Blackbeard | Page 3

not doing the amiable to at least one of the twin brothers.'
Before Mary could find words wherewith to reply to her uncle's
bantering speech, a low sweet strain of mournful music, fell suddenly
upon the ears of our astonished voyagers, which as it died slowly away,
like the departing imagery of a vivid dream, was succeeded instantly by
a loud shout of bacchanalian laughter, which echoed wildly for a
moment amongst the rocky cliffs of the island, then all was calm and
silent as before.
The surprise occasioned by these strange and mysterious sounds,
caused the earl and his companions to stand, for some moments after
their conclusion in a state of profound and bewildered silence, almost
breathlessly listening as if to hear them again repeated. But, they
listened in vain, for the strange sounds were no more heard, and the
painful silence which had overpowered our singular group of island
visitors, was soon after broken by the Earl of Derwentwater, who spoke
as follows:
'I really believe, that this place is a sort of mixture, composed of equal
portions of fairy land and satan's paradise, judging by the different
sounds which we have just heard.'
'The music must have proceeded from a flute,' said Arthur Huntington.
'And it must have been played by a master's hand,' interposed Mary
Hamilton.
'I can never believe that those were earthly sounds,' said Ellen
Armstrong, 'and I must say for one, I have no wish to remain here
longer.'
'You, surely, cannot be already tired of roaming about this lovely spot,'
exclaimed Mary Hamilton in a deprecating tone. 'I should have thought,
that after complaining as you have of the tediousness and monotony of
our sea voyage, you would be the last one to express a wish to leave
this beautiful island.'

'I have well appreciated the beauties of this quiet place,' replied Ellen,
'but at the risk of being considered a very weak and simple girl, I must
own, that the mysterious sounds which just now fell upon my ears,
cannot be accounted for through any natural means, and as I have no
particular liking for supernatural adventures, I must persist in my wish
to go on board our good ship again, as soon as possible.'
As the fair Ellen finished her speech, light strains of the same
mysterious music which they had before heard, again floated through
the air above their heads, the same bacchanalian shouts of wild laughter
again fell upon their ears, but, as its last strange echo died away, the
surprise of our island visitors was greatly augmented by the sudden
appearance before them, of a tall and handsomely formed man,
effeminately dressed in loose Turkish trousers of crimson silk, which
were elegantly matched by a loose tunic of the same color and
texture.--This was fastened to his person by a red silken sash, which
also confined in its soft but close embrace, a large pair of pistols and a
small Spanish stiletto of the most costly workmanship. The head of this
strange being was covered with a crimson cap, and his countenance,
might have been truely termed handsome, had not the lower part of it
been enveloped in a mass of long black hair, which gave to its
possessor an air of wild and savage ferocity. (See Engraving.)
'What strange apparition is this,' exclaimed the earl involuntarily, as
this singular personage stood erect before him.
'I am no apparition, sir,' exclaimed the stranger, in a voice so finely
modulated, that it might have been easily taken for a woman's, 'but a
substantial specimen of vigorous life, who kindly bids you welcome to
the pirates' palace.'
'And, who, then are you?' exclaimed the undaunted Earl, altering his
voice to a deep, rough tone. The stranger smiled sardonically upon the
group before him as he answered:
'I am BLACKBEARD, the far-famed Pirate of the Roanoke!'
Upon hearing these dread words, sweet Ellen Armstrong was obliged to

lean tremblingly for support, upon the arm of Arthur Huntington, whilst
the stout hearted Earl again addressed the stranger as follows:
'If you are indeed the person whom you have represented yourself to be,
learn that I have often heard of your murderous exploits before, and I
now call upon you in the name of England's King, to surrender yourself
immediately to me, as my prisoner.'
After giving utterance to a loud derisive laugh, whose echo as it
reverberated amongst the rocky cliffs, sounded like the fitful mirth of
numerous invisible demons, the pirate thus answered the bold summons
of the earl.
'You talk boldly for one whose brains I might instantly scatter to the
four winds of heaven. Know you not that you and your companions are
in my power?'
'I know,' replied the earl, 'that I and my companions by making an