University of Virginia Library

5. CHAPTER V.
The Island Cavern.

We now change the scene of our story to that
region of islands and keys, known as the Bahamas.
Towards the northern extremity of this western archipelago
are congregated several large islands, connected
by keys or chains of rocky islets, or mere sand-hills,
with here and there a single palm or cocoa tree, growing
upon its sterile surface. The largest of this group
of superior islands is well known to navigators as
Abaco; but its more familiar appellation is `The-Hole-in-the-Wall,'
suggested by the singular aspect
one of its low promontories presents to the eye of the
passing voyager, being perforated with an arch, through
which the sea and vessels sailing past in the distance
are visible. The `key-stone' of this natural arch has
fallen into the deep water underneath, and now only a
wide opening or cleft meets the view. It is upon this
island we are about to lay the scenes of this chapter.

The time is three days after the departure of the
shallop and the clipper-schooner from the harbor of
Havana. The sun has not yet gone down, but lingers
in the glowing west, turning the waves of the farspread
ocean into burnished gold. The large, desolate,
and almost treeless island, Abaco, lays outstretched
upon the shining sea, like some huge leviathan, throwing

out from its southern head and sides jagged reefs,
like feelers, as if reaching forth to seize upon and
make prey of the heedless ship, that approached too
near. Upon the head of one of these wall-like projections,
the sun reveals a single human figure. On a
near view, it is apparent that it is a female. She is
standing looking seaward along the ship-passage to
the south and east. Her eye turns away, and rests
upon a sail that lies close under the horizon, far away
to the north. This sail and herself are the only signs
of life in all that wide region of ocean and island.
Nay, far to the south, at least nine miles, can be just
discerned a lonely white tower. It is a light-beacon
for the guidance of mariners through that perilous
passage by night; but the sight of it only makes her
own solitude more sensibly felt.

The expanse of view around the island on which
we find her is wide, and, lighted up by the gorgeous
hues of the setting sun, is beautiful even in its desolation.
Naked rocks, towering in solitary pinnacles, and
savage chains of reefs have their edges gilded, and receive
a rosy light from the sky; and barren islands, and
the white, sandy keys that fill the prospect southward,
are made to smile with sunshine; while the wide
water is like a prism in the glory of its dyes. The
skies above the island are also pure and soft, and here
and there a fleecy cloud resembling a snowy plume,
or one like a scarlet mantle flung out upon the western
sky, gives new beauty and variety to the whole fair
scene of heaven, earth, and ocean.

There were within the horizon of this general view
certain objects in detail, which the eye would only

afterwards take in and particularly observe. One of
these was a wreck of a large ship, that lay in the cleft
of a black, ragged reef, that stretched south from the
cliff, on which the female was standing. The wreck
was without masts or bowsprit, and on the rocks were
strewn fragments of spars and of pipes, bales, and
boxes, broken open and rifled. Far away, a league
north, on a lonely key, was visible another object on
the strand, which the practised eye would detect to be
another wreck. There lay also, near the foot of the rocky
eminence on which she stood, the forward half of a
lugger, that had been wedged in the rocks, and over
which, in a storm, the sea must leap with a wild roar.

Placid as every thing was around her in the glory
of the evening sun, the features of the island immediately
about where she stood were very wild. The
shoulder or hump of the island swelled away abruptly
west, gaining its highest elevation less than a mile
distant. But a few stunted shrubs grew upon its bold,
rocky surface, and the winds of the fierce tempests that
sometimes prevailed in those seas, had a full sweep to
howl around its summit. Beneath her position, sheer
down a hundred feet, was an inlet, reached, from
where she stood, by a dangerous, zigzag pass. On
all sides of it, save a narrow outlet towards the sea to
the southeast, it was shut in by cliffs, whose dark
shadows cast a gloom over its sheltered bosom. The
sides of the precipices were, in many places, excavated
into cavernous passages, in which, when the winds and
sea were high, the surges roared and reverberated with
the noise of thunder. This was the view beneath on
her left. On her right was another precipitous descent

into a circular basin, nearly shut in by isolated fragments,
between some of which a small vessel might
pass wing and wing. The south boundary of this
basin, which was about half a mile in width and depth,
was the curious spur or wall, in which was the enormous
fissure denominated `The-Hole-in-the-Wall.'

It was on this long, gigantic, wall-like promontory,
and but a few paces from the verge of this chasm,
that the female was standing. The top of this natural
sea-wall was about sixty feet broad; and its length, from
the main body of the island to the fissure, was a third of
a mile. The chasm was a hundred feet broad, and the
remainder of the spur beyond it extended about a
quarter of a mile farther into the sea, terminating in an
abrupt cliff-head eighty feet above it.

After the female had taken a long and close view
of the southern horizon, her position commanding
many leagues of the ship-passage across the banks
southward, she moved forward along the top of the
sea-wall, and stood on the very verge of the chasm.

As she moved forward, a huge brown mastiff, of
that savage but sagacious breed, produced from a
union of the Newfoundland race with that of the Cuban
blood-hound, rose from the rock on which he had been
crouched near her, and walked slowly on after her.
His stature was enormous; and his aspect of sullen
ferocity, combined with his vast strength, inspired
terror. His color was a blackish brown, with the ears
jet black, and lapping like an elephant's; while the
skin of his black muzzle, with the bright red of his lip
visible turned outward, hung loosely about his jaws,
and a tusk like a boar's protruding beneath on his left
side, increased the savageness of his appearance. A

thick wiry mane covered his neck, and hair as long
dangled about his huge feet. His motions were slow,
but it was evident, from the tiger-like action of his
limbs, that he possessed great activity as well as immense
physical power.

He came within a few feet of the female, and then
crouched again, laid his head upon his fore-paws, and
fastened his red, fiery eyes upon her, like a wolf
watching his prey. It was a dreadful look, and
jealousy watched each motion she made; but the
young girl—for she was both young, and, though
sun-browned and coarsely clad, graceful and beautiful
—did not seem to regard his looks or his presence;
yet it was plain there could be no compact of friendship
and amity between that malignant brute and the
innocent maiden his glaring glances watched so determinately.

She was not more than nineteen years of age. Her
eyes were a soft blue, but sad and sorrowful in their
expression, as if the sunshine of her eyes had too often
been extinguished in tears of woe. Her hair was a
dark brown hue, and, spite of the sun and air that had
darkened her cheek, was long and flowing, and worn
in wild profusion down her shoulders. Poor girl! she
needed its covering; for her shoulder was naked, and
the garment she had on was of the coarsest cloth, and
much torn, leaving one leg bare nearly to the knee.
Her feet were also bare, and one of them was lacerated
with the sharp flint-points of some of the loose rocks,
that were strewn around. Such small and symmetrical
feet were scarcely ever seen, yet they were as dark as
a gypsy's, from exposure. Her small hands, too, were

as hazel-hued as those of a little Abanaquis Indian
girl's. Her form was symmetry itself; and, but for the
brown hair, the blue eyes, and the glimpse of her
white shoulders through her rags, she might have been
taken for an Indian maid. The blue eyes looked
strangely out from her dark face, and gave a singular
style of beauty to her countenance. Their expression
was sad, as well as that of the beauteous mouth; and
the stamp of misery and bondage was impressed upon
her restrained look and air.

In her hand this beautiful savage held a little sprig,
which she had plucked from a stunted shrub, containing
three scarlet leaves, which by some means had lost
their green hue. These she carried for their beauty of
color, for she had never seen a flower on that reef-girted
island of rocks. She knew not that there were
roses,—that the green earth was enamelled with fragrant
flowers of a thousand dyes. If she found a stone
or a shell with pleasing colors, it was as a flower to
her. She now looked upon the three poor little red
leaves, and said, `how beautiful!' and smiled as she
looked upon them. She was happier with gazing
upon them than many a maiden is upon her crowded
conservatory or her gorgeous parterre of flowers, where
the dahlia, the moss-rose, the rhododendron and tulip
vie with each other to win her passing regards.

She stood watching the blue sea heaving through
the passage in the Wall, as the tide rose, and then
again her eyes wandered towards the southern horizon.
The expression with which she seemed to look for a
vessel was not one of hope and anxious desire, but
rather of fear; for as she saw that there was none visible

where she sought for one, her face assumed a more
cheerful and relieved look. Her gaze was directed
seaward more in apprehension than in hope.

`He will not be here to-night,' she said, after satisfying
herself that there was nothing in sight southwardly.
She spoke in a joyful tone and in a very melodious
voice; but her speech was in the Spanish tongue.

The sun had by this time sunk slowly below the
horizon, and the twilight was gently gathering over
the scene. She placed her hand up to shade her eyes,
and took one more look, and then began to retrace her
steps to the more elevated point a little way back, on
which we first beheld her. As she turned, the mastiff-hound
rose and followed her with dogged perseverance,
but evidently not from attachment and affection; for
he seemed capable of neither. She passed the point
where she was first looking out, and, after continuing
about fifty yards, she came to a fissure in the top of
the cliff-wall, which extended half way across. It was
of such depth, that it looked dark on gazing into it.
She passed part way around it, when by steps, visible
only by close observation, cut into the sides, she began
to descend, with a familiar and fearless tread, into the
very bowels of the rock. It was like one of the cavernous
wells of the East, the bottom of which is accessible
only by a flight of artificial steps. After she had descended
for about thirty feet this narrow and irregular
path, she came to a shelf of the rock which would
contain a dozen men; and still lower down the fissure
was cleft into the heart of the promontory. At the
farther verge of this shelf, and in total darkness, was
an arched way, through which gleamed faintly a light

like that of a lamp. She passed under this inner arch,
and, stooping low, traversed a sort of gallery for about
twelve feet, each step bringing her into stronger light,
when she emerged into a vast subterraneous chamber,
in which burned the lamp, the rays of which had
penetrated nearly to the perpendicular shaft of this
natural mine; for the descent was like that into a mine,
and the passage and cavern like the excavated gallery
and chamber of a mine. There was a narrow fissure
in the side of this interior room, through which the
glowing sky in the west looked like a zigzag chain of
gold; and through a small, irregular crevice opposite,
not bigger than a hand, was a view of the sea to the
north; but both of these apertures were so small that
they afforded no light to the chamber. The lamp
which illumined it was a frigate's battle-lantern, and
stood upon a projection of the rocky wall, at a sufficient
elevation to cast its beams over the place.

The chamber was about forty feet long, fifteen in height at its highest part, and twenty five or six feet in
breadth. A cavern, very similar, farther out in the
cliff, had doubtless been undermined by the waves, and
falling into the sea left the roof arching across, till by-and-by
that plunged also, leaving a passage that a
schooner could pass through.

This cave into which the young girl descended was
like some huge storehouse. It was filled with bales,
kegs, boxes, and such articles of lesser bulk than
hogsheads, as could be conveniently transported thither
and secreted by mere bodily strength. They were
the choice portions of the cargoes of more than one
luckless vessel; for the names of two ships were plainly

visible on the directions and labels of some of the
parcels. Besides these articles, which were neatly piled
up on one side of the cave, were rolls of canvass, sails,
cordage, light spars, and other ship apparel. Furniture
of all kinds was strewn around, and wares and utensils
for cooking. Two hammocks were swung at one extremity,
and a berth with gilded pannels and cornices
just as it was taken from the ship, was put up in one
corner; and near it were placed several bunks of ruder
construction.

All kinds of arms were piled in one corner, and near
the entrance stood a brass four-pounder against the
rock. The young girl crossed the uneven floor of this
underground chamber, and ascended a sort of loft constructed
partly of upright spars and partly by the aid
of a broad shelf of the cave-side. The loft was eight
or nine feet high above the floor of the cave, and was
gained by a rope ladder, which had once served as the
rattlings of a ship's mainmast. She went lightly up
this ladder, and drew it up after her, and then, kneeling
down, folded her hands and murmured some simple
words of prayer, such as childhood lisps at a mother's
knee. She then threw herself upon a mattress that lay
close within the shelf that sustained the narrow platform
which served her for a lodging-room, and in three
minutes she was fast asleep.

The dog had descended the sides of the shaft a few
moments after her, and now entered the cave. He
trotted along towards the loft, and laid down directly
underneath it, after first satisfying himself that she was
upon it. As he laid down he disturbed some one who
was crouched there, and an oath, uttered in strong

African gutterals, showed that the individual was a
negro.

`Get out ob dis, Jover, you' bed furder dat away!'

The dog replied only by a growl, and stretching
himself still more broadly upon the skin which served
him as a couch.

`O, well, keeps you' place, you willain. I see by
de red sunset froo de chink dat it time for me get up
and cook some supper for me and Dory; and pra'ps
massa come too. Hab you seen him sail, Jover?
You say notin', so you hab 'nt. Is you hab Dory up
dar, safe, you put yourself down here for watch? You
growl, dat am yes. What for she go sleep widout her
supper? Lately, she dont eat notin'; I spec' she
sorry massa no come back sooner.' Here the African
chuckled with a sort of malicious glee, and then twisting
himself over and over, rolled his body out from
beneath the loft into the middle of the cave. He then
placed himself upright with a spring, not upon his feet,
for he had neither feet nor legs; but looked precisely
like one of those Chinese pear-shaped figures of human
beings, heavier at one end than the other, made to
vibrate like a pendulum. This African was just such
a looking monster, only he had arms, which served
him by their great length instead of legs. In height
he was not more than two feet and a half, and quite
as broad as he was high. His head was enormously
large, and the features possessed the most hideous
flexibility of muscle, so that his countenance was
capable of every possible diabolical expression; yet
his face was not destitute of a certain look of humor
and easy good-nature, which is a peculiar characteristic

of the negro race; nevertheless, it was clear, that, aroused
to anger, his passions would be quite as savage as the
brute ferocity of Jover, between whom and himself
there appeared to exist a sort of growling good understanding.
The negro wore upon his huge head a
turban formed of a gay bandana handkerchief, very
much the worse for the wearing, and his trunk was
covered with a sack or frock of red woollen flannel.

After righting himself and looking at the oil in the
lantern, by which he ascertained the time that elapsed
while he slept, he placed a hand on the ground on
either side of his body, and raising himself a little,
threw himself forward full a yard; and then repeating
the manœuvre, he in this manner crossed the cavern
to a box, from which he took a short pipe, which he
filled with tobacco and lighted by the lantern. He
then went to another chest that stood near a ship's
stove, and taking out a piece of junk-beef weighing
several pounds, he went to the stove, tossed it into a
large kettle filled with water, kindled a fire beneath it,
and placing himself before it, watched the process of
boiling, while he deliberately smoked his pipe. The
cavern was soon filled with smoke, both from the stove
and the pipe, but gradually found its way out through
the chinks in the sides and by passing out and up
through the shaft.