Though many days have vanishedSince last I sighed adieu,Yet time has never banishedThe love I feel for you:Though many leagues now sever,Yet I forget thee never;—True love grows the strongerAs it endures the longer.Though absence bringeth sorrowUpon the soul like night,Yet on that night a morrowShall shed its golden light,—And hope's lone star shall burn, love,Brightly till I return, love,And in thy smile discoverThat night's last gloom is over.
Though many days have vanishedSince last I sighed adieu,Yet time has never banishedThe love I feel for you:Though many leagues now sever,Yet I forget thee never;—True love grows the strongerAs it endures the longer.
Though many days have vanished
Since last I sighed adieu,
Yet time has never banished
The love I feel for you:
Though many leagues now sever,
Yet I forget thee never;—
True love grows the stronger
As it endures the longer.
Though absence bringeth sorrowUpon the soul like night,Yet on that night a morrowShall shed its golden light,—And hope's lone star shall burn, love,Brightly till I return, love,And in thy smile discoverThat night's last gloom is over.
Though absence bringeth sorrow
Upon the soul like night,
Yet on that night a morrow
Shall shed its golden light,—
And hope's lone star shall burn, love,
Brightly till I return, love,
And in thy smile discover
That night's last gloom is over.
"Poor Tom is thinking of Ida," said the Professor, in a whisper to Toney, as Tom turned aside and furtively wiped away a tear that stood in his eye.
"How can he help thinking of her?" said Toney.
"And Rosabel?" said the Professor.
"Do you suppose," said Toney, "that I ever forget her? I am mirthful, for it does not become a true man to be moody and melancholy. But I never forget."
"Nor does it become one of the Funny Philosophers to sport with such feelings," said the Professor, visibly affected. "I do not forget Dora."
"Do you not?"
"No; though she has long since forgotten me," said the Professor, sadly.
"A song from Mr. Perch," exclaimed a voice in the crowd, and in plaintive tones the Long Green Boy gave utterance to the following melody:
Oh, give me now the heart that thou once stole away from meWhen list'ning to thy treacherous vow beneath the greenwood tree;The flowers then bloomed above the ground, fanned by the breath of spring;The humming-bird was sporting round upon a purple wing.The gentle May hath passed away, the rose-leaves all are dead;That faithless humming-bird so gay on wanton wing hath fled,Nor cometh there to mourn their fate, but seeks a southern sun;And thou hast left me desolate, thou false and cruel one.
Oh, give me now the heart that thou once stole away from meWhen list'ning to thy treacherous vow beneath the greenwood tree;The flowers then bloomed above the ground, fanned by the breath of spring;The humming-bird was sporting round upon a purple wing.
Oh, give me now the heart that thou once stole away from me
When list'ning to thy treacherous vow beneath the greenwood tree;
The flowers then bloomed above the ground, fanned by the breath of spring;
The humming-bird was sporting round upon a purple wing.
The gentle May hath passed away, the rose-leaves all are dead;That faithless humming-bird so gay on wanton wing hath fled,Nor cometh there to mourn their fate, but seeks a southern sun;And thou hast left me desolate, thou false and cruel one.
The gentle May hath passed away, the rose-leaves all are dead;
That faithless humming-bird so gay on wanton wing hath fled,
Nor cometh there to mourn their fate, but seeks a southern sun;
And thou hast left me desolate, thou false and cruel one.
"Perch is thinking of the beautiful Imogen and the scene in Colonel Hazlewood's garden," said Toney to the Professor. "Neither you nor he seem to have a very favorable opinion of the humming-bird."
"The little creature always reminds one of a fickle beauty, and Perch and I are forsaken lovers; each having felt the full force of a negative. But what is Hercules about to do?"
The giant had seated himself under the shade of a blooming bough, and for the first, and probably for the last time, until translated to a happier sphere, was endeavoring to give vent to the blissful emotions of his soul by attempting the execution of a difficult piece of music; in stentorian tones invoking a certain Susannah and imploring her on no account to weep for him. As with the voice of a Cyclops, at the close of each stanza, he bellowed forth,—
"Oh, Susannah! don't you cry for me!I'm going to California with my wash-bowl on my knee!"
"Oh, Susannah! don't you cry for me!I'm going to California with my wash-bowl on my knee!"
"Oh, Susannah! don't you cry for me!
I'm going to California with my wash-bowl on my knee!"
the whole party gathered around him and listened in breathless wonder. At length the Professor remarked,—
"What a pity it is that Susannah is not now present!"
"Do you think she would stop her crying?" said Toney.
"I imagine she would," said the Professor. "Unless the young lady's perception of the ludicrous is very obtuse, I cannot help thinking that the musical invocation of Hercules would have the desired effect."
"Will that big fellow never cease his bellowing?" asked the midshipman.
"Not until he has sung the last verse," said Tom Seddon; "and the song is longer than the ninety-seventh selection of Psalms as versified by Sternhold and Hopkins."
"He has already finished a multitude of staves," said Toney.
"Enough to make himself a butt," said the Professor.
"That is an atrocious pun," said Toney; "and perpetrated on dry land."
"But on foreign land, and in the Emperor's gardens," said the Professor.
"Very true," said Toney; "you escape with impunity; being on Brazilian soil."
"Let us be off!" said Tom Seddon; "the sun is getting low."
"And come back for Hercules to-morrow. We will find him concluding the last stanza," said Toney.
"Will he sing all night?" asked the midshipman.
"Hercules has great powers of endurance," said the Professor.
"Come!" said Tom Seddon. And the party started for the omnibus; when Hercules arose and followed, still singing his interminable melody.
The sun had disappeared behind the horizon and the full moon had arisen in all her magnificence long before they reached the suburbs of the city. As they rode along listening to the chimes of the church bells, which in Catholic countries are sounding every evening, the voice of Hercules was heard, at intervals, bellowing forth,—
"The bulgine burst, the horse run off; I thought I'd surely die!I shut my eyes to hold my breath; Susannah, don't you cry!Oh, Susannah, don't you cry for me!I'm going to California with my wash-bowl on my knee!"
"The bulgine burst, the horse run off; I thought I'd surely die!I shut my eyes to hold my breath; Susannah, don't you cry!Oh, Susannah, don't you cry for me!I'm going to California with my wash-bowl on my knee!"
"The bulgine burst, the horse run off; I thought I'd surely die!
I shut my eyes to hold my breath; Susannah, don't you cry!
Oh, Susannah, don't you cry for me!
I'm going to California with my wash-bowl on my knee!"
Upon returning to the city, M. T. Pate met with a misfortune, which gave him sad affliction when he afterwards came to reflect upon his folly. He had throughout the whole course of his life been a very temperate man, and on Sundays was exceedingly pious. But he and Hercules were now seduced by a party of dissolute fellows, who kept them in a state of inebriation for several days. In fact, Hercules got profoundly intoxicated, and continued in that condition until he was carried on board the ship when she was about to sail; while Pate becameboisterous and broke a number of goblets and decanters, and even challenged the proprietor of the hotel to a pugilistic combat. The latter earnestly implored the interposition of Toney Belton, who, upon going to Pate's room, found him standing in the midst of a number of boon-companions, with a bottle in his grasp, making as much noise as was possible by bellowing forth the following bacchanalian melody:
The ruby wine sparkles so bright in the bowl,To pleasure it seems to invite;And, by heavens, I vow he's a pitiful soulWho scorneth our revels to night.Let sages discourse on the follies of man,And learnedly talk of his woes;But boys, we'll be happy whilever we can,—So toss off the goblet!—here goes!Oh, why should we mourn o'er the sorrows of earth,And turn from its pleasures away?He's wiser by far who turns sorrow to mirth,And tastes of life's joys while he may.When all that the sages have taught is summed up,Can it lessen one moment our woes?Oh, no! but they linger not over the cup,—So toss off the goblet!—here goes!
The ruby wine sparkles so bright in the bowl,To pleasure it seems to invite;And, by heavens, I vow he's a pitiful soulWho scorneth our revels to night.
The ruby wine sparkles so bright in the bowl,
To pleasure it seems to invite;
And, by heavens, I vow he's a pitiful soul
Who scorneth our revels to night.
Let sages discourse on the follies of man,And learnedly talk of his woes;But boys, we'll be happy whilever we can,—So toss off the goblet!—here goes!
Let sages discourse on the follies of man,
And learnedly talk of his woes;
But boys, we'll be happy whilever we can,—
So toss off the goblet!—here goes!
Oh, why should we mourn o'er the sorrows of earth,And turn from its pleasures away?He's wiser by far who turns sorrow to mirth,And tastes of life's joys while he may.
Oh, why should we mourn o'er the sorrows of earth,
And turn from its pleasures away?
He's wiser by far who turns sorrow to mirth,
And tastes of life's joys while he may.
When all that the sages have taught is summed up,Can it lessen one moment our woes?Oh, no! but they linger not over the cup,—So toss off the goblet!—here goes!
When all that the sages have taught is summed up,
Can it lessen one moment our woes?
Oh, no! but they linger not over the cup,—
So toss off the goblet!—here goes!
When this song was concluded, Toney began to express his astonishment at Pate's conduct, but his voice was soon drowned by several fellows loudly singing,—
Silvery dews are falling lightly,Golden stars are twinkling brightly,Now's the hour when Pleasure greets us,Round the festive board she meets us,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Silvery dews are falling lightly,Golden stars are twinkling brightly,Now's the hour when Pleasure greets us,Round the festive board she meets us,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Silvery dews are falling lightly,
Golden stars are twinkling brightly,
Now's the hour when Pleasure greets us,
Round the festive board she meets us,
When we mingle heart and soul
O'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
"But, Mr. Pate, you will be sorry for this when——"
Farewell now to care and sorrow!They our moments ne'er shall borrow;—We, the joyous sons of folly,Leave to sages melancholy,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Farewell now to care and sorrow!They our moments ne'er shall borrow;—We, the joyous sons of folly,Leave to sages melancholy,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Farewell now to care and sorrow!
They our moments ne'er shall borrow;—
We, the joyous sons of folly,
Leave to sages melancholy,
When we mingle heart and soul
O'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
"Yes, this is fine fun," said Toney; "but after awhile you will have trouble, and——"
If the ills of life surround us,If misfortune's arrows wound us,Still a balm we may discoverIn the bumper running over,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
If the ills of life surround us,If misfortune's arrows wound us,Still a balm we may discoverIn the bumper running over,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
If the ills of life surround us,
If misfortune's arrows wound us,
Still a balm we may discover
In the bumper running over,
When we mingle heart and soul
O'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
"By heavens, you ought to have a strait-jacket!" said Toney. "Ain't you a pretty picture?—standing there with your coat off and your breeches rent in the rear! I wish some of the ladies whom you used to be making love to could now see——"
Cupid is a treacherous urchin,With his darts each bosom searching;If we've false and cruel found him,On the bumper's brim we'll drown him,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Cupid is a treacherous urchin,With his darts each bosom searching;If we've false and cruel found him,On the bumper's brim we'll drown him,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Cupid is a treacherous urchin,
With his darts each bosom searching;
If we've false and cruel found him,
On the bumper's brim we'll drown him,
When we mingle heart and soul
O'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
"Pate, you'll be singing another song to-morrow, when——"
Fortune, whom we've trusted blindly,She may deal with us unkindly;At her freaks we're lightly laughing,As the bright wine we are quaffing,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Fortune, whom we've trusted blindly,She may deal with us unkindly;At her freaks we're lightly laughing,As the bright wine we are quaffing,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Fortune, whom we've trusted blindly,
She may deal with us unkindly;
At her freaks we're lightly laughing,
As the bright wine we are quaffing,
When we mingle heart and soul
O'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
"You are as crazy as a bedlamite!" exclaimed Toney, "When you come to your senses, you will consider this the greatest misfortune that——"
Glorious rainbows, shine foreverO'er misfortune's clouds, and neverFade away from a good fellowIn his glasses growing mellow,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Glorious rainbows, shine foreverO'er misfortune's clouds, and neverFade away from a good fellowIn his glasses growing mellow,When we mingle heart and soulO'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
Glorious rainbows, shine forever
O'er misfortune's clouds, and never
Fade away from a good fellow
In his glasses growing mellow,
When we mingle heart and soul
O'er the flowing, foaming bowl.
"Well, go ahead!" said Toney, turning on his heels. "Go ahead, if you think there is no hereafter——"
Give the night to song and laughter,—Care may come, perchance, hereafter;We will linger till the morningSmileth with a rosy warning,When we'll mingle heart and soulO'er a flowing, parting bowl.
Give the night to song and laughter,—Care may come, perchance, hereafter;We will linger till the morningSmileth with a rosy warning,When we'll mingle heart and soulO'er a flowing, parting bowl.
Give the night to song and laughter,—
Care may come, perchance, hereafter;
We will linger till the morning
Smileth with a rosy warning,
When we'll mingle heart and soul
O'er a flowing, parting bowl.
Pate continued to conduct himself in this outrageous manner, notwithstanding the repeated and earnest remonstrances of his friends, until the morning on which the vessel was to sail, when the Professor found him, with a rueful countenance, sitting on the stool of repentance. They proceeded to the office of the hotel to settle their bills.
In Brazil they have an imaginary coin, corresponding to the mill of our decimal currency, in which, when making out a bill, they compute the amount, putting before the sum charged the identical mark which is prefixed to the Federal dollar, so that a stranger, whose debit is ten dollars, sees on the bill $10.000. The Professor was aware of this mode of computation, but M. T. Pate was not. The latter was therefore utterly astounded when his bill was handed to him, and he saw charged on it $55.000. Pate turned deadly pale when he perceived the heavy sum he was expected to pay; and Toney and the Professor took him aside and told him that, while so dreadfully intoxicated, he had broken and destroyed much valuable property in the hotel, and that the damage was charged in the bill. Pate was now shocked at the consequences of his indiscretion, and exclaimed,—
"Oh, that a man should be such a fool!"
"As to put an enemy in his mouth to steal away his brains," said the Professor.
"What am I to do?" cried Pate.
"Pay the bill," said Toney.
"I cannot. It is impossible for me to pay so large a sum of money," said Pate.
"I am sorry for that," said the Professor. "In Brazil there is imprisonment for debt."
"What?" exclaimed Pate, in extreme terror.
"There is imprisonment for debt in this country," said the Professor; "and if you do not pay the bill, the proprietor of the hotel will have you put in the calaboose."
"Where you may have to remain during your whole life," said Toney.
"Oh! oh!" cried Pate, looking as pale as a ghost. "What—what shall I do?"
"Get the money and pay the bill," said Toney.
"I cannot—I cannot!" said Pate, perspiring from every pore.
"This is a great calamity," said the Professor. "Only to think of a man having to spend, perhaps, forty years of his life in prison!"
"To end his days in a dungeon!" said Toney, sadly.
"Gentlemen—gentlemen! what—what shall I do?" exclaimed Pate, groaning piteously.
"Toney," said the Professor, "an expedient suggests itself to my mind, but I am doubtful of its propriety."
"What is it?" asked Toney.
"Do you think that it would be morally wrong for Mr. Pate to take French leave?"
"I do not," said Toney. "He cannot pay the bill, and unless he escapes as speedily as possible he may have to die in prison. A man may do anything to preserve his liberty. Besides, when Mr. Pate returns from California with his gold, he can stop at Rio and pay the bill."
"I will! I will!" exclaimed Pate. "I will pay every dollar of it!"
"Come here, Mr. Pate," said the Professor. And he and Toney conducted him to the street and pointed towards the harbor.
"Run!" said the Professor.
"Run!—run!" exclaimed Toney.
"Run, Pate!—run!" cried Tom Seddon, who had followed them out.
The delinquent debtor looked around to see if his ruthless creditor was watching him, and then darted down the street and ran at full speed until he reached the water's edge, when he leaped into a boat, and told the men to row as fast as they could for the ship. In the mean while Toney and the Professor returned to the office of the hotel and quietly settled the bill with the contents of Pate's purse, which they had taken from his pocket while he was intoxicated, and still retained in their possession for safe keeping.
When M. T. Pate came near the ship, he beheld theextraordinary spectacle of a human body rising from the surface of the water and hanging high in the air, with its arms and legs desperately striking out, as if seeking to test, by a practical experiment, the possibility of swimming in that uncertain element. After dangling over the deck for a short space of time, it disappeared behind the bulwarks.
Pate witnessed the awful spectacle with a feeling of intense horror.
"Great heavens!" he exclaimed, "has the captain taken upon himself the responsibility of ordering an execution? What a daring exercise of arbitrary power! It is dangerous to go on board! The brutal tyrant might hang any of his passengers!"
He was about to order the men to row back to the shore when he recollected the danger which there awaited him. He was between Scylla and Charybdis. In the mean while the Brazilian boatmen, who, with their backs towards the ship and their ignorance of the English language, neither witnessed the startling phenomenon nor understood the meaning of Pate's exclamation, vigorously plied their oars, and soon brought the boat to the vessel's side. Pale with terror and trembling in every joint, Pate looked up and beheld a number of passengers on deck laughing immoderately. Their mirth convinced him that no tragedy had been enacted, and he went on board where he learned that Hercules had been captured on shore and brought alongside lying in the boat in a helpless condition superinduced by inebriation. A perplexing consultation among his captors was cut short by Old Nick, who, having made ready a rope, leaped into the boat, and putting a stout band around the body of the giant, hooked on,—and up he went, with his imperfectly articulated maledictions mingling with the hearty "Heave ho!" of Peter and Paul, who were hoisting him on deck.
Thus was Hercules held up as an example to all evildoers; and when the Professor reached the ship, and was informed of the circumstance, he gravely remarked that men who were so imprudent as to indulge in the excessive use of strong drinks would sometimes become wonderfully elevated.
The mortification of M. T. Pate at having been compelled to leave the Brazilian Empire as an absconding debtor was intense, and he was now teased and tormented by his comrades in the most unmerciful manner.
They told him that as soon as his ruthless creditor discovered his flight he would apply to the Emperor for redress, who would dispatch a swift-sailing man-of-war to capture him; and that he would be carried back and imprisoned in the calaboose until he had paid the last dump of the debt. Whenever a sail hove in sight, some one would cry out, "There comes the Brazilian vessel in pursuit of Pate;" when all would advise him to secrete himself in the hold of the ship, and said that they would inform the captain of the man-of-war that he had unfortunately fallen overboard when off Cape Frio.
He was so worried by these pitiless jokes that he became misanthropic, and finally refused to associate with any of the passengers. He would leave the cabin, where at night there were usually much fun and merriment, and where he was sure to be the butt of some cruel jest, and, going upon deck, would seat himself upon a stool and brood in solitude over his misery, until he was in a sound sleep.
One night there was a dead calm upon the waters, and not a sound was heard except the flapping of a sail as the ship rolled over a wave, or the monotonous notes which proceeded from the perforations in the nasal protuberance of the melancholy Pate, who had fallen asleep as he sat on his stool. But suddenly there is an unnatural noise, and a frightful fluttering overhead, and down it comes—a ghostlike creature!—long, lean, and spectral!—with two gigantic wings beating wildly about! With a chorus of strange cries it tumbles upon deck, upsetting the unlucky Pate, who with a loud yell of terror, rolls over and over into the scupper; while Peter and Paul, headed by Old Nick, rush thither and minglewith a crowd of passengers who come from the cabin. And there they behold poor Pate lying on his back in the scupper, and yelling "murder," with the strength of his lungs; while over him stands Moses, glorying in his achievement. He had espied a booby-bird roosting upon the mainyard, and with a catlike step crept up and effected its capture. And thus the sudden and unexpected descent of the two boobies upon the deck was the cause of all this commotion. The position of Pate, as he lay on his back in the scupper, bawling "murder!" with the booby beating him with its wing, was exceedingly ludicrous. He was now teased until he was driven to the border of desperation. Tom Seddon had, with thoughtless levity, revealed the existence of the Mystic Brotherhood, and made known the fact that M. T. Pate was the Noble Grand Gander of the order. After this revelation there was no more peace for poor Pate on board the ship. At the table some one would call out in a loud voice and inquire if the Noble Grand Gander would be helped to a piece of the duff, when there would be a general roar of laughter. In the morning, when he came from his bunk, many would inquire, with mock respect, after the health of the Noble Grand Gander. And now, in the unfortunate affair with the booby, the passengers generally expressed their profound regret that the great American Gander had been overthrown by a Brazilian booby.
In the mean while the ship sailed on; the weather gradually grew colder, and the three curious spots in the heavens, called the Clouds of Magellan, were visible at night, and indicated an approximation to the coast of Patagonia.
The Professor had a sympathy for Pate, and would sometimes endeavor to alleviate his sufferings by cheerful conversation. They were one day standing on deck conversing about the Clouds of Magellan, and the Professor was suggesting the propriety of sending up an artist in a balloon to paint them red, white, and blue, so that the American colors might hang over these regions in anticipation of their annexation to the great republic, when they heard the voice of Moses exclaiming,—
"Look yonder!"
"What is it?" said Pate, pointing to an enormous creature sailing through the air and coming towards the ship.
"It is one of the Clouds of Magellan riding on the back of Old Boreas," said the Professor.
"No," cried Tom Seddon, "it is the gigantic ghost of the poor booby coming to haunt Moses for the deep damnation of his taking off."
The optical orbs of Moses expanded wider and wider, as the form of the winged monster loomed larger and larger, until, with a flap of its tremendous pinions, it came alongside, and, after several times sweeping around the ship, finally settled down on the water in the wake.
The Professor having ascertained that this object, on which Moses was gazing with wonder and awe, was an albatross, attached a piece of pork to a line and threw it overboard, with an invitation to the stranger to lay hold, so that he might hoist him on board. The gigantic bird eagerly accepted the invitation, and snatching the delicious morsel in his beak, held on with a pertinacity which indicated his appreciation of the prize. And now he was seen to stretch out his neck with an extraordinary projection, and his huge body following it at a run, beating the water with two enormous wings, over the poop he came, with a tremendous fluttering, and down on the deck, where he stood like a prodigious goose, wholly unable to define his position.
The creature walked the deck with a curious stare, until coming in proximity to M. T. Pate, it stopped and gazed in his face, when some wicked wag cried out,—
"Put a saddle and bridle on him, Mr. Pate."
"By all means," cried another passenger; "and if the Brazilian man-of-war should overhaul the vessel, you can ride away on the back of your winged courser and easily effect your escape."
These suggestions so irritated Pate that he suddenly seized a handspike and dealt the albatross a blow, the lethal effects of which laid it a lifeless corpse at his feet. There was a loud hurrah for the Noble Grand Gander,and Pate, boiling with indignation, walked forward and leaned against the forecastle.
He was now sternly denounced by Old Nick, who told him, in emphatic terms, that he would never have any more good luck as long as he lived; and Peter and Paul coincided with him in the prediction. Not many moments elapsed before these vaticinations of ill fortune began to be verified. Neptune, with indignation, had beheld the murderous deed, and prepared a fitting punishment. He sent a huge wave, which broke over the bow with a crash. The sailors saw it coming and sprang into the rigging; while the assassin of the albatross was knocked off his feet and went wallowing into the scupper. Amidst loud and boisterous laughter, M. T. Pate hurried into the cabin with a stream of salt-water flowing from the tail of his coat; while a number of voices commenced singing,—
"A life on the ocean wave,A home on the rolling deep," etc.
"A life on the ocean wave,A home on the rolling deep," etc.
"A life on the ocean wave,
A home on the rolling deep," etc.
A few days subsequent to these events, they came in sight of Tierra del Fuego; and as the ship ran down within a league of the shore, there was a suggestion that the officers had determined to leave the slayer of the albatross on this desolate coast; being afraid to venture round the Horn with such a Jonah on board. The Professor told Pate to pay no attention to these remarks, as the captain had a cousin who had emigrated to this part of the world and opened a hotel, and he was going to take the passengers on shore and give a "general treat." But the ship stood away to the south, and, followed by clouds of Cape pigeons and albatrosses, went rolling around the Horn, and after a rough controversy with old ocean, which lasted for several weeks, eventually came in sight of the Island of Juan Fernandez.
Several of the passengers expressed an opinion that the captain would now put Pate on shore, and said that he would have to live here in solitude and clad in goats' skins like Alexander Selkirk. But the vessel sailed on, and the peaks of the famous island were soon hid behind the horizon; and this was their last sight ofterra firmauntilthey beheld the tops of the Andes, and soon afterwards entered the harbor of Callao.
"There was a scene of revelry by night" in the cabin, like that which had preceded their landing on Brazilian soil. The Professor, with Toney and Tom, remained on deck until the sounds of conviviality had ceased, and then proceeded to "turn in."
"What is this?" said Tom Seddon, coming in contact with a huge head hanging over the side of a hammock.
"It is a remarkable case of suspended animation," said the Professor.
"Hercules has again become wonderfully elevated," said Toney.
"And has turned Wiggins out of his hammock," said Tom.
"Old Grizzly and M. T. Pate seem to prefer the floor," said Toney, pointing to the two individuals named, who were lying supinely on their backs by the side of a sea-chest under the hammock.
"Hercules seems to be hovering over them like a benignant spirit with the most benevolent intentions," said the Professor; and he and his two friends passed on, and, stowing themselves away in their bunks, were awaiting the approach of "tired nature's sweet restorer," when a hideous howl, like the outcry of a wounded dragon, rang through the cabin. A score of startled passengers leaped hurriedly up, and rushing forward beheld the catastrophe. Hercules had pitched headforemost from his hammock, and precipitating himself first on the sea-chest, had rolled over, and covered with his huge body the prostrated forms of Old Grizzly and M. T. Pate.
Unable to account for his sudden descent, and wholly confounded by his fall, he was giving utterance to his emotions in a succession of diabolical howls.
Old Grizzly slowly arose, and assuming a sitting posture, growled out his decided disapprobation of such proceedings, while M. T. Pate was writhing and wriggling under his heavy burden, and uttering piteous groans.
"Pate is like old John Bunyan's poor pilgrim," said Tom Seddon.
"Groaning under his load of sin," said Toney.
"Let us shrive him," said the Professor. And he and Toney seized Pate by the legs, and, pulling vigorously, succeeded in relieving him from the immense load of iniquity which rested upon him.
After spending a day in Callao, and visiting the site of the ancient town, which had been destroyed by an earthquake, the band of gold-hunters proceeded to the city of Lima. This splendid capital presents many objects of interest to the stranger. The Professor and his companions were astonished at the number and magnificence of the churches; and as he was going through a gallery in one of these sacred edifices, Wiggins discovered three holy men playing at monte, and was only prevented from taking a hand by his ignorance of the Castilian language. Moses was shocked at seeing the countrywomen riding astraddle on donkeys when they entered the town on their way to the market; and he was inexpressibly alarmed when a young female stopped him on the street, and, producing a cigar, politely asked him for a light. So great was his agitation that, instead of complying with her request, he dropped his own cigar in the gutter and hastily retreated behind Botts, whose ugly visage frightened the woman away. Hercules, having constituted himself an inspector of the pale brandies of the country, on a certain night went up on the flat roof of the hotel and fell through a glass door among some Spaniards engaged in a quiet game below; and the Dons, supposing, from his novel mode of entrance, that he came with burglarious intent, fled from the apartment, leaving him lying in the middle of the floor, and uttering the most terrific yells.
Toney and the Professor rushed into the room, and with some difficulty lifting the giant on his feet, discovered that he had sustained no injury from his suddendescent. As Hercules staggered out of the room, the Professor pointed towards him, and gravely remarked,—
"I am now convinced of the utter falsity of what has been so long received as an axiom in natural philosophy."
"What is that?" asked Toney.
"That confined fluids press equally in all directions," said the Professor.
"That only holds good in hydrostatics," said Toney.
"Where water is concerned, the principle may be correct," said the Professor, "but it is not applicable to the juice of the grape. But where is Tom Seddon? I haven't seen him during the whole day."
"He and M. T. Pate have just returned from a visit to the tomb of Pizarro," said Toney; "and Pate has been much shocked at a discovery which he there made."
"What is that?" asked the Professor.
"Most of the bones of that celebrated conqueror have been stolen," said Toney.
"By whom?" asked the Professor.
"By visitors to the tomb," said Toney.
"Sic transit gloria mundi!" said the Professor. "Pizarro stole the Inca's possessions, and now his own bones have been carried off by pilfering hands, and, perhaps, manufactured into knife-handles. I hope I never may be a great man; a General, or a President, or anything of that sort."
"Why not?"
"The very idea is horrible!"
"How so?"
"To see one's name in large letters over the picture of a horse on a hand-bill posted against the door of a blacksmith's shop; or to have a mangy hound for your namesake!"
"Here comes Tom," said Toney, as Seddon entered the apartment and commenced telling them about the bull-fight which was to take place on the next day, which would be Sunday.
"We will all go," said the Professor; "but I am hungry. Let us go into the eating-room and order three plates of lizards."
"I would prefer a beefsteak smothered in onions," said Seddon.
"De gustibus non disputandum est," said the Professor as he entered the eating-room, and, seating himself at a table, ordered his lizards.
On the bright Sabbath morning Toney Belton and his companions were following an immense crowd of people along the banks of the Rimac, in the direction of the bull-fight, when they were compelled to halt and listen to a polemical controversy between the Professor and M. T. Pate. The latter had followed along quietly, and without observation, until accidentally discovering their destination, he stood still and refused to proceed. In vain did the Professor try argument and blandishment to remove his scruples of conscience. On the first day of the week Pate was immovably pious.
"Come along, Mr. Pate!" said the Professor, in a coaxing tone.
"This is the Sabbath," said Pate, "and a day of rest."
"But," said the Professor, "in this country the churches are always open, and the people are praying every day in the week, and the only way for them to rest is to stop praying on Sunday and do something else. When you are in Rome do as Rome does."
"Everybody is going to the bull-fight," said Toney.
"Yonder is a carriage-load of bishops," said the Professor.
"And look at those two shovel-hats jogging along on their mules," said Tom Seddon.
"This is Sunday," said Pate, solemnly shaking his head.
"I have been informed by the oldest inhabitant that Sunday has never yet got around Cape Horn," said the Professor.
But Pate was deaf to their sophistical arguments, and, shaking his head with a melancholy look, turned on his heels and took his departure.
The Professor and his companions were soon seated in the amphitheater, which formed an immense circle, with seats rising in tiers, one above the other. A strong barricade of stout timbers protected the twenty thousand men, women, and children who, with the Priests, the President, and the Congress of the country were here assembled, and waited with impatience until a gate was opened and several of the combatants appeared, some on horseback armed with long lances, and others on foot.
"Great thunder! what are those?" exclaimed Tom Seddon, pointing to four uncouth shapes stalking into the arena wearing ugly masks with enormous beaks, and having dusky wings ingeniously fitted to their sides.
"They look like very large turkey-buzzards," said Toney.
"Half men and half birds," said Moses.
"They are Peruvian fairies," said the Professor, turning round and imparting this information to Moses.
"Fairies!" exclaimed Moses, his eyes opening in astonishment.
"A gigantic species of fairy peculiar to this country," said the Professor.
"What are they going to do?" asked Moses.
"They are exceedingly fond of bull-beef," said the Professor. "They will wait until the animal is slain, and then dine on the carcass."
"After which," said Toney, "they will spread their wings and fly away to Fairy-land, supposed to be located somewhere among the peaks of the Andes."
"And which was never visited by mortal man," said the Professor.
Moses now gazed at the fairies with wonder and awe; while Tom Seddon exclaimed, "Look at that handsome woman standing in the center of the arena!"
"She is splendidly dressed," said Toney.
"Who is she?" asked Moses.
"The President's wife," suggested Toney.
"Is she going to fight the bull?" asked Moses.
"That may be her intention," said Toney.
"She has no weapon," said Wiggins.
"She will take the bull by the horns," said Toney.
"She is in great danger," said Moses.
"It is the Blessed Virgin,—you may behold a miracle," said the Professor.
"Is she alive?" asked Moses.
"She does not move," said Wiggins.
"She stands stoutly on her feet," said Toney.
"Look yonder!" exclaimed Tom Seddon, as a gate flew open, and in came, with a bound and a bellow, a huge black bull, with his eyes fiercely glaring, as if he were smarting under some recent insult and expected other indignities to be offered. But beholding the image, he moved towards it, bowing his head and scraping his foot.
"He seems disposed to be very polite in the presence of a lady," said Toney.
"He is making a very profound obeisance," said Tom.
"Only in mockery," said the Professor as the bull rushed forward, and, thrusting his horns through the robes of the Holy Mary, lifted her from the earth. But hardly had he touched her sacred person when a succession of loud reports ensued, such as are heard when idle urchins have fastened their fire-works behind the flanks of some venerable parent of puppies.
"A miracle!" exclaimed the Professor.
"A miracle!" cried Toney.
"A miracle!" shouted Tom.
The eyes of Moses widely dilated, and he gazed in intense wonder. Off went the bull with the image hanging on his horns, roaring and running around; while ever and anon the Blessed Virgin would emit an explosion which added an increase to his speed. Finally she fell to the ground, and was sacrilegiously trampled under hoof, and lay with her gaudy robes scorched, and smoking, and torn to tatters.
"What a shocking sight!" exclaimed Tom Seddon.
"Will nobody go to her rescue?" said Toney.
"Yonder comes her avenger!" said the Professor, as a man on foot advanced, with one hand brandishing a darthaving a small streamer attached to it, and shaking a red flag with the other. The bull, indignant at the insult, came at him with a bound, when, nimbly leaping aside, he planted his missile in the flank of his foe, and the infuriated animal charged on another assailant with similar results.
Soon his sides were covered with little javelins, each having a gaudy pennon on its end waving in the wind. He fought with pluck and determination, but evidently at a disadvantage; for his antagonists, when hard pressed, would retreat behind a circular palisade of posts, whither he could not follow them. Making a charge on one of the buzzards, however, he tore off a wing before the clumsy bird could get out of the way. The disgusting fowl uttered a loud squall, such as was never heard from one of its species before.
"The poor fairy has lost one of his pinions," said Tom.
"He will not be able to soar away to his home in the Andes after he has dined," said Toney.
"The cavalry are about to take part in the engagement," said the Professor, as the horsemen galloped around and added to the torments of the animal by pricking him with their lances.
"He fightsmanfully," said Tom.
"Mr. Seddon," said the Professor, "be so good as to keep your Irish bulls in the background. You should not venture to introduce them among Spanish cattle."
"He exhibits great courage against overwhelming odds," said Toney.
"But, as has been asked on numerous occasions, what can a single hero do against a host?" said the Professor.
"What is that big man going to do with his long knife?" asked Moses, as a stalwart fellow, armed with a short, straight sword, advanced on foot and fixed his gaze on his victim. With eyes wildly rolling, and red torrents of blood streaming from his wounds, the bull moved towards this new antagonist, with his head to the ground, hoping to toss him on his horns. But the wily matadore, with a dexterous thrust, pierced the spine of the neck, and the agonies of the animal were over. Hardly had hefallen when the four buzzards rushed forward and commenced pecking at the carcass.
"The fairies are hungry," said the Professor, turning round and speaking to Moses.
"The one-winged gentleman seems determined to have his share of the feast," said Toney.
"Look! look!" cried Tom Seddon, as up went a rocket and in came six white horses splendidly harnessed, by whose united strength the mutilated body of the bull was dragged out at a gallop, to make room for another victim.
"Look at yonder fellow riding his horse around the arena, with his side gored open and torrents of blood gushing from the ghastly wound!" said Toney.
"This is pretty sport, but I think that I will put an end to it," said the Professor to Toney, in a low and confidential tone.
"That is impossible," said Toney.
"The celebrated Arago says that he who, outside of pure mathematics, uses the word impossible, lacks prudence," said the Professor.
"Here he comes!" cried Tom Seddon, as a bull of prodigious size and savage ferocity bounded into the arena, and after moving around and wildly glaring at the assembled multitude, finally halted within a few paces of the seats occupied by Toney and the Professor. The enraged animal was pawing the earth with his foot, when one of the combatants advanced towards him, brandishing a dart. The bull elevated his head and surveyed him with an indignant look. The man poised his missile and was about to hurl it when, in the Castilian language, from the mouth of the angry animal come forth the words,—
"Hold, villain! hold!"
The man dropped his dart and instantly fled. On the seats in proximity to the Professor there were great commotion and alarm, while from those afar off there were loud cries of derision at the cowardice exhibited by the combatant who had fled. Several men now advanced on foot, and the horsemen followed, with the four buzzards in the rear, flapping their wings. They surrounded the bull, and each footman brandished his dart, while thehorsemen poised their lances. The animal regarded them with a ferocious aspect, and, as they were about to attack him with their weapons, a hoarse voice was heard issuing from his throat, and exclaiming,—
"Stand back! ye bloody villains, forbear!"
The men recoiled in horror, and, dropping their weapons, fled with precipitation, exclaiming, "El diablo! el diablo!"
The buzzards hurried over the barricades followed by the footmen, who threw themselves among the spectators, crying out, "El diablo! el diablo!—it is the devil! it is the devil!" The horsemen galloped frantically around, and finally fled through a gate, which was instantly closed and barred. "El diablo! el diablo!" was shouted by hundreds of voices.
"It is Satan! it is Satan!" exclaimed several priests, who sat near the Professor, as the bull, after running around, stood still and glared at them with fiery eyes.
"I am Beelzebub!" roared the bull.
With loud cries of "Satan!" "Beelzebub!" "the devil!" the priests and the people leaped from their seats, and, tumbling over each other, rolled out of the amphitheater into the open air. Along the banks of the Rimac, men, women, and children were flying in terror, with loud cries of "El diablo! el diablo!"
"Where is Moses?" asked the Professor, as with Toney and Tom he sat in the deserted amphitheater.
"He and Wiggins have gone with the crowd," said Toney.
"The bull will have to perform before empty benches," said the Professor.
"That animal has created more commotion than any of the Pope's bulls in the Dark Ages," said Toney.
"He is equal to Apis, the sacred bull of the Egyptians," said the Professor, as they arose from their seats and left the amphitheater.
At the hotel in Lima the Professor and his friends found the supercargo of the ship who had come to hunt up the passengers. The captain had been in trouble; the crew having mutinied and refused to work because they were not allowed the privilege of a cruise on shore. The controversy between the quarter-deck and the forecastle was finally adjusted, and the crew agreed to go to work on condition of afterwards having one day of liberty. The supercargo said that they were now on shore in Callao, and that the vessel would sail on the following morning.
Upon receiving this information, the passengers made preparations to proceed on foot to Callao; it being impossible to obtain any vehicle on that day, as everything which had wheels or hoofs had gone to the bull-fight and had been left behind in the general stampede which ensued. The Professor inquired for M. T. Pate, but he was not in the hotel, and from information received, it was supposed that he had already left the city and proceeded to the port.
Lima, unlike most American cities, is encompassed by a wall. Just beyond the gate, which opens on the six miles of level road leading to Callao, are a number of mounds heaped up by the ancient inhabitants of the country for the purpose of hiding the remains of mortality. But as these poor pagans were unwilling to leave the world as unadorned as they had entered it, numerous excavations had been made by their Christian successors, who had stripped them of their heathenish ornaments, and carried them off, to be converted into the images of saints.
The Professor and his companions turned aside from the road and proceeded to an inspection of the place.
Hercules had already thrust his long neck into one of the excavations, when, with a loud exclamation, he drew suddenly back as if he had certainly seen a sight. TheLong Green Boy now peeped into the aperture, and, starting back, looked as if he were about to exclaim, "Angels and ministers of grace, defend us!" But lo! it starts up—it moves towards them—long, lean, and spectral!—in robes as white as the driven snow, like the shivering shade of an ancient Inca come hither to mourn over the extinction of his race.
Hercules assumes the posture of a racer ready to make a desperate spring, and only waiting for the word "Go!" The Professor throws himself in the attitude of Hamlet in his interesting interview with the ghost. Botts clutches the hilt of his bowie-knife and stands prepared to battle with whatever may come forth. But hold! rash man, forbear! No horrible apparition of an unbaptized infidel is this, but a pious Christian and a poor countryman in distress. It is the unfortunate M. T. Pate stalking forth with no covering except a single shirt.
Finding no congenial society in the city, he had wandered hither to meditate among the tombs. His reveries were rudely interrupted by certain grim-looking fellows carrying carbines, one of which was presented to his breast with an observation which, for want of an interpreter, he was unable to comprehend. Poor Pate was too much awed to animadvert upon the sinfulness of such proceedings on Sunday; and these bold Sabbath-breakers, having rifled his pockets, stripped him of all that he had, and left him in the condition in which he was found.
Having heard his dolorous story, the Professor exclaimed,—
"But, Mr. Pate, what is to be done? You cannot travel along the public highway in that condition of nudity."
"If he does," said Toney, "the people will suppose that he is a model artist."
"The weather is hot," said Tom Seddon. "And he will not feel uncomfortable with nothing on but his shirt."
"If Pate goes into Callao, in a nude condition, he will frighten the women into fits," said Toney.
"And he will be arrested and put in the calaboose," said the Professor.
"What is to be done?" asked Toney. "Our trunks are in Callao, and there is no spare clothing among us."
"Mr. Pate can have my drawers," said Wiggins. And he pulled them off and handed them to his unfortunate friend.
"And I will let him have my coat," said Hercules, pulling it off.
"That coat is like charity," said the Professor.
"How so?" asked Toney.
"It covers a multitude of faults," said the Professor, pointing to the giant's linen coat, which completely enveloped the person of Pate and hung down to his heels.
"What will Mr. Pate do for a pair of boots?" said Moses.
"Never mind," said Tom Seddon, "the road is sandy and will not hurt his bare feet."
"And when he comes to stony places I will carry him on my back," said Hercules.
"Come along, Mr. Pate," said Toney.
"And when you return from California with your gold you should by all means carefully avoid these localities," said the Professor.
Poor Pate uttered not a word in response to these advisory remarks, but all were convinced by the quivering of his lip and other outward signs that he was inwardly vowing that he would do so.
They now hurried on; Toney, Tom, and the Professor leading the advance, and when about half-way between Lima and Callao, they espied a curious kind of cavalry coming up the road. It was the ship's company ashore on liberty and making the most of that inestimable blessing. Each jolly tar was mounted on a little donkey, and at the head of the cavalcade rode Old Nick, having a leadline in his hand; and this steady and experienced seaman, apprehensive of shoals or hidden rocks, kept constantly heaving the lead and calling out the number of fathoms each time that it fell. Once he was heard to cry out "No bottom!" and down went his donkey in a hole; but the dauntless navigator assured his shipmates that, though the little craft had her lee-rail under, she would soonright up without losing a stick of her timber; and the result was just as he had said.
"Where is Pate?" asked the Professor.
"Yonder he is," said Toney, pointing to Pate, about a quarter of a mile behind, mounted on the back of Hercules, with Wiggins walking on one side and Perch on the other; Botts and Moses bringing up the rear.
"Hercules is carrying him over the stony road," said Tom.
"The giant has a big body and a big heart," said the Professor; "but he shall not be treated like a beast of burden. Pate shall ride Old Nick's donkey."
"Old Nick will not give up his donkey," said Toney.
"We will see," said the Professor. And he advanced near the spot where the huge sailor sat on the little animal with his feet touching the ground. Just at that moment Old Nick gave the bridle a jerk.
"Oh—oh! You hurt! Get off my back, you drunken lubber!" exclaimed a voice issuing from the mouth of the beast. Old Nick leaped off and fled down the road.
"Avast there!" cried Tim.
"Hush up, you old fool! you are drunk too!" said Tim's donkey. The sailor rolled off.
"Get off my back!" exclaimed another donkey.
"Get off! get off! you ought all to be hung at the yard-arm for mutiny!" shouted each donkey in succession. With wild yells of terror, the sailors fled down the road to Callao, ran at full speed through the town to the water's edge, leaped into a boat and went on board the vessel.
"Here, Mr. Pate, mount on this donkey," said the Professor, as Pate came riding along on the back of Hercules. The Professor selected an animal for himself, and he and Pate rode into Callao, and halted at the hotel, where they had left their trunks when they had started for Lima.
At the hotel, Pate retired to a room and made his toilet; but when he again appeared he was so teased and tormented by certain wicked wags that he abruptly left the hotel and rushed into the street. He was seen no more. The passengers went on board and the ship was ready to sail. The captain went on shore and made inquiry for Pate. Nothing could be heard of him, and,after losing several days in a fruitless search, the ship finally put to sea.
During the voyage there were numerous discussions in relation to his probable fate; but ultimately the opinion prevailed that he had gone back to Lima, to pay his bill at the hotel, and had thus been left behind. The ship sailed on without him, and after a voyage of two months, passed through the Golden Gate, and anchored in the harbor of San Francisco.
"This seems to be a city of tents," said the Professor, as they stood on a hill which has long since been removed, and now forms a portion of the artificial foundation for the immense warehouses which stand where their ship anchored between Happy Valley and Goat Island.
"I see very few houses," said Tom Seddon.
"Only the old Spanish structures built a hundred years ago with adobe brick," said the Professor.
"In two years from the present period," said Toney, "you will see houses all over this space,—hotels of six stories, and commodious dwellings and warehouses."
"Toney is a prophet," said Tom.
"On the very spot where we now stand there is gold in abundance," said Toney.
"In these sand-hills?" exclaimed Tom.
"Yes; in these very sand-hills where we now are," said Toney; "if a man has sagacity enough to perceive his chance and avail himself of it."
"I divine your meaning," said the Professor. "Let us buy one of these sand-hills."
"That was just what I was about to propose," said Toney.
"What will we do with it?" asked Tom.
"Leave it here and go to the mines," said Toney.
"It won't run away," said the Professor.
"Of what use will it be to us, or anybody else?" said Tom, kicking the sand about with his feet.
"In a few years an immense city will extend for miles around," said Toney. "Our lot will be in the very center of the town."
"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Tom, throwing up his wool hat. "I see! I see! let us buy the sand-hill."
"How much money have you?" asked Toney.
"Five thousand dollars," said Tom.
"I have about an equal amount in my trunk," said the Professor.
"And I can raise about as much more," said Toney. "Come, let us make our purchase without delay."
Business was then rapidly transacted in the El Dorado of the West, where, at that period, immense fortunes were frequently made and lost in a month. In a few hours the three friends were the owners of the sand-hill, and had their titles secured by deeds duly executed.
On the following morning they hunted up Hercules and his companions, who were feasting on wild geese and quails at a tent in Montgomery Street, and embarked in a boat for Stockton, from which point they intended to proceed across the country to the mines on the Moquelumne River. In the afternoon of the same day they were entering the mouth of the San Joaquin when a schooner ran by them.
"What place is this?" shouted Toney.
"New York," answered a man on the schooner.
"Not much like New York," said the Professor.
"What place is it?" asked Tom Seddon.
"New York!" shouted the man, with vehemence.
"He knows," said Toney.
"Let us go ashore and dine at the Astor House," said the Professor.
They went on shore, but were unable to find the hotel designated, and made a meal on elk meat, in a tent kept by a one-eyed Hibernian; after which they again proceeded up the river until about the middle of the night, when they lashed to the tulas on the bank, and lay in the bottom of the boat, sometimes snoring and at other times fighting the mosquitoes.
In the morning they hoisted sail, and in so doing Moses fell over the bow of the boat and was hauled in at the stern. After Moses had thus performed his ablutions, they sailed on until about ten o'clock, when Tom Seddon exclaimed, "This river is as crooked as the track of a snake! What mountain is that? It sometimes seems on the larboard, and sometimes on the starboard."
"That is Mount Diablo, I suppose, from the description I have had of it," said the Professor.
"The Devil's Mountain," said Tom.
"In plain English, the Devil's Mountain," said the Professor.
"I never was so hungry; I could eat a bear," said Tom.
"Better eat a bear than that a bear should eat you," said the Professor.
"I will starve before we get to Stockton," said Tom. "Let us go on shore and shoot some game."
"Agreed!" said Toney. And they ran in along shore, and, fastening their boat to the bough of a tree, landed and proceeded through the tulas in the direction of Mount Diablo. When they had gone about a mile they reached an open space surrounded with thickets. Here they halted, and were gazing around in search of game, when Tom Seddon suddenly exclaimed, "Look! look!"
About two hundred paces from where they stood a man rushed out from the thicket, and behind him came forth a huge and ferocious monster apparently in pursuit. The hideous beast ran after the man, and striking him with its nose under the tail of his coat hurled him headforemost about twenty feet. The man fell on his hands and knees, and the monster stood still and gazed at him intently.
"The devil!" exclaimed Tom Seddon.
"From Mount Diablo," said the Professor.
"It is a grizzly bear," said Toney.
"Gracious!" exclaimed Moses.
"That fellow had better run," said Tom.
"He has taken your advice," said the Professor.
"The bear is after him again," said Toney.
"Great thunder! I would as soon be shot out of a cannon!" shouted Tom Seddon, as the huge creature thrust its nose under the man's coat and propelled himforward with prodigious velocity. The man again fell on his hands and knees, and the beast stood still and regarded him with a steadfast look.
"The bear is waiting for him to get up," said Tom.
"That's right," said the Professor. "Never strike a man when he is down."
"He is on his feet again," said Tom, as the man sprang up and commenced running.
"And the bear is at him again," said Toney, as the eccentric monster rushed at the man and hurled him headlong with tremendous force.
"Jupiter Tonans!" exclaimed Tom. "That was a settler."
"He is stunned," said Toney, as the man lay motionless with his face on the ground. The bear stood still and looked intently at the prostrate form. The man did not move. After gazing at him for several moments, the bear walked up and smelled him from head to foot.
"Is he going to eat him?" cried Tom.
"I do not believe that he is," said the Professor.
"Look there! Did you ever see the like?" cried Tom, as the bear commenced plowing up the earth with its nose and piling it on the man's body.
"He is burying him," said Toney.
"That bear has good principles in his composition," said the Professor. "He buries his dead."
The bear continued to pile the earth over the man until he had raised quite a mound, when he turned round, and, at a shuffling gait, went off in the direction of Mount Diablo, and was soon hidden in the thicket.
Toney and his friends now ran to the spot where the man was buried. The end of his coat was visible. Toney and Tom tugged at the tail of the coat, while the Professor aided in the disinterment by kicking off the earth with his feet.
"By the powers of mud!" was uttered in a hoarse voice, and the man sprang erect.
"Captain Bragg!" exclaimed Toney, in astonishment.
"Great thunder!" cried Tom.
The astonishment of Bragg was equal to that of Toney and Tom. He was covered with dirt, and sworevehemently "by the powers of mud." He eventually became more composed, and, while walking to the boat, accounted for the condition in which he was found. In coming down the river he had quarreled with the captain of the vessel, and challenged him to single combat. The captain had rudely refused to accept the challenge, and put Bragg on shore, where, in wandering about, he had encountered the bear.
"Look!—look!—what's that?" cried Moses, as an agile creature with very long ears sprang up before them.
"It is a young donkey," said Toney.
Tom fired his gun and the animal fell dead.
"In this country it is called a jackass rabbit," said Bragg, as Tom shouldered his game and carried it to the boat.
A fire was kindled, and in a short time they were feasting on the broiled flesh of the rabbit. During the meal Botts and Bragg regarded each other with looks of savage ferocity, but no words were exchanged between them. Toney's mind was relieved from anxiety when Bragg pointed to a schooner coming down the river, and said,—
"Mr. Belton, you would confer a great favor by putting me on board yonder vessel. I intend to proceed to San Francisco and settle with that villainous captain."
The boat put off from the shore and conveyed Bragg to the schooner, and then proceeded up the river. When they were about six miles from Stockton, half a dozen barges filled with armed men came around a bend in the river.
"Boat ahoy!" cried a tall man standing up in the foremost barge. No attention was paid to this hail, and the boat was kept on its course. In an instant more than fifty rifles were leveled at them, and Perch and Wiggins crouched down in the bottom of the boat and covered themselves with a buffalo robe.
"What do you want?" cried Toney.
"We are hunting for Red Mike, Long-Nose Jack, and the Preacher," exclaimed several men in the barges, which now came alongside.
"They are not here," said Toney.
"We will see," said one of the men. "Who is thathiding there?" And he jerked the buffalo robe aside and beheld Perch's fiery head of hair.
"Red Mike!" he exclaimed.
"And that is Long-Nose Jack," said another man, pointing to Wiggins's extraordinary nasal projection.
"And there is the Preacher," said a big fellow, gazing sternly at Moses, who, from his peculiar conformation, looked much like a parson in disguise.
"The Preacher is the worst of the whole gang," said one of the men.
"We will hang him on the highest limb," said another.
"Good heavens, gentlemen! you are not going to hang them?" exclaimed Toney.
"They have done nothing!" cried Tom.
"They have just landed in California," said the Professor.
"You three fellows shut up," said one of the men. "We have got nothing against you, but we know these chaps. They are New York Hounds. Robbed a tent last night. We'll hang them as soon as we get back to Stockton."
Moses and Perch were dumb with terror, as they were dragged into one of the barges, while Wiggins ejaculated,—
"Oh, Lord! oh, Lord!" With loud cheers the men rowed away in the direction of Stockton. Toney and his friends followed, but were soon left far behind.
When the lynching-party reached Stockton with their captives, loud shouts were heard on shore.
"They have got them! they have got them! Ropes!—ropes!" were the cries, as the unfortunate prisoners were dragged from the barge.
"Hang them! hang them!" was shouted and screamed by infuriated men, who came running with ropes prepared for the execution of the robbers. The affrighted prisoners were hurried to a large oak, which stood about a hundred yards from the main street. Three mules were now led to the spot, and the supposed felons, with ropes around their necks, were made to mount on the backs of the animals. A man climbed into the tree and fastened the ropes to a large horizontal limb. Each mule was heldby its bridle, while a man stood behind with a whip, ready to apply the lash at a given signal.
"Now," said a tall individual, who seemed to be the leader of the lynchers, "if you three fellows have got any thing to say, sing out. You have got five minutes to live. When I fire off this pistol, the mules will jump from under you, and you are gone."
"Oh!—oh!—oh!" groaned Perch.
"Tell my father," said Moses, turning his head round and looking piteously at Perch, "that I was hung for nothing."
"I can't tell him," said Perch, "I've got to be hung myself,—oh!—oh!—oh!"
"You have three minutes left," said the man with the pistol, looking at his watch.
"Oh, Lord! oh, Lord! oh, Lord!" ejaculated Wiggins.
"If that's all you've got to say, you might as well shut up and be hung at once. Two minutes left!"
"Oh! oh! oh!" groaned Perch.
"One minute!"
"Mercy!—mercy!—mercy!" cried Moses.
The man cocked his pistol and elevated it over his head.
"Oh, Lord! oh, Lord! oh, Lord!" screamed Wiggins.
"Hold on!" cried a voice in the crowd.
"What's broke loose?" said the man, lowering his pistol and turning round.
"Here comes the Alcalde!" shouted a number of voices, as a rough fellow, with long hair, galloped up and halted his panting horse in front of the gallows.
"What are you doing there?" asked he. And he glanced at Moses and his comrades, sitting on the mules, with the ropes around their necks.
"Hanging Red Mike, Long-Nose Jack, and the Preacher," said the man with the pistol in his hand.
"You have waked up the wrong passengers. We caught the infernal thieves on the road to San José. Here they are," said the Alcalde, as a party of men galloped up, having three prisoners in custody with their hands tied behind their backs.