Jack in the Forecastle; or, Incidents in the Early Life of Hawser MartingaleSleeper, John Sherburne
General
Jack in the Forecastle; or, Incidents in the Early Life of Hawser Martingale
Sleeper, John Sherburne
Seafaring life
One of the most efficient officers among the rebels was named Jack
Shadow. He was a free mulatto, a shrewd, intelligent creole, and
previous to the insurrection, had resided in the town of Guayave, and
exercised the trade of carpenter. With the assistance of his wife,
a mulatto, he also cultivated a garden, and contrived to gain a
comfortable living. When the insurrection, instigated by the French
revolutionists, broke out in the eastern part of the island, Jack
hastened to join the insurgents, and was cordially received by Fedon,
who intrusted him with an important mission, which he executed with such
adroitness as to gain the confidence of the chief, who appointed him
to a high command in the army. Jack was one of Fedon's most efficient
officers, and signalized himself by his bitter hatred to the whites, and
the zeal with which he abetted his chief in the horrid scenes of cruelty
that were enacted.
When the insurrection was quelled, Jack Shadow, although wounded, made
his escape, with some others of the most obnoxious rebels, to the woods
and mountains in the interior of the island. They endeavored to conceal
themselves from the pursuit of the whites, but in the course of one or
two years were all, with the exception of Jack, ferreted out and shot
when apprehended, or taken to jail, tried, and hanged.
Jack, however, remained in the mountains. A large reward was offered for
him, dead or alive; and parties of armed men often scoured the woods,
hoping to find his lair and shoot or capture the rebel chief. But though
it was known he was hid in a certain part of the island, he eluded all
endeavors to arrest him for ten or twelve years, and might perhaps have
died of old age, had he not been betrayed by his wife.
It was subsequently ascertained that Jack had erected a hut by the side
of a ledge of rocks, which was almost inaccessible to a stranger; and
this hut, being surrounded with bushes and undergrowth, and covered with
vines, could not be recognized as a habitation by any one unacquainted
with the fact. His wife, Marie, remained in her humble cottage in
Guayave, and, it appeared still cherished affection for her husband. He
was visited in the wilderness by Marie at certain times, and supplied
with necessaries and whatever she thought might conduce to his comfort
in that wretched abode. At his urgent request, she also furnished him,
occasionally, with a JUG OF RUM, with which to cheer his spirits and
solace his solitude. He gradually acquired an insatiable fondness for
spirituous drinks, and insisted on being supplied, even to the exclusion
of articles vastly more suitable to his condition.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account