A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 174: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A QUEER RACE. 1m scendants of the Hecate’s chaplain, and bore his name: the doctors were Sergeants; the school-masters, Switchers; the carpenters, Browns; the blacksmiths, Coleses; and so. forth. Lawyers there were none; but that, as Mab after-. ward told me, she looked upon as a blessing to be thank- ful for, not as a want to be deplored. Neither were there any prisons, breaches of the law (except treason, the sole capital offense) being punished solely by ‘‘ sequestration ” (a rigorous form of boycotting). A few weeks of this regimen was generally found quite sufficient to bring the most hardened sinners to their senses, and wrong-doers who expressed contrition and seemed really repentant were always pardoned. It was hard work, rising at midnight. I felt as if I had only just fallen asleep; but our business did not brook delay, and at a quarter past twelve we set out on our six hours’ tramp, accompanied by Weston, who took us to Dottrel’s, and Dottrel placed his best boat at our disposal, and agreed to pilot us to Fairhaven. Before we parted from Weston, Mab asked him to keep a sharp lookout for the Cariberoes, and if they appeared in force, to send her word immediately. ‘Tf they appear,” he said, grimly, ‘‘ I shall disappear. I don’t want to have my throat cut. I will come myself, and bring the women and children with me.” The swift-flowing river carried us rapidly to the sea; the wind was fair; when the sun sunk behind the moun- tain we were off Fairhaven Creek, and by the time we reached the landing-place at the foot of the hill it was quite dark. CHAPTER XXVIL. TREASON. Mas, who for the last hour or two had been thought- ful and taciturn, told us in a whisper to follow her silently, aud if we were accosted by anybody not to an- swer. She did not want to be recognized. At the out- skirts of the town she turned off into a by-path, and after walking about ten minutes, stopped at the door of a solitary cottage. ‘‘ Have you that letter?” she asked me. ‘‘Yes; here is it!’—giving it to her. comicbooks (E(0)