3- 
 
 Presented to the 
 
 UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 UNIVKRS^ 0F CaUfo ; nm 
 
 SAN DIEGO 
 
 ^ULiLJ2arLs
 
 SE*A STORIES OF 
 
 miCH^EL SCOTT 
 
 ' Charmed magic case- 
 ments opening on 
 the foam 
 Of perilous seas in 
 fairy lands forlorn.' 
 
 Keats 
 
 THE CRUISE 
 
 OF THE MIDGE
 
 Fifteen hundred copies printed by T. and A. Constable, Printers to 
 Her Majesty, Edinburgh, A T .B. 1894. 
 
 Type distributed.
 
 CONTENTS OF VOL. II. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 XIV. A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER . . I 
 
 XV. SCENES IN HAVANNA . . . . . 28 
 
 XVI. A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL . 45 
 
 XVII. THE MOSQUITO ..... 89 
 
 XVIII. SPIRITING AWAY— WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO . I I J 
 
 XIX. THE DEVIL'S GULLY . . . . . 102 
 
 XX. MY UNCLE ...... ZOJ 
 
 XXI. OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES .... 259 
 
 XXII. THE MOONBEAM ..... 299 
 
 XXIII. THE BREAKING WAVE .... 327 
 
 XXIV. THE END OF THE YARN .... 363
 
 \
 
 LIST OF PLATES 
 
 FACING PAGE 
 LYING MOTIONLESS ON THE SILVER SWELL . . IO3 
 
 LAST FIGHT OF THE MIDGE 
 
 362
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 And a devil of a noise did this said Mr. Listado 
 make. He rattled up the staircase, from side to 
 side, like a grape-shot in a carronade ; banging 
 against the heavy balustrades, on one hand, and 
 thundering against the wall on the other ; and 
 speaking and laughing and shouting to half a dozen 
 persons, apparently collected below in the vestibule. 
 At length the door was dashed open, and in swung 
 the gentleman, with his flaunting gingham coat 
 and potato face. c Brail, my darling, how goes it, 
 my little man ? Enough of monte^ you have had 
 for a while, I guess. But, Heaven love me, man, 
 we must have you made fit to receive company ; 
 you are to hold a levee presently, do you know 
 that ? This will never do ; the birds of the air 
 might build in your beard — ah, I have it ; ' and he 
 straightway hied him to the window that over- 
 looked the street, which he threw open, contriving 
 to perform all his operations with the greatest 
 possible quantity of noise. 
 
 c I have it,' said he, — c here is little Pepe Biada's 
 shaving-shop right over against old Pierre Du- 
 quesne's domicile ; there — next door to Pablo 
 Carnero, the ham and jerked beef man, so I '11 hail 
 
 VOL. II. A
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 Pepe. — Pepe ! ' bawled my troublesome friend, — 
 'Pepe Biada — trae su navaja [bring your razor, you 
 villain] pour shavez un gentilhomme Engles ; ' 
 and here he grimaced and made believe to soap his 
 chin and shave his beard. 
 
 My bed had this morning been moved nearer to 
 the window, for the sake of the fresh air, and I 
 could see, from where I lay, the little Spanish 
 barber, who was very deaf, sitting in his little 
 shop. He kept turning his ear first one side, and 
 then another, in a vain attempt to make out what 
 was said, as Listado shouted to him, straining over 
 the balcony as far as he could, in his endeavour to 
 make him hear. — c Navaja y jamon — navaja y 
 jamon — para afeytar — that is, pour cortar la barba, 
 that is, cuttibus the beardo, of this young fellow. 
 
 Here the little withered anatomy of a barber 
 seemed to comprehend him, and thereupon, with 
 a knowing look, repeated the telegraphic motions 
 of Monsieur Listado, rubbing his chin and going 
 through the motion of shaving. 
 
 ' Si, si,' roared Listado, ' that is it — navaja y 
 jamon' — literally a razor and a ham. Possibly 
 honest Listado — who, with all his ability, never 
 could compass Spanish, because, as he said, he had 
 previously learnt French, and thus spoke a hash of 
 both — had mistaken the Spanish word jamon for 
 xabon, the latter meaning soap. 
 
 Little Pepe first grinned, and then, as Listado 
 persisted, he stepped into Carnero's shop, and seiz- 
 ing a ham, held it up to his face, as if he were 
 rubbing his chin on it, and then laughed, like to 
 fall down where he stood. 
 
 Listado at this flew into a great rage — c Abor- 
 tion chicho, mas monkey que homo, yo te mataras 
 
 2
 
 A VISION — THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 — vous sera tue — si vous twistibus your damned 
 ugly mug at migo ' 
 
 4 Bueno — bueno,' roared el barbero, seeing that 
 nothing would do but the veritable ham and razor 
 — ' quedas quieto, yo los traere, Don Lorenzo ' 
 — (Laurence was Listado's name) — then aside, 
 ' Ave Maria, que diablo quiere este loco con navaja 
 para cortar jamon ? ' (What the deuce can this 
 madman want with a razor to cut ham ?) 
 
 But as Listado was a liberal fellow, and well- 
 known among the brown tradespeople, the little 
 barber was in my room in a minute, made his 
 solemn bow at the door, with a large tortoiseshell 
 comb stuck in his grey pelucca (wig) and his little 
 silver basin and towel under his arm — his soap-box 
 and razors in the one hand, and, lo ! a capital New 
 York ham in the other. 
 
 ' Pelukero condenado — que 4 vas hacer con este 
 pierna de puerco ? ' (You infernal wigmaker, what 
 are you going to do with that leg of pork ? ) 
 
 ' What am I going to do with it ? did you not 
 tell me to fetch a ham — jamon ? ' 
 
 ' Yes,' replied Listado, * and there it is in your 
 soap-box, you bothersome little periwig-maker — 
 there,' striking the utensil out of his hand up into 
 the air, and cleverly catching it again, when he 
 seized the soap-brush and stuck it, lather and all, 
 into Pepe's open mouth — ' that is better than 
 tooth-powder for you, Pepe, my darling.' 
 
 1 Ah ! ' cried little Pepe, laughing and sputter- 
 ing — C I see — I see — tu me has pedido para jamon, 
 queriendo decir xabon — ha, ha, ha ! ' (You have 
 asked me for ham when you wanted soap.) 
 
 He at length set to work, and having shaved 
 and trimmed me, I had my wound dressed, and 
 
 3
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 Mrs. Gerard acting the part of nurse, having pre- 
 viously got my clothes on shore, and, with 
 womanly kindness and care, had them all washed, 
 and nicely repaired, I had my bed made and 
 sprinkled with Cologne water, and was soon lying 
 on the top of it, arrayed in one of Mr. Duquesne's 
 splendid flowered night-gowns, with a silk hand- 
 kerchief bound round my head, and another in my 
 hand, moistened with fresh lavender; — the win- 
 dows were then thrown open — the room thoroughly 
 ventilated — the floor sprinkled with the aforesaid 
 most refreshing distillation — and there I lay in 
 state, like a grandee's wife in the straw, wonderfully 
 refreshed, and quite fit to receive company. 
 
 At this moment in slid my worthy medico — 
 i Good-morning, sair — good-morning — you are 
 make de killing preparation to massacre all de 
 young lady, I see.. Ah, Monsieur Listado, your 
 most obsequious — how you are, Monsieur Listado ? ' 
 
 The latter bowed his acknowledgments, and 
 made a hop, step, and skip towards the door, 
 knocking chairs and tables about in his way, at a 
 devil of rate — ' Oh dere, he makes de much noise as 
 usual — Monsieur Listado, dis is one sheek room — 
 you hear me ? ' 
 
 But the Irishman was by this time out of the 
 room, hailing those below, with stentorian lungs, 
 from the uppermost landing-place ; the echo of his 
 voice, and their replies, sounding loud and hollow, 
 as they were reverberated from side to side of the 
 lofty staircase. 
 
 c Dicky Phantom, mount and ascend, you small 
 villain.' 
 
 A tiny ' Ay, ay, sir,' floated up from beneath, 
 and I heard a gradually increasing tap-tapping on 
 
 4
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 the stair, as of a cat shod with walnuts, and the 
 sound of suppressed girlish laughter. There was 
 then a halt called, apparently, and I heard the 
 rush of female footsteps, and the rustling of light 
 dresses, along the passage, and presently a bustle 
 in the boudoir already mentioned, as of the placing 
 of music-stools. The next moment a harp was 
 struck, and three voices, two female and one male, 
 accompanied by the instrument, which was struck 
 skilfully and boldly, pealed along the lofty rooms 
 in most exquisite concord. 
 
 4 Heyday — why, Listado, my lad, what is all 
 this ? ' But he remained perdue without, and in 
 came Master Dicky Phantom, with his little drawn 
 cutlass in his hand, mounted on the sheep, followed 
 by Serjeant Quacco, as his squire. 
 
 The music ceased ; Listado again made his 
 appearance, and I received poor Quacco's con- 
 gratulations, and little Dicky's caresses. 
 
 c Oh, massa,' said the little fellow, his phraseo- 
 logy having improved under Quacco's tuition, 
 'Miss Hudson make me very happy; I call her 
 mamma — does she make you happy too, massa ? ' 
 
 C I have not seen her, my boy,' said I, with a funny 
 sort of sensation about my brisket — how sentimental ! 
 or I rather was prepared to like her somel ow ; c but 
 for her kindness to you I am very grateful.' 
 
 Here Listado, who had returned, and seemed to 
 be clumsily practising a step in the balcony, 
 stumbled, and fell headlong over a Spanish chair, 
 in an absurd sprawling fashion, like a large frog. 
 I started, and he burst into a loud laugh, while the 
 pet lamb wheeled about so suddenly that little 
 Dicky was thrown with a bang on the floor, and 
 began to cry, when in rushed two girls, and Mrs. 
 
 5
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 Hudson, followed by De Walden, Mr. Hudson, 
 and old Mr. Duquesne himself. 
 
 4 There is a scene in a play for you,' said I to 
 myself, quite bothered and confused, as I wagged 
 my head at this one, and nodded to another, and 
 salaam'd with my fins, with all the grace of a 
 wounded turtle, to a third. 
 
 4 You, Monsieur Listado,' chirped Doctor 
 Delaville, like to die with laughter, for the Pat- 
 lander had chosen to keep his position on the floor, 
 with his head sticking through below the arm of 
 the chair — ' you make several, many noises some- 
 
 times.' 
 
 1 Me ! ' shouted Listado. i Lord, doctor, I am 
 noiseless as a cat. I am velvet, doctor, in all my ways, 
 walkings, and habitudes — velvet entirely, doctor — 
 and dumb as a humming-bird, as ye all know. 
 Why, I have been compared to a shred of gossamer 
 floating on the calm summer air, by Helen Hudson 
 there.' 
 
 c Oh, I forget — de ladies never will hear nosing 
 against Monsieur Listado ; so my good manner 
 shall make me agree wid dem, and say what dey 
 say — dat is, you are quiet as von hooracan, and 
 more gentle as de wild beast — bear you call. Ah, 
 you make no sound, more as de tunder — Ah, ha ! ' 
 
 '■Now you are in your senses again, mon cher 
 medico. Miss Hudson, Mademoiselle Sophie 
 Duquesne, give me leave to introduce you to — 
 Master Brail, pilot of His Britannic Majesty's 
 seventy-four gun ship the Midge — Benjamin Brail, 
 Miss Hudson and Mademoiselle Duquesne — Speak, 
 Benjie, and let them know you've a tongue in your 
 head, you spalpeen.' 
 
 I made my acknowledgments to the kind- 
 
 6
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 hearted people, who, after remaining scarcely long 
 enough for me to get a look at them individually, 
 withdrew, and left me alone once more with De 
 Walden.' 
 
 ' She is a very pretty girl, that young French 
 lady, De Walden.' 
 
 The youth had steeled himself by this time, I 
 saw, and was not to be caught again. 
 
 c Very, sir, — a beautiful figure — but you seemed 
 to notice Miss Hudson more particularly, sir.' 
 
 There was a slight smile played for an instant 
 on the handsome fellow's countenance, and van- 
 ished again, as he resumed his reading. 
 
 £ Hem, ahem — the breeze is deuced strong,' said 
 I. * Do me the favour to shut the blind, De 
 Walden — beg pardon for all this trouble.' 
 
 He did so, and I gained the advantage I aimed 
 at, which was, to darken the room so as to render 
 it impossible for any change in one's beautiful 
 complexion to be seen. 
 
 ' Why, I scarcely noticed the little lady, do you 
 knowj De Walden ? ' He certainly seemed not to 
 have known it. 'She is a nice little person — 
 rather too petite^ however, for my taste, and not 
 very sylphlike ; a fine skin, certainly, and beauti- 
 ful hair ; but, then, her high nose ; and her eyes 
 are nor very good either — much too small and 
 light — besides, she is short-sighted.' 
 
 De Walden's smile showed he was not, at any 
 rate. 
 
 c And as for eyebrows, why, the superb arch of 
 Miss Duquesne's is infinitely finer, and beats them 
 hollow. Her neck and throat tolerable, certainly ; 
 and the kindliness of her manner ! — why, she com- 
 ports herself like a little matron beside a sick bed ; 
 
 7
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 and the way she handles little Dicky ! Didn't you 
 notice it, De Walden ? No wonder he called 
 her mamma, poor little fellow ! ' 
 
 c Did you ever hear her sing, sir ? ' 
 
 £ No, unless it was her voice I heard but just 
 now in the other room.' 
 
 'You guess rightly. Miss Duquesne sang the 
 second to her first. Two voices never did in this 
 world blend so sweetly.' 
 
 c Ah ! ' said I, fearing he was again cruising too 
 near me, * the pipe was good enough — liquid and 
 musical-glass like ! but Miss Sophie Duquesne's 
 — that was a voice indeed — so deep for a woman, 
 so clear, so full-bodied.' 
 
 1 Pray, sir,' said De Walden, archly, c are you 
 speaking of the qualities of London porter, or 
 Mademoiselle Duquesne's voice ? ' 
 
 I looked at the young midshipman ; and, dark- 
 ened as the room was, I saw the rogue laughing 
 heartily in his sleeve. 
 
 * You seem to have noted a good many of 
 Miss Hudson's peculiarities, however, my dear 
 sir ; considering you paid so little attention to 
 her, and had so short a time to take your obser- 
 vation.' 
 
 I I don't know,' said I. ' Has she been often in 
 my room since I was wounded, for I have dreamed 
 of such a being, I will not deny ? ' 
 
 A low ' Hush,' was heard breathed from the 
 boudoir. De Walden gave an intelligent nod, and 
 I became suddenly afflicted with deafness, and 
 overtaken by a fidgetty fit ; so I asked him to 
 assist me to change my position, as it was becom- 
 ing uneasy, and we both with one accord hauled 
 our wind on the other tack. 
 
 8
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 ' But whose was the male voice that joined so 
 beautifully in the song ? ' 
 
 c Mr. Listado's, sir.' 
 
 c Moin — moy voice — oh, Lord ! ' — said some 
 one, in subdued Tipperary, in the next room. 
 
 * Come,' said De Walden, laughing aloud, 'no 
 eavesdropping, if you please." 
 
 ' Pray, Mr. De Walden,' said I, ' did you per- 
 ceive the earthquake early this morning ? How 
 peculiar the sensation — how undefinable the mys- 
 terious noise preceding the shock ! ' 
 
 c I did, sir. We have had several slight shocks 
 lately here, but no one seems to mind them. I 
 was afraid it would disturb you, sir.' 
 
 'Why, it did so, certainly; but I soon fell 
 asleep again.' — A long pause. — ' No appearance of 
 Gazelle yet, Mister de Walden ? ' borrowing the 
 stiff formula of the quarterdeck, to rub out, as it 
 were, any little familiarity that had passed. 
 
 ' No, sir.' 
 
 c Surely she might have been round, although I 
 have no objections to her staying out, until I am 
 up and about again. Have you heard anything 
 more of Lennox ? ' 
 
 ' I went to the prison to see him last night. He 
 is looking very ill and pale, poor devil, but does 
 not complain. The jailor again told me that the 
 moment you were strong enough to make your 
 deposition before the Juez^ he would be discharged.' 
 
 'And the desperado who wounded me ? ' 
 
 ' Why, he has been better and worse several times, 
 sir. His uncontrollable temper throws him back, 
 while the strength of his constitution does wonders. 
 He was not expected to live over the second day, 
 but, to the surprise of the surgeon of the prison, 
 
 9
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 he rallied astonishingly, and was in fact getting 
 well until yesterday, when Lennox was taken into 
 his room to endeavour to identify him, since which 
 he has been much worse, and the scene must have 
 had a strong effect on Lennox himself.'' 
 
 4 As how ? ' said I. 
 
 4 Why, you know, he is an extraordinary crea- 
 ture ; in fact, he is crazy now and then, as he 
 says himself, and certainly he conducted himself 
 last evening more like a lunatic than a sane 
 person.' 
 
 The doctor had retired with the ladies, and now 
 returned for his hat and cane. 
 
 'My dear doctor, 'do you think it would do me 
 any harm to be moved the length of the prison to- 
 morrow in a litter ? I am very desirous to see the 
 marine, who is confined there for stabbing the 
 bravo who waylaid me.' 
 
 4 I know all about dat, capitain. To-morrow 
 shall be too soon, very ; but next day, maybe.' 
 
 I thanked him, and determined to wait patiently 
 until then. 
 
 The intervening period was one of great com- 
 fort and happiness to me. Old Dick had my 
 things sent ashore, and was most assiduous in his 
 attention, whenever he could spare time from his 
 repairs on board. Over and over again I blessed 
 Heaven for its mercy, in throwing me amongst 
 such kindly people. Oh, who can appreciate the 
 tenderness of woman's attentions like the friendless 
 sufferer, who has languished amongst strangers in 
 a foreign land on a bed of sickness ? 
 
 Two or three days elapsed, during which I 
 rapidly got better ; so that on the fourth I was 
 enabled to walk, with the support of De Walden's 
 
 10
 
 A VISION — THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 arm, to the prison, in place of being carried on a 
 litter. 
 
 When we arrived, we were shown into the 
 room where Lennox was confined ; it was about 
 five in the afternoon of a very hot, sultry day. 
 The marine was sitting in his frock and trousers, 
 with his back towards us, looking out through 
 the iron bars of the unglazed window, that com- 
 manded a long street, and fronted the west. The 
 creaking of the rusty lock, and clanking of the 
 chain and bolt, that secured the door of the lofty 
 apartment, did not disturb him ; he merely, as he 
 sat with his legs crossed on the small wooden chair, 
 with his clasped hands on his knee, nodded 
 slightly, but without turning his face, and said, 
 c Come in.' 
 
 'Well, Lennox,' said De Walden, 'here is Mr. 
 Brail at last. You were not beginning to lose 
 heart, were you ? ' 
 
 On this the poor fellow rose and confronted us. 
 There was a sad change in his appearance since I 
 saw him ; he was pale and wan, with an unusual 
 anxiety and apparent feverishness about him, and 
 an unsettled sparkling of his eye, that, from what 
 
 I previously had known of his history, but too 
 clearly indicated that his reason was more un- 
 settled than usual. 
 
 'I am very grateful for this visit,' said he, at 
 length, without directly answering Mr. De Walden. 
 
 I I am glad to see you so far recovered, sir, but you 
 look thin and pale yet ; this will soon disappear, I 
 hope — I trust it will soon disappear.' Here his 
 voice sank into an unintelligible murmur, and his 
 eye fell, as if he were repeating the words to him- 
 self, without being conscious of their meaning, 
 
 1 1
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 as if he had been maundering^ to use his own 
 phrase. 
 
 c Well, I have no doubt it will, and I have good 
 reason to believe that you will be soon quite well, 
 too, Lennox ; so get ready. I presume you know 
 you are to appear before the "Juez this afternoon, 
 where you will instantly be released, I am told. 
 Mr. De Walden and I are waiting for you.' 
 
 He said nothing, but stooped down to gather 
 some clothes that lay on a low pallet in the corner 
 of the room ; which having tied up in a bundle, 
 he lifted his hat, and stood in the middle of the 
 apartment ready to go. His oddness — it was not 
 sullenness of manner, I knew — surprised me a good 
 deal ; but I said nothing, and the jailor now turned 
 to conduct us into the court, where the judge was 
 waiting to take my deposition. We had advanced 
 ten or twelve paces along the dark stone passage, 
 when Lennox, who was bringing up the rear, sud- 
 denly turned back, without speaking, and entered 
 his prison-room, shutting the door very uncere- 
 moniously after him, and thereby depriving us of 
 every particle of light where we stood. 
 
 1 Hillo,' said De Walden, * Master Lennox, this 
 is not over and above civil.'' 
 
 4 El marinero ese es loco, senor" (That sailor is 
 mad, sir), quoth the jailor. 
 
 c Mad or not, I will see if I cannot make him 
 mend his manners,' said I, as I returned with the 
 young midshipman, groping for the door. We 
 found it on the latch, and pushing it open, saw 
 our amigo coolly seated in his chair, looking out of 
 the window, in precisely the same attitude as when 
 we first entered. ' Now, sir,' said I, really angry, 
 ' will you favour me with a reason for this most 
 
 12
 
 A VISION — THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 extraordinary conduct — this indecent behaviour to 
 your superior officer, and I may add to myself, to 
 whom you have professed yourself beholden ? I 
 am willing to make great allowances for your 
 infirmity, as you call it, but this is a little too 
 much on the brogue, my fine fellow.' I had 
 moved round in front of him by this time. He 
 had dropped his eyes on the ground, with his hand 
 pressed on his forehead ; but in an instant he rose 
 up, endeavouring to hide the tears that were rolling 
 over his cheeks. 
 
 1 Will you and Mr. De Walden listen to me for 
 five minutes, captain, before we go into court ? ' 
 
 1 I scarcely am inclined to humour you in your 
 absurdities, Lennox ; but come, if you have any- 
 thing to say, out with it at once, — make haste, 
 my man.' Seeing he hesitated, and looked ear- 
 nestly at the jailor, l Oh, I perceive, will you have 
 the kindness to leave us alone with the prisoner for 
 five minutes ? ' 
 
 ' Certainly,' said the man ; ' I shall remain out- 
 side.' 
 
 The moment he disappeared, Lennox dropped 
 on his knees, and seemed to be engaged in prayer 
 for some moments ; he then suddenly rose, and 
 retired a few paces from us. 'Gentlemen, what I 
 am going to tell you I have seen you will very 
 possibly ascribe to the effects of a heated imagina- 
 tion ; nevertheless, I will speak the truth. The 
 man who wounded you, Mr. Brail, and now lies in 
 the last extremity in the next room' — here he 
 seemed to be suffocating for want of breath — c is 
 no other than Mr. Adderfang, the villain who 
 through life has been my evil genius. Ay, you 
 may smile incredulously ; I expected nothing else ; 
 
 !3
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 but it is nevertheless true, and even he shall, if he 
 can speak when you see him, confirm what I have 
 told you. Do you not see the palpable interven- 
 tion of an overruling Providence in this, gentle- 
 men ? Here I encounter, against all human pro- 
 bability, in a strange country, the very fiend who 
 drove me forth, broken-hearted and deranged in 
 mind, from my own ! It is not chance, gentle- 
 men — you will blaspheme,' continued he im- 
 petuously, c if you call it chance — one from the 
 dead has visited me, and told me it was not chance.' 
 His eye flashed fire as he proceeded, with great 
 animation and fluency — c Mr. Brail, do not smile 
 — do not smile. Believe me that I speak the 
 words of truth and soberness, when I tell you that 
 she was here last night ; ay, as certainly as there is 
 a God in heaven to reward the righteous and 
 punish iniquity.' 
 
 I let him go on. 
 
 ' I was sitting, as you saw me, in that chair, sir, 
 looking forth on the setting moon, as it hung 
 above the misty hill-top, and was watching its 
 lower limb as it seemed to flatten and lose its 
 roundness against the outline of the land, noticing 
 the increasing size of the pale globe as the mist of 
 morning rose up and floated round it, — when I 
 heard a deep sigh close behind me. I listened, and 
 could distinguish low moaning sobs, but I had no 
 power to turn round to look what it was. Sud- 
 denly the window before me became gradually 
 obscured, the dark walls thinned and grew trans- 
 parent, the houses and town disappeared, and I 
 was conscious, ay, as sensible as I am that I speak 
 to you now, Mr. Brail, that I saw before me my 
 own mountain lake, on the moonlight bank of 
 
 14
 
 A VISION — THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 which I last parted from Jessy Miller before she 
 fell. 
 
 * The waning planet seemed to linger on the 
 hill, and shed a long sickly wake on the midnight 
 tarn that slept in the hollow of the mountain, 
 bright and smooth as if the brown moss had been 
 inlaid with polished steel, except where a wild-duck 
 glided over the shining surface, or the wing of 
 the slow-sailing owl flitted winnowingly across, 
 dimming it for a moment like a mirror breathed 
 upon. I was sitting on the small moss-grown 
 cairn at the eastern end ; the shadow of the black 
 hills was cast so clearly in the water that you could 
 not trace the shore of the small lake, nor define 
 the water-line beneath the hazel bushes ; and the 
 stars were reflected in another heaven scarcely less 
 pure than their own. I heard the rushing of the 
 burn over its rugged channel, as it blended with 
 the loch, and the melancholy bleating of the sheep 
 on the hillside, and the low bark of the collies, and 
 the distant shout of the herds watching the circular 
 folds high up on the moor — when I felt a touch on 
 my shoulder, and glancing down, I saw a long, 
 pale, female hand resting on it, as of a person who 
 was standing behind me : it was thin and wasted, 
 and semi-transparent as alabaster, or a white 
 cornelian stone, with the blue veins twining 
 amongst the prominent sinews, and on the marriage- 
 finger there was a broken ring — I saw it as clearly 
 as I see my own hand now, for the ends of the 
 small gold wire of which it was composed stood up 
 and out from the fleshless finger. I kenned weel 
 who was there, but I had no power to speak. 
 The sigh was repeated, and then I heard a low, 
 still voice, inarticulate and scarcely audible at first, 
 
 l 5
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 like a distant echo from the hillside, although I 
 had a fearful conviction that it was uttered close 
 behind me ; presently it assumed a composed but 
 most melancholy tone — yes, Mr. Brail, so sure as 
 there is a God above us, Jessy Miller — yea, the dead 
 spoke in that awful moment to the living. 
 
 'Oh, nonsense, man !' I said; 'really you are get- 
 ting mad in earnest now, Lennox; this will never do.' 
 He paid no attention to me, but went on : 
 ' " Saunders," it said, " I have come to tell you 
 that him ye ken o' — he wha crushed my heart 
 until it split in twain — he wha heaped the mools 
 on my head, and over the child I bare him — will 
 also help you to an early grave." The hand on 
 my shoulder grew heavy as lead. " He has meikle 
 to answer for to you, Saunders, and I have mair ; 
 and to me he has — but I maun dree my weird." 
 Here the voice was choked in small inaudible sobs, 
 blending with which I thought I heard the puling 
 as of a new-born baby, when a gradual swelling 
 sough came down the hillside, like the rushing of 
 the blast through the glen, and the water in the 
 placid loch trembled in the waning moonbeams like 
 that in a moss-hag x when a waggon rolls past, and 
 the hitherto steady reflection of the stars in it 
 twinkled and multiplied as if each spark of living 
 fire had become two ; and although there was not 
 a breath out of heaven, small ripples lap-lapped on 
 the pebbly shore, and a heavy shower of dew was 
 shaken from the leaves of the solitary auld saugh 
 that overhung the northern bank of the wee loch, 
 sparkling in the moonlight like diamonds ; and the 
 scathed and twisted oak stump on the opposite hill 
 that bisected the half-vanished disc of the sinking 
 
 1 The pit in a moor from whence peats or turf have been taken. 
 
 16
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 moon, as she lingered like a dying friend looking 
 his last at us, shook palpably to and fro, and a 
 rotten limb of it fell ; ay, the solid earth of the 
 cold hillside itself trembled and heaved, as if they 
 who slept in the grey cairn beneath had at that 
 moment heard the summons of the Archangel — 
 when lo ! the dead hand was withdrawn with a 
 faint shriek, like the distant cry of the water-hen, 
 and I turned in desperation to see — what ? a thin 
 wreath of white mist float up the hillside and 
 gradually melt into the surrounding darkness. 
 And once more I was seated where you now see 
 me, with that rusty stanchel clearly defined against 
 the small segment of the moon, that still lingered 
 above the horizon. The next moment it was gone, 
 and I was left in darkness.' 
 
 ' All a dream, Lennox ; all a phantasy of your 
 heated imagination. There was a slight shock of 
 an earthquake last night at the time you mention, 
 just at the going down of the moon, and that was 
 the noise you heard and the tremor you perceived ; 
 so rouse yourself, man. Adderfang, if it really be 
 him, from all accounts, is dying, and you will soon 
 be safe from his machinations, at all events.' 
 
 He shook his head mournfully, but said nothing 
 more — whether my arguments had convinced him 
 or no, was another thing — but we all proceeded to 
 the room where the judge was waiting for us, and 
 my declaration immediately freed poor Lennox ; 
 after which we were requested to accompany the 
 officers of the court, who, along with their inter- 
 preter, were proceeding to the wounded man's 
 room, to take his dying declaration. 
 
 The daylight had entirely failed by the time we 
 reached the cell where Adderfang lay. We were 
 
 vol. n. 17 B
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 met at the door by a Carmelite priest, who appeared 
 in great wrath, and muttered something about a 
 ' Heretico condenado.' 1 We entered. It was an 
 apartment of the same kind as the one in which 
 Lennox had been confined, and had a low pallet on 
 one side, fronting the high iron-barred window. 
 From the darkness 1 could merely make out that 
 some person lay on the bed, writhing about, appar- 
 ently in great pain. A candle was brought, and 
 we could see about us. It shone brightly on the 
 person of a tall, bushy-whiskered desperado, who 
 lay on the bed, covered by a sheet, groaning and 
 breathing very heavily. I approached ; his features 
 were very sharp and pale, his lips black, and his 
 beard unshaven ; his eyes were shut, and his long 
 hair spread all over the pillow. 
 
 He appeared to be attended by a slight, most 
 beautiful Spanish girl, apparently a fair mulatto, who 
 was sitting at the head of the bed, brushing away 
 the mosquitoes, and other night-flies, with a small 
 bunch of peacock's feathers ; while the hot tears 
 trickled down her cheeks, and over her quivering 
 lips, until they fell on her distracted and heaving 
 bosom. But she was silent ; her sobs were even 
 inaudible ; her grief was either too deep for utter- 
 ance, or the fear of disturbing the dying moments 
 of her lover made her dumb. 
 
 ' O, Woman ! in our hours of ease, 
 Uncertain, coy, and hard to please, 
 And variable as the shade 
 By the light quivering aspen made ; 
 When pain and anguish wring the brow, 
 A ministering angel thou ! ' 
 
 Hearing a bustle in the room, Adderfang now 
 spoke, in a low and interrupted voice — it was in 
 Spanish. 
 
 18
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 c Padre, do not persist — I do not want your 
 services — you cannot smooth my pillow — do not 
 therefore try to strew more thorns there — Heaven 
 knows they are numerous enough and sharp 
 enough already.' 
 
 c Can this be the villain who stabbed me ? ' said 
 I, somewhat moved. 
 
 The poor girl at this stooped down, and 
 whispered something into his ear. 
 
 4 Ah ! ' said he, ' I had forgot — I had forgot ; 
 but your tears scald me, Antonia — hot — hot ; ' and 
 with a sudden effort, as if ashamed to evince how 
 much he was suffering, and a fierce energy, he 
 controlled the twitching of his feverish limbs, 
 clasped his hands on his bosom, and opening 
 his blood-shot eyes for the first time, took a 
 steady survey of us. He then glanced to the 
 jailor. 
 
 4 This is the gentleman who was stabbed by 
 you,' said the Spaniard. He nodded. c This is 
 the English marine, Lennox, who came up with 
 the guard and took you prisoner.' 
 
 I could not help remarking, when Lennox was 
 introduced to him, that the wounded man smiled 
 bitterly, as much as to say — t I know him but too 
 well, and he has fearful cause to know me.' 'Mr. 
 Brail,' said he (I had to stoop to catch his words, 
 he spoke in so low a tone), ' I am aware of the 
 object of this visit — it is all proper. Let the 
 escribano there get his paper ready ; I shall make 
 short work of the confessional.' 
 
 The man sat down. Adderfang again shut his 
 eyes, and seemed for a few moments to be gather- 
 ing his thoughts about him ; at length — 
 
 ' I acknowledge that I stabbed the Englishman, 
 
 19
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 Mr. Brail, and robbed him afterwards ; and that 
 the English marine, Lennox, acted nobly and 
 honourably in coming to the assistance of his 
 countryman. He was the man who wounded 
 me. There you have it all ; engross it, and I will 
 
 sign it.' 
 
 As if desirous of being heard distinctly, he had, 
 as he pronounced these words with difficulty, in 
 detached sentences, raised himself on his left arm, 
 and now, as if exhausted, he fell back with his head 
 on poor Antonia's lap. 
 
 ' The tackle of his heart was cracked and burned, 
 And all the shrouds wherewith hh life should sail, 
 Are turned to one poor thread, one little hair.' 
 
 There was a long pause. 
 
 'But why,' said the yuez at length — 'why did 
 you waylay Mr. Brail ? ' 
 
 ' For two reasons,' replied the dying bravo ; 
 ' first, because I harboured revenge for the destruc- 
 tion of my vessel by the Midge, steered by him, as 
 that young gentleman afterwards told me' (here 
 De Walden and I exchanged looks), 'on the bar of 
 the African river ; secondly, because he took my 
 last stiver from me at the gaming-table.' 
 
 ' Evil motives both, my son, to be entertained 
 by any, but especially by one standing on the 
 threshold of eternity. Let me recall the priest, 
 that he may shrive you, and probably, with God's 
 blessing, induce you to repent before you go 
 hence.' 
 
 I turned to look at the person who spoke. He 
 was a tall and very dark Spaniard; his age might 
 have been sixty, and his short and scanty hair was 
 of a silver grey. He was plainly dressed in black, 
 
 20
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 and sat at a small table, and opposite to him the 
 escribano^ or notary, with his paper before him, and 
 pen held up between him and the candle, and ready 
 wet with ink. 
 
 ' It is of no use, and I will not J said Adderfang ; 
 * besides, if I am anything at all, I am a Protestant 
 — and as the tree falls, so must it lie — it is a part 
 of my creed — Creed ! ' he here interjected to him- 
 self with great bitterness — ' my creed ! whatever it 
 may be of yours, and I feel that all the roots that 
 knit me to the earth have already parted, save one; 
 therefore, let me die, if not in peace, at least in 
 quietness.' 
 
 He stopped to take breath, and when he pro- 
 ceeded, it was in a voice even more weak and 
 trembling than before. 
 
 i Yes, Heaven knows, villain as I have been, that 
 they have all snapped but one'' — and he caught the 
 hand of the poor girl, and tried to place it on his 
 heart, but his strength failed him. She wept aloud 
 at this unexpected burst of feeling, and the con- 
 tagion of her tears extended even to the stony 
 heart of the wounded man himself. The iron had 
 at length entered into his soul, and what the retro- 
 spect of his own ill-spent life — what the intensity 
 of his present agony, and the fearful prospect before 
 him through eternity, could not wring from him, 
 now flowed at the sight of the poor girl's misery, 
 as if his bosom had been a tender woman's. He 
 wept aloud. 
 
 'Yes — my evil courses have but too justly 
 estranged all my kindred from me ; one friend has 
 dropped off after another, until, in the prime of 
 life, after having squandered a handsome patrimony, 
 and having been educated as a gentleman, with 
 
 21
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 everything around me that ought to have made me 
 happy, to this have I come at last ! ' He groaned 
 heavily. l You see before you, Mr. Brail, not a 
 fiend, but an everyday villain — a man not naturally 
 wicked — one who did not love evil for evil's sake, 
 but who became the willing slave of his passions, 
 and held no law, human or divine, in reverence, 
 when they were to be gratified. Ay, William 
 Adderfang, here you lie on a death-bed from 
 violence — from a wound sustained in the act of 
 stabbing and robbing another, to gratify revenge, 
 and the paltry desire of repossessing money 
 squandered at the gaming-table, and with the cer- 
 tainty that, if a miracle interposed, and you re- 
 covered, your life would still be taken on the 
 scaffold. Ay, here you lie,' continued he, with 
 increasing energy, ' without one soul in the wide 
 world to say God bless you, or to close your eyes 
 when you are gone, but my poor Antonia here.' 
 
 Here the unhappy girl's anguish became uncon- 
 trollable, although she could not have understood 
 what he said, and she threw herself on the bed, 
 in such a position as to give her paramour great 
 pain ; a shudder passed over his face, and he 
 endeavoured to turn himself round, so as to gain 
 an easier position. In the action the wound in 
 his side burst out afresh, and presently a dark 
 puddle coagulated on the sheet at his right side. 
 The doctor of the prison was in immediate attend- 
 ance, and applied styptics to stanch the bleeding ; 
 all the time he seemed in a dead faint — he made 
 no movement, and when the wound was dressed, 
 and he was replaced on his bed, I did not know, 
 as I bent over him, whether the spirit had fled or 
 not. 
 
 22
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 r~ 
 
 Lennox, with the judge's permission, now took 
 
 one of the candles from the table, and held it to his 
 
 face — he still breathed. But in the silence within 
 
 the room, I perceived that the weather without 
 
 began to grow gusty and boisterous ; I could hear 
 
 the rain lashing against the wall of the prison, and 
 
 the blast howted round the roof, and threatened 
 
 to extinguish the candle. The freshness of the 
 
 night wind, however, reanimated the sufferer in a 
 
 wonderful degree ; and when I rose, with an 
 
 intention of closing the shutters, to prevent the 
 
 rain beating through on his face, as he lay propped 
 
 up on the poor girl's bosom, fronting the narrow 
 
 aperture, he had strength enough to ask me, in a 
 
 low husky voice, c to leave it open ; the coolness 
 
 and moisture revived him.' 
 
 Lennox now spoke — ' Mr. Adderfang, I have 
 come on purpose to say that I ' — his voice faltered, 
 and he leant against the wall for a brief space — 
 ' to say that / forgive you — ay, as freely as I hope 
 God will forgive me at the last day. Give me 
 your hand, Mr. Adderfang, and say you forgive 
 me also for having wounded you.' 
 
 The dying man shrunk from him, and drew 
 his hand back — c No, no, Saunders, you cannot be 
 sincere, you cannot be sincere ; you cannot have 
 forgiven her injuries, you cannot have forgiven 
 your own.' 
 
 4 Yes,' said the poor fellow solemnly, ' I have 
 prayed for many a long year that I might be able 
 to forgive you — even you ; and my prayer has been 
 heard at last. Oh, if you would even at the ninth 
 hour appeal to the same merciful Being, might he 
 not show his mercy to your dying soul ? ' 
 
 'I cannot — I cannot pray,' said Adderfang, as 
 
 23 '
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 impetuously as his weakness would let him — * I 
 cannot pray — I have never prayed, Saunders — oh, 
 would to God I had ! would that I could redeem 
 but one short week ! But it would be of no 
 avail,' groaned he, in a low, altered tone — ' all has 
 been foreordained — I have been the slave of an 
 irrevocable destiny — I could have acted no other- 
 wise than I have done; and if there be a hereafter 
 and a God ' 
 
 c If there be ! ' said I ; ' Heaven have mercy on 
 you, Mr. Adderfang, and turn your heart even 
 now, in your extremity.' 
 
 c Oh ! Mr. Brail, 1 know myself — I am quite 
 conscious of my inherent wickedness — the damning 
 conviction is burned in on my heart, that even if 
 I were to recover, I should again fall into the 
 same courses — I am quite certain of it ; so why 
 appeal to the Invisible ? ' — he paused and gasped 
 for breath — ' why insult Heaven with vain promises 
 of amendment, which I could not and would not 
 keep were I to survive ? why play the hypocrite 
 now ? why lie to God, when ' — here he put his 
 hand to his side, as if in great suffering — ' when, 
 if there be such a Being, I must, in all human 
 probability, appear before him in half an hour, 
 when no lie will serve me ? — But let me do an 
 act of justice — yes, call the priest' — he now spoke 
 in Spanish — 'call the priest. Rise, Antonia, and 
 kiss me ; you are another victim ' — he groaned 
 again — ' I promised you marriage before I wove 
 my web of deceit round your innocent heart ; you 
 have often prayed me to remember that solemn 
 promise, since you were ensnared, and I have as 
 often laughed you to scorn, or answered you with 
 a brutal jest ; I will accede to your request now ; 
 
 24
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 call the priest, let him be quick, or death will 
 prevent.' — He swooned again. 
 
 Presently the venerable friar, without any trace 
 of anger at the previous rejection of his services, 
 was at the bedside. I shall never forget the scene. 
 It was now quite dark, and the two large brown 
 wax tapers were flickering in the current of air 
 that came strong through the window, and stirred 
 the few hairs of the venerable Juez.) who sat at 
 the table. The lights cast a changeful glare on 
 his face, and on that of the old priest, who was 
 standing beside the pillow of the dying man, 
 dressed in his long dark robe, with a cord round 
 his waist, supporting a silver crucifix that glanced 
 in the light ; and on the tall form of the beautiful 
 Spanish girl, that lay across the bed, her naked 
 feet covered by neat grass slippers, and on her 
 pale olive complexion and fine features, and her 
 hair plaited in three distinct braids, that hung 
 down her back, intertwined with black ribbon, and 
 sparkled in her large black swimming eye, and on 
 the diamond-like tears that chased each other over 
 her beautiful features and swelling and more than 
 half-naked bosom. Lennox and myself were all 
 this time standing at the foot of the bed ; De 
 Walden was leaning on the back of the escribanos 
 chair, with his face so turned as to see that of the 
 wounded man, who lay still as death, the yellow 
 light shining by fits, full on his sunburnt com- 
 plexion, and unshaven chin (the flickering shadows 
 making his features appear as if convulsed, if they 
 really were not so), and strong muscular neck, and 
 glancing on the auburn curls, clotted with the 
 cold perspiration wrung from his forehead by 
 intense suffering. 
 
 25
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 He gradually recovered. The priest signed to 
 Antonia to rise, and I took her place on the bed ; 
 he placed her hand in that of Adderfang, who 
 looked steadily and consciously at him, but he 
 could not speak. The service proceeded, the 
 gusts without increasing, and the rain lashing to 
 a degree that almost drowned the old man's voice. 
 Adderfang, being unable to repeat the responses, 
 merely acknowledged them by an inclination of 
 his head, and a silent movement of his lips ; at 
 length, when it was asked of him, c Do you take 
 this woman to be your wife ? ' he made an effort, 
 and replied distinctly, c Yes.' 
 
 Ha ! what is that ? A flash of lightning — a 
 piercing shriek echoed through the room, loud 
 above the rolling thunder — and then a convulsive 
 giggle — something fell heavily on the floor — the 
 wind howled, the lights were blown out — ' Ave 
 Maria purissima — sancta madre — soy ciega — 
 soy ciega ! ' (Holy Mother of God, I am struck 
 blind — I am struck blind !) The unfortunate 
 girl had indeed been struck by the electric fluid, 
 and was now writhing sightless on the floor ; we 
 endeavoured to remove her, but she had got her 
 arms twined round the foot of the bed, and re- 
 sisted all our efforts. ' Dexa me morir cerca mi 
 querido — ah Dios ! dexa me morir aqui.' Lights 
 were immediately procured, and the shutters 
 closed : and there lay Adderfang, apparently quite 
 sensible, but now glaring round him, like a dying 
 tiger. I never can forget the bitter smile that 
 played on his haggard features, like the lurid glare 
 of a stormy sunset. I turned away and shuddered, 
 but curiosity compelled me to look at him again. 
 He shook his head, as his eye caught mine, and 
 
 26
 
 A VISION THE DYING BUCCANEER 
 
 pointed upward, as if he had said, ' You see the 
 very heavens league against me.' He then signed 
 for some cordial that stood on the table ; having 
 drank it, it revived him for a minute almost 
 miraculously. He again shed a flood of tears, 
 and, sobbing audibly, clasped his hands on his 
 bosom and prayed aloud. Yes, the assassin, the 
 libertine, the selfish, cold-hearted seducer, for 
 a short minute bent meekly as a child before the 
 storm of his sufferings ! 
 
 ' Oh, Almighty God, whose laws I have so 
 fearfully contemned, hear my prayers for her — 
 hear the prayers of one who dare not pray for him- 
 self: 
 
 A low, growling thunder-clap had gradually 
 rolled on from a distance as he proceeded, but, 
 when he got this length, it roared overhead in a 
 series of loud reports, as if a seventy-four had fired 
 her broadside close to us, shaking the dust from 
 the roof and walls of the room, and making the 
 whole prison tremble, as at the upheaving of an 
 earthquake. He ceased — when the noise gradually 
 grumbled itself to rest in the distance, and again 
 nothing but the howling of the tempest without 
 was heard. 
 
 'The voice of the Almighty,' at length he said, 
 speaking in short sentences with great difficulty, 
 and in a low, sigh-like voice, — ' yea, the sound of 
 my condemnation. Heaven will not hear my 
 prayers, but with its thunders drowns the voice of 
 my supplication — rejecting my polluted sacrifice 
 like that of Cain. I am ruined and condemned 
 here and hereafter — palpably condemned by the 
 Eternal, even while yet on earth, body and soul — 
 
 body and soul — condem ' 
 
 27
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 He ceased — a strong shiver passed over his face 
 — his jaw fell, and Lennox, stepping up to him, 
 closed his eyes — stooped his cheek towards his 
 mouth to perceive if he still breathed — then 
 holding up his hand, solemnly said — c He hath 
 departed? 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 ' Had you ever the luck to see Donnybrook Fair ? 
 An Irishman all in his glory is there, 
 With his sprig of shillelah, and shamrock so green.' 
 
 'Now, do make less noise there, my dear Listado 
 — you will waken the whole house with your 
 uproarious singing.' 
 
 'Waken the whole house !— that 's a mighty 
 good one, friend Benjamin — why, the whole house 
 is awake — broad awake as a cat to steal cream, or 
 the devil in a gale of wind — Awake ! men, 
 women and children, black, brown, and white, 
 dogs, cats, pigs, and kittens, turkeys, peafowls, and 
 the clucking hen, have been up and astir three 
 hours ago. Dicky Phantom is now crying for 
 his dinner — so, blood and oons, man, gather your 
 small legs and arms about ye, and get up and open 
 the door — it is past twelve, man, and Mother 
 Gerard thinks you have gone for a six months' 
 snooze, like a bat in winter ; if you don't let me 
 in, I shall swear you are hanging from the roof by 
 the claws.' 
 
 28
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 ' I can't help it, man — I am unable to get up 
 and dress without assistance ; so like a dear boy, 
 call up oldNariz de Nieve, 1 the black valet, and 
 ask the favour of his stepping in to help me.' 
 
 'Stepping in! — why, Benjie Brail, your seven 
 senses are gone a-wool-gathering, like Father 
 Rodgerson's magpie — how the bleezes can Nariz 
 de Nieve, or any one else, get to you through a 
 two-inch door locked on the inside ? — you must get 
 up and undo it, or you will die of starvation, for no 
 blacksmith in Havanna could force such a compli- 
 cation of hardwood planks and brass knobs.' 
 
 Rather than be bothered in this way, up I got, 
 with no little difficulty, to say nothing of the 
 pain from my undressed wound, and crawled 
 towards the door. But Listado had not patience 
 to wait on my snail's pace, so, setting his back to 
 it, he gave a thundering push, sufficient to have 
 forced the gates of Gaza from their hinges, and 
 banged the door wide open. It had only caught 
 on the latch, not having been fastened, after all ; 
 but he had overcome the vis inert'ue rather too 
 fiercely, for in spun our gingham-coated friend, with 
 the flight of a Congreve rocket, sliding across the 
 tiled floor on his breast a couple of fathoms, like a 
 log squirred along ice. At length he lost his way, 
 and found his tongue. 
 
 c By the piper, but I '11 pay you off for this 
 trick, Master Brail, some fine morning, take Don 
 Lorenzo's word for it. Why the devil did you 
 open the door so suddenly, without telling me ? — 
 see, if these cursed tiles have not ground off" every 
 button on my waistcoat, or anywhere else. I 
 
 1 Literally, Nose of Snow. 
 2 9
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 must go into old Pierre Duquesne's garden, and 
 borrow some fig-leaves, as I am a gentleman.' 
 
 I could scarcely speak for laughing. ' The door 
 was on the latch, as you see — it was not fastened, 
 man, at all — but you are so impetuous ' 
 
 1 Himpetuous ! — why, only look at the knees of 
 my breeches — there's himpetuosity for you ! — a 
 full quarter of a yard of good duck spoiled, not to 
 name the shreds of skin torn from my knee-pans, 
 big enough, were they dried into parchment, to 
 hold ten credos, and — but that will grow again, so 
 never mind.' Here he gathered himself up, and, 
 tying a red silk handkerchief round one knee, a 
 white one round the other, and my black cravat, 
 which he unceremoniously picked off the back of 
 a chair, round his waist, like a bishop's apron, he 
 rose, laughing all the while, and turned right round 
 on me — ' There, I am all right now — but I have 
 come to tell you of a miracle, never surpassed since 
 Father O'Shauchnessy cured aunt Katey's old pig 
 of the hystericals — stop ! I must tell you about 
 that game — She was, as you see, an ould maid, and 
 after the last twelve farrow, she applied to ' 
 
 I laughed — 'Which was the old maid ? the 
 pig, or ' 
 
 ' Hold your tongue, and give your potato-trap a 
 holiday. — Didn't I tell you it was my maiden aunt 
 Katey, that brought the litter of pigs to Father 
 O'Shauchnessy ? ' 
 
 c The devil she did,' quoth I. 
 
 ' To be sure she did,' quoth he — ' So said she to 
 him, " Father," says she. — " Daughter," says he ; 
 and then, before she could get in another word — 
 " Whose are them pigs ? " says he. — " Moin, moy 
 pigs," quoth my aunt Katey. — " Your pigs ! — all 
 
 3°
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 of them ? " says Father O'Shauchnessy. — " Every 
 mother's son of them," says my aunt Katey — " and 
 that is my errand, indeed, Father O'Shauchnessy, 
 for the poor mother of these beautiful little crea- 
 tures is bewitched entirely." ' 
 
 1 Now, Listado, have done, and be quiet, and 
 tell me your errand,' said I, losing patience. 
 
 ' My errand — my errand, did you say, Benjie 
 Brail ? — by the powers, and I had all but forgotten 
 my errand — but let me take a look at you — why, 
 what a funny little fellow you are in your linen 
 garment, Benjie — laconic — short, but expressive' 
 — and he turned me round in so rough a way, that 
 he really hurt me considerably. Seeing this, and 
 that I had to sit down on the side of the bed for 
 support, the worthy fellow changed his tone 
 
 ' Bless me, Brail, I shall really be very sorry if I 
 have hurt you, so I will help you to dress — but 
 you certainly do cut a comical figure in dishabille 
 — however, you have not heard the other miracle 
 I came to tell you about, man — why, Adderfang, 
 that you saw die last night, and be d — d to him — I 
 cannot say much for his ending, by the way, if all 
 be true that I have heard — is not dead at all.' 
 
 ' Impossible ! ' 
 
 4 Ay, but it is true — he was only kilt by his own 
 bad conscience, the big villain, and your fantastical 
 flower of sulphur — your Scotch ally, Lennox, is 
 below, ready to vouch for it. If the rascal does 
 recover, what a beautiful subject for the garrote he 
 will make ! — What an expressive language this 
 Spanish is, now — garrote — gar-rote — you don't 
 require to look in your dictionary for the meaning 
 of such a word, the very sound translates itself to 
 any man's comprehension — when you say a fellow 
 
 3 1
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 is garroteado, don't you hear the poor devil actually 
 throttling ? — Oh ! it 's a beautiful word.' 
 
 Here Manuel, the black butler entered, to assist 
 in rigging me, as Nariz de Nieve was occupied 
 otherwise ; and time it was he did so ; for Listado 
 was, without exception, the worst and roughest 
 groom of the bedchamber that ever I had the mis- 
 fortune to cope withal ; but the plaguey Irishman 
 must still put in his oar. 
 
 ' Manuel, my worthy,' said he, after the negro 
 was done with me, ' do me the favour, para tomar 
 un asiento — take a seat — chaizez votre posteriori- 
 bus, si vous plait, old Snow Ball.' 
 
 By this time, he had shoved Massa Manuel into 
 an arm-chair, whether he would or no, close to one 
 of the wooden pillars of the balcony, and getting 
 behind him, he with one hand threw a towel over 
 his face, then twisted a handkerchief round his 
 neck, and the pillar also, with the other, until he 
 had nearly strangled the poor creature •, holding 
 forth all the while, c There is the real garrote for 
 you — a thousand times more genteel than hanging. 
 — See, Brail, you sit down on your chair thus, 
 quite comfortable — and the Spanish Jack Ketch, 
 after covering your face with the graceful drapery 
 of a shawl — you may even choose your pattern, they 
 tell me — instead of dragging a tight nightcap over 
 your beautiful snout, through which every wry 
 mouth you make is seen — with one turn of his 
 arm, so ! ' — Here, as he suited the action to the 
 word, the half-choked Manuel spurred with all his 
 might with his feet, and struggled with his hands, 
 as if he had really been in the agonies of death, and 
 I am not sure that he was far from them. At 
 length he made a bolt from the chair, cast off the 
 
 32
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 handkerchief that had been wrung round his neck, 
 and rushed out of the room, never once looking 
 behind him. 
 
 ' Now, there ! did you ever see such an uncivil 
 ould savage, to stop me just in the middle of my 
 elegant illustration ? However, we shall both go 
 and see this arch-scoundrel, Adderfang, garroteadoed 
 yet — and there I have rigged you now complete — 
 not a bad-looking little fellow,- I declare, after 
 your togs are fittingly donned. So, good-bye, 
 Brail, I will go home and see about breakfast,' 
 and away he tumbled, with his usual reckless 
 shamble. 
 
 He had left the room, and was drawing the door 
 to after him, when in came honest Dick Lanyard 
 — c Ah ! Don Ricardo,' shouted the Irishman — 
 1 glad to see you — now I can leave our friend with 
 a safe conscience ; but he is not quite the thing 
 yet here ' — and the villain pointed to his forehead. 
 He vanished, but again returned suddenly, as if he 
 had forgotten something, and banging the door 
 open with greater noise than ever, re-entered, with 
 all the sang-froid imaginable, dragging at a large 
 parcel that was stuffed into his coat-pocket, which 
 he had considerable difficulty in extracting, ap- 
 parently. At last, tearing it away, lining and all, 
 he presented it to me, still sticking in the disrupted 
 pouch. 
 
 ' Now, there, if I have not torn out the very 
 entrails of my coat-skirt with your cursed parcel — 
 but beg pardon, Benjie, really I had forgotten it ; 
 although, if the truth must be told, it was the main 
 object of my coming here. Ah ! so — and here is 
 another packet for you, too, Don Ricardo , — chuck- 
 ing a large letter on service to the lieutenant, who 
 
 vol. ii. 33 c
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 eagerly opened it. It contained, amongst others, 
 the following from the commodore : 
 
 ' H.M.S. Gazelle, Port-Royal, Ja7naica. 
 ' Such a date. 
 
 c Sir, — We arrived here, all well, on such a day 
 — but, to suit the convenience of the merchants 
 whose vessels I am to convoy to Havanna, and of 
 those who are shipping specie to England, the 
 admiral has detained me for six weeks, so that I 
 shall not be in Havanna, in all likelihood, before 
 such a period. You will therefore remain there, 
 taking all necessary precautions to ensure the health 
 of the men, and you can use your discretion in 
 making short cruises to exercise them, and to 
 promote the same ; but in no case are you to be 
 longer than three days without communicating 
 with the port. 
 
 4 The enclosure is addressed to Corporal Len- 
 nox — it was forwarded here in the admiraPs bag 
 by last packet from England, superscribed, to be 
 returned to his office at Portsmouth, in case we 
 had sailed. It seems his friends, having ascertained 
 that he was on board Gazelle, have made interest 
 for his discharge, which is herewith inclosed. I 
 remain, sir, your obedient servant, 
 
 1 Oliver Oakplank, K.C.B., 
 * Commodore. 
 
 * To Lieutenant Lanyard, commanding the Midge, 
 tender to H.M.S. Gazelle,'' etc., etc., etc' 
 
 On receiving this the lieutenant sent for Len- 
 nox, and communicated the intelligence contained 
 in the commodore's letter. I could not tell from 
 
 34
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 the expression of his countenance whether he was 
 glad or sorry. 
 
 The parcel contained letters from his father, the 
 old clergyman of the parish, Mr. Bland, and several 
 of the poor fellow's own friends, detailing how 
 they had traced him, and requesting, in the belief 
 that the letters would reach him in Jamaica, that 
 he would find out a kinsman of his own, a small 
 coffee planter there, who would be ready to assist 
 him ; and, in the meantime, for immediate ex- 
 penses, the ministers letter covered a ten-pound 
 Bank of England note, with which he had been 
 furnished by old Skelp, who, curiously enough, 
 would not trust it in his own, as if the clergyman's 
 envelope carried a sort of sanctity with it. 
 
 The marine consulted me as to what he ought 
 to do ; I recommended him to proceed to Jamaica 
 immediately by way of Batabano, and to visit the 
 relation who had been written to, as he might be 
 of service to him, and accordingly he made his 
 little preparations for departure. 
 
 My packet contained long letters from my Liver- 
 pool friends, that had been forwarded to the care 
 of our Kingston correspondent ; but, to my sur- 
 prise, none from my uncle, Mr. Frenche, mentioned 
 at the outset as being settled in Jamaica. 
 
 In the meantime, I continued rapidly to im- 
 prove, and three days after this I found myself 
 well enough to go on board the Midge, and visit 
 my friends there. It was the day on which Len- 
 nox was to leave her ; and as the men's dinner- 
 time approached, I saw one of the boat sails rigged 
 as an awning forward, and certain demonstrations 
 making, and a degree of bustle in the galley that 
 prognosticated, as Listado would have said, a treat 
 
 35
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 to his messmates. However, Lanyard and I re- 
 turned on shore, after the former had given Drain- 
 ings, the cook, and old Dogvane, the quartermaster, 
 leave for that afternoon to go on shore with the 
 marine. 
 
 About sunset the same evening, as I was return- 
 ing from an airing in the country in Mr. Du- 
 quesne's volante, whom should I overtake but the 
 trio above alluded to, two of them in a very com- 
 fortable situation as it appeared. First came Dog- 
 vane and Lennox, with little Pablo Carnero, the 
 Spanish ham merchant and pig butcher before 
 mentioned, who was a crony of the marine, between 
 them, all very respectably drunk, and old Drainings 
 bringing up the rear, not many degrees better. 
 
 The quartermaster was in his usual dress, but 
 the little Spanish dealer in pork hams was figged 
 out in nankeen tights, and a flowing bright- 
 coloured gingham coat, that fluttered in the wind 
 behind him and around him, as if it would have 
 borne up his tiny corpus into the air, like a bat or 
 a Brobdingnag butterfly ; or possibly a flying 
 squirrel would be the better simile, as he reeled to 
 and fro under the tyranny of the rosy god, making 
 drunken rushes from Lennox to Dogvane, and 
 back again, tackling to them alternately, like the 
 nondescript spoken of in his leaps from tree to 
 tree. 
 
 As for our friend the corporal, he had changed 
 the complexion of his outward man in a most un- 
 exampled manner ; — where he had got the clothes 
 furbished up for the nonce, Heaven knows, unless, 
 indeed, which is not unlikely, they had all along 
 formed part of his kit on board ; but there he was, 
 dressed in a respectable suit of black broadcloth, 
 
 36
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 a decent black beaver, and a white neckcloth : his 
 chin well shaven, and in the grave expression of 
 his countenance, I had no difficulty in discerning 
 that idiotically serious kind of look that a man puts 
 on who is conscious of having drunk a little more 
 than he should have done, but who struggles to 
 conceal it. 
 
 Dogvane, in the ramble, had killed a black 
 snake about three feet long, which, by the writh- 
 ing of its tail, still showed signs of life, and this he 
 kept swinging backwards and forwards in one of 
 his hands, occasionally giving the little butcher a 
 lash with it, who answered the blow by shouts of 
 laughter ; while a small green paroquet, that he 
 had bought, was perched on one of his broad 
 shoulders, fastened by a string, or lanyard, round 
 its leg to the black ribbon he wore about his hat. 
 
 The wrangle and laughter amongst them, when 
 I overtook them, seemed to be in consequence of 
 the little Spaniard insisting on skinning the eel, as 
 he called it, which Dogvane resisted, on the 
 ground that he intended to have it preserved in 
 spirits and sent to his wife. The idea of a snake 
 of so common a description being a curiosity at 
 all seemed to entertain little Carnero astonishingly, 
 but when the quartermaster propounded through 
 Lennox (whose Spanish was a melange of school- 
 boy Latin, broad Scotch, and signs, with a stray 
 word of the language he attempted scattered here 
 and there, like plums in a boarding-school pudding) 
 that he was going to send the reptile to his wife, 
 he lost control of himself altogether, and laughed 
 until he rolled over and over, gingham coat and 
 all, in the dusty road. 
 
 ' Culebra a su muger ! — valga me Dios — taber- 
 
 37
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 naculo del diablo mismo a su querida ? — ha, ha, ha,' 
 (hiccup), ' mandale papagoyo, hombre — o pifia 
 conservada, o algo de dulce — algo para comer — 
 pero serpiente ! — culebra ! — ha — ha — ha ! ' — (A 
 snake to your wife ! — Heaven defend me — the 
 tabernacle of the old one himself to your sweet- 
 heart ! — send her the parrot, man — or a preserved 
 pine-apple or some sweetmeats — something to eat 
 — but a serpent ! — a vile snake — ha — ha — ha !) 
 
 Lennox now made me out, and somewhat 
 ashamed of the condition of his Spanish ally, he 
 made several attempts to get him on his legs ; but 
 Dogvane, who seemed offended at little Pablo's 
 fun, stood over him grimly with his arms folded, 
 about which the reptile was twining, and apparently 
 resolute in his determination not to give him any 
 aid or assistance whatever. 
 
 ' Surge, carnifex — get up man — surge, you drunk- 
 en beast,' quoth Lennox, and then he dragged up 
 the little man by the arms and coat-skirts, until he 
 got him out of the path so as to allow me to drive on. 
 
 At length he got him on his legs and held him 
 in his arms. 
 
 'Thank ye, Lennox,' said I. He bowed. 
 
 1 Hilloa,' quoth Dogvane, startled at my appear- 
 ance ; c Mr. Brail, I declare ! ' — and he tore off 
 his hat with such vehemence that the poor little 
 paroquet, fastened by the leg to it, was dashed into 
 Pablo Carnero's face. 
 
 c Marinero — animal — pendejo — quieres que yo 
 pierdo mis ojos, con su paxaro infierno ? '—(Sailor — 
 animal — hangman — do you wish to knock my eyes 
 out with your infernal bird ?) — and he made at him 
 as if he would have annihilated him on the spot. 
 
 At this hostile demonstration, Dogvane very 
 
 38
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 coolly caught the little man in his arms and tossed 
 him into the ditch, as if he had been a ball of spun- 
 yarn ; where, as the night is fine, we shall leave 
 him to gather himself up the best way he can. 
 
 It seemed little Carnero's house was the haunt 
 of the Batabano traders or smugglers, and that 
 Lennox had bargained with him for a mule, and 
 made his little arrangements for proceeding with a 
 recua, or small caravan, across the island on the 
 following evening. 
 
 Next morning Mr. Duquesne and I, accom- 
 panied by Listado and Mr. M , rode into the 
 
 country, about five miles on the Batabano road, to 
 
 visit Mr. D and family at their villa. I found 
 
 M a very intelligent Scotchman ; indeed, in 
 
 most matters of trade he was, and I hope is, con- 
 sidered a first-rate authority in the place. He was 
 a tall, thin, fair-haired man, with a good deal of 
 the Yankee in his cut and appearance, although 
 none whatever in his manner ; and as for his kind- 
 ness, I never can forget it. Mr. D was an 
 
 Englishman who had married a Spanish lady ; and 
 at the time I mention he had returned from 
 England with his children — a son and several 
 daughters grown up — the latter with all the polish 
 and accomplishments of Englishwomen engrafted 
 on the enchanting naivete of Spanish girls ; and 
 even at this distance of time I can remember their 
 beautifully pliant and most graceful Spanish figures, 
 as things that I can dream of still, but never ex- 
 pect again to see ; while their clear olive com- 
 plexions, large dark eyes, and coal-black ringlets, 
 were charms within gunshot of which no dis- 
 engaged heart could venture, and hope to come ofT 
 scathless. Disengaged hearts ! Go on, Master 
 
 39
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 Benjamin Brail, I see how it is with you, my 
 lad. 
 
 I had previously shaken hands with Lennox, 
 whose heart, poor fellow, between parting with 
 me and little Dicky Phantom, was like to burst, 
 and did not expect to have seen him again ; but 
 
 on our return from Mr. D 's in the evening, 
 
 we met a man mounted on a strong pacing horse, 
 dressed as usual in a gingham jacket and trousers, 
 with a large slouched hat of plaited grass, a cloak 
 strapped on his saddle-bow, and a valise behind 
 him. He carried his trabuco^ or blunderbuss, in 
 his right hand, resting on the cloak, and his heels 
 were garnished with a pair of most persuasive 
 silver spurs buckled over shoes. His trousers, in 
 the action of riding, had shuffled up to his knees, 
 disclosing a formidable sample of muscle in the 
 calf of his leg ; while his gaunt brown sinewy 
 hand and sunburnt Moorish-looking features, 
 evinced that he would, independently of his arms, 
 have been a tough customer to the strongest man 
 in the old Gazelle. 
 
 M and Listado both addressed this brigand- 
 looking subject with the greatest familiarity, and 
 inquired where his comrades were. He nodded his 
 head backwards over his shoulder, as much as to 
 say, 'Close behind me.' Indeed, we now heard 
 the clattering of mules' feet up the path, that here 
 ascended suddenly from the level country, and 
 more resembled a dry river-course than a road, and 
 the shouting of the riders to their bestias and each 
 other. 
 
 Presently about thirty odd-looking tailor-like 
 creatures appeared on stout mules, riding with 
 their knees up to their noses, evidently not at all 
 
 40
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 at home, but held in their seats by the old-fashioned 
 demi-piques, with which their animals were 
 caparisoned. I directed an inquiring look at 
 M . He laughed. 
 
 'Batabano smugglers.' 
 
 c What ! this in the face of day ? ' 
 
 ' Oh yes ; those things are managed coolly 
 enough here, Mr. Brail. They are now on their 
 way to the coast, where a vessel is doubtless lying 
 ready to carry them over to Jamaica, and to bring 
 them back when they have laid out their money in 
 goods. See there, those sumpter mules are laden 
 with their bags of doubloons ; when they return 
 to Batabano, with the assistance of my friend Juan 
 Nocheobscuro there, and some of his gang, their 
 goods will soon be in the tiendas, or shops of 
 Havanna, to the great injury of the fair trader who 
 pays duties, I will confess — and I hope the evil 
 will soon be put down ; but there it is for the 
 present as you see it.' 
 
 4 But how comes Listado to know so many of 
 the tailor-looking caballerosf 
 
 4 They are all customers of ours,' said he, ' who 
 only resort to Jamaica occasionally, and are mostly 
 shopkeepers themselves, or have partners who are 
 so.' 
 
 ' And our excellent Irish friend himself, may I 
 ask, who is he — is he your partner ? ' 
 
 ' No, no,' said M , 'he is not my partner, 
 
 but he is connected with most respectable Irish 
 correspondents of mine, who consign linens and 
 other Irish produce largely to my establishment, 
 and for whom I load several ships in the 
 season with sugar and coffee ; so Monsieur 
 Listado, who is rich since his father's death (he 
 
 41
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 was the head of the firm), has been sent by the 
 Irish house to superintend the sales of the outward 
 cargoes, under my auspices, and to take a sort of 
 general charge of shipping the returns ; but,' con- 
 tinued he, laughing, c as you see, he does not kill 
 himself by the intensity of his application to 
 business. He is a warm-hearted and light-headed 
 Irishman — one who would fight for his friend to 
 the last, and even with him for pastime, if no 
 legitimate quarrel could be had. We had a little 
 bother with him at first, but as I know him now, 
 we get on astonishingly ; and I don't think we 
 have had one single angry word together for these 
 six months past, indeed, never since he found out 
 from my letter-book that I had once done an 
 essential mercantile service to his father, in pro- 
 tecting a large amount of his bills drawn while he 
 was in New York, when dishonoured by a rascally 
 agent at that time employed by him here. But 
 who comes ? ' Who, indeed ? thought I, as no less 
 a personage than Lennox himself brought up the 
 rear, on a stout mule, in his dingy suit of sables, 
 cutting a conspicuous figure amongst the gaudily 
 dressed Dons. He paced steadily past us, and 
 when I bid him good-bye, he merely touched his 
 hat and rode on. Presently the whole cavalcade 
 was out of sight, and nothing else occurred until 
 we arrived at Havanna, and I found myself once 
 more comfortably lodged under Mr. Duquesne's 
 hospitable roof. 
 
 About a fortnight after this I received letters 
 from Mr. Peter Brail, my uncle in Liverpool, 
 offering me a share in the firm, and enjoining me, 
 if I accepted it, to return immediately, without 
 visiting Jamaica. He also stated that he had 
 
 42
 
 SCENES IN HAVANNA 
 
 written his Kingston correspondents, with instruc- 
 tions as to some business that I was to have 
 transacted, had I, as originally intended, gone 
 thither ; and mentioned to them, at the same time, 
 the probable change in my plans. 
 
 This was too favourable an offer to be declined; 
 I therefore made up my mind to close with it; but, 
 as I could not wind up my Havanna transactions 
 for some time, I determined to spend the interim 
 as pleasantly as possible. 
 
 Two days afterwards I was invited to make one 
 in a cruise into the country. Accordingly, the 
 following morning we were all prepared to set off 
 to visit Mr. Hudson's estate ; it was about five in 
 the morning — we had packed up — the volant es and 
 horses were already at the door, and Mrs. Hudson, 
 her daughter Helen, with Dicky Phantom, once 
 more in his little kilt of a frock, in her hand, 
 Sophie Duquesne, De Walden, Mr. Hudson, and 
 myself, all spurred and whipped, if not all booted, 
 were ready in the vestibule, waiting by candle- 
 light for Mr. Listado, who was also to be of the 
 party. Gradually the day broke, and as the 
 servants were putting out the candles, in compli- 
 ment to Aurora's blushes, in trundled our Hibernian 
 friend, with his usual boisterosity. 
 
 ' Hope I haven't kept you waiting, Mr. Hudson? 
 — that villain Palotinto, the black warehouseman, 
 store nigger ' — with a wink to me — ' as you would 
 call him in New York' — Mr. Hudson laughed 
 good-naturedly — 'got drunk, and be fiddled to him 
 — never swear before ladies, Brail — and forgot to 
 call me ; and when he did wake me, he could not 
 find my spurs, and the mule's bridle was amissing, 
 and the devil knows what all had gone wrong ; so 
 
 43
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 I was bothered entirely — but here I am, my 
 charmers, large as life, and as agreeable as ever — 
 don't you think so, Miss Hudson ? ' She laughed ; 
 and as the blundering blockhead dragged rather 
 than handed her towards her volante, I felt a slight 
 comical kind of I don't-know-what, and a bit of a 
 tiny flutter, not a thousand miles from my heart. 
 'Ho, ho!' thought I, Benjie. 'But what an ass 
 
 you were not to hand her out your . Death 
 
 and the devil, what does the mouldy potato mean ? ' 
 continued I to myself, as Listado, after fumbling 
 to get the step of the New York built voiture out, 
 and knocking the moreno, or brown driver, down 
 on his nose for attempting to help him, desecrated 
 the sweet little body's slender waist with his rough 
 arms, and actually lifted her, laughing and giggling 
 {skirling, to borrow from Lennox), bodily into the 
 carriage. 
 
 Somehow I took little note for a considerable 
 time after this how the rest of us were bestowed, 
 until I found myself in company with Listado, De 
 Walden, and Mr. Hudson, on horseback, without 
 well knowing how I got there, followed by a caval- 
 cade of six negroes, on mules, with two sumpter 
 ones with luggage, and three led small Spanish 
 barbs, with side-saddles, all curveting in the wake of 
 the carriage with the ladies, by this time trundling 
 through the city gate a cable's length ahead of us. 
 
 'I say, Benjie Brail,' shouted Listado, 'have you 
 become a mendicant friar, that you travel without 
 your hat ' 
 
 ' My hat ? ' said I, deucedly taken aback and 
 annoyed ; ' true enough — how very odd and foolish 
 — I say, Nariz de Nieve, do oblige me, and ride 
 back for my sombrero.' 
 
 44
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL l 
 
 We arrived, at five in the afternoon, at Mr. 
 Hudson's property, having stopped, during the 
 heat of the day, under a large deserted shed, situated 
 in the middle of a most beautiful grass-plat, and 
 overshadowed by splendid trees. A rill of clear 
 cold water ran past, in which we cooled our 
 liqueurs ; and the substantial lunch we made 
 enabled all of us to hold out gallantly until our 
 journey was finished. The road at one time had 
 wound along the margin of the sea ; at another it 
 diverged inland amongst tree-covered knolls, and at 
 every turn one was refreshed by splashing through 
 a crystal-clear stream. 
 
 Towards the afternoon we appeared to have 
 made a longer detour, and to have struck further 
 into the country than we had hitherto done. We 
 passed several sugar estates, and then came to a 
 large new-settled coffee property, with the bushes 
 growing amongst the fire-scathed stumps of the 
 recently felled trees (up which the yam vines 
 twisted luxuriantly, as if they had been hop-poles), 
 loaded with red berries, that glanced like ripe 
 cherries amongst the leaves, dark and green as 
 those of the holly. We had just been greeted by 
 the uncouth shouts of a gang of newly imported 
 Africans, that under white superintendents were 
 cultivating the ground, when Listado's horse 
 
 1 Cafctal — Coffee estate. 
 
 45
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 suddenly started and threw him, as he rode ahead 
 of us pioneering the way for the ladies, who were 
 by this time mounted on their ponies, the volante 
 having been left at the estate below. He fell 
 amidst a heap of withered plantain suckers, which 
 crushed under him, — in an instant a hundred 
 vultures, hideous creatures, with heads as naked of 
 feathers as a turkey-cock, the body being about the 
 same size, flew up with a loud rushing noise, and 
 a horrid concert of croaking, from the carcass of a 
 bullock they were devouring, that lay right in the 
 path, and which had startled the horse. We were 
 informed by one of the superintendents that the 
 creature had only died the night before ; although, 
 by the time we saw it, there was little remaining 
 but the bones — indeed, half a dozen of the obscene 
 birds were at work like quarrymen in the cavity of 
 the ribs. 
 
 4 Now, Listado, dear,' said I, 'you made an 
 empty saddle of it very cleverly — no wax there — 
 why, you shot out like a sky-rocket — but never 
 mind, I hope you are not hurt ? ' 
 
 He laughed louder than any of us, and again 
 pricked ahead as zealously as before. The Pat- 
 lander was at this time making sail past Dicky 
 Phantom, who was strapped on to a chair, that a 
 negro had slung at his back, knapsack fashion, and 
 who kept way with us, go as fast as we chose, 
 apparently without the least inconvenience. 
 
 ' I tink, Mr. Listado,' said the child to our 
 friend, as he pushed ahead to resume his station in 
 the van — ' I tink you wantee jomp upon de back 
 of one of dem big crow, Mr. Listado. Horse must 
 hurt you some place, so you want ride upon big 
 turkey, eh ? ' 
 
 46
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 ' You tink, you tiny little rascal, you ! who put 
 that quip in your head ? ' 
 
 'Mamma Hudson, Miss Helen tell me say so.' 
 
 1 Bah,' quoth Lorenzo, and shoved on. 
 
 ' Hold hard,' I shouted, as the road dipped 
 abruptly into the recesses of the natural forest ; 
 and I pulled up, for fear of my mule stumbling or 
 running me against a tree, or one of my com- 
 panions ; so sudden had the change been from the 
 fierce blaze of the sun in the cleared ground to 
 the dark green twilight of the wood. However, 
 although the trees, as we rode on, grew higher, 
 and their intertwined branches became even more 
 thickly woven together, and the matted leaves 
 overhead more impervious to the light and heat, 
 yet we all quickly became so accustomed to the dark 
 shade that we very soon saw everything distinctly. 
 
 ' Good morning, ladies,' quoth Listado, as they 
 dawned on him in all their loveliness; 'how do 
 you do ? I have not seen you for some time — do 
 you know, the beautiful verdure of your cheeks, 
 in this light, is quite entirely captivating ? You 
 would be the envy of all the mermaids of the ocean 
 if they saw you — but I believe they are not given 
 to walk much in woods. Miss Hudson's beautiful 
 face is of a cool refreshing pea-green, as I am a 
 gentleman ; and her fair nose of the colour of a 
 grey parrot's bill, or an unboiled lobster's claw, — 
 as for Mademoiselle Duquesne — may I die an 
 ould maid, if you are not a delicate shade darker — 
 and look if the child don't look as green as a fairy. 
 Did ever mortal man see such a shamrock of a 
 picaninny ? But it is past meridian — stop till I 
 take an observation.' — Here our noisy friend put a 
 bottle of vin-de-grave to his head. 
 
 47
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ' Do you know,' said he, ' 1 really require a 
 cordial after my grand and lofty tumbling amongst 
 those very damnable craturs, the turkey buzzards 
 down below there ? ' 
 
 'Very true,' said Miss Hudson; 'and I presume, 
 Mr. Listado, since you are dealing in nicknames, 
 and have already run through all the shades of 
 your national colour, you will not fire if we call 
 you Mr. Bottlegreen.' 
 
 'Fair enough that same, Helen— Fire ! — why I 
 have half a mind to shoot you with this bottle of 
 soda water,' taking one from his holster — 'if I could 
 only get the string loosened. Ah, Miss Hudson, 
 would that my heart-strings were as tough ! ' And 
 he made a most lamentable face, as if his interior 
 was disarranged, and heaved a sigh fit to turn the 
 sails of a windmill. 
 
 'There he goes with his mock sentimentality 
 again,' cried the sweet girl, laughing. 
 
 We rode on, the ground becoming more rugged 
 and rocky at every step, but perfectly clear of 
 underwood — the dry grey limestone rocks increas- 
 ing and shooting up all round us, like pinnacles or 
 Druidical monuments ; but still immense trees 
 found nourishment enough in the black mould 
 amongst the fissures, dry as they appeared to be, 
 and the shade continued as deep as ever; while, as 
 the afternoon wore on, the mosquitoes increased 
 most disagreeably. 
 
 ' Look at these two guanas chasing each other 
 up that tree,' shouted Listado ; ' what horrid ugly 
 things they are ! I declare that large one is three 
 feet long, from stem to stern, as friend Benjie there 
 would have said.' As we all stopped to look at the 
 hideous lizard, it seemed to think, on the principle 
 
 48
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 of fair play, that it might take a squint at us, and 
 accordingly came to a standstill on a branch, about 
 three fathoms above where the negro stood with 
 little Dickv on his back. 
 
 ' What ugly beast,' quoth the little fellow, as he 
 lay back and looked up at it — a musket-shot at this 
 instant was fired close to us from the wood, the 
 sharp report shattering from tree to rock until it 
 rattled to rest in tiny echoes in the distance. At 
 first we all started, and then peered anxiously about 
 us, but we could only see a thin white puff of 
 smoke rise and blow off through a small break or 
 vista in the forest, and smell the gunpowder — we 
 could perceive no one. I looked up — the guana 
 had been wounded, as it was now clinging to the 
 branch with its two hind feet and its long tail, and 
 fiercely biting and tearing its side with its fore- 
 claws, as it hung with its head downwards and 
 swung and struggled about in agony. I made sure 
 this was the spot where the bullet had struck it, 
 and just as the negro who had fired, a sort of 
 gamekeeper of Mr. Hudson's, appeared at the top 
 of the path, the dragon-looking lizard dropped 
 right down on poor little Dicky Phantom, as he 
 sat lashed into his chair, unable to escape. Here 
 was the devil to pay with a vengeance. The child 
 shrieked as the abominable reptile twined and 
 twisted about him, with its snake-like tail and 
 formidable claws, and threatening him with its 
 crocodile-looking snout. I saw it bite him on the 
 arm — this was the signal for the women to scream 
 and Listado to swear, and for me to seize the 
 creature by the tail and endeavour to drag him 
 away — but I was terrified to use force, lest I should 
 lacerate poor Dicky — while the negro who carried 
 
 vol. ii. 49 D
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 the child became frantic with fright, and jumped 
 and yelled amongst the trees like an ourang-outang 
 bitten by a rattlesnake. The guana still kept his 
 hold of the child, however, making a chattering 
 noise between its teeth, like that of a small 
 monkey, when Listado came up to me — ' Stop, 
 Brail, give me ' — and he twitched the animal away 
 with a jerk, and the sleeve of Dicky's frock in its 
 teeth ; but it instantly fastened on his own leg, 
 and if the black gamekeeper had not, with more 
 presence of mind than any one of us possessed, 
 come up and forcibly choked the creature off with 
 his bare hands, although he thereby got several 
 severe scratches, he might have been seriously 
 injured. However, it turned out that the damage 
 was not very serious after all, little Dicky having 
 been more frightened than hurt, as the guana's 
 teeth had fastened in his clothes, and not in his 
 flesh ; so we all soon got into sailing condition 
 again and proceeded on our way. 
 
 Suddenly the road abutted on a high white wall, 
 the trees growing close up to it, without any 
 previous indications of cleared ground or habita- 
 tion. This was the back part of Mr. Hudson's 
 house, which stood on the very edge of the forest 
 we had come through. It was a large stone edifice 
 of two stories, plastered and whitewashed, built in 
 the shape of a square, with a court in the centre, 
 and galleries on both floors all round the inside, 
 after the pattern of the houses of the nobility in 
 Old Spain, especially in the Moorish towns. We 
 alighted at a large arched gateway, and having 
 given our horses to two black servants that were 
 in attendance, entered the court, where the taste 
 of the American ladies shone conspicuous. 
 
 50
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 In the centre there was a deep basin, hewn 
 roughly — I should rather say ruggedly — out of the 
 solid rock, and filled with the purest and most 
 limpid water. Several large plaintain suckers grew 
 on the edge of it, in artificial excavations in the 
 stone, to the height of twenty feet, so that their 
 tops were on a level with the piazza above, and a 
 fountain or jet of water was forced up from the 
 centre of the pool in a whizzing shower, amongst 
 their broad and jagged leaves, whereon the large 
 drops of moisture rolled about with every motion 
 like silver balls on green velvet. Beneath the 
 proverbially cool shade of these plantain suckers a 
 glorious living mosaic of most beautiful flowers, 
 interspersed with myrtle and other evergreens, 
 filled the parterre, which was divided into small 
 lozenges by tiny hedges of young box and lime 
 bushes ; while the double jessamine absolutely 
 covered the pillars of the piazza, as I have seen ivy 
 clinging round the columns of a ruined temple, 
 scattering its white leaves like snowflakes at every 
 gust of the breeze ; yet all these glorious plants 
 and flowers grew out of the scanty earth that 
 filled the crevices of the rock, seemingly depending 
 more on the element of water than on the soil. 
 Everything in the centre of the small square 
 appeared so natural, so devoid of that art, largelv 
 employed, yet skilfully masked, that I never would 
 have tired gloating on it. 
 
 'Now, Master Hudson,' quoth Listado, 'you 
 have made two ' (pronouncing it tew) ' small 
 mistakes here. First, you have the trees too 
 near the house, which brings the plague of mos- 
 quitoes upon you ; secondly, this fountain, how 
 pretty soever to look at, must make the domicile 
 
 51
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 confoundedly damp and all your capital New 
 York cheeses prematurely mouldy. I declare,' 
 feeling his chin, c I am growing mouldy myself, or 
 half of my beard has been left unreaped by that 
 villainous razor of Brail's there, that I scraped 
 with this morning — shaving I could not call 
 it.' 
 
 ' Come, come,' said I, c the fountain is beautiful, 
 and don't blame the razor until you have a better 
 of your own.' 
 
 1 It is, indeed, beautiful,' said Mrs. Hudson ; 
 c but, alas ! that such a paradise should not be 
 fenced against the demon of yellow fever ! ' 
 
 The supply of water to the basin of the said 
 fountain, by the way, which came from the neigh- 
 bouring hill, was so ample that it forced the jet 
 from a crater-like aperture in the bottom, without 
 the aid of pipe or tube of any kind, full six feet 
 above the surface in a solid cone, or cube, of two 
 feet in diameter, and the spray some eight feet 
 higher. No one who has lived in such a climate, 
 and witnessed such a scene, can ever forget the 
 delicious rushing, and splashing, and sparkling of 
 the water, and the rustling, or rather pattering, of 
 the plaintain leaves and of the bushes as the breeze 
 stirred them. 
 
 The lower gallery was paved with small dia- 
 mond-shaped slabs of blue and white marble, the 
 very look of which added to the coolness. ' Why, 
 Mr. Hudson, how glorious ! nothing superior to 
 this, even in ould Ireland.' 
 
 The American laughed, and nodded in the 
 direction of his daughter. I turned my eye in the 
 same direction, and met hers. She had apparently 
 been observing how I was affected, at least so my 
 
 52
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 vanity whispered : she blushed slightly, and looked 
 another way. 
 
 I saw I must say something. c Indeed, Miss 
 Hudson, I thought you had not been above two 
 months in the island. Did you not come down in 
 the American frigate ' 
 
 She smiled. 
 
 1 I did, Mr. Brail ; but it was the cruise before 
 last — we have been six months here.' 
 
 ' Six months ! and are all these glorious plants 
 the growth of six months ? ' 
 
 4 Ay, that they are, -1 quoth Listado ; ' most of 
 them have not been planted more than six weeks.'' 
 
 The inside of this large mansion was laid out 
 more for comfort than show ; the rooms, that all 
 opened into the corridors already mentioned, were 
 large and airy, but, with the exception of a toler- 
 able dining-room, drawing-room, and the apart- 
 ments of the ladies, very indifferently furnished. 
 They were lit from without by the usual heavy 
 wooden unglazed balconies, common both in New 
 and Old Spain, which appear to have been invented 
 more for the purpose of excluding the heat than 
 admitting the light. 
 
 In front of the house, and on each side, were 
 large white terraced platforms, with shallow stone 
 ledges, built in flights, like gigantic stairs on the 
 hillside. On this the coffee was thickly strewed 
 in the red husk, or pulp, as it is called, to dry in 
 the sun. Little Dicky took the berries to be 
 cherries, until the pulp stuck in his little teeth. 
 
 The opposite hill had been cleared, and was 
 covered with coffee-bushes ; and right below us, 
 in the bottom of the deep ravine, a tree-screened 
 rivulet murmured and brawled alternately over a 
 
 53
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 rugged bed of limestone rock, as the breeze rose 
 and fell. 
 
 In the northernmost nook of the cleared field, 
 the negro houses, as usual surrounded with palm, 
 star-apple, and orange trees, were clustered below 
 an overhanging rock like eagles' nests, with blue 
 threads of smoke rising up from them instill spiral 
 jets, until it reached the top of the breezy cliff that 
 sheltered them, when it suddenly blew off, and was 
 dissipated. Beyond these lay a large field of 
 luxuriant guinea grass, covered with bullocks and 
 mules, like black dottings on the hill-side. In 
 every other direction one unbroken forest pre- 
 vailed ; the only blemish on the fair face of nature 
 was man ; for although the negroes that we saw 
 at work appeared sleek and fat, yet, being most of 
 them fresh from the ship, there was a savageness 
 in the expression of their countenances, and in their 
 half-naked bodies, that had nothing Arcadian in it. 
 
 We were all, especially the ladies, pretty well 
 tired j so, after a comfortable dinner, we betook 
 ourselves to rest betimes. Next morning, at seven 
 o'clock, we again mustered in force in the break- 
 fast room, and the instant I entered, little Dicky, 
 to my surprise, bolted from Helen Hudson's side, 
 dashing away her hand from him angrily, and ran 
 to me — 'JMassa Brail, Miss Hudson tell lie.' 
 
 4 Dicky, mind what you say.' 
 
 ' Oh, yes ; but yesterday she say — Dicky Phan- 
 tom, you put on petticoat and frock — to-morrow 
 you put on trousers again.' 
 
 1 Oh, Dicky, Dicky,' cried Helen, laughing. 
 
 'Well, my dear boy, Miss Hudson must be as 
 good as her word, and restore your trousers : she 
 does not mean to wear them, does she ? ' 
 
 54
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 ' Indeed, Dicky, Helen did quite right to dress 
 you as you are,' said Mrs. Hudson, perceiving her 
 daughter a little put out ; * your little trousers 
 were all tar and pitch, and you are too young to 
 leave off frocks yet.' 
 
 The child, although there was no help at hand, 
 determined to show he would not be imposed on, 
 so, like a little snake casting his skin, he deliberately 
 shook himself, and with a wriggle of his shoulders 
 slid out of his clothes altogether ; and there he 
 stood like a little naked Cupidon — ' Now I shall 
 go and catch fis,' said the little fellow laughing. 
 With that he toddled away into the basin of water, 
 that was gurgling and splashing in the court-yard. 
 I wish there had been a painter to have caught the 
 group. Sophie Duquesne and Helen Hudson 
 running about the small walks of the rocky par- 
 terre, dashing the water spangles from the flowers 
 with their light feet, and laughing loudly as they 
 strove to catch Dicky, who kept just beyond their 
 reach, squealing with childlike joy, and splashing 
 them : a perfect shower of spray descending all the 
 time on the beautiful urchin's own curly pate ; 
 while the plantain leaves were shaking in the 
 breeze, and chequering the blue sky overhead. At 
 length De Walden caught him, and swung him 
 out of the water by the arms into Helen Hudson's 
 lap. 
 
 When breakfast was over, we again mounted 
 our mules, to explore the neighbourhood towards 
 the coast, for notwithstanding the tortuousity of 
 the road we had come, we were not, Mr. Hudson 
 said, above three miles distant from the sea after 
 all. Listado, honest gentleman, chose to mount 
 the smallest mule that could be had ; and as he 
 
 55
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 was upwards of six feet high, he looked, as he 
 paced along, more like an automaton mounted on 
 a velocipede than anything else. 
 
 After riding along for half an hour, in a path 
 cut through the otherwise impervious wood, we 
 came to a naked, storm-scathed, and sun-baked pro- 
 montory of red clay and gray stone, which beetled 
 over the sea so abruptly, that the line of vision 
 struck the water at least a mile beyond the beach, 
 which was thus entirely hid from our sight. The 
 spot where we stood seemed to be the eastern 
 headland or cape of a small and most beautiful 
 bay, which opened to our view down to leeward. 
 Beyond us, out at sea, the water was roughened by 
 a fiery sea-breeze — to use the West Indian phrase 
 — the blue water being thickly speckled with white 
 crests ; and from the speed with which the white 
 sails in the offing slid along their liquid way, like 
 feathers, or snowflakes floating down the wind, it 
 might be called a brisk gale. Every now and then 
 a tiny white speck would emerge from under the 
 blufF into sight, and skim away until lost in the 
 misty distance ; and a coaster from the offing, 
 as she hauled in for the bay, would as suddenly 
 vanish for a time, until she again appeared, 
 diminished in the distance to a sea-bird, gliding 
 slowly along the glass-like surface of the small bay, 
 when she would fold her white wings, and become 
 stationary at anchor near the shipping-place, or 
 barquedier, as it is called. 
 
 * We must go down and see that beautiful bay, 
 Helen — Miss Hudson, I mean — beg pardon ' 
 
 1 We have not time, Mr. Brail, to-day ; we 
 must return, as my father wishes us to visit some 
 beautiful scenery in the woods ; but we shall ride 
 
 56
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 to it another forenoon — only, why will you distress 
 yourself about calling me Helen ? — why, I am Helen 
 — everybody calls me Helen — with your precise 
 Miss Hudson, and Mademoiselle Duquesne. If 
 you stick to such formalities, I will positively treat 
 you to a few calculations and guessings? Here the 
 iaughing girl gave the true nasal twang of Jonathan 
 himself. 
 
 ' Well, well — agreed — Helen you shall be — my 
 Helen.' She looked at me, and blushing, held up 
 her finger, and shook her head — as if she had said 
 — c No, no, — not quite yet.' My heart stopped a 
 beat to gather strength, and then gave such a devil 
 of a bounce — 'Hillo,' thought I — 'Ha, ha, Master 
 Benjamin ! ' 
 
 We therefore returned homewards, and having 
 extended our ride in another direction, and been 
 highly gratified by the scenery, we found ourselves 
 seated at dinner, in the lower piazza of the 
 court facing the east, so as to be screened from 
 the rays of the setting sun by the roof of the 
 house. 
 
 The water of the clear pool in the centre of the 
 yard was led away, on the side we sat on, in a 
 little canal, amongst the rocks, out of which it was 
 hewn, and this was thickly planted with lotuses. 
 We had dined, and the golden sky overhead began 
 to be spangled with a bright silver star here and 
 there, and the distant and scarcely perceptible buzz 
 of a solitary scout of a mosquito would every now 
 and then suddenly increase to a loud singing noise, as 
 he reconnoitred your auricle — presently you heard 
 the hum of a whole picket of them — the advanced 
 guard of a host of winged pests, which were thus 
 giving token of the approach of evening. 
 
 57
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 'Mr. Hudson,' quoth Listado again — 'you have 
 a beautiful situation here, certainly ; magnificent 
 scenery, and a good house ; fine water and pure 
 air — but a damnable quantity of mosquitoes — beg 
 pardon, ladies, for the lapse — yet really, just as I 
 am expatiating, one of those devils has flown into 
 my eye, half-a-dozen into my mouth, and — Lord, 
 if a big fellow has not got into my ear, and is at 
 this identical moment thundering away at the 
 tympanum, ay, as if he were a bass drummer ! ' 
 Here our friend started up, and began to dance 
 about and shake his head, as if he would have cast 
 it from his shoulders into the pool. 
 
 'Mr. Brail,' said Helen, laughing, as soon as the 
 Irishman had subsided, ' do you see how carefully 
 those beautiful water-lilies have folded up their 
 silver leaves before retiring to their watery pillows? 
 There, that one nearest your foot has already sunk 
 below the water, and the largest, that is still gently 
 moved by the small ripple that radiates from the 
 splashing water in the middle of the basin, will soon 
 follow — See, it is gone ' — as, one by one, the whole 
 of the beautiful plants gradually sank under the 
 surface for the night. 
 
 I was struck with this, and fascinated by the 
 tone and manner of the speaker ; — when suddenly 
 the lotuses again emerged. 
 
 ' Heyday,' said De Walden — ' your poetry is all 
 lost, Miss Hudson ; the flowers don't seem to sleep 
 sound on the watery pillows you spoke of — they 
 are as gallant and complimentary as Don Lorenzo 
 there ; for see, they are all back to have another 
 peep at you.' 
 
 ' Probably they found their beds were not made, 
 De Walden,' rapped out Listado. 
 
 58
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS — EL CAFETAL 
 
 1 Very extraordinary ; what can that mean ? ' 
 said Sophie Duquesne. 
 
 'My dear Miss Duquesne,' said Listado, 'I see 
 I must give you some lessons in pronunciation still 
 — why will you worry your rs so in your beautiful 
 throat ? ' 
 
 * It is my French accent, you know, and I 
 cannot help it,' said the lovely creature, laughing. 
 
 ' But really what is this ? ' said Helen ; and as 
 she spoke, the jet gradually became weaker and 
 weaker ; the water in the pool rapidly subsided for 
 a minute ; and then, with a loud, gurgling noise, 
 disappeared altogether, leaving the rocky bed 
 dry, and the poor pet mountain-mullets walloping 
 amongst the water-plants like so many silver 
 wedges. 
 
 ' Hillo,' shouted Listado, in extreme surprise — 
 ' Hillo, who has stolen our purling stream ? — what 
 the devil has become of the river, Master Hudson?' 
 This was a thing neither Mr. Hudson nor anyone 
 else could tell — that it had absolutely vanished as 
 described was clear enough ; but just as the girls 
 and De Walden had secured the fish in a tub, the 
 basin was again filled, as suddenly as it had been 
 emptied, with the same loud gurgle, too, and in ten 
 minutes one could not have told that anything had 
 happened. 
 
 'There must have been some subterranean con- 
 vulsion to produce this phenomenon,' said I. 
 
 c No doubt of it,' rejoined Listado — 'Old 
 Nicholas had run short of water for his tay, and 
 borrowed our beautiful jet for a little — but, hush ! 
 he has heard me, so sure as peas are pays in 
 Ireland, and has turned off the water again — 
 Hush ! ' 
 
 59
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 It once more disappeared in the same manner, 
 and with the same loud, gurgling noise as before ; 
 but after the basin was dry this time, we distinctly 
 heard several distant reports, in the bowels of the 
 earth, like the far-off reverberations of a cannon- 
 shot amongst the hills. 
 
 £ There was no earthquake? ' said Mr. Hudson, 
 looking round inquiringly, after we had a little 
 recovered from our surprise — no one had perceived 
 it, if there had been. ' I should not be surprised 
 if this be the precursor of one, however,' he 
 continued, ' after this long drought and intense 
 heat.' 
 
 The following evening was the one we had 
 fixed on, according to previous arrangement, to 
 ride to the beautiful bav lying within the promon- 
 tory already described. 
 
 The weather, as already hinted, for several 
 weeks preceding this had been uncommonly hot, 
 even for that climate ; and the earth was parched 
 and rent by intense drought. In many places in 
 our rides we came upon fissures a foot wide, and 
 several fathoms deep ; and the trees had, in 
 general, assumed the hue of our English leaves in 
 November. There had been several temblores 
 de tierra-f or shocks of earthquake, within this 
 period — slight at first, but they seemed to increase 
 in strength and frequency, as the dry weather 
 continued; and it was therefore reasonable to refer 
 the sudden disappearing of the jet of water to some 
 internal convulsion of this nature. 
 
 On the day in question there was not a cloud to 
 be seen — a hot blending blue haze hung over the 
 land and water, through which every object trembled 
 
 60
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 as if the earth and sea had sent up a thin smoke 
 through intensity of heat. 
 
 The sun when he rose, and until high up in 
 heaven, had the same red magnified disc as in a 
 foggy winter morning in England ; and a lurid 
 purple hue pervaded all nature, as if he had been 
 suffering a temporary eclipse ; while the usual sea 
 breeze entirely failed. 
 
 About noon everything was deadly still — the 
 cattle had betaken themselves to the small river, 
 where they stood listlessly chewing their cuds, as if 
 overpowered by the density of the air. Not a bird 
 was hopping in the no longer vocal trees ; the 
 very lizards were still : the negroes employed in 
 cleaning the coffee pieces worked in silence, in 
 place of shouting and laughing, and gabbling to 
 each other, as is their wont — and when the driver 
 or black superintendent gave his orders, the few 
 words he uttered sounded loud and hollow, echoing 
 from hill to hill. I could hear distinctly what he 
 said on the opposite mountain side, situated above 
 a mile off, although I was persuaded at the same 
 time that he spoke in his natural tone, and with 
 no greater exertion than he used in common 
 conversation. The very clink of the negroes' hoes 
 in the rocky soil was unaccountably distinct and 
 sharp. 
 
 Several inexplicable noises had been heard during 
 the forenoon from the head of the ravine ; and 
 once or twice a strong rushing sound, like the 
 wind amongst trees, passed over our heads, although 
 there was not a zephyr moving ; a poet might 
 have fancied it cohorts of invisible spirits charging 
 each other in the air. At other times, a gradually 
 increasing subterraneous grumbling noise would 
 
 61
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 spring up, at first undistinguishable from distant 
 thunder, but coming apparently nearer, it would 
 end in a series of deadened reports, like a distant 
 cannonade ; and this again would be followed by a 
 sharp hissing or hurtling in the sky, altogether 
 different from the rushing noise already described ; 
 more resembling that made by streamers in a high 
 latitude, or the flight of a Congreve rocket, than 
 anything else. But the most startling sound of 
 all was the solitary wild cry of a crane, now and 
 then ; resembling for all the world the high note 
 of a trumpet, blown short and quick. 
 
 We had all been puzzling ourselves with these 
 appearances and strange noises during the forenoon 
 — some arguing that a hurricane was impending, 
 others that they betokened an earthquake ; but the 
 stillness continued without either occurring, and 
 the day wore on very much as usual. 
 
 In the evening, the sun was again shorn of his 
 flaming beams, as he sank in the west, and became 
 magnified as in the morning, when he dipped in 
 the haze near the horizon, into a broad moon-like 
 globe. 
 
 c Come,' said our excellent host, c we have had 
 no exercise to-day, I calculate, so let us order the 
 mules, and ride to Helen's beautiful bay, that she 
 raves about ; we shall at least breathe fresher air 
 there.' 
 
 1 Oh, papa, I don't rave about it,' said she ; ' it 
 is only Sophia and Mr. Listado who rave ; ' 
 whereupon the ladies vanished, but soon reappeared 
 all ready, when we mounted and set off. 
 
 By the time we reached the eastern cape or 
 headland of the small bay, the sun, near his setting, 
 had tinged the whole calm sea, as far as the eye 
 
 62
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 could reach, with a bluish purple. The stars ap- 
 peared larger than usual, some of them surrounded 
 with tiny haloes ; and the planet Venus, as she 
 struggled up in the east, loomed like a small moon. 
 
 We wound downwards along a zig-zag path, 
 hewn out of the rock, until we arrived at the 
 beautiful white beach which we had admired so 
 much from above. 
 
 The swell from the offing tumbled in towards 
 the land, in long purple undulations, and as it 
 broke on the rocky coast beyond the promontory, 
 the noise was like the distant roar of a populous 
 town, borne on the swell of the breeze. In the 
 bay itself, however, all was still ; the surface of the 
 sea clear and calm as a mirror. 
 
 The sun was still visible to us, but already 
 everything was in shade on the opposite side of the 
 anchorage — here about a quarter of a mile across — 
 where the dark trees and bushes were reflected 
 with startling distinctness ; there was no ascertain- 
 ing the water line in that direction, as the bank was 
 high and precipitous, and the foliage darkened 
 down to the very water's edge ; on our side, at the 
 head of the bay, there was a small wooden wharf 
 that ran into the sea, alongside of which lay a shallop 
 with her sails hoisted, but hanging motionless in 
 the dead calm, from the spars. A solitary negro 
 was walking slowly up and down this erection, 
 smoking ; his shadow in the water looking like his 
 doppelganger, or a familiar spirit. There was a 
 large schooner lying right in the centre of the bay, 
 very heavily rigged, and apparently armed, but I 
 could see no one on deck at first ; presently, how- 
 ever, there was a bustle on board of her, and two 
 boats were hoisted out. 
 
 63
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ' What schooner is that ? ' I asked Mr. Hudson 
 — he did not know — it must be some coaster he 
 thought. 
 
 c It cannot be that they are startled at our 
 appearance, surely,' said Helen ; 'yet it looks like 
 it.' 
 
 c Oh, nonsense ! ' cried Don Lorenzo — ' a drog- 
 ger waiting for coffee ; a drogger, Miss Hudson, 
 believe me.' 
 
 But I was not sure of this, for all at once, under 
 the cliff on the opposite side, we heard the sound 
 of a hammer, and could see a forge at work, by 
 the sparks that rose up like clouds of fire-flies, and 
 the sudden jets of light that glanced on the water, 
 flashing on the hairy chest and muscular arms of a 
 swarthy-looking fellow, naked all to his trousers, 
 who was busily employed with his hammer, and on 
 the dingy figure of a negro that worked the bellows 
 for him. 
 
 " When Vulcan forged the bolts of Jove," 
 
 sang Listado, but the sound of his own voice in 
 the unnatural stillness startled both himself and us, 
 and he broke off abruptly. Next moment the 
 flame of the forge disappeared, the clink of the 
 hammer and the creaking and puffing of the 
 bellows ceased. A boat now put off from the 
 schooner, and pulled in the direction of the forge. 
 
 From the clash and tinkling of the materials, as 
 they were taken on board, it was evident that the 
 whole apparatus had been hurriedly dismounted. 
 
 £ I really do believe that we are the cause of all 
 this bustle,' said De Walden ; ' that schooner is 
 deuced like the craft I have been accustomed to 
 see employed as slavers.' 
 
 64
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 When the people returned towards the schooner, 
 we heard a voice from the brake close to us, as of 
 some one weak from disease, hail them to make 
 haste and come for him, as the person speaking 
 c did not like the look of the weather.' This 
 made us all start — but we saw no one until the 
 boat touched the beach, when a tall figure in the 
 dress of a Spanish seaman walked slowly from the 
 wood, got on board apparently with great difficulty, 
 and the boat pushed off. 
 
 I noticed De Walden start as the man pushed 
 past. The instant they got on board, another 
 anchor was let go, topmasts and yards were struck, 
 and had down on deck, boats were hoisted in, and 
 other precautions were doubtless taking, from the 
 bustle we heard, which we could not see, to ensure 
 her riding easily through the coming night. Soon 
 all was still again. The fire-flies now began to 
 sparkle among the trees, when, as we turned to 
 reascend the path by which we had come, De 
 Walden whispered me, in an agitated voice, — 
 ' That was the man that stabbed you, as sure as I 
 live.' 
 
 £ The devil ! ' said I, turning suddenly round in 
 my saddle, as if I had expected him to jump up 
 behind me ; ' but come, don't let us alarm the 
 party.' 
 
 Mr. Hudson here said he thought the water of 
 the bay trembled, and that the stars twinkled in it, 
 but before I perceived anything it was again calm 
 as glass. Presently several fish leaped out, as if 
 startled, shattering the surface into circling and 
 sparkling ripples ; others skimmed on the top with 
 an arrowy rush, their heads above water, and 
 several owls broke from the shelter of the bushes 
 
 vol. ii. 65 E
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 opposite with a hoarse screech, rustling among the 
 leaves, and after a struggling and noisy flutter at 
 the start, flitted across to us, ruffling the glass-like 
 bay with the breezy winnowing of their wings. 
 
 c What can all this mean ? ' said Listado. c Did 
 you perceive anything, Brail ? ' 
 
 He was standing beside his mule as he spoke, 
 but none of the rest of us had dismounted. 
 
 4 No ; did you ? ' 
 
 ' I thought there was a slight shock of an earth- 
 quake just now ; but you might not have felt it, 
 from being mounted. There, listen ! ' 
 
 A rushing, as of a mighty wind, the same kind 
 of mysterious sound that we had heard from the 
 wood in the morning, now breezed up in the 
 distance once more, mingled with which, a report 
 like a distant cannon shot was every now and then 
 heard. 
 
 It was evident that some tremendous manifesta- 
 tion of the power of the Invisible was at hand ; 
 but none of us moved. Some unaccountable 
 fascination held us riveted to the spot. We were all 
 spell-bound. What, indeed, was the use of flight ? 
 Where could we have hid ourselves from Him to 
 whom the darkness is as the noonday, and whose 
 power pervades all space ? 
 
 The water in the bay now began to ebb sud- 
 denly, until it retired about twenty paces, leaving 
 a broad white sandy beach where before there had 
 been but a narrow stripe of pebbles. In another 
 moment it again rushed in with a loud shaling noise 
 — I coin the word for the sound — in bores nearly 
 ten feet high, and thundered against the rocks, 
 with a violence as if it had been the swell of the 
 everlasting deep, hove by a storm against their 
 
 66
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS- — EL CAFETAL 
 
 iron ribs, and flashing up in white smoke all 
 round us and over us. The very next moment, a 
 huge mass of the grey cliff above was disrupted, 
 and thundering with increasing bounds, pitched 
 right over our heads (distinctly visible between us 
 and the sky), a pistol shot into the sea, where it 
 dashed its shadow in the water into fragments, as 
 it fell with a flash like fire ; rotten branches and 
 sand showered down in all directions ; the dew 
 was shaken like a fall of diamonds from the trees, 
 the schooner's crew shouted, birds and beasts 
 screamed and bellowed, and the mules we rode 
 started and reared as the earth quaked beneath 
 their feet, and yelled forth the most unearthly 
 sounds that ever issued from the throat of quadru- 
 ped. The shallop at the wharf was hove bodily 
 forward on the crest of a tremendous sea, like a 
 moving mountain, and then dashed on the shore ; 
 the schooner first dragged her anchors by the 
 sudden and tumultuous ebb, and then drove with 
 inconceivable violence against the wharf, where I 
 thought she would have been stranded, but the 
 retiring surge again floated her back, and the next 
 minute she was fast drifting out of the bay. She 
 had parted both cables. 
 
 We hastened home, where we found everything 
 in great confusion. The house was filled with 
 dust, the walls and roof cracked in many places, 
 and the wooden frames in two instances forced 
 from their embrasures by the sinking of the walls. 
 The field negroes were crowding round in great 
 dismay, and the house servants were no less so ; 
 but amidst all this hubbub — lo ! — the beautiful 
 fountain was once more bubbling and hissing 
 and splashing in its rocky basin, and amongst the 
 
 67
 
 THE CRUISE OF* THE MIDGE 
 
 leaves, as cheerily as if it had never been inter- 
 mitted at all. 
 
 i The old one has slacked his thirst. You see 
 we have got back our purling stream again, Mr. 
 Hudson,' said Listado. 
 
 The ladies immediately retired, their nerves 
 having been desperately shaken ; and I for one 
 was right glad to follow their example. Before we 
 males retired, however, we had a long discussion 
 as to the possibility or impossibility of the sus- 
 picious chap we had seen at the bay being Adder- 
 fang, who at the moment ought to have been 
 in prison at Havanna. De Walden continued 
 thoroughly persuaded of his identity ; but, at the 
 same time, could not conceal his lingering kindness 
 for him. So we finally determined to let the 
 villain alone, if it really, against all probability, 
 were he, so far as we were concerned. 
 
 On the following forenoon, we once more took 
 the road to Havanna. On starting it came to be 
 my lot, purely by accident, of course, to assist 
 Miss Hudson to mount her mule, and in the action 
 it was equally natural to squeeze her hand a little. 
 I thought the squeeze was returned ; and ' Hilloa ! ' 
 said I to myself again. 
 
 The evening following our return Mrs. Hudson 
 gave a small party ; and, recollecting the trans- 
 action of the former day, as I took my partner's 
 hand in the dance, for by another accident Miss 
 Hudson was the lady, I thought I would see 
 whether I was mistaken or not ; so I tried the 
 telegraph again, and gave her fair hand a gentle 
 but significant pressure this time. By Heaven ! it 
 was now returned beyond all doubt, — and I started, 
 and blushed and fidgeted, as if the whole room had 
 
 68
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 seen the squeeze, while a thrill of pleasure — no, 
 not pleasure ; of — of — phoo, what does it signify ? 
 but it was something very funny and delightful, 
 at any rate. I looked at the fair little woman, 
 and, as if to make assurance doubly sure, I saw 
 the eloquent blood mantling in her cheek, and 
 tingeing her lovely neck like the early dawn in 
 June, 
 
 c Oh Lord ! I am a done man ; quite finished 
 for ever and aye ! ' 
 
 ' Why, Brail, what the deuce are you after ? ' 
 shouted Listado, as he thundered against me in a 
 furious poussette. c You are in everybody's way, 
 and your own too ; mind, man, mind.' 
 
 With that he again floundered past me with his 
 partner, a bouncing girl, the daughter of an 
 American merchant of the place, contriving in 
 their complex twirlifications not only to tread 
 heavily on my toes with his own hoofs, but to hop 
 his partner repeatedly over the same unfortunate 
 members,, 
 
 Nothing worth recording happened after this 
 event for three weeks ; or, rather, I thought 
 nothing connected with it of any the smallest 
 importance, until Mr. Hudson one morning at 
 breakfast asked Listado, who had just entered, 
 and who was a very frequent visitor, if he had ever 
 heard anything more of Adderfang ? 
 
 ' Yes ; De Walden and I have just heard very 
 surprising things of him. Tell it, De Walden ; I 
 have had such a long walk this morning that I am 
 very sharp set. Coffee, if you please, Brail, some 
 of that fowl. — So — Now, De Walden, about 
 Adderfang — you have nearly breakfasted, you 
 know.' 
 
 69
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 'Come, De Walden,' said I, 'let us hear the 
 story, since we can get nothing out of Listado 
 there.' 
 
 ' Out of me, Brail ? you are mighty unreason- 
 able ; how the devil can you get anything out of 
 an empty vessel, which I am at this blessed ' — 
 nuzzle — nuzzle — nuzzle. Here, in his zeal to 
 stow his cargo, he became quite unintelligible, and 
 I again asked the midshipman to enlighten us. 
 
 ' Why, sir,' said he, ' I know nothing regarding 
 it, saving what Monsieur Listado told me.' 
 
 ' Well, tell what I told you then, that 's a good 
 fellow ' — mumble, mumble, munch, munch, quoth 
 our amigo. ' Brail, some of that ham ; — go on, De 
 Walden, will ye — devil take the fellow ! — bread, 
 if you please, Monsieur Duquesne — thank you. 
 How deucedly hungry I am, to be sure ; — that 
 claret, Brail — and the monkey of cool water — thank 
 you— work along, Henry.' 
 
 The handsome boy laughed. ' Really, Mr. 
 Brail, I don't know that anything I have heard 
 can interest you — Monsieur Listado, there, has 
 been frequently at the prison confabulating with 
 the hangman.' 
 
 ' Bah, you be hanged yourself, Henry ! ' shouted 
 our uproarious friend, with his mouth full of bread 
 and butter. 
 
 ' Well, he is the jailer at the genteelest, then — 
 and he, it seems, told him first of all that Adder- 
 fang had been unexpectedly better — then, that he 
 grew worse — then better again, until yesterday, 
 when he told our accomplished friend ' 
 
 'Henry, do you value your life, you villain?' 
 said Listado, threatening him with his knife in 
 one hand and the bread in another, as if he would 
 
 70
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 have cast it at his head, but still munching 
 away. 
 
 4 To be sure I do, Listado, so let me get on. 
 As I was saying, when he called yesterday — lo ! 
 the prison had been broken into some weeks ago, 
 and the villain stolen — that 's all.' 
 
 4 All ! ' echoed I ; ' so you were really right as 
 to the man we saw being Adderfang ? ' 
 
 c I never had a doubt of it in my own mind,' 
 said the midshipman. 
 
 4 Why,' I continued, c there must have been 
 connivance.' 
 
 M. Duquesne smiled. ' Ah, Monsieur Brail, 
 de road — way you call, of dis country, and de 
 habitants, you not know — I make no vonder — 
 not large at all — it has happen very customary.' 
 
 ' And so it has,' said Mr. Hudson ; ' the truth 
 is, Mr. Brail, that here in Havanna few people are 
 inimical to the trade Adderfang was engaged in ; 
 on the contrary, it is all but openly encouraged ; 
 nor have they any great horror even to a piratical 
 cruise now and then, if successful ; and where 
 could they get such a determined fellow for a leader 
 as this same Adderfang, who, I learn, was bred a 
 sailor in early life, although for some years after 
 his father's death he remained at home and studied 
 for the bar — at least, so said your man Lennox ? ' 
 
 c What a splendid specimen of the powers of the 
 garrote we have lost ! ' quoth Monsieur Listado, 
 still busied in making a most substantial meal ; — 
 c a small cup of that excellent cofFee, Miss Helen 
 — bless your lovely fingers — But, my dear boy, 
 flown the villain is,' continued the Irishman, ad- 
 dressing me, ' however it came about ; and before 
 long he will be on the high seas once more, I make 
 
 7 1
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 no manner of doubt ; whether as slaver or pirate, 
 Heaven knows. Of course, your friends the 
 Midges^ Master Brail, will rejoice at this, as I 
 would at the escape of a snared fox, which might 
 afford sport another day ; but, for one, I should be 
 deucedly loath to fall into his hands, that's all.' 
 
 ' And I agree with you for once, Listado, for no 
 joy in the world have I, that a scoundrel, who 
 obliged me with six inches of steel under my ribs, 
 should escape.' 
 
 c Pray, Miss Sophie,' said he, without noticing 
 the interruption, 'have you ever seen him, this 
 Adderfang : fine man — square shoulders — small 
 waist — a piece of that yam, Mrs. Hudson — thank 
 you — but a regular Don Juan — a devil among the 
 ladies — and — oh, Lord, I declare a bone has stuck 
 in my throat ! ' 
 
 On that day week the frigate arrived. I was 
 very curious to see how the commodore would 
 meet De Walden ; but it seems the latter had 
 written him to Jamaica, and there was no scene, 
 although I could perceive the kind old man's eye 
 sparkle, and a tear of joy trickle down his furrowed 
 cheek whenever he could steal what he thought an 
 unobserved glance at him. However, it was not 
 my province to pry into his secret, if secret there 
 was. 
 
 The commodore now determined to sell the 
 Midge all standing, and to draft her crew to 
 Gazelle once more — and it was accordingly done. 
 
 As old Dogvane came over the side, after having 
 given up charge of her to the Spanish sailors that 
 came to take possession, he grumbled out : 
 
 ' That same wicked little Midge ain't done with 
 her buzzing or stinging either, or I mistake. She 
 
 72
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 has fallen among thieves, or little better, that 's 
 sartain, judging from the sample we have here,' — 
 eyeing the strangers, — ' and I '11 lay a pound of 
 baccy, she will either be put in the contraband 
 slaving on the coast of Africay again, or to some 
 worse purpose, among them keys and crooked 
 channels hereaways. I say, my hearties,' turning 
 to the Spaniards, c what are your masters agoing to 
 do with this here fellucre ? ' 
 
 i To rone between Jamaica and dis wid goods — 
 passengers — one trader to be.' 
 
 1 One trader — no honest one, I '11 venture — but 
 all's one to old Dogvane.' 
 
 Next morning, De Walden came to my room 
 as I was dressing, with a packet from Jamaica, 
 that had been sent to Batabano, and thence across 
 the island to Havanna. I opened it, and had to 
 read it twice over before I could comprehend the 
 contents, or ascertain what the writer wanted to 
 be at. 
 
 To understand this letter sufficiently, be it 
 known that the author thereof was suffering at the 
 time from gout in his hand, and in consequence 
 had to employ a brown clerk as an amanuensis — a 
 simple creature, as I afterwards found, when I 
 came to know him, whose only qualification for his 
 post was the writing, like all his caste, a most 
 beautiful hand ; but, unfortunately, in his blind 
 zeal, he had given a little more than had been 
 intended to stand as the text by the party whose 
 signature was appended to it ; in fact, he had 
 written down, verbatim et literatim^ all that his 
 master had said while dictating the letter ; and the 
 effect of the patchwork was infinitely ridiculous. 
 The reason why the superfluous dialogue in it had 
 
 73
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 not been expunged was the want of time, and loss 
 of the spectacles, as stated. 
 
 ' Ballywindle Estate^ yamaica^ 
 ' Such a date. 
 
 'My dear Nephew, — I had letters from 
 England, although none from you — you boy of 
 slender manners. Knowing how much I made of 
 you when you were a little potato button, I ex- 
 pected other things ; but to the letters — they told 
 me — the devil fly away with this infernal gout, 
 that makes me employ a brown chap, who, they 
 say, is somewhat like me about the snout, as an 
 amanuensis — mind you spell that word now — and 
 fortunately for you I do so employ him, as he 
 writes as beautiful a fist as one would like to see 
 in a long winter's morning when the fog is thick 
 — but, as I was saying, I had letters telling me 
 that you had gone out with your kit packed in a 
 ready-made coffin, to the coast of Africa, with my 
 excellent old friend, Sir Oliver Oakplank ; who, as 
 a recompense for a life spent in the service, had 
 been sent to die in the Bight of Benin — that 's a 
 parenthesis, mind — to gather negroes from others 
 who stole them — and that, according to practice, 
 the Gazelle^ that is the name of the commodore's 
 ship, although it is probable you already know as 
 much, having been by this time three months on 
 board of her from all accounts — put that in a 
 parenthesis also — was to make the round voyage 
 by Jamaica to Havanna, and home. 
 
 'Judge, then, my great surprise when, after 
 trudging to Kingston, I found that you were not 
 there in the old frigate at all, but had chosen 
 
 74
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 to go to Havanna in the tender ; and, what was 
 worse, I was at the same time told by your uncle's 
 correspondents, my excellent friends, Peaweep, 
 Snipe, and Flamingo (what a broth of a boy that 
 same young Flamingo is !) that you were to be taken 
 into the Liverpool house, and to return direct from 
 Havanna, without visiting me at all, at all. 
 
 'Now, if that old villain, Peter Brail, your 
 excellent uncle, and all the rest of it, has had the 
 heart to do this, may the devil burn me if he shall 
 ever get another tierce of coffee from Lathom 
 Frenche. He has plenty of young friends to bring 
 on, while I have none but you, Benjie ; so he must 
 give you up, or I shall murder him. But stop till 
 I tell my story properly. 
 
 ' So you see, after I heard of this change, I was 
 in such a taking, that, to drown my disappoint- 
 ment, I had a wet week with Sir Oliver and some 
 Kingston friends ; for it was the rainy season, you 
 must know, and devils are those same Kingstonians 
 in the way of gentlemanlike libations of tepid 
 Madeira and cold claret, whereby I got another 
 touch of my old remembrancer, the gout, under 
 which I am at this blessed moment suffering 
 severely — I say, boy, bring me a rummer of 
 Madeira sangaree, and a hot yam with the brown 
 crisp and well scraped, do you hear ? — well, I 
 declare the skin of it is as beautiful as a berry, and 
 the mealy inside as fragrant as the driest potato 
 from Ballywindle in old Ireland — so here's the 
 " glorious and immortal memory," and confound 
 the Pope ; but never mind, although you may just 
 confound the gout too, when you are at it. — But, 
 as I was saying, I came home with the gout brew- 
 ing all the way, and got so wet one day, that I 
 
 75
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 dreaded lest it should be driven into that fortress, 
 or rather that citadel, the stomach — there 's a poeti- 
 cal image for you — so I took a warming, that is, I 
 made another comfortable week of it on my return 
 home, just to keep up the circulation, and to drive 
 the enemy — don't be surprised at the militariness 
 of my lingo, for I am colonel of the regiment of 
 foot militia here — another parenthesis, Timothy — 
 from the interior, and compel him to develop his 
 strength in the outworks, or rather to retreat to 
 them, which he, the gout, viz., has done with a 
 vengeance, let me tell you ; having clapper-clawed 
 what you would call my larboard peg, and my star- 
 board fin, zig-zagging in his approaches, as regu- 
 larly as Vauban or Cohorn — fair play, you know, 
 — a sound limb on each side, which is a mercy of 
 its kind ; so I hop from table to bed, and vice versa, 
 and balance myself the whole way like a rope- 
 dancer ; for I hate a crutch — what are you stopping 
 for, Timothy? — oh, I see, to mend your pen — 
 sangaree, Tim — bless me, how thirsty I am, to be 
 sure ! — I hate a crutch, and my servants, curiously 
 enough, for we don't often agree, are unanimous 
 with me in that same, as somehow I break one a 
 day, when I am driven to it, over their woolly 
 skulls ; and that costs money — if you could pick 
 up a cheap lot of lancewood spars now, in Havanna, 
 that would stand a blow — you might fetch me a 
 hundred or so — it is tough, and bends, and doesn't 
 break, like mahogany or cedar. 
 
 1 During my confinement, old Jacob Munroe, 
 the storekeeper at Montego Bay, called to see me, 
 and get his account settled. He brought a hand- 
 some clergyman-looking man with him, dressed in 
 black — ah, you may leave that out — he will guess 
 
 76
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 as much, if I tell him he was a clerical-looking 
 person — whom he introduced to me as Mister 
 Lennox, and who had arrived in one of the Cuba 
 smugglers some days before. 
 
 'Judge my surprise when this young gentleman 
 told me, with all the appearance of truth, that he 
 had been a corporal of marines on board the 
 Gazelle, although old Jacob called him at first an 
 officer of marines, forgetting to say whether com- 
 missioned or not, and had actually been with you in 
 the Midge — how could you trust yourself in such a 
 mussel-shell ? — until he had, through the interest 
 of his friends at home, obtained his discharge. 
 
 ' He told me the whole story of your being 
 wounded and taken into a Frenchman's house, and 
 being desperately in love with some young Ameri- 
 can lady — but you know, Benjie, I don't like 
 Americans — a Yankee girl, forsooth ! — put the 
 Yankee girl in a parenthesis — and a variety of 
 other entertaining anecdotes, which made my 
 heart yearn towards the only son of my dear sister 
 Jane, although you have had the misfortune to 
 have a Scotchman to your father — but, poor boy, 
 he can't help that ; so, Timothy, out with all 
 about the Scotchman — he was born in Ireland, 
 anyhow — for I am getting old now, Benjamin, 
 and although rich enough, I begin to feel desolate 
 and lonely, being without chick or child to comfort 
 me, excepting some yellowhammers — no, not you, 
 Timothy — so write away, my good lad — that claim 
 a sort of left-handed interest in me here. But I 
 have been kind to them, and no doubt must answer 
 for the sins of my youth ; but they are not just the 
 sort of representatives one would wish to leave 
 behind them ; although, indeed, if this blessed 
 
 11
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 state of things goes on at the pace it is doing at 
 home, we may see a woolly-headed Lord Chancellor 
 shortly— I hope he will have a civil tongue in his 
 head — and a flat-nosed, dingy-skinned Speaker of 
 the honourable House. 
 
 ' However, so far as I see, that will be a while 
 yet ; and in the meantime I want you to give up old 
 Peter, if you can do so honourably, and pin your 
 faith on me. But as I am a reasonable man, and 
 may not like you after all, when I do see you, I 
 think it but fair to send you the enclosed notarial 
 copy of a bond in your favour for £ 10,000 sterling 
 as a sort of compensation for the measure I recom- 
 mend, if you take it ; but which expresses in the 
 body of it, as you see, that it is only to become 
 onerous on me, when you arrive in my house here, 
 after having made your election, as aforesaid. 
 Now, Benjie dear, if you are conscious that you 
 are a gentlemanlike, pleasant, honourable young 
 fellow, who can ride a bit, and shoot, and drink a 
 bottle of claret now and then — alas ! there are no 
 foxhounds here — foxhounds in a parenthesis again, 
 Tim — come to me, and change your ploughshare 
 into a pruning-hook — no, that 's not it — your 
 ploughshare into a bill-hook — no, and that 's not it 
 neither — your bill-hook into a pruning-hook — bah ! 
 botheration — if you are all that I ask you, and 
 what my nephew ought to be by descent, and be 
 d d to him — if, in one word, you are a gentle- 
 man — come to me, man — come and comfort the 
 poor desolate old fellow, who is pining in his help- 
 less days for the want of something to love ; and 
 who, since he made up his mind to write for you, 
 is every moment grappling you to his Irish heart, 
 in joyous anticipation, with hooks of steel. Write 
 
 78
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS EL CAFETAL 
 
 me immediately, and follow yourself as soon as you 
 can — or you may follow yourself first, if equally 
 convenient, and let your letter come after — and 
 
 enclosed you have also a draft on Mr. M for 
 
 iooo dollars as earnest, and to clear you at 
 Havanna. 
 
 ' Regards to Sir Oliver, who will by this time — 
 no, write that time — that is, by the time when he 
 will get this — be with you, and to young Donovan 
 — a prime boy that same Donovan would make, 
 with a little training, as ever carried a shamrock in 
 his hathand or a shillelah in his fist — and Old 
 Sprawl, I love the rum-looking, warm-hearted 
 creature because he likes you — what shall I ever 
 dislike that you love, Benjie ? So believe me your 
 attached uncle, ' Lathom French e. 
 
 c P.S. — The post is just going off to Montego 
 Bay, so I have no time to have this corrected ; 
 nor, indeed, could I read it over if I had, as I have 
 mislaid my spectacles — so excuse blunders.' 
 
 Here was a new vista opening up with a 
 vengeance ; so, after having read over the letter 
 repeatedly, I determined to submit it at once to 
 Mr. Hudson, whom I knew to be a clear-headed 
 man, notwithstanding his guessings and calcula- 
 tions, and friendly withal. He thought the advice 
 given sound. 
 
 4 And as a proof of it,' said he, ' if my son 
 were in your position, and had such an offer made 
 to him, I would not hesitate a moment in recom- 
 mending him to accept it. Indeed, you are in a 
 great measure in duty bound to obey a kinsman 
 who, by your own account, has been so kind to 
 
 79
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 you, and who can be of such essential service 
 to you, especially when he counsels you so 
 reasonably.' 
 
 I will not conceal that many a fond hope 
 fluttered about my heart as I reflected what this 
 new state of things might bring about ; and that 
 very morning I struck while the iron was hot, and, 
 like a very wise person, took Miss Helen Hudson, 
 of all people on earth, to my councils, and asked 
 her advice, forsooth. 
 
 ' Helen, what would you advise me to do ? ' 
 
 c Benjamin, I cannot advise — I am a simple girl 
 — but whatever you may do, or wherever you may 
 be — Heaven knows ' — her voice faltered — l Heaven 
 knows your happiness will always be,' etc., etc., 
 etc. So she burst into tears, and I caught her in 
 my arms, and — oh Lord, what a devil of a bother 
 this same love is ! 
 
 ' Now, Helen,' said I, ' let us compose ourselves 
 — I am as yet in a manner unknown to you ; but 
 to convince you that I am an honourable man, all 
 that I ask is, that you shall hold this engagement 
 sacred until I can communicate with my uncle. 
 If I find my prospects as satisfactory as I expect, I 
 will immediately return and throw myself at your 
 feet j if I do not, I do not say that I will not still 
 prefer my suit ; but you shall not be bound by your 
 promise. So my Helen, now.' 
 
 c Yes,' said the darling girl, as she rose, smiling 
 through her tears like — oh, all ye gods, for a 
 simile ! but never mind — from the sofa where 
 we had been sitting — ' yes ; your Helen now, 
 Benjamin.' 
 
 c Heyday,' quoth Mrs. Hudson as she entered 
 the room : ' here 's a scene ! Why, Helen, you 
 
 80
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS — EL CAFETAL 
 
 have been weeping, I see — and Mr. Brail ? Now 
 what is wrong, tell me, dearest ? 1 
 
 'Oh, not now, mother — not now. Come with 
 me — come, and I will tell you all.' 
 
 And as they passed towards the door, who 
 should stumble in upon us but Monsieur Listado. 
 
 'Good-morning, Mrs. Hudson — good-morning. 
 Halloo — and is it off they are, without so much as 
 a bow, or — Brail, what is the meaning of all this ? 
 Miss Hudson is weeping, as I am a gentleman. 
 You cannot have been uncivil to her — it is impos- 
 sible. But, Benjamin Brail, much as I esteem 
 you, if I thought ' 
 
 'Out of my way, you troublesome blockhead,' 
 said I, in the hurry and confusion of the moment ; 
 and I brushed past him and fled to my own room, 
 with the most comical mixture of feelings possible. 
 It was full half an hour before I could control them, 
 and recover my composure; and I had just began 
 to subside into my everyday character, when I 
 received a message from Mr. Hudson, to whom 
 his wife had communicated all that had passed 
 between his daughter and me. I never can forget 
 the anxiety I felt to construe the expression of his 
 face, when I first entered the room. It was 
 favourable, Heaven be thanked. 
 
 'Mr. Brail, I know what has passed between 
 you and Helen,' — Oh Lord ! thought I — ' I would 
 have been better pleased, had you explained your- 
 self either to Mrs. Hudson or me, before matters 
 had gone so far ; but this cannot be helped now.' 
 — He paused a good while. 'From what I know 
 of you, Mr. Brail, I have more confidence in you, 
 I rejoice to say, than I ever had before in any 
 young man I have known for so short a period.' 
 
 VOL. II. 8 1 f
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 I bowed. c And your very prudent proposals to 
 my daughter argue you possessed of sound dis- 
 cretion.' Beyond my hopes, thought I. c So I 
 calculate you had better let me see that same letter 
 of your uncle's again, that I read before, and we 
 will also take a look at the bond.' 
 
 Here shone out the Yankee ; but he was using 
 no more than common circumspection in a matter 
 involving his daughter's happiness so largely. 
 Both were submitted to him, and on the morrow 
 we were to hold a grand palaver on the subject. 
 He had left me, and I had just dressed for dinner, 
 when a gentle tap was heard, and an officer of the 
 American frigate presented himself with a grave 
 face at the door. 
 
 c Beg pardon, Mr. Brail; I am sorry our friend 
 Listado should have pressed me into the service in 
 this matter ; but I pray you to believe that I shall 
 be most happy if I can be instrumental in mak- 
 ing up the quarrel without resorting to extreme 
 measures.' 
 
 'Here's a coil,' thought Ij 'Mr. Listado! a 
 quarrel ! I have had no quarrel with Mr. Listado 
 that I am aware of.' 
 
 'My dear sir, I am afraid he thinks otherwise. 
 Here is his letter,' said the American, handing it 
 to me. 
 
 ' Let me see.' I opened it. 
 
 'Sir, — I am as little given to take unnecessary 
 ofFence as any man ; but as I have good reason to 
 believe, from what I saw, that you have affronted 
 Miss Hudson, and as I am quite certain you have 
 slighted me, I request you will either apologise to 
 her and myself — (her and myself, indeed ! inter- 
 
 82
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS — EL CAFETAL 
 
 jected I) — ' or give me a meeting to-morrow 
 morning, at any hour most convenient for you, that 
 does not interfere with breakfast. — I remain, your 
 humble servant, 'Laurence Listado.' 
 
 ' Now, Mr. Crawford,' said I, ' this is a mighty 
 ridiculous affair altogether. I am not aware, as I 
 said before, of having given Listado any offence ; 
 and what he can mean by attempting to fasten this 
 very unnecessary quarrel on me, I cannot for the 
 life of me divine.' 
 
 'So far as his own injuries are concerned,' said 
 Crawford, ' I am authorised to say, that he perceived 
 you were confused at the time, and did not well 
 know, apparently, what you were about ; so he 
 makes no account of your conduct to himself, but 
 the affront to Miss Hudson ' 
 
 Here William Hudson entered, with a knowing 
 face ; and on being informed what had happened, 
 he burst into a long fit of laughter. Crawford 
 looked aghast, and was beginning to get angry, just 
 as Hudson found his tongue. 
 
 ' Now, Crawford, back out of this absurd affair 
 altogether ; why, surely I am the man to take up 
 my sister's quarrel, if quarrel there must be.' 
 
 4 1 '11 be d — d if you or any man shall take up 
 her quarrel, now, since I have made it mine,' quoth 
 Listado, swinging suddenly into the room. 
 
 ' What brings you here, in the name of all that 
 is absurd ? ' said Hudson. 
 
 4 Why, William, I was thinking that the loud 
 laughing possibly portended some fresh insult ; at 
 any rate, from the time Crawford was taking to fix 
 matters, I began to fear that the quarrel might 
 miss fire after all.'' 
 
 83
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 'Be quiet now, Listado,' said Hudson, still 
 scarcely able to speak ; c who ever saw a matter of 
 this kind managed by the principals ? I am Brail's 
 second ; leave me to deal with Crawford.' 
 
 'Well, Brail,' quoth Listado, addressing me 
 direct^ to my great surprise, £ let you and I sit down 
 here, until our friends there fix when and where 
 we may shoot each other comfortably ; ' and he 
 hauled me away by the button-hole as familiarly 
 as ever. 
 
 The two lieutenants walked to the other end 
 of the room, where Crawford's face soon became 
 as joyous as Hudson's had been ; and both of them 
 had to turn their backs on us, and apply their 
 handkerchiefs to their mouths, to conceal their 
 laughter. At length they mustered sufficient com- 
 mand of feature to turn towards us, and approach ; 
 but every now and then there was a sudden in- 
 voluntary jerk of Hudson's shoulders, and a lifting 
 of his eyebrows, and a compression of his lips, that 
 showed how difficult it was for him to refrain from 
 a regular explosion. 
 
 ' If I understand you rightly,' began Crawford, 
 slowly and sedately addressing his principal, ' you 
 do not press for an apology on account of any slight 
 to yourself in this matter, whether intentional or 
 not, on the part of Mr. Brail ? ' 
 
 c Certainly not — by no manner of means — I 
 have a great regard for him, and I am convinced 
 he intended none. I perceived he had been pushed 
 off his balance, somehow or other, and I can allow 
 for it.' 
 
 c Spoken like a reasonable being and a right 
 good fellow. Then, as I take it,' continued the 
 American lieutenant, 'the whole quarrel depends 
 
 84
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS — EL CAFETAL 
 
 on this : Mr. Brail has, according to your beliefs 
 affronted Miss Hudson ; he must, therefore, either 
 apologise for what he said or did to her^ or turn out 
 with you ? ' 
 
 ' Do you know, Crawford,' said our friend, 
 rubbing his hands, 'you are a devilish clever 
 fellow ; you have hit it to a nicety, upon my 
 honour.' 
 
 4 Well, now,' quoth Crawford, turning to me, 
 c will you, Mr. Brail, to save further bother, make 
 this apology to Mr. Listado ? ' 
 
 c No,' said I, deliberately, and with a strong 
 emphasis. 
 
 'That's right, Benjie,' quoth Listado, fidgeting 
 with delight, as if the certainty of the quarrel was 
 now put beyond all doubt. c Didn't I tell you that 
 he would make no apology ? Now, mind you, 
 don't interfere with the breakfast hour to-morrow, 
 Crawford, as I am invited to come here.' 
 
 Hudson could stand it no longer. ' I '11 tell you 
 what, my dear Listado, I have my sister's, Miss 
 Helen Hudson's, commands, that nothing more be 
 done in this matter ; and farther, that so far from 
 Mr. Brail having affronted her, he really paid her 
 the most profound compliment that a gentleman 
 can pay to a lady.' 
 
 1 As how, so please you ? ' quoth Listado with 
 a most vinegar grin, although deucedly puzzled at 
 the same time ; ' a lady don't weep at a compli- 
 ment usually.' 
 
 ' In plain English, then, Laurence, Mr. Brail 
 had just, as you entered, asked my sister to — to 
 marry him? 
 
 Listado's face altered — his jaw fell. '■Marry him : 
 I thought so ; why, this is worse and worse. Now, 
 
 85
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 I will pink him, by Jupiter ! Marry him, indeed ! 
 While Laurence Listado lives she shall be compelled 
 to do no such thing. I am a man of some fortune, 
 and, as you all know, I am desperately in love with 
 her myself ; so fix time and place, and damn the 
 hour of breakfast now entirely. I will shoot him 
 — any time — now — across that table. Oh Brail ! 
 you incomparable hyp ' 
 
 1 Hush ! hush ! ' said Hudson, clapping his 
 hand on Listado's mouth ; ' hush ! he has not 
 only had the insolence to ask her to marry him — 
 [here Listado clenched his hand, bit his lip, and 
 gave three or four tremendous strides to the other 
 end of the room] — not only has he asked her to 
 marry him, but — but he has been accepted ! ' 
 
 Poor Laurence faced right round. 
 
 1 Say so again, and Pooh, Hudson, you are 
 
 jesting with me ; but here comes Mrs. Hudson. 
 Madam, has Mr. Brail had the audacity to ask 
 your daughter in marriage ? And has she had the 
 egregious folly to accept him in preference to your 
 servant, and her humble admirer, Laurence Lis- 
 tado ? ' 
 
 Mrs. Hudson looked at me, and then at her son, 
 and then at me again — as much as to say — c Very 
 indelicate conduct this, on your part, at any rate ' 
 — at length, ' Mr. Brail, I am thunderstruck — how 
 came my daughter to have been made the subject 
 of a brawl ? — was this ' 
 
 ' My dear mother,' chimed in her son, 'it is all 
 a mistake — Brail is not to blame, and no more is 
 Listado — say, has Helen Hudson accepted Brail, 
 or has she not ? ' 
 
 4 She certainly has accepted him — on conditions.'* 
 
 Listado's eyes, during this colloquy, were 
 
 86
 
 A CRUISE IN THE MOUNTAINS — EL CAFETAL 
 
 riveted on Mrs. Hudson's face. When she 
 uttered these words, he slowly turned them on 
 me, and while the tears hopped o'er his cheek, he 
 advanced and took my hand. 
 
 c Brail, I wish you joy — from my soul I do — 
 even although I — curse it, never mind — but, man, 
 could you not take Sophie Duquesne ? — yet — even 
 at the eleventh hour, Benjamin ? — it would 
 mightily oblige me, do you know.' 
 
 I smiled. 
 
 ' Well, well, I have been a fool ; and I have ill- 
 used you, Brail, but I am sorry for it — so, God 
 bless you, my dear boy — you are a fortunate fellow ' 
 — and, thereupon, he ran out of the room, without 
 saying good-bye to any one. 
 
 Next morning, I had a visit from him, before I 
 got out of my bed. He came into my room with 
 a most ludicrous, serio-comic expression of coun- 
 tenance, and drawing a long sigh, sat down on a 
 chair by my bedside without uttering a word. 
 
 As I had not forgotten his strange conduct the 
 day before, I thought I would let him have his own 
 way, and leave him to break ground first. He sat 
 still about a minute longer, and then clasping his 
 hands together, with his Barcelona most patheti- 
 cally sticking out between his fingers — he turned 
 round and looked at me with his great prominent 
 goggle eyes. 
 
 ' Do I look as if I had been weeping, Benjamin 
 — are my eyes bloodshot ? ' 
 
 4 They are certainly inflamed,' said I, rather 
 shortly. 
 
 'Ah,' said he, in a small, dolorous whine — C I 
 knew it, Benjie — my heart is as soft this morning 
 as a waxy potato. I was a great, big fool last 
 
 87
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 evening, Brail, and I don't think I 'm much wiser 
 to-day, and all for a little hook-nosed dumpy 
 woman. Do you know, I took the affair so deeply 
 to heart, that I went home, and drank three bottles 
 of claret solus , and afterwards topped off with hot 
 brandy grog ! — ' (A very sufficing reason for your 
 bloodshot eyes, thought I), — 'and I believe I will 
 go hang myself.' 
 
 1 Pooh, pooh — hang cats and blind puppies, 
 man,' said I. ' Come, come, now, Listado — you 
 are not here to renew our quarrel, or rather your 
 quarrel, for I declare / have none with you — but 
 why bring Miss Hudson on the carpet again ? 
 She did not deceive you, Listado ; you know she 
 never gave you any encouragement. 
 
 c She did not deceive me^ certainly ; but did she 
 not persave that I admired her ; so why did she 
 allow me to deceive myself? ' 
 
 I laughed outright. ' Come, man, you are 
 expecting too much at the hands of a young lady, 
 who of course is accustomed to admiration. She 
 was not aware you entertained any very tender 
 regard for her ; why, it was only three days ago at 
 breakfast that you broke off in the middle of a 
 beautiful compliment to her eyebrow — the worst 
 feature in her face, by the way — to ask for a plate 
 of boiled ham and eggs. You may rest assured, 
 my dear Listado, that Miss Hudson never dreamed 
 you were in love with her, and, in sober earnest, 
 are you so, now ? — come, out with it.' 
 
 He looked at me with the strangest twinkle of 
 his eye, then, slewing his head from side to side, 
 he twitched up one corner of his mouth, as he 
 said, ' Will you, or will you not, take Sophie Du- 
 quesne, Brail ? Lord, man, she is the finer 
 
 88
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 woman of the two, and surely you have known 
 neither of the girls long enough to have any 
 peculiar preference.' 
 
 The idea of my swopping my betrothed wife, as 
 one would do a horse, merely, forsooth, to oblige 
 him, was exceedingly entertaining. 
 
 c Really, Listado, you are a most curious animal. 
 I have told you No, and I reiterate, No.' 
 
 'Well then, Brail, may the devil fly away with 
 you and your dearie both, for, since you must 
 know, I was not in love after all. I am sure I was 
 not, although I confess being at one time very 
 near it — so all happiness to you, my darling. Do 
 you know, Benjie, that I have been quizzing you 
 all this while ? ' 
 
 I did not know it, nor did I believe it, but, by 
 way of letting him down gently, I said nothing ; 
 and that very day I took an affectionate leave of 
 my excellent old friend, Sir Oliver, who was that 
 day to drop down under the Moro, preparatory to 
 sailing ; of my worthy cousin Dick Lanyard, Mr. 
 Sprawl, and the other Gazelles and Midges^ who 
 had been kind to me ; and next morning I secured 
 my passage in a Kingston trader, that was to sail 
 for Jamaica that day week. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 The short interval between the period when I 
 resolved upon this step, and of putting it into ex- 
 ecution, was passed in a state of mind little enviable 
 
 89
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 — in a strange mixture of pleasure and pain, of joy 
 and grief. At one moment both Helen and my- 
 self were buoyed up with the most joyous antici- 
 pations ; at another a weight hung on our hearts, 
 that we could not ourselves account for. With 
 us, however, the chances of happiness seemed to 
 preponderate j but it was far otherwise with poor 
 De Walden and Sophie Duquesne, who, children 
 as they both were, had also tumbled head over 
 heels in love, before they were aware of it. 
 
 For several days the young midshipman had 
 been kept on board attending to his duty ; it was 
 the last evening but one that I was to spend in 
 Havanna, when, against Mrs. Hudson's wish, and, 
 I need not say, most diametrically opposed to 
 Helen's and mine, old Mr. Duquesne had invited 
 some friends in the evening ; and, having dined at 
 the usual hour, the girls were having their hair 
 dressed in the boudoir already described, while we, 
 the male part of the family, were enjoying our 
 wine in the room that had been my bedroom. 
 
 c Now, Mr. Duquesne,' said I, c I really am 
 quite ashamed at the trouble I must have put you 
 all to lately ; why ' (looking round me) c I seem 
 to have actually dispossessed you of your dining 
 salon for some time. I was not aware of this 
 before.' 
 
 c Poo, it does not signify none at all, my dear 
 sare — de happiness and obligation were all mine. 
 I cannot wish you were wound again — oh cer- 
 tainement^ I could not do dat sing ; mais I happy 
 would be, you should sprain your foot, elbow, or 
 head, or any leetle fingare — so as you were to stay 
 here some time less — more I mean — assurement^ 
 you cannot maintain your resolution to leave 
 
 90
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 us yesterday ? — put off" your depart until last 
 week.' 
 
 c Impossible, my very kind friend j I have too 
 long trespassed on your kindness — kindness which 
 I am sure I shall never be able to repay.' — Here 
 we were interrupted by De Walden entering the 
 the room. — 'Ah, Henry, how are you ? ' 
 
 Our excellent host and Mrs. Hudson both rose 
 to receive him. He looked very pale and had a 
 nervous unsettledness about him, that contrasted 
 unpleasantly with the recollection of his usual quiet 
 and naturally graceful manner. 
 
 After returning their civility, he drew his chair 
 to the table, and I noticed he helped himself very 
 hastily to a large bumper of madeira, part of which 
 was spilt from the trembling of his hand, as he 
 carried the glass to his lips. ' Gentlemen,' at this 
 juncture said Helen, from the other room, ' had 
 you not better come closer to the balcony here, and 
 give us the benefit of your conversation, now, since 
 Master De Walden graces your board ? ' Here 
 Sophie, who was under the hands of our old friend 
 Pepe Biada, slapped Helen, as if there had been 
 some bantering going on between them, having 
 reference to the young fellow. 
 
 c Certainly,' said William Hudson ; c but come, 
 Brail, would it not be an improvement on Helen's 
 plan, were we to adjourn to the other room alto- 
 gether ? — this one ' — continued he looking towards 
 Mr. Duquesne — 'will be wanted soon — indeed, 
 Nariz de Nieve and Manuel have once or twice 
 popped in their beautiful countenances at the door 
 as hints for us to move.' 
 
 We all with one accord rose at this — the two 
 elderly gentlemen adjourned to the counting-house, 
 
 9i
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 while young Hudson, De Walden, and your hum- 
 ble servant repaired to the sanctum of the young 
 ladies. When we entered, we found Mrs. Hudson 
 sitting, already dressed for company, at one side of 
 the piano, where Helen was practising some new 
 air, with (oh, shocking to an English eye) her hair 
 en papilloteS) while the beautiful long jet-black tresses 
 of her charming companion were still under the 
 hands of the monkeyfied barber, my old ally, Pepe 
 Biada. 
 
 'Mr. Brail,' said Mrs. Hudson, c I thought you 
 did not patronise this foreign free-and-easy fashion 
 that has crept in amongst us — Helen, there, said 
 she was sure you would not come.' 
 
 I laughed — ' Why, Helen is wrong for once, 
 you see, my dear madam ; but if I had any objec- 
 tion, any slight scruple, you must allow I have 
 very easily surmounted it, at any rate ; and as for 
 De Walden there, he seems to have none at all.' 
 
 He turned as I spoke, and both he and Sophie, 
 who had been communing together in an under- 
 tone, started and blushed, as if somewhat caught^ to 
 use a vulgar but expressive phrase, and I saw a 
 tear stand in the dark beauty's eye. But De 
 Walden seemed by this time to have got his feelings 
 under control, although, from the altered manner 
 of poor Sophie, it was not to be concealed from me, 
 that some communication had just been made 
 to her by him, that lay heavy on her young heart. 
 
 It now became necessary that we should retire 
 to dress ; and by the time I returned, the company 
 had begun to assemble ; but De Walden was 
 nowhere to be seen — he had returned to his ship, 
 it appeared ; and although poor Sophie did the 
 honours during the early part of the evening with 
 
 92
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 her usual elegance, yet her customary sprightliness 
 was altogether gone, and it was evident how much 
 it cost her to control her feelings. About mid- 
 night, however, worn out, heart-crushed, and 
 dejected, she could no longer sustain this assumed 
 unconcern, and retired on the plea of a head-ache. 
 But the rest of us, hard-hearted animals as we were, 
 having got into the spirit of the thing, at the 
 expense of some mental exertion, and not a little 
 champagne, contrived to forget poor Sophie and 
 De Walden fpr a time, and so carried on until 
 daydawn. 
 
 ' What is that ? ' said I to William Hudson. 
 
 1 A gun from Gazelle on weighing, I guess,' 
 said he. 
 
 4 Ah,' I rejoined — ' I did not know she was to 
 sail before Sunday.' 
 
 1 It stood for Sunday, I believe — at least, so De 
 Walden told me, until yesterday afternoon, when 
 all the merchantmen having reported ready for sea, 
 the commodore determined to be off.' 
 
 * The sound of that cannon,' said Helen Hudson 
 to me, with an agitated voice, as we sat together, 
 'will be like a knell to one we know of, Benjamin.' 
 
 A short time after this the party broke up, and 
 we retired to rest. With me it was short and 
 troubled, and I awoke little refreshed about noon 
 — the hour we had previously arranged for break- 
 fast. 
 
 I was to sail the following morning, and Mrs. 
 Hudson, with matronly kindness and consideration, 
 left her daughter and me very much alone and 
 together that forenoon and evening. After I had, 
 made my little preparations for embarking, laid in 
 my sea-stock, and arranged for my passage in the 
 
 93
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 British brig the Bal/aboo, I returned in the evening 
 just as the night was closing in. I found Helen 
 sitting alone in the boudoir, and I could not but 
 perceive that she had been weeping. 
 
 c How now, my dearest,' said I, as gaily as the 
 weight at my own heart would let me, — c How 
 now, Helen — why so sad ? — you know we have all 
 along been aware that we must part, but I trust 
 only temporarily. Come, now, you have had your 
 wish gratified, by Sir Oliver leaving Dicky Phan- 
 tom with you, until his friends in England have 
 been consulted, and take care, Helen — I shall grow 
 jealous of the small rogue, if you don't mind. So, 
 come now, Helen, don't be foolish — We shall 
 soon have a happy meeting, if it pleases Heaven, 
 and ' 
 
 4 1 hope so — I trust so, Benjamin — but in such 
 a climate who can promise themselves a happy or 
 a certain meeting ? Have we not ourselves met 
 friends in the morning, who never saw the sun 
 rise again ? Oh, Benjamin, my heart is fond and 
 foolish.' 
 
 1 Well, well, Helen, but cheer up, my sweet 
 girl — our prospects are fair compared to poor De 
 Walden's.' 
 
 c True, and so they are — poor Sophie, too — but 
 there has been no declaration on his part ' — as if 
 willing to lead the conversation from our own 
 sorrows. — c He is the most open-hearted lad, Ben- 
 jamin, I ever met. Early in the forenoon, yester- 
 day, he told Sophie, that except Sir Oliver Oak- 
 plank, he had not one friend in the wide world 
 who cared a straw about him ; what claim he had 
 on him he did not say — that he had nothing to 
 look to, but getting on in the service through his 
 
 94
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 own exertions ; and more than once he has already 
 told my mother, that if there had been the smallest 
 chance of joining his frigate in Jamaica, he would 
 instantly have left Havanna, had he even worked 
 his passage. He said he feared it was neither 
 prudent nor honourable, his remaining here. Poor, 
 poor Henry ! ' 
 
 4 Did he say anything of his early life ? ' said I, 
 my curiosity getting the better of my propriety of 
 feeling. 
 
 ' Not much. He had been, from his own 
 account, the Child of Misfortune. The current 
 of his life, from the earliest period he could recol- 
 lect, had been dark and troubled. Few gleams of 
 sunshine had ever brightened the stream ; and 
 when they did dance for a moment on a passing 
 joyous ripple that crisped its surface, it was but to 
 give place to heavy clouds, under whose lowering 
 shadow it again assumed its usual leaden hue. — 
 And, oh, Benjamin, how is it to be with ourselves ? 
 You have also, from your own account, suffered 
 much, from loss of fortune, and of near and dear 
 friends. May not our own acquaintance prove 
 one of those evanescent gleams in our lives ? If — 
 if — and she clasped her arms round my neck — * if 
 our meeting should prove but a sparkle on the 
 wave, Benjamin, after all, that twinkles for a 
 moment before it floats down the dark stream of 
 our existence to be no more seen — Oh, my love, 
 
 if we are never to meet again ' And she wept 
 
 until her heart was like to burst. 
 
 4 Hope for the best, my dearest Helen ; hope 
 for the best. I will soon return, Helen — I will, 
 believe me — so be composed — we must not give 
 way to our feelings — we have a duty to perform 
 
 95
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 to ourselves, our friends, and each other ; nay, 
 more, to that all-gracious Being who has blessed 
 us by bringing us together, and who has smiled on 
 our prospects thus far — and here comes your mother, 
 let us ask her blessing for — for ' 
 
 I broke off, for I durst not say out my say ; but 
 in furtherance of my determination, after parting 
 with my friends for the night, and stealing a kiss 
 from little Dicky as he slept like a rosebud steeped 
 in dew, with the assistance of William Hudson, 
 I got my small kit away without suspicion, and 
 repaired on board the Ballahoo. 
 
 When I got on the deck of the brig it was quite 
 dark, and everything was in great confusion, pre- 
 paratory to getting under weigh in the morning. 
 The crew — blacks, browns, and whites, English- 
 men and Spaniards — were gabbling aloft and shout- 
 ing below, as some were bending sails, and others 
 hoisting them up to the yards ; while others were 
 tumbling about bales of tobacco on deck, and 
 lowering them down the hatchway, where a number 
 of hired negroes were stowing the same away in 
 the hold. Her cargo consisted of logwood, hides, 
 and tobacco, the blending of the effluvia from the 
 two latter being anything but ambrosial. 
 
 When I went below, I found at least a dozen 
 Spanish passengers busily employed in stowing 
 away their luggage in the cabin. I could not help 
 being greatly struck with the careless way in which 
 they chucked their bags of doubloons about, as if 
 they had been small sacks of barley, and the reck- 
 lessness they displayed in exposing such heaps of 
 glittering pieces of apparently untold gold to the 
 eyes of the crew and myself, for I was an utter 
 straneer to all of them. ' Were I to exhibit a 
 
 96
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 handful of bank-notes in England in this way ! ' 
 thought I. The confidence these traders appeared 
 to place in their negro servants absolutely aston- 
 ished me, so much greater was it than I ever could 
 have dreamed of; but the strangest part of the 
 affair was yet to come. The English captain of 
 the brig, after having ordered the boats to be 
 hoisted in, had just come down ; and seeing me 
 seated on the locker, leaning with my back against 
 the rudder-case, and silently observing, with folded 
 arms, the tumultuous conduct of the Dons, ad- 
 dressed me : 
 
 £ A new scene to you, Mr. Brail, I presume ? ' 
 
 4 It is so, certainly. Are our friends there not 
 afraid that those black fellows who are bustling 
 about may take a fancy to some of these rouleaux 
 of doubloons that they are packing away into their 
 portmanteaus and trunks there ? ' 
 
 ' No, no,' rejoined he, smiling ; ' most of these 
 poor fellows are household slaves, who have been, 
 very probably, born and bred up in their families ; 
 not a few may even be their foster brothers, and 
 all of that class 'are perfectly trustworthy ; in truth, 
 sir, as an Englishman, I am sorry to say it, but 
 they treat their domestic negroes infinitely better 
 than we do. As to the field slaves, I cannot 
 judge, but I can speak as to the fact of the others 
 from long experience. A Spanish family look on 
 negroes of this class as part and portion of the 
 household ; in fact, they are not bondsmen at all, 
 except in name ; for they are better cared for than 
 servants, be they white or black, in any other 
 countries I know. Indeed, now that I reflect, 
 you must have noticed they don't even suffer the 
 humiliation of being called " slave," — " criado" the 
 
 vol. ii. 97 G
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 common name given them by their masters, 
 signifying literally servant ; the harsher esclavo 
 being seldom, indeed never, applied to them, unless 
 when they have been guilty of some default.' 
 
 ' Heavens ! ' I here exclaimed, 'what, are they 
 all going to bed, with your supper untouched on 
 the table ? — see if they be not undressing ! ' 
 
 He laughed. ' You shall soon know the reason 
 of their stripping, sir,' said he. ' It is contraband 
 to carry off either gold or silver coin here ; and 
 you shall presently see an instance of Spanish in- 
 genuity in defrauding their revenue laws on the 
 one hand, and of the trust they place in their 
 coloured servants on the other ; of their own dis- 
 honesty, and the implicit confidence they place in 
 the integrity of others, and those others negro 
 slaves.' 
 
 The operation of peeling was all this while going 
 on amongst the gingham-coated gentry, who, when 
 naked to their trousers, presented a most absurd 
 appearance, each of them having sewed round his 
 waist and loins, next his skin, from four to six 
 double bands of coarse linen or 'canvas, like so 
 many eel-skins, each filled with broad gold pieces, 
 packed on their edges, and overlapping each other, 
 until they were fairly pistol-proof, in scale-armour 
 of gold. 
 
 After loud shouts of laughter at the manner in 
 which they had done the pies de gallo,ox custom-house 
 officers, they stowed away the specie and donned 
 their clothes again ; when, lo ! the black criados, 
 to my great astonishment, began to strip in turn. 
 Presently blackie was exhibited in the same state 
 of nudity as his master had recently been, and the 
 gold pieces were in like manner peeled off him. 
 
 98
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 These transactions taking place in a confined 
 well-cabin, lit by a small skylight, with the ther- 
 mometer standing at ninety-five, had no very great 
 purifying effect on the atmosphere, the blended 
 steam of human carcases and tallow candles being 
 anything but savoury. 
 
 The captain having very civilly given up his 
 own berth to me, after having satisfied my curi- 
 osity, I retired to steal such rest as I might expect 
 to snatch in so uncomfortable a fellowship, and 
 was about toppling over into a sound snooze, when 
 my Spanish allies, inspired by libations of bad 
 brandy, with which they had washed down their 
 mess of garlic and jerked beef, chose to chant in 
 chorus, most vociferously, the popular Peninsular 
 song of the day, ' A la guerra, a la guerra, Espan- 
 oles.' This was absurd enough from a set of shop- 
 keepers and smugglers, but being deucedly tired, I 
 soon grew accustomed to their noise, which seemed 
 to have no end, and fell fast asleep. 
 
 In the morning, the bustle overhead awoke me ; 
 and having got up and dressed, I went on deck, 
 where I was glad to find that the confusion of the 
 previous night had very much subsided. 
 
 The vessel in which I had embarked was a long 
 low French-built brig, with very high solid bul- 
 warks, pierced for sixteen guns, but having only 
 six twelve-pound carronades mounted. 
 
 I was informed by the captain that she was a 
 very fast sailer, which I found to be true ; indeed, 
 her share of the trade between Kingston and 
 Havanna very much depended on this qualifi- 
 cation. 
 
 Her hull was beautifully moulded, a superfine 
 run, beautiful bows, and sides as round as an apple. 
 
 99
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 By the time I got on deck, the topsails and top- 
 gallant sails were sheeted home and hoisted, the 
 cable being right up and down. After several 
 quick clattering revolutions of the windlass, c We 
 are a-weigh,' sung out the skipper, and presently 
 all was bustle on board, securing the anchor, during 
 which the vessel began to glide slowly along 
 towards the harbour's mouth, and under the 
 enormous batteries that line it on either side. 
 
 When we got to sea, the breeze failed us ; and 
 as the sun rose, we lay roasting on the smooth 
 swell, floating bodily away on the Gulf-stream to the 
 northward. 
 
 We were baffled in this way for three tedious 
 days, until I began to think we should never lose 
 sight of the Florida shore. At length a breeze 
 from the eastward sprang up, that enabled us to 
 stem the Gulf-stream. 
 
 In the night of the fourth day, after leaving 
 Havanna, I had come on deck. It was again 
 nearly calm, and the sails were beginning to flap 
 against the masts. There was no moon, but the 
 stars shone brightly. Several large fish were play- 
 ing about, and I was watching one of them, whose 
 long sparkling wake pointed out his position, when 
 the master of the brig, who had followed me, and 
 now stood beside me at the gangway, remarked 
 that there was an uncommon appearance in the 
 north-west quarter. 
 
 I looked, and fancied I saw a glare, as from a 
 fire on shore, but so faint that I could not be 
 certain. I therefore resumed my walk on deck, 
 along with the captain. The dew now began 
 to fall in showers at every shake of the wet 
 sails. 
 
 100
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 'Why, we shall get soaked here, skipper, if the 
 breeze don't freshen ! ' 
 
 'Indeed, sir, I wish it would, with all my heart. 
 I have no fancy for knocking about in this neigh- 
 bourhood one minute longer than I can help, I 
 assure you. There are some hookers cruising in 
 the channel here, that might prove unpleasant 
 acquaintances if they overhauled us. I say, 
 steward, hand me up my night-glass. The glare 
 on our starboard bow, down to leeward there, 
 increases, sir.' 
 
 I looked, and saw he was right. Some clouds 
 had risen in that direction over the land, which 
 reflected the light of a large fire beneath in bright 
 red masses. 
 
 ' Are you sure that fire is on the land ? ' said I, 
 after having taken a look at it through the night- 
 glass. 
 
 ' No, I am not,' said he ; 'on the contrary, I 
 have my suspicions it is at sea ; however, we 
 shall soon ascertain, for here comes the breeze at 
 last.' 
 
 We bowled along for an hour, when it again fell 
 nearly calm ; but we had approached so close as 
 to be able distinctly to make out that the light we 
 had seen did in very truth proceed from a vessel 
 on fire. It was now near three o'clock in the 
 morning, and I proposed to the skipper to keep 
 away towards the fire, in order to lend any assis- 
 tance in our power to the crew of the burning 
 vessel, if need were. 
 
 ' No, no, sir j no fear of the crew, if the vessel 
 has taken fire accidentally, because they are well 
 in with the land, and they could, even with this 
 light air, run her ashore on the Florida reefs, or 
 
 IOI 
 
 g>
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 take to their boats ; but I fear the unfortunate 
 craft has been set fire to by one of those marauding 
 villains I alluded to. However, be that as it may, 
 I will stand on our course until daylight, at any 
 rate, when we shall be able to see about us. In 
 the meantime, keep a bright look-out forward there 
 — do you hear ? ' 
 
 ' Ay, ay, sir.' 
 
 I was too much interested by this incident to 
 think of going below ; so I remained on deck, as 
 did the master, until the day dawned. 
 
 As the approach of sunrise drew near, the bright 
 yellow flame faded into a glowing red. Gradually 
 the crimson colour of the clouds overhead faded 
 and vanished. The morning; lightened, the fire 
 disappeared altogether, and we could only make 
 out a dense column of smoke rising up slowly into 
 the calm grey morning sky. The object on fire 
 was now about four miles on the starboard beam, 
 as near as we could judge. 
 
 1 Now,' said I, ' there is the breeze steady at 
 last,' as it came down strong, with a hoarse rush- 
 ing noise, heard long before it reached us, and 
 roughening the blue water to windward, just as 
 the sun rose. It was preceded by the pride of the 
 morning, a smart shower, which pelted on our 
 decks, and the next moment our light sails aloft 
 filled — the topsail sheets then felt the strain of the 
 canvas, under the freshening blast. The brig lay 
 over — the green wave curled outwards, roaring 
 from the cutwater — the strength of the breeze 
 struck her — and away she flew like a sea-bird 
 before it. 
 
 4 There it is — strong and steady to be sure,' cried 
 the captain, rubbing his hands joyously ; ' and with 
 
 102
 
 ■■Muy 
 
 — 
 - 
 
 
 
 ~~* 
 
 LYINCMOTIONLESS ON THE SILVER SWELL.
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 such a capful of wind I don't fear any thing here 
 smaller than a frigate; so haul out the boom main- 
 sail, and set the square one — run up the flying jib 
 — come, Mr. Brail, we shall keep her away, and 
 see what is going on yonder, now since we have 
 the old barky under command.' 
 
 We rapidly approached the burning vessel, which 
 was still becalmed, and lying motionless on the 
 silver swell, veiled from our sight by the pillar of 
 cloud that brooded over it, which continued to 
 ascend straight up into the clear heaven, the top 
 of it spreading and feathering out like the drooping 
 leaves of some noble palm ; but the moment that 
 the breeze which we brought along with us struck 
 the column, it blew ofF like the tree I have likened 
 it to, levelled before the blast, and streamed away 
 down to leeward in a long whirling trail, disclosing 
 to our view the black hull and lower masts of a 
 large vessel, with the bright red flames gushing out 
 from her hatchways, and flickering up the masts 
 and spars. 
 
 As the veil of smoke thinned, we suddenly got 
 a glimpse of a felucca, hitherto concealed by it, and 
 to leeward of the vessel. When we first saw her 
 she was edging away from the wreck, with a boat 
 towing astern, rather an unusual thing at sea. 
 Presently, she hoisted it up, and kept by the wind 
 after us, as if she had taken time to reconnoitre, 
 and had at length made up her mind to overhaul 
 us. As the wreck was by this time burned to the 
 water's edge, it was clear we could render no 
 assistance ; we therefore made all the sail we 
 could, and stood once more on our course. Just 
 as we had hauled by the wind, the afterpart of the 
 quarterdeck of the burning vessel lifted, as it were, 
 
 103
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 but by no means suddenly, although the stump of 
 the mizen-mast flew up into the sky like a javelin 
 launched from the hands of a giant, and clouds of 
 white smoke burst from the hull, in the midst of 
 which a sudden spout of red flame shot up, but 
 there was scarcely any report, at least what sound 
 we heard was more a deadened thud than a sharp 
 explosion. The unfortunate hooker immediately 
 fell over on her side, and vanished suddenly below 
 the green waves, in a cloud of white steam. 
 
 ' There 's a gallant craft come to an untimely 
 end,' said the captain. 
 
 ' You may say that,' I rejoined ; ' and that 
 roguish-looking little fellow to leeward has had 
 some hand in her destruction, or I am mistaken — 
 see if the villain has not hauled his wind, and made 
 all the sail he can pack on her after us. Had you 
 not better keep by the wind, Mr. Hause, and try 
 if you can't shake him ofFon a bowline ? ' 
 
 The hint was taken. We made all sail on the 
 larboard tack, steadying the leeches well out, and, 
 although the felucca did the same, it was clear we 
 were dropping her fast. 
 
 4 Give me the glass,' said I. C I had strong 
 suspicions that I knew that chap before — let me 
 see — ay, it is her, true enough. I know the new 
 cloth in the afterleech of the mainsail there — there, 
 about half-way up — but heyday — that sail was as 
 good as new, notwithstanding, when I last saw it, 
 but it seems strangely patched now — this must be 
 meant as a mask.' 
 
 'Pray, sir,' said the skipper, 'do you know that 
 vessel ? ' 
 
 ' To be sure I do — it is the Midge — my old 
 friend the Midge, as I am a sinner, and no other — 
 
 104
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 she that was tender to the Gazelle the other day, 
 the little felucca sold out of the service at Havanna 
 before we sailed. I cannot be deceived, but she 
 must be strangely out of trim.' 
 
 All the Spanish passengers were by this time on 
 deck, peering out through their telescopes at the 
 little vessel. 
 
 ' What can keep her astern in that manner ? ' 
 continued I ; 'she seems under all sail, yet you are 
 leaving her hand-over-hand, and that is more than 
 you should do, fast as you say you are, were she 
 properly handled.' 
 
 'Why,' said the master, joyously, 'you don't 
 know the qualifications of this craft, sir ' 
 
 ' Probably not,' said I. 
 
 'We are creeping away beautifully,' continued 
 he. 'I always knew the Ballahoo had a clever 
 pair of heels, if there was any wind at all — pooh, 
 the Midge at her best could not have touched us, 
 take my word for it, Mr. Brail — keep her full and 
 by, my lad ' — to the man at the helm — ' let her 
 walk through it — do you hear — we shall show that 
 felucca that she has no chance with us.' 
 
 I handed the glass to the skipper again. 
 
 ' Don't you see something towing astern yonder, 
 as she falls off, and comes up to the wind again ? ' 
 
 ' Faith I do,' said he, in a hurried and somewhat 
 disconcerted tone, a sudden light seeming to flash 
 on him ; ' I see a long dark object in her wake, as 
 she rises on the swell — what can it be ? ' 
 
 'What say you to its being the spanker-boom, 
 or a spare topmast of the vessel we saw on fire, for 
 instance?' said I; 'at all events, you see it is a 
 spar of some sort or another, and it can onlv be 
 there for one purpose, to keep her astern, while she 
 
 105
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 desires to appear to be carrying all sail, and going 
 ahead as fast as she can ; it is a common trick 
 amongst these piratical craft, I know.' 
 
 The man, with a melancholy shake of his head, 
 coincided with me. 
 
 c Now,' said I, c listen to me. I know that 
 felucca well,' and here I told him how and what 
 time I had been on board of her — l if she casts off 
 that drag, she will be alongside of you in a crack. 
 In light winds and a smooth sea, she is the fastest 
 thing I ever saw ; you have no chance if you trust 
 to your heels ; so, take my advice, and shorten sail 
 boldly at once, get all your passengers on deck, 
 with their trabuccos^ clear away your guns and 
 double-shot them, and see all ready for action. If 
 you appear prepared she will not bother you — it is 
 not her cue to fight, unless she cannot help it — at 
 any rate, if you don't frighten her off, I see she 
 will stick by you all day, and be alongside whether 
 you will or no when the night falls ; so the sooner 
 you give him a glimpse of your charms the better, 
 take my word for it.' 
 
 My advice was so palpably prudent, that it was 
 instantly followed. 
 
 1 Valga me Dios ! ' exclaimed one of our Spanish 
 passengers, ' que gente hay abordo — gracias a Dios, 
 que este felucha no puede andar, porque hombre 
 honesto no lo es.' — (' Heaven help me, what a 
 number of people there are on board — we should 
 be thankful that that felucca can't sail, as she is 
 not honest, that's clear.') 
 
 Another shouted out — * Tanto gente — tanto 
 gente ! ' — (' Lord ! what a number of people — what 
 a number of people ! ') 
 
 ' People ! ' exclaimed the skipper, laughing, as 
 
 106
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 he slammed the joints of the glass into each other ; 
 4 why, it is a deck-load of cattle, or I am a Dutch- 
 man. Oh dear — oh dear — why, gentlemen, your 
 courage has all been thrown away — she is some 
 Montego Bay trader with a cargo of dyewood, and 
 "ganado," as you call them — ha — ha — ha ! ' 
 
 ' And so it is,' said I, much amused, and not a 
 little rejoiced. c Come, gentlemen, your warlike 
 demonstrations have indeed been thrown away, 
 and I suppose our friend the skipper there may 
 secure his guns when he likes, and keep away on 
 his course again.' 
 
 This was done, and everything subsided into its 
 usual quietness, except the jaw of the Dons, as to 
 the astonishing feats they never would have per- 
 formed ; for they were all silent enough, and Bob 
 Acreish enough, so long as we had suspicions of 
 the felucca, but every man among them was braver 
 than another the moment they saw that their fears 
 had been groundless. They now all began sing- 
 ing, and shouting, and swaggering about the decks, 
 bristling with pistols and knives, like so many por- 
 cupines, while I was taking a careless and, what 
 I considered, a parting squint at the vessel. When 
 I put my head over the high bulwark, I naturally 
 looked out astern, as we had by this time kept 
 away and were going along free, in expectation of 
 seeing him still close by the wind, but, to my great 
 surprise, no such thing — the youth, although no 
 nearer than before, in place of being by this time 
 in our wake, had kept away also, and was now on 
 our lee-quarter, sailing two knots for one he had 
 been going before, and as if desirous of cutting us 
 off. ' I say, skipper, I don't like this manoeuvring 
 on the part of the felucca — she is off the wind again.' 
 
 107
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 c And so she is,' said the man. 
 
 The Spaniards gathered from our countenances, 
 I suppose, that doubts had again sprung up in our 
 minds as to the character of the vessel, notwith- 
 standing the improbability of a pirate carrying a 
 deck-load of cattle — so they stopped their exclama- 
 tions in mid volley, breaking off their patriotic 
 songs, with laughable quickness, and began to 
 bustle with their glasses again. 
 
 My original suggestion was once more the order 
 of the day, and after seeing all clear for the second 
 time, the skipper manfully handed his top-gallant 
 sails, hauled up his courses, and took a reef in his 
 topsails. The felucca had now no alternative but 
 to come alongside ; so she gradually drew up on 
 our lee-quarter, so that, as the breeze laid her over, 
 we might see as little of her deck as possible. We 
 could now perceive that she had cast off the spar 
 she had been towing astern. Ticklish as our situa- 
 tion had become, my nautical enthusiasm fairly got 
 the better of me, as the little beauty ranged 
 alongside. 
 
 c Look, captain — look, man — how blandly she 
 bends before the breeze, as if she would melt into 
 the water like a snowflake, yet she never careens 
 over an inch beyond that mark on her goldbright 
 copper ; and how gracefully she always rights 
 again. See what an entry she has — not the smallest 
 surge, or curl of a wave at her bows. Her sharp 
 stem cuts into it as clean as a knife, while there is 
 not one single drop of dead water under the 
 counter. Mortal man never saw a cleaner run — 
 how mildly she skims along, and yet how fast — 
 the very gushes from the rudder swirl and meander 
 away astern mellifluously. — Oh, murder, if the 
 
 108
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 sweet little thing does not slide along as smoothly 
 as if the sea were oil ! ' 
 
 When she came within hail, she hauled the 
 foresheet to windward, and sent a small punt of a 
 boat, pulled by two men, on board, with a curious 
 sallow-complexioned little monkey of a Spaniard in 
 the stern. He came on deck, grimacing like an 
 ape, and although I could perceive that he was 
 carefully noting our strength and preparations with 
 the corner of his eye, he seemed all blandness and 
 civility. 
 
 ' What vessel is that ? ' said the captain. 
 
 c The Mosquito^ was the answer. 
 
 Here the little fellow looked very hard at me. 
 
 1 Ah ! ' said the skipper, c she is the English 
 tender that was sold the other day in Havanna.' 
 
 c The same,' said the baboon, evidently put out 
 by the recognition, but not venturing to deny the 
 fact ; c she was called de Midge den, dat is Anglis 
 for Mosquito? 
 
 c Come, there is honesty in that confession, at all 
 events,' thought I ; but I presently was convinced 
 that the fellow knew me, and, what was more, saw 
 that I had recognised his vessel, so his game, if he 
 wished to throw snuff in our eyes, was clearly to 
 take credit for candour. However, I was as vet 
 by no means satisfied of his quality. For instance, 
 he gave a blundering account of the reason why 
 they had clapped patches of old canvas on a new 
 sail, and he positively denied having had a spar 
 towing astern to deaden her way — thus telling a 
 deliberate lie. As to the vessel we had seen on 
 fire, he said they knew nothing of her, that they 
 had fallen in with her accidentally as we had done, 
 and that, so far as they knew, her crew had pre- 
 
 109
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 viously taken to their boats, for there was no one on 
 board of her when they passed her, that they could 
 perceive. He finished the parley by saying that 
 he was bound to Falmouth to dispose of his cargo 
 of Nicaragua wood and cattle, and that he had 
 come on board for some water, as they had run 
 short and had little left, except some pond water 
 for the bestias. 
 
 He got a small cask filled, and then, with a 
 repetition of his grimaces, walked over the side. 
 Immediately on his getting on board, the felucca 
 hauled by the wind until she got dead in our wake, 
 where she hung for some time ; but I could see 
 they had the greatest difficulty in keeping her 
 astern, by luffing up in the wind one moment — 
 then letting her fall broad off, and sheering her 
 about every way but the right one. At length he 
 took his departure, 
 
 4 Had you not cut such a formidable appearance, 
 Mr. Hause, you would have been treated very 
 unceremoniously by that gentleman, take my word 
 for it,' said I. 
 
 c You may say that, sir,' said the skipper ; ' but 
 I hope we are now finally quit of him.' 
 
 That same evening, about ten o'clock, I was 
 sitting in the cabin with the master of the vessel. 
 The cabin had two state-rooms, as they are called 
 in merchantmen, opening off it, one on each side 
 of the door, and four open berths aft, shut in with 
 green baize curtains that ran on brass rods. Each 
 of the beds was tenanted by a Spanish passenger, 
 while the master and I slept in cots slung in the 
 main cabin. The Dons, tired with the exploits of 
 the day, had by this time all bestowed themselves 
 in their nests, and, so far as we could judge by the 
 
 1 10
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 nasal chorus going on, were sound asleep. On a 
 sudden we heard the mate, who appeared to be 
 standing aft beside the man at the wheel, hail some 
 one forward. 
 
 4 Who is that standing on the rail at the gang- 
 way there ? ' 
 
 Some one answered, but we could not make out 
 what was said. 
 
 The mate again spoke — 'Whereabouts do you 
 see it ? ' 
 
 c There, sir — right to windward there.'' 
 
 We then heard a bustle in the companion, as if 
 some one was groping for the glass ; and in a 
 minute the mate came down to the cabin with it 
 in his hand. 
 
 4 There is a strange sail to windward of us, sir.' 
 
 4 What does she look like ? ' said the skipper ; 
 4 not that infernal felucca again ? ' 
 
 4 No, sir,' said the man ; 4 I think she is a large 
 schooner ; but it is so thick and dark that I cannot 
 be certain.' 
 
 4 I '11 bet a thousand,' said I, 4 that old Dogvane 
 was right after all ; and that this infernal little 
 Midge^ that has been buzzing round us all day, 
 will have enacted the jackal to the lion, and brought 
 this big fellow upon us.' 
 
 We rose and went on deck, and saw the object 
 to windward clearly enough. She appeared to be 
 dodging us ; and when we kept away, or luffed 
 up in the wind, she instantly manoeuvred in the 
 same fashion, so soon as she perceived we were 
 altering our position from her. 
 
 4 Come, that fellow is watching us, at any rate,' 
 said the captain, 4 whatever the felucca may have 
 done. I wish we were fairly round Cape Antonio. 
 
 in
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 I fear there is some concert between the two. 
 Mr. Crosjack,' to his mate, ' keep a bright look- 
 out — keep your eye on him, until I take a look at 
 the chart below : he seems determined to jam us 
 on the Florida shore. Surely the current is stronger 
 than I have allowed for, or we should have made 
 more of it by this time than we have done.' 
 
 Curiosity led me to accompany the skipper 
 below, and we were both poring over the chart, 
 when the mate called down — 
 
 ' The schooner has bore up for us, sir, and is 
 coming down like an arrow on our weather 
 quarter.' 
 
 c The devil she is ! ' said the skipper, dashing 
 down his compasses and parallel-ruler with such 
 vehemence that the former were driven through 
 the chart, and stuck quivering in the table on one 
 leg, like an opera-dancer; then slamming on his hat 
 he jumped up the ladder. 
 
 This startled the Dons. The curtains in front 
 of the side-berths were drawn aside with a jarring 
 rasp of the brass rings along the rods, and four 
 half-naked Spaniards, with their nightcaps on, and 
 their gold or silver crucifixes like glowworms in 
 moss (Lord, what a fantastical image !), glancing 
 on their hairy chests in the candlelight, sat up, 
 while the inmates of the two state-rooms stretched 
 their necks to look into the cabin. 
 
 c Que — que — buque a barlovento ? ' — ' What is 
 it ? — what — a vessel to windward ? ' 
 
 c Yes,' said I ; ' there is a strange sail after us 
 and dodging us rather suspiciously.' 
 
 i Sospechoso ! sospechoso ! — buque sospechoso ! 
 — Ave Maria ! ' and forthwith the whole lot of 
 warriors jumped out of bed, and great was the 
 
 112
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 confusion that arose while busy decorating them- 
 selves. One poor fellow, half asleep, turned his 
 trousers the wrong way, as if he were going to sail 
 stern foremost, like a Dutch schuyet. Another 
 stuck a leg into his own galligaskins right enough ; 
 while his neighbour, half asleep, had appropriated 
 the other branch of the subject, whereby they both 
 lost their balance, and fell down in this Irish man- 
 acle on their noses on the cabin floor, carrajoing^ 
 and spurring each other in great wrath. 
 
 The alarm in the brig had now become general, 
 and half a dozen more of our passengers came 
 tumbling down the companion-ladder, having left 
 their quarters in the steerage, as if their chance of 
 safety had been greater in the cabin ; and such a 
 jumble of shouting, and cursing, and praying, I 
 never heard before ; some of them calling to the 
 steward to open the hatch in the cabin floor, in 
 order to stow away their treasure in the run, others 
 bustling with their trabuccos ; some fixing flints, 
 others ramming down the bullets before the car- 
 tridges, when — crack — one of their pieces went off" 
 in the confusion and filled the cabin with smoke, 
 through which I could see several of my allies 
 prostrate on the floor, having fallen down in a 
 panic of fear. 
 
 Finding that the danger from one's friends below 
 was, if not greater than what threatened on deck, 
 yet sufficiently startling, I left them to shoot each 
 other at their leisure. By this time there was 
 neither moon nor stars to be seen, and the haze 
 that hung on the water, although there was a fine 
 breeze, and we were going along about seven knots, 
 made everything so indistinct, that it was some 
 time before I could catch the object again. At 
 
 vol. ii. 113 H
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 length I saw her — but as she was stem on, edging 
 down on us, I could not make out more than that 
 she was a large fore-and-aft rigged vessel, decidedly 
 not the Midge. When she had crept up within 
 hail, she brailed up her foresail, and, under her 
 mainsail and jib, appeared to have no difficulty in 
 maintaining her position on our weather quarter, 
 although we had set every inch of canvas that 
 would draw. There was no light on board, and it 
 was too dark to distinguish any one on her decks. 
 Our master was evidently puzzled what to do ; at 
 length, seizing the trumpet, he hailed the strange 
 sail. 
 
 i What schooner is that ? ' 
 
 1 The 'Julia of Baltimore,' was the prompt 
 answer. 
 
 £ Where are you bound for ? ' 
 
 ' Vera Cruz.' 
 
 A long pause, during which she was gradually 
 edging nearer and nearer. ' Don't come any 
 closer, or I will fire into you,' sung out our 
 skipper ; and then to me, ' He '11 be on board of 
 us, sir, if we do not mind.' 
 
 ' No, no,' was the laconic reply, as our perse- 
 cutor luffed up in the wind, but he soon kept 
 away again until he was right astern, and there he 
 stuck, to our great discomfort, the whole blessed 
 night, yawing about in our wake as if just to keep 
 out of hail. We passed, as may well be imagined, 
 a very anxious night of it ; at length day dawned 
 and we could see about us, but, as if to baulk us. 
 as the light increased the schooner shortened sail 
 still more, and steered more steadily, so that we 
 were prevented from seeing what was going on 
 upon deck ; at length, at eight o'clock, a.m., he set 
 
 114
 
 THE MOSQUITO 
 
 his foresail, and in ten minutes was again in his 
 old position to windward of us. We were all at 
 quarters once more ; even the Dons, finding that 
 there was no alternative, had determined to fight, 
 and as he gradually edged down, I asked the 
 skipper what he thought of it. ' I really don't 
 know, I see no one on deck but the man steering, 
 and that fellow sitting on the lee bulwark there, 
 with his arm round the backstay, apparently 
 watching us.' 
 
 c She does not seem to have any guns, 1 said I. 
 By this time the schooner, a long low vessel, 
 painted black, with a white streak, had crept up so 
 close on our weather quarter that by keeping 
 away a couple of points he could in half a minute 
 have run his jib-boom over our taffrail. 
 
 1 If you don't haul off",' sung out the captain, ' I 
 will fire into you.' At this, there was a rush of 
 men from below up the schooner's hatchways, and 
 her decks were in a trice covered with them. 
 The next moment she kept by the wind, as if 
 determined to bring us dead to leeward. There 
 was now no doubt of her real character, so the 
 captain seized the helm and luffed up across his 
 bows so suddenly, that I thought he had carried 
 away his jib-boom, but he was as quick as we were, 
 and by keeping away, cleared us, just shaving our 
 stern, but not before he got our broadside of 
 cannon and musketry plump into his bows. So 
 great was his confusion, that he lost his oppor- 
 tunity of raking us in passing to leeward. As the 
 brig came to the wind, the schooner shot ahead, 
 when by a dexterous management of the yards, 
 the former was backed astern. 'Give him the 
 other broadside, and blaze away, you Spanish 
 
 115
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 villains,' shouted the skipper ; he thus got t'other 
 dose right into his stern, and we could see his 
 reception had been far more surprising than 
 pleasant, for our fire was only returned by an ill- 
 directed volley of musketry, that injured no one. 
 The few English sailors we had on board con- 
 tinued to ply the carronades, as he again drew 
 ahead, and the Dons their trabuccos^ the latter 
 always cowering below the brig's bulwarks while 
 loading, then popping up their heads and letting 
 drive, sometimes at the enemy, at other times into 
 the air, as if they had been shooting sea-gulls. At 
 length, one of them was hit, by a chance shot from 
 the schooner, which was the signal for the whole 
 lot to run below. Our friend having shot ahead 
 out of gun-shot by this time, now hauled by the 
 wind, and once more shortened sail ; presently, as 
 if he had gathered fresh courage, he came down 
 again, — this time, from his preparations, with an 
 evident intention of boarding us ; and since the 
 evaporation of our Spanish allies, there is not the 
 least doubt but he would have carried us, when 
 c A sail right ahead,' sung out by one of the crew 
 at this most critical juncture, revived our spirits 
 again. As if the schooner had seen her at the 
 same moment, she instantly sheered off, hauled her 
 wind, and made all sail on a bow-line. 
 
 We continued on our course, under every stitch 
 we could crowd, and in half an hour had the 
 pleasure to see the vessel which was standing 
 towards us hoist a British ensign and pennant — 
 presently she hailed us, when we found she was 
 the Spider schooner, belonging to the Jamaica 
 station, who, on being made acquainted with the 
 nature of the attack, and the character of the vessel 
 
 116
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 on our weather beam, immediately made all sail in 
 chase ; but, unfortunately, she had no chance, and 
 in the afternoon we had the discomfort of seeing 
 her bear up and come down to us, the other vessel 
 being out of sight dead to windward. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 The lieutenant commanding the Spider came on 
 board, and finding we were bound for Kingston, 
 strongly recommended our not attempting it alone, 
 as he said privateers were swarming between it and 
 the west end of Jamaica ; but, on hearing that, 
 although the Ballahoo was bound for Kingston, 
 my destination was the north side of the island, he 
 politely said that, although bound for Havanna, he 
 would himself see us into Montego Bay, where 
 the brig might remain until the coast was clear, or 
 she could get convoy. This was too good an 
 offer to be rejected, and we accordingly hauled our 
 wind, and made all sail in company. 
 
 We — the master, his mate, and myself — were 
 sitting at dinner in the cabin on that same after- 
 noon, the Spanish gentry preferring to eat their 
 garlic and baccallao and oil on the deck. 
 
 c I was glad to see your servant out of his ham- 
 mock and on deck again to-day. He is a smart 
 chap that, and managed the small-arm party ex- 
 ceedingly well. He seems quite at home with the 
 musket, I assure you, sir.' 
 
 117
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 I laid down my knife and fork at this speech of 
 the captain. 
 
 'My servant — my servant, did you say ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, sir. Did you not notice how well he 
 behaved on the forecastle, when the schooner was 
 drawing a-head of us ? ' 
 
 I had noticed a black fellow, in an old red 
 jacket, very active certainly during the brush, and 
 especially the coolness and expertness with which 
 he had fired ; but I little dreamed who it was. 
 
 c Pray,' said I to the skipper, * do me the favour 
 to desire the man to come aft here.' 
 
 Straightway, who, of all the fish in the sea, 
 should appear before my wondering eyes, but our 
 old friend Sergeant Quacco ! There was a pause, 
 my dingy adherent keeping his vantage ground at 
 the cabin-door, as if unwilling to trust himself 
 within arm's-length, until he knew how the land 
 lay, and endeavouring to look very modest and 
 sheepish ; but his assumed bashfulness was but a 
 flimsy cloak to his native impudence. 
 
 ' Ouacco ! ' said L in anger ; but before I could 
 get a word out 
 
 ' Sergeant Quacco, if massa will be so good as 
 remember.' 
 
 4 You impudent rascal,' continued I, 'how dare 
 you smuggle yourself on board as my servant, and 
 without my knowledge, after having told me that 
 you had entered on board Gazelle ? ' 
 
 c Massa, do hab a leetle patient, and massa shall 
 know every ting. You see, massa, I was mind, as 
 massa say, to sarve on board de Commodo — massa 
 say de trute in dat — but dat was de time when I 
 was tink de brigand knife had top massa him promo- 
 
 tion.' 
 
 118
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO f 
 
 ' Cool, and deliciously modest/ thought I, as 
 Quacco continued, in nowise put out. 
 
 i But when I yeerie dat massa not only was like 
 to cover ' (recover, I surmised, was meant), ' but 
 dat he was nephew to one big somebody, wid 
 plenty money, and, beside all dat, he was to go to 
 Jamaica — oh dat alter Quacco taught altogeder, 
 becaase he knowed he could be much use to massa 
 in Jamaica, from him knowledge of de world dere.' 
 (' Indeed ! ' thought I, ' how very disinterested ! ') 
 ' Beside,' seeing I twigged, ' to tell de hanest trute 
 — one ting wery pleasant for do when him profitable 
 at de same time, — I taught it more better to take 
 my chance wid you as my master, den face de 
 sartainty of hard work, leetle sleep, and much flag, 
 in de frigate — so I take de small liberty of ship 
 myself in de Ballahoo lang wid good massa — dat 
 all, massa.' 
 
 c So, and pray where have you been skulking 
 since we sailed, may I ask ? ' 
 
 ' To be sure,' said he, with the most provoking 
 calmness — £ to be sure.' 
 
 £ To be sure of what, sir ? ' said I, fairly savage 
 at last. 
 
 £ To be sure massa may hax where I have been 
 since we sailed,' roared Quacco, withdrawing up 
 the ladder from the door as I rose — ' Devil ! 
 don't I say, if massa will only sit down again, 
 dat I will tell him, and satisfy him on all par- 
 ticular.' 
 
 He uttered this with his head leant back, so as 
 to be the only part of him visible, while his hands 
 clutched the ropes of the companion-ladder, his 
 feet being on the second step of it, in act to bolt 
 on deck if I had moved after him. I sat down, 
 
 119
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 seeing there was no use in putting myself into a 
 passion with the poor fellow. 
 
 'Well, do tell me then, you free-and-easy 
 scoundrel, you. 1 
 
 Here the sergeant again advanced into the cabin, 
 where he made a variety of grimaces ; and after 
 rubbing his great blubber lips hard with the back 
 of his hand, he proceeded : 
 
 1 You see, sir — it was no fault of I — somehow, 
 when I turn in, I hab one larsh case-bottle of rum 
 wid me, and I could not finis him in lesser time den 
 tree day — so dat was de reason massa did not see 
 me more sooner ; but de moment I hear enemy was 
 dere — dat fighting was for do — ha, ha ! — Quacco 
 sober in one moment, and I jomp up, and lef de 
 bottle one tird full, and fight — Massa surely see 
 how I was fight.' 
 
 ' Ay ; and, with Mr. Brail's permission, you 
 shall have a free passage for your gallantry, 
 Quacco,' said the skipper. 
 
 ' Tank you, massa captain,' quoth Quacco joy- 
 ously. ' Now, Massa Brail, you must forgive de 
 leetle liberty I was take — believe me, you hab got 
 one gooder sarvant more as you taught ' — and so I 
 did indeed find afterwards. 
 
 Six days after this, the man-of-war schooner, 
 having seen us safe to the end of our voyage, left 
 us for her destination, and we ran into Montego 
 Bay as the night fell, and came to anchor. 
 
 Right above us, on the larboard hand, perched 
 on a bold rock, stood a large and very handsome 
 house, a very conspicuous object from the offing, 
 and commanding the entrance to the bay, as it 
 were, which, by half-past eight, when I was going 
 on shore to the tavern, where I intended to sojourn 
 
 120
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 for the night, began to be brilliantly lit up ; I could 
 hear preparatory Strains of music, and other tokens 
 of revelry, as if a ball or some other piece of gaiety 
 were toward. 
 
 There is something striking in being suddenly 
 withdrawn from prowling on the 'melancholy 
 main,' and plunged into the vortex of civilised life. 
 The very jabber of the negroes startled me more 
 than I had allowed for, as I landed on the wharf, 
 an old rickety wooden fabric, and accosted a tall 
 man in white trousers and jacket, who was walk- 
 ing up and down upon it, to inquire where the best 
 tavern or lodging-house was situated. He very 
 civilly not only gave me the desired information, 
 but accompanied me as pilot, so that I soon found 
 myself in the dark piazza of a large building, 
 which had anything but the look of a place of 
 public resort. An open balcony ran along the 
 front next the street, to which you ascended by 
 five or six steps, with a common unpainted wooden 
 rail, to prevent your toppling over into the 
 thoroughfare. Beyond this there was a gloomy 
 dungeon of an interior chamber, apparently wains- 
 coted with some sort of dark-coloured hardwood, 
 and lighted by one solitary unsnuffed tallow candle, 
 glimmering on a long mahogany table covered 
 with slops, and wet marks, as if glasses had recently 
 been removed, the whole redolent of the strong 
 smell of tobacco smoke and brandy punch. There 
 appeared to be bedrooms opening off the hall at 
 each end. 
 
 ' Hillo ! — house ! ' shouted I, as no one appeared 
 when I entered ; — ' house ! ' 
 
 A tall decently-dressed brown woman — lady, beg 
 her pardon — at this presented herself at the farther 
 
 121
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 door of the large room fronting the one at which I 
 stood — 
 
 ' Hose ! hose ! What you want wid de hose ? ' 
 
 c I am a traveller,' said I, c just landed, and want 
 some supper and a bed.' 
 
 'Supper and a bed,' said the old lady; 'sartainly 
 you shall have dem. But, beg pardon, sir, I hear 
 no noise of horse or servant, so I was tink you 
 might have been walking buccraj- and I never allow 
 dem sort of peoples to put dere nose into my 
 house. But here I see sailor carrying in your 
 luggage,' as the master of the brig, whom I had 
 invited to sup with me, came up the front steps 
 of the piazza, followed by one of his crew, and 
 Sergeant Ouacco carrying my traps. 
 
 We were now treated with abundant civility, 
 and soon were enjoying ourselves over an excellent 
 repast. 
 
 c Pray, Mrs. , I forget your name.' 
 
 c Sally Frenche, an please, massa.' 
 
 c Sally Frenche,' said I. c Ho, ho, I am in 
 soundings here, mayhap. Pray, do you know old 
 Mr. Lathom Frenche, my good lady ? — a rich old 
 chap, who lives somewhere hereabout, at a place 
 called Ballywindle ? ' 
 
 My simple inquiry appeared to have an electrical 
 effect, and at the same time to have given some 
 unaccountable and serious offence, for my talkative 
 hostess, a deuced buxom-looking dingy dame, of 
 some forty years or so, now drew herself up, and 
 crossed her arms, looking as prim as mustard at me, 
 as she slowly grumbled out — 
 
 1 A most opprobrious appellation in Jamaica, as nothing, in the 
 eyes of the coloured and black population, seems so degrading to a 
 white man as the being compelled to travel on foot. 
 
 122
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO t 
 
 c Do — me — Sally Frenche — know — one — reesh 
 — old — chap — dem call — Massa Latom Frenche — 
 who — live — at one place somewhere hereabout — 
 dat dem call Ballywindle ? ' 
 
 c Yes,' said I, a good deal surprised at the tone 
 and manner in which she drawled out her words, 
 1 1 mean no offence. I ask you a plain question : 
 do you know Mr. Lathom Frenche of Bally- 
 windle? I am a near relation of his, and desirous 
 of engaging horses, or some kind of conveyance, 
 to proceed to his house in the morning.' 
 
 She here came round to the side of the table 
 where I sat, shoving the black servant who had 
 been waiting on us away so forcibly that he spun 
 into the corner of the room, with an exclamation 
 of, * Heigh, misses, wurra dat for ? ' and shading 
 her eyes from the glare of the candles with her 
 hand, she fell to perusing my face in a way that 
 was anything but pleasant. 
 
 ' Ha, ha — Sally Frenche know something — I see 
 — I see — you must be de nyung buccra, Massa 
 Latom is look out for so hanxious — tell me, is 
 you really and truly Massa Benjamin Brail, old 
 Massa nephew ? ' 
 
 ' I am certainly that gentleman, old lady.' 
 
 c Hold ladee, indeed ! Ah, Jacka, but never 
 mind. You is my family, and so you is ; but 
 don't call me hold lady, if you please, again, nyung 
 massa. Let me see, you have him mout, and him 
 nose, and de wery cack of him yeye. Oh dear, 
 you is Massa Benjamin, for true you is de leetle boy 
 dat de old man look out for so long. Here, 
 Teemoty, Peeta, Daroty, here is your cosin, 
 Massa Benjamin. Oh, Massa neger, I am so 
 happy ! ' and she began to roll about the room, 
 
 123
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 sprawling with her feet, and walloping her arms 
 about, seizing hold of a chair here, and a table 
 there, as if the excess of her joy, and the uproari- 
 ousness of her laughter, had driven her beside her- 
 self. 
 
 At her call two tall young mulatto fellows, with 
 necks like cranes, and bushy heads like the long 
 brooms used to clean staircases, without stockings 
 or neckcloths, dressed in white duck trousers and 
 blue coatees, and a very pretty, well-dressed 
 brown girl, of about eighteen, presented themselves 
 at the door of the room. 
 
 c Pray, who are those ? ' said I, during a lull of 
 the matron's paroxysm. 
 
 'Who dem is? why your own cosin — your own 
 flesh and blood — your oncle, God bless him — him 
 children dem is, all — ay, every one on dem.' 
 
 c And who is their mamma ? ' said I. ' Not 
 you, ma'am ? ' 
 
 1 Me ! Oh dear, de poor boy don't know noting 
 about him own relation. No, I is Sally Frenche, 
 daughter of old Terence Frenche, your oncle dat 
 was die, five year ago ; he who leave all his money 
 to his broder, Mr. Latom Frenche. I is his only 
 daughter, and your cosin, and kind fader he was to 
 me.' 
 
 c Well, kinswoman, I am glad to see you, but 
 are these really my cousins ? and again I ask, who 
 is their mamma ? ' 
 
 c Ha, ha, ha — you really know noting, none at 
 all. Dere mamma, as you call bim y is dead lang 
 time ; but come here — come here — dem is 
 Teemoty — hold up your head, you poppy dag — 
 and Peeta, all two Massa Latom sons — bote your 
 own cosin, I no tell you ? ' 
 
 124
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 c And that pretty young lady, who is she ? ' 
 
 4 Ha, ha, ha — Oh dear, oh dear — why, him is 
 Miss Daroty, dere sister.' 
 
 c And a devilish pretty girl she is, let me tell 
 you. Why, Dorothy, give me a kiss, my fair 
 cousin.' 
 
 And as I gave her a hearty smack she dropped 
 me a low curtsy. 'Tank you, cosin Benjamin.' 
 
 Our friend the skipper was all this time taking 
 his cargo on board with great industry, only 
 stealing a passing squint at us now and then ; and 
 I was beginning to think it was high time to put 
 in my oar also, lest I should go without my meal, 
 when a great bustle was heard in the street — first 
 a trampling as of a squadron of dragoons, then the 
 rattling and grinding of carriage-wheels through 
 the sandy roads, and a loud gabbling of negroes. 
 Presently some one whistled loud and shrill on his 
 fingers, and a voice called out — 
 
 4 Why, Sally Frenche — Sally — where the devil 
 are you, and all your people, Sally ? ' 
 
 4 Massa Jacob Twig, sure as can be,' cried Sally, 
 and again the hysterical laugh seemed to carry her 
 beyond herself ; 4 all my friend come on me at 
 one time. What shall me Sally do ? Teemoty, 
 tell Parot-toe for kill de kidd, and de two capon, 
 and de wile dock, dem [anglice, wild-duck], and — 
 and — and — oh, tell him for kill every ting him can 
 lay him ogly paw upon.' 
 
 4 Den,' quoth Timothy with a grin — 4 I shall 
 keep out of de way, misses.' 
 
 4 Sally ' — shouted the same impatient voice from 
 the street again. 
 
 4 Coming, Massa Jacob — Oh dear — ha, ha, ha ' 
 — and as some one now entered the dark piazza, 
 
 125
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 she ran out and stumbled against him, and knock- 
 ing his hat off, in her flourishing, she fairly clasped 
 her arms round the person's neck, for support 
 during her violent and extraordinary cachinnations. 
 ' Oh Massa Jacob — sweet Massa Jacob — I so glad 
 to see you.' 
 
 'Why, old lady, you appear so, certainly — but 
 come, come, you must be bewitched,' said the 
 stranger, shaking her off. 'Do gather your wits 
 about you, and desire your people to see my horses 
 cared for, and get us some supper, do you hear? 
 — the words in italics pronounced with a strange 
 emphasis, and a very peculiar accent, as if they had 
 been twisted out angrily from between the com- 
 pressed lips. 
 
 Here the speaker caught my eye — he bowed. 
 
 ' Good evening, sir. I hope I am not disturb- 
 ing you, gentlemen.' 
 
 'Not in the least,' said I. 'We are strangers 
 just landed from the brig that came in this 
 evening ; and as our hostess and I here happen, to 
 my great surprise, to be relations, her joy has 
 shoved her a little off her balance, as you see.' 
 
 ' Balance ! ' said the person addressed, with a 
 good-natured smile — 'Sally Frenche was never 
 very famous for keeping her balance.' 
 
 ' Oh, Massa Jacob,' said the placable Sally — 
 ' how can you say so ? ' 
 
 'But you are her relation you say, sir,' con- 
 tinued the stranger ; and here he turned round as 
 if recollecting himself, and stuck his head through 
 the window that looked into the piazza. Address- 
 ing some one who was tumbling portmanteaus and 
 luggage about there — ' I say, Felix — he can't be a 
 brown chap, eh ? — he don't look like it.' 
 
 126
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 1 Pooh, pooh ! what if he be ? ' said the person 
 spoken to. ' What if he be — order supper, man — 
 curse this portmanteau ! the straps are as stiff as 
 iron hoops — and have broken my nails. You 
 villain, Twister, why don't you come and help me, 
 that I may get out my clothes ? ' 
 
 * Here, massa,' said a blackie from the street — 
 and the gentleman who had spoken now entered. 
 
 Sally had asked leave for the new comers to join 
 our party, and as this might be according to rule 
 in Jamaica, we consented of course, and they were 
 presently seated at the same board. 
 
 The shortest of the two was a stout, sun-burned 
 man, about thirty, with a round face, but a fine 
 white forehead, and beautiful clustering brown 
 hair. He was dressed in very short nankeen 
 trousers, very much faded, silk stockings, and 
 shoes — rather an out-of-the-way rig for a traveller 
 through dirty roads, as it struck me, and wore a 
 long French-cut blue military frock or pelisse, 
 garnished with a perfect plague of frogs. 
 
 This was largely open at the breast, displaying a 
 magnificent whitish blue cambric frill, while a 
 neckcloth, with a strong dash of the same indigo 
 shade, was twisted round his bull neck, as grace- 
 fully as a collar round a mastiff's, while above it, 
 the peaks of his shirt stood up in such pomp of 
 starch and stiffness, that I could not help consider- 
 ing his ears in some peril. When he entered, he 
 had replaced the small narrow-brimmed, glazed 
 hat that had been knocked off by Sally in her 
 paroxysm ; the oily appearance of which in such a 
 climate was enough to make one perspire, and 
 rolled in, quite at home apparently, with a hand 
 stuck into each side-pocket. Altogether he looked 
 
 127
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 like a broiled man, but when he sat down at table, 
 I was refreshed by noticing that his hands were 
 beautifully white, and, according to Lord Byron's 
 maxim, I took this as a kind of voucher, for want 
 of a better, that the nondescript was a gentleman. 
 His companion was a tall, thin, dark young fellow, 
 apparently about twenty-five or twenty-six years 
 of age, with short curly fair hair, dressed in white 
 jean pantaloons, with long Hessian boots drawn up 
 over them to his knees, white waistcoat and neck- 
 cloth, and a blue coat. There was nothing 
 peculiar about his appearance. We all carried on 
 for some time in silence. At length the shortest 
 of my new acquaintances asked me to drink wine 
 with him. 
 
 'Your good health, sir. Here's to our better 
 acquaintance.' 
 
 'Massa Jacob,' quoth Mammy Sally, who was 
 superintending the attendance of her servants, with 
 a knowing look, ' you know who you drink wine 
 wid ? ' 
 
 Mr. Twig looked round at her with an expres- 
 sion of face as if he neither knew nor cared. 
 
 ' Ha, I see — you tink you know every ting, 
 Massa Jacob, but — but — oh dear, oh dear — you no 
 know — you no know? — why it is Massa Benjamin 
 himself — Massa Benjamin Brail, dat old Massa 
 Latom so long for see.' 
 
 Massa Jacob at this rose, with his table napkin 
 in his hand, and first looking steadfastly at me, 
 munching all the time, and then regarding the old 
 lady, with his mouth full, he stretched his hand 
 across the table to me. 
 
 ' If you be Mr. Brail, I am particularly rejoiced 
 to see you. Your uncle, young gentleman, is my 
 
 128
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 most especial friend ; and there is not a worthier 
 man breathing. T knew you were expected ; and 
 as I am bound with Mr. Felix Flamingo there, on 
 a visit to Mr. Frenche — Mr. Flamingo, Mr. 
 Brail — Mr. Brail, Mr. Flamingo, of the extensive 
 Kingston firm of Peaweep, Snipe, and Flamingo 
 — ahem — as I was saying, we are bound on a 
 visit to this very identical uncle of yours. So 
 nothing could have been more opportune than our 
 meeting.' 
 
 ' Flamingo, — Peaweep, and Flamingo ? ' said I 
 to myself; 'my Uncle Peter's agents, by all that 
 is fortunate ! Come, this will do. — But whom 
 have I the honour of addressing ? ' said I, turning 
 to the red-faced man, not a little startled at such 
 sudden cordiality on the part of a stranger. 
 
 'My name is Jacob Twig, of the Dream, in the 
 parish of St. Thomas in the East, at your service ; 
 and, for your excellent uncle's sake, it will give me 
 great pleasure to be of use to you. But Felix, my 
 darling, we must go and dress for the ball at Mrs. 
 Roseapple's ; we shall be late, I fear.' 
 
 The tall youngster, to whose intimacy I had so 
 unexpectedly procured a passport, during all the 
 time occupied by Mr. Twig in expatiating, had 
 been looking as grave as a judge, and making the 
 best use of his time. Both now rose, and retired as 
 it were to dress. Just as they had left the room, 
 and the master of the Ballahoo and I had filled a glass 
 of wine together, Mr. Twig returned. 
 
 ' I say, Mr. Brail, I have just been thinking you 
 had better come with us — Mr. Roseapple will be 
 glad to see you, I know.' 
 
 ' Why, I have not the honour of knowing your 
 friend, Mr. Roseapple,' said I. 'Besides, this 
 
 vol. ii. 129 1
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 gentleman is the captain of the brig that I came 
 from Havanna in, and I invited him to supper with 
 
 4 The more the merrier, man — the more the 
 merrier — why, we shall take him too.' 
 
 All this appeared to me very odd, and too free- 
 and-easy by a great deal ; but the sailor had by 
 this time drank more Madeira than he was 
 accustomed to, and as he, to my great surprise, 
 made no objection to the proposal, only stating 
 that he had no clothes fit to appear with in a ball- 
 room, I thought I might as well swim with the 
 current also. 
 
 Jacob eyed him. 
 
 ' Why, do you know you are a deuced good- 
 looking- fellow.' 
 
 Jack rose and made a most awkward obeisance. 
 
 4 Oh, 'pon my honour,' quoth Twig, with the 
 utmost gravity, l so my clothes will suit you to a 
 nicety — ahem ! Cato, tell Romulus to desire 
 Cobbler to fetch in my portmanteau instantly. So 
 come along, my dear fellow, and let us rig you.' 
 (What next ? thought I — this to a man he never 
 saw before !) And away the jolly tar sculled 
 between Mr. Twig and his friend Flamingo. 
 
 I had never before been guilty of such a heterodox 
 proceeding as going unasked to a ball given by a 
 lady I had never seen or even heard of; and 
 although the wine I had drunk had by this created 
 no small innovation in my brain, still I had discre- 
 tion enough left to induce me to go up to Mr. 
 Twig's room door, where I again remonstrated 
 with him on the impropriety of such an intrusion 
 on my part. 
 
 ' Pooh, nonsense, my dear fellow. Just say you 
 
 130
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 are old Frenche's nephew, and the whole company 
 will hug you as au old acquaintance, man — not a 
 Creole miss but will set her cap at you — take Jacob 
 Twig's word for it — why, you will find that your 
 fame has outstripped you the instant your name is 
 mentioned, for your uncle makes no secret of his 
 intention to make you his heir — so come along, 
 man. Go dress — that 's a good fellow.' 
 
 I did so, and we were presently all in the hall of 
 the tavern again, where friend Quacco was waiting 
 with my cloak and hat ready for a start. 
 
 c Thank you, Ouacco j I hope you have made 
 yourself comfortable ? ' 
 
 Ouacco grinned. ' Very, sir ; find myself great 
 man here. My story please people — better country 
 dis dan de coast of Africa.' 
 
 ' Glad you find it so ; but where, in Heaven's 
 name, got you that rig ; you don't mean to follow 
 me to Mr. Roseapple's in such a dress ? ' 
 
 c Certainly I do, with massa's permission.' 
 And he snuffed the air as if his amour propre had 
 been somewhat wounded by my disapproval of the 
 mode in which it had pleased him to make his 
 toilet. 
 
 4 But you will be laughed at, and get me into 
 some ridiculous scrape.' 
 
 c No, no, massa ; never fear Quacco's discretion 
 — never fear. I have much practice in Havanna, 
 in wait on gentlemen at table. Ah, you sail see, 
 massa — but one ting I sail pretend, dat I is one 
 Spanish negro ; dis will give de interest to me, you 
 know.' {Interest! thought I, like to laugh in his 
 face.) c So tell de captain dere, not to peach upon 
 Ouacco — say I am one Spanish sarvant you got 
 from de governor Senor Cien Fuegos.'
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 I laughed heartily at this instance of barbarous 
 puppyism, and at the figure he cut when I had 
 leisure to look at him. First, he had powdered his 
 black woolly cocoanut-shaped skull with flour, 
 until it was perfectly white, the little crispy curls 
 making it look like a large cauliflower or a round 
 furze bush with a drift of snow well grained into 
 it. To the short, well-greased wool, he had 
 attached a long slender queue abaft, like a yard of 
 pigtail tobacco, that hung straight down his back, 
 over an old faded Spanish-cut sky-blue silk coat, 
 thickly studded with large sparkling cut steel 
 buttons, all too short at the wrists, and too long at 
 the skirts, so that while the monkey-looking paws 
 were largely uncovered, the latter reached half-way 
 down his leg ; a faded white satin embroidered 
 waistcoat, the flaps coming down over his hips, 
 black silk small-clothes, and a pair of large old- 
 fashioned shoes, very high in the instep — these, 
 with a pair of great lacquered buckles completed his 
 dress. As an ultra ornament, he sported a very 
 flashy pink watch-ribbon, with a great bunch of 
 brass keys and seals, but to what substitute for a 
 horologe these gaudy ornaments were attached, the 
 deponent sayeth not. As for his cucumber shanks, 
 they were naked, and unless one had been parti- 
 cular in the inspection, so as to perceive the little 
 tufts of black wool that covered them, like a 
 minikin forest of fir trees, you could not have made 
 out whether he had silk stockings on or not. To 
 perfect his equipment and give him the true finish^ 
 he had acquired a little ' sombrero de tres picosj or 
 old-fashioned cocked hat, an amber-headed cane, 
 and when you add one gold ear-ring, and another 
 of silver, an enormous silver brooch, with a stone 
 
 132
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 in it, more like a petrified oyster than anything 
 else, in the breast of his gaudily befrilled shirt, with 
 a pair of green spectacles on his nose, over which 
 his low tattooed forehead fell back like a monkey's, 
 you have our friend Quacco before you, as well as 
 I can paint him. 
 
 'Mercy on me,' said Mr. Felix Flamingo, 'what 
 is this ! — who have we here ? ' 
 
 ' My servant,' said I, unable to restrain my 
 laughter, 'strangely transmogrified certainly.' 
 
 By this time Mr. Twig joined us, having retired 
 with the skipper of the merchantman, whom he 
 had dressed out in a suit of his own clothes ; and 
 as he was really a very handsome man, he looked 
 uncommonly well, allowing for his nautical roll 
 and salt-water flavour, in his borrowed plumes. 
 
 'Now,' said Flamingo, 'we must be jogging. 
 So, Quacco, lead the way.' 
 
 ' Stop,' said Jacob, ' no hurry, Felix ; it an't long 
 past ten yet, so let us crack a bottle of Sally's 
 champagne, it launches one so nobly into a ball- 
 room ; it is the grease on the ways, my lads, if I 
 may venture on so vulgar a simile. So, Sally — 
 Sally, a bottle of champagne.' 
 
 The wine was brought, and was really ex- 
 tremely good, — so unexpectedly good, that some- 
 how we had number two, just to see whether the 
 first had been a fair sample of the batch or no. 
 At length, we again addressed ourselves for the 
 start. 
 
 But the master of the brig, who was modest to 
 bashfulness in his cool moments, had become a 
 changed creature, from the innovation wrought in 
 his brain by the unusual potation. 
 
 ' Gentlemen, had it been strong grog, I would 
 
 J 33
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 have carried sail with most of you ; but really I 
 must — I must — in short, Mrs. Sally, I must top 
 off with some hot brandy and water before 
 weighing.' 
 
 The hot stuff was brought, and we finally 
 started for Mr. Roseapple's in earnest j Quacco in 
 advance, carrying a small stable lantern, held aloft 
 on the end of his cane — then Mr. Felix Flamingo 
 and I abreast, followed by Mr. Twig and the 
 skipper. 
 
 The cool night air was an astonishing assistant 
 to the grog, as I could perceive, from the enuncia- 
 tion of the sailor in my wake becoming rapidly 
 thicker and more indistinct as we advanced. 
 
 The street we passed through was quite still, 
 the inhabitants, according to the custom of the 
 country, having already retired to rest ; but several 
 gigs, and carriages of various descriptions, gritted 
 past us through the deep sand of the unpaved 
 thoroughfares, apparently returning from setting 
 down company. 
 
 As we were toiling up the hill, crowned with the 
 gay domicile which was sparkling with lights, and 
 resounding with music, and merry voices, and 
 laughter, we could, through the open blinds, see 
 dark figures flitting and moving rapidly about 
 between us and the lamps. 
 
 'Felix,' quoth Mr. Twig, c how vastly gay — 
 stop, let us reconnoitre a bit ' — and we all hove to 
 in the middle of the ascent, when, without any 
 warning, down came a plump of rain like a water- 
 spout, the effect of which was instantly to set us a 
 scampering as fast as our legs could carry us, pre- 
 ceded by Sergeant Ouacco with the lantern, who 
 hopped and jumped about from stone to stone like 
 
 134
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 an ignis fatuus ; nor did we stop in our red-hot 
 haste until we had all bolted up the steps, and into 
 the piazza, where the dancing was going on, to 
 the dismay and great discomfiture of the per- 
 formers ; indeed, so great was the impetus with 
 which we charged, that we fairly broke the line, 
 and did not bring up until we had reached the 
 inner hall or saloon where several couples were 
 drinking coffee, and taking other refreshments, at 
 a sideboard or long table, behind which stood 
 several male and female domestics — blacks and 
 browns — ladling out punch, and negus, and fruits, 
 and handing sandwiches, and coffee, and all manner 
 of Creole luxuries. 
 
 We were introduced to mine host and his lady, 
 both remarkably pleasant people, who, with true 
 West India cordiality, made all manner of allow- 
 ance for the suddenness of our entree^ and the 
 unexpectedness of our visit altogether. So here 
 we were brought up all standing, as suddenly as if 
 we had dropped from the moon. 
 
 There had been a pause in the dancing, created 
 by our furious onset, as well there might, and 
 now a general titter, gradually swelling into an 
 universal laugh, ran round, and the dance broke 
 up into a general promenade of the whole com- 
 pany ; during which, taking Mr. Flamingo's 
 offered arm, I had not only time to recover my 
 equanimity, but an opportunity of looking about 
 me, and making my observations. 
 
 The house was a very large airy pavilion, erected 
 on a small limestone bluff, that overhung the sea 
 at the easternmost point of the bay. According 
 to the Jamaica fashion, it consisted of a brick shell 
 two stories high, subdivided into the various apart- 
 
 135
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 merits, public and private, composing the domicile. 
 The first floor, comprising a very handsome 
 dining-room, and a most elegant suite of lofty 
 drawing-rooms, beautifully papered and magni- 
 ficently furnished, was raised on a stone pediment 
 about eight feet high (containing cellars and other 
 offices), and above this, I presume, the bedrooms 
 of the family were situated. 
 
 The whole of the surbases and wooden work 
 about the windows and doors were of well-polished 
 and solid mahogany, of the most costly description. 
 These rooms were all fitted with glass sashes, 
 that opened into the piazzas — long galleries, about 
 fourteen feet wide, that enclosed the whole house, 
 with white pillars and green blinds, fitted between 
 them like those of a tanwork, but smaller, which, 
 when open, with the feather edges of the blades 
 towards you, as you looked at the fabric from a 
 distance, gave it the appearance of a Brobdingnag 
 bird-cage ; and indeed, so far as the complexion of 
 the majority of the male figurants on the present 
 occasion went, it might be said to be well filled 
 with canaries. 
 
 The roof was composed of what are called 
 shingles in the United States — pieces of cypress 
 splinters, about eighteen inches long by four broad, 
 and half an inch thick, which are nailed on, over- 
 lapping like slates ; indeed, when weather-stained, 
 at a distance you cannot distinguish the difference, 
 excepting, as in the present case, when they are 
 covered with brown paint to preserve them. 
 
 From this peculiarity in the covering of the roof 
 of a West Indian house, it often happens, when 
 the rain sets in suddenly after a long drought, that 
 the water finds its wav down, in consequence of 
 
 136
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 the warping of the wood, in rather uncomfortable 
 quantities, insomuch that when you go to bed, 
 the rooms in the houses in the country being often 
 unceiled, an umbrella may be as necessary as a 
 nightcap. However, after the seasons, as they are 
 called, have continued a few days, the cypress or 
 cedar swells, and a very indifferent roof becomes 
 perfectly watertight. 
 
 To return. No sooner did the shower abate, 
 than a whole crowd of negroes, male and female, 
 once more clustered round the door, and scrambled 
 up on the trees round the house, to get a peep at 
 the company through the open windows and blinds. 
 
 ' Do you admire our West India fruits, Mr. 
 Brail ? ' quoth Twig, cocking his eye at the 
 blackies aloft. 
 
 I was exceedingly struck by the profuse and 
 tasteful display of flowers and green branches with 
 which the rooms were decorated ; many of the 
 latter loaded with the most luxuriant bunches and 
 clusters of fruits — oranges, star-apples, citrons, and 
 a whole array of others, which as yet were nameless 
 luxuries to me. 
 
 There was a golden pine-apple on a silver 
 salver, on a side-table, eighteen inches high, by 
 nine in diameter, that absolutely saturated the 
 whole air of the room with perfume. 
 
 The novelty and elegant effect of the carpetless, 
 but highly-polished, mahogany floors, which at the 
 sides of the room, where not dimmed by the feet 
 of the dancers, reflected everything so mirror-like, 
 was very striking, although at first I was in terror 
 at the shortness of the ladies' petticoats, and the 
 reflection of the brilliant chandeliers. The dresses 
 of the fair dames, although they might have been 
 
 137
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 a little behind the London fashions of the day, 
 were quite up to what those were when I left 
 home, except in the instances of several natural 
 curiosities from the inland and mountain settle- 
 ments, who were distinguished by their rather 
 antediluvian equipment and sleepy Creole drawl ; 
 but, as a counterpoise to both, they had the glow of 
 the rose of Lancaster in their cheeks. 
 
 As for the other fair creatures resident in the 
 hot plains in the neighbourhood of the sea, and in 
 the still hotter towns of the island, they were to a 
 man {woman — oh, for Kilkenny!) so deadly pale, 
 that when one contemplated their full, but beautiful 
 and exquisitely managed figures, you were struck 
 with amazement at the incongruity, if I may so 
 speak, of their sickly complexions, and sylphlike 
 and most agile forms. — ' So these faded lilies are 
 really in good health after all.' Between the fair 
 mountaineers and lowlanders, since I have spoken 
 of the roses, it might indeed be said, that there still 
 existed the emulation of the two Houses of York 
 and Lancaster. As to figure, they were both 
 exquisite — Lancaster, however, more full of health, 
 more European-looking in complexion, and a good 
 deal more hoydenish in manner — York more 
 languid and sentimental, to appearance at least. 
 
 But the men — c Oh, massa neger !' to borrow 
 from Quashie — what a sallow cadaverous crew ! 
 with the exception of an officer or two from the 
 neighbouring garrison, and one or two young chaps 
 lately imported — what rigs ! — such curious-cut 
 coats — some with the waists indicated by two 
 little twin buttons between the shoulders, and 
 scarcely any collar, with the long tapering skirts 
 flapping against the calves of their legs, in shape 
 
 138
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 like the feathers in the tail of a bird of paradise — 
 others with the aforesaid landmarks, or waist- 
 buttons, of the size and appearance of crown-pieces, 
 covered with verdigris, and situated over against 
 the hip-joints, and half a yard asunder, while the 
 capes stood up stiff and high, and the square-cut 
 skirts that depended beneath (perfect antithesis to 
 the former) were so very short and concise, that 
 they ended as abruptly as a hungry judge's summing- 
 up. However, no fault could be found with the 
 average manners of the whole party, whatever might 
 have been objected to their equipment. 
 
 I soon noticed that the effects of our soaking 
 were giving great entertainment to the company, 
 for the heat of the apartments forced clouds of 
 vapour from our wet coats, as we kept cruising 
 about like so many smoking haycocks carried away 
 by a flood. We could have been traced from 
 room to room by the clouds we sent up, and the 
 oily steam of the wool. 
 
 About the time supper was announced, which 
 was tastefully laid out in the piazza, and just 
 before the guzzle began, I was drawn towards the 
 inner hall, along with my fair partner, by a general 
 titter, as if something amusing had been going on. 
 Just as we approached, however, the door con- 
 necting the two apartments was shut, in consequence 
 of some preparation for supper, so that the hall 
 where the company were now collected was rather 
 awkwardly entered by a side-door from a sort of 
 second drawing-room communicating with the 
 principal saloon — to the left, and directly opposite 
 to the side entrance there was a large mirror 
 reaching to the floor. The shutting of the door 
 before mentioned had thus the effect of altering 
 
 J 39
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 the geography of the interior apartment very 
 materially, to one who had been the whole 
 evening passing and repassing, straight as an 
 arrow, through it from the dancing-room to the 
 piazza. 
 
 The change was especially unfortunate for poor 
 Hause, the master of the brig, who was by this 
 time pretty well slewed ; for as he entered by the 
 side-door, with the recollection of another that 
 should have been right ahead facing him, and 
 opening into the piazza, he made directly for the 
 large mirror that now fronted him, and beyond all 
 question he would have walked right through it, 
 just as we entered, had it not been guarded by 
 brass rods, or fenders, having, according to the old 
 jest, mistaken it for the doorway. After the 
 fenders brought him up, still he was not undeceived, 
 but for a minute showed his breeding by dancing 
 from one side to another, and bowing and scraping 
 in a vain attempt to get past his own shadow. 
 At length he found out his mistake ; but, no way 
 abashed, his laugh was the loudest in the throng, 
 exclaiming, ' Why, we must have the channel 
 buoyed, Mr. Brail. I thought the landmarks had 
 been changed by witchcraft, and no wonder, 
 seeing we are surrounded by enchantresses ; ' and 
 here he made the most laughable wallop imaginable 
 intended for a bow, but more like the gambol of a 
 
 porpoise. < However, Miss , you see there 
 
 are moorings laid down for us there in the piazza, 
 so let us bear up and run for them through the 
 other channel, before those lubberly fellows haul 
 them on board ; ' and so saying, he hove ahead, 
 with a fair scion of the aforesaid House of Lan- 
 caster in tow, until they came to where our friend 
 
 140
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 Quacco was the busiest of the busy, having 
 literally bustled the other blackies out of all 
 countenance, and whom, as we entered, he was 
 roundly abusing in Spanish for lazy ' pendejos ' and 
 ' picaronsj as if he had been the master of the 
 house, or major-domo at the least — enforcing his 
 commands with a crack over the skull every now 
 and then, from a silver ladle, that he carried in his 
 hand as a symbol of authority. 
 
 At length the vagaries of our friend, as he 
 waxed drunk, became too noticeable, and the 
 master of the house asked the gentleman who was 
 nearest him, whose servant he was ; the party I 
 could see indicated me, and I was about apologising, 
 when something or other diverted the attention of 
 our landlord from the subject, and the black 
 sergeant escaped farther notice. I had before this 
 observed a very handsome, tall, well-made man in 
 the party, whose face somehow or other I fancied 
 I had seen before, with an air peculiarly distingue, 
 who, so far as I could judge, was a stranger to 
 most of the visitors. He had been introduced by 
 the landlord to one or two of the ladies, and for 
 some time seemed to devote himself entirely to his 
 partners, and certainly he was making himself 
 abundantly agreeable, to judge from appearances. 
 At length he took occasion to steal away from 
 the side of the table he was on, and crossed in 
 rather a marked manner to the other, where poor 
 Hause, now three sheets in the wind, was sitting, 
 doing the agreeable as genteelly as a Norwegian 
 bear, or a walrus, and planting himself beside him, 
 he seemed to be endeavouring to draw him into 
 conversation ; but the skipper was too devoted an 
 admirer of the ladies to be bothered with males, at 
 
 141
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 that time at least, so the stranger appeared to fail 
 in his attempts to engage his attention. However, 
 he persisted, and as I passed near them I could 
 hear him ask c if his sails were unbent, and 
 whether he was anchored by a chain or a hempen 
 cable ? ' 
 
 4 And pray,' hiccuped Hause, whose heart wine 
 had opened, l don't you know I only got in last 
 night, so how the deuce could I have unbent any- 
 thing ? and my chain cable is left to be repaired at 
 Havanna, since you must know ; but do you think 
 it's coming on to blow, friend, that you seem so 
 anxious to know about my ground tackle ? or 
 should I keep my sails bent, to be ready to slip, 
 eh ? ' 
 
 ' In vino veritasj thought I ; l but why so com- 
 municative, Master Hause ? ' I could not hear 
 the stranger's reply, but I noticed that he rose at 
 this, and dispersed among the congregating dancers 
 in the other room. 
 
 ' Pray, Mr. Jones,' at this juncture said our 
 landlord to the gentleman already mentioned, as 
 sitting nearest him, ' what is the gentleman's name 
 that Turner brought with him ? ' 
 
 c Wilson, I think, he called him,' said the party 
 addressed. c He arrived yesterday morning at 
 Falmouth, in some vessel consigned to Turner 
 from the coast of Cuba, and I believe is bound to 
 Kingston.' 
 
 c He is a very handsome, well-bred fellow, who- 
 ever he may be, and I should like to know more 
 of him,' rejoined our host. ' But, come, gentle- 
 men, the ladies are glancing over their shoulders ; 
 they seem to think we are wasting time here, so 
 what say you ? ' 
 
 142
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 This was the signal for all of us to rise, and 
 here we had a r econd edition of the comical 
 blunders of poor Captain Hause. On his return 
 from the supper-table to the drawing-room, he 
 was waylaid by Flamingo, and having a sort of 
 muzzy recollection of his previous mistake, he set 
 himself with drunken gravity to take an observa- 
 tion, as he said, in order to work his position on 
 the chart more correctly this time. But the cham- 
 pagne he had swilled had increased his conglomera- 
 tion twofold, which Master Felix perceiving, he 
 took an opportunity of treating him to several 
 spinning turns round the inner room, until he lost 
 himself and his latitude entirely. He then let the 
 bewildered sailor go, and the first thing he did was 
 this time to mistake the real door, now open into the 
 dancing-room, for the mirror ; thus reversing his 
 former blunder ; and although Twig, who was 
 standing in the other room, good-naturedly beckoned 
 him to advance, he stood rooted to the spot, as if 
 an invisible barrier prevented his ingress. And 
 when the young lady he had been dancing with 
 would have led him in, he drew back like a rabid 
 dog at water : ' Avast, miss, avast — too old a 
 cruiser to be taken in twice that way — shan't walk 
 through a looking-glass even to oblige you, miss ; 
 — no, no — Bill Hause knows better. Here — 
 here — this way — that 's the door on your starboard 
 beam — and the mirror — bless you that's the mirror 
 right ahead,' and so saying, he dragged the laugh- 
 ing girl away from the door up to the the glass 
 once more. 
 
 ' What a deuced handsome fellow that chap 
 under bare poles is, miss ! ' this was himself, 
 dressed in Mr. Twig's small-clothes and black 
 
 H3
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 silk stockings. ' I should be sorry to trust my 
 lower spars out of trousers, however, I know.' 
 
 There was no standing all this, especially as 
 Flamingo followed him close, and standing behind 
 him, a little to one side — on his starboard quarter, 
 as he himself would have said — made signs to him 
 in the glass to advance, on which the sailor made 
 a tipsy bolt of it, and was a second time brought 
 up by the brass rods, nor was he convinced of his 
 mistake until he felt the cold surface of the plate 
 glass with his great paw. Twig now kindly inter- 
 fered and got the poor skipper away, and bestowed 
 on a sofa, and dancing recommenced with redoubled 
 energy : the fiddlers scraped with all their might, 
 the man who played the octave flute whistled like 
 a curlew, and the tabor was fiercely beaten, rumpti, 
 tumpti, while the black ballet-master sung out 
 sharp and shrill his mongrel French directions, his 
 chassees and his balancees^ to massa dis and misses 
 dat, indicating the parties by name, who thereupon 
 pricked , up their ears, and looking as grave as 
 judges, pointed their toes, and did, or attempted to 
 do, as they were bid. But, as I was overheated, 
 I strolled into the piazza fronting the sea, where 
 the lights by this time had either burned out, or 
 had been removed — it was very dark. I walked 
 to the corner farthest from the noise of the dancers, 
 and peered through the open jalousies^ or blinds, 
 on the scene below. 
 
 The moon was in the second quarter, and by 
 this time within an hour of her setting. She cast 
 a long trembling wake of faint greenish light on 
 the quiet harbour below, across which the land 
 wind would occasionally shoot in cat's-paws, dim- 
 ming and darkening the shining surface (as if from 
 
 144
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 the winnowing of the wings of passing spirits of 
 the air), until they died away again, leaving their 
 whereabouts indicated by streaks of tiny ripples, 
 sparkling like diamonds in the moonbeams. Clear 
 of the bay, but in shore, the water continued as 
 smooth as glass, although out at sea there seemed 
 to be a light air still, the last faint breathings of 
 the dying sea-breeze. The heavy clouds that had 
 emptied themselves on our devoted heads in the 
 early part of the night, had by this time settled 
 down in a black, wool-fringed bank in the west, 
 the fleecy margin of which the moon had gloriously 
 lit up, and was fast approaching. The stars over- 
 head, as the lovely planet verged towards her set- 
 ting, sparkled with more intense brightness in the 
 deep blue firmament, more profoundly dark and 
 pure, one would have thought, from the heavy 
 squalls we had recently had. 
 
 There was only another person in the piazza 
 beside myself, and he was looking out on the 
 ocean. He was about ten yards from me, and in 
 the obscurity I could not well distinguish his 
 figure. 
 
 I looked also to seaward. A large vessel was 
 standing in for the land, her white sails, as she 
 glided down towards us, drifting along the calm, 
 gently heaving swell of the smooth water, like a 
 white wreath of mist. To leeward of her about a 
 mile, and further in the offing, two black specks 
 were visible, which first neared each other, and 
 then receded, one standing out to sea, and the 
 other in for the land, as if they had been two small 
 vessels beating up, and crossing and recrossing on 
 opposite tacks, between us and the moon. If it 
 had been war time, I would have said they were 
 
 vol. ii. 145 k
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 manoeuvring to cut off the ship ; but as it was I 
 thought nothing of it. Presently the vessel ap- 
 proaching fired a gun, and hoisted a light, which 
 I presumed to be the signal for a pilot, on which 
 two boats shoved out towards her from under the 
 land. I watched them till they got alongside, 
 when I heard a loud startled shout, and then voices, 
 as if in alarm, and the sound of a scuffle, during 
 which several musket or pistol shots went off — 
 next minute all was quiet again, but the yards and 
 sails of the ship were immediately braced round, as 
 she hauled by the wind, and stood off the land. 
 
 1 Curse the blockhead ! why does he meddle 
 with her ? ' said a voice near me. 
 
 I started ; it could only have been the solitary 
 person I had formerly noticed. As I turned, one 
 of the lozenges of blinds fell down, and opened, 
 with a rattle, that made me start, and disturbed him. 
 
 ' What does the ship mean by manoeuvring in 
 that incomprehensible way ? ' said I. 
 
 ' Really can't tell, sir,' said the person addressed, 
 evidently surprised at my vicinity ; c I suppose she 
 has been disappointed in getting a pilot, and intends 
 to lie off and on till daylight.' 
 
 c But what could the noise of scuffling be ? 
 Didn't you hear it ? ' I continued, 'and the pistol 
 shots ? ' 
 
 c Pistol shots ! No. I heard no pistol shots,' 
 quoth he drily. 
 
 4 The devil you didn't — then you must have been 
 deaf,' thought I ; and, as he turned to rejoin the 
 dancers, I made him out, the moment he came 
 into the light, to be the stranger indicated in the 
 conversation between the landlord and his guest 
 at supper. 
 
 146
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOo"? 
 
 1 Very odd all this,' quoth I ; c and I should say, 
 were he a suspicious character, that it was very 
 shallow in this chap to let such an exclamation 
 escape him ; ' and I again looked earnestly at him. 
 1 Ah ! I see he has been drinking wine, like our 
 friend the skipper.' 
 
 I joined our host, but still I could not avoid 
 again asking him who the deuce this same stranger 
 was ? 
 
 ' I really cannot tell you, Mr. Brail. He is a 
 very well-bred man — you see that yourself — but 
 there is something uncommon about him, unques- 
 tionably. All the women are dying to know who 
 he is, he dances so well.' 
 
 c Ay, and talks so betwitchingly,' quoth my lady 
 hostess — no less a person — as she passed close to 
 us, hanging on the very individual's arm. 
 
 'Heyday ! It's my turn now — so ! Confound 
 the fellow, who can he be ? ' said my host, 
 laughing. 
 
 * That strange gentleman has such a beautiful 
 tone of voice, uncle,' said a little lady — his niece, 
 I believe — who, during our colloquy, had taken 
 hold of Mr. Roseapple's hand. 
 
 'Indeed, Miss Tomboy ! Why, there again, 
 Mr. Brail. Young and old, male and female — he 
 seems to have fascinated all of them. — But I really 
 cannot give you more information regarding him 
 than that my friend Turner brought him up in his 
 gig from Falmouth, and sent to ask leave if he 
 might bring him to the party. It seems he came 
 over two days ago from the opposite coast of 
 Cuba, in a felucca, with live stock and dye woods,' 
 — I started at this — c or something equally ungen- 
 teel, which he consigned to Turner ; and, having 
 
 147
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 got the value of them in advance, he is on his way 
 to Kingston. He says that the cargo was merely 
 to pay his expenses, and seemed desirous of insinu- 
 ating, I thought, that accident alone had been the 
 cause of his being- led to deal in such vulgar articles 
 as Spanish bullocks and Nicaragua wood.' 
 
 4 I verily believe him,' said I. 
 
 4 He does seem a high sort of fellow,' continued 
 Mr. Roseapple, without noticing my interruption. 
 1 But here is Turner, let us ask him. — I say, 
 Turner, allow me to introduce Mr. Brail to you.' 
 
 We bowed to each other. 
 
 c We have been speaking about your friend.' 
 
 4 Well,' said Turner, 4 I believe, Roseapple, you 
 know about as much of him as I do.' 
 
 4 Pray,' said I, 4 may I ask what sort of craft 
 this same felucca was ? ' 
 
 The Falmouth gentleman described the Midge 
 exactly. 
 
 4 Well,' thought I, 4 the vessel may be owned 
 by an honest man after all ; at any rate, what does 
 it signify to me whether she be or no ? ' Never- 
 theless, I had an itching to know more about her 
 somehow. 
 
 4 Is the felucca still at Falmouth, sir, may I ask ? ' 
 continued I. 
 
 ' No ; she sailed yesterday morning at daylight.' 
 
 4 That was something of the suddenest, too,' 
 said I. 
 
 c We gave her every expedition, sir.' 
 
 4 1 don't doubt it — I don't doubt it. — Was there 
 a schooner in company, sir ? ' 
 
 4 No ; no schooner But there is my partner 
 
 waiting for me, so you '11 excuse me, Mr. Brail.' 
 So saying, away skipped Mr. Turner, and I had 
 
 148
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 no other opportunity of asking him any more 
 questions. 
 
 As I had nothing particular to engage me 
 among the dancers, 1 again strolled into the dark 
 piazza. Mr. Roseapple followed me. 
 
 ' Why, you seem strangely given to the dark- 
 ness, Mr. Brail ; it cannot be because your deeds 
 are evil ; won't you join the dancers ? ■ 
 
 4 1 will presently, sir,' said I laughing, c but really 
 I have a great curiosity to know what that ship is 
 about out there. Is there any vessel expected from 
 England, sir ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, a great many. The Tom Bowline from 
 London has been becalmed in the offing the whole 
 day ; I saw her from the piazza some time aa;o. 
 I fear she will not get in until the sea-breeze sets 
 down to-morrow. There,' said he, pointing at 
 the lessening vessel, ' look ! she has stood out to 
 sea yonder. She intends giving the land a good 
 berth until daylight, I suppose.' 
 
 'She does do that thing,' thought I. ' Pray, Mr. 
 Roseapple, do you happen to know whether she 
 took a pilot during the daylight ? ' 
 
 4 To be sure, she did — she is consigned to me. 
 The pilot-canoe brought my English letters 
 ashore.' 
 
 c Indeed ! ' said I ; * then what boats could 
 those be that boarded her a little while ago ? 
 Besides, I heard pistol shots, and a sound as or 
 struggling.' 
 
 c Oh,' quoth mine host, ' the captain is a gay 
 chap, and has a great many friends here, who are 
 generally on the look-out to board him in the 
 offing. Besides, he is always burning lights, and 
 blazing away. 1 
 
 149
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 1 Very well,' thought I, c it 's all one to me.' 
 
 I now noticed that the ship, having got into the 
 sea-breeze, had bore up again, and was running 
 down towards the two small vessels to leeward. 
 As she ran off the wind, and got between us and 
 the moon, her sails no longer reflected the light, 
 but became dark and cloud-like ; when she reached 
 them, they all stood out to sea, and gradually dis- 
 appeared in the misty distance like dusky specks. 
 Not wishing to appear an alarmist, I made no 
 farther remark. 
 
 As Mr. Roseapple and I walked back into the 
 room, the first thing that struck us was the master 
 of the Ballahoo sound asleep on a sofa, and Mr. 
 Flamingo carefully strewing the great rough sea- 
 man with roses and jessamine leaves. 
 
 'Love amongst the roses,' quoth he, as he joined 
 his partner. 
 
 'I see that same stranger, who has been puzzling 
 us all, has succeeded in making that poor fellow 
 helplessly drunk,' said Jacob Twig. 
 
 ' Bad luck to him ! ' quoth I. 
 
 It appeared that he had been much with him 
 during the evening ; and had been overheard mak- 
 ing many minute inquiries regarding the tonnage 
 of his vessel, the number of hands on board, and as 
 to whether the Spaniards and their money had been 
 landed or not ; but as both were strangers, and the 
 unknown had apparently a smattering of nautical 
 knowledge, it seemed natural enough that they 
 should draw up together, and no one seemed to 
 think anything of it. 
 
 It was now three o'clock in the morning, and 
 high time to bid our worthy host adieu ; so, after 
 I had again apologised for my intrusion, Mr. Twig, 
 
 T 5° '
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO i 
 
 Flamingo, Captain Hause, and myself, withdrew, 
 and took the road homewards to our quarters in 
 the town. 
 
 Mr. Jacob was leading the way as steady as a 
 judge, for he seemed quite sober, so far as his 
 locomotion was concerned ; but Flamingo and I 
 — who, I grieve to say it, were not quite the thing 
 ourselves — had the greatest difficulty in lugging the 
 skipper of the brig along with us ; for, on the 
 principle that the blind should lead the blind, Twig 
 had coolly enough left him to our care. Bacchus 
 had fairly conquered Neptune. 
 
 Whilst we were staggering along, under the 
 influence of the rosy god and the weight of the 
 skipper, who should spring past in a fast run, 
 apparently in red-hot haste, but the mysterious 
 Mr. Wilson ! 
 
 4 Hillo, my fine fellow,' quoth Twig, c whither 
 so swiftly ? Slacken your pace, man, and be 
 compani-o-n-a-ble.' 
 
 I now perceived that Twig's legs were the 
 discreetest of his members, and more to be relied 
 on than his tongue, his potations having consider- 
 ably interfered with his usually clear enunciation. 
 The person hailed neither shortened sail nor 
 answered him. 
 
 4 Why, Mr. Twig,' shouted I, ' if you don't 
 heave-to, we must cast off Mr. Hause here. I 
 believe he is in an apoplexy, he is so deadly heavy.' 
 
 ' Here, Mr. Brail — here — bring him along,' 
 quoth Twig, returning from the front, and laying 
 hold of the navigator wheelbarrow-fashion, placing 
 himself between his legs, while Flamingo and I 
 had each a hold of an arm. As for the head, we 
 left it to take care of itself, as it bumped on the 
 
 151
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 hard path at every step, demolishing, no doubt, 
 thousands of sand-flies at every lollop. We 
 staggered down the zigzag road, until we came to 
 an opening in the lime fence, through which we 
 turned sharp off into the fields, led by Massa 
 Twig. Here, wading through wet guinea-grass 
 up to our hip-joints, which drenched us in a 
 moment to the skin, we arrived at a small rocky 
 knoll under an orange-tree, where we deposited the 
 drunk man on his back, and then, with all the 
 tipsy gravity in the world, sat ourselves down 
 beside him. 
 
 We were now planted on a limestone pinnacle 
 of the bluff on which the house stood, from the 
 fissures of which grew a most superb orange-tree 
 that overshadowed us. Our perch commanded a 
 view to seaward, as well as of the harbour that 
 slept under our feet in the moonlight. As soon 
 as we came to an anchor, Flamingo ascended the 
 tree, which was loaded with golden fruit and 
 sparkling with fireflies. 
 
 c Nothing like an orange with the dew on it,' 
 quoth he, stretching to reach a branch, when he 
 missed his footing and shook down a whole volley 
 of oranges, and a shower of heavy dew. 
 
 1 Confound you, Felix,' quoth Jacob Twig, who 
 received a copious showerbath in his neck, as he 
 stooped his head, busying himself in an unavailing 
 attempt to strike fire with his pocket-flint and 
 steel, in order to light his cigar, ' what do you mean 
 by that ? ' 
 
 'A volley of grapeshot from the felucca,' stuttered 
 the skipper, on whose face Flamingo had again 
 dropped a whole hatful of fruit, sending down along 
 with them another fall of diamonds. 
 
 152
 
 SPIRITING AWAY WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 ' Now don't be so pluviose, Flamingo,'' again 
 sung out Twig ; ' come down out of that tree, 
 Felix, or I '11 shy this stone at you, as I am a 
 gentleman.' 
 
 1 An't I a very pretty peacock, Jacob ? ' quoth 
 his troublesome friend. 'But stop, I will come 
 down ' — seeing Twig preparing to make his threat 
 good — ' so keep your temper, man, and haul 
 Tarrybreeks nearer the root of the tree that I may 
 fall soft.' 
 
 ' I say, Flamingo,' quoth Twig, c you don't 
 mean to make a feather-bed of the navigator's 
 carcass, do you ? ' 
 
 Crash at this moment went the bough on which 
 our friend had trusted himself, and down he came, 
 tearing his way through the strong thorns of the 
 tree, right upon us. However, his fall was so 
 much broken by the other branches that there 
 was no great harm done, if we except the scratches 
 that he himself received, and a rent or two in his 
 clothes. 
 
 ' Murder, how I am scratched and torn, to be 
 sure ! — why, see, my clothes are all in tatters 
 absolutely,' with a long drawl. 
 
 'Serve you right, you troublesome animal,' 
 quoth Twig ; 'but sit down, and be quiet if you 
 can. Look ! have you no poetry in you, Felix ? 
 Is not that scene worth looking at ? ' 
 
 The black bank of clouds that had slid down 
 the western sky, and had floated for some time 
 above the horizon, now sunk behind the hills, 
 above whose dark outline the setting moon was 
 lingering. 
 
 The pale clear luminary still cast a long stream 
 of light on the quiet waters of the bay, which were 
 
 '53
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 crisping and twinkling in the land breeze, and the 
 wet roofs of the houses of the town beneath, whose 
 dark masses threw their long shadows towards us, 
 glanced in her departing beams like sheets of 
 polished silver. The grass and bushes beside us 
 were sparkling with dewdrops and spangled with 
 fireflies. The black silent hulls of the vessels at 
 anchor floated motionless on the bosom of the 
 calm waters, the Ballahoo being conspicuous from 
 her low hull and tall spars. The lantern that had 
 been hoisted to guide the skipper on his return 
 still burned like a small red spark at the gafF end. 
 
 There were one or two lights sparkling and dis- 
 appearing in the lattices of the houses on the bay, 
 as if the inmates were already bestirring them- 
 selves, early as it was. 
 
 The moon was just disappearing, when a canoe, 
 pulling four oars, with one solitary figure in the 
 stern, dashed across her wake, and pushed out to 
 sea. 
 
 We distinctly heard the hollow voices of the 
 men, and the rumble of the rollocks, and the 
 cheeping and splashing of the broad-bladed paddles. 
 I looked with all my eyes. c A doubloon if you 
 pull to please me,' said a voice distinctly from the 
 boat. 
 
 c That chap must be in a deuced hurry, whoever 
 he may be,' quoth Jacob Twig. 
 
 ' It 's more than you seem to be, my boy,' 
 rejoined Master Felix. c You seem to be inclined 
 to sit here all night ; so I '11 e'en stump along to 
 my lodgings, at Sally Frenche's, and leave you and 
 the skipper al fresco here, to rise when it pleases 
 you. Come, Mr. Brail, will you go, or shall I send 
 you out a nightcap and a boat-cloak ? ' 
 
 *54
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 ' Oh, we shall all go together,' said I ; c only let 
 us take another look at that most beautiful sky.' 
 
 The moon had now disappeared behind the 
 distant mountains, leaving their dark outlines 
 sharply cut out against the clear greenish light of 
 the western sky. They looked like the shore to 
 some mysteriously transparent, self-luminous, but 
 deadly calm ocean. Several shreds of vapour 
 floated in this mild radiance, like small icebergs in 
 the North Sea, during the long twilight night, 
 while the sun is circling round just below the 
 horizon ; while to windward l the fast-reddening 
 sky and the rise of the morning star gave token 
 of the near approach of day. 
 
 We got home and tumbled into bed, and it 
 was two o'clock in the afternoon before I rose to 
 breakfast. 
 
 The sea-breeze was by this time blowing strong, 
 almost half a gale of wind, making the shingles of 
 the roof clatter like watchmen's rattles, and whist- 
 ling through the house like a tornado. 
 
 I had just risen, and taken my razors out of my 
 desk, which lay open on the dressing-table, when 
 the wooden blinds of the window fell down with a 
 loud bang, from the dropping out of the pin that 
 held them shut, and away went the letters and 
 papers it contained, scattered by the reckless breeze 
 east, west, north, and south ; some flying up to the 
 roof, others sticking against the walls far above my 
 ken, as resolutely as if they had been pasted on by 
 little Waddington, the billsticker, himself; while, 
 
 1 Once for all. In the West Indies, from the sea-breeze or trade- 
 winds, always blowing from the east, objects or places are universally 
 indicated, even during a temporary calm, as being situated to wind- 
 ward or to leeward, according as they are to the eastward or west- 
 ward of the speaker. 
 
 155
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 by a sort of eddy wind, several were whisked away 
 out of the door (that at the moment was opened 
 by a negro boy with my coat in one hand, a 
 beautiful pine-apple on a plate in the other, and a 
 tin shaving-jug full of boiling water on bis head), 
 and disappeared amongst the branches of a large 
 umbrageous kennip-tree that over-shadowed the 
 back-yard, to be worked up in due time into birds' 
 nests. 
 
 * There they go,' cried I. * Why Sally — cousin 
 Sally ! ' — she was bustling about her domestic 
 matters — c see all my letters flying about the yard 
 there ; send some of the small fry to catch them.' 
 
 I continued my shaving, until another pufF 
 whipped up the piece of paper I had been wiping 
 my razor on, charged as it was with soap-suds, and 
 there it ascended spirally in a tiny whirlwind, until 
 it reached the roof, where, thinking it would stick 
 to the rafters, after being tired of its gyrations, the 
 room being unceiled, I shouted to Sally to bring 
 me one of the vagrant papers to supply its place ; 
 but as I peeped through the blinds to observe how 
 she came on, I felt something settle down as gently 
 as a snowflake on the crown of my head. 'Do try 
 and secure my love-letters, cousin.' 
 
 'Love-letter, dem ? ' quoth Sally, jumping up at 
 the words, ' La, Massa Benjamin, how you no say 
 so before ? — love-letter — I tink dem was no more 
 as shaving-paper.' 
 
 ' Shaving-paper ? Oh no, all my shaving-paper 
 is sticking to the crown of my head, Sally ; see 
 here,' stooping down to show her the patch on my 
 skull. 
 
 Sally was now all energy. ' Shomp, Teemoty, 
 Peeta, up de tree, you willains, and fetch me all 
 
 156
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 dese piece of paper, dem — shomp ; ' and the fugi- 
 tive pieces were soon secured. 
 
 When Sally, honest lady, entered with the papers, 
 the soapy scalp still adhered to my caput. She first 
 looked in my face, being a sort of quiz in her way, 
 and then at it. £ Dat is new fashion, Massa Ben- 
 jamin. When gentlemen shave demself in England 
 now-a-day, do dey wipe de razor on crone of dem 
 head ? ' 
 
 c Assuredly they do,' said I ; ' the universal 
 custom, Sally, every man or woman, willy nilly, 
 must wipe their razors, henceforth and for ever, 
 on pieces of paper stuck on the crown of their 
 heads. There is an Act of Parliament for it.' 
 
 ' My gracious ! ' 
 
 c Ay, you may say that.' 
 
 And exit Sally Frenche to her household cares 
 once more. 
 
 I had now time to give a little attention to the 
 scenery of the yard, where Cousin Sally reigned 
 supreme. 
 
 Three sides of the square (the house composing 
 the fourth) were occupied by ranges of low wooden 
 huts, containing kitchen and washing-houses, rooms 
 for the domestic negroes, and a long open shed, 
 fronting my window, for a stable. There was a 
 draw-well in the centre, round which numberless 
 fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea-birds, and 
 pigeons, flaffed^ and gobbled, and quacked, while 
 several pigs were grunting and squeaking about 
 the cookroom door, from whence a black hand, 
 armed with an iron ladle, protruded every now 
 and then, to give grumphy, when too intrusive, a 
 good crack over the skull. 
 
 Below the large kennip-tree already mentioned 
 
 157
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 sat Sally Frenche, enthroned in state, in a low 
 wicker chair, with a small table beside her, on 
 which lay an instrument of punishment, ycleped a 
 cowskin — a long twisted thong of leather, with a 
 short lash of whip-cord at the end of it. She was 
 nothing loth, I saw, to apply this to the shoulders 
 of her hand-maidens when they appeared behind- 
 hand, or sluggish in their obedience ; and even the 
 free brownies of her household were not always 
 exempt from a taste thereof. 
 
 Two nice showily-dressed negresses were speak- 
 ing to her. They each balanced a large wooden 
 bowl on their heads, full of handkerchiefs, gown- 
 pieces, and beads, and appeared to be taking their 
 instructions as to the prices they were to ask during 
 the day's sale. They departed — when a black 
 fellow, naked all to his trousers, with a long clear 
 knife in his hand, approached, and also took some 
 orders that I could not hear, but apparently they 
 had been the death-warrant of a poor little pig, 
 which he immediately clapper-clawed, and, like a 
 spider bolting with a fly, disappeared with it, 
 squeaking like fury, into his den — the kitchen. 
 
 There were several little naked negro children 
 running about Mrs. Sally, but the objects of her 
 immediate attention were a brown male child, of 
 about eight years old, and two little mulatto girls, 
 a year or two his seniors apparently. The children 
 had their primers in their hands, and Sally held an 
 open book in one of hers. 
 
 The girls appeared, with the aptness of their 
 sex, to have said their lessons to her satisfaction, 
 but the little cock-yellowhammer seemed a dull 
 concern, and as I looked, she gave him a smart 
 switch over his broadest end with her cowskin. 
 
 158
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 I Try again, you stupid black-head ' — (his head 
 was black enough certainly) — c now mind — what 
 doz you do wid your eyes ? ' 
 
 I I sees wid dem.' 
 
 1 You is right for one time — what doz you do 
 wid your yees ? ' — (ears). 
 
 c I hears wid dem.' 
 
 ' Bery well — you sees you is not so stupid when 
 you attends — you only lazy — so now — what doz 
 you do wid your foots ? ' 
 
 1 Walks wid dem.' 
 
 c Bery well, indeed — now mind again — what doz 
 you do wid your nose ? ' 
 
 This was a puzzler apparently — the poor little 
 yellowhammer scratched his head, and eke his 
 behind, and looked into the tree, and all manner 
 of ways, when seeing Mammy Sally's fingers creep- 
 ing along the table towards the cowskin — he 
 rapped out, 
 
 c I picks him.' 
 
 1 Picks him, sir ! — picks him ! ' — shouted Sally, 
 threatening him. 
 
 4 No ' — blubbered the poor boy — ' no, mammy 
 — no, I blows him sometimes.' 
 
 1 You nassy snaattary little willain — what is dat 
 you say — you smells wid him, sir — you smells wid 
 him." 1 Another whack across his nether end, and 
 a yell from yellowhammer. — £ Now, sir, what you 
 doz wid your mout ? ' 
 
 ' Nyam plawn.'' 1 
 
 1 Bery well — dat is not so far wrong — you does 
 nyam plawn wid him — but next time be more 
 genteel, and say — you eats wid him. Now sir — 
 read your catechism, sir — begin — Mammy Juba — 
 
 1 Creole for ' eat plantain.' 
 
 159
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 de toad of a boy — if him no hab de wrong side of 
 de book turn up — ah ha — massa — you don't know 
 de difference between de tap from de battam of de 
 book yet ? — Let me see if I can find out de differ- 
 ence between, for you own tap and battam.' 
 
 Whack, whack, whack — and away ran the poor 
 little fellow, followed by the two girls, so conta- 
 gious was his fear, and off started the wrathful Sally 
 after them, through the flock of living creatures, 
 until she stumbled and fell over a stout porker, on 
 which a turkey-cock, taking the intrusion in bad 
 part, began stoutly to dig at Sally's face with his 
 heels, and peck at her eyes with his beak, hobble- 
 gobbling all the time most furiously, in which 
 praiseworthy endeavour he was seconded by two 
 ducks and a clucking-hen, one of whose chickens 
 had come to an untimely end through poor Sally's 
 faux pas, while the original stumbling-block, the 
 pig, kept poking and snoking at the fallen fair one, 
 as if he had possessed a curiosity to know the 
 colour of her garters. This gave little yellow- 
 hammer an opportunity of picking up the cowskin, 
 that had dropped in the row, and of slyly dropping 
 it into the draw-well, to the great improvement, 
 no doubt, of the future flavour of the water. 
 
 At length Sally gathered herself up, and seeing 
 that there was no chance of catching the urchins, 
 who were peeping in at the back-door of the 
 yard, that opened into the lane, she made a merit 
 of necessity, and called out, 
 
 c So, go play now — go play,' — and away the 
 scholars ran, and Cousin Sally returned to the 
 house. 
 
 I was sitting at breakfast, and the gig I had 
 ordered was already at the door, when the Captain 
 
 1 60
 
 SPIRITING AWAY — WHERE IS THE BALLAHOO ? 
 
 of the BallahoO) who had been put to bed in the 
 house, joined me. He looked rather sheepish, as 
 if a dim recollection of the figure he had cut over 
 night had been haunting him. Just as we had 
 finished our meal, and I was about saying good-bye 
 to him, I found I had forgotten two boxes of 
 cigars on board the Ballahoo ; and as none of the 
 servants of the house were at hand, I accepted his 
 offer to go on board with him, in a canoe, for 
 them. So desiring the boy in charge of the gig 
 to wait — that I would be back instanter — we sallied 
 forth, and proceeded to the wharf, and embarked 
 in the first shore-canoe we came to. There were 
 three West-Indiamen taking in their cargoes close 
 to the wharf, with their topmasts struck, and 
 otherwise dismantled, and derricks up ; and a large 
 timber-ship just arrived, whose sails were loosed to 
 dry, was at anchor beyond them in the bay. 
 
 c Pull under the stern of that large ship with the 
 sails loose, my brig is just beyond her,' quoth Hause 
 to the black canoe-man. c A fine burdensome 
 craft that, sir.' 
 
 < Very.' 
 
 We were now rapidly approaching the large 
 vessel — we shot past under her stern — when, lo ! 
 — there was no brig to be seen. 
 
 The captain, apparently bewildered, stared wildly 
 about him — first this way, then that way, and in 
 every direction — then at a buoy, to which we had 
 now made fast. — He turned round to me, while 
 with one hand he grasped the buoy-rope — c As 
 sure as there is a Heaven above us, sir — this is our 
 buoy, and the brig is gone.' 
 
 ' Gone ! ' said I, smiling, ' where can she be 
 
 gone 
 
 ? 
 VOL. II. 161
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 4 That 's more than I know ; ' — then, after a 
 pause, during which he became as blue as indigo, 
 ' where is the Ballahoo ? ' gasped the poor fellow in 
 a fluttering tone to the canoe-men, as if terrified to 
 learn their answer. 
 
 'Where is the Ballahoo you say, massa ! ! ' — 
 echoed Quashie in great surprise that he, the 
 master of her, should ask such a question. 
 
 1 Yes — you black scoundrel ' — roared Hause, 
 gathering breath, '•where is the Ballahoo — this is 
 her buoy, don't you see ? ' 
 
 £ Where is de Ballahoo ! ! ! ' — again screamed 
 the negroes in a volley, in utter extremity of 
 amazement at the inquiry being seriously repeated. 
 
 1 Yes, you ragamuffins,' quoth I, Benjie Brail, 
 excited in my turn — c Where is the Ballahoo f 
 
 Omnes. — c Where is the " Ballahoo ? " ' 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 the devil's gully 
 
 I was certainly extremely puzzled myself to con- 
 jecture what could have become of the brig. That 
 she had vanished was certain ; and as for poor 
 Captain Hause, he was in a truly pitiable state, quite 
 stunned with the suddenness and severity of his loss, 
 so that he was altogether unable to think or act 
 for himself. ' Come, Hause, my lad,' said I 
 encouragingly, ' this won't do ; rouse yourself, man, 
 and let us see what 's to be done.' At this he 
 slowly rose up in the canoe, rubbing his eyes and 
 pressing his forehead, as if he had awakened out 
 
 162
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 of some horrid dream, the effects of which he was 
 endeavouring to shake off; but the instant he was 
 no longer in doubt as to the reality of his mis- 
 fortune, he cast the slough of his despondency, and 
 with terrific energy tore off his jacket and necker- 
 chief, and dashing both into the water, along with 
 his hat, threw himself headlong after them, being 
 only prevented from accomplishing his purpose of 
 self-destruction by my dragging him on board 
 again by the leg, and then holding him in the 
 canoe by main force. 
 
 ' I say, my men ' — to the black canoe-men — 
 ' pull to that big timber-ship, will ye ? ' 
 
 ' Ay, ay, massa,' rejoined the poor fellow ; ' only 
 hold dat poor mad buccra hand — take care him 
 don't get at we, please, massa ; white somarry 
 when him blod up bad enough, but when buccra 
 beside himself, for true and true, heigh, de devil, 
 massa ! ' 
 
 We soon got alongside of the Quebec ship. 
 Several of the crew, in their dirty canvas trousers, 
 red flannel shirts, and night-caps, were standing at 
 the gangway, apparently observing us. 
 
 ' You are the mate of this ship ? ' said I to a 
 good-looking young man, who was leaning over 
 the side, neatly dressed in a blue jacket, check 
 shirt, duck trousers, and straw hat. 
 
 4 1 am, sir. Can I be of any service to you ? ' 
 
 ' I wish you would lend a hand to get this poor 
 fellow up the side. He is very ill, you see ; and 
 if I try to take him ashore I am persuaded he will 
 jump overboard. He has endeavoured to do so 
 already.' 
 
 c You need not be afraid of me, Mr. Brail,' 
 here chimed in the poor skipper himself, as he 
 
 163
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 seated himself in the stern-sheets with forced com- 
 posure ; ' it is over now, sir, and I am quite cool. 
 But get up, if you please, and I will follow you. 
 You are quite right, sir ; the people of this ship 
 may be able to give us some information.' 
 
 I clambered up the high side of the vessel, and 
 was immediately followed by Hause and three of 
 the negroes belonging to the canoe. 
 
 C I am sorry Captain Batten is not on board, 
 gentlemen,' quoth the mate, * but is there anything 
 I can do for you ? ' 
 
 My companion was still unable to speak for 
 himself. He had sitten down on a carronade, 
 resting his head on his hand, the very picture of 
 despondency. 
 
 c Why, it is a strange story altogether,' said I ; 
 c but did you notice when the brig that anchored 
 close to you yesterday afternoon got under weigh 
 his morning ? ' 
 4 1 did, sir ; I was on deck at the time.' 
 The captain lifted up his head at this for a 
 moment, but presently fell back into his former 
 state of apparent stupor. 
 
 « I noticed two boats,' continued the mate, 4 1 
 suppose from the shore, full of people, go to her 
 from the other side of the bay, and smart chaps 
 they were apparently. They loosed sails and set 
 them in regular man-of-war fashion, and all the 
 time you could have heard a pin drop. I will do 
 them or the crew the credit to say that I never 
 saw a brig got under weigh more handsomely in 
 my life. I had no conception they could have got 
 the anchor up so speedily.' 
 
 4 Anchor up ! ' groaned Hause, ' why, there — 
 there is the anchor, cable and all,' pointing to the 
 
 164
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 buoy. ' The brig is run away with by some 
 piratical rascals, sir,' cried he, increasing his ex- 
 clamation to a roar — c the cable has been slipped ! 
 Oh, I am ruined, I am ruined — for ever ruined ! 
 The sweet little Ballahoo has been cut out by pirates ; 
 as sure as fate the bloody pirates are off with her ! ' 
 and he burst into a passion of tears, and wept like 
 the veriest child. 
 
 ' I really cannot say,' rejoined the mate of the 
 timber-ship, most distressingly cool and composed; 
 ' but she was in sight within this half-hour from 
 the deck. Here, steward, hand me the captain's 
 glass ; I think I shall be able to make her out 
 from the maintop still.' 
 
 This seemed to roused poor Hause, who had 
 relapsed into his mute fit, and he was in the top in 
 an instant. ' Hand me up the glass, my good 
 fellow,' cried he impatiently to the mate, who was 
 ascending the rigging leisurely, with the glass 
 slung at his back by a leather strap — ' the glass, if 
 you please, the glass — here, I see her down to 
 leeward there — there, see, just over the Point ! ' 
 And the poor fellow took a long, anxious look 
 towards the offing, steadying the telescope against 
 one of the topmast shrouds, and speaking very 
 quickly all the time, as- 1 have seen one do in 
 a fever, to the mate, who stood by him in the 
 top. 
 
 ' Well, captain,' I sung out, c what do you see ?' 
 
 He did not answer me ; but the mate of the 
 ship did : c He says he sees the brig, sir, standing 
 under a crowd of sail to the northward and west- 
 ward — -two small craft, like coasters, in company.' 
 
 ' Ask him to take a good look at these last, will 
 
 ye?' 
 
 165
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 A pause. c One is a schooner, he says, sir.' 
 f < And the other ? ' 
 
 ' A felucca, sir. 1 
 
 1 1 thought so, by all that is unfortunate.' And 
 I turned away, walking aft very fast, when the 
 mate's voice from the top, hailing the deck, evi- 
 dently in great alarm, arrested me, and glued me to 
 the planks : 
 
 'Johnstone, Johnstone ! ' — this was to one of 
 the ship's people — c come up here — come up into 
 the top — quick, or he will be over ! ' And the 
 next moment the telescope fell smash at my feet. 
 I could see that Hause had cast himself down on 
 the grating, and was grovelling convulsively on his 
 face. At length, in his struggles, one of his legs 
 hung over, and I thought he would have slipped 
 through the mate's fingers, and been dashed to 
 pieces by the fall. I looked up inquiringly. 
 
 ' He 's in a fit, sir,' cried the mate. 
 
 c Well, well ; seize him in the top, then, — seize 
 him in the top ! ' 
 
 But it was unnecessary : the poor fellow got 
 over this paroxysm also, to which the calmness of 
 despair now finally succeeded, and presently he 
 came down on deck. 
 
 ' I will now give you no more trouble, Mr. 
 Brail, you may depend upon it ; I am in my right 
 senses again, although ruined for ever, and all owing 
 to my infernal folly in not sleeping on board.' 
 
 1 Well, my good fellow,' I said, c 1 question very 
 strongly if your sleeping on board would have made 
 the smallest difference, at least in your favour. If 
 she has been forcibly carried off — and I am 
 sorry to say it looks very like it — the party must 
 have been too strong to have allowed your resistance 
 
 1 66
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 to have been of any avail. In fact, the first thing 
 they naturally would have done must have been 
 either to have secured you below, or given you a 
 more effectual quietus — you understand me ? So 
 nothing here is so bad but it might have been 
 worse. You are better as you are, surely, than a 
 prisoner, or worse still amongst the fishes in the bay?' 
 
 But I was cramming his ear against the stomach 
 of his sense. 
 
 c Those on deck would not have been caught in 
 this way had I been on board, take my word for it, 
 sir.' 
 
 i Probably not, probably not. But who does 
 the brig belong to ? ' 
 
 ' To myself, sir, entirely.' 
 
 1 And she was insured ? ' 
 
 4 Yes, fully; but since she had arrived, of course, 
 the underwriters are not liable for her having been 
 cut out. Besides, sir, it will be made out a devia- 
 tion, as we were bound for Kingston, and had no 
 right to touch at Montego Bay ; although, God 
 knows, we did all for the best.' 
 
 ' These are questions that I cannot well answer. 
 As to the deviation, I fear you are right, although, 
 as you say, you did it for the best ; and if the 
 underwriters be liberally-minded men, this should 
 weigh with them, and I do hope they will settle. 
 However, cheer up, man, and let us go and make 
 our depositions before the authorities, and send off" 
 information of the event to the admiral at Kingston, 
 and to your agent there, as well as to the outports ; 
 let us take all the chances of informing some of 
 the squadron of the transaction. You are bound 
 to take every measure likely to afford a chance of 
 the recovery of the brig and property. But the 
 
 167
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 poor Dons, have they been kidnapped as well as 
 the crew ? ' 
 
 c All on dem — ebery one on dem carry go along 
 wid dat terrible pirate willain,' quoth one of the 
 negro canoe-men. 
 
 c Ay, Ouashie,' said I, for I had forgotten the 
 blackies altogether, c what do you know about it ? ' 
 
 c I knows dis, massa — dat Jack, and Aby, and 
 Pico dere, was all out fis wid me in de canoe dis 
 wery marning, jost as de moon was setting, when 
 one buccra hail we fram de beach — "Canoe, ahoy," 
 him say. " Hillo," say we.' 
 
 1 Very well, my good man, get on, get on.' 
 
 'So me shall, massa; so him hail again. 
 " Canoe, ahoy," him say ; and " Hillo," say me, 
 Bill, once more.' 
 
 ' So, and you took him on board ? ' said I. 
 
 4 You had better give him his own way, sir, or 
 you will never get to the end of his yarn,' chimed 
 in the mate of the timber-ship. I saw he had a 
 better knowledge of the negro character than I had, 
 so I resolutely held my tongue. ' Go on, then, 
 Bill, since that is your name, get along your own 
 way.' 
 
 c So him hail we de tird time — " Canoe, ahoy," 
 him say. I hope massa notice dat him sing out 
 " Canoe, ahoy," for de tird time. " Hillo," say 
 I, for de tird time too. Massa will mark I say 
 "Hillo" for de tird time too. 
 
 i Vor „oc ' 
 
 Y 
 
 es 
 
 yes. 
 
 c Wery good. " I wants a shove out to one 
 wessel in de offing," say de woice, for by dis time 
 one cloud come over de moon, and we couldn't see 
 nobody none at all. " We is fissing, and can't 
 come," say Pico. 
 
 1 68
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 I it 
 
 Never mind your fissing — here is one golden 
 hook for you — here is eight dollar for de put on 
 board." 
 
 * " Ho, ho, now we understan," taught I. " He, 
 he, better more as fis whole night dis is," say Jack. 
 So we leave de lines, at one buoy, and pull for de 
 beach, where we find one buccra tan up dere wid 
 portmanteau on him shoulder, and all fine dress as 
 if for one ball. He toss in de portmanteau widout 
 any more palaver — wery heavy him was, for de 
 same was break Pico shin.' 
 
 £ To be sure him do,' said Pico, here showing 
 where the black cuticle was flayed off" the cucumber 
 shank. 
 
 ' " Now you see one wessel wid white sail out 
 yonder ?' him say, when him sit down in de starn 
 sheet. " No," say all we, " we see noting ; " and 
 no more we did, massa.' 
 
 c " Bery well — pull right out of de bay den — 
 one doubloon if you pulls to please me" say he.' 
 
 I here looked at poor Hause, forgetting he had 
 been helplessly drunk, when the canoe passed us 
 as we sat below the orange tree. 
 
 4 Well, massa,' continued the negro, ' when we 
 reach de ofHng de trange buccra tood up in de 
 starn, take off" him hat, and look all about. 
 " Dere," say he, pointing wid him tretch out hand, 
 " dere dey are, you see dem now ; pull for dat 
 nearest wessel." 
 
 c " Where, where, where ? " Pico poke him 
 head out into de dark night, and so do Jack, and 
 so do Aby, and so do me — all tan up wid neck 
 tretch over de gonwale like so much goose looking 
 for de picaninny coming wid de Guinea corn. So, 
 tink I, what good yeye dat buccra mos hab, for none 
 
 169
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 of us yet no see noting ; but, ha, ha, presently de 
 moon give us one leetle shine, and I see — I see ' 
 
 c What the deuce did you see ? ' said I, losing 
 all patience, and raising my hand threateningly. 
 Quashie, thinking I was going to strike him, now 
 tumbled out his words fast enough. 
 
 c I see one larsh ship well out in de offing — one 
 leetle roguish-looking felucca close to, and one big 
 topsail schooner between dis one and de larsh ship.' 
 Here seeing it was a false alarm on my part, he 
 relapsed into his former drawling verbosity. 
 c Well, we pull for de smallest of de tree — see no 
 one on deck but de man steering and two boy — de 
 trange buccra shomp on board. " Now tank you, 
 my lad," him say quite shivil, " dere is de doubloon 
 I promise. Here, boy, give dem poor fellow a 
 horn of grog a-piece." " Si, Seiior," say de boy — 
 fonny ting, I taught, for de boy to hanswer him in 
 Panish. We drink de grog. " Now shove off — 
 good-bye — go home, and sleep," said de trange 
 buccra — but instead we come back to our nets,massa 
 — before daybreak we come ashore, and when de 
 captain dere engage de canoe, we taught it was for 
 join de brig in de offing (for after we came back 
 from sell our fis we hear she was gone), until we 
 see she was too far out, and instead of being heave 
 to, was bowl along six knots wid de first of de sea 
 breeze.' 
 
 c How came you to know Captain Hause was 
 the master of the brig ? ' said I. 
 
 'Because I was in de pilot canoe dat was come 
 aff to you yesterday — and it make me wery mosh 
 surprise to see de captain expect to find de brig at 
 anchor dis forenoon, for I never dream she could 
 go widout his leave. I was tink for true it was 
 
 170
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 him send him off at gone-fire, becase I see just 
 before day broke, what I tink was two sore boat wid 
 peoples, as if he had sent help, to up de hanker 
 cleverly — dat all I knows, massa — will buss de 
 book pan dat.' And I believe the poor fellow 
 spoke the truth. 
 
 It was now evident beyond all shadow of doubt 
 that the Ballahoo had been run away with by pirates, 
 and it was equally clear that nothing could be done 
 with any chance of success in the way of venturing 
 to follow her in an unarmed craft. 
 
 As for poor Hause, it would have been down- 
 right cruelty if I had left him that forenoon. So 
 I told Cousin Teemoty to put up the gig, as I 
 found I should be unable to leave Montego Bay 
 that day at any rate, and I hurried to Sally 
 Frenche's in order to write to the admiral an 
 account of the transaction. 
 
 When I got there I found Mr. Twig and his 
 friend Mr. Flamingo seated at a sumptuous break- 
 fast. c Good-morning, gentlemen — melancholy 
 news for you this morning. This poor man's brig 
 — the vessel I came in — has been run away with 
 in the night by pirates.' 
 
 ' By pirates ! ' said Flamingo. ' Impossible, Mr. 
 Brail ; you are joking, surely. I would as soon 
 believe that Jacob Twig there had been stolen in 
 the night.' 
 
 4 And do you mean to say I should not have 
 been worth the stealing, Felix ? ' 
 
 I assured them that it was a melancholy fact, 
 and no jest, but neither would believe that there 
 was any piracy in the affair — c Piracy — pooh, pooh, 
 impossible — barratry of the crew — barratry to a 
 certainty.' 
 
 171
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 c No,' quoth Hause ; 'I would trust the poor 
 fellows with all that I am worth — Heaven knows 
 that 's little enough now. The mate is my own 
 brother-in-law, and the second mate is my 
 nephew, my own sister's son. No barratry, sir ; 
 
 no, no.' 
 
 ' Well, well,' said I, c you have shown, gentle- 
 men, a desire to oblige me already. I now will 
 put you to the proof.' 
 
 Here they laid down their coffee-cups, and rose, 
 wiping their muzzles with their napkins most 
 resolutely. • 
 
 'Say the word, Mr. Brail,' quoth both in a 
 breath, with their mouths full, and munching 
 away all the time. ' How can we be of service ? 
 — with our persons or purses ? We West Indians 
 have such a slippery tenure in this country, that 
 one does not much grudge perilling either,' con- 
 tinued Jacob Twig. 
 
 'Thank you. All I want at present is, that 
 you should have the goodness to put Mr. Hause 
 and me in the way of making our depositions 
 before your chief magistrate.' 
 
 ' The Custos of the parish ? ' quoth Twig. 
 ' Certainly ; and fortunately he is here in Mon- 
 tego Bay at this moment. He was at Roseapple's 
 last night.' 
 
 ' I know where to find him,' said Mr. Flamingo. 
 ' He is always at old Jacob Monroe's store about 
 this time, when at the bay. So, allons? 
 
 And in a twinkling we were on our way to lay 
 our troubles before the great functionary, an ex- 
 tensive planter in the neighbourhood. 
 
 ' Pray where is Mr. Turner, the gentleman 
 from Falmouth, who brought that ominous Mr. 
 
 172
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 Wilson to the ball, to be found ? ' said I, as we 
 stumped along, krding the lean earth, for it was 
 cruelly hot. 
 
 1 Well thought of,' said Don Felix. ' He 
 lodges usually at Judy Wade's. Why, there 
 he is in propria persona, standing in the front 
 piazza.' 
 
 ' How do you do, Turner ? You will have 
 heard the row on the bay ? ' 
 
 * Oh, yes ; but the Tom Bowline has been 
 given up ; she has not even been plundered, and is 
 now working into the bay.' 
 
 ' No — no — not the Tom Bowline ' 
 
 c What, about the brig having been cut out ? 
 Oh, yes ; it has flown like wildfire.' 
 ' Pray, is Mr. Wilson still with you ? ' 
 ' No, to my surprise (I will confess), he is not. 
 It seems he came home before me, from Rose- 
 apple's, packed his portmanteau, paid half of our 
 
 joint bills, and bolted.' 
 
 c Honour amongst thieves, 1 whispered Twig to 
 me. 
 
 ' But where he is gone I can't tell. He did in- 
 tend to have started for Kingston to-day at one 
 time, but last night he said he would put it off 
 until to-morrow.'' 
 
 1 There again,' said I, looking at Jacob, who 
 seemed to think it was his cue. 
 
 4 He must be a bit of a rogue, that same 
 Wilson, so I hope he is no friend of yours 
 Turner, my dear fellow,'' quoth Twig, and here he 
 told him of all that had occurred, and what we 
 suspected. 
 
 Mr. Turner, a most respectable man, was 
 highly incensed at having been so grossly duped,, 
 
 173
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 and willingly accompanied us to the place where 
 we expected to find the Custos. 
 
 We were on our way, when the mate of the 
 timber-ship overtook us, running very fast. 
 
 'Gentlemen, piracy is not the worst of it — 
 piracy is not the worst of it. There has been 
 murder committed.'' 
 
 ' Murder ! ' quoth Jacob Twig ; ' the deuce 
 there has.' 
 
 'Murder!' quoth Don Felix; 'worse and 
 more of it.' 
 
 And 'Murder ! ' quoth I, Benjie. ' Where, my 
 good man ? — and what proof? ' 
 
 'Come with me, gentlemen,' said the still 
 breathless seaman. ' The ship's boat, with Cap- 
 tain Batten himself in it, is lying at the wharf. 
 Come with me, and you shall see yourselves that 
 it is as I say.' 
 
 We reached the wharf, and immediately pulled 
 straight for the brig's buoy. 
 
 As we got between it and the sun, which was 
 now declining in the west, we witnessed a very 
 uncommon appearance. 
 
 The Ballahoo had let go her anchor in five 
 fathoms water, so clear, and the sand at the 
 bottom so white and free of weeds or rocks, that 
 when we were about a cable's length distant from 
 the anchor, it appeared from the refraction of the 
 sun's rays to be buoyed up, and to float on the 
 surface of the gentle swell that rolled in from the 
 ofHng — the shank, flukes, and stock twisting and 
 twining, and the cable waving in its whole length, 
 as if the solid anchor had been a living thing in 
 the fangs of a gigantic watersnake. When we 
 got right over the anchor, we saw a dark object, 
 
 *74
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 at about three fathoms to windward of it, of the 
 size of a man's bcdy, glimmering and changing its 
 shape from the jaugle of the water. At the 
 request of the mate, I shaded my eyes with my 
 hands, and held my face close to the surface, when 
 the indistinct appearance, as I looked steadily, 
 settled itself into the figure of a sailor, floating, as 
 near as I could judge, midway between the bottom 
 and the surface, suspended in the water, as the 
 fable alleges Mahomet's coffin to be in air. 
 
 1 It has drifted,' said the mate, 'since I was 
 here before, and is now much nearer the surface. 
 See ! see ! ' and presently the dead corpse, as if 
 some sudden chemical decomposition had taken 
 place, sent up a number of bubbles, and then rose 
 rapidly to the surface with a bob (if in so serious a 
 matter one may use such an expression), where it 
 floated with the breast-bone and face flush with 
 the surface of the swell, dip, dipping, and driving 
 out small concentric circles, that sparkled in the 
 sun all round. The throat was cut from ear to ear ! 
 
 ' Great God ! ' cried poor Hause, as he passed 
 his arm round the neck of the dead body, and 
 raised it out of the water. c My poor mate — my 
 poor mate ! Ay, ay, he would have the morning 
 watch, sure enough. A fearful watch has it been 
 to him.' 
 
 We carried the body to the wharf, and left it 
 there, covered with a boat-sail, and once more pro- 
 ceeded to wait on the Custos. 
 
 The place we expected to meet him at was a 
 sort of vendue store, the small open piazza of 
 which, fronting the street, was lumbered with 
 bales of Osnaburgs, open boxes of hankerchiefs, 
 pieces of Irish linens, and several open barrels of 
 
 175
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 mess beef, pork, pickled mackerel, herrings, and 
 shads. We navigated through these shoals with 
 some difficulty and considerable danger to the in- 
 tegrity and purity of our coat-skirts. At length 
 we reached the interior. 
 
 There was a passage fronting us, that ran right 
 through the house from front to rear, on each side 
 of which were sparred partitions of unpainted pine 
 boards, covered with flour and weevils, and hung 
 with saddlery, mule harness, cattle chains, hoes, 
 and a vast variety of other miscellaneous articles of 
 common use on an estate. 
 
 Through the spars on the left-hand side I saw a 
 person, in a light-coloured jacket and trousers, 
 perched on the top of a tall mahogany tripod, at a 
 small, dirty, hacked-and-hewn mahogany desk, 
 with a pen behind his ear, and his hands full of 
 papers, and busy, apparently, with some accounts. 
 
 But there seemed to be a dark sanctum-sanc- 
 torum beyond him of some kind or another, railed 
 in separately, the partition festooned with dusty 
 spider-webs, and raised several steps above the 
 level of the floor. Here, in the obscurity, I could 
 barely discern a little decrepit figure of a man, like 
 a big parrot in a cage, dressed in a sort of dark- 
 coloured nightgown and red nightcap. 
 
 We all sat down unconcernedly to wait for his 
 Honour, as if it had been some common lounge, 
 or a sort of public coffee-house — some on tops of 
 barrels, others on bales or boxes ; but neither of 
 the two persons at the desks moved or took the 
 smallest notice of us, as if they had been accus- 
 tomed to people constantly going and coming. 
 
 ' Where is your master ? ' said Twig at length to a 
 negro that was tumbling goods about in the piazza. 
 
 176
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 c Dere him is,' quoth Snowball, ' dere in de 
 contin hose,' indicating the direction by sticking 
 out his chin, both paws being occupied at the 
 time in rolling a tierce of beef. 
 
 c I say, Jacob Munroe,' sang out Twig, l how 
 are you, old boy ? Nuzzling away in the old 
 corner, I see.' 
 
 ' Hoo are ye ? Hoo are ye the day, Mr. Twig ?' 
 said a small husky voice from the sanctum. 
 
 I happened to sit a good deal farther back in the 
 passage than the others of the party (farther ben I 
 believe they would call it in Scotland), and thus 
 could hear the two quill-drivers, who were 
 evidently unaware of my being within earshot, 
 communing with each other, while my com- 
 panions did not. 
 
 c Saunders,' quoth the oldest man from the 
 sanctum, c hae ye coonted the saydels ? ' 
 
 c Yes, uncle, twice over, and there is still one 
 amissing.' 
 
 ' Vara extraordinar,' rejoined the small husky 
 voice from the dark corner — c vara extraordinar.' 
 Then, after a pause, ' Hae ye closed aw the ac- 
 coonts, Saunders ? ' 
 
 < No, sir.' 
 
 c Whilk o' them are open yet ? ' 
 
 'Mr. Wanderson's.' 
 
 c Ane,' said the voice. 
 
 'JolifFe and Backhouse.' 
 
 <Twa.' 
 
 1 Skinflint and Peasemeal.' 
 
 'Three.' 
 
 ' His honour the Custos. 1 
 
 < Four.' 
 
 c And Gabriel Juniper.' 
 
 vol. ii. 177 M
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 'Ay, there's five o' them. Weel-a-weel, 
 Saunders, we maunna lose the value of the say- 
 del at no rate, sae just clap in, cc Item, one saydel" 
 to ilk ane o' the five ye hae read off the noo, 
 seriawtim — they '11 no aw objeck — ane will surely 
 stick — maybe mair.' 
 
 I was a good deal amused with this, and while 
 the others were inspecting some sets of harness, and 
 the quality of several open boxes of soap, I could 
 not resist drawing nearer, under the lee of the 
 partition, to enjoy the fun of the thing. Presently 
 Twig joined me. 
 
 The conscience of the younger of the two 
 invisibles seemed to rebel somewhat at this 
 national and characteristic method of balancing 
 an account, and making gain of the loss of a 
 saddle. 
 
 1 Really, uncle, none of these parties got the 
 saddle, 1 am positively certain of that.' 
 
 4 It 's no my fawt if they didna, we canna lose 
 the saydel, Saunders ; by no mainer of means.' 
 
 * Oh, but, sir,' persisted the other, c Mr. Wan- 
 derson, for instance, a person you always speak so 
 highly of!' 
 
 1 Haud yere tongue, sir, and do as I bid ye, 
 it'll no be charged again yere conscience, and yere 
 no the keeper o' mine.' 
 
 I was amazingly tickled at this. After a pause, 
 1 Hae ye charged the saydels yet, Saunders ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, sir,' said the clerk, doggedly ; l yes, all 
 charged, and I 'm just closing the accounts.' 
 
 c Close nane o' the accoonts — the deevil's in the 
 lad wi' his hurry — close nane o' the accoonts, sir ; 
 so noo charge twa three odd things till each o' the 
 five, just to smoor the saydel, ye ken. What are 
 
 178
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 ye glowerin' at ? do ye no understaun yere mither 
 tongue ? — to maL the charge less noticeable, ye 
 gawmarel.' 
 
 ( Really, sir,' said the younger of the two, c I 
 have not the courage to do so unjust an action of 
 myself.' 
 
 ' Haud yere tongue, and write what I dictate, 
 then, sir ; wha's first ? Ay, Mr. Wanderson. 
 Let me see, an I H L hinge, a negro lock, and a 
 bottle of blister flies to Mr. Wanderson. He 's 
 always giving poor people help and medicine, and 
 he '11 ne'er notice them. Wha's neist ? ' 
 
 'The Custos, sir.' 
 
 ' Ay, the CustosJ said the voice ; ' a jovial chiel 
 is his honour, so, so, just clap doon, item, twa 
 pawtent corkscrews. He's no very muckle gien 
 to payin', but ne'er mind, I '11 screw it out of him 
 in rum and plantains.' And here the creature 
 laughed an 'eldritch laugh,' sounding more like 
 keck, keck, keck, than any common cachinnation. 
 ' Wha's neist ? ' 
 
 ' Joliffe and Backhouse.' 
 
 'Ay, braw English lads are they baith, leeberal 
 chiels, and fond o' guid eating ; clap a round o' 
 Jew beef on the tap o' their saydel.' — Keck, keck, 
 keck. ' Wha's neist ? ' 
 
 ' Skinflint and Peasemeal, sir.' 
 
 ' Bah, nasty Scotch bodies ' (and what may you 
 be ? thought I), ' and weel I wot I would be glad 
 to saydel them,' keck, keck; 'but they'll no be 
 fitted that gate, I trow, they 're owre gleg ; sell 
 them a loose, and if he wanted a leg or the fud, 
 my certie, let abee findin' it oot, they wad plea it 
 afore they payed it, sae pass them ower. But 
 wait awee, I am loath to let Skinflint escape after 
 
 179
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 aw. Hoo mony grunstanes did their cart ca' for 
 the other day ? ' 
 
 i Two dozen, sir.' 
 
 c Twa dizzen, twa dizzen grunstanes did ye 
 sa y ? — herd ony mortal the like o' that, four-and- 
 twenty grunstanes ! What can they do wi' sae 
 mony ? they maun surely mak soup o' them, or 
 feed their negers wi' them, or maybe they grind 
 their noses on them, ay, that '11 be it — keck, keck 
 Did you send an invoice wi' the cart, Saunders ?' 
 
 ' No, sir ; the man went away without it.' 
 
 'Very weel.' 
 
 c The cart upset on the way home, sir, and broke 
 several of the stones, I hear.' 
 
 1 Better and better, mak the twa dizzen three, 
 Saunders ; surely they '11 no piece the broken anes 
 thegither to check the tally ; the extra dizzen will 
 aboot balance a saydel, Saunders. So, if we canna 
 fit them wi' a saydel, we '11 tak a ride aff them 
 bare-backed. , Keck, keck, keck. £ Wha's neist ? ' 
 
 c Gabriel Juniper, sir.' 
 
 <Fashious,drucken,ne'er-do-weel,wash his saydel 
 down wi' a gallon o' gin and twa o' brandy. He'll 
 no be able to threep wi' me, for he 's amaist aye 
 drunk noo ; syne he couldna keep his ain saydel 
 the last time I saw him on horseback, it's but 
 richt he should pay for the lost ane. Keck, keck, 
 keck. Noo, Saunders, ye 're a decent lad, sae 
 satisfy yere conscience, and mind ye gie up, in 
 shape c? discount, at the settlement, the amount o' 
 aw the fictitious items, barring the saydels and 
 the grunstanes, though — mind that — barring the 
 saydels and the grunstanes. Noo, soom up and 
 close, ye deevil, soom up and close.' 
 
 c Ah, Custos,' said Mr. Turner, as the gentleman 
 
 180
 
 THE DEVIL S GULLY 
 
 we were waiting for entered, ' glad to see you, 
 glad to see you.' Here, having explained how 
 matters stood, his honour retired with us into 
 Jacob Munroe's back store. 
 
 ' Well, namesake, how are you ? ' said Twig to 
 the old man who owned the small voice, and who 
 now emerged and became visible, as he crept 
 before us and opened the door. 
 
 1 Oo, fine ; Maister Twig, fine. Did ye fin' 
 the accounts against Roaring River and Hector's 
 Folly estates aw correct, Mr. Twig ? 1 
 
 £ Yes, all correct, all correct ; only you have 
 charged me a saddle too many.' 
 
 c The old withered anatomy looked with a quiz- 
 zical leer of his eye at him, as much as to say, 
 ' Have you overheard me, Master Twig ? — but I 
 am rich, and don't care.' 
 
 1 Saunders,' cried the old man, ' I say, Saunders, 
 bring the ink and ae chair for the Custos and the 
 gentlemen,' as if we all could have sat upon one; 
 c and Abraham,' to one of the store negroes, 
 4 shool away that shell into a corner, and gie them 
 room.' 
 
 c Shell,' said I, in some surprise ; ' why, is that 
 great mass all tortoiseshell ? ' 
 
 'Atweelis it, young gentleman; at least it is 
 the shell of the hawk's-bill turtle, which is the 
 same thing. That 's the last cargo of the Jenny- 
 nettle s, frae the Indian coast ; she sould be up again 
 aboot this time, if she be na cacht by they incarnate 
 deevils o' peerates ; but she's weel assured, she's 
 weel assured. Why, Saunders ! whar the deevil 
 are ye, Saunders ? ' 
 
 ' Here, sir,' said the young man whom I had 
 seen at the desk, as he entered with writing 
 
 181
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 materials in one hand, a chair for his Honour in 
 the other, and a Bible (as he naturally concluded 
 that some depositions on oath were to be taken) in 
 his teeth. I paid no particular attention to him 
 until he startled me by suddenly dropping the 
 chair on Twig's toes, exclaiming, as he caught the 
 Bible in his hand, ' Gude ha a care o' us, Mr. 
 Brail, is this you yeersel ? ' And lo, who should 
 stand before me, but our old friend Lennox ? 
 
 ' Why, old shipmate, how are you ? I am glad 
 to see you ; but I thought you had turned coffee- 
 planter by this time ? ' 
 
 4 And so I have, sir. My uncle there sends me 
 up the end of every week to superintend his 
 plantation in the mountains ; but I am here for 
 the most part of my time in the store, helping 
 him. But where are you lodging, Mr. Brail ? I 
 hope you will permit me to call on you ; for I 
 see you are likely to be engaged at present.' 
 
 I told him where I stayed, and in few words 
 what the reader knows already regarding my 
 Jamaica expectations and the cause of my visit ; 
 farther, that I was about leaving town, but that 
 I would not fail having a chat with him soon, as I 
 should no doubt be often at the bay. 
 
 The Gustos^ after taking our depositions, wrote 
 to the admiral at Port Royal, and to correspondents 
 of his at all the outports, with an outline of the 
 circumstances, in case any of His Majesty's ships 
 should be there ; and in the meantime it was 
 determined that poor Hause, after giving his 
 underwriters in Kingston notice of his calamity, 
 should remain at Montego Bay until it was seen 
 what should turn up. Here I must do old Jacob 
 Munroe justice. Before the meeting broke up, he 
 
 182
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 in our presence invited him to stay in his house as 
 long as it suited him. Lennox, seeing I was sur- 
 prised at this, whispered in my ear that ' Snell as 
 his uncle was in business matters, the auld-farrant 
 body had a warm heart still to a fellow-creature in 
 distress.' 
 
 1 Come along, Mr. Brail,' said Flamingo ; c as 
 we cannot make a start of it this evening now, 
 let us adjourn to our friend Sally's and see what 
 entertainment she can provide for us ; and then 
 hey for Ballywindle at daybreak to-morrow.' 
 
 However, our troubles were not over for that 
 day ; for we had not proceeded fifty yards on our 
 way to our lodgings, when an ugly, bloated, 
 drunken-looking white man, with great flabby 
 yellow cheeks, that shook as he walked like 
 flannel-bags full of jelly, and in a most profuse 
 perspiration, driven forth, I make no doubt, by a 
 glorious rummer of grog, came up to us, and 
 touched both of us on the shoulder. Most people 
 are rather sensitive regarding a touch thereabouts, 
 so we faced suddenly round. 
 
 4 1 warn you bote, gentlemen, to attend one 
 coroner's inquest at Jacob Munroe's wharf.' 
 
 4 The deuce you do ! ' said I. ' Pray, what 
 authority have you for this, my fine fellow ? ' 
 
 £ De coroner's warrant, sir,' producing it. 
 
 c Oh, we are nailed, Mr. Brail,' quoth Don 
 Felix. c Crowner's quest law is not to be dis- 
 puted — no use in kicking. So pray, my good 
 man, do you want any more jurors ? ' 
 
 1 Indeed I do, sare. You are de first I have 
 warned as yet.' 
 
 c Oh, then, do you see that red faced gentle- 
 man coming round the corner there ? ' 
 
 i8 3
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ' Yesh, I do,' said the man. 
 
 'Then bone him instanter or he will bolt.' 
 This was no less a personage than Jacob Twig 
 again. The man, on this, made a detour, and 
 took our friend in flank ; but the moment Jacob 
 saw him he seemed to suspect his object, and 
 began to walk down the street very fast, followed 
 by the constable. There was a narrow turning 
 to the right near to where we stood, that led 
 amongst a nest of nanny houses, as they are called, 
 inhabited by brown free people, which was quite 
 closed up by a party washing clothes and a girl 
 milking a cow beyond them. How Jacob was to 
 escape if his evil genius should prompt him to try 
 this channel I could not conceive. As yet his 
 sense of propriety had only allowed him to get 
 into a very fast walk, shamming deafness, how- 
 ever, all the while to the reiterated shouts of the 
 constable to ' stand in de Kin's name ; ' but the 
 moment he opened the lane, off" he started, with 
 the long skirts of his frogged coat streaming in the 
 wind, and his little glazed hat blazing in the sun 
 like a meteor, or the steel headpiece of one of 
 Bonaparte's cuirassiers. 
 
 There was an old woman stooping down over 
 her tub right fronting him — that is, facing him in 
 an Irish fashion, for she looked t'other way from 
 him — and two younger ones similarly employed on 
 each side of her. How he was to clear them and 
 their tubs, and the cow beyond, was the puzzle, as 
 the projecting eaves of the two lines of small 
 houses, whose inmates were thus employed, 
 nearly met overhead. However, we were not 
 left long in suspense. Massa Twig now quickened 
 his pace, and clapping his hands on the old lady's 
 
 184
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 shoulders, cleared her and her tub cleverly by a 
 regular leap-frog, tipping the heads of the two 
 young women on each flank with his toes, and 
 alighted at the feet of the girl who was milking 
 the cow, which had not time to start before he 
 followed up the fun by vaulting on her back, and 
 then charged down the lane through the tubs and 
 over the prostrate constable, passing us like a 
 whirlwind, the quadruped funking up her heels 
 and tossing the dry sand with her horns, as if 
 startled by a myriad of gad-flies. Both Flamingo 
 and I strained our eyes to follow him, as he flew 
 along like smoke, careering down the lane that 
 ended in the sea. 
 
 c Why don't he throw himself ofF?' said I. 
 'The frantic brute is making straight for the 
 water ; it will drown him if he don't.' 
 
 'Jump off, man — jump off! ' roared Don Felix. 
 But in vain ; for the next moment there was 
 Jacob Twig of the Dream, in St. Thomas in the 
 East, flashing and splashing in the sea, cow and 
 all, an Irish illustration of the fable of Europa. 
 Presently both biped and quadruped were in deep 
 water, when they parted company, and all that we 
 could see was a glazed hat and a red face, and a 
 redder face and a pair of horns, making for the 
 shore again as fast as they could. 
 
 ' Now Twig is cheap out of that,' quoth 
 Flamingo. ' He is always aiming at something 
 out of the way, and certainly he has accomplished 
 it this time ; but, see, there are people about him, 
 so he is safe.' 
 
 However, we were boned, and could not escape, 
 so, having lost sight of him, we waited until the 
 poor constable, a German, had gathered himself up 
 
 185
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 and joined us. — c And now, Master Constable, lead 
 the way, if you please.' 
 
 ' Who is dat mans as is mad ? ' quoth he, as 
 soon as he could speak. 
 
 c Mr. Purvis, of Tantallon, near Lacovia,' said 
 Flamingo, as grave as a judge. 
 
 'What a thumper ! ' thought I, Benjie. 
 
 We arrived at the wharf, when the coroner im- 
 mediately impanelled the jury, and we proceeded 
 to view the body of the poor fellow who had been 
 murdered. It was lying on the wharf, covered 
 with the sail as we had left it ; from under which, 
 notwithstanding the short time it had been ex- 
 posed, thick, foetid decomposed matter crept in 
 several horrible streams, and dripped into the clear 
 green sea beneath through the seams of the plank- 
 ing, where the curdling blue drops were eagerly 
 gobbled up by a shoal of small fish, while a myriad 
 of large blue-bottles rose with a loud hum from 
 the cloth as it was removed on our approach, but 
 only to settle down the next moment more thickly 
 than before on the ghastly spectacle. Bah ! even 
 in the short period that the body had been in the 
 water the features were nearly obliterated, and the 
 hands much gnawed — three of the fingers were 
 gone entirely from the left. The windpipe and 
 gullet were both severed with a horrible gash, and 
 there was a deep bruised indentation* across the 
 forehead, as if from the heavy blow of a crowbar 
 or some other blunt weapon. 
 
 There was no doubt on earth but that the poor 
 fellow had been surprised, and met his death by 
 violence, and so suddenly that he could not give the 
 alarm; so a verdict was accordingly returned of 'Wil- 
 ful murder, against a person or persons unknown.' 
 
 186
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 By the time we returned to our lodgings, we 
 found Massa Tv. ig fresh rigged after his exertions, 
 and as full of frolic and oddity as ever. 
 
 ' Did you ever see a female bull so well actioned 
 before, Felix ? ' said he. 
 
 ' Never,' replied his friend ; * took the water like 
 a spaniel too — must be accustomed to the sea — an 
 Alderney cow, I suppose, Twig, eh ? ' 
 
 This evening passed on without anything 
 further occurring worth recording. 
 
 Next morning Lennox came to see me off, and 
 gave me all his news. I was exceedingly glad to 
 learn that the poor fellow was so happily situated, 
 and promised to call on him the first time I came 
 to the bay. 
 
 While lounging about the piazza before break- 
 fast, I noticed our friend (_)uacco busily employed 
 cleaning a fowling-piece. 
 
 'Whose gun is that, Quacco ? ' 
 
 ' Massa Flamingo's, sir.' 
 
 'Let me see it — a nice handy affair — Purdy, I 
 perceive — comes to my shoulder very readily — 
 beautifully.' 
 
 ' Wery clever leetle gone for sartain, massa; but 
 all de caps dem spoil, sir. See de powder — per- 
 cossion dem call — quite moist, and useless.' By 
 this time he had fitted on one of the copper caps, 
 and snapped the piece, but it was dumb. ' I am 
 going to fill de caps wid fresh powder, massa ; but 
 really dis percossion powder too lively, massa — 
 only see ' — and he gave a few grains of it a small 
 tip with the shank of the bullet mould, when it 
 instantly flashed up. 
 
 ' Master Quacco,' said I, ' mind your hand ; 
 that is dangerous stuff. Tell Mr. Flamingo to be 
 
 187
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 wary also, or he will be shooting people, for it is 
 wrong mixed, I am certain.' 
 
 ' Wery trang, wery trang for sartain, massa — 
 but no fear in my hand — for I is armourer, as well 
 as waiting gentleman — oh, ebery ting is I, Quacco.' 
 
 ' Confound your self-conceit.' 
 
 Here Flamingo and Twig came in. 
 
 'Good morning, Mr. Brail.' 
 
 ' Good morning.' 
 
 c All ready for the start, I see,' said Twig. 
 1 Why, Felix, what is Mr. Brail's man doing with 
 your gun ? ' 
 
 'Cleaning it, and filling these caps anew with 
 fresh percussion powder ; the old has mildewed or 
 got damp, he tells me. Indeed, the last time I 
 shot, it was not one in three that exploded.' 
 
 ' Mind how you play with those caps,' said I ; 
 but before I could proceed 
 
 ' Sally, make haste and get breakfast,' bawled 
 Twig. ' Do you hear ? ' 
 
 c Yes, massa,' squeaked Sal from the profundities 
 of the back premises. 
 
 ' Why, Felix,' continued our friend, l there has 
 been another burglary last night. My spleuchan, 
 as Rory Macgregor calls it, has been ravished of 
 its treasures.' 
 
 c How poetical you are this morning — mounted 
 on your Pegasus, I see,' rejoined Felix. 
 
 ' Better that than the horned animal that led me 
 such a dance yesterday,' quoth his friend, laughing. 
 4 But, joking apart, your man Twister must have 
 mistaken my tobacco for his own. He has 
 emptied my tobacco-pouch as sure as fate, for none 
 of my own people eat it, and the fellow has 
 always that capacious hole in his ugly phiz filled 
 
 188
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 with it — with my prime patent chewing tobacco, 
 as I am a gentleman.' 
 
 c Really"? ' said Felix, who detested tobacco in all 
 shapes, as I learned afterwards, with an accent con- 
 veying as clearly as if he had said it : 4 1 am 
 deuced glad to hear it.' Then, 'Confound it! 
 are we never to get breakfast ? But when did you 
 miss it, Jacob ? ' 
 
 ' Why, when we got out to ride over Mount 
 Diablo, at the time the boys were leading the gig- 
 horses. Don't you recollect that I had to borrow 
 Twister's spurs, as Daredevil always requires a 
 persuader when a donkey is in the path, and there 
 were half a dozen, you know? So, stooping to 
 adjust them, out tumbled my spleuchan, it appears. 
 I did not know it at the time, indeed not until we 
 were getting into the gig again, when Twister 
 handed the pouch, that was so well filled when it 
 dropped, as lank and empty as your own carcass, 
 Flam.' 
 
 1 Pooh, pooh ! what does it signify ? ' said his 
 ally. ' A fair exchange, Twig — tobacco for spurs, 
 you know — a simple quid pro quo.'' 
 
 1 Shame ! ' said Jacob. < I thought you were 
 above picking up such crumbs, Felix. But here 
 is breakfast, so come.' 
 
 We finished it, and as we were getting ready, I 
 noticed Ouacco and Massa Twig in earnest con- 
 fabulation^ both apparently like to split with sup- 
 pressed laughter. At some of the latter's sug- 
 gestions, our sable ally absolutely doubled himself 
 up, while the tears were running over his cheeks. 
 Immediately afterwards, Ouacco began to busy 
 himself, boring some of the small hard seeds of the 
 sand-box tree with his pricker, and filling them 
 
 189
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 with something ; and then to poke and pare some 
 pieces of Jacob's patent flake tobacco with a knife, 
 stuffing it into the latter's tobacco-pouch. How- 
 ever, I paid no more attention to them, and we 
 started ; my cousin Teemoty driving me in a 
 chartered gig. 
 
 We shoved along at a brisk rate, close in the 
 wake of Mr. Twig's voiture, and followed by a 
 plump of black cavaliers — a beautiful little sumpter- 
 mule, loaded with two portmanteaus, leading the 
 cavalcade, while Mr. Flamingo's servant, Twister, 
 pricked ahead, for the two-fold purpose of driving 
 the mule and clearing the road of impediments, 
 such as a few stray jackasses, or a group of negroes 
 going to market, neither of whom ever get out of 
 one's way. 
 
 After proceeding about ten miles, the road 
 wound into a cocoa-nut grove close to the beach ; 
 indeed, the beach became the road for a good mile, 
 with the white surf rolling in and frothing over the 
 beautiful hard sand, quickly obliterating all traces 
 of the wheels. Macadam was at a discount here. 
 One fine peculiarity of the West India seas is, in- 
 dependent of their crystal clearness, they are 
 always brimful — no steamy wastes of slush and 
 slime, no muddy tideways. And overhead the 
 sea-breeze was whistling through the tall trees, 
 making their long feather-like leaves rustle and 
 rattle like a thousand watchmen's alarms sprung 
 in the midst of a torrent of rain, or a fall of 
 peas. 
 
 ' Hillo ! what is that ? ' as a cocoa-nut fell bang 
 into the bottom of my gig, and bounded out again 
 like a foot-ball. 
 
 4 Oh, only a cocoa-nut,' said Twig, looking 
 
 190
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 over his shoulder with the usual knowing twist of 
 his mouth, but without pulling up. 
 
 ' Only a cocoa-nut ! but it would have fractured 
 a man's skull, I. presume, if it had struck him.' 
 
 c A white man's certainly,' quoth Flamingo, 
 with all the coolness in life, as if it had fallen a 
 hundred miles from me, in place of barely shaving 
 the point of my nose. 'But it has not hit 
 you — a miss is as good as a mile, you know ; 
 so suppose we go and bathe until they get dinner 
 ready yonder. Let us send the boys on to the 
 tavern to order dinner. We are within two miles 
 of it, Jacob, eh ? ' 
 
 4 No, no,' quoth Twig ; c come along a quarter 
 of a mile further, and I will show you a nook 
 within the reef where we shall be safe from John 
 Shark, or, rather, the sharks will be safe from 
 Flamingo's bones there. He would be like a sack- 
 ful of wooden ladles tossed to them. The fish 
 would find him as digestible as a bag of nut- 
 crackers, seasoned with cocoa-nut shells, ah ! But 
 come along, come along. Oh, such a bath, Mr. 
 Brail, as I will show you ! ' 
 
 We left the cocoa-nut grove, and when we arrived 
 at the spot indicated, we got out to reconnoitre. 
 There was a long reef, about musket-shot from 
 the beach at the widest, on the outside of which 
 the swell broke in thunder, the strong breeze 
 blowing the spray and flakes of frothy brine back 
 in our faces even where we stood. 
 
 The reef, like a bow, hemmed in a most beauti- 
 ful semicircular pool of green sea water, clear as 
 crystal, its surface darkened and crisped by tiny 
 blue sparkling wavelets, which formed a glorious 
 and pellucid covering to the forest, if I may so 
 
 191
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 speak, of coral branches and sea-ferns that covered 
 the bottom, and which, even where deepest, were 
 seen distinctly in every fibre. When you held 
 your face close to the water, and looked steadily 
 into its pure depths, you saw the bottom at three 
 fathoms perfectly alive and sparkling with shoals 
 of fishes of the most glowing colours, gambolling 
 in the sun, bird-like amongst the boughs, as if con- 
 scious of their safety from their ravenous comrades 
 outside, while nothing could be more beautiful 
 than the smooth sparkling silver sand as the water 
 shoaled towards the beach. The last was com- 
 posed of a belt of small transparent pebbles, about 
 ten yards wide, overhung by a rotten bank of turf 
 of the greenest and most fragrant description, that 
 had been only sufficiently undermined by the lap- 
 lapping of the water at tempestuous spring-tides (at 
 no time rising here above three feet), to form a 
 continuous although rugged bench the whole way 
 along the shore. 
 
 'Now, if one were riding incautiously here, he 
 might break his horse's leg without much trouble,' 
 quoth Don Felix. 
 
 1 Why, Jacob, speaking of horsemanship, how 
 did you like your style of immersion yesterday ? 
 A novel sort of bathing-machine, to be sure.' 
 
 c You be hanged, Felix ! ' quoth his ally, with a 
 most quizzical grin, as he continued his peeling. 
 
 1 Do you know I 've a great mind to try an 
 equestrian dip myself,' persisted his friend. ' Here, 
 Twister, take off Monkey's saddle, and bring him 
 here.' 
 
 £ Oh, I see what you would be at,' said Jacob. 
 ' Romulus, bring me Daredevil — so,' and there- 
 upon, to my great surprise and amazement, it 
 
 192
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 pleased my friends to undress under a neighbouring 
 clump of trees, and to send the equipages and 
 servants on to the tavern, about half a mile distant. 
 They then mounted two led horses, bare-backed, 
 with watering bits, and, naked as the day they 
 were born, with the exception of a red handker- 
 chief tied round Mr, Twig's head and down his 
 redder cheeks, they dashed right into the sea. 
 
 As cavalry was an arm 1 had never seen used 
 with much effect at sea, I swam out to the reef, 
 and there plowtering about in the dead water, under 
 the lee of it, enjoyed the most glorious shower-bath 
 from the descending spray, that flew up and curled 
 far overhead, like a snow-storm, mingled with ten 
 thousand miniature rainbows. I had cooled myself 
 sufficiently, and was leisurely swimming for the 
 shore. 
 
 ' Now this is what I call bathing,' quoth Twig, 
 as he kept meandering about on the snorting Dare- 
 devil, who seemed to enjoy the dip as much as his 
 master. ' I would back this horse against Buce- 
 phalus at swimming.' 
 
 Here Flamingo's steed threw him, by rearing 
 and pawing the water with his fore legs, and sink- 
 ing his croup, so that his master, after an unavail- 
 ing attempt to mount him again, had to strike out 
 for the beach, the animal following, and splashing 
 him, as if he wanted to get on his back by way of 
 a change. 
 
 c And that 's what I call swimming,' roared Don 
 Felix. But he scarcely had uttered the words 
 when the horse made at him in earnest, and I 
 thought he had struck him with the near fore-foot. 
 
 c And that 's what I call drowning,' thought I, 
 c or something deuced like it.' 
 
 vol. ii. 193 N
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 However, he was really a good swimmer, and 
 got to shore safe. 
 
 Master Twister had been all this time enacting 
 groom of the stole to the two equestrian bathers, 
 and so soon as he had arrayed them, we proceeded 
 to the tavern, dined, and, after enjoying a cool 
 bottle of wine, continued on our journey to Bally- 
 windle, which we hoped to reach shortly after 
 nightfall. 
 
 The sun was now fast declining ; I had shot 
 ahead of my two cronies and their outriders, I 
 cannot now recollect why, and we were just enter- 
 ing a grove of magnificent trees, with their hoary 
 trunks gilded by his setting effulgence, when 
 Twister's head (he had changed places with cousin 
 Teemoty, and was driving me) suddenly, to my 
 great alarm, gave a sharp crack, as if it had split 
 open, and a tiny jet of smoke puffed out of his 
 mouth. I was all wonder and amazement, but 
 before I could gather my wits about me, he jumped 
 from the voiture into the dirty ditch by the side of 
 the road, and popped his head, ears and all, below 
 the stagnant green scum, while his limbs and all 
 that was seen of him above water quivered in the 
 utmost extremity of fear. 
 
 As soon as Twig and Flamingo came up, I saw 
 that neither they nor Sergeant Ouacco could con- 
 tain themselves for laughter. The latter was 
 scarcely able to sit his mule — at length he jumped, 
 or rather tumbled, off, and pulled Twister out by 
 the legs ; who, the instant he could stand, and long 
 before he could see, for the mud that filled his eyes, 
 started up the road like a demoniac, shouting 
 c Obeah, Obeah ! ' which so frightened the sump- 
 ter-mule that he was by this time alongside of, 
 
 194
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 that she turned, and came down, rattling past us 
 like a whirlwind, until she jammed between the 
 stems of two of the cocoa-nut trees, with a most 
 furious shock, when lo ! the starboard portmanteau 
 she carried burst and blew up like a shell, and 
 shirts, trousers, nightcaps, and handkerchiefs, of all 
 colours, shapes, and sizes, were shot hither and 
 thither, upwards and downwards, this side and 
 that, until the neighbouring trees and bushes were 
 hung with all manner of garments and streamers, 
 like a pawnbroker's shop. 
 
 Twig shouted, c There — that 's your share of 
 the joke, Felix — there goes your patent port- 
 manteau with the Bramah lock — see if the very 
 brimstones in which you gloried be not streaming 
 like a commodore's broad pennant from the top of 
 the orange tree. The green silk nightcap on the 
 prickly pear — and the shirts, and the vests, and the 
 real bandanas — ha, ha, ha ! ' 
 
 ' Ay, ay,'shouted Flamingo, who had dismounted, 
 and was endeavouring to catch the mule as she 
 careered through the wood towards the sea, kick- 
 ing and flinging in a vain attempt to disentangle 
 herself from the other portmanteau, which had 
 now turned under her belly, and the sumpter- 
 saddle that hung at her side ; c and there goes your 
 kit, Jacob, an offering to Neptune, bodily, mule 
 and all ' — as the poor beast dashed into the surf, 
 after having threaded through the stems of the 
 trees, without farther damage. 
 
 The cause of all this was no longer a mystery, 
 for I had made my guess already ; but presently 
 I was enlightened, if need had been, by friend 
 Quacco. He had, it appeared, with Mr. Twig's 
 sanction, charged certain of the pieces of patent 
 
 195
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 tobacco in the spleuchan with several small quantities 
 of detonating powder, enclosed in the glass-brittle 
 seeds of the sand-box, as a trap for Master Twister, 
 who was suspected of making free with it. The 
 issue, so far as he was concerned, has been seen ; 
 but in the hurry of coming away and packing up, 
 instead of placing the bottle containing the powder 
 in Mr. Flamingo's gun-case, where it should have 
 been, he hurriedly dropped it into his portmanteau 
 as Twister was packing it, so that when the 
 sumpter-mule jammed between the trunks of the 
 trees, after it took fright, it exploded and blew up. 
 
 1 1 say, Massa Twister, you never make free 
 with my patent tobacco.' 
 
 ' Oh, oh, oh ! ' roared poor Twister, holding 
 his jaws with both hands — c Oh, massa, my 
 tongue blow out — my palate blow down — de roof 
 of my mouse blow up — and all my teets blow clean 
 gane — Oh no, massa, never, never will touch him 
 no more, massa — never, never no more.' 
 
 'I'll answer for it you don't, my boy,' quoth 
 Jacob. 
 
 After picking up the fugitive and clambered 
 garments as well as we could, we travelled onwards 
 for about two miles, when we struck inland, and 
 as the night fell entered a dark tree-shaded ravine, 
 with a brawling brook rushing through the bottom, 
 up which we threaded our way by a narrow road 
 scarped out of the red earth of the hillside. 
 
 c Now, Mr. Brail, give your horse the rein — let 
 him pick his own steps, if you please ; for the road 
 is cruelly cut up by the weather and waggons here- 
 abouts, and none of the widest either, as you may 
 feel, for you can't see it.' 
 
 I took his advice, and soon found the advantage 
 
 196
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 of it, as we came to several groups of negroes sit- 
 ting invariably o^i the inner side of the road, which 
 I would certainly have been tempted to avoid at 
 my own peril ; but my horse was not so scrupu- 
 lous, for he always poked his nose between them 
 and the bank, and snorted and nuzzled until they 
 rose and shuffled out of our way, either by creeping 
 to the side next the ravine or up on the bank. 
 Presently the road widened, and we got along 
 more comfortably. 
 
 I could not but admire the thousands and tens 
 of thousands of fire-flies that spangled the gulf 
 below us, in a tiny galaxy. They did not twinkle 
 promiscuously, but seemed to emit their small 
 green lights by signal, beginning at the head of 
 the ravine and glancing all the way down, in a 
 wavy continuous lambent flash, every individual 
 fly as it were taking the time from his neighbour 
 ahead. Then for a moment all would be dark 
 again, until the stream of sparkles flowed down 
 once more from the head of the valley, and again 
 disappeared astern of us ; while the usual West 
 India concert of lizards, beetles, crickets, and tree 
 toads, filled the dull ear of night with their sleepy 
 monotony. 
 
 The night soon began to be heavily overcast, 
 and as we entered below some high wood the 
 darkness would have become palpable had it not 
 been for the fire-flies — even darkness which might 
 have been felt. 
 
 c I must heave to until I get my bat's eyes 
 shipped, Mr. Twig,' said I; 'I can't see an inch 
 before my nose.' 
 
 4 Then send Flamingo ahead, my dear fellow, 
 for if he sees the length of his, we shall do — his 
 
 197
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 proboscis is long enough to give us warning of 
 any impediment.' 
 
 1 What a clear glowworm-coloured light some 
 of these insects do give ! ' quoth I. c See that one 
 creeping up the handle of my whip — it comes along 
 with its two tiny burners like the lights in a dis- 
 tant carriage rolling towards you.' 
 
 1 Come, you must get on though, since we have 
 not room to pass — no time to study natural philo- 
 sophy,' said Twig ; and I once more fanned my 
 horse into a gentle trot, with very much the sensa- 
 tion of one running through an unknown sound in 
 the night, without either chart or pilot. 
 
 After a little, I saw a cluster of red fire-flies, as 
 I thought, before us. i Oh, come along — I see 
 now famously.' 
 
 ' Oh massa, massa ! ' — Crack ! — I had got en- 
 tangled with a string of mules going to fetch a last 
 turn of canes from the field, the red sparks that I 
 had seen ahead having proceeded from the pipes in 
 the mouths of the drivers. However, there was 
 no great damage done. 
 
 The rain now began to descend in torrents, with 
 a roar like a cataract. — 'What uncommonly pleasant 
 weather ! ' thought I. c Why, Mr. Twig, you see 
 I am a bad pilot — so, do you think you have room 
 to pass me now ? for, to say the truth, I don't 
 think I can see a yard of the road, and you know 
 I am an utter stranger here.' 
 
 He could not pass, however, and at length T had 
 to set Master Teemoty to lead the horse. Pre- 
 sently I heard a splash. 
 
 ' Hillo, cousin Teemoty ! where have you got 
 to?' 
 
 4 De Fairywell no tell lie, massa — De Devil's 
 
 198
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 Golly, 1 dat has been dry like one bone for tree 
 mont, hab come (hwn, massa — dat all.' 
 
 c Come downj said I ; ' I wish it had stayed up.'' 
 
 c Ah ! ' said Twig — ' and we are to sleep here 
 
 in the cold and damp, I suppose — the fellow's a 
 
 fool, and must have got off the path into some 
 
 puddle. We are a mile from the Gully — let me 
 
 see ' — and before you could have turned, Massa 
 
 Jacob was splashing up to the knees alongside of 
 
 Massa Teemoty. However, he was right — it was 
 
 only a streamlet — and we got across without much 
 
 difficulty ; but in ten minutes the roar of a large 
 
 torrent, heard hoarse and loud above the sound of 
 
 the rain, gave convincing proof that we were at 
 
 length approaching the Gully — moreover that it 
 
 was down, and that with a vengeance. We now 
 
 found ourselves amongst a group of negroes, who 
 
 had also been stopped by the swollen stream. There 
 
 was a loud thundering noise above us on the left 
 
 hand, which (we had now all alighted) absolutely 
 
 shook the solid earth under our feet, as if in that 
 
 direction the waters had been pitched from the 
 
 mountain side headlong over a precipice. From 
 
 the same quarter, although quite calm otherwise, 
 
 a strong cold wind gushed in eddies and sudden 
 
 gusts, as if from a nook or valley in the hillside, 
 
 charged with a thick, wetting spray, that we could 
 
 feel curling and boiling about us, sometimes stronger 
 
 and sometimes weaker, like the undulations of a 
 
 London fog. Close to our feet we could hear the 
 
 river tearing past us, with a great rushing and 
 
 gurgling, which was occasionally intermingled with 
 
 the rasping and crashing of trees and floating spars, 
 
 as they were dashed along on the gushes and swirls 
 
 1 Gully — ravine or river course. 
 I 99
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 of the stream ; while every now and then the warm 
 water (for so it felt in contrast with the cold damp 
 night-breeze) surged a foot or two beyond its usual 
 level, so as to cover us to the ankle, and make us 
 start back, and immediately ebb again. It was 
 some time, amidst this ' groan of rock and roar of 
 stream ' before we could make out anything that 
 the negroes about us said. 
 
 'Hillo,' cried Twig — to be heard by each other 
 we had to shout as loud as we could — c hillo, 
 friend Felix, here's a coil — what shall we do — 
 sleep here, eh ? ' 
 
 c We shall sleep soft, then,' roared his friend in 
 reply. 
 
 1 As how, my lord ? ' 
 
 i Why you may have mud of all consistencies 
 and of any depth.' 
 
 ' True, water beds are all the fashion now, and 
 possibly mud ones might be an improvement ; but 
 had we not better try back ? ' I continued, as I 
 really began to think it no joke remaining where 
 we were all night. 
 
 ' A good idea,' said Twig. 
 
 1 About ship, then,' quoth Flamingo. 
 
 £ Wery good plan, wery good plan,' shouted 
 Cousin Teemoty ; ' but ' 
 
 1 But, but, but — oh, confound your butsj roared 
 Twig ; ' but what, sir ? ' 
 
 ' Oh,' said Tim, whose dignity was a little hurt, 
 4 noting, noting — no reason why massa should not 
 return — only Carrion-crow Gully dat we lef behind 
 will, by dis time, be twenty time more down as dis, 
 dat all.' 
 
 i And so it will — the boy is right,' rejoined 
 Jacob; 'what is to be done? Stop — I see, I see.' 
 
 200
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 ' The deuce you do ! then you have good eyes,' 
 quoth Felix. 
 
 ' I say, Flamingo, pick me up a stone that I 
 can sling, and hold your tongue ; do, that 's a good 
 fellow.' 
 
 ' Sling ? where is the Goliath you mean to 
 attack ? ' 
 
 ' Never you mind, Flam, but pick me up a stone 
 that I can tie a string to, will ye ? There, you 
 absurd creature, you have given me one as round 
 and smooth as a cricket-ball ; how can I fasten a 
 string- round it? — give me a longish one, man — 
 one shaped like a kidney-potato or your own nose, 
 you blundering good-for-nothing — ah, that will do. 
 Now, some string, boys — string.' 
 
 Every negro carries a string of one kind or 
 another with him in the crown of his hat, and 
 three or four black paws were in an instant grop- 
 ing for Jacob Twig's hand in the dark with pieces 
 of twine. 
 
 ' Hillo, what is that ? ' as an auxiliary-current, 
 more than ankle deep, began to flow down the road 
 with a loud ripple from behind us, thus threatening 
 to cut off our retreat. 'Mind we are not in a 
 scrape here ! ' cried I. 
 
 ' If we be, we can't better it,' shouted Twig. 
 ' Here, gentlemen — give me your cards, will 
 ye ? ' 
 
 'Cards — cards ! ' ejaculated Flamingo and I in a 
 breath. 
 
 ' Yes — your calling-cards ; do grope for them — 
 make haste.' 
 
 He got the cards, and all was silent except the 
 turmoil of the elements for a few seconds. At 
 length, in a temporary lull of the rain, I thought I 
 
 201
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 heard the shout of a human voice from the opposite 
 bank, blending with the roar of the stream. 
 
 'Ay, ay,' cried Jacob — 'there, don't you hear 
 people on the other side ? — so here goes.' 
 
 c Hillo, who the deuce has knocked off my hat ? ' 
 cried Flamingo. 
 
 ' Why don't you stand on one side then, or get 
 yourself shortened by the knees ? such a steeple is 
 always in the way,' bawled Twig. 'Leave me 
 scope to make my cast now, will ye — don't you see 
 I want to throw the stone with the cards across 
 amongst the people on the opposite bank — There,' 
 and he made another cast — 'ah, I have caught a 
 fish this time — more string, Teemoty — more string 
 — or they will drag it out of my hand. Now 
 some one has got a precious pelt on the skull with 
 the kidney potato, Felix, as I am a gentleman ; but 
 he understands us, whoever he may be that has got 
 hold of it — feel here — how he jerks the string 
 without hauling on it — wait — wait ! ' 
 
 Presently the line was let go at the opposite side, 
 and our friend hauled it in — it had been cut short 
 off, and instead of the stone and cards a negro 
 clasp-knife was now attached to it. 
 
 There — didn't I tell you — there 's a barbarian 
 telegraph for you — there 's a new invented code of 
 signals — now you shall see how my scheme will 
 work,' cried Jacob. However, near a quarter of 
 an hour elapsed, without anything particular 
 occurring, during which time we distinctly heard 
 shouting on the other side, as if to attract our 
 attention, but we could not make out what was 
 said. 
 
 At length we observed a red spark, glancing and 
 disappearing like a will-o'-the-wisp as it zigzagged 
 
 202
 
 THE DEVIL'S GULLY 
 
 amongst the dark bushes, down the hillside above. 
 Presently we lose sight of it, and all was dark 
 again. However, just as I began to lose all hope 
 of the success of Massa Twig's device, the light 
 again appeared coming steadily down the road 
 opposite us. It approached the impassable ford, 
 and we now saw that it was a lantern carried by 
 a negro, who was lighting the steps of a short 
 squat figure of a man, dressed in a fustian 
 coatee and nankeen trousers, with an umbrella over 
 his head. ' I 've caught my fish — I 've caught my 
 fish — Rory Macgregor himself, or I am a baboon,' 
 shouted Twig, as the party he spoke of came down 
 to the water's edge, and, holding up the lantern 
 above his head, peered across the gully with out- 
 stretched neck, apparently in a vain attempt to 
 make us out. 
 
 By the light we saw a whole crowd of poor, 
 drenched, stormstayed devils, in their blue penni- 
 stone great-coats, shivering on the opposite bank. 
 The white man appeared to be giving them in- 
 structions, as two of them immediately disappeared 
 up the hillside whence he had descended, while 
 several of the others entered a watchman's hut that 
 we could observe close to the waterside, and fetched 
 some wood and dry branches from it, with which 
 they began to kindle a fire under a projecting clifF, 
 which soon burned up brightly, and showed us 
 whereabouts we were. 
 
 The scene was striking enough. A quantity of 
 dry splinters of some kind of resinous wood being 
 heaped on the fire, it now blazed up brilliantly in 
 massive tongues of flame that glanced as they 
 twined up the fissures, scorching the lichens into 
 sudden blackness, and licking, like fiery serpents, 
 
 203
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 the tortuous fretwork of naked roots depending 
 from the trees that grew on the verge of the bank 
 above, which spread like a net over the face of the 
 bald grey rock ; and lighting up the fringe of dry 
 fibres depending from the narrow eave of red earth 
 that projected over the brink of the precipice, 
 under which the bank appeared white and dusty, 
 but lower down, where wet by the beating of the 
 rain, it was red and glittering with pebbles, as if it 
 had been the wall of a salt mine in Cheshire. 
 
 The bright glare and luminous smoke of the fire, 
 in which a number of birds, frightened from their 
 perches, glanced about like sparks, blasted the 
 figures of such of the negroes as stood beyond it 
 into the appearance of demons — little Rory Mac- 
 gregor looking, to use his own phrase, like the deil 
 himsell, while those of them who intervened between 
 us and the fire seemed magnified into giants — their 
 dark bodies edged with red flame, while every tree, 
 and stock, and stone appeared as if half bronze 
 and half red-hot iron — a shaddock growing close 
 by looked as if hung with clusters of red-hot 
 cannon balls. 
 
 Our own party was very noticeable. I was 
 leaning on the neck of my gig-horse, with his eyes 
 glancing, and the brazen ornaments of his harness 
 flashing like burnished gold. Abreast of me were 
 Massas Twig, Flamingo, and Cousin Teemoty, wet 
 as muck, and quite as steamy, to use a genteel 
 phrase, with our cold drenched physiognomies 
 thrust into the light, and the sparkling rain-drops 
 hanging at our noses ; Jacob's glazed hat glancing 
 as if his caput had been covered with a glass 
 porringer ; while the group of mounted negroes 
 and led horses in the background, with the animals 
 
 204
 
 THE DEVIL S GULLY 
 
 pawing and splashing in the red stream that ran 
 rippling and twinkling down the road, and the 
 steam of our rapid travelling rising up like smoke 
 above them, gave one a very lively idea of a cavalry 
 picquet on the qui vive. 
 
 On our larboard hand the mountain ascended 
 precipitously, in all the glory of magnificent trees, 
 sparkling with diamond water-drops, and stupendous 
 rocks and all that sort of thing, with the swollen 
 waters thundering and chafing and foaming down 
 a dark deep cleft over a ledge of stone about thirty 
 feet high, in a solid mass, which in the descent 
 took a spiral turn, as if it had been ejected from 
 a tortuous channel above, and then sending up a 
 thick mist, that rose boiling amongst the dark 
 trees. From the foot of this fall the torrent 
 roared along its overflowing channel in whirling 
 eddies that sparkled in the firelight towards where 
 we stood, the red stream appearing, by some decep- 
 tion of the sight, to be convex, or higher in the 
 middle than the sides, and semi-fluid, as if com- 
 posed of earth and water, while trees, and branches, 
 and rolling stones were launched and trundled 
 along as if borne on a lava stream. 
 
 As we looked, the bodies of two bullocks and a 
 mule came past, rolling over and over, legs, tails, 
 and heads, in much admired confusion. 
 
 On the starboard hand the ravine sank down as 
 dark as Erebus ; and now the weather clearing, 
 disclosed in that direction, through storm-rents of 
 the heavy clouds, shreds of translucent blue sky, 
 sparkling with bright stars ; and lo ! the fair moon 
 once more ! — her cold pale green light struggling 
 with the hot red glare of the fire, as she reposed 
 
 on the fleecy edge of that dark 
 
 205
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 c Confound it ! What 's that — what 's that, Mr. 
 Twig ? ' 
 
 ' An owl, Master Brail — an owl which the light 
 has dazzled, and that has flown against your head 
 by mistake. But catch, man — catch,' as he sprang 
 into the water up to the knees to secure my hat, 
 that the bird of Minerva had knocked off" — and be 
 hanged to it. 'An owl may be a wise bird, but it 
 is a deuced blind one to bounce against your head 
 as unceremoniously as if it had been a pumpkin or 
 a calabash.' 
 
 Little Rory Macgregor had all this time re- 
 mained at the edge of the stream, squatted on his 
 hams like a large bull-frog, and apparently, if we 
 could judge from his action, shouting at the top of 
 his voice ; but it was all dumb show to us, or very 
 nearly so, as we could not make out one word that 
 he said. 
 
 Flamingo confronted him, assuming the same 
 attitude — 'See how he has doubled up his long legs 
 — there now — said the grasshopper to the frog,' 
 quoth Twig to me. Here friend Felix made most 
 energetic signs a la Grimaldi, that he wanted some 
 food and drink. 
 
 Rory nodded promptly, as much as to say, ' I 
 understand you.' Indeed it appeared that he had 
 taken the hint before, for the two men that we had 
 seen ascend the mountain road now returned ; one 
 carrying a joint of roast meat and a roast fowl, and 
 the other with a bottle in each hand. 
 
 The puzzle now was, ' How were the good 
 things to be had across ? ' But my friends seemed 
 up to every emergency. In a moment Flamingo 
 had ascended a scathed stump that projected a good 
 way over the gully, with Twig's string and stone 
 
 206
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 in his hand, the latter enabling him to pitch the 
 line at Rory's feet, who immediately made the 
 joint of meat fast, which Don Felix swung across, 
 and untying it, chucked it down to us who stood 
 below ; the fowl, and the rum, and the bottle of 
 lemonade, or beverage, as it is called in Jamaica, 
 were secured in like manner. 
 
 ' So,' said our ally, ' we shan't starve for want of 
 food anyhow, whatever we may do of cold.' But 
 we were nearer being released than we thought, 
 for suddenly, as if from the giving way of some 
 obstruction below that had dammed up the water 
 in the gully, it ebbed nearly two feet, of which we 
 promptly availed ourselves to pass over to the other 
 side of the Devil's Gully. But notwithstanding, 
 this was a work of no small difficulty, and even 
 considerable danger. Being safely landed and 
 having thanked Mr. Macgregor, who owned a 
 very fine coffee property in the neighbourhood, for 
 his kindness, we mounted our vehicles once more, 
 and drove rapidly out of the defile, now lit by the 
 moon, and in a quarter of an hour found ourselves 
 amongst the Works ; that is, in the very centre of 
 the mill-yard of Ballywindle. 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 Here, late as it was, all was bustle and activity. 
 The boiling-house was brilliantly lighted up, the 
 clouds of white luminous vapour steaming through 
 
 207
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 the apertures in the roof; while the negroes feed- 
 ing the fires, sheltered under the stokehole arches 
 from the weather, and almost smothered amongst 
 heaps of dry cane-stalks, or trashy as it is called, 
 from which the juice had been crushed, looked 
 in their glancing nakedness like fiends, as their 
 dark bodies flitted between us and the glowing 
 mouth's of the furnaces. A little farther on we 
 came to the two cone-roofed mill-houses, one of 
 which was put in motion by a spell of oxen, the 
 other being worked by mules, while the shouting 
 of the drivers, the cries of the boilermen to the 
 firemakers to make stronger fires, the crashing of 
 the canes as they were crushed in the mills, the 
 groaning and squealing of the machinery, the 
 spanking of whips, the lumbering and rattling of 
 wains and waggons, the hot dry axles screaming 
 for grease, and the loud laugh and song rising 
 occasionally shrill above the Babel sounds, abso- 
 lutely confounded me. 
 
 We stopped at the boiling-house door, and asked 
 the book-keeper on duty — a tall cadaverous-looking 
 young man, dressed in a fustian jacket and white 
 trousers, who appeared more than half-asleep — if 
 the overseer was at home. He said he was, and, 
 as we intended to leave our horses at his house, 
 we turned their heads towards it, guided by one of 
 the negroes from the mill. 
 
 The peep I had of the boiling-house was very 
 enlivening ; for, independently of the regular 
 watch of boiler-negroes, who were ranged beside 
 the large poppling and roaring coppers, each having a 
 bright copper ladle, with a long shank like a boat- 
 hook, in his hands, it was at this time filled with 
 numbers of the estate's people, some getting hot 
 
 208
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 liquor, others sitting against the wall, eating their 
 suppers by the lamp-light, and not a few quizzing 
 and loitering about in the mist of hot vapour, as if 
 the place had been a sort of lounge, instead of 
 a busy sugar manufactory — a kind of sable 
 soiree. 
 
 By the time we arrived in front of the overseer's 
 house, we found the door surrounded by a group 
 of four patriarchal-looking negroes and an old 
 respectable-looking negro woman. The men 
 were clad in Osnaburg frocks, like those worn by 
 waggoners in England, with blue frieze jackets 
 over them, and white trousers. The old dame 
 was rigged in a man's jacket also, over as many 
 garments apparently as worn by the grave-digger 
 in Hamlet. I had never seen such a round ball of 
 a body. They were all hat-in-hand, with Madras 
 handkerchiefs bound round their heads, leaning on 
 tall staffs made from peeled young hardwood trees, 
 the roots forming very fantastical tops. Their 
 whips were twisted round these symbols of office, 
 like the snakes round the caduceus of their tutelary 
 deity, Mercury. These were the drivers of the 
 various gangs of negroes on the estate, who were 
 waiting to receive busha's x orders for the morrow. 
 
 On seeing us, the overseer hastily dismissed his 
 levee, and ordered his people to take charge of our 
 horses. 
 
 ' Mr. Frenche is at home, I hope ? ' said Mr. 
 Twig. 
 
 c Oh yes, sir — all alone up at the great house 
 there,' pointing to a little shed of a place, perched 
 on an insulated rocky eminence, to the left of the 
 
 1 The West India name for overseer, or manager of an estate ; a 
 corruption, no doubt, of bashaw. 
 
 VOL. II. 209 O
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 abode he himself occupied, which overlooked the 
 works and whole neighbourhood. 
 
 This hill, rising as abruptly from the dead level 
 of the estate as if is had been a rock recently 
 dropped on it — rather a huge aerolite, by the way 
 — was seen in strong relief against the sky, now 
 clear of clouds, and illuminated by the moon. 
 
 At the easternmost end of the solitary great 
 house — in shape like a Chinese pavilion with a pro- 
 jecting roof, on a punch-bowl, that adhered to the 
 sharp outline of the hill like a limpet to a rock — a 
 tall solitary palm shot up and tossed its wide- 
 spreading, fan-like leaves in the night wind high 
 into the pure heaven. The fabric was entirely 
 dark — not a soul moving about it — nothing living 
 in the neighbourhood apparently, if we except a 
 goat or two moving slowly along the ridge of the 
 hill. At the end of the house next the palm-tree 
 there was a low but steep wooden stair, with a 
 landing-place at top, surrounded by a simple 
 wooden railing, so that it looked like a scaffold. 
 
 1 There is Mr. Frenche, sir,' continued busha, 
 pointing to the figure of a man lounging in a low 
 chair on the landing-place, with his feet resting on 
 the rail before him, and far higher than his head, 
 which leant against the wall of the house, as if he 
 had been a carronade planted against theoppositehill. 
 Under the guidance of one of the overseer's waiting 
 boys, we commenced the zig-zag ascent towards 
 my uncle's dwelling, and as we approached, the 
 feeling of desolateness that pressed on my heart 
 increased, from the extreme stillness of the place 
 even when near to it. Light, or other indication 
 of an inhabited mansion, there was none ; even the 
 goats had vanished. 
 
 210
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 ' Cold comfort in prospect for me,' thought I ; 
 ' but allons, let us see,' and we moved on until we 
 came to a small outhouse beside a gate, which 
 seemed to open into the enclosure, in the centre of 
 which stood the solitary building. 
 
 ' How terribly still everything is about Mr. 
 Frenche's domicile,' said I, as we paused until 
 Flamingo undid the fastening of the gate. ' And, 
 pray, what hovel is this that we have come to ? ' 
 
 c This ? Oh, it is the kitchen,' quoth Twig. 
 ' Stop, I will knock up the people.' 
 
 ' Don't do any such thing,' said Flamingo, who, 
 I saw, was after some vagary. ' Here, Mr. Brail, 
 get up the stair ' — we had now reached the small 
 platform on which the house stood — 'and creep 
 under his legs, will ye ; there, get into the house 
 and conceal yourself, and Twig and I will rouse 
 him, and have some fun before you make your 
 appearance.' 
 
 I gave in to the frolic of the moment, and 
 slipped silently up the few steps of the steep stair, 
 as I was desired. There, on the landing-place, 
 reposed, alfresco, Uncle Latham, sure enough — his 
 chair swung back, his head resting on the door- 
 post, and his legs cocked up, as already described, 
 on the outer railing of the stair. He was sound 
 asleep, and snoring most harmoniously ; but just 
 as I stole up, and was in the very act of creeping 
 beneath the yoke to get past him, I touched his 
 limbs slightly ; but the start made him lose his 
 balance and fall back into the house, and there I 
 was, like a shrimp in the claws of a lobster, firmly 
 locked in the embrace of my excellent relative — 
 for, although his arms were not round my neck, 
 his legs were. 
 
 211
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ' Who is that, and what is that, and what have I 
 got hold of now ? ' roared Uncle Latham, in purest 
 Tipperary. 
 
 c It is me, sir,' I shouted as loud as I could 
 bellow, for as we rolled over and over on the head 
 of the stair, I discovered he had spurs on ; but the 
 devil a bit would he relax in his hold of my neck 
 with his legs : ' me, your dutiful nephew, Ben- 
 jamin Brail ; but, for goodness' sake, mind you 
 have spurs on, uncle.' 
 
 'My nephew ! my nephew, Benjamin Brail, did 
 you say ? Oh, murder, fire and botheration of all 
 sorts — spurs, sir ? — spurs ? Hookey, but I '11 find 
 stronger fare than spurs for you. You are a robber, 
 sir — a robber — Murphy, you villain. Murphy 
 — Dennis — Potatoblossom — bring me a handsaw, 
 till I cut his throat, or a gimblet, or any other 
 deleterious eatable. Oh, you thieves of the world, 
 why don't you come and help your master ? 
 Lights, boys — lights — hubaboo ! ' 
 
 By this I had contrived to wriggle out of my 
 Irish pillory, and to withdraw my corpus into the 
 house, where I crept behind a leaf of the door 
 — anything to be out of the row. I could now 
 hear my uncle crawling about the dark room 
 like the aforesaid lobster, disconsolate for the loss 
 of his prey, arguing with himself aloud whether he 
 were awake, or whether it was not all a drame^ as 
 he called it ; and then shouting for his servants at 
 one moment, and stumbling against the table, or 
 falling rattle over a lot of chairs, that all seemed 
 to have placed themselves most provokingly in his 
 way, the next. During his soliloquy, I heard 
 Twig and Flamingo's suppressed laughter at the 
 other end of the room. At length Mr. Frenche 
 
 212
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 thundered in his gropings against the sideboard, 
 when such a clash and clang of glasses arose, as if 
 he had been literally the bull in the china shop. 
 
 £ Ah,' he said, ' it must be all a drame, and 
 looking at people drinking has made me dry — so 
 let me wet my whistle a bit — here 's the beverage, 
 so — now — ah, this is the rum bottle — I know it 
 by the smell — and what the devil else should I 
 know it by in the dark before tasting, I should like 
 to know ? — he ! he ! — if I could but lay my paw 
 on a tumbler now, or a glass of any kind — not one 
 to be found, I declare — Murphy, you villain, why 
 don't you come when I call you, sirrah ? ' — There 
 was now a concerto of coughing, and sneezing, 
 and oich, oiching, and yawning, as if from beneath. 
 — c Will these lazy rascals never make their appear- 
 ance ? ' continued Mr. Frenche, impatiently. — 
 ' Well, I cannot find even a teacup to make some 
 punch in — hard enough this in a man's own house, 
 anyhow — but I have the materials — and — and — 
 now for the fun of the thing — I will mix it Irish 
 fashion — deuce take me if I don't,' and thereupon I 
 heard him gurgle, gurgle something out of one bottle 
 — and then a long gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, out of 
 another, apparently, for the gurgling was on 
 different keys — both followed by a long expiration. 
 He then gave several jumps on the floor. 
 
 He had, as I guessed, first swallowed the raw 
 caulker from the rum decanter, and then sent down 
 the lemonade to take care of it. ' Now, that 
 rum is very strong — stop, let me qualify it a bit 
 with some more beverage — how thirsty I am, to be 
 sure — murder ! — confound that wide-necked de- 
 canter.' Here I could hear the liquid splash all 
 over him. ' There — so much for having a beauti- 
 
 213
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ful small mouth — why, Rory Macgregor, with that 
 hole in his face from ear to ear, would have drunk 
 you the whole bottle without spilling a drop, and 
 here am I suffocated and • drowned entirely, and 
 as wet as if I had been dragged through the Bog 
 of Allan — Murphy, you scoundrel ! ' 
 
 Anon, two negro servants, stretching and yawn- 
 ing, each with a candle in his hand, made their 
 appearance, one in his shirt, with his livery coat 
 hanging over his head, the cape projecting forward, 
 and a sleeve hanging down on each side ; the 
 other had his coat on certainly, but stern foremost, 
 and not another rag of any kind or description what- 
 ever, saving and excepting his Kilmarnock nightcap. 
 
 By the illumination which those ebony candle- 
 sticks furnished, I now could see about me. 
 The room we were in was about twenty feet 
 square, panelled, ceiled, and floored — it looked like 
 a large box — with unpainted but highly-polished 
 hard-wood, of the colour of very old mahogany — 
 handsomer than any oak panelling I had ever seen. 
 There was a door that communicated with the 
 front piazza, out of which we had scrambled — 
 another, that opened into a kind of back dining- 
 hall, or large porch, and two on each hand, which 
 opened into bedrooms. A sideboard was placed by 
 the wall to the right, between the two bedroom 
 doors, at which stood a tall and very handsome 
 elderly gentleman, who, if I had not instantly known 
 to be my uncle, from his likeness to my poor 
 mother, I might, after the adventures of the day, 
 and the oddities of messieurs my friends — the Twig 
 of the Dream, and the Flamingo of Peaweep, Snipe, 
 and Flamingo — have suspected some quiz or 
 practical joke in the matter. 
 
 214
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 The gentleman, evidently not broad awake yet, 
 was dressed in light-coloured kerseymere small- 
 clothes, top-boots, white vest, and blue coat — he 
 was very bald, with the exception of two tufts of 
 jet-black hair behind his ears, blending into very 
 bushy whiskers. His forehead was round and 
 beetling, you would have said he was somewhat 
 bullet-headed, had the obduracy of the feature not 
 been redeemed by his eye-brows, which were thick, 
 well arched, and, like his hair and whiskers, jet- 
 black — and also by his genuine Irish sparklers, 
 dark, flashing, and frolicsome. 
 
 His complexion was of the clearest I had seen in 
 Jamaica — I could never have guessed that he had 
 been above a few weeks from the c First Gem of the 
 Sea' — and his features generally large and well 
 formed. There was a playful opening of the lips 
 every now and then, disclosing nice ivory teeth, and 
 evincing, like his eyes, the native humour of his 
 country. 
 
 'So, Master Murphy, you are there at last,"' said he. 
 
 ' Yes, massa — yes, massa.' 
 
 1 Pray, can you tell me, Murphy, if any one 
 has arrived here — any stranger come into the 
 house while I slept ? ' then aside, as the players 
 say, c or has it really and truly been all a drame ? ' 
 
 * No see noting, massa — nor nobody' — [yawn]. 
 
 4 You didn't, oh — there, do you see anything 
 now ? ' said my uncle — as he took the candle out 
 of the black paw, and put the lighted end, with all 
 the composure in life, into Murphy's open mouth, 
 where it shone through his cheeks like a rushlight 
 in a winter turnip, until it burned the poor fellow, 
 and he started back, overturning his sleepy coad- 
 jutor, Dennis, headlong on the floor. On which 
 
 215
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 signal, Twig and Flamingo, who were all this 
 time coiled up like two baboons below the sideboard, 
 choking with laughter, caught Uncle Frenche by 
 the legs, a limb apiece, who thereupon set up a 
 regular howl — ' ach murder ! murder ! it is ab- 
 ducted, and ravished, and married against my will 
 I shall be — murder ! ' as he in turn capsized over 
 the prostrate negroes, and all was confusion and 
 vociferation once more, until my two travelling 
 friends, who had cleverly slipped out of the melee, 
 while my uncle was clapper-clawing with his 
 serving-men, returned from the pantry, whither 
 they had betaken themselves, and now stood on 
 the original field of battle, the landing-place of the 
 stair, each with a lighted candle in his hand, and 
 making believe to be in great amazement at the 
 scene before them. 
 
 4 Heyday,' quoth Twig, 'what's the matter, 
 Master Frenche ? — what uproar is this in the 
 house ? — we heard it at the Devil's Gully, two 
 miles off, believe me.' 
 
 c Uproar ? ' shouted Uncle Latham, still sitting 
 on the floor, scratching his poll — 'uproar, were 
 you pleased to say ? — pray, who the mischief are 
 you, gentlemen, who conceive yourselves privileged 
 to speak of any little noise I choose to make in my 
 own house ? — tell me in an instant, or by the 
 powers I will shoot you for a brace of robbers ' — 
 clapping the lemonade decanter, which had all this 
 time escaped by a miracle, to his shoulder, blunder- 
 buss fashion. 
 
 Here gradually slewing himself round on his 
 tail, and rubbing his eyes, he at length confronted 
 me, as I sat coiled up behind the leaf of the door — 
 'Why, here is a second edition of my drame.' 
 
 216
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 The very absurd expression of face with which he 
 said this, and regarded me, fairly upset my gravity, 
 already heavily taxed, and, losing all control, I 
 laughed outright. 
 
 ' Another of them ! and who may you be, young 
 gentleman ? — you seem to find yourself at home, at 
 any rate, I think.' 
 
 ' Come, come,' said Flamingo — 'enough of this 
 nonsense — don't you know your friends Twig and 
 Flamingo, Mr. Frenche ? ' 
 
 ' Twig and Flamingo, did you say — Twig and 
 Flamingo — Twig — oh dear, oh dear — it is no 
 drame after all — my dear fellows, how are you r — 
 why, what a reception I have given you ! — you 
 must have thought me mad.' By this time he 
 had got on his legs again, and was welcoming my 
 fellow-travellers with great cordiality, which gave 
 me time to resume the perpendicular also. c I 
 am so glad to see you — why, Jacob, I did not 
 look for you until Tuesday next, but you are the 
 welcomer, my good boy — most heartily welcome — 
 how wet you must have got, though — boys, get 
 supper — Felix, I am so rejoiced to see you — supper, 
 you villains — why, we shall have a night on 't, my 
 lads.' 
 
 'Give me leave to introduce this young gentle- 
 man to you first,' said Twig, very gravely, leading 
 me forward into the light, 'your nephew, Mr. 
 Benjamin Brail.' 
 
 ' My nephew ! ' quoth Mr. Frenche — ' why, 
 there 's my drame again — my nephew — when did 
 he arrive ? ' — here he held a candle close to my 
 face, as if my nose had been a candlewick, and he 
 meant to light it ; then, fumbling in his bosom 
 with the other hand, he drew forth a miniature of 
 
 217
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 my mother — ' my nephew — my poor sister's boy, 
 Benjie — as like her as possible, I declare — how are 
 you, Benjamin? — oh, Benjie, I am rejoiced to see 
 
 you — my heart is full — full — how are ' And 
 
 as the tear glistened in his eye, he made as if he 
 would have taken me in his arms, when a sudden 
 light seemed to flash on him, and he turned sharply 
 round to Twig — ' If you are playing me a trick 
 here, Jacob ; if you are trifling with the old man's 
 feelings, and allowing his dearest wish on earth to 
 lead his imagination to deceive him in this 
 matter ' 
 
 Twig held out his hand ; I could notice that the 
 kind-hearted fellow's own eye was moist. c You 
 cannot seriously believe me capable of such heart- 
 less conduct, Mr. Frenche, with all my absurdities ; 
 believe me, I would sooner cut off this right hand 
 than play with the kindly feelings or affections of 
 any one, far less with those of my long-tried and 
 highly-esteemed friend ; ' and he shook my uncle's 
 proffered paw warmly as he spoke. 
 
 4 Tol lol de roll — Murphy, Dennis, supper, 
 you villains, supper. Benjie, my darling, kiss me, 
 my boy ; I am so happy — tol de roll ' — here, in 
 his joy and dancing, he struck his toe sharply against 
 the leg of the table ; and, as it was the member from 
 whence the gout had been but recently dislodged, 
 the pain made him change his tune with a venge- 
 ance ; so he caught hold of the extremity in one 
 hand, and pirouetted, with my assistance, to an 
 arm-chair. But we were all tired ; therefore, 
 suffice it to say that we had tan excellent meal, 
 and a drop of capital hot whisky-punch — a rare 
 luxury in Jamaica — and were soon all happy and 
 snoozing in our comfortable beds. 
 
 218
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 The first thing I heard next morning, before I 
 got out of bed, was Mr. Rory Macgregor, the 
 Samaritan to whom our cards had been carried the 
 night before, squealing about the house in his 
 strong Celtic accent, for he spoke as broad as he 
 did the day he first left home some twenty years 
 before. He was too proud, I presume, to be 
 obliged to the Englishers^ as he called them, even 
 for a dash of their lingo. He had come to invite 
 us to dine with him on the following day, and 
 the fame of my arrival having spread, a number of 
 the neighbours also paid their respects during the 
 forenoon, so that my levee was larger than many 
 a German prince's. 
 
 Mr. Macgregor, and the overseer of the neigh- 
 bouring estate, remained that day to dinner ; the 
 latter was also a Scotchman, a Lowlander, and 
 although I always resist first impressions when 
 they are unfavourable, still there was something 
 about him that I did not like — I felt a sort of innate 
 antipathy towards him. 
 
 From what I was told, and indeed from what I 
 saw, I knew that he was a well-connected and a 
 well-educated man, and both by birth and education 
 far above the status of an overseer on a sugar 
 estate in Jamaica ; but he had bent himself, and 
 stooped to his condition, instead of dignifying by 
 his conduct an honest, although humble calling. 
 
 His manners had grown coarse and familiar, and 
 after dinner, when we were taking our wine, and 
 Flamingo and Twig were drawing out little 
 Roderick, much to our entertainment, this youth 
 chose to bring the subject of religion on the table, 
 in some way or other, I cannot well tell how. 
 My uncle, I think, had asked him if he had 
 
 219
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 attended the consecration of the new church or 
 chapel, and he had made a rough and indecent 
 answer, expressing his thankfulness to Heaven ! 
 that he was above all bigotry, and had never been 
 in a church, except at a funeral, since he had left 
 Scotland. He was instantly checked by Mr. 
 Frenche, who was unexpectedly warm on the 
 subject; but it seems this was not the first time 
 he had offended in a similar way, so I was startled, 
 and not a little pleased at the dressing he now 
 received at the hands of my usually good-natured 
 uncle. 
 
 'Young gentleman,' said he, with a gravity that 
 I was altogether unprepared for, 'you compel me 
 to do a thing I abhor at any time, especially in 
 my own house, and that is to touch on sacred 
 subjects at untimely seasons ; but this is not the 
 first time you have offended under this roof, and I 
 therefore am driven to tell you, once for all, that I 
 never will allow any sneering at sacred subjects at 
 my table. I just now asked you a simple and 
 a civil question, and you have returned me a most 
 indecent and unchristian answer.' 
 
 ' Christian — Christian ! ' exclaimed the over- 
 seer ; 'you believe in those things, I suppose ? ' 
 
 'I believe my Bible, sir,' rejoined my uncle, 'as 
 I hope you do ? ' 
 
 ' Oh ? ' said the overseer, ' Mr. Frenche has 
 turned Adethodist,' and burst into a vulgar laugh. 
 
 He had gone too far, however. My uncle at 
 this rose, and for several seconds looked so 
 witheringly at him that, with all his effrontery, 
 I could perceive his self-possession evaporating 
 rapidly. 
 
 'Methodist, sir ! Methodist I am none, unless 
 
 220
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 to believe in the religion of my fathers be 
 Methodism. Heaven knows, whatever my belief 
 may be, my practice is little akin to what theirs was ; 
 but let me tell you, once for all, although I am 
 always reluctant to cast national reflections, it is 
 your young Scotchmen who, whatever they may 
 have been in their own country, and theirs we all 
 know to be a highly religious and moral one, 
 become, when left to themselves in Jamaica, 
 beyond all comparison, the most /r-religious of the 
 whole community. How this comes about I 
 cannot tell ; but I see, young man, false modesty 
 has overlaid your better sense, and made you 
 ashamed of what should have been your glory to 
 avow, as it will assuredly be one day your greatest 
 consolation, if you are a reasonable being, when 
 you come to die. At all events, if you do not 
 believe what you have so improperly endeavoured 
 to make a jest of, I pity you. If you do believe, 
 and yet so speak, I despise you ; and I recommend 
 you hereafter, instead of blushing to avow the 
 Christian principles that I know were early in- 
 stilled into your mind, to blush at your conduct 
 whenever it is such as we have just witnessed. 
 But let us change the subject. — I say, Benjie, let 
 us have a touch of politics — politics.' 
 
 Here the kind-hearted old man's anxiety to 
 smooth the downfall of the sulky young Scotch- 
 man was so apparent, that we all lent a hand to 
 help him to gather way on the other tack ; but 
 our Scotch friend could not stomach being shown 
 up, or put down, whichever you may call it, 
 so peremptorily ; and the first dinner I ate in 
 mine uncle's house was anything but a pleasant 
 one. 
 
 221
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 According to previous arrangement, we had the 
 whole of the next forenoon to ourselves. Many a 
 long and kindly family yarn was spun between us ; 
 but as this is all parish news, I will not weary the 
 reader with it, simply contenting myself with 
 stating that, before we began to prepare for our 
 ride, I had more reason than ever to be grateful to 
 my dear uncle. 
 
 At two o'clock we mounted our horses, and set 
 out, accompanied by Messrs. Twig and Flamingo, 
 to dine with our Highland friend, Roderic Mac- 
 gregor, Esquire. We rode along the interval or 
 passage between two large cane-pieces, the richest 
 on the estate, which was situated in a dead level, 
 surrounded by low limestone hills. By the way, 
 the locality of Ballywindle was very peculiar, and 
 merits a word or two as we scull along. Stop, 
 and I will paint it to the comprehension of all the 
 world, as thus — Take a punch bowl, or any other 
 vessel you choose approaching to the same shape, 
 and fill it half full of black mould ; pop three or 
 four lumps of sugar into the centre, so that they 
 may stick on the surface of the mould, without 
 sinking above a half of their diameter. They are 
 the works, boiling-houses, still-house, trash-houses, 
 and mill-houses. Then drop a large lump a little 
 on one side, and balance a very tiny one on the 
 top of it, and you have the small insulated hill on 
 which the great house stands. As for the edges 
 of the vessel, they are the limestone hills, surround- 
 ing the small circular valley, the faces of them 
 being covered with Guinea grass-pieces, sprinkled 
 with orange and other fruit-trees, both grass and 
 trees finding their sustenance of black earth, as 
 they best may, amongst the clefts of the honey- 
 
 222
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 combed limestone that crops out in all directions, 
 of which indeed the hills are entirely composed, 
 without any continuous superstratum of earth 
 whatever. You see the place now, I suppose ? 
 Well, but to make it plainer still — take a sheet of 
 paper, and crumple it in your hand ; then throw it 
 on the table, and you have a good idea of one of 
 those hills, and not a bad one of the general sur- 
 face of the island taken as a whole. 
 
 The ridges of the hills were in this case covered 
 with high wood. So now let us get hold of our 
 yarn once more. The field on the right hand, 
 from a large sink-hole^ as it is called, or aperture in 
 the centre — I love to be particular — was called 
 4 Tom's Pot,' and the cane-patch on the left, 
 1 Mammy Polder's Bottom.' 
 
 I found that a level cane-piece in such a situation 
 was always called a Bottom. Again, as for those 
 sink-holes, or caverns in the rock, I can compare 
 them, from their sinuosities, to nothing more aptly 
 than the human ear. They generally seem to be 
 placed in situations where they answer the pur- 
 pose of natural drains to carry off the water ; the 
 one in question, for instance, always receiving the 
 drainings of the little valley, and never filling, 
 having a communication, beyond doubt, with some 
 of the numberless streamlets, gullies, or small 
 rivers (hence such natural syphons as the Fairy- 
 well), that cross one's path at every turn in this 
 'land of streams,' as the name Jamaica imports in 
 the Charib tongue, as I have heard say. 
 
 The canes grew on each side of the interval to 
 the height of eighteen or twenty feet ; but as they 
 did not arch overhead, they afForded no shelter 
 from the sun, although they prevented the breeze 
 
 223
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 reaching us, and it was in consequence most con- 
 sumedly hot. 
 
 c Now for a cigar to cool one,' quoth Twig, 
 chipping away, cigar in mouth, with his small 
 flint and steel, as we began to ascend the narrow 
 corkscrew path that spiralled through the rocky 
 grass-piece bounding the cane-fields. 
 
 After we had zigzagged for a quarter of an hour 
 on the face of the hill, we attained the breezy 
 summit, where the Guinea grass-piece ended, and 
 entered, beneath the high wood, on a narrow 
 bridle-path, that presently led us through a guava 
 plantation, the trees heavily laden with the fruit, 
 which makes a capital preserve, but is far from 
 nice to eat raw. It is in shape and colour some- 
 what like a small yellow pippin, with a reddish 
 pulp, and the flavour being rather captivating, I 
 had demolished two or three, when Flamingo 
 picked two very fine ones, and shortened sail until 
 I ranged alongside of him. He then deliberately 
 broke first the one and then the other, and held up 
 the halves to me ; they were both full of worms. 
 
 c Dangerous for cattle,' quoth Don Felix, drily. 
 
 'Come, that is rough wit, Flamingo,' chimed in 
 Twig. 'But never mind, Mr. Brail. Cows do 
 die of bots sometimes hereabouts, after trespassing ; 
 but then you know they also die of a surfeit of 
 wet clover. At all events there is nothing 
 bucolical about you.' 
 
 ' Bots,' thought I ; ' how remarkably genteel 
 and comfortable, and what an uncommonly delicate 
 fruit for a dessert ! ' 
 
 Leaving the guava jungle, we proceeded through 
 a district that seemed to have once been in culti- 
 vation, as all the high timber, with the exception 
 
 224
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 of a solitary mahogany or cedar here and there, 
 was cut down, and there was nothing to be seen 
 but a thicket of palma Christi, or castor oil bushes, 
 on every side. There had apparently been some 
 heavy showers on this tableland during the 
 time we had been winding up the hill, as the 
 bushes and long grass were sparkling brilliantly 
 with rain-drops, and the ground was heavily 
 saturated with water. 
 
 4 Hillo, Twig, my darling,' sung out Uncle 
 Latham, who was the sternmost of all, except the 
 servants, as we strung along the narrow path in 
 single file, ' mind you take the road to the right 
 there — it will save us a mile.' 
 
 c Ay, ay, sir,' returned he of the Dream. 
 
 Master Flamingo, who was between him and 
 me, was busy at this moment securing his fowling- 
 piece that he carried in his hand, the fame of 
 abundance of teal and quails in the Macgregor's 
 neighbourhood having reached him before starting. 
 
 1 What a very beautiful bird that is, Mr. Brail ! ' 
 Here he pointed with the gun to the huge branch 
 of a cotton-tree that crossed the path overhead, 
 where a large parrot was perched, looking at us ; 
 one moment scratching its beak with its claws, and 
 the next, peeping knowingly down, and slewing 
 its head first to one side, and then to the other — 
 a parrot, amongst the feathered tribes, being un- 
 questionably what a monkey is amongst quad- 
 rupeds. 
 
 ' I should like to bring that chap down now,' 
 said Flam, stopping in his career, and damming us 
 up in the narrow path, whereby we all became 
 clustered in a group about him ; then suiting the 
 action to the word, he, without any farther warn- 
 
 vol. i]. 225 p
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ing, dropped the rein into the hollow of his arm, 
 and taking aim, let drive — and away went the 
 whole party helter-skelter at the report, in every 
 direction, by a beautiful centrifugal movement. 
 If we had been rockets disposed like the spokes of 
 a cart-wheel, with the matches converging to a 
 centre, and fired all at once, we could scarcely 
 have radiated more suddenly. It was quite sur- 
 prising the precision with which we flew crashing 
 through the wet bushes, some of us nearly 
 unhorsed amongst them, if the truth were known, 
 and such shouting from whites and blacks, and up- 
 roarious laughter, as we all got once more into 
 sailing order ! 
 
 1 Now friend Felix,' said Twig, as he and his 
 horse emerged from the brushwood, with his pale 
 yellow nankeens as dark with moisture as a wet 
 sail, his shirt-frill and collar as if the garment had 
 been donned fresh from the washing-tub, and with 
 the large silvery globules of moisture as thickly 
 clustered on the black silk frogs of his coat as 
 diamonds on the Dowager Lady Castlereagh's 
 stomacher — there's a simile for you — 'now, friend 
 Felix — give one some notice next time you begin 
 your fusillade, if you please. Why, did you ever 
 see a pulk of Cossacks on a forage, Mr. Frenche ? 
 — I declare I am glad to find myself on the beaten 
 path again, for my horse took so many turns that 
 I was fairly dumbfounded, and having no pocket- 
 compass nor a sextant to take the sun by — you 
 perceive I have been at sea, Master Brail — I 
 thought I should have been lost entirely, until you 
 should have been piloted to me some days hence 
 by the John Crows. But ah, ye little fishes, what 
 is that — what is that ? ' 
 
 226
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 It was neither more or less than the sound of an 
 ill-blown, yelling and grunting bagpipe. We rode 
 on — the diabolical instrument squealing louder and 
 louder, until the path ended in a cleared space 
 amidst the brush-wood, with a small one-story 
 wattled house in the centre, having a little piazza 
 in front, with a yard or two at each end, shut in 
 with wooden blinds sadly bleached by the weather. 
 There was a group of half-naked negroes squat- 
 ting before it, and a number of little naked 
 black children, and a sprinkling of brown ones, 
 running about, and puddling in a dirty pond, 
 amongst innumerable ducks, fowls of many 
 kinds, and at least a dozen pigs. ' No signs of 
 any approach to famine in the land, at all events,' 
 thought I. 
 
 There was no rail or fence of any kind enclos- 
 ing this building, which, to all appearance, was 
 neither more nor less than a superior kind of negro- 
 house. It stood on the very edge — indeed, was 
 overshadowed by some gigantic trees, beneath 
 whose Babylonish dimensions it shrank to a dog 
 kennel, of the high natural forest, a magnificent 
 vista through which opened right behind it, over- 
 arching a broken-up and deeply rutted road, the 
 path, apparently, through which some heavy 
 timber had been drawn, it being part of Rory's 
 trade to prepare mill-rollers and other large pieces 
 of hard-wood required for the estates below. 
 
 In front of this shed — full fig, in regular High- 
 land costume, philabeg, short hose, green coatee, 
 bonnet and feather — marched the bagpiper, whose 
 strains had surprised us so much, blowing his in- 
 strument, and strutting and swelling like a turkey- 
 cock, to some most barbarous mixture of <a 
 
 227
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 gathering of the clans ' and the negro tune of 
 4 Guinea Corn, I Love for Nyam You.' 
 
 The fellow was a negro, and as black as the ace 
 of spades — shade of Ossian, let thy departed heroes 
 hereafter recline on clouds of tobacco smoke — and 
 as we approached he c loud and louder blew,' to 
 the great discomfiture of our whole party, as the 
 animals we bestrode seemed to like the 'chanter' 
 as little as they had done the report of Flamingo's 
 gun, one and all resolutely refusing, as if by 
 common consent, to face the performer — so there 
 we were, jammed, snorting, and funking, and 
 splashing each other to the eyes with mud of the 
 complexion and consistency of peas brose, in the 
 narrow path ; Twig and I, the head of the column 
 as it were, being the only individuals visible on the 
 fringe of the brushwood. 
 
 ' I say, Rory — Rory Macgregor,' shouted Twig, 
 1 do give over — do tell your black bagpiper to 
 have done with his most infernal noise, and be 
 hanged to him — or we must all go home again with- 
 out our dinner — none of our horses will deboucbe in 
 the face of such a salutation, don't you see ? ' 
 
 ' Ou ay, ou ay,' rejoined Rory, emerging from 
 the house himself, also dressed, like his man, in 
 full Highland costume — and having desired the 
 piper in Gaelic, with the air of the hundredth and 
 fiftieth cousin to 'her Grace the Tuke' to cease 
 her bumming, he marshalled us into the house, 
 evidently in no small surprise that any breathing 
 creature whatever, biped or quadruped, should 
 have any the smallest objections to the ' music of 
 the cods.' 
 
 The bagpiper, we found afterwards, was his 
 servant, whom he had taken to Scotland with him 
 
 228
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 two years before, and polished him there, through 
 the instrumentality of a Highland sergeant, to the 
 brilliancy we had witnessed. However, let me be 
 honest — he received us with the most super- 
 abundant kindness, and when we had retired into 
 the inner part of the house, which was his dining- 
 hall, he gave the word for dinner, and, everything 
 considered, the set out was exceedingly good — we 
 had a noble pea-fowl, and, as if that had not been 
 sufficient, a young turkey also — a capital round of 
 beef, a beautiful small joint of mutton, excellent 
 mountain mullet, a dish of cray-fish, and a 'small 
 sort of fresh-water lobster, three or four times bigger 
 than a large prawn, which are found in great 
 plenty below the stones in the Jamaica mountain 
 streams — black or land-crabs, wild-duck, and wild 
 Guinea-fowl, and a parrot-pie — only fancy a parrot- 
 pie — wild pigeons, and I don't know what all be- 
 sides — in truth, a feast for six times our number — 
 but in the opinion of our host, there appeared to 
 be something wanting still. 
 
 'Tuncan,' this was our friend the musician, 
 who had laid down the instrument to officiate as 
 butler — l Tuncan, whar hae ye stowed tae hackis, 
 man ? — a Heeland shentleman's tinner is nae tinner 
 ava without tae hackis ! ' 
 
 ' Me no know, massa,' quoth the Celtic neger. 
 
 4 You ton't know — ten you pehuvet to know, 
 sir — Maister Frenche, shall I help you to a spaul 
 of tae peacock hen f — Maister Flamingo, will you 
 oplige me py cutting up tae turkey polt ? ' 
 
 c All the pleasure in life — whew ! — what is 
 this ? ' as a cloud of fragrant vapour gushed from 
 the plump breast of the bird. 
 
 £ As I am a shentleman, if tae prute peast of a 
 
 229
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 cook has na stuffet tae turkey polt we tae hackis — 
 as I am a shentleman.' 
 
 4 And what is this, then ? ' said Doctor Tozy, a 
 neighbouring surgeon, who was one of the party — 
 and a most comfortable-looking personage in every 
 sense of the word, as a dish, containing the verit- 
 able haggis to all appearance, was handed over his 
 shoulder and placed on the table. ' A deuced 
 good-looking affair it is, I declare,' looking at it 
 through his eyeglass — i here is the real haggis, 
 Master Macgregor, here it is.' 
 
 ' Ah, so it is — so it is ' — quoth Rory, rubbing his 
 hands. ' Here, poy — here, Tuncan — pring it here 
 — let me cut it up mysell — let me cut it mysell.' 
 
 It was accordingly placed before Rory, who, all 
 impatience, plunged his knife into it — murder, 
 what a haut-gout ! and no wonder, for it actually 
 proved to be a guava pudding that the drunken 
 cook had stuffed into the sheep's stomach. 
 
 However, we had all a good laugh, doing great 
 honour, notwithstanding, to an excellent dinner ; 
 and when we began to enjoy ourselves over our 
 wine, Doctor Tozy and Twig, aided and abetted 
 by Flamingo, amused us exceedingly by the fun 
 they extracted from our friend Rory. 
 
 Mr. Macgregor not being quite so polished a 
 gentleman as his Majesty George iv., had been 
 rather particular, shortly after this, in his notice of 
 Mr. Twig's coat — the colour of which somehow 
 did not please him. 
 
 4 Noo, I taresay, Maister Twick, you ca' that 
 plue — a plue coat — put I think it mair plack tan 
 plue.' 
 
 ' Why, Mac, you are not so far wrong; it is more 
 black than blue.' 
 
 230
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 ' Ah, so I thought,' quoth Rory. 
 ' And I '11 give you the reason, it you promise 
 not to tell,' said Twig. ' It is the first trial piece 
 of my new patent cloth.' 
 
 4 Your patent cloth ! ' whispered the last of the 
 Goths ; ' have you a patent for cloth ? ' 
 
 1 To be sure I have — that never loses the 
 colour, and is as impervious to wet as a lawyer's 
 wig, or a duck's wing.' 
 
 1 It al no pe a Mackintosh, will it ? ' 
 'Mackintosh,' exclaimed his jovial friend — 
 'Mackintosh — why Charley cannot hold the 
 candle to me — no, no, it is the first spun out of — 
 here, lend me your lugs,' and he laid hold of the 
 Highlandman's ear, so as to draw his head half 
 across the table in a most ludicrous fashion. c It 
 is made entirely out of negro wool.' 
 
 4 Necroo wool ? ' rejoined Rory, lying back in 
 his chair, holding up his hands, and looking to the 
 roof, with a most absurd expression of face, half 
 credulous, half doubting — ' wool from tae veritaple 
 negers' heads, tid you say ? ' 
 
 4 Negro-head wool, Rory, every fibre of it. The 
 last bale I sent home was entirely composed of the 
 autumn shearing of my own people at the Dream 
 — I sent it to some manufacturing friends of mine 
 in Halifax' — and, holding out his sleeve — 'there, 
 the Duke of Devonshire patronises it, I assure ye 
 — nothing else will go down next season at 
 Almack's.' 
 
 ' Allmac's ? ' exclaimed Rory, 'to you mean to 
 say it will shoopersede tae Forty-second tartan ? ' 
 
 4 Ay, and Ninety-second too. However, I find 
 it will not take on indigo freely, in consequence of 
 the essential oil.' 
 
 231
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ' Oil ! ' said Rory ; i creeshy prutes.' 
 
 ' So, in consequence, I intend after this to con- 
 fine the manufacture to black cloth, which will 
 require no dye, you know ; if you choose to con- 
 tract, Rory, I will give you half-a-crown for all 
 you can deliver during the next year — or threepence 
 a fleece — head I mean — and that is the top of the 
 market for Spanish wool — but it must be clean — 
 free of — you understand ? ' 
 
 By this time I perceived that Dr. Tozy and 
 Flamingo were both literati in a small way, 
 whereby one or two amusing mistakes took place 
 on the part of Master Rory Macgregor — who, of 
 all points of the compass, had no pretensions to 
 any kind or description of erudition. 
 
 The conversation happened to turn on Irish 
 politics, and Mr. Frenche had just remarked that, 
 notwithstanding all the noise and smoke of the 
 demagogues who lived and battened on the dis- 
 turbances of the country, he believed on his con- 
 science, from what he saw, when he was last in 
 Ireland, that, there were very few influential men 
 of respectability or property who countenanced 
 them or their doings. 
 
 * Yet, strange as it does appear, there are some, 
 uncle,' said I. 
 
 ' Oh yes — undoubtedly,' exclaimed Tozy, an 
 Irishman himself; ' but very few — very few in- 
 deed — mere drops in the bucket — rarl nantes in 
 gurgite vasto.' 
 
 ' Fat's tat, toctor ? — is tat Creek ? ' 
 
 1 Yes — it means capital brandy for a long drink,' 
 said Tozy, swigging off his glass of cold brandy 
 grog as coolly as possible. 
 
 4 What an expressive language ! — maist as much 
 
 232
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 sae as tae Gaelic. To you know, py the very 
 soond, I guessed it was something apoot pranty 
 and a long drink ? ' quoth Rory. 
 
 * You shine to-day, doctor,' said Twig ; but 
 presently Flamingo flew off with the thread of the 
 conversation, like a magpie stealing twine, and I 
 forget the prominent topics we discussed, but we 
 had a great deal of fun and laughter, until Don 
 Felix once more settled down in some literary 
 talk with Tozy, and incidentally noticed the 
 Decameron of Boccaccio. 
 
 Rory, unfortunate Rory, once more pricked up 
 his ears at this, and determined to show his con- 
 versational powers now, if he had been interrupted 
 before, being by this time also a little in the wind. 
 So, after grunting to himself, c Cameron, Cameron,' 
 he, after a moment's thought, perched himself up 
 in his chair, and swore stoutly that he knew him 
 very well — ' as fine a chiel as ever pore the name 
 of Cameron, and her place was ane of tae finest in 
 the west coast of Arkyleshire — na, am no shust 
 shure put she may pe a farawa' cousin of Lochiel's 
 hersell.' 
 
 'The very same,' quoth Twig, trotting away 
 with the Macgregor, as if he had got him on one 
 of his own shelties, and entering on a long rambling 
 conversation, during which he took care to butter 
 him an inch thick — 'Why, you do make the 
 shrewdest remarks, Mac ; — shrewd ! nay, the 
 wisest, I should say. You really know everything 
 and everybody — you are a perfect Solon.' 
 
 Flamingo here saw, and so did I, that Macgregor 
 — whether he began to feel that Jacob was quizz- 
 ing him or not, I could not tell — looked as black 
 as thunder, so he good-humouredly struck in with 
 
 233
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 — ' Now Jacob, do hold your tongue — you are 
 such a chatterbox ! ' 
 
 * Chatterbox ! to be sure, I can't help it. I 
 have dined on parrot pie, you know, Felix.' 
 
 c I wish tae hat peen hoolets for your sake, 
 Maister Twick,' said Roderick, fiercely. 
 
 'Why, Rory, why?? An owl-pie would not 
 quite suit my complexion. But, hang it, man, 
 what is wrong ? Judging from your own physog, 
 one might suppose you had been making your 
 dinner on the bird of Minerva yourself.' 
 
 1 Master Twick,' said Rory, with a face as sour 
 as vinegar, c I am unwilling to pe uncivil in my 
 own house ; but I red you no to pe sae free wi' 
 your nicknames.' 
 
 4 Nicknames ! ' interjected Twig in great sur- 
 prise. 
 
 1 Yes, sir, you have taken tae unwarrantaple 
 liperty of calling me a Solan — yes, sir, a Solan. 
 Tid you mean it offensively, sir ? ' 
 
 4 No offence, Mac,' shouted Twig, c none in 
 the least. Offence ! in likening you to Solon, the 
 glory of Greece, the great lawgiver, the Athenian 
 Solon ! ' 
 
 Rory grew frantic at this (as he thought) ad- 
 ditional insult. c Creese ! Creese ! I ken o' nae 
 Solans, sir ! put tae filthy ill-faured pirds tat leeve 
 in tae water.' 
 
 c But, Rory, my dear fellow ' 
 
 ' Ton't tear fellow me, sir. You may ca' them 
 what ye like, sir, in Creese — put a Solan at tae 
 Craik of Ailsa 1 is ca'd a cuse, sir, an' naething else ; 
 
 1 A remarkable insulated rock in the Firth of Clyde, famous for 
 its solan geese, from which (the rock, not the geese) the Marquis of 
 Ailsa takes his title. 
 
 234
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 I ken tat, sir, I ken tat ; and if ony shentlemans 
 will tare to liken Roterick Macgregor to sic an ill- 
 flavoured pird, sir, py ' 
 
 c I assure you, upon my honour, I said Solon, and 
 not Solan, Mac,' quoth Twig. c There, ask Tozy. 
 You know I would not say an uncivil thing to 
 you, Rory, for the world.' 
 
 We were like to expire with laughter at this, 
 but the Celt was pacified at length through the 
 good offices of the doctor, and we all held on in 
 good fellowship. But, as the evening wore away, 
 the mosquitoes began to be very troublesome, as 
 we could feel ourselves, and hear if we had not felt, 
 from their loud buzzing, as well as from our host's 
 sounding slaps on his bare limbs, the kilt not being 
 just the thing for a defence against Monsieur 
 Mosquito. Indeed, after Rory's localities had 
 been fairly explored by these stinging pests, we 
 suffered little, as they left us all (like reasonable 
 animals, choosing their food where it was easiest 
 to be had) in comparative peace, to settle in clouds 
 on the unfortunate Highlander's naked premises. 
 
 At length he could stand it no longer. 'Tun- 
 can ! ' — then a loud slap on his thigh — 'Lachlan ! ' 
 Another slap : c Macintosh, pring a prush, pring 
 a prush ! ' and a negro appeared forthwith with 
 a bunch of green twigs with the leaves on. ' Noo, 
 Macintosh, kang pelow tae table with your prush, 
 and prush my leeks free from tae awful plakues. 
 Prush, ye prute, prush ! ' 
 
 This scheme had the desired effect ; the enemy 
 was driven off", and Rory, in the fulness and satis- 
 faction of his heart, now insisted on setting Tun- 
 can to give us a regular pibroch^ as he called it, on 
 the bagpipe, whether we would or not. 
 
 235
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 I had observed Quacco, who had accompanied 
 us, and that mischief-maker, Squire Flamingo, in 
 close confabulation while dinner was getting ready. 
 I therefore made sure of witnessing some comical 
 issue of their complot before long, in which I was 
 not disappointed, for the black sergeant now ushered 
 in the bagpiper, whom, I could perceive, he had 
 fuddled pretty considerably, besides adding to his 
 rig in a most fantastical manner. He had, it seems, 
 persuaded the poor creature that he was by no 
 means complete without a queue, and powder in 
 his hair ; so he now appeared with his woolly poll 
 covered with flour, and the spout of an old tin 
 watering-pan, with a tuft of red hair from the tail 
 of a cow stuck into the end of it, attached to the 
 back of his head by a string. In the midst of this 
 tuft I saw a small red spark, and when he ap- 
 proached there was a very perceptible burning smell, 
 as of the smouldering of a slow match. 
 
 1 Now, Mr. Flamingo,' said I to our friend, ' I 
 see you are about wickedness. No more percus- 
 sion powder, I hope ? ' 
 
 He trod on my toe, and winked. c Hush, you 
 shall see.' 
 
 When Tuncan first entered, he had, to save 
 himself from falling, sat down on a chair close by 
 the door, with his back to us. This was altogether 
 out of character, for Tuncan plumed himself on 
 his breeding. 
 
 c Is tat your mainers, you plack rascal ? ' cried 
 Rory. c Ket up, sir, or ' 
 
 Ouacco was at hand, and assisting; the sable 
 retainer to rise, got him on his pins ; and when 
 he had fairly planted him on his parade ground, 
 which was the end of the piazza farthest from us, 
 
 236
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 he seemed to recover himself, blew up his pipes, 
 and began to wnlk mechanically backwards and 
 forwards steadily enough. Flamingo kept his eye 
 on him very earnestly, while a small twitch of his 
 cheek, just below his eye, every now and then, and 
 a slight lifting of the corner of his mouth, showed 
 that the madcap was waiting in expectation of 
 some fun. All conversation had been fairly swamped 
 by the infernal pipes ; Roderick's peacock-hen, had 
 she been alive, could not have made herself heard, 
 so we had nothing else for it but to look at each 
 other, and listen to the black bagpiper. I am sure 
 I wished him anywhere but where he was, when, 
 just as he had turned his back to us in one of his 
 pendulum movements, a jet of sparks like those 
 from a squib issued from his queue, which, drunk 
 as he was, made him turn round fast enough ; the 
 instant he found that the fire proceeded from his 
 own tail, he dashed down his bagpipes, rushed out 
 of the house, and never stopped until he was up to 
 the neck in the muddy duck-pond before the door, 
 still fizzing most furiously. In a vain attempt to 
 rid himself of the annoyance, he dipped his head 
 below the water, and just as he disappeared, a crack 
 — crack — crack showed that the squib had eventu- 
 ated^ as the Yankees say, in the usual manner, viz. 
 in a zig-zag or cracker. 
 
 It turned out afterwards, as I suspected, that 
 Quacco, who was a tolerable fireworker, amongst 
 his other accomplishments, at Flamingo's instiga- 
 tion had beat up some charcoal and gunpowder, 
 moistening the mass well, and filled the tin tube 
 which composed poor Tuncan's queue with it, thus 
 literally converting it into a squib. 
 
 Great was the amazement of Master Roderick 
 
 237
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 at all this, and loud were his exclamations as his 
 retainer was dragged out of the pond, more dead 
 than alive with fear, and all but choked with mud ; 
 seeing, however, that he had been drinking, and, 
 what was more in blackey's favour, his master 
 having been indulging himself, he was, after much 
 entreaty, pleased to send the poor fellow home, 
 instead of clapping him in the stocks. 
 
 I had noticed that a little mulatto boy, also in a 
 kilt, had been the chief agent in the extrication of 
 poor Tuncan. 
 
 ' Ah, Lachlan,' said Mr. Frenche to this lad, 
 ' when did you return ? Why, I thought you 
 were in Scotland ! ' 
 
 c So he was,' said Rory. £ I sent him last fall to 
 my sister in tae Western Highlands, that is married 
 upon tae minister ; put she returned tae puir callant 
 py next post, saying she was surprised that I should 
 make no more of sending home my — I '11 no say 
 what — and them yellow too, than if they were sae 
 mony tame monkeys — "and to a minister's hoose ! " 
 Maype, if they hat na heard of my coffee crop 
 having peen purned in the store, and if I hat no 
 forgotten to say ony thing apoot tae callant's 
 poord, tey wad na hae been sae straitlaced.' 
 
 It was now getting dark ; the horses had been 
 some time at the door, and we were about saying 
 good-night to Rory and Flamingo, who was to 
 take up his quarters for the evening, in order, as 
 previously arranged, to his having a day's shooting 
 at wild ducks and pigeons on the morrow, when it 
 suddenly came on to rain as if a waterspout had 
 burst overhead ; so the animals were ordered back 
 into the stable, as it was out of the question start- 
 ing in such a pour. 
 
 238
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 We had coffee, and were waiting impatiently 
 for it to clear, but it came down faster and faster, 
 and began to thunder and lighten most awfully. 
 
 I am not ashamed to acknowledge that a storm 
 of this description always moves me ; and although 
 the rest of the party carried on in the inner hall 
 at a game at whist, while Roderick and I were 
 having a hit at backgammon in a corner, none of 
 them appearing to care much about it, yet one 
 explosion was so loud, so simultaneous with the 
 blue blinding flash, and the reverberations immedi- 
 ately afterwards thundered — I can find no stronger 
 word — so tremendously overhead, making the whole 
 house shake, and the glasses ring on the sideboard, 
 that both parties suddenly, and with one accord, 
 stopped and started to their feet in the middle of 
 their amusement. Where I stood I had a full view 
 into the long vista of the natural wood already 
 mentioned, festooned from tree to tree with a fan- 
 tastic network of withes, which, between us and 
 the lightning, looked like an enormous spider's web. 
 Another bright flash again lit up the recesses of 
 the forest, showing distinctly, although but for a 
 moment, a long string of mules, loaded with coffee- 
 bags, with a dark figure mounted on every third 
 animal, and blasting every object, the masses of 
 green foliage on the trees especially, into a smoky 
 and sulphurous blue. 
 
 Before the rumbling of this thunderclap had 
 passed over our heads, the noise of the rain on the 
 hollow wooden roof increased to a deafening roar, 
 like the sound of a waterfall, or as if every drop 
 had been a musket-bullet. 
 
 c Tat's hail,' said Rory, in great amazement at 
 such an unusual occurrence. 
 
 2 39
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 c Small doubt of that,' quoth Flamingo. 
 
 Here one of the negro servants came running 
 in. c Massa — massa ! Sugar-plum fall from de 
 moon — sugar-plum fall from de moon — see, see ! ' 
 and opening his palms where he had caught the 
 hail, and thought he had it safe, and finding only 
 drops of water, he drew back as if he had seen a 
 spirit. c Gone ! gone ! and burn my hand too — 
 Obeah — most be Obeah ! ' and before another word 
 could be said it lightened again so vividly, even 
 through the sparkling mists of hail, that I involun- 
 tarily put my hands to my eyes, and lay back in 
 my chair, overcome with breathless awe. 
 
 Unlike any lightning I had ever seen before, it 
 was as if a dart of fire had struck the large tree 
 next us right in the cleft, and then glanced like a 
 ray of the most intense light shot down into the 
 centre of the back yard, where it zig-zagged along 
 and tore up the solid ground, that appeared covered 
 with white smoke from the bounding and hopping 
 of the rattling hailstones. I can compare the 
 sharpness of the report that accompanied it to 
 nothing more fittingly than that of a long eighteen- 
 pounder fired close to your ear. Involuntarily I 
 repeated to myself that magnificent passage of 
 sacred writ : * And the Lord sent thunder and hail, 
 and the fire ran along upon the ground ; so there 
 was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very 
 grievous.'' 
 
 A long tearing rive, as of the violent disruption 
 of a large bough, succeeded, and then a crashing 
 and rushing heavy fall, and loud shrieks. It was 
 nearly a minute before any of us found breath to 
 speak, and then it was only in short half-suppressed 
 exclamations. l What is that ? ' as a smouldering 
 
 240
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 yellow flame burst from the roof of the negro 
 house that adjoined the Macgregor's habitation, 
 and gradually illuminated the whole scene — the 
 glistering hail-covered ground, the tall trees over- 
 head, the cattle that had run beneath them for 
 shelter, and showed a large limb split off from the 
 immense cedar next us (with 'the white splinter- 
 mark glancing), that still adhered to the parent 
 tree by some strong fibres ; while the outermost 
 branches had fallen heavily on, and crushed in the 
 roof of, the cottage that was on fire. 
 
 The lurid flashes continued, contrasting most 
 fearfully with the bright red glare of the burning 
 cottage, the inhabitants of which, a woman and 
 three children, were now extricating themselves 
 and struggling from under the fallen roof. Pre- 
 sently we saw them cluster round a dark object 
 lying in the middle of the yard like a log, between 
 us and the tree that had been struck. They stooped 
 down, and appeared to pull it about, whatever it 
 was, for a minute or so, and then began to toss 
 their arms, uttering loud cries. 
 
 I was puzzling myself as to what they could be 
 after, when the word was passed amongst the 
 black domestics of c a man kill — old Cudjoe kill.' 
 This ran like wildfire, and in a second we were 
 all out in the midst of the storm, with the rapidly- 
 melting hailstones crunching beneath our feet. 
 
 The body was brought into the house, and, the 
 doctor being fortunately on the spot, everything 
 was done that could be devised, but all in vain. 
 When a vein was opened in the arm the blood 
 flowed sluggishly but was quite fluid ; and all the 
 joints were even more than naturally pliant, the 
 vertebrae of the neck especially. Indeed, I had 
 
 vol. ii. 241 Q.
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 never seen such a general muscular relaxation ; 
 but the poor old fellow was quite dead. One spot 
 on the cape of his Pennistone greatcoat, about the 
 size of a dollar, was burnt black, and so completely 
 consumed that in carrying him into the house, 
 which was no easy matter from the extreme pliancy 
 and eel-like limberness, if I may so speak, of the 
 whole body, the tinder or burnt woollen dropped 
 out, leaving a round hole as clean as if it had been 
 gouged out. 
 
 After this unfortunate transaction we had little 
 spirit to pursue our amusement, and accordingly, 
 after a parting cup, we all retired to bed. 
 
 I soon fell asleep, and remembered nothing until 
 I was awakened by the crowing of the cocks in 
 the morning. It was still dark, and in the unceiled 
 and low-roofed house I could hear my allies snor- 
 ing most harmoniously in their several snuggeries. 
 At length, after several long yawns and a few pre- 
 paratory snorts and clearances of his voice, out 
 spoke my restless aquaintance, Master Flamingo. 
 
 ' Why, Rory — Rory Macgregor — how sound 
 the body sleeps — why, Rory, I say ■ 
 
 1 Oich, oich, fat's tat — wha's tat — and what 
 will she pe wantin' ? ' 
 
 1 Wanting ? Don't you remember your pro- 
 mise r Didn't I tell you that I had come to spend 
 the night here, in order to have a crack at the 
 ducks this morning ? ' 
 
 c Ducks this morning ! ' thought I. ' Ducks — 
 does the madcap mean to shoot ducks, after such a 
 night and such a scene ? ' 
 
 t i Tucks,' grunted Rory, l tucks ? ' then a long 
 snore. 
 
 4 Ducks, to be sure, so get up, Mac — get up.' 
 
 242
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 1 Well, well,' yawned the Macgregor ; 1 1 will, I 
 will ; put ton't waken tae hail hoose — ton't tisturp 
 Mr. Frenche nor Mr. Prail.' 
 
 1 Oh, never mind, Flamingo,' quoth my uncle, 
 turning himself in his bed and clearing his voice ; 
 c I am awake, and Dennis has brought my gun, I 
 rind.' 
 
 And here followed a concerto of coughing:, and 
 yawning, and groaning, and puffing, as of the 
 pulling on of tight or damp boots, and rumblings 
 and stumblings against the furniture of the various 
 apartments, and all the other miscellaneous noises 
 incidental to a party dressing in the dark. 
 
 1 Romulus, a light,' shouted Twig. 
 
 ' Twister, a ditto,' roared Flamingo ; and these 
 exclamations called forth a renewed volley of 
 snortings and long yawns from the negro servants 
 who were sleeping in the inner hall. 
 
 c Twister, get me a light, you lazy villain ; don't 
 you hear ? ' 
 
 4 Yes, yes, massa, directly,' — snore. 
 
 '•Directly, you sleepy dog ! now, sir — get it me 
 now. Don't you hear that I have broken my shin, 
 and capsized the basin-stand, and I can't tell what 
 beside ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, yes, massa,' — snore again. 
 
 I heard a door open, and presently a loud tumble 
 and a crackling and rattling of chairs, and startled 
 cries from the negroes. 
 
 'Murder! Twig — where 's your patent lucifer 
 match box ? Here have I fallen over that rascal 
 of yours, and I am terrified to move, lest I break 
 my own neck, or extinguish some black fellow out 
 and out. Gemini ! if my great toe has not got 
 into some one's mouth. Hillo, Quashie, mind 
 
 243
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 that 's my toe and not a yam. Oh dear, will no 
 one get me a candle ? Jacob, you cannibal, do 
 come and rescue me, or I shall be smothered 
 amidst this odoriferous and flat-nosed variety of the 
 human species.' 
 
 I had never spent such a morning, and as it was 
 quite evident that there was no more sleep to be 
 had, I got up and dressed the best way I could. 
 We were soon all congregated in the inner hall by 
 candle-light, with half-a-dozen black fellows, and 
 as many fowling-pieces, blunderbusses, and muskets 
 as there were buccras, ready to sally forth to attack 
 the teal. 
 
 Quacco was here as elsewhere the most active 
 of the throng, and sidling up to me, c Massa, you 
 and de old gentleman take de blonderboosh — I hab 
 load dem bote wid one bushel of dock hail. You 
 shall never see so much bird as you shall knock 
 down — take dem, Massa — take dem.' 
 
 After coffee, we put ourselves en route, and 
 sallied out of the house. 
 
 1 Why, uncle, 1 said I, c I have no great stomach 
 for the fight after what happened last night.' 
 
 £ Pooh, pooh,' said he, 'never mind — people don't 
 mind a thunderstorm here.' 
 
 1 But then the poor old watchman — struck down 
 almost before one's eyes.' 
 
 4 Ah ! that was melancholy enough — but it 
 can't be helped, so come along, you must do as 
 others do.' 
 
 The morning was thick, dark, damp, and dreary ; 
 there should have been a moon, but she had veiled 
 her beauties behind the steamy clouds, that seemed 
 to be resting themselves on the tree tops. The 
 earth sent up its vapours, as of water poured on 
 
 244
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 hot bricks, and all the herbs and grass and leaves 
 of bushes, through which the footpath lay, seemed 
 absolute blobs of water, for the instant you touched 
 them they dissolved into a shower-bath, while I 
 soon perceived that I was walking ankle-deep in 
 soft mud — indeed we were travelling as much by 
 water as on terra firma. After ploutering through 
 this chaos for about a mile, we entered a natural 
 savannah, inlaid with several ponds, which looked 
 like dark mirrors, dimmed by the films of thin grey 
 mist that floated on their calm surfaces. Rory 
 walked round several of these natural pieces of 
 water, while the negro scouts were also very active; 
 but it was all — 'The tiel a tuck is tere,' from 
 Rory. c The devil a teal is there,' from Flamingo. 
 And * No teal, no dere ; no duck, no here, non at 
 all,' from the negroes. 
 
 1 So we shall have been roused out of our warm 
 beds, and soaked to the skin, to say nothing of a 
 very sufficient plastering with mud, for no use, 
 after all,' said I. 
 
 ' No fear — no fear — only have patience a little,' 
 quoth Mr. Twig. 
 
 There was a low marshy ditch that ran across 
 the savannah, nearer the house than where we now 
 were, that had overflowed from the rains, and 
 which covered about six acres of the natural 
 pasture. We had waded through it on our ad- 
 vance, expecting to find the teal in the ponds 
 beyond. But being unsuccessful, we now tried 
 back, and returned to it, and just as we faced 
 about, the clouds lifted from the hill tops in the 
 east, and disclosed a long clear stripe of primrose- 
 coloured sky, the forerunner of early day-dawn. 
 As we reapproached the flooded ground, one or 
 
 245
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 two cranes sounded their trumpet notes, and taking 
 wing with a rustling splashy flaff, glided silently 
 past us. 
 
 1 Halt,' quoth Sergeant Quacco, in a whisper, 
 4 halt, gentlemen, I hear de teal on de feed.' 
 
 1 The deuce you do ! ' said I, * you must have 
 the ears of an Indian ; ' and we all held our breath, 
 and stooped and leant our ears towards the ground, 
 in imitation of the sergeant ; and to be sure we 
 now heard distinctly enough the short quacks of 
 the drakes, and the rustling and cackling of the 
 feathered squadrons among the reeds. My uncle, 
 the Macgregor, and myself, were planted at the 
 westernmost end of the swamp, two of us armed 
 with blunderbusses, and the Celt with his double- 
 barrelled gun — while Messrs. Twig, Flamingo, 
 and Quacco made a sweep towards the head of it, 
 or eastern end. 
 
 The rustling continued, as of great numbers of 
 large birds on the opposite side, while near at hand 
 we heard an occasional plump, and tiny splashes, 
 such as a large frog makes when he drops into the 
 water, and curious crawling and crackling noises 
 made, according to my conception, by reptiles of 
 some kind or another, amongst reeds. 
 
 £ Any alligators here?' whispered I to Mr. 
 Frenche, who was next me. 
 
 4 Great many,' was the laconic reply. 
 
 ' How comfortable ! ' thought I ; c and snakes ? ' 
 
 c Abundance.' 
 
 * Pleasant country,' said I Benjie, again to my- 
 self. But all this time I could see nothing like the 
 teal we were in pursuit of, although it was clear as 
 mud that the reeds all round us were alive with 
 something or another. At length, as the morning 
 
 246
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 lightened, and the clouds broke away, and the 
 steamy sheet of water began to reflect them and 
 our dark figures and the trees and other objects 
 on the margin, a line of ten or a dozen large birds 
 emerged from the darkness and mist at the end 
 where Flamingo was situated, and began slowly to 
 sail towards us in regular line of battle. 
 
 4 Tere tae come at last — noo — mak reaty, 
 Maister Prail ; frient Frenche, pe prepared,' and 
 Rory himself, lying down on his chest on the wet 
 grass, and taking deliberate aim, fired both barrels 
 — and such a squatter ! — as a flock of a thousand 
 teal, I am certain there could not have been fewer, 
 rose into the air with a loud rushing noise like the 
 sound of a mighty stream — a perfect roar of ducks. 
 I fired my bell-mouthed trabucco with the bushel 
 of shot at random into the thickest of the flock, 
 and so did mine uncle, whereupon down came a 
 feathery shower upon our heads ; and down came 
 we both on our tails — the bushels of shot having 
 told in more ways than one. This hot discharge 
 had the effect, however, of turning the flock, and 
 Flamingo and Twig had their own share of the 
 spoil at the head of the swamp. The four shots 
 had brought down four-and-thirty feathered bipeds, 
 and two without feathers — we were as regularly 
 smothered in ducks as you ever saw a rabbit in 
 onions. 
 
 c I say, uncle, how do you feel ? ' 
 
 ' Rather chilly at tother end of me, Benjie ; and 
 I believe my shoulder is dislocated,' quoth he, 
 scratching his bald pate, as he sat on the ground, 
 where Quacco's bushels of shot had deposited both 
 of us. 
 
 ' And my cheek is stove in,' quoth I. 
 
 247
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 'My nose is bleeding like a pump,' quoth he. 
 
 1 And mine is blown off entirely,' said I. Here 
 we both got on our feet, the ground around us 
 being covered with killed, and alive with the 
 wounded birds. 
 
 c See if our facsimiles in the soft mud are not 
 like two punch bowls, Benjie ? ' And true enough 
 we had made a couple of holes in the spongy soil, 
 that instantly filled with water as we rose, leaving 
 two round pools. 
 
 ' I say, uncle, your punch-bowl is somewhat the 
 biggest of the two, though, eh ? mine is only the 
 jigger.' 
 
 4 Bah ! ' quoth he, showing his white teeth. 
 
 But how came Rory on all this while, the hero 
 who had led into action ? Right in front of us, 
 half a dozen black spots rested dead still, where his 
 shot had just torn up the sleeping surface of the 
 grey swamp, while as many more water-fowl of 
 some description or another, that had been wounded, 
 were quacking and splashing, and wheeling, half 
 flying, and half running on the water, in a vain 
 attempt to escape from the Macgregor, who, in the 
 enthusiasm of the moment, had dashed in up to his 
 waist to secure the prey. 
 
 And there he was chasing the wounded birds all 
 about, every now and then tripping in the weeds, 
 and delving down, nose and ears under water, 
 whereby he lost his hat and dropped his gun, 
 puffing and snorting all the time, with many an 
 outlandish exclamation, and dripping like a water- 
 god. 
 
 ' Never was such a morning's sport,' roared the 
 Highlander, 4 never did I see such pluidy wark in 
 aw my porn days ; stalking tae ret tear is nothing 
 
 248
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 to it,' as he regained terra firma, with both hands 
 filled with ducks 1 legs and necks as full as he 
 could gripe, the wounded birds flaffing and flapping, 
 and struggling round him, as if they would have 
 flown away with the wee Heeland body up into 
 the air. 
 
 By this time I had secured my wounded, and 
 the daylight was fast brightening. 
 
 c Quacco, my man,' said Uncle Latham to the 
 sergeant, as he passed him, ' the next time you clap 
 a bushel of shot into my gun, pray don't let it be 
 imperial measure, if you please.' 
 
 ' Why,' said Twig, who had now joined us, 
 4 this is capital sport certainly. Never saw such 
 a flock of teal in my life before — but, Roderick, 
 what have you got there — what sort of game is 
 that you have shot — let me see ? ' Here he 
 deliberately counted out of Macgregor's hands 
 eight large tame Muscovy ducks, and a goose. 
 
 4 As I am a sinner,' said the poor Highlander, in 
 great dismay when he saw what he had been about, 
 ' if I have not killed my own puire tucks, and the 
 vera coose hersell that I expected to eat at Michael- 
 mas. Hoo cam tay here — hoo tae teevil cam tay 
 oot o' the pen ? ' and he turned a fierce look at his 
 servant. Alas ! on reflection, he remembered that 
 the poor old man who was killed by the lightning 
 had been the henman^ and no one having taken his 
 place, and the pen having been beaten down by the 
 hail overnight, the sacrifice of the ducks and the 
 poor Michaelmas goose had been the consequence 
 and crowning misfortune. 
 
 But the absurdity of our entertainer having 
 shown his expertness as a shot by murdering 
 his own poultry was too much, and it was with 
 
 249
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 the greatest difficulty any of us could keep his 
 gravity. 
 
 We returned to the house, shifted, breakfasted, 
 and that forenoon returned to Ballywindle, where 
 we spent an exceedingly pleasant week with our 
 friends Twig and Flamingo, who, in the mean- 
 time, prevailed on Mr. Frenche to make a return 
 visit to them in Kingston, and we accordingly 
 prepared for our trip. 
 
 It was the Saturday before the Monday on which 
 we meant to start. I was playing at piquet with 
 Mr. Twig ; my uncle and Flamingo were lounging 
 about the piazza, and the horses were ready saddled 
 for an airing at the door, when my antagonist and 
 I were startled by a loud rushing, or rather roaring 
 noise, that seemed to pass immediately overhead. 
 4 A flock of teal,' thought I, remembering the 
 exploit at Rory Macgregor's. Simultaneously all 
 the shutters, which, according to the usual West 
 India fashion, opened outwards, were banged to 
 with great force — doors were slammed, and the 
 whole house shook with the suddenness of the 
 gust. 
 
 ' Hillo ! ' said Twig, ' what 's all this ? ' as his 
 point, quint, and quatorze were whisked out of 
 his hand, and a shower of gritting sand, with a 
 dash of small pebbles in it, was driven against our 
 faces through the open windows, like a discharge 
 of peas. 
 
 My uncle and his companion had halted in their 
 walk, and seemed as much surprised as we were. 
 Presently the noise ceased, and all was calm again 
 where we were. We naturally looked down into 
 the mill-yard below us to see what would take 
 place there. 
 
 250
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 It was as busy as usual : the negro boys and 
 girls were shouting to the mules and steers, as they 
 drove them round the circles of the cattle mills — 
 the mule drivers, each with a tail of three mules 
 loaded with canes from the hilly canepieces, where 
 waggons could not work, were stringing into the 
 yard, and spanking their whips. The wains, each 
 with a team of six oxen, yoked two and two, built 
 up with canes as high as a hay waggon, were rum- 
 bling and rattling on their jolty axletrees, as they 
 were dragged through deep clayey ruts, that would 
 have broken Macadam's heart to have looked on ; 
 the boilermen were shouting in the boiling-house, 
 their voices, from the reverberation of the lofty roof, 
 rising loud above the confusion, as if they had been 
 speaking in masks, like the Greek and Roman 
 actors of old ; and the negro girls were singing 
 cheerily, in parts, their songs blending with their 
 loud laughter as they carried bundles of canes to 
 be ground, or balanced their large baskets full of 
 trash on their heads, while the creaking of the mill 
 machinery, and the crashing of the canes between 
 the rollers, added to the buzz. 
 
 The dry sun was shining down, like a burning- 
 glass, into the centre of this ants' nest, where 
 everything was rolling on, as it had been doing 
 for hours before, no one apparently anticipating 
 any unusual occurrence, but in an instant the tor- 
 nado that had passed us reached them — whirled the 
 trash baskets off the negroes' heads nearest us, and 
 up went whole bundles of canes bodily into the air, 
 and negro hats and jackets ; indeed everything that 
 would rise, and ruffling the garments of the black 
 ladies most unceremoniously, notwithstanding all 
 their endeavours to preserve their propriety, so that 
 
 251
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 they looked like large umbrellas reversed, the shanks, 
 in most cases, being something of the stoutest. 
 
 Before it took effect in the hollow, everything 
 was in motion — by the time it passed over, every- 
 thing it did not take with it was fixed to the spot, 
 as if by the wand of an enchanter. Negroes were 
 clinging to the bamboos of the cattle pens. Cattle 
 and mules were standing as rigid as statues, gathered 
 on their haunches, with their forelegs planted well 
 and firmly out, the better to resist the effects of 
 the wind. The mill had instantly stopped, and all 
 was silent. 
 
 But the instant Quashie recovered his surprise, 
 and everything had become calm again in the mill 
 yard, there arose such a cackling, shouting, and 
 laughter, and lowing of kine, and skreiching of 
 mules, as Rory Macgregor would have said, as 
 baffles all description. 
 
 The course of the tornado, after passing over 
 the mill yard, continued to be distinctly marked 
 by the different substances it had carried up and 
 whirled round in its vortex, keeping them sus- 
 pended in the air by its violent centrifugal motion ; 
 and I especially remember the effect it had on a 
 grove of cocoa-nut trees. It took them by the 
 tops, which it tossed fiercely with a wide circular 
 motion, tearing their long leaves up into the sky 
 like hair, as if some invisible spirit was trying to 
 shake the fruit down from the tormented trees. 
 As it neared a field where a number of people were 
 at work, one of the house servants, rubbing his 
 black paws, whispered to his neighbour in my 
 hearing, 'Softly, now — maybe it will whip away 
 busha ' — a thing he, to all appearance, would not 
 have broken his heart about. 
 
 252
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 Next morning at breakfast, I stumbled on the 
 
 following announcement in the newspaper I had 
 
 just taken up : 
 
 ' Lucie, such a date. 
 
 4 Last evening the Kingston trader, the Bal- 
 lahoo, anchored in Negril Bay. She had been cut 
 out by two piratical vessels, a felucca and a schooner, 
 from Montego Bay, on such a day, and after hav- 
 ing been in the possession of the pirates for a week, 
 during which the Spanish passengers were com- 
 pelled" to disclose where their money (the only 
 thing taken) was concealed, she was politely given 
 up to them and the crew. 
 
 c The felucca is Spanish built, painted black 
 outside, and red within, and sails remarkably fast ; 
 the schooner is a long, low, but very heavily-armed 
 vessel, painted black, with a red streak — no guns 
 were seen in the felucca .' 
 
 ' So, so, poor Hause has got his vessel, then ; 
 but that wicked little Midge, I fear her cruising is 
 not over yet,' said I, handing the paragraph to my 
 uncle, who, as he already knew the story, easily 
 comprehended the import of the newspaper an- 
 nouncement. ' Well, I am glad of it ; ' and I 
 resumed my attack on the yams, ham, and coffee. 
 
 Mr. Frenche put on his spectacles, and as he 
 began the perusal of the paper, said dryly, ' I 
 suppose you consider that the letter lying on the 
 table there, addressed to you, will keep cool — at 
 least you appear to be in no hurry to open it.' 
 
 I seized it, not having previously noticed it, and 
 blushed like I don't know what when I perceived 
 it was in very truth her dear, delightful, and all the 
 rest of it, fist — there 's a sentence ending plump 
 
 253
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 for you — my hand trembled as I broke the seal, or 
 rather drew it open, for in such a climate wax is 
 so soft you cannot call it breakings which always 
 implies a short, sharp crackle, to my mind ; assum- 
 ing a careless, swaggering look, I began to peruse 
 it. I could with the tail of my eye, however, per- 
 ceive Friend Twig and Monsieur Flamingo ex- 
 change very knowing glances. But here goes — 
 here is the letter : 
 
 ( Havanna, 
 
 such a date. 
 
 ' My Dear Benjamin, — I expected to have 
 had an opportunity of writing by a vessel for 
 Jamaica before this, but have been disappointed. 
 
 1 You will be surprised at our change of plans. 
 A grand-uncle of my father's, a very old man, has 
 lately died, and left some money and land to us in 
 the United Kingdom ' (a Yankeyism, thought I — 
 United States, United Kingdom), ' and in conse- 
 quence he is obliged to go out to England imme- 
 diately ' — (out to England). ' His first determina- 
 tion was to send mamma and me home to New 
 York, but as we did not like to leave him, we have 
 persuaded him that we shall make ourselves very 
 portable, so we all go together, in a fine London 
 ship, to sail the day after to-morrow. Dicky 
 Phantom, dear pet, says, " Oh, I shall make myself 
 more leetle small, as one busy bee dat make de 
 honey." I am angry at myself sometimes, but I 
 almost dread going to the " old country," lest we 
 should be obliged to restore the darling little cast- 
 away to his kinsfolk ; I am sure none of them can 
 ever love him more than his mamma Helen does. 
 Any letter you may write to me, you must now 
 
 254
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 send to the care of the House of Baring Brothers 
 of London. As I have no concealments from 
 mamma, and as you always give me credit ' [credit, 
 in the mouth of a young lady !) c for being a cir- 
 cumspect person, she has arranged for me, that at 
 all events we shall not leave England until we hear 
 from you in anwer to this, so I have made a dupli- 
 cate of it,' [duplicate of a love-letter, ye gods ! ) c a 
 thing that has proved more irksome than writing 
 ten originals, which I will send by the next oppor- 
 tunity, as I know you would be sadly annoyed if 
 any confusion should take place, such as your 
 going to New York, and finding us abroad,' 1 
 (abroad — in England), c at least, I know, my dearest 
 Benjamin, I should be miserable at the thoughts 
 of it.' (Well you might, my lady, thought I) — 
 ' I am all impatience for another letter from you ' 
 (why, she has not acknowledged one yet) ; ' surely 
 your excellent uncle will enter into your feelings ; 
 indeed I have satisfied my heart that he will, and 
 made up my mind not to distress myself, in the 
 meantime, in the hope that all will run smooth 
 with us. You see I have no darts and flames and 
 nonsense for you — nothing ultra, Benjamin — no 
 superlatives — I have studied myself as well as I 
 can, and there is no character, I am persuaded, that 
 suits me so well as what you gave me. I am a 
 quiet, prudent, unobtrusive, but warm-hearted little 
 woman — there is a vain girl for you — and, oh ! 
 Benjamin, my heart tells me, if I am spared in His 
 mercy, that you will find what my father says to 
 be true, " Whoever marries my Helen will get 
 a wife that will wear well, I calculate." 
 
 ' You will be surprised to learn that the old 
 Gazelle is here again. After being a week out, 
 
 255
 
 I 
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 she was forced back from bad weather, and is now 
 repairing. Poor Mr. Donovan has had to invalid ; 
 they say he never recovered his severe illness on 
 the coast of Africa, and was always raving about 
 some fair one with one eye, who lived in a street 
 to which Broadway in York was a narrow lane — 
 but it is a melancholy affair for him, poor young 
 man, and I check my thoughts, and stop my pen, 
 as I had a jest regarding him that was ready to 
 drop from it. 
 
 4 And what do you think ? — Henry De Walden 
 has got an acting order as lieutenant in his stead. 
 The ship had been a week here, before Mr. Dono- 
 van could make up his mind, and all that time 
 Master Henry never once looked near us, and poor 
 Sophie did nothing but spoil wax flowers and weep 
 — but, two days ago, as she and I were returning 
 in the volante from our evening drive, who should 
 we meet, in charge of a party of seamen who were 
 returning from the funeral of a comrade who had 
 died that morning — oh Benjamin, what a fearful 
 climate this is — but him ! — He did not see us until 
 we were close upon him, when I desired the driver 
 to pull up, so he could not escape us if he had tried 
 it ; poor Sophie lay back in the volante, out of 
 sight as she thought — I am sure I heard her heart 
 beat. I asked him why he had not come to see 
 us — he seemed unprepared to answer ; indeed, as 
 you used to say, he was evidently taken completely 
 aback — and blushed, and then grew pale, and 
 blushed again — for he saw very well who was 
 cowering at the back of the carriage — " I was 
 going to call on you this very evening," he said, at 
 length ; " I thought you would all be glad to hear 
 of my promotion." — Poor Sophie's rigid clasp round 
 
 256
 
 MY UNCLE 
 
 my waist relaxed, and she gave a sigh as if her 
 heart had burst — but it was her pent feelings that 
 had been relieved. — " Your promotion ! " I cried, 
 in great joy. — ■" Yes, I have got poor Mr. Dono- 
 van's vacancy ." — " Dead ? is poor Mr. Donovan 
 dead ? " — " No," continued he, " he is not dead, 
 but has invalided this forenoon, and Sir Oliver has 
 given me an acting order as lieutenant in his stead 
 — I make no doubt it will be confirmed ; indeed he 
 said he knows it will." 
 
 1 He came in the evening according to his 
 promise, and most happy we were to see him — 
 but what a world of changes ! — the very next day 
 the Spider arrived, when we heard of your narrow 
 escape ; to show you my composure, I have pur- 
 posely kept this out of sight until this moment, 
 nor will I say much now. I went when I heard 
 it, and offered up my prayers to that Almighty 
 Being who rules over all, and orders everything 
 for the best, although we poor shortsighted 
 creatures may not see it, and blessed His holy 
 name, that you had safely reached your destina- 
 tion. 
 
 'But I am getting confused, I find. The 
 bearer of your letter, poor young man, is no more 
 — he died this morning of yellow fever ; and who 
 do you think is appointed to the Spider ? — why, 
 Henry De Walden, once more — nothing, you see, 
 but Henry De Walden ! 
 
 'To make a long story short, Mr. Duquesne 
 has now given his consent to their union, but old 
 Sir Oliver, who exercises a great, and to me un- 
 accountable control over Henry, will not hear of 
 it, until he is made commander, so they must both 
 live in hope ; but for the moment, they are but 
 
 vol. ii. 2.57 R
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 too happy to be extricated from the gloomy Slough 
 of Despond in which they had made up their minds 
 they were both set fast. My father, mamma, Mr. 
 Duquesne, Sophie, and Henry De Walden, all 
 unite in kindest regards to you. And now, my 
 dearest Benjamin, do not be alarmed at this 
 blistered manuscript ; my heart is melting, and 
 weeping relieves me, but I am not unhappy — oh, 
 no — but anxious — oh, how anxious ! — I will now 
 retire to my closet, and cast mvself before the 
 rock of my trust, and pray to my God, and your 
 God, in whose great hand we stand, to bless us 
 both, and speedily, if it be his good pleasure, to 
 bring us once more together, never to be parted. 
 I am fond and foolish, Benjamin, fond and foolish, 
 but I know to whom I write. The seaman who 
 waits for the letters is ordered on board, and I 
 must conclude. Give my love to your uncle — I 
 am sure I shall love him — tell him he must love me, 
 for your sake, if not for my own. Once more 
 adieu, and God bless you. 
 
 c Your own affectionate, 
 
 c Helen Hudson. 
 
 4 P.S. — Dicky has scrambled up on my knee, to 
 give me a kiss to send to his papa. He bids 
 me say that " Billy, de sheep, quite well, only 
 him hair won't curl any more, like Dicky's, 
 but begin to grow straight and ugly, like Mr. 
 Listado's." ' 
 
 *5*
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 Early on the Monday we accordingly started on 
 our journey, and that evening arrived at very 
 comfortable quarters in St. Ann's Bay. 
 
 We did not get under weigh next morning 
 until the sun was high — it was nearly ten in the 
 forenoon — as we had only to go the length of 
 Prickly Pear Cottage that day, a property belong- 
 ing to a crony of mine uncle's, at which we had 
 promised to dine and spend the night on our way 
 to St. Thomas in the Vale, where we were to call 
 a halt, to attend some military dinner or another 
 at Bogwalk Tavern. 
 
 The beauty of St. Ann's, the principal grazing 
 parish of Jamaica, surpassed any notion I had 
 previously formed of it ; the whole district being 
 a sea of gently undulating hill and valley, covered 
 with the most luxuriant waving Guinea grass, 
 across which the racking cloudlets, borne on the 
 wings of the fresh and invigorating breeze, chased 
 each other cheerily, as if it had been one vast 
 hay-field, ready for the scythe, thickly interspersed 
 with groves of pimento and fruit-trees, whose 
 picturesque situations no capability man could 
 possibly improve. The herds of cattle that 
 browsed all round us, whether as to breed or 
 condition, would have done credit to the first 
 grazing county in England. Lord Althorp should 
 go and take a squint at St. Ann's ; I daresay the 
 worthies there might make him Custos. 
 
 259
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 At length, as it drew on to three in the after- 
 noon, we saw the cottage glittering in all the 
 West India glory of green blinds and white paint, 
 through the grove of fruit-trees in the centre of 
 which it was placed. It was a long, low, one-story 
 house, raised about ten feet off the ground on brick 
 pillars, under which gambolled half a dozen goats, 
 and surrounded by a cool and airy piazza, while the 
 neighbouring thickets were peppered with a whole 
 cluster of small whitewashed buildings, comprising 
 kitchen, garde-manger , houses for the domestics, 
 pig-sties, and poultry-yard. 
 
 We dismounted at one end of the piazza, where 
 a door, kept gaping ajar by a large stone on the 
 floor, to which access was had by a flight of steps, 
 seemed to invite us to walk in. We ascended the 
 stair and entered. The dark mirror-like floors, 
 the fragrant odour of the fresh-gathered bitter 
 oranges which had been just used in polishing 
 them, the green shade of the trees that over- 
 shadowed the building, tossing their branches, and 
 rushing and twittering in the sea breeze, the 
 beautiful flowers that crept in at every open blind 
 and crevice (a knot in the weather-boarding could 
 not drop out but in would pop a rose, or a bud of 
 double jessamine, as if trying to escape the ardent 
 gaze of the sun), the twilight of the rooms, and 
 the glorious view of the everlasting ocean in the 
 distance (with a tiny white wingletof a sail sliding 
 along here and there), crisped with blue waves, as 
 if the water had reflected the mackerel sky that 
 glowed over all, until both were blended out at 
 sea beneath a silvery haze, were indescribably 
 luxurious and refreshing, their sweet and cooling 
 influences more strongly felt from the contrast 
 
 260
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 they afforded to the heat and dust of the lowland 
 road we had just left. Oh, I could — curse it — there 's 
 a mackaw — there is a mackaw — a bird I detest 
 and abominate — so my poetry is all blown to the 
 moon in a jiffy. I would rather sit and listen to 
 the music of the setting of a saw, while enjoying 
 the luxury of a sick headache. But let me whistle 
 back my fancy again, and get on with my 
 story. 
 
 Several ladies' work-tables, with the work lying 
 on them, tumbled as it were in haste, and chairs 
 disarranged, showed that our approach had not 
 been observed until we were close aboard, and 
 that the fair members of the family had that 
 moment fled, in order to make themselves present- 
 able ; indeed this was vouched for by the laughing 
 and fistling and heckling we heard in a room whose 
 window opened into the piazza. 
 
 Presently a tidily-dressed brown waiting-maiden, 
 with flowers on her gown the size of the crown 
 of my hat, and of the gaudiest colours — popped 
 her head in at the door, and, after showing her 
 white teeth, disappeared. She had very evidently 
 been sent to reconnoitre, and I could not avoid 
 overhearing her say in the inner room aforesaid, 
 close to the open window of which our party were 
 clustered, ' Oh, nyung missis, dere are old Massa 
 Frenche, one tall town-looking buccra, wid big 
 hook nose like one parrot bill, one leetler fat one, 
 hab red face, and one fonny coat, all tick over wid 
 small silk barrel, and broider wid black silk lace ; 
 and, oh, I forgot, one small slip of a boy, dat roll 
 side to side so ' — here she seemed to be suiting the 
 action to the word — 'like de sailor negro.' 
 
 Now this was me, your honour. 
 
 261
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 At this moment we heard a noise as if some 
 one had been scraping the mud off his shoes at 
 the back part of the house, and giving various 
 orders at the same time in a loud voice to the 
 servants ; then a heavy step through the lofty 
 hall, and enter a tall, sallow, yellow-snake of a 
 man, in wide white jane trousers and waistcoat, 
 the perspiration streaming down his face, and 
 dripping from the point of his sun-peeled nose, 
 while the collar of his shirt and his neckcloth were 
 also very sudorous. He wore a threadbare blue 
 coat, the buttons all covered with verdigris, and a 
 hat — which he kept on, by the way — worn white 
 at the edges, with the pasteboard frame of it 
 visible where the silk nap had been rubbed. 
 
 4 Ah, Frenche,' quoth mine host, for it was no 
 other, c how are you, my dear fellow ? Paul, call 
 your missis — and, Mr. Twig, I am so glad to see 
 you. Boys, get second breakfast, we have kept 
 it back on purpose.' 
 
 ' Twang,' thought I. 
 
 c Frenche, my lad, introduce me — your nephew, 
 I presume ? ' 
 
 I bowed and was shaken furiously by the hand. 
 
 ' I should have known him, I declare ; so like 
 you, my old cock.' 
 
 c Gammon again,' thought I. 
 
 4 And, Twig, I say, you must introduce me to ' 
 — Here he indicated Don Felix and prepared to 
 ' pull his foot,' as the negroes say, in that direction 
 also — in other words, to make his bow to Mon- 
 sieur Flamingo, who was accordingly made known 
 to him in due form, and had his fingers nearly 
 wrung off, as mine had been. Don Felix, so soon 
 as he was released, took an opportunity of catching 
 
 262
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 my eye, shaking them aside, and blowing the tips 
 as if they had been burned. 
 
 The ladies now appeared — our hostess, really 
 a splendid woman, and her daughter, fresh off the 
 irons from a fashionable English boarding-school 
 — a very pretty girl, but suffering under prickly 
 heat — a sort of what-do-you-call-um — a kind of 
 Jamaica imitation, but deucedly like t'other thing 
 in Scotland notwithstanding — and the plague of 
 freckles — ods bobs, how I do hate freckles ! — 
 where was I ? — oh ! — so our lunch, or second 
 breakfast, was really a very pleasant one. From 
 that time until dinner we talked and read and 
 played bagatelle, and, amongst other means em- 
 ployed to kill time, Miss Cornstick was set to play 
 on the piano. She was, 1 make no doubt, a first- 
 rate performer, and spanged her fingers from the 
 keys as if they had been redhot iron, and tossed 
 her head about as she sung, and cast her eyes 
 towards the roof as if she had seen something 
 rather surprising there. 
 
 'That's what I call singing with animation, at 
 all events. Oh, how I wish the pedals were 
 mine enemies ! ' whispered Don Felix. 
 
 ' Ah, how missie do sing — how him do play on 
 de pinano — wery extonishing fine ! ' quoth the 
 brown ladies'-maid sotto voce behind the open door 
 of the anteroom, but loud enough for me to over- 
 hear. 
 
 However, allow for some trifling peculiarities 
 of this kind, and we had every reason to be 
 exceedingly pleased with our entertainment, for 
 we had a capital dinner, and some superb Madeira, 
 and the evening passed over delightfully on the 
 whole. 
 
 263
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 When we came to retire, I was shown to my 
 sleeping apartment, a small room partitioned off 
 from the end of the piazza — that is, altogether 
 without the brick shell of the house itself. 
 
 I had proceeded in disrobing, and was about 
 putting out the candle, when 1 heard a ' cheep, 
 cheep,' overhead, as of a mouse in the paws of 
 pussy. I looked up, and lo ! an owl, perched on 
 what seemed a shelf that ran along the wall over- 
 head, with mousey, sure enough, in his beak. 
 
 c Hillo,' said I, 'Master Owl, this will never do ; 
 you must make yourself scarce, my boy.' And I 
 seized a fishing-rod that happened to stand in the 
 corner of the room — c There, take that, your owl- 
 ship ! ' and I made a blow at him with the butt- 
 end, but missed. However, it had the effect of 
 startling him off his perch, and with a loud squake 
 he took wing round the room. The first con- 
 sequence of his vagary was the extinction of the 
 light, whereby he got the weather-gage of me 
 regularly ; for, although he could not see in the 
 light, he saw beautifully in the darkness, and 
 avoided my haphazard blows most scientifically. 
 At length, among other feats of skill, and evidences 
 of composure, I fractured the monkey^ or earthen 
 water-jar, that garnished my toilet-table, and finally 
 capsized over the steps at the bedside, to the great 
 loss of the skin on my shinbone, and the large 
 effusion of my patience. 
 
 4 Why, Jinker, Jinker ! ' I could hear a door 
 open. 
 
 c Why, Jinker,' said a man's voice, c what noise 
 is that in the piazza, in the name of wonder ? ' 
 
 Snore — snort — yawn. ' Can't tell, massa,' re- 
 plied the negro domestic, who was thus roused 
 
 264
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 from his lair in the piazza, ' but I will go see de 
 sound, what it is, massa.' 
 
 £ You will ? ' thought I, as I heard him groping 
 and grumbling all about. 'What naise dat is, my 
 fader ? — what a knock my nose take again dat post 
 him ! — mi say, what naise dat is ? ' quoth Quashie, 
 more than half asleep. ' Nobody hanswer ? Me 
 say de tird time, what naise, eh ? ' 
 
 I had gathered myself into bed the best way I 
 could, but the owl continued his gyrations round 
 and round the room, and here gave another screech. 
 ' Ha,' said Jinger, ' creech-howl, massa — creech- 
 howl ! ' 
 
 4 Screech-owl ! ' rejoined Mr. Cornstick, for it 
 was he who had spoken — 'how the deuce can a 
 screech-owl upset chairs, smash the crockery, 
 and make such an infernal to do as that ? Get a 
 light, sir.' 
 
 All this while I was like to choke with laughter. 
 ' Jinker,' said I, c bring a light here, and don't alarm 
 the family. Tell Mr. Cornstick it is only an owl 
 that has got, I can't tell how, into my room — 
 nothing more.' I heard Mr. Cornstick laugh at 
 this, and say a word of comfort to Mrs. Cornstick, 
 as I supposed, and she again began to console a wee 
 skirling Cornstick that I concluded was their bed- 
 fellow, and then shut the door. 
 
 Creak — another door opened. ' Diana ! ' said 
 Miss Cornstick in great alarm — ' good gracious ! 
 what is all that, Diana ? ' 
 
 ' Noting, missis, but one fight between de leetle 
 sailor buccra and one howl.' 
 
 So here 's a mess ! The whole Cornstick family 
 — men, women, and children — set alive and kicking 
 in the dead of night by me and my uninvited visitor ! 
 
 265
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 Presently Jinker appeared with a lighted candle, 
 but by this time the owl was nowhere to be seen. 
 
 ' How him get away, massa ? I no see him.' 
 
 No more did I. We continued our search. 
 
 c Him cannot possib have creep troo de key- 
 hole.' 
 
 ' I should rather think not,' said I ; ' but there 
 he was, perched up in that corner, when I first 
 saw him. He was sitting on that very shelf. 
 Where the deuce can the creature have stowed 
 himself?' 
 
 'Shelf!' said the negro— 'shelf ! What shelf, 
 massa ? ' 
 
 ' That one there ; isn't it a shelf? ' 
 
 ' Shelf ! Oh no, massa ; it is de gutter dat lead 
 de rain from de roof of de house dat come along 
 here under de eaves of de shingle, you know, and 
 den pour him into one larsh barrel outside ; but 
 
 tap ' Here Jinker got on the table, to inspect 
 
 the lay of the land more perfectly. ' Ah, I see he 
 hab come in and go out troo de guttering, sure 
 enough ' (a square, uncovered trough). c He must 
 have nest hereabout, massa.'' 
 
 'But how shall we keep him out,' said I, 'now 
 since he is out ? ' 
 
 ' Tap, I shall show you. Give me up one on 
 dem towel, please, massa. I will tuff him into de 
 hole till daybroke.' 
 
 ' Indeed, but you shall not do that thing ; — none 
 of your stopping the gutter. Why, only suppose 
 it should rain in the night, Snowball, eh ? Would 
 it not overflow, my beauty ? You don't want to 
 drown me, do you ? ' 
 
 ' Massa, no fear of dat — none at all ; de moon 
 clear, and hard as one bone ; and de star, dem 
 
 266
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 twinkle sharp and bright as one piece broken glass 
 when de sun shine on him. No, no, all dry, dry 
 — no rain before morning. Rain ! dere shan't be 
 no rain for one mont.' 
 
 4 But I am not inclined to take your word for 
 
 this, my lad, so ' 
 
 ' Bery well, massa ; bery good — massa know 
 betterest. So, since massa want howl for bed- 
 fellow, Jinker can't help it — only massa had better 
 put something over him face to cover him nose, or 
 him yeye — basin will do. Oh, howl love piece of 
 de nose of one nyung buccra bery mosh.' 
 
 Come, thought I, sleeping with a basin on one's 
 face is too absurd after all ; but better even that 
 than be drowned. ' So, friend Jinker,' — I was now 
 resolved — 'since that is your name, stop the hole 
 you shall not ; therefore, jink out of the room," will 
 ye, for I am very drowsy ? ' 
 
 I fell asleep, but the notion of the said conduit 
 leading through my room haunted me. At one 
 moment I dreamed I heard the rain beating on the 
 roof of the house and against the blinds, and the 
 next the rushing and rippling and gurgling of the 
 water along the hollow wooden pipe ; then I was 
 wafted by the sound — there 's a poetical image for 
 you — to the Falls of Niagara, and was standing in 
 the Cave of iEolus, with the strong damp gusts of 
 cold wind eddying and whirling around me, as if it 
 would have lifted me off my feet on the wings of 
 my shirt — for, mind, I had no other garment on — 
 below the great Horseshoe Fall, with the screen of 
 living waters falling, green and foam-streaked like 
 a sheet of flowing glass, past my eyes, down, 
 down, down, and boiling away into the Devil's 
 Pot under foot. Anon the sparkling veil of water 
 
 267
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 was bent towards me, until it touched the tip of 
 my nose, and I turned to escape, but the basin on 
 my face prevented my seeing. But this again soon 
 came transparent, as if the coarse delf had been 
 metamorphosed into clear crystal, and down thun- 
 dered the cascade again — for it had ceased for a 
 moment, you must know — sprinkled this time with 
 draggle-winged owls, as thick as Bonaparte's 
 coronation robe with bees. I was choked, suffo- 
 cated, and all the rest of it. ' Murder ! Murder ! 
 I am drowned — I am drowned — for ever and en- 
 tirely drowned ! ' and in an agony of fear I struggled 
 to escape, but in vain — in vain — 
 
 'The waters gather'd o'er me !' 
 
 when enter friend Jinker — c Massa, massa, who 
 hurt you ? Who kill you ? Who ravage you ? ' 
 
 Bash, something wet, and cold, and feathery flew 
 against my face — ' Oh, Gemini, what is this next ! 
 Lights — lights — lights — my kingdom for a farthing 
 candle ! ' 
 
 1 Will massa only be pleased to sit down on de 
 bed and be quiet one moment,' said my sable friend. 
 
 I did so ; and beginning to breathe — for the 
 Falls of Niagara had now ceased — I rubbed my 
 eyes, and lo ! the blessed sun shone brightly 
 through the lattice just opened by Jinker, and out 
 flew the owl with a loud screech, more happy to 
 escape than I was to get quit of him apparently, 
 and flying as a drunken man walks, zig-zag, up 
 and down, against trees and bushes, until it landed 
 in a pimento tree about pistol-shot from the house, 
 where he gave a wild ' Hoo, hoo, hoo,' as if he 
 had said, * Thank my stars, I have found rest to 
 the sole of my foot at last.' 
 
 268
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 But such a scene as the room presented ! Not- 
 withstanding friend Jinker's prognostication, there 
 had been a heavy shower, and the bed was deluged 
 with dirty water — the green matter from the 
 shingles discolouring all the sheets — while from 
 the flooded floor the water was soaking through 
 the seams, and drip, dripping on the dry ground 
 below, like a shower-bath. — ' Now, dat howl ! 
 him do it all, massa,' quoth Jinker, 'sure as can 
 be.' 
 
 'Don't you think the rain had somewhat to do 
 with it too, Jinker ? ' But Jinker was deaf as a 
 post. 
 
 ' Here, you see, when you trike at him, he drap 
 mouse — dere him lie dead on de table ; so he come 
 back when you sleep, and no doubt after de rain 
 begin, for see de fedder tick on de nail in de gutter, 
 and de howl must hab been tick in de hole, and 
 choke de water back, and ' 
 
 Here Quashie caught a glimpse of my discon- 
 solate physiognomy, all drenched and forlorn. It 
 was too much for him ; so, forgetting all his 
 manners, he burst into a long and loud laugh. 
 However, no serious damage was done ; and at 
 breakfast there was not a little fun at my expense. 
 
 It turned out that our entertainer, and his wife 
 and daughter, were bound on a visit this forenoon 
 to some neighbour ; so, as our roads lay together 
 so far, we all started after breakfast in company. 
 I was a good deal amused at the change in the 
 outward woman of my ladies' -maid^ the handsome 
 brown girl in the gay gown already mentioned, 
 who now appeared stripped of her plumes, without 
 stockings or shoes, in her Osnaburg chemise, and 
 
 269
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 coarse blue woollen petticoat — the latter garment 
 shortened, like the tunic of her namesake Diana, 
 by a handkerchief tied tightly round her waist, just 
 over the hips, exhibiting the turn of her lower 
 spars to considerably above the knee — with a large 
 bandbox on her head covered with oilskin, and a 
 good cudgel in her hand. I asked Mr. Cornstick 
 how far they were going. He answered it was a 
 ride of fifteen miles, and, in the same breath, he 
 called out to the brown damsel : c Say we shall be 
 there by second breakfast-time, Diana ? ' 
 'Yes, massa.' 
 
 ' Mind we don't get there before you.' 
 ' No fear of dat, massa,' said the sylvan goddess, 
 smiling, as she struck off through the woods at a 
 pace that would have pleased Captain Barclay ex- 
 ceedingly. It appeared that she was to take a 
 short cut across the hills. 
 
 ' How can that girl trust her naked limbs in 
 such a brake ? ' said I. 
 
 . ' Why not ? don't you see she is a chased goddess ? ' 
 said Don Felix. 
 
 'Now, Flamingo, I verily believe you will peck 
 at a grain of mustard-seed next,' quoth friend 
 Twig. 
 
 We started ; Mrs. Cornstick on a stout pony, 
 with the head servant, Mark Antony by name^ but 
 as ugly a flat-nosed nigger as Christian could desire 
 to clap eyes on by nature^ holding on by its tail. 
 Then came Miss Cornstick on her palfrey, with a 
 similar pendant, but her page was a fine, handsome 
 mulatto boy ; while we brought up the rear, the 
 whole cavalcade being closed by the mounted 
 servants. By and by, the road being good, al- 
 though mountainous, we spanked along at a smart 
 
 270
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 rate, and it was then that the two fellows pinned 
 to the ladies' tails — the tails of their ponies', I beg 
 pardon — showed their paces in a most absurd 
 fashion, making great flying strides at every step, so 
 as to keep time with the canter of the quadrupeds. 
 They looked like two dancing-masters gone mad. 
 I thought of Cutty Sark clutching the tail of Tarn 
 O'Shanter's grey mare Meg. 
 
 ' Do you see that humming-bird ? ' said Jacob 
 Twig, who was giving me a cast in his curricle, 
 Flamingo having changed into my uncle's gig. 
 Crack — he knocked it down on the wing with 
 his whip, as it hovered over some flowers on the 
 roadside. c That 's what I call a good shot now.' 
 
 4 Ah, but a very cruel one,' said I. 
 
 4 Sorry for it — shan't do it again, Mr. Brail.' 
 
 * Safe in that,' thought I. 
 
 On coming to a cross-road, the Cornsticks 
 struck off to the left, and, saying good-bye, we 
 stood on our course. 
 
 Nothing particular occurred until we were de- 
 scending the hill into St. Thomas in the Vale. 
 The sun was shining brightly without a cloud. 
 The jocund breeze was rushing through the trees, 
 and dashing their masses of foliage hither and 
 thither, turning up the silvery undersides of the 
 leaves at one moment, and then changing their 
 hues into all shades of green the next. The birds 
 were glancing and chirping amongst the branches. 
 The sleek cattle were browsing lazily and con- 
 tentedly on the slope of the hill, and the merry 
 negro gangs were shouting and laughing at their 
 work — but the vulture was soaring over all in pride 
 of place, eagle-like, far up in the clear blue firma- 
 ment, as if the abominable bird had been the genius 
 
 271
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 of the yellow fever, hovering about the fair face of 
 nature, ready to stoop and blast it. 
 
 The sky gradually darkened — all cloudless as it 
 was — for there was not a shred of vapour floating 
 in its pure depths so big as the hand of the servant 
 of the prophet. The gloom increased — not that 
 kind of twilight that precedes the falling of the 
 night, but a sort of lurid purple hue that began 
 mysteriously to pervade the whole atmosphere, as 
 if we had been looking forth on the landscape 
 through a piece of glass stained with smoke. 
 
 c Hey-day,' said Felix, c what 's the matter ? I 
 see no clouds, yet the sun is overcast. It in- 
 creases.' The oxen on the hill-sides turned and 
 looked over their shoulders with a puzzled look, as 
 if they did not know what to make of it, no more 
 than ourselves — ' Can't be time to go home to take 
 our night spell in that weary mill yet, surely?' 
 
 The large carrion crows rapidly declined in their 
 flight, narrowing their sweeping circles gradually, 
 until they pirouetted down, and settled, with out- 
 stretched wings, on the crags above us, startling 
 forth half a dozen bats, and a slow-sailing owl, the 
 latter fluttering about as if scarcely awake, and then 
 floating away steadily amongst the bushes, as if he 
 had said, l Come, it must be the gloaming after all — 
 so here goes for mousey.' 
 
 The negroes suddenly intermitted the chipping 
 and tinkling of their hoes, and the gabbling of their 
 tongues, as they leant on the shanks of the former, 
 and looked up. c Heigh, wurra can be come over 
 de daylight, and no shell blow yet ? * l 
 
 We now perceived the chirping of insects and 
 
 1 The gangs are turned in at dinner-time by the sounding of a 
 conch shell. 
 
 272
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 reptiles that usually prevails during the hours of 
 night in the West Indies, begin to breeze up. 
 First a lizard would send forth a solitary whistle, 
 as much as to say, ' It can't be night yet, surely ? ' 
 Then from the opposite side of the way, another 
 would respond, with a low startled c wheetle^ 
 wheetlef which might be interpreted ' Indeed, but 
 it is though ;' and on this, as if there had been no 
 longer any doubt about the matter, the usual con- 
 cert of crickets, beetles, lizards, and tree toads, 
 buzzed away as regularly as if it had indeed been 
 evening in very truth. 
 
 'An eclipse of the sun,' said I, and sure enough 
 so it was ; for in half an hour it gradually lightened 
 again, and everything became once more as bright 
 and cheery and every-day-like as before. 
 
 We arrived at Bogwalk Tavern to dinner, where 
 we found a grand party of the officers of the regi- 
 ment of foot militia, and also of the troop. The 
 general commanding the district had reviewed 
 them that morning, and was to have dined with 
 them, but for some reason or another he had to 
 return to Spanish Town immediately after the 
 review. It was a formidable thing meeting so 
 many red-coats and gay-laced blue-jackets, and of 
 course I was much gratified to learn that the 
 brown company fired remarkably well — how 
 steadily the grenadiers passed in review — and how 
 
 soldier-like Captain Mac , who commanded 
 
 the light horse, had given the word of command. 
 
 ' How thoroughly your horse is broke now, 
 Mac,' said a tall man, with a nose like a powder- 
 horn — 'steady as a rock ; and such courage ! ' 
 
 ' Courage ! ' rejoined Captain Mac, ' he would 
 charge up to the mouth of a cannon.' 
 
 vol. ii. 273 s
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ' Ay,' whispered Flamingo to me, l if a bag of 
 corn were hung on the muzzle.' 
 
 We started early, as the night fell, and arrived 
 in Spanish Town the same evening, and next day 
 were comfortably domiciled in Squire Flamingo's 
 mansion in Kingston. 
 
 It was the race week, and the town had gathered 
 all the fashion of the island. Nothing could be gayer. 
 
 Our friend Twig had several running horses, 
 and altogether the bare-legged black jockeys, with 
 the stirrup-irons held between their toes, parrot- 
 fashion, and the slight thoroughbred things they 
 rode, acquitted themselves extremely well ; besides 
 we had matches amongst the officers of the garri- 
 son, and theatricals, and pig races, and I don't 
 know what all. 
 
 Speaking of theatricals, if you will wait a 
 moment I will tell you of an amusing playhouse 
 row that I happened to witness, and wherein my 
 friend Flamingo and myself bore conspicuous parts 
 by tnistake. 
 
 It happened to be an amateur performance, and 
 we had just seated ourselves in the second row of a 
 buccra box, near the stage. 
 
 I was admiring the neatness of the house, 
 which was great for a provincial theatre anywhere, 
 and the comical appearance the division of castes 
 produced, as thus : — The pit seemed to be almost 
 exclusively filled with the children of Israel, 
 as peculiar in their national features here as 
 everywhere else ; the dress boxes contained the 
 other white inhabitants and their families ; the 
 second tier the brown ladies^ who seemed more 
 intent on catching the eyes of the young buccras 
 below than attending to the civil things the males 
 
 274
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 of their own shade were pouring into their ears 
 above ; the gallery was tenanted by Bungo himself, 
 in all his glory of black face, blubber lips, white 
 eyes, and ivory teeth — this black parterre being 
 powdered here and there with a sprinkling of 
 white sailors, like snowdrops in a bed of purple 
 anemones, Jack being, as usual on such occasions, 
 pretty well drunk. 
 
 A very nice-looking fresh-complexioned little 
 man was sitting on the same bench along with us 
 on the right hand — that is, next the stage — and a 
 young stray Hebrew, having eschewed the pit, sat 
 on our left. We were thus between them — a 
 post of no small danger, as it turned out. There 
 had been some wrangling between these parties 
 before we entered, for no sooner had Flamingo and 
 I taken our seats than Moses said across us, but, 
 as it afterwards appeared, intending to address the 
 gentleman already mentioned, ' If you say that again, 
 sir, I will pull your nose.' 
 
 Thereupon up rose the short ruddy man, and up 
 rose the long Don Felix, each appropriating the 
 insult to himself; but Flam, who never dreamed that 
 any nose could be spoken of when his own kidney 
 potato was in company, was first, and levelled 
 little Moses in an instant. This was the signal for 
 the sea of Jews in the pit to toss its billows, and, 
 like a great cauldron, to popple and hiss, until it 
 boiled over into the boxes, in a roaring torrent, 
 that speedily overthrew both Don Felix, the little 
 ruddy man, and / Benjie, who had neither part 
 nor portion in the quarrel into the bargain ; 
 and such a pommelling I never got before or 
 since. 
 
 Whatever Moses's creed might have been, he 
 
 275
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 spared not my bacon that blessed night, as my poor 
 ribs witnessed for many a long day. 
 
 In the midst of the uproar, a magistrate — a most 
 excellent and sedate personage — planted his back 
 against the pillar immediately behind me, where a 
 cohort of parrot bills had already turned the flank 
 of the brave little red man, and were threatening 
 my own rear, left uncovered by the destruction of 
 my coat-skirts. Here he shouted at the top of his 
 pipe to c keep the peace ; ' but one of the assailants, 
 a powerful bluebeard, speedily gagged him, by 
 passing his arm round his neck, and pinning him 
 to the post, as if he had been a culprit undergoing 
 the Spanish punishment of the garrote. 
 
 At length the row became so serious and national^ 
 that the whole house was likely to side with one 
 or other of the parties ; the manager, therefore, 
 fearing for the safety of his theatre, sent for the 
 chief magistrate in town (not the mayor, who was 
 absent), and he fortunately made his appearance 
 very promptly, with a party of police ; the row on 
 this was fast subsiding, until a very ludicrous inci- 
 dent made it breeze up again with twofold vio- 
 lence, like flax steeped in turpentine cast on a 
 smouldering fire. For the last ten minutes Don 
 Felix had disappeared, having been literally trodden 
 down, after a fall on missing his blow at the 
 Goliath who led the assault ; and when the storm 
 abated, and he could screw himself from under the 
 benches where he had been forced, the first thing 
 he did, in his haste and confusion, was to throttle 
 the very man of authority himself, taking him for 
 one of the enemy. The tumult again increased on 
 this, and we now ran some chance of being extin- 
 guished altogether ; for a gigantic black-whiskered 
 
 276
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 Israelite had upheaved a stick, which threatened to 
 prove the thickness of my skull, had there been 
 any doubt about it, when I was saved by the timely 
 succour afforded by a powerful sailor-looking chap, 
 who had fought his way towards us, clearing a path 
 right and left amongst our enemies, like a walking 
 windmill. 
 
 1 Foul, foul ! — stick against fist — fair play is a 
 jewel!' sung out the windmill, whom, it flashed on 
 me at the moment, I had seen before, and, suiting 
 the action to the word, he seized him of the black 
 whisker and parrot nose, neck and crop, and pitched 
 him down bodily into the thickest of the troubled 
 waters of the pit, as if he had been a juvenile 
 branch of the grunter family — not pig upon pork, 
 however, but Jew upon Jew, where he floundered 
 on the sea of heads for a minute, like a harpooned 
 whale come to the surface to breathe, and then 
 sank, to have his ribs very sufficiently kneaded by 
 the knees and feet of his rebellious compatriots. 
 
 Having accomplished this feat, the sailor, as if 
 desirous of escaping observation, slid out of the 
 melee, and I lost sight of him. 
 
 The fight continued, but the police were by this 
 time masters ; and fortunately we were taken into 
 custody, and bailed by our friends. Next day we 
 escaped with a fine. 
 
 At breakfast Twig was comforting us. c Pooh, 
 pooh ! never mind, it was all a mistake, all a mis- 
 take, you know.' 
 
 c Yes,' quoth Don Felix ; c but my ribs are not 
 the less sore ; no mistake there,' I assure you.' 
 
 c And the skirts of my coat,' said I. 
 
 But to return to the races. On one occasion, a 
 certain Captain Jack Straw, master of one of the 
 
 277
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 London ships, and the collector of the customs, 
 were two of Flamingo's guests at dinner, and a 
 match was made between them, to come off" next 
 morning. 
 
 It was given out to be a trial of bottom, as 
 they were to ride six times round the race-course. 
 Now the latter was a measured mile ; a six-mile 
 heat, thought I, in such a climate, and the owners 
 to ride ! However, there was nothing more said 
 about it, and I had forgotten it, until Mr. Flamingo 
 took me out in his Stanhope at daybreak the next 
 morning to see the racers sweated ; and there, the 
 first thing that met our eyes was old Straw, sure 
 enough, with his hat tied under his chin by a red 
 bandana, and his trousers shuffled up to his knees, 
 ambling along mighty fussily, on a great chestnut 
 mare, as unlike a racehorse as one could well fancy 
 a an individual of the same species to be ; for, al- 
 though he appeared to be cantering along, the pace 
 was so sluggish that we passed him easily in a trot. 
 Those who have seen Ducrow in 'The Tailor riding 
 to Brentford,' caprioling on the stage as if he were 
 going fifteen knots an hour, while he never shoots 
 a single fathom ahead, will form a good idea of our 
 friend's appearance and style of locomotion, 
 
 ' Well, Jack,' cried Flamingo, c how come you 
 on ? who wins ? ' 
 
 Here the Collector came rattling up astern, 
 deucedly well mounted, standing in his stirrups, 
 his long nose poked between his horse's ears, and 
 riding regular jockey fashion, without his coat, a 
 handkerchief tied round his head, and his whip 
 crossed in his teeth, and sawing away with his 
 hands. 
 
 As he passed the old sailor he pulled up. 
 
 278
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 4 Now, Jack, do give in, and don't boil me to 
 jelly. You see I have done four rounds of the 
 course, while you have not completed two. You 
 must be aware you have no chance j so give in, 
 and come and breakfast with me — do, that's a 
 good fellow.' 
 
 'Give in,' roared Jack, ' give in, indeed ! That 's 
 a good one — why, the old mare's bottom is only 
 beginning to tell — give in, Master Collector ! No, 
 no — besides, I see your horse is blown — there, 
 mind he don't bolt — give in, indeed ! ' 
 
 And thereupon he made a devil of a splutter ; 
 heels, arms, and head all in a fidget, and away shot 
 his antagonist once more, leaving Jack puffing and 
 bobbing on his asthmatic mare, up and down, 
 up and down, in a regular hobby- horsical fashion, 
 as like his own heavy-sterned ship digging through 
 a head-sea on a bow-line as could well be imagined. 
 
 However, the Collector did win, which honest 
 Jack had foreseen all along, although the six-mile 
 gallop had put him into a rare fever, but bearing 
 no malice, as he said, after handsomely paying the 
 stakes, he went and breakfasted, according to in- 
 vitation, with his conqueror. 
 
 That day at dinner we met both the equestrians, 
 when Jack told us with great glee, as one does a 
 good joke, that his mate had run three pipes of 
 cognac and twenty dozen of claret, during the time 
 the coast was clear, but that he had satisfied his 
 conscience by sending a case of the latter to the 
 friend he had so cleverly kept in play, with his 
 compliments, ' not to ride races of six-mile heats 
 again before breakfast.' 
 
 As we rode up to the course next evening, at 
 four o'clock, as usual, we were somewhat late, and 
 
 279
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 found the rope drawn across the ingress at the 
 bottom of the race-ground. The bugle to saddle 
 had sounded some time before ; so we had to pull 
 up where we were, in order to see the horses pass. 
 We were standing with our horses' heads close to 
 the ropes, when an overseer of some neighbouring 
 estate rode up, pretty well primed, and, to our great 
 surprise, charged the rope, which he did not appear 
 to see. He was only trotting his mule, however, 
 and there was no haste or violence about him ; but 
 when the rope checked the animal, he gave a 
 drunken pitch, but all as quiet as could be, and 
 toppled over its head quite gently, as if he had 
 been a sack, into the ride, where, after making one 
 or two sprawling movements with his feet, he lay 
 still, with the beast looking at him from the other 
 side of the rope, and poking down its head, and 
 snorting and snoking at him. The next bugle 
 sounded, the horses were away, and some of the 
 lookers-on had just time to drag the poor fellow off 
 the course by the legs, when they passed us like a 
 whirlwind. 
 
 'Tree to one on Moses,' cried one sable amateur, 
 for if we had not altogether the style of New- 
 market, it was from no want of Blacklegs. 
 
 4 Six to one on Blue Peter,' quoth another 
 ragged neger. 
 
 4 Five to one on Mammy Taws.' 
 
 'Slap Bang against de field.' 
 
 And all was anxiety about the race ; but no one 
 took any notice of the poor overseer, who lay still 
 and motionless on the side of the dry ditch that 
 surrounds the course. 
 
 At length, seeing the poor creature broiling in 
 the hot sun, we dismounted to help him up. 
 
 280
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 'Massa,' said a negro, taking his arm, c he must 
 be well dronk, dis buccra. See how him hand 
 drop again when I lift him — supple like one new- 
 kill snake.' 
 
 ' Supple enough,' said Dr. , who now rode 
 
 up, and felt his pulse first, and then his neck. 
 c Poor fellow ! supple as he is now, he will be 
 soon stark and stiff enough. His neck is broken 
 — that 's alU 
 
 1 Neck broken ? ' said Flamingo and I in a 
 breath, much shocked. 
 
 'Yes, and dead as Julius Caesar. But, pray, 
 did you notice if the White Jacket and Black Cap 
 came in ? ' 
 
 The man had, in very truth , actually broken his 
 neck. 
 
 Several evenings after this, I was engaged with 
 a fishing party, in a canoe, near the top of the 
 harbour, at a cove where the prizes of the squadron 
 were usually moored, previous to their being sold. 
 It was a very fine evening, and the sun was setting 
 gloriously in the west — as where else should he 
 have set ? Our sport had been very good, and we 
 were thinking of taking up the grapnel. 
 
 ' I say, Brail,' said Flamingo, ' let us go and 
 inspect the Morne Fortunee there.' This was a 
 French privateer, one of the captured vessels, that 
 lav about a cable's length from where we were. 
 
 c Come along then — there, string the fish, 
 Twister. Up anchor, boys, and pull for that 
 brig.' 
 
 As we approached, we saw a man get into a 
 small skiff that lay alongside, with two black 
 fellows in it, rather hurriedly, and pull for the 
 shore. 
 
 281
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 The last rays of the evening sun shone brightly 
 on him as he passed us, and I had a good squint at 
 his face. He gave me a piercing look also, and 
 then suddenly turned away. 
 
 c Eh ! no, it can't be — by Mercury, but it is 
 though ! Why, there is the fellow that saved my 
 bacon from the Jew at the Theatre, I declare. 
 And more than that, when I piece several floating 
 notions together, — why, Don Felix, there goes, as 
 large as life, the Master Wilson of Montego Bay.' 
 ' You don't say so ? ' quoth Flamingo. ' Stop ; 
 we have four fellows in the boat besides ourselves 
 and the servant, and here is my gun. And Quacco 
 there is an old soldier. Boys, give way after that 
 boat — one dollar, if you beat him.' 
 
 i Hurrah ! hurrah for massa ! ' And away we 
 shot after the skiff, which, as yet, was proceeding 
 very leisurely, so that we rapidly gained on it. 
 As we came up within pistol-shot, the chase lay on 
 his oars, and the person steering looked steadily at 
 us. I was not so sure of him now. He had a deep 
 scar down his left cheek, which the other had not. 
 
 ' Do you want anything with me, gentlemen ? ' 
 This simple question fairly posed us. 
 
 < No — not — that is — pull the starboard oars.' 
 The last sentence I spoke to the negroes in a 
 whisper, and the effect of the fulfilment of the 
 order was to bring the bow of the canoe within a 
 couple of yards of the broadside of the skiff. The 
 stranger, at this suspicious movement, made a sign 
 to his men, who stretched out with the thews of 
 gladiators. This broke the ice. 
 
 'After him, my lads,' cried Flamingo. 
 
 We were now within a quarter of a mile of the 
 narrow neck of sand that divides the harbour from 
 
 282
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 the sea, here about fifty yards broad, and not above 
 three feet high , so that, although the skiff" was 
 evidently heading us, yet we had every prospect of 
 being up in time to seize the crew before they 
 could haul her across, and launch her through the 
 surf on the sea-face of the bank. 
 
 ' There he is ashore. Murder, how handily the 
 black fellows walk off* with the skiff", as if it were 
 paper.' 
 
 As Don Felix spoke, we also took the ground, 
 and he and I jumped out, and pushed after the 
 strangers. When we got within ten yards of them, 
 the party of whom I had suspicions turned resolutely, 
 and made a step towards us. 
 
 C I do not know to what circumstance I am 
 indebted for the pleasure of your company, gentle- 
 men,' said he quite calmly. ' Will you please to 
 make known your desire ? ' 
 
 Here Flamingo, Quacco, and one of the canoe- 
 men made as if they would pass him, and get 
 between him and the beach, where his people were 
 in the very act of launching the skiff" through the 
 surf. When he saw this, he smiled bitterly, and 
 drew his belt tighter, but all with the utmost cool- 
 ness. He then, as if setting about some necessary 
 labour, walked up to Quacco, by far the most 
 powerful of our party, and seizing him by the 
 throat, dashed him to one side, and a black fellow 
 to the other, as if they had been children; he then 
 deliberately walked into the water up to his waist, 
 clambered into the skiff", and before we could count 
 twenty, he was pulling right out to sea, without 
 once looking behind him. 
 
 4 Heave-to, or I Ml fire at you, by Jupiter,' roared 
 Don Felix. 
 
 283
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 The stranger still did not deign to look round, 
 occupying himself in baling out the water that the 
 skiff had taken, in the shove through the surf. 
 
 Flamingo repeated the threat, levelling his 
 fowling-piece, at which our friend slowly held up a 
 bright-barrelled article, that he took from the 
 bottom of the boat, more like a swivel than a 
 blunderbuss. At sight of this, Don Felix dropped 
 his gun as if the barrel had burned his fingers, 
 whipped both hands under the skirts of his coat, 
 wheeling round on one leg at the same time, and 
 drawing himself up to his full height, and grinning 
 and shutting his eyes, and slewing his head on one 
 side, as if he had been trying to present the 
 smallest possible surface to the pelting of a hail- 
 shower. The stranger, at this, slowly replaced the 
 weapon, and in a twinkling was out of gun-shot, 
 pulling towards a schooner lying becalmed outside 
 of the quays. 
 
 1 1 say, Brail, did you see that glancing affair in 
 his hand ? Was it a carronade, think you, or a 
 long eighteen-pounder ? Why it might have 
 doodled our whole party as regularly as Rory 
 Macgregor did his own ducks.' 
 
 On returning, we went on board the prize brig, 
 from which we had startled our friend, and found 
 the arm-chest on the poop broken open, and the 
 contents scattered all about the deck, as if the party 
 had been picking and choosing. 
 
 4 So, so, I see what our honest man has been 
 after,' said I. 
 
 There was no prize-keeper on board ; and, 
 knowing this, the visit of the skiff had unquestion- 
 ably been for the purpose of purloining arms. 
 
 284
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 4 Jackson,' said a gentleman at dinner, at the 
 house where I dined that day, l any further accounts 
 from windward ? ' 
 
 ' No ; there are two schooners, the Humming 
 Bird and Sparkle^ on the look-out ; but no tidings 
 of the infernal little felucca. 
 
 ' Felucca ! felucca ! ' said I, looking across the 
 table at Don Felix. £ Pardon me, sir, what felucca 
 were you speaking of? ' 
 
 4 Why, that is more than I can tell you, sir ; 
 but she has plundered three London ships off 
 Morant Bay within this last week, one of them 
 belonging to me, and in my case the captain and 
 crew were most cruelly treated ; but now, when 
 two men-of-war schooners are cruising for her, she 
 has vanished like a spectre.' 
 
 c Yes,' said another of the party ; c and the John 
 Shand was boarded yesterday evening by the same 
 vessel off Yallahs, and robbed of a chronometer ; 
 but the boarding officer, by way of amende^ I sup- 
 pose, politely handed the captain the Kingston 
 papers of the morning? 
 
 ' Ho, ho, Master Wilson ! ' thought I. 
 
 1 Cockadoodle doo — doo — doo ! ' Never was 
 there such a place as Kingston for the crowing of 
 cocks. In other countries cocks sleep at night and 
 crow in the morning, like respectable birds ; but 
 here, confound them, they crow through the 
 whole livelong night ; and, towards day-dawn, it 
 is one continuous stream of cock-crowing all over 
 the town. 
 
 Some days after the transaction already related, 
 
 285
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 Mr. Flamingo and Twig carried me to dine at the 
 Court-House with the officers on duty with the 
 militia Christmas guard. It was an artillery com- 
 pany, in which Don Felix held a commission, that 
 had the guard, the captain of which was a very 
 kind but roughspun genius. However, his senior 
 lieutenant, Jessamy by name, was a perfect con- 
 trast to him, and a deuced handsome fellow ; so he 
 made up for it — quite a Frenchman in his man- 
 ners and dress, but, so far as I could judge, with 
 what is vulgarly called a ' bee in his bonnet.' 
 Nevertheless, he was an excellent young man at 
 bottom, although his nonsense, which was rather 
 entertaining at first, became a little de trop when 
 the bottle began to circulate ; for instance, he 
 insisted, after dinner, on showing us the last 
 Parisian step, and then began to jabber French, for 
 display, as it were, — finishing off" by asking me 
 who made my coat. Now, I cannot endure 
 people noticing one's externals ; but he pinned me 
 to the wall, — so I mentioned my tailor's name — 
 Stultz. 
 
 'Ah! the only man in England who can cut; 
 but the German Schneiders who take root in Paris 
 eclipse him entirely. Ah ! the German exactitude 
 and Parisian taste combined ! Nothing like it, Mr. 
 Brail — nothing like it, my dear sir. There, what 
 think you of that fit ? ' jumping up, and showing 
 his back, to which his garment clung like a sign at 
 a shop door. 
 
 I applauded amazingly, as he wriggled himself 
 this way and that. 
 
 4 Hillo ! what 's that ? ' said the captain. 
 
 4 The tocsin, the tocsin — the fire-bell, as I am a 
 gentleman,' quoth his gay sub. And sure enough 
 
 286
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 the church bell was clanging away at a furious 
 rate, and the fire-engines began to lumber and 
 rattle past ; while the buzz in the streets, and the 
 tramp of people running along the brick-paved 
 piazzas below, told plainly enough that a fire had 
 actually broken out somewhere. 
 
 ' Guard, turn out — guard, turn out ! ' roared 
 mine host, full of military ardour. And the sudden 
 tap of the drum was followed by a bustle, and 
 heavy trampling, and the clatter and clash of 
 muskets from the guard-room, showing that the 
 command had been obeyed with great alacrity. 
 
 We had been boozing in the Grand Jury Room, 
 which was connected with the piazza in front of 
 the Court-House, or temporary guard-house, by a 
 long wooden gangway, so that we had to pass the 
 principal entrance to the latter, before descending 
 to the street, where the men were mustering. It 
 seemed that the jovial train-bands had been 
 making as good use of their time as we had been 
 doing ; for the long table before the bench, where 
 in term-time the lawyers used to congregate, was 
 profusely covered with cold meats, glasses, and 
 wine-decanters. 
 
 We were a good deal surprised to see a large 
 earthen pipkin, about five feet high, used to hold 
 water that had been taken from the drip, or filter- 
 stone frame, where it usually stood in a corner, 
 now planted in the middle of the floor, with (of all 
 things in the world) a red, drunken face sticking 
 out of it, crowned with a hat and feather. This was 
 one of the invincibles, who had been made drunk, 
 and then thrust into it by his comrades ; and he 
 must have found his quarters somewhat of the 
 dampest, for the vessel was more than half full, as 
 
 287
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 we could hear, from the splashing of the culprit's 
 limbs. In his struggles, presently he upset it, and 
 rolled about on the floor, with the water gushing 
 and gurgling out at his neck ; while he kept 
 shouting that they had changed the liquor on him. 
 
 There could be no fault found with the zeal and 
 promptitude with which the gallant bombardiers 
 fell in, but I am sorry to say that more than one 
 of them very speedily fell out, or rather tumbled 
 out, for I cannot speak so favourably of their 
 steadiness under arms as I could wish. It was no 
 doubt a time of profound quietness and peace, so 
 that some relaxation of the rules and articles of 
 war was allowable, for the negroes were thinking 
 of nothing but fun and dancing, and those Christ- 
 mas guards were more a matter of form, or to air 
 the young officers' gay uniforms, than anything 
 else. Our gallant captain himself was not quite 
 so staid in his carriage at this time as the Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury usually is in the House of 
 Lords, as his mode of carrying on speedily evinced ; 
 first, of all absurdities in the world, he chose to 
 open the campaign by making a speech to his 
 men, concluding with ' England expects every 
 man to do his duty.' c Now, men — let us proceed 
 to buzziness' (what a mouthful he took of the 
 word to be sure). ' Shoulder arms.' Up went 
 the firelocks to the shoulders of the tipsy heroes, 
 very promiscuously, as Jonathan says. l He then 
 gave the word to i fix bayonets.' Now, to those 
 who understand the setting of a squadron in the 
 field, to obey this was a physical impossibility to 
 men who were standing with their muskets 
 shouldered, whatever it might have been to monkeys. 
 
 The captain hearing there was something wrong 
 
 288
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 from the clatter of men and muskets, for it was 
 pitch dark, called out — ( Are all your bayonets 
 fixed ! ' 
 
 4 The devil a one of them,' said a drunken 
 voice ; c nor can be, unless you send for a ladder, 
 or — and it would be the cheapest plan probably — tell 
 us to order arms again.' 
 
 Of the two alternatives, the last was chosen ; 
 the muskets were ordered, and the bavonets at 
 length fixed ; but all this, and the difficulty of 
 getting the squad under weigh in anything like 
 tolerable marching order, took up time, and, from 
 the dying away of the uproar in the distance, it 
 seemed to me that before we got through with our 
 manoeuvres the fire might be out, and the 
 necessity for the display of so much skill and 
 courage have passed over. 
 
 c Double quick time — march ! Now scull along, 
 ye devils, or the fire will be out,' sung out the 
 captain ; and away we raced in single file. 
 
 The negroes are always most active on occasions 
 of this kind, and as every householder is obliged to 
 have a certain number of leathern fire-buckets 
 always in readiness hung in some accessible place, 
 pro bono publico, with his name painted on them, 
 they had, as usual, armed themselves with them 
 on the present occasion, so we soon came to a 
 double line of black fellows, extending from the 
 scene of the fire to a public well, down one file of 
 which the empty buckets were being handed, 
 while the full ones circulated upwards to the fire 
 engines by the other. 
 
 The poor fellows were so busy and zealous that 
 they did not immediately make an opening for the 
 head of our gay column. But we were not to be 
 
 vol. ii. 289 t
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 stopped by trifles, so — c Charge bayonets, men, 
 and clear your own way,' sung out the captain. 
 The leading file did so ; but, as the devil would 
 have it, so did the files in the rear, whereby every 
 man gave his file leader a most sufficing progue. 
 A general stumble and grumble took place upon 
 this. 
 
 £ Mind your bayonet, sir.' 
 
 'My eye ! you have stuck me in the shoulder ! ' 
 
 c Murder ! you have piqued me, I don't know 
 where ! ' 
 
 At length, down tumbled the brave bombardier 
 who was leading the forlorn hope, and away went 
 the others helter-skelter on the top of him, 
 Quashie giving a sly dash of his bucket over the 
 sprawling mass of fallen militaires every now and 
 then, just to cool their ardour. However, they 
 soon gathered themselves up again, and Flamingo, 
 who was the junior lieutenant, now brought up 
 the rear, with me, Benjie, alongside of him. He 
 was quite sober, so far as appearances went, but 
 determined to have some fun, I could see. The 
 fire had been in a narrow lane at the top of the 
 town, and was by this time got under, as I 
 expected. Notwithstanding, away we tramped, 
 and were advancing up the lane, when we saw the 
 glare of flambeaux, and heard all the confusion and 
 uproar usually attendant on a fire. There was an 
 engine planted right in front of us, at a crossing, 
 that was still playing on the house that had been 
 burning. It was directed by a drunken Irish 
 carpenter, who saw us well enough, I am per- 
 suaded, for the moment he thought he had the 
 Spartan band within the play of his pipe, he let fly, 
 and drenched every man and officer as they came 
 
 290
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 up, all but Flamingo, who had drawn me into a 
 doorway until the shower blew over. 
 
 ' Stop, sir — stop your infernal machine,' roared 
 the captain. 
 
 Whiz — whiz — whiz — splash — splash — splutter 
 — was the only answer. 
 
 1 Advance and storm the battery, men ; ' and, 
 drawing his sword, he led them to the attack, like 
 a hero as he was, receiving the fire (water, I mean) 
 of the engine full in his face, in all its force and 
 fury, as he advanced, which knocked off his hat, and 
 nearly choked him. 
 
 At length the engine was captured, when the 
 fellow in charge made a thousand apologies. 
 c May the devil burn me,' said he, 'if I did not 
 take the sparkle of the officers' gorgets, and the 
 flash of the bayonets, for a new outbreak of the 
 fire.' 
 
 However, there was now no use for any farther 
 military demonstration, so we counter-marched, 
 like a string of water-rats, to the Court House, to 
 console ourselves with hot negus and devilled 
 biscuit. A blind man could have traced the party 
 by the watery trail they left on the dry sandy 
 street. 
 
 After this we spent a most jovial fortnight ; but 
 the time of our departure at length arrived. Poor 
 Jessamy, the gay artilleryman above spoken of, 
 was one of a party at our farewell dinner at 
 Flamingo's, two evenings before we intended to 
 start on our return home. He appeared out of 
 spirits, and left the first of the whole company. 
 Next day, it seemed, he had taken an early dinner 
 alone, and ridden out no one could tell where. In 
 the evening he did not return to his lodgings, but 
 
 291
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 still no alarm was taken. On the morrow, how- 
 ever, when he did not make his appearance at his 
 place of business, his friends became alarmed, 
 especially as it was found that one of the pistols in 
 his pistol-case had been taken away. 
 
 My uncle was very desirous of postponing his 
 departure until the poor young fellow had been 
 accounted for, as he was a favourite of his ; but 
 matters at home pressed, and we were obliged to 
 return. Accordingly, we left our kind friends in 
 Kingston next day at early dawn, on a most 
 beautiful, clear, cool morning in January. No 
 one who has not luxuriated in it can comprehend 
 the delights of a West India climate at this season. 
 Except at high noon, the air was purity itself. 
 Our road home lay through the Liguania, or, 
 rather, St. George's Mountains, as we had a short 
 visit to pay in the latter parish to an old friend of 
 Mr. Frenche. 
 
 It was about nine in the morning ; we had 
 breakfasted at the Hope Tavern, and proceeded 
 three or four miles on our homeward journey, 
 when a Kingston gentleman of our acquaintance, 
 accompanied by an overseer of one of the neigh- 
 bouring estates, overtook us, but did not pull up, 
 merely giving us a salute as he rode quickly past us. 
 
 c Our friend is in a hurry this morning,' said 
 mine uncle. 
 
 We rode on, and shortly after saw the same 
 horsemen coming back again, with an addition to 
 their party of another equestrian. 
 
 1 Pray, Mr. Frenche,' said the Kingston gentle- 
 man, ' did you see a saddle-horse without a rider 
 as you came along ? ' 
 
 4 Yes, I did. I saw a good-looking bay cob 
 
 292
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 down on the hill side, close to the gully there ; but 
 I thought his owner could not be far off, so I paid 
 little regard to it.' 
 
 'God bless me! it must be poor Jessamy's 
 horse. Where can he be ? ' 
 
 ' Is it known what has become of Mr. Jes- 
 samy ? ' said I. 
 
 ' We can't tell — we can't tell. But he has been 
 traced in this direction, and it must have been his 
 horse you saw. He has not been heard of since 
 the day before yesterday at dinner-time.' 
 
 We knew this, but still had hoped he would 
 have been accounted for by this time. My uncle 
 was a good deal moved at this, for the poor 
 young fellow was well known to him, as already 
 hinted. 
 
 C I will turn back with you,' said he, c and point 
 out whereabouts the horse was seen. But I hope 
 your fears will prove groundless after all.' 
 
 The gentleman shook his head mournfully, and, 
 after retrograding about a mile, we again caught 
 sight of the animal we were in search of, eating 
 his grass composedly below us, on the brink of 
 the rocky mountain stream. 
 
 Close by, in a nook or angle of the mountain, 
 and right below us, was a clump of noble trees, 
 surrounding an old ruinous building, and clustered 
 round a wild cotton one, beneath whose shadow 
 the loftiest English oak would have shrunk to a 
 bush. Embraced by two of the huge arm-like 
 limbs of the leafy monarch, and blending its 
 branches gracefully, as if clinging for support, 
 grew a wide-spreading star-apple ; its leaves, of the 
 colour of the purple beech, undulating gently in 
 the sea-breeze, upturned their silvery undersides 
 
 293
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 to the sun, contrasting beautifully with the oak-like 
 foliage of the cotton-tree. Half a dozen turkey 
 buzzards, the Jamaica vulture, were clustered in 
 the star-apple tree, with a single bird perched as a 
 sentry on the topmost branch of the giant to which 
 it clung, while several more were soaring high 
 overhead, diminished in the depths of the blue 
 heaven to minute specks, as if they scented the 
 prey afar off. 
 
 The ruin we saw had been an old Spanish 
 chapel, and a number of the fruit-trees had no 
 doubt been planted by the former possessors of 
 the land. Never was there a more beautiful spot, 
 so sequestered, no sound being heard in the vicinity 
 but the rushing of the breeze through the highest 
 branches of the trees — for everything slept motion- 
 less and still down below in the cool checkering 
 shadow and sleepy sunlight where we were — the 
 gurgling of the stream, that sparkled past in star- 
 like flashes, and the melancholy lowing of the 
 kine on the hill-side above. When the Kingston 
 gentleman first saw the 'John Crows,' as they are 
 called, he exchanged glances with my uncle, as 
 much as to say, 'Ah, my worst fears are about 
 being realised.' We rode down the precipitous 
 bank by a narrow path — so narrow, indeed, that 
 the bushes through which we had to thrust our- 
 selves met over our saddle-bows — and soon arrived 
 in the rocky bed of the stream, where the rotten 
 and projecting bank of the dry mould that com- 
 posed the consecrated nook overhung us, as we 
 scrambled, rattling and sliding amongst the slippery 
 and smooth-rolled stones of the gully ; while we 
 were nearly unhorsed every now and then by the 
 bare roots projecting from the bank, where it had 
 
 294
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 been undermined when the stream had been 
 swollen. 
 
 We had to dismount, and the first thing we 
 saw on scrambling up the bank was a pair of 
 vultures, 1 who jumped away, with outspread wings, 
 a couple of yards from the edge of it, the moment 
 we put our heads up, holding their beaks close to 
 the short greensward, and hissing like geese. 
 
 As we advanced, they retired into the small 
 thicket, and we followed them. I never can 
 forget the scene that here opened on our view. 
 
 The fruit-trees, amongst which I noticed the 
 orange, lemon, lime, and shaddock, intermingled 
 with the kennip, custard-apple, bread-fruit and 
 mango, relieved at intervals by a stately and 
 minaret-looking palm, formed a circle about fifty 
 feet in diameter ; the open space being covered, 
 with the exception hereafter mentioned, with 
 short emerald-green grass ; in the very centre of 
 this area stood the ruin, overshadowed by the two 
 trees already described. It was scarcely distinguish- 
 able from a heap of green foliage, so completely 
 was it overrun with the wild yam and wild fig-tree, 
 the latter lacing and interlacing over the grey 
 stones with its ligneous fretwork — in some places 
 the meshes composed of boughs as thick as a man's 
 arm, in others as minute as those of a small seine, 
 
 1 Nothing can be conceived more hideous than the whole aspect 
 of these abominable birds. They are of the size of a large turkey, 
 but much stronger, and of a sooty brown. Their feathers are 
 never sleek or trimmed, but generally staring, like those of a fowl 
 in the pip, and not unfrequently covered with filth and blood, so 
 that their approach is made known by an appeal to more senses than 
 one. The neck and head are entirely naked of feathers, and 
 covered with a dingy red and wrinkled skin. They are your only 
 West India scavengers, and are protected by a penalty of fifteen 
 dollars for every one that is intentionally killed. 
 
 295
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 all the links where the fibres crossed having grown 
 into each other. 
 
 We continued our approach, following the two 
 turkey buzzards, who at length made a stand 
 under the star-apple tree, where the grass was 
 long and rank, as if it had grown over a grave, 
 hissing and stretching out their wings, nearly 
 seven feet from tip to tip, and apparently deter- 
 mined to give battle, as if they had now retreated 
 to their prey. Seeing us determined, however, 
 they gave a sort of hop, or short flight, and gently 
 lifted themselves on to a branch of the tree above, 
 about four feet from the ground, where they 
 remained observing us, and uttering hoarse, dis- 
 cordant croaks, sounding as if they had been 
 gorged to the throat with carrion already, and 
 shaking their heads and snorting as if their nostrils 
 had been choked with rotten flesh, polluting the 
 air at the same time with a horrible stench, and 
 casting wistful glances down into the tuft of rank 
 grass beneath. 
 
 This state of suspense was horrible, so with 
 one accord we drove the obscene creatures from 
 their perch, and, stepping forward, looked into the 
 rank tuft. Heaven and earth ! what a sight was 
 there ! Stretched on the ground, embedded in the 
 quill-like Guinea grass that bristled up all around 
 him, lay poor Jessamy on his face, his clothes soaked 
 and soiled by the rain of the two preceding nights, 
 and the vile poaching of the vultures now congre- 
 gated in the tree above, which appeared to have 
 been circling round and round him, from the filth 
 and dirt and trodden appearance of the herbage, 
 but as yet deterred from making an attack. The 
 majesty of the human form, all dim and mangled 
 
 296
 
 OCCIDENTAL VAGARIES 
 
 though it was, .ike a faint but sacred halo, had 
 quelled the fierceness of their nature, and the 
 body of the suicide was still unbroken, even after 
 the lapse of two days, except by the shattering of 
 the pistol-shot fired by his own sacrilegious hands. 
 Had it been the carcass of an ox, twelve hours 
 could not have run by before the naked skeleton 
 would have been bleaching in the sun and 
 wind. 
 
 There was a broken halter hanging from the 
 branch above him. 
 
 ' I cannot look at him,' said my uncle, shrinking 
 back in disgust ; and as he spoke the John Crows 
 dropped down again, and began to move warily 
 about the body, but still afraid to attack it. 
 
 Finding that we were not retreating, however, 
 the creatures flew up into the tree once more, and 
 our eyes following them, we saw at least a score 
 clustered immediately overhead, all ready, no doubt, 
 to devour the carcass so soon as those below 
 should give the signal. 
 
 It seemed probable that he had tied his horse to 
 the branch above where he lay, and that the 
 animal had subsequently, when impelled by 
 hunger, broken the halter. He had laid his hat 
 on the sward close beside him, with his watch and 
 silk handkerchief in it, and drawn off his gloves, 
 which were placed, seemingly with some care, on 
 the edge of it. He had then apparently knelt, 
 shot himself through the head, and fallen on his 
 face across the pistol. As we approached, the 
 buzz of flies that rose up ! and the incipient de- 
 composition that appeared on the hands ! We 
 waited to see the body turned ; but the ghastly 
 and shattered forehead, the hair clotted in black 
 
 297
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 gore, the brains fermenting through the eyes, the 
 mask of festering and putrefying and crawling 
 matter that was left on the ground, with the 
 print of the features in it — horrible! most 
 horrible ! 
 
 An inquest was held that afternoon, when the 
 poor fellow was put into a shell in his clothes, 
 and buried where he lay — in consecrated ground, 
 as I have related. Some unfortunate speculations 
 in business, working on a very sensitive nature, had 
 turned his brain, and in a godless hour he had made 
 away with himself. But two days before I had 
 seen him full of fun and gaiety, although possibly 
 the excitement was not natural ; and now ! — Alas ! 
 poor Jessamy, we had at least the melancholy 
 satisfaction of shielding your defaced remains from 
 the awe-inspiring curse pronounced against the 
 Israelites if they should fall away after the sinful- 
 ness of the heathen : ' And thy carcass shall be 
 meat unto the fowls of the air, and unto the beasts 
 of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.'' 
 
 But time and tide wait for no man ; so we had 
 to leave the sad scene, and proceed on our journey. 
 
 ' I say, Uncle,' after we had talked ourselves 
 out on the melancholy affair, c when shall we come 
 into the road ? ' 
 
 'Road — road? Why, if you go off the road, 
 Benjie, you will drop some five hundred feet or 
 so down that precipice — that 's all.' 
 
 ' Oh, I see — so this is the road. Why, I 
 thought we were strolling along some short 
 cut of sheep-paths and river-courses. Road 
 indeed ! ' 
 
 We held on, making easy stages of it from one 
 
 298
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 friend's house to another, until, on the evening of 
 the fifth day from the time we left Kingston, we 
 were once more safe and snug under our own roof 
 at Ballywindle. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 The morning after we arrived, we were sitting at 
 breakfast, talking over our past expedition and 
 plans for the future, when two letters were laid on 
 the table. The first was to my uncle, and ran 
 as follows : 
 
 4 Havanna, such a date. 
 
 c My dear Frenche, — I sailed from this on 
 the 15th ult., and had got pretty well to the north- 
 ward, when it came on to blow like fury, and I 
 was driven back with the loss of several of my 
 sails, and the bowsprit badly sprung. 
 
 ' Knowing that I would touch here on my way 
 home, I had desired letters to be forwarded from 
 England if anything material occurred, to the care 
 
 of Mr. M ; and accordingly, on my return, I 
 
 received one from our mutual friend Ferrit, of 
 Lincoln's Inn, informing me of my brother Henry's 
 death ; and, what surprised me, after all that had 
 passed, an acknowledgement of his having been 
 married, from the first, to that plaguy Swiss girl, 
 Mademoiselle Heloi'se de Walden. This makes a 
 serious difference in my worldly affairs, you will 
 at once see, as the boy, whom you may remember 
 as a child, must now be acknowledged as the head 
 
 299
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 of the family. But as I have no children of my 
 own, and have wherewithal to keep the old lady 
 and myself comfortable, and had already left Henry 
 my heir, having as good as adopted him, I am 
 rather rejoiced at it than otherwise, although he 
 does me out of a baronetcy. Why that poor dis- 
 sipated brother of mine should have been so much 
 ashamed of acknowledging his low marriage, I am 
 sure I cannot tell, as the girl, I have heard say, 
 was handsome, and tolerably educated. But now, 
 of course, the murder is out, so there is no use in 
 speculating farther on the matter ; Ferrit writes 
 me that the documents confirmatory of the mar- 
 riage are all right and properly authenticated, and 
 he sends me a probate of poor Henry's will, to 
 communicate to his son, who is now Sir Henry 
 Oakplank, and must instantly drop De Walden. 
 
 c I have sent letters for him to the admiral ; but 
 as the youngster may fall in your way in the 
 Spider, to which I have appointed him, and in 
 which he sailed for Jamaica a few days before my 
 return here, I think, for the sake of your old crony, 
 poor Henry, as well as for mine, that you will be 
 glad to pay the boy some attention. 
 
 1 Give my regards to Benjie Brail, if still with 
 you. I have got a noble freight on board — near a 
 million of dollars — so, in the hope of meeting you 
 soon in England, I remain, my dear Frenche, your 
 sincere friend and old school-fellow, 
 
 'Oliver Oakplank.' 
 
 The next letter was as follows : 
 
 C H.M. Schooner Spider, Montego Bay 
 
 4 Such a date. 
 c My dear Sir, — I have only a minute to advise 
 
 300
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 you of my arrival here this morning, and of being 
 again under weigh, in consequence of what I have 
 just learned of the vagaries of our old acquaintance 
 the Midge. I trust I may fall in with her. I saw 
 your friends, the Hudsons, safe outside the Moro, 
 
 on the ulto., in the fine new ship, the Jjax. 
 
 I had left them stemming the Gulf Stream with a 
 beautiful breeze. 
 
 ' I wish you would have a letter lying in the 
 hands of the agents, Peaweep, Snipe, and Flamingo, 
 in Kingston, for me, as I am bound to Port Royal 
 whenever my present cruise is up. — Yours sin- 
 cerely, Henry de Walden.' 
 
 1 Aha, Master De Walden — not a word about 
 Mademoiselle Sophie, eh ? My friends the Hud- 
 sons, indeed ! But never mind — I rejoice in your 
 good fortune, my lad.' 
 
 That very forenoon I was taken ill with fever 
 and ague, and became gradually worse, until I was 
 so weak that I could scarcely stand. 
 
 Lennox had come up to see me one morning 
 after I had been a week ill ; he informed me that 
 old Jacob Munroe was dead, having left him a 
 heap of money, and that he was about going down 
 to the Mosquito shore in the schooner Moonbeam, 
 a shell trader belonging to his late uncle, and now 
 to himself, as a preparatory step to winding up old 
 Jacob's estate, and leaving the island for Scotland. 
 Hearing I had been complaining, a thought had 
 occurred to the kind-hearted creature, that l a cruise 
 would be just the thing to set me on my legs again ; ' 
 and, accordingly, he had come to offer me a pas- 
 sage in his schooner. 
 
 Dr. Tozy was standing by. ' Not a bad notion, 
 
 301
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 Mr. Lennox ; do you know I had thoughts of 
 recommending a sea voyage myself ? and now, 
 since I know of such a good opportunity, I by all 
 means recommend Mr. Brail to accompany you, 
 unless, indeed, you are to remain too long in some 
 vile muddy creek on the Mosquito shore.' 
 
 ' No, no, sir j the Jenny Nettles, another vessel 
 of ours, sailed a fortnight ago, to see that the turtle- 
 shell is all ready, so I won't be eight-and-forty 
 hours on the coast.' 
 
 'Then it is the very thing.' 
 
 And so it was arranged. My uncle drove me 
 down next day to the bay, and the following morn- 
 ing I was at sea, in the beautiful clipper schooner 
 the Moonbeam. Once more 
 
 ' The waters heave around me ; and on high 
 The winds lift up their voices.' 
 
 We had been several days out, and were bowl- 
 ing along nine knots, with a most lovely little 
 breeze steady on the quarter. I was lounging at 
 mine ease under the awning, on a hen-coop, read- 
 ing. There was not a cloud in the sky. The 
 sharp stem was snoring through the water, the sails 
 were critically well set and drawing to a wish, and 
 the dancing blue waves were buzzing alongside, 
 and gurgling up through the lee scuppers right 
 cheerily, while the flying-fish were sparking out in 
 shoals all round us like glass chips from one swell 
 to another. It was one of those glorious, fresh, 
 and exhilarating mornings in which it is ecstasy for 
 a young chap to live, and which are to be found 
 in no other climate under the sun. Besides, I was 
 in raptures with the little fairy, for she was a beauty 
 in every respect, and with the bracing air that was 
 
 302
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 hour by hour setting me up again. While I am 
 thus luxuriating^ I will tell you a story — so come 
 along, my boy. 
 
 A NEGRO QUARREL 
 
 We had several negroes amongst the Moon- 
 beams, one of whom, a sailmaker, was occupied 
 close to where I lay, with his palm and needle, 
 following his vocation, and mending a sail on deck 
 — another black diamond, a sort of half-inch car- 
 penter, was busy with some job abaft of him. I 
 had often noticed before the peculiar mode in 
 which negroes quarrel. I would say that they did 
 so very classically, after the model of Homer's 
 heroes, for instance, as they generally prelude their 
 combats with long speeches — or perhaps it would 
 be more correct to call their method the Socratic 
 mode of fighting — as they commence and carry on 
 with a series of questions, growing more and more 
 stinging as they proceed, until a fight becomes the 
 necessary consequence — indeed, unavoidable, as in 
 the present case. 
 
 The origin of the dispute was rather complex. 
 There was an Indian boy on board, of whom more 
 anon ; and this lad, Lennox, with a spice of his 
 original calling, had been in the habit of teaching 
 to read and to learn a variety of infantile lessons, 
 which he in turn took delight in retailing to the 
 negroes ; and there he is working away at this 
 moment, reversing the order of things — the young 
 teaching the old. 
 
 Palmneedle appears a very dull scholar, while 
 Chip, I can perceive, is sharp enough, and takes 
 delight in piquing Palmy. Chip says his lesson 
 glibly. i Ah, daddy Chip, you shall make one 
 
 303
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 parson by and by — quite cleber dis morning — so 
 now, Palmneedle, come along ; ' and Palmy also 
 acquitted himself tolerably for some time. 
 
 ' What you call hanimal hab four legs ? ' said 
 Indio, in continuation of the lesson, and holding 
 up four fingers. Here I thought of my cousin 
 Sally. 
 
 1 One cow,' promptly rejoined Palmneedle, work- 
 ing away at the sail he was mending. 
 
 ' Yes — to be sure ! certainly one cow hab four 
 legs ; but what is de cow call ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, sometime Nancy, sometime Juba.' 
 c Stupid — I mean what you call ebery cow.' 
 ' How de debil should I sabe, Indio ? ' 
 ' Because,' said Indio, c I tell you dis morning 
 already, one, tre, five time ; but stop, I sail find 
 one way to make you remember. How much 
 feets you hab yourself — surely you can tell me 
 
 dat ? ' 
 
 ' Two — I hab two feets — dere.' 
 
 ' Den what is you call ? ' 
 
 c One quadruped. You tink I don't know dat ? ' 
 
 * One quadruped ! ho, ho ! — I know you would 
 say so — you say so yesterday — really you wery 
 mosh blockhead indeed — dat is what de cow is call, 
 man. You ! — why you is call one omnivorous 
 biped widout fedder — dat is what you is call ; and 
 de reason, Massa Lennox tell me, is because you 
 nyam as mosh as ever you can get, and don't wear 
 no fedder like one fowl — mind dat — you is one 
 omnivorous biped.' Here Chip began, I saw, to 
 quiz Palmy also. 
 
 ' Now, Massa Indio,' said the former, ' let me 
 be coolmassa one leetle piece. I say, Palmy, it is 
 find dat you hab two feets — dat you eats all you 
 
 304
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 can grab ' — {aside) — c your own and your neigh- 
 bours ' — {then aloud) — ' dat you hab no fedders in 
 your tail — and derefore you is call one somniferous 
 tripod'' (at least what he said sounded more like this 
 than anything else). ' Now, dere is dat ugly old 
 one-foot-neger cookey ' (the fellow was black as a 
 sloe himself), ' wid his wooden leg, what would 
 you call he ? tink well now ; he only hab one leg, 
 you know.' 
 
 ' One unicornj said Palmy, after a pause, and 
 scratching his woolly skull. But my laughter here 
 put an end to the school, and was the innocent 
 means of stirring up Palmy's wrath, who, mortified 
 at perceiving that I considered the others had been 
 quizzing him, was not long of endeavouring to 
 work out his revenge. Slow as he might be at his 
 learning, he was anything but slow in this. Palm- 
 needle now took the lead in the dialogue. ' Chip,' 
 said Palmy, ' enough of nonsense ; so tell me how 
 you lef de good old woman, your moder, eh ? ' 
 
 Chip, who was caulking his seam, at this laid 
 down his caulking-iron and mallet, pulled up his 
 sleeve, fidgeted v/ith the waistband of his trousers, 
 turned his quid, spat in his fist, and again com- 
 menced operations, grumbling out very gruffly, 
 1 My moder is dead.' He had clearly taken offence, 
 as Palmy evidently expected he would do ; but why 
 I could not divine. Palmy proceeded in his lesson 
 of 4 teasing made easy.' 
 
 ' Nice old woman — sorry to hear dat.' The 
 rascal had known it, however, all along. c Ah, 
 now I remember ; she was much swell when I 
 last see him — and face bloat. Ah, I feared for 
 long time she would take to nyam dirt at last.' 
 
 4 Who tell you so — who say my moder eat dirt ? ' 
 
 vol. ii. 305 u
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 cried Chip, deeply stung ; for the greatest affront 
 you can put on a negro is to cast in his teeth either 
 that he himself, or some of his near of kin, labour 
 under that mysterious complaint, trial cfestomac. 
 
 1 Oh, nobody,' rejoined Palmy, with a careless 
 toss of the head ; ' I only tought she look wery 
 like it — glad to hear it was not so howsomedever 
 — but sartin she look very mosh like it — you mos 
 allow dat yourself, Chip.' The carpenter made 
 no answer, but I could see it was working. Palmy 
 now began to sing in great glee, casting a wicked 
 glance every now and then at his crony, who 
 thundered away, rap, rap, rap, and thump, thump, 
 thump, on the deck, paying the seam, as he shuffled 
 along, with tobacco juice most copiously. At 
 length he got up, and passed forward. Palmy sang 
 louder and louder. 
 
 c Come, mind you don't change your tune before 
 long, my boy,' said I to myself. 
 
 Chip now returned, carrying a pot of molten 
 pitch in his hand. As he stepped over Palmy's 
 leg, he spilt, by accident of course, some of the 
 hot fluid on his foot. 
 
 1 Broder Palmneedle — broder Palmneedle — I 
 am wery sorry ; but it was one haxident, you 
 know.' 
 
 Palmy winced a little, but said nothing ; and 
 the master of the schooner, coming on deck, sent 
 Chip to stretch the sail in some particular way, 
 and to hold it there, for the convenience of the 
 sailmaker. Everything remained quiet between 
 them as long as the skipper was near, and I con- 
 tinued my reading ; but very shortly I heard 
 symptoms of the scald operating on our sailmaker's 
 temper, as the affront had done on the carpenter's. 
 
 306
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 Quoth Chip to Palmneedle, as he sat down on 
 deck, and took hold of the sail, ' Really hope I 
 haven't burnt you, ater all, Palmneedle ? ' 
 
 £ Oh no, not at all,' drawing in his scalded toe, 
 however, as if he had got the gout in it. 
 
 c Quite glad of dat ; but him do look swell a 
 leetle, and de kin begin to peel off a bit, I am sorry 
 to see.' 
 
 ' Oh no,' quoth Palmy again, quite cool, c no pain, 
 none at all. 1 
 
 A pause — Palmy tries to continue his song, but 
 in vain, and presently gives a loud screech, as Chip, 
 in turning over the clew of the sail roughly, 
 brought the earring down crack on the parboiled 
 toe. l What you mean by dat ? ' 
 
 c What ! have I hurt you ? Ah, poor fellow, I 
 see I have burnt you now, ater all.' 
 
 4 1 tell you I is not burn^ sings out Palmy, hold- 
 ing his toe hard with one hand ; c but don't you see 
 you have nearly broken my foot ? Why did you 
 hit me, sir, wid de clew of dat heavy sail, sir, as if 
 it had been one mallet ? Did you do it o' propos ? ' 
 
 4 Do it on purpose ! ' rejoins Chip. 'My eye ! 
 I drop it light, light — just so ; ' and here he thun- 
 dered the iron earring down on the deck once 
 more, missing the toe for the second time by a 
 hairbreadth, and only through Palmy's activity in 
 withdrawing it. 
 
 At this Palmy's pent-up wrath fairly exploded, 
 and he smote Chip incontinently over the pate 
 with his iron marline-spike, who returned with his 
 wooden mallet, and the action then began in 
 earnest — the combatants rolling over and over on 
 the deck, kicking, and spurring, and biting, and 
 bucking each other with their heads like maniacs 
 
 307
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 or two monkeys in the hydrophobia, until the row- 
 attracted the attention of the rest of the crew, and 
 they were separated. 
 
 I had risen early the next morning, and was 
 wearying most particularly for the breakfast hour, 
 when Quacco, who was, as usual, head cook and 
 captain's steward, came to me. ' Massa, you 
 never see soch an a face as Mr. Lennox hab dis 
 morning.' 
 
 'Why, what is wrong with him, Quacco ? ' 
 
 ' I tink he mos hab sleep in de moon, sir.' 
 
 'Sleep in the moon ! A rum sort of a lodging, 
 Quacco. What do you mean ? ' 
 
 ' I mean he mos hab been sleep in de moonlight 
 on deck, widout no cover at all, massa.' And so 
 we found he had, sure enough, and the consequence 
 was, a swelled face, very much like the moon her- 
 self in a fog, by the way, as if she had left her im- 
 press on the poor fellow's mug — ' her moonstruck 
 child ; ' but I have no time for poetry. It looked 
 more like erysipelas than anything else, and two 
 days elapsed before the swelling subsided, during 
 the whole of which the poor fellow appeared to me — 
 but it might have been fancy — more excited and 
 out of the way than I had seen him since the prison 
 scene at Havanna. 
 
 Can it be possible that the planet really does 
 exercise such influences as we read of? thought I. 
 At any rate, I now for the first time knew the 
 literal correctness of the beautiful Psalm — ' The 
 sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by 
 night.' 
 
 We were now a week at sea ; the morning had 
 been extremely squally, but towards noon the 
 
 308
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 breeze became steadier, and we again made more 
 sail, after which Lennox, the master of the schooner, 
 and I went to dinner. This skipper, by the way, 
 was a rather remarkable personage, — -first, he re- 
 joiced in the euphonious, but somewhat out of the 
 way, appellation of Tobias Tooraloo ; secondly, his 
 face was not a tragic volume, but a leaf out of a 
 farce. It was for all the world like the monkey 
 face of a cocoa-nut, there being only three holes 
 perceptible to the naked eye in it, that is, one mouth, 
 always rounded and pursed up, as if he had been 
 whistling, and two eyes, such as they were, both 
 squinting inwards so abominably that one guessed 
 they were looking for his nose. Now, if a person 
 had been set to make an inventory of his physiog- 
 nomy, at first sight, against this last-mentioned 
 feature the return would certainly have been non 
 est inventus. But the curious dial had a gnomon, 
 such as it was, countersunk, it is true, into the phiz, 
 and the wings so nicely bevelled away into the 
 cheeks that it could not well be vouched for. 
 unless when he sneezed, which, like the blowing 
 of a whale, proved the reality of apertures, although 
 you might not see them. His figure was short and 
 squat, his arms peculiarly laconic, and as he always 
 kept them in motion, like a pair of flappers, his 
 presence might be likened to that of a turtle on its 
 hind fins. 
 
 The manner and speech of El Senor Tobias 
 were, if possible, more odd than his outward and 
 physical man, his delivery being a curious mixture 
 of what appeared to be a barbarous recitative, or 
 sing-song, and suppressed laughter, although the 
 latter was only a nervous frittering away of the fag 
 end of his sentences, and by no means intended to 
 
 3°9 
 
 ■>
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 express mirth, the voice sounding as if he were 
 choke-full of new bread, or as if the words had 
 been sparked off from an ill-set barrel organ re- 
 volving in his brisket. 
 
 ' I hope,' said I to this beauty, c you may not be 
 out in your reckoning about your cargo of shell 
 being ready for you on the coast, captain ? ' 
 
 1 Oh no, oh no — ho, ho, ho ! ' chuckled Too- 
 raloo. 
 
 ' What the deuce are you laughing at ? ' said I, 
 a good deal surprised. Being a silent sort of 
 fellow, his peculiarity had not been so noticeable 
 before. 
 
 'Laugh, laugh — ho, ho, he ! I am not laughing, 
 sir, — quite serious — he, he, ho ! ' 
 
 ' It is a way Mr. Tooraloo has got,' said Len- 
 nox, smiling. 
 
 c Oh, I see it is.' 
 
 c I am sure there will be no disappointment this 
 time, sir — now, since Big Claw is out of the way 
 — ho, ho, ho ! ' quoth Toby. 
 
 ' Big Claw — who is Big Claw ? ' said I. 
 
 ' An Indian chief, sir, and one of our chief traders 
 — he, he, ho ! — and best customer, sir — ho, ho, 
 hee ! — but turned rogue at last, sir, rogue at last 
 — he, he, he ! — left my mate with him, and Tom 
 the Indian boy, voyage before last — he, he, he ! — 
 and when I came back he had cheated them both. 
 Oh dear, if we did not lose fifty weight of shell — 
 ho, ho, he ! ' 
 
 4 And was that all ? ' said I. 
 
 1 That was all — ho, ho, he ! ' replied Toby. 
 
 4 Your mate was ill-used, you said, by Big 
 Claw ? ' 
 
 ' Yes— ho, ho, he ! ' 
 
 310
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 1 As how, may I ask ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, Bie Claw cut his throat, that's all — ho, 
 ho, ho ! ' 
 
 ^All? Rather uncivil, however,' said I. 
 
 ' Very, sir,' quoth Toby — c he, he, he ! ' 
 
 £ And why did he cut his throat ? ' 
 
 ' Because he made free with one of Big Claw's 
 wives — ho, ho ! ' 
 
 4 So, that was not the thing, certainly ; and what 
 became of the wife ? ' 
 
 1 Cut her throat too — ha, ha, ha ! ' — as if this 
 had been the funniest part of the whole story. 
 
 ' The devil he did ! ' said I. c What a broth of 
 a boy this same Big Claw must be ! And Indian 
 Tom, I see him on board here ? ' 
 
 1 Cut his throat too, though — ho, ho, ho ! — but 
 he recovered.' 
 
 ( Why, I suppose as much, since he is waiting 
 behind your chair there, captain. And what be- 
 came of this infernal Indian bravo — this Master 
 Big Claw, as you call him ? ' 
 
 ' Cut his own throat — ha, ha, ha ! — cut his own 
 throat the very day we arrived, by Gom — ha, ha, 
 ha ! ooro, looro, hooro ? ' for this being a sort of 
 climax, he treated us with an extra rumblification 
 in his gizzard at the end of it. 
 
 Here we all joined in honest Tooraloo's c Ha, 
 ha, ha ! ' for the absurdity of the way in which 
 the story was screwed out of him, no mortal could 
 stand — a story that, on the face of it at first, bore 
 simply to have eventuated in the paltry loss of fifty 
 pounds' weight of turtle-shell, but which in reality 
 involved the destruction of no fewer than three 
 fellow creatures, and the grievous maiming of a 
 fourth. ' That's all, indeed ! ' 
 
 3 11
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 By this time it might have been half-past two, 
 and the tears were still wet on my cheeks, when 
 the vessel was suddenly laid over by a heavy puff, 
 so that before the canvas could be taken in, or the 
 schooner luffed up and the wind shaken out of her 
 sails, we carried away our foretopmast, topsail, and 
 all ; and, what was a more serious matter, sprung 
 the head of the mainmast so badly that we could 
 not carry more than a close-reefed mainsail on it. 
 What was to be done ? It was next to impossible 
 to secure the mast properly at sea, and, as the wind 
 had veered round to the south-east, we could not 
 fetch the creek on the Indian coast, whither we 
 were bound, unless we had all our after-sail. 
 There was nothing for it, therefore, but to bear up 
 for San Andreas, now dead under our lee, where 
 we might get the mast comfortably fished ; we 
 accordingly did so, and arrived there and anchored 
 about dusk, on the seventh evening after leaving 
 Montego Bay. 
 
 San Andreas, although in reality a possession of 
 the crown of Spain, was at the time, so far as I 
 could learn, in the sole possession, if I may so 
 
 speak, of a Scotchman, a Mr. ; at least, there 
 
 were no inhabitants on the island that we heard 
 anything about, beyond himself, family, and 
 negroes, with the latter of whom he cultivated any 
 cotton that was grown on it, sending it from time 
 to time to the Kingston market. 
 
 We had come to near his house, and when the 
 vessel was riding safe at anchor the captain and I 
 
 went ashore in the boat to call on Mr. , in 
 
 order to make known our wants, and endeavour to 
 get them remedied. There was not a soul on the 
 solitary beach where we landed, but we saw lights 
 
 312
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 in a long low building that was situated on a ridge 
 on the right hand of the bay, as you stood in, and 
 in one or two of the negro huts surrounding it, and 
 clustered below nearer the beach. After some 
 search, we got into a narrow gravelly path, worn 
 in the rocky hillside, like a small river-course or 
 gully, with crumbling edges of turf about a foot 
 high on each hand, against which we battered our 
 knees at every step, as we proceeded. 
 
 It was a clear starlight night, and the dark house 
 on the summit of the ridge stood out in bold 
 relief against the deep blue sky. c Hush — hark ! ' 
 A piano was struck with some skill, and a female 
 voice begun the beautiful song set to the tune of 
 the old Scottish melody, c The Weary Pund o' 
 Tow.' 
 
 This was a startling incident, to occur thus at 
 the world's end. 
 
 c Heyday,' said I ; but before I could make any 
 further remark, a full, rich, male voice struck in at 
 the chorus — 
 
 ' He 's far away, he 's far away, but surely he will come. 
 Ye moments fly, pass swiftly by, and send my soldier home.' 
 
 We remained riveted to the spot until the music 
 ceased. 
 
 * I say, Tooraloo — Toby, my lad — you have 
 not sculled us to fairyland, have you ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, no, it is old Mr. 's daughter, the only 
 
 white lady in the island that I know of, and I sup- 
 pose one of her brothers is accompanying her — ho, 
 ho, he ! ' 
 
 c Very like ; but who have we here ? ' as a tall 
 dark figure in jacket and trousers, with a Spanish 
 cap on his head, came dancing along the ridge 
 
 3*3
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 from the house, and singing to himself, apparently 
 in the exuberance of his spirits. 
 
 He was soon close to, confronting us in the 
 narrow road, bounding from side to side of the 
 crumbling ledges of the footpath with the buoyancy 
 of boyhood, although the frame, seen between me 
 and the starlight sky, appeared Herculean. 
 
 c Hillo, Walpole ! what has kept you so late ? ' 
 
 We made no answer, and the figure closed 
 upon us. 
 
 ' Pray, is Mr. at home ? — he, he, he,' said 
 
 our skipper to the stranger. 
 
 The party addressed stopped suddenly, and ap- 
 peared a good deal startled. But he soon recovered 
 himself, and answered — 
 
 < He is. May I ask who makes the inquiry in 
 such a merry mood ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, I am the master of the Moonbeam — ha, 
 ha, ha ! — a Montego Bay trader, bound to the 
 Indian coast, but obliged to put in here in distress 
 — he, he, ho ! — having badly sprung some of our 
 spars — ha, ha, ha ! ' 
 
 4 Then what the h 1 are you laughing at, 
 
 sir ? ' rejoined the stranger, savagely. 
 
 1 Laugh — laugh — why, I am quite serious, sir- 
 sad as a" drowned rat; why, I am put in here in 
 distress, sir — ha, ha, ha ! ' 
 
 It was time for me to strike in, I saw. c It is a 
 peculiarity in the gentleman's manner, sir,' said I, 
 1 and no offence is meant.' 
 
 4 Oh, very well, said the other, laughing him- 
 self, and turning to Toby once more. ' And this 
 other ? ' continued he, very unceremoniously indi- 
 cating myself to be sure. 
 
 < My passenger — he, he, he,' said the man with 
 
 3H
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 some discretion, as there was no use in our case of 
 mentioning names, or being more communicative 
 than necessary. 
 
 ' Oh, I see ; good-night, good-night.' And 
 away sprang my gentleman, without saying 
 another word. 
 
 c He might have waited until we got time to 
 ask him who he was, at any rate,' said I. 
 
 'Why,' said Toby, 'that may be a question he 
 may have no joy in answering — ha, ha, ha ! ' 
 
 4 True for you, Tooraloo,' said I, Benjie. 
 
 We arrived in front of the low building, whose 
 windows opened on a small terrace or esplanade, 
 like so many port-holes. 
 
 It stood on a ridge of limestone-rock — a saddle 
 as it is called in the West Indies, or tongue of 
 land — that, from fifty or sixty feet high, where the 
 house stood, dropped gradually, until it ended in a 
 low sandy spit covered with a clump of cocoa-nut 
 trees, with tufts of mangrove bushes here and 
 there — forming the cape or foreland of the bay on 
 the right hand as you stood in. This low point 
 trended outwards like a hook, so as to shut in the 
 entrance of a small concealed cove or natural creek 
 which lay beyond it, separated from the bay we 
 lay in by the aforesaid tongue of land, so that the 
 house commanded a view of both anchorages. 
 
 From one side, as already related, the acclivity 
 was easy ; but towards the creek the ground fell 
 away sudden and precipitously ; and on the very 
 edge of this rugged bank the house was perched, 
 like an eagle's nest, overhanging the little land- 
 locked cove. 
 
 There was a group of fishermen negroes in front 
 of the house, talking and gabbling loudly as usual, 
 
 3 T 5
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 one of whom carried a net, while three others 
 followed him with broad-bladed paddles on their 
 shoulders, as if they had been pursuing their calling 
 and were now retiring to their houses for the 
 night. 
 
 1 Is Mr. at home ? ' said Tooraloo — really 
 
 I can no longer be bothered jotting down his ab- 
 surd ' ho, ho, he.' 
 
 c Yes, massa,' said the negro addressed ; and 
 without waiting to knock, or give any sign of our 
 approach, the skipper and I entered the hall, or 
 centre room of the building. 
 
 By the partial light proceeding from the open 
 door of an inner apartment, I could see that it was 
 a desolate-looking place, with a parcel of bags of 
 cotton piled up in a corner, and lumbered, rather 
 than furnished, with several skranky leather-backed 
 Spanish chairs. 
 
 Several rooms opened off each end of the said 
 hall beside the one from which the light streamed. 
 The skipper unceremoniously passed on to this 
 apartment, motioning to me to follow him. I did 
 so, and found an old gentleman, dressed in a 
 gingham coat and white trousers, and wearing a 
 well-worn tow wig and spectacles, seated at a 
 small table, smoking, with a glass of spirits and 
 water beside him, and an empty tumbler opposite, 
 as if some one had been accompanying him in his 
 potations ; while a young lady, rather a pretty girl, 
 seated at a piano, with some music open before 
 her, was screening her eyes from the light, and 
 employed, so far as I could judge, in peering down 
 towards the cove, as if trying to make out some 
 object in that direction. 
 
 c Well, father, I cannot see either of them j 
 
 316
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 surely they have put out all the lights on purpose 
 — not a glimmer, I declare.' Turning round, she 
 started on seeing us, and, rising, left the room sud- 
 denly by another door. • 
 
 ' Who may ye be, now ? ' quoth the old man, 
 rather testily, as if some recent visitors had not 
 been over and above acceptable, taking his cigar at 
 the same time out of his mouth, and knocking the 
 ashes off the end of it against the candlestick. 
 ' Are you any of Captain Wallace's people? ' 
 
 'No,' said Tooraloo. 'Was that Captain 
 Wallace we met going down the path just now.' 
 
 He gave no answer, but again inquired, in a still 
 more sharp and querulous tone, '•who we were?' 
 4 Wha the deevil are ye, I say? Wull ye no 
 speak ? ' 
 
 'Toby,' said I, 'out with your ditty, man.' So 
 our situation was speedily explained to him — that 
 we had bore up in distress, and wanted assistance. 
 The issue was, after a good deal of palaver, that he 
 promised to send his people to lend a hand with 
 our repairs in the morning. 
 
 ' But who was the gentleman we met ? ' said I, 
 repeating Toby's question, and endeavouring to 
 pin the crusty old gentleman to an answer. 
 
 ' Indeed, sir,' said he, now greatly relieved, as he 
 began to understand our real character, and the 
 peacefulness of our object — 'indeed, sir, I cannot 
 rightly tell. He is an American, I rather think, 
 and commands two Buenos- Ayrean ' 
 
 Here some one coughed significantly under the 
 open window. The old man looked dogged and 
 angry, as if he had said, ' What the deuce ! 
 mayn't I say what I choose in my own house ? ' 
 And, gulping down his grog with great fierceness, 
 
 3*7
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 as if determined not to understand the hint, he con- 
 tinued, speaking emphatically through his set teeth: 
 
 c Yes, sir, he commands two privateers at anchor 
 down in the cove there.' 
 
 The signal was now twice repeated. It was 
 clear there were eavesdroppers abroad. Our host 
 lay back sullenly in his chair. 
 
 * Ay ! and what kind of craft may they be ? ' 
 
 I scarcely knew what I said, as the notion of the 
 privateers, and of having gentry of the usual stamp 
 of their crews in such near neighbourhood, was any- 
 thing but pleasant or comfortable. 
 
 c A schooner and a felucca, sir,' said Mr. 
 
 in answer. 
 
 Some one now thundered against the weather 
 boarding of the house, making everything shake 
 again, as if a drunken man had fallen against a 
 hollow bulkhead, and I heard a low grumbling 
 voice, as if in suppressed anger. I could see with 
 half an eye that this had aroused the old gentle- 
 man to a sense of his danger, and made him pocket 
 his peevishness, for he now set himself in his chair, 
 screwing his withered features into a most taciturn 
 expression. 
 
 4 The Midge again,' thought I, ' by all that is 
 unfortunate. Oh for a glimpse of Henry de 
 Walden and his Spider ! ' 
 
 It is the devil and all to be watched — to have 
 the consciousness that the very stones are listening 
 to you, and ready to fly at your head, and no 
 armour, offensive or defensive, about you. 
 
 A sort of desperation was, in consequence, 
 coming over me, and I rapped out, but still speak- 
 ing so low that I considered it impossible that I 
 could be overheard by any one without : 
 
 318
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 4 1 think I know that same Captain Wallace's 
 voice — I have heaid it before, I am persuaded.' 
 
 1 You have, have you ? ' said some one outside, 
 with great bitterness, but in a suppressed tone. 
 
 The exclamation was apparently involuntary. 
 I started, and looked round, but saw no one. 
 
 ' I know nothing of him, as I said before, 
 gentlemen,' continued our host. 
 
 At this moment I had turned my face from the 
 open window towards Toby, to see how he took 
 all this. A small glass hung on the wall above his 
 head, in which (murder ! I grew as cold as an ice- 
 cream) I had a momentary glimpse of a fierce sun- 
 burned countenance, the lips apart, and the white 
 teeth set as if in anger, raised just above the 
 window-sill. It glanced for an instant in the 
 yellow light, while a clenched hand was held above 
 it, and shaken threateningly at old . 
 
 I turned suddenly round, but the apparition had 
 
 as suddenly disappeared. It was clear that 
 
 now wished more than ever to end the conference. 
 
 c I know nothing beyond what I have told you, 
 gentlemen. He pays for everything like a prince 
 — for his wood, and provisions, and all, down to a 
 nail.' 
 
 I was now noways anxious to prolong the con- 
 versation myself. 
 
 I I don't doubt it, I don't doubt it. Well, old 
 gentleman, good-night. You will send your 
 people early ? ' 
 
 1 Oh, yes, you may be sure of that.' 
 
 And we left the house and proceeded to the 
 
 beach as fast, you may be sure, as we decently 
 
 could without running. We both noticed a dark 
 
 figure bustle round the corner of the house as we 
 
 3 X 9
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 stepped out on the small plateau on which it 
 stood. 
 
 Captain Toby hailed the schooner, in no very 
 steady tone, to send the boat ashore instantly — - 
 1 instantly,' and I sat down on a smooth, blue, and 
 apparently wave-rounded stone, that lay embedded 
 in the beautiful white sand. 
 
 ' So, so, a leaf out of a romance — miracles will 
 never cease,' said I to Tooraloo, who was standing 
 a short distance from me, close to the water's edge, 
 looking out anxiously for the boat. c There is the 
 old Midge again, Toby, and my Montego Bay 
 friend, Wilson, for a dozen — mind he don't treat 
 us to a second 
 
 Edition of the Ballahoo, 
 Dear Toby Tooraloo. 
 
 Why, captain, there is no speaking to you except 
 
 in rhyme, that name of yours is so hillo ! 
 
 where away — an earthquake, or are the stones alive 
 here ? So ho, Tobias — see where I am travelling 
 to, Toby,' as the rock on which I sat began to 
 heave beneath me, and to make a strange clapper- 
 ing sort of noise, as if one had been flapping the 
 sand with wet swabs. 
 
 £ Tooraloo, see here — see here — I am bewitched, 
 and going to sea on a shingle stone, as I am a 
 gentleman — I hope it can swim as well as walk ' — 
 and over I floundered on my back. 
 
 I had come ashore without my jacket, and, as 
 the skipper picked me up, I felt something warm 
 and slimy flowing down my back. 
 
 'Why, where is my cruiser, Toby — and what 
 the deuce can that be so warm and wet between 
 my shoulders ? ' 
 
 320
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 1 A turtle nest — a turtle nest,' roared Toby in 
 great joy — and §p indeed it proved. 
 
 Accordingly, we collected about two dozen of 
 the eggs, and, if I had only had my senses about 
 me when I capsized, we might have turned over 
 the lady-fish herself, whom I had so unkindly dis- 
 turbed in the straw, when she moved below me. 
 We got on board without more ado, and having 
 desired the steward to get a light and some food 
 and grog in the cabin, I sent for Lennox, who was 
 busy with the repairs going on aloft, and, as I 
 broke ground very seriously to make my supper, 
 communicated to him what we had seen and 
 heard. 
 
 I had already in the course of the voyage 
 acquainted him with the particulars of the ball at 
 Mr. Roseapple's, and of my meeting with and 
 suspicions of Mr. Wilson, and that I verily believed 
 I had fallen in with the same person this very 
 night, in the captain of a Buenos Ayrean privateer. 
 
 4 A privateer! ' ejaculated Lennox, — c a privateer 
 — is there a privateer about the island ? ' 
 
 4 A privateer ! ' said the captain of the Moonbeam 
 — l no — not one, but two of them, ha, ha, he — and 
 both anchored t'other side of the bluff there, he, he, 
 ho — within pistol-shot of us where we now lie, as 
 the crow flies ; although they might remain for a 
 year in that cove, and no one the wiser, ho, ho, he. 
 In my humble opinion they will be foul of us before 
 morning, ho, ho, he — and most likely cut all our 
 throats, ha, ha, ho.' 
 
 Poor Saunders Skelp on this fell into a great 
 quandary. 
 
 ' What shall we do, Mr. Brail ? — we shall be 
 plundered, as sure as fate.' 
 
 VOL. II. 321 X
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 * I make small doubt of that,' quoth I, ' and I 
 only hope that may be the worst of it ; but if you 
 and the skipper think with me, I would be off* this 
 very hour, sprung mast and all.' 
 
 'How unfortunate!'' said Lennox. 'Why, I 
 have been working by candle-light ever since you 
 went away, stripping the mast, and seeing all clear 
 
 when the day broke, to But come, I think 
 
 a couple of hours may still replace everything 
 where it was before I began.' 
 
 Our determination was now promptly taken, so 
 we swigged off our horns, and repaired on deck. 
 
 ' Who is there ? ' said some one from forward in 
 evident alarm. 
 
 It was pitch dark, and nothing could be seen 
 but the dim twinkle of the lantern, and the heads 
 and arms of the men at work at the mast-head. 
 
 ' Who is there, aft by the companion ? ' 
 
 ' Why, it is me, what do you want ? ' said 
 Lennox. 
 
 ' Nothing particular, sir, only there are people 
 on the water close to, ahead of us — take care they 
 do not make free with the buoy." 1 
 
 ' Hail them then, Williams, and tell them if they 
 don't keep off, that we will fire at them.' 
 
 ' I have hailed them twice, sir, but they give no 
 answer.' 
 
 We all went forward. For some time I could 
 neither see nor hear anything. At length I 
 thought I heard low voices, and the dip of an oar 
 now and then. Presently I distinctly saw white 
 sparkles in the dark calm water, towards the mouth 
 of the bay, as of a boat, keeping her station on 
 guard. By-and-by, we heard indications of life 
 on the larboard bow also. 
 
 322
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 1 Why, we are beset, Lennox, my boy, as sure 
 as fate,' said I. 
 
 ' What boats are those ? ' 
 
 No answer. 
 
 ' If you don't speak I will fire at you.' 
 
 A low suppressed laugh followed this threat, and 
 we heard, as plain as if we had been alongside of 
 the strangers, three or four sharp clicks, like the 
 cocking of strong musket-locks. 
 
 'Privateer's-men,as sure as a gun,' said Tooraloo; 
 4 oh dear, and they are going to fire at us, don't 
 you hear ? ' — and he ducked his pate, as if he had 
 seen them taking aim. 
 
 ' I see two boats now as plain as can be,' said 
 Lennox. 
 
 1 Well, well, if you do, we can't help it,' said I ; 
 1 but do take my advice and stand by, to be off 
 the moment there is a breath of wind from the 
 land, will ye f ' 
 
 All hands were called. We piped belay with 
 the repairs, secured the mast as well as we could, 
 hoisted the mainsail, and made everything ready 
 for a start ; and just as we had hove short, a nice 
 light air came off the land, as if on purpose ; but 
 when in the very act of tripping the anchor, lo ! 
 it fell calm again. As to our attempting to tow 
 the schooner out of the bay with such customers 
 right ahead of us, it would have been stark staring 
 madness. We had therefore to let go again, and 
 began to reoccupy ourselves in peering into the 
 night. The roar of the surf, on the coast, now 
 came louder, as it struck me, and hoarser, as if the 
 ground-swell had begun to roll in more heavily. 
 
 4 We shall have the sea breeze shortly, Lennox, 
 take my word for it — it is blowing a merry capful 
 
 323
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 of wind close to us out there,' said I ; but the 
 terral again sprung up, notwithstanding my 
 prognostication, so we hove up the anchor, ran up 
 the jib, and the Moonbeam, after canting with her 
 head to the eastward, began gradually to slide 
 towards the offing through the midnight sea. Pre- 
 sently sparkling bubbles rippled against the stem, 
 and, mixed with white foam, buzzed past the bows, 
 as she gathered way. 
 
 Accustomed now to the darkness, we could per- 
 ceive the boats ahead separate, and take their 
 stations one on each bow, keeping way with us, as 
 if watching us. We had loaded the two carronades 
 with musket balls, and had our twelve muskets on 
 deck. We continued gliding along, and presently 
 the boats, as if by signal, lay on their oars, letting 
 us shoot past them ; then closed astern of us, pulling 
 a stroke or two, as if they had an intention of com- 
 ing up, on either side of us. 
 
 'If you come nearer,' said Lennox, through the 
 trumpet to the boat that was pulling on the star- 
 board side, ' so help me God, I will fire at you.' 
 
 No answer. The breeze at the instant took off", 
 and they approached within pistol-shot, one on 
 each quarter, where they hung without coming 
 any nearer. 
 
 'They are only seeing us off"; they don't mean 
 to annoy us, Lennox, after all ; so hold on steadily, 
 and don't mind them,' said I. 
 
 But the zeal of Toby Tooraloo, who had by this 
 time got much excited, and be hanged to him, had 
 nearly got us all into a scrape. 
 
 ' You villains, / will teach you,' quoth the 
 valiant Tobias, ' to insult an armed vessel — so 
 stand by there, men — give them two of the car- 
 
 324
 
 THE MOONBEAM 
 
 ronades ' — as if there had been a whole broadside 
 beside. And before Lennox could interfere, he 
 had sung out c Fire ! ' 
 
 Bang went both carronades, whisking up the 
 surface of the sea on either beam into a sparkling 
 foam, the bullets spanking away in flakes of fire, 
 until they dropped ashore in the distance. The 
 same low fiendish laugh was heard from the boat 
 nearest us, and, as if they had only waited for this 
 very foolish act of aggression on our part, to com- 
 mence an attack, one of the boats pulled ahead, 
 and then made right for our starboard bow. 
 
 1 Hillo ! ' said I, thinking the Rubicon was 
 passed, and that our only chance now, after 
 Tooraloo's absurd demonstration, was to put our 
 best foot foremost — c Sheer off, whoever you are, 
 or I will show you, my fine fellow, that we are 
 not playing with you, anyhow' — and picking up a 
 musket, I gave them a moderate time to see if my 
 threat would have any effect. Finding it had not, 
 I took deliberate aim at the boat, and fired. 
 
 A loud ' Ah ! ' declared that the shot had told. 
 This was followed by a deep groan, and some one 
 exclaimed in Spanish, ' Oh Dios, soy muerto ! ' 
 
 c Close and board him,' shouted a loud and angry 
 voice high above several others from the same boat 
 — 'Close and board him — cut their throats, if they 
 resist.' 
 
 At this moment, as Old Nick would have it, it 
 fell entirely calm, and the boat began to approach 
 rapidly, the other threatening our larboard quarter, 
 so I thought our fate was sealed ; but whether 
 they were not quite satisfied of the kind of recep- 
 tion we might give them, they once more lay on 
 their oars when close aboard of us. A clear and 
 
 3 2 5
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 well-blown bugle from the boat where the man 
 had been hit now awoke the sleeping echoes of the 
 bay. Gradually they died away faint and more 
 faint amongst the hills. All was still as the grave 
 for a minute. ' Ha ! that is no reverberation, that 
 is no echo ; hark, it is answered by another bugle 
 from the cove. Now we are in a remarkably 
 beautiful mess,' said I ; 'see — see.' A rocket was 
 here sent up by the other boat, and instantly 
 answered by a steady red light from beyond the 
 clump of cocoa-nut trees, through whose hair-like 
 stems we could perceive the little Midge with her 
 tall lateen sail, stealing along in the crimson glare 
 like some monstrous centipede of the ocean, and 
 propelled by her sweeps, that flashed up the dark 
 water all round her into blood-like foam, as if Old 
 Nick's state barge had floated up red-hot and 
 hissing. A loud rushing noise growled down on 
 us from seaward, and one could perceive a squall, 
 without being a pig, whitening the tops of the 
 swell, even dark as it was. 
 
 ' Haul off,' sung out the same voice, just as the 
 breeze struck us. ' Sheer off", and let the scoundrel 
 alone, and mind yourselves — he will be on the reef 
 close to us here bodily in a moment.' 
 
 'Thank you for the hint,' thought I. 'The reef 
 is close to you, is it ? ' Tooraloo had caught at 
 this also, so it was about ship on the other tack ; 
 but we soon found it was utterly impossible to 
 work out of the bay in the darkness, with such a 
 breeze as was now springing up, ignorant as we 
 were besides of the localities ; so it was up helm, 
 for, in order to escape the immediate danger of 
 going ashore on the rocks, we had no earthly alter- 
 native but the fearful one of running directly back 
 
 326
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 into the lion's mouth again, and after having 
 pretty well chafed him too \ — indeed, we had the 
 utmost difficulty in getting back to our anchorage 
 before it came on to blow right in like thunder, and 
 there we lay on deck through the livelong night, 
 exposed to a pitiless shower of rain, in a state of 
 most unenviable anxiety, expecting every moment 
 to be boarded and murdered. 
 
 Neither the felucca nor boats followed us in, 
 however, so we concluded they had returned to 
 the cove, as all continued quiet. But the weariest 
 night must have an end, as well as the weariest 
 day^ and at length the long-looked-fcr morning 
 broke upon us. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 As the day lightened, the wind fell, and by sunrise 
 it was nearly calm in the small bay, although we 
 could see the breeze roughening the blue waters 
 out at sea. 
 
 Presently, Mr. 's negroes came on board, 
 
 but before determining what to do, or proceeding 
 with our repairs, we endeavoured to get out ot 
 them some more information regarding the priva- 
 teers — to give them no worse a name — and their 
 crews ; apparently, however, they knew nothing 
 beyond what we were already acquainted with. 
 
 1 Nice peoples dem — Captain Wallace ! Oh, 
 quite one gentleman — plenty money — plenty grog 
 
 3 2 7
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 — ah, wery nice peoples,' was all that Quashie 
 knew or seemed to care about — at least all that he 
 would say. 
 
 While we were yet irresolute as to the prudence 
 of stripping the mast, with such gentry almost 
 within earshot, a small dory, or light canoe, shoved 
 her black snout round the headland on which the 
 cocoa-nuts grew, paddled by a solitary figure in the 
 stern, with an animal of some kind or another 
 stuck up, monkey-fashion, in the bow, which, as 
 it came nearer, I perceived to be a most noble 
 Spanish bloodhound. I looked earnestly at the 
 stranger through the glass, and concluded at once 
 that he could be no other than our friend of the 
 preceding evening. 
 
 i I say, Lennox ' — he had been standing at my 
 elbow the minute before — 'that's my man — there' 
 — pointing with the telescope. 
 
 c Mr. Lennox is below, sir,' said Tooraloo ; 
 c but you are right ; it is him, sure enough.' 
 
 The man paddled briskly alongside, when the 
 bloodhound caught a rope in his teeth, that was 
 hanging over, and, setting his feet against the bow- 
 post, held on until his master jumped on board, 
 which he did with the most perfect sang-froid. 
 
 c Now for it,' thought I ; ' he is come to tell us 
 civilly that we are to have our throats cut for 
 shooting one of his beauties last night.' 
 
 Having deliberately secured his dory, by making 
 fast the painter round one of the stanchions of the 
 awning, he called to his dog — ' Matamoro — here, 
 boy, here,' and saw him safe on board before he 
 had the civility to make his bow. At length he 
 turned to me, and I had now no difficulty whatever 
 in making out my amigo Mr. Wilson in the 
 
 328
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 identical Buenos Ayrean captain, although he had 
 altered his appearance very materially from the 
 time I had seen him in Jamaica. Awkward as 
 our position appeared to be fast getting, I could 
 scarcely keep my eyes off the beautiful animal 
 that accompanied him — first, because I admired 
 him exceedingly ; and, secondly, because he seemed 
 deucedly inclined to bite me. He was as tall as a 
 staghound, whose symmetry of head and figure he 
 conjoined with the strength of the English bulldog. 
 His colour was a pale fawn, gradually darkening 
 down the legs and along the neck, until the feet 
 and muzzle were coal-black. He gambolled about 
 his master like a puppy, but the moment any of us 
 spoke to him, he raised his back into an angry 
 curve, with the black streak that ran down it 
 bristling up like a wild boar's, and set his long tail 
 straight, as if it had been a crowbar, or the North- 
 umbrian lion's j and then his teeth — my wig ! 
 the laughing hyaena was a joke to him. But I 
 must return from the dog to the man. He was 
 dressed in very wide trousers, of a sort of broad, 
 yellow striped silk and cotton Indian stuff; slippers 
 of velvet-looking, yellowish-brown Spanish leather, 
 and no stockings ; he wore a broad belt of the 
 same sort of leather round his waist, over the ample 
 folds of an Indian shawl of a bright yellow colour, 
 with crimson fringes, the ends of which hung down 
 on one side like a sash ; this was fastened by a 
 magnificent gold buckle in front, worked into the 
 shape of a thistle. Through this cincture was 
 stuck, on the left side, a long, crooked, ivory- 
 handled knife, in a shark-skin sheath, richly orna- 
 mented with gold ; while a beautifully worked grass 
 purse hung from the other, containing his cigars, 
 
 3 2 9
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 flint, and steel. His shirt was of dark ruby-coloured 
 cotton, worked with a great quantity of bright red 
 embroidery at the sleeves and throat, where it was 
 fastened with the largest ruby stone I had ever seen, 
 also fashioned like the head of the aforesaid Scottish 
 thistle, with emerald leaves, and set in a broad old- 
 fashioned silver brooch — the only silver ornament 
 he wore — such as the ladies of the Highland chief- 
 tains in days of yore used to fasten their plaids with 
 on the left shoulder. It was evidently an heirloom. 
 Vain, apparently, of the beautiful but Herculean 
 mould of his neck, he wore his shirt-collar folded 
 back, cut broad and massive, and lined with velvet 
 of the same colour as the shirt, and no neckcloth. 
 
 He had shaven his whiskers since I had seen him, 
 but wore a large jet-black moustache on his upper 
 lip, and a twisted Panama chain round his neck, 
 supporting an instrument made of some bright 
 yellow hardwood, highly polished, resembling a 
 boatswain's pipe in shape, the ventages inlaid with 
 gold. 
 
 His cap, of the same leather as his belt, was 
 richly embroidered with a band of golden thistles 
 above the scoop, which was of tortoiseshell hooped 
 in with gold, coming very low down over his eyes, 
 while the top, like a hussar's, doubled over on the 
 left side of his head, where it ended in a massive 
 tassel of gold bullion. 
 
 He had buff gloves stuck in his belt ; and his 
 hands, strong and muscular, but fair as a woman's, 
 were richly decorated with several valuable rings. 
 
 There had been one alteration in his appearance, 
 however, that I surmised he would have dispensed 
 with if he could, and that was a broad, deep, and 
 scarcely cicatrised scar down his sunburnt cheek. 
 
 33°
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 c My Kingston friend — proof positive,' thought I. 
 
 I had never seen so handsome a man before, 
 bronzed almost black though he was by wind and 
 fierce suns ; such perfect symmetry, conjoined 
 with such muscle and strength ; such magnificent 
 bodily proportions, with so fine a face and forehead, 
 and such pearl-white teeth. But the fiend looked 
 forth in the withering sparkle of his hazel eye. 
 
 'The thistle,' said I to myself, as the old Scottish 
 brooch and the general predominance of the 
 national emblem in his equipment attracted my 
 attention. ' Alas ! can love of country, pervading 
 as it is, still linger in the bosom of a man without 
 a country ; of one whose hand is against every 
 man, and every man's hand against him ; of the 
 Tiger of the Sea ! ' Yes — like the dying lamp in 
 the sepulchre, flickering after its fellows have long 
 been for ever quenched, whose faint and uncertain 
 beams seem still to sanctify, if they cannot warm, 
 the gloomy precincts, where all beside is cold, and 
 dark, and dead — it was the last ray of blessed light, 
 gleaming through the mist of surrounding rotten- 
 ness and desolation ; the last pale halo of virtuous 
 and holy feeling hovering to depart from off the 
 obdurate and heaven-scathed heart of the God- 
 forsaken PIRATE ! 
 
 Unjust, unjust ! There was another — a kindlier, 
 a warmer, a steadier flame, that still burnt sun- 
 bright in that polluted tabernacle — all worthy of a 
 purer shrine — nor left it until, abreast of the spark 
 of life itself, it was shattered from his riven heart 
 by the dart of the Destroyer ; and the dark and 
 felon spirit whirled to its tremendous account on 
 the shriek of unutterable despair, crushed from him 
 in his mortal agony, as the dancing waves closed, 
 
 33i
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 howling and hissing like water-fiends, over the 
 murderer's grave. But let me not anticipate. 
 
 From his manner I could not say whether he 
 knew me or not. 
 
 c So you have put in here in distress ? ' said he 
 to the master of the Moonbeam, glancing his eyes 
 upwards, where the people were at work at the 
 head of the mainmast. 
 
 c Yes, sir,' said Tooraloo ; but before he could 
 get in another word, our friend was in the main 
 rigging himself, and near the masthead. 
 
 1 Eigh, eigh,' sung out Palmneedle and Chip, 
 who were helping the carpenters and riggers aloft, 
 c what dis ? — who dis ? ' for the dog was following 
 his master like a monkey, yaffing and barking, and 
 sprawling with his feet through the ratlines ; so 
 each of the negroes, seizing a rope, slid down on 
 deck, and with such vehemence that they capsized 
 on their backs, cocking up their black trotters in 
 the air, after a most ludicrous fashion. 
 
 1 Oh, I see, I see,' said Wallace or Wilson, 
 descending, and swinging himself in on deck with 
 the grace of an Apollo ; ' masthead badly sprung, 
 and your chaps seem to be going clumsily enough 
 about their work, too,' a truth, undoubtedly. £ I 
 will send you my carpenter's crew to lend a hand 
 in securing it.' 
 
 c Thank you, sir,' said Toby, with much the 
 sort of expression and tone of a contrite culprit 
 thanking the hangman for adjusting the rope. 
 
 I was myself cruelly taken aback by such un- 
 looked-for civility, I will confess. 
 
 ' But won't you step down and see my owner, 
 sir ? he is in my cabin,' quoth Tooraloo, in doubt 
 what to say or do — metre again. 
 
 33*
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 1 Oh, certainly, no objections ; but won't you 
 go first, sir ? ' said he, with one hand on the com- 
 panion, and politely indicating the ladder with the 
 other, cloaking thereby his real object, which was 
 clearly that he might not be taken at advantage. 
 
 Tooraloo and I went below on this, as one 
 needs must go when the devil drives, and were 
 immediately followed by the stranger. 
 
 Lennox was busy with some papers, and stoop- 
 ing down over his open desk, with his pen crossed 
 in his mouth, when we entered. 
 
 'The captain of the Buenos Ayrean privateer, 
 sir,' said Tooraloo, stopping at the door and usher- 
 ing him in past him, jamming himself as flat as a 
 flounder against the door-post, as if to prevent even 
 a fibre of his clothing from touching the other. 
 Lennox looked up ; his eyebrows instantly con- 
 tracted, his colour faded, and he became as pale as 
 death. The pen dropped unheeded from his lips, 
 while the large law paper that he held in his left 
 hand, in which he had apparently been writing, 
 trembled like an aspen leaf. At length he ground 
 out between his teeth — 
 
 1 Hast thou found me ? — O mine enemy ! ' 
 
 ' Found you ? ' said the other, who had started, or 
 rather staggered back, equally overcome with 
 extreme surprise apparently, and nearly capsizing 
 Tooraloo, whose breath he fairly knocked out of 
 his body against the door-post with a grunt — 
 c Found you, Saunders ? why, if I have, it has not 
 been in consequence of looking for you, let me tell 
 you that ; for of all the unexpected meetings that 
 ever befell me, so help me God ! this is ' 
 
 1 Blaspheme not, William Adderfang ; take not 
 His name into your mouth. You have found me, 
 
 333
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 let that surr.je. xnd am /wrong in calling \su mv 
 
 * Yes, Saunders, you are wrong, fi vt with little of 
 
 u r ••;.•.. and none of vour romance and nsn- 
 •-, my boy, I will prove you are wrong at a 
 fitting opportunity ; so there *s my hand, in the 
 mean time, man — there's my hand.' — Lennox 
 sprang back, as if it had held a viper. c Heyday ' * 
 sa d the ether, crowing himself up here:... 'why, 
 I thought vou might have allowed bygones to be 
 : rones at this time of day ; and surely I may crv 
 quits now, after your having scoured vour knife 
 against my ribs at ' 
 
 Here he checked himself, and Lennox, making 
 an effort to resume his composure, shook Adder- 
 fang's hand, but very much as one would shake .. 
 red-hot poker, and then, with no verv good grace, 
 asked him to sit down to breakfast, which the 
 other instantly did with apparent cordialitv, and a 
 deuced good one he made too, chattering and doing; 
 the agreeable all the while, as if he had been an 
 old and intimate acquaintance come on board to 
 come us on our arrival. As for me, Benjie, I 
 confess that I could not have told whether I was 
 eating biscuit or blancmange ; nav, I verily believe 
 vou might have palmed castor-oil on me for coffee, 
 and I never would have noticed it. 
 
 ' Adderfang — William Adderfang — the seducer 
 of Jessy Miller ! ' said I to mvself, ' here's a coil 
 — the villain who stabbed and robbed me at 
 H.ivanna ! — the Master Wilson of Montego B.iv 
 — the man with the blunderbuss at Kingston. 
 Vk hew This devil of a fellow to pounce upon us 
 so unexpectedly, in an out-of-the-way place like 
 San Andreas, too ! and with a couple of whacking 
 
 334
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 privateers, to give them still their genteel name, 
 with a hundred ard fifty neat young gentlemen at 
 the fewest, I make no question, to back: him. 
 There 's a climax of agreeables for you, if he 
 should recognise me now ! Come, this does account 
 with a vengeance for the floating notions that 
 crossed my mind at Air. Roseapple's. I was sure 
 I had seen him before.' 
 
 Still, notwithstanding these pleasant dreams^ I 
 gave in to circumstances better than either of my 
 two shipmates, I fancy ; for Lennox could eat but 
 little, and was evidently ill at ease. As for the 
 skipper, he gobbled mechanically. He could not 
 help that; but I noticed that he watched the 
 stranger like a cat watching a terrier, starting at 
 his every motion ; and when he dropped his knife 
 by accident on the floor, and stooped to pick it 
 up, he held his breath until he saw him at work 
 at the biscuit and cold ham again, as if he had 
 considered there was a tolerable chance of his 
 giving him a progue with it en passant^ just for 
 the fun of the thing, as it were. 
 
 Gradually, however, I got more at ease, and 
 was noticing the extreme beauty of his short 
 curling auburn hair, now that his cap was thrown 
 aside, with a dash of premature grey here and 
 there, like hoarfrost in early autumn ; and the 
 noble ivory forehead, paler by contrast with the 
 bronzing of his face, and smooth as monumental 
 alabaster while his fierce spirit was in calm, but 
 crisping in a moment if his passions were roused, 
 like the ripple on the calm sea before the first of 
 the breeze ; when he rose abruptly and led the 
 way from the cabin. 
 
 When we came on deck — Adderfang, or Wilson, 
 
 335
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 or Wallace, or whatever his name for the moment 
 might be — whistled l loud as the scream of the 
 curlew,' and an armed boat immediately shoved 
 out from under the mangroves that grew on the 
 small point or headland near the cocoa-nut trees, 
 and pulled towards us. 
 
 'Come,' thought I, c he seems determined not 
 to trust too much to our forbearance either.' 
 The boat approached — it was apparently a very 
 fast one, pulled by four splendid fellows in neat 
 white trousers and blue shirts, and all with cloth 
 caps, handsomely embroidered. They had their 
 cutlasses buckled round their waists by black belts, 
 and there were four marines in white jackets, two 
 in the bow and two aft, sitting with their muskets 
 upright between their knees. The officer com- 
 manding the boat was a tall sallow young man, 
 very Yankee in appearance, dressed in a blue 
 uniform coat, and one epaulette, with uniform 
 buttons of some kind or another, so that altogether 
 I should have taken him for an officer in the 
 United States navy, had I accidentally met him. 
 He came alongside. 
 
 c Mr. Kerrick' — said Adderfang, who evidently, 
 but from what motive I could not tell, was most 
 desirous that we should be off from our anchorage 
 as fast as possible — ' send Whitaker and four of 
 his crew from the Mosca' — this I guessed was 
 the schooner, although I afterwards found that she 
 was no other than the far-famed piratical Baltimore 
 clipper, the Snow/lake^ the terror of those seas — 
 ' and see — it is to get all put to rights aloft there — 
 the head of the mainmast is badly sprung you can 
 tell him, and he will know better than any of us 
 what to bring.' 
 
 33 6
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 'Ay, ay, sir,' — said his subaltern, and without 
 more ado the boat shoved off again, not for the 
 point, however, but direct for the beach under 
 
 Mr. 's house, where the officer landed, and 
 
 the crew, leaving a boat-keeper on the beach, 
 began to skylark about ; but evidently they had 
 their instructions never to move so far away but 
 that they should be able to reach their boat again, 
 before we could, if we had tried it. From their 
 lingo, those youths were all of them either Ameri- 
 cans or Englishmen, probably a mixture of both. 
 
 Presently, Tooraloo, at his request, or command, 
 for although the words were civil enough, the 
 tone sounded deuced like the latter, put Adderfang 
 ashore in the Moonbeam's boat ; and, under the idea 
 that if there was any danger toward, I ran as much 
 risk where I was as on the land, I asked to accom- 
 pany him, so that I might reconnoitre a bit by the 
 way. Accordingly we were walking up to Mr. 
 
 's house, when I thought I would diverge a 
 
 little, in order to have a parley with some of the 
 boat's crew, who I had noticed converged towards 
 their own boat whenever they saw ours put off; 
 but before I could ask a question, the officer before 
 mentioned interposed, and with a great deal of 
 mock civility offered his services, if I wanted 
 anything. I had no plea to avoid him, so I 
 followed Adderfang and Tooraloo to the house. 
 
 I now found, when I could look about me 
 in the daylight, that it was even a narrower tongue 
 of land on which the house stood than what I 
 had imagined, and that divided the bay where we 
 were from the narrow land-locked creek where 
 the two privateers were at anchor. 
 
 Where I stood I looked right down upon them 
 
 vol. ii. 337 y
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 — they lay in a beautiful little basin indeed, with 
 high precipitous banks on the side next me, but 
 with a smooth hard and white beach on the opposite 
 side at the head of the creek. The entrance was 
 very narrow, not pistol-shot across. 
 
 Close to the shore, and immediately below me, 
 lay a large schooner, but I could only see her 
 mastheads and part of her bowsprit and fore- 
 rigging, as she was moored with her stern towards 
 the high bank, so as to present her broadside to 
 the opening of the harbour, and her bows to that 
 of her consort, the little Midge, that lay farther off 
 and close to the shore on the other side of the 
 creek, at right angles with the schooner, so as to 
 rake her if she had been carried, or enfilade any 
 boats coming in to attack her. Both vessels had 
 the Buenos Ayrean flag and pennant flying — blue, 
 white, and blue, horizontally. 
 
 There were sentries along the beach ; one being 
 advanced near to where I stood, who, when I 
 made demonstrations of descending, very civilly 
 told me to heave about, and go back again. I 
 remonstrated, and said, c In the island of a friendly 
 power I saw no right that he, or any one else, 
 had to set bounds to my rambles.' 
 
 He said he knew naught about whose island 
 it was, but he knew what his orders were ; c so if 
 I ventured, he had eiven me fair warnino-.' 
 With this, he threw his musket across his body, 
 and slapped the side of it, to see that the priming 
 was all right. 
 
 * You are very obliging,' said I ; ' but pray, put 
 yourself to no inconvenience whatever on my 
 account, as I shall return.' And, like the thief in 
 the hen-roost, I did ' go back again.' 
 
 338
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 By sunset that night our repairs were finished, 
 and a message came from Captain Wallace, that 
 he expected we would weigh and be off at daylight 
 in the morning — a hint that we were right willing 
 to take, I assure you. 
 
 The bearer further said, that he was ordered to 
 leave a small blue and yellow flag, that we were 
 to hoist if we fell in with the Waterwraith, a 
 schooner-tender that he had cruising about the 
 island, which would prevent her from molesting 
 us. 
 
 ' Murder ! Are there three of them ! — ho, ho, 
 hoo ' — trundled out our friend, Toby Tooraloo. 
 
 When we tried to get the carpenter's crew to 
 take payment as they were leaving us, they said 
 they were positively forbidden to do so, and their 
 captain was not a man to be trifled with. 
 
 'Why, so it appears,' thought I. 
 
 Lennox was mute and melancholy, but we 
 could not better ourselves, so at length we retired 
 to rest. I could not sleep, however, so I was 
 soon on deck again, where I found both Lennox 
 and Tooraloo before me. 
 
 And now it was that a most striking and 
 inexplicable incident occurred. The voice of the 
 wilderness, every traveller knows, is many-toned 
 and various ; and how often have not mysterious 
 sounds broken on the ear of the solitary look-out 
 man, in the middle watch, for which he never 
 could account? On the midnight tossing of the 
 melancholy main, who has not fancied a ' voice 
 articulate ' in the hoarse murmur, and often wolf- 
 like howl, of the approaching wave ? But listen ! 
 
 4 Do you hear that, sir ? ' said Lennox to me, so 
 soon as I came on deck. I listened, and heard a 
 
 339
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 low moaning noise that came off the land, swelling 
 and dying away on the fitful gusts of the terrain 
 like the deepest tones of an iEolian harp. It sank 
 and sank, and was just melting away, and becom- 
 ing inaudible altogether, when it seemed to blend 
 into a ponderous and solemn sound, that floated 
 down to us on the fitful breeze, like the midnight 
 tolling of a deep-toned cathedral bell, or the 
 gradually increasing tremulous boom of a large 
 
 gong- 
 
 1 1 do,' said I, c and hark — is that a bell ? — no, 
 
 it cannot be, yet the sound is most like.' Again 
 
 we all listened eagerly. But the sound had ceased, 
 
 and we were about commencing our pendulum 
 
 walk on the confined deck, when once more it 
 
 came off, and, in the very strongest of the swell, 
 
 the same ringing sound swung three times over 
 
 us distinctly on the night air. ' Who struck the 
 
 bell there ? ' I sung out a good deal startled — no 
 
 answer — we all then passed forward ; there was no 
 
 one on deck — ' Very strange,' said I. ' What can it 
 
 be?' 
 
 c My dregy,' l said poor Lennox with a faint 
 laugh. 
 
 ' Davy Jones — Davy Jones — the devil — the devil 
 — the devil — hooro,hooro, hooro ! ' quoth Tooraloo. 
 
 Whatever it was, we heard neither sound again, 
 but they had scarcely ceased when a small glow- 
 worm coloured spark, precisely like the luminous 
 appearance of a piece of decayed fish, flitted about 
 the fore-top-gallant yard and royal-masthead, now 
 on the truck, now on either yardarm, like a bee 
 on the wing, during the time one might count 
 twenty, and then vanished. 
 
 1 Anglice, dirge. 
 340
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 4 And there goes his worship visibly ; why, the 
 air must be fearfully surcharged with electricity to 
 be sure,' said I, Benjie. We were all astonish- 
 ment — but the plot was only thickening. 
 
 c How loud and hollow the sound of the surf 
 is, Lennox ! ' I continued. c And I have never 
 seen such a strong phosphorescence of the sea as 
 to-night. Look there, the breakers on the reef 
 are like a ridge of pale fire. Why, here are a 
 whole bushelful of portents, more numerous than 
 those which preceded the death of Caesar, as I am 
 a gentleman.' 
 
 The Dominie did not relish this sort of talking, 
 I noticed. ' It may be no laughing matter to 
 some of us before all is done, sir.' 
 
 4 Pooh, nonsense ! But there may be bad 
 weather brewing, Master Lennox.' 
 
 4 Yes, sir,' responded the poor fellow, speaking 
 very fast, as if desirous of cloaking his weakness, 
 — 'yes, sir, we shall have a breeze soon, I fear.' 
 
 4 No doubt — no doubt.' 
 
 'There's a squall coming — there's a squall 
 coming ! — ho, ho, he,' rumbled Toby. 
 
 c Where — where ? ' 
 
 'There — right out there.' 
 
 ' Pooh, pooh, that 's the reef — the white breakers 
 — eh, what ? why, it moves, sure enough — it is 
 sliding across the mouth of the bay — there, whew ! ' 
 as a blue light was burned in the offing, disclosing 
 distinctly enough a small schooner standing in for 
 the land, under easy sail, plunging heavily, and 
 kicking up a curl of white foam on the black and 
 rapidly increasing swell. Presently all was dark 
 again, and a night-signal was made on board of her 
 with lanterns. 
 
 341
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 1 IVatirwraith, as sure as can be,' said I ; ' but 
 why does he bother with blue lights and signals ? 
 ^ ould it not be easier to send in a boat at once ? ' 
 
 1 Too much sea on — too much sea on," quoth 
 Tooraloo ; ' and no one would venture to thread 
 the reefs and run in in a night like this ; so he 
 has no way of communicating but bv signal.' 
 
 After a little we noticed the small white wreath 
 steal back again like a puff of vapour, and, cross- 
 ing the bav, vanish beyond the bluff opposite the 
 cocoanut-trees. 
 
 c There, she has said her sav, whatever that may 
 have been, and has hove about again, sure enough.' 
 
 "W e saw no more of her that night, and with 
 the earlv dawn we were once more under weigh, 
 sliding gently out of the small haven. 
 
 I am sure I could not tell how the little beauty 
 slipt along so speedily, for the collapsed sails were 
 hanging wet and wrinkled from the spars, so light 
 was the air ; and as we began to draw out into the 
 offing, and to feel the heave of the swell, the 
 motion of the vessel made them speak and flutter, 
 the water dashing down in showers at every 
 rumbling flap of the soaked and clouded canvas. 
 
 The night had been throughout verv hot and 
 sultrv, the skv as dark as pitch, and now the day 
 broke verv loweringlv. Thick masses of heavy 
 clouds rolled in from the offing, whirling overhead 
 like the smoke from a steamer's chimnev-stack. 
 It lightened in the south-east now and then, and 
 as we drew out from the land the distant grumble 
 of the thunder blended hoarselv with the increas- 
 ing noise of the surf, as the swell, at one time, 
 surged howling up the cavernous indentations on 
 the ironbound coast, ebbing with a loud shoaling 
 
 342"
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 rush, like a rapid river over shallows ; at another, 
 pitched in sullen thuds against the rocks, and 
 reverberated from their iron ribs with a deafening 
 roar, that made air and sea tremble again. As we 
 got out of the bay the growling of the sea in- 
 creased, and came more hollow, the noise being 
 reflected from the land in sounding echoes. 
 
 Close to, the waves rolled on in long sluggish 
 undulations, in colour and apparent consistency as 
 if they had been molten lead — the very divers that 
 we disturbed on their dull grey surface ran along, 
 leaving dotted trails, as if it had been semi-fluid, or 
 as if some peculiarity in the atmosphere had ren- 
 dered them unable to raise themselves into the 
 murky air. 
 
 Shoals of sea-mews and other waterfowl were 
 floating lightly, and twinkling with their white 
 wings in the cold grey dawning, as we crept 
 through amongst them and disturbed them, like 
 clusters of feathers scattered on the glass-like 
 heaving of the dark water, afraid, apparently, to 
 leave the vicinity of the land ; every now and then 
 the different groups would take up in succession a 
 loud screaming, like a running fire passing along 
 the line, when all would be still again. Birds that 
 hovered between an English martin and Mother 
 Carey's chickens in appearance kept dipping and 
 rising and circling all round us, and the steady- 
 flying pelican skimmed close to the tops of the 
 swell, on poised and motionless wing, as straight 
 as a point-blank cannon-shot ; while a shoal of por- 
 poises were dappling the surface to windward with 
 their wheel-like gambols. 
 
 ' What the deuce makes the fish jump so this 
 morning ? ' said I to Lennox, as several dolphins 
 
 343
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 sprang into the air ahead of the Moonbeam. 
 c What is that ? ' — a puff of white vapour, with a 
 noise for all the world like a blast of steam, rose 
 close to us. 
 
 4 The blowing of a whale, sir ; ' and immediately 
 thereafter the back of the monster, like a black 
 reef, or the bottom of a capsized launch, was hove 
 out of the water, and then disappeared slowly with 
 a strong eddy, his subaqueous track being indicated 
 on the surface by a long line of bubbles and swirl- 
 ing ripples, like the wake of a ship cleaving the 
 water rapidly, always growing stronger and more 
 perceptible as he neared the surface to breathe again. 
 
 ' Ah ! that accounts for it ; there again he rises.' 
 
 c Yes,' rejoined he ; c but see how he shoves out 
 into the offing, although the shoals he is after are 
 running in shore. As sure as a gun, he is con- 
 scious of the danger of being embayed if the 
 weather becomes what I fear it will be soon.' 
 
 ' Lots of indications that a close-reefed top-sail 
 breeze, at all events, is not a thousand miles off, 
 Master Lennox,' said I. 
 
 Out at sea, the swell tumbled most tumultu- 
 ously, the outline of the billows seen with startling 
 clearness by the flashes of lightning on the verge 
 of the horizon ; while nearer at hand the waves 
 began to break in white foam, and roll towards us 
 with hoarse and increasing growls, although the 
 light air that was drifting us out came off the land, 
 and consequently blew in the precisely contrary 
 direction from whence the swell was proceeding. 
 Threatening as the weather looked, right off the 
 cocoa-nut trees at the point, we perceived a boat, 
 rising and disappearing on the ridges and in the 
 hollows of the sea like a black buoy. 
 
 344
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 'So — an ominous-looking morning, Toby. 
 Still, our friends of the blue, white, and blue 
 bunting are determined to see us fairly off, it 
 seems, for there is their boat watching us till the 
 last, you see.' 
 
 'So I perceive, sir,' said the skipper; 'but if it 
 were not for their neighbourhood, Mr. Brail, I 
 would have recommended Mr. Lennox to stay 
 where he was until the weather cleared ; but there 
 is no help for it now.' 
 
 The morning wore on. We were now sliding 
 along shore about a mile from the beach, and our 
 view down to the westward, as we approached 
 the southernmost point of the island, began to 
 open. 
 
 The higher part of the land was quite clear — 
 the outline, indeed, dangerously distinct and near- 
 like according to my conception ; but the white 
 clouds that floated over it when we first started, 
 like a sea of wool, and which usually rise and ex- 
 hale under the morning sun, had in the present 
 case rolled off to the southward, and lay heaped up 
 in well-defined masses, like the smoke of an 
 engagement floating sluggishly in the thunder- 
 calmed air, close to the surface of the water. 
 
 I was admiring this uncommon appearance, not 
 without some awkward forebodings, when a flaw 
 of wind off the land rent the veil in the middle, or 
 rather opened an arch in it, at the end of whose 
 gloomy vista rose the island as a dark background, 
 and suddenly disclosed a small schooner lying to, 
 so clear and model-like under the canopy of vapour 
 that I can compare it to nothing more aptly than a 
 sea-scene in a theatre. 
 
 ' Hillo ! ' said I, 'what vessel is that down to 
 
 345
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 leeward there ? It must be our friend of last night, 
 I take it. Hand me up the glass, if you please.' 
 
 4 Where 's the small flag — where "s the small 
 flag ? ' sung out Toby. 
 
 ' Here, sir,' said Chip, the negro, as he bent it 
 on to the signal haulyards. 
 
 1 Then hoist away,' rejoined Tooraloo. ' That 
 is the Waterwraith^ down to leeward, sir, to a 
 certainty.' 
 
 c Sure enough,' I replied. c I hope he will let 
 us go without overhauling us. I am not at all 
 amorous of the society of those gentry — quite 
 enough of it in the bay yonder, Toby.' 
 
 The moment she saw us, she made sail towards 
 us, but hove about so soon as she saw the signal, 
 which she answered with a similar flag, and then 
 stood in for the land again. 
 
 In a minute, the mist once more boiled over her, 
 and she disappeared. 
 
 It crept slowly on towards where we lay, for it 
 was again nearly calm, although the threatening 
 appearances in the sky and on the water continued 
 to deepen, and was just reaching us, when we 
 heard a cannon-shot from the thickest of it. 
 c Heyday — what does that indicate, Lennox ? ' 
 'Some signal to the other villains in the cove, 
 sir' — an d then, in a low tone as he turned away — 
 l but to me it sounds like a knell.' 
 
 Another gun — another — and another — ' Some 
 fun going on there at all events,' said I. 
 
 The breeze now freshened, and the fog-bank 
 blew off and vanished ; when lo ! our spectral 
 friend the Waterwraith re-appeared, but on the 
 other tack this time, about two miles to the west- 
 ward of us, with a large schooner, that had hitherto 
 
 346
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 been also concealed by the fog, sticking in his 
 skirts, and blazing away at him. In ten minutes 
 they both tacked again. They had now the regu- 
 lar sea breeze strong from the eastward, and were 
 close-hauled, under all the sail they could carry, on 
 the starboard tack. 
 
 c Confound it,' said Lennox, who was now 
 beside me, 'we seem to have dropped into a nest 
 of them — it will be another privateer.' 
 
 1 Then why is she firing at the small one ? ' 
 said I. 
 
 £ Oh, some make-believe manoeuvre,' said he. 
 But I had taken a long look, and was by no 
 means of this opinion. The smallest vessel, the 
 schooner we had first seen, would evidently go far 
 to windward of us, but the larger was right in our 
 track ; so avoiding her, if we stood on as we were 
 doing, was out of the question. 
 
 ' However, better take our chance with this chap 
 out here, than run back into the lion's mouth,' 
 said I. 
 
 So we kept on our course, having now got the 
 breeze also, and steering large, so as to go ahead 
 of the biggest of the two, unless he stood away to 
 intercept us. We were beginning to get over our 
 fears, and to think he was going to take no notice 
 of us after all, and had brought him end on, when 
 a flash spurted from his bows, and a swirl of white 
 smoke rolled down to leeward. 
 
 ' He has fired at us,' said I, as the shot hopped 
 along the water close to us. 
 
 'Then hoist away our colours,' said Lennox; 
 1 let us know the worst of it at once.' 
 
 The next shot pitched over the lee quarter, and 
 knocked one of our hencoops to pieces, unex- 
 
 347
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 pectedly liberating the feathered prisoners. Toby's 
 lingo — for he was now in an ecstasy of fear — be- 
 came very amusing. ' Now, men, rouse aft the 
 foresheet, and do some of you catch that duck. 
 Clap on the topsail haulyards — mind the capon — 
 topgallant and royal haulyards also — bless me, the 
 turkey is overboard — why, that royal is all aback 
 — chickens — topgallant-sail is not set at all — both 
 geese — now a small pull of the boomsheet. You 
 blood of a black — female dog ' — to Chip, the 
 negro carpenter — ' peak purchase ; belay all that — 
 murder ! if both the Guinea birds are not over into 
 the sea.' 
 
 ' Ha ! ' said I, ' I thought so — there goes the 
 blue ensign and pennant. He is a man-of-war, 
 thank Heaven ! ' 
 
 4 Heave to, captain,' cried Lennox. 
 
 But just as we had shortened sail preparatory 
 thereto, the schooner ranged alongside, and with- 
 out a word spoken fired a broadside of round and 
 grape slap into us, whereby Lennox himself and 
 other two poor devils were wounded, and our 
 rigging considerably cut up. 
 
 1 That's the Spider for a thousand,' said I ; l but 
 what the deuce can he mean by firing at us ? ' 
 
 £ I can't tell, but I don't think it is the Spider^ 
 sir,' said Lennox, * so haul in the sheets, and keep 
 by the wind again, captain—quick man, quick.' 
 And away we staggered once more, running in 
 for San Andreas on a bow line as fast as we could 
 split ; but the large schooner stuck close at our heels, 
 firing away like fury, while the little Waterwraith 
 promptly availed himself of this interlude, by tack- 
 ing, and standing off the land again. 
 
 c Why, Tobv, you and your owner are both 
 
 348
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 mad — what better of it will you make by running 
 back.' 
 
 Lennox had gone below to have his arm bound 
 up by this time. 
 
 'You would not have us tack, and get another 
 broadside, sir ? Besides, look at the weather, sir, 
 even putting the schooner out of the question,' 
 said Tooraloo. 
 
 c Ah, as to the weather, there indeed you have 
 some reason.' 
 
 Toby saw his advantage. c Surely you would 
 not have us keep the sea in such a threatening 
 morning, even without such company, sir ? ' 
 
 The prudence of this was becoming every 
 moment more evident, as the dark waves were 
 now breaking all round us, and the water was 
 roughening and whitening to windward ; it was 
 clear we should have a sneezer before long. 
 
 Thanks to our excellent sailing, we gradually 
 dropped the schooner, until we were out of gun- 
 shot — we were presently up with the island, and 
 ran in, and once more came-to in our old corner ; 
 but the man-of-war kept in the offing, apparently 
 to reconnoitre. We found a privateer's boat at 
 our old anchorage, most like the one that had seen 
 us off in the morning. It was coming out with 
 Adderfang himself in it — all his gay dress thrown 
 aside — he had neither hat nor cap on, nor shoes, 
 but wore a simple blue shirt, and canvas trousers ; 
 the former open at the breast, disclosing his mus- 
 cular and hairy chest, and with the sleeves rolled 
 up to his armpits. He was covered with dust and 
 perspiration, and had evidently been toiling fiercely 
 at something or other with his own hands. He 
 was armed to the teeth, as were his boat's crew. 
 
 349
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 4 What brings you back, Mr. Brail ? ' said he, 
 his brows knit, his eyes flashing fire, his face pale 
 as death, and his lips blue and trembling, evidently 
 in a paroxysm of the most savage fury ; ' what 
 brings you back ? and what vessel is that astern of 
 you ? No concealment, sir ; I am not in a mood 
 to trifle.' 
 
 'She is a man-of-war, captain,' at this critical 
 juncture sung out the tall, sallow man who had been 
 in command of the boat on the previous day, from 
 the top of the cliffs, where he had perched himself 
 like an ugly cormorant, with a glass in his hand. 
 
 ' I thought so,' said the pirate with great bitter- 
 ness ; ' I thought so. Fool ! to believe that any- 
 thing but treachery was to come from that whelp ! 
 Walpole — here, men, lend me a hand.' 
 
 And before we could interfere, he was on board, 
 with four desperadoes as powerful almost as himself. 
 I had never witnessed such devilish ferocity before 
 in any animal, human or inhuman, except in his 
 worship's dog, who was jumping and foaming 
 about the deck as if he had been possessed by a 
 kindred devil, or had been suffering under hydro- 
 phobia ; only waiting apparently for the holding 
 up of his master's little finger to lunch on Toby 
 Tooraloo, or breakfast on me, Benjie. 
 
 4 Here, Matamoro, here,' roared our amigo^ 
 indicating the companion to this beautiful pet, 
 who thereupon glanced down it like a ferret after 
 a rat ; and from the noise below it was clear he 
 had attacked Lennox. Adderfang and two of his 
 men instantly followed, and presently the poor 
 dominie, bleeding from his recent wound, and torn 
 by the dog in the shoulder, was dragged up the 
 ladder, like a carcass in the shambles, bound hand 
 
 350
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 and foot, and hove bodily into the boat. I was 
 petrified with ho r ror. The poor fellow, in the 
 midst of all the misery of this his closing scene, 
 gave me one parting look as he passed — one last 
 concentrated look of the most intense woe. 1 
 never shall forget the expression : it seemed to say, 
 a thousand times more forcibly than language 
 could have expressed — ' Do you believe what I 
 told you at Havanna to have been a dream now^ 
 Mr. Brail?' 
 
 The next moment he cried aloud and implor- 
 ingly to the demon in human shape, into whose 
 power he had indeed, against all probability, fallen, 
 1 Where are you going to take me, Mr. Adder- 
 fang ? ' The only answer he gave him was a 
 brutal kick on the mouth. c I have had no com- 
 munication with the schooner in the offing. 
 Don't you see I am wounded by her shot ? I 
 have had another blow. Mind what you do, or 
 you shall repent this,' cried the poor fellow again 
 as they dragged him along. 
 
 1 Let him go,' I sung out, as they were about 
 shoving off. ' Men, stand by me. Release him, 
 you murdering villain ! Where would you take 
 him to, you buccaneering scoundrel ? ' 
 
 'To hell ! — and mind you don't keep him com- 
 pany — to meet the fate of a spy ! one that has 
 brought an enemy on me, when I was willing to 
 have forgotten and forgiven. Let go the painter, 
 sir — let go, I say.' 
 
 And he made a blow with his cutlass, that 
 missed me but severed the rope ; and as if the 
 action had lashed him into uncontrollable rage, he 
 instantly drew a pistol, and fired it at my head. 
 The bullet flew wide of its mark, however, but 
 
 35i
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 down dropped Toby Tooraloo ; while Adderfang 
 shouted, — 
 
 1 Shove off, men — give way for your lives — pull.' 
 
 And in a twinkling the boat disappeared behind 
 the small cocoa-nut tree point. 
 
 4 Good God, sir,' said Toby, lying flat on his 
 back, where I thought he had been shot, ' what is 
 to be done ? They will murder Mr. Lennox.' 
 
 c Very like ; but I thought you were killed your- 
 self, Toby.' 
 
 4 No, sir — no, sir — only knocked down by the 
 wind of the shot, sir — wind of the shot, sir — ho, 
 ho, hoo ! ' 
 
 4 Wind of a pistol bullet no bigger than a pea ? 
 For shame, Toby ! — fright, man, fright.' 
 
 But we had no time for reflection ; for the 
 schooner was now right off the mouth of the small 
 bay, apparently clear for action. She was a man- 
 of-war, beyond all question ; and I was still con- 
 vinced she was the Spider. Presently she hauled 
 round the cocoa-nut covered cape, and took up a 
 position, so far as I could judge, opposite the 
 mouth of the creek. Oh, what would I not have 
 given to have been on board of her ! But this 
 was impossible. 
 
 The blue and yellow private signal that Adder- 
 fang had sent us, and which had been kept flying 
 until this moment, was now hauled down close 
 past my nose. 
 
 1 Spider ! — to be sure that is the Spider; and no 
 wonder she should have peppered us so beautifully, 
 Master Toby, with such a voucher for our honesty 
 aloft ; with this same accursed signal flying, that 
 she had seen the JVaterwraith hoist. There ! the 
 murder is out ; what conclusion could De Walden 
 
 352
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 have come to, but that we were birds of a 
 feather ? ' 
 
 * Ay, ay — true enough — hooro ! hooro ! horoo ! ' 
 rumbled Tobias, sweating like a pig with down- 
 right fear. 
 
 Tooraloo and I now hurried ashore in the boat, 
 without well knowing what to do, and ran to the 
 ridge to see, if possible, what became of Lennox. 
 The boat wherein he was sheered for a moment 
 alongside the schooner, the Mosca, apparently 
 giving orders, and then pulled directly for the 
 Midge, where the people got out, dragging poor 
 Lennox along with them. 
 
 1 Heaven have mercy on us ! ' I exclaimed, 
 shuddering. c What can they be going to do with 
 the poor fellow ? 1 
 
 I was not long in doubt ; for the moment they 
 got on the deck, the barbarians cast him head- 
 long down the main hatchway, which was im- 
 mediately battened down, and then hoisted in the 
 boat. 
 
 The crew of the schooner below me, whose 
 deck, as already described, was hid by the high 
 bank, were now busy, I could hear, in clearing for 
 action ; and several of them were piling up large 
 stones, and making fast hawsers from her mast- 
 heads to trees at the top of the cliff near where I 
 stood ; that, in the event of her being carried 
 below, it should be impossible to tow her out, — 
 while the stones would prove formidable missiles 
 when launched from above. I also perceived a 
 boat at the foam-fringed sandy spit opposite the 
 cocoa-nut trees, that formed one side of the narrow 
 entrance, whose crew were filling bags with sand, 
 and forming a small battery, with embrasures, for 
 
 vol. ii. 353 z
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 two carronades, that had been already landed, and 
 lay like two black seeds on the white beach. 
 
 The Spider had by this time tacked, and stood 
 out to sea again, apparently astonished at the 
 extent of the preparations to receive her. After a 
 brief space, she hove about, and in the very middle 
 and thickest of a squall, accompanied by heavy 
 thunder and vivid lightning, dashed gallantly into 
 the harbour ; but just as she came abreast of the 
 battery, she took the ground. She had tailed on 
 the bank, and hung. Her masts in a moment flew 
 forward, and bent as if they would have gone over the 
 bows, the rigging and canvas shaking and flapping 
 convulsively ; but the sound spars instantly re- 
 covered their upright position with a violent jerk 
 that made everything rattle again, like the recoil of 
 two tough yew-staves when the bowstrings snap. 
 
 ' Now, Master Henry, you are in for it,' 
 thought I. 
 
 This was the signal for the battery to open ; but 
 the grape from the Spider soon silenced it. How- 
 ever, the broadside of the schooner beneath me 
 was raking her with terrible effect I could see, 
 while they were unable to get a single gun to bear. 
 At length, by lightening her aft, her broadside was 
 got round, so as to return the fire ; and now the 
 hellish uproar began in earnest. For several 
 minutes the smoke, that rose boiling amongst the 
 trees at the top of the clifF, concealed all below. I 
 could neither see nor hear anything but the glanc- 
 ing spouts of red flame, and thunder of the cannon, 
 the bright sparkles and sharp rattle of the small 
 arms, blending with the yelling and shouting of the 
 combatants ; but the clearing away of the next 
 squall made everything once more comparatively 
 
 354
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 clear. The battery, I perceived, was again manned, 
 and galling the Spider most awfully ; but just as I 
 looked, a boat's crew from her stormed it, driving 
 those who manned it along the sand-bank towards 
 where the Midge lay, and then, having spiked the 
 guns, returned on board. The freshening breeze 
 now forced the Spider over the shoal, and she 
 entered the creek, giving the Midge a broadside 
 in passing, in the hope of disabling her, so as to 
 leave nothing to cope with but the Mosca ; but the 
 sting was not to be so easily taken out of the little 
 vixen. Presently the Spider anchored by the stern, 
 within pistol-shot of the schooner, right athwart 
 his bows, and began to blaze away again. 
 
 The cheers from her increased, and the shouts 
 of the pirates subsided ; but the felucca, which had 
 slipped on being fired at, and warped out between 
 the Spider and the mouth of the cove, now dropped 
 anchor again, with a spring on her cable, and from 
 this vantage ground began to dash broadside after 
 broadside of round and grape right into her antago- 
 nist's stern — enfilading her most fearfully. 
 
 I could make nothing out of what was going on 
 all this time on the Spider's deck ; for although I 
 now and then caught a glimpse of it during the 
 moments when the strength of the gale cleared away 
 the smoke, and could dimly discern the turmoil of 
 fighting men, and the usual confusion of a ship's 
 deck during a hot engagement, yet the moment 
 my optics began to individualise, as Jonathan says, 
 the next discharge would whirl its feathery wreaths 
 aloft, and hide everything again half way up the 
 masts, that stood out like two blasted pines piercing 
 the mountain mists. 
 
 Hillo ! my eyes deceive me, or DOWN goes 
 
 355
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 the blue ensign on board of the Spider ! ! ! So fare 
 thee well, Henry de Walden ; well I wot, my 
 noble boy, you have not lived to see it. Strike to 
 pirates ! — No ! No ! How could I be such a fool ? 
 — it is but the peak haulyards that are shot away, 
 and there goes a gallant fellow aloft to reeve or 
 splice them again, amidst a storm of round and 
 grape, and musket-balls. He cannot manage it, 
 nor can the gaff be lowered, for something jams 
 about the throat haulyards, which he struggles in 
 vain to overhaul — then lets it stick ; for now he 
 slides down the drooping spar to knot the peak 
 haulyards ; there — look how he sways about, as the 
 gaff is violently shaken by the flapping of the 
 loosened sail, for both vangs and brails are gone — 
 mind you are not jerked overboard, my fine fellow 
 — murder ! he drops like lead into the pall of 
 smoke beneath, shot dead by the enemy's marks- 
 men. Another tries it — better luck this time, for 
 he reaches the gaff-end, and there the peak rises 
 slowly but steadily into the air once more, the 
 ensign flashing out of the smoke that had concealed 
 it, like the blue lightning from a thundercloud, and 
 once more streaming gallantly in the wind. 
 Whew ! the unfortunate bunting clips into it again 
 to leeward, vanishing like a dark-winged sea-bird 
 dipping into a fogbank, the ensign haulyards are 
 shot away — worse and more of it — down goes the 
 maintopmast next, royal mast, pennant, and all ; 
 snapped off by a cannon ball as clean as a fishing- 
 rod — no fun in all this, anyhow. Well done, my 
 small man — a wee middy, in the very nick, emerges 
 from the sulphureous cloud below, with a red 
 ensign, to replace the blue one, fluttering and 
 flaming around him, as if he were on fire. He 
 
 356
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 clambers up the main-rigging, and seizes the 
 meteor there — seizes ! nay, he nails it to the mast. 
 He descends again, and disappears, leaving the flag 
 flaring in the storm from the masthead, as if the 
 latter had been a blazing torch. 
 
 I began now seriously to fear that De Walden 
 was getting too much of it between the Midge and 
 the schooner, when I saw fire and thick smoke rise 
 up near me, as if bursting from the afterpart of the 
 latter vessel ; and, at the moment, the increasing 
 gale broke the Spider's spring, that a shift of wind 
 had also compelled her to use, to keep her in her 
 station, — so that, from being athwart his hawse, 
 she now swung with her bows slantingly towards 
 her opponent's broadside, and lay thus for some 
 time again terribly galled by a heavy raking fire, 
 until the men in the Mosca were literally scorched 
 from their guns by the spreading flames. 
 
 I could now see that the pirate crew were leaving 
 her, so I slipped down near the edge of the cliff, to 
 have a better view of what was going on beneath, but 
 keeping as much out of the line of fire as possible. 
 
 The schooner's hull was by this time enveloped 
 in smoke and waving red flames, and her fire 
 silenced, while the Spider, taking advantage of the 
 lull, was peppering the little Midge, who was 
 returning the compliment manfully, her broadside, 
 from the parting of the warp, being by this time 
 opposed to hers. 
 
 The crew of the Mosca now abandoned her in 
 two boats, one of which succeeded in reaching the 
 Midge, while the other made for the shore on the 
 opposite side of the creek. 
 
 Seeing me on the ridge, the rogues in the latter 
 stopped and faced about. 
 
 357
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 ' Heaven and earth ! what is that ? ' I was cast 
 down sprawling on my back. 
 
 ' What dat is — what dat is, do massa say ? ' 
 quoth honest Quacco's voice at this juncture. 
 'Massa no was shee one whole platoon fire at him? 
 If massa will keep walloping his arms about like 
 one breezemill, and make grimace, and twist him 
 body dis side and dat side, like one monkey — 
 baboon you call — and do all sort of foolis ting for 
 make dem notice him, massa mos not be sorprised 
 if dey soot at him. -1 And true enough, in the 
 intensity of my excitement, the strong working of 
 my spirit had moved my outward man as violently 
 as that of a Johnny Raw witnessing his first prize- 
 fight. If my contortions were of any kindred to 
 those the sable sergeant illustrated his speech by, 
 I must have made rather an amusing exhibition. 
 'Look, if two of dem bullet no tell in de tree here, 
 just where massa was stand up, when I was take 
 de liberty of pull him down on him battam. Beg 
 pardon for name soch unpoliteful place before 
 massa.' 
 
 'Thanks, trusty armourer,' cried I, Benjie. 
 But the gale, that now 'aside the shroud of battle 
 cast,' blowing almost a hurricane, again veered 
 round a little, and the Midge was under weigh, 
 near the mouth of the creek, standing out to sea. 
 
 The weather was, indeed, getting rapidly worse; 
 the screaming sea-birds flew in, like drifts of snow, 
 scarcely distinguishable from the driving foamflakes. 
 The scud came past in soaking wreaths, like flashes 
 of white vapour from the safety-valve of a steam- 
 boiler. Suddenly the wind fell to a dead calm ; 
 not a breath fanned us; not a leaf stirred; the rain 
 drops glittered on the pale-green velvet of the 
 
 358
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 ragged, and ever-twittering, but now motionless 
 leaves of the plantain, like silver globules frozen 
 there ; the reports of the guns grew sharper in the 
 lull, the cries shriller, and the general tumult and 
 uproar of the conflict swelled fearfully ; while the 
 white smoke rose up, shrouding the vessels and 
 entire cove from my sight. 
 
 The clouds, surcharged with fire and water, 
 formed a leaden-coloured arch over the entrance 
 to the cove, that spanned the uproar of dark white- 
 crested waves, boiling and rolling in smoky wreaths, 
 and lancing out ragged shreds from their lower 
 edges, that "shot down and shortened like a fringe 
 of streamers, from which the forked lightning 
 crankled out every now and then clear and bright. 
 
 To the right hand, directly over the cocoa-nut 
 trees, these fibres, or shreds of clouds, were in the 
 most active motion, and began to twirl and whisk 
 round into a spinning black tube, shaped like the 
 trunk of an elephant, the widest end blending into 
 the thickest of the arch above, while the lower 
 swayed about, with an irregular but ponderous 
 oscillation, lengthening and stretching towards the 
 trees, one moment in a dense column, as if they 
 had attracted it, and the next contracting with the 
 speed of light, as if it had as suddenly been repelled 
 by them, leaving only a transparent phantom-like 
 track of dark shreds in the air, to show where it 
 had shrunk from. There, it lengthens again, as if 
 it once more felt an affinity for the sharp spiculae 
 of the leaves, that seem to erect themselves to meet 
 it. It almost touched them — flash — the electric 
 fluid sparked out and up, either from the cocoa- 
 nut trees themselves, or through them as con- 
 ductors from the sandy spit on which they grew. 
 
 359
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 I saw it distinctly, but the next moment the pent 
 gale, as if it had burst some invisible barrier that 
 confined it, gushed down as suddenly as it had 
 taken off, and stronger than before. I was blinded 
 and almost suffocated by the heaviest shower ever 
 dashed by wind in the face of mortal man — the 
 debris^ so to speak, of the vanished waterspout. I 
 can compare it to nothing but being exposed to the 
 jet of a fire-engine. 
 
 A column of dense black smoke, thickly starred 
 with red sparks, now boiled up past the edge of 
 the cliff under me. Presently it became streaked 
 with tongues of bright hissing flame, which ran up 
 the rigging, diverging along every rope as if it had 
 been a galvanic wire, twisting, serpent-like, round 
 the Mosca's masts and higher spars, and licking the 
 wet furled sails like boa-constrictors fitting their 
 prey to be devoured. See how the fire insinuates 
 itself into the dry creases of the canvas, driving out 
 the moisture from the massive folds in white steam. 
 Now the sails catch in earnest ; they drop in glow- 
 ing flakes of tinder from the yards. There the 
 blue and white pennant and ensign are scorched 
 away, and blow off in tiny flashes, while, in the lulls 
 of the gale, we distinctly hear the roaring and 
 crackling of the fire, as it rages in the hull of the 
 doomed vessel below. 
 
 4 1 say, Quacco, mind we don't get a hoist, my 
 man. See we be not too near. There, don't you 
 hear how the guns go off as the metal gets heated, 
 for there is not a soul on board.' 
 
 ' Oh dear ! oh dear ! see that poor little fellow, 
 sir — ho, ho, ho ! ' rumbled Tobias Tooraloo, who 
 all this time was lying flat on his stomach beside 
 me, with his head a little raised, turtle-fashion. A 
 
 360
 
 THE BREAKING WAVE 
 
 poor boy belonging to the pirate schooner had been 
 caught and cut off by the fire when aloft, and was 
 now standing on the head of the mainmast with 
 one arm round the topmast, and waving his cap in 
 the most beseeching manner at us with the other 
 hand. The rising smoke seemed to be stifling 
 him, at least we could not hear his cries. At 
 length the fire reached him, when, after several 
 abortive attempts to climb higher up, he became 
 confused, and slung himself by a rope to the mast- 
 head, without seeming to know what he was about. 
 He then gradually drooped and drooped, the con- 
 vulsive action of his head and limbs becoming more 
 and more feeble. Merciful Providence ! the flames 
 reach him. His hair is on fire, and his clothes. 
 A last, strong, and sudden struggle for an instant, 
 and then he hung motionless across the rope, like 
 a smirched and half-burned fleece. 
 
 It never rains but it pours. i Hark ! an earth- 
 quake ! ' and, as if a volcano had burst forth beneath 
 our feet, at this instant of time the pirate schooner 
 under the cliff" blew up with an explosion that 
 shook earth, air, and water, shooting the pieces 
 of burning wreck in every direction, that hissed 
 like meteors through the storm, and fell thickly all 
 around us. 
 
 The Mldge^ the Midge! She slides out of the 
 smoke ! See ! she gains the offing. 
 
 But the Avenger of Blood is behind, for the 
 Spider had now cleared the harbour's mouth, and 
 was in hot pursuit ; the felucca with her sails — 
 a whole constellation of shot-holes in them — double 
 reefed, tearing and plunging through it, her sharp 
 stem flashing up the water into smoke in a vain 
 attempt to weather the sandy point. 
 
 361
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 1 Won't do, my boy ; you cannot, carry to it as 
 you will, clear the land as you are standing ; you 
 must tack soon, unless you mean to jump the little 
 beauty over it.' As I spoke, she hove about and 
 stood across the schooner, exchanging broadsides • 
 gallantly. ' Well done, little one.' The Spider 
 tacked also, and stood after her. A gun! another! 
 both replied to by the felucca, the musketry pepper- 
 ing away all the while from each vessel, the tiny 
 white puffs instantly obliterated by the foam-drift, 
 and now neither fired a shot. 
 
 The gale at this moment came down in thunder; 
 all above as black as night, all below as white as 
 wool. The Spider shortens sail just in time. The 
 Midge not a pistol-shot ahead on the weatherbow. 
 See, the squall strikes her. Her tall lateen sail 
 shines through the more than twilight darkness 
 and the driving rain and spray, like a sea-bird^ 
 wing. Mercy ! how she lies over ! She sinks 
 in the trough of the sea ! Now she rises again, 
 and breasts it gallantly ! There, that 's over her 
 bodily ; her sails are dark, and sea-washed three 
 parts up. Look ! how the clear green water, 
 as she lurches, pours out of the afterleitch of 
 the sail like a cascade ! Now ! she is buried 
 again. No ! buoyant as cork, she dances over 
 it like a wild duck. See ! how she tips up her 
 round stern, and slides down the liquid hollow. 
 Once more she catches the breeze on the opposite 
 rise of the sea, her sails tearing her along up the 
 watery acclivity, as if they would drag the spars 
 out of her. Now she rushes on the curl of the 
 wave, with her bows and a third of her keel hove 
 out into the air, as if she were going to shoot 
 across like a flying-fish, into the swelling bosom of 
 
 362
 
 ■VJJ^ni: • 
 
 LAST FIGHT OF THE MIDGE
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 the next sea. Once more she is hove on her beam 
 ends, and hid by an intervening billow. Ha ! — 
 what a blinding flash, as the blue forked lightning 
 glances from sky to sea, right over where I saw 
 her last. Hark ! the splitting crash and stunning 
 reverberations of the shaking thunder, rolling 
 through the empyrean, loud as an archangel's voice, 
 until earth and air trembled again. She rights ! 
 she rights ! There ! the narrow shred of white 
 canvas gleams again through the mist, in the very 
 fiercest of the squall. Yes, there ! — no ! — God of 
 my fathers ! 
 
 IT IS BUT A BREAKING WAVE ! 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 ' For now I stand as one upon a rock, 
 Environed with a wilderness of sea ; 
 Who marks die waxing tide grow wave by wave, 
 Expecting ever when some envious surge 
 Will in his brinish bowels swallow him.' 
 
 — Titus Andronicus. 
 
 It was half-past nine in the morning — De Walden 
 and I were seated on the cliff where I had been 
 shot at the day before. The only indications of 
 the spent storm were a line of froth, intermixed 
 with large quantities of wreck and driftwood, on 
 the beach, far above high-water mark ; branches of 
 trees strewed here and there with their yesterday 
 bright green leaves, now sun-withered, and as red 
 and sere as if they had lain a winter on the ground ; 
 and overhead a clear, cool, luxurious air and sky. 
 The hillsides had even become perceptibly greener 
 
 3 6 3
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 in one night's time — in short, Dame Nature had 
 got her face well washed, and everything was 
 clean, and fresh, and shining. The sea-breeze 
 was roughening the water in the offing, but in the 
 cove, on which we looked down, all was as yet as 
 smooth as glass. The undulations flowing towards 
 the harbour's mouth, occasioned by what I would 
 call the echo of the ground-swell, or the reverbera- 
 tion of the send of the sea from the rocky beach, 
 were scarcely perceptible, except from the varying 
 shadows of the banks and grey clouds, as the plane 
 from which they were reflected was gently bent by 
 the rise and fall of the water. The whole creek 
 was sprinkled throughout its calm surface by 
 masses of floating wreck from the Mosca^ that 
 sparkled with the motion of the water, slight as it 
 was, in the slanting rays of the morning sun : while 
 out to windward, near the entrance, there was a 
 blue ripple on the sea right in his wake, that pre- 
 vented us seeing distinctly what it was, but which 
 I guessed to proceed from the rushing of fish at 
 some object on which they were feeding. As the 
 sun rose, the dazzle hauled further off, and we then 
 could plainly see three immense green-skinned 
 sharks tearing at the floating body of a seaman ; 
 every now and then one of them would seize a 
 limb and drag the carcass a fathom or so under 
 water — when the second would make a rush, and 
 seize another limb, and there would the dead body 
 appear suspended between them, as if it had been 
 standing on its feet and alive ; the jaugle of the 
 water giving the limbs the appearance of struggling. 
 Then again the third shark, like a dog walking off 
 with a bone from two others who were quarrelling 
 about it, would seize the trunk and, back-backing, 
 
 3 6 4
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 forcibly drag it away from the others, and make 
 sail with it across his jaws into the silvery glare, 
 pursued by his mates, when the whole would once 
 more disappear. 
 
 Their whereabouts, however, was still distinctly 
 marked by the wheeling of half a dozen pelicans ; 
 an individual bird dropping every now and then 
 into the water with a splash, while the lighter gulls 
 and sea-mews were glancing about in all directions, 
 whistling shrill, and twinkling with their light 
 wings like silver butterflies in the distance, as they 
 pounced on the fragments that were disengaged by 
 the teeth of the monsters in the water. 
 
 Several vultures, the large carrion crows for- 
 merly described, were perched on the neighbouring 
 trees, or stalking along the beach, on the look-out 
 for any waifs that might be cast ashore, as their 
 perquisites. 
 
 Sentries were placed along the hill-side, with 
 their arms glancing in the sun, to give notice of 
 the approach of any of the crew of the Mosca that 
 might have escaped and taken to the woods, should 
 they have the hardihood to attack any stray Spider 
 crawling about on shore. His Majesty's schooner 
 was at anchor beneath us, right in the centre of the 
 cove, with her sails loose to dry and her blue 
 ensign and pennant hoisted, but there was not a 
 breath of wind to stir either. 
 
 There were several lines of clothes stretched 
 from different parts of the rigging, some of the 
 garments deeply saturated with blood. 
 
 The crew were busy overhauling the rigging, 
 and repairing the injuries sustained in the action, 
 their voices and loud laughter sounding hollow 
 from the water, and echoing amongst the sails, while 
 
 3 6 5
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 the long silver-clear note and the short merry 
 chirrup of the boatswain's whistle, as the water- 
 casks were hoisting in from the launch alongside, 
 rose shrill above the confused sounds. 
 
 All this time the sea-breeze was stealing on, 
 throwing out its cat's-paws, like tirailleurs cover- 
 ing the advance of the main body, eating into and 
 crisping away the outer edge of the polished 
 mirror of the anchorage, as if it had been the 
 advancing tide gradually breaking away the ice of 
 some smooth frozen river. We could hear the 
 rushing of the wind before a feather moved near 
 us ; by and by there was a twitter amongst the 
 topmost leaves of the tree under which we sat, and 
 some withered ones came whirling down, and a dry 
 twig dropped on my hat with a tiny rattle. The 
 highest and lightest sails of the schooner began to 
 flap and shake. 
 
 1 There comes the breeze, Mr. M'Taggart,' 
 cheeped a wee mid on board. 
 
 ' All hands furl sails,' was growled along her 
 deck by the hoarse voice of the boatswain. 
 
 4 There it comes — haul down the square sail.' 
 Round swung the Spider^ with her topsail, top- 
 gallant sail, and royal all aback, and her fore and 
 aft sails undulating and rumbling in the breeze ; 
 presently she gradually dropped a fathom or two 
 astern, as more scope was given her. ' In royal — 
 hands by the top-sail, and top-gallant clew lines — 
 fore and main brails ; ' and the next minute she 
 rode steadily on the surface of the blue and rough- 
 ened cove, head to wind, the tiny wavelets spark- 
 ling in the sun, and lap-lapping against her cut- 
 water : with everything snugly furled, and the 
 breeze rushing past her in half a gale of wind, 
 
 366
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 driving the waves in a small surf upon the beach 
 to leeward, and roaring through the trees where 
 we sat ; while the sound of the swell, as it pitched 
 against the iron-bound coast, came down strong, 
 vibrating on our ears like distant thunder. 
 
 1 It is very awkward to change my name so 
 suddenly,' said De Walden, to whom I had com- 
 municated his father's death, and whatever else Sir 
 Oliver had written to my uncle. c I believe I shall 
 continue plain Mr. De Walden, until I reach 
 headquarters. But my poor father — alas ! alas ! — 
 what misery he would have saved himself and me, 
 had he but made this disclosure before ! You know 
 my story but in part, Mr. Brail. My poor mother 
 always said and believed she was his wife, but he 
 showed me such proofs to the contrary, that I had 
 no alternative but to credit him. However, 
 Heaven's will be done — peace be with him.' 
 
 There was an awkward pause, when, as if willing 
 to change the subject, he continued : c How abso- 
 lutely necessary for one's comfort here it is to be- 
 lieve in a hereafter, Mr. Brail ; the misery that 
 some people are destined to endure in this scene of 
 our probation — my poor mother for instance ' 
 
 ' Or that most unfortunate creature, Lennox, 
 that perished when the Midge went down,' said I, 
 willing to draw him away from brooding over his 
 own misfortunes — ' what a death ! ' 
 
 ' Miserable, miserable,' said De Walden. 
 
 ' By the way,' continued I, in my kindly-meant 
 attempt, c it puzzles me exceedingly to conceive 
 how Adderfang and his crew did not pillage the 
 Moonbeam when we were so completely in his 
 power.' 
 
 4 There are three reasons,' replied De Walden, 
 
 3 6 7
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 4 any one of which was sufficient to have prevented 
 him. First of all he was here under the Buenos 
 Ayrean flag ; and as San Andreas must have been 
 a convenient rendezvous, both from its seclusion 
 and the abundance of provisions to be had in it, he 
 might be reluctant to commit any overt act of 
 
 piracy under Mr. 's nose. Secondly, the 
 
 devil is not always so black as he is painted ; and, 
 from all we can learn, he was a fearful mixture of 
 good and evil ; and, last of all, and possibly the 
 strongest of the three, you were scarcely worth 
 plundering, being in ballast. Had you been re- 
 turning with your cargo of shell, I would have 
 been sorry to have been your underwriter. But 
 what an indomitable fellow this same Adderfang 
 must have been ! You saw how desperately he 
 fought the little Midge, and how gallantly he 
 carried on her in his futile attempt to beat her out 
 of the bay. I verily believe, from all I have heard, 
 that he would have fired the magazine and blown 
 all hands into the air before he would have struck. 
 But see, there goes little Piper and his boat's crew, 
 with the poor blind girl's body to her lohg home.' 
 
 I looked in the direction indicated, and saw a 
 boat leave the Spider, pulled by four men, with 
 a midshipman in the stern, and a deal coffin lying 
 along, the flag that covered it having been blown 
 aside. 
 
 ' Blind ? ' said I, 'a blind girl did you say ? ' as 
 the scene when I considered Adderfang on his 
 death-bed at Havanna suddenly rose up before 
 me. 
 
 4 Yes — she was the only thing we picked up 
 when the felucca foundered ; except that devil of 
 a bloodhound, which we had to destroy, in con- 
 
 368
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 sequence of his untameable ferocity, before he had 
 been a quarter of an hour on board ; nothing else 
 whatever, animate or inanimate, floated.' 
 
 * And pray, how did she ? ' 
 
 ' She was buckled to an oar by this belt,' said he, 
 producing the identical cincture I bad seen Adderfang 
 wear; 'but was quite dead by the time we saw 
 her.' 
 
 ' That was Adderfang's girdle,' said I, greatly 
 moved. 
 
 ' I guessed as much,' continued De Walden. 
 ' Bad as he was he must have loved her dearly, for 
 his last thought on earth seems to have been her 
 safety — and no wonder, for she must have been a 
 most beautiful creature, tall, and elegantly formed, 
 with fine Greek features — such hair ! — alas ! alas ! 
 what a melancholy ending she has made, poor 
 thing ! I make no doubt that she was the same 
 female we saw in the prison at Havanna.' 
 
 'Very like, very like — but I wonder how she 
 came on board ? ' 
 
 'Old Mr. ,' rejoined De Walden— 'who 
 
 told me this morning that she was blind, for from 
 the appearance of the body we should not have 
 found it out — also informed me that she had shoved 
 out in a small canoe, manned by two of her slaves, 
 after the felucca was at sea, at least so Adderfang 
 said ; and as several guarda-costas were on the 
 look-out for him, he had found it impossible to 
 send her back to Havanna again. But enough of 
 this poor girl and her misfortunes, Mr. Brail ; it is 
 time we were on board.' And accordingly I that 
 day took up my quarters in the Spider. 
 
 The following morning I was invited by 
 Tooraloo, whose heart was like to break, to repair 
 
 vol. ii. 369 2 A
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 on board the Moonbeam, in order to be present at 
 the opening of Lennox's papers. De Walden 
 accompanied me. 
 
 The will was autograph, and from its tenour, the 
 poor fellow seemed to have had a strong presenti- 
 ment that his days were not to be long in the 
 land ; at least that he was never again to revisit 
 Scotland. 
 
 It purported to have been written after he had 
 been ill on the voyage, and, amongst other clauses, 
 there was one, leaving my uncle and myself 
 executors, along with his old father and the 
 clergyman of his native parish in Scotland. 
 
 He left several legacies among his kindred and 
 friends at home ; one thousand pounds to me, a 
 very agreeable surprise ; another thousand to be 
 funded or mortified, I think he called it, to increase 
 the salary of the parochial schoolmaster of Lin- 
 kumdoddie for ever ; five hundred pounds to 
 Tooraloo ; and the residue to his father ; failing 
 him, to be divided in certain proportions amongst 
 the others. It was in fact an exceedingly prudent 
 distribution (especially with regard to the ^1,000 
 to myself, you will say), according to my notion ; 
 although the idea was strange of a poor fellow 
 willing away thousands, who had all his life, with 
 a brief exception, been himself struggling with the 
 most abject penury. 
 
 When I read out Tooraloo's legacy, the poor 
 fellow wept and ho-hoed after his fashion. ' I 
 give and bequeath to Tobias Tooraloo, the sum of 
 five hundred pounds.' 
 
 c Ho ! ho ! ho ! ' blubbered Toby ; £ currency 
 or sterling, sir ? ' 
 
 'Of the current money of Jamaica.' 
 
 370
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 c Hoo ! hoo ! hoo ! ' roared the skipper, whose 
 lachrymose propensity seemed to increase in the 
 precise ratio of the exchange, ^ioo Jamaica 
 currency being at that time only equal to about 
 ^60 British sterling. 
 
 The following day we weighed for Jamaica, 
 and the Moonbeam for the Indian coast, after 
 
 having said good-bye to old Mr. , who, we 
 
 found afterwards, bore an excellent character, but 
 of course he had to yield to circumstances in his 
 unprotected condition, whenever a privateer chose 
 to anchor in his neighbourhood. He took the 
 precaution, however, before we left, of arming his 
 head negroes, in case the privateer's men, who 
 had taken to the woods, should prove troublesome 
 after our departure, but I never heard that they 
 did so. 
 
 Nothing particular occurred until we made the 
 west end of Jamaica. We had intended pro- 
 ceeding at once to Port Royal, but seeing a large 
 vessel, apparently a man-of-war, at anchor in 
 Negril Bay, with a blue flag at the fore, we stood 
 in, and on exchanging signals, were ordered to 
 anchor, the frigate proving to be the Admiral. 
 
 We were both invited to dine on board, and 
 during dinner were nearly suffocated, by the cook 
 having chosen to roast a jackfruit on a spit (the 
 vessel riding head to wind), taking it for a bread- 
 fruit, to which it bears a strong external resem- 
 blance. 
 
 I landed at Negril that same evening, after 
 having taken a most affectionate leave of De 
 Walden, and proceeded over land to Ballywindle, 
 where I found my excellent uncle in good health, 
 and getting along cheerily with his preparations 
 
 371
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 for leaving the island when the season should be a 
 little more advanced. He lent me a hand with 
 poor Lennox's affairs, and the issue was that we 
 presently scraped together a good round sum to 
 remit to England on this account, there to await 
 the distribution of the executors. 
 
 In the month of March, we left Ballywindle, 
 and I may safely say there was not a dry eye, 
 black or white, master or servant, that day on the 
 estate, and proceeded to Kingston, where, after a 
 sorrowful parting from our warm-hearted friends 
 there, we embarked in the packet, and after a 
 prosperous voyage, arrived at Falmouth. 
 
 I found a letter lying for me from my adorable, 
 announcing that the family were now settled in 
 Liverpool, where it was likely Mr. Hudson was to 
 be permanently domiciled, and I shall not weary 
 the reader with the dreams of future happiness 
 that floated through my brain that evening, as my 
 uncle and I, after discussing our red mullet and 
 beefsteak, were enjoying our bottle of port in 
 that excellent shop, the Green Bank Hotel. 
 
 Next day, we posted across the country to 
 Liverpool, as fast as four horses could carry us, 
 but neither will I attempt to describe the joy of 
 our meeting. Uncle Lathom was quite pleased 
 with my choice, lamenting over and over again, 
 however, what a pity it was that she had not been 
 an Irishman. 
 
 Here, to while away the time, the old gentle- 
 man chartered a pair of spanking hunters, and 
 took a day now and then with the Cheshire hounds. 
 One fine, you may call it summer, day, the last 
 of the season, there was a noble field, and not a 
 scanty sprinkling of Liverpool cotton brokers. 
 
 37 2
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 Some time previous, a London dealer had brought 
 down a batch of grey horses, that were too good for 
 Tattersall's, in order to clap the leek, as the 
 Welshman says, into the wealthy Liverpoolonians 
 — c all real good well-made hunters, sir.' The 
 fox at length broke cover in good style, and away 
 we all went at a killing pace, my uncle leading 
 with the coolness and skill of an old hand. 
 
 We came to one or two stifEsh jumps, and 
 there was nothing like the greys ; aware that they 
 were marked from the conspicuous colour of their 
 horses, the men of the long and short staple rode 
 like devils, and for a time the Cheshire aristocracy 
 were at a puzzle what to make of it. 
 
 At length we came to a post-and-rail fence, 
 with a deep ditch beyond, which seemed to be a 
 poser. ' Hold hard ! ' cried Mr. Frenche to me, 
 as he settled himself in his saddle, and gathered up 
 his reins; 'hold hard, Benjie, and let the greys 
 lead.' A tall military-looking personage had for 
 some time hung on the flank of the Liverpool 
 cavaliers, who, being strangers, kept pretty well 
 together. He appeared to be reconnoitring their 
 horses carefully, with that knowing sort of look as 
 if he had recognised them to be old friends. 
 Having satisfied himself, apparently, he winked to 
 a well-mounted sportsman near him, and reining 
 in a little as they came up to the fence, he sung 
 out, in a clear, sharp voice — 
 
 ' Loud as a trumpet with a silver sound,' 
 
 ' Halt ! ' Stock-stilly as if touched by an en- 
 chanter's wand, on the instant stood each gallant 
 grey, gathering himself on his haunches ; as he 
 slid several yards with his fore feet on the moist 
 
 373
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 sward, grooving out regular ways in the blue clay, 
 as if they had been so many boats a-launching ; 
 and away flew a shower of cotton-brokers, like a 
 volley of stones from a catapulta, leaving each an 
 empty horse looking at him, with one exception, 
 where the raw material was accounted for, sticking 
 on his horse's neck, with an ear in each hand, 
 admiring his departed friends in the ditch as the 
 gay field, fifty horsemen at the fewest, flew over 
 them in a rainbow. 
 
 It was now fixed that we were to be married in 
 June, and I accompanied Mr. Frenche to Ireland 
 in order to pay my duty to my dear old mother, 
 who was comfortably settled in a nice cottage in 
 the outskirts of Kilkenny. 
 
 It is profanation to touch on such meetings in 
 print, so here again you must exercise your imagi- 
 nations, my good people. 
 
 We were all most happy ; when, two mornings 
 after we arrived, while sitting at breakfast, the 
 door opened, and a stout vulgar-looking little man 
 was ushered in, dressed in plush small-clothes, top 
 boots especially dirty, an old swan's-down vest, 
 grey upper coat, tow wig, and green spectacles. 
 
 He made himself known as Mr. Treacle. This 
 was the Cork grocer who had purchased the Bally- 
 windle estate when my grandfather was reduced in 
 his circumstances, and obliged to sell it. 
 
 My uncle and mother, the instant they heard 
 his name, drew up with probably an excusable 
 feeling of pride, as if they apprehended that the 
 honour of Mr. Treacle's visit had been conferred 
 from a desire on his part to appear patronising to 
 an old, although reduced family. So the meeting 
 at first was somewhat stiff. 
 
 374
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 ' Pray, Mr. Treacle, be seated,' said my uncle. 
 
 'Thank you Kindly,' said the honest tradesman, 
 feeling very awkward, in his turn. c Thank you 
 kindly, Mr. Frenche, and, Mrs. Brail, your most 
 obedient. Welcome back to ould Ireland again, 
 Mr. Frenche.' Then, as if speaking aside — ' I 
 am sure I wish you had never left it.' 
 
 'Thank you, Treacle,' said my uncle ; ' that 's 
 kindly said, anyhow — and ' — here he looked the 
 grocer steadily in the face — ' kindly meant too, 
 I do believe — but talking of that now does not 
 signify, you know — so will you have the kind- 
 ness to make known to me your wishes, Mr. 
 Treacle, and the occasion of the honour of this 
 visit ?' 
 
 ' Arrah,' quoth Treacle, 'but it does signify, and 
 a great deal too, Mr. Frenche, for to tell you the 
 honest thrute, I am tired of this neighbourhood ; 
 and what most people might think equally un- 
 pleasant, the neighbourhood is tired of me.' 
 
 My uncle looked hard at him, as if he had said, 
 ' Well, it may be so ; but what is all this to 
 me?' 
 
 ' I don't rightly understand you, Mr. Treacle. 
 You have got a fine estate, for Ballywindle is an 
 improving property, if one had plenty of money to 
 lay out on it, and that I know you have ; besides, 
 you have a great advantage over the former 
 possessors, in being, as I believe, a Catholic, 
 whereas all the Frenches were Protestants, so I 
 cannot understand why you should not make your- 
 self popular here.' 
 
 ' Why, sir, I never was popular, as you call it, 
 but I was slowly sliding into my place, as the 
 saying is, like a cheese along a bar of soap, for 
 
 375
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 both you and your brother were thought to be 
 poor men, and lost men, and men who had no 
 chance of ever returning to Kilkenny ; and them 
 are just the sort of articles to get mouldy and 
 forgotten, like a box of damaged prunes in the 
 back shop, but — and how they found it out, I am 
 sure I cannot tell ' — my mother smiled here — c but 
 for these two years past, I have had hints, and to 
 spare, that although your brother was dead, you 
 had come alive again, and had bought a large 
 estate, which, for the honour of Ireland, you had 
 also called Ballywindle, in Jamaica, where all the 
 cottiers were black negers, and that you had made 
 a power of money, and had your nephew sent out 
 to you ; he that was the sailor, young Master 
 Brail, her ladyship's Hopeful there — and that, in 
 fact, if I did not write out to you my own self- — 
 (Oh, murder, to be trated like a swimming pig, 
 and made to cut my own troat), — if I did not write 
 that you might have the estate again at prime cost, 
 as we say in Cork, with a compliment (the devil 
 burn them, with their compliment !) of all my 
 improvements ; that ' — here he looked in my 
 aunt's face with the most laughable earnestness. 
 c Now what do you think they did say, my 
 lady ? ' 
 
 1 Really, Mr. Treacle, I cannot form any con- 
 ception.' 
 
 £ Why, they said that they would nail my two 
 ears, which were long enough (at least so said the 
 notice), to my own hall-door.'' 
 
 Mr. Frenche laughed outright. 
 
 'Pooh, pooh, a vagary of the poor fellows. 
 Why, you know our countrymen are fond of a 
 joke, Treacle.' 
 
 376
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 c Joke, did you say ? And was it a joke to fire 
 this sugar-plum into the small of my back last 
 market day.' Here he rubbed a part of his body 
 with one hand, by no means answering the de- 
 scription of the small of his back, while in the 
 other he held out a leaden bullet. My mother 
 drew me into the window, unable to restrain her 
 laughter. — ' Oh, you need not retrate, my dear 
 Mrs. Brail, I don't mean to descend to particulars. 
 But,' resuming his address to my uncle, ' was it a 
 joke to plump that into me, Mr. Frenche ? But 
 this is all foreign to the subject. One needs must 
 go when the devil drives, so I am come here to 
 fulfil their bidding, and to make you the offer; for the 
 county is too hot to hold the ould plum-splitter, 
 and the aristocracy too cold — so between hot and 
 cold, I am sick of it.' 
 
 Here he turned himself to one side disconsolately, 
 and pulling out his red bandana, began to wipe the 
 profuse perspiration from his brow. 
 
 My uncle and I exchanged looks. ' Now, 
 Misther Frenche, do think of it, will you ? I am 
 not very discrate in telling you all this, but really 
 I am so worried, that I am half dead with anxiety 
 and vexation ; more especially as I have this blessed 
 day got another hint.'' 
 
 1 No ! have you, though ? ' said my uncle, un- 
 able to contain himself. 
 
 ' Indeed, and I have, and rather a strongish one, 
 you will allow, Misther Frenche, after what passed 
 before — there, I got that billy this very blessed 
 morning handed to me with my shaving water, by 
 an ould villain that I hired to wait on me, and feed 
 the pigs for an hour every marning ; and who 
 swore might the fiend fly away wid him, if he 
 
 377
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 knowed from Adam how it corned beneath the jug 
 
 — there ' 
 
 The billy ran as follows : 
 
 4 12 o'clock at night — no moon! 
 
 c Treacle — You small lousy spalpeen — the man 
 himself^ ould Lathom Frenche, and his nevey, 
 young Brail, and that blessed ould woman, Mis- 
 thress Julia, are all, every mother's son of them, 
 at this present spaking in Kilkenny. So turn out, 
 you ould tief o' the world, and make room for 
 the rale Ballywindles (you pitiful, mouldy imitation), 
 Orangemen although they be, for they never lived 
 out of Ould Ireland, when they could live in it. 
 And show me one of the name who ever grudged 
 the poor a bit and a sup — so out wid you, Treacle, 
 or you shall swing as high as hangman ' {Haman, 
 I presumed) ' before the mont be done ; like one 
 of your own dirty farthing candles, which a rush- 
 light overshines, like the blessed sun a pace of 
 stinking fish. 
 
 c Your servant till death — that is till your death, 
 if you don't behave yourself like a jontleman, and 
 do the bidding of Captain Rock. 
 
 1 To the nasty little grocer, Treacle, 
 [who has no right) at Bally windle? 
 
 1 Really,' said my uncle, laughing, ' this is very 
 honest of you, Treacle, but I have no intention of 
 buying back the old place. So, good-bye — go home, 
 and be a little kinder to your poor neighbours, and 
 no fear of you — good-bye.' 
 
 4 Go home, did you say ? — go home ? — and that 's 
 what I will do, Master Frenche, this blessed day — 
 
 378
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 but to the ould shop in Carle, to my nephew Thady 
 behind the counter there. But if ever I darken a 
 door of Ballywindle again, unless on the day of 
 sale, with the mounted police on the lawn, and the 
 
 footers in the hall, may ' Here he clapped 
 
 his hand on his mouth, as if to stop the oath that 
 trembled on his tongue. 
 
 c Why, Treacle, I have made some money — 
 but if I would, I could not repay your purchase 
 
 money. So ' 
 
 The grocer caught at this. — c Ah, there I have 
 y OU — if "the money be the difficulty, it is a bargain 
 already, by the powers. I will leave all the money 
 on it if you choose, sir — and at four per cent. — 
 there, now.' 
 
 To make a long story short, before that day 
 fortnight, Ballywindle opened its once hospitable 
 door a°:ain to a Frenche — to the last of the name, 
 in a long line of owners. 
 
 At length the day of execution arrived, and I 
 was happtly married ; after which, as if we had 
 been guilty of something to be ashamed of, we 
 split away the same forenoon down the north road, 
 as fast as four horses could carry us. 
 
 Our route lay towards Mr. Hudson's recently 
 inherited estate in Scotland, which lay contiguous 
 to the village where poor Lennox's friends resided, 
 and I therefore took this opportunity of fulfilling 
 my duty as executor. 
 
 We arrived at the end of our journey, as happy 
 as people usually are in our situation, and had 
 scarcely passed a few days in seclusion when the 
 county folks began to call ; and amongst others, 
 old Mr. Bland, the parish minister, and his nephew, 
 paid their respects. I soon found that my fame 
 
 379
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 had preceded me, and that I had become the lion of 
 Linkumdoddie from the intertwining of the strands 
 of my personal history with those of the ne erdoweel 
 callant Adderfang, as he was always called, and of 
 poor Saunders Skelp, whose father now suddenly 
 became the richest inhabitant of the village. 
 
 I was extremely glad to see the good old clergy- 
 man after what I already knew of him from poor 
 Lennox's 'Sorrows;' besides, he, along with his 
 nephew, were two of the dominie's executors, and 
 I now took the opportunity of denuding myself of 
 the charge and devolving it on them, who were 
 much more competent to manage it, from their 
 intimate knowledge of the parties, and residence 
 on the spot. 
 
 Soon after this, my dear old mother, my uncle, 
 and the Hudsons, with Richard Phantom, Esq., 
 whose friends, although respectable, were poor, 
 and easily persuaded to part with him, joined us ; 
 and Mr. Hudson's beautiful seat was a scene of 
 great gaiety for the remainder of the summer. At 
 length we all returned to Liverpool ; and, some 
 time after, our party tore themselves from their 
 dear friends, and we removed with my uncle to 
 our house, situated about half a mile from Bally- 
 windle ; for the old gentleman, as a climax to his 
 kindness, had purchased a beautiful small estate, 
 close to his own, with which he presented us on 
 our wedding-day. He and my mother occupy the 
 family mansion of Ballywindle ; and, to tell the 
 truth, my wife and I are more there than at home. 
 As for Dicky, the old man has corrupted him 
 altogether, and he is his constant companion on 
 his little Irish pony. He speaks with a stronger 
 brogue even than my uncle, at which the latter is 
 
 380
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 so delighted that he has sunk ^iooo in the name 
 of the little fellow ; so that, when he comes of age, 
 he will have a comfortable nest-egg to depend 
 upon. 
 
 Sir Oliver has now his flag, and commands at 
 
 ; and De Walden — Sir Henry Oakplank 
 
 — I beg his pardon — soon after the action already 
 related, was made commander, and eventually 
 post. 
 
 He was recently ordered home, and allowed to 
 call at Havanna, and to give Mademoiselle Sophie 
 and Monsieur Duquesne a passage in his ship, but 
 he somewhat infringed the letter of the Admiral's 
 license, by converting Mademoiselle Duquesne into 
 Lady Oakplank before embarking. They paid us 
 a visit immediately after being paid off", on his 
 arrival in England, and are now rusticating in 
 Switzerland, on a visit to his ill-fated mother's 
 relations. 
 
 My excellent cousin, Dick Lanyard, after having 
 attained the rank of commander, married a rich 
 widow with a good piece of land in Devonshire, 
 and as she could not dispense with him, he left- the 
 service, and now lives ashore happily, under the 
 wing of his loving mate, who, knowing the misery 
 and inconvenience of losing one good husband, 
 seems determined to take mighty good care of 
 this one. 
 
 Old Davy Doublepipe has inherited a goodly 
 sum of money from Alderman Sprawl, a kinsman 
 of his, and is now the master of a fine London ship 
 in the Jamaica trade, as kind to his passengers, 
 from all accounts, as he used to be to his brother 
 officers and shipmates. 
 
 I frequently hear from my Jamaica friends, who 
 
 38i
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 are prosperous and happy ; and Listado, the boiste- 
 rous Listado, has, contrary to all expectation, so 
 far subsided, and settled down, as to take Mr. 
 
 M 's place in the management of the business 
 
 at Havanna, and from all I can learn his heart is 
 none the worse of his disappointment. As for 
 Massa Ouacco, he at once installed himself as 
 butler, without thinking it at all necessary to ask 
 any questions. He certainly takes more liberty 
 with me than any other servant, and makes his 
 remarks very freely. — Ah, massa, lucky for you, 
 you touch in dat river wid de leetle felucca.' 
 
 c As how, Master Ouacco ? ' 
 
 ' Oh ! you would never hab know what it was 
 to have so good a sarvant if you had not ; but ater 
 all, dis gooder countree more as Africa, if people 
 only would speak Englis, such as one gentleman 
 can onderstand, and de sun could be persuade to 
 sine upon him sometime — Ah ! almost more better 
 countree as Jamaica, so I bery well content to 
 take my rest in him.' 
 
 ' Give me back, give me back, the wild freshness of morning ; 
 Its tears and its smiles are worth evening's best light.' 
 
 So sang Master Thomas Moore, and so singeth 
 Benjamin Brail ; albeit the burden he beareth is 
 anything but mellow. But chant as we may, until 
 our most sweet voices be hoarse as that of the 
 croaking raven, we cannot bring back one minute 
 of our existence. 
 
 Possibly you may know this, if you are a sharp 
 fellow, without my being so oracular ; but, friend, 
 if you are not bat-blind, it will evince to you that 
 although the time has arrived when we must part 
 company, still I am loth to belay, and coil down 
 
 382
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 myself, or to let go and chuck the end of the line 
 to you, even when I have no excuse for holding on 
 any longer. 
 
 But let us be pathetic — so get out your bandana, 
 and prepare to blow your nose most touchingly. 
 
 Since the last of the events recorded in the pre- 
 ceding pages occurred, many a long year has slid 
 away. 
 
 The hair that was then dark and clustering has 
 become thin and grizzled — although, what is it to 
 you, whether I am bald or wigged ? The arm 
 that was strongly knit and vigorous is now weak 
 and trembling — for which you don't care one 
 farthing. The spirits, then so light and elastic 
 that they danced half in air, in the merry breeze 
 and jocund sunshine, over every happy undulation 
 of the clear smooth swell of early life, are now dead 
 and water-logged, like a swamped buoy that has 
 been staved by the rough weather we all must look 
 to meet with : — never to float again. My Nelly 
 was then Miss Helen Hudson, a happy laughing 
 girl ; she is now a little sharp-visaged anxious 
 matron ; her daughters growing up around her, 
 and budding into womanhood, and her boys (for 
 she has brought me a whole bushelful of small 
 Brails), glorying in the exuberance of glee inci- 
 dental to the spring of life, like so many young 
 zvhat-do-ye-call-ums ; for I am in a hurry to get 
 done — and have no handy simile for the nonce. 
 1 Master Brail ! Master Brail ! you had better copy 
 the parish register at once. Patience, my dear boy 
 — Patience, we shall not long cross each other, for 
 we are now about bearing up finally on our sepa- 
 rate courses. 
 
 Many of the friends I have lived amongst and 
 
 383
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 loved, and whose heartstrings were in turn wound 
 around me, have dropped one by one, like seared 
 leaves in autumn, into the narrow house, whither 
 we are all, at sea or on shore, fast journeying. 
 
 As for me, Benjie, when bowling along with all 
 the canvas I could spread (sometimes more than I 
 could well carry), before the cheerful breeze of 
 prosperity, a sudden gust has, more than once, 
 blown my swelling expectations out of the bolt- 
 ropes into ribbons, proving, by sore experience, 
 that here below it is not a trade-wind ; and not 
 sudden squalls only, severe for the moment, but 
 soon over ; my strained barque has often been 
 tossed by rough and continuous gales, so that, 
 more than once, I have hardly escaped foundering. 
 Periods of sickness and languishing have not been 
 wanting, wherein the exhausted spirit has faintly 
 exclaimed in the morning, ' Would God it were 
 evening ! ' and at evening, ' Would God it were 
 morning ! ' 
 
 For many a weary day and restless night, Death 
 himself — and how much more appalling his aspect 
 here, than when faced manfully in open day, with 
 the pulses strong, and the animal spirits in brisk 
 circulation, amidst a goodly fellowship of brave 
 companions ! — yea, Death himself hath shaken his 
 uplifted dart over his prostrate victim from out the 
 heart-depressing twilight of a sick-room ; yet the 
 hand of the grim feature was held, that he should 
 not smite. And, oh ! who can tell the misery and 
 crushing disappointment of the soul, awaking to 
 the consciousness of a dangerous illness, from fever- 
 ish and troubled sleep — such sleep as the overworked 
 mariner sinks into, his lullaby the howling of the 
 storm, and roaring of the breakers, even when his 
 
 384
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 vessel is on the rocks, with the tumbling seas 
 raging in multitudinous ebb and flow amongst their 
 black and slippery, tangle-capped pinnacles, and the 
 yeasty foam-flakes, belched from their flinty caverns, 
 falling thickly on his drenched garments — sleep, 
 wherein, most like, he meets the friends of his 
 youth, who have long gone before him to their 
 account, and wanders in imagination with them 
 (all his recent sufferings and actual danger, for a 
 brief but blessed moment, utterly forgotten) through 
 the quiet valleys and happy scenes of his boyhood, 
 never to be by him again revisited — sleep, from 
 which he is only roused to all the horrors of his 
 actual situation by the gritty rasping of the shattered 
 hull as it is thundered down with every send of the 
 sea on the sharp rocks, the groaning of the loosened 
 timbers, the crashing and creaking of the falling 
 masts, the lumbering and rasping and rattling of 
 the wreck alongside, entangled by the rigging and 
 loose ropes, that surges up in foaming splashes, as 
 if chafing to break adrift, and the cries of his ship- 
 mates — and thus wrenched from Elysium, to find 
 himself 'even as a man wrecked upon a sand, that 
 looks to be washed off" next tide ? ' That can he ; 
 and although his riven vessel has for the moment 
 been hove off the rocks, and rides clear of the reefs 
 and broken water to leeward, it may be by the 
 mere reverberation of the ground-swell, — yet he 
 knows his only remaining cable is three parts 
 chafed, and that, although he may hang on by the 
 single strand for an anxious day or two, part it 
 must at last. 
 
 However, it has pleased Heaven, even when the 
 weather was at the worst and darkest, and the wind 
 raging at the loudest, and the mountainous seas at 
 
 VOL. II. 385 2 B
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE 
 
 the highest, to break away, and lance forth a beam 
 of blessed sunshine, which, breaking on his soul, 
 might comfort him. 
 
 But, in such a situation, when the breezing up 
 of the first gale may be his last — and no one can 
 tell how long the gleam of fine weather will con- 
 tinue — every man must regard his past life, if he 
 thinks at all, as at the best but a feverish dream, 
 and endeavour to prepare for the inevitable issue 
 of his anxiety and dread with the calmness and 
 self-possession of a reasonable and accountable 
 being ; keeping a bright look-out for the life-boat 
 of our blessed Religion, which all, sooner or later, 
 will be convinced affords the only sure means of 
 escape, even although it be seen glancing at first 
 but as the seamew's wing in the distance, amidst 
 the obscurity of the horizon and dimness of the 
 spray and mist ; yet, if anxiously hailed, and 
 earnestly watched, it will infallibly sheer alongside 
 at last, when the fearful cry of 'She parts, she 
 parts ! ' gushes high above the turmoil of troubled 
 thoughts within, and save all who have put their 
 trust in it. 
 
 c And why this gloomy ending to a merry 
 tale ? ' 
 
 Grudge it not, shipmate j but bear with me a 
 brief moment still. We begun in jest — we have 
 ended in earnest — fit type of human life. We 
 have had a long cruise and many a good laugh 
 together, and now we find leave-taking is not 
 joyous. But call it not a gloomy ending : solemn 
 it may be, and indeed has unwittingly become ; 
 but surely not unfitting, on that account, the close 
 of a work that has been the chief solace of a long 
 illness, and which, whenever it beguiles the tedium 
 
 386
 
 THE END OF THE YARN 
 
 of a sick-couch to a suffering brother, shall, in 
 attaining that end, have fully accomplished the 
 desire of him who now bids all hands, kindly and 
 respectfully, Farewell. 
 
 THE END 
 
 Printed by T. and A. Constable, Printers to Her Majesty 
 at the Edinburgh University Press
 
 A>
 
 CENTRAL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 University of California, San Diego 
 
 DATE DUE 
 
 uni 
 
 
 JUN 2 2 1981 
 
 
 ->cd»» Arr 
 
 
 
 
 \\\& 9 198" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CI 39 
 
 UCSD Libr. 
 
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