The land to west of us was Virginia, and we sought harbour at Nancemund,
and lay there some weeks for needful repairs on the sloop, which was
also provisioned afresh for her further voyage.
It was then the month of February; we had been six months a-journeying,
and still the promised land was far away.
This tale of mine, however, bids fair to spin itself at too great
length, so I must hasten on to the story of our captivity.
In spite of fairly good weather on our way southward we somehow over
passed the latitude of Port Royal harbour; and of a Saturday in May--the
fifteenth day of the month--we did cast anchor at a little isle upon the
coast, in order to obtain wood and water for the sloop's needs.
This island is within the territory of the Spaniards, who have named it
Santa Catalina. It lies some days' journey north of San Augustin,--the
exact latitude I know not, although I have heard it more times than
one; but there are some things that abide never in a woman's brain.
Here appeared many Indians, who seemed at first not unfriendly, and
spoke words of welcome to us in the Spanish tongue.
Much trading was done aboard the sloop, and the barbarians appeared
strangely content with strings of paltry beads and the cast-off garments
of the crew, giving in their stead good provender, and skins of the wild
deer dressed soft and fine.
The second day of our stay, Mr. Rivers, with the ship's master and three
seamen, went ashore with such stuff as the Indians desire, to trade for
pork and other provisions; and it being a Monday morn, Dame Barbara did
crave leave to take her washing and go with them, in the hope of finding
a softer water to cleanse the linen.
It was early morning; the breeze from the land blew sweet and fragrant,
and the woods beyond the sandy beach bourgeoned in new leafage, green
and tender. I longed for the scent of the warm earth, and the tuneful
courting of bird-lovers in the thicket; so I prayed my uncle to let me
go ashore with the dame. He acceded willingly enough; but Mr. Rivers,
who is always over-anxious where my safety is concerned, counselled me
earnestly not to leave the ship.
I was ever a headstrong maid, and the sunshine and the scent of far-off
flowers had set me nearly wild with longing; so I chid him roundly for
his caution and merrily warned him to beware how he sought to clip the
wings of a free bird. Go I did, therefore, though he smiled and shook
his head at me; and when we all parted company at the watering-place he
seemed uneasy still, and, looking backward over his shoulder as I waved
farewell, entreated me to wander no farther from the shore.
The little spring where they had left us welled up, cold and clear, at
the foot of a tall cypress-tree, and trickled thence in a tiny stream, a
mere thread of crystal, that tangled itself in the low bush and wound
its way helplessly through the level wooded country, as though seeking
for some gentle slope that would lead it to the sea.
The dame rinsed her linen till it fairly shone, and spread it out to dry
in a sunny nook; while I lay prone on the warm earth and stirred up the
damp brown leaves that had drifted into a tiny hollow, and found beneath
them a wee green vine with little white star-flowers that blinked up at
the sun and me. And I dreamed of the new home we would make for
ourselves in this far country, and of the very good and docile wife I
would be to my dear love. Then at last,--because I grew aweary at the
prospect of my very great obedience in the future, and because, too, I
thought it was high time my gallant gentleman came back to ask me how I
did,--up from the ground I started, rousing the dame from a sweet nap.
"Look, Barbara! the linen is dry; the sun is on its westering way, and
the shadows grow longer and longer.--'Tis very strange that Mr. Rivers
and the master have not returned!"
"Mayhap they have clean forgot us and gone back to the ship alone,"
moaned the old woman, rubbing her sleepy eyes and beginning at once to
croak misfortune, after the manner of her class.
Such an idea was past belief and set me smiling. I laid my hollowed
palms behind my ears and listened.
Master Wind, passing through the tree-tops, had set every leaf
a-whispering and nid-nodding to its gossips,--just as the peddler on his
way through the village at home stirs all the women-folk to chattering
about the latest news from the whole countryside. In the thicket beside
us a chorus of feathered singers were all a-twitter, each trying to
outdo his neighbour; but one saucy fellow piped the merriest tune of
all, mingling in a delicious medley the sweetest notes of all the rest.
Of a sudden, as I listened, there was a soft rustle in the undergrowth,
and out from a clump of myrtles bounced a little brown rabbit, who
cocked an astonished eye at me and disappeared again with a series of
soundless leaps and a terrified whisk of his little white tail. Upon
that the laugh in my throat bubbled over; I dropped my hands and turned
to the dame.
"Gather up your linen, good Barbara, and let us explore the trail
ourselves. They are doubtless picnicking somewhere in the woods beyond,
and 'tis very discourteous not to bid us to the entertainment."
She would have demurred at first: the linen was not to be left, and yet
was too weighty to carry; her back was aweary and she was fain to rest
in peace. But Mistress Margaret was minded to have her own way, and,
dividing the bundle in two, started on ahead with the larger share of
it; so that, will she, nill she, the dame must follow.
I knew, of course, that I was disobeying Mr. Rivers's last injunction,
and 'twas that thought quite as much as the sweet woodland airs that
lured me on: I desired, above all things, to behold the countenance of
my gallant gentleman when he discovered my wilfulness. So I hastened
forward, pausing now and again to encourage the good dame and entice her
still farther with glowing descriptions of new beauties just coming into
view.
It fell about, therefore, that I was some forty paces in advance of her
when I suddenly came upon the Indian settlement and saw there a sight
that made my heart stand still.
I drew back hastily behind the trunk of a wide-branched oak, whence I
could look--unseen, I thought--upon the town.
A great concourse of barbarians was assembled in the open space before
the chief building, which was of considerable size, built round after
the manner of a dove-house, and completely thatched with palmetto
leaves. Many smaller buildings surrounded it: one, in especial, I would
have done well to take note of; for it was doubtless a kind of sentinel
or watch-tower, being set on tall, upright timbers which gave it an
elevation much greater than any part of the surrounding country.
I had eyes for naught, however, but one figure, that stood, with hands
and feet bound, at the foot of a great wooden cross planted opposite the
entrance of the chief building. It was my dear love--I knew him on the
instant by the proud poise of his head and shoulders. He was speaking in
his usual calm and courtly tones to the circle of half-naked savages,
who seemed to hear him with respectful consideration, though they made
no motion to loose his bonds.
On the ground beside him lay the ship's master, old Captain Baulk, and
the three seamen, their arms securely pinioned. Near them was the bale
of goods which had been brought from the ship: it lay wide open, and was
being most unscrupulously rifled of its contents.
For the moment I thought it was the sight of the gewgaws this bale
contained that had roused the cupidity of the barbarians; but now I
believe otherwise. The savages would have paid for them willingly, in
skins and such like, and then suffered our men to depart in peace, had
not that smooth-tongued hypocrite, Ignacio, been behind. But this, of
course, was unknown to me at the time.
The idea came over me, like a flash, that we should go for help to the
ship; and I turned quickly and signalled the dame to be silent. It was
too late, however, for she had caught sight of the savages and of our
men bound in the midst of them; and turning to the right about with a
shrill scream, she cast away the bundle of linen and started back the
way we had come at a speed which 'tis likely she had never equalled in
her life before. After her I hastened, and implored her to be still,
lest the barbarians should hear and overtake us. My one thought was to
summon aid; for, though there seemed to be over two hundred of the
Indians, I believed that our handful of men, armed with muskets, swords,
and pikes, would be sufficient to strike terror into them at once.
We had scarce run an hundred yards down the trail when four savages
stepped from a thicket and laid hands upon us. They had lain in wait,
there is no doubt, so 'twas evident we had been seen some while before.
Barbara resisted them with much wild shrieking, but I submitted in
silence. 'Twas not that I was any braver than she, but simply that I
could not believe that they meant to do us any real harm; and all the
while I was possessed with the thought that there was some one stationed
in the thicket who was directing the actions of the savages. It appeared
to me that, as they fastened our arms behind us, their eyeballs rolled
ever toward a certain myrtle-bush, as if they were waiting for a cue.
We were led back at once to the town, and I shall never forget the look
upon my dear love's face as he caught sight of me.
"Margaret--you also! I had hoped you and the dame were safe!" he cried
out, as our captors led us to his side.
"'Twas all my wilfulness--I came hither seeking you," I answered, and
hung my head.
He looked at me dumbly, and then turned his face away; and I saw his
arms writhing in their bonds. A strange feeling came upon me, part shame
and sorrow that I should have grieved him so, and part exultation
that--whatever our fate--at least we would meet it side by side. Fear
had the least place in my thoughts as I waited, breathless, for the
outcome of this strange situation. My eyes wandered round the circle of
barbarians, and I noted with some wonderment that numbers of the men
wore their crowns shaven, after the manner of a priest's tonsure.
One among them, who seemed of greater consequence than the rest, began
to speak; but I could make nothing of his discourse, although he used
many words that I thought had somewhat of a Spanish ring.
Yet his meaning was fathomed by Mr. Rivers, who gave him the reply on
the instant, couched in the Spanish, and delivered with some heat and
indignation.
There was a stir among the barbarians, and presently there appeared a
new figure on the scene. The shaven crown, the bare feet, the coarse
woollen robe fastened by a knotted cord about the waist, all denoted a
friar of the Franciscan order.
"So," muttered Mr. Rivers, under his breath, "now we have the real chief
to deal with."
Scarcely less swarthy than the Indians themselves was the dark face of
the Spanish friar. As he came forward into the open space, he raised his
eyes to the great cross at the foot of which we were standing, and
straightway bent the knee and crossed himself. Some few of the Indians
likewise made the sign upon their breasts, though the greater part
contained themselves with the same stolidity that had marked them from
the first.
Mr. Rivers gave a low laugh, and turned to me with a curling lip. "These
be Christians," he said.
The Spaniard caught the sneer, and a scowl gathered on his coarse face;
but he checked it suddenly and began in smooth tones to address us.
Old Captain Baulk had raised himself to a sitting posture, and the
seamen all held themselves in attitudes of strained attention.
"What says he?" I asked, in a whisper, of my dear love, when the friar
had ceased and turned away from us.
"Naught but a tissue of lies," exclaimed Mr. Rivers, through his
clenched teeth. "He would have us believe that he is wholly
irresponsible for the doings of these 'banditos'; but he will exert what
influence he has among the believers of his flock to procure our
release,--I would we had fallen among infidels! These can have learned
naught of their teacher but deceit. They tricked us, on the plea of our
most mutual confidence, to lay aside our arms, and then fell instantly
upon us and made us captive."
"I would to Heaven I could have gone back to the ship and given
warning," I sighed dolefully. "Yet perhaps some of them may come out to
search for us."
"Now God forbid!" exclaimed Mr. Rivers, "for they would walk into a
trap. Some of these Indians have muskets and ammunition, and are
therefore as well armed as our men. If many more of us were taken there
would not be left able-bodied men enough to sail the sloop. 'Twould be
better if they held off and waited for the Indians to take the
initiative. My hope is that we will be able to treat with the savages
for ransom,--that is, if the friar bears us no real ill will. See, here
he comes again, with his oily tongue."
The shifty eyes and full-lipped mouth of the man filled me with a
sudden loathing. Fear began to take hold of me at last, and a little sob
broke in my throat.
My dear love turned to me with a quick, warm glance.
"Cheer up, sweetheart," he whispered. "It is too soon to lose courage.
Come, where is my brave Margaret?"
"Here!" I answered, and forced a smile on my quivering lips.