And thus did Adam save alive this poor Indian who was to become his willing slave, faithful servant, loving friend and finally his salvation, as is yet to be recorded.
CHAPTER XXXII
HOW ADAM BECAME PENFEATHER THE BUCCANEER
Now though Adam's navigation had guided them truly thus far, it seemed they were not yet to reach Jamaica, for scarce had they left the Barbados than the weather became so threatening that, as Adam writes, he struck his topmasts, thereby (and with God his grace) escaping certain shipwreck in great gale that drove them far northward through terrible seas for very many days, but the ship so trim and stout that, when at last this storm abated, she was little the worse for all her cruel buffeting. So (writes Adam) "after long and weary travail with many and divers perils, we came into that sea named Caribbean whose blue waters do cradle isles of such beauty as passeth description."
Yet describe them he does, their luscious fruits, noxious reptiles, coral beaches and palmetto groves, with much concerning their wild peoples, their strange customs of life. Also in Adam's Journal is a long catalogue of the many Spanish ships they met; of which (as he writes) "having plundered somewhat, especially of provision, powder, shot, etc., we suffered to depart no whit the worse." There are also many brief, though grim, descriptions of "pirates lured to their perfect destruction, they being duly burned or sunk and never a survivor."
So for a year or more the great Santissima Trinidad, with her crew of now experienced, hard-fighting seamen, roamed the seas, showing like treasure-ship of Spain and thus seducing all predatory craft to be destroyed by the speed and accuracy of her heavy broadsides, so that the last earthly sight many a dying rogue beheld was the grim figure in black, Spanish armour, whose lifted sword glittered, as it were, in salute to their dying....
And yet some few survivors there must have been, for the name of Captain Adam Penfeather rang throughout those seas as a leader of victorious daring, though merciless as he was bold. So that the Santissima Trinidad became (later on) no more a lure to be chased in certainty of easy victory and rich plunder, but a hard-smiting terror to be shunned at all hazards.
Thus Adam's fame grew week by week and month by month, until whensoever his tall ship came surging into port or haven, men flocked to serve under commander so bold to dare and so fortunate in his daring, so that as time passed his crew had grown to twice its number and these Englishmen all, many of the Coast Brotherhood and everyone chosen by himself.
So 'Penfeather, the Buccaneer,' grew famous, and waxed from strength to strength, his silvery hair or scarlet plume became the sure gage of victorious fortune for all to follow.
It was at this time that ship-captains less fortunate sought to join company and sail beneath his command and vainly, until, learning of the horrors committed in the prisons of the Inquisition
"and especially (writes Adam) those of Panama, Porto Bello, Carthagena, St. John, and Santo Domingo and all rich cities, I determined to rescue these poor victims from torture and torment of fire, and levy tribute on their oppressors therefor. Thus, having news that in the city of St. John was to be one of these mass burnings of men and women, heretics and others, in presence of great concourse assembled to watch their agonies and called an Auto da Fé, I sailed against this city as Admiral of twelve ships of the Coast Brotherhood or Buccaneers, all well manned and armed. Having forced a landing in two several places, we stormed all defences and whiles divers of the Buccaneers burned and pillaged the town, I with my company broke open the prisons, freed all therein and so got safe back aboard ship with little booty yet smaller loss, and later cometh Sir Benjamin himself wounded, his company few but heavy with loot."
So passed some eighteen months of fighting at sea and battles ashore, thus briefly narrated, till came that day when the storm-beaten, battle-scarred Santissima Trinidad came in sight of Jamaica at last, to the great joy of all aboard, more especially Sir Benjamin, and the trembling anxiety of one.
CHAPTER XXXIII
TELLS HOW THEY CAME TO JAMAICA
Alone stood Adam in this early forenoon, his brooding gaze upon this island that grew upon his sight with every forward surge of the vessel,—a vague, blue shape of uprising from bluer ocean; but when he would have surveyed this through his perspective glass, found it impossible because of the nervous quiver of his hands and inward quaking. So instead he leaned there on the carved poop-rail staring with great, wistful eyes. At last his agitation became so great that he went down to his cabin and sought relief therefrom with pen and ink. And since he can best describe his trouble, and its cause, in his own words, here they are:
In sight of Jamaica at last where I am to know, and certainly as may be, if Antonia be alive or dead. And my harassed mind in great turmoil therefore, since now I must needs think on all the many chances against her having weathered and come through so many grievous perils unharmed, as—famine, sickness, mutiny and shipwreck. Or been taken as captive of Spain and the terrible Inquisition to die by torture or fire, or fallen the helpless prey of accursed pirates, to suffer—oh God forbid it—such vile shame and brutish violence so foully manifest aboard the San Cristobal, the which nauseous fear hath driven me to such pitiless doing against all pirates soever. And indeed which fear even now so haunts and sickens me that I cannot bear to write, but must up again into the clean air.
"Oho, Adam, so there she lies!" cried Sir Benjamin, bouncing and strutting on jubilant legs. "Jamaica at last, and ourselves deep laden with vasty treasure, aha! 'Od's my life 'tis noble isle, a fair anchorage and famous market for our wares, our princely loot and kingly plunder. Yonder is our means of much enrichment, our future fame and ... Old England, God bless her! England and prosperity, Adam; eh? Why, smite me stiff in gore if y' aren't all of a quake and pallid as a shark's belly! What's amiss, man, what's to do? Yonder, I tell ye, lieth our joy—fortune, fame, and riches."
"Ay, and—the truth, Ben! Truth at last,—good or ill!"
"Truth quotha? What truth?"
"If they be living or dead. Ay ... dead and lost these four long years and more ... Absalom Troy, Captain Smy ... and ..."
"Your young brother, eh, Adam, that pretty, young gentleman, alas! Well, there with them also was kinsman o' mine, my cousin Temple,—poor Tom! And each and every vanished like so many dreams! Four years about, Adam! Four woeful, weary years of battle and tempest since we lost our fellows, their sweet companionship, 'mid cruel perils in plaguey cruel, vile and evil world where violence is king with grisly Death his consort foul. So, Adam, old shipmate, we were wiser now to esteem them dead and lost to us a while—until the Great Reunion ... if there be such indeed—as you believe, eh, Adam?"
"Ay I do!" he answered, fervently. "I do with all my heart, this life were mockery else. So ... if they be dead ... well, they have thereby attained to fuller life and shall, mayhap, greet us kindly when cometh our turn to die."
"Why, here's good thought, Adam, though mighty lowering and melancholic. Thou'rt an odd, mournful soul for such vastly fortunate buccaneer, victorious captain and merciless fighter."
"Not merciless—no!" sighed Adam. "Say rather—a worker for Justice and Law in wild places,—a Scavenger o' the Seas. No man hath suffered by me save those foredoomed by the Law. Such malefactors as sin where Justice may not reach them save by me. And whatso I have done against these wicked men I am ready to answer for at any time, here on earth, Ben, or aloft at the Last Great Tribunal."