The Princess of Montserrat: a strange narrative of adventure, etc

Front matter

1/- [ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.] 1/- By Willlair Drysdale LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., LIMITED, 4, Stationers' Hall Court, E.C. MAY BE OBTAINED FROM ALL BOOKSELLERS. THE PRINCESS OF MONTSERRAT A Strange Narrative of Adventure and Peril on Land and Sea. BY WILLIAM DRYSDALE, AUTHOR OF "IN SUNNY LANDS: OUT-DOOR LIFE IN NASSAU AND CUBA," ETC, ETC. LONDON : SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO., LIMITED. 1890. THE AUTHOR'S ADVICE TO THE BOOK, Go out, my child, into the broad world, and act well your part, which is to interest your readers, to amuse them, and to sell. You have no mission in life to reform society, to map out a new form of government, or to upset theories which your betters have established. You are simply an honest, old-fashioned story of love and adventure, and as such you may, with becoming modesty, introduce yourself to respectable company on the shelves; for I have reared you so carefully that there is nothing within you to bring a blush to any fair cheek.

Above all things, my child, do not loiter about the news stands, but move quickly. A TO MY OLD FRIEND AND COMRADE, William m. Hustin : CITIZEN OF THE WORLD : A BOHEMIAN IN LONDON : DRAGGED THROUGH THE GOLDEN GATE IN A RUNAWAY BALLOON : ONE OF THE EDITORS OF THE NEW YORK TIMES : IT IS UPON AN EARLY ADVENTURE OF YOURS THAT THE OPENING PART OF THIS STORY IS FOUNDED, CONTENTS. CHAP. rAGEi I. MY ADVENTURES BEGIN 5 II. STRANDED IN LONDON .... 10 III. A VOYAGE TO THE WEST INDIES - - - 18 IV. A NIGHT TN A HURRICANE -7 V. I FIND A SHIPWRECKED FAMILY - - - 35 VI. A TEN-DAY COURTSHIP - 44 VII. ALONE AGAIN ------ 52 VIII. A GIRL WORTH HAVING - - - - 60 IX. THE BRIG RETURNS 68 X. MY BOY JOE ------ 76 XL THE FRENCH SCHOONER - - - - 84 XII. A MYSTERIOUS CREW - - 92 XIII. THE CAPTAIN FALLS INTO A TRAP IOO LANDED ON A DESOLATE ISLAND I09 XIV.

XV. KIDNAPPED AND MAROONED - - II? XVI. THE HERMIT OF TUESDAY ISLAND Contents. 4 CHAP. XVII. PAGE. 129 WHAT JOE FOUND IN THE CLOSET XVIII. PLANS FOR ESCAPE - - - - 137 XIX. THE CONGO DANCE - - - - 145 XX. THE HERMIT'S RUINED HOUSE - - 1 54 XXI. VON DIEMEN'S STRANGE BANQUET - - l6l XXII SIGNALS BY FIRE AND WATER I7i XXIII. A PAIR OF MARTINIQUE EARRINGS i8o XXIV. THE FIRE-BOAT - - - - - 1 87 XXV. PREPARING THE SIGNALS - - - - 1 94 XXVI. THE FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN-TOP - - 202 XXVII. MARIE COMES TO THE RESCUE - - - 210 XXVIII. THE STORY OF THE SEARCH - - - 219 XXIX. WE QUIT TUESDAY ISLAND - - - - 227 XXX. LIME-GROVES AND HAPPINESS - - - 235 XXXI. SEQUEL -

Chapter I. My Adventures Begin

The remarkable adventures that I am to recount were brought about by a letter addressed to me, Henry Richmond, that I found lying on my desk one morning in the autumn of 1883. The letter bore an English stamp and a London postmark ; and, as I was not in the habit of receiving foreign letters, I lost no time in opening it. I had had some months before an intimate friend in the office, an Englishman named Harris, who had been my companion in many little adventures in New York ; but we had parted in anger, and I had been told that he had returned to England. My first thought was that the letter must be from him, and I was, therefore, the more agreeably surprised when I found it to be from the editor of the London Standard, offering me the position of dramatic critic for that newspaper, at a liberal salary.

I had been strongly recommended for the vacant post, the letter said, and, if I thought favourably of the proposition, I should reply at once, and report in the office as soon as convenient. Needless to say I looked upon the proposal with the igreatest favour, for dramatic criticism had always been my weakness. I had done bits of it betimes when occasion offered, for I was a reporter attached to the staff of a daily newspaper in New York, and it happened sometimes, though not often, that the dramatic editor had more work than he could attend to. Harris and myself on such occasions were usually appointed to assist him, and we both had remarkably generous opinions of our ability in that direction. Each of us had a lurking desire, though hardly a hope, and even the desire never frankly avowed, that we might some day rise to what we considered the professionally lofty pinnacle of criticism ; and it was this similarity in our tastes that first made us firm friends, and afterward led to our estrangement.

For some failure in his customary work of gathering news Harris was dismissed from the office, and he chose to consider me jealous of his critical powers, and to blame me for the misfortune that was caused by his own care lessness. Although his suspicion was as unjust as it was ungenerous I could not convince him of my innocence, and he quit the office and, I believe, the city, thinking me his worst enemy. My newspaper training had taught me not only to act promptly in an emergency, but always to be ready to start on a journey on the shortest possible notice. There Mv Adventures Begin. 7 was no doubt in my mind from the first instant about accepting the flattering offer that had been made me, and, as I was a young man with no family and no interests to consult, I mailed my reply that same morning, announcing my intention of sailing for London a week later, to begin my new duties.

I have too many real adventures to relate to fill up my pages with an account of a commonplace voyage to London. I arrived there in due time, my heart full of hope and some pardonable pride, but with only, I regret to say, a few dollars in my pocket. Knowing nothing of the city, I determined on the way over from Liverpool to take a cab to the Standard office, introduce myself, and then to consult the editor about a place of residence. This programme I set out to follow, and on reaching the office, leaving my baggage in the cab, I went into the counting-room and inquired for Mr. Hallenthorpe, the editor whose name was signed to my letter. The clerk directed me where to find him, and I climbed a few flights of stairs and confronted his office boy. It was about five in the afternoon, and Mr. Hallenthorpe fortunately was in ; would I send in my card?

I did, and in a minute the boy returned, with the message that I was to walk in. It was a proud moment. Here was the new dra matic critic, who had been sent for all the way to America. It was not as if I had applied for the place. I had been sent for — picked out from among thousands of newspaper men in London and New York. I must preserve a quiet dignity, and not let my editor see that I felt elevated by my new position ; a pleasant manner and a dignified bearing — that was my cue. I found Mr. Hallenthorpe fortified behind a big desk, in a little den of an office. He was a middle aged man with a sandy beard and a friendly coun tenance, and he had his coat off and his shirt sleeves rolled partly up. He was reading a manuscript, but he looked up as I entered. "Ah, how do you do, Mr. " (he paused, and picked up my card to look at my name).

" How do you do, Mr. Richmond. Take a chair. You are the gentleman who wrote me a short time ago with reference to writing our dramatic criticisms ?" Something came up into my throat as I sat down in the chair that stood by the side of his desk. Why did he not know my name, without having to refer to my card? And why did he say that I had "written with reference to" writing their criticisms? " I am," I replied. " I came in answer to your letter offering me the position of dramatic critic. I replied at once by mail accepting your offer, and now I am here." "H'm. I begin to see through it," he said. "I received your letter; but there is some mistake about this, Mr. , Mr. Richmond. You say you received a letter from me. Have you it with you ? " My Adventures Begin. 9 I told him I had, and began to hunt in my pockets for it.

I knew just where it was, having put it in a convenient place while in the carriage ; but the fumbling gave me time to recover myself, for my hands were trembling a little, and I was beginning to feel less dignified and important. I produced the letter and handed it to him. He read it attentively, looked at the printing at the top of the sheet, and examined the writing. In a minute he handed it back to me, and said, kindly but very decisively, " This letter is a forgery, Mr. Richmond ! '

Chapter II. Stranded In London

I felt myself turning red, and made a desperate effort to prevent it. Here was my air-castle blown down with a single breath. And here was I in Lon don, where out of the whole four millions I had not one acquaintance — and about ten dollars in my pocket. " A forgery ! " I said. That was not much to say, but it was all I was capable of. " The paper is undoubtedly our office paper, or a very clever imitation of it," he went on ; " and the postmark shows that the letter was mailed in Lon don. But the writing is not mine. Here is a speci men of my hand, which will show you that the two are entirely dissimilar. The letter is written very plainly, while any printer in the office will tell you that my writing is ' the worst in the world.' You have been made the victim of a practical joke, Mr. Rich mond — a most wicked joke, which has put you to great trouble and expense.

But we are not in need of a dramatic critic. Our present critic, Mr. Ray nor, has been with us for years ; and his work has always been so satisfactory that a change has not been thought of. I never heard of a more contempti ble trick ; but it is a practical joke, and nothing else." I was only half hearing what he was saying. I was thinking of the many miles of rough sea between that office and New York, and of the dollars necessary to take me across it. I only made the commonplace remark : " I do not know what to make of it." " It is evidently," said Mr. Hallenthorpe, " the work of an enemy of yours. It has been done by some one who is familiar with this office and with the names of the editors — perhaps some person who has been employed here ; that would account for his having a sheet of our office paper.

Are you acquainted with anyone who has ever been on the staff of the Standard?" I thought at once of Harris, and mentioned his name. Mr. Hallenthorpe said such a man had been there some years before. Did I know his handwriting ? Was the letter in his writing ? No, the letter decidedly was not written by Harris. I knew his writing well. But, when I mentioned Harris's dislike of me, the editor suggested an explanation that had already occurred to me, and that I still hold to, though I have no proof of it. Harris, wishing to give me annoyance, had induced one of his former friends in the Standard office to write me the letter and mail it to me. " The letter I received from you occasioned me considerable surprise," Mr. Hallenthorpe told me. " I should have cabled you not to come, but that you announced your intention to sail a week from the day it was written ; so you were already on the ocean when it reached me.

The forged letter purporting to come from me explains it. I regret very much that my name should be in any way connected with such an unfortunate affair. But while I sympathize fully with you, I cannot attach any blame to myself in the matter." What good did his regrets do me ? My head was swimming. Though I had done nothing, and was only the miserable victim, I was ashamed of myself. I wanted to get away as soon as possible out of his sight, away from anybody who knew how I had been duped. I wanted to get into a quiet room with the door locked, where I could think it all over. It came so suddenly. It was not my lack of funds that made me feel so. I had often had much less money in New York. But what would my friends say when I came humbly back ? Would they ever stop teasing me ? Should I ever be known by any other name than the London critic ?

I had not even the courage left, for the moment, to tell Mr. Hallenthorpe how badly I was situated in money matters. He could at least have given me some valuable advice. I tried to look bright, and to talk as if it were a matter of no consequence — indeed, a very clever joke. Somehow I got out of the office, Hallenthorpe at the last minute inviting me to call and see him again before I left London. Before I left London ! I had not been there two hours yet, and my business with the Standard had not occupied twenty minutes. If there had been a ship sailing that moment from the other side of the street I should have been ready to start for new York. But there was not ; and all the ships that were going unfortunately would want some thing substantial in return for a passage-ticket. I was ashamed of this weak feeling at the time, and it was over in five minutes.

It was the suddenness of it that hurt me ; and I was myself again before I was down the stairs. A trifle like that could not worry me long, and I was laughing at myself before I reached the street door. If I had gone back to Hallen thorpe's den I could have sat down and laughed with him. But it was too late then, and I had not even asked him about a lodging-house. No matter, my driver would do as well ; I would ask him, and probably he would recommend a cheaper place than Mr. Hallen thorpe would, which would suit me better. I was com pletely myself again, and, for a wonder, I was wise enough to feel that I must make my few dollars stretch as far as possible. The driver took me to a quiet, decent enough place, where I easily made terms with the landlady, and was. soon settled in a snug room, with a fire in the grate,.

B an arm chair, and everything quite as comfortable as I was used to in New York. They brqught me in a light supper in a few minutes, and, after supper, I drew my arm chair up in front of the fire and toasted my slippers with as much content and comfort as if my old satchel had been full of railroad bonds. It was a little bulged out on one side (the satchel) with a package that, under the circumstances, was better than gold. Before I started some friend had laid a parcel in my state-room, and it proved to be a box of cigars. Blessed comforters! Two-thirds of them were still left, for I had been sea-sick for several days on the ship, and had not smoked much. I brought them out, and was as happy as the Prince of Wales. I made a Robinson Crusoe of myself for an hour, and looked over the situation, balancing the good against the evil.

I was better off than Crusoe to begin with, with my fire, my bed, and my box of cigars. For the present I had nothing more to ask. I could do newspaper work and soon earn enough money to carry me home. They knew me in the Standard office, at any rate, and Mr. Hallenthorpe would put me in the way of something to do. Better than that, I could go to the American Con sul, introduce myself, explain my circumstances to him, and secure his influence in getting a passage-ticket on the strength of a promise to pay in New York. I had heard of such things being done, and my chance was as good as anybody's. I had money enough on hand to last me for a week, with economy ; and I had my gold watch, and knew (no matter how I knew) just how much it would produce at a banking-house with three gold balls in front.

It was not half nor a quarter enough to carry me back to New York, but it would supply me with food and shelter for, perhaps, two weeks longer. So I went to bed with an easy mind and a clear conscience. I went early, anxious to enjoy the luxury of a steady bed in place of my restless berth, and de termined to visit the American Consul next morning. But not in a cab; I was in need of more exercise and would walk, or take an omnibus. Next morning after breakfast I went out and took my first real look at London. Things looked strange, but not enough unlike New York to make me feel uneasy. I saw a directory, found the American Consul's address, and inquired my way to his office. It was not too far to walk and I walked. The Consul was in, for it was nearly eleven o'clock when I reached his office.

They tried at first to make me do my business with one of the clerks, but I insisted upon seeing the Consul himself, on the plea that my business was personal. I sent him in one of my engraved cards, with the name of my New York newspaper on it. The Consul sent for me to come into his private office. I found him very pleasant, and ready to laugh with me and at me over the way I had been deceived. We had a long and friendly talk, and I was able to tell him some things about New York politics that he was anxious to know. He said he had no means himself of giving me an order for transportation to New York unless I could pass as a distressed seaman, in which case he could send me home in the steerage; but he could arrange for me with one of the lines to carry me across the ocean more comfortably than that, by my giving them a sixty or ninety-day note.

" Now if you only knew something about chemistry,'" he said, "and were fond of travel, I could put you on the track of something better than going home to be guyed about your failure in London." I assured him that I did know something about chemistry, and that nothing would suit me better than travelling. Besides what I learned of chemistry at school, I had several times had chemical subjects to write about that required a good deal of investigation ; so I could at least talk intelligently about it. " Do you know anything about phosphates ? '' he asked me. Did I ? It was less than a month since I had been writing about the failure of the Davis Stiaits Fertilizing Company, had been all over their works, and knew the difference between guano and crushed bone with my eyes shut. I did not tell the Consul how limited my knowlege was nor how recently acquired, but merely said that I was pretty well informed about phosphates.

"Then perhaps you would answer," he told me. *' I have a friend who is president of the Atlantic and Pacific Guano and Phosphate Company. They bring great quantities of guano to England from the West Coast of South America. They own a phosphate bed on some island in the West Indies, and are about to send a brig out there to bring over a load. They want a lively young man, who knows something about phosphates, to go along with the brig and make some sort of an examination of the deposits. I don't know exactly what. But I will give you a note to my friend if you like, and you can see about it for yourself."

Chapter III

A voyage to the west indies. I readily accepted the Consul's offer. If I could make a trip to the West Indies, and go back to New York with money in my pocket, it would make things much better for me. It made no difference to me whether I was in New York, London, or Patagonia so that I had a fair salary and comfortable quarters. I thought of this while the Consul wrote me a I When it was finished he directed me how to find his friend's office, and kindly invited me to call often at the Consulate while I remained in London, and to let him know the result of my visit to the phosphate company's office. I have every reason to remember our Consul in London with gratitude. I immediately bearded the phosphate lion in his den, and a dark and dingy den it was, with gas burning and a sire in the grate.

My letter was addressed to the Hon. Atwood Symington, and it opened his heavy doors to me without trouble. The Hon. Atwood was a ponderous gentleman of great dignity, who I suspect would have crushed any young man with a smaller backing than a foreign Consul. But he treated me well enough. I had to laugh quietly to myself, as I sat down in the chair he pointed out. Yesterday I was soaring aloft as A Voyage to thf. West Indies. 19 the critic of the Standard ; to-day I was looking for a situation with a guano company. The Honourable did me the favour to say that he thought an American might do his work in the West Indies, if he had the qualifications necessary. His brig was soon to sail for Redonda, for a cargo of phosphate. Did I know where Redonda is? No, un fortunately, I did not. He would tell me.

It is a barren, rocky island in the Lesser Antilles, not far from St. Kitts. Inhabitants, none. Communication with the world, none. Productions, none. Resources, a deposit of phosphate, technically called "wavellite," or "Rotondo Mineral," which had recently come into the possession of his company by purchase. A ship-load of this material was to be brought on, as an experiment. An active man was wanted to accompany the brig, examine the deposits, take charge of all the operations on shore, estimate the number of tons of phosphate on the island, help to select a place for building a wharf, and remain on the island (with an attendant to be provided by the Company) till the brig returned to England and then went back to the island. If the material proved valuable, and the business was satisfactorily done, the agent could remain in the service of the company and superintend the operations.

Salary, a month, expenses paid. That seemed to be all that was expected of the agent. I did not know but they might want him to make an observation of the transit of Venus, or take some deep sea soundings. However, the idea of life on a desert island for a short time, and " with an attendant," had its fascinations for me. So had a trip to the tropics, just when winter was coming on. So had a month, and expenses paid. I thought I could do everything required, and said so. The guano king reminded me that I was totally unknown to him, and that my acquaintance even with the Consul was very short, as the note testified. Had I any friends in London ? No, I had none. I had been in London only twenty-four hours, I reminded him. Mr. Hallenthorpe, of the Standard, could tell him that I was the person I represented myself to be, and tell also how I happened to be in London without friends.

That was all. His majesty did me the honour to say that he would make inquiries ; and would I call at two o'clock the next day ? He gave me a grand bow that said unmistakably, "That is all, young man ; you may go." I went out of the office, feeling tolerably certain that I had fallen into an income, into a restaurant for a better dinner than I had eaten since I left New York, for an uncomfortable feeling had taken away my appetite on the steamer ; home to my den for a smoke, and in the evening to the theatre, not in the capacity of dramatic critic but as a gentleman of leisure and a thoroughly comfortable spectator. Next morning I explored as mucn of London as I could reach without the expense of a carriage, and at two A Voyage to the West Indies. 21 o'clock precisely sent my card in to his highness the pre sident, who received me affably.

He had called himself upon the Consul, and learned as much about me as the Consul could tell. A clerk had visited Mr. Hallenthorpe, and had been told all about the circumstances that had brought me to London. The Hon. Symington even condescended to laugh at my predicament. He asked me a great number of questions about myself and my knowledge of phosphates. I was prepared for this latter, having visited a public library that morning, and informed myself as well as I could on the sub ject, even to laying in a little store of technical terms. I had read up on the West Indies, too, and knew some thing about Redonda and the neighbouring islands. The result was that he gave me the place, told me the brig was to sail on Saturday (it was then Wednesday), and said that I should call on Friday morning to meet the captain and receive detailed instructions.

Mean while I would, perhaps, need some little personal fitting out for the voyage. I would be given credit in the com pany's books for two months' salary, which I could draw against at my pleasure. With another of his farewell bows he dismissed me. The buildings on the other side of the street did not look nearly as formidable and imposing as when I went in. I had half a mind to buy two or three of them and give them to my friends. I looked about for a carriage, and soon found one, to take me to the Consulate. Why should I walk ? I had money in my pocket and £,do to my credit. For the next two months, at least, I could not spend a cent. It really worried me to think of having to keep that money so long. I saw the Consul and told him of my engagement. He congratulated me, and invited me to lunch with him next day.

I drove to the Standard office, and announced to Mr. Hallenthorpe that I had " accepted a position " with the Atlantic and Pacific Phosphate and Guano Company that would take me to the West Indies. He seemed surprised at the way I came right side up, but said nothing except to congratulate me. I kept my carriage all the afternoon, and saw more of London than I had any business to see in a week. Thursday went by fast enough. I drew some money, and bought what little things T thought it would be well to take along, lunched with the Consul, visited the tower, tired my legs out climbing the stairs in St, Paul's, and took a steamboat ride on the Thames. Having some curiosity to see what sort of brig I was to sail in, I went down to the piers and hunted her up. She was the Dolphin, four hundred and eighty tons, evidently not an old vessel, and looked as if she might be comfortable enough.

On Friday morning I went to the company's office, received my final instructions, and was introduced to the captain — a rugged man of about my own age, named Sanders. Symington was particular to have us both A Voyage to the West Indies. 23 understand that Capt. Sanders was in charge of the expedition while we were afloat, and that I was to command everything on shore, so that we might have no misunderstanding. He did not shed tears over our going, but gave us a pleasant good-bye and wished us, quite disinterestedly, a successful venture. The Dolphin went out in ballast, carrying nothing but her own provisions, and a fair supply to be left on the island for me, including a small movable house of three rooms, fitted and framed ready to be set up in a few hours, and a great many casks of water, also to be left on the island, for there was no telling whether we would find water there or not.