At about five o"clock in the afternoon, the captain"s ten minutes, with which he had secured an occasional fresh pa.s.senger, seemed actually to have expired. Our two friends on board, however, had been so often disappointed that they did not allow a single bright antic.i.p.ation to enliven their hearts, till they actually heard the order given "to cast off the fasts and haul in the planks." And even then their hopes were instantly dampened by the sudden reversion of the order.
This unexpected change had been produced in the mind of the captain by seeing a splendid equipage dashing at a furious pace across the levee, the driver of which had, by his gestures, made it appear that his vehicle contained pa.s.sengers.
The carriage drew up opposite the boat, and Emily Dumont and Jaspar alighted from it. Picking their way through the crowd of dealers in cigars, sh.e.l.ls, and obscene books, who had just been ejected from the boat, they were soon on board. A few moments" delay in getting up the baggage of the new comers, and the welcome "cast off the fasts and haul in the plank" was again heard. The rapid jingling of the engineer"s bell succeeded, and, to the joy of some three hundred souls on board, she backed out into the stream and commenced her voyage. Uncle Nathan breathed freely; the load of anxiety which had oppressed him was removed. But his joy was short-lived, for Henry Carroll informed him that the boat was headed _down_ river!
"What in all natur" can be the meanin" of this?" exclaimed our Northerner, wofully perplexed.
"I cannot tell," replied Henry; "but I am much afraid we shall yet have to stay over Sunday in New Orleans."
"The Lord deliver me!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Uncle Nathan. "I will go into the swamp back of the city, afore I will look upon the iniquities of that Sodom again."
"Rather a hard penance; but let us first see what this movement will amount to."
At this moment Captain Drawler descended from the wheel-house, and was immediately besieged by a dozen angry pa.s.sengers, who had resolved to lynch him, or leave the boat,--which he dreaded more,--if satisfaction was not given.
The stoical captain, with perfect coolness, heard their complaints and their threats. He waited with commendable patience till they had vented their indignation, and then informed them that he only intended to receive a little freight at the lower city, which would not detain him "ten minutes."
The captain"s a.s.sertion, with the exception of the ten minutes, was soon verified by the boat touching at a sort of depot for naval and military stores. The "_freight_" which the Chalmetta was to take consisted of several long boxes, which lay near the landing. These boxes contained coffins, in which were the remains of some sixteen officers, who had paid the debt of nature in the discharge of their duties in Mexico.
Henry Carroll, with a melancholy heart, witnessed the process of conveying these boxes to the deck of the steamer. In them was all that remained of many stout hearts, with whom, side by side, he had marched to glory and victory. There were the forms with whom he had triumphantly mounted the battlements at Vera Cruz, and raised the stars and stripes over the city of Mexico. There, before him, forever silent, were the dead heroes of Chepultepec and Perote. Those with whom he had endured toils and hardships of no common nature,--with whom he had contended against a treacherous foe, and a more treacherous climate,--were there encoffined before him. They died in defence of their country"s honor; and he almost envied them the death which wrote their names, subject to no future stain, upon the roll of fame.
The sight of these boxes, and a knowledge of their contents, also awakened sad reflections in the mind of Uncle Nathan. But his reflections were of a different character from those of the soldier. War he regarded as an unnecessary evil,--one which men had no more right to countenance than they had the deeds of the midnight a.s.sa.s.sin. The honor of a nation were better sacrificed than that the blood of innocent men should flow in its support. He was a thorough disciple of the peace movement. With such views as these, his sympathies naturally reverted to the dwelling of the departed hero; to the home rendered desolate by the untimely death of a father; to the circle which gathered in tears around the fire-side, to deplore the loss of an affectionate brother and son; to the widow and the orphan, whom war"s desolating hand cast into the world to tread alone its dreary path. To Uncle Nathan victory and defeat were alike the messengers of woe. Both were the death-knell of human beings; both carried weeping and wailing to women and children.
After the last box of the pile had been conveyed on board, and preparations were making to cast off, the reflections of hero and moralist were disturbed by several long, loud vociferations, in a strong Hibernian accent. They proceeded from a man, dressed in the tattered remnants of the blue army uniform, who was industriously propelling a wheel-barrow towards the landing, on which was a box of similar description to those just embarked.
"Hould on!" shouted he; "hould on, will yous, and take on this bit of a box?"
"Does it belong with the others?" asked the captain.
"To be sure it does," replied Pat. "What the divil else does it belong to? Arn"t it the body of Captain Farrell, long life to his honor! going home to see his frinds?"
"Take it aboard," said Captain Brawler to the deck hands, after examining the direction.
The men lifted the box rather rudely, in a manner which seemed to hurt poor Pat"s feelings.
"Bad luck to yous! where were you born, to handle the body of a dead man the like o" that?" said he. "Have yous no rispict for the mim"ry of a haro, that yous trate his ramains so ongintlemanly? Hould up your ind, darlint, and walk aisy wid it!"
"Lively there," cried Captain Drawler, "lively, men!"
"Bad luck to your soul for a blackguard, as ye are!" shouted Pat. "Where did you lave your pathriotism?"
The box was by this time on deck, and the captain, to do him justice, made all haste to proceed on his voyage.
The cases containing the remains of the officers were deposited in the after part of the hold, to which access was had by means of a hatch near the stern. Pat"s peculiar charge was placed on top of the others, and he maintained a most vigilant watch over it.
There was now a fair prospect of commencing the voyage, and our two pa.s.sengers were in high spirits. Henry was not a little fearful that the boat would resume her long-occupied position at the levee; the very thought of such a calamity was painful in the extreme. But this fear was not realized; the Chalmetta gave the levee a wide berth. The Rubicon was pa.s.sed; the shades of doubt and anxiety were supplanted by the clear sunshine of a bright prospect.
"We are at last fairly started," said Henry, seating himself by the side of Uncle Nathan, on the boiler deck.
"Thank fortin, we are!" responded the farmer, heartily. "We are fast getting away from that den of sin."
"And you may preserve your morals yet," said Henry, with a pleasant laugh.
"My morals are safe enough, thank the Lord!" answered Uncle Nathan, a little touched at this reflection upon his firmness; "but I don"t like the place, to say nothing of its morals."
"Very likely. But see that Irishman--the fellow who had charge of the box. He looks poorly enough, as far as this world"s goods are concerned, but happy and full of mirth, for all that."
"He looks as though he had seen hard times," added Uncle Nathan, indifferently.
"He does, indeed, like many other of the poor soldiers; but, I warrant me, he has a stout will, and an honest heart. I say, my fine fellow,"
said Henry, addressing Pat, "come up here."
"Troth I will, then, for I see yous wear the colors of Uncle Sam,"
replied the Irishman, making his way to the boiler deck.
"Long life to your honor!" continued Pat, as he reached the deck, and making a low bow, as he doffed his slouched hat,--"but I wish I had the money to trate your honor."
"Which means," replied Henry, "as you have not, I should treat you?"
"That"s jist it, your honor. I persave your honor is college-larnt by the way yous see into my heart."
Henry laughed heartily, and so did Uncle Nathan; though, to tell the truth, our moralist of the North was sorry to see his companion hand the man a "bit" to drink with, for he was a member of the temperance society.
Pat got the "smile," and with a grateful heart returned to his patron.
"Thank your honor, kindly," said Pat.
"Now tell me, Pat, what regiment you served in," said Henry.
"In the first Pennsylvanians,--Captain Farrell"s company."
"Captain Farrell"s! I knew him well,--a fine fellow and a gallant officer! Many were the tears shed when the vomito carried him off," said Henry, with much feeling. "And you were one of his company?"
"Troth, I was, thin. He was every inch a sodger and a gintleman."
"And the box you brought on board contains his remains?"
"Upon me sowl it contains the body of as good a man as iver breathed the breath o" life," replied Pat, very emphatically.
"Very true. You speak well of your captain, and he deserved all he will ever get of praise. Here, Pat, is a dollar for you; and if you want anything, come to me."
"Thank your honor," replied Pat, uncovering, with a bow and a sc.r.a.pe of the foot. "You are as near like poor Captain Farrell as one pay is like another. Long life to your honor,--may you live forever, and then die like a haro!"
"A genuine Irishman!" said Henry, as Pat descended to the main deck; "one in whom grat.i.tude and faithfulness are as strong as life itself!"
"He seems a good sort of man," returned Uncle Nathan, who had but little appreciation of the Irish heart.
The conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the supper-bell. An eager mult.i.tude rushed to the cabin; but every seat was already occupied. On a crowded boat on the Mississippi there is often much selfishness displayed. On the Chalmetta half an hour before tea-time the most knowing of the pa.s.sengers had stationed themselves in a line around the table, ready to charge upon the plates, like a file of soldiers, the moment the bell rang. Those who did not understand the necessity of this precaution, on entering the cabin were much surprised to find every place occupied, and were comforted with the a.s.surance of a second table.