Tales of terror
a bulkhead, when I was awakened by the deep groans of the Spaniard.
The violence of his pain had again returned, and between the spasms
I heard the weeping and gentle voice of the lady soothing his agony,
and trying to impart hope--prospects to him which her own hysterical
sobs told plainly she did not herself feel. The priest also frequently
joined, and urged him to confess. To this advice he remained silent for
a while, but at length he addressed the lady:
‘The Padre says true, Isabella. Time wears apace, and I feel that I
shall soon be beyond its limits and above its concerns. But ere I go I
would say that which it would impart peace to my mind to disclose--I
would seek to leave you at least one human being to befriend and
protect you in your utter helplessness. Alas! that Diego di Montaldo’s
daughter should ever be thus destitute! Go, my love! I would be alone a
little while with the father.’
An agony of tears and sobs was the only return made by the poor girl,
while the priest with gentle violence led her into the state-room.
‘Now,’ continued the dying man, ‘listen to me while I have strength.
You have only known me as a merchant in Cuba; but such I have not
always been. Mine is an ancient and noble family in Catalonia; though I
unhappily disgraced it, and have been estranged from it long. I had the
misfortune to have weak and indulgent parents, who idolised me as the
heir of their house, and did not possess resolution enough to thwart
me in any of my wishes or desires, however unreasonable. My boyhood
being thus spoiled, it is no matter of wonder that my youth should have
proved wild and dissolute. My companions were as dissolute as myself,
and much of my time was spent in gambling and other extravagances.
One evening at play I quarrelled with a young nobleman of high rank
and influence. We were both of us hot and passionate, so we drew on
the spot and fought, and I had the misfortune to run him through the
heart, and leave him dead. Not daring to remain longer at home, I fled
in disguise to Barcelona, where I procured a passage in a vessel for
the Spanish Main. On our voyage we were captured by Moorish pirates;
and the roving and adventurous mode of life of these bold and daring
men suiting both my inclinations and finances, I agreed to make one of
their number. For many months we were successful in our enterprises; we
ranged the whole of these seas, and made a number of prizes, some of
which were rich ships of our own colonies. In course of time we amassed
such a quantity of specie as to make us unwilling to venture it in one
bottom; so we agreed to hide it ashore, and divide it on our return
from our next expedition. But our good fortune forsook us this time.
During a calm the boats of the Guarda-costa came on us, overpowered the
ship, and made all the crew, except myself and two others, prisoners.
We escaped with our boat, and succeeded in gaining the island of Cuba,
where both of my comrades died of fever. Subsequent events induced me
to settle at St. Juan de Buenavista, where I married, and as a merchant
prospered and became a rich man. But my happiness lasted not! My wife
caught the yellow fever and died, leaving me only this one child.
I now loathed the scene of my departed happiness, and felt all the
longings of an exile to revisit my native country. For this purpose I
converted all my effects into money, and am thus far on my way to the
hidden treasure with which I intended to return to Spain. But the green
hills of Catalonia will never more gladden mine eyes! My hopes and
wishes were only for my poor girl. Holy father! you know not a parent’s
feelings--its anxiety and its fears. The thoughts of leaving my child
to the mercy of strangers--or, it may be, to their barbarities--is far
more dreadful than the anguish of my personal sufferings. With you
rests my only hope. Promise me your protection for her, and the half of
all my wealth is yours.’
‘Earthly treasures,’ replied the priest, ‘avail not with one whose
desires are fixed beyond the little handful of dust which perisheth.
My life is devoted to the service of my Creator, and the conversion of
ignorant men--men who have never heard of His salvation. I was bound on
an errand of mercy, and if the heathen receive the light of truth, how
much more a daughter of our most holy Church? I, therefore, on behalf
of our community, accept of your offer, and swear on this blessed
emblem to fulfil all your wishes to the best of my poor abilities.’
‘Enough; enough!’ said Montaldo. ‘I am satisfied. Among that
archipelago of desert islands, known by the name of the Roccas,
situated on the coast of the province of Venezuela, in New Grenada,
there is one called the Wolf Rock; it is the longest and most northern
of the group, and lies the most to seaward. At the eastern point, which
runs a little way into the sea, there stands an old vanilla tree,
blasted and withered, and retaining but a single solitary branch.
On the eve of the Festival of St. Jago the moon will be at her full
in the west. At twenty minutes past midnight she will attain to her
highest altitude in the heavens, and then the shadow of the tree will
be thrown due east. Watch till the branch and stem of the tree unite
and form only one line of shade. Mark its extremity; for there, ten
feet below the surface, the cask containing the gold is buried. The
gold, father, was sinfully got; but fasts and penances have been done,
masses without number have been said, and I trust that the blessed
Virgin has interceded for the forgiveness of that great wickedness! I
have now confessed all, and confide in your promise; and as you perform
your oath, so will the blessing or curse of a dying man abide with you.
I feel faint--dying. Oh! let me clasp my child once more to my heart
before I----’
Here the rest of the sentence became indistinct from the death-rattle
in his throat. I leaped off my cot and sprang up the hatchway, and had
my foot on the top of the companion ladder when a piercing shriek from
below making me quicken my steps I missed my hold, and fell against
some person crouching on the outside of the cabin door. It was pitch
dark, so that I could not see. ‘Who is that?’ I demanded, but there was
no answer, and the person with whom I had collided rose and, without
uttering a single word, softly ascended the companion-way ladder; but
as he emerged into the faint light which still lingered in the horizon
I fancied that I could distinguish him to be the captain.
On my entering the cabin I found the Spaniard dead, and his daughter
lying in a state of insensibility by his side; while the black servant
was howling and tearing her hair like one in a frenzy. The priest was
entirely absorbed in his devotions, so, without disturbing him, I
lifted the lady and bore her into the state-room. The greater part of
the night was passed in trying to restore her to sensation. Fit after
fit followed each other in such quick succession that I began to have
fears for the result; but at length the hysterical paroxysm subsided,
and tears coming to her relief she grew somewhat composed, when I left
her in charge of her attendant.
The next day was spent in taking out the remainder of the felucca’s
cargo. There seemed now no anxiety on the captain’s part to proceed on
his voyage. He appeared to have forgotten the necessity, expressed on
a former occasion, of being in port within a limited time. During the
days that followed he was often in a state of inebriety, for the wine
and spirits of the Spaniards were lavishly served out to the whole
ship’s company, with whom he also mixed more, and he changed that
haughtiness of bearing which had marked his conduct hitherto.
Yielding to the passionate entreaties of Isabella, the old Spaniard’s
body was kept for several days, but at last she grew reconciled to
her father’s remains being committed to the deep, and one evening as
the sun was setting the body was brought on deck swathed in canvas,
and the priest conducted a mass, and solemnly intoned the following
prayer:--‘May the angels conduct thee into Paradise; may the martyrs
receive thee at thy coming; and mayst thou have eternal rest with
Lazarus, who was formerly poor!’ He then sprinkled the body with holy
water, and continued:--‘As it hath pleased God to take the soul of our
dear brother here departed unto Himself, we therefore commit his body
to the deep, in the sure and certain hope of a joyful resurrection on
that day when the sea shall give up its dead. Let him rest in peace!’
The Spaniards present responded ‘Amen!’ and the priest repeating ‘May
his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the
mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen!’ he made the sign of the Cross,
the end of the grating was gently elevated, and the corpse heavily
plunged into the water. The waves parted, heaving and foaming round
the body as it disappeared, when, to our horror and astonishment, we
beheld it the next minute slowly return to the surface deprived of the
canvas covering in which it had been sewed. The dead man came up as
he had gone down, in an upright position, and floated a little time
with his back to the vessel, but the motion of the water turned him
round by degrees till we distinctly saw his face. The head was thrown
back, and the eyes wide open, and under the strong stream of light
poured on them from the setting sun they seemed to glare ghastly and
fearfully upwards. His grey hair, long and dishevelled, floated about
his face, at times partially obscuring it; and one arm, stretched forth
and agitated by the action of the waves, appeared as if in the act of
threatening us. When the first burst of horror had subsided, I caught
hold of Isabella to prevent her seeing the body, and was leading her
off when some of our sailors whispered that it was the murdered man,
old James Gemmel. The captain had been hitherto looking on with the
rest without having apparently recognised him, but when the name struck
his ear he shrank back and involuntarily exclaimed, ‘It’s a lie! It’s
an infamous lie! Who dares to say he was murdered? But don’t let him
come on board; for God’s sake keep him down, or he’ll take us with
him to the bottom! Will nobody keep him down? Will nobody shove him
off? Helm a-lee!’ he bawled out, waving his hand to the man at the
wheel; but the man had deserted his post, eager to see what was going
on; the skipper, therefore, ran to the wheel himself, and again issued
his commands, ‘Let go the main-topsail weather-braces, and bring round
the yard! Let them go, I say!’ His orders were speedily executed. The
vessel gathered way, and we quickly shot past the body of the old man.
For several days after this we pursued our course with a favourable
wind, which drove us swiftly forward on our voyage. The captain now
kept himself constantly intoxicated, seldom made his appearance in
the cabin, but left us altogether to the care of the steward. All
subordination was now at an end; his whole time was spent among
the seamen, with whom he mixed familiarly, and was addressed by
them without the slightest portion of that respect or deference
commonly paid to the captain of a vessel. The appearance of the men
also was much altered. From the careless mirth and gaiety, and the
characteristic good humour of sailors, there was now a sullenness and
gloom only visible. A constant whispering, a constant caballing was
going on, a perpetual discussion, as if some design of moment was in
agitation, or some step of deep importance was about to be taken. All
sociality and confidence towards each other were banished. In place of
conversing together in a body as formerly, they now walked about in
detached parties, and among them the boatswain and carpenter seemed