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Page 11
Nobody spoke, that I heard, and nobody moved, that I saw. Yet there
was a kind of ring, as if every man answered and approved with the
best blood that was inside of him.
"Sir," says Captain Maryon, "I beg to volunteer on this service,
with my boats. My people volunteer, to the ship's boys."
"In His Majesty's name and service," the other answers, touching his
hat, "I accept your aid with pleasure. Lieutenant Linderwood, how
will you divide your men?"
I was ashamed--I give it out to be written down as large and plain
as possible--I was heart and soul ashamed of my thoughts of those
two sick officers, Captain Maryon and Lieutenant Linderwood, when I
saw them, then and there. The spirit in those two gentlemen beat
down their illness (and very ill I knew them to be) like Saint
George beating down the Dragon. Pain and weakness, want of ease and
want of rest, had no more place in their minds than fear itself.
Meaning now to express for my lady to write down, exactly what I
felt then and there, I felt this: "You two brave fellows that I had
been so grudgeful of, I know that if you were dying you would put it
off to get up and do your best, and then you would be so modest that
in lying down again to die, you would hardly say, 'I did it!'"
It did me good. It really did me good.
But, to go back to where I broke off. Says Captain Carton to
Lieutenant Linderwood, "Sir, how will you divide your men? There is
not room for all; and a few men should, in any case, be left here."
There was some debate about it. At last, it was resolved to leave
eight Marines and four seamen on the Island, besides the sloop's two
boys. And because it was considered that the friendly Sambos would
only want to be commanded in case of any danger (though none at all
was apprehended there), the officers were in favour of leaving the
two non-commissioned officers, Drooce and Charker. It was a heavy
disappointment to them, just as my being one of the left was a heavy
disappointment to me--then, but not soon afterwards. We men drew
lots for it, and I drew "Island." So did Tom Packer. So of course,
did four more of our rank and file.
When this was settled, verbal instructions were given to all hands
to keep the intended expedition secret, in order that the women and
children might not be alarmed, or the expedition put in a difficulty
by more volunteers. The assembly was to be on that same spot at
sunset. Every man was to keep up an appearance, meanwhile, of
occupying himself in his usual way. That is to say, every man
excepting four old trusty seamen, who were appointed, with an
officer, to see to the arms and ammunition, and to muffle the
rullocks of the boats, and to make everything as trim and swift and
silent as it could be made.
The Sambo Pilot had been present all the while, in case of his being
wanted, and had said to the officer in command, five hundred times
over if he had said it once, that Christian George King would stay
with the So-Jeers, and take care of the booffer ladies and the
booffer childs--booffer being that native's expression for
beautiful. He was now asked a few questions concerning the putting
off of the boats, and in particular whether there was any way of
embarking at the back of the Island: which Captain Carton would
have half liked to do, and then have dropped round in its shadow and
slanted across to the main. But, "No," says Christian George King.
"No, no, no! Told you so, ten time. No, no, no! All reef, all
rock, all swim, all drown!" Striking out as he said it, like a
swimmer gone mad, and turning over on his back on dry land, and
spluttering himself to death, in a manner that made him quite an
exhibition.
The sun went down, after appearing to be a long time about it, and
the assembly was called. Every man answered to his name, of course,
and was at his post. It was not yet black dark, and the roll was
only just gone through, when up comes Mr. Commissioner Pordage with
his Diplomatic coat on.
"Captain Carton," says he, "Sir, what is this?"
"This, Mr. Commissioner" (he was very short with him), "is an
expedition against the Pirates. It is a secret expedition, so
please to keep it a secret."
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