Before we wind up this history, it will be as well to state to my young
readers how it was that Captain Osborn made his appearance at so
fortunate a moment. It will be recollected how a brig came off the
island some months before this, and the great disappointment that the
party on the island experienced in her not making her appearance again.
The fact was, that those on board of the brig had not only seen their
signals, but had read the name of the "_Pacific_" upon the flag hoisted;
but the heavy gale which came on drove them so far to the southward,
that the master of the brig did not consider that he should do his duty
to his owners, if he lost so much time in beating up for the island
again. He therefore decided upon making all sail for Sydney, to which
port he was bound.
When Captain Osborn was put into the boat by Mackintosh and the seamen
of the _Pacific_, he was still insensible; but he gradually recovered,
and after a stormy night, Captain Osborn was so far recovered as to hear
from Mackintosh what had taken place, and why it was that he found
himself in an open boat at sea. The next morning the wind moderated,
and they were fortunate enough to fall in with a vessel bound to Van
Diemen's Land, which took them all on board.
From the account given by Mackintosh, Captain Osborn had no doubt in his
mind but that the Seagrave family had perished, and the loss of the
vessel, with them on board, was duly reported to the owners. When at
Van Diemen's Land, Captain Osborn was so much taken with the beauty and
fertility of the country, and perhaps not so well inclined to go to sea
again after such danger as he had incurred in the last voyage, that he
resolved to purchase land and settle there. He did so, and had already
stocked his farm with cattle, and had gone round to Sydney in a schooner
to await the arrival of a large order from England which he had sent
for, when the brig arrived and reported the existence of some white
people on the small island, and also that they had hoisted a flag with
the name _Pacific_ worked on it.
Captain Osborn, hearing this, went to the master of the brig, and
questioned him. He found the latitude and longitude of the island to be
not far from that of the ship when she was deserted, and he was now
convinced that, by some miracle, the Seagrave family had been preserved.
He therefore went to the Governor of New South Wales, and made him
acquainted with the facts which had been established, and the Governor
instantly replied, that the government armed schooner was at his
service, if he would himself go in quest of his former shipmates.
Inconvenient as the absence at that time was to Captain Osborn, he at
once acquiesced, and in a few days the schooner sailed for her
destination. She arrived off the island on the same morning that the
fleet of canoes with the savages effected their landing, and when
William made the remark to Ready as they were hastening into the
stockade, that there was another vessel under sail off the garden-point,
had Ready had time to put his eye to the telescope, he would have
discovered that it was the schooner.
The schooner stood in to the reefs, and then hauled off again, that she
might send her boat in to sound for an anchorage. The boat, when
sounding, perceived the canoes and the savages, and afterwards heard the
report of firearms on the first attack. On her return on board the
schooner, they stated what they had seen and heard, and their idea that
the white people on the island were being attacked by the savages. As
the boat did not return on board till near dusk, they had not time to
canvas, the question when the night attack was made, and they again
heard the firing of the muskets. This made Captain Osborn most anxious
to land as soon as possible, but as the savages were in such numbers,
and the crew of the schooner did not consist of more than twenty-five
men, the commander considered it was rash to make the attempt. He did,
however, show the utmost anxiety to bring his schooner to an anchor, so
as to protect his men, and then agreed that they should land.
The boat had reported deep water and good anchorage close to the
garden-point, and every preparation was made for running at daylight on
the following morning; but unfortunately, it fell calm for the best part
of the day, and it was not until the morning after, just as the savages
were making their last attack upon the stockade, that she could get in.
As soon as she did, she opened the fire of her carronades, and the
result is already known.
My readers must, if they can, imagine the joy of Mr and Mrs Seagrave
when they beheld their old friend Captain Osborn. All danger was now
over; the party who had landed with him went out under the command of
the mate, to ascertain if there were any more of the savages to be
found; but, except the dead and dying, all had escaped in some of the
smaller canoes. Captain Osborn remained with the Seagraves, and they
informed him of the state of poor old Ready, whom William had gone to
attend as soon as Captain Osborn was engaged with his father and mother.
Captain Osborn hurried out to see him; Ready knew his voice, for his
eyes were already so dim that he could not see.
"That is Captain Osborn, I know," said Ready in a faint voice. "You
have come in good time, sir; I knew you would come, and I always said
so: you have the thanks of a dying man."
"I hope it is not so bad as that, Ready; we have a surgeon on board, and
I will send for him at once."
"No surgeon can help me, sir," replied Ready; "another hour of time will
not pass before I shall be in Eternity."
The old man then joined his hands across his breast, and remained for
some time in silent prayer. Then he bade them farewell in a faint
voice, which at last was changed to a mere whisper. They still
remained, in silence and in tears, standing round him, William only
kneeling and holding his hand, when the old man's head fell back, and he
was no more!
"It is all over," said Mr Seagrave mournfully, "and he has, I have no
doubt, gone to receive the reward of a good and just man. `Happy are
those who die in the Lord.'"
Mr Seagrave then led away his wife and children, leaving Juno and
William. William closed his eyes, and Juno went and fetched the ship's
ensign, which they laid over the body, after which they joined the rest
of the party in the house.
It was decided that the following day should be passed in packing up and
getting on board their luggage, and that the day after the family should
embark. William then mentioned the wish of poor old Ready as to his
burial. The commander of the schooner immediately gave directions for a
coffin to be made, and for his men to dig the grave at the spot that
William should point out.