LAFITTE:
THE PIRATE OF THE GULF. BOOK n.
CONTINUED.
CHAPTER Xni.
" As no privation is so great as the loss of personal liberty, so no enjoyment is so great as its restoration."
President Edwards.
Count D'Oyley and Constanza — an alarm — upon the sea — hope brightens.
Shortly after Juana entered the cavern, two figures, one slight and boyish, the other taller and stouter, came forth from the cave, passed with a hasty and suspicious tread by the drunken guard, whose pistols they secuied, and crossed carefully the plank bridge over which the taller, who was in female apparel, carefully assisted the lighter, who wore a cap and pea-jacket.
On gaining the shrouds, the apparent female passed her arm around the waist of the boy, and supported his unsteady and unpractised footsteps down the descent to the deck.
" Now dearest Constanza, all your energy and presence of mind is necessary. There stands the
watch with his head leaning upon the quarter rail, holding to a stay. He is not wholly intoxicated, hut we must pass him as Juana and Theodore ; now move lightly and firmly."
" Va usted a los infiernos !" muttered one of the sleepers, as the count's foot pressed heavily upon his hand.
Constanza had the presence of mind not to scream, when the disturbed sleeper turned over upon his hard bed, and grumblingly fell asleep again.
" Who are you, there ? Carramba ! Is it you Juana ? Per amor de dios ! but that agua de vita of yours Ju-Juana my beauty, has made the schoo-schooner, and the bay, and the land, go rou-round in a merry reel," he said, slowly and thickly articulating—" Fa la ra la ra la, la ! But who is that Juana ?" he said, suddenly stopping in the midst of a drunken pirouette. " Oh, I see ! Seiior Theodore. Your humble servant; I kiss my hand to you. It is your next watch Senor Theodore, your watch ! Do you take Seiior Theodore ? I b-believe I am drunk or getting so—but it's all owing to—to that beauty there—she fascinated me master Theodore, she fascinated me. There sweet Juana, hold up your pretty face, let me banquet on it. So, gi-give me a small sip more, one si-sip at that fl-flask ; what kills may cure, yo-you know, Seiior Theodore !"
The disguised coiuit handed him the bottle, and while he was diligently engaged in quaffing its contents, he handed Constanza over tlie side of the schooner into the boat, and immediately followed himself.
" Ho ! wh-where are you go-going, Juana ?—oh ! I, I see, to get the clothe-cloihes. Well, Pll take them up—take them np,"—and as he made an attempt to reach over the quarter-railing, he lost his equilibrium, and staggering backward, fell across the companion-way, where he lay nearly insensible.
" Now, Conslanza, dearest," said the count, " sit perfectly still. Are you alarmed ? have you all firmness ?"
*' Perfect—perfect, Alphonse," she whispered, " I can assist, if you require it."
" No no, dearest, brave girl! I shall need only your mental energies."
Cutting with a cutlass which he had taken from the deck, the painter, or rope which secured the boat to the schooner, he cautiously, and without noise, shoved off from her. Then seizing an oar, five or six of which besides a mast with a single sail lay along the thwarts, he wrapped a portion of the carpet which he severed for the purpose, around it, and placing it in the rowlock or cavity fitted for its reception in the stern, gently as though he plied a glass oar, he turned the head of the boat, and impelled her, by sculling, across the basin to the entrance of the rock-bound passage "which communicated with the open sea.
Constanza, with a fluttering pulse but courageous heart, sat silently by him. Not a word w^as spoken, and not a sound was heard around them. Even the motion of the blade of his oar as it divided the water, was noiseless, and the ripple under the stem scarcely reached her ear.
They had now entered the passage, and with more boldness and assurance the count urged forward his little bark. Their bosoms began to swell with hope, as the schooner, the mouth of the cave, and the tall cliff gradually faded in the disiance ; when suddenly, the loud voice of one giving the alarm as they thought, fell upon their ears with fearful distinctness, curdling the current of Jife in the bosom of the maiden, while a cold thrill passed over the heart of her lover.
" We are missed," said the count incited to greater exertion, " h\h the chances are on our side.''
i*
With a seaman's skill he worked the single oar, and urged the boat through the water with increasing rapidity.
But a single voice had yet been heard by them, and listening, they recognized the air of a song, which some one—Diego, as they judged from the sound of the voice, was singing in a wild air—
" The winds are fair—far on the main. The waves are Jashing free, Heave, comrades, heave the anchor in, The order is—" To sea !" Square broad the yards, trim down the sail,. We'll bowl alonii before th^ gale ! Heave O ! heave 0 ! ye ho !
What life, so stirring, free as ours?
Where'er we list, we roam : The broad, blue sea—this gallant bark Our heritage—our home. The white surge dashes from our bow. As fleet and far the'waves we plough. Heave O ! heave O ! ye ho !
Our bold and daring deeds resound
In many a distant dime ; Minstrels and gray-beard sires shall teE Our fame in after time— When those who cavil at our sway, Forgotten, shall have passed away. ^ Heave O ! heave O ! ye ho !.
Though landsmen frown upon our deedst.
And deem us " men of fear," Bright-eyed signoras bend with smiles
Our bold exploits to hear. Our life is in their smiles—the brave They love, but scorn the coward, slave ? Heave 0 ! heave O ! ye ho !
We lack not gold—a princess' dower
Each brave heart may command ;
We lack not wine—we've vintage rar?-
From many a sunny land.
No wants have we—no cares we know f.
We're proud to call the world our foe ^
Heave 0 ! heave O ! je bo !
LAFITTE. T
Here's lady's love—bright gold and wine,
Freedom from all control; Here's dastard's hate—here's all that loves
The free and fearless soul. Then bring the ruby wine—fill high, Drain to the chief your goblets dry. , Heave 0 ! heave 0 ! ye ho !"
*' It is but that drunken watch," he said>. as' he listened to tlie last notes of the song dying awjiy ib the distance, "he has recovered from his momentary stupor, and is now giving vent to his excitement in a bacchanahan song. Would to heaven he had been as much of the animal as the guard. Be not alarmed dear Constanza," he continued, stooping to kiss her brow% " do not fear,' there is no real danger;" and he still swayed vigorously to the oar.
" But may not Lafitte, who is so rigid in his exactions of duty, if he is awakened by this man, come to learn the cause and discover us ? Hea-yen forbid ! Holy Maria bless us, and aid us with thy presence!" and she sought her crucifix to press it to her lips, as she lifted her heart in devotion.
" Oh ! Alphonse—I have lost my crucifix, my mother's dying gift;" she exclaimed, alarmed, "my long cherished medium of communication with heaven ! Oh ! have you it ?"
" No, dearest, you have probably dropped it.""
" My sainted mother ! it is an augury of evil. Holy virgin protect me !" and tears filled the eyes of the lovely petitioner, as with locked hands she gazed upwards.
" Calm your feelings, sweetest," he said cheer-•ingly, " we shall soon be free. See f they pursue us not. Listen T the voice of the singer is scarcely heard ; and look about you ! we are just at the mouth of the passage with the open sea before us, and Port au Prince but a few leagues to leewards Courage my brave Constanza," he added encouragingly. " Now we are out of the pass—I feel
the sea breeze already upon my cheek. See how it is playing with your hair. No, do not fear; do you see that bright burning star, deep set in the heavens, directly above us ? Tiiat star, my love, T have always regarded as the star of my destiny— whenever that is in the ascendant I am successful. Be happy, for with that eye of light open above us, we have nothing to fear.
" Feel the wind ! how refreshing it comes from the sea ! Now Constanza we will hoist our sail; and the gull shall not skim the water with a swifter wing than our little bark."
He raised the mast, and hoisted the little latteen sail, which swelHng and distending as it caught the breeze, instantly depressed the boat down to one side, and impelled her rapidly over the water. Under the influence of this new agent, it sprung lightly forward, skipping from wave to wave and dashing their broken crests from her bows.
The count who had taken his seat by the side of Constanza now that the boat was urged forward by the wind was congratulating her upon their escape.
She silently pressed his hand, and kept her eyes fixed steadily on the shore.
**Did you see that light?" she said, suddenly clinging to his arm. ^
The count, who was intent upon his duty of governing the boat, whose head he turned towards the entrance of St. Marc's channel in the direction of Port au Prince, where he expected to find his frigate, turned and saw the edge of the moon just appearing above the distant clitF and broken into apparent flame by the woods over which it was rising.
" No no, sweetest, it is the moon ; a second augury for good. It smiles upon our departure. See now, as she ascends the skies, how she flings her silvery scarf out upon the waters."
" No no, not that, it was a flash. Hark ! did you
hear that ?" she exclaimed, as the heavy report of a gun came booming over the sea. • " It is indeed a gun, and fired from the schooner; but be not alarmed, they can hardly reach us."
" Hark! what whizzing, rushing sound is that over our heads ?"
" A bird, merely," said the count quietly; and then added to himself, " Tiiat shot was w-ell aimed. Couracre my dearest, this beautiful boat was built for sailing. If this wind holds, we shall make Cape St. Marc by sunrise, and then if we are pursued, which I doubt, we can run into the town—but if not, we will continue on to Port au Prince, which is but fifteen leagues farther. Ah ! there is another flash."
A few seconds after he spoke, the report of a second gun came sharply from the shore.
" Courage, Constanza! they cannot reach us now. That too was shotted," he added. " If they have discovered our escape, Constanza, dearest, they are firing at some object which they think is our boat. It will require time to take them off and put them on the right track. Blow bravely winds ! Are you confident, dearest ?" he asked, pressing her to his heart ;* " there is now no longer cause for fear."
" Yes, now I begin to hope we may yet escape. Heaven, I thank thee !" and she looked devoutly upward, the mellow moonlight falling upon her fair forehead, and adding a richer gloss to her dark hair. In that attitude something fell from her bosom, and rung as it struck the bottom of the boat.
" There is your crucifix, sweet Constanza," he said, bending to pick it up—" What! no, a dagger ! What means this V
" My last hope on earth, if yon outlaw had retaken us," she answered, with firmness and emotion.
"God forbid! Constanza;—noble spirited woman !" he exclaimed, embracing her.
Morning found the lovers in sight of the town of St. Marc. At the first moment of dawn the count eagerly searched the horizon for an indication of being pursued, and just as the sun lifted his disc above the inland mountains, his beams fell upon a white spot many leagues to the northward, and on the verge of the sky and sea.
Pointing out to her the pleasant town of St. Marc at the head of the bay of the same name, he suggested to Constanza the expediency of continuing their course to the port of their original destination ; as the sail which he saw in the distance, even if in pursuit, was too far off to overtake them. To this she acquiesced with buoyant spirits.
Before a steady wind, they now held on their way along the romantic and cultivated shores of the channel—their bosoms elated with the hope of soon terminating their varied and trying adventures.
CHAPTER XIV.
Lesio. —" Hast heard the news, Vesca?"
Vesca.— " What"'news ?"
L.—The Pole 's escaped, and carried with him my master's daugh ter."
V.—" The Saints ! you jest, Lesio !"
L.—" 'Tis true as the cross. My master has ta'en horse and half a score of followers and spurred in pursuit."
V.—" Heaven grant he catch them not."
L.—" Amen!"
An alarm—discovery—result—pursuit.
We will now return to Lafitte, whom we left lying in troubled sleep on one of the rude benches in the cave upon which he had thrown himself, after having, with a severe struggle between his passions and desire to act honourably towards his fair captive, decided upon giving her and her lover their freedom, and convey them to Port au Prince in the morning. His sleep though deep, was still tortured with dreams.
A fourth time he dreamed. He was upon the deck of his vessel, contending hand lo hand with an officer. At length he disarmed him, and passed his cutlass through his breast, from which the blood flowed as he drew out the steel. He uttered a cry of horror ! It w^as the bosom of Constanza ! A loud voice rung in his ears, which sounded like a chorus of triumph at the fatal deed. He sprung to his feet,
and the cry " To arms—to arms !" rung loudly in his ears.
" To arms, seiior," shouted his lieutenant—" a boat is in the passage—we may be surprised !"
" The oullavv, shouting to the men who slept about liim to arm and follow, hastened to the terrace, where two or three of the buccaneers had collected.
" Awake the crew in the schooner," he shouted. '* Where is the guard ? Ho ! there ! Ho ! the guard ! where is he ?" he sternly demanded.
His commands, issued in the cavern, had been followed by a hasty and simultaneous rising of the sleeping crew, who had not heard the alarm given by 'J'heodore, who, leaving a recess within the cavern where he slept, had gone forth to stand his watch, when the boat of the fugitives in the passage caught his quick eye, and he instantly flew to communicate his discovery to Lafitte.
There was now a bustle of preparation on board the schooner, when Lafiite gave orders to the crew to ascend to the platform and defend it. Having lost so many men in the severe fight of the previous nighl, he did not wish to expose the lives of his men needlessly.
" Up ! who is that lagger there ?" he demanded, as the form of the guard lying on the quarter-deck caught his eye.
"It is Diego, sefior—he is dead, or dead drunk," replied one of the men.
" Drunk ? Throw him down the hatches, and leave him to the knives of the enemy, if there be any."
• '• Theodore, how do you make that boat ? you
said you saw her in the passage ;" he inquired,
turning quickly to the youth: " I can see nothing."
" Look sir ! there I just oeyond the farthest rock
—see ! she has a sail, which I did not before discover—she must have set it since."
" That boat is not approaching," replied Lafitte, after looking for a moment in the direction indicated by Tiieodore, " she is outside, and standmg to the south. What can it mean V
" Whoever it is, sefior, they seem to have been ashore on mischief!" said one of the crew. " Here is Gil also drunk or dead."
The pirate turned as he spoke, and saw the body of the guard, insensible where he had fallen.
" Ho ! a light here. He is warm," he said, placing his hand upon him. "Faugh ! he breathes like a distillery. Up, brute, up !" he cried fiercely ; but the drunkard remained immoveable. With an execration, the chief raised him from the ground with an iron grasp upon his throat, and hurled him over the precipice into the sea.
" Say you the w^alch is drunk too ?" he inquired, as the waters closed over the body of his victim.
" Yes sir, as dead as the guard ;" replied the man whom he addressed.
" By the holy cross ! I would hke to know what this means!" he shouted.
" Diable I Now I think, seiior," said one of the men; "somebody stepped on my hand while 1 was asleep, and 1 afterward dreamed of hearing a boat leave the schooner."
" Fool! dolt! dreaming idiot! there may have been good cause for your dream—you deserve to be swung from the yard arm," he said, striking the man with the hilt of his cutlass. " But why do I dally—light that match—depress that piece Theodore, if you see the boat."
" Yes, seiior !" replied the youth in a voice which had lost its former animation. He now began to suspect whom the boati contained, having, as the man spoke of his dreams, cast his eyes over the
Vol. H.— 2
terrace and discovered that the schooner's boat was gone. Obeying the command of his chief, he lev- • elled the gun high over the true mark which was now visible as the wfiile sail of the boat gleamed in the rising moon—while his bosom beat with apprehension Jest his good intention should be unsuccessful.
The chief seized the match and fired the piece, the report of which reverberated among the cliffs, and died away like distant thunder along the cav-erned shores of the bay.
" A useless shot—they still move on," he exclaimed. "See! the white sail glances in the moonlight. Do belter than that." The gun was eagerly depressed and fired by Lafitte himself, with no belter result, and in a few moments ihe object of their altention and alarm, was entirely invisible in the haze and darkness of llie sea.
" I would give ray right hand to know w^hat this means !" said the pirate musingly.
" 'J^he schooner's boat is gone sir !" said one of the men hastily.
"Gone!" he exclaimed, springing to the verge of the terrace—" Gone indeed ! hell and devils ! it is so!" he shouled, as apparently a new thought flashed across his mind. "That light here !" and seizing a lamp from one of'his men, he rushed through the long passage into the inner cavern with rapidity, and entered the chamber recently occupied by his prisoners.
It was silent and deserted. He looked into every recess—sprung through the breach into the opposite room, and called upon their names, yet the echoes of his own voice and footsteps only replied. Again he traversed the apartments, scaled the walls and searched every niche and corner of the room, before he was thoroughly convinced of the flight of his captives. Then he dashed the lamp upon the
pavement, and muttered between bis clencbed teeth deep execrations.
For several minutes be paced tbe cavern bke a madman ; gradually be became calmer and spoke:
" Tbey bave es^caped me tben ! sbe wbom I worshipped bas doubted my faiib—no! no!" be added quickly, "sbe has not; it was be— he! I will pay him back this deed. Curse, curse the fates tbat are ever crossing me ! Here I bave been humbling my passion to bis—schooling my mind to virtuous resolves, for tbe happiness of tbis woman who despises me. For ibe bliss of tbis titled fool who doubts my word, I have let slip tbe fairest prize tbat ever fell into tbe possession of man. But the cbarm is broken—now will I win her ! There are now no terms between him and me. I will pursue bim to tbe deatb, and her I will win and wear. Sbe sball yet becom.e tbe bride of the detested onllaw."
" Ho !" be sbouted, without baving formed any-decisive plan to pursue with regard to tbe fugitives —" Cast offand make sail on tbe schooner—spring I we must overbaul tbat boat. Lively ! men, lively !" be added, as bastily issuing from tbe cavern, he energetically repeated bis orders for immediately getting under weigb.
Tbe morning sun sbone upon tbe sails of tbe pirate's scbooner, many leagues from tbe point of ber departure, crowding all sail and standing towards the south and east as tbe most probable course taken by those of whom Lafiite was in pursuit.
Tbe outlaw was upon tbe deck which be had not quilted since tbe scbooner left the basin, his egi-ger eye scanning tbe faint lines of tbe horizon.
"Do you see nolbing yel, Theodore?" he inquired of iiis young protege, wbom he bad sent aloft —" See you nothing ?"
" No, senor, the sun is just lifting the haze from the water—you can see better from the deck."
" Sail ahead!" shouted a man on the forecastle.
"I see it," cried Theodore, "as the haze rises— it is ahead, just off St. Marc's town. If it is the boat we seek it is useless to pursue it, as it has at least two leagues the start of us, and unless we take her out from under the guns of the town we must give her up."
" If it were from under the guns of the Moro, I would take her out," exclaimed the buccaneer chief. "Set the fore top mast studding sail—we will yet reach them before they get under the land," he added, bringing his spy-glass to his eye.
" It is the boat!" he exclaimed joyfully after a moment's scrutiny ; " I would know my little gig as far as I could see her. It is the fugitives ! they have hauled their wind and are passing the port no doubt for Port au Prince."
" Now favour me, hell or heaven, and I will yet have my revenge !" he added through his shut leeth; and under additional sail the pirate dashed on after the boat of the fugitives.
Theodore descended to the deck after the discovery of the boat, with a thoughtful brow and a gravity unusual to his years and to the individual, who was naturally gay and light hearted, while a vein of delicacy, high moral sentiments, and an honourable feeling in spite of his education formed the basis of his character. Perhaps, however—although gratitude in every shape should be a virtue; perhaps, it was shaded by a grateful attachment to his benefactor which influenced him to do that against which his heart and judgment revolted. Sometimes he had modified his obedience to the instructions of his friend and chief, and occasionally he had dissuaded
him from insisting upon the act, or when this was impossible to appoint some other agent. Whenever he thought his own presence would diminish the amount of human suffering, he w'ould often with the hope of doing good wlien evil was intended, overcome his own repngnance, and himself voluntarily become the agent of the ouilavv.
Knowing the character of his protege, and desiring when he parted from Constanza to render her situation as comfortable as circumstances would admit of, Lafitte had appointed his young friend to the pleasing and congenial duty of protecting her to Kingston. How^ he executed this task is well known.
In the fair Castillian he had taken a deep and lively interest; and her helpless situation, her extreme beauty and gentleness had captivated him and made him, if not her lover, her enthusiastic devotee. Her image was ever present in the waking hours of the romantic youth, and he could never picture a paradise without filling it with angels whose bright faces were only some beautiful modification of that of the Spanish maiden.
When the shipwreck of the brig again threw her into the power of Lafitte, knowmg his impulsive character, Theodore trembled for her happiness. In the silence of his own bosom he had sworn that he would protect her from insult, even to the shedding of the blood of his benefactor. When he discovered the absence of the boat and her escape, his heart leaped with joy, and the darkness of the night alone kept him from betraying his emotion upon his tell-tale features.
Appearing to second Lafitte's anxiety to overtake them, he did all in his power to retard the preparations for commencing the pursuit. During the daik hours of the morning as he leaned over the quarter-2*
rail watching witli a trembling heart the indistinct horizon, fearing to look lest he should discover the boat, yet by a kind of fascination constantly keeping his eyes wandering over the water, his thoughts •were busy in devising means to prevent the recapture of the lovers.
CHAPTER XV.
" No man, however abandoned, has utterly lost that heavenly spark by which he participates in the Divine Nature.
" If charity rather than censure, governed our intercourse with the depraved, we might kindle this spark into a fire that should purify the w^hole man, instead of mercilessly quenching the smoking flax and breaking the bruised reed."
Newton.
Lafitte and Theodore — persuasion — a tictory — change of
PURPOSE.
When morning showed clearly llie object of their pursuit, the cry of the sailor, which made the blood uf Lafitte leap, sent the life-current of the youth's veins back to his heart chilled and dead.
"What means that sad countenance, my young child of the sea ?" inquired Lafitte, playfully, as, in pacing with an elastic step, fore and aft the quarterdeck, he slopped and tapped lightly the shoulder of the boy who was leaning thoughtfully against the rigging, gazing upon the glimmering sail of the boat diminished in the distance to a mere sparkle upon the water.
" Want of sleep has paled you, Theodore. Go below and turn in, and when the watch is next called you shall once more become fair lady's page. Ha! your blood mounts quickly to your cheek! Nay^ never be ashamed to be esquire of dames. It is the best school of gallantry for a spirited youth ! Silent, sir page ? and pale again !—but I crave your pardon, my boy, I meant not to jest with you," he ad-
ded as the youth's emotion although from a different cause than he imagined, visibly increased.
" You do not jest with me, senor, my more than parent; but there is something weighs heavily upon my spirits. I cannot throw it off!" he replied in a serious and impressive tone of voice.
" What is It, Theodore ? tell me freely. It must indeed be heavy to chill you thus ; you are not wont to give room to sadness without cause—a deep cause must there be for this. Tell me freely w^hat so saddens your spirit, you have never yet asked favour of me in vain. Surrounded as I am by men who fear, but love me not, there is happiness in feeling that there is one whose attachment for me is sincere.
" You have been a greater source of happiness to me since first I took you from amidst the ocean than words can express. Till then my heart was hke a wild vine running riot upon the dank earth; but you, my child, have caught up at least one tendril, and so trained, nourished and twined it about your heart, unpromising as it may have seemed, it bears some fruit of human affection.
" It tells too what the whole vine might have become," he continued sadly, " had it not been trampled upon and laid waste by him who should have cherished it, instead of being sought out and nurtured by the hand of affection. To all but you I am cast out as a loathsome and poisonous weed; and if I did not know that one human breast knew me better, I should be, if you can believe it, a much worse man than I am. It is this little tendril your love has nurtured which binds me to my species —which makes me not forget that I am a man !"
" There is one other breast that does you equal justice, senor ?"^ said the boy inquiringly and with embarrassment, as the outlaw turned away and walked the deck in silence.
," One other ! what—whose ?" none but the all-seeing Virgin, w^ho knows me by my heart, and not b}^ my actions, as men know me. It is the will,>not the deed, boy, which makes the guilt."
" Father Arnaud whom you sent for to Havana to confess the men, says differently," remarked Theodore.
" No matter what he said," replied the chief hastily. " The father w^as bigoted, and loved his wine too well for his doctrine, to be seasoned with the right spirit. Jt is the will—"
"Ha ! we gain on the boat rapidly," he said interrupting himself, and looking out forward, and then continued :
"It is the will, that stamps the guilt or innocence of an action. If I, wjdving suddenly from a dream discharge a pistol at the phantom which scared me, and pierce your heart, I am absolved by heaven of murder. I had not the will to slay you ;—there is no guilt involved in the act. But if I resolve to kill you and place the dagger in my slave's hand, and he strikes home the blow which releases your soul, then I am guiltv, though my hand struck not the blow. No, no !" he added with energy, " I am not so guilty before heaven as I seem. God is merciful. I would rather He and all heaven should read my heart than man—man ! guiltiest of all, yet the most unforgiving of guilt;" and his lip wTithed with a scornful smile as he spoke.
" But, senor," inquired his companion, his mind diverted from his anxiety for the fugitives by the language of his friend—" you have been engaged in scenes of strife and carnage; was not the blow the agent of the will at such times ?"
" Not always—no !" he replied, after a moment's reflection, apparently appealing to memory—" with but two exceptions have I voluntarily and delibe-
lately spilled human life ; for these I am accountable. May God in his mercy, assoilzie m"e for ihem? But am I accountable, strictly, for impulses which are beyond my control—which .are not truly my own acts ? Seldom have I done deeds of violence, where I did not regret the fatality which impelled me to do them^revoliing at the act, of which at the same time I felt the necessity."
" Then you resolve all actions into one single cause—irresistible fate—dividing them into three' kinds—accidental, impulsive, deliberative. But shall wjannot change the subject sir?" ,he added abruptly, as he thought of the fugitives.
" There is one, who regards you with the same feelings I do ; she—"
"She ? Whom mean you ? No, you do not mean her!"
" I mean the Castillian."
"Say you so, Theodore?" he said, grasping his arm. " You have been much with her. Do you know her heart ?" and he looked steadily and eagerly into his face.
" It is not of her heart I speak, seiior, but of her expressed opinions." The pirate's brow changed, but he listened in silence. " I have heard your name frequently upon her lips, and never as the world uses it. She spoke of you with interest.—"
" Ha!"
" The interest she would feel for a brother;" he coniinued, without noticing the interruption. " She asked me of your character, the tone of your mind, and indeed all J knew of you."
" And how did you speak of me to her ?" he inquired eagerly.
" As I can only speak of my benefactor," he said taking and warmly pressing hi^ hand : " x\s I, and 210 one else know you."
" Thank you, thank you, Theodore ;" he said, moved al the generous sincerity of the boy. "And what said she further ?"
"Slie alluded to her capture—to her interview with you ; and she spoke of and enlarged upon your generous nature ; she said she could never cease to rennemiber you with kindness, and that next to the stranger count, you shared a place in her heart."
" Said she so nnuch ?" he exclaimed, his eye lighting with hope. " Prosper me Heaven ! and she may yet, voluntarily be mine !"
" But the Count D'Oyley, sir !" said' Theodore with emphasis.
Abruptly changing his tone and manner, which were softened by his conversation with his young friend he exclaimed almost fiercely—
" And what of him ? Has he not outraged me ? has he not stolen off, when my plighted word that he should have safe conduct to Port au Prince was yet warm upon his ear ? what shall bind me to terms of courtesy to him ? We gain upon them bravely ;" he added eagerly, as he turned in his walk, and looked steadily ahead. "I almost fancy I can see the mantilla of the maiden floating in the breeze."
" And what is your purpose with the lady sir, if we recapture her?" inquired the youth with firmness and respect.
Lafitte started at this abrupt question, and his face flushed and paled again before he spoke.
"Purpose ? purpose ? purpose sure enough !" he slowly articulated.
" Seiior, you would not do the sweet lady harm?"
" Harm ! what mean you sir ?" he said, turning fiercely upon the boy and grasping his cutlass hilt.
" Forgive me seiior ! but rather than so gentle a creature should come to harm, I would be willing"
he coniinned, mildly and firmly, " to pour out my heart's best blood."
" Do you dare me to my face, Theodore ? do you presume upon my affection, to use such language ? Know you that where deejj love has been planted, hate takes deeper root. Boy—boy, below !" and his anger rising with his wo«ds, he struck the youth violently upon the breast. He reeled against the main-mast, but recovering himself, with a face in which resentment and wounded feelings struggled forcibly, he silently descended to the cabin.
His captain paced the deck alone for awhile, with agitation in his step and manner, and then hastily followed him.
"Theodore, my son, my brother, forgive me that blow ! It was an angry one, and I would atone for it. Oh ! if you knew how I have been punished for a blow like that given in a moment of passion in early life, you would forgive and pity me."
The youth rose from the table, where he sat with his head leaning upon his hand, and threw himself into the arms of his benefactor.
"Forgive you! It is all forgiven. Ungrateful should I be to let this cancel all I owe you, my more than parent. I spoke warmly for the lady, for I feel much for her—so gentle ! so lovely ! and then her whole soul wrapped up in her lover. Oh ! if you could see how their hearts are bound up in one another—how pure and deep their love—how fondly she doats on him ; you would—I am sure you would, like me, be willing to sacrifice even your life to make them happy. For my sake," he continued warmly, " if you regard me—for her sake, if you love her, pursue them no farther. Seek not to capture them. Oh ! let them go free, let them be happy and their prayers will be for you ; your
name will be graven upon their hearts for ever, in I-etters of gratitude. What is your purpose, if you take them ? It is true, they are almost in your power; but let them go in peace. Stain not your heart and hand with innocent blood, and far deeper moral guilt. Let there be no more marks of crime upon vour brow; for oh ! jny benefactor, you cannot possess her even as your wife without dark and dreadful crime !" Observing, that Lafitte remained silent and moved by his appeal, the noble and youthful advocate for innocence and love continued ;
** You love her dee])ly,—intensely. I know it is an honourable love you cherish. Let her still be free, and such it will be always, and your soul sinless of the crime I fear you meditate. But take her once more captive, and you debase her to the earth either as a bride or mistress. Your love will turn to disgust; and hatred instead of gratitude which now reigns there, will fill her breast for the slayer of her lover, the violator, even with the sanction of the Holy Church, of her honor, and plighted troth.—Nay sir ! please listen to me—it is for your honor, from love to you, my best benefactor, I speak so freely. Do you not remember, just before Con-stanza left your'vessel, I remarked how cheerfully you smiled, and what a calmness dwelt upon your brow, and how consciousness of doing right and governing your own impulses, elevated and ennobled the expression of your features ?"
"I do, Theodore."
" And were you not then happy—happier than you had been before—happier than you have been to-day r
" I was—I was !"
"Was it not the victory over )^ourself, a.. . .._ resolutions which on bended knee you made to-tlie lady, that henceforward your course should be one ?hat she would feel proud to mark—Oh ! was it not
Vol. TL —3
the calm confidence of rectitude, when you let the maiden go free, and the resolution to win an honourable name which thus restored peace to your bosom and composure to your brow, a^d ennobled you in your own mind with sentiments of self-respect ?"
" It was—it was, my Theodore." " And were you not very happy; and did you not feel better satisfied with yourself than ever in your life before, when your eye dwelt upon the faint speck indicating the fast disappearing vessel which contained the being who had called up these holy and honourable feelings ?"
" Theodore, I did my boy !" " Oh ! then why will you throw away this cup of happiness, when it is once more offered to your lips ? why will not my excellent benefactor create for himself again, this happiness ?" he said, taking the passive hand of his friend and chief, and looking up with an entreating smile in his face.
" I will Theodore, I will ! you have conquered!" exclaimed Lafitte, touched by the passionate and affectionate appeal of his ardent young friend ; and yielding to his better feehngs, he said, after a few moments' affecting silence. " Theodore, you have conquered—go to the deck and give what orders you wmII."
"Yet, for Constanza I will live ; for her sake," he said mentally as the happy boy disappeared up the companion-way—" I will become an honourable man. Oh ! that some good angel would help me to do what I wish to do, but have noi the power ! Bright spirit of my departed mother !" he said looking upward calmly and thoughtfully, " if there is a communication between saints and men, give me thy assistance ; temper my passions, allure me to virtue, make me to abhor my present mode of existence and refrain evermore from dying my hand
In guilt. To tliea, I offer my broken and subdued spirit; 1 am in thy liand, take me and mould me as thou wilt!"
" Sail ho !" shouted the lookout from the foretop-mast head. The cry was again repeated by the officer of the deck at the entrance of the companion-way, before the pirate moved from, his statue-like attitude.
" Where away, Theodore ?" he quietly asked, as he slowly ascended to the deck.
'' Off the starboard quarter, sir. I have put the schooner about V he said inquiringly to his captain, looking with sympathy into his pale face.
" It IS well, Theodore !"
" The Stranger, sir, is in a line with the boat. If he should be one of our cruisers—"
" True boy, true; we must watch over their safety. Alter her course again, we must see that they come not to harm."
in a few minutes the schooner was once more under sail, standing for the boat which was now about five miles ahead.
" What do you make her ?" he hailed to the man aloft.
" I can't see her very distinctly now sir, she is almost in the sun's wake. There ! now I make her out sir—a large vessel, and very square-rigged. I think she must be a man of war. I can't make her hull yet, she's down, to her fore-yard, under the horizon."
"We must look out, and not run into the lion's den;" said Lafitte ; "there is a stir I see among the craft.in the bay of St. Marc, as though they suspected the wolf was abroad," he continued with a saddened smile. " Stir up the crew, Ricardo."
" Aye, aye, sir. Forward there all! Be ready to tack ship," shouted Ricardo. "To your posts men." A momentary bustle ensued, and dispersed
in different parts of the vessel, the crew remained silently awaiting llie next command of their officer.
The stranger gradually rose above the horizon, and showed the majestic proportions of a large frigate, standing close-hauled on the wind out of St. Marc's channel. The boat containing the lovers, was now within a mile of the ship of war.
" That is the French frigate seiior, that passed us the night we came out of the devil's punch bowl," said Ricardo. " See, she has the French ensign flying at her peak."
"'"Ha! it must then be the Count D'Oyley's frigate," said Lafitte. " So we shall in our turn, have to play the fugitive."
" No, senor," said Theodore, '' he will not pursue us ; but were it not as wxll to put about. See, the boat steers for her."
After watching with his glass for a longtime, and with much interest, Lafitte saw her run along side of the stranger^ who lay too and took the lovers on board.
He then laid down the spy-glass, and giving in a calm and measured tone, his orders to put about and stand for Barritaria, with a melancholy expression upon his fine features, he descended into his stateroom, leaving the command of the vessel for the remainder of the day, to his lieutenant-
BOOK III.
BARRITARIA.
■ Came you here to insult us, or remain As spy upon us, or as hostage for us ?"
The two Foscari.
And now he stood upon the dazzling height For which he long had laboured."
The Conqueror.
-wealth, such as
The state accords her worthiest servants ; nay, Nobility itself I guaranty thee."
Marino Falieros
LAFITTE. SI
BOOK III
CHAPTER L
*' It was a rational conjecture that, on account of the difficulty a[ ascending the Mississippi river, the British would seek a passage through the pass of Barritaria. It was also feared they would form an alUance with the Barritarian chief, to promote their object, as he was perfectly acquainted with ever>' inlet and entrance to the gulf, through which a passage could be effected,"
History of the war.
Barritaria — the chief and his adherents—a strange sail—
A CHASE,
The third part, or natural division, of our tale, opens in that portion of Louisiana, described in the historical sketch of the Barritarians commencing the second book, to which we refer the reader, and six daj^s later than the period-with which we closed that book.
• On the seventh morning after the scenes and events just related, nearly the whole of the fleet, consisting of thirteen vessels, over which Lafitte held command, composed principally of brigantines, polac-cas, small schooners of that peculiar class known then, and now, as the " Baltimore Clipper," two or three gun boats and feluccas, besides many small boats with and without masts, were anchored in the little harbour behind the island, and under cover of the guns of the strong hold of the smugglers, crovvn^
ing the western extremity of the island of Grand Terre.
Between these vessels and the smooth beach, boats were constantly passing and repassing, whilst the wild air of some popular French or Spanish song —the loud laugh of reckless merriment, or bandied jokes, mingled with strange and fierce oaths, floated over the water to the shore with wonderful distinctness in the clear morning air.
On the southern or opposite side of the island,i upon a gentle eminence commanding a prospect of the sea to the south—while over the intercepting trees was an uninterrupted and distant view of the masts of the anchored fleet—in various natural attitudes, was congregated a group apparently deeply engaged in watching the movements of two vessels standing towards the island.
The- shape and number of sails of the approaching objects which engrossed the attention of the observers, indicBted vessels of small and equal burden ; apparently sailing side by side, and making, with all their canvass spread, for the western pass.
As they lessened their distance from the island,, and their low hulls rose above the sphericity of the sea, the interest of the spectators became more intense.^ Suddenly a little triangular flag was run up to the peak of one of the vessels nearest the entrance to the lake, and at the same instant a light cloud of blue smoke shot suddenly from the side of the more distant vessel, and curled upwards, wreathing over her tall masts. This was followed by the sharp report, deadened by the distance, of a shotted gun.
The knoll upon which this party were assembled,-consisted of a grassy swell, dotted here and there by a magnificent live oak, and terminating abruptly several feet above the sea in a perpendicular precipice of earth, formed by the encroachment of the
waves, combined with the heavy rains characteristic of that chmate, acting upon the loose and impalpable soil of those alluvial regions. Under a large and venerable tree, which, growing near the precipice, hung partly over it, casting a deep shadow not only upon the sumnait of the cliff, but upon the beach beneath, lay buried in deep sleep, like one who had kept long vigils the preceding night, the athletic form of the chief of the buccaneers, whose dress and appearance we will employ the time occupied by the vessels in gaining the island, to describe.
With a cheek browned by southern suns, his manly features gave no indication of that age which a silvery hair sprinkled here and there among his raven locks, betrayed. An ample, dark, gray roquelaure faced with black silken velvet, lay outspread by the foot of the tree, serving him both for a couch and protection from the dampness of the morning, which the up-risen sun was rapidly dissipating before his warm and enlivening beams. One arm grasping a richly inlaid belt pistol in its conscious fingers was bent under his head, constituting the sleeper's only pillow, while the other was buried in his bosom. The blue collar of his seaman's shirt was turned back from his throat and neck, exposing them to the refreshing breeze of the sea, and displaying a depth and strength of chest, as uncommon in this day of physical degeneracy, as it was the birth-right of the men of a sterner age.
Encircling his waist, was a gorgeous belt of wam-pun—Uae gift of a Mexican Indian chief, as a token of his gratitude to him for preserving from-violation his only child. In it glistened the handle of a dirk, and the curled hmds of a brace of serviceable pistols. A black velt^et jacket, a slouched sombrero, and a pair of full, long pantaloons ornamented with numerous bell-buttons, pendant from the eye by liitio
chains, ringing with a clear tinkling sound at every tread of the wearer, with low wrinkled boots, peculiar to that period, completed the dress, and with the aduiiion of a sheathed sabre mounted with costly jewels, lying by his side and within reach of his disengaged hand, also the arms, of the handsome and athletic sleeper.
At his feet, and comfortably stretched upon the cloak of his master, apparently dozing, but wMth eyes of watchfulness and intelligence that took notice of every surrounding circumstance, lay a noble dog, of that dignified and sagacious species, originally derived (rom the island of Newfoundland. Scarcely, however, and with strong struggles of self denial, did the faithful animal, with philosophy worthy of a stoic, resist repeated temptations to quit his post horci time to time, presented him in the shape of certain comestibles, by a third individual of the party.
" Dat dog Leon, love stretch de lazy bone on massa cloak, more, dan eat. Here, you wooly nigger, Leon, come get dis nice turkey wing for you breakuss,"
Leon occasionally raised his eyes, and looked ■wistfully upon the tempting morcel, then casting them upon his master, reprovingly and negatively shook his head.
Upon a rude hearth, not far from the sleeper, burned a bright wood fire, over wdiich, suspended upon a crane resting upon two upright crotchets, hung a large iron pot, the black cover of which was constantly dancing above tlie boiling water, wJiich, with certain culinary instruments and preparations around, gave sign of an intention to break, by a substantial meal, the fast of the right.
Into this vessel, Cudjoe, as he progressed in dissecting a wild turkey, tossed, as he sawed them from the body, the severed portions, with, which
however, before consigning it to the. boihng receptacle, he would provokingly tempt his fellow servant, the philosophical Leon, from his duty.
Cudjoe, this mischievous leader into temptation, whom w-e have before passingly introduced to the reader, was a young slave about four feet high, with a glossy black skin, ivory white teeth, two of which, flanking his capacious jaws, projected outwards, with the dignity of the embryo tusks of a young elephant. His lips were of ample dimensions, and of the brightest vermillion, the lower one hanging down, and resting familiarly upon his short, retreating chin. His nose, which surmounted, or rather stood in the rear of these formidable appendages to his mouth, was of vast dimensions, terminating in a magnificeni expansioxi of the nostril, and threatening to encroach upon the province of his ears, which hung down in enormous lappels, as if welcoming the expected proximity.
His eyes were small, restless, and almost deficient in that generous display of white, characleristic of his race. One of these organs, he kept at all times hermetrically sealed, while the other enjoyed that obliquity of vision, which rendered it difficult for the beholder to decide certainly as to the particular point their owner was directing his visual orb.
His neck, short, thick, and buli-like, was set into broad shoulders, from which depended long arms hanging by his side like those of the ourang-outang. and.^ terminating in short stunted fingers, of which useful ornaments two and a half were wanting. His feet were broad and flat, of equal longitude either way from the base of his short legs,- which were placed exactly in their centre ; so that he seemed to enjoy the enviable facility of progressing in opposite directions without the trouble of turning his body.
His forehead, lined with innumerable fine wrinkles, was very high and round, down to the centre of which the reddish wool curled barrenly to a point, displaying a physiognomical feature, which was the mere mockery of that intellect it indicated. His voice or ratlier his voices, for nature charitably making up his deficiencies, had bestowed two upon him, in ordinary conversation was sharp and wirey, and pitched upon a shrill, discordant key ; but when he sung, as he often did, the soft airs of his tribe for the amusement of his master, the melody of a syren seemed floating around the enraptured listener.
His natural disposition was gentle and affectionate ; but when roused to levenge, he was more terrible than the uncaged hyena. Gratitude to his master, who captured him from a slaver, and subsequently saved him from an miminent and revolting death, had bound him to him with a faithfulness and attachment nothing could diminish, and death only terminate ; while the shrewdness, activity and animal courage of the young and deformed African, rendered hrni a useful and necessary appendage to the person of his master.
The fourth and last figure in the group was a supernatural and decrepid old man, with a noble, yet attenuated profile, doubled with age and infir-rhity, with a sunken and watery eye, haggard features, a long, neglected, gray beard, and a few straggling silver hairs blowing about his aged temples. He was clothed in coarse and squallid garments, which he confined to his form with one hand, whifst the other sustained a bundle of dry fuel that he had just gathered on the skirts of the forest. From time to time, tlie old man would add a stick to tire fire, and kneeling down blow feebly the expiring (lames, while at intervals, he muttered indistinctly with that unconscious manner, characteristic of second child iiood.
But the aged menial, was not only afflictecJ with imbecile dotage, but the rays of intellect were faint and flickering in his shattered brain. The light of mind was extinguished in mental night. The cistern was broken at the fountain. Who may read the dark page of that old man's life and trace out the causes which led to such effects ?
Not far from the scene of the aged man's occupation, and within ear shot of the sleeper, four or five dark-looking men in the garb of buccaneers, reclined upon the sward, smoking and watching in silence the approaching vessels.
To the right of the knoll occupied by these groups, at the distance of half a -mile, rose the strong hold of the buccaneers; while in the rear, and hidden from a prospect of the sea, interspersed among the trees and surrounding the fort, were several rude huts constructed for the habitations of those of the band, not immediately engaged in the duty of defending the battery. Upon the walls of the forti* lace, and among the adjacent village of cots, figures dressed in various wild and fantastic, yet sailor-like garbs, were seen, either engaged under the trees cookmg their morning meal, burnishing their arms, or hastening to and from the hold of their chief, as though busy with preparations for some important event.
By these individuals, the objects which had attracted the attention of Cudjoe, the old man, and the group of smokers had not yet been discovered.
" Who tink dem two vessel be, stannen for de pass on de wnn ?" asked Cudjoe, pausing a moment in the midst of his dissecting operations, as his restless one eve, always on the alert, caught sight of the white sails of the two vessels, standing, with all drawing sails set for the island.
Old Lafon fixed his bleared eye-balls in the direction Cudjoe indicated by extending in his long arms
Vox.. TT.—4
a dissected leg of the turkey upon which he was op" crating, and shook his palsied head.
" See now, dey sail togedder like two gull on de gulf; dey jis de same bigness."
" No, no ! the old man cannot see ; two, did you say? Then shall one destroy the other. Alas ! for two ! it is an evil number," and he talked incoherently, mumbling the words in his toothless jaws.
The two vessels now stood in close-hauled, with starboard tacks on board. The one to leeward however, seemed to gain rapidly upon that to windward, who hoisted her colours, a broad English ensign, while a parti-coloured signal fluttered from her main-peak.
'* By St. Jone, but dat is one dam English cruiser !" exclaimed Cudjoe as the colours were spread to the breeze, ''and sacre debble, if dat aint one o' our own craf he chasin."
One vessel was now evidently in pursuit of the other. The pursuer was a large-sized English armed brig, while the chase was a brigantine, light-armed, but a very fast sailer, and every moment increasing the distance between herself and pursuer. Still she displayed no colours, when the brig fired a gun ahead, to compel her to show them.
At the same mocnent, the chase run up the Carthagenian flag, and returned the gun by a whole broad side.
The sleeper started from his deep sleep at the sound of the single gun, and with his sabre in his grasp, stood upon his feet, a tall, finely-formed and manly figure. His dark hair curled around his expansive forehead ; beneath his arched brows glowed eyes of the deepest black, now sparkling like coals of fire as he glanced seaward at the approaching vessels. As the English colours of the armed brig caught his eye, his lip, graced by handsome musta-choes blended with his dark whiskers, curled with
a cold expression of contempt; but as he gazed more steadily upon tlie vessels, a proud smile lighted up his suii-browned features.
" Here comes a timber of old England's wooden walls, banging away at the Lady of the Gulf, as if she had nothing better to do than to scale her guns at my vessels.
"Ha! that tells well, my good lieutenant!" and his eye lighted with pleasure as he saw the head of the Englishman's bowsprit and jib-boom shot away by the gallant broadside of the chase and fall into the water.
The buccaneer was now top far to leeward, to reach the pass without tacking; and before he could execute this nautical manoeuvre, the English brig ranged upon his larboard quarter.
" Well, ^Monsieur Johnny," continued the pirate quietly watching the movement of the two vessels, "if you fire your starboard broadside into my little clipper, we may turn the brigantine over to Cudjoe here for a riddling seive.
; " Ha ! she has grounded, and,—now the Englishman has saved his powder ;" and instead of firing her broadside into the brigantine, as her manoeuvre-ing threatened, the English brig leaving the chase, ran boldly in and came to an anchor close under the island, and about half a mile from the cliff upon which stood the group, who with various degrees of interest had watched the nautical movements we have briefly described.
" By the holy cross ! but sir Englishrpan shows consummate impudence, firing his spare shot into one of my vessels, and then dropping his anchor in the face of my battery as if he had done me good service. Holy devil! but his coolness shall be warmed a little with red, iron bullets, if my little battery has not forgotten how to speak.
" Here Cudjoe, you beautiful boy, go as though
ihe devil sent you, and tell Getzendanner I want to see him."
" An who but de debblo do sen me ?" chuckled Cudjoe, but very wisely to himself, as he went off like a second Mercury, marvellously aiding his progress up the slight ascent to the fort with his long arms, which he alternately applied to the ground with great dexterity and effect.
" Ha ! he launches his pinnace ! and it is prettily manned withaL And there flutters a flag of truce!" exclaimed the pirate, as he saw these indications of pacific intentions on the part of the brig.
" Blessed visit of peace ! sending out round shot as its pioneers. Ho ! my men !" he shouted. And his boat's crew springing from their recumbent attitude upon the grass, were upon their feel and at his side,
" To the boat! Let us reconnoitre this mysterious stranger, who thus saucily beards us to our very faces," he commanded, seizing his weapons and casting his cloak upon the ground. Hastily buckling his sabre around him, and placing his pistols in his belt, he descended the cliff followed by his oarsmen, and the next moment stood upon the beach.
CHAPTER II.
" Towards the close of the war, there appeared an armed brig on the coast, opposite the pass of Barritaria. She fired a gun at a vessel entering, and then tacked and anchored off the island. A pinnace, bearing British colours and a flag of truce was sent to the shore, conveying four British oflicers, who had come to treat with the chief, and endeavour to gain him and his adherents, which comprised a force of one thousand men, besides thirteen vessels, over to their interests. Upwards of two hundred men lined the shores when they landed, and it was a general cry among them, that the British officers should be made prisoners as spies. It was with diiHculty Lafilte dissuaded the multitude from their attempt, and led the guests in safety to his camp,"
Latour's War.
Prisoners — mutiny — soliloquy — an interview.
The seamen placed their shoulders to the bows of the boat and shoved her off, while iheir leader, taking from one of his men a coarse seaman's jacket and tarpaulin, put them on, at once and effectually covering his richer dress, and concealing any indications of rank above those around him. Stepping on boards he seated himself in the stern sheets and took the helm.
" Give way men !" he cried in a low yet energetic tone of command; and the light boat shot away from the beach like an arrow.
In a few moments, he approached within hail of the pinnace, which, with steady pull was making for the shore.
" Boat ahoy!" hailed an officer in the full uniform of a British naval officer, who was slandirifg near the stern of the boat leaning upon his sword, while 4»
another officer of the navy, and a gentleman in the mihtary dress of a commander of infantry, were seated under a canopy in the stern sheets.
"Ahoy !" and the manly voice of the disguised rover rung full and clear over the water, as lie replied.
"Where is your captain?" inquired the English officer, as the boats came close to each other.
The outlaw, preferring from motives of policy to conceal his real character, replied :
*' If you mean the Barritarian chief, you will find him on shore."
" Are you of his band ?"
"We can communicate any message to him," he answered evasively.
" I am the bearer of a packet to Captain Lafitte ;"" replied the officer, "I would know to whom I entrust it."
" We are of Captain Lafitte's party, and will execute any commission with which we may be entrusted, be its import peaceful or hostile," said Lafitte firmly.
" What say you Williams, shall this, business be entrusted to this stranger ?"
"It is perhaps, the only alternative;" he replied cautiously; " he is, most likely,, one of the outlaw's band, and will no doubt convey the packet safely to his, chief."
" Ho ! Monsieur, will you convey this packet to Captain Lafitte, and say to him that we will here await his reply?" demanded the English officer; and he proffered to him as he spoke, a large packet heavy with seals.
" 1 will, gentlemen ; but had you not better see
Captain Lafitte yourselves ? If you will pull into the
shore with me, I will notify him of your desire of
an interview with him."
After a few moment's hesitation tlie officer com-
plied, and ihe two boats were soon seen approaching the island, by the buccaneers on the beach, who, alarmed by the firing, had assembled on the shore in great numbers, armed and prepared for conflict, where ihey watched the movements of the boats with no litile interest.
When tliey came within reach of the guns of the battery on the shore, and within hail of the beach, where nearly two hundred men had already collected, the disguised buccaneer, desirous of deiain-ing the officers until he learned the contents of the package, stood up in his boat, threw aside the seaman's jacket in which he w^as enveloped and turning to the British officers, said calmly, but in a determined tone :
" Gentlemen, I am Lafitte—you are my prisoners !"
^^^rhe astonisfied officers, half drew their swords, and grasped the handles of their pistols.
" J)raw no weapons gentlemen ! you are, you see, in my power. I shall detain you but a few h-ours."
" Base traitor ! Well is it said, you honour no flag but your own blood-stained ensign, if thus you recognise a flag of truce. The devil himself would respect that emblem of peace and honouiable confidence !" shouted the Briton fiercely.
" Nay, sir officer,—Do you bring messengers of peace at the cannon's mouth ?—Do you bear a flag of truce in one hand and a lighted match in the other? —Peace, sir,—It is you, sir, who tarnish the flag you accuse me of dishonouring ?"
The boats had now icached the shore, and Lafitte-springing out upon the beach, said :—
" Gentlemen, I will take your arms—"
"Jacques, hold these men," he continued, pointing to the crew of the pinnace, "under safe guard until further orders. Stand back! back—men!" he called loudly to his followers. " Why do- you
crowd thus, with lowering brow and hand on weapon, around my prisoners ?"
"Spies! spies! Muerto a los Ingleses,—Down wilh the British !—seize thenn—hang them !" cried the multitude, and rushed forward wilh lifted weapons as if determined to seize them in spile of the stern discipline which usually controlled their fierce natures.
" Men, do you press me ?" he shouted as they still closed around the Englishmen. " Back, hounds ! or by tlie Holy God 1 will send one of you to breakfast in hell !" and he drew a pistol from his belt.
The most forward of the men at that moment laid his hand upon the arm of one of the officers, who stood between the buccaneer chief and the bow of the boat from which they had just stepped. The report of a pistol rung in the air, and the daring mutineer fell a corpse at the feet of the Englishman."
The crowd fell suddenly back, as they witnessed this summary act of piratical justice. "Away wilh this mutinous slave !" he exclaimed ; and his iollow-ers near him,-^raised the corpse in silence and moved away to bury it in a hastily scooped grave in the sand beneath the cliff.
"There is nothing like blood to cool blood !" he said, quietly turning to his prisoners. "Now, Messieurs, let this severe but necessary act of discipline, assure you of my desire to secure your personal safety."
" Herp, my brave fellows, you are but tools of subtler men," said he, turning to the crew of the pinnace, who sat moodily and in silence in their boat, expecting momently to be sacrificed to the violent passions of the lawless men, who, altliough awed into temporary passiveness, might the first opportunity, satiate their appetite for blood upon their defenceless persons.
" Here men, sliove off this boat !"
The British coxswain looked at his officer for instructions.
" Put off, Carroll; but watch any signal fronn the shore," he said ; and under tlie combined efforts of several of his own crew the boat shot out from the beach, the men stooped to their oars, and in a short time, were along side of their brig.
In the meanwhile the Barritarian conducted through the retiring horde, the English officers to his fortress, while dark eyes gloated on them beneath the lowering brows of men—familiar with crime, pursued, until it had become a passion—whose hands mechanically rested upon the butt of a pistol, oi the handle of a dirk or Spanish knife.
The fortilace into which the chief ushered his prisoners, crowned a slight eminence of the island overlooking the sea to the south, and the lake or bay of Barritaria to the north, whose distant shore was marked by a low level line of cypress and other trees.
The quarters, or camp, as it was more frequently termed, of the outlaw, consisted of a brick edifice within the fort, constructed on a plan sintilar to those old Spanish houses still to be ?een in the more ancient portions of the chief maritime port of Louisiana. The entrance to the fort consisted of a low, massive gate-way, before which paced a s-entinel in the dress of a seaman, with a drawn sabre in his hand and a brace of heavy pistols stuck in his belt. On either side of this gate-way, was a row of barricaded windows, admitting light into several small apartments, used as store, sleeping, and guard rooms.
" Weston, close the gate and add three men to every guard ! on your life admit no one without my orders !" said Lafitte as he passed into the fort.
The sailor whom he thus addressed lifted his hat and moved to obey the order, while his captain with his three prisoners passed through the gate-way
into a rude court, around which were ranged several low buildings, serving as work-shops, storehouses, and quarters for the men who staid on shore. Several pieces of disuiounted cannon were lying about the court, while a long, mounted gun, which turning on a pivot, commanded the whole of the interior of the defences, made use of in quelling domestic disturbances, stood in front of the buildings, just mentioned as the quarters of the chief. To this dwelling, after crossing the court, he conducted his involuntary guests.
" Theodore !" he called, stopping at the entrance : and the youth, with a pale, and as the Englishman thought, a strikingly intelligent face, came forth from a room communicating with the passage running through the building, with a pen in his hand as if the voice of Lafitte had interrupted him while employed in writing.
*' Theodore, conduct these gentlemen into the opposite building and tell Weston to place a guard at the door." "Gentlemen," he added with courtesy, turning to the officers, " I regret the necessity of placing you under temporary restraint, but the fierce humor of my men require it. They unfortunately suspect you visit our island under feigned pretences, while vour real object is, to examine the coast for the purpose of making a descent:" and he looked at them severally and fixedly as he spoke.
"You will excuse me," he said abruptly after a moment's pause, " while I examine the package of which you are the bearer!
" Cudjoe, see that the gentlemen are comfortable in their room and have refreshments placed before them."
The officers politely bowed to their captor, who returned their courtesy with dignity ; and following their youthful guide, disappeared.
In a few minutes Theodore re-appeared in the court, closed behind him a heavy door, turning the massive bolt in the lock, and returned to the quarters of the chief, where he found him examining the contents of the package.
He was seated at a table in a small room, lighted by two barred windows deeply set in the thick walls overlooking the western pass, and affording an extensive prospect of the southern sea. The opposite window commanded the anchorage with its little squadron, and the bay of Barritaria, with the distant green line of the level horizon.
Five or six rude chairs, a large ship's table, and a seaman's chest were the only articles of furniture. Several charts, a few books, and bundles of filed, and many loose papers, lay upon the table.
For an hour, he sat perusing the official papers which had been placed in his hands, then laying them upon the table, and leaning his liead upon his hand, he remained a long time buried in deep thought. Suddenly starting up, he cried :
" Theodore, conduct Captain Lockyer to me. What turmoil is that without?" he added with a raised voice, as loud words reached his ears. "Send Weston here !"
" Weston," he said rapidly, as the captain of the guard appeared at the door—"run the long gun out of the port hole m the gate, and bring it to bear upon the blustering fools, and wail my orders to fire. See that it is well charged with grape."
" Aye, aye, sir!" said the guard, who had been recently promoted from the command of a pollacca to the defence of the fort. And the creaking of the gun-carriage as it was swung around to the appointed position, had scarcely ceased, when a heavy footstep was heard in the hall, and the bearer of the packet entered the quarters of the pirate.
" Be seated, sir," said Lafitte, waving his hand to a chair, which the officer occupied. " I have considered the propositions contained in these documents before me, and feel honoured in the confidence reposed in me by your government. Bui the subject of whici] they treat is of too great moment for hasty decision. 1 shall require a few days de* lay before I can return a final answer."
"Captain Lafitte!" replied the officer; "without commenting upon the circumstances which make me your prisoner, and which I am happy to acknowledge it is not in your power wholly to control, I will proceed, by communicating my private instruc* lions, to second the arguments made use of by my superior officer, with which those papers before you have made you acquainted, for the purpose of inducing you to become an ally of England, in this her present contest, with the North American States. I am instructed to offer you a commission in his Britanic majesty's service with the full pardon and admittance into the navy, with ranks equivalent to what they now hold, of all under your command, if you will throw the weight of your power and influence into the scale in our favour."
" These are tempting and honourable proposals Monsieur, and as honourable to the gentlemen who make them as flattering to the subject of them!" replied the outlaw in a tone between irony and sincerity ; "But do I understand you, that I and ray officers retain command in our own vessels, provided that we substitute 8t. George's cross for the flag under which we now sail ?"
" Such were not my instructions. Monsieur Lafitte. Ii is expected that the armed vessels which compose your Barritarian fleet, will be placed at the disposal of the officers of his majesty in the con-' templated descent upon the coast."
*' These are conditions with which I am not at present, prepared to comply ;" answered the chief. " They are—"
" But consider the advantages which will result sir, both to yourself and the numbers you command;" interrupted the officer. " You will be restored to the pale of society, bearing an honourable rank, (pardon me, Captain Lafitte) among honourable men. The rank of Captain shall be yours, if you co-operate with us, and moreover, the sutp of six thousand pounds sterling shall be paid into your hands, whenever^you signify your acceptance of the terms proposed. I beg of you sir, do not permit this opportunity of acquiring fortune and honour to yourself, but glory and success to the arms of England, who is ready to welcome you as one of her bravest sons, escape you."
" Sir, replied the Barritarian, your offers are extensive, too much so for an outlaw—a banned and hunted man. Ambition will not allure me to accept them; for have I not power, fame and wealth as I am ? Is the reward of ambition greater than this? what will it gain me more ? Honor ? desire of an honourable name ? i\las ! that, I have not. That—that indeed, were a spur to drive me to your purpose. But wnll men confer honour upon dishonour ? Will a pardon, a title, a station, make men think better of me ? Shall I not, in all eyes, still be Lafitte ? the branded, the despised, the feared and cursed of men ? No —no—no! Yet," he added, as the image of Con-stanza passed across his mind, " I will thjjfik of it, Captain Lockyer; I will reflect upon yoilr proposals. I wish to become a better and a happier man. Fate, passions, influence—not principles, has made me what I am !
" I will consider this matter sir," he added, coolly, casting his eye upon the paper which lay before
Vol. II.—6
him, with a manner that implied his desire to terminate the interview.
The officer however still lingered—" I should think sir," he urged, "that little or no reflection would be necessary respecting proposals that obviously preclude any kind of hesitation. You are at heait, if not by birth, a Frenchman, Captain Lafitte, and therefore, in the existing peace betv;een our respective nations, a friend to England. You are outlawed by the government of the United States ; your name is held up to infamy, and a price is set upon your head by the executive of Louisiana.
''What have you sir, to bind you to America? The tie which alone binds the slave to the galley. The ties that bind you to England are many and may be increased a thousand fold. Promotion is before you among the gallant gentlemen of her navy—"
" Gentlemen !" interrupted Lafitte sarcastically, " aye, gentlemen !" What Lethe can make the outlaw the gentleman ? Sir, I may become a Bri-tisfi officer—daring, brave and gallant, may be—but, shall 1 be recognized as a gentleman ?
" No, no !" he added afiei a pause, and with bitter emphasis, " I must still be Lafitte—the pirate !"
" Nay, Monsieur! nay, Monsieur!" said the Englishman touched by Lafitte's manner; "allow me to suggest, that with your knowledge of the coast and its narrow passes, your services will be of infinite value to the success of our arms against southern Louisiana. An army is now waiting in Canada to unite with the forces here, and it remains with you to promote the success of the step. It is on your skill, sagacity and knowledge we rely to bring about this object."
"Truly Monsieur these are lofty schemes,— well and deeply planned. Such inducements as
you have offered to an honourable career, must not, nor will they, be disregarded. I must, however, deliberate before taking so important a step, as that proposed by Col. Nichols, your superior. Good morning sir."
" Theodore! conduct captain Lockyer to the guard room."
CHAPTER III.
'• Lafitte having taken the earliest opportunity, after the agitation among the crews had subsided, to examine the pacquet brought by the officers, listened calmly to the splendid promises and ensnaring insinuations held out to him by the naval captain. He replfed, that in a few days, he would give a final answer. His object, in this procrastination, being to gain time, to inform the officers of the state government of these overtures." Latour's Memoirs.
Getzendanner, and the buccaneer.—a signal.—the mutineers.
The outlaw paced his room with a firm tread, after the officer left him, his brow contracted with thought and indignation, whilst the white line of his even teeth glittered fronn between his curled and contracted lips, upon which dwelt a sarcastic smile, expressive of the bitterest scorn.
" Poor fools ! they extend the right hand to Lafitte, and say, ' come and help us, good sir pirate'!" said he, dashing the papers from him, and rising from his chair as the door closed upon his departing prisoner :—" Cunning diplomatists as they are! they sliall find me the cunninger. They seek my aid, and have come to ask it, with red hands bathed in the blood of my men. They carry aloft the flag of truce, as though a lady's wiiite 'kerchief would cover their treachery. This Knglishman thini\s I have little cause to love my countrymen ! Thinks he J have better cause to love Eng-
land ? Has she not hunted me down, worried and torn me. Pressed, imprisoned, or hung without ceremony, the bravest of my men; sunk my vessels, and chased my cruisers from the sea, with overgrown frigates ? Verily ! I have much cause to love her !"
*' But, Massa ! 'merica do worse nor dat; she take, she kill, she burn de craf; she do, damma, much more ob de debil's mischief dan massa Ing-lish. She say she block you up in de bay, and play de debil wid de camp on de island, and send for to da it, dat brave cap'un Pattyson—and if he come, he knock de ol' camp to pieces, or Cudjoe no nigger—che ! che ! ehe !"
Lafitte paused a moment in his walk to and fro in his little chamber, as his reflections were thus interrupted. Cudjoe seldom restrained his thoughts in the presence of his master, who allowed him such license, not only because experience taught him that he might as well stop his breath as his tongue, but he had often profited by the shrewd observations to which his slave from time to time gave ut-. terance, winding up every speech with a low chuckle, expressive of satisfaction.
"■ You say well, Cudjos ! My countrymen have given me little cause to love them neither. But, then," continued he, relapsing into his former thoughtful walk; " but then it is my country, and cursed be the hand that betrays either the country of his adoption or of his birth ! She is my country, and I love her! No, proud Englishmen !" he add-, ed firmly, " you shall yet learn that there is not only honour among outlaws, but love of country—pure and disinterested patriotism ; and England shall learn, that the outlaw Jjnfitte is too honourable to submit to propositions which she had not honour enough to withhold. She shall learn, that, although *he condescends to take the hand of a priced man, 5*
from motives of policy, that man feels that he rises superior to her wlien he refuses to accept it. No ! there is more honour for Lafitte in serving his country as an outlaw, than in betraying her, with the deck of a line of battle ship, which he could call his own, under his feet. Where lies the greatest infamy, in those who propose to an outlaw, or in the outlaw who refuses to betray his country ? Ho, slave !" he called sternly, as he concluded.
Cudjoe was at his side in a moment, with a long arm stretched to the handle of the door, while he stood in the altitude of one just about to run—
" Hasten, and tell Captain Getzendanner I desire to speak v^ith him."
This personage, with whom the reader is already somewhat acquainted, was standing before a three-cornered fragment of a mirror that once probably had reflected the features of some honest sea-captain, affixed into a lattice of a Small hut, covered with palmetto leaves, situated opposite to that occupied by his commanding officer. The hut was about ten feet square, and so low that Captain Getzendanner, who was not very tall, unless five feet two inches be termed so, could not stand upright, without bringing the apex of his cranium in familiar contact with the roof. Besides a hammock slung athwart the room, the apartment contained a seaman's chart, and a dark inlaid mahogany table, that once, no doubt, graced the state-room of some fair lady, one or two chairs, and a planed board, then reclining ai^ainst the side of the cabin, but which, twice a day, when he was on shore, laid horizontally from the top of one chair to the other, served efl'ectually as a table.
Two or three cutlasses, a brace of pistols, small swords, carbines, muskets, boarding caps, and the Various rude paraphernalia of a sailor's wardrobe, were himg, or strewn carelessly, about the walls and floor of the apartment.
The only opening admitting lifjlit to the interior, was a square window, defended by a lattice of reeds, which served at the same time to support the lieutenant's mirror, before wliich he had been performing the unclassical operation of shaving—almost a sinecure with him, on account of the generous depth of whiskers and mustachoes wliich he allowed to grace his round physiognomy. The lieutenant was of that age, when silver begins, though sparingly, to mingle with tlie legitimate hue of tlie hair, and when, from a proneness to table pleasures, the person begins to assume a rotundity, which, from some imaginary resemblance, has been compared with that of a puncheon.
A Dutchman, and moreover a bachelor, he was a man of phlegm. From.a snub-nosed cabin-boy, under a Hudson river skipper, he had passed through all the phases of a sailor's life, until an unfortunate predeliction for certain golden sequins contained in a stranger's purse, who promenaded the quay at Havana, led him to seek a mode of life, where the distinction between meum and teum was less scrupulously regarded than in the pale of society.
" Mein Got, but in in dis little tamn tree corner, dere is no seeing half-quarter of a jenllemansh fas'," and as he spoke, he dodged every way his red round face, gashed here and there witli his razor, peering through his fiery red whiskers and bushy hair, like the full moon, (to venture such a comparison,) seen through the bright leaves of an autumn tree.
" Vat vool maks de fashion off shavin'.—Blood and blodkins! if 1 cut one tamn more hair off my fas'! Abra'am was one wise mans, and he wore a beard a saint might shwear py, and dunder and blodkins ! fader Abra'am vill pe nor petter man nor mynheer Capt. Jacop Getzentanner,—to pe shure ! Hi, you plack peast of de tey vil's tarn,—vat you poke
3'our ugly snout in here for, heb ?" suddenly shouted the lieutenant, as he saw, wiihout the effort of turning his body, the reflection of Cudjoe's features in the glass, as he darkened the little doorway opening into the interior of the camp.
"Vat now, you elepfiantsh cub? Some infernal order pefore preakfas-t, I vill shwear ! I vish Captain Lafitte, who isli. a most exshellent sailor, and very much pelter gentlemansh, vould get into the comfortable habits, of doing pusiness after preakfast ish eaten. It were petter for de digestions. Hi, you kunning ape—I'll cut your ugly visand off if you pe saucy—to pe shure !" and he brandished his razor, threatningly.
" Gi, Massa Cap'un Jacob, if you use dat in-strum', you quicker saw him off—Che ! che ! che !" and Cudjoe looked behind like a wary general, to secure a retreat.
*' Hoh ! hob! hob ! you pe pretty near de truth," said the burly captain, laughing good-humouredly; "here, you take de razor yourself to saw off dose vite tusks. It vill help you peauty ;" and the cap-lain chuckled at his own wit, as he esteemed it, complacently in his own bosom ; but the eye of the slave gleamed with rage, and ademoniac smile fearfully displayed the hideous features of his mouth for a moment, and then he echoed the lauoh of the officer; but deep and bitter was- the hatred which rankled in his dark bosom against him for tampering with his deformities. Lafitte, and he alone, could allude to them jocosely, with impunity ; but it was seldom that he did so ; whilst his followers, imitating his language and manner lowards the slave, without penetration to discover the strong current of resentment excited in the bosom of the object of their rough witticisms, were sowing unconsciously seeds of revenge in the heart of the deformed negro,, of which they were,, in his own,
purposes, destined to reap the bitter fruits. He never forgot nor forgave the joke elicited by iiis natural defornriilies. To time and opportunity, while he passed by the present jest with a laugh, or apparently unnoticed, he deferred, vi'hilst he gloated over his terrible schemes, that revenge, which he had sworn by Obeah, his most solemn adjuration, should be one day his.
*' Veil, yon peauty plark poy, vat do you vant mit me ?" inquired the captain as he cleaned his razor upon the edge of the glass.
" Massa say him w^ant see you ? dem Eng-h"sh capins dat come play de spy, make de water boil and all de fuss," replied Cudjoe, turning about to go, although in the opinion of captain Jacob there appeared no necessity for such a preparatory change in his position.
The slave walked grumblingly to the quarters of his master. " Young elephant—heh ! saw de tusk—heh !" and he ground his large teeth together, while the protruding objects of the officers jest, glanced longer and whiter from his huge red lips.
The portly captain after twisting his mustachoes into a fiercer curl, and placing on his carroty locks a broad brimmed hat, looped up in front to a silver button made of a frank piece—buckled on a huge sword, placed his pistols in his belt, which he drew lighter with the air of a man who expects to meet, and is accustomed to, danger—passed, not without some difficulty through the narrow door, and rolled along over the area to the quarters of his commander.
Entering the door of the passage leading to the room, he heard the heavy and measured tread of its occupant, pacing the floor, as his habit w^as, when his thoughts were busy, and matters of deep and exciting interest occupied his mind.
"De lion is lashing his sides mit his tail," said he, "captain Jacop Getzentanner look to your discretions."
" Come in," answered a low, stern voice as he tapped hesitatingly at the door with the point of his sheathed sabre. The visitor entered, and at a nod from his master, Cudjoe handed him a chair.
" Captain Getzendanner, I have sent for you. This is a lime of action. You love the British, Getzendanner?" and he looked fixedly into the face of his oilicer, with his deep, searching eyes which let not a shade of expression escape detection and mental analysis.
" Tousand teyvels! Captain Lafitte," replied the Dutchman warmly, striking his clenched fist upon his knee. "Do 1 love de murterer of my proder? did dey not press him into der tam navy ? and vas he not kill in de pattlesh ? I love de hangman pet-ter, vat ish one tay to tie mine veasand round apout mit de hemp."
" Well, 1 thought as much," replied Lafitte, " and knew you would rather swing to the yard arm, than do Mister Englishman service. Here are papers, but you do not read ?"
" J vas read Teuche, ven I vas a leetle pit poy; put de smooth Tnglisli lettersh pe mitout handles, and I never could keep dem from slipping out of mine memorysh, and now tevfil a one is left behind put F—to pe shure," said he. half seriously, half humourously.
" And that you remember from its resemblance to a gallows, ha ! worthy Getzendanner? But a truce to this trifling. Here in these papers," and he struck emphatically the documents he held in his hand, " here are proposals from the Hon. W. H. Percy—so says the endorsement," and his lip curled ironically as he continued, "Captain of liis-Brit-tanic majesty's sloop of war Hermes, and Admiral
of the naval forces in these seas, and from Lieut. Co]. Edward JNicholls commander of his majesty's military forces on the coasts of Florida, to me— simple Captain Lafitte." He then briefly stated the nature and extent of the proposition lo his astonished lieutenant.
" JNovv, Getzendanner, I well know, for love nor fear, would you obey neither me nor Satan, but from haired to the English, I can depend upon your cooperation ; therefore I will trust you ; but betray me and you know the penally. Here, in this paper, you have my written instructions, which if you cannot r^'ad, Theodore, who is always in my confidence, will explain to you."
Theodore, at this moment, who was leaning out of the window which overlooked the sea, suddenly interrupted him.
" There is a signal flying on board the Lady of the Gulf, for your presence on board, sir."
"Ha ! it is so indeed. What can Belluche want? why not send a boat ? Have ready my barge, Theodore. Getzendanner, J must aboard ; during my absence observe the strictest vigilance in the camp, and on your life, see that those Englishmen escape not; and that the excited crews of the privateer do not seize and sacrifice them to their suspicions. On my return, I will talk with those mutinous fiends, and you must aid me in giving a right direction to their roused feelings. Ho ! there, you sea-dogs, are you ready V he shouted from the window.
" Aye, aye, sir," came from the beach, where at the end of a small pier lay a large boat, in which, resting on -their oars, sat eight seamen in red sliirts and white trowsers, each with a red woolen cap upon his head. They were all dark, fine looking men, .with muscular arms, whose sinews, exposed
by the drawn up sleeve, showed in relief out from the surface like whip-cords. The glitter of their dark eyes, and the reckless expression of their faces, indicated thai marked character, peculiar to men trained in the school of blood and rapine. They were seated two by two, on the four thwarts of the boat with their faces to the stern, where with his hand resting carelessly upon the head of the tiller, sat Theodore, who had preceded Lafitte, dressed in an embroidered jacket of velvet, and snow-white trowsers, with a richly wrought belt, confining a brace of costly pistols and a silver-hafted dirk. An eye, of the rich hue of the chestnut, sparkled beneath a brow whose fairness a maiden might envv, and a profusion of silken, auburn hair curled luxuriantly from under his blue velvet Spanish cap, terminated by a tassel, which, drooping over his ear, played, with his delicately browned cheek in the passing breeze. An expression of resolution, calm and deep determination, the more severe, from its being foreign to features so delicate, compressed his lips, as he gazed upon the turbulent crews of the vessels lining the beach, talking loudly and fiercely of British spies, and occasionally whispering to each other, that their leader was about to sell them to the English as the price of his own pardon. At that moment, there was a movement among the multitude, Avhich gave back on either hand as he advanced, and Lafiite came through the crowed to his boat.
*' What means this turmoil, my men ?" he said, in a conciliatory tone as he stepped upon the gunwale ; "have you not confidence in me? These men are not spies. They seek restitution for those two London brigs taken by you before my return from my late cruise in the West Indies; and shall they not have it, if they state their terms in ready gold?" he said chiming in with their humour.
" Aye, give them their vessels if they give us their gold," cried several voices.
" Very easy said, my masters," growled an old weather-beaten snjuggler near Lafitte, " but who is to handle the chink when its got ?" and he cast his eyes moodily and suspiciously at his commander.
" Down with old Fritz ;" said two or three who heard him; "our captain is all honour; we never have had cause to grumble at shares."
" Rest easy, my men," continued Lafitte in the same tone; "you shall have all things explained and understood when I return from the schooner. If there is a man who mistrusts Lafitte or doubts his word, let him step forward."
No one moved, and the next moment every hat was in the air.
" Give way," he cried to his young coxswain, and shoved off from the land amid the cries of, " Long live Lafitte—viva Lafitte !" which rose long and loud from the fickle and tumultuous assembly upon the shore.
Vol. IL— 6
CHAPTER IV.
"Discipline among a community of outlaws can only be preserved by frequent and summary acts of justice."
" Lafitte having occasion to leave the island for a short time, the crew seized the British officers, and placed ihem under guard. On his return, he released them, represented to his adherents the infamy that would attach to them if they treated as prisoners, persons who had come with a flag of truce. Apologizing for the disagreeable treatment they had received, and which he could not prevent, he saw them safe on board their pinnace."
Latour's Louisiana.
An attack from the mutineers—interview with the British officers—secret expedition.
The business of Lafitte on board the Lady of the Gulf relating to the private disposition of some specie, which, unknown to his crew, the captain had smuggled into his slate-room, having no immediate connexion with our story, we shall leave him to transact without our supervision, and return to the prisoners confined in the guard-room of the fortalice.
" Well, Williams, we are in a fine pickle, cooped up in this seven-by-nine bit of a box, at the tender mercies of Lafitte and his merciful crew," said the naval officer, getting up from the rude bench on which he had been sometime seated in silence, and looking forth from the grated window.
"Damme," he continued, "if I ever saw such a swarm of gallows-looking cut-throats as were assembled on the shore to honour our debarkation ! They need neither change of place nor body, to be fiends incarnate.
" You say true, Lockyer," replied the military officer addressed; " such blacl^-browed villains would shame the choicest corps of Beelzebub's nifantry. I have no doubt he would set up a rendezvous on this blessed island of Grand Terre, Barrita, or whatever else it is called, if he did not apprehend his new recruits would corrupt his old soldiers."
"But then," replied the naval officer, "their chief seems to be a man of other metal. T could hardly believe I was looking upon the celebrated Lafiite, when I gazed upon his elegant, even noble, person and fine features, in which, in spite of their resolute expression, there is an air of frankness, which assures me that he never would be guilty of a mean action, however familiar bold deeds of blood and battle may be to his hand. I have seldom seen a finer countenance nor a nobler presence than that of this same buccaneer. What a devil he must be among the women ?" he added in a gay tone, passing his hand complacently over his own fine face. " I will w^ager my epaulettes against a middie's warrant, if he has not broken more hearts than heads."
And as he ceased speaking he stroked his whiskers, and glanced with much apparent self-approval upon his brigfit breastplate which reflected his handsome features as in a mirror.
" What think you," he continued, turning to the other naval officer by his side, " can we trust La-fitte in this matter? He seems to care for our welfare, nor would he have sent that fierce Spaniard to breakfast with his infernal highness this morning, if he had determined to sacrifice us. He might have suffered our massacre, without being charged with foul play. We are in his power safe enough ! What fatal temerity could have induced us to let him inveigle us within reach of his guns ? For such a blind piece of folly, if it does not end better than I foresee, I will throw up my commission and run a
lugger between Havana and Matanzas, with a young savage before the mast, and a bull-headed Congo negro, for officers and crew. Curse me," he added, with much apparent chagrin, " but Captain Lockyer, you have run your craft hard aground ; if you get clear this time, you may thank any thing but your own wils."
" Hark! there's a gun—another—a volley!" exclaimed the mihtary officer.
" Good God ! can these infernal fiends be attacking the Sophia ?" exclaimed Caplain Lockyer; " ho, there, guard ! what, ho ! what is that firing and commotion without ?" he cried, springing to the barricaded window which only overlooked ihe court.
The guard, who was a heavily armed and tall Portuguese, with an air half-military, half-naval, preserved in keeping by a tall chasseur's cap, a sailor's jacket, and loose trowsers, paused a moment, while he took a huge quid from a roll of tobacco he held in his fist, and then turned to the window and replied, while a malign expression lighted up his full black eyes—
" Holy si. Antoine, caballeros, but you need not be so warm ! it is only a bit of a trial among the men, to see who is the stronger."
*' How mean you, guard ?"
" I mean, sigfiores, that the party that proves the strongest below on the beach there, will either let you remain peaceably where you are till El Signor Captain Lafilie returns, or take you forth to dangle by the necks from the .ive oak before the gate."
*' What! how you jest," exclaimed, in great perturbation, the officer of his majesty's royal colonial marines. " Villain, you jest!" and the fingers of his gloved hand, involuntarily sought the precincts of his windpipe, with tender solicitude.
*' Jest! do you call that jest, sehor ?" as a loud
shout filled the air, mingled with cries of " seize ihem ! spies ! swing ihem ! down with the gales !" above which was heard the voice of Capt. Getzen-danner, in vain exerted to quell the turmoil.
The officers, like resolute men determined to sell their^ lives dearly as possible, drew each a concealed dirk from his bosom, and stood wiih folded arms, facing the window which commanded ihe main entrance to the court from witliout, and towards which the noise was rapidly approaching.
The guard himself, mounted a flight of sieps leading to the flat roof of the guard-house, not only commanding a view of the ground outside of the defences, but of the whole island, the southern sea to the horizon, the passes, and the bay, with its fleet riding quietly at anchor.
" By St. Josef!" he exclaimed, as he gained the summit, and cast his eye beneath upon the tumultuous scene.
The whole green esplanade, or terrace, which sloped from the fort to the beach, was dark with a dense crowd of men, all under the inlensest excitement, which they manifested by shouts, execrations, and brandishing various weapons in the'air. The crowd, consisting of persons of all nations, tongues, and hues, mostly in the garb of seamen, seemed to the eye of the guard divided into two unequal divisions, one of which was assembled with aims in their hands around the gale, and near a large oak, growing by the fort, under the command of Get-zendanner, who with loud oaths, a sabre in one hand and a cocked pistol in the other, was standing before another party, pressing towards the gate, some of whom were armed with pistols, harpoons, and heavy spars. The last, slung between eight or ten men, by ropes, in rude imitation of the ancient battering ram, threatened destruction to the barred gate, for which it was evidently designed. 6»
The two hostile bands, with ready weapons, were eyeing each other wilh looks of haired.
" Den lousand teyfils, and py all de shainls, you sail not pass into de camp, Miles Cosgrove—to pe shure !" continued the lieutenant, his face livid with rage, and an eye full of determination, as a huge seaman, wilh an Irish physiognomy advanced, with a handspike, a lillle in advance of the mutineers, " you once shaved mein life. Miles, and I don't forget it; put, py Got himself, I vill make a port hole in your lam long carcass, if you move an-oder step forward."
" Misiher lieutenant," replied the Irishman calmly, lifting his hand to his hat, " we mane to hoort not wone hair of your head, but we are resolved,"— and he raised his voice so that all, even the prisoners in the guard-room heard his words,—" we are resolved to seize them British officers—they are spies ! and they have either desaived Captain La-fitte, or he himself is a traithor! So stand aside, Captain dear, an' let us pass. You have but a handful of men to oppose us!" and he cast his eyes contemptuously over the small party of better disciplined buccaneers who rallied around their officer, to aid him in upholding that discipline, which they knew, could alone hold their dangerous community together. The number that met his eye was indeed small, for most of those who had at first opposed the measure, when they saw liie popularity of the cause, espoused by the other parly, like sa-ger politicians on more distinguished theatres, wisely went over to the stronger side. • f
The Irishman then turned his eye back upon his own followers, numbering six lo one of his opponents. " Be discreet captain, and let us pass peaceably inlo the fort," he said, with some show of sullen earnestness; "See you ihese men sir?" he-added wilh increased ferocity, pointing lo his rude
and undisciplined force, " lliey will pass through that gate, if ihey pass over your dead bodies."
Captain Getzendanner finding resistance vain against such a fierce and overwhelming torrent, replied :
" On one condition shall you pass de gate : dat you give me your vord, Miles Cosgrove—and I know de value you place on dat—dat you vill only mount one guard from your mutinous crew over dem prisoners, till Lafilte comes on shore; and den refer de decisions of dis matter to him. Dis ish mein vish—to pe shure !"
" 1 give you the pledge, misther lieutenant, that you ask," said the Irishman, who was mate of one of the pirate's cruisers.
*' Den you sail pe admitted," he replied, and a cunning, treacherous expression glowed in his eye as he spoke, requiring more than the Irishman's penetration to detect. " Ho ! dere Weshton, unbar de gate and obey your first ordersh ?"
With as rapid a step as was consistent with his corporeal dignity, the Lieutenant with his men, who might number about seventy, moved round the angle of the building towards a stockade or exterior fortlet, in the rear of the main defences, while the besiegers rushed in a mass to the entrance. Too impatient to wait the unlocking of bolts and bars, those wlio bore the suspended spar, rushed at half speed against the gate, which partly unbarred, gave way before the tremendous power of the beam, swung with tremendous momentum against it.
The forcing of the gate was followed by a shout, and a rapid and tumultuous rush into the narrow passage. All at once, a fearful cry burst from twenty throats—
*' Hold there ! back ! back ! for God's sake hold !'* cried the Irish leader of the assault in a voice of terror, and in another moment a match would have
68 ^ LAFITTE.
been applied to the long gun by Weston, in obedience to the command ofLafiite, repeated, as he left the passage to the gate open, by the wily lieutenant, though not understood by the mutineers at the time.
The appalled men uttered a shriek of dismay, and those who had the most presence of mind, fell flat on their faces, while the rest, in wild confusion and terror, crowded back upon each other uitering cries and imprecations of despair and fury.
At this fearful crisis, the bars of the grated window gave way as they were wrenched out, one after another by an iron hand. Lockyer sprung from the aperture grasping one of them, and overthrew his guard who attempted to intercept him ; and, just as the torch was about to ignite the powder, to send a shower of iron hail into that living mass of human beings before its open mouth, the murderous hand was arrested by his irresistible grasp, and the flaming torch hurled far over the heads of the multitude, and quenched in the sea.
" By the twelve apostles, sir Englishman, you have saved your life by that bould act," exclaimed the astonished Irishman as soon as he could recover from his momentary surprise, as amid the cheers of his party, Lockyer drew back a step, and surveyed with a firm manner and folded arms the motly crew before him. " By St. Pathrick, men, but we may thank that stranger that we did not make our dinner on grape shot and slugs."
A shout of " viva el Ingles !—viven los Ingle-ses !" replied.
From the momentary check the mutineers received at the sight of the long gun, standing open-mouthed in their path, and on account of the sudden change of sentiment produced by it among those in advance, who had witnessed the bold and humane act of the gallant Englishman, it was easy to direct the current of their feelings.
" Give back now my lionies*. You see this Englishman is no spy or lie'd have let that bloody spalpeen Weston blow us into purgatory. Return sir to the guard room," he added, addressing the officer, wt^o was now as much the idol of their respect, as he was before the object of their hatred, *' and you shall be protected until Captain Lafitte comes on shore."
The crowd acquiesced in the proposition of their herculean leader, with a shout, and turned their rage against Weston, who with his guard had retreated into the quarters of their commander, constructed both for strength and defence, and firmly secured the entrance.
The English officer was once more shut up in the guard-room with his fellow prisoners, while Cosgrove after posting a guard of men by the door and window, attempted to restore order anriong his undisciplined associates, who, now finding a worthy object upon which to vent the rage which the gallant act of the Englishman had turned from himself and his fellow prisoner, had brought the gun, so recently directed against their own bosoms, to bear upon the door of the building containing the guard, and with cries of revenge, were only waiting for a torch, for w^hich one of the number had been sent, to drive the whole charge of grape through the door and force a passage to their victims.
Suddenly there was a movement among the privateers at the gate, and " Lafitte !—the captain !" passed hurriedly fron:i mouth to mouth.
" Holy devil ! what means all this ?" cried the chief, pressing through the crowd, who shrunk back before his lightning eye and upraised sabre. " Take that, sir," and the hand which was about to apply the burning brand to the priming of the cannon, fell, still grasping the blazing wood, severed
from the arm, by a single blow from the sabre of the outlaw.
7'he next moment he stood upon the gun, with a drawn pistol in each hand ;—his eye flashing, and his tall athletic figure expanded with rage, while a broad circle was made around him, as the men involuntarily drew back from the summary justice of his ready hand.
" How is it !" he continued, vehemently, " that I cannot leave the camp half an hour but there is mutiny among ye knaves ! By the holy St. Peter, you shall remember this morning's work ! Who are the ringleaders of this fray ? Who, I say ?" and his voice rung in their ears. '' Come forward !" and his eyes passed quickly over the silent and TTiOody multitude, each man, as he dropped his own, felt that they were fixed individually upon himself*
" What—Cosgrove ! my tru.^ty Miles Cosgrove !" exclaimed the pirate, as the tall Irishman stepped forth from among his fellows,—" and yet I might have thought it," he added ; " it were a miracle to find one of you a stranger to treachery. What could have led you," he continued, raising his voice, "thus boldly to despise the authority of your Captain, and throw off the discipline of our community ?" Speak, sir! what was your object in this mad assault upon the garrison of the fortress—a small one indeed, for we thought friends and not traitors, were around us ? What have you to answer, sir ?"
" Captain Lafitte! I have this defence," said Cosgrove, coming forward and speaking with a firm countenance and a clear eye, which shrunk not beneath the stern gaze of his superior, And in a few words he detailed the circumstances as they had happened.
" Cosgrove, I believe you. You are impulsive and headstrong, but I think, in the main, faithful,'*
said, as he concluded, Lafitte, who had calmly listened to the recapitulative defence of the ringleader, which frona the mutterings and pleasurable exclamations that proceeded from various ^quarters of the fort, differently affected his hearers.
*■ Well, my men," he said, raising his voice,— " will you all return to your duly and your vessels, if no luither notice is taken of this matter?"
" Aye, aye ! all, all!" came unanimously from the multitude.
" Will you freely leave me to deal with these prisoners ?"
" Freely, captain, freely," said a hundred voices.
" I thank you, one and all. I hope a scene like this witnessed to-day, will never be repeated.— Return each man to his duty. To each officer under my command, I would suggest the expediency of preparing for the threatened attack from the squadron, said to be fitting out against us at xNew-Orleans ; and laying aside private animosities and prejudices, party feelings, or unjust suspicions, let us adopt for our own the wary motto of the Stales.
His address was received with acclamations by his men, who, in a few moments, each under his respective officer, departed for the fleet, leaving behind only the regular guard of the garrison.
" Gentlemen," said Lafilte, stepping from his elevated station upon the gun, and approaching the window of the guard-room, from which his guests had been silent and deeply inieresled spectators of the scene passing before them,—" Gentlemen, I congratulate you on your safety amidst this wild commotion of human passions. Such tempests are fiercer ihan the storms and waves of the ocean to contend with. You may thank your own daring, and not my authority, that this storm is allayed. It would have cost me the lives of many brave men
to have quelled it. Gentlemen, you are no longer under restraint. I hailed, as 1 came under the stern of your brig, and your pinnace is now approaching the shore."
Here he whispered to Theodore, who hastened into his room.
" Allow me, Messieurs, to express my sincere regret at the unpleasant situation in which you have been placed. You have seen that I can scarcely control the wild spirits around me, except by what may be thought cruel and unnecessary severity.— But should I abate for a moment, a feather's weight of my discipline or authority, I should lose my command or my head."
I'heodore now approached, with the swords of the officers, which were courteously tendered them by Lafitte, with an apology for detaining them ; and after doing ample justice to the sparkling stores of the Barralarian, presented on a richly chased salver, by his slave, accompanied by Lafitte, they left the garrison; and after crossing the green terrace, stretching before it quite to the beach, they were in a few moments at their boat.
" Messieurs," said the outlaw, with dignity and address, as the British officer, before stepping into his boat, desired to be told what conclusion he had formed in relation to the proposals of Admiral Percy,—" Messieurs, in reference to this important subject, some delay is indispensable. The confusion which prevailed in my camp this morning, has prevented me from considering with that attention I should wish to, the ofi'ers made me by your government. If you will grant oje a fortnight's delay, —such a length of time is necessary to enable me to put my affairs in order, and attend to other things which peremptorily demand my present attention, —at the termination of this period, I will be entirely at your disposal. You may communicate with
me then by sending a boat to the eastern pass, an hour before sunset, where I shall be found. You have inspired me, Captain Lockyer, with more confidence," he said, sincerely, " than the admiral, your superior officer, himself could have done. With you alone I wish to deal, and from you also I will reclaim in due time, the reward of the services Avhich I may render you."
The decided tone and manner of Lafitte gave Capt. Lockyer no hope of being able to draw from him a present decisive reply ; he therefore merely said :—
" I must, I find, though reluctantly enough, comply with your request, Captain Lafitte. On the evening of the fourteenth day from the present, we will ask again, your determination, which, I trust, will be that, which will give you an opportunity of securing a high and honourable name among men, and that, which will add Louisiana to his majesty's crown. Good morning, sir."
" Good morning, Messieurs," replied Lafitte ; and the pinnace moved swiftly away from the beach, and the outlaw stood alone-—the sea-breeze playing cooll}^ upon his brow—the broad gulf with a low murmur unrolling its waves at his feet—the rich forest rising in majesty behind him, and the deep blue skies above him-^yet, all unseen, unlieard, unfelt by him. After gazing thoughtfully a few moments after the receding boat, he folded his arms upon his breast, and walked slowly back to the camp.
The sun had just set on the evening of the day in which the events we have recorded,, transpired, when Lafixtte, his tall and commanding figure enveloped in a gray cloak, issued from the gate of the fortress, after giving several brief orders to Captain Getzendanncr, who was stationed with his portly mien, and goodly corporeal dimensions,
Vol,. IL—7
just within the gate as he passed. Cudjoe^s low^ deformed figure also wrapped in a cloak followed him with an awkward rolling gait, as he walked rapidly towards a point at the extremity of the anchorage on the north side of the island, closely engaged in conversation with Theodore, who moved by his side with a light step. After a rapid walk of about forty minutes the three stopped under a broad tree, casting a deep shadow over a narrow inlet, penetrating a little way into the island, in which a small, gracefully shaped boat could be indistinctly seen through the obscurity of the night.
Just as they entered the dark shadow of the tree, they, were challenged by a seaman, who, with a drawn cutlass in his hand was pacing fore and aft under the tree, with that habitual tread learned by that class of men, in their lonely watch upon their vessels' decks.
" Our country!" replied the deep voice of Lafitte. "What ho! Corneille, is all still in the fleet?" he added.
" Aye, aye, sir ; there is nothing moving within a mile crtf us."
" Are you all ready ?"
"All, sir."
, Theodore, see that the oars are muffled. I choose not that the fleet should mark our movements. They will be in chase of us for another God-send of English spies, and I prefer passing unnoticed. Cudjoe, place yourself in the bows," he said play-iuWy, " and show your tusks generously; if they should spy us, they will take us for an in-shore fisherman, Avith his bow-lights hung out, and so let us pass."
In a few moments the lililc boat shoved noiselessly out from the creek in which it had been hitherto concealed, and after a few light but skilful strokes by the four oarsmen by whom it was man-
ned, shot rapidly out into the open bay, or, as it has been more recently denominated, Lake, of Barri-taria.
For an hour they steered by the lonely polar star, which, in that southern latitude, hung low in the northern skies, and leaving the anchored squadron far in shore to the left, they raised their dark brown sail—so painted, to be less easily distinguished through the night haze—and shipping their oars, glided swiftly towards the narrow mouth of a deep bayou, which, after many intricate windings terminated in the Mississippi river, nearly opposite to the city of New-Orleans,
As they/approached, long after the hour of midnight, the secret and scarcely discernable outlet, nearly lost in the dark shadow of the shore, they lowered their sail; and, yielding once more to the impulse of the oars, the little boat shot into the mouth of the creek, and suddenly disappeared in the deep gloom which hung over it.
BOOK IV.
SIEGE.
• Greece gathers up again her glorious band, They strike the noblest, who shall strike the first." Thh Emigrant.
' I pray you let the proofs
Be in the past acts, you were pleased to praise This very night, and in my farther bearing, Beside."
Byron'
' My chiefest glory
Shall be to make me worthier of your love."
Ibid.
' Oh ! what an agony of soul was his ! Baffled just in the moment of success."
ThB CONQUStlOB.
BOOK IV.
CHAPTER I.
" At a crisis so important, and from a persuasion that the country in its menaced situation, could not be presen-ed by the exercise of any ordinary powers, the commanding general proclaimed martial law, suspending constitutional forms for the preservation of constitutional rights."
History op the war.
New-Orleans before the siege — guard boats — a scen-e ok the river.
A FEW weeks before that memorable battle, the last and most decisive fought during the recent war between the United States and Great Britain, the citizens of New Orleans were thrown into consternation by the rumour of extensive naval and military preparations making by the British, who were assembled in great force along the northern coast o-f the Mexican Gulf; and this alarm was still increased, by the report, that they meditated a descent upon the capital of Louisiana.
This point, next to the city of Washington, had been always deemed in the eye of England, the most important conquest she could make upon the territory of her enemy.
And to this point all her forces were now concentrated for the purpose of striking a blow, which should at once terminate the war, and make the
Americans of the west, to use her proud language, "prisoners in the heart of their own country."
As the rumours became more frequent, and were finally corroborated by official despatches, directed to the legislative assembly which hastily convened to deliberate upon measures for the safety of the country, the panic increased, until distress, confusion and forebodings filled the minds of all. Menaced by so formidable a foe, without any regular soldiering or means of defence in which to place confidence, they lost all decision and energy. Business was suspended, and the streets were filled with groups, anxiously conversing upon the fearful rumours, rife on every tongue, or with individuals hurrying to and fro in exaggerated alarm; while the roads leading to the interior of the state, were alive with individuals and famihes laden with their more portable wealth, seeking that safety beyond the probable invasions of the enemy, Avhich their fears, and, among such a motley assemblage as constituted the citizens, want of combination, prevented them from securing by their swords.
Those, whose love for property, or disbelief of the reports so generally accredited, or patriotism, induced to remain, were united together by no common bond ; and destitute of that confidence in each other which the crisis called for. Composed principally of Spaniards, Frenchmen and Englishmen, each national division viewed the coming events through a medium of its own peculiar colouring. Mutual jealousies arose and general disaffection usurped the place of good faith. The legislature itself was dissevered and weakened by these party jealousies, and their deliberations were only scenes of warm and conflicting debate, from which none of the measures resulted, demanded by the exigencies of the time.
Some of the senators whose patriotism led them
to propose such steps as would place the city in a stale for receiving the enemy, were overruled by others, whose prejudices inclined them either to the side of the British, or to neutrality, in the character of French citizens, or as subjects of Spain, with which countries the English were then at peace.
At this period of indecision and civil anarchy^ and when every good citizen and reflecting man was looking about for some one who would lead in this emergency, the American chief of the southern forces arrived at New-Orleans. His presence produced a sudden and healthy change in the aspect of affairs, and before he had been in the city one hour, his name was upon every lip, either with hope, or pride, or hostility, and the eyes of all lovers of their country tiurned upon him, and marked him as their leader in the great struggle before them.
His presence and language roused them to a defence of their rights, and kindled patriotism and hatred for the enemy in their breasts. He excited them to vigilance, and called them to put forth all their energies for the approaching trial. He was seconded by the governor of Louisiana, a few distinguished senators, and numerous citizens. The confidence which filled his own bosom, was communicated to the desponding hearts of those around him, and intrepidity, decision, and energy succeeded the inaction and dismay which had before reigned in the bosoms and minds of men. A new spirit invigorated every breast, and men, strong in the right-eousness of their cause, rallied around the standard of their country, prepared for the approaching contest.
He recommended to the legislature to change their tempmizing policy for unv/avcring and dignified deliberations, burying and forgetting all minor considerations, in their labour for the public good.
Those aliens who felt no attachment to the existing government, and were ready to sell or surrender it to the British, Spanish, or French, as either natural faction predominated, were allowed, or compelled, to quit the town.
Every resource that could contribute to the safety of the city, was in requisition, and operations on an extensive scale for its defence, were projected with military promptness and skill. General confidence became at once every where restored, and with the exception of some disaffected citizens, who were strictly watched, there was but one heart and hand enlisted in the mutual defence. Regiments were formed of the citizens, and, throwing off the habits of a life, each man became a soldier. Even women and children partook of the general enthusiasm; and when the enemy were at the gates, the day before the battle, the citizens appeared more like rejoicing for a victory than preparing to withstand a siege.
For the greater security of the country, martial law was at length proclaimed throughout New-Orleans and its environs, and the whole city became at once under the rigid discipline of a fortified camp. Patroles of veterans paraded the streets, and guard boats were stationed at various points on the river, before the city.
" All persons," says a historian of the period, *' entering the city, were required immediately to report themselves to the adjutant-general, and on failing to do so, were to be arrested and detained in prison, for examination. None were allowed to depart, or pass beyond the chain of sentinels, but by permission from the commanding general, or one of the staff, nor was any vessel or craft permitted to sail on the river, but by the same authority, or by a passport signed by the commander of the naval forces. The lamps were to be extinguished at the
hour of nine at night, after which time all persons found in the streets, or from their respective homes, without such passport, were to be arrested as spies, and thrown into prison to await an examination the ensuing morning."
It is at this period of the war, and under these peculiar features of it, at the expense of a slight anachronism, that our scenes once more open.
The morning after leaving the island of Barrita-ria, or Grand Terre, the party, consisting of the buccaneer chief, his young companion Theodore, and faithful slave Cudjoe, having rowed all the preceding night through the sluggish and sinuous bayous, reached a hamlet of fishermen's huts, nearly hid in a cypress wood, and amidst tall grass, which enclosed it on every side. Here they delayed, until once more, under the cover of the darkness, they should be enabled to enter the vigilantly-guarded city unperceived.
Night, hurrying away the scarcely visible twilight, had passed over city, river, and forest, obscuring every object in the gloomy shade cast by her sable wing. ISilence reigned over all, that on^ short hour before was active and animate, save the occasional challenge of a sentinel, the 'ringing of fire-arms accidentally struck together, and now and then the dip of an oar—to m.aintain their position against the current—beard from the guard-boats, wiiich, at regular intervals, formed fines across the Mississippi, against various points of the city. Here and there, a light gleamed in the mass of dwellings along the margin of the river, or from the stern window of some armed vessel at anchor in the stream.
At the mouth of a narrow canal, opening nearly opposite to the suburb Marigny, about a mile below the main body of the city, and communicat-
ing in the rear of the estate it intersected, with the ba3-ou which the outlaw and his party ascended from the island, about half an hour after night had wholly assumed her empire, lay a boat concealed in the deep shade of a large oak overhanging the entrance, its tendril-like branches nearly touching the water. In it sat four boatmen resting upon their oars, in the attitude of men prepared to use them at the slightest word of command.
Against the tree, with his arms habitually folden upon his chest, thoughtfully leaned the pirate, divested of his cloak, and dressed in the ordinary garb of his men, from whom he was distinguished only by his superior height, erect figure, and the deference shown to him by his companions.
Upon a gnarled root of the tree, which the action of the water had laid bare, sat his companion engaged in watching the changing lights moving along the opposite shore, and listening to the challenges of the guard boats—his pulse occasional!}'- bounding wnth the wild spirit of adventure, as the danger attending their expedition occurred to his mind.
Cudjoe was hanging- by his arms and feet, froni one of the drooping branches, as motionless as the limb which bore him. The air was still. Not a leaf moved, and the deep silence that reigned at the moment, was made more striking, by the reedy-toned ripple of the flowing water curling among the tips of the slender branches, as, borne down by the weight of the slave, they dipped in tho rolling flood.
" Cudjoe, down sir!" said Lafltte,- suddenly addressing the slave.
The African dropped from the limb and stood by his master.
" You swim, Cndjoe !"
" Yes, Mas§a, Cudjoe swim like fis'."
" Do you see that first boat there, just under that brightest star in the range of those double lights ?" •
" Yes, Massa."
"It is one of the watch boats. There are but two men in it—go up the levee till you are about one hundred rods above the boat—then strike off into the river and let the current drift you against her bows. If you are cautious you will approach unperceived. Then get over the bows into the boat and master the men the best way you can— so you effect it without noise. But, slave, take no life. When you have captured the boat, scull it here !"
" Yes, Massa," he replied, displaying his tusks with delight.
" Go, then."
The slave, with a stealthy step left the shadow of the tree, and glided along the levee until he was above the boat, when, from a projecting limb, he dropped himself noiselessly into the river ; his head in the obscure starlight as he swum, resembling the end of a buoy, or a shapeless block floating upon the water.
Vol. TL— 8
CHAPTER 11.
" Guard boats were stationed across the river ; the lamps were to be extinguished at nine o'clock at night, after which all persons found in the streets without a passport, were to be arrested as spies."
*' Although a large reward was offered by the governor for the chief of the Barritarians, he frequently visited the city in disguise."
Sketches of the last war.
THE VOLUNTEERS—COLLOQUY INTERRUPTED—PRISONERS— THE CITY.
The two men were sitting in the boat, engaged in social discourse, one with his face to the stern, the other fronting the bows, upon whose features the rays of the hght shone brightly.
" But, Mr. Aughrim, in your opinion, what think these Englishers w^ould do willi't if they should, (which is a niighty"bad chance for 'em) take the old yallow fever city ?" said one of the oarsmen of the boat, gently rubbing with his palm the head of a carbine, whilst with the other hand he occasionally dipped his oar into the water, with just force enough to counteract the current.
"Why you see, Tim, dear," rephed his companion, " the ould counthry has her eye open, sure! and is not this the kay of Ameriky ; it's a kingdom they'll make of it at wanst—bad loock to the likes o' thim. Faix, its for faar o' that same Dennis Aughrim is this blissed night a 'listed sojer."
" I reckon they'll feel a small touch of the alligator's tooth, and a kick from the old horse Ken-
tuck, afore they turn narry acre o' land in the States into a kingdom, come.'"
" Troth, honey—bad loock to the likes o' my mimory;" said the Irish volunteer rubbing that intellectual organ, " sure I've heard that same big bog-trotter of a hoorse, mintioned—the omadhoun ! An' has he divil of an alligator's tooth in his beautiful mouth, Tim, dear—or is it ony a *figur o' spache' as ould father Muldoodthrew, pace to his mimory, used to say."
" Look ! what is that ?" said his companion hastily, pointing out a dark object floating on the water, towards which they pulled for a moment, and then again rested on their oars.
" Nothin' my darlint," said Dennis, "but one of thim same Jewells that coom sailin' all the way from furrin parts, about the north pole. We'll kape our four eyes aboot us, sure, but divil a sthraw could dhrift by, widout Dennis Aughrim's seeing it wid his peepers shut."
" Perhaps," said his companion speaking slowly, giving u-terance to the thoughts the inaniniale'object called up, " perhaps that old log has drifted by my door, and the old woman and little ones have looked at it, and thought how it was floating away down to Orleans, where daddy Tim is;" and till it faded in the distance from his eyes, he gazed after the floating tree, which, even in his rude breast conjured up emotions, for a moment, carrying his, thoughts far back to the rude cabm and the little group he had left behind him, to go forth and fight the battles of his country.
"Is it far, the childer and the ould 'ooman live, Masther Tim ?" inquired Dennis, chiming in with the feelings of his comrade.
"It is in old Kentuck—Hark?" he said, as one guard boat challenged another which was rowiog across her bows.
" An' thin is there the likes o' sich a hoorse in your counthry ?" inquired the Irishman after a moment's silence, " faix, it's exthraordinary."
" And you never saw old Keniuck ?" said his companion, recovering at once, the low humour characteristic of his countrymen, " Well, he's a caution ! He's about four hundred miles long from head to tail, and when he stands up, one foot is on the Mississippi and another on the Ohio, and his two fore legs rest on Tennessy and old Virgin.iy.
" Thrue for you, indeed ! Maslher Tim ; but sure it's joking you are, Tim, dear," said Dennis in credulous surprise.
" Never a joke in the matter, paddy—he's a screamer I tell you. Why, his veins are bigger than any river in all Ireland, and he has swallowed whole flat boats and steamers; and stranger, let me tell you, the boys aboard, never minded but what they were sailing on a river—only they said they thought the water looked a little reddish. Why it lakes a brush as large as all Frankfort, and that's a matter of some miles long, to rub him down, and every brustle is a pine tree. When he drinks you can wade across the Mississippi for a day after, just about there. He snorts louder than July thunder, and when he winks, it lightens—make him mad, and he'll blow like one of these here new fashioned steam boats.—"
" Oh ! Holy mother ! The saints betune us and this omadhoun ! But it must take the mate and the praitees to feed him. Och hone !"
" But this is not all, Dennis ;" continued his companion with humour, amused at the credulity of his fellow soldier; "his tail is like a big snake and as long as the Irish channel."
"The Lord and the blessed St. Pathrick betwixt us and harm."
" His back is covered with a shell of a snapping turtle, that you could put your island under.—"
" Oh murther! but may be it's no expinse the Prisident will be for a saddle. Lord ! Lord !"
'' Not a bit, paddy ; nor a bridle either, for that matter," continued the Kentuckian with imperlu-ble gravity, while his companion, with incredulous and simple wonder, listened aghast; "his head is shaped like an alligators, with a double row of teelh and a large white tusk sticking out each side of his mouth.—"
" Oh ! the Lord look down upon us ! there he is !" suddenly shrieked the Irishman, and fell senseless on the bottom of the boat. Before the Kentuckian could turn to see the cause of the alarm, the slave, whose hideous features seen over the bows, combined with his excited imagination, had terrified the simple Irishman, already inflamed by the recital of his comrade, sprung forward ; and he felt the iron clutch of Cudjoe's fingers, around his throat, and his arms pressed immoveably to his side. Until his captive grew black in the face, the slave kept his hold ; and when he found him incapable of resistance, he seized the oars and pulled into the mouth of the canal, opposite which the boat had now drifted.
" Done like Cudjoe," said his master, who had watched with interest, the success of his plan, as the boat touched the bank.
^' Ha, slave ! did I not tell you to shed no blood ?" he added angrily, as his eye rested upon the pros-i trate forms of the boatmen.
" Cudjoe no spill one drop," replied the slave ; ^■' one sojer tinky me alligator, curse him ; he make one yell and den go to de debil, dead directly. Dis oder big sojer—he only little bit choke."
" Take them out," he said to his crew, " and lay them on the bank."
8*
In a few moments, the Kentuckian revived, and looked around him in moody silence.
" You are a prisoner," said Lafitte.
" And to the devil, I suppose, stranger," he said, looking at Cudjoe's ungainly figure. The next moment a thought of his lonely family swelled his bosom, and a desire to escape suddenly inspired him. Leaping from the ground, while his captors thought him incapable of rising, he threw himself headlong into the river. In a few seconds, they heard the water agitated far below them by his athletic arms. He gained the shore on the lower side of the canal, beyond pursuit, and his recedmg footsteps were heard far down the levee.
" Better he were free," said Lafitte ; " that mar^ would lose his life before he would betray the watch-word. But this looks like baser metal," he added, placing his foot upon the body of the Irishman, who, after being deluged with a few caps full of the cold river water, revived.
" Oh ! murther, murther !" he exclaimed, as a generous discharge nearly drowned him—" Oh ! the hoorse—the hoorse ! Och, murther me 1 It is kilt you are Dennis Aughrim ! Och, hone "
" Up, sir, up, and slop that riowling," said Lafitte, "taking him by the collar, and lifting him as a less muscular man would a child, and placing him upon his feet—
" What is the pass-word of the night ?" ■ " The woord is't yer honor ?" said Deimis, his consciousness partially restoring—" and devil a bit did I know, how ever I coome here. Oh, the hoorse, and the alligathur!" he suddenly exclaimed, looking about him, as if he expected again to see the object of his fears—" and did yer honor pick me from the wather, where he dhragged me to de-voor mc. Oh ! holy St. Pathrick ! but it was a di-vil of a craather,"
1
" Back, Cudjoe," said Lafiite, as the slave was gradually creeping round to intercept his vision. " Give me the pass word of the night, soldier."
" By dad, an' wid a heart an' a will would I obhge yer honor; the niither in heaven send bless-in' on blessin' on yer honor's head ; for savin' nne from droouin'; but Tim, Tim is it wid de bit paper."
' " No trifling man, or you will be worse off than in an alligator's jaws," replied his captor sternly.
" ()h, thin, dear, yer honor ! but I must spake it low," and standing on his toes, he whispered in the ear of Lafitte, the pass word of the night.
" 'Tis as I thought," he exclaimed. " Now get into this boat and guide us up to the city; serve me faithfully, and you shall soon be free; betray or deceive me, and you die."
" Oh, blissed mither ! that Dennis Aughrim should be prisoner to the Inglishers ! and, poor craythur ! that he should lit them into the city, to make it a kingdom. Och, Dennis ! but you'll have to go back to ould Ireland ! xA.miriky is .no more to be the free counthry o' the world. Och, murther me ! that Dinnis's own milher's son should come to this !" he soliloquized, as he reluctantly stepped into the boat for the purpose of betraying his trust.
Leaving orders for his men to remain in their concealment until his return, and be on the aleit against surprise, the buccaneer chief stepped into the guard-boat with Theodore and his slave.
Taking an oar himself, and giving the other to his guide and prisoner^ he pushed boldly out from the bank, and confidently passed the line of boats, every challenge from them being answered by the familiar voice of the Irishman, as they passed within two or three oars' length of the line of guard-boats ; all but the chief and the guide lying in the bottom of the barge.
In about half an hour after leavincr the shore, he shot into the inlet of canal Mariguay, and nearly under the guns of fort St. Charles. At this point were collected many other boats and fishing craft; and having passed the chain of guard-boats with security, he pulled along side of the levee, and into the midst of the boats, without attractmg observation.
Leaving the Irishman in the barge under the charge of Cudjoe, of whom he stood in mortal fear —the chief, accompanied by his companion, mounted the levee, and with an indifferent pace passed under the walls of the fort. As he walked forward, the esplanade in front of the city, was crowded, with citizens and soldiers, along which mounted officers were riding at speed, and detachments of soldiers moving swiftly and without music, down the road which wound along the banks of the river. At every corner he passed by guards posted there, and nearly every man he met was armed, and as the lamps shone upon their faces, he discovered that expectation of some important event dwelt thereon, giving a military sternnSife to their visages.
The parade was nearly deserted except by citizens and soldiers, too old to bear arms i"n the field. Without being questioned or challenged by any one, for the hour of nine, when vigilance more thoroughly reigned throughout the guarded city, had not yet arrived.
Turning from the levee and leaving the parade on his left, he passed up Rue St. Anne to Charles-street, without lifting his eyes to the cathedral, its dark lowers rising abruptly and gloomily against the sky, overtopping the government house and other massive public buildings around it.
A soldier in the uniform of Lateau's coloured rei giment was pacing in front of the government-house
with his musket to his shoulder. Against the wall of the church, leaned a group of citizens and soldiers, all of whom, though apparently off duty, wore arms, and had the air of me'n who momently expected to be called into action. A neighbouring guard-house was full of soldiers smoking segars, burnishing their arms and discussing the great suhject of the expected attack upon their city. Occasionally, a private or an officer in uniform hurried past on the trottoir, neither turning to the right or left, nor replying to the questions occasionally put to them by the inquisitive passers-by.
" Soldier, is the governor in the city ?" inquired Lafitte, stopping as he met the guard.
" You must be a stranger here, monsieur, to put such a question," said he, eyeing him suspiciously; *' next to her noble general, is he not the guardian of our city ?"
" You say well, monsieur—he is then in the government-house V inquired the buccaneer.
" Would you speak with the governor, seiior;" said one of the soldiers stepping up.
"I have important papers for him," answered Lafitte, looking at the man fixedly.
"You will then find him at the quarters of the general in Faubourg Marigny—he rode by with his staff" not half an hour since," replied the man.
" Thank you, monsieur," said Lafitte.
As he spoke, the bell of the cathedral tolled nine, and the report of a heavy piece of artillery placed in front upon the parade, awoke the echoes of the city, warning every householder to extinguish his lights, and confining the inhabitants to their own dwellings. The foot of the loiterer hastened as the first note struck his ear, and a thousand rights at once disappeared from the windows of the dweU lings ; and before the sound of the last stroke of th^
bell died away, ihe city became silent and dark. After that hour, until sunrise, with the exception of here and there one bearing about him a passport from the American chief, every one abroad was on the severe duty of a soldier.
"You have the pass, monsieur?" inquired the soldier, whom he first addressed, extending his hand as the clock broke the stillness of the night.
Lafitte gave the word which had passed him through the chain of boats.
" Jt will not do, monsieur," replied the guard, " have you not a passport?"
The soldier who had directed him where to find the governor whispered in his ear—" Pensacola."
Lafitte starting, repeated the word to the guard; adding, " I gave you before by mistake, the word for the river."
" It is well, monsieur," said the soldier, giving back, " pass with the youth."
Lafitte and his companion turned and retraced their steps to the suburb, occupied by the commander-in-chief.
As they were crossing Rue St. Phillipe, some one called the chief's name in a distinct whisper. He turned and distinguished the figure of the soldier who had given him the pass-word.
" Ha! is it you, Pedro ? I knew you then ! but how is this? Have you turned soldier?"
"For a time, seiior captain—I must not starve."