A Daring Rescue
"What is it?" asked Joe, as he hurriedly slipped on his clothing.
"Beyond me," Bob answered. "Come on. Let's go out on deck. We may be
able to find out."
The ship was rocking terribly, and the boys found it difficult to keep
their footing. But they finally managed to catch hold of a rail, and
from then on it was easier.
Several other passengers were up also, intent upon investigating the
strange whistle.
"Maybe the boat's sinking," suggested Joe.
Bob shook his head.
"Probably isn't that. At least let's hope not."
With beating hearts the youths came up to the glass and turned to look
out at the angry sea. Then their expression changed.
A short distance from the _Empire_ was a small fishing schooner, its
prow out of sight in the water. On the stern stood a score or more
men, waving their arms frantically. It was evident that they were
panic-stricken, for several of them occasionally shouted for help. The
little boat tossed about violently on the crest of the mountainous
waves, her front deck gradually fading from view. Every minute it
seemed that the end would come.
"It's sinking fast!" cried Joe. "Why don't some of our crew do
something?"
"They are. Look."
Farther up on the _Empire's_ deck fifteen or twenty men, under the
direction of officers, were busy lowering lifeboats, although it
looked out of reason to let them down on that sea.
Suddenly Bob turned and started toward his berth.
"Where you going?" Joe asked.
"To get the motion-picture camera. Here'll be a good chance to take
some pictures. There's plenty of light around here."
The next moment he was gone, and Joe turned to the deck.
The roar of the storm was deafening, and the wind howled ruefully
through the funnels and masts. It was as though the end of the world
were coming.
In less than five minutes two lifeboats were lowered, four or five men
in each one. Then slowly they made their way toward the doomed
schooner.
Bob now returned with the movie camera and cranked away, delighted to
get an opportunity to film such an unusual happening.
The boys, however, were not the only ones to watch the daring attempt
at rescue. In fact the glass was now crowded with people, and Mr.
Holton, Mr. Lewis, and Professor Bigelow came up and wormed their way
to their companions.
"Most thrilling thing I ever saw!" exclaimed Mr. Holton, as he
breathlessly directed his gaze at the puny boats, which wallowed
heavily and threatened to be swamped at every moment.
On and on went the rescue boats, their occupants bailing furiously.
Now and then they threatened to capsize but always righted themselves.
In what seemed to be a long period of suspense to the spectators, the
_Empire's_ crew reached the fishing schooner, which was now far under
water.
One by one the fishermen climbed into the lifeboats, although it was
necessary to give sharp commands to prevent disorder.
When the last of the men from the doomed boat stepped into the
lifeboats, the officer in charge gave the word, and they started back
to the _Empire_.
The return trip threatened to be more perilous, for the boats were
very low in the water with the added load. Hurriedly the oarsmen set
to work, so that they might be a good distance from the schooner when
it sank, for a whirlpool would be created, meaning certain disaster to
all around it.
Once a giant wave passed over the little boats and they disappeared
from view, amid gasps from the spectators. But the danger was soon
over, and the lifeboats emerged unharmed, the crewmen bailing rapidly.
They were barely at the _Empire's_ side when the schooner sank. With a
last look at the scene of disaster, the fishermen boarded the ship.
They were water-soaked and shivering with cold, but were too glad that
they had been saved from the hungry depths of the sea to make any
complaints.
"They're Portuguese," observed Professor Bigelow, as the fishermen
came nearer.
The men muttered several words of thanks to the _Empire's_ crew, but
it was clear that few understood them. Professor Bigelow, however,
picked up the meaning at once and translated to his companions. Mr.
Holton and Mr. Lewis had a slight knowledge of that language, but
could not keep up with the excited men.
"The captain says it's too bad they had to lose the schooner,"
Professor Bigelow said. "He said they did their best to save it from
going down, but had to give up. They did not intend to be this far at
sea, but the storm gave them no chance of turning back."
In a short time the excitement was over, and most of the passengers
again retired, for the next morning they were to sight the West
Indies.
Bob was overjoyed at the success he had had in taking the movies of
the rescue and knew they would be a hit with the Neuman Film
Corporation. They were the first of any importance that had been taken
on the ship, and, as Joe said, a little action now and then does a lot
to liven up a thing.
The next morning the storm had completely subsided, and true to
schedule the _Empire_ sighted Porto Rico. There was a scramble of
passengers who had reached their destination.
"Probably think they'll be carried on," smiled Bob, as a rather
nervous man fled down the stairs.
At first the shoreline was so dim as to be hardly distinguishable from
the low clouds, but it gradually grew more plain. At last trees and
houses could be made out, and then the skyline of San Juan loomed up
in the distance.
"Looks like a city," remarked Joe.
"It is," his father replied. "Has over eighty-five thousand
inhabitants."
"Will we have time to go ashore?" asked Bob.
"Yes. The ship remains in port for about three hours," Mr. Holton
answered.
As the _Empire_ approached the city, she backed her engines and moved
slowly into port, where a small crowd of people were massed to give
greeting.
Several other boats, large and small, were anchored at the busy docks,
and the _Empire_ steamed in between two freighters, one of which was
being loaded with sugar.
"Sugar is one of the principal exports," explained Professor Bigelow,
as the exploration party prepared to leave the ship on a tour of the
city.
As soon as they were in port, the gangplank was lowered. The
adventurers made their way down, among a score of other passengers,
many of whom were to leave the ship here.
Bob and Joe were at once impressed by the native residents, for there
was a great variety of races. Spaniards were the most numerous, but
there were also Negroes, mulattoes, French, Americans, and a small
sprinkling of Indians.
"Quite a variety," commented Joe. "Though it is possible to see this
very thing in parts of New York."
The explorers found that it would be comparatively easy to walk to
various places of interest, and, after passing the former
governor-general's palace, they resolved to take in as much of the
city as they could in two hours.
They found that the city was built on Morro Island, although the
mainland could be easily reached by the numerous bridges. The streets
were regularly laid out, and in the white quarters the residences were
rather attractive.
"Doesn't look much like America, though," said Joe.
The exploration party reached the _Empire_ with thirty minutes to
spare, and they took chairs on deck to watch the busy dock below.
All too soon the whistle of leaving blew, and visitors scrambled down
the gangplank. Then, with one long blast the ship slowly steamed out
to sea, leaving Porto Rico behind.
At last they were on the final stretch. There would be no more stops
till they reached South America. Then only short stays at Paramaribo
and Cayenne, which were important seaport cities about two hundred
miles apart.
"How long will it be until we again see land?" asked Bob, as he and
the others sat on deck.
"Two days," replied his father. "No doubt that they'll seem like a
long time, too."
And they did. Bob and Joe were no more vexed than the others, however,
for the men were also anxious to get started into the unknown. But
when at last they did sight South America they forgot the past and
looked into the future.
The boys, with their cameras in hand, were the first to reach the
prow. They were closely followed by their fathers and the professor,
who also crowded in for a first view.
At first, land was only a speck far out on the horizon. Then only
gradually did it take on form and color.
"We're nearing Paramaribo," pronounced Mr. Holton, as he made out the
outline of the city.
"What country is it in?" asked Joe.
"Dutch Guiana," the professor answered. "One of the smallest nations
in South America."
The _Empire_ steamed into a port nearly as busy as that of San Juan,
although most of the boats were small.
For a second time the gangplank was lowered, and as the explorers had
a half-hour to spare, they started on a short walking trip of the
city.
"Quite a bit different from San Juan," said Bob, as he noted that many
of the people were native Indians.
The others nodded. None of them had been here before, and they
naturally took a great interest in these unusual surroundings. In fact
Professor Bigelow was the only one who had ever seen South America
before, but this did not lessen his enthusiasm.
The streets were, for the most part, narrow and straight, cutting one
another at right angles. The party was surprised to find the houses
extremely low, hardly any of them exceeding two stories. Some were
built of brick, but most were of cane plastered with mud.
Several minutes were spent in rambling over the various quarters of
the city. Then they went back to the ship, which was now nearly ready
to sail.
"South America is all right to visit," remarked Joe, "but I don't
think I'd care to live here."
The others agreed with him.
"And yet," said Professor Bigelow, "there are a number of cities that
are very well developed. Take Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, for
instance. They are large, clean, and well kept. A street in Buenos
Aires looks very much like a street in the United States."
Soon the _Empire_ was off, having unloaded a large cargo of American
goods. Several passengers also took their leave here.
From then on the scientific party was restless and eager to get
started into the unknown. As one nears his goal, he nearly always
finds it hard to wait through the last few stretches. Bob and Joe
especially were excited, for it was their first adventure. Their
hearts throbbed as they eagerly anticipated the coming days.
That evening they arrived in Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana,
and, as before, took a short trip about the city. It was much the same
as Paramaribo, however, and they were glad to board the _Empire_ again
for the last leg of the long journey.
It was about six hundred miles to Macapá, the _Empire's_ destination,
and the party settled back in anticipation.
Neither of the boys did anything of importance. They were too
enthusiastic over the coming great adventure.
"Let's take it easy on deck," suggested Bob, and they arranged chairs
for all of the party that cared to rest.
"There's nothing like enjoying the spell of the ocean," remarked Mr.
Holton.
A few days later Captain Crowell announced that they were sailing up
the mighty Amazon, and the explorers were thrilled to the bone. The
Amazon! At last one of their strongest ambitions had been fulfilled.
Bob and Joe were overjoyous, for they had had a strong desire to see
this great water system.
"Doesn't look like a river to me," said Joe as he tried in vain to see
the shore.
"Over a hundred miles wide at the delta," said Bob. "It's the greatest
river system in the world."
For several hours they steamed on up the great river, past small
settlements, plantations, and green islands. Occasionally they would
get a glimpse of beautiful wild vegetation, and their hearts would
beat fast. Then, almost without knowing it, they came to Macapá.
There was a fairly good port, and the vessel took her place between
two small river steamers. The long ocean voyage had come to an end.