Page:History and adventures of Jack Mansong.pdf/18

18 Rosa lay for some time senseless ; her forehead was very much bruised, and her lovely tresses hang’d shrivelled on her face. At length she recovered to the misery of her situation ; she beheld with tortured eye, the frightful cave, which was hung around with the skeletons of turtles, aligators, and other reptiles, enough to chill the female heart ; but Rosa was endowed with more courage than many of her sex.

Three Finger’d Jack, into whose cave she had thus been precipitated, was out, and prowling for fresh prey. At this critical juncture he returned, and descended into the cave by means of a ladder, while Rosa was viewing with terror the Three Finger'd hand depicted on the wall. Jack no sooner beheld an European in his cave, than he seized one of his muskets by the muzzle, and prepared to dash his brains out. Rosa fell upon her knees, and exclaimed, “ Mercy ! mercy ! I am a woman ! ’— Jack dropt the weapon, and was perplexed ; for although he was resolved to shew mercy to women yet he had also determined to put to death that being who should gain a knowledge of his cave.—The idea of his beloved Zaldwna recurred to his mind, “ Perhaps said he, at this moment she too may have cause to implore for mercy !" and after some deliberation, he resolved that Rosa should not die : but self-preservation demanded he should confine her in the bowels of that rock her rashness had penetrated.

Night was getting on apace. Jack was wearied with the fatigues of the day ; and, after eating of the plaintain of which the hungry Rosa partook, he sunk into a sound sleep. Now Rosa conceived the idea of making her escape ; she reconnoitred the cave, and could find no means of extricating herself from her prison, but by the way she entered. She was therefore hasting up the ladder by