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Dirk Hartog, in command of the Endragt, while on his way from Holland to the East Indies, put into what Dampier afterwards called Sharks' Bay, and on an island, which now bears his name, deposited a tin plate with an inscription recording his arrival, and dated October 25th, 1616.
One of the three attendant officers then came forward, bearing a stand of the kind used in temples for offerings, on which, wrapped in paper, lay the wakizashi, the short sword or dirk of the Japanese, nine inches and a half in length, with a point and an edge as sharp as a razor's.
With this inquiry in my mind, still unanswered, I took a light, went into my study, and drew from my escritoir the few small weapons which I had in possession. These are soon named. One was a neat little dirk broad in blade, double-edged, short sufficient for all my purposes. I examined my pistols and loaded them a small, neat pair, the present of Edgerton himself.
I had an idea that Dirk, a man of greater emotional reactions than depth of feeling, would soon forget; and Blanche's life, begun with who knows what bright hopes and what dreams, might just as well have never been lived. It all seemed useless and inane. Strickland had found his hat, and stood looking at me. "Are you coming?" "Why do you seek my acquaintance?" I asked him.
Sam thought of that last night; says he: `If we don't mind our weather heye, that there feller aft may break his way out from below a'ter we're gone, and get away in t'other boat. And Dirk, he says: `Tike the "doctor's" coal hammer and smash in a bottom plank. That'll stop any sich little gime as you speaks of, Sam. And a'ter a little more talk, Sam ups and does it while you was below, asleep."
So long as the centre of gravity was below the level of the water-line, there was no fear of a fresh capsize. I had not yet had an opportunity of speaking to Dirk Peters since the catastrophe. As he had answered to his name, I knew he was not numbered among the victims. At this moment, I perceived him standing on a narrow projection; needless to specify the direction in which his eyes were turned.
"Shame on thee, my son," said the wail, "who art not ashamed to speak thus of the mother that bore thee." "Ay," echoed Dirk, in the stillness that followed, "shame on thee! Once thou wast warned, but now I warn no more." Then he stepped to the door, opened it, and called, "Martin, come hither."
Dirk Hatteraick in any future cruise, he would not fail to bring him into port under his stern, to answer whatever might be alleged against him. As, therefore, it seemed tolerably certain that the men on board the lugger had escaped, the death of Kennedy, if he fell in with them in the woods, when irritated by the loss of their vessel and by the share he had in it, was easily to be accounted for.
"I'd give all I possess to get back that dirk," said Hartnoll, and I believe he meant it. "Come along, then," and we plunged yet deeper into the dark bowels of Portsmouth. The child had quite recovered her confidence, and as we went she explained to us quite frankly why her mother would be angry. "But what," I asked, "is the matter with Fareham?" My ignorance staggered her. "What?
A richly ornamented, and exceedingly dangerous straight dirk was stuck in a sash of red silk net-work; another girdle, or rather belt, of uncoloured leather contained a pair of the smallest sized pistols, in holsters nicely made to fit, and across his shoulder was thrown a short, heavy, military rifle; its horn and pouch occupying the usual places beneath his arms.
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