Australian Tales and Adventures.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2041, 11 March 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

Australian Tales and Adventures.

NO. H,-(C,mlinurd.) — FIFTY LASHES. By ATHA CHAPTEK 111. Colonel Bartopp, an old Indian officer, and moreover a strict disciplinarian, was one of the last men in the army to pardon any serious breach of duty in the men under his command. According to the vetereu there could be no crime so heinous as disobedience and neglect in the field before the enemy. The lives of a thousand—nay ten thousand men, may rest upon the cate and watchfulness of one sentinel. S The General Orders tliat evening contained the convening of a Court Martial for next day at noon, which in due course assembled, and the culprit was brought before it to answer the charge of being drunk on duty. Charlie .Stanton was not sober, and answered the questions put to him in a hazy way, which only made his guilt appear all the more culpable in the eyes of his judges. Onoo only during the proceeding, and when Sergeant Kxley was giving his evidence, he put up his hand as if about to rebut the statement, but the president commanded him to be silent; and so he remained until the proceedings terminated. Then came the verdict, “ Fifty Lashes 1”

There was neither time nor season for any other node of punishment. Not a man in the camp but felt sorry for the unfortunate prisoner. Yes 1 there was one—-but even he n ji/irarnl to. Shammed sympathy with his dupe, and received credit for being a good fellow. Our friend Bob Cable, looked askance at the sergeant and shook his rough pate. “I cannot understand all this palaver about strap, ping Charlie up at the gangway,” he said. “ We re not sodgera. leastways not regulars. Damme, I’ll see Colonel Bartopp. There's something in the wind (hat’s not fair and above board.” And away marched Bob, ac-

companied byiSanfiy to the ooramandet's tent. Tne veteran was in no humor to listen to anybody. The Court had decreed, and punishment must follow. Therefore. Cable and the Maori were sent to the right-about in double quick time. “ A pretty story, indeed to come here and tell me that the prisoner was sided and abetted by the Sergeant of the Guard,” orie l the old officer, as he dressed for parade. " Egad, these fellows wou'd swear a priori out of his robe, if need be. It won’t do though, if discipline be not maintained the service will go to the devil. Bugler, sound the assembly.” The sun was just biginning to dip behind the lofty peak of Egmout, as the men formed un on parade, to witness the punishment. On a wide level patch of grassy land at the base of the hills, the triangles bad been fired, under the superintendance of Jack Staples, the Drum-Major, who now stood by with two drummers, eachiwith a brace of rah under his arm. Around these Colonel Bartopp formed his men into a compact square. Then the prisoner was escorted into it by a file of armed men. Stanton's face is pallid like that of a corpse, and the perspiration hangs on it in great beads; otherwise, the unfortunate fellow appears unmoved. Yet, a close observer would have noted the tight compression of the man’s mouth, which plainly bespoke a courage to bear the coming punishment bravely. Within the square stands the Colonel facing the prisoner; on the left the Surgeon of the Force, and on the other side, where all eyes may see him, Fred. Haywood, the Adjutant, who unfolds a parchment and reads therefrom the finding of the Court, and the punishment awarded. The reading ended, the culprit strips and is tied hand and foot, to the triangles, without a word. All is ready. The drummer takes off his coat, picks up the cat and gives it a preliminary whisk through the sir. The Doctor, holding his watch in the palm of his band to time the blows, looks to the flogget and calls“ One.” With a whistling sound the knotted cords fall heavily athwart the bare-back of the poor wretch, leaving a dark crimson stain from neck to loins.—“ Two.” Again the lash descends, leaving the streak wider and of a deeper crimson. “ Three." Charlie Stanton shudders, and is observed to clutch the poles to which he is fastened, with a convulsive grip. “ Four, five, six, seven, eight,” calls the monotonous voice, and the oat whisks and whistles and falls upon the man’s white skin, until twenty-five lashes have been administered, and the blood begins to flow. Some of the men forming the front face of the square turn away their beads from the sight of such a degrading spectacle, others beg leave to retire until the scene is ended. The second drummer, a tall burly fellow, had taken up the oat to proceed with the flogging, when Bob Cable, who could brook the eight no longer, rushed from the ranks rifle in hand, and bounding to the triangles, felled the unoffending drummer like an ox—with a smart blow straight from the shoulder. “ Take that, you son of a lubber, and be 3 d to you," he shouted, hoarse with passion. Colonel Bartopp stared aghast at the presumptions intruder for fully the space of a minute or more, utterly unable to ejaculate a single word. «• You , you audacious scoundrel. What do you mean by interrupting the proceedings of this parade 1 ’’ thundered the old fellow majestically, when he did find voice. “ How dare you, sir 1 What is your name ? ” “ My name is Bob Cable, yet honor," replied he, wheeling about defiantly towards the Colonel. " This man whom you are degrading beyond hope of redemption, risked hia life to eave mine. I can’t forget that. Better to have given me leave from parade when I asked for it, for damme, 1 am not a-going to stand by and see ye murder him, let the reckoning be what it may.” The Colonel felt apoplectic at the fellow’s cool effrontry, and began to stutter, but could get no further for bis life. “If you fancy this sort o' fun, gen’men, I cries halves," continued Bob. "Here am 1, an old sea dog, not worth much 1 reckon, but to be moored alongside o' these posts. Tie me np. I'll take’tother twenty-five—and welcome ; only cast the poor lad adrift. Cut him adrift messmates.” " Fall back, sir,”cried the Adjutant, advancing with his drawn sabre. “ March, or 1 will out you down this moment.” " By the Lord, the mutinous rascal shall have the benefit of a general Court Martial for this,” roared the Colonel, purple in the face, with pent up passion. Well, 1 am ready," replied the obstinate Bob in a sarcastic tone. “ Have a turn at me without the Court Martial. Don't make two shows over it, for I can tell ye my mates, I don’t oare tor the performance.” See here, he cried, lifting his serge jumper and disclosing four medals penned to his vest beneath. These things were given me in the Crimea and in ludia by one of the strictest Admirals in the whole British Navy. But I’ll bed d if he ever keelhauled a man for taking a glass of grog. Come now." At the beck of Colonel Bartopp, a dozen men advanced to seize the refractory volunteer.

” Stand by mates,” oried Bob fiercely, at the same time poising his weapon for attack, “ 1 have no wish to harm any of you. Not a bit of it, but 1 mean to have Charley cast adrift, or damme, I'll let daylight through some one.” Everyone who beard the determined ring of his voice, felt certain that the man was using no empty threat. At this point the prisoner lifted his haggard face towards his friend, and said—" Give up the rifle, Bob. Don’t get yourself into trouble on my account. It’s no use now, old fellow. The worst is over. Como, hand it over comrade, and submit to the guard—do, for my sake.”

The pleading voice of the sufferer had its effect upon the stubborn Bob at once. “ Ay, ay, all right, Charlie,” he cried, at the same time handing over his rifle to the guard, who forthwith led him out of the square. Once more the drummer takes his stand, and again the terrible cat whistles and falls upon the offender’s back, until the whole of the severe flogging has been administered. Then Charlie Stanton is oast loose from the triangles. 11 Colonel Bartopp, I have a boon to crave,” he says modestly, folding his arms upon bis naked chest.

“What is it? Speak.” “This man,whom yon have sent to the Guard, pray pardon him, Sir.” “Very well. I’ll see. A determined rascal, but I’ll see. Anything else 7” “ Only this, Colonel. Yonder Sergeant Exlev, is a treacherous villain.” 11 Tut I the Sergeant only did his duty.” “Nay, ho did more, Colonel Bartopp.”

“ Enough Sir,” ami the Commander waves his arm in token of there being no farther parley allowed on the matter. While he is turning, about to give the order for the men to break into open columns—there comes suddenly the sharp crack, crack, crack of rifle shots close at hand. Before the Colonel can mount his horse, or ascertain the cause of the commotion, a great irregular horde of Maori warriors are seen rushing down the hillside head long. The Volunteer scouts are overtaken, swallowed up for an instant, and left mangled in the rear of the flying host, who slacken not their frantic career, until they have dashed themselves against the solid square, rent it asunder, and there remained a vast mixed up undistingaishable mob, who fill the ait with shouts, and yells and curses. The rebel Chieftain, Manganite, with his herculean front towering above the struggling mass, clears a lane right and left of him, as if the volunteers were so many dried reeds.

Amidst the din and the roar of voices, the Chief’s horse battle cry is heard and answered by his followers on every side. Tae Maoris have pierced the ranks ot their enemy through and through, until the latter, deprived cf the Colonel and most of their officers, ficht sturdily in groups ot tens and twenties. X>■ where is the rebel shout so loud and dar ing, as round a small ring cf volunteers hd by a halt-naked man on horst-hm k. Tollman appearw to bear a charmed l.f-. filed aud lead, alike leave him scathe'.e ?s, while rout d him on every side his comrades go down and bito the duet.

"No quarter, kill the Pakeha,” roars the Maori giant and his followers. A brave cheer answers it from the devoted few around th» rude horseman. In vain Manpaniie cist? himself against the little circle. In vain Tt Kooti and the chief combined, try to break it. Now here—now there—advanced—forced backward—now lost amongst overpowering numbers—the bare backed horseman keeps his seat, and hie front to the rebels. Those of his comrades who have divided and split in the first irresistible rush of the foe, now draw together round him and follow his lead. Discipline there is none. Like the great struggle at Inkerman, it is a hand to hand contest against odds, and as at Inkerman the odds sre beaten and routed, but not before Charlie Stanton has been unhorsed and trampled underfoot.

CHAPTEII IV. It was early morning following that determined attack on the camp of ttie Volunteers. Out yonder, among the high ridges, forming the coast wall, the defeated Maoris have halted to gather together the stragglers, and to rest the wounded. A small army is here, but they are a bruised and battered host, exhibiting wounds and blood and dust on every hand.

They have made one of the hated Pakehasa prisoner. The chiefs hold couocil what they shall do with him.

The captive is none other than Sergeant Exley. In the final rush the rebels had borne him along with them in their retreat, and here he stood amongst the scowling savages,—dejected, hopeless, with the lowering doom of a speedy and cruel death awaiting him. It has been said by one who knew these peculiar people well, that for cool, deliberate cruelty, for stubborn bate and revenge, no race on earth can surpass the Maoris ; indeed there is no stronger feeling in the bosom of a warrior than that of retaliation. In the hour of victory he has been known to show mercy to his captives, but in defeat never.

At that disaster which befell the Ist. Waikato Hegiment at Nangiti, Major T , who fell into the hands of his foes, offered Tareta live thousand pounds to spare bis life. This snm would have bought up the land for which they were fighting over, bnt the chief refused the offer with indignation. Fortunately Major T escaped, while they held council as to bis mode of death.

No man in New knew the cruel nature of bis foes better than Sergeant Exley. He knew that after their sore drubbing they would not have given him his life for lands or money. Te Kooti came forward and ordered the captive’s hands to be untied. 11 Will the Maori allow me to ask him a questionsaid Exley, looking at the chief. “ Speak, and be brief," replied the savage. " You have decided to kill me ?’’ “ Tat, the Maoris are not murderers. Your life is ours by right of battle,” answered Te Kooti. “ Granted. Te Kooti is a warrior, he would not like to die the lingering death of a dog?'' cried Exley. “No 1 Te Kooti will die with bis roeri in his hand, and his breast to the Fakebas,” he answered proudly.

41 Then I would claim a soldier’s death at yonr bands.” responded the captive, eagerly, “ Blindfold me here, place your men, and so let the bloody work end.”

The chief smiled—turned on his heel without reply, and beckoned to half-a-dozen warriors, who came forward at once. At a sign they led him away beyond the trees to a clear space, on which stood half-a-dozen roofless whares.

There was a glorious view from this spot. The ocean in all its immensity, like a vast round mirror framed by the blue horizon, and dotted with ships that appeared no big;;or than a toy. Away to the rear gleamed lakes, with sombre forests and mountains piled up to the roof of heaven.

The gaze of the wretched captive looked not upon this sublime scene. To bis vision there was nothing beyond a tall strong post, standing like the broken oolnmn in some old churchyard, and to which his enemies led him and tied him fast with strong cords of raw flax.

The nntortnnate sergeant did not submit to the shambles without a struggle. With that dogged bull-dog courage inherent in the Anglo-Saxon race—be they good or bad—he stood at bay and fought them with his fists, until backed and bleeding from their meris, be was dragged to bis doom. “Ye cruel fiends of hell, kill me at once,” he cried, in agony of spirit; and these were the last words uttered by Clem Exley on this earth. He was hoisted bodily to the apex of the post, and his foes retreating twenty paces distant, took their muskets, and pierced bis body with ballets. Lift np the curtain on another scene. It is a Maori village, situated five miles beyond the scene of the late conflict. The natives here are friendly to the Pakeha, and have given up their ten whares to the dying and wounded Volunteers. C)u a bed of fern in one of the huts, our friend, Charlie Stanton, lies weak and helpless as an infant. There has been a long dark sleepless dream upon him, a dream of agony and thirst unbearable, with mocking phantoms jibbering at him in his helplessness, then a change to quietness, and sleep that seemed of death.

Opening his eyes to a knowledge of things mundane, Charlie sees the place filled with stalwart forme stretched about him torn and mutilated. Uy his side there is one man with a bandage round his body from the loins to his neck. This personage is propped up against the wall, looking intently at him. “ Oh, blow me into a lee acupper-hole,” he cries, trying to raise his hands. “ Why, bless my old top-lights Charlie, I thought you was on your beam-ends. Just try ami reach me your fin, boy. 1 Charlie smiles and attempts to put out his hand, hut fails. “ Is that you, Bob ?” he asks. " Ay, ay, mate, here we are like eels in a pot, only not so frisky,” answers Bob Cable. "How do you feel?"

“ Queer," replies the patient, looking about him in a hazy sort of way. “ I say, Bob, what’s all this about ? Where are we 7"

“ Well, I reckon we’re in I’ukelima, so the Maoris call it,” replies Hob.

“ Have we been here lone: ?” “ About four days, Charlie 1” “ And you, Bob ? You are wounded?” “ Only a bullet-hole in my hull, mate, but Lord bless you, that's nothin, so Jack Parker the surgeon says; but avast Charlie, here he comes.” The doctor entered the where, followed by several assistants, and two Maori women. The men’s wounds are dressed, alter which Stanton doses off into a deep refreshing end of a week, Charlie and Bob are so for recovered as to be able to sit up and converse. ” How did you got that ugly hole in your side, Bob 2" says Charlie,

“Slowed if I knows mstc. When (he rebels came bearing down upon us I seized my rifle, and joined the game. It happened ihat I wen tussled by the side of old Colonel Sartopp in in the scrimmage. The old fe low had a doe. n Maoris round him, and fought like a hear, but they broke his figure head, and down he went like a smack in agile of wind, withjnur humble servant on top of him. We l'y together half the night, all at sea. By and I' - ,o I heaves up a bit, and hods my arm broken and a hole in my bulwarks that you might have pot a marlin -spike through.” “ Was the Colonel killed?”

“ Bless you, no. He rounds to all at orce like. ‘ Who’s that ?’ says be. ‘ Bob Cah>, your honour,’ replies 1. ‘Cable? ah, 1 remember,’ be says, and with that be catches mo by the claw. ‘ Bob Cable, you are a gallant fellow, and if yon and I live through this night, damme, 1 won’t forget jou,’ he cays. ‘ Well, I hopes you won’t Colonel, but what's the row?’says I. ‘You have preserved my life, and, by gad, sir, Tom Birtoppwill prove himself grateful.’ ” says he, in a bumble way. “ And, splice my top knot, if he wasn’t as good as his word. When we were being removed, next day, in the same waggon, he shakes hands with me, and, what do yon think? He leavee this big gold watch in my fin. I was going to refuse it, when be began to splutter like be did when I defied him on parade. ,D—n you eir I' he cries, ‘ put it in your fob this minute, or by the Lord, sir, I’ll fiog you as sure as my name's Bartopp.’ The surgeon galloped up, and told him be wasn't to talk, or it might be fatal to him, bat he told Jack Parker to go to the devil, so I kept the watch to please the old gcm’man. Isn't it a boomer 1" Charlie Stanton gains strength day by day. Two of his wounds are are very serious, but be is able to crawl out of bis roost betimes for an hour or so.

One morning the Doctor visits him, and says that be mast be removed to Taranaki. Charlie wonders to see two or three strange people with the good surgeon, who by his directions, wrap the patient carefully up in soft rugs and convey him to a roomy yet easy carriage that stands without. For some hours poor Charlie appears as if his old night mare were coming over him, until he is driven to the township, and conveyed to bed within the principal hotel, then be opens his eyes. Before him stands Kiora Selby. Her deep love lor him had brought her to Taranaki--nay, more—she had gone in person to the Volunteer camp, and obtained sick-leave tor her wounded lover, and thus had him conveyed to where she could nurse him. Now the worst had come, she bowed down her head where he lay, and thanked Qod that the evil was past, and while she knelt, the wounded man’s arm stole round her.

“ Ah, Kiora, in my misery and the lasting degradation which has fallen to my lot, it were better I bad been slain 1 ” “ Hush, Charlie I ” “ I have prayed to die,” he murmured, with some emotion—" prayed that I might go out of the hurly-burly, before the full sense of my shame oame back upon me with returning health." She raised her head, and nestled closer to him.

“ That was a sinful, wicked prayer, dear 1" “ Ay, Kiora, 1 am but a coward after all,” be said. “ Full of sin and selfishness, I feel this moment, more than ever 1 did before, that 1 am unworthy your love.” “ Do not gay that,” she cried, “ your love has not been tested yet, Charlie, but in the future ” " I have been degraded like a slave. What has the future to do with me, Kiora ? ” B‘‘ Everything,” she answered fervently. “ Atonement, self-sacrifice, the will and the courage to prove yourself a man, and a good man, before God and the world. That is your future, Charlie, and with the help of heaven it shall be my love shall aid you to secure it.” He spread wide his arms—- “ Como to my heart, brave Kiora. I am weak indeed, but I will be strong, my girl. ‘•Ami resolute, Charlie ! ” "Ay, and resolute,” he answers. “ You shall see." And Charlie Stanton kept his word. In conclusion, I would just draw tho reader’s attention to a short paragraph which appeared in iho A nr Mam! Thins, six months after date.

Married, at St. Stcphen's-an-the-hill, by the ll3v. Canon Davit, Cnarles Seconds htsivon, to Kiors, only daughter of T. Selby, Ksq., J.i’., of this city. No cards.”