Part Four: The Stockade - Chapter 16: Narrative Continued by the Doctor: How the Ship Was Abandoned

by Robert Louis Stevenson

　　It was about half past one--three bells in the seaphrase--that the two boats went ashore from theHispaniola. The captain, the squire, and I weretalking matters over in the cabin. Had there been abreath of wind, we should have fallen on the sixmutineers who were left aboard with us, slipped ourcable, and away to sea. But the wind was wanting; andto complete our helplessness, down came Hunter with thenews that Jim Hawkins had slipped into a boat and wasgone ashore with the rest.

　　It never occurred to us to doubt Jim Hawkins, but wewere alarmed for his safety. With the men in thetemper they were in, it seemed an even chance if weshould see the lad again. We ran on deck. The pitchwas bubbling in the seams; the nasty stench of theplace turned me sick; if ever a man smelt fever anddysentery, it was in that abominable anchorage. Thesix scoundrels were sitting grumbling under a sail inthe forecastle; ashore we could see the gigs made fastand a man sitting in each, hard by where the river runsin. One of them was whistling "Lillibullero."

　　Waiting was a strain, and it was decided that Hunterand I should go ashore with the jolly-boat in questof information.

　　The gigs had leaned to their right, but Hunter and Ipulled straight in, in the direction of the stockadeupon the chart. The two who were left guarding theirboats seemed in a bustle at our appearance; "Lillibullero"stopped off, and I could see the pair discussing whatthey ought to do. Had they gone and told Silver, allmight have turned out differently; but they had theirorders, I suppose, and decided to sit quietly wherethey were and hark back again to "Lillibullero."

　　There was a slight bend in the coast, and I steered soas to put it between us; even before we landed we hadthus lost sight of the gigs. I jumped out and came asnear running as I durst, with a big silk handkerchiefunder my hat for coolness' sake and a brace of pistolsready primed for safety.

　　I had not gone a hundred yards when I reached the stockade.

　　This was how it was: a spring of clear water rosealmost at the top of a knoll. Well, on the knoll, andenclosing the spring, they had clapped a stout log-house fit to hold two score of people on a pinch andloopholed for musketry on either side. All round thisthey had cleared a wide space, and then the thing wascompleted by a paling six feet high, without door oropening, too strong to pull down without time andlabour and too open to shelter the besiegers. Thepeople in the log-house had them in every way; theystood quiet in shelter and shot the others likepartridges. All they wanted was a good watch and food;for, short of a complete surprise, they might have heldthe place against a regiment.

　　What particularly took my fancy was the spring. Forthough we had a good enough place of it in the cabin ofthe Hispaniola, with plenty of arms and ammunition,and things to eat, and excellent wines, there had beenone thing overlooked--we had no water. I was thinkingthis over when there came ringing over the island thecry of a man at the point of death. I was not new toviolent death--I have served his Royal Highness theDuke of Cumberland, and got a wound myself at Fontenoy--but I know my pulse went dot and carry one. "JimHawkins is gone," was my first thought.

　　It is something to have been an old soldier, but morestill to have been a doctor. There is no time todilly-dally in our work. And so now I made up my mindinstantly, and with no time lost returned to the shoreand jumped on board the jolly-boat.

　　By good fortune Hunter pulled a good oar. We made thewater fly, and the boat was soon alongside and I aboardthe schooner.

　　I found them all shaken, as was natural. The squirewas sitting down, as white as a sheet, thinking of theharm he had led us to, the good soul! And one of thesix forecastle hands was little better.

　　"There's a man," says Captain Smollett, nodding towardshim, "new to this work. He came nigh-hand fainting,doctor, when he heard the cry. Another touch of therudder and that man would join us."

　　I told my plan to the captain, and between us wesettled on the details of its accomplishment.

　　We put old Redruth in the gallery between the cabin andthe forecastle, with three or four loaded muskets and amattress for protection. Hunter brought the boat roundunder the stern-port, and Joyce and I set to workloading her with powder tins, muskets, bags ofbiscuits, kegs of pork, a cask of cognac, and myinvaluable medicine chest.

　　In the meantime, the squire and the captain stayed ondeck, and the latter hailed the coxswain, who was theprincipal man aboard.

　　"Mr. Hands," he said, "here are two of us with a braceof pistols each. If any one of you six make a signalof any description, that man's dead."

　　They were a good deal taken aback, and after a littleconsultation one and all tumbled down the forecompanion, thinking no doubt to take us on the rear.But when they saw Redruth waiting for them in thesparred galley, they went about ship at once, and ahead popped out again on deck.

　　"Down, dog!" cries the captain.

　　And the head popped back again; and we heard no more,for the time, of these six very faint-hearted seamen.

　　By this time, tumbling things in as they came, we hadthe jolly-boat loaded as much as we dared. Joyce and Igot out through the stern-port, and we made for shoreagain as fast as oars could take us.

　　This second trip fairly aroused the watchers alongshore. "Lillibullero" was dropped again; and justbefore we lost sight of them behind the little point,one of them whipped ashore and disappeared. I had halfa mind to change my plan and destroy their boats, but Ifeared that Silver and the others might be close at hand,and all might very well be lost by trying for too much.

　　We had soon touched land in the same place as before andset to provision the block house. All three made thefirst journey, heavily laden, and tossed our stores overthe palisade. Then, leaving Joyce to guard them--one man,to be sure, but with half a dozen muskets-- Hunter and Ireturned to the jolly-boat and loaded ourselves once more.So we proceeded without pausing to take breath, till thewhole cargo was bestowed, when the two servants took uptheir position in the block house, and I, with all my power,sculled back to the Hispaniola.

　　That we should have risked a second boat load seemsmore daring than it really was. They had the advantageof numbers, of course, but we had the advantage ofarms. Not one of the men ashore had a musket, andbefore they could get within range for pistol shooting,we flattered ourselves we should be able to give a goodaccount of a half-dozen at least.

　　The squire was waiting for me at the stern window, allhis faintness gone from him. He caught the painter andmade it fast, and we fell to loading the boat for ourvery lives. Pork, powder, and biscuit was the cargo,with only a musket and a cutlass apiece for the squireand me and Redruth and the captain. The rest of thearms and powder we dropped overboard in two fathoms and ahalf of water, so that we could see the bright steel shiningfar below us in the sun, on the clean, sandy bottom.

　　By this time the tide was beginning to ebb, and theship was swinging round to her anchor. Voices wereheard faintly halloaing in the direction of the twogigs; and though this reassured us for Joyce andHunter, who were well to the eastward, it warned ourparty to be off.

　　Redruth retreated from his place in the gallery anddropped into the boat, which we then brought round tothe ship's counter, to be handier for Captain Smollett.

　　"Now, men," said he, "do you hear me?"

　　There was no answer from the forecastle.

　　"It's to you, Abraham Gray--it's to you I am speaking."

　　Still no reply.

　　"Gray," resumed Mr. Smollett, a little louder, "I amleaving this ship, and I order you to follow yourcaptain. I know you are a good man at bottom, and Idare say not one of the lot of you's as bad as he makesout. I have my watch here in my hand; I give youthirty seconds to join me in."

　　There was a pause.

　　"Come, my fine fellow," continued the captain; "don'thang so long in stays. I'm risking my life and thelives of these good gentlemen every second."

　　There was a sudden scuffle, a sound of blows, and out burstAbraham Gray with a knife cut on the side of the cheek, andcame running to the captain like a dog to the whistle.

　　"I'm with you, sir," said he.

　　And the next moment he and the captain had droppedaboard of us, and we had shoved off and given way.

　　We were clear out of the ship, but not yet ashore inour stockade.