by Walter Scott
CHAPTER XIV.
Hark to the insult loud, the bitter sneer, The fierce threat answering to the brutal jeer; Oaths fly like pistol-shots, and vengeful words Clash with each other like conflicting swords-- The robber's quarrel by such sounds is shown, And true men have some chance to gain their own.
_Captivity, a Poem._
When Cleveland, borne off in triumph from his assailants in Kirkwall,found himself once more on board the pirate-vessel, his arrival washailed with hearty cheers by a considerable part of the crew, who rushedto shake hands with him, and offer their congratulations on his return;for the situation of a Buccanier Captain raised him very little abovethe level of the lowest of his crew, who, in all social intercourse,claimed the privilege of being his equal.
When his faction, for so these clamorous friends might be termed, hadexpressed their own greetings, they hurried Cleveland forward to thestern, where Goffe, their present commander, was seated on a gun,listening in a sullen and discontented mood to the shout which announcedCleveland's welcome. He was a man betwixt forty and fifty, rather underthe middle size, but so very strongly made, that his crew used tocompare him to a sixty-four cut down. Black-haired, bull-necked, andbeetle-browed, his clumsy strength and ferocious countenance contrastedstrongly with the manly figure and open countenance of Cleveland, inwhich even the practice of his atrocious profession had not been able toeradicate a natural grace of motion and generosity of expression. Thetwo piratical Captains looked upon each other for some time in silence,while the partisans of each gathered around him. The elder part of thecrew were the principal adherents of Goffe, while the young fellows,among whom Jack Bunce was a principal leader and agitator, were ingeneral attached to Cleveland.
At length Goffe broke silence.--"You are welcome aboard, CaptainCleveland.--Smash my taffrail! I suppose you think yourself commodoreyet! but that was over, by G--, when you lost your ship, and bed----d!"
And here, once for all, we may take notice, that it was the graciouscustom of this commander to mix his words and oaths in nearly equalproportions, which he was wont to call _shotting_ his discourse. As wedelight not, however, in the discharge of such artillery, we shall onlyindicate by a space like this ---- the places in which these expletivesoccurred; and thus, if the reader will pardon a very poor pun, we willreduce Captain Goffe's volley of sharp-shot into an explosion of blankcartridges. To his insinuations that he was come on board to assume thechief command, Cleveland replied, that he neither desired, nor wouldaccept, any such promotion, but would only ask Captain Goffe for a castof the boat, to put him ashore in one of the other islands, as he had nowish either to command Goffe, or to remain in a vessel under his orders.
"And why not under my orders, brother?" demanded Goffe, very austerely;"-- -- -- are you too good a man, -- -- -- with your cheese-toaster andyour jib there, -- -- to serve under my orders, and be d----d to you,where there are so many gentlemen that are elder and better seamen thanyourself?"
"I wonder which of these capital seamen it was," said Cleveland, coolly,"that laid the ship under the fire of yon six-gun battery, that couldblow her out of the water, if they had a mind, before you could eithercut or slip? Elder and better sailors than I may like to serve undersuch a lubber, but I beg to be excused for my own share, Captain--that'sall I have got to tell you."
"By G--, I think you are both mad!" said Hawkins the boatswain--"ameeting with sword and pistol may be devilish good fun in its way, whenno better is to be had; but who the devil that had common sense, amongsta set of gentlemen in our condition, would fall a quarrelling with eachother, to let these duck-winged, web-footed islanders have a chance ofknocking us all upon the head?"
"Well said, old Hawkins!" observed Derrick the quarter-master, who wasan officer of very considerable importance among these rovers; "I say,if the two captains won't agree to live together quietly, and club bothheart and head to defend the vessel, why, d----n me, depose them both,say I, and choose another in their stead!"
"Meaning yourself, I suppose, Master Quarter-Master!" said Jack Bunce;"but that cock won't fight. He that is to command gentlemen, should be agentleman himself, I think; and I give my vote for Captain Cleveland, asspirited and as gentleman-like a man as ever daffed the world aside, andbid it pass!"
"What! _you_ call yourself a gentleman, I warrant!" retorted Derrick;"why, ---- your eyes! a tailor would make a better out of the worst suitof rags in your strolling wardrobe!--It is a shame for men of spirit tohave such a Jack-a-dandy scarecrow on board!"
Jack Bunce was so incensed at these base comparisons, that without moreado, he laid his hand on his sword. The carpenter, however, andboatswain, interfered, the former brandishing his broad axe, andswearing he would put the skull of the first who should strike a blowpast clouting, and the latter reminding them, that, by their articles,all quarrelling, striking, or more especially fighting, on board, wasstrictly prohibited; and that, if any gentleman had a quarrel to settle,they were to go ashore, and decide it with cutlass and pistol inpresence of two of their messmates.
"I have no quarrel with any one, -- -- --!" said Goffe, sullenly;"Captain Cleveland has wandered about among the islands here, amusinghimself, -- -- --! and we have wasted our time and property in waitingfor him, when we might have been adding twenty or thirty thousanddollars to the stock-purse. However, if it pleases the rest of thegentlemen-adventurers, -- -- --! why, I shall not grumble about it."
"I propose," said the boatswain, "that there should be a general councilcalled in the great cabin, according to our articles, that we mayconsider what course we are to hold in this matter."
A general assent followed the boatswain's proposal; for every one foundhis own account in these general councils, in which each of the rovershad a free vote. By far the greater part of the crew only valued thisfranchise, as it allowed them, upon such solemn occasions, an unlimitedquantity of liquor--a right which they failed not to exercise to theuttermost, by way of aiding their deliberations. But a few amongst theadventurers, who united some degree of judgment with the daring andprofligate character of their profession, were wont, at such periods, tolimit themselves within the bounds of comparative sobriety, and bythese, under the apparent form of a vote of the general council, allthings of moment relating to the voyage and undertakings of the pirateswere in fact determined. The rest of the crew, when they recovered fromtheir intoxication, were easily persuaded that the resolution adoptedhad been the legitimate effort of the combined wisdom of the wholesenate.
Upon the present occasion the debauch had proceeded until the greaterpart of the crew were, as usual, displaying inebriation in all its mostbrutal and disgraceful shapes--swearing empty and unmeaningoaths--venting the most horrid imprecations in the mere gaiety of theirheart--singing songs, the ribaldry of which was only equalled by theirprofaneness; and, from the middle of this earthly hell, the twocaptains, together with one or two of their principal adherents, as alsothe carpenter and boatswain, who always took a lead on such occasions,had drawn together into a pandemonium, or privy council of their own, toconsider what was to be done; for, as the boatswain metaphoricallyobserved, they were in a narrow channel, and behoved to keep soundingthe tide-way.
When they began their consultations, the friends of Goffe remarked, totheir great displeasure, that he had not observed the wholesome rule towhich we have just alluded; but that, in endeavouring to drown hismortification at the sudden appearance of Cleveland, and the receptionhe met with from the crew, the elder Captain had not been able to do sowithout overflowing his reason at the same time. His natural sullentaciturnity had prevented this from being observed until the councilbegan its deliberations, when it proved impossible to hide it.
The first person who spoke was Cleveland, who said, that, so far fromwishing the command of the vessel, he desired no favour at any one'shand, except to land him upon some island or holm at a distance fromKirkwall, and leave him to shift for himself.
The boatswain remon
strated strongly against this resolution. "The lads,"he said, "all knew Cleveland, and could trust his seamanship, as well ashis courage; besides, he never let the grog get quite uppermost, and wasalways in proper trim, either to sail the ship, or to fight the ship,whereby she was never without some one to keep her course when he was onboard.--And as for the noble Captain Goffe," continued the mediator, "heis as stout a heart as ever broke biscuit, and that I will uphold him;but then, when he has his grog aboard--I speak to his face--he is sod----d funny with his cranks and his jests, that there is no living withhim. You all remember how nigh he had run the ship on that cursed Horseof Copinsha, as they call it, just by way of frolic; and then you knowhow he fired off his pistol under the table, when we were at the greatcouncil, and shot Jack Jenkins in the knee, and cost the poor devil hisleg, with his pleasantry."[35]
"Jack Jenkins was not a chip the worse," said the carpenter; "I took theleg off with my saw as well as any loblolly-boy in the land could havedone--heated my broad axe, and seared the stump--ay, by ----! and made ajury-leg that he shambles about with as well as ever he did--for Jackcould never cut a feather."[36]
"You are a clever fellow, carpenter," replied the boatswain, "a d----dclever fellow! but I had rather you tried your saw and red-hot axe uponthe ship's knee-timbers than on mine, sink me!--But that here is not thecase--The question is, if we shall part with Captain Cleveland here, whois a man of thought and action, whereby it is my belief it would beheaving the pilot overboard when the gale is blowing on a lee-shore.And, I must say, it is not the part of a true heart to leave his mates,who have been here waiting for him till they have missed stays. Ourwater is wellnigh out, and we have junketed till provisions are low withus. We cannot sail without provisions--we cannot get provisions withoutthe good-will of the Kirkwall folks. If we remain here longer, theHalcyon frigate will be down upon us--she was seen off Peterhead twodays since,--and we shall hang up at the yard-arm to be sun-dried. Now,Captain Cleveland will get us out of the hobble, if any can. He can playthe gentleman with these Kirkwall folks, and knows how to deal with themon fair terms, and foul, too, if there be occasion for it."
"And so you would turn honest Captain Goffe a-grazing, would ye?" saidan old weatherbeaten pirate, who had but one eye; "what though he hashis humours, and made my eye dowse the glim in his fancies and frolics,he is as honest a man as ever walked a quarter-deck, for all that; andd----n me but I stand by him so long as t'other lantern is lit!"
"Why, you would not hear me out," said Hawkins; "a man might as welltalk to so many negers!--I tell you, I propose that Cleveland shall onlybe Captain from one, _post meridiem_, to five _a. m._, during which timeGoffe is always drunk."
The Captain of whom he last spoke gave sufficient proof of the truth ofhis words, by uttering an inarticulate growl, and attempting to presenta pistol at the mediator Hawkins.
"Why, look ye now!" said Derrick, "there is all the sense he has, to getdrunk on council-day, like one of these poor silly fellows!"
"Ay," said Bunce, "drunk as Davy's sow, in the face of the field, thefray, and the senate!"
"But, nevertheless," continued Derrick, "it will never do to have twocaptains in the same day. I think week about might suit better--and letCleveland take the first turn."
"There are as good here as any of them," said Hawkins; "howsomdever, Iobject nothing to Captain Cleveland, and I think he may help us intodeep water as well as another."
"Ay," exclaimed Bunce, "and a better figure he will make at bringingthese Kirkwallers to order than his sober predecessor!--So CaptainCleveland for ever!"
"Stop, gentlemen," said Cleveland, who had hitherto been silent; "Ihope you will not choose me Captain without my own consent?"
"Ay, by the blue vault of heaven will we," said Bunce, "if it be _probono publico_!"
"But hear me, at least," said Cleveland--"I do consent to take commandof the vessel, since you wish it, and because I see you will ill get outof the scrape without me."
"Why, then, I say, Cleveland for ever, again!" shouted Bunce.
"Be quiet, prithee, dear Bunce!--honest Altamont!" said Cleveland.--"Iundertake the business on this condition that, when I have got the shipcleared for her voyage, with provisions, and so forth, you will becontent to restore Captain Goffe to the command, as I said before, andput me ashore somewhere, to shift for myself--You will then be sure itis impossible I can betray you, since I will remain with you to the lastmoment."
"Ay, and after the last moment, too, by the blue vault! or I mistake thematter," muttered Bunce to himself.
The matter was now put to the vote; and so confident were the crew inCleveland's superior address and management, that the temporarydeposition of Goffe found little resistance even among his ownpartisans, who reasonably enough observed, "he might at least have keptsober to look after his own business--E'en let him put it to rightsagain himself next morning, if he will."
But when the next morning came, the drunken part of the crew, beinginformed of the issue of the deliberations of the council, to which theywere virtually held to have assented, showed such a superior sense ofCleveland's merits, that Goffe, sulky and malecontent as he was, judgedit wisest for the present to suppress his feelings of resentment, untila safer opportunity for suffering them to explode, and to submit to thedegradation which so frequently took place among a piratical crew.
Cleveland, on his part, resolved to take upon him, with spirit andwithout loss of time, the task of extricating his ship's company fromtheir perilous situation. For this purpose, he ordered the boat, withthe purpose of going ashore in person, carrying with him twelve of thestoutest and best men of the crew, all very handsomely appointed, (forthe success of their nefarious profession had enabled the pirates toassume nearly as gay dresses as their officers,) and above all, each manbeing sufficiently armed with cutlass and pistols, and several havingpole-axes and poniards.
Cleveland himself was gallantly attired in a blue coat, lined withcrimson silk, and laced with gold very richly, crimson damask waistcoatand breeches, a velvet cap, richly embroidered, with a white feather,white silk stockings, and red-heeled shoes, which were the extremity offinery among the gallants of the day. He had a gold chain several timesfolded round his neck, which sustained a whistle of the same metal, theensign of his authority. Above all, he wore a decoration peculiar tothose daring depredators, who, besides one, or perhaps two brace ofpistols at their belt, had usually two additional brace, of the finestmounting and workmanship, suspended over their shoulders in a sort ofsling or scarf of crimson ribbon. The hilt and mounting of the Captain'ssword corresponded in value to the rest of his appointments, and hisnatural good mien was so well adapted to the whole equipment, that,when he appeared on deck, he was received with a general shout by thecrew, who, as in other popular societies, judged a great deal by theeye.
Cleveland took with him in the boat, amongst others, his predecessor inoffice, Goffe, who was also very richly dressed, but who, not having theadvantage of such an exterior as Cleveland's, looked like a boorishclown in the dress of a courtier, or rather like a vulgar-faced footpaddecked in the spoils of some one whom he has murdered, and whose claimto the property of his garments is rendered doubtful in the eyes of allwho look upon him, by the mixture of awkwardness, remorse, cruelty, andinsolence, which clouds his countenance. Cleveland probably chose totake Goffe ashore with him, to prevent his having any opportunity,during his absence, to debauch the crew from their allegiance. In thisguise they left the ship, and, singing to their oars, while the waterfoamed higher at the chorus, soon reached the quay of Kirkwall.
The command of the vessel was in the meantime intrusted to Bunce, uponwhose allegiance Cleveland knew that he might perfectly depend, and, ina private conversation with him of some length, he gave him directionshow to act in such emergencies as might occur.
These arrangements being made, and Bunce having been repeatedly chargedto stand upon his guard alike against the adherents of Goffe and anyattempt from the shore, the boat put of
f. As she approached the harbour,Cleveland displayed a white flag, and could observe that theirappearance seemed to occasion a good deal of bustle and alarm. Peoplewere seen running to and fro, and some of them appeared to be gettingunder arms. The battery was manned hastily, and the English coloursdisplayed. These were alarming symptoms, the rather that Cleveland knew,that, though there were no artillerymen in Kirkwall, yet there were manysailors perfectly competent to the management of great guns, and willingenough to undertake such service in case of need.
Noting these hostile preparations with a heedful eye, but sufferingnothing like doubt or anxiety to appear on his countenance, Clevelandran the boat right for the quay, on which several people, armed withmuskets, rifles, and fowlingpieces, and others with half-pikes andwhaling-knives, were now assembled, as if to oppose his landing.Apparently, however, they had not positively determined what measuresthey were to pursue; for, when the boat reached the quay, thoseimmediately opposite bore back, and suffered Cleveland and his party toleap ashore without hinderance. They immediately drew up on the quay,except two, who, as their Captain had commanded, remained in the boat,which they put off to a little distance; a man[oe]uvre which, while itplaced the boat (the only one belonging to the sloop) out of danger ofbeing seized, indicated a sort of careless confidence in Cleveland andhis party, which was calculated to intimidate their opponents.
The Kirkwallers, however, showed the old Northern blood, put a manlyface upon the matter, and stood upon the quay, with their armsshouldered, directly opposite to the rovers, and blocking up againstthem the street which leads to the town.
Cleveland was the first who spoke, as the parties stood thus lookingupon each other.--"How is this, gentlemen burghers?" he said; "are youOrkney folks turned Highlandmen, that you are all under arms so earlythis morning; or have you manned the quay to give me the honour of asalute, upon taking the command of my ship?"
The burghers looked on each other, and one of them replied toCleveland--"We do not know who you are; it was that other man," pointingto Goffe, "who used to come ashore as Captain."
"That other gentleman is my mate, and commands in my absence," saidCleveland;--"but what is that to the purpose? I wish to speak with yourLord Mayor, or whatever you call him."
"The Provost is sitting in council with the Magistrates," answered thespokesman.
"So much the better," replied Cleveland.--"Where do their Worshipsmeet?"
"In the Council-house," answered the other.
"Then make way for us, gentlemen, if you please, for my people and I aregoing there."
There was a whisper among the townspeople; but several were unresolvedupon engaging in a desperate, and perhaps an unnecessary conflict, withdesperate men; and the more determined citizens formed the hastyreflection that the strangers might be more easily mastered in thehouse, or perhaps in the narrow streets which they had to traverse, thanwhen they stood drawn up and prepared for battle upon the quay. Theysuffered them, therefore, to proceed unmolested; and Cleveland, movingvery slowly, keeping his people close together, suffering no one topress upon the flanks of his little detachment, and making four men, whoconstituted his rear-guard, turn round and face to the rear from time totime, rendered it, by his caution, a very dangerous task to make anyattempt upon them.
In this manner they ascended the narrow street and reached theCouncil-house, where the Magistrates were actually sitting, as thecitizen had informed Cleveland. Here the inhabitants began to pressforward, with the purpose of mingling with the pirates, and availingthemselves of the crowd in the narrow entrance, to secure as many asthey could, without allowing them room for the free use of theirweapons. But this also had Cleveland foreseen, and, ere entering thecouncil-room, he caused the entrance to be cleared and secured,commanding four of his men to face down the street, and as many toconfront the crowd who were thrusting each other from above. Theburghers recoiled back from the ferocious, swarthy, and sunburntcountenances, as well as the levelled arms of these desperadoes, andCleveland, with the rest of his party, entered the council-room, wherethe Magistrates were sitting in council, with very little attendance.These gentlemen were thus separated effectually from the citizens, wholooked to them for orders, and were perhaps more completely at the mercyof Cleveland, than he, with his little handful of men, could be said tobe at that of the multitude by whom they were surrounded.
The Magistrates seemed sensible of their danger; for they looked uponeach other in some confusion, when Cleveland thus addressed them:--
"Good morrow, gentlemen,--I hope there is no unkindness betwixt us. I amcome to talk with you about getting supplies for my ship yonder in theroadstead--we cannot sail without them."
"Your ship, sir?" said the Provost, who was a man of sense andspirit,--"how do we know that you are her Captain?"
"Look at me," said Cleveland, "and you will, I think, scarce ask thequestion again."
The Magistrate looked at Kim, and accordingly did not think proper topursue that part of the enquiry, but proceeded to say--"And if you areher Captain, whence comes she, and where is she bound for? You look toomuch like a man-of-war's man to be master of a trader, and we know thatyou do not belong to the British navy."
"There are more men-of-war on the sea than sail under the British flag,"replied Cleveland; "but say that I were commander of a free-trader here,willing to exchange tobacco, brandy, gin, and such like, for cured fishand hides, why, I do not think I deserve so very bad usage from themerchants of Kirkwall as to deny me provisions for my money?"
"Look you, Captain," said the Town-clerk, "it is not that we are so verystrait-laced neither--for, when gentlemen of your cloth come this way,it is as weel, as I tauld the Provost, just to do as the collier didwhen he met the devil,--and that is, to have naething to say to them, ifthey have naething to say to us;--and there is the gentleman," pointingto Goffe, "that was Captain before you, and may be Captain afteryou,"--("The cuckold speaks truth in that," muttered Goffe,)--"he knowswell how handsomely we entertained him, till he and his men took uponthem to run through the town like hellicat devils.--I see one of themthere!--that was the very fellow that stopped my servant-wench on thestreet, as she carried the lantern home before me, and insulted herbefore my face!"
"If it please your noble Mayorship's honour and glory," said Derrick,the fellow at whom the Town-clerk pointed, "it was not I that broughtto the bit of a tender that carried the lantern in the poop--it wasquite a different sort of a person."
"Who was it, then, sir?" said the Provost.
"Why, please your majesty's worship," said Derrick, making several seabows, and describing as nearly as he could, the exterior of the worthyMagistrate himself, "he was an elderly gentleman,--Dutch-built, round inthe stern, with a white wig and a red nose--very like your majesty, Ithink;" then, turning to a comrade, he added, "Jack, don't you think thefellow that wanted to kiss the pretty girl with the lantern t'othernight, was very like his worship?"
"By G--, Tom Derrick," answered the party appealed to, "I believe it isthe very man!"
"This is insolence which we can make you repent of, gentlemen!" said theMagistrate, justly irritated at their effrontery; "you have behaved inthis town, as if you were in an Indian village at Madagascar. Youyourself, Captain, if captain you be, were at the head of another riot,no longer since than yesterday. We will give you no provisions till weknow better whom we are supplying. And do not think to bully us; when Ishake this handkerchief out at the window, which is at my elbow, yourship goes to the bottom. Remember she lies under the guns of ourbattery."
"And how many of these guns are honeycombed, Mr. Mayor?" said Cleveland.He put the question by chance; but instantly perceived, from a sort ofconfusion which the Provost in vain endeavoured to hide, that theartillery of Kirkwall was not in the best order. "Come, come, Mr.Mayor," he said, "bullying will go down with us as little as with you.Your guns yonder will do more harm to the poor old sailors who are towork them than to our sloop; and if we bring a broadside to bear on thetown, why, your wi
ves' crockery will be in some danger. And then to talkto us of seamen being a little frolicsome ashore, why, when are theyotherwise? You have the Greenland whalers playing the devil among youevery now and then; and the very Dutchmen cut capers in the streets ofKirkwall, like porpoises before a gale of wind. I am told you are a manof sense, and I am sure you and I could settle this matter in the courseof a five-minutes' palaver."
"Well, sir," said the Provost, "I will hear what you have to say, if youwill walk this way."
Cleveland accordingly followed him into a small interior apartment, and,when there, addressed the Provost thus: "I will lay aside my pistols,sir, if you are afraid of them."
"D----n your pistols!" answered the Provost, "I have served the King,and fear the smell of powder as little as you do!"
"So much the better," said Cleveland, "for you will hear me the morecoolly.--Now, sir, let us be what perhaps you suspect us, or let us beany thing else, what, in the name of Heaven, can you get by keeping ushere, but blows and bloodshed? For which, believe me, we are much betterprovided than you can pretend to be. The point is a plain one--you aredesirous to be rid of us--we are desirous to be gone. Let us have themeans of departure, and we leave you instantly."
"Look ye, Captain," said the Provost, "I thirst for no man's blood. Youare a pretty fellow, as there were many among the buccaniers in mytime--but there is no harm in wishing you a better trade. You shouldhave the stores and welcome, for your money, so you would make theseseas clear of you. But then, here lies the rub. The Halcyon frigate isexpected here in these parts immediately; when she hears of you she willbe at you; for there is nothing the white lapelle loves better than arover--you are seldom without a cargo of dollars. Well, he comes down,gets you under his stern"----
"Blows us into the air, if you please," said Cleveland.
"Nay, that must be as _you_ please, Captain," said the Provost; "butthen, what is to come of the good town of Kirkwall, that has beenpacking and peeling with the King's enemies? The burgh will be laidunder a round fine, and it may be that the Provost may not come off soeasily."
"Well, then," said Cleveland, "I see where your pinch lies. Now, supposethat I run round this island of yours, and get into the roadstead atStromness? We could get what we want put on board there, withoutKirkwall or the Provost seeming to have any hand in it; or, if it shouldbe ever questioned, your want of force, and our superior strength, willmake a sufficient apology."
"That may be," said the Provost; "but if I suffer you to leave yourpresent station, and go elsewhere, I must have some security that youwill not do harm to the country."
"And we," said Cleveland, "must have some security on our side, that youwill not detain us, by dribbling out our time till the Halcyon is on thecoast. Now, I am myself perfectly willing to continue on shore as ahostage, on the one side, provided you will give me your word not tobetray me, and send some magistrate, or person of consequence, aboardthe sloop, where his safety will be a guarantee for mine."
The Provost shook his head, and intimated it would be difficult to finda person willing to place himself as hostage in such a perilouscondition but said he would propose the arrangement to such of thecouncil as were fit to be trusted with a matter of such weight.
FOOTNOTES:
[35] This was really an exploit of the celebrated Avery the pirate, whosuddenly, and without provocation, fired his pistols under the tablewhere he sat drinking with his messmates, wounded one man severely, andthought the matter a good jest. What is still more extraordinary, hiscrew regarded it in the same light.
[36] A ship going fast through the sea is said to cut a feather,alluding to the ripple which she throws off from her bows.
