The Committee of Safety.
The Committee of Safety was in session. This important body was
composed of the Selectmen of Eastham. In cases of extreme emergency the
town fathers were empowered to call the leading citizens into council,
and on this occasion there was a full attendance of representative
men ready to hear the report of the messengers who had been sent to
Provincetown for tidings of the captives.
Chairman of Selectmen, Obed Knowles, presided, and with him on the
bench were his colleagues, Samuel Freeman and Harding Knowles,
Esquires. Captain Heman Smith, who represented the town in the General
Court of the Commonwealth, was courteously given a seat with these
notables, while the others had to be content with the “forms” on the
floor of the town house.
The opening formalities having been gone through, the chairman called
on the messengers to come forward and tell their story. Master Timothy
Cole acted as spokesman for his companions.
“Mr. Chairman,” said he, “we have, indeed, bad news to tell. Hoppy and
Win are prisoners, sure enough, and it is known that Captain Raggett
is to hold them for a heavy ransom, failing which, they will be
transferred to another ship and sent to England. This, we understand,
means that they are destined for imprisonment in Dartmoor.”
“That certainly is bad news, Timothy,” said the chairman. “What is the
opinion in Provincetown about the new policy of Captain Raggett?”
“Well, Mr. Chairman, they say he is in very bad humor. A sloop arrived
from England about three weeks ago and it is thought she brought fresh
instructions to Raggett. Before she came, the British sailors were
frequently ashore and behaved very civilly, leaving quite a lot of
money in the town in the way of trade with the people. The town is in
a bad state and this trade was a great help. The people say they are
in a worse condition than the other Bay towns, for the British ships
cannot approach such places as Eastham, Brewster, or Orleans closely on
account of the shallow waters and the sandbars, whereas, the harbor of
Provincetown is always open water and a fine anchorage for all kinds of
craft. From what we observed they are sorely pressed.”
“Is there no communication with the British allowed now, Timothy?”
“Very little, Mr. Chairman, but Master Jonathan Cook, of the Committee
of Safety, told me what he had gathered about the capture of Win and
Hoppy and how they were held for ransom.”
“Did Master Cook know anything about the terms of ransom?” inquired
Squire Knowles.
“No, squire, he had heard no particulars. However, he told us that Win
and Hoppy were being treated with great civility by Captain Raggett.
They had been seen on deck in company with one of the officers and
apparently on very friendly terms with him.”
“Very likely Captain Raggett appreciated highly that part of the
whaleboat’s cargo which was consigned to Master Thomas Crosby.” This
sally of Peter Walker caused even the town fathers to smile.
“Well, Master Walker,” said Timothy, “there is certainly a great
scarcity of good refreshment in Provincetown. We treated Master Cook
and his fellow-members of the committee to a little of what we had with
us, and they told us that since the sailors had been deprived of shore
leave there was nothing like it in the town.”
“Then the worthy citizens will be glad to see you again, Timothy,”
replied Peter.
After this the discussion became general. It was felt that in the
absence of definite information from the “Spencer” about Captain
Raggett’s terms there was no use in formulating plans to aid the
captives. A false move might have the effect of further complicating
the situation. It was evident that no help could be obtained from the
distressed people of Provincetown. That unfortunate town had been the
greatest sufferer from the depredations of the British during the
Revolutionary struggle, when the majority of the inhabitants, finding
the conditions intolerable, fled from the place and sought refuge
further inland. At the conclusion of hostilities they returned to
their ruined homes and valiantly set to work to regain their former
prosperity. In this they succeeded. The straggling town near the
tip-end of the Cape was once more a hive of industry, notable for its
hardy and venturesome seamen, when the proclamation of the embargo by
President Jefferson again set back the hands of the clock. From that
time until the peace of 1815, it was the old story of ruined trade
and constant suffering, their very lives dependent on the caprice of
the haughty foe whose splendidly equipped warships lay within a few
hundred yards of the town, and whose guns were ever ready to reduce the
settlement to ruins on the slightest pretext. Still, the people hated
to leave and they bravely bore their misfortunes, hoping and praying
for the day when the God of battles should once again decide the
contest in favor of their beloved country.
All this was well known to the gathering in the town house. In the
midst of their own troubles, the people of Eastham deeply sympathized
with their less fortunate compatriots of Provincetown.
As the discussion continued, various schemes for getting into
communication with the prisoners were proposed and rejected. Some
were for boldly going to the “Spencer” and having the matter out with
Raggett. The wiser heads opposed this. What was the use of running the
risk of being added to the list of prisoners? There was nothing to
prevent Raggett from holding the envoys and demanding ransom for their
release.
“I think that’s a sensible view to take of it, Mr. Chairman,” said
Peter Walker. “For my part, I’m very sure that Hoppy Mayo’s brain is
hard at work trying to devise means to outwit the British. You surely
don’t imagine that Hoppy’s nimble wit has failed him all of a sudden?
Any man who succeeded in disposing of a spavined mare as a sound horse,
and that to a minister of the Gospel, sleeps with one eye open when
he’s in the hands of the enemy!”
The Rev. Philander Shaw, minister of the Congregational church, had, a
few minutes previously, joined the meeting, and as he was the victim
of Hoppy’s horse-trade, there was loud laughter at Peter’s remark. The
genial minister joined in the merriment and when it subsided, remarked
goodhumoredly:
“I’m afraid, Mr. Chairman, Master Walker thinks as little of my
judgment of horseflesh as he does of my preaching.”
This was a gentle thrust at Peter’s irregular attendance at church.
Indeed, it was general knowledge that Master Walker had written some
verses sarcastically insinuating that the ministers of the period were
in no way the equals of the great men whose cure of souls had been the
glory of ancient Eastham.
There was renewed laughter, this time at the expense of the redoubtable
Peter.
“Master Walker will have his joke, reverend sir,” said Squire Harding
Knowles with mock severity, “but we sadly want someone to enliven us at
present.”
“No offence, Squire Knowles,” replied the minister heartily; “no
offence at all. With all his joking, it seems to me that Master Walker
has given us a hint of great value in our present dilemma. Until we
devise some means of communicating with our imprisoned neighbors, I
think we may assume that they are not idle on their own behalf. Perhaps
we had better wait yet awhile for tidings.”
“I agree with Mr. Shaw,” said Captain Heman Smith. “It seems natural to
think that if Captain Raggett wants a ransom he must send word ashore
to the prisoners’ friends.”
“Aye, that’s the logical way of looking at it,” assented the chairman.
“They certainly cannot be ransomed with whatever property Captain
Raggett has already taken from them. The whaleboat and cargo are in his
possession, but it seems he does not consider them as other than the
spoils of war. We should hear from him soon unless he intends to hold
our neighbors for some other purpose.”
“His intention may be to add them to his own crew,” said Selectman
Freeman. “This practice is common with the British when they capture an
American vessel, and it goes hard with the American seaman who refuses
to obey; I have heard of flogging and other cruel punishments being
inflicted on such unfortunates.”
“Hoppy Mayo and Win Knowles will never turn traitors to their own
flag,” asserted Peter Walker.
This was greeted with approval. That either of the prisoners should
fight against his country, no matter what the penalty of refusal might
be, was not to be thought of by any Eastham man.
“Don’t see what he wants them for, then,” cried Obed Sparrow. “He has
idle men enough on his hands already. Why, there’s nothing for his crew
to do now as there are no boats running since the whaleboat was taken.”
“Well, Neighbor Sparrow, that’s very true; but if Captain Raggett
is holding our friends for any ulterior purpose, we should very much
like to know what that purpose is. How we are going to find out is the
puzzle.” As the chairman said this he looked around the hall as if
seeking enlightenment.
But there was none forthcoming. Every avenue through which information
could be obtained seemed closed, and the hopelessness of further effort
was apparent to all. The discussion lagged and the people were on the
point of dispersing when the strains of a fife were heard. The musician
was still at a considerable distance from the town house, but Master
Peter Walker had heard the tune before, so he said:
“That’s Phil the Fifer coming around again on his journey through the
Cape. I wonder what trade the old man expects to pick up these hard
times?”
Then a sudden idea seemed to possess Peter and, jumping to his feet, he
startled the meeting by exclaiming:
“By the Lord! I have it. Why not send old Phil to Provincetown for
information? He can get it if anyone can. He is a great favorite with
the crews of the warships. They buy his small wares and dance to his
music. He has often told me what free spenders they are when they have
money. They think that he is not quite right in the head, but that’s
where old Phil fools them! You all know, neighbors, that the old pedler
is true as steel to the cause. What do you say to the proposition, Mr.
Chairman?”
“Well, Peter,” answered the chairman, “the idea looks all right to me,
but would Phil care about the risk now that the British are getting
aggressive?”
“Phil will do it all right; I will be answerable for that,” returned
Peter. “He stops at my house overnight whenever he comes to Eastham.
I know the old man thoroughly and I have a great admiration for his
geniality and honesty, so he is always welcome.”
“Of course, Peter,” suggested Squire Knowles, “it would never do to
have his errand talked about outside this meeting; the rumor might
reach the British.”
“I quite agree with your view, squire, and I am sure that if we keep
the matter secret, Phil will come out of the venture safely. If you
leave the affair in my hands for the present, I can talk to the old man
privately tonight and tell him how we are situated?”
“We have the utmost confidence in your ability to deal with the
problem, Master Walker, and I propose that you be empowered to act
as a committee of one with a request that you report progress at the
earliest possible moment.”
The Rev. Mr. Shaw was loudly applauded as he concluded this warm
tribute to his critic’s diplomatic talent.
The minister’s motion was carried unanimously and the meeting
adjourned.