Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 11 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

ee rr of the dead ‘meet any common conflict with the elements. The Midshipman Easy. eee ere eee ee boarded, and was about to oppose his unequal force | The next person who followed him was Mr. Pottyfar, ainst that of the Russian captain, when he was pulled | the first lieutenant, who had contrived, wounded as he back by the collar by Mr. Hawkins, the chaplain, who | was, to reach a packet of the universal medicine, and rushed in advance with a saber in his hand. The op- | had taken so many bottles before he was found out, that ponents were well matched, and it may be said that, he was one morning found dead in his bed, with more with little interruption, a hand-to-hand conflict en- than two dozen empty vials under his pillow, and by sued, for the moon lighted up the scene of carnage, and | the side of his mattress. He was not buried with his they were well able to distinguish each other's faces. | hands in his pockets, but when sewed up in his ham- At last the chaplain’s sword broke; he rushed in, drove | mock, they were, at all events, laid in the right posi- the hilt into his antagonist’s face, closed with him, and | tion. they both fell down the hatchway together. After this, the deck was gained, or rather cleared, by the crew of the Aurora, for few could be said to have resisted, and in a minnte or two the frigate was in their i ig The chaplain and the Russian captain were hoisted up, still clinging to each other, both senseless from the fal], but neither of them dead, although bleeding from several wounds. tal, and the gallant Russian captain recovered from As soon as the main-deck had been cleared, Captain his wounds about the same time as Mr. Hawkins, the Wilson ordered the hatches to be put on, and left a} chaplain, arty on board while he hastened to attend to the con- | Jack, who constantly called to see the chaplain, had Fition of his own ship and oi) company. a great deal to do to console him. He would shake his It was daylight before anything like order had been | hands as he lay in his bed exclaiming against himself. restored to the decks of the Aurora: the water was still | “Oh,” would he say, “the ee is willing, but the flesh smooth, and instead of letting go her own anchor, she | is weak, That I, a man of | had hung on with a hawser to the prize, but her sails | onght to have been down with the surgeons, whispering had been furled, and the buckets were dashing away | comfort to the desponding, should have gone on deck the blood from her planks and the carriages of the | (but I could not helpit), and haye mixed in such a scene guns, when the sun rose and shone upon them. The | of slaughter. What will become of me?” Bumerous wounded had, by this time, been put into| Jack attempted to console him by pointing out, that their hammocks, although there were still one or two | not only chaplains, but bishops, have been known to cases of amputation to be performed. fight in armor from time immemorial. But Mr, [aw- The carpenter had repaired all shot-holes under or | kins’ recovery was long doubtful, from the agitation of ‘too near to the water-line, and then had proceeded to | his mind. When he was able to walk, Jack introduced sound the well of the prize; but although her upper to him the Russian captain, who was also just out of works had been dreadfully shattered, there was no rea- | his bed. ; son to suppose that she had received any serious injury | “Iam most happy to embrace so gallant an officer,’ below ant therefore the hatches still remained on, al- | said the Russian, who recognized his antagonist, throw- ing his arms round the chaplain, and giving him a kiss on both cheeks. ‘‘ What is his rank?’ continued he, addressing himself to Jack, who replied, very quietly, “that he was the ship’s padre.” “The padre?” replied the captain, with surprise, as Hawkins turned away with confusion. ‘ The padre— par example! Well, I always had a great respect for the church. - _ your padres always head your boarders? CHAPTER XXXt1I. MODERN PHILANTHROPY, WHICH, AS USUAL, IS THE CAUSE OF MUCH TROUBLE AND VEXATION. In three weeks the Aurora, with her prize in tow, ar- rived at Malta. The wounded were sent to the hospi- —ow Nee though a few hands were put to the pumps to try if she made any water. It was not until the Aurora presented a more cheerful appearance that Captain Wilson “went over to the other ship, whose deck, now that the light of heaven enabled them to witness all the horrors | even to minuteness, presented a shocking spectacle of blood and carnage. Body after body was thrown over; the wounded were supplied with water and such assist- ance as could be rendered until the surgeons could at- ' boa tend them; the hatches were then taken off, and the |" “ Always, sir,” replied Jack; “it’s a rule of the ser- remainder of her crew ordered on deck; about two | vice—and the duty of a padre to show the men the way hundred obeyed the summons, but the lower deck was to heaven, It’s our ninety-ninth article of war.” ‘as crowded with killed and wounded as was the upper. |. “You are a fighting nation,’’ replied the Russian, For the present the prisoners were handed over down bowing to Hawkins, and continuing his walk, not ex- nto the fore-hold of the Aurora, which had been pre- | actly pleased that he had been floored by a parson. pared for their reception, and the work of separa ion| Mr. Hawkins continued very disconsolate for some from the living then underwent. After this, _ time; he then invalided, and applied himself to his such repairs as were immediately necessary were made, | duties on shore, where he would not be exposed to such and a portion of the Aurora’s crew, under the orders of | temptations from his former habits. the second lieutenant, were sent on board totakecharge | As the Aurora, when she was last at Malta, had nearly of her. It was not till the evening of the day after this | exhausted the dockyard for her repairs, she was even ht-conflict that the Aurora was in a situation to make | longer fitting out this time, during which Captain dispatches had been received b od, as they term me, who — ee cece o 31 -_--- - -—- -—_——— a a _— — _ — drels; for we must not cxpect gratitude: of course, land them at the nearest safe spot for debarkation.”’ In pursuance of these orders, our two midshipmen _ pulled away to the vessel. They found her fixed hard upon the rocks, which had pierced her slight timbers, and, as they had supposed, the respectable part of her crew, with the commander, had taken to the boats leaving the galley-slaves to their fate. She pulled fifty oars, but had only thirty-six manned. These oars werv forty fcet long, and ran in from the tholo-pin with a loom six feet long, each manned by four slaves, who were chained to their seat before it by a running chain, made fast by a padlock in amidships. A plank of two feet wide ran fore and aft the vessel between the two banks of oars, for the boatswain to apply the lash to those who did not sufficiently exert themselves. “Viva los Inglesos,’’ cried the galley-slaves, as Easy climbed g° over the quarter of the vessel. bo I say, Ned, did you ever see such a precious set of villains?’ observed Easy, as he surveyed the faces of the men who were chained. ‘* No,” replied Gascoigne; “and I think if the captain had seen them as we have, that he would have left them where they were.”’ ‘IT don’t know—but, however, our orders are positive. | Armorer, knock off all the padlocks, beginning aft; when we have a cargo we will land them. How many | are there?—twelve dozen:—twelve dozen villains to let they'll all be in limbo again before long, -Tascals. ' sledgc-hammer. Pray, sir,” said he, turning to Easy, “‘do | loose upon society. I havea great mind to goon board again and report my opinion to the captain—one hun- dred and forty-four villains, who all deserve hanging— for drowning is too good for them.” ‘*Our orders are to liberate them, Jack.” “Yes; but I should like to argue this point with Cap- tain Wilson.” ‘They'll send after them fast enough, Jack, and * replied Gas- coigne. “Well, I suppose we must obey orders; but it goes against my conscience to save such villainous-looki Armorer, hammer away.” Tho armorer, who with the seamen, appeared very much of Jack's opinion, and had not commenced his work, now struck off the padlocks one by one with his As soon as they were released the slaves wero ordered into the cutter, and when it was sufficiently loaded Jack shoved off, followed by Gas- coigne cs guard, and landed them at the point about a cable’s length distant. It required six trips before they were all landed; the last cargo went on shore, and Eas gail. All hands were then sent on board of the Trident, | Wilson’s the for such was the name of the Russian frigate, to fit her | admiral, and had been acknowledged yal out as soon as possible. Before morning—for there | brig sent to Malta. The admiral, in reply, was no relaxation from their fatigue, nor was there | after complimenting him upon his gallantry and success, desired that, as soon as he was ready he should proceed to Palermo with communications o importance to the authorities, and having remained there for an answer, was again to return to Malta to ick upsuch of his men as might be fit to leave the hospital, and then join the Toulon fleet. This intelli- gence was soon known to our hero, who was in ecsta- sies at the idea of again seeing Agnes and her brothers. Once more the Aurora sailed away from the high- crowned rocks of Valette, and with a fine breeze dashed any wish for it—all was completed, and the two frigates, although in a shattered condition, were prepared_to Aurora made sail with the Trident in tow; the ham- ‘mocks were allowed to be taken down, and the watch low permitted to repose. mee tite suecerous Sonttict the Trident had more than two hundred men killed and wounded. The Aurora’s loss had not been so great, but, still it was severe, hav- ing lost sixty-five men and officers. Among the fallen there were ar. Jones, the master, the third lieutena nt, through the deep blue waves. ; ‘Mr. Arkwright, and two midshipmen killed. Mr. Potty-| But toward the evening the breeze increased, and far, the first lieutenant, severely wounded at the com- | they were under double-reefed topsails. On the second mencement of the action. Martin, the master’s mate, day they made the coast of Sicily, not far from where and Gascoigne, the first mortally, and the second badly | Easy and Gascoigne had been driven on shore; the wounded. Our hero had also received a slight cutlass : wound, which obliged him to wear his arm, fora short | agreat degree, subsided. They therefore stood in close time, in a sling. _ to the coast, as they had not a leading wind to Palermo. "Among the ship’s company who were wounded was | As they stood in, the glasses, as usual, were directed to Mesty; he had been hurt with a splinter before the Tri- land; uae the villas with which the valleys were dent was taken by the board, but had remained on studded, with their white fronts embowered in orange ‘deck, and had followed our hero, watching over him, | groves. | é ‘and protecting him as a father. He had doneeven| ‘What is that, Gascoigne,” said Easy, ‘“‘under that more, for he had with Jack thrown himself before Cap- | precipice?—it looks like a vessel.” : ‘tain Wilson, at a time that he had received such a blow! Gascoigne turned his glass in that direction—‘‘ Yes, it with the flat of a sword as to stun him, and bring him isa vessel on the rocks; by her prow she looks like a down on his knee. And Jack had taken good care that | Sere “ai Captain Wilson should not be ignorant, as he really “It is a galley, sir—one of the row galleys—I can would have been, of this timely service on the part of make out her bank of oars,” observed the signal-man. Mesty, who certainly, although with a great deal of This was reported to Captain Wilson, who also ex- sang-froid” in his composition when in repose, was a amined her. 5 AL fiend incarnate when his blood was ie '_ “She is on the rocks, nectar rg > observed he; “‘and “But you. must have been with Mesty,” observed | I think I see people on board. Keep her away a point, Captain Wilson, ‘ when he did me the service.” quartermaster.” ~~ T was with him, sir,” replied Jack, with great mod- _ The Aurora was now steered right for the vessel, and “esty; “but was of very little service.” in the course of an hour was not more than a mile from How is your friend Gascoigne this evening .” her. Their suppositions were correct—it was one of “Oh, not very bad, sir—he wants a glass of grog.” | the Sicilian government galleys bilged on the rocks, was desiring the men to shove off, when one of the gal- lerians turned round, and cried out to Jack in a mock- ing tone; *‘ Addio, signor, a reveder la.’ Jack started stared, and, in the squalid, naked wretch who addressed. him, he recognized Don Silvio! " “Twill acquaint Don Rebiera of om arrival, signor,”’ said the miscreant, springing up the rocks, and mixing with the rest, who now commenced hooting and laugh- ing at their preservers. ‘Ned,’ observed Easy to Gascoigne, “ we have let that. rascal loose.”’ : ‘** More’s the pity,” replied Gascoigne; ‘* but we hav only obeyed orders.”’ ‘*Tt can’t be helped, but I’ve a notion there will be some mischief out of this.”’ weather was then more moderate, and the sea had, to. ‘* We obeyed orders,”’ replied Gascoigne. ‘* We've let the rascals loose not ten miles from Don Rebiera’s.”’ ““Obeyed orders, Jack.” > ‘* With a whole gang to back him, if he goes there,”’ ‘** Orders, Jack.” * Agnes at his mercy.”’ és Nee cate orders, Jack.” ‘‘T shall argue this point whenI goon board,” re- — plied Jack. ** Too late, Jack.”’ ‘Yes,’ replied Easy, sinking down on the stern sheets with a look of despair. ‘*Give way, my lads, give way.”’ Jack returned on board, and reported what he had done: also that Don Silvio was among those liberated, and he ventured to mention his fears of what might take place from their contiguity to the house of Don Rebiera. Captain Wilson bit his lips: he felt that his philanthropy had induced him to act without his usual rudence. a I have done a rash thing, Mr. Easy, I am afraid. I should have taken them allon board and delivered them up to the authorities. I wish I had thonght of that be- fore. We must get to Palermo as fast as we can, and have the troops sent after these miscreants, Hands *bout ship, fill the main-yard.”’ . The wind had veered round, and the Aurora was now able to lay up clear of the island of Maritimo. The next morning she anchored in Palermo Beane eat? immediate notice to the authorities, who ss tain Wilson’s philanthropy at the devil, immediately dispatched a large body of troops in quest of the liber- ated malefactors. Captain Wilson, feeling for Jack’s anxiety about’ his friends, called him over to him on deck, and gave him and Gascoigne permission to go on 4 And Mr. Martin?” and they now perceived that there were people on | TERE eon bis head. ’ “A board of her, making signals with their ahista and | - “Why, the surgeon thinks he will do well. | pieces of linen. | “Yes, sir, and sol told Martin; but he said that it| “They must be the galley-slaves; for I perceive that ‘Was very well to give him hope—but that he thought they dd’ not one of them change their otherwise.” _ * You must manage him, he is sure of his promotion.’ ; - “T have, sir, but he won’t believe it. He never will be- “the ‘ lieve it till he has his commission signed. Ireally think ‘They will not have much mercy from the waves, that an acting order would do more than the doctor can,” | replied Gascoigne; “‘ they will all be in kingdom come “Well, Mr. Easy, he shall have one to-morrow morn- | to-morrow morning, if the breeze comes more on land. ing. Have you seen Mr. Pottyfar? he, Iam afraid, is We have already come up two points this forenoon. Very bad.” | Although Captain Wilson did not join in this con- | “Very bad, sir; and they say he is worse every day, versation, which he overheard as he stood on the and yet his wound is healthy, and ought to be doing | forecastle with his glass over the hammocks, ” ‘it appears Wench was the conversation between Jack and his cap- wae he had to choose between allowing so many tain, as they sat at breakfast on the third morning after of his fellow creatures to rish miserably, or to the action. let loose upon society a set of miscreants who would The next day Easy took down an acting order for again enter a course of crime until they were recap- and put it into his hands. The mate read it | tured, and by so doing, probably displease the Sicilian over as he lay bandaged in his hammock authorities, | After some little reflection he resolved "tts only an acting order, Jack,” said he; “it may | that he would take his chance of the latter. The ‘not be con ed.” 'Aurora was hove-to in stays, and the two cutters or- ~ Jack swore by all the articles of war, that it would | dered to be lowered down, and the boat's crew to be be; but Martin replied that he was sure it never would. a ~~ © No, no,” said the mate, ‘I knew very well that I ‘never should be made, If it is not co ed, I may pull on board of the galley, release those people, an e, but if it is, 1am sure to die.” ‘Jand them in small divisions. Mr. Gascoigne, you wi "Every one that went to Martin'’s- hammock -wished take the other to assist Mr. gr foe when he lands him joy of his promotion; but six days after the action, them in his boat, you will pull by his side ready to act, poor . artin’s remains were consigned to the deep. | in case of any hostile attempt on the part of the scoun- tell him that | seamen, and the slaves left to perish.” d | “That's very hard,” observed Jack to Gascoigne; were condemned to the galleys, but not to death.”’ 9 Mr. Easy; in, rmed. “Mr. Easy, do you take one cutter, and the armorers; 1e was of the same opinion; but he de- | shore. “Will you allow me to take Mesty with me, sir, if you please?” said Jack. ‘“Yes, Mr. Easy; but recollect that, even with Mesty, you are no match for one hundred and fifty men, so sitions: the | galley must have been abandoned by their officers and walking away e up be _ first in rudent. I send you to relieve your anxiety, not torun into danger.”’ : , ‘ “Of course, sir,” replied Jack, touching his hat, and uietly till he came to the hatchway, when Aertel down likea shot, and was immedi- ately occupied with his preparations, In half an hour our two midshipmen, with Mesty, had landed, and proceeded to the inn where they had put ore: they were armed up tothe teeth. Their uiries were for Don Philip and his brother. ‘Both on leave of absenee,”’ replied the landlord, ‘‘and staying with Don Rebiera.” : “That's some comfort,’ thought Jack. must get horses as fast as we can. ride?’ Mesty, can you ‘‘ By all de power, can I ride, Massa. Easy; suppose : you ride Kentucky horse, you ride anyt’ing.”’ , In half an hour four horses and a guide were pro- cured, and at eight o'clock in the morning the party set off in thedirection of Don Rebiera’s coun They had not ridden more than six miles when they came up with one of the detachments sent out in pur- suit of the liberated criminals. Our hero recognized the uaintance, and im- mmanding officer as an old ~ lvio, and his fears parting to him the release of Don ll upon Don Rebiera’s account, begged him to direct, his attention yg way. right, Signor Mid, fs “3 i Bacco—you are , Signor * rep the oniser; * but Don Philip is there, and his brother, Eomiel (E| OOO) CS) SS ee “Now we. ee ee