“The cities heard, but heard in vain;
It stirred the hill, the vale, the plain;
The forest monarch’s young again,
Seemed they to be;
But all beneath the conscious sky,
With trembling heart and quailing eye,
Looked round and raised th’ accusing cry,
‘Where are the free?’
Reply, reply aloud, air, earth, and sea!
Shout to th’ eternal sun, ‘Where are the free!’
“I saw a gallant band at last,
Upon the boundless waters cast,
Daring the battle and the blast,
Rocks and the sea;
They heard the voice that pierced the tide;
And all in one proud cause allied,
With tones that shook the world, replied—
‘We are the free!’
We have no masters on the earth or sea!
Our home is with the wind—‘We are the free!’”
Loud and long were the commendations with which the captain and his lieutenant rewarded the singer. They had listened with as much gratification as it was possible for them to receive from such a source, and the bold glances that darted from their eyes, as the song proceeded, showed how much they were excited. Even the conceited spirit of the captain’s clerk seemed moved. He winked his little eyes most valiantly, and put as much bravery into his smirking countenance as it could be brought to assume. Oriel Porphyry regarded the musician, for the first time, with a look of distrust. To him there seemed an evident desire of becoming on more friendly terms with the pirates than he thought could be desired by an honest nature; and the ingratitude, as well as the treachery of such conduct, made Zabra appear to him unworthy of any kindly feeling. But when their eyes met, there was such an earnest devotion in the gaze of Zabra, and so much sincerity of purpose, that he resolved to defer passing a condemnation till he had more positive proof of his unworthiness.
“After such a song as that, I feel a wonderful deal more social towards you all,” observed the captain; “and to show the confidence I would place in you—as well as to pass away the time as agreeably as may be—if there’s no particular objection, I’ll tell you my history from first to last.”
“Do, noble captain; your adventures must surely be of deep interest to all who love the inspiring actions of a bold spirit,” observed Zabra. Oriel turned on him a searching look; but the lustrous eyes upon which he gazed still seemed filled with the light of truth and affection; and he knew not what to think.
“I was born a younger brother—the youngest of several,” said the Captain. “There was some property in the family, but it was all carefully nursed for the heir, who was brought up in the enjoyment of every indulgence, while the rest of us picked up our education, and our existence, as we could. I was least cared for of all. From my boyhood I was allowed to go where I pleased, so that I kept out of the way of my parents and my elder brother; and I was left to do as I liked, as long as my proceedings did not inconvenience those affectionate relatives. As I soon perceived that I got nothing I required by asking for it, I ever afterwards managed to acquire what I wanted without thinking it was necessary to trouble any person upon the subject. Once I was discovered acting in this necessary and philosophical manner, and I was considered guilty of a crime, and most savagely punished. I cannot say that I was made conscious of my offence, or that I was ever brought to acknowledge the justice of its punishment; but I can most truly affirm, that the whole proceeding created in me that hatred of tyranny which led me to be what I am.
“Our house was by the sea-side, in a wild and unfrequented part of the coast of Madagascar. It was a mansion of considerable extent, ancient, but capable of being put to very good uses in the hands of a spirited proprietor; and there were no houses near it, with the exception of a few cottages on the cliff, belonging to some smugglers, with whom I had long since made myself on very good terms. I was then about twelve years of age, tall and strong, reckless and daring, perfectly uneducated, as far as school learning is considered, but wiser than many of my elders in that really useful knowledge that proceeds from observation. My intimacy with the smugglers had taught me many things which I managed to turn to advantage on several occasions—particularly notions affecting the rights of property, and the legality of resisting the law. Smarting from the effects of the treatment I had received, I hastily collected whatever I considered most valuable, and without waiting to perform the ceremonies of departure, I took the shortest way to the cliff, and was the same evening sailing in a swift cutter far from my native shores.
“My companions early initiated me into all the mysteries of their craft. I soon acquired a knowledge of landmarks—knew every creek and bay, and sheltered inlet along the shore—was familiar with every part of the vessel, its uses, and management—learned to understand the appearances of coming storms—and could always tell the best time and place for effecting a landing upon any required portion of the coast. I became an active hand, exceedingly useful, quick, and vigilant; and shared in all the dangers of my associates, their disappointments, and successes. My boldness at all times, my readiness to labour, and the ability with which I performed all I undertook, made me a general favourite; and the captain, an old stern smuggler, rough in his humour, and rather despotic in his sway, took me under his especial protection. I was chosen to assist in many hazardous exploits, in which I was often a principal figure; for my youth, disarming all suspicion in those who were on the look-out to capture the contrabandists, gave me opportunities for acquiring information as to their proceedings, which was quickly communicated to my companions; and we have sometimes managed matters so well as to be able to store our cargo in the very house in which our most vigilant enemy resided. In this way I existed till I was about seventeen, making voyages from the island to the continent, and along various parts of the coast, acquiring a very creditable knowledge of navigation, and gaining a considerable degree of information on many other subjects; and then, for my services and approved fidelity, I was promoted to be mate in the craft in which I had been sailing. I had been in several desperate conflicts with the revenue officers, but had been so fortunate as to escape with a few slight scratches; and the excitement of these affrays had created in me an inclination to share in more fierce encounters. However, on one occasion, we were unexpectedly attacked by very superior numbers, and, although we defended ourselves with an obstinacy that rendered the victory dearly bought, we were over-powered; and when I recovered consciousness after falling on the deck, as I imagined, mortally wounded, I found myself immured in a gloomy dungeon, on a charge of smuggling and murder.
“I was accused of murder! I, who had merely slayed the slayers—who had only fought in self-defence—who in a fray of three to one, had beaten down some four or five of the hireling band by whom my associates were being slaughtered, was loaded with chains, thrust into a loathsome hole, and condemned to death, as guilty of the blackest of their black catalogue of crimes! What miserable bunglers are lawyers and governments! what wretched blunderers,—what empty fools! They create the necessity for an act, punish with death a deed which could not be avoided, and then boast of their wisdom and justice. Much parade, too, they made about carrying their atrocious sentence into effect upon one so young. They affected to be wonderfully pitiful,—the jury gave their award in a tone of commiseration, and the judge pretended to be moved to tears when he passed the sentence; and then, as many exaggerated statements had been published of the determination with which I had resisted being taken, many humane persons, as the world called them, visited me in prison, and they brought me what they said were good books, and talked to me about things they styled repentance and virtue, and a few other fooleries. I listened with a patience that I have since often thought extraordinary; but I imagined at the time that this attempt at sympathy might lead to my liberation, and consequently they always found me earnestly studying their books, and admirably attentive to their discourses. But my hopes were disappointed; I was a fool not to have known the hypocrites better. They could whine and cant, but they had no mercy. However, from a quarter to which I had never looked for assistance, help came when I least expected it.