Part 87 (1/2)
R [sans-serif R]
+ [plus sign] ]
He then turned, and stood for aHis face turned livid, his arms clutched violently at the seat of his chair, his jaw fell, and his eyes were fixed on the er appeared to take no notice of him
”These marks,” said he, ”were, or rather are, upon the back of a friend ofto tell a little story
”The first (/|) is the Queen's mark, put on certain prisoners out in Botany Bay, who are totally insubordinate
”The second (R) signifies 'run away,' and is put on those who have attempted to escape
”The third (+) indicates athe culprit they put this on, and those who are branded in this way have nothing but hard work, in chains for life
”These marks are on the back of a friend of mine, whose name I need not mention, but for convenience sake I will call him Clark”
Clark didn't even resent this, but sat mute, with a face of awful expectation
”My friend Clark had led a life of strange vicissitudes,” said the stranger, ”having slipped through the reat nuht, and sent to Botany Bay He served his time out, and left; but, finally, after a series of very extraordinary adventures in India, and soland Bad luck followed hiht, convicted, and sent back again to his old station at Botany Bay
”Of course he felt a strong reluctance to stay in such a place, and therefore began to plan an escape; he made one attempt, which was unsuccessful He then laid a plot with two other notorious offenders
Each of these three had been branded with those letters which I have marked One of these was named Stubbs, and another Wilson, the third was this Clark No one kne they ulations are very strict; but; they did et rid of the chains that were fastened around their ankles, and one storht they started off and uards were out in pursuit with dogs They went all day long on their track over a very rough country, and finally caht
”On rising early on the followingon the top of a hill on the opposite side of the river On watching it narrowly they saw three itives kept well ahead, however, as was natural; and since they were running for life and freedom they made a better pace
”But they were pretty orn out They had taken no provisions with them, and had not calculated on so close a pursuit They kept ahead as best they could, and at last reached a narrow river that ran down between cliffs through a gully to the sea The cliffs on each side were high and bold But they had to cross it; so down on one side they went, and up the other
”Clark and Stubbs got up first Wilson was just reaching the top when the report of a gun was heard, and a bullet struck hi to keep up with his coht ca where they were going, Wilson in an agony trying to keep up with the they snatched a little rest under a rock near a brook and then hurried forward
”For two daysout of reach of their pursuers, yet still knowing that they were followed, or at least fearing it They had gone over a wild country along the coast, and keeping a northward direction At length, after four days of wandering, they came to a little creek by the sea-shore There were three houses here belonging to fishermen They rushed into the first hut and implored food and drink The ave them what they had They were terrified at the aspect of these wretched htened by hardshi+p, farim as they were, they seemed more terrible than three wild beasts The women knew that they were escaped convicts
[Illustration: HE TOOK HIS CHARCOAL AND MADE UPON THE WALL THE FOLLOWING MARKS]
”There was a boat lying on the beach To this the first thoughts of the fugitives were directed They filled a cask of water and put it on board They dehtened woave them soe for theave the alarm
”Their pursuers were upon them They had to run for it at once They had barely tiet out a little distance when the guard reached the bench The latter fired a few shots after theitives put out to sea in the open boat They headed north, for they hoped to catch some Australian shi+p and be taken up Their provisions were soon exhausted Fortunately it was the rainy season, so that they had a plentiful supply of water, hich they ed to keep their cask filled; but that did not prevent theonies of faan to look at Wilson with looks that entle Wilson was the weakest of the three, and therefore was at their mercy They tried, however, to catch fish It was of no use There seemed to be no fish in those seas, or else the bits of bread crumb which they put doere not an attractive bait