Simtel MSDOS - Coast to Coast

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Simtel MSDOS - Coast to Coast / simteldosarchivecoasttocoast2.iso / litratur / lcl102.zip / LCL07.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1993-09-23 | 45KB | 631 lines

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ came to my wits with an immoderate │ │ feeling of faintness and sickness, and │ │ with no more remembrance of things past than has │ │ a man bereft of reason. │ │ │ │ For some time I swung between sense and │ │ oblivion, before an overpowering stench forced │ │ itself upon my nostrils--accompanied by a │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ creaking, straining sound and a sweeping motion. │ │ │ │ I could see nothing for the pitchy blackness. │ │ And then I recalled what had befallen me, and I │ │ cried aloud to God in my anguish, for I well │ │ knew that I had been carried aboard ship, and │ │ was at sea. │ │ │ │ I had oftentimes heard of the notorious │ │ press-gang which supplied the needs of the │ │ King's navy, and my first thought was that I │ │ had fallen in their clutches. But I wondered │ │ that they had dared attack a person of my │ │ consequence. │ │ │ │ I had no pain, but I lay in a bunk that felt │ │ gritty and greasy to the touch, and my hair was │ │ matted behind by a clot of blood. I had been │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ stripped of my clothes, and put into some coarse │ │ and rough material, the colour and condition of │ │ which I could not see for want of light. │ │ │ │ I began to cast about me, to examine the size │ │ of the bunk, which I found to be narrow and │ │ plainly at some distance from the deck, for I │ │ laid hold upon one of the rough beams above me. │ │ │ │ By its curvature I knew it to be a knee, and │ │ thus I came to the caulked side of the vessel, │ │ and for the first time heard the rattling thud │ │ and swish of water on the far side of it. │ │ │ │ I had no sooner made this discovery, which │ │ drew from me an involuntary groan, when a ship's │ │ lanthorn was of a sudden thrust over me, and I │ │ perceived behind it a head covered with shaggy │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ hair and a moustache, and │ │ beetling brows. Never had │ │ I seen such a sight. │ │ │ │ "Damn my blood and bones, │ │ life signals at last!" it │ │ cried. "Another three bells │ │ gone, my silks and laces, │ │ and we had given you to the │ │ sharks." │ │ │ │ The man hung his lanthorn to a hook on the │ │ beam, and thrust a case-bottle of rum toward me, │ │ at the same time biting off a great quid of │ │ tobacco. │ │ │ │ But for all my alarm, I saw that his manner │ │ was not unkindly, and as I was conscious of a │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ consuming thirst I seized and tipped the bottle │ │ eagerly. │ │ │ │ "'Tis no fine Madeira, my blood," said he, │ │ "such as I fancy your palate is acquainted with. │ │ Yet 'tis as fair a Jamaica as ever Griggs put │ │ ashore i' the dark." │ │ │ │ "Griggs!" I cried, for I had heard the name. │ │ │ │ "Ay, Griggs, and ye may well repeat it, the │ │ bastard. I'll lay a puncheon he'll be hailing │ │ you shortly. Guinea Griggs, damn his soul and │ │ eyes! He hath sent to damnation many a ship's │ │ company." │ │ │ │ Then he drained what remained of the rum │ │ in silence, took down the lanthorn, and │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ disappeared. │ │ │ │ │ │ e left me sufficiently terrified--and │ │ disposed to reflect upon my situation in │ │ that vile, foul-smelling place. │ │ │ │ I thought of my grandfather and of the │ │ friends I had left behind, and of Dorothy and │ │ Captain Daniel--all of whom I never hoped to see │ │ again. │ │ │ │ But then, perchance 'twas the rum put heart │ │ in me, I reflected that if Griggs had meant to │ │ murder me, he would have done the business long │ │ since. │ │ │ │ And then I fell asleep. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ awoke, I know not how soon, to discover │ │ the same shaggy countenance, and the │ │ lanthorn. │ │ │ │ "Canst walk, Mechlin?" he asked. │ │ │ │ "I can try." │ │ │ │ He seemed pleased at this. "You have courage │ │ a-plenty, and, by God, you'll have need of it │ │ all with that bastard Griggs." │ │ │ │ He gave me his bottle again, and assisted me │ │ down, and I found that my legs, save for the │ │ rocking of the ship, were steady enough. I │ │ followed him out of that hole in which I had │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ lain onto a deck, which in the half light I saw │ │ was covered with slush and filth. It was small │ │ and but dimly illuminated by a hatchway, up │ │ which I was pushed, and then another. │ │ │ │ And so we came to the light of day, and it │ │ near blinded me, so that I was fain to clap my │ │ hand to mine eyes. And I stood for a space │ │ looking about me like a man dazed. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ The wind, tho' blowing stiff, was mild, and │ │ league after league of the blue sea danced and │ │ foamed in the morning sunlight. I saw that I │ │ was on a large schooner under full sail, the │ │ crew of which were littered about at different │ │ occupations. │ │ │ │ Some were gaming and some drinking, while on │ │ the fore-castle two men were settling a dispute │ │ at fisticuffs. │ │ │ │ And they gave me no more notice, nor as much, │ │ than had I been a baboon thrust among them. │ │ From this indifference to a captive I augured no │ │ good. │ │ │ │ Then my conductor took me roughly by the │ │ shoulder and bade me accompany him to the cabin. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ As we drew near the topgallant poop, there │ │ sounded in my ears a noise like a tempest, which │ │ I soon became aware was a man swearing with a │ │ prodigious vehemence in a fog-horn of a voice. │ │ │ │ "'Sdeath and wounds! Where is that dog-fish │ │ of a Cockle? Damn him, and he is not come soon, │ │ I'll mast-head him naked, by the seven holy │ │ spritsails!" │ │ │ │ And much more and worse to the same tune, │ │ until we passed the door and stood before him. │ │ │ │ Then his oath seemed as a death-cry. │ │ │ │ He was a short, lean man with a leathery face │ │ and long, black ropy hair, and beady black eyes │ │ that caught the light like a cat's. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ His looks, │ │ indeed, would │ │ have scared a │ │ timid person to │ │ a fit. │ │ │ │ He was dressed │ │ in an old navy │ │ uniform with │ │ dirty lace. His │ │ cabin was bare │ │ enough, being │ │ scattered about │ │ with pistols │ │ and muskets and │ │ cutlasses, and │ │ he sat behind an oaken table covered with greasy │ │ charts and spilled liquor and tobacco. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "So ho," he cried, "you are risen from the │ │ dead, are you? Mr. What-do-they-call-you? By │ │ the Lord, you shall pay for running my bosun │ │ through!" │ │ │ │ Griggs got to his feet and seized his hanger, │ │ his face like livid marble seamed with blue. │ │ "God damn your soul," he roared, "if I don't │ │ slit you like a herring!" │ │ │ │ And he made at me in such a fury that I would │ │ certainly have been cut to pieces had I not │ │ grasped a cutlass and parried his blow, while │ │ Cockle looked on with his jaw dropped like a │ │ peak without haulyards. │ │ │ │ I made up my mind that I had better die │ │ fighting than expire at torture, and so I took up │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ a posture of defence, with one eye on the mate. │ │ │ │ What was my astonishment, therefore, to │ │ behold Griggs's truculent manner change. │ │ │ │ "Blood and wounds!" he swore, "I had more │ │ than an eye when they brought thee aboard, else │ │ I would have killed thee like a suckling-pig │ │ under the forecastle, as I have given oath to │ │ do. By the Ghost, you are worth seven of that │ │ Roger Spratt whom you sent to hell in his │ │ boots!" │ │ │ │ Wherewith Cockle, who, for all his rough │ │ appearance, stood in a mighty awe of his │ │ captain, set up a loud laugh, and vowed that │ │ Griggs knew a man when he spared me, and was │ │ cursed for his pains. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "So you were contracted to murder me, Captain │ │ Griggs?" I said. │ │ │ │ "Ay," he replied, a gleam coming into his │ │ eye, "but now I have got you and the money to │ │ boot. But harkye, I'll stand by my half of the │ │ bargain, by God, in my manner. If ever you │ │ reach Maryland alive, they may hang me to the │ │ yardarm of a ship-of-the-line!" │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ______ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ n this slaver, Black Moll, for so she was │ │ called, we sailed for a fortnight or so │ │ in the West India seas. │ │ │ │ I gathered that Griggs was searching for an │ │ island which evaded him; and each day added to │ │ his vexation at not finding it. At times he was │ │ drunk for forty hours at a stretch--when he │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ would shut himself in his cabin and leave his │ │ ship to the care of Cockle, who navigated with │ │ the sober portion of the crew. And such a │ │ lousy, brawling lot of convicts I had never │ │ clapped eyes upon. │ │ │ │ As for me, I │ │ was treated │ │ indifferently │ │ well, though 'twas │ │ in truth punishment │ │ enough to live in │ │ that filthy ship, │ │ to eat their shins of beef and briny pork and │ │ wormy biscuit, and to wear rough clothes that │ │ chafed my skin. │ │ │ │ I shared Cockle's cabin, in every way as │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ dirty a place as the den I had left, but with │ │ the advantage of air, for which I fervently │ │ thanked God. │ │ │ │ I think the mate had some little friendship │ │ for me, though he was too hardened by the life │ │ he had led to care about what became of me. │ │ │ │ He encouraged me secretly to continue to │ │ beard Griggs as I had begun, saying that it was │ │ my sole chance of a whole skin, and vowing that, │ │ if he had the courage to pursue the same course, │ │ his own back might not have been checkered like │ │ a grating. │ │ │ │ And he told me stories of the captain's │ │ cruelty, and indeed I lacked not for instances to │ │ substantiate what he said: men with their backs │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ beaten to a pulp, and others with ears cut off, │ │ and mouths slit, and toes missing--so that I │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ lived in hourly fear lest in some drunken fit │ │ Griggs might command me to be tortured. │ │ │ │ But fortunately he held small converse with │ │ me, and when sober busied himself in trying to │ │ find the island, and in cursing the fate by │ │ which it eluded him. │ │ │ │ │ │ o I existed, and prayed daily for │ │ deliverance. And I plied Cockle with │ │ questions as to what they purposed doing with │ │ me. │ │ │ │ At such times he was wont to turn sulky, and │ │ would answer me not a word. But once, when he │ │ was deeper in his cups than common, he let me │ │ know that Griggs was to sell me to a certain │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ planter. And this did not serve to liven my │ │ spirits. │ │ │ │ Then one morning Captain Griggs came out of │ │ his cabin and climbed upon the poop, calling all │ │ hands aft to the quarterdeck. Whereupon he │ │ proceeded to make a speech that for vileness │ │ exceeded aught I have heard before or since. │ │ │ │ He finished by reminding the crew that this │ │ was the anniversary of the scuttling of the │ │ sloop Jane off the Canaries, which had made them │ │ all rich a year before--the day he had sent three │ │ and twenty men over the plank to hell. │ │ │ │ And therefore he decreed a holiday, as the │ │ weather was bright and the trades light, and he │ │ declared that he would serve quadruple portions │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ of rum to every man abroad. │ │ │ │ They set up a cheer, the helm was lashed on │ │ the port tack, the haulyards set taut, and all │ │ hands down to the lad who was the cook's │ │ scullion proceeded to get drunk. │ │ │ │ And I well knew that if I refused to imbibe │ │ with them I should probably be murdered; and if │ │ I drank, the stuff was so near to pure alcohol │ │ that I could not hope to keep my senses. │ │ │ │ │ │ hile in this predicament, I received a │ │ polite invitation to partake of the │ │ captain's company, which I did not see my way │ │ clear to refuse, and I repaired to the cabin │ │ accordingly. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ There I found Griggs and Cockle │ │ seated, and many a fair-sized bottle │ │ of rum between them. The captain │ │ shot at me a volley of curses and │ │ bade me fill up, and through fear │ │ of offending him I took down my first mug with │ │ a fair good grace. │ │ │ │ Then, in his own particular language, he │ │ began an account of the capture of the Jane, │ │ taking care in the pauses to see that my mug │ │ was full. │ │ │ │ But he got no farther than the boarding by │ │ the Black Moll's crew, when he fell to │ │ squabbling with Cockle as to who had been the │ │ first man over the side; and while they were │ │ settling this difference, I grasped the │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ opportunity to escape. │ │ │ │ On deck, some of the men were fighting, │ │ others grinning with a hideous laughter, still │ │ others shouting tavern jokes unspeakable--with a │ │ stupor beginning to overcome not a few of them. │ │ │ │ Then suddenly I saw something to drive all │ │ else from my mind: a white speck of sail │ │ gleaming on the southern horizon. │ │ │ │ For an hour I watched it, in a shiver of │ │ apprehension lest it pass us by. But it grew │ │ steadily larger, and when it was about three │ │ miles on our port bow, I saw that the ship was a │ │ brigantine. │ │ │ │ Though she had long been in sight from our │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ deck, 'twas not until now that she was made out │ │ by a man on the forecastle, who set up a cry │ │ that brought about him all who could reel │ │ thither, with Griggs staggering out of his cabin │ │ and to the nettings. │ │ │ │ The sight sobered him │ │ somewhat, for he immediately │ │ shouted orders to cast loose │ │ the guns, himself tearing the │ │ breeching from the nine- │ │ pounder next to him and taking │ │ out the tompion. │ │ │ │ About half the crew by then │ │ were in a liquorish stupor from │ │ which the trump itself could │ │ scarce have aroused them. But │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ the rest responded with savage oaths, and swore │ │ that they would boil their suppers in the blood │ │ of the brigantine's men and give their corpses │ │ to the sea. │ │ │ │ Then they fell to work on the port battery in │ │ so ludicrous a manner that I was fain to laugh │ │ despite the gravity of the situation. │ │ │ │ But when they came to rig the powder-hoist, │ │ and a couple of them descended into the magazine │ │ with pipes lighted, I was in imminent expectation │ │ of being blown as high as the heavens. │ │ │ │ So absorbed had I been in these preparations │ │ that I neglected to watch the brigantine, which │ │ I discovered to be standing on and off in a very │ │ undecided manner, as though hesitating to attack. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ But finally, about six bells of the watch, │ │ the ship bore down across our bows, hoisting │ │ English colours. │ │ │ │ At this instant, Captain Griggs woke to the │ │ fact that his helm was still lashed, and │ │ bestowing a hearty kick on his prostrate │ │ quartermaster, who was stuck fast to the pitchy │ │ seams of the deck, he took the wheel himself. │ │ │ │ And easing off before │ │ the wind to bring the │ │ vessels broadside to │ │ broadside, he commanded │ │ that the guns be shotted │ │ to the muzzle, an order │ │ that was barely executed │ │ before the brigantine │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ came within close range. │ │ │ │ Aboard her all was order and readiness: the │ │ men at her guns, fuse in hand, and an erect and │ │ pompous figure of a man, in a cocked hat, on the │ │ break of her poop. │ │ │ │ He raised his hand, two puffs of white smoke │ │ darted out, and I heard first the shrieking of │ │ shot, then the broadsides came crashing round │ │ us, one tearing through the mainsail below me, │ │ another mangling two men in the waist of the │ │ schooner. │ │ │ │ Griggs gave the order to touch off. But just │ │ two of his guns answered, one of which had been │ │ so gorged with shot that it burst in a hundred │ │ pieces and sent the fellow with the swab to │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ perdition, with a hell of blood and confusion in │ │ its wake. │ │ I saw Griggs │ │ in a wild fit │ │ of rage force │ │ the helm down, │ │ the schooner │ │ flying into │ │ the wind. But │ │ by this time │ │ the brigantine │ │ had got round │ │ with her port │ │ battery. │ │ │ │ She raked us │ │ at a bare hundred │ │ yards, and then │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ the schooner sank like a gallipot. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │