The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2)Paltock, Robert
Science
The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume 2 (of 2)
Paltock, Robert
Adventure stories; Fantasy fiction
The miners, who from their several stations had beheld the action, came
singing and dancing from every quarter round me, and if I had not drawn
my men close in a circle about me, would probably, out of affection,
have done me more hurt than two of the governor's armies; for against
these common gratitude denied the use of force; and they crowding every
one but to touch me, they said, for fear of being pressed to death
myself, as some of them almost were, I ordered them to be let in through
my men at one side of the ring, and, passing by and touching me, to be
let out on the other side; and this quieted them, but kept me in penance
a long time.
We then marched in a body all into the town, where we were going to
proclaim Georigetti King of Mount Alkoe, when a surly fellow, much wiser
than the rest, as he thought, being about to harangue the people against
being too hasty in it, was knocked down and trod to death for his pains;
and we went on with the proclamation, giving general liberty to all
persons without exception.
The next thing to be considered was how to oppose the governor when he
came; and for that purpose I inquired into the manner of his coming, the
road he came, and his attendants; and being informed that a hundred of
his guards who had not the graundee waited for him at the sea-side, and
that he had got no other guard, except a few friends and the slaves
he went for, and that the slaves always came first, six in a rank tied
together, under convoy of a few of his guards, I went in person to view
the route he came, and seeing a very convenient post in a thick wood
through which they were to pass, from whence we might see them before
they came near us, I posted a watch on the sea side of the wood, and
myself and men lay on the hither side of it, just where the governor's
party must come out of it again: so that my watch giving notice of their
approach, we might be ready to fall on at their coming out of our side
of the wood.
When we had waited three days, our watch brought word they were coming;
so we kept as close as possible, letting the slaves and guards march on,
who came by about two hours' march before the governor: but so soon as
he approached I drew up my men on the plain within the wood in ranks,
ordering them to lie close on their bellies till they saw me rise, and
then to rise, follow me, and obey orders.
Several of the first ranks having passed the wood, just as the governor
had entered the open country, I rose and bade Maleck call aloud that if
any of them stirred or lifted up a weapon he was a dead man; and
then seeing one of the foremost running, I fetched him down with a
musket-shot, bidding Maleck tell the rest that if they submitted and
laid down their weapons they were safe; but if they refused, I would
serve them all as I had done him who fled. This speech, with the terror
of the gun, fixed every man to his place like a statue.
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