Chapter	O
I	O
Out	O
to	O
Sea	O
I	O
had	O
this	O
story	O
from	O
one	O
who	O
had	O
no	O
business	O
to	O
tell	O
it	O
to	O
me	O
,	O
or	O
to	O
any	O
other	O
.	O

I	O
may	O
credit	O
the	O
seductive	O
influence	O
of	O
an	O
old	O
vintage	O
upon	O
the	O
narrator	O
for	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
it	O
,	O
and	O
my	O
own	O
skeptical	O
incredulity	O
during	O
the	O
days	O
that	O
followed	O
for	O
the	O
balance	O
of	O
the	O
strange	O
tale	O
.	O

When	O
my	O
convivial	O
host	O
discovered	EVENT
that	O
he	O
had	O
told	EVENT
me	O
so	O
much	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
I	O
was	O
prone	O
to	O
doubtfulness	O
,	O
his	O
foolish	O
pride	O
assumed	O
the	O
task	EVENT
the	O
old	O
vintage	O
had	O
commenced	EVENT
,	O
and	O
so	O
he	O
unearthed	EVENT
written	O
evidence	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
musty	O
manuscript	O
,	O
and	O
dry	O
official	O
records	O
of	O
the	O
British	O
Colonial	O
Office	O
to	O
support	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
salient	O
features	O
of	O
his	O
remarkable	O
narrative	O
.	O

I	O
do	O
not	O
say	O
the	O
story	O
is	O
true	O
,	O
for	O
I	O
did	O
not	O
witness	O
the	O
happenings	O
which	O
it	O
portrays	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
in	O
the	O
telling	O
of	O
it	O
to	O
you	O
I	O
have	O
taken	O
fictitious	O
names	O
for	O
the	O
principal	O
characters	O
quite	O
sufficiently	O
evidences	O
the	O
sincerity	O
of	O
my	O
own	O
belief	O
that	O
it	O
MAY	O
be	O
true	O
.	O

The	O
yellow	O
,	O
mildewed	O
pages	O
of	O
the	O
diary	O
of	O
a	O
man	O
long	O
dead	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
records	O
of	O
the	O
Colonial	O
Office	O
dovetail	O
perfectly	O
with	O
the	O
narrative	O
of	O
my	O
convivial	O
host	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
I	O
give	EVENT
you	O
the	O
story	O
as	O
I	O
painstakingly	O
pieced	O
it	O
out	O
from	O
these	O
several	O
various	O
agencies	O
.	O

If	O
you	O
do	O
not	O
find	O
it	O
credible	O
you	O
will	O
at	O
least	O
be	O
as	O
one	O
with	O
me	O
in	O
acknowledging	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
unique	O
,	O
remarkable	O
,	O
and	O
interesting	O
.	O

From	O
the	O
records	O
of	O
the	O
Colonial	O
Office	O
and	O
from	O
the	O
dead	O
man	O
's	O
diary	O
we	O
learn	O
that	O
a	O
certain	O
young	O
English	O
nobleman	O
,	O
whom	O
we	O
shall	O
call	O
John	O
Clayton	O
,	O
Lord	O
Greystoke	O
,	O
was	O
commissioned	EVENT
to	O
make	O
a	O
peculiarly	O
delicate	O
investigation	O
of	O
conditions	O
in	O
a	O
British	O
West	O
Coast	O
African	O
Colony	O
from	O
whose	O
simple	O
native	O
inhabitants	O
another	O
European	O
power	O
was	O
known	O
to	O
be	O
recruiting	O
soldiers	O
for	O
its	O
native	O
army	O
,	O
which	O
it	O
used	O
solely	O
for	O
the	O
forcible	O
collection	O
of	O
rubber	O
and	O
ivory	O
from	O
the	O
savage	O
tribes	O
along	O
the	O
Congo	O
and	O
the	O
Aruwimi	O
.	O

The	O
natives	O
of	O
the	O
British	O
Colony	O
complained	O
that	O
many	O
of	O
their	O
young	O
men	O
were	O
enticed	O
away	O
through	O
the	O
medium	O
of	O
fair	O
and	O
glowing	O
promises	O
,	O
but	O
that	O
few	O
if	O
any	O
ever	O
returned	O
to	O
their	O
families	O
.	O

The	O
Englishmen	O
in	O
Africa	O
went	O
even	O
further	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
these	O
poor	O
blacks	O
were	O
held	O
in	O
virtual	O
slavery	O
,	O
since	O
after	O
their	O
terms	O
of	O
enlistment	O
expired	O
their	O
ignorance	O
was	O
imposed	O
upon	O
by	O
their	O
white	O
officers	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
were	O
told	O
that	O
they	O
had	O
yet	O
several	O
years	O
to	O
serve	O
.	O

And	O
so	O
the	O
Colonial	O
Office	O
appointed	EVENT
John	O
Clayton	O
to	O
a	O
new	O
post	O
in	O
British	O
West	O
Africa	O
,	O
but	O
his	O
confidential	O
instructions	O
centered	O
on	O
a	O
thorough	O
investigation	O
of	O
the	O
unfair	O
treatment	O
of	O
black	O
British	O
subjects	O
by	O
the	O
officers	O
of	O
a	O
friendly	O
European	O
power	O
.	O

Why	O
he	O
was	O
sent	EVENT
,	O
is	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
of	O
little	O
moment	O
to	O
this	O
story	O
,	O
for	O
he	O
never	O
made	O
an	O
investigation	O
,	O
nor	O
,	O
in	O
fact	O
,	O
did	O
he	O
ever	O
reach	O
his	O
destination	O
.	O

Clayton	O
was	O
the	O
type	O
of	O
Englishman	O
that	O
one	O
likes	O
best	O
to	O
associate	O
with	O
the	O
noblest	O
monuments	O
of	O
historic	O
achievement	O
upon	O
a	O
thousand	O
victorious	O
battlefields	O
--	O
a	O
strong	O
,	O
virile	O
man	O
--	O
mentally	O
,	O
morally	O
,	O
and	O
physically	O
.	O

In	O
stature	O
he	O
was	O
above	O
the	O
average	O
height	O
;	O
his	O
eyes	O
were	O
gray	O
,	O
his	O
features	O
regular	O
and	O
strong	O
;	O
his	O
carriage	O
that	O
of	O
perfect	O
,	O
robust	O
health	O
influenced	O
by	O
his	O
years	O
of	O
army	O
training	O
.	O

Political	O
ambition	O
had	O
caused	O
him	O
to	O
seek	O
transference	O
from	O
the	O
army	O
to	O
the	O
Colonial	O
Office	O
and	O
so	O
we	O
find	O
him	O
,	O
still	O
young	O
,	O
entrusted	O
with	O
a	O
delicate	O
and	O
important	O
commission	O
in	O
the	O
service	O
of	O
the	O
Queen	O
.	O

When	O
he	O
received	EVENT
this	O
appointment	EVENT
he	O
was	O
both	O
elated	EVENT
and	O
appalled	EVENT
.	O

The	O
preferment	O
seemed	O
to	O
him	O
in	O
the	O
nature	O
of	O
a	O
well-merited	O
reward	O
for	O
painstaking	O
and	O
intelligent	O
service	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
a	O
stepping	O
stone	O
to	O
posts	O
of	O
greater	O
importance	O
and	O
responsibility	O
;	O
but	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
other	O
hand	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
been	O
married	O
to	O
the	O
Hon.	O
Alice	O
Rutherford	O
for	O
scarce	O
a	O
three	O
months	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
thought	O
of	O
taking	O
this	O
fair	O
young	O
girl	O
into	O
the	O
dangers	O
and	O
isolation	O
of	O
tropical	O
Africa	O
that	O
appalled	O
him	O
.	O

For	O
her	O
sake	O
he	O
would	O
have	O
refused	O
the	O
appointment	O
,	O
but	O
she	O
would	O
not	O
have	O
it	O
so	O
.	O

Instead	O
she	O
insisted	EVENT
that	O
he	O
accept	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
indeed	O
,	O
take	O
her	O
with	O
him	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
mothers	O
and	O
brothers	O
and	O
sisters	O
,	O
and	O
aunts	O
and	O
cousins	O
to	O
express	O
various	O
opinions	O
on	O
the	O
subject	O
,	O
but	O
as	O
to	O
what	O
they	O
severally	O
advised	O
history	O
is	O
silent	O
.	O

We	O
know	O
only	O
that	O
on	O
a	O
bright	O
May	O
morning	O
in	O
1888	O
,	O
John	O
,	O
Lord	O
Greystoke	O
,	O
and	O
Lady	O
Alice	O
sailed	EVENT
from	O
Dover	O
on	O
their	O
way	O
to	O
Africa	O
.	O

A	O
month	O
later	O
they	O
arrived	EVENT
at	O
Freetown	O
where	O
they	O
chartered	EVENT
a	O
small	O
sailing	O
vessel	O
,	O
the	O
Fuwalda	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
to	O
bear	O
them	O
to	O
their	O
final	O
destination	O
.	O

And	O
here	O
John	O
,	O
Lord	O
Greystoke	O
,	O
and	O
Lady	O
Alice	O
,	O
his	O
wife	O
,	O
vanished	EVENT
from	O
the	O
eyes	O
and	O
from	O
the	O
knowledge	O
of	O
men	O
.	O

Two	O
months	O
after	O
they	O
weighed	EVENT
anchor	O
and	O
cleared	EVENT
from	O
the	O
port	O
of	O
Freetown	O
a	O
half	O
dozen	O
British	O
war	O
vessels	O
were	O
scouring	EVENT
the	O
south	O
Atlantic	O
for	O
trace	O
of	O
them	O
or	O
their	O
little	O
vessel	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
almost	O
immediately	O
that	O
the	O
wreckage	O
was	O
found	O
upon	O
the	O
shores	O
of	O
St.	O
Helena	O
which	O
convinced	O
the	O
world	O
that	O
the	O
Fuwalda	O
had	O
gone	O
down	O
with	O
all	O
on	O
board	O
,	O
and	O
hence	O
the	O
search	O
was	O
stopped	EVENT
ere	O
it	O
had	O
scarce	O
begun	O
;	O
though	O
hope	O
lingered	O
in	O
longing	O
hearts	O
for	O
many	O
years	O
.	O

The	O
Fuwalda	O
,	O
a	O
barkentine	O
of	O
about	O
one	O
hundred	O
tons	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
vessel	O
of	O
the	O
type	O
often	O
seen	O
in	O
coastwise	O
trade	O
in	O
the	O
far	O
southern	O
Atlantic	O
,	O
their	O
crews	O
composed	O
of	O
the	O
offscourings	O
of	O
the	O
sea	O
--	O
unhanged	O
murderers	O
and	O
cutthroats	O
of	O
every	O
race	O
and	O
every	O
nation	O
.	O

The	O
Fuwalda	O
was	O
no	O
exception	O
to	O
the	O
rule	O
.	O

Her	O
officers	O
were	O
swarthy	O
bullies	O
,	O
hating	O
and	O
hated	O
by	O
their	O
crew	O
.	O

The	O
captain	O
,	O
while	O
a	O
competent	O
seaman	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
brute	O
in	O
his	O
treatment	O
of	O
his	O
men	O
.	O

He	O
knew	O
,	O
or	O
at	O
least	O
he	O
used	O
,	O
but	O
two	O
arguments	O
in	O
his	O
dealings	O
with	O
them	O
--	O
a	O
belaying	O
pin	O
and	O
a	O
revolver	O
--	O
nor	O
is	O
it	O
likely	O
that	O
the	O
motley	O
aggregation	O
he	O
signed	O
would	O
have	O
understood	O
aught	O
else	O
.	O

So	O
it	O
was	O
that	O
from	O
the	O
second	O
day	O
out	O
from	O
Freetown	O
John	O
Clayton	O
and	O
his	O
young	O
wife	O
witnessed	EVENT
scenes	O
upon	O
the	O
deck	O
of	O
the	O
Fuwalda	O
such	O
as	O
they	O
had	O
believed	O
were	O
never	O
enacted	O
outside	O
the	O
covers	O
of	O
printed	O
stories	O
of	O
the	O
sea	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
on	O
the	O
morning	O
of	O
the	O
second	O
day	O
that	O
the	O
first	O
link	O
was	O
forged	EVENT
in	O
what	O
was	O
destined	O
to	O
form	O
a	O
chain	O
of	O
circumstances	O
ending	O
in	O
a	O
life	O
for	O
one	O
then	O
unborn	O
such	O
as	O
has	O
never	O
been	O
paralleled	O
in	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
man	O
.	O

Two	O
sailors	O
were	O
washing	EVENT
down	O
the	O
decks	O
of	O
the	O
Fuwalda	O
,	O
the	O
first	O
mate	O
was	O
on	O
duty	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
captain	O
had	O
stopped	EVENT
to	O
speak	O
with	O
John	O
Clayton	O
and	O
Lady	O
Alice	O
.	O

The	O
men	O
were	O
working	EVENT
backwards	O
toward	O
the	O
little	O
party	O
who	O
were	O
facing	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
sailors	O
.	O

Closer	O
and	O
closer	O
they	O
came	EVENT
,	O
until	O
one	O
of	O
them	O
was	O
directly	O
behind	O
the	O
captain	O
.	O

In	O
another	O
moment	O
he	O
would	O
have	O
passed	O
by	O
and	O
this	O
strange	O
narrative	O
would	O
never	O
have	O
been	O
recorded	O
.	O

But	O
just	O
that	O
instant	O
the	O
officer	O
turned	EVENT
to	O
leave	O
Lord	O
and	O
Lady	O
Greystoke	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
did	EVENT
so	O
,	O
tripped	EVENT
against	O
the	O
sailor	O
and	O
sprawled	EVENT
headlong	O
upon	O
the	O
deck	O
,	O
overturning	EVENT
the	O
water-pail	O
so	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
drenched	EVENT
in	O
its	O
dirty	O
contents	O
.	O

For	O
an	O
instant	O
the	O
scene	O
was	O
ludicrous	O
;	O
but	O
only	O
for	O
an	O
instant	O
.	O

With	O
a	O
volley	O
of	O
awful	O
oaths	EVENT
,	O
his	O
face	O
suffused	O
with	O
the	O
scarlet	O
of	O
mortification	O
and	O
rage	O
,	O
the	O
captain	O
regained	EVENT
his	O
feet	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
a	O
terrific	O
blow	EVENT
felled	EVENT
the	O
sailor	O
to	O
the	O
deck	O
.	O

The	O
man	O
was	O
small	O
and	O
rather	O
old	O
,	O
so	O
that	O
the	O
brutality	O
of	O
the	O
act	EVENT
was	O
thus	O
accentuated	O
.	O

The	O
other	O
seaman	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
was	O
neither	O
old	O
nor	O
small	O
--	O
a	O
huge	O
bear	O
of	O
a	O
man	O
,	O
with	O
fierce	O
black	O
mustachios	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
great	O
bull	O
neck	O
set	O
between	O
massive	O
shoulders	O
.	O

As	O
he	O
saw	EVENT
his	O
mate	O
go	EVENT
down	O
he	O
crouched	EVENT
,	O
and	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
low	O
snarl	EVENT
,	O
sprang	EVENT
upon	O
the	O
captain	O
crushing	EVENT
him	O
to	O
his	O
knees	O
with	O
a	O
single	O
mighty	O
blow	EVENT
.	O

From	O
scarlet	O
the	O
officer	O
's	O
face	O
went	O
white	EVENT
,	O
for	O
this	O
was	O
mutiny	EVENT
;	O
and	O
mutiny	O
he	O
had	O
met	O
and	O
subdued	O
before	O
in	O
his	O
brutal	O
career	O
.	O

Without	O
waiting	O
to	O
rise	O
he	O
whipped	EVENT
a	O
revolver	O
from	O
his	O
pocket	O
,	O
firing	EVENT
point	O
blank	O
at	O
the	O
great	O
mountain	O
of	O
muscle	O
towering	O
before	O
him	O
;	O
but	O
,	O
quick	O
as	O
he	O
was	O
,	O
John	O
Clayton	O
was	O
almost	O
as	O
quick	O
,	O
so	O
that	O
the	O
bullet	O
which	O
was	O
intended	O
for	O
the	O
sailor	O
's	O
heart	O
lodged	EVENT
in	O
the	O
sailor	O
's	O
leg	O
instead	O
,	O
for	O
Lord	O
Greystoke	O
had	O
struck	EVENT
down	O
the	O
captain	O
's	O
arm	O
as	O
he	O
had	O
seen	EVENT
the	O
weapon	O
flash	EVENT
in	O
the	O
sun	O
.	O

Words	EVENT
passed	O
between	O
Clayton	O
and	O
the	O
captain	O
,	O
the	O
former	O
making	EVENT
it	O
plain	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
disgusted	O
with	O
the	O
brutality	O
displayed	O
toward	O
the	O
crew	O
,	O
nor	O
would	O
he	O
countenance	O
anything	O
further	O
of	O
the	O
kind	O
while	O
he	O
and	O
Lady	O
Greystoke	O
remained	O
passengers	O
.	O

The	O
captain	O
was	O
on	O
the	O
point	O
of	O
making	O
an	O
angry	O
reply	O
,	O
but	O
,	O
thinking	EVENT
better	O
of	O
it	O
,	O
turned	EVENT
on	O
his	O
heel	O
and	O
black	O
and	O
scowling	O
,	O
strode	EVENT
aft	O
.	O

He	O
did	O
not	O
care	O
to	O
antagonize	O
an	O
English	O
official	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
Queen	O
's	O
mighty	O
arm	O
wielded	O
a	O
punitive	O
instrument	O
which	O
he	O
could	O
appreciate	O
,	O
and	O
which	O
he	O
feared	O
--	O
England	O
's	O
far-reaching	O
navy	O
.	O

The	O
two	O
sailors	O
picked	EVENT
themselves	O
up	O
,	O
the	O
older	O
man	O
assisting	EVENT
his	O
wounded	O
comrade	O
to	O
rise	O
.	O

The	O
big	O
fellow	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
known	O
among	O
his	O
mates	O
as	O
Black	O
Michael	O
,	O
tried	EVENT
his	O
leg	O
gingerly	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
finding	EVENT
that	O
it	O
bore	O
his	O
weight	O
,	O
turned	EVENT
to	O
Clayton	O
with	O
a	O
word	EVENT
of	O
gruff	O
thanks	O
.	O

Though	O
the	O
fellow	O
's	O
tone	O
was	O
surly	O
,	O
his	O
words	EVENT
were	O
evidently	O
well	O
meant	O
.	O

Ere	O
he	O
had	O
scarce	O
finished	O
his	O
little	O
speech	EVENT
he	O
had	O
turned	EVENT
and	O
was	O
limping	EVENT
off	O
toward	O
the	O
forecastle	O
with	O
the	O
very	O
apparent	O
intention	O
of	O
forestalling	O
any	O
further	O
conversation	O
.	O

They	O
did	O
not	O
see	O
him	O
again	O
for	O
several	O
days	O
,	O
nor	O
did	O
the	O
captain	O
accord	O
them	O
more	O
than	O
the	O
surliest	O
of	O
grunts	O
when	O
he	O
was	O
forced	O
to	O
speak	O
to	O
them	O
.	O

They	O
took	O
their	O
meals	O
in	O
his	O
cabin	O
,	O
as	O
they	O
had	O
before	O
the	O
unfortunate	O
occurrence	O
;	O
but	O
the	O
captain	O
was	O
careful	O
to	O
see	O
that	O
his	O
duties	O
never	O
permitted	O
him	O
to	O
eat	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
.	O

The	O
other	O
officers	O
were	O
coarse	O
,	O
illiterate	O
fellows	O
,	O
but	O
little	O
above	O
the	O
villainous	O
crew	O
they	O
bullied	O
,	O
and	O
were	O
only	O
too	O
glad	O
to	O
avoid	O
social	O
intercourse	O
with	O
the	O
polished	O
English	O
noble	O
and	O
his	O
lady	O
,	O
so	O
that	O
the	O
Claytons	O
were	O
left	O
very	O
much	O
to	O
themselves	O
.	O

This	O
in	O
itself	O
accorded	O
perfectly	O
with	O
their	O
desires	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
also	O
rather	O
isolated	O
them	O
from	O
the	O
life	O
of	O
the	O
little	O
ship	O
so	O
that	O
they	O
were	O
unable	O
to	O
keep	O
in	O
touch	O
with	O
the	O
daily	O
happenings	O
which	O
were	O
to	O
culminate	O
so	O
soon	O
in	O
bloody	O
tragedy	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
in	O
the	O
whole	O
atmosphere	O
of	O
the	O
craft	O
that	O
undefinable	O
something	O
which	O
presages	O
disaster	O
.	O

Outwardly	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
knowledge	O
of	O
the	O
Claytons	O
,	O
all	O
went	O
on	O
as	O
before	O
upon	O
the	O
little	O
vessel	O
;	O
but	O
that	O
there	O
was	O
an	O
undertow	O
leading	O
them	O
toward	O
some	O
unknown	O
danger	O
both	O
felt	O
,	O
though	O
they	O
did	O
not	O
speak	O
of	O
it	O
to	O
each	O
other	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
second	O
day	O
after	O
the	O
wounding	EVENT
of	O
Black	O
Michael	O
,	O
Clayton	O
came	EVENT
on	O
deck	O
just	O
in	O
time	O
to	O
see	EVENT
the	O
limp	O
body	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
crew	O
being	O
carried	EVENT
below	O
by	O
four	O
of	O
his	O
fellows	O
while	O
the	O
first	O
mate	O
,	O
a	O
heavy	O
belaying	O
pin	O
in	O
his	O
hand	O
,	O
stood	O
glowering	EVENT
at	O
the	O
little	O
party	O
of	O
sullen	O
sailors	O
.	O