Captain John Deane had now launched forth in a new character, that of a
merchant adventurer, especially honoured in those days, as it deserved
to be. The merchant adventurers a century and a half ago were the
promoters of civilisation, the founders of kingdoms, while they were
generally distinguished by their courage, perseverance, and honourable
conduct. The "Nottingham Galley" had a crew of forty men, and she
mounted twenty guns, with which her captain hoped to defend her against
any enemies she might encounter. He had hitherto been a successful man,
and he began to think that it would never be his lot to be otherwise.
The voyage was prosperous till the "Nottingham Galley" was within fifty
leagues of the American coast. A furious gale then sprang up, and thick
weather came on, so that no observations could be taken. Deane
endeavoured to bring the ship to, that he might keep off the coast till
the weather should moderate. In vain, however, did he make the attempt.
The after-masts were carried away; and now the ship could only run
before the gale, it being feared every moment that the seas which came
roaring up astern would break on board. He hoped, however, that the
weather might moderate before they reached the entrance of the Delaware
river, up which the galley was bound. Vain hope! The darkness of night
came on, and instead of moderating, the gale increased. The crew, hardy
as they were, clung to the bulwarks and the shrouds, expecting that
every moment would be their last. Still the fury of the tempest
increased. The wind whistled through the shrouds, and the seas raged up
alongside. A loud roar was heard ahead. "Breakers! breakers!" shouted
the crew. The next instant there came a fearful crash. The helpless
galley was driven forward amid the rocks. The seas swept over her.
Many were washed away, or dashed furiously against the rocks. Deane
felt himself lifted up by a sea which dashed against the devoted vessel.
He suspected that the fate which had overtaken many of his crew would
now be his. Onward the sea bore him. He struck out, struggling bravely
for life. His feet touched the hard sand, and the next instant he was
thrown high upon the beach. He staggered forward, and before the
following sea had reached him he had escaped from its clutches. The
despairing shrieks of his crew reached his ears. In vain he endeavoured
to render them assistance. He rescued two, however, at the risk of
being himself thrown back into the foaming surges. Three others had
been thrown as he had been on shore.
When morning at length broke, they were the only survivors of the
gallant band which had manned the "Nottingham Galley." Captain Deane's
first thought was, that possibly this might be the very island on which
the "Venus" had been cast away, supposing it to be an island, of which
he was not yet sure. A vague feeling that even now Elizabeth and
Mistress Pearson might be living on it, induced him immediately to set
forth to explore the country. He had not gone far before in front of
him he saw several huts, constructed evidently out of the wreck of a
vessel. He hurried on, eager to communicate with the inhabitants whom
he expected to find within them. As he reached the huts, however, he
soon saw by the open doors and the silence which reigned on every side,
that they were deserted. On searching around, however, he discovered
signs that they had been inhabited by a considerable number of persons.
One of the huts, built at a short distance from the others, was
constructed in a better style. It was closed by a door placed on
hinges, and there was a window which could be closed by a shutter. He
lifted the latch. There were two neat bed-places within, and on the
table some small shreds of silk, and a few other articles such as were
used by females met his sight. This then might possibly have been the
abode of Elizabeth. He looked eagerly around with tender interest, in
the hope of finding some sign by which he might ascertain the truth.
All the articles of value had been removed, but still it was evident
that the hut had been abandoned somewhat suddenly. At length he found
an object sticking between the crib and the wall, as if it had fallen
down between them. It was a book. He opened it eagerly. On the blank
page at the commencement were the letters "E.P." He had no longer any
doubt that it was the property of Elizabeth. He placed it in his bosom
and continued the search. There could be no doubt then, that the vessel
which Giles Dainsforth had mentioned as being on the point of sailing in
search of the shipwrecked crew had reached the place, and carried them
off in safety. For this he was truly thankful, delighted as he would
have been to have found Elizabeth still there, as he had almost expected
to do.
On his return he told his companions what he had discovered. Their
spirits revived as they began to hope that some vessel might pass that
way, and carry them to the plantation. As they gazed, however, on the
ocean, covered with foaming billows, their condition seemed perilous
indeed. Of the ship herself, not a plank clung together, though the
beach was strewed with various articles which had formed her cargo. One
of her boats too had been cast ashore, without receiving any material
damage. Deane immediately summoned his men around him, and pointed out
to them the necessity of saving whatever provisions were washed on
shore. By this time the gale had considerably abated, and they were
enabled to drag up several casks and cases containing food, which they
so much required. In the same way, numerous bales and other articles
which had formed the cargo of the ship were saved. They found
themselves on an uninhabited island of small extent, which seemed likely
to afford them but scanty means of subsistence. In the far distance
could be seen a long blue ridge of land, which Deane knew must be the
continent. Their great requirement however was water, for without it
their stores and flour would have availed them but little. They
therefore immediately set about searching for it, and at length a slight
moisture was found oozing out from beneath the roots of a large tree.
After eagerly scraping away the earth with their hands for some time,
the hole they had formed was filled with a small portion of the precious
liquid. This encouraged them to hope that a sufficient supply might be
obtained, and with better heart than they had hitherto possessed they
took their first meal on the island.
On examining the boat, Captain Deane was of opinion that if repaired,
she would carry them to the mainland: but as yet there were no tools
found by which this could be accomplished. Thus were all their hopes of
escaping frustrated. Their life on the island was that of most
shipwrecked mariners. Even when partaking of their meals, they could
not but feel that their store of provisions would in time come to an
end, and that thus, unless relieved, famine would overtake them at last.
Several days passed by, when as two of their number were wandering
along the shore a chest was seen fixed between two rocks. Summoning
their companions, not without difficulty they waded towards it. It was
found to be a carpenter's chest. After considerable labour they
contrived to break it open, when to their great joy they discovered
within it a supply of tools and nails, with iron hoops and other
necessary articles.
They now eagerly set to work to repair their boat, but as none of them
were carpenters they found it a more difficult task than they had
expected. Spars and oars and sails had also to be formed. No one,
however, was idle, and they made up by diligence what they wanted in
skill. The boat was at last launched and moored between the rocks. All
the provisions they could collect, with a supply of water in such casks
as would hold it were placed on board. They had left the island astern
when a sail appeared in sight, rapidly approaching them from the east.
Deane, supposing she was some vessel bound up the Delaware for
Philadelphia, hove to, purposing if such was the case to take a passage
in her, instead of risking the voyage in their open boat, still
imperfectly repaired. As she drew nearer, she was seen to be a large
ship carrying several guns, yet she wanted the trim appearance of a
man-of-war. No colours were flying at her mast-head or peak, and
altogether her appearance did not satisfy Captain Deane. It was now,
however, too late to avoid her. Already the boat must have been seen by
those on board. Still Deane thought it more prudent to fill his sails,
and to stand away towards the opening which he took to be the mouth of
the river of which he was in search. A shot from the ship told him that
he had been discovered. It was the signal also for him again to heave
to. In a short time the ship got up to the boat, and a voice from her
decks hailed, ordering those in the boat to sheer alongside and to come
on board. There was no use attempting to disobey this order, as they
were already under the ship's guns. Having secured the boat alongside,
Deane and his men stepped on deck. From the appearance of the officers
and the number of men composing the mongrel-looking crew on board, who
seemed to be of all countries and of all shades of colour, the thought
at once occurred to Captain Deane that the vessel was a pirate.
"What have you been about, and where are you going?" asked a man who
stepped forward from among the people on board. Though considerably
older, and knocked about by climate and hardship, Deane had little
difficulty in recognising his former acquaintance Pearson. The pirate
captain looked at him two or three times, but if he had recognised him
for a moment, he soon seemed to have altered his opinion. Jack felt
that the best plan, whether he was right or wrong in his conjectures,
was to tell the whole truth of himself. Pearson seemed interested in
hearing Nottingham spoken of, and it made him give another glance at
Deane.
"Ah well, my man," he said, "we wish you no harm, but we can allow no
vessel to proceed to the new plantations."
"That's a hard rule, sir," answered Jack, "as we are likely enough to
starve on the island we have just left, and if we remain at sea we shall
perish in the next gale that comes on."
"You have your remedy," said the pirate captain. "You may join our
brave crew. You shall be an officer on board, and your men shall share
with the rest."
"We cannot accept your offer," answered Deane; "and perhaps for old
acquaintance' sake, Master Pearson, you will grant my request?"
The pirate captain started on hearing himself thus addressed.
"Who are you?" he asked, looking again hard at Deane.
"One you knew in his youth, and who has never ceased to wish you well,"
answered Jack. "You have served one sovereign--I have fought under the
flag of another. Do you know me now?"
"Yes, indeed I do; though you are greatly changed from the stripling you
were when I knew you," answered Pearson, stretching out his hand. "I
wish you well, for I thought you a brave and honest youth, and I am
thankful to find you took your own course. Now, as I believe you to be
unchanged, the promise I ask you to make, if I allow you to proceed,
is--that you will not give information of my vessel being off the
coast."
Deane was rather perplexed what answer to make.
"No," he answered at last; "I wish you no harm; at the same time, I
cannot allow any honest trader to fall into your hands. Now hear me,
Master Pearson. My object in coming out here is to carry home two
persons in whom you were once greatly interested: the little Elizabeth
whom you protected in her youth, and your own wife, whom I am sure you
once loved. I throw myself, therefore, on your generosity."
Pearson seemed greatly agitated for some minutes.
"I will not interfere with you," he answered. "I cannot force that poor
lady to undergo the hardships into which I once led her, and I will
therefore leave her to your kindness and charity. I would that I could
accompany you, but I cannot desert my comrades. But the time may come
ere long, that I may enable them to secure their own safety, and I will
then, if I still have the means, endeavour to visit Pennsylvania."
Much on the same subject passed between the two former acquaintances.
The pirates' ship towed the boat to the mouth of the Delaware, when the
latter cast off and stood up the river, while the pirate proceeded again
towards the ocean.