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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.” 1
“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.” 2
“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 goodwill of the Kirk-
1 This was really an exploit of the celebrated Avery the pirate, who suddenly, and without provocation, fired his pistols under the table where he sat drinking with his messmates, wounded one man severely, and thought the matter a good jest. What is still more extraordinary, his crew regarded it in the same light.
2 A ship going fast through the sea is said to cut a feather, alluding to the ripple which she throws off from her bows.
wall 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 sundried. 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 quarterdeck, 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 j “ 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 I”
“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 malcontent 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 poleaxes 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 entrusted 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