SURVEY OUR CAMPING-PLACE--CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THE CLIFF--RETURN TO THE
BRIG--FRUITLESS ATTEMPTS TO GET HER OFF--STORES LANDED--VISITED BY A
NATIVE AND HIS FAMILY--PADDY MAKES PULLINGO'S ACQUAINTANCE--A RAFT
BUILT--A STORM--BRIG GOES TO PIECES--DISAFFECTION OF THE CREW--I SAVE
MUDGE FROM A SNAKE--CRUISE IN THE BOATS TO RECOVER CARGO--CASE OF SEEDS
FOUND--HOUSE BUILT--THE MATES AND PART OF THE CREW SAIL FOR SYDNEY IN
THE LONG-BOAT--DUTIES ON SHORE--EXPEDITION WITH EDITH IN THE
JOLLY-BOAT--EDITH TAKEN ILL--A GALE--CROSS THE BAR--A MERCIFUL ESCAPE.
The spot on which we had landed was well chosen. There was ample level
space on which to erect our tents; indeed, a whole village might have
been built on it under such shade as the trees afforded; though that,
owing to the way the leaves grew with their edges upwards and downwards,
was but slight. It was joined to the mainland by a narrow neck, which
could be easily defended, should there be any natives in the
neighbourhood inclined to attack us; while a bend of the shore on the
upper side of the neck afforded a secure harbour for the boats. The
cliffs, which extended along the coast, and apparently ran some way up
the river, rose but a short distance from the bank; and as the trees
grew widely apart along the shore, no enemy, we supposed, could approach
without being discovered.
As soon as we had landed, my mother begged Mudge to ascertain, as far as
he could, whether there were any natives in the neighbourhood; and if he
was satisfied that there were none, to send the boat back to the brig--
which was not visible from where we were, being hidden by the mangroves
on the point at the northern side of the entrance to the river.
"The best way to ascertain that will be to climb to the top of the
cliffs, as from thence I doubt not but I shall get a good view all over
the country," answered Mudge.
I begged to accompany him; and he giving directions to the men to land
the stores and provisions, we set off.
When we reached the foot of the cliffs we found that it would be no easy
matter to mount them; indeed, just above the landing-place they were
almost perpendicular. By going westward--that is to say, up the
stream--we found that they were more broken; and at length we discovered
a part where, by means of the shrubs which projected from the crevices,
we had hopes of being able to climb up to the top. I don't know what
landsmen might have done, but we, not to be deterred by difficulties or
the fear of breaking our necks, commenced the ascent.
Up we went, now scrambling over the rocks, now swinging ourselves up by
means of the shrubs, till we got to a break in the ground--probably in
long ages past a water-course, when the ocean was flowing off the
ground; now presenting a surface of undulating downs. The sides sloping
gradually, we easily made our way among the bushes growing on them, till
we stood on the downs I have just spoken of, on the top of the cliff.
By proceeding back to the sea we reached the highest part, just above
the landing-place.
Before leaving the vessel, Mudge had thoughtfully slung his telescope
over his shoulder, and was thus able to take a wide survey of the
country in every direction. We first looked towards the brig, which lay
about a mile and a half to the north-east, in the position in which we
had left her; the boat was alongside, and as far as we could make out,
no effort was being made to get the vessel off.
"I doubt if any power will move her; or, if she were to be hauled off
the rocks, whether she will keep afloat long enough to bring her into
the harbour," said Mudge, with a sigh. "It can't be helped; and we
should be thankful to have reached the shore with our lives, and to have
a prospect of making our way in time to the settlements."
"I am afraid that my father will be dreadfully cut up at the loss of the
brig and so much of his property, even although we may manage to land
the stores and part of the cargo," I observed.
"He would have been more cut up had your mother and sister and you boys
lost your lives, or been compelled to make a long voyage in the boats,--
which might have been our fate had we not got so close inshore,"
answered Mudge. "Again I say, let us be thankful for the mercies shown
us, and make the best of our position."
Mudge, while he was speaking, was sweeping his glass round from the
coast-line to the northward, towards the interior of the country. I
meantime was looking down on the party below the cliff, who were all
busily employed in carrying the things up from the boat, and placing
them close to the spot Mudge had already selected for pitching the
tent--in the centre of the little peninsula. Though they were, I
concluded, within musket-shot, they were too far off for an arrow to
reach them; so that, even should the natives possess such weapons, our
encampment could not be assailed from the top of the cliff. This was
satisfactory, as it made the position we had chosen a very secure one.
The spot was about a quarter of a mile from the mouth of the river. The
opposite shore was, as I have said, much lower than that on which we
stood. Close to the sea it was flat and level, with a few sand-hills
scattered over it. Farther on, the ground was undulating and thinly
covered with trees. On our side, the high ground extended as far as the
eye could reach along the bank of the river, as it did also along the
shore southward. Altogether, it appeared to me a very fine country,
such as we had reason to be thankful we had landed on.
"I can see no huts or cottages, or signs of people, though it seems
strange that so fertile a region should be uninhabited. All I can
suppose is, that the people live either underground, or in the same sort
of wretched hovels I have seen some of the South Sea Islanders dwelling
in," said Mudge; "and if so, I might have been unable to distinguish
them, even although at no great distance. Do you, Godfrey, take the
glass, and tell me what you can make out."
I did as he bade me, examining every hill-side and hollow from north to
south of our position, without discovering anything like a hut. To the
west and south-west I observed a range of blue mountains, but the
country to the southward was either level or undulating, and covered
with trees growing widely apart; so that should we decide on making our
way overland to the settlements, we should for some distance at all
events find no obstruction to our progress.
Having finished our survey, we went along the top of the cliff to the
westward, and by proceeding on a little farther we got down by a
somewhat easier way than that by which we had climbed up.
In consequence of the report Mudge gave my mother, she begged that he
would go back to the brig.
"That I may not do," he answered, "as I promised the captain to remain
here to protect you: and though my belief is that there are no natives
hereabouts, I cannot be certain; and I should never forgive myself, if
they were to come and do you an injury while I had neglected orders and
gone away."
"Then let me go off," I said, "with three of the men,--they will be
sufficient to pull the boat that short distance; and you, Paddy Doyle,
and the boys, will be well able to keep any savages at bay till we come
back."
To this Mudge agreed, as my mother seemed to wish it; and everything
having been landed from the boat, the men and I jumped into her, and,
shoving off, pulled away for the brig.
By the time we arrived alongside, the tide was as high as it was likely
to rise. My father was glad to see me back, and to hear the
satisfactory report which I gave him. We had no time for conversation,
however, as the men had just manned the capstan to make another effort
to heave the vessel off. But in vain they laboured; not an inch would
she move.
"I am afraid, sir, that our only chance of floating her will be, either
to land the cargo, or to heave it overboard," observed the first mate.
"I have arrived at the same conclusion," said my father; "but we will
not lose the cargo if it can be helped. We will land what we can in the
boats; and if the weather continues moderate, we will form a raft, and
convey as much as it can carry,--by which we shall be enabled, I hope,
to save the larger portion."
"Let's have another heave first, sir," cried the men, who thus showed
their regard for their commander, and the interest they felt in his
welfare, as they all knew that he would be the chief sufferer by the
loss of the brig. Again they hove, pressing against the capstan-bars as
if nothing could resist them.
"It's all of no use," exclaimed the carpenter, who had been below; "it's
my belief that the coral rock has gone through the planking, and that
unless we can get the cargo out of her, and every pig of ballast, no
power will float her or get her off."
My father, on hearing this, also went below; and on his return he
directed the mate, with some of the crew, to load the boats, while he
and others set to work to build a raft. As soon as the two boats were
loaded, he ordered me to pilot the way in the jolly-boat; saying that he
intended to remain on board, with the hands not required in the boats,
to complete the raft.
"But won't you leave the mates, father, to do that?" I asked.
"No, Godfrey," he answered, somewhat sternly; "I intend to be the last
man to quit the vessel. As soon as the boats are unloaded, they are to
return, unless Mr Mudge thinks it necessary to detain the jolly-boat.
Tell him what I say; and assure your mother that she need be under no
apprehensions on my account."
Of course, all I had to do was to obey my father; but I could not help
feeling anxious about him, as I had no doubt my mother would be,
notwithstanding the message I was to give her. Jumping into the
jolly-boat, then, I told the men to give way, as I wished to reach the
shore as soon as possible. The water was tolerably smooth; and though
our boats were heavily laden, we crossed the bar without difficulty, it
being now high-water, and soon reached the landing-place.
As we approached it, we saw three strange figures standing at the
farther end of the neck of land, apparently watching the proceedings of
our friends. They were perfectly black, having on the smallest possible
amount of clothing, with bushy heads of hair; and one of them had a
thick beard, moustache, and whiskers. Two of them had long spears in
their hands, but the other, whom as we got nearer we saw to be a woman,
was unarmed.
Mudge hailed us. "Take no notice of the natives," he sang out; "they've
been there for the last half-hour, and are puzzled to make us out. The
best way to manage them is to let them alone; and by-and-by, depend on
it, they'll come and try to make friends with us."
I at once gave Mudge my father's message. He replied that there was not
the slightest necessity for our remaining, and desired me, as soon as
the boats were unloaded, to pull back again to the brig. "Paddy Doyle
and I can easily manage our black friends; and it is far more important
that the boats should be employed in bringing the stores on shore," he
observed. "The only advice I have to give is, that you should cross the
bar with the raft while the tide is flowing, and pretty near high-water.
It will be better to wait for high tide than to attempt it as yet; and
I hope your father will secure the raft alongside, and come on shore in
the last trip the boats make this evening."
My mother sent a similar message, entreating my father not to remain.
The crew quickly unloaded the boats, and piled up their cargoes, with
the other things before landed, in the centre of the camp.
I observed that Paddy Doyle, instead of working with us, was employed in
watching the natives; though he pretended all the time not to be taking
any notice of them, but to be amusing himself by playing a number of
strange antics calculated to excite their curiosity. This, after a
time, he succeeded in doing. The man, having directed his companions to
retire to a distance,--for the purpose, as we supposed, of placing them
out of danger,--advanced several paces nearer, and stood regarding us
with fixed attention. Though he was no beauty according to our notions,
he was, as he stood motionless as a statue, with his bundle of five
lances, their sharp points polished and serrated, in his left hand,
really a fine-looking savage. Stuck in his bushy hair, and fixed in his
ear, he wore a heron's feather; and round his waist was a broad belt
which served to keep up his very tight kilt, composed of opossum skins.
In this belt was stuck a knife or dagger of bone or stone; while at his
back was slung a small stone axe. His right hand was, however, kept in
readiness at any moment to hurl one of his lances at us. His figure was
tall; and his limbs, though covered with dirt, remarkably clean, as far
as form was concerned--showing that he was capable of great activity.
Paddy now pretended to have discovered him for the first time, and
advancing a few paces, took off his hat and made him a profound bow.
Though in all likelihood the savage had never before been so saluted, he
seemed to understand that the white stranger wished to become better
acquainted with him, and pointing to himself, he uttered the word
"Pullingo."
"The top of the morning to ye, Mr Pullingo! I'm after hoping you're
pretty well. And how's Mistress Pullingo, and Master Pullingo, and any
other pledges of mutual affection you happen to possess?" cried Paddy.
The savage uttered some words in a not unmusical tone, but what they
were intended to express it was impossible to say, nor could we be
certain that he had mentioned his own name; but, as may be supposed,
Paddy at once dubbed him Pullingo, which cognomen he was likely to
retain ever afterwards.
"Exactly so," said Paddy, as if he had understood every word that had
been uttered. "And my name's Patrick Doyle, at your service; and it's
myself and my friends there have come to spend a few weeks in your
country, or maybe longer; and we hope by-and-by to have the pleasure of
your better acquaintance."
The tone of Paddy's voice, as well as his gestures, seemed to give
confidence to the savage, and to assure him that we had no hostile
intentions. But after Doyle and he had thus stood looking at each other
for some minutes, he began slowly to retreat, always keeping his face
towards us, till he had rejoined the woman and boy, when he sat down and
held a conversation with them. They then all three rose and made their
way up the bank of the river, till they were hidden from sight behind a
rock.
I was, however, but a short time on shore, for as soon as the boats were
unloaded we pulled away to the brig. By the time we got back to her the
raft was nearly completed. As, however, the tide was running out of the
river, my father, following Mudge's advice, determined not to send it on
shore, but to secure it alongside for the night. The boats were
therefore again loaded; and as long as daylight lasted they were kept
plying backwards and forwards.
With great unwillingness my father consented to come on shore with the
rest of the crew in the last trip. "I should have no fears about
remaining," he observed, "as I feel confident that the brig will hold
together, even though we may not succeed in getting her off."
We had landed provisions sufficient to last us, with economy, for
several months; all our arms and ammunition, most of our own clothing
and that of the ship's company, as well as our bedding and a few
articles of furniture for my mother's use; our cooking utensils and the
cabin dinner and tea service; the carpenter's tool-chest; several spades
and pick-axes, and other agricultural implements; and some bales of new
canvas, as well as several of the ship's sails and a number of
miscellaneous articles. Altogether, we had reason to be satisfied that
we had saved so much. Several tents had been put up before dark to
accommodate all the party. The most complete was that for the use of my
mother and Edith; the others were formed simply by stretching a rope,
over which a sail was thrown, between two trees, the edges of the sail
being secured by pegs to the ground on either side.
As soon as my father landed he summoned several of the men, and ordered
them to cut down all the grass which grew on the isthmus, as well as
that surrounding our tents.
"I take a hint from Captain Cook," he observed; "for I remember the
narrow escape he and his men had from destruction, when the savages, in
a sudden fit of anger, set fire to the grass surrounding his encampment,
from which his powder and more valuable articles had only just before
been removed. The savages hereabouts may be disposed to be friendly
with us; but it will not do to trust them, as we cannot tell from what
cause they may take offence."
We had hitherto been too busy to eat anything, with the exception of
some biscuit and wine. The fire was now lighted, the tea-kettle put on,
and a pot to boil some of the provisions we had brought with us. Nanny
afforded some milk for tea, and with the herbage she would now obtain
she would, it was hoped, give us an abundant supply.
My father, not trusting to the natives, placed a sentry on the neck of
land, as also two others to watch the shore in case they should pay us a
visit by water during the night. We all then retired to our tents; and
having been up during the previous night and hard at work all day, we
very quickly fell asleep.
How long a time had passed I knew not, when I was awakened by a rattling
peal of thunder, which sounded directly above my head. Starting up and
rushing out of the tent, I found my father and the officers, as well as
most of the men, on foot; the rain was coming down in torrents, and the
wind was blowing furiously, dashing the water against the bank, and
making the tall trees bend before it. My fear at first was that they
would be blown down upon us; but when I recollected the shape of their
leaves and their scanty foliage, I saw that there was not much danger of
that. How thankful I felt that my father had not remained on board the
brig, for she, I could not help fearing, would go to pieces, and all her
cargo be lost.
My father's first object was to secure the boats, which lay in the bay I
have already described, above our encampment. As soon as this was done,
he in a calm voice advised those who had not to keep watch to turn in
again. "We need not fear for our lives," he observed; "and as for the
brig, we can do nothing till daylight. Should the weather then
moderate, and she still hold together, we may get off to her; but if
not, Heaven's will be done. We should be thankful that our lives have
been preserved, and that we have secured so many necessaries."
I was only half awake as it was; so, following my father's advice, I
crept back into the tent, and in spite of the storm was quickly asleep.
Day had broken for some time when I awoke; the rain had ceased, though
the sky was still cloudy. I found the men trying to light a fire with
the damp wood and leaves they had collected, but it was a somewhat
difficult task. My father, accompanied by Mudge, had gone up to the top
of the cliff to look out for the brig, but from the loud roar of the
breakers on the bar and along the coast I had but little hope that they
would see her. The storm, however, quickly passed away, the sun
breaking out from amid the clouds which rolled off to the southward. I
awoke my younger companions, who had slept through the whole of it, and
were very much astonished to find the ground wet and the sea still
roaring in a voice of thunder.
My mother's tent having been securely put up, had withstood the wind, as
had the others; indeed, constructed as they were, they could not be
blown down or disturbed unless the pegs had been drawn out of the
ground.
I found my mother and Edith sitting just inside their tent, waiting for
my father's return.
"The utter destruction of the brig will be a sore trial to him," she
observed; "and he has no hope that she can have escaped; so we must do
our best to keep up his spirits, and to show him that we are contented
with our lot. I feel such unbounded gratitude to Heaven for his having
been induced to come on shore last night, that the destruction of the
vessel appears to me a mere trifle; and I am sure that you and Pierce
will do your best to induce the rest to obey his directions."
"That we will, mother; and so, I am sure, will Harry," said Pierce, who
was with me; "so will Tommy Peck and Dicky Popo: and if they don't,
we'll make them."
The men had succeeded in lighting a fire; and just as breakfast was
ready my father and Mudge came in sight. They shook their heads as they
drew near.
"Not a vestige of the brig remains," said my father, with a sigh. "I
trust that, if we can get to Sydney, we shall recover our insurance; but
I had hoped till the last to save her and the cargo. We have happily
secured a good store of provisions and ammunition; and I propose forming
a settlement in this neighbourhood, and, having become acquainted with
its inhabitants, the nature of the country, and the wild animals which
may afford us food, ultimately to send an expedition overland to Sydney.
When we have gained experience, we shall have but comparatively little
difficulty in travelling to the British settlements in the south."
My mother was perfectly ready to agree to my father's proposal; indeed,
she saw the wisdom of remaining where we were until we had become
acquainted with the country, and she dreaded the long overland journey
almost as much as she did a voyage in the boats. All the party,
however, I found, were not of this opinion, though they did not at first
express themselves openly on the subject. The seamen, as is too often
the case when a vessel has been wrecked, now that they had got on shore
did not consider themselves any longer under naval discipline; and
though they were not actually disrespectful to my father, they took but
little pains to carry out his orders. He, having been brought up on
board a man-of-war, was not accustomed to the ways of merchant-seamen,
and considered that they were as much bound to obey him now as before.
The mates, it was evident from their manner, sided with the men, so that
Mudge was the only officer on whom my father could depend for support.
They two on all occasions consulted together. The first point they had
to decide was the position of the proposed settlement, supposing that
the men would willingly assist in forming it. When my father spoke to
the mates on the subject, however, they at once declared that they had
no intention of remaining where they were.
"You see, Captain Rayner, you have your wife and family with you; but
with us it is very different," observed the first mate. "We want to get
back to our families and to civilised life, and see no reason why we
should remain here when we have got a stout boat in which we can easily
make the passage to Sydney. If you'll give us the boat, we've made up
our minds to go in her as soon as we've stretched our legs on shore a
little."
My father replied that he would consider the matter; on which the mate
muttered something which did not reach our ears.
I was shortly afterwards talking over the matter with Mudge. "It can't
be helped, though, I fear," he observed. "If we can't persuade them to
stay, they must go; for we certainly have no power to compel them to do
what they don't wish, and we must therefore depend upon ourselves. I am
very certain that Tommy Peck and Harry will remain faithful; and so, I
hope, will the boatswain and Paddy Doyle, who seems much attached to
us."
"I can answer for Ned Burton," I said; "and, I think, two or three more
of the men."
"Then, whether or not any of the rest stay with us, we shall manage to
do very well," he said in a cheerful tone. "Now, after the experience
of last night, I am anxious at once to build a cottage for your mother
and Edith, in which they will be more comfortable than in a tent. I
told your father, who said he should be much obliged if I would do so;
and to show the men that we are independent of them, I proposed that we
should set about it at once. The timber about here is too large for the
purpose, but I saw some near the mouth of the river which will serve
well for uprights and rafters; and if we can get Doyle to accompany us,
we will set off at once with our axes and begin to cut it. Tell the
other boys; and they can bring the logs here which we cut down, when
your father and Burton will set them up. Perhaps we shall shame some of
the other men into offering their assistance."
Harry and Tom were well-pleased to have something to do, and agreed that
the two of them could easily carry a log the distance these had to come,
unless it was unusually heavy. The men saw us setting off, but
continued sitting round the fire smoking their pipes, without inquiring
where we were going or what we were about to do.
We soon reached the spot, where, a short distance from the beach below
the cliffs, grew a number of small palm-trees with straight, clean
stems, exactly suited for our purpose. We soon cut down two; with which
the boys trotted off, one at each end, telling us to be ready with a
couple more by the time they came back. The heat under the cliff was
very great, and had there not been a sea-breeze we could not, I think,
have endured it. Mudge threw off his jacket, and tucking up his shirt
sleeves, set manfully to work. Doyle did the same; and each had cut
down two trees before I had felled one. Doyle then went on towards some
trees which he saw farther off, leaving me at work a little distance
from Mudge.
I was chopping away, when I heard Mudge give an extraordinary shriek;
and looking towards him, what was my horror to see him on the ground
encircled in the folds of a huge serpent, whose head was raised high in
the air as if about to dart its fangs into him! His axe had fallen to
the ground, so that he was unable to defend himself. I sprang towards
him with my axe uplifted; and I must have attracted the serpent's
attention, for instead of striking its prisoner it turned its head
towards me. Should I miss, I might be bitten as well as my friend.
There was not a moment even for thought; with all my might I aimed a
blow at the serpent's head. My axe, providentially, had been lately
sharpened, and with one stroke I cut off the creature's head, which
fell, in the act of uttering a hiss, close to my friend's side. The
body still held him fast, and I had to exert some force to unwind it;
after which I helped him to get on his feet.
Many a person would have fainted under such circumstances; Mudge merely
shook himself to ascertain that no bones were broken; then, having
picked up his axe, he said,--"Most heartily I thank you, Godfrey; you
have, I verily believe, by your courage and presence of mind, saved my
life, for in another instant that creature's fangs would have been into
me. I only hope there are not many more in the neighbourhood, or we
shall find it unpleasant."
When Doyle and the boys came near, they would scarcely credit what had
occurred, till they had seen the body of the serpent with its head cut
off.
Before again setting to work, we hunted about in all directions to
ascertain that there were no more serpents of the same description near
at hand. We could find no traces of any other; and I had afterwards
reason to believe that the one I had killed was unusually large: indeed,
I never saw one of the same size in the country,--although there are
numerous snakes, many of them of an exceedingly venomous description,
while there are others of large size perfectly harmless.
Satisfied at length that we might continue our work on the spot without
molestation, we once more began cutting down the trees, which our
companions carried to the encampment as fast as we could fell them. We
warned them not to tell my mother and Edith what had occurred, lest they
should take alarm, under the belief that the country was infested with
snakes. As we improved by experience as woodsmen, we gained upon the
carriers, and by the evening had cut down a good many more trees than
they were able to convey to the encampment.
When we arrived there we found some of the seamen assisting my father
and Burton, who were engaged in shaping and putting up the timbers; but
the rest were taking it easy, and enjoying themselves, as they called
it. Had my father allowed it, they would have got possession of the rum
and wine, and would probably have been quickly drunk; but, knowing the
evil consequences which would have ensued, he was very firm on the
subject, and had told Edith to keep an eye on the stores, and to call
him should any of the seamen come too near the casks and cases, which
were piled up together.
The wind was still blowing strongly from the sea, creating a
considerable surf on the bar; and this had prevented the boats from
going out to search for any part of the cargo which might have been
thrown up on the coast. The seamen also saw that they could not
commence their projected voyage to Sydney.
Neither Pullingo nor any other natives had been seen; and we therefore
concluded that the country was but thinly populated. Still, my father
considered it wise to place sentries at night to guard against surprise.
Some of the men grumbled at being ordered to keep watch, and my father
and Mudge had to be awake all night to see that they did their duty. It
was strange that men who had behaved so well during the voyage should
have changed so much; but so it was. Probably they were disappointed at
not getting to Sydney, where they had expected to enjoy themselves after
their own coarse fashion. The better-educated men, we found, were the
best-behaved.
By the next morning the wind had gone down, the ocean sparkled brightly
in the rays of the sun, and the bar was perfectly smooth. The mates now
asked my father to allow them to take their departure in the long-boat,
with such of the men as wished to go. They were respectful in their
manner, but determined, it was evident, to carry out their purpose. My
father pointed out to them the danger they would incur, ignorant as they
were of the coast, should such a gale as had just ceased to blow
overtake them; and he advised them to raise the gunwale of the boat, so
as to make her more sea-worthy. This, however, would take time, they
said, and they were anxious to be off at once. He then begged that they
would make an excursion along the coast to the northward, to ascertain
what had become of the wreck, and whether any of the cargo had been
thrown up on the shore. To this the first mate consented, provided my
father or Mudge would accompany them.
"Let me go, Captain Rayner," said Mudge, "while you remain with Mrs
Rayner on shore, and superintend the building of the house."
I begged that I might accompany Mudge, who intended to take the
jolly-boat; while the first mate, with six hands, went in the long-boat.
We had three of the men; the remainder, who were in better humour since
my father had promised to allow them to take the long-boat, agreed to
stay behind and help him.
We first pulled for the rock on which the brig had been cast, and soon
got close up to it. Nothing was visible. We then saw through the clear
water a few timbers rising up from the keel. We had no need to examine
the spot more nearly; these told what had been the fate of the
unfortunate _Violet_.
"I am very glad that your father did not come," said Mudge; "it would
have been a sore trial to him. And now we'll look along the shore;
though I doubt much whether the cargo will have been carried thus far."
We pulled in for the shore, and then along outside the surf--which still
broke on it for a couple of miles or so to the northward--but for some
time could discover only a few shattered fragments of wreck. The
long-boat, however, got hold of some planks which were still washing
about; and the mate seemed to think that they would be useful in raising
the boat, as my father had advised.
We were about to turn back, when I caught sight of a box floating
lightly on the water. At first I thought it must be empty; but Mudge
observing that it would at all events be worth having, we pulled towards
it. It was a case of some size; and when we got it on board I observed
the word "Seeds" painted on it.
"They may be of the greatest value, if they are not spoiled by the salt
water," observed Mudge. "Your father evidently brought them out to sow
in his garden."
This encouraged us to pull on still farther; and we picked up three
other small cases of different descriptions, and a cask of beer. The
mate also got hold of two casks and some cases. After pulling a mile on
to the northward, however, and finding nothing, we agreed that it would
be useless to go farther. Accordingly, the boats being put about, we
returned to the river.
Mudge made his report to my father.
"I knew it too well," he remarked, with a sigh; "but I had some hopes
that part of the cargo might have been washed on shore. However, we
must be thankful for the things which we have recovered. The seeds are
indeed valuable; and as they are soldered up in a tin case inside the
wooden one, there is no fear of their being damaged."
One of the cases contained preserved fruits, and another dried tongues,
which were not much the worse for being wetted. Another was a chest of
tea, also in a tin case; and this was a welcome addition to our stores.
The beer was not to be despised, and would prove useful provided it was
taken in moderation. The cases the mate had picked up also contained
provisions. He had, however, got a small cask of rum. My father said
that he was welcome to the provisions for his voyage; but warned him of
the danger of taking the rum, in case the crew should insist on having
more than a proper allowance.
"I have no fear about that," answered the mate. "I shall be able to
keep them in order when once we get away. It is only at present, while
they are on shore, that they are a little insubordinate."
"I hope that you may," said my father; "but I should warn you to be
careful."
The crew, when they found that my father not only did not wish to detain
them, but was ready to assist them in every way in preparing the
long-boat for sea, behaved very well. And as we had a supply of tools
for the purpose, the carpenter and his mate were not long in adding an
upper streak to the long-boat, and in decking her partly over forward:
they also fitted her with a couple of masts, two lugs, and a jib. We
discovered a fine spring of water issuing out of the rock, not far up
the river; but the difficulty was to find casks to carry a sufficient
supply for the voyage. My father gave up two breakers, and advised the
mate to start the rum and fill up the cask with water.
"No, thank you," he answered. "We can put in to any river we come to,
and are sure to be able to replenish our stock; while the men will be
more contented if I can serve them out their allowance of spirits."
My father and Mudge took great pains to see that the boat was well
fitted out, and supplied with everything necessary for the voyage. He
also gave the mates his chart, a compass, a spy-glass, and a quadrant,
in case they might be driven off the land, and required to ascertain
their position. He also wrote a letter to the merchant to whom he had
consigned the brig, requesting him, should the journey overland be
deemed impracticable, to send a vessel within three months to bring him
and his family to Sydney: saying that he would wait her arrival for that
time; should she not then appear, he would consider that it was the
opinion of those who knew the country that he might without danger
undertake the journey by land.
"You may depend on me, sir, that I will deliver the letter," said the
first mate, when he received it; while the second mate promised to come
back in the vessel.
The two mates and ten men belonging to the brig embarked in the
long-boat, leaving the boatswain and two others, one of whom was the
carpenter's mate.
We parted on friendly terms from our late shipmates, praying that they
might have a prosperous voyage. As we watched them standing down the
river with a light breeze from the northward, Mudge, from what he said,
could not help regretting, I suspect, that he had not been able to
accompany them; for it was certainly his duty, as it was mine and
Tommy's, to try and get on board our ship again. But, on the other
hand, he could not bring himself to desert my father; and, of course, it
was still more my duty to remain with him.
All this time we had been getting on with the house, which was now
nearly completed; and Dick Joint, the carpenter's mate, was making a
sash for the window of my mother's room, and had also undertaken to make
various articles of furniture. We had brought on shore the cabin-table,
with three folding-chairs; as also two cots, for my mother and Edith.
I have, by-the-by, said nothing about them. They were always busily
employed; but Edith suffered much from the heat, which was very
considerable under the cliff, satisfactory as the situation was in other
respects. My father sometimes spoke of moving on to the downs: but the
objections to this were, that we should be at a distance from the water;
that we should have a difficulty in carrying up our heavy goods; and
that we should be more exposed in the event of our being attacked by
hostile natives; while at times the heat was greater on the downs than
close to the water.
Edith thought that she should feel better if she could take a row on the
river; so, of course, Harry and I, and Pierce and Tommy, offered to take
her out whenever she wished to go. The boat being a light one, even two
of us could manage it with perfect ease; and we thus daily, and
sometimes twice a day, made a trip to the mouth of the river. To
shelter her from the sun, we formed an awning over the stern of the
boat; and carried a cushion on which she could recline.
Nanny the goat, whenever she saw her mistress embarking, leaped on
board; and seemed, indeed, to consider herself part of the crew. Tom
declared that he thought she would soon learn to row with her horns; but
to this, when he made the attempt to teach her, she decidedly objected,
and preferred lying down quietly by the side of Edith.
We had found a supply of fishing-hooks, and having fitted up some lines,
were sometimes very successful in catching fish. We were, however,
generally busy on shore; and our only idle time was when we were away on
such expeditions. Not that it was altogether spent in idleness; for
while engaged in fishing, Harry always took his books, that Edith might
instruct him; and under her tuition he made more rapid progress than he
had done on board the _Heroine_.
One very calm, fine day, Harry, Tommy, and I started with Edith; Pierce,
who was somewhat unwell, remaining in the house. Having reached the
bar, we found the sea so smooth that we agreed to pull out some distance
towards a reef, near which we had before caught some fine fish. Without
considering the difficulty of getting it up again, we dropped our anchor
in somewhat deep water; a hempen cable being secured to the end of two
or three fathoms of iron chain, which was shackled to the stem of the
boat. We had caught several fish; and Edith, who was helping to pull
them up, seemed to enjoy the fun as much as we did, when she complained
of faintness, and lay down on her cushion in the stern of the boat.
"I shall soon be well again," she said; "so go on, and don't mind me."
We all three accordingly let down our lines, and caught several more
fish. Harry had just pulled up a peculiarly beautiful one, and was
turning round to show it to Edith, when we heard him utter a cry.
"Oh, Godfrey! see, see!--is she dead?" he exclaimed. "Oh, how pale she
is!"
I sprang to the after part of the boat, and taking her hand, bent over
her. Her hand was warm, and she still breathed: thus I knew she had
only fainted; but she looked dreadfully ill.
"We must get back as soon as possible," I exclaimed. "Harry, do you fan
her, while Tom and I get up the anchor."
I jumped forward again, and Tommy and I began to haul away; but though
exerting all our strength, the anchor did not yield. Harry, leaving
Edith for a moment, came and helped us; but we tugged and tugged in
vain.
"We must cut it somehow or other," I exclaimed. Then recollecting that
we had an axe in the boat, I seized it, and, while Harry went back to
attend to Edith, began chopping away at the portion of the chain which
went over the gunwale.
"A breeze is springing up, and we shall not be long in getting in,"
observed Tommy.
"It will be more than a breeze, I suspect," I answered, looking seaward,
where a dark cloud had risen, gradually extending along the horizon; "we
are going to have a thunderstorm. Perhaps that was the cause of Edith's
fainting."
Already the water was foaming and bubbling round the bows of the boat.
In my eagerness I made a deep gash on the gunwale: this taught me to be
more cautious in future. Fortunately the axe was a good one, or I
should have broken it. I had made some impression on one of the links
of the chain; my object was to strike again in the same place.
"Is it nearly through?" asked Harry, looking round.
"No; not far yet," I answered.
"Then let me try," he said; "perhaps I can do it."
I willingly yielded the axe to him, for I was too anxious to have the
chain cut through to feel jealous should he show superior skill. He
eyed the place which I had been cutting--I having made several jagged
notches--and then brought down the axe with apparently less force than I
had used. It was exactly in the centre of the cut. Each time he lifted
the axe he struck the same place, and in less than a minute the chain
was severed. We soon prised out the other half of the link. I then
sprang aft to the helm; Tommy got out an oar, and pulled the boat's head
round; while Harry hoisted the sail, bringing the sheet aft to me; and
on we flew before the fast-rising wind. Scarcely were we away when it
came with redoubled force; and had we remained at anchor many minutes
longer, I believe the boat must have filled and gone down.
I felt very thankful that we had cleared the chain; but we had still the
bar to cross. Edith, too, remained in the same fainting state. I was
in hope that the fresh breeze would revive her; but as we were running
before it, she did not feel it much. I looked anxiously towards the
bar; some rollers were coming in, but they were not very high, nor did
they break much as they reached it. We might, therefore, venture to
cross; indeed, we had no choice, for I knew how anxious our father would
feel when he saw the wind rising.
As we neared the bar Tommy exclaimed,--"O Godfrey! look at these
rollers! Shall we be able to cross it, do you think?"
"We must," I said; "get the oars out, to prevent her from broaching-to
in case we should be becalmed."
I now held the tiller firmly in my hand, and kept my eye fixed on a
point of the cliff which would guide me directly up the centre of the
channel. We rose to the top of a roller. "Give way! give way!" I
shouted. Tom and Harry pulled with all their might. We sank into the
watery valley, and began to ascend the next height. Another roller came
hissing on. If it caught us, we should be swamped; but the sail kept
full, and the two pulled right lustily.
Just then I glanced down on Edith's face for an instant: her eyes were
open; she was looking round with astonishment.
"Thank Heaven, you are better," I said. "Keep quiet; we shall be all to
rights directly."
She heard me, and did not move. I held my breath, for we were on the
worst part of the bar. Another roller came on, and I thought it would
overwhelm us. It lifted the stern of the boat, and we were shot amidst
a mass of foaming waves, till we glided down into the smooth water of
the river.
We now quickly ran up the river, and rounding to, shot up to the
landing-place, where my father and mother stood ready to receive us. As
my mother's eye fell on Edith's pale face she uttered a cry of alarm.
"She is getting better now, mother," I said; "and under your care she'll
soon be well again."
As I spoke, Harry and I were preparing to lift Edith out of the boat.
My father came to assist us, and carried her in his arms to the cottage.
I was thankful to find that in a short time she was herself again.
Possibly her sudden illness may have been the means of saving our lives.
Scarcely had we landed when the storm burst with great fury, though it
lasted but a short time; after which the sun again came out, and all was
bright and beautiful as before.