The Pirate
taciturnity had prevented this from being observed until the council
began its deliberations, when it proved impossible to hide it.
The first person who spoke was Cleveland, who said, that, so far from
wishing the command of the vessel, he desired no favour at any one's
hand, except to land him upon some island or holm at a distance from
Kirkwall, and leave him to shift for himself.
The boatswain remonstrated strongly against this resolution. "The lads,"
he said, "all knew Cleveland, and could trust his seamanship, as well as
his courage; besides, he never let the grog get quite uppermost, and was
always in proper trim, either to sail the ship, or to fight the ship,
whereby she was never without some one to keep her course when he was on
board.--And as for the noble Captain Goffe," continued the mediator, "he
is as stout a heart as ever broke biscuit, and that I will uphold him;
but then, when he has his grog aboard--I speak to his face--he is so
d----d funny with his cranks and his jests, that there is no living with
him. You all remember how nigh he had run the ship on that cursed Horse
of Copinsha, as they call it, just by way of frolic; and then you know
how he fired off his pistol under the table, when we were at the great
council, and shot Jack Jenkins in the knee, and cost the poor devil his
leg, with his pleasantry."[35]
"Jack Jenkins was not a chip the worse," said the carpenter; "I took the
leg off with my saw as well as any loblolly-boy in the land could have
done--heated my broad axe, and seared the stump--ay, by ----! and made a
jury-leg that he shambles about with as well as ever he did--for Jack
could never cut a feather."[36]
"You are a clever fellow, carpenter," replied the boatswain, "a d----d
clever fellow! but I had rather you tried your saw and red-hot axe upon
the ship's knee-timbers than on mine, sink me!--But that here is not the
case--The question is, if we shall part with Captain Cleveland here, who
is a man of thought and action, whereby it is my belief it would be
heaving the pilot overboard when the gale is blowing on a lee-shore.
And, I must say, it is not the part of a true heart to leave his mates,
who have been here waiting for him till they have missed stays. Our
water is wellnigh out, and we have junketed till provisions are low with
us. We cannot sail without provisions--we cannot get provisions without
the good-will of the Kirkwall folks. If we remain here longer, the
Halcyon frigate will be down upon us--she was seen off Peterhead two
days since,--and we shall hang up at the yard-arm to be sun-dried. Now,
Captain Cleveland will get us out of the hobble, if any can. He can play
the gentleman with these Kirkwall folks, and knows how to deal with them
on fair terms, and foul, too, if there be occasion for it."
"And so you would turn honest Captain Goffe a-grazing, would ye?" said
an old weatherbeaten pirate, who had but one eye; "what though he has
his humours, and made my eye dowse the glim in his fancies and frolics,
he is as honest a man as ever walked a quarter-deck, for all that; and
d----n me but I stand by him so long as t'other lantern is lit!"
"Why, you would not hear me out," said Hawkins; "a man might as well
talk to so many negers!--I tell you, I propose that Cleveland shall only
be Captain from one, _post meridiem_, to five _a. m._, during which time
Goffe is always drunk."
The Captain of whom he last spoke gave sufficient proof of the truth of
his words, by uttering an inarticulate growl, and attempting to present
a pistol at the mediator Hawkins.
"Why, look ye now!" said Derrick, "there is all the sense he has, to get
drunk on council-day, like one of these poor silly fellows!"
"Ay," said Bunce, "drunk as Davy's sow, in the face of the field, the
fray, and the senate!"
"But, nevertheless," continued Derrick, "it will never do to have two
captains in the same day. I think week about might suit better--and let
Cleveland take the first turn."
"There are as good here as any of them," said Hawkins; "howsomdever, I
object nothing to Captain Cleveland, and I think he may help us into
deep water as well as another."
"Ay," exclaimed Bunce, "and a better figure he will make at bringing
these Kirkwallers to order than his sober predecessor!--So Captain
Cleveland for ever!"
"Stop, gentlemen," said Cleveland, who had hitherto been silent; "I
hope you will not choose me Captain without my own consent?"
"Ay, by the blue vault of heaven will we," said Bunce, "if it be _pro
bono publico_!"
"But hear me, at least," said Cleveland--"I do consent to take command
of the vessel, since you wish it, and because I see you will ill get out
of the scrape without me."
"Why, then, I say, Cleveland for ever, again!" shouted Bunce.
"Be quiet, prithee, dear Bunce!--honest Altamont!" said Cleveland.--"I
undertake the business on this condition; that, when I have got the ship
cleared for her voyage, with provisions, and so forth, you will be
content to restore Captain Goffe to the command, as I said before, and
put me ashore somewhere, to shift for myself--You will then be sure it
is impossible I can betray you, since I will remain with you to the last
moment."
"Ay, and after the last moment, too, by the blue vault! or I mistake the
matter," muttered Bunce to himself.
The matter was now put to the vote; and so confident were the crew in
Cleveland's superior address and management, that the temporary
deposition of Goffe found little resistance even among his own
partisans, who reasonably enough observed, "he might at least have kept
sober to look after his own business--E'en let him put it to rights
again himself next morning, if he will."
But when the next morning came, the drunken part of the crew, being
informed of the issue of the deliberations of the council, to which they
were virtually held to have assented, showed such a superior sense of
Cleveland's merits, that Goffe, sulky and malecontent as he was, judged
it wisest for the present to suppress his feelings of resentment, until
a safer opportunity for suffering them to explode, and to submit to the
degradation which so frequently took place among a piratical crew.
Cleveland, on his part, resolved to take upon him, with spirit and
without loss of time, the task of extricating his ship's company from
their perilous situation. For this purpose, he ordered the boat, with
the purpose of going ashore in person, carrying with him twelve of the
stoutest and best men of the crew, all very handsomely appointed, (for
the success of their nefarious profession had enabled the pirates to
assume nearly as gay dresses as their officers,) and above all, each man
being sufficiently armed with cutlass and pistols, and several having
pole-axes and poniards.
Cleveland himself was gallantly attired in a blue coat, lined with
crimson silk, and laced with gold very richly, crimson damask waistcoat
and breeches, a velvet cap, richly embroidered, with a white feather,
white silk stockings, and red-heeled shoes, which were the extremity of
finery among the gallants of the day. He had a gold chain several times
folded round his neck, which sustained a whistle of the same metal, the
ensign of his authority. Above all, he wore a decoration peculiar to
those daring depredators, who, besides one, or perhaps two brace of
pistols at their belt, had usually two additional brace, of the finest
mounting and workmanship, suspended over their shoulders in a sort of
sling or scarf of crimson ribbon. The hilt and mounting of the Captain's
sword corresponded in value to the rest of his appointments, and his
natural good mien was so well adapted to the whole equipment, that,
when he appeared on deck, he was received with a general shout by the
crew, who, as in other popular societies, judged a great deal by the
eye.
Cleveland took with him in the boat, amongst others, his predecessor in
office, Goffe, who was also very richly dressed, but who, not having the
advantage of such an exterior as Cleveland's, looked like a boorish
clown in the dress of a courtier, or rather like a vulgar-faced footpad
decked in the spoils of some one whom he has murdered, and whose claim
to the property of his garments is rendered doubtful in the eyes of all
who look upon him, by the mixture of awkwardness, remorse, cruelty, and
insolence, which clouds his countenance. Cleveland probably chose to
take Goffe ashore with him, to prevent his having any opportunity,
during his absence, to debauch the crew from their allegiance. In this
guise they left the ship, and, singing to their oars, while the water
foamed higher at the chorus, soon reached the quay of Kirkwall.
The command of the vessel was in the meantime intrusted to Bunce, upon
whose allegiance Cleveland knew that he might perfectly depend, and, in
a private conversation with him of some length, he gave him directions
how to act in such emergencies as might occur.
These arrangements being made, and Bunce having been repeatedly charged
to stand upon his guard alike against the adherents of Goffe and any
attempt from the shore, the boat put off. As she approached the harbour,
Cleveland displayed a white flag, and could observe that their
appearance seemed to occasion a good deal of bustle and alarm. People
were seen running to and fro, and some of them appeared to be getting
under arms. The battery was manned hastily, and the English colours
displayed. These were alarming symptoms, the rather that Cleveland knew,
that, though there were no artillerymen in Kirkwall, yet there were many
sailors perfectly competent to the management of great guns, and willing
enough to undertake such service in case of need.
Noting these hostile preparations with a heedful eye, but suffering
nothing like doubt or anxiety to appear on his countenance, Cleveland
ran the boat right for the quay, on which several people, armed with
muskets, rifles, and fowlingpieces, and others with half-pikes and
whaling-knives, were now assembled, as if to oppose his landing.
Apparently, however, they had not positively determined what measures
they were to pursue; for, when the boat reached the quay, those
immediately opposite bore back, and suffered Cleveland and his party to
leap ashore without hinderance. They immediately drew up on the quay,
except two, who, as their Captain had commanded, remained in the boat,
which they put off to a little distance; a man[oe]uvre which, while it
placed the boat (the only one belonging to the sloop) out of danger of
being seized, indicated a sort of careless confidence in Cleveland and
his party, which was calculated to intimidate their opponents.
The Kirkwallers, however, showed the old Northern blood, put a manly
face upon the matter, and stood upon the quay, with their arms
shouldered, directly opposite to the rovers, and blocking up against
them the street which leads to the town.
Cleveland was the first who spoke, as the parties stood thus looking
upon each other.--"How is this, gentlemen burghers?" he said; "are you
Orkney folks turned Highlandmen, that you are all under arms so early
this morning; or have you manned the quay to give me the honour of a
salute, upon taking the command of my ship?"
The burghers looked on each other, and one of them replied to
Cleveland--"We do not know who you are; it was that other man," pointing
to Goffe, "who used to come ashore as Captain."
"That other gentleman is my mate, and commands in my absence," said
Cleveland;--"but what is that to the purpose? I wish to speak with your
Lord Mayor, or whatever you call him."
"The Provost is sitting in council with the Magistrates," answered the
spokesman.
"So much the better," replied Cleveland.--"Where do their Worships
meet?"