Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven: The Seduction of the Shipwrecked Bandit

Here came the men—fourteen, with Conga and Cargante—all murderous. From the lighthouse platform Cargante had seen the three-masted ship approaching from the east just as the sun had just set the day before.He called Conga up, thinking that the ship, being to leeward, must be planning to sail into the Strait of La Mer, to take shelter from the wind along the west coast of the island.While it was still dark, he observed its movement, and when night fell, he paid attention to the lights on the ship. He soon discovered that the ship had lost part of its ability to steer, and he hoped that it would collide with the invisible coast ahead.If Conga had lit the lighthouse, nothing would have happened.But he was determined not to do so; and when the light of the ship disappeared, he concluded that the ship had been rammed and sunk between Capes Sanjoen and Cape Several, with the crew perished.

The next day the storm was still blowing so hard that it was almost impossible to think of taking the Mole out to sea.There was nothing to do but to delay the matter, which might last several days; it was a serious matter, for the relief from the lighthouse was soon to come, and it was a threat to them at any moment.Conga and his bandits were very troubled and disappointed, but they had to wait.Anyway, it's only February 19th.Dare to say that before the end of the month, the storm will pass.As soon as the storm died down, the Cargante weighed anchor and sailed out to sea. At the same time, since a ship had just crashed and sunk on the shore, this was a good opportunity to make some money from the wreck, to find some valuables in the drifting cargo, and to add a fortune to the ship.

Immediately they got the boat ready, and the twelve bandits, with their chief, went aboard.Now the wind was driving the tide back into the bay, and they had to paddle hard against it.It took me an hour and a half to row in this way to reach the end of the cliff; but when I turned around I sailed quickly, because I could spread the sails and ride the wind. The boat landed on the north side of the bay, facing the cave.All the people jumped ashore and hurried to the crash site. At this moment, the conversation between John Davies and Fasquez was interrupted by the shouts of the pirates. Fasquez immediately crawled to the entrance of the cave, taking care not to be seen by outsiders.

In a moment John Davies crawled up beside him. "You?" Fasquez said, "I'm alone with you. You need to rest." "No," said John Davies, "I'm all right now. I want to see the robbers." The first mate of the Century is a brave and resolute person, as resolute as Fasquez, and he is really an American fiery guy. He is also an excellent sailor: he was a first officer in the U.S. Navy before he was transferred to this merchant ship; after the Century returned to Mobile, Henry Stewart was about to retire, and the bosses had already It was decided to appoint him as captain.

There was another reason for his resentment at this moment.The ship of which he was soon to be captain was now a disreputable empty shell, at the disposal of a gang of pirates. If Fasquez needed someone to cheer him up, he couldn't have been more suitable. But for all their bravery and determination, what could they do against Conga and his bandits? Fasquez and John Davies hid behind rocks and peered cautiously along the shore as far as Cape Sanjoen. Conga, Cargante, and the rest stopped at the turning point of the coast, where the hurricane blew half of the Century's hull, and there was a lot of broken things at the foot of the cliff.

The pirates were within two hundred yards of the hole, and their faces were recognizable everywhere.They all wore oilskin raincoats, fastened tightly with straps to keep out the wind, and rain hats with wide brims were buttoned tightly under their chins.It can be seen that these people are struggling to support their bodies in the strong wind, and sometimes they have to use their bodies against a broken ship or rock to avoid being blown down by the wind. There were some people in there whom Fasquez had known since the first time he came up to the cave, and he pointed out to John Davies. "That big man standing near the Century's mizzenmast," he said, "is what they call Conga."

"Their leader?" "correct." "Who was that one talking to him?" "That's Cargante, his second-in-command. I can see him from the top of the lighthouse. He's the one who killed my mate." "Then you must be dying to smash his head off for your mate?" John Davies reminded him. "Smash his head, and the heads of his chiefs, as if they were mad dogs!" replied Fasquez. It took the pirates more than half an hour to inspect this part of the hull.They searched every nook and cranny.Most of the Century's cargo was nickel, which was of no use to them, so it was dumped on the beach.But some of the cheap cargo on board might be of use to them.In fact, Fasquez and Davis saw two or three boxes, and two or three other large packages that they had carried away.Kanga ordered them to be sent to the boat.

"These bastards are not going to find gold, or silver, or valuable jewelry, or gold coins," said John Davies. "Of course they'd better find these," Fasquez replied. "They've got a bit in their caves, too, and they must have packed a lot in those wrecked ships off this coast. So their two-masted cargo must be worth a lot by now, Davis." "I know they are anxious to escape to a safe place," Davis replied, "but they may not have the opportunity!" "They don't go unless the bad weather continues for another two weeks," Fasquez muttered.

"Otherwise we'll have to find another way..." John Davies didn't finish his sentence.Indeed, as soon as the storm was over, and the weather cleared up, and the sea calm, what was to be done to prevent the two-masted ship from going out? The pirate had now left this half of the hull, and ran for the other half, at the end of the corner where the ship hit the rocks. Fasquez and John Davies could still see them, but at a distance. The tide was receding, and though the wind was still bringing it back, most of the reef was out of the water, so the men easily climbed into the boat.

Conga and two or three others climbed in.John Davies told Fasquez that the ship's stores were just under the stern hold. The contents of the storage bin are likely to be swept away by the sea, but some of the contents may still be preserved in it. Sure enough, a few people took out a box of dry food and a few buckets, and they rolled them along the beach to the boat.Those people also took out several large packages of clothes from the stern cabin and sent them to the boat. They searched for nearly two hours, when Cargante and two of his men came, with axes, and hacked down the stern rail.The railings were no more than two or three feet from the ground, as the boat was turned over.

"What are they doing now?" Fasquez asked. "Isn't the ship bad enough? Why do these guys want to wreck it?" "It seems to me," replied John Davies, "that they do not want anyone to find out what the nationality or name of the ship is. That way it will not be known that the Century was wrecked in this part of the Atlantic." gone." John Davis was right.A few minutes later, Conga emerged from the aft cabin, carrying the American flag he had recovered from the captain's cabin.He tore the flag to pieces. "Damn!" cried John Davis. "That flag! That's the flag of my country!" He was almost on the beach, but Fasquez grabbed his arm just in time. When the raid was done and the boat was loaded, Conga and Cargante returned to the foot of the cliff.Two or three times, as they walked up and down, they passed the cleft outside Fasquez's cave.Both Fasquez and John Davies could hear them clearly. "I still won't be able to leave tomorrow." "Yes. I'm afraid this bad weather will last for a few more days." "Anyway, we won't suffer from a two-day delay." "Of course it's not a loss, but I expected to get something more valuable on such a big American ship. The ship we lured to run aground last time finally got us five thousand dollars." "Shipwrecks happen every year, but no two ships are alike," Cargante replied philosophically. "We've got to run into paupers sometimes, that's all." John Davies drew his pistol angrily, and if Fasquez hadn't stopped him again; he would have smashed the robber's brains out in a fit of rage. "Yes, you're right," admitted John Davies, "but I can't help myself when I think these bastards are going to get away safely. And if the two-masted ship does leave Starn Island, we'll Where can I meet them again, and where can I find them?" "It doesn't look like the storm will pass," said Fasquez. "Even if the wind turns, it will be a few days before the sea calms down. You mark my words, they haven't left Elgow Bay yet." Woolen cloth." "Nevertheless, Fasquez, didn't you tell me that the message ship won't arrive until the beginning of next month?" "Maybe sooner, Davis, who knows?" "I hope so, Fasquez, I hope so!" It was now quite clear that the storm showed no signs of abating.Moreover, in such high latitudes, even in summer, the weather changes are sometimes delayed for as long as half a month.If the southerly wind turns, it will bring thick fog from the Southern Ocean, and it will soon bring winter.The whalers must have thought of getting out of the Antarctic waters, because when those floes washed down in March, there would be lots of ice again. It was possible, however, that there might be a brief lull in the storm in four or five days; then the two-masted ship could take advantage of the lull to go to sea. It was not until four o'clock that Conga and his men returned to the boat.They hoisted their sails, and in a few minutes they were out of sight along the north shore of the bay. In the evening the wind blew even more violently.A chilly downpour fell from clouds closing in from the southeast. Fasquez and John Davies couldn't get out of the cave.The weather was so cold that the two had to light a fire to keep warm.They lit a small fire at the end of the narrow passage; as the coast was deserted, and the night was very dark, there was nothing to worry about. It was a terrible night.The sea beat against the foot of the cliff, as if a tide was coming up towards the east coast of the island.The dreadful sea rushing into the bay left Conga incapable of doing anything but to keep the Cargante where she had been anchored. "I wish that ship would be scraped to pieces," continued John Davies, "and that the next tide would take its fragments out to sea!" As for the remaining hull of the Century, apart from some fragments of spar jammed among the stones, there would be nothing left the next day. Has the storm reached its peak?This is what Fasquez and his companions hurried out at dawn to see. Far from it, the wind became even more violent.The rain from the sky and the water from the ocean melt into one.It was like that all day and the next night.During these forty-eight hours, not a single ship was in sight outside the island, and it is easy to imagine that all ships made every effort to avoid approaching this coast near the Strait of Magellan, where the storm was concentrated.From a hurricane like this, they would never find any shelter in the Strait of Magellan or the Strait of Ramell.The only safe place to go is far away, to the endless ocean. As Fasquez and John Davies expected, the hull of the Century was completely destroyed, and the entire coast was covered with countless debris all the way to the foot of the cliff. Fortunately, Fasquez and his companions did not have to worry about food.With the little food from the Century, it can always last for more than a month.At the same time, maybe in eleven or twelve days, the San Fe will sail to the island.By then, the bad weather would have passed long ago, and the letter-ship would have sailed boldly toward Cape Sanjoen. What he waited anxiously and hoped to see through was this letter ship, and the two of them talked about it the most. "What we hope most is that the storm will drag on for a long time, making it impossible for the two-masted ship to leave, and when the storm passes, the San Fe can just come in," Fasquez said, thinking so. "Ah!" replied John Davies, "if we could keep the storm and the waves under control, it could be done." "Unfortunately, only God can control it." "These villains have committed so many crimes, and he will not let them go unpunished," said John Davies, saying exactly what Fasquez had said before. Two people have the same mind, because they hate the same object, and they also desire revenge. On the 21st and 22nd, the weather conditions did not change significantly.The wind direction may have shifted slightly to the northeast.But after an hour of vacillation, it returned to its original state, and it was still blowing towards the island with all its strength and violence. Conga and his men did not return.These people were evidently busy protecting the two-masted boats in the creek, for the tide in the river was almost over the bank due to the hurricane. On the morning of the 23rd, the weather improved slightly.After fluctuating for a while, the wind direction finally turned to a north-northeast direction.The clouds in the southern sky began to show cracks, at first few and far apart, and then gradually increased.The rain stopped; although the wind was still as strong, the sky was getting clearer a little bit.The sea is still rough, and the waves are beating against the coast. Therefore, the mouth of the bay is still blocked, and it is safe to say that the two-masted ship will not be able to leave today or tomorrow. Would Conga and Caganza take advantage of this respite to come to Cape Sanchouan and see what was going on at sea?Yes, and very likely, so the two of them are always on guard. But in such an early morning, those people would not come.So John Davies and Fasquez ventured out of the little hole where they had been two days and nights. "Will the wind stop over there?" Fasquez asked. "I'm afraid so," replied John Davies, who, in a lifetime of seafaring, was seldom mistaken. "We were counting on another storm for ten days—ten days! But we can't count on that." He stood with folded arms looking at the sky and the sea. But Fasquez had moved away a few paces, and Davis followed him along the foot of the cliff. Suddenly he stepped on something, half buried in the sand near a rock, and made a metallic sound when he stepped on it.He stopped and saw that it was the gunpowder box on the ship, which was usually used to hold the long guns and the two four-pound iron cannons on the Century that signaled. "That's no use to us," said he; "oh, if it could be put in the hold of the two-masted ship, and lighted when the pirates are all on board!" "What's the use of thinking about it?" Fasquez answered him, shaking his head. "But it's all right; when we get back, I'll get the box and hide it in our cave." The two continued along the beach towards Cape Land, but managed to hope to reach the end of Cape Land, as the tide was rising at this time, and the waves at the end of Cape Land were crashing very hard.At this moment, Fasquez caught a glimpse of a small iron cannon in the crevice of the stone. It was turned over when the Century hit the rocks, and it even had wheels on the cannon mount. "This is yours," he said to John Davies, "and some of the shells washed up by the surf are yours too." John Davies replied as before: "It's no use to us." "Who knows?" Fasquez retorted. "Since there are shells and gunpowder, it may be useful sometime in the future." "I don't believe it," replied his companion. "Why not, Davies? The lighthouse is off now: if a ship in the Century's condition comes by at night, can't we use this gun to signal?" John Davies gazed at Fasquez curiously.He seemed to have something else on his mind.All he answered was this: "That was your idea, Fasquez?" "Yes, Davies, and I think it's a very good idea. Of course, the gunfire must have been heard over the harbour, which means there are people on this part of the island. The pirates will come to search for us. They may take us Find it, then we will be finished! But think about it, although we sacrificed, we can save many people, and we have done our duty by doing so!" "Perhaps there is another way of doing our duty," whispered John Davies, without explaining what he meant. He made no further objection, however; and they followed Fasquez's suggestion, first dragging the cannon into the hole, then the mount on wheels, and lastly the shells and powder-box.It took them a lot of effort to do this, and it took a long time.By the time Fasquez and Davis returned to the cave for a bite to eat, the sun was high in the sky and it looked like it must be ten o'clock. They had just entered the cave, and then from the corner of the cliff came Conga, Cargante, and Fargas the carpenter.At this time, the tide was high, and the boat could not sail against the wind and water, so the three of them had to walk along the bank.The purpose of coming this time is not to plunder things. As Fasquez had predicted, the weather turned better this morning, so they came out to see the sky and the sea.They saw that it would be very dangerous to take the Cargante out of the harbor at this time, and that it would be impossible to get over the huge waves breaking outside the mouth of the bay.Their purpose was to get into the La Mer Strait, so that they could ride the wind westward, but to do so they had to go around Cape Sanchouan, and there was a good chance of hitting the shore, or at least with a lot of wind and waves. Both Conga and Cargante share this view.They stayed at the wrecked site of the Century, almost unable to stand firmly in the strong wind; at this time, there was nothing on the ground except for some fragments of the Century's stern.They talked enthusiastically, gesticulating, and pointing to the sky. Sometimes a wave covered with white flowers hit the corner, and they would take two steps back. The three watched the mouth of the bay for about half an hour, during which time Fasquez and his companions kept their eyes on them.Finally, the three of them left at last, and turned around several times to look around; at last they disappeared at the turning point at the foot of the cliff and went back to the lighthouse. "They're gone," Fasquez said. "I hope they'll be back in the next few days to look out over the island at any cost." But John Davies shook his head.He knew full well that the storm would cease within forty-eight hours.Then the sea would die down, and if not calm, at least there would be enough room for the two-masted ship to round Sanjoen. Fasquez and John Davies spent part of that day on the coast.The change of weather is becoming more and more obvious.The wind had been fixed north-northeast, and a ship would not hesitate to raise jib and foresail into the La Mer Strait. In the evening Fasquez and John Davies returned to the cave.We ate some cake and corned beef, and drank a little brandy and water to quench our hunger and thirst.Faskatis was about to get under his bed when his companion stopped him. "Before you go to bed, Fasquez, listen to me about one of my schemes." "Go ahead, Davis." "Fasquis, you are my savior. I will never do anything you don't agree with. I have an idea to tell you. You should think about it first, and then tell me what you think. Don't be afraid. I'm angry." "Tell me about it, Davis." "The weather has cleared, the storm is over, and the sea will soon be calm. I see the two-masted ship within forty-eight hours at the latest." "It's a terrible thing, it's quite possible," replied Fasquez with a gesture that seemed to say: "What can we do!" John Davies went on: "Yes, in two days' time, the two-masted ship will appear at the mouth of the bay, exit the opening, round the Cape, disappear in the west, and sail towards the Strait of La Mer, never to be seen again, your partner's enemy, Fasquito, The feud with my captain and the crew of the Century will never be avenged." Fasquez, whose head was bowed, looked up at John Davies; Davies's face was lit by the dying fire. Davis went on: "There's only one way of stopping the two-masted ship from going away, or at least dragging her until the Herald comes; Gunpowder, there are shells. Let us put the iron guns on the cannon carts, put them on the corner of the cliff, load the shells, and when the two-masted ship passes by, we will shoot at the hull! The ship may not sink, but since it has encountered New damage, and the current voyage is so long, the people on board will never dare to go out rashly. Those dogs must have to go back to the original anchorage for repairs. They also have to unload the cargo on the ship. This will take a week; During this period, the San Fe..." John Davies stopped talking; he took his companion's hand and shook it tightly. Fasquez answered without hesitation; he had only one sentence: "Let's do it!"