. Do +not affect to despise my counsel. Do not imagine, like Macbeth, that by +`becoming worse,' and keeping up a meretricious swagger, you may +extricate yourself from your unhappy position. This, be assured, you +can never do. Powerful as you fancy yourself, you are not strong enough +to defy public opinion. You may flounce about the lobbies of a +theatre--you may frown upon the manager, and frighten the trembling +_debutante_--you may, now and then, make merit for yourself by holding +up to public execration some unfortunate wretch who, having +miscalculated the amount of black-mail, has made you an _inadequate_ +offer; but fancy not, for all this, that you are omnipotent: you cannot +annihilate one atom of truth. The humblest gentleman in England may +condemn and defy you. + +"Mayne Reid. + +"14, Alpha Road, Regent's Park. + +"April 16, 1853." + +The language of this letter seems now somewhat inflated. Allowance must +be made for the feelings of the writer, which, naturally sensitive, were +then strongly stirred by his friendship for Kossuth and his enthusiasm +for a popular cause. + +A week later Kossuth wrote to Mayne Reid complaining of the espionage to +which he had been subjected during his residence in England, giving +certain facts. The communication, along with a letter from his own pen, +was forwarded by Captain Mayne Reid to the _Daily News_, in the columns +of which it appeared, April 25th, 1853. + +The following letters from Kossuth to Mayne Reid may be here +conveniently inserted: + +"28th March, 1856. + +"My Dear Sir, + +"Here I am again to torment you eternally. I send you the second half +of my second lecture for revision; the first half I am just a little +cutting to the proper length, inasmuch as this second half, as you shall +see, scarcely does admit of much abbreviation. + +"How long _can_ a lecture be? + +"Yours affectionately, + +"Kossuth. + +"Captain Mayne Reid." + +"Friday evening, June 6, 1856. + +"My Dear Sir, + +"Sick, exhausted and outworn, I have had to prepare a new lecture for +Glasgow, whither I travel next Monday. + +"Hard work this lecturing, but they promise to be remunerative; and I +have debts to pay, and my children want bread. + +"I am greatly under obligation for your many kindnesses and assistance. +I am not unmindful of my obligation, and I hope soon to testify it; but +do me the favour once more to revise my grammar and syntax, I pray you. + +"With the most sincere assurance of gratitude, + +"Yours in truth and affection, + +"Kossuth. + +"Captain Mayne Reid." + +"12, Regent's Park Terrace, + +"March 4th, 1861. + +"My Dear Friend, + +"Very sorry to hear of the illness of Madame Reid and of your own +indisposition. Bronchitis--that curse of the London climate--is a very +trying affair; we know only too much of it. + +"Many, many thanks for your kind offer, which I gladly accept as far as +your powerful pen is concerned. I am indeed in need of it, the more so +as I have no time to write myself--have scarcely time to breathe. + +"We must try and make this Chancery suit a glorious triumph to my +country's rights and to the great principles involved in it, and I think +we may if only the press is not allowed to relax its support. + +"The papers--at least most of them--are well disposed--even _The +Times_--only think! + +"So write! write! write! is the word now more than ever. + +"The _Daily News_ will, I think, accept any good article on the +subject--at least I expect them to do so--the _Morning Star_ still more, +and of the _Morning Advertiser_ I feel perfectly sure. + +"I shall try to see you in the course of to-morrow, if possible--if not, +then after to-morrow for certainty. + +"Yours very faithfully, + +"Kossuth. + +"Captain Mayne Reid." + +In October, 1853, a meeting was held at the London Tavern, under the +presidency of Lord Dudley Stuart, to express sympathy with Turkey. +Captain Mayne Reid was present, and spoke effectively against secret +diplomacy. + +"Secret diplomacy! There was not a phrase in the language that was more +repugnant to the hearts and the ears of Englishmen. Secret diplomacy! +There was dishonour in the sound--there was positive and palpable +meanness in the thought. + +"What has secret diplomacy done for England? Was it by secret diplomacy +that this mighty nation had been built up? If they looked back upon +their former history they would find that the tricksters of foreign +countries had always out-tricked the tricksters of England. He could +understand some mean and petty nation having resort to secret diplomacy; +but he could not understand why England should have recourse to it. +Their first duty was to know what was right; and having ascertained +that, to demand it in the most open and straightforward manner. He was +no lover of war; he would be glad to see the sword turned into the +plough share; but he believed the time had come when war was not only +just, but a strict and holy necessity. They were bound by treaty to +protect the integrity of Turkey. Throw interest to the winds, their +honour called upon them." + +A week later, on the 22nd of October, the British and French fleets +entered the Bosphorus, determined to prevent the dismemberment of +Turkey, although it was not until the following March that war was +declared against Russia. + +At Christmas 1853 "The Young Voyageurs," a sequel to "The Boy Hunters," +was published. The dedication was: + +"Kind Father, Gentle and Affectionate Mother, Accept this tribute of a +Son's gratitude. + +"Mayne Reid." + +Of this book the _Nonconformist_ says: + +"As a writer of books for boys, commend us above all men living to +Captain Mayne Reid. + +"We venture to add, that we should like to see _men_ of any age who +could deny that its perusal gave them both pleasure and instruction." + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +"THE CAPTAIN AND HIS CHILD WIFE." + +Captain Mayne Reid had now met his fate; not in the dark-eyed Mexican +senorita, but a fair little English girl, a child scarce thirteen years +of age. Her name was Elizabeth Hyde, the only daughter of George +William Hyde, a lineal descendant of the first Earl of Clarendon. + +In his novel of "The Child Wife," he describes his first meeting this +young girl: "In less than ten minutes after, he was in love with a +child! There are those who will deem this an improbability. +Nevertheless it was true; for we are recording an actual experience." +Later on he says to his friend Roseveldt: "That child has impressed me +with a feeling I never had before. Her strange look has done it. I +feel as if she had sounded the bottom of my soul! It may be fate, +destiny, but as I live, Roseveldt, I have a presentiment she will yet be +my wife!" + +The courtship was in itself a romance. Elizabeth Hyde was living in +London with Mrs Hyde, the widow of her Uncle Clarendon, who brought her +up after her mother's death. At Mrs Hyde's house Captain Reid was one +evening a guest. Afterwards he told his wife, "I fell in love with you +that evening at first sight." The next morning her aunt said, "Captain +Mayne Reid has quite fallen in love with you." Elizabeth answered, "You +can tell him _I_ have not fallen in love with him." A short time +afterwards to the question of some one who had not seen the "lion," +"What is Captain Reid like?" she replied, "Oh, he is a middle-aged +gentleman." This was repeated to Captain Reid, and he afterwards +allowed that his vanity was much wounded at the time. A few weeks +passed and the "middle-aged gentleman" was quite forgotten. Other +matters occupied Elizabeth Hyde's thoughts. One day she was alone in +the drawing-room making a doll's outfit. Captain Reid entered the room, +but she did not recognise him. He looked surprised, and said, "Do you +not remember me?" As he had a very foreign appearance, she exclaimed, +"Oh, yes, you are Monsieur--" Then he mentioned his name. He asked how +old she was, and, on hearing, said, "You are getting old enough to have +a lover, and you must have me." + +The "middle-aged gentleman" did not, however, come up to her standard. +Her uncle was her ideal. + +After this Captain Reid made long and frequent visits to the aunt's +house, but saw the niece very little. With her, indeed, he found so +little favour that she intentionally avoided his society. Mrs Hyde +began to believe herself the attraction, as Mayne Reid spent hours in +her society. All is fair in love and war. + +An old Quaker lady--a great friend, who was frequently at the house at +the time of Mayne Reid's visits--was under the same impression, and at +the first visit she paid after his marriage, said to Mayne Reid, in her +quaint fashion, "Why, Mayne, I always thought thou wast after Eliza" +(Mrs Reid's aunt). + +At last Elizabeth was beginning to feel some interest in her "lover." +It was pity at first, as she had a notion he was a refugee, having +lately heard his name in connection with the Hungarian refugees, though +to her childish mind a refugee had no definite meaning. She thought, +however, it was something to be sorry for. + +One day Captain Reid brought her "The Scalp Hunters," asking her to read +it, and saying she would find herself there. This book was written and +published before the Captain saw her, but he said it was a +foreshadowing, and that at first sight of her he had exclaimed to +himself, "This is Zoe!" + +Mrs Hyde was now about to marry again--a clergyman--and to reside in a +distant suburb of London. Just before her removal, Captain Mayne Reid +called to say he was going on a visit to Paris, and to wish goodbye. +Mrs Hyde was not at home. He said to Elizabeth, "I shall not know +where to find you when I return." But she did not enlighten him on the +subject, little thinking how long it would be ere they met again. + +After Mrs Hyde's marriage, Elizabeth went to her father in the country. +There did not seem any probability of Captain Reid and herself ever +meeting again, but she could not forget him for a single day during the +interval which elapsed. + +Two years after, in the winter of 1853, without the least knowledge that +his Zoe was there, fate brought Captain Reid to the town at which she +was then staying, where he had been invited to address a public meeting +on behalf of the Polish Refugees. + +Zoe was one of the audience at the Mechanics' Hall, where the meeting +was held, accompanied by some friends. + +The following is a quotation from a description which Mrs Reid wrote +down:--"An electric thrill seemed to pass through me as Captain Reid +entered the room. Instantly, as though drawn by an invisible hand, and +without a word to my friends, I left my seat and followed in the +direction I saw him take. There was a platform at one end, occupied by +the speakers and a few ladies and gentlemen. He took his seat on the +platform, and I mine also, just opposite to him. We did not speak, but +our eyes met. + +"At last it all came to an end--near midnight. The audience were fast +dispersing in the body of the hall, the lights were being extinguished. +The few who remained on the platform were hand-shaking and +congratulating the speakers. Captain Reid had a number around him. I +might also have joined them--we were then standing only a few feet +apart--but something held me back. + +"The place was now almost in darkness--all were leaving the platform. I +caught a glimpse of my father hurrying towards me, and could just dimly +see two or three gentlemen evidently waiting for the Captain, who was +still conversing with one person. + +"It seemed as though we were again about to be severed. At that moment +he came towards me, grasped my hand, and I just caught the hurried +words:--`I leave for London by the next train. Send me your address.' +Speech seemed to have left me, but it flashed upon me that I was in +ignorance of _his_, and managed to stammer out:--`I do not know where.' +He instantly handed me his card, and was gone. + +"My father lifted me down from the platform and we groped our way out in +the darkness. + +"I then learned that Captain Mayne Reid had only arrived that evening, +and was obliged to leave by the midnight train for London. + +"On awaking the next morning, I immediately sprang out of bed to see if +the card which I had left on my table the previous night was still +there--or if it had not all been a dream. But there was the card, with +the name and address in full. + +"It was not long after breakfast before I wrote and posted a formal +little note: + +"`Dear Captain Reid,--As you asked me last night to send you my address, +I do so.' + +"By return of post I received the following: + +"`My Little Zoe,--Only say that you love me, and I will be with you at +once.' + +"My reply was: + +"`I think I do love you.' + +"On receipt of this the Captain put himself into an express train, +quickly covering the hundred and fifty miles which separated us. My +lover told me that when we parted in London he had feared that it was +impossible to make me love him, but he could never forget me, and, in +spite of all obstacles, had the firm conviction I should yet be his. + +"My father rather reluctantly gave his consent to our marriage, the date +of which was then fixed. + +"I remember telling my father that I should be obliged to marry Captain +Reid, despite his objection. But his disposition was the most gentle +and confiding. + +"The last letter from my _fiance_ contains the following: + +"I shall soon now call you my own, and gaze again into those beautiful +eyes. + +"Your love falls on my heart like dew on the withered leaf. I am +getting old, and _blase_, and fear that your love for me is only a +romance, which cannot last when you know me better. Do you think you +can love me in my dressing-gown and slippers? + +"The word _blase_ puzzled me very much. It was not then in my +vocabulary." + +Her aunt was greatly astonished at hearing the news of the marriage, as +she was daily expecting her niece's arrival _en route_ for school. + +The child had gone to school of a different kind to educate herself in +the real experiences of life. + +After Captain Reid's marriage many amusing incidents occurred in +relation to his "Child Wife." One day Captain Reid, accompanied by his +little lady, was choosing a bonnet for her at a fashionable milliner's +in Regent Street. + +The milliner had addressed Mrs Reid several times as "Miss." At last +the Captain exclaimed rather sharply: + +"This lady is my wife!" + +The milliner, looking very much astonished, said: "I beg your pardon, +sir, I thought the young lady was about returning to school, and that +you were choosing a bonnet for her to take." + +Two years later, when they were residing in the country, Mrs Reid was +one day in the baker's shop in the village ordering amongst other things +some biscuits. Whilst the old man was weighing them out, he offered +some to Mrs Reid. She thought this rather odd, but not liking to +appear offended took a biscuit. The baker inquired, "How is Captain and +Mrs Reid, miss?" Mrs Mayne Reid was much surprised as well as amused +at this question, thinking of course the baker must know her, as she and +Captain Reid had often been in the shop. She answered: "Captain Reid is +quite well, and _I_ am Mrs Reid." + +The old man's face was a study for an artist; he nearly fell back behind +his counter, exclaiming: "I humbly beg your pardon, ma'am. I thought +you was the young lady visiting at the house during the holidays." The +Captain's wife being still taken for a school-girl, it was necessary for +her to assume an extra amount of dignity. + +It appeared they had fancied that Mrs Mayne Reid was an elderly invalid +lady, who did not go out much. + +About this time Mrs Reid's father was on a visit to them, and used to +accompany his daughter on horse-back nearly every day. He looked so +young that the servants were asked: "Who is that young gentleman who is +always riding out with Mrs Reid?" + +They got things considerably mixed, taking the husband for the father, +and the father for something else, the latter being much the younger +looking of the two, though of about the same age. + +A short time previous to Captain Mayne Reid's death, he and Mrs Reid +were spending an evening at a friend's house, and the late John Oxenford +was one of the guests. Just as they were taking their departure, Mr +Oxenford said to Mrs Reid: "I have had a very pleasant surprise in +meeting your father again; he is as entertaining as ever." Mrs Reid +was rather puzzled, since her father had been dead some years, until the +hostess explained: "This is Captain Mayne Reid's wife, not his +daughter." + +At which there was a general laugh all round. + +These funny incidents were constantly occurring. Sometimes Mrs Reid +would be supposed to be in no way related to Captain Reid, and would +hear all kinds of remarks and comments passed upon the gallant +Captain-author, which she would afterwards relate for his amusement. + +Captain Reid used to say he could not have endured having an old wife. +On one occasion, when attending a large public _soiree_, a somewhat +elderly dame of his acquaintance attached herself to him, and promenaded +the room by his side for a great part of the evening. Mrs Reid +wondered what was making her husband look so savage. He came across the +room to her saying: "I want _you_ to keep close by me for the rest of +the evening, or people will be taking that old thing for my wife!" + +He was proud of his wife, and liked to have her remain his "Child Wife" +to the end of the chapter. + +"The Hunter's Feast" and "The Forest Exiles" were now written, the +latter being his next boys' book for Christmas 1854. + +"The Bush Boys," published in 1855, was the first of Captain Mayne +Reid's South African books for boys. It was dedicated "To three very +dear young friends, Franz, Louis and Vilma; the children of a still +older friend, the friend of freedom, of virtue, and of truth--Louis +Kossuth, by their sincere well-wisher, Mayne Reid." + +Captain Reid had commenced "The Quadroon" some time before, and laid the +Mss. away in his desk. It was finally published in three volumes, 1856, +and was a very popular book. It was dramatised shortly after its first +appearance, and performed at the City of London Theatre. Some years +later, when a controversy arose as to the source of Mr Boucicault's +drama of "The Octoroon," Mayne Reid sent the following letter to the +_Athenaeum_, on December 14th, 1861: + +"During a residence of many years--commencing in 1839, and ending, with +intervals of absence, in 1848--the author of `The Quadroon' was an +eye-witness of nearly a score of slave auctions, at which beautiful +Quadroon girls were sold in bankruptcy, and bought up, too, notoriously +with the motives that actuated the `Gayarre' of his tale; and upon such +actual incidents was the story of `The Quadroon' founded. Most of the +book was written in 1852; but, as truthfully stated in its preface, in +consequence of the appearance of `Uncle Tom's Cabin' its publication was +postponed until 1856. The writing of it was finished early in 1855. + +"With regard to `The Quadroon' and the Adelphi drama, the resemblance is +just that which must ever exist between a melodrama and the romance from +which it is taken; and when `The Octoroon' was first produced in New +York--January, 1860--its scenes and characters were at once identified +by the newspaper critics of that city as being transcripts from the +pages of `The Quadroon.' Some of its scenes as at present performed are +original--at least, they are not from `The Quadroon'--but these +introduced incidents are generally believed not to have improved the +story; and one of them--the poisoning of the heroine--Mr Boucicault has +had the good taste to alter, restoring the beautiful Quadroon to the +happier destiny to which the romance had consigned her. It might be +equally in good taste if the clever dramatist were to come out before +the public with a frank avowal of the source whence his drama has been +drawn." + +Soon after his marriage Captain Mayne Reid took up his abode in +Buckinghamshire, at Gerrards Cross, about 20 miles from London. The +greater number of his works were written in this rural retreat. + +"The Young Yagers," a sequel to "The Bush Boys," was his Christmas book +for 1856, and on the 3rd of January, 1857, the first chapter of his +novel, "The War Trail," appeared in _Chambers Journal_. Messrs. +Chambers paid three hundred guineas for the right of issue in their +journal, and the following year they published "Oceola" in the same +manner, with an advance in price. The scene of this novel is laid in +Florida, and deals with the Seminole war. + +During the year 1858, Captain Mayne Reid wrote "The Plant Hunters," also +his first essay at a sea book of adventure for boys, "Ran Away to Sea." +It was followed in 1859 by "The Boy Tar," published by Messrs. +Routledge, and in 1860 he wrote for that firm "Odd People," a popular +description of singular races of men. + +"The White Chief," published in 1859, was his next novel. + +In 1860 "The Wild Huntress" first appeared in _Chambers Journal_. + +In 1861 Messrs. Routledge published "Bruin, or the Great Bear Hunt," +also a book of "Zoology for Boys: Quadrupeds, what they are and where +found." + +Captain Reid dramatised "The Wild Huntress" himself. + +In 1861-62, "The Wood Rangers" and "The Tiger Hunter, or a Hero in Spite +of Himself," adapted from the French of Louis de Bellemare, were +published; and in 1862, the first part of "The Maroon" appeared in +_Cassell's Family Paper_. It was afterwards issued in three volumes by +Hurst and Blackett, of Marlborough Street. Mayne Reid dramatised this +story himself, and the play was performed at one of the East End London +theatres. + +In the autumn of 1863, Mayne Reid published a "Treatise on Croquet." He +was an enthusiast of the game, had made a study of the rules, and spent +many a happy hour in sending his enemy to "Hong-Kong." Calling one day +at a friend's house he picked up a little book called "The Rules of +Croquet," by an "Old Hand;" on examination this proved to be a copy of +his own book. It was sent out in boxes of croquet, of what was known as +the "Cassiobury" set, and Lord Essex was responsible for its +publication. Mayne Reid demanded an explanation and withdrawal of the +work. This being refused him, he advised his solicitor, the result +being a Chancery suit against Lord Essex, which was eventually +compromised by the payment of 125 pounds, as well as all costs of the +suit, the withdrawal of the book and the destruction of all copies. + +Towards the end of 1862 a singular being presented himself at Captain +Reid's town house. He was attired in a rough blanket, with his head +passed through a hole in the middle of it--a sort of "poncho"--and +carried a brown paper parcel under his arm. Mayne Reid listened to his +story, which was to the effect that he had lately landed from Australia, +that he had travelled round the earth more than six times and had lived +with cannibals. + +Captain Mayne Reid invited the "cannibal" to stay and eat, as it was +just luncheon-time. Mrs Reid listened to his wonderful tales with +horror. The cannibal remarked, "I scarcely know how to use a knife and +fork, having been away so long from civilisation." + +During the repast, Captain Reid had to leave the table to see some one +in his study, and Mrs Reid quickly made an excuse for going too, +fearing she might be eaten! + +The parcel contained a story he had written. He had tried to get an +audience of some publishers in London, but they would not look at him. +His name was Charles Beach, otherwise "Cannibal Charlie." Mayne Reid +told him to leave his manuscript, and he would look at it, at the same +time giving the man a sum of money and telling him to get himself a +"rig-out," as no doubt his appearance being so outlandish prejudiced +those whom he called upon. + +At the "cannibal's" next appearance, he was looking a little more +civilised, and the manuscript in time, through the help of Captain Mayne +Reid, developed into a three volume novel, published in 1864, under the +title of "Lost Lenore; or the Adventures of a Rolling Stone." + +In the preface Mayne Reid scarcely takes sufficient credit to himself +for the part he played; he had recast and nearly rewritten the whole +work before it was placed in the publisher's hands. He says: + +"A `Rolling Stone' came tumbling across my track. There was a +crystalline sparkle about it, proclaiming it no common pebble. I took +it up, and submitted it to examination--it proved to be a diamond! A +diamond of the `first water,' slightly encrusted with quartz, needing +but the chisel of the lapidary to lay bare its brilliant beauties to the +gaze of an admiring world. Charles Beach is the proprietor of this +precious gem; I, but the artisan intrusted with its setting. If my +share of the task has been attended with labour, it has been a `labour +of love,' for which I shall feel amply rewarded in listening to the +congratulations which are due--and will certainly be given--to the lucky +owner of the `Rolling Stone,' the finder of `Lost Lenore.'" + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +BRICKS AND MORTAR. + +The next novel from his pen was "The White Gauntlett," an historical +romance of the time of Charles the First. Many of the scenes are laid +in Buckinghamshire. + +During the same year, 1863, "The Ocean Waifs" was appearing in the _Boys +Journal_, and the following year "The Boy Slaves" was written for the +same magazine. After an interval of six years Captain Reid now +satisfied his boy readers as to the fate of Karl and Caspar, the young +"Plant Hunters," in the sequel called "The Cliff Climbers." + +The _Boys' Journal_, 1865, contained his next boys' book, "Afloat in the +Forest." + +This year the wonderful tale of "The Headless Horseman" made its first +appearance. There was a large coloured lithograph to be seen at all the +railway stations and bookstalls of a handsome black horse, with a rider, +in Mexican striped blanket, booted and spurred--all complete, but +wanting a head! By many, this work is considered Mayne Reid's +masterpiece. It is translated into Russian, and the circulation is +stated to be the largest of any English author in Russia. Captain Mayne +Reid is the most popular English novelist there. + +In addition to his novels and books for boys, Mayne Reid is the author +of numerous short stories and magazine sketches, most of which are +published in collected form. + +The author's many eccentricities were the theme of his rural neighbours' +gossip. During his residence at Gerrards Cross, the gallant Captain +attended church more for the purpose of studying the bonnets than +anything else. His inattention to the service, as also his dandyism in +dress, were alike commented upon. One morning the post brought him the +following, sent anonymously by a young lady: + +"A friend who is deeply interested in Captain Mayne Reid's spiritual +welfare forwards a prayer book, with the sincere wish that it may induce +him to behave more reverently in church, and in reminding him that there +is such a colour as lavender, hopes that the everlasting lemon kids may +be varied!" This was accompanied by an infinitesimal prayer book, and a +pair of lavender _cotton_ gloves. + +The vicar also presented him with a large church service; so the +Captain's spiritual welfare was well looked after just then. + +One of the humbler members of the congregation, a labouring man, had +also noticed the non use of a prayer book, and accosted the Captain one +day, thus: "Ah, sir, I see you don't require no book; you be a +scholard." The poor man evidently thinking that he knew it all by +heart. + +Between the years 1862 and 1865 Captain Mayne Reid built himself a house +in the style of a Mexican hacienda, with flat roof. In front of the +house he constructed an artificial pond--a circular basin lined with +cement, a jet of water in the centre--probably to remind him of the +alligator and the sisters Loupe, and Luz, to whom we are introduced in +"The Rifle Rangers." He also built some model cottages and a reading +room. + +He made his own bricks, employing a regular staff of brick makers, and +was his own architect. During the time of the building he would be up +at six o'clock every morning to look after the workmen, and woe betide +any who were the least negligent in their duty. The Captain's voice +would be heard afar off, and one might fancy he was again storming +Chapultepec, or that a troop of his wild Indians on the "war-path" had +suddenly invaded the quiet village. + +This unfortunate mania for bricks and mortar, combined with other +circumstances, ended disastrously, and Mayne Reid had to give up his +country home, returning to London towards the end of 1866, to begin the +world over again. His spirit was still undaunted, and in spite of +failing health he succeeded, after many struggles and disappointments, +in re-establishing himself. + +On Saturday, April 27th, 1867, there appeared in the streets of London +the first number of a new penny evening journal, called _The Little +Times_. It was an almost exact counterpart of _The Times_ in miniature. +In the first column was: + +"Births.--On the 27th inst., at 275 and a half, Strand, London, _The +Times_, of a _Little Times_. + +"Marriages.--On the 6th inst., at Brussels, Philip Coburg to Mary +Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. No cards. + +"Deaths.--On the 12th inst., at Saint Stephen's, Westminster, Mr +Gladstone's amendment to the Reform Bill, deeply lamented by Lord +Derby." + +This paper was Captain Reid's first enterprise after his bankruptcy. +The Publisher's advertisement was "_The Little Times_ will be published +daily as soon as possible after the receipt of the morning mails and +telegrams. + +"Its latest edition will contain all the news received up to the +dispatch of the evening mails for the country. + +"Subscribers in the provinces will thus receive the latest London and +Foreign Intelligence before it can reach them by the morning papers. + +"About the political leaning of _The Little Times_ nothing need here be +said. Its spirit and proclivities will soon be discovered. + +"It is scarcely necessary to point out to men of business the advantage +of using _The Little Times_ as an advertising medium. + +"No quack or immoral advertisements will be admitted into its columns-- +the Publisher reserving to himself the right to decide as to their +character. + +"The terms for advertising will be One penny per word, and Two pence per +word for the title in Capitals. No advertisement charged less than Two +Shillings. + +"It is hoped that _The Little Times_ will be found in the shop of every +newsvendor, and on the stalls of every railway station. If not, a note +of requisition addressed to the Publisher will ensure not only an answer +but a prompt supply." + +It was a stupendous undertaking for him, as he not only edited and wrote +the leaders, as well as the feuilletons of the paper, but did other +literary work at the same time. We give the following "editorial" from +his pen, under date of May 6, 1866: + +"We are on the eve of an event that will startle, not only the people of +this country, but Europe and the whole world. + +"Our information comes from high and indubitable authority; though we do +not consider ourselves at liberty, at the present moment, to give +details. The vagueness of our statement does not imply its +unsubstantiality. All we will now venture to affirm is: that neither +the mass of the English population, nor public opinion on the Continent, +is prepared for the occurrence; and without indicating the party in the +State taking the initiative, or the precise intent and plan of the +action contemplated, we simply refer to it as having all the +characteristics of a _coup d'etat_. + +"The action this day taken by the Ministry, in the matter of the Hyde +Park demonstration, may assist in the interpretation of the event to +which we allude." + +"Our first word this day is for the working men of the metropolis; and +we should give it to them in the shape of advice, but that we know it +would reach them too late. If damage is to be done, it will be begun +before we get upon the scene, and our presence there would have no +influence in staying it. If windows are to be smashed the stones will +commence flying before three o'clock, and when stones are in the air no +quiet peacemaker will be tolerated. + +"But you are not going about your business in the right way. On the +contrary, all wrong. _You have no right to assemble in the Park_. + +"We do not speak of the Park as being private property, or belonging to +the Crown. We deny such a doctrine _in toto_. Neither that Park, nor +any other to which the Crown claims ownership by fossil fictions of old +statutory law. It belongs to the nation, but no part or portion of the +nation has the right to use it for party purposes without the consent of +the whole, and that consent should be obtained through the only +authority that can legally grant it--the Legislative Government of the +people. We know that this user is claimed by a thing which calls itself +Government, in the shape of a Privy Council--not only claimed but +enjoyed, without thought of illegality. We have militia trainings, +fancy fairs, grand cavalcades of idleness and elegance, with roads cut +to accommodate them. All this without asking either Parliament or +people. But all this without asking is wrong--positively and legally +wrong. If such privileges were asked, neither Parliament nor people +would be slow to refuse them. Certainly not the Parliament, and as +certainly not the English people, who have never been addicted to a +dog-in-the-manger policy when the sport of their aristocracy required +permission. The sting lies in your not being consulted, and now the +greater sting in being yourselves refused a share of the same privilege. +Is this not the true explanation of your present ill-humour? We would +risk a wager that it is. + +"For all that you have no right to assemble in the Park, as you declare +yourselves determined upon doing." + +He was compelled to abandon _The Little Times_ for want of funds, and +also from his health breaking down under the strain of night and day +work. + +After resting a while, Mayne Reid wrote "The Finger of Fate," the first +part of which appeared in the _Boy's Own Magazine_, December, 1867. + +"The Finger of Fate" has since earned a fame its author never +anticipated for it, his widow having to defend her rights (and that +successfully) in the Chancery Division against an infringement of the +copyright, and a leader in _The Times_ was devoted to the subject. The +book ends with a trial in favour of the plaintiff! + +He had also a short tale, "The Fatal Cord," running in a periodical, the +_Boys of England_, and had engaged to write "The Planter Pirate" for the +same paper. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +NEW YORK. + +In October, 1867, Captain and Mrs Mayne Reid went to the United States, +arriving at Newport, Rhode Island, in November. Here they took a +furnished cottage for the winter. + +Soon after his arrival Captain Reid was eagerly sought by different +publishers who wished to get his name. At Newport he wrote "The Child +Wife," for which _Frank Leslie's Paper_ paid him 8,000 dollars for the +right of first appearance in its columns. "The Child Wife" was +published by Ward, Lock and Tyler, in 3 volumes, in 1868, and is now +issued in one volume by Messrs Sonnenschein and Co. The proprietor of +the _Fireside Companion_ also paid 5,000 dollars to run "The Finger of +Fate" in his paper. Mayne Reid had as much work for his pen as he could +get through, and was now speculating upon bringing out a boys' magazine +of his own in New York. + +In December, 1868, the first number of _Onward_, Mayne Reid's magazine, +appeared; he continued in the editorship for 14 months, doing other +literary work in addition, till his health completely gave way, and the +magazine was abandoned. + +He was a constant sufferer from the effects of the wound in his leg, and +during this brief sojourn in the United States was a patient in Saint +Luke's Hospital, New York, in 1870, suppuration of the thigh having +brought him to death's door. From the hospital he writes: + +"To the Editor of the _Sun_. + +"Sir,--I have been for some days an inmate of Saint Luke's Hospital, a +sufferer from a severe and dangerous malady. To save my life calls for +the highest surgical skill, along with combination of the most +favourable circumstances, among them quiet. And yet during the whole of +yesterday, and part of the day before (the Lord's Day), the air around +me has been resonant with what, in the bitterness of my spirit, I +pronounce a _feu d'enfer_. It has resembled an almost continuous +fusillade of small arms, at intervals varied by a report like the +bursting of a bombshell or the discharge of a cannon. I am told that +this infernal fracas proceeds from a row of dwelling houses in front of +this hospital, and that it is caused by the occupants of these dwellings +or their children. + +"Accustomed in early life to the roar of artillery, my nerves are not +easily excited by concussive sounds, and, therefore, I have not been +seriously affected by them. But, alas! how different with scores of my +fellow-sufferers in the hospital, beside the couch of many of whom death +stands waiting for his victim. I am informed by my nurses, intelligent +and experienced men, that they have known several cases where death has +not only been hastened, but actually caused by the nervous startling and +torture inflicted by these Fourth of July celebrations. I have been +also informed that the venerable and philanthropic founder of this +valuable institution has done all in his power to have this cruel +infliction stayed, even by personal appeal to the inhabitants of the +houses in question, and that he has been met by refusal, and the reply, +`We have a right to do as we please upon our own premises.' I need not +point out the utter falsity of this assured view of civic rights, but I +would remark that the man, who, even under the sanction of long custom, +and the pretence of country's love, permits his children, through mere +wanton sport, to murder annually one or more of his fellow citizens, I +say that such a man is not likely to make out of these children citizens +who will be distinguished either for their patriotism or humanity. + +"In the name of humanity I ask you, sir, to call public attention to +this great cruelty, and, if possible, have it discontinued. + +"Yours very truly, + +"Mayne Reid. + +"Saint Luke's Hospital, July 5th, 1870." + +He was interviewed in the hospital by a lady, who wrote the following +account of her visit to Mayne Reid: + +"New York, August 9, 1870. + +"My sympathies were enlisted, too, for the brave fellow who has been +languishing in Saint Luke's Hospital. The sole tidings of him was the +4th of July remonstrance, which revealed how his spirit chafed at the +seclusion and helplessness incomparably worse than physical pain. + +"To find my way, then, to the hospital seemed a part of my pleasure in +New York. The gate shut me in with a heavy clang, and I walked up the +path to the main building with, I confess, no little trepidation at my +boldness. In answer to the request `to see Captain Mayne Reid,' I was +conducted through a broad hall into a long ward furnished with an +infinite number of low, narrow cots, that looked too small for any +practical purpose. A turn through a short hall and what appeared to be +an apothecary's closet brought us to the private room of the author. He +was lying upon a bedstead (similar to the ones in the ward) which was +placed in the centre of the apartment. As he turned his head and raised +himself upon his elbow to address me, he presented the view of a +middle-aged, sturdy-looking English squire. The head is compact and +covered by a profusion of dark brown hair, which, in contrast with the +pallid complexion, stood out as if it had no part and parcel with the +corpse-like whiteness of the scalp. The brow was smooth and fair, +rounded out to gigantic proportions by ideality, causality and +reverence. The nose, nervous and scornful, would have been remarkable +but for the large and beautiful eyes, that are restless habitually, but +when fixed upon an object have a lancellating effect, and withal an +expression of great good heart, that is seconded by one of the most +winning smiles I ever beheld. Hands of uncommon grace and beauty +somehow complete the charm of his lips and eyes. + +"To speak first of matters of most interest to the public, Captain Reid +has been suffering from the effects of a gun-shot wound received in the +Mexican war, culminating in an abscess which threatened to exhaust his +vitality. Recovered from that by the care of one of the most +experienced surgeons in America, he was attacked by dysentery, which at +the time I saw him had reduced him to a critical condition again. + +"`I may say truly,' he observed, `that I was dead, and am alive. The +doctors had given me up, and I felt myself there was no chance. I had +the hiccough for hours, and the brandy and water administered gave me no +relief. With life slowly ebbing away, and the past and future passing +in rapid review before my mind, an old recollection flashed before me in +the strangest way, that draughts of pure brandy would sometimes arrest +hiccoughs. I reached forth my hand for the bottle of brandy that stood +on my stand and took a swallow. Instantly it went like fire through my +veins, and with another draught my life was saved. I tell it to you for +it may be of service to you some time.' + +"As we talked, the air coming fresh through the open window, laden with +the murmur of leaves and twitter of swallows, a light, even step was +heard approaching, and a lady came forward, pausing on the threshold. +Oh, but she was fair! with her golden hair caught up under an azure +fanchon of satin, and falling in soft ripples over her forehead. There +was an expression of firmness in her calm blue eyes which gave character +to the face of infantile shape and loveliness. From her face my eye +wandered to her figure, struck with admiration at her graceful pose--an +accomplishment few women possess. They dance and sometimes walk well, +but they rarely know how to stand still. Her gown, I observed, was +white, with an overdress or wrap of blue, admirably suited to her +peculiar style of beauty. + +"`My wife,' said the invalid, and as he explained that I called because +I had read his books she smiled and extended her hand. The smile was +like sunshine, and the clasp of her soft, cool hand a positive luxury. +The clear and musical voice was in keeping with her beautiful self, and +I loitered for a moment to gather a full impression of the scene." + +A few days after this interview a serious relapse took place, and on +August 10th, telegrams were sent to his friends: "Captain Mayne Reid is +dying." Everything was prepared for his interment, and even an obituary +notice was written. + +His wife was allowed to stay at the hospital during the night, being +told by the doctors that any minute might be her husband's last. He had +been lying in an unconscious state for the past three days, all the +signs of approaching dissolution being present. About 8 o'clock on the +morning of the 11th he rallied considerably. The doctors and two of the +lady nurses were around his bed, when he suddenly raised himself up, +exclaiming in a strong voice: "Turn those she-Beelzebubs," pointing to +the two ladies, "out of the room at once, preaching at a fellow, and +telling him he's going to die. I'm not going to die. Bring me a +beef-steak!" + +Every one was astounded, the poor chaplain being nearly frightened out +of his wits. The beef-steak was speedily brought in, and the patient +made a feint of eating a portion. + +From that day the gallant Captain slowly progressed towards recovery, +and on September 10th left Saint Luke's Hospital and sailed for +Liverpool in the middle of October, this being his last visit to the +country in whose cause he had shed his blood and earned the laurels of +war. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +CLOSING SCENES. + +For some time after his return home Mayne Reid's health remained in a +precarious state, and he suffered very much from depression. At one +time it was almost feared that his mind would not recover its balance. +That wonderful intellect was sadly clouded; the terrible ordeal he had +passed through in New York had left its mark behind. But in the end, +with careful nursing his illusions vanished, and he once more resumed +the pen. After writing some short articles for "Cassell's Illustrated +Travels," he revised "The Finger of Fate" and "Lone Ranche," which was +published in two volumes by Chapman and Hall. In May, 1872, Mayne Reid +commenced writing a new story, "The Death Shot," for Mr Ingram. It +appeared in _The Penny Illustrated Paper_, and was a great success, +speedily increasing the circulation of that paper. "The Death Shot" was +also published by Beadle and Adams, of New York, in their _Saturday +Journal_. + +On returning from his autumn tour in South Wales, Captain Reid writes to +his young friend, Charles Ollivant: + +"I'm growing as fat as the claimant, and strong as a bull, but sorrowful +as a `gib cat.'" + +He was then re-writing "The Lone Ranche," and making it a much longer +book. It ran through the columns of _The Penny Illustrated Paper_, +under the title of "Adela." + +In a letter written in November, Mayne Reid says: + +"I am now in the middle of a negotiation, that if successful will be of +great service to me--perhaps give me a small income for life, and for my +dear wife when I die. I am trying to re-purchase the copyrights of my +novels." + +It was successful, and in December, 1873, and the following June, 1874, +he was enabled to re-purchase the copyrights of most of his works. + +In the autumn of 1874, Chapman and Hall published "The Death Shot" in +three volumes. It had recently been revised. + +In the preface, dated Great Malvern, September, 1874, he says: + +"The author has re-modelled--almost rewritten it. + +"It is the same story, but as he hopes and believes, better told." + +During the summer of this year Captain Reid commenced "The Flag of +Distress," which was first published in _Chambers Journal_ in August, +1875. He received three hundred guineas for the right of issue in that +journal. Of this book Dr William Chambers wrote to Mayne Reid: "I +think the plot excellent, and the character of `Harry Blew' the finest +you have drawn." + +"The Flag of Distress" was afterwards published in three volumes by +Tinsley, and it and "The Death Shot" are now issued in one volume, +published by Swan Sonnenschein and Co. + +He also contributed several articles to magazines and a short tale to +_The Illustrated London News_. + +In October, 1874, Mayne Reid was again laid low. This time an abscess +attacked the knee of the wounded leg. Again reports of his death were +circulated, and once more arrangements made for his burial. For six +months he was on his bed, and rose at last a cripple, never being able +to walk again for the remainder of his life without the aid of crutches. +In 1882 a small pension was granted him from the United States +Government for Mexican war services. The claim was for an invalid +pension, and this was afterwards increased, but only shortly before his +death. + +During the last few years of his life, Captain Mayne Reid may be said to +have literally turned his sword into the "plough share." He resided +then near Ross, Herefordshire, amid the picturesque Wye scenery, and +occupied himself in farming. He reared a peculiar breed of sheep--a +cross between a Mexican species and the Welsh mountain sheep--and +succeeded at length in getting a flock, all with the same peculiarities, +namely, jet black bodies, snow-white faces and long white bushy tails. +An account of these sheep appeared in the _Live Stock Journal_, 1880. +They were called "Jacob's sheep," being "ringed and speckled." + +The Captain used to say, jestingly, that he should go down to posterity +as a breeder of sheep. Their mutton appeared on his table, and out of +their wool he had cloth woven, from which he wore garments made to his +own design. + +He was also a large potato grower, experimenting with Mexican seed. +Some clever articles upon potato culture from his pen were contributed +to the _Live Stock Journal_, 1880. + +In his Herefordshire home he wrote "Gwen Wynn: a Romance of the Wye." + +Towards the end of 1880 Captain Mayne Reid revised "The Free Lances," in +fact re-writing almost every line. The book had been originally written +while he was editing the _Onward Magazine_ in New York, but was not then +published. Mr Bonner, the proprietor of the _New York Ledger_, paid a +large sum for running it through his paper. + +This revising, in addition to other literary work, was rather hard upon +Mayne Reid. He writes: + +"I thought I would have broken down, but I seem to get better with the +hard work, only I am in great fear my poor wife will give way. She is +in very delicate health, and looking quite ill. That acts sadly against +me in my work, for when she is not cheerful I don't write nearly so +well." + +His wife was his amanuensis. Captain Mayne Reid regularly contributed a +Christmas tale to the _Penny Illustrated Paper_ and other journals +during these latter days. + +"The Free Lances" was published in three volumes, 1881, by Remington. +The _Saturday Review_, July, 1881, says: "Captain Mayne Reid seems to be +as lively a writer as he ever was, and if `The Free Lances' causes any +less thrill of excitement than was wont to be aroused by `The Scalp +Hunters,' the fault must be due to a change in the reader rather than in +the author." + +"The Free Lances" is now published in one volume. + +The last novel from Captain Mayne Reid's pen was "No Quarter," an +historical tale of the Parliamentary wars. Most of the scenes are laid +in Herefordshire and the Forest of Dean, all of which Mayne Reid +personally visited before writing the story. The principal characters +and scenes of the book are historically correct. + +He also wrote for the _Sporting and Dramatic News_ articles on "Our Home +Natural History," and letters to the _New York Tribune_ on the "Rural +Life of England." + +For Mr Ingram's paper, the _Boys' Illustrated News_, of which Captain +Mayne Reid was co-editor on its first appearance, he wrote "The Lost +Mountain" and "The Chase of Leviathan," also natural history notes and +short stories. + +"The Naturalist in Siluria," a popular book on natural history, was also +written in Herefordshire. + +Mr W.H. Bates, author of "The Naturalist on the Amazon," in a letter to +Mrs Reid, says: + +"Throughout our mutual acquaintance Captain Mayne Reid always impressed +me as a man deeply interested in all natural history lore, and the +subject was one of our most constant topics of conversation. If +circumstances in early life had turned his attention in that direction +he would have made a reputation as a naturalist." + +The last book for boys written by Captain Mayne Reid was "The Land of +Fire," a short story of the South Seas; but ere its publication the hand +that penned it was cold in death. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Captain Mayne Reid possessed great powers of oratory. He would speak +for hours on a subject with untiring energy. The language from his +tongue flowed facile as that from his pen, his favourite theme being +politics. He would often astound his hearers by the eloquence he +expended upon his beloved theory--the superiority of Republican over +Monarchial institutions. Occasionally he came across a Tory equally +red-hot, and then the "fur would fly." But Captain Reid, by his great +charm of manner, rarely gave offence, and was, as a rule, listened to +with good nature on both sides. Often while in the height of a very hot +discussion he would suddenly change the theme, dropping at once from the +sublime to the ridiculous with such ease that it was difficult for his +audience to tell if he had really been in earnest. Had Mayne Reid +chosen, he would have made a name as an orator. The few occasions on +which he occupied the platform amply proved this. + +Though cherishing the strongest Republican principles, Mayne Reid was by +no means a leveller, but in many things the very opposite to what the +expression of his opinions would lead one to suppose. He was an enigma, +which only one in the close contact of everyday life with him could +solve. + +His name rarely figured at literary gatherings, but he sometimes +attended the Geographical or Zoological Societies' meetings; in fact, he +avoided rather than sought literary society. + +Before commencing a new book, Captain Mayne Reid would thoroughly study +his subject and work out the plot. He would make rough drafts at first, +which were afterwards thrown away. + +He had no skill with the pencil, but would make curious figures like +hieroglyphics in his manuscript, intended to represent objects +described, but bearing to all but himself a merely imaginary +resemblance. + +His mode of writing was peculiar. He rarely sat at a table, but +reclined on a couch, arrayed in dressing-gown and slippers, with a +portable desk and fur robe thrown across his knees even in hot weather, +and a cigar between his lips--which was constantly going out and being +re-lighted--while the floor all around him was strewed with matches. +Latterly, after he became a cripple, the dressing-gown was discarded for +a large Norfolk jacket, made from his own sheep's wool; and he would sit +and write at the window in a large arm-chair with an improvised table in +front of him resting on his knees, upon which at night he would have a +couple of candles placed, the inevitable cigar, matches, and whisky +toddy being the accessories. + +He had a singular habit of reading in bed, with newspapers, manuscript, +and a lighted candle on his pillow. At least a score or more of times +he has been found in the morning with the paper burnt to black tinder +all round him, but neither himself nor the bed-clothes in the slightest +singed. + +The Mexican hero was never an idle man; and after his sword was sheathed +in its scabbard, his pen never rested. His brain was as active as ever +till within a fortnight of his death. + +On October 22nd, 1883, Mayne Reid had fought his last battle. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +An irregular block of white marble, on which is carved a sword and pen +crossing each other, and these words from "The Scalp Hunters:--" + + This is the weed prairie, + It is misnamed, + It is the Garden of God, + +mark his last resting-place, in Kensal Green Cemetery, London. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +DONN PIATT'S REMINISCENCE. PRESS NOTICES. + +In this chapter are given a reminiscence by Donn Piatt of Mayne Reid, +and a few extracts from the numerous obituary notices which appeared in +the press. Donn Piatt writes: + +"Mayne Reid wrote his first romance at my house, in this valley, where +he spent a winter. He had come out of the Mexican war decorated with an +ugly wound, and covered with glory as the bravest of the brave, in our +little army under Scott. + +"When not making love to the fair girls of the Mac-o-chee, or dashing +over the country on my mare, he was writing a romance, [`The Rifle +Rangers'] with the scene in Mexico and on our Mexican border. + +"He would read chapters to us of an evening (he was a fine reader), and +if the commendation did not come up to his self-appreciation he would go +to bed in a huff, and not touching pen to paper for days would make my +mare suffer in his wild rides. I found that to save bay Jenny I must +praise his work, and he came to regard me in time as Byron did Gifford. +When told that ugly critic had pronounced `me lord' the greatest of +living poets, he said that he was `a damned discriminating fellow.' + +"That romance proved a great success. Again, like Byron, he put his +well-worn gown, one morning, about one wakened to fame and fortune. + +"The first remittance took the restless soldier of fortune from us, +never to return. He would not have been content to remain as long as he +did, but for the fact that he was desperately in love with a fair inmate +of our house. But in her big blue eyes the gallant Irishman did not +find favour, and he at last gave up the pursuit. + +"From the station where he awaited his train he wrote us two letters. +One of these I never saw. The other contained the following lines, +which, without possessing any remarkable poetic merit, gracefully put on +record his kind feelings on parting from the house he had made his home +for nearly a year." + + Mac-o-Chee Adieu. + + Fade from my sight the valley sweet, + The brown, old, mossy mill, + The willows, where the wild birds keep + Song watch beside the rill; + The cottage, with its rustic porch, + Where the latest flower blooms, + And autumn, with her flaming torch, + The dying year illumes. + + Within mine ears the sad farewell + In music lingers yet, + And casts upon my soul a spell + That bids it not forget; + Forget, dear friends, I never may, + While yet there lives a strain, + A flower, a thought, a favoured lay + To call you back again. + + When evening comes you fondly meet + About the firelit hearth, + And hours fly by on winged feet, + In music and in mirth; + Ah! give a thought to one whose fate + On thorny pathway lies, + Who lingered fondly near the gate + That hid his paradise. + + I hear, along the ringing rails, + My fate, that comes apace, + A moment more and strife prevails, + Where once were peace and rest; + Unrest begins, my furlough ends, + The world breaks on my view, + Ah! peaceful scene; ah! loving friends, + A sad and last adieu. + +"Between that parting and our next encounter some twenty years +intervened. Mayne Reid had made his fame and fortune, throwing the last +away upon a Mexican ranch in England, and I yet floating about on spars +had just begun to use my pen as a means of support. He was grey, stout +and rosy, living with his handsome little wife in rooms in Union Square. +I told him that the old homestead upon the Mac-o-chee had fallen into +decay, and of the little family circle he so fondly remembered I alone +remained. + +"That made him so sad that I proposed a bottle of wine to alleviate our +sorrow, and he led the way to a subterranean excavation in Broadway, +where we had not only the bottle, but a dinner and several bottles." + +The following are short extracts from some public notices of his life: + +In _The Times_, October 24th, 1883--"Every schoolboy, and every one who +has ever been a schoolboy, will learn with sorrow of the death of +Captain Mayne Reid. Who has forgotten those glorious rides across the +Mexican prairies, when we galloped, mounted upon a mustang--a horse +would have been too flat and unromantic--on the war trail, and surprised +our enemy. The very titles of the books are enough to stir the blood. +What a vista they open out of wild adventure, of mystery, of savage +heroism!" + +In _The Standard_--"It is an odd incident in the life of Captain Mayne +Reid, that its active part ended suddenly, just when he might be +supposed to think that it was seriously beginning. In 1849 he came to +London, and began to pour forth that wonderful stream of romance, which +never quite failed through thirty-four years, to the day of his death. +Captain Mayne Reid wrote for men and women, as well as boys; but there +was not, we believe, a word in his books which a schoolboy could not +read aloud to his mother and sisters." + +In _The Daily News_--"An active man of adventurous temperament, he +imparted his own animal spirits and his passion for the marvellous into +the products of his busy brain. He was born with a zest for travel, +which he contrived to indulge at a very early age. He explored American +backwoods, hunted with Indians up the Red River, and roamed the +boundless prairie on his own account. On behalf of the United States, +in whose army he received a commission, he fought against Mexico. When +his sword was in its sheath, and his fingers held the pen, he wrote with +vigour and impetuosity as if under fire. Captain Mayne Reid gave by his +books a great deal of innocent pleasure, and they could always be +admitted without scruple or inquiry into the best-regulated families." + +And in _The Spectator_, October 27th, 1883--"As our judgment on Mayne +Reid's novels is not that of our contemporaries, we are disinclined to +allow his death to pass without a word of criticism. As an individual +we knew nothing about him, except that in our judgment he missed his +career, and would have made a first-class agent of the Geographical +Society, to explore dangerous or excessively difficult regions, like +Thibet, the Atlas Range, or the unknown hills and locked-up villages of +Eastern Peru. He was a man of exceptional daring, having a positive +liking for danger; he had the typographical eyes which should belong to +a general; and he had a faculty of description, which he watered down +for his novels till it was hardly apparent. During the only interview +which this writer ever had with him, accident induced his interlocutor +to ask about the Pintos--the particoloured race sprung from native +Mexicans and the cross breed between Indians and Negroes--who are stated +to exist in the State of Mexico. The writer disbelieved in them, and +expressed his belief, but Captain Mayne Reid, who declared he had seen +specimens of the race, held him quite fascinated for half-an-hour by a +description which, if imaginary, was a triumph of art, but which left on +the hearer's mind an impression of absolute truth." + + + +APPENDIX. + +"THE LAND OF INNISFAIL," BY MAYNE REID. + + And I must leave thee, Erin! 'tis my fate-- + And I must wander over many a land! + And other climes and other homes await + The `Scholar,' wasted--worn--but may this hand + That writes thy praises now, cold on the sand + Unburied lie for ever--may no hearth + Shelter me, vagrant on a foreign strand + The cursed and homeless outcast of the earth, + When I forget thou art the country of my birth. + + Erin, I love thee! though thy sunken cheek + Is pale with weeping, and thy hollow eye, + With many a stifled groan, and rending shriek, + Reveals dark tales of bitter agony; + That I have pitied thy sad misery + I've proved through every change of land and sea; + I've wafted o'er the ocean many a sigh, + And many an earnest prayer that thou shouldst be, + As are thy children's souls--unshackled, happy, free! + + I love thee, though I could not live with thee! + The trampler of thy fields, red with thy gore, + Had made my home a hell--I would not be + The fawning minion at a great man's door-- + I would not beg upon thy wintry moor + To starve neglected; and soon as I knew + That there were other lands, the broad seas o'er, + With hands to welcome, and with hearts as true-- + I dropped one tear, and bid my native land adieu! + +A SOUTHERN SUNSET, FROM "LA CUBANA," BY MAYNE REID. + + How gorgeously the golden sun declining + Gilds the soft sea whose tranquil waters span + Fair Cuba's Isle, the broad blue billow lining + With such bright tints as painter's pencil can + Project upon the naked canvas never! + In mellower beam his parting glances quiver, + Blending the hues of gold and red and azure, + And pouring on the wave his richest treasure. + From terraced roof above the noisy town, + The Spanish maiden watches him go down; + And mischief glistens in her dark brown eye: + For sunset brings the masking hour nigh. + Through loophole barred in yonder battlement, + Where grimly frowns El Moros castled wall + There's many an eye in weary watching bent, + And many a sigh--alas! too idly spent-- + By pinioned captive pining in his thrall. + The brilliant sheen upon the distant sea + Perchance may to his memory recall + Some happy thought of days when he was free; + Draw from his haggard eye the scalding tear-- + The first that he has shed for many a year; + He breathes! he moves! alas, the clanking chain, + Soon checks the thought--he's in his cell again! + The sentry pacing on the 'brazured wall, + Lets to his feet the burnished carbine fall, + And looking down upon the busy bay, + Hums to himself some Andalusian lay; + Or, gazing on the banner floating gay, + Drawls out the loyal words, "_Viva el rey_!" + Along the shores that skirt this southern town, + A thousand dark eyes beam from faces brown-- + 'Tis they that joy to see the sun go down. + + The muleteer, mounting, homeward turns his face, + And goads his laden mule to quicker pace; + The weary slave from out the field of cane, + A moment glances at the far free main, + And sighs as he bethinks him of his chain. + Short-lived and silent is his thought of pain, + For, stopping in his task while it is on, + He reads relief in yonder setting sun, + For, 'tis the herald of his labour done! + The poor _Bozal_, who knows not yet to pray, + Thinks of his wife and children far away, + In some rude kraal by Biafra's bay. + But where are they, that mild and gentle race, + Who worshipped him with prostrate form and face? + Where is the palm-screened hut of the cacique, + That once rose over yon barranca's brow? + Where are they all? Son of the island, speak! + Where the _bohio_ stood, domes, turrets now + Alone along the hill-sides proudly gleam! + Ha! thou art sad and silent on the theme; + But in thy silence I can read their doom-- + Name, nation, all, have passed into the tomb. + The tomb? No--no; they have not even one + To tell that they were once, and now are gone! + ***** + The fading light grows purple on the deep, + In gorgeous robes the god hath sunk to sleep; + So sets the sun o'er Cuba, with a smile-- + The sweetest that he sheds upon this southern isle! + +Mayne Reid did not admire a classical education. He wrote the following +in May, 1881, and intended to publish it: + +"The old adage `knowledge is power' is more trite than true. Like many +other proverbs long unquestioned in these modern days it often meets +contradiction--indeed oftener than otherwise--ignorant men in every walk +of life wielding an influence denied to the most learned. Substitute +the word `wealth' for knowledge, or even craft of the lowest kind, and +the proverb, alas! holds good. + +"Nevertheless is there still some truth in it in its original form, +dependent on the kind of knowledge, whether it be useful or merely +ornamental. To the latter belong most of that taught at our +universities and public schools--especially what are called the `dead +languages'--all but useless as regards the needs and realities of after +life, and but of little value even for its adornments. Lore more +valueless, and time worse spent than in acquiring it, are scarce +possible to be conceived. It barely finds its parallel in the Chinese +mnemonics. When one reflects on the hours spent on this study, days-- +with nights as well--weeks, months, and years, and then in after life +looks back how little good he has got from it--unless, indeed, he be +himself a school teacher or college professor to perpetuate the folly-- +his reflections cannot be of a satisfactory kind. What might he have +done--what could he not have done--had he been instructed in science, +instead of his mind made a storehouse of lumber, the cast-off clothing +of nations who were never properly clad, with coffins containing their +language dead as themselves? + +"`But,' say the advocates of so-called classical education, `what better +way is there of training the youthful mind--giving it shape, scope, and +direction--what other?' It seems hardly worth while to answer such a +question; the wonder is that any one should ask it. Training the mind +by the declination of `hic haec hoc,' or that most absurd of all absurd +excessing, scansion, is the veriest mockery of mental discipline. +Science even in its humblest branches does infinitely better, and along +with the lesson gives something as valuable as the training itself, or +more so. + +"`Ah! that may be true,' admit the admirers of defunct tongues, `but +then think of the soldiers, the statesmen, the poets, the heroes and +notables of every speciality, who have lived, and whose deeds are alone +recorded in the languages called dead. Think of their customs and ways +of life, their virtues and their vices, their gods and their devils, and +how are you to get knowledge of them without acquaintance with their +language?' Possibly better if we had never got knowledge of them, since +their ways of life were not always such as they ought to be, while their +vices and devils had a far more powerful influence over them than their +virtues and gods. + +"But admitting the knowledge worth attaining, it is the sheerest +nonsense to say that it is not attainable without the study of their +languages. The best classical scholar--and this in its truest sense-- +the writer ever came in contact with was a man who knew not even the +letters of either Latin or Greek alphabet. There are no arcana there. +Everything has been translated worth translating, and for the +acquisition of classical knowledge a year spent in reading these +translations is worth ten in the slow uncertain process of extracting it +from the originals. To say that in translations the literature of the +ancients is not obtainable in its purity, is, like many other sayings, +either a falsehood or misconception. And often more, since all the +translations are an actual improvement on the original." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mayne Reid, by Elizabeth Reid + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAYNE REID *** + +***** This file should be named 35648.txt or 35648.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/6/4/35648/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |