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diff --git a/42491-0.txt b/42491-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a2530a --- /dev/null +++ b/42491-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5738 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42491 *** + + LADY EUREKA; + OR, + THE MYSTERY: + A PROPHECY OF THE FUTURE. + + BY THE AUTHOR + OF + "MEPHISTOPHELES IN ENGLAND." + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + VOL. I. + + LONDON: + LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, & LONGMANS, + PATERNOSTER-ROW. + 1840. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + INTRODUCTION. + I. THE CITY OF THE WORLD. + II. ZABRA. + III. A PHILANTHROPIST. + IV. A FIRE AT SEA. + V. PERILS OF EMIGRATION. + VI. APPEARANCE OF THE AFRICAN COAST. + VII. CAFFRETON, THE METROPOLIS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA. + VIII. THE PIRATES. + IX. CAPTAIN DEATH. + X. THE PIRATE'S RETREAT. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +"Guten Morgen, Wilhelm!" said I, as I entered the chamber of my fellow +student. "How are you this morning? You look better--your eyes are +brighter, and your cheek possesses more colour than usual." + +"I am better, mein Freund," observed the youth, raising himself up +from the bed till his back rested upon the pillows. "But what have you +there?" + +"A fresh supply of flowers for you, Wilhelm," I replied; "and I bought +them of the prettiest Mädchen I ever saw in the market place." + +"Ich danke Ihnen für das Geschenk," murmured the grateful student. +"You know I love flowers better than any thing upon earth. They always +fill me with ideas of beauty and purity and splendour, above all +other earthly things; and I love them because they are so impartial +in bestowing their favours: they confer their fragrance and their +loveliness with equal liberality on all who venture within their +influence. Put them in the vase, mein freund, and let me again thank +you for so welcome a gift." + +"And now let us converse, Wilhelm, if you feel strong enough;" I +exclaimed, as I took a seat by the bedside of the invalid. "Has the +physician been this morning? And what said he." + +"He preceded you but a few minutes, mein freund," replied Wilhelm, "and +he said nothing. He shook his head, however, when he looked at me, which +I considered a bad sign." + +"There's nothing in it, be assured," said I, earnestly. + +"In the head, or in the sign?" inquired my fellow student, with a look +of mock gravity. + +"In both," cried I, laughing; "in both, no doubt. But I am glad to see +you so cheerful. Your appearance this morning makes me entertain hopes +of your speedy recovery, and I can almost convince myself, that in a few +days we shall be together pursuing our studies and our ramblings, as we +have so often and so happily done." + +"I have been entertaining a similar idea, mein freund," observed +Wilhelm; "I feel more cheerful than I have felt for a long time past; +and I was beginning to flatter myself into a belief, that the insidious +disease was about evacuating its territory. I shall roam among +the walls of old Göttingen again. I shall associate with my ancient +comrades--shall I not?" + +"'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished by others as well as myself," +said I; "but how liked you the book I lent you?" + +"'Tis a brilliant production," replied my friend; "and of that class of +works which affords me most pleasure. 'Give me the enjoyment of perusing +a succession of new works from the graceful pen of Crébillon, and +I shall have no other want,' said Gray. I exclaim, 'Give me the +gratification of reading the finest productions in the imaginative +literature of every civilised nation, and there will be little left for +me to wish for.' Nothing elevates and delights me so much as the best of +these works, especially if they be tinged with a tone of high romantic +feeling. What can be so charming as this mingling of the ideal and the +natural? What can take a firmer hold of the mind and of the heart?" + +"They certainly do, when ably written, create very powerful +impressions;" I observed. + +"I have read a considerable portion of the imaginative literature of +almost every European nation," said Wilhelm; "and an extraordinary power +of genius it evinces. The prose fictions of the present age produced +in Germany and England are wonderfully excellent and abundant. I think +the English exceed all others in the combination of judgment with +imagination, as seen in the best efforts of Scott, Bulwer, and Godwin. +After them come the Germans, and we can proudly boast of Göthe, +Lafontaine, Novalis, and Hoffmann. The French have much imagination and +very little judgment, as exhibited in the writings of Victor Hugo, +Mérimée, Paul de Kock, and Balzac, and are usually distinguished by +their sins against good taste. Of Italian imaginative literature, the +works I have met with that rise above mediocrity, are, 'I Promessi +Sposi,' of Manzoni, 'Ettore Fieramosca,' of Massino D'Azeglio, and +'Franco Allegri,' which do not soar very high. Of the modern fictions +of Spain, Portugal, and Holland, I know nothing; nor do I believe that +there is any thing to know; but I have seen one or two romantic novels +from Russia that possess considerable merit. What I object to in works +of this nature, written at the present time, is the too apparent +satisfaction of their authors in remaining in the beaten track. A vast +majority fill their volumes with characters that have been a thousand +times repeated, and with incidents and situations that are familiar to +every reader." + +"What would you have them do?" I inquired. + +"I would have them strike out a bolder class of subjects," replied the +student. "Instead of being satisfied with attempting illustrations of +historical periods, or of an existing state of society, suppose they +attempt to describe an imaginary time as well as imaginary characters. +If a man possess a powerful imagination, let him conceive the state +of the world a thousand years hence, or at any other time remote from +the present. I do not mean that he should merely delineate a state of +society, or of any section of society; I mean that he should take the +most important portions of the civilised world, and picture, as well +as he is able, the changes they may undergo, and the state of their +peoples, governments, religions, and philosophy." + +"I am afraid that such a work would be considered too serious for the +novel reader;" I observed. + +"Impossible, mein freund!" replied the student. "Always, in works of +imagination, the ideal and the matter of fact should be so blended as +to make an interesting and amusing whole; and it matters not whether +the time sought to be illustrated be of the past, of the present, or of +the future: each may be made equally laughable, equally pathetic, and +equally philosophical." + +"But the idea is too comprehensive to be done well;" said I. "To draw +an imaginary state of the world in any thing like consonance with +probability, requires more than ordinary talent in the draughtsman; but +to add to it pictures of an imaginary state of its inhabitants, and +an imaginary state of their philosophy, presents difficulties which I +should think are not to be overcome." + +"The imagination can conquer any difficulty;" exclaimed my companion. +"There is no power beneath heaven like imagination. It can dive into the +uttermost corners of the ocean, or ascend through the trackless fields +of air. It can fly where the eagle dare not move its wing, and amid +Alpine obstacles outclimb the chamois. It can pass the great desert at a +bound, and bear the four corners of the world in the hollow of its eye. +It seeth all things that nature showeth; and after disclosing these, +can show many things that nature never beheld. It pierces into the most +hidden things. It flingeth a shining light into the most utter darkness. +Locks, bolts, or bars, cannot keep it out--laws, walls and chains +cannot keep it in: it is the only thing belonging to human life that +is perfectly free. There is nothing imagination cannot do; no matter +whether it be good or evil, reasonable or absurd, to it all things are +alike easy. And as for wealth or power or dignity, or aught of which the +world thinks highly, where is the greatness, and where are the riches +that exceed those of the imagination? Mechanics are proud of their +engines, and think them wonderful: they are mere playthings compared +with the imagination. Cannot imagination make the sea dry land, and the +earth ocean? Archimedes boasted that he would move the world, could +he place it in a convenient situation. Let imagination put forth its +powers, and the world becomes obedient to its law, moves when required, +crumbles into dust, and is re-created with increased glory. Cannot it +break the rock like a reed, and snap the gnarled oak of many centuries +like a rotten thread? Cannot it build cities on the plain, and form +a garden in the wilderness? Cannot it people the solitude and confer +happiness on the desolate? Cannot it make the sands of the sea-shore +glittering with gold; and of the leaves of the forest create treasures +far outvaluing the riches of the earth and sea? And more than this, it +can make the dead live and the living die; it can raise the earthquake +and the pestilence; it can fight battles and win kingdoms; it can float +upon the whirlwind like a leaf upon the breeze; and pass through a +consuming fire unscathed by a single flame. + +"These are the powers of the imagination; and what are its pleasures? +Let the most luxurious seeker after enjoyment take all the delights +reality will give him. Let him wrap himself up in roses; lie in baths of +milk; taste all that is delicious to the appetite; be loved by the most +lovely and the most loving of women; and pass not a minute in which +his soul is not lapped in ecstacy; and his enjoyments will bear no +comparison with those of the imagination. Imagination can concentrate in +a single moment the pleasures of a thousand years: it possesses all the +delights the world may produce, in addition to raptures more exquisite +of worlds of its own: it can create forms clothed with a beauty far +excelling the rarest of those who have glorified the earth with their +presence; its sunshine pales the light of heaven; its flowers alone can +bloom with a perpetual fragrance." + +"Wilhelm, you must not excite yourself so;" said I, observing him fall +back exhausted against the pillow, from which he had raised himself, and +a violent fit of coughing follow. + +"O du ewige Güte?" exclaimed the student, gasping for breath. + +"Ah! I was afraid of this; you are too weak to allow yourself to be +carried away by the impetuosity of your feelings. Here! take some of +this drink. It will allay the irritation of the cough." + +"I am better now--I am better, mein freund," murmured the grateful +Wilhelm; "and now let us resume our conversation." + +"I am almost afraid, Wilhelm, for I see it excites you so much;" I +observed. + +"It has passed away. It is nothing:" replied my companion. + +"Supposing then, that the idea you mentioned was attempted to be worked +out to its full extent, how is it possible to convey any thing like a +natural picture of the state of existing nations at so remote a time?" +I inquired. + +"By a reference to what is already known of the growth, maturity and +decay of nations," said the student. "Every thing has its age. The tree +cannot flourish beyond a certain time--nor can a country. Time passes +his scythe over the verdant world, and wherever it glides, the crop is +cut down; and after the field has been left wild a sufficient period, +the seed is again sown, the produce is again abundant, and the mower is +again at work. Thus it has been from the creation of the world; thus it +will be for everlasting. How long was the growth of Babylon, of Nineveh, +of Tyre and Sidon, of Thebes and Carthage? They had their season. Then +came Pompeii, Etruria, Athens, Rome, and Constantinople. How long did +they last? Then came Venice and Genoa, the Moorish kingdom of Grenada, +and the Arabian empire at Jerusalem; they had their day. After these +came the omnipotence of Popish Rome, the magnificence of Madrid, and the +splendour of Lisbon: they have departed. And now we have the glories +of London and Paris, and Berlin and Vienna, and these will exist their +period, and then gradually fall into decay. It must be evident to any +observer, that Spain and Portugal, once the two greatest nations in +Europe, in opulence, power, and intelligence, are descending to the +lowest degradation of poverty, insignificance, and ignorance. The Roman +empire in Italy, having passed into a number of independent states, +each of which has attained a considerable degree of greatness, lies +now prostrate at the foot of the great European powers. Greece, the +intellectual and the free, having for many centuries been plunged in +ignorance and slavery up to the lips, shews signs of a regeneration. +And the barbarians of the North are making rapid approaches towards +pre-eminence." + +"But the superior civilisation we enjoy, must prevent our retrograding," +said I. "Think of our steam-engines, our rail-roads, our wonderful +discoveries in science and mechanics, and our extraordinary advancement +in intelligence; we are rising, and we shall continue to rise." + +"We cannot rise above the top, mein freund," observed my fellow student +with a smile; "and after that we must go down. There is a point beyond +which no nation advances, and to that point we are tending. As for our +superior civilisation, that remains to be proved. Boast as we may of our +machinery, we could neither raise such monuments as were frequent among +the Egyptians, or have we any tools that can make an impression upon +the stone out of which they were sculptured. The gunpowder upon the +discovery of which we pride ourselves, has not been so destructive as +the Greek fire, of the composition of which we know nothing. In art, we +are far from excelling the ancients, and in learning we are obliged to +acknowledge our obligations to them." + +"But how far the intelligence of the multitude at the present day +exceeds that of any preceding time!" I observed. + +"I am not convinced of that," replied Wilhelm. "With the exception of +Germany, particularly Prussia, the education of the people, has not +been attempted on a plan likely to confer on them much advantage, and +the only sure way of judging of a superiority of intelligence is by +comparing the state of the public morals in different countries. If it +can be proved that the Greeks or the Romans were a less moral people +than are the English or the French, then are the latter the most +intellectual; but if, taking the amount of population, it could be +ascertained that a less amount of crime was committed by the ancients, +then must the moderns be considered the least civilised." + +"I am afraid the philosophical character of such a work would not be +appreciated by the general reader, who takes up a book merely for +amusement," said I. + +"You are mistaken, mein freund," replied the student; "there is +nothing which may be made so amusing as philosophy. Every good book is +philosophical; and the idle reader is continually being made familiar +with philosophy without knowing it, just as the worthy gentleman in +Molière's comedy talked prose all his life, in perfect ignorance of +having done so." + +"Well, I can only say, I should like exceedingly to read such a book," +I observed. + +"You see that ebony chest there, upon that pile of books;" said Wilhelm, +pointing in the direction to which he had alluded. "Take it. In it you +will find a MS. It is a work such as I have described to you, and I +wrote it at intervals, whenever I could find time for the employment." + +"_You_ write such a work, Wilhelm!" exclaimed I with surprise. "I am +aware how much you have devoted yourself to study. I know that you have +completely ruined your health by your severe application in the pursuit +of knowledge; but I had no conception of your attempting a production of +such a character, upon a subject beset by so many difficulties." + +"I have been ambitious," replied my companion. "I was desirous of +attempting something out of the common path--I yearned for literary +distinction. Take and read it, mein freund, and let me know if you think +it worthy of publication. I have endeavoured to make the story full of a +deep and pleasing interest. The characters introduced I have sought to +create in a sufficient variety, and of various shades, from the humblest +in intelligence to the most exalted. The incidents I have strived to +make striking and powerful, and vividly drawn; and the opinions you will +there find expressed, while I wished to make them natural and true, I +have been anxious that they should possess a claim to originality. It +has been my aim to combine wit, humour, pathos, and philosophy in such +a manner as I hope cannot fail of being thought at once amusing and +instructive, and if I live to see realised the aspirations I have +entertained, if I can but behold the work I have laboured to produce, in +popular estimation, I do not care how soon this feeble frame dissolves +into its parent dust. I must live to see that! mein freund; I _must_ +live to see that!" + +"I have not a doubt but what you will, Wilhelm;" I replied. "The genius +I know you to possess has only to exhibit itself fairly before the +public, to be considered a public property, and become an object of +general estimation. The learning you have laboured so diligently to +obtain, will then stand you in good service; and the liberality of your +sentiments, your deep love of virtuous principle, and your earnest +desire for the diffusion of truth, then cannot long remain without +exciting the admiration you covet." + +He made no reply. + +"Look!" I exclaimed. "There are Gerhard Kramer, and Hugo Messingen, +smoking their meerschaums out of the opposite window." + +He did not move. + +"Are you asleep, Wilhelm?" said I, advancing from the window to the +bedside, and gazing in the face of my now silent companion. His head was +sunk in the pillow, with his light hair falling in waving curls around +it. There lay the calm blue eyes, the fair smooth cheek, the delicate +moustache, and the mouth so exquisitely small, half open, giving a +glimpse of the white teeth within it. + +"Are you asleep, Wilhelm?" I repeated, taking the hand that rested +outside the bed clothes. + +He _was_ asleep: and from that sleep he never awoke. He now lies in the +left hand corner of Göttingen churchyard--a familiar place to me; for +while he was the most studious, he was the most amiable of all my fellow +students. He had become a martyr to his love of study, and the world +closed upon him just as he exhibited those signs of extraordinary +merit, which in time would have made him one of its most distinguished +ornaments. That his death was quite unexpected by himself was evident, +but in the progress of his illness he had drawn up a will, in which he +had made me his executor, and in it expressed his desire that I should +prepare his manuscript for the press. I have done so, and the result is +before the reader. I have left the first chapter as I found it, giving +notes to illustrate a few phrases that required explanation; but +imagining that these phrases, though perfectly characteristic, might +perplex the reader in his progress with the story, I made such +alterations in the rest of the MS. as I thought would bring the work +nearer to the taste of the time. + + + + +EUREKA; + +A PROPHECY OF THE FUTURE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE CITY OF THE WORLD. + + +More than usual activity was observable in the tiers of shipping of +various nations that crowded the port of Columbus. The sun shone with +extraordinary splendour, throwing a golden light over the broad waters +of the river that spread out as far as the eye could reach, bearing on +their bosom vessels of every description used in commerce or warfare +(some coming into port, others leaving it for a distant destination), +that were diminishing in size as they receded from the view, till +they assumed the appearance of a mere speck between the horizon and +the wave; and the spreading sails of those in the distance, and the +many-coloured flags streaming from the masts of those closer to the +shore, with their various builds, sizes, costume and characteristics of +their crews, and the variety of employments in which the latter were +engaged,--infused such a spirit of animation into the scene, that the +stranger would have found it impossible to have looked on without an +earnest and delighted attention. Nearer the shore boats were passing to +and fro--from the graceful Swan (1.) and rapid Fish, full of gay parties +of pleasure, to the gigantic Hippopotamus and slow Tortoise, bearing +burthens of various kinds of produce towards the wharfs that lined each +side of that noble river; and many other boats of different dimensions, +some impelled by oars, others by sails, and others by machinery, were +passing from ship to ship, from the ship to the shore, or from the +metropolis to the neighbouring villages. + +If the appearances on the water were gratifying to the eye, those on the +land assumed a character equally cheerful, various, and magnificent. +Well might Columbus be styled THE CITY OF THE WORLD. In its dimensions, +in its splendour, in its riches, in the myriads of its inhabitants, and +in the multitudes of strangers who flocked from all parts of the globe +to witness its greatness or share in its traffic, it was worthy of being +considered an empire rather than a metropolis. Beyond those unrivalled +quays that stretched along each side of the river, connected by colossal +bridges, whose arches spanned from shore to shore with such an altitude +that under them the largest vessels might pass with ease, were seen the +proud palaces of the merchants--the lofty domes for the administration +of justice--the stupendous edifices for the conveniences of +commerce--the vast temples for the worship of the Deity--the imposing +halls for the diffusion of science--every description of dwelling +suitable to the wants of a free, industrious, enlightened, and +multitudinous population of various ranks, interspersed with noble +monuments in commemoration of admirable actions--exalted statues +personifying the highest degree of excellence--parks, fountains, +gardens, and public walks between rows of lofty trees; rising above +these, on the elevated land on which the city was erected, might be +observed, placed at considerable distances from each other, and adorned +with all the graces of architecture, the villas of the wealthy; and at +the very crown of the hill the obelisks, urns, and other monuments that +peered above its summit pointed out the cemetery of the city, and the +mausolea of its dead. + +Through the numerous streets the tide of population seemed hurrying with +an anxious eagerness; and the vehicles of luxury and of industry were +passing each other in the broad thoroughfares, in a similar crowd and +with a similar haste. Here came the votary of pleasure, seeking only +the enjoyment of the present--there went the accumulator of wealth, +enjoying no delight save in the prospect of the future; and they were +passed by the plodding antiquary, living only in his associations +with the past. The toil-worn mechanic--the enthusiastic student--the +venerable sage--the solemn priest--the proud soldier--and the bustling +citizen, took their separate ways through the crowd, with an apparent +thoughtlessness of all things except their own immediate objects; and +thus had they gone on for ages, each pursuing his own course, and every +one heedless of the rest; and thus will they go on till the day of the +world is over, and the night cometh when no man shall see because of the +darkness. + +At the foot of a flight of broad stone steps leading to the water from +a wharf on the quay near one of the bridges, a superior sort of ship's +boat was moored, where her crew, some resting on the benches, some +lounging on the steps, were grouped in conversation, evidently directing +their attention to a beautiful ship of small tonnage but perfect +symmetry that lay at anchor at a short distance, easily distinguished +from the numerous vessels in her neighbourhood by the smartness of her +rigging and the elegance of her build. + +"Ay, ay, Boggle!" exclaimed a stout weatherbeaten-looking mariner, +to whom all his associates appeared to listen with great deference, +arising either from his superior age or station,--"she _is_ a smart +boat; as neat a one as ever floated. She'll swim better than a shark, +and faster than a dolphin; and I'll wager a month's pay to a mouldy +biscuit, that between this and the tother side o' the world we shan't +meet with her match." + +"True enough, Hearty," said the person spoken to, a lumbering, stout, +short, and awkwardly-made man of about thirty, with a large head, and a +stupid yet good-natured countenance, which expressed an inclination to +act in the right way that was always marred by an extraordinary aptitude +to do wrong. "True enough. May I walk the deck till I split into +shivers, if I'm not convinced of every word you say! But every man as is +a man and thinks like a man should have a notion of his own on things in +general; therefore, Hearty, I don't believe it." + +"Pooh!" exclaimed a younger sailor, addressing himself to the last +speaker, "what's the value o' your judgment against the notions of such +an old hand as Hearty? Why he must ha' sailed in a power o' different +crafts afore you were launched!" + +"Exactly, Climberkin, exactly," replied Boggle eagerly--"that's my +opinion; it's true, there's not a doubt of it: but every man as is a +man----" + +"Well, may I be scrunched into everlasting smash if I know where we're +bound--that's all," emphatically remarked another speaker in the group, +thrusting forward a thick head of sandy hair, with a countenance sharp +and meagre. + +"Nor I," said another. + +"Nor I," echoed several around him. + +"Why you see how it is," answered Boggle, mysteriously; "there's a sort +o' a secret in it. It arn't for a fellow afore the mast to be 'quisitive +o' what's going on on the quarter-deck; but I likes to have right +notions o' things in general, as every man as is a man and thinks like +a man should. So having a pretty shrewd guess as how Scrumpydike, who's +al'ays alongside the captain, knowed more o' the matter than he'd a +mind to 'municate, I follows in his wake not a hundred years longer than +this very mornin'; and, quite palavering like, I hails him wi' 'I say, +Scrumpydike, my bo!' 'What cheer?' says he. 'P'raps you don't know +nothin' o' our sailing orders?' says I, quite social. 'P'raps I do,' +says he, in a manner as showed he did. I says nothin' more on _that_ +subject then, cause I had a notion 'twould be no good; so I speaks him +civil, and axed him to liquidate wi' me upon summat comfortable, and we +went together into a snuggish sort o' a spiritual close by, and when I +got him pretty 'municative I thought he'd a told the most secret thing +as he knowed, cause he was letting down the cable in reg'lar style. +Now's the time, thought I; so I says to him, quite familiar, as I felt +sartain sure o' his telling, 'Scrumpydike, my bo!' says I, 'where be we +bound?'--And what d'ye think he said?" inquired the speaker, suddenly +addressing himself to his associates. + +"What _did_ he say, Boggle?" anxiously inquired a young sailor, pressing +forward to hear the interesting communication. + +"Tell us, Boggle, tell us!" cried the others eagerly. + +"Why he turns round upon me his great yellow eyes, looking as if +he could ha' no secrets from a fellow who shared his earnings so +handsome--'cause I stood treat all the time, and he says to me, in a +slow whisper, just as a secret should be told----" + +"Well, what did he say?" said Climberkin impatiently. + +"'What's the odds?', says he."--The younger sailors laughed. + +"And what _is_ the odds?" asked old Hearty earnestly. "Arn't we well +paid, well fed, well clothed? and haven't we plenty o' every thing we +want? So what's the odds where we sail? I don't care the twist o' a +rope's end whether we go to India, or China, or Algiers, to any of the +ports in Australia, or even to the most uncivilized settlements in +Europe; and no true sailor cares on what water he floats, as long as +he's aboard a good ship, meets wi' sociable mates, and is commanded by +good officers." + +"I'll be spiflicated if every word Hearty says isn't true," remarked +Climberkin. + +"And now I'll just tell you what I knows o' the matter," continued +Hearty, "which amounts to something more than Boggle could tell." + +"Well, what is it?" inquired Boggle, as eager as the others to hear some +intelligence on the subject,--"you're smartish, clever, or I'm 'staken; +but though I must say my notion o' you is tip top, we're most on us +liable to a false reck'ning." + +"You all know master Porphyry," said the old man, without attending to +the dubious compliment of the last speaker. + +"Know him! to be sure we do," replied Climberkin hastily. "Haven't we +all sailed in his ships,--all but Scrumpydike there, who's asleep in the +boat? and don't we know as he's the richest merchant in Columbia, and +got ships laden with every sort o' precious merchandise, more than one +man ever had afore--sailing from port to port all over every sea that +runs. Know him! Why, who do we know, if we don't know a man as all the +world knows?" + +"Ay, ay," remarked the other quietly, "that's him; they do say he's as +rich as the emperor. But all I know is, that while he's greatest among +the rich he's kindest among the poor. He seems never happy but when he's +founding some hospital,--setting afoot some charity, or doing some good, +some how or other: his name is honoured in all parts o' the world. +There's no merchant all over this here globe that hasn't heard of the +fame of master Porphyry: and in his own country he's like a prince, +scattering his bounties wherever he thinks they are likely to confer +a benefit; and every one respects him, every one wishes to think as +he does; and all are anxious to show their opinion of his integrity, +cleverness, and all that sort o' thing. Well, what's uncommon strange, +although he squanders his money about as if there was no end to it, +it seems only to 'cumulate the faster; and although the emperor has +signified his wish to honour him wi' lots o' distinctions many's the +great man would be proud enough to gain, he refuses them all, and says +he won't be nothing more nor plain master Porphyry. So master Porphyry +he remains; but for all that he's a greater man than all the princes, +dukes, and nobles we're likely to see in our time. Well, master +Porphyry's got a son, as smart a figure of a youth as ever you see'd +aboard ship; and after 'ducating him in all sorts o' learnin', till he's +fit to be launched in the great ocean o' life, he wishes him, nat'rul +enough, to go and see foreign parts, that he may get plenty o' notions +o' different kinds o' people, and countries, and governments, that when +he comes back he may be able to do credit to his father. So master +Porphyry gets a ship built o' purpose, and a lovelier vessel than the +Albatross it arn't possible to look on; and has her stored wi' every +kind o' valuable merchandise likely to sell to a profit at the ports +she may visit, and wi' all sorts o' necessaries and comforts for the +crew; has her manned wi' a prime set o' picked hands from his other +vessels,--engages a 'sperienced captain, and accompanied by the +most celebrated teacher o' learnin' he could meet with, to show all +the 'markable things as might be overhauled, and give the proper +'splanations about their breed, seed, and generation, I expects him +here every minute to go aboard; and 'mediately arter that, up wi' her +cleaver, out wi' her wings, and good bye to old Columbia." (2.) + +"Now let me twist the rope a little," (3.) said Climberkin, while his +messmates continued to listen with the same interest they had shown all +the time Hearty had been speaking. "You see, mates," continued the young +sailor, apparently attempting to make the sleeves of his check shirt +roll above his elbows with more convenience, but more probably trying to +attract attention from the heightening colour of his cheek,--"you see, +mates, I've been sailing in convoy with a mighty smartish craft, who's a +sort o' cook's mate,--(now what are you jiggering at?" cried the speaker +sharply to a young fellow who had indulged himself with a grin,)--"who's +a sort of cook's mate in the noble family of Philadelphia; and she being +always among her messmates, hears a smartish lot o' notions 'cerning +her officers, which, when we've been yard-arm and yard-arm sailing in +company through the parks, or at anchor in the jollity houses, she +'municates to me by way o' divarsion: and she tells me as how master +Porphyry has a snuggery up the country, 'bout a cable's length from one +belonging to the noble Philadelphia, and that the two families were as +sociable as a shoal o' herrins. Philadelphia has a daughter, by all +accounts a reg'lar-built angelic; and master Porphyry having a son, an +equally smartish sort o' young chap, it was as sartain as a ship would +sail afore the wind, that they two while consortin' would pick up some +notions about gettin' afloat together; and as no signals o' a diff'rent +natur' were hung out by their commodores, they linked their hearts +pretty close, and never could see which way the wind blowed 'cept +when they were alongside o' each other. Well, somehow or other, there +came on a squall,--the powerful noble Philadelphia and the rich +merchant Porphyry parted company about politics: one took one side and +t'other took t'other, and they went on different tacks in no time. +Philadelphia, who's as proud as a port admiral, when he found as master +Porphyry wouldn't follow in his wake, blowed great guns, cut his cable; +and without letting his daughter the Lady Eureka have any 'munication +with her consort, he makes her set sail along wi' him, and the young +ones arn't been allowed to come in sight o' each other ever since. Well, +arter that, master Porphyry, who's as proud as an honest man should be, +wern't a going to strike his flag to nothin' o' the sort; so seeing as +his young'un looked cloudy weather, to 'leviate his disappointment he +thinks o' trying to make him forget the whole circumbendibus. So he +plans this here voyage." + +The loud huzzas of an approaching multitude put an end to the +conversation; and Scrumpydike, who appeared to have been asleep, but +had listened attentively to every word that had been uttered, suddenly +started from his recumbent position in the boat, presenting a muscular +form, with a yellow, rough, and scowling face, sufficiently forbidding +in its appearance, yet possessing an odd sort of twist about the +corners of the mouth that much disguised its natural ferocity. + +"Thunder and lightning!" (4.) shouted Scrumpydike, hastily regaining his +legs, "here they come!" + +Some of the sailors ran up the stone steps leading to the foot of the +bridge, and there a noble and gratifying sight presented itself. The +whole length of the magnificent street of stately mansions approaching +the water seemed filled with a countless multitude of citizens, each +huzzaing with extraordinary zeal some persons in a procession that was +proceeding along the centre of the thoroughfare. Windows, housetops, +bridges, and boats were thronged with spectators; and all the vessels +in the river were dressed with flags, which, streaming from the masts +in a variety of pleasing colours and devices, gave an animated and +picturesque character to the scene. + +"_There's_ master Porphyry!" exclaimed Hearty. + +"Where?" inquired half a dozen voices at once. + +"That stately-looking man on the tall grey horse who is bowing to +his fellow-citizens. Every body seems to have got a notion that the +merchant's son was going on his first voyage; so, you see, they're +resolved to show how much they respect the father, and all the city +turns out to a man (aye and to a woman too, as you may see at the +windows), and here they are throwing up their caps, waving their +handkerchiefs, and shouting like mad; the ladies scattering flowers upon +his head, and bands o' music playing all the way. And there's young +master Porphyry riding by his side, a fine handsome sort o' chap, and as +like his father as one whale's like another. And in the open carriage +behind them is the learned Professor Fortyfolios, who's written more +big books than any on us could carry; and opposite him's our Captain +Compass, and next him's little Log, the captain's clerk; and opposite +him's Doctor Tourniquet, our surgeon; and there's a lot more on 'em +followin' in different carriages, who ha' been promoted to a birth +aboard the Albatross. These dignified bodies in long robes, and some +on 'em wi' gold chains round their necks, are great magistrates and +merchants belonging to the city, and they look up to master Porphyry as +head on 'em all. But we must get to our oars, my mates, or else we shall +nap it pretty considerably." So saying he returned to the boat, quickly +followed by his companions, and they all began to be very busy preparing +for the comers. + +The appearance of the procession as it neared the bridge was very +imposing; for, as far as the eye could see, were carriages and horsemen +bearing streaming banners, and decorated with ribbons and flowers; and +every spot that could command a view of the scene from the land or from +the water was crowded with animated spectators, shouting their good +wishes for the son and praises of the father. The chief attraction in +this grand spectacle, master Porphyry, was a man apparently between +forty and fifty years of age, of a commanding figure and noble +countenance. When he took off a sort of coronetted velvet cap that +shielded his head from the sun's rays, as he bowed his grateful +acknowledgments for the plaudits of his fellow-citizens, his high +forehead, eloquent eyes, and benevolent smile made his features assume +an expression more nearly approaching the highest degree of beauty, +intelligence, and philanthropy in a man advanced in life, than anything +it is possible to conceive; and the robe of honour which encompassed his +powerful limbs, denoting his office as the chief civic magistrate, gave +a majesty to his deportment that increased the effect of his personal +appearance. + +The youth who rode by his side could not have numbered much more than +twenty years, and bore a great resemblance both in the form of his +limbs and in the expression of his countenance to master Porphyry; yet +while from a feeling of enthusiastic reverence for his parent he rode +bare-headed by his side, as he noticed the admiration his father excited +among the countless myriads who thronged their way, the fire that was +glowing in his eyes and the pride that was swelling at his heart gave +evidence of feelings to which the elder Porphyry was a stranger. The +youth sat on his steed, that pranced and curvetted with the same +high spirit in his blood as was possessed by his rider, showing that +elasticity of limb that marks the young and vigorous; and as the breeze +swept from his forehead the luxuriant curls of rich shining hair that +clustered upon his brows, while it fluttered in the folds of his +handsome tunic, the young men whose dreams had been of glory fancied +that they saw in his noble bearing the hero of their visions, and the +young women who had begun feeding their youthful minds with loving +idealities gazed in ecstasy upon his graceful figure, and recognised +in him the god of their idolatry. The impression created was evidently +gratifying to him; but it did not satisfy his desires. Oriel Porphyry +was ambitious--he aspired to be something greater than he was: he panted +for power as well as popularity. The shouts of the multitude seemed +music to his ears, but it was of too calm a character--it was not that +in which he could have taken most delight. He desired to act a more +imposing part than that of a merchant's son. It was a military age in +which he lived, when men had been raised to empire by a daring valour +and a dazzling splendour in their actions that made every heart drunk +with enthusiasm. Conquest had been the key to greatness, and a victory +had led to a throne. But the general peace which had lately commenced +seemed to shut out from him all hopes of the distinction he coveted; the +peaceful ways of traffic, in which his father had achieved an universal +renown, presented to him no attraction: and as he rode along he lamented +the apparent ingloriousness of his destiny. + +The feelings of the merchant were of a far higher, better, kinder +character; for his was a mind not to be led away by the false glitter +of pride and ambition, and he entertained no sentiment that was not in +harmony with the philanthropy of his actions. His heart was full of +generous sympathy for his fellow-men; and till he alighted at the foot +of the bridge he thought only of how he could best advance the interests +of his country. + +The father and son descended the stone stairs, at the bottom of which +the boatmen were waiting; and after all who were going to the ship had +entered the boat except the merchant's son, master Porphyry took him +affectionately by the hand, and thus addressed him:-- + +"Oriel Porphyry! I have desired that you should visit the most +remarkable nations of the world, that you might gain from close +observation of their people and government knowledge such as may the +better fit you for your duties as a citizen and as a man; that when I +have passed away from the fading splendours that surround me, I shall +know that I leave one worthy to fill the high place I have held in the +affections of my fellow-citizens. Take these papers," continued the +merchant, in a voice that appeared to tremble with emotion, as he +produced a sealed packet--"they contain the directions I desire you +to pursue, and some intelligence with which I wish you to become +acquainted: consult them when you have been out at sea about a week. I +shall find means of communicating with you as often as may be desirable; +and if there is any thing you require that yonder vessel does not +possess to render your voyage more comfortable, you have only to send +word by the first of my ships you may meet, and you will have it +supplied at the next port. All noble sentiments and benevolent wishes +attend you!" + +"Father!" exclaimed the youth, falling on the neck and kissing the hand +of his parent, "I trust I shall never discredit the education I have +received, nor the parent from whom I sprung." + +In a few minutes master Porphyry was standing on the brink of the water, +surrounded by the wealthiest merchants of Columbus, following with his +eyes the rapid course of the receding boat; while his son, throwing +himself back in his seat, indulged in the enjoyment of a thousand +conflicting emotions, from which he was not roused till he gained the +side of the Albatross. + +While the machinery was set in motion to draw up the anchor, a small +boat was seen to dart from the numerous vessels of a similar class that +were floating on the river, and rapidly come alongside the ship. A young +handsome creole immediately leapt on board; and after giving orders +about some packages contained in the boat, advanced to that part of the +deck where Oriel Porphyry stood. The age of the new-comer did not seem +more than fifteen or sixteen. He was delicately formed, with features +whose expression lost something in its character among critics of manly +beauty by its feminine softness. On his head he wore a rich netted silk +cap, the gold tassel of which hung down towards his left shoulder; his +robe was a short tunic of embroidered cloth, bound by a broad silk sash. +An inner vest of rose-coloured silk, open at the breast, disclosed a +camese of the purest white; the lower part of his body was wrapt in a +sort of petticoat of thick linen made very full, below which appeared +leggings of rich silk, and small shoes trimmed with rosettes,--the usual +costume of the pages of Columbian ladies of rank. The merchant's son was +leaning against a mast, seemingly pondering over the fond remembrances +of a happier time; for his features had lost that glow of excitement +which a few minutes since his ambitious desires had created, and a +shadow of deep yet tranquil melancholy had passed over them,--when he +was roused from his reverie by the approach of the stranger. + +"Master Oriel Porphyry!" said the page, taking off his cap and allowing +a profusion of dark ringlets to fall upon his shoulders, and then taking +from his vest a small sealed packet,--"Master Oriel Porphyry! The Lady +Eureka sends you this." + +"Ha!" exclaimed the young merchant, gazing earnestly upon the features +before him as if they were immediately recognised; then finding the +recognition not reciprocal, he turned away with a deep expression of +disappointment: yet, while breaking the seal of the envelope, and before +he read the letter, he renewed his gaze two or three times, as if there +was an attraction in the page's handsome countenance he could not +withstand; but the large dark eyes that met his own were bent steadily +upon him with respectful attention; and, bewildered by the strange +disturbance of his thoughts, he at last attempted to read the letter. +It ran thus:-- + + "DEAREST, + + "Accidentally I have become acquainted with your intended departure + from Columbia, to dare the dangers of the waters, to risk a + thousand perils, and, more than all, to be separated by a long + and dreary boundary from a heart you have made so devotedly your + own. Every attempt I have made to communicate with you, has been + rendered of no avail. I believe you all I would have you be; but + I am fearful your impetuous nature will hurry you into continual + dangers, and, as I cannot myself watch over your safety, I would + have near you some one on whose zeal, fidelity, and care I can + place the utmost confidence. Zabra, whom you will readily recognise + as a child of my father, has been brought up as my page; his + Indian mother died in his infancy, but his education has not been + neglected. You will find him both useful and entertaining, and may + rely on his perfect devotion. Let him remain about you--let him be + my representative--and let him serve to keep in your remembrance + one whose soul clings to your footsteps,--who has no ambition but + in possessing your exclusive affections, and knows no pride but + that which is created by thinking herself, _your_ + + EUREKA." + +The letter was read many times, and with an increasing pleasure at +each re-perusal; and the bearer was received with such an abundance of +welcomes as must have convinced him his servitude would be very light. +But while his future master kept scanning his dusky physiognomy, as if +comparing his features with the brilliant beauty of her who had so long +been the glory of his existence, the page retained the same unmoved +demeanour which he had from the first evinced. + +During these proceedings the anchor had been weighed, the sails trimmed, +and, amid the firing of cannon from the houses on each bank, and the +deafening shouts of the spectators, the Albatross majestically sailed +down the river, and having reached the ocean, soon lost sight of the +city of Columbus, its noble quays, its stately palaces, its generous +merchant, and its grateful citizens. + + +NOTES. + +(1.) "The _graceful Swan_" and "rapid _Fish_" are probably intended +to be the names of pleasure boats, derived from the creatures they +were built to resemble; and the "gigantic _Hippopotamus_" and "slow +_Tortoise_" must be meant for the larger kind of barges and heavy +coasting vessels used in traffic. + +(2.) "Up wi' her _cleaver_, out wi' her _wings_, and good bye to Old +_Columbia_." The anchor and sails of the vessel are no doubt here +alluded to; and the names Columbus and Columbia which are met with +throughout these pages, evidently distinguish the metropolis from the +empire. + +(3.) "Now let me twist the rope a little." This sentence must be similar +in its meaning with the nautical phrase "spinning a yarn." + +(4.) "Thunder and lightnin'!" It will be seen that the oaths commonly +used by the Columbians differ from those now in fashion; but this is +very natural, for it is well known that the common phrases of one +century are quite changed in another. We swear not as we did in the +time of Queen Elizabeth, and the oaths then in vogue were altogether +different from those which prevailed during the reign of William the +Conqueror. + + + + +CHAP. II. + +ZABRA. + + +Zabra had not been many days on board, before he became a source of +wonder to the whole crew. A spirit flashed from his dark lustrous eyes, +that kept off every thing approaching the shape of sociality among +the persons by whom he was surrounded. He rarely spoke, except when +attending upon Oriel Porphyry; and then the proud expression of his +looks that made curiosity stand aloof, was changed into a glowing +animation, and the tongue which had seemed to disdain all converse +became eloquent with a resistless endeavour to delight. He had all the +external appearance of a graceful youth of sixteen, with a form tall, +elegant, and buoyant, whose heart had just received the invigorating +warmth of the first dawn of manly sentiments; but when the voice sent +its soft music to the ear, breathing the rich poetry of an ardent +imagination, the splendour of the language, its power and meaning, and +the energy with which it was supported, gave evidence of a mind much +nearer approaching the maturity of a masculine intellect, than the age +that has been mentioned could have possessed. He seemed as if he existed +only for the purpose for which he had been sent--as if he knew that +his occupation was watching over the safety of him to whom he had been +committed; and he appeared to enter into the service with a heart and +soul devoted to the object. His looks searched the inmost thoughts +of those upon whom they fell, as if to discover whether any sinister +intention against his lord and master was there harboured, and before +their piercing sight it was scarcely possible to stand unmoved; and +there was a mystery in his actions, when removed from the apparent +source of his solicitude, that still more made the wonderers marvel. He +sought a place where no one could intrude upon his privacy, and with a +harp, with which on these occasions he never failed to be accompanied, +so filled the air with unknown melodies, and unheard-of songs, that the +superstitious seamen, as they listened, imagined he was in communication +with beings of another world,--there was something so aërial, so soft, +and so sweet in the music he created. + +"Scrunch me if I can make it out at all!" exclaimed Climberkin to a +group of sailors in the forecastle. "He ar'n't got a word to throw away +upon a dog; but if he looks at one, one doesn't feel at all inclined to +be 'quisitive. He was wand'rin' about the main deck as it was getting +duskish yesterday--and I, not keeping a good look out ahead, run foul o' +him afore I knowed who it was. As soon as I diskivered the craft, I was +just beginning a bit of a 'pology, when he fixes on me a look as cut +through me like a nor-wester, waves his arm in a most mysterus manner, +and glides away as softly as if he trod upon butter." + +"As true as a fish swims, I've got the only prime notion of this here +mystery," said Boggle, with an air of considerable importance. + +"No!" cried several voices incredulously. + +"Ah! but I have though, or I'm the spawn of a toad-fish!" replied +Boggle. "And I'll tell you how I gripped it. You see I ar'n't a bit +afeard o' any 'dividual as is aboveboard in what he's arter; and I'm not +the chap likely to be flabbergasted in a fair fight;--so seeing as how +you were all in no little mystification about this youngster, I thought +to myself, says I, when he steers his course into your whereabouts, +'spose you show a civil flag at the mast-head, and ax arter his mother +and all the family; he nat'rally sees you knows manners, and 'mediately +returns the compliment. From this to that, and from that to t'other, +is as easy as catching sharks wi' pickled pork, when two civil fellows +lets go their jawing tackle; so you'll tell him your 'miniscences quite +confidential, and he'll be obligated to tell you his'n; and then having +overhauled his log-book pretty smartish, you can return to your mates +with the 'telligence. Well, I was walking along jest afore dinner, +when I seed master Zabra leaning against a mast, wi' folded arms, eyes +looking straight up to the clouds as was fleecing over the sky in all +sorts o' figurations, and his mahogany face seemin' quite fair by the +side o' the rollin' jet black curls as fell on each cheek down to his +shoulder. I seed in a moment he was no common sort o' cretur. If he +ar'n't a Indian prince, thinks I, I've no notion o' things in general. +Well, I was determined to know the rights on't, and was just about +recomembring the bit of a speech I was going to say about his mother and +the rest o' the family, when, as I came right afore him, he looks me +full in the face; and though I seed nothin' but the flash o' his two +eyes afore he flitted away to the other end o' the ship, they seemed so +'stonishingly curious that they held me to the ground as if I was nailed +to the deck, and the words I was going to say stuck in my throat like +lumps o' old Cucumber-Shin's puddin'." + +"Kukumshin!" shouted the black cook, a very fat old negro, indignantly +thrusting his woolly poll in the middle of the group. "Dare to call me +Kukumshin! Me, Roly Poly Cook in ship Albatross, and free gennleman o' +colour--me Kukumshin! Pretty kettle o' fish!--Puddin' berry much too +good for sich a fellar. Stick in him troat too! Him nebber hab no time, +acause him bolt him like smoke, a fellar! Call me Kukumshin indeed!" + +"I tell ye what it is, my mates," cried Hearty, inattentive to Roly +Poly's indignation. The group were all attention. + +"A fellar!" exclaimed the cook, casting one of his blackest looks upon +the offender, and then waddling off to another part of the ship. + +"In my time I've been many voyages to India and thereabouts," said the +old man; "and I knows it's the notion o' them people, that arter a +fellow's dead he comes to life again in another sort of a body. Now if +this here rigmarole's true, which every body there says is as sartain +as a stone 'ill sink, seeing that this youngster is more 'cute in +his notions than is usual at his time o' day, and appears a most +'straordinary sort o' a human, it's much more nat'ral to 'spose he's +been metamorphorosed from some of those Old Indian flos'phers who 's up +to ev'ry thing in natur', than that he should be a mere hobbledehoy, as +can't have any more gumption than what 'll serve him to carry a letter +or go on a message. But hush!" exclaimed the speaker as a beautiful +symphony full of passionate sentiment was borne upon the air. A soft +melodious voice soon mingled with the instrument, and these words were +sung with all the expression superior skill could bestow upon them:-- + + "The wave rolls on from shore to shore, + As from the first those billows roll'd; + All study its mysterious lore, + But none have yet its secrets told! + So in the heart a flood flows on + As free and boundless in its will; + As long, the learnèd there have gone-- + Its secrets are unfathom'd still! + + "Unfathomed still, fond heart! remain,-- + Veil thy rich flood's most precious prize! + Thy pearlèd worth--thy golden gain-- + Hide--hide from all too-curious eyes! + For see! th' adventurous diver comes, + Down in thy deeps he makes his stay; + Through ev'ry hidden cave he roams-- + Then bears thy treasured stores away. + + "But why thy sterling splendours hide?-- + Why veil the worth thou dost possess?-- + Pour out thy bright exhaustless tide! + Lay bare thy wealth!--and thee 't will bless. + The riches that are hoarded up, + In worthless hands at last must shrink;-- + And he who cares to fill the cup, + Should fill for one who longs to drink!" + +"There! that _is_ music," observed Climberkin in a whisper; "and it +makes my heart leap like a dolphin just taken out o' his element." + +"All hands to take in sail!" shouted a stentorian voice from the +quarter-deck, and in an instant the group were engaged in active duty. + +But the song had other listeners than the party just described. Oriel +Porphyry, after escaping from a weary lecture from the learned professor +Fortyfolios, who seemed laudably anxious to fulfil his duties to his +pupil, had been pacing the quarter-deck with long and hasty strides, +when he was roused from the ambitious reveries of his ardent imagination +by the mellow sounds of a harp at no great distance. In him, the voice, +the song, its sentiments, and their expression, recalled to his memory +the delicious beauty of her, from the wondrous lustre of whose gaze he +had drunk of that intoxicating stream which had bound his senses in a +wild and rapturous delirium. The dark eyes, radiant with the light of +the impassioned soul that floated in their depths, again raised on +him their sunny splendour; and the budding mouth, bearing the odorous +spirits of a thousand roses on its lips, once more appeared to teach +those smiling lessons that had been to him the fairest pages in the +book of knowledge. He listened, and his heart was filled with the sweet +influence of a happier time. The dreams of ambition were forgot--the +suggestions of pride were unthought of--fame, glory, power, the pomp of +greatness, the sway of empire, and the adulation of the governed, were +now as things for which he had no sympathy; and he thought only of the +time when the noble, gifted, young, and beautiful Eureka, regardless +of the loftiness of her exalted station, the opinions of her princely +family, or the sentiments of the world, ennobled him with the passionate +ecstacies of her enthusiastic nature, and first filled his youthful +brain with those heroic dreams which made him yearn after the glorious +influence of superiority. + +During the continuance of the song he listened with breathless +attention, and the rich harmonies of the music kept him spell-bound +to the spot on which he stood; but as the last chords of the closing +symphony were struck, he stood by the side of the musician. + +"I knew not, Zabra, that you were so well skilled in the science of +sweet sounds," said he. + +Zabra had appeared so lost in his own meditations, that he had not +noticed master Porphyry's approach. His gaze was fixed; and as he bent +over his harp, allowing the long curls of his dark hair to mingle with +its strings, no attitude, and no expression of countenance, could more +plainly interpret the perfect state of self-abandonment in which he then +existed; but when he heard the voice of him by whom he was addressed, in +an instant his dark handsome features assumed a different expression, +and throwing back the shining tresses that shaded his face, he seemed a +creature all smiles, devotion, and enjoyment. + +"Music has been to me the food of my existence," remarked the page: "on +its divine essence I was nurtured; and as the perfume forms a part of +the breeze on which it is borne, harmony has entered into my nature, and +is now my life, my strength, and my felicity." + +"Where did you learn the song I have just heard?" inquired the +merchant's son. + +"From the impulses of my own creative spirit," replied the other. "From +sympathies awakened into action by the strong power that creates and +controls them. See you the mighty tide that swells up into universal +motion, bearing by its own strength the burthen of resistless armaments +as if they were but reeds, and when it does put forth its power, +assuming such shapes and doing such things as make the marvel of every +age; and know you not that it is the operation of its attraction for +that fair world of light that dwelleth in the starry heaven, whose +glimpses of a glory not to be subdued enter into its innermost depths, +and stir its everlasting waves with passionate emotion?" + +"Surely one so young cannot have felt the power of Love?" asked the +elder of the two, in a tone that betrayed the influence of which it +spoke. + +"Who shall say when it shall come or when it shall depart?" said Zabra, +as the dusky hue of his cheek gave evidence of the warm blood that +filled his veins. "It is a presence that appeareth at all times when the +soul is fit to receive it. It cometh not at this time, nor at that--it +dwelleth not here, nor there; it filleth eternity of time, and infinity +of space. Look around you, over the vast circumference of boundless +nature--wherever there is life, wherever there is motion--wherever there +is an object that hath beauty in its form and fitness for its purpose, +it hath all its energies swayed by the thrilling impulses of that +almighty passion. The flower that liveth but a few days, trembles in the +warm embraces of the southern breeze; and the planet that smiled upon +the infancy of the world, in the unconquerable maturity of a thousand +ages, still enamoured, drinks in the beauty of the mountain stream. The +heart is ever young, as mine is; and as the mellowing sunbeam calls into +activity the principle of life in the insect's egg, the sunshine in +which I have basked, hath stirred the vital seed implanted within my +breast, and given it restless hopes and fond desires, and properties +and motives to an end, that are the wings with which it flutters in its +shell. The only thing in which I differ from the rest is that my Spring +hath preceded theirs. All have their seasons, but till the sun comes +the winter endures; and in me the frost hath been broken up, and the +current, freed from its icy chains, rushes through its channels in the +soft light of its first bright day, and makes a world of its own, full +of music and flowers." + +"But how can you bear to be parted from the object with which your +sympathies are so closely united?" asked master Porphyry. + +"We are inseparable," replied Zabra, as he fixed his eyes on the +inquirer, eloquent with animation. "Think you, you can part the melody +from the voice by which it is sung? The two cannot be severed; neither +can the spirit to which mine is linked be other than a part of myself. I +breathe its atmosphere--I enjoy its presence--I share in its delights. +Our bodies may be set asunder by a plank; but you may pile mountains +upon mountains, and worlds upon worlds between us, and yet our souls +will remain one and indivisible." + +"How much your voice and gestures remind me of Eureka!" remarked the +merchant's son, regarding with increasing interest the romantic +enthusiasm of his companion. + +"For what purpose than this was I sent?" asked the youth, as he +turned away from the gaze as if to examine some of the strings of his +instrument: then continued--"If you loved her with the same intense +devotion with which she regards you, you would not require to be +reminded; but, save in the color of our complexions, there is so perfect +a resemblance both in our appearance and in our natures, that I might +recall her image to any one who has seen her and seems likely to forget +her." + +"You wrong me, Zabra!" cried the other vehemently, "if you imagine it +possible that I can forget her. It is she who hath filled these veins +with a quenchless fire that makes my whole frame glow with a desire for +lofty enterprise, to attain a renown, and acquire a greatness worthy of +the love with which I have been honoured. Since that proud day when I +first beheld in her lustrous eyes the light that created a new splendour +over the horizon of my happiness, I have been shaking the chains that +bound me to the world, and, while yearning to emancipate myself from its +oppressive thraldoms, have sought how I could best subdue it to my own +ambitious purposes. I worship the nobility of her nature, and would have +her behold in mine something worthy of its intimate association. I would +not have her descend from the lofty pedestal on which she is placed; +therefore am I eager to win my way to a like elevation--ay, and ascend +higher, if a loftier step there be--and there acknowledge the greatness +I have worshipped, and everlastingly unite it to my own." + +"How little you know of her character, if you think she values any +thing except the spirit to which she is attached," observed the page. +"Did she care for the accidental difference of birth that distinguishes +you from her, you would never have known of her affection, because it +could never have existed. They who love the idle vanities of rank, set +their hearts upon a garment, a feather, a shining stone that is made to +adorn the person who possesses it; but it was not such artificial worth +that could attract Eureka. That she would feel proud of any distinction +you might by the force of your own merit acquire, is probable; but +knowing the qualities of your disposition, she holds them at their full +value, which could not be increased in the slightest degree by all the +honours you might gain. It was her observation of a tendency in you to +seek after the unattainable, that made her fearful it would lead you +into danger; and when she pressed me into this service, she bade me +warn you of the different perils it would produce. I warn you now. Take +heed of indulging in these ambitious dreams. You have the elements of +greatness in your character; they ought to content you; and what you +desire are but the shadows of what you have. There is another danger +which is equally imminent; and if you are as truly devoted to Eureka as +she hath ever been to you, you will pause before it reaches you.--Your +feverish pursuit after renown, or power, or whatever delusive meteor it +may be that dazzles your eyes, only tends to make you lose sight of that +one true, steady, and brilliant light that should be a glory in your +pathway." + +"Never!" exclaimed his companion with fervour--"never can any ambitious +dream of mine lead me from that splendour out of which it was created. +My aspirations are a natural result of the lofty source from which they +spring. They are but the reflections of her excellence--and the signs +of her presence; and loving her, I could no more exist without desiring +to be great, than I could bask in the sun's rays without acquiring +warmth.--Besides, had I not this stimulus to exertion, by what means can +I hope to make her mine. To the merchant's son the Lord of Philadelphia +would deny his daughter; but with Oriel Porphyry, his equal in dignity +and superior in power, the honoured of all and the feared of many, he +would gladly seek an alliance." + +"You think not of what Eureka's ideas may be on this subject?" inquired +Zabra. + +"I think of them, but they cannot avail," said the other. + +"They will avail!" replied the youth emphatically. + +"How?" asked master Porphyry. + +"Be assured of this," said his young companion, while again he seemed +more attentive to his harp than to his listener. "If, in a reasonable +time, the obstacles that retard your union still exist, she will point +out a way by which they may be honourably set aside, or acquiesce in any +plan with the same object in view, which you may propose." + +"How know you this?" inquired the other hastily. + +"I heard her say it," said the page. + +"But before I return, her father may compel her to enter into other +arrangements." + +"Eureka has a will which is not to be compelled--she will readily do +that which is right--but no power on earth could bend her inclinations +to an unjust purpose." + +"And she may be surrounded by dangers--subject to every kind of +suffering, and forced to endure a thousand indignities from which I have +no power to rescue her," continued master Porphyry. + +"She _is_ surrounded by dangers," said the youth with emphasis--"dangers +new and terrible to other minds; but of these she will think nothing, +and of what she may be obliged to endure she will be equally regardless, +as long as she is possessed with the conviction, that he for whom alone +she suffers is not unmindful of the sacrifices she has made." + +"There is a strength in your words," said the merchant, laying his hand +upon the shoulder of his companion, "which there is no withstanding; and +your looks are even more eloquent than your language. How is it possible +that one apparently so young should have acquired that force of +expression, and depth of meaning, which breathes in every sentence you +express." + +"I was taught early, and well," replied the other, as his frame trembled +slightly under the touch of his companion. "And as for my speech--truth +is always the most forcible. My external frame may appear light and +boyish; but size is no safe guide for the judgment. The ostrich never +leaves the earth along which it glides; but the eagle pierces the +unfathomable depths of air with an untiring wing, and floats with eye +undimmed within the scorching rays of the eternal sun." + +"Zabra, your nature is superior to the garb you wear," said the elder, +as he kindly took the hand and gazed into the face of his more youthful +associate. "I cannot allow you to be thus. You must put away the page, +and endeavour to be the friend of Oriel Porphyry." + +"By whatever title Oriel Porphyry can most love Zabra, that title Zabra +would most desire to be," replied the other. + +"Then be it so," said his companion. "From henceforth you shall be my +associate--my friend--my brother. Any thing in the ship that can extend +your enjoyments shall be at your disposal, and you may command the +services of every living creature it contains. We will be together as +often as possible, and the greatest delight you can create, or I can +indulge in, will be for us to discourse of her in whose affection I +exist; that when I hear the magic music of your voice, and meet the deep +intelligence of your gaze, the resemblance may make me imagine that the +blissful times have again returned, when beneath the shadows of the +welcome trees we sat together till the noonday hours ran on unnoticed +to the twilight, and the twilight deepened into evening, and still our +hands were clasped with the same gentle pressure with which they first +met, and still our eyes looked into each other with the same unspeakable +meaning that was first created in their mutual glances." + +Perhaps Oriel Porphyry would have said more, but at that moment his +companion withdrew his hand, and with looks full of an empassioned +tenderness, as he struck an accompaniment of harmonious chords, he sang +the following words:-- + + "Sound, oh Harp! some sweet and cheerful lay, + Soft as the breath of eve o'er mountain springs, + Awhile the spirit of a brighter day + Mingles its voice with thy rejoicing strings. + With thy rejoicing strings, oh Soul of Song! + Bind the fond air with spells rained free and fast; + And as thy thrilling echoes roll along, + We'll raise again THE RAPTURES OF THE PAST! + + "Sound, oh Harp! such harmony as dies + Within the warm and rosy atmosphere, + When gentle whispers, and delicious sighs, + Send a delighting welcome to the ear. + A welcome to the ear, oh Voice Divine! + Which long as life, and kind as hope, shall last; + That with the wealth of an exhaustless mine + Stores in our hearts THE TREASURES OF THE PAST! + + "Sound, oh Harp! thy music once again, + For now while I intrusive cares destroy, + An impulse stirs within the heart and brain, + Strong with the power of everlasting joy. + Of everlasting joy, Prophetic Sound! + (A bliss that cannot in the grave be cast;) + For as thy trembling murmurs swell around, + Still we embrace THE BLESSINGS OF THE PAST." + +When the song concluded their hearts seemed filled with a mutual +sympathy which neither could express; and Master Porphyry throwing his +arm round the young musician, and bringing Zabra's arm round his own +waist, drew him to another part of the vessel without either exchanging +a word. In this attitude, the youthful pair would have formed an +admirable study for a painter. The tall and manly form of the merchant's +son, his clear complexion and noble countenance creating a perfect +contrast to the symmetrical, yet delicate, figure of his companion, and +the soft voluptuous character of his more dark but not less beautiful +features. + +While these proceedings were going on, a scene of a very different +description was being acted in a low, dark, narrow cabin in a secluded +part of the ship. By the light of a small lamp that swung from the +roof, the diminutive form of Log the captain's clerk, with his little +conceited physiognomy, might be observed perched upon a high stool +engaged in writing, while the more burly figure, but not more +prepossessing countenance, of Scrumpydike, lay extended on some packages +near his feet. + +"Scrunch me, if this ar'n't the most miserable sort o' life, I ever +knowed," remarked the latter, as he rested his chin upon his hands and +supported himself upon his elbows. + +"Sad!" responded Log, who thinking that to speak much would lessen his +consequence, seldom allowed any thing beyond a monosyllable to escape +him, to which by repetitions and some slight additions he attempted to +give as much importance as if they contained volumes of meaning. "Sad, +sad, very sad, very sad upon my word, Mister Scrumpydike." + +"There's nothin' doin'," continued the other. "I feel as queer as a dog +wi' his tail cut off, cause there's no 'portunity to do nothin'." + +"Nothing, nothing, decidedly, actually, positively nothing, Mister +Scrumpydike," replied the little man. + +"It's a tarnation hard case that a fellow's obligated to be honest +against his will," remarked the sailor despondingly. + +"Hard, hard, very hard, very hard indeed, uncommonly hard, Mister +Scrumpydike," said the other, appearing to sympathise exceedingly in so +extraordinary a cause of complaint. + +"But what's most cruel in this here unnat'ral state o' things is, that +there's sich lots o' beautiful prigging for any chap as is a mind to +make his-self handy," added his companion in the same pathetic tone. + +"Cruel, cruel, most cruel, most unjustly, most unnaturally, most +deplorably cruel, Mister Scrumpydike," responded Log. + +"Well, I only knows I shan't be able to stand this here molloncolly sort +o' fun much longer. May I be bolted by a shark if I ar'n't a getting +into the most 'bominable reg'lar habits as can be. You wouldn't s'pose +it possible, but I ar'n't 'propriated nothin' o' nobodies since I've +been aboard this here craft. I ar'n't the same sort o' cretur I was +afore. I ar'n't, indeed. I resists temptation, and commits lots o' other +'straordinary impossibilities. I does without divarsion:--I ar'n't +killed a fellow cretur for ever so long. And worser nor all, some o' +the bugaboos here act'ly thinks I ar'n't no greater a villain than +themselves, ar'n't it horrid?" + +"Terrible, terrible, horribly terrible, upon my word, very horribly +terrible, Mister Scrumpydike." + +Here the dialogue was interrupted by a knocking at the door which made +Scrumpydike jump upon his legs, and Log twist himself round upon his +stool, each looking, in a considerable degree, alarmed and anxious. +Presently the door opened cautiously, and Captain Compass entered the +cabin. His sallow complexion, high cheek bones, prominent nose, thick +lips, and restless grey eyes were surrounded by a thick mass of coarse +black hair, that spread from each side of his narrow forehead, down his +cheeks and under his chin, in a formidable pair of whiskers. His figure +was spare of flesh, but in the gauntness of body, length of arm, and +sinewy leg, there was evidently more than ordinary strength. His +appearance was not likely to excite for him much regard, but there was +a careless freedom in his manner, a frank boldness in his conversation, +and a pungent satire in his wit, that had made him an agreeable +companion to the merchant's son. + +"All right, Scrumpy?" inquired Compass in a whisper, after closing the +door carefully after him. + +"All right, cap'ain," replied Scrumpydike. + +"Right, right, very right, perfectly right, right as a trivet, Captain +Compass," added Log. + +"Scrunch me, if we shan't all be served with sauce we don't like, unless +we keep a smart look out ahead," observed the captain as he flung +himself upon a bale of goods. + +"Why, what's in the wind now, cap'ain?" inquired Scrumpydike, with some +earnestness, while little Log remained silent with alarm. + +"May I be peeled to shreds in a hurricane, if that dark looking son of a +savage, who came on board the day we sailed, doesn't suspect the game we +are playing," continued the captain. + +"No!" exclaimed the other, as an expression of anxiety became visible in +his hard rough features; and the captain's clerk trembled on his stool +as if he was shaken by an ague. + +"I was palavering young Porphyry as smooth as a rat's tail, after he had +been pretty well blown up with the long-winded sentences of that tedious +old porpoise Fortyfolios, and was going it at a smacking rate about the +pleasure of liberty and the enjoyments of a life of enterprise, the sort +of discourse, I have found out, he'll suck in as a fish drinks water, +when happening to turn my daylights a little a starboard, I beheld +that black thief Zabra watching me like a snake, and when I met the +full stare of his great goggling eyes they seemed to have the power of +piercing through and through right into the hold where all my secrets +are ballasted, so I, having a sudden fear that he was up to the course +I was steering, lost the helm of my discourse, and anchored in shallow +water, with a muddy bottom, in no time." + +"Pooh!" responded Scrumpydike: "is that all? Leave him to me, and I'll +thank ye for the job." + +"No, that mustn't be: we must avoid every thing likely to create the +least suspicion," replied the captain. + +"I'll take care o' that," said the other: "I'll watch my 'portunity when +he's a hanging over the side o' the ship, as he does o' nights when +there ar'n't a human near enough to catch a glimpse o' his 'bominable +carcass, and then with my 'safe and sure' here," continued the fellow +as he drew a long knife a little way from its concealment in his vest, +"I'll make a sweep into his bread-room, and afore he can ax what it's +for, I'll heave him into a berth where he'll lie snug as a wet blanket +can make him." + +"It wo'n't do, I tell you," remarked his associate. + +"Nobody needn't know nothin' about it," added Scrumpydike. + +"There is too much risk and not sufficient advantage to be gained by +it," said the captain. "Ah!" he continued, after a pause--"if I only +had some of the old hands now, scrunch me, if I wouldn't put matters to +rights, after a fashion the fellows here don't dream of." + +"Wouldn't we? Breakers ahead! wouldn't we?" cried the other with +exultation. "But they've all cut their cables and gone adrift. There's +nothin' but misfortunes in this here world. It's a hard case for a +fellow who's sociably inclined to see his mates, as fine a set o' +villains as ever escaped hanging, partin' company without cuttin' each +other's throats or doin' any thing in a friendly way." A melancholy +pause succeeded this sentence.--"It was an ugly business that at Cape +Danger, warn't it, Mister Log?" at last asked the scoundrel of the +little man upon the stool. + +"Ugly, ugly, very ugly, I may say uncommonly, deplorably, ferociously +ugly, Mister Scrumpydike," replied the captain's clerk. + +"Well, it's no use lamenting the catastrophe now," observed the captain. +"All we've got to do is to get a new ship and a fresh set of hands. The +ship we've as good as got, but she can be of no use without a crew of +the right sort. To get such a set of fellows together will take some +time. We must either pick them up where we can, or try and make the +present crew adopt our views. This will be rather a ticklish business, +and requires very careful management, for the slightest knowledge of +our intentions among those not inclined to join us will wreck the whole +concern. Now, Scrumpy, you've got jawing tackle that will stand in any +weather." + +"Ay, ay, cap'ain," cried the fellow with a grin: "may I be washed to +rags in a waterspout if I couldn't bamboozle the devil's grandmother." + +"Well, you must sound these fellows, but do it cautiously--and try if +the inducement of plenty of plunder and a free life will be likely to +lead them to assist us in our bold undertaking. As for the boy Zabra, +although there appears something very mysterious about him, and he looks +as sharp as a sword-fish, I don't think it possible he can find me out. +Scorch my body to a cinder! but it would be a hard case if, after having +baffled so many big vessels, I should be sunk by such a bit of a craft +as that. However, I mus'n't stay here any longer or my absence may +create inquiry," observed the speaker as he proceeded to the door; then +looking at his associates said, "Remember what you have heard, and +steer your course accordingly," and with the same caution with which he +entered left the cabin. + +"Well, ar'n't this enough to make a fellow ready to jump down his own +throat wi' vexation?" remarked Scrumpydike to his companion. "Here, I +was jest 'gratulating myself that spiflicating that young blackamoor +would be a tolerable bit o' a pastime to cheer up the dulness o' this +here molloncholy life, when he turns round upon me and says it ar'n't +to be at no price! I'd rather live in a whale's belly up to my nose in +blubber than endure this uncomfortable state o' feeling. Scrunch me if +I wouldn't. Don't you think now, Master Log, it's as bad a state o' +existence as is possible for a human to know on?" + +"Bad, bad, shocking bad, particularly shocking bad, upon my word +very particularly shocking bad, Mister Scrumpydike," replied the +commiserating captain's clerk; and immediately afterwards the +dissatisfied villain walked away to join his unsuspicious messmates. + + + + +CHAP. III. + +A PHILANTHROPIST. + + +A few days after the circumstances that have been related, Oriel +Porphyry, being alone, broke open the packet that had been given him +by his father, and on perusal found it to contain the following +communication:-- + +"It is time, my dear Oriel, that you should know something of your +father's history; that being made acquainted with the steps by which he +has acquired his reputation, you may seek the same path to honour with a +certainty that it cannot mislead; and the moment is equally opportune +for you to learn the true state of your country, which you cannot know +unless you can have the account from one who is neither desirous of +deceiving himself nor his associates, that when you are called upon to +take your place on the grand stage of the world, as you will be aware +what portion of the drama has preceded your appearance, you may +understand the tendency of the whole so well, as to be able to play your +part with power, with truth, with a just conception of the character, to +the satisfaction of yourself, and with the admiration of your audience. +I have observed, with considerable anxiety, that you possess a +disposition that does not conform itself readily to the spirit +of the times. You are impatient of restraint--you are anxious for +enterprise--you are yearning for distinction;--not that distinction +which rewards the exertions of the truly great, the just, the good, the +benevolent--which is the loving admiration of their fellow-creatures, +and comes in the delightful shape of blessings, and good wishes, and +the sight of social happiness--but the vain splendour of a false renown, +such as is often acquired by adventurers, impostors, conquerors, and +tyrants, and is made visible in the shrieks of wounded men, in the +adulation of slaves, in tears and curses, blood and flame, in the blast +of trumpets and the clang of chains. Your eyes are enamoured of the +glory with which the mighty invest themselves: to excite the wonder of +the fearful and the foolish, and assist in their subjection--thrones +and sceptres, robes of state, gaudy ceremonies, and idle distinctions, +dazzle your senses--you would wish them yours, seek for them, fight for +them, die for them: having obtained them, your sole gratification would +exist in exhibiting yourself surrounded by these delusive honours, or +in conferring some of minor importance upon such of your followers as +may make themselves most useful or agreeable: dying in seeking their +possession, you would render up your everlasting soul, to mingle with +the bright source from which it sprung, with the sole consolation that +you will be talked of by a multitude you could not enslave. + +"The only unerring way of judging of the value of a thing is by the +happiness it produces. The degree of happiness that results to the +acquirer of this glory, of which you are so desirous, must indeed be +small, when we take into consideration the danger with which it is +obtained, the fear of losing it, and the struggles to maintain its +possession, which are its common accompaniments; and still less is the +quantity of happiness it creates among those at whose expense it must +exist--for there is no happiness in thraldom--in the debasement of human +nature to an idol--in the march of conquering hordes destroying as +they go--or in the bitter anguish of noble minds struggling in vain +to emancipate themselves from the tyranny under which they groan. The +only real happiness consists in the practice of benevolence, and the +only real glory is the admiration it excites. I have enjoyed a more +than ordinary share of happiness, because I have taken advantage of +opportunities for benefiting my fellow-creatures that were presented +to me in more than ordinary abundance, and I have acquired an unusual +degree of reputation for a private individual, in consequence of making +the most profitable use of these abundant opportunities for doing good. + +"It was in the middle of the last reign, when the late emperor, after +ascending the steps of military greatness to a throne, was pursuing an +uninterrupted career of conquest throughout the vast continent of this +immense portion of the globe, when I, a youth like yourself, but with +far different feelings, left the mansion of my father, (who had lately +been ennobled, as it is called, for his services in the wars,) to escape +from a way of life it was desired I, being his eldest son, should +follow--a way of slaughter and tyranny, of blood, and shame, and guilt, +which was disgustingly repugnant to my disposition,--and disguised, and +under a fictitious name, seeking some more honourable occupation, I was +so fortunate as to enter into the service of the wealthiest merchant in +the city of Columbus. I became useful to him--he praised my industry and +integrity--I was admired by his daughter--she loved me for the praises +to which she had been a frequent and not unwilling listener. He was +generous and noble in his nature--she simple, modest, and kind. She was +your mother, Oriel, and after having been enriched with her beauty and +excellence, I became possessed of all the store of treasure, which had +gone on accumulating as it passed from father to son through several +generations of princely merchants. + +"I had always done whatever trifling good the little power I had allowed +me to accomplish, and the sweetest gratifications I enjoyed arose from +these actions, and had always longed for the arrival of that time when +my sphere of usefulness might be equal to my desires; therefore when, +by the demise of my adopted father, I found myself the uncontrollable +master of funds almost exhaustless, to render the benefits I wished +them to produce as ample as possible, I studied every way which great +knowledge and extraordinary means could create to increase them, +that without diminishing my source of good I might have a liberal, +a continual, and increasing fund from which to realise my benevolent +intentions. With this object in view, and with the experience I had +acquired by many years of close application, I brought into operation +all my resources--my ships, continually increasing in number, traversed +every known sea, laden with the most desirable produce--and my agents, +always becoming more numerous, penetrated into every habitable region, +and opened new sources of traffic and fresh accumulations of wealth. The +consequence was, that I was enabled to live a life of the most active +benevolence. I purchased happiness by diffusing it around me. I founded +hospitals for the sick and asylums for the poor. I endeavoured to +lessen the growth of crime by increasing the means of intelligence, +and I attempted to strengthen the example of virtue by adding to the +recreative power of its advantages. I rewarded genius, I enriched worth, +I assisted industry, I fostered skill. I made disappointment forget her +name, and allowed misfortune to become a stranger in the places where I +was known. + +"But at this period, in what state of feeling lived the emperor--he +whose state you would envy, and whose pride you would covet? He was +getting into the winter of his days, but the fire that burnt within +him was not to be subdued by its frost. His soul was like a volcano +in a region of snow. He was disturbed by the restless turmoil of his +own thoughts, that made his couch of down a bed of rock, his robe of +sovereignty a perpetual blister, and the acclamations of a fickle +multitude a piercing discord. In vain, when he found that all his +conquests had been achieved, and he consolidated them into one immense +empire, comprising the two Americas, over which he ruled alone and +absolute, he tried to calm the fever of his desires by building palaces +and churches, erecting triumphal arches and towering pillars--creating +convenient highways, majestic bridges, noble aqueducts, immense canals, +and unrivalled docks:--in vain he strived to have forests grow in the +place of weeds, and sought to have gardens of roses in deserts of +sand--he encouraged agriculture--he promoted manufactures--he protected +commerce--science was ennobled in his halls, and learning dwelt +in comfort in his colleges:--in vain he established institutions, +originated titles, conferred honours, and distributed wealth--the fire +that slumbered in his breast was not to be thus extinguished. He was +miserable for want of opportunities for action. His busy inclinations +allowed him no repose. There was no peace for his soul. + +"The happiness I enjoyed became known to him--became familiar to +all--for with the true spirit of philanthropy, which knows no +distinction of creed or country, I endeavoured to confer my benefits +wherever they were most required; and the loving admiration with which +I found my name regarded in every part of the globe, and the abundant +pleasures I saw arise from my own exertions wherever they could be +applied, created in me a degree of happiness almost impossible to be +exceeded. He became aware of my extraordinary wealth, and was told of +the beneficial effects it was producing. The emperor sent me word that +a certain distinction waited my acceptance--with a proper humility I +declined the favour. Surprised at the refusal, and desirous of tempting +me into obligation, he caused it to be intimated to me that a higher +honour would, if desired, be granted--this, in the same manner, and with +as little consideration, I also refused. His astonishment increased, and +his inclination to shackle me with the trappings of his own grandeur +grew more intense. I was told that the highest honours to which a +subject could aspire might at a wish be mine; and I need scarcely add +that the offer met with the same result as its predecessors. No, my son! +as Oriel Porphyry I had acquired almost boundless riches, and had lived +in a state of happiness which left no desire ungratified--as Oriel +Porphyry I had obtained an influence over the hearts of my fellow-men, +compared to which the power of conquerors was an idle boast--and as +Oriel Porphyry I had created for myself a renown beside which the glory +of an emperor sunk into insignificance. What could be to me the baubles +he sought to confer--the sounding titles--or the pompous privileges? +They could not extend my usefulness a hair's breadth--they could not add +to my enjoyments the fraction of a grain. + +"To say that the emperor was not offended by my repeated refusals +would be to give a more charitable interpretation to his feelings +than would be true; but my behaviour seemed to him something +so extraordinary--something so opposed to the spirit of his +experience--and something so utterly incomprehensible to his notions +of human nature--that he sent for me to be satisfied by his own eyes +that there existed in the world what he considered so remarkable a +phenomenon. He endeavoured to persuade me into a conviction that I did +wrong, in not accepting the advantages, as he was pleased to call them, +I might obtain; and I replied by describing the advantages that more +justly deserved the name I already possessed. I asked if he could give +me any thing of real value that was not at my disposal, and enumerated +every good I was enabled to bestow. He reflected, and the more he +reflected, the more he seemed to wonder. I do not remember the whole of +our conversation, but it was of sufficient interest to him to desire my +visit to be repeated. + +"I saw the emperor frequently at his continual requests, and the more I +conversed with him the more he appeared gratified with my conversation. +I expressed my opinions fearlessly, and my boldness he excused--I +censured his government with freedom, and he listened without offence. +I suggested some valuable improvements, and my ideas were immediately +adopted; but our acquaintance did not end there. He was continually +entreating me to occupy a place in his council, from which I endeavoured +to be excused; but on reflection, seeing that it might confer upon me +opportunities I could not otherwise possess, for giving a more liberal +character to the government, by which means I might improve the +condition of the people, I at last consented, on the understanding that +it should confer on me no rank, no privileges, and no emoluments. I knew +that my country had once been a republic, and under that title had for +centuries enjoyed an unexampled degree of prosperity; but though I would +have preferred a government of a similar character, more perfect in its +influence, and more simple in its organisation, as a change in the state +of things could not evidently be made, without creating a degree of +confusion, strife, hatred, and unhappiness, the thought of which I could +not endure, it was my aim so to work and improve the machinery of the +state, that the public wants should be as completely satisfied as it +was possible for them to be. It matters little under what name a nation +is governed,--a monarchy, an oligarchy, and a republic are but different +names for the same thing; and a president, a doge, and an emperor, are +only different titles for the same office: they may all represent a +state of tyranny in the country, and their chiefs may become the most +despotic rulers of the people. The true value of a thing, as I have +previously said, is the quantity of happiness it can be made to produce; +and every system of government may, by proper administration, be made +productive of the greatest degree of happiness to the governed. + +"At the head of the grand council of the empire I was in due time +installed; and while I there remained, was the originator of a multitude +of various measures, having for their object the public welfare. My +coadjutors I found to be men with whom I could but little sympathise, +because they had no sympathy for their fellows. They were proud, vain, +selfish, and intolerant. They imagined themselves governors instead +of ministers. They liked to rule better than to advise. They bowed in +abject servility to their superior, and strived to make those having +less power as slavish in their behaviour to themselves. + +"It is not at all extraordinary that such dispositions should regard the +untitled merchant who presided at their deliberations, always exercised +his own judgment in preference to theirs, paid no deference to their +fancied superiority, and appeared on terms of equality even with their +emperor, as one unqualified for government, and solely kept in office +by the emperor's foolish partiality; and I was neither surprised or +offended, when I found them opposing the measures I brought forward; +treating my arguments with inattention, and my person with disrespect. +Finding that, under such circumstances, my services could be of no value +to the community, I was obliged to request the emperor to release me +from the responsibilities of my situation. He desired to know the +reasons for my resignation. I told him. I was entreated to remain; an +intimation was conveyed to the members of the council from him they +acknowledged as their master, and, when I returned to my duties, I +found them rivalling each other in obsequiousness to my will. That, +notwithstanding the readiness with which they embraced my views, they +hated me in their hearts, I regret to say, was too evident. But they +were little to be blamed. Had they known that, even in the idle rank +which they prized so highly, I was the equal of the noblest, and the +superior of the rest, they would have regarded me with more generous +feelings; but none knew when my father died, and my younger brother took +possession of the titles and estates of the family; that the rightful +heir, long lamented as dead, was living, in the person of an object of +secret disdain to his coadjutors; and that he was Oriel Porphyry, the +merchant. + +"It may easily be imagined by you, from what I have related, that the +emperor had sympathies in his nature rarely met with in conquerors; but +by me they were first awakened. On one of our earliest interviews, when +the spirit that kept his desires in a ferment was still strong upon him, +he said,-- + +"'I want action--I want action. I cannot live except in the stir of +battle, and the pursuit of conquest. But my triumphs are completed--I +have nothing left to conquer.' + +"Sire," said I, "the most valuable--the most difficult conquest remains +unachieved." + +"'What have I to conquer?' he asked, eagerly. + +"Yourself," I replied. I will do him the justice to say that he did not +lose sight of the suggestion. His mind became liberalised--his heart +expanded to the influence of sincere philanthropy--for the first time he +understood the nature of true happiness; and although from the effects +of a disease of long standing his reign, from this time, was brief, he +lived to effect some valuable reformations in the laws, and by their +results in ameliorating the condition of the people, provided, as far +as he had the power, a remedy for the mischiefs he had created. + +"His successor was a weak, proud, vain young man, possessing a +disposition for tyranny--usually found in company with incapacity +holding power; and it is almost unnecessary to state that such a +character found plenty of bad advisers, and that I was speedily +obliged by their machinations to retire from all participation in the +government. Although my time had always been actively employed, I had +regarded the progress of your education with so much interest, that I +never failed to create opportunities for superintending your studies. I +witnessed the developement of your mind with increasing pleasure, and +found a continual gratification in the approaches you were making to the +perfect dignity of manhood. About this time we went to reside in the +neighbourhood of Philadelphia's noble mansion, because the scenery was +endeared to me by all the most pleasant of my early recollections, and +I encouraged your intimacy with our proud neighbours, in consequence +of an inclination I had long retained, which was created in me by many +powerful reasons with which you cannot now be made acquainted, for a +union between our families. Philadelphia seemed for a considerable time +with great cordiality to enter into my views; but as the government of +which he was a supporter were pursuing measures highly inimical to the +liberties of the people, and as he found I would not be brought into any +thing like an approval of such a policy, he began to look upon me with +less friendship--he thought it would hurt his loyalty to retain feelings +of sociality for one who opposed the measures of his sovereign, and +imagined it beneath the dignity of his nobility to encourage an alliance +with an untitled merchant. But he little knew that a word would make +me his equal in his own ideas of greatness; which, when uttered, would +at the same time reduce him to a state of insignificance to which, in +comparison, my plebeian condition would have appeared to him princely. + +"From a friendly neighbour, Philadelphia became an implacable enemy. I +regretted, for the reasons to which I have alluded, that all idea of the +proposed union should be thus suddenly terminated; but I had noticed +in Eureka so powerful a romantic impulse in her nature, and observed +that its effect upon you was so productive of ambitious desires, that +I did not lament your separation, but in a very slight degree. The +disappointment under which I observed you suffer so acutely, and the +restless eagerness for a life of enterprise, I noticed becoming in you +daily less supportable, induced me to plan the voyage upon which you +are now proceeding. Engage yourself in careful observation of every +thing you meet worthy of notice--seek every opportunity for diffusing +happiness among those near you, by whom it may be required; and all +motive for exertion, that does not tend towards benevolence, all regret +for the past, and all desires for the future, will be forgotten in the +enjoyment of your own happiness." + +"It cannot be," exclaimed Oriel Porphyry, as he concluded the preceding +sentence. "I honour my father's noble nature, and would do all in my +power to fulfil his benevolent intentions, but I cannot give up Eureka. +My ambition I will strive to conquer; but love is not so easily +subdued. What care I for the disdain of the proud Philadelphia? I see +signs in the times that are likely to bring about important changes, if +this state of things continues. The people are dissatisfied with their +rulers, and the emperor is endeavouring to make himself absolute. Every +day will increase the public discontent, and when the crisis arrives, +there will be nothing required but a leader, and down the whole rotten +fabric of despotism must tumble. I will wait the time; and then, my +father! we will see who is greatest in the land--the generous merchant +or the proud noble." + + + + +CHAP. IV. + +A FIRE AT SEA. + + +The mid-day meal had concluded in the chief cabin, and its partakers +were grouped round a table in the centre of the apartment, assisting +with conversation the enjoyment of the wines and delicacies of which +they were partaking. The cabin was elegant in its decorations, but they +were marked by a more valuable quality than mere elegance: the pictures +and other ornaments, possessing features of peculiar interest to persons +engaged in traffic, for they represented, or were connected in some way +with the objects, the pleasures, and the advantages of commerce; some +weapons arranged in a picturesque manner, and placed amongst them by +Oriel Porphyry, were the only things there seen that did not partake of +the peaceful character of the appearance of the room. + +"The only thing I can see in nature," said Captain Compass, as he sat +at one end of the table opposite Oriel Porphyry, re-filling his glass, +"and the only thing I think worth seeing is glory. May I sink to the +bottom of the sea in the next gale, if there's any thing else a fellow +should wish to possess. What do you say, master Porphyry?" + +"Why, I must acknowledge it has extraordinary attractions," replied the +young merchant. "It is generally difficult to obtain,--its pursuit is +usually attended with much hazard, but then there is such an excitement +in the effort made to possess it, and such a splendour accompanying its +possession, that difficulties and dangers ought not to be considered by +those by whom it is sought." + +"Exactly," responded the captain, with more than usual cordiality; "and +they only can obtain glory who express such sentiments." + +"But it is uncertain as yet what definition you give to the idea you +call glory," remarked the oldest member of the party,--a man rather +above the medium height, and considerably beyond the middle age, with a +large head, nearly bald, prominent nose, and deep-set eyes, well shaded +by a pair of thick grisly eyebrows. His features were somewhat stern +in their expression, apparently more from the result of continual +reflection than from want of kindly feeling; and although they indicated +considerable mental power, a consciousness of superiority betrayed +itself quite as conspicuously. It may easily be imagined that this was +the learned Professor Fortyfolios. "The consideration of any abstract +idea," continued the professor, who, it will be observed, having been +a public lecturer in the university of Columbus, had acquired a more +important manner of expressing his sentiments than was usual in +conversation. "The consideration of any abstract idea, appears under +different circumstances in the minds of different individuals, but this +is as much the result of an habitual tendency to certain associations in +the person who considers the subject, as the consequence of the variety +of organisations that exist in society. Scarcely any two persons are +to be met with whose reflective faculties pursue the progress of +ratiocination exactly in the same manner,--because no two individuals +being exactly alike, and the mind being a portion of the self, partaking +of its individuality, as in a mirror, the shadow is a resemblance of the +features, each must receive its own separate impressions, and consider +them in its own peculiar manner. It follows, as a natural consequence, +that the thoughts of the speaker will partake of his individual +habitude, and that his conception of glory, or any other abstract idea, +will be coloured by his particular way of life." + +"Well, I don't know in what latitude abstract ideas may be found," said +the captain, a little puzzled by the professor's explanation; "but I +think any body knows the landmarks of glory. If I saw a little ship +manned by a few brave spirits, fight a ship double its size, or may be +two ships or may be three, defended by a crew as superior in numbers; +and after raking her fore and aft, smashing every thing to splinters, +and cutting every thing to rags, pipe all hands to board, and sweep away +the enemy from their own decks into the sea, and after that sail away +with the prize, I should call _that_ glory." + +"The action is glorious no doubt," observed Oriel Porphyry, "but it +does not realise my conception of glory. I imagine a man, in the truest +sense of the word, living in a country groaning under the despotism +of a tyrant, and having that spirit of freedom in his nature, which +must always accompany greatness; and that uncontrollable energy of +valour in his character, which is its element, pointing out to his +fellow-sufferers the cause of their slavery, stirring in their hearts an +unconquerable love of independence, and after gathering them together +by twos and threes, then by hundreds and thousands, and lastly, by +resistless multitudes, at their head attacking the hordes of armed +plunderers by whom their subjugation had been effected; driving +them from the tented field to the battlemented wall, and from the +battlemented wall to the grave; and when not a trace of tyranny remained +throughout the land, I imagine that man the liberator of his country, +and the emancipator of its people, honoured as he ought to be, and +possessed with the power with which their gratitude should invest him, +conducting the nation he had enfranchised to the highest degree of +prosperity and greatness--and I call _that_ glory." + +"Then my notion of the same idea differs materially from those you +have given," said the professor. "In the first place, there are two +antagonist principles, from which all good and ill emanate--intelligence +and ignorance; and only according to the predominance of the former can +we judge of the extent of the excellence of any thing. As we know that +all which is beneficial proceeds from intelligence, and that without +intelligence nothing good can arise, and that without good there can +be no such thing as glory, it must be evident that he who produces +intelligence acquires the truest and greatest glory. The philosopher who +spends laborious days in amassing knowledge by observation and study, +which he distributes to the whole world, and whose labours continue to +the end of time to ennoble and refine mankind; in the fame with which +his name must be inseparably connected among all generations, and +wherever civilisation exists, realises, in my opinion, the _only_ true +idea of glory the human mind can conceive." + +"I beg leave to differ from you all," cried a stout little man (whose +round, rosy face bore the perfect expression of good humour), sitting +opposite the professor, and whose professional conversation proclaimed +him to be Dr. Tourniquet, "I beg leave to differ from you all, don't you +see. I cannot imagine glory to belong to anything that does not tend +to alleviate the sufferings or remove the diseases of the human frame, +don't you see. Life is subject to a multitude of maladies--from the +cradle to the grave there is a constant succession of aches and pains, +and few escape without experiencing disorders more or less dreadful. +Now my idea is, that evil and good are but other names for pain and +pleasure, don't you see; that he who lessens the quantity of evil is +alone entitled to the name of benefactor, which brings with it the +greatest degree of glory it is possible to possess, don't you see; and +that, consequently, the man who devotes his life to procure others +the enjoyment of health--who boldly ventures among the most malignant +contagions to study their effects, and origins--who carefully examines +every morbid structure in the living and the dead, at the greatest +personal risk and inconvenience, till he becomes familiar with all its +appearances and discovers its creating cause; and by long study of the +properties of different medicinal substances, of external circumstances +that tend to produce health or disease, and by his intimate acquaintance +with the human body in every state in which it can be seen;--in my +opinion, that man, who by knowledge thus acquired, and thus applied, +through his example made public, being enabled to save or prolong the +lives of millions of his fellow-creatures, and multiply the blessings +of existence, in the admiration with which his name must always be +regarded, is the _only_ perfect conception of glory that can be +entertained, don't you see." + +"Pooh, pooh!" exclaimed the captain, somewhat contemptuously. "What +glory can there be in giving a fellow a dose of physic?" + +"Unless there be some ennobling sentiment in the mind, which is +developed in great actions such as I have described, glory cannot +exist," said Oriel Porphyry. + +"Strife must always be a bad means to whatever end it may lead," +observed his tutor; "and as nothing but ignorance can make men endeavour +to destroy each other, strife can never be productive of true glory." + +"The amount of pain, resulting from battles either on sea or land, is +immense," remarked the doctor. "Gunshot wounds, fractures, contusions, +ruptures, laceration, inflammation, suppuration, mortification, and +death; and, therefore, he who creates so much pain, cannot, by his +actions, be said to achieve anything like glory, don't you see. As for +philosophy and its qualifications for being considered the only thing +that is most glorious, if the philosopher cannot set a broken bone, or +remove a disease, pain must exist in spite of such philosophy; and +therefore, the philosopher, who is enabled to prevent or remove pain, +has the best reason to glory in his philosophy, don't you see." + +"But pain cannot, on many occasions, be either removed or prevented," +replied the professor, seemingly preparing himself for an argument. +"Pain is frequently produced by accidents which cannot be foreseen, and +therefore cannot be prevented; and these frequently assume shapes on +which science is exerted in vain, and therefore they cannot be removed: +in these cases, where surgery and medicine are perfectly useless, +philosophy is triumphant; for it will enable the sufferer to be +regardless of his pain, and to look upon his dissolution with +indifference." + +"What is the use of your philosophy to the insane?" asked the doctor, +who seemed to take considerable delight in opposing the professor. + +"I should imagine it would be about as serviceable as your medical +treatment," retorted the other. + +"Nothing of the kind," replied his antagonist with a chuckle of +triumphant congratulation. "A knowledge of the anatomy of the brain, +its functions, and operations, with sufficient information as to the +patient's history, general habits and mode of thinking, applied by an +experienced practitioner, may often effect a cure, don't you see." + +"May often, but how often?" inquired Fortyfolios, with some appearance +of sarcasm. "To one restored to sanity, there will be found fifty +incurables--so where's your remedy?" + +"To one philosopher there will be discovered a thousand fools, don't you +see--so where's your philosophy?" responded the other in a similar tone. + +"Dr. Tourniquet," replied the professor with a look of offended dignity, +"I trust my philosophy will be found whenever it is required." + +"Professor Fortyfolios," said the doctor, evidently desirous of pushing +matters with his antagonist as far as possible, "if you wait till it's +required, perhaps you may have to wait a long time, don't you see." + +"No Sir, I don't see!" cried the now angry Professor with much warmth. +"And allow me to add, Dr. Tourniquet--allow me to add, I say----" + +"The wine, if you please," cried Oriel Porphyry, who, with the captain, +had enjoyed the discussion till he thought it necessary to interfere. + +"Ay, the wine, Professor Fortyfolios," repeated the doctor, with his +usual good humour. "It is the most admirable addition to your excellent +arguments you could have conceived; and, therefore, as a mark of sincere +respect for your superior learning, allow me to propose your health, +don't you see." + +The professor recovered his dignity immediately. "I agree completely," +said he, after having properly acknowledged the compliment he had +received, "I agree completely with the opinion of my accomplished +friend, as to the great degree of pain produced by warfare, and----" + +"Froth and moonshine!" exclaimed the captain, interrupting him. "Why we +must all die some day or other, and it is quite as agreeable to strike +your colours to a bullet or a sword thrust, as to old age or the gout. +In my opinion, a fellow who lives past his strength, is like a ship that +isn't sea-worthy,--he ought to be destroyed as useless. As for fighting +being unnatural, it's the most natural thing in nature. In the sea, the +big fish destroy the little fish; in the air, the great birds prey upon +the smaller ones; and on the land, the more powerful animals devour +those of less strength. Every thing has to fight for its existence, and +so does man." + +"But man alone preys upon his own species," remarked the professor. + +"You're out of your reckoning there, most decidedly, Mister Professor," +replied Captain Compass hastily: "cocks, quails, pheasants, bulls, deer, +dogs, and cats fight each other, as long as they've got a leg to stand +upon; and the sow devours her own farrow, and the rabbit her own litter, +without any sort of compunction." + +"There can at least be no apology for the ferocity with which man in a +state of civilisation, pursues his fellow-creatures to the death, don't +you see," said the doctor. + +"Ferocity!" exclaimed the captain fiercely. "Who are so ferocious as +philosophers?" + +The professor and the doctor uttered a simultaneous exclamation of +surprise. + +"Did you ever hear of fellows the most ready for fighting," continued +the other, "filling the veins of live animals with poison,--maiming +and torturing poor dumb creatures, in every way ingenuity could devise, +merely for the sake of experiment; and then, after having indulged +themselves with the sight of such cruelty, sitting down quietly to +describe in the most minute manner, the agonies they have inflicted? +No, it's only the philosopher does these things,--the philosopher, who +shudders at the idea of a man killing those who seek to kill him, but +counts how many seconds an unoffending animal is in dying, after having +its brain scooped out, or its heart torn from its breast. Scrunch me, if +I wouldn't at once be the man who kills whoever opposes him, a thousand +times, than such a cowardly, calculating, inhuman miscreant." + +What the reply to these observations might have been, it is impossible +to say, as the party were disturbed just at that moment by a knock at +the cabin door, and entrance being given, in walked the ungracious +villain Scrumpydike. + +"Well, what news?" inquired the captain. + +"Ship a fire, Sir," said the man, composedly. + +"The ship on fire!" loudly exclaimed all at once, as they suddenly rose +from their seats with different degrees of alarm expressed on their +several countenances. + +"Yes Sir, ship a fire, about half a mile off," replied the sailor, +looking as if he would have laughed if he had dared at the consternation +he had created. + +It was wonderful to observe the change which took place on hearing +the last announcement. The idea of being roasted alive, would be +sufficiently terrible to scare the stoutest heart; and on this occasion +even the bold spirit of Oriel Porphyry quailed at the sudden and +frightful danger. It is a mistake to imagine, that the brave never feel +an emotion of fear; dangers that they have contemplated, may be met +without the slightest feeling of dread; but a new danger, for which they +are unprepared, is sure to leave upon the bravest of the brave some +impression of affright. The alarm, however, that had been created was +but momentary, and as soon as it was erased, the whole party hastened +upon deck to observe the conflagration. Scrumpydike had been left alone; +so seeing the coast clear, and the table covered with tempting viands, +he hastily proceeded to cram his mouth with preserves and fruits; and +was just raising a bottle to his lips, to wash them down with a good +draught of exquisite wine, when he beheld in the shadow of the room, +what he thought to be, two flaming eyes, fixed upon him, flashing +glances of scorn and indignation: the bottle fell from his hands into +a thousand pieces, his forbidding features expressed the most intense +horror, and with a piercing yell he fled from the room trembling with +all the terrors of an evil and superstitious nature, and leaving Zabra +more than usually gratified by the impression he had made. + +The night was dark as the grave. There was no moon, and no stars. One +immense cloud hung over the broad surface of the ocean, like a mighty +pall, and the constant gusts of wind that hurried with their melancholy +voices through the sails of the ship, might be supposed to be the lament +of nature at the funeral of the world. The waters swept up to the +vessel, like waves of boiling pitch. The air was burthened with an +impenetrable gloom. An intense blackness enveloped the whole untrackable +length of way over which the ship had passed. Looking back from the +vessel all was like the prospect of the dead. Looking upward, it seemed +as if the eyes of heaven had been put out, and that a deep and awful +blindness had blasted the vision of the universe. Save at a considerable +distance ahead, all was a chaos of darkness--a visible nothingness--an +infinite void; but when the eye looked in that direction, flames +appeared to shoot out of the pitchy sea, licking the darkness, and +writhing, darting, twisting through the smoke like serpents in the +agonies of death. As the light became stronger, part of the hull and +rigging of a ship could be discerned, and hurrying to and fro, minute +forms, readily discovered to be human figures, became visible. Now a +shower of blazing sparks rushed as from a volcano, up, up, high into +the gloomy cloud, piercing its black depths with their lurid beams, and +immediately the flame seemed dulled; a moment after, they burst out +again, with a fiercer fury, and with a doubled volume; fragments of +burning timber were hurled into the air with a giant's strength; flames +red, blue, and yellow, and vapours of every conceivable colour from +white to black, rose and fell, and mingled and separated, like an army +of many nations fighting for mastery; and now that the whole extent of +the vessel was evidently one mass of resistless fire, its fierce rays +were reflected over the vast surface of the surrounding ocean, making +visible dark figures, that looked like despairing men struggling in the +drowning waves, and scorching rafters hissing and smoking around them. +Presently when the glare of light was at the strongest, and the ship was +seen blazing to the water's edge, a sudden movement was observed, the +fire sunk into the wave beneath it,--a tall column of thick grey smoke +rose in its place, and in a moment all was again swallowed up in deep, +utter, and boundless darkness. + +It appeared as if the contemplation of this spectacle had hitherto +kept every one on board the Albatross from any consideration for the +sufferers; but a suggestion having been made, immediately each person +seemed to exceed the other in anxiety to render them assistance. + +"Burn a blue light at the mast head!" exclaimed the captain. + +"Ay, ay, Sir," responded Hearty. + +"Set up every stitch of canvass she'll bear," continued the captain. + +"Ay, ay, Sir," repeated the other. + +"Put her machine to the fullest speed!" + +"Ay, ay, Sir!" was again the ready exclamation. + +"And bear right down upon the spot where the flames were last seen." + +"Ay, ay, Sir." + +In a moment the deck, the sails, and rigging were enveloped in a bright +blue flame, that gave the vessel and its crew the appearance of the ship +of death freighted with spectres; and the Albatross was rushing through +the waves with the velocity of lightning. + +"There seems great danger, while going at such extraordinary speed, of +passing over the people who may have escaped from the burning vessel, +don't you see," remarked Dr. Tourniquet. + +"Never fear," replied the captain. "If they can't keep a sharp look out +it's their own fault; and if they don't hail us when they see us, they +can't blame us for the consequences." + +"Ship, ahoy! Starboard your helm!" cried a voice; and immediately a +shriek of piercing agony arose from under the ship's bows as the swift +vessel passed right over a large boat crammed full of men. + +"Ease her! Stop her!" exclaimed a dozen voices at once, as soon as the +accident was discovered. + +"There! I told you how 't would be, don't you see," said the doctor. + +"Out with the galley and pick 'em up!" shouted Captain Compass, surlily; +and the men hastened to obey the command. + +"Take two or three blue lights with you, and stow them in the stern +sheets," he continued. + +"Gently with her," cried Hearty, as he and some of his messmates lowered +the boat into the sea, and the first who leapt into her was Oriel +Porphyry. + +"Now, boys, pull away!" exclaimed the young merchant, as he laid hold of +an oar, "and you shall be rewarded for every man you save." + +The sailors, however, wanted no such stimulus. They exerted themselves +bravely, and were quickly in the midst of between twenty or thirty +swimmers, struggling in the waves and shouting for assistance. The light +in the boat not only showed to the drowning men the near approach of the +aid they required, but directed its crew to the places where they could +be of most service. + +"Help! help!" screamed one, with the water gurgling in his throat. + +"Save me, or I sink!" cried another, nearly exhausted by his struggles. + +"Here! here! here!" shouted a dozen voices in different directions. +Among the most active in the rescue was Oriel Porphyry, who was so +fortunate as to save many who were on the very point of sinking; and +being well seconded, with great difficulty and at considerable risk they +succeeded in hauling into their boat fifteen, many of whom were more +dead than alive; but the rest they saw engulphed in the waters before +they could reach them. + +"Hollo!" exclaimed Hearty, in a tone of wonder and disappointment, as +the crew were about to return. "Where's the ship?" + +Not a vestige of the Albatross was visible, and nothing was seen before +or around them but impenetrable darkness. + +"May I be food for fishes, if this arn't a pleasant look out," observed +Climberkin. + +"Surely they'll burn a light," said Oriel Porphyry. + +"I've my misgivings on that 'ere head," muttered Hearty. + +"But how can we get back to the ship without?" inquired the merchant's +son. + +"There'd be no difficulty about that, Sir," here remarked Boggle, "if +we knowed her whereabouts; but a man as is blind can't see, and nobody +can point out a thing in the dark if they has no notion where it is." + +"You're a conjuror," replied Oriel. + +"No, not _quite_ so clever as that, Sir," rejoined the man. "But I likes +to have a notion o' things in general, as every man as is a man, and +thinks like a man, should." + +"Well, I wish, among your notions of things in general, you could find +one that will lead us to the ship," said master Porphyry. "I don't like +the idea of these poor fellows in their wet jackets passing the night +here, nor have I any great desire for remaining here myself." + +"That's not the worst we've got to expect, Sir," said Hearty; "for if +the ship holds on her course, when we can see our way in the mornin', +she'll be far enough out o' sight, and here we shall be--nearly thirty +on us--crammed together in a open boat out at sea, where there's no land +within more nor five hundred miles on us; without never a compass, or a +bit o' biscuit, or a drop o' water." + +"Surely, Captain Compass has forgotten we cannot find our way back +without seeing the vessel," said Oriel Porphyry, now beginning to feel +some anxiety for the fate of himself and his associates. "But we cannot +be much above a hundred yards from the ship. Shout as loud as you can, +and that will put them in mind of our existence." + +"Ahoy!--Ahoy!--Ahoy!--Hoy!--Hoy! Oy!" Every one who was able shouted as +loud as he could, and then waited in perfect silence for a reply. + +"Yeho!--Yeho!--Yeho! Yho!--Ho!--O!" was replied by voices at a short +distance. + +"That's some on 'em," exclaimed Hearty, steering the boat towards the +place from whence the sounds came. + +"Hulloo! Hulloo! Ulloo! Loo! Oo!" was heard in another direction. + +"Well if this arn't a most considerable cruel puzzlement, I'll be +transmogrified," observed Boggle. The men again rested on their oars, +some with perplexity, others with superstitious fear. + +"There's the Albatross!" cried they, joyfully, all at once, as a blue +flame was seen to rise in the midst of the darkness, and disclose the +well-known figure of their beautiful vessel, at rather more than a +hundred yards from them. + +"Pull away, mates!" shouted Hearty; and the oarsmen, straining every +muscle, soon brought their boat alongside the ship. + + + + +CHAP. V. + +PERILS OF EMIGRATION. + + +"Cheer up, my dolphins!" loudly exclaimed Climberkin to the men rescued +from drowning, whom he and his shipmates were endeavouring to make as +comfortable as possible after their fashion. "Cheer up, and wet your +gills with this--precious sight better stuff nor salt water, of which +sort o' liquidation I've a notion you were obligated last night to +drink more than was agreeable. Give us your fin, my flying fish!" he +continued, as in the most cordial manner he shook the hand of a fine +looking young man who sat near him. "A fellow don't deserve to be +called a naval if he ar'nt a got no 'miseration for another fellow in +misfortune. So here's to 'ee--and may you never have such tipple _above_ +your gills, and all'ays keep the salt water _under_ your foot." + +"None on us 'a heard the 'ticulars o' this here deplorable +'flagration," said Hearty, "and if it arn't too unpleasant to 'municate, +I should like to hear the whole circumbendibus." + +"Perhaps none of my comrades, now present, are so well acquainted with +the circumstances of that unhappy affair as myself," remarked the young +man just alluded to; "and if you will allow me, I will not only relate +to you all concerning it that has come within my observation, but +combine the information with a narrative of my own life that possibly +may render it more interesting." + +Consent having been readily and unanimously given, the stranger +proceeded to fulfil the intention he had communicated. + +"I am a native of Malthusia, an extensive province far into the interior +of Australia, where my family, for many generations, had owned a small +estate; but as the difficulty of living in any state approaching +comfort, in a densely populated country, where consumption exceeds +supply, and the price of labour is reduced to limits within which life +can scarcely be supported, in consequence of the constant pressure of +competition, produced by the supply greatly exceeding the demand, became +so great, it was considered amongst us whether it would not be the most +advantageous thing that could be done under the circumstances, to leave +a land where we could not exist with the same respectability in which +our fathers had lived, and seek our fortunes in a new country, where +the means of subsistence were more easily procured, and the results of +labour more profitable to the industrious. The idea was debated long and +frequently before it was resolved upon. Children of the soil, whose most +pleasurable associations were connected with the land on which we had +been born, it could not be expected that we could easily tear asunder +the loving ties that connected us to our ancient home. My father was +getting into the vale of life, but possessed much of the strength of +man in his vigour; and myself and five other brothers were strong and +active, ingenious, laborious, and persevering. We were considered the +very persons for whom emigration would be most advantageous. + +"But, besides the natural disinclination to leave the scene of every +pleasure I had known, I had a still stronger repugnance, which I found +it impossible to remove. May I claim your indulgence, while I speak of +one who made my native earth and sky a paradise of delights. She, of +whom I speak, Optima, the fair, the kind, the good, by the sweetness of +her disposition and the excellence of her behaviour, created in me that +perfect sympathy, which greater personal attractions and a less amount +of moral advantages, would have failed to have produced in a nature like +mine. From having lived in each other's society from childhood, and +our fortunes and prospects being as nearly as possible alike, we had +mutually indulged in the same fond hopes of an undivided existence, +and in our quiet walks by the hill side, and by the margin of the soft +flowing stream, and in the long delightful rests we took beneath the +shadow of the friendly trees, our little ambition was pictured in rosy +colours, and the landscape of our future seemed to glow with sunshine, +gladness, and beauty. At this time, having suddenly been made an orphan, +Optima became dependent upon an old querulous aunt, who having saved a +little property in the course of a long life, which she designed for her +niece, was desirous that she should marry some one of still more ample +means; and opposed our union with all the despotism she could exercise: +but we managed to meet as usual, though not quite so frequently. +Notwithstanding the efforts made to keep us asunder, and although in +consequence of the gratitude she felt towards her relative for the +protection she had received, she would not listen to my wishes for an +immediate union, for the purpose of joining the intended emigrants, she +bade me hope for better times, and assured me, with all the fervour of +her guileless spirit, that her affection must endure with her existence. + +"Preparations were now made for the departure of my family for their +destination to a flourishing colony on the European continent, but I +finding it impossible to quit the scene that held all that was dear +to me, resolved to remain in Australia, supporting myself by the +application of an unceasing industry, till in company with my adored +Optima, I could join them in their new home. My brothers did not seem +to approve of my resolution, and endeavoured to induce me to change it; +but my father, who had more knowledge of human nature, understood my +motives, and left me to follow my own inclinations. I busied myself in +assisting in their arrangements, but I found my feelings far more active +than my endeavours. I strived to shut out from my mind all idea of +the loneliness in which I must live after the departure of my family, +and sought to banish the fear I sometimes experienced, that as then +the difficulty of seeing Optima would be increased, some unfortunate +accident would render our union impossible. Our interviews now became +exceedingly painful, my entreaties grew more urgent, my dread of the +consequences of her refusal more intense; but she only answered me +with tears; and at last, as the time drew near for quitting Malthusia, +our hearts became too full for utterance, and our congratulations at +meeting, and sorrows at parting, were alike silent. + +"'Ardent!' said she to me on one occasion, after we had sat together a +long time without daring to speak, 'you must not think me unkind by thus +seeming to oppose your happiness. I do a violence to my own feelings, +indeed I do, Ardent, whenever I refuse your solicitations.'--Her sobs +for some time prevented her proceeding; at last she continued;--'But I +should be selfish, were I to allow myself to do as you would have me, +and act with a regardlessness of your interests, for which I should +never be able to forgive myself. My aunt, it is evident to all who see +her, is rapidly approaching her dissolution. She has been kind to me. I +wish not her last moments to be rendered miserable, by what in me would +appear to her ingratitude, and I am most anxious for your sake, dear +Ardent, that she should not, through any imprudence of mine, annul those +intentions in my favour she has so frequently expressed. Her property is +but small, but it will enable us to join your family, and with industry +and economy may produce for us a greater degree of comfort than without +it we can hope to obtain. Wait, Ardent; the time is not propitious now; +but if we are not impatient of our happiness, we shall soon be as happy +as we can desire.' + +"I pressed her more closely to my breast--I blessed her in my heart, but +my voice seemed to have lost all power of expressing my emotions; no +longer I made use of entreaties. I was grateful, and resigned. The day +came on which the emigrants were to leave the seat of all their past +enjoyments. My brothers appeared careless of quitting the land of their +fathers. They were hard working, hard thinking men, who valued nothing +except for its utility, and looked upon the affection with which memory +regards the scenes of its pleasures, as romantic nonsense, only fit to +delight children. But my father could not so readily get rid of the +impressions he had cherished from his infancy; with him the departure +from his home seemed a banishment from his happiness. He visited the +lands his forefathers had owned, but which had long passed from their +descendants. He walked in the fields he had ploughed and drilled and +harrowed since he was a boy, and he looked upon the trees he had +planted, and the buildings he had raised, as if he was taking a last +farewell of a company of ancient friends. As he approached the cemetery +in which lay the bones of his ancestors, his manly form seemed to lose +half its strength--his ruddy cheek grew pale--his step became feeble, +his eye dim, and his heart faint; and as he bared his head that the cool +breeze might fan the thin white hairs that played about his forehead, he +was obliged to lean against a monument to support his sinking form. Here +rested in peace the wife of his bosom and the mother of his children; +and he felt as if he was about to desert her remains to be trampled on +by strangers. He thought of where _his_ grave would be, and in the agony +of his heart lamented that two who had never been divided in life should +in death be placed so far apart. + +"I witnessed the sale of the land and stock; I assisted in packing up +the moveables; I was present when the neighbours came to bid farewell, +and to express their honest regrets; and after having beheld my family +turn their backs upon the habitation of their race, I hastened to +Optima, with the design of enjoying her sweet presence for the last +time, until I had parted with my father and my brothers at the nearest +sea-port. I came to the house of her relative and found it closed. +Having with some difficulty gained admittance, Optima rushed into my +arms, and wept upon my breast. It was not till a considerable time had +elapsed, that I ascertained what was the cause of her grief. Her aunt +had died the night previous. + +"After a lapse of a few weeks Optima became mine. On the day of our +marriage she placed a packet in my hands, and speaking in a voice broken +with emotion, she said:-- + +"'I have a favour to ask you, and I know on such a day as this you +cannot deny me. Take this, dear Ardent, and make whatever use of it you +think proper. Your heart is yearning to join your relatives; be assured +that wherever you wish to go I desire to follow. I cannot be happy but +where your happiness may be best secured. I am indifferent to country +and to kindred,--I can acknowledge no relative but a husband, and can +know of no country except that in which I find his home. Whenever your +preparations are made, dear Ardent, I am ready.' + +"I kissed off the tears that were trembling on her eyelids, and in +brief but eloquent language expressed the love with which my heart was +overflowing. The packet contained a sum of money amply sufficient for +our purposes. Having by letter previously apprised my family of these +circumstances, they delayed their departure; and after providing every +thing that was necessary for the wants of agricultural emigrants, we all +set sail from the populous seaport Kangarootown, in a magnificent ship +fitted up in the most splendid manner, and carrying more than three +hundred passengers." + +"'No!' exclaimed half a dozen anxious listeners, starting up with horror +and surprise. + +"'Tis true!" replied the young man, in a voice scarcely audible. + +"The Lord ha' mercy on their miserable souls!" said Hearty. + +"We had not been many days out at sea," continued the narrator, "and +were busily and cheerfully employed in forming plans for the future, +when one evening, as soon as we had all retired to our berths, the +gas with which the interior of the ship was lighted, through some +carelessness had been suffered to escape, and it having caught fire, +the first alarm the passengers received was from finding themselves +surrounded by flames. There were but two or three boats belonging to the +vessel, to which there was immediately a general rush. Without waiting +to secure any of my property, I instantly hurried on deck with Optima, +and was so fortunate as to secure her and myself a place in the largest +boat. I shouted to my father and my brothers to join us, but as soon +as we were full the rope was cut, and we pulled from the burning ship +with all the strength of desperate men. As the flames rose up into the +rigging we could see hundreds running backwards and forwards, bewildered +and stupified by fear. One after another jumped into the remaining +boats, into which they crowded so rapidly that their own weight at once +sunk them to the bottom. Others in their frenzy leapt into the sea--the +rest retreated from the flames as they advanced, shrieking their own +knell, till the fire beginning to scorch their flesh they fell over +into the waves, or letting go their grasp of the ropes up which they +had climbed, sunk yelling with agony into the midst of the raging fire. +I saw nothing of my brothers. I imagine they perished in the smaller +boats. But while observing the destruction of the ship, I beheld, high +up the tallest mast, the figure of an old man--his white hair scorched +upon his brows--his blood-shot eyes bursting from their sockets--his +trembling limbs clinging to the rigging, screaming for mercy and for +help. I knew the form--the voice pierced my brain. I would have leapt +into the sea with the wild but fruitless hope of hastening to his +rescue, but I was forcibly held to my seat; and Optima, who had not +changed her position since I placed her in the boat, with her face upon +my breast and her arms round my neck, clung to me trembling with terror. +In a moment afterwards the flaming vessel disappeared. + +"We could scarcely congratulate ourselves upon our safety, for although +we had escaped being burnt to death, there seemed but little hope of our +being saved from drowning, or from starvation. There were thirty of us +closely packed together, not one of whom knew exactly how far we were +from land; few were clothed, and none had either provisions or water. My +feelings were of the most agonising description. I had seen my family +perish before my eyes without having the ability to render them the +slightest assistance--all their property and mine--all that the loving +kindness of Optima had enabled me to procure for our future wants, were +swallowed up in the devouring fire, and now I was left with her upon +the boundless ocean enjoying no other hope than that we should perish +together. Bitter as my reflections were, they grew almost insupportable +when I considered with what a dreadful fate the devotion of her I loved +would be rewarded. But she whose goodness had been thus cruelly turned +to evil seemed to think of nothing, and care for nothing, but for him +to whom she clung. At this instant when we were giving ourselves up to +despair, a light blazing from your ship proclaimed to us the joyful +intelligence that assistance was at hand. Then what a change came +upon us. The murmurs of complaint were turned to the loud shouts of +gladness; and so completely did we enter into the spirit of the moment, +that none noticed the rapid approach of the ship coming to our relief, +till she was just upon us. + +"We are saved, dearest!" I whispered. + +"Optima unclasped her arms, and took one of my hands in hers. Then came +the overwhelming crush of the great ship--a shout--a scream--and her +keel passed over us. The shock came so unexpected that none had time to +think of the danger, and we were gasping and struggling in the water +before we were aware of the accident. I made a snatch at what I thought +was the sinking form of Optima, but soon I found out the dreadful +mistake. It was a strong man, who being no swimmer caught hold of my +limbs with a desperate grasp that nothing but death could relax. In vain +I strove to shake him off--I struggled--I fought--I kicked in vain. He +held me as a serpent holds its prey. The thought of my beloved sinking +into the bowels of the great deep, deserted by him whose happiness she +had ever striven to secure, nerved my arms with a giant's strength, and +catching the drowning wretch by the throat, I squeezed the breath out +of his miserable body, hurled him from me as if he had been a loathsome +reptile, and then struck out into the sea, swimming in various +directions, shouting her name in every tone of agony--plunging, diving, +and beating the waters with the fierce energy of a madman. My heart sunk +within me--my strength was exhausted. I felt the terrible conviction, +that for me there was no hope--and resigned myself to the cold embraces +of the relentless wave. Of what afterwards occurred I know not, till I +found myself on board the Albatross, recovered from the jaws of death by +the kind and unceasing attention of her friendly crew. But do not think +me ungrateful, when, reflecting upon the dreadful loss I have endured, +and the wretched fate to which I have been left, I express a regret that +my life has been spared." + +"Scrunch me, if I ar'nt springing a leak as no pump can stop!" exclaimed +Climberkin, as soon as the stranger had concluded his narrative, as +he wiped with his knuckles the big tears out of the corners of his +eyes;--an example which was followed by many of his shipmates. + +"May I go to sea in a cockle shell, if ever I heard o' any thin' so +cruel molloncholy," said Boggle; "my eyes are like sieves catching +a thunder shower. But a fellow who can listen to such a tarnation +heart-twister as this here without runnin' out like a water spout, must +have the soul o' a nigger." + +"Soul ob a nigger!" exclaimed the fat cook, furiously, while the drops +that ran down his black cheeks evinced his sympathy for the sufferings +he had heard. + +"Soul ob a nigger!--What da debble you mean, you fellar! Tink a nigger +no heart--tink him hab no sensebillity, you fellar?" Then turning to the +stranger, he said, as well as his sobs would allow, "Roly Poly berry +much feel for you Sar, oo, oo!--Hard ting to lose him missee, Sar, oo, +oo!--Roly Poly in lub himself once, Sar.--Lubly cretur too, oo, oo!--She +had de dropsy, Sar.--Doctor nebber make her no better, so she turn her +nose against de wall and die like a lamb, oo, oo, oo!" And away the +poor fellow went, sobbing as if his heart would break. + +"Well, whip me into eel skins, if I sees the fun o' givin' a fellow the +miserables!" exclaimed Scrumpydike, gulping down a deep draught of the +liquor before him; "I seed many a sight worser nor what you've been +telling on us, mister,--and ar'nt a thought it worth while to say +nothin' to nobody about it. There ar'nt no sort o' life as produces so +many wonderfuls as that o' a free mariner. Once upon a time I was taken +prisoner with some other chaps, and kept aboard one o' them darin' +crafts what goes bang at any thin' as comes in their track--and I seed +sich jollifications--sich junkettings--sich cargoes o' grog--and sich +chests o' money, as I never had afore a wink o' a notion on. There +they were, dancin' and singin', and rollin' in riches--caring for +nobody--doing whatever they had a mind--every one o' the crew a cap'ain, +and the cap'ain a prince; and whenever they had a brush, which was as +often as they fell in with anythin' worth havin', at it they went, +harem scarem--carryin' every thin' afore 'em--cuttin' down and blowin' +up, and sinkin' or seizin' the richest ships as sailed in them seas. +Scrunch me, if they did'nt seem as happy as periwinkles on a rock." + +"No doubt," observed Boggle; "and I ar'nt afeard to say, as many a +honest naval would become a free mariner, if he had'nt the gumption to +reccomember he was consiserable sure o' a sartainty o' being hanged." + +"Either hanged or drowned, or spiflicated in some other unnat'ral +manner," added Hearty; "and not without desarvin' on 't. None o' sich +scum ever died in a honest fashion. Now in the course o' my sperience, I +knowed a smartish lot consarnin' the notorious sea-sharks, Cap'ain Death +and his Lef'tenant Rifle, and----" + +"Did you know 'em?" inquired Scrumpydike, eagerly, fixing a searching +look upon the old man. + +"No, I did'nt exactly know 'em, but I knowed a good deal _on_ 'em; and +if ever I comes upon their tack, with a few other honest chaps as +knows how to give and take, if I don't leave my mark on some o' their +figure-heads, I ha' lost all notion o' hand-writing;" said Hearty. + +"Well, you may chance to come alongside on 'em afore you're aware, and +then you'd best look out for squalls, old boy;" observed the other. + +"I ar'nt afeard o' that. But as I was a sayin', these here varmint were +'sociated wi' a gang o' similar bloody-minded villains, and in a well +armed craft which they'd got hold on, by no partic'lar honesty I'll be +bound, they went a robbin' and plund'rin, and burnin' and massacr'in', +every ship as they came anigh, till at last flesh and blood couldn't +stand any sich howdacity--so two or three smartish vessels, full o' +chaps o' the right sort, steered into their haunts, and there they kept +cruising about in hopes o' coming to close quarters. But somehow or +other they hadn't no sich luck. At last, when they began to calc'late +as Cap'ain Death had given them the slip, one o' the ships diskivered +a strange sail--and she was narrowly watched, hoping she might prove +to contain the 'dentical set o' murd'rin' vagabonds they was arter. +Suspicions becoming pretty strong, signals were made to her consorts to +take a long sweep, so as to circumvent the villains so reg'larly as they +couldn't escape no how. But that 'ere Cap'ain Death was no goslin'. He +seed the canouvres they was a going about, hung out ev'ry bit o' canvass +he could carry, and cut his precious stick like winkin! Howsomdever, +he war'nt awake to the movement till they came rollin' up to him in a +manner quite lovely to look on; and then they showed that they was as +good hands at followin' as he was at runnin' away. The chase was carried +on for a matter o' six hours, in sich a style as made him look behind +oftener than he looked afore; and for all he went on this tack, and on +t'other tack, and tried all sorts o' games to get out o' the way, they +came so near as to be able to give him a pretty considerable taste o' +their quality. Well, as night began to set in, there came on one o' the +most thund'rin' storms as ever was--the wind blowed away as if it would +shiver its own bellows into saw-dust, and the sea came up mountains +high, in a manner it was more grand than pleasant to look on. The +vessels in chase, finding themselves close upon an ugly sort of a +coast, were obligated to keep out at sea as much as possible; but they +endeavoured to keep such a look out as would prevent the villains from +making themselves scarce afore morning. Well, when the mornin' broke all +as clear as if there'd never been no rumpus--our ship--for, mind ye, I +volunteered a purpose to have a rap at some on 'em--our ship and her +consorts, who'd rode out the gale with nothin' but the loss o' a few +spars, approached the shore for the purpose o' making secure o' Cap'ain +Death, but the very first thing they clapped their blessed eyes on, was +the ship they'd been in chase lyin' a perfect wreck among the breakers, +making it a right down positive stark staring fact that every mother's +son o' the gallows birds that belonged to her were feeding the crabs and +lobsters, and sich like." + +"Then they were all drowned!" said Climberkin. + +"Nothin's been heard o' any on 'em from that day to this;" replied +Hearty. + +"But war'nt there a sort o' song which 'twas said the crew of the ship +used to sing?" enquired Climberkin. + +"To be sure there was," cried Scrumpydike, who had for some time looked +more gloomy than usual; "I've heard it many's a time; and if you've a +mind to listen, though I ar'nt no great shakes o' a singing bird, I'll +give you the only original version as used to be sung by the free +mariners." + +"I don't want to hear none o' such villainous ditties!" exclaimed +Hearty, as he left the circle. + +"Who axed you, old Snapdragon?" responded the other, and presently with +more animation than music, sung the following words:-- + + "Our ship sails on the wave, + On the wave, on the wave, + Our ship sails on the wave, Captain Death! + For free mariners are we, and we ride the stormy sea, + And our captain still shall be, + Captain Death! Captain Death! + Our captain still shall be Captain Death! + + "Our black flag proudly floats, + Proudly floats, proudly floats, + Our black flag proudly floats, Captain Death! + And down upon the prey, we boldly bear away, + And we quickly make them pay, + Captain Death! Captain Death! + We quickly make them pay, Captain Death! + + "We stifle ev'ry cry, + Ev'ry cry, ev'ry cry, + We stifle ev'ry cry, Captain Death! + And then we spread our sails, that are filled with welcome gales: + Singing, 'Dead men tell no tales, + Captain Death! Captain Death!' + Singing, 'Dead men tell no tales, Captain Death!' + + "Bring out our golden store, + Golden store, golden store; + Bring out our golden store, Captain Death! + And let's send the wine-cup round, to forget the dead and drown'd, + And rejoice _we're_ safe and sound, + Captain Death! Captain Death! + And rejoice _we're_ safe and sound, Captain Death! + + "Thus pass our gallant lives, + Gallant lives, gallant lives, + Thus pass our gallant lives, Captain Death! + And while the ocean flows, and the driving tempest blows, + We'll live upon our foes, + Captain Death! Captain Death! + We'll live upon our foes, Captain Death!" + + + + +CHAP. VI. + +APPEARANCE OF THE AFRICAN COAST. + + +Zabra had by this time become more familiar to the people of the +Albatross, with some of whom his kindness and generosity made him an +especial favourite. They had ceased to see any thing supernatural in his +large lustrous eyes,--and had forgot that there was any thing mysterious +in the dark colour of his complexion. His solitary wanderings about the +ship created neither fear nor surprise, and the rich harmonies of his +music were listened to with much more admiration than dread. Loop, a +boy belonging to the vessel, who was a sister's son of Hearty, had been +attacked with fever, and the attentions of Zabra, during his illness, +won not only the heart of the old man, but that of every one on board. +He procured for him every kind of nourishing food and refreshing +beverage, that the Doctor would allow; took care that he should possess +every comfort that the vessel contained; sung to him, played to him, and +stayed beside his hammock for hours and hours, seeking to while away the +tedious moments of indisposition. Oriel Porphyry having desired that he +should be treated by every one as if he was his brother, instead of his +attendant, Zabra found his slightest request always promptly attended +to; and, though his manner was somewhat proud, as he seemed to possess +abundant funds for every purpose, and gave liberally whenever he thought +it was requisite, scarcely any one in the ship ever hesitated in joining +in his praise. + +The boy Loop got well, and he was not ungrateful. As for old Hearty, +nothing could exceed his devotion to his nephew's benefactor. To every +listener he could lay hold of, he narrated at length all that he knew +of the youth's history, since he came on board: the people, rescued +from the fire-ship, were in due time made familiar with every anecdote +concerning him with which the old man was acquainted; and to no one were +his details of more interest than to the young Australian, Ardent, who +sometimes appeared to forget his own sorrows while attentive to the +unpolished eloquence of the honest sailor. From this time Zabra became +an object of general interest. Even Captain Compass seemed to look upon +him with something like respect; Scrumpydike had ceased to entertain +against him any hostile intentions; and Log, the captain's clerk, was +heard to acquiesce in the opinion of his shipmates, with an affirmative +repeated with the usual supply of adjectives. + +But to Oriel Porphyry the admirable qualities of his page became every +day more and more apparent. In the frequent conversations that took +place between them, he could not but observe the developement of a mind +of the highest order. It was not a mind impregnated with the heavy +spirit of bookish learning, but an intelligence of a lighter, a more +graceful, and a more original nature, replete with a sweet sympathy, +and a lofty enthusiasm for all that was noble, good and beautiful; +and throwing over the youthful figure and handsome countenance of its +possessor, a poetical and romantic character, that was both a wonder +and a charm to his companion. Zabra spoke of Eureka as if he had become +acquainted with her most hidden thoughts, and had been constituted their +interpreter; but of himself he never spoke. When Oriel seemed desirous +of learning something of his history, he appeared uneasy, and +immediately attempted to turn the conversation into another channel. +This was noticed; but the unwillingness of the young Creole to speak of +himself, Oriel attributed to the disinclination usually shown by natural +children to allude to their own illegitimacy, knowing the unreasonable +and cruel prejudices of society: therefore he ceased to desire from him +any information on the subject. Still, his youth,--the singular beauty +of his countenance, and the strange interest it often expressed, made +him imagine that there was some mystery connected with him. + +As he treated Zabra with the utmost confidence, and appreciated the +intelligence he evinced, Oriel Porphyry communicated to him the contents +of his father's letter. + +"Your father is a noble character," he exclaimed with fervour; "and the +proudest title of which you ought to boast, is that of being his son. +I never could have supposed that it was possible for such nobility +to reside in a spirit devoted to the mere money-getting purposes of +traffic, but I have been educated in an aristocratic school, and with +its lofty principles I have imbibed some of its illiberal prejudices. +I would _my_ father had been such a one--I should not have been the +fugitive I am." + +"Express no regrets, Zabra. Let it be my pleasing task to see that your +fortunes are worthy of your merits;" said Oriel Porphyry, affectionately +taking in his the hand of his youthful companion. "And although I have +not much reason to think well of the proud Philadelphia, for his conduct +has not been such as would be likely to inspire me either with affection +or respect; when I think of his relationship to her whose genuine worth +it is impossible not to appreciate, I cannot regard the unfavourableness +of his disposition." + +"Eureka is not unmindful of your kind feelings towards her;" observed +the other in a more tremulous voice than he had hitherto used. "It is +her desire to deserve your affections, that has supported her under many +trials. Her father is proud, but not so proud as Eureka. Yet there is an +impassable gulf between the pride of the two. He would sacrifice every +one around him for the immediate gratification of his own self-love: +she would sacrifice all selfish considerations that interfered with the +happiness of one she loved." + +"And think you I cannot honour such goodness in the manner it deserves?" +asked the merchant's son. "Let him be what he will--let his pride be as +mean, and his ambition as selfish as it may, for the sake of Eureka I +will endeavour to forget his unworthiness. All I hope is, that he will +not attempt to force her inclinations to an alliance more pleasing to +him." + +"He cannot force her inclinations--that he knows;" remarked Zabra. "He +has made the attempt for the first and last time; and Eureka is now +beyond his reach." + +"Indeed!" exclaimed Oriel with astonishment. + +"Ay!" he replied. "He thought the more completely to secure your +separation from her, to hurry her into a marriage with the wealthy and +powerful head of the princely house of Vermont; but the character of +such a man, had no other obstacle existed, would have been sufficient +to have produced in her feelings a repugnance which nothing could +overpower. As it was, she indignantly refused to become a sacrifice to +her father's ambition. Her sentiments, however, on the subject, were so +little regarded by him, that he made preparations to compel her to the +union." + +"Ha!" exclaimed master Porphyry, "I could not have imagined such +despotism in a parent." + +"Closely as she was watched," he continued, "Eureka managed to escape +from her confinement; and when she sent me to be the companion of your +fortunes, she had secured for herself the asylum she required." + +"But where is she? Let me hasten to afford her the protection of which +she must be so much in want!" exclaimed the impetuous Oriel; then +reproachfully added, "Why, why did you not tell me this before?" + +"I have obeyed my instructions;" replied the youth calmly. "It is +sufficient for you to know that now she is safe, and that she is in the +enjoyment of as much happiness as it is possible for her to obtain under +the circumstances. Her retreat can only be made known to you when all +the purposes of the present voyage are completed, and you return to +Columbus." + +"But can I not communicate with her? will she not write to me?" eagerly +inquired the other. + +"Be satisfied that it is impossible she should forget you, and endeavour +to prove to her without the aids of continual correspondence, that in +your affection the same durability exists." + +"I will! I will!" cried Oriel; "I will do all she would have me. I will +follow the plan my father has laid out, even to the minutest details; +will try to find patience for its endurance by thinking of the blissful +result with which it will be crowned. We are now approaching the +southern coast of Africa," he continued after a pause of some duration, +which neither had attempted to interrupt; "and my immediate destination +Caffreton, the great mart of traffic in this part of the world is the +first point of my commercial voyage. My father has written me very full +instructions which I have carefully studied, and you will shortly see, +Zabra, how well I shall be able to play the merchant." + +They had been standing together on the deck gazing upon the world of +waters before them during the preceding dialogue, and were now silently +observing the progress of some distant vessels, when they were joined by +the learned Professor Fortyfolios. Addressing Oriel, he said-- + +"That portion of land you observe yonder, rising out of the sea, is an +important Cape, well known in the annals of navigation, and was called +by the ancients the Cape of Good Hope. It used to be celebrated for +producing an inferior wine, called Cape Wine, which being cheap, as it +was worthless, was brought in considerable quantities for the purpose +either of adulterating wines of a higher value, or was palmed upon the +ignorant as the produce of a different vintage. The English, a people +with whose history you are doubtless familiar, though not wine growers, +were the greatest wine consumers of that period, and it was the immense +demand for this necessary of life among that people, which the wines of +Spain, Portugal, Sicily, Italy, France, Germany, and other countries, +could not sufficiently supply, that brought this Cape into notice. The +African wines are now remarkable for their admirable qualities. That it +was the search after new liquors that sent the English into this part of +the world chroniclers are not agreed, and that there were other wines +produced in the same locality much superior in flavour, I think is +more than probable, because I have found in the course of my reading, +eloquent commendation of an African wine, called Constantia, and I have +good reason for imagining that the deserts which the first voyagers +of that nation met with on some portions of the coast, when they +ascertained that a superior liquor was here procurable, originated the +English proverb 'Good wine needs no bush.' However, there can be no +doubt that the English planted a colony at this very Cape; gradually +drove the natives from their land as they increased in power and +numbers, till the whole continent from the Cape of Good Hope to +Alexandria, and from Abyssinia to Senegambia, acknowledged their sway, +and, in a great measure, spoke their language." + +"Truly, those English were a great people!" remarked Oriel. + +"They were so," said the Professor; "when we consider what they did, and +the means they had to do it, we must acknowledge that they deserve the +epithet, 'great.' At an early period of the world's history, England was +utterly unknown. In the times of Assyrian greatness, in the eras of +Babylon, of Jerusalem, and of Troy--and in the more brilliant ages of +the Greeks, the Romans, and the Carthaginians, such an island had never +been heard of--scarcely two thousand years had elapsed before this +speck upon the waters became the most powerful kingdom upon the earth. +She had possessions in every quarter of the globe; her conquering armies +had penetrated into the remotest regions, and her gallant navies had +triumphed in every sea. She had given a new people and a new language +to the vast continent of America; she had founded a new division of the +world in Australia; she had been acknowledged the mistress of the mighty +Indies; she had forced a path through deserts of perpetual ice, and +found a home in the scorching heat of the torrid zone. And by this time +what had become of the nations of a more remote antiquity? Of some, the +localities were not to be traced; others remained a heap of stones. The +Carthaginians were extinct--the free and noble Greeks had become slaves +or pirates--and the daring Romans, who boasted having conquered the +world, were an ignoble emasculated race, confined to a single city and +its suburbs, and governed by a despotic old woman in the shape of a +priest." + +"The form of government under which the people of this continent +exists, is republican, I believe;" observed Master Porphyry. + +"The whole is divided into a multitude of republics, some of which are +always at war with one another," replied his tutor; "and they show their +idea of liberty, of which they make the most preposterous boast, by +keeping up a system of slavery the most tyrannical and revolting that +can be imagined." + +"Ay, ay," exclaimed Captain Compass, coming up and joining in the +conversation; "it's the way of the world. Hear your most famous spouter +about the blessings of freedom and all that sort of thing, and ten to +one if you don't find him ready to domineer over every body beneath him. +When I hear a fellow mighty fine in his notions of universal liberty, I +always feel pretty certain that he only wants the power to trample on +the independence of all who might stand in the way of his particular +enjoyments. But this is all natural enough; the feeble are monstrously +indignant at the exercise of power in the hands of their rulers; but +when by any accident they become powerful, they all at once see the +advantages of keeping down those who are down, and in a very short time +become just as despotic as those of whom they complained." + +"What vessels are these, Captain?" inquired Oriel, pointing to several +ships, appearing at different distances in the open sea before them. + +"Yonder vessel, whose tall masts are bending before the brisk breeze +that fills her sails, is an Algerine merchantman, and has most probably +a cargo of dancing masters, cooks, figurantes, and opera singers, which +are as much now the chief produce of the people to whom she belongs, +as they were a thousand years ago the principal exports of their +progenitors. That sombre thing, with the long funnel in the centre of +her deck, is very similar to the steamers of which the ancients were so +proud, before an improved propelling power was discovered. She belongs +to the Abyssinians--a people remarkably slow in adopting the inventions +of their more civilised neighbours; she trades from the sea of Babel +Mandeb to the Gulph of Guinea, sometimes touching at Madagascar, and +the neighbouring islands, and carries passengers, pigs, crockery, and +snuff. This rakish looking craft, flying afore the wind like a petrel in +a storm, is a free trader with a rich cargo of smuggled merchandise from +the continent to the Mauritius; and the big ship yonder, bearing down +upon us as if she'd sink every thing that stood in her way, is a man of +war belonging to the Liberians--a powerful nation of blacks. All these +small fry that are starting up from every point, are merely coasting +vessels--government packets,--fishing smacks--pilot boats,--pleasure +yachts, and other floaters of a similar nature." + +"But what is this?" inquired Oriel, pointing to something of a very +strange appearance that was seen at the distance of about three quarters +of a mile, making way at a rapid rate towards the shore. They all gazed +in that direction, and a most extraordinary spectacle they beheld. At +first it seemed like a ball--but as it approached the ship it enlarged, +and every one who saw it knew it to be a balloon. How it came there, +floating on the waves by itself, many conjectured; but their surprise +at its appearance was wonderfully increased, when they observed a man, +with his body immersed in the waves, clinging to it, or more probably +attached to its fastenings. His peril he endeavoured to make known +by screams of the most piercing description; but it was not till the +miserable wretch was being rapidly borne past their vessel that the +people of the Albatross discovered the full extent of his danger. For at +least half a mile behind him the sea was a mass of white smoking foam, +which was created by nearly a hundred immense sharks following him with +eager speed, lashing the waves with their tails, leaping over each +other, plunging, snorting, and displaying the most ravenous desire to +catch him in their enormous jaws. Sometimes the balloon ascended a +little distance above the sea and then would rapidly descend, plunging +the unhappy aeronaut over his head in the salt water; but while the +sharks were all striving against each other to make a mouthful of his +limbs, it would again ascend, floating swiftly over the surface, bearing +its screaming appendant about a foot above his unrelenting pursuers, +who continued to follow him struggling furiously with each other, and +eagerly snapping at his limbs whenever they approached the surface of +the water. It was impossible to render him any assistance, although he +passed within a few yards of the ship, he was carried so swiftly along; +and on he went, shrieking with agony, now high above the waves--then +dashed in beneath them--then flying over the surface, with the horrid +expectation of being immediately devoured by the hungry pack by whom he +was pursued. + +"Scrunch me, if that isn't the most cruel chase I ever saw," exclaimed +the captain. + +"These sort of accidents are not at all extraordinary," observed +Fortyfolios, "and with such things must frequently occur. Balloons are +an old invention, and one the least useful for philosophical purposes +of any we have received from the ancients. Attempts have been made, +attended with success, to get one or several individuals borne by +them from an island to an adjoining continent, and from one part of a +continent to a part far remote; but as they have found it impossible to +control the current of wind met with in certain elevations, and as they +can seldom rely upon a current in any one direction lasting for any +length of time, they have been able to rise as high as they please, but +can never previously fix exactly upon the place of their descent; and it +has in many instances occurred, as in the one we have just now observed, +that after the aeronaut has made his ascent, a sudden wind takes him in +a direction contrary to what he designed, or various currents rising +unexpectedly at nearly the same time, he is shifted about to every +point of the compass; and when he is obliged to descend, he finds +himself floating over some unknown sea, or some wild uncultivated land, +hundreds of miles from human assistance, where he is left to endure +the conviction that he must either be drowned or starved. A balloon +is, in fact, a toy, with which one fool amuses many." + +Nothing more was said on the subject, although the dangerous situation +of the poor fellow who had attached himself to the balloon was +anxiously watched as long as he remained in sight, and the imminent +peril in which he was seen: his heart-rending cries, and desperate +struggles, long left their unpleasant impression on the memory of all +who beheld him. + +The bold outline of the coast they were approaching every hour became +more apparent: its singular mountain and other landmarks were seen, +pointed out, and commented on. Birds flew into the rigging--weeds +accumulated before the ship--and stray logs of timber, broken barrels, +and pieces of wreck, were continually floating past. The character of +the scenery now began to be clearly defined--the lowlands spreading out +far and wide into the interior, intersected by numerous railroads, and +the mountains holding up their proud heads covered with vegetation +nearly to their summits. The more the country became visible, the +greater was the evidence it exhibited of a high degree of cultivation, +a fruitful soil, and a numerous and industrious population; and as +buildings began to be made out, it was observable from their form, +numbers, and disposition, that manufactures was a primary object in the +estimation of the inhabitants. + +"You will find these people a money-getting generation," said the +professor to his pupil: "their sole object appears to be to accumulate, +and their only idea of the respectability of a person is derived from +the proportion of substance he is worth. They never ask, is a man an +excellent husband, an exemplary father, or an admirable citizen?--is he +distinguished by the attention with which he fulfils his moral duties, +or celebrated by the right application of extraordinary talents? they +merely inquire how much money he has in his pockets. In fact, when they +speak at all of 'a good man,' they allude to some individual imagined to +be possessed of a certain amount of available property: money with them +is every thing. Respectability means money--reputation or credit means +money, and cleverness means money. Money, therefore, is the universal +virtue: they who have the most are honoured the most, and they who have +it not at all are considered by those who have it, although in ever so +small a proportion, as being separated from their fellow-creatures by +an impassable chasm, where all that is infamous is thought to dwell." + +"And yet they are considered to be a very religious people," remarked +Oriel. + +"None are more regular in going to church, none are greater respecters +of the ceremonies of worship, but of religion they are ignorant," +replied Fortyfolios. "Nothing can be more certain than that it is +impossible that a pure morality or a sincere devotion can exist, when +the heart is filled with one engrossing desire--the accumulation of +capital--the very principle of which is selfishness--a feeling +incompatible with the social charities of true religion." + +"But when did you ever find that any thing like true religion generally +existed?" inquired the captain, in a tone approaching sarcasm. "Since +the memory of man the faith of the majority has been unvaryingly +orthodox, and sticks, like a lobster to its shell, to the old proverb, +'Every one for himself, and the devil take the hindmost,'--and more +absurd conduct doesn't exist than some people exhibit, who, after +having made money a standard of excellence, condemn to infamy not only +those who are not possessed of it, but they who gain it by means not in +exact accordance with their notions of the way it should be obtained. +Scrunch me, if it don't make one ready to heave one's ballast overboard, +when I see the homage paid to a mean-spirited scoundrel, who by +chicanery, hypocrisy, avarice, and a horde of other contemptible vices, +robs his fellows of a pretty handsome share of plunder; and hear the +execrations heaped upon the bolder and better villain, who lays society +under contributions in a more open, manly, and daring manner. They +pretend to notions of honesty, too, that's the joke. Why a fish would +laugh at a thing so ridiculous. The government in their necessity +take from the people, and those who can't afford to pay they send to +prison--an individual in his necessity takes from another, and the very +government who set the example of appropriation punish the appropriator +as an offender. Then governments plunder each other, or rather the +people of each other; but when any of the people attempt to rob their +governments, they judge, hang, draw and quarter the poor wretches +without the slightest mercy. Honesty, forsooth! If the whole world were +asked what the meaning of the word was, every man would give a different +definition, and not only would each contradict the other, but every one +would contradict himself. Honesty appears to be of all shapes and all +sizes: it will suit all complexions--it will flavour every dish. Honesty +is every thing, and yet it is nothing. It is neither fish, flesh, +nor fowl--will neither sink nor swim--and is not to be touched, seen, +or tasted. Honesty is every where--the greatest rogue is honest to +his chosen associates--and yet it is no where, for the desire of +appropriation is universal. It is a sort of ghost that only exists in +the minds of the superstitious--a mirror that shows any reflection +thrown upon it--a sky that all over the world can take every variety of +colour. Some call it truth, and lay claim to its possession, although +their lives are a continual deceit; some call it justice, and fancy +themselves exceedingly just, although they would consign to eternal +perdition all not exactly of their way of thinking; and some call it +conscientiousness, and are satisfied with their own dealings, when, +at the same time, their first thought is for their own personal +gratification. But we are entering the bay, and these fellows require +looking after." So saying, he suddenly left the group, and began +shouting to the crew some orders about the ship. + +"Captain Compass has singular notions," remarked the professor: "I +should not feel particularly comfortable if I thought he entertained +the opinions he expresses. There would be an end to all sense of moral +obligations if such ideas became general." + +"Oh there is no harm in him," replied Oriel. "He is too frank, too +careless, too bold to have any evil intention. It has often appeared to +me, though, that the principle we call honesty does not exist either in +ourselves or in society to the extent we imagine; and believing such a +state of things an evil, I have often wished, but never been able, to +find a way in which it could be remedied." + +"It is an evil, undoubtedly," here observed Doctor Tourniquet, who had +for some time been an attentive but silent listener--"and there is but +one way in which it can be completely removed." + +"And how is that way to be found?" inquired Oriel Porphyry. + +"The cause of this want of a definite unvarying character in our notion +of honesty," said the Doctor, "may be traced to the present and past +construction of society, where each individual has a separate interest, +exists in a state of competition with the others, and must always be +endeavouring to shape his own notions of right to his own exclusive +advantage: were property a fund in common from which each might be +allowed to take what he pleased--there being no individual interests, +the world would be one family, and there could be no dishonesty in +openly appropriating that to which he had an acknowledged right, don't +you see." + +"Preposterous!" exclaimed Fortyfolios. + +"An impossible state of things, I should think," added his pupil. + +"Nothing more reasonable, and nothing more easy," replied the Doctor. +"Let every one in a community labour equally according to his physical +or mental powers--every kind of labour being productive will produce +every thing in abundance--this abundance having been produced must +supply every want--every want being gratified at the suggestion of the +inclination, there remains nothing to desire--and as all have an equal +right to appropriate as much as they require for the gratification of +their inclinations, by having equally, according to their abilities, +assisted in producing the abundance they enjoy, no desire in which they +might think fit to indulge could ever take the appearance of an act of +dishonesty, don't you see." + +"Ridiculous!" exclaimed the professor. + +"But how in the present state of society can you get such notions +adopted?" inquired Oriel. + +"Either by educating children from the earliest age into the application +of these social principles, or by constituting communities apart from +the general mass, who will exist within themselves by the same manner +of life, till, as the advantages of such a state of society become +universally evident, it is adopted by the whole population," said the +Doctor. + +"The thing has been tried times out of number," remarked Fortyfolios, +contemptuously, "and has always lingered a short time and then died, +with very little regret on the part of those for whose superior +happiness it was created. It is based upon an idea of equality, which +idea has no personal existence in nature. No matter how carefully the +young mind is schooled, there will always be some superiority somewhere. +In muscular energy, in mental power, in ingenuity, in quickness of +comprehension, and in the skilful adaptation of means to an end--even +in the natural desires and susceptibilities--even in acquired habits of +industry, and self-denial, in all societies, some will be found greater +than others, and these will endeavour to rise above the equality by +which they are surrounded; perhaps they will succeed, and then the +homogeneousness of the community is soon destroyed; perhaps they will +fail, and then their more exalted natures must be crushed down to the +Procrustean bed of their associates. Equality can only be a state of +general mediocrity. Could we imagine such a social organisation, what +would become of the worship of superior greatness that leads men to +become great? With what feelings would exist, could they exist under +such circumstances, those commanding intellects whose supremacy should +be acknowledged by all who love knowledge, and virtue, and humanity, at +finding themselves classed with the mere breaker of the clod, a creature +without an idea, whose only quality, that of strength and fitness for a +certain labour, he shares with brutes and with machines; who eats and +drinks, and sleeps and dies, and then makes room for another of the same +class? Must they also become hewers of wood and drawers of water for +the benefit of their fellows? With as much probability of a beneficial +result might an attempt be made to force the ploughman, the shepherd, +the mechanic, and the domestic servant, to become a sculptor, a +philologist, a musician, and a philosopher." + +What Doctor Tourniquet might have replied, it is impossible now to +relate, as the Albatross at that moment was boarded by the port-officers +who came to examine the state of health of the ship and the cargo with +which she was laden; and as she was expected shortly to drop her anchor +among the shipping with which she was now surrounded, those who designed +to land proceeded to make the necessary preparations. + + + + +CHAP. VII. + +CAFFRETON, THE METROPOLIS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA. + + +In a large heavy building on the banks of a canal in the city of +Caffreton, all seemed bustle and confusion: barges were at the water +side unloading, and at the land side were waggons being filled with +packages for conveyance into the interior by the rail-roads, and others +starting off heavily laden to supply the traders in the town and +neighbourhood. A considerable number of black slaves were actively +employed in assisting the goods from the barges to the stores, and +from the stores to the waggons; who jostled, shouted, and chattered +apparently with as much noise as they could make; two or three white +men were seen among them giving orders in a loud voice to their dark +associates, and seeing that their commands were promptly attended to. +Under a gloomy archway, which led from the street to the water side were +doors opposite each other. One of these, after passing through a long +warehouse filled with articles of merchandise of every description, +in the midst of which were several slaves of both sexes engaged in +weighing, measuring, and packing parcels of various sizes, led into a +counting house, in which about a dozen blacks, principally young ones, +much better dressed than those in the warehouse, were writing in large +books; and beyond this was a much smaller room, furnished with maps and +a few cumbrous books, wherein two men were seated opposite each other; +one a tall, thin, sharp visaged man about forty, whose features +expressed an extraordinary degree of fear and servility, was reading a +newspaper, and the other, who appeared considerably older, was short +and corpulent, had a dark complexion, and a look of mingled cunning and +fierceness, sat leaning back against a huge arm chair, with an open +ledger on the table before him. + +"Foreign stock rising, eh!" inquired the latter. + +"Yes, sir," replied the other, glancing his eye over the paper, +"particularly Columbian and Australian." + +"How goes the share market?" + +"Brisk, sir, in many things--Gondar Railroad at a premium--Congo Canal +at 125-3/8--Ashantee Salt Company, 105-1/2--Mocaranga Timber, +109--Biafra Gold Mines, 200." + +"Capital!" exclaimed the elder, rubbing his hands together briskly, and +his forbidding features assuming an expression of intense gratification. +"I shall do well by my speculations there;--but how goes the Madagascar +Silkworm Company?" + +"Down to 45, sir," replied the thin man. + +"Bankrupt and jails! you scoundrel, it can't be," furiously exclaimed +the other. + +"It is so here, sir," said his companion humbly. + +"Then my eternal malediction rest on all silk worms. I've lost some +thousands. But you haven't said any thing about the Timbuctoo Beet-root +Sugar." + +"Down to 22, sir." + +"You rascal, you're trying to put me in a passion; you're inventing +that, because you know I've invested large sums in that affair. I'll +have you whipped like a slave if you don't tell me the truth." + +"It is so here, sir," said the man trembling, and turning pale. + +"Then the Caffreton Universal Intelligence is a universal liar!" +screamed the other in a rage. "Why, if it's true, I've lost all I gained +by the indigo and cochineal job. It's a bad business, Mr. Quagga. +There's cheating in it! There's ruination in it! I shall be laughed at +on 'Change. My solvency will be suspected--my credit diminish;--but go +on, Mr. Quagga--go on, I'm perfectly cool--I'm not going to put myself +out of temper by such a loss, don't think it. In the name of poverty, +why don't you go on, Mr. Quagga?" thundered out the principal. + +"Wer--wer--wer--wer--what shall I read next sir?" inquired his servant +as plainly as his fright would allow. + +"Read the arrivals, you stuttering, stupid blockhead," cried the +broker. + +"Arrived in the bay, the Sultan from Cairo, Selim, master." + +"Nothing for me." + +"The Golden Horn, from Stamboul, Mahmoud, master:--twenty chests of +opium, consigned by Mandragora and Poppy." + +"Send some one to see it warehoused in the docks." + +"Yes, sir," said the clerk, respectfully. + +"What next?" + +"The Hellas, from Smyrna, Mavricordato, master." + +"Nothing for me. Cargo of figs and raisins, from Drum and Company." + +"The Albatross, from Columbus, Compass, master." + +"Look to that, Quagga--look to that. She belongs to Master Porphyry, the +richest merchant in the whole world. Her cargo is of great value. By +last advices from my correspondent, expect some bales of rich +fabrics.--Go on, Quagga." + +"There's a paragraph, here, sir, that seems to relate to that vessel." + +"Read it, Quagga." + +"'In the Albatross, arrived in our harbour, comes the only son of +the great merchant, Master Porphyry, whose name is in such high +estimation in every part of the civilised world for his wealth and his +philanthropy. It is said that he has come out on a commercial voyage, +and that it was Master Porphyry's desire that his son should visit +some of the most celebrated places of traffic in various parts of the +globe.'" + +"Very good, except philanthropy, which is all humbug, you know, Quagga," +observed the broker, "a bad spec--a dead loss.--We must look after +him"--and the face of the master seemed to glance more pleasantly upon +his servant.--"Well, what provincial news?" he asked, after a pause. + +"'We regret to inform our readers, that the respectable banking house of +Mangel Wurzel, Carrots, and Co., at Lattakoo, have stopped payment.'" + +"Stopped payment, you rascal!" shouted the broker, his face becoming +purple with rage. "How dare you tell me Mangel Wurzel and Co. have +stopped payment? It's all a conspiracy--a base invention--a lie--a +cheat! You know I've got all the payments made to me per the +Springbok--on account of that fine gang of Hottentots--in their wretched +paper. I'll have you hanged, you scoundrel, for deceiving me. I'll----" + +Here the torrent of his indignation was interrupted by one of the young +slaves from the counting-house showing himself at the door. + +"Well, you imp of darkness! what do you want?" he cried. + +"Cap'ain Gumpas, sar, want to peak wi' you," said the young Hottentot. + +"Who, scoundrel?" + +"Cap'ain Gumpass, sar, ship Albatross." + +"Admit him, instantly." + +The slave disappeared, and so did the broker's passion. + +In a moment afterwards the door opened, and a tall man, of rather +handsome exterior, whom it would have been impossible to have +recognised as the Captain Compass of the Albatross, had it not been +for a peculiar expression in the countenance--sarcastic, bold, and +treacherous--no one could mistake, entered the room. His whiskers had +disappeared, the colour of his hair had changed, and he looked a much +younger and better featured man than he appeared the day previous. As he +advanced, the broker seemed to gaze upon him with fear and wonder. + +"Well, old Boor, is this the hail I'm to meet after such a long cruise?" +cried the captain. + +Boor stared till his yellow eye-balls appeared starting out of his head. + +"Dockets and bad bills!" at last he exclaimed, with a long breath, +"surely it can't be you!" + +"But it is, though, old boy, and I'm afloat in the most slappish style," +replied the other. + +"But how did you escape, when----" + +"No matter," said the captain, interrupting his companion. "I'm come to +have a little bit of a confabulation with you about a matter that will +enrich us both." + +"This way, my good friend," hastily whispered the broker, leading his +associate cautiously to a little door at the further extremity of the +room, which opened into a smaller apartment, filled with iron safes, +papers, and books. "This way, captain--this way," added he; then turning +to his clerk, said, "Don't let me be interrupted, Quagga," as the door +opened and closed upon the pair: and there they remained in close +conference for a full hour, to the great mystification of the principal +clerk. When they returned, the features of the captain wore an air of +triumph, and the countenance of Boor expressed all the congratulation of +successful cunning. + +"Every thing shall be managed according to your desire, captain," he +remarked. + +"Be cautious," said the other. + +"Depend upon that," responded his companion. "You had better go out at +this side door." + +The captain was going out as directed, when he quickly asked, "When +shall I see you again?" + +"To-morrow night," replied his associate. + +"Agreed." + +When his visiter had taken his departure, the broker seemed to have +forgotten the losses that had affected him so much a short time +previous. His unprepossessing countenance appeared lit up with a +continual smile of inward satisfaction, as he leaned back upon his +chair, occasionally resting his hands upon his capacious stomach, then +crossing his arms--then leaning his chin upon his hand as if in deep +reflection, uttering such ejaculations as "capital scheme"--"hazardous +though"--"daring villain"--"worth the risk," and others of a similar +nature--till the wondering Quagga, neither daring to move or to speak, +began to imagine that his tyrannical master had lost the use of his +senses. At that moment the door opened again, and the same slave made +his appearance. + +"Ha, Beelzebub!" shouted Master Boor, "what now?" + +"Massa Porfry, sar, and young gennleman ob colour wish to peak wi' you," +said the youth. + +"Admit them," he exclaimed. Then in a lower tone said, "Coloured +persons! what can he mean by bringing such vermin here?" However, though +considering the introduction of such a person an indignity, the game he +had to play induced him for the present to forget his prejudices, and he +met his visitors with every appearance of cordiality. + +"Welcome to Caffreton, welcome to the sunny shores of Afrik;" he cried +as they advanced into the room. "The land of universal liberty.--Quagga, +tell those slaves if I hear them chattering again, I'll give them the +lash----!" + +"Yes, sir!" said Quagga; and immediately delivered the message. + +"The land of universal equality.--Quagga, you scoundrel! why don't you +get seats for the gentlemen----?" + +"Yes, sir!" said Quagga; and instantly did as he was desired. + +"And the land of universal freedom of conscience.--Quagga! tell Pipkin, +that if he doesn't choose to attend the same church as his master, I'll +thrash his soul out of his body." + +"Yes, sir," said Quagga; and Pipkin received the brutal command. + +Oriel Porphyry seemed in some degree amused by this exemplification of +liberty, equality, and freedom of conscience, but he said nothing; and +Zabra seemed intently observing the countenances of the clerk and his +master. + +"I hope your worthy father is well, sir," continued Boor. "Health's a +precious commodity--cannot be too highly prized. Quagga! is Nimbo in the +warehouse yet?" + +"No, sir; doctor says he can't stand," said the clerk. + +"Then tell him if he don't come down I'll make him," said his master +with ferocious emphasis. + +"Yes, sir;" replied the obedient Quagga. + +"Your father does a deal of good, sir, with his charities," he resumed. +"Ah! charity's a fine thing!--an admirable thing! I do a wonderful deal +of good myself that way sometimes. I give the poor all the bad coin +that comes into my hands. I do a deal of good I assure you. Your father +enjoys a great reputation for integrity in his dealings. Nothing like +it, sir;--It is always at a premium. Hope you will tread in your +father's footsteps; and if you should have a desire for speculating, I +trust the credit I possess will induce you to place confidence in me. I +should recommend you to invest largely in the shares of the Madagascar +Silk Worm Company, and the Timbuctoo Beet-root Sugar Joint Stock +Association. I have some shares at my disposal, which, although they're +now very high in the market, to oblige the son of so respectable a man +as my correspondent, master Porphyry, I would let you have at a fair +price,--say the first at 95-7/8, and the other at 80." + +"I am obliged to you," replied Oriel Porphyry; "but I have no desire to +speculate in such things at present." + +"Very good--very good," said the broker, not at all disconcerted at +the failure of his schemes. "Caution is advisable in all mercantile +transactions, and I am the last person in the world to suggest any thing +to you, which I do not think would turn to your advantage. Perhaps you +have bullion to dispose of? If so, I could afford a very handsome per +centage, and exchange with you to a considerable amount in notes of one +of the most steady banks in the country--that of Mangel Wurzel, Carrots +and Co. at Lattakoo." + +"I'm much obliged to you; but as my stay in this part of the world must +be brief, it would not be advisable to change my bullion into the paper +currency of the country;" said Oriel. + +"True--true;" remarked master Boor, and a cloud did pass over his +gloomy countenance when he found he could not dispose of any of his +unprofitable speculations. "You are right. So you do not intend staying +here? Fine country. No kings--none of _that_ nonsense. Every man does +just as he likes, and cares for nobody.--Quagga! you rascal, I'll have +you flayed alive if you don't finish that intricate account with +Botherem, Blunder, and Bigfist, in an hour." The frightened clerk began +to write away with the speed of a steam-engine. "In no place in the +world is the right of opinion so much respected.--Quagga, you scoundrel! +I understand you spoke at the Universal Consolidated Democratic +Discussion Society, against the measure now before the legislature for +the tax on tenpenny nails. How dare you oppose my political sentiments! +This is insolence, sir--treason, anarchy, and rebellion! If ever I +hear you entertain an opinion different from mine again, I'll have you +inclosed within four stone walls and starve you upon a mouthful a day." + +Quagga trembled like an aspen, and did not dare lift his eyes from the +book. + +"Yes, sir, I repeat, this is the only country on the face of the globe, +where mankind enjoy a perfect state of civil and religious liberty. What +do they think of us, sir, in Columbia? Don't they envy us our noble +institutions, ey? Our excellent government--our enlightened people?" + +"Why, those who ever do think of the African states--" + +"Ever think of them!" cried the old fellow, with emphasis, interrupting +the speaker; "they must always think of them. They cannot help drawing +comparisons, sir, with their own wretched state; and they must +therefore be wonderfully desirous of sharing in the blessings we enjoy." + +"I really never heard of such a desire existing in any part of the +country;" observed Oriel. + +"Ah, sir, they live in a wretched state of despotism, and they dare not +express their sentiments;" replied the broker. "There cannot be anything +like public virtue amongst them--no political honesty--no notion of true +liberty. But how did you make the voyage, sir?" + +"Admirably!" exclaimed the merchant's son. "The Albatross is one of the +most perfect vessels that was ever launched." + +"Nothing like the African shipping, depend upon it--made of free timber, +sir?--beat all vessels at sailing, and last for ever. Skilful captain +that Compass, sir--known him long; knew his father--highly respectable. +You may place the greatest confidence in him, I assure you." + +During the preceding sentences Zabra kept his eyes fixed upon the face +of the speaker, which he observing, turned his own gaze upon the person +so earnestly regarding him; but the piercing look that met his quite +disconcerted him. His complexion grew more livid; his look became +confused; he frowned and smiled by turns; he shifted his position, and +evinced by many other signs that he was anything but at ease under the +scrutiny to which he was subjected. At last, unable to endure it any +longer, he said, in a tone in which anger seemed struggling with +indifference. "Who is that person of colour, sir? it is not usual to +bring people of that class in company with free Africans." + +"That young gentleman is my most esteemed and intimate friend;" replied +Oriel. + +"Oh, I beg pardon; but it's not respectable to have such friends in a +free and enlightened country like the African States; and the 'young +gentleman'," said he, with contemptuous emphasis, "seems to look on me +as if he knew me intimately." + +"I do know you intimately, sir;" remarked Zabra, bending on the old man +a stern and searching look. + +"Well, this assurance beats any thing I ever saw. Why, I never met with +your coppery countenance before," said the broker, indignantly. + +"You spoke the truth _there_," replied Zabra, still continuing to regard +him with the same earnestness; and the broker's attempts to conceal his +passion and his uneasiness became every moment more unsuccessful. + +"He is thus to every one," observed Oriel Porphyry; "and he means no +offence. But let us proceed to business. According to your request, +my father has sent you a lot of fabrics of the choicest patterns and +materials, which I shall give you an order to remove from the docks upon +receiving payment in gold. You can examine them if necessary, whenever +it is convenient to you, when you will find them exactly of the +description you ordered. I am also commissioned to purchase, to any +amount, ivory, gold dust, gums, pearls and precious stones, ostrich +feathers, amber, and any other article of traffic of approved quality +that may suit the Columbian markets, or that may be turned to a +profitable account during my voyage. They can be paid for in money or +in goods--whichever should be most desirable." + +"Good--good," remarked the broker, losing, in his attention to business, +all his angry feelings. "Ah! let me see. I think I shall be able to +treat with you for a considerable portion of your cargo; and, as a +particular friend, I should not advise you to go to any strange brokers; +they'll take you in, depend upon it." + +"Why, I thought, in this free country, all your transactions were +distinguished by a degree of honesty superior to that of other nations;" +said Oriel. + +"Yes, yes," hastily replied master Boor, considerably puzzled to account +for the discrepancy in his statements. "But every man will make a good +bargain, if he can." + +"Then what offer are you inclined to make for a thousand bales of lace +and cambric goods, best quality?" + +"Why, you see, master Porphyry, the truth is, the market here is a +little overstocked just now with those articles; they are a complete +drug." + +"I have good reason to believe there is a great demand for them," said +Oriel. + +"Nothing of the kind, master Porphyry. I wouldn't deceive you for the +world. But, although things are so heavy, I don't mind offering twenty +thousand dollars for them, either in money or goods." + +"That is just half I am commissioned to take;" remarked the young +merchant, rising to go away. "And as we shall not be able to do business +on those terms, I must seek a more advantageous market." + +"Don't be too hasty, sir. Reflect before you determine. The price I +offer is a good price; and it is impossible you can get one so high, +search Caffreton through and through." Perceiving his visitors were at +the door, he added--"Suppose we say five and twenty--a great risk--a +hazardous----" + +"Good day to you, master Boor!" exclaimed Oriel, bending his head +proudly, and departed with his companion through the counting-house. +The old man scowled after his visitors, muttering to himself,--"I'll +have them at a less price, in spite of you." + +About the same time two persons were seen walking cautiously through a +narrow unfrequented street in the suburbs of the town, connected with a +number of other thoroughfares of a like description, chiefly inhabited +by the lowest class of the black population. The tallest of the two, who +was a little in advance of his companion, whose short dumpy figure and +conceited physiognomy it was impossible to mistake, turned round, and +addressed his associate:-- + +"Come, master Log, show more sail. I'm spiflicated if we shall ever find +safe anchorage if you don't. I think I arn't forgotten the landmarks; +but, somehow, I've got into a little bit of a mystification about making +the proper tacks. This is it! No, it arn't! Ha! Now I see, as clean as a +cable. There's the sign o' the Ship, at the corner yonder. We goes right +ahead there; then we makes a tack; then we goes ahead again; then we +makes another tack; then I knows all the whereabouts. That's right, +arnt it, mister?" + +"Right--right--very right--decidedly right--absolutely right: indeed, I +may say, positively right, mister Scrumpydike," responded the little +man, endeavouring to keep pace with his more bulky companion. + +"Here comes another Hottentot;" said Scrumpydike, noticing an individual +of that race approaching them. "What a lot o' them black craft one meets +wi' steerin' about in these here seas; they puts one in mind o' a fleet +of colliers, creepin' along shore. But this nigger _is_ black, arnt he, +master Log?" + +"Black, black,--monstrous black,--very monstrous black--upon my word +most diabolically black, mister Scrumpydike;" replied the captain's +clerk, puffing and blowing with the exertion he made to prolong his +walk. + +"I say, won't them bugaboos afloat entertain something of a 'stonishment +when we commences the fun. Don't you think some on 'em 'll go mad?" +inquired the other. + +"Mad, mad,--very mad, very mad, indeed,--pretty considerably wild, +stiff, stark, staring mad, mister Scrumpydike," rejoined his companion. + +They had now reached one of the narrowest, darkest, and filthiest +streets in that quarter of the town; and by the expression of +satisfaction that gleamed on the coarse features of Scrumpydike, it was +evident that they were near the end of their journey. They proceeded +along this street till they came to a court through which they passed, +and entered a lane where there were no houses on one side, and very few, +and those far apart on the other. Keeping on the side where the houses +were, they followed the footpath, till they came to a ruined habitation +of the poorest class, little better than a mud kraal. The few windows it +possessed were broken and covered with dirt; its door was battered to a +fragment; the roof had fallen in, and the walls threatened to tumble. +Looking cautiously round to see if any persons were observing them, the +sailor removed the door to admit himself and his companion, and then +carefully replaced it; afterwards they picked their way over fragments +of stone and timber, through a moderate sized chamber, and descended a +long flight of steps till they came to a wall. + +"Ship ahoy!" shouted Scrumpydike, putting his mouth near the wall. + +"What cheer?" was answered in a low voice from within. + +"Death and gold!" was the strange reply; immediately after which, +bolts were heard quickly drawn, and the wall, or rather a door made to +resemble the wall in which it was placed opened, and a stout, active man +of a fierce aspect, clad in coarse jacket and trowsers, without shoes +or cap, carrying a naked cutlass in his hand, and wearing several large +pistols in his belt, became visible by the light of a torch that burned +stuck upright in the ground beside him. Without another word Log and +Scrumpydike entered. The door was quickly closed, the bolts set, and +the man, taking up the torch, preceded them through a long passage or +cellar, till they were stopped by the brickwork. + +"Ship ahoy!" shouted the man. + +"What cheer?" was answered from within. + +"Death and gold!" he replied. In an instant another door opened, the man +turned back, and the captain's clerk, and his companion were admitted +into a long subterranean chamber, in which the many torches that were +burning enabled them to distinguish the figures of about twenty men, +dressed like sailors, all variously armed, seated round a large table +covered with drinking vessels. Immediately Scrumpydike made his +appearance, the whole party set up a loud shout of welcome, and in +a moment they were all crowding round him, shaking hands, asking +questions, and offering him refreshment. + +"Ha! let us stow in a cargo o' some sort or other," said the sailor, +seating himself before what appeared to be the remains of a roast kid, +and proceeding to help himself. "I've had a desperate long cruise here. +Come, master Log, bear a hand:" a command the captain's clerk was not +slow in executing. "And so you'd given me up, ey? never made a worser +recknin; scrunch me if I arnt a got more lives nor a cat. But the best +of the joke is," said he taking a hearty draught from a can of liquor +which was handed to him, and which example was immediately followed by +his companion; "the best o' the joke is--but you'll think I'm gammonin' +ye--I knows you will. The joke is--I've been livin' in the most +honestest way you ever heard on." + +The whole party raised a shout of incredulity, and laughed in derision +at such an idea. + +"I know'd how it would be--I was afear'd I should lose my precious +character," remarked the man gloomily; "but master Log can tell ye as +how I ha' been for a matter o' two or three months most abominably +honest,--arn't I master Log?" + +"Honest--honest," replied the captain's clerk, moving the wine can +from his mouth a short distance; "shamefully honest--disgracefully +honest--indeed I may say villainously honest, master Scrumpydike." +The men stared with astonishment, and many still seemed to doubt his +assertion. + +"Nobody can lament the unfortnit occurrence more nor I do," said +Scrumpydike; "but what's done can't be undone,--so clear the decks o' +this lumber--pipe all hands to grog, and I'll tell ye a sort o' summat +much more nat'ral and creditable." + +The eatables were cleared off into an open pantry at the side, and fresh +flasks of liquor and drinking vessels were placed on the table. Some +of the men began to smoke from long pipes; others made for themselves +mixtures of the different beverages before them; and every one sat +himself down laughing and joking with the rest with the evident +intention of commencing a carouse. Log having procured a pipe almost as +big as himself, and a large jug of a strong potation he had carefully +prepared, sat smirking with secret satisfaction at his own comfort. His +pig-like eyes twinkled with self-conceit, and his pug nose seemed to +curl itself up with delight. Opposite to him, but not less at his ease, +sat Scrumpydike. He also had taken care of himself after a similar +fashion; and the humorous twist of his ugly countenance became every +minute more evident. The set by whom they were surrounded, were +remarkable for the daring and somewhat ferocious character of their +features, and the great variety of their costumes; and as they sat +enveloped in the smoke they were creating, bandying the ready jest, and +pushing about the intoxicating liquor, they presented to the eye a band +of as determined ruffians as the whole world could have produced. + +"Have you all a mind for a job?" at last inquired Scrumpydike. + +"Every one on us," replied a stout fellow with a red nose and a fierce +squint. "We've been laid up here for a month or more, waiting for a +'portunity to get afloat." + +"Well, Billbo! you shall go aboard a prime craft afore another week's +out, or I'm less nor nobody." + +"Hurra!" exclaimed the men joyfully. + +"I can't tell ye the 'ticulars just now," he continued; "but I'll make +it all plain sailin' afore you goes. Push the stuff about; a ship at +anchor makes no way. Here's to ye, my trumps! wi' lots o' plunder and a +wide berth; and may we stick to one another while there's a plank left +for us to stand on." + +"Hurra!" replied his associates with increased delight! and they all +seemed now to abandon themselves to riot and debauchery with additional +zest. Briskly were the liquor cans replenished, rapidly was the tobacco +consumed;--the laugh became louder, and occasionally an attempt at a +ribald song was made by some of the more musical members of the company. + +"Well, scrunch me! if this arn't pleasant in the extreme," said the +individual addressed as Billbo; who, by the vacuity of his gaze, and +the unsteadiness of his body, was evidently far gone towards complete +intoxication. "I'm as happy as if I was a cap'ain. I'm happier nor any +body. I'm happier nor any body, afloat or ashore." + +"You arn't more happier nor me!" shouted a big-headed fellow fiercely, +from the other end of the table, as he attempted to get upon his legs. + +"I'm happier nor any body," repeated the man with the squint. + +"I don't allow nobody to be more happier nor me," cried the other, as +he, after repeated efforts, attained the perpendicular. + +"I'm happier nor any body," doggedly repeated Billbo. + +"Then I'm spiflicated if I don't give you toko, 'cause you arn't no +business to be more happier nor me," rejoined his associate, attempting +to draw his cutlass. + +"Silence, Loggerhead!" shouted Scrumpydike, in a voice of thunder +that made the captain's clerk start from his seat with affright. "No +squabbling, or you'll get a broadside from one as arn't fond o' +trifling." + +"He says he's more happier nor me," exclaimed Loggerhead, in a most +lachrymose tone of voice. + +"I'm happier nor any body," repeated the pertinacious Billbo, his eyes +squinting defiance upon his jealous antagonist. + +"Silence, Billbo!" shouted Scrumpydike, "or I'll rake ye fore and aft." + +"He arn't no right to be more happier nor me," cried Loggerhead, as the +tears swelled in his eyes at such an assumption of superior happiness. +"I'm very happy!" he added, in a manner the most miserable that can be +conceived. "Unkimmon happy. I'm as happy as a fellow can be in this here +molloncholy world;" and he began crying like a fretful child. + +"I'm happier nor any body," muttered the other, sinking back upon the +floor. + +"Let's have a song!" cried Scrumpydike. + +"A song, a song," echoed as many of his associates as were able to +speak. + +"A song, master Log," continued Scrumpydike, with the desire of +preventing a quarrel among his drunken companions. "Come, my prince o' +singing birds! Pipe away till all's blue. You're a reg'lar trump at +chaunting a good stave; a right-down warbler; a nightingale's a fool to +ye. Arn't it true, now?" + +"True, true--very true--undeniably true--most undeniably true--most +undeniably true, indeed, mister Scrumpydike," cried the captain's clerk, +his gratified vanity visible even through the sleepy expression that +now characterised his countenance; and after a few preparatory hems, +considerable smirking, and a plentiful affectation of modesty, he sang, +in a voice that might have frightened an owl, the following verses:-- + + "Woman and wine are my delight; + Woman and wine! woman and wine! + Woman and wine are my delight, + From Monday morning till Saturday night; + For they cheer the heart and gladden the sight, + And make a man feel divine: + From woman's glances all fondness flows, + And wine rejoices wherever it goes, + And both are a cure for all earthly woes,-- + Woman and wine! woman and wine! + + "I went a courting once on a time, + Woman and wine! woman and wine! + I went a courting once on a time, + And I flattered my deary in prose and in rhyme; + And though the stuff was not by any means prime, + She vowed it was monstrous fine: + But in wine's inspiration my praise had been clad, + And whatever I said she could never think bad, + For I always 'saw double' the charms that she had: + Woman and wine! woman and wine! + + "I took to wine as a friend in need; + Woman and wine! woman and wine! + I took to wine as a friend in need, + And have ever since found it a friend indeed, + Which nothing on earth could be brought to exceed, + Or made so completely mine: + In Fortune's smile, and in Fortune's frown, + It laid me up, and it laid me down; + And went to my heart by a way of its own, + Woman and wine! woman and wine! + + "Oh, woman and wine are capital things-- + Woman and wine! woman and wine! + Woman and wine are capital things, + In gladness or care to man's soul ever springs, + To which each its own perfect felicity brings; + And long may such pleasures combine: + And he who would ever, by night or by day, + In sorrow or joy, turn from either away, + Should never in better men's company stay, + Woman and wine! woman and wine!" + +While his associates were wildly shouting, in a dozen different keys, +the burthen of the song, Log, in whom the exertion of singing had +destroyed the little sense he had remaining, as he was swinging his body +back, lost his balance, pitched head over heels off his seat, and then +rolled under the table, in a state of complete insensibility. + + + + +CHAP. VIII. + +THE PIRATES. + + +"'Tis a lovely night!" observed Oriel Porphyry, as he stood upon the +deck of the Albatross, watching the fast receding shores of Africa. + +"Indeed it is," said his companion. "The air is filled with beauty, and +there is an eloquent glory in the stars that speaks marvels of wisdom. +See how the rolling waves rush on, bathed with the trembling light from +above them--so do the multitudinous hearts within the world send forth +their tide, each illumined by glimpses of a heaven of its own. The +planets look down upon the waters, and from their mighty mirror drink in +the images of their own loveliness--just as the maiden venturing to gaze +into the glowing eyes of the youth of whom she is enamoured, sees in +their depths the reflection of her own beauty, and lingers delighted +within the influence of the charm she herself created. But what a +philanthropist is the world! A universal spirit of love exists around +us, and beneath its outstretched wings throbs the everlasting heart of +the universe, distributing through its rosy channels that refreshing +stream which is the life, the strength, the humanity of nature. What a +wonder is the world! All within the boundless circle of infinity, with a +harmony of soul-entrancing modulations, tune the same music to the ear. +Systems of worlds, and worlds of systems--each earth blessed with its +own sun, moon, and stars, that fill its atmosphere with gladness, and +its waters with delight, rejoicing in the abundance in which it rears +its countless offspring, that draw their verdure, their fragrance, and +their consummate grace, from the exhaustless nourishment of its breast, +rolls on in one unvarying course, carrying with it the fond desires of +youth, the proud ambition of manhood, and the peaceful speculations +of age; while, as the stream of Time progresses on its way to float +them into the shoreless ocean of Eternity, its own nature, keeping a +continual change in all things which have from it their existence, from +the beginning hath followed its particular path in the glad possession +of a perpetual youth. What a gladness is the world! There is not a +creature born of its most fruitful womb that is not taught to slake its +thirst and bathe its buoyant limbs in the fountain of delight that flows +for all. Smiles and flowers are about us from our infancy. The air +breathes of gladness. The clear firmament looks down on us in bliss. +The leaves that quiver in the breeze dance for joy, and the stream that +wandereth on its way singeth its own merry tune. The voice of song +murmurs a continual carol that stirs the hearts of the antique forest +trees, and the echoes of the mighty hills--in swelling tones the +vigorous wind joins in the thrilling harmony--and as the natural concert +rises into power, into its gladdening sounds the deep sea roars its +triumphant chorus." + +"You are eloquent, Zabra!" remarked Oriel, gazing with wondering eyes +upon the handsome countenance of his companion, which appeared more than +usually excited. + +"'T is a fit time, and a most fitting subject for eloquence," he +replied; "and if the soul hath such impulses, never were they more +likely to be called into action than on such an occasion, and with such +a theme as I have now. We are again upon the sea. That is sufficient +impetus for the thought. We have left the dwellings of men whose souls +were devoted to the mere scraping together wealth they would not use for +any benefit to their fellow-creatures, and could not expend with any +happiness to themselves." + +"Ay, I am glad I have escaped from the place," said the young merchant. +"It has given me every thing but a favourable impression of the +pleasures of traffic. Each person I met seemed anxiously intent upon +cheating me; and, if I had not been carefully attentive to my father's +instructions, before I had left their filthy town I should have been +plundered of every bale of goods in my possession. As for Master Boor, +he is as fine a sample of deliberate roguery as I ever met with." + +"He is worse than that, or I am much mistaken," remarked Zabra, +earnestly. "I have not been able to collect sufficient proof, but I +strongly suspect, from observation I have made, that he is connected +with your captain, whom he praised so much, in some deep-laid scheme of +treachery, of which you are to be the sufferer." + +"Impossible!" exclaimed Oriel. "That Boor would cheat his own father, +I believe; but I don't think he would act the villain, except in the +general routine of business:--as for Compass, there's no harm in +him--the freedom of his language and the unprepossessing character of +his manners are likely to create an unfavourable impression in any +observer. Besides, he is alone in the ship, or nearly so. He is not +at all popular with the crew, and were he to attempt any thing, the +majority would rise in my favour. No, no, Zabra, your suspicions must +be groundless." + +"Who are those strange men that have come on board?" asked his +companion, in a whisper. + +"Those in long frocks and straw hats? They are some poor agricultural +labourers that have begged a free passage from the captain, which, at +his desire, I have granted." + +"I have received information, through the boy Loop, from old Hearty, +whose fidelity I can depend on, that these men are not what they appear +to be; that they are evidently sailors, and, from their countenances +alone, I should imagine that they are here for no good purpose," said +Zabra. + +"Ha!" exclaimed Oriel Porphyry, for the first time entertaining a +suspicion of the captain's intentions. + +"Hush!" whispered Zabra, clutching his companion firmly at the arm, +while the expression of his features became intensely anxious. + +"Heard you that?" + +It was a stifled scream. While both listened in great excitement, it was +followed by a discharge of fire-arms, a clashing of weapons, shouts, +imprecations, and yells of agony; and immediately afterwards Hearty, +Boggle, Ardent, Climberkin, and about half a dozen others, rushed +upon deck, followed by Captain Compass, Scrumpydike, and the gang of +ruffians described in the last chapter, fighting furiously; and, though +streaming blood from many wounds, obstinately disputing every inch of +ground. + +"I have no weapon, but I must find one!" cried the young merchant, +attempting to break from his companion. + +"Move not for your life, Oriel," said his companion, earnestly, as he +held him more firmly. "You can only be slaughtered, without conferring +the slightest assistance, for see, the unequal struggle is over." + +A loud cheer from the ruffians proclaimed the truth of Zabra's +intimation. The faithful few were either killed, or so wounded as to be +unable to continue the contest, and the victors were rejoicing at their +triumph. Oriel Porphyry was not allowed many moments to consider of what +he had best do, when Compass, Scrumpydike, and two or three of their +associates, came hastily towards the place where he stood, flourishing +their bloody weapons, and shouting their riotous hurras. + +"Captain Compass!" exclaimed Oriel proudly, as the party advanced, +"what is the meaning of this bloodshed?" + +"Beg your pardon, Master Porphyry," he replied, "I have the honour of +being Captain Death; ey, boys?" said he turning to his men, and the +appeal was answered by a noisy demonstration of applause. "Yes, I am +Captain Death, the most distinguished leader of the Free Mariners in +these seas; and I beg to inform you, that I now hold the ship and all it +contains for the benefit of myself and brave companions; ey, boys?" and +the inquiry met with a similar reply. + +"And I begs to add to what the cap'ain says," observed Scrumpydike, +giving his ugly countenance a more ludicrous twist than ever, "that I'm +Leevetenant Rifle, very much at your sarvice, gennlemen; and if you has +the slightest 'clination to end your miserable lives, I'll do the job +handsome, and to show my respect for ye, wo'n't charge ye nothin'"--a +riotous roar of laughter followed. + +"You need not be afraid, Master Gloomy," cried the captain, noticing +that Zabra trembled as he clung to Oriel Porphyry--"your pretty +countenance shan't be spoilt just yet, at any rate, if you behave +yourself; and as for you, Master Porphyry! your life shall be spared, +and those of your men who may have survived this conflict, on condition +that you follow my directions regarding your conduct; but the slightest +show of disobedience will be punished with instant death to yourself and +all who belong to you." + +By this time Professor Fortyfolios and Doctor Tourniquet had hurried +upon deck, and with much appearance of apprehension had joined the +group. + +"What is this dispute about, captain?" asked the professor, looking +fearfully upon the threatening faces he saw around him. "Let us argue +the matter coolly." + +"The dispute is settled, Professor Fortyfolios, and these are my +arguments," said the pirate, pointing to the bloody weapons of his +companions. The professor was convinced without inquiry; and the +perspiration seemed to break out over his bald head as if he had taken +a shower bath. + +"This looks very much like an act of piracy, don't you see," remarked +the incautious Tourniquet. + +"So like, that there can be no difference," replied the pirate; "and you +look as if you had a great desire for a swing from the fore-yard arm, +or a plunge under the bows, don't you see. But you are too useful at +present, so look to the wounded, Doctor Tourniquet, or I'll have you +hanged before you can suspect any thing about it." + +The doctor's ruddy features grew pale with fear, and he made his way to +his patients without loss of time. + +"Master Porphyry, you had better go to your cabin," said the captain, +"and your shadow may go with you; but if I notice any treachery in +either, you shall not have time to say a prayer." The friends left the +deck together without a reply. + +"And now, boys, hey for Madagascar; and as this job's done, you may +set your hearts afloat as much as you like." A cheer followed the +announcement--the liquor was soon in requisition; and the pirates +became so incapable of taking care of themselves, that if the defenders +of the ship who were alive had not been disabled by their wounds, the +Albatross might have been retaken the same evening. + +The wounded men were lying where they had fallen when the doctor arrived +amongst them. In a moment his fear for himself disappeared in his +anxiety for the poor fellows who so much required his assistance. + +"Here, Loop!" he cried as soon as he noticed the lad, unhurt, +endeavouring to support his wounded relative. "Run into my cabin, and +you will find on the table there a case of instruments, bring them here, +look in at the cook room as you return, and ask Roly Poly to let me have +a basin of warm water instantly, for I have immediate want for it, don't +you see." The boy, with tears in his eyes, left old Hearty to the care +of the surgeon, and hastened to obey his instructions. + +"Well, old friend!" exclaimed he, taking the sailor by the hand, "where +are you hurt? Ah, I perceive--ugly gash in the face--don't you see--any +thing else?" + +"Arm cut to the bone, and shot through the body," said the man faintly. + +"Bad," replied the doctor; "but cheer up. I've put worse things than +that to rights, don't you see. There, let me take off your jacket. Don't +exert yourself: I'll do it. You've lost a good deal of blood, my friend, +and feel a little sickish or so. Never mind that. Now let me move your +shirt from the wound. Tut, tut," he exclaimed, as the man seemed to +shrink with pain when the linen was withdrawn from the lacerated flesh. +"You must learn to bear pain, don't you see. Wo'n't hurt you more than I +can help." He then minutely examined his patient's hurts. "Bad gun-shot +wound that; but the bullet's taken a more favourable direction than I +expected, don't you see. Ugly cut this in the arm; muscles cut through; +arteries severed; requires much attention. Gash in the face don't look +well, but is in no way alarming. So, old friend, cheer up; you're +wounded severely, but not mortally, don't you see." + +"Don't care about it, sir," replied Hearty, in a more feeble voice than +usual. "Don't care if I had as many holes in me as a sieve; but to be +circumwented in this here 'bominable way by a set o' rascally pirates +arn't to be endured." + +"Hush!" exclaimed Tourniquet, looking round him anxiously, to see if any +of the victors were within hearing. "You must be cautious of what you +say, don't you see." + +"While I a got a breath o' wind in the canvass I'll tell 'em they're +a set o' murderin' thieves," cried the brave old fellow, with all his +remaining strength. + +"Hush, I tell you!" said the alarmed doctor. "Do you want to have me +murdered as well as yourself? Keep your tongue still, or every soul of +us left alive in the ship will be massacred." + +"Where's Master Porphyry?" asked the man, languidly. + +"Safe," replied the surgeon. + +"Glad on't. And Master Zabra, they arn't a done him no harm, the +villains?" he inquired anxiously. + +"Both are unhurt," said Tourniquet, in a whisper; "and the only way you +can keep them so, is to remain as quiet as possible, and say nothing +to incense your conquerors; and who knows, but that after you have +recovered, you may have an opportunity of doing them some service, don't +you see." + +"The very thought a'most sets me on my legs again," observed his +patient, clasping the doctor's hand affectionately. + +"Hush," he exclaimed, "here comes Roly Poly and Loop, at last." + +"Oh, massa!" cried the black, as he rubbed his sleepy eyes with one +hand, while carrying the basin of water with the other--"Sockin' doin's! +Sockin' doin's! Me was takin' bit of nap, and heard nuttin. But who'd o' +ebber tort ob such obstroplousness." + +"Hold your tongue, Roly Poly," said the surgeon, as he proceeded to +cleanse, to dress, and bind up the wounds. "Hold your tongue, and bring +the basin nearer I can't reach it, don't you see." + +"Yes, massa, me see berry well," replied the fat cook, heedless of the +injunction he had heard. "Sorry for poor Massa Hearty; him look done to +a turn, poor fellar. Him nebber eat no more puddin'; no more soup; no +more meat; no more nuttin, as Roly Poly cooks so boofliful. Sorry for +him." + +"Hold your tongue, sir, directly," exclaimed the doctor, with more +emphasis. + +"Yes, massa," responded Roly Poly, and in a moment afterwards +recommenced. "Massa Hearty, him berry good man. Him eat ebry thin' me +cook, and ax no 'pertinent questions. Nebber turn up him nose when him +find bacca in him soup, or lump o' soap in him puddin'. Sorry for him, +poor fellar." + +"Will you hold your tongue, sir?" said Doctor Tourniquet, angrily, "and +help to carry the patient to his hammock. Talk to him on your peril, +sir. He requires rest, don't you see." + +"Yes, massa," he replied, assisting to support the wounded man; but he +had not proceeded a yard before his voice was heard running on as fast +as ever. "Wo'n't say word more. Hate a fellar as can't hold him tongue +when him told. Al'ays talkee, talkee. Mornin' till night him foolis +tongue nebber hab no peace. He go talkee, talkee, to eb'ry body; foolis' +fellar! Poor man, him want rest; nebber mind, him not hold him tongue +bit more. Hate a fellar as can't hold him tongue when him told." And so +he continued till he left old Hearty in his hammock. + +The next person the doctor approached was lying on his back motionless. +A brief inspection seemed sufficient. He shook his head and passed on +towards a man who was supporting his back against the mast. His face was +pale, and his look haggard, and he seemed trying with a handkerchief to +stop the blood that was oozing from his side. + +"Not much hurt, I hope?" was Doctor Tourniquet's first inquiry. + +"Why, sir, I likes to have particular notions o' things in general, as +every man as is a man, and thinks like a man, should have, and I must +say," said he, slowly and faintly, "as I've a notion, as I'm right down +reglarly spiflicated;" and immediately afterwards his head fell upon his +shoulder, his back glided from its support, and he fell flat upon the +deck. + +"Bad look that," remarked the surgeon, kneeling down beside his patient, +whom he proceeded to examine. "Bad look--but 'tis only a swoon. He'll +recover presently, and in the mean time I'll look at the wound. Ah! +unpromising case. Dangerous thrust that; don't like it by any means, +but if he is tractable he may get over it. Well, my friend," exclaimed +Tourniquet, perceiving his patient open his eyes and look wildly about +him, "your case is not so desperate as you imagine; and if you are +attentive to what I tell you, it's very possible I shall be able to +make you safe and sound again, don't you see." + +After doing what he thought necessary, he ordered him off to his +hammock, and proceeded to the others. Ardent was found suffering from +severe fracture of the skull; Climberkin had fainted from loss of +blood, having been wounded in nearly a dozen different places, but +none of them were dangerous; five others had received the same rough +treatment, who were expected to recover, and seven more were either dead +or dying. As Doctor Tourniquet was placing a bandage on the last of his +patients, he heard the pirates, who had been joining in a wild uproar +the whole of the time he had been engaged upon the wounded, shouting as +loud as they could bawl,-- + + "We stifle ev'ry cry, + Ev'ry cry, ev'ry cry, + We stifle ev'ry cry, Captain Death! + And then we spread our sails, that are filled with welcome gales, + Singing, 'Dead men tell no tales, + Captain Death! Captain Death!' + Singing, 'Dead men tell no tales, Captain Death!'" + +The surgeon shuddered as he collected together his instruments, and with +a heart full of anxiety for the fate of himself and his companions +proceeded to his cabin. + + + + +CHAP. IX. + +CAPTAIN DEATH. + + +The Albatross was within a day's sail of the shores of Madagascar, and +as both Oriel Porphyry, Zabra, the professor, and the doctor, appeared +desirous of giving their captors no cause of offence, they were better +treated than they expected to have been. Zabra, more than all the +others, seemed anxious to please the captain and his lieutenant; and +the kindness of his disposition and the beauty of his music in a short +time had such an influence upon their savage natures that their former +distrust was completely obliterated, and they entertained something like +a friendly feeling towards him. But Zabra had evidently some object in +the course he was pursuing. He allowed no opportunity to escape by which +he might win their confidence. He was continually doing some obliging +offices for their gratification. He seemed to take a pleasure in their +bold way of life, joined with them in its praise, and shared with them +in its enjoyments. He handled their weapons with an air of bravery, and +learned from them to shoot at a mark, and to cut and thrust with the +sword; and there was such a loftiness in the enthusiasm he manifested on +these occasions, that they invariably treated him with more respect than +any of his fellow captives. But a close observer might have noticed that +he often turned aside to conceal the disgust he entertained. When not +within the observation of the pirates, his dark eyes flashed with +indignation, and his beautiful mouth was compressed into an expression +of scorn. He looked proudly around him, as if his spirit was exalted +above the meaner natures with whom he was obliged to mingle. He loathed +their fellowship. He abhorred their ways. And often, when the feeling +of disdain with which he regarded these men seemed about to break +forth into open acknowledgment, a glance towards the place where Oriel +Porphyry stood, striving to control the contempt and hatred for the +whole crew of ruffians, of whom he was a prisoner, that kept darting +from his eyes, appeared sufficient to induce him to redouble his +exertions to please the pirate chiefs. + +They were all in the cabin, with the addition of Scrumpydike, or as he +should now be styled, Lieutenant Rifle, and Log the captain's clerk, +the latter looking twice as important and twice as conceited as he used +to be. Zabra sat leaning on his harp, near Oriel Porphyry, apparently +absorbed in thought. The doctor and the professor were disputing upon +some metaphysical subject, as if they had forgotten all their fears, and +cared for nothing but triumphing over the other. The captain had been +talking with his lieutenant upon the progress of the ship. Oriel sat +proud and abstracted; and Log was intently engaged in eating and +drinking as much of the good things on the table as lay within his +reach. + +"All's goin' on as smooth as a mackerel's back," said the +lieutenant--"every man knows his dooty, and looks arter it. There's no +flinchers among 'em; and every one feels in his nat'ral element, cause +there's no abominable honesty among 'em to corrupt their morals." + +"So you must acknowledge that it's impossible there can be such a thing +as free-will, don't you see," said Dr. Tourniquet. + +"I acknowledge nothing of the kind, doctor, I assure you," replied +Professor Fortyfolios. "The doctrine of necessity----" + +"Hullo! is my nightingale silent?" cried the captain, unceremoniously +interrupting the logicians. "Have you piped all dry--not a song left, +nor a voice to sing it with? Is the harp dumb, or the singer sad, that +we haven't heard so much as the ghost of a tune!" + +"Neither, noble captain," replied Zabra, dressing his handsome face in +his happiest smiles. "I wait your pleasure for a theme. Shall it be of +love, or of war--of the pleasures of wine, or the gladness of gold--a +song of the hunters amid the melodious forests--or of the mariner upon +the everlasting sea?" + +"If I might be so bold as to speak for the cap'ain," said the +lieutenant, "I should say you might sing any thin' you has a mind--any +thin' in the univarsal globe, so as there's nothin' about honesty in +it--a thing as I've got a most vartuous abhorrence on. So chirrup away +as soon as you like. I loves to listen to your toons--they fills me wi' +a sort o' all overishness. Arn't it delightful, Master Log!" + +"Delightful--delightful--very delightful--positively delightful--upon my +word very superlatively delightful, Mister Scrumpy--I mean Lieutenant +Rifle," mumbled the little man, as plainly as his mouth filled full of +preserves would allow. + +"Let it be what is most agreeable to yourself," said the captain. +"But I would rather have something to stir one up a bit--a sort of +nor-easter--that will make one's timbers creak again: none of your +lack-a-daisical love and dove jimcracks--sink them--give us a song that +will make one feel as if one was standing on the tip of one's toes on +the tip-top of the world." + +"You shall have what you desire, noble captain," replied Zabra; and, +after a stirring prelude on the harp, sang the following verses:-- + + "I heard a voice upon the sea, + That pierced the waters fierce and free,-- + The loud winds running wild with glee + Brought it to me; + I heard a voice the land-breeze bore, + That thrilled the mountains to the core, + And shouted out, from shore to shore, + 'WHO ARE THE FREE?' + Reply, reply aloud, air, earth, and sea! + Shout to the list'ning stars, 'WHO ARE THE FREE!' + + "The cities heard, but heard in vain; + It stirred the hill, the vale, the plain; + The forest monarch's young again, + Seemed they to be; + But all beneath the conscious sky, + With trembling heart and quailing eye, + Looked round and raised th' accusing cry, + 'WHERE ARE THE FREE?' + Reply, reply aloud, air, earth, and sea! + Shout to th' eternal sun, 'WHERE ARE THE FREE!' + + "I saw a gallant band at last, + Upon the boundless waters cast, + Daring the battle and the blast, + Rocks and the sea; + They heard the voice that pierced the tide; + And all in one proud cause allied, + With tones that shook the world, replied-- + 'WE ARE THE FREE!' + We have no masters on the earth or sea! + Our home is with the wind--'WE ARE THE FREE!'" + +Loud and long were the commendations with which the captain and +his lieutenant rewarded the singer. They had listened with as much +gratification as it was possible for them to receive from such a source, +and the bold glances that darted from their eyes, as the song proceeded, +showed how much they were excited. Even the conceited spirit of the +captain's clerk seemed moved. He winked his little eyes most valiantly, +and put as much bravery into his smirking countenance as it could be +brought to assume. Oriel Porphyry regarded the musician, for the first +time, with a look of distrust. To him there seemed an evident desire of +becoming on more friendly terms with the pirates than he thought could +be desired by an honest nature; and the ingratitude, as well as the +treachery of such conduct, made Zabra appear to him unworthy of any +kindly feeling. But when their eyes met, there was such an earnest +devotion in the gaze of Zabra, and so much sincerity of purpose, that he +resolved to defer passing a condemnation till he had more positive proof +of his unworthiness. + +"After such a song as that, I feel a wonderful deal more social towards +you all," observed the captain; "and to show the confidence I would +place in you--as well as to pass away the time as agreeably as may +be--if there's no particular objection, I'll tell you my history from +first to last." + +"Do, noble captain; your adventures must surely be of deep interest to +all who love the inspiring actions of a bold spirit," observed Zabra. +Oriel turned on him a searching look; but the lustrous eyes upon which +he gazed still seemed filled with the light of truth and affection; and +he knew not what to think. + +"I was born a younger brother--the youngest of several," said the +Captain. "There was some property in the family, but it was all +carefully nursed for the heir, who was brought up in the enjoyment of +every indulgence, while the rest of us picked up our education, and our +existence, as we could. I was least cared for of all. From my boyhood I +was allowed to go where I pleased, so that I kept out of the way of my +parents and my elder brother; and I was left to do as I liked, as long +as my proceedings did not inconvenience those affectionate relatives. As +I soon perceived that I got nothing I required by asking for it, I ever +afterwards managed to acquire what I wanted without thinking it was +necessary to trouble any person upon the subject. Once I was discovered +acting in this necessary and philosophical manner, and I was considered +guilty of a crime, and most savagely punished. I cannot say that I was +made conscious of my offence, or that I was ever brought to acknowledge +the justice of its punishment; but I can most truly affirm, that the +whole proceeding created in me that hatred of tyranny which led me to be +what I am. + +"Our house was by the sea-side, in a wild and unfrequented part of the +coast of Madagascar. It was a mansion of considerable extent, ancient, +but capable of being put to very good uses in the hands of a spirited +proprietor; and there were no houses near it, with the exception of a +few cottages on the cliff, belonging to some smugglers, with whom I had +long since made myself on very good terms. I was then about twelve years +of age, tall and strong, reckless and daring, perfectly uneducated, as +far as school learning is considered, but wiser than many of my elders +in that really useful knowledge that proceeds from observation. My +intimacy with the smugglers had taught me many things which I managed to +turn to advantage on several occasions--particularly notions affecting +the rights of property, and the legality of resisting the law. Smarting +from the effects of the treatment I had received, I hastily collected +whatever I considered most valuable, and without waiting to perform the +ceremonies of departure, I took the shortest way to the cliff, and was +the same evening sailing in a swift cutter far from my native shores. + +"My companions early initiated me into all the mysteries of their craft. +I soon acquired a knowledge of landmarks--knew every creek and bay, and +sheltered inlet along the shore--was familiar with every part of the +vessel, its uses, and management--learned to understand the appearances +of coming storms--and could always tell the best time and place for +effecting a landing upon any required portion of the coast. I became an +active hand, exceedingly useful, quick, and vigilant; and shared in all +the dangers of my associates, their disappointments, and successes. My +boldness at all times, my readiness to labour, and the ability with +which I performed all I undertook, made me a general favourite; and the +captain, an old stern smuggler, rough in his humour, and rather despotic +in his sway, took me under his especial protection. I was chosen to +assist in many hazardous exploits, in which I was often a principal +figure; for my youth, disarming all suspicion in those who were on +the look-out to capture the contrabandists, gave me opportunities +for acquiring information as to their proceedings, which was quickly +communicated to my companions; and we have sometimes managed matters so +well as to be able to store our cargo in the very house in which our +most vigilant enemy resided. In this way I existed till I was about +seventeen, making voyages from the island to the continent, and along +various parts of the coast, acquiring a very creditable knowledge of +navigation, and gaining a considerable degree of information on many +other subjects; and then, for my services and approved fidelity, I was +promoted to be mate in the craft in which I had been sailing. I had +been in several desperate conflicts with the revenue officers, but had +been so fortunate as to escape with a few slight scratches; and the +excitement of these affrays had created in me an inclination to share in +more fierce encounters. However, on one occasion, we were unexpectedly +attacked by very superior numbers, and, although we defended ourselves +with an obstinacy that rendered the victory dearly bought, we were +over-powered; and when I recovered consciousness after falling on the +deck, as I imagined, mortally wounded, I found myself immured in a +gloomy dungeon, on a charge of smuggling and murder. + +"I was accused of murder! I, who had merely slayed the slayers--who had +only fought in self-defence--who in a fray of three to one, had beaten +down some four or five of the hireling band by whom my associates were +being slaughtered, was loaded with chains, thrust into a loathsome +hole, and condemned to death, as guilty of the blackest of their +black catalogue of crimes! What miserable bunglers are lawyers and +governments! what wretched blunderers,--what empty fools! They create +the necessity for an act, punish with death a deed which could not be +avoided, and then boast of their wisdom and justice. Much parade, too, +they made about carrying their atrocious sentence into effect upon one +so young. They affected to be wonderfully pitiful,--the jury gave their +award in a tone of commiseration, and the judge pretended to be moved +to tears when he passed the sentence; and then, as many exaggerated +statements had been published of the determination with which I had +resisted being taken, many humane persons, as the world called them, +visited me in prison, and they brought me what they said were good +books, and talked to me about things they styled repentance and virtue, +and a few other fooleries. I listened with a patience that I have since +often thought extraordinary; but I imagined at the time that this +attempt at sympathy might lead to my liberation, and consequently they +always found me earnestly studying their books, and admirably attentive +to their discourses. But my hopes were disappointed; I was a fool not to +have known the hypocrites better. They could whine and cant, but they +had no mercy. However, from a quarter to which I had never looked for +assistance, help came when I least expected it. + +"My jailer was a cold, stern, unfeeling brute; but he was a brute +by profession, and his disposition was his stock in trade. He had +originally been a housebreaker, or a mean villain of some kind; and +having betrayed his accomplices, he was rewarded by the miscreants whom +he served, with a place of trust. For him bolts and bars seemed to have +as much attraction as if he was a loadstone. His heart appeared only +to throb in the shadow of the thick walls; and of no music could he be +more fond than the clank of chains and the groans of the despairing +prisoners. Him I cursed every time we met: but he had a daughter--a +buxom, light-hearted little creature, whose eye was afloat in gladness, +and whose breast was freighted with gentle and generous feelings; her +olive complexion, azure eyes, and rich black curling hair, gave the most +charming expression to her face. She saw me from a window when I was +taking my solitary walk in the gloomy court-yard. My youthful appearance +attracted her attention. She inquired my history, and as there was +nothing in it of the dastard or the sneak--nothing she found ignoble +or revolting, she felt an interest for me which every day grew more +intense. She watched for the coming of the time when I was allowed to +enjoy my daily walks with increased anxiety; and knowing that I was +doomed to death, her eyes were filled with tears and her heart with +tenderness whenever she saw me. I was ignorant of the feelings I had +excited for several days after they had attained a power she found it +impossible to resist; for as my execution approached, I strode the +narrow court-yard, hemmed in by towering walls, with folded arms and +eyes upon the ground, muttering imprecations upon the whole human race; +and beheld not, and thought not of the kind creature that watched me so +anxiously: but one dull day, the last my judges had allowed me in this +world, I was engaged in making my accustomed perambulations, when I +was roused from my melancholy reverie by seeing a stone fall at my +feet I looked about me, but did not perceive whence it came. As I was +continuing my cheerless round, another stone was thrown close to the +place where I stood. I then made a more careful examination of the few +windows by which I could be overlooked, and at one, about forty or fifty +feet from the ground, I observed a female figure--whether she was young +or handsome I could not exactly determine, because I was unable to +distinguish her features, but I could have no doubt that she was an +angel when I beheld the end of a strong rope slowly descend that was +evidently falling from her hand. Before it was within reach, I had run +to grasp it within my eager hands. Soon I clutched it firmly--I felt +it was tightly fastened above; long experience in rope-climbing, and a +desperate desire to escape at any hazard, in a few seconds carried me up +to the open window, where I embraced my deliverer, whom I discovered to +be just the sort of smart-looking little craft I have described. + +"'Pull up the rope,' she said anxiously, 'or you will be discovered.' + +"I lost no time in hauling it into the room, where it was strongly +fastened to the bedstead;--from this it was immediately made loose and +stowed away into a box, and the window closed. The chamber in which +I found myself was a small bed-room, possessing all the neatness and +cleanliness in its appearance which distinguish the sleeping rooms of +girls in the first flush of womanhood. Against the wall was a bed with +linen of a pure white, enclosed in curtains of the same colour. At one +end of the room a simple toilet was arranged; utensils for washing were +standing in a corner--a row of books upon a little cabinet--a small +vase with a few flowers, two or three chairs, and a table, composed +the furniture. + +"My arms were again round her waist, and I was showing my gratitude +after a fashion I thought would be most agreeable, when she raised +herself from my arms, smiling, blushing, and trembling, and fixing on +me a look full of sincerity, purity, and affection, said: + +"'You may perhaps think me bold--over bold; but indeed I could not exist +under the idea that you were about to lose your life. I was determined +to make an effort to save you. I procured the rope from a manufactory +attached to the prison in which those sentenced to hard labour are +employed, and having well secured it here, watched my time to drop it +within your reach. I knew that you were left alone for a short time, and +I tried to attract your attention without exciting the suspicion of +any one. Having provided every thing that was necessary, and seeing my +opportunity, I endeavoured to make you look up--I coughed--I hemmed--but +you did not move from your position. I then threw down a stone; you +looked about you, and to my great disappointment and fear walked on +without observing me. My heart seemed to sink when I thought the +opportunity might be lost, and that on the morrow you would die. I again +threw a stone, and felt the sweetest pleasure I have ever known when I +saw that you observed me. Quickly and cautiously I let down the rope; +but when I saw you ascend, and knew that the slightest slip would send +you headlong against the hard stones so far beneath you, I trembled with +fear. You are now safe, and I am rejoiced. But the greatest caution will +be necessary, or your retreat will be discovered. By this time your +escape is known, and an active search is being made for you in every +direction. If you wish to retain your life you must do whatever I desire +you. Ha!' she exclaimed, as footsteps were heard approaching, 'they +come--get into that bed.' I hesitated about soiling the sheets with my +shoes. 'In with you instantly--there's not a moment to be lost.' + +"While I snugly deposited myself under the bed-clothes, I observed her +rapidly put on a night-gown over the dress she wore, and a cap upon her +head, throw off her shoes, and whispering, 'Lie still, if you value your +life,' she jumped into the bed, placed my head in her lap as she sat +nearly upright leaning against the pillows, and arranged the clothes in +such a manner that no one could imagine that the bed contained any one +but herself. + +"This had scarcely been done, before I heard the door open and some one +walk into the room. + +"'Have you heard any one enter your window, Virgo?' asked a gruff voice +I readily recognised. + +"'My window, father!' exclaimed my angel, in a tone of the utmost +astonishment. 'How is it possible any one can get near it?' + +"'Don't know,' replied the old man surlily. 'But I left a prisoner a +short time ago in the yard, to let him stretch his legs for the last +time before we stretched his neck; I returned in a few minutes, and +there was not a glimpse of him to be seen. I defy a cat to get up the +wall. How he's managed to gi' me the slip I can't guess, unless he +jumped out o' the keyhole, or flew in at one o' the windows. But you +haven't heard no noise?' + +"'Not the slightest!' said Virgo. + +"'Strange--unkimmonly strange! How long ha' you been awake?' inquired +her father. + +"'About an hour,' replied my angel. 'I felt a little better to-day, and +was thinking of getting up when you entered.' + +"I heard the old man grope under the bed, and knew that he was exploring +every corner, grumbling and swearing at me at a rate it did my heart +good to hear. + +"'Unkimmonly strange!' he exclaimed, 'and I shall get sent to the right +about if I can't tell how he's bolted.' + +"Then I heard him draw aside the curtains, and I lay as still as a rock. + +"'What do you want, father?' cried Virgo, very angrily. 'It's +ridiculous for you to imagine he can be here.' + +"'Unkimmonly strange!' grumbled out the brute; and having satisfied +himself that his prisoner was not in the room, he shuffled out of it, +growling like a she bear deprived of her cubs. I could feel Virgo's +little heart beating violently as she listened to the retreating sounds. +Neither of us moved for several minutes. At last, convinced that the +coast was clear, I raised my head from the clothes, and observed her +face covered with blushes; but as soon as I moved she made a spring and +left me in the bed alone. + +"'You must remain here till you hear me leave the room,' said she, +drawing the curtains round me; 'and when I lock the door, change the +clothes you have on for those you will find laid out for you.' I +promised obedience, and with a winning smile she left me to my own +reflections in a pretty considerable puzzlement concerning the whole +affair. Directly I knew she was gone, I jumped out of my snuggery, +and looked for the change of rigging she had mentioned. May I be +considerably spiflicated if it wasn't a woman's dress! I must say I felt +but little inclined to the thing; but, thinking that it might be the +only chance I had for getting out of prison, I stripped, and began +putting on the first thing that came to hand. It was a sort of shirt, +and yet it wasn't a shirt. It didn't look like the shirt of Jew, Turk, +or Christian. However, after a deal of manouvring, I slipped it on, +and the first thing I discovered was that both sleeves shortened sail +considerably, and though I tried to haul up the collar to my neck, I +found it wouldn't come above my shoulders any how, but hung down with an +ugly flap afore and abaft. Well, the next thing I put my head through +was something of a similar nature, only it came up a little higher and +fell down a little lower, and was braced up more tight about the body. +After that, I got hold of the strangest piece of stuff that ever I +overhawled. It was shaped something like a jacket without sleeves or +collar, buttons or button-holes, set round with a number of slight +stiffish spars, one of which was much broader in the beam than the +others, and there was a running line going through two rows of holes +that kept the thing pretty smartly together. I found out that there +were places for the arms to go in, and I managed to get it then over +my shoulders. Then I tugged away at the running line till I had got it +through all the holes, and by pulling and hauling, twisting and turning, +I made all fast; but the spars pinched me most confoundedly, and the big +one stood out astern of my back bone in the oddest manner possible. Then +there were a few more things into which I found my way more easily, and +when I was regularly rigged out, I took a look at myself at the glass; +and I will say, a more ridiculous craft never ventured afloat that what +I appeared to be. + +"I was amusing myself with the figure I cut, when I heard a +footstep--the key turned in the lock, and Virgo entered, fastening the +door after her. As soon as she clapped eyes upon me, they began to +twinkle famously, and, without any ceremony, she opened upon me as +complete a laugh as ever I heard. And she had good reason, for I'd got +a hump on my back as big as a dromedary's, owing to my having put the +thing with the spars on stern foremost; and I'd managed to twist every +thing out of its proper place, because I was ignorant of the right way +of putting them on. Well, she made no more to do, but just took me to +pieces as if I'd been a baby, and put every thing to rights, laughing +all the time; yet as modest as any she creature that ever lived. Then +she made me wash my face; and afterwards she combed my hair, curled it, +and put a sort of turban on my head; and then, with a triumphant smile, +she bade me look in the glass. I did'nt know myself. I looked as +complete a girl as ever walked in petticoats. My complexion had been +rather browned by the sun, and my limbs had little of the feminine about +them; but notwithstanding these things I appeared more womanish than +previously I thought it possible I could have been made. As yet I had no +whiskers, and my beard did'nt give me any particular deal of trouble; +so that, on that score, there was little that could betray that I was +sailing under false colours. + +"Virgo seemed to enjoy the change she had produced amazingly. She walked +about me with her eyes filled with pleasure, as if delighting in the +contemplation of her own work; while I, scarcely able to understand the +whole drift of the proceedings, looked a little bothered and mystified. + +"Now if any of our people do see you," said she, cheerfully, "I do'nt +think it at all likely that they would suspect who you are." + +"Well, there was I, a wild, daring, uncontrollable youth, living locked +up in the bed-room of an innocent little creature some years younger +than myself. She brought me every thing that she thought likely to +render my confinement more endurable, and endeavoured, by a thousand +affectionate ways, to make me forget that I was deprived of my liberty. +To get out of the prison, she told me, was impossible at present, as +every person entering and going out underwent strict examination; but I +had some idea that she said this to keep me where I was; and though I +loved her as well as I was able to love, for having saved my life, the +sort of existence I led was not one my spirit could long endure. I can +say, most solemnly, that she remained as pure in heart and mind as it +was possible for the purest to be. She allowed my caresses--she returned +them--but there was such a modesty in her spotless nature, that it +repelled the slightest exhibition of passion. At night she would leave +the room while I undressed, and, when I was in bed, she would come and +lay by my side upon the bed in her clothes, and, with her arms round +my neck, and her cheek upon mine, we went to sleep. When she made her +toilet, she would draw the curtains round me, kiss me, and tell me not +to move; and her innocence and gentleness seemed to exert upon me such +a spell, that I did'nt dare move an inch, or make the slightest attempt +to watch her proceedings. Extraordinary was the care with which this +guileless creature endeavoured to avoid a discovery. She watched over me +as if I was her treasure, and appeared as if she knew no enjoyment but +in my presence. I know not what she would have made of me in time, +for I was as a child in her hands; but I began to grow restless at +this imprisonment, and was seeking an opportunity to bring it to a +termination. This was brought about sooner than I expected, and, in a +manner, too, I did not at all anticipate. + +"One day, while we were enjoying ourselves in our usual quiet manner, we +heard footsteps approaching the door. She had just time to throw some +work, upon which she had been employed, into my lap, and tell me to sew +away as well as I could, when the door opened, and her father entered. + +"'Hullo, who's that young woman?' he inquired, rather surlily. + +"'Oh! it's only a person come to help me on with some work, father,' his +daughter replied. + +"'Oh!' he exclaimed, scrutinising my appearance very earnestly. Now, I +was never any great hands at hemming and stitching: I held the needle +like an oar, and pricked my fingers more than I did the stuff I was +required to sew. + +"'Is she a good work-woman?' asked the old man, approaching nearer to +me, and watching my awkward labours with more attention than I desired. + +"'Capital, father!' said my angel. + +"'Humph!' he responded, in the same gruff tone. + +"'Do good work-women usually hold the needle in the left hand?' + +"'Oh, she works left-handed,' replied Virgo. Catch a woman off her guard +if you can, thought I. + +"'Humph!' exclaimed the old fellow; and then, while I was busily engaged +in sewing my fingers together, and before I could have the slightest +idea of what he intended, he snatched the turban off my head. + +"'Ah, ah! you young gallows-bird!' he cried, in a tone of exultation; +'I've found you, have I? I thought you couldn't have given me the slip +completely. But come along,' he added, as he clutched me forcibly by the +arm. 'You shall be hanged this time, be assured.' + +"'Not if I can help it, old boy!' said I, as I tripped up his heels; +then, snatching a knife that lay at hand, I put my knee upon his chest, +and held the blade over his throat. + +"'Call assistance, you hussey!' screamed the prostrate jailer to his +daughter, who seemed in an agony of terror. + +"'If you speak another word, I'll cut your throat,' said I. 'And you, +Virgo, if you don't wish your father to be killed before your face, +which I shall be obliged to do to save myself, you will hand me some +rope, with which I can bind him in such a manner as will prevent his +giving the alarm before I have escaped.' + +"'Oh, save him!' she exclaimed earnestly. + +"'Quick, quick!' I cried. The rope was brought, and I tied the old boy +down, safe and sound, and gagged his mouth as he was muttering curses on +us both. + +"'There is only one way of escaping from this place,' she observed +with considerable anxiety in her features, as she saw me preparing to +depart. + +"'How? let me know it instantly, for I have not a moment to lose,' I +replied. + +"'You will be stopped at the gate, unless I am with you,' she added, +gazing on me with tears in her eyes. + +"'Well, come then, sweet one,' said I, hastily; 'you will lead a dog's +life of it, if you remain here; and I will do the best I can for you +when you are out of it.' + +"She looked grateful and affectionate; instantly arranged my dress, +which had become disordered by the struggle; hastily collected a few +valuables; and, opening the door, we went out together. I have lived a +good many years since then, but I must acknowledge that I never lived so +happily as I did in the little bed-room of the jailer's daughter. I was +striding along the narrow passages of the prison, when she stopped me, +and told me that if I proceeded at that rate, I could not avoid being +discovered, and bade me, as near as I could, imitate her manner of +walking; so I immediately began to tread the ground as if I was picking +my way over cherry stones, and after threading a multitude of dreary +passages, we arrived at the gate, where, being in company with Virgo, I +excited no suspicion, and with merely a word or two of greeting from the +attendants, we passed into the street. + +"I was now in the open air; I had at last escaped the stifling +atmosphere of a prison; and any one, having been used to the freedom of +the wide seas and the excitement of a life of enterprise, who has been +immured for months within stone walls, enduring the dreary monotony of +imprisonment, may imagine what were my feelings when I found myself +again in the enjoyment of my liberty; but what to do now I was free was +the next consideration. The dress I wore could not conceal me long, +especially when, as I knew must be the case, the manner of my escape +was made public; and as it would be unsafe for me to remain in the +neighbourhood, I saw that it might encumber my flight; and what to do +with Virgo was another puzzle: she who had risked so much for me I felt +ought not to be abandoned; but I knew it would be impossible for us +to remain together. I told her of this, but she begged so hard to be +allowed to remain with me, and seemed to despair so completely at the +thought of our separation, that I resolved at any rate that we should +not part company till all hope of remaining near each other with any +safety was destroyed. + +"In this dilemma, I thought of a smuggler's widow, who carried on a +little bit of a trade in the outskirts of the town, to whom I had done +many a good turn out of regard for her husband, a brave-spirited fellow, +who was shot by my side, while defending a cargo from the greedy +clutches of the revenue rascals, and to her humble abode I bent my way. +Glad, indeed, was she to see me, when I made myself known to her. I +never knew a creature who appeared more delighted; and having told her +how I was situated, actively she sat about insuring my safety. The next +day, as I had anticipated, the particulars of my escape, with many +exaggerations, were published all over the country. A price was set upon +my head, and every hole and corner was searched, in the hope of finding +the fugitive. I never felt more satisfaction than when I cut the +petticoats. I was always kicking my shins against them. They hurt my +spirit, and almost stifled my manhood. I was now dressed in a suit +of sober brown, like a young apprentice, and I passed as the widow's +nephew; serving in her shop, and going about her errands, as knowingly +as if I had been a shop-boy all my life. For my sake the widow paid +every possible attention to Virgo, who seemed never easy but when I +was with her. The fear of discovery was always in her heart. She was +restless, anxious, and melancholy. + +"After a few months of this kind of life I grew quite as tired of it +as I had been of my existence in the little bed-room of the gaoler's +daughter. I longed for the freedom of the open sea. I felt an +unconquerable desire to return to a life of enterprise. The chase, +I thought, must by this time have been given up in despair; and, +consequently, that now I might steer my course wherever I pleased. As I +was reflecting upon the most available means of satisfying my desires, +while alone pursuing some employment in the widow's little shop, who +should enter, to inquire his direction to a neighbouring street, but the +very last person I desired to see--Virgo's father. + +"'No! surely! humph! ha! Yes, it must be. You rascal, I've found you, at +last,' exclaimed the old brute, as he approached, and seized me by the +collar. I had a wooden mallet in my hand at the moment; I gave it a +swing round, and the gaoler fell senseless at my feet. Without stopping +to acquaint any one with what I had done, I ran out of the house; and +bending my way to the water-side, I inquired if any ship was on the +point of sailing, and hearing that a merchant-vessel was waiting for a +few hands before she started, I presented myself on board, offered my +services, was engaged, and was sailing, far out of the reach of all +pursuit, the same evening. + +"Our voyage was a long one. We were bound to China: the crew were a +medley of various nations picked up at random. The captain was proud +and tyrannical; ignorant of his duty, yet continually interfering with +those who were better seamen than himself. His mate was a mean-spirited +sycophant, who exceeded his superior in insolence and tyranny. +Punishments were frequent, and often without any thing like sufficient +cause; and the men became discontented, grumbled, and at last began +to threaten vengeance on their oppressors. To add to their causes of +complaint the provisions fell short, which was entirely owing to the +mismanagement of the captain--the men were placed on short allowance; +and their officers, instead of endeavouring to render the privation as +endurable as possible, by their arrogance and oppression seemed to seek +every opportunity of increasing their miseries. Secret meetings were +held in the ship--plans of resistance were discussed by the crew--and +every day made an open revolt among them more probable. Neither the +captain nor his mate appeared to entertain the least apprehension of +danger, for they did not alter their behaviour in the slightest degree. +In the conspiracies which had been agitated I had always been an +active hand--I counselled the boldest measures, and advised their +early adoption; but although my ability in seamanship was generally +acknowledged, they had no knowledge of my character, and wanted what +they called a more experienced leader. The mutiny broke out, however, +at last, before all our plans were ripe. + +"I had committed some slight offence, so trifling, that men of any sense +would have passed it over; but I was seized upon by the despots, and +sentenced to a hundred lashes. I was rather a favourite with all, and a +loud murmur of discontent arose amongst the crew as soon as my sentence +became known; but their cries were unheeded. I was being lashed to the +grating, and both the tyrants were swearing at and threatening the men +for not showing more alacrity in proceeding with my punishment, when +the mate was felled to the deck with a handspike, and the captain was +whipped up in the arms of a tall negro and hurled overboard. All +who opposed would have met with similar treatment; but there was no +opposition, nor was there any commiseration for the fate of the men +who had been killed. I was speedily released from my disagreeable +situation, and then we commenced overhauling the cargo, which we found +valuable, and examining the stores, which were pronounced inadequate for +the wants of a long voyage. Many plans were agitated by which we might +govern our future conduct. Some were for sailing for Borneo, and there +disposing of the ship and cargo for the benefit of the crew; others were +for steering direct for Sumatra; there disposing of the cargo, and sail +from thence to enjoy ourselves with the proceeds in one or other of the +islands in the Indian Ocean. I advised, that as we were close upon the +Philippine islands, where we should meet with plenty of customers for +what we did not require, and could easily purchase from them whatever +we wanted, it was not advisable to risk a longer voyage. We could there +dispose of that portion of the cargo that found the readiest market, +have the ship disguised, and fitted with as many guns as she could +carry, and afterwards commence war against all the rich vessels we met +from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. + +"All the bold spirits among the crew applauded this proposal; but the +timorous dispositions saw in it too much danger, and gave it their +opposition; however, when it was found that the provisions would not +last a longer voyage, part of the plan was agreed upon, and the helm was +turned towards Mindanao. I was ambitious of being chosen captain, for +which office I knew myself better fitted than any of my companions, +but I was disappointed; and a man rather more than thirty, a native +of Mozambique, on the southern coast of Africa, was promoted to the +command, who was bold enough for a leader in an attack of boarders, but +had not the seamanship that could conduct a vessel through every variety +of danger. I concealed my disappointment as well as I could, determining +to wait my opportunity till I could put forth my claims in a way that +should insure their being properly acknowledged. I had some staunch +friends among my associates, and these were the bravest of the whole +crew. I saw that with a few more of the same kind nothing could prevent +the realisation of my ambition. + +"We anchored in a noble bay in the island I have mentioned; and as I +was thought, even by the captain, to know more of the value of the +things than any of the others, I was sent ashore, in company with two +or three messmates considerably older than myself, to arrange about +the sale. We were dressed as merchants; and as no one appeared to have +any suspicion of our real characters, we soon negotiated, upon what +we thought very favourable terms, a sale of a great portion of our +merchandise. A division having been made of the proceeds, here most of +those upon whom I could not depend left us, a proceeding with which +I was exceedingly well satisfied; and my intentions were put into +execution with regard to the alterations required in the ship to make +her fit for piratical expeditions, that gratified me in a similar +degree. + +"While our vessel was changing her appearance, I was leading a life +of indolent luxury. The part of the island near which we had anchored +abounded in the most delightful kind of scenery. Plains, rich with +vegetation--forests of gigantic trees, bending beneath their heavy crops +of tempting fruit--and a sky over head always looking down with a warm +delicious aspect--and there were other enjoyments in which I also had +an abundant share. I found hearts not less warm than their climate, and +looks not less glowing than their skies. To these pleasures I abandoned +myself with all the heedlessness of such a wild unbridled nature as mine +had always been. I revelled in a continual intoxication of the passions. +I was entranced in a perpetual dream of luxurious enjoyment. But madly +as I plunged into the dissipation with which I was surrounded, I never +was so happy as I was while I remained in the little bed-room of the +gaoler's daughter; and I have often found myself turning away from the +voluptuous beauties whose ready smiles I had purchased, to think of the +innocent love of the simple Virgo, who had shown to me such wonderful +disinterestedness in her devotion. But these thoughts were of little +avail, and why should they be otherwise? Man was made to enjoy the +pleasures within his reach, or why were those pleasures created to tempt +him with their near approximation? I did nothing more, therefore, in +giving loose to the passions that formed part of my nature, than was +natural, and the excesses into which they led were forced upon me as +things impossible to be avoided. + +"It was in this island I first formed the acquaintance of Master Boor, +who was then a clerk in a merchant's counting-house. We met at some +place of licentious indulgence. A similarity of tastes soon made us +intimate--and a certain quickness of comprehension possessed by both +made each familiar with the character of the other. I found him a deep, +designing, low minded wretch, whose sole object was the accumulation +of money by any means that cunning could devise or cruelty execute. +He thought me an admirable agent to assist in carrying his plans into +execution, and believing that he would be particularly useful in my +pursuits, I lent myself in some measure to forward his designs. His +true disposition he had well concealed from the people by whom he was +surrounded, who placing unbounded confidence in his integrity, by +degrees gave up to him nearly the entire management of their business. +To him at all times I disposed of my plunder, and although I found +him an avaricious scoundrel, over-reaching me in every way, he was +too necessary to be quarrelled with. Chiefly by his assistance I got +intelligence of what desirable ships were on the neighbouring seas, +where they were to be found, and how the vessels of war protecting their +traffic were best to be avoided; and soon as ever our ship could be got +into proper trim for our purposes, we commenced a career of plunder +which in a few years made us the terror and scourge of that part of the +world. + +"I had made myself so useful to the captain by this time, that he had +named me his second in command, and intrusted me with the principal +duties of the ship, with the idea of so concealing his own inefficiency; +but I was not to be satisfied with a second place, when I knew the first +was my right; and having now attained to the full maturity of manhood, +and having about me a numerous crew of brave fellows, the majority of +whom I knew were in my interest, I set about devising a plan by which my +ambitious ideas might be satisfied. The man was of a fiery temper when +roused, and hesitated not to commit any action to rid himself of an +enemy. I watched my opportunity, picked a quarrel with him:--he attacked +me with his usual violence, and after a short struggle I slew him on the +deck. It was a fair stand-up fight, and none of the men attempted to +interfere. After the body had been cast into the sea, I was unanimously +voted into the vacant command: some through fear, and some through +choice, desired that I should become their captain; but I cared not what +they thought, or what they felt. I resolved, now I had obtained the +superiority I wanted, to allow no obstacles that were likely to prevent +me from retaining it. It was a difficult thing to get a band of fierce +unruly men to obey the commands of one of themselves, but I knew that +the strong will only be ruled by the strongest, and that fear was the +surest chain to control the reckless; so I soon began to show them I +was not to be trifled with--I made them pay the most implicit obedience +to my commands--well rewarded those whom I found most tractable, and +punished with instant death all who attempted resistance. In this way I +created around me a set of daring spirits, ready to obey my slightest +wish, and willing to follow wherever I chose to lead. + +"By this time Boor had become a partner in the house whose servant he +had previously been, and seemed to live in much estimation with his +coadjutors; but he had not been above a year in this promotion, when +both his partners died suddenly in a way best known to himself; and as +he produced a will, in which he was made sole heir to their property, +he took possession of the whole business, and went on with his usual +cunning and treachery, accumulating money as fast as he could. I +continued to live, sometimes enjoying myself like a prince on shore, at +other times, when afloat, striking terror wherever I went. But in that +part of the world, I found that this state of things could not last much +longer. The daring manner with which our proceedings were carried on, +the boldness with which we plundered, and the fierceness with which +we destroyed, while it created alarm among the merchants, forced the +governments to use something like activity in their measures for our +extermination. Ships of war were sent after us in every direction: we +were chased from sea to sea, and from coast to coast, with a rapidity +that allowed us no repose; and every day, at considerable disadvantages, +we were obliged to fight our way wherever we went, continually losing +some of the bravest of the crew, and not being allowed a single +opportunity of gaining any prizes. However, by the intelligence I +received from Boor, I managed to elude being taken; and as he found that +suspicions of his true character were afloat on the island, and that +arrangements were being made to take him into custody upon charges +he would have found it difficult to answer, he secretly and suddenly +disposed of the greater portion of his property; and by an arrangement +with me, he embarked on board my ship as soon as I could with safety +appear on the coast, when, without losing a moment's time, we steered +direct for the southern coast of Africa; and soon after my landing him +at his desire at Caffreton, he commenced business there as a broker of +merchandise, with a great portion of which he was supplied through me. + +"I now began to feel rather desirous of knowing what had become of +Virgo; for in all the scenes of danger and of pleasure in which I +had since moved, I could not banish from my mind the cheerful, pure, +and devoted little creature, who had risked so much to preserve my +existence. Many years had passed by; I had become more stern and savage: +knowing that every man's hand was raised against me, I showed but little +mercy when any of the class to which I was opposed fell into my power; +but though I was continually the daring leader in scenes of bloodshed, +and in all animal gratifications upon every fitting opportunity +abandoned myself with no other thought than to get as much pleasure into +the moment as the moment could possess, I had frequently found myself +looking back to what always appeared my happiest hours, to the innocent +enjoyments I had known in the little bedroom of the gaoler's daughter; +and finding myself, comparatively speaking, so near Madagascar, and +knowing that I was so altered by time and climate that it was impossible +for me to be recognised by any of my old acquaintances, I resolved to +visit the old town, and try if I could discover the only being in the +world for whom I ever entertained any thing like affection. The external +character of the ship was always so mercantile, that the most knowing +seamen were deceived by her; and as whenever I entered a port I took +especial caution to make the men and every part of the vessel within +observation disguised in such a manner that no suspicion could be +entertained, I felt satisfied that from that quarter there was also no +occasion for apprehension. + +"I found the old widow in her old place--she was the same as ever. I +was welcomed and wondered at as soon as I discovered to her who I was. +I found her, but the dear one I had sought I never found. When she +was told that I had left her, her heart seemed smitten with a sudden +melancholy--her cheerfulness departed for ever--and day after day she +pined till her smile was turned into darkness, and her pure spirit +floated among breakers, struck, struggled, and went down. The news +almost made me mad. I became as savage as a tiger; the last touch of +humanity seemed to have fled from my nature; and from that moment I +commenced an unrelenting warfare against my fellow-men. I was right. +They had no sympathies for me, and why should I have any for them? All +sought my destruction, and I destroyed all in return. But wherever I +looked around the world I observed the same fierce enmity prevailing. +All were waging war upon each other. The powerful crushed the weak--the +rich trampled on the poor--and the idle preyed upon the labour of the +industrious. It was well for them to boast of such things as justice and +mercy, and love and virtue, and charity and religion: I laughed at them +and their fine catalogue of hypocrisies. I saw the thin veil of spotless +lace with which they sought to conceal their own rottenness and filth. I +scorned their hollow professions; I hated their mean vices. + +"I quickly left a place that had become detestable; and for the first +time since my boyhood I visited that part of the coast near which was +situated the dwelling of my family. Here I learned that my affectionate +parents had long since mingled with the dust, leaving their hopeful +heir, hated by all the neighbourhood for his detestable deeds and +tyrannical disposition, the inheritor of their property. Finding that +he had committed offences that deserved summary punishment, without +asking his permission I brought him to trial: his guilt was undeniable; +and I thought the ends of justice would be best accomplished if I +turned him over for punishment to the people whom he had so cruelly +wronged. What they did with him I do not exactly know, but I never +heard of him afterwards. I then took possession of the old house,--had +many alterations made in it, the more completely to fit it for my +purpose--managed the approaches so as to render it inaccessible to all +but friends, and used it as an asylum after my piratical expeditions. By +Boor's assistance I carried on the same game which had made me famous in +the Indian Seas, and with the same effect. The mere mentioning my name +struck terror into the hearts of merchant-captains and their crews--all +the feeble were frightened, and all the bold were in pursuit. But Boor +by this time had become rich, and fancying that his connection with me +was too hazardous to be continued any longer, after some fresh act of +daring upon my part, when the whole coast seemed up in arms against +me, as I ascertained, he gave secret information as to where I was +most likely to be found. An expedition of several well armed ships +was immediately fitted out, of which I had timely notice from another +quarter, and sought to avoid; but when I thought I had given them the +slip, and was bearing down upon what I imagined was a rich merchant +vessel, I discovered that I was approaching into the very net from which +I was most desirous of escaping; and was obliged to put up every stitch +of canvass, and make use of every manoeuvre in the hope of getting +away. My ship was a splendid sailer; but I found myself held in chase by +vessels whose powers were equal to hers, and I should have inevitably +been taken or killed in the struggle: but in the night a terrific storm +came on; and as I was creeping along-shore, with the hope of avoiding +the ships in chase, knowing that they would keep out at sea, she struck +on a rock, in a short time went to pieces, and of all the crew none were +saved but myself, my lieutenant, and my clerk. + +"This catastrophe would have been enough to have damped the energies of +any man; but I was made of different stuff. I had got some money about +me, which I knew would be a letter of recommendation in any part of the +world; so when we got on shore we lived in some sort of style, and there +I fell in with one Captain Compass--a foolish, communicative creature, +from whom I learned that he was going to Columbus, with the intention +of endeavouring to get the command of one of the ships belonging to +Master Porphyry the rich merchant, to whom he had strong letters of +recommendation. By mutual consent we travelled together, and at the +first favourable moment I took charge of his letters, and my lieutenant +took charge of him. I lost no time in presenting myself with my +credentials to Master Porphyry, by whom I was placed in the command of +the Albatross--a vessel which, from the first moment I saw it, I had the +strongest inclination to appropriate. I found that nothing could be done +during the voyage to Africa; but upon my arrival at Caffreton I sought +my old associate Boor, by whom I had been given over as lost, but whom +the prospect of getting a rich cargo on the most advantageous terms +induced to assist me as far as he was able. When my arrangements were +completed, I called upon him, as he thought, to settle about the amount +to be paid, but as I knew to put into execution a plan I had devised to +punish him for his treachery. I was shown as usual into a little room +at the back of his office, in which I had noticed a large iron cupboard +wherein he secured his valuables. He kept haggling with me some time, +and at last the price was agreed upon, and he gave me the money. Before +he had the slightest suspicion of my intentions, I suddenly caught hold +of him by the throat till I had squeezed the breath out of his wretched +body: his struggles were feeble, and he hadn't time to utter a cry. I +quickly thrust the lifeless carcass into the iron cupboard, locked it, +put the key in my pocket, and walked away as if nothing had happened. + +"Of what followed after I got on board, none of you here want being +told; and I have only to add to those who are now my prisoners, that +Master Porphyry I keep alive, because I consider it my interest to do +so, and tell him, that if he falls into my plans he will insure his own +safety and that of his companions; if he opposes them, he must expect to +meet with the fate of hundreds who have preceded him." + +Oriel Porphyry looked proudly, and made no reply. + +"Well, captain, that is the most interesting 'munication that ever +was--isn't it, Master Log?" inquired the lieutenant. + +"Interesting--interesting!" exclaimed the captain's clerk, aroused from +his sleep, and rubbing his drowsy eyes--"most interesting--most cruelly +interesting--upon my word most ferociously interesting, Mister Scrum--I +mean Lieutenant Rifle." + + + + +CHAP. X. + +THE PIRATE'S RETREAT. + + +The Albatross was creeping up the Mozambique channel, with her captain +at her helm, who showed an extraordinary degree of knowledge of the +coast, piloting the ship through narrow passages lined with breakers, +and surrounded by stupendous rocks, amid which the waves kept lashing +each other into foam on every side. Threading the mazes of this +intricate labyrinth, the ship was borne through a long opening between +huge masses of granite, in which it seemed utterly impossible for any +vessel to keep afloat, and then entered a snug little bay, perfectly +concealed from observation by passing ships by the surrounding rocks, +and there she cast anchor. Boats were let down, and the prisoners, well +guarded, were taken ashore. Upon landing, they found themselves upon +a clean shingly beach, leading to a soil of exceeding verdure, where +trees of immense proportions bowed their luxuriant heads to the passing +breeze; and parasitical and creeping plants, of wonderful variety and +beautiful appearance, twisted and twined among the rocks, and over the +gigantic trees. There the bread-fruit tree spread its welcome burden, +and the raven palm held out its green abundance. Further on, the +cocoa-nut bent down its branches, overladen with their grateful +fruit--while limes, oranges, tamarinds, and figs, on every side, offered +their refreshing stores. Among the flowering plants, the most remarkable +was the _anramatico_, whose bell-shaped flower contained nearly half a +gallon of water, always pure and fresh, and whose excellent fruit was +formed like a cup and cover. Among these, several flamingoes were +noticed, in their scarlet liveries, like sentinels upon duty--and troops +of gaudy paroquets were chattering among the branches of the trees. +There the green lizard ran along the bank, and the grey chameleon glided +among the boughs. + +The party proceeded on through fields of maize, rice, sugar-canes, +yams, and bananas, into a thick forest of gloomy trees, from among +which they disturbed the wild hogs at their roots, and the monkeys in +their branches--occasionally they would meet with a porcupine, or a +babyroussa--and more than once they came upon a troop of bisons, or a +stray zebra, who were munching the green herbage. Flocks of pigeons were +flying wildly about, and innumerable singing birds were endeavouring to +create a living harmony in the forest. After proceeding in this manner +about a mile, the captain and his followers began to ascend a steep +rock, covered with every species of tropical verdure, and they passed, +with increasing difficulty, from precipice to precipice till they came +to an immense black chasm that yawned fearfully before them. Over this +there was no passing. Here the captain fired a pistol, and the report, +reverberating through the hollow rocks, was repeated with a thousand +echoes, that called up from the dreary depths of the abyss flights of +monstrous bats, several hawks, and two or three gigantic eagles, that +whirled round and round over the heads of the intruders, and then +disappeared in various directions. Immediately afterwards a troop of +armed men, of the dark olive complexion of the country, clad in loose +tunics, and lower garments reaching to the knee--with naked legs and +arms--were seen descending the rock on the other side; and, as soon as +they noticed the captain, they set up a cry of welcome, and danced and +shouted in joyful recognition. + +They immediately threw a thick rope across the chasm, which was made +fast to a neighbouring tree--another rope was fastened within a foot of +it--over these, two strong hoops were sent across, connected with each +other, and affixed to a strong rope, and by resting the body within +these, and holding the ropes by the arms, each individual of the party +was dragged in safety to the other side of the rock. From thence they +proceeded along a narrow path cut in the rock, winding upwards to the +top, and then descended on the other side, where, at the foot of the +descent, they beheld a low, heavy, antique mansion, strongly built, and +almost hid among plantations of the raven palm. Here they were joined +by several more of the same sort of men as those by whom they had been +assisted over the chasm; and the delight they evinced at the return of +their master was equally noisy and wild as that previously shown by +their companions. + +"Welcome, gentlemen," said the captain, turning to his prisoners, +"welcome to my humble abode. It does not look so imposing as the +mansions to which some of you have been accustomed, but I think you +will find in it every thing likely to make your captivity endurable." + +"Your abode looks most invitingly, noble captain," observed Zabra, +apparently much delighted; "and if the interior accord with the promise +of what we see, I doubt much if either of us will have any desire to +quit its attractions." + +Oriel Porphyry glanced angrily upon his friend, and again a suspicion +of treachery entered his mind; but his attention was soon directed into +another channel, when, upon entering the house, he found it fitted up +in the most sumptuous style of Eastern taste. The spacious rooms +were floored with marble, that threw a delicious coolness into the +atmosphere, and flowers growing out of beautiful vases filled the +air with fragrance. Here were ottomans and couches to attract the +indolent--and at the open windows the grapes hung in clusters to tempt +the thirsty. All the furniture was costly and elegant, and every room +breathed an air of luxurious enjoyment. + +Here the pirate chief kept his prisoners closely watched, but allowed +them every comfort that his house afforded. The wounded men were +carefully attended to; and through the skill of Doctor Tourniquet, and +the benefit they derived from strolling about in the neighbourhood, +which they were allowed to do when well guarded, they became +convalescent. Zabra was more than ever in favour with the captain, and, +by the same attractions, gained the good will of every one of the wild +gang whom he commanded. They let him go where he pleased, and do as he +pleased; and he had excited so complete a confidence in his captors, +that they left him to roam about unguarded at all times, when the rest +were watched with the most jealous care. Not only was he allowed this +indulgence, but they showed him all the secrets of their retreat; +conducted him into subterranean caves, where piles of the most valuable +merchandise were stored, and led him into the vaults where their +ammunition and weapons, in great abundance, were laid up ready for use. +He also went several times with them from the house to the ship, till he +could find his way alone. + +Oriel Porphyry was not long allowed to remain in ignorance of the +conditions upon which his life and the lives of his companions might be +preserved; and these were, that he should sail in the Albatross on his +destination, as if nothing had transpired--negotiate a sale of the +merchandise it contained--and betray into the captain's hands such of +his father's ships as he might meet with on his voyage. These proposals +were immediately spurned; but the entreaties of Doctor Tourniquet and +the professor, and his own consideration for the poor men whose safety +was in his hands, at last induced him to adopt a temporising policy. He +seemed to listen with some attention to the captain's propositions, and, +as the pirates thought, not unwillingly; but he was only waiting for an +opportunity to attempt some desperate struggle, by which the liberation +of himself and friends might be effected. This apparent acquiescence +gained for him a greater degree of liberty, and a less strict +surveillance, than he had previously known; and then, when they found +themselves entirely free from observation, Zabra and he often met +together, and had long and earnest conferences. Zabra, too, took every +opportunity to converse with Hearty and the others, who had recovered +from their wounds, and all seemed to listen to him with extraordinary +interest. These men had intimated to the captain, that they had no +objection to join his band on condition that they were not separated +from Master Porphyry; and as they associated with the pirates, with +every appearance of sociality and sincerity, the captain, though he did +not then allow their request, left them in a less guarded state than he +had previously done. Then Zabra's communications with them became more +frequent, and their conferences with one another appeared to increase in +interest. + +One day, when the captain, and about half his band, had gone out +shooting wild hogs in the adjacent woods, the rest of the pirates, with +their prisoners, were mingled together, talking and joking, and amusing +themselves among the trees at the back of the house, and Hearty was +looking anxiously every now and then as if he was waiting for some one +to join his party. His companions also shared in the laugh, and in the +sport which was proceeding, but it seemed as if their thoughts were +otherwise employed. They were evidently inattentive to what was going +on around them. They evinced a restlessness--an anxiety--an impatience +not characteristic of men engaged in amusement; and now and then looks +passed between them in which there appeared more meaning than was +visible to the others. But the pirates heeded not these things. They +thought only of the sport in which they were occupied; and being +well armed, and much out-numbering their prisoners, who were without +weapons, they had not the slightest fear or expectation of their +attempting an escape. At last the boy Loop was observed turning the +corner of the house, carrying a heavy bundle on his head. As soon as he +was seen, Hearty and his companions hastily put their right arms into +the upper part of their vests, each produced a pistol, and in an instant +eight or ten of the pirates fell dead or wounded at their feet. With a +shout, the sailors rushed towards the boy Loop, whose bundle, containing +weapons, was soon appropriated, and then, amid yells and imprecations, +cheers and shouts, there commenced a war of extermination between the +two parties. The pirates were taken quite by surprise, and were put in +confusion by the fierceness and suddenness of the attack. They still +outnumbered their opponents, but while they gathered together, and were +seeking to revenge their fallen comrades, a discharge of fire-arms +in their rear from Oriel Porphyry, Zabra, Doctor Tourniquet, and +the professor, still more diminished their numbers, and still more +distracted their attention. They were not allowed a moment of inaction. +At once from both sides came the attack. Pistols were only discharged, +when it was almost impossible to miss; but the chief weapon was the +sword, and with this Hearty, Boggle, Climberkin, and Ardent, well backed +by their companions, and Oriel Porphyry, closely followed by Zabra, +Fortyfolios, and the doctor, cut down all who opposed them. The conflict +was fierce. Oriel Porphyry displayed an energy that nothing could +resist. He hewed his way through the thickest of his foes, and they fell +like reeds before his sword; while a stern scorn was breathing from his +handsome features, and his fine manly figure seemed to dilate with the +pride of conscious power. Close to his side came Zabra, whose exertions +were not so effective; but his object seemed more to be to defend Oriel +than to attack the pirates. Several times the arm that threatened the +destruction of the young merchant was rendered powerless by the ready +interference of his youthful friend, and the pistol levelled at his head +dropped harmless to the ground. It soon became a struggle of man to +man. Each singled out his opponent, and when he was disposed of, looked +out for another. In a few minutes the state of the parties had changed +exceedingly. A great number of the pirates had fallen, and the rest, +unable to withstand the fierceness of the encounter, appeared desirous +of making their escape. They were pressed so closely, that only three +out of the whole band got away, and each of these was severely wounded. + +"Now, my brave fellows, we have not a moment to lose," exclaimed Oriel +Porphyry. "Zabra, you will lead the way. Climberkin, you are much hurt, +I'm afraid?" + +"O, it's nothing, sir," replied the man cheerfully, although he +was bleeding from several deep gashes: "we've nearly all got a few +scratches; but I wouldn't have cared being cut to pieces, now I behold +these blood-thirsty villains so reg'larly done for." + +"Well, we must get forward, or the others may be upon us. Let every one +look to his weapons, and be in readiness to use them. You go on, Zabra: +I will follow you in a few minutes." + +The young merchant hastily re-entered the house, while the others +proceeded up the acclivity, and before they reached the top, he +joined them. "Hullo, my friends!" he cried, with a face glowing with +excitement: "just take one parting glance at this den of infamy, and +I will stake my existence it will give you pleasure." + +They had scarcely turned round for the purpose of complying with this +request, when they observed flames issuing from the windows of the +house. In so dry a climate fire burnt rapidly, and very quickly the +whole place was a sheet of flame. While they were gazing, a loud noise +like an earthquake shook the ground upon which they stood, and they +beheld the house lifted up high into the air--the walls crack--the +timbers split into pieces--and in a moment the retreat of the pirates +was a mass of smoking ruins, and the air was darkened with a thick smoke +and a shower of ashes. The men gave three hearty cheers, and proceeded +merrily on their way. They descended the mountain till they came to +the chasm where the rude bridge they had previously used remained. +First, Hearty got within the hoops, and with the assistance of the +ropes dragged himself across: when the hoops were pulled back, each in +succession passed over; and the last was in the act of crossing as the +pirate chief and the rest of his followers appeared upon the summit +of the mountain. A yell of mingled ferocity and hatred arose as they +witnessed the escape of their prisoners; and with malignity in their +eyes and curses on their lips, they, as rapidly as possible, commenced +descending the rock with the intention of overtaking the fugitives. + +"Cut the ropes! cut the ropes!" shouted Oriel, and in an instant the +swords of all the party were hacking at the thick twists of hemp; and +as the pirates descended on the other side they were severed, and the +ends fell into the abyss. A volley of pistol bullets and a chorus of +imprecations arose from the enraged and baffled villains, but they did +no mischief, and they were only answered by a triumphant cheer from the +crew of the Albatross. The fugitives now rapidly pursued their way till +they came to the sea shore, where they found two boats high and dry; +these were immediately launched into the sea, and pulling the oars +vigorously, they were soon by the side of the Albatross. There were not +above half a dozen of the pirates left in charge of the ship, but these +had noticed the approach of the boats, and seeing who they contained, +were prepared to give them a hostile reception. A gun was brought to +bear upon them--they saw it pointed--fired--and in the next moment the +shot whizzed over their heads. With another cheer of triumph the brave +fellows mounted the ship's side. Every obstacle was used to prevent +their boarding, and the few who were in the ship, from the determination +with which they defended it, seemed likely still to remain its masters. +At this instant, when Oriel and his party were unavailingly attempting +to make good a footing upon the deck, assistance came from a quarter +from whence any thing so welcome had never been anticipated. + +Roly Poly was pursuing his avocations in the cook-house when he heard +the affray, and looking out observed exactly the state of the opposing +parties. By him the pirates had never been regarded with any thing like +affection. They had treated him with great disrespect. They esteemed +not his art, and spoke contemptuously of his skill. His resolve was soon +made, and as quickly executed. Dipping a mop in a copper of boiling +water, in which his cookery was going on, he hurried as fast as his fat +limbs could carry him upon deck. + +"See how Roly Poly come to 'sist him friends," cried he, exultingly, as +he began to use his strange weapon among the pirates with a dexterity +that scattered them right and left. "Ha! you call my boofliful puddin' +'choke dog'--take dat you libellious vagabone," and with a forcible +sweep the scalding mop descended upon his face, sending him howling off +his heels. "Ha! you say my lumptious soup wishy-washy,--take dat, you +ignrant jackmorass!" and a resistless blow upon the ear levelled him +with his companion, yelling with pain; and thus he proceeded till he +had cleared a way for Oriel Porphyry and his coadjutors, who quickly +silenced all opposition. "I hab you now, you fellar!" shouted Roly +Poly, striding in triumph over one of his victims, and seemingly +intent upon ramming the scalding mop down the man's throat. "Like your +imprence, I tink, you fellar! to go for to say I boil sich nice puddin +I make, in nassy dishcloth!" + +"Hubble, bubble, hubble, bloo!" said the choking wretch. + +"Now I gib you puddin debblis nice, you fellar!" cried the fat cook, +ramming away with all his might. + +"Hobble, a bobble, a gobble, a gloo!" were the only sounds that were +heard in reply. + +"Dis nebber boil in nassy dishcloth, you fellar!" + +"Grow, a row, a row, ow, oo, oo, oo!" + +"Like your 'bominable imprence, you fellar!" + +"Rug, a rug, a glug." + +"Take debblis good care you nebber say no more sich diclus +impossumbilties. Ha! him dead as herrin' now," observed the unrelenting +negro; and then adding, "But serb him berry right--berry right, +indeed--a fellar!" he shouldered his mop, and turned on his heel. + +"Up with the anchor, and get out to sea as fast as you can," exclaimed +Oriel Porphyry. + +"If I might advise, sir," said Hearty, respectfully, "I should recommend +an unkimmon deal o' care in steerin through these shallows. I paid +'ticular notice when we entered this here rascally neighbourhood. I've a +notion them varmint never had sich a reglar spiflification since they +commenced their murderin rigs--and I'm sartan sure the ship'll be lost +if we don't look out pretty sharpish." + +"Well, what is best to be done?" asked Oriel. "You, of all of us, are +best acquainted with these matters--what do you advise." + +"Why I advises this," replied the old man: "I thinks it's best, under +all the 'cumstances o' the case, for a boat to be sent a little forrard +takin soundins, while I takes the helm and pilots the ship 'cordingly." + +"Let it be done, then," said Master Porphyry; "and as I have the +greatest confidence in your skill and experience, and as I wish to show +in some appropriate manner how much I regard the fidelity and courage +you have evinced in my service, from this time I intrust the entire +management of the ship to you, allowing you to choose your own officers +from among those of your shipmates whom you think most fitted for the +duties you will require from them." + +At this announcement a cheer of loud congratulation proceeded from +the delighted crew, among whom Hearty, by the inoffensiveness of +his conduct, his general kindness, and approved courage, had become +remarkably popular; but the old seaman appeared as if he did not know +what to make of so unexpected a piece of intelligence. His honest, +weather-beaten countenance assumed a variety of different expressions, +and his confusion for some time prevented his utterance. However, at +last, making an effort, he stammered, and as well as the state of his +feelings would allow,-- + +"Thank 'ee, sir. But though I desarves nuffin o' the sort, and ar'n't +hardly got gumption enough for the sitivation, I'll do all as I can as +long as there's a timber afloat in this here craft, or as long as ever I +can be of any sarvice to the owners." + +Two men then went in a boat in advance of the ship, taking soundings as +they rowed along, the result of which they continued to cry out to +Hearty, who with firm hand and steady eye stood at the helm, skilfully +piloting the ship through the midst of the rocks. Notwithstanding the +caution that was used, she was aground more than once; but immediately +she touched, she was backed off the rock by the skilful seamanship of +the anxious sailors; and in this way she floated slowly along, threading +the intricacies of this dangerous navigation, till she passed from +amidst the breakers into the open sea. It was an arduous task, and one +full of peril to the Albatross and her gallant crew; and it was not +without considerable anxiety that Oriel Porphyry and his companions +watched the vessel's progress from the deck. They spoke not to each +other, but looked to the huge masses of granite that rose around +them--and listened to the cry of the men in the boat with an interest +that had swallowed up every other consideration. But when the ship +was seen safely clearing her way through the deep waters, leaving the +foaming breakers far in her rear, each looked upon his neighbour as if +congratulating him on his escape; and Hearty, when he gave the helm +into the hands of Boggle, received the sincere thanks of all whom by +his skill he had saved from destruction. + +"Zabra, you seem ill! What ails you?" exclaimed Oriel Porphyry, noticing +for the first time that the eyes of his young associate looked dim and +unsteady, and that he appeared as if unable, from weakness, to keep his +footing on the deck. + +"Nothing, Oriel, nothing!" replied Zabra, faintly, as he caught hold of +the arm of his patron. + +"Nay," cried the merchant's son, in tones of affectionate +solicitude--"you are wounded. I see the blood trickling through your +vest. How strange I should not have observed it before, and how wrong +of you not to have mentioned it. Doctor Tourniquet!" cried he to the +surgeon, who was discussing with the professor the philosophy of cause +and effect, "here is one who requires your immediate attention. I hope +there is nothing of much consequence, but whatever it may be, let it +receive all your skill." + +Doctor Tourniquet hurried to his patient; but not without evincing much +concern in his good-natured countenance, when he noticed by whom he was +wanted. + +"Not now, doctor, not now!" cried Zabra, hastily, and in evident +confusion, as Tourniquet was proceeding to examine the state of the +wound. + +"But, my dear young friend," observed the surgeon, kindly, "unless you +let me take off part of your dress it is impossible that I can discover +the injury you have received, don't you see." + +"Here! I will remove his tunic," said Oriel, eagerly coming forward to +assist the doctor. + +"Oh no, no, no!" hastily exclaimed Zabra, retreating in alarm from the +proffered assistance. "I shall be better presently--that is--I am not +much hurt. It is nothing. It will get well without assistance." + +"You must have your wound dressed, Zabra!" said Oriel Porphyry, +surprised that his young friend should exhibit such a disinclination to +intrust himself to the surgeon's treatment. "I dare say it will give you +but little pain, and will soon be over." + +"I can say nothing on the subject till I have seen the wound, don't +you see," remarked the surgeon, in a slight degree offended at the +extraordinary want of confidence in his surgical skill evinced by his +patient. + +"I am very faint," cried Zabra, looking bewildered around him, as he +leaned for support upon Master Porphyry--"very faint. I think I had +better descend to my berth, where the doctor can attend me." + +"Very well," replied Oriel: "only you must let me assist you." + +"Oh no, no!" exclaimed his young associate, eagerly. "Not now, Oriel. +The doctor's arm will be all the assistance I shall require. You can +come to me afterwards." + +"You are a strange creature," observed the merchant's son. "But let it +be as you wish." + +Doctor Tourniquet assisted his patient into a small cabin, into which +he had scarcely entered, before Zabra would have sunk on the floor in +a swoon, had not the surgeon observed his faintness, and prevented him +from falling. He then laid him gently on his back. The doctor never +before had had such an opportunity for noticing the rich and peculiar +beauty of the countenance before him. He gazed for several minutes +in undisguised admiration on the faultless features of his youthful +patient, with the full conviction that he had rarely, if ever, met with +any human face so attractive in its expression. The long black curls +which Zabra had allowed to grow till they nearly reached his shoulder +hung in shining clusters around his face and forehead; and the faint +bronze in his complexion appeared to heighten the grace in which the +features were modelled. Desirous of saving so much attraction to the +world, if it were endangered, he sought to examine the injury the youth +had received. It was a gun-shot wound in the shoulder. Doctor Tourniquet +was carefully unfastening and removing the upper part of his patient's +dress, for the purpose of getting at the wound, when he suddenly +started back, looking as if in the highest degree bewildered and +amazed--his ruddy countenance acquired an additional glow--and surprise +seemed to have had the power of taking away his breath; and after some +minutes' silent wondering, with eyes staring, and mouth opening wide, he +recovered sufficiently to be able to ejaculate a long drawn "whew!" + + +END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. + + + LONDON: + Printed by A. SPOTTISWOODE, + New-Street-Square. + + + + +Transcriber's Note + + +A table of Contents has been added. + +Text in italics has been placed between _underscores_ and text in small +capitals has been changed to all capitals. + +Some punctuation errors have been corrected silently. Inconsistent use +of quotation marks in some parts of the book has not been changed. + +The following corrections have been made, on page + + xii "imagin on" changed to "imagination" and "cean" to "ocean" + (Cannot imagination make the sea dry land, and the earth ocean?) + 29 "bouyant" changed to "buoyant" (elegant, and buoyant) + 33 "pole" changed to "poll" (indignantly thrusting his woolly poll + in the middle) + 74 "disrepect" changed to "disrespect" (and my person with + disrespect) + 81 "reprepresented" changed to "represented" (for they represented, + or were connected) + 99 "Abatross" changed to "Albatross" (and the Albatross was rushing + through the waves) + 193 "un" changed to "sun" (with its own sun, moon and stars) + 268 "ound" changed to "found" (he found it fitted up in the most) + 287 "gettin" changed to "getting" (for the purpose of getting at the + wound) + 288 "Spotiswoode" changed to "Spottiswoode". (Printed by A. + Spottiswoode). + +Otherwise the original was preserved, including archaic and inconsistent +spelling and hyphenation. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Lady Eureka, v. 1 (of 3), by +Robert Folkestone Williams + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42491 *** |