Donalblane of Darien Read online

  Produced by Al Haines

  Cover art]

  [Frontispiece: "HE PLACED THE CHILD UPON THE CHEST, AND HELD HIM THERETHAT HE MIGHT NOT FALL OFF." p. 38.]

  DONALBLANE OF DARIEN

  BY

  J. MACDONALD OXLEY,

  _Author of_

  "_Norman's Nugget_," "_In the Swing of the Sea_," _etc., etc._

  _ILLUSTRATED BY W. RAINEY, R.I._

  TORONTO:

  THE MUSSON BOOK COMPANY, LIMITED.

  1902

  CONTENTS.

  CHAP.

  I. BY WAY OF BEGINNING II. DONALBLANE CARRIES HIS POINT III. OFF TO DARIEN IV. A RESCUE AND A RETREAT V. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC VI. A BRUSH WITH BUCCANEERS VII. THE FOUNDING OF THE CITY OF DARIEN VIII. A SUCCESSFUL EMBASSY IX. IN PERILOUS PLIGHT X. THE CHASE OF THE MANATEE XI. THE MIDNIGHT ATTACK XII. NEW YORK AND HOME

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  "HE PLACED THE CHILD UPON THE CHEST, AND HELD HIM THERE THAT HE MIGHT NOT FALL OFF." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_

  "'YE'VE A GREAT LIKING FOR THE SEA, THEY TELL ME, LAD,' BEGAN MR.BLANE."

  "THE RAVENING SWINE WERE GAINING UPON HIM."

  "GLARING DOWN UPON HIM ... THE MOST APPALLING EYES HE HAD EVER BEHELD."

  "PRESENTLY RAYMON ROSE IN THE BOW, HARPOON IN HAND."

  "CHANCED TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION WHICH MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY HADDESIGNS UPON MR. PATERSON'S LIFE."

  DONALBLANE OF DARIEN.

  CHAPTER I.

  BY WAY OF BEGINNING.

  It was not just an ordinary sort of name, but one of those which madeyou think "thereby hangs a tale." In this case the thought goes to themark, and the tale in question will be told after a fashion in thefollowing pages.

  At the outset a quick glance back to times long past is necessary inorder to a fair start, and without a fair start it were hardly worthgoing ahead.

  As the seventeenth century drew to its close there came into prominencein England a remarkable Scotsman named William Paterson, among whosenotable achievements was having a large share in the founding of theBank of England, which subsequently grew to be the greatest monetaryinstitution in the world.

  He was a member of the board of directors at the opening of the bank,but appears to have sold out not long after, and with his money in handto have looked about him for some way of investing it that would be forthe public good.

  Now, these were the days of vexatious monopolies and irritatingrestrictions in commerce. The trade of Britain with the distant partsof the globe was divided between two great grasping corporations--theEast India Company and the African Company--which, although they wereat deadly enmity with each other, heartily co-operated in crushingevery free-trader who dared to intrude within the elastic limits oftheir "spheres of action."

  William Paterson was an ardent free-trader, and he became inspired withthe noble mission of freeing commerce from the hurtful restraints laidupon it by short-sighted selfishness. With a keenness of instinct thatmakes it easy to understand his previous success, he surveyed the thenknown world and put his finger upon the spot best suited for thecarrying out of his beneficent design.

  The Isthmus of Panama, or Darien, is, beyond a doubt, one of the mostinteresting, as it is certain yet to be one of the most important bitsof terra firma on this round globe. The connecting-link between thecontinents of North and South America, it is also the barrier dividingthe Atlantic from the Pacific Oceans, and, in fact, one side of theworld from the other.

  From the time of its discovery and occupation by the Spaniards, it hasbeen a matter of general belief that whoever had command of this narrowneck of land held the key to the commerce of the world. Here wouldnaturally be concentrated the mutual trade of the Atlantic and Pacificcoasts of America. Moreover, it would necessarily form an importantstage in the shortest route between Europe and the Indies, as well asthe innumerable islands lying far to the south of the equator.

  Little wonder, then, that the Spaniards wanted to keep the isthmus tothemselves, and always did their very best to make it particularlyunpleasant for anybody who sought to share its advantages with them;and in fine contrast to their dog-in-the-manger policy--for they reallymade little use of their splendid opportunities--was the spirit inwhich William Paterson conceived his great Darien project, and withcharacteristic energy proceeded to carry it into effect. It was in theyear 1695 that he obtained from the Scottish Parliament an Act for theincorporation of "the Company of Scotland trading to Africa and theIndies," which thenceforth became popularly known as "the DarienCompany."

  This company was granted very extensive powers, and had the imposingcapital of L600,000, one-half of which, it was shrewdly stipulated,must ever be held by _Scotsmen residing in their own country_, thusensuring the permanence of the national character of the undertaking.

  As it turned out, however, this provision might have been omitted, forwhen, after the Scotch half of the stock had all been subscribed, thebooks were opened in London for the other half, there came such a rushof applicants for shares that it was soon all taken up. This soaroused the hostility of the two great English companies alreadymentioned that they actually called upon the House of Commons to assistthem in crushing their Scottish rival, and the House of Commonsunfortunately was weak enough to yield to the pressure brought to bearupon it.

  The London subscribers to the new company were threatened withprosecution for concerting to infringe upon the rights enjoyed by theother companies, which so alarmed them that with one consent theybacked out and forfeited their holdings.

  With ordinary people this would have meant the collapse of the wholeenterprise. Not so, however, with the sturdy Scots who were behind it.The provoking action of their English cousins only served to arouse thenational spirit. Their expected allies had failed them. Well, what ifthey had? Scotland was not to be daunted. She would go on alone, andreap for herself all the glory and the more substantial rewards of thegreat undertaking. Accordingly another hundred thousand pounds ofstock was subscribed by this thrifty, determined people, and so, with acapital only two-thirds as big as had been counted upon, the DarienCompany proceeded to carry out the chief purpose of its formation.

  But all these disappointments and difficulties had, of course, meantdelay, and consequently it was not until the year 1698 that the firstexpedition was made ready to start.

  Among those most warmly interested in William Paterson's project wasAlexander Blane, of Leith, a worthy and enterprising shipowner, who hadwon a snug fortune in the service of that fickle mistress, the sea.After working his way up from cabin-boy to captain, he had settled downon shore, while others commanded his craft for him, and being a shrewd,far-sighted, close-fisted man of business, had prospered from year toyear, in spite of occasional inevitable losses.

  He had held aloof from the Darien scheme at the start, as was indeedcharacteristic of him, but when the London folk acted so shabbily hisScottish blood was set a-boiling.

  "Hech!" he exclaimed, in high indignation, "the Southrons would havethe world to themselves, eh? They're just dogs in the manger, and weScots shall teach them the lesson they need. I hadna thought of takingony shares in Mr. Paterson's company, but if it's only to spite theEnglish I'll put me doon for five hundred pounds." And he was not onlyas good as his word, but he interested himself actively in securingother subscriptions to a considerable amount.

  Not having been blessed with bairns of his own, Mr. Blane had adopted anephew from the Inverness Highlands, whose own name had been foregonein favour of his second father's.

  Donald Blane, or Donalblane, as he soon came to be called for short,was a pretty uncouth specimen of a boy when, at the age of ten, he wastaken into the Blane household. The term "
halflin" would describe himsufficiently to Scots folk, but for others some further particulars maybe required.

  The son of a shepherd, whose tiny shieling with only a "but and ben"seemed to shelter an impossible number of children, he had practicallyrun wild upon the mountains.

  Bare-headed and bare-footed the greater part of the year, he had grownup as sound, strong, and sturdy as one of the shaggy ponies which heloved to bestride in a wild gallop over moor and heather, and althoughhis most partial friends could hardly pronounce him handsome, he bore afrank, fearless, wide-awake countenance that did not fail to make agood impression upon those who took the trouble to look into it. Histhick, tousled hair showed a slight tinge of red in the sun; his eyeswere deep-set and of a fine, clear grey; his mouth a trifle large, butfirm; his chin square, and full of character.

  But the most attractive feature of the boy, if so it may be called, washis smile. When Donalblane was pleased or amused his face lit upwonderfully, and his parting lips revealed a double row of snow-whiteteeth that were a gift of beauty in themselves.

  Five years of city life wrought many changes in his outward appearancewithout in any wise impairing the fineness of his nature. He learnedto endure the at first irksome restraints of such troublesome things astrousers, collars, hats, and shoes, and--still harder lesson--to becomeaccustomed to the daily drudgery of school, so that both in body andmind he showed very decided improvement.

  But his love of outdoor life lost none of its strength, and there beingno moors near by to range over, he took to the water instead, spendingas much of his free time as possible with the sailormen, who had suchmarvellous yarns to spin, climbing up and down the rigging of brigs andbarques and ships, and now and then getting a short trip about theFirth of Forth when his uncle permitted. Thus he became filled with apassion for the sea that was at its height when the proposed Darienenterprise set Scotland afire, and down in his heart Donalblanedetermined that he would do his very best to join the brave band ofadventurers into the wonderful New World.