Dead Mans Rock | Page 2

smugglers, but now left to
the peaceful boats of the Polkimbra fishermen. In my grandfather's time
however, if tales be true, Ready-Money Cove saw many a midnight
cargo run, and many a prize of cognac and lace found its way to the
cellars and store-room of Lantrig. Nay, there is a story (but for its truth
I will not vouch) of a struggle between my grandfather's lugger, the
Pride of Heart, and a certain Revenue cutter, and of an unowned shot
that found a Preventive Officer's heart. But the whole tale remains to
this day full of mystery, nor would I mention it save that it may be held
to throw some light on my grandfather's sudden disappearance no long
time after. Whither he went, none clearly knew. Folks said, to fight the
French; but when he returned suddenly some twenty years later, he said
little about sea-fights, or indeed on any other subject; nor did many
care to question him, for he came back a stern, taciturn man, apparently
with no great wealth, but also without seeming to want for much, and at
any rate indisposed to take the world into his confidence. His father had
died meanwhile, so he quietly assumed the mastership at Lantrig,
nursed his failing mother tenderly until her death, and then married one
of the Triggs of Mullyon, of whom was born my father, Ezekiel
Trenoweth.

I have hinted, what I fear is but the truth, that my grandfather had led a
hot and riotous youth, fearing neither God, man, nor devil. Before his
return, however, he had "got religion" from some quarter, and was
confirmed in it by the preaching of one Jonathan Wilkins, as I have
heard, a Methodist from "up the country," and a powerful mover of
souls. As might have been expected in such a man as my grandfather,
this religion was of a joyless and gloomy order, full of anticipations of
hell-fire and conviction of the sinfulness of ordinary folk. But it
undoubtedly was sincere, for his wife Philippa believed in it, and the
master and mistress of Lantrig were alike the glory and strong support
of the meeting-house at Polkimbra until her death. After this event, her
husband shut himself up with the tortures of his own stern conscience,
and was seen by few. In this dismal self-communing he died on the
27th of October, 1837, leaving behind him one mourner, his son
Ezekiel, then a strong and comely youth of twenty-two.
This brings me to my grandfather's Will, discovered amongst his papers
after his death; and surely no stranger or more perplexing document
was ever penned, especially as in this case any will was unnecessary,
seeing that only one son was left to claim the inheritance. Men guessed
that those dark years of seclusion and self-repression had been spent in
wrestling with memories of a sinful and perhaps a criminal past, and
predicted that Amos Trenoweth could not die without confession. They
were partly right, from knowledge of human nature; and partly wrong,
from ignorance of my grandfather's character.
The Will was dated "June 15th, 1837," and ran as follows:--
"I, Amos Trenoweth, of Lantrig, in the Parish of Polkimbra and County
of Cornwall, feeling, in this year of Grace Eighteen hundred and
thirty-seven, that my Bodily Powers are failing and the Hour drawing
near when I shall be called to account for my Many and Grievous Sins,
do hereby make Provision for my Death and also for my son Ezekiel,
together with such Descendants as may hereafter be born to him. To
this my son Ezekiel I give and bequeath the Farm and House of Lantrig,
with all my Worldly Goods, and add my earnest hope that this may
suffice to support both him and his Descendants in Godliness and

Contentment, knowing how greatly these excell the Wealth of this
World and the Lusts of the Flesh. But, knowing also the mutability of
earthly things, I do hereby command and enjoin that, if at any time He
or his Descendants be in stress and tribulation of poverty, the Head of
our Family of Trenoweth shall strictly and faithfully obey these my
Latest Directions. He shall take ship and go unto Bombay in India, to
the house of Elihu Sanderson, Esquire, or his Heirs, and there,
presenting in person this my last Will and Testament, together with the
Holy Bible now lying in the third drawer of my Writing Desk, shall
duly and scrupulously execute such instructions as the said Elihu
Sanderson or his Heirs shall lay upon him.
"Also I command and enjoin, under pain of my Dying Curse, that the
Iron Key now hanging from the Middle Beam in the Front Parlour be
not touched or moved, until he who undertakes this Task shall have
returned and