Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 11 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

: uations. i= ‘discontented . Assoon as the ame aft and proposed thatif they could find anchor- ' the bower-anchor the Midshipman Easy. -- -—_——_ ---_ - ----- — | “This nebber do, Massa Easy; we all £° to devil te- | ask leave, because they were determined to go whether sether—together—dam drunken dogs—I freshen um | or no» Jack was about to answer with the handspike, up anyhow.” So set drew some buckets of water, | but iving that the men had all put on their cutlasses th which he soused the ship’s company, who then | and had their pistols at their belts, he thought proper wppeared to be recovering their senses. ‘to consult Mesty, who, perceiving that resistance was “By heavens!’’ says Jack, “but this is contrary to useless, advised Jack submit, observing, that the the articles of war; I shall read them to them to-mor-| sooner all the wine was gone row morning.” “T tell what, better ting, Massy Easy: we go lock up | very graciousl allde wine, and sarve out so much and no more, Igo | own way, an h do it at once, ‘fore they wake up.”’ | pleases. Mesty went down, leaving Jack on deck to his medi- | hatch, and tok | The men then informed Jack he and Mesty should ‘‘T am not sure,” thought Jack, ‘‘that I have done a | stay on board and take care of the ship for them, and very wise thing, Here I am with a parcel of fellows | that they would take the Spaniard on shore to cook who have no respect for the articles of war, and who | their victuals. _ But to this Jack observed that if he had rot as drunk as Dayid’s sow. I have a large ship, but I | not two hands he could not obey their orders, in case “ave very few hands; and if it eomes on bad weather, | they wished himto come on shore for them, The men what shall I do?—for I know very little—hardly how to | thought there was. good argument, in that observation, trke in a sail. Then—as for where to steer or how'to | and therefore allowed Jack to retain the Spaniard, that steer, I know not—nor do any of my men; but, how- | he might be more prompt: to their call from the beach. over, as it was very narrow when we came into the | They then wished him good-day, and begged that he Moditerranean through the Straits, it is hardly possible | would amuse himself with the ‘ articles of war.”’ t> get out of them. without, perceiving it; ae, my I; Assoon as they had thrown a spare sailinto the boat, should know the rock of Gibraltar again if I saw it. I | with some spars to make a tent, and some bedding, -nust talk to Mesty.”’ they went down below, hoisted up two pipes of wine Mesty soon returned with the keys of the provision- | out of the three, abag or two of biscuit, arms and am- room tied to his bandana. munition, and as much of the salt provisions as they “Now,” says he,’ they not get drunk again in a| thought they might require. The boat being full, they ’ shoved off with three cheers of derision. Jack was ee ee we Oe ne —_——_—__—_—-— _ ee ld them that they should have their e would stay there as long as they hurry, ‘A few more buckets of water soon brought the men sensible to the compliment: he stood at the gangway, to, their senses: they again stood on their legs, and | took off his hat, and made them a polite bow yradually recovered themselves. Daylight broke, and! As soon as they. were they found that. the vessel had made an attempt for | sharp-filed teeth, and looking at our hero, said: the Spanish coast, being within a mile. of ee . ‘*T tink I make um pay for all dis—stop a little; by and facing a large battery a fleur d'eau; fortunately | de pipet as played before Moses, but our turn come by- they had time to square the yards, and steer the ship | an iy along shore under the topsails, before they were per-| As for Jack, he said nothing, but, he thought the aeived. Had they been seen at Gavhar in the position more. In about an hour the men returned in the boat; that. they were in during the night, the suspicions of | they had forgotten many things they wanted—wood to the Spaniards would have been awakened; and had.a| make a fire, and several utensils; they helped them- hoat sent. off, while they were all drunk, they must have selyes freely, and having now everything that they been recaptured, | could think of, they again went on shore. The men who perceived what danger they had been,| _ ‘How d—n lucky, we never tell dem about the dol- ‘n, listened very penitently to Jack's remonstrances; lars,’’ said Mesty, as Jack and he were watching the and our hero, to impress them more strongly on their | motions of the men, ininds, took out the articles of war, read thaton drunk-| ‘‘It is, indeed,” replied Jack; “not that they could enness from beginning to end; but the men had heard spend them here.”’ it read so often at the gangway, that it did not makea| ‘‘No, Massa, Easy, but suppose they find all that due impression. As Mesty said, his plan was better, | money, they take boat and go away with it, Now, I and so it proved; for as soon as J had done, the hab them in my clutch—stop a little.’ men went down to get another jug of wine, and found | A narrow piece of salt pork had been left at the +o their disappointment, that it was all under lock and angway; Jack, without knowing why, tossed it over- irey. J Board: being ost all fat it sunk very ually: fn the meantime, Jack called Mesty aft, and asked | Jack watched it as it sieappeared, so did Mesty, both liim if he knew the way to Toulon. Mesty declared | full of thought, when they perceived a dark object ris- that he knew nothing about it. ing under it: it was a ground shark, who took it into ‘Then, Mesty, it appears to me that we have a better | hig maw, sunk down, and qaepipeared. chance of finding our way baek to Gibraltar; for you | ‘What was that?” said Jack, Irnow the land was on our left side all the war coming “That ground shark, Massa —worst shark of up the Mediterranean; and if we keep it, as it. is now, | all; you neber see him till you feel bim;” and Mesty’s on our right, we shall get, back again along the coast.” .| eyes sparkled with pleasure. ‘By de powers, they Mesty agreed with Jack that this was the “ne plus | soon stop de mutiny; now I hab ’em.”’ ultra.” of navigation; and that old Smaillsole could | Jack shuddered and walked away. not do bettor with his “ pig-yoke”’ and com During the day the men on shore were ‘seen to work 59 they shook a reef out of the topsails, set top-gal- | hard, and make all the preparations before they aban- ‘ant-sails,, and ran directly down the coast from | doned themselves to the sensual gratification of intem- oint to point, keeping about five miles distant. | perance. The tent was pitched, the fire was li ney he men prepared a good dinner; Mesty gave them | and all the articles taken on shore rolled up and stow their allowance of wine, which was just double what | away in their places; they were seen to sit down and they had on board the Harpy—so they soon appeared to | dine, for they were within hail of the ship, and then pe-content, One man, indeed, talked very big and very | one of the casks of wine was spiled, In the meantime mutinously, swearing that if the others woul join him | the ge was a quiet lad, had prepared. the they would soon have liquor enough; but Mesty gave | dinner for and his now only com him his look, opened his knife, and. swore that. he | evening closed, and all was noise and revelry on shore; would settle him, and Jack knocked him down with a | and as they danced, and sung, and tossed off the cans handspike; so that, what with the punishmentreceived, | of wine by the light of the fire, as they hallooed and and that which was promised, the fellow thought he | screamed, and became more and more intoxicated, ht as well say no more about, it. The fact is, that | Mesty turned to Jack with his bitter smile, and only nal it not been from fear of Mesty, the whole of the | said— men would, in all probability, have behaved equaily as| _ ‘‘ Stop a little.” bad; nevertheless, they were a little staggered, it must | At last the noise grew fainter, the fire died away, pe owned, at seeing Jack play so good a stick with the | and gredBany all was silent, Jack was still hanging handspike. over gangway when Mesty came up to him, The After this night Jack and Mesty kept watch and | new moon had just risen, and Jack’s eyes were fixed watch, and everyt went on very well until they | upon it. were nearly abreast of Carthagena, when a gale camt| _ ‘“‘ Now, Massa Easy, please you come aft and lower on from the northward, and. drove. them. out of sighe | down little boat; take your pistols, and, then we go on of land. Sail after sail was reduced with difficulty from | shore and bring off the cutter; they all asleep now.”’ their having so few hands, and the gale blew for three; ‘ But. why should we leave them without a boat, days with at fury. The men were tired out and | Mesty?’’ for Jack thought of the sharks, and the prob- It was Jack’s misfortune that he had | ability of the men attempting to swim off. but one good man with him: even the coxswainof the| ‘I tell you, sar, this night they get drunk, to-morrow peat, although a fine-looking man, was worth nothing. they get drunk again, but drunken men never keep Mesty was Jack’s sheet-anchor. The fourth day the | quiet. Suppose one man say to others, ‘Let's go ale moderated, but they had no idea where they were: | board and kill officer, and then we do as we eae 1ey knew that they had been blown off, but how far | they all say yes, and they all come and do it, No, sar Shey could not tell, and Jack now began to discover must have boat—if not for your sake, I must hab it that. a cruise at sea without knowledge of navigation | save my own life, anyhow, for they hate me and kill was a more nervous thing than he contemplated. | me first; by de power stop a little,’’ However, there was no help for it. Atnight they wore| Jack felt the truth of Mesty’s observation; he went the ship and stood on the other tack, and at daylight | aft with him, lowered down the small boat, and they they perceived that they were close to some small | hauled it alongside. Jack went down with Mesty into islands, and much closer to some large rocks, against | the cabin and fetched his pistols. ‘And the Spaniard, which the sea beat high, although the wind sub- | Mesty, can we leave him on board alone?” sided, Again was the helm put up, and they narrowly ier, es, sar, he no got arms, and he see dat me have; sail ; were trimmed, the men | but suppose he find arms he never dare do ing— I know de man.” age they should run into it, for they were quite tired| Our hero and Mesty went into the boat and shoved out.. This was true, and Jack consulted with Mesty, | off, pulling tly onshore, The men were in a state who thought. it advisable to agree to the Dropesal | of ‘intoxiontion, so as not to be able to move, much That the islands were not inha was very evident. | less hear. They cast off the cutter, towed her on The only point to ascertain was, if there were good board, and made her fast with the other boat astern, unchorage. The coxswain off to goin the boat and | examine; and, with four men, he set off, and in about | you will see.’ an hour returned, stating that ‘there: was plenty of ‘ They have everything they mag water, and that it was as smooth as a mill-pond, being | plied Easy; ‘all they could want with the cutter would land-locked on every side. As. they. could not weigh | to molest us.” bent the, kedge, and run-— "Stop a Littles replied Mesty. ning in without accident, came ina small bay, Jack and Mesty went to bed, and as a precaution between the islands, in seven fathoms of water. nst. the Spaniard, which was hardly necessary The sails were furled, and everything put, in or- Mesty locked the cabin door—but Mesty never forgot der by the seamen, who then took the boat and pulled | an ing. on shore. ‘gee 2 might as well have asked leave,” | Yack pt little that night—had melancholy forebod- thought Jack. In an hour they returned, and, after a | ings which he could not off; , Jack had short discussion, came aft to our hero in a body. | reflected so much since he had left the ship, hé had The coxswain was spokesman. He said that they had | had his eyes so much opened, and had felt what. a re- g work, and bFeaused now 3 have some rest— sponsibilit he had ean, eet ees Se ere were provisions on board for three mont whim of the momen ost said that 80 there could not be any hurry, and that they ha | } the course of one fortnight he had at once from a und they could pitch a tent it well on shore, and ae sprung Up into a man. He was mortified and ve there fora short time; and that, as t was no | al put he was chiefly so with himself, in getting drunk on shore, they expected that Mest was up at daylight, and Jack soon followed they a be allowed to take provisions and plenty of him; they watched gages on shore, who had not wine with them, and that the men had desired him to, yet left the tent, At , just as Jack had finished his the better, as there | would be noweing one while it lasted, Jack, therefore, | gst | ave them the keys of the provision- | them, with a grin, to help themselves, | t one, Mesty grinned with his | “Now, sar, we may go to bed; to-morrow morning | al on’ shore,” re- ee — — ee — | breakfast, one or two made their appearance. The men looked about them as if they were searching for something, and then walked down to the beach to where the boat had been made fast. Jack looked at Mesty, who grinned, and answered with the words so often repeated, ** Stop a little,”’ The men then walked along the rocks until they were abreast of the ship. **Ship ahoy!”’ ‘** Halloo,”’ cried Mesty. ering the boat ashore directly with a beaker of water.” ‘‘T knew dat,’’ cried Mesty, rubbing his hands with delight. ‘‘ Massa Easy, you must tell them no.”’ ‘But why should I not give them water, Mesty?” ‘** Because, sar, den they take boat.” ‘Very true,’’ replied Easy. ‘*“Do you hear on board?” cried the coxswain, who was the man who hailed—‘‘ send the boat immediately, or we'll cut the throats of every mother’s son of you, by God!” “T shall not send the boat,” replied Jack, who now thought: Mesty was right. ‘You won't—won’t you?—then your doom’s sealed,” replied the man, walking up to the tent with the other. In a short time all the seamen turned out of the tent bringing with them four muskets, which they had taken on shore with them, ** Good heavens! they are not surely going to fire at us, Mesty?”’ “Stop a little.”’ The men then came down abreast of the ship, and the coxswain again hailed and asked if they would b the boat on shore. ‘You must say no, sar,” replied Mesty. “I feel I must,”’ replied Jack; and then he answered the coxswain, “ No.” The plan of the mutineers had been foreseen by the wily negro—it was to swim off to the boats which were riding astern, and to fire at him or Jack if they attempt- ed to. haul them up alongside and defend them. To get into the boats, especially the smaller one, from out of the water, was easy enough. Some of the men. ex- amined their priming and held the muskets at their hips all ready, with the muzzles toward the ship, while the coxswain and two men were throwing off their clothes. “Stop, for God’s sake, stop!” cried Jack, ‘The har- bor is full of ground sharks; it is, upon my soul!” *Do you think to frighten us with ground sharks?” replied the coxswain; “‘keep under cover, my lads; Jack, give him a shot to prove we are in earnest, and every time he or that nigger show their heads give them another, my lads.” “For God's sake, don’t attempt to swim,” said Jack, in an agony; “I will try some means to give you water.” “Too late now—you're doomed;” and the coxswain rung off the rock into the sea, and was followed by the two other men; at the same moment a musket was discharged, and the bullet whistled close to our hero’s ear. Mesty dragged Jack from the gangway, who was nearly fainting from agonizing feelings. He sunk on the deck for a moment, and then sprung up and ran to the port to look at the men in the water. He was just in time to see the coxswain raise himself with a loud yellout of the sea, and then disppear in a vortex, which was crimsoned with his blood. Mesty threw down his musket in his hand, of which he had.several all ready loaded, in case the men should have gained the boats. **By the powers, dat no use!” Jack had covered his face with his hands. But the tragedy was not complete: the other men, who were in the water, had immediately turned and made for the Shore; but before they could reach it two more of these voracious monsters, attracted by the blood of the coxswain, had flown to the spot, and there was a econtention for the fragments of their bodies. Mesty, who had seen this catastrophe, turned to- ward our hero, who still hid his face. ‘*T’m glad he no see dat, anyhow,” muttered Mesty. “See what?” exclaimed Jack. *‘ Shark eat ‘em all.” “Oh, horrid! horrid!” groaned our hero. ‘Yes, sar, very horrid,’ replied Mesty, “and dat bullet at your head very horrid. Suppose the sharks no take them, what then? They kill us and the sharks have our body. I think that more horrid still.” ‘“Mesty,” replied Jack, seizing the negro convul- sively by the arm, ‘it was not the sharks—it was I— who. have murdered these men.”’ Mesty looked at Jack with surprise, *“ How dat possible?” “If I had not disobeyed orders,” replied our hero, panting for breath, “if I had not shown them the ex- ample of disobedience, this would not have happened. How could I expect submission from them? It’s all my fault—I see it now—and, oh God! when will the sight be blotted from my mnemory?” ‘Massa Easy, I not understand that,” replied Mesty: “I think you talk foolish—might as well say, suppose Ashantee men not make war, this not happen; for sup- pose Ashantee not make war, I not slave, I not run away—lI not come board Harpy—I not go in boat with you—I not hinder men from getting drunk—and dat why ey make mutiny—and the mutiny why the shark eum?” Jack made no réply, but he felt some consolation from the counter-argument of the negro. The dreadful death of the three mutineers appeared to have had a sensible effect upon their companions, who walked away from the beach with their heads down and with measured steps. They were now seen to. be sambulating the island, probably in search of that water which they required. At noon they returned to their tent, and soon afterward were in a state of intoxication, hal- looing .and. shouting as the day before. Toward the evening they came down to the beach abreast of the ship, each with a vessel in their hands, and perceiv- ing that they had attracted the notice of our hero and Mesty, tossed the contents of the vessels up in the air. to show that they had found water, and hooting and deriding, went. back, dancing, leaping, and kicking u their heels, to renew their orgies, which continued’ ti after midnight, when they were all stupefied as before. _ The next day Jack had recovered from the first shock which the catastrophe had given him, and he called ac f into the cabin to hold a consultation, . esty, how is this to end?” “ How do you mean, sar/—end here or end on board _ of the Harpy?" ECO AITICE ONO KS