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Aaron Trow
by Anthony Trollope
I would wish to declare； at the beginning of this story； that I
shall never regard that cluster of islets which we call Bermuda as
the Fortunate Islands of the ancients。 Do not let professional
geographers take me up； and say that no one has so accounted them；
and that the ancients have never been supposed to have gotten
themselves so far westwards。 What I mean to assert is thisthat；
had any ancient been carried thither by enterprise or stress of
weather； he would not have given those islands so good a name。 That
the Neapolitan sailors of King Alonzo should have been wrecked here；
I consider to be more likely。 The vexed Bermoothes is a good name
for them。 There is no getting in or out of them without the
greatest difficulty； and a patient； slow navigation； which is very
heart…rending。 That Caliban should have lived here I can imagine；
that Ariel would have been sick of the place is certain； and that
Governor Prospero should have been willing to abandon his
governorship； I conceive to have been only natural。 When one
regards the present state of the place； one is tempted to doubt
whether any of the governors have been conjurors since his days。
Bermuda； as all the world knows； is a British colony at which we
maintain a convict establishment。 Most of our outlying convict
establishments have been sent back upon our hands from our colonies；
but here one is still maintained。 There is also in the islands a
strong military fortress； though not a fortress looking magnificent
to the eyes of civilians； as do Malta and Gibraltar。 There are also
here some six thousand white people and some six thousand black
people； eating； drinking； sleeping； and dying。
The convict establishment is the most notable feature of Bermuda to
a stranger； but it does not seem to attract much attention from the
regular inhabitants of the place。 There is no intercourse between
the prisoners and the Bermudians。 The convicts are rarely seen by
them； and the convict islands are rarely visited。 As to the
prisoners themselves； of course it is not open to themor should
not be open to themto have intercourse with any but the prison
authorities。
There have； however； been instances in which convicts have escaped
from their confinement； and made their way out among the islands。
Poor wretches！ As a rule； there is but little chance for any that
can so escape。 The whole length of the cluster is but twenty miles；
and the breadth is under four。 The prisoners are； of course； white
men； and the lower orders of Bermuda； among whom alone could a
runagate have any chance of hiding himself； are all negroes； so that
such a one would be known at once。 Their clothes are all marked。
Their only chance of a permanent escape would be in the hold of an
American ship； but what captain of an American or other ship would
willingly encumber himself with an escaped convict？ But；
nevertheless； men have escaped； and in one instance； I believe； a
convict got away； so that of him no farther tidings were ever heard。
For the truth of the following tale I will not by any means vouch。
If one were to inquire on the spot one might probably find that the
ladies all believe it； and the old men； that all the young men know
exactly how much of it is false and how much true； and that the
steady； middle…aged； well…to…do islanders are quite convinced that
it is romance from beginning to end。 My readers may range
themselves with the ladies； the young men； or the steady； well…to…
do； middle…aged islanders； as they please。
Some years ago； soon after the prison was first established on its
present footing； three men did escape from it； and among them a
certain notorious prisoner named Aaron Trow。 Trow's antecedents in
England had not been so villanously bad as those of many of his
fellow…convicts； though the one offence for which he was punished
had been of a deep dye： he had shed man's blood。 At a period of
great distress in a manufacturing town he had led men on to riot；
and with his own hand had slain the first constable who had
endeavoured to do his duty against him。 There had been courage in
the doing of the deed； and probably no malice； but the deed； let its
moral blackness have been what it might； had sent him to Bermuda；
with a sentence against him of penal servitude for life。 Had he
been then amenable to prison discipline；even then； with such a
sentence against him as that；he might have won his way back； after
the lapse of years； to the children； and perhaps； to the wife； that
he had left behind him； but he was amenable to no rulesto no
discipline。 His heart was sore to death with an idea of injury； and
he lashed himself against the bars of his cage with a feeling that
it would be well if he could so lash himself till he might perish in
his fury。
And then a day came in which an attempt was made by a large body of
convicts； under his leadership； to get the better of the officers of
the prison。 It is hardly necessary to say that the attempt failed。
Such attempts always fail。 It failed on this occasion signally； and
Trow； with two other men； were condemned to be scourged terribly；
and then kept in solitary confinement for some lengthened term of
months。 Before； however； the day of scourging came； Trow and his
two associates had escaped。
I have not the space to tell how this was effected； nor the power to
describe the manner。 They did escape from the establishment into
the islands； and though two of them were taken after a single day's
run at liberty； Aaron Trow had not been yet retaken even when a week
was over。 When a month was over he had not been retaken； and the
officers of the prison began to say that he had got away from them
in a vessel to the States。 It was impossible； they said； that he
should have remained in the islands and not been discovered。 It was
not impossible that he might have destroyed himself； leaving his
body where it had not yet been found。 But he could not have lived
on in Bermuda during that month's search。 So； at least； said the
officers of the prison。 There was； however； a report through the
islands that he had been seen from time to time； that he had gotten
bread from the negroes at night； threatening them with death if they
told of his whereabouts； and that all the clothes of the mate of a
vessel had been stolen while the man was bathing； including a suit
of dark blue cloth； in which suit of clothes； or in one of such a
nature； a stranger had been seen skulking about the rocks near St。
George。 All this the governor of the prison affected to disbelieve；
but the opinion was becoming very rife in the islands that Aaron
Trow was still there。
A vigilant search； however； is a task of great labour； and cannot be
kept up for ever。 By degrees it was relaxed。 The warders and
gaolers ceased to patrol the island roads by night； and it was
agreed that Aaron Trow was gone； or that he would be starved to
death； or that he would in time be driven to leave such traces of
his whereabouts as must lead to his discovery； and this at last did
turn out to be the fact。
There is a sort of prettiness about these islands which； though it
never rises to the loveliness of romantic scenery； is nevertheless
attractive in its way。 The land breaks itself into little knolls；
and the sea runs up； hither and thither； in a thousand creeks and
inlets； and then； too； when the oleanders are in bloom； they give a
wonderfully bright colour to the landscape。 Oleanders seem to be
the roses of Bermuda； and are cultivated round all the villages of
the better class through the islands。 There are two towns； St。
George and Hamilton； and one main high…road； which connects them；
but even this high…road is broken by a ferry； over which every
vehicle going from St。 George to Hamilton must be conveyed。 Most of
the locomotion in these parts is done by boats； and the residents
look to the sea； with its narrow creeks； as their best highway from
their farms to their best market。 In those daysand those days
were not very long sincethe building of small ships was their
chief trade； and they valued their land m