Mr Penrose, page 37
Now I [it] happened as they informed me After this manner. As they were running along shore Owen espied a Monkey and they put in to get a shot at it, but as he ran with his piece cocked his leg unfortunately Slipt into a kind of Crabhole and by the force snapt it at once. I fix’t his place of durance just within the front of our dwelling, and clapt a small kind of Awning over his head to shade the morning sun from him, so that he Sat and Laid in a sort of State, as it were. And here I must Give messmate Bell all his due. He was ever studying Some kind of amusement or other to pass the time or to Lull his pains, and often has he sate by him during his Confinement a full hour playing on the flute to amuse him, for which he has my sincier thanks unfeigned. And as for Owen there can be no esteem lost between them, nor has he wanted all kind love from the rest as far as their poor powers extended.
Our Lads had been gone above a fortnight when on An Evening as we were all sitting relating former Transactions, and the night fair and clear, all at an instant of time such an explosion went off that gave the whole of us sudden surprize. But my Child, little America, cried, “Look! Look!”—upon which we saw in the Air a number of small globes of blue fire. As they were vanishing one after the other Bell said he has seen such often before; but we all agreed never to have heard so loud a noise attend the same. I had seen of them my self, but never to half the effect of this. However, it sent us all into our dormitories for that night without more ceremony.
After we had turned in a short time My Wife observed to me that she hated those Fire balls very much. On my asking her how So, she told me that she was sure we should have much sickness among us soon, upon which I Laught at her and bid her go to sleep and forget it. “No, no,” she said, “All Old men said so”—where she came from, and I should see it “as plain and round As the Moon.” And thus talking we fell asleep.
On the morrow came running down the hill one of Our Dogs call’d Sleeper which had gone away with The Lads, and soon after came down the hill Harry And Rory as we thought, but when they drew nigh We found Rory to be missing and a strange Indian In his company. “What news?” said I to Harry with a face of Wonder, being quite impatient. But by this time All had gathered round him so that it was became a Dover Court (all Speakers and no hearers). Now I was surprized Harry did not direct his discourses more to me. On this I call’d, “Brother Harry, where Is Rory, pray, that I dont see him?”
On this he came Up to me and said, “I know you have a great heart And wont cry if I tell you Rory is dead behind with my people, and a great many more old friends.” Upon this I begged him to be brief and give a true and fair relation of all since his departure, and if his Wife knew as yet of the matter. He said no, as yet.
He says they got thither without any thing happening to them in four days and nights, when on their first Entrance they met a woman who told them all were Sick of the flux, as he says, and many dying every day—Among whom Futate for one, and others who had been on visits to our place. That two days after their arrival Rory fell sick and lived but three Days, after which a few Indians came to him And said they would take good care to bury my friend, but as for him he must think to return back again As soon as possible least he should die also, and that They had advised Young Sappash to accompany him. And that when they came to my place to tell their good friends, meaning us, that I should take Sappash and make a husband for Jessy at once, As they were too sick to hear any more mad complaints from women; And to inform me that they had never heard Any thing from the Spaniards since about us.
After my brother had satisfied Mr. Bell and me as to all farther matters I sent for Jessy and when she Came desired she would mind well what I was going to tell her. Upon her saying she would, I began: “You are to know in the first place that your people have thought proper to keep your Husband among them for a great reason they have, and have sent this Young man to be your Husband in his stead. And What do you think of it?” On seeing her struck dumb, as it were, I thought best to cut matters short as I could, And told her the Great One She had heard me talk so much about had been pleas’d to lay Sorateet in the Ground; and as that young man Sappash was Sent by her friends out of their love to her and me, She must not make me angry if she could help it. Off she went, mute as a Fish and weeping, to my spouse for a dish of condolence; and thus the affair remain’d for a day or two, when my wife informed me that Jessy desired her to inform me that she would be ruled as I thought best, but that she hoped Sappash would look to my wife and me and learn to love her as her first husband did. I then sent for Harry and had him inform the young stranger that I intended to Celebrate the wedding on the morrow.
Harry was much concern’d for my Owen and asked me if I thought he would ever walk again upright. I told him I hoped so, but Mr. Bell was the Man could tell most on that matter. “Ay, ay,” said Bell, “he’el be taking to his Qats ere lang again.”
On the following day the ceremony was perform’d And we all spent the time as merry as possible allowing for Jessy’s bashfulness on the occasion. The next day Harry requested to know What New name we should give Jessy’s Husband. I told him Rory as before. This pleased all round, especially his Wife.
After this my Girl desired me never to say Indians were fools again. “As how?” said I.
She Said, “Did I not tell you Fire balls made sick for my people?” I knew not how to answer her, Therfore contrived to alter the subject. And in regard to my poor Indian friends I must need say the melancholy afflictions they have of late been visited with touches my Heart greatly. But it is of the Lord, and I must hold my peace and wait patiently untill I may hear more favourable tidings of them.
No great matters fell out for a long time After this, and my Son began now to goe on Crutches freely. Mr. Bell observed to me That although he had shewn himself so dextrous as he pretended at the Spliceing of Owens Leg, yet he felt the contrary in his mind, having never assisted at such an Operation but once before.
Soon after this Our poor Children fell Sick of the Flux. This gave a general Alarm to the Whole Community, as we expected it to be of the Same kind with that of our friendly Indians, and My Girl prophisied that we should all die at least of it. This vexed me a little and made me insist that she should talk no more after that sort or I Should be very angry with her. This she dreaded, as I never had words with her at any time in anger. But in about a fortnight they all recovered and Came about again, to my great satisfaction After so dreadful a prospect before us.
Some time after this Mr. Bell proposed an Excursion to the northward by land if it were any Way agreeable to me. I told him that he might take His own pleasure but that in regard to my self I was not So very forward about it. Yet if Harry chose to go with him they had my full consent, and in the Morning they began preparing for their jaunt. Now while matters Were getting ready I begged Mr. Bell not to venture more than a few miles or so from home, the which he promised Me to observe strictly; and on the day following they Both marched off before we were turned out. They took 2 Dogs with them and my small Spyglass.
In the evening Owen took a whim to go a fishing with Rory down the lagoon. He went away about 4 oclock And while they were abscent I took a walk up ye hill In order to look out, as was my usual custom. I had not Been long there before I descried two Sail in the offing And as I thought by my naked Eye standing right in shore. I eagerly clapt the glass to my eye and plainly percieved It to be really so. Now what to think I knew not, but as They seem’d to stand in rather from a northeast quarter I had doubts in my mind wether they were Spaniards or not. They were both Sloops as I imagined at first, being so far Out; but on one of them gybeing her mainsail She proved to be a Schooner. In a short time after it came up thick in the Horizon and I lost sight of them, when I returned down the hill again and, lighting my pipe, walked down to the landing, waiting with impatience about an hour. I did not throw out my signal for my lads to Return as I knew it to be of non effect; but in a short time after, they came in from fishing and I told Owen What I had seen. “Let us go up again,” said he, which we did; but as night was then coming on and the air thick we could percieve no more of them.
No signs of our travellers returning for that night, And I sat smoaking by my Wife full of cogitations untill midnight, when we turned both in. I was up Before the Sun-rise and on the lookout, but not a Sail could I percieve any where along the whole Horizon; And who or what they were remains to this Day an intire secret to us. Yet I must need say I could not refrain from many foolish conjectures at the time.
The next day in the evening arrived our two Adventurers weary enough, and glad we all were to See them safe again returned, And as they came in late and almost famished the Girls got them a good mess, And to sleep they went for the night. The next day Messmate Norman gave us a brief Of their journey, as thus. He says after they had gone About five miles away Northwest, mostly through Woods, they observed the land to rise gradually and at Length came to an open country, and that there they both sat down to refresh themselves, and as they were Eating remarked a tree of a most amazing size but Hollow, and so large within the trunk that he thinks Thirty men could stand within it easily.
“From this tree we took our departure afresh,” Says he, “and took our course north with the ground Still rising untill we came to a small Wood of Lofty trees, and at this place Harry mounted one of them in order to take a look out.” When he got Down again he said they were then on a very high hill And that the land fell away into a deep Valley full of Woods, but that towards the sea there was a hill of Rocks and a great Lagoon with much water. Upon this intellegence they desended the hill and As they went on found the bones of several Deer, but In all the whole time had seen no living beast. Now they concluded that they were at least 10 miles from home, and began to have thoughts of what was next to be done, when Harry proposed to Ascend another tree, which he did and brought Down word that he judged they were not above 5 miles from the Great Clifts but that they must keep more away toward the Sunrising. And on this they both determined to set off for the place But found Harry’s judgment out rather as to the Distance, as it was evening before they could get to the bottom.
Here as being got into a Valley and the Sun far then to the West behind the hills, it became Very gloomy and they had thoughts of making a Large fire for their preservation in the night. But soon after they found the trees to become fewer and could percieve light through between them. This gave them fresh courage and they put on, When in about a Quarter of an hour they found themselves at the Verge of the Wood Where a vast expance opened at once to their View.
Here, he says, Nature became very wild indeed or perhaps an Earthquake might have in former Ages torn or split A Whole Mountain, as there were Massy stones lying at all points of the Compass and of the magnitude of large houses. And in between some of these they concluded to lodge for the night with a good fire round them, and on the morrow began to look Round them, when on getting on one of the high stones they Could see over the mangroves and the low country clear out to Sea which they judged not above 5 miles from them. With this discovery they returned without the least harm to bring us the strang report, as I may call it.
Chapter 35: Twenty Second Year
I had been here on this shore now twenty one years and two months when A Very uncommon event came about, and I shall give it As faithful a narration as possible. On a certain day as Messmate and I were out in the Bay fishing for our pleasure he observed to me that it Was a little odd I expressed no desire to visit his new Northern discovery, as he was pretty sure it could be Easyly done by sea. “Why, as to that part of your speech,” said I, “Bell, I have half a mind indeed.”
“Well, then,” said he, “When shall we go?”
“We go?” I reply’d. “Can that be good policy? Rather Either you or me and Harry is best, as it is so far from our Women.”
“Well, then,” said he, “you And Harry can go. Let him stand pilot as to the place.” I now came to a determination and when we got in told my Brother Harry what I intended. He was glad of the voyage and said he could hit the place exactly. I then told him that he must get one of our boats Ready and all things necessary for our trip.
About two days after, we put dow the lagoon and got the length of Towers Field by 2 oclock in the afternoon, Weather’d Whale Point, and got the whole length of Boom Bay in the evening, where I concluded to stay that night. In the morning we put out to sea to get around a long point and opened a new scene of country. Along this Shore we ran at the rate of about 5 knots an hour. Now Harry concluded we must soon see the clifts from the Sea, but we coasted the shore untill by my judgment Wee were got 8 leagues from our own bay and I had thoughts of returning back, just as we were abrest of a high bluff of land full of high trees and here we Concluded to go on shore and stay for the night, to return In the morning. After we had got on shore and made up a Fire which was toward Evening, Harry said he had a mind to climb a tree which he did and cry’d out that we were Not above a mile from the lagoon for that he saw the Clifts and all quite plain. “Then let us make up a tent for the night,” I said, “and in the morning we go in Round the Bluff if the wind stands.”
The next morning we got round by sunrise but not a Signe of any Lagoon could I see at all until we had got About a mile farther, when out on a point I observed a few White Poaks standing fishing. “If it be any where,” Said I, “it must be there.” When we got thither the mouth of a small lagoon shewed itself, and I should not have Given myself the trouble to enter had not Harry espied The tops of the Clifts between the bushes.
We put in and found a narrow pass for the space of a Mile or so, not more than a ships length wide and Very crooked, then it opened into a much larger space And the water was above three fathom deep there. Now Another streight for a short length, and all at once we Opened a lake or pond of Water at least a mile or more Across, surrounded by a large, stoney flat Shore. This Ran back half a Mile or more, then began to rise A most tremendous mass of Rocks, Clifts, and fallen Huge stones. Now as we were viewing this new sight I was prompted to take up my Glass and I had not had It in my hand long before I cried out to Harry that I saw a black man or some wild creture moving Among the Rock stones. This startled Harry and He begged the Glass of me. Now as he was looking he Percieved him move to a clear place, and returning the glass to me said, “It is a strange man, indeed, and Let us be going back directly, Brother, pray!” I told him not to be in a fright, for were it the very Lucifer himself I was determined to speak him if Possible before we returned. “Then,” said he, “if you are Not afraid of him I wont nither be afraid, brother.”
We then put in to shore and both got out with our Guns and marched directly for the place we saw Him in first, but found that he did not observe us. After we had gone Some distance towards him I sat dow to take a fresh review and then could see Plainly as I thought a Tall Old Negro man with his Head and Beard white as wool, and naked with a staff or club in his hand. We were at this time about halfe A mile from him and found that he did not observe Us as yet. Now all of a suddain we lost sight of him Among the rocks. We then advanced apace but could Not get the least glimpse of him again. Therfore we ran Back to our boat, dreading least we might be deprived Of her before we could reach her.
Soon after we had put off from the shore on our return Harry espied a Smoak Arise among the Rocks and cried, “There is the old Devil now Againe!”
“And there may he be,” said I, “and remain. Let us Get out and make home as fast as we can, Harry.”
“Brother’s afraid!” said he.
“Not I,” replied I, “but what would you have done should there have been more of them come And run away with our boat while we had left her?”
“Then we must have gone home by land,” said he.
“And so Starve by the way without fire tackling, you blockhead,” I answered. But out we got and put away before it for Home as fast as we could high; got home in two days by Hook or Crook after getting aground on Whale Point. Our People rejoyced at the Sight of us and Bell had the Whole relation from me. But I must need confess when the Object first disappeared, my former idle notions of the Yahoos began to return on me strong but I got the better of it when I percieved the Smoak arise from between the rocks.
Mr. Bell said that he was determined he would go If I would permit Rory to go with him, and he would not Return before he spoke to him if he could find him In any reasonable time. “With all my heart,” I reply’d. And according about a week after, they sat out by my odd Chart I formed for them. And the following is Mr. Bells Story:
They got there with ease and after waiting A Whole day without getting a sight of any living Soul concluded it to be a mear Visionary affair as No kind of Smoak was to be seen. Yet he was bold Enough to continue there in the boat all night, when Rory awoke him to shew him a smoak early the morrow. Upon this he said he told Rory to bring out the Two Guns and follow him. They made right away for The place where the Smoak arose which was about a Mile from them up among the Rocks. But as they were Got about two thirds on their way and just as they turn’d Round a large high piece of Rock, the Grey dog they had With them gave a long howl; when to his surprize a Tall Black Wretch stood but a short distance from them, as going to turn off to leave them after the best Fashion he could, being but feble in his joynts.
Upon this Messmate hail’d him but he seem’d not for any parly. Upon that they went both up to him And stopt him, wherupon the Old Soul fell down on His knees and began to beg for mercy in Spanish. Mr. Bell told him he need not shew any fear on their Account as they intended him no manner of harm in the least, and asked him how many of them there were In that place, seeing him appear so very ancient. But how greatly was he amazed when the Old man told him he had been there alone longer than he could Remember well. “But would you not rather chuse to End your Days,” said Bell, “among people, than so? How do you live? What do you eate? Does any people Ever come to relieve you?”
