The shipwrecked party were now settled in safety on the island. They
had reason to be thankful that they had escaped the fearful perils of
the sea; but they had no wish to remain where they were: Virginia was
their destination, and thither they desired to proceed. They looked
anxiously for the arrival of one of the ships of the squadron, which
they hoped might be sent to search for them. No ship, however, made her
appearance, and the indefatigable admiral accordingly set to work to
improve the long-boat by raising the sides, and decking her over, and
also by fitting her with masts and sails and oars.
In the mean time the officers turned their attention to the procuring of
food for the settlement. Several seines had been brought in the ship; a
sandy beach, free from rocks, afforded a favourable place for drawing
them, though, as yet, they knew not what fish the sea would supply. The
two small boats were brought round to the spot, and the seine was cast.
With no slight eagerness, the greater number of the colonists stood on
the shore, watching the success of the undertaking. The officers, as
well as the men, assisted in drawing the net; as it approached the
shore, the fins and tails of innumerable fish were seen splashing above
the surface. Shouts of satisfaction rose from the spectators: the
seamen, led by the admiral himself, rushed in, regardless of a wetting,
to seize the fish, which were endeavouring to escape over the net, and
fifty men or more were now floundering about, each grasping one or more
of the struggling creatures. In their eagerness, several toppled over
on their noses, and had to be picked up by their companions to be saved
from drowning. Some came triumphantly to land, dragging huge fish, many
pounds in weight, by the gills; several received severe bites from the
sharp teeth of the fish, into whose mouths they had incautiously thrust
their hands. Not a few scampered out, declaring that there were sharks
or other monsters among the shoal, which had attacked their legs. Among
the most eager were Gilbert, Fenton, and Oliver Dane. The three youths
on all occasions bore each other company, and after each of them had
secured a fish large enough to feed a dozen hungry men or more, Fenton
and Oliver were seen coming out with an enormous one held fast by the
gills, which, in consequence of its vehement struggles, they could with
difficulty land. On the net being at length hauled up, enough fish were
secured to feed the party for several days, besides those which had
first been taken. Among them were numerous lobsters, crabs, and
crawfish, which, it was conjectured, were the creatures the seamen had
declared had bitten their legs. Here was an additional reason for
thankfulness, for while the sea so plentifully supplied food, there need
be no fear of hunger. In the holes of the rocks, salt in abundance was
also found, with which the fish could be preserved, so as to afford
provision at times when the tempestuous weather might prevent the seine
being drawn. Still, fish alone would not be sufficient to feed the
people, and parties were therefore sent out to search for such other
food as nature might have provided. Vaughan with his brother, young
Dane, and Fenton, honest Ben Tarbox, and two other men, formed one of
the parties; the admiral, Captain Newport, and two of the lieutenants,
leading others.
They had examined, as far as their eyes could serve them, the
surrounding islands, but could see no smoke nor other signs of
inhabitants; nor did they discover the slightest trace of wild beasts.
From the masses of white foam which they saw breaking over the rocks in
all directions, they rightly judged that reefs and shoals abounded, and
that no ship could approach the group, except on the side on which they
had providentially been cast.
Vaughan and Gilbert wished their mother and sister good-bye, promising
to be back soon: they felt confident that they would be in no danger,
while the governor remained to keep the rough seamen in order. As they
walked along, great numbers of small birds, of various species, were met
with. Oliver happened to be whistling while stopping to look about him,
when, greatly to his surprise and that of his companions, a flock of
small birds came down and alighted on the branches close to their heads.
"Stop," said Vaughan; "we must not frighten them, and see what they will
do."
Oliver continued to whistle, holding out his hand, when half a dozen of
the birds or more hopped off the branches and perched on his arm,
looking up into his face, as if wondering whence the notes they heard
proceeded. The rest of the party, imitating his example, and whistling
loudly, several other flights of birds came round them, resting, without
the slightest appearance of fear, on their heads and shoulders.
"'Twere a pity to abuse the confidence of the little feathered
innocents," observed Vaughan, "though I fear much, before long, they
will find out the treachery of man, and have to rue their simplicity."
"An it please you, sir, it is very likely, if we grow hungry," remarked
Ben Tarbox; "but I for one wouldn't hurt them now, though I might be
pretty sharp set."
"Keep to your resolve, my friend, and persuade your mates to be equally
humane," said Vaughan.
As they moved on, the birds flew away to the surrounding trees, but
followed them wherever they went. They had not got far, when Fenton,
who was a little ahead, cried out, "A bear! a bear!" and immediately
fired.
"I missed him," he exclaimed, as Vaughan and Gilbert joined him.
"I doubt much whether the animal you saw was a bear," said Vaughan, as
they got up to the spot, examining the ground where Fenton declared he
had seen the creature. "Observe these berries, and the way the soil has
been turned up: a bear would have climbed the tree from which they have
fallen; whereas, it is evident that an animal with a long snout has been
feeding here. That tree is the palmetto, which, I have heard from those
who have been in the West Indies, yields a cabbage most delicious to
eat; these berries are also sweet and wholesome. By taking the trouble
to climb to the summit, we may procure an ample supply of vegetables;
and see! there are many other trees of the same species. As we shall
have no difficulty in finding them again, we will go on in search of the
animal you saw; and, should our guns not prove faithless, we may hope to
find some meat for dinner."
They now proceeded more cautiously, when, coming to the edge of an open
glade, they saw before them a herd of thirty or more swine feeding at a
short distance. Creeping along under shelter of the bushes, they got
close enough to fire. Vaughan selected one animal, Gilbert and Fenton
aimed at two others. Firing together, three hogs fell dead on the
ground. Here was a prize worth obtaining; Tarbox and the other men, who
understood cutting up a pig, were soon busily engaged in the operation,
while the gentlemen continued their search farther on. Great was their
delight to discover pear-trees bearing ripe fruit, and at a little
distance a grove of mulberry-trees, some with white, others with red
fruit.
"In what a curious way the leaves are rolled round," observed Gilbert,
examining them; "why, each contains a little conical ball, I verily
believe, of silk."
"Yes, indeed, they are silk-worms," said Vaughan; "there are enough here
to supply the looms of France for many a day; and if we can collect, and
can manage to unwind them, we may send home a quantity certain to yield
a rich return. We will carry back a supply of the fruit, which will be
welcomed by our mother and sister."
Gilbert and his companions quickly wove a couple of baskets of some long
grass which grew near, and filled them with mulberries and a few cocoons
of the silk-worms to exhibit to their friends. They did not forget also
to stuff their pockets full of pears. Well pleased with the result of
their excursion, they returned to the settlement.
The admiral, who set an example of activity to all the rest, undertook
an expedition to visit the neighbouring islands, giving leave to Gilbert
and Fenton to accompany him. As they pulled along, they saw a number of
birds flying towards a small island. On landing, they discovered a vast
number of eggs, the size of hens' eggs, which had been laid upon the
sand, the heat of which apparently assisted to hatch them. The birds
were so tame that they allowed the men to come among them without
moving, so that they could be knocked down with sticks. In a short time
a thousand birds were caught, and as many eggs, so that the boat was
loaded almost to her gunwale. Here was a further supply of welcome
food, adding to the variety of that already obtained. One night, the
boats returning from an expedition, the crews landed on an island to
cook their supper, when, greatly to their surprise, they found
themselves surrounded by birds which perched on their heads and arms, so
as to almost cover them, many flying directly into the fire.
Notwithstanding the shouts and laughter of the men, the birds came in
still greater numbers, apparently attracted as much by the noise as the
light, while they answered the shouts by a curious hooting; from which
reason, and from their blindness, the men called them sea-owls. After
this, the boats were frequently sent over, and by simply waving, a
firebrand, sea-fowls invariably collected round them, so that they in a
short time could kill as many with their sticks as would fill the boats.
Not far off from the settlement was a sandy beach. Gilbert and his
ever-constant companions were one evening returning homewards, when they
caught sight of a creature crawling out of the sea. They hid themselves
to watch what it would do; another and another followed, when, making
their way up to a dry part of the beach, they were seen to stir up the
sand, and to remain for some time at the spot. Vast numbers of others
followed, and continued coming, till darkness prevented their being
distinguished. Although neither of the lads had seen turtles, they
guessed what they were, and, rushing out of their hiding-place, were
quickly in their midst, endeavouring to catch some of them; but the
creatures bit at their legs, and they, not knowing the art of turning
them on their backs, were dragged along by those they caught hold of
till they were nearly carried into the water. At length they gave up
the attempt.
On their arrival at the settlement, they told what they had seen, when
they were heartily laughed at for not having turned over the turtles.
The next morning many of the men went out, and returned laden with
turtles' eggs, which they had found in the sand. The following evening
the turtles were not allowed much quiet, for the men, having armed
themselves with long sticks, hid in the surrounding bushes, and as soon
as the turtles had crawled on to the beach they set upon them, and
before the frightened creatures could escape, some two score or more
were turned on their backs, and in that condition were dragged to the
settlement. It was on a Saturday night, and the next Sabbath morning
good Master Hunt, the chaplain, failed not to remark on the kindness of
Providence in thus supplying them so abundantly with wholesome food.
The service being over, all the cooks, with many assistants, making up
the greater part of the inhabitants, were busy in dressing the turtle,
some making soup, others stews--indeed, of every mess there was far more
than the men, albeit large eaters with voracious appetites, could
consume.
Thus the settlement was amply supplied by Providence with all that
people could desire. In truth, it might have proved a perfect paradise,
had not, alas! the evil dispositions of the men broken out to render it
like other spots of this sinful earth.
The admiral finding that no ship arrived from Virginia, despatched the
long-boat under the command of Henry Raven, the master's mate, to that
settlement, a distance, as he calculated of a hundred and forty leagues.
He promised, should he arrive safely at his destination, to return
immediately with a large vessel, capable of carrying all the party.
Many prayers were uttered for his safe arrival and return, as he sailed
away. Vaughan did not fail to write to Captain Layton, as he also did
to Cicely; but, as he wrote, he stopped often and groaned in spirit.
Was she for whom these lines were intended still alive to read them?
"God is good; God is merciful; He orders all things for the best; His
will be done," he said calmly. Then he wrote on: he told of his deep
anxiety, his agonising fears; but he spoke also of his hopes, of his
trust in One all-powerful to save, of his eager desire ere long to reach
Virginia. Lettice likewise wrote to her, giving many messages to Roger,
to whom she would fain herself have written, had the so-doing been
allowable. What she said need not be repeated. It may be supposed that
the long separation the young people were doomed to endure was trying in
the extreme. Mistress Audley also felt great disappointment at being
thus prevented from instituting the search for her husband, though she
confided in Captain Layton that he would use all the means in his power
to discover his friend, had he, as she prayed, escaped shipwreck; and as
she, with others, looked out day by day for the arrival of the expected
ship from Virginia, she could not help believing that her husband would
be on board. She, like the rest, was doomed to disappointment. Two
moons went by and no ship appeared. Had Master Raven arrived, he would
surely have returned by this time, and fears were entertained that he
and his companions must have been lost.
The keel of a pinnace had already been laid in Gates's Bay, the name
bestowed on the harbour on the shore of which the settlement was
situated. Some progress had been made with her, when Sir George Summers
proposed going over to the chief island, where there was an abundance of
timber, and taking with him two carpenters and a party of men in order
to build another vessel, it being evident that the first would not
contain the whole of the shipwrecked company. The governor willingly
agreed to the proposal, and Sir George and his followers set off. The
settlement was thus deprived of many of the most trustworthy men.
Of many events which, occurred on the island after this period we omit
the account. Evil-disposed persons among the passengers and crew,
forgetful of their merciful deliverance and of the supply of provisions
afforded by their bountiful God to them, disregarding the exhortations
of the chaplain, Master Hunt, to live peaceable lives, formed
conspiracies against the governor and admiral with the intent of
compassing their deaths. Happily, from want of union, these plots were
discovered, but order was not restored until their ringleader had been
seized and shot--a warning to the rest.
This state of things caused much alarm and anxiety to Mistress Audley
and Lettice. Months passed by, the long-boat did not return. Had she
arrived at the colony, they felt sure that, should the _Rainbow_ have
escaped, Captain Layton would have forthwith sailed in quest of them.
Thus, to their minds it was clear that either the _Rainbow_ or the
long-boat had been lost. Happily for Mistress Layton and her children,
they trusted in One mighty to save, who orders all for the best, and
they could bow their heads in submission to His will, and say from their
hearts, "Thy will be done."
While the admiral and his party were working away on the main island at
the vessel he had undertaken to build, the governor and the carpenters
who remained at Gates's Bay laboured on at the pinnace. Already great
progress had been made with her; oakum sufficient to caulk her was
formed from old cables and ropes. One barrel of tar and another of
pitch had also been saved. This however was not sufficient, and
Vaughan, who had much scientific knowledge, invented a mixture composed
of lime made of whelk shells and a hard white stone burned in a kiln,
slaked with fresh water and tempered with tortoise-oil, with which she
was payed over. She was built chiefly of cedar cut in the island, her
beams and timbers being of oak saved from the wreck, and the planks of
her bow of the same timber. She measured forty feet in the keel, and
was nineteen feet broad; thus being of about eighty tons burden. She
was named the _Deliverance_, as it was hoped that she would deliver the
party from their present situation and carry them to the country to
which they were bound.
The _Deliverance_ was now launched, and found to sit well on the water.
Shortly afterwards the pinnace built by Sir George Summers was seen
coming round into the bay. She was smaller than the _Deliverance_,
measuring nine-and-twenty feet in the keel, fifteen and a half in the
beam, and drawing six feet water. Her name was the _Patience_, and
truly with patience had she been built, the admiral having used such
timber alone as he could cut in the forest, the only iron about her
being a single bolt in the keelson. As no pitch or tar could be
procured, she was payed over with a mixture of lime and oil, as was the
_Deliverance_. All hands were now employed in fitting out the vessels
and getting the stores on board. At dawn on the 10th of May the admiral
and captain put off in their long-boats to set buoys in the channel
through which the vessels would have to pass, for the distance from the
rocks to the shoals on the other side was often not more than three
times the length of the ship.
A cross had been made by order of the governor of the wood of the wreck,
having within it a coin with the king's head. This cross was fixed to a
great cedar tree in memory of their deliverance. To the tree was also
nailed a copper plate with a fitting inscription.
About nine in the morning, the wind being fair, the whole of the company
went on board. The _Patience_ led the way, with the admiral and those
who had built her on board. The _Deliverance_, in which Mistress Audley
and her family were passengers, followed.
While all were in high spirits at finding themselves once more at sea, a
severe blow was felt; the ship quivered from stem to stern, and a cry
was raised, "We are on shore! we are on shore!" But the captain
ordering the helm to be put up to larboard, and the starboard
head-braces hauled aft and the after-sails clewed up, she glided on,
carrying away a portion of the soft rock on which she had struck. The
well was sounded, but no leak was discovered, though for some time it
was feared that, after the many months' labour bestowed on the ship,
they might have to return. For two days the vessels were threading the
narrow channels amid those dangerous rocks, feeling, as it were, every
inch of their way, with the dread each instant of striking.
Happily the weather remained calm, but even thus the time was one of
great anxiety to all on board. At length, to their infinite joy, the
captain announced that they were clear of all danger. The ship and
pinnace shaped a course west and north to Virginia. Seven days after
leaving the islands the colour of the water was seen to have changed,
and branches of trees and other objects from the shore floated by.
Sounding the next day, the ship was found to be in nineteen and a half
fathoms of water. Lettice and Vaughan had remained late on deck, their
hearts filled with anxiety, for on the morrow they might know whether
those they loved were among the living or dead. Each tried to encourage
the other, and as they stood watching the bright stars overhead and the
calm ocean suffused with the silvery light of the moon, or gazing
towards the land which they hoped ere long to see, they became sensible
of a delicious odour of fruit and flowers wafted by the night breeze
from the shore. The sails flapped against the masts, the vessel was
taken aback, but the yards being braced round she stood on once more.
"To your cabin, Mistress Lettice, to your cabin," said Captain Newport,
"we will, in God's good providence, take you in safely to-morrow; and
now go to rest and dream of those you hope to meet, and the beautiful
land to be your future home. Come, Master Audley, urge your sister to
take my good advice."
Vaughan, knowing that the captain was right, led Lettice to the cabin.