Augusta mirror. (Augusta, Ga.) 1838-18??, October 17, 1840, Page 10, Image 2
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solation, and wishing not to implicate her fath
er, had renounced the world, and retired to the
convent of Innisfail. One morning, at this pe
riod of our story, a small schooner, with every
sheet of sail expanded to the wooing winds, was
seen to enter the waters of Carina. The pen
non that fluttered from her mast, denoted her of
Spanish craft, while the bright brass cannon
that looked frowningly from her port-holes, told
that she was accustomed “to the battle and
the breeze.” Her crew were attired in a mot
ley mixture of fanciful dresses, while their
swarthy faces and brawny frames, marked
them for men to whom blood and peril were
the day-deeds of their lives. As the gallant ves
sel rode gaily up the bay, she made the welkin
echo with her brazen throats of thunder, and
many were the surmises of the islanders whence
she came and what was her object. Having
anchored directly opposite the castle of Glen
gyle, a small boat was lowered from her side,
and made directly for the shore. It was man
ned with six seamen, as we have already said,
arrayed in the richest and most fanciful attire.
He who appeared to be the leader of the party,
was, however, even more gorgeously attired
than the others. On his head he wore a cap of
net work of the brightest crimson, Irorn which,
over his left ear, dangled a large golden tassel
—a blue and yellow striped jerkin encased his
body—a snow-white shirt, similar to those worn
by the Greek sailors, richly embroidered, hung
in thick folds from the waist to the knee; his
hose were of the deepest scarlet, a short boot or
buskin enclosed each foot, and was bound tight
ly at the ancle by a large diamond buckle. A
tartan scarf was thrown loosely around his
throat—his dark hair fell in thick masses over
his shoulders, while his sun-burnt face and bo
som showed that he had been a rover in a sun -
nier clime. His bearing was bold and daring,
while the tone in which he gave his orders to
the crew, told that he was accustomed to com
mand.
“ Look to your arms!” shouted he, as they'
reached the shore, and fastened the boat to a
large rock that lay on the margin of the bay— j
“look to your aYms. There are sharks here
that may show their teeth.” In an instant their
cutlasses were gleaming in the air. “ Follow
me!” he cried, and leaving the boat in posses
sion of one of the crew, the party briskly began
to ascend by a path which led to the castle of
Glengyle. The leader applied to his lips a
small bugle which hung from his neck by a
scarlet riband, and made the glens and the moun
tains of rugged Canna echo and re-echo again.
The peaks of the island were, in an instant
thronged with the clansmen of Glengyle, array
ed in their bright colored tartan costumes, which
showed like a tinted forest in the rays of an au
tumn sun. “By the mass !” said the captain—
“ but this is a gallant sight. I should like to try
the prowess of these hardy clansmen. What
say you, Spalatro ? what say you, Henriquez?”
The two persons whom he addressed, were
the next in rank on board the vessel—tall, dark
visaged men—scarred and mutilated from the
various conflicts in which they had been fre
quently engaged.
“Ay, ay,” responded Spalatro, “but their
numbers, Senhor—the hawk wars not with the
eagle. The boldest breast must fall before une
qual numbers.”
“ Sagely spoken, my son of the billow,” re
plied the captain, “ but Henriquez thinks oth
erwise. I can tell by the fire that lights his eye,
he would not shrink from the conflict.”
4 •
AUGUSTA MIRROR COVER.
Henriquez waved aloft his spotless cutlass*
and only replied, “You say rightly, captain.”
A grasp from the hand of his commander bound
them firmer in fellowship.
By this time they had reached the summit of
the mountain island. The rude fortress of Glen
gyle stood full before them. On the outward
wall paraded some hundred clansmen, while
the centre tower and turrets were thronged with
warriors ready to do battle, and wondering who
could be the strangers who thus fearlessly broke
upon their mountain strong hold. A strong oak
en gate thickly studded with bolts of iron, but
better known as the portcullis, precluded all en
trance, while, lrom the wall, hung a rude bu
gle, formed from the horn of the Caledonian
bull, which, in those days, roamed the monarchs
of the Scottish woods. The strangers paused.
The strength of the castle, and the formidable
array of warriors, showed that, although accus
tomed, on their own element, to rove as con
querors, yet here, they must, in submission
bend. The captain approached the gate, he
seized the horn, “and blew a blast so loud and
shrill,” which told he was no stranger to this
mode of Highland calling. The ponderous
gate rose slowly and Glengyle, followed by a
numerous retinue, came forth, and briefly de
manded the stranger’s business.
“ It is with Glengyle alone I must speak,” said
the leader of the party—“alone! free and un- 1
guarded—man to man, must our interview be
held.”
{ Glengyle looked around to his followers, who
regarded the manner and language of their vis
itor with astonishment.
“What—do you fear me?” continued the
stranger.
A deep blush covered the countenance of
Glengyle. A breath had been cast upon the
unsullied huckler of his courage, and his hand
i involuntarily grasped the hilt of his sword.l
The followers of the stranger, at the sight of
this, like bloodhounds in defence of their
er, sprang forward. The vassals of Glengyle
drew their arrows to the head—they waited"but
i the signal from their leader, and the next mo
ment the feathered shafts would have been bu-.
ried in the bosoms of the rash and fearless crew.'
j “ Hold!” exclaimed Glengyle. “ Never shall
it be said, that by numbers we overcame a foe;”!
and he waved his hand for them to retire.
'1 heir bows were lowered to earth, the sinews
of their arms relaxed, and their arrows rattled
as they again were returned to their quivers.
The captain, with a look, told his followers to
desist. Slowly and reluctantly, as if disappoint
ed in the dearest calling of their souls, they
passed to a distance, and Glengyle and the
stranger stood face to face. A "breathless si
lence ensued. Conjecture, wonder and suspi
cion were busy in the soul of Glengyle. Re
! venge! deep, insatiable revenge alone occupied
that of the stranger. He was"the first to break
the silence.”
“You know me not ?” said he, keenly eyeing
Glengyle.
“No ! No traces of your features dwell in my
memory,—no sounds of your voice are familiar
to my ear,” replied the chieftain*
“ Indeed ! Yet we have met before—we have
seen the sun-ray kiss the night tears from the
heather—we have chased the deer over moor
and mountain, and heard the pibroch rise on
the gale, as we have shared in the conflict.”
“ Say you so ?” exclaimed Glengyle. “When
—where. I can call no sign to memory to re
mind me of our meeting.”
“Follow me!” cried the stranger, and he
made a motion to move.
“Whither?” said Glengyle.
“ To a spot dear to thy memory and mine.
They passed on—the stranger leading the
way—and though dangerous and intricate, yet
from the apparent ease with which he threaded
it, he showed that he was no stranger to the
path. On the summit of one of the crags that
overlooked the ocean, he suddenly halted, and
turning to Glengyle, exclaimed “Here pause
we!” and as he spoke he looked on the broad,
bright sky, then on the face of the boundless
deep, where, like an albatross slumbering in its
ocean cradie, his gallant bark swung by its
deep-imbedded anchor. “ Oh, God!” he ex
claimed, « scene of my youthful happiness, bit
ter remembrancer of my blighed hopes ;” and
like a child he sobbed heavily in the agony of
soul.
Glengyle regarded him with wonder and
distrust. The memory of the past was busy
within him, and remorse and terror clung to his
heart like coiled serpents around their victim.
“To what purpose are we here ?” asked
Glengyle—“ why this emotion?”
“ Canst thou ask ?” replied the stranger, in
the most bitter accents of reproach. « Thou !
destroyer of my peace, thou! blighter of my
bower of beauty. Look here !” and he frantic
ly tore open the garment that covered his bos
om, and to the horror-stricken vision of Glen
gyle, displayed the mark of a fearful, although
now closed wound.
Glengyle started back in horror. The past
was frightfully clear before him ; it looked like
the dead returned to life, and he gazed mute
and motionless upon the figure of young Ron
ald, now the pirate captain, and who, in return,
sought for retribution on the very spot where,
three years before, Glengyle, assassin-like,
thought he had destroyed him.
The brand of the rover gleamed fiercely in
the air ; he spoke not, but looked like the dem
on of revenge. Glengyle knew that appeal to
his bosom was in vain; he therefore drew from
its scabbard his sword—stern and savage was
the combat that ensued—each in his turn sought
to be the victor, but the prowess of young Ron
ald prevailed. Glengyle was thrown prostrate
to the earth—his sword was shivered into ma
ny pieces. In the savage exultation of revenge,
the conqueror dragged him to the very preci
pice from which he himself had been hurled.
“Mercy!” shouted Glengyle; With a giant
grasp Ronald held him above the waves. A
Fond shout rose from the pirate crew, as, from
the deck of their vessel they beheld the figure of
their commander thus triumphant, although, to
them, was the cause unknown. Sense forsook
Glengyle; he-hung lifeless as a corpse in the
clutch of Ronald. Revenge was gratified
humbled and helpless he had his enemy at hig
mercy, and mercy prevailed. He threw th e
senseless chieftain on the ground, winded h
bugle for his comrades, and in an appeased yet
moody spirit of revenge, sought, again, his bark
of blood and battle.
*
CHAPTER 111.
“ Whither, oh, whither wilt thou roam,
Like a sea-bird seeking an ocean home.”
When he reached the deck of his vessel, his
gallant crew thronged around him, anxious to
know the cause of the scene they had recently
beheld. He spoke not, but walked moodily to
and fro. The sun was now high in the hea
vens, and a brisk breeze came sweeping along,