[page 51, continued:] |
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 FOR some
minutes after the cook
had left the forecastle, Augustus abandoned himself to despair, never
hoping
to leave the berth alive. He now came to the resolution of acquainting
the first of the men who should come down with my situation, thinking
it
better to let me take my chance with the mutineers than perish of
thirst
in the hold — for it had been ten days since I was first imprisoned,
and
my jug of water was not a plentiful supply even for four. As he was
thinking
on this subject, the idea came all at once into his head that it might
be possible to communicate with me by the way of the main hold. In any
other circumstances, the difficulty and hazard of the undertaking would
have prevented him from attempting it; but now he had, at all events,
little
prospect of life, and consequently little to lose — he bent his whole
mind,
therefore, upon the task. His handcuffs were the first
consideration. At first
he saw no method of removing them, and feared that he should thus be
baffled
in the very outset; but, upon a closer scrutiny, he discovered [page
52:] that the
irons could be slipped off and on at pleasure with very little effort
or
inconvenience, merely by squeezing his hands through them — this
species
of manacle being altogether ineffectual in confining young persons, in
whom the smaller bones readily yield to pressure. He now untied his
feet,
and, leaving the cord in such a manner that it could easily be
readjusted
in the event of any person's coming down, proceeded to examine the
bulkhead
where it joined the berth. The partition here was of soft pine board,
an
inch thick, and he saw that he should have little trouble in cutting
his
way through. A voice was now heard at the forecastle companion-way, and
he had just time to put his right hand into its handcuff (the left had
not been removed), and to draw the rope in a
slipknot around his ankle, when Dirk Peters came below, followed by
Tiger,
who immediately leaped into the berth and lay down. The dog had been
brought
on board by Augustus, who knew my attachment to the animal, and thought
it would give me pleasure to have him with me during the voyage. He
went
up to our house for him immediately after first taking me into the
hold,
but did not think of mentioning the circumstance upon his bringing the
watch. Since the mutiny, Augustus had not seen him before his
appearance
with Dirk Peters, and had given him up for lost, supposing him to have
been thrown overboard by some of the malignant villains belonging to
the
mate's gang. It appeared afterward that he had crawled into a hole
beneath
a whaleboat, from which, not having room to turn round, he could not
extricate
himself. Peters at last let him out, and, with a species of good
feeling
which my friend knew well how to appreciate, had now brought him to him
in the forecastle as a companion, leaving at the same time some salt
junk
and potatoes, with a can of water; he then went on deck, promising to
come
down with something more to eat on the next day. When he had gone, Augustus freed both
hands from
the manacles and unfastened his feet. He then turned down the head of
the
mattress on which he had been lying, and with his penknife (for the
ruffians
had not thought it worth while to search him) commenced cutting
vigorously
across one of the partition planks, as closely as possible to the floor
of the berth. He [page 53:] chose to cut here, because, if
suddenly interrupted,
he
would be able to conceal what had been done by letting the head of the
mattress fall into its proper position. For the remainder of the day,
however,
no disturbance occurred, and by night he had completely divided the
plank.
It should here be observed, that none of the crew occupied the
forecastle
as a sleeping-place, living altogether in the cabin since the mutiny,
drinking
the wines, and feasting on the sea-stores of Captain Barnard, and
giving
no more heed than was absolutely necessary to the navigation of the
brig.
These circumstances proved fortunate both for myself
and Augustus; for, had matters been otherwise, he would have found it
impossible
to reach me. As it was, he proceeded with confidence in his design. It
was near daybreak, however, before he completed the second division of
the board (which was about a foot above the first cut), thus making an
aperture quite large enough to admit his passage through with facility
to the main orlop deck. Having got here, he made his way with but
little
trouble to the lower main hatch, although in so doing he had to
scramble
over tiers of oil-casks piled nearly as high as the upper deck, there
being
barely room enough left for his body. Upon reaching the hatch, he found
that Tiger had followed him below, squeezing between two rows of the
casks.
It was now too late, however, to attempt getting to me before dawn, as
the chief difficulty lay in passing through the close stowage in the
lower
hold. He therefore resolved to return, and wait till the next night.
With
this design he proceeded to loosen the hatch, so that he might have as
little detention as possible when he should come again. No sooner had
he
loosened it than Tiger sprang eagerly to the small opening produced,
snuffed
for a moment, and then uttered a long whine, scratching at the same
time,
as if anxious to remove the covering with his paws. There could be no
doubt,
from his behavior, that he was aware of my being in the hold, and
Augustus
thought it possible that he would be able to get to me if he put him
down.
He now hit upon the expedient of sending the note, as it was especially
desirable that I should make no attempt at forcing my way out, at least
under existing circumstances, and there could be no certainty of his
getting
to me himself on the morrow as he [page 54:] intended. After
events proved how
fortunate
it was that the idea occurred to him as it did; for, had it not been
for
the receipt of the note, I should undoubtedly have fallen upon some
plan,
however desperate, of alarming the crew, and both our lives would most
probably have been sacrificed in consequence. Having concluded to write, the
difficulty was now
to procure the materials for so doing. An old toothpick was soon made
into a pen; and this by means of feeling
altogether, for the between-decks were as dark as pitch. Paper enough
was
obtained from the back of a letter — a duplicate of the forged letter
from
Mr. Ross. This had been the original draught; but the handwriting not
being
sufficiently well imitated, Augustus had written another, thrusting the
first, by good fortune, into his coat-pocket, where it was now most
opportunely
discovered. Ink alone was thus wanting, and a substitute was
immediately
found for this by means of a slight incision with the penknife on the
back
of a finger just above the nail — a copious flow of blood ensuing, as
usual,
from wounds in that vicinity. The note was now written, as well as it
could
be in the dark and under the circumstances. It briefly explained that a
mutiny had taken place; that Captain Barnard was set adrift; and that I
might expect immediate relief as far as provisions were concerned, but
must not venture upon making any disturbance. It concluded with these
words,
"I have scrawled this with blood — your life depends upon lying
close." This slip of paper being tied upon
the dog, he was
now put down the hatchway, and Augustus made the best of his way back
to
the forecastle, where be found no reason to believe that any of the
crew
had been in his absence. To conceal the hole in the partition, he drove
his knife in just above it, and hung up a pea-jacket which he found in
the berth. His handcuffs were then replaced, and also the rope around
his
ankles. These arrangements were scarcely
completed when Dirk
Peters came below, very drunk, but in excellent humor, and bringing
with
him my friend's allowance of provision for the day. This consisted of a
dozen large Irish potatoes roasted, and a pitcher of water. He sat for
some time on a chest by the berth, and talked freely about the mate,
and
the general concerns of [page 55:] the brig. His demeanor was
exceedingly
capricious
and even grotesque. At one time Augustus was much alarmed by odd
conduct.
At last, however, he went on deck, muttering a promise to bring his
prisoner
a good dinner on the morrow. During the
day two of the crew (harpooners) came down, accompanied by the cook,
all
three in nearly the last stage of intoxication. Like Peters, they made
no scruple of talking unreservedly about their plans. It appeared that
they were much divided among themselves as to their ultimate course,
agreeing
in no point except the attack on the ship from the Cape Verd Islands,
with
which they were in hourly expectation of meeting. As far as could be
ascertained,
the mutiny had not been brought about altogether for the sake of booty;
a private pique of the chief mate's against Captain Barnard having been
the main instigation. There now seemed to be two principal factions
among
the crew — one headed by the mate, the other by the cook. The former
party
were for seizing the first suitable vessel which should present itself,
and equipping it at some of the West India Islands for a piratical
cruise.
The latter division, however, which was the stronger, and included Dirk
Peters among its partisans, were bent upon pursuing the course
originally
laid out for the brig into the South Pacific; there either to take
whale,
or act otherwise, as circumstances should suggest. The representations
of Peters, who had frequently visited these regions, had great weight,
apparently, with the mutineers, wavering as they were between
half-engendered
notions of profit and pleasure. He dwelt on the world of novelty and
amusement
to be found among the innumerable islands of the Pacific, on the
perfect
security and freedom from all restraint to be enjoyed, but, more
particularly,
on the deliciousness of the climate, on the abundant means of good
living,
and on the voluptuous beauty of the women. As yet, nothing had been
absolutely
determined upon; but the pictures of the hybrid line-manager were
taking
strong hold upon the ardent imaginations of the seamen, and there was
every
possibility that his intentions would be finally carried into effect. The three men went away in about an
hour, and no
one else entered the forecastle all day. Augustus lay quiet until
nearly [page 56:]
night. He then freed himself from the rope and irons, and prepared for
his attempt. A bottle was found in one
of
the berths, and this he filled with water from the pitcher left by
Peters,
storing his pockets at the same time with cold potatoes. To his great
joy
he also came across a lantern, with a small piece of tallow candle in
it.
This he could light at any moment, as he had in his possession a box of
phosphorus matches. When it was quite dark, he got through the hole in
the bulkhead, having taken the precaution to arrange the bedclothes in
the berth so as to convey the idea of a person covered up. When
through,
he hung up the pea-jacket on his knife, as before, to conceal the
aperture
— this manœuvre being easily effected, as he did not readjust the piece
of plank taken out until afterward. He was now on the main orlop deck,
and proceeded to make his way, as before, between the upper deck and
the
oil-casks to the main hatchway. Having reached this, he lit the piece
of
candle, and descended, groping with extreme difficulty among the
compact
stowage of the hold. In a few moments he became alarmed at the
insufferable
stench and the closeness of the atmosphere. He could not think it
possible
that I had survived my confinement for so long a period breathing so
oppressive
an air. He called my name repeatedly, but I made him no reply, and his
apprehensions seemed thus to be confirmed. The brig was rolling
violently,
and there was so much noise in consequence, that it was useless to
listen
for any weak sound, such as those of my breathing or snoring. He threw
open the lantern, and held it as high as possible, whenever an
opportunity
occurred, in order that, by observing the light, I might, if alive, be
aware that succour was approaching. Still nothing was heard from me,
and
the supposition of my death began to assume the character of certainty.
He determined, nevertheless, to force a passage, if possible, to the
box,
and at least ascertain beyond a doubt the truth of his surmises. He
pushed
on for some time in a most pitiable state of anxiety, until, at length,
he found the pathway utterly blocked up, and that there was no
possibility
of making any farther way by the course in which he had set out.
Overcome
now by his feelings, he threw himself among
the lumber in despair, and wept like a child. It was at this period
that
he [page 57:] heard the crash occasioned by the bottle which I
had thrown down.
Fortunate,
indeed, was it that the incident occurred — for, upon this incident,
trivial
as it appears, the thread of my destiny depended. Many years elapsed,
however,
before I was aware of this fact. A natural shame and regret for his
weakness
and indecision prevented Augustus from confiding to me at once what a
more
intimate and unreserved communion afterward induced him to reveal. Upon
finding his further progress in the hold impeded by obstacles which he
could not overcome, he had resolved to abandon his attempt at reaching
me, and return at once to the forecastle. Before condemning him
entirely
on this head, the harassing circumstances which embarrassed him should
be taken into consideration. The night was fast wearing away, and his
absence
from the forecastle might be discovered; and, indeed, would necessarily
be so, if he should fail to get back to the berth by daybreak. His
candle
was expiring in the socket, and there would be the greatest difficulty
in retracing his way to the hatchway in the dark. It must be allowed,
too,
that he had every good reason to believe me dead; in which event no
benefit
could result to me from his reaching the box, and a world of danger
would
be encountered to no purpose by himself. He had repeatedly called, and
I had made him no answer. I had been now eleven days and nights with no
more water than that contained in the jug which he had left with me, a
supply which it was not at all probable I had hoarded in the beginning
of my confinement, as I had had every cause to expect a speedy release.
The atmosphere of the hold, too, must have appeared to him, coming from
the comparatively open air of the steerage, of a nature absolutely
poisonous,
and by far more intolerable than it had seemed to me upon my first
taking
up my quarters in the box — the hatchways at that time having been
constantly
open for many months previous. Add to these considerations that of the
scene of bloodshed and terror so lately witnessed by my friend; his
confinement,
privations, and narrow escapes from
death;
together with the frail and equivocal tenure by which he still existed
— circumstances all so well calculated to prostrate every energy of
mind
— and the reader will be easily brought, as I have been, to regard his
apparent falling off in [page 58:] friendship and in faith with
sentiments rather
of sorrow than of anger.The
crash of the bottle was
distinctly heard, yet
Augustus was not sure that it proceeded from the hold. The doubt,
however,
was sufficient inducement to persevere. He clambered up nearly to the
orlop
deck by means of the stowage, and then watching for a lull in the
pitchings
of the vessel, he called out to me in as loud a tone as he could
command
— regardless, for the moment, of being overheard by the crew. It will
be
remembered that on this occasion the voice reached me, but I was so
entirely
overcome by violent agitation as to be incapable of reply. Confident,
now,
that his worst apprehensions were well founded, he descended, with a
view
of getting back to the forecastle without loss of time. In his haste
some
small boxes were thrown down, the noise occasioned by which I heard, as
will be recollected. He had made considerable progress on his return
when
the fall of the knife again caused him to hesitate. He retraced his
steps
immediately, and, clambering up the stowage a second time, called out
my
name, loudly as before, having watched for a lull. This time I found
voice
to answer. Overjoyed at discovering me to be still alive, he now
resolved
to brave every difficulty and danger in reaching me. Having extricated
himself as quickly as possible from the labyrinth of lumber by which he
was hemmed in, he at length struck into an opening which promised
better,
and finally, after a series of struggles, arrived at the box in a state
of utter exhaustion. |
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