I read those miraculous words with an emphasis which did them justice, and then I looked him severely in the face. "NOW, sir, do you believe in ROBINSON CRUSOE?" I asked, with a solemnity, suitable to the occasion.
"Betteredge!" says Mr. Franklin, with equal solemnity, "I'm convinced at last."
He shook hands with me--and I felt that I had converted him.
With the relation of this extraordinary circumstance, my reappearance in these pages comes to an end. Let nobody laugh at the unique anecdote here related. You are welcome to be as merry as you please over everything else I have written. But when I write of ROBINSON CRUSOE, by the Lord it's serious--and I request you to take it accordingly! When this is said, all is said.
Ladies and gentlemen, I make my bow, and shut up the story. _____ EPILOGUE THE FINDING OF THE DIAMOND _____
I
The Statement of SERGEANT CLIFF'S MAN (1849)
On the twenty-seventh of June last, I received instructions from Sergeant Cuff to follow three men; suspected of murder, and described as Indians.
They had been seen on the Tower Wharf that morning, embarking on board the steamer bound for Rotterdam.
I left London by a steamer belonging to another company, which sailed on the morning of Thursday the twenty-eighth.
Arriving at Rotterdam, I succeeded in finding the commander of the Wednesday's steamer.
He informed me that the Indians had certainly been passengers on board his vessel--but as far as Gravesend only.
Off that place, one of the three had inquired at what time they would reach Calais.
On being informed that the steamer was bound to Rotterdam, the spokesman of the party expressed the greatest surprise and distress at the mistake which he and his two friends had made.
They were all willing (he said) to sacrifice their passage money, if the commander of the steamer would only put them ashore.
Commiserating their position, as foreigners in a strange land, and knowing no reason for detaining them, the commander signalled for a shore boat, and the three men left the vessel.
This proceeding of the Indians having been plainly resolved on beforehand, as a means of preventing their being traced, I lost no time in returning to England.
I left the steamer at Gravesend, and discovered that the Indians had gone from that place to London.
Thence, I again traced them as having left for Plymouth.
Inquiries made at Plymouth proved that they had sailed, forty-eight hours previously, in the BEWLEY CASTLE, East Indiaman, bound direct to Bombay.
On receiving this intelligence, Sergeant Cuff caused the authorities at Bombay to be communicated with, overland--so that the vessel might be boarded by the police immediately on her entering the port.
This step having been taken, my connection with the matter came to an end.
I have heard nothing more of it since that time. _____
II
The Statement of THE CAPTAIN (1849)
I am requested by Sergeant Cuff to set in writing certain facts, concerning three men (believed to be Hindoos) who were passengers, last summer, in the ship BEWLEY CASTLE, bound for Bombay direct, under my command.
The Hindoos joined us at Plymouth.
On the passage out I heard no complaint of their conduct.
They were berthed in the forward part of the vessel.
I had but few occasions myself of personally noticing them.
In the latter part of the voyage, we had the misfortune to be becalmed for three days and nights, off the coast of India.
I have not got the ship's journal to refer to, and I cannot now call to mind the latitude and longitude.
As to our position, therefore, I am only able to state generally that the currents drifted us in towards the land, and that when the wind found us again, we reached our port in twenty-four hours afterwards.
The discipline of a ship (as all seafaring persons know) becomes relaxed in a long calm.
The discipline of my ship became relaxed.
Certain gentlemen among the passengers got some of the smaller boats lowered, and amused themselves by rowing about, and swimming, when the sun at evening time was cool enough to let them divert themselves in that way.
The boats when done with ought to have been slung up again in their places.
Instead of this they were left moored to the ship's side. What with the heat, and what with the vexation of the weather, neither officers nor men seemed to be in heart for their duty while the calm lasted.
On the third night, nothing unusual was heard or seen by the watch on deck.
When the morning came, the smallest of the boats was missing--and the three Hindoos were next reported to be missing, too.
If these men had stolen the boat shortly after dark (which I have no doubt they did), we were near enough to the land to make it vain to send in pursuit of them, when the discovery was made in the morning.
I have no doubt they got ashore, in that calm weather (making all due allowance for fatigue and clumsy rowing), before day-break.
On reaching our port I there learnt, for the first time, the reason these passengers had for seizing their opportunity of escaping from the ship.
I could only make the same statement to the authorities which I have made here.
They considered me to blame for allowing the discipline of the vessel to be relaxed.
I have expressed my regret on this score to them, and to my owners.
Since that time, nothing has been heard to my knowledge of the three Hindoos.
I have no more to add to what is here written. _____
III
The Statement of MR. MURTHWAITE (1850)