The labour was
very severe, but it was a consolation to the captives that they were
kept together.
By Charlie's advice they exerted themselves to the utmost, and thus
succeeded in pleasing their masters, and in escaping with but a small
share of the blows, which were liberally distributed among other
prisoners, native and European, employed upon the work. Charlie,
indeed, was appointed as a sort of overseer; having under him not only
his own party, but thirty others, of whom twenty were natives, and ten
English sailors, who had been captured in a merchantman. Although
closely watched, he was able to cheer these men, by giving them a hope
that a chance of escape from their captivity might shortly arrive. All
expressed their readiness to run any risk to regain their liberty.
From what he heard the pirates say, Charlie learned that they were
expecting an attack from an expedition which was preparing at Bombay.
The English sailors were confined in a casemate, adjoining that
occupied by Charlie and his companions. The guard kept over them was
but nominal, as it was considered impossible that they could escape
from the island, off which lay a large fleet of the pirate vessels.
Pages:
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279