ART AND LITERATURE

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 31, 16 July 1845, Page 4

ART AND LITERATURE

GERTRUDE YON HALEN; on, THE BOAT-RACE op BROUVERSHAVEN. from our last J Then rose the old man's courage, and lie said, ' My masters, I am an old man, and have not many years to live, even if it were peace. I have outlived all that I loved on earth these many years, except one being, my sweet and gentle Gertrude ; had it not been for her I would have laid me down and died long, long ago, upon the grave where sleeps my sainted Rachel. But now the time has come when my death may well be of more use to my country than my life has been, though I have striven ever to advance it in peace and preserve it involate in war. I, therefore, will go now, right cheerfully and gladly, if so be, men can be found to man the boat to carry me. Say gentlemen, and fair citizens, which of you will exchange the sword for the oar, and pull the old man seaward over the flats? —it is but a gallant boat-race, if ye would - only think so.' Still there was no response, for, though there was not one man there who would not have exposed himself cheerfully to death on the breach, or in the daring sally, all shrunk aghast from the idea of affronting the barbarity of the Spaniards, exercised as it had been on all who had attempted to break out of the beleagured town ; and incurring the penalties denounced against all who should be taken within the lines of the besiegers—penalties which they well knew, fvetn examples too manifestly certain to be doubted, would be unsparingly enforced, without regard to nge or sex, or station. There was no answer from the magnates of the town —the council was silent, and heart fallen. Then the old man advanced to the windows which overlooked the great square, and, opening one of them, stepped out upon the balcony, conspicuous in the glare of many torches which were held up by the multitude below, and once more addressed them. 'Brothers,' he said, 'there is no need of many words. I will go forth myself, if any six of you will come forward manfully and volunteer to row me over. Moreover, out of my own private coffers, I will give a thousand guilders to each man that will so offer himself, and if he fall in the undertaking, the good town shall provide for his wife and little ones, and his name shall be enobled forever.' The reply was a laugh!—yes! a laugh! a wild hystericfil and mocking laugh I The profer of wealth, of money, valuless dross and rubbish in times such as those —of nobility, a mere name and empty title, and above all of the town's protection, when there appeared no chance that the town would be in existence twenty-four hours afterward, seemed so fantastical and wild, that starved, miserable, desperate wretches laughed —yesl laughed with a shirll, fearful merriment. ' Out on you, wretches! Do you laugh ?' cried Adrian severely. Laugh, then, When you see your wives and daughters writhing in agony in ihe despoiler's arms —laugh when you see your infants sprawling upon the points of Spanish pikes—laugh when your houses blaze and their rafters fall — laugh in your own deathpangs! —laugh then, but be silent now—and, if ye be cowardly and vile, be at least reverent, and for shame hold your peace?' The stern rebuke checked them forlhe moment, but after a little pause there was a cry, 'He is mad! old Adrian is mad ! Hunger and watching have made him mad. All is over !— let us go pray! To the chuaches! to the churches!' And with the cry the multitude dispersed— thereafter, by the order of the burgomasters, proclamation was made, by totch-light and trumpet-sound, through the streets, offering five thousand guilders each to any six men who would undertake to row a boat with Adrian yon Halen over the flats between Bommene and Erouvershaven, into the Grevelingen Channel, and put him on board some vessel of the Prince's fleet. But, as before, the reply was silence! The council was still sitting, although it would have puzzled any one of them to wherefore, for no proposal had been advanced since Adrain's was rejected; and the magistrates sat round the board silent and utterly cast down, for every hope had fled, and, though none dared do that which each knew that in virtue and in honor he ought to do, all were ashamed at their own want of courage; all self-convicted of dastardly, unpatriotic selfishness. And sullen fear, and impenitent remorse, and irresolution, and despair sat upon every brow but that of Adrian, and he walked to and fro the chamber, chafing, like a caged hyena, at the tate that barred his will, and uttered now and then bitter, and violent, and sarcastic words against his companions, which met buttlie same reply as the former—the silence, not of scorn, but of dismay, and mortal terror. ■' An hour had, perhaps, elapsed since the last flourish of the trumpets rang through the streets and the last cry was heard of the heralds making proclamation, when the sounds of a great uproar in the market-place, shouts, and tumultuous cheering, and loud voices came suddenly up to the ears of. the council, filling them with surprise and, as it were a sort of consternation. however, they had much time for rethe doors of the chamber were thrown wide open by two ushers, the stairs were seen through the aperture, lined by a small party of the governor's halberdiers, and a cry followed ©1 Place! place for the Lady Gertude! Place for the noble Lady vnn Halen !' The next moment, a tall, fair, well-formed girJ, very much emaciated, it is true, and wearing many marks of suffering on her pale face yet with the traces still distinctly visible of the subhmest and most noble style of beauty, walked with a stept singularly majestical and queen-like across the corvidor, and paused upon the threshold, for it was contrary to an immutable and

inviolate decree of the states that any woman should, under any circumstances or any pretext, intrude her presence in the precincts of the sacred counsil-chamber. She paused for a moment, on the threshold, and addressed the magnates of the city in a clear, liquid, and unfaltering voice, full of strong, rich harmony, but firmer, deeper, and more resonant than the ordinary tones of woman. ' Burghers,' she said,' and noble men of Zinczee, I would not be so overbold as thus to force myself into your solemn conclave, but that the sound of your proclamation has reached my ears, and the cries and groans, and sufferings of my fellow citizens pierced even to my heart. I heard what my great and glorious father has offered to do in behalf of this calamitous and lamentable city, and how the city has failed to make good his offer. But I thank the great and allmerciful God, whose every deed is one of wisdom and mercy, that, through this very poverty and lack of spirit in the men of Ziriczee, he has worked out a deliverance for his people. Lo! burgomasters, and thou, father and governor, I, Geitrude yon Halen, have succeeded better with our stout mariners than your wisdom and valor, or your most liberal terms of nobility, and name, and guerdon. I proffered myself to go forth as messenger to the good Prince of Orange, and lo! I have got not six, but sixty stout oarsmen to waft me over the inundation, were there means to employ them. Give me, then, my credentials, noble sirs, and let me begone, for the night wears on rapidly, and it will much concern us whether we reach Brouvershaven in the mirk morning, or after the sun shall have arisen. , ' Thou, Gertrude V exclaimed the old man, a tear starting to his eye; ' thou, child of my sain- j ted Rachel, never, never 1' And the unanimous voice of the council replied, ' No ! no! we will not have thee for our messenger—no! no I it is too perilous!' * But if ye will hear reason, , answered the dauntless girl, ' I will show you at once why you leitt have me. To me it will be a gain so great and manifest, that, were it not for the good it shall work for the city, it were but selfish to propose it. If no one go forth to discover this thing which ye would learn, very clear is it that within three days, at the farthest, the city must needs yield at discretion —what then should I gain by remaining here—three days of agony, famine, and sorrow, and despair, and no hope or chance safety—three days with a choice, at the end, of : death or dishonor. Now on the other band, if I go forth as I propose, the chances are great in our favor that, steered by old Dirck Vander Bosch, and the oars manned by six sturdy Zealanders from the Seven Wolden, we escape safely to the fleet, where I shall be out of reach of any arm that Spain can thrust out to seize me —and this is the only thing that grieves me, that I should seem to fly, and shun bearing my part of the suffering of my fellow citizens and friends— if we escape not, and be taken —' she paused and cast up her large serene blue eyes to heaven with an expression of seraphic resignation, mixed with the fortitude of a dying martyr, and ere she continued her father interrupted her. • Well! Gertrude, if you be taken—' ' Still,' in her turn she interrupted him,' there is the chdice between death and dishonor. , ' The Spaniards leave no choice! answered the old man, with a fearful expression of horror and hatred on his marked features. 'They cannot but do so—they who are lords of their own souls, and fear not to die, never need fear dishonor. I have conversed with our good minister, and am informed thoroughly—and of this be sure, Adrian yon Halen, that no dishonor or disgrace shall e'er befall the girl who bears thine unblemished name. For the rest, a Holland maiden's breast can meet a dagger's edge as boldly as a Roman matron's. But God, I feel and know, will bless my undertaking, and I shall yet succeed and save all of you—now speed me on my way; for the fast race-boat, which won the prize last year, lies manned and ready in the canal hard by the lust haus in our garden, and Vander Bosch is grumbling before this, I am sure, that we are not already under way.' _ Overpowered by her determination, and convinced in part her reasoning, they offered no more opposition to her will, but made out instantly her missives to the prince, and rising, one and all accompanied the noble and heroic girl to the place of embarkation, The boat, a long light narrow skiff, very low in the water, lay by the little gaiden dock, in a cut from the canal which joins the water-gate of Zmczee to the river falling into the Grevelingen Channel at Brouvershaven, and was fully manned by six powerful, wild looking Zealanders, with their faces all seemed and scarred by the wounds which they had received in the terrible £ a j a ] en ° ounter by which the maritime states had for the time won the sovereignity of the sea and displaying their indomitable resolution and utter hatred of the Spanish yoke by the badges which they had adopted and wore in their caps crescents of silver with the motto in the embroidery, 'Turks rather than Papists.' Old Vander Bosch, the pilot, the most famous in those waters, having made up his mind to incur the risk for the sake of his patron's daughter was now all anxiety to be off, and cut all leave taking and parting admonitions very short by his continued grumbling. But he could not prevent old Adrian from clasping his good and noble child to his heart and whispering in her ear, ' Remember, Gertrade, should you succeed in reaching the prince's fleet in safety, and should never see me any more, which would be nothing strange, it is mv last wish that you shonld give your hand, as you have given your heart long ago, to young Fleuhim r"/ lley r Be thOU m y greeting to him. God speed you, girl, and bless you. . And the next moment she was wrapped in a huge boat-cloak of blue serge, with a rough fur cap covering her luxuriant golden hair, and reclmmg in the stern sheets of the skiff, while the crew plied their long oars powerfully but noiselessly in the muffled row.-locks, making the light boat fly over the stagnant waters of the canal with a motion as elegant and steady as that of a bird on the wing. The water-gate opened silently, and the boat shot out into the open country, all deluged now tor leagues on leauges of distance with the foul stagnant waters which lay rotting, motionless, and fadeless, over the devastated fields, the

iiirfit was very dark and misty, and for an hour ormo c they pulled rapidly and uninterrupted, excep by tlfe'hoarse clang of the mighty flocks aSic fowl which rose at times m myriads Iromr so q me hoalplace, or floating reed bed through the dull channel of the little river, lml stream and half canal, the muddy banks of which peered, out at intervals above the surface of the flood, with here and there a stunted willow pining and fading from excess of the very moisture, which it so dearly loves in moderation. At the end of the time I have mentioned, a hoarse, gurgling sound began to be heard as o a strong but sullen current, and the accelerated motion of the boat, which now floated rapidly on the waters, indicated that they were approaching something like a sluce, or waterfall. 'In with the bow oar, Oost,' whispered the old pilot; ' catch hold of yon clump of bullrushes, and then get out on the bank and crawl as silently as may be along the water's edge to the sluce, and see there that all is clear, and then bring us back tidings as quickly as may be. His orders were obeyed a3 soon as they were uttered, the boat was then made fast to the shore, the tall Zealander stepped out upon the bank, and, throwing himself fiat on his face_ in the mud and ooze, stole forward' with a motion as guarded and as silent as that of a serpent winding upon its prey. Ten minutes had perhaps, passed and Vander Bosch was beginning to grow impatient, when a little splash was heard close by the spot where they were lying, and the man Oost, raised his head from the other side of the bank, but did not rise to his feet. ' Come, come' said the pilot, somewhat roughly and rather too loud for caution, ' we are losing time sadly—step aboard, man; is all clear V 'Hush! hush, Dirck, , answered Oost. 'Be quiet, and pass me out the cross-bow and quarrels, they are under the bow thwart. The water is running over the sluices merrily enough to carry three times our burthen, but here have the cunning Dons posted a sentinel on the platform close beside it. There he is, pacing up and down, with his long firelock and his match ready lighted, humming the war-song of the Cid. But give me the cross-bow, and I'll soon put a stop to his music' Without a word, Dirck handed him the weapons, and he returned as silently as he had come, and tor a few moments no sound reached their ears—but bye and by, there came a sudden harsh clang on the still night-air, followed by one deep groan, and a sullen plunge in the water. The heart of Gertrude bounded fearfully, and then a death-like sickness came over her, and she felt that she must faint —but at the moment old Vander Bosch cried aloud, ' Well done ! well done! Oost has settled his hash I Give way, men, quick, give way.' And the long oars dipped into the water, and the spray flashed from them, and in an instant the boat was whirling like a bubble on the swift sullen waters thatgurgled through the cut which had been made in the bank to admit the inundation to the meadows. _ The momentary bustle dispelled the sense of sickness and suffocation, and the next moment the skiff shot past the little platform, now vacant of its hapless watcher, and shot through the narrow chasm in the bank, Oost stepping silently into his place, and resuming his seat without checking the way of the little vessel, just as it entered the shallower waters of the artificial lake. 'There is no time to lose, Dirck,'he said; ' they will be relieving that fellow before an hour, and ten to one they will fancy that he has deserted, and will be cracking off their muskets and alarming the garrisons.' ' h can't be helped, Oost. It can't be helped, man,' answered the old pilot, replenishing his pipe and striking a light, for he had not dared to smoke while in canal for fear of detection. I We are in for it now, and all we have got to do is to pull our best, and keep a course for the Brouvershaven mouth, there is no other place where we can cross the bank and get out to sea —all will be safe if we can make it before daylight. So take a pul) all round at the black bottle of Schiedam, and then pass it this way to me, and give way jollily.' All night thej pulled steadily, and Hie light boat made rapid way through the water, wherever it was deep enough to float her, but there were many hanks and shoals, and the channels were so intricate and difficult to find, and they had to put back so many times, and to make so many circuitous deviations from their course that the skies began to brighten, and the mist to clear away, long ere they reached the neighbourhood of Brouvershaven. At length, though it was 3till quite dark, except where in the east the sky was dappled with a few tiny grey streaks, it became perfectly clear, and they might see the waters stretching out on every side of them, dusky but bright ac a shadowed mirror, with here und there black patches of seaweed, or bare spots of elevated mud, or vast flocks of aquatic birds breaking their gloomy sheen. Beyond this, on all sides, was visible the low range of sand hills which divided the inundation from the sea, looming up black against the transparent sky, with here and there a Spanish watchfire sparkling cheerfully out of the shadows, and showing them the position of the out-posis of their foes. Directly ahead of them, at about eight miles' distance were burning, perfectly distinct and visible, the lights of the fort at Brouvershaven, which had been stormed a few days before the investment of Zmczee, and filled with a Spanish garrison. . ' This is bad, Mistress Gertrude. I fear this is very bad—it will be broad day before we get off the batteries, and unless there comes in a sea-mist with this wind, which is blowing up a little fresh, I do not see how we shall clear bad" I, ' ' to ° ! ' II looks ver y •But will there not be a mist? I thought there always was a mist in the morniug.' 'Not always, lady, not always, and I am afraid there will be none to-day. Look how hard and dry the day breaks yonder. If it fc „ dear below down to the water-line, as it is there above the hills, it is all over with us; but I cannot see, and until I can see I must say nothing But keep a good heart, nevertheless. Give wav my merry men, give way, this is the great deep! and there is water enough and more. Give way! give way! .

'Thus they went on, closing lights of Brouvershaven, and drawiiS t * ,ft the river again, into which it was necpL ? r(1 they should pass before they could at open sea. It was now grey and riiS?'•*• £B. not wanting above half "" Sof 'Hold water,' exclaimed Vander R« i 'now, Oost, look out ahead, man-where iS ; sluice? is it beside the second or the third ' a ' The third—the third, to be sure/ cried n as the boat lost its way for an instant •«/"'' straight upon that—the channel is deen'alif* way, but very narrow, , and with the wort, * was again bending to his oars, when ? again exclaimed. - """-pilot _ 'No! no .'look out, I say Oost; your «™ ' are keener than any of ours here; look n, 7? say, and tell me what those black things a™ there, a mile off, right in our line?' Oost now shipped his oar and » earnestly. 'They are boats, he iSd- «? heaven I they are boats, bat I see no m Pn - y them at all—there are three lying together!! '" a cable's- length to the east of the channell one moored close to the western shore of 'f But I can see no men; if there be anvnwn they are all asleep on the thwarts, or in tS bottom.' lue ' What in the fiend's name is to to don now?' exclaimed Vander Bosch, evidentfv vnr mush perplexed. 3 cry ' Why, steer straight on the single boat-wo will out kmves, board her before they know vl are along-side, and have them all overboard before they can give an alarm. We shall be within a short mile of the sluice then!' ' There is nothing else for it, I believe ' said the pilot; ' yet it is a great risk-steady now and together. See, see, there comes the sun and now we open Brouvershaven mouth' he added, fixing a long eager glance on the horizon at the embouchure of the little liver, which might now be seen falling into the sea on the horizon. •A);! ay! and God be praised there comes the mist—we shall do! we shall do yet, I trust —give way! cheerily now, give way. If t h e mist comes in before we clear the sluice we are but lost men!' *' " vo Speedily they shot on, and gallantly over the stagnant lake; and now they neared the boat a large flat barge which lay close to the channel with a Spanish flag furled round a staff in the' stern, but no signs of any men on board. The other three boats, which lay moored to stakes at about three hundred yards' distance, were sharp fast-looking skiffs; but their crews too, if they had any on board, were buried in sleep. They ware now within twenty fathoms of the barge, when the pilot made a signal to the four bowmen, who laid in their oars and drew their short heavy cutlasses, and the long two-edged knives which they used in the right hand. ' Into her at once,' he whispered, ' as I lay her alongside—there is not a moment to lose—kill all as quietly as may be.' ' Good God ! but this is very horrible! must this thing be ? Oh, spare them, if it be possible, my good Dirck, spare them !' 'It is not possible, lady. Get you down into the bottom of the boat. Nay! it must be so. Cover her with the cloak, Jan Stein! Ha! I see a sail out seaward—two —four—eight! By the light of heaven! it must be the prince, and he is not a league beyond the forts; cheerily now ! on board them !' As he spoke the skiff shot alongsiae the barge, and in an instant the stout Zealanders sprang on board her, with the cutlasses flashing in the first sunbeams. A few fierce blows were made at the sleepers, the barge was crowded with men, and replied to only by groans of anguish. But anon the rest sprang to their arms, and for a minute or two there was a fierre and furious contest, but it was too unequal, and one by one the sleepers were stabbed and thrown overboard, and as yet no alarm had been given, when the last man, the very last, even as the death blow reached him, discharged a petrond. On the instant, a loud shout followed from the other boats, and eighteen or twenty men sprang up on their thwarts, and seeing what was in progress, uttered a long fierce war-cry, began to unmoor the boats very rapidly, and fired half a dozen muskets at the boat, although the distance was too great to allow of their doing n»y execution. ' In with you now, and give way for your lives!' cried the pilot; 'here comee themietf give way! or we shall never reach the sluice !' (To be continued in our next.)