A SKRIMMAGE FOR LIFE--A TRUCE--A SAIL, A SAIL APPEARS--MARCUS TO THE
RESCUE--THE PIRATE TAKES US OFF--SAM SNAG'S FEARFUL END.
The grey dawn had just broken. It was the hour when even vigilant
watchers are apt to doze, and deepen to sleep most soundly. I sprang
out of our hut, in front of which I found Peter with his staff lifted
ready to guard his head, at which the mulatto mate, Sam Snag, who had at
that moment come up, was aiming a fierce blow, while his companion, who
was a little behind, had also his stick uplifted, prepared to follow up
the blow, or to inflict another on the dog, or on me. It was very
evident that they had expected to find us both asleep, and to have
murdered us without difficulty. So suddenly, indeed, did I appear, that
I was able to turn aside the blow Snag was aiming at the lad, and to
give him in return so severe a one on the right arm, that he dropped his
stick; and this left me at liberty to defend myself against the other
ruffian, who might have given me a great deal of trouble had not Ready,
watching the moment that he was about to strike, seized him by the leg,
which he tore away at with a fury which enabled me to gain an easy
victory. Peter, also, while Snag, unwisely despising his young
antagonist, stopped to pick up his stick, dealt him so heavy a blow on
his head, that he sent him rolling over, and before he could recover
himself I gave him another blow, which very nearly finished him. I had,
however, to turn my attention to his companion, who, in spite of Ready's
jaws, was about to hit me, and while I warded off the blow Snag picked
himself up and retreated, calling upon the other to follow his example.
This he could not have done had not Ready at that moment opened his
mouth to get a better grip, I fancy, when he sprang away with an agility
I had not expected.
Had we followed them they would have had the advantage, for there were
plenty of heavy pieces of coral about with which they could have settled
Ready. Then, too, they were better prepared, for having only Peter to
back me, who, though he had plenty of pluck, was but a boy in strength,
I thought it prudent not to push matters to extremities. There we
stood, the only four human beings on that desolate island, ready to take
each others' lives, and I may say, literally, that our opponents were
thirsting for our blood. After all, we were only doing, on a small
scale, what nations are often doing on a large one. Perhaps we had more
to fight about, namely, our opponents wanted to eat us, and we did not
wish to be eaten. I moralised much in this strain as I waited to see
what Snag and his companion would next do. They probably were
considering how they could execute their purpose with least risk to
themselves. Their eyes glared fiercely as they looked at us. They were
evidently very hungry. I determined to try what pacific measures would
effect. I shouted to them, and told them that we had found an abundance
of shell-fish on our side of the island, and that we would not molest
them if they wished to collect it. I told them, also, that they might
take some fire from ours. The mate looked at me for some minutes
without speaking, as if he did not exactly comprehend what I was saying.
"There isn't much to thank you for that," he at length answered.
"However, if you don't wish to do us harm we'll let you alone, and so
that's settled."
The reply was ungracious, but I only said, "Very well, it is so
understood between us."
I did not, however, intend to trust the villains, for I was sure that,
should they discover that we had the wine, they would make an attempt to
possess themselves of it, and might, besides, very likely attack us
again.
The excitement of the fight had not taken away our appetites, and so
Peter and I set to work to collect shell-fish till the sun was high
enough to allow of the use of the burning-glass. The two men, seeing
how we were employed, followed our example; but even then, the way I saw
them talking together and glancing towards us when they thought that
they were not observed, convinced me that they would set upon us should
they find a favourable opportunity. I had told Peter to keep near me,
but he did not hear me, for, looking up, I saw that he had gone in the
direction of the men, who at that moment were springing towards him with
their clubs uplifted. I shouted out to him to avoid the danger, and
just then, as I glanced seaward, my eyes fell on a vessel standing in
under full sail towards the watering-place. I pointed her out to the
men, and their attention being thus distracted, the lad escaped and got
behind me, while they set off towards the watering-place, to be the
first, I concluded, to welcome the strangers, and tell their own tale.
This mattered very little to me. If the strangers were honest, I felt
sure that I could make my story good, and if not, I could scarcely be
worse off than at present, and might, at all events, get rid of my
unpleasant neighbours, waiting patiently till Peter and I could make our
escape. Therefore, with some degree of tranquillity, I watched from a
rock what was taking place. The schooner stood on like a vessel well
accustomed to the place, and when close in brought up and furled all
sails. Her crew were of a motley description; and as they approached in
their boats, I was convinced of what I had before suspected--that the
schooner was the very piratical vessel which had captured the
_Shaddock_, and on board which I had found Marcus, the black. Though I
could have wished him now, for his own sake, to have been in better
company, I was anxious to ascertain if he was still with the pirates, as
in that case I had no fear as to our safety. Peter also understood the
state of the case.
"Yes, there he is; that's him standing up in the first boat," cried the
lad. "He seems in an awful rage, though. If I thought he was
a-threatening of me, I'd like to run away and hide myself."
Sure enough, there was Marcus; but what could have excited his anger? I
soon learned, for, looking higher up the rock, I saw the huge mulatto
mate, Sam Snag, and his companion, on their knees with uplifted hands,
in the most abject state of terror, imploring mercy, while Marcus, as
the boat approached, stood ready with a pistol in his hand to shoot, it
appeared, one or the other of them.
As the boat's keel grated on the sand, he sprang on shore, gnashing his
teeth like a wild beast, and I thought would have shot Snag dead at that
moment, but seeing that he was really totally unarmed, he contented
himself with hitting him in the face, and then kicking him over.
"Wretched slave-driver--overseer of your fellow-men--have I found you
once again?" he exclaimed, literally foaming at the mouth, and striking
him each time that he spoke. "Death is too good for a wretch like you.
No fear, I'll not kill you," and seizing, as he spoke, the huge powerful
man by the hair, he dragged him along over the sand. I never saw a man
so completely prostrated by abject fear as was this would-be murderer
and bully, Snag. Meantime some of the pirates had espied Peter and me,
and with no very friendly gestures, thinking that we were of Silas
Snag's gang, were hurrying towards us. I thought it was now time to
claim the protection of Marcus. The moment he heard my voice his whole
manner changed. He almost took me in his arms in the excess of his
affectionate feelings, as he inquired by what wonderful circumstance I
had come there. I told him of the shipwreck and the cause of it.
"Ah, and that villain unhung was at the bottom of the mischief!
However, we shall settle accounts ere long. I would have killed him
to-day but that death would be too happy a fate for a wretch like him."
I entreated Marcus not to stain his hands with the blood of the man,
though I acknowledged that I had little reason for wishing to save him
from punishment, as he had just before attempted to take my life and
that of my companion.
"Well, I will promise to let him live on as long as he can on this
islet," said Marcus, casting a glance of hatred and contempt at the
mulatto mate, who stood literally trembling before him. "He knows that
it's out of the track of most vessels, and that only those who are
engaged as we are come off here occasionally for water, when they cannot
venture elsewhere, so that his chance of escape is very small. If he
wishes to prolong his life he must kill his companion, or his companion
will kill him. Such things have been done on this island before now,
and that is one of the reasons why it is so generally avoided."
To this mode of treating Snag I had no objection to make. I could
scarcely propose that he should be taken away in the pirate vessel, and
he certainly had brought his fate upon himself. I was glad to get away
from him and from a spot of such ill-repute; at the same time I doubted
whether I should not be leaping out of the frying-pan into the fire.
How might I be treated should the pirate be captured by a man-of-war,
either English or American, and I be found on board? I could not say
that I did not know her character before I went on board, and it was a
question whether the plea would hold good that I did so in preference to
remaining on a desert island. Still I saw that I had no choice. If I
remained with Snag and did not kill him, he would if he had the
opportunity kill me, and Peter and Ready into the bargain; whereas if I
embarked I might very possibly get safe on shore, and if we were
captured I felt very sure that Marcus would give evidence in my favour,
and I hoped that the other pirates would do so likewise.
I told Marcus, therefore, that I accepted his offer, hinting, however,
at the predicament in which I should be placed should the schooner be
captured.
"She will never be captured," he answered fiercely. "Sooner than that I
would blow up the vessel, and all on board."
A pleasant prospect for me, I thought to myself; however, as I said, I
had no choice. Accordingly, I and Peter and Ready embarked with Marcus
in the first boat returning with water to the schooner. The crew
received us without any questions, and we were soon discussing in the
cabin such a meal as we had not eaten for many a day. I said nothing
about the wine we had left on shore, as I thought that it would do the
pirates no good, and might do harm. Great despatch was made in getting
water aboard, and in a short time all that was required was obtained.
Marcus did not return to the shore, but I heard him giving directions to
the officer of one of the boats which went back for water. Meantime I
was watching what was taking place on the beach. Snag, who had
concealed himself from Marcus, now made his appearance, and was
evidently exerting his powers of persuasion on the crew of the remaining
boat, probably forgetting that though his words could not reach the
schooner his gestures could be seen from her. Judging from his and his
companion's manner, he appeared to have been successful; some flasks
were produced from the boat, and they and the crew were seen to sit
down, and to smoke and drink in a friendly manner.
The officer sent by Marcus, and several of his men, went heavily armed.
On their reaching the beach the crew of the other boat were ordered into
her, and then seizing the white man they carried him into their boat.
Snag rushed after him but was driven back by the officer, who held a
pistol towards his head as he approached the boat. In vain he pleaded
with the very men with whom he had so lately been on friendly terms.
The horror of his position burst upon him. He was to be left on the
desert islet to die alone, without even the companionship of his former
shipmate and associate in crime. In vain he pleaded. The pirates
laughed at his terror and rage. He stamped--he gnashed with his teeth--
he shook his clenched fist. He was unarmed and helpless. The boats
pushed off and were already some distance from the beach. He waved and
shouted to them. For a minute he stood irresolute, apparently hoping
that those he had seemed to gain over would take him on board. Again he
waved; some signal was made from the boat. He plunged headlong into the
sea, and swam towards her. Still she pulled slowly towards the
schooner, though, it seemed, he thought that he could overtake her. Too
late he discovered that a barbarous trick had been played him, worthy of
the wretches who were guilty of it. He might still have returned to the
shore, but just then a dark fin, which had been hovering about the
schooner, was seen to dash off in the direction of the boats. An
instant after the mulatto mate threw up his arms--a fearful shriek was
heard, and he disappeared beneath the water, an ensanguined circle on
the surface marking the spot where he had gone down. Directly after the
boats were hoisted in, the breeze sprang up, and the schooner made sail
to the northward.
"Now, my friend, at which port do you wish to be landed?" asked Marcus.
"I was bound to New Orleans, and still wish to return there," I
answered.
"It is not the place I would counsel you to go to," he observed. "Some
of the people there have long memories, and they would treat you with
Lynch law, and a scant allowance of that, if they caught you."
I told him that I was aware that there was some danger, but that I had
resolved to push north up the Mississippi; besides which, as I had
letters of credit on a mercantile house at New Orleans, I must go there
for the sake of replenishing my purse and wardrobe. He replied that he
must consult with the captain about it, as he had strong doubts as to
the policy of the proceeding. Some hours afterwards Marcus told me that
it was impossible to land me at New Orleans, but that they would put me
on shore at Havanna, from whence I could easily get across to that city
if I still desired to go.
"But can you venture into the Havanna? will not your schooner run a
great risk of being recognised?" I asked.
"Oh no, our papers are all correct. We have powerful friends there who
would get us out of trouble, if we got into it, and we depend much on
our boldness to escape suspicions," he answered. "You shall see. With
regard to you we shall only have the truth to tell. We found you cast
away on an island, took you off, and wish to land you. We must depend
on your discretion for the rest. For anything you know to the contrary,
as far as you have seen, this vessel is perfectly honest. You
understand me."