Newton Forster; Or, The Merchant Service

by Frederick Marryat

  VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

  The sea-breach'd vessel can no longer bear The floods that o'er her burst in dread career. The labouring hull already seems half fill'd With water, through an hundred leaks distill'd: Thus drench'd by every wave, her riven deck, Stript and defenceless, floats a naked wreck. FALCONER.

  Newton remained at Bridgetown, under the roof of Mr Kingston, for morethan three weeks, by which time the brig was laden, and waiting forconvoy to proceed to England.

  Mr Berecroft had made every preparation for his voyage, when anunexpected circumstance occurred, which eventually proved the occasionof great hardship and danger to Newton. This was, the master of a largeship, belonging to the same owners, and then lying in Carlisle Bay, toproceed homeward by the same convoy, had so ingratiated himself with awealthy widow residing upon the island, that rather than he should againtrust himself to the fickle element, she had been induced to surrenderup to him her plantation, her negroes, and her fair self, all equallybound to honour and obey through their future lives.

  Mr Berecroft, in consequence of this resignation of his brothercaptain, was appointed to the command of the larger vessel; and Jackson,the first-mate, ordered to take the command of the Eliza and Jane. Thiswas a sad blow to Newton, and one which he could not avoid, as MrBerecroft could not take him in his new ship, all the sub ordinatesituations being already filled up.

  At first, he was inclined to quit the brig; but by the advice of MrBerecroft and Kingston, he was persuaded to go the passage home, as hewas now first-mate of the vessel, and would incur forfeiture of allwages if he broke the articles which he had signed at Liverpool.Unpleasant as the prospect was, he was further induced by Berecroft'sassurance, that now Jackson was provided for, he would arrange with theowners that Newton should be appointed the first-mate of his own ship,as soon as they arrived in England.

  In a few days the men-of-war made their appearance. Newton who hadremained on shore until the last moment, shook hands with his friendlypatron, and thanking Mr Kingston for his kindness, went on board of thevessel with a sorrowful and foreboding heart.

  Nor was he at all inclined to cheer up as he stepped on the deck of thebrig, and beheld Jackson with a handspike, still brandishing over hishead, standing across the body of one of the seamen, whom he had justdashed to the deck with the implement in his hand. At the sight ofNewton, the wrath of the new captain appeared to be increased. He eyedhim malevolently, and then observed with a sneer, "that's what allskulkers may expect on board of my vessel."

  Newton made no answer, and Jackson went forward, where the remainder ofthe crew were heaving up the anchor with the windlass. Newton walked upto the seaman, who appeared still insensible, and examined him. Theiron plate at the end of the handspike had cut deep into the skull, andthere was every appearance of a contusion of the brain.

  Calling the boy who attended the cabin, Newton, with his assistance,carried the man below and laid him in his berth. He then repaired ondeck, and took the helm, the anchor of the brig being a-trip. In aquarter of an hour the sail was on her, and she followed the coursesteered by the men-of-war, who were about to run through the otherislands, and pick up several vessels, who were for their protection.

  "If you expect an easy berth, as first-mate, you are mistaken, myjoker," said Jackson to Newton, as he steered the vessel; "you'veskulked long enough, and shall now work double tides, or take theconsequence. If you don't, I'll be damned!"

  "I shall do my duty, Mr Jackson," replied Newton, "and fear noconsequences."

  "Indeed! you saw how I settled a skulk just now;--beware of his fate!"

  "I neither anticipate it nor fear it, Mr Jackson. If it comes to handspikes, two can play at that game. I rather think that before manyhours are over you will be sorry for your violence, for I believe thatman to be in considerable danger. Even now, I should recommend you todemand surgical assistance from the frigate."

  "Demand it, if you dare--I am captain of this ship, sir. The rascal maydie and be damned!"

  To this disgusting speech Newton made no reply. He had made up his mindto put up with every thing short of downright aggression, and for threedays more, he obeyed all orders, however arbitrary and however annoying.During this period the man who had been injured became gradually worse;his illness increased rapidly, and on the fifth day he became deliriousand in a state of high fever, when Newton again pointed out thepropriety of asking surgical aid from one of the men-of-war. Thissuggestion was answered by Jackson, who was now really alarmed, with avolley of oaths and execrations, ending with a fiat refusal. The crewof the brig murmured, and collected together forward, lookingoccasionally at the men-of-war as they spoke in whispers to each other;but they were afraid of Jackson's violence, and none ventured to speakout. Jackson paced the deck in a state of irritation and excitement ashe listened to the ravings of his victim, which were loud enough to beheard all over the vessel. As the evening closed, the men, taking theopportunity of Jackson's going below, went up to Newton, who was walkingaft, and stated their determination that the next morning, whether themaster consented to it or not, they would hail the frigate, and demandsurgical assistance for their shipmate. In the midst of the colloquyJackson, who hearing the noise overhead of the people coming aft, had asuspicion of the cause, and had been listening at the bottom of theladder to what was said, came up the hatchway, and accusing Newton ofattempting to raise a mutiny, ordered him immediately to his cabin,stating his intention of sending him on board of the frigate the nextmorning to be placed in confinement.

  "I shall obey your order," replied Newton, "as you are in command ofthis vessel. I only hope that you will adhere to your resolution ofcommunicating with the frigate." So saying, he descended the companionhatch.

  But Jackson, who, both from the information of the cabin-boy, and thefact that the incoherent ravings of his victim became hourly morefeeble, thought himself in jeopardy, had no such intention. As thenight closed in, he remained on deck gradually taking off first one sailand then another, until the brig was left far astern of the rest of theconvoy, and the next morning there was no other vessel in sight; then,on pretence of rejoining them, he made all sail, at the same timechanging his course, so as to pass between two of the islands. Newtonwas the only one on board who understood navigation besides Jackson, andtherefore the only one who could prove that he was escaping from theconvoy. He was in confinement below; and the men, whatever may havebeen their suspicions, could not prove that they were not steering asthey ought.

  About twelve o'clock on that day the poor sailor breathed his last.Jackson, who was prepared for the event, had already made up his mindhow to proceed. The men murmured, and proposed securing Jackson as aprisoner, and offering the command to Newton. They went below and madethe proposal to him; but he refused, observing that until it was provedby the laws of the land that Jackson had murdered their shipmate, he wasnot guilty, and therefore they had no right to dispossess him of hiscommand; and until their evidence could be taken by some of theauthorities he must remain; further pointing out to them, that as hecould be seized immediately upon his arrival at an English port, orfalling in with a man-of-war during their passage, the ends of justicewould be equally answered, as if they committed themselves by taking thelaw into their own hands.

  The men, although not satisfied, acquiesced, and returned to their dutyon deck. Jackson's conduct towards them was now quite altered; he notonly treated them with lenity, but supplied them with extra liquor andother indulgences, which, as captain, he could command. Newton,however, he still detained under an arrest, watching him most carefullyeach time that he was necessitated to come on deck. The fact was,Jackson, aware that his life would be forfeited to the laws of hiscountry, had resolved to wreck the brig, upon one of the reefs to thenorthward, then take to his boats, and escape to one of the Frenchislands. At this instigation, the body of the man had been thrownoverboard by some of the crew, when they were in a state of halfintoxication.

&
nbsp; Newton, who had been below four days, had retired as usual to hishammock, when a sudden shock, accompanied by the fall of the masts bythe board, woke him from a sound sleep to all the horrors of shipwreck.The water pouring rapidly through the sides of the vessel, proved to himthat there was no chance of escape except by the boats. The shriek, soawful when raised in the gloom of night by seamen anticipating immediatedeath, the hurried footsteps above him, the confusion of many voices,with the heavy blows from the waves against the side of the vessel, toldhim that danger was imminent, even if escape were possible. He drew onhis trousers, and rushed to the door of his cabin. Merciful Heaven!what was his surprise, his horror, to find that it was fastened outside.A moment's thought at the malignity of the wretch (for it was indeedJackson, who, during the night, had taken such steps for hisdestruction) was followed by exertions to escape. Placing his shouldersagainst his sea-chest, and his feet against the door, his body in nearlya horizontal position, he made a violent effort to break open the door.The lock gave way, but the door did not open more than one or twoinches, for Jackson to make sure had coiled down against it a hawserwhich lay a few yards further forward in the steerage, the weight ofwhich the strength of no five men could remove. Maddened with the ideaof perishing by such treachery, Newton again exerted his frantic effortsagain and again without success. Between each pause, the voices of theseamen asking for the oars and other articles belonging to the longboat, proved to him that every moment of delay was a _nail_ in hiscoffin. Again and again were his efforts repeated with almostsuperhuman strength; but the door remained fixed as ever. At last, itoccurred to him that the hawser, which he had previously ascertained bypassing his hand through the small aperture which he had made, mightonly lay against the lower part of the door, and that the upper partmight be _free_. He applied his strength above, and found the door toyield: by repeated attempts he at last succeeded in kicking the upperpanels to pieces, and having forced his body through the aperture,Newton rushed on deck with the little strength he had remaining.

  The men--the boat--were not there: he hailed, but they heard him not; hestrained his eyes--but they had disappeared in the gloom of the night;and Newton, overcome with exhaustion and disappointment, fell downsenseless on the deck.