I CLING TO A PART OF THE WRECK, AND AM TOSSED IN THE SEA--PETER AND
READY ARE ALSO SAVED--I IMPROVISE A RAFT, AND GET PETER AND READY
ABOARD--WE REACH AN UNINHABITED ISLAND--SAM SNAG AND ANOTHER ALSO REACH
LAND--FRIENDS OR FOES?--WATER! WATER!--WE LAND A CASK AND FIND IT
CLARET--READY DISCOVERS A SPRING--THE MATE WANTS MEAT, AND MEANS TO EAT
US.
My impulse--and I followed it--was to cling fast to the ring-bolt to
which I was holding on when the ship struck. I heard a few piercing
shrieks, some faint cries followed, and then all was silent. I felt
that the vessel was breaking up, and plank after plank was torn away,
till I judged that but a small portion of the wreck remained for me to
hold to. I urged poor Peter to hold on tight to the last, and scarcely
had I uttered the words than the remainder of the vessel was rent
asunder, and I found myself floating alone on the plank through which
the ring-bolt was run. I shouted to Peter--there was no answer; I
called Ready, but, for the first time since his puppyhood, he did not
reply. I felt very forlorn as I was tossed up and down in the darkness
amid that raging sea, with a sensation of down-heartedness which I had
never before experienced. The planks forming the part of the deck to
which I clung seemed to hold well together, so that I was under no
expectation of immediate destruction, and that fact gave me time to
think more of the loss of my two faithful companions.
I was convinced that daylight must soon come, and I hoped then to be
able to ascertain how near to land I was. I supposed that the vessel
had struck on a coral reef, and that it formed a barrier or outside reef
to some island, or islet, such as is common in those seas. I was
confirmed in this belief from finding the sea so much calmer than it had
been, judging by the comparatively easy movements of my raft. I wished
and wished for day, and though the wishing did not bring it, it came at
last--a grey, cold dawn at first; but as the sun rose, the wind fell,
the black vapours cleared away, the blue sky appeared, and now--the raft
floating so calmly that I was able to stand up on it--I saw, rising at
no great distance above, a yellow sandy beach, a grove of cocoa-nut
palms, bananas, and other trees of the tropics. On the opposite side, a
line of breakers, showing the position of the reef, outside which the
sea still tossed and tumbled from the effects of the hurricane.
Portions of the wreck, too, were floating about in the smooth water, and
as I looked I saw that something was moving on one of them. I waved and
shouted to draw attention to myself. A figure rose up and waved in
return, and a faint bark reached my ear. Even at that distance my
faithful Ready recognised me. I was indeed thankful that Peter and he
had been thus far saved, though, as we were still some distance from the
shore, we might both be starved before we could reach it. I could have
swam to it with perfect ease, but I knew too much of the black fins of
those seas to risk myself in the water, especially as I suspected that
the monsters must have had their thirst for blood freshened by the meal
they must have had off some of my late shipmates.
I longed to be able to communicate with poor Peter, but it seemed
impossible that I could reach him. As the sun rose the hurricane
completely ceased, and the water inside the reef became so perfectly
smooth, that I could not only stand upright but could walk about. As I
was doing so I saw, not far off, a boat's oar, and a little beyond it
what I took to be a mast, with other spars, and a sail and cordage
hanging to it. I was contemplating swimming towards the oar, at all
events, when, as I was about to plunge in, the fin of a shark slowly
gliding by, warned me of my danger. I looked at the oar with a longing
eye, and tried if I could by running on the piece of wreck urge it
forward. While thus employed without any effect, I felt the breeze,
which had completely fallen, fan my cheek, and as it increased I saw
that my body was acting as a sail, and the raft was approaching the oar,
though very slowly. At length I was able to seize it, and giving it a
flourish above my head in my satisfaction, I began to paddle towards the
broken mast with the spars and sail.
As the breeze increased, my fear was that I should be driven past it on
one side, and I had to paddle with all my might to steer for it. I
shouted with satisfaction when I got up to it, and had hauled it upon
the raft. By forcing out a bull's-eye in the deck I found a stop for
the mast, and by carrying shrouds to the ring-bolts and to the
splintered ends of the planks, I was able to secure it. I next hoisted
my sail, and, infinitely to my satisfaction, found that I could direct
my course for the part of the wreck to which Peter and Ready were
clinging. They saw me coming. Peter waved his hands, and shouted and
cried, and Ready jumped and barked, and nearly tumbled overboard in his
agitation. I saw a shark waiting to catch him had he done so, and I
entreated Peter to hold him down in case of an accident. They both, as
I got up, sprang on to my raft at the same moment. Peter could scarcely
speak to express his joy at my preservation, and Ready tried to lick me
all over to show his love, though he could scarcely have understood how
great was the danger we had run. The breeze which had carried me thus
far, began to fail, and I feared that, after all, we should be unable to
reach the shore.
We were very hungry, and as we had nothing to eat or drink, we were
anxious to reach land as soon as possible. Peter suggested that we
should make another paddle with one of the smaller spars I had picked
up. To show that it was possible to do so he forced out some nails from
the planks, and breaking off a piece of board, secured it to the spar.
By this means we were able to paddle much faster than before, and, after
considerable exertion, we reached the sandy beach with hearts thankful
for our preservation.
To show his satisfaction, Ready scampered about on the sands, and then
coming to lick my hands, lay down at my feet, with his tongue out,
panting for water. My heart misgave me when I saw this. Had there been
water his instinct would have conducted him to it, I fancied. I was
already suffering severely from thirst, and so, I saw, was Peter, but he
made no complaints. The cocoa-nuts, many of which strewed the ground,
were yet too small to contain any milk, and we broke one after the other
without finding one with any milk, although we allayed our thirst by
chewing a little of the scarcely-formed fruit. A little refreshed, we
set off in search of the much-desired water, but we had not gone many
yards before the conviction forced itself on me that there was none to
be procured.
Except the narrow belt of palm which I had at first seen, not another
green thing was to be seen on the islet, the whole surface being little
more than sand and coral rock.
As we stood outside the belt observing the inhospitable aspect of the
country, I saw two objects moving along the beach in the distance. They
were men, and there could be no doubt that they were part of the crew of
the unfortunate _Weathercock_. I was thankful that some of the poor
fellows had escaped, and we at once hurried on toward them. We had gone
some distance when Peter slackened his speed, and even Ready hung back.
"What is the matter?" I asked of the former.
"Don't you see that it's that ill-doing mate fellow?" he answered. "No
good'll come if he's to be with us."
"Possibly the peril he has escaped may have improved his character," I
remarked, as I advanced towards the individual named, for I saw that he
was no other than Sam Snag, and that the man with him was one of the
most ill-favoured of the crew--a fellow with a stolid, hang-dog, evil
countenance, who looked capable of committing any atrocity without the
slightest compunction. Still, repulsive as were the two men, they were
fellow-creatures, and I instinctively held out my hand to congratulate
them on escaping from the terrific dangers we had gone through, when so
many of our companions had perished.
Without either of them appearing to observe the motion they scowled
fiercely at me, Snag greeting me with the remark, "Oh, so you've turned
up, have you?"
"Yes, our lives have been spared as yet," I answered quietly, determined
not to give any cause of offence. "But, friends, we are suffering
greatly from want of water. Can you tell us if any is to be found on
the island?"
"Friends! eh--well, that's as the case may be," growled Snag. "As to
the water, there may or there may not be some; but as there isn't enough
for all, it will be for those who have it and can keep it."
The two ruffians held pieces of a spar in their hands, and assumed so
menacing an attitude that I felt that it would be hopeless to obtain the
water they had found by force, and equally hopeless to obtain it by
persuasion.
"Very well, Mr Snag, what is your own you have a right to keep," I
replied calmly. "But I thought that a common danger escaped, would have
made us friends, and I certainly should not have treated you as you seem
disposed to treat me." Saying this I turned aside towards the belt of
palm trees. I was very glad that he had no firearms in his hand, for
from the look he gave me, I felt very sure that he would have shot me at
that moment, and would then probably have made Peter work for him as a
slave, or have killed him also. I heard the ruffians giving way to
shouts of hoarse laughter as I and Peter and Ready retired.
Such were the men who were to be my fellow islanders (I will not call
them associates or companions), till we could make our escape from the
islet. Their presence would greatly increase my difficulties. It would
have been bad enough had I and Peter and Ready been alone. All we could
do was to keep away from them, and to try and find something with which
to quench our thirst.
After hunting about we found some young cocoa-nuts, blown down by the
hurricane. The softest part of these afforded us sufficient moisture
somewhat to allay our burning thirst. Ready shared with us, and without
this would I think have gone mad. We then felt very hungry, and hoping
to find some shell-fish on the rocks we returned to the beach. We were
not disappointed, and were soon able to collect as many as we could
require. While thus engaged I saw an object floating some way off in
the lagoon. I pointed it out to Peter. He thought with me that it
looked like a cask. We were seized with the hope that it might be
filled with water, and therefore resolved forthwith to put off on our
raft to try and obtain it. We had some difficulty in launching the
raft, but at length getting it afloat we paddled out into the lagoon. I
cannot describe the eagerness we felt as we neared what we hoped would
prove a treasure incomparable. Only those who have been suffering from
thirst as we then were, or in an open boat in the tropics, or when
traversing the sandy deserts, can fully comprehend our sensations. We
reached the cask. As I was paddling Peter ran to the fore part of the
raft and seized it.
"It's heavy, sir, it's heavy," he shouted. "I hope it's water by the
weight."
Putting down my paddle I eagerly ran to help him. It was indeed heavy,
but we at length got it safe up on the raft. Though the cask had the
appearance of a water-cask, I dared not broach it till we could get it
back to the shore, as while engaged in doing it we might have drifted
away from the land. Parched as were our mouths and throats, we
refrained, therefore, till we reached the beach. We had then to find a
piece of wood to serve as a hammer, with which I knocked a nail out of
our raft, and having sharpened the point, with this instrument managed
to make a hole in the cask. It was frill of liquid, but not the pure
fluid we wished for--it was wine. I cannot describe my disappointment.
For an instant I refrained even from tasting it, till Peter observed--
"Well, sir, sure wine ain't so bad a thing after all, is it?"
My month in a moment was at the hole. Instead of the strong wine I
expected, it was claret. I quickly quenched my thirst, and bid Peter do
the same. Though we valued it far less than water I hoped that after
all it might serve to prolong existence if used with moderation, and
keep us in health even better than water.
Our next thought was to conceal it from the other men, for of course
should they find it, they would take care that we should not benefit by
it. I was very anxious, however, about Ready--for though claret might
keep us alive it would certainly not suit his taste.
We were not long in digging a hole in the sand and rolling our cask into
it, and we then set to work to collect shell-fish to satisfy our hunger.
Fortunately I had in my pocket a small article which I would advise
every one travelling as I was to carry--a burning-glass--and with it we
easily lighted a fire, so that we had not to eat our shell-fish raw.
While we were employed as I have described, Ready disappeared. He had
been absent for some time, and I began to fear that he had fallen into
the power of Snag and the other man, who I felt sure would kill him if
they could catch him. We were too hungry to wait, so we sat down to our
mollusc meal.
While engaged in picking a shell-fish out of the ashes I felt Ready's
nose poked under my arm. "You want to share our meal, and you shall,
old fellow," I said, putting a full juicy mollusc into his mouth, which
was, I felt, cool and moist, so that I had no doubt he had discovered
some water, and taken care to avoid the villains who would not let us
enjoy it. I suspected that they were either searching for food, or had
fallen asleep, and that he had sagaciously taken the opportunity of
approaching the spring. Supposing the latter idea to be correct, I
allowed Peter to set off with Ready to try and find it, while I kept up
the fire, which when they awoke was likely to attract the two men
towards me and thus draw them away from the spring. Ready at once
understood our wishes, and as soon as Peter got up he ran on before him
as if to show the way.
I had on a Panama straw hat, which having been secured by a lanyard had
been preserved. From its thick texture, it held water completely, and
so I gave it to Peter to bring it back with as much as it could hold. I
told him to cry out lustily should he be attacked that I might go to his
assistance. I followed him a short distance till I could survey the
greater part of the island through the grove of trees, but I could see
nothing of the two men. Having made up the fire I took my post behind a
tree, that I might watch for the two men. As the rock which formed the
island was very unequal, Peter and Ready were soon lost to sight. I
waited anxiously for their return. However, as the men did not appear,
I hoped that they might, as we had supposed, be fast asleep in some
cave, or under the shade of some rock, and that they would not interfere
with us for the present. From the spot where I stood I could command a
wide extent of the ocean's surface, and I eagerly scanned it in the
possibility that a sail might appear in the horizon, when I intended,
should she approach the island, to signalise her, and endeavour to
escape from it.
My mind was greatly relieved when Ready appeared with that jaunty,
active air which a dog assumes when he is well satisfied, and he was
followed closely by Peter carrying my hat brimful of water. In an
instant I had my head into it almost, and had drunk up a large portion
before I asked any questions. Peter had found a stream of pure water
bubbling up from a deft in a rock, not thirty yards from the sea, into
which it ran in a clear rivulet, in sufficient quantity to fill any
number of ship's casks. The landing on the beach, as far as I could
judge from the lad's description, was very good. As he had also
observed the staves and hoops of some casks lying about, I had no doubt
that it was a spot frequented by vessels in those seas to obtain a
supply of water, when kept out by baffling winds. Had it not therefore
been for the presence of the mulatto mate and his associate, we should
have had no great cause for anxiety, as we might hope in a short time to
be rescued by some vessel visiting the spot. I must confess, however,
that I dreaded what might occur before we could get away. A savage
villain is the most difficult being in creation to deal with. A lion or
a tiger may be seen approaching, and be destroyed, so may a bear, or
even a mad dog, a snake may be avoided; but however strongly we may
suspect that a fellow man is plotting against our life, we may not
defend ourselves until some overt act is committed, or take his life,
unless we would have the guilt of homicide or murder on our heads, till
he attempts openly to take ours.
Such was the position in which I felt that I was placed with regard to
Snag and his companion. All we could do was to be on our guard, for I
felt sure that if they fancied it was to their interest to kill us they
would do so without the slightest scruple. We had, however, an
advantage over them in having Ready on our side, as we might sleep
securely, depending on his awakening us on the approach of danger. Then
again I felt certain they would try to kill him first if they wished to
destroy us.
We had discovered some cocoa-nut shells, the produce of the last year,
and though the fruit was dried up they were split in a way which enabled
them to hold water. These we filled with the remainder of the contents
of my hat, which afforded us a sufficient supply for some hours. We
spent the remainder of the day in erecting a hut in which we could
shelter ourselves during the night. We passed it, contrary to my
expectations, undisturbed. The next day we several times saw our
shipmates on the shore, but they did not come near us, and as before,
Peter, accompanied by Ready, accomplished the journey to the spring
without being seen by them. He told me that he was sure that from the
marks he had before observed on the sand not being increased, that they
had not been to the spring since his last visit. This, coupled with
their quietness, made me suspect that they also had got hold of a cask
of wine, and that as long as that lasted we might hope to escape any
annoyance from them.
Several days thus passed, and each day I was more confirmed in my
suspicious. At length, one day after we had seen them in the morning on
the beach, Peter proposed that he should try and discover what they were
about.
"I can creep, creep along, Master Skipwith, for all the world like a
snail; do, Mr Skipwith, do let me go."
With my permission he stole off, and Ready seemed to understand that
this time he was not wanted. The sun had nearly reached the horizon, so
the men would probably have taken up their quarters for the night. As
before, I sat down in a sheltered spot, where, should the men by chance
be wandering about, they would not be likely to discover me. I waited
for some time till I calculated that Peter ought to have returned. Then
the stars came out in the dark sky, bright and clear like drops of
liquid fire, but still my young follower did not make his appearance.
However, Ready remained perfectly quiet, and I was sure that had he
fancied anything was wrong he would have shown signs of uneasiness. At
length, despairing of seeing Peter, though I hoped he might have gone
round some other way, I returned to our hut. It was empty, and I began
seriously to fear that the lad had fallen into the wretches' hands, and
I regretted having let him make the expedition.
I knew so little of the island that I could not venture to go in search
of him, and all I could do, therefore, was to sit down and await his
coming. I had fallen into an uneasy slumber when I was awoke by the
sound of a voice in my ear, which I recognised as that of Peter.
"Oh sir, isn't it just lucky I went, or we'd all have been murdered and
eaten by this time to-morrow evening," he said, still trembling with
fear. "I heard them from beginning to end, but I'd like to make a long
story short. They said one to the other as how they'd had no food, and
that starve they wouldn't, and that they'd have the dog to eat, and
after him they'd have one of us; that would have been me, but that
wouldn't have so much mattered, may be, but they said they'd kill you
too--indeed they did--and eat you too--yes--eat you! Oh, I felt my hair
stand on end when I heard it, and was near crying out, but I didn't, and
waiting till they were talking again to each other loudly, I crept away
as I came."
I should have been inclined to doubt the truth of Peter's tale, but it
was so circumstantial that I was compelled to believe that his fancy had
not deceived him. I cross-questioned him, and found that he had heard
the voices of the two men, and had crawled on hands and feet towards
them, when he discovered them seated in a cave, which it was evident
they had made their present abode. Unfortunately he had not heard them
speak of the hour they proposed to attack us. We were thus compelled to
be constantly on the watch, and to be prepared for a struggle at any
moment. I can answer for it from experience that it is excessively
trying to the nerves to be sitting all night long in the dark, with the
expectation of being attacked by a couple of villains with heavy clubs
who intend to knock out one's brains. I fully believed that Ready would
prove faithful and watchful, but considering that my life and that of
Peter were at stake, I could not bring myself to trust altogether to his
sagacity. Sleep, of course, I could not, at least so I thought. The
hours passed slowly by, the soft sighing of the wind in the trees over
head, mingled with the low murmur of the ocean as it beat on the rocks,
sounded in my ears, and then there came strange noises, and shrieks, and
cries, and unearthly voices in the far distance, away out over the sea,
and in spite of all my anxiety and intention of keeping awake till
daylight, I was fast asleep. I must have slept soundly, and during more
hours than I had supposed it wanted to daylight, when I was effectually
aroused by a sharp bark from Ready, and a loud cry from Peter, and
starting up I seized my staff and stood ready for action.