Dick Cheveley Part 25

"You have had a narrow escape, my laddie," observed Mr McTavish. "It will be a lesson to you not to swim about in these lat.i.tudes."

Not many other incidents worth relating occurred for some time.

We touched at Valparaiso, where we discharged some of our cargo, and afterwards at Callao, where we got rid of a still larger quant.i.ty. We also put into Paita farther north. As goods brought in English vessels were subject to a very high duty, or were altogether prohibited, they were smuggled on sh.o.r.e. Had I been so disposed I might on two or three occasions have made good my escape, but I was relying on the promise of Mr McTavish. From the coast of Peru we steered to the Sandwich Islands, of which I should like to give a description. We there took on board three of the natives, to supply the place of the men who had been lost. The king and a brace of queens, besides several chiefs and a number of white men, visited the s.h.i.+p. The king and his brown consorts came in a large double canoe, formed by las.h.i.+ng two canoes together separated by bars. Each canoe was paddled by twenty or thirty men. On the bars was raised a kind of seat, on which the ladies reposed.

Raised considerably higher than his consorts was a sort of throne placed on the top of a large arm-chest full of muskets, and on this his Sandwich Island Majesty was seated in regal state. In front of him stood a dark-skinned native, carrying a handsome silver hanger in imitation of the sword-bearers of European monarchs; behind the king sat a boy holding a basin of dark-brown wood, in which his Majesty ever and anon spat abundantly. Instead of a crown the king's head was covered by an old beaver hat. His coat was of coa.r.s.e woven cloth of ancient cut, with large metal b.u.t.tons. His waistcoat was of brown velvet, which had once been black, while a pair of short, tight, and well-worn velveteen pantaloons, worsted stockings, and thick-soled shoes covered his lower extremities. His s.h.i.+rt and cravat had been once probably white, but had attained the hue of his own swarthy skin.

On coming on deck he shook hands with every one he met between the gangway and cabin, a.s.suring them of his affection. I had to attend at the dinner, to which the royal party were invited. The ladies, however, had to sit aside, the king taking his place at the table at the right hand of the captain, while the minister, who carried his saliva bowl, squatted behind him. He ate voraciously, and washed down the solids with numerous gla.s.ses of Madeira. He drank the health of each person present, finis.h.i.+ng well-nigh three decanters of his favourite wine. As soon as the king, the captain, pa.s.sengers, and first mate had risen, the ladies were allowed to approach their dinner, which had been cooked on sh.o.r.e, and was now placed on the table. It consisted of a couple of roast dogs, several dishes of small fish, and a white mixture called pooah, of the consistency of flummery.

The steward and I could scarcely keep our countenances as we saw them dipping the two forefingers of the right hand into the pooah, and after turning them round in the mixture until they were covered with three or four coats, by a dexterous twist rapidly transfer the food to their open mouths, when, with one smack of their lips, their fingers were cleared.

Their dress consisted of a cloth worn over the shoulders--a long piece of cloth wrapped in several folds--round the waist and reaching to their knees.

The king spent a part of the afternoon in going over the s.h.i.+p, and measuring her from stem to stern, while the ladies played draughts and beat their antagonists hollow. There were a number of English and other white men settled on the island. Two acted as the king's chief counsellors, and took an active part in all the affairs of the country, many of them having become very rich.

I may here remark, that the daughter and granddaughter of one of these gentlemen afterwards became Queen of the Sandwich Islands. The country, as far as I could see, appeared to be highly cultivated. The people in their habits and customs presented a curious mixture of savagery and civilisation.

As I gazed on the sh.o.r.e on which I was not permitted to set foot, I considered whether I could not manage to get away and offer my services to the king, as I was better educated than most of those about him. I thought that I should probably rise to the highest dignities of the State; perhaps become his prime minister, his commander-in-chief, or admiral of his fleet, but I found that I was too strictly watched by old Growles and the boatswain to accomplish my object. Had Mark been with me, I had little doubt but that we should have managed to escape. I at last asked Mr McTavish if he would take me on sh.o.r.e.

"No, no, my laddie, I know what is running in your mind," he said. "The natives would be too ready to a.s.sist, and I might find it difficult to prevent your being carried off and stowed away till the s.h.i.+p sails. You may fancy that your life would be a very pleasant one, but I know what it is to live among savages. You would, in course of time, have a brown wife given to you, and, unwilling to leave her, you would become a banished man from home and country. Follow the plan I at first proposed. If you will remain with us you will in the course of a few years make your fortune, and be able to return home and enjoy it."

I felt that the advice given was sound, and I promised Mr McTavish not to try and run away while we remained at the Sandwich Islands. He said that the next day he would take me on sh.o.r.e if the captain would give me leave. Shortly after, however, we went out of harbour. We had a quick pa.s.sage to the entrance of the Columbia River. A dangerous bar runs across the mouth of it, so that the captain was unwilling to enter until we had a fair wind and a favourable tide. Boats were sent ahead to sound. While thus engaged a canoe, followed by a barge, were seen coming off. The canoe, which was paddled by six naked savages, and steered by an old Indian chief, was soon alongside, but as they could not understand a word we said we could gain no information till the barge arrived, when our pa.s.sengers greeted a number of their friends who had come off in her. The s.h.i.+p now entered the river, and came to an anchor off a fort which had been erected by the fur-traders. I never felt more happy in my life, believing that my sufferings were over, and that I should regain my liberty. I hoped that Mr McTavish and his friends would at once go on sh.o.r.e and take me with them; but as it was late in the day, and they heard that the accommodation in the fort was limited, they accepted the captain's pressing invitation to remain with their friends on board till next morning. A more sumptuous repast than I had yet seen was prepared. The captain produced his best wine in abundance. The steward and I had to wait at table. The captain, when giving me my orders, spoke in a far more conciliatory tone than he had ever done before. "I suppose he wishes to make amends to me for his past conduct, and to show my friends that he has no ill-will towards me," I thought. The wine flowed freely, and hilarity and good-humour prevailed for some time, till a remark was made by one of the officers of the s.h.i.+p which offended a gentleman from the sh.o.r.e. His Highland blood being up he hove a gla.s.s of wine in the face of the mate, telling him that the bottle should follow if he didn't apologise. This the mate did, in a somewhat humble fas.h.i.+on, at the request of the captain, and order was restored. The wine continued to flow freely; songs were sung and speeches made, and every one appeared to be talking at once at the top of their voices. The captain at last ordered me to go on deck with a message to the second mate, who was the officer of the watch, and to come back and let him know how the s.h.i.+p was riding. He said this in a loud voice so that every one might hear.

I could not find the mate aft, so, supposing that he had gone forward to examine the cable, I was making my way in that direction when suddenly I found myself seized. A cloth was shoved into my mouth, and another bound over my eyes, so that I was unable to see or cry out, and I was carried down the main hatchway in the strong arms of a man whose voice I had been unable to recognise, though I fancied that he was either Growles or the boatswain. In vain I struggled to get free. On reaching, as I supposed, the spar-deck, another man bound my arms and my legs, and I was then carried still farther down into the hold, when I was shoved into some place or other, a door was shut and locked on me, and I found myself alone. I was very nearly suffocated with the cloth in my mouth, but I managed after much exertion to work it out. Having done this, I was inclined to shout; but I feared that if I did so old Growles would return and put it back, and perhaps ill-treat me into the bargain. I therefore thought it wiser to remain silent, and to try and get the handkerchief off my eyes. I lay quiet for some time to recover my breath. Though I could not move to feel about, I was convinced, by the closeness of the atmosphere, that I was in a small place--probably in a compartment of the boatswain's store-room. My next object was to get the handkerchief off my eyes, to ascertain if any light penetrated my place of confinement. It was a difficult matter to do this without hurting myself, but I tried, by turning over and rubbing the knot at the back of my head against the boards on which I lay, to work it upwards, though at the expense of making a sore place, so tightly was it secured.

At last I succeeded in getting it off. All was dark, as I had expected. The next task I undertook was to free my arms. This was a far more difficult undertaking. I made up my mind to bite through the ropes if I could get my teeth into them; but that, after many attempts, I found to be impossible. I avoided, as much as I could, drawing them tighter round my wrists. I endeavoured, by making one of my hands as small as I could, to draw it out of the knot, but again and again I was obliged to desist. Still I recollected how I had before escaped from the hold, as well as from the mill, and I repeated to myself, "Fortune favours the persevering."

I had been on foot for a number of hours; and, wearied by the exertions I had lately made, I at last began to feel very sleepy, and shortly dropped off into an uncomfortable slumber. I was awakened by a gruff voice, which I recognised as that of the boatswain.

"Gregory, I do believe the young rascal is dead," he said.

"It may save a world of trouble if he is," answered old Growles; "for those pa.s.sengers are making a precious fuss about him. If he was to get ash.o.r.e, he'd be telling tales. We can say he died in his sleep, and let them have his body, which will show how it happened."

"Not if he's black in the face. Here, hand the lantern, and let's have a look."

All this time I was afraid to open my eyes, or even to breathe; and I thought that, if I could sham being dead, they would carry me on deck, and I would then soon show them the contrary. I guessed that I must have rolled over with my face away from the door, so that they couldn't see it. Presently I felt a hand placed on my shoulder to draw me round.

I let them move me as they liked, and I knew, from the light which I saw through my eyelids, that the rays of a lantern were cast on me. I flattered myself that I was succeeding very well, till I heard the boatswain remark--

"People don't die with their eyes shut."

Then a hand was placed on my face, and old Growles observed--

"The young chap's as alive as I am; he's quite warm. Rouse up, d.i.c.k, you rascal! But take care you don't sing out, or it'll be the worse for you."

Still I endeavoured to make them believe I was really dead. It was a satisfaction to find that they were casting off the las.h.i.+ngs from my arms and legs; but when one of them lifted up my arm I let it fall down again, like that of a dead person. This seemed to puzzle them, and old Growles gave me a cruel pinch on the arm. Though I didn't cry out, I had the greatest difficulty not to flinch. He then bent back one of my fingers. It was a wonder he didn't break it. Not able to endure the pain, I cried out.

"I thought so," he said, with a low laugh. "You can't play your tricks off on us, youngster," said the boatswain, "and you'll gain nothing by it."

I said nothing, but looked up at him as if I had just awakened out of a sleep or a trance.

"Now mind you," he continued, "if you shout out or make any noise, we'll gag you and leave you to starve; but if you keep quiet you shall have some food, and you won't be worse off than when you were shut up before in the hold."

"What are you going to do with me?" I asked.

"That's not for you to know," answered the boatswain. "We're not going to kill you, for fear you should haunt the s.h.i.+p, not for any love to you. We could have made away with you long ago, if we had thought fit.

We're not going to let you go ash.o.r.e, and let you give a bad name to the s.h.i.+p and us. We know who 'peached to the captain, and you may think yourself fortunate that you were not dropped overboard next night. Will you promise to keep quiet?"

I knew that I was in the hands of unscrupulous ruffians, whose fears alone prevented them from doing away with me; so there was no use holding out. I therefore said that I would make no noise if they would unlash my arms and legs and bring me some food. I found that I was in the place I had supposed--a big locker which had been cleaned out to make room for me. It smelt horribly of tar and rancid grease, and coils of small rope and b.a.l.l.s of twine, mats, cans, pots, and brushes, up in the corners, showed me what was usually stowed in it.

"Shall we trust the young rascal?" asked the boatswain of his companion.

"He daren't break his word," answered Growles; "he knows what he'll get if he does."

Thereupon they unlashed my arms and legs. I considered for a moment whether I could spring past them and gain the deck. Perhaps they thought I might make the attempt; and before I had time to do more than think of it, they had shut the door and locked me in. I knew, from the quietness of the s.h.i.+p, that she was still at anchor, and I hoped that my friends might make inquiries about me that might lead to my discovery; and this idea kept me up. As I lay perfectly still I could hear the crew hoisting the remainder of the cargo out of the hold. The noise they made would have drowned my voice, even had I ventured to cry out.

I guessed, also, that most of them knew of my imprisonment, and would not a.s.sist me. My only solace was the thought that Mr McTavish, who had been so friendly to me, would insist on searching the s.h.i.+p, and then I thought it probable a story would be told of my having fallen overboard. They would very likely say that I had got drunk with their wine, and been seen rolling along the deck, or something of that sort.

I did not, indeed, altogether despair of making my escape. As I lay in the ill-odorous locker I thought and thought of all sorts of plans. In spite of the smells I was getting hungry, and I wished that the boatswain or Growles would return with the food they had promised. If only one came I made up my mind to seize him by the throat, put my fingers into his eyes, spring up past him, and try to gain the deck. It would be hazardous in the extreme; for, if he caught me, he would not let me go, and in the struggle I should certainly be overcome, when he would not fail to punish me severely--perhaps to deprive me of life.

Still, anything was better than to have again to endure the sufferings I had gone through in the hold. I nerved myself up for the undertaking I proposed. All was again silent in the hold. The crew had, I concluded, knocked off work; whether to go to dinner or for the day I could not calculate. After some time I heard the sound as of some one moving near me, the door opened, and the light of a lantern fell on my face. There were two heads instead of one. It would be madness to attempt to spring past them, so I lay quiet.

"Here's the food I promised you," said the voice of old Growles. "Eat it and be thankful; it's more than you deserve."

It consisted of biscuit and meat, and a cooked root of some sort. He placed also a can of water by my side.

"Don't capsize it; for you'll get no more," he said, drawing my attention to it.

Wis.h.i.+ng to soothe him and throw him off his guard, I answered and thanked him. Before I could finish the sentence he had shut to the door and left me to discuss my meal in the dark. I heard him and his companion go away. The air which had come in had revived my appet.i.te, and I eagerly ate up the provisions and drank the water, supposing that I should have more in due time. As soon as I had finished my meal I tried to see if I could force open the door, but I could discover no tool of any description. I made up my mind therefore to wait patiently till the opportunity offered of getting out. Perhaps the next time old Growles or the boatswain would come alone, or they might send some one else; or, should my friends be searching the s.h.i.+p, I might make them hear me. While these thoughts were pa.s.sing through my mind I again fell asleep.

It might be found wearisome were I to describe my thoughts and sensations, my hopes and fears, while I was awake, or to say how often I slept. Day after day pa.s.sed. Old Growles and the boatswain invariably came together; they seemed to divine that should only one come I might in my desperation attempt to pa.s.s him.

As far as I could judge the crew were now taking cargo on board, as I could hear the bales descending into the hold. They consisted, I afterwards found, of skins and peltries. How much longer the s.h.i.+p would remain in harbour I could not tell, nor could I conjecture when I was to be set free. They would scarcely keep me a prisoner during the remainder of the voyage, as, shut up, I could do nothing, but if I were at liberty I could make myself useful. Drearily the time pa.s.sed away.

Fear still prevented me from shouting out; for, from the position I was in, I could certainly have made myself heard by the crew, although my voice would not have reached to the cabin. From the remarks that I had heard from the pa.s.sengers, when we were approaching the Columbia River, I guessed that, having loaded with furs, we should cross the Pacific to China, where they would fetch a high price, and thence, as I knew beforehand, with the produce of that country, we should proceed to Australia, where we should load with wood for home. If I were kept a prisoner for the whole period I should lose my health, if not my life.

How many days or nights I had been kept in confinement I could not calculate, when I heard the sounds of heaving up the anchor; a trampling of feet, as if sail was being made. Some time afterwards I was sensible of a movement in the s.h.i.+p, and presently she plunged into a heavy sea, and I could hear much rus.h.i.+ng of water against her sides. Again she made a more furious plunge, and I guessed that we were crossing the bar.

I knew that I was right, as shortly afterwards the s.h.i.+p glided on with a comparatively slight movement. All hope of being rescued by my friends was gone. I knew that we must have crossed the bar while it was light, but I was allowed to remain in prison for another night. At last the door was opened, and old Growles and the boatswain appeared.

"You may go on deck now, youngster," said old Growles; "but remember, as you value your life, that you don't tell the captain or any one else who put you down here. You played the stowaway once, and you must say you did so again, 'cos you didn't want to go ash.o.r.e and live among the injins. If he believes you or not, it doesn't much matter; only you stick to it, and, mind yer, you'll come to a bad end if you don't."

I made no answer, for although I wished to get out of the locker and enjoy the fresh air once more, I could not make up my mind to tell a falsehood, notwithstanding the threats of the old ruffian. Neither he nor the boatswain seemed to expect an answer. Perhaps they thought it mattered very little whether or not I promised to do as they ordered me, not believing that I would keep my word if it suited my convenience to break it; for, without saying another word, they bound my eyes, and one of them dragged me along among bales and other articles of cargo, which I could feel as I pa.s.sed by.

"Stay here," said the boatswain, "till it strikes four bells. You may then find your way on deck as you best can, and spin any yarn you like to account for yourself being there, only mind you don't 'peach on us, or, as I said afore it'll be the worse for you."

As he spoke he took the bandage off my eyes, and I heard the men retiring. I was still in total darkness, but I had been so often accustomed to find my way about under such circ.u.mstances that I was not very anxious on that account. I thought it prudent, however, to remain seated until I heard four bells strike, when on feeling about I was almost convinced that I was on the spar-deck. I could distinguish the tramp of feet overhead as if sail was being made, and shortly afterwards, the hatchway being lifted up, daylight streamed down upon me. Pining for fresh air, and desperately hungry, I lost no time in making my way on deck.

There stood the captain and two mates. The s.h.i.+p was under all sail, gliding rapidly before a strong breeze over the ocean, while the blue outline of the land could dimly be seen astern. I stood irresolute whether to go at once up to the captain and get the worst over, or to run forward and ask the cook to give me something to eat. I was about to follow the latter course, when I heard the captain's voice shouting, "Halloa, youngster, where on earth do you come from?"

"That's more than I can exactly say, sir," I answered.

"Why, we thought you had gone overboard and been drowned, or had slipped ash.o.r.e and been carried off by the Indians," he continued; "Mr McTavish and the other gentlemen were making a great ado about you. You have been playing your old trick again. For my part, I should have supposed you would have been glad enough to get out of the s.h.i.+p, as I understood they wished to take you with them."

"Please sir, I hope you'll pardon me for what has happened," I said, an idea at that moment striking me. "I want to become a sailor, and I'll promise to try and do my duty, and learn to be one if you'll allow me."