The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane Part 25

So here, having fastened the boat, I waited with my sword drawn, feeling pretty safe, for, thanks to the figure of the rocks, no canoe could enter the cove to shoot us down at a distance without pa.s.sing so close that I might lay on them with my sword. This daunted them exceedingly, and though we could hear them hallooing and shouting close at hand, not one ventured to push his canoe beyond the cleft where we lay snug.

Lady Biddy put a bold face on this business; yet as the sun rose, and the whooping and hallooing increased, showing that our enemies were gathering in greater numbers, her eyes betrayed uneasiness. Indeed, I myself did by no means feel so sure of our safety as I pretended. If one canoe contrived to get past me into the inner part of the cove, then might the savages in it shoot us down at their ease. And though hitherto none had dared to slip by, I doubted but presently, by egging each other on with their taunts and cries, one would pluck up courage to make the attempt; then all would depend upon my address, for if but one of those wicked, cruel heathens got by alive with his bow and arrows, as I say, we might measure the length of our existence by minutes.

Nothing is so wearisome and fatiguing as to await the onslaught of a hidden foe. The nerves and muscles must be kept braced up, the mind must never relax its energy, and one's very breath comes with painful labor.

Maybe those savages were wise enough to know this, for though they never ceased to make themselves heard, yet for hours they made no endeavor to do more. But at length, about eight o'clock, as I judge, my ear caught the dash of oars in the water above the din of voices, and the next moment the prow of a canoe shot into sight. And now, first of all, I flings one of my oars out so that it caught against a rock opposite, and another on the hither side, barring the pa.s.sage, and the result of this was that, as the canoe shot forward, the oar catches the first natural in the loins and pitches him forward upon the next, and that one in his turn upon the third, to their great discomfiture; still, the oarsmen (who squat at the stern of the canoes in these parts) pushed forward, notwithstanding this cheek; but by this time I had s.n.a.t.c.hed up my sword, and did lay on with such vigor that only two of the oarsmen out of the four escaped with their lives by backing out the way they ventured in.

Of spear and bow men I believe I cut down five, not to speak of the two oarsmen, and this without getting a scratch myself, nor being any way the worse except for a prodigious sweat in every part.

Lady Biddy had covered her face with her hands when I took up the sword, for her delicate spirit could not abide the sight of bloodshed; and when it was all over she still hid her eyes, so that I was enabled to rinse my hand over the side of the boat unseen, and cleanse it from the blood that trickled down the blade and splashed beyond the cross in this fight. Also I wiped my sword clean, but I perceived pretty clearly I should never again be able to use that blade for cutting up tortuga nor any other manner of meat that my lady was to eat.

This business was hardly concluded when Lady Biddy asks timorously if it is all over.

"Yes," says I, "and I reckon the blackamoors have had enough for this day."

And so it seemed, for after the howling which was set up upon the defeat of the canoe, there was considerably less whooping than before, so that we did begin to comfort ourselves by thinking they had given up the attempt for a bad job, and would soon leave us in peace. But here were we grievously out of our reckoning, as we soon had occasion to know, for as I was sitting myself on a thwart to ease my legs a bit, an arrow flies down betwixt my knees, and sticks bolt upright in the bottom of the boat.

Now this I did think to make light of as a curious accident, deeming that a savage had fired up in the air and that his arrow had fallen thus nigh me by chance; but the next minute a second arrow falls but a foot away from the first, and then a third and fourth plump down in the water alongside the boat with a noise like great hailstones. Then casting my eyes up I perceived a row of these red savages along the edge of the cliff above. Not a minute did I lose, but s.n.a.t.c.hing up the lug-sail I cast one side over the rocks beside us in such a manner as it formed a kind of roof over Lady Biddy's head; and though more than one arrow stuck in the canvas while this was a-doing, yet got I never so much as a graze, which shows how Providence does favor Christians, to the mortification of the heathen.

This being done I crept under the shelter beside Lady Biddy; yet was I careful to see that my oar still barred the pa.s.sage well, and that my sword was ready to my hand in case of need.

The arrows came now thicker than ever; but though some came through the sail, yet was their force so broken that they could do us no mischief.

Seeing this, the savages gave over presently. Yet by the clatter they made with their kind of conversation above, I was fearful that they were only seeking to do us some fresh injury; nor did they keep us waiting long to perceive the turn their ingenuity had taken.

CHAPTER x.x.xIII.

WE ARE LIKE TO BE CRUSHED UNDER A HUGE ROCK.

We were, I say, not long in ignorance of their intent. First of all there came some loose earth dropping in the water, and after that some little stones rattled down the side of the cliff, and then a bigger rock leaped down beside our boat, splas.h.i.+ng the water in our faces. Upon my clapping my eye to one of the holes in the sail made by an arrow, I spied the rabble of savages above pus.h.i.+ng at a huge rock and prising it with sticks and the poles of their spears. This rock was of a prodigious size, weighing, as I judged, many tons, and was lodged on a shelf of the cliff right over our heads. Every time they heaved together at this, some corner broke off and bounded down into the sea; and the main body, losing each time something of its support, yielded more and more, so that it swayed to and fro most terrible to behold.

Seeing this, my courage left me altogether; for what availed my arm and manhood against such an engine as this? My tell-tale face and quaking limbs struck terror into Lady Biddy's heart, so that she had no power to raise her voice above a whisper.

"What is it--what is it, Benet?" she asks, laying her hand on my arm.

And all I could answer was, "Lord help us!" as I dropped on my knees.

At this instant there sounded above a sharp snap, and this was followed by a terrific noise of rocks grating together, a huge shout from the savages, then a deafening clap like the first discharge of a peal of thunder, and with that there fell on us a terrible darkness, as if a cloud had suddenly hidden up the sun.

Then I counted our last moment had come, and with one last thought of my dear lady, I sprang to my feet and threw up my arms above her head, which was the mad folly of despair and no more, for my arms, had they been of iron or bra.s.s, must have bent and broken like reeds under the shock of such a vast ma.s.s.

As my hands touched the canvas it was torn down by a stone as big as a firkin, which, pitching into the sea, did raise a wave that half-filled the boat. Yet was I amazed that we yet lived, and perplexed to know what had become of the great rock, till, casting my eye up, I perceived it had stuck between the two walls of our fissure like a wedge, and so hung suspended over us. But it was fearful to observe, through the cloud of dust that filled the cove, how this monstrous block did now and then break from its hold, with a noise like a great gun firing, as some portion of its edge splintered off, flying in fragments to the right and left, the great ma.s.s threatening with each rupture to give way and bury us beneath it at the bottom of the sea. Indeed, it was in my heart to wish it would descend at one sweep rather than come down little by little to our destruction, for the suspense and terror of watching our coming doom were most horrible and fearful.

Those above, seeing that it wanted but a little to dislodge it from its position, now began to hurl big stones upon it, as we could plainly tell by the sound which echoed from it, as the noise of a galloping horse upon a bridge strikes the ear of one below. And at each blow this rock crumbled and shattered at its edge, showering down rubble all around us.

Lady Biddy clung trembling to my arm, and though it was frightful to a degree to stand there, helpless, watching the approach of death, yet could we not turn our eyes from it, nor think of aught else. Otherwise, had I made a bold stroke to escape by shoving out of the cleft into the open and running the gauntlet, maugre the arrows of the savages waiting for us without; but, indeed, we were paralyzed with fear, and I not less than Lady Biddy.

Of a sudden we heard the report of a musket, and instantly the babel of savage shouting and whooping was stilled as if by enchantment; nor were any more stones hurled down on the rock above us.

For a little s.p.a.ce we stood feeble and trembling, as if spent with violent exertion; but the silence continuing, and the rock above ceasing to labor, I plucked up heart, and bethought me to get out of that cove, no matter what befell us afterwards. So in a twinkling I loosed the boat, and, shoving out of the cleft, I turned about and drew through the narrow opening and out of the shadow of that accursed rock. And being now in the open we saw nothing of the Indians, but only their canoes lying up on the beach about a quarter of a mile to the east; neither were any of those heathens to be seen on the top of the cliff whence the great rock had been hurled down. This would have struck us with wonder and excited our curiosity at any other time, but just then we had no room in our b.r.e.a.s.t.s to harbor any feeling but that of profound and devout grat.i.tude for our marvelous preservation. Looking at me very tenderly, Lady Biddy clasped her hands in her lap and bowed her head, while I, resting my arms on the oars, drew a deep breath which my lungs did seem sorely to need, for, as it seemed to me, I had not drawn breath freely for many hours.

While we sat thus, the boat gently tossing on the waves, I heard a voice hailing us, and turning about I spied a couple of men, decently clothed and armed with muskets like good Christians, standing amidst the rocks to the west of the cove. Seeing they were perceived, they held up their hands and beckoned us to draw nigh.

"It is they who have saved us from the savages," cries Lady Biddy with joy; "they are friends."

"That remains to be seen," says I, still resting on my oars and regarding them. "To my mind they look very like Spaniards."

"And if they are, may we not trust them, Benet?" says she, with some concern.

"I am of two minds about it," says I; "and for my own part I should feel just as content to pull out of reach of their muskets as to get within reach of their swords."

"Nay, you have a sword also, Benet, and are a match for two such little fellows as they."

"There are but two as we can see, that's certain," says I; "but we know not how many may lurk within call. Englishmen they are not, I will vow."

"Nor pirates," says Lady Biddy, as much as to tell me that all Englishmen are not angels.

"No," says I; "but they may be no better than pirates. In a word, I do fear they may turn out to be friends of Rodrigues from that town he spoke of."

"As you will, Benet," says she; "but," she adds, with a sigh, "they look very civil, pretty little fellows."

I hesitated still; for though I was dearly tempted to yield to Lady Biddy's evident desire, yet I knew that I was answerable for her life and welfare.

The men hailed us again, and one turned his musket upside down, while the other pulls out his white handkerchief and waves it in sign of peace.

"I do think they are Italian," says Lady Biddy, with hope lighting up her eyes again.

That decided me, and so, forgetting her welfare, I pulled towards the rocks to prevent those sweet eyes filling with tears, which was a weak part to be played by a strong man, and nothing to my credit.

Coming to the rocks, yet standing off a little from the sh.o.r.e, we began a parley; but, Lord! we might have held our peace, for I could speak but English with a smattering of Dutch. They tried one or two tongues that were without meaning to our ears, and Lady Biddy got on no better with speaking French and Italian. However, this jargon did so tickle us that we could not help but laugh, which put us in good humor one with another; so, to cut a long story short, taking their gestures to mean that they would die rather than injure a hair of our heads, and that they sought only to lead us to where we might get good treatment and run no risk of being further molested by savages, we resolved to put ourselves in their hands; so, running the boat ash.o.r.e in a convenient part, we landed, and after I had buckled on my sword we signed to our friends to lead the way.

Near to that spot was a path cut in the cliff, and coming to the top we found ourselves in a fine level country, stretching away to the hills behind which rose the mountains. This champaign was cultivated with a kind of corn and divers other crops of strange plants, which comforted us with the hope of getting Christian entertainment. A fairly good path lay between the fields and the edge of the cliff, and this we followed in an easterly direction, pa.s.sing that part where the barbarians had thrust down the rock upon us, as also a little village of huts hard by where the canoes were stranded. Pointing down at these huts our guides gave us to understand in dumb show that the savages were slaves, and would surely be punished for their attempt upon our lives; indeed, on our way we saw above a score of armed men amidst the corn following the furrows, to see if any of those wretches lay hid there, and heard many a yell as they were dragged to light and carried off to be whipped.

These cries did pierce Lady Biddy's tender and forgiving heart, and she urged many good reasons for their excuse: as that we must not expect mercy from those whom we treat without pity; that they must look upon all white people as their enemies and oppressors, since, but for us, they would still be free and happy in their native woods; that as it is our instinct to destroy the reptile or brute that would do us harm, so was it natural to them for their own preservation to take the lives of such as might one day become their tyrants, and sunder the wife from her husband, the child from its parent, for their own mercenary ends, etc., which gentle arguments did greatly soften that evil spirit of vengeance that stirred within me.

CHAPTER x.x.xIV.

IN WHICH PROVIDENCE, NOT TO BE ALWAYS SCOURGING OF US, PROVIDES US WITH GOOD ENTERTAINMENT.

After marching best part of an hour we came to a storehouse and farm, where our guide procured mules (to Lady Biddy's great relief and my contentment), and with this help we came about eleven o'clock to a small town, build on the side of a hill, at the mouth of a fair river, and covered by a stout fortress; and here were we conducted at once to the house of the governor, which stood in the midst of a fine garden, as pretty a seat as one could hope to see in such an outlandish part. After waiting in the courtyard, where we dismounted, some little while, the servant who had carried a message from our two friends (as I may call those fellows to whom we owed our lives) came back, and led us through a gateway into the midst of the garden, where on a fair green lawn, under the shade of a striped sheet of silk, fastened with colored cords (very fine) to high palmettos at the four corners of the green, sat half a dozen gentlemen and a lady about a table, on which was spread a repast that set my mouth watering. The gentlemen were all very handsomely dressed in the Spanish mode, and the lady (who was the governor's wife) was also very richly arrayed in a lace farthingale, but as ugly a woman of fifty or thereabouts as ever I did see; and particularly insolent, for ere we had got near her by five yards she held up her hand to bid us stay; and, clapping a scent-bottle to her hooky nose, put on an expression of loathing and disgust, as though we had been dirty dogs.

This disdain, however, was by no means obvious in the rest of the company, who, taking but slight notice of me, did gaze at Lady Biddy as though they would stare her out of countenance; so that I know not if I was better pleased with their impudence than with the old tabby's insolence.

The governor, who was as handsome as his wife was ordinary, with a snow-white beard and mustaches, but jet black eyebrows over his soft dark eyes, made a slight inclination of his head to Lady Biddy (as much as he dared in his wife's presence), and, turning to our friends, spoke to them, asking (as I guess) how we had fallen into their hands: whereupon the fellows, with their hats in their hands, very humbly laid the whole matter before him, the gentlemen listening with growing astonishment, glancing from the speakers to me, and then to Lady Biddy, while the governor's wife, fanning herself with a tuft of marabout, from time to time put in a word to our disadvantage, as I conceived by her gestures. When the men had made an end of their history, the governor, turning to me spoke a word or two in Portuguese--for I learnt afterwards that all the company were Portugals--to which I answered in English till he stopped me with a shrug of his shoulders, when I tried him in low Dutch; but he only shook his head at that. Then Lady Biddy, in her sweet, clear voice, ventured a word or two in Italian, as being something like the language he spoke. Upon which the governor, with a very amiable smile, replied in the same tongue, and my lady proceeded in telling our story.