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- 7659
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T07:57:55.413Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 7598
- text
- shortly follows, no shade of palliation can be given. He acted out of
mere delight in tyranny and cruelty, by virtue of a quality in him
inherited from Sycorax his mother. Armed now with that shocking
blunderbuss, strong in the thought of being master of that horrid isle,
he panted for a chance to prove his potency upon the first specimen of
humanity which should fall unbefriended into his hands.
Nor was he long without it. One day he spied a boat upon the beach,
with one man, a negro, standing by it. Some distance off was a ship,
and Oberlus immediately knew how matters stood. The vessel had put in
for wood, and the boat’s crew had gone into the thickets for it. From a
convenient spot he kept watch of the boat, till presently a straggling
company appeared loaded with billets. Throwing these on the beach, they
again went into the thickets, while the negro proceeded to load the
boat.
Oberlus now makes all haste and accosts the negro, who, aghast at
seeing any living being inhabiting such a solitude, and especially so
horrific a one, immediately falls into a panic, not at all lessened by
the ursine suavity of Oberlus, who begs the favor of assisting him in
his labors. The negro stands with several billets on his shoulder, in
act of shouldering others; and Oberlus, with a short cord concealed in
his bosom, kindly proceeds to lift those other billets to their place.
In so doing, he persists in keeping behind the negro, who, rightly
suspicious of this, in vain dodges about to gain the front of Oberlus;
but Oberlus dodges also; till at last, weary of this bootless attempt
at treachery, or fearful of being surprised by the remainder of the
party, Oberlus runs off a little space to a bush, and fetching his
blunderbuss, savagely commands the negro to desist work and follow him.
He refuses. Whereupon, presenting his piece, Oberlus snaps at him.
Luckily the blunderbuss misses fire; but by this time, frightened out
of his wits, the negro, upon a second intrepid summons, drops his
billets, surrenders at discretion, and follows on. By a narrow defile
familiar to him, Oberlus speedily removes out of sight of the water.
On their way up the mountains, he exultingly informs the negro, that
henceforth he is to work for him, and be his slave, and that his
treatment would entirely depend on his future conduct. But Oberlus,
deceived by the first impulsive cowardice of the black, in an evil
moment slackens his vigilance. Passing through a narrow way, and
perceiving his leader quite off his guard, the negro, a powerful
fellow, suddenly grasps him in his arms, throws him down, wrests his
musketoon from him, ties his hands with the monster’s own cord,
shoulders him, and returns with him down to the boat. When the rest of
the party arrive, Oberlus is carried on board the ship. This proved an
Englishman, and a smuggler; a sort of craft not apt to be
over-charitable. Oberlus is severely whipped, then handcuffed, taken
ashore, and compelled to make known his habitation and produce his
property. His potatoes, pumpkins, and tortoises, with a pile of dollars
he had hoarded from his mercantile operations were secured on the spot.
But while the too vindictive smugglers were busy destroying his hut and
garden, Oberlus makes his escape into the mountains, and conceals
himself there in impenetrable recesses, only known to himself, till the
ship sails, when he ventures back, and by means of an old file which he
sticks into a tree, contrives to free himself from his handcuffs.
Brooding among the ruins of his hut, and the desolate clinkers and
extinct volcanoes of this outcast isle, the insulted misanthrope now
meditates a signal revenge upon humanity, but conceals his purposes.
Vessels still touch the Landing at times; and by-and-by Oberlus is
enabled to supply them with some vegetables.
- title
- Chunk 3