Elsie at Nantucket Page 5

  CHAPTER V.

  "Sudden they see from midst of all the mainThe surging waters like a mountain rise,And the great sea, puff'd up with proud disdainTo swell above the measure of his guise,As threatening to devour all that his power despise."

  --_Spenser_.

  What with bathing, driving, and wandering about on foot over the lovelymoors, time flew fast to our 'Sconseters.

  It was their purpose to visit every point of interest on the island,and to try all its typical amusements. They made frequent visits toNantucket Town, particularly that the children might take their swimminglessons in the quiet water of its harbor; also repeated such drives andrambles as they found exceptionably enjoyable.

  Max wanted to try camping out for a few weeks in company with Harold andHerbert Travilla and Bob Johnson, but preferred to wait until his fathershould leave them, not feeling willing to miss the rare pleasure of hissociety. And the other lads, quite fond of the captain themselves, didnot object to waiting.

  In the mean time they went blue-fishing (trying it by both acceptedmodes--the "heave and haul" from a rowboat or at anchor, and trollingfrom a yacht under full sail), hunting, eel-bobbing, and perch-fishing.

  The ladies sometimes went with them on their fishing excursions; Zoe andBetty oftener than any of the others. Lulu went, too, whenever she waspermitted, which was usually when her father made one of the party.

  "We haven't been on a 'squantum' yet," remarked Betty, one evening,addressing the company in general; "suppose we try that to-morrow."

  "Suppose you first tell us what a 'squantum' is," said Mrs. Dinsmore.

  "Oh, Aunt Rose, don't you know that that is the Nantucket name for apicnic?"

  "I acknowledge my ignorance," laughed the older lady; "I did not know ittill this moment."

  "Well, auntie, it's one of those typical things that every conscientioussummer visitor here feels called upon to do as a regular part of theNantucket curriculum. How many of us are agreed to go?" glancing aboutfrom one to another.

  Not a dissenting voice was raised, and Betty proceeded to unfold herplans. Vehicles sufficient for the transportation of the whole partywere to be provided, baskets of provisions also; they would take anearly start, drive to some pleasant spot near the beach or one of theponds, and make a day of it--sailing, or rather rowing about the pond,fishing in it, cooking and eating what they caught (fish were said to beso delicious just out of the water and cooked over the coals in the openair), and lounging on the grass, drinking in at the same time the sweet,pure air and the beauties of nature as seen upon Nantucket moors andhills, and in glimpses of the surrounding sea.

  "Really, Betty, you grow quite eloquent," laughed her brother;"Nantucket has inspired you."

  "I think it sounds ever so nice," said little Grace. "Won't you go andtake us, papa?"

  "Yes, if Mamma Vi will go along," he answered, with an affectionate lookat his young wife; "we can't go without her, can we, Gracie?"

  "Oh, no, indeed! but you will go, mamma, won't you?"

  "If your papa chooses to take me," Violet said, in a sprightly tone. "Ithink it would be very pleasant, but I cannot either go or stay unlesshe does; for I am quite resolved to spend every one of the few days hewill be here, close at his side."

  "And as all the rest of us desire the pleasure of his company," saidher mother, "his decision must guide ours."

  "There, now, captain," cried Betty, "you see it all rests with you; soplease say yes, and let us begin our preparations."

  "Yes, Miss Betty; I certainly cannot be so gallant as to refuse such arequest from such a quarter, especially when I see that all interestedin the decision hope I will not."

  That settled the matter. Preparations were at once set on foot: theyoung men started in search of the necessary conveyances, the ladiesordered the provisions, inquiries were made in regard to differentlocalities, and a spot on the banks of Sachacha Pond, where stood asmall deserted old house, was selected as their objective point.

  They started directly after breakfast, and had a delightful drive overthe moors and fenceless fields, around the hills and tiny emerald lakesbordered with beautiful wild shrubbery, bright with golden rod, wildroses, and field lilies. Here and there among the heather grew creepingmealberry vines, with bright red fruit-like beads, and huckleberrybushes that tempted our pleasure-seekers to alight again and again togather and eat of their fruit.

  Everybody was in most amiable mood, and the male members of the partyindulgently assisted the ladies, and lifted the children in and outthat they might gather floral treasures for themselves, or alighted togather for them again and again.

  At length they reached their destination, left their conveyances, spreadan awning above the green grass that grew luxuriantly about the oldhouse, deposited their baskets of provisions and extra wraps underneathit, put the horses into a barn near at hand, and strolled down to thepond.

  A whaleboat, large enough to hold the entire company, was presentlyhired; all embarked; it moved slowly out into the lake; all who cared tofish were supplied with tackle and bait, and the sport began.

  Elsie, Violet, and Grace declined to take part in it, but Zoe, Betty,and Lulu were very eager and excited, sending forth shouts of triumph orof merriment as they drew one victim after another from the water; forthe fish seemed eager to take the bait, and were caught in such numbersthat soon the word was given that quite enough were now on hand, and theboat was headed for the shore.

  A fire was made in the sand, and while some broiled the fish and madecoffee, others spread a snowy cloth upon the grass, and placed on itbread and butter, cold biscuits, sandwiches, pickles, cakes, jellies,canned fruits, and other delicacies.

  It was a feast fit for a king, and all the more enjoyable that the seaair and pleasant exercise had sharpened the appetites of the fortunatepartakers.

  Then, the meal disposed of, how deliciously restful it was to loungeupon the grass, chatting, singing, or silently musing with the sweet,bracing air all about them, the pretty sheet of still water almost attheir feet, while away beyond it and the dividing strip of sand theocean waves tossed and rolled, showing here and there a white, slowlymoving sail.

  So thoroughly did they enjoy it all that they lingered till the sun,nearing the western horizon, reminded them that the day was waning.

  The drive home was not the least enjoyable part of the day. They took itin leisurely fashion, by a different route from the one they had takenin the morning, and with frequent haltings to gather berries, mosses,lichens, grasses, and strange beautiful flowers; or to gaze withdelighted eyes upon the bare brown hills purpling in the light of thesetting sun, and the rapidly darkening vales; Sankaty lighthouse, withthe sea rolling beyond, on the one hand, and on the other the quieterwaters of the harbor, with the white houses and spires of Nantucket Townhalf encircling it.

  They had enjoyed their "squantum," marred by no mishap, no untowardevent, so much that it was unanimously agreed to repeat the experiment,merely substituting some other spot for the one visited that day.

  But their next excursion was to Wanwinet, situate on a narrow neck ofland that, jutting out into the sea, forms the head of the harbor;Nantucket Town standing at the opposite end, some half dozen miles away.

  Summer visitors to the latter place usually go to Wanwinet by boat, upthe harbor, taking their choice between a sailboat and a tiny steamerwhich plies regularly back and forth during the season; but our 'Sconsetparty drove across the moors, sometimes losing their way among thehills, dales, and ponds, but rather enjoying that as a prolongation ofthe pleasure of the drive, and spite of the detention reached theirdestination in good season to partake of the dinner of all obtainableluxuries of the sea, served up in every possible form, which is usuallyconsidered the roam object of a trip to Wanwinet.

  They found the dinner--served in a large open pavilion, whence theymight gaze out over the dancing, glittering waves of the harbor, andwatch the white sails come and go, while eating--quite as good as theyhad been led to exp
ect.

  After dinner they wandered along the beach, picking up shells and anycurious things they could find--now on the Atlantic side, now on theshore of the harbor.

  Then a boat was chartered for a sail of a couple of hours, and thenfollowed the drive home to 'Sconset by a different course from that ofthe morning, and varied by the gradually fading light of the setting sunand succeeding twilight casting weird shadows here and there among thehills and vales.

  The captain predicted a storm for the following day, and though theothers could see no sign of its approach, it was upon them before theyrose the next morning, raining heavily, while the wind blew a gale.

  There was no getting out for sitting on the beach, bathing, or ramblingabout, and they were at close quarters in the cottages.

  They whiled away the time with books, games, and conversation.

  They were speaking of the residents of the island--their correct speech,intelligence, uprightness, and honesty.

  "I wonder if there was ever a crime committed here?" Elsie said, halfinquiringly. "And if there is a jail on the island?"

  "Yes, mother," Edward answered; "there is a jail, but so little use forit that they think it hardly worth while to keep it in decent repair. Iheard that a man was once put in for petty theft, and that after beingthere a few days he sent word to the authorities that if they didn'trepair it so that the sheep couldn't break in on him, he wouldn't stay."

  There was a general laugh; then Edward resumed: "There has been onemurder on the island, as I have been informed. A mulatto woman was thecriminal, a white woman the victim, the motive revenge; the coloredwoman was in debt to the white one, who kept a little store, and,enraged at repeated duns, went to her house and beat her over the headwith some heavy weapon--I think I was told a whale's tooth.

  "The victim lingered for some little time, but eventually died of herwounds, and the other was tried for murder.

  "It is said the sheriff was extremely uneasy lest she should be foundguilty of murder in the first degree, and he should have the unpleasantjob of hanging her; but the verdict was manslaughter, the sentenceimprisonment for life.

  "So she was consigned to jail, but very soon allowed to go outoccasionally to do a day's work."

  "Oh, Uncle Edward, is she alive now?" Gracie asked, with a look ofalarm.

  "Yes, I am told she is disabled by disease, and lives in the poorhouse.But you need not be frightened, little girlie; she is not at all likelyto come to 'Sconset, and if she does we will take good care that she isnot allowed to harm you."

  "And I don't suppose she'd want to either, unless we had done somethingto make her angry," said Lulu.

  "But we are going to Nantucket Town to stay a while when we leave'Sconset," remarked Grace uneasily.

  "But that woman will not come near you, daughter; you need, not have theleast fear of it," the captain said, drawing his little girl to his kneewith a tender caress.

  "Ah," said Mr. Dinsmore, "I heard the other day of a curiosity atNantucket which we must try to see while there. I think the storyconnected with it will particularly interest you ladies and the littlegirls."

  "Oh, grandpa, tell it!" cried Rosie; "please do; a story is just what wewant this dull day."

  The others joined in the request, and Mr. Dinsmore kindly complied, allgathering closely about him, anxious to catch every word.

  "The story is this: Nearly a hundred years ago there lived in Nantucketa sea-captain named Coffin, who had a little daughter of whom he wasvery fond."

  Gracie glanced up smilingly into her father's face and nestled closer tohim.

  "Just as I am of mine," said his answering look and smile as he drewher closer still.

  But Mr. Dinsmore's story was going on.

  "It was Captain Coffin's custom to bring home some very desirable giftto his little girl whenever he returned from a voyage. At one time, whenabout to sail for the other side of the Atlantic, he said to her that hewas determined on this voyage to find and bring home to her somethingthat no other little girl ever had or ever could have."

  "Oh, grandpa, what could that be?" exclaimed little Walter.

  "Wait a moment and you shall hear," was the reply.

  "What the captain brought on coming back was a wax baby, a verylife-like representation of an infant six months old. He said it was awax cast of the Dauphin of France, that poor unfortunate son of LouisXVI. and Marie Antoinette; that he had found it in a convent, and paidfor it a sum of money so enormous that he would never tell any one, noteven his wife, how large it was."

  "But it isn't in existence now, at this late day, surely?" Mrs. Dinsmoreremarked inquiringly, as her husband paused in his narrative.

  "It is claimed that it is by those who have such a thing in possession,and I presume they tell the truth. It has always been preserved withextreme care as a great curiosity.

  "The little girl to whom it was given by her father lived to grow up,but has been dead many years. Shortly before her death she gave it to afriend, and it has been in that family for over forty years."

  "And is it on exhibition, papa?" asked Elsie.

  "Only to such as are fortunate enough to get an introduction to the ladyowner through some friend of hers; so I understand; but photographs havebeen taken and are for sale in the stores."

  "Oh, I hope we will get to see it!" exclaimed Lulu eagerly.

  "As far as I'm concerned, I'm bound to manage it somehow," said Betty.

  "How much I should like to know what was really the true story of thatpoor unfortunate child," said Elsie, reflectively, and sighing as shespoke.

  "It--like the story of the Man in the Iron Mask--is a mystery that willnever be satisfactorily cleared up until the Judgment Day," remarked herfather.

  "Oh, do tell us about it," the children cried in eager chorus.

  "All of you older ones have certainly some knowledge of the FrenchRevolution, in which Louis XVI. and his beautiful queen lost theirlives?" Mr. Dinsmore said, glancing about upon his grandchildren; "andhave not forgotten that two children survived them--one sometimes calledLouis XVII., as his father's lawful successor to the throne, and adaughter older than the boy.

  "These children remained in the hands of their cruel foes for some timeafter the beheading of their royal parents. The girl was finallyrestored to her mother's relatives, the royal family of Austria; but theboy, who was most inhumanly treated by his jailer, was supposed to havedied in consequence of that brutal abuse, having first been reduced byit to a state of extreme bodily and mental weakness.

  "That story (of the death of the poor little dauphin, I mean, notof the cruel treatment to which he was subjected) has, however, beencontradicted by another; and I suppose it will never be made certain inthis world which was the true account.

  "The dauphin was born in 1785, his parents were beheaded in 1793; sothat he must have been about eight years old at the time of their death.

  "In 1795 a French man and woman, directly from France, appeared inAlbany, New York, having in charge a girl and boy; the latter aboutnine years old, and feeble in body and mind.

  "The woman had also a number of articles of dress which she said hadbelonged to Marie Antoinette, who had given them to her on the scaffold.

  "That same year two Frenchmen came to Ticonderoga, visited the Indiansin that vicinity, and placed with them such a boy as the one seen atAlbany--of the same age, condition of mind and body, etc.

  "He was adopted by an Iroquois chief named Williams, and given the nameof Eleazer Williams.

  "He gradually recovered his health, and at length the shock of a suddenfall into the lake so far restored his memory that he recollected somescenes in his early life in the palaces of France. One thing he recalledwas being with a richly dressed lady whom he addressed as 'mamma.'

  "Some time later--I cannot now recall the exact date--a Frenchman diedin New Orleans (Beranger was his name), who confessed on his death-bedthat he had brought the dauphin to this country and placed him with theIndians of Northern New York. He
stated that he had taken an oath ofsecrecy, for the protection of the lad, but could not die withoutconfessing the truth."

  "I'm inclined to think the story of the dauphin's death in France wasnot true," remarked Betty.

  "Didn't Beranger's confession arouse inquiry, grandpa?" asked Zoe. "Anddid Eleazer Williams hear of it?"

  "I think I may say yes to both your queries," Mr. Dinsmore answered."Eleazer's story was published in the newspapers some years ago, and Iremember he was spoken of as a very good Christian man, a missionaryamong the Indians; it was brought out in book form also under the title'The Lost Prince: A Life of Eleazer Williams.'

  "Eleazer himself stated that in 1848 he had an interview, on board asteamer from Buffalo, with the Prince de Joinville, who then told him hewas the son of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette, and tried to induce himto sign away his right to the throne of France, and that he refused todo so.

  "In his published statement he said he thought the Prince would not denyhaving made that communication. But the Prince did deny that, though heacknowledged that the interview had taken place."

  "Did Eleazer ever try to get the throne, grandpa?" asked Max.

  "No, he never urged his claim; and I dare say was happier as an obscureIndian missionary than he would have been as King of France. He died atthe age of seventy."

  "Poor Marie Antoinette!" sighed Elsie; "I never could read her storywithout tears, and the very thought of her sorrows and sufferings makesmy heart ache."

  "I don't think I ever read it," said Zoe, "though I have a general ideawhat it was."

  "We have Abbott's life of her at Ion," said Elsie. "I'll get it for youwhen we go home."

  Harold stepped to the window. "It is raining very little now, if atall," he said, "and the sea must be in a fine rage; let us go and have alook at it"

  "Oh, yes, let's go!" cried Betty, springing to her feet; "but I'm afraidwe've missed the finest of it, for the wind isn't blowing half so hardas it was an hour ago."

  "Don't be discouraged," said Captain Raymond, sportively; "the waves areoften higher than ever after the wind has subsided."

  "Oh, papa, may I go too?" Grace said, in a pleading tone.

  "Yes; if you put on your waterproof cloak and overshoes it will not hurtyou to be out for a short time," answered the indulgent father. "Lulu,don't go without yours."

  All were eager for the sight; there was a moment of hasty preparation,and they trooped out and stood upon the edge of the high bank at theback of their cottages gazing upon the sea in its, to most of them, newand terrible aspect; from shore to horizon it was one mass of seething,boiling waters; far out in the distance the huge waves reared theirgreat foam-crested fronts and rushed furiously toward the shore, rapidlychasing each other in till with a tremendous crash and roar they brokeupon the beach, sending up showers of spray, and depositing great flakesof foam which the wind sent scudding over the sand; and each, as itretreated, was instantly followed by another and another in unbroken,endless succession.

  Half a mile or more south of 'Sconset there is a shoal (locally called"the rips") where wind and tide occasionally, coming in opposition,cause a fierce battle of the waves, a sight well worth a good deal ofexertion to behold.

  "Wind and tide are having it out on the rips," the captain presentlyremarked. "Let us go down to the beach and get the best view we can ofthe conflict."

  "Papa, may we go too?" asked Lulu, as the older people hastily made amove toward the stairway that led to the beach; "oh, do please let us!"

  Grace did not speak, but her eyes lifted to his, pleaded as earnestly asLulu's tongue. He hesitated for an instant, then stooped, took Grace inhis arms, and saying to Lulu, "Yes, come along; it is too grand a sightfor me to let you miss it," hurried after the others.

  Violet had not come out with the rest, her attention being taken upwith her babe just at that time, and he would give her the sightafterward on taking the children in.

  On they went over the wet sands--Mr. Dinsmore and his wife, Edward andhis, Betty holding on to Harold's arm, Rose and Walter helped along byHerbert and Bob.

  To Max Raymond's great content and a little to the discomfiture of hersons, who so delighted in waiting upon and in every way caring for her,Elsie had chosen him for her companion and escort, and with Lulu theyhastened after the others and just ahead of the captain and Grace, whobrought up the rear.

  The thunder of the surf prevented any attempt at conversation, but nowand then there was a little scream, ending with a shout of laughter fromone or another of the feminine part of the procession, as they wereovertaken by the edge of a wave and their shoes filled with the foam,their skirts wetted by it. Not a very serious matter, as all had learnedere this, as salt water does not cause one to take cold.

  Arrived at the spot from where the very best view of the conflict couldbe had, they stood long gazing upon it, awestruck and fascinated by theterrific grandeur of the scene. I can best describe it in the words of afellow-author far more gifted in that line than I.

  "Yonder comes shoreward a great wave, towering above all its brethren.Onward it comes, swift as a race-horse, graceful as a great ship,bearing right down upon us. It strikes 'The Rips,' and is there itselfstruck by a wave approaching from another direction. The two converge intheir advance, and are dashed together--embrace each other like twoangry giants, each striving to mount upon the shoulder of the other andcrush its antagonist with its ponderous bulk. Swift as thought theymount higher and higher, in fierce, mad struggle, until their force isexpended; their tops quiver, tremble, and burst into one great mass ofwhite, gleaming foam; and the whole body of the united wave, with amighty bound, hurls itself upon the shore and is broken into a flood ofseething waters--crushed to death in its own fury.

  "All over the shoal the waves leap up in pinnacles, in volcanic points,sharp as stalagmites, and in this form run hither and yon in allpossible directions, colliding with and crashing against others of equalfury and greatness--a very carnival of wild and drunken waves; thewaters hurled upward in huge masses of white. Sometimes they unite moregently, and together sweep grandly and gracefully along parallel withthe shore; and the cavernous hollows stretch out from the shore so thatyou look into the trough of the sea and realize what a terrible depthit is. The roar, meanwhile, is horrible. You are stunned by it as by theroar of a great waterfall. You see a wave of unusual magnitude rollingin from far beyond the wild revelry of waters on 'The Rips.' It leapsinto the arena as if fresh and eager for the fray, clutches anotherBacchanal like itself, and the two towering floods rush swiftly towardthe shore. Instinctively you run backward to escape what seems animpending destruction. Very likely a sheet of foam is dashed all aroundyou, shoe-deep, but you are safe--only the foam hisses away in impotentrage. The sea has its bounds; 'hitherto shalt thou come, but nofarther.'"[A]

  [Footnote A: A. Judd Northrup, in "Sconset Cottage Life."]