Chapter 21

Nothing beside remains! Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

SHELLEY

As Captain Truck was so fully aware of the importance of rapid movements
to the success of his enterprise, it will be remembered that he left in
the ship no seaman, no servant, except Saunders the steward, and, in
short, no men but the two Messrs. Effingham, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Blunt, and the
other person just mentioned. If to these be added, Eve Effingham,
Mademoiselle Viefville, Ann Sidley, and a French _femme de chambre_, the
whole party will be enumerated. At first, it had been the intention of the
master to leave one of his mates behind him, but, encouraged by the secure
berth he had found for his vessel, the great strength of his moorings, the
little hold the winds and waves could get of spars so robbed of their
proportions, and of a hull so protected by the reef, and feeling a certain
confidence in the knowledge of Mr. Blunt, who, several times during the
passage, had betrayed a great familiarity with ships, he came to the
decision named, and had formally placed the last named gentleman in full
charge, _ad interim_, of the Montauk.

There was a solemn and exciting interest in the situation of those who
remained in the vessel, after the party of bustling seamen had left them.
The night came in bland and tranquil, and although there was no moon, they
walked the deck for hours with strange sensations of enjoyment, mingled
with those of loneliness and desertion. Mr. Effingham and his cousin
retired to their rooms long before the others, who continued their
exercise with a freedom and an absence of restraint, that they had not
before felt, since subjected to the confinement of the ship.

"Our situation is at least novel," Eve observed, "for a party of
Parisians, Viennois, Romans, or by whatever name we may be
properly styled."

"Say Swiss, then," returned Mr. Blunt; "for I believe that even the
cosmopolite has a claim to choose his favourite residence."

Eve understood the allusion, which carried her back to the weeks they had
passed in company, among the grand scenery of the Alps; but she would not
betray the consciousness, for, whatever may be the ingenuousness of a
female, she seldom loses her sensitiveness on the subject of her more
cherished feelings.

"And do you prefer Switzerland to all the other countries of your
acquaintance?" asked Mr. Sharp: "England I leave out of the question, for,
though we, who belong to the island, see so many charms in it, it must be
conceded that strangers seldom join us very heartily in its praises. I
think most travellers would give the palm to