Part 17 (1/2)
In aabout hier, though it was not possible he could comprehend the precise mode of his execution I went to hi upward, as much as to say his whole trust was now in the Great Spirit The Indian understood nified composure, like one every way prepared to meet his fate It is not probable, with his habits, that he saw any peculiar hardshi+p in his own case; for he had, doubtless, sacrificed many a prisoner under circumstances of less exasperation than that which his own conduct had provoked
”Let two of the 'niggers' take a turn with the end of the whip round the chap's neck,” said Marble, too dignified to turn Jack Ketch in person, and unwilling to set any of the white searacious an office
The cook, Joe, and another black, soon perfor duty, froether escapes
I now perceived S to comprehend the nature of the fate that awaited him The deeply-seated principle within him, caused a dark shadow to pass over a countenance already so gloo and exposure; and he turned his look wistfully towards Marble, at whose command each order in succession had been obeyed Our new captain caught that gaze, and I was, for a single o But Marble had persuaded hireat act of nautical justice; nor was he aware, hieance
”Say!” he called out; and S at the yard-arm in a few seconds
A block of wood could not have been e, after one quivering shudder of suffering had escaped it
There it hung, like a jewel-block, and every sign of life was soon taken away In a quarter of an hour, athe rope, the body fell, with a sharp plunge, into the water, and disappeared
At a later day, the account of this affair found its way into the newspapers at home A few ality and necessity of the proceedings, pretending that ood was done to the cause of sacred justice by such disregard of law and principles; but the feeling of trade, and the security of shi+ps when far from home, were motives too powerful to be put down by the still, quiet reht The abuses to which such practices would be likely to lead, in cases in which one of the parties constituted hied in vain against the active and ever-stiold Still, I knew that Marble wished the thing undone when it was too late, it being idle to think of quieting the suggestions of that monitor God has implanted within us, by the ht and wrong by their own narrow standard of interest
CHAPTER XV
_1st Lord_--”Throca o, villianda par corbo, cargo”
_Par_--”O! ransome, ransome:--Do not hide mine eyes”
_1st Sold_--”Boskos Throie--”
_All's Well That Ends Well_
The Crisis was tacked, as soon as the body of S a melancholy silence, out of the little haven I never witnessed stronger evidence of sadness in the evolutions of a vessel; the slow and stately departure reserave on which they had just heard the fall of the clod Marble told me afterwards, he had been disposed to anchor, and remain until the body of poor Captain Williaht hours; but the dread of a necessity of sacrificing more of the natives, induced hi the last duties to our worthy old coretted we did not remain, for I think no Indian would have come near us, had we continued in the harbour a h-noon when the shi+p once more issued into the broad bosom of the Pacific The as at south-east, and as we drew off fro an offing of ten or twelve -sails, and we stood to the southward and ard under a press of canvass
Every one saw in this change, a deterret the measure, for our trade had been quite successful, down to the moment of the seizure, but could hardly be prosperous after what had passed I had not been consulted in the affair at all, but the second- the watch, I was now summoned to the cabin, and let into the secret of our future movements I found Marble seated at the cabin table, with Captain Willia-desk open before him, and sundry papers under exaford,” said the new nity andthe old ht in leaving these hang-gallows rascals to the our course to the next point of destination As it is, the shi+p has done surprisingly well There are 67,370 good Spaniards down in the run, and that for goods which I see are invoiced at just 26,240; and when you consider that no duties, port-charges, or commissions are to be deducted, but that the dollars under our feet are all our oithout any drawbacks, I call the operation a good one Then that blundering through the Straits, though it ht than a bold push for a quick passage, did us a wonderful deal of good, shoving us ahead near a month in time It has put us so much ahead of our calculations, indeed, that I would cruise for Frenchmen for five or six weeks, were there the least probability that one of the chaps was to the ard of the Horn Such not being the fact, however, and there still being a very long road before us, I have thought it best to push for the next point of destination Read that page of the owner's idees, Mr Wallingford, and you will get their advice for just such a situation as that in which we find ourselves”
The passage pointed out by Captain Marble was somewhat parenthetical, and was simply intended to aid Captain Willia able to accoe It had a place in the instructions, indeed, solely on account of a suggestion of Marble's hi one of those favourite scheh thick or thin, until they get to be ruling thoughts On Captain Willia been to proceed to the Sandwich Islands for sandalwood, which was the course then usually pursued by North-West traders, after quitting the coast The parenthetical project, however, was to touch at the last island, procure a few divers, and proceed in quest of certain islands where it was supposed the pearl fishery would succeed Our shi+p was altogether too large, and every way too expensive, to be risked in such an adventure, and so I told the ex-mate without any scruple But this fishery was a ”fixed idea,” a quick road to wealth, in the new captain's h siard it as the great object of the voyage Such it was in his eyes, and such it ought to be, as he iined, in those of the owners
Marble had excellent qualities in his way, but he was not fit to command a shi+p No man could stow her better, fit her better, sail her better, take better care of her in heavy weather, or navigate her better; and yet he wanted the judge the property that must be committed to his care, and he had no more ideas of commercial thrift, than if he had never been employed in any of the concerns of commerce
This was, in truth, the reason he had never risen any higher in his profession, the mercantile instinct--one of the liveliest andhis different owners that he was already in the berth nature and art had best qualified hiet to be, on the subject of ment, such as it was at nineteen, was opposed to the opinion of the captain I could see that the contingency contemplated by the instructions had not arisen, and that we should be acting more in confor to the Sandwich Islands in quest of sandal-wood, and thence to China, after a cargo of teas Marble was not to be convinced, however, though I think ht have been the result, it is difficult to say, had not chance befriended the views of each of us, respectively It is proper to add, that Marble availed hiht into the cabin as third-reatly in this addition to our little circle on the quarter-deck, Talcott being a e than the two others, and united to me by unusual ties since our common adventure in the prize I was not only rejoiced to be able to associate with hi, but roup occupied a very different place, in the opinions of the world, in the year 1800, from that it fills to-day Still it had made some small advances in civilization since the time of Cook I am told there are churches, taverns, billiard-tables, and stone dwellings in these islands nohich are fast turning to the Christian religion, and obtaining the uery, law and comfort, that is known as civilization It was far different then, our reception being bythose who first ca, belonging to Boston, whose vessel had got on a reef, and bilged He intended to remain by the wreck, but wished to dispose of a considerable amount of sandal-wood that was still in his vessel, and for the safety of which he was under great concern, as the first gale of wind ht scatter it to the winds of the ocean If he could obtain a fresh stock of goods to trade on, he proposed re to the same owners, which was expected in a few months, should arrive, on board which vessel he intended to e he could save from the wreck, and such wood as he could purchase in the interiht, when he returned froements all completed
”Luck is with us, Master Miles,” he said, ”and we'll be off for theht all the sandal-wood in the wreck, paying in trumpery, and at prices only about double Indian trade, and ill heave up, and carry the shi+p round to the wreck, and begin to take in this afternoon There is capital holding-ground inside the reef, and the shi+p can be safely carried within a hundred fathoo!”
All turned out as Marble had hoped and predicted, and the Crisis was back at her anchorage in front of the village, which is now the city of Honolulu, within the week na procured four of the best divers going, we sailed in quest of Captain Marble's Eldorado of pearls I was less opposed to the scheme than I had been, for ere now so much in advance of our ti the islands, previously to sailing for China Our course was to the south-west, crossing the line in about 170 west longitude There was a clear sea, for ht, while ere near the equator, the shi+p h was I to hear the order given to turn ain; for the heat was oppressive, and this was inclining towards our route to China We had been out from Owyhee, as it was then usual to call the island where Cook was killed--Hawaii, as it is called to-day--we had been out from this island, about a , in ood humour, and broke out as follows:--