The river pirates
page: 0 (TitlePage) [View Page 0 (TitlePage) ] THE RIVER PIRATES; A TALE OF NEW YORK. page: 0 (Advertisement) [View Page 0 (Advertisement) ] ENTERED according to Act of Congress in the Year One Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty-three, by 1i. IO JN & Bi{()r TlKIK, in the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York. iITH THE i O tSPIIIATOI'S!lA:'I HTtlI BY G. W. M. REYNOLDS, AUTHOR OF THE "COURT OF LONDON," "MARY PRICE," THE "MASSACRE OF GLENCOE," ETC. ETC. THis is one of those Historical Romances which in the hands of a skillful artist can always be brought out with such vigor as to attract, and hold enchained the earnest attention of the reader. Reynoldsthas in this romance displayed the "iaiitable powers of description, and the strength, wit, and humor, which make a distinctive feature in all his works. The ( RYE HOUSE PLOT," known as such in history, was a plot to assassinate Charles the Second, of England. at a place called Rye lIouse,on his way to New Market; and the lot was revented by the King's house in Neaw Market accidentally taking fire, which hastened him away eight days before the plotwas to take place. The plot was discovered on the 12th June, 1683. Out of such m aterials as the abovie. the genius of Reyntolds has had ample scope to weave a delightful romance, and he has succeeded. The Rye House Plot will favorably compare with any of his work-s. NEW YORK: H. L ON G & 'B R O T H E R, 43 ANN-STREET. page: 0Advertisement[View Page 0Advertisement] OR, THE TRUE IIISTORY OF THE FREEBOOTERS OF THE PACIFIC THS work. which forms the conclusion to M: MORGAN, THE :BUCCAEE:R: OR. TH'[ FREEBO)OTERS OF THE ANTII is fully equa! in interest to its predecessor, which was so eftensivel v popular and commanded so large a sale. sequel brings the remarkable history of the Buccaneers doivn to the time of their expulsion from the West I and Pacific Oceans. and their extinction as an organized class of pirates. The reader of these true records most wonderful piracies, and the most atrocious pirates in the history of the world, will be astonished and st and forced to confess, that " truth is stranger than fiction." NEW YORK: H. LONG & BROTHER, 4 3 A NN-S TREET. r25 C TRB7C hc om he ocuint :llRAr rpcxen n ajFRsns otTI SI THE, RIVER PIRATES. CHAPTER FIRST. About thirty years ago, in a small street in the vicinity of the Battery, there r-f sided an old, retired sea captain, who had, to use the colloquial phraseology of seamen, "followed the sea from his childhood," and had been, if report. speaks truly, pretty successful in his profession. He had principally been engaged in the coasting trade- that is to say, he had traded, generally speaking, to and fro from New York to various Southern ports of the United States, for several yelars, in the employ of New York ship owners, but during the latter years that he followed the sea, in a brig of his own. To tell the truth, it was pretty well known to all his friends and acquaintances, that the old skipper had made a good dual of money, and' ioi fact was pretty well to do in the world, and could at'any time retire from the active and perilous duties of his pro- fession, put some honest, careful mariner of his acquaintance in command of his brig, and'lay up in ordinary for the remainder of his days, and many -persons wondered why he did not do so. It was incomprehensible to them how an old man-for Captain Jacob Wainwright (that was the name of the old skipper) must at this period have been well on to sixty years of age-could not content himself on shore; but the folks who were-so much given to wonder at this tenacious adherence to sea on the part of the old man, were not sailors themselves, or they would have been -well aware that there is no man on earth who finds it so difficult to retire from active life as your thorough going sea-dog. Not that he is really happy only when at sea, for a hundred times in the course of every voyage, especially when the weather is very severe, or what is worse, still very fine, he swears and grumbles from morning. till night, and positively avers that this voyage shall be the last-that he has had quite enough of knocking about at sea in all weathers, and that it is time now that some younger hand took his place at the helm; nevertheless, no sooner has he been snugly moored at home for a few weeks, than he begins again to sigh and grumble, and wish he was clear off' to sea again-in spite of all the privations and perils of a sea life experienced espeoial- ly after a man has begun to descend the hill of life on the wrong side. It is an idiosyn- crasy of human nature, we were going to say, but we should rather say of sailor na- ture, that it is diffioult-nay, impossible to account for. However, we will let the matter rest, so far as we are concerned; merely observing that Captain Wainwrightp was thoroughly imbued with this se&-going mania, and although after he became well to do in the world, he nominally retired from sea at least a dozen times, he as regular- page: 6-7[View Page 6-7] (i THE RIVEtR PIRATES, ly started on a fresh voyage within few a weeks after he had expressed this determin- ation. Mrs. Wainwright, a nice, tidy, motherly old lady, whom the captain had married from a book-bindery establishment in New York, when he was mate of a vessel, some thirty-five yodrs before, and who, being at that time a very pretty blue eyed, fair hair- ed girl, had fallen in love with the'young sailor, whom she had met for the first time at the house ot her father on Thanksgiving day; he had subsequently taken her to the theater and to various places of amusement, and married -her before he started on his next voyage. Mrs. Wainwright, we say, being perfectly'aware that her hus- band had abundance of means to live on shore, strenuously urged him to retire from his hazardous profession; but though the olI seaman loved his wile, as he often declared, as well as he loved his own soul, not all her blandishments and persuasions were power- ful enough to tempt him to remain on shore, and to all her arguments respecting the disagreabilities and dangers of his profession, the old man replied, that he had been to sea, man and boy, for a period of fifty years, and had never yet met with any serious disaster. However, there is an old proverb which says, "The pitcher that goes too often to the well is sure to be broken at last," and the proverb was verified in the case of Captain Wainwright, who perished one stormy night, off Nantucket, in the vain, though gallant attempt to bring assistance to a vessel in distress, and his wife was left & widow with an only son, then but a mere child of five years of age-for though the old couple had had many children, all of them had died shortly after they were ushered into the world, with the sole exception of William, who was the child of their old age, a very Benjamin, and the light of his old father and mother's eyes. We have mentioned that Captain Wainwright had been exceedingly successful in his speculations, and at his' eath he left his widow in possession of the brig, of a com- fortable and nicely furnished dwelling-house, and of a sum in ready money, the amount of which we never heard, but which there is not the least occasion to specify. Suffice it to say, that after disposing of the brig, the widow found herself in the possession of a very snug little income, and, old as she was growing, she soon became the object o desire to such of her late husband's companions as were bachelors. -The old captain had not been a year in his. ocean grave, before she was importuned on all hands to change her condition, but to such proposals she turned a deaf ear and transferring to his son all the loire she had ever felt for her husband, she continued in her widowed state up to the hour of her death. Little William Wainwright was a child well calculated by his disposition as well as by his personal beauty to engross all the doting mother's care, and the widow Joped that her boy would grow up and enter into some business or profession that would keep him always near her and prevent her suffering all the anxieties on his account that she had constantly endured on account of her husband. He really was a beautiful boy, with a fine open forehead, keen, large, dark eyes, hair black as the raven's wing, and clustering in rich curls over' his neck and brow, and limbs as straight and supple as those of an Antonious. Yet with all his beauty, his was a countenance which pleased more because of its general expression of good humor and high courage than on account of the classical regularity of his features. His teeth were pieces of the brightest and most polished ivory, and there was a beam in his eye and a lightening up of every feature when he smiled, which few could watch with indifference. Although strongly attached to his mother, and anxious to obey her wishes, in all other respects, Will, like the children of most sailors, who have been accus- tomed to mingle with mariners and to pass a great deal of their time on board ships when in port, soon showed a strong inclination to adopt the profession of his father, and notwithstanding all the arguments and persuasions of his mother, by the time he waes fourteen years of age he had fostered such a strong predilection for the sea that his poor mother saw it was useless to oppose his inclinations any longer; but as Mrs. Wainwright appeared to consider the coasting trade of all others the most perilous, she determined to send her son into the service of a company of merchants whose ships navi. - THLE RIVER PIiATES. gated between New York and the Baltic Sea. At the age of fourteen, therefore, Will Wainwright entered upon his apprenticeship, which expiring in five years, he was placed at the age of nineteen as an able seamen on board the ship Neptune, where his attention to his general duties and his alacrity and intelligence, soon recommended him for favor and promotion. He had hardly reached his twentieth year, when he received the appointment of second mate; his preferment to the rank of first mate oc- curred the year after; and on the following year he obtained leave from his employers to wait until the brig Columbia should be fitted out for service, of which he was to be put in command. Right, joyous had the widow's heart been many days before he made his appearance, at the prospect of once more having her boy under her roof, safe and sound from the per- ils of the deep. No fewer than five years had elapsed since she had last embraced him, for although the vessels in which he sailed generally belonged to New York, they had always brought freight to other and distant ports in the United States; and now he was to return tp her loaded with honors, and what was of far more weight in her eyes, worthy to be honored by all good men. Happy woman was she, when, at a late hour on Saturday night, her brave and handsome son burst into her Parlor; and proud was her bearing when she entered the house of God, leaning on his stalwart arm, on the morning after. i Al thus far had been well with the widow and her son, and the prospects for the future lookedright and cheering; but, alas! a small cloud was lowering in the horizon, so small, so dim, as scarcely to be perceptible, yet which was doomed to grow and in- creafe until it overspread the bright sky that beamed above, full of hope and gladness, like the dark but rapid winged messenger that'ushers in the white squall, and which was, fraught with overwhelming wretchedness. There dwelt, at this period of young Wainwright's history, in a neighboring srret. a family of the name of Manson, of whom, from the father down to the youngest child, no one thought well. The old man was by trade a market gardener; but he paid so little attention to the cultivation of his land, that it would have been a matter of sur- prist how he contrived to live, had not his neighbors been pretty well assured that he looked to it but little for subsistence. He was a, widower. His domestic circle con- sisted of three sons and a daughter, the eldest about thirty, the youngest, Harriet, about nineteen. The boys professed to be fishermen, and also occasionally to'join some of the sloops and schooners engaged on the river, and trading to ports near at hand, as seamen ; but whether their voyages were made in search of fish or for other 'legitimate purposes, they were generally far from being successful. The fact is, that fishing and other nautidal services served as an excuse for the prosecution of another and a more perilous vocation, They were smugglers and River Pirates-daring, unprincipled villains-men who were known to carry arms about their persons whenever they set out on an adventure, and who professed, and professed truly, not to set their own lives or the lives of others at a pin's value. They were men of violence from their youth up, dissolute in their habits, proud and bold in their deportment, and, what, at least in the eyes of their neighbors, was worst of all, they were men without onie particle,of honor. No one herded with them, no one dare trust them. They stood perfectly alone, for they had upon various occasions betrayed a companion in illicit transactions, and were univer- sally shunned in' consequence. Of the daughter Harriet it grieves us to speak in the terms which truth requires. Never did the eyes of a human being rest upon a female form or face more perfectly beautiful. HB r brown hair hung in glossy ringlets over her neck, and parted upon a forehead purer and whiter than the purest alabaster, in which every blue vein could be distinctly traced like streaks in polished marble. Her eye of dark hazele'dould lan- guish or' laugh, as suited the humor of the moment, with equal effect; her little mouth spoke volumes, as the smile or the sneer curled it; her figure, neither tall nor ahort, was a piece of the most exquisite symmetry. Yet, with all those outward * * page: 8-9[View Page 8-9] 8 THE RIVER PIRATES. elwain, Harriet was a bad girl; and she was not less bad, that sho was absolutely chaste. Cold, calculating, and hypocritical, she had been taught from her childhood to square every action and to fashion every look according to the dictates of interest. All the young men in the neighborhood admired her, and'almost all had, for a time, dangled after her. But they gradually ceased to court one, who favored their address- es only so far as she found them pliable; and who made no other use of her power over them, than to entangle them in a ruinous connection with her brothers. Young Wain- wright had been so long away from home, that of the character of this family he knew nothing. The sons had all been his schoolfellows; one was about his own age, and when they last parted no such stigma was known to attach to them. It-was therefore but natural that he should meet their advances with the cordiality of other days, and Ireely accept their invitation to call and accept the hospitality of a farm the old man ponessAed on Long Island. This invitation occurred after Divine service, on the very first Sunday that he had spent athome for five years, nd coming, as it did, from the ruby lips of Harriet, no one could feel surprised that it was not declined: for with the precipitancy of his years, Will's admiration grew into passion at once, and before he had exchanged two sen- tenoes with his old acquaintance, he was her devoted slave. From that unlucky hour William Wainwright became a conaent visitor at the house of John Manson. His mother, from whom the state of his feeling could not long remain a secret, did her best to break off the connection. She took, however, the injudicious course which most mothers take when their sons or daughters choose to form an unhappy attachment; that is to say, she let no opportunity pass of speaking / , slightingly of Harriet; nor greatly scrupled to invent one, when it occurred not of its own accord. But her plans proved as fruitless as such plans gene*lly prove, and the more she railed at the object of his attentions, the more warmly-and devotedly attached to that object did he become. , Matters went, indeed, so far at last that the poor mother absolutely longed for the arrival of the communication which was'to separate her from thi' only being upon earth whom she truly loved; so firmly was she'convinced that her son's intercourse witl the Mansons could end in no good, and would probably lead to her ruin, Nor had much time elapsed Before the consequences of his misplaced attachment began to appear in the habits and behavior of young Wainwright. Whole days were now spent at Marnson's house, and some of the lowest and worst characters in the city became his companions. Many a time his mother sat up in anticipation of his return till long past midnight; and when he did return, was shocked to find him in a state of outrageous inebriety. His money, too, began to run short; cards, of which Mrs. Wainwright entertained a grievous horror, became his favorite diversion, and a rumor gained ground that much e of his money was lost at play. When Sumday morning came round he had always some excuse ready why he should not accompany her to church-his head ached, or he had received a communication from his employers which must be answered by that day's post ;-in a word, William Wainwright was an altered man. ' The very expression of his countenance was changed, and even his style'of aress was not what it used to be. The effect of all this was to cause the widow's heart, of late so light, to sink within her; her days were therefore devoted to useless complaining, and her nights to watchfulness and terror. In the meanwhile a thousand stories were abroad respecting her son. His employ- ers, it was said, had sent him his appointment to the command of the brig; but he ha4 rejected the situation at tho suggestion of Harriet and her brothers. He had been frequently seen wandering late at night with suspicious characters on the wharves and amongst the shipping, and sometimes had been seen putting off in a boat to some sloop or other vessel in the river, at an unseasonable hour. Whether these reports were true or not-men whispered and smiled-women looked grave and lamented, , . d . , sS THE RIVER PIRA TES. 9 and all his acquaintance felt persuaded that William Wainwright was entangled'in a net from the toils of which he would never be able to free himself. Nor were there wanting officious folks to inform his mother that the party of scoun- drels with whom her son was associated, would not scruple, at any moment, to saw themselves from the risks they were daily and nightly incurring 6y outraging the law' -to sacrifice her son-nay, they would do so, for they had been known in other in- stances to do so merely for the sake of securing any benefit to themselves. The fears of poor Mrs. Wainwiight became excited beyond endurance, and the more, that she knew not how to proceed to save her son. The effect of her personal remonstrances had been to drive him almost entirely from home. . The spell of the Syren waq Overbhim, and to her he fled for comfort awid support when the reproaches and tears of -a kind parent stung too deeply. This the mother saw. She had intimation that among other evil deeds to the commission of which he had been led by the Mansons, her son'was engaged in defrauding the reve- nue by smuggling.. This she positively knew, for he had himself told her so, and had sought to appense her anxiety by the, offer of presents thus obtained, which the poor woman had always refused with horror. ' ' Determined, however, to risk every thing for the preservation of her son, she fell upon a remedy so hazardous as only to be justified by the desperate state of his circum- stances. She resolved to become herself an informer. She made up her mind to instruct the custom-house authorities when and where they might arrest the Mansons in their illicit procceeings, and she delayed it from day to day, only in the hope-the remote and uncertain hope of finding {an opportunity to do so when her son might be absent from their meetings; but that opportunity came not-day and night they were to- gether, and the poor woman, worked up to a pitch of frenzy, at last gave information of an intended landing of smuggled goods, in which she had some how discovered that the Mansons were to be concerned, Driven to desperation, in the belief that her son would fall a victim to the interesto of his more crafty companions, she despatched an anonymous letter to the custom-house, in which the plans of the smugglers, asFar as she had been able to learn them from her son,' during a fit of semi-intoxication, in which, under pretence of feeling interested in the matcr, she had questionedlhim the night before, were fully communicated. The letter bore no signature, nevertheless it was not cast aside; but what the con. sequences of it were, it shall be'the business of another chapter to detail. ' CHAPTER SECOND. It was a stormy night in the month of September, 18--. The rain had fallen heavily during the day, accompanied with fitful gusts which had swept the leaves from the trees, and thereby greatly added to the the generally dreary and chilling aspect of the weather.. . As night set in the rain ceased, but the squalls of wind which had blown at -ntervals, now concentrated into a heavy gale; the wind during the day'had been from the south-east, but it' suddenly chopped round to the opposite quarter, and, as we have stated, blew 'a hurricane. To give a little scope to the fancy, it almost appeared that the squalls had been stored up as they passed by, and let loose again by the demon of the tempest in one overwhelming rush of wind. As folks said, who had hurried through the storm from their places of business, and found themselves snug in their warm dwellings, ' it blew a regular equinoxial that night, if ever one did blow." In spite, however, of the fury of the storm, about ten o'clock that night two men fmight have been seen, closely wrapped up, and threading their way amidst the wind and darkness, along one of the piers of the North River. "Is it the time yet '" said one voice, placing his lips close to the ear of his com- panion, so that the rushing wind should not carry away the sound. "Not quite, I think," replied the other, after the same fashion. "It was eleven o'clock they said, was it not '!" page: 10-11[View Page 10-11] 10 THE RIVER PIRIATES. "Yes, and it cannot be far from that now; it-struck ten before we started." "Hush!" whispered the first speaker; "did you not hear :Something t" There was a silence o, several minutes after this; but the alarm appeared to be groundless: it was only the howling of the wind or the creaking of the vessels cord- age as they wrenched about uneasily at the wharf, and grated against one anothers' ' sides and fenders. "A great pity. 1 knew the boy's father-a fine lad the youngster grew up too; but he has become devilish wild of late. Will they fight, think you 3" "Can't say; I've got my bulldogs though, and curse me if I don't make use of them if I find oocasion. There they come, by Jove. Let us hide." At this moment a dark speck might hbe seen through the fog and snowdrift on the river, rising and falling on the white crests of the waves which were, on this stormy night, of more than usual size. It was soon seen that a boat was approaching the shore, but very slowly, for but three oarsmen were pulling, while one man sat on the stern and steered, and the wind and waves rendered it no easy matter to guide and im- pel the heavy laden boat through the darkness.' However, in a few minutes the men landed, and the boat was with some difficulty moored to the wharf, and then three heavy sacks were taken from them and thrown on to the pier. At this moment the moon broke out and shone fitfully for a few minutes, disclosing clearly the feature; of the men. They paused for a space after having unloaded the boat, standing by the sacks and looking anxiously'arqund them in the passing moonlight. Having continued thus for about five minutes, tley again resumed their burthens and began to move towards the quay. They had proceeded about half way, when two men sprang from the shadow of a pile of lumber by the side of which they were phasing, and made towards them. Instantly their sacks were east from them, and the four figures fled in different directions, unpursued, however, by the assailants, who occupied themselves in gather- ing the plunder together. A short time after this the- residents of the neighborhood were aroused by the re- port of firearms. A shout followed, and then a shriek, as if from one in pain or dead- ly peril. , Several persons who hastily rushed fromtheir beds and looked through the windows, saw distinctly a group of three persons, one lying at length upon the ground and two standing over him-a fourth man was further off, and was apparently rushing with all haste to the scene of outrage. t Although they were too far removed for any of their conversation to be heard, es- pecially through the warring of the angry elements, yet it was evident to the specta- tors that the last mentioned person no sooner joined the rest than a violent altercation, begun. Of course, whatever was the subject of it was impossible to say, but it end- ed in their lifting the form which -lay upon the ground, and casting it over the end of the wharf. A horrible conviction flashed across the minds of the spectators. Murder had been -ir committed-the murder no doubt of a policeman or a custom house officer, and these were the persons who had shed his blood. A chill crept through their veins. They drew in their heads, and when they looked again the figures'had all disappeared. A tremor of deadly fright, caused by the sight of the murderous deed that they fan- oied they had witnessed, probably prevented the spectators from summoning the assist- anoe of the police, and certainly none of these guardians of the night were at hand, for the perpetrators of the deed had evidently gone off, without having been molested. Daylight at length arrived, and with the cheering rays of the sun, the fears of the hours of darkness were in a great measure dissipated, and then neighbors met together and talked over the disturbance, of which many of them had been witness, and then 'a group of individuals sallied forth with the intention of visiting the spot where they. had seen the deed of violence done. . They found abundant confirmation of their worst fears. The wharf had evident- ly been the scene of a desperate struggle, for the plank was scratched with the marks . THE RIVER PIRATES. A " of strong nailed shoes, as though men had been wrestling for their lives, and here and there were spots of blood. A little further off was a small pool of blood, as though indicating the spot where the body of the victim had lain after the murder had been accomplished, and before he had been thrown into the river. The spectators traced the track over which the body head been dragged to the edge of the wharf, by the clots and dashes of blood that marked the planks, and on looking over the edge of the wharf, the body of a dead man, with his throat cut from ear to ear, was seen not more than two or three feet beneath the surface of the water, it hav- ing been prevented from being carried away by the tide by a heap of stoes in which it was embedded. The body was immediately raised from the water, and then it was discovered that the victim was a servant of the custom-house, who had been but a short time in the service, but who had distinguished himself by his activity. He was a native of Ire- land, and although an adopted citizen, had no relatives in this country. -The place where the body was found was then closely searched, in the hope of find- -ing some clue by which the perpetrators of the diabolical deed could be traced, and after some time a knife was found, of the description that sailors usually carry. The edge was turned, as though it had come in contact with the bone or some ether hard substance, and on the handle were engraved the letters WILL W. Young Wainwright was known, in consequence of his intimacy with the Mansons, to most of the boatmen, and a trill of horror ran through the assembly as one of these men took hold of the knife and zaid:- - "This knife belongs to William Wainwright. I have often seen it in his posses- sion." And then there was a general exclamation- "William Wainwright is the murderer." "The exclamation was hardly uttered when a crowd of people, who had gradually been gathering, attrazted by the sight of something of a mysterious character going on upon the wharf, although the morning was yet early, and amongst the crowd were several poncemen and a magistrate, to whose earsthe information had bpen conveyed by some on6 that the body of a murdered man had been discovered near the pier, and constables were immediately despatched to arrest not only young Wainwright, but likewise the Mansons, who were suspected strongly of having been accorapliceiin the foul deed. * In the meantime the body was removed to a station-hobse to await the issue of an inquest. c^ In the course of a few hours Wainwright and the brothers Manson. were arrested, and when they were brought before the magistrate the most careless spectator could not help noticing the striking contrast whic he appearance and manner of the unhap. py persons presented. In the demeanor of the latter were exhibited hardly any symptoms of alarm, cer- tainly none of confusion or dismay. o t An occasional flush would indeed pass- over their countenances, as the examination proceeded; but with this exception, theirs was the expression of men either absolutely innocent, or to a terrible degree callous and hardened. Not such was the expression of young Wainwright's face. Misery, the deepest and the darkest was depicted there. He was deadly pale; hiM eye was wild and blood. shot, and either rested steadily upon the floor or wandered in seeming unconsciousness around the room. Nor was the difference in their dreess less remarkable. The brothers had been arrested in bed. They rose and calmly put on clean apparel, and acted in every way as if they were utterly ignorant of the cause of the arrest. Wainwright had been taken in the street near where the deed of blood had been' committedi #e wore the same garments which he must have worn on the preceding night, and they, as .well as his hands, were red with blood. When the officers arrested him, he was pacing backwards and forwards more like i . a page: 12-13[View Page 12-13] 12 / THE RIVER PIRATES. one who meditate self-destdrotion than esape., and he now stood before the magtstrates as manifestly stamped with the crime of which he was accused as external appearanoe eould'siamp him. r'he principal magistrate havrin seated himself in due form beside the table, pro- Ceeded to take the depositions of such as appeared in any respect acquainted with the circumstances of the ease; but these were principally confined to accounts of the re- ports of firearms that had been heard and the struggle that had been seen on the wharf- We should have mentioned that the murdered man had received a pistol shot on his shoulder which although not of a nature to have proved fatal had no doubt brought him to the ground; but very shortly a witness was examined who brought the matter home, more fully to the prisoners. This witness proved to have been the companion of the murdered man. He disposed to the receipt of an anonymous communication, in consequence of which, by the direction of his superiors, he and his companion had acted, and he described minutely the fact of their ambush on the wharf and their subsequent seizure of smuggled or stolen goods. The goods seized were, however, too bulky to be removed without assistance, and it became necessary for one to go in'search of such assistance while the other kept guard overthe prime, and the form&erduty falling to his share, he left the deceased to discharge the latter. On his way he met a man whomnhe recognized as the- elder Manson, with whom he was acquainted; but he merely wished-him " good night" and passed on. He might have been absent from his companion for about an hour before he could procure the necessary aid. Having procured it, he hastened back, and discovered, to his dismay, that neither his brother officer nor the smuggled goods were in the pliae he had left them. / He then went on to state, that alarmed at such an oecurrene, he and his party, be- gun to search the ground for marks of violencey which the singular absence of the offi- eer and the goods prognosticated. In this search, a pistol was found, which appeared to have been lately discharged, and which, on examination, he could not recognise as having belonged to his compa- nion. Next a quantity of, blood was discovered, as well as the trace, as if a body had been dragged along the boards to the edge of the wharf'. Being now fully satisfied that a deed of bood had been committed, the party agreed to give information to the near- est magistrate, and they accordingly proceeded to his residence; he promptly tender- , od them all the assistance in his power, and to him all the rest of the proceedings were known. e The testimony of the last witness having been taken down and signed, it was fully corroborated by the evidence of the peoons who had accompanied him for the purpose of securing the Captured goods. No more therefore was necessary to make out a case against the prisoners, then to identify the weapons found upon the spot as their property. With respect to the knife, no proof could be more distinct. Many persons swore to their having observed it in the possession of Wainwright, and the letters engraved upon the haft rendered Itheir assertions additionally credible; but of the connection of the pistol with the brothers, the proof was not perhaps so decisive; The prisoners, however, were all known to be on the most intimate footing together; they had been seen together on the night previous to the murder, and they had been seen to go out on the river in wa: boat together, although the night was so stormy as to occasion many wonders add sur-'l . mises what business could call men abroad upon sueo an undertaking at'such an hour. Such was the chain of evidence against them, and upon it the magistrate conceived that he was bound to detain them. There remained yet one sourao of information, of which no use!O been made. The magistrate, having asCertained that the officer was in possession of the anony- - ' . 9 * * THE RlVER PIRATES. 13 maous tetter alrady aided to, desired that it might be given up to him, as a probable means of throwing additional light on the mysterious affair. This was done, anrd after it had been for some time submitted to the inspection of the persons present, one of them declared it to be in the handwriting of Mrs. Wain- wright-the mother of him who was believed to be the actual murderer. It ran thus : "One who is anxiops to save an infatuated youth from ruin, begs to inform the * authorities of the Custom House that towards midnight on the 15th of this month, a boat will land at pier No. --, North River, laden with various smuggled goods. It is surmised that the boat's crow will consist of four persons, and that the goods will be oonveyed to the house of the notorious John Manson." No one after hearing this letter read could doubt the guilt of William Wainwright, and he seemed at this moment about to perish through the well intended stratagem of her who loved him above all created beings. Whether he entertained any suspicion of the fact we know not, for he paid no re- gard to passing events-did not apparently hear the Fetter reld--not even when, like the rest, he was called upon to deny or confess his crime, did he utter one word; while they were protesting their innocence he remained speechless. A clear case was therefore adjudged to be made out against him, and a case little less clear against his companions, for whose committal a warrant was made out, and they were delivered over to the constables to be removed to prison. The magistrate had just signed the deed, when the door burst open, and the unfor- tunate mother of Wainwright rushed into the justice room. i' Her scream was so shrill-so appalling that those who lived at the far end of the- street could have heard it. "Ah, what 'have I done"t cried she, " and what have you done, my unfortunate boy? Why stand you here mys8on, and what blood is that Lupon your face 1 He is innoceit, sir," continued she wildly, turniv$ to the magietrate," quite innocent. Hek commit murder! he whom I have reared so gently and who was so gentle to me till- but we will not refer to that. t is done now-it is all over-the connection is broken off, and he will go back to be again the comfort of his widowed mother. Will you not, William- will you not return with me, my boy?. come come," she cried. taking him by the hand, "come home, dear William, come home." Young Wanwright groaned audibly. Itswas the first sound which he had uttered since he was brought to the house, and it comes from the bottom of his heart. "I cannot go with you now, mother," said he, "I must go elsewhere-to prisou and then to death.," ' CHAPTER THRD. "To death! What! To prison and to death!" shrieked the agonized woman. ' My son! what say you--yno to prison and to death? No-no-it cannot be. It was not for that I wrote the letter, my boy-it was not against you that I informed. It was against them-those bloody, heartless, depraved monsters-those who have ee- duced you from the path of virtue, and then basely betrayed you. Oh! may a dee- pairing mother's curse blight and wither them. May--" "Hush, hush, mother," replied the prisoner. "Curse no one; or if you curse at AH, curse me. Now I am ready," continued he, turning towards the constables, and speaking in a strangely firm, yet almost unearthly tone. "Take me now where you list." The magistrate and all present were deeply affected, and it was not without evident emotion that the police officer proceeded to put on the handcuffs. In effecoting this it was seen for the first time that young Waiuwright's right hand was severely cut. ' A deep gash or stab' was on the pltnm, fromna which the blood still continued to flow. "How cameo that wound there ." enquired the magistrate, evidently with a hope that the young man's answer world give a favorable turn to his case. But he answered not. tHe held up his wrists for tho manacles as if no such ques- page: 14-15[View Page 14-15] " THE RIVER PIRATES. tion had been put, and seemed to surrender himself -wholly to despair. It was not so with his companions. * They protested vehemently that no case had been made out against them, and that they were sacrificed to the prejudices of their neighbors; but the magistrate being of a different persuasion, they were reluctantly compelled to sub- mit. While this sad scene had been enacting, the poor, heart-stricken mother had ,sunk down upon a bench, and placing her head between her hands, she rocked to and fro, absorbed in grief, or perhaps insensible, for she took no heed of anything that was going forward. When, however,.the prisoners were about to be removed, the unhappy, woman sprang from her seat and rushed wildly between the party and the door. "You shall not remove him!" she shrieked rather than cried. "Friends, neigh- bors, help! Oh-help!' help! They will murder my boy-my poor innocent boy- whom I have betrayed, and. his blood will be on my head. Will not some of you save him?" she continued, glaring wildly around. ., Cannot you see he is innocent-in- nocent, as the child unborn, and can you stand still and see him borne to prison and to the grave 1 Oh, God! I am forsaken-Thou hast forsaken the widow and the father- less in the hour of their affliction! Oh, God! save him-save him." Although exceedingly reluctant to use violence towards one whom all sincerely pi- tied, the officers wore at: length obliged to remove her forcibly from her position. In vain she struggled and shrieked to be set free. The procession moved op,\ and the un- happy parent, overcome by the violence of her emotions, fainted, and perhaps happily ceased for a time to be sensible of her misery. As may well be imagined, this event createdc at the time a powerful sensation amongst all classes of people in the neighborhood. Little else was talked of for seve- ral days after the arrest of the prisoners, and all united in sentiments of commissera- tion, as well for young Wainwright, who was universally believed to have fallen a vic- tim to the wiles of his associates, as for his ill-fated mother. Nor was the latter less deserving of pity than the former. Her grief knew no bounds, and the reflectioni that all had been brought about by her own rashness, infused a degree of bitterness into her sorrow not necessarily an ingredient there. The trial of the prisoners was delayed for some weeks, and meanwhilq numerous friends of the late Captain-Wainwright and of his widow sought to ferret out every minute circumstance connected with the present case, as well as various previous occur- rences with which the Manson family were supposed to have been connected, in the hope to discover something-although they knew not what-that might go to prove the innocence of. the young hPan with regard to the capital offence, for though appear- ances were strongly against him, a belief was everywhere prevalent, that of the capital offence-the henious crime of murder, he must be innocent; at all events, as it was pret- - ty clear that one of the parties would be admitted to give evidence, in order fully to convict the rest. something at least, they thought, would be gained; could William ,Wainwright be prevailed upon to stand forward in that capacity. One of the most active of poor Mrs. Wainwright's friends, had occasion at this pe- riod to visit Albany, and having business at Hudson and other towns on the road be- tween Poughkeepsie and the Capital of the State, he had left the steamboat at Pough- keepsie and taken the stage at Hudson. It was evening when he had started from New York, and by the tinie he reached Poughkoepsie it was quite dark. The stage con- tained, he perceived, three other passengers besides himself, but it was impossible to ' distinguish more, than that one of those who sat on the same seat with Mrs. Wain- wright's friend, was a female. The other two were males. For the first five or ten minutes after starting, no one spoke a word; but at the end of that time, a dialogue sprung up between the two men, in which Mrs. Wainwright's . friend could not avoid taking a lively interest. It struck him at the time as having reference to the murder of the servant of the Custom House and he afterwards discovered that his suspicions were well founded. We must not lose heart," said the gruff voice of a man who sat directly opposite " THE RIVER PIRATES. v 15 to him. f"All will yet be well. It is abad business, fb doubt; but where is the , use of being down-hearted." "It all comes of your infernal stupidity," was the reply. "You knew what was, going to happen, and you might have hindered it. What had you to do sending such fellows about it, and, sending them, too, so d--d exact to their timel Were the boys out of the scrape, should be right glad that the fool got paid off for his med- dling." "Nay," rejoined the other, " it was no fault of mine. rhad not the choice of the men, nor the direction of their movements. It was rather the fault of that hot- headed fellow, Ned-he is so confoundedly ready with his hands." "Well, well-we need not quarrel about it The thing is to get them off if we can. We may depend upon you, I suppose'" ' Certainly, provided we succeed in muzzling the young one." "Never fear for that; leave that to us. ' The conversation ended here, and was not resumed, for one of the speakers hap- pening to put a question to the stranger, which he replied to, the tone of his voice ap- peared to produce a strong effect upon the entire party. A, private signal passed be-- tween them, and the female, as well as the- more remote of the two men, wrapped themselves up closely and were silent. - When day dawned, it was impossible to get a glimpse of their faces, and the features of the third person, though not so well con- cealed, were not sufficiently familiar to be recognized. "Meanwhile, while the prisoners were awaiting their trial, young Wainwright was constantly visited by numerous frienv and others, who felt sympathy for his misfor- tune, and believing him innocent in spite of appearances, were deeply interested in his behalf; but they found him utterly and fearfully dejected. For his life, he protested he had no regard; but his character was gone forever, and the distress of his poor mother afflicted him more than any othe, of his misfortunes. At first, indeed, his manner was that of a man thoroughly reckless. Ho would hardly speak of the sub- ject of the murder at all; and he positively refused to come forward, should such a thing be proposed, as a witness against his associates. "No-no," said he, in reply to all the importunities of his friends, " my name is black enough already; but never shall it be said that those who were my companions suffered through my treachery." Every effort was made to overcome this absurd reasoning on his part, but all were fruitless, and hii-friends at length desisted from importuning him further. Among the friends who v sited him in jail, was the gentleman already alluded to as having been th'e fourth passenger in the stage, and one day, after his return to New York, in returning along the passage that led from the cell of the young man he was startled by the appearance of old Manson and his daughter, with whom he was ac- quainted by sight; as they issued from one of the cells. The truth now flashed upon him. The voice which had sounded so familiarly in his ears, during the progress of his journey, was that of the old man, and the caution with which his fellow travelers, had concealed their features, was fully explained. Not that there either was or oouldlbe the slightest impropriety in their using every fair and legitimate means for the. deltVeance of their own relatives from trouble, but he knew them too well-not to be aware that they would not confine themselves to fair means; and he bad heard from poor Mrs. Wainwright too many instances of the girl's complete control over her son, not to apprehend that it might be mauaged so as to cause his destruction. He accordingly returned home, more than ever alarmed for the fate of the young mxnl. Nor were his fears groundless. He visited him again on the following day, only to find him more firmly than ever fixed in his unwise determination. , The syren had cast her spell over him, and a resolution grounded upon false notions of hofnor, received tenfold strength from her persuasive blandishments. . ' All will be well," he would say, "' they cannot, and I will not disclose anything: page: 16-17[View Page 16-17] jd .THE R IVER PIR&ATES. ad without somn declratton oid our part, what evidence is therom gainsb us I Ardd Aotld the contrary happen, my mind is firmly made up. I illneve become an infir- It was in vain for his fiends to reason with oneoso completely infatuated, and after each visit they quitted the place with a heavy heart. His mother earnestly pleaded, but failed in inducing him to endeavor to save his Hife by speaking what he knew, and the official offer made by the sheriff was rejected. Nor even when assured that one of the brothers stood ready to accept the mercy which he despised could he be persuaded to alter his mind; and hence when the day of histrial grew near, his prospects were not in -the most remote'degree ameliorated. On thecontrary, though much of ihe fierce and desperate character which marked his former demeanor had d&parted, $et on the single point of becoming evidence against his companions, he was still as resol te as ever, praying '( that Heaven would abandon him in the hour of his greatest need, whenever he abandoned that determination." This, was readily accounted for. Not a day passed without his receiving a visit from Harriet, and,. no doubt, not an interview occurred, during which he was not re. minded of his promise, and urged to keep it inviolate. At length the period of the trial came round, and the court was duly opened for the sonduot of publio business. The first day, as usually happens, was spent chiefly in the arnrgement of preliminary matters-the juries were called together, the charge de- livered, and bills of indictment brought forward. On the second day the murder trial oame on. It is needless to observe, that a trial for murder, under any circumstances, never htai to excite a great degree of attention; but in the ease to-day there were features of more'than ordinary atrocity, and the interest taken in it by the public was fully evincedby the multitudes which surrounded'the Court House from an early hour in 'theo omning. No sooner were the doors opened, than every bench and corner was crowded to suf- focation, while a1 who filled them bore upon their countenances an expression of the deepest and most painful anxiety, for a rumor of young Wainwright's behavior had, by some means or other got abroad, and hence all descriptions of people appeared to enlist their feelings in his behalf; indeed there, were not wanting several respectable person8 who volunteered such advice and assistance as they had it in their power to. offer. At'the suggestion of one of these, Mrs. Wainwright had taken care,-in addition to the lawyers employed for the prisoners generally, to engage a counsel expressly for 'her son whose reputation stood high, and who certainly merited in the present instance all the-praise that coull be heaped upon him. It was a terrible vision-that sight in the Court House that-morning to many Who, owing to the peculiar circumstances connected with the murder, and to the general in- terestfelt in the widow's son, for the first time in their lives looked upon a trial for ' murder. ' There stood the young man Wainwright, handcuffed and loaded with chains, be- tween two of his ferocious comrades. Apart from the rest stood the third, not ironed, however, like them; but, as it seemed, ready to step from the dock to the witness box. Many closed their eyes involuntarily--many cursed the one, who had turned informer, it their hearts, for no one could compaq, his ferocious features with the dignified and noble lineaments of the prisoner, and believe the latter guilty and the former innocent. And now, silence being proclaimed the murmur of conversation ceased, and a pin might have been heard to drop upon Oe ground, while the proper officer proceeded to read the indictment. It accused Zachariah Manson, Thomas Manson, Edward Man- son and William Wainwright, of having, during the night of the 15th of September last, at a certain place within the city and county of New York, and in the state )of that name, H]loniously, and with malice prepense, killed and slain Robeft Sharp, em- W' ployed in the Custom House of the said city, when in the performance of his duty. !, THE RIVER PIRATES. 17" A second count charged the prisoners with an attempt to defraud the revenue by run- ning and importing contraband goods. All against the peace of the commonwealthif the said state. "Zachariah Manson," continued the officer, "1are you guilty or not guilty!" ( Not guilty," replied the prisoner. : Thomas Manson, are you guilty or not guilty 1" "Not guilty." "Edward Manson, are you guilty or not guilty "." "Not guilty." "William Wainwright, are you guilty or not guilty ." "Guilty of the second count, but not guilty of the first." "Not guilty of the first!" shrieked a female voice from one of the galleries. "Not guilty of murder. Hear ye that, gentlemen . My boy is not guilty-oh! let him go-let him go!" Not a sound was heard in the court save the voice of the speaker'; and so electrified were all present by the tone in which the words were uttered that no one sought to in- terrupt her. All eyes were east upwards towards the- place fronm whence the shriek came, and there stood the miserable widow in the very- front of the gallery, with hands clasped and arms uplifted, staring upon the spot occupied by her son. Her dress was all disordered; her cap, pushed partly off her head, permitted her hair, now slightly tinged with grey, to hang wildly about her shoulders; and her large dark eyes Wero motionless, as it they had no power to move, and all earthly objects, except one, were shut out from them. The- Judge hadt however, by this time, recovered from his surprise. "My good woman,'! said he, "you must keep silence; I should advise you to withdraw." "I will, I will," she cried "1but do ye, not hear what William says!' and I will swear that he speaks the truth." "This must not be," said the Judge. "Officers, do your duty, and keep order in the court."* But even the officers were tender towards the'heart-stricken woman; they only beg- ged her to be quiet, and she sat down, and the business proceeded. "-By the lenity of the Court, and at the request of the Custom House," said the counsel. for the prosecution, "( Thomas Manson is allowed to give evidence in this ease. We therefore withdraw out plea against him." The judge hereupon charged the jur, and a verdict of "Not guilty" en both counts being returned, the prisoner quit- ted the dock. k Xt wfre needless to go minutely through th several parts of the trial. The ounn- sel for the defence did what men 'could do to puzzle and confound the witnesses. The' lawyer who had been retained especially for William Wainwright, exercised a degree of ingenuity whie[ astonished the court and spectators, and added considerably to his already high reputation, and he put several questions to the witnesses with the design of eliciting from their replies that Wainwright at least could not be implicated in the more serious offence.. "' I think you mentioned;" said he, addressing one of the witnesses, who, as has already been observed, had seen the proceedings of thesmugglers from a window, "I think you mentioned that after the shots were fired and the shrieks uttered, you saw only two men beside th6 body, wihilst one was coming towards them, along the wharf. Was he who was approaching the group a tall man or a short man'." "As far as I could judge," replied the witness, "a tall man." "Now, look at the three prisoners at the bar and the witness who has lately quitted it, and tell me which of them comes nearest in height to the recollection you have of that man!" The witness looked round; Wainwright was full two inches taller than'affy of page: 18-19[View Page 18-19] 1r8 THE RIVER PIRATES. them. ' Yet the witness seemed incapable of swearing that he was the person he had seen approaching the group. 1 do not wish you to say which of these persons was really the man," said the lawyer, observing the witness' doubt, "for as yet wo suppose that none of the guilty. parties are present; but, supposing these to be the people implicated, which should you imagine to have been that man'" To the question thus put, an objection was raised by the opposite counsel; but the objection was overruled, and the witness responded- "As you now address me, I should say that William Wainwright's height cor- responded most nearly with that of the person alluded to." "God bless you, sir," again exclaimed the unhappy mother, as she heard this ob- servation; but she was immediately silenced, and the rest of the evidence being now disposed of, Thomas Manson ascended the witness box, and was solemnly sworn; he promised to tell the truth, the Whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and prayed God to help him as he kept that promise, and then proceeded to give a minute and circum- stantial detail of the occurrences of the fatal evening; but as the reader is already cog- nizant of the principal facts, we shall spare thOm the infliction of a second perusal, and confine'ourselves in the next chapter simply to such remarks of the witness which bore directly upon the guilt or the innocence of the several individuals implicated in the committal of the bloody deed. CHAPTER FOURTH. Thomas Manson, then, related the circumstances of the seizure as it had been de- scribed by the officers and the witnesses, and of the flight of those who carried the goods. These were his brother Edward, William Wainwright, and himself. "As to Zachariah," he said, "we left him in charge of the boat, and he never joined us until all was over." When the witness uttered this, Wainwrignt turned round in the dock and stared him full in the face. A sort of flush passed over his cheeks, but he was no way further embarrassed. and he'went on :- * Though we 'fled at first in different directions, we all three met in a coal yard close by to the right, and here we entered into a consultation as' o what was to be done. - , ' Done I' cried Wainwright, who had drank rather too freely, ' what should be done!" You have pistols, I have a knife; there are three to two, let us recover the goods.' To this we objected; he snatched a pistol fom me, and swore if we feaed to join him he would go alone. Il He set off accordingly; we followed, with the sole view of preventing fatal con- sequences; but before we could overtake him, he and the deceased had exchanged shots." "I The deceased was wounded, and fed; but Wainwright pursuedcRimseized him like a tiger, threw him, and juscas we reached him, had succeeded in cutting his throat. I wrested the knife from his grasp, and in the struggle wounded him. "We were all about the body, uncertain how to dispose of it, when my brother arrived. - He mentioned having met the other officer, and assured us that all West stree t would be astir directly, so we east the body from the wharf, and; then thought of escaping." While this man's evidence was delivered, men seemed to hold- their very breath with anxiety; now that it had come to a close, a long sob or sigh ran through the court-a fearful silence followed it, and every- eye was turned on Wainwright. The unfortu- nate youth up-to this period had hung down' his head, as if with shame; he now raised it proudly, and looked calmhly and resolutely around. At length, addressing the judge, he said, slowly, and with great firmness- . ' The last witness has uttered a (issue of lies. I have sworn not to betray the guilty person, but I am not he." THE RIVER PIRATES. 19 "' Prisoner, you must be silent," exclaimed the Judge, "you are in the hands- of counsel." g The cross-examination which the witness endured was'indeed en gh to cause an ordinary person, even when speaking the truth, to fall into a thousand contradictions. He was asked how the knife came into the water, but he could not tell; he was ques- tioned as to the reason why Wainwright, if so desperate a haracter, wore no pistols Iof his own? For that he could not account. But in the main parts of his story no contrariety appeared, and though required to. tell it again und again, he invariably told it in the same words. It was well got up-no doubt It had been well prepared before hand, and the prisoner's counsel at length sat down in despair, leaving the case to the jury. ' * - . And now the judge summed up. He went over the chief heads of evidence with the strictest impartiality, charging' the jury as that evidence required. He en- treated them if they had any doubts upon their minds to give the prisoners the full benefit of those doubts; " but the testimony of the last witness," continued the judge, "is so clear and so decided that, in my opinion, you have but one duty to perform. it is a painful one,; but the laws of God aund of your country require it. And now you may retire to consider your verdict." The jury did not withdraw, but consulted together for perhaps ten minutes in the bex. During that interval the court was as still, except when its stillness was inter- rupted by their whispers, as if life had departed from all within it. Once, and once only, Wainwright shuddered as he moved to resume his former po. sftion, and the utter wretchedness of hi:,appearance caused a sympathising shudder to pervade the court and spectators. He was pale-pale as a corpse ; but it was not the paleness of guilt. As we have said he shuddered, but it was but a momentary, spasm and now not a nerve shook, nor did a muscle involuntary quiver. At last the foreman addressed the judge, and told him thejury had made up their minds. "And what is your verdict, gentlemen of the 'jury " -"9 That ZacEliriah Manson and., Edwaril Manson are not guilty on the first count, but guiltyon the second ; that William vWainwright is guilty on both!" '"He is not guilty!" - again shrieked out his mother, as she' wildly rose from her seat. "Oh! mercy, mercy, Judge - Spare the life of the widtw's son; her guilt-. less-beloved son I ' Oh, mercy-mercy!" ,she could utter no more. Her senses for- eook her and she was carried in that state from the court. Wainwright heard the verdict unmoved. Hd made a spring towards his mother when she fainted, as if to support her, and seemed to curse the officers who held him back ; but he recovered his self command again, as soon as she had been borne out, and calmly awaited his sen- tence. A friend of the widow's, seized with an irresistible impulse, and heedless of form, started up and implored the judge to spare her son; pledg ng his credit that he could nqt,:be Auilty, and that the young man's bare assertion was infinitely more to be relied uiOAPt'tan the oath of the person upon w'hos testimony he had been convicted. A' The judge, who himself appeared to feel deeply, heard 'the gentleman out; but' jr told him that he couldpot receive his testimony: "You may employ those arguments," said he, "in a petition to the Governor, which I Fhall certainly .orward if you present it.. But, I tell you plainly, I'see no grounds upon which a petition can be got up; far less can it be expected to avail in saving the life of a mtan ho has been convicted from evidencoesuch as the prisoner has be'en convicted of murder." The friiends of the young man could do no more, and they sat down in a state of- utlter despondency to watcl the conclusion of the. scene. "Z aohariah and Ed'vard;lManson," said the judge; addressing himself towards the dock, " you have both been convicted of violating the, laws of your country by de- frauding the revenue r What m:akes the crime more heinous in your ease i:s that you appear 'to have carried firearms about your persons, while engaged in tour nefarious oc- & w F page: 20-21[View Page 20-21] 20 THE RIVER PIRATES. eupations; and in what way those firearms were intended to be used is hardly to be con- sidered a question. The immediate consequence of. your being armed, indeed,'has been, that the life of, a fellow creature has been sacrificed; and though he died not immediately by you hands, you can hardly be acquitted by your own consciences of some share in the blame attaching to his murder. Taking all those matters into con- sideration, the sentence of the court is, that you, Zachariah, be imprisoned in the State Prison for the term of ten years, whilst you, Edward, will be imprisoned for the term of your natural life. "And now, William Wainwright," continued the judge, " a more distressing tasli awaits me with respect to you. , "Of your character previous to this business the court knows nothing, and can know nothing officially; but it has been said of you, that the time is not very renote when you were accounted a credit to yourself and to 'your connections I would to. God you had always continued sueh; for then the painful .duty would not have been imposed upon me of passing upon you the last dreadful sentence which the law awards. In your case the sentence of the court is that you be taken from the place where you stand to the jail, and there confined until the 20th day of February next, when you ' will be taken thence to the place of execution, and there hanged by the neck till you be dead, and may God have mercy upon soul! "I can hold out to you no hope of mercy from man, and therefore 'advise you to make your peace with Heaven But as your friends seem anxious to petition the Chief of the State in your favor, I have appointed as distant a day as possible for your ex- eoution as is consistent with propriety." Whilst others sat, if frozen with horror, Wainwright alone seemed calm and un- ruffled. "I thank you, sir," said he, addressing the judge; "I thank you for your good will, but I have no hope that it will avail me. Indeed, I hardly desire it. My oha- racter is blasted, and I have no wish to survive it; but I am innOcent-innocent of the orime laid to my charge. I havtebeen led astray by a misplaced passion, and betrayed by false friends. The mart who did the deed stands there!" laying his hand on the shoulder of Edward Manson, who absolutely shrank beneath his touch; '* and there," pointing to Thomas, t" is he who aided him. This wound," holding up his right hand, "I received in striving to protect the man,'whom one brother had smitten down, from the fury of the other ; and as to the knife found by the side of the body, it is easily aocounted for. We exchanged knives that night, whilst in the boat on the river; and here is that for which I bartered mine. But it matters not, I shall suffer; and as I hope to be forgiven, when I stand before the throne of my maker, so do I free- ly forgive my murderers." It is impossible to describe the effect produced by this speech, and by the holding up of a seaman's knife in the hand of the prisoner, bearing the initials E. P. I He is-innocent!" exclaimed the bar, one and all. "The man is sacrificed." ' "Silence, gentlemen!" exclaimed the judge; "let the prisoners be removed." They were removed accordingly, and the court shortly afterwards Was closedforI the day. The gentleman who 'has been .mentioned as having been a passenger in the stage, and who had deeply interested himself in the course of the trial on behalf of the pris- oner, retired from the scene almost in a state of insanity. There was a singing in his ears, as he afterwards described it, as if twenty tea-kettles had been boiling around him, and an overwhelming consciousness of some dreadful event which weighed like lead upon his spirits. He saw and heard fearful things. The widow's scream still rang through the air, and her maniac'form, as she called aloud for mercy, was still before him. Then came the stern yet humane deportment of the judge his deep and sonorous voice, as he prayed God to have mercy on the young man's soul; ,an!, last of all, the image of Wainwright himself crossed his mind's eye ; bringing with it a perfodt consciousness of all that had occurred, and of the necessity of immediate and s I - THE RIVER PIRATES. 21 momentous exertion. Having in some degree required his self-command, this gen- tleman, whom we will call Roberts, dispatched a messenger for the lawyer who tad undertaken to act as counsel for the young man, in whose judgment he had implicit confidence, and of his disposition to serve his client no doubt could be entertained. The lawyer obeyed the summons instantly, and taking precisely the same view of the case which Mr. IRoberts had takon, he began to consider it in all tts bearings. witL a degree of dispassionate acumen, which' jstified the credit that had been given him for acuteness and talent. ' Io saw clearly that Wainwright was the victim of a conspiracy; and as soon as he had been made acquainted with the particulars relative to the stage journey, he decid- ed at once that there were other and weightier parties'to the conspiracy than the fami- ly of the Mansons.- "Who was the third passenger in the stage of whom you speak 1" asked he of Mr. si; '8 RRoberts. "Do you know him 1 Can you conceive where he can be found V" "I meet him almost daily," replied Mr Roberts, "on my way to my office in Wall - street, but I do not know where he resides. ," Are you going to your office this morningS?" ' "Yes." "Then I will accompany you; be so gooil as to point out this man to me, should we be fortunate enough to meet him." "Mr. Roberts signified his perfect willingness to do so, anr in a few minutes they were on their way to Wall street. While passing the- Exchange Mr. Roberts suddenly stopped his companion and pointing to a man opposite, said- '"There he is." . t And there he must not remain," exclaimed the lawyer, hurrying across the street. The individual'pointed out by Mr. Rvberts was in earnest conversation; and did not perceive the lawyer approaching him. "One word with you, sir," said he, as he' reached the spot' where the man stood. "With me, sirl" replied the fellow, reddening. "I know not what business you ea:a have with me. I am in a hurry, and cannot wait." "But you must wait," exclaimed the lawyer. "There is a serious charge against you, and from this spot you do not stir, except in the custody of an officer." A policeman was near the spot, to whom the person oS -the lawyer was well known, and he turned towards him and said- "Officer, do your duty, and secure that man." "Secure me!" replied the othe[i. "Let me see the manl that will secure me with- out a magistrate's warrant or authority. That, I will not resist; but till that be pro- duced, lay hands upon me at your peril." The fellow as he uttered these words, thrust his hand into his bosom and pulled out a pistol. The officer hung back, a crowd began to assemble, and in spite of the efforts of the lawyer to, hinder it, the man mixed himself up with the crowd and 'disappeared. There was nothing, now for it, except to pro'cure a regular warrant; and as one of the bystanders professed to bo acquainted with his place of abode and to know his. name, there was every reason to hope that he might shortly be secured. He was, as it .appeared, a person who had long been suspected of tampering with the Custom House. His name we will call Joseph Pry, " and;"' said the man who knew him, "unless the world greatly belie him, a greater rogue is nowhere to be met with." A warrant was soon procured, on Mr Roberts making oath that he had reason to suspect the individual named in it, of nefarious practices against the revenue laws. Armed with this the officer set off, determined, as he assured the lawyer and Mr. Roberts, to overcome all resistance, and the latter, by the way of whilihig away the tirae which might be expected to elapse before hs return, determined to pay a visit to both Mrs. Wainwright and her son. The former he found in a state of the most pitiable distress. Fit after fithad ome page: 22-23[View Page 22-23] 22 THE lIVER PIRATES. upon her so fast, after her removal out of court, that her medical attendant altogether . despaired of her recovery; and though these gradually ceased, they gave place only to a stupor, which hardly permitted her to recognize, far lesato open her mind, to any one. Under these circumstandes Mr. Roberts considered it useless to protract his stay with her. From her abode, he therefore hastened to the jail; and though it wanted but half an hour of the time of looking up, the turnkey, aware how greatly he was in- trested in the prisoner, hesitated not o admit him. He repaired' to the condemned cell. It Was on the ground floor; ' narrow recess resembling a vault in a church- yard, more than a place of confinement for a living man. The only light admitted was through the-door-an iron grating, over which a strong wooden shutter, perforated to admit the air, could be fastened as night set in. There sat the unfortunate youth-alone, and deeply absorbed in thought p, Yet he was less cast down-far loss desperate than when he had been the occupant of a less comfortable dungeon, in expectation of the day of trial. He held out his manacled hand to his visitor, and eagerly inquired for his mother. "She is better," replied Mr. Roberts, " and I trust will do well. But how aro you, Wainwright? How have the awful events of this day affected you?" "As they ought to affoot me, I humbly hope," replied he. "I know that I have but a short time to live, and I am fully conscious that, although no murderer, I shall deserve my fate, on account of my conduct towards my mother. For her, Mr. Roberts, I feel most deeply ;" here his voice faltered, and the tears struggled to escape from his eye. "Oh, who will comfort her, who will console her, who will wipe away from her memory, the shame and agony of such a death as mine? YoUwill befriend her, sir- you will still be kind to her, and give her your countenance, I am aware; but she will not survive the blow. , Mother and son will perish together, for her heart is too ten- der not to break." / "I would not have you entourage fall hopes, far from it, I would, on the contrary, advise you to prepare for the worst. Bua your friends are actively exerting themselves in your favor; your speech in court has Glade a strong impression, and the agitation of the Mansons wa remarked by all. Y6olmay yet be liberated, and Iprayyou will be." Young Wainwright shook his head, though the bright glane of his eye showed that even this address had renewed the desire of life. "To say that I would not rejoie were your exertions orownod with success," said he, " would be to say an untruth. I am but young to die, and to 'die by the hands o a common executioner! Ugh! it is a terribleidea. Bat I fear you only flatter your. selves. You excite no hope in me; fot what ground have you to go upon! was not the evidence oonclusive" " Yes, but there are other matters, upon which we will not now speak. This con- spira0y, which you would not credit, is seen through by the world at large, and it will, I trust, be brought to light." "Oh, talk not to me of the past," cried he; "I havebeen deceived-played upon -bitterly, cruelly deceived. You are right, sir; there has been a conspiracy. liar-. riet Manson is a devil; but I forgive her, as I forgive her brothers, and I pray they may be forgiven elsewhere." The arrival of the turnkey here put a stop to fuirther conversation. Mr. Roberts shook hands with Wainwright, and having promised to ca ll upon him again on the morrow, followed the turnkey out of the cell. On his way to the outer gate of the prison, Mr. Roberts passed another cell, some- thing similar to that in which young Wainwright was immured, but a degree less gloomy. It was inhabited and a deep- groan, which came through the holes in the shutter, indicated that the tenant was ill at ease either in mind or body, or perhaps "Who is confined there'" inquired'Mr. Roberts of tho turnkey. "One of young Wainwright's associates, sir,". replied the jailor; he that is to be' confined in State prison for lifo. He is in a strange taking, sir. He has not ceased THE RIVER PIRATES. 23 to shake, as if he had thq, ague, since he was brought backsfrom court, and the doctor, twho has seen hiut, does not know what to. make of him. He saye if the fellow does not feel better to-morrow he must be removed to a warmer place; for my part I think the present too good for him." We had by this time reached the gate, and the locks and chains and bolts being one by one removed, the' massy portal grated harshy on its hinges, and Mr. Roberts found himself again in the street, and although deeply impressed with toe'scene he had. just witnessed, still he felt a buoyant sensation in his breast, that seemed to whis-' per to him that all would yet go well. Whether or not he allowed his hopes to de- ceive him, it is yet too soon to say-for days passed away and Pry .could not be found, and notwithstanding all the interest taken by young Wainwright's friends, little had as yet been done in his behalf. CHAPTER FIVE. It is unnecessary to give a minute detail of the proceeding3 of the next four or five weeks. The person who had promised so fair with regard to aiding the police officer in the arrest of Joseph Pry, fount, as miny others have found, that it is easier to mkoe a promise than to keep it. Joseph effectually eluded the search that was made for him. Mr. Roberts and other friends ,who took a deep interest in William W inwright, paid frequent visits to his mother a3 well as to the prisoner. himself. The poor widow recovered slowly, chiefly because her friends thought it advisable to put the best faie on the affair and to flatter her with hopes which they themselves scarcely dare encou- rage. With respect to young Wainwright, though for the first few days he talked much of the possible result of the petition which had been drawn up and numerously sighed and transmitted to the Governor in his behalf, and said something with regard to his own intentions in case its prayer should be attended to; yet when the third and fourth week passed awlfy and no intelligence had reached him, his hopes gradually declined, until they may be said to have become utterly extinct. He now anxiously desired to see his mother. She was still too weak to boemoved, and of this he was informed, being warned at the same time that the nature of his sentenos had been kept a secret from her; and now, when Monday the 16th day of February ar- rived-it will be recollected that the following Friday, the 20th, had been the day fixed upon for the execution-and no pardon or reprieve came with it, his friends thought it incumbent upon them to fulfiljhis wishes, with respect to seeing his mother, at all hazards. Still they resolved to conceal the truth. It was accordingly agreed between them, that Ishe should be told of the commutation of the sentence to that of imprisonment in the State prison for life; and by this time-though with good intea- tions-having become adepts in the art of deceiving, they agreed to convey the com- munication. For this purpose Mi, Roberts repaired to her lodgings on the Tuesday '. morning, aaed finding her so far convalescent as to be able to sit up in her chair, he entered at once on the business of his message. The poor woman evidently expected s-"r y news, from the unusually early hour of, his visit. ( What news do you bring, Mr. Roberts'" said she. "You are the bearer of some intelligence, I feel certain. Oh, God grant that it may be favorable." "Not unfavorable, Mrs. Wainwright," he replied; " at least not so bad as we had aright to expect. You must make up your mind to be separated from your son for a time, but the separation will not be eternal." t"Then he does not suffer," said she, wildly, yet joyfully, clasping her hands togeth- er, "Oh, thank Heaven! thanlk Heave n! What matters imprisonment What boots it, where we live? for to the place where he may be imprisoned, I will accompany him., Mr. Roberts Yes, I will go away froml the city on the same day, and-I know f cannot reside in the prison, but I will reside near him, and he will behave so well that I page: 24-25[View Page 24-25] aX THE RIVgR PIRATES. shall often be permitted to see him, perhaps every day, and then, by-and-bye, he will got a reprieve or a pardon from the Governor, on account of his good tehavibr, and then we Will remove far far away from any locality that may bring these evil days to our re-. collection, and we shall forget all that has past, and be happy again. We will go to the West, and William shall erect a cottage among its woods and wilds. They tell me it is 2glorious country and a glorious climate; and even were it not so, what should I oye for climate or country as long as I am with my boy." It was with much difficulty that Mr. Roberts could restrain his emotion when he beheld the unfortunate woman thus rejoicing in a lie, and hopeful of things that could not even dome to pass were his hopes of a commutation of sentence-feeble hopes now-to be verified,but he did restrain himself, and went on to propose that she shonId visit her sonfib next day in prison. "'What! does e go away so soon '" exclaimed she. "Surely they will not send him off to-morrow but no matter; I am ready, and perhaps I ought not to desire his longer stay here since he is lodged in a dungeon, and he will be better lodged, and at least enjoy some fgree of liberty,where they are going to remove him. ,Go on, sir-- will get ready en now and-follow you." Mrs. Wainwright' rose as she spoke; buther weakness was such that she almost im- mediately fell back upon the sofa. "I cannot walk yet," she said faintly; "You must have me carried, and glad, glad shall I be to bear the fatigue, even if it be such." A carriage was accordingly procured and having been carefully wrapped up, and lifted it, she was renloved without suffering any serious inconvenience, to the city prison. We will not attempt to describe the meeting, far less the parting. They were such M will not bear a delineation in words. The latter indeed was, on the part of the young man, s6 soleamn that Mr. Roberts trembled lest his mother should surmins the truth; but it occurred not to her; so just is the observation, that we believe whawe deire, even if the grounds of the belief be on the contrary side of the question. -Whilst Mr. Roberts and other of the widwi's friendswcre so employed, the lawyer, who had undertaken the case, and other gentlemen who took a lively interest in young Wainwright's affairs, were straining every nerve to procure information, and to sub- stantiate the elaim to an exercise of the gubernatorial mercy. As yet, however, all their exertions had failed; Those of the family of Mansons who were at large, pro- bably conscious that -uspicion had been aroused, had fled the country; of Pry no ti- mgs could be procured, except that it appeared on examining his papers, that he had been in the habit of defrauding the revenue -to a large amount, and that for a series of years; and also that he was mixed up with criminal transactions of a more atroeiou3 nature which we shall have occasion to allude to by-and-by. No doubt his fears suggested to him that this was the ground of his arrest, for the real nature of the charge against him had never been communicated. Be that, how. ever, as it may, no trace of him could be discovered, and hence all idea of saving Wain- wright became delusive, and was well nigh abandoned. . Ot this his friends thoughts it their daty to inform him. He received the intelli- gence with fortitude-with great fortitude, but not without a pang; for there is a vast difference between the expression of an indifference to life when death appears remote, and the feeling of that indifference when it is near at hand. He strove, however, by every means which reason and religion could suggest to reconcile himself to a fate which appeared inevitable. His friends visited and prayed with hid, and nt his opwn earnest request Mr. Roberts spent the entire night of Tuesday in his cell. From the moment of Mrs. Wainwright's departure, indeed, this devoted friend had shut himeclf up with the young man altogether; and painful as this duty necessarily was there were not wanting numerous circumstances which gave to it a degree of pleasurable interest, auch as those who have not experienced the sensation cannot anticipate. The fact may probably be that all violent excitement is pleasing while it lasts; in the excitement to which young Wainwright's friends were now subjected there was no $ * ' THE RIVEIR PIRATES. 25 lack of violence; and hence, as well as from, contemplating the effect of conscious in- nocence upon a religious mind, Mr. Roberts afterwards stated that 'he did not consi- der the night he spent in a condemned cell, in the company of a man doomed to die, the most mriserable that it had been his lot to spend. Tfred nature, however, gavo way at last, and having solemnly commended themselves to the protection of the Deity Mr. Roberts and young Wainwright lay' down upon a mattrass that had been provided, and -both were soon asleep. * During the two days that yet intervened before the day appointed for the execution arrived, Wainwrtfht was constantly visited by his friends, and on the last Thursday night, Mr. Robertsagain remained with him until daylight. Every hope seemed vain now, unless a reprieve arrived at the eleventh hour, for the noise of the erection of the scaffold could be distinctly heard and 'the execution was to take place at noon. As on the previous night, the prisoner and -his indefatigable friend had composed themselves to sleep an hour or two after iidnight, and had slept soundly until the bright rays of the sun awoke them by glancing upon their features through the gra- tings of the dungeon. Both arose and composed their attire,-and hardly. had the y done this when the rat- tling of chains and the drawing back of bolts was heard. The prisoner's hand shook and ' he nervously grasped that of his friend as the harsh sound struck the tympanum of his ears, and seemed to penetrate to his heart; an involuntary contraction was observable in his eyebrows, such as indicates a severe internal struggle between courage and natu- ral weakness. His breath was suspended, too, till the door of, his cell creaked upon its hinges, from the expectation, no doubt, that it would open to admit the jailor for the purpose of informirg him that the last hour; of his life had arrived, and to bid him pro- pare for the scaffold. ' i ' But instead of the jailor, the sheriff entered the cell, and there was an expression in his countenrance not usually exhibited bjy 'te bearer of deadly tidings. The prisoner and his friend both gazed upon him in silence. "Young man," said he, stepping up to William Wainwright, " it gives me sin. cere satisfaction to inform you that His Excellency, the Governor, has ordered a delay in the execution of your sentence, until certain matters connected with the offence of which you stand convicted shall have been more accurately investigated." The blood rushed all at once to WaitWright's cheeks, and then receded again. He gasped for breath, and but that Mr. Roberts held his arm he would have fallen to the floor of' the cell. "How is this!" said Mr. Roberts, overjoyed. "What fortunate occurrence has brought this about? Have you succeeded in apprehending the fugitive, or what has been done?" "No, sir," answered the sheriff, with a smile, ' we have failed on all hands; but there is a Providence which preserves the innocent, and it has wonderfully interfered in favor of the youth. As I see that he is calm, I may as well tell the .whole story at once. His innocence has been clearly proved'by the confessiom of one of his associates, and here is the Governor's pardon, with which an express has just arrived." We will not attempt to describe the a;ceno which followed, or repeat the manry con- gratulatory and admonitory adages to whiAh .young Wainwlight was compelled to lib- ten, not only from the sheriff and the chaplain, but even from the jailor. Let us rather detail at once the means by whch an 'vent so unlooked for and joy- ful was brout'alout. ' We have already mentioned, that on a former occasion when visiting young W\ain- wright Mr. Roberts was startled by the sound of a hearvy groaning, proceeding from a cell near that of the condemned man whom- he had just quitted, and where, as the jailor had informed him, Edward Manson was confined. - The illness with which that' unhappy person was affliated seized him in the dock, and never -left him afterwards. It seemed as though the hand of hi3 victim, when laid upon his shoulder, had been page: 26-27[View Page 26-27] 26 ^ THE RIVER PIRATES;. laden with some deadly poison; for the shivering which came over him at the time, and to which all within the court were eyeIwitnesses, ceased not to agitate his frame to the last. He was supported back to the piison in a violent fit of the ague, and it soon became manifest that his life was in danger. For some days he bore his illness in stubborn silence, but as the danger increased remorse began to' rack his mind, and strange expressions to escape from his lips. 'It was on the, morning of Thursday, on the very day preceding the execution, that, after a severe contest, he desired the chaplain to be-sent for, and to him made a full confes- sion of his guilt, and a declaration of William Wainwright's innocence. The story the young man had related in court was, as it appeared, accurately correct. He, the dying man, shot the victim, while his brother cut his throat, having wounded Wain- wright in the hand while endeavoring to wrest the knifp from him. Nor was this the only piece of intelligence which ihe conveyed. He exposed a series of frauds and crimes in which Joseph Pry had taken an, active part; and tho whole being carefully noted down and read over to him, he signed it as hi's dying de- claration. , . With grounds so clear to act upon, there was no difculty whatever in obtaining the Governor's pardon. An express was immediately sent, and the pardon was re- ceived as soon as it was possible for the express to return. Wainwright3 was of course immediately liberated from jail, and his mental suffering during the period of .his im- prisonment, especially since sentence of death had been passed upon him, was eon- sidered a a sufficient punishment for his offence against the revenue. All charges from that quarter were therefore dropped, and ho returned to his home. His mother received him with frantic joy; for some time her life was iedanger, for thixcess of joy. is equ lly dangerous with that of grief. o It was necessary to con- ceal for many weeks from her the real peril of his case. , It was long-very long, before she recovered even tolerable health, and her constitu-, tion had been so undermined by her trouble that she never recovered her full health again. The case of Wainwright had of course been generally talked of, and the entire de- z tails were known co the merchant in whose employment he had so long been, and fairly believing that the peril he had passed through would prevent him again from falling into such evil courses, and kindly recollecting his former good behavior-after giving him a situation as chief mate for a couple of voyages to test the sincerity of his reform, he was placed by them in command of the very vessel that at the instigation of the Man- sons he had formerly refuesd. He removed his mother from the city to a quiet resi deone on Long lIland, before he went abroad on his first voyage as captain, and here for the present we will leave him. What was his future course of life; what adventures he met with; what became of the eldest Manson and his two sons and daughter, and all that pertains to their future history, will be' related in its due course in future chapters. CHAPTFR. SIX. It is time that we introduce the reader tq other scenes and other characters, who will henceforward figurein this history. ' * About seven or eight years ago there stood, and probably it stands there now, a small cottage on' the Jersey shore of the Hudson, abo-u'T twenty miles above Jersey City. , It was inhabited by an elderly- female, who was looked upon with great suspicion by her neighbors, not'on account of any evil that could openly be charged against her but because no-one knew how she contrived to live. The cottage she inhabited was of considerable size, containing some half dozen rooms at least, and all of them spacious ones; yet she lived alone, the only other liv- ing creature that was ever seen in the neighborhood of the dwhlling being a large tor- toise shell tom-cat, who, on a fine day might be seen sitting in the attitude of a watch- \ THE RIVER PIRATES. 27 dog outside of the window-sili in front of the door, gla ng with his large round green eyes upon the few passers-by, for, although we have - id that the cottage was located on the Jersey shore, it was not exactly on the banks of the river. A narrow path led up the heights of the Palisades, and on the left hand of this narrow gorge, beneath the impending cliff, and quite secluded from the view as you. ascended the river in a steamer or a sloop, or other river craft, stood the cottage of which we speak. None of the neighbors had been inside that ever we heard of; neighbors we call them, although there was no other cottage within half a mile, still those who lived at that distance apart considered themselves as neighbors, and were generally on neigh- borly terms o: intimacy. Not so, however, were their relations with old Mother Jones, as she was termed by-the country people round, and the general impression was that she was not altogether what she ought to have been. In former times most like- ly she would have been prosecuted for a witch, now she was' universally shunned and disliked. Therj was nothing either in her appearance calculated to prepossess people inlher favor. She probably never had possessed any pretensions to beauty even in her youthful days, andgat this time she must have been, to judge from appearances, nearly eighty years of age. Her skin was dried and shrivelled until it was a conplete mass of wrinkles; her eyes wereladen with salt rheum, and had thatk inflamed appearance which that disese ever givoes to those org ms; h11r noSe and ehia almost met, in trueo witch fashion, and her mouth had fallen in, .in consequence or the total ,absnce of teoth. lHer countenance had such vinegar -aspect that she looked a true viragos one who were she engaged in a war of words would be sure to have. the last and thoaharp- est one, and her long skinny, attenuated fingers looked like bird's claws, dangerous wea- pons to come within range of an opponent's eye4 If any one did by choice saldte her, she responded with an unintelligible grant accompanied by a glare from her Ae-yes ... that seemed to bid the bold utterer to keep his distance and move on, and to Qown the .. singular uncouthness of her personal appear,ace, her thin, long grey hairl,'inkempte' and unadqrned, escaped from. beneath a high, quaiat ol,-fashioned cap in elfia locks, which sported wildly in the breeze. , a Yet, withal, the hideous old dame was always scrupulously clean as was the outside of her otta;nge-what was the aspect of the inside, as we have said, nobody appeared to know, yet it was reported by fishermen and others who had to be out late at night, that lights, were often seen in her cottage long after midnight, and it was also said that, strange sounds of revelry were oftentimes heard as though a number of drunken men were keepingtheir orgie,s in this desolate place, for the cottage not only stood beneath a rock'but the ground about it was sandy and stony, and did not display even the faintest growth of herbage. But although the neighbors had never seen the in. side of dameo Jones' cottage, there were plenty of others who had, as the reader will perceive, wrhen, taking the privilege of a novelist, we lead him, in imagination, into6 the cottage and show him what is going on in the interior. On-a stormy night in the month of March, 181-, when few who had, a home to go to, or-who had not some very special object in being abroad, would willingly have ex- , posed themselves to the sharp cutting winds and the blinding sleet, a boat was seen to leave a schooner that had. come to anchor at an early hour in the evening beneath the Palisades. Its courbs wavs directed towards'the shore, and in a few minutes after it had left tho sido of the schooner it touched the bank ; two men sprang out, and as the bank in this spot was shelving the light boat was speedily hauled up on the bank, out of the way of the surf which, lashed by the fury of the wind, dashed somewhat wildly against the beach. , It was impossible to form any idea of the personal appearance of these men, so completely wero they wrapped up in their huge oilskin coats, while their large, heavy- flapped sou-westcrs entirely concealed their features. "A stormy night, Ned"' said the taller of the two. "I tell you what, if tho plunder did'nt proiuic to pay better than usua, d-l1 take me if I would have come up in that iWfei'nal old sc!looner such a day as this. I should have enjoyed myself a great I , ' page: 28-29[View Page 28-29] 28 , 'THE RIVER PIRATES, deal better if I had accepted'Tom Gunter's invitation to visit him in the Bowling Al- ley in Broadway thi evening. ' Don't you think, Ned, they'll guess what keeps us away?" "And what matters if they do so as we get the' start of them, Bill," replied the man who had been addressed by the name, of Ned. "But, Bill, you tiould try and get out of that habit of talking so loud about'our little speculations. Everybody with- - in a furlong of you might hear what, you had to say." "And d-1 the likelihood of any body being a furlong of me such a night as this, nor within a mile either, except it be the old witch at the cottage yonder, and our friends who are to meet us there." ' "No matter, Bill, whether the weather be fair or foul, you should learn to speak low habitually, or believe me you will let the oat of the bag, and find yourself in an awkward fix some of these days. You don't hear the Wall street stockjobbers bawl- ing out their transactions at the top of their lungs, and we requiresecresy in the man- agement of our affairs as well as they do, although perhaps We don't 'do business on quite so extensive a scale.' , "HA, ha, ha!" laughed Bill, as he heard this allusion to the trickery of Wall street olaceain comparison with the business he and his accomplices were engaged in. "Aye, Ned," he rejoined, i"I guess if everybody tiad their deserts weighed out fairly, our oo- eupatioa would often prove the hoes3ter of the two; but come, hand out the bags, and let's be going. It's cold standing here." t Frst step round yonder point, and see if the light is in old Mother Jones' window. It'll be no use hauling out tie bags if they have not come yet." *' he man adireszed as Bill did as3e was requested, and in the course of a few mi- -. nutc, returned, and reported that there were three lights burning in different windows s ji of the cottage. "All right, then; three'lights, hey! -then' they must all be there.' Come, hurry ap then. Shoulder the bags and let's away." - Two rather heavy carpet bags were then lifted from the stern sheets of the boat and one of them shouldered by eash of the men, who then made their way with all the speed they could, loaded as they were with their weighty burdens, End half blinded by the driving sleet, to the lonely cottage. , - . . There were sounds of revelry within as -they approa6,ed; and heard 'in this lonely spo0t and in this solitary cottage, amidst the howling of the storm, they were such sounds as might well excuse the neighbors in their belief that the old woman who ten- anted the cottage had dealings with supernatural beings, for far Advanced as is the pre- sent century, there is no denying the fact that amongst the ignorant-aye, and amongst the more educated, too--there still lingers a good deal of the superstitimn that almost universally prevailed in ancient times. The two night wanderers knocked at the door twice or thrice before they were heeded by those within, so loud was the sound of revelry, and so violent was the storm. At length there was a momentary hush, as though the inmates were listening, and again the knuckles of Ned were violently applied to the 'door. There was a spatter- ing and scratching, as though some wild animal was endeavoring to tear through the panels andt attack the intruders, and fhen a cracked, harsh, tsagreeable voice was heard to exclaim- - "Down, Tiger, you brute, down-away with you," and the* animal made its re- treat, growling as it went. Then the same voice was heard exclaiming- *' Is it you, boys ." "Yes, mother. Damnation! open the door; do you mean to keep us all night in the storiml" "Give the sign." "Is it moonlight, and how is the tidel exclaimed Ned, giving the password that had been agreed upon. ,THE RIVER PIRATES. 29 ' In the first quarter, and at half ebb," was the response. "All right, boys," and the door was opened, and the strangers admitted to the shelter which, in such a night, they stood' much in need of. The 'cat, for, as the reader will surmise, it was Mother Jones' cat which had so fu- tiously assaulted the door on hearing the raps for admission that had been given by the new visitors, again assumed an attitude of rpge, and arching his back and showing his teeth, he crept along, his belly close to the floor, as though preparing to spring at the intruders. A sharp blowhowever, from the staff Mother Jones always carried, sent him yelling to his bed in ahe corner of the room, and the visitors having doffeod their dripping outside attire, walked into an inner apartment, whence the noise had ,proceeded which had been heard even above the din of the tempest. A singular sight presented itself-such as,' if any of the residents in the vicinity had seen it, would have certainly justified their suespicions regarding the old woman. Seated round a large table were four individuals who were severally known as Lar- kins, Johnson, Richards and Jones. They vrere all young men, under thirty at any, rate, although the traces of dissipation and debauchery were visible in their coun- tenances, and they were all decently, and one or two of. them gaudily attired, although the heavy coats and cloaks and sou'westers'which steamed upon the walls of the apart- ment, showed that they, like the new comers, had been exposed during, the early part of the evening to the fury of the tempest that was raging without. The table was covered with bottles of liquor and glasses and with cigars and pipes, and the cloud of smoke that arose from the smokers, for all the party were smoking, almost concealed their faces from the new comers. As soon, however, as they had recognized each other, they extended a r!le wel- come. "Abh, ed, is that you, old feller is that you, Billi We expected you sooner. We have been here since dark. We heard of your luck, and we have not done so badly ourselves with the last lot. But you must stand in need of something warm, to keep out the wet; upon my soul, I was saturated right through to the back bone when I came in this afternoon. I thought my overcoat was a good one; but that got wet through at last, and blast me if my skin itself wugld stand out much longer. Here, mother, stir your stumps, and get us some more Hewater. Meanwhile, boys, take a drop cold without, just to' drive the damp away." \ * This speech was made by the youngster who was addressed as Jones by his com- panions, and who seemed to take upon himself to do the honors of the house. In fact, he was the-son of the old woman, although who was his father was a matter which no one was acquainted with, not even himself, for the old woman, though fond. in her way,. of her son, flew into a perfect fury if she was questioned on the subject. It. was sup- posed, that the individual whose paternity Bill Jones had a right to claim had been a mulatto, for he himself although in reality a very handsome youth, showed evideA signs of having African blood in his veins. Itis complexion was a clear olive, and his 'hair black, glossy and curling; such a complexion and such hair as might have belong- ed to a Spaniard, but there was something in' his handsome face which showed to the critical observer that he was of the race of the children of Ham. The old woman tisA apostrophized darted ,a look of anger at the speaker, but lay- ing aside her pipe, for she, too, had been smoking, she prepared to obey the order, and in a few minutes a stiffjorum of punch was smoking before each of the strangers. It -would be as well, before we explain'the errand upon which they had come, to give the readersome descriptionof their persons, now that they had divested'themselves of ' the uncouth garments which had hitherto concealed their features from wind. Ned,' or Edward Tapley, as was the name of theyounger of the two, was a stout, thick set youth of about eighteen years of age, with a good-humored, although hard favoredset of features, and closely cropped light hair; the protuberance of his skull, above and. be- hind his ears, gavo him. something of a bull-dog aspect, and to judge from his muscular page: 30-31[View Page 30-31] OD80 :THE RIVER: PIRATES. appearance he was one that few- would have liked to risk the chance of an encounhter with. The elder one was rather taller than his companion and of slighter build. I His age was probably forty or perhaps forty-fve; his hair was black and cut close to- his head, and his complexion was dark, with strong aquiline features. -Although there was' nothing of the Jew in his accent, his appearance was calculated to lead tothe belief that he belonged to the Jewish race, and his name, which was Bill David,- gave this surmise additional probability. He was gaudily attired'and exhibited upon his person a profusion of cheap Jewelry, while his younger companion was simply dressed as a fishermanor river sailor. . "Well, boys, now for the'news," said Johnson, after some minutes had passed, and the new comers had emptied a glass of punch and each lighted a segar. "You wrote to Zack about the swag, but-you gave no other, particulars further than that a fort- night would elapse before-you would be here to deliver it. What made you keep so. long in the dark, Bill David, was anything amiss besides the plunder;- yowuunder- tvand?"' "No," replied David, ," Ned and I got clear off without raising any alarm, or havingany occasion to make use of our barkers or knives; but, confound it, amongst the plunder was a lot of- bills that had been just drawn from the ---- Bank, and they were all stamped with 'rod letters, and all of the samle depomination-VV's--and we were at a loss for Some days what to do with them. The Bank offered a large re Ward 'and we hid to Keep close, for being hard up for cash just at the time, Ned changed one that morning, and the person who took it gave 'information and described his person. So you see we had to keep dark for a time." "' He you got the flimsies with you now, then ' oenquired Johnson. "No; we sold them at ten per cent on Monday, to old B------." "Ten per cent! How much was the whole figure V1" - "t Three hundred and fifty dollars." "Confound it! Then there was a clear loss of thirty-five do'lars." ji"Yes; -vexing isn't it, aftqr risking our liberty and our lives to get hold of the cash; but it couldn't be-helped. Then there's all the plate. You must take that to Philadelphia and get it melted down,. as it has the owners' mark upon it. That will be simple enough. I calculate thero must ba/ear a thousand dollars worth of plate ,aid jewelry together, besides the two gold Watches. So you see it was a pretty good swag, as I wrote Zack, take it altogether."' . "Yes, pretty fair as times go. Was there nothing else but the flimsies and the jewelry and plate!" "What an unsatisfied dog you are. Is not upwards of fifteen hundred dollars enough at one lift, to get clear off with;, nd no probability of being ditcovered Well-yes, there was something else, but it was merely a fow articles of clothing of little value, and a pair of pistols, handsomely mounted articles they are, too; Abut Ned and Hclaim each of us one of them, over and above our share of the swag, in considera- tion of the risk we ran in obtaining it, A"Well, let's look at them, at all events. 'Pon my word they are neat looking articles," continued Johnson, as Bill David gave him the pistols to examine, *' and the owner's namois upon them. I would have that taken off wer^ I in your place, Bill. * It might be awkward in case of-you know what." "I'm not afraid, replied the other, as he proceeded to turn out from the two bags the plate and jewelry they contained, while the party made arrangements as to the fair and honest'division of the plunder. The above scene will require little explannation with regard tothe reader. We have introduced it in this chapter because tho principal characters who figure in it will per- form their part in this history, and because other scenes will hereafter bo -introduced in ' Old Mother Jones' cottage. To render will readily comprehend that the young men who were carousing in the cottage, as well as those who brought in the "-plunder" from the schooners belonged to a THE RIVER PIRATES. 3 I 1 gang of Itiver pirates, and that Mother Jones' house. was the depot for the concealment of any articles which could not be readily 'r immediately disposed of fn Neio York. "The youngsters introduced within the cottage had agents throughout the country, in various States, whither they Carried sich goods 'as they thought had better be dis- posed of at a distance. The money, and plate and jewelry, were the proceeds of a daring robbery which had been committed on board a ship in the East river, some fort- night or three weeks before-and after the conversation above recorded, this plate was carried into a back room and temporarily concealed in a hiding place beneath the floor- ing, the entrance to which could not be perceived after the most minute sdrutiny, un- lesa to those ho were in the secret. The party then returned to the table, and an hour or two was passed in drinking and singing and ribald discourse, when tho most of them'dropped off to sleep at the 8 table, -while Jones and Johnson, the only two who remained sober, kept alternate watch, over the cottage. though it was a mere matter of form, for no watch was needed. The- old woman had gone to bed an hour before, having first of all dropped asleep on herehair and let her pipe fall from her lips and break to pieces on the floor, and by three o'clock the noise of revelry was hushed, the lights were put out-indeed they had been removed and covered as soon as Ned and Bill had arrived-and the cottage, to out- ward appearance, was solitary and deserted save by the old woman-as usual. MW hat subsequently occurred we shall rplate in future chapters. We'may, howew er, Observe that Zack, the person alluded to -by Johnson as having received a letter from David respecting the plunder, was Zachariah Manson, who had been sentenced, as the reader will recollect, to ten years confinement in the State prison, but who had been pardoned after serving four years only. ' CHAPTER ' SEVE. E N -. Between two and three years had elapsed since William Wainwright' hod bebn par. doned, and he had since been two voyages to Liverpool commander of a packet slip-in both of which he had acquitted himself entirely to the satisfaction of his employers. Towards sunset one fine evening in October, 18-, the L-- packet ship,'Captain Wainwright was notified as having arrived off Sandy Hook, and about midnight she came to anchor opposite the Battery in the middle of the stream waiting for the tide to answer to go alongside the wharf the next morning. She had brought out a number of emigrants, and the news having become known in'the city, the emigrant runners were all on the qui vive. They expected a rich har- vest, for among the emigrants there were a great many Germans, who generally bring a considerable sum of money with them. As soon as the vessel had come to an anchor, a little fleet of boats put off to the ship in hopes of enticing the emigrants to leave, un-, der the pretence of finding them with boarding-houses and taking care of their lug-l gage, thereby saving them, as they boasted, considerable trouble, if they waited until the vessel had been moored alongside the wharf. - Greatly to the annoyance Rf those disinterested and benevolent personages who were so anxious to serve the niply arrived emigrants, Captain Wainwright had given' orders to his mates not to allow any of the boats'to come alongside, under any pro- tence ;^but the runners were not to be daunted by mere denials, and foree had to be used in order to prevent the decks from being overrun with them. As it was, they laid off at some distance, still within hbail of the vessel and held conversation in Ger- man with the simple unsuspecting strangers, who, guileless themselves, believed all that was told them'to the effect that the object of the captain in keeping them on board in the stream was that he might share the pickings of the Custom House officers in the motniffg, and several promised that if'the-boats would drop quietly'alongside before daylight, when the sharp watch of the officers of the ship had become relaxed,; they woul1d have their luggage ready and put it on board tho boats, and going them- * solves on shore with it, would thus baulk the -avaricious designs offthe cap aim. page: 32-33[View Page 32-33] 82. TIE RIVERt PIRATES. ' The. watch, however, was so strict that it was almost impossible for any of the boat- men to make the attempt to venture alongside, and many, having given up all hope of effeting their purpose, had gone ashore. Captain Wainwright had gone on shore himself shortly after the pilot had brought the vessel to an anchor, and as, after having transacted his business, he had several friend$ to call upon, it was past midnight before he again found himself disengaged, He was anxious about his ship, and instead of staying at an hotel for the remainder of the night, he resolved to go at once on board; and accordingly he talked down to the, wharf and hailed a boat which was just putting in, and asked the boatmen if they would put him on board the L- packet ship. The boat, in fact, tvas one of those which had but a few minutes before left the vessel, the boatmen havtig despaired of fv being able to accomplish their designs upon tibe emigrants. 'Of course they were glad enough of the chance to make another attempt to get on, ' board with such a prospect of success, 'is they would have to go alongside with the cap- tfain, and they readily acceedei to his request to put him on board. However, immediately he placed his foot upon the accommodation ladder, Cap- tain Wainwright turned ttoben and said: "You can pull ashore a ny lads. You know me, come on board to-morrow, when the ship gets alongsidl wharf, and I ;will pay you your fare. Indeed, you may come off at daylight to the ship. I ma, perhaps have further occasion for your services" ," "Aye, aye, sir," was the response of the men, and then one of them added: "Its scarcely worth while our pulling ashoro again to-night, captain. If you have no ob- jeotion we will fasten the boat alongside, and come aboard and take a snooze till day- light." "No," said the captain, " be off ashore' with you. I have refused every request to allow a shore boat to come alongside the ship, and if I make an exception in your case, I shall be beset on all hands for the like favor. Pull ashore my lads as I bid you, and be here by daylight. However, you may come up and get a glass of grog, tor the night iceold. Steward.!" he called out to that functionary, who had been sitting up awaiting the arrival of his captain, "Give these men a glass of grog." The men gladly accepted the gcrateful offer, and having made fast their boat, they ascended the side and went to the cabin door where stood the steward with 'the case bottle and glass in his hand, and a lantern standing on the capstan to give him light enough so see to pour out the liquor. The captaii iexchanged a few words with the mate of the vessel, and then crossed over the deck and stood with his hands in his pockets listlessly looking on as the stew ard served out the liquor to the two boatmen.' . As the elder of the two raised his head in the act of swallowing the spirits, the light from the lantern shone full in his face, and the captain, who happened to be looking at hin, suddenly started, for it (seemed to him that he'had seen that face before. He hurriedly glanced at the fea- tures of the other man, who now came forward to get his portion of liquor, and a thrill of horror came across him-the men who hiad pulled him on board were the elder Manson and his son Thomas, the man who, had turned Evidence in court against him at that unhappf episode of his life, when he had narrowly escaped an ignominious death, as the supposed murderer, of,the Custom House officer. He felt a choking sensation in his throat, as though he dare not trust himself to speak. At length he said hurriedly, "I have changed my mind, my lads; I don't think I shall require your seorvices in the morning. Steward, I have no change-lend me a dollar till to-morrow, and pay theose boatmen." 'That's an ill-way to treat an old comrade, Captain Wainwright," exclaimed Thomas Manson. "You see we know you, captain; but we kept a still tongue in our heads. Provided you behaved like a gentleman .we had no desire to touch upon your pride; but we perfectly understand why it is that you don't want our services. How- ever, you have already engaged us, and by God you will have to pay whether you hire v THE RIVER PIRATES. ' - us or .not. A dollar-to, fi eo dollars' will not satisfy. us, noble captain. Somyo had better stick to your'first bargain, if you count us to keep dsk- " Scoundrel!" thundered the young captaio, allowing his pa'sion to get the better of his reason, as he listened to this insolent harangue, from- one who should have been ashamed to have shown his face to the man he had do outrageously irjured. "Soouea drel! do you dare-to talk to me thus on my on board my oa n ship. Take yourseld off immoediately, or by Heaven I will heave you over the side." B "What! you would commit murder agaip, whuld you? Take care, You my 1 always get off to easily. Come, come, captain, let bygones be bygones; we were ol cronies once-but things are changed now, and if you don't want to recognise us, why we dorn want to trouble you. We'll say nothing about the pay for bringing you oi board to-night, and we'll come off at daylight, and do anything we can to serve your for old acquaintance sake. Meanwhile you'll allow us to turn qn honest penny by, talk ing a boat load or two of, these emigrants ashore sith their luggage. You ece they have got it on deck, and are anxious to go. What say you, captain--is it a bargains and mum's the Word, you Inow,." i"Away with you on shore at once," shouted the captain, furious with anger. "And what if I don't choose to gor" said the audacious villain. ,"1 will order my mate to throw you over the side. Nay, fear not that I will touch you," continued the captain, as the elder scoundrel retreated some paces, as i alarmed with the captain' fury; "I have once, unfortunately, been connected with you. God-knows how much I wih I could sink the remembrance of it in oblivion and .I will not 'again come in contact with you, but it will be better for you at once to ,eave the ship." "( What if I'whisper a word in the ears of your mates and the crew before I go, and what if I call to-morrow at the owner's office and tell a tale you would give your ,ea that the understrappers in the office should not hoar!" t "Send that'infamous scoundrel over the s de, instantly," said Wainwright tho mate, a man of herculean, bulid and great personal strength, "and you," he added pointing his finger towards the elder Manson, " You immediately follow him and never- pollute my ship with your presence again. Do you hear, away," and the captain stampedhis foot on. the deck with mingled fury and impatience. In one moment the strong arm of the mate had hauled the brutal wretch over tIb side, heedless of the consequences, and he fell into the water, striking his head gainst the gunwale of the boat, and in all probability he would never have been heard of more had not his father, who, seeing the rough usage to which his son had been subjeoed, nastily descended the side, stretched out his arm and dragged him-into the boat. The younger man was nearly insensible from the force of the blow, and with a menace and' a muttered curse the old man after laying his :son down in the stern sheet4e took the oars and slowly pulled away from thoe vessel's side. Several of the passengers had been awakened from their slumbers by the noise of this quarrel, and they ihad rushed on deck, looking on and listening although many of them could not understand the language of those engaged in the dispute The boatman pulled slowly across the bows, and, unheard and unseen by the. ap. tain, whose nerves had been- greatly excited. by. the affray, he addressed some of th . passegrgs in the German language, which he understood..tolerably. well, intimating that he had met with this rough treatment because he had desired the captain to allow aim to tale such passengers as wished .to go on shore. "Thus you see, friends'" he added, "' what-motive the captain has for retaining you on board his vessel out in the stream here, Until he, in connection with the Custom House officers, can rob you to- morrow at his ease. He has thus ill used me and my comrade, because we wished t o serve you and save you from his infamous plans." - Hluving thus addressed the,men, he pulled slowly for the shore until he hadreaohie some distanoee from the. ship, when he returned as slowly, lightly dipping his oats In the water as he approached the Ahip, Eo that the sound was scarcely audible. I a, page: 34-35[View Page 34-35] tnll iVttEt -TImRA:TES. few moments ho was across the, 6ors closely followed by another boatmen whom he had met with and directed to follow him to the ship. ' He sprang up into the-head with-ant agility that as-perfectily astonishbirgin a man do aged, but thioh was theo result of lon'g tnd habitu-al praetioe, and in another ms- fieiit, Afer whispering to the. sttrange 'boatman to remain in, his- own boat and take iare of the one he had' quitted, 'for Thomas 'Mansn was still insensible, ie was on deck and down in the steerage unobserved by the watch, Who, after the late tumult had tgain laid themselves down to snoozeon deck, wrapped up in their pea-jackets, till day- A few iinutes afterwards, a hervy 'trunk and a carpet bog mighthave been seen Oemerging from the hatchway, speedily followed by Manson and one, of- the -kerman aepiengers; and the luggage was' carefully and silently conveyed to the head of tme ship, and let down into the' boat. T :heO German and Manson then got into the boat them- ielvs, and the strange boatman who hnid lent a hand in getting the trunk safely-on ioiaid Maraot's craft, sat -down again in his own boat, gently plied his oars, and -in another minute, having allowed the boats to fall down with the tidle, they were a- con- siderable distance from the ship, which was invisible through the darkness of the night. An hour afterwards two boat's were observed quietly pulling iu towards the Battery, * ohr4 t5hy were, made 'fast, and a trtiunk and -carpet bag were removed from them by tw mwen,-who carried the articles between them through the Battery, and hastily oross- ig' Btoadway; passed .into 8outh street, where they were soon lost eight of in: the-ob- aourity.: They had been seen by. a man whose occupation ciused him tobe out late at 4aght,i and who'wag then making his way to the South Ferry to Brooklyn, where he re, aided. He,"however, thought little of the occurrenoe at the time, although-he casual- lyfremarked to the person who topk his money at'the'ferry, that he believed some of the raaoally'river thieves had made a haul from somevessael in the Ariver as he had seen two men pass at a little distance fronrhim, heavily laden,and the hour was rather an untuual one to meet people. earrying porters' burthensi - lowever, for the time being this witnesi forgot the incident, but be had hardly started in the next- ferry-boat, beo for t{he twe men returned', and one of them led a man frotm the boat, who appeared to efVaint and weak from illness, or. aceident;-and whosehead wa -bound with- a hand- *kerchief; but *ho, after taking a few steps, seemed quickly to recover a portion of-bis 'trength, and returned with his companions, with tolerably rapid steps, in the direc- tioni of Souith street. - Whila these men were crossing the Battery, another man might ,have been seen rting about close along the shore towards the East River, at the same time towing a boat, that was made fast to the stern of the'one -he was rowing ; ih:a small'room Iti the third storyOf t a wretced, dilapidated looking house in Wa- tei istreet, at a later hour onothe same 'morning .on which; ihe scene had ocurred. that we have first related, there were seated three men, one of whom ha'd a large piece of black 8ticfihg plaster acrosshis brow ; hewas the youngest of the party, with the ex- ception of tvery good looking, although somewhat slatternly female, whose features, however, although she did not'appear- to be more than twenty-four years of, age, were tifsihed 'as though she had already begun to'give way to habits of intempetanco. The otihier en were both oider, indeed we mat as well' ay at onoi, if the reader has not Wlready anticipated us,-thiat the mel .*ere the same who had figured on the riverand on board the packet ship already mentione'd. . : Before them, upon a'rude deal table, on which a candle was burning* although it wia ten o'clock -in the day, for the room was darkened, having no outside. windows, lay hiep of foreign gold and banhk totes, which they surveyed with immense,satisfaotion, caiioiially, however,' glancing timuidly towaids- thb -door, and listening and suspend- ing their conversation if the slightest noise was audible in the houseo or on the street. See that the door is locked, Harriet," taid the eldest of the three men, address- iog the ficna, who was busy -with somecieulinaryi ccupatlons. , . . :- It is locked and double-locked, father. - You have asked me that same question THE. RIVER PIRATES. alt a doees times within the .ast balf hour, I sur e. I coa't hinkwhatmake you so timtnid; no one suspects us to be here I am sure." ' : Well, well, gitl, don't make such abfuss about me having askd yoq a simple ques- tion," answered tho mnan hurriedly ;-ana-then he added, " now hbout dividing this booty. We shall have to take Bill David into partnership I fear, foa we can noverget the bil s changed wilthut exciting supiCion; and as to this gold-d-n me :it lays -open to the like objection just at present, and yet it would be a great pity to have to send it to the meling pot." " "It would be a pity to let Bill shsare the prog without having shared the ris4 " said -the younger-Mantson, "and yet there is no one else who can get rid of the money so well aid at'so slight. a sarifice, and then Bill will have to run the risk of having it in his -.possRessioh and that will be no blight one, besides if he is caught with it we may be sure -f ote thing, Bill will never ' peach."' - Yes, that's true," chimed in the individual, who had not hitherto spoken, and who was the man who had assisted the elder Manson in removing the German and hisalug- q gage from the ship during th preceding night. So I think the readiest way would be W tsend for him. ; He. i tobe heard of at the cottage, I'm told. , So, 'll just. ail up the river to-day; and get an intcrview with him and bring him .down here tonight if possible; but bbfore I stsrt, old fellow, let's have a glass of somthhng strong, and tell - is how you got news of this lucky windUfall," . ",I'e no obieptiton, Jack," said the elder Manson, "meanwhile ,iet set out th bottle and glasnss and get us some hot water and sugar.". ' The articles vere se-on the, table and Manson proceeded to tell the following story. "About a fontDight ago 1 wasoanging round one of the German emigrant boarding housesaBt whichb , lot of emigrants bad just arrived, when I heard two German Wo rmen -talking about the rough manner in which they had been trented. by the captain, and complaining that they .hadlost Sereral little matters beloging to them, while on board the ship, after they had leached the wharf. They further went on to say that they expected their father to arriv e by the ship Z- , via Liverpool, in the course of a few layst , he having had occasion to visit England on business, and they expree"d great fear lest bhe hould be inconvenienced as they had been, d -hoped that hi Ig- gge would come aafy ashore; as hibs trunk would likely contain a large 'sum of mo ty in notes And speie, he having sold his fare in Bavaria before he started. - You know I uneirstand and u peak German well, aid I pricked up my ears at this, and soot-ma aged- to get into coonversation with tthe women, who were delighted todiscoveran Amer. ln who could speak their lanbgune, and who seemed to sympathie with their little "Eventually r promsed, after - having managed to fill their minds with apprehen. sionby telling them a variety of stories8e;elative to the cupidity and racalitY of the captains of emigrant ships, t o goon board-the Z- ,--when she adrrived,myself, and bring the old gentleman and his luggage ashore, while the vessel w still in th4 sireem, if I culd manage it; but I told them it would be necessitry for them to far. nbh me w ith a letter from themselves, urging the old fellow to ollow'rmy- advice. - I' taked iy honor that I would bring him safely ashore, and got the letter, which I managed to convey on Poard aftdr the. sip came to an anchor in t bo stream; but the- -job was nearly knocked on the head in consequence of the refusal of the captain to al- loe0 aiy bhore boats to come alongside the ship., . I had given up the affair as a bad: job; when, luckily, the captain hailed a boat to take him on board his vessel after mid- nigh t. , . . . . Well, we got aboard the ship, and were ordered eshore agin--but, as bad luak ' would have it, whlo houtd the ekipper turn out to be but that eursed I d , Wainwrlght - reeognised us, d -n him, 'andTom here wa8 f oOl en ough to landy slack-jaw with him . fe'd far better h ave been hum'tle and qiuiet. '-However, hewgot a tos over., bo'ard for his pains and a eraeked skull into the bargain." ( ,, page: 36-37[View Page 36-37] 86 THE RIVER PIRATES. "Forwhioh Bil Wainwright shall pay, or my name's not Manson," muttered th young man between his teeth. "Well,"' continued old Manson, "the long and the short of it is, we met you as we were going ashore, and pulled back softly, and I got quietly on board, and--you know the rest." g "Do y6ei think that the fact of Wainwright's having recognized you will not lead to suspicion, should any fuss be made about the disappearance of the German 1" en- quired the man who had been addressed as. Jack. "It may," replied Manson, in an uneasy tone of voice, "that's where Tom made such an ass of himself; but not just yet, there's plenty'of time. So you be off, old fel. low, and see if you can hunt up Bill. David, and bring him here as soon as possible. W4e'l keep ilose until he has got the prog away safely, and then we'll take a trip in the country fort the benefit of our healths, perhaps to Canada. What say you, Harriet, would you like a trip to Canada, girl I A pretty, lass like you might do something there, 'among the soger officers." . "Don't talk to me in that way, father," answered the girl." And another thing I've got to say-I see there are some five dollar gold pieces amongst that heap of gold; there is no dlanger in them, and if I am to remain, cooped up here and there, or am to follow you into the country, or wherever you may choose to go, I must be feed." "Well, well, girl, don't get in a tiff; here, take five half eagles, and cease grumb- ling. And now, Jack, start; there's a good fellow. I shall be uneasy until I get this gold and these notes into safe hands." Jack Chapman-that *as the name of the boatman who was acting in concert with the Mansons-took his departure. Harriet was despatched for more liquor, and, on her return, the door of the room was again locked, and the father and son sat down to pass the time as well as they could, until the return of Chapman, with their accc9mpliae,Bill David. *' CHAPTER EIGHT. As Bill David, who has only as yet been caually mentioned, will figure prominently in the. remaining chapters of this story, it will, perhaps be interesting to the reader if ,wefurnish in this chapter some particulars of the birth, parentage, and education of this individual. Bill David, then, was the illegitimate son of a woman of depraved habits, and he first saw the light in one of those abodes of profligacy and wretchedness which are lo- cated in the vicinity of the Five Points. His mother dying soon after his birth, the little orphan, whose father was supposed to be a Jew, became dependent for support upon the charity of a female who had been a companion of his mother, and who had taken. charge of hin at his mother'S death, in a suiden fit of benevolence, probably feeling the womanly desire, hardened and debased as she was, of something to love and care for. As a matter of course, however, he was often abused, often half starved and beaten, and often hugged and caressed with all the fierce maulin 'affection that may sometimes be observed among these wretched women, and as he grew old enough to runabout, his playmates were miserable half starved children like himself, and his nurses, when he had any, the profligate, vicious and degraded companions of his foster mother, thus when he attained a riper age of boyhood it was natural enough that he should take for his model the characters that were post prominently placed before him. It was, therefore, early instilled into his youthful mind, by those with whom he asso- elated, that to make the slightest efforts to procut e'slivjelihood for himself were an act of extreme folly and simplicity; while the iesamples before his eyes were almost invariably of vioes the most disgusting and the most gratuitous. To the felliinfu- ence of suoha training was the boyhood of young David subjected, and the tenor of his maturer years was not such as to do injustice to his early education. He was early inducted into habits of stealing, and to this habit he took with such a gusto, that very * ! ' . ' '^ ThiE RIVER PIRATES. , 37 shortly not a thing, of however trifling a value, c9uld come under his observation but he strove to possess himself of it, even when they were of little seriice to himself. Pieces of bread and cheese, trifling articles of clothing, a penny, a knife-even a but- ton, if it laid in his way, was suro to disappear, no one knew how, even among his do- based acquaintances; for such was the cunning of the young thief, that be generally managed to escape suspicion among his comrades, or if suspected, to avoid detection. A love of gaij, as well as of theft shortly became a passion with him, and by and bye impelled him to the performance of occupations which, had h s mind been rightly'di. rected, would have been a good f.'ature in his character amidst his many bad quali- ties. He was ready to peiform any office,to undertake any task, to run on any mes- sage, provided a pecuniary reward, however small, was promised, and among the very few really honest anid industrious people whom the stern necessity ofpoverty compelled to reside in the wretched haUnt in which he lived, he became noted as a'lad of an ex- ceedingly industrious turn, whom it was a pity should be permitted to hive with the mis- erable, degraded bojs who were his companions. -the rerult of this was, that by some means or other, which it is not necessary to explain, the report of his itdustry reached the cars of some philanthropic individual, Who thought he recognized in Bill, a brand ready to be Ilucked from the burning, could only some willing hand be found to stretch its If out towards him. This indi- vidual determined to take him from the vile haunts in which he had been born and bred, and to send him to school, where he was taught to read and write, and he made rapid progress in both these studies, for he was not devoid of talent, and so far justified the opinion his benefactor had entertained regarding him. By and bye his friend, who had a farm in the country, and who, with all his phi. lanthropy, was not so foolish afto entertain any idea of giving the lad an education superior to the station be was most likely to occupy in life, sent him out to keep cows in the spring timte asd to tend pigs in autumn; and as he always received part of the wages due for his seivices, had they been performed by another person, no lad could be more attentive or more zealous. In a word Bill David, as he grew to a young rtan, having discovered that the readiest way of indulging his ruling propensity was to no- quire habits of regularity and industry, applied himseolf dlgennly to whatever oooupa. tion his superiors chose to chalk out for him, and he s o eoamo a favorite with the ,.adi;ag men of thu viligo in'which he was located. ' Nor was this all, Aill David poessesd the happy knack of accommodatiog himself with perfect ease to the 'humors of those about him. With those of his own kiduley he was a blusterer, and a blasphemer, whilst with his employers and superiors he was quiet and docile, mean, abject and servile. Thus while the former esteemed him no baudfellow after all, though excessively stingy, the latter iegarded h m as o;e of the mos 'disoreet youths they had ever met with. At the age of thurteen a new scene opened upon David, by his being bound to Jacob Smueltum, a man well to do in the world, and the only blacksmith of the village. As the boy's charalter for industry and discretion stood high, his master, a good humored, though somewhat careful person, readily received him into hid fmily, where he was treated in all repectq as if he had been his son, and for some time, it is but justice to say, his oondluet was such as to merit that' treatment. Early and late he was at work: q. i ck a.:d ready in receiving impressions, he soon made hiuself master of the several niceties of his traAlb, of as inay, at least, as were known to Jacob him- self; while his sobriety and steadiness were such as to call forth the highest commend- *, ations from his employetr. It is true he did not always decline a treat, provided it were pressed upon him He would occasionally accompany a friend to the tavern, and dfink a glass, or it may be two, at his friends txpense; yet he never spent hi, pown money in liquor, and never neglected business fur amusement. O:l these toveraul apcounts, Bill David was univer- sally esteemed a sort of pattern to the boys cf the neighborhood; and more than onh *ld farmer ventured to predict' tht he would become as good man as any among them. [- C page: 38-39[View Page 38-39] 8B 'THE RIVER PIRATES.. It may appear surprising, but it is- nevertheless perfectly true, that -during the whole five years which ho served apprentice to Smeltum, David carefully abstained from appropriating to his owon use any article of his master's property, after which he, apprehended that-a search might be imade. , -Many a pangit cost him when he saw the, tea-cup with its silver load, standing upon the shelf, or beheld the old man pour his Weekly savings into a leathern bag, and Place it in ah -open drawer; yet, though frequent opportunities of appropriating bothr presented themselves, with a degree of resolution hardly to have been expected, he permitted them to pass by. unimproved. The fact was, however, that David was not more covetous than he was shrewd and calculating. His employer had a'daughter, extremely ugly, it is true, and ten years older than himself; but Bill-soon began to cast towards her amative glances, and he was soon made happy by discovering that the nymph was not disposed to treat him with disdain; Undersuch circumstances, be knew full well that his ends would be best gained, by acting towards his intended father-in-law with apparent integrity J whilst he flattered, himself that it mattered little whether these alluring treasures should pafsinto her possession now, or be held back from him a few years only. Thus reaoning, he took especial oar that no temptation, however urgent, should draw him into the commission of an act of flagrant theft. As to petty peculations, in these he indulged without scruple. Bits of iron were from time to time missing, and even a set of horse-shoes once or twice disappeared, no one could tell how; but then, honest Bill David, who had everything In his power, X could not possibly be to blame, because if he chose to steal at all, it was extremely im- probable that he would not steal to a larger amount. But though thus scrupulous as regarded his employer, Bill was not equally abste- mious in hid dealings with other people. Once or twice he was detected in seehing payment of a bill already settled, and though he excused himself by asserting that it was a mistake on the part of his employer, a somewhat awkward impression remaine4 behind that he was scarcely to be trusted. In like manner it was insinuated, that he often charged more for work done than his master received, whils't t!jaterials of, which iron utensils were made, began, soon after he applied himself to ytfinesssi to be less enduring and less solid than formerly. Again it was noticed, that lin'ze event of his bei.:g sent for to perform s job at the house of any-of the neighbors, little valuables sere apt unaccoutably to disanlpear, such as"a tea spoon, should it be left carelessly in the w'ay, or an apron, or a pocket handkerchief. Yet nothing had so thoroughly been brought home as to justify t!he use of legal means, even in-making a search, and his reputation at howe was so fiimly established, that there no insinuation against him could be received. The village to which Bill David had been removed, after his brief +toay at school, was a long way: from the, city, and at a considerable distance from any town of note; consequently, a good deal[ of the traffic was done with pedlars, who, at sttated Peasons,- made their regular appearance, as sure as the day for the payment of farm wages came round. Amongst the itinerant merchants who visited the village of --, was one Noah Levi, who regularfy arrived on a certain day in the year, and whose appearance, con-, oequently, had been long looked for, as sure as i he cominig of a holiday or the change of seasons; and, as the said Noah was of a merry and facetious humor, his arrival was looked to, not merely with an eye to business, but as a sure source of fun and amuse. ment. Noah sadly murdered the current language of the Commonwealth, a circumstance which caused many a joke at his expense, aud, as his temper was placid as the sea in a calm, there was'small risk of his resenting the joke, however rude ; besides, he was of a diminutive stature and feeble m tke, and hence, cou!dl rcareely be an obljeot of dread even to-a stripling. But Noah was more than all this. lie knew everything that was passing in the neighborhood; he was familiarly acquainted with the peeeac THi RIVERIt PIRATE S. 8' dlloes of all the people, high and low, rich and poor, within the circle of severa miles; he detailed them with infinite effect wherever ho went, andhaving a ready wit, h0 ,was never at. loss to invent, as often as materials for an interesting piece of scan- dal were wanting. r Then, again, Noah was aright merry fellow with the girls. He carried about ilth' fiim an admirable assortment of beads, red, blue, and yellow; he knew, to a tittlce, which were the most becoming to the complexion, and he possessmd the happy talent of . persuading the simple maiden, before whom he displayed them, that euch',a necklace* only -was required to set her off to the greatest advantage. Besides, his needles Were the sharpest, his thread the most enduring, and his thimbles, by many degrees, the best that were ever -manufactured; and there was not a woman, of whatever'age or station, in the place, that was not prepared to swear as much. ,.On alldthese accounts, and others too numerous to be mentioned, Noah Levi wasft welcome guest at every. hbuse in the village, and seldom quitted it without carrying' away with him a considerable share of the petty savings of its younger inmates. No where was Noah. received with greater hospitality than in the abode of Jacob Smeltum. Perhaps there was a kindred spirit between the two men; or, what is more probable, perhaps Mis Smelttm; being little indebted to nature, was forward in seek- * ing from art those charms of which she was ambitions; and as she was an only child, and her mother long dead, she was rarely crossed in the'indulgence of a mbderate in- clination., Be this as it may, not only was the smith's shop Noah's favorite resort by day, but a rug was usually furnished him, on which to sleep at night ; an accommoda- tion which the honest Jew very liberally compensated, by an occasional, present of a gilt ring, or a glass brooch, to. the young lady; whilst he repaid her father for his orust of bread and cheese, and mug of ale in the evening, by retailing his best stories in his liveliest- strains, Thus were all parties satified; and the Jew escaped, what to him' wasno common grievance, the necessity of either running up a bill at the village 'tav- ern, or resting his person and his valuable pack, in an open out-house. By some strange freemasonry, the first time Noah and Bill David came together, the utmost confidence prevailed between them. It seemed as though they had known each other for years; and, honest as the Jew appeared to be in the eyes of the villa- gers, it was evident, both to Bill and to the Jew himself, that both of them-were asr- rant a pair of rogues as-ever lived. It so happened, that just before one of Noah's periodical visits, Bill David had made up his mind th ask his employer for the hand of his daughter, and met, with-. decided refusal; for, although the maiden was willing enough, and the old blacksmith had nothing to urge against the character and disposition of his apprentice, he could not digest the idea of giving up the hard-earned savings of 4 lifetime, at his death, to one who had nothing of his own wherewith to increase them. The very next day the Jew arrived, and very soon perceirved that something was amiss with his friend, the apprentice; nor was he AlOg before he questioned him re- garding the source of the low spirits in which he found him. Bill's story wi soon told, and the only reply -from the Jew was: '"And the maiden is willing, you shay, if her fader would only give his permia- erion . , * Not only willing,"' replied Bill, "but anxious to marry me." "Then why not put de old man out of de road; ve understandsh each oder, what need of talk. I vill help you to your wife, if you will promise that I shall have half the store dat-he hash in his possession. De old man out of de way, in six montl8s you can marry de girl, and nobody be none de wiser." Notwithstanding all the evil that Sas inherent in the nature of Bill David,.he had never yet thought of imbruing his hands in human blood, and the pedlar very evi- dently pointed at murder. He shrunk with horror from the idea, and. allthe entice- ments and arguments of the Jew could not gain him over. Noah, however, wAS no- page: 40-41[View Page 40-41] ' THE RIVER PIRATES. , thing daunted; but, with an inward chuckle, he said, after having oeo'evening, during, h tlay, exercised his powers of persuasion to the utmost:' . "* Vell, veil, I am going to-morrow, but I shall be back sooner than usual, as my round is srort this season. I shall be back in a month from this, and then I warrant you will think differently of what I have said. D,.old man hash lived long enough, and why should he shtand atwixt you and de girl. Veil, goodbye my friend, I shall ihee you again shortly." And Noah composed himself to sleep; and, pre David arose the nex' morning, he had taken his departure. As the Jw had said, Bill David did think over the ptoposition he had made, at first with horror, even great6r than he had experienced when the subject was first hinted at by Noah; but, by degrees, he began to think of it more calmly, and, after awhile, be found himself lying awake of a night, in bed, thinking over the way in which euch a deed could best be iffected, and of the benefits that would accrue to him- elf, should it be accomplished. Before the pedlar had been three weeks absent, Bill had almost made up his mind. to be guided by his advice. At least he determined to listen to his arguments again. The old :blseksmith's house was at a considerable distance from that of any of the neighbors-the deed might be done quietly and without any violence that would leave tell tale marks behind it. At any rate when Noah came again, thought Bill Davia, ob will be sure to allude to the subject, and we will talk it over more calmly. in my *plnion he is making a short round this time for the express- purpose of sounding me again. Well, 1 will wait until he comes. I warrant he will adhere to his promise,?' and ahus thinking he sought for the time being to dismiss the dreadful matter from his mind. And true to his promise, although 'greatly to the surprise, but not to the regret of the villagers, on the very day month from the day he had taken his departure, Noah Levi was seen with his pack on his backas usual, entering the village and making the beat of his way to the house of his'old friend, Jacob Smcltum, the blacksmith. I CHAPTER. INTI. The change in the outward behavior of Bill David incidental to the-conflicting pas- dons which agitated his mind, did not fail to attract the notice of Jacob Smeltum, his *mployer. He neglected his duties for the first time since he had been in the old man's service, and Jacob at length remonstrated with him pretty sharply upon the subject. At any other time, I)avid- would have been cautious in his replies, and wOuld have promised to conduct himself better in future; but now the iemonstrances of hias master only served to irritate him. He replied warmly, and the old man grew angry; Bill retorted, and at last the dissenson between the two grew so great that Jacob Smeltum forbade his apprentice to bit with him at the same table to take bis meals, as he had been hitherto accustomed to do from the first day of their ac- tuaintanee. Bill David grew still more morose and discontented, and he now actually began to isnisider himself in the light of an injured individual, and, as a matter of course, deep- er and deeper did the thirst for revenge obtain the mastery over his mind. Wo have heretofore spoken of the stfong attachment that existed between the ped- 'r and the apprentice boy, and we have spoken of it as the good people of the place iwere in the habit of doing, as something inexplicable. 'The-fact was, however, that the too men drew together because their dispositions ienerally accorded; and they became bosom friends,.because the one found in the hiber a ready instrument for the furtherance of his own views. ' Lvi, though esteemed honest, and for the most part, sufficiently circumspect to keep up ttis appearance of honesty, was as determined aOcoundrel as ever wore wallet, r'palioed off a string of paste beads 'or pearls of price. Though he stedom commit- ted a theft himself, he. was always ready to purchase whatever might be ntffered for I T'lE lUlVlEli PilRATES. -. 41 sale, without asking questions as to Ihe source from whence it came; and he could ad. vance suggoetiuns and drop hints whenever his penetration caused him to discover that, they were not liktly to be thrown away upon dull eats. The first interview he had with Bill Djvi J, seemled to convince him that the lad might be rendered an efficient partner in the conduct of his Lusro private business. He saw that he was greedy of gain and destitute of all principle; and he set hiadself industriously to the task of rendering him an expert and cautious rogue-a tauk which the natural aptitude of his pupil to receive such instruotion, rendered extremely light. This it was whioh-had accasioned that intimacy between them, at which the igno* rant villagers wondered, atdl the results arising from it wore at ouca more numerous and more important than either party, perhaps. had antieipated. As we hiave ob-' served, according to his promise the pedlar made his appearsace in the vill exactly at the expiration of the month, and just at the moment when the fling of the apup prentice wete most exasperated against his employer. The unfortunate iLsue of his application to Jacob for the hand of his daughter had caused, in him opinion, a complete rbevolution in his circumstances and prospects, and had given to his views regarding his employer quite a new direction. He still longed, not merely for the' property immedliately within reach, but f. r the house, the shop, and the business; and he hok&l upon the old man as consti:utihng the sole obstacle'to the gratification of his wishes. lie therefore began to tiew him with feelings of no common hatred. Hefelt likewise, or endeavored to 'feel that a glaiing wrong had been put upon himself. Ite reasoned on the subjeet of his long and faith ful services, recalled the numerous opportunities that had been offered and had been neglected when he might have wronged his master to his own profit, without much risk-of detection; and he did not hesitate to affirm that his industry and Fkill were the main causes that the business continued so flourishing. In a few words, he looked upon himself as jtustly entitled to the hei:-ship of a fortune, which he considered he had been largely interested in amassing; and cursed old Jacob, in hi. heart, as an un- grateful and bad man, whom it were no evil act to reward according to his deserts. Such was the etate of Bill David's feelings, which rumors of a projected uhion be- tween his dulciatea and a young farmer in the vicinity, tended greatly to itflame, when Noah L-vi marle his reappearance after his short absence, in the Village of The Jew pretended to be greatly surprised at the change which had occutred in his friend's situation. he had left him, a month before, an inmate in Smieltum'a family, fall of confidence-as to the accomplishment of his whole wizhes, at least so the Jew pretended to believe; he found him an alien from the old man's table and parlor, and as rumor went, an altered man in all his habits and dispositions. Yet, Noah was far from being displeased at this, inastnuch as he guessed that the sole motive which' had heretofore swayed him in treating his master with lenity, would no longer possess weight; and eager to take advantage of this circumstance, he prepared once more to sound him as to his readiness to aid iA a plan which promised both profit and revenge. -It was late in the evening when the work of the day was done, and Bill David, with slow and sulky step, was bending hirf course homeward, that the broad outline of a fig. ur3 stooping under a pack, andno less, as it seemed, under the weight of years, presented itself between him and the western horison. Though the sun had set sometime, and twilight was closing fast, David found no difficulty in recognizing the gait of his asso- ciate in criminal thoughts. Notwithstainding the resolve at which-he had well nigh arrived, he felt at this moment, he scarcely knew why, an unconquerable dis1iclinatioan to greet him, and he pushed forwa-d with the design'of escaping a salutation. In this attempt, however, he was not successful. The forge with the shed adja- cent standing upon the side of the road, at a point where it made a turn to the right in orderto descend a hill; the Sew was enabled by cutting across a meadow to intercept David's movements, and ho came upon the lad just as he was beginning to congratu- page: 42-43[View Page 42-43] 42 - Till;I RIVEII PIRATES. late himself on having eluded an interview of which just at thatmoment he was not particulaily solicitous. "Whither so fast, friend. Bill" said the Israelito, in his indistinct jargon. "Late abroad; late abroad, I think. What will de shmight say to such hourne" "What is that to mel" answered David roughly; what control has the shmight, as you call him, over my time'! My hours are my own, and I shall use them as 1 please." "Hoity, toity!" exclaimed Noah, with affected surprise, "'is de boy bewitched, or hash de evil spirit of King Shaul descended upon bimi Sure Meesh Smeltum can not be looking upon him so favorably as formerly." *' Fool!" cried David, angrily, " why prate to me about her I Don't you know as well as I do, how the case stands 1 Don't you know that the old scoundrel has broken -with me entirely, and that all my finely spun reel has becomne entangled and confused ' What a blockheas I wts not to have followed your advice before, crafty as it always is. But, by [leaven! he shall pay for it yet." '"Mine dear friend," said Noah, approaching nms companion with a soothing and insinuating air, "I vash not ignorant of de great injury put upon you, and it vash vid de plain purpose of convershing about de besht means of taking revenge, dat I vatched you on a your way homeward. , heard all about it from de peoplish, who jeer and make game of you everywhere. Dey shy: Ah! de prentish boy forgets himself. lie rightly servedby old Jaoob; old Jacob too knowing for him!" "'Damnation!" exclaimed David; "what would you tempt me tO do 1 I know you well; I know that you propose nothing from which you yourself don't hope to reap the. main advantage; but only tell me how I may punish the old beast for his in- gratitude, and I will be guided by you." "What fink you of de job, now 1" whispered the Jew. "If de gal can't be had, can't we secure de swag V- . ' What! break the old fellow's loces and get myself hanged for burglary. That plan won't answer were it even to my mind, which it ia not. I want revenge as much as I want money."' . "Why, den, marry the gal at once, and persuade de fader to agree afterwards " And be saddled with a d---d one-eyed werch, without a sixpence to bless her- self withaL You give sage advice this evening, friend Noah, and worth attending to." "Nay-but might not de fader die: die suddenly, you know, before a now will could be made, or de property oderwise dispoeed of Might not--- " '. Wretch!" exclaimed Bill David, in a harsh, but a subdued tone. "I under- stand you,.I see what you would be at, and, by Heavens! the thought has accurred mpre. than once, since the evening, when you made the allusion for the first time. I; have thought of the subject again; It has crossed my mind during the night season, when I have lain restlessly, tosiing to and fro on my sleepless pillow; but it-has re- quired the seo d-iniorferenoeoof'some living fiind like yourself, to bring it to a bear. ing. You would,murder the old man-make away with him; is that your proposal V' The Jew nodded. " Lut if I were disposed to come into this arrangement, how could the thing be done!" - : . *, link I could manage dat-for a proper consideration." "." Nry, but if it is to be done at:all,4t must be doe immediately. I don't mean to tie myself to the daughter till theTfather shall be fairly out of the way; and then, you, know, I step at once into the possession!'? , , "Ver. tue, ver true," ,rinjied .h. Isrealite, "'It, vssh a goot house, a goot bushiness;, plenty of moidh , goot futriture-a., ver -comfoxtable setting down for a lad brought up ori charity." . "Devil! Do you throw that in my teeth, likewise'". THE RIVER PIRATES. 4.. "No, no, friend David; I shpeak neip imalice,' but in god vill. I only shay de whole, establishment vash handsome." "Well, but the means-the means of getting rid of old 1Jaco'l"- "Oh, yesh! do means. Poor Noah ish to run all risk--* .ay all de plans, and to receive nothing but tanks. Do sons of Abraham don't do bushiness sho." "Whyb won't my house be always open to you as before! and have I not done you serviee enough, to entitle me to look for some service id returnl Have you forgjttea how many dollars you have turned out of the contents of the oldIanvill" "All ver true,",replied the imperturbable Jew; " but de housh is open to me now, and what better shall it be if it only changes its master! and ash to do dollars, truly, master David, dey have been pretty fairly divided betwixt ush. I can't give no help on such terms." "What then,do youexpectH Vill the ready chink-the contents of the old teacup satisfy you'" . - "No, I will have half of de whole, or'else I take no paYrt in de matter." "Half of the whole!" exclaimed David, "why, you avaricious landshark! an I to put my neck-within the noose for, the purpose of enriching you?" "Nay, dere will be two necks in de noose;' and when de risk ish equal de profits ought to be equal likewise. Den dere ish revenge. I tought he had insulted you so grossly dat, for dat only he deserved to die." David was silent for some moments, and the Jew ,was too wary to break in upon his meditations. ,They were manifestly not of the most agreeable kind, for, even amid the unceasing gloom, the pedlar coul see that his features were violently distorted whilst his limbs curved, as it appeared, involuntarily, like those of a horse when he is suddenly checked at speed. The two men were at this moment standing about the centreof a glen or gorge, surrounded on all sides by bare hills. It was a wild and desolate spot, admirably in keeping with the sort of conferenen they held; apd so far well adapted, even for their purposes, that no eaves-dropper, could by possibility over- hear them. At last the younger of the two ruffians seemed to have made up his mind. "Y. u shall'haveit your own way," said he, " upon one condition, whioh is-that you do the deed, and then I can rest assured that yout can never split." "And vat bhecurity will be given to me dat you don't shplit, Mashter David'! Nay -nay, if we have de guilt, let us share de danger, and den de share of de booty comes more fairly. Besides, I am old; I could not do do workas itought to be done without you to back me" , Bill Da-vid drew a long breath; after which ho demanded to be informed of the mode by which the foul deed should be perpetrated. "Our great bushiness must'be," said Noah, with the most. perfect self possession, "to dispatch him, so dat no marks of violence appear upon his person. Poison would do dis; but den comes do doctor, who opens de carrion and finds de entrails inflamed and de stolmaeh injured. Next, dere is strict enquiry at every chemist's shop, as to who bought such and such a drug.; and lastly comes de offliser, who claps poor Noah and. honest Bill David in de bilboes. De cord won't do neider, for it leaves an- ugly mark; and as to rolling him over de cliff, at de back of his house, dat might be seen, and so we lose our end. But dere is a method. as sure tas it is hard to'detect. What say yol. Can't you be at de back door to-night, a little aftermidnight, and once let me into de oil shmight's house, it ish all over vid him." David after a moment's pause, assented to this proposition; upon which the Jew, placing his mouth close to the young man's ear, whispered for some moments a secret, apparently too horrible to be spoken aloud. Ilis companion stood breathle.-sadd with lips apart, till the tempter ceased, and then staggered back a pace or two, like a man sulitten by a sudden woutd. "'What!" exclaimed Noah, in a tone of iron'y. "Afraid!-afraid of a few words, and dispo ed to forego wealth, a wife, and more than all, revenge! Is dis my trusty helpmate dat I am to look-to "T 1 . - page: 44-45[View Page 44-45] "4 THE RIVER PIRATES. "Man, or devil, for whieh you are Hcannot tell," answered David, "I am not afraid. I shudder, only because I believe, I am now in convorsatiou with the black- eat spirit that exists beyond the pit. Who are you I and how comes it that you pos- sess so, extraordiaaty an influence over me V' "Poor Noah, de Jew pedlar,' replied his companion, in a voice of renewed sub- miaS'on. "Poor N-oah Levi, who never refuses to turn an honest penny, by shelling de'best bargains dat can be& bought, and isb always ready to sherve a friend. But it ish time dat we part. Good iLight, Mashter David; I will, attend you about teni minutes after midnight. -The Jew fell off from David's side as he spoke, and was almost immediately concealed from 0obervation by a bend in the valley It were noeansy matter to' describe the state of m;nd ia which the young man con- tinued his walk homeward. Of many crimes he had been already guilty, and his love of moicy increased upon him so fast, there was scarcely any he was not pre- pared to commit, provided its commission promised only to put a few pounds in his pocket. But,to the idtea orftaking away life, he had not yet sufficiently habituated himself to permit his-looking forward to such a scene as the Jew bad described without horror. True, a loose and undefined consideration that such ai thing might be done, that, perhaps, it ought, to be done, had of late fl;ashed frequently across his mind. He had wished old Smeltum out of the way so frequently, that it was scarcely possible to avoid coljurivg up an image of the mode by which so desirable an end might be ef- fected ; but until to-nignt no connected or digested Fsieme had been presented to him; And hence the occurrence was regarded as a thing rather within the-limits of possible attainment, ihan as absolutely detel mined upon. Now he found himself on the very brink, as it were, of a tremendous precipice. lie bad pledged himself, at least to as- sist in the performanee of'a deed which, his feelings now told him, could never be for- gotten; and he saw that his whole future desttny hung, evenly balanced for good or for evil. Nevertheless there was a joggling fiend within, which strongly urged him by no means to retreat from the pledge which he hnd given. " fhe Jew assures me," said he to himself, " that of detection there is not the shadow of;a risk; why, then, Should I hepitate- Will not this-single act put me in possession of independence ' Don't I know that the old fellow is rich? Am I not certain thab his riches would then belong to me? And has be not wronged me! Away, then, with cowardly miPgiving-I will be true to thee, Noahb, s the steel is true to 'he flint; and if I don't dontrive in the end to bafile thee of thy portion,'then am I less knowing in such matters than I Hlave hitherto supposed myself." He reached the door of his emplover's house, 6 just as he had arrived at this most Christian determination; and passing hnstily to' his own room, made a show of eating his frugal supper anodthrew himself on his bed In thc meanwhile the pedlari who bad not yet visited his old friend Smeltum, pro- ceeded with a hasty step towards the forge where the old man often -stayed chatting with hisaneighbors till a late hour of the eventing. He was recognized as usual, and after'a short pbat received an invitation lo take tea with- the smith on thb following day. This altered in some degree the Jew's plans; however, he awaited on the ap- prentice, told him that he had received the invitation, and that it held out io them both a fairor prospect of success than might otherwise occur. Consequently the exc. cution of the deed of darkness was postponed till tte next night. I : - Punctual to the hour of tea the Jew arrived on the nm xt day, and met with a hearty welcome as well from the' smith as from Martha, his daughter.. An additional log w-a cast upon the kitchen fire. and MaRtha anticipating the usual reward of her father's hosplitality, and her own attenti;ne, made haste to arrange the tea or supper table in its customary order. A cheese, flanked on the one side by a huge brown loaf and on lhe other by a mug of foaming ale, presented to the eyes of the hungry traveler a ple;a:lnt picture, bes^id thid there was the smoking tea equipage, which, however, had less attractions for the jpedlar than the other viands, and glad was ho when the .tmi ih, cutting a capacious slice of bread and cheese, laid it on a plate and pushed it towards him. Noah ate voraciously, as he always did when the means of so THE IVrER :PIRATES. -.45 doing were furnished gratis; and his attention to the liquor was not less profound than to the more substantial portions of the repast.' "' Why, thou beost sharp set, friend Noah," said Smelturm, laughing, as for the Jast tworey years he had laughed at the Jew's peculiar manner of eating ;, I wouldn't be a rasher of bacon in thy way now, an' there -were no one near to seb thee i but never mind, pedlar, eat on and take thy fill-as I have said, thou booest heartily "elcome."' "Tank ye, Mashter Smeltum," replied the pedlar, in accents soft and oily, "if all Jews and Christians were like ye, de poor'Sould never go widout. bread, nor do weary widout a, place to rest upon. -But what matters Jew or Christian; we are all de same flesh and blood. Ah, Miss Martha," continued he,.turning to-the one-eyed hostess, "-.what,.can 1 sheJl thee to-night 1 Plenty of brooches, all gooid-pure virgin goold, fair as thyself. liereo's a necklace for thee, too, e-ery single pearl of which is worth the whole price thou shalt hwar it for. Bless thy little heart!let, mo hang it round thy neck, that we may see how well it becomes thee." This speech was followeld y the production of the nei*lace, which Martha admired more ardently than her father admired the price, and a scene of chaffing and bargain- ing ensued, of which it is riot necessary to give- any account. Strange to say, however, it ended in the Jew presenting the paste beads to the young woman, in testi- mony, as hoe himself asserted, of hisi sense of the smith's and of her kindness, and a feeling in his ftLvor-was excited instantly, still warmer than before. Not only was the beer-can replenished, but a gin bottle was produced, out of which Smeltum brewed for himself a tumbler of potent grog, and the Israelite being invited to follow his example, a night of conlviviality and hard drinking began, which was pro iasel r the end tho wily pedlar desired. to effect. Fihally, after some half dozen glasses had been emptied, four of them falling to the share of the. host., the -latter dropped from his stool, and was conveyed, in a state of utter intoxication, by Martha and the /lw, to his chamber. So far everything had succeeded according to the pedlar's host sanguine antleipa- tions. His intended victim was in a. condition which at once rendered him powerleia of reatitance, and presented a fair oening to such as should attribute his sucdlen death to ntural causeo; whilst the friendly terms on which they paried, would, under anycirf- onumstances, shield him from the suspticion of having offered violence to so generous a host. He accordingly saw Martha 'retire for the night, after spreading his pallet, as usual, on the foor, with the savage exultation of a tiger watching for its prey, and ad- dressed himself, not, as may be supposed, to sleep; but to watch' impatiently for the signal, which Mad beon arranged between him and his bloody associate. * It wanted a full hour of Midnight, when Martha, carrying the candle along with her, wished the. Jew a good night, and withdrew. Noab was rinot, however, left im absolute darkness, for a few embers still burned; and he took care by raking together as many cinders as could be gathered f om beneath, from time to tine to feed them. It isstrange, that even the most hardened villain, should feel less at ease in tho dark, than when some rays of light are streaming around him. Yet, that the case is so,.alt experience proves, and never was more decided testimony brought forward to the justice of this conclusion thLn Noai-'s conduct on the present occasion furnished. lie nursed the little spark with the most scrupulous care and economy, placing overtho live coal, only so many pieces of fitel as; would hinder the flames from utterly expiring, and having drawn his chair close to it, seated himself so as to intercept, as much as possible, the current of air. This done, he lsil his watch upon the table to note the time, and pulling a dark lantern fro mtlais pocket, proceeded to arrange it in readiness ,for the'moment of action. In the meanwhile, the night wh.-Eh ha d looked lowering early in the evening, be. ame overcast. Sudden gusts of wind, 4coompanied by smart showers, came up from the iouth, and striking fall upon the casemnort of'the, room whore he sat,produced , d!mal sound by no means acceptable to one in his cireumstances, Noah startled as the leaden window-frame rattled to the blast and gazed with an anxious eye, some- page: 46-47[View Page 46-47] * 46 TlHE RIVEt .PIRATES. f times towards the spot, sometimes at his watch, while a sort of imprecation of his associate's tardiness rose involuntarily to his lips: "' Will toe rogue fail mel" said he to himself, ts he observed the hand of his watch point to. the stipulated- moment, yet there was' then no sign .of the advent of David from his room. Is he mo-o of a coward thqn a ruffian after alill ' Let-me have him once in this scrape, and then I think I shall be able- to make my own'terms -with him." He had no sooner pronounced there .words than there were two low raps at the kitchen door, whioh,announced that B;ll David wasAtrue to his pledge, atld then the pedlar, arising with greater alacrity than might have been expected from a person of his years, undid the fastening, and zhis comrade entered. 4' This is an ugly night," said David, as te entered, shivering with cold, "I anl the storm is frightful without. Wehad better defer our purpose till to morrow." "After every other preparation hash been made, Masbter David," said the pellar, "after de old fobl is ash drunk ash one beest, and Martha sound asheepi No--no, it musht be done now or not all." "But our footsteps will betray us,' saidl Davil. "See here," lifting up his leg, "the very bricks are damp enough to retain the impression of our footsteps; how can you leave the houSel" Vy, I can pull off my shoes and walk lighter; besidss it will be best for us to pull :our shoes off. We don't want to: distu b anybody, you know." "The Jew busied himself as he spoke in blowing up a piece of smoulderingwood into flame, to which he applied the candle from his lantern. It ignited more suddenly than David-expected, and he started as if the glare, thus suddenly produced, were the effect of sometning more than a natural cause. '*Thou art timid, Bill David," said the Jew with a sneer. "Timid, Noah!" replied David, "no, but commonly prudent. There are chinke in that shutter through which any passer by might see- the flame you have needlessly kindled. . I know my way to the old fellow's room,. and we don't want a light to help us do the work we have there." Pull off your shoes, then, and lead on," said the Jew, as he placed the candle in the lantern, and effectually obscured it. "Bill David did as he was directed, and receiving the lantern in his hand, groped forward through the passage. The ruffians reached tho chamber door, David in front and the Jew close behind, without exciting the smallest alarm, and they found it, as indeed Noah'had taken care they should, ajar. It was luehed open, and the heavy breathing of the sleeper guided them towards the spot-where he lay. - ' Here David's courage failed him. lie stopped, returned the lantern to his aom- panion, and, in i whisper, declared that he had not the heart to proceed. "What and relinquish all" said the Israelite, "' house, monish, busin'ah, a settle. ment for life and revenge? Thou art but a chicken hearted villain, after all, David; I will do the deed." As he spoke he drew up the tin case of the lantern, and, a stream of light falling strongly over the bed, discovered the smith lying upon his back, and buried in pro- found slumber. Noah approached hilsthbut the sleeping man moved at the moment, and closing the ease of his lanstern hastily. he shrank ltck again. "My arm is too weak," whispered he; " "i'he resist, I shall hardly succeed in mastering him. Thou mustdo it. It is but a firm clutch, and all will be over in 's -minute."' ' . "N iy, then, here goes," replied ;the younger ruffian, wound up, as it seemedto despeirtion. Hold the light down, so--o-and now--.". Hie did not-pause to firnih the sentence, but throwing himself with all his might upon the stomach of the sleeping man, he grasped him tightly by the throat. A-'few b THE -RIVER PIRATES. .7A convulsive struggles followed, but they availed nothing to free the suffoating smith from his murderer, wh 'pressed him down with the- strength of a giant; and held his gripe till life was:wholly extinct.' "Now then," whispered the Jew, who had taken no part- in the transaction be- sides bWing an unmoved spectator, " thou hast done thy business well Cover UD the carrion, and let us to ou beds. I will arise and set out as I ani used to do early in the morning to make nry sales. Ven I return to take my breakfast mid de smtdth all will be discovered-you see.": "Creorit u? yourself, ,wardl," replied Bill Drvid, rushing furidusly from the chamber. - "I have had too mach hand in the matter already, while you--old teinpt- er-stood by and did nothing." li ha I regained the kitchen ant was eagerly putting on his slAes, ere this speech came to a:losj; but the p 'dlar round leisure enough to arrange the dead man's bed and rejoin him before he could malke good-his retreat.- Oseof his shoes was missing, the friends'searched every where for it to no purpose, forit was not to be found. "Ina the namut of fortune," said David, " wh ,t has become of it I I left it here in the kitchen, where I have no right to be, hero by the sile of the flre. and now it is gone, and I, of course, am ruineid.'" "s We shall both be ru'ned, if you remain here much lonker," said the pedlar, after vainly aiding in the search; "you must go to your own room without it, and leave it' to me to fiad it if it be above ground." Bill David felt there was truth in this observation; an indescribable sense of horror moreover, urged him to wsek his ow. room without dolay, an'l to look himself in ; and though he coul - not shut his eyes to the haa trd of leaving such a proof of his presence behind in the kitchen, even the d'ead of discovery failed to operate wit a counter- balancing weight ag-linst it. He rushed from the. door, unshod as he 'was; and the Jew closing it after him, extinguished the lights "Thou art in the toils as surely as ever foolish mouse was lured in the trap." said he, -" and if I make not a good thing of thee, then I am no true child of my fader. Thishouse ish mine-and thou shalt work for my profit ash long aosh it shall suit my convenience. , - , The callous ruffian threw himself upon his rug, and when Martha eamp into the I - kitchen in the morning she found him fast asleep. It is scarcely necessary to say that the sudden death of old Smeltum soon became known through the neighborhood, and that it produced every where a strong sensation. No suspicion of foul play was, however, excited; for in the first place the corpse presented only such appearances as usually attach to one who has died of apoplexy, and in the next place there wore no reasonable grounds upon which to charge any one with harboring an evil design towards him. Everything in the house was seen to be in the same state in which it had been left when the faGiily retired to rest. No at- tempt at robbery had been made; nothing of value was missing,; nor wais a single ar- ticle of friniture displaced or injured; and as the Jew swore he heard no noise during the night, suspicion was entirely lulled to sleep. The consequence was that no investigation took place as to the causes of Sleltum's decease. It was by general consent pronounced to be natural-or, to speak m ,re cor- rectly, to have been occasioned by drinking to excess, and the smith was laid with due solemnity beside the other forefathers of the village. In the morning Bill David, with a self-possession hardly to have been expected of him, repaired as U3ual to the forge, and among all who expressed surprise and regret at the sudden demise of the owner, none conducted themselves with more decorum than be. It seemed as if so unlooked lor a termination of the old man's careor, hnd oblitera- ted every aingry feeling from his memory, anld he nolw spoke as if the kindloes which he had received in early life alone retained a place there. But while he effected to grieve over the catastrophe, Bill David poase.-'d too much cunning to riak any ooa- , page: 48-49[View Page 48-49] ture as to the probable cause of it. On the contrary, he made/til appenr that, no- rding to his couception of things, the matter was altogether of a common order-nay taxed his memuory for facts, or, which served the same purpose, invented fictions for e purpose of satisfying others, that old Smeltum had often exhibited symptoms of a adency to tpoplexy. Between the Jew and him, howrver, little or no intereourse took place . The for- r.,departed on the very evening of the day, upon which the fatal discovery was ade, and he did not return, for some months after, when the scheme was near its con- mmation. * Time passed, andBill DiLvid failed not, as may be easily imagined, to turn it to the it advantage. He acted the part of a, sincere friend towards Martha, conducting e business for hg, helping to adjust her affairs, anld otherwise aidinr her with his "and counsel. It would have been strange if the partiality she had long ago con- ved for him had failed to have received a fresh impetus under suca circumstances. t a few weeks had expired from the'day of che funeral ere all minor arrnlgements re completed, and before the third moon had ohanged, the day of the wedding was reed upon. . The very day before tCis was to take place, Bill David was surprised by a visit m Noah Lavi. It was a pleasant evening in spring, about an hour after sunset, St Bill was interruptel in his labors by this visitor, -whom of all others he at that ; ment least desired to see. The smith was standing with his back to the doorway, rTounded -by tho journeymen, smelting some old iron into shape, and occadioaally Wvelling up a fPw coals as the furnace required it, when he was suddenly accosted in oice and'after a fasion which, once heard, thero was no possibility" of mistaking. vid dropped his pincers, and turning suddenly roland, beheld the Jew, loaded as ual, beyond*his strength, at his elbow. "Vat Bill, still as industrious as ever!" exclaimed Noah, itn at tone half ironical, It. serious. "Devil!" muttered David, forgetting himself for the moment, "I had hoped you ie dead and damned some months ago; what brings you hitheri'" ," A little bishnish. Mashter Shmight," replied Noah, "betwixt thee and me-a nall account to be settled, in which de balance, I take it, is rader against thee and in favor." "Indeed!" said David, recovering his self command in a moment, "( I had forgot- jthat such an account was outstanding; but you have it, doubtless, in blaek I white, and can produce it; suppose for old friendship's sako," he continued, king at the Jew and thein at the other men present, in' a, manner that t he former derstood, "suppose you go home with me, it is getting late, and we will settle -the titer after supper." '"Agreed," said the Jew, and they quitted the forgo together. The supper passed away, and as Divid already took upon himself, by Martha's re- ist, the position of master of the house, the grog bottle was produced, Martha, ofV rse, retiring to her own room immediately supper was over. , "Shoe, mine friend," said the Jew, after a few minutes had passed away and the former friends had grown confidential in their discourse, "Sho, mine' friend, you to be married to-morrow, and all dis fine property ish to be yours!" "Yes," said Bill David, " such to the case, and then for God's sake, Noah, say at you will take to be quits with me forever, and never to visit this part of the coun. again." ' Deo housh and property and all dat ish in it," answered the Jew with a diabolical n. *"For old friendship's sake, as you shay, I will rent the premises to you a low :e, and I doesn't want to live hero, but I must have all de ready money and a con; eration for de good will of de bishness." aYhat is iit you meant'- enquired David with. a voioe in'which anger and fear were nglod , , , - t t "'FA LM5 S ^ull, &!"TE S. 1;,-Va Teshat-jst I h'vre: little acc6unt teo shettlIe It you." "Bys 3 rdevanai?" replfid the Jaw, Outtinghhis h d into' A 'Walletthat hung b his d1di'ragsig out shoose, 4l Alwayps kejp it inldts- di .o .you:kn idt'- - - ' David staggered back,- for it was theidetiaoa shoo whichhe hh ,d bee n ompeldt o e behind him in the k1tdien onh the ' igit of the muorder. "He sa, a g S p b ith been-es, ts ndfealingtht oly ance fI r:ae ty f l'a -t . in hihgi^reotritattiggh9ep I ar, he'motioied to him to:putit up. e. i io don't doaut rwoetd, Nyoh, said e-in a sut due d tone, "I hate kao wyou .too. Iongrg-d0bt ' ad'yaknoe me 1aendno eigh to 1slieve tht I neverm-eant .to' r ong . y oul' W..d o t'olk of the:accoUnttanother timeto-morrow mornig, if;you will butalet Wt(,i, veted t h t ffest ty . , , ' r if 'YOU 'he 3Oewfell to th snare, nd tok'glVs after glass, as though ' /-:" "*m:iln' Ieft bim, Md Pf'videne had deoreed that he should meet with retributon rr. Uhtn thBat he himself had'suggeted in working out hMis oimeo. ; ' he-liquor begn to take effeot upon the pedlar, and he grel ohatty and Olmmu ni- Twas. an ugly business, that. murder of the old- man," said: he. " iTaeo on erly lightd threa months ago, that he and I st at this same table k ame bottles and where is he now " Where you shall be in a moment,o exclaimed Bill David, who had approaohed dfla'b untgheededt, and nowr seiling hi -furiousl by the throt b it o i&. - : ;;T-he tck: is, thin ow rfan hare aontinued, seating hsasit- me time on the pedlar's' stomach and frolbly suppres ing his br mse /a you for teahoing it, phiefiy because r am permitted to;play it off: upan youtZlf. , t the pedlar was not to be vanquished as old Smeltum had been, and though in - le-' a sitoeesful resistnoe against a man in thefll vigor of his youth, he no- ,less struggled with the energy. of despair. displaeed te haend wPhihooaioered his mouth and nose, uttered a Shrllf. sad p i6ousU ld would have tepeated it, had not the smith. ohanged his modeaog atto kc, *e Oa*sslo*w:d to draw breath. rits 'ats strength he tore th e old man's head forward towerds his bre", sting'himself upon it with allI his weight, dislocated thoneok in #momed, e ry, though -short and stifled, had- not been issued in vain. - The murdm'. upon -the head: o his victim , when the ddor of the kitochx burst open, and,' ,: breathe s with horror and alarm, stood before hrbetrotdi d husbad; - CH =EI T 1IW. . itrtha," shrieked Bill David, rising and grasping the girl violently by the au, itve Seen that which you ought' ot to have seen; but know that-the brute :thiO star and stiff, took away the life of yourathaer,and would-hate redn0d ,.ou it - wers, therefoit, orer his odrpse, that the sere't of his fate ehl, never" Iged. Swear, tW, that you will marry me' to-morrow, or;by Y-lea OUte'y Warthesbrtidn' spun round. ; She ropeate' the words of the oath whoh ier lover dictateds and reeled, rather than w alked, ba k to her own ehambir but. "taBm ent h erinelleet was nevr settled; -' She did m arryDavid on the mo F fi'wthi '.a'teiemitonth she became insane/-' l-v e i howeeK , a'. asthe reader V'dl be well awre-i - Be oame i6ntoP ossesibn of- t rp ty' jtthe ehrrs b :4 sutterl r ineapaoitaa him f! m rcarrying On the blnes , - nd h at his affairs whre going behih'afnd;Bs .: afRy; sipd e i-te ouOf er t b i5 a4 dsent It tio ,a' pie of abecifid6,Wayai. haw -dLs0IX ?IndighsoSb; iio liad beomoaisurprised'at the On.-appearanCe of David t thf t ki b uap in'the bedrooms, and in :a condition of utter inbeoility. ' 7 page: 50-51[View Page 50-51] 650 THE RIVER PIKATES. She was sent to a lunatic asylum, and on the house being searched by her friends, *it-was discovered that everything of value had been removed. The general opinion was that her husband bad ill-treated her, and that, probably being so disposed consti- tutionally, she had become insane in consequence. David was set down as a worthless scoundrel, whom it would be labor lost to seek out and prosecute, and the house and property was sold by the friends of the poor girl, for her behoof. No suspicion was entertained of the murder of the pedlar, and it was not until many years afterwards that on digging up the foundation, the remains of a skeleton were dis X covered beneath the cellar. It was then believed that some foul crime had been com- mitted, and some persons thought perhaps the bones might be the remains of the ped- lar, who had never been seen in the neighborhood since David's disappearance. Some euspqeed that David had been concerned in the disappearance of the old man; per- haps iad been his murderer; but no one knew where David was to be found, nor had the pedlar any friends to make inquiries respecting him. So, after a short time the Vole affair was forgotten. From that period David had been connected with vari- ous bands of desperadoes in different parts of the country, and he became generally known amongst thieves as a receiver of stolen goods, and a passer off of paper fraudu- lently obtained. In fact he was in all respects a modern Jonathan Wild, and his com- panions equally hated and feared him, yet he was necessary to their succeSs in all their evil adventures. *. * * ,. * ' . It was this reckless man who, at the appointed hour, was introduced by Chapman to the room in Water street, where, the reader will recollect, we left the Manson's in close concealment, awaiting the arrival of their confederate. Bill was introduced to his old confederates, for they had all at different periods been known to him. The business was soon settled, Bill'promising for a certain, somewhat usurious-con- sideration, to get rid of the questionable property, and matters having been thus satis- factorily arranged, the Mansons, father, son and daughter, prepared for a journey to Canada, until the affair, should it get wind, should blow over. We must now return to the packet ship L-, and her commander and passengers. Captain Wainwright-had descended to his cabin, after the exciting interview with the boatmen, without having the slightest suspicion that they would interfere with his passengers or crew. He lay for some time sleepless on his bed, for, although he had in reality little to dread from the threats of the Mansons, his employers being, as the reader will recollect, perfectly cognizant of the misfortunes that had beset his early life, still it was far from pleasant to anticipate the wrath and insults of the villains who had once so seriously compromised his reputation, and almost led him to destruction. He doubted not that they were perfectly capable of fulfilling their threats, and of again ripping up former passages in his life,which he had hoped were forever sunk in oblivion. At length, however, he fell asleep, nor did he awake until at a late hour in the morning the1 mate come down into the cabin to4form him that the pilot was on board, and was proposing to take the ship into her berth alongside the pier. The' young commander sprang' out of his cot, and hastily dressing himself, hurried upon'deck. The ship was under weigh, and in the course of an hour was moored in her berth. The passengers then disembarked, and like most other captains, glad was young Wainwright when he got his vessel quit of them, in order that he might Clear up the 'tween decks and get his vessel cleaned and put to rights once more. As we have said, the passengers consisted mostly of Germans, and their friends haur- ried' down to the wharf to meet the fresh arrivals from Faderland. All had gone on shore, and the crowd which had assembled around the emigrant ship, runners and Jews iand friends of the strangers, had departed with them. Still two German women remained, evidently greatly disappointed,. and apparently doubt- THE RIVER PIRATES.' Ing, and at the same time hopeful that the friend whom they had come to meet had gone onshore without'their perceiving him. This supposition was, at all events, more consolatory than the idea that' he had not arrived in the ship, and whet gave them some foundation for this belief was the fact that their father, for it was he whom they expected, had gone on shore with the friendly stranger, who had so0 kindly interested himself in their case, before the ship came into her berth; but then, they thought, it was strange they had heard nothing of either their father or the strange gentleman. Captain 'Wainwright, after having gilen his instructions to his mate, andseen that every thing was ready to proceed as so8'as possible with the discharge of the cargo, was stepping on shore with some gentle'men of his acquaintanoe, who had come on board to welcome him, when he was intercepted by the two females, the elder of whom thus addressed him in broken English: "Please ish y ou de captain of de ship ." "I am, my good woman," replied young Wainwright. "Can you tell me, "leash, ish mine fader on board wid you on do voyage 1" "I really cannot say. What is your father's name 1" "Kreutzer, Herr; he was to come out fromn Liverpool vid 1de L---, and we have been waiting for him; but, mein Gott we shall not see him."2 "Kreutzer, Kreutzer. If I mistake not we had half a dozen passengers of that name." : Carl Kreutzer," #joined the woman . "Mr. Lyman." said Captain Wainwright to the mate. " o you recollect such name as Carl Kreutzer among the German passengers 1" "Carl-Kreutzer," said the mate slowly. "' Carl Kreutzer-I think there was an old German who hailed to that jaw-breaking name. A quiet, staid old fellow, who had a chest, inwhich there was considerable property, among his luggage." "Yes, I think I recollect the old man now. Yes, my good woman, I believe there was such a person as you describe amongst my passengers." "Oh, mein Gott, den, vat has become of our faler, " exclaimed the women in a breath. "Mein Gott, when did he go ashore; we have not seen him 1" "Indeed, that is more than I can say," answered the Captain, " My good women, I am greatly hurried; and have a vast amount of business to attend to, and really I cannot stay now to talk. No doubt your father has gone ashore in the crowd, with- out your having seen him, and ten to one but you will find him at some of the German emigrant boarding houses in Greenwich street"So saying the Captain hurried ashore with his friends, leaving the two women still, on board, and in a state of utter confusion, as from their imperfect knowledge of English, they had only half under- stood what the captain had told them. After waiting'some time and uselessly seeking to. gain some more satisfactory in- formation relative to their lost parent, the two women hastened ashore to renew their search amongst the boarding-houses. The captain called at the offi c of his owners, and having ooncluded the necessary business of the day, he spent the remaining hours with his numerous friends in the city. The next morning while sitting at his breakfast he casually took up one of the morn- ing papers, and whilst looking carelessly through its columns, his eye lit upon the fole !orwig startling announcement under the head of the police reports: "PROBARLB MURDIR.--The body of a man supposed to be about fifty-five or sixty years ofage, was discovered near the B atte yeterdy evening, fast wedged between some stonea. The man is supposed from his appearance to have been a German. His hair is p 1ig!]y touched with gray, also his beard and moustache, which are heavy There is th ewmark of a bruise on the beck part of the skull, which has the appearance of having been effected by a blunt weapon, but whic h oss'bly m ight h ave been caused by-the stones amongst which the bod y was found. He bod y h ad e vidently been but a few hours in the water, and as the pockets of the deceased were turned inside out, and no property of any description was found upon his person, there are strong suspi- clo n e that a deed of violence has been committed. "We learn since the above was written, from a gentleman whose busine ss neoe ari- y cause him to be abroad late at night, and who resides in Brooklyn, that at an early h our this moring, as he was r eturning from his offie to his residence, h e saw two e -., mc onsrsdne eswtY page: 52-53[View Page 52-53] E RItVER PIRATES. men cross the Battery, one of them seemingly heavily laden. Something in theo movements of the men, struck him with suspicion at the time; but they passed to- wards South street, and the gentleman crossed over to Brooklyn and thought no moro about the matter at the time, nor until he heard of the discovery of the body of a man supposed to have been murdered." As Captain Wainwright road this, the anxiety of the two women the day previous flashed across his mind, and he thought that the description of the drowned man an- swered to that, so far as he could recollect, of the man Kreutzer, about whom the two, 'females had been inquiring. "a Could ithe possible," he thought, *" that the poor man could have been murdered".t He lnew, by report, at least, that Kreutzer had a considerable sum of money, and it was also said jewelry, in his possession, and he might possibly have been in- veigled away by some bad characters, or fallen a victim. to the cupidity of some of his fellow passengers. . At all events the captain - determined to walk down to the wharf, where the body lay awaiting the coroner's inquest, and there and then to satisfy himiself Whether the supposed murdered man was really Kreutzer. Accordingly, having finished his breakfast, he set out, calling on his way down at l the office of his ownern, and then proceeding to the wharf he saw the body and at once recognised the deceased as the emigrant, Kreiutzer. Some person had informed the two women that a body had been picked up in the river, supposed: to be that of a German emigrant, and bythe time Captain Wainwright had arrived at the spot, both the females were there, and were filling the air with shrieks and lamentations that it was piteous to listen to., Some women were endeavoring to console them, and with considerable difficulty they succeeded in leading them away from the dreadful spectacler and'Captain Wain- wright having ascertained their address promised to call upon them in the course of the day The coroner's jury would not sit until the afternoon, and having ascertained this fact, the captain thought he would immediately call and ascertain what facts he was able to learn respecting their parent from the unfortunate women. iHe found them at a boarding house in Greenwich street, and having stated that he was the captain of the ship which had brought the murdered man over, he was adz mitted into their room. At the sight of the captain, the tears and lamentations of the two poor women, thus left destitute in a strange land, broke out afresh, and some time elapsed before they could sufficiently restrain their grief to reply to the questions of the captain, while from their imperfect knowledge of the English language it was extremely diffioult to under- stand their meaning. At length, however, the captain discovered that they had entrusted a letter to a stranger, in which they had recommended their father to place himself under his gui- dance, and also that this stranger, who had learned from the two women the fact of Kreutzer's saving a considerable amount of money and valuables in his possession, had informed them if their father remained on board the ship until she came to the wharf, he would likely be robbed by the custom-house ofifcers, in connivance with the captain, and that the stranger had said that he would entice him on shore if possible, while the ship still lay off in the stream. Captain Wainwright knew perfectly well, for had he not learned by bitter experi- ence 1 that the character of many of these runners who entice emigrants to leave the ves- sels and to place themselves under their guidance, was as bad as bad can be, and he knew also that his ship had been surrounded by boats on the day of, his arrival; but to. the beat of his belief none of the boatmen had bqarded the vessel except the Mansons, who had fetched him on board himself, and therefore he could not conceive it to be possible that any of the passengers could have left the ship before she went alongside the wharf. However, he questioned the) women further and asked them to give him the desoripl tion of the man who had introduced himself to them, and to whom they had entrustcd the letter. , THE RIVER PIRATES. 3 'They did so, and to the surprise and- horror of the captain, he found that the de- oription perfectly coin-ided with that of the elder Manson, who, Captain Wainwright was well aware, could speak German iuently, and who, he was also equally as well aware, was capable of committing any crime for the sake of gain, no matter how atro. ious it might be. 'Could it be possible?'" he asked himself, " that when the Mansona had quitted the vessel tlIat morning after the harsh words had taken piao between me and them that they had really managed to inveigle this man into their boate"It might be-for he recollected that he had immediately retired below, and at that hour of the night it was a chance if the anchor watch was very wide awake, as the vessel had swung to the tide, and though dark, the night was still and quiet. Uneasy in his mind, with some indefinable feeling, Captain Wainwright returned to the wharf and met the coroner, before whom he gave his evidence, and the jury re- turned a verdict to the effect that the body of a man, German by birth, lately a pas- senger on board the ship L-- , from Liverpool, had been found in the river, under circumstances which led to the suspicion that the deceased had met his death by vio- lence at the hands of some person or persons unknown. Captain Wainwright determined to take measures to discover whether the Afansons had carried off any passengers from his ship, or whether they held communication with any person on board, and he also called at the head-quarters of the Police and stated what had been told him by the unfortunate Women, with regard to the person ,who had induced them to trust a letter to his care to be delivered to the murdered man-the description given of this man, he did not hesitates to say, was that of the :elder Manson, and it was thought this was, at least, sufficient evidence to justify the arrest of Manson, could he be found, upon suspicion of having been concerned in the marderof the German. This done, the captain again called upon the two poor women, whom he found in deep distress, penniless, orphans and strangers in a foreign country, to the language ot which they were strangers. Trhey had arrived with but small funds of their own, and bad trusted to the arrival of their parent, when ithad been their int ntion to have gone westward and purchased land.; The heart of the young man was touched-he believ- ed that this wreck of a family's happiness lay at the door of the M ansons. . He recol- lected how he had suffered through the wickedness of this family, and he determined to aid them to the utmost of his power, not only by temporarily providing them with necessaries, but by striving to obtain for them some employment by which they would be enabled to gain their own living, and at the same time promised to use every effort t o discover whether the wretches whom he suspected had had any hand in the foul m urder. C HAPTER ELEVEFNTH. Of course the Mansons and',their accomplices heard with dismay 'of the' discovery of the dead body of their victim, so soon after the p erpetration of the deed. They had hoped that weeks, perhaps months might 'elapse b efore the body would be discovered, v and that then decomposition might have taken place, and the body might be found so far distant from the spot where the crime was committed that, e80cially a s the m ao was a stranger, all discovery, or even suspicion, might be evaded . All that remained to them was to quit the scene of their iniquity with all possible dispatch; but this was attended with considerable difficulty; not that they knew that any suspicion rested upon them, hut rogues, as a natural consequence of their roguery, Are always cowards. Every breath of wind seems to their disquieted consciences, no matter how hardened and soared they may be . to whisper their nam es. They knew that they were held in bad odor by the police, and they feared to show themselves abroad. Bill David had left, as. we h ave stated, with the proceeds of the double crime of robbery and murder, in order to dis, pose of the gold and valuables where there was kssa4,eac e of suspicion as to the manner in which they came int o his p oession, page: 54-55[View Page 54-55] " THE RIVER PIRATES. and still the Mansons and their confederate, Jack Chapman, remained in their olose hiding place. Towards evening Jack Chapman, who all parties believedzto be less liable to suspicion than any of the rest, grew restive under his confinement, and he expressed his deter- mination to go out and see how the wind blew, and to return and bring what intelli- gence he could, atthe same time he was charged with the duty of endeavoring to secure a passage for the whole party to Canada. Jack Chapman had one great failing, notwithstanding he was as desperate a villain as ever lived, which rendered his comrades somwhat cautious how they trusted him out of their sight when they were mutually engaged on any desperate adventure. It was a failing that is pretty generally guarded against by great villains, who have need of all their wits, and seldom allow themselves to be overcome with liquor; but Jack Chap- man was an incorrigible drunkard. When he had no particular business on hand, he was suc# a thorough sot that he was a regular attendant at the various police stations, where he was well known to all the officers. No matter if he was sent before the magistrate by the Police Captain one day, by some means or other he always managed to get off with a reprimand, and generally to make his appearance in a state of thorough intoxication the very same evening. Indeed he lived chiefly in the cells of the station- houses, and to tell the truth, although he was sometimes suspected of having had a hand in more nefarious transactions, the principal charge against him was that of being an incorrigible drunkard. On most occasions, however, when concerned in any serious business, he had fortitude enough to withstand the temptations of the glass; but hav- ing been now confined for upwards of four-and-twenty hours, he broke loose when he did get abroad, and instead of " seeing how the wind blew" with regard to the discovery of the German's dead body, and looking after a passage for himself and his confederates, to Canada, he had not left the house two hours before he was picked up in the gutter by the police and carried before the Captain of the' police station, where his name figured on the books, as regularly as the weekly payments of a model lodger in the memorandum book of a lodging-house keeper. Before this gentleman, Jack Chap- man was led, so intoxicated that he could scarcely stand. "What, brought up again, Master Jack " 'said the Police Captain. I see you are never going to'give up your old tricks." To which speech of the Captain's, Jack, who was led by the police officers, replied by some unintelligible jargon. "Search him' said the Captain to the officers, and the search customary upon such occasions was gone through with, Jack sometimes offering an inefficient attempt at resistance, and sometimes striving equally ineffectually to aid the officers in their search. The customary quantity of pawn tickets, pieces of twine, old nails and other rubbish was produced from the man's pockets. As to money, none was over expected to be found, at any rate, beyond a few cents, but on this occasion, to the utter astonishment of the Police Captain and his subordinates, four five dollar gold pieces and a foreign gold coin were abstracted from his waistcoat pocket, and laid on the desk. ".The d-l!" said the officer, "why, you're in luck to-day, Jack. Where did you manage to earn so much money. You must have been drawing upon your bank- ers, oh I' "Don't know any banker. Let's have a glass of rum, old feller-and then I'll take a snooze. I'll treat all the company, by G-d! Let's licker all round, missus; Jack Chapman ain't the chap to fight shy of treating his friends when he's in luck." "No, no, Jack-no rum, old boy. We'll find you a lodging and take care of your money for you until morning," and Jack was led unresistingly away, though with some difficulty, to his old familiar lodgings. The captain took up the foreign gold coin in his hand and examined it curiously, he then threw it down, and leaning his head upon his hand, musingly awaited the re- turn of the officers. When they made their re-appearance the captain said: THE RIVER PIRATES. 55 "It strikes me that Chapman has not come by that money honestly. At all events I shall retain it until after he has been before the magistrate in the morning, and see if he can reasonably account for its being in his possession. That fellow is worse than a drunkard, I'll be sworn. I have long suspected him of other pursuits, and had it been left with me he should, at least, have been put out of harm's way long ago, by being sent up to the island; but ten to one he is discharged by the ma- gistrate in the morning, after putting on a long face and pleading that if he is "sent up" he will be deprived of his employment. It's very certain that on such occasions as these more power should be placed in the hands of the captains of police. We know these vagrants personally, which the magistrates do not. We know what amount of faith is to be placed in their professions; and as to the knowledge of law, in their cases none is required; a mere child is capable of knowing that an habitual drunkard must be placed under restraint if he is to be cured. And yet people find fault with the police because they do not make arrests. . The same drunkard is found day after day, annoying the whole neighborhood, and the police are blamed, while in fact they do their duty to the letter, and the fault lies with the magistrates, who in their cases cannot be expected to know the particulars of these cases, nor to act upon them in'the prompt and efficient manner they ought to do, merely because they cannot have the same unenviable acquaintance with the scoundrels. Whatever might have been the further ruminations of the worthy Captain of Police we are unable to say. Certainly he was perfectly correct in his ideas. If more power as to prompt action with regard to petty offences were delegated to the Captains of Police, whose very occupation of the post they hold is, or should be, a guarantee of their efficiency, there would be less crime, because the perpetrators of crime would meet with prompt punishment, and there also would be less unjust aspersions cast upon the members of the police department. The Captain of Police retired to his house to take a brief rest after the arduous duties that his calling necessarily entailed upon him, and Jack Chapman was left to his troubled slumbers in the cell at the station-house. In the morning when he awoke, in a great degree sobered, Jack Chapman, as soon as he had realized in his own mind the position in which he found himself, began to entertain some indefinable ideas that he had not been conducting himself in the wisest possible manner. He recollected that he must have had some money in his possession at the time he was picked up by the police, and he knew very well that such a circumstance wsa calculated to excite suspicions in their minds, which might lead to a closer investigation regarding his pur- suits than he was desirous of. However, the evil had been committed, and now he felt that he must make the best of it. In due time he was summoned before the Magistrate, and true to his determi- nation, the Captain of Police was there for the purpose of stating, to the Magistrate his suspicions that the money had not been honestly come by, and that in his belief Chapman, who was an old offender and a constant habitue of the cells of the police court, was surreptitiously engaged in other and more disreputable business than that of his trade as a boatman, Something in the demeanor of Chapman as he heard the captain make these obser- vations, induced the Magistrate to examine him more narrowly, and the man under his gaze betrayed evident signs of fear and perturbation. !"How did you come by this money-these twenty-five dollars in American gold and this foreign coins" asked the magistrate. For a moment Chapman hesitated to reply; at length the demon ever at his elbow suggested his response. "They were given to me as half the proceeds by a pal of mine," he said, "for car- rying the captain of a packet ship ashore, together with a boat load of baggage, which I guess was of considerable value, from the care he took of it and the price he paid the watermen for their trouble." i, page: 56-57[View Page 56-57] " THE RIVER PIRATES. "By the captain of a packet shipl" said the magistrate, across whose mind a sud- den suspicion flashed; for he recollected the recent suspicious circumstance with regard to the discovery of the German's dead body. "The captain of a packet ship, you msay? What was the name of the captain, and of the vessell" "How am I to know!" said the man, doggedly. 1' I don't ask the name of every man I take on board as a fare, and it was dark when I went alonside the ship, and when I left; besides, the captain evidently did not wish me to know the name of the vessel. Smuggled goods, perhaps, you know," added he, with a cunning leer at the Magistrate. "Smuggled goods, eh? My good fellow, you then have been engaged aiding and abetting in a fraudulent transaction, to. the detriment of the revenue of the coun- try. It is useless your prevaricating. I shall commit you for further examination, and I assure you, you will find yourself in an awkward predicament. It will be bet- ter for you to tell me the name of the captain and of the ship." "Well, then, it makes no odds to me," said the fellow. "The ship was the L--, and her captain's name is Wainwright." "'Captain Wainwright, of the L-- packet ship!" exclaimed the magistrate, while he glanced aside towards the Captain of Police. Captain Wainwright!- why that is the name 'of the man who narrowly escaped capital punishment some years ago, through a murder, which had been ommitted in furtherance of a smuggling affair, and it was ,on board of the L-- that the German whose body was found in the river, was a passenger. This must be looked to. Chapman, I deem it my duty to commit you for further examination, and Captain --- , we must see further into this matter, I fancy Captain Wainwright was guiltless of murder in that affair of the Custom- Hosloffier; but it is a hard matter to cure a man of old tricks; perhaps he has been smuggling, and perhaps this arrest of Chapman may enable us to follow up, a clue that may lead to the discovery of the foul playwith regard to 'the German emi- grant; for foul play there has been I have no doubt." The prisoner was removed to the cell, now perfectly sobered, and sensible of the awkward predicament in which he found himself; but his only hope lay in the secrecy of the Mansons, and he determined to carry out the part he had assumed, and if ne- cessary to charge Captain Wainwright with having murdered the German, for the purpose of obtaining possession of the property that, as he had heard from the older Manson, the emigrant had in his possession. On the following morning the account of the arrest for drunkenness and the subse- quent examination and detention of Jack Chapman, together with some inkling of the explanation he had given, found their way into the newspapers, and the Mansons, who had been greatly alarmed at the non-appearance of their confederate, were eager to ob- tain a copy. of the morning paper, in }'-der to satisfy themselves that the indiscretion of Chapman,. which they dreaded, had not led him into some difficulty. "D -- tion!" said the elder Manson, wihen after hurredly glancing through the columns of the paper, his eyes lit upon the account in the police columns of Chapman's arrest. "D- tion! that fellow has got himself and us too into trouble, d-- him. What a fool I was to let the fellow go out at all, at least until our passage was secured. Now we are in a pretty pickle. The scoundrel will split and the whole matter will come out." "Don't be frightened too soon, father,"' exclaimed Harriet Manson, who had taken up the paper which her father had let drop from his hands, and had read the obnox- ious paragraph. "Chapman has thrown suspicion on Wainwright-my old admirer --andif we play our cards well we may keep ourselves clear of any difficulty." "D-n it! girl, you forget that Wainwright recognized me on board his ship, and so Eure as he sees this paragraph he will proceed at once to tell all he knows, in order to clear himself. Jack Chapman is a fool, and is deserving of all he may get, and as to our going to Canada now, that idea is knocked in the head. -We must remain close where-woare. ' It will be a diffiult job for any one to find us here."' THE RIVER PIRATES. , "Unless Chapman peaches," suggested the younger Manson. '"D-n him,jhpardly think he'll do'that. You se- it will be his part to throw the whole weight of le affair on Wainwright, and for him to mention our, names would be to place his own neck in a noose." "Meanwhile," said the younger Manson, "' suspicion will be aroused in consequence of our boat lying idle at the wharf; inquiry will be instituted after us, but, as I have said, unless Jack peaches, they may search as they will, they'll never find us out here." Leaving the Mansons thus conversing in their don, and, even while they P trove to appear calm, in a state of great alarm, we will return to Captain Wainwright. He, too, as he was accustomed to do, took up the morning papers to peruse while at his breakfast, and after having satisfied himself by perusing the leading articles, his * natural curiosity led him to search the police reports, in order to see if anything further had come to light with regard to the supposed murder of his German passenger. "Good God!" he exclaimed, turning pale, as he foresaw at a glance, the trouble and opprobrium, to say the least, if not the guilt, which this accusation of Chapman would fix upon him, "has all the labor of the last few years, during which I have striven to obtain the honorable character that I at one unhappy period of my life forfeit- ed, been as naught. Is this conneck hth this dreadful family for ever to blast all my prospects. What had I best di6 . apman I do not known such a person. The Mansons, father and son, put me on bud the ship that night, and would to God I had remained on shore, I had almost said been drowned going off, sooner than again have been thrown into contact with them.' I must go and see the owners directly and lay the facts plainly before them, and the police must make active search after these Mansons. My God! to think-only to think, that I should a second time stand on the brink of destruction, though this time, thank God! I am an innocent man-innocent of any thought of wrong." The young man rose from the breakfast table, and hastily making his toilet, hurt ried tod the office of the owners of the L--. They had not yet arrived, and in a state of great inquietude he sat down to await their arrival at their place of business. He waited nearly a full hour, and at length he thought he would first of all call at the police office, ascertain the full particulars relative to what tho morning papers had hinted with regard tq the arrest of Chapman, and also state that he had not gone off on board his ship in Chapman's boat, and that he did not know, and to the best of his knowledge had never seen or spoken to a man of that name. Having arrived at this determination, he took his hat and was on the point of leaving the office, when he saw the two owners advancing towards their place of business, arm in arm, and of course he laid his hat again aside, and remained to speak with them. "Ah, Captain Wainwright, you are early abroad this morning," said one of the owners, shaking the captain by the hand; " what news in the city to-dayl" . '"I have called, gentlemen," said young Wainwright, " to splak with you---"' But here further explanation regarding the object of the captain's visit was inter- rupted by the entrance of a police officer, who advanced to the young man and said t "' Captain Wainwright, of the ship L--, I presume!" "I am Captain Wainwright," replied the young man, turning pale. *"I am sorry to inform you, sir, that I hold a warrant for your arrest on a charge made by one Chapman, that you have been smuggling goods from on board the vessel you command." The owners interchanged glances ;and'utterly disconcerted, although consciout of his innocence, the unfortunate young man took his hat and walked with the police officer to the court where the Magistrate was sitting. CHAPTER TWELFTH. Captain Wainwright was brought before the magistrate, and on the oath of Jack Chapman, who swore point blank that he had conveyed on shore, on behalf of the , page: 58-59[View Page 58-59] 68g THE RIVER PIRATES. captain, a large quantity of goods which, for certain reasons, he suspected to have been smuggled, he was compelled to find bail for his appearance , answer to the charge. Crestfallen, and cursing in his heart the day that he had. originally fallen in with the Mansons, at whose door he laid his present difficulties, the captain dispatched a letter to his owners, in which he briefly stated the cause of his detention, and saying that he would fully and satisfactorily explain matters another time, he asked this gentleman to become his bail. One of the firm immediately walked to the court-house, and entered into the requi- site bonds on behalf of the young captain, and the gentlemen lett the office together. "This is a serious matter, Captain Wainwright," said the ship-owner. "I trust that it is a false charge, for I had hoped and I believed with reason that you had had sufficient experience of the evil of smuggling to refrain from the practice of it in lu- ture. Should it be proved that you have again been guilty of these illegal prac- tices, you may get me and my partner into trouble, and even cause us the loss of the ship. At all events we shall suffer severely; for it was our intention to have sent the L-- off to Liverpool again immediately, and now she will of necessity be delayed, and we must send a smaller vessel in her place. Too bad-too bad, Captain Wain- wright, after the perfect confidence we had reposed inyou-and freights so high, too!* Every word of this speech of the owner pierced to the heart of the -young man whose almost sole aim since he had had command of the L--, had been to prove to his employers that he had their interests at heart, and that his integrity was proof against any temptation. For somn moments his heart was too full to reply. At le gth he mastered his emotions, and in a tone of voice rendered vehement from the very endeavor of the speaker to appear calm, he replied: "Mr. ------, the charge against me is utterly, maliciously false. I have not, nor have I had one package of smuggled goods on board my vessel since I have been in your employ. I have prevented, with more than common care, the sailors from smug- gling even the smallest amount of presents for their friends. I have set my face against smuggling in any and every shape, not alone because I know it is contrary to law and is therefore dishonest; but! because, like the child who has once been burnt by the fire, I dread its consequences personally. I do not know this man Chapman, who has made this charge against me ; I do not know even that I have ever seen him be- fore, and I am very certain I -have never employed him to take me on board the L---, or any other vessel, or for any ofher purpose. What can be the motive of this perse- tion J] know not for certain, although I have my suspicion of the cause. A short time will satisfy me whether I am right or not. At all events, I hope in a day or two to provew to you and to all who are in any way connected with me, that I am perfectly in- nocent of eveh the thought of evil. Thank God, that during this,trouble, I am able to say this from my heart." "I hope you may be able to prove all you wish, with all my heart," said the owner dryly, and as their routes laid different ways, he very coolly bade the young captain "' good day,'i and returned to his office, while the captain went down to the wharf with the intention of going on board his ship, Here, however, fresh troubles awaited him; he had scarcely set his foot on the deck of his vessel before he was again confronted by a police officer, who arrested him upon suspicion of having been a principal or an accomplice in compassing the death of a German emigrant-one of his passengers. "Good God!" exclaimed the poor young man, turning pale as a sheet at the thought of the difficulty that he might find in proving his innocence, in the.-ace of the false swearing of such a set as those who he now believed had set themselves to com- pass his destruction for the purpose of ensuring their own safety. ' Good'uod! what next. Well, officer, I am ready to follow you-take me to the station-house-to the court-house; God and man have alike forsaken me," and resigning himself to the THE RIVER PiRATES. 5 charge of the police officer without further remark, he descended the side of the noble vessel whose deck he had so lately trod in all the pride of authority, and proceeded along the pier followed by a crowd who had gathered about the ship, attracted by the strange proceedings, and who followed him through the streets, and to the station house, enlightening all casual enquirers, on their way, as to the cause of the singular procession, for it was a singular thing to see a gentlemanly man such as Captain Wainwright always appeared, in charge ot the officers of justice., Again Captain Wainwright had to call upon his friends for bail after having re- plied to the questions of the police justice, and given his own explanations of the mat; ter, and again bail was readily offered, but with the same cool and doubtful manner that had marked the demeanor of the ship-owners in the former instance. And now for a short time matters remained in statu quo, at least as far as regarded the second charge. As to tho first one, the charge of smuggling, a search was made on board the vessel and at the residence of the captain, also at the miserable abode of Chapman, and nothing having been found to substantiate the charge, it was dropped, and the captain got out of this difficulty without further trouble. It was generally believed that-the charge of Chapman was without foundation, or that the man was drunk at. the time he had taken the captain to and from his ship, for he still persisted that he had been so employed, and did not know what he had brought ashore in his boat, or possibly it was!some of the captain's private luggage. Chapman, however, was still held as a witness and possibly an accomplice on the second and more serious charge, and the American and foreign gold found upon his person on the night of his arrest for drunkeness, was still retained in the possession, of the officers of justice.: Meanwhile the police were busily engaged; the affair had necessarily got wind, and the explanations of the captain were so plain and straightforward, and bore such an impress of truth, that little doubt remained on the minds of the magistrates andsthe police officers that he was altogether innocent of the affair; bat as the information he had given regarding the Mansons, added to the description by the two German wo- men, of the man who had received the letter from them to deliver to their father, to- gether with the absence of the Mansons from their duties as boatmen at the wharf, was, for obvious reasons, kept secret, there was a large proportion oSfhe public ever ready to affix a stain of guilt upon evidence purely doubtful and circumstantial, and all- the more ready when the party implicated has hitherto held a respectable position in society. Besides, in the case of Captain Wainwright, the former unfortunate occur- rences of his life were brought up by some busy bodies, ever active to blast the reputa- tion of their neighbors, and his former derelictions were held as proof presumptive of his present guilt. Time wore on and a vast amount of circumstantial evidence had been accumulated. by the police, all tending to implicate the elder Manson with having been concerned in the murder of the German; but with all their efforts nothing could be discovered of the suspected parties, and Jack Chapman continued resolutely to maintain his first position, to ,wit: that he did not know any person ot that name. At length the day appointed for the trial arrived, and Captain Wainwright ap- peared before the court, Chapman being arraigned as a witness against him, and the two German women having been summoned to appear to give their testimony. The' chief mate also, of Captain Wainwright's vessel, was brought up as a witness on be- half of his commander, and the trial proceeded. "State what you know of this case," said the District Attorney, on behalf of the commonwealth, after Chapman had been sworn, and he had stated the particulars of' the charge against the accused. "I1 know what I havre already stated," said Chapman; on the night of the 18th of tober, this gentleman whom until that period I had never seen, to the best of my knowledge, comes down to the wharf, it'might be at two o'clock in the morning, and hails my boat to put him off on board tho packet shi 1,--- , which was lying in the stream. I grumbles a little for it was a little late, or rather early for a fare, and page: 60-61[View Page 60-61] iO THE RISElR PIRATES. I was taking a comfortable snooze under the lee of the boat-house. Howeomever, I offers to take the captain aboard, for he said he was the captain, of the barkey, for a dollar, which he agrees upon. Well, we goes aboard, and the captain, this gentle- man here, he says, 'Jack Chapman, can you keep a secret,' and I answers, 'yes, as close as ere a man in New York, if so be as I am well paid for it;' and then he goes on to says ' 've a lot of valuable goods 1 wants landed before daylight on the wharf, when there beant no M. P.'s about,' says he, and if you'll do the job I'll pay you well for it.' Well, gentlemen, never being averse to earning an honest penny I agrees, and a lot of goods were placed in the boat unbeknown to any man on board but the captain and myself, and among the rest there was a powerful heavy trunk-might have been filled with specie, it was so heavy. It warn't big, yet it was much as we two could do to hist it into the boat. When the boat was loaded down to her gunwales, we. got on board, and I pulls for the shore and the things were landed and put into a cart that was on the wharf awaiting, and the captain he hands me six five dollar gold pieces and a foreign piece that I didn't know the vally of, and that's all I knows about it- -1 was kind of struck like at getting such a heap of money, and I gets on a bit of a spree and spends one of the five dollar gold pieces a treating my friends, and I s'pose I got drunk, for the next thing I knows was that I found myself in the station-house." "Where you have found yourself pretty often, I believe," interrupted the counsel for the accused. "Well, I can't say," answered the prisoner, "that I have not had free lodgings there a good many times; but I believe that is all that can be said against my charac- ter." "You may stand down," said the District Attorney. "Wait a few minutes," again interrupted the counsel for the accused, "1 have a few questions to put to the witness. "I think you said, Chapman, that the occur- rence took place on the evening of the 18th of October, and yet you subsequently stated that Captain Wainwright hailed the boat at two o'clock' in the morning, or thereabouts " - "That is quite irrelevant-a mere slip of the tongue," said the District Attorney, "the witness mieans during the night of the 18th-19th of October." "Then the witness should state what he means, correctly," answered the tounsel for the accused; " but I have another question to ask. I think, witness, you stated that to the best of your knowledge the captain had never seen you nor you him be- forel Never, that I know on," replied the witness. "And yet, as soon as he got on board his ship, he addressed you familiarly as Jack Chapman'-as though you. were an old acquaintance ;-rather singular that, wasn't itl" "Well," replied Chapman, " it was rather singular, I must own. It struck me so at the time. I suppose the captain had seen the name painted on the boat's stern." "And yet it was dark, When you went on board the ship!" "Not so dark but what the ship's lantern could reveal the name painted on the stern," replied the man. "You may stand down," said the counsel, and the two German women were called. They stated 'hat the reader is already aware of, to the effect that a man whope de- scription tallied with that of the elder Manson, as was agreed by those who knew him, and he had a great many acquaintances among the police, had by his proffers of assis- tance wormed himself into their confidence, and had received a letter from them to de- liver to their-father on his arrival in the packet ship L---. He had represented to them that the emigrants were often robbed by the Custom-House officers lthe cap- tains, and that it was always advisable that they should land from the vel before she approached the wharf, if possible. The stranger, who spoke the GWman lan- guage fluently, had promised to endeavor to bring their father on shore, and that was the last seen or heard of him. The accused did not resemble that person at all. THE RIVER PIRATES. 'I The man was older, and less of a gentleman in appearance. They had spoken to the captain of the ship, the man now present, and had asked him for intelligence re- speoting their father, and he had replied that he had had a 'passenger of the name of Kreutzer on board, and that he believed'he had a considerable amount of property with him, and he furthermore advised them to enquire at the German boarding-houses in Greenwich street, as he had no doubt he had been carried to one of these houses by the'runners, and had missed his fripeds in the crowd. They did as he advised them, but the search was fruitless, and shortly afterwards they heard that the body of a man, supposed to be a German emigrant, had been found in the river. [Here the two poor women became much affected, and wept bitterly.] They agaid saw the captain at the inquest that was held on the body, but did not hear what he said. After they had gone home, the captain had called upon them, and had given them substantial as- sistance, besides having promised to use his best endeavors to provide them with some means of obtaining a living; for the murder and robbery of their father had lefFt them quite destitute. The captain spoke very kindly to them and appeared to be very sorry for them. This was the sum ana substance of the evidence of the women, and it served to shake that of Chapman, and to encourage those who believed in the captain's innocence of the charge. The mate of the L--, was then called and sworn. "You were on board the L--- on the night of the 18th-19th of October last'" asked the counsel. I was." "You are the chief mate of that vessel.?1" "I am." "How came you to be on deck at that hour of thenight " "I had come up from the cabin about a quarter of an hour before the captain came alongside because the tide turned at that hour and I wished to see that the ship swung clear. I was just going below again, when I saw a boat coming alongside. I hail- ed her, seeing she was a shore boat, and the orders from the captain were to permit no shore boats to come alongside. The captain replied to my hail and came on board, and then ordered the two men who pulled him on board a glass of grog each. - The men begged to remain on board, and to be allowed to carry some of tie passengers ashore in the morning, but the captain would not hear of it, and some words ensued, the purport of which I was unable to make out but it seemed to me that the captain knew the men and know them to be bad characters. They were very violent and in- sulting, and the captain, after putting up with their abuse for some time, ordered me to put them over the side. I did so with a good will, and I believe one of them fell in the water,. but was pulled into the boat by his companion. To my certain knowl- edge nothing was then taken ashore by that boat, and the captain immediately retired to his stateroom and remained there until morning." "Was no one on deck belonging to the crew, except you, the captain, and the steward 1" "An anchor wateh of two was set, hut it is often the case that the men snooze on deck when they can get a chance, if the weather is fine and the ship is at anchor in a good berth." "Did you see the anchor watch at the time of the disturbance?" ' I did not. When the captain retired I also thought of going below, and seeing nobody awake on deck, I searched for the watch and found them sleeping under the lee of the long boat. I aroused them pretty roughly, and called them a pair of useless lubbers, making the remark that the last trumpet would hardly awaken them if they had not hlrd the disturbance, which they said they Lad not. I warned them not to go to sleei'again and then went below myself." ' Was this man, Chapman, one of the boat's crew who took the captain on board!" "No, he was not. One of the men was an old chap, and the other whom I page: 62-63[View Page 62-63] 62 I THE RIVER PIRATES. handled roughly wam taller by two or three inches than Chapman, and, altogether sronger built." "' You can stand down," said the counsel, and the steward was called. His evidence corroborated that of the mate, and both agreed perfectly with the captain. The magistrate addressed the court, and said that he would be compelled to dismiss the case, as there was not a particle of evidence tending to prove the criminality of Captain Wainwright, who, in fact, seemed to have acted most kindly and considerately towards the poor women. "As to the man Chapman," continued the magistrate, "he has evidently foresworn himself. I shall consider it my duty to hold him for further examination. Then turning to Captain Wainwright he said: "Captain, you are honorably acquitted of any participation in the charge that h as evidently maliciously and falsely been preferred against you. You leave this court;,I wish it distinctly to be understood, without a stain upon your character." The friends of the captain crowded round him to congratulate him, and he left the court with them. It is hardly necessary to add that he was kindly received by his employers, and in the course of a few weeks he sailed on another voyage to Liverpool. Jack Chapman, who had made nothing, but had injured himself considerably by his false and malicious course of action was conveyed back to his cell in the city prison. CHAPTER THRTEENTH. Chapman remained a long time in prison, but as nothing further could be proved against him, he was at length discharged. The Mansons kept their retirement for a long time and evading every search that was made for them, eventually removed to Boston. During the period that- Chap- man had remained in jail his mind had become greatly embittered against the Mansons, because they had made no efforts to procure his release, he forgetting, that for them to have done so, even if they had felt so inclined, would have been to endanger the lives both of him and of themselves. When he was released from jail the money was restored to him, and he at once re- lapsed into his old habits of drunkenness and profligacy, and, as of old, paid his almost nightly visits to the -- ward station-house. Sometimes he was very abusive; at other times full of rancor against some person or persons whom he seemed to fancy had betrayed him or done him some harm, and on one of these occasions he was overheard cursing in his cell because he had not re- ceived his full share of the plunder taken from the German. CVhile the officer, at- tracted by this strange disclosure on the part of the inebriate, was listening at the cell door, Chapman suddenly changed his tone and appeared to be in a condition of mortal terror, sometimes cursing and swearing in the most awfully blasphemous language, and then praying some visitant from the tomb, whom he seemed to- fancy he saw before him, to leave him, as the Mansons, not he, had robbed him, and that it was Man- son who had struck him the blow and tipped him overboard. The officer reported this to his superiors, and in the morning the man was interro- gated respecting his words of the past night. He, however, resolutely declared that he knew nothing of the matter, and as but one man had beard him make this disclosure, he was again acquitted, although the police were ordered to keep a sharp eye upon him. i That very evening he was brought back again, as usual, to his old lodgings at the the police station, and it was evident that,he was laboring under incipient delirium tremens. Before morning he was a raving madman, and he was conveyed to the hos- pital, where for a long time his life was despaired of. During his frenzy, he raved continually about the murder of the German, and in- dulged in anathemas against the Mansons, in the presence of all the hospital officials, and when he was restored to his senses, he was so weak that the physician assured him that it would be a miracle if he ever left the hospital again alive. He was also told THE RIVER PIRATES. 63 of the disclosures he had made in the course of his fits of frenzy, and urged to ease his conscience by declaring all he knew respecting the murder of the German. Chapman was dreadfully frightened, and believing himself, as every one else be- lieved, to be in a dying condition, and yet actuated with feelings of bitter resentment against the Mansons, he disclosed all he knew, and a party of detective -officers were dispatched to Boston to effect their arrest. This was easily effected, for they had believed the affair to be blown over, and were openly following the employment of boatmen, and, as was suspected, adding to it that of river thieves at Boston. They were brought to New York and confined in jail, the trial being postponed un- * til the arrival of Captain Wainwright from Liverpool with his ship, which was expect- ed in the course of a few weeks. Meanwhile, contrary to expectation, Jack Chapman had recovered his health, and' had volunteered, for the sake of saving himself and at the same time of gratifying his resentment against the Mansons, to become evidence against them as principals in the murder. His offer was accepted, and he was detained as a witness until the rrivalof Captain Wainwright's vessel * Great was the astonishment, and it may be added, the dismay, of Captain Wain- wright, when, on coming to an anchor in the river, a police boat rowed off to him, and an officer ascended to the deck. "Good God!" thought he, "What is coming now2 What new charge is this that has been trumped up against me! .Am I always to be the sport of other people's malignant passionsl Sooner than bear this any longer, I will fly my country alto- gether, and seek in some other land the'quiet it seems I am never to know in this." His alarm was, however, shortly quieted by the officer, who served him with a sub- pcena to appear as evidence against Thomas Manson the elder and Thomas Manson junior, charged by Jack Chapman with the murder of Car IKreutzer on the night of the 18th-19th of October, 18-, by knocking him on the head and throwing him over- board amongst the stones near the Battery, in the North River, and further with rob- bing the said Carl Kreutzer of a chest containing bills and gold coin to a large amount, and subsequently decamping with the same. "Thank God!" was the exclamation of the captain as he read the summons, "these wretches will be brought to the bar of justice at last." The officors, having performed their duty, quitted the ship, and the next day she ; ashauled into her berth. The trial was to come on on the Monday of the following week, and on the appoint- ed day, the captain was present at the court-house, together with the two German wo- men, the mate and the steward, who had also been subpoenaed. Very different was the position of the same parties who had been arraigned in the same court-house, only a few years before; the accused then was the witness against his accusers now. Retribution had been slow in coming; but it seemed to have come at last. The indictment was read, and then the officer questioned the prisoners. "Thomas Manson, the elder, are you guilty of the counts preferred against yon, or not guilty?" "Not guilty," replied the prisoner. "Thomas Manson, the younger, are you guilty or not guiltyl" "Not guilty." ' Jack'Chapman, are you guilty or not guilty ." "Not guilty." *'The court has in its lenity, and for the furtherance of tho ends of justice permit- ted the 'plea of Jack Chapman to appear as evidoreo- against his accomplices in this diabolical crime of which they stand charged," said the counsel for the prosecution 5 "we therefore withdraw our plea against him." *f page: 64-65[View Page 64-65] " THE RIVER PIRATES. The judge hereupon charged the jury, and a verdict of "Not Guilty" on both counts being returned, the prisoner quittea the dock. It is,needless to recapitulate the circumstanoes, which are familiar to the reader. The Mansons persisted in their innocence, and Captain Wainwright was called into the witness box and sworn. ("State what you know of the occurrences of the night of the 18th-19th of Octo- ber last," said the counsel, and the captain stated the particulars as they have already been laid before the reader. "Is this the man," pointing to the elder Manson, t who put you on board your ves- " Hel is." "He is-" "You are sure of this?" "Most distinctly." i "Did the younger prisoner accompany him?" "He did." "You are certain you are not mistaken in -the identity of the prisoners V" l "I cannot be mistaken; I am as sure as that I am now standing in this court.' The features of both are only too well impressed upon my nemory." "And to the best of your belief they left the ship, after having put you on boardl" "To the -best of my belief they did, after some altercation had, taken place between "* What was the altercation about 1" "The men wished to remain on board, and asked permission to be allowed to carry the emigrants ashore in the-morning." "And you refused i" "I did." "Why 1'. "Because I never allow shore boats to come alongside, and especially 1 would not have allowed these men to have come on board my' vessel had I known who they were, when I hailed their boat," "Why so ." "I know them to be bad characters. They were turned out of the ship by the chief mate, by my orders." "You-may stand down. Call the chief mate." The mate took the stand. "Were these the men who brought the captain on board on the night in questionl" "They were." "You are sure of that "V "I am sure of it. They are the men I turned out of the ship; the younger of the two I actually threw overboard." The steward was called, and he also swore most positively to the identity of the men. Captain Wainwright was again called on the stand. "Was this man," pointing to Chapman, " on board your vessel that night 1" "Not to my knowledge." The mate and steward asserted the same thing, and the two German women were called and asked if 'they knew either of the prisoners. They at once identified the elder Manson most positively, as the person who had procured from them a letter to their -father; they had repeated interviews with him and had told him that they expected their 4ther to bring with him a large sum of money, and he had voluntarily offered to bring him safely on shore and to protect him from the pillaging to which he would otherwise 'be subjected by the captain and the custom-house officers. Jack Chapman was then called to the witness box and sworn to tell all he knew re- lpecting the occurrences of that night and the murder of Carl Kireutzer. ,a" THE RIVER PIRATES. 66 A look of intense hatred was exchanged between the prisoners and the witness; but Jack Chapman smiled malignantly and ascended the stand, and thus gave his evi- donee :- - "On the night of the 18th-19th October, I was hanging around the wharves, in hopes of a fare, as several passenger ships had come in during the day, and lay at an- chor in the stream. It was past midnight-it might have been one o'clock in the morning or later-when I heard a voich hailing for a boat. I pulled in; I saw the fare step into the Manson's boat, and tell them to put him on board the packet ship L----. "When I heard this I determined to follow them, at a short distance, so that I could not be seen, in the darkness; for they had told me during the evening that- there was a German chap on board the ship as had a good heap of money, and if they could only get him to come ashore with them they intended to silence him and then ease him of his cash. "We had all been trying to get on board the ship during the day, aftershe came to an anchor in the stream; but the captain would not allow any shore boats to come alongside, so we had given it up as a bad job. When I heard the hail, however, I thought there might be another chance, and I followed, because I thought, if the MUa- sons succeeded in getting hold of the German, I would come in for shares, since I knew the trick they were up to. "When [ got near the ship I lay .on my oars, and the other boat pulled alongside, and the Mansons went on deck. "I heard voices as if there was a general quarrel going on, and after a while I pulled close under the bows of the ship. "Just then I saw Manson's boat pulling ashore. It come alongside of mine. Only the older Manson was pulling; the other was lying in the bottom of the boat, with his clothes wet, and he appeared to have been much hurt. He didn't speak, but the elder Manson said to me:- "'Jack, the Skipper of that barkey has sarved me a dirty triock, and he told the mate to heave Tom overboard. The boy got a spill into the -water and a rap on the heal, but I pulled him irnto the boat. However, I saw the German chap. and if we go alon'side, unbeknown to the skipper, and get up by the ship's bows, we can get him ashore; but his box is h6eavy, and Tom, here, is of no use, so just you stop into my boat and make your own fast to it, and lendl me a hand, and you shall go fair shares in the plunder.'" "I agrees, and sure enough when we pulled as stealthily as possible alongside un- der the bows, there stood the German with his luggage and traps, all ready' for lowering. s"' That's right, old chap,' says Manson in German, which he-understands well. 'I have just been a quarreling with the skipper about you. He thinks to make a good haul out of you : but I will take good care of that for the sake of my friends, your daughters.' So the Oerman lowered his 'traps into the boat, Manson assisting him, while I remained to land them in the boat, and then Manson and the German stepped down and wo pulled away towards the shore without any one on board the ship having seen us. " When we -got near the shore the elder Manson, tother was lying at the bottom of the boat, whispers to mne ' nowts our time. You take the oars and I'll do the old fol- low's business for him,' and with that he hit the German over the back of the head with an iron bolt as was in the boat and then tripped him over the side. "We pulled on shore near the Battery, and the younger Manson. who had come to himself, but was still confused and stupid like, was led out of the boat, and he and the swag was carred to a house in Water street. There was a great heap of gold and trinkets and lots of papers, which Harriet Manson, the daughter, burned. Most of. the gold and-notes were foreign, and we didn't know what to do with them just then, so we laid by for a time; but I got tired, and thinking as I was safo, I took sotnme of page: 66-67[View Page 66-67] "5ti66 THE RIVEIR PIRATES. the gold and ventured out to hear the news. ' I heard that the body had- ben found, and there was suspicions about, so I was afeared to go to the house in Water street again, and I got to drinking and was picked up and carried to the station-house by the police. "I never saw the Mansons again, till to-day, but I hereby solemnly swear that the dder Manson is the man who, originated the crime, in conjunction with his son, and the elder Manson alone committed the murder." The witness was cross-examined, but he persisted in one unvarying statement, which it was impossible for the prisoner's counsel to. shake in the slightest degree. And now the Judge summed up, going over the whole testimony in a lucid manner and then leaving the jury to declare their verdict. Without leaving the box, they unanimously declared the elder Manson guilty of the murder of Carl Kreutzer, and the younger man guilty of connivance at the' mur- der before the deed was committed; both were declared guilty on the second count; but an the principal count involved a capital penalty, this was a more trifle. And then the Judge addressed the prisoners; "Thomas Manson, 'senior," he said, "you have been convicted, in my opinion most justly, of the heinous crime of murder, and the peculiar circumstances under which the crime was committed render it all the more horrible, and the more heinous in the eyes of the law. I cannot find words to express my abhorrence of the, deed you have com- mitted. The sentence of the Court is, that you be taken back to your cell, and there conined until Friday, the 12th June, and from thence be taken to the place of execu- tion, and hanged by the neck till you are dead. I can hold out no possible hope of earthly merdy. May God have mercy on your soul. "You, Thomas Manson, jr., are equally guilty in the sight of Heaven; but, pro- bably from the fact of your having been temporarily disabled, you did not actually imbrue your hands in the blood of the murdered man Your life will therefore be epared; but you will be forever prevented from mingling with your fellow creatures.' You will never be at liberty again. The sentence of. the Court is, that you be con- fined at hard labor in the State prison for the term of your natural life." The prisoners did not reply, and they were removed from the court to the cells, and the judge, lawyers and spectators prepared to quti the house of justice. Among the spectators, however, there was one who had breathlessly watched the proceedings with clenched teeth and nerves drawn to the the utmost tension,.and when the sentences were passed and the prisoners removed, he swore a deep oath of vengeance - against Captain Wainwright and Jack Chapman This man was Zack Manson, who had but a few days before been pardoned out of the State prison, where the reader will recollect he had been confined for the part he had taken in the murder of the custom-house officer, some years before. Manson the elder was hanged on the day appointed, and the son was sent to under- go his sentence. Jack Chapman left the court-house, 'and for a time the city, and Captain Wainwright shortly afterwards went again to sea. Zack Manson left for Boston immediately, for the purpose of finding out his sister, And concocting with her a plan of vengeance. CHAPTER FOURTEENTH. The packet ship L---, Captain Wainwright, sailed for Liverpool shortly after the trial of the Mansons, and obtained a freight at Liverpool for Boston, from which port he again sailed toLiverpool. The greater portion of his crew, shipped from NeW York, remained with him; indeed all had promised to remain even to the very night before hi-s departure, which was to take place at daylight in the morning. The crew, Who had behaved themselves more steadily than is usual amongst seamen, were allow- ed liberty on shore the evening before the vessel sailed, all of them promising to be on board by midnight. so as to get the ship under weigh in the morning, and the promise i , ' ' t- THE RIVERI PIATES. i was faithfully observed by all but two, who had hitherto been great favorites with the Captain, on abcount of their remarkable steadiness and their'excellent seamanship. Captain Wainwright was greatly annoyed in consequence of these. men not having come on board; he waited until near daylight, in the hope that they might yet re- turn, before he took measures to supply their places with others. At length finding that it would delay the vessel to wait any longer, he sent his mate on shore with orders to procure the services of two of the best seamen he could lay hold of on so short a notice. Just before the period of the ship's departure the mate returned, bringing two men with him, or rather a man and a boy, being all he could procure in the hurry of the moment. "The man," said the mate, " blows his own trumpet pretty well, and says, ' that a better seaman never sailed out of the port of Boston,' but he is a droll sub- ject to look at, and I, for my part, have not much faith in such blowers, but I could not help myself. It was take him, or get nolody; for wages are high just now, and sea- men are scarce in this port. As to the lad, he is a smart looking, likely boy enough; but he has never been to sea before, though he says he has had some practiceon the river' I am afraid he will not be of much use, as we have boys enough on board al- ready." - ' "Why then did you engage him, Saunders," said the captain. "We might have -made a shift with the man, at all events. I would as soon go towse, shorthanded, al- though I do not like the idea, as have a parcel of useless idlers on board." "Aye, there it is, sir," replied the mate. "I would'nt have engaged the lad; but though they are no more alike than chalk and cheese, the man professes to have suoh a feeling of friendship for the boy that he positively refused to ship without him, and, as I have said, there were no more seamen to be got for love or money." "Well, well, it can't be helped, Sanders. What wages are they to receive '" ' That I made no arrangement about; I said that you would settle that with them if you engaged them. If you don't like the looks of the fellow you needn't ship him after all." "Are they on board 1" Just come on board with their chests." "Then send them down into the cabin, and, MW. Saunders, as soon as the pilot comes on board, proceed to get the ship under weigh. Is everything ready 1" f "All ready, sir." "Very well, then, send the men down when you go on deck." It was barely daylight, and Captain Wainwright was seated at the cabin table dl- rooting a letter he had been writing, when the man and the lad alluded to, entered the cabin. r The mate was quite right when he hinted that the man was anything but prep lessing in personal appearance, indeed his aspect was so forbidding that the first pulse of the captain was to tell him that he had changed his mind, and was detern to go to sea with the crew he had on board. Second thought, however, cause to change his mind. He considered how silly it was to object to the man, who prove to be, and, indeed, who had' the appearance of being a thorough seaman. because he was not an Apollo, and he smiled as he thought how few such ti among the generality of merchant seamen, whose hard labor, together with posure to all sorts of weather and their too often intemperate habits of life w is little calculated to enhance their beauty. If anything should happen and he had not engaged the man, he felt that he should hold himself t going to sea shorthanded, and accordingly he determined to set the man on the ship's articles. The sailor, who gave the name of George Green, was a powerful fell high, with broad shoulders, and altogether of Herculean build. His proportioned and gave promise of both strength and activity, and his been any age from thirtyto forty-five; it was impossible to arrive at page: 68-69[View Page 68-69] THE RIVERI PIRATOES. regarding it. His complexion was as dark as that of an Indian, and the lower half o his visage was completely covered with a black beard and a moustache. Immense bushy whiskers covered his'aheeks and met his beard, And his eye brows, at least one of them, was-large, heavy and black. Scarcealy a glimpse of his features was therefore visible, for independently of this immense mass of hair,-a black shade covered his right eye, the flesh below which appeared swollen as though ithad been badly bruised in a recent fight the man, however, accounted for it by saying that he was afflicted with a chronic inflammation in his right eye, which compelled him always to keep it shaded, but that he could see well enough with the other to answer for both, and cer- tainly so far as its brilliancy went to prove the truth of his assertion, he might have done for, a more restless piercing eye never rolled in its socket in the face of any human being. Captain Wainwright had married, only a week before, the daughter of a merchant in Boston-a lovely girl of about eighteen years of age-and she was going to sea with her husband on this his first trip after his marriage. She was sitting beside the caap- tain when the seaman entered the cabin, and she involuntarily rnk from the forbid- ding aspect of the older seaman, and glanced half frightened towards her husband. He looked at her, and smiled and said something about her folly in being alarmed while he was there to protect her from harm, and theu he wont con to question the man, who was dirtily and shabbily attired in a red shirt, open at his breast, which was cov- ered with hair, and in a pair of coarse trousers, covered with tar and grease. He had orn aireasy Sootch cap on his head when he came on board, which he ha4 doffed on entering the cabins. "You are an abl seaman, you say, George Green," said the captain. "You can reef, steer, cast the lead, and perform any seaman's duty that may be given you to do!" "Anything, sir, f rom seizing a block to sending down a topsail yardi." a"Very gooid; if you do your duty on board my ship you shall have no reason to complain. What wages do you ask i" ", Tweaty-two dollars a month." "Twenty-two dollars a month! Why, my good fellow, I only pay my third mate twenty dollars and the men only get eighteen, 6nd that I believe is as high as is given in Boston, even now, when wages are higher than usual. Twenty-two dollars month! ridiculous! Say eighteen-that is what I give the ri st of the men. Con- sider that I promise to take this lad on board with you, according to your requ'est when my mate engaged you, and to give him wages, ilthough he will be probably of little or no use to me." "I don't care to ship for -less than twenty-two dollars a month," said the sailor ,ain. "You are wrong, Captain, about the wagts that are given in Boston. They I risen to twenty yesterday, and there is a chance of their being still higher, and 'l. not get any body to ship as I am willing to do, at such short notice. Sailors %ilors just now; by G-: they ought to got a chance -eometimes." 'f 1 give you the wages you ask, I shall expect that you will fully answer the ,or you have given of yourself." ave said that I am a thorough seaman," answered the man,without moving . , his countenance." ', then, sign your, name. Here are the articles. it write." make your mark, then." made his mark, and the captain wrote borer it, "George Green, his matrk." a, my lad, what am I to pay you! Have you ever been to sea." said he, e youth, whose handsome intelligent face offered a vivid contrast to that )r, and who was neatly olad in a blue jacket and trousers, and held a ,d with a broad black riband, with long ends flying, in his hand. ver baen to 8o, s' r eplied the 1Mt, in a tone of voice that was almost THE RIVER,. PIRATES. 69 feminine, and with some appearance of nervous timidity, "but I have been accustom- ed to boating on the river and to sloops and y chooners, and I think I should sopn learn to do my duty as an ordinary seaman." "I think you will, mylad; I liko your looks. 'Now, tell me, what wages do you 'a Six dollars a month, sir." "Well, then,'six dollars a month be it. Can you writeo?" "No, sir." "Then make your mark, as Green has done," and the lad did so. "Now, what's your name? I forgot to ask." "James Green; I am George's'chusin." The captain wrote the name above the mark, and the men were dismissed to, their duty, for the pilot was already getting the ship under weigh, and the mate had taken the precaution of making the new hands bring their traps on board with them. The vessel sailed with a favorable wind, and for some days there was nothing of im- portance occurring on board beyond the ordinary routine of a ship's duties at sea. During that time, however, the captain and mate found ample opportunity of testing the abilities of the new hands, and they found that, despite his unprepossing appear- ance, the eldefr sailor was in all respects an efficient seaman, and the younger, although ignorant of many sea-going duties, was apt, intelligent and willing to learn. Mrs. Wainwright was often on deck for she suffered little from sea-sickness, and the weather hitherto had been, as we have observed, remarkably fine, and as the ives- sel got clear of the coast and the weather beecame more favorable, she often stayed on deck with her husbaud until a late hour of the night. One evening the captain and mate were talking together on the poop-deck, Mres Wainwright at the same time being seated on a chair placed near the taifrail, whence she was watching the white streak left in the wake of the ship. The conversation between the captain and the mate was relative to the affairs of the ship, and it soon branched off into remarks upon the seamen. "( That fellow, Green, is certainly a very smart hand, Mr. Saunders," said the captain, as the sailor in question just desended from aloft, whither he had been sent to set the top-gallant studding sail; " and he seems willing, too, to do any odd job, as if he wished to make up for the deficiencies of i Jem,' " for the young lad had gone by that name since he had been on board. "Yes, he's smart enough," replied the mate, " still there's something about him/ that I don't like, and I can't say I like the boy Jem either. Both are willing and the elder is a first-rate sailor; but there seems something sly and underhanded about them. They are always together. Green insisted that Jem should be in his watch; they mess together and they hold as little intercourse as possible with the other men, and, I beg you're pardon, Captain Wainwright, I hope you won't be offended by what I am going to say, sir, or else, if I thought you would, I'd hold my tongue ; but have you not observed, sir, that both these new hands hang a gold de"l more than they've any business to do, about your good lady, sir. See there, now, Jem's been putting those lashings on the stern boat for the last hour just because he's near Mrs. Wainwrightf when he might have got through the job in half the time, and he needn't sham ignorance, for he knows well enough how to do it; and, if you notice, in menlding sails on the quarter deck, Green, or Beauty, as the hands call him, always manages to wriggle himself in as far aft as possible so as to be close to the lady, and calls the boy Jem to tar his twine, or for .some such purpose so as to get him near her too." "I have not noticed it, Mr. Saunders, or if I may have noticed it, I have paid no' heed to it. It is rather flattering to me," he oadded, smiling; " it shows that the man and boy are attracted by the beauty of the object of my choice." "But such an ugly brute as that Green!" ' a Why, Saunders, you are griowing quite dainty I deere ; the poor man can't help ,*' page: 70-71[View Page 70-71] 70 THE RIVER PIRATES. his looks, though he might shave off some of his superfluous hair with advantage to himself, that's certain. But reoollect, you picked him out yourself." "Yes, because he was the only man I could get to ship off in such a hurry." "The wind seems to fall away slightly," said the captain, changing the conversa- tion and casting rather an anxious 'glance to leeward. "The glass has'been rising all the afternoon, and I shouldn't wonder if we had an easterly gale." At this moment the lee stun'sails began to shake, and the captain again addressed his chief mate. "Mr. Saunders, take in the lee stun'sails, sir, and while you are about it you may' as well pull all the stun'sails in. I fear we shall not need them mnuh longer," and the mate left the quarter deck and proceeded to execute the order. Before the studding sails were hauled in the forebodings of the captain came true, and the order was given to brace up the yards-the wind which had hitherto been westerly, had already come round to northeast and the sky still looked easterly. The vessel having been put once more into sailing trim to meet the' charge in the weather, the captain descended to his cabin leading his wife with him. He was rather anxious though he knew not with what reason. He had made light of the remarks of the mate, and yet now his attention had been led to the subject, he recollected that the two new hands had, on more occasions than one, appeared to show a desire to be near his wife when she was upon deck. ( What could be their object?" he asked himself. He could not conceive,.without it was to listen to her conversation, and he did not see how that could be particularly entertaining to them. He strove to dismiss the idea from his mind, and yet he resolved to watch the two new hands more closely for the future. As the evening came op, the wind had shifted round nearly due-East, and was gra- dually increasing in violence. By sunset it was found necessary to, take in the top- gallant sails, and take a couple of reefs in the topsails. By the commencement of the first watch (eight bells) eighto'clock, it blew a gale, and it was found necessary to furl the fore and misen topsail, to close reef the main top- sail, to haul up and furl the courses, and to "heave the ship to" under the close-reefed main topsail, storm jib, and reefed spenser. Before ten o'clock the gale had reached its height, and the sea was running, as the phrase is, mountains high; but the gallant vessel " lay to" admirably, and though her lee scuppers were under water in consequence of her careening over with the force of the wind, she did not ship a drop of water to windward. Mrs. Wainwright had never been at sea before, and consequently had never wit- nessed that most sublime of all sights, a heavy gale of wind on the trackless ocean, and hearing her husband remark how cleverly the ship "lay to," without shipping a drop of water, she expressed a strong desire to go on deck and to witness the raging of the tempest in its fury. Captain Wainwright attempted to persuade her that she would be much more com- fortable in the cabin; they had plenty of sea room, he said, and a good ship beneath them, and he assured her. there was no more danger than there would be on shore. The lady replied that she did not fear or anticipate any danger, especially so long as her husband was with her; but she had often longed to witness a storm in its fury, and at length she obtained her own way, as newly married ladies generally do. She was carefully wrapped up by her husband, who caused an arm chair to be lashed to windward of the quarter-deck, so that she could sit as comfortably as was possible under such circumstances, and then he conducted her up the companion ladder and led her to her seat. She sat for some time absorbed in the contemplation of the grandeur of the scene, as wave after wave, impelled as it seemed, by some unseen but resistless power, came rolling along, swelling in sive as it approached the vessel, as though im- bued with life, and threatening to overwhelm the frail bark, while as it drew near, towering above the bulwarks and appearing like a dense wall of water, the noble ship would gracefully rise to it and the wave would pass to leeward, apparently foiled of its THE RiVER PIRATES. 7 object, and still swelling its volume and rushing onward, as though in search of some new, victim. This had been so often repeated with the same result, that at length the lady had lost 'every sensation of fear, and she talked even gaily to her husband, who stood by her side holding on to the bulwarks, and remarked how very much grander the scene was than even her imagination had depicted it. The weather earing of the foretopsail broke adrift, and the attention of the captain was consequently directed towards it, and he went forward and ordered two Of the crew aloft to secure it. At this noment the shawl that covered the lady's shoulders slipped off, and the boy Jem immediately secured it and replaced it. The lady thanked him and he left her and returned to the spot where he had been standing. The mischief on the foretopsail yard was repaired, and the captain was re- turning to his station by the side of his wife on the quarter deck, when the ship gave a tremendous lurch, and the chair, firmly secured as it was imagined to be, upon which the captain's wife was! sitting, was thrown violently to leeward, and the railing of the quarter deck being low, the fate of the unfortunate lady seemed inevitable. Nothing could prevent her from falling overboard, and being certainly lost. Two or three of the seamen witnessed the accident, and there was a fearful cry of alarm heard, even above the howling of the storm, but Captain Wainwright in spite of the lurching of the vessel sprang to the side of his wife, just, as it most fortunately happened, in time to prevent her from falling overboard, and she was dragged on deck safely, but of course dreadfully frightened, and immediately carried below by her husband, who remained with her until she became in some degree composed and reassured, when he again as- cended to the deck to watch the progress of the gale. His first action was to call the mate and ask to whom he had entrusted the duty of securing the chair which had broken adrift from its lashings. "To Morgan, sir," said the mate, "and he is generally a careful hand." "Send Morgan aft." The man came. "Morgan,' said the captain, " a pretty job you made of securing that chair. X always thought you too careful a seaman to have played such a trick as this. Why, the boy Jem, who has never been at sea before, would be ashamed to confess to such a bungling job. Think what would have been the consequence had I not fortunately beenable to reach Mrs.. Wainwright at the moment I did. Good God-I shudder-to think of it-I shudder to think of it as it was." "I'll take my davy, sir," said Morgan, an honest, elderly seaman, who had sailed with Captain Wainwright ever since he had. been master of a ship. "I'll take my davy, sir, as the lashings was properly secured, and how they could possibly get adrift I can't think. It must have been by some accident, Captain Wainwright, that nothing could perwent. I am sure, sir, I didn't think that all airth could loosen them lashings." "I don't suppose, Morgan, that you were intentionally careless; but let this be a warning in future. Never again complete a job until you are sure beyond possibility of doubt that it is done properly. Go now and unbend. those lashings and take the cords below." The man went to work, and the captain turning to the mate, said. "We shall have the gale till daylight at least, Mr. Saunders, but the ship behaw nobly. I shall go down into the cabin, for I fear Mrs. Wainwright is greatly alarm- ed, though, thank God! she is not injured. If there is any prospect of a change far better or for worse give me a call immediately." "Aye, aye; sir," replied the mate, and the captain descended to the cabin. In the course of a few minutes he was surprisedr to see the mate make his appear. ane. ' What! is there any likelihood of a change so soon Mr. Saunders 1" said the captain. 'I page: 72-73[View Page 72-73] 72 THE RIVER PI1ATES. "No, sir, there is no sign of a change in the weather," replied the mate twid- dling a large roll of stout rattling line that he held in his hands; " but could I speak with you a few minutes, sir, alone 1" "On, William, there is surely some danger. If you are going on deck I will go with you again; I cannot remain in the cabin alone!" exclaimed Mrs. Wainwright. c4 Mr. Saunders, if there is any danger-if the ship has sprung -a leak and about to founder, tell me; my husband is' with me and I shall not be alarmed. But, dear Wil- liam," again addressing her husband, " you must not go and leave me here alone." "1 The ship is all right and behaving nobly, Miaam," said the mate, "and I don't want Captain Wainwright to go on deck. I merely wish to speak to him about some of the ship's rigging, and shall not detain him a minute." 'Thus reassured the lady made no further objections, and the captain stepped out to the companion way, saying:-- "What is the matter, Saunders - "Do you see this rattling line!" said the mate, holding the line towards the cap- tain. "Yes," said the latter; " what of it?" "Enongh of it, sir. Do you see this and this'!" "It appears to have been nearly severed in several places with a knife, and com- pleotely out through in others. Who has done this mischief. "This is the lashing with which the chair that gave way with Mrs. Wainwright was fastened," replied the mate. "1 Morgan, who you ordered to cast it adrift, brought it to me and showed me those cuts and gashes, as a proof that he was not in fautt in securing it" \ "Good God!" exclaimed the captain, ' the line has evidently been severed forghe express purpose of causing it to break away with the lurching of the ship. Who could possibly have suspected old Morgan of such a fiendish act." "Nobody, Captain Wainwright," answered the mate. "Nobody would suspect Morgan ot any such thing, nor do I;'but I know who I do suspect. While you were for'ard, sir, looking after the repairing of the ear-ring of the topsail, the lady's shawl dlipped,and Green whispered to the boy Jem, who was standing beside him, and the youngster immediately flew to the spot, quicker than I could, and-picked up and ad- juted the shawl. Ho seemed to have some difficulty, though, in getting it clear of the lashing, for he fiddled about with it for a longer time than there was any need of- and you may depend upon it, Captain Wainwright, that the boy took the opportunity to out these lashings." "Good God! if I only could be satisfied that such was the case," exclaimed the captain. "It is incredible; Morgan could never--" "Morgan cut the line!" interrupted the mate, guessing the moaning of the captain. "No, Captain Wainwright, I would stake my life upon Morgan's honesty. No, sir; that boy Jem out the lines at the suggestion of Green. What was his object in do- ing so is palpable; fortunately it was frustrated. What was the motive that impel- led either him or that scoundrel Green to suggest or commit such deviltry, is more than I am able to figure up." "What had beat be done!" said the captain. "We have no proof, Saunders, that the lad really did cut these cords. It seems to me impossible--the very idea that such a fine, likely lad could be guilty of such an enormity-could. even imagine such a crime, is horrible to think of." "' So it may be, Captain Wainwright, but take my word, sir, he has done it." "If any one had seen him in the act," said the captain, after a few moments' si- lence, "I would put the boy Jem-z- aye, and Green, too. in t irons, and bring them to trial as soon as we arrived at Liverpool; but, since that is not the case, they must be closely watched, without letting them be aware that any suspicion is attached to them." "Leave me to manage," said the mate, and the captain returned to his wife, who was already getting alarmed at his long absence, and at the sound of the muttered but THE RIVER PIRATES. 73 earnest conversation, wh'ich Jr ached her cars, though she could not understand what was said ' Captain Wainwright made some excuse to his wife, and having prevailed upon her to go to bed, he lay down upon the sofa, propping himself well up with pillows to ob- viate the inconvenience of the lurching of the vessel, and endeavored to sleep for a few hours .but sleep fled from his eyelids: his mind was filled with apprehension of the results of this strange and inexplicable conspiracy against his wife, and-the morning dawned ere he had closed his eyes. The morning dawned and daylight had the usual effect of lessoning in some de- gree the dismal aspect of the gale; but the tempe;st still continued in all its violence, and there seemed every prospect that it would last for some days. Still the ship was a good sea boat, they had plenty of sea room, and all on board felt conscious of securi- ty despite the wild wilderness of waters that hissed and tossed and roared so'furiously , around them. Seven bells has struck and Captain Wainwright has gone on deck. He meets the mate, who has one fo'ot uponthe companion ladder, having been about to descend to awaken the captain,; whom he supposed to be still sleeping. As soon as the captain has taken his stand on the weather side of the quarter deck and glanced, habitually, first aloft and then around him, the mate approaches him, with a strange expression in his countenance, which at once led the captain to address him: "What is the matter, Mr. Saunders '. Have you hoard anything more, or rather I .should say, have you discovered anything respecting the terrible affair of last nightl" "I have, sir," replied the mate, coming close to the captain for two reasons-first, that he should not he overheard, arid secondly, that his voice might not be lost amidst the howling of the gale. "I called the boy Jem asideo this morning, sir, when the watch was relieved, and told him I wanted him to do a- little job in my cabin. He came in,I observed, with considerable reluctance, and I then asked him if he had no- ticed, when he lifted the shawl round Mrs. Wainwright last night, that the lashings were nsecure-that they had been cut. I spoke abruptly, and closely watched the lad's face. Hle was evidently frightened, and he changed color and attempted to quit the cabin; but I said, 'No, my lad, I am confident you know something more than you choose to tell, and I am determined to have it out of you.' \With that he said, in that low soft voice of his, that he knew nothing about it; that he had only picked up the shawl, as any one else would -hlvo done had they seen it fall off, and been as near to it as he was. ' Green will be waiting for mo to carry him his coffee,' said he hurriedly, Xand attempted to push past me. The ship lurched and we fell, our bodies coming in contact. My hand was pressed ag'ainst the breast of the boy-and, sir," continued the mate, " as sure as my rame is Ned 'Saundcers, the boy Jem is a woman!" "Nonsense," interrupted the captain, looking earn'estly at his chief officer, as though he suspected he had been drinking." -"The boy Jem, is a woman," repeated the mate; "I am sure of it, and he knows that I suspect it. As soon as he got up ho rushed out of my cabin and, I suppose, went to the ' Beauty'-Green--to tell him his suspicions." "Thore is some strange mystery somewhcre," replied the captain. "I can ecarcely believe that you are not laboring under some delusion, Saunders. It, in fact, seems to me inexplicable." "' Have you not noticed the peculiarly soft tones of the lad's' voicc-have you not remarked how long and silky his hair is, and how small his hands and fbet-aye, and how clear his complexion is for a lad who has spent, as he says he has, the greater part of his childhood on the river?" "The good looks of tho lad are certainly remark ble," replied the captain, musingly. "He has always seemed to me to be abovo his condition, and that made me, even last nilght; loth to believe evil ofhim, though I cannot conceive what his connection is with such a rough, uncouth fellow (though he is a good seaman) as Green." page: 74-75[View Page 74-75] 74' TWTHE RIVER PIRATES The lad is good-looking, as you say, Captain Wainwright," rejoined the mate, "because, as I have said, he is not a lad-he is a woman." The captain could scarcely refrain from smiling at the paradoxical expression of the worthy mate. However, the matter had become serious, and he said:- "Mr. Saunders, when the hands have breakfasted, you can of course let the watch below go to their hammocks. It's of no use keeping all hands on deck such weather as this. It 's the boy Jem's watch below, is itnote." "Yes, sir." "Then pass the word for him to come aft to me as soon as he has had his break- fast." The mate turned away, and in a few moments, breakfast having been finished, he went to the forecastle to deliver the order of the captain. He found the men in a state of the utmost consternation, and on inquiring the cause he learned that the boy Jem had not been seen since the watch was relieved. A few minutes before he had-so Green said-been talking to him, and he had left him and walked forward just as a heavy sea had broken over the bows. The general opinion was that he had been washed overboard. Such an accident occurring at sea always causes great consternation, and it was none the less in the pre- sent instance, in consequence of the lad's having been rather a favorite with the crew- in spite of his reserve; and as to Green, his grief seemed ungovernable. There was no help for it-the lad certainly could not be found, and Mr. Saunders returned to the captain with the sad intelligence that it was almost certain that James Green had been washed overboard just towards the termination-of the morning watch. Captain Waiowright determined to say nothing to his wife respecting the discovery he had made of the rascality of the boy, who had been a favorite with Mrs. Wainwright, in consequence of his youth and intelligent and interesting appearance, the more espe- cially as the lad had met an untimely fate. The captain continued to discredit the assertions of his mate, who still said that the lost lad was in reality a female, but he determined to keep a sharp watch upon Green, without, however, letting the man per- ceive that he was an object of suspicion. The gale (at last subsided, and the wind again sprung up from the westward. Al sail was set, and the ship pursued her way towards her destined port without any inci- dent worthy of note occurring until she had, according to the reckoning of the cap- tain andcmate, approached within a few leagues of the Irish coast. During the gale the vessel had drifted considerably to the northward, and although her course since had been steered with a view to obviate this, the captain 'was still of opinion, although he had not been able to obtain an observation of the sun for some days, in consequence of the haziness of the weather,'that he war some miles to the northward of Cape Clear Before going below, therefore, on the night on which he expected to make land. he had changed the vessel's course a point southerly and direct- ed the officer of the watch to give him notice, immediately, should he got a glimpse of the land. A point southerly, would, he was well aware, carry him well to the south- ward of the Cape ; perhaps so far to the southward that he would tot sight the land; but then the weather was hazy, and he thought it advisable to make sure of the safety of his vessel. A steidy course had been pursued since the termination of the gale, and conse- quently not only had the watch orders to see that the course was now altered, but each seaman as he was relieved from his trick at the helm was directed as to the course he was to steer. It was nearly ten o'clock when the captain went below, with the inten- tion of taking a few hours rest, it being his intention to keep the middle' watch him- self, two o'clock in the morning, or thereabouts, being the time he expected to be abreast of the land. At 10o'clock the helm was relieved and the altered course was steered by a sailor whose task it was at the wheel. So far so 'well; eight bells struck, and the first watch was relieved, and the second mate took charge of the mid- die watch. ' 4 THE RIVER PIRATES. 75 o The captain has changed the course a point southerly since eight o'clock, Mr. -.ones," said the chief mate, addressing his inferior, ',' East by south half south 'is the course. See that the helmsman steers that course, and should you see anything like lond on the larboard beam, call the captain immediately. We shall probablybe abreast of the Cape at two o'clock. Good night for the present," and the chief mate retired to his cabin. The wheel had been taken at twelve o'clook by Green, who had received tho course from the officer, and also from the sailor whom he had relieved; but he had scarcely boon a quarter of an hour at the wheel before the sails began to shake, rendering it neeassary to brace up the yards slightly. again the sails shook. "Keep her full, keep her full," cried the second mate to Green 4' She won't lay her course, sir," replied the man. "Brace forward the yards," said the mate, without looking at the compass, and this duty having been performed, the vessel went smoothly on her way. It was about half past one o'clock-at two o'clock the captain was to be called. The crew had been hard at whrk during the day getting the vessel ready for port, and they were rather fatigued, and the second mate, who at the best of times was rather a careless officer, had sat himself down on the hena'coop and was half asleep. Suddenly there was a sound as of rushing waters, and before the crew had time to sound the alarm, white water was visible all around. It was evident the ship was amongst breakers. ' . The captain, who was dozing on the sofa, rushed upon deck. "Brace forward the main-yard," he shouted, and the ship was laid aback "What course have you been steering, Mr. Jones ." said he. "East-south-east half-east, sir," replied the mate. "Impossible! had that course been steered since nine o'clock we should be now fifteen miles to the southward of the'Cape. We are right amongst the breakers. Take in "sail but the topsail and topgallant sails, and stand bg to wear ship." As he spoke he advanced to the helm, sent the man Green forward to assist the crow and took the wheel in his own hands. A moment's glance at the position of the yards satisfied him that the vessel must have been steering the wrong course; in faot must have been steered nearly due east, instead of a point and a half more to the southward, aswhe had directed. However, the position of the ship was too critical for him to mention this now. Sail was taken in, the ship was wore round, and in the ourse of a couple of hours she was clear of the breakers. The captain then ordered an east southeast course to be steered and the watch below having gone to their ham-. mooks, he spoke to the second mate. "Mr. Jones," said he, " the wind is in the same quarter that it was when f went below at nine o'clock. How comes it that the yards were braced forward?" "She wouldn't lay her course,"' replied the second mate. "She certainly wouldn't lay the course I directed, with the yards braced up as J found them when I came on deck, and the wind in the present quarter. When did you brace the yards forward!" "Almost immediately after the watch was relieved, at 1 o'ciook, sir." "6 Did vou observe the compass before you gaye the orderl" "No, sit, the man at the wheel saidt the ve9ssel wouldn't lay her course, and the sails were shaking." "That was infernal carelessness onyour par+, Mr. Jones," replied the captain. Green was at the helm, wasn't hel" "Yes, sir." " "'Snd him aft." Green was sent aft, and the captain asked:- "' What course were you steering during your trick at the helm?" "East southeast half east, sir," replied Green, boldly, and then reoollooting that page: 76-77[View Page 76-77] 76 THE RIVER PIRATES. the captain had seen that he could not possibly harve steered that course, he oorrected himself, and "I mean east, a little southerly." "Who gave you that course to steerS" , "Mr. Jones, sir." "Its a lie," said the second mate, rushing forward to seize the man. "Silence, Mr. Jones," said the captain. ( Who did you relieve, Green?" ,' Petersnn, sir." "Send Peterson aft, Mr. Jones," and Peterson presented himself. "What course did you tell Green to steer, when he relieved the helm!" "East by south half snuth, sir."' "Do you hear that, Green!" "The second mate subsequently changed the course," replied Green. Again the mate was eager to chastise thoe seamen, but the captain restrained him. "Peterson," he said, "when you loft the wheel did you hear the second mate give any orders respecting the course to be steered'?" "Yes, sir; he ordered Green to steer east by south half south, as I had previously told him." "That is sufficient; you can go to your duty, Petersoh, and you, too, Green. I shall have something further to say to you by'and by. Mr. Jones," he continued, after the men had gone forward, "s you have been reprehensibly careless, sir, in thus neglecting the steerago and trusting to the word of tha helmsman. I have no doubt that that fellow Green wished to run the ship ashore. What could have been his mo- tive I cannot say; but I will look to him." The captain was intorrupted by a shriek from the cabin, and he immediately rushed below where he found his wife risen from'her bed and in a state of great alarm. , "What's the matter, he asked!" "The boy Jim-the boy Jim," was-all she could say, as she pointed to the hatch- way of the store-room beneath the cabin floor. CHAPTER FIFTEENTH. The first care of Captain Wainwright was to recover his wife from the fainting fit into which she had fallen--and this having at, length been accomplished, as soon as he thought her mind was sufficiently composed, he asked her to tell him what had been the cause of her alarm, and what she had meant by speaking of the lost lad Jem. "You will laugh at'me if I tell you," she replied, " and yet I am as, positive as that I am now living, that I saw the boy emerge from the hatchway of the lazarette. While you were on deck taking in sail. I was alarmed at the noise and confusion, for I felt aware that there was danger, although I did riot know what its nature was. I was half inclined to get up and venture on deck, had I not been aware that I should have been in the way, and possibly might have distracted your attention from the proper care of the vessel. At length quiet was in some degree restored, and as I was greatly fatigued I fell into a doze. How long I had lain thus I cannot say but I had a frightful dream. I thought I was standing by your side at the marriage altar, and was just about to pledge my vows of love and duty, when there was an ominous silence in the church; the breath of the assembly who we re looking on at the ceremony was hushed. Frightened at the stillness, I started and raised my veil, when I felt some ope rustle against my bridal robe. I turned my head with a sudden start, which awoke me, and I saw the boy Jim, his eyes sparkling as though two flames of liquid fire were burning in the sockets; his form was bent over me'slightly, and with his hand he was feeling for my heart, while the other hand held a dagger, or a long double- edged knife, which was upraised. I uttered a piercing shriek, and the boy sprang to the hatchway and descended it, quickly clqsing it after him. I had noticed that it was ppen. Just, then you came into the cabin, and asked me what was the matter 1 I recollect no more. I must have swooned with fright ; but, dear- William, this was THE RIVER PIRATES. " no dream. Aure I am ad that I now see you, I saw the hatchway open, and the boy with the knife in his hand, ready to plunge the blado, into my heart." "'My dear Ellen," exclaimed CaptainX Vainwright, ," you must have been dream- ing. You were no doubt greatly alarmed at the noise on deck, and when you fell asleep the sense of fright became colored in your dreams. The poor lad Jim has been lost overboard for several days." !"William, 1 am confident I saw him bending over me as I have stated to you," 'was Mrs. Wainwright's reply. o The captain as he said for the purpose of relieving the fears of his wife, drew the bar over the hatch and locked it, and then requesting his wife to rise and dress her- self, he ascended to the deck to see how things. were going on. , The land was descried and the ship's course shaped up the channel towards Liver- pool. The wind was still favorable and the weather fair, and as all anxiety on ac- count of his vessel was past, Captain Wainwright had leisure to collect his thoughts. Although he had pretended to laugh at the fears of his wife, in her presence, and to endeavor to persuade her that the flight had been occasioned by a fearful dream or by nightmare, he felt that there was some apparently unfathomably mystery connected with the boy Jem and the strange seaman Green. He could not account for the course the latter had pursued, with the evident pur- pose of running the ship on shore, and thus endangering his own life as well as those of the orew-in fact sacrificing the ship and the lives of all on board, for had the vessel gone amongst the breakers, not a soul would have lived to tell the tale. , ob had in- tended to have called the man, Green, and to have questioned him sharply wifth regard to his conduct; but he now altered his mind. For all that he had said to his wife, he could scareely bring himself to believe that she had not seen some one emerge from the hatchway as she had stated ; she had spoken with such a positive earnestness. The steward was passing by with the breakfast from the cook's galley. The man had been on deck during the period that the ship had been in danger of running upon the breakers, assisting the crew. "George,"'said the capta,in, " are you sure that you left the hatch of the lazerette closed when you were just down beret" "Yes, sir," replied the man, in a tone of voice expressive of surprise, "I always olose it immediately that I come ap; but 1 was not down in the lazaretto since the day before yesterday." "Have you noticed any disarrangement of the stores, steward, when you have had ,occasion to go there lately'" "Now you speak of it, sir, I have. I found the other day that part of the head of a cask of white bread Iwas out, and several of the biscuit had apparently been re- xoaved, though for the life of me I could not guess how they came so, for the barrel l. have in the pantry is not half emptied yet, and I could not, recollect either open- ing the cask, nor yet think of any reason why I should have opened it. I have noticed a,lso that other stores have been missing or put out of place of late ; but knowing that you never go there, and that none of the crow besides myself can get admission, I said nothing about it, though it bothered me a good deal. I thought at first it was the rat sir, but rats don't run away with whole biscuit and with entire cans of preserved meats." ' - "Ha, have you missed cans of preserved meatsT' "Yes, sir, some dozen have got out their place of stowage by some strange acci- dent, though asJ have said, they can't be lost, because no one ever goes down to the lazarctte but myself." A now idea seemed to strike the mind of the captain. "Get the breakfast ready, steward," said he, and the man proceeded with his duty. When all was prepared the captain descended to the cabin, took breakfast with his wife, and then asoended to the deck, and satisfied himself'that the ship was pursuing the proper course. page: 78-79[View Page 78-79] 8 27THE RIVER PIRATES. "po not allow the man Green to take his trick at 'the helm," saidhe to the fitlcee of the deck; "I am going below to arrange matters for going into port. I shall be on deck again in a few minutes. In the meantime steer your present course, and you S need not disturb me unless you think there is urgent necessity for so doing." Again the captain descended to the cabin, and having given the steward some oc- cupation to perform which would detain him- on deck, he told his wife that to satisfy her, although/he still pretended to smile at the absurdity of her fears, he would go down and examine the storeroom himself, and see if there was any trace of the appa- rition. No lights were ever allowed to be carried into the storeroom beneath the cabin, as the ship's gunpowder and spirits, and other combustibles were stowed there, consequently the captain thought if any one had effected an entrance, the steward might not have been able to discover it. He determined, therefore, to take a dark lantern with him and some lucifer matches, jn order that if he should find anything calculated to excite his suspicions, he might have the means of procuring a light. All was prepared, and still, smiling at his own follv, as he half believed it to be, the captain descended into the lazarette and oalrefully closed the hatch over his head. For some minutes he rummaged about amongst the cesks and boxes of provisions, without discovering anything to awaken his suspicions, and had it not been for the re- mdarks of the steward, he would probably have left the store room, satisfied that his wife had been laboring under some delusion., Indeed he was on the point of doing so, when his foot struck against a piece of metal which sent forth a hollow sound. He stooped to pick it up, and carritd it be- neath the hatchway, so that he might be enabled by the light emitted through the chinks, to see what it was. / , It was an empty tin case, labelled oxtail soup, and the contents he observed, had theen abstracted after a fashion that he felt confidefit would never have' been practised by his faithful steward. A hole had been punched in the hermetically sealed cover of the case, through which the contents had been poured out. Satisfied from'this that what the steward had told him relative to the mysterious disarrangement and disappearance of stores was correct, and now half believing that there might have been something in what his wife had told him, the captain drew a match across the ceiling of the store room and lighted the lantern. He then proceed- sd carefully to overhaul the bulkheads of the lazarette ia order to discover, if there was any possible admittance, except through the cabin, to any part of the store-room. For a long time his search was unavailing, and he was about giving it up in despair, satisfied that the mystery could.-not be discovered, when his attention was arrested by the appearance of one of the planks forming the forward bulkhead, which appeared to have been sawn across and then carefully fitted in; he pressed against it, but found that it was as firm as any of the rest; but on pushing' it sideways, and& at the same time forward, he found that it gave way, revolving as if upon a pivot. He determin- ed to satiqfy himself as to the cause of this strange appearance and with some difficulty *he at length discovered that the plank was capable. of being removed and replaced at pleasure. Having removed it he found that there was a hole, scarcely wide enough, although he compressed himself to his smallest compass, to allow of his 'passage be, tween two heavy bales of cotton. However, the spirit of adventure was aroused, and he resolved to prosecute it. With considerable difficulty he managed to drag him- self through between the bales, and to his astonishment he found a still larger, space cleared out beyond. He carefully turned the bull's eye of his lantern to the place and discovered that the hole had been made by ripping the bales and displacing the cot. ton. The hole led to the pump-well, the starboard side of which was completely choked with the displaced cotton. He now recollected that upon sounding the pumps after the gale in which the boy Jem was supposed to have been lost, the carpenter had reported that the starboard well was choked up; but as the vessel was perfectly tight and the larboard pump-well worked admirably, it had not been thought necessary since the ship was so near her port to unbatten the. hatches,and remove the cargo to disdover THE RIVER PIRATES the cause of the accident to the pump-well. Having worked his way as far forward as the pump-well, he found that the cargo had so far settled down in-the fore prt of the ship as to allow of space enough between it and the deck for a man easily to Pas to the coal-hole bulkhead, and here he found a plank similarly sawn across and refixed as that abaft. It wasnow pretty evident that a communication had been effected between the cabin and the forecastle. iHe stood for a few moments near the aoal-hole bulkhead to rest himself, before he retiUrned to the la arette, when he heard a whisper- ing proceeding from the coal-hole, as though two persons were in conversation, and he fancied, likewise, that he detected the voice not only of the sailor Green, but of the boy Jem. For a few seconds he was perfectly astounded; then, he thought it most advisable that he should work his way back to the lazarette and the cabin, and imme- diately cause an enquiry io be made. Aconsiderable space had been left b/etween the cargo forward'and the bulkhead of the coal-hole, reaching from the lower deck to the upper one, and perhaps eight or thn feet in breadth and width. Water casks had been stowed there when leaving Boston, but finding the vessel was too much by the head, they had been hoisted out and, removed aft, where they had been lashed on deck; consequently the place they occupied formed quite a snug squire cabin. Casting the bull's eye of the lantern around him the captain, discover- ed that a large quantity of the cotton had been dragged to this place and so placed as to form a bed, which had the appearance of having been recently lain in by a buman body. On the other side were a quantity of loose tins, which had once contained proserved provisions, fragments of biscuit, cheese, pickles, coffee and sugar, and a variety of other stores, which showed that the occupant of this strange berth had liv- ed sumptuously. While the captain was makling these observations, the whispering he had heard in the coal hole ceased, andjust as he weas on the point of returning, the plank in the bulkhead was partially drawn aside, and immediately replaced. "Who's there!" shouted the captain, but he received no reply, and he then pro- ceeoded to the bulkhead, drew aside the plank and peered into the coal hole, but all was still and dark. He commenced to retrace his way aft, leaving himself in impenetrable darkness and had disposed himself for crawling along/the cargo after the fashion he had came when he felt his legs seized ind his body drawn back vards towards the place he hid just left. He struggled to disengage himself, but the force that was drawing him in the contrary direction was too powerful, and he was speedily dragged into the vacancy in the hold, when he was immediately tripped and thrown down with considerable vio lence. He essayed to call for help, but uselessly,-for a large bunch of cotton was thrust into his mouth and he felt a human body pressing upon his own with all its weight. He struggled violently, but vainly; he heard a low chuckling laugh as though some fiend wore mocking at his fate, and for a few moments he almost fancied that he was under the dominion of some diabolical spell. Soon, however, he reaov- ered his faculties, and then a glimpse of the truth rushed through his mind. He wag in the power of Green, and the boy Jim, the latter of whom had not, as he had imai gined, been washed overboard, but all this time been secreted in the hold, with the 'knowledgo of Green. His wife had been awake when she fancied she had seen the lad, andhe must have entered the cabin fi'om the lazarftte w ith som e improper object in view; but what could be the meaning of the mystery ? Here he was as much in the dark as ever. Although these thoughts have taken some time to narrate, they passed through the brain of the captain with the rapidity of lightning. lie still lay on the bales with the weight of a human body pressing upon him, and almost forcing the breath from his lungs, like a hideous waking nightmare. Suddenly a flash of light gleamed across his eyes, and he perceived a tall figure standing near him, holding a lucifer match with which he w as lighting a candle. At last the candle was lighted and then the tall figure stood distinctly revealed. It was as the captain suspeoted the figure of Green, page: 80-81[View Page 80-81] 80 THTE EIVESI P1ILATES. the sailor; but the features! no, it was not he. Those features were not Green's, and yet they were familiar to him, horribly familiar it seemed, still he could not dig-' tinotly recall to his recollection where he had seen them before. At last'the whole truth burst upon him. The features were thoseof Zachariah Manson. The mate had judged rightly-the boy Jim, as he was supposed to be, was a woman-it was Harriet Manson, who had shipped under that disguise with her brother, who had dis- guised his own features and colored his skin go as to pass unrecognized, Arind perfectly had succeeded in doing so. It was the she fiend, Harriet Manson, to whose deceit-, ,ful wiles he owed all the misery he had passed through in the days of his opening man- hood--to whose treachery he had well nigh fallen a victim-it was she who now knelt upon his prostrate form, and grasped his throat with a strength more than feini- nine--more than masculine-a strength and tenacity that belongs only to the insane-- or to those rendered temporarily insane by concentrated fury-and the thought of ven- geance long Fought for-successful at last. The man was silent; he had torn the false beard and moustache from his face and taken the patch from his eye-the dark walnut tanned skin still remained, but there was no difficulty in recognizing Manson's features, lighted up with a sardonic grin, beneath that disguised covering. And Harriet. flow was it he had not recognized her features bere.? Hie know not, but ho recognized them now, although they were distorted by furious rage, and the muscles worked as though she was laboring in a fit of convulsions. Ha-a-a-a,- d-d hound--cursed viper-murderer of my father and brother," she cried, as she held a knife in. a threatening attitude in one hand above his throat, which was tightly grasped by the other, until he was almost suffocated, while she press- ed her knees heavily upon his chest. "Ha-a-a-a, scoundrel t dog! I have you then at last. You shall die-die-and then sink to hell hi your own ship-and I will go with you-but you shallfcel the pain of death filst. 'You loved me, and then scorned and betrayed me, did you not-and married that pretty piece of painted flesh, who now waits for her husband in the cabin. You shall die first. and then she shall die--by the same hand and the same linife-wet with her husband's blood, and then we shall all go to the fiend together. Look here," she cried, suddenly releasing her hold, and only just in time to save the victim from utter suffocation, " but utter one cry, and you die that instant. Look, here; show Captain Wainwright your work, Zack-;" turning to her brother. ' Ah! do you see; do you see that hole, so nicely plugged up. It is below water mark; and the plug has only to be drawn out to engulph the ship and cargo arid all on board in less than half an hour. One pump -was choked a long time ago, the other is choked now. See, Captain William Wainwright; how nicely you are trapped. Oh! it will be sweet to die and know that in dying we have got our revenge, although you baulked me last night when I went into the cabin-- Harriet Manson-to murder your wife, and so add to your wretchedness and' increase the bitterness of your own death; -but she shall die-the dainty thing-by my own hand-by the hand of her whose love you spurned; for once I did love you-and you know when that love was turned to bitter hatred." The eyes of the maniac woman, for she could not be termed aught else but a' ma- niac, now gleamed like those of a tigress, as she nervously jerked the dagger she held in her hand, to and fro, while the captain who was now recovering slightly from the effects of his semi-strangulation, could perceive Zaehariah Manson kneeling by the side of the plug in the vessel's side, and tauntingly, savagely glancing towards him. i And now the female raised the dagger apparently with the purpose of dealing the fatal blow. The victim closed his eyes in anticipation of the stroke; he breathed one brief prayer, while a whirl of thought-the panorama of his life, seeemed to pass rapidly/ through his brain. Why did not the blow fall 1 There was a dull crash as though some one wero struck, by a blunt instrument, and the fall of a heavy body upon his breast. iHe * THE RIVER PIRATES. 81 opened his eyes and looked around him in a state of bewilderment. Was it an an- gel who stood before him and who had come at this awful moment to his resaeue It was.: but it was an angel ithuman form-it was his own wife! And who was that who stood over the now prostrate figare of Zaohariah Manson? It wa the faithful steward, George! "Thank God! my dear husband, you are safe," cried Mrs. Wainwright, as burst- ing into tears and giving full vent to her long, pent up feelings, she stooped down and threw her arms round her husband's neck. *e . ^ * * * * * . 'It is'necessary now that we should inform the reader how this unexpected and most timely rescue reached the captain when all earthly hope seemed to have flown. Mrs, Wainwright knew that her husband had gone into the lazarette to make the search, which he, however, pretended to deem useless, and she waited anxiously for his re-appearance. Havitig waited at Ileast half an hour, and knowing that the captain had had ample time to examine the store-room even if he had searched every barrel and every impossible as well as possible place fitted for the concealment of a humean body, she became trebly anxious. Some strange presentiment appeared to in- "mate to her that something was wrong, and she stooped over the hatchway, and called her husband by name. No reply was given. The wife became alarmed, and she herself procured a light and descended iito the lazerette. Her husband was not there. Thtpoor woman was lost in aulusement. ' He must have returned and gone upon deck," she said to herself, "and yet that is impossible without my having seen him. for I was seated near the hatchway and looking towards it ever since he desconded." She raised the lantern and cast hoe, oeyes again around the store-room, before she ascended, and then she perceived the plank that had been removed from the bulkhead. Her husband must by this means have penetrated into the hold, amongst the oar- go. She advanced to the bulkhead and again cthed him by name. There was no reply. She placei her ear to the aperture and listened, with all the anxiety of an affectionato wife. Perhaps no one else might have heard it, for the ear of none but a loving wife would havbeen so keenly alive to every impression at such a moment; but she thought she heard the sound of a voice raised in anger. (It must have been- the infuriated shriek of Harriet Mansqn, that had reached her ear.) Again shelis- tened more carncstly, more intensely, and again she was sure she heard the ominous eound! One moment's thought sufficed. Sho decided how to act. The steward had finished his duties on deck and had returned to the cabin. "George, come here," she (called up the hatchway. The steward came at the call "George, the captain has gonp into the hold through the bulkhead in the store- room, and I hear voices raised in anger, apparently proceeding from the forepart of the hold. George dare you follow me--i fooeel convinced that Captain Vainwright is in danger, although I know not its nature." "1 will go alonb, M aem," replied the steward, whose suspicions, as the reader is aware, had been aroused in consequence of the mysterious disappearance of theo ship's stores. "No, George, no. Whatever be the consequences, I will accompany you."- "We had better take arms with us Maam." "Perhaps so, George," replied Mrs. Wainwright, scarcely knowing, so great was ber agitation, what she was saying. The steward went into the pantry and re-appeared with a pistol and a haumer. "You take the hammer, Alaar," he said. "You maynt know h 'to se the other weapon, and now I am ready I'll warrant we'll catch the varmints who have been robbing my stores.", "Oh, CGeorge, I fear that something serious has happened to the captain." "Well, then, Manm, we had better go. :it once and see what is the matter." Tle steward led the way, and 'Theo lady followed; as thoey both crept along, the voieoo page: 82-83[View Page 82-83] 82 THE R1VER PIRATES. of Harriet grew more distinct; they heard the threatening tones, and by and bye they could Distinguish the threats themselves. "Hasten, George, hasten, for the love of God," whispered Mrs. Wainwright; but George needed no'order to hasten, he crept and pushed his way along as quickly as possible. And now they came in view of the frightful scene. The excitement of the parties concerned did not permit of their hearing the- rustling sound they could not avoid making. The lantern held by Green, or Manson, shed its lurid glow upon the man- aoled captain, and the fury in human form. who was launching against him and his wife, and the whole ship's company, and the world besides her frightful invectives. She had raised thb knife to strike the deadly blow. One moment more and it would have. been too late-too late. But the steward, who was a powerful man, had sprang out, and coming upon the ruffian Green, or Manson, with one well directed blow he felled him senseless to the floor, having whispered as he passed Mrs. Wainwright- "You take care of the lad, Maam; strike hard, and never heed the consequences." Urged by feelings to which she had hitherto been a stranger, her feeble strength redoubled with the fearful emergency. Mrs. Wainwright struck her husband's would-be murderer a heavy blow)with the hammer' on the back of the neck-the lad or rather the woman, Harriet, f1ll senseless, and the reader knows the rest. It was short work with the steward to fasten securely the limbs of Green and his accomplice, while they still remained insensible, and then to unbind thecaptain; for Mrs. Wainwright, after she had struck the blow, felt herself overpowered. She bent over her husband, drowned in a flood of tears. The steward hurried back to the storeroom, and procured some brandy, with which heospeedily returned and poured a few drops between his captain's lips. The captain soon revived, and Mrs. Wainwright having in some degree recovered her composure, a brief consultation was held as to the netr course it would be advisable to pursue. Man- son and his sister were both more securely tied, for by. this time they had began to show symptoms of reviving consciousness. The plank leading into the coal hole was removed, and thence an easy passage was discovered leading to the forecastle. The crew were surprised and frightened at seeing what to them appeared the ap- paritions of the captain, his wife and the steward, begrimed with dust and dirt, sud- denly making their appearance among them in this singular manner; but a few words from the captain served to explain how matters stood. Mrs. Wainwright was removed to the cabin, and the two mates, assisted by the seamen, were ordered to bring the captives on deck. They prepared to do this with alacrity; for they were filled with indignation at what they had heard, not only of their captain's danger, and they loved him, for as we have said before, most of them had sailed several voyages with him, but also on account of their own danger, for had Green succeeded in scuttling the ship, but a few moments longer and all on board would have perished. As regarded the boy Jim, they were perfectly amazed, for they all believed him to have been drowned, and 'had lamented his untimely fate; but now they recollected that Green, since the lad had been missing, had often been absent at different periods during his watch, and had been strangely fond of remaining on deck, as they accounted for his absence, during a considerable portion of his watch below. She fore hatches were unbattened and removed, and the villainous brother and ister were exposed to the gaze of the crew. The havcuffs were fetched forward from the cabin by the steward, and the mate descended into the hold to bind the prisoners. They had completely recovered from the stunning effects of the blows they had received, and' their savage looks of batred and baffled revenge were fearful to contemplate. They were hoisted upon deck, and the second mate was about to place the band- cuffs upon their wrists, when to the astonishment of all they' sprang aside, and tUe THE RIVER PIRATES. 8 severed cords fell from their arms and legs. During the brief interval that had elaps- ed since the resoue of the captain and the binding of the brother and sister, they had managed, how no one could tell, to saw asunder, or in some way to sever their bonds. The oaptaigl, mates and crew stood aghast as they gased upon their malignant features. At length the voice of the mate was heard. "Forward and seize them, men," said he, suiting the action to the word. "Never-never," shrieked Harriet, and "Never, by G-d, never," shouted the deep, surly tones of Zachariah Manson. "Curse you, Captain Wainwright, curse you-a thousand curses; every evill that can befal mankind, rest upon you-curse you in life, curse you in death, and in hell-forever and ever." Tne foam flew from the I lips of the wretch as h6, spoke, and he made a spring as if to throw himself over the side of the ship; but a heavy perspiration burst out on his brow, the blood flew from his nostrils and ears, and a shudder, as if a strong spasm had shot through him, pervaded his frame. He gave one piercing yell, and fell lifeless upon the deck. fiarriet Manson appeared to have suddenly become possessed by a legion of devils. She bit her lips and gnashed her teeth and tore her hair, and shrieked as though ahe' were already suffering the tortures of the damned. ' "You have murdered my brother at last, have you," sheeried, as soon as the hok- ing in her throat would allow her to speak. "As he cursed you William Wain- wright with his ding breath, so do H-with the most bitter curses- you and your wife and your childrent-you and yours forever, here and. hereafter, if any hereafter there be." As she said this, she stooped suddenly, kissed the brow of her dead brother, and be- fore any qne could restrain her-before any one had any. thought of her purpose, she had thrown herself over the side of the vessel into the rushing waters For a moment her clothing buoyed her up, and during that moment her lips were observed to move as though she were still uttering curEes, and her hand was raised menacingly towards the vessel. Another moment and she had sunk forever a maniac suicide in her ocean grave,. The captaip, officers and crew were struck with awe; for some moments no one stirred. At length the captain gav orders to have the body of the sailor Green, for by. this name only was he known to the men, covered up, and the carpenter was direted to make preparations for his burial. These were speedily done; the captain read a short service over his would-be murderer, and that same night his body was committed to the yielding waters, there to wait until the last hour. --the hour of judgment shall arrive, and the sea shall give up her dead Two days after these sad events the vessel arrived at Liverpool, and the frightful story caused great excitement in that town, and formed a startling topic forthe ,newspapers for many days. The L- discharged and took in a fresh lading and returned to New York, mak- ing amoste pleasant passage and a successful voyage. Thus tar the curses of the wicked had availed naught In our nextchapter we shall return to the history of those of our characters whom we left in New York and its vicinity, and shall have something to say as to the future of Thomas Manson, who Was' now the only one left of this wretched family. All buthe, even the daughter-a being whose form would seem to have been a fitting receptaale for the soul of an angel, and whose features were capable of an angelic expression-all had found an early and an untimely, grave, with the exception of one; the father descended to the tomb full of years, it is true, but not full of honors-for his life had been forfeit- edas the reader will recollect as an earthly atonement for his fiendish crimes. CHAP'TER SIX'rENeIT. Bill David, as has been stated in a former chapter, had gone away south for the pur. pose of disposing of the spoils taken from the murdered emigrant. ie heard while in Pailadelphia of the arrest of the Mansons for the crime of murder, and of the sub- page: 84-85[View Page 84-85] 81 THE RIVER PIR TES. sequent execution of the elder. Manson, and the incarceration of young Thomas Man- son for life in the State prison. Wisely judging that the elder Manson being at length brought to his final account had no further use of money-the gold and silver and other metallic dros-of this earth not being supposed to be generally current in the world of spirits--and also knowing that the commonwealth of New York Wvould in its immense charity, provide for all the wants of Thomas Manson, Jr., and judging that Harriet Manson and her brother Zachariah would quit New York as soon as possible after the tragical occurrence, Bill David came to the conclusion that since he had the money and valuables in his possession,- and it was not probable that there would be any great search made for them, he had better keep possession of them himself. The pro- porty of the murdered emigrant had been very considerable in jewels and foreign gold, and when Bill David had turned all this into the current coin of the commonwealth, be found himself in possession of more ready money than he had ever possessed before, in fact the German's effects realized nearly $3,000, but Bill had to go as far south as New Orleans before he could safely dispose of the whole of the spoil. At this junc- ture the whole civilized world was .crazy on account of the recent discovery of the min- eral wealth of California, and Bill David finding himself a man of property, thought he might increase that property and perhaps become a man of fortune, *" forswear low habits and live cleanly," if he embarked for the newly discovered region and sought out some enterprise in which to engage. With this object in view he took his pas- sage in a vessel bound round Cape Horn, and, although if ever there was a Jonah on board a vessel, he was one, the vessel arrived in safety at San Francisco. Bill re- mained in the city for some weeks spending his money freely; but, in the - main, add- ing to his ill-gotten store by gambling and playing various tricks with cards, at which he was an adept. Finally he determined to proceed to the mines which rumor then said contained stores of wealth, which shamed the treasure of Aladdin's palace. He accordingly set out and reached the gold diggings, and there for the present we shall leave him. It is our intention to write a sequel to this story which will bring it up to the present time, and in which many characters will be introduced who are known by name and reputation, some as bad and some-clothed in the garb of imposture--as good, in the opinion of men, to the present residents of New York city. Captain Wainwright returned to New York from Liverpool, as we stated at the conclusion of the former chapter, and shortly afterwards he again sailed on another *voyage. He had already acquired the reputation of being a thorough seaman and an honest and industrious citizen, notwithstanding the untoward circumstances which had befallen him in his early career. The Mathsons were all dead but one, and he was safely lodged in jail; therefore he had little to fear from the malice of these once im- placable enemies. He made several voyages, which proved very successful to his owners, who were so much pleased with his conduct that on laying a new ship upon the atooke, he was offered the command of her when completed, and at the name time was requested by the owners to overlook her while building He had saved a con- siderable sum of money, which he liad left in his owners' hands,. and they generously advanced him the sum required to enable him to take a fourth share in the new ship, which was destined to trade between New York and the East Indies In the prose- eution, therefore, of this novel and pleasing duty-glad after having spent the greater portions of his life at sea, of the chance of a holiday thus offered him, the more espe- cially as he had, as the reader is aware, been but a few months married, we shall leave him until he again appears in the sequel to which we have already alluded. Thomas Manson was taken to 6ing Sing prison, and there for a year was submitted to hard labor and to the constant supervision that it -tas considered necessary to main- tain over a character so desperate, and a man convicted of so serious a crime. However, his behavior was uniformly good, and as he persisted that he had been wrongfully accused, and that he ad no intention of committing murder, and no know- ledge that his father had been guilty of that dreadful crime-a less rigid watch was sub equently kept over him. As he bad received a better education than usually falls i TIlE RIVER PIRATES. 85 to the lot of the denizens of State prisons; he was, after his twelvemonths ordeal, put to lighter duties, and in fact made a sort of manager over his fellow convicts. For six months longer he maintained the same character for good behavior, and so interested did some of the authorities becomes in his behalf, that it was resolved that a petition should be sent to the Governor for a pardon, under the plea that he had been wrong- fully convicted, and sentenced, under any circumstances, to a penalty more severe than he merited. This petition, however, failed. The Governor gave it due consideration, but it was discovered that he had formerly borne such a notoriously bad character, and had come from a stock of such disreputable name; besides having been himself so often convicted during his youth for petty offences, that the Executive refused to move in the matter, An intimation to this effect was conveyed to Thomas Manson, who had been made acquainted, through the officious kindness of some of his friends, with the endeavors that were being made in his behalf. The intelligence, although naturally received with feelings of disappointment, made no difference in his behavior. Indeed, he observed that He was deservedly punished for the many evil deeds of his youth, although innocent of the great crime pharged to him, and he added that he should feel happy even if he never were re- leased. He had duties to perform which fully occupied his mind during the day, and ' at night he had his Bible to read, and that gratification,-he said, was more than a sin- ful rmortal like him had a right to expect. He often spoke of his religious impres- sions to the clergy who visited the jail, and wondered how it was that his mind had not been open before to receive the impressions of divine truth. He sometimes held forth to such of his fellow captives who could be brought to listen to him, and was re- garded by many charitably disposed persons who visited the ,jail, as a brand plucked from- the burning-as a saint arrayed in gray serge-a martyr to the prejudices of the world-an apostle of the truth in bondage-even as the apostles were in bondage in the early days of Christianity. So time wore on; the winter had passed away, and the spring, in all its glory, was also far advanced. During the long evenings of winter Thomas Manson had been al- lowed to have a light in his eel,'through the entreaty of some of his religious friends, in order that he might buable to devote more time to his precious studies. Occasion. ally-also some of the better behaved amongst his fellow convicts, particularly those who professed to have benefitted from his religious exhortations were allowed to spend a few hours with him, and it was qi te an edifying speetacle-so said the Reverend Meekface, Oily-who occasionally left his cozy home, and, having obtained permission, spent the night in jail, in order that he might ' bear witness, and glorify' with the saintly convicts in the State prison. One fine day when the weather was unusually warm for the season, for the summer could yet scarcely be said to have commenced, it was resolved to allow some of the better behaved of the convicts to bathe themselves in the river, of course under the guard of the officers of the prison, and, also, of course, the worthy and pious Thomas Manson was admitted to this privilege. How the poor men-temporarily released from their Egyptian bondage-played and swam and disported in the clear liquid wa- ters of the Hudson. The officers of the prison declared that it was quite a pleasure to witness the delight they took in the aquatic sport. The Reverend Meekface Oily was also a pleased looker-on, and he and Thomas Manson, even at this hour of relaxa- tion, could not refrain from exhorting each other and engaging in religious conference. In fact so earnest had they become, as they talked together, Manson in the water and Meekface Oily walking along the edge of the bank, that they had gone, unnoticed by the officers, a considerable distance beyond the limits allotted to the prisoners, and in- deed Manson had turned a sharp bend in the river which concealed him from the view of the guardians of the prison. Still his absence was unobserved by the officers, who had full confidence in his integrity of purpose, and who would have staked their repu- tation that Manson, had a thousand opportunities been offered him to make his escape, page: 86-87[View Page 86-87] 86- THE RIVER PIRATES. would have nobly and steadfastly refused to have done so without seeking permiss8on. Suddenly a shout was heard, as of some one in deadly peril-a gurgling shriek fol- lowed-and for a moment all was silent; then, ere the astonished officers and prisoners could recover from the alarm which had seized tnem, the Reverend Meekface Oily was seen approaching at a running pace, hallooing lustily and pointing to the flowing wa- ters of the river. Astonishment seized upon the officials. - What on earth could thus have affected the mild, solemn, staid Meekface Oily! He who was never known to speak above a whisper,'and'who, in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, had never allowed his foot- steps to stray beyond the modest propriety of a slow, solemn walk!? Had the worthy' man been seized with a fit, or had an alligator, by some miraculous means, found its way from the mud bottom of the Mississippi to the deep waters of the Hudson and frightened the worthy pastor by poking his ugly snout out,of the water and causing him to think that it was the arch enemy himself, who, according to the doctrine of the Reverend Meekface Oily, was ever on the watch and ready to assume all sorts of shapes and disguises to entrap poor mortals, especially such as, like himself, were cloth- ed in a double garb of sanctity. Soon, however, they found it was none of these causes which had thus frightened the worthy pastor. As soon as he was near enough to render it possible to understand his words, they found that there was a sad and unexpected cause for his outcry. "Our worthy brother, Thomzas Manson, hath been seixzd with the -cramp," he shouted, "and even now struggleth in the agonies of death-nay, peradventure he bath already been grasped in the arms of the bony skeleton and hath passed thence ' into the bosom of Abrahasm. Hasten, ye men of the world, hasten, if peradventure there yet be time to save our brother from the jaws of death, that he may yet be per- mitted to tarry awhile with us, a shining light set upon a hill to attract and save souls 'from running into the shoals and breakers prepared for their destruction by the evil one." "What's the row 1" exclaimed one of the keepers. "d D'ye mean to say as how Tom Manson's been seized with the eramp?" "Even so," "Then, why in h-1 didn't yer dive inter the water and drag him out. He warn't far from the brink I guess." "' Verily, I cannot swim, and if I had perilled my life, t 1should have perilled that which is not mine own-since I am sent on earth by* Providence, here to remain until it shall please that Providence to call me hence, a beacon and a guide-a vessel of plea- sant-savor to my sinful fellow creatures." "Oh, hush that gammon, now, Mr. Oily, and if Manson's sunk, poor fellow, let's go and drag him out. there may be life in him yet." The officers, accompanied by Meekface Oily, rushed in a body to the spot where he had indicated that Manson had sunk. The water was not deep, and three or four men rushed into the river, but all their search was in vain. . Manson was not to be found, and it was of course supposed that having been seized with cramps as stated by Meekface Oily, he had sunk and been carried out into the middle of the river. The prisoners were ordered to leave the water and to dress themselves, and the cavalcade then returned to the prison minus one of their number; and the Reverencd Meekface Oily went home to lament in solitude and to pour out his soul in grief, as he expressed himself, for the loss of his friend. It was noticed by some old women in the neighboring village, who at the time of the accident were drawing water from the river for household uses, that ani enormously large pumpkin had floated steadily past them at no great distance' and against the tide, and they went home and related the occurrence to their neighbors, as a wondrous marvel. The Reverend Meekface Oily hastened towards his home with unusual speed for a, man of his staid, steady habits. S ome urchins who passed him on the way reported THE RIVER PIRATES. 87 that the preacher was a running across the meadows like anything, and they Aever seen him run afore in their life time "Poor, worthy soul," exclaimed a pious old woman, who heard the remarks of the boys, " he's a most demented 'count o' the loss of the shinin' light o' the State prison, which was quenched in the river to day, and sent right awav to glory " The'abode of the Reverend Meekface Oily consisted of a small but extremely com- fortable and well furnished cottage, which stood in an half acre lot reaching to the bank of the river, which in this spot formed a small inlet. As soon as the worthy, man reached his home he rushed through the house like a madman and hurried down the garden to the brink of the river, as though he were bent on suicide; but he stopped short just as he reached the edge of the river, and peered anxiously around him as though in search of something and yet half in doubt whether he should find it. Presently he -uttered an exclamation of satisfaction as his eye rested upon an enor- mous pumpkin, whioh had drifted into the little inlet and had lodged against the bank of the preacher's garden; probably it was the same pumpkin which the good house- wives had seen floating up the river against the stream. The Rev. Meekface Oily's face glowed with delight as he saw that huge pumpkin resting so closely within his reach. Perchance he thought to himself, '"f ow kind Providence is in its manifestations towards me. Here am I, Meekface Oily, provided with material enough to make pumpkin pies for a fortnight, and all without any ex- penditure of money on my own part. I can now bestow the money that that pumpkin would have cost me in gifts of charity." - The Reverend Meekface seizes hold of a boathook. No doubt he is about to drag the huge pumpkin on shore; but no, he'shouts "Hillo-a there, come further in; the bank is less steep where I stand, and you will have less difficulty in landing." Has the Reverend Meekface Oily gone demented, that he thus addresses the huge pumpkin as a human being? No-for the pumpkin proves to be only a shell,. which is speedily capsized as the voice of the worthy preacher is hoard, and the head of Thomas Manson, his,teeth chattering with cold, is seen above the water.. "Let us thank Providence, my triend, that you have been mercifully spared from becoming food for the monsters of the deep. Yea, let us lift up our, voices in thanks- giving. Let us sing praises unto--- . "Confound your cursed humbug," stammered out Thomas Manson, as, well as he could speak, shivering as he was from cold. "Stash that nonsense now, and go and get me some clothes to put on. Do you think I am going to stand here, up to my- neck in water, the whole dayl" "Nay, friend, be not rash; truly thou hast been delivered from the hands of the Philistines, and my heart weeps tears of joy at thy deliverance." "Then d-n you go and get me some duds to put on, or else, d-n me if I don't come out of the water stark naked and frighten your old housekeeper out of her seven senses." Thus addressed, the Rev. Meekface Oily went into the house, and speedily return- ed with a bundle of clerical clothing, and Thomas Manson, emerging from the water, quickly dressed himself, and, still shivering, demanded a glass of hot brandy and water. to put fresh life into him. The two worthies entered the house together, and Meekface Oily introduced Man- son to his old housekeeper-his only domestic-as a reverend brother whom he had ae - cidentally fallen in with and who'would tarry awhile with hith perchance, to rest himself, while on his mission of peace and good will towards mankind. "J tell you what it is, Oily," slid Manson, as soon as the woman had quitted the room to provide some refreshment, "I tell you what it is, old fellow, b-t me if I haven't chanted cant enough for the last twelve month to last me my lifetime, and you must cease that clatter now, at all events when we are alone. It won't do,you know, for me to remain here. I shall have the M. P.'s after me in quick t'me if any of the page: 88-89[View Page 88-89] 88 THE' RIVER PIRATES; Deighbor get a glimpse of me. I must be off to night, after dark, and put a vido distance between myself- and tha State of New York. So after we have had some- ting to eat, something good and substantial, mind ye, for I haven't eaten a hearty meal for the last twelvemonth, you must give me some money, and we must enter into an understanding with each other." The housekeeper announced that the meal was ready, and .the two worthies seated themselves to a hearty dinner to which they both did justice, though Meekface Oily had so used himself to religious hypocrisy that it was with the utmost difficulty that he could reftain from saying grace at table and treating his companion to various religious exhortations. "The escape was well managed," he said at length, after both had satisfied the first cravings of hunger. "Yes, tolerably well I fancy,?' replied Manson, but the beaks won't be after me, Will they I You spread the report that you saw me sink V" "Oh, yes; no fear of any suspicion arising if you only exercise common prudence. Why, with your closely cropped head and that suit of rusty sable you look almost as sanctified as I do myself; but, my ldear fellow, there is not the least necessity v; your leaving the State of New York. It is in the city that we must reap our harvest. You must procure another disguise, get a fashionable suit of clothing, a black wig, false whiskers and moustache, and a lot of bogus jewelry, and then take lodgings at one of the fashionable hotels." ' "Eh, what, old fellow! and act as your tool, while you keep up your sanctimoni- ots disguise in this village. No, curse me if I do. You shall share the peril as well as the gains, or else d-n me if I don't go and give myself up again to the governor of the prison J' ,. "Have you heard of the news respecting your brother Zack and your sister Har- riet? ' asked Oily, with a view to change the subject for the present, and to arouse the vindictive temper of his companion, of which he was well aware. "No. What of theme" "They are both dead, that's all." "Damnation! You don't sayso. PoorHatty dead! Why, Oily, when did she die ' "William Wainwright murdered her and your brother Zack." "Wainwright! What, has that fellow again stepped between us I Prove what you say, Oily, and by-- I will have ample revenge or die myself." "Well, he didn't exactly murder them," answered Oily, who saw that he had ex- asperated his companion too greatly already, to suit his purposes. "I will tell you the whole story by-and-bye. Meanwhile we must proceed with our present business. I have a congregation to address on the subject of temperance to-night, so as we have not much time tg spare, suppose we take another glass of hot stuff, and then we will call Bridget to clear away the things and light the candle and build a fire in my study, for though the day has been sultry, the evening begins to grow chilly." The toddy was brewed and imbibed, and the housekeer was summoned to remove the things; "and, Bridget," said the master, " light the fire and place candles in the study. My fellow'laborer and myseff would commune together, and perchance en- 4 gage in prayer, before he departs on his holy mission, and I set forth to exhort the ungodly and intemperate." The housekeeper did as she was desired, and shortly announced to her master that the study was preparepd for his reception. "Then' come, brother, let us retire together. We have enjoyed, together the ma- terial provision which Providence provideth for the sustenance of our corporeal frames while we are permitted to sojourn upon earth. Let us now enjoy an hour's spiritual banquet in that apartment of my humble abode which I have appointed for that holy service." ' ,. The housekeeper left the room, and the two worthies rose from their seats and pro- coeeded together to the study, as Oily termed the apartment. THE RIVER PIRATES. . 8 "Curse you, Moekface," Baid Manson as' they Went up stairs together, "curse me if you haven't got the impudence and hypocrisy of the old boy himself; bud I telii you what, d-n me, if I 6au stand it- any longer. I've had enough of it for the last twelve months and more, and I'm not going to put myself under restraint any more. So, old fellow, just take my advice and stash it at once, or else, d-n me if I don't blow before the housekeeper."' Meekface Oily made no reply to this, outhurst on the part of his companion, and they entered the study; and Oily having locked the door, removed the-bible which his servant had piously placed upon the table and taking an instrument of peculiar con- struction from his pocket, he opened a secret drawer in the top of the massive table and displayed,an enormous quantity of counterfeit bills, carefully tied up in parcels and labelled according to their nominal value. "By-, you have not been idle, old fellow," said Manson, as his eyes rested upon the heap of counterfeit money. '"No, I work pretty hard; you see I have to shut myself up alone in- my study a good deal to indulge in prayer and meditation, and at such times my servant has orders to allownone of my flock to disturb me; indeed they wouldn't do so, on any account, when they fancy I am religiously employed. They think me a sainc, Tom Manson, and they have half made me believe that I am one myself-that is to say-when I am * in the midst of my religious exercises. It's strange what effect hypocrisy of this de- scription has upon a man. As you perceive I can with difficulty dispossess my speech of this carit, when in discourse with an old 'pal.' Now to business. I have here upwards of seven thousand dollars in counterfeit fbills, and to tell you the truth, good paper is getting short with me. Now 1 will give you one thousand of these bills on Western banks of fair repute, and you do as I say-take lodgings in New York-at one of the fashionable hotels, and get as many of them off as possible. You will find it easy'enough, for a Lime, at any rate; they are capitally executed, although I say it myself, and there is not the faintest suspicion abroad that counterfeits. are out upon them." "But how the d-l am I'to go to New York in this guisel Why, my closely croled hair would betray mie for a jail bird at once." "My good fellow, I have provided for that; trust Meekface Oily for doing things up thoroughly when he sets about them ' . Oily rose from his chair, and, taking a bunch of keys from his pocket, opened a Clothes press, the look of which was of strange construction, and displayed to the won- dering gaze of Thomas Manson disguises of all descriptions, together with paints and dyes, eye-glasses, spectacles, even wooden-legs and crutches, besides various articles of feminine attire. "Now," said he, " dispose your carcase in that suit of clothes. I fancy they wills fit you to a nicety. I have a good eye for such matters, and you will find yourself transmogrified from a Methodist parson into a Broadway dandy, in the twinkling of an eye. There, I told you so," he continued, as Manson stripped off nis clerical gar- ments and attired himself in the new clothing. "Now, here," he added, " here. is a wig that will-give you at once' the appearance of possessing ,the very handsomest head of black hair that ever excited the envy of a French dancing master, and here is a superb suit, of whiskers, beard and moustache, .to match. They set as naturally as if they had grown from your skin. Now, a slight touch of rouge and the disguise is complete. Here, hang this eye-glass round your neck, and take this gold-headed cane; now look in the glass-would you recognize Thomas Manson yourself, under, that admirable disguise!" . "Well, it is pretty fair, certainly," said Manson, after he had deliberately survey- ed himself in the glass. , ' Pretty fair why your mother wouldn't recognize you, if the old dame were alive. Now, you must-have a foreign name. Let me, see-'-you can speak a little German, can't you!" page: 90-91[View Page 90-91] 90 THE RIVER PIRATES. "Yes, a little, but not enough to pass myself off as a foreigner " ". Pooh! that doesn't matter a dump. You must neither speak German nor English, but a broken jabber comprised of both, and you may add a few French phrases if you know any. It doesn't matter whether they are appropriate or not-noborly will be any the wiser. Now, what shall we 'call youl A h,.the Baron Von Dunderfelt, from Ba- varia-that will do. Now, Herr Baron what think you of matters as they stand at present!" "Why, I think before I go any farther, that you must fork over some money. None of your cursed counterfeit paper, but some good current money of the common- wealth. Curse me if I am going to spread myself upon the counterfeits until I see my way clear." "Of course not, although; as I have told you, money is scarce enough with me just now, so you must be as sparing as possible, and sport the flimsies as soon as you canl get an opportunity to do so. Here are fifty dollars, and I swear to you I have but fifty left for myself; but I hope that amount will be an abundance to start you in busi- ness." "Well, I suppose I must try and make it enough if you are so short as you say you are," replied Manson, "and now old fellow, before I start, let me hear all you know about my brother Zack and my sister Hatty." . , . Meekfaca Oily sat down opposite Manson, and related all he knew of the sad end of his companion's last remaining relatives. and hi3 account was pretty nearly correct, as he had gathered the particulars from a Liverpool newspaper, the editor of which had been informed of the circumstances by Captain Wainwright himself. Thomas Manson heard him through without uttering a word, although at times the muscles of his face worked violently, and he nervously stretched his arms and clenched his fist. He did not care so much for the untimely fate of his brother; tlut the last remaining trait of humanity in his nature was a feeling of ardent affection for his sister Harriet. When Oily had concluded his history Manson sat for some moments silent. At length he rose from his seat, and raising his right hand, he almost shrieked out:- "Meekface Oily, if I had any doubts before of the chance of my succeeding in changing these flimsies into good money, what you have told me would determine me at least to make the endeavor, foethe sake of making money for the purpose of wreak- ing bitter revenge upon that cursed hound, William Wainwright.' Mind, half the money, three thousand'five hundred dollars, is to be mine if I succeed; and, mark this, if I want more for my purposes of vengeance, more I must have, at all hazards. Har- riet jumped overboard to save herself from being brought to the gallows by that infer- nal scoundrel! Poor girl!'poor girl! Well, well, I swear before Heaven that I will #venge her-with deep-dark-deadly vengeance. And now to our business," he added, swallowing his' words as though he were choking, " for the present let me cast all recollection of my, sister from me, that I may better fit myself to .obtain the re- venge I contemplate.'. I must get out of this house unobserved either by the house- keeper or any of the villagers. How am I to manage it?" "Leave that to met" said Oily; "it is early yet, not eight o'clo6k. By ten o'clock everybody in this peaceful neighborhood is abed and asleep. You must stay where you are until that time, and then I will accompany you out of the village. You must travel all night, and get as near New York as possible, and then about daylight you must step into some railroad station and take your passage to the city. You will arrive there by eight o'clock at the farthest. You had better then purchase a large trunk and fill it with clothing at some ready-made clothing store, and lanve it sent to some hotel, or rather have it carried by a porter. You can accompany him,.and take up your residence there. You can spend your money pretty freely while it lasts, and meanwhile be looking about for chances; perhaps if you write mo and lot me know where you hangout, I may be able to raise ,a little more of the ready if you need it. And now let us fill our glasses-I have a supply of the good stuff in this room - I must THE RIVER PIRATES. 91 go to my congregation to hold forth on the advantages of temperance. You can sit and amuse yourself as best you may till I return, I shall be back by nine o'clock -.or a little later, and then we will take preparations for your departure." The glasses were quickly filled and as rapidly emptied, and Meekface Qily left for his tabernacle, while Thomas Manson helped himself'to a cigar, and seating himself in front of the fire, indulged himself in deep thoughts; perhaps regarding the sudden change in his circumstances; perhaps in' thinking of his sister Harriet and of revenge; perhaps indulging in illusory day dreams of the future, a practice often followed by the honest at well as the guilty members of society. Who knows what were his thoughtsl At the appointed hour, the Reverend Meekface Oily returned, and the two worthies set out together. Manson made the best of his time, and succeeded in reaching Yonkers before daylight. He then took passage in the cars for New York, and on arriving in the city, he followed the advice of Oily--laid out a portion of the money in his possession in the purchase of'clothing; managing, however, to pass off at least half of the value of the money he spent in counterfeit bills, and then ordered a porter to convey the trunk containing his purchases to the -- Hotel, in Broadway. Heore he entered his name on the books as the Baron Von Dunderfelt, and immediately set up as a Broadway kid glo-ed exquisite of the first water. For a long time all went, on smoothly; the counterfeit bills which he had in his possession werel so well execu- ted that several thousand of dollars were passed before the first suspicion was aroused that there were counterfeits on the --- and the --- banks afloat, and Manson and his accomplice netted a considerable sum of money. At length the cheat was discovered in consequence of a broker who had received a considerable amount of the counterfeit money having sent it to the banks in question. Even there for some time they were deceived; but the number of some of the bills be- ing duplicates, at last cauied' suspicion and inquiry, and the fraud was discovered. Measures were taken by the New York police to discqver the issuer, but for a long time in vain. At length suspicion fastened upon the elegant foreign Baron--the most recherche and exquisite dandy of the day-the observed of all observers as he prome- naded the Broadway sidewalk-the very gentlemanly and as it was supposed the very wealthy and most noble Herr Von Danderfelt of Munich in Bavaria. Manson heard of this only when the officers were actually seeking him at the house, and he determined upon a bold stroke to save himself. A foreign gentleman moustached, bewhiskered and bearded like himself had lately' arrived from abroad and had put trp at the same hotel. Manson, whose hair had grown since his escape from jail to a length sufficient not to, attract notice, immediately pulled off his false hirsute appendages and appeared quite a different man. The officers were directed to, the Baron's room, and luckily he passed them on the way. "Which is the apartment occupied by the Biron Von Dunderfelt?" asked one of' the officers of him as they met, having mistaken the direction of the waiter. "The Baron Von Dunderfelt," said Manson, ' that is his room," pointing to his own apartment, whibih he had just left'; " but the Baron has just gone into that room," directing the officers to the one occupied by the foreign gentleman just .alluded to. The poor innocent gentleman was arrested by tho police officers, in spite of his ear- nest expostulations,?nd dragged through the streets'to the Tombs, and it was only after securing the asSistance of an interpreter and senling for the landlord and waiters of the hotel that the unfortunate foreigner who turned out to be an attache to a Eu- ropean embassy. was liberated from custody, and not then until his trunks had been searched and he had otherwise been subjected to obnsiderableinnoyance. Search was then instituted for the real swindller; but it was too late, the bird had flown, and itlVas discovered eventually that the banks on which the counterfeits had been passed were losers to the a mount of nine thousand dollars in the course of a few months, which sum hac all fallen into the hands of Manson and his accomplice, ivieeK- fa(0 Oily. Thomas Manson made his way to Europe unsuspected, and there he remained for page: 92-93 (Advertisement) [View Page 92-93 (Advertisement) ] S9 THE RIVER PIRATES. nearly two years, no suspicion existing on the part of the authorities that the report of his having been drowned in.,the North River was false. Meekface Oily continued to pray and exhort to his congregation in the same village where we have "described his home to the reader, still believed by the poor deluded people to be a burning light, especially gifted by Providence for the extension of Christianity anid the propogation of universal lphilanthropy. Here for the present we leave the various actors in this true drama of life, intend - ing to furnish a sequel which will bring our history up to the present date. We shall entitle it a Sequel to the River Pirates, and we shall re-introduce the characters who have figured in the present narrative to the reader. We shall have something to say respecting the further career of Captain Wainwright and Thomas Manson, and re- seeting the issue of the project of deadly revenge which the reader will recollect Manson had sworn to carry out. We shall again bring Bill David upon the scene, and the Reverend Meekfaee Oily will also re-appear-and in the end be stripped of his borrowed plumage of sanctity and exhibited, not to the reader alone, but to his loving and beloved congregation in his true light, and we shall also introduce several new * characters, well known to the police of this city, among whom we may mention Bill; Johnson, Baxter, McLaughn, Howland, ,Sullivan, Frenchy, Shinney, Stuttering John, besides others whose names it is not now necessary to mention. We shall fol- low them throughout their career, until ii some instances, it was suddenly brought th a close by the hand of justice, and we shall at least endeavor to show that even in this world virtue seldom goes unrewarded in the end, and vice, though for a time api parently triumphant, is almost sure to be unmasked and punished at last. NOW READY, DARK SHADES OF CITY LIFE; A SEQUEL TO "THE RIVER PIRATES." PRICE 25 CENTS. I ' H. LONG & BROTHER, No. 43 Ain-street, N. Y. , , 'ew Work by the author of "Franlk Fairlegh." COMPLETE IN ONE"VOLUDVIE. ! BY TilE AUTHOR OF "FRANK FAIRLEGHT,; "EW IS ARUNDEL," "MARRYIN G MAN," ETC. E'TC. Tts utthofir of "Frank Falirleghh," and '( Lewis Arildel." two of the imoist inter( Sting books i oftle, it iy. hins excelled even hini elfin lik new iwork of - Hirry Cvterilftrt C- irtilit." it is fill (1 ;h;W ;noist exquisite draiving-i of lte limitan circtetr, aindl replewe witi scetixN (tfwit, p-r thois. wndi iwwtee interest.-bthenaum. Iey, sparkling, wid marked by the touces of trme enins. The author hits )tmindedl the depth- of Oil hiltian lue'irt, oDservv(d soviey with : kten cvve. ml! lid hI()thi bire with (i *i% id- ness i or(,il1ri,g and acci-incy t' dl-ivect'01-. Whit'ih striki- 6ircilily. aitti reuii, (irn hold (if the I attentiom , (ihe ret:,dcr.-/,uondn .1,t'rary a:;l;ec. !;l:s a t ; It, n ti An. re.6p-ct,. ,tl1,rior, Io ;,1e ltt t;;rI,. o }f Dickper;-- a cIhtrml:,g story tf i Iover' , ,i :, ' lto tI siw li tskl ',t, I itrl ) e ,' lite and ilttm'lis.,-- 'ritic. Nt E W Y O It k . xCR: tI-. LO GY & BIlOTi!;:t, 413 ,N-S'It;T & lib rar-y .itiliitio of':lxha sweft(:l lonmawcc rkow ready lbeautifully UounId at^l I llrino:.,x(. Prico 75 cents, I ?CL'"Y'- kIWP ILa page: 94 (Advertisement) -95 (Advertisement) [View Page 94 (Advertisement) -95 (Advertisement) ] l. LO (J;U & ; JJ lIC(iQlH I t 7 EKS CHEAP AND BEAUTIFUL EDITIONS OF REYNOLDS' GREAT WORI The Mysteries of the Couit of London. (FIRST SERIES.') BY GEORGE W. M. REYNOLDS. "Ilis extraordinary work gives the fullest and most fearless exposure of the Amonrs of Family of Goorge IL., and contains thh most startlingl revelatiods .n connexion with the pr gate and vdolptuous career of George IV. - and the sentiments iin those passages where authllr indulges in polfticA, are those of stern and ullncm:ln)rlomisil: g replublicanism. Thus, thro the medium of one of the most interesting taleS ever penned, is 1Mr. Reynolds diseminatinu thou-lglts upon the political an(d social condition of the British people."--lVeekly Dispatdch l'ublished in Two Yolumies-Plaple Covers-Price Fifty Cents per Volume. (SECOND SERIES.) ROS E POSTER: R, THE MYSTERIES OF T1'IE COURT OF LONDON. This renlarka}ble boo .;niiies the readerl still farther inlto the vices, crimes, a iniquities of the'"fir:' - of Geosrge i[1. . "PlrLhaps there, never was a lork which so completelvy tore away the veil from the de, and misdeeds, the profligacies and ilhe vices, the crimes and'thie iniquities of George IXl'sefi i ily, as Mr. Reynold ' Mysteries of the Court of Englr!and.' But apart from this portion of work, there are ince4:nts and episodes of the most thllrilling, statrtlilg, and interesting dese timn, varied by touches of thie deepest pathos. We liave been hilherto taugLc to look upon 'tiAItt of LIouis XV. as the most profligate lhat has ever existed in mdern times: but] Rcynolds' book Droves to us that it was uxt-heroded by the Court of Gecige ^'T."--Le Nati (French Paprv,) Pubtlisho- h Three Volu2nes-Paper Covels-Prce $O.'7, ; for three Volume W1 PRESS. OAROLIE'E F OF BRUlNCSWICK: (T'IIR D SLRIES.) 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W\e became intensely interested in this novel, hllich in style, and somewhat in incident uanalti;e, rent$Jed me strongly of the Vicar of Wakefield. The chllaracters are drawn artistic skill so perfect, tlaat they at once enlist our feelings as in real life. How we despise hypocrite George; what loathing his deer, villany inspires. How we admire the noble t hearted old Sir John, the mainly, genlerous, gay-spirited Charles, an d we love gentle Mrs War and tLo sweet confiding Juliana. In truth;, it is a most refieshing book- an oCasi in th . tiue of the day."- ZLo do Quarterly. PRICE FjFrY CEN:TS. . H. LONG & BROTHER, BOOKSELLERS AND PUBLIST , , NO. 43 ANN-STREr ,* Conlr tMAItD of any of the above, on receipt of. price, ./t paiD addressed as abov % 1 ? - , J .V 0 j 1 oI SHORT PATENT SERMONS. NEW EN[EITION NOW READY. Just Published a New Edition.of Dow, Jr.'s celebrated and universally popular SHORT PATENT SERMONS, IN TWO VOLUMES, PRICE FIFTY CENTS EACH. BOUND IN CLOTH $1. We advise every person io seenre a copy of these spalrkli, Pal)pers. They are lively, interesting, hnd moral, and no nmatter how oten they 1may be read, there will 'ulay:- le fioluld in thel some nlew beau:ies that are sure to please andtl edify the readetr. CONTENTS OF FIRST VOLUME. On Shadows, Winld-Whistle [slanders, Attractions, Man not made to Mourn, Future Events, M4oonlight, Love, and Mntsic, T'ke Imy Atlvice, Philosophicmil Questions, G reen ness of Nloral Flesh, Joviality, The Vallie of Learnin,. The p rl.tisft Art ., r......v Ills in Mal's Estate, Lies,, innocent and wicked, 'God's I)eeds Shine, Nothing Infiillible, The Thread of Nature, Plain Preaching, Madness, False Courage, life's Narrow Bounds. Seven Year%, Never too Old to Learn, Starving Love to feed Pride, The Bliss of Chilhfhood, SnUffling, Hlow to pass the Holidays, Restless MlMortals, The Effects of Prosperity, The 11ild D;iys of A utumn, iltinig Drinking, 'Thinking, Be u ty of Gen tle. words, Time, Tide. aund the Press, 11 Ill.t to Dn.st," Wisdoll and Fortune, Tiuth Speaking,' Luck, Blimd Foolishfiess, Nalture, Noztif l'Tilme, Early Retiring and Rising, O' CON On Beauty, Love and Flowers, Dancin., The Union, Independence, .Nobility of Birth,, Destilly. The Preciousness of Praise, Dura tion of Time, Life next to Nothing, Sp{irits, T'le Sweets of Gratitude, , Termll, Comparatively Used, Preachers, Moon -Flattery, Man Unalterlble, T'ime's Glory, Cupid an old Cock, Action-motion. < Sleep, Artifice, Sickening Sentimentai1ty, Worldly Corrulptiton, Elasticity of Virtue, The Spirit (of Dec: y, Religious Dlissembling, Youthful Love. Mechtanism of the Body., The Militia System., On Life's Sunny Spots, 'TENTS OF S] Novelty. Making an Eftffrt, Night: its Influences, &c. Fore warn ings-;hosts, Treasures fromt Books, Who tire Blessed, Feminiine Beauty, What is True, look Aheld, Worst of ,Wants-Money, Nallmes, " To te or not to be," Time Past, Egotistical Importance, An ger, Rolling Onward, A subject for Short People, Modern Youfths, This Bustling World. Ta king Thines Coolly, Man Born to Trouble, Brevity, Ridling Different Steeds, Nobility of Blood; Clacking Women, Man a shadow, Life a dream , Drive 01," Fea r, Sich is Life,' A Rough World, ECOND VOLUA On Kissin-t. 1 Jlt; I ilc ltsll arIs Uol 4tove, L;anguiige of Flowers, W(oman; her Power, A Fleeting World, Scandal, Little AMen with Little Souls, Self-Love, A General Discourse, D)issatisfiaction, Signs of Spri g, Reconciliation, Prosperous Fume, Smiles, Poverty, Victory Uncertain, The BeautHiul Sunday, PI'leasant Sihts, Vexations, t Nalrrowness of the World, The Power of Conscipnce, Playing Tricks wtith I'ature, Slander. * The Childhood of the Sonl, The Iove of Ga;in. Thne Vicissitudes of Life, Fortitude, War, A Winter's Evening, Woman's Love. M E. an,, Joeve, tfoetry. and Lunacy, Chastity, N-othinge Love of Children, Cities, Intellect Fire, Water, and Woman, 'I'lTb New Year, Man's Origin and End, .Believing, Ulrequilted Love, l'The Presentlly Poets, 'Wine and mtavery, ' Advice Gratis, U:-eless Repining, Cruelty to Animals, Love preferred to Fame, Patience, ' Discord, I)reatlms, A Mloralizing Discourse, Delusion. PriftAne Sv.earing, Dying Easily, ILife's Prorbabilities, Love-its Frailties, Taking the World Easily, Beautv Everywhere, The Butterfly, Freedolm, Durability of the World, (httise ant Elffect, T'he Grave. Woma)ln's (omlpanionship, Amstimlled Cheerfiulness, Woman--her Influence, Mau Desirous of Chrange, I. L Present Opportutnity, Tolera tion, Rlelembering Early Friends T'ranqInility, The Close of Life. The Beauties of Nature, Drinking, The Pleasures of Memory, 01ld Age, The Nothingness of Life, Death Absolute, Cowardice, Imnnaterility, Spring, Preaching an dPractice, Sincerity and Simpnlicity, Fault-Fintling, Discontent, Blessedness, Des spir, Maln Naturally Dishnnest, Sights andt Soutnds The Joys of Htope, liow to Preach, Life Ever Changing. The World, thle Fie. h, b c.,, 'Fairness and Falseness, Sqteezing, Adwmvanntages of a goad Coat, Appearances Deceitfil, Love Uncontrollable, NEW 1 ~~~~V~~~~~ l~~~~ 'l'he Beauties of Twilight, Marriage-a Duty, s Inconsistency, Destruction, Compassrn fior Error, The Process of the Year, The Devil, about him. i The Follies of the World, I Matn's Progress, Ssatanic Influences, Variouts Subjects, Man's Moral Obstinacy; . Right and Wrong, Signs, Enjying Life, Highflown Words, Progress of mnlprovement,- Life's Wonders, Dealing Justly, The 'Past-its wrecks. &c. The Worth of Woman; Hollowness of aill Things, Nature--mysteries of it, Mortality of Man, The Ravages of Time, Growing, Pursuits after Bliss, Beauty-false ideas of it, Cleanliness, The Light of a Smile. The Freedoml of'Mind, i, Y ORK: D)iscourse frim a Mount, Iovilg the Fair Sex, Ma:gnetism of Kissing, The Language of Nature, Biters Get Bitten, Short Maxims, Departuire of Winter, The Days of Alitumn, Why and lBecause, l'he Union of Souls, I.ife at Wonder, Time's Progress, Take Warning, Transmigrations, Infants Increase Our Cares, Dea th of the Flowers. Marriage-what It is like, Harmonies of Nature, Remelibrlra nces Pletsing, Fa'lse Pride--its Rewards, Autumnal Reflections, Man's Rbsponsibility, Fickleness (of Manhood, A Reflective Discourse, Beauteous Earth, Time a. Destroyer, Babies, Universal Brotherhood, Youthfil Enjoyment, The Return of Spring, The Paynment of Debts. CINCINNATI, O.: H. lB. P!EARSONt & Co., 17 ' ast Fourth st. page: 96 (Advertisement) -97 (Advertisement) [View Page 96 (Advertisement) -97 (Advertisement) ] HRI/LLNGC EXPIOITS OF -THE -SEA ZINGS - dOR, THE TBUE HISTORY OF THE FREEBOOTERS OF THE ANTILLES. . Timr history..qf the otld Bucc-ane.r.. or Freebooters of the WYest Indian and Pacific Oceans, is one of the mosst cerious on record. In the present work. we have all the facts with reference to the Buccaneers, carefully compled from the'best authorities, and given in such a powerful and graphic manner as to arrest at once the attention. and a8orb the interest of the reader to an intense degree. Never was s;o wonderful' a page in the history of the human rice unfolded as this, which records the daring exploits of those pirate sea-kings, who, in the early days of Spanish dsEminion in South America. were the terror alike of the ocea..angd the land. And the most wonderfal part of that pitge is, that although fullof romance of the wildest kind, it is not ronlance, but truth. TIHE C UISE OF THE TORNADO BY HAERa B HAZEL3, AUTYtOR OF '" YANKEE JAfCK," -r THE BU LARGA' 1S," ADVENTURE.S OF A SAILOR' BOY," ET@. " This z a n tartltng tlortraitwre of pirate life, and carrier the reader bnck to the iaVttof the feromtc"t R1l,iik- ber.l ;iird 1he Buccaneers. The char:cter atil explnits of those roving demons of the sea aro depleted,-Ifwe mnaV n spieak. with an awfnl power by the anthor, which, although it thrills the soil with horror. riveta the int-res degree of intensity thut wie have r.ot seen equalled in any work of a similar kind. 'The work alsn elrontin.s many scenes of pathps nnd humtor, anti in eve:ry point of yew is one of the best romanee atfhe 1 ea. hirt has bnea reoduced 'in a long timne.. NEW Y.O K: . H. LONG & BR OTHEl;' 43 AXN-STREET. ... - J(*t prdbdinked, the foeotwainy Sa 7hlee :.- ^ i FEN oBrC,, o'r Life Laie of a Sailt.r' tlxustrtted -* Pri 0 At* - --IFMS AOF~bplr :LB~ eJ~OTf'E ,i PriPCl V lce Iurted .SOs ' -*E i. or Lifre' ol bord a.n-East 'Indianan . -' ' . .&.. ,:. N. i.YIWG DU'T cn,tW,1 , a. lXsr a eT'al e.of the -SeC '.ills 5- page: 98 (Advertisement) -99 (Advertisement) [View Page 98 (Advertisement) -99 (Advertisement) ] H Iiot aiiIfflSP~ftNE A ROMWANOCE- OF THE OCEAN. XBY HARRtY AZ.EL, AUTHOR OF "YANKEES IN JAPAN," c, YANKEE JACK," 1"TIHEE PIRAM'Et'1 I" GALLANT TOM," ETC. ONX of the beet 8ea Storles thathave appeared since the days of CooPer an3d M1 rr'att. Tnles of the se altays engfsro the attention ofthe rader. Everybdliy fwls interestod in the wild reckless. yet often generous crteeftlhe searmve. . Ragfazel wil add faesh leaves to his laurels by this story.whlch ls.ljeatutfully NEW YORK: H. LONG & BROTHER 48 ANN-STREET. CINOINNATI :-H. B. PEARSON A Co, :,PJ r , 17 EAST FOURTH-STREET. 5- I CENTSo ,! *, OR j * *O THE TWO FRiifATES. 'A ROMANCE OEF THE COAST OF MAINE, BY 'WILLIAM RIOBINSON. , ILLUSTRATED. A capltal Sea Btory the princlpua scenes of which4re located upou our our oanst v8 n11oht Ias tb this r fqct tiollowed the exl4lple of t 'Cepr. in tho Water With, " .. -th. " Red aLver." Thse who -bae read thoe- nlliltltbhle nove ls. wlll lav thejr recollcions freshened by the .e-ltalof tke # Yanree -Middy.' which abounihs with frqllickilg wit and humaer intermnigled with the lescrptions of th*lslng .iuedent eed stil*-g ndventire alwa" found fn well--rttcn tales of cea t .e. : NEW YORK: ' H. LONG N & B R O'T H E R ANN-STREET. , ' - CINCINNATI: H. B. PEARSON & CO., PMc, - 17 EAST FOURTH-ST. . 2S C. page: 100 (Advertisement) -101 (Advertisement) [View Page 100 (Advertisement) -101 (Advertisement) ] -. - a o P O L E;T Ai>. - E -- Pik) bTE N OR d SCARES IN CANTEEN AND ON THE BATTLE-FIELD & XX~tib 1 Bg~ff B a m f -4 BY . ,. t. ;1S 'EYPI OLDS. AU'MOR OF ' KENNETHr/ "COURT OF' LONDON," "MAKY ItI,,c " &. A glorl??t writer Is G. W. . Reynolds, nnd hero we hnve one of the a'test and Best trf his works. in the Y* ?' die.'s itfe" he has given free scope to his rich and lively Itnoinatfon. (tescrilbing the crimr, the barreiks. and th4 battle-field, and woman's singllar position whernfoun(d thiere, with a .raphlc fidelity thaf brines the scenes ncetill, beforo the mind's eye of the reader. The tale :untinds -with the olfa ydrida of wK, hurmor, anrt pathns for w b.,l all the %vorks of R.ayn hb are renimarkable, -Crific. , r.NEW YORK: , 4's A NN ST gE.T. CINCINNATI: L. F IEARSSON ACO..# ^ ' ,1^~~~~~~.~ EA^T~ pYizrni^~f~-T, . ~~~~~~1 "lT ; ~ w(1B -Ttb9 -'''"Prll'r- 1 - I; ; 1S'11I9 .-., 0M3~~~ ` iiBMl 4L TH CUSEO TES LIVL: ?L~ page: 102 (Advertisement) -103 (Advertisement) [View Page 102 (Advertisement) -103 (Advertisement) ] r mefi ... i il *H TA JOiLEi .THE TAR; FUR kLt WAIEERS BY THE AUTHOR OF "GALLANT TOi' "THE BRIGANDI" "THR iFLYtING *' y DUTCHMAN,," ETC. i- 11 ! ! a t a:- t e ,.e NOTICE,-The author of " Galtat Tomr" and other tzles of cean lif, has fi yubtained 'is W' ,_.P d rsputation in JACK JUNK It is aI thll; of 'ocean life,~ ' fu ,ustainod h ts weLlra, ~aIntation in Jn ~ JUNI. It iS a thrilling narrativ e of life sea ful the de e p romance bvlhch ever attaches itself to the career of the adventurous, on the oWeide path of Old Oeean. NEW W-OR.K mRIC}j H. L 0 N G & B R O TH E ., CE Nr '. 4 3 A N.-STREET. NEW ILLUSTRATED EDITION--JUST PUBLISHED, - tpi-it twtnt^$fite bent - THE MYSTERIES 3OF MARRIAGE! TlEIR, SoCIA. i MORAL, AND- PHYSIWAL RELATIONS. Addlets.ed to -boh Sexes. Wzkh Hints in Choosing, Husband or Wife. By MIcaHti*L .YA s, Member of the Royal College of Physioians and Surgeons, Phy.. siczan to the Metropolitan Free Hospital, 4-c. TrerE Is N6 SECBRT IN THE NATUTAL OR THE. MORAL WOBLD SACRED PROM THE INVTIOA.i OS MAY. ALL THAT HI M TO GUARO AGAINST ISB ERtOR.--'s8ays o0 the Pursuit oLf Tr't To give the reader' n id . of the value and importance of this, great work, we give the U- ble of Coltents, eimply assruing hlin that every subject is fully and ietificlly treate CnlrSFTR I.-Prevalence ofE mroneous and 'Demora- lizing Publications; Nessity of an antidote; Views of a Modern Divine; Eloquent Remrarks of rs.Jamle- son; Martlage without Means;. Fallacies of Mothers and Miss Martineau; Checks upon the increise of a Famlly-The: subject considered i Degrdaation of Fe- males in Londlon; Startling Facts; Punishment of the Seduced and ,dulterer by the, Efn! !h 1 iw; Illnstra- tion; The end of larl- e 'ng e. CRPTZ II.--Orgin, natture, anE purposes, and du- ties of M.arriage; Felicities of the Married State; Ille- gitiaulteOffsprlng; Necessity of Maternal Care; Pro- perage ior Marriage; Evil Results from too early Mar- ringe; Duration'of Produttivo Powers; Instances of Virility in Old Ageo; Valuable Precepts 'n regard to l.Marriage , Powers of Conception; Is Marageo condu- cive to Long Life ? . - 'CrAPEv Ill.--The Consummation of Marriage; Evils of Violence on the part of the Male; Too frequent conjugal intimacy; The mog appropriate time for sexual coamerce; When abstinence0't proper; Instan- ces'of death dtlring oto',; P r proportio of the Eexes in marriage Ilmperatlaves of the genital func-, tion; Deveiopmilents in Children, Perntious habit of Masturbation; ,Case related by Gall; Femaleo clrcumcil sion; Singular operation Cure of the habit. ' CHAPTgR IV.-Perils of Penmatire Cohabitation; What is the proper age for Marriage'; Laws upon the subject; Statistics; Jtwenile Parents; Opinlons of the early Legislatr&, Plato on-the period for 'Propagation; Aristotle; The Jeevs The customnis of difterent Nations; Irish Chastity; )Disproportionate Marriage; Consequtent nTmorality; Young Women and bid Men; Parental i authority in regard to Marriage; Evils to be Avoided. CIAPTrH V%'.-Evils ofan Unhappy Marriage 'One bas- i ed on Sensualismn; Fortune, &c.; The true basis ; Mas- I cllline Women aiid Effeminate Men; AMen more deprav- ed than Women; The great ConjagalDuty; Irregulari- ty in M1arringe; The chi'ef end; Study well the Chta- r:cter of your Intenddd Partner; An Irreligious Hus-' hand; Te)mper; Cares of Matrimony; Gisborne on f Mlarringe; Love at FRrst Sight; Foundation of True ' Love.- 4 CHlAir"t R VL.-Polygnmy; Law of Nature in Tem- v ,parate Countries; Lycurgrus's Method of Preventing ti e !leusy'; Curicus customs; Polygany' in -Africt C Signsof Virginity The Mosaic Laws; What'Physlio- ti gy 'TcacheT, ErKtraordlnary Case of Seduction; The 1I Signs of fVirginity may Ib absent, and yet the 'Female jc be a virgin ; Incentives in Civilized Life to Amorous- Indulgecncos.; Women dislike men, who are gregarious tf in their Amolrs ; The minor morals of Women Their A amIyportsnce in retrninin a Husband's Affections. S CnAlr:rEn VI.-2.Retqireinents of Conjughl Fidelity; e; Groulndni fotr refusing Cohabitation on the part of'a Wife,; Curiomus lanws of Muscovy; when the Conjugal D Pe')t moght not to be pnid; Opinions of the Primitive St Fathers; Conception during Lactation; Danger of In- lu woi (Inence on the Htus!bawr Part; Sympathy between RI I ' | a- the Womb ind Bosom; Abstinence from the Conjugnal vrs tite on account of Poverty, &c.; Adultery; Lax view e- on'the subject of Conjugl Fidelity; Napolean: IRtta. rs ordinary views ot Luther;, Man's Powver' f I'ocrem- a tion; lpular .Falltcy i Other Causes of Conbugal "nfi- 'e- elity, Delicate health of' Women after Tregnancy; he T'l causes considered., a- CR.tTER VIII.-Changes in the System ras P r Approaches ; Development of the Broin; Effedt on the a- Femalae 0:ganlzatiohn Natftre points out her Rights e- Predomtinance of Votuptuous' deus; The Sexual Pas o- sion ; The Progress -f 'Lovers; Increase of Physical r- Love; Advice to the Youil:g'p oth Sexes Screlio n of ,' the exual Flu.d ;. FPUll :Ivelopment of ihe Male; o Pefils of Inconunence and Unnaitural Excitemert t- Fubertl considered; Origin of Life- Physiology of tho Sexual Organs. . ; ' IlAPlBR IX.-Causes of Fecundity; Alinentw sitn - nt atibn and climate Afuence and Poerty; Temper- r anlhtr, Passlot, Vqitidon ; Impre6gntion during Sl1ep; - rIathr of elkty-tw6 Children; Happy reply of Nit- e poleot .Cases of Sterility; Does Impregnation depe6i - mot ulon the Male or Female ? Impotence and terili- i' C[An '-rFThe Seasons most favorablo to ConeW- tion; 'lat Months most abundant in Births, Poputar ; superstitfons on the suibject; Influence of Aliment. e A!phrislacs; Coltlon during Drunkenness; Retort of Diogenes; Case related -by Combe; Effects of Mental Exertion; Complee' iEfforts on the part of the Male; ;Contepton: Curious Facts in regard t1 Prostitutes t Abstlten~.e Favorable to Fecundity ; Aniaote at' New- I ton;; Tlie Alises of enjoyment. CjstCzra XI.L--NeW views of Marriage; A Woman - iS mnst attachli to the lman who has intiated her in- -to the hlt'steries o Lo ve; DMes age dull its Pleasares? -The 0oanjunction of Sotls; The S.,se of Love ulti- mates In the Toulch Prolensity to touch tle " Loved 01)ject; Platonic Love, a Fallacy ; Apnthy after Mar- rlage; Coliness on the W'ife's pr:rt A tusband's Dtty iKlqts to ives l'lhe twain shbl, 4 Ono Flesh. ' CAri* tR Xl.-Furtllher details in regard to the Riepro 4luctlve6 ctonomy in Mlen and Women Chilorosis; Per- verted Appetites in'Young Girl.s MAleans of cure'- Nn tural' Def^ets; Effects of Extinguishing the Gertemtive OrZans; Castration; Its Efets - ;Origen; 'Italian UC4J- trail; Anecdotes of Eunuchlls; TheCtremenitsor MAlonh Il Afction of Wromten: IUse'ful in(rvnatlon on the Sub- ject. -CaTicr^ XII.-itNubility; State of' mind itpevlous to Love; Phenomena observable in Young Women- Analysis of Love; Chastity; Natural Coquetry Rous- seanus Cornparieon; Anecdote of Montaigne; *Is ltUM est- Xatural? Attritctions of the Sex; fiints to Parnts. CHAPTER XIV.--Want of oflf-irint; Matrnlo.ial. Disqtllfication; DLstinction letwveen Impotene and Sterility; Proper Mode of Trcantment; Singlltr case (f Imlotenc! cured; Other cases; The true Principles of Restoration, Danger of consulting Quacks; The end. page: 104 (Advertisement) -105 (Advertisement) [View Page 104 (Advertisement) -105 (Advertisement) ] ie 'Greatest' Romance of Modern Datal r-- MYSTEW;If x t; . ,<, -] ; v/ r, * I; : :-: / ' s - ' . - - - W 'OF T THE -- | - BY G. W. M. REYNOL-D St'. ES'Y Notices of the Press. hisb sendId Romance oCReynolds' s having a most unprecedented run, only to be eomrnred, perhaps, with the early populrity gEuqee ue's "yVtiese of Paris," which It expels In (kep Jnn thrilling Interest. Inded, of its ttlented author's ntttnermls and Wal-sustained productions, it is decidetty the master-piece.-Lonim Tim". -P'or deep, intense, andt thrilling Intetest. this brilliant work is unsurpassed by any produclion of the day. The rmost excltlng elements of Roma:nce atB blended with a skill and power possessed, perhaps, by no otter writerof ou times in the same degree.--Bell's ,do; JUc'enRcr. It Is surprising what lif, energy, and talent, Mr. Reynolds throws Into his works; how like the cnvas, whlch glows instinct with life and beauty teneath the tWhch-of n mnster painter, the comirmonest scenes of life are invested with surpassing interest by his per. The '" Mysteries of the Court of London" Is undoubtedly his greatest work nmd as such evidently appreeiated by the public, by whom the volumes are caught with an avidity we have seldom seen evineed for a work of fietion.--London Court Journal. ' - Sy Publlshed in two volumes, contaiok'.g 412 pages, at 50 centi a volume. tJ NEW YORK:-H.'LONG & BROTHER, 43 ANN-STREET. CINCINNATI: -H. B. PEARSON c CO, 11 EAST FOURTH-ST. II~~ . a _ ) REYNOLDS' NEW POPULAR ROMANCE. ly MSC l -;'J"(*--k'1- - - \? - -.\ , 'ffbo CENTS-" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - . . /. H e * ,d~ a R vr PI R, if C E :iiWI is ~t a W -.M ii OcR, ~ .NT . A TiAVT1 BBCE IlH El-Rl GF-a1 i RB-'l-l B Y G. N. 3t. : iNOI Do, Author of 'The MYSTERIES of the COURT of LON ON,' .' I:KEITRH,'" COUOT of NAPLES,' &. The Immense tale of this deeply-Interestinal work Af1lly prtovsg the !mhl it has takeu on popular fvort. It is lnded one of the most fascinatting novels thait hits recentlly been puhl)ished, and exhibits tlie trials, the lighbt and dark shaidesof a servant-maid's life, in'a mlnner at osce po\werful, attd stich as to absorb the intense Interest of the reader. It ,is In fact a domestic nlirror, in Which the reader "till behold. depicted with truth, all kinds of masters and mistresses of families, and the many good land evil ways in whllich households can be managed. It is one of Reynolds' best efforts.--The nTimes. , , NEW YORK: H..L O N G & B R O T It E R, 43 Ann-street. page: 106 (Advertisement) -107 (Advertisement) [View Page 106 (Advertisement) -107 (Advertisement) ] 'THEi L1'E1 AND ADVENTURES OF BY JAMES LIND DGE, ESQ. :- : . - - BPY J AMES L'INDRIDGE, ESSQ. llu stratch from tre ng[ls]) bition. "T;:[ Life andi Adventnres of Jack Rann" is one of thc moct tlnrlque vhlt:nde that hna recently nprednrel The itrterest is stustained friom the first page to the last. anti the reader is c:arried through a series *,f thlrillivg atld dlalring adventulres and(I hair-lbreatlth escaeg, whichll st;lrtle aiz I enclhain thl at enationt) in the hc}letl Ile! ,eree. tie who woulld wstsh to see life ill all its [)hn les--see ,it it i: wonderftl ligtit, in w\hich the Ili*sl r,.c'k less crimlrialNtht is mrinttgled with an inexptlictl,le :nd da rshing chivllry aml gencrosit --catlnno filr tht u Ilic tre lore f ithlfilfyT and vigorously portntyetl thln in the lite of "* Sixten Slringed Ja(k." A curious lgerill 1of' [ Efnglish hstory is also developedl in tim lok. bo. r / F[OR SALE BY ALL=BOOKSELLERS. hr--At o 'iB ' I l'. mnta i , BY CAPTAIN CHAMER, AUTHORe OF "THE LIFE OF A SAILOR," ETC. '-' ith a pen of graphic minnew mlk es to r rUl so delightfully athomeiththesaor a n d the -- r. NEW-YORK: BH. CLNG & CROTHER, AUTHOR O T LF3E AKNE SAILOR," ET. rt iince of the fll of c entsbou Jute Ti ed a fbl .-nre sh I .Nd RTU BS pl OF HAnr Y RACo s ailo scn Ptik n FI, , page: 108 (Advertisement) -109 (Advertisement) [View Page 108 (Advertisement) -109 (Advertisement) ] OR, THE FATAL MARRIAGES. BY "FEN 1t COCK TON, OF." VALENTINE VOX.," "THE STEWARD," "SYVESTER SOUN D,' c i hi-sttrat bf tram tlic 1iwt(zlj Sziition. NOTICES BRtOM THE EGLISH PRES&. , of nn Hnsaeerted marriage are so truthfully and strikingly depictee In this work, that It cnnot fail to wneficil influence uipon society. At the sanit time, the book is written with every excellency if style, licity. atd bcnuty of diction, and interest of plot and narrative which peculiarly distinguishes Mr. Vock- it Xorning Post. r of"Vilentine Vox" has fairly eclipsed himnself In the present work.-Newc Monthly., ways delighted with Cockton's writings ; they dress useful teuths in such enchantment, tnat we cherish id wholesome influences as food congenial to the soul. His present work, "The Sisters," is nolt excelled ious etfort.-Examiner W YORK: H. LONG & BROTHER, 43 ANN-STREET. * Conat AILED on receOipt of 50 cents (poSt paid), add"tsSed as abovo. of an Ill-a;.sorted marriage are so truthf and strikingl depietea thi work, tat Itc:,.t fa nei:PLCial" -infueceupn ocet. tth samelb-P- time, fin bookP B-is - .=- wrte iheeyeclec fsye diclyagdbmmy o ditio, ad iterst f pot ndhars/ie wichpeclialy istngushe Mr f Ick I .. %' c Coret raLD arito 0cn(tpi) S e naoe" - swaa. wwwmxysa MjEwBMJ^^ The Acoomplished Forger and Swindler: WITH TWIENTY GRAPHC DESCRIPTIVE ENffRA VINGS. BY THB AUTHO0 Oir "JOHN A. CURRULL, "JOSEPH T. HARE," AND HELEN JtWERT." ' T1he history of the above-narimed extraordinary t contains a full and gtaphic account of all his priv adventures, his intrigues, his projects, his trials, i J his crimes. It not only traces the career of Edwa himself, but embraces in its details the entire svsl ' . I ,iW of the Slave-trad6, with the biography of Holcrott, \\Q9.S^^^Xs \ of the most daring frde traders of 1834, and perh at this moment an independent roverof the ocean. ' -lilkewise gives an admirable history of the early set meost and wars of Texas, with incidental illust ;tions of the policy of Honeton and olthir prornii military leaders; and it relates also to the wondei Dart forgery in Texas, to the amount of $200,00( ' ,;ievFer before published. Finally, it details the forgf vast projects with the Englsh: Government for Edwards experimenting with Acid-on f. cortqueet of Texas; his schemes in ance; and celebrated forgeiy on Brown, Brothersis, A oS;f New York. In connection with this trial, p ticnlat, are giveh of the moat peculiar vnd extraordinary character, deeply affecting pati who hsve never been exposed.-- Price 2S ctta. t B WITf EIEY@ ANTD SPIRITED ENGRA VINGS. BY TnFi; AUt'ROR rOP CO., MO'jRON EDWARDS," -"JOSEPH T. AlBtt'"AND "JOHN A. MUaRRLt7.. The-author of Murrell has exceeded, in the Life Helen Jewett, the merit which lhe displayed in' i :History of the Massaroni of the West This anv -attributed, in a certain degree, to the peculiar q11. 'ties of his last ubject, but perhaps is more prope: to be accredited to the stronger efforts of a talent, eli 'by /thfe ,favor-of the Public. "Helen Jewe " 'btii'e,of the, penomena of moden literature. \Wi iout pretension in its style, it comprises all the qul J fl tieti of pathos, humor, terror, and descriptive tact tt belong to an accomplished thought, and its. phl .so [. e ml ce1 deductions are reasoned out with a force and p, but seldom met with in inere narrative or vain *; I' .^^^^^a m nance. The story possesses, as a novel, deeprer int est than the Mysteries of Paris, and we cannot reid "I J without wondering how iN strange knowledire w collected by the author, or how be was ennaled methodize it so accurately in the hasty manner in which he must have Drepared ;t[ weekly cha ters for the Pross.--Path nde&r -Price 25 dents. V Copties of tie ,antvo mailed. on the receipt of twenty-five ents, post pld. adrassid, I H. LONG & BROTHER, 4, .A'n:.trco, N. r. -lill0 -lllia 1imift1riOBIl mumgttSMMBMMB^^ page: 110 (Advertisement) -111 (Advertisement) [View Page 110 (Advertisement) -111 (Advertisement) ] i a wh-ustain6d narrative, interpersed with tfrillil'r and truthful sea-scenes. The author is not d and agreeable writer, but a thorough sailor; and, Unlike rtnaiy who 'retend to wnte .Rmances of h ftully understds' hii subject. '- lany'of the incideMnts rferred to are facts, w8ecially'thlose con- h that heirrious band, the Fire-is'nd , Wreokers. Upon the. whole, the publishen offer this book u one ; and .nmot faithful es& Ptories whioh hn appeared for a long time NEW YORK: H. LONG & BROTHER, ', g ^ 48 ANN-STREET. . ' [25 CENT . . S "-,IWIm"R Y E HOtSi PLOWT or ItUth, the :on reitrs tDUgheeir. VITff 16 2IESANT AXD SPIRITED SNrRA VZS. ITr? I i- orH sit ,"4OI I pURRE LL, " "COL. 22O NUO R EDWlAR S," A'D S?IT D E Q R MA VIM." Mhistor of the, above extMOrdl ar criinl I dservi a iche it, te lon rand next bede the seat wa, audter Metulr, wh;e W...derfl'l! c,rtee hs v,s er' .. e , .he I on . p}:?mls bide( ,h cliffihlnt in character from the rehiowned Inte *firfife andt lbillgf, the....mi c .1r n erlier ,j theretiot. T , 14rpou ised qi3ialtle. artcly less renifirkable tharhis sat-taic prootp e nd .iteS llrg4: iaIn rilr gner t oiar postesse T W1tE IFEAXD ADVENTl'URES OF . . l, J0 s A ON. &B t1E 439 Anreet* The Great Wester Land irate' .. WI}TH. 2. ALEGIANT iAND SPlIZptD E veRAn aLGS' ft Coplof the bore Uilled, an tei recelpt of uveutyivecn tsY C d, post paid. addressL4 H. LONG BROTHER, 43 Ann-street ,N . Y page: 112 (Advertisement) -113 (Advertisement) [View Page 112 (Advertisement) -113 (Advertisement) ] 'JOSEIxe WILMOT; I o n , T O a e i b ad with delight "' A boboks written with a spciooct ieww s sure pathieue of th eNE- works'of the gifted author, it aboundslin 8certes ancideecriptions of eaxciting and thrilling interest. *t is n a ft, tihtful ,o an on, to "Mar Pce *-' RY EiO1JSE PLOT 0r RUTH, TUE ONISFJ!ATOR'S DA U:i'rlk;. IIASSACRE OwF GEOWOE. ,O :- MARY .. . -h - ji1144maciwilb'ea ih eih JOSCH ILMT;OR Tu A m6t1 elk puadso raes h hv prodWth&krig=f t-teaInrIia hilighitryo Mr Pie 4d-euursf Srvat ai!"&oioUgedthi'6e f he os it;esin o iyols x Ae *0e, sehWint amoatndS ,umeroubana popuar worke-A T y, na is on rhlh, ,1 ueA #i coo books, ritten wit a specifi vtdoc i414"i4:0 qjstjug thesympathie4of the lea It bec eng"systeathr t, xM h rat aetd fe Sbet in6 111. tl .. A TALE F NEW YORK. BY A CONSTANT ATTENDANT OF IEE NEW YORK CITY POLICE COURTS. THS book is an, authentic narrative of various thrilling incidentg connectel -with the hibtory of the River Pirater, based upon the records of the various police offices.. The career ot the River and Ship-Thieves of NeW- York, has continuedwithout a chiecic until within the las few months. 'whei, rendered reckless b sucess, t' y added the crime of murder to their other misdeeds, and the vengeance of the law overtook them anI checked-their atocites. - The characters portrayed in this volume are all original, and for the most art, sl, lvig. Thpiac- tice of River-Piracy is traced buck to its source, and the narrative brings the history of the most notoriousa of tisese thieves up to the present period. NEW YORK: H. LONG & BROTHER, 43 ANN STREET. NEW -BOOKS JUST .UBLI. SH .
