Newton Forster

by Frederick Marryat

  Chapter XVII

  "_Paladore_--I have heard, Have read bold fables of enormity, Devised to make men wonder, and confirm The abhorrence of our nature; but this hardness Transcends all fiction." "_Law of Lombardy_."

  We must now relate what had occurred on deck during the struggle ofNewton to escape from his prison. At one o'clock Jackson had calculatedthat in an hour, or less, the brig would strike on the reef. He took thehelm from the man who was steering, and told him that he might go below.Previous to this, he had been silently occupied in coiling the hawserbefore the door of Newton's cabin, it being his intention to desert thebrig, with the seamen, in the long-boat, and leave Newton to perish.When the brig dashed upon the reef, which she did with great violence,and the crew hurried upon deck, Jackson, who was calm, immediatelyproceeded to give the orders which he had already arranged in his mind;and the coolness with which they were given quieted the alarm of theseamen, and allowed them time to recall their scattered senses. This,however, proved unfortunate for Jackson. Had they all hurried in theboat at once, and shoved off, he would in all probability have beenpermitted to go with them, and Newton, in the hurry of theirself-preservation, would have been forgotten; but his cool behaviourrestored their confidence, and, unhappily for him, gave the seamen timeto reflect. Everyone was in the boat; for Jackson had quietly preparedand put into her what he considered requisite, when one of the mencalled out for Newton.

  "D----n Newton now!--save your own lives, my lads. Quick in the boat, allof you."

  "Not without Mr Newton!" cried the men, unanimously. "Jump down, TomWilliams, and see where he is; he must sleep devilish sound."

  The sailor sprung down the companion-hatch, where he found the hawsercoiled against the door, and heard Newton struggling inside. It wasenough. He hastened on deck, and told his companions; adding, that "itwould take half an hour to get the poor fellow out, and that's longerthan we dare stay, for in ten minutes the brig will be to pieces."

  "It is you, you murdering rascal, who did it!" cried the man to Jackson."I tell you what, my lads, if poor Mr Newton is to die, let thisscoundrel keep him company."

  A general shout proclaimed the acquiescence of the other seamen in thisact of retributive justice. Jackson, with a loud oath, attempted tospring into the boat, but was repelled by the seamen; again he made theattempt, with dreadful imprecations. He was on the plane-sheer of thebrig, and about to make a spring, when a blow from a handspike (the samehandspike with which he had murdered the unfortunate seaman) struck himsenseless, and he fell back into the lee-scuppers. The boat then shovedoff, and had not gained more than two cables' lengths from the vessel,when Newton effected his escape, and ran on deck, as narrated in ourlast chapter.

  The brig had now beat up so high on the reef that she remained firmlyfixed upon it; and the tide having ebbed considerably, she was lessexposed to the beating of the waves. The sun was also about to make hisappearance, and it was broad daylight when Jackson first came to hisrecollection. His brain whirled, his ideas were confused, and he hadbut a faint reminiscence of what had occurred. He felt that the waterwashed his feet, and with a sort of instinct he rose, and staggered upto windward. In so doing, without perceiving him, he stumbled over thebody of Newton, who also was roused up by the shock. A few momentspassed before either could regain his scattered senses; and, at the sametime, both sitting up on the deck, at about a yard distant, theydiscovered and recognised each other.

  Newton was the more collected of the two, for Jackson's insensibilityhad been occasioned by bodily--his, by mental concussion. The effect of theblow was still felt by Jackson; and although recovered from the stupor, adull, heavy sensation affected his eyesight, and confused his ideas.

  The sight of Newton went far to recover Jackson, who started up as if tograpple with the object of his hatred. Newton was on his legs at thesame moment, and retreating, seized upon the handspike, which lay on thedeck, close to where Jackson had been struck down, and placed himself inan attitude of defence. Not a word was exchanged between them. Theyremained a few seconds in this position, when Jackson, whose brain wasagain affected by the violence of his feelings, dropped down upon thedeck in a renewed state of insensibility.

  Newton had now time to look about him; and the prospect was anything butcheering. It was almost low water; and in every direction he perceivedreefs of coral rock, and large banks of sand, with deep channels betweenthem, through which the tide flowed rapidly. The reef upon which thebrig had been grounded was of sharp coral; and, in the deeper parts, thetrees could be discerned, extending a submarine forest of boughs; but itwas evident that the reef upon which the vessel lay was, as well as mostof the others, covered at high water. As a means of escape, a small boatwas still hanging over the stern, which Newton was able to manage eitherwith her sails or her oars, as might be required.

  As there was no time to be lost, and the only chance of escape remainedwith the boat, Newton commenced his arrangements. The mast and sailswere found, and the latter bent;--a keg was filled with water,--acompass taken out of the binnacle,--a few pieces of beef, and somebread, collected in a bag and thrown in. He also procured some bottlesof wine and cider from the cabin: these he stowed away carefully in thelittle locker, which was fitted under the stern-sheets of the boat. Inan hour everything was ready; and throwing into her some pieces of sparerope, and a small grapnel to anchor with, there being still sufficientwater alongside to float her, Newton gradually lowered one tackle andthen another, until the boat was safe in the water. He then hauled herup alongside, made her fast by the painter, and stepped her mast.

  All was now ready--but to leave Jackson to be washed away by thereturning tide, when the brig would unquestionably go to pieces!--Newtoncould not do it. True, he had sought his life, and still displayed themost inveterate rancour towards him; and Newton felt convinced that nofuture opportunity would occur that his enemy would not profit by, toinsure his destruction. Yet to leave him--a murderer!--with all his sinsupon his soul, to be launched so unprepared into the presence of anoffended Creator!--it was impossible--it was contrary to his nature andto the religion which he professed. How could he hope for the Divineassistance in his perilous undertaking, when he embarked on it, regardlessof the precept to forgive his enemy?

  Newton ascended to that part of the deck where Jackson lay, and rousedhim. Jackson awoke, as if from a deep sleep, and then stared at Newton,who, as a precaution, held the handspike in his hand.

  "Mr Jackson," said Newton, "I have roused you to let you know that theboat is now ready, and that I am going to shove off."

  Jackson, who recollected the scene of the previous night, and perceivedNewton standing over him with the hand-spike, appeared wholly unnerved. Inpoint of muscular power Newton was his superior, independent of the weaponin his possession.

  "Not without me!--not without me!" cried Jackson, raising himself uponhis knees. "For mercy's sake, Mr Newton, do not leave me to this horriddeath!"

  "You would have left me to one even more dreadful," replied Newton.

  "I beg your pardon!--Pardon me, Mr Newton, I was drunk at thetime--indeed I was. I don't know what I do when I'm in liquor.--Don'tleave me!--I'll obey your orders, and do anything you wish!--I'll waitupon you as your servant!--I will, indeed, Mr Newton!"

  "I neither ask that you will obey my orders, nor wait upon me," repliedNewton. "All I request is, that you will lay aside your wantonanimosity, and exert yourself to save your life. For what you havealready attempted against me, may God forgive you, as I do! For what youmay hereafter attempt, you will find me prepared. Now follow me into theboat."

  Without further exchange of words Newton, followed by Jackson, went intothe boat, and shoved off. The weather was moderate and the wind light.There were two islets which Newton had marked, which apparently were notcovered at high water, one about ten miles distant in the supposeddirection of the land, for Newton had shrewdly guessed the locality ofthe reef; and the other about two miles from the first, further out,with tre
es growing to the water's edge. To this latter Newton proposedpulling, and waiting there until the next morning. When they were bothin the boat, Newton finding that the wind was contrary, unshipped themast, and taking the foremost oar, that Jackson might not sit behindhim, desired him to take the other. The tide, which was now flood, andswept out to the southward, obliged them to pull at an angle to reachtheir intended destination. It was not until sunset that, with greatexertion, they fetched the island nearest to the land, not the one thatwas covered with trees, as they had intended. As soon as the boat wassecured, exhausted with fatigue, they both threw themselves down on thesand, where they remained for some time. Having recovered a little,Newton procured from the boat some of the supplies which they required,and after satisfying their hunger in silence, they both lay down torepose. Newton, who was still afraid of Jackson's diabolical enmity,which his silence implied to be again at work, closed his eyes, andpretended for some time to be asleep. As soon as it was dark, he rose,and first listening to the breathing of his comrade, who appeared to bein a sound slumber, he walked away from him about one hundred yards, sothat it would be difficult to find him; he placed the handspike underhis head for a pillow, and worn out with mental and bodily fatigue, wassoon in a state of oblivion.

  His sleep, although profound for three or four hours, was subsequentlyrestless. The mind, when agitated, watches for the body, and wakes it atthe time when it should be on the alert. Newton woke up: it was not yetdaylight, and all was hushed. He turned round, intending to get upimmediately; yet, yielding to the impulse of wearied nature, he againslumbered. Once he thought that he heard a footstep, roused himself, andlistened; but all was quiet and still, except the light wave rippling onthe sand. Again he was roused by a sort of grating noise; he listened,and all was quiet. A third time he was roused by a sound like theflapping of a sail: he listened--he was sure of it, and he sprang uponhis feet. It was dawn of day, and as he turned his eyes towards thebeach, he perceived to his horror that the boat was indeed under sail,Jackson, who was in it, then just hauling aft the main-sheet, andsteering away from the island. Newton ran to the beach, plunged into thesea, and attempted to regain the boat; but he was soon out of his depth,and the boat running away fast through the water. He shouted to Jacksonas a last attempt. The scoundrel waved his hand in ironical adieu, andcontinued his course.

  "Treacherous villain!" mentally exclaimed Newton, as his eyes followedthe boat. "Was it for this that I preserved your life, in return foryour attempts on mine? Here, then, must I die of starvation!--God's willbe done!" exclaimed he aloud, as he sat down on the beach, and coveredhis face with his hands.