"I am aware of so much, that a quarrel with his uncle, Mr. Grant, was
the great cause, and that his main endeavour was to better his fortunes,
so that we might be happy, and independent of those who looked not with
an eye of favour upon our projected union." "Yes, but, what I meant was, were you aware of the sort of adventure he
embarked in to the Indian seas?" "No, I know nothing further; we met here on this spot, we parted at
yonder gate, and we have never met again." "Then I have something to tell you, in order to make the narrative clear
and explicit." They both sat upon the garden seat; and while Johanna fixed her eyes
upon her companion's face, expressive as it was of the most generous
emotions and noble feelings, he commenced relating to her the incidents
which never left her memory, and in which she took so deep an interest. "You must know," he said, "that what it was which so much inflamed the
imagination of Mark Ingestrie, consisted in this. There came to London a
man with a well-authenticated and extremely well put together report,
that there had been discovered, in one of the small islands near the
Indian seas, a river which deposited an enormous quantity of gold-dust
in its progress to the ocean. He told his story so well, and seemed to
be such a perfect master of all the circumstances connected with it,
that there was scarcely room for a doubt upon the subject. The thing was
kept quiet and secret; and a meeting was held of some influential
men--influential on account of the money they possessed, among whom was
one who had towards Mark Ingestrie most friendly feelings; so Mark
attended the meeting with this friend of his, although he felt his utter
incapacity, from want of resources, to take any part in the affair. But
he was not aware of what his friend's generous intentions were in the
matter until they were explained to him, and they consisted in
this:--He, the friend, was to provide the necessary means for embarking
in the adventure, so far as regarded taking a share in it, and he told
Mark Ingestrie that, if he would go personally on the expedition, he
should share in the proceeds with him, be they what they might. Now, to
a young man like Ingestrie, totally destitute of personal resources, but
of ardent and enthusiastic temperament, you can imagine how extremely
tempting such an offer was likely to be. He embraced it at once with the
greatest pleasure, and from that moment he took an interest in the
affair of the closest and most powerful description. It seized
completely hold of his imagination, presenting itself to him in the most
tempting colours; and from the description that has been given me of his
enthusiastic disposition, I can well imagine with what kindness and
impetuosity he would enter into such an affair." "You know him well?" said Johanna, gently. "No, I never saw him. All that I say concerning him is from the
description of another who did know him well, and who sailed with him in
the vessel that ultimately left the port of London on the vague and wild
adventure I have mentioned." "That one, be he who he may, must have known Mark Ingestrie well, and
have enjoyed much of his confidence to be able to describe him so
accurately." "I believe that such was the case; and it is from the lips of that one,
instead of from mine, that you ought to have heard what I am now
relating. That gentleman, whose name was Thornhill, ought to have made
to you this communication; but by some strange accident it seems he has
been prevented, or you would not be here listening to me upon a subject
which would have come better from his lips." "And was he to have come yesterday to me?" "He was." "Then Mark Ingestrie kept his word; and but for the adverse
circumstances which delayed his messenger, I should yesterday have heard
what you are now relating to me. I pray you go on, sir, and pardon this
interruption." "I need not trouble you with all the negotiations, the trouble, and the
difficulty that arose before the expedition could be started
fairly--suffice it to say, that at length, after much annoyance and
trouble, it was started, and a vessel was duly chartered and manned for
the purpose of proceeding to the Indian seas in search of the treasure,
which was reported to be there for the first adventurer who had the
boldness to seek it." "It was a gallant vessel. I saw it many a mile from England ere it sunk
beneath the waves, never to rise again." "Sunk!" "Yes; it was an ill-fated ship, and it did sink; but I must not
anticipated--let me proceed in my narrative with regularity. The ship
was called the Star; and if those who went with it looked upon it as the
star of their destiny, they were correct enough, and it might be
considered an evil star for them, inasmuch as nothing but disappointment
and bitterness became their ultimate portion. And Mark Ingestrie, I am
told, was the most hopeful man on board. Already in imagination he could
fancy himself homeward-bound with the vessel, ballasted and crammed with
the rich produce of that shining river. Already he fancied what he could
do with his abundant wealth, and I have not a doubt but that, in common
with many who went on that adventure, he enjoyed to the full the
spending of the wealth he should obtain in imagination--perhaps, indeed,
more than if he had obtained it in reality. Among the adventurers was
one Thornhill, who had been a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and between
him and young Ingestrie there arose a remarkable friendship--a
friendship so strong and powerful, that there can be no doubt that they
communicated to each other all their hopes and fears; and if anything
could materially tend to beguile the tedium of such a weary voyage as
those adventurers had undertaken, it certainly would be the free
communication and confidential intercourse between two such kindred
spirits as Thornhill and Mark Ingestrie. You will bear in mind, Miss
Oakley, that in making this communication to you, I am putting together
what I myself heard at different times, so as to make it for you a
distinct narrative, which you can have no difficulty in comprehending,
because, as I before stated, I never saw Mark Ingestrie, and it was only
once, for about five minutes, that I saw the vessel in which he went
upon his perilous adventure--for perilous it turned out to be--to the
Indian seas. It was from Thornhill I got my information during the many
weary and monotonous hours consumed in a home-bound voyage from India. It appears that without accident or cross of any description the Star
reached the Indian ocean, and the supposed immediate locality of the
spot where the treasure was to be found, and there she was spoken with
by a vessel homeward-bound from India, called the Neptune. It was
evening, and the sun had sunk in the horizon with some appearances that
betokened a storm.