CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
EVENINGS ON THE WRECK, WITH A STORY FROM THE CAPTAIN.
The favourite season of girls is, I think, Spring; and of boys, Autumn.One is the time of dreams, flowers, and emotions; the other, the periodof hopes, courage, and accomplishment.
October, the fulness of Autumn, with its cool, clear, bracing air; withits gathered crops, rustling leaves, and golden light: October, whendays of furious storm are succeeded by weeks of hazy sunshine andmuffled quiet; when the fish are fat but greedy; when quacking seafowland game of every kind tempt the lovers of good sport--
Ah! that is the time for boys.
We fellows gulped it up as the hounds do their meat when distributed tothem, for by the end of October we should finish our six months at thecape.
This dashed our cup of happiness with regret, as the falling leaves andlow winds moaning of winter touch October with a tint of sadness. Butin one case, as in the other, the spice of regret was just what gavezest to the enjoyment of our pleasure.
The days being so short, it got to be our habit to improve every one ofour daylight hours, out of school, in the many sports which invited us,and to do our studying in the evenings. So every night, as soon assupper was finished, we repaired with Mr Clare to the schoolroom in theold brig. There would be a wood-fire crackling in the stove, and twoshaded, bright lamps hanging over the tables.
We took up our studies, and Mr Clare sat by, ready to answer questionsor give explanations. When not busied with us he smoked and chattedwith Captain Mugford, or read the papers and magazines. Ugly had hisplace on a mat where he could hear and see all that was going on.
Generally, during some portion of the evening, the Captain spread outhis great red bandanna on his knees, and took a loud-snoring nap. Everymovement of our salt tute's was interpreted by some corresponding signalof the bandanna handkerchief. When perplexed, he wiped his foreheadwith it; when amused, it blew a merry peal on his nose; in moments ofexcitement or delight, it was snapped by his side; when sleepy, hespread it on his lap; and once, I remember, he suddenly stowed it away--when much enraged by an impudent fellow who was shooting on our cape--inthe stomach of his breeches instead of in the usual hind-pocket of hiscoat. The intruder seemed to understand the warlike signal, for heimmediately stopped his insolence and made off. In fact, the Captain'sred bandanna was like the Spanish woman's fan--a language in itself.
One evening we all finished our lessons early and drew our stools aboutthe stove. Our salt tute was snoring bass and Ugly treble, so we didnot disturb their dreams, but talked in low voices to Mr Clare, until,whether intentionally or irresistibly I know not, Drake gave atremendous sneeze, so loud and shrill that Ugly sprang to his legs witha loud bark, and the Captain's head bounced from his chest and struckthe back of his chair with a bang.
"Bless my heart!" said the Captain, clutching the handkerchief from hisknees, and commencing to wipe his head with it. "Bless my soul, Irather think that I must have been napping. There you are, all laughingaround the fire, whilst I have been dreaming of--well, never mind--daysgone by--you may depend on that; but, Ugly, what were your dreams about,eh?"
"We should like to hear, though, something about those days gone by,Captain," said Mr Clare, suspecting that the worthy old seaman was inthe vein for story-telling. "It is a long time since you have spun us ayarn, and the boys have been much wishing for one."
"Ay, that we have, Captain," we all sang out together; "we should liketo hear something about those days gone by which you were dreaming ofjust now. We are sure from your countenance that there is somethinginteresting; come, tell us all about it."
"You'll be disappointed, then. It's curious, and that is all I can sayin its favour," answered the skipper; "I was thinking, or dreamingrather, of a circumstance which I haven't thought of for many a yearthat I can remember, which occurred during my first voyage. However,I'll undertake to tell it you if, when I've done, Mr Clare will spinyou one of his yarns. He can spin one better than I can. Come, makehim promise, and I will begin. If not, I'll shut up my mouth."
On this, of course, we all turned on our fresh water tutor and attackedhim. "Come; Mr Clare, do promise us to give us one of your stories.Something about your life in America; you saw a good many curious thingsout there in the backwoods, which we should like to hear. Do promiseus, now." Thus appealed to, Mr Clare gave the desired promise; and onthis the skipper, blowing his nose with his red bandanna, which heafterwards placed across his knees, began what I will call:--
THE CASTAWAYS. A TALE OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA.
"Land, ho! Land, ho!" was shouted one morning, soon after daybreak,from the mast-head. I was on my first voyage to the West Indies, in thegood ship _Banana_.
"Where away?" asked the captain, whom the sound called out of his berthon deck.
"A little on the starboard bow," was the answer.
The ship was kept away towards the point indicated, while the captain,with his glass slung on his back, went aloft. The passengers, of whom Iforgot to say we had several, and all the crew, were on the lookout,wondering what land it could be. We found, after the captain came belowand had consulted his chart, that it was a little rock or key to thesouthward of Barbadoes.
"We'll get a nearer look at them, in case any poor fellows may have beencast away there. I have known the survivors of a ship's company remainon them for weeks together, and in some instances they have died ofstarvation before relief has reached them."
As we approached the rock all the glasses on board were directed towardsit, to ascertain if there were signs of human beings there. The spotlooked silent and deserted.
"If there are any poor fellows there, how eagerly they will watch ourapproach--how anxious they will be lest we should sail away withoutlooking for them," I said to myself.
While these thoughts were passing through my mind, I heard the firstmate say that he could make out something white on the shore, which hetook for a tent or a boat's sail. As we drew nearer it became evidentthat there was a tent, but no human being was stirring that we couldsee. Nearer still a boat was observed, drawn up on the rocks. Onfurther inspection she was discovered to be a complete wreck.Melancholy indeed was the spectacle which told so clearly its ownstory--how the shipwrecked mariners had been cast on the island in theirboat--how they had gone on waiting for relief, and how at length faminehad carried them off, one by one, till none remained. Still our captainwas not a man to quit the spot after so cursory an inspection. Theship, having got under the lee of the land, was hove to, and a boat waslowered. Charley, another midshipman, or apprentice rather, and Iformed part of her crew, while Mr Merton, our first officer, went incharge of her, accompanied by some of the passengers.
It was a long, low, coral-formed island, with a white beach--a veryuntempting spot for a habitation in that burning climate. When welanded, Mr Merton told us to accompany him, leaving two other men inthe boat. We followed close after him, with the boat's stretchers inour hands, proceeding along the beach, for the tent we had seen was somelittle distance from where we had landed. We had got within a hundredyards of it, when suddenly part of it was thrown back, and out thererushed towards us two figures, whose frantic and threatening gesturesmade us start back with no little surprise, if not with some slightdegree of apprehension. They were both tall, gaunt men, their hair waslong and matted, their eyes were starting out of their heads, and theircheeks were hollow and shrivelled. They looked more like skeletonscovered with parchment than human beings. Their clothes were in rags,and their large straw hats were in tatters, and, to increase theirstrange appearance, they had covered themselves with long streamers ofdried seaweed, strings of shells, and wreaths of the feathers of wildbirds. Each of them flourished in his hand a piece of timber--a rib,apparently, of a boat.
"Who are you, who dare to come and invade our territory?" exclaimed one,advancing before the other. "Away--away--away! We are monarchs andrulers here.
This land is ours, won by our trusty swords andbattle-axes. Away, I say! or meet the consequences of your temerity."
I was at first puzzled to know who the people could be, but our mate atonce comprehended the true state of the case, and with great tactendeavoured to calm the strangers instead of irritating them, as manywould have done.
"Don't be afraid that we are come to interfere with you, or to trespasson your territories, most mighty sovereigns, as you undoubtedly are," heanswered, stopping short and holding up his hands. "Just hear what Ihave to say. Lower your weapons, and let us hoist a flag of truce."
"Granted, granted. Spoke like a sensible man, most worthy ambassadors,"exclaimed the person who had hitherto not said anything. And both,lowering their clubs, stood still, gazing inquiringly at us. I hadnever before seen the effect of a few calm words, and a steady,determined look, in tranquillising the fury of madmen. Such were,undoubtedly, these unfortunate occupants of the island.
"Listen, then," continued Mr Merton. I had never before heard him sayso much at a time. "You see yonder ship: she is bound on a far-distanttrip, and on her way she called here on the chance of finding any one indistress who might need aid. Should no one require it, she will at oncetake her departure. Can you tell me if any people are residing on yourisland who may wish to leave it? At all events, you yourselves may haveletters to send home. If you will at once get them ready, I will gladlybe the bearer."
The two unfortunate maniacs looked at each other with a bewildered look.The idea of writing home, and not going themselves, seemed to strikethem forcibly.
"Home!" cried one, in a deep, hollow voice. "Home! where is that?"
"Old England, I conclude," answered our mate. "You have many friendsthere who would be glad to see you--father, mother, sisters, wife andchildren; or perhaps one who has long, long been expecting you, andmourned for you, and wondered and wondered, till the heart grew sick,that you did not come--yet even now faithful, and believing againsthope, fondly expects your return."
Mr Merton had been skilfully watching the effect of his remarks. Theywere most successful. He had touched a chord which had long ceased tovibrate. Again the two madmen looked inquiringly into each other'sfaces.
"Is it possible?" said one, touching his forehead. "Has all this beenan hallucination?"
"Norton, I do not longer doubt it," answered the other. "We haveconjured up many wild fancies, but the sight of that ship and the soundof a countryman's voice have dispelled them. We are ready to go withyou, friend."
The person who had last spoken seemed at the first to be less mad thanhis companion.
"I am glad of your decision, gentlemen, and the sooner we get on boardthe better. But tell me, did you come here alone? Have you nocompanions?"
"Companions! Yes, we had. We frightened them away. They fled fromus."
"Where are they now?" asked the mate.
"On the other side of the island," answered the least mad of thestrangers. "They dare not approach us. Perhaps you may find them.They will gladly go away. While you search for them we will prepare forour departure."
"Very well, gentlemen, we will return for you," answered Mr Merton, inhis usual calm tone. It had a wonderful effect in soothing theirritation of the madmen.
We took our way in the direction they pointed across the island. Afterwalking and climbing some way over the uneven ground, we came in sightof a hut built of driftwood and pieces of wreck, almost hid from view inthe sheltered nook of the rock. No one was moving about it. Itsappearance was very sad and desolate.
"Perhaps the unfortunate people are all dead," remarked Charley to me."I think, from what those two strange men down there said, they have notseen them for a long time."
We went on, apprehending the worst. As we got nearer, we hallooed towarn anybody who might be there of our coming, so as not to take them bysurprise. Again we hallooed, and directly afterwards we saw the head ofa man appear at an opening in the hut which served as a window, while hethrust out of it the muzzle of a musket.
"Hillo, mate! don't fire. We come as friends," shouted Mr Merton.
The musket was speedily withdrawn, and a man appeared at the door of thehut, followed closely by another. There they both stood, closelyregarding us with looks of wonder. As they saw us they called to someone inside, and two more men appeared at the door of the hut, stretchingout their hands towards us. Their clothes were in rags and tatters, andthey had a very wretched, starved appearance.
"Are you come to take us from this?" inquired the man we had at firstseen, in a hollow, cavernous voice.
"I hope so, if you wish to go," answered the mate.
"Go! yes, yes, at once--at once!" shouted the poor wretches, in the samehollow tones. "We thought at first you were two madmen who are livingon the opposite side of the island."
Mr Merton told them that they need be no longer afraid of the madmen,and that as he had no time to remain, they must accompany him at once tothe boat.
The first speaker, who said that he was the mate of the vessel to whichthe rest belonged, replied that he was afraid none of them would be ableto walk across the island, as they had scarcely any strength remaining,and that he believed a few days more would have finished their miseries.
While Mr Merton and the mate were speaking, the rest beckoned us tocome into the hut. Heaps of empty shells and bones of fish showed whathad been for long their principal food. Some dried seaweed had servedas their beds, and a tin saucepan appeared to have been their onlycooking utensil, while a cask contained a very small supply of water.
From their appearance, I do not think that they could have existed manydays longer. The only weapon they had was the musket which had beenpresented at our approach, but the mate confessed that they had not agrain of gunpowder, but that he thought by showing it he might frightenaway the madmen, for whom he mistook us. They had, consequently, beenunable to shoot any of the birds which frequented the rock, though theyhad collected some eggs, which had proved a valuable change in theirdiet. As time pressed, Mr Merton urged them to prepare for theirdeparture. Having collected a few trifling articles, relics of theirlong imprisonment, they declared themselves ready to make the attempt tomove. Charley and I helped along the mate, who was the strongest, whileMr Merton and the two seamen who had accompanied us assisted the otherthree. Even as it was, so weak were they, that without the utmost aidwe could afford them they could not have crossed the island. They hadfrequently to sit down, and almost cried like children with the pain andfatigue they suffered.
Poor fellows! we had not stopped to ask any questions as to theparticulars of their disaster, but as we went along the mate gave ussome of the details. From the way he spoke, I saw that, though a veryquiet, well-disposed young man, he was not one formed to command hisfellow-men. He told us that his name was Jabez Brand.
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"I was second mate of the _North Star_, a large brig, bound fromHonduras to London. We had a crew of fifteen hands, all told. Severalgentlemen also took their passage in the cabin. Among them were twobrothers, Messrs. Raymonds, fine, tall, handsome men. They had madetheir fortunes out in the West Indies, and were returning home, as theythought and said, to enjoy their wealth. How their money had been madeI do not know, but it was said they were in no ways particular. Be thatas it may, they had very pleasant manners, and were very open and freein their talk. One thing I remarked, that they seemed to think thatthey were going to be very great people with all their wealth, when theygot home. Some of the other gentlemen, it seemed to me, fought rathershy of them, perhaps because, as it was said, they had supplied slavevessels with stores, or had had shares in them, which is not unlikely.The _North Star_ was an old vessel, though, to look at her, you wouldnot have supposed it, for she had been painted up and fitted out so asto look as good as new. She was not the first ship I have seen sent tosea which ought to have been sold for firewood. In our run out we
hadonly had fine weather, so she was in no way tried. On this our returntrip, we had not long left port when a heavy squall came suddenly offthe land and carried away our mainmast, and, the wind continuing fromthe same quarter, we were unable to return. We had managed to rig ajury-mast and to continue our voyage, when another gale sprung up, andblowing with redoubled fury, the ship began to labour very much in theheavy sea which quickly got up. Still, for a couple of days after thisgale began, there did not seem to be much cause for apprehension, thoughthe ship was making more water than usual. However, on the evening ofthe third day, finding the pumps not sucking as they ought to have done,I went down into the hold, and then, to my dismay, I found that thewater was already over the ground tier of casks. I went on deck, andquietly told the captain. He turned pale, for he knew too well whatsort of a craft we were aboard. However, he did not show any furthersigns of alarm, but told the first mate to call all hands to man thepumps, while he sent me below to tell the passengers that they would berequired to lend a hand. We had been driven about, now in onedirection, now in another, but were some way to the northward of theequator. The wind was at this time, however, blowing strong from thenorth-east, and to let both our pumps work we were obliged to put theship right before it.
"All hands worked with a will, for we knew that our lives depended onour exertions. Even the Messrs. Raymonds set to; but while others werecalm and collected, they were excited and evidently alarmed. I thoughtto myself what good will all their wealth be to them if the ship goesdown? More than once I went below with a lantern to see if we werekeeping the water under, but I saw too plainly that, in spite of all wewere doing, it was gaining on us. We searched about to try and find outwhere the leak was, but we might as well have tried to stop the holes ina sieve. At midnight the water had risen halfway to the second tier ofcasks. Still all hands worked on, hoping that by sunrise a sail mightappear to take us off. I saw too plainly that the ship was sinking, butit was very important to have light, that we might see how best tolaunch the boats. Day seemed very, very long in coming. The captaintried to cheer the people, but he must have known as well as any onboard that perhaps none of us might live to see the sun rise over thewaters.
"All that night we laboured without a moment's rest. Dawn came, and Iwent to the mast-head to learn if a sail was in sight. I scarcelyexpected to see one, yet I hoped against hope. Not a speck could Idiscover on the clearly-defined circle of the horizon. The old ship wasnow fast settling down, and the sea was making a complete breach overher. To enable the water to run off the decks and to allow us to launchthe boats, we cut away the stanchions and bulwarks between the fore andmain rigging. Such food and water as could be got at was then handed upon deck, ready to be placed in the boats. The crew did not wait thecaptain's orders to lower them. He seemed unwilling to abandon the shiptill the last moment. There was a dinghy stowed in the longboat. Whilethe men were getting it out a sea broke on board, and, dashing itagainst the spars, drove in the starboard bilge, and at the same timewashed two of the poor fellows overboard. We then got the stores intothe longboat. A warp was next passed over the port bow of the shipoutside the fore-rigging, and then inboard again through the gangway,and secured to the bow of the boat, sufficient slack being left to allowher to go astern. However, just as we were launching the boat a seastruck her, and stove in two planks of the port bilge. I now thoughtthat it was all up with us, for though there was the jollyboat, shecould not carry half the number on board; still it was possible that wemight get the planks back to their places and stop the leak; so, inspite of the accident to her, we managed by great exertions to launchher, and I, with some of the crew and passengers, jumped into her withbuckets and began to bail her out. Happily, the carpenter was one ofthe party. Some blankets had been thrown into the boat, which heimmediately thrust over the leak and stood on them, while he got ready aplank and some nails which he had brought with him. While he and I wereworking away the boat was shipping many seas, in consequence of theweight of the warp ahead; I sang out that we must have it shifted, andafter a light rope had been hove to us and made fast, it was let go.Meantime the quarterboat was lowered and several men got into her, buttheir painter was too short, and before they had got their oars into hershe broke adrift and dropped astern. The men in her lifted up theirhands for help; the captain, who was still on deck, hove them an oar,and we hove another, but they missed both of them, and before long a seastruck the boat and turned her over. It was very sad, for we could giveher no help. We, meantime, in the longboat, were not in a very muchbetter condition, for we were shipping a great deal of water. Thecaptain now ordered us to haul up the boat, that the people might getinto her; but while we were so doing, the roughness of the sea causing asudden jerk on the rope, it parted, and we dropped astern. Cries ofdespair rose from many of those on board when they saw what hadoccurred. We instantly got out our oars and endeavoured to pull up tothe ship, but the quantity of water in her made all our effortsunavailing. To prevent the boat going down we were obliged to turn toand bail. Away we drifted, every moment, increasing our distance fromthe ship, and lessening our hope of being able to return. There stoodour late companions on the poop of the sinking ship, some waving to us,some shouting and imploring us to return. Summoned by the captain, wesaw that they then were endeavouring to form a raft. The thought thatthe lives of all on board depended mainly on our exertions stimulated usonce more to attempt to pull up to them. We got out the oars, and whilethe landsmen bailed we pulled away till the stout ash-sticks almostbroke. By shouts and gestures I encouraged the people; every muscle wasstretched to the utmost--no one spared himself--but our strength couldnot contend with the fearful gale blowing in our teeth. The seas brokeover us, and almost swamped the boat; still, if we could but hold ourown, a lull might come before the ship went down. But vain were all ourhopes; even while our eyes were fixed on the brig, her stern for aninstant lifted up on a foam-crested sea, and then her bow, plungingdownwards, never rose again. Most of those who remained on board wereengulfed with the wreck, but a few, springing overboard before she sank,struck out towards us. It would, indeed, have required a strong swimmerto contend with that sea. One after another the heads of those whostill floated disappeared beneath the foaming waves, till not oneremained; the other boats also had disappeared, and we were left aloneon the waste of waters. The instant the brig went down a cry arose fromsome in our boat, so piercing, so full of despair, that I thought thatsome relations or dear friends of one of those who had escaped had beenlost in her; but on looking again I discovered that it had proceededfrom the two brothers I have spoken of. They had lost what they had settheir hearts on--what they valued more than relations and friends--theirlong-hoarded wealth. There they sat, the picture of blank despair. Iknew that it would never do to let the people's minds rest on what hadoccurred, so I cheered them up as best I could, and told them that Ithought we should very likely be able to reach some port or other infour or five days. On examining our stores, I found that with economythey might hold out for nearly two weeks, and before that time I hopedwe might reach some civilised place. I was more concerned with thestate of our boat. She was originally not a strong one, and, what withthe injury she received when launched from the sinking ship, and thebattering she had since got, she had become very leaky. The crew,severely taxed as their strength had been, behaved very well, but two ofour passengers gave signs of becoming very troublesome. I did notsuspect at the time that their minds were going. At first they werevery much cast down, but then one of them roused up and began to talkvery wildly, and at last the other took up the same strain, and off theywent together. They insisted on taking command, and having twice asmuch food served out to them as others got. At one time they wanted theboat to be steered to the northward, declaring that we should have nodifficulty in reaching England. I had to hide the compass from them,and at last they were pacified under the belief that we were goingthere. Each morning when they woke up they asked how
much nearer theywere to our native land. There were three other passengers--an old man,a lad, and an invalid gentleman. Consumption had already brought himnear the grave, still he lasted longer than the other two. The youngboy died first; fear had told on his strength; then the old man died. Icould not tell exactly where we were. We were always on the lookout forland, or a sail to pick us up. One morning at daybreak the man who hadtaken my place at the helm roused us up with the cry of `Land! landahead!'
"`Old England--old England!' shouted the madmen, springing up and wavingtheir hands.
"`My native land--my own loved home!' cried the invalid, sitting up ashe awoke and gazing long and anxiously at the rock which rose out of theblue water before us.
"Drawing a deep sigh when he discovered his mistake, he sank back intohis place. Soon afterwards, finding that he did not stir, I was aboutto raise him up. There was no need for my so doing. He had gone tothat long home whence there is no return. Those who loved him on earthwould see him no more. Some of the people were in a very weak and sadcondition. They had been sick on board--scarcely fit for duty. I knewwhat the land was--the rock we are now on; but, barren as it is, Ithought it would be better to recruit our strength on shore than toattempt to continue our course to the mainland in our present condition.I therefore steered for it, and was looking out for a secure spot whereI might beach the boat, when the madmen, growing impatient, seized thetiller and ran her on shore, where she now lies. We were nearlyswamped, and everything in the boat was wetted. She also was so muchinjured that she was totally unfit again to launch, and we had no meansof repairing her. However, we set to work to make things as comfortableas we could, and the first thing I did was to erect a tent to shelterthe sick men from the rays of the sun. Poor fellows, they did not longrequire it. Three of them very soon died. We had now only sixsurvivors of those who had escaped from the foundering ship. We wereall getting weaker and weaker, except the madmen, who seemed to beendowed with supernatural strength. One day I, with the three seamenwho remained, went out to collect shellfish and birds' eggs. I carriedthe only musket we had saved, having dried some gunpowder which I had ina flask. We had come back with a supply; but as we approached the tentwe saw the two madmen standing in front of it, flourishing pieces ofwood and swearing that we should not enter it, and that they were thekings of the country. Some of our people wanted me to shoot them, butthat, of course, I would not on any account do. I could not even saythat our lives were threatened. I stopped and tried to reason with thepoor men. At last they consented to give us up a saucepan and some ofthe provisions, and we, glad to be rid of their company, resolved to goto the other side of the island, and to build ourselves a hut from thedriftwood which we had seen there in abundance. This we did, but we allhave been growing weaker and weaker ever since, and had you not come toour rescue I do not think we should have held out much longer."
The mate finished his account--on which, from what he afterwards toldme, I have somewhat enlarged--just as we got up to the tent. Theunhappy madmen stood in front of it waiting for us. Though excited intheir looks and wild in their conversation, they seemed perfectlyprepared to accompany us. They looked with eyes askant at the mate andhis three companions, but said nothing to them.
"Well, gentlemen, are you ready to proceed?" exclaimed Mr Brand as wegot up to them.
"Certainly, noble mariners--certainly," answered one of them. "Butstay, we have some freight to accompany us."
And, going into the tent, they dragged out a sea-chest, which appearedto be very heavy. The mate looked surprised, and when they were notlooking he whispered to me that he did not believe that the chestcontained anything of value. He, however, had not an opportunity ofspeaking to Mr Merton, who told them that as soon as he had seen thepeople into the boat he would come back and help them along with theirchest. This reply satisfied them, and they sat themselves downcomposedly on the chest while we helped the other poor men into theboat. As soon as this was done, two of our crew were sent back to bringalong the chest. Though strong men, they had no little difficulty inlifting it; but whether or not it was full of gold, no one could havewatched over it more jealously than did the two madmen. It was veryremarkable how completely they seemed inspired by the same spirit, andany phantasy which might enter the head of one was instantly adopted bythe other.
"There's enough gold there to buy the Indies!" cried Ben Brown, aseaman, as he handed in the chest. "Take care we don't let itoverboard, mates, or the gentlemen won't forgive us in a hurry."
"It is more than your lives are worth if you do so!" cried the madmen."Be careful--be careful, now."
The boat was loaded, and we pulled away for the ship. Our captainseemed somewhat astonished at the extraordinary appearance of the peoplewe brought on board. The mate and other men of the lost vessel werecarefully handed up. They were not heavier than children, but theMessrs. Raymonds would not leave the boat till they saw their chesthoisted up in safety. Their first care on reaching the deck was aboutit, and, going aft to the captain, they begged he would be very carefulwhere it was stowed.
"Stay! Before these gentlemen lose sight of it let it be opened, thatthere may be no mistake about its contents," said Mr Merton.
"What, and expose all our hoarded wealth to the eyes of the avariciouscrew!" they cried out vehemently. "We shall be robbed and murdered forthe sake of it, and this chest will be sent where many others havegone--to the bottom of the sea."
"You are perfectly safe on board this ship, I trust, gentlemen,"remarked our captain. "Is the chest secured with a key?"
"Whether or not, with our consent never shall it be opened!" exclaimedone of the brothers.
"Then remember I can in no way be answerable for what is found in itwhen it is opened," observed the captain.
What new idea came into the heads of the two brothers I do not know, butthey instantly agreed that the chest should be opened.
"Call the carpenter," said our captain, who wanted to bring the matterto a conclusion, and who probably by this time had begun to suspect thesad condition of the two gentlemen.
Mr Pincott, the carpenter, and one of his mates came aft, and madeshort work in opening the mysterious chest. Those who claimed it astheir property started back with looks of dismay. It was full to thebrim of stones and sand and shells. Again and again they looked at it;they rubbed their eyes and brows; they clutched it frantically andexamined it with intense eagerness; they plunged their hands deep downamong the rubbish; it was long before they appeared able to convincethemselves of the reality; over and over again they went through thesame action. At last one of them, the most sane of the two, drewhimself up, and, pointing to the chest, said in a deep, mournful voice--
"Captain, we have been the victims of a strange hallucination, it seems.We have not lost sight of that chest since we filled it. We thoughtthat we had stored it with gold and precious stones. I know how it was.Hunger, anxiety, hardships, had turned our brains. We had lost all--all for which we had been so long toiling. We conjured up this phantasyas our consolation. Is it not so, Jacob?"
The other brother thus addressed shook his head and looked incredulous.Once more he applied himself to the examination of the chest. At lasthe got up, and looked long and fixedly at the other, as if to read thethoughts passing through his head.
"You are right, brother Simon," he said, after some time, in a deep,low, mournful voice; "it's dross--dross--all dross. What is it worsethan what we have been working for? That's gone--all gone--let this gotoo--down--down to the bottom of the sea."
Again influenced by the same impulse, they dragged the chest to the sideof the vessel, and with hurried gestures threw the contents with theirhands over into the sea. It appeared as if they were trying which couldheave overboard the greatest quantity in the shortest time. When theyhad emptied it, they lifted up the chest, and before any one couldprevent them that also was cast into the sea.
"There perish all memorial of our folly!" exclaime
d the one who wascalled Simon. "We shall have to begin the world anew. Captain, wheredo you propose landing us? The sooner we begin the work the better."
The captain told them that must depend on circumstances, but it wasfinally arranged that they were to be put on shore at Barbadoes, where,after a long conversation together, they expressed a wish to be landed.The scene was a very strange one; the rapid changes of ideas, thequickly succeeding impulses, and the extraordinary understanding betweenthe two. We found, however, that they were twins, and had always livedtogether, so that they seemed to have but one mind in common.
I never met an officer who took so much interest in the apprentices--indeed, in all the men under him. He took occasion to speak to me andCharley of what had occurred.
"How utterly incapable of affording satisfaction is wealth unlesshonestly obtained and righteously employed!" he remarked. "We have alsobefore us an example of the little reliance which can be placed onwealth. These two poor men have lost theirs and their minds at the sametime. Their senses have been mercifully restored to them. It remainsto be seen by what means they will attempt to regain their fortunes."
I cannot say that Mr Merton's remarks made any very deep impression onme or Charley at the time, though I trust they produced their fruit inafter years. Every kindness was shown the two poor men on board, and,as far as I could judge, they appeared to have become perfectly sane.The same kindness was also shown the mate and the other rescued seamenof the lost brig. We landed the mate and seamen, as well as the twobrothers, at Bridge Town, in the island of Barbadoes, but from that dayto this I have never heard a word about them.
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Harry Higginson, some time before the Captain's yarn concluded, got upfrom his seat and went to the side of our cabin schoolroom and stoodthere, looking through a dead-light which was open to ventilate theroom. He had remembered that it was about the time of the moon'srising, and went to watch it come up. As our salt tute finished, Harryturned from his lookout, and, catching my eye, beckoned me to join him,and so I did. Coming beside him, Harry pointed and whispered--for thespell of the story still lingered over us, and no one seemed willing tobreak it roughly--
"What do you make of that, Bob?"
The big mellow moon was right before us, and, as one would say, aboutthe height of a house, above the eastern horizon. Its light silvered apath on the sea to us--a path that was bounded on one side by the bold,dark rocks of the southern shore of the cape, and whose limit to ourright was as undefined as the undulating waters it was lost in. Acrossthe stretch of moonlight, and a half-mile from the wreck, I saw a luggerheading for a point that made the southern side of a snug little covewhich afterwards got the name of "Smuggler's Cove." It was the sight ofthat boat at such a time coming towards the shore of our rough cape thatcaused Harry's question to me.
"Singular--very singular," I answered; "we must watch that craft."
Mr Clare called to us, "Boys, what are you whispering about overthere?"
We wanted to keep watch quietly by ourselves, on the discovery whichpromised some interest, so we did not answer, and Walter at that momentcalled on Mr Clare for his story.
"Well," said Mr Clare, "I promised a story as the only way of gettingCaptain Mugford's. I bought a great deal cheaply, and must pay now. Incommon honesty, therefore, I am bound to commence my story. I am afraidthat I cannot make it as interesting as Captain Mugford's, inasmuch ashis was about the sea, while mine relates to the land. However, I willbegin."