Flynn’s Weekly Detective Fiction. Vol. 18, No. 3, September 18, 1926
- Автор: Bailey H. C., Bechdolt Jack
- Год: 1926
- Язык: английский
- Год: The Red Star News Company
- Жанр: Другие детективы
Электронная книга - «Flynn’s Weekly Detective Fiction. Vol. 18, No. 3, September 18, 1926». Краткое содержание книги:
Misson himself took out his pistol and fired into the bushes. But an arrow lodged in his side and put an end, for the time being, to his fighting. And as though fortune meant them ever to share equally, Caraccioli was similarly wounded.
The Preordained Home
Then from the ship came rescuing parties. With Misson temporarily removed from command the others were not checked by any of his humane considerations. They descended on the king of Mohilla with guns blazing, and the torch ran wild.
The foolish savage received what I suppose must be called another lesson. After the guns got through speaking and fire had sated its gluttony, there were neither king_ nor Subjects left to benefit by what wisdom they may have got in the lesson.
Returned to Johanna, Misson and Caraccioli and their men were tenderly nursed by their wives. It took them six weeks to recover from their wounds and get back their tireless energy. The enforced wait awoke again their restlessness for the freedom on the seas, the hourly chance that adventure and riches may heave in sight. So the fleet of three ships sailed forth again. Ten days after leaving Johanna they met game worthy of their valor.
It was a great Portuguese ship, carrying sixty cannon. Neither side hesitated to engage. The three ships formed a triangle, whose fire was concentrated on the Portuguese. But the latter was no helpless victim. She was equipped for sturdy fighting, and fight she did.
Her cannon ripped into the republic’s fleet and sowed disaster on its decks. Part of Caraccioli’s remaining leg was carried away by a cannon ball. Twenty of Misson’s Englishmen gave up their ghost in the battle. But the odds against the Portuguese in cannon and men were too great; and she finally struck her colors.
I just spoke of Misson’s cannon and men. In fairness I should add women. For both his wife and Caraccioli’s accompanied their husbands on the cruise.
When eventually the three ships closed in on the Portuguese and the fighting became hand to hand, the two women armed themselves with cutlasses and threw themselves into the fight, neither asking nor giving consideration on the ground of sex. Misson’s wife got a nasty slash in the shoulder from a cutlass, and Caraccioli’s got a bullet in her side. But they accepted these as part of their marital fortune.
The Portuguese was taken in tow by the fleet, and in a bay ten leagues north of Diego Suarez Misson cast anchor. Here was the land holding out two arms of welcome to him. Here was a natural harbor and enticing interior. And it was as if destiny had pointed out to a wanderer his preordained home.
Misson announced to his republic that they would now “have a place they might call their own.” Not a human being was visible on shore. It was as though they had come on a new world waiting for the advent of man.
The whole republic went on shore, and fired by Misson’s dream and their own zest, they fell to chopping down trees, clearing ground and preparing habitations. It may be remembered that the republic’s flagship, the Victoire, was pierced for forty guns, but carried only thirty.
The Colony Crowe
From the Portuguese armament the ten empty portholes were now filled with cannon. The remaining thirty Portuguese guns were so placed on shore that the crescent of harbor became strongly fortified.
Then leaving most of his men at work Misson returned to Johanna and notified the queen of his purpose of founding a settlement so near to her. At first she and her councilors were alarmed at the coming of a new power so near by which might soon threaten their own existence.
But no one could for long doubt Misson’s sincerity; and when he pointed out that a neighbor may mean an ally as easily as an enemy, the queen again capitulated.
She furnished him with forty of her subjects to act as laborers for the new colony, the only stipulation being that they were to be returned to her after the passing of the fourth moon.
With the addition of laborers the building of the colony took on increased momentum. The Portuguese ship was tom apart and what was once her deck now became a dock. Her guns, as I have said, commanded the bay.
The Realization of a Faith
Houses combining native architecture with what the whites could add to building from their own architecture, began to outline a town. The queen of Johanna now encouraged many of her women to join the colony as wives. Land was tilled in common. Property was shared by all in general.
Overlooking the town was a plateau, which, in turn, was topped by a natural amphitheater of little hills. Here Misson encouraged his subjects each to set up his fane to whatever God he wished.
One hillock was a Catholic altar; its neighbor was preempted by the Moslems; the natives worshiped on another hillock; three Chinamen made an attempt to sketch out a little temple of their own; and those who believed in no god were free to indulge in their lack of belief so long as they did not intrude it on the worshipers.
It was in the midst of this little amphitheater and surrounded by the smoking altars of many faiths that Misson held the ceremony of naming his republic.
“Here comes into being to-day the Republic of Libertatia!” he cried. “You, my people, are the Liberi. We dedicate ourselves to the spread of liberty and the love of liberty, toleration, and love of humanity under whatever faith and whatever skin. May our fortune equal the greatness of our hope!”
It will be seen how much sincerity and strength of purpose had gone into the idealistic talk and speeches of young Francois and Caraccioli they made first as midshipmen in the hold of the Victoire under Captain Fourbin. For here in building and street, in harbor and tilled soil was the realization of what had once been only the generous words of youth.
A party of Misson’s hunters went into the jungle for fresh meat. Up to then, as I have said, they felt as though they had come upon a fresh, unpeopled world. But now they saw a lone native looking with startled eyes on their hunting party.
They well knew in what spirit their leader, Misson, would have greeted the shy wonder and anxiety of this native; and the hunting party acted truly in his spirit. They showed themselves so friendly and so cordially urged him to come with them that the native did so.
He was brought to Misson. The chief called for a bolt of scarlet cloth, an ax, and trinkets. Draping the cloth about the native, Misson hung trinkets on his person and put into his hand the ax, a wonderful instrument to one used only to implements of primitive make. Then he sent the native back to his village.
It was not long before the native reappeared with a number of the chiefs of the tribe, bearing flowers, fruits and gifts. They entreated the white chiefs to honor them by coming to visit their village.
A Two-sided Nature
Gladly Misson, Caraccioli and several of the leaders of the colony acceded. They were royally entertained and a holiday was declared in their honor. A strong party of picked warriors escorted them back to Libertatia.
My excuse for dwelling on this incident, devoid of drama or melodrama though it may seem, is the thrilling contrast it offers to the usual story when one strange tribe encounters the encroach of another.
Thus at peace with its neighbors and in the bosom of a fecund land and climate Libertatia leisurely developed. But much as Misson dreamed of peace and quiet there was that in him which grew tired of mere dreaming.
And whatever made him restless also animated the others. It was not long before the glittering sea beckoned to them again and the clangor of fighting sounded in their imagination like a siren’s call.