Episode 19 - The Female American - Unca Eliza Winkfield

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Chapter eight, mister Winkfield left onshore, and after relating what passed between
him and the ship's company, Unkaand he retire in the evening to the
other island. Thus I left them, lamenting my own folly for not having
discovered myself in a less alarming manner. As soon as I was got out

(00:20):
of sight, the sailors set upa shout of joy, whilst I pensively
walked on to my subterraneous apartments.I hastened up into the statue to remove
the occasion, which had had nolittle effect in the late unlucky incident.
Here I sat musing on what mightbe the consequences of this affair. They
may perhaps cried, I murder mycousin, or force him to return back

(00:44):
immediately, and not suffer him togo aboard again, where if they do,
may sail away and take him withthem. Better had it never been
to have seen him again, thanthus to prove the occasion of his death
or of new vexation to myself elf, I might have concluded my life with
ease and pleasure among the Indians.But if I see him no more,

(01:07):
I shall have laid a fresh causeof uneasiness as long as I live,
and drag out the remainder of mylife in misery, a burden to myself
and useless to all around me.What continued I is human life. As
a wave destroys in a moment thewave that preceded it, So often does
the arising moment, the joys ofthe last, never more to return.

(01:32):
Thus destroyed, Perhaps is all mypast happiness. The sun which in the
morning saw me happy, now beholdsme mourning, shedding tears which perhaps must
flow till death stops the current,Nor shall mine flow alone. An aged
father with his afflicted consort may mourna lost son and curse the hour in

(01:53):
which they first knew me, theunhappy means of bringing their gray hairs with
sorrow to the grave. I hadtaken no refreshment since I came upon the
island in the morning, and mygrief was too great to let me think
of any till at last, fatiguedwith weeping and fasting, I grew faint.

(02:14):
I then thought I would leave theplace and take some refreshment, but
not till I had sought comfort ofhim who only can give it. Now,
finding my mind more composed, andhaving determined to banish every anxious thought
till I saw what the returning daymight produce. For I proposed to come
again the next morning, I madehaste to get above ground. I did

(02:38):
so, and was walking to theplace where I had put some provisions till
I might want them, when Ifound part of the evils that my mind
foreboded but too true. For whoshould I see walking solitarily along towards the
statue but my poor cousin. Hedid not see me till I called to
him. Cousin Winkfield said, Ihave my fears proved true? Will they

(03:01):
not receive you on board? No? But be not alarmed, My dear
unca Captain Shore will soon be hereagain, And if in the meantime I
can be with you, I shallbe happy. But will not your father
and mother be alarmed at your delay? They will not, for as I
supposed, it would be uncertain howlong I might be searching for you if

(03:24):
I ever found you. I desiredtwo years absence. I am so far
satisfied. But relate what happened afterI left you on the shore. As
soon as you had left us,the sailors waited till you, was got
out of sight, and then setup a great shout, which possibly you
heard. I did hear it,and from that moment was filled with fears

(03:46):
lest they should murder you or leaveyou on shore as they have done.
Weep not for me, my dearunca for to live with you. I
should be contented if he never returns. I feel the tenderness of your expression.
But my manner of living length oftime hath rendered agreeable to me.
But it would be very disgusting toyou. Rather, may you soon return

(04:10):
to your native country, be happyand leave me. Stop, dear cousin,
nor talk of leaving you. Inever can nor hold. This is
the language of a lover, illsuited to the present time and circumstances.
The day wears away a pace,and I must soon leave this island.
Let us consider how you are tobe disposed of in the interim. Will

(04:34):
you partake of such mean fare asI have here? For I suppose you
have had no refreshment since morning,any more than myself. We then walked
to where I had stored my provisions, and there sat down to our repast.
I now desired him to continue hisrelation. I said the sailors shouted

(04:55):
when you were out of sight,and instead of rowing up to us as
we expected, boldly told the captainthat they had sworn before they set out
not to bring me on board,being determined never to sail in company with
a man who, as mister Locketold them, had talked and sang songs
with the devil. And had itnot been for us, you know,
captain, said one of them,he would have brought a she devil on

(05:18):
board with him, and as soonas she was on board, to be
Shore Captain, she would have sunkthe ship and flown away with us.
All. No, no good,Captain, We are bad enough, indeed,
but we won't keep the devil company, neither nor any of his cronies.
He may go after her devil shipif he pleases, if he can
catch her. For I saw herfly into the air, did you not,

(05:39):
Jack, Yes, that I did, And she left a terrible stink
of brimstone behind. Don't you allsmell it? Smell it? I to
be sure? Do you think wehave no noses? Captain Shore was in
a great passion. He told themthey were mutineers, and he supposed wanted
to run away with the ship tothis. They replied, no, no,

(06:00):
Captain, though we don't like thedevil's company, we are honest fellows.
We don't want to run away withthe ship that would be going to
the devil another way, and Iwarrant he would trim us for using his
lady. So ill you are ourcaptain, and we will take you on
board if you please. But misterWingfield is only a passenger, and we
are not obliged to take him.Finding there was no good to be done

(06:23):
with them, I whispered the captainthat I would stay on shore all night
at all events, but desired hewould come to me in the morning and
let me know if he had broughtthem to reason. However, as I
had not spoken to the sailors,I was willing to try what I could
do with them. Gentlemen, saidI, you're really under a great mistake.

(06:44):
That gentlewoman whom you call is shedevil is my cousin. She was
three years ago left upon this islandby a rogue of a captain who ran
away with her ship. Well,sir, if she is not a devil,
I suppose she is a witch,and that is as bad. And
that made the captain set her onshore, and pray, was that tall
monster who sung and played upon thebagpipes your cousin too, You know,

(07:08):
sir, we heard him play ourselves, and the devil could not play louder.
I was confounded at this question,not knowing myself how to count for
what I had heard. They sawmy confusion and laughed. I therefore once
more told the captain I would leave, and hoped to see him in the
morning. So we shook hands andparted. He looking at me with great

(07:30):
concern. I remembered you said youshould not leave this place till night.
I was therefore walking up to thestatue in order to wait there some time
in hopes of seeing you thereabouts.If not, I intended walking up and
down in quest of you. Butas I was going thither, I had
the pleasure of hearing you call me. I'm very glad you found me so

(07:51):
soon, for the sun is declininga pace, and if you had missed
me, you would have passed anuneasy night. For though there is here
nothing to hurt you, you couldnot know that. But as we have
done eating, let us go downto the seaside, where a canoe will
soon be ready to carry us,where you shall pass the night in safety.

(08:13):
In the morning we will return here, and I hope we shall see
the Captain, and here that mattersare made up on board. And as
I suppose you are impatient to knowwhat has happened to me since I was
put upon this island, and toknow the meaning of the extraordinary things that
you have seen and heard, Iwill inform you as we go along.
End of Chapter eight