"Our pedigree is now complete. I am certain my father used to speak of a
rumour which insisted that his grandmother's name was Amelia; and now we
have discovered she lived in this parish, at Black Anchor Farm, which no
doubt had passed to her husband--who is down on the pedigree as having
been probably lost at sea--from the lineal descendant of the great
Founder himself. The name of the farm proves that. You see, George, the
reference is to a black anchor, a new freshly tarred anchor, not to an
old rusty red one. I must have the stone cleaned. And we will show our
respect by planting roses here."
"If it hadn't been for me, this grave would never have been discovered,"
said George, ready to produce a statement of his bankruptcy.
"That's true, my lad. It's the best day's work you have ever done in
your life."
"Skilled labour, too," reminded George, still advertising.
"I won't forget," his uncle promised.
Black Anchor Farm was situated about two miles from the centre of the
village. It was not a place to covet, consisting of a mean little
thatched house; stable and barn of cob walls propped up by pieces of
timber; and half a dozen fields which brought forth furze and bracken in
great abundance. People named Slack occupied the place; the man was a
lame dwarf who tried to work sometimes, but honestly preferred poaching;
the woman went about in rags and begged; while the children were little
savages, kept from school by their father, and trained to steal by their
mother.
The Captain refused to be discouraged when he visited the home of his
ancestors and discovered a hovel; but wrote to the owner for
information, interviewed the vicar, turned up the registers, and
consulted the Yellow Leaf.
The letter was answered by a solicitor, who expressed his sorrow at
never having heard of the family of Drake. The vicar mentioned that the
name Anchor occurred frequently in the neighbourhood, and was
undoubtedly a corruption of Anchoret, which signified a person who
sought righteousness by retiring from a world of sin. He considered it
probable that the site had been occupied formerly by the cell of a
hermit who had distinguished himself by wearing a black cloak.
Although the Captain gave days and nights to the registers, he could
find no entry concerning his family, of whom most, he was convinced, had
been lost at sea, apart from the funeral of Amelia Drake. The Yellow
Leaf, after remaining some days in a state of meditation, distinctly
recalled a tradition concerning a lady (the Captain thanked him for the
lady) who had lived alone at Black Anchor Farm for a number of years,
receiving no visitors, and leaving the place only to obtain fresh
supplies of liquid consolation. The end of her history was so unpleasant
he did not care to dwell upon it, but apparently this lady was
discovered at last ready for her funeral, and according to report it was
a pity she had not been discovered earlier.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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