Though Mr. Carew was now privileged, by the dignity of his office, from
going on any cruise, and was provided with everything necessary by the
joint contribution of the community, yet he did not give himself up to
indolence. Our hero, though a king, was as active in his stratagems as
ever, and ready to encounter any difficulty which seemed to promise
success.
Mr. Carew being in the town of South Molton, in Devonshire, and having
been ill-used by an officer there called the bellman, resolved on the
following stratagem by way of revenge. It was at that time reported that
a gentleman of the town, lately buried, walked nightly in the
churchyard; and as the bellman was obliged by his nightly duty to go
through it just at the very hour of one, Mr. Carew repaired thither a
little before the time, and stripping in his shirt, lay down upon the
gentleman's grave. Soon after, hearing the bellman approach, he raised
himself up with a solemn slowness, which the bellman beholding, by the
glimmerings of the moon through a dark cloud, was terribly frightened,
so took to his heels and ran away. In his fright he looked behind him,
and seeing the ghost following him, dropped his bell and ran the faster;
which Carew seized on as a trophy, and forbore any further pursuit. The
bellman did not stop till he reached home, where he obstinately affirmed
he had seen the gentleman's ghost, who had taken away the bell, which
greatly alarmed the whole town.
Coming to the seat of Squire Rhodes, in Devonshire, and knowing he had
lately married a Dorsetshire lady, he thought proper to become a
Dorsetshire man of Lyme, the place of the lady's nativity; and meeting
the squire and his bride, he gave them to understand that he was lost in
a vessel belonging to Lyme, Captain Courtney, commander. The squire and
his lady gave him half-a-crown each, for country sake, and entertained
him at their house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account