The Abbot of Aberbrothock

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 195, 5 April 1878, Page 3

The Abbot o f Aberbrothock

By William Ada bison.

CHAPTER IX,

When John Carnegie sprang from the ship into the pirates' boat, he stumbled and fell, and ere he could recover himseli he was seized, bound hand and foot, and thrown into the bottom ofthe boat. Stung* to madness at the turn 'affairs had taken, he struggled desperately to relieve himself, bufc ir.vain.

Above him in the storm of battle he heard the wild war cries of the men of Clan Ogilvie, the more homely shouts of the men of the Brothock, and the -deep, harsh curses of the pirates. Alternately the fight swayed backwards and forwards — now his friends appeared to be making way, then the pirates appeared to recover themselves ; now the clank of oars was heard, and then the pirates came tumbling* into the boat.

A heavy built man, who spoke with a Northumbrian burr, and who seemed to be leader, eried —

'Be quick, lads, be quick; shove off. Be quick Louis,' he cried to the leader of the other boat. 'Those priestly slaves are upon us. What spy could have told them ot our errand V

Oui, oui, mon ami, we veil be queek,' cried Louis.

The pirates bent to the their oars, and in a short time had made considerable progress eastward.

The Northumbrian scanned their position narrowly. Then rising to his feet he took a long, steady look behind.

'By heavens and all the saints, here they come,' he cried. ** Pull, men, pull. Hans keep your eye on the Steeple Ptock.'

'Yaw, yaw,' cried Hans, a stolid Dutchman, who sat at the bow of the boat, * ye sail ze der Sdeepie Hock.'

' Ha, ha,' cried Musgrove, ' how she burns.. Our work is as well done as if we had sunk her. Pull, men, pull. They are gaining on us, and they must not learn our secret.'

And now tbey pass tbe Steeple Rock, and plung.e into the sombre shadows of the clifs, sweeping recklessly on in the darkness. Suddenly Musgrove cried, * Back water a moment.'

The boats stopped, and Musgrove listened earnestly. In a few moments, •above the noise of the surf beating on the sea -shore, was heard the steady strokes of oars evidently impelled by powerful hands.

* There they come,' cried Musgrove. I though they would have turned back when they lost sight of us. We must go up Dickman's Den, or we cannot escape. Pull, lads, pull ! — for your lives, pull !' The pirate boats swept up Dickman's Den, a long narrow rift in the clifs that admits the tide, and lay on their oars.

Tbey saw their pursuers sweep past the mouth of the Den, and a low •chuckle passed from man to man.

Had John Carnegie, with his local knowledge of tbe coast, been in command instead of Malcolm Ogilvie, he never would have allowed such a place as Dickman,s Den to have passed un•searched : but Malcolm was ignorant of -ofthe very existence of such a place, and the men with him paid too much deference to their superiors to express an opinion unasked.

Quietly the pirate* sat at their oars in that wild and fearful place, and it requires a strong* nerve in the daylight to look from the top of the cliff into that gruesome pit. Tradition relates wild legends of it — how Dickrnan, the leader of a band of pirates, made it his rendezous, and when any ship was sailing unsuspectingly by, how he and his band would pounce out upon it, and murder all on board.

The pirates' patience was rewarded. They saw their pursuers retrace their watery way, and after a time they left their shelter and sought their hidden home. Past the Mason's Cove, where the winds and waves assail the rocks with wild monotonous roar ; past the Forbidden Cove, with its wild legends •and horrible mysteries, went the pirate band, until they swept into the rift, ofthe rocks that contained their secret haunt.

Up a narrow passage and then the boats grounded upon a sandy beach, and then they sprang ashore and bodily carried them up into the cave. After they were inside, torches were brought, John was lifted out, and bis bonds unloosed. His limbs were stiff with impeded circulation, and it was some time ere he could move with freedom, or find time to notice anything but his own miserable position. But when' at last he gazed around him at the scene lit up by the lurid glare of the pirates' torches he was struck with wonder and amazement. He, a native of the coast, acquainted, as he thought with all its wonders, had never beard of this cave that spread around in such immense proportions, rivalling in size the giant temple of some strange divinity. The floor was of reddish sand, mixed with stones, the walls were of red sandstone, twisted into singular forms by the action of the water, while from the lofty roof stalactites hung in endless variety. He was standing in a manner awestruck,^ when he was rudely seized by Musgrove, and ordered to go forward.

IGo on, cried he ; 'if I had not thought you worth some broad pieces, I would; have tumbled you overboard, but prisoners bring money, and money brings pleasured

Moving" forward, they came to where the cave split into two divisions, from one side of which, flaring* with light, came sounds of revelry and mirth, but tbe other was dark and silent as the g-r aye. . ' Go on, Hans, with the torch,' said Musgrove, pointing; to the dark side of the cave ; ** let our guest see the way to his luxurious lodging's,' and he laughed a harsh, mirthless laugh. Hans moved forward with the light, followed by John and Musgrove and some more of the pirates, till they came to a rocky aperture, into which was fixed a door, evidently plundered from some unfortunate ship. This door strongly fastened, was at last thrown open, and they all entered — John wondering*, and the others laughing. The place was not large, evidently little more than a niche in the wall, but it looked dismal and dreary enough. Water trickled down the walls, from which great masses of stone stuck out here and there with a great eccentric appearance. The floor was covered with a strange mixture of seaweed, grass, moss, heather, and other substances, which had evidently been brought to form beds for the unfortunate prisoners who were forced to pass their lives in such a place. •■Now,' said Musgrove turning* to John, * here you stop still we can get gold for you. If you are quiet and obedient we will nod treat you badly ; but if you try any tricks, look out. Come, comrades, this place is rather too cold for me.' ** But you do not think it too cold for better men than yourself,' said John, scornfully ; ** men whom you have robbed of liberty in a cowardly manner, and whom } r ou force to stop in a vile den like this. A day may come when you will regret this. * Threatened folk live long-, 1 said Musgrove coldly, moving to the door. ■* Take my advice while you are here, and say as little as possible. 1 John made no reply, and the clash of the door told him they had departed. He threw himself clown on the heap at his feer, and remained motionless, stunned by the terrible disaster thnt had befallen, hitn. Where now was his chance of being useful to the party that he belonged to, to the Beiormed Kirk, and so m.my important events about to be enacted? and then a small, still voice whispered, ' What of Lady Elizabeth?' He brooded thus when he thought he hewrd a rustling at the other end of the place. He listened, but all again seemed quiet. A^ain he brooded, aud again he thought he heard the sound, and tbis time he felt startled. ** Who is there V he said. f I was a man once,' said a thin quivering voice. •* I know not what I inn now.' * Have you been long here ?' said John. ( I have lost all record of time,' said the voice, s but it seems an eternity since I saw the sun by day, or the stars by night.' ' And did you never try to escape from this horrible place V said John. * I tried once, and nearly escaped after knocking some of them senseless in my desperation. But they were too many for me ; I was struck to the earth, and when I recovered I'was lying here chained hand and foot.' 1 How were you captured V said John. 1 I had been a soldier in the Scottish Guard in France, and after . trailing* a pike for ten years I took home-sick, and obtained a pass fbr a year. I took shipping at Caen for Leith; in a storm we were driven out of our course, and suflWed a good deal of misery, and while beating up again for Leith we were boarded by these ruffians. We were all weak and exhausted from our exertions, but, few as we were, we fought bravely: but they boarded us on all side?-, and I was captured and thrown into a boat, and when we landed dragged into this place, where I have since been. I think I must have been insane part of the time, for I used to hear voices speaking to me — voices of loved ones that I have not seen for many years, andthat I wiil never, never see again.' ' Take courage,' said John, ' and you will yet be frep, ancl Sre your friends at home, I assure you Ido not intend to stay here long, and I will never desert you. We will go together. Oh, if rhe folks at Ethic or the fishers at Auchmithie knew the way I am chained up in this den, there would soon be broken heads. If we could only get down to the water edge, we have only to swim round a point and then we would be free.' *■ But I cannot walk, far less swim. I would only be a burden to you, and ensure the capture of both. No, no, my friend, ii you wish to help both you must make the attempt yourself. Tell me to whom Lam indebted for so much hope, so -much kindness ? I feel like another man already,' and he attempted to rise, his chains jingling the while but he was too weak, and he fell back panting* where he had lain. When he had again settled himself, John told him of the ship the pirates had robbed and deserted on the sea — how the fishers had, brought her into port, how the pirates had attempted to cut her out to scuttle her, of the desperate fight that had taken place, and hoyv he had been made prisoner. He also told him who ha was, and where they

I were, and then asked him to tell about himself. ** Alas,' said he, ' I never thought I should tell any friend the history of my life in such a placeas this. Oh, indeed, I cannot ; we must leave it until a happier time, if ever it come, for my feelings overpower me. Oh, my native Clyde, when will I see thy bonny banks again ? When will I wander on thy bonny braes, among the heather wild ? When will I see the clork hills of Argyle, or speel the steep hillside of Corlic ? Alas !' ' But tell me your name and family,' said John. 'If I get out, I may be able to let them know.' * My name is Hugh Orr, second son of Sir John Orr of Dunrod, on the banks of the Clyde.' Hei'e the loud choi.*ous of a drinking song- rang* through the cavern, raising* a strange weird echo, that seemed to mock the misery of the prisoners. 'Is this way of spending their time common ?' said John. 'Do they car- I ouse long ancl deep V "Every night when they are here," said Hugh Orr, ** and then they are sure to bring nothing to eat until late in the next dny.' ' Then that will be my opportunity to escape,' said John. *-* They will never keep me here.' After some more conversation, in which John urged cheerfulness and hope on his fellow-prisoner, he said — ' They are quieter now, the drink will be taking effect; I will make the attempt." Stepping lightly over to the door, he minutely examined all the fastenings with bis hands, till he was satisfied that unaided he could not open them. Thinking for a moment, he clamb to the top of the door and carefully felt all around. He was gratified to find an open space between the top of the door and the irregular wall of the cave, through which lie thought he could squeeze himself; sohehastily descended, and going- over to where Hugh Orr lay, he took him by both hands, and said — C I can get oui, and I hope I shall get clear off; and ifl forget you, mnyGod forget me. Now, keep good courage ancl farewell.' ' ' Farewell, and may God keep you/ said Hugh Orr, sobbing loudly. John Carnegie tightened his belt, drew his bonnet clown over his brows, and noiselessly clamb to the top of the door. Withso mc d i ffi cv 1 1 ybe man age d to squeeze through and drop lightly on the loose sand on the other side. He listened but he heard no sound ; but far down the cave, where the 'two divisions joined, he saw as it were a single ray of light thrown across the floor. He instinctively felt that, that was where the danger lay. If he could pn?s that unseen, he would escape. Moving slowly and noiselessly he came near to it, and then he heard hoarse voices talking, and he knew it woulcl not do to dally there. With one bound he sprang over the light, and sped like a deer to the water edge. Unfortunately he trod upon some gravel, which made a clattering sound, and in an instant the alarm was given. 'Ware hawks, an escape,' cried a voice. An arquebuss was fired, the ball of which fluttend itself on the rock beside him. Two men suddenly sprang np before him, one of whom he struck down with a heavy blow on the face, but the other seized him by the throat and threw him, falling heavily on the top of him, at the same time crying loudly for assistance. Maddened by despair, John struck his antagonist's hand from his throat acd seized him in his turn, and had just succeeded in rolling him over, when his eyes were blinded by the flush of torches, and then he felt a slinging sensation in the back of the head, and then all was vacancy. 'Take that carrion and chain him beside the other,' said Musgrove. ' I wonder what the Laird wants with that fellow, that we cannot serve him as we do the others.' So John Carnegie was carried back senseless to his dungeon, ond chained beside his unfortunate companion in eaptivuy.