Anxious Hours Ashore.
When the frigate and the schooner left Provincetown Master Jonathan
Cook immediately sent messengers with the news to the other towns.
The unwelcome tidings were received with mixed feelings by the people
of Eastham. Members of the war party argued that this move was to be
expected any day, and, now that it had come, they saw no reason why it
should cause any surprise or add to the already desperate condition
of the inhabitants. Things couldn’t be much worse and they should be
ready to face the inevitable like men and go down with colors flying.
In this attitude the fighting faction was sustained by the bold
declaration of the Orleans people that under no circumstances would
that town surrender without a fight. On the other hand, there were many
men of great influence in the councils of the community who favored
compromise with the enemy. The patriotism and courage of these leaders
were not open to question. Their devotion to the country’s cause had
been tested on many occasions and they had earned the right to popular
leadership by their wisdom and integrity in the administration of
public affairs in times of peace. The safety of the lives and property
of the inhabitants was to them the first consideration and the most
pressing one. When the national government was unable to come to their
assistance, they argued, what chance had the little towns of Cape Cod
against the powerful enemy at their doors? If, by the payment of a
sum of money, they could purchase immunity, would not such a course
be better than to offer a feeble resistance and invite inevitable
slaughter? They could in the course of time make up for the present
loss of money, but the gallant lives sacrificed in a futile struggle
could never be recalled. There were hopes that the war would soon be
over. The wailing of the British merchants for their ships and cargoes
captured by the American privateers was having an effect on the British
government, and the lesson of the Revolution was not yet forgotten in
England. There was no dishonor in seeking the best terms they could get
in their plight.
The Committee of Safety held an all-day session, open to all the
voters, but there seemed no prospect of reaching an agreement between
the opposing factions. It was apparent, however, that the fighting
element was weakening. The stern logic of the situation was calmly put
before the meeting by Squire Harding Knowles and his weighty words were
listened to with the respect which all the utterances of this worthy
citizen commanded from his fellow-townsmen.
“It seems to me, sirs,” said the squire, “that it is, as yet, somewhat
early to cast a final vote on the question. The frigate has left
Provincetown and sailed northward, which course will take her from our
immediate neighborhood. Though we are convinced that Captain Raggett
means to harry us, it is strange that he should postpone taking action
when everything appears to favor him in attacking us just at present.”
“The schooner is cruising off Brewster, squire,” remarked Timothy
Cole, “and as Hoppy Mayo is supposed to be on board of her, it is very
likely Raggett will wait until Hoppy has been forced to make known the
dangerous places off the bars.”
“The schooner doesn’t appear to be making much headway; perhaps Hoppy
has already made them acquainted with one of the dangerous places by
running the craft aground,” suggested Peter Walker.
Master Walker’s suggestion caused a laugh. “The wind has not been
favorable for her eastward voyage, Master Walker,” replied Squire
Knowles.
“Well, anyhow,” broke in Obed Sparrow, “Raggett is evidently afraid of
the bars and flats or he wouldn’t take so much trouble to safeguard his
ship.”
“He doesn’t trust his charts and I don’t blame him,” said Captain
Jared. “The British didn’t have much use for Cape Cod bay since the
Revolution, and there’s many a change in the coastline since then.”
A chuckle from Peter Walker caused all eyes to turn in his direction.
The meeting was sadly in want of a cheerful note amid the general
gloom, but the members of the Committee of Safety viewed with disfavor
what they considered ill-timed merriment on the part of the town wit.
“If you will excuse me for saying so, Master Walker,” said the chairman
severely, “I think this is no time for jesting.” Then to the meeting:
“We have serious work before us, sirs, and I trust you will give
us the benefit of your undivided attention in the solution of our
difficulties.”
“I am, indeed, very sorry, Mr. Chairman,” answered Master Walker in a
tone of deep respect, “but it is not because of want of sympathy with
you and your colleagues on the Committee of Safety that I smiled. We
cannot all view the situation from the same standpoint, and while I
believe every man present has a desire to do his best for the town
and people, still, I don’t think we should make arrangements for a
funeral until we have the corpse laid out. I decline to believe that
God Almighty has entirely deserted us. We are at present bothering
ourselves with a matter which may never grow to anything more serious
than it now is. Who can tell how this schooner’s cruise will end?
I have an idea that with one of our bravest citizens aboard, this
little schooner is destined to go through some stirring experiences
before Hoppy Mayo is finished with her. I apologize for smiling, but I
couldn’t help it when I thought of the British ignorance of the bars
and dependence on Hoppy Mayo for knowledge of them! Take my word for
it, they will know all about them to their cost before Hoppy resigns
his present job!”
“Let us hope that our good neighbor, Captain Mayo, will come out of his
adventure unscathed,” said Squire Knowles.
“He’s in a close corner, squire, but if it were left to me to choose
a man from our town capable of fighting the enemy inch by inch in any
game they like to play, I think I couldn’t make a better choice than
Hoppy.”
Peter’s words evoked loud applause from the meeting.
“Have you heard from Brewster, Mr. Chairman?” asked the Rev. Mr. Shaw.
“I have, sir. Major Elijah Cobb of that town informs me that the people
are much divided on the question of offering resistance in case of
a demand for tribute. Their artillery company is not in first-class
condition and the gallant major is afraid that the two small pieces
they have will make a poor showing against the well-armed enemy. There
is much capital invested in the salt-making industry there and the
proprietors of the works are naturally anxious to avoid a bombardment.
They are willing to pay a reasonable sum for immunity.”
“They are in the same fix as ourselves,” remarked Captain Heman Smith.
“Conditions are practically the same in all the towns from Brewster
to Provincetown. The exception, if we may so term it, is Orleans,”
said the chairman. “There is a majority in that town in favor of armed
resistance. I have discussed the matter with Squire Kingman and Major
Henry Knowles and they tell me the die is cast--Orleans will fight to
the end.”
“Orleans is showing great pluck for a young town,” said Captain Smith.
“Only seventeen years ago it was the South Precinct of Eastham; now it
outranks the mother town as a military centre.”
“Eastham has lost a lot of its former importance, Captain Smith, but
the people of Orleans are still our own flesh and blood,” was the
chairman’s comment on this.
Then Timothy Cole made a suggestion: “I think, Mr. Chairman, we had
better postpone a vote until we have an opportunity to judge what the
intentions of the schooner are. She will probably work her way eastward
tomorrow and we can all take a hand at watching her movements.”
“That seems to be the sensible thing to do, Timothy,” assented the
chairman.
Timothy’s suggestion was received with favor by the meeting and the
session was closed.
That night Captain Jared Higgins sat up late. The gallant skipper was
busy, but any person observing the task he was engaged in would find
it hard to reconcile it with his prominence as an advocate of peace.
His family had retired for the night before his labors commenced. The
man of peace took an old firelock from the hooks where it had rested
untouched for many a year and laid it gently on the table. Then he
reached for the ancient cutlass which hung beside the chimney and
placed it alongside the gun. From the drawer of an immense cupboard he
brought forth two large horse pistols and added them to the weapons
on the table. After this, he lighted an extra candle and stood back,
grimly surveying the array of warlike gear.
A knock at the door caused Captain Jared to start. Who could be around
at this time of night? A second knock and the sound of a friendly voice
asking if he were in, brought him to the door which he opened to admit
his adversary of the tavern, Obed Sparrow.
“I hope I haven’t put you out any, Captain Jared? The fact is, I felt
so much ashamed of that evening at Crosby’s that I thought it right to
come and tell you so. I have been down at Peter’s and on my way home I
saw your light. I hope there are no hard feelings left, Captain Jared?”
The worthy captain felt his position rather uncomfortable just at
that moment. Obed could not fail to notice the lethal weapons on the
table and would surely wonder why the man of peace, Jared Higgins, had
brought them forth for inspection.
“Don’t talk about it, Obed; no hard feelings at all, my lad. These are
ticklish times, Obed, and the slowest of us is apt to feel the strain
on his temper. Sit down and smoke a pipe.”
Obed’s eye settled on the table. He certainly was surprised and showed
it.
“By George, Captain Jared, but that’s a queer sight to see on the table
of a man who hates fighting as you do!” he exclaimed.
“Well, Obed,” said the captain confusedly, “I just thought I’d have
a look at the old kit of fighting tools which I used during the
Revolution. Kind o’ seemed to me that they wanted cleaning.”
“You don’t mean to say that you are ever going to use them again,
Captain Jared?”
Captain Jared was a man of courage and he required all of it to admit
to Obed Sparrow the real reason of the display on the table. But he was
equal to the emergency.
“Obed, my lad,” answered the captain, without a note of apology in his
voice, “as you know, I am in favor of making the best terms possible
with the British in view of our being unable to fight them with any
prospect of success. I stick to that opinion still, and I want to
know if you, a sensible man, don’t think me right when you see before
you the kind of weapons we have to oppose the first-class arms of the
enemy? The cutlass, I admit, is nothing the worse for wear; there is
good steel in it and it is not unacquainted with British blood. The
old musket, too, in its day was true to its work, but for thirty years
it has been on the hooks and I’m afraid its useful days are over.
The pistols might still give a good account of themselves at close
quarters, but they have been out of action since the night the Barbary
pirates boarded us, so, I daresay, they want a lot of brightening
up. Bad as these weapons are, Obed, I doubt if any person in Eastham
has better ones. And yet, the hotheads of this town are shouting for
combat! Why, man, it’s just plain suicide!”
The old man’s earnestness had its effect on Obed. He was silent for
a few moments and in his heart he acknowledged that Captain Jared had
spoken truth.
“But, Captain Jared, you knew the condition of your weapons; why did
you take them out tonight?”
Captain Jared drew himself to his full height as he replied:
“I will tell you why, Obed Sparrow. This, my friend, is a free country,
even though this section of it is at present sorely pressed by our old
enemy. The will of the people is the supreme power in the land and the
Constitution of the United States provides a way for the expression
of that will. We may disagree with the decision arrived at, but, as
patriotic citizens, we are bound to support the majority. In all
public questions the same spirit should be apparent. Now, the people
of Eastham are striving to come to a decision as to the best means of
saving their town. Some want to fight; others are for compromise. I
am one of the latter party. We do not know what the verdict will be,
but whatever it is, we must abide by it as one man. I took down my old
weapons tonight and was preparing to fix them as well as I could so
that I should be found prepared for the conflict in case the people
decide to face the enemy sword in hand. That, Obed, is the reason you
see those things on the table.”
Obed gazed at the old man in speechless admiration. After a long time,
he said solemnly: “Captain Jared, you make me ashamed of myself.”
“No, my lad, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. You are entitled to
your own opinion on these matters, but one should never forget that
there are always two sides to every question, a fact which many of our
neighbors seem to forget.”
“Now, Obed,” he continued, “I must ask you as a favor not to talk about
what you’ve seen and heard here tonight.”
“All right, Captain Jared. And now I must be going, and many thanks for
your confidence and advice. Good night, Captain Jared!”
“Good night, Obed, and good luck!”