The little schooner very soon got her cargo on board, and we then put to
sea, to return to the brig. We had to make a long reach off-shore to
weather a headland, which ran out towards the north, and we were just
about to tack when the wind, which had been very light, failed us
altogether. There we lay, with our sides lazily lapping up the
burnished water, and throwing it off again in showers of sparkling
drops, as we rolled away helplessly in the swell. At the same time a
strong current was running, which was setting us imperceptibly
off-shore. However, after having been exposed to it for three or four
hours, I found, on looking up, that we had very much increased our
distance from the land. The day passed away and the night came, and
there we lay like a log in the water, drifting further and further from
the land.
It was truly a solemn night. Every star which floated in the vast
expanse above us was reflected on the surface of the deep; and as I
looked over the side, I fancied that I could see numberless bright orbs
floating far, far down in the limpid water. Strange sounds reached my
ears. Suppressed shrieks, and groans, and cries--loud hisses, and
murmuring voices, and strange monsters came up from their rocky
weed-covered homes, their fins sparkling, and their eyes flashing as
they clove through the sea. Some would now and again spring into the
air and fall back with a loud splash. Others, of huge bulk, I thought,
would come and float silently, looking at the little schooner, an
intruder on their domain, seemingly devising means how they might drive
her from it. I ought to have been below resting, as the captain had
ordered me, but I was hot and feverish, and could not remain in the
close atmosphere of the forepeak. As I stood gazing at the sea, I
thought I saw the forms of all the unhappy men murdered by the Maroons
pass before me. Each countenance bore the agonised look which I had
beheld before the fatal signal was given to the firing-party to perform
the work of death. They stretched out their hands to me to help them,
and moaned piteously, as I stood spell-bound, unable to move. One after
the other they came gliding by, and then sank down into the water ahead
of the schooner. I could stand the dreadful sight no longer, and
shrieked out in an attempt to go and help them.
"What's the matter, lad?" said the voice of Peter Poplar close to my
ear. "You are overtired--no wonder. Here--I have put a mattress and a
blanket for you under shelter. Lie down and take a little rest. You'll
want to use your strength perhaps before long. A sailor should always
eat when he can, and take his sleep when he can. He is never certain
when he may have to go without either food or rest."
I took Peter's advice, and very soon the feelings which oppressed me
wore off, and I fell soundly asleep.
I did not awake till the bright sun was just rising out of the
mirror-like sea. The calm was as perfect as before; and when I looked
for the land, I could only just make out its blue and hazy mountains
rising out of the ocean. Hot enough the weather was; but as the sun
glided upwards in the sky, a thick mist was drawn over the whole face of
nature. The captain and Mr Gale were on deck, and I saw them scanning
the horizon anxiously on every side. They seemed far from satisfied
with the look of the weather. Still for some time they could not make
up their minds how to act.
"What's going to happen now?" said I to Peter some time after this.
"Do you remember the breeze we had in Kingston Harbour on your first
voyage?" he asked.
"What? the hurricane do you mean? Indeed I do," I replied. "I hope we
are not going to have such another in this little craft out here."
"I'm not so sure of that, Jack," he replied. "The captain begins to
think so likewise. He'll be for making everything snug, if I mistake
not."
Peter was right. The order was soon given to strike topmasts, to furl
sails, to set up the rigging, to fasten down the hatches, to secure
everything below, and to lash the boats and all spare spars on deck.
Everything that could be accomplished was done to prepare the little
craft for the expected tempest.
Still everything around us was so calm and quiet that it required no
little faith in the judgment of our officers to believe that all this
preparation was necessary. Much in the same way do men feel it
difficult to believe in the importance of preparing for another world,
when the tide of prosperity carries them along, without care or anxiety,
over the sea of life. I have often thought that a gale of wind, a
lee-shore on a dark night, and the risk of shipwreck, are of use to
seamen, to make them prepare for the dangers which sooner or later must
come upon them. So are all misfortunes--pain, sorrow, loss of friends,
deprivation of worldly honours or position--sent to remind people that
this world is not their abiding-place; that they are sent into it only
that they may have the opportunity of preparing in it for another and a
better world, which will last for eternity.
Hour after hour passed away. Still the calm continued. I suspect the
officers themselves began to doubt whether the looked-for hurricane
would ever come. I asked Peter what he thought about it.
"Come! ay, that it will," he replied. "More reason that it will come
with all its strength and fury because it is delayed. Look out there!
do you see that?"
He pointed towards the now distant land. A dark cloud seemed to be
rushing out from that direction, and extending rapidly on either side,
while below the cloud a long line of white foam came hissing and rolling
on towards us. As it reached the spot where we lay, the little vessel
heeled over till I thought she would never rise again, and then she was
turned round and round as if she had been a piece of straw. Loudly
roared and howled the fierce blast, and on she drove helplessly before
it. Every instant the sea rose higher and higher, and the schooner
began to pitch, and toss, and tumble about, till I thought she would
have been shaken to pieces.
"Peter," said I, "we are in a bad way, I am afraid."
"We should have been in a very much worse way had the wind come from
another quarter, and driven us towards the land," he replied, gravely.
"Some of the people had begun to grumble because we had been drifted so
far off-shore. We may now be thankful that we were not caught nearer to
it, and have already made so much offing. We shall very likely have it
round again, and then we shall require all the distance we have come to
drive in, and none to spare."
"I was thinking of the chance we have of going to the bottom," said I,
looking at the huge seas which kept tumbling tumultuously around us.
"Not much fear of that," he answered. "We are in a strongly-built and
tight little craft; and as long as she keeps off-shore, she'll swim, I
hope."
Peter's prognostications as to a shift of the wind were speedily
fulfilled, and we found the vessel driving as rapidly towards the
dreaded shore as she had before been carried from it. To struggle
against it was hopeless; our only prospect of safety, should she be
blown on it, was to find some creek or river into which we might run;
but the probabilities of our finding such a shelter were so very remote,
that all we could do was to pray that we might once more be driven away
from the treacherous land. Happily such was our fate. Another eddy, as
it were, of the whirlwind caught us, and once more we went flying away
towards the coast of Cuba. That was, however, so far distant that there
was but little fear but that the tempest would have spent its fury long
before we could reach it. No sail could be set; but the vessel being in
good trim, answered her helm, and kept before the wind.
Away! away we flew! surrounded with sheets of hissing foam, the wild
waters dancing up madly on every side, threatening, should we stop but
for a moment in our course, to sweep over our decks! Even careless as I
then was, I could not help feeling grateful that we were not driving on
towards a shore which must speedily stop us in our career; and I thought
of the many poor fellows who would that day meet a watery grave, their
vessels cast helplessly on the sea-beat rocks. As the wind took us
along with it, we got more than our fair share of the hurricane; and the
night came on while we were still scudding on, exposed to its fury.
If the scene was wild in the day-time, much more so was it when we were
surrounded by darkness, and a thousand unseen horrors presented
themselves to our imagination. Though I was not very easily overcome, I
had suffered so much lately that I felt that I could not endure much
longer the continuance of this sort of work. At last I fell into a sort
of stupor, and I believe that I should have been washed overboard had
not Peter secured me to the rigging, close to himself. I knew nothing
more till I awoke and found myself lying on the deck, with the sun
glancing brightly over the sparkling waters; the schooner, with all sail
set, close-hauled, and a gentle breeze blowing. On one side was seen a
range of blue hills rising out of the ocean. Peter was kneeling by my
side.
"Get up, Jack," said he; "you've had a long snooze, but you wanted it,
lad, I'm sure. There's some breakfast for you; it will do you good
after all you have gone through."
I thanked my kind friend, and swallowed the cocoa and biscuit which he
brought me with no little relish.
"What! have we so soon got back to Jamaica?" said I, looking over the
side, and seeing the blue ranges of hills I have spoken of.
"Jamaica! no, lad--I wish it was," he replied. "That's the island of
Cuba; and from what I know of it, I wish that we were further off than
we are. Some ugly customers inhabit it! There has been a
suspicious-looking craft for the last hour or so standing out from the
land towards us, and as she has long sweeps, she is making good way. I
suspect the captain don't admire her looks, for I have never seen him in
such a way before from the moment he came on deck and caught sight of
her. If we were in the brig we need not have been afraid of her, but in
this little cockle-shell we cannot do much to help ourselves."
"We can fight, surely!" said I. "We have arms, have we not?"
"What can eight or ten men do against forty or fifty cut-throats, which
probably that craft out there has on board?" answered Peter. "We'll do
our best, however."
The approaching vessel was lateen-rigged, with two masts, and of great
beam; and though low in the water, and at a distance looking small,
capable of carrying a considerable number of men. Certainly she had a
very dishonest appearance. I saw the captain often anxiously looking
out on the weather-side, as if for a sign of more wind; but the gentle
breeze just filled our sails, and gave the craft little more than
steerage-way. All hands kept whistling away most energetically for a
stronger wind, but it would not come. The felucca, however, sailed very
fast. As we could not get out of her way, the captain hailed, and very
politely asked her to get out of ours, or rather to steer clear of us.
Instead of replying, or acting according to his request, some forty ugly
fellows or more, of every hue, from jet-black to white, and in every
style of costume, sprung up on her decks from below, and directly
afterwards she ranged up alongside of us. The captain, on this, ordered
her to sheer off; but instead of so doing, grappling-irons were thrown
aboard us, and her fierce-looking crew made a rush to leap on our deck.
They were met, however, by our captain, Mr Gale, Peter, and the rest of
our people, who, with pistol and cutlass in hand, were prepared to
dispute their passage.
The pirates, for such there could be no doubt our visitors were, had
four or more guns mounted on their deck; but they seemed resolved to
depend rather on their overwhelming numbers than on them for victory.
They had not calculated, apparently, what a few determined men could do.
"Stand back, ye scoundrels!" shouted our brave captain, in a voice
which made the ruffians look up with amazement, though I do not think
they understood his words. He gave them further force by a sweep of his
cutlass, with which he cut off the head of the nearest of his
assailants. Peter, whose arm was almost as powerful, treated another in
the same way; and Mr Gale knocked a third over with his pistol before
any of them had time to get hold of our rigging. This determined
resistance caused them to draw back for an instant, which enabled Peter,
with one of the other men, to cast loose the grappling-irons forward.
At the same time two of the pirates, who were attempting to leap on
board, were dealt such heavy blows on the head that they were knocked
overboard before any of their companions could help them. "Well done,
my lads!" cried the captain. "Keep up the game in this way, and we may
yet beat off the villains!" Saying this he sprang aft to drive back a
gang of the pirates, who were attempting to board on our quarter. Two
of the first paid dearly for their temerity, and were cut down by either
the captain or Mr Gale. I got a long pike, and kept poking away over
the bulwarks at every fellow I could reach. Several pistols were fired
at me, but missed their aim; but at last the pike was dragged out of my
hands, and thrown overboard. Unfortunately there was so little wind
that the pirates, by getting out a sweep on the opposite side of their
vessel, brought her head aboard, and at the same time made a rush to get
on our deck. Peter, with two of our men, hurried to repel them; but a
bullet at that moment struck one of them on the breast, and knocked him
over. Poor fellow! I tried to save him as he fell; but the heavy way
in which he came to the deck showed me that his fighting days were over.
I ran to help Peter and my other shipmates, but the pirates pressed us
so hard that we had little hope of keeping them out. In the meantime
also a stout active little Spaniard, followed by two or three blacks and
another white man, made a spring at our bulwarks about midships; and
though one of our men, Tom Hardy, most bravely threw himself before
them, they gained the deck, and cut him down before any further
opposition could be offered. Others followed them, and gaining the
whole centre part of the vessel, our crew were completely divided. We
had lost two men. Thus the captain, Mr Gale, and one man held the deck
aft; while Peter, another man, and I still stood at our post forward.
But what could we hope to do against the crowd of ruffians who swarmed
on board? At the same moment they pressed towards us and the captain,
and would have carried us overboard had we not sung out, and asked for
quarter. The bravery which the captain and the rest had displayed
seemed to have won their admiration and respect; for instead of cutting
us down and throwing us into the sea, they instantly granted us the
quarter we asked. Our arms were taken from us, and we were ordered to
go on board the felucca, while the pirates proceeded to rifle the
schooner. Except the hogsheads of sugar, which would not have been of
much use to them, they found very little, I suspect, to repay them for
the heavy cost of our capture. The vessel, however, would probably have
been of some value to them, as she was a fine little craft.
The schooner having a crew put on board her, the two vessels stood away
to the westward. Peter told me that he suspected we were bound to one
of the numerous small islands--keys they are called--which are found in
great numbers off the south coast of Cuba. We were allowed to walk
about the deck without molestation; but our position was far from a
pleasant one, for any moment our captors might take it into their heads
to make us walk the plank, or to get rid of us by some other means. I
had never seen a person made to walk the plank, but I had heard it
described as a favourite method employed by pirates to get rid of their
prisoners. A long plank is run out over the side, and the victim,
blindfolded, is made to walk along it. When he gets to the outer end,
the inner part is tilted up, and he is slid into the sea. I earnestly
prayed that such might not be our fate, and yet I could not see what
better we could expect. We had evidently fallen into the hands of
desperate outlaws, not likely to be influenced by any of the dictates of
humanity. At all events, we were likely to be kept prisoners, and
probably made to work as slaves for these villains, without a chance of
escaping. The captain seemed most cast down. He would, of course, most
certainly be thought to be lost. His vessel would sail without him, and
report his death at home. As he was a married man, with several
children, the trial was indeed great to him.
I tried to make out who was the captain of the pirates, but they
appeared at first to me to be all equal. A fat, sturdy mulatto, was, I
after a time suspected, the chief mate, or one of the principal
officers; and the Spaniard, who had first succeeded in boarding us, was
another. Not one of them spoke a word of English, though from the first
I suspected that two or more of the white men understood it, if they
were not Englishmen or people from the American colonies. At all
events, I followed Peter's advice--not to say anything about which it
might be well not to have heard. I have often seen people get into
great scrapes, and bring most disagreeable consequences on themselves,
from disregarding that rule. Never say anything among foreigners, in
your own or any other language, which you do not wish them to
understand; or even give expression to your feelings in looks, which
even savages, you should remember, can frequently comprehend.
Our two poor shipmates who had been wounded died, I hope, before we left
the schooner. At all events, the pirates threw them overboard.
Including Peter and me, there were thus only three foremast-men, besides
the blacks, and a mulatto who had been shipped as pilot for the trip
round the coast. We all kept together sitting on and about one of the
guns; but very little conversation passed between us. The captain and
Mr Gale walked the deck near us, but they said very little to each
other. A negro brought us, towards the evening, a large dish of farina,
with some sort of meat stewed in it. Though not over pleasant to the
look, it was acceptable enough to hungry men, for we had had nothing to
eat since the morning. A more palatable-looking dish was placed before
the captain and Mr Gale. This care of us showed that they did not, at
all events, intend to starve us to death, as they would scarcely have
fed people whom they intended to kill.
I observed the Spaniard and the mulatto mate occasionally going down an
after-hatchway, which I supposed led into the chief cabin, but for what
reason they went I could not tell; and I observed that whenever the
captain and Mr Gale approached the spot, a guard stationed there turned
them back. When night came on, a sail was handed to us, which we spread
over the gun, and crept under it; and I observed that a couple of
mattresses were sent on deck, and that a sail was secured over the
bulwarks, to make a somewhat better tent for our officers.
We passed the whole of the next day much as we had done the first. The
black, and white, and coloured crew did not regard us with very friendly
looks; but they did not molest us. A dark-skinned lad would, however,
occasionally come up to me when neither of the mates were looking, and
touching a formidable-looking knife he wore in his sheath, signify that
he should enjoy running the point into me. Some relation of his had
been among the men killed, and this made him feel bitter towards us.
Peter, who saw the action, advised me to remain quiet, and to take no
notice of it. "He only wants an excuse for a quarrel, and therefore,
unless you wish to please him, do not give it," observed my friend. I
followed his advice, not only at the present, but on many future
occasions, and thus avoided many of the quarrels and disputes into which
I saw others plunged. The men who brought us our food growled a little
at us, as if they would much rather have been making us food for the
fish; but as we made them no answer, they went away and left us to
ourselves. As the wind was generally light, we did not make much
progress. Thus another night passed away.
When the morning of the next day broke, I saw that we were running in
among reefs, which I could tell by the ripple of the otherwise calm
water breaking over them. Ahead was a low sandy shore, mangrove-bushes
lining some portion of it, with palms and plantains, and a few other
tropical trees, rising beyond them. As we sailed on, threading the
glass-like channels, the sun rose higher and higher, and shone down with
intense heat on our heads, drawing forth, at the same time, a thin
gauze-like mist over the whole scene. "This is a regular trap,"
observed Peter. "If a man once gets in here, I defy him to find his way
out again, unless he was born and bred on the spot." The captain and
Mr Gale were watching the progress of the vessel, and tried to look as
unconcerned as possible; but they were evidently considering if it were
possible to take a vessel out by the way they had come in.
At length we entered the mouth of a narrow creek, lined with the
mangrove-bushes I have spoken of on either side; some growing in the
bright pure water, others with their branches just dipping into the
clear liquid, and so distinctly reflected that I could not tell where
the real bough ended and its phantom-likeness began. After running on
for half a mile, and making frequent turns, we found ourselves in a wide
lagoon, several other craft of different sizes and rigs being at anchor
in it. On shore, there was a collection of large wooden sheds looking
like stores, and some huts, and a few buildings of more pretensions,
apparently dwelling-houses. There was nothing like order or regularity
in the arrangement of the village; but each store or cottage seemed to
have been placed as suited the fancy of the owner, the whole wearing a
very nautical, shipwreck appearance. Many of the roofs were formed of
the bottoms of boats; sails, with a coating of paint or tar, were nailed
over others; and the planks and ribs of vessels had entered largely into
the construction of all the edifices. I made these observations as we
were shortening sail and coming to an anchor. It was very clearly a
pirate stronghold, and had been probably so for some years. The pirates
had allowed us to remain on deck and see the approach to it, evidently
trusting to the difficulties of the navigation to prevent any of us
finding our way out of it, or in again, should we obtain our liberty.
Though art had done nothing, nature had done everything to make the
place impregnable, unless a pilot could be found to show an enemy the
way. Against such a result they had several safeguards: each man of
this fraternity had bound himself by an oath not to betray any of their
secrets. The Spanish authorities took very little cognisance of them,
as their own vessels were not attacked; while at that time the governors
of the West India Islands did not trouble themselves much about rooting
out piracy; and it was only when some act of especial atrocity had been
committed, that, if a man-of-war was in the way, she was sent in chase
of the pirate.
As soon as we had dropped our anchor, several boats came off from the
shore with people eager to learn the news we brought. They looked
suspiciously at us, and seemed not very well satisfied at the result of
their inquiries. It was far from pleasant to see a number of
cut-throat-looking fellows parading up and down before us with their
hands on the hilts of their long knives, with which they kept playing as
if anxious to try their temper in our bodies. Captain Helfrich stood
all the time with folded arms leaning against the bulwarks, and all we
could do was to imitate his example. I was not sorry, however, when the
mulatto mate intimated to us that we were to get into the boat and go on
shore, as I thought that we should then probably be more out of the way
of our irascible-looking friends. We were ordered into one boat with
Mr Gale, while the captain was carried away in another. This seriously
excited our apprehension, as we could not tell what evil might be
intended him. He, however, though very grave, seemed to be under no
apprehension, but stepped into the boat as if he was going on shore on
his own business.
As soon as we landed, we were marched up to one of the store-like
buildings; and a ladder being shown us, up which we went through a trap
which closed behind us, we found ourselves in a large airy loft. The
furniture consisted of some heaps of the straw or leaves of Indian corn.
It looked clean, and was, therefore, more suited to our wants than
would have been any number of pieces of the handsomest furniture--such
as marble tables, mahogany sideboards, satin-wood wardrobes, or gold and
china vases. As Peter observed, when he threw himself on one of the
heaps: "Never mind, my lads, we're rich if we've got what we want. If
our friends below would send us up a dish of turtle and rice, or some of
their ollas, we, at any rate, shall have no reason to complain of our
lot. We shall get out of this one of these days; so, in the meantime,
let us make ourselves comfortable." Peter's good temper kept up the
spirits of the rest of our party. I have often found the advantage of
having a person like Peter among a number of people placed in
circumstances like ours, either in prison, or cast away, or detained in
some disagreeable place; and I have, therefore, always endeavoured to
imitate him in that respect, as well as in others, by keeping up my own
spirits, and by cheering my companions in misfortune. Mr Gale, under
most circumstances, would have contributed to support us; but on the
present occasion he was evidently too much weighed down with grave
apprehensions as to what was likely to befall us all, to act as he would
otherwise have done. Not having anything else to do, and being very
tired, we all went to sleep.
After some hours, for the sun was low by that time, we were awoke.
Hearing a bolt being withdrawn, and looking up, I saw the trap lifted,
and a negro appeared. On his head he carried a large bowl, with some
wooden spoons in it. He placed the bowl before us, and signified that
we might eat its contents. Curiously enough, it contained the very
thing Peter had been wishing for--a stew of turtle and rice, a thing not
to be despised by hungry men. It was very good, I know. After eating
it, we went to sleep again, and for my own part I did not awake till
daylight. After some time, a bowl of a sort of porridge was brought us,
and some plantains, which, with pork, forms the common food of the
people of Cuba. Twice in the day food was brought us. It was both
abundant and good, so that we had no reason to complain of the way the
pirates treated us. The great puzzle was to discover why it was that
they were so civil. Had they kept us on bread and water, and spared our
lives, we should have had reason to be grateful; as the usual mode of
proceeding of such gentry, we understood, always was to shoot all who
would not take the oaths and join them.
We were not allowed to go out of the place, or to hold intercourse with
anybody. The only light which was let into the place came from a hole
in the roof above our heads. It was so placed that we could not manage
to climb up to it. I managed, however, to find a chink in the floor,
near the trap; and whenever I looked through it, I saw a man with a
musket standing there as a guard.
Three or four days thus passed away. We could hear nothing of the
captain, for the only person we saw was the negro, and when we asked
him, he only shook his head, and intimated that he did not understand
what we said. Mr Gale, after a time, aroused himself, and gave us
instructions in various matters; and Peter and one of the other men told
some capital stories, and we all took it by turns to sing songs. I was
not a bad hand at that, by-the-by; I had learned several as a child, and
had picked up others since then, and as my voice was a good one, my
songs were generally favourites.
The time, however, began to hang rather heavily on our hands, when one
evening a stranger made his appearance, and looking at me, said in
English, "Youngster, you are wanted." I was startled at hearing the
sound of an English voice; but I, of course, thought the captain wanted
me, so I went, very willing to accompany him. The trap was bolted
behind me. He took me to one of the largest cottages I had observed,
and entering it, pointed to a door, and told me to go in. I did so, and
there I saw seated at a table the identical old gentleman whom I
believed to be called Captain Ralph. He did not look a day older than
when he came on board the _Rainbow_ off Saint Kitt's, and he wore the
same old-fashioned three-cornered hat and laced-coat.
"You have seen me before, lad," said he, eyeing me closely.
"Yes, sir," said I, resolving to be frank with him; "on board the
_Rainbow_."
"You are attached to your captain, and would wish to do him a service?"
he added.
"Yes, sir," said I. "What do you want me to do?"
"Tell him that all his people have taken the oaths and joined the
confederacy," he answered, looking at me hard.
"I don't know what oaths, or what else you mean, sir," I answered. "I
cannot tell him anything that is not true."
"What? a ship-boy with a conscience?" he exclaimed, bursting into a fit
of laughter. "I tell you, lad, you must do as you are bid."
"Yes, sir, I'll do what my captain tells me," I replied, simply. "But
for the matter of saying anything to deceive him, I won't do it. I'll
tell him the truth, and then he'll know how to act."
He looked at me very hard for a moment or so, and then rang a bell by
his side. From what he had said, I hoped that the captain was safe and
well. The same man who had brought me in appeared.
"Send Diego here to take care of this youngster, and bring in one of the
other men, the tall one--I will try what I can make of him," he said;
and the white man disappeared.
Directly afterwards, a sturdy black man came in. Captain Ralph pointed
to me. He seized me by the collar, and held me a prisoner on one side
of the room. In a short time Peter was brought in.
"You find life and liberty sweet, my man?" said the old gentleman,
addressing him.
"I've no objection to either," answered Peter sturdily.
"You've been well-treated since you've been here?" said Captain Ralph.
"I've no reason to complain," was Peter's laconic reply.
"Very well; you may judge that I do not wish you ill," observed Captain
Ralph. "Now, I won't conceal it from you, we have a body of people on
this island who don't own any laws except those of our own making. A
large number of them are Spaniards, and I want a few honest Englishmen,
who will stick by one another, to join us. What do you say? Are you
inclined to join us? Your captain will, I have no doubt, and so will
this lad and the rest of your shipmates."
I shook my head. Captain Ralph did not see me, but the negro did, and
gave me a cuff on the head in consequence. I had not fancied that the
negro understood English, but from this circumstance I have no doubt he
did.
Peter gave a hitch to his trousers when the question was put to him, and
then vehemently scratched his head. "Look ye here, sir," he answered in
a firm voice, which showed that he had made up his mind how to act, "I
am much obliged for the treatment I and my shipmates have received since
we came to this place, barring the being kept inside a sort of prison,
so to speak; but you must just understand, sir, that I've been brought
up to be an honest man, and an honest man I hope to remain to the end of
my days; and so, as to taking any oath to turn pirate, or in any way to
associate with those who do, I'll not do it. So now you've my answer."
The pirate chief--for so I may as well at once call him--seemed to be
somewhat taken aback at this answer; but he laughed as I had before
heard him. "You _Rainbow_ lads have odd notions of your own about
honesty! We'll see what the rest of you have to say on the subject."
Mr Gale was next sent for. He, as may be supposed, at once refused to
join the pirates. The other men, fancying that we had joined them,
promised to do so; but it struck me that Captain Ralph did not look
particularly well satisfied at hearing their reply.
What his intentions were we could not tell, for he ordered us all at
once to be taken back to our place of confinement, under a guard of five
or six men, who stood outside ready for that purpose. What had become
of the captain puzzled us most to discover. We said nothing, however,
as we went along, for we were pretty certain that the people who had
charge of us perfectly understood English, if they were not mostly
Englishmen.
We remained two or three days longer shut up, in a state of great doubt
and uncertainty. Sometimes we fancied that we should be taken out and
shot; at others, that we might be set at liberty. However, I could not
help hoping that Captain Ralph was well-disposed towards us. What the
pirates were about all this time we could not tell; but we supposed that
they could scarcely remain idle, and if we were to make our escape at
all, we looked forward to the time when the greater portion were gone
away on some expedition.
We very soon got tired of not being able to see what was going forward
in the outer world. We accordingly hunted about the roof, to find a
spot where we could remove the shingles, or split planks of wood which
formed it, without leaving any marks which might be observed. This,
after a little time, we succeeded in doing with our knives; and thus we
formed a look-out hole on each side of the building. On one side, we
could see all over the harbour; on another, we looked down towards the
mouth; a third looked over a very uninviting country inland, with the
mountains of Cuba seen in the far distance, blue and indistinct; while,
by looking through the fourth, we discovered that we were separated from
the open sea by a piece of land little more than a mile in width. We
could not, of course, see what was going forward close under the
buildings, but we could observe the movements of people on shore at a
little distance off. Our ears, however, helped us when our eyesight
failed. One of us was always on the look-out at each hole, while the
fifth kept watch at the chink, to give timely notice of anybody's
approach to the ladder.
For some days we had observed the people busily employed in fitting,
rigging, and in shaping and altering spars. At length there was an
unusual bustle, and boats were continually going backwards and forwards
between the vessels, carrying stores of various sorts. It was clear
that there was at length an expedition on foot. We naturally fancied
that it would produce some change in our position, but whether for
better or worse remained to be seen.
The next morning the harbour was covered with boats carrying people on
board the vessels; and directly afterwards six of them got under way,
and stood out towards the sea. Whether or not Captain Ralph went with
them we could not discover. We could not perceive our own schooner in
the harbour, but there was a vessel which we thought might be her lying
out towards the mouth of the creek. There were still, we remarked, a
good number of people left on the island. We saw them moving about in
all directions for some hours after the fleet had sailed, and then they
retired into the huts and sheds which served as their homes. Such was
the state of things when we lay down to rest that night.
About midnight, we were startled by hearing the trap-door lifted. At
the same time a man appeared with a lantern in his hand. I recognised
him as the person who had conducted me to the presence of Captain Ralph.
"I have come here as a friend, my men," he said in a low voice, putting
down the lantern. "You have shown that you can be faithful to your own
captain, and mine, therefore, believes that he can trust you to do him a
service. Is he right?"
"Yes," answered Mr Gale, speaking for the rest of us; "anything which,
as honest men, we can do to help him we will gladly undertake."
"That's right," said the stranger. "You must know, then, that we have
here men of various nations. Many of them are Spaniards. They and
other foreigners have lately been growing more and more jealous of our
captain. He has done two or three things lately to offend their
prejudices, certainly. The consequence is, that they have hatched a
conspiracy, which has just been discovered, to murder him and all the
English in the place; you all will be among the first victims. In
asking you to fight for us, I invite you to fight for your own lives.
To show that I trust you, I have brought you some pistols and
ammunition, and a bundle of swords done up in this sail. The villains
have fixed on an hour before daybreak to begin the attack on us. Arm
yourselves, and be ready to sally forth at a moment's notice. They will
sound a trumpet as a signal to their party to begin the work of
slaughter. I will try to be here before then. If I am not, make your
way to Captain Ralph's quarters. He will have, before that, released
your captain, who will put himself at your head. You will also be
joined by four or five men, who, like me, will be glad to get away from
this den, and regain our liberty at any cost. I must stay no longer, or
I may be missed. Be prompt and firm, and we may come off conquerors.
Remember, however, it is victory or death for all of us!"
These words came like a thunder-clap among us. We could scarcely
believe our ears. Mr Gale, however, at once replied, that we would
undertake exactly to follow the stranger's directions, as we clearly
understood the dangerous predicament in which we all stood. The instant
he received our reply, he hurried from the loft, and we could see his
figure from our loophole proceeding to the upper part of the settlement.
Our first care was to examine the package, which we found contained the
arms he had promised. We immediately loaded the pistols, and buckled on
the cutlasses, and then stood ready to descend at the expected signal.
To men long shut up as we had been, any excitement is acceptable; so
that, far from feeling any alarm at what we had heard, scarcely anything
could have contributed so much to raise our spirits. I truly believe
that we valued the prospect of obtaining our liberty much more from the
chance of having to fight for it. We were only eager for the fray to
begin. We could not tell exactly how we were to find out our enemies;
but Mr Gale charged us not to attack anyone till we were attacked,
unless we received directions from Captain Helfrich, or the stranger who
had just visited us.
The state of things which existed, it appeared, among this community of
sea-robbers, showed me a truth which I have since found frequently
confirmed, that oaths are of little or no value among men who are
continually breaking God's laws. They are kept as a rule only as long
as it is convenient or necessary to each individual to keep them; but
the moment he thinks it to his advantage to break them, he does so
without the slightest compunction. The terrific oaths which were
supposed to bind together the ruffians of the Blackbeard school, were
over and over again broken, and would never have been kept unless
interest, or the lowest superstition, had held the ruffians faithful to
them. The value of an oath, as a pledge taken in the sight of the
Almighty God, they could not comprehend. Much the same was evidently
the case in the present instance; and here there was every prospect of a
long existing community of outlaws breaking up from internal
dissensions. We could only earnestly hope that such might be their
fate. "Depend on it, Jack, my boy," said Peter to me, when talking on
the subject, "there's only one thing can bind men truly together, and
that is honesty of purpose. Real friendship cannot exist among knaves."
In my long life I have invariably found his remarks verified.
Hour after hour passed away while we waited for the signal. Of course
we were very anxious, but our spirits rather rose than fell as we talked
over the various plans which it might be necessary for us to adopt to
effect our escape. We had an advantage the pirate who visited us did
not suspect: we had surveyed the ground from our look-out, and knew that
our own schooner, or one like her, was at the mouth of the harbour. We
agreed, as soon as we had driven back the Spaniards and their party, to
set fire to their stores; and while they were endeavouring to put them
out, to make a rush for the boats, and thus to effect our escape down
the lagoon.
The night had become very silent--not a sound was heard, either on shore
or on the water. There was a gentle land-breeze blowing, which would be
all in our favour if once we could get to the vessel. Suddenly the
shrill blast of a trumpet was heard. Peter gave one glance through the
loophole, and said he saw torches flaming in the upper part of the
village; and presently loud shouts and cries burst forth from the same
direction. We slid down the ladder as fast as one could follow the
other, Mr Gale leading. If a guard had been there, he had run off at
the first sound of the trumpet. We hurried on in the direction we had
been desired to take. We had not gone far when we were met by the
stranger. "No time to lose; on, my lads!" he exclaimed, leading the
way. Before us torches were waving, and there were the flashes of
fire-arms. Their reports were heard, as was the clash of steel. We
advanced together rapidly. Suddenly flames burst out of one of the
large stores. The building itself and its contents, probably being of
inflammable materials, blazed up fiercely, and its light fell on the
figures of a number of men fighting desperately. One person was
conspicuous above those of all the others. It was that of our own
captain. As we saw him we raised a cheer, which must have reached his
ears. He answered it with a shout such as few but he could give. Again
we cheered, and dashed on with redoubled speed. We were but just in
time to help him. He stood with his back against a wall, almost
surrounded with enemies, bestriding the body of Captain Ralph; while his
right hand wielded a huge sword, such as few but he could use to
advantage. "On, my lads! Charge the villains!" he shouted. We needed
not the command, but rushed against the mass of Spaniards, mulattoes,
and blacks, who were besetting him, with such hearty good-will, and our
attack being, at the same time, so unexpected, that we drove them back,
helter-skelter, some hundred yards, killing and wounding a number of
them in the way. We should have gone further, but we were recalled by
the captain's voice. We found him lifting Captain Ralph's body in his
arms. "To the boats! to the boats!" shouted some of the Englishmen,
each of whom bore, I perceived, a considerable bundle on his shoulders.
We, supporting our captain, followed the way they led. Five or six
boats, with their oars and sails in them, were in the water at a rough
wooden quay. We jumped into them, and shoved off.
Several English had been killed, and some had been wounded, whom their
comrades had assisted to the water-side. The scene was lighted up by
the blaze of several wooden stores and other buildings. Among them was
Captain Ralph's cottage. The lights from the flaming mass fell on a
large body of Spaniards, who had rallied, and were advancing rapidly
towards us. "It matters not," shouted some of our new companions, with
a laugh of derision; "they'll find no boats to pursue us; and when they
get back to their homes, they'll discover that not a few of their gold
ingots are gone. Hurrah! hurrah! Give way, my lads, though! They'll
bring their guns to bear upon us if we do not make good way down the
creek." We had all jumped into the nearest boats at hand, without any
respect to order, and the stoutest hands had seized the oars. I found
myself in the boat with my captain and Captain Ralph. The old man lay
in the stern-sheets supported in my captain's arms. He still lived, but
he appeared to be badly wounded. Neither spoke for some time. The
captain told me to take the yoke-lines, and to steer according to his
directions. Peter pulled one of the oars, and our boat took the lead;
but, to my surprise, my captain seemed to know all the turnings of the
creek as well as any of the pirates.
We had got but a short distance when our opponents reached the side of
the water, when, finding no boats, they began rapidly firing away at us.
Though the light from the blazing buildings fell on us, it did not
enable them to judge accurately of the distance we were from them, and
most of their shot went over our heads. Though we had plenty of arms in
the boat, we did not attempt to return their fire; but some of our
lawless companions gave vent to their anger in shouts and execrations.
Wild as the scene had hitherto been, it was yet further heightened by a
loud explosion, which sent fragments of burning embers falling even
around the boats. At the sound, Captain Ralph raised his head and
looked towards the village. "They have lost their expected prize, and
many of them have received what they little expected!" he exclaimed,
with that peculiar low laugh in which I had before heard him indulge.
He had for the moment forgotten his condition. He was, I saw clearly,
desperately wounded. The exertion of moving and speaking was greater
than he could bear, and he sunk back into the captain's arms.
The bullets were all this time flying thickly about the boats, though we
were rapidly increasing our distance from the shore. Several of them
had whistled by my ear. Then I heard one strike close to me with a
peculiar dead sound. At the same moment a sharp, unearthly cry rung in
my ear. It was uttered by Captain Ralph. "Helfrich!" he exclaimed,
"they have done for me. I thought that I had secured all I required,
and might live henceforth in peace. I die with unnumbered sins on my
conscience, without one good act performed, with every advantage
neglected, with a thousand opportunities of reformation thrown away. I
have lived a life of imposture, outraging all laws, human and divine,
and I die miserably without hope--without hope--without hope! Oh, save
me! save me! save me!" The last words the miserable man gasped out with
difficulty. Scarcely had he spoken them, when his head fell down over
his breast, a convulsive shudder passed through his frame, and the once
dreaded pirate was dead!