Cord and Creese Page 7

  CHAPTER VII.

  MANUSCRIPT FOUND IN A BOTTLE.

  "BRIG 'VISHNU,' ADRIFT IN THE CHINESE SEA.

  "July 10, 1828.

  "Whoever finds this let him know that I, Lionel Despard, Colonel of H.M. 37th Regiment, have been the victim of a foul conspiracy performedagainst me by the captain and crew of the brig _Vishnu_, and especiallyby my servant, John Potts.

  "Expecting at any time to perish, adrift helplessly, at the mercyof winds and waves, I sit down now before I die, to write all thecircumstances of this affair. I will inclose the manuscript in a bottleand fling it into the sea, trusting in God that he may cause it to beborne to those who may be enabled to read my words, so that they mayknow my fate and bring the guilty to justice. Whoever finds this lethim, if possible, have it sent to my friend, Ralph Brandon, of BrandonHall, Devonshire, England, who will do more than any other man to causejustice to have its due.

  "To further the ends of justice and to satisfy the desires of myfriends, I will write an account of the whole case.

  "In the name of God, I declare that John Potts is guilty of my death.He was my servant. I first found him in India under very remarkablecircumstances.

  "It was in the year 1826. The Government was engaged in an effort to putdown bands of assassins by whom the most terrific atrocities had beencommitted, and I was appointed to conduct the work in the district ofAgra.

  "The Thuggee society is still a mystery, though its nature may yet berevealed if they can only capture the chief [Footnote: The chief wascaptured in 1830, and by his confession all the atrocious system ofThuggee was revealed.] and make him confess. As yet it is not fullyknown, and though I have heard much which I have reported to theGovernment, yet I am slow to believe that any human beings can actuallypractice what I have heard.

  "The assassins whom I was pursuing eluded our pursuit with marvelousagility and cunning, but one by one we captured them, and punished themsummarily. At last we surrounded a band of Thugs, and to our amazementfound among them a European and a small boy. At our attack the Hindusmade a desperate resistance, and killed themselves rather than fall intoour hands; but the European, leading forward the little boy, fell on hisknees and implored us to save him.

  "I had heard that an Englishman had joined these wretches, and at firstthought that this was the man; so, desirous of capturing him, I orderedmy men whenever they found him to spare his life if possible. This manwas at once seized and brought before me.

  "He had a piteous story to tell. He said that his name was John Potts,that he belonged to Southampton, and had been in India a year. He hadcome to Agra to look out for employ as a servant, and had been caughtby the Thugs. They offered to spare his life if he would join them.According to him they always make this offer. If it had only beenhimself that was concerned he said that he would have died a hundredtimes rather than have accepted; but his little boy was with him, andto save his life he consented, hoping that somehow or other he mightescape. They then received him with some horrible ceremonies, and markedon his arm and on the arm of his son, on the inner part of the rightelbow, the name of Bowhani in Hindu characters. Potts showed me his armand that of his son in proof of this.

  "He had been with them, according to his own account, about threemonths, and his life had been one continuous horror. He had picked upenough of their language to conjecture to some extent the nature oftheir belief, which, he asserted, would be most important informationfor the Government. The Thugs had treated him very kindly, for theylooked upon him as one of themselves, and they are all very humane andaffectionate to one another. His worst fear had been that they wouldcompel him to do murder; and he would have died, he declared, ratherthan consent; but, fortunately, he was spared. The reason of this, hesaid, was because they always do their murder by strangling, since theshedding of blood is not acceptable to their divinity. He could not dothis, for it requires great dexterity. Almost all their stranglingis done by a thin, strong cord, curiously twisted, about six feet inlength, with a weight at one end, generally carved so as to representthe face of Bowhani. This they throw with a peculiar jerk around theneck of their victim. The weight swings the cord round and round, whilethe strangler pulls the other end, and death is inevitable. His hands,he said, were coarse and clumsy, unlike the delicate Hindu hands; andso, although they forced him to practice incessantly, he could notlearn. He said nothing about the boy, but, from what I saw of that boyafterward, I believe that nature created him especially to be a Thug,and have no doubt that he learned then to wield the cord with as muchdexterity as the best strangler of them all.

  "His association with them had shown him much of their ordinary habitsand some of their beliefs. I gathered from what he said that the basisof the Thuggee society is the worship of Bowhani, a frightful demon,whose highest joy is the sight of death or dead bodies. Those who areher disciples must offer up human victims killed without the sheddingof blood, and the more he can kill the more of a saint he becomes.The motive for this is never gain, for they rarely plunder, but purelyreligious zeal. The reward is an immortality of bliss hereafter, whichBowhani will secure them; a life like that of the Mohammedan Paradise,where there are material joys to be possessed forever without satiety.Destruction, which begins as a kind of duty, becomes also at last, andnaturally perhaps, an absorbing passion. As the hunter in pursuing hisprey is carried away by excitement and the enthusiasm of the chase, or,in hunting the tiger, feels the delight of braving danger and displayingcourage, so here that same passion is felt to an extraordinary degree,for it is men that must be pursued and destroyed. Here, in addition tocourage, the hunter of man must call into exercise cunning, foresight,eloquence, intrigue. All this I afterward brought to the attention ofthe Government with very good results.

  "Potts declared that night and day he had been on the watch for a chanceto escape, but so infernal was the cunning of these wretches, and soquick their senses, sharpened as they had been by long practice,that success became hopeless. He had fallen into deep dejection, andconcluded that his only hope lay in the efforts of the Government to putdown these assassins. Our appearance had at last saved him.

  "Neither I, nor any of my men, nor any Englishman who heard this story,doubted for an instant the truth of every word. All the newspapersmentioned with delight the fact that an Englishman and his son had beenrescued. Pity was felt for that father who, for his son's sake, hadconsented to dwell amidst scenes of terror, and sympathy for the anguishthat he most have endured during that terrific captivity. A thrill ofhorror passed through all our Anglo-Indian society at the revelationwhich he made about Thuggee; and so great was the feeling in his favorthat a handsome subscription was made up for him by the officers atAgra.

  "For my part I believed in him most implicitly, and, as I saw him to beunusually clever, I engaged him at once to be my servant. He staid withme, and every month won more and more of my confidence. He had a goodhead for business. Matters of considerable delicacy which I intrustedto him were well performed, and at last I thought it the most fortunatecircumstance in my Indian life that I had found such a man.

  "After about three years he expressed a wish to go to England for thesake of his son. He thought India a bad place for a boy, and wished totry and start in some business in his native land for his son's sake.

  "That boy had always been my detestation--a crafty, stealthy, wily,malicious little demon, who was a perfect Thug in his nature, withoutany religious basis to his Thuggeeism. I pitied Potts for being thefather of such a son. I could not let the little devil live in my house;his cruelty to animals which he delighted to torture, his thievingpropensities, and his infernal deceit, were all so intolerable. Hewas not more than twelve, but he was older in iniquity than many agray-headed villain. To oblige Potts, whom I still trusted implicitly,I wrote to my old friend Ralph Brandon, of Brandon Hall, Devonshire,requesting him to do what he could for so deserving a man.

  "Just about this time an event occurred which has brought me to this.

  "My sweet wi
fe had been ill for two years. I had obtained a faithfulnurse in the person of a Mrs. Compton, a poor creature, but gentle andaffectionate, for whom my dear love's sympathy had been excited. No onecould have been more faithful than Mrs. Compton, and I sent my darlingto the hill station at Assurabad in hopes that the cooler air mightreinvigorate her.

  "She died. It is only a month or two since that frightful blow fell andcrushed me. To think of it overwhelms me--to write of it is impossible.

  "I could think of nothing but to fly from my unendurable grief. I wishedto get away from India any where. Before the blow crushed me I hopedthat I might carry my darling to the Cape of Good Hope, and thereforeI remitted there a large sum; but after she left me I cared not whereI went, and finding that a vessel was going to Manilla I decided to gothere.

  "It was Potts who found out this. I now know that he engaged the vessel,put the crew on board, who were all creatures of his own, and took theroute to Manilla for the sake of carrying out his designs on me. Togive every thing a fair appearance the vessel was laden with stores andthings of that sort, for which there was a demand at Manilla. It waswith the most perfect indifference that I embarked. I cared not where Iwent, and hoped that the novelty of the sea voyage might benefit me.

  "The captain was an Italian named Cigole, a low-browed, evil-facedvillain. The mate was named Clark. There were three Lascars, who formedthe small crew. Potts came with me, and also an old servant of mine,a Malay; whose life I had saved years before. His name was Uracao. Itstruck me that the crew was a small one, but I thought the captain knewhis business better than I, and so I gave myself no concern.

  "After we embarked Potts's manner changed very greatly. I remember thisnow, though I did not notice it at the time, for I was almost in akind of stupor. He was particularly insolent to Uracao. I rememberonce thinking indifferently that Potts would have to be reprimanded, orkicked, or something of that sort, but was not capable of any action.

  "Uracao had for years slept in front of my door when at home, and, whentraveling, in the same room. He always waked at the slightest noise. Heregarded his life as mine, and thought that he was bound to watch overme till I died. Although this was often inconvenient, yet it would havebroken the affectionate fellow's heart if I had forbidden it, so itwent on. Potts made an effort to induce him to sleep forward amongthe Lascars, but though Uracao had borne insolence from him without amurmur, this proposal made his eyes kindle with a menacing fire whichsilenced the other into fear.

  "The passage was a quick one, and at last we were only a few days' sailfrom Manilla. Now our quiet came to an end. One night I was awakened bya tremendous struggle in my cabin. Starting up, I saw in the gloom twofigures struggling desperately. It was impossible to see who they were.I sprang from the berth and felt for my pistols. They were gone.

  "'What the devil is this?' I roared fiercely.

  "No answer came; but the next moment there was a tremendous fall, andone of the men clung to the other, whom he held downward. I sprang frommy berth. There were low voices out in the cabin.

  "'You can't,' said one voice, which I recognized as Clark's. 'He has hispistols.'

  "'He hasn't,' said the voice of Cigole. 'Potts took them away. He'sunarmed.'

  "'Who are you?' I cried, grasping the man who was holding the otherdown.

  "'Uracao,' said he. 'Get your pistols or you're lost!'

  "'What the devil is the matter?' I cried, angrily, for I had not evenyet a suspicion.

  "'Feel around your neck,' said he.

  "Hastily I put my hand up. A thrill of terror passed through me. It wasthe Thuggee cord.

  "'Who is this?' I cried, grasping the man who had fallen.

  "'Potts,' cried Uracao. 'Your pistols are under your berth. Quick! Pottstried to strangle you. There's a plot. The Lascars are Thugs. I saw themark on their arms, the name of Bowhani in Hindu letters.'

  "All the truth now seemed to flash across me. I leaped back to the berthto look under it for my pistols. As I stooped there was a rush behindme.

  "'Help! Clark! Quick!' cried the voice of Potts. 'This devil'sstrangling me!'

  "At this a tumult arose round the two men. Uracao was dragged off.Potts rose to his feet. At that moment I found my pistols. I could notdistinguish persons, but I ran the risk and fired. A sharp cry followed.Somebody was wounded.

  "'Damn him!' cried Potts, 'he's got the pistols.'

  "The next moment they had all rushed out, dragging Uracao with them.The door was drawn to violently with a bang and fastened on the outside.They had captured the only man who could help me, and I was a prisonerat the mercy of these miscreants.

  "All the remainder of the night and until the following morning I heardnoises and trampling to and fro, but had no idea whatever of what wasgoing on. I felt indignation at the treachery of Potts, who, I nowperceived, had deceived me all along, but had no fear whatever of anything that might happen. Death was rather grateful than otherwise. StillI determined to sell my life as dearly as possible, and, loading mypistol once more, I waited for them to come. The only anxiety which Ifelt was about my poor faithful Malay.

  "But time passed, and at last all was still. There was no sound eitherof voices or of footsteps. I waited for what seemed hours in impatience,until finally I could endure it no longer. I was not going to die like adog, but determined at all hazards to go out armed, face them, and meetmy doom at once.

  "A few vigorous kicks at the door broke it open and I walked out. Therewas no one in the cabin. I went out on deck. There was no one there. Isaw it all. I was deserted. More; the brig had settled down so low inthe water that the sea was up to her gunwales. I looked out over theocean to see if I could perceive any trace of them--Potts and the rest.I saw nothing. They must have left long before. A faint smoke in thehatchway attracted my attention. Looking there, I perceived that it hadbeen burned away. The villains had evidently tried to scuttle the brig,and then, to make doubly sure, had kindled a fire on the cargo, thinkingthat the wooden materials of which it was composed would kindle readily.But the water had rushed in too rapidly for the flames to spread;nevertheless, the water was not able to do its work, for the wood cargokept the brig afloat. She was water-logged but still floating.

  "The masts and shrouds were all cut away. The vessel was now littlebetter than a raft, and was drifting at the mercy of the ocean currents.For my part I did not much care. I had no desire to go to Manilla orany where else; and the love of life which is usually so strong did notexist. I should have preferred to have been killed or drowned at once.Instead of that I lived.

  "She died on June 15. It was the 2d of July when this occurred whichI have narrated. It is now the 10th. For a week I have been driftingI know not where. I have seen no land. There are enough provisions andwater on board to sustain me for months. The weather has been fine thusfar.

  "I have written this with the wish that whoever may find it will sendit to Ralph Brandon, Esq., of Brandon Hall, Devonshire, that he may seethat justice is done to Potts, and the rest of the conspirators. Let himalso try, if it be not too late, to save Uracao. If this fall into thehands of any one going to England let it be delivered to him as above,but if the finder be going to India let him place it in the hands of theGovernor-General; if to China or any other place, let him give it tothe authorities, enjoining them, however, after using it, to send it toRalph Brandon as above.

  "It will be seen by this that John Potts was in connection with theThugs, probably for the sake of plundering those whom they murdered:that he conspired against me and tried to kill me; and that he haswrought my death (for I expect to die). An examination of my desk showsthat he has taken papers and bank bills to the amount of four thousandpounds with him. It was this, no doubt, that induced him to make thisattempt against me.

  "I desire also hereby to appoint Henry Thornton, Sen., Esq., of HolbyPembroke, Solicitor, my executor and the guardian of my son Courtenay,to whom I bequeath a father's blessing and all that I possess. Let himtry to secure my money in Cape Town for my
boy, and, if possible, toregain for him the four thousand pounds which Potts has carried off.

  "Along with this manuscript I also inclose the strangling cord.

  "May God have mercy upon my soul! Amen.

  "LIONEL DESPARD."

  "July 28.--Since I wrote this there has been a series of tremendousstorms. The weather has cleared up again. I have seen no land and noship.

  "July 31.--Land to-day visible at a great distance on the south. I knownot what land it may be. I can not tell in what direction I am drifting.

  "August 2.--Land visible toward the southwest. It seems like the summitof a range of mountains, and is probably fifty miles distant.

  "August 5.--A sail appeared on the horizon. It was too distant toperceive me. It passed out of sight.

  "August 10.--A series of severe gales. The sea always rolls over thebrig in these storms, and sometimes seems about to carry her down.

  "August 20.--Storms and calms alternating. When will this end?

  "August 25.--Land again toward the west. It seems as though I may bedrifting among the islands of the Indian Archipelago.

  "September 2.--I have been sick for a week. Unfortunately I am beginningto recover again. A faint blue streak in the north seems like land.

  "September 10.--Open water.

  "September 23.--A series of storms. How the brig can stand it I cannot see. I remember Potts telling me that she was built of mahoganyand copper-fastened. She does not appear to be much injured. I amexceedingly weak from want and exposure. It is with difficulty that Ican move about.

  "October 2.--Three months adrift. My God have mercy on me, and makehaste to deliver me! A storm is rising. Let all Thy waves and billowsoverwhelm me, O Lord!

  "October 5.--A terrific storm. Raged three days. The brig has runaground. It is a low island, with a rock about five miles away. ThankGod, my last hour is at hand. The sea is rushing in with tremendousviolence, hurling sand upon the brig. I shall drift no more. I canscarcely hold this pen. These are my last words. This is for RalphBrandon. My blessing for my loved son. I feel death coming. Whether thestorm takes me or not, I must die.

  "Whoever finds this will take it from my hand, and, in the name of God,I charge him to do my bidding."

  This was the last. The concluding pages of the manuscript were scarcelylegible. The entries were meagre and formal, but the hand-writing spokeof the darkest despair. What agonies had this man not endured duringthose three months!

  Brandon folded up the manuscript reverentially, and put it into hispocket. He then went back into the cabin. Taking the bony skeleton handhe exclaimed, in a solemn voice, "In the name of God, if I am saved, Iswear to do your bidding!"

  He next proceeded to perform the last offices to the remains of ColonelDespard. On removing the sand something bright struck his eye. It was agold locket. As he tried to open it the rusty hinge broke, and the covercame off.

  "THREE MONTHS ADRIFT."]

  It was a painting on enamel, which was as bright as when made--theportrait of a beautiful woman, with pensive eyes, and delicate,intellectual expression; and appeared as though it might have been wornaround the Colonel's neck. Brandon sighed, then putting this in hispocket with the manuscript he proceeded to his task. In an hour theremains were buried in the grave on Coffin Island.