:' F AC A; BY MAJOR MARCH. AUTHOR OF WALTER MARCH, OR, SHOEPAC RECOLLECTIONS. Between two worlds life hovers like a star, ' Twixt night and morn, upon the horizon's verge. How little do we know that which we are ! flow less what we may be ! The eternal surge Of time and tide rolls on. LORD BYRON. JAMES FRENCH & COMPANY, DETROIT : RAYMOND & SELLECK. 1857. Entered accoraing to act of Congress, in the year 1857, by ORLANDO B. WILCOX, U. S. A., In ihe Clerk's O.Tire of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. C. HOBBS, S.ereotyper. INSCRIBED WITH A FF JF EC TION, TO 2052138 COiN'TEiN'TS. I. THE ALDEBARAN, ....... H. A MUTINEER, HI. THE DOUBLE CHASE, ... 24 IV. FACA AND THE LIEUTENANT, ^) V. NOON AND NIGHT, . ' * .37 VI. THE BRIGHT BUTTONS, . . . . 41 Vn. FACA OF "OURS," . . .47 VIH. THE SHIP MAKES A VARIETY OF NOISES, . . .53 IX. HEART BEATS UNDER BLUE JACKETS AND BRIGHT BUTTONS, 57 X. LOVE PASSAGES, . ' i * ' ' * / XI. FISH STORIES WHEREIN CLINCHER CUTS A FIGURE, . 66 XII. A NEW ALLY, . . XIII. BURNT POKER PORTRAITS, . .74 XIV. HEAVEN AND HELL, . . ' XV. MASTER BARDOLF, ^8 XVI. OLD SOL RELAXES INTO A SJHLE FEMININE, . . 92 XVII. THE FATHER OF LIEUTENANTS, . . . . 95 XVIII. LOOK OUT FOR SQUALLS, . XIX. SUNDAY AND THE SEA TWO SUBLIMITIES, 103 XX. THE GULF STREAM, . . .105 TOQ XXI. FORECASTLE INTERESTS. . ' A vi CONTENTS. XXn. THE DRUM-MAJOR AGAIN, .-- ' ..-. . 113 XXIII. FOET MIFFLIN, . . . ' H7 XXIV. HOW LITTLE FACA CAME INTO THE WORLD, . . 122 XXV. THE CREVASSE, XXVI. FRANCISOA, 130 136 XXVII. THE PET OF THE GARRISON, . Vi . . : 142 xxvni. THE DRUM-MAJOR'S DOWNY PILLOW, .....,*_ 149 XXIX. TRACKS AND TRACTS, ..... 154: XXX. FIRST LOVE IN AN OLD HEART, . . :'--.. 160 XXXI. THE ANGEL IN THE SHIP. . .' , . ' 163 XXXH. THE FIRST , . : .'. . . 166 XXXIII. O MEET ME ON THE SILVER SHOES, . . .167 XXXIV. GOING DOWN INTO THE DEEP, .... 170 XXXV. CATCHING A TARTAR, ..... 177 XXXVI. THE CONSPIRATOR, . . . . .180 XXXVII. SEA SPARKLES, . . . . . .183 XXXVIH. SCURVY TRICKS, ..... 189 XXXIX. THE BANDMASTER SLEEPS AND WAKES, . . . 193 XL. HOLE IN THE WALL, ..... 196 XLI. THE ISAACS, . . . . . 200 XLII. A SQUALL ON THE FLORIDA REEFS, . , - . 206 XL! II. THE MEXICAN SEA, ..... 209 XLTV. THE SERGEANTS DAUGHTER, . . . .212 XLV. NEXT CHAPTER, . . . . . - 216 XLVI. THE CONSPIRACY, . . . . 219 XLVU. FOURTH OF JULY MORN, ..... 229 XLVm. FOURTH OF JULY OVER THE FORE-TOP, . V . 234 XL1X. WOMAN, ...... 243 L. FACA'S ADMIRERS, . . . . .246 LI. THE BUSY NOTE OF PREPABATIOH, . : , . , . . 266 LH. THE SHELL BURSTS, . *>-*. . . 266 LEO. THE SMOKE CLEARS AWAT, . . . . 273 LIV. THE DRUM HEAD COURT-MAETIAL, . ., . 276 CONTENTS. vii LV. THE LADY AND THE GIANT, .... 283 LVI. THE TRIAL PROCEEDS, . . . 291 LVII. THE KINGDOM DOWN BELOW, .... 295 LVHI. THE WORLD CONTINUES TO KEVOLTB, . . . 297 LIX. THE ANGEL WAITS, . . . . . . 300 LX. THE ANGEL FLIES AWAT, .... 305 LXI. THE COAST, . ... 309 LXII. THE LAGOON, . ** * ' 315 LXIII. THE CAMP, ^ .' . . . . . 319 LXIV. MAKS AND VENUS, . . . 329 LXV. THE LOST ABB FOUND, ..... 332 NIS AND THE FLOODS CLAPPED THEIB. HANDS, . . . 335 \ F A C A; AN A EM Y MEMOIK. CHAPTEE I. . THE ALDEBARAN. See now comes the captain all daub'd with gold lace ; la ! the sweet gentleman ! look in his face. SWIFT. " IT was with little dissatisfaction," quoth my friend, Brevet Major June, of the Light Artillery, "that I opened the yellow document containing orders for me to report at Governor's Island. " Our own garrison was dull. I poked about daily with my cane, watching vessels from the ramparts. Two soldiers had just deserted with their families, in- cluding, of course, a flock of noisy children, whom I delighted to tease, and who loved to cry out "'THE MAJOR!' and scamper away and hide themselves behind the guns. In fact there was nobody now to keep me com- pany, since I had quarreled with the surgeon about the superiority of our respective timepieces. For having 12 FACA. nothing else to talk about, at twelve o'clock precisely, over the doctor would hobble to my quarters, watch in hand." " ' There ! ' says he, * I'm right to a minute ! ' " No," says 1, "you'rhalf a minute too slow: here is the instrument which regulates the sun ; my watch says Ha! ha! he! he! ; " The old chap would chuckle, ' you are a whole min- ute too fast!' "But," says I, "a minute has elapsed." " Not a quarter would he allow, and so we strove and parted in anger daily. In fact, I never expect, what with breakages and stoppages, and being cheated by silversmiths, and quarreling about the time, I never ex- pect to enjoy true peace and happiness till I give up wearing a watch altogether. " But, as I was saying, there was nobody now to keep me company ; nothing save a solitary yellow chicken, one of the families had left behind. The little impu- dent creature seemed to do nothing else but stand on one leg and wink in the sun, and eye me askance. Doubtless she missed the children as much as I, though the ragamuffins were the torment of her life. And there we used to stand, I on my cane, and she on her one leg, till, Christopher ! it was enough to drive a man mad!" " Sir," said Major June, with ceremonious etiquette, THE ALDEBARAN. 13 to the Superintendent of the Eecruiting Service at Gov- ernor's Island, " I have the honor to report for orders." "You will sail to-morrow, Major, with troops for Texas." "What is my command, Colonel?" "Five officers, four hundred men, and," added he smiling, ' any number of women and children." " Children ! Christopher ! that 'a good ! " It was early in June, in a shower it always rains when troops embark that the Major's command was tugged away from Governor's Island to the ship Alde- baran, lying out in the stream. The men scrambled awkwardly on board, but carefully helped the women up over the high bulwarks. Night set in soon after ; the decks were wet, the cooking-range disused and rusted, the coal lay some- where in the unfathomable depths, and clamorous stom- achs went empty. There are few things so provocative of disturbances as empty stomachs. Here was swearing and confusion sweet brogue and jangling German, pushing and fight- ing, miraculous escapes from breaking of necks on the slippery decks, sly jokes and loud laughter. But at length supper came : it was a ration of bread to each man, and the tumult was at ouce calmed. Then the soldiers, forgetting all their griefs and enmities, began to settle down glumly with their pipes, and soon thawed 2 14 FACA. into a rippling flow of words over the prospect of get- ting to sea on the morrow. The officers' cabin, too, was out of joint that night. The captain was ashore, the steward was half-seas-over already, and did not condescend to serve up supper un- til eleven o'clock. Then it was that His Celestial High- ness, Shanghai, came on in state, swimming in fat, never his own. The reeling steward went for coffee, but while bearing His Highness to the cabin, some roguish soldiers had invaded the galley, and bore away the coffee as spoils of war. A brisk game of euchre fol- lowed the meal, between the pilot and Major June, but the younger officers were glad to retire, and soon lay fast asleep in their berths. With the morning sunshine, which broke over the steeples in the city and the topmasts in the harbor, fall- ing upon the sea, so clear and silvery, in a flood of spark- ling glory, appeared Major June, himself, rosy and fresh as the month whose name he bore. He saw with satisfaction, that good humor prevailed among the men. The smoke of the cooking apartments was climbing the ropes and coiling itself around the rigging. " Well ! " said he, there is a prospect of breakfast," as he saw the good humor which showed itself on the faces of the men. Simple major ! The hope of speedy breakfast was THE ALDEBARAN. 15 not the soldiers' only solace. For numerous small boats were lying alongside and hovering near the ship, from which suspicious-looking packages came gliding up the bulwarks and disappearing among the men, and there was a general fumbling about the regions of the pocket. It might be seen at a glance that John Barleycorn was at hand. Finally, the officer of the day detected John, and sent his boats away swearing. Then other small boats, with men, and kits and trunks, came out, and sailors jumped aboard, one and another, till the ship's company was complete, even to the Skipper, who appeared last, as skippers now and then do, summoned speedily and unexpectedly, as they often are, from the midst of their little families in the country, many times after a long voyage and little rest, and sometimes never to come back. Though it is with the fortunes of army people, that we shall deal mostly in this " strange eventful history," yet we hope the reader will pardon us, if, in the course of the work, we strive to interest him somewhat in the politics of the sea, Pardon us, likewise, gentle reader we know at least the fair sex will if we touch upon its poetry. To many dear souls, the sea seems no other than a huge tank of rain-water, alive with such uncouth wrig- glers as the microscope discloses. But perhaps there is no portion of God's fair domain more fruitful in all 16 FACA. that is touching to the heart, tickling to the ear, or de- lightful to the imagination. In the first place, sir, sea life is full of character erratic, wild, sportive, superstitious, and child-like as its own playful dolphins. Then consider the multitude of events that drive mankind to seek upon its fickle bosom their livelihood and sweet solace. Poor children of un- thrifty fortune they, full of home, mother and sister, and a single relic of all, a bible, in their slender kit. Children, many of them, of proud people too. There is no end to the variety of sources from which sailors des- cend, rain-like, to be sure, from every quarter of the heavens. Sailors, dear sir, are the gipsies of the sea, the janizaries of old Neptune, the zouaves, made up of all the tribes and nations of the earth, a peculiar peo- ple, little cared for, coming into port with a song, going down to their watery graves " unknell'd, uncoffin'd and unsung." However, to the American, the name of sailor often presents quite a different picture. He stands the bluff embodiment of generous daring and hardy manliness. Such is the native American sailor, soon lost to the fore- castle by rising to the quarter-deck. True to the life, we hope to present a specimen of each class. They shall be such men as God and the sea have made them, and not ideal images. As for those children of the ranks, and their daunt- THE ALDEBAKAN. 17 less simple-minded officers, to whom wo shall introduce the friendly reader, God bless them ! they must speak for themselves. They belong to the country ; our greatest, loftiest-minded country-women shall have no cause to blush for one at least, their spirited sister, Faca. We hope you will pardon Major March this lengthy digression, %nd so, allons! CHAPTEB II. A MUTINEER. Beings deathless as their haughty lord, Are hammered to the galling oar for life, And plow the winter's wave and reap despair. YOUNG. OUR skipper was one of those gentlemanly, active, young, clipper-built fellows, who have supplanted the old-fashioned gruff sea-dogs. Moreover our skipper had none of your antiquated sea names, short and thick, hut something modern and sounding, it was Hands- allaround. The sailors, when they did not call him the " old man," cut it down to ' Harnsoine," the carpenter called him " Handsaw," the cook clipt it shortest, and spoke of him as " Old Hans," or in moments of spite as "All Hands." Thus the vanity of the skipper's chris- tening progenitor was foiled by fate, and that beautiful name was never heard in full. The bells of the city rang out, and threw a sabbath on the air. But a sabbath-breaking steam-tug came see-sawing out, black with mischief, nipped on, and after the little dwarf the noble Aldebaran followed, like a queen led captive. A MUTINEER. 19 Reaching the lower harbor, the tug let go and darted off in pursuit of other prey ; and just inside Sandy Hook the ship dropped anchor, and lay waiting for a breeze. Then decks were ordered to be scrubbed. . As it was Sunday, perhaps, or because the sailors had come aboard in an uncomplying humor, or from John Barleycorn, or other cause, the order was obeyed slowly and sullenly. Whereat Mr. Clincher, the first mate, was exceeding wroth, and went about making unfriendly demonstrations, twisting and crooking a mouth naturally twisted and crooked already. At last one man threw down the "swab," and doggedly refused to work. " Bring that man aft ! " sternly commanded the cap- tain. " Ay yi, sir ! " said the first mate, giving an awful crook to his mouth. He brought the delinquent upon the quarter-deck. The mate with a mouth, was a rolling, bandy-legged, middling-sized man, with a queerly compounded ex- pression of humor and offended authority upon his face. The revolter was a thin man, with haughty and once handsome features, now swollen with dissipation, and evidently the seat of hotly contending passions For the face is the play-ground of the passions, till like a school-yard, in time the flowers and grass are 'gone, and the ground hard-beaten and tracked. 20 FACA. As lie appeared upon the quarter-deck, a very old woman, who looked like a Spanish duenna, was stand- ing among the camp-women near the taffrail, gave a quick start, and gazed upon the man from beneath her dark shaggy eyebrows, with evident concern. " My man," asked the captain, " what do you mean by refusing to work?" " First, let me ask what means that man," pointing to Mi-. Clincher, " by going among seamen armed with brass knuckles ? What right has he to strike me with them? here, here!" he cried, placing his hand upon his side. "Silence, sir!" The man stood twirling his doffed hat in scornful silence. " Are you drunk, my man ?" asked the skipper. " No, sir ; I am not drunk. But wrong and tyranny make me mad. It is revenge I want ! " Quicker than thought he sprang upon Clincher. The women screamed, and all ran below save the dark wo- man whose eyes glared so. She stood erect and motion- less, gazing on the scene. Captain and pilot coming to the mate's rescue, the combatants were soon parted Then two other sailors sprung up the quarter-deck. " Down, men ! down ! " shouted the captain. They hesitated ; their motive seemed unfixed ; per- A MUTINEER. 21 haps it was to intercede ; possibly to interfere ; and their broad fists were clenched. In any event they had no business there ; and Major June, not wishing to bear part in this matter, but to leave the ship's officers to vindicate their authority, stood violently shaking his cane at the intruders. Not long had they to decide. The pilot turned upon them in their irresolution, and hurled them both head- long down the stairway. " Mr. Clincher," said the skipper, " put this man in irons." Mr. Clincher disappeared awhile, and returned with a pair of handcuffs. Still the old woman stood gazing unmoved. The mate approached the rebel with the irons. On his right hand were seen the formidable knuckles of brass. The sailor's eyes flashed as he saw them, and again he rushed upon the officer friendless as he was there. Clincher did not strike. A scuffle ensued, and the man was fettered. Words flew : " tyrants ! " " venge- ance ! " " liberty ! " " blood ! " were heard addressed to the skipper. " My man, I give you fair warning to be still." " Never ! " shouted the prisoner, blind and mad with fury : and again those fearful words, and others worse. Let us not dwell upon the scene. Authority and dis- cipline vrcre vindicated, as the victim fell heavily upon 22 FACA. the deck. At the same moment the dark old woman fainted, uttering no word. Two females bore her down into the cabin, and one was young and beautiful. A fearful shudder went through the ship, and it was whispered, from pallid face to pallid face, that George had met the fate of a mutineer. The dark woman came slowly again to her senses. Then she fixed her eyes on the young girl with a wild confused stare. " Francisca," she murmured. " What say you, grandmamma ? " Ha ! no, Faca." " Dear grandmamma." A short old woman, with a pleasant, dimpled face, came- into the state-room ; she said nothing, but casting an anxious, glance towards the duenna, began setting things in order for a sick-room siege. Possibly her gentle bustling disturbed Constanza, the dark woman. Her face underwent a variety of contortions, which greatly alarmed the girl. " Mother," said Faca to the short bustling woman ; Mrs. Trainor stepped up promptly to the bedside. The duenna rolled her eyes upon her : speaking with diffi- culty she asked, "Was it he?" "Who, Constanza?" " Jesu Maria ! " groaned the woman turning away A MUTINEER. 23 her face. " Alone on earth ! alone, alone ! " she mur- mured. The dark shadows of the past hovered over her. Its brooding wings seemed to gather her poor senses beneath them. How is it, man, when you can take shelter only under the remembrance of troubles, when hope dies, and you take counsel with despair ? The stern spirit over which the billows rolled, strug- gled with its pain, which grew gentler and gentler, till Constanza turned again towards her attendants, and asked, with tolerable calmness, "The man who was struck down on deck is he dead?" " Men say so," replied Mrs. Trainor. " Cannot you tell me for certain ? " " I cannot tell, mother." Constanza relapsed into silence. The dark wings of the past again enfolded her ; the present and its sur- roundings seemed forgotten. She began talking in a low hollow tone, that seemed to belong so far away ! Mrs. Trainor noticed the excited curiosity of Faca, who listened with amazement. Mrs. Trainor bade the child leave her grandmother, and go on deck, or down in that part of the ship where the other soldier-women were, for this state-room was one belonging to the officers' cabin. CHAPTER III. THE DOUBLE CHASE. FACA obeyed. Then Mrs. Trainor bustled back from the door which she closed after her daughter, to the berth where the sufferer lay, and said in a firm voice " Mother, you have nearly betrayed yourself to the child. Do you remember your promise ? " " I do ; I will keep it," and a hard stern look settled on her face. " Gentlemen," said the skipper to the officers, as they all sat down at dinner, after a long and painful silence, before the unrelished, almost untasted food, " it must seem brutal." Judging from those cloudy faces, that was not a hazardous remark. " It is painful to me," continued the skipper. " I would sooner lose a finger any time than lay it upon a seaman, but I had to do it. Our government will not protect us we must protect ourselves and run the chances. Had I not tamed that man, I should have had the whole crew down upon me before long. And they might have joined with them some of your soldiers and where J s the end to the trouble ? " THE DOUBLE CHASE. 25 The question went unanswered. " There is always one question to settle aboard ship, sooner or later. Who's to rule ? you or I ? the ship's officers or the ship's crew ? I take it now, that this point is decided, and I hope we shall have no more trouble, and witness no more such scenes." " That chap," said the pilot, " was what we call a ' sea lawyer.' They come on board with their long tongues, and talk to the hands of rights and wrongs, and all that sort of d d nonsense. I overheard this 'ere very chap say he'd make a good ship of her before she returned to New York." " Yes," said the skipper, " getting the upper hand of the officers is what they call making a good ship. I've known a whole crew refuse to work, and what are you going to do ? " " Poor fellows ! " sighed Major June, so as not to be heard by the captain." " Poor fiddlesticks ! " ejaculated another officer, towards whom all faces were turned with some surprise. The speaker was a tall gaunt man, with rather a wearied look upon his brown features. Time seemed to be making premature havoc there. Without another word he left the table. " Don 't mind him, captain," said Major June. " That's old Sol, the Father of Lieutenants, we call him. He fancies he has outlived the weaknesses of men in the twenty years he has been waiting his untasted promotion. 3 26 F A C A . I'll lay a wager now, you'll find him with a tear in his eye this minute." " The sailors are to be pitied indeed," said the skipper. " Take these men of mine. They haven 't been ashore perhaps more than a week after a long voyage. As soon as they go ashore, pockets full, the boarding-house keepers, or boarding-masters, as they call 'em, get J em drunk, cheat them out of every copper, club in with the shipping-masters and ship them off before they get sober. As for the shipping-masters they often rob them of the month's advance pay, under some pretence or other, a board-bill or some other debt, and so com- pletely impose upon credulous Jack, that, he turns round and says, ' thank ye, sir ! ' " " Christopher ! " exclaimed the major. " No wonder they won 't work ! I 'd mutiny myself, sir ! " At this moment the cry was heard overheard " A duck, a duck overboard ! " The officers rose from the table and ascended the deck, where they saw the soldiery, lately penetrated with awe and terror, now jeering and laughing with infinite good humor at the erratic performances of an escaped duck. The gladdened little creature, having by a skillful movement thrust himself between the bars of hia prison, and either smelt or seen his native element, had incon- tinently flung himself into the sea." With joy he dipped down his bill ; then finding it so salt, and different from all former experiments, he THE DOUBLE CHASE. 27 became frightened and swam again rapidly for the ship. Here he encountered the high wooden wall, and a human enemy still more forbidding, in the second mate, worthy Mr. Junks, an old wbalesman and experienced harpooner, stood ready to fling a slip noose around the timid bird's long neck, and away he swam, instinctively cautioned against the common enemy of his race. It was a matter of interest to see what he would try next. Again he dipped his bill into the briny water, shook his wise head, tried it once more, and then essayed to fly away. But his wings refused their office, he was neither a salt-water duck, nor a wild one, but a weak, civilized slave of man. Here his cogitations were startled by a bullet, whoss before-unheard-of music came singing but too near his head, and down he dived ; then up he came, and swam around and around, bewildered and frightened, and div- ing and paddling this way and that, as ball after ball flew into the water, near him, now on this side it came, and now on that, over his head, or falling short. Oh ! it was rare but savage, inhuman sport. It was from the revolver of old Sol, that the bullets came ; whether to save the little creature from a still worse fate, or what not, no one knew so well as old Sol himself. " Mr. Junks ! " called out the captain. " Sir ! " responded Mr. Junks. " Let down the quarter-boat and catch that fowl." 28 FACA. " Ay yi, sir ! I '11 make sure of him," The gentlemen remonstrated ; even old Sol pleaded " that the bird had fairly won its freedom." " There is no telling how important it may be before the end of the voyage," coolly replied the skipper, as Junks and two seamen pulled away in the small boat. But ere many strokes of the oars the water-fowl scented the danger, and began to use its own paddles. In a few minutes however the "chase" was over- hauled. Junks stood in the bow, bent down ; the boat is almost on the bird, Junks snatched below at the water, and lo ! he missed him." "Bravo !" shouted Major June. New Junks took the oar ; again the boat is on the enemy ; the oar descends surely that head is worth nothing to thee now, my long-billed friend ! No, he has dived down and come up away yonder. " Bravo ! " again cried the cheery major. Then the quarter-boat was signalled in, and Mr. Junks returned somewhat discomfitted. While Mr. Junks was pulling in, the people on deck were startled by an apparation, for surely it seemed no less. There is the pale and bloody mutineer. His hands are free ; he holds a long knife ; he sees Clincher, he comes, the avenger ! Tearing through the thick crowd, the terrified mate fled towards the cabin with the ghost at his heels. Each moment, each millionth part of a moment, is THE DOUBLE CHASE. 29 marked in that race of two score feet, between the two pale faces, with the knife glittering above. The mate reaches the cabin ere the steel descends ; and the pur- suer vanishes." Then the captain, and Mr. Junks, and that pale mate, are seen, the latter with a pistol in his trembling hand, searching the ship. A hiss, and cries of " shame ! " are heard rising from the soldiers, who witness the search, stifled by their officers, who fly among the men with drawn swords. The moments again seem ages, each one expected with a shot from Clincher's pistol. But it is not heard, nor is George seen. The sailors are called aft, and addressed by the skipper ; but what is become of George no one may tell, for he is not there. Mr. Junks only seems to know. Mr. Junks was a short, erect, laconic man. One of those people who look wise and say nothing. So nothing could be drawn from Junks, and the fate of George, the mutineer, remained a mystery. 3* CHAPTER IV. FACA AND THE LIEUTENANT. Love is a pearl of purest hue, But stormy waves are round it. L. E. L. God gives us love. TENNYSON. A LIGHT "breeze from the south 'ard and east 'ard caused a sensation of relief and pleasure among " all hands." The anchor was lifted, sail after sail was set, and like a new-horn spirit, arming himself with great powers, the ship raised her white wings and bore away with her mighty unknown world. A little vessel appear- ing in the distance, the pilot watched it narrowly. The only talkative pilot ever known was he. With their eyes aloft, or ahead, and mouths full of quid, this class of men are noised abroad for their authoritative, dogmatic, taciturnity. None such was Pilot Friendly. He delighted in talking. He called the captain his " boyj" after the fashion of nurses who are fain to claim all the little ones they marshal into existence, so often had he brought the captain into port, and then seen him fairly to sea again. With one eye on the man at the wheel, and another forward, or upward, this pilot gave his tongue to the passengers. FACA AND THE LIEUTENANT. 31 " My grandfather was a pilot," said Friendly, " my father was a pilot, my brothers are both pilots, and my mother was a pilot." "What's that, sir ?" asked the major, pricking up his ears. " Yes, sir," replied Friendly, smiling on the simple major in a patronising way, " I 'm pilot from both sides of the house. I '11 tell you how it was. The pilot boat had been out cruising round a week or more, and every man who could steer a ship was suddenly employed, leaving no one on board but the old lady and two boys. It was twenty miles off Sandy Hook. A ship hove in sight and had to be taken in ; my mother took the helm, crossed the bar, made the Narrows, and sailed up to the city safe and sound. Captain, where 's your bawling- iron?" "My what?" " Your bawling-iron, boy ! or speaking trumpet, or whatever ye call it ? " The pilot hailed his little clipper-built schooner, which sent a boat off to the Aldebaran. Friendly took " the last letters" the officers had each written a score, at least, of " last letters," gave his " boy " a warm grip of the hand, and descended the side of the ship to his jolly-boat. " Never-Sink " lighthouse did " sink " that night, at least Junks said so. And next morning the ship was fairly at sea, for a flock of Mother Carey's chickens were 32 FACA. seen, close at hand, following in the wake of the vessel, and picking up the crumbs that fell. What sweet, cheery little sounds they piped forth ! Some of the soldiers' children had great fun catching these little birds, by means of fine spool thread, which they suffered to unwind and stream loosely in the air : the foolish chickens knew no better than to entangle their wings, and were hauled in amid wild shouts of childish delight. It was not Junks, but Clincher, who taught the urchins thus to inveigle the silly birds. Yet Clincher was not a bad man, but delighted in small children, and small jokes, too, as we shall see in due time. The poor old woman was able to be on deck to-day. There she stands, with that beautiful girl and a young corporal we know it by the chevrons on his arm Corporal Marshal, reader. The old woman wears a mantle over her head, and a white cap of many folds beneath ; and her hair is very grey. The girl is dressed in a neat, closely-fitting dress of grey linen, which sets off a graceful figure. Her features are very chastely chiselled, and her eyes, how intensely black, and yet how soft they are. The thoughts of the dark woman are evidently wan- dering, but those of the young couple are nearer by, for they seem to watch the little petrels with some in- terest. FACA AND THE LIEUTENANT. 33 " I know of nothing more solitary," said the young man, speaking to the old woman, " than a lone stormy petrel far out at sea." The young girl looked grateful for the word said to her aged companion ; but the latter, if she heeded the remark at all, said nothing. " Shall I sing you some verses about one ? " asked the young man. Again tlu grateful look of those eloquent bright eyes. The duenna only nodded a stern sort of approval. The young man walked away in an easy, martial manner, followed by the soft beautiful eyes. He re- turned soon with a small guitar, and looking over the sea, by the side of Faca, who stood facing the dark woman, sitting near the taffrail with her hands folded, the young soldier sang to a low plaintive melody his SONG OF THE STORMY PETREL AND POND LILY. " Pretty pond lily, wil 't wander with me ? I wait on the storm-king far o'er the sea ; My winglets are fleet o'er the billowy foam ; I 've never a resting place never a home." 4 Stormy petrel, thou art sighing for rest ; Come sleep on my bosom ; come dwell in my breast ; The storm-king shall call thee in vain from the shore ; Thy trumpet-scream lead on his battles no more." 34 FAG A. " Pretty pond lilly, the sea must be crost ; The knight-clouds are must 'ring their helmeted host ! My destiny beckons from love and from thee ; In dreams let thy gentle thoughts wander with me." ' ' Stormy petrel ! I will sail o'er the main ! This bosom shall bear thee in peril and pain." "Yet, where were the shelter, fair lily, for thee ;-- Thy soft petals scattered abroad on the sea ? " " 'T is home where my love is, by sea or by shore ; Thy winglet my shelter, I pray for no more : A providence cares for the stormy petrel ; The sea-weed is watched till the ocean is still." There was a hush on the quarter-deck while these simple words were singing, though few besides Major June caught their meaning as they fell. He watched the young soldier as the latter turned towards his fair companion, saw the little blush which tried to hide it- self under her ringlets, and noticed a silent tear trickle down the wrinkled brown cheek of that old woman. " Christopher ! " exclaimed the major, " that girl runs in my head like a new tune." "What girl?" asked Old Sol. " The one in grey linen, with the old woman. Ex- cept the raven of her eyes and hair, she is of the pure American order." " American order ! " sneered Old Sol. FACA AND THE LIEUTENANT. 35 " Yes, sir ! I throw down my gauntlet on that ! We have an American order of female beauty. It is not Greek, after Scopas' Venus, nor Italian, after the Venus de Medici, an imitation of Scopas, nor after the Madonna, an imitation of both, with a trace of He- brew ; nor yet English, nor French, nor Spanish." " Then what is it ? " asked Old Sol, now curious. " Composite, sir, and distinct as the composite order of architecture." "Can you define it?" "Yes; the oval face, brown hair, blue eyes, jaw not so square as the Grecian, cheek-bone less protuberant than Spanish or Indian, nose less prominent than He- brew or Italian, eyes less almond-shaped than the Ori- ental ; the oval, sir, perfect oval ! that is the highest expression for the American style of beauty. Christo- pher, there she stands, now ! I hope she has not over- heard me." Thus Major June established it, that Faca, with her oval face was the pure type of American beauty. A black boy came upon the quarter-deck, and an- nounced the evening meal to the party, with a ludic- rous bow and scrape. As they went below, one by one, Old Sol lingered be- hind the others, and stole an inquisitive shy look at Faca ; then he blushed as he saw her advancing or 36 FAG A. making an involuntary movement towards him. He was quite sure now. " Little Faca ! " he exclaimed. " Lieutenant Soldan, I am so glad, sir, to meet yon again." " I must not call you 'little Faca' now." " yes, sir, more than ever," was her eager reply. As he left her, Faca blushed, and then sighed, to think how womanhood was coming to separate her from such a friend womanhood was not all, alas! their ranks in life were so different. Thus we go on dividing, we grown up children ! Shall not the Fates draw Faca and her old friend together again ? Far ahead we see the bending forms of love, mutiny, death ! The child shall prove herself a woman, the man a child. Thus we approach each other, we children of destiny ! CHAPTER V. NOON AND NIGHT. Boll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean roll ! BYKON. " LIEUTENANT," asked the skipper of the commissary next day, " shall I help you to a bit of the larboard breast of the turkey?" " Ye-a-a-s; no, sir! (hastily) I, I thank you, I, I " and the lieutenant went above. " To heave the log," said one. " To cast up his accounts," said another. " Dead reckoning," drily remarked Old Sol. Old Sol suddenly turned pale himself. " Officer of the day ! officer of the day ! two men fighting ! " said a soldier rushing in out of breath. Now, old Sol was officer of the day, and so far from staying hostile proceedings among the men, it was more than sufficient for him to settle his own beligerent Stomach, just now revolting too. Old Sol was not nice, he would have given, with Gonzalo, " A thousand furlongs of the sea for an acre of barren ground, long heath, brown furze, anything." 4 88 F A C A . Evening fell, and the wind fell. Up rose a fog. It swallowed up, at eight o'clock, the foretop, the stars, the sea and sky. The officers settled gloomily in the cabin. The men dropped away into their berths 'by fours. Tattoo broke from the bellies of two drums and the throats of two fifes, and fell from the precipices of night, as the herd, possessed by evil spirits, broke down the crags of Judea, fell into the sea. " Taps " beat, and all the world swung in ham- mocks at rest. The mist rolled up, pile on pile, of moun- tains, Alps of the sky. Now a great ball of white fire flies from those cloud- craters, upwards ! upwards ! and the moon bestrides the sea and heaven " like a Colossus." 0, the moun- tains of cloud-land ! are they not more beautiful, with night and morning sitting on their grey and blue cliffs, like watchful shepherds with their crooks, while God's lambs roam the hills and valleys of the ocean, than the mountains of " this too solid earth." It may be that Faca was romantic, for she stole out of her berth, above the duenna, flitted through the empty cabin, and gained the quarter-deck, to star-gaze ; the full- orbed radiant moon shone down upon the ship, and flooded the sea the wide, wide mystic sea ! Except the watch and sentries, all tne hundreds of souls with whom the Aldebaran was freighted were bound in sleep. .Major June, standing not far off, alone NOON AND NIGHT. 39 was alive to the glories that sparkled around in the full tide of moonlight. The wheelsman silently stood at his steadfast work, now gazing aloft, narrowly watching the sails, and now peering into the binnacle, to keep the ship on her course. Near the mizzen-mast stood the second mate, ever and anon scanning the horrizon with his " weather-eye " and keeping a strict watch upon "the ship's motion, calling out at long intervals, " How does she head ? " " South-by-West, sir ! " On either side the wheel, seamen lay " keeled up " with sleep, ready to spring at a word, while forward, stood one looking out with sleepless eyes, ahead. " Sail ho ! " he cries. " Where away ? " demands the mate. " Three points o' the weather bow, sir ! " On the main deck walks the sentry, with sleepy, monotonous pace, waiting impatiently to be relieved by some one of those buckled and belted figures stretched out at the feet of the corporal of the guard, who leans over there against the railing, nodding. " Silence and the sea ; two sublime infinities ! incapa- ble of comprehension, what eloquence ! " murmured the devout major to himself. " And amidst it all, lit on her lonely way by thousands of heavenly lamps, with her white topsails steepling to the sky, the precious bur- 40 F A C A . dened ship shakes the light sea-dew from her strong waist, and goes bounding along like a lion." " Yes," again murmured the major, " a ship at sea is one of the three most beautiful things in the world." Then lifting' his eyes to the starry heavens, he repeated to himself those glorious words of Milton : "Moon! that now meet'st the. orient sun, now fly 'st, With the fix'd stars, fix'd in the orb that flies ; And ye five other wandering fires ! that move, In mystic dance not without song, resound His praise, who out of darkness called up light Air ! and ye elements ! the eldest birth Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run Perpetual circle, multiform, and mix And nourish all things ; let your careless change Vary to our great Maker still new praise." CHAPTER VI. THE BRIGHT BUTTONS. HOW QUARTERED FED AND CLEANSED AT SEA. The beaten soldier proves most manful, That, like his sword endures the anvil, And justly 's held more formidable, The more his valor 's malleable. HUDIBHAS. OUK hero, Corporal Marshal, was lodged aboard ship in the most unromantic manner. Soldiers always are. Sometimes they are made to stretch out, without mat- trasses, on the soft side of a plank, between decks, or anywhere. Sometimes they have mattresses most commonly only blankets one each ; but they club to- gether, and bunk in on shares. The Aldebaran was a regular emigrant ship, and provided with bunk-frames suspended by iron rods, between decks. Four men slept in a bunk, where four Irishmen, four Dutchmen, or four women, or three men and one woman, and a few children, or three women and one man, had often slept together before. There were bulk-heads in the after part of the ship below, fitted up with bunks. In these separate apart- 40 42 FACA. merits, "separate," because the ^occupants were subdi- vided here, by twenties, from the mass, the married folk, bandmen, and other elite of the ranks were stowed away. The crowds in these rooms were thicker, the air more confined. The deck, still further down below, served for storing away the provisions required for immediate use, and was likewise used as a drill-hall. Further down still, was the hold, where the water hogsheads, and the greater portion of the provisions and ship's stores were packed away. The crew slept in their own castle the forecastle. Major June's command was divided into companies and detachments at Governor's Island, where they had been drilled awhile. These divisions were preserved on shipboard, and the first night it was important to have them all assigned to their respective bunks, for the neat police of which the men were held severally accountable. This is an important matter in all transport ships, the basis of order and cleanliness. Cooks and cooks' attendants were selected from the soldiers. Each day the rations for the day were deliv- ered to these " chosen few," to prepare for the many. The recruit, unlike the state of things in garrison, had no plates, knives or forks, tables or napkins. In his knapsack, rolled up in a stock or stocking, was an iron THE BRIGHT BUTTOXS. 43 spoon, and from his waist-belt dangled a tin cup. The two comprised a military outfit for a rational repast. At tap of drum the ranks of one company were formed for eating. They marched towards the galley by file on one side, filled their cups, moved around the gal- ley, and, returning down on the other side, took the bread or meat, or whatever was to be eaten, on the hand as a plate, and bestowed themselves in whatever part of the ship was handy, and secure from sailors, music-boys, dogs, pigs, or other beasts of prey. Then the next company marched up with the like " intrepid tread," received their rations, and hied away, all and several, to some place of security. The American soldier's ration is good and liberal, uncomparable in any other community-life, military or civil, from Shakerdom to Sebastopol, or from an asylum down to a Fourierite phalanx, to wit. : > Three-fourths of a pound of pork or bacon, or One and one-fourth pounds of fresh beef, and Eighteen ounces of bread or flour for each man per day, and at the rate of Eight quarts of beans or peas, or in lieu thereof, ten pounds of rice, Six pounds of coffee, Twelve pounds of sugar, Four quarts of vinegar, One and a half pounds of tallow, or 44 FACA. One pound of sperm candles, Four pounds of soap, and Two quarts of salt, to the hundred rations. Besides this, at sea, or wherever it is deemed, by the surgeon and commanding officer, to be necessary, there is a liberal supply of molasses, onions, pickles, dried apples, and other anti-scorbutics, and, if at a post, what- ever fish may be caught, or vegetables raised. The human form divine is never a pleasant specta- cle when feeding ; but recruits ! hurly-burly, scuffling and " grubbing," growling like wild beasts, cramming like pelicans or sea-ravens : " stealings in, and de 'il take the hindmost ! " is the cry. There the officer of the day stands, above the herd, shaking his fist, his foot, his hat, his sabre, anything he can lay hold of, calling for the guard, swearing and storming ! ! how our officers swear at recruits ! Some of the non-commissicned officers are, if possible, yet more fierce, bearing a personal interest in the fray ; and they accordingly drive, and pull, and push, and knock, and kick, and tear, the men from their victuals, ill-gotten, and sometimes, well-gotten, but under sus- picion. "0 ! " cried a short puffy man, called the parson, " I'd sooner fall into the hands of the Philistines. I 'd sooner have a millstone hanged around my neck and be cast into the sea." THE BRIGHT BUTTONS. 45 There were no less than two ex-parsons, four ex-doc- tors, and six ex-lawyers on board recruits ! some for love, some for liquor. Cupid and John Barleycorn make many soldiers now- a-days. It used to be Venus and Mars ; now it is Venus and Bacchus. Having wandered thus far from our story, to tell the reader how soldiers are quartered and fed at sea, he may wish to know how they are cleansed. " Wash him ! " was the simple advice of Mr. Dick to Aunt Betsey, over the forlorn runaway, Master David Copperfield. On the second morning- at sea, the officers in the cabin were awakened from their dreams of the St. Nicholas, or the June fields in the country, pinks, pop- pies, and rosies, red cheeks, white muslin, sweet eyes, butter-cups, and buttermilk, by the cry of "O ! ho ! Rosey, haul ! " to which a violent stoppage was put, and the sleepy dreamers jumped from their berths as the vessel shook, with the shout that went up. It seems that a hundred or more of the soldiers had taken hold of a rope to aid the sailors in bracing up the yards and were pulling away in lively chorus, when, by a sudden, and possibly accidental slip of the rope, the multitude were precipitated upon the deck. At surgeon's call that morning, sundry unaccountable " bumps " were complained of. After surgeon's call came guard mounting. A guard of twelve was daily formed ; four sentinels paced the 4G FACA. decks, at a "relief 7 ' of two hours each, or were posted over the water-tank, or at other spots sacred to the pro- fane moh. And now while two companies go below to drill, which may be heard, tramp, tramp, tramp ! those remaining are aligned on the upper deck. " Two ranks face inwards ! " is the sergeant's order. " Off shoes and stockings ! " " Roll up your pantaloons to your knees ! " " Now, fire away ! " A stream of cool salt-water issues from a pipe, along the ranks, delicious to the legs and feet of the soldiers. One may little imagine the excitement, the almost fear, the thrilling bodily tremor, previous to the first shock. That over, they, delighted in the cool deluge, hold forth their brawny limbs eagerly for the water to breathe its freshness upon them. They huddle up towards the gushing pipe in groups, impatient of the momentary delay ere " their turn comes," and dance and shout for joy. CHAPTEE VII. FACA OF "OUBS." With thee all toils are sweet ; each clime hath charms ; Earth, sea, alike our world within our arms. BTEON. THE unconscious beauty of the ship was Faca, adopted daughter of old Orderly-Sergeant Trainor, of the 8th Infantry. The sergeant had married a better person than camp- women generally are. He was in his youth stationed at New London, in the State of Connecticut, where he found his pearl of a little wife, the daughter of a once well-to-do fanner in the country near. Faca, their only child was carefully brought up, for a soldier's child, and was just returning to the regiment after a three year's cheap but thorough finishing up in a girl's school. So much for Faca and her happy parents, whom she deeply loved above gallant lovers, above fortune and what is smoothly called " respectability," above the comforts of civil life. Faca was enthusiastic in her love of the army, for officers and men had always been kind to the shy, mysterious, yet well behaved child. The young soldier seen singing last evening at her 48 FACA. side, and looking fondly with his fine eyes upon Faca, was no hero of romance he was only a corporal in old Sergeant Trainor's company. He had lost his father when a hit of a lad, and enlisted for a musician on Governor's Island. William had grown up under Ser- geant Trainor's eye. " The lad has sent his poor old mother all his pay," said the sergeant to his wife. " General Jackson ! I 'm not afraid to have him go with our little daughter. "For a hoy that 's good to his mother will he good to his wife, and if Faca falls in love with the like of William Mar- shal what 's the harm ? " " Yes she may go farther and fare worse, that she might, old man ; hut its to think of ever parting with her, that makes me afraid of all young men," replied the anxious mother." Faca herself was innocently and strangely puzzled, for was not William a gentle and handsome, and a "brave youth ? Yes, hut Faca wished not to think of love for many a year yet ; not at least till she had made up, hy personal services, for the expense and self-denial of her parents in keeping her so long at school. That William was marvellous well-looking could not he gainsayed ; hut in New England schools they are taught to gene- ralize, and to view things and people in the abstract, and Faca preferred to pass hy the attentions and even notice of the genus homo. And as for flirting, Faca was FAG A OF "OURS." 49 such a simple goose of a child, that she abominated it ; So, in few words, Faca was coy. This very timidity had attracted William towards her all the more, especially during the few weeks they had spent together on the lovely green walks, and under the wide trees, and down the purling beach, at Governor's Island, where William had last served on recruiting duty, and where the Trainors had been kept waiting a time, for an opportunity to rejoin their regi- ment. But there was a greater foe than Faca's objections to the "genus man," in the path of William Marshal, a very lion. Poor William could not resist one insidious enemy. He got tipsy on occasions. At least Mr. Bar- dolph said so ; perhaps we shall see who this Mr. Bar- dolph was presently ; and, furthermore, he accounted for the strange fact, that nobody else ever suspected, in this way. He said^ that " an old infantry officer had early taken a great fancy to William, and taught him his own three accomplishments, when camped amid the everglades of Florida ; these were poetry, music, and tippling secretly, and so as to hide the effects from com- mon observers. But one pair of sharp eyes had made the discovery of William's third accomplishment, and he was a rival. A great bushy-bearded, tall man, the drum-major of a band, a new acquaintance, and William's professed 5 50 F A C A . friend. This was Mr. Bardolph, and he was some sort of a foreigner, nobody knew what. How closely had he watched William ! He had hovered around him, hid behind trees, looked in at windows, dropped in upon him at bed-time and at rising-time, but hitherto had discovered nothing of consequence in William's love affairs. Faca always shrank from Mr. Bardolph instinctively. "Gentlemen with bushy beards are seldom favorites with beautiful young women. Thin, watery, slim, willowy women, of a certain age, admire men with bushy beards, in fact, are not so particular as to the beard," often remarked Old Sol. Mr. Bardolph had heard the song of the' Stormy Petrel and the Pond Lily. His mind was made up. " Sergeant Trainor, my very dear old friend ! " " Bless me ! General Jackson^ jjfcwore with a wicked oath the old orderly-sergeant. What brings you here so early in the morning ? "w^ff wife ! hurry on your clothes. Sir ! Mr. Bardolph, this place is full of women." Mr. Bardolph was polite ; he withdrew. Possibly the expectation of meeting Faca en dishabille had urged the drum-major into one of the married people's apart- ments, for such things sometimes urge polite men against their will, of course. In a moment the sergeant followed Mr. Bardolph out. FACA OF "OURS." 51 " My dear friend your daughter is in danger ! " " Danger ! what ? who ? speak ! she occupies a state-room in the cahin with her grandmother, at the request of Major June himself." " Corporal Marshal, sergeant." " Well, what of him ? he too in danger ? " " Yes, and thereby puts in jeopardy the fate of your daughter ! " "What the devil !" " Sergeant, William Marshal drinks ! n " General Jackson ! " gasped the weak and nervous old man. He was smitten sorely at the heart. With no little display of pity, the wily Bardolph sup- ported the old sergeant a moment at the door. Then Mrs. Trainor came and relieved him of the precious "burden. Let the loving heart only tell how many "bur- dens there are that we find precious, an aged father, or a sickly child. Mr. Bardolph sauntered slowly along the dim passage, triumphing already in his imagination, and charmed that his poison had taken so well, when he heard a step hehind him, and a voice striving for utterance, he turned. There was Faca's grandmother. Her face was almost hidden beneath her mouth, hut a fearfully flaming eye shot from beneath its heavy folds. When it was seen that Mr. Bardolph awaited her, out of the cloud came a 52 F A C A . trembling finger, a long and bony fore-finger, and then was heard a shrill voice. " Man ! man ! thou liest ! beware ! " " Ha ! ha ! " laughed the drum-major, in his easiest manner, " old lady, you are excited." But the duenna turned and re-entered the married people's apartment. A month or more Mr. Bardolph had known the Trainors, but now for the first time he asked himself, " Who is this mvsterious old witoh of their's ? " CHAPTER VIII. THE SHIP MAKES A VARIETY OF NOISES. How tenderly Rousseau reviewed His periwinkles ! TOM HOOD. THE band-master -*- not the drum-major regales himself with his violin down helow, where the music- men and the women are. The notes float up in little blossom-like sounds, while, from a distance still beyond, is heard the regular tramp of the soldiers, at their drill. In the pantry stands the black boy washing after- dinner dishes, and singing to the steward and a group of waiting orderlies the same few words to all the airs of Era Diavolo, " 0, how I should like, 0, how I should like, 0, how I should like To be!" and he winds off with as many flourishes as a crazy trumpeter. No one was suffered to learn precisely what Snowball aspired " to be"; no one had life enough to 04 FACA. think, for his monotonous music, like the drone of a summer beetle, only steeped the listener in a deeper and dreamier state of drowsiness. Courting the least breath of air, the yards are brac- ing and shifting continually. Sailors and soldiers pull away at a rope, roaring out a chorus not discreditable to a Mississippi river boat-gang. A little fellow with crisp, curly hair, and a great mouth, and a great voice, " leads the train," " Pretty girls in New Orleans ; ho ! Rosey haul ! Were you e'er ia Botany Bay ? Oho! Rosey haul! New York lasses pretty faces ; ho ! Rosey haul ! " Then another Jack Tar breaks in 4 Liverpool 's a d d bad place ! Oho! Rosey haul!" It may be unnecessary to any but landsmen to hear, that at the word " haul," all hands pull together on the line, and then brace themselves up again for another tug. All join enthusiastically in the chorus, and the strength of lungs and muscle put forth, is proportioned to the spiciness of the singer's sentiment. The same happy stroke of humor that, in the theatre would bring SHIP NOISES. 55 down the house, ahoartl ship would lift an anchor or trice up a mainsail. A good song will raise a ship. One meek old Jack sleepily trolls out " My old woman she loves gin ! ho ! Rosey HAUL ! " " Sergeant Trainor sick, sir," reported the hospital- steward that morning to the surgeon. " Does he wish to see me ?" " No, sir ; he requires no medicine. I offered to hlced the patient, and give him twelve grains of blue- mass," kindly replied the hospital-steward, flourishing his pencil in a professional way, like a lancet, "but he only asks to he excused from duty." " Very well, steward" " Corporal Marshal asks to wait on him, sir." " Let him attend him." The hospital-steward gave a significant shrug. He was jealous of Corporal Marshal, who had saved the old sergeant's hlood and stomach from the amhitious steward's practice. This class of gentlemen are fond of prescribing ; a few medical terms is all they need to complete their vanity, and they whip a lancet into your arm before you know it. In the ranks of civil life too, men, after the fashion of hospital-stewards, may be found at times. A smat- tering of learning, a few technical words, and wo be 56 FACA. unto you ! These rogues' are not confined to the medi- cal science, nor to sciences of any kind ; they find their way into art and literature. Your hospital-steward of art will cut up your picture with his lancet, and purge out your merit with his blue-mass, if their is an ounce of true genius about you. And of all the flippant numskulls in the world commend me to the shrugging sort who, having nothing in their brains to say, endea- vor to hitch up their shoulders to the vacancy in their head a death-blow to a certainty. Faca was not seen on that day at her usual post be- side the duenna, near the taffrail ; the cloud was there, but not the sunshine. Mr. Bardolph went about in fine spirits. CHAPTER IX. HEART-BEATS UNDER BLUE JACKETS AND BRIGHT BUTTONS. The heart is like the sky a part of heaven. BTBON. THE second mate, Junks, was on the watch in the evening, pacing the quarter deck in a communicative mood, when Major June came up from the cabin to en- joy the sweet sea air and the bright stars. Junks. I think the wind '11 haul round to the north- ard and west 'ard afore long, sir." [Junks had the mouth and nose of a parrot, and he talked like a parrot.] Major. I hope so, mate ; we want a fair wind ; [after a pause,] how do you like the life ? Junks. All'ers liked it, sir. Used to run away from home and mammy to go to sea, before I was twelve yearn old. Major. Did you get off? Junks. Once : I was about seven years : hid myself board a ship bound out ; mammy came and caught me ; carried me back kicking and sprawling. I didn 't 58 F A C A . fairly get to sea till I was eighteen ; then went a whal- ing. Major. What luck? Junks. Very fair ; came "back fifteen dollars in debt [Junks laughed ; a pleasant laugh it was ; not at all like a parrot's.] Vunhs [to the wheelsman.] Keep up, Jack ! keep up ! [The major looked at the wheelsman, and saw that he was in no danger of falling down.] Wheelsman, keep her up. [Then the major knew that Junks meant " keep the ship up."] Major. How did you manage to become a mate ? Junks. Keepin' clear of boarding-masters, shipping- masters, and rum, the three saiwors' best worst friends : used to wike rum as well as any man ; but found that when I drank I kept bad company ; wost my pay ; could not keep in with my officers ; could n't get on no how, so just quit. TTuiF little, Jack. Wheelsman. Ay yi, sir : luff a little. JunJcs. I went under Uncle Sam onct ; [again that pleasant smile,] yes, jist after the siege of Veery Cruz ; shipped on the Preble, (she that 's used now as a prac- tice-ship, and goes around with all them midshipmen in summer.) Well, after a three-year's cruize ; no, it was two years and eight months, I was the only man that escaped a flogging. BLUE JACKETS AND BRIGHT BUTTONS. 59 Major. I dare say you deserved it. Christopher ! dasli a straight-laced soldier, any how ! I beg pardon, mate ; go on. Junks [smiling good humoredly at the old veteran.] The officers aboard ship used to think so too ; thought I got off too well : wanted to catch me, but couldn 't. Major. Zounds, sir ! you are either a scamp to the nines, or tiptop good sailor ; possibly religious, eh ? Junks. No, sir ; neither : ain 't neither scamp nor saint ; 'cos why, I never drinks, and both o' them does. Major. What's that, my fellow ? Junks. Aw I mean to say is, those who make out to be saints bftfore men ain 't aw straight ; they either drink or steal. Major. Christopher ! you talk like an ass, sir Junks. Beg pardon, sir ; but didn 't you say, " dash a straight-traced soldier ? Major. Yes, sir, but Junks. Excuse me, sir, [touching his hat,] but each man sees best the black sheep of his own profession. Piety put on afore men ain 't the thing, I guess, nowhere. True religion is like true merit, ain 't for showing off. Major. Well, well ! how long since you served before the mast ? Junks. Three years. First time shipped as mate, got sick enough of it. When it came on to the dog- watch, that's between four and eight in the evening, 60 FACA. the men forward used to be sitting round on the fore- castle-deck, spinning yarns and smoking their pipes so- ciably, and singing, while I walked here on the poop deck aw alone, nobody to talk to ; then I wished myself back among 'em. Major. And did you go ? Junks. Yes, sir ; next voyage I went afore the mast, but it was another thing ; I had learnt to see the dif- ference. Major. How did you treat your old shipmates after that?" Junks. I tried to treat 'em kindly, sir ; but you can- not do that ; they '11 all'ers take advantage of you. Now I'm what the sailors call a "d d rascal," among, 'em. Major. I thought so. Junks [blushing and smiling.] I 'm not a bad- hearted man, I make the most of every sailor that tries well ; but those as don 't try, and won 't try, has to keep an eye to the wind 'ard when Harry Junks comes awong. Dis 'pline is necessary aboard a merchant-ship as in a fort, and more. If you want your men to mind in a gale o' wind, you must make 'em practice mindin' in a calm, or you'll wose the ship. Major. Many Americans among the sailors ? Junks. Not often, sir. They generally rise to be mates and masters. They are, for the most part, Eng- BLUE JACKETS AND BRIGHT BUTTONS 61 lish, Irish, Spanish, Portuguese and Norwegians ; next to American sai^<;or3> think the Norwegians are best. You don 't sec many old fashioned saiwors now sir, that 'a one reason why Jack's treated badly. An emigrant conies over the ocean, pulls away with the sailors on the way across, and if he can 't get anything else, the shipping-master picks him up, and ships a raw Paddy as an able-bodied seaman. Major. Then you think your profession is going to Davy Jones' locker ? Junks. 'Zactly, sir. Major. Zounds ! and so is mine, mate, politicians fill up all the vacancies, and leave those who are educat- ed for the business to tag after all their lives. "That's a fact, sir !" said Old Sol, coming up from the cabin and joining the major and the mate. " Now the question is, is the military profession a profession at all, or a block for tailors to put cloth and buttons on ? It is thought worth while for the tailor to learn his trade, the judge must be a lawyer, the doc- tor take his degree. The man who clothes you, the man who decides upon your property, and the man who pre- scribes for your toothache, must know his calling, but the soldier who fights for you, and to whom you confide the lives of your brothers, husbands, children and fathers in battle, is a sort of mushroom, that may spring up in a night." 62 F A C A . " I should caw them tailor's blocks," " Tailors have no blocks," said the major, who could never bear to hear anything abused." " Then milliner's blocks, if you please sir," rejoined Junks ; " things to catch silly girls with gilt and show." " Sir ! " said Major June, austerely, " you know nothing concerning it, it is out of your line." The old gentleman went below. Junks laughed, and said to old Sol, "queer old chap that ! " " Aw I know about those matters is what might hap- pen aboard ship. Put a man in as master or mate before he 'd ever wearnt the ropes, and the saiwors might not think him a 'taiwors block,' nor a 'milliner's block,' but they 'd take him d d soon for a block-head, ha ! ha ! " " But you have a profession," replied Old Sol gloomily. Old Sol meant only to condemn such practices as that prevalent in the Mexican war, of appointing gentlemen out of civil employments, with perhaps some smattering of militia, not military, experience, into the higher com- missions, while there stood by, neglected, hundreds of gallant, well-trained, and talented officers. " It was no less an abuse upon the country than an outrage on military men," said he. The fact is, Mr. Junks, that Congress has devised two ways for providing officers for the army, one by promo- BLUE JACKETS AND BRIGHT BUTTONS. 63 tion from West Point, the other by promoting from the ranks one scientific, the other practical. But Pre- sidents and War Secretaries have sought out a third device, Mr. Junks." Ay yi, that is ? " " Political, a nice method to provide for nephews, and to kill off troublesome friends, and to buy up dan- gerous enemies, and to " There is no telling to what ridiculous lengths the irate old mouldering lieutenant might have gone, but at that moment a violent scream pierced through night from the women's quarters. The mate and Old Sol hurried below. They were joined by Major June in demi-costume. On reaching that portion of the ship assigned to the married people, they found a swarm of soldiers and their wives, already aroused, and filling the middle space or hall. Near the door of the room where Sergeant Trainor lay sick, a young woman had fallen down, pale and speechless. It was Faca. The tears dropped from the face of Old Sol as he car- ried the beautiful young creature to her state-room, and admitting no one except her mother who followed fright- ened ; he closed the state-room door, and went after the surgeon. Think of it, reader, a civilian nominated to the TJ. S. Senate to command the armies in Mexico, over Winfield Scott. CHAPTER X. LOVE PASSAGES. Teach not thy lips such scorn ; for it was made For kissing, lady. DHAKSPEARE. Both Faca and William knew the cause of Sergeant Trainor's illness ; Mrs. Trainor had revealed it. Amazed and deeply injured at heart, William had sat with the old soldier all day, and same night, as the ser- geant seemed not very sick, the young man was forced, according to regulations, to retire to his own bunk, at the proper hour. His enemy watched. He knew that Faca was by the side of her father, and that she must ere long seek her own state-room. Concealing himself in the far end of the passage, he determined to accost the maiden that night. Faca was at the foot of the stairway when he whispered "Miss Faca!" She turned and shuddered. " I have saved you." " You have broken my father's heart, Mr. Bardolph." " How could I do less ? Destruction awaited the LOVE PASSAGES. t>5 fairest of creatures. I knew that young corporal was insinuating himself into your heart." " You have slandered him sir, I know you have," " I would murder him to win you, angelic " "Monster!" " Angel ! " " Let me pass sir ! " " A kiss then." He attempted to throw his arm around her waist with a wild scream she fled back towards her father's room, at the door of which she fell. What violent fools bushy-bearded men are, some- times ! 00 CHAPTER XI. FISH STOEIES WHEREIN CLINCHEE CUTS A FIGURE. DURING the day following, three distinguished sports- men made their appearance. Shark, grampus and sea- gull. The grampus belongs to the royal family, the whales, whose pedigree is more ancient than that of English lords. The whale was set apart for royal use by the common law of England as everybody knows, and hence called the "royal fish." The head was appropriated to the kings use, and the tail to the'queen's. This latter was accounted for by one learned law com- mentator, on the necessity of whalebone for her majes- ty's petticoats. But a later commentator upsets the supposition completely, by stating that whalebone comes from the head of the royal fish and not the tail. This, therefore, remains one of the greatest points of dispute in the legal profession What did her majesty do with the whale's tail ? On casting the lead, morning and evening, it was found the ship was drifting towards the coast of Virginia ; the weather continued warm and foggy. " No observation of the sun to-day," said the skipper, " we have to steer by the blue pigeon." FISH STORIES. 67 " Pray what 's that, captain ? " inquired one. " The lead and line, sir." A laugh was heard among the troops. The officers looked, and saw that it arose over the antics of two funny, pigs, little hlack fellows, always playing with the men, or a sociahle Newfoundland dog helonging to Captain Handsallaround. The dog was of their own color at least ; but their consorting with the men was inexcusable, for a, pig has four legs and a man but two. Grant that man has five faculties to the pigs four, it leaves an odd leg to account for. We leave the ques- tion to legal men, with that of the tail-royal. " Ha ! ha ! ha ! " the men laughed again. One of the pigs in chasing the dog "slipped up" on the wet deck, and rolled down to the leeward side of the ship. " Pigs are capital scavengers," said the skipper, " and they are very much improved by sea air and ship diet. Nothing so sweet as their meat after a few voyages. We killed one on our last run from Liverpool that had made five voyages with us, and I never tasted anything so sweet." " Yes," growled Clincher, " and had a devil of a gale too ; we always do when we kill a pig at sea ; its a sure sign of a storm." " Ask him about ' Braddock's Pigs,' " said the skipper winking towards a young officer. " Old Bradclook of Essex had three pigs." said the 68 F A C A . mate, quite gravely speaking, " he put them in three pens, one over the other, and fed only the top one. They turned out the fattest pigs in the county, and the bottom one was the fattest of the three ; that's a fact." Clincher's gravity, and look of wonder and credulity were irresistible. His eyebrows were highly arched, but humor lay around his slouched mouth, and what he said, his eyes seemed to believe, while his mouth flouted and made fun of it. The fog, now driven away from the Aldebaran, retired upon the horizon, where it appeared like a huge sea-ser- pent devouring distant ships. Sails came and went amid its mighty coil, rising up and going down. The sun, shining out but too brightly, drove a couple of young officers into the cabin's shade : they had been listening to Clincher's whale stories. " He vows," said one, " that he has a whale-hook now, with which he has taken many a great whale." " A whale-hook, sir ?" cried Major June. " Yes, sir," replied the youngster, Lieutenant Swallow, a simple fellow by nature, and unspoilt by education at ' the Point.' " Don 't you believe it ? he swore to it roundly." "And then he told us," said another officer, "that a wnale struck the ship this morning." "Yes," said Swallow, "and the man at the wheel said he felt the jolt ; I heard that" " And that he was on board a ship once which cap- PISH STORIES. 69 tured two whales, off Hatteras, and towed the animals into New York, both bigger than the ship herself. One grounded off Sandy Hook, and was wrecked." " Christopher ! that 's capital ! " laughed Major June, rubbing his hands. " And the other," resumed the Lieutenant, " was towed into the harbor, and afterwards used as a dredge- boat." " Golly ! " exclaimed young Swallow, very much excited. " I wonder if that 's the one we saw ? ! I don 'i believe that story ! " "Did he tell you of Braddock's fishing excursion?" inquired Captain Handsallaround. " No sir." " One day," he says, " Braddock and anotner old cove, a churn of his, went a fishing ; on coming back home at night, they hung up their lines to dry from the front of the house. The hooks hung nearly to the ground ; there were twenty five of them. On turning out next morning, what do you think Braddock found ? " Here the captain began to arch his eyebrows and slouch his mouth in mimicry of Clincher, " why there was a cat caught on every hook, and one hook had a cat and a young kitten besides!" It was as if a bomb-shell had burst in the cabin, it was cleared of occupants in a moment, except those who fell from their chairs unable to rush on deck. 70 F A C A . Next time Clincher appeared on the quarter-deck, Swallow and his friend accosted him again. Swallow. Who is Braddock, mate ? Clincher. He came from Hartford, and lived in Essex. He was a sail maker. I 've known him ever since I was knee-high to a chaw of tohacco. We hoys always called him " Old Hooks ; " nothing made him madder, because it twitted on facts, His fingers and toes were hooked up like harvest sickles, and he always went bare- footed, summer and winter. One day he was standing on the wharf chawing to- bacco till the streams ran down both sides of his mouth, and he couldn 't talk plain from it, and a passenger on a steam boat asked " how his fingers came so crooked ? " " TFbping sails," says he wiping his mouth. " Well," said the stranger, " do you rope sails with your feet too ? Old Hooks shook his fist at the stranger, and the boys on the dock laughed, and this made him perfectly raving. Swalloiv. Is he a living character now ? Clincher. Yes, livin' and pious never brags either. He goes to prayer-meeting and prays like Goliah of Gath. There 's something in scripture about the roar- ing lion, ain 't there ? Swallow. Yes. Clincher. Hooks called him the woarin' pig that went about /eeking to bite somebody. But the way he caught them geese was a caution. FISH STORIES. 71 Swallow. How was that ? Clincher. Perhaps you won 't believe it." Swallow's Friend. ! yes we will, of course. Clincher. Well, you see, they had been shot at so much they were too wild for Braddock to come nigh 'nough to git a shot, so he took a hundred-fathom line and triced it round an eel amidships. The geese were all squatting out on a sand-bar, and swimming round near it. The eel swam out there in the course of the morning, and first one goose swallowed it, and then another, till the whole flock were strung on the line. The eel toggled in the last goose, and Old Hooks drew in five hundred and twenty-three wild-geese at one haul." Keep her up Jack I The man at the wheel had colapsed. Clincher always looked the personification of simple truth. He never laughed, and seemed quite hurt at any sign of suspicion concerning his veracity. It was not till the very best of a knotty yarn, that you could detect the slightest sign of inward delight. Even then, the least possible curl in one corner of his crooked mouth, a minute sparkle of laughing light in his eye, was all. CHAPTER XII. A NEW ALLY. OLD SOL'S prejudices against the softer, weaker vessel of humanity was inveterate. He had sworn on the bible not to marry, and had harangued every young graduate on the folly of " marrying in the army." " Dancing and flirting at home in civilization with the bright bright buttons, is one thing," said Old Sol, oftentimes, " but love in a case-mate, or love in a tent, is another." And he frequently wound up his discourse with the emphatic remark, "Besides all women are fools!" But Old Sol was determined on investigating the cause of Faca's scream. With maidenly pride, Faca refused to betray her affairs. " But," remonstrated her father, " the lieutenant be- longs to our regiment ; he is an old friend, that is, he never put me in the guard-house for persuading a man." " Persuading a man," meant knocking him down, in the old sergeant's vocabulary. Soldiers are mere chil- dren in the hands of their officers ; but soldiers' children A NEW ALLY. 73 are the most independent of little folks, and Faca re- fused to tell. Mr. Bardolph soon saw that neither Old Sol nor Faca's parents knew cf his behavior that night. This made the bushy-bearded man rejoice again. Confident in her discretion, he resolved to make the most of it. Neither officer of the day nor sergeant of the guard inspected at night that part of the ship in which the band and married people were quartered. The lantern was burning dimly in the middle of the dark passage : like a beast of prey, he lay in wait for his victim, after the " taps " had bcatten sounding all to bed. Old Constanza always retired early, and it was Faca'a habit to sit with her parents at night until they sought their beds, when she ascended to her state room. Old Sol, with unselfish passion, stood guard at the head of the stairway, i. e., he sat there, looking at the stars, smoking his cigar, and listening for sounds below. It was ten o'clock, four bells had just struck, when Old Sol caught sound of a light footstep, the quick tread of a man, a slight scream, the slam of a door. Down sprang the gallant lieutenant. In the passage he seized a man attempting to tear by him. He dragged him to the dim light of the lantern. It was George the mutineer ! CHAPTER XIII. BURNT POKER PORTRAITS. Orpheus' lute was strung with poet's sinews. SHAKSPEARE. BENEATH the shadow of the spanker sat three musi- cians next morning two violins and a trombone. Hark to the waltz ! German soldiers on deck are at once in lively motion. Now it is a jig. Jack dances a hornpipe, and every soul aboard the Aldebaran gives token of life and animation. Men sea-sick yesterday are dancing to-day. The band-master yonder has furnished this musical treat, but he is too proud to take part with the compar- atively raw musicians, part of the band recruited for an infantry regiment, and on their way out " to join," it is beneath his dignity. A bandmaster's " position " is equivocal ; his education, and frequently his associations with superior people in former days, possibly your bandmaster may have been a nobleman, render the company of common soldiers, even if musicians, disa- greeable ; and yet his present rank precludes him from the society of officers, for distance, you know, is the soul BURNT POKER PORTRAITS. 75 of discipline. There this gentleman stands, looking over the bulwarks, with his arms folded, a musical Na- poleon from his St. Helena looking on the sea. " There are various degrees of pride," said Old Sol, philosophically, to the skipper. " There was Mrs. Portfire, the ordnance-ssrgeant's wife at Fort Knox ; as her husband ranked above the other sergeants, she drew herself up above their wives. Indeed it was only ty the greatest effort of complaisance, that she could per- suade herself to be civil even to the officers' wives. And, sir, such was the sense of her self-importance, that she could not sell eggs to the ladies of the garrison without demanding thrice their value ! In a word she, stood isolated, like the bandmaster yonder. " Next in official grade to the bandmaster is Sergeant Trumpet, the acting sergeant-major. .While strutting about among the men, he preserves always that stately reserve peculiar to half-way greatness. He is called " Old Trump," by the men. Then there is the soldierly old Sergeant Trainor ; you wouldn J t suspect his age from his looks, who carries about with him the quiet watchfulness of an old house-dog." " Just like many an honest old sailor, regular-built and thorough-bred," said the skipper. "That big dragoon with a bold front, is Sergeant Bootlick. It is thought that he is the devil among the 76 FACA. girls ; that is the "best thing about the man, for he is the most overhearing of tyrants among the hoys. Yet, with all his devil-may-care look, let him catch the eye of an officer, how obsequious ! how officious ! how whim- pering and ready ! A ship 's a good stage on which to view human nature played as a farce, captain. It's as good as a play, to view the same characters thrown so clearly under your eye in different circumstances of power and dependence ; yet the worst to show off their nobler qualities. You should see them in the field. " Here comes the sergeant, O'Connor, who presides over the regions below, where the provisions are laid out for daily use. He deals out " rations in bulk " to the cook's corporal ; there are so many men to be fed they require a corporal to make it his business. Sergeant O'Connor delights in a business-like bustling manner, never so con- sequential ; now holding a memorandum book and pen- cil in hand, and now wielding a hatchet or tap-borer, as if triumphantly elate in what constitutes the happiness of the troops their grub. Had we a legion of honor, O'Connor would now be wearing his star for gallant conduct at Contrcras. " The cook's corporal, O'Rourke, may be seen forward there, insensible to the charms of violin and trombone, intent on his own musical department, the galley. 1 There 's music in the female voice; There 's music in the lyre ; BURNT POKER PORTRAITS. 77 There 's music in the coffee-pot A boiling on the fire.' " He deserted the flesh-pots, however at Buena Vista, and fought like a devil. " The corporal's four cooks delight in their greasy, Mack, grimy aspect, and set police regulations at open defiance as to personal appearance. But that corporal is fascinating ; he is a tall person, and has a mouth with a continual smack on it, as if always employed tasting the men's bean-soup. He overlooks the cooks at their labors, as they wind around each other and dis- appear in the steam of the kettles, very much as a tall crane might regard a nest of eels on some misty morn- ing ; the men call him ' Forks.' " Other non-commissioned officers of the command are chiefly distinguishable for their voices, bass, tenor, con- tralto, falsetto ; and variously suggestive of big manli- ness or young boyishness, and rank, and consequence. The little brisk Irish corporal, with a fiery red head, has an abominable squeak. Yon tall dragoon, a thun- dering cannon ; he was in May's charge." Old Sol was now called oif on duty. But with our reader's consent we will take his place at the skipper's elbow and the reader's ear. The music ceases. Certain of the non-commissioned officers fly about forming the ranks ; others are driving the men down below for drill, or some other dire pur- 78 FACA. pose, and those below are bellowing the soldier? up above. It is laughable to see them now, swaying to and fro, and keeping their legs as best they can, as the rolls are calling, and the ship begins to feel the rocking mo- tion of some long swell that comes from heaven knows where ! the last wreck, perhaps. As for the sailors, they revel in mischief: they take pains to let slip the soldiers' clothing, across the ropes to dry. One tarry imp with a skull-cap, a skin-tight shirt, and patches sewed to his legs for breeches, while swinging between the masts and balanced by a tar- bucket, very innocently lets fall a rope, or splash of tar on the head of a strutting sentinel, or some other drowsy unexpectant. The mustachiod dragoon feels the adhesive black coloring matter on his mustache, and looks up fiercely and swears. Now one catches the grinny stain upon his cheek, and shoots off to the officer of the day amid the jeers of comrades. Yonder is Old Jack : that is the only name he bears, the only one he knows himself by. An antique, broad shouldered waddling little sailor is he, of the old school ; faithful, busy, with a responsible look ; he is a sort of boatswain, self-constituted. And there is he of the voice, leader of choral per- formances, at the ropes. BURNT POKER PORTRAITS. 79 " Haul taut the weather-brace ! " sings out the mate. " Haul taut weather-brace ! " echoes Old Jack. Soldiers and sailors seize hold, and he of the mighty voice begins : "He ho!" 0hi!" "0! belly be loo!" " he ! ! " " Ugh ! ! ! " Yo-ho-he-ho!!!!" " Belay ! " cries the mate, and he of the mighty voice dies down to an ordinary mortal. Now the ship's-carpcnter appears with his arms full of dull and rusty tools : this man has a " speciality." His beard, it is immense patriarchal ; his look is pe- culiarly grave and melancholy, and his name is Harry Joints. He may be summed up in a song composed by Corporal Marshal, as it was sung touchingly to Faca's graudmama : THE SHIP'S CARPENTER. " Harry Joints, Harry Joints, a brave old man, The ship's carpenter is he ; His beard hangs down a cubit and a span, And grey as a beard may be. And Harry works away from morn till night, A busy old tar is he ; lie hammers and saws, and makes all tight On the lone ship out at sea. 80 F A C A . ' Harry Joints, why do'st thou go to sea ? No wife nor children to leave ! Are there none at home that care for thee ; Thy drowning, would no one grieve ? He brushes away with his sleeve a tear, And doffs his torn hat full low : " I love my home, but my messmates are here, And I 'm fain with them go. " The old woman lives in a garden green, Where our cottage stands i' the trees, And two of our children abroad may be seen, And two playing round her knees ; But, though Harry loves them all, there 's ONB That sleeps in the grass below, And I miss her, when I go home that ono I fly, and to sea I go ! " A score of music-boys, drummers and fifers, are the most unconscionable little ragamuffin scamps aboard the ship ; they are always laughing at everything ; play tricks upon soldier and sailor ; seize hold on every rope that is to be pulled, and bawl lustily in sea phrase ; roll around with huge chaws of tobacco, and spit with ex- treme difficulty over the tall bulwarks : they wake the ship's people in the morning with their shrill fifes and noisy drums, that " Rattle the welkin's ear, And mock the deep-mouth'd thunder." BURNT POKER PORTRAITS. 81 The guards are mounted to their merry music ; they beat the sick-call, when pale men troop with long com- plaints to the surgeon, mostly for the purpose of getting off drill ; they beat the men to their meals, they beat them to bed, and beat out the lights. Behold a trio of them now, pulling at a long piece of twine. A man is heard yelling down below ; the rascals had caught him asleep, and fastened the string to his great toe ! But hark ! a round full voice pealed forth from the midst of that group of soldiers near the mainmast. Listen to the bong of THE FIFE AND DRUM. " I have heard the swelling organ In cathedrals dim and hoary, At the funeral and bridal, Pealing forth its solemn story; 'T is a grand old monkish music, Incense floating through the air ; 'Tis a twilight, mellow metre, ! T is the symphony of prayer. On the green old Gaudalquiver, Once I heard the light guitar ; As we glided down the river, So it glided on the air: In the wine-yard and the castle. Young Love reeled with mirth around, 82 FAG A. And the castanet clicked with it; 'T is the Troubador of sound. " In the Ehineland once I wandered, Youth alive to every feeling ; There an old white-haired musician By his daughter's grave was kneeling, And his violin was uttering, Language words may ne 'er impart ; And I wept I knew the fiddle Was the music of the heart. ' ' But I 've heard upon the mountain, In the ravine o'er the plain, Sounds that quicken'd every fountain Of the soul to life again : Glory ! glory ! pealed forth thro' them, Like a mighty army's hum, Marching on to fame and conquest, ; T was the glorious fife and drum ! " Hear our father's voices reaching From the battlements on high, In sweet thrilling marches teaching Thunder tones of victory ! Freedom, peace, the prize of winning With their martial music come, LIBERTY, the maid of heaven, Sounds the glorious FIFE AND DKUM ! " The inevitable fog still persecuted the ship, a sort of city of London at sea, the sun shone through it like the light of a dead maiden's eye. BURNT POKER PORTRAITS. 83 The murky gloom grew yellowish towards evening. All at once down fell the sun in the West, like an orange among yellow lilies, which closes their soft petals, and night came on, confounding everything, even fogs confounding. OHAPTEE XIV. HEAVEN AND HELL. BY the fifth day at sea men have commonly run out their reels of knowledge. Having told all they know, they hegin to tell what they helievc, whence comes con- troversy ; the next and last step thereafter is puns say the sixth or seventh day ; this was the fifth day, and the point at issue was Unitarianism. Old Sol was a warm Unitarian. " Christopher, sir ! " ejaculated the major, " Unitarian- ism is Mahometanism only without Mahomet ; the play of Hamlet with the part of Hamlet left out ; in short, emphatically, sir, it is Christianity without the God Christ!" " I don 't know much about theology," said Captain Handsallaround, " hut if a man will only act up to what he believes, he'll go right straight to heaven, and no one will ask him a question on the road. That 's my creed." " We '11 all git to heaven," remarked Clincher, twist- ing his mouth and eyes, " but our standing will be dif- ferent. It's just like the sailing of Old Braddock's sloop. He called her " the Toad ; " she was nothing but HEAVEN AND IIELL. 85 an old mud-scow. But he couldn 't bear to hear any one brag, and when they got to disputing about the sailing qualities of the coasters and clippers, he 'd cut 'em short saying " The Twoad, she sails !" " All vessels sail, but some are slower than others, and some nover reach port. We'll all go to heaven, but I reckon some on us '11 never git there ; and when I hear people crackin' up their own creeds I always say to my- self, ' The Twoad die sails ! ' " " Men's ideas of celestial happiness differ widely, said Old Sol ; " women remind some people of that place," he added sarcastically, " and I 've no doubt the soldiers thought of heavenly bliss to-day, because they had pick- led onions for dinner. It was the first time, and they 're starved at Governor's Island." " I Ve no doubt they were strongly reminded of the ' other place,' " said the officer of the day. " I had the be- twccn-decks fumigated with sulphur." " Speaking of the world to come, gentlemen, " said the major, " have you read a capital communication on this subject to the ' Christian Observer,' and extensively copied ? I saw it in ' Littell.' It is sharp and cuts off common delusions as with a knife. You will find, gen- tlemen, that unbelievers are led into their unbelief more through the common errors of The major referred to an able article entitled, "Christian Prospects of the World to Come." It was signed " T. D. B." 8 86 FACA. The major stopped to look around him, and saw that his auditors had decamped, all save the conscientious Swallow, and that a little way off stood Junks, ready to die laughing. The jocund, whimsical old soldier was the source of continual merriment with Junks. " Let 's inspect below," said the major, blushingly. The bedding was nicely folded in the bunks, each man's knapsack at the head of his sleeping place. One soldier complained of a bunk-mate, who would sleep across the bunk, thereby resting his weight on the other three ; to tell the sad truth, they were packed in so closely, as if by mathematical calculation, that there was not spare room enough for a fellow to stretch him- self. A gape created a pressure felt throughout the ship, while a full yawn threw a hundred into as much pain as if their ribs were punched with Clincher's brass knuckles. But the guard-house, or calaboose, that was the pleasant, airy, comfortable place ! the prisoners were packed away in it, standing, and thus saved the trouble of sitting, or lying down, or any other change of position in the warm weather. Six filled up the calaboose full, so that by the aid of a handspike or two, you might possibly close the door. Strange to say, the offenders preferred to " catch " their "hell" outside, and be strung up to the rigging. As the "parson" was the most common occupant of the prison it was called the ' Parson's Desk." HEAVEN AND HELL. 87 "Fast we found, fast shut, The dismal gates, barricadoed strong ; But long 'ere our approaching, heard within, Noise other than the sound of dance or song, Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. " Soldiers who go down in ships see the wonders of the Lord," quoth Clincher, " but they sometimes catch " " Lillibulero ! " whistled the major. OHAPTEE XV. MASTER BARDOLPH. Give Master Bardolph some wine, Davy. SHAK.ESPEAKE. . INTO the calaboose was William Marshall driven, through the machinations of Mr. Bardolph, who reported to Old Sol that it was the corporal who was prowling about the passage below after taps, and caused by his violence towards Faca her fright and consequent syn- cope. As for George the mutineer he either was, or feigned to be, crazy, and it was now supposed by the officers that he had taken advantage of the accidental neglect of the mate, to bar the door of the dispensary on a sick and fettered man, had made his escape, and was wan- dering about the ship, purposeless, when Old Sol came in contact with him. Possibly it was the sight of this man that had fright- ened poor Faca last night again. Bardolph knew best. Many of the soldiers, and among them were married men, whose thoughts and superstitions were shared by their families, believed George to be dead, and that it FACA. 89 was his ghost that haunted the ship, and frightened Faca Trainor out of her seven senses. This opinion Mr. Bardolph took care to foster among the men ; although he made no such attempt upon the good sense of the officers ; he told Sergeant Trainor that Corporal Marshal was confined for drunkenness. Poor Faca ! she had not surrendered her little heart to William, but she was fast driving towards that rock on which so many women, stronger and wiser than she, have split, an imprudent love ; she did not believe Mr. Bardolph's first story ; she scorned to believe the last. " William would not, for my sake," she said, hiding her face, hot with blushes, in her mother's lap. How often it is, that woman, the most simple, the most credulous of creatures, is a stout unbeliever of wrong ! And when man, wise in his reason and ex- perience, flies wild astray, she, guided only by her womanly instinct, moves steadily onward in the path of right, and triumphs at last in the glorious certainty of truth. Faca would not believe William a tippler or a drunk- ard, simply because she did not, and did not, because she would not. William sent a request that he might speak with Old Sol, but was sternly refused. He did not venture then to ask for an interview with the Trainors. Mr. Bardolph had poisoned the ears of everybody, save one little woman. ~ 90 F A C A . Mr. Bardolph -determined to strike while the iron was hot ; he applied to Sergeant Trainor for the hand of Faca. " He has saved our daughter from marrying a drunk- ard," said the sergeant, in a sad consultation over tho matter with his wife. " Yes," she replied, "hut " " But what, old woman ? " "Mr. Bardolph " " Nonsense ! he 's a gentleman ; see what interest he takes in , our welfare ; see how polite ; a drum-major too!" Yes, hut " But what ? a woman s reason lies in a ""but," or an " if," or " perhaps," or if she wants to triumph in any event she says, " may he so ; you '11 see." " Now, what on earth is the objection to Mr. Bardolph/ old woman ? " " Nothing under the sun as I can see. Better make hay for Faca while the sun shines, I guess, and her beautiful mother in heaven," Mrs. Trainor lowered her voice "would have her live always with people of our own sort ; but " " There it is again, ' but ' " " Well I don 't like him, and I don 't want Faca to marry anybody now. A father always thinks the first thing to be done with a daughter is to get decently rid HEAVEN AND HELL. 91 of her, but a mother clings on to her ; there, that 's all about it, Sergeant Trainor." " General Jackson ! old woman, she shall marry him this " -v- Mrs. Trainor stopped up her husband's mouth with her hand, and then burst into tears. " There ! " exclaimed the wrathy sergeant, " she has the best of it now. When " but" and " if" and every- thing else won 't do it, tears will" CHAPTER XVI. OLD SOL RELAXES INTO A SMILE FEMININE. " You tell me sergeant " said Old Sol to Trainor, "that the fair Miss Faca positively refuses that tall, well-looking drum-major, with such good pay and a fine uniform ? " " Yes Lieutenant, flat-footed as a little goose." " And that you shrewdly suspect that her heart is in- clining rapidly towards that worthless young corporal." " Yes lieutenant, very fast." " Not gone yet ? " " The old woman thinks not, lieutenant." " Sergeant, such a fine, sweet, well-educated girl must be saved so dreary a fate." " God permit ! God permit ! lieutenant." The lieutenant veteran arose and went towards the mirror ; lie prinked up his collar, he combed his hair so as to cover the two places growing bald, then he paused. " Steward ! " he called, going to his state-room door ; The black boy came. " My compliments to Mr. Swallow and ask him to be good enough to come to my state-room." OLD SOL RELAXES. 93 "Yesmassa." " Sergeant, please retire for a few minutes." The old man went on deck. Mr. Swallow entered Old Sol's state-room ; the latter closed the door. The interview was brief; Swallow came out, and again Sergeant Trainor was called. " My dear sir," said Old Sol, looking upon the ser- geant with unusual respect, " I think, sir, I have hit upon an arrangement that will rescue your charming daughter from the precipice before her ; I have the ex- treme honor, Mr. Trainor, of presenting myself a can- didate for your daughter's hand." " General Jackson ! you, lieutenant ? " " Yes, sergeant, I am a little old and weather-beaten ; I have declaimed against matrimony all my life, but sir, Faca must be saved. I have offered the brilliant oppor- tunity to my young friend Swallow, an excellent fellow, of religious principles, sir, but he says well, no mat- ter what he says, but he respectfully declines ; and not finding a more worthy, or younger friend available, I offer myself." " General Jackson ! I know not what to say, I'll run and consult tho old woman." The lieutenant closed the door after his expected father-in-law, and then exclaimed 94 F A C A . " What the devil would the regimental mess say to this? But" added he musingly, "she was born a lady, and but and yet no yes well I'm in for it anyhow ! " CHAPTER XVII. THE FATHER OF LIEUTENANTS. Hopes what are they ? beads of morning Strung on slender blades of grass. WORDSWORTH. HE had borne the title during the past ten years. Let it not be supposed that Old Sol was really intent on self-sacrifice at the shrine of Love. It was not alone to save Faca that he had resolved to marry her ; but it was to have a companion to whom he might tell his sor- rows. A man with a grievance is a bore among men, but a martyr and a hero among women ; at any rate he can tell his grievances to his wife, and be listened to possibly with a degree of pleasure. And Sol had a grievance ; it was slow promotion. His West Point comrades were captains, even majors ; his fellow-officers had been breveted on fields where he had been no less distinguished, on the spot, though less so at the seat of government. Officers had even been breveted for staying at home during the war, and none of Old Sol's age were left of Old Sol's rank. Poor Old Sol ! 9G No greater blight can fall on the flower of human happiness than hope too long deferred ; and surely blight had fallen on the veteran lieutenant : it falls on many, nfct the dull contented ones, but the bright, eager, and lofty, panting for fame. Here he had stood in the whirl, the keen high wind of the new time blowing on others all around him. The activity of men and wo- men in civil life crowned with all earthly honors, he be- held but afar ! Not his to enter the arena ! his pro- fession excluded him in a manner; and here, in his profession he was rusting useless, neglected, away. Pro- motion ! promotion ! give men promotion, or they die ! But need of sympathy was not Sol's only motive to perpetrate matrimony. To tell the truth, he liked the sex better than he made believe to others, or even ad- mitted to himself; but he was afraid of them, gar- rison beauties, or watering-place belles, fast young wo-, men that are on the wing away from home mostly, strong-minded women, who stand ready to throw a book at your head, or bore you with toutomon-tootletittlt- tootle-traddle-ology, or drag you to the fashionable and brilliant scoffers' lecture, or harangue you on homeo- pathy, send you her compliments with a box of globules and a copy of her verses Old Sol had fallen deeply in love with Faca Trainor, simply because she was not one of these. Besides she had been brought up modestly in the THE FATHER OF LIEUTENANTS. 97 army, and would prove not only a meet helpmate, but a good tent-mate ; she was accustomed to poverty, and could live on Old Sol's pay. If thrown where no serv- ants were to be had she could do her own work. She had no great house at home for which to pine; she knew of no relation in the world save her parents ; she was pretty, beautiful, on the severest models of beauty. " In short," thought Sol to himself, cologning his handkerchief, and shaking it till the perfume filled his state-room, " it 's a capital arrangement all around, and the father of lieutenants ha ! ha ! the mess go to the deuce is on the highway to happiness at last! But supposing she refuses ? Whew ! Yet, she cannot, she won 't refuse me, me nearly a captain, though I 've been that a whole eternity. Her father, her mother will not let her." Old Sol paused and reflected a long time, with a long and earnest face. " To marry a girl on her father and mother's say so, no, no ! that would never do, never in the world heigho ! CHAPTEE XVIII. LOOK OUT FOR SQUALLS. BY this time the young officers, under the tuition of the skipper and his mates, had deciphered many of the hieroglyphics seen in the ancient sky, older than Egyp- tian column. They were familiar enough with "mares tails," "scuds," " mackerals," "cumuli," and their several meanings. But they were now off Hatteras, celebrated as the " Stor- my Cape" of our coast, and they behold "Thunder Heads" looming up in the West. " Look out for squalls, my boys," cried Clincher, sud- denly breaking off a twister : it was about a sailor who deserted from a man-o'-war in the Gulf of Mexico, and swam all the way to Havana ; the ship was five days out, and he beat her into port by two days, that's the way the navy vessels run." You should have heard him tell the story. The threatening Thunder Heads gradually spread themselves along the horizon towards the South, till there was an array equal to the army of Xerxes, or of LOOK OUT FOR SQUALLS. 99 some Canute forbidding the sea, and growing Hack with frowns. The cautious skipper quickly furled his royals and fore and mizzcn to' gallant-sail, and soon, as if from some dark Thermopylae in the West, burst forth the lightning and thunder, rending and dispelling hosts, that close quickly again, and drive on in heavier pha- lanx, shaking the sea and filling the sky with their tu- multuous roar. The swift wind darts out, shrivelling a sail, and leaning down upon the ship with its heavy hand, careens her over till the water pours over her lee bulwarks, then laughs with a mighty glee, and flies for the moment away, and the Aldebaran rose and righted. " Take in the to'gall ant-sail ! " shouted the skipper coolly and clearly, with his hickory voice. In another instant the main-topgallant-sail was flut- tering and flapping loudly in the wind. Again the vessel feels that " heavy hand," and careens over, and the four seamen who have sprung aloft to furl the idle sail, stoop clown from their dizzy heights, till they al- most touch the billows. The masts bend beneath the breeze, like the boughs of a tall sapling beneath the weight of a catamount. The top-gallant-sails, fore and aft, are furled ; the squall increased its fury. " Let go the cro'gic-bowline ! " shouted the skipper. The cross-jack loosened, bagged, crumpled up, and shook 100 FACA. as if striken with sudden pangs, and flapped resentfully in the face of the clamorous, cruel wind : and yet the squall continued. " Keef the mizzen-top ! double reef ! " And amid the pulling and hauling arose the merry chorus of the whisky song " Sally 's a dying of love for me ; Whisky for Johnny ! But I 'm for the white-caps tossing free ! Whisky for Johnny ! " Men are not insensible at such moments to the awe, the grandeur, the danger ; they do not forget the provi- dence that holdcth the winds in his fist. But from very contrast the surcharged heart flies into relief by shouts or songs, or merry jests. Never jest so merry or so well applauded, as on the eve of battle, or in the face of a storm. " When I list a soldier to go ; Whisky for Johnny! I '11 tip him the wink ; you don 't no ! Whisky for Johnny ! " It was as if in the twinkling of an eye that the heavens were overspread by the great, heavy, black masses of cloud. Now, they are cracked open, and rent with deep zig-zag fissures. They rolled up tumultuously here " Pelion on Ossa;" LOOK OUT FOR SQUALLS. 101 there, flee in thin scuds like flying Parthians with torn banners. A lone ship in the gi-ey distance, far, far over the murky crater, rose and disappeared momentarily ; now her masts were fringed with lightning, that ever and anon glitters out sharply, at a short distance, uncom- fortable to behold. Perhaps the lightning may stiike you, devour your f.hip, and all on board. At such moments you feel sus- jH'nded in the hand of the great good, God, as if by a single hair. And then you feel as if you were in the den of infuriate beasts that gape upon you, and may at a moment gnash you to death, as above, around, far, and near, growl and roar the many-Honed thunder. At her accustomed place near the taffrail stands the dark duenna : the wind has partly thrown back the mantle which shrouded her stern, ashy features. Her face, calm and unterrified, she loomed up in the phos- phorescent twilight of the gale, like a presiding fate that knows the bitter end of all things. Near the wheel bends a young mother, too frightened to go below as if paralyzed to the spot. Her young child is held before her lying on its back, with its sim- ple, unterrified, eager, wondering eyes wide open on the glittering, dark sky, heedless of the wild chant of lul- laby, the pale mother sings in low breathless tones, con- veying comfort that she does not feel. She is roared 9 102 now by the rain, that in quick, sharp spats drive her below, at an interval of lull in the wind. As she flies, the child screams with vexation at the harsh interruption of its enjoyment. There are two sailors at the wheel ; one looked after the young woman and laughed; the other, on whose brawny bare arm, stretched along the wheel, is tattoed a very pretty female face, raises his hand from its heavy work a moment and brushes off a tear from his check. The squall lasted scarcely ten minutes, threatening, however, new returns, as sudden strong gushes of wind came, and went howling off, but growing less and less, till night came, and the peaceful moon. CHAPTER XIX. SUNDAY AND THE SEA TWO SUBLIMITIES. THE sea-shore gives one as little idea of the grandeur of the sea as yon sky the shore of heaven gives of heaven itself. Look now steadily, with grave thought, over the houudless waste boundless on every side, heaving on and away, off where ? hurrying as if in- tent on some mission that may not brook delay, nay, not an instant's ; rushing, with all its secrets, its mys- tery, its life, its dolphins and its old leviathans, drag- ging in its flight, long trails of wreck and sea-weed ; staying not awhile even to bask itself beneath the glorious Sabbath sun, but pouring its deluge, rolling its mountains, climbing its alpine steeps, surging down in- to its depths, tossing its iron, crackling hurricanes to the sky ; away it goes with a laugh, and a rattle, and a melancholy groan, to the sunset and the dying thunder. Hark to the ship's Ml ! Is it the call to worship ? 'T is the helmsman, sounding the hour. Ding, dong ! ding dong ! Look aloft ! seaman, look aloft ! The day-ruling sun returns like a giant racer to run his course ; like 104 SUNDAY AND THE SEA. a monarch-bridegroom to meet his tender bride ; like a captain, with his army of banners ; like Christ, to meet his own elect. Bow down ! seaman, bow down ! The lightning yet hovers yonder. A dart, a single ray directed at thee a black corpse thou. Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him, on the son of man that thou regard- est him ? Look ahead ! O seaman, look ahead ! Simple sailor, look ahead ! Not the June-fields of home are before you ; not Mary tripping over them with her light heart and tfiee to church. June will ripen into the deep red summer, or the full brown autumn, ere you see Mary again, my lad ; but she will think of thee, going down to the sea with the bare arm of the Almighty to lean upon ; and she will pray for thee my lad, and over all the far deserts spread around you, there is no shadow like the shadow of the Almighty hand ! Bow down and worship, my hearty ; a rude, untaught soul, tossed about the world, are you ; yet you will be watched, cared for, and protected in the night and in the storm, and brought back again to Mary in the June-fields ; if not here on earth, yonder, where seas divide no more. CHAPTER XX. THE GULF STREAM. " Do you notice that change in the color of the water ? " asked the skipper of an officer. " Yes, what is the cause of it ? " " The Gulf Stream ; we crossed it last night, sailed east'ard on the long tack. Those lines of sea-weed mark the presence of it." The sea-weed appeared like grape-vines trailing over the water, heavy with multitudes of clustering fruit. An almost continuous series of lines are thus formed, stretching from the Stormy Gulf nearly to Labrador. Here and there a flying-fish scooted from wave to wave, crossing the sea-weed on light wing, pursued by golden dolphin, or intent on sport. " Off Hatteras," said the skipper, " the stream is about seventy-five miles wide, spreading as it advances north 'ard, and diminishing in temperature and swift- ness ; there is no constancy in it ; at the same point the temperature may vary from five to eight degrees warmer than the adjoining waters, and the current from one to, three knots. The sea-sparkles which you have noticed 10G FACA. on the sides of the sliip are not witnessed in the Gulf Stream, except with a breeze from the south-east." " How do you account for this wonderful Gulf Stream, Captain ? " drawled out Nebulus. " I do not pretend to." " In the absence of Clincher," said Major June with one of his rosiest smiles, "/will try." " Do ! " exclaimed Swallow eagerly. " The Gulf Stream," said Major June, in the manner of a school-boy, " rises in the Equator and empties into Symms' Hole ; it is bounded, North by the Aurora Borealis, South by Colonel Kinney's Expedition, East by the savans of Europe, and West by Lieutenant Maury. It is guided in its wonderful course by ' Mani- fest Destiny,' and guarded by the American eagle. It went into the Ark with Noah, and came out of the Crys- tal Palace with Mr. Barnum, who has contracted to ex- hibit it at his next Baby Show, where he will baptize young America in its waters." The major paused, and looked pleased at the manner in which his recitation had been received ; Swallow only wore a dubious expression. " If you don 't understand my demonstration," said the major to that amiable youth, " I will go over it again." " See the waves ! " cried Old Sol, " as they dash up against the ship and fall back discomfited " THE GULPH STREAM. 107 " Like the Allies from the Malakoff tower ! " chimed in the major. " Yes," said Old Sol, smiling, " dark Zouaves ! Now as they advance, what a beautiful deep Prussian blue?" "Prussian should be a neutral tint," said the major, funny wag. " See that long-crested fellow," said Old Sol, enthu- siastically. " That 's an Austrian ! " cried the major, " double crested." "A seventh wave, perhaps," continued Old Sol, seriously. " Hear him A&Z-iloquizing ! " said the major, winking " That seventh wave," continued the father of lieu- tenants, " larger and stronger than the others ; like the seventh wave of human life, There is a tide in the affairs of men Which, -when taken at the flood, leads on To fortune and to fame ; ' how it thumps the stout ship ! " The foam dashed over the bulwarks splashing a little troop of music-boys who, contrary to orders, were sitting on the railing. " Now thejvave retires," continued the veteran, " sweeping back, proudly, in a long, white, broken, bril- liant line, wreathed with diamonds, emeralds and rain- bows, there sinks fretting and whirling and foaming 108 FAG A. into white-lipped madness, and finally floats away with a dead flat effervescence as if churned of its vital essence, and cast out like " " Buttermilk ! " quoth Major June. The old lieutenant cast a wan, wistful, dreary look over the waters, and slowly said to himself after Byron, " There is a tide in the affairs of women, Which, when taken at thai flood, leads on The Devil knows where ! " "Ha! ha! ha!" " Ho ! ho ! ho ! " Old Sol looked around with confusion. " What are you laughing at ? " " The major declares you are in love ! " drawled forth Nehulus." CHAPTER XXI. FORECASTLE INTERESTS. j Poor child of danger nursling of the storm, Sad are the cares that wreck thy manly form ! CAMPBELL. " Bur I don 't understand," said Major June to Clincher and Junks, as the three sat on the forecastle- deck, " I don 't understand how it happens that the sailors are so easily duped hy those impostors you speak of; many of them certainly appear to be intelligent men." " No matter for all that, sir," said Clincher, " poor Jack goes ashore with pockets full of money, maybe was paid off 'board a man-o'-war, two or three hundred dollars. He has. been bit himself, and heard others tell their experience too. But the boarding-master comes to him with some new yarn, 'just had the old house fitted up fresh ; don 't take any more hard cases to lodge ; keeps a good respectable home for poor Jack full, to be sure but just to accommodate an old friend, and keep him out of difficulty, and prevent his losing his money, he'll just take him, seein' he's a particular friend; 10 110 FACA. don 't like to be bothered by too many, but as its Mm, " Thinking it all just so, Jack goes to tbe bouse, de- posits bis chink in the hands of this friend of his'n, and they get him drunk first thing, and before they let him loose they swab it all out of him clean." " That 's not a.w, sir," said Junks ; " when I came home 'board the man-o'-war, we were paid off at Norfolk. Six of us, dummies, came to New York together we worn 't aw chummies either, but shipmates, you see, be- cause only two are chummies, took a carriage from the Jersey Ferry to ride up in style ; prevailed on 'em to go with me to the Sailors' Home, and they 'd agreed ; stopped' there before, and knew they sold no rum. But Jim Constable and Jack Hews, and them boarding-mas- ters, got around us, and carried aw my shipmates off to their houses in spite of me ; just as much as I could do to keep from going too. Next day thought I 'd go around and see them : had some curiosity to see saizyors' boarding-houses, and what do you think I saw ? Blast my eyes, if there worn 't a sailor or two in double irons at every house ! " " Julius Csesar ! " exclaimed the major, " are you yarning now, or is it the truth ? " " It 's the living truth, sir ; the boardin'-masters had got 'em drunk ; put 'em in irons to keep 'cm from going away from their houses, likewise from cutting up FORECASTLE INTERESTS. Ill rustics while in there ; and, sir, there they M keep 'em and feed 'em with liquor as fast as they could caw? for it, till they triced 'em out of &w the money they had, and then they 'd ship 'em off hy the first chance ; and, sir, what do you think Jack would do ? " " Do ? raise the devil and break things ! complain to the police ! tear down the house ! raise a mob ! seek re- dress or revenge ! " said the major, starting up and shaking his cane. " Hardly, sir," quoth Junks, laughing at the major's excitement ; they 'd just turn round and thank 'em for taking such good care of 'em. They wouldn 't do it right off, perhaps ; like as not they 'd git mad, and haze and storm ; but the boardin'-master would show 'em their bill : ' here's a basket of champagne ; ' Jack scratches his head ; ' here's a " dinner for twenty ; ' " Jack stares ; ' here 's " breakage, ten dollars ; ' " Jack remembers none of it. But the boarding-master brings up a man who ' does remember,' and who ' saw Jack invite many more, and give a dinner, and they aw got drunk, and if 't hadn 't been for the good care of the friendly boardin'- master, the bill would have been three times as big, and Jack in jail besides.' Jack is dumbfoundered !" A long time the pitying major mused. " Good thing, I should think, for sailors to marry then," was the ma- jor's conclusion aloud. Clincher had gone aft ; Junks had become confiden- 112 FACA. tial, a quality in which sailors are never lacking : " I 'vc got a gaw, sir ; I ; ve dreamed of that 'ere gaw now three nights, hand-running." " Got a what?" asked the puzzled major. After a time the major found he meant a "ga'l," or rather sweetheart, hy " gazt>." "Married ?" asked the major. " Lord, no, sir ! " replied the blushing lover, " I 've not known her but three days ; but engaged." Clincher soon returned with a look of unusual grav- ity : " I wish, sir, you 'd issue an order about the soldiers falling down." " Why, what is the matter, Mr. Clincher ? " " The ship give a lurch just now, sir, and a man was pitched over, head-first, and struck against a bunk ; the board happened to be a little the softest, and split ; so now every soldier about the ship will be staving in the bunks with their heads, if you don 't issue an order against their falling down." Junks tittered ; the major went aft ; the surgeon re- ported that the soldier had been thrown against the bunk with such violence as to render him insensible. Imperturbable Clincher ! CHAPTER XXII. THE DRUM-MAJOR AGAIN. " I HAVE other views for my daughter, Mr. Bardolph." " Ah ! then you favor my ardent respectful suit no longer, sergeant ? " " Personally, I must say I do ; for my daughter's sake I must say I don 't." " It is a shock, Sergeant Trainor, a severe blow to my happiness to have my cherished hopes nipped untimely so ! " and Mr. Bardolph went to the hen-coop, sezed a young chicken, and wrung off its head with malig- nant energy. " Here," said the forlorn lover, " is my mortal existence," flinging down the carcass, " and there is my soul, my life, my only hopes of happiness," and the wretched man tossed the head into the sea. Old Sergeant Trainor knew not whether to laugh at the drollery of this freakish acting, or to weep at the violence of the polite Mr. Bardolph's grief. On the whole the good sergeant felt sorry for the discarded drum-major. " You wouldn 't blame me if you knew," said the ser- geant, pausing as if considering the propriety of dis- 114 PACA. closing the secret. The drum-major was silent, eager as he was to learn the cause, sure that some other hand had spoiled his game, yet, he had more cunning than to put old Sergeant Trainer on his guard hy asking any questions. " I know I shall lose her, for how can an officer ever belower himself to the company of a sergeant ? " " Ha ! an officer !" said the drum-major to himself. " She will, perhaps, he too proud to own her old father and mother. No, no ! " said he, shaking his head and flinging out the tears, " Faca's too good a girl for that ; she's heen educated fit for a lady, hut she loves her old parents as much as ever. Mr. Bardolph continued silent, hut his eyes glistened, and there was a satanic play of his sharp-cut mouth, terrible to witness. " I had rather Faca would marry in the ranks," said the father, " hut such a good chance for her besides her mother " "Who the deuce is this officer?" questioned Mr. Bardolph to himself. " Whoever he is, he don 't catch the girl so easy." " Sergeant," said he, with touching self-mortification and humility, " I have, for the sake of securing the hand of your beautiful daughter to myself, done injus- to a most worthy young man." " What ! William Marshal my Willie ? " T II L L> 11 U J,I -M A J 11 AGAIN. 115 " Tlic same, sir ; I blush to confess that I have slan- dered him." " General Jackson ! that 's good ! I am very glad to hear it. I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Bar- dolph. Why, General Jackson, I could hug you ! The old woman did you injustice ; I knew it I knew she didn 't appreciate you," and the simple old fool actually did throw his arms around the neck of the plotting villain and press him to his honest heart. " Then he don't drink?" "No, sir ; he's as sober and worthy a young man as there is in the regiment, or in the whole American army." The sergeant could only stay long enough to grasp and shake Mr. Bardolph's hand vigorously between both his own. " I '11 run and tell the old woman, and Faca, and Constanza." " My dear, dear sir," said Mr. Bardolph, returning the shake warmly, " you see my friendship for you and yours. It is some consolation, after having done wrong for the sake of my love, to do right for the sake of my friendship. I feel I may now ask who the happy son- in-law is to be ? I hope he is worthy," he added as tho cautious old soldier hesitated. " I '11 I '11 consult the old woman ; I '11 con- sult her, you know. You shall know everything if 116 FACA they all say so," and his old soldier instinct saved the secret. An hour afterwards Corporal Marshal was released from the calaboose, and that evening, at sunset, was seen with his small guitar, standing in a certain corner- singing ditties to a certain grandmamma and grand, daughter. The drum-major hovered here and there in unusually fine spirits. He knew what Tie was about, as gentlemen with bushy beards and thin-cut lips frequently do. CHAPTER XXIII. FORT MIFFLIN. AT this point of our narrative, we must beg the read- er to jump overboard with us, mount upon the back of a dolphin, and go ashore for the brief space of a few chapters. At the junction of the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers there is a large region of fen-land, patches of which, here and there, have been reclaimed and converted into agricultural uses by means of dykes. The portions not reclaimed are swarming with reed-birds, sportsmen, musquitos, fen-ducks, fen-crickets, and other fen-fowl and fen insect creatures, all which make the neighbor- hood resound with fen-noises, and fen-bites. This de- lightful corner of the globe rejoices in the name of Mud Island. Besides the farmers who cultivate dykes, raise cattle on the meadows, and shoot reed-birds or ortolans in the marshes, Mud Island is chiefly occupied by a pest- house and a fort ; the pest-house is known to seamen and landsmen as The Lazaretto, and the fort is cele- brated in American history as Fort Mifflin. It is upon Fort Mifflin that we wish to concentrate the 118 FACA. attention of our readers. Its outside is of earthen- work, whose grassy ramparts almost hide the brick quarters from the traveller journeying' by. It stands, or lies, no matter which, enveloped in its green mantle, at the southern extremity of the island, commanding by its impertinent looking guns, (whose lips arc turned up like the black lips of bull-dogs,) the channels of both rivers that flow peacefully down rippling at its feet. It is not naked of historic associations, complaisant to remember, nor is there wanting its mysterious legend of a British man-o'-war, that was caught in a cross channel behind the fort, grounded and captured, but which frequently appears, a phantom-ship, in dim moon- light nights, manned by spectre British tars, and com- manded by a tall, guant figure, in cocked-hat and quan- tities of tarnished gold lace, with a marvellously large speaking-trumpet in his hand. And the wind, as it rat- tles the halyards of the flagstaff that peers up from a bastion, makes many a sound of orders that must have issued from the marvellous speaking-trumpet, and noises of rattling ropes and cracking timbers and even guns ' and cannonades are heard, that must have been dis- charged from the phantom-ship. But it is not with his- tory or legend that we have to do. Less than a quarter of a century ago, there lay at the wharf of Fort Mifnin a steamer disembarking troops a company of infantry. The work had recently been. evacuated by another company, hurriedly ordered off to FORT MIFFLIX. 119 the Florida war, and thus forced to leave the quarters and the gardens in an untidy and cheerless condition even for such a cheerless spot. The young quarter- master, sent up to reconnoiter had returned with a wrathful visage, reporting that the rooms were littered with straw from the emptied bedding, the parade ground was a mere heap of rubbish, the gardens were sprinkled over with bits of glass, and reeked with smell of turpen- tine and other vile stenches, worthy a place upon the catalogue of Coleridges " T\vo-and-Seventy " in Cologne, and the hospital, he said, was filled with invalids left behind, to the mercy of musquitos and the care of a civil physician in the city, seven miles away. This was certainly a promising state of" things ; but the men were disembarked with their muskets and knap- sacks, which they stacked upon the wharf ; their boxes and camp kettles, were hoisted over to them, and the women and children got ashore as best they could, while the engine ejaculated short, impatient, huffy sounds, as if half mad ; and the polite officers of the steamer, anxious to be rid of their freight, get their pay, and be off, were hustling and jostling the poor camp women without stint or mercy. Among the female ranks of this army of occupation was one pale creature, an officer's lady, Avho was carried ashore in a litter by tender-handed and gently-moving soldiers, attended by a tall, sallow-faced officer of noble 120 FACA. bearing, and followed by a tall, dark, duenna-like The sad procession wound its way up to a bridge which crossed the moat, and disappeared through the sally- port beyond ; then, in a few minutes, the officers and soldiers re-appeared, the steamer gave a sea-snort, the soldiers gave three cheers to the crew, the crew gave three cheers to the soldiers, the steamer gave a few still more huffy puffs and went barking off, and the soldiers strapped on their knapsacks, shouldered their muskets, and marched up the winding road, over the bridge, and into the sally-port, to the fife and drum music of The Campbells are coming ! Hi-yo ! hi-yo ! That merry music was a god-send to the place ; and how it flew into the air, and among the willow trees, and over the ramparts, rattling down among the reed birds like mustard-seed shot. The fifer was a bit of a boy no doubt a big rascal though and he threw his notes right manfully. Out they came, first angular and sharp, growing round as they ascended, then spiral, then vortical, and finally floated off in wreaths of per- petual, vortical, celestial, spiritual. And the sober drummer walked like a well-proportioned alderman in procession, steady enough for a while, till he too, grew excited, and commenced such a rolling and hopping and See Swedenborg. FORT MIFF LIN. 121 popping, that you might have thought the whole mayor's council of some fair city had lost their gravity and gone mad on a frolic, with his honor at their head. And the little fife-notes capered in and among the round drum notes, and feathered and winged them upwards to the sky. 11 CHAPTER XXIV. HOW LITTLE FACA CAME INTO THE WORLD. WHETHER it was before the doctor came or after the doctor came, the domestic authorities do not agree. But it was up stairs, and the duenna Constanza was there and Mrs. Trainor, the sergeant's wife ; and the husband, Captain Poe, was below, writing till Constanza came. This woman, for aught that appeared, might be a Spanish gipsey, or a Bedouin, or Moorish woman, so dark her strange face, so peculiar her dress ; or, she might be a cloud from the desert, standing at the door of the wandering soldier's tabernacle. " Senor captain, the senora is sick." " Good God ! in this unhealthy spot ! " The duenna's hands were folded across her breast, she bowed coldly and was silent. The captain's fingers dropped the pen and played idly with his glossy hair. " The doctor, senor captain." " Yes ! yes ! I will send for him, good God ! yes." The captain hastened to the front door, and called for the orderly, who promptly came and stood at attention before his commander till he received his orders, when LILTLE FACA. 123 he marched stiffly but rapidly towards the quarter-mas- ter's office. The quarter-master sent for the quarter- master-sergeant, who sent for the ostler, who saddled a wheezy horse, and the orderly galloped and halted on the wheezy horse, till he reached the city where the civil physician dwelt, and in four hours time, he was at the bedside with the dark-visaged Constanza and Sergeant Trainer's wife. Again the tall, dark duenna stood like a cloud at the captain's door : " The senora has a child, captain." Suddenly the pen dropped. " And Francisca ? " he inquired huskily. " Is very sick, senor." " In such a place as this ! " he cried bitterly. " See Constanza ! since we came ten of my men have been taken with a dreadful fever, one has died, another will soon die, and now, my wife, my angelic Francisca ! my darling Fanny ! But is the child alive, Constanza?" " It is, senor captain." "A boy or a girl?" " A girl, senor." "Thank God! No, no! that would be selfish, would it not, good Constanza ? A girl, the image, the companion of my Frances, how happy shall wo all be with her. But to bring her up in the army, to drag her from pillar to post, half-educated, wild, mas- 124 culine, hardened, giddy, spoilt ; no, no ! 1 would it were a boy ! " " Why did el senor capitan bring my Francisca in the army '?" exclaimed the duenna : wild and harsh was her voice. " Why tear her away from her people, her warm country, the holy church " Constanza crossed herself "to banish her among Americans, the Pro- testants, the rude soldados ? " The captain turned his face away from the dark du- enna, and held his hands upward as if to avert a storm. " To blame ! to blame ! " he cried. Constanza heard the doctor's footstep on the stairway and withdrew, reproachfully glancing at the unfornate self-criminal before her. She flung the robosa over her shoulders, enveloping her head deep in its folds, and bowing to the physician as she passed him, went up to the sick-room. It was Mrs. Trainor, a bunchy and bustling littlewo- man who performed the first offices to the little Faca, thus stormly announced. She held the infant on her lap, and, as the door opened, raised her apron to shield the diminutive thing from the rude draught of air which the cloud brought with her. The cloud came and gazed thoughtfully over the child, as Mrs. Trainor continued to dress it, then went to the bed where the mother lay, and after adjusting the covering more snugly around the invalid, who re- LITTLE FACA. 125 warded her with a sweet, wan smile, and after stuffing some material unknown into the wide cracks which gaped between the wall and the window, letting, in the damp air from tho fen ; she stole again softly to the bedside, kissed Francisca on the forehead, and sat down watching her beloved ward, with a rapturous and mo- therly interest. Then little Faca was dressed, and Mrs. Trainor had some nourishment to make for one or other of the help- less ones, and called to Constanza gently. Constanza arose and took the child, and sat down by the fire, and sang to it in a low, wild monotone, as it lay there, a wee thing, on her broad lap ; then she looked tenderly down upon it, ceasing her chant and kissing it now, and again and the tears fell down upon the little one's blanket. So it appears there was not only warm sunshine behind the cloud, but nourishing rain likewise. Meantime, the captain below consulted with the phy- sician. The child had come a month or two before its time, but the doctor gave encouragement to the father, that both mother and child were doing well, and he hoped they might live. " Yes, sir," said the captain, low and mournfully, " but if one must go, let it be the infant." "God knows what's best," replied the physician curtly. " But, concerning the crevasse, captain, it must be filled, or the whole country will suffer. My patients Ho 126 FAG A. in the hospital are growing worse, sir ; fevers of more virulent character are" coining upon us thick and fast, sir." The captain arose from his chair with a heavy sigh, and .began walking up and down the apartment, tossing his arms wearily, and wringing his hands absently to- gether. " Sir," said he to the physician, " I have done, and still am doing, all in my power. During the inter- val between our arrival and the departure of the late command, the banks of course could not be watched, and the water animals have been at work. As soon as the water broke through, sir, I reported tho fact to the department, telling them I had not sufficient force, and no money, to stay this damage. I pointed out the con- sequence ; this overflow, which is now making the air so malarious that it was in the highest degree important to both the health of the garrison ,and of the whole neigh- borhood, with so much rank vegetation unharvested, and exposed to the alternate heat of an August sun, and the influence of the tide sweeping in and out : I even suggested, doctor, that in a dollars-and-cents point of view, the repairs should be effected at once. But all to little purpose. It is a month since I wrote ; they got my letter in twelve hours. I have written again and again, but they do nothing for me." The Captain sat down, wretched ; his hands dropped between his knees, as he continued, almost as if solilo- LITTLE FACA. 127 quising : " My poor Avife ; my brave men, who have marched many a night through the Florida everglades uncomplaining, giving up here, in sight of a wealthy city, in mute despair. My wife is taken before her time, and she may die. O God ! O God ! why did I bring her away from Florida ? why subject her to un- natural hardships and cruel banishment, to share the fate of a slave ? Doctor ! " he almost shrieked in his distress, " do you think I can survive all this ? " " Survive it ? yes, be a man, sir ! " " A man ! " he whispered between his teeth ; " you know not to whom you speak ; my constitution is broken ; a few more snappings of the cords, and the Florida campaigns will have done their worst. I may have be- trayed unmanliness ; I know I have ; but you, a physi- cian, will pardon it. I should have been born a woman. I cannot bear such fearful responsibilities as these this sickness, this death around me but 1 could not report sick, and they sent me here, here -r- a, healthy station, they said it was ; ha ! ha ! " " Why, man, you are chicken-hearted," " Do not say that, sir ; in one quality I am not lack- ing." The captain glanced at his sword, which stood by in the corner, reposing on laurels won in Florida. " Well, well," said the doctor, coloring but changing his tone to one of more respect, " como lot us go see your little heiress." 128 FACA. The good physician drew the captain's hand across his arm, and the two ascended to the sick room. " Come, come," said he, going up the stairway, " there is good in store for you, and your wife, and all your men : the first bite of frost will cut things up, and I dare say you '11 all be well again. Come, come." They entered the apartment on tip-toe, and not long afterwards came down again looking less unhappy. An absent-minded man was the doctor ; he stuffed a napkin into his breast for a handkerchief, and wore the captain's dress cap away in place of his civil black hat ; but he was a kind old man for all that. On the following day the physician came again, and he continued to come, day after day, giving doubtful but not cheerless tidings to the heart of the distressed father. And so a week went on, and mother and child were pronounced to be safe. It was on this, the most happy day, that the captain accompanied the doctor a little way beyond the fort, towards the city. The sun was shining with unusual splendor, the willow trees waved their long slender arms in the breeze, the water and all nature looked bright, yet the sentinel noted the pace of his once proud-bearing chief, how heavy and slow and weak it was, as he went out leaning on the physician's arm, smiling half happily. He smote the end of his musket gaily, and presented arms with unu- sual alacrity. LITTLE FACA. 129 In a little while the captain returned. The sentinel saw him stagger as he passed ; then he saw him fall heavily in the middle of the parade-ground. He ran to his help, and aroused the guard, who quickly came and bore their beloved commander to his quarters. The doctor was soon back on the spot ; but there was a heat on the captain's head ; the sun had smitten him to the earth with a great stroke, so the soldiers thought and said ; but the doctor knew it was the malaria, and with- out coming back to his senses, without bidding Fran- cisca or Faca farewell, his noble spirit fled away. Constanza lay all night, and the next day, watching by his corpse in the room below, where she had so sharply reproached him, till the soldiers came and took him away, and buried him in the field beyond the moat, with music and firings and many, many tears. CHAPTER XXV. THE CKEVASSE. YES, the noble commander had done all in his power, and he was a man of many resources, to stay the huge tide pouring through the crevasse, and overflowing all the fields around ; the meadows, and the potato and corn fields, and so cause the malaria and the death to cease. Among other expedients he had called the people of the neighborhood together, and laid before them the state of the case. One man was bound by the signing of a contract to keep a particular d5'ke in good repair for the protection of his own property. But he was a non-resident, and his " property " had not yielded well that year, so he was inclined to let matters go their worst gait. The neighbors thought that "Uncle Sam" should shoulder the burden alone, as it was his fort and his people that suffered first and worst of all, and better than that, he could afford it. One man, fond of sporting, proposed a war of exter- mination on musk-rats ; and some one thing and some another. One threw a stick in the torrent and watched it whirl out of sight. THE CREVASSE. 131 Another ejected from his sagacious mouth, after much twisting and turning, as if about to utter a satisfactory solution a voluminous decoction of tobacco, and was ominously silent. An action of tresspass for damages was proposed. The common law was wisely and learnedly quoted. The statute law of Pennsylvania, in Colonial times, was pleaded. At last a proposition satisfactory to all parties was made, and the inquest of view adjourned to a little house near the Lazaretto, to take a drink of " old rye." After the drinking was done, one of these deliberate neighbors stole over to the fort, with much circumspection, there was some malice felt towards the fort, and entered the captain's quarters. " The trouble is," said he, " there are no gentlemen left ; now our family," he continued, pulling up a down- fallen and exceeding soiled collar, " is the only one left that may be called decidedly genteel." The captain stared at the creature. He was a long man, with a faded eye, and dissipated world-worn man- ner, despising the superfluity of a coat in warm weather ; his shoes were run down at the heels, his breeches bore evidence of having laid in sundry untidy places, his hat was shocking, and his shirt unwashed for an age. The best evidence he offered of the truth of his " genteel blood" was a mouth, well, and even aristocratically drawn down at the corners, and a nose turned. daintily 132 FACA. up. Besides the man was effiminate and carried a greasy pillow about, whereon to sit, when fence or stone might offer ; for true aristocrat, he was confessedly lazy. " Yes, the gentlemen of the neighborhood are gradu- ally thinning out," said this scion of high birth. " Tom Hazledean and I are the very last of the ancient stock, and Tom's father shot my father in a duel, and Tom's father died soon after in another. Duelling's only fit for gentlemen," he added par parenthesis. " But they would have fixed this little matter of your's about the crevasses, in no time. Indeed I 've tried my best to bring these neighbors of mine, as I have to call them, to the point, yet they won't do anything for me. They have a little prejudice against me," 'he mused thoughtfully, "on account of some paltry pecuniary affairs on my hands ; but a gentleman is not to be annoyed about such trifles as a few dollars, this side or that, you know." " Well sir," asked the captain impatiently, " what may I infer from the honor of this visjt ? Time is pre- cious to me, but if you have any proposition " " No particular proposition, captain, only its my opinion, all these farmers are to be had." "Had?" " Yes, bought up," he replied, winking familiarly. " If you'll just give me a hundred dollars down, I'll agree to have the whole neighborhood at the crevasse THE CREVASSE. 133 to-morrow morning, and with your soldiers we'll stop it. The captain looked fixedly at the man. His eyes fell. The captain arose, took the creature by the arm, walked him to the door, called the guard, and the " only gen- tleman in the whole neighborhood " was ceremoniously conducted away from Fort Mifflin. The letters, which from time to time went forth call- ing for help to the sick and dying garrison, were addressed to the Bed Tape Bureau, by the Eed Tape Bureau they were referred to the Paper Bureau, by the Paper Bureau, they were tossed to the Brick and Mortar Bureau, from the Brick and Mortar Bureau they went flying back whence they came and found no rest, and the soldiers went on dying. These things, impossible in any other epoch, occurred during the reign of King Andrew the Good and Great. And when King Andrew heard of the death of that valuable officer and ornament of the service, our noble friend the captain, and the cause thereof, he was very wroth, and summoned into his presence all those men of note, to wit : the head of the Ked Tape Bureau, the head of the Paper Bureau, and the head of the Brick and Mortar Bureau, and after a patient hearing of their clamor, and fit animadversion on all these delinquents, he decided that the Brick and Mortar Bureau should at once cause the crevasse to be stopped, and to that effect should bring to bear all the power of that mighty de- partment. Then General Mortar commanded Lieuten- 12 134 FACA. ant Brick to proceed at once and survey with due caution, deliberation, and all practical economy, the region round about, bordering upon, and touching the canal, or sluice, running through the crevasse, and report without un- necessary delay. Accordingly, Lieutenant Brick, with a party of divers men, a G-unter's chain, a theodolite, a level, a tape-yard, and other instruments of admeasure- ment, proceeded to the spot, and, after regaling himself with meet refreshments, the gallant Lieutenant made an elaborate survey, and drew up a painted map, set forth with many words, signs, and figures, together with a voluminous report, all of which, duly endorsed and enveloped according to printed directions, were forwarded to General Mortar, whereupon the distinguished and scientific veteran sent another lieutenant, a man upon whom he leaned, to the crevasse, to see whether Lieu- tenant Brick's reconnoisance and report were proper to be acted upon ; which confidential officer having reported favorably, it was resolved by the Brick and Mortar Bu- reau that, if possible, a compromise should at once be proposed to the farmers, by whose default it was that the bank broke away, and meantime to consider soberly what should be done in case the farmers proved incor- rigible. While all was thus regularly proceeding, according to established form and well-digested regulation, man after man, strong, muscular soldiers, ardent recruits and tried veterans, were carried out with muffled drum and THE CREVASSE. 135 broken-hearted leader ; comrades in life and war, com- panions in death and peace. The old soldier waits long for a brave man's deserts, and dies, alas ! too often beneath neglect, to meet with a sure reward hereafter. Let it be hoped so. Amen. CHAPTER XXVI. FRANCISCA. Has not the doctor come ? " " No, lie comes not yet." " I dreamed of him last night, Constanza." " Of whom, my child ? " "Enrique. He appeared as he once looked, when he was so young and beautiful, and the light of his pale, high hrow, was there, and it shone upon me till I thought my spirit went into its sunshine to ahide for ever. Oh ! I was so happy ! " " See you little Faca, how she smiles in your face, my daughter ? " " Faquita ! Faquita ! " said the mother softly, as she pressed her darling closer to her neck. " I see in thy little face already " she continued, " the features of thy blessed father " " An angel in heaven ! " devoutly murmured the duenna. " What is it stirs the curtain at the window, Con- stanza?" " Nothing but the evening wind, my child, that has FRANCISCA. 137 risen since the sun went down ; listen, you may hear its whisperings." " Ah, yes ! complaining, what ? nobody knows." Francisca sighing, said. A moment she mused in silence ; then looking Constanza in the eye she asked the duenna "Where is Adolpho now, my mother? and Jorge, where is he too ? Wandering ! wandering ! strangers, exiles, over the earth. Do you not know, Constanza ; can you not tell your poor Francisca where her "brothers are ? If you know, do not conceal it ; I can hear any- thing better than mystery and fearful thought." " I do not know," said the duenna, shuddering ; " something terrible has happened to them. Enrique never would tell me " " But what is that above on the ceiling ? coming and going so stealthily ! What is it, Constanza ? " " It is the flittering of the red embers on the hearth, my child, flickering backward and forward. I see. " Well, perhaps so, Constanza, I felt something cross- ing above my eyes, as if shadows were moving over me. You do not know whether Enrique heard from my father lately, before he died, do you ? " " Yes my child, he was living in Saragossa still." " Poor as ever ? " " I fear so, and watched by the government ; Enrique hinted as much just before we left St. Augustine." 12 138 FAG A. " Ah, St. Augustine ! Cuba too ' " sighed the poor widowed invalid. " I was happy at St. Augustine, although we were poor, because I was rich in Enrique's new love ; Con- stanza, look ! look ! his picture ! Enrique's face, how a shade falls over it ! what is it ? " " 'T is nothing but the twilight deepening, my love." " Yes, yes, perhaps so, but I thought his face looked darker, and yet paler too. It was the evening shadow coming on. What was I talking about, Constanza ? " " St. Augustine." " Yes, I was happy there ; but then it broke my heart to see niy father drooping down beneath the blast, and Adolfo and Jorge growing so fierce and swearing ven- geance against the mother country. But in Cuba we were all happy ; happy in our gardens and volantes, and music, and dancing ; were we not, Constanza ? " " Yes, if the Americans who came back with the senor had staid away, or he had never come to their land and seen their liberty. Curses on the Americans ! " " Hush, mother ! do not you curse Mm, my Enrique, and this child of his, she is an American, will you not love her, Constanza ? " " Heaven pardon me ! " the duenna crossed herself, " I will learn to love the Americans for thy sake, my little Faca, mi cara Faquita ! Faquita ! Faquita ! " The woman bent over and kissed the child. F 11 AN CISC A. 139 " Be still, Constanza, surely there is some one in the room." " No one but us, my child." " No ? Then 1 am mistaken. I am very weak ; I shall live but little longer, little longer see thee here my infant." The mother drew the child against her cheek and murmured, " Listen my mother ; you are a stranger, you cannot go back home, you too are an ex- ile for being my nurse. This child shall never know of our misfortunes, shall she ? mind you, Constanza, nor her father's name. Give her to no rich person, lest she taste the happiness I have known, to lose it as I have. Let her be poor ever, and have no high hopes. Give her, mind you, Constanza, do you listen?' " Yes," sobbed the duenna. " Give her to the good little woman, the good ser- geant's wife, and make, and make them promise to rear her as their own. They have no children, they are gentle and soft-hearted, they love God, though not as we do. Let Faca be theirs." " Francisca ! " pleaded the woman. " Hush ! be it as I say ; children of the poor have God for their protector. Christ was given to poor Joseph and Mary. God was still His father, and He will be Faca's." The duenna bowed : " Be it so, senora." " Your hand : there. I begin to see Cuba again : 140 FACA. the soft Gulf breeze comes over me, the smell of the citron and the olive and roses is around me, the pome- granate is streaking the sky above me. I see the plan- tation, my father, Adolfo, Jorge, all the dear ones. Hark!" The invald turned her eyes toward the window, and looked in a strange, glassy manner, into the night that had now enveloped the room. She spoke now in the tones of her native tongue. "It was not the soft wind on the curtain, nor the fire- light nickering on the wall, nor the twilight flinging shadows like the foliage of dead leaves on the brow of my Enrique. But look, Constanza ! do you see any- thing, now peering in so sadly there at the curtain, drawing it aside ? " " I cannot see," moaned the duenna. But the dying one heeded her not. " There it enters ; it advances timidly, and retires again. I see a figure playing to and fro, and not the sound of a single foot- fall ; do you see, none Constanza ? " " None," cried the duenna, with a stifled groan. " Now, it crouches beneath his picture. That shadow now on his brow, so dark, so pale, it drops across his breast. Her arms are flung around his neck ; she kisses him ! I see, I see ! it is myself ! the angel has come ! My Enrique ! I go ! " The fair flower folded itself, but death came not yet, FRANCISCA. 141 though his black wing was over her ; her eyes were closed, and a smile sad and sweet lit her face. Sud- denly her eyes opened ; she grasped little Cora as close as she could to her bosom ; she essayed to clasp mere strongly the hand of Constanza. Then there was a re- laxation of the strained nerves, and a soft musical mur- mur flowed out of her mouth. " The garden is beautiful, the roses are sweet, the olive and pomegranate ripen ; the guitars are sounding /on the walk ; Enrique and my father talk together and /look at me ! They beckon ! they beckon ! The night / is so sweet, I will go, yes, I will go ; in the light of their f eyes I will follow - - I fol low " "And Francisca was gone to the clime of Those tropic islands of a world unknown, For which we mortal mariners do long. " Then a low knock was heard at the do<3r, but the du- enna heard it not : the door opened and the physician came in. "Good God!" "What do you here now?" said the duenna, in a harsh broken voice ; " you are too late ! Go away, and bid the priest come." The duenna closed her eyes and told the beads of her rosary, with her dark visage turned towards the pale angel before her. CHAPTEK XXVII. THE PET OF THE GARRISON. " THEN I am too late ! " exclaimed the physician. " Yes, alas ! too late ! " replied the young quarter- master, and now only officer, at Fort Mifflin, as he brushed away a tear. 'Confound the wind, and boat, and everything !" " Confound the crevasses first, doctor." "Yes, confound the crevasses, and everybody, and everything connnected with them and resulting from them. I have been two hours crossing the river in the boat, when, had it not been for the crevasse, I should have ridden down here on horseback in time, perhaps, to have saved the lady." " I wish I knew what to do in this sad case, doctor," said the young officer, his name was Soldan ; he was a tall, awkward, shy youth, newly graduated from the military academy, thus thrown into circumstances of distress and responsibility. He then went on to avow to the good gruff physician his belief, that the lady of his late commanding officer had suffered for the want of common nourishment, so difficult to be procured by strangers. He had not suspected this till to-day, THE PET OF THE GARRISON. 143 when Sergeant Trainor came with a frightened coun- tenance to reveal it, and declare that the lady was dying." " I thought so ! I thought so ! " said the physician "since this new crevasse in the sea-hank, it lias heen as if communication were cut off from town. And in high wind one might as well be prisoned in a light-house on a rock." The physician left the lieutenant's quarters, and hur- ried over to see his numerous patients in the hospital. The command had been greatly reduced by desertions for the soldiers deserted the doomed place like rats from a sinking ship ; and the terrible cholera had begun its investment. In short, there were few remaining to look after the sick. At such a moment nothing was needed so highly as an attendant surgeon, stationed among the troops, to stand like an angel, between the living and the dead. But there was no such angel, and the little garrison went dwindling down towards nothing Fortunately the cold season soon set in and stayed the plague. The thinned ranks were recruited again ; the crevasses in time were closed up, and merry sounds of fife and drum, and violin were heard. In time it was found convenient to send a surgeon to reside in the garrison, which at length became one of the liveliest of military stations. 144 F A C A . The child Faca, was cradled in a gun-box, to which the company carpenter had added a pair of rude rock- ers. Then after a year or two there was often seen, going and coming gently, and shyly, yet playfully enough, the little child, sometimes alone, sometimes with the soldiers' children, yet most often with the tall, dark, muffled duenna. Her constant watchfulness and devo- tion knew no limits, no relaxation, no hours of weari- ness ; one would almost believe she slumbered never at her post. The officers would hush their speaking as the two came by, a little playful kitten with its wild, stately, almost fierce old dam, a very tigress, as some thought. Yet we see her now, beneath her close and many-folded cap and overshadowing head-dress, a mantle or robosa descending from her shoulders, and the large crucifix hanging over her heart upon a rosary of many beads. And when we behold that brow of midnight sorrow and care, where love and constancy keep watch and ward, and the dark deep shadows around her eyes, so highly arched, and mouth so stern, and the prominent thin nose, and her long sharp chin, which seems almost to quiver with deep emotion, we feel like crossing ourself and crying " Come not near us for we are a stranger to thy hid- THE PET OF THE GARRISON. 145 den world, and those mysterious depths below ! Go thy way, wild, wandering spirit avaunt ! " Yet there is a strange light upon her face ; her bold brow and high cheeks shine at times, and a sweet smile, sad yet truthful, a twilight of love and suffering, plays around that firm mouth, and again we feel as if we could bow ourself, a mortal of inferior mould to that one, cast in stronger stature, and loftier in its uses even unto holiness. Such appealed this weird creature many years ago. But how she loved Faca I it was almost melting to see her enfold the little creature, and call her so softly and sweetly " Mi Faquita ! mi cara Faquita ! My Angelita ! " and see the little creature cling to her so, and push her hand up under her cap, and kiss her brow. The little Faca, would always, when well for she, like all children, had her seasons of sickness, when the duenna and Mrs. Trainor showed such worlds of anxiety and did such worlds of queer things, each in her own way, lovely to behold we say that when well, the little Faca would always appear at the evening parade, when the music played ; and she and the other little children, as many as might seize her, would dance in a little fairy ring around the flag-staff, to the sound of the music, and be as happy as if her father were not in heaven, but truly there, as she thought, in humble sol- 13 146 r A c A . dier's clothes, calling the evening roll good old Ser- geant Trainor, old even twenty years ago. The officers loved her, and would fain have caressed and given gifts to her, and provided well for her, I dare say, in a more respectable way, as the world goes ; but the duenna never countenanced their advances ; she would snatch her away and hide her, and point to the common soldiers to divert her. These men in rough clothes, and great beards, and big voices, to them she was the light of the garrison. One would come and ask to walk with her, or carry her round the green ramparts. They would catch the little bright scarlet fish that swam in the moat, and put them in glass vessels for her, and make great necklaces of their bright buttons, and deck her with their lace and epaulets and feathers, and build little doll-houses, and carved dolls, and horses, and troops of little wooden soldiers on horseback, with huge black mustachios ; it was considered a great privilege to do anything for little Faca ; the men would always save a few pennies on pay-day to buy nick-nacks and pretty toys for her. And there was the baker ; he revelled in happiness when he could make little Faca's dark eyes open with wonder at some new device of his, in ginger- bread some little bird or kitten, or Jack-the-giant-kil- ler, with a club and a great head held by the hair. This delighted the post-baker, and made the soldiers almost THE PET OF THE GARRISON. 147 jealous, I fear. But they did not always stay at that fort. Lieutenant Soldan, with a new captain, and the Trainers, aad the duenna, and Faca, and many other little and big people, went from one post to another ; and old soldiers went, and new ones came, hut all loved her more and more as she grew. The time came for her to go to school**, There was a post-school taught by a good Sergeant Boyne, who had a smattering of learning more perhaps than any one there knew of, because he was well brought up and edu- cated, and grew wild, ran away, and changed his name, enlisted, and now kept everything concealed, so his pa- rents should not hear of him, till he could carry back substantial evidence of reform perhaps get a commis- sion as an officer, for his new life and good behavior, for even Faca found out, that there were some noble- hearted, erring, and repenting, and reforming men in the ranks. So Sergeant Boyne taught the child to read and write, and do little sums in arithmetic on the slate, and all other children wondered at her getting on so much faster than they. This sergeant, one would have thought him in love with the child, he used to spend so much of his pay on her, buying all sorts of queer fairy books, and funny story books, and every other nice sort ; and he used to go out a great deal with her, when the duenna would 148 FAG A. let him, which she did a little oftener as sne grew older and could not walk so far, and knew the sergeant. Many a time have we seen them sitting on the grassy ramparts, where the bright yellow dandelions and the little starry daisies grew, all unconscious of the warlike cannon near by ; seen them in some little nook of the bastion reading, till the sergeant would fall asleep, and Faca would steal away and pluck the beautiful flowers, and make wreaths and crown her friend all over with them, or play still more mischievous wild pranks with him, hiding his hat in the long grass, or creeping under the pent-houses which covered the guns, would awake him with a loud call, and bid him find her if he could, and he would look beneath every other great gun but the right one, pretending not to know. No one knew what manner of heart beat under that bluejacket, what longings, sickened hopes, and great pride all lay smothered beneath that decent demure face of his. Bat as Faca advanced in years she caught glimpses of it all, and more than that, to Faca he was a bit of a wag at times, as what Irish son or daughter is not? " Bless me," quoth he, " the bare stones of old Innis- fail have a smirk on 'em ! 5 T is a country where the faces of the tombstones themselves are not grave" " I'm sorry for it," said she. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE DRUM-MAJOR'S DOWNY PILLOW. IN a room with his hand lay the smooth Mr. Bardolph, often pointed at as the pattern of politeness to all good soldiers. So amiable a -man sleeps well Ah ! ho moves ! possibly he dreams ! Bright, doubtless are the angels that hover between the golden cherubim of Mr. Bardolph's arc of dreams heavenly thoughts ! visions of paradise ! No ; he is awake ! The bandmaster lies by his side, on the back side of the bunk ; the two dignitaries have a bunk all to themselves. Mr. Bar- dolph looks at the bandmaster, who sleeps soundly. He raises himself partly up, throws his legs out, and stares around the room. All the band are asleep snoring. Mr. Bardolph arises, steals across the apartment, opens the door, looks out into the passage, closes the door after him, and glides down beyond the dim lantern, finds the stairway, ascends to the ship's dispensary at the head of the stairs, puts a key it must have been a false key into the padlock, which is then removed, and the figure of George, the mutineer, glides out and disap- pears down the stairway. The padlock is returned to 13 150 FACA. its place, the click of the spring is heard, and Mr. Bar- dolph disappears. The two figures crouch together in the dark end of the passage and whisper low. " I am almost dead." " Stick it out a little longer." " No, I cannot. I will beg the captain's pardon to- morrow, and I know he will release me. This confine- ment and my wounds will kill me." " Hark ye, Jorge, the girl *is lost" " Ah ! you love her ! " " Fool, no ! but I will 'not lose her. My rival now is an officer." "Which one?" " I don 't know. But Jesu Maria ! I will have her. Now, I will not marry her ; she shall be my mistress. JTonly want you to play ghost a little longer." At this moment the door at the opposite extremity of the passage was opened by the sentry. The ghostly figure of George advanced, at first bent down, and gra- dually erecting itself until it loomed up bloody, pale, and terribly indistinct in the dim yellow light of the lantern, before the terrified sentry. He staggered back and half fell out of the door, and again all was still. " You ask too much of me for a mere girl," said the ghost resuming its crouch. " Listen ! for I shall whisper low. The girl is not all. THE DRUM-MAJOR'S -DOWXY PILLOAV. 151 Heuiembcr our great scheme, the thing for which we suffer, for which we live, our country ; we shall see her free ! I see it as if it were written in words of fire on the bulwarks of this ship. And the life of this officer, whoever he may be. I hate him already ! shall be the first blood shed to water the tree of our liberty." The ghost shuddered. " Not another murder ! you would not kill him in cold blood ! I know what is sudden hate, what the frenzy of a moment may do, but so deliberate ! and for a girl ! no, no ! " " You were always too scrupulous, Jorge." " I cannot help that." " We shall never accomplish anything, mind you now. Behold aboard this ship, on which a lucky fate has brought us together, the fuel for kindling our insurrec- tion. But we must clear away the incombustibles first." "What are they?" " The officers ; they must all die ! " whispered Mr. Bardolph. " Ha ! ha ! " laughed the ghost, " you 're clever, you 're no small plotter. All of them, eh ? " " Yes, unless but never mind now. Go now. Wait ; here is a flask of brandy and some crackers." " Good ! " chuckled the ghost. " I '11 stick it out, I warrant ye." " And here is the key." 1 5:5 F A c A . The ghost retreated, and vanished away into his hole. Mr. Bardolph waited, listened awhile, and then went up, locked the door of the prison, pocketed the key and went to bed again. Wide staring awake lay he till morning, caressed by his sweet bedfellows, Passion, Hate, Fear, Remorse, Des- pair, and Horror, one coming on the heels of another. Now the sweat stood on his forehead, as it were drops of blood ; and, now, pale and exhausted, almost inanimate, but chilled to the heart, he lay shrivelled between his blankets a human agony. And anon, the warm blood returned, and Hope stood by his bedside, pointing to the past, through all its darkness, and animating him with visions in the future, more successful too, more brilliant. And the thing to do ! to dare ! beckoned him over the wreck of all that sweet multitude of pleasures that spring up in the path of the innocent man whose happiness is, to be ! What such a tame life to him ? To do, to dare, was infinitely better than merely to be. This all men feel, but to do and dare for GOOD ! that is the difference between a Luther and the devil, between Tell and Bardolph. liberty ! how many wrecks of men are cast upon thy rocks ! swept hither by those elements which, un- roused, soothe the human lot, waft its rich argosy into peaceful havens ! but which, unchained, awakened, set wild, lashed into fury, they drive howling with demon THE DRUM-MAJOR'S UOWSY PILLOW, 103 voices over the waves of fiery insurrection black, bil- lowy inburrection ! where hate and murder prowl like sharks, with jaws open and fangs ready to devour the guilty and the innocent together. The love of freedom is divine ; but it is a fire that " Closest kept burns worst of all." It kindles jealousies, rancors, revenges ; it knows no limit. It would burn the world, and sit solitary upon its cold ashes, could it but be free. Adolt'o and Jorge were early imbued with this fierce love. Their father, while tRey were yet at a tender age, was banished ; they went forth, with him, the blas- ted branches of a withered pine. No country owned them, no hope encouraged them, they were friendless and poor. His books, his intercourse with the free, and his kind yet rash advisers had sown free sentiments into the heart of Don Manuel Jarero, long, long ere his country was ready, yet, fired by the enthusiasm which comes with the divine instinct when it is fully awakened, he had raised his arm too soon, and fallen beneath the recoil of his own blow. All Spain was too small a prison for him now ; all the world too narrow for his desperate sons, banished from their beloved Cuba. Cast forth penniless, young', fierce, and revengeful, the two youths had early become wails and wrecks, a common soldier and a common sailor. CHAPTER XXIX. TRACKS AND TRACTS. FAVORABLE weather ! fine ! very favorable, but a head wind ! " said Captain Handsallaround coming into the cabin at breakfast time. He was an imdespondent man, and rubbed his hands, not as other men do, with satis- faction, but with hope ; an uncommon man was the skipper. The wind had hauled a little to the west 'ard and the ship went on her course for an hour or two, and then the wind hauled back to the south 'ard. The Bermudas were not far off. "Here we are !" ejaculated Ncbulus, at last out of patience, " nine days out and scarcely three day's sail from New York. I 've lost six days at the St. Nicholas and Broadway." " Well," said the devout skipper, " the dispensations of Divine Providence are unaccountable, but, patience and shuffle the cards. While the ice holds out we '11 have fresh provisions." The skipper was a capital provider ; a turkey graced the head of the table daily. The cabin passengers were T HACKS AND TRACTS. 155 even tired of fresh provisions, preserved on ice. A dish of pork and beans was hailed with a silent " three cheers ! " The troops however did not complain that way ; their appetite shot ahead of their fare. A barrel of dried apples was knocked in the head. The rascals demanded, it would seem, dessert ; but this is not pro- vided for in the Eules and Articles of War, besides, going into the tropics at mid-summer required a little abstemiousness. This was the business of the commis- sary, who, to the evident dissatisfaction of the men, kept them a little below the regulation allowance. One lean, hungry-looking fellow, haunted the commissary ; that is, he came with a quire of paper and stood near the quarter-deck, looking up at the stony-hearted com- missary, and took notes. He wore a " complaint in the New York Herald " in his very looks. But the best abused man aboard the ship is Snowball, and many-mastered. The captain and each cabin pas- senger is his master. Clincher, Junks, the steward, the cook all his masters. The steward calls him a mon- key, and cuffs him , Clincher kicks him ; Junks ropes- ends him. While blacking the boots in the cabin the cook calls loudly for him in the galley ; while he waits on the cook the steward wants him ; and while waiting on the steward the mates swear at him for not cleaning the binnacle lamp. He was threatened with total banishment from the 156 FACA. society of the aristocrats in the cabin to that of the de- mocrats in the forecastle. This would have broken his heart ; and he has managed, with all enemies around him, to maintain his position in the pantry, where he still sings Fra Diavolo, and threatens the mates with the " Fulton Market Boys." To relieve Snowball of a portion of his cares, an Irish orderly was brought in to wait on the officers ; but he was summarily and spontaneously ejected one day with all the hair brushes flying about his ears, with which he had, it was found, made his head only too familiar already, though in a less violent manner. The band was a novel institution ; they had been en- listed here and there for their smattering of music, and were neither organized nor practiced. Mr. Fry, Max Maretzek, and Chevalier Wykoff, all know how diffi- cult a thing to make harmonists act harmoniously. One by one, however, a new hand was brought into the little orchestra of the quarter deck, until now the tuneful nine, complete, diffused their sweetness from under the shade of the spanker. This " band," is led by a thin Italian with a vil- lainous look, on the cornet-a-piston, and overlooked by a remarkably tall, spider-legged German, on the trom- bone; he carries his wind in his legs apparently, from the effort they make in the quick parts. The others are Spanish, Italian, and German geniuses, with mustachios TRACKS AND TRACTS 157 and ruby mouths, mostly refugees, and doubtless all barons, hidalgos, and counts ; they are familiar all with the Marseillaise, the Star-Spangled Banner, Yankee Doodle, and the ilygue's March, the latter by the " in- spiration of genius." Gradually they grow familiar with the " March in Norma," " God Save the Queen," " Partant pour la St/ris," " Auld Lang Syne," ''Home Sweet Home/' of which, the two latter delight the sol- diers most. They also begin to abound in dirges. In short, there is hope for them now. Every evening, the Germans, the only musicians ap- parently in the world that had rather sing than fight about it, gather on the forecastle deck, and chant the hymns and choruses of the dear old faderland. "No American," said Major June, "if he be true to his country, can listen to a group of Germans, thrown by accident together, (yet uniting their different har- monious parts, well performed, in heart-stirring songs,) without a feeling of self, and country-self reproach. Why are we not musicians in the practical, wise, delight- ful sense of the word ? Must our education forever content itself with shreds of negro melodies for the people, and Italian trills for the so-called polite ?" " Then," said Old Sol, " in most senses we are a mu- sical nation ; to say nothing of the music of " the tin ; " we enjoy and appreciate, discriminate and pay for line music as a universal pleasure so brief, so little call- ing for time to listen, so ennobling, :;o soffa nim:, :;o 14 158 FACA. relaxing from mammon, that it has got to be a want with us, as we pause in our pursuits after pelf." " The fact is," said the major, " that the nation are not so much at fault as composers. Our newspapers and magazines teem with poetry and songs ; how few that the people care to remember, or to sing together ? Of all the ' tunes,' how few arc there that embody words in the honey of sweet sounds, sounds of home, love, school, state, nation ? Nonsense to look for them/' 1 7 " If the foggy, lager-beer cranium of a German cuii conceive," replied Old Sol, " and his patient, dull pen pronounce poetry, and set it to sociable, national music, why may not our clearer, finer brain, and wider culture, do so too?" " Such songs, too, would perpetuate the union," added the major. " Here are some German tracts," said the skipper to Swallow ; " you will find a large package of all sorts in my state-room ; they were brought on board by an agent of the Tract Society, for emigrant passengers. I always convert myself into a marine colporteur, pro tern, and distribute them. Here are some in French, some in Spanish." " Do the emigrants read them ? " " Gladly ; some to while away the time, and others for the pleasure of reading their own native language. Now, if you want to convert the heathen, give them to the soldiers." TRACKS AND TRACTS. 15D ' " I will," said Swallow, " but soldiers are not heathen." " Ain 't they ? 0, I don 't know ! Well, after they reach Texas, when they have got through with them they can shift them over to the Indians." Those tracts at sea, are literally bread cast upon the waters. Blessings on Tract Societies ! Let no man think a good work ever dies, it shall return after many days. Like an arrow that disappears in the air, truth may disappear, and yet tell on the ranks of the enemy. That evening Swallow showed Major June the follow- ing note : "COMMANDING OFFICEB, TRUSTING you will excuse my liberty, I would ask a small favor of you, which, I trust you will grant me. It consists in a giving me a Bible or a Destament, that I may be able to read it. I remain, very respectfully, Tours obedient sewant, RUDOLPH E. CUTORST, Dragoon." " I hope you were able to supply old Cutorst," said the Major. " Yes sir, and sixteen others." The Bible at sea ! The sea for a map, on which the wonders of the scripture are spread out. The Deluge, the Red Sea, Galilee, the numberless allusions by the Patient Man, and the sweet singer of Psalms, the Pro- phets and the Poets of sacred old, glitter from the sea, as the stars, the old recording witness, glitter from the sky. CHAPTEE XXX. FIRST LOVE IN AN OLD HEAKT. OLD SOL had despised women all his life, because he never knew them ; and like most men of that sort, he fell in love with the first specimen he examined. Faca, the child he had known formerly. Chance had thrown him aboard the same ship with Faca, the young woman. Chance had brought him in close contact. Pity for her pale, senseless form, interest awakened for her recovery, sympathy felt for a genuinely higher character than belonged to her class, yet was she chained to her class ; a few sentences of intercourse, a few, nay many bestowals of looks of curious wonder and admiration, had altogether overthrown the forces of his heart, horse, foot, artillery, and sand-bags. Lucky, most fortunate, for Old Sol, that the conquest was made by so good, so generous a foe superior to most women the blind god, Chance, might have employed. And yet Faca was a woman ; nay, she was almost a child in some things. She cried when William was thrown into prison ; she cried when her father made known the wisli of Lieutenant Soldan ; she cried, and NEW LOVE IN AN OLD HEART. 161 became pettish and pouted whenever he pushed the sub- ject home to her. Most girls, situated as she was, would have danced for joy, to be elevated from the ranks to ladyship, (Faca never suspected her true origin,) to the society of intelligent people, to the atmosphere of proud station and refinement. Is not that the way the world would reason ? ' Yes, and very proporly too, good world. The whole thing, however, was precipitated upon her in a moment of surprise and astonishment, and Faca saw nothing, while she felt the blinding dust, and heard the racket, silly child. As she stood not far from the quarter-deck, the day after Old Sol's proposal, she saw that soldierly gentle- man approaching her, and glided away out of his sight. It was evident then and thereafter that she slyly avoided him. In vain the old sergeant reproached. Faca always blushed, and turned pale, at the sight of her lover. To a regular knowing one, a fop, a lady-killer, such as Nebu- lus, the symptom would have been thought favorable ; but to honest, ignorant Old Sol, it was very painful, chilly, and killing A child belonging to a camp-woman had been en- trusted to Faca, while the good woman was washing her husband's shirt below. The child in merry mood, ran frolicing about the deck. Now it danced around one of the little pigs, now it pulled the Newfoundland dog's. tail, now it made faces at an officer, now it played 140 162 FACA. bo-peep ! with a soldier. Faca followed, endeavoring to curb its wild glee. Her attention was diverted a moment bj the sight of a school of porpoises, sporting near the ship, and the child ran and perched itself over the border of the hatchway. The danger was imminent, for the hatches opened down through all the decks. The scream of a woman turned Faca's face towards the child, but terror fastened her to the spot. Down the quarter-deck strode Old Sol, advancing rapidly towards the rescue, but ere he gained the hatch, Faca had sprang forward, seized the infant and borne it away in safety. He blushed and stammered at something as she passed near him, and took off his hat, and looked after her with heightened admiration. Poor Old Sol, he would have given a years pay to have saved the child himself. A low laugh was heard behind the officer, who imme- diately recovered his self-possession and turned to see whence it proceeded. He discovered no one near but the polite Mr. Bardolph walking away, it could 'nt be he, guilty of such rudeness of course not ! Mr. Barpolph's plot, whatever it was, had now a direct personal view ; a figure stood prominently in the foreground, that must be swept away first of all. Again that laugh might be heard in the passage below. " Ho ! ha ! " CHAPTEK XXXI. THE ANGEL IN THE SHIP. I But then her face, So lovely, yet so arch, so full of mirth, Yet the overflowings of an innocent heart. ROGERS. WHOSE smile was it that lit up the good ship Alde- baran on cloudy days ? Whose hand was it that bathed hot hrows of sick and suffering in regions down below, where surgeon or officer seldom went ? Who was it the soldiers loved ? Who was the pride of the company ? Who did the little camp children run to, with their little sorrows and joys ? Who was it, a little broken-down, breathless, frightened bird, broken down in its flight away out so far from land, flew to ? on whose shoulder did it perch that day ? Here, aboard this ship, this ship full of conspiracies, this haunted ship, was an angel. She did not sit upon the wings of the lonely, sea-tost arc, like a cherubim. She did not descend upon the lonely mariner at watch by night, announcing good tidings. The angel of the ship went about in simple guise, with a troubled heart, with a fearful forelooking into the future ; courted, but 164 FAG A. persecuted and plotted against ; a frail young woman there are thousands of such angels in the land who go ahout plotted against and persecuted to the death. Yet God looked down and watched over Faca as he does over the many sweet sisters of Faca scattered abroad. And there, like the shadow of His hand, was the dark, faith- ful woman, tfae duenna Constanza, watching likewise. Her light came, heaven only knew whence ! Her ex- istence was a sort of trance ; she lived only, as it were, on the sunny side of a dream. It was one of early days, that, in her hloom of youth and beauty, a noble hidalgo wooed and won her, and that an angelic boy of his came to her bosom, laying there a soft, white hand, a flower, which threw, over all this dream a light and sweet perfume. CHAPTER XXXII. THE FIRST . AT a time after dinner, when the gentlemen were usually on deck, Old Sol entered the cabin, on the way to his state-room. Faca had picked up a book belonging to the officer, and standing near her own state-room door, was deeply engaged perusing its contents. She did not notice Old Sol's entrance, but went on reading. He paused and stood gazing at her many seconds. Faca was beautiful ; her figure was rather tall, and though not quite devel- oped, perfect in its harmonious proportions. Her profile was (as the major had said,) of the purest American oval. The glossy black ringlets thrown back from her temples, the earnest depth of her liquid eye, shadowed by its long fringes, like a raven's image in a willow brook ; her bosom throbbing with sympathizing interest ; her figure draped in a close-fitting dress of grey linen, with a severely simple white collar ; her attitude and whole appearance entranced poor Old Sol. Then an idea seized him. It made him look ten years younger, positively boyish. With a mischievous bright light in his eye, he stole softly towards her, and 166 FACA. ere she was aware of it Old Sol had caught a rapturous kiss. Did she scream ? did she faint ? did she fly into the state-room and slam the door in his burning "bright face ? No ! a moment she gathered herself up to her loftiest stature, and flashed indignation at the daring lover. Then seeing the blushing bashfulness and comic look of fright upon his features, her haughtiness relaxed into a smile. The next moment her anger came back again, and dashing the look in his face she flung her- self into her state-room and locked the door. Old Sol was dismayed. He picked up the book ; it was Lamertine's " Memoirs of my Youth." Cursing it as the cause of his puerile audacity, and then caressing it as associated with her, he turned over its leaves, vainly trying to find where Faca had become so deeply absorbed. He then listened near her door ; heard her footsteps pacing to and fro in the state-room, heard the quick rustle of her dress, but no sound from her lips. Greatly tempted was he to peep through the key-hole. He bent over towards it. Then his sense of honor, his respect for her, even his chaste high love forbade. " No ! " he said to himself scornfully, " never ! " He turned to move 'away, and encountered the broad rosy face of Major June, and peering over his shoulder the semi-translucent look of Nebulus, grinning at him. " Upon my honor, gentlemen, I did not look through the key-hole, upon my honor ! " CHAPTER XXXIII. MEET ME ON THE SILVER SHORE! meet me on the silvery shore, That glitters round the bright lagoon, . When evening murmurs gliding o 'er, Breathe vespers to the vestal moon. list the zephyr's breathing low, As faint responses from a bride, And see the waters dimpling flow, Like infant pulses with the tide. Like zephyrs on the moonlit sea, Stole love upon my spirit young, . Like evening murmurs, fell on me, Soft accents melting from thy tongue : Then meet me on the silver shore, My vows of love I will renew, And stars shall tell the story o 'er, That earliest love is ever true. Thus sang; William to Faca in the twilight hour. Her heart fluttered as maidens' should, but was it for William, or his ditty ? Ah, Faca ! Faca ! she seemed vacant. Her thoughts were not here with William, she looked over the sea and 168 FACA. said nothing ; but her thoughts were not roaming over the sea. " You did not hear a word I " said William pe- tulantly. " I must confess that I did not," said she blushing. " You are going to marry that old Lieutenant ? " " Perhaps I am." " You will grow ashamed of me, and of your father and mother,," " Possibly I may." " Then," said he, after hesitating and with much trem- bling, "you never loved me you are too proud." "William!" she exclaimed in anger, "you do not know ihe : you are always reproaching me ; but I never gave you my love. Father, too, is always provok- ing me ; you sigh and he swears, yet I have done nothing ; because I am perplexed must you all vex me the more ? " " It is easy to see that you will marry him ! " " And father says it is easy to see I never will ! He cries ' General Jackson ! girl you are a fool ! ' and you call me ' heartless.' " Faca stamped her little foot upon the deck, " good night, I will stay with you no longer," she added going. " Will you not come to-morrow evening?" he said in a distressed voice, but she was gone. SILVER SHORE. 169 " Dash it ! " ho exclaimed, " I wish I was in the Calaboose again." " Why ? " asked a smooth voice. " Because, Mr. Bardolph, I am more miserable here." " You have been cut out," said the drum-major with a slight sneer. "Yes." "Would you rid yourself of your rival ?" "Of course!" " Then let us talk together down stairs." 15 CHAPTEK XXXIV. GOING DOWN INTO THE DEEP. IN latitude 33 the sea air was delightful, and chiefly so towards and during the evening. The officers, with the skipper in their midst, and the veracious Clincher within hearing, often gathered in one or other of the quarter-boats that hung, one on each side. The blue waves surged beneath them, the white fleecy clouds flew over the topsails, as they glided on, the sails filled, and anon shook in the light wind, the sea-mon- sters sported around their track, the hum of the troops was stilled, and the music of the band awoke their sen- ses to a deeper gladder harmony. " This is almost as fine," said the surgeon, " as Bayard Taylor's sailing up the grand old Nile." As the wind grew fresher, the Aldebaran sped on more rapidly, and the summer clouds began to pile themselves up on the horizon. " Captain," said Swallow, as he looked down at the dizzy, yeasty waves, " what chance would a man have for his life if he should fall overboard now ? " GOING DOWN. 171 " Very little. I 've seen many fall overboard while a ship was in motion, but not one saved." " I think one might keep himself up for some time." "Yes, if he were cool. The danger is, that persons commonly lose their presence of mind ; the fall is apt to bewilder, they over-exert themselves, lose strength, and strangle, sometimes their bewilderment is surprising. Once a man fell overboard from this ship. I had her hauled square up, let go all sails, cleared this quar- ter-boat, and had a crew ready in a moment. Mean- time I threw a buoy overboard, the mate flung another, so there was one on each side of him ; but he would n't touch either, and went down between them. Never mind the boat, said I, he 's gone." " On my way to Mexico, with troops," said the Major, " we lay off Brazos Santiago a day or two. There was an insane teamster on board who had given us a great deal of trouble Christopher! more than his neck was worth. We had to keep a guard over him to prevent his committing suicide. But while we were lying at anchor I heard a voice " Here goes, boys ; I 'm off ! " and over he plunged into the water. " Was he drowned ?" asked Swallow. " Christopher ! sir, he no sooner smacked into the water than ! goo ! woo ! " he cried, and began to swim like a Sandwich Islander. He drifted a good 172 FACA. distance before the boat could be got down and reach him ; but hydropathy cured him. " The dispensations of Divine Providence are unac- countable." said the skipper." " Once coming over from Liverpool, a man, a young seaman fell from the rigging. He came pitching head first, and fell not far from where the mate stands now. There happened to be an old grey-headed sailor stand- ing there, who caught the young man on his shoulders. They both came to the deck, and were picked up senseless and carried into the cabin, where they were examined by a British army surgeon, who was on his way to a regiment in Canada. Under his care the young man soon recovered, but the old sailor died. Not a bone was broken in the body of the young fellow, but poor ' Old Richard' had his arms and collar-bone shivered, and got a thump on the breast which caused his death." "Wondrous chance ! Or rather wondrous conduct of the gods ! " Whispered Major June to Old Sol. " Look at the sky, gentlemen," said Nebulus. He pointed his hand towards a mass of cloud-alps, on whose jagged crags the brilliant moon was pouring a storm of blazing light. All eyes were turned that way. The ship was dart- ing through the water on the starboard tack, and the GOING DOWN. 173 weather side, opposite the group of beholders, was thrown up, so that the cloud spectacle was just visible in all its height of glory above the gunwales of the project- ing quarter-boat. In this boat, standing suddenly erect with his nose stretched upward, was the large Newfound- laud dog, Lion, look-ing as if he were on top of one of those blazing cliffs. It was a study worthy of Land- seer. " Speaking of Landseer," said Major June, " he is a true Pythagorean. A transmigrated soul speaks out of every animal he paints. Every previous painter of ani- mals was a heathen and an atheist compared with him even Poussin himself." " You know," continued the major, " that the Indians believe in transmigration, or at least many of them do. Some tribes trace their origin to wild beasts. The Tor- keways have now an annual feast, in which they celebrate their derivation from, or rather by means of the wolf. An account of one was given me by an Indian agent. We lay encamped on the Witchitaw. " Half a mile from this spot you '11 find a good spring," he said. " I thought no white man had ever been here before/ 1 said I. " Let us look for the spring," was his reply. " He arose and led me though the thick words direct to 15* 174 FACA. it. It was a beautiful spot, and we sat down on the green bank. " I witnessed a curious sight here," said he ; "I was doing some government business with the Cumanches, and a large baud of Torkeways came, and seeing a white man, demanded that he should be given up to be put to death. But the old chief of the Cumanches said " No ; he is my guest ; he sleeps in my lodge. I cannot give him up. " It was a dangerous refusal to make, for the Cuman- che party was small, and the Torkeways very large, and hostile to the whites. But the old chief was a brave man, and kept me under his eye all the time. Days and days we sat together in his tent, smoking, without a word uttered by either. Finally, he said he was obliged to go to a feast of the Torkeways, for if he refused, they would take it as an insult, and I must go with him. He disguised me as a Cumanche warrior, and put me in a corner of the Torkeway lodge with his young men. The adventure had a charm for me that no civilized gathering could present. " First appeared a dozen Torkeways dressed in wolf- skins, jumping on all fours : they set up a most infer- nal howling, and then took to digging the earth with their fingers, or claws. After scratching and howling a long time they dug a man out of the earth. The man GOING DOWN. 175 looked wildly around him, ventured forth, and after a brief absence returned and laid himself down in the pit again : again they drew him up. " Why do you put me in this world ? " said he, " it is full of wild beasts ; they have sharp teeth and long claws, they are stronger ; they roar and frighten me ; they will kill me, or I shall starve. Let me sleep again in the ground. " Then they put a bow and arrow in his hands, and said, 'Go now, shoot the wild animals, kill and eat everything you find.' " That was the first man," said the major smiling, " and from him we all spring ; Torkeways and pale faces." The. major had a simple, winning way of smiling when he told a story it was as good as if an Indian had told it. * " It is curious," remarked Swallow, " how many the- ories of the origin of mankind descend into the ground for him. Are they not all confirmations of the Bible account of Adam's creation, showing that the true knowledge must have once extensively prevailed ? " " I think so," replied the major, " and it has always been a matter of surprise to me how Volney could have 43 For this legend the author is indebted to Captain Marcy, of the United States Army. 176 FACA. stumbled into the blunder of drawing the opposite con- clusion." " I '11 tell you a story now about ' going down,' " said Clincher, vainly endeavoring to straighten his slouched features into a degree of gravity becoming the conver- sation he was adorning. " Old Braddock :" " Haw ! haw ! haw ! " burst out Swal- low, at once. Clincher put on an injured expression. "Well gentlemen " said he retiring. " Go on, my dear fellow, go on sir," said Major June. " One day sir," said Clincher, addressing himself to the major exclusively, but, like your true story-teller, taking care that all should hear. " One day the boys down in Essex were braggin' how deep they could dive, and how long they could stay under, and Braddock, who hated boastin,' (Clincher seemed to believe religiously in this trait in his friend's character.) Braddock he never said nothin' till they 'd all done. " Well boys," said he, " I once had occasion to fetch up a log that had sunk in five fathom water. I just dove down to the bottom with a rope, a bearded spike, and a hammer ; and, while I was hammering in the spike down there, I fell fast asleep. There, boys, I slept all through the summer, and didn 't wake up till in the fall of the year. Old Joe Hunks, the fisherman, came a spearin' eels, and stuck his spear into my back, that woke me up, and I came to the top of the water with rope and hammer in my hands." CHAPTER XXXV. CATCHING A TARTAR. She is so well-behaved and virtuous, and something Snappish withal GOETHE. OLD SOL seized the first opportunity to make his peace with Faca. It was when the cabin was deserted hy all except himself, that he stood a faithful sentinel over her state-room door, till she appeared. Rosy with the hloom of youth, she stepped forth, her fine figure set lightly in a frame-drapery of white muslin. " I was very rude to you yesterday," quoth Old Sol blushing to the eyes. " No ruder than I to you," she replied, frankly ex- tending her hand. " But an attack like mine was unpardonable." " Then I pardon it for that very reason." " But did you not care to be kissed ? " asked Sol in a slightly disappointed voice. Faca blushed deeply. " You are ruder now than yesterday," she answered with emotion. Old Sol felt her hand withdrawing from his own, and clutched at it convulsively as he said 178 FAG A. " Noble creature ! you are above your station ! " But the hand was gone. Faca was moving away in silence, when after an embarrassing moment, Old Sol exclaimed abruptly : " That book ! would you like to read it ? will you lot accept it ? ' ." O thank you ! " she cried with childish eagerness. The veteran was already armed with the book, as a reserve. " Are you not afraid of me ? " inquired old Sol, as he handed Faca the book. " No. The officers have always been so kind to my parents, and when I was a child they petted me so much that I like them all, and look upon them more as elder brothers, or old uncles than any thing else." " Elder brothers ! ' old uncles ! ' " muttered Sol to himself. Faca glanced at him with a mischievous look. " But do you not feel the difference of rank, the want of social sympathy ? " he asked. " You are determined to remind me of them, I see," she replied coloring. " You might guess at my motive," said Sol, with a look of admiration, i, e. admiration in a confused, red state. " My education, sir, has taught me the difference between false shame and real humility. I do not aspire CATCHING A TARTAR. 179 to anything really above me, and I do not feel flattered by condescension," was Faca's cruel reply. " I dare say you tbink very well of yourself," blur- ted out the indiscreet Sol. Faca laughed. " I shall read this book with pleasure," she said gaily ; " I already sympathize with the poor fisherman's daugh- ter. Would you not like to fancy yourself the youth ? " Faca again started to go, and this time went. " Coquette ! vixen ! Egad I 've caught a Tartar ! " burst from the lips of poor Old SoL CHAPTER XXXVI. THE CONSPIRATOR. " You don 't suppose," protested Corporal Marshal against something the drum-major had just said," that he intends to marry her ? " Then why does he court her ?" " ! officers all court," just to amuse themselves." " But I tell you he is not one of the trifling sort. He is serious in every thing he does. He wishes either to marry her or take her as " " Stay ! Mr. Bardolph ; a whisper of that sort would drive me to distraction the thought of such a thing associated with Tier name. I would stah any man to the heart that dared " Mr. Bardolph smiled as he thought of his own schemes. But he did not like that fierce look of the corporal, and hastened to interrupt him. " Probably he wishes to marry her. Perhaps they are already engaged. I saw him kiss her this morning. What ! " exclaimed William, Old Sol kiss Faca ? " " Yes, kiss her ! a kiss is no great thing," and the THE CONSPIRATOR. 181' drum-major thought of his own unsuccessful attempt, and was rather disposed now to undervalue kisses. " Pshaw ! " laughed William hysterically, " I teaze her ahout an officer-lover. I suffer you to talk ahout him to me, but I don 7 t believe a word of it alL" " What, that he. did not kiss her ?" " Can you prove that ? " " Easily. By the steward. He and I were acciden- tally standing," (why did Mr. Bardolph emphasise that word "accidentally?") "in the front cabin, when we saw the lieutenant enter the after cabin. Faca was standing at her state-room door, and he walked up and gave her a kiss. Shall we go to the steward ? " " No, no, I believe you. I believe it all now. did she receive it ? " " Why I saw her stand there still ; I saw her smile." "Smile! O death!" "Perhaps now, corporal, you are ready to listen to my proposition," said the drum-major looking coldly at his victim. William appeared lost in his emotions. What do you say, old fellow?" said Bardolph jog- ging his companion familiarly. " No no," replied Marshal, " I would put a spider in his plate, no, I would not even do that unless " he added, pausing. 16 182 FACA. "Come, come, comrade, I will make your fortune. You shall be an officer, of Tank too plenty of women ; plenty of cash ; a man of consequence, William you '11 be : and no longer a poor devil of a common soldier." Then lowering his voice almost to a breath, he said : " In the band-room, at ten o'clock, we shall all meet to talk over it. Will you come boy ? " " Yes no I do not know." stammered the forlorn William. CHAPTER XXXVII. SEA SPARKLES. THE wind next day was more favorable, and carried the good ship Aldebaran jollily on her course. Yet there were many offenders against the military rules seven unfortunates marking time with wry faces and ludicrous irregularity of step. The fair wind had a fine effect on the spirits of the officers they stood on the quarter-deck, making sport, it must be confessed, at the expense of the culprits. " What are they punished for ? " asked the surgeon. " Oh, for sundry and divers offences ; bedding not folded, absent from drill, disobedience of orders, steal- ing, gluttony, &c.," replied the officer of the day. "Offences against the deck-alogue," laughed the surgeon. " Yes," drawled Nebulus ; " but you are confounding Leviticus with Numbers, in punishing so many." " But I fear," said the surgeon, " you will complete their Exodus ' into Texas, ere ' Numbers ' learn their * Duty-ronomy.' " " Please explain," gasped Nebulus. 184 FACA. " Never explain puns," replied the surgeon ; " 't would be pricking soap bubbles." " Gentlemen," cried Swallow, " it is too bad to jest with the Scriptures." " Do you believe in spiritual manifestations ? " asked Captain Handsallaround, of Swallow. " No sir ! I never heard of a spirit that had any sense, or gave any account of himself to the purpose." " One did last night," said the skipper. "How was it?" "Why, you see, last night one of the soldiers had been reporting that he saw the ghost of George on his relief, and Major June, Lieutenant Soldan and myself went down stairs to discuss the matter, over a little of the hair curler.' " A sly joke of the skipper's [at Swallow's expense] over Jamaica spirits. "O, captain!" cried Swallow, blushing, "that's what you mean ! " " No, it 's not. But, as I said, we were discussing the probabilities of ghosts, and fell into spiritual rapping manifestations. The major had just been telling one of his best stories, about an accordeon crawling up his leg, and his feeling a cold clammy hand, while sitting round a table with a ' rapping party.' He had n't more than finished, when I felt a mighty cold claw on my own shank that made me shiver, and then a devil of a clutch that made me yell with fright and pain. SEA SPARKLES. 185 We all jumped up. But what the deuce it was no one could discover." " There ain't no cats aboard this ere ship, are there ? " said Clincher to Nebulus, winking and making the most atrocious contortions and grimaces with his mouth. " O, no ! nor I did n't see Lion chase one on 'em into the cabin about that time o'night, did I ? " And Clincher went away sticking his tongue into his cheek, and bobbing his head. Clincher always walked off after venturing a remark. It was very convenient for the others. He went when the knobby point of his joke came, and one knew when to laugh which is not always the case Avith your jokers. " Gentlemen," said the skipper, " would n't you like to try a bath ? There is a bathing-room attached to my state-room, and you may make free with it in wel- come." " Travellers may boast of bathing in Turkish coun- tries, but I 've tried it " " Avast heaving ! there," said I, " with your scraping and scalding and breaking all the joints in a man's body. But for solid comfort give me a bath at sea, in just about these latitudes 29 or 30. None of your surf bathing either, but a hundred or more leagues out and away from the shiny shore." One after another descended to the bath, and came 180 FACA. up glowing with pleasure genuine sea sparkles. The water was pumped up by soldiers, and poured into a bucket on the quarter-deck, which, by a short tube in its bottom, let the water run into a pipe communicating with the bathing-tub. The troops were likewise at their ablutions, dancing all over the ship with boyish delight. Even Lion came in for his share. But it was necessary to hold him fast till the torrent wet to the skin, when he would roll his shaggy coat on the deck with grave enjoyment, or stand still and receive the refreshing stream with still more sober satisfaction. At noon, two little pale faces were peering through a window of the after cabin, with wistful eye, looking upon the well-covered dinner table. " Poor little things ! " said Major June, in a soft, tender whisper ; " here are some cakes and sugar for you." But they ran away frightened, as he gently ap- proached. " I always pity children at sea," remarked the skip- per. " They are the ones that suffer most. It is next to impossible to get them their proper nourishment; and then, their mothers become sea-sick themselves, and cannot take care of them. Among the emigrants crossing the Atlantic, many a little white corpse is sewed SEA SPARKLES. 187 up in a blanket or shawl, and dropped down into the sea." " Do the soldiers draw rations for their families ? " asked he of the commissary. " Three laundresses are allowed to each company, and they draw a ration apiece ; beyond that, nothing." " Many of the soldiers are married," said Major June, " and they all would be if they could. The rascals ! some of them have a dozen wives apiece, scat- tered around at the posts." " Why, sir, that's not allowed, is it ? " " No, it 's not put down in the rules and articles of war, but happens nevertheless. You cannot expect all the virtues on seven dollars a month, as an old general said. The fact is, sir, we need some radical change in our military system. The married state, sir, is a state for which man was born. Put him in it, protect him, surround him with simple home comforts, and he is a better citizen, a better soldier/' " You had better set up nurseries and singing schools at once in the army," drily remarked Old Sol. " No I won't ! " replied the major, warmly. " I don't know that I would allow more married men in the ranks than there are already. But those few I would render comfortable and happy as possible. Why are the officers so much better contented than the men ? Because they have their social system, and nothing to brag of, but 188 FACA. tolerably comfortable quarters. But married soldiers are not contemplated in the scheme of the army ; laundresses are, that is, so many -wash-tubs to a com- pany. Christopher ! they are often lodged in barrack- garrets, or bomb-proof cellars with brick floors ; are sel- dom thought of in building quarters, and have few con- veniences for cooking, or any other civilized appurtenance of life. Look at the results. A garrison is considered a disreputable place for women of the humble yet honest sort. Your soldier has no relaxing, no refining, no social softening influence about him, and is a noto- rious vagabond, and his children are worse than he. Christopher! that's so!" wound up the hearty major, with a punch of his redoubtable cane. CHAPTER XXXVIII. SCURVY TRICKS. " This wouldn 't be a bad place to sleep such a night as this," quoth the major to Junks. " Yes sir, if 't want for the moon." " Then you 've known men to be moon-struck ? " " Yes sir," replied Junks gravely, " one young man he was sleeping on deck with his mates, when they came to be roused up, he couldn 't move one side parazwzed, and his head was out of gear ever after that, when the moon came round to the same quarter." " Who is that sleeping in the quarter-boat ? " " 0, that's the band-master ; he brings his things up and sweeps in the boat don't know why : perhaps its more comfortable, or perhaps he don't jibe well with his bunk-mate ; that 's Mr. Bardolph, I think the sol- diers caw him." " But you don 't think the moon paralized that young fellow?" " Don't krfbw sir, but that 's the way it happened. I knew another chap who was sweeping on deck one moon- ?0ight night with his mouth open. When he 'woke one 100 FACA. side of his mouth was drawn down: he never could hitch it up again. Ha ! ha ! sir, he wooked funny enough. But the scurvy is the worst thing at sea, sir." " Have you ever had it ?" " Never but once, sir, only awong the cords of my wega and in my mouth ; gums now sore from it sometimes. Some chaps have it mighty bad after they 've been out eight or ten months without fresh works up to their waists ; if it gits furder up, to the heart, it keels 'em over. Some has it in their mouth till their gums aw rot, and they can jist haul out and clap in their teeth when they 're a mind to. " Ha ha ! one fellow cut away his gums with a knife, but when he got over the scurvy the gums didn 't come back, and thei'e were the roots of his teeth aw showing, sir. Then, again, sometimes it only works inwards; don't show itself on the skin, then if a wand (land) breeze happens to strike the ship, wook out ! We had a man with it once inwardly. Well when we got into Sag Harbor, you see it was a Sunday, and a great many people came down to see their friends, and those they knowed on board, and greet 'em after the long voyage. Among others was this young man's brother. He brought a big bunch of roses in his hand to give him. The yeung chap was standing there at the wh'eel ; his brother jumped aboard and came up, and as they were a shakin' hands he put SCURVY TRICKS. 191 the roses to his brother's nose to smell, and he 'd no sooner smelt 'em sir, than he dropped down dead." " Great God, mate ! " " Yes, sir, 'twas the wand breeze in them roses that killed poor Tom Haw. He fell right down in his tracks the first snuff." " But is there no remedy for this horrible disease ? " " Well sir, some think wime-juice is good ; I knew one fellow was cured by it ; but the old man gave him aw there was, and the rest had none when it broke out on us. But sometimes they bury them." " Bury them." " Yes sir ; as I said before, it begins at the feet and runs up. They puts 'ern in a hole in the ground, and fills in the earth up to their waists, and the earth draws the disease out." " Dear old mother earth ! " said Major June. " You ought to hear the poor devils shriek with them yells they make, as the pain is drawing out of them. Another good remedy, sir, I 've known, is lean strips of whale flesh wrapped taut all around the body. That draws the scurvy out too." " The great cause of this disease," says Elliston in his 'Prac- tice of Physic,' appears to be the want of fresh animal and vege- table food. It is on this account that the disease was formerly very common at sea, for, at one period sailors were supported with nothing but salt provisions. " From the same source we learn that, "In 1726, when Admiral Hosier sailed to the West Indies with seven ships, he buried his 192 FACA. Notwithstanding this and other dangers attending whaling, the worthy Junks was soon regretting to the major that he did'nt "stay a whalin'. " " I 'd a been rich," said he, " for the very ship on which I could have gone out next trip as second mate, brought home five thousand barrels of oil ; my share would have been two thousand dollars. I might ha' married that ere gaw of mine on the spot. I dreamed about that ere g&w again last night, sir, and she looked so squally I 'm feared something 's goin' to happen." ship's company twice, and then died himself of a broken heart. Deaths to the amount of eight or ten a day took place formerly in a moderate ship's company. The bodies after being sown up in hammocks were washed about the decks for want of sufficient strength on the part of the survivors to throw them overboard. "Lord Anson, in the year 1741, lost one half of his crew by scurvy, in six months. Out of nine hundred and sixty-one men, who sailed with him, only three hundred and thirty-five were alive at the end of the year, and at the end of the second year only seven- tyone were fit for the least duty." CHAPTER XXXIX. THE BANDMASTER SLEEPS AND WAKES. SHORTLY after the conversation detailed in the last pages, the major went below and "turned in." He could not have been asleep long before he was awakened by the voice of a sharp quick shuffle of footsteps over- head, on the quarter-deck. Hurriedly dressing himself, he was in a moment on the deck. The guard, and all the members of the watch, together with the skipper, were standing around in a thick, jostling group, eagerly listening to Junks. " What is it ? " inquired Major June. " The bandmaster, sir," replied Junks in a dejected voice, " soon after you went below, you see, he awoke, and said the moon was shining mighty hard on him. Well, he stood with me right here, looking over the side of the ship, and talked, poor gentleman, about his country and his friends at home, you see. He must be an exile, or something. Suddenly he asked me ' liadn *t we better jump overboard and swim ashore ? r " 17 194 FACA. " Swim ashore ! " says I, " what for ? " " Why ! " says he catching hold of my arm, " see there, those rocks ! do 'nt you know the ship's going to pieces ? My poor fiddle ! " says he a crying. Then it just struck me what was the matter with him sweep- ing in the moon. " No," says I, " you 're dreaming." Then I took hold and shook him, and talked, and turned off his thoughts, and afraid to let him go below, as he might slip back again and do something dreadful, I told him to lie down in the quarter-boat, and go to sweep again. He laid down, after a while, and I covered his face and head with my coat. I saw him fast asweep when I went forward to rouse out the second watch, but I 'd scarce got to the main-mast when the wheelsman sung out " Man overboard ! " " I ran back and sprang to the wheel, jammed it round, fetched the wessel to, and set her all a-back ; but it was too late sir ; 'fore we could let down the boat, I saw him sink/' " I saw him sink," repeated Junks, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, " and the moon shining bright on his head. I saw him going under water with his feet downwards as though a shot was tied to them, standing straight-like in the water ; down he went ; THE BANDMASTER. 195 only his arms moved, as though he was playing the fiddle." As Junks ceased speaking, the group of listeners broke up and retired in silence. Among them was Mr. Bardolph, sorrow-stricken. CHAPTEE XL. HOLE IN THE WALL. LAND ho! The coast of Abaco next morning lay on the star- board bow. The name is applied to a group of islands small, low, narrow, sandy. They belong to England and the wreckers. All vessels making the Gulf from the North must round them. There is a wrecker now, sailing peacefully along, between two islets. It looks like a pilot-boat. " This is one of the most hazardous coasts in the world," said the skipper. "Every year it is strewn with wrecks, and this year has already given its full share. The reefs are sharp and rocky, and plenty of them. The currents are numerous, and no dependence to be placed upon them now scud you this way, now that. You steer for Hole-in-the-Wall, and when you feel most certain, you find yourself drifted off fifty miles, or come smack upon a reef, and go to pieces. That was the fate of the British ship Gallant, last year." HOLE IN THE WALL. 197 Fortunately for the Aldebaran she made the coast in the day-time, as the skipper, with all his cautious allow- ances, and the mate, with the certainty of his own. peculiar " dead reckoning," found themselves carried ten leagues from their course. Now, under easy can- vass, they skirt along, standing out a league or more from the treacherous coast. " Trees ! houses ! ! plantations ! ! ! " cried Major June, looking through the spy-glass. " To think such out-of- the-way places inhabited ! " " Mostly by wreckers," said the skipper. " There are said to be one or two fine sugar plantations on the chief island." " I Ve no doubt," quoth Old Sol, " these people think themselves quite in the world. The people of Kamschatka think the inhabitants of the United States arc outside barbarians, and despise them accordingly." " I don't see the lighthouse," said the skipper. Now Clincher saw it, and now he swore it was dis- tant forty miles. " It stands on a bluff," said the skipper. " And there is the bluff," said Major June. A tall dark object loomed out of the hazy coast, but as the ship approached, it mingled with the hills, and the coast still pointed away further south. At last, afar beyond where the land apparently terminated, a 198 FAG A. tall slender object might be discerned, like a chalk- mark on the mist. " That's it," said the skipper, confidently ; and put- ting his hands in his breeches pocket with satisfaction, he led the way to dinner. Then coming back on deck, they took the Hole-in-the-Wall, by way of dessert. There was the Wall black, vertical, prison-like. A huge detached rock stands off the promontory, spanned by a heavy Saxon arch, under which rushes, and dashes, and gurgles, the big angry waves that is the Hole. Following up the back-bone of the promontory to a sort of bluffy eminence, the eye comes upon the light- house, of a weather-beaten, red color ; and behind it a little group of buildings one of which has a cozy verandah. Near the house is a high pole, from which as the ship comes abreast, the cross of St. George is seen to fly. " Eun up our colors to the peak," ordered the captain. As the beautiful folds of the red, white and blue shook out in the wind, " three times three " went up from those hundreds of brave men, and the band played a national air. Turning this " Cape of Good Hope," the Aldebaran squared away to the West, and plowed on straight before the wind. The red lighthouse fell a moment behind a hill, reappeared, and gradually sank out of sight. A HOLE IN THE WALL. 199 tall ship was passed, and dropped slowly behind, follow- ing in the Avake of our winged courser, with her sails set square, and studding-sails put out, giving her the look of a high-petticoated Dutch vrow, with two milk- pails. And ere the sun sank into the sea, the Dutch- woman was drowned. CHAPTER XLI. THE ISAACS. A BETE ! A bite ! Clincher sprang to the taffrail, from which two lines had been hung out, and came tagging after the ship and skipping over the waters. Balancing himself as best he might, Clincher hauled away rapidly. A sharp dorsal fin stood out from the waters. " A shark ! " cries one. " No, a dolphin ! " cries another. " Neither ! " said the skipper. Up it came, a beautiful rainbow of a fellow, well called " Bonita," i. e., beautiful, weighing twenty pounds. While the creature was flapping and floundering on deck, Snowball came, and planting his hands on his knees, he bent over the fish, with his eyes wild with the white dilation. " Out of the way ! " cried Clincher, " you woolly rascal ! he 'd sooner bite a young nigger than anything else." Away scampered Snowball frightened. On reaching the pantry he began to scratch at his head for, THE ISAACS. 201 according to the veracious Clincher, it was necessary to begin that performance an hour before he could get through the wool and cause a sensation, or as was now the case, reach to a thought. " 'D rather bite a nigger than a white man," solilo- quized Snowball, with indignation. " Pshaw ! wait till I get that 'ere mate in New York, wid the Fulton Market boys ! " Snowball was somewhat under a cloud to-day. A watch had disappeared from the knapsack of a drum- mer-boy, and our little colored friend was suspected. To be sure, diligent search was made in his pantry and cupboard, bunk and bedding, without result, but Snow- ball might well exclaim with the persecuted Cassio "Reputation! reputation! reputation! I have lost my repu- tation, I have lost the immortal part, sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial." " See ! " said Major June, that evening, " The summer lightning is dancing a hornpipe ; no, a jig ! It is all around over the horizon." " Now a streak balances up to Orion, crosses over to Venus, and chassecs with Cassiopea." "Now," continued the old soldier, gazing intently, " there is a general set to, a star cotillion, North, South; East and West, sir ! How the shy little sisters wink ? and how soberly the matronly moon looks ? The breeze plays them the violin, and the distant thunder in yon 202 F A C A . black cloud, like a negro fiddler in a dark corner, booms away on his bass viol." "And what a clatter the ducks make," remarked Clincher. " They know we 've neared the land as well as anybody." The major, thus interrupted, left off describing the star cotillion, and as he went below the mate made sig- nificant grimaces, and tapped his forehead with his hard finger. It is so queer, that the hardest thing in this world to understand is pure simplicity, such as the major's. The light of the morning sun broke upon Great Isaac, the chief of a series of rocks that skirt the Bahama Banks in the Northeast. The ship had laid to, fearful of approaching these dangerous islets in the night ; and raising sail again at day-break, had passed Little Isaac. The troops behold here a jagged rock partly out of water, and there another, discoverable only from the white spray that dashes up from it, gleaming with a sort of savage joy. A few miles below Great Isaac, stood out " Hen and Chickens," like the others, isolated in the midst of the sea. Around all these little islets there is a great depth of waters, and nothing can hinder a vessel from splitting at once upon them. With these on one side, and the Gulf Stream on the other, to drift you up THE ISAACS. 203 Scylla and Chary bdis the passage for a sail- vessel into the Gulf is narrow and dangerous. " I should think a lighthouse were needed here, above all other places," said the major to the skipper. "That's so," replied the latter, "and our govern- ment has offered to put one on Great Isaac; but the British government, with the spirit of a dog in the manger, refuse either to erect one themselves, or to let us do it ; it is surprising even, that they suffer those sea-gulls to build their nests in such numbers; such is the jealousy of the great naval power ! The wreckers you see prowling like beasts of prey in all directions can best appreciate John Bull's churlishness. It is life to them." " Feesh. ! feesh ! " broke in the wheelsman, a Nor- wegian. Captain Handsall around seized the line, but fast as he drew, and fast as the vessel was sailing, the fish swam faster, and came alongside. " Out of the way now ! " said the skipper as he gathered himself for a last jerk. " Here it is ! no, not yet a rope in the way ; now she comes," and over the bulwarks and down upon the deck, floundered a dolphin. His back was of the darkest emerald green, his sides and belly were of a dazzling gold, covered with spots of blue, purple and silver ; his whole surface shimmering, and changing hues. Bleed- 204 FAG A. ing, alas, too freely, he soon flashed out his brilliant ex- istenc?. " ' Tis a pitieous sight," said Major June, mournfully gazing at the beautiful creature as the hues of death chased each other over him. The dying dolphin is not a sight to be witnessed with pleasure, much less poetic rapture. As the death-pangs cause him to writhe with agony, he gasps and glares hiedously upon you, mutely reproaching and meekly dying, yet beautiful in his con- vulsive throes. Then came the Bimini Islands, a low- sand group, on one of which was a wrecker settlement, where sweet potatoes, lemons, and oranges grew, for the rain descends and the warm sun shines on all alike. Then followed a series of keys, or rocky ledges, which lie off the southern extremity of Florida, like a chevaux- de-frise. " As if her vile swamps and Seminole everglades deserved protection ! " exclaimed Old Sol. A British light-house appeared upon Gew Key. And here the skipper's brow grew dark, as he noticed an unfavorable change in the wind " That praying in the cabin," said Clincher, " that's what caused it." The zealous Swallow and the devout major had assembled the officers, camp-women, and as many others as chose to attend, to listen to the church service. There were Faca and the Trainor's, and Corporal Mar- THE ISAACS. 205 shal, and Mr. Bardolph with his distinct " amen ! " but not the old duenna she was alone, counting her beads with God and the Blessed Virgin. And from sudden death " Good Lord deliver us," Mr. Bardolph prays. But towards evening the skipper's brow cleared up as the wind hauled back again. " I wouldn 't have been carried up the Gulf Stream for thousands of dollars," said he. "Nor I for a million," whispered Junks, " for my gaw> 's only waiting for me to get back, to be spliced on." The same destiny that parted Captain Handsallaround from his young wife and children, tore honest Junks from his sweetheart. The heart of humanity is like the throb of the sea, beating oft unheard, unseen, unknown. " Here 's a health to the outward bound ! " played the band, and all went to rest save the sentry and watch. 18 CHAPTEK XLII. A SQUALL ON THE FLORIDA REEFS. And this is in the night : Most glorious night 1 Thou wert not sent for slumber ! let me be A sharer in the fierce and far delight, A portion of the tempest and of thee ! BYRON. THE following day was squally. There was a sort of feverish restiveness in the air, breaking out perpetually into squalls. It was hot squall, cold squall, cloudy squall, sun squall, windy squall, rain squall, and squall squall, all day long. Just at night the wind changed, and then came the worst squall. In the language of Junks, " it first looked like a nigger's head, a little, round, black haw, it travelled like chain-lightning, and blew like everlastin'." The crew had scarcely time to take in the light sails before it struck the ship. Then the skipper's orders, the sailors' answers, the volleys of Clincher and Junks' oaths, the rattling of ropes, the flapping of sails, the hurly-burly of troops, the roar of winds, the thunder of waves; but the tongues ! " Ready about ! " THE FLORIDA REEFS. 207 " Hard-a-lec ! " " Let go and haul ! " " How docs she head ? " " North-east-by-east, sir ! " There came on such a din of innarmonious sounds as a whole frantic city would make, clapping their doors and window-shutters to and fro, amid many voices, laughing and shrieking through the midnight air. There were clew-lines, halyards, main-top-braces, fight- ing with such rude discords as "Hell-fire!" " Ay-yi, sir ! " " Soldiers, go below ! " " Stop shouting ! Who the devil can give or hear an order ? " with an accompaniment kept up in a lively way on the part of jib-booms, top-sails, quacking ducks, squealing pigs, bawling officers, sea raging, wind howl- ing, men chorusing, and above all, the dire little man with a voice, domineered with a crashing contralto, that rose, ever and anon, above the wild tumult rose supe- rior to every emergency. Then bewildered soldiers were frightened. They echoed every command, and seized hold on every wrong rope, till the skipper stamped his foot fiercely, and demanded in no gentle terms that they should all turn in. Then rose the shrill and sudden tattoo, and the men were driven down below like cattle to their pcnfolds. 208 F A C A . The Tortugas lay off the starboard quarter. This was the last of the Florida Reefs, and the skipper was anxious to go by and enjoy the safe sea-room of the gulf. The change of wind occurred with the Tortugas Light in view, and it was now necessary to put about and fly before the squall, away from the dangerous neighborhood. What was the consternation of all when the ship refused to wear around. There was one other resource to box-haul her. The yards were set square aback, and the wind drove her through the water rudder foremast, fast, thrillingly fast, towards the dreadful reef. It whistled fiercely, and the ropes cracked their whips, and on she flew. The skipper watched with intense anxiety. By the occasional flash of lightning he now beheld breakers. Still the stern refuses to go round. He gives a quick order to Clincher, who, with the men execute it with like rapidity. The sails move as it were in a body, only a few inches on the wind, and at the last moment, the ship was successfully box-hauled. She turned away from the breakers and sped on her new track. Again the wind changed to fair, and the Aldebaran was on the broad Gulf. CHAPTER XLIII. THE MEXICAN SEA. THE novelty and excitement of watching land and reefs was now over. Not a rock reared its shark-like jaws in the morning as Major June came cheerily on deck humming " The sea, the sea, the open sea ! " Lighthouses, land, with its green back-ground and sunny beach, wild wreckers' tenements, with their sparse growth of tropical trees, beacons, breakers, and sand- bars, were all left behind. " Farewell ! " said the rosy major, " to the Florida Reefs, and the Bahama Banks, farewell to their cur- rents and squalls, to their wreckers and green turtle, a long farewell." " Beautiful ! " he continued. " let the sea-shell sleep in the clear water below with the geraniums of the rocks, or sing to the dolphins that glide above them ; I would never again disturb their sunny enjoyment." The wind was light, sometimes falling away entirely, leaving a feverish, panting calm, yet preferable to the hot July weather on shore. The gulf-breeze at times, chiefly night, comes with a 18 210 FACA. soft, liquid breath, filling the lungs as with the halm of flowers growing in cool grottos ; or with an occasional puff of sweetness, faint and fresh, as if a lady passed you with her scented fan or delicately perfumed hand- kerchief. In truth, above all sea-breezes, it is to be preferred, reminding you of sweet flowers and fair ladies. And there the sky is tinted with the flush of orange and promegranate groves. And the dark rich green of the olive it shadowed on the cheek of the sea. There the flying-fish sport through air, like the spray of silver waves, and the sea sparrows twitter as they skim along over the sparkling surface. And the fish below reflect the sunset in their hues. Dolphin and bonita, Spanish mackarel and baracoota, are all so beautiful, you ' think they must have come from the rivers that flowed through the Garden of Eden. They sport and flash in the warm tide as if they knew a world without sin. " Sir," said Major June to Old Sol, " this grand old gulf reminds me, more than ever, of spiritual influences. The silent, far, pale moon swaying the tides ; the stream that issues hence and penetrates far among the icebergs ; this sweet breeze that cometh, whence no man knoweth, but passing not into nothingness, refreshes the heart of man ; the bright stars that guide and light the ventur- some mariner, all draw the mind up, sir, up to some principle in nature, superior to matter." THE MEXICAN SEA. 211 " There are seasons, I suppose, when the Mexican Sea is less attractive, when hurricanes and northers vex its deep bosom and it rises with a shout and turns man to destruction." " I '11 tell you what the Gulf reminds me of," said Clincher to Old Sol, in a whisper, " and 1 7 ve crossed it many a time squalls, hurricanes, and sharks, sir." CHAPTEE XLIV. THE SERGEANT'S DAUGHTER. HAVING, with the assistance of Captain Handsall- around, cleverly carried the ship Aldeharan around the Florida capes, and seen her fairly at sea again, we may now renew our intercourse with Faca and her friends. Her character may have already perplexed critics of the stereotype order ; but, as it is drawn from real life, we gently defy them ! We may still more perplex them, for nature ever perplexes the craft of critics. "Till fools condemn and judges praise, The poet hath not earned his bays!" Yet the genuine critic, judging not with plummet and square with the mind's eye, hut wisely, through the weak- nesses of his own heart will do Faca justice. Faca Trainor was a little goddess in disguise ; hut an Amer- ican goddess. Yet her divinity triumphed over the schools primary, high, and normal and she was, after all, herself; that is to say, an humble, hearty, high- spirited girl, liking William Marshal, fearing and hat- I THE SERGEANT'S DAUGHTER. 213 ing Mr. Bardolph, and flattered and amused by queer, bashful Old Sol. And now, behold another lover at her feet ! even our simple friend, Swallow. " Miss Faca," said he, standing near her state-room door, pale and agitated "I I have made a bet about you ! " " Sir," said Faca coldly, with a stare. " Yes, yes, ma'am." Faca smiled. "It seems to trouble you very much, Mr. Swallow ; what is it?" "Why, 1 have bet with Neb Mr. Nebulus I mean, that I could kiss you." Poor Swallow nearly fainted, Faca turned pale and cold as a Grecian statue. " Good morning, sir," said the maiden, opening her state-room door. " O do not, do not go ! please listen, Miss Faca ; I mean no offence." " What ! to bet about me ? " He took hold of her dress gently and she remained. "Docs Lieutenant Soldan know of this, sir?" The maiden blushed deeply at this implied relation. " Yes, ma'am." Faca turned suddenly pale again. " I '11 tell you how it happened. Mr. Soldan was say- ing, in reply to some bantering of Mr. Nebulus', that 214 FACA. you were different from all other soldiers' children. I said I thought so too ; but believed I could kiss you, and bet my commission on it." " Then resign, Mr. Swallow." " 0, Miss Faca, I see, I saw just now how much I had mistaken you. We, young officers, think we can do ^ anything with the girls in the way of fun. Had I re- flected a moment I should not have staked my commis- sion so lightly. If you will let me, Miss Faca, I will marry you ; for if I resign, my father is such a proud, violent man, he would never see my face again." Faca was astonished. Such was the veneration she entertained towards the officers, that they seemed fa- thers to her, all, old and young ; but here was one stam- mering, and pleading, and offering himself, as if for a whipping or martyrdom. And Swallow read prayers too ! Old Sol had made no less a fool of himself. Now, Mr. Plummet and Square Critic, what would you do ? Faca bent down her white beautiful face, and Mr. Swallow drew near with his quivering lip ; he took her hand and paused diffidently, then exclaimed, as if his soul burst forth upon the breath, " No ! I will resign first." " Tell them ! " cried Faca, rashly flinging her cold arms around the youngster's neck, " tell them, THE SERGEANT'S DAUGHTER. 215 that Paca Trainor not only let you kiss her, but kissed you." "And that I shall marry her in preference to a queen." " No," she said, recovering her composure, " no, we never must speak to each other again." And the young American goddess flitted away. Good Mr. Critic, please go to the CHAPTER XLV. NEXT CHAPTER. Alone and dewy, coldly pure and pale, As weeping beauty's cheek." YES, go to the next chapter, sir. Open softly Faca's door. See her on her knees weep- ing, and sobbing convulsively, as though her young strong heart would break. See the face red with shame, burning with indignation, yet self-reproach. She re- flected on her peculiar situation. Rising, she tossed back her wild dark flood of hair and looked in the mirror. " Yes," said Faca, " I am beautiful indeed. Detested face ! shameful locks ! And well educated too, fitted to shine in the conversation of wise, good, learned men. Yet, fixed in caste, as a common soldier's daughter; looked down upon with pity by one ; bet upon as a fast nag would be, by another ; tolerated while my beauty and virtue last, then to be flung away as a camp\voman ! O God ! " she cried, " protection, pity, aid, aid ! " By the handful she would have torn out her dishev- elled hair. She seized her white, tear-stained, vet NEXT CHAPTER. 217 lovely cheeks with her finger-nails, and was about to disfigure that beautiful face : the hot blood of her mo- ther was boiling in her veins. " No ! " she exclaimed, " I will not " I will rid my- self of my beauty by other means." The tender heart within her revolted from the picture of a scratched,* mangled countenance. Then dressing her hair plainly and putting on her simplest frock, she wiped away the the traces of tears and went out. The surgeon heard a knock at his door: he was lying down, in his shirt-sleeves, reading. " Come in ! " he cried gruffly. The door was gently opened, and timidly, Faca step- ped within. The surgeon jumped up and tossed on his coat. " Why, what in the world ? " he stammered. " This is an unexpected honor ; you do yourself harm, young wo- man : the story will be that " 44 Stay, sir," she said, firmly compressing her lips, and laying her hand on his arm as he moved to open the door, " a soldier's daughter, sir, has no name to lose ; and such a peculiar " story " would do you no discredit, for you are a man ; such is the judgment of society ; is it not?" " Yes ; society makes a distinction in such matters ; but society be , I beg your pardon, young wo- 19 218 FACA. man, I see you are deeply troubled ; what may I do for your case ? Here, sit down." " Have you any sick patients, doctor ? " " No, Miss Faca ; not any tliat are very sick." " Any, sir, with the ship-fever, or small-pox ? I think I would prefer the small-pox. " " What do you mean, girl ? I fear you are de- ranged." " No, sir ; I have only come to my senses." " That 's a sure symptom." " Hear me, sir," she cried, stamping her foot, as was her wont, when vexed with unusual impatience. " I am all attention." "You, gentkmanly officers, think me pretty. Now I would rid myself of this attraction to those above me, since it subjects me to danger." "Danger?" " I have said enough : I would nurse your patients, if possible catch the small-pox, lose my beauty, and go forth a plain, unnoticed soldier's daughter and marry a soldier or better, die ! " Faca burst into tears. The kind-hearted surgeon said nothing, but taking her arm Avithin his own, he led her to her state-room door and left her. CHAPTER XLVI . THE CONSPIRACY. IT was on the night of the third of July. In the band-room of the Aldebaran were come together a com- pany of dark, sinister-looking men. In the middle of the little assembly sat Mr. Bardolph, upon a camp-stool. Those around him were members of the band, who, as we have already informed the reader, were mostly political refugees, a few non-com- missioned officers, the chief of whom was Sergeant Bootlick, and soldiers, artilleriests, and dragoons, one of the ex-lawyers, and an ex-doctor, dressed in the infantry uniform. These people were sitting upon the sides of the bunks with their feet dangling down. Some^were whispering stealthily together, casting furtive glances at the drum- major, and others, with their heads upon their bosoms, sat in moody, expectant silence. Mr. Bardolph's arms were folded, and his brows, usu- ally so smooth and placid, were now wrinkled with the harrow of deep thoughts. The door opened and Corporal Marshall entered, low murmur of significant applause ran round the room, 220 FACA. as the drum-major arose and welcomed the hold, dash- ing, out-and-out young soldier. " Before I "become one of this respectahle body," said Marshal, " I demand at once your object and your plans, gentlemen." The drum-major seized him impatiently hy the hand, and drew him down to a seat near himself. " That is right, you are wise in that, but be patient, you shall soon know all." The door again opened after a slight knock, and in walked a Catholic priest. " Welcome, Holy Father ! " cried Bardolph, " you look yourself in your robes." The others arose, except Marshal, and bowed their heads in silence, then threw themselves again upon the bunks. Mr. Bardolph gave the priest his own seat, and going to the door, now locked and stood near it. " This is not the first time I have sat upon a camp stool, recruit as I am ; nor the first time I have worn a blue jacket," said the priest taking the seat and throw- ing back his cassock for the heat, disclosing underneath a soldier's round jacket. He was a short, burly man, with an immense head-piece, and well chiselled features, though low forehead, beneath which were deeply set a pair of black eyes. His language was pure English, with a slight foreign accent, not at once detected. THE CONSPIRACY. 221 " The bandmaster is gone ! " he said in a kind voice. " Poor young man, he was amiable ! " "But impracticable, Holy Father, you will say masses for his soul : here is money," said Bardolph meekly. The priest refused the price of purgatory, with a slight sneer, curling his lip. " I will pray for him, my son and for you." " Why for me, Holy Father ? " asked Mr. Bardolph, crimsoning. " That you may have a more agreeable bed-fellow, and " The drum-major looked at the priest, and then sig- nificantly threw his eyes on Corporal Marshal. The priest seemed to understand, for he hesitated, and concluded suddenly " And one, my son, whom you shall not be so willing to have sleep upon deck and be lost, he added, in an under tone. " Gentlemen," said Mr. Bardolph addressing all pre- sent, " please draw close around me that I may speak low." They obeyed him, and he went on " Before disclosing my plans it is no more than reasonable that all of us should be sworn to secrecy." " Oh no, certainly not," was murmured. The priest held up a crucifix, before which, most of those around him crossed themselves. 222 F A C A . The priest held up a crucifix, before which most of those around him crossed themselves. ' In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen," muttered the priest ; " in the name of -the Mother of God, the Immaculate and Divine Conception, the birth of Christ our Lord, and the descent of the Holy Ghost, the day of final judgment, purgatory and everlasting hell, amen. You all swear, my children, in the name of these terrific persons, and things to come, to preserve within your own bosoms, inviolate, the dread, holy, and patriotic secrets of this conclave. Amen ! " " Amen ! " responded forth low, and from deep voices." " Or everlasting damnation be your several shares. Amen ! " " Amen ! " again issued forth from the depths. The priest sat down. " And you, Father ? " said Mr. Bardolph. " I take the same oath," was the priest's reply, kiss- ing the crucifix. " Swear it again, one and all ! " was heard from the passage without, in a hollow voice. " Swear it again ! " The drum-major opened the door, and the ghastly figure of George stood before them. " Swear it again," cried the ghost, "and in my pre- THE CONSPIRACY. 223 Even the priest trembled. And with an unsteady voice he went through the formulary again, and pressed the crucifix to the lips of all present, except Corporal Marshall, who turned away his face saying, " I have sworn, it is enough, I am a Protestant. The door fell to, as if by its own accord, and those pale men sat by themselves, with their consciences. " Gentlemen," said Mr. Bardolph, " the appalling sight we have just witnessed proclaims heaven's favor upon our schemes. That ghost haunts this ship, silently calling down vengeance upon its officers." " Ghost or not," said the corporal in a firm voice, " I have taken sufficient part in this useless mummery ; once more I demand your plans." " Ay, the plans ! " echoed many of the others. " The first object, whicli we may after a while discuss in detail," said Bardolph lowering his voice more than he had yet done, " is to despatch tha officers and those few of the soldiers and sailors who refuse to join us. " The next thing, presenting the grand motive and tempting reward, wealth and honor, may be chosen from three opportunities now presented to us, like ripe fruit, waiting only to be plucked. " With the four hundred men we can confidently count upon, our services would b? gladly accepted by the Rio Grande revolutionists, by the Nicaragua expedition, a mcmVr of whk-li i.; our fri:';i:l Ir-r^," ho InH h:.; h:in 1 r ' ,' 224 FACA. upon the ox-lawyer's shoulders, " or still more eagerly aud with richer and surer hope of reward, by the Cuban insurrectionists." There was a buzz of deep satisfaction. Eyes viewed the masterly drum-major with astonished admiration. But up rose the young soldier, Marshal, and stalked to the door. " I must leave ! " " No you can 't, it is too late," replied Mr. Bardolph. " I mil leave," said Marshal between his set teeth. A dagger gleamed from the folds of the priest. Making a gesture of forbearance towards the latter, Mr. Bardolph whispered in the ear of the soldier " Your revenge, boy, and wealth and honor ! your oath too, remember ! Besides, you are in our power, a little cold steel, a body overboard, it sinks, and no one knows ; dead men tell " Marshal started back. " I will alarm the guard," he cried. "What, ho! " Bardolph's hand was on his mouth and shut off fur- ther sound. The conspirators sprang like tigers upon him. . One felled him to the floor, and above his breast glittered the bright dagger of the priest. " No ! " said Mr. Bardolph authoritively. " 'T will never do, unless," and he glared fiercely upon the prostrate youth, " unless he divulges " THE CONSPIRACY. 225 "Jcsu Maria !" ejaculated the priest, "if lie does, there is no land distant enough for him to escape the holy arm of the Society of Jesus." " No sea deep enough to hury himself," added the drum-major harshly. " Let him rise." Corporal Marshal stood upon his feet. " I remember my oath," said the young man with hoarse emotion. "In a moment of madness, sirs, I lis- * tened to the temptations of your leader, little consider- ing the blood and infamy. Now, not to gratify any private malice under heaven, would I take life ! And never ! never ! " he added emphatically through white lips, "will I perjure myself by breaking allegiance to the flag of my country." Then looking coldly around the crowd he said, " My life is in your hands, take it." No one stirred ; it was Bardolph that awed them. " But," continued Marshal, after the pause, " you may trust my honor with your secret thus far, for I do not fear your plans. I know the character of those against whom you plot, too well. Their revolvers will strike some of you down, and intimidate the rest, I might ad- vise " Enough ; take care of yourself, not us," said Bar- dolph. " Kill him ! " cried the priest, savagely. "Who lifts his hand upon this rash boy, dies too!" 22G Bardolph exclaimed, in a low, thick voice, terrible to hear, and glancing terrible eyes around the room. " Go on," he said to the corporal. " No more. If you can trust me, let me go. Up to this moment all is locked in my breast. After this, whatever I hear or see shall be revealed." " Go then," said Bardolph, opening the door in the face of the frowns and gnashing teeth of the conspi- rators. And the true young American soldier was gone. The room rang now with reproaches, which the drum- major received coldly and calmly, until their force was spent, then he spoke with a gentle voice. " Gentlemen, I know better than any other the game I play. But if you cannot trust me we will stay this business. ' But why ? " began one to say. " I will explain, partly. That youth's life is to me important, to divert the attention of the officers from our proceedings among the soldiers. He is in love with the Trainor girl, and so seem all the officers too. In their love-toils I will catch thorn napping, and this youngster shall be the instrument. Do you sec novr?" " Perfectly ! " said the priest smiling- down his own frowns. " Me thinks, my son, I see your hand. By ihe young man you keep up a turmoil in the enemy's camp ; you THE CONSPIBACY. 227 foil the officers of their prey, and secure the fair prize yourself." " Ha ! ha ! ha ! " laughed all feebly. " Ha ! ha ! ha ! " laughed the drum-major feebly. " Now to business," he quickly said. "I had not time to tell you just now, gentlemen, that the Cuban junta is represented in the person of this Holy Father, now honoring and blessing us with his sacred presence and heavenly benediction." " Thou hast well spoken, my son." Then address- ing the others, the priest developed his own plans, and explained his purposes, nay motives. " I have a double interest in securing your co-opera- tion with the friends of liberty in Cuba," said he. " I am a Cuban by birth, and sigh for liberty, and what is to me still more important, our holy church at the pre- sent time has a quarrel against Spain, and as her true and devoted son, I am bound to do the enemy of Rome all the evil possible, and so do God himself a service. Amen." " Amen ! " piously breathed out the conspirators. The drum-major then delivered himself of an oration, warmly setting forth the wrongs of his native land, and portraying in glowing colors the chief advantages to be gained in that quarter. He described her rich, churches, her tempting women, her wealthy plantations her millions of slaves. In one flight of his eloqucnco 2 J j F A C A . lie soared aLove mercenary motives, through his genuine love of freedom, his hatred of tyranny, his appeal for his island brethren. Less eloquence would have convinced such men. They inclined unanimously towards the Cuban attrac- tion ; they longed to revel in the palaces of the Ha- vana ; they swore each one should have for his own prize a plantation, stocked with a thousand slaves. The thing, too, was practicable, for the priest told them, there were now two or more fleet vessels hovering in the Gulf, to carry the news of any approaching forces to the insurrectionists, who could gather at a point to be fixed, in sufficient numbers to make a successful move, if armed, and the Aldebaran was loaded with arms for the frontiers of Texas and New Mexico ; and so it was decided in favor of Cuba. The details of the movement on ship-board were next arranged by the masterly drum-major. The embryo state was organized. Mr. Bardolph, the head chieftain. His staff was named : the ex-lawyer, Temple, should be minister of state, and the ex-doctor, Toombs, surgeon- general. The shrill reveille broke them to pieces, and they appeared on deck like pale spectres of the dawn. The following night was resolved upon for another meeting. CHAPTER XLVII. FOURTH OF JULY MORN. "Yankee Doodle is the tune Americans delight in : 'Twill do to whistle, dance, and sing, And just the thing for fightin'!" GENTLY but grandly the red, white, and blue un- folded itself at the mast-head on the morning of the Fourth of July : it kissed the gulf-breeze, and wafted a peaceful greeting aboard, to all the nations on earth. " Three cheers for the red, white, and blue ! " shouted Corporal William Marshal, jumping up on the main station, taking off his hat, and swinging it in the air. The call was answered by three lusty huzzas, coming apparently from every soldier and sailor on board, and making the Aldebaran to skip like a goat on the hills of the sea. " Three cheers for Major June ! " again called the corporal. " Huzza ! huzza ! ! huzza-n-a-a-a-a ! ! ! " L'0 230 FACA. " Three cheers for the Aldebaran and her commander, boys, Captain Handsallaround ! " cried honest old Jack, the boatswain ; and loud and long were the sailors and soldiers shouting for their officers. " Fools ! " said Mr. Bardolph to the priest, standing near in a soldier's uniform, "fools! they will burst their own throats to-day, and cut the officers' throats to- morrow." " Ay," said the priest ; " they can be bought and sold like any other cattle." So wise men, such as Mr. Bardolph, and holy men, like the priest, have thought from the beginning of time. Had not the Eoman senator his price ? " Three cheers for starvation, comrades ! " cried a long, rope-necked man, with an insatiably greedy look. The priest laughed : the conspirators looked at each other significantly ; but Mr. Bardolph frowned, yet a satisfied frown was that, and no soul responded to the rash sentiment. Then the band poured forth a 'stream of harmony, dividing into various national airs, all concentrating again, and leaping down the music-fall of Yankee Doodle. The military officers were not on deck, and the sol- FOUHTII OF JULY MO UN. 281 diors called for their favorite tunes without let or hin- drance. " Now give us the ' Bowld Sodger Boy ! ' " sung out an Irish gallant. " Sally on a log," called one. " Ay, yes, and then the ' Girls we left behind us/" said an other. The band looked forlorn ; but, for a secret motive, wishing to please the men, they puffed out their cheeks, and blowed on famously, the drum-major standing near them, and ordering each air with a bland smile, beau- tiful to behold. " Now for ' Saint Patrick's Day in the Morning ! ; " called out a live Yankee, in a long nasal twang. Laughs and hisses. " Do you know the ' Stable Call ? ' " inquired a dra- goon. The band did not know ; they were an infantry band. " Can you sing it for us, Slashem ? " " Yes, that I will ; " with equine lungs high private Slashem roared out THE STABLE CALL. All ye as is able, Come, go to the stable And give to your horses Some water aud corn ; 232 FAG A. For if you don't do it, The captain will know it, And then he will flog you As sure as you 're born. " Ay," muttered a surly soldier, standing near Tem- ple, who, waiving his designs on Nicaragua, was actively conspiring for the portfolio of secretary of state for Cuba, " aye, that 's it ; do it or catch a flogging." " Comrade !" cried the other, "there's a good time coming." The future minister of state took his companion one side, and filled his heart with "Treasons, stratagems, and spoils." The conspirators distilled their poison well that day, and the conspiracy was gradually gathering to a head. A motley command was Major June's. The number of disciplined soldiers was small, and the number of raw recruits, gathered in from the four corners of the earth, was large. With some, the love of adventure, or mystery, prevailed ; in many, rascality in all its forms, predominated. Sloth, misfortune, ignor- ance, bankruptcy, and the wine-cup are your recruiting- officers. But at that time, when the soldier's pay was a pittance, no better men could be enlisted. Such for years had been the associates of the once FOURTH OF JULY MOKN. 233 noble young Adolfo Jarero ! Such were the instruments now of his revenge ; and of his blow for freedom. It seems Mr. Bardelph knew his tools, for he trusted few of them. The conspirators were instructed to sha- dow forth vague designs : they were to sound the troops rather than disclose their plans. 20* CHAPTEE XLV1II. FOURTH OF JULY OVER THE FORE-TOP. THE -Aldebaran was in gala trim ; spare sails and other canvass were stretched overhead from stem to stern, and from larboard to starboard, forming an awn- ing under which sped about the sea air, blowing lightly and freshly into everybody's face. Along the edges of the awning were draped in grace- ful festoons and triumphal arches the folds of many a fair banner. Upon and about the masts muskets were stacked, and artillery cutlasses and cavalry sabres ar- ranged in starry groups, keen and radiant with blood- thirsty brightness, as the dog-star of the heavens, yet peaceful and united as our own glorious constellation of States. On the quarter-deck a panoply formed of star-span- gled banners hung over a large dais, on the back part of which was a sort of double throne. Here sat our gallant friend, Major June, in the full uniform of his order ; rosy with beaming light was his face. On his left side, decked fairly as the goddess of liberty, sat a pale, beautiful young woman, with the severely FOURTH OF JULY. 235 classic features of a Grecian statue, softened in their expression to loveliest oval, and form motionless as marble. It was Faca Trainor. Forming a quarter-circle on either hand of the dais, were seated, on one side, the officers of the troops, on the other, the officers of the ship. There was Old Sol, whose dark, dry features were aglow with pleasure and animation, as his eyes went burning from beneath his heavy black brows, and directing their amorous fire upon the cold pale goddess. Near him were the sur- geon, Swallow, Nebulus, and the other young officers, all wearing, like their honored chief, the full martial insignia. Opposite sat Captain Handsallaround, Clincher, Junks, and Harry Joints, the ship's carpenter, all looking a little uneasy at the novelty of their situation, display forming no part of Jack's character. Veracious Clincher especially, rolled his great quid about his twisted mouth, and scanned every part of the ship visible to his wide open eyes, restlessly. At one end of this semi-circle on the quarter-deck was our little Ethiopian, Snowball, dressed as a smart sailor, and at the other end, a drummer-boy, both standing with un- easy crossed legs, and each holding up the depending folds of a flag. Excepting the watch and the guard, all tho sailors 23G FACA. and soldiers were visible on deck, ranged each in his rank and order, forming handsome arrays, a gallant sight to behold. And there too, were seen the camp- women and their children. While the dram-Mis personce in this scene were taking their allotted places, the usual ship sounds were dying away till all was still. " At last a soft and solemn breathing sound Rose like a steam of rich distilled perfumes, And stole upon the air, that even Silence Was took ere she was 'ware, and wished she might Deny her nature and be never more, Still to be so displaced." Even the band, jaded as they were with night-work, and little sympathising as they could with the spirit of the day, were inspired, for " E'en rage itself is cheered with music; It wakes a glad remembrance of our youth, Calls back past joys, and warms us into transport." Then the services of our national Sunday began aboard the good ship Aldebaran. The day was fine, winds beat their own beldames tame, and their wild roars were turned to gentle echoes ; the sea was calm, and scarce a cloud bigger than a man's hand obscured the blqe-domed crystal palace of the sun. FOURTH OF JULY. 237 THE ODE. WIN FIELD SCOTT. When the clarions of Fame Sound the deeds of the Brave, Through the vaults of old Time's Cloistered arches and nave, Let the loudest our hero Make known to the world, At whose voice gentle Mercy War's banner unfurled. When the hot blood of Youth Boiled at Tyranny's demand, And the wrongs of our seamen Echoed wide o'er the land, See our Chieftain advancing O'er Chippewa's height, Round his sword plays the lightning In tempests of fight. While the nation at rest, Sat with Peace 'neath the vine, And the wine-press of Plenty Gushed out with new wine ; Who afar on our border Watched patient and long, And war's evils averted By his word sure and strong? The soft bugle is blowing O'er cactus and palm And the Aztec is trembling, Yet the Chieftain is calm ; 233 FACA. Though the battle 's descending, And bloody his hand, Yet his buele sounds truce To an enemy's land. . Ah ! a drop of sweet blood Is more precious than gold, And the life of a freeman More than riches untold ; And the jewel of price In Fame's diadem Is the pure pearl of Mercy, And that is His gem. Was there now no man of God, to offer up a prayer ? A moment's penitence stirred the dead leaves of yon withered fig tree there the back-slidden Parson. A gleam of malignant satanity shot forth from the piercing eyes of yon plotting Priest. There was no man of God to invoke a hlessing. Then arose the tall figure of Lieutenant Soldan. Coming to one corner of the dais, he laid upon a desk covered with bunting, a roll of paper, which he opened, and from which he addressed the multitude. OLD SOL'S FOURTH OF JULY ORATION ON GLORY. " COMRADES ! 'In the garden of the castle of Fur- stenherg,' says a writer, ' there is a singularly beautiful little spring ; it bubbles up amidst flowers and grass, and overruns the green sward in many a limpid stream- let. There is something in the unadorned simplicity of FOURTH OF JULY. 239 this tiny well, rippling through the yellow daffodils and " starry river-huds," wonderfully pleasing. " ' But what an interest fills the mind, as we hear that this is the source of the Danube, the mighty river that sweeps along through the rocky gorges of Up- per Austria, washes the foundations of the imperial Vienna, and Hows, ever swelling and widening and deepening to the Black Sea, that giant stream ! so picturesque in its windings, so teeming with interest to the poet, the painter, the merchant, and politician.' " Could that writer, my comrades, have stood at the well of our national glory, and watched with the eye of a seer, the little stream widening as it went, till now it washes the banks of thirty odd states, each one a sove- reign, and all an empire where freedom reigns, he would find a spectacle more ' teeming with interest to the poet, painter, merchant and politician,' than all the 'mighty rivers' of the world. " The name and head of every American reflects a portion of this glory ; but, comrades, it is peculiarly our boast, that we have set apart our lives to cherish, honor, and defend it against all enemies.. Abandoning the comforts of home, and the pursuits of wealth, we devote ourselves to this one noble object. ' ' ' For gold the merchant plows the main, The farmer plows the manor But glory is the soldier's gain; The soldier's wealth is honor ! ' 240 FACA. " Sons of the great republic ! knights, squires, and yeomen of war ! children of the country ! be true to your trust ! " The name of a soldier should he spotless as Octa- vias ; his hreast the home of honor and chivalry ; his heart undefiled and incorruptible ; his reputation bright and untarnished as the sun ! Withdrawn from the temptations of polluting traffic, he should cherish none but generous emotions ; the time has passed away for mercenary soldiers. Where once there lay but one road to distinction, there now diverge a thousand well- trod paths to fame ; but one road to Glory remains, and that is the profession of arms, by land or sea. " There is no room here for selfishness, for schem- ing, for any sort of double-dealing. We are, or should be, a race of one-eyed giants Polyphemuses heroized to real greatness, expanded from the dominion of a dark cave to the domain of our enlightened country. " Great is the soldier's office and reward. When he returns from war, the country rings with his applause ; and when, with his brave heart and nobly-cultivated in- stincts, he seeks repose in the bosom of his family, what sweet repose ! what loving eyes the woman of his heart turns upon him ! See his children run about the streets, crying ' Father has come ! father has come ! ' for they well know that all men honor him let it be alike for moral excellence as for martial hraverv. FOURTH OF JULY. 241 It is the soldier that feels he has a nation, not Mas- sachusetts, not Virginia, alone ; but a common country. But it is his only country and he should know no other. The spirit that would go forth looking across another man's boundaries for a place to build, or a place to tear down, a place to sow, or a place to reap where another has sown, is false to the instincts of honor, a foe to his race, a villain, and a robber." " What ! " whispered the priest to Bardolph. " Is it possible that he has a clue ? " % " If that young Marshal has betrayed us, he, at least, shall fall, if I lose my neck," replied the drum major. " Hist ! " said the priest, " he proceeds ! " " On every side of us, on this Hemisphere," continued the orator, " secret plottings, dark cabals, hidden juntas, petty insurrection, and ruthless revolutions are at work. On the borders of this very sea, no less than three are known. It may be that some restless, ambitious, cove- tous, bold, bad man, may come among you comrades, for such insidious spirits penetrate every where with tempting offers, to persuade you to abandon your sworn service, and take their cause upon you. Lock up your breasts ; bar them with bolts of true steel, against such base alurements. Remember your oath of allegiance, your noble calling of Soldier, your country's honor, your own glory remember these and be true, uniting with me in this sentiment : " Palzied bo the arm that 2! 242 FACA. strikes falsely immortal the glory of a true Soldier." Cheer upon cheer made the welkin ring again, as the orator wound up his trumpet-blast with this nourish of true patriotism. A proud warm glow mantled his dark features as he resumed his seat. Thick and panting went the hreath of the Goddess of Liberty, now no longer pale and statuesque ; but with brightened color coming and going on her beautiful cheek, she had gazed with burning admiration, and listened with heightening pleasure. The kindled glance with which she simply and invo- luntarily rewarded the lieutenant as he took his seat, sent the young blood reeling to his old heart, like a drunken Cupid to the lap of Venus. If the soldiers all could not understand the orator of the day, Faca, the soldier's daughter, could. Bowing to the major, who stood ready to escort her away, she went like a child to the side of Old Sol, and at this moment the " celebration " broke up. CHAPTEB XLIX. WOMAN. I must own they are a pretty sort of creatures if we could but trust them. BEGGAR'S OPERA. WE do not claim for Faca the dignity of a type. But if there be any class who may appreciate her position, and penetrate her character it is those females whose hearts are burning and whose heads are lit with the bright flame of a highly cultivated understanding ; yet who are placed in such sircumstances in life as her's. Not that one need be a common soldier's daughter, but anything that cuts them off from the sympathies and action of the class for which their minds fits them, or for which their eager, piercing, self-consuming souls aspire. Here one lies buried among the hills of New Eng- land, a lone, withering tree, that, planted in a richer soil, or cultivated by some kindly, knowing, appreciating hand, might pour down abundance of its fruit, the 244 . PACA. bloom of its beautiful blossomings, in a golden shower of goodness, love, and joy, on earth. There, dungeoned in a palace of splendor, and linked in golden chains, wrought out of a bargain of merchan- dize, with an uncongenial mate, whose mind is " cribbed, cabined, and confined ' ; in the dusty mart, sits another, more solitary than desolate Jerusalem, with none to pity ; for they of the world say is she not rich with servants, carriages, gold, and worshippers of gold, at her command ? How many, in fact, suffer in " cold obstruction," and feel their jewelled treasures of mind and heart fritter- ing away into empty evaporation, because of their earthly allotments ? Doomed as it were, from the very cruel nature of the circumstances by which they are surrounded, to canker, consume, and rust themselves away. O pity, merciful Heaven ! pity such, we say. Life indeed to them is but a Eed Sea of tears, its fruits all ashes. How keenly alive are the higher order of women, to the appeals of glory ! Their hearts leap up towards him who in his words portrays, or in his person repre- sents it. The sentiments of bravery, generosity, honor a life devoted apparently the very prestige and manly bear- ing say if you please the glitter of the gay uniform of the soldier, comes nearer to her id?al of manhood, WOMAN. 245 than does any other embodiment of the ruder sex. Say not in haste that it is the mere pomp and show, the color and display, that attracts her. No, it is her own high standard of excellence she worships it is herself she loves, in sword and epaulet fcg. 21* CHAPTER L. FACA'S ADMIRERS. Our love it ne 'er was reckoned, Yet good it is and true, It 'a half the world to me, dear, It 's all the world to you. TOM HOOD. FOR the brief while Faca abandoned herself to the pleasures of listening to the oration of the day, forget- ful of the bitter trial going forward in her heart's depths. At the urgent request of the officers, and the com- mands of her father her mother would not persuade, for or against she had consented to take the part we have described in the proceedings. " I will be a mere automaton," she said to herself. But the noble words she heard awoke in her soul all the slumbering poetry and passion of her highly strung nature, and she flung herself wildly to the control of those lofty emotions. Both the cool, revengeful Bardolph, and the impetu- ous, generous Marshal, saw the change as it portrayed it- FACA'S ADMIRERS. 247 self upon her expressive face. But with what different feeling they saw ! " S ' death ! " exclaimed the drum-major to himself, "The girl is completely carried away with these fine words. ' Woman, like moths, are ever caught by glare.' I '11 tame her down to the realities of life, an' I get her ! " " No wonder, no wonder," said Marshal shaking his head mournfully, " that she looks above me, it is her destiny to soar ; she revels now in her own atmosphere." Then the corporal scanned the appearance of Old Sol, his gaunt figure, his advancing years ; these not even the glow of eloquence could hide. " If I were an officer I could make Faca happier than he," thought William "a chance to develope my faculties under more genial associations, than those of a soldier in ranks, a command of books, and the usages of polite society. By heavens!" he ejaculated abruptly, as his several deficiencies presented themselves "By heavens, it would be throwing herself away to take Cor- poral William Marshal ! Man you 're mad ! " But it was only in a moment like the present that the gallant corporal, superior as he was to his fellows, could make due allowance for Faca. He felt harsh and bitter ; he blamed her for so much as even listening to the advances of the liouter.nnt ; he even dared, in his jaun- diced imagination, (. rvf a i;irk ir^aning in Old Sol's 248 F A C A . pretensions to his mistress's hand he doubted whether it was her hand he wanted. Then he would return to the charge against her. " Brihed, bought, through her simple doating parents, over to Mammon " he wrote a poem ! THE NEW HYMEN. A SEA GLYPH. There once was a beautiful lady, And there once was a hideous dwarf, The lady reclined in her bower, And the monster kept ships and a wharf ; And he grinned as he bent on his knee, And poured forth his love, As a kite to a dove, Crying " Maiden, behold I love thee 1 I have ships, I have gold, I have riches untold, And my palace I offer to thee." n. 0, vainly she tried Her red blushed to hide ; " Nay master, have done," quoth she, " For my mother hath none but me, Her heart it would break, Her loved darling to take To thy palace far out on the sea." PACA'S ADMIRERS, 249 III. Then straightway he rose, To the mother he goes, And a bargain of price offered he ; And with rubies and pearls, Satins, laces, and curls, The consent of the lady won he. IV. And dwarf, mother, and bride, To the synagogue hied, And Mammon the priest was he That scarlet knot tied, And the censers they swung, And the choristers sung, And the people all cried " Live the Three J " V. And he laughed with a crack, Thumped the hump on his back, And said "Though a cripple am I, Though a dwarf and a cripple am I, Yet the beautiful hand Of the Belle of the land, Is my own in the face of the sky ! n Ho ! away on the tide Sail the dwarf and his bride, In their shallop of pearly shell. The sun, round and red, Is setting ahead, And the clouds their bright rosaries tell: While the murmuring breeze 250 FAG A. Bendeth down on his knees As he tolleth the vesper bell ; And the maidenly moon With light-braided shoon, Steppeth onward before the sail : And under her lea, Gently rocketh the sea, And afar in his tent sleeps the gale. VII. And the bride on his breast, With her face in his vest, His crimson and gold-broidered vest, He s'at on a throne, With it's velvety zone, And softly the maiden caresst ; But her lip it grew cold As the Monster grew bold, And her snowy-white bosom he preset. VIII. "What ho ! brave attendants, some wine ! " And with goblets of gold, There arose from the hold Black cup-bearers three and nine. They were beautiful pages, Of tender young ages, And their eyes like the sloe did shine. And their goblets were crowned With bright jewels around, And wreaths of sweet flowers, a 'twine : They had handles of gold . T i L Ji a envious twist. FACA'S ADMIRERS. 251 And serpentine fold, That sparkled with amethyst. IX. "My love, let us drink to the brine, Thine 's Lesbian wine, (Falerian, mine,") And the gonfala o'er The libation they pour, That flashed in the far moonshine. " Now love to thy name, A cup to each letter Thy beauty may claim, Each a link in the fetter That binds me adorably thine. X. " By Bacchus ! sweet maid, Of thy husband afraid?" As she shrank from his orgies back, " I have sought thee and bought thee Of the mother who taught thee, To love e'en the hump on my back ; For the wealth that it covers Is the fairest of lovers ! " XI. And he laughed with his horrible crack, And he cried, "Thou art mine, Inexorably mine ! " And his count'nance grew hideously black, An 1 up from the brine Faces ^listen an 1 shine, Crying " Thine ! incxoraUy tliine ! " 252 FACA. XII. The rnoon looketh pale on the ocean, And the stars twinkle dim on an isle ! The gonfala ceases the motion ' It followed for many a mile. In the East the fresh morning is breaking, Like a child from its afternoon sleep, And the sun with pomegranate is streaking The grey battlements over the deep. And the top of yon palace is gleaming 'T is a palace with ivory towers, From whose gates a gay multitude 'a streaming, Deck'd with banners and tropical flowers. E'en the air, with a musical ringing, Salutes the beautiful bride ; And all voices grow hoarse with their singing Her joy and the dwarf's by her side. At the gate, by an olive-cheek'd maiden, A flame-color'd bridal-veil '& brought ; And a train are with costly gifts laden, Of cunning machinery wrought. XIIL With joy they lead all, Through court-yard and hall, To the tapestried chamber on high ; The pale bride follows after, And the bridegroom with laughter That leaps from his amorous eye. FACA'S ADMIRERS. 253 XIV. Sound cymbal ! beat drum ! For the bridegroom hath come, Shriek trumpet and fife to the sky ! Let the choruses roar Out the pleasures in store, As the bright wing of life hieth by; As the dwarf and his bride, In the honeymoon tide, Lie down on their couch pillow'd high ; May the morn of the morrow Bring nor sadness nor sorrow, Till the shade of the almond-trees nigh ; And the grasshopper's hum, As a burden become, Till the pitcher is broke and the fountain is dry. XV. Katy-did ! Katy-did ! Whip-poor ! Will-whip-poor- Will ! And the owl, in the china-tree hid Sang " tee-whit, tee-whit, tee-hoo! " And the silvery mocking-bird, still How he solemnly mocks the crew I XVI. On the top of a rock That looks down on the sea, Like a porcelain block, Pale porcelain statue sat she ! And she wringeth her hair In a grief like despair, She 's a bridal robe white on With a purple fringe dight, 254 FACA. But her bosom and white arms are bare. And a lyrical stave Goes afloat on the wave, As thus she complains to the air. xvn. XVIIL The evening breathed still, And the mocking-bird shrill Keeps vigil alone in the trees, Till round him are prying With pine torches flying, That flicker and flame on the breeze ; The palace's people, From basement to steeple, Are searching the bushes like bees ; They fly through the towers, They tear through the bowers, The cliffs and the shore, And the island all o'er, And the dwarf sinketh faint on his knees, And his breast, hard as stone, Is rent with a groan, And a curse flies away o'er the seas. XIX. In the midst of a cave, Lay in virginal state, Like a nun in the nave Of a chapel so great, ''.'he bride of that hideous groom ! FACA'S ADMIRERS. 255 And for tapers, there were The clear crystals of spar, That glistened like gold in the gloom. And the sea sang a hymn, And a mass for her soul Thro' the sea-caverns roll ; And a choir of shell Ring the funeral knell, And the stars with their weeping grow dim. XX. At the door of her cell The coral worked well, And builded a ruby wall high, Where evenly, heavenly, folded, she lies, With a pearl on her heart, And a shell on her eyes A shell of the hues of the beautiful skies. CHAPTER LI. THE BUSY NOTE OF PREPARATION. IT was near the middle watch the Aldebaran went plowing a good furrow through the rippling sea. With a steady, favorable wind, few alterations were required in the sails, and most of the crew were asleep. Those on the look out were away ahead, near the bowsprit, and with the exception of the solitary steersman, the other sailors lay coiled about the wheel near the taff- rail. Lulled by the soft sea-breeze, the drowsy sentry shuf- fled sleepily to and fro on his lonely round, occupying the middle of the upper deck, about the mainmast. Little was he or the corporal of the guard disturbed that night by the men coming up, on one pretence or another, for a breath of fresh air. They slept well after the pageantry of the day, and an unusually liberal al- lowance of the commissary fare topt by a desert of rice and molasses. Not asleep was Faca. Quite motionless she lay, fear- ful of disturbing Constant , her poor little brain busy with NOTE OF PREPARATION. 257 hor troubles. Little did her lover know how sorely her heart was tried sorely, sorely. She found herself face to face with troubles such as she little apprehended when, a bit of a girl, she last parted from her parents and inilitar}' people : or even lately, when she so gladly rejoined them. She was beset by dangers on every hand. Her present position was bad enough, but her pre- sent position she must change possibly for a worse. She must enter into one or other of two new worlds. But single or married much as she had formerly loved it, she now looked with loathing upon life in the ranks. To exchange it for one in the class above her, to subject herself possibly to the sneers of proud women, to find herself in one rank in life, and her parents in another, was equally abhorent. Yet hero lay her taste, and there her heart. Many find themselves placed so. Faca was not of a calculating spirit ; but the forecast of such a mind as hers is a sort of divine instinct given for self-protection. Women overleap logic at a bound, as Alvarado overleaped the charm in the causeway. Faca knew where her peril arose. "Oh!" she inwardly exclaimed, "could I but rid myself of my beauty ! these fatal charms ! " Below in the band room the conspirators were met. There was the tall and polished drum-major, and the wily priest, Temple, and the others, among them sat the ghost. George appeared hagivnrl. and wore sr.eh n 253 FACA. dogged look as desperate men wear when hope has long been a stranger. " St. Paul admonishes," said the priest, " to ' take a little wine for our stomach's sake and our often infir- mities.' Knowest thou, son Bardolph, whether there be any within reach ? " " Yes, Holy Father, we wait only for the guard to change." " By St. Lazarus ! my son, I hope the guard will change soon. My dry throat has been doing penance for its many sins these twenty days. The diplomatic Temple looked at the priest with eyes that said : " There may be other things to tickle thy Holy Father's throat." In short the future secretary of state was an Amer- ican, and taking practical views of things, undertook to per&uade his confederates against "liquoring," as he called it, just on the eve of their attempt. It was in vain. A carousal was decided on, since liquor was known to lie in the hospital steward's room, cases of pure medicinal cognac. It would seem as if God often filled the wicked with desires, which tend to defeat them in their wickedness. The event calculated to restore the priest's thro.at to a state of peace with his conscience soon happened. The tramp of the guard was heard, and a half-hour after- wards the priest and the two Bardolph's stole up the NOTE OF PREPARATION. 259 steps known as the " womcns' stairway," for it was here the women made their ascent to the deck and all at length found themselves in the starboard lobby, or pas- sage leading between the quarter-deck and bulwarks. At the forward extremity of this passage Mr. Bardolph stationed himself whispering to his mates. " The guard are mostly asleep." " The corporal is wide awake." " The sentinel is down towards the galley." " Now he comes this way draw ; draw back !" The slight noise and whisperings made by this noc- turnal band near her window excited Faca's attention, as she lay in her berth tossing with her emotions. She listened the more attentively from her nervous condition, and on account of the personal fear that she had already, alas ! experienced. " What now ? " she cried shuddering to herself. " I know not what to expect I will awake grandmother." But grandmother slept so soundly it were a great pity to disturb her and she couid not go to sleep again, old as she was. " No ! " thought she, " 't will do no good either, and 'tis bad enough to have one poor unprotected female conscious of her danger. Sleep on, dear grandmother ! " Half terrified, yet with keen, listening, curious ear, Faca lay, in the upper berth of the state-room. The window was open, but a small Venetian blind shutter 260 FACA. protected the beautiful from all eyes, save God's and the holy angels. It was arranged that George the ghost should flit along in the shadow of the bulwarks and rigging on one side, while the sentry and corporal were on the other ; go around the galley while the sentry was on the stern end of his post, and steal into the steward's room. They whispered so low that Faca could not distinguish whose voices they were ; she could in fact only hear a word now and then but one of them was " corporal," and disguise it from herself as she might, Faca felt great interest in a certain corporal. And so, with her feminine instinct, she suspected that Bardolph, her cor- poral's foe, composed one of that skulking band of mid- night whisperers under her window. Now her fear took a new form for him. And, such is the privacy of love, how glad was she that her grand- mother had not been awakened ! But not a sentence could she hear ; with all her sharp listening, and timid, loving, delicate instincts aroused. Soon the sounds ceased entirely. In a few moments it seemed longer to Faca there was the least possible noise of footsteps, and then the same voices louder, elate with some achievement. " How many, my son ? " That was not the drum major's voice. "Nine," said another unknown. NOTE OF PKEPARATION. 261 " Jesu ! that's good ! " whispered the first. " The sentinel saw me as I rounded to, but I fetched up all standing, and then bore down on him a fathom or so, till he snugged up under the corporal's wing, he ! he ! "There!" said Faca to herself. "The 'corporal' again." Hark ! it was Bardolph's voice now ; she .knew it in- stantly. "Did the steward stir?" " No," was the reply. " I opened the door softly ; I stood at it, with the moon shining on my face bloody as ever, and chains on my hands too ; it almost scared me to look at myself." " But the bottles ! " said an impatient voice. " Nine you say, my sou, are you sure they contain the ?" " Yes, the box was not nailed down. Here, Holy Father, smell of that." Faca heard a hearty snuff and then a gurgling sound, terminated by a satisfactory "Ugh ! 'tis good, by Saint Lazarus ! " " Pass it around, my hearties, before we go below," said the same voice that had mentioned " the corporal." Faca knew it well enough from that. " Verily the laborer is worthy of his hire, my son, and we may not muzzle the ox treading out the corn. A bottle or two will not be missed below by the brethren. 262 FACA. " A truce, mates ! " It was Bardolph's again. " Be- fore our heads are heated with wine, and before we rejoin our party, we must fix our plan. Three are none too few." The whispering again became too indistinct for Faea's ears. She could only hear a word or two at intervals. "The poison arms below corporal officers guard he they we " were all she could dis- tinguish ; but they were terrible. She thought of seek- ing out corporal Marshal, but knew not where among so many men to find him ; and to communicate her fears to others possibly they were fancies of her over- wrought brain might expose her to calumny or ridicule. Then she would wake Lieutenant Soldan, but she shrank back from this with tremulous modesty. " The major " no, she would go down to her father. The noises had died away long before she resolved on her course. The whisperers were gone. Without dis- turbing Constanza she arose, drew on her morning robe, threw a shawl over her head and shoulders, and went down to the married peoples' apartments. But as she gained the door of her father's room, her eye was attracted by a light under the door of a neighboring room. This was an irregular thing. Faca knew that it was the band room, and that they had no authority for having a light at this time. "Bardolph's room," she whispered to herself, " they NOTE OF PREPARATION. 263 must be in there. If I wake father it will only alarm them. I will listen." With a blush, but with kitten-like gentleness and hesitating caution, she crept to the door. She heard many things ; we will not say what, but Faca was chained to that post by the omnipotent in- terest at her heart. It was not the corporal, her old playmate and present lover, not him alone, in danger, but Lieutenant Soldan, and all the ship, she thought, the officers at least, and she heard her father mentioned as among the doomed. And yes ! O God ! yes, among ribald jests her own name ! " Faca ! Faca ! " with toasts to her, and hip-hip-hurrahs ! And that dreadful man, Bardolph ! he pronounces her name, there, in that den of midnight revelers and thieves, and murderers perhaps. Bardolph has not said many words but now he waxes, warm with wine. He sings. MR. BARDOLPH'S SONG OF THE SYBARITE. " Speak low to-night ! commune with me in numbers, As angels' soft and sweetly tongued, My earthly part within me child-like slumbers, Tired of the sports that to the day belonged. A song ! A song ! my soul demands a song ! This prosy calm of life is death ! I 'd fling my feelings with the swell along, And bound to music with my panting breath. 264 FAG A. Away ! let beauty come ! all sense to steep In orient effluence sweet Bring cheeks that glow, and forms that glide and leap To arms of happiness with transports meet. Slaves ! bring me wine ! blood-red, that beats the brain To foaming madness in its joy I Let me, as 'twere life's brimming goblet drain, And dash to earth the cup a shattered toy ! " Suiting action to word, the drum-major threw the metal cup from him with such violence that, the mad words she had heard, the terror under which she suffered, and her nervous condition, needing only the startling sound of the cup's concussion against the fbor she fell heavily. Like lightning Bardolph sprang out, and caught her convulsed form. Petrified with horror, her very tongue seemed a lap-stone, and refused to shriek. With one wild look she closed her eyes, and sank lifeless in the arms of her terrible enemy. " Mates," said Bardolph with a voice cold, clear, and calm, " we must go on with the work, we have not time for poison now. Cold steel must do the business. Leave this woman to me. Not a moment to be lost." He had drawn her into the room, and the conspirators stood dumb around- " Holy Father I George ! you two, at least, know the opportunity will slip as soon as this woman wakes, or is even missed. Avrnv ! " NOTE OF PREPARATION. 265 "Ay! } ' muttered George, "'t is always so; he's never where the blow is to be struck ! " " Pooh ! pooh man ! " said Bardolph mastering his passion by a powerful effort. " I will join you in a mo- ment. Away ! " " Come ! quick ! away ! " echoed Temple. Now or never ! " And Bardolph was alone with his beautiful, helpless victim. 23 CHAPTEK LII. THE SHELL BURSTS. THIS way, quick ! rapidly, but no noise," said the priest to the ex-doctor. The two separated themselves from their confederates. The latter led by Temple flew into the main-deck quar- ters where the troops were lodged, then separately went to the bunks of those whose minds they had severally prepared for the event, or rather some event, that was to make them all rich and powerful. "To the gun-room ! to the gun-room !" whispered each daring conspirator, gently but effectually awaken- ing his man. And the first noise heard aboard the ship by the guard and watch, was from the forcing open of musket boxes. In a moment all was noise and con- fusion. " Guard ho ! up men ! " cried the corporal of the guard, and with them at his heels, he went tearing down the stairway, forcing his passage by blows and thrusts, through the bewildered soldiery, several of whom aimed ineffectual blows at his head after he had passed ; and by the time the gun room was reached he was entirely THE SHELL BURSTS. -!G7 detached from his party, who were more easily thrust aside, scattered and stricken down in the melee. Not an instant did the corporal pause. He held in his hand nothing but a bayonet, the arm of the whole guard. Springing to an open box of muskets he seized one, and jumping upon the box, whirled the musket around his head with such velocity as to render any approach to himself or the box impossible. The next moment Clincher, whose watch it was, stood in the gun-room, grasping a musket. The two brave men now boldly advanced against a party of the conspirators who had equipped themselves with arms fortunately there was no ammunition within reach, that being stowed away on the orlop deck below. While the corporal engaged one of the foremost, another flew by him with a growl like that of an en- raged lion. It was George. " Remember the brass knuckles ! " he roared, and clasping and raising his two hands armed with the iron fetters for they were loosed from only one wrist he dealt his old enemy such a blow on the forehead as felled Clincher to the deck, completely bereft of sense. Passing over his prostrate body and administering to it a brutal kick, George sprang through the crowd, gained the gun-room door, then the hatchway, and jumped down upon the orlop deck. Divining the intentions of the mutineer, the Corporal 268 FAG A. was about to rush after him, when several of the con- spirators pressed him to the wall, and forced him to be content with self defence. This he was fully equal to, as he had learnt the practice of musket and bayonet to perfection, while his adversaries were all unskilled. Yet they pressed him sorely the breath of his body was nearly exhausted. He retreated sideways towards the door. " Look out for the stairways ! keep the officers from coming down ! " cried George from below. A rush was accordingly made for the stirways, by those outside the gun-room, while those within were now dashing at the corporal, now prying open musket-boxes, and passing out the arms to their confederates. " Men," cried the corporal of the guard, " will you see me killed ? will you allow the ship to be taken by these pirates?" But the well inclined were bewildered and powerless, they were like children, and without a leader. A shot was heard and a man fell. It came from the direction of the forward stairway, and hewing a path with his sabre through the thick masses, Old Sol appear- ed hastening towards the gun-room. The next instant he stood by that brave corporal. " Leave me, sir," said the latter, " there is a man below after the ammunition, if he finds it all is lost ! I '11 keep them in here. THE SHELL BURSTS. 269 " Cheery, my hearties ! " sang out George, I 'm a coming on to it now. But don 't wait, bullies ; push up and secure the spar-deck and cabin." " Take this pistol, my man," said Old Sol. " No sir," replied the corporal coolly, " I can defend myself ; shots are scarce." Old Sol vainly endeavored to press the pistol into the brave fellow's hand, then fought his way with his sabre to the hatch opening down to the orlop deck. " Steady there ! " cried the voice of George. " Come down another step and I'll blow up the ship." He stood with a lighted torch in the midst of powder kegs, one of which was open. He had not yet passed any up thank God for that ! " Jupiter and Diana ! Thunder and lightning ! Ju- lius Caesar ! Christopher Columbus ! I '11 be among ye ! " exclaimed a clear ringing voice in rifle cracks, and down burst the major, sabre and revolver in either hand ; and soon Swallow and Nebulus and Junks were there. The two young officers together with old Ser- geant Trainor, began forming the men, obedient to the major's orders. Junks, armed only with the brass knuckles, was striking soldiers down right and left in- discriminately. He gained the gun-room door, and beholding Clincher's lifeless form, the noble tar burst into loud lamentations. By this time the corporal was forced outside the door. 23* 270 FACA. " Charge Bayonets ! " ordered Temple, and forth the small, compact, determined body of conspirators rushed, and the corporal and Junks were driven before them at the point of the bayonet like chaff before the wind. " Halt ! " thundered the major. Involuntarily the mutineers halted. "On ! on ! " shouted George from below, precluded by Old Sol (who watched him tiger-like, and stood guard over the hatch) from serving out ammunition, but sul- lenly reserving himself the honor of blowing up the ship, should his party be defeated. Those of the soldiers who had received the muskets outside, were already disarmed with little trouble by the activity of Swallow and Nebulus. The former's sabre strokes are remembered to this day, while the cool cut- and-thrust of the dandy inspired wholesome terror. " I '11 perforate you, my fine fellow," said he to a dra- goon mutineer who ventured to withstand him. Nebulus gave him a lunge in tierce, and down dropt the dragoon's sabre on the floor, as his sword-arm swung lifeless to and fro. " Don't fire," cried the Major often, while the work of disarming was going forward. " Don't kill a man ! I want the ring-leaders." But as we have said, the chief conspirators had ad- vanced from the gun room, and stood now, only an instant however, paralizcd by the instinct of obedience. THE SHELL BURSTS. 271 Again they spring forward. They stand within a few feet of the stairway. Here Major June planted himself with a terrihle six-shot revolver in his hand. " Now or never ! " cried Temple. The Major fired, and the attorney's soul went to the court of last appeal. Swallow sprang to the Major's side, and leveled his pistol at the mutineers. " Don't fire ! " ordered the old officer, in his clear and steady voice. " There's too much blood shed already. My men, you have been led astray by yonder villain and others lay down your arms." They grasped them the more fiercely. The Priest stood at the head of the ladder beckoning. Seeing him, they supposed the upper deck theirs, and advanced, cheered on by the shouts of George . " On, brave bullies, on ! " The voice was sepulchral and thick with baffled spite. Many shuddered as they heard it. At this moment a piercing scream went through the ship, startling all the beligerents, and causing another pause. Then one caught the eye of the Priest above. The man flung away his musket with a terrible oath, ejaculating something about "treachery and leaders." And up stepped M. Bardolph, as bland, though slight- ly pale, as a May morning. 272 FACA. " Can I help you sir ? " said the arch hypocrite, touch- ing his hat to the Major. At this the whole party of conspirators surrendered, with sullen reproaches and low growls of vengeance. They were straightway put in irons and taken to the upper deck, while the drum and fife were sounding forth the long roll. And a drum head court martial was ordered forth- with in the cabin. CHAPTER L 1 1 I . THE SMOKE CLEARS AWAY. THE mutiny had been disconcerted by the accident of Faca's fall against the door. It was necessary to act at once, and the programme of proceedings was changed. Thus Providence, by an- other weak instrument, had deranged the schemes of the wicked. The design of the conspirators was to poison all the officers this was the Jesuit's proposition. The ex- Doctor, who had first discovered the cognac, reported that in his search after brandy among the medical stores, he took up a bottle labeled " poison," and the Priest seized upon the idea. Leaving the others, as we mentioned in the last chap- ter, the Priest and his companion proceeded cautiously to the steward's room. But the steward was now awake. He thought ho had been visited by a fearful vision of George the Ghost, and now lay in a cold sweat of agony doubting his senses. The midnight visit of two other faces confirmed him in the opinion that he was still in a dreamy state. The Priest muffled his face and stood over the quiver- 274 F A C A . ing steward with a drawn dagger, while Toombs rum- maged the box and found the poison. The couple then withdrew. " What are we to do with it now ? " whispered Toombs. " Destroy ourselves and die like Christians, my son," replied the Priest, " if the others fail." The two were yet hesitating upon deck, when the guard rushed below. Had they the nerve, they might have placed themselves at the companion way, and, at least awhile, delayed the guard and the officers from descending to the gun room. But neither Priest nor physician belongs to the fighting order their business lies with the tortuous windings of life's secret ways. Finding the deck deserted to themselves and the crew, they went about in whispers tampering with the sailors. And while the ex-Doctor portrayed the wrongs of seamen, and the dreadful tyranny of captains and mates, as exemplified in the case of George, the Priest held up to their visions pictures of power, and lives of sensuality in Cuba, not stinting his promises of gold, glory, and heaven. Their efforts were lost upon the crew. They stood true to their colors, under the lead of old Jack and Harry Joints and perhaps intimidated at the resolute bearing of the skipper on watch. Meantime the arms passed out from the gun room, THE SMOKE CLEARS AWAY. 275 had been seized by Ncbulus and Swallow. Two mus- kets were forced into the hands of the Priest and his co- plotter, and they were stationed as sentinels at the top of the two stairways. The villains soon saw that the plot, by premature explosion, had utterly failed, and they only hoped now to save their own necks by prompt obedience to authority. It was the holy father's at- tempt to make peace, that helped to paralize the con- spirators below he was a man of peace. " Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called the children of God," meekly said the Priest to himself. " Villain ! " exclaimed Old Sol to George, " your con- federates are defeated." " Not while Bardolph lives, old yellow boy ! " " Bardolph ! He is now assisting to disarm them." " Ha ! Then here goes ship, soldiers, Adolfo, liberty, and all ! He then ran towards the open powder keg with his flaming torch. Old Sol fired. The torch dropped from George's hand and went out. Darkness flew down upon the orlop deck. And nothing was seen, nothing heard nothing save a CHAPTEK LIV. THE DRUM HEAD COURT MARTIAL. FROM peaceful slumbers to bloody work the soldier rises. From the land of dreams to eternity he flies, leaving his pale body to be hid away, and his name to be cherished with warm tears at some humble hearth- stone and spelt wrong in the gazette. The bodies of the brave soldiers who fell in the Muti- ny of the Gulf, were brought into the cabin, together with those of the fallen mutineers. Clincher and George lay side by side, and death waved over them now the white flag of final peace. Death is the great peace maker. Life is war. The heralds of one defy to combats, those of the other sound parley and truce. O, mortal breath ! thou art a living poison. " Trea- sons, stratagems and spoils," mutinies and murders, banquet on thee at midnight. Death is thy antidote ! The officers were gathered around the cabin table, their swords still wet by their sides, their pistols smok- ing before them. " I have summoned you," said Major June, standing THE COURT-MARTIAL. 277 J near the head of the table, " to inquire into this out- break. If possible you are to detect the ring-leaders. If you succeed, array them at once, try them, and pass such sentence as their crimes deserve and the general safety demands. Having done this, you will lay your proceedings before me. The Major then withdrew to look after the wounded and see to the guards, now quadrupled, and posted in. every part of the ship. The surgeon was already caring for the former. The corporal of the guard was in ar- rest at the instigation of the drum major. As the mutineers were mostly members of the band, their chief was the first witness sworn. We shall not go into the details of that midnight trial, but point the reader to the main particulars. Before Bardolph began to give his evidence, the cor- poral of the guard was brought in. Old Sol started back amazed ; darting a severe look upon the witness, he inquired " Is this one of the accused ? " "' He is, sir." " Be sure ! I saw this corporal fighting foremost against the rebels." " Most likely, sir. He had an object/' " Go on, sir ; go on," said Lieutenant Soldan, "begin at the beginning." The witness then swore that " this corporal had long 24 278 FACA. been tampering with the band, in fact ever since hig arrest and confinement : that he had watched him, but knew not till this night, what might be his motive. That he had overheard him and some of the band men talk of getting at the hospital stores. At the time he thought it was for brandy, but was now convinced it was for poison. The hospital steward might know more on this point. But he, the drum-major, was convinced that their plan to poison all the officers, had been discon- certed by his jumping out of his bunk to report them. The corporal had knocked him down in the band room here was the bruise and he lay there senseless, he knew not how long, but as soon as he came to, he heard a great noise, saw that the band room was deserted, and went out to help quell the mutiny. He was sure that it had been precipitated through his unintentional means, and thanked God fervently that it had ! for doubtless his own worthless life, and the valuable services of all the officers, would have been lost to the country under whose proud flag they served. He accounted for the corporal's fighting against the mutineers, on the suppo- sition that he must have seen at once, from the luke- warmness of the soldiers generally, that the case was hopeless, and wished to save his own life by apparent zeal on the other side." The testimony of the hospital steward corroborated the statement of the drum-major. Poison had actually THE COURT-MARTIAL. 279 been extracted from the box of medical stores, and the accused was on deck and on guard at the very time ! He could not have been many feet from the door. In fact the room had been entered twice, the last time by two men, and yet the corporal had not prevented it. His orders were to allow no soldiers on deck without sufficient reason. Again, how could the prisoner George have been released without the corporal of the guard's connivance ? The clouds gathered thick and black around his head. The corporal stood lost in astonishment. Which way to turn for light he knew not. When called on for his defence, he could only deny that he had heard or seen men enter the hospital steward's room, or that he had ever tampered with the band, or been privy to George's release. " I would ask the prisoner a question," said Mr. Bar- dolph. " Ask it," said the court, " the prisoner may use his pleasure about answering it." " Were you not in the band room after taps, when you should have been abed, last night ? " " Yes," said the prisoner boldly, " but I cannot, even to save my life, tell how it happened that I was there, for I took a solemn oath of secresy " " An oath of secresy ! " exclaimed some member of the court. 280 FACA. This was enough. The accused was then set aside and the general ex- amination continued. The members of the band, and others taken in arms, were testified against as to the fact of their open mutiny. But the corporal of the guard was thought to be the instigator and prime mover in the drama, and the conclusion of the court was, that the two dead men, George and the ex-lawyer, were second in rank and guilt to him. The younger officers were for pronouncing instant sentence of death. The president, lieutenant Soldan, alone hesitated. He had seen the prisoner fighting a half score of the rebels single handed. It was he that pointed out the danger of their getting the ammunition. Old Sol was in a maze. The court was cleared i. e., prisoners, witnesses, guards, all but the members of the court and the stone-dead bodies, withdrew. And now the findings and sentences were to be considered. To delay the punish- ment of subordinates was considered safe ; but that of this arch plotter, this master mover, who could on the instant seize any future opportunity to renew, with bet- ter success, the horrors of this night no. He must be condemned at once. Again the court opened. " Prisoner," asked the president with a husky voice, " what is your name ? " T II E COURT-MARTIAL. . 281 William Marshall, sir." "Corporal William Marshall, the majority of the Court Martial are of the opinion that you arc guilty of mutiny. The cold dead bodies before you were once in- habited by warm living spirits, as hopeful of long life, as desirous of happiness, as just in all their earthly ex- pectations as yourself. Though not by your hand, yet through your instrumentality, they have been cut off in the midst of their years. You will in a few hours be summoned to meet them in another world, and at a higher bar. God have mercy on your soul, William, for " cried the warm hearted soldier, with moistened eyes, " I cannot on my life believe you guilty." " As I hope for happiness in that bright sphere to which my soul is destined to go, -I declare I am not guilty," said the prisoner with icy calmness. "Before final sentence is pronounced, prisoner," said the president, ^ have you anything to say that might in men's minds lessen the degree of your crime, your motives, your temptations, probably some fancied wrong ?" " Nothing, sir. In the wide world there are none to mourn for William Marshal. Yet unknown as I am, the son of respectable parents, but long since dead, I have been taught to regard my honor more precious than life, and am ready to die at sunrise if may be, rather than break an oath. Oh ! if there were one 24* 282 .. FACA. heart, one loving heart, towards whom, out of all the bright and beautiful things with which to me the world is filled, I might turn for happiness here, I could not then go hence so calmly. Death has no terrors for me now. If you believe in my innocence, sir, that to me is far sweeter than life. And 1 am innocent. God knows I am, sir ! " The unwilling tears at last stole down his face. " Yes, he is innocent ! " cried a voice. And old Ser- geant Trainor appeared, urging his way through the crowd in the cabin, and supporting his daughter Faca, pale as a sheeted ghost. CHAPTER LV. THE LADY AND THE GIANT. IN order to bring up the threads of our narrative, it is necessary to go back to the moment when Faca fell fainting into the arms of Mr. Bardolph. The gleam that shot from his baleful eyes, the light- ning of his cloudy soul, gave token of triumphant joy within. " Ha ! ha ! mistress," he cried exultingly, as the door closed, leaving him alone with her. " Ha ! ha ! proud girl, I have you now ! " Then drawing her senseless form towards him as he sat down, he imprinted a pas- sionate kiss upon her cheek, her lips, her cold cold forehead, he showered them upon her white unconscious face he could have drank her in with his lips. His rude fervor, however, quickly restored her to life, and the keen bright spirit darted back to its throne from the realm of shadows, in time to save its beautiful pure tenements from further pollution. The white leaf on her bosom lay unbrushed by his foul hand, and the sweet rose bud at her heart remained unconscious of the worm. Starting wildly she sprang from his arms, but would 284 FAG A. have fallen had he not caught her again, and gently resting her upon the camp-stool, he assumed a respectful attitude before her. Faca pressed both hands to her temples, doing what she feebly might to collect her scat- tered senses. " Mr. Bardolph ? " she said with a bewildered look. "It is I." "Those rough rude men ! that dreadful song ! *my name ! did no one call it ? " " You are safe now. I might have uttered your name, I that love you to madness," he exclaimed falling up- on his knees before her. " You love me you ? " " Yes, with all my heart, my heart of hearts." Then let me go." " You may." He flung open the door. The weak girl arose and tottered forward. " Let me assist you," he said. She moved passively on. " Then you will listen to me ; let me love you ? " he asked imploringly, and so respectfully. The color flashed across her pale cheek. " No. I hate you." " Ha ! " he cried savagely. The door was reclosed, and Bardolph stood before her with folded arms. Faca felt her senses reel again, but she made an superhuman effort to keep up. The good angels THE LADY AND THE GIANT. 285 assisted her, but so faint and feeble was she with weak- ness, disordered nerves, and terror, that she was constrain- ed to seek again the seat she had just left. Her heart oeat in her throat, she had not power to speak. Noises were now heard outside. Faca listened eagerly, but they were far forward. Mr. Bardolph smiled. His was a polished, easy, polite smile for he was no com- mon scoundrel. Faca saw danger in it. Trembling violently, she spoke at length. " You will not dare to keep me here let me go," she added haughtily, her eyes afire with the Spanish blood seldom roused. " When you are ready to listen with patience to my suit," he answered. " Is this a place, is this an occasion," she cried through fast falling tears, " to talk of love would you force me to hate you more than I do, by so pretending to sue for my love ? Monster, I will go ! " She arose quickly, but her trembling limbs refused to do their office, and again she sank upon the seat. "You see, my dear Faca the fates are against you. This is an hour I have long coveted, and since you can not go if you would, we will talk over our affairs. !Now listen : I was once a youth of promise, my family was respectable, or, as they say, aristocratic. I have the pure blood of old Castile in my veins. As the elder son, my expectations were excellent My mother was a saint, 286 FACA. or some such angel as you are, Faca. I had a sister, now too an angel, I believe." " You have a sister ? You ? I could not believe it ! " " Yes, Faca," replied Bardolph with heart-touching grief upon his smooth countenance. " She was an only sister. I loved her. I could have forgiven them for wronging my father and me, but for tossing her into the wild hurricane of events which crushed a fragile flower, for that I curse them ! " Faca shuddered at his fierceness. " Now, proud girl, know that I have it in my power to raise myself again to affluence, honor, power ; and you may be the sharer of my splendid fortunes. Come, decide iww, for I must go." The voices had gone on increasing. The whole ship was evidently astir. People were even rushing through the passage going by the band-room door. " Will you be mine ? " cried Bardolph, " my love, my queen ? " Faca's heart was torn. She knew that the rebels were fully at work. Should they succeed, what would be the fate of her parents, William, Old Sol, and all the officers ? She knew now that Bardolph was their leader to keep him from his confederates, above whom she knew he towered in intellect to make use of the fatal beauty, her natural, God-ordained dowry, to save the precious lives of those she loved ; in short to make the THE LADY AND THE GIANT. 287 most of the situation in which she was placed, for the good of others and then she thought, and shuddered not, death might end her woes at any moment. Such were the thoughts that flew wildly through her brain. To delay him was her wish. But speech she could not sufficiently .- and were in reality the veritable children of one com- mon parent, Misfortune. The sons of sorrow are all a common brotherhood, with Christ at their head ; yea, even the malefactors on the cross. Mother and son sobbed and wept bitterly till those came who were to bear him to execution. Then there was a long embrace. The two pressed the crucifix to- gether with their lips. The son was carried away, and went to his appointed place among the dead. The mother stayed ; she had yet her place among the living. Faca remained to her, the last of the beloved family. She flung herself upon the floor of her state-room, and there, alone with God, she gathered up the loins of her heart. CHAPTER LV1II. THE WORLD CONTINUES TO REVOLVE. THE bloody stains were soon washed away from the decks, and again children ran about laughing in their sunny curls, where a few hours ago the boards were slippery with blood, and the air smoky with combat. The regular employments of soldiers and sailors went on, though with a sort of hush that now and then fell on them, taking away their breath. A storm, a loud, fearfal, howling, wreck-threatening storm, would have been .a welcome relief ! But an oppressive three day's calm followed. As if to complete the " leaden dullness," the ship was sur- rounded by a sort of bog of sea-weed : miles and miles of it was seen floating in massy detachments. " Some forty years ago," said the skipper, " an En- glish ship's crew were alarmed to find themselves in this very region almost wedged in by "sea-weed. It com- pletely covered the surface, giving the appearance of vast meadows ; and so suggestive of land that they feared touching bottom every moment. It was in 18 . I neaver could remember dates." " Why " asked Major June, " do the geographers 298 FACA. persist in calling this grand body of water a ' gulf ' ? The idea may be suggested by the indentation it makes into the continent ; but even that is vast, stretching across eighteen degrees of longitude, and around thou- sands of leagues of shore ; whereas the idea of a ' gulf ' conveys littleness of magnitude." " The sailors, even, call it the ' bay/ " said Captain Handsallaround, " to distinguish it from the gulf stream, which they call ' the gulf/ as crossing the Mediterranean they call ' going up the straits.' " " It is a larger body of water than the Mediterranean, sir/' replied the major warmly, " and much larger than the Baltic, Black, Caspian, or a multitude of ponds dig- nified with the name of ' seas.' " " It is glorious, sir, in its associations too, reflecting the fame of such men as Columbus, Cortez, De Soto, a score of our American admirals, and our gallant old chief, Winfield Scott, long life and green laurels to him ! "The Spaniards called it the 'Mexican sea/ why should not the Americans ? shall they do it less honor, sir ? " The attention of all future geographers is hereby called to this subject, on the peril of another blast from the major. And surely with its rich setting of gems, Cuba and all the Antilles shimmering on its bosom, Florida, the "land of sun and flowers," Mexico, the THE WORLD CONTINUES TO REVOLVE. 299 silvery country of the Aztecs, and a golden cordon of free American states framing it around, surely it may be graced with the name of sea. And herein, too, flows that sea _ of itself, Mississippi, the father of waters. Look to it, I say, gentlemen geographers ! During those stifling three days of calm, the humor- ous, droll face, and dry, extravagant jokes of Clincher were never so much missed. But the world went round without him, as it always does when great men die, to the astonishment of all. And the usual number of delinquencies and disciplin- ary punishments occurred. Sailors were sent to the mast head, and soldiers to the tread-mill ; one to study astronomy, the other to mark time. This is a pitiful world, and even a tragedy must be succeeded by a farce. Yet there was at least oney and possibly three, who still took a dramatic interest in life. CHAPTEK LIX. THE ANGEL WAITS. Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums are beating Funeral marches to the grave. LONGFELLOW. CAN the reader guess who were the " three " we spoke of at the close of our last chapter ? It was not Major June for one, who felt deeply morti- fied, and wounded in point of reputation too, ai the thought of mutiny and death having reared their horrid crests in the midst of his command. It was not Junks for another, although he still dreamed of " that gall," and hoped fondly to " splice " before autumn. But Old Sol . He was certain that Faca had not only proved herself a genuine lady, but a true wo- man, and he was more deeply in love than ever. And William Marshal was one. Strange to say, the youth was willing to live now. He was regarded by all as the hero of the late event. And he had some reason, though little enough, to hope that Faca was not so very indifferent towards him after all. O, no ! William was in no hurry to die now. THE ANGEL WAIT a. G01 And Faca, she was the third ; it was now such a ques- tion of life and death with her, this world or the next, that even she was infatuated with the wish of spending more days here on earth, though few and full of trouble they were likely to prove. Poor Faca, the little goddess was sick. The events of the last few days have prostrated her low upon a mortal bed. The Helen, for whom heroes and giants have contended, lifts her wan eyes to the ceil- ing of her chamber, and looks back into a dreary, hor- rid waste she sees up there, wishing that in the midst of it all she had died but now, ! now, Faca would live. The good surgeon shakes his head dubiously. And Mrs. Trainor, the bunchy little woman so bustling before, is quiet now, and sad, looking often into the eyes of her daughter, " to see what she wants," she says ; but Faca knows full well that is not it ; she knows that anxious look too well ; it has a far off gaze, where Death sits on the tomb. ! Faca cannot, will not die ! Old Sol comes there, softly on his tip-toes, till he sees that Faca sees him, he knows it by the smile that flits like an edge of sunshine down in the pale depths of the lily, and then he advances boldly to shew her he has no fear not he he expects to see her up in a week. And here is a pretty book he reads from ; and she re- wards him with many smiles, but they are too angelic. 26 302 FACA. And William comes to her chamber. Sometimes he only stands outside by her window and looks in, if it he opened for him. But he who was once all song and legend, and ditties about every thing on his mind or heart, he is so silent now ; how provoking ! Faca thinks. And wheu she asks him for a song, he will not tune up as of old with a lively air, and carol away about nothing, but there is something now in every thing he sings, it has a meaning. Why will they all talk with such long faces, and about such serious things ? And William thinks, and Faca knows it, for Faca thinks it too, often in the night when she sees the moon through her little window-blind, or hears the sobbing of the sea. William thinks what a dreadful thing it would be for Faca to die and go down, down, down into the sea, where the fishes would feed upon her, and where Bardolph and George are ! " ! these thoughts touch William to the quick he resents them as insults. If they were only men, so he could fight them away ! but no, they stand by his bed-side, he cannot turn his back upon them, for they creep over into the bunk, and sleep with him, and are not men, but ghosts that haunt him day and night. But Swallow expresses his grief in honest words. He asks Mr. Trainor if he may go into Faca's state-room sometimes, when she is there, and if he mav not read THE ALGEL WAITS. 303 a tract to them. He hopes Faca may not die, but in- quires concerning her soul. And the major fidgets about with his cane. He paces the quarter-deck, and hobbles down into the cabin, watches at Faca's door, inquires a hundred times a day of the surgeon " how that beautiful young girl is?" watches and follows Mrs. Trainor out and into the cabin, relieves the old sergeant from ajl duty, and sits up all night long to svp. if he cannot do something for somebody. Captain Handsallaround orders three fresh chicken- broths a day which are never tasted by the fair patient, except with pretence to praise. And Snowball himself forgets Fulton Market, and sings Fra Diavolo no more. A fair white angel with wings that shone, even in the shadow they cast, hovered over Faca's couch waiting to carry her spirit hence ; for Faca prayed, and said at last she was ready to go. The hair is white now on the head of stricken Con- stanza. Yet, like a cloud over the desert camp, she hovers over her charge by day. And by night those too sorrowful solemn lustrous eyes of fire ! Not a murmur escaps those lips, that portal an un- quenchable light. Those features arc rigid as stone on which the cold moonbeams fall. Yet how soft her voice ! how gently her hand touches the sick child's brow. 304 FACA. Who is the pure spirit hovering near, with wings fair as the white doves of Astracan ? Constanza knows. Not till now had the faithful nurse revealed to Faca the story of her proud unhappy parentage, and told her of FRANCISCA, the beautiful, the beloved ; of her father, the noble and brave of the good Don Manuel of her Jorge, the generous and impetuous of his foster- brother Adolfo, her son, her own tall beautiful boy she never spoke of them all as they were at the last, but as they seemed years, years ago on the sweet-scented plantation in Cuba. CHAPTER LX. THE ANGEL FLIES AWAY. And thou, too, Tvhosoe 'r thou art, That readest this brief psalm, As one by one thy hopes depart, Be resolute and calm. LONGFELLOW. THAT high-spirited, impetuous girl, roused lately into the heroic woman, is strangely subdued. Religion has effected a lodgement upon the crest of her proud earth- works, and erected there the banner of heaven. Few- women, when young and fair, know religion in its power, and bow with supreme submission to its wonderful demands. Prayers, entreaties, tears, alms, and thanks- givings form but the waves on the surface of that sea ; far down below lies the mighty region, calm but omni- potent in its clear depths ; and deep, deep in trouble must the soul descend ere it reaches the hidden realm ; for not by searching with the eye can one find out the Almighty to perfection. Faca is not only willing to live, but she is willing to die to accept life with its trials, or death with its terrors. The pride of her vouth and beauty, the supe- 306 F A C A . riority of her intelligence, the waywardness of her bright falcon spirit ; all that had buoyed her up to a dazzling elevation above the rank and caste to which she belong- ed, gave way before religion, and she shone with its feminine grace and splendor. It was with increasing fear and anxiety that Mrs. Trainor beheld this angelic force, before which- her daughter was being borne away. There are certain signs indicative of departure from this world, that women are quick to detect. They show themselves in the precocious intellect of children " too good to live," and play in a halo of pale light around the faces of men " too perfect for earth." It is certainly a " bad sign " in those we love to see them thus. companion of my bosom ! sharer of my daily cares, my daily joys, be of the earth earthy yet awhile ! child of my love ! be thou a true son of Adam the fal- len ! Heaven is a long way off to me, loved ones ; tarry a wh'ile for me even in sin ! This is the natural language of the heart It was with a feeling of like wistfulness and apprehension that Faca's foster-parents beheld their daughter lapsing into an angel. Their grief grew upon them till it clothed them with it sown light, a shining raiment. And they too bowed before the will of God ; bowed in all their grief, their self-conquest, their reconciliation to sorrow. The officers stood about them, or moved before them, T 11 E ' A X E L V L I E S A W A Y . oU7 f or performed kind offices, awed as they were into the equality of grief, bent before suffering with the humi- lity of suffering. The sorrow of Old Sol was not least touching of all. The veteran became a child. Life was now for the first time in twenty years a thing of moment. This wild surge drove him back to the green margin of youth. And the old soldier prayed vehemently for Faca's life. His face was suffused with the warm tears of his rcin- vigorated heart. Awkwardly he went about, falling in every body's way, a broken-hearted boy. The grief that turns the hair grey makes the heart green, vivifies its dry dead branches ; alive with the soft emotions of a leafy spring, the young verdure of sweet virtues trem- bles in the dawn of immortality. Old Sol suffered and bowed his head. We may not attempt to describe the afflictions of Wil- liam Marshal's soul. But his weepings were not like the others' young men with the young giant within them, God does not prostrate BO complely as he doth the elders. But in the solemn light of Faca's face he swore that his one ruling vice should no longer have dominion over him and for the two score years of after life he will keep his vow, for it is registered and sealed above. Then, when the Almighty had turned the hearts of these his simple children towards himself, he took pity on their grief. The dread crisis passed with its long 303 F A C A . t agonizing night of terrors ; the hope, the fear, the doubt, the trembling expectancy, the hushed breath, the faint lost pulse, the loud ticks of the watch falling like hammers upon the sounding silence ; the coming breath, the creeping warmth, the softening skin, the returning eye, the new life, the joy, thanksgivings, con- gratulations fearful even yet of full utterance all passed. Morn came, and the waiting angel flew away with the pale sickly shadow of her damp cold wing. CHAPTER LXI. THE COAS-T. THERE is a current commonly along the coast of Texas ; and, setting in to the southward now, it had carried the Aldebaran below the point she wished to make, viz : Aranzas Inlet. But as she approached the coast by night, she hove to, and lay by till morning, when a favorable breeze brought her by seven o'clock opposite the bar. According to dead reckoning the ship should have been one hundred and fifty miles inland but dead reckoning is not always dead certainty, as doubt- less we have all experienced, who never went to sea. " There is the Bar, with the green and white breakers dashing over it," said Major June. " Cristopher ! sir ! I remember, as it were yesterday, the emotions of us all in General Taylor's army, as we saw the land likely to become, as it did, the starting point to fame for some, and to the grave for others of our brave fellows. There is St. Joseph's Island, ou which we first encamped, and a more forsaken-looking place, a more desolate, dreary, sandy shore, was never known. However the first live object we saw was a deer, 310 and then we found some turtle. You see now a few cattle grazing on the scanty grass, and there is a little shrublbcry, and on the inner side a few wreckers' houses. Every face was turned towards the shore. A feeling of great satisfaction was apparent, mingled with a shade of doubt concerning the sort of life likely to he encoun- tered in Texas. In the minds of many young soldiers, the vista stretching across those sand hills was filled with wild sports, moonlight scouting expeditions, game, and Cumanches. Before others arose the fatigue of sol- dier life, the diseases of a tropical clime, the absence from home comforts and civilized refinements. But as white wing after white wing of the little light- ing vessels was raised and became visible beyong St. Joseph's Island, on their way out to the ship, the busy din of preparation to disembark began to be heard on all sides. A steamship lighter was expected to be in readiness, but no such appeared, or other sign of her presence. The truth is, our venerable Uncle Sam is so poor, that he can afford but one steamer for such purposes on the whole coast, from the Florida Capes to the Rio Grande, and this vessel cannot rationally be expected to divide herself and be in two places at once. Fortunately for Major June's command, there was no angry wind or raging sea to prevent the little smacks that made their appearance in Aranzas Inlet, from THE COAST. 311 coming to the ship, anchored a league from the bar ; and out they came, each one intent on a " government job." The first one hailed was a sloop. The sloop was steered by a piratical looking chief, who lay stretched at full length upon the deck, with his arm dangling carelessly over the rudder, as if his clipper steered her- self. Before him lay spread out temptingly two im- mense turtles, nicely dressed, and a few quarters of fresh beef. He was evidently ready, first to feed the soldiers and then help them ashore, the former at no little ex- pense. He drew along-side in the same non-dial ant manner as he had tumbled through the breakers and sailed out. Captain Handsallaround, however, thought best to question . this matter-of-course character before heaving him a line. " Are you chartered by the quartermaster ? " " No."" " Then haul off. " The master of the sloop gave one careless glance, as he turned his back on the skipper, by throwing one leg over the other, and sheered off, coolly answering " Toute la meme chose I " " I don't care a ! " He does care a good deal," said Major June, laugh- ing, " for he has no other way of disposing of his fresh provisions. But to conceal anxiety is the great aim of Texan character." 312 FACA. The next vessel that succeeded in making the Alde- baran was a neatly painted small schooner in the regu- lar employ of the quartermaster. She anchored a few fathoms astern of the ship, lowered her jolly-boat, the master jumped in, and pulled by a Mexican, came along- side. The ladder was let down and he appeared on the deck of the Aldebaran. The officers gathered eagerly around him, anxious for news from the States ; but the coast-wise Texans are as indifferent about news as they seem to be about every thing else railroads and tele- graphs included further inland. He brought the necessary directions for disembarking, however, and the work speedily went on. It took six of the lighters. Two of these were clean and tolerably comfortable : the others less said about them the better, for Uncle's poor ! Our fair inva- lid, Faca, was let down gently by means of ropes and blankets into one of the former, and its little cabin was given up to her and her foster-father's family. The men and women descended the steep deep sides of the ship by means of the ladders, amidst a shower of knapsacks, camp kettles, bedding, mess chests, mirrors, canteens, carpet bags, loose gowns, overcoats, dress caps, night caps, epaulettes, sabres, pet dogs, parrots, young infants, and muskets ; all tossed into the lighters hur- riedly and with storm-like confusion, as the wind and sea arose in the afternoon, and threatened a " blow," THE COAST. 313 which might send the ship howling from the coast, half disemboweled. Each little vessel, loaded down with food for powder, and alive with noise officers and sergent's orders, sailors' rattling work, and those sounds for which " silence " has no " poultice," i. e., baby cries, swung off from the moorings, and darted away for the huge and ugly looking breakers over the bar, with three cheers all around. Then such tossing of the laboring bark, such clinging on to her rolling sides and wet decks, such deluges of spray in people's necks and faces, such fearful lurches, such neck-or-nothing, hit-or-miss recklessness, missing by a hair's breadth the shoal that would have wrecked them ; and finally, protected by the good Power that leads and rules in spite of ourselves, such joyful emerg- ing from this sea of troubles into the smooth water of the Inlet ; never before was known. Each officer went with a lighter, and previous to his dropping down into his pandemonium, took leave of Captain Handsallaround and the honest Junks. The sociable skipper insisted upon a stirup glass with each one, and in bidding them good by, upon their accepting some small token of his regard : a box of wine, a book of which he had a store in his state-room or some article found by him in foreign lands, all must carry away something to remember the skipper by. 27 314 F A C A . Junks had little to say. " That ere gall," and get- ting back to her was uppermost in his thoughts, and all the gentlemen wished him a speedy return and a long honeymoon on shore. The two ships' officers stood watching the lighters off, waving their hats ; and as the last, hearing Major June on hoard, plunged away, the sailors, headed by Old Jack, gathered upon the forecastle, and gave three brave hearty cheers ; the band played " The bold soldier boy." and the next sound heard was the heave-ho ! of the anchor, and the stout ship Aldebaran was homeward bound. CHAPTEK LXII. THE LAGOON. THE shallop which conveyed Faca Trainor ashore was commanded by one of those characters so numerous in Texas, who have had their day. He was a tall spare man, with sharp but regular features, and so dark with- al, that he was easily mistaken at first sight for a ran- chero especially as his crew, with a single exception, were Mexicans. The " exception," we may as well say at once, was mate of the schooner Dolly, and an impor- tant fellow he was ; who pretended to look upon Cap- tain Redcliffe with a sort of respectful pity, pointing over his left shoulder when he spoke of him, as the " Old Man." As we have said, Captain Redcliffe had had his day. And after getting the Dolly safely over the Bar into Aranzas Inlet, being forced by the approach of night to drop anchor in one of the little Lagoons which con- nect the Inlet with Corpus Christ! Bay, he invited our friend Old Sol to a dish of frejoks, cooked by one of the Mexicans, and then told the officer his history. In early life Redcliffc followed the sea in a gentle- 316 FACA. manly way ; i. e. he took a voyage for his health before the mast, and came home, and, wonderful to relate, refrained to write a hook on the tyranny of captains, mates, and stewards ; on ropes-ends, sailor's wrongs, starvation, salt junk, and so forth and so on. So not making a fortune that way, he was fain to go to sea the next time for a living, as he had become so wild and roving that his wealthy father as good as disowned him, and he could not content himself with regular occupation on land. While he was yet a boy, the war with England broke out, and "Free Trade and Sailor's Eights" was the cry. He shipped from Boston on board a privateer; scoured the English Channel at a time when no English men-of-war were on the coast, and plundered right and left ; made a cruise to the Indies, and made a prize off the Island of Madagascar a British Transport bound for Calcutta loaded with troops and arms launched into the China seas, and was blockaded three months between Macao and Canton by a British fleet : ran the "blockade by night, and got home safe to the United States, all hands rich as nabobs. After the war set- tled in the West on a farm : raised the first three thou- sand bushels of wheat ever reaped from one field in the fertile State of Illinois. Knew Squire M , and Judge E , and Governor Q , and old Coon R , as he was called, all of whom Old Sol remenv THE LAGOON. 317 bercd in his boyhood ; had a county named after him was president of the State Senate during the celebrated contest for the election of B , to the United States Senate ; Eedcliffe electing him by his casting vote lost his health and migrated to Texas, previously to the Ecvolution : was a distinguished actor therein, and intimately associated with Austin, Houston, and Lamar lost his houses and Stock on the Brazas Eiver by the Invasion of Santa Anna, in whose capture, after the battle of San Jacinto, he had a hand ; but, mercifully forgiving him, helped to save him from the Bangers clamoring for his death ; and finally, losing his health again, and broken in circumstances, he was obliged to move to the sea-shore, and was now settled at Corpus Christi with his wife and two sons, one of whom kept a horse ranche up the Nueces, and the other owned and sailed the shallop Dolly, but was absent at the Cat- tle ranche now with his brother, and that was the way he himself happened to be here, and Old Sol to hear his story. Then the two wrapped themselves in their cloaks and stretched out upon the little quarter-deck. But ere they fell asleep, a soft voice and a guitar were heard at the cabin door below them. The little and great stars winked down mischievously at Old Sol, as he lay all night wide staring awake, thinking of Faca and the future. 318 FACA. He was far from ignorant of the devotion of the gal- lant corporal. But the idea of rivalship with a com- mon soldier was too undignified to think of, yet the thought would come. Nebulus would have rid himself of "the fellow" by managing his transfer to another regiment. Swallow in his self-abnegation would have quit the field a painfully good fellow was Swallow. But Old Sol was capable of neither the unfairness of the one, nor the self-denial of the other. He resolved to place himself side by side with the corporal, and have a fair fight for it ; i. e. leave it to the free choice of the damsel ; for, said he to himself " My rank balances his youth." This wise resolution gave his mind repose, and warmly thanking heaven for its late mercies, and again commit- ting himself to its protecting care, Old Sol, towards morning was able successfully to court sleep. O sleep ! nurse of the innocent, guardian of the good and healthful angel or shrew, according as thou art present or afar off. CHAPTER LXIII. THE CAMP. BY noon the next day the whole of Major June ? s com- mand was encamped near Corpus Christi, on the ground occupied, as the major stated, by the gallant Worth the Murat of our army in the Mexican war. A tent was pitched for Faca and her grandmother. Faca was now able to sit up, and the sea-breeze over the high ground, the smell of the green grass, and the fresh diet, soon invigorated her. But a few days, and the present array of friends* officers and soldiers who loved her, and who took every method possible to soothe the rigor of her low condition, as the daughter of a camp woman, must break up into small detachments. And she with one of these must go to some post among strangers, possibly among men, some at least of whom, long exiled from the sight of so much beauty as hers, would feel themselves prive- leged to prey upon her. This her lot, Old Sol looked upon with as much aver- sion ar did Faca herself, and his trouble was the greater, inasmuch us he and the Trainors were not destined to the same garrison. 320 FACA. One day the officer sent for the soldier to come to his tent. " Corporal," said Old Sol to William, " you love Faca Trainor ? " " Sir !" replied the latter, no little confused, and wounded too, by the bluntness of the question. " You will pardon me, my dear Marshal, but I take great interest in the fortunes of this young lady so much so that I do not hesitate to own myself equally with you a suitor for her hand." " Doubtless a successful one," replied William, with some bitterness in his tone, " your rank " " My rank against your youth and handsome looks, my boy," said Old Sol, struggling to be easy and familiar. The Corporal was silent. '" We will be frank and open with each other," con- tinued Old Sol. " I trust you have received no final answer to your hopes ?" " None, Sir ; that is, I have not quite given over." " Quite" sounded like a note of despair. " Nor have I quite given up the ghost." Old Sol's " quite" was little better. " And so let us come to terms with each other. Not to prolong our agony, we will go straightway to her tent, offer ourselves, and the one who is rejected shall forever relinquish further proceedings in the Court, and separate himself from her society at once and ever after." THE CAMP. 321 Marshal revolved the matter long and doubtfully. He really had little hope, but the idea of separating himself from the dear society of his old playmate, the lady-love of his poetry and rythmic adoration and persecution was deeply suggestive of lonely days and melancholy nights. "You forget, sir," said he, "that I belong to her father's company, and you do not ; that I have known her, child and girl, these ten years; that if not her her companion in one way, I can be in another: and that when the command breaks up, you separate from her of course." But Old Sol was rigorous in his terms, and trembling between hope and fear, William assented. The two proceeded to Faca's tent. Love, like murder, will out; arid both soldiers and officers suspected something of moment was passing, as they saw the two lovers stalking pale and solemnly towards the tent which covered the beauty. It had been pitched apart equally from men's and officers' lines of tents, but not far from Sergeant Trainor's, nor from Major Junc'jj, which was on the extreme right of the encampment. Knocking at the tent-pole which held up the front of their princess' canopy, the two suitors were bid enter by a soft, sweet voice. Old Sol, who had talked boldly enough to the Corporal 322 F A C A . alone, lost his courage now on the instant, and fidgetted and stammered awkwardly. He was desirous of the absence of the old grand-dame, but knew not how to accomplish the object. Faca, too, was embarrassed. But William frankly told the good old lady "Grandmother, the Lieutenant and myself wish to have some words with Faca ; can you trust her with us awhile?" " Oh yes, my son ! I don't fear you'll cut her in halves and eat her up !" and pinching the youth's cheek gently she withdrew ; and the cloud walked with some difficulty for she had not yet recovered from the roll of the ship to the Orderly Sergeant's tent ; where she excited the shrewd suspicion of the Trainors. The Lieutenant looked for the Corporal to begin, and the Corporal looked for the Lieutenant. Silence was first broken by Faca, who offered the Lieutenant a camp- stool wrought in flowery embroidery by her own fingers and the Corporal, part of her grandmother's chest, as she said " Pray be seated, Gentlemen." It must be confessed there was an old trace of fun- loving and mischief-making dimpling about the corners of the roguiah girl's mouth. At length Old Sol, after a world of hemming and hawing, began to state the object of this strange, and to any other young lady, frightful visit. But Faca was THE CAMP. 323 not half so greatly frightened as you might he, my dear madam. "We have come, hoth together, Miss Faca, to to offer you our hands and hearts." " One poor girl cannot make two desperate men happ at once," she replied, with a sweet little smile. " Let each plead his own cause ! " cried the veteran . dropping suddenly on his knees, according to the manner of the most interesting courtships in books. William remained standing. The truth is neither scarce knew what to do or say. But William was by far the more composed. " Kneel, you young dog ! " burst out Old Sol. " Do you think I wish to take any unfair advantage of you ? " The expression of Faca's face changed now. There was nothing of fun or mockery left. " Kise, sir," she said in an agitated voice. " Spare me any further exhibition of your preference for so un- worthy an object." The Lieutenant rose, and stood as if receiving orders from a field marshal orders, of which to lead a forlorn hope against Malakoff, might be the worst, to charge a battery, the least. " I honor you both. I I love you both. But I feel myself unequal to the trials which union with either tf you would bring upon me." 324 F A C A . The two suitors first stared at eacli other, and then at their lady-love. " Then you will have neither of us ! " blurted out Old Sol. " Oh ! do not put it so bluntly ! But leave me now, I beg of you. Nothing can alter my resolution. If I thought it in my humble power ever to make either of you happy at my own expense, I would cheerfully encounter anything, all things, to do it. But I cannot, I cannot ; you would be only the more miserable for me." " Faca ! " implored William. "William! William! Do not pain me with that cruel complaining voice." . " I know you arc too good, too gifted, too cultivated for me ; but even I would rejoice to see you marry Mr. Soldan, if you will not me ; that is " " No ! No ! " sobbed Old Sol. " Marry the boy ; he is nearer your age, Miss Faca. Confound my stars ! what have I done, but broken forever the happiness of this young couple by my confounded idiotic, unnatural attempts to win the child to my own withered old arms ! Marry the brave youth, girl ! don't make him and your- self miserable for life on my account. And I '11 see to his advancement; we'll all see to it." " I thought," said Faca, " that I might keep my own little plan of life a secret; unimportant as it must THE CAMP. 325 surely be to all beside myself. But to satisfy you, two friends, who I know both love me, but who do not under- stand me, I will tell you what is little worth hearing. " Fearful of the annoyance of officers' wives, as well as the shame it would bring upon my proud husband, if I married above my rank ; and, on the other hand, shrinking from the vulgarities and the temptations and brutal persecutions to which the life of a camp-woman mignt subject me, as well as you, William for you have just escaped a horrible disgrace and death I have resolved to go with my parents to Brownsville ; and there entering the society of the Sisters of Mercy, devote my whole life to nursing the sick. Not," added she with a smile, " with the view of losing more quickly what little beauty God has given me, but to do what mite of good I may, to alleviate pain and distress, on the bodies of men especially poor soldiers in the hos- pitals there and elsewhere." Her voice died away. " Faca ! " again exclaimed William aghast. " Faca ! wild, mad girl ! " cried Old Sol She gave her trembling little hand to William, and her head fell upon his shoulder. The angel heart within yielded at the moment when it felt stoutest to resist. She murmured something about " Trusting in Heaven." " Cristopher and Julius Caesar together ! " cried a voice outside, " is everybody deaf in here ? " 28* 326 r A c A . And pushing the front of the tent apart, Major June broke in upon this sad conference, with a document in his hand. Intending not to notice the paleness of one of the parties, or the confusion of the two others, he asked "Is there one William Marshal, Corporal, in this tent?" " I am he, sir." " Then you are a lucky dog ! Here's a despatch from Washington, telegraphed to New Orleans, conveying news of your appointment to the rank of second Lieu- tenant in the Second Regiment of Cavalry, and ordering you at once to the north to join. "As if /did not know you ! Did you think Jdid'nt know who sang the ditties like a troubadour, and fought like a lion, aboard the ship ? and did you think I did'nt see you and this sheepish looking old subaltern, march- ing like two ghosts to the tent of your sweetheart ? Shake hands, sir. I would'nt trust the good news to anybody else, but brought it myself!" William suffered his hand to be shook nearly off its wrist by the hale and hearty Major, who exclaimed repeatedly " Cristopher ! " the Government has done a good thing for once, rewarding obscure merit." Old Sol was equally cordial in his congratulations. Of course when Sergeant Trainor heard such cheery THE CAMP. 327 loud voices, he hurried into his daughter's tent, taking off his hat to the officers, followed by his wife and Constauza ; and in a short time there was a shouting and merry-making all over the camp. William's heart overflowed with joy. But he could illy conceal his impatience till night came on, bringing its quiet and order, and with it, an interview with Faca Trainor. Faca's congratulations consisted in the brightest pair of eyes and the rosiest pair of cheeks she had shown for a two-month, rather than in words. " We rise from the ranks together, and you will be mine, beloved ! " whispered William. " All thine ! " murmured Faca. And there remains no doubt to this day that the two lovers were the happiest pair the moon and all the bright stars ever shone upon, or the world ever saw. At all events Major June pricked up his ears several times that still evening, as he sat in his tent writing a long" letter to the mess, giving an account of the whole affair, and swore by Cristopher " he heard percussion caps snapping in the vicinity ! " But the major was waggish at times. Old Sol did not go to bed so very unhappy either. The veteran consoled himself with the good he had done, for it was he that had been the instrument in procuring William's commission. Besides, not the worst of all is 328 FACA. yet to come the same mail had brought him the sol- dier's elixir of life, promotion, and he was a captain at last ; yes, a captain at last. " Christopher ! " cried the rosy major, " the old flower looks deuced springish a dozen years younger at least!" A then he sighed to think how long it must he ere all the long list of veterans ahead of himself should moulder away, and that he should probahly pass into his grave before a colonelcy came to him. ' Tis sad to think how the bright aims of life dwindle and fade away as we advance tomb-ward. Yet another world shall strike the good old balance held aloft. There, he who looks may find, and he who knocks may enter in, and the humble shall be lifted up. CHAPTER LXIV. MARS AND VENUS. THE next morning the camp was early in commotion. The sun rejoiced with unusual splendor in his golden array ; the dew put on her silveriest vestments, the flow- ers breathed their sweetest to the sighing breeze. Artillery, infantry, riflemen, and dragoons were brush- ing up their guns, sabres, and uniforms, for some galla affair. A new white tent was pitched on the officers line ; a new plate, i. e. a tin plate camp fashion, was set at the officers mess ; and a tall proud-bearing young cava- lier sat in the tent afforcsaid, and modestly took seat at the mess-table, when Snowball, who had " taken a shine " to Massa Major June, and sworn to follow him the world over, announced breakfast to the young cava- lier, calling him "Lieutenant Marshal" and touching his hat. Then, about nine o'clock, a benevolent, mild-faced man in episcopal robes appeared, coming out from Cor- pus Christi in a mule carriage. It was tho chaplain, of course. And at his appearance Sergeant Trainor drew 330 FACA. out his company and marched it up, opposite the new- white tent. Then the drums and fifes sounded, and all the troops paraded, and arrayed themselves in a hollow square, forming a military chapel around the white tent. ,And on the walls of that chapel bright brave faces shone, and arms were hung, and glistened in the uncloistered light, and pennons and ensigns fluttered gaily. Then, headed by the clergyman, a procession appeared. Here came Mrs. Trainor, with the gallant Major June ; and then came Faca leaning on William's arm he in his sword and sash, epauletts and plume she in her white veil. Then followed Captain Soldan and the other officers, two and two. One side of the square opened out right and left, as the procession drew near, the music, band, drums, bugles, fifes and all played a salute, the colors inclined their heads gracefully forward, and th happy group were enclosed by those walls of brave hearts. And there, at the head of his old company, William Marshal was married. A little difficulty had been raised about giving away the bride, all insisting that it was the part of Sergeant Trainor, the foster-father. But the obstinate veteran swore by the revered name of his old commander, Gene- ral Jackson ! that his placo was on the right of the company he had served in since the battle of New Or- M A R S A N 1) V E X U S 331 leans, and in which William had been brought up from a drummer boy. So it was settled that Major June should give her away, and right beamingly he did it too. Then there was a feu-de-joie from the throats of a brass battery, when the ceremony was over ; and a festival was given by the officers' mess, at which the major pre- sided, and where Captain Soldan often turned pale, and Lieutenant Marshal often blushed ; and at night there were fire works and music, and dancing on the green turf; and the ladies of the officers stationed at Corpus Christi, who were present from noon till midnight, went home declaring there never was such a gay time before, never so pretty a bride, or dashing a bride-groom, or romantic a wedding altogether. CHAPTEE LXV. THE LOST ARE FOUND. WE are glad to wind up our story with a wedding, notwithstanding it grows fashionable to decry that sort of nonsense in a book. We shall not detain the gentle reader to relate how well William and Faca bore their honors, nor how they were admired every where they went on their way to the North in a great steamer from New Orleans to New York ; how a Mississippi colonel suspended his euchre and politics in the forward cabin to gaze upon the lovely Faca in the after cabin, and eagerly sought introduction and her hand for a dance one night, etc., etc. ; nor yet how on reaching their new regiment their fame had gone before them, and they were received cordially by the major's stately wife, and the Lieutenant Colonel's fair daughters, and how all the others were glad to do likewise. But the steamer in which they went touched at the Havana. The duenna stood gazing with silent emotion at the familiar scene, leaning upon Marshal's arm. And Faca and William, who knew the storv now, showed THE LOST ARE FOUND. 333 their sympathy with the duenna's agitation in a world of little gentle ways. In the barge which came out before the steamer was suffered to send ashore, sat a very old white-headed man, with keen black eyes, but a sorrowful visage. He was an object of interest to all. Constanza started, and grasped William's arm more tightly as she beheld the venerable ancient. He came on board. He seemed to hold a petty clerkship in the Custom House, and pro- ceeded on some duty or other. He noticed no one. He went to the captain's room, did the business of his office, and came out. The duenna began to tremble violently. The young soldier questioned Constanza, who pointed out the old man to him and to Faca, whispering in a mild, melan- choly tone "El Senor Don Manuel " and some other words in Spanish. William hurried to accost the venerable man ere he descended to his boat again, and brought him to the state-room, whither Faca meanwhile conducted the du- enna. On the way he disclosed to him who the person was that desired to see him. Don Manuel uttered some hasty prayer of thankful joy, and tottered forward. The two old friends fell upon each others necks and wept. Such a meeting had been expected only in heaven, and it was a heaven on 334 F A C A . earth. Believe me, my friends, it was a sacred meeting. Then the old man embraced Faca, and called her " Francisca ! " gazed long upon her features and kissed her often, and with silent tears. William, too, he greeted with many blessings how sweet the blessings of the Then Don Manuel told his story, as he held Faca's hand in one of his own, and Constanza's in the other. His country had taken pity, and forgiven him, and put him in a little berth in the Custom House, with a com- petence for his age, and a little house and garden in the suburbs of his dear old Havana. But the steamer was impatient to be off. Of course the two old friends thus providentially restored to each other werere not to be separated. And consigning Faca anew to the charge of her husband, the old duenna, after many tears, and many blessings between all the beloved ones, went ashore with a gentle light smile on her grave features, and her feeble hand locked in the feeble hand of Don Manuel FINIS. AND THE FLOODS CLAPPED THEIR HANDS. BETWEEN all Nature's works what intercourse ! What ties magnetic link them each to each in terms of amity and mutual knowledge, and all to One sublime interior Thought, tli at animates the world with motion ! "With conversation Land and Water teem, and every heavenly height is redolent : the' springs gush forth with speaking, and rivers run along the hills uttering a song ! Fast by the water-courses stand the trees that now, embrace the midnight hurricane ; then, list the warbling of the morning birds. From this tall cliff come view the queen-like Sea in courtly intercourse with Earth and Heaven : mighty co-monarchs in alliance triple ; ancient triumvirs of the Universe ! leagued in co-ordinate sublimity ! The Heavens upon the heaving Main gaze down, showering upon her waves resplendent beauties; the Main reflects each golden orb that rolls its crimson track across yon azure plain. Her genial vapors greet the bridegroom Sun ; her thousand censers, decked with jewelry, pay smoking incciido to the smiling skies that, round the earthly orbit traveling, array the Hymlahs ,336 F A C A . with celestial purple, and wrap a glittering drapery round the sphere. As courtly monarchs met with retinues on Field of Cloth of Gold in sunny France ; or as two poets walk beneath the yew, their classic lore commingling ; so on the bosom of the whispering flood a myriad host assem- ble sweet lights, and elfin shadows of the daisy hills, and meads and meadows green blending their tints of summer gladness o'er the gleaming tide. But deeper Night beholds the Festival. The wood- nymph and the mermaid then appear. Then tiny-footed fairies trip the wave, lighted by glow-worms and the phosphorous tribes that gild the course of whalemen round the capes. The glen's dark spirits, and the thun- der troop that revel on the snow-peaks with the storm, and the wild dryads of the greenwood come, to greet fair Undine on the pearly shore ; while, piping from their coral orchestras, ;the sea shells sing and cheer the night- long reel. Hark ! the sweet music's coming from the Main ! the harmony of Ocean's roundelay ! How soft the mingled note ! and heard but once it murmurs ever in the human soul : now tide-like gliding in the dreams of Infancy ; now breathing strains o'er harps that hopeful youth keeps ever strung up in the passing breeze ; and away through Manhood's caverned depths it goes, weaving of all airs a melody ; and vague immortal longings rise AND TUE FLOODS CLAPPED THEIR HANDS. 337 and drift to sea, and 'way off to the heavenly shore. And now, from pole to pole the Ocean lies heaving beneath the raptured moonlight, like a virgin's bosom 'neath the eye of Love. Amid the embrace of Sea and Sky, Night draws her starry drapery round the nuptial couch and with a wedding song the tides resound from green Antilles to the " far Cathay." Anon the peaceful treaty breaks, and wars rush howling through the infinite expanse ! Hoarse Boreas sounds his tocsin to the gale, and lightnings and the domineering wind combine ; old Ocean smokes with wrath, and holds her arms aloft in stern tumultuous defiance. No ally knows she, Nature's fierce Ishmaelite ; her hand against the universe up-raised ! The sea-gull screams ; the osprey shrieks alarm ; in widening rings they rise, cleave the moist air, and swoop bewildered from the hostile scene. Armies of waves, with loud concussion driven, now strike the pine-tree down on Baltic's shore ; now scatter spicy breezes from Ceylon ; hurling huge icebergs to the sunny Line from Greenland fords, like Olympian rocks ; impelling boulders from their mountain thrones o'er higher mountains and o'er plains beyond ; swallow- ing the islands and upheaving vales ; annulling coasts, and continents confounding. Then turns on Man an insect in her path, scoffs at his ;irts. us the wild Buffalo raghig spurns the 338 F A C A . mechanic ant-hill with his hoof. No Alaric less merci- ful consuming Rome ; nor Tamerlane chastising Asia's hordes : now tossing him pale, naked, on some rock ; and now with silent cruelty, her teeth tear him below with his vain treasuries ; invades ancestral halls, and biota away forever, hearthstone history and grave ! licks up proud Tyre and surges o'er her streets. But there is One thou fearest ! who said " Thus far ;" yet as the raging lion strikes his strong bars, thou lashest the heaven-sealed rock with violence, and gnawest the bases of eternal hills, till, wasted, shivered by the futile strife, brow-beaten by Omnipotence, writhing, thou crawlest from the God-forbidden plain, to sink rock-buried 'neath sepulchral caves, like Titans driven from fierce strife with Jove ; and since the Flood goest howling round the world. HE who layeth the beams of his chambers on the water, whose chariot's the cloud ; who walketh upon the wings of the wind: at His rebuke they flee that stood among the hills ; at the voice of His thunder they fly away ; the parting clouds their rainbow banners raise, inviting truce and heavenly amity. The placid sea renews the broken league ; the earth again puts on her robes of peace ; Man goeth forth and all is Inter- LIST OF BOOKS PUBLISHED BY JAMES FRENCH & CO., 78 Washington Street, Boston. SCHOOL BOOKS. FOSTER'S BOOK-KEEPING, BY DOUBLE AND SINGLB ENTRY, both in single and copartnership business, exemplified in three sets of books. Twelfth Edition. 8yp. Cloth, extra. . 1 00 FOSTER'S BOOK-KEEPING, BY SINGLE ENTRY, ex- emplified in two sets of books. Boards 38 FRENCH'S SYSTEM OF PRACTICAL PENMAN- SHIP, founded on scientific movements ; combining the principles on which the method of teaching is based. Illustrated by en- graved copies, for the use of Teachers and Learners. Twenty- seventh Edition 25 This little treatise seems well fitted to teach everything which can be taught of the theory of Penmanship. The style proposed is very simple. The copperplate fac-similes of Mr. French's writing are as neat as anything of the kind we ever saw. Post. Mr. French has illustrated his theory with some of the most elegant specimens of execution, which prove him master of hia science. Coui.er. I JAMES FRENCH AND CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. This work is of a useful character, evidently illustrating an ex- cellent system. We have already spoken of it in terms of appro- bation. Journal. This little work of his is one of the best and most useful publi cations of the kind that we have seen. Transcript. 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By Mrs. J. Thayer. Illustrated. 18mo. Cloth. Third Edition 50 THE SAME, Gilt Edges 75 SUNSHINE AND SHADE : OR, THE DENHAM FAM- ILY. By Sarah Maria. Fourth Edition. 18mo. Cloth. . 37 THE SAME, Gilt Edges 56 THE DREAM FULFILLED: OR, THE TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS OF THE MORELAND FAMILY. 18ino. Cloth. . . 42 THE SAME, Gilt Edges. Fifth Edition G2.i THE COOPER'S SON : OR, THE PRIZE OF VIRTUE. A Tale of the Revolution. Written for the Young. 18mo. Cloth. Sixth Edition. (In press.) 37 THE -SAME, Gilt Edges 56 6 JAMES FRENCH AND CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. The following Writing Books are offered on Liberal Terms. FRENCH'S NEW WRITING BOOK, with a fine engraved copy on each page. Just published, in Four Numbers, on a highly-improved plan. No. 1 Contains the First Principles, &c. ........ 10 No. 2 A fine Copy Hand 10 No. 3 A bold Business Hand Writing 10 No. 4 Beautiful Epistolary Writing for the Lady 10 James French & Co., No. 78 Washington street, have just pub- lished a new series of Writing Books for the use of Schools and Academies. They are arranged upon a new and improved plan, with a copy on each page, and ample instructions for learners. We commend them to the attention of teachers and parents. Transcript. They commence with those simple forms which the learner needs first to make, and they conduct him, by natural and appropriate steps, to those styles of the art which indicate the chirography not only of the finished penman, but which are adapted to the wants of those who wish to become accomplished accountants. Courier. A new and original system of Writing Books, which cannot fail to meet with favor. They consist of a series, and at the top of each page is a finely-executed copy. We cordially recommend the work. Bee. It is easily acquired, practical and beautiful. Fitchburg Sentinel. We have no hesitation in pronouncing them superior to anything of the kind ever issued. Star Spanyled Banner. FRENCH'S PRACTICAL WRITING BOOK, for the use of Schools and Academies ; in Three Numbers, with a copy for each page. No. 1, Commencing with the First Principles. ... . . 10 No. 2, Running-hand copies for Business Purposes 10 Vo. 3. Very fine copiss. together with German Text and Old Eng- lish ... 10 7 P1ENCH AND CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. NEW MINIATURE VOLUMES. THE ART OF CONVERSING. Written for the in- struction of Youth in the polite manners and language of the drawing-room, by a Society of Gentlemen ; with an illustrative title. Fourteenth Edition. Gilt Edges. ....... 374 THE SAME, Gilt Edges and Sides 50 FLORAL GEMS : OR, THE SONGS OF THE FLOWERS. By Mrs. J. Thayer. Thirteenth Edition, with a beautiful frontis- piece. Gilt Edges 374 THE SAME, Gilt Edges and Sides 50 THE AMETHYST : OR, POETICAL GEMS. A Gift Book for all seasons. Illustrated. Gilt Edges 374 THE SAME, Gilt Edges and Sides 40 ZION. With Illustrative Title. By Rev. Mr. Taylor. 42 THE SAME, Gilt Edges and Sides 5G THE TRIUNE. With Illustrative Title. By Rev. Mr. Taylor 374 TRIAD. With Illustrative Title. By Rev. Timothy A. Taylor 374 TWO MOTTOES. By Rev. T. A. Taylor. ... 374 SOLACE. By Rev. T. A. Taylor 374 THE SAME, Gilt Edges and Sides 50 SONNETS. By Edward Moxon 314 THE SAME, Gilt Edges and Sides 50 GRAY'S ELEGY, AND OTHER POEMS. The Poetical Works of Thomas Gray. " Poetry Poetry ; Gray Gray ! " [Daniel Webster, the night before his death, Oct. 24, 1852. 1 . 31 A HE SAME, Gilt Edges and Side* 50 8 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. J"- MAR 9197S. 10m-7,'71 (P6348s8) Z-53 A 000029422 3