I now resolved to speak to her relative to the belt which contained the
diamonds; and I was first obliged to narrate to her in a few words what
Jackson had told me. She heard me with great interest, now and then
asking a question. When I had told her all, I said--
"Now, as they talk of not taking my chest, what shall I do? Shall I
wear the belt myself, or shall I put it in the bundle? or will you wear
it for me, as my mother would have done, if she had been alive?"
She did not reply for some time, at last she said, as if talking to
herself, and not to me--
"How unsearchable are thy ways, O God!"
Indeed, although I did not feel it at the time, I have afterwards
thought, and she told me herself, how great her surprise was at finding
in the unshorn little Savage, thus living alone upon a desolate rock, a
lad of good birth, and although he did not know it, with a fortune in
his charge, which would, in all probability, be ultimately his own.
This is certain, that the interest she felt towards me increased every
hour, as by degrees I disclosed my history.
"Well," replied she, "if you will trust me, I will take charge of your
belt. To-morrow we will select out of the chest what will be best to
take with you, and then we will arrange as you wish."
After about an hour's more conversation, she went into the cabin, and
retired behind the screen which had been fixed up, telling me that she
did not mind Nero, and that I might go to bed when I pleased. As I was
not much inclined to go down to the seamen, I followed her advice and
went to bed; but I could not sleep for a long time from the noise which
the men made, who were carousing at the bathing-pool. The idea of
parting with Nero also lay heavy upon my heart, though the woman had
almost satisfied me that as soon as I was gone, the animal would resume
its natural habits, and care nothing for me.
I was up the next morning early, and went down with Nero to obtain the
fish which we required. I left some on the rocks for the seamen's
breakfast (for they were all sound asleep), and then returned to the
cabin, and prepared for our own. Mrs Reichardt, as I shall now call
her, soon came out to me, and when breakfast was over, proposed that we
should plant the remainder of the potatoes before we packed up the
things in the chest. As soon as they were all cut, we set off to the
ravine, and had finished our task before noon, at which time there were
but few of the seamen stirring, they had remained up so long the night
before, drinking. The mate was one of those who were on their legs, and
he asked me if I thought we should have smooth water to launch the boat
on the following day. I replied in the affirmative, and went with Mrs
Reichardt to the cabin, and putting down the shovel, I hauled my chest
out on the platform to select what articles I should take.
While we were thus employed, and talking at times, the men came up for
the dried birds to take down ready for putting them in the boat on the
following day, and in two trips they had cleared out the whole of them.
"Have you used all the potatoes you brought up?" said one of the men;
"for we shall be short of provisions."
Mrs Reichardt replied that we had none left.
"Well then," said the man, "the mate says you had better bring down
that brute of yours to catch the rest of the fish in the pond, that we
may cook them before we start, as they will make two days' meals at
least."
"Very well," replied I; "I will come down directly." I did so, and
Nero, in a quarter of an hour, had landed all the fish, and I then
returned with him to the cabin. Mrs R. had selected the best of the
clothes, and made them up in a tight bundle, which she sewed up with
strong thread. My books she had left out, as well as the spy-glass, and
the tools I had, as they might be useful. I asked her whether I should
carry them down to the bathing-pool, but she replied that on the
morning when we embarked would be quite time enough. I then went to the
hole under Jackson's bed-place, and brought out the belt and the few
articles that were with it. Mrs R., after having examined them, said
that she would take care of them all; the watch and other trinkets she
put in her basket, the belt she took to the bed-place, and secreted it.
She appeared very silent and thoughtful, and on my asking her whether I
should not take down the shovel, and the pail, and hammer, she replied,
"No, leave all till we are ready to go to the boat. It will be time
enough."
Shortly afterwards, the mate brought us up some of the fish which they
had cooked for supper, and when we had eaten it we went to bed.
"This is the last night we shall sleep together, Nero," said I, kissing
my favourite, and the thought brought tears into my eyes. "But it can't
be helped." I was however soon fast asleep with my arm round the animal.
When I went out the next morning, I found that the weather was
beautifully fine, the water smooth, and only rippled by a light breeze.
As Mrs R. had not yet made her appearance, I went down to the
bathing-pool, where I found all the men up and in full activity. The
boat had been emptied out, the oars, masts, and sails, were on the
rocks and the men were turning the bows to the seaward in readiness for
launching her over the ledge of rocks. The dried birds lay in a heap by
the side of the cask of rum, and the fish which had been baked were in
a large kid. The six breakers were also piled up together, and the mate
and some of the men were disputing as to how many of them should be
filled with water. The mate wanted them all filled; the men said that
three would be sufficient, as the boat would be so loaded. At last the
mate gained his point, and the men each took a breaker, and went up to
the cabin for the water. I went with them to fill the breakers, and
also to see that they did no mischief, for they appeared very unruly
and out of temper; and I was afraid that they would hurt Nero, who was
at the cabin, if I was not there to prevent them; but with the
exception of examining the cabin, and forcing themselves in upon Mrs
Reichardt, they did nothing. When the breakers were full, which took at
least half an hour, they did indeed try to catch the birds, and would
have wrung their necks, but the males flew away, and the females I put
into the bed-place that was screened off in the cabin, and near which
Mrs Reichardt was sitting. They all appeared to have a great awe and
respect for this woman, and a look from her was more effectual than
were any words of the mate.
"We don't want you," said one of the men, as they went down to the
bathing-pool with the breakers on their shoulders. "Why don't you keep
up with the lady? You're quite a lady's man, now you've white trousers
on."
The others who followed him laughed at this latter remark.
"I'm of no use up there, at present," said I; "and I may be down below."
The men set down the breakers on the rocks by the pool, and then, under
the directions of the mate, prepared to launch the boat over the ledge.
The masts of the boat were placed athwartships, under her keel, for her
to run upon, and being now quite empty, she was very light. She was
what they call a whale-boat, fitted for the whale fishery, pointed at
both ends, and steered by an oar; she was not very large, but held
seven people comfortably, and she was remarkably well fitted with sails
and masts, having two lugs and a mizen. As soon as they were all ready,
the men went to the side of the boat, and in a minute she was launched
into the sea without injury. The mate said to me, as they brought her
broadside to the ledge--
"Now, my lad, we don't want you any more; you may go up to the cabin
till we are ready, and then we will send for you and the lady."
"Oh! but I can be of use here," replied I; "and I am of none up there."
The mate did not reply, and the men then went to the rum cask, and
rolled it towards the boat; and when they had it on the ledge, they
parbuckled it, as they term it, into the boat with a whale-line that
they happened to have, and which was of great length. After the cask of
rum was got in amidships, (and it took up a great deal of space,
reaching from one gunnel to the other, and standing high above the
thwarts) they went for the breakers of water, which they put in, three
before and three behind the cask, upon the floor of the boat.
"She will be too heavy," said one of the men, "with so much water."
"We can easily get rid of it," replied the mate. "If you had said she
would be too heavy with so much liquor on board, you had better
explained the matter; however, you must have your own ways, I suppose."
The next articles that they brought to stow away were the provisions.
The kid of fish was put amidships on the breakers, and the dried birds,
which they carried down in their arms, were packed up neatly in the
stern-sheets. They were soon up to the gunnel, and the mate said,
"You had better stow away forward now--there will be little room for
the lady as it is."
"No, no, stow them all aft," replied one of the men, in a surly tone;
"the lady must sit where she can. She's no better than we."
"Shall this go in?" said I, pointing to the coil of whale-line, and
addressing the mate.
"No, no; we must leave that," replied one of the men in the boat; "we
shall be wedged enough as it is; and I say, Jim, throw that old saw and
the bag of nails out of the boat--we can have no use for them."
The masts were then stepped, and the rigging set up to the gunnel of
the boat, the yards and sails handed in, and hooked on the halyards
ready for hoisting. In fact the boat was now all ready for starting;
they had only the iron kettle and two or three other articles to put in.
"Shall we have the mizen?" inquired one of the men, pointing to the
mast, which lay on the rocks.
"No, she steers quite as well without it," replied the mate. "We'll
leave it. And now, lads, hand the oars in."
They were brought to the boat, but owing to the puncheon of rum in the
centre, they could not lie flat, and after a good deal of arguing and
disputing, four oars and a boat-hook were lashed to the gunnel outside,
and the rest were left on the rocks.
At this time there was some consultation between the mate and some of
the men--the mate being evidently opposed by the others. I could not
hear what it was about, but the mate appeared very angry and very much
annoyed. At last he dashed his hat down on the rocks in a great
passion, saying,
"No good will come of it. Mark my words. No good ever did or ever will.
Be it so, you are too many for me; but I tell you again, no good will
come of it."
The mate then sat down on the rocks by himself, and put his head down
on his knees, covering it with his hands.
The man with whom he had been disputing went to the others in the boat,
and spoke to them in a low tone, looking round at me, to ascertain if I
was within hearing.
After a minute or two they all separated, and then one of them said to
me--
"Now, my lad, we're all ready. Go up to the cabin and bring down your
bundle and her basket, and tell the lady we are waiting for her."
"There's the shovel," said I, "and the boat's sail--must I bring them
down?"
"Oh yes, bring them down, and also two or three sealskins for the lady
to sit upon."
Off I went on my errand, for I was delighted with the idea of leaving
the island, and my patience had been almost exhausted at the time they
had taken in the stowage of the boat. As I hastened up the path, I
heard loud contention, and the mate's voice speaking very angrily, and
I stopped for a short time to listen, but the noise ceased, and I went
on again. I found Nero on the platform, and I stopped a minute to
caress him. "Good bye, my poor Nero, we shall never see one another
again," said I. "You must go back to the sea, and catch fish for
yourself;" and the tears started in my eyes as I gave the animal a
farewell kiss.
I then went into the cabin, where I found Mrs Reichardt sitting very
quietly.
"They are all ready," said I, "and have sent me up for you but I am to
bring down the boat's sail and some seal skins for you to sit upon. I
can carry both if you can carry my bundle. Have you put the belt on?"
"Yes," replied she, "I am quite ready. I will carry the bundle, and the
books and spy-glass, as well as my basket; but we must pack them
close," added she, "and roll the sail up round the yard, or you will
not be able to carry it."
We took the sail down, and got it ready for carrying, and I rolled up
the two best seal skins, and tied them with a piece of fishing line,
and then we were all ready. I shouldered my burden, and Mrs Reichardt
took the other articles, as proposed, and we left the cabin to go down
the path to the bathing-pool.
"Good bye, Nero--good bye, birds--good bye, cabin--and good bye,
garden," said I, as I went along the platform; and having so done, and
ordered Nero back with a tremulous voice, I turned my head in the
direction of the bathing-pool. I stared and then screamed, dropping my
burden, as I lifted up my hands in amazement--
"Look!" cried I to my companion. "Look!" repeated I, breathless.
She did look, and saw as I did--the boat under all sail, half a mile
from the pool, staggering under a fresh breeze, which carried her away
at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour.
They had left us--they had deserted us. I cried out, like a madman,
"Stop! stop! stop!" and then, seeing how useless it was, I dashed
myself on the rock, and for a minute or two was insensible.
"Oh!" groaned I, at last, as I came to my senses.
"Frank Henniker," said a sweet firm voice.
I opened my eyes, and saw Mrs Reichardt standing by me.
"It is the will of Heaven, and you must submit to it patiently,"
continued she.
"But so cruel, so treacherous!" replied I, looking at the fast-receding
boat.
"I grant, most cruel, and most treacherous, but we must leave them to
the judgment of God. What can they expect from him in the way of mercy
when they have shewn none? I tell you candidly, that I think we are
better in our present forlorn state upon this rock, than if in that
boat. They have taken with them the seeds of discord, of recklessness,
and intemperance, in an attempt which requires the greatest prudence,
calmness, and unanimity, and I fear there is little chance of their
even being rescued from their dangerous position. It is my opinion, and
I thought so when I first knew they had found the cask, that liquor
would prove their ruin, and I say again, that boat will never arrive at
its destination, and they will all perish miserably. It has pleased God
that they should leave us here, and depend upon it, it has been so
decided for the best."
"But," replied I, looking again at the boat, "I was tired of being
here--I was so anxious to get off--and now to be left! And they have
taken all our provisions, everything, even the fish in the pool. We
shall starve."
"I hope not," replied she, "and I think not; but we must exert
ourselves, and trust to Heaven."
But I could not heed her--my heart was bursting. I sobbed, as I sat
with my hands covering up my face.
"All gone!" cried I. "No one left but you and I."
"Yes," replied she, "one more."
"Who?" cried I, looking up.
"God!--who is with us always."