The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-25
i takes a load off my mind to leave her in u mr.

1 Cuofkc.
said to him, Your lady lie in far BET, q,
charge than mine, sir, having Miss Maryortt
take care of her but you may rely upon it, Il o.
/ will guard them both-faithful and true.nz
Says he, ~ do rely upon it, Davis. ans,
heartily wish all the silver on our old Islsae
was yours"
That seventh starlight night, as have sid
We made our camp, and got supper, and set wi
watch, and the children fell asleep. It Ha,
solemn and beautiful, in those wild and solit, ry
parts, to see them, every night before they sy
down, kneeling under the bright sky, saysne
their little prayers at women's laps. At tia
time We men all uncovered, and mostly kept a
q distance. When the innocent creatures 81
up, we murmured "Ameni" all together. r u
though we had not heard what they said, ~
knew it must be good for MS.
At that time, too, as was only natural, thcse
poor mothers in our company, whose child, On
had been killed, shed maay tears. I thousbi
them cry; but, whether was right or wrongir
that, they wept very much. On tina seveAlt
night, Mrs. Fisher had cried for her lost darliSSg
until she cried herself asleep. She was ly5e
on q little couch ofleaves and such-like, Il ma IL
the best little couch could for them evsy
night,) and Miss Maryon had covered her, AID
eat by her, holding her hand. The stars look ID
down upon them. As for me, / guarded thesp,
"Davis I" says Miss Maryon. am not 10
ing to say what a voice she had. couldn't il
l tried
81 am here, Miss"
"The river sounds as if it were swollen 10,
night"
"We all think, Miss, that we are coming near
the sea-"
"Do you believe, now, we shall escaped"
~ do now, Miss, really believe it." 1 had
always said did bat had in my own mild
been doubtful"
SHOW glad you will be, my good Davis, 70
see England againl". II
l have another confession to make, that III
appear singular. When she said these Wort 3,
something rose in my throat and the starr
looked away at, seemed to break into spark ss
that fell down my face and burnt it.
"England is not much to me, Miss, except as
q name"
"Ohi So true an Englishman should OF
say thstl Are you not we'll tonight, Davis }"
Very kindly, and with quick change.
"Quite well, Miss"
"Are you sure? Your voice sounds altensd
in my hearing"
"No, Miss, I am stronger man than ev r.
But, England is nothing to me-"
Miss Maryon sat silent for 80 long whse,
that believed she had done speaking to me Tor
one time. However, che had not for by cad
by she said in disinct, clear tone: -,
"No, good friend; you must not cay teat
England is nothing to you. 1t ia to be much to
you yet-everything to you. You have to take
back to England the good name you have can.
ed here, and the gratitude and attachment sad
respect you have won here and you have>to
make some good English girl very happy I'D
proud, by marrying her; and l shall one gay
see her, l hope, and make her happier Ind
prouder still. by telling her what noble servi ,es
her husbands were in South America, and W TAT
q noble friend he was to me there"
Though she spoke these kind words i. a
cheering manner, shs spoke them compassi On
ately. said nothing. 1t will appear to be
another strange confession, that paced to ind
fro, within coli, oil shsk night most unhappy
man, Representing myself all the night 1cag.
You are as ignorant as any man alive; ,ou
are as obscure as any man alive you are as koor
as any man alive you are no better than she
mud under your foot" That was the way. in
which went on against myself until the m, I'm
ing.
With the day, came the days labor. What
l should have done without the labor, / d9nt
know. We were afoat again at the usual hour,
and were again making our way down the river.
1t was broader and clearer of distractions taan
it had been, and it seemed to flow faster. This
was one of Drooce's quiet days; Mr.. Pordsge,
besides being sulky, had almost los. his voice !;
and we made good way, and with little noise.
There was always q seaman forward on the
raft, keeping bright lookout. Suddenly, in
the full heat of the day, when the children were
slumbering, and the trees and reeds appel red
to be slumbering, this man-it was Shot
holds up his hand and cries, with grea. CAUTION
oh
We he'd on against the stream as soon Al. we
could bring her up, and the other raft followed
suit. At first, Mr.. Macy, Mr.. Fisher, and my
self, could hear nothing; though both the sea-
men aboard of Us agreed that they could hear
voices and oars. After little pause, however,
we united in thinking that we could hear the
sound of voices and the dip of oars. But, you
can hear long way in those countries, and
there was a bend of the river before as, and
nothing was to be seen except such waters and
such banks as We were now in the eighth day
land might, for the matter of our feelings, have
been in the eightieth,) of having seen with snx-
ious eyes.
1t was soon decided to put a man ashore who
should creep though the wood, see what was
coming, and warn the rafts-the RATS in the
mean time to keep the middle of the stream.
The man to be put ashore, and not to saim
done than the second. The raft conveying bim,
to get back into raid-stream, and to hold on
alorg with the other, as we'll as it could, cntil
signalled by the man. In case of danger, the
man to shift for himself until it should be safe
to take him aboard again. volunteered to be
the man.
We knew that voices and oars must come up
slowly against the stream and our seamen kuew
by the set of the stream, under which bank :hey
would come. was put ashore accordingly
The raft got off well, and l broke into the wood
Steaming hot it was, and 9 tearing place tc
get through. So much the better for me, a;nce
it was something to contend against and do.
cut off the bend in the river, at q great saving
of space, came &C, the waters edge again, and
hid myself, and waited. / could now hear the
dip of the oars very distinctly; the voices bad
ceased.
The sound came on in a regular tune, and
as lay hidden, fancied the tune. 80 played
to be, "Chris' en--George-King Chris en-
George-Kingl Chris en- George King "
over and over again, always the same, with the
pauses always ut the same places. had like
wise time to make up my mind that If these
were the Pirates, could and would (barripe
my being shot) swim off to my raft, in spite o.
my wound, the moment 1 had given the alarm
and hold my old post by Miss Maryon.
"Chris'en = George = Kingl Chris'eu -
George-King Chris en-George King ,
coming up, now very near.
took look at the branches about me, t.
see where shower of bullets would be mos
likely to do me least hurt; and took lool
back at the track had made in forcing m,
way in; and now / was wholly prepared anc
fully ready for them.
"Chris'en = George - Kingi Chris'sn =
George-Kingl Chris'e George King
Here they were ia
| Who vroro thov? Tho horhoroc. D:-.x.~