CHAPTER FIFTY ONE.
Our party was cheering loudly as I got up in time to see the Indians infull flight toward the forest, and a strong force of men in pursuit,stopping and kneeling from time to time to fire on the retreatingsavages, who did not attempt to make a stand.
For some minutes I could not understand what it meant, nor who ourrescuers were, but directly after the word ran round from mouth tomouth--"Spaniards--Spaniards!" and I turned to see a large ship lying inthe river as I ran back to our defences, and past the dead and wounded,to bear my father the news.
"One enemy to save us from the other," said my father. "Well, better tofall into the hands of civilised people than savages. In this case itwill be prison, in the other it would have been death."
"But shall we have to give up to them?" I said.
"In our helpless state I am afraid so, unless the General and Prestonhold that we are Englishmen still. Oh, if I could only get to theirside, and join in the council!"
"Hannibal carry capen," said the great black, who in strict obedience tohis orders was at my back.
"Can you?" cried my father, eagerly.
Hannibal smiled and took my father up as easily as if he had been achild, starting to carry him just as Morgan came up.
"Stop!" said my father; "let me go in a more dignified way if I can.Here, Morgan, pick up one of these fire-locks. Hannibal, my man, set medown again;" and, after giving his orders, Morgan and the black eachtook hold of one end of the firelock, holding it across him, and myfather sat upon it, supporting himself by passing his arms through thoseof his bearers, and in this fashion he reached the group at the gap inthe fence. Here an earnest conversation was going on, while theSpaniards were still in full pursuit of the Indians, chasing them rightinto the forest, and their shots growing more and more distant.
"Ah," cried the General, as my father reached the group, "I am glad youhave come, Bruton. I feel bound in our present strait to take theopinion of all. We are terribly shaken in our position; there are manywounded, and the question we debate is, whether now we surrender quietlyto the Spaniards, or make one more bold stand."
"What does Colonel Preston say?" said my father, quietly.
"Fight, sir," cried the colonel, fiercely, "as long as we can fire shotor lift an arm; but the majority are for giving up. What does CaptainBruton say?"
My father was so weak that he could not stand alone, but his eyes werebright still, and he drew back his head as he looked round.
"First let me hear what others have to say." One of the settlers took astep forward. "That we have fought like men, sir, but it is too much toattempt more. We have failed in our attempt to establish this colony,so now let us make the best terms we can with the Spaniards, and try toget back home. Come, Captain Bruton, you are terribly hurt; you havedone all you can. Speak out now, sir, like a brave man, who wishes tosave further slaughter. You agree with me?"
Every eye was turned on my father, who, in spite of his quiet ways, hadgained enormous influence, and even the General seemed to look at himanxiously as he spoke.
"I quite agree with you, sir, that we want peace, and to return home;but this is home--this country that we chose and obtained the King'scharter to hold, and to defend against all comers. The Spaniards'descent has been most fortunate; but when they come back and arrogantlyorder us to surrender, there is not surely an Englishman here who willgive up? I say No. We have our defences nearly perfect still, and halfan hour to repair this breach. Ammunition in plenty; provisions stillfor quite a siege. Who says surrender? Not I."
There was a cheer at this, and the General laid his hand on my father'sshoulder, crying--
"No one says surrender. Quick, men! Work!"
He issued his orders sharply; they were readily obeyed, and in a veryshort space of time the gap in the palisade was filled with board,plank, and barrel from the central defence that had been so hotlycontested that morning. The barrels were stood up on end and filledwith earth, and by the time the Spaniards' firing had ceased, and theywere returning, our men were posted here and there; and our weaknessbeing hidden, we presented a formidable appearance to the Spanish force,as it marched back, and without coming near our weakest part at theback, formed up at a short distance from the well-manned gates.
Quite a hopeful feeling seemed to have come over men who had been indespair a short hour before, as the ladies and women were put in theenclosure, busy, with the black people, obeying the surgeon's orders.For it was felt that if another encounter took place, it would only beafter due warning, and then that we had ordinary enemies to contendagainst, not the savages, who had received a severe enough lesson toperhaps check further attack.
A strong desire too was manifested to make the best of things in ourenemies' sight, and stores were attacked, rations served out, and everyman who was wounded was disposed to treat it lightly.
I cannot explain it, but I know now that in the reaction, all felt as Idid--ready to forget pain, weariness, and the peril through which we hadpassed. We knew that another enemy had come; but though he had drivenoff the savages, he did not seem at all formidable; and the blacks intheir quick, childlike way, taking their tone from us, were soonlaughing and chattering, as they made fires, fetched water, and busiedthemselves about the camp as if nothing unusual was the matter.
After seeing my father comfortably lying down and refreshed, I left himto go and find out what was going on in front of the gate, where Morganwas one of the little party on guard.
As I went up to him he stared at me curiously, and I looked at him, eachof course thinking of our encounter, and it appeared to me as if it wassomething that had occurred a long time ago, and that I ought not torefer to such a horror--at least not till some time in the future, whenwe could speak of it calmly, as of some adventure of the past.
The change in his aspect was striking as I spoke, his face lighting up;and he looked like the Morgan of old, as I said, quietly--
"What are the Spaniards doing?"
"Smoking, some of 'em, Master George," he said, eagerly. "And some of'em's eating and drinking; and, look you, the big Dons are all togetheryonder having a sort of confab. Think it'll come to a fight with them,sir?"
"I don't know. But hasn't any one been up to the gate or brought amessage?"
"No, sir, and they don't seem to be in any hurry. Look!"
He made way for me to look over the gate at the little force, which layabout half-way between us and their boats at the river-side, while abouta couple of hundred yards away lay their ship, with the Spanish flagblown well out by the breeze.
The men were standing or lying down, and, as far as I could see, no onehad been hurt in their encounter; in fact it had been confined to firingupon the retreating savages. They were taking matters very coolly, allbut their leaders, who were evidently holding a council before decidingon their next step.
"Strikes me, Master George," said Morgan, "that they're thinking thatwinning one little battle's enough work for the day, and I shouldn't bemuch surprised if they went back on board. They don't want to fight us,only to frighten us away."
"Think so?" I said. "They attacked the Indians very bravely."
"Don't see much bravery in a hundred men firing at a lot of savages whoare running away. They never expected to find us all ready for them ina stout stockade, with every man Jack of us standing to arms, in fullfighting rig, and with our war-paint on."
He said this last meaningly, and I shuddered as I thought of what I hadseen.
"Well, I must go back," I said. "My father is anxious to know."
"Yes, of course sir. Then you go and tell him what you've seen, andthat I say I don't think they mean fighting; but that if they do, itwon't be till after they've had a good parly-parly, and asked us firstwhether we mean to go."
Just then there was a burst of talking close by us, and a laugh; theofficer in command gave an order or two, and a couple of the men leanedover and held out a hand each. Then there was a bi
t of a scramble, anda curly black head appeared above the gates. The next moment its ownerwas over, and had dropped down, caught sight of us, and run up.
"Why, Pomp!" I said; "I had forgotten you."
"What for send Pomp out to boat and no come? Pomp dreffle tire, andcome back."
"I say I had forgotten you."
"Ah, Pomp no forget Mass' George," he replied, reproachfully. "Eh? Lilfire--two lil fire--twent lil fire," he cried, excitedly. "'Mell umcook suffum. Come 'long, Mass' George, I dreffle hungly."
I led the way in and out among the busy groups, where, chattering overthe fires they had lit, the blacks were making bread or cooking, andevery now and then I had to catch hold of Pomp's arm and half drag himalong, so great was the interest he took in what was going on; for heevidently felt no modesty or shrinking about making his presence known.
I soon had my father fully acquainted with the state of affairs, andwhile I was talking to him, Colonel Preston came to sit down upon anupturned barrel, and talk for a time about the state of affairs.