The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-04
From Dickens's Household Words
THE PERIlS
CERTAIN ENGLISH PRISONERS,
AND THEIR TREASURE
IN WOMEN, CHILDREN, SILVER, JRwRLa

IN WOMEN, CHILDREN, SILVER, JEwKLa
BY CHARLES DICKENS
CHAPTER Discontinued
The Prison in the Woods.
Her pale face turned paier still, as she fixed
her eyes on the paper. Lowering her voice tc
a whisper, go that the women aud children nea,
might not hear, she read me these lines:
40 the Captains of English Men-of Var, ana
TO the Commanders Of Vessels of Other Ma
tions, Cruising in the Caribbean Seas:
"The precious metal and the Jewels laid up
in the English Island of Silver Store, are in the
possession of the BUCCANEERS, at sea.
"The women and children of the Island OF
Silver-Stere, to the number of Twenty Two. are
10 the possession of the BUCCANEERS, On land.
"They will be taken up the country, with Ia
men prisoners, Whose lives the Buccaneers
have private reasons of their own for preserv
ing,) to place of confinement, which is unap
proschsble by strangers. They will be kept
there until certain day, previously agreed
on between the Buccaneers at sea and the Buc
GAMERS on land.
"If by that time, no news from the party at
sea reaches the party on land, it will be taken
for granted that the expedition which conveys
away the silver aud jewels has been met en-
gagged, and conquered, by superior force tba,
the Treasure has been taken from its present
owners; and that the Buccaneers guarding il
/ have been made prisoners, to be dealt with &C
eording to the law.
"The absence of the expected news at the
appointed time being interpreted in this way, II
will be the next object Of the BUCCANEERS on
land to take reprisals for the loss and the inju.
ry ilhicted on their companions at sea. The
lives of the women and children of the Island
of Silver-Store are absolutely at their mercy ;
and those lives will pay the forfeit, if the Treas
ure is taken away, and if the men in possession
OF it come to harm.
"This paper will be nailed to the lid of the
largest chest taken from the Island. Any off
Ger whom the chances of war may bring within
reading distance of it is warned to pause and
consider, before his conduct signs the death
warrant Of the women and children of an Eng
E-L colony. =
"Signed, nnder the BlaoL Flag.
"PEDRo MENpEz,
Commander of the Buccaneers, and
Chief Of the Guard orer the English
Prisoners.
"The statement above written, In 80 far as
it regards the situation we are now placed In
may be depended on as the truth.
"Signed, on behalf of the imprisoned women
and children of the Island of Silver Store"
"Beneath this last line," said Miss Maryon
pointing to it, is a blank space, in which
an expected to sign my name"
And in FIVE minutes time added the Pi
rate Captain, who had stolen close up to US
or the same consequences will follow which
had the pleasure of explaining to you few min
utes ago"
He again drew out his watch and pistol but
this time, it was my head that he touched with
the barrel.
"When Tom Packer spoke for himself, Mics
a little while ago." l said, "please to consider
that he spoke for me-"
"Ano,her brave man 4" said the Pirate Cap
tain, with his apes grin. cam to fire my
pistol this time. or am to put it back again
as did before 2"
Miss Maryon did not seem to hear him. Her
kind eyes rested for moment on my face ans
then looked up to the bright heaven above us.
whether | sign, or whether do not sign,
she sad, eve are still in the hands of God, ani
the future which His wisdom has appointed viii
not the less surely come"
With these words, che placed the paper on
my breast, signed it, and handed it back to the
Pirate Captain.
/" This is our secret, Davis" abe whispered
Let us keep the dreadful knowledge of it Il
ourselves as long as we can"
/ have another singular confession to make
hardly expect anybody to believe me when
mention the circumstsnce-bu it ia not the lea
the plain truth, that, even in the midst of tina
irghtfu situation. felt, for a few moments,
sensation of happiness, while Miss Maryon'
hand was holding the paper on my breast, ant
while her lips were telling me that there was
secret between US which we were to keep to
gether.
The Pirate Captain carried the signed pape
at once TO his mate.
90 back to the Island, }" he says, and mai
that with your own hands on the lid of the lar
gest chest There is no occasion to hurry tn
business of shipping the Treasure, because Their
Is nobody on the Island to make signals tina
may draw attention TO it from the sea. hav
provided for that; | have provided for tn
cnance of your being outmanRuvred after
wards, by English or other cruisers. Here ar
your sailing ORDERS" The took them from hi
pocket while he spoke "your directions for tn
disposal Of the Treasure, and your appointment
Oh the day and the place for communicating
again with me aud my prisoners. have don
NY Part-go you, now, and do yours"
Hearing the clearness with which he CAV
MS orders; knowing what the devilish schem
was that he had invented for preventing the II
coVery ofthe Treasure, even if our ships hap
Pened to NEE. and capture the pirates at sea
remembering what the look and the speech {
aim had been, when he put his pistol to 10
mead aud Tom Packer's-I began to understan
howit was that this little, weak, weazen, wicke
spicer had got the first place and kept il anon
The villains about him.
The mate moved of, with his orders, toward
the sea. Before he got there, the Pirate Cal
tain beckoned another of the crew to come
MIN ; end spoke few words in hi. own, or
some other foreign language. guessed viii
.nsy meant, when / saw thirty of the pirate
lold on together, and set in circle all rom
U.s. The rest were marched away after Il
mate. In the same manner the Sambos wer
divided next. Ten, including Christian Georf
Ming, were left with us, and the others vel
sent down to the canoes. When this had bee
oone, the Pirate Captain looked at his watcl
pointed to some trees, about . mile of, vhit
hinged the land as it rose from the beach SO
70 an American among the pirates round q
VINO seemed to hold the place of second mai
In two hours from this time !" and then wal
ed away briskly, with one of HE men ai.sff nj !,
beach NO ""
I've were marched off at once to the aha
P'Ace under the trees, and allowed to sit do