CHAPTER VI.

FEVER’S DREAMS--STRANGE ADVENTURE ON SHORE.

“So when a raging fever burns, We shift from side to side, And ’tis a poor relief we gain To change the place but keep the pain.”

“But sorrow returned with the dawning of morn, And the voice in my dreaming ear melted away.” CAMPBELL.

“‘The fiendish atrocities and cruelties of the terrible pirate Morgan,’ begins Miguel Bassanto, in this final chapter of his log, ‘had almost worn me out at last, and when cruising around Cuba, up the Gulf of Mexico, and along the shores of Florida in search of Spanish ships and gold, I was laid down with fever, and it was while thus prostrated that I tried to take into review all the events of my past life during those many, many years. Ought I to have remained with Morgan at all? I had often restored him to life and health when laid low with the illness that never failed to follow his drunkenness and awful carousals. Had I been doing my duty in acting thus? Would it not have been better for my poor, oppressed, and persecuted countrymen had I let him die, or even slain him some day in his tracks? But no; I had ever shuddered at the idea of committing murder, and by continuing to sail with Morgan I had, unknown to him, so worked and plotted and schemed as to save many a Spanish life, many a Spanish ship, and more than one town or village.

“‘Even when awake I could not accuse myself of remaining with Morgan’s fleet to do aught save good, and I did not blame myself for having spared his life, nay, even saved it many times, and oft for the simple reason that he trusted me most implicitly. I could not kill even a savage dog if he trusted me.

“‘But it was not all daylight with me during this burning fever. We were lying at the time in a lonesome little harbour off the southern coast of Cuba, and oh, when night fell--night and darkness, night but not silence, for sunset but heralded the commencement of orgies fore and aft that lasted long into the middle watch--then my spirits fell to zero. I felt no comfort in life, and yet I desired not to die. But when I did drop off to sleep at last, then the sufferings my dreams gave me were ten times more terrible than those of my waking hours.

“‘Fighting and bloodshed were ever before me, and, worse than all, the awful torture of innocent maidens and beautiful children. I daresay I had ever a well-balanced mind, and one which it was difficult to unhinge, else, when starting with gasp and shriek from dreams like these, I would have hurried on deck and thrown myself to the sharks that swarmed everywhere around us.

“‘One day Morgan, who, strangely enough, was sober, came off from the shore accompanied by a curious little half-caste, partly Spaniard, partly negro.

“‘“He is a native doctor, Miguel,” said the captain. “We are such old friends that I could not bear to see you die.”

“‘This was the only real act of kindness I had ever known Morgan perform.

“‘I thanked him, and so weak was I that the tears came trickling adown my cheeks.

“‘I held out my trembling hand to the native doctor, and he felt it, then pressed it down by my side.

“‘After examining me still further, he shook his head gravely and took Morgan aside, and as he spoke to him I saw Morgan’s face fall.

“‘“Let me know the worst,” I said, when the native doctor left.

“‘“He says you are at death’s door, but he will make an effort to save you.”

“‘And sure enough the little man came speedily back. He gave me medicine that was both bitter and nauseous. He ordered me wine and raw meat, and he gave me some soothing draft which entirely banished the fearful dreams.

“‘When he came to see me next morning, he patted my cheek and smiled.

“‘And sure enough from that very day I began to get hopeful, and health itself came close upon the heels of hope, so that in a short time I was myself again.

“‘Soon after this we went to sea once more, for we had got word of a bullion-ship, which, with her consort, a protective man-o’-war, might be expected off the coast of Florida in a month’s time.

“‘The news came in a swift sloop direct from Gibraltar--a sloop that was carrying letters and dispatches to British troops and sailors in the West Indies.

“‘“The gold doubloons on board that ship,” said the messenger, “were like ten great fortunes rolled into one.”

“‘Morgan believed him implicitly, and indeed the result showed that his statement was perfectly true. But the news had one very strange effect upon the arch-pirate. He became to a very great extent a reformed man as far as drinking was concerned.

“‘He had at this time a bold little fleet of seven well-armed ships, with about five hundred and twenty men in all.

“‘Now he assembled the captains and officers of these on board our own ship. He gave them rum to drink, as was the custom; then he explained to them the dangerous nature of the expedition he was about to undertake, for the man-o’-war was larger than any he had yet encountered, and able, unless soon crippled, to blow his ships, one by one, out of the water. If, however, they could sink her and capture the bullion-ship, great indeed would be their reward.

“‘“And now, men,” he continued, “it cannot have escaped your notice that I have drunk but very little to-night. Only sober men can carry out an enterprise like this with any hope of success. I charge you, therefore, to keep your crews sober, and your rum under lock and key. You all know me by this time, and you know I am a man of my word.”

“‘Here he placed a brace of pistols on the table;

“‘“You see these little guns,” he said. “If when cruising to meet the ships I come on board and find any drunkenness on any ship, I shall with my own hand shoot the captain of that vessel through head or heart, and throw every officer on board of her into irons.”

“‘And every man gave his word there and then that Admiral Morgan should be obeyed to the hilt.

“‘Then they separated, each lot of officers repairing to its own ship.

* * * * *

“‘The adventure I have now to relate is wholly and solely my own,’ continues Bassanto. ‘The admiral had spread his ships pretty well out along the shores of Florida, and they were to cruise backwards and forwards, to and fro, as it were, and thus go slowly north. There was no hurry. A signal-gun fired from one would be heard three miles away, and each ship would repeat it in turn, so that union could speedily be effected.

“‘But the giving up of his customary stimulant had had a very depressing effect upon Morgan, and arriving off the shores of a beautiful and wooded island called Amelia, four miles from Florida, he determined to send me off for a day to shoot, and thus bring back for him some dainty that his stomach could relish.

“‘Though only about four miles wide and sixteen long, this island was not supposed to be very safe, owing to a tribe of warlike Indians who inhabited it. It was said, however, that there were one or two British agricultural families here, so that, despite any hostility the Indians might evince, I expected a hearty welcome. I was to take two well-armed men with me, and stay for one night on the island.

“‘As I stepped on shore a feeling came over me that I was quite at a loss to account for. A kind of wave of extreme happiness--I am unable otherwise to express it--stole over my heart and brain. I experienced for the time being a newness of life. Why had I spent all the long years of the past on board the blood-dyed, pestilential ships of the arch-pirate Morgan, when there was so much real joy and happiness everywhere in nature?

“‘I never saw the ocean brighter, bluer, or calmer than it was to-day; it reflected, too, the colour of the cerulean sky, with its patches of green low down by the horizon, and its slowly-sailing fleecy cloudlets. Then the still, quiet woods and jungles, many of the trees draped to their very tops with a wealth of beautiful climbing wild flowers, and the patches of sward between, also spread with a floral carpet--flowers, flowers everywhere; and birds as well, birds that vied in the splendour of their plumage with the flora around them. Oh, how I wished just then that there was no necessity for me to evermore put foot on murder’s awful decks! I confess I had half a mind just then to give up even Morgan. I had money enough in the Jamaica bank to live a life of ease as far as earthly comforts were concerned. I--but no, no, no, I must not give up my trust yet a little; I must not throw Morgan over. So long as his life lasted there would be hope of repentance.

“‘“Hide the boat in a clump of trees, my lads, and follow me.”

“‘“Ay, ay, sir,” one replied cheerily.

“‘In less than an hour’s time we were on the hunting path.

“‘I was surprised, however, to find so little game. We had wandered on for many miles, and I only found two or three birds that in any way resembled game.

“‘These I did not shoot. I preferred to take stock of the island to-day, camp by the sea-shore all night, sinking some creels which I had brought with me, and thus secure for the sick pirate some crabs and other shell-fish, as well as a few birds, which would have gone bad if killed this forenoon.

“‘It must have been nearly three o’clock, and although we saw some Indians at a distance, and had even come in sight of an Indian village of wigwams low down by the side of a hill and near a meandering stream, there were no other signs of life.

“‘Judge then of my horror and astonishment when suddenly from a neighbouring thicket there arose the most pitiful screams for help. The voice was a girl’s, and she was evidently English.

“‘“Follow me, lads,” I cried, drawing my sword.

“‘Next minute I found myself in a kind of glade. Here, close to a fire, were no fewer than five almost naked savages, their arms lying near by. They were as fearsome as a nightmare, and covered with war-paint.

“‘But near by, and tied to a tree, was a young white girl, evidently a captive, for whom torture unmentionable was being prepared.

“‘Although convulsed with terror and bedewed with tears, I could not help thinking--and thoughts travel quickly--that she was exceedingly beautiful.

“‘But I and my merry men gave those savages no time to think.

“‘I had a revolver in each hand. One fell dead at my first fire, and another was shot through the shoulder.

“‘They quickly fled, and with a blood-curdling yell which spoke of revenge to come.

“‘Then I turned my attention to the poor girl. My men cut her cords; but her hands were so swollen as to be for a time paralyzed. So, too, were her feet, so that even to stand was impossible.

“‘“To Heaven and you,” she said, as I lowered her down on a bank of green grass--“to Heaven and you I owe my life.”

“‘“Do not talk too much just yet,” I said. “The savages will not return. We should welcome them warmly if they did. But surely it was Providence who sent us here.”

“‘Then I made her swallow a little of something from my flask. It was well watered, and could not hurt.

“‘She revived a little, and with her own handkerchief I wiped the tears from her eyes and face. Then I chafed her hands and tiny feet, and told her she must rest until my men made a kind of litter to carry her to her father’s home, which, she said, was very many miles away.

“‘Then she told me how the abduction had occurred.

“‘There dwelt here, she said, a tribe of what the few whites on the island called the Amphibious Indians, because they lived as much on the water, or even in it, as upon dry land. They were implacable savages, but the whites and they had always been on the most friendly terms till now, and Red Toad, the chief, often came to the Hall, as their home was called, to beg for medicine for his braves, and never failed to bring fish and game. The Indians who had stolen the girl were irreclaimable renegades.

“‘“Oh,” she cried, tears beginning to flow afresh, “but for your fortunate arrival the awful torture would have already commenced. Then they would have buried me, and no one could have told what had become of me.

“‘“I came away from home to-day to wander in the woods and cull wild flowers. The servants will not even yet miss me. Father is in Florida, but returns to-night. Mother, did you say? Ah! she is dead and gone years ago, and I am the only child. But never before have the savages attempted to molest us.”

“‘Well, if there was one thing more than another that I now felt certain about, it was this: I had fallen suddenly but deeply in love with this beautiful and innocent young girl.

“‘I lifted her gently into the litter the men had prepared. How light she felt in my strong arms! Perhaps I held her therein just one brief second longer than was necessary.

“‘I walked and talked by the litter all the way, I did not tell her all my terrible story just then, however.

“‘I should wait.’”