The Mask of the Red Death - Graham's Magazine, May 1842 — reading text

possible. Let us party at once, so that it might proceed, under the follow their example.” guidance of one of the prisoners, to the position be- We sheltered ourselves just forward of the wheel- hind the enemy, and reach there, as near as possible, house, so that as the vessel came around on the star- at the first dawn of day. It was arranged that the board tack, no living individual was left standing on attack by water should commence an hour or two the deck, except the helmsman. The next moment, before day. By this means each party could reach leaving the shelter of the high bank, we swept into its point of attack almost simultaneously. The onset ‘the lagoon, and saw the dark hull of the opposing however was to be first made from the water side, vessel moored directly across our way. and the ambuscade in the rear of the foe was not to Our suspense however was soon brought to a close. show itself until the fight had made some progress We had scarcely come abreast of the enemy’s broad- on our side. side when, asif by magic, her port-holes were thrown The men destined for the land service were ac- open, and as the blaze of the battle lanterns streamed cordingly mustered and set ashore, under the guidance across the night, her guns were run out and instant- of one of the prisoners. We watched their reced- aneously her fire was poured out from stem to stern ing forms through the twilight until they were lost to in one continuous sheet of flame. Our mainmast view, when we sought our hammocks for a few hours went at once by the board; our hull was fearfully repose preparatory to what might be our last conflict. cut up; and the shrieks of the wounded of our crew The night was yet young, however, when we en- rose up in terrible discord as the roar of the broad- tered the mouth of the strait, and with a favorable side died away. But we still had headway. Spring- breeze sailed along up towards the lagoon. The ing to his feet the captain shouted to cut away the shallowness of the water in the channel had com- hamper that dragged the mainmast by our side. pelled us to leave our two larger craft behind and His orders were, instantly obeyed. The schooner our forces were consequently crowded into the re- was once more headed for the hulk, and with a loud maining vessels. Neither of these carried a broad- cheer our men sprang to their guns, while our con- side of weight sufficient to cope with that of the hull sort behind opened her fire at the same moment. moored across the mouth of the lagoon. Our light armament however was almost wholly in- As we advanced up the strait a death-like stillness efficient. But happily we had not relied on it. reigned on its shadowy shores; and we had nearly ‘‘Lay her aboard!” shouted the captain, ‘‘ board- reached the mouth of the lagoon before any sign ers away!” betokened that the pirates were aware of our ap- At the word, amid the fire of a renewed broadside proach. We could just catch sight of the tall rakish we dashed up to the foe, and running her afoul just masts of a schooner over the low tree tops on the abaft of the mizzen-chains, poured our exasperated right, when a gun was heard in the direction of the men like a torrent upon her decks. I was one of lagoon, whether accidently fired or not we could not the first to mount her bulwarks. Attacked: thus at tell. We listened attentively for a repetition of the their very guns the pirates rallied desperately to the sound; but it came not. Could it have been a care- defence, and a furious combat ensued. I remember less discharge from our own friends in the rear of striking eagerly for a moment or two in the very the foe, or was it a warning fired by one of the thickest of the fight, and then feeling a sharp pain in pirates’ sentinels. Five or ten minutes elapsed, my side, as a pistol went off beside me. I have a however, and all was silent. Meantime our vessels, faint recollection of sinking to the deck, but after with a wind free over the taffrail, were stealing that all is a void. ee. ae) ee 25  RECOLLECTIONS OF WEST POINT. BY MISS LESLIE. (Continued from page 209.) PART II. calling to our man to know why he had thrown open the large gate ?—‘“‘ To let in the cart, sir, to take the THE two winters that I spent at West Point, ladies to the ball” —was Richard’s reply. And, true though long and cold, were by no means tedious. Se- enough, we found at the door a real bond fide open cluded as we were from the rest of the world, while cart, having its flooring covered with straw. In it the river was locked up in ice, still we contrived were some rather inelegant chairs, upon which my amusements for ourselves, and had much enjoyment sister and I seated ourselves, like a couple of mar- in our own way. The society of the place, though ket-women. My brother having assisted us in, not large, was excellent. And in the evening (the best seemed to think it unofficer-like conduct to ride in a time for social intercourse) almost every member of cart, and therefore, preferred walking—which, how- our little circle was either out visiting, or at home ever, was no great fatigue, the distance being only entertaining visiters. There were reading-parties that a few furlongs from the house in which we then assembled every Thursday night at the respective lived to the mess hall. The driver perched himself houses—the ladies bringing their work, and the gen- on the edge of the front board—and after a few steps tlemen their books. The gentlemen had also weekly of the horse, each accompanied by one jolt and two chess-parties, of ten or twelve chess-players and five creaks, we were safely transported to the ball. or six chess-boards. They met at an early hour, and Fortunately, before the next soirée de danse the no ladies being present, they seriously set to work ground was covered with a deep snow; and the at this absorbing game—the solemnities being inter- sleighing was excellent during the remainder of the rupted only by a petit sowper at ten o’clock,—after winter. As sleighs were singularly plenty on West which they resumed their chess, and frequently took Point, and as a sleigh has the faculty of holding no note of time till near midmtight. ladies ad Ivbitum, the company was conveyed very On the second winter of my abode at West Point, expeditiously to the subsequent balls. This mode of we had a series of regular subscription-balls, held in transportation was found so convenient, that at the large up-stairs room of the mess hall—the ex- the close of the season, (which was not till late in pense being defrayed by the officers and professors. March,) though the snow had all disappeared and the On the first of these evenings the ground was hard ground was clear, the sleighs were still kept in requi- frozen, but as yet no snow had fallen. The mana- sition; and we went to the last ball sleighing upon gers had notified that the ladies were all to ride to nothing. the ball. We were at a loss to conjecture where I well remember being at a New Year’s ball given they would find conveyances for us—and we were by the cadets. This also took place in the large not Cinderellas with convenient fairy-godmothers to upper room of the mess hall. The decorations transform pumpkins into coaches. An omnibus (which were the best the place and the season could would have been a glorious acquisition—but at that furnish) were planned and executed entirely by those time there was nothing on West Point in the shape young gentlemen. For several previous days they 1 of a wheeled carriage, with the exception of the had devoted their leisure time to cutting and bringing doctor’s gig. This vehicle was pressed into the ser- in an immense quantity of evergreens, with which vice—and having great duty to perform, it com- they festooned the walls, and converted every one of menced its trips at a very early hour, actually call- the numerous windows into a sort of bower, by ] ing for the first lady at five o’clock in the afternoon— arching it from the top to the floor with an impervious l and from that time it was continually coming and mass of thickly-woven foliage. The pillars that sup- a going like a short stage. At last, by way of expedit- ported the ceiling were each encircled by muskets ing the business, they thought proper to adopt, as an with very bright bayonets. The orchestra for the auxiliary to the gig, another conveyance not of the music was constructed of the national flag that be- most dignified character. But then nobody saw us but longed to the post. This flag, which, when flying out ourselves—and newspaper correspondents had not from the top of its lofty staff, looks at that height yet begun to come up to West Point to forage among scarcely more than a yard or two in length, is, in us in quest of food for their columns. reality, so large, that when taken down two men are My sister-in-law and myself had not quite finished required to carry it away in its voluminous folds. On dressing, when we heard my brother down stairs | this occasion the drapery of the stars and stripes was  RECOLLECTIONS OF WEST POINT. 291 ingeniously disposed, so as to form something like a charms for strangers, particularly if these strangers stage-box with a canopy over it. The two elegant are young ladies, and it is a pleasure to the residents standards that had been presented to the corps of ca- of the place to see them enjoy the novelty of the dets by the hands of ladies, were fancifully and grace- scene. The fair visiters are always delighted with fully suspended between the central pillars,and waved the decorations of the room, with the chivalric gal- over the heads of the dancers. Aflixed to the walls lantry of the officers and cadets, and still more with were numerous lights in sconces, decorated with the circumstance of all their partners being in uni- wreaths of the mountain-laurel whose leaves are form. To those who are not “to the manner born,” green all winter. These sconces were merely of tin, there is something very dazzling in the shine of a made very bright for the occasion ; but they were the military costume. same that had been used at the ball given, while our At the New Year’s ball to which I have alluded, army lay at West Point, by the American to the among other invited guests was a party that came French officers, in honor of the birth of the dauphin. over in an open boat from the opposite side of the For this camp-like entertainment, the soldiers erected Hudson, notwithstanding that the weather was in- on the plain, a sort of pavilion or arbor of immense tensely cold, the sky threatening a snow-storm, and length covered in with laurel branches, and illumi-