Inspired by the urgency of my errand, I was already progressing at a rapid pace. Now, in my eagerness to flee the gloom—the dreariness—the sheer oppressive misery of this dismal neighborhood, I accelerated my stride and, within moments, found myself within view of the harbor.

I paused for a moment to take in the scene. Tall-masted ships floated upon the gently undulating surface of the bay; while, overhead, raucous gulls swooped and wheeled against the dull, leaden sky. A chill wind blew from the water, carrying upon it that brackish, yet strangely exhilarating, aroma that never failed to fill me with the keenest longing for those wild adventures incident to the life of the seaman—the sublime thrill of the maelström—the intoxicating sensations of the gale—the ecstasies of suffering known exclusively by those who have undergone the extremities of shipwreck!

Recalling my thoughts from these maritime fancies and concentrating my faculties on the purpose at hand, I cast my gaze about and quickly discovered the destination I was seeking. Not more than fifty yards away, at the near end of a jutting dock, stood a miserable wooden shack, its weather-beaten exterior hung with nets, lobster traps, and other accoutrements of the fishermans trade. At the doorway of this unassuming structure, I could clearly ascertain the figure of the brawny frontiersman, standing (or rather, posing) with his chest thrust out and arms akimbo. The moustachioed Captain Russell and his subordinate, Sergeant Donegan, were visible immediately to the rear of Crockett, as though sheltering themselves behind the barrier of his formidable physique.

Surrounding Crockett and the officers was a crowd of such considerable magnitude that, in the entire vicinity of the dock, there was scarcely enough space for a single additional spectator. Judging by their dress, I could see that a significant portion of this crowd consisted of perfectly reputable citizens: many of them, no doubt, the same men and women who had congregated outside the boarding house and who—eagerly anticipating a display of Crockett’s fabled martial prowess—had followed him here to the abode of the putative killer. Other members of the throng, however, appeared to be individuals of a far less respectable character—undoubtedly denizens of the adjoining neighborhood, who had attached themselves to Crockett’s procession as it passed through their grim and desolate streets.

My assumption regarding die unsavory nature of this latter class of onlookers was quickly borne out as, perceiving that there was but little time to lose, I hastened towards the dockside and endeavored to push my way through the mob—only to find myself impeded by a veritable wall of shabbily attired ruffians who comprised the outer perimeter of the crowd.