The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-25


kept tolerably quiet now, with pen and ink, and
began to pick up his senses little. Seated
| in the second beat, he mice documents with
Mr. Kitten, pretty well, all cay; and he gener
ally handed in a ProteAt about something
whenever we stopped. TIL Captain, however,
made 80 very light of thess papers, that it grew
into a saying among the nep, when one Of
them wanted match for i il pipe, "Hand us
over Protest, Jack - As t, Mra. Pordage, she
still wore the nightcap, ana>she nov had cut all
the ladies, On account of htr not having been
formally and separately f,scued, by Captain
Carton, before anybody eht. The end of Mr..
Pordage, to bring to An enc all know about
him, was, that he got grSa, compliments at
home for his conduct on these trying occasions,
and that he died of yellow 3suudice, Govern.
or and X. G. B.
Sergeant DroOce had fallen from q high fe-
yer into low one Tom Pscker-the only man
who could have pulled thu Sergeant through
it-kept hospital aboard th,s old raft and Mrs
Belltott, as brisk as ever afain, (but the spirit
of that woman, when things tried it, was not
equal to sppesrancss,) VIZ, head nurse under
his directions. Before w got down to the
Mosquito coast, the Joke bod been made by one
of our men, that we shouls see her gazetted
Mrs. Tom Packer, rice Bellt3tt, exchanged
! When we reached the coast, VIC got native
boats as substitutes for the RATS, and we rowed
along under the land ard in that beautiful
Climate. and upon that beautiful water, the
blooming days were like .nchantment. All I
Ihey we're running away faster than any sea
or river, and there was no tide to bring them
oack We were coming gtry near the settle
ment where the people Of Silver Store we're to
be left, and from which We Marines were under
orders to return to Belize E
Captain Carton had, is the boat by him, a
curious long barreled Sptt ish gun, and he had
said to Miss Maryon one lay that it was the
best OF guns, and had tutled his head to me,
and said: r
"Gill Davis, load her fash with a couple of
slugs, against chance tf showing how good
she is"
| 80, l had discharged tie gun over the sea,
ana had loaded her, accariing to orders, and
there 1t had lain at the Captains feet, con.
venient to the Captains Il. nd
| The last day but one a. -our Journey was an
uncommonly ho. day. We started very early !;
but, there was no cool aircol the sea as the dsy
got on, and by noon the ket.t was really hard to
bear, considering that thers were women and
children to bear it. Now,-vs happened to open,
just at that time, very >ofsasant little cove or
bay, where there was dseo shade from great
growth of trees. Now, Il. Captain, therefore,
made the signal to the ofher boats to follow
him in and lie by while
The men who were off lnty went ashore. and
| lay down, but were order ID, for cautions sake.
not to stray, and to Ike within view. The
others rested on their oa. 8, and dozed. AVN
| Ings had been made of cle thing and another,
In all the boats, and tbs passengers found il
cooler to be under thers in the shade, when
| there was room enough, than to be in the thick
woods. So, the passengers were all afoat. and
mostly sleeping. / kept my post behind Miss
Maryon, and she was on Captain Cartons right
in the boat, and Mrs. Fisher sat on her right
again. The Captain haG Mrs. Fishers daueh.
ter On his knee. he ans the two ladies were
talking about the Pirases, and were talking
sottiy-partly, because le0ple do talk softly
under such indolent cirer Instances, and partly
because the little girl hsa gone off asleep.
Lady u write down, st sppSain Carton had
fine bright eye of his own. All at once, he
darted me a side loot, As much as to say,
"Steady-don't take on.-~I see something l"-
and gave the child inso her mothers arms.
That eye of his was so eeay to understand, that
obeyed it by not SO mich as looking either to
the right or to the left put of a corner of nv
own, or changing my ttitude the least triAe
The Captain went on ts.sirg in the same mild
and easy way but beg sn--with his arms rest
ing across his knees, and his head little
hanging forward. if the heat were rather too
much for him-begau p play with the Spanish
gun.
"They had laid their plans, you see," says
the Captain, taking up The Spanish gun across
his knees, and looking lazily at the nlaying
on the stock, with great deal of art and
the corrupt or bunderillg local authorities we're
80 easily deceived )" be ran his left hand idly
along the barrel, but saw, with my breath
held, that he covered tie action of cooking the
gun with his right-'".,o easily deceived, that
they summoned us to e.ame into the trap. But
my intention as to futsre operations - In
flash, the Spanish G, was at his bright eye,
and fired.
All started up; innpnerable echoes repeated
the sound of the discharge; cloud of bright
colored birds flew out ST the woods, screaming
a handful of leaves ,sere scattered where the
shot had struck; cr,ckling of branches was
heard; and some lirhe but heavy creature
ssprang into the air. and fell forward, head
down. over the muddy bank
What is it?" cries Captain Maryon, from
his boat. All silent saen, but the echoes roll
ing away.
1t is a traitor ane spy" said Capt: Car.
ton, handing me the sun to load again. "And
l think the other name of the animal is Chris.
tian George KipgI" =
| Shot through the heart Some of the people
| ran round to the spot anG drew him out, with
the slime and wet rieklius down his face but
his face itself would lever stir any more to the
end of time. G =
"Leave him hanging to that tree" cried
Captain Carton, his bosss crew giving way,
| and he leaping ashore. "But first into this
wood, every man in lis place. And boats out
of gunshotI"
1t was quick cha1 ge, we'll meant and we'll
made, though it ended in disappointment. No
tirales were there ;~ao one but the spy was
found. 1t was supposed that the Pirates, un-
able to re,ake us, and expecting a great attack
upon them to be the consequence of our escape,
had made from the Rims in the forest, taken to
their ship along witkthe treasure, and left the
spy to pick up what Intelligence he could. In
the evening we went away, and he was left
hanging to the tree, all alone, with the red sun
making kind of lead sunset on his black
| face.
Next DAY, we gaiJed the settlement on the
| Mosquito coast fc+ which we were bound.
Having stayed there to refresh, seven days,
and having been mueh commended, and highly
spoken OF, and hne.y entertained we Marines
stood under orders to march from the town gate
ut was neither mucl of a town nor much of q
| gate) at FIVE in the .,orning.
my omcer nad Jolied us before then. When
we turned out at the gate all the people were
there; in the front Il them all those Who had
been our fellow. prist ners, and all the seamen.
Davis" says eieut. Underwood, "stand
out, my friend ~
stood out from tSe ranks, and Miss Maryon
| ano captain Carton-1ame up to me.
| Dear DAVIS" said Miss Aaryon, while the
tears fell fast down, her face, "your grateful
friends, in most uaywillingly taking leave of
you, ask the favor hat, while You bear away
with you their affecttnste remembrance, which