Blackbeard

CHAPTER I.

_The Island of Trinidad. Landing of the Earl of Derwentwater
and his party upon the Isle--Its Enchanted Scenery. Unnatural
Sounds. Sudden appearance of the Notorious Pirate Blackbeard._


Situated upon the broad bosom of the vast Atlantic Ocean, about two
hundred leagues from the coast of Brazil, is a small but fertile island,
which has retained from the period of its first discovery, the familiar
name of Trinidad. This beautiful island, although a lovely and
sequestered spot, has been for various general reasons, but rarely
visited by the hardy mariners of the deep, and never permanently settled
or inhabited by man. Its surface is agreeably diversified with high
hills and low beautiful valleys, whilst its circumference is almost
wholly surrounded by a chain of dark, rocky cliffs, which gives to this
remote island a somewhat fantastic appearance to the eye of the
beholder, as he approaches it from the sea. On this circumscribed but
favored spot of earth, nature seems to have reveled in almost boundless
profusion, scattering here and there throughout its valleys her choicest
favors, in the shape of delicious tropical fruits, and ever green
luxuriant herbage, whose fragrance as it mingled with the pure fresh
breeze of the ocean, has proved to be a sweet balsam of health to many a
sick and weary mariner as he sailed within reach of its invigorating
influence. Although this fair island possessed no convenient harbor for
its vessels of any class, still there was upon its southern side, a
small piece of white sandy beach, upon which a single boat might easily
land, and here upon this same spot, a boat did land about an hour after
sunrise, on the thirty-first day of October, 1717.

The boat in question, was occupied by six persons, who, as soon as its
keel grazed upon the clear white sand, immediately disembarked and
dispersed themselves singly and by twos, in different directions for the
purpose of enjoying a short ramble amongst the shady trees and fragrant
foliage of the island.

The party to which we have alluded, consisted of the Earl of
Derwentwater, a noble looking gentleman, who, apparently had but just
spent the prime of life,--his fair niece, Mary Hamilton, a stately and
beautiful girl, about twenty-three years of age,--Arthur Huntington and
his twin brother, Henry--a huge red headed but fat and good natured son
of the 'Emerald Isle,' who acted in the capacity of servant to the earl,
and last, though by no means least, a beautiful golden haired, cherry
cheerful nymph of fourteen, whom for the sake of a name we shall call
Ellen Armstrong.

After having rambled about for a short space of time, the earl and his
fair niece suddenly encountered each other on the brow of a rising
eminence, when the latter then accosted her companion:

'Dear uncle, this lovely island seems to me, like a miniature paradise,
wherein I could always wish to live as long as the precious boon of life
should be granted unto me.'

'I declare, Mary,' replied the earl, as a slight smile passed over his
noble countenance, 'you appear to be an enthusiast in every thing. I
grant, that this is a beautiful spot, yet not to be compared in my
estimation, even for a moment, with my lovely park near London, in merry
old England.'

'But, you forget, dear uncle,' replied Mary Hamilton, 'that our English
parks are not now what they once were.'

'How so, Mary, do not the staunch old oaks, grow to a height as lofty as
of yore?'

'Perhaps they do, but still, uncle, there is too much art mixed up with
nature, in our English scenery. Here all is nature.'

'And I think you must be a very great lover of it, if you prefer this
hilly, iron bound island, to the level green sward of Derwent park,'
replied the earl.

'I must still plead guilty of the charge of loving nature as it is,
uncle,' responded Mary. 'I have seen it in a great variety of forms. I
have viewed its high grandeur amid the forests and mountains of America;
but never before this hour, have I ever seen it so pure, so serene, and
so calmly beautiful.'

'I must needs own, that this is at present, a quiet place enough,'
answered the earl, 'but do you not know, dear Mary, that even here, the
face of nature is oft times suddenly changed, by the awful sweep of the
howling hurricane, or the thundering shock of the subterraneous
earthquake.'

'Why, I really believe, that you are getting to be enthusiastic now,
dear uncle,' replied Mary Hamilton, 'but we cannot exactly agree, I move
that we drop the subject forthwith.'