MAROONED
As we stood upon the cliffs overlooking the Spanish settlement,
watching, with blank faces, the "Golden Seahorse" sailing seaward under
a foreign flag, it was borne in upon us that we owed our loss to the
treachery of Queen Barreto, who, taking advantage of our absence, had
pirated our vessel. On descending to the town our suspicions were
confirmed. Here we found the settlement abandoned by the Spaniards,
who, before leaving, had imprisoned our crew, bound and gagged, in the
Queen's house. Having released them, we heard from Bantum, our second
officer, the particulars of what had occurred.
"No sooner had you left the town," said he, "than Queen Barreto, with
Pedro de Castro and a swarm of Spaniards, came aboard of us. De Castro
knew where the arms were kept, and, before I could guess what they
intended, they had hoisted their flag at the mizzen, and held
possession of the ship. We put up a fight, but what could we do,
outnumbered as we were--ten to one? We were quickly overpowered and
brought ashore, where they trussed us up and left us as you found us.
Had you not come in time we would certainly have died of thirst and
starvation."
When we had listened to Bantum's account of what had taken place we
could not blame him for the loss of the ship, but Hartog swore a great
oath that, if ever he should meet de Castro again he would reckon with
him in such manner as his base betrayal of us gave warrant. The
ingratitude of this man will be apparent when it is remembered that we
had rescued him from slavery, had admitted him to an equality with our
officers, and had loaded him with favours, for which he repaid us by
stealing our vessel.
It now became necessary to review our situation. Of food and fresh
water we had an abundant supply, and there were dwellings at our
disposal more than enough, for the Spaniards had numbered over two
hundred, while we mustered but thirty. We possessed, however, no arms
or ammunition beyond what we had taken with us upon our expedition to
the caves. The thought of this caused us grave anxiety when we
reflected upon the small force at our disposal should hostile natives,
having discovered our weakness, be tempted to attack us. Repining,
however, would avail us nothing, so, at Hartog's request, I set about
organizing our camp. Hartog himself was so cast down by the loss of our
ship that he seemed incapable of diverting his thoughts from the
catastrophe which had overtaken us. I thus found our former positions
reversed, Hartog being on the brink of the same hopeless despair which
had obsessed me when Anna was taken from me, while upon me devolved the
task of heartening him.
And now a new danger threatened us. We had not been a month at the
settlement after the piracy of the "Golden Seahorse" before it became
evident to me that our crew had ceased to regard their officers with
the same respect as they had formerly shown them on board ship.
Sailors, ashore, are accustomed to a license they do not look for at
sea. Hence it was but natural that, since their ship no longer claimed
their duty, they should regard themselves as freed from discipline.
This revolt against authority, however, I knew to be a menace to our
common safety, and I determined to put an end to it. I spoke first to
Hartog, who spent most of his time in the Queen's house, brooding over
our misfortune, and thus setting a very bad example.
"It is not because you are no longer captain of the 'Golden Seahorse',"
I said to him, "that you should regard your responsibilities at an end.
If you can regain your authority over the men, we may yet win through.
If not, then let us at once abandon ourselves to the mercy of the
savages, whom, I may tell you, I have observed watching us from the
cliffs above, and who are only waiting to assure themselves of our
weakness before they attack us."
For a time Hartog remained silent. Then he rose, and stretched himself;
drawing himself up to his full height, he stood before me, the finest
specimen of a man I have ever met.
"You are right, Peter," he said. "I deserve the scolding you have given
me. Show me the man who will not obey me, and I will talk to him."
Now there was one, Hoft Hugens, a Swede, who had made himself a leader
among the mutinous and lazy crew. I had intended dealing with this man
myself, but it now occurred to me that his schooling would serve to
rouse Hartog from his apathy.
"If you must know, then," I answered, "it is Hoft Hugens to whom the
men look as leader."
The next minute Hartog was striding through the town, a native club in
his hand, which he had taken from the Queen's house. Although past
noon, there were none to be seen outside the huts. All were asleep
after their mid-day meal, upon which they had gorged themselves to
repletion. At the sight of this defiance of discipline a deep flush
overspread Hartog's face, as though he felt shame for having allowed
his authority to pass from him. Then he began to beat with his club
upon the doors of the houses until the men came out, some in sleepy
remonstrance, and others with curses in their mouths at having been
disturbed from their siesta.
"Well, what have you to say?" demanded Hartog. "Is it not enough that
our condition is such that if only fifty determined savages came
against us they could kill us and destroy the settlement, but you must
waste your time in gluttony and sleep? Where is the watch, whose duty
it is to keep a look-out as though I stood upon my quarterdeck?"
"Nay, Hartog," answered Hugens, whom the others now pushed forward to
be their spokesman, "there must be an end to such talk. We shall never
get away from this valley. What need then for so much rule when death
is certain?"
"Certain it is for thee," cried Hartog, placing his hand on Hugen's
shoulder, and tightening his grip so that the man winced with pain.
"Ask pardon before I tear thine arm from its socket!"
At this, those who had begun to advance to their leader's assistance
drew back. It was known that the punishment which Hartog threatened had
actually been carried out by one of the buccaneer captains upon a
mutinous seaman, and none doubted but Hartog had the strength to fulfil
his threat. Hugen's face blanched as the grip tightened upon his arm.
He tried to free himself. Tears started to his eyes. A sob broke from
his heaving chest. Then he screamed with the intolerable agony he
suffered, but none dare interfere, and I verily believe that Hartog
would have performed his promise and torn the limb from its socket had
not one of the men, who had been looking seaward, cried, "A sail!
sail!"