Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1893 — THE PERILS OF Certain English Prisoners [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE PERILS OF Certain English Prisoners

By Charles Dickens, (1857)

CHAPTER t.—Continued. The Sambo Pilot had been present all the while, in case of his being wanted, and had said to the officer i& command, five hundredtimes over if he had said it once, that Christian George King would stay with the So-Jeers and take care of the booffer ladies and the booffer childs—booffer being that native’s expression for beautiful. He was now: asked a few questions concerning the putting off of the boats, and in particular whether there was any way of embarking at the back of the Island; which Capt. Carton would have half liked to do, and then have dropped round in its shadow and slanted across to the main. But, “No,” says Christian George King. “No, no.no! Told you so, ten time. No, no, no! All reef, all rock, all swim, all drown!” Striking out as he said it, like*a swimmer gone mad, and turning over on his back on dry land. “In his Majesty’s name and service,” the other answers, touching his hat, “I accept your aid with pleas-

YOU SEVER RAW A MAI.TESE FACE HERE. ure. Lieut. Linderwood, how will you divide your men?” I was ashamed—l give it out to be written down as large and plain as possible—l was heart and soul ashamed of my thoughts of those two sick officers, Capt. Maryon and Lieut. Linderwood. when I saw them, then and there. The spirit in those two gentlemen beat down their illness (and very ill I knew them to be) like Saint George beating down the Dragon. Pain and weakness, want of ease and want of rest, had no more place in their minds than fear itself. Meaning now to express for my lady to write down, exactly what I felt then and there, I felt, this: You two brave fellows that I have been so grudgeful of, I know that if you were dying you would put it off to get up and do your best, and then you. would be so modest that in lying down again to die you would hardly sav, ‘T did it!”

It did me good. It really did me good. But, to go back to where I broke off. Says Capt. Carton to Lieut. Linderwood. ‘ Sir, how will you divide your men? There is no room for all; and a few men should, in any case, be left here.” There was some debate about it. At last it was resolved to leave eight marines and four seamen on the island, besides the sloop’s two boys. And because it was considered that the friendly Sambos would only want to be commanded in ease of any danger though none all was apprebeuded there, the officers were in favor of leaving the two non-com-missioned officers, Drooce and Charker* It was a heavy disappointment to them, just as my being one of the left was a heavy disappointment to me —then, but not so'< n afterwards. We men drew lots for it. and I drew ‘‘lsland." So did Tom Packer. So, of course, did four When this was settled, verbal instructions were given to all hands to all hauds to keep the intended expedition secret, in order that the women and children might not be alarmed, or the expedition put in a difficulty by more volunteers. The assembly was to be on the same spot, at sunset. Every man was to keep up an appearance, meanwhile, of occupying himself in his usual wav. That is to say, every man excepting four old trusty seamen, who were appointed, with an officer, to see to the arms and ammunition, and to muffle the rowlocks of the boats, and to make everything as trim and swift and silent as it could be made. The sun went down after appearing to be a long time about it, (Aid the assembly was called. Every man answered to his name, of course, and was at his post. It was not yet black dark, and the roll was only just gone through, when up comes Mr. Commissioner Pordage with his diplomatic coat on. ’ ; Capt. Carton," says ho, "sir, what is this?”

“This, Mr. Commissioner” (he was very short with him), “is an expedition against the Pirates. It is a secret expedition, so please to keep it a secret.” “Sir, "says Commissioner Pordage, “I trust there is going to be no unnecessary cruelty committed?” “Sir,” returns the officer. “I trust not. “That is not enough, sir,” cries Commissioner Pordage, getting wroth. “Capt. Carton, I give you notice. Government requires you to treat the enemy with great delicacy, consideration, clemency and forbearance.” II : .. “Sir,” says Capt. Carton, “I am an English officer, commanding Englishmen, and I hope I am not likely to disappoint the government’s just expectations. Rut, I presume you know that these villains under their black flag have despoiled our countrymen of their property, burnt their homes, barbarously murdered them and their children, and worse than murdered their wives and daughters?” “Perhaps I do, Capt. Carton,” answers Pordage, waving his hand with dignity; “perhaps Ido not. It is not customary, sir, for government to commit itself.”

“It matters very little, Mr. Pord|jage, whether or no. Believing that ! I hold my commission by the allowance of God, andViot that I have received it direct from the devil, I shall certainly use it, with all avoidlanee of unnecessary suffering and (with all merciful swiftness es execu- . tion, to exterminate these people *from the face of the earth. Let me . recommend you to go home, sir, and to keep out of the night air.” Never another syllable did that officer "say to the commissioner, but turned away to his men. The commissioner buttoned his diplomatic coat to the chin, said “Mr. Kitten, attend me,’’gasped, half choked himself, and took himself off. It now felt very dark, indeed, i have seldom, if ever, seen it darker, nor yet so dark. The moon was not due until 1 in the morning, and it was but a little after 9 when our men lay down where they were mustered. It was pretended that they were to take a uap, but everybody knew that no sleep was to be got under the circumstances. Though all was very quiet, there was a restlessness among the people; much what I have seen among people on a race course when the bell has rung for the saddling for a great race with large stakes on it. At ten, they put off, only one boat putting off at a time; both then lying on their oars until another followed. Ahead of all, paddling his own outTandvsh""ltttre"canbe~Withoutr a sound, went the Sambo pilot to take them safely outside the reef. No light was shown but once, and that was in the commanding officer’s own hand. I lighted the dark lantern for him, and he took it from me when we embarked. They had blue lights and such like with them, but kept themselves as dark as murder. The expedition got away with wonderful quietness, and Christian George King soon came back, dancing with joy. “Yup, So-Jeer," says he to myself in a very objectionable kind of convulsions, “Christian George King sar berry glad pirates all be blown a-pieces. Yup! Yup!” My reply to that cannibal was “However glad you may be, hold your noise, and don’t dance jigs and slap your knees about it, for I can’t | bear to see you do it.” j I was on duty then; we twelve 1 who were left being divided into four watches of three each three hours' spell. I was relieved at 12. A little before that time, I had | challenged, and Miss Maryrou and Mrs Belltott had come in. ==£=2 “Good Davis,” said Miss Maryon, “what is the matter? where is my ! brother?”

I told her what was the matter and where her brother was. “0 Heaven help him” says she, clasping her hands and looking up — she was close in front of me and looked most lovely to be sure; “he is not sufficently recovered, not strong enough for such strife!” “If you had seen-him miss," I told her, “as I saw him when he volunteered, you would have known that his spirits is strong enough for any strife. It will bear his body, miss, to wherever duty calls him. It will always bear him to au honorable life or a brave death.” “Heaven bless you!" says she, touching my arm. “I know it. Heaven bless you!” Mrs. Belltott surprised me by trembling and saying nothing. They were still standing looking towards the sea and listening after the relief had Come round. It continuing very dark, 1 asked to be allowed to take them back. Miss Maryon thanked

me and put her arm in mine and I did take them back. I have now got to make a confession that will appear singular. After I had left them I laid myself down on my face on the beach, and cried for the first time since I had frightened birds as a boy at Snorridge Bottom, to think what a poor, ignorant, low-placed private soldier I was. A man can’t at all times be quite master of himself, and it was only for half a minute or so. Then lup and went to my hut and turned into my hammock and fell asleep with wet eyelashes and a aore.sore heart. Just as I had often done when I was a child and had been worse used than 'iisuai. - s I slept (as a child under those circumstances might) very sound, and very sore at heart all through my sleep. I was awakened by the words “He is a determined man.” I had sprung out of my hammock and had seized my firelock and was standing on the ground, saying the words myself, “He is a determined man.” But the curiosity of my state was that I seemed to be repeating them after somebody and to have been wonderfully startled by hearing them.

As soon as I came to myself I went out of the hut and away to where the guard was. Charker challenged: “Who goes there?” “A friend.” “Not Gill?” says he as he shouldered bis piece. “Gill,” says i. “Why, what the deuce do you do out of your hammock?” says he. “Too hot for sleep,” says I: “is it all right?” “Right,” says Charker, “yes. yes; all’s right enough here, what should be wrong here? It’s the boats we want to know of. Except for fireflies twinkling about and the lonesome splashes of great creatures as they drop into the water, there’s nothing going on here to ease a man’s mind from the boats.” The moon was above the sea and had risen, I should sav. some half hour. As Charker spoke with his face towards the sea, I, looking landward. suddenly laid my right hand on his breast and said, “Don’t move. Don’t turn. Don’t raise your voice! You never saw a Maltese face here?” “No. What do you mean?” he asked, staring at me. ‘ ‘Nor yet an English face with one eye and a patch across the nose?” “No What ails you? What do you mean?” I had seen both looking at us around the stem of a cocoanut tree, where the moon struck them. I had seen that Sambo Pilot, with one hand laid on the stem of the tree. I had seen their naked cutlasses twinkle and shine, like bits of the moonshine in the water that had got blown ashore among the trees by the light wind. I had seen it all in a moment. And I saw in a moment (as any man would), that the signalled move of tne pirates on the mainland was a plot and a feint; that the leak had been made to disable the sloop; that the boats had been tempted away, to leave the Island unprotected ; that the pirates had landed by some secreted way at the back; and that Christian George King was a double-dyed traitor, and a most infernal villain. I considered, still all and in the same moment, that Charker was a brave man, but not quick with his head; and that Sergeant Drooee, with a much better head, was close by. All I said to Charker was, “I am afraid we are betrayed. Turn your back full to the moonlight on the sea, and cover the stem of the cocoanut tree, which will then be right before you, at the height of a man’s heart. Are you right?” “I am right," says Charker, turninstautly and falling into the position with a nerve of iron; “and right ain’t left, is it, Gill?’, A few seconds brought me to Sergt. Drooce’s • hut. He was fast asleep, and being a heavy sleeper, I had to lay ray hand upon him to rouse him. The instant I touched him he came rolling out of his hammock and upon me like a tiger. And a tiger he was, except that he knew what he was up to in his utmost heat as well as any man. I had to struggle with him pretty hard to bring him to his senses, panting all the while (for he gave me a breather), “Sergeant, I am Gill Davis! Treachery! Pirates on the Island!” The last words brought him round, and he took his hands off. “I have seen two of them within this minute,” said I. And so I told him what I had told Harry Charker. His soldierly, though tyrannical, head was clear in an instant. -He didn’t waste one word, even of surprise. “Order the guard.” said he, “to draw off quietly into the (They called the enclosure I have before mentioned, the Fort, though it was not much of that.) “Then get you to the Fort as quick as you can, rouse up every soul there and fasten the gate I will bring in all those who are up at the Signal Hill. If we are surrounded before we can join you, you must make a salty and cut us out if you can. The word among our men is, ‘Women and children. He burst away, like fire going before the wind over dry reeds He roused up the seven men who were off duty, and had them bursting away with him before they knew they were not asleep. I reported orders to Charker and ran to the fort as I have never run at any other time in all my life; no, not even in a dream. ; The gate was not fast, and had no good fastening, only a double wooden bar, a poor chain and a bad lock. Those I secured as well as they could be secured in a few secunds by tne

pair of hands, and so ran to that part of the building where Miss Maryon Jived. I called to her loudly by her name until she answered. I then called loudly all the names I’ knew — sister), Mr. Macey, Mrs. Venning, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher, even Mr. and Mrs. Pordage Then I called out, “All you gentlemen, here, get up and defend tbe place! We are caught in a trap. Pirates have landed. We are attacked!” At the terrible word ‘ ‘Pirates!” — for those villians had done such deeds in these seas as never can be told in writing and can scarcely be so much as thought of —cries and screams rose up from every part of the place. Quickly lights moved about from window to window, and the cries moved about with them, and men, women and children came flying down into the square. I remarked to myself, even then, what a number of things I seemed to see at once. I noticed Mrs.

Macey coming towards me carrying all he three children together. I noticed Mr. Pordage, in the greatest terror, in vaia trying to get on -his diplomatic coat; and Mr. Kitten respectfully tying 'his pocket handkerchief over Mrs. Pordage’s nightcap. I noticed Mrs. Belltott run out screaming, and shrink upon the ground near me, and cover her face in her hands, and he, all of a bundle, shivering. But what I noticed with the greatest pleasure was the. determined eyes with which those men of the mine that I had thought fine gentlemen came round me with what arms they had, to the full as cool and resolute as I could be, for my life —ay, and for my soul, too, into the bargain! The chief person being Mr. Macey, I told him how the three men of the guard would be at the gate directly, if they were not already there, and how Sergt. Drooee and the other seven were gone to bring in the outlying part of the people of Silverstore. I next urged him, for the love of all who were dear to him, to trust no Sambo, and, above all, if he could get any good chance at Christian George King, not lose it, but to put him out of the world. “I will follow your advice to the letter, Davis,” says he: “What next?” My answer was, “I think, sir, I would recommend you next to order down such heavy furniture and lumber as can be moved, and make a barricade within the gate.” That’s good again,” says he, “will you see it done?” “I’ll willingly help to do it,” says I, “unless or until my superior, Sergt. Drooee, gives me other orders.” He shook me by the hand, having told off some of his companions to help me, bestirred himself to look to the arms and ammunition. A proper quick, brave, steady, ready gentleman! (to be continued.)