The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Crusade of the Excelsior, by Bret Harte

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Title: The Crusade of the Excelsior

Author: Bret Harte

Release Date: May 16, 2006 [EBook #2471]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRUSADE OF THE EXCELSIOR ***

Produced by Donald Lainson

THE CRUSADE OF THE EXCELSIOR

by Bret Harte

CONTENTS.

PART I.-- IN BONDS.

CHAPTER I.-- A CRUSADER AND A SIGN

CHAPTER II.-- ANOTHER PORTENT

CHAPTER III-- "VIGILANCIA"

CHAPTER IV.-- IN THE FOG

CHAPTER V.-- TODOS SANTOS

CHAPTER VI.-- "HAIL AND FAREWELL"

CHAPTER VII.-- THE GENTLE CASTAWAYS

CHAPTER VIII.--IN SANCTUARY

CHAPTER IX.-- AN OPEN-AIR PRISON

CHAPTER X.-- TODOS SANTOS SOLVES THE MYSTERY

CHAPTER XI.-- THE CAPTAIN FOLLOWS HIS SHIP

PART II.-- FREED.

CHAPTER I.-- THE MOURNERS AT SAN FRANCISCO

CHAPTER II.-- THE MOURNERS AT TODOS SANTOS

CHAPTER III.-- INTERNATIONAL COURTESIES

CHAPTER IV.-- A GLEAM OF SUNSHINE

CHAPTER V.-- CLOUDS AND CHANGE

CHAPTER VI.-- A MORE IMPORTANT ARRIVAL

CHAPTER VII.-- THE RETURN OF THE EXCELSIOR

CHAPTER VIII.--HOSTAGE

CHAPTER IX.-- LIBERATED

THE CRUSADE OF THE EXCELSIOR

PART I. IN BONDS.

CHAPTER I.

A CRUSADER AND A SIGN.

It was the 4th of August, 1854, off Cape Corrientes. Morning was
breaking over a heavy sea, and the closely-reefed topsails of a barque
that ran before it bearing down upon the faint outline of the Mexican
coast. Already the white peak of Colima showed, ghost-like, in the east;
already the long sweep of the Pacific was gathering strength and volume
as it swept uninterruptedly into the opening Gulf of California.

As the cold light increased, it could be seen that the vessel showed
evidence of a long voyage and stress of weather. She had lost one of
her spars, and her starboard davits rolled emptily. Nevertheless, her
rigging was taut and ship-shape, and her decks scrupulously clean.
Indeed, in that uncertain light, the only moving figure besides the
two motionless shadows at the wheel was engaged in scrubbing the
quar