Fortunate is it for this land that those who war for evil and those who
fight for good do so side by side; and well is it for poor humanity that
the bane and the antidote grow together. The misanthrope sends his
poisonous streams throughout the land, but the philanthropist erects his
dams everywhere to stem the foul torrents and turn them aside. The
Infidel plants unbelief with reckless hand far and wide, but the
Christian scatters the "Word" broadcast over the land. The sordid
shipowner strews the coast with wreck and murdered fellow-creatures;
but, thank God, the righteous shipowner--along with other like-minded
men--sends forth a fleet of lifeboats from almost every bay and cove
along the shore to rob the deep of its prey, and rescue the perishing.
In the bay where the _Swordfish_ was stranded there chanced to be a
lifeboat. Most of her noble crew were, at the time the vessel struck,
in chapel, probably engaged in singing the hymns of the great John
Wesley, or listening to the preaching of the "old, old story" of the
salvation of souls through faith in Jesus Christ. But there were bodies
to be saved that day as well as souls, and the stout arms of the
lifeboat crew were needed.
The cry was quickly raised, "A wreck in the bay!" The shout that
naturally followed was, "The lifeboat!" A stalwart Cornish gentleman
sprang from his pew to serve his Master in another field. He was the
Honorary Local Secretary of the Lifeboat Institution--a man brimful of
physical energy, and with courage and heart for every good work. No
time was lost. Six powerful horses were procured so quickly that it
seemed as if they had started ready harnessed into being. Willing hands
dragged the lifeboat, mounted on its carriage, from its shed, the horses
were attached, and a loud cheer arose as the huge craft was whirled
along the road towards the bay. The scene of the wreck was a mile
distant, and a large town had to be traversed on the way thither.
Hundreds of worshippers were on the streets, returning home, with
chastened thoughts and feelings perchance, from church and chapel.
There was excitement, however, in their looks, for the echo of that cry,
"The lifeboat!" had reached the ears of many, and eager inquiries were
being made. Presently the lifeboat itself, with all its peculiar gear,
came thundering through the town, rudely dispelling, for a few moments,
the solemnity of the Sabbath day. Hundreds of men, women, and children
followed in its train, and hundreds more joined at every turn of the
main thoroughfare.
"A wreck in the bay!" "Crew in the rigging!" "Mainmast gone!" "She
can't hold long together in such a sea!" "We'll be in time yet!"
"Hurrah!"
Such were some of the exclamations heard on all sides as the rescuers
dashed along, and the excited multitude irresistibly followed. Even
females ventured to join the throng, and, holding shawls tightly round
their heads and shoulders, went down on the exposed sands and faced the
pelting storm.
In less than half an hour after the alarm was given, the lifeboat swept
down to the beach, the horses, obedient to the rein, flew round, the
boat's bow was presented to the sea, and the carriage thrust as far into
the surf as was possible. Then hundreds of willing hands seized the
launching ropes, and the boat, with her crew already seated, and the
oars out, sprang from her carriage into the hissing flood.
A tremendous billow met her. "Steady lads, give way!" cried the
coxswain, on whose steering everything depended at the first plunge.
The short oars cracked as the men strained every muscle, and shot the
boat, not over, but right through the falling deluge. Of course it was
filled, but the discharging tubes freed it in a few seconds, and the
cheers of the spectators had scarce burst forth when she rushed out to
meet the succeeding breaker. There was another breathless moment, when
hundreds of men, eager to vent their surcharged breast in another cheer,
could only gaze and gasp--then a roar, a world of falling foam, and the
lifeboat was submerged. But the gallant coxswain met the shock straight
as an arrow, cleft the billow, and leaped onward--irresistibly onward--
over, through, and in the teeth of raging wind and waves, until they
were fairly out and dancing on the chaotic ocean.
But, just before this took place, the captain of the _Swordfish_,
ignorant of the fact that the lifeboat was hastening to the rescue,
unfortunately took a fatal step. Believing that no boat would venture
to put off in such a gale, he ordered the ship's launch to be lowered.
This was done, but it was immediately upset and stove against the side.
Then the jollyboat was lowered, and nine men and the captain got into
it. The old Indian officer, with his daughter and all the women and
children, were also, with great difficulty, put on board of it.
Captain Phelps was cool and self-possessed in that hour of danger. He
steered the boat with consummate skill, and succeeded in keeping her
afloat for some time. On she rushed, as if driven by an irresistible
impulse, amid the cheers of the crowd, and the prayers of many that she
might safely reach the land. The brave fellows who manned her struggled
hard and well, but in vain. When the boat was little more three hundred
yards from the shore an immense breaker overtook her.
"She'll be swamped!" "She's gone!" "God save her!" and similar cries
burst from those on shore. Next moment the wave had the boat in its
powerful grasp, tossed her on its crest, whirled her round, and turned
her keel up, leaving her freight of human beings struggling in the sea.
Oh! it was a terrible thing for the thousands on land to stand so close
to those drowning men and women without the power of stretching out a
hand to save! No one could get near them, although they were so near.
They were tossed like straws on the raging surf. Now hurled on the
crest of a wave, now sucked into the hollow beneath, and overwhelmed
again and again. The frail ones of the hapless crew soon perished. The
strong men struggled on with desperate energy to reach the shore. Three
of them seized the keel of the boat, but three times were they driven
from their hold by the force of the seas. Two or three caught at the
floating oars, but most of them were soon carried away by the
under-current. The captain, however, with five or six of the men, still
struggled powerfully for life, and succeeded in swimming close to the
beach.
Up to this point there was one of the spectators who had stood behind
the shelter of a bush, surveying, with sorrowful countenance, the tragic
scene. He was a short, but fine-looking and very athletic man--a
champion Cornish wrestler, named William Jeff. He was a first-rate
boatman, and a bold swimmer. Fortunately he also possessed a generous,
daring heart. When this man saw Captain Phelps near the shore, he
sprang forward, dashed into the surf, at the imminent risk of his life,
and caught the captain by the hair. The retreating water well-nigh
swept the brave rescuer away, but other men of the town, fearless like
himself, leaped forward, joined hands, caught hold of Jeff, and hauled
him safe ashore along with the captain, who was carried away in a state
of insensibility. Again and again, at the risk of his life, did the
champion wrestler wrestle with the waves and conquer them! Aided by his
daring comrades he dragged three others from the jaws of death. Of
those who entered the jolly-boat of the _Swordfish_, only five reached
the land. These were all sailors, and one of them, Captain Phelps, was
so much exhausted by his exertions that, notwithstanding all that
cordials, rubbing, and medical skill could effect, he sank in a few
minutes, and died.
But while this was occurring on the beach, another scene of disaster was
taking place at the wreck. The lifeboat, after a severe pull of more
than an hour, reached the vessel. As she was passing under her stern a
great sea struck the boat and immediately capsized her. All on board
were at once thrown out. The boat was, however, one of those
self-righting crafts, which had just at that time been introduced. She
immediately righted, emptied herself, and the crew climbed into her by
means of the life-lines festooned round her sides; but the brave
coxswain was jammed under her by some wreck, and nearly lost his life--
having to dive three or four times before he could extricate himself.
When at last dragged into the boat by his comrades he was apparently
dead. It was then discovered that the man who had pulled the stroke oar
had been swept overboard and carried away. His companions believed him
to be lost, but he had on one of the cork life-belts of the Lifeboat
Institution, and was by it floated to the shore, where a brave fellow
swam his horse out through the surf and rescued him.
Meanwhile, the lifeboat men were so much injured and exhausted that they
were utterly incapable of making any attempt to rescue those who
remained of the crew of the _Swordfish_. It was as much as they could
do to guide the boat again towards the shore, steered by the second
coxswain, who, although scarcely able to stand, performed his duty with
consummate skill.
Nothing of all this could be seen by the thousands on shore, owing to
the spray which thickened the atmosphere, and the distance of the wreck.
But when the lifeboat came in sight they soon perceived that something
was wrong, and when she drew near they rushed to meet her. Dismay
filled every breast when they saw the coxswain carried out apparently
dead, with a stream of blood trickling from a wound in his temple, and
learned from the worn-out and disabled crew that no rescue had been
effected. Immediately the local secretary before mentioned, who had
been all this time caring for those already rescued, and preparing for
those expected, called for a volunteer crew, and the second coxswain at
once shouted, "I'll go again, sir!" This man's bravery produced a
wonderful moral effect. He was not permitted to go, being already too
much exhausted, but his example caused volunteers to come forward
promptly. Among them were men of the coastguard, a body to which the
country is deeply indebted for annually saving many lives. Several
gentlemen of the town also volunteered. With the new crew, and the
chief officer of the coastguard at the helm, the noble boat was launched
a second time.
The struggle which followed was tremendous, for they had to pull direct
to windward in the teeth of wind and sea. Sometimes the boat would rise
almost perpendicularly to the waves, and the spectators gazed with bated
breath, fearing that she must turn over; then she would gain a yard or
two, and again be checked. Thus, inch by inch, they advanced until the
wreck was reached, and the sailors were successfully taken off. But
this was not accomplished without damage to the rescuers, one of whom
had three ribs broken, while others were more or less injured.
Soon the boat was seen making once more for the beach. On she came on
the wings of the wind. As she drew near, the people crowded towards her
as far as the angry sea would permit.
"How many saved?" was the anxious question.
As the boat rushed forward, high on the crest of a tumultuous billow,
the bowman stood up and shouted, "Nine saved!" and in another moment,
amid the ringing cheers of the vast multitude, the lifeboat leaped upon
the sand with the rescued men!
"Nine saved!" A pleasant piece of news that was to be read next day in
the papers by those who contributed to place that lifeboat on the coast;
for nine souls saved implies many more souls gladdened and filled with
unutterable gratitude to Almighty God.
But "Twenty lost!" A dismal piece of news this to those at whose door
the murders will lie till the day of doom. Even John Webster, Esquire,
grew pale when he heard of it, and his hard heart beat harder than usual
against his iron ribs as he sat in the habitation of his soul and gazed
at his deceased wife's father over the chimney-piece, until he almost
thought the canvas image frowned upon him.
There was more, however, behind these twenty lost lives than Mr Webster
dreamed of. The links in the chains of Providence are curiously
intermingled, and it is impossible to say, when one of them gives way,
which, or how many, will fall along with it, as the next chapter will
show.