The Plowshare and the Sword: A Tale of Old QuebecTrevena, John
History
The Plowshare and the Sword: A Tale of Old Quebec
Trevena, John
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France) -- Fiction
A week passed without event, until the evening of the eighth day
arrived and found the sailors packed within their log-hut at the back
of the ice-bound bay awaiting the call to supper. The three
adventurers were also present as the skipper's guests. The cabin was
warm and well lighted, equipped by the men's handiness with nautical
furniture from their ship. From the region beyond a curtain, which
divided the interior, came the smell of cookery and the joyful roaring
of a fire. A feeling of security was upon the company, because
snow-clouds were rolling up outside and the gulf was filled with fog.
As night drew on these grey clouds appeared to melt into feathers
innumerable, and the pines became snow-steeples, and the rocks huge
beds of down. The brigantine was locked within a sheet of ice, and
that mysterious silence which had so terrified Cabot the pioneer held
all the land in thrall. But the Englishmen cared for none of these
things. They knew that the colony of Acadie was being buried in the
snow; the unknown coast had no terrors; nor did they fear the black
winter sea which southwards groaned and tossed. So they gave each
other good cheer, and listened to Upcliff, who beguiled them with
reminiscences of his seafaring life until his throat was dry. Then he
paused to refresh himself with a rolled tobacco-leaf, and his sailors
broke the silence which ensued by singing melodiously a soft musical
chanty, which recalled to the mind of each his free and happy life upon
the main and the rollicking days ashore. This song also stirred into
activity a memory which lay latent in the skipper's mind.
"I saw the man who made that verse," he said, leaning over the circle,
and putting out his hand for silence. "Will tell you where I saw him.
'Twas on London street beside Globe Theatre, coming by Blackfriars, and
he stood with another honest gentleman watching us wild fellows roll
past. We were singing like boys on the road from school and making the
fat watchmen run. London town was a brave place for us young sailors
up from the West Country, and we were bent on having our pleasure,
though we had to pay for it before my Lord Mayor."
"What was the name of master?" asked one of the men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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