OUR MALTA PIC-NIC--THE CATACOMBS--THE PIRATE IN SIGHT--SANDGATE AGAIN
ESCAPES US--OUR EXPEDITION WITH THE MEN-OF-WAR--RETURN FROM OUR
FRUITLESS CRUISE.
My friends were not a little astonished when I told them, on getting on
board the yacht, that Sandgate was in the island. The question was, how
to catch him. We had no moral doubt whatever that he had come on board
our vessel with the intention of plundering us, and that he had
afterwards endeavoured to send us to the bottom by attacking us in the
polacca-brig; still no one could swear to the fact. We were not certain
that the brig which left the harbour that morning was the one which had
engaged us--we could not prove that he belonged to her; scarcely,
indeed, could we expect to induce the authorities to believe that the
Greek Count and Sandgate the smuggler were one and the same person.
"Take my advice," observed Carstairs; "don't let us fash ourselves on
the subject, but give the rogue a long rope, and he will soon hang
himself."
We all agreed to the wisdom of this remark, and resolving to wait the
course of events, turned in and went to sleep.
A large and merry party set off to the scene of the pic-nic, some in
caleches, and others in carriages of higher pretensions, and vehicles of
all sorts, and others on horseback. I will not stop to describe the
scenery. Stone walls, and here and there an orange grove, form its
chief characteristics. It is wonderful that there is any cultivation,
considering that the greater portion of the soil has been brought from
other lands. That which is produced on the island is formed from the
crumbling away of the surface of the rock of which it is composed.
Our party met by agreement near the gates. Hearty, greatly to his
satisfaction, managed to undertake the escort of Mrs Mizen and her
daughter; the widow fell to the lot of Carstairs, and I took charge of
Mrs and Miss Seton.
"Oh! but where is Count Gerovolio?" exclaimed Mrs Skyscraper, as we
were driving off. "I fully expected to have him of our party. Has
anybody seen him? Miss Seton, do you know what has become of him?"
Poor Jane for a moment looked dreadfully disconcerted at hearing the
name of the impostor; but she soon recovered her self-possession, and I
did my best to rattle on, so as to draw off the attention of her mother
and Mr Mite, who had been admitted as a fourth in the carriage. Mrs
Skyscraper looked about in vain for the Count; I thought that he would
scarcely have the boldness to make his appearance. Our drive, as far as
we four ill-matched beings were concerned, was any thing but a pleasant
one. Old Mrs Seton was annoyed at not having Sir Lloyd Snowdon, or any
other eligible gentleman, to act the suitor to her daughter.
Poor Jane could not drive away her own bitter thoughts. Mite would
infinitely rather have been in the company of one of his jolly little
Maltese acquaintances, and I felt oppressed at being the keeper of a
young lady's secret. At last we arrived at the spot where our lionising
was to commence--the old capital of the island, Citta Vecchia, and had
to descend from our conveyances.
The structure would delight a connoisseur in mediaeval antiquities, for
a more ancient-looking collection of tumbledown houses I never saw
collected together. Here stand the first palace of the Grand Masters,
and the cathedral of Malta, celebrated for the pertinacity with which
its bells are rung. But the great sight we had all come to see was the
catacombs. Guides and lights were procured, and the whole party
descended to them. Incongruous, indeed, seemed the light dresses of the
ladies, the glittering uniforms of the officers, and the merry laughter
of the party, with the solemn, silent gloom of this vast receptacle for
the dead. These catacombs consist of long galleries or streets cut in
the rock, extending a great distance, and intersecting each other at
right angles about fifteen feet beneath the surface of the ground. The
gloom, the chilly, confined atmosphere, the dark shadows, the mysterious
passages and recesses, the undefined shapes which flitted before us,
were ill calculated to dispel poor Miss Seton's melancholy. She walked
on, however, silently by my side, avoiding rather than courting the
attention of Sir Lloyd Snowdon, who at length joined us, and who, seeing
this, devoted himself with much tact to her mother.
"If you have any intention, Sir Lloyd," thought I, "you'll win the day,
notwithstanding the present appearance of matters."
We could hear behind us the cheery voice of Captain Rullock, and every
now and then a laugh from Hearty, who seemed to be in high spirits.
"He feels that he does not stand ill in the good graces of Miss Mizen, I
suspect," thought I. "Most sincerely do I rejoice at it; for though not
to be compared in point of beauty to the lovely girl by my side, she
will make him a very far better wife. Her straightforward honesty, her
modesty, her bright intelligence, her well-cultivated mind, her
unvarying good temper, her genuine wit, her loving disposition, are
certain to secure her husband's affections and respect."
Little did the lady by my side dream of the comparison I was drawing,
and yet I verily believe that she might have been not much inferior to
Miss Mizen in all those womanly qualities, had they not been crushed or
perverted by the false system of education which her mother had adopted.
Such were the somewhat incongruous thoughts which passed through my
mind in the catacombs of Citta Vecchia. I ought to have been duly
oppressed with the gloom of the place, and to have thought of nothing
but ghost-like forms flitting through the mysterious passages. I do not
know what my companion was thinking about, but she sighed deeply and
sadly. That sigh touched my heart with pity, and reminded me how little
I had attempted to do to restore her mind to a state of composure.
We had, as I said, walked on somewhat ahead of the rest of the party,
and old Rullock and Hearty had just hailed us to return, when directly
before us appeared the figure of a man who was evidently endeavouring to
conceal himself in one of the niches cut in the rock. It had, however,
been blocked up, and he was frustrated in his intention. He wore a
large cloak, such as the Italians call a _feriuoligio_, with which he
was attempting to hide his head, but the light of the torch carried by
our guide fell directly on him, and revealed the features of Miles
Sandgate.
He must have guessed that he was known, for he advanced a step or two
rapidly towards us, but then, whatever were his intentions, he must have
changed them, for he retreated as hurriedly, and was lost to view amid
the surrounding gloom. I knew that Miss Seton had discovered him by the
way in which her arm trembled in mine, and most certainly she would have
fallen had I not supported her.
"I fear, Miss Seton, that the atmosphere of this place oppresses you; we
will get out of it as soon as possible," said I.
"Thank you, thank you," she answered, leaning heavily on my arm. "I
long for a breath of fresh air; I shall be better then."
Sir Lloyd Snowdon was much concerned at finding that Miss Seton was
unwell, and the whole party hurried to the mouth of the catacombs.
It was very provoking to have Sandgate almost within one's very grasp,
and yet not to have the power of punishing him.
On reaching the open air, Miss Seton at first nearly fainted.
Restoratives of all sorts were recommended by her friends, but before
any could be applied, she recovered, and endeavoured to laugh off any
disagreeable inquiries as to the cause of her attack. The exertion
necessary to do this still further aroused her, and she speedily became
one of the most lively and animated of the party. I saw that she could
now do very well without me, so I retired from her side. Sir Lloyd
Snowdon took my place. He was enchanted, and abandoned himself to the
happiness of the moment. She saw her advantage, and not unmindful of
her wise mother's instructions, seemed resolved to make the most of it.
Still I thought that I detected at times the signs of unnatural spirits,
and forced laughter, and I would not have answered for the consequences
had the so-called Count Gerovolio appeared in the midst of us with a
hundred well-armed followers, and summoned her to accompany him.
From the catacombs we drove to the Grotto of St. Paul, which is at no
great distance. Whether the apostle to the Gentiles ever took shelter
within it matters but little; the monks of old decreed that he did, and
therefore a fine statue of white marble has been placed within it, and
the faithful have been encouraged to offer their gifts at his shrine.
The statue stands in the farthest from the entrance of three grottoes,
one within the other. We looked at them very much in the way that
people in general look at sights with very little interest, but thinking
it necessary to give utterance to certain set expressions of surprise or
admiration. The most interesting sight was a portion of the cavern
which resembles the nave of a church, overgrown with verdure. It is
surprising that vegetation should flourish in such a position.
When we had all satisfied our curiosity, we proceeded to a small
sheltered bay, where the most important part of the day's entertainment
was to be performed. There was no great beauty of scenery, but the blue
sea, and the pure sky, and the fresh salt breeze, and the rugged rocks,
made it pleasant to the sight and feelings; and as most of the party had
very good appetites, and tolerably clear consciences, we were altogether
very merry. Captain Rullock, Hearty, Bubble, and Mite did their best to
make it so. Miss Mizen was naturally very happy; so was her mamma, for
Hearty had that day very palpably declared his intentions. Sir Lloyd
Snowdon was happy because he thought he had won the beauty of the
season; and Mrs Seton, because she fancied that the great object of her
life was on the point of being accomplished.
Several vessels had been for some time in sight, but we had been so much
engaged in our own immediate occupation, that neither I nor any of the
other naval men had paid them much attention.
The heavier portion of the feast had been concluded, and sparkling wines
filled our glasses, and luscious grapes our plates. Bubble had been
called on for a song, and Sir Lloyd Snowdon for a speech, when we were
somewhat startled from our propriety by a loud exclamation from
Porpoise.
"Why, by the Lord Harry, there's that rascally polacca-brig again!" he
cried, pointing to a vessel which was standing under full sail in-shore.
Our pocket-telescopes were in instant requisition. The vessel in
question was a polacca-brig, of the same size, and paint and build, and
appearance aloft as the one which had attacked us; but still it was
impossible to be certain as to whether the vessel in sight was the
pirate or not. Porpoise was the only person who was positive as to her
being so. Hearty was inclined to side with him. Still, what was to be
done? Captains Rullock and Arden were ready enough to go in chase of
her, but their ships were on the other side of the island, and by the
time they could have got back to Valetta and obtained permission from
the admiral, and been under way, the suspicious brig would have been far
away again.
This discussion once more nearly upset poor Miss Seton, but she seemed
relieved, and recovered somewhat of her vivacity when it was resolved
not to take any notice of the stranger. I, of course, as she did, could
not help connecting the brig in sight with the appearance of the
pretended Count Gerovolio in the catacombs. He had, I suspected, been
hiding there for some reason or other, till he could get on board his
vessel.
After a little time the fun of the pic-nic went on as before. I,
however, not being in love, nor having any lady to whom it was necessary
to pay exclusive attention, kept my eyes about me, and every now and
then swept the line of the coast with my telescope, while I also did not
neglect to watch the movements of the brig. As she came clearly
into the plane of my glass, I observed a dark cloth on her
fore-topgallant-sail, which I suddenly recollected to have remarked on
the same sail of the brig from which Sandgate boarded us, as she lay
becalmed before the squall came on. This to my mind was conclusive
evidence; but my suspicions were further confirmed by seeing the
polacca-brig lower her topgallant-sails, and bring her head up to the
wind. When hove-to, she lowered a boat, which, well-manned, at once
made for the shore. I said nothing, but narrowly watched the point for
which she was steering. As she drew near, I saw a figure climb a rocky
point and waive to her. The dress and air of the person left no doubt
on my mind that he was no other than the Greek count, or rather Miles
Sandgate. It was, indeed, provoking to see the rascal escaping before
our very sight. Had we taken upon ourselves to make chase after him, he
would have got on board the boat before we could have reached him.
Still I felt that I ought to point out the state of things to Rullock
and Arden, and let them judge what should be done.
"Go in chase after the fellow, by all means," they exclaimed; "we must
not be too sanguine as to catching our bird, or proving him a culprit if
we do catch him, but still we'll try."
It was arranged, therefore, that while the ladies and military men, and
non-combatants, should take their time to return, we naval men should
hurry back to Valetta, and take the necessary steps to go in chase of
the pirate. Hearty looked at Miss Mizen and thought he should very much
like to stay with her, but his manhood would not let him; so he, with
Bubble and Carstairs, settled to go away in the yacht. Mrs Skyscraper
made an effort to detain the latter, but her admirer was not a man to
shirk work where any was to be done, so he set off with the rest of us.
This time we were more successful in finding the admiral. He was eager
as we could be to catch the pirate, and instantly ordered the "Trident"
and "Zebra" to go in chase of her. When last seen, after Sandgate, or
the man we supposed to be him, had got on board, she was standing to the
southward and east, with the wind from the northward; in which direction
she would ultimately shape her course it was impossible to say.
Calculating that she might probably be still hovering about the island,
the "Trident" was ordered, after leaving the harbour, to beat round to
the northward of Malta; while the "Zebra" was to keep to the southward,
so as to intercept her, should she steer a course for the Straits. It
was arranged that the "Frolic" should accompany the "Zebra," but to keep
to the nor'ward of her, within telegraph distance.
"This is exciting," exclaimed Bubble, as we bowled along in company with
the brig-of-war, away from Malta Harbour. "It seems like real work,
going in chase of a pirate; only I hope that he may not give us the
go-by in the dark."
The sun sank into the ocean before we had rounded Gozo, so that we were
not able to see what vessels were to the eastward of us. We kept,
however, a very bright lookout on either hand, so that we thought no
vessel could pass between us and the land on one side, or us and the
"Zebra" on the other. We were to stand on till we fell in with the
"Trident" at daylight, and then the three vessels, spreading wide apart,
were to continue the chase all day, and return or not at discretion.
It was at first a lovely night, starlight and bright, with just such a
breeze that we could carry our gaff-topsail, and yet the cutter scarcely
heeled over to it.
None of us felt inclined to go below, notwithstanding the fatigues of
the day and the previous night. Hearty, of course, had pleasant
thoughts; Porpoise was eagerly watching for the pirate; I was running
over the events of the day, and Bubble was whistling, while Carstairs
was, I suspect, pondering on the advisability of proposing to Mrs
Skyscraper.
At first we had been very loquacious, but the silent solemnity of the
night had an influence on all of us, and by degrees our remarks grew
less and less frequent, till we were found standing, in meditative mood,
in different parts of the vessel. The hours of the night passed by, and
still we all kept the deck far later than was our usual custom. Towards
midnight, either from a mist rising, or from some other cause, the
darkness very much increased.
"If this continues we shall have to shorten sail, or we shall be running
into some craft or other," observed Porpoise, who was no great admirer
of romance, and would rather all the time have been listening to a
jovial song.
"Yes, indeed," said I; "very little chance, though, of falling in with
our roving friend, even should he be in the neighbourhood."
"We'll get the gaff-topsail off her, Mr Snow," said Porpoise; "the brig
will be shortening sail, and if we do not, we shall be running ahead of
her."
The order was given, and the hands had gone aloft to execute it, when an
exclamation from the look-out forward made us open our eyes.
"A sail ahead, on the starboard-bow!" he shouted, with startling energy.
We looked in the direction indicated.
"Luff--luff all you can," cried Porpoise, with equal animation. "Luff!
or she'll be into us."
The helm was put down; happily the gaff-topsail had not been taken in,
and the cutter, having good way on her, shot up to windward. Close on
our quarter appeared, towering up, it seemed, into the sky, a wide
spread of canvas. The stranger rushed on past us, the white foam
hissing and bubbling at her bows.
"What vessel is that?" shouted Porpoise.
I thought I heard a shout of derisive laughter in return. The next
moment, as she came beam on, I distinctly made her out to be a Greek
polacca-brig.
"The pirate--the pirate!" shouted all hands.
"We had a near chance of being run down by the rascal," cried Porpoise;
"but we must be after him as soon as we can let the `Zebra' know in what
direction to make chase."
To do this we had to edge away to the southward, firing our guns to call
the attention of the man-of-war brig. This was not so easy to do as
might be supposed. We stood on and on, blazing away to no effect. We
reached the track of the brig, but still we did not find her.
It was difficult to say what we should do next. Daylight came, and we
had the satisfaction--a very poor one, thought I--of seeing her hull
down to the eastward, while we had every reason to believe that the
chase was merrily bowling away to the westward. There was no use going
after the pirate brig by ourselves, so that all that we could do was to
make sail in the hopes of catching up our friend.
Porpoise bit his nails with vexation. Hearty wanted to get the matter
over to return to Malta.
It was noon before we came up with the "Zebra." This we should not have
done had she not hove-to for us. We then had to wait for the "Trident,"
which appeared to the northward, standing towards us.
We were all so confident that the polacca-brig which passed us in the
night was the pirate, that our naval friends were obliged to be
convinced, so we all hove about, and stood back the way we had come in
chase.
I think it better to make a long story short. We crowded every thing we
could carry, and the little "Frolic" behaved beautifully alongside her
big companions, shooting somewhat ahead of them in light winds, and
keeping well up with them when there was a sea on.
We scarcely expected that the pirate would attempt to get through the
Gut, and therefore we might hope to pick him up inside it. I could not
help suspecting, however, that all the time Mr Sandgate was laughing at
us in his sleeve, and that we should see no more of him. So it proved.
Ten days were fruitlessly expended in the search, and at the end of that
time we were all once more at anchor in Malta Harbour.
Hearty very speedily reconciled himself to the disappointment in the
society of Miss Mizen. Carstairs was soon at the feet of Mrs
Skyscraper, while I went to inquire for Miss Seton; but as I found Sir
Lloyd Snowdon occupying her entire attention, I paid a short visit, and
went to dine with Piper on board the "Trident."