The absence of Mr Clare was the only drawback to our pleasure that
morning. He had told us the evening before that he should probably
return from his visit the same day, getting home about the time we
expected to be back--about sundown, which at that date in September was
at twenty minutes after six. He said, however, that possibly he might
remain in Q---town until after Sunday morning service.
When Captain Mugford had completed his smoke, by which time we had a
fine steady breeze from the south-east, he rose from his luxurious
position and took Walter's place at the helm, saying--
"Not a permanent removal, Walter, but only until I can put the cutter
just where I want her for fish. Fifteen minutes more will do that; so
you had better go forward to Drake and get the anchor all ready to let
go. You other boys can stand by the sails."
The Captain noted carefully the changing colour of the water as we drew
over some bank, and he took bearings, too, from points on the land we
had left nearly ten miles astern. In a few minutes he luffed a bit and
sang out--
"Down with your foresail! Get in the jib."
The bowsprit pointed right in the wind's eye, and the boom hung fore and
aft, the sail empty, as the cutter lost her headway.
"Is that anchor ready?"
"Aye, aye, sir!" replied Walter and Drake.
"Let go! About five fathoms, is it?" called the Captain.
"About that!" the boys answered.
"That's just what we want. Make fast! Now stow the mainsail, so that
it won't be in the way of your lines, and fish. There, that will do!
Now, all to the lines! Who'll have the first fish?"
In a minute Drake hauled that up--a cod--and the fun commenced. Cod and
bass, and now and then a halibut, as fast as we could bait and pull!
There was soon a lively flopping in our craft, and now and then a
dog-fish would take hold, much to our annoyance, for generally he broke
the hook or line, or else, if we got him in, made such a furious lashing
about our legs that we had to finish him with a hatchet.
We lay at anchor there until we had had fishing enough. About two
o'clock we stopped, having caught, as near as the Captain could
estimate, between one and two hundred pounds of cod, a dog-fish, and
eleven sea-bass--not the striped bass, such as we took off the rocks
with a troll line in rough water: that was the _Labrax lineatus_; but
the sea-bass, the _Centropristes nigricans_, superior in title, but
inferior in every other way to the striped bass.
It was a job to pitch the fish together and out of the way, and then
clean the blood, slime, and wet from our deck and get ready for making
sail; but after some work it was done, and our lines stowed away.
"Now, boys," said the Captain, "we will have dinner, and get under way
again. As the wind has hauled around to the east, we will take our
course for the north. I want to show you that shore, it is so bold and
wild. With such a stiff wind I reckon we can run up ten miles nearly,
and then turn about and get home _easily_ before dark. I say, boys,
won't Mr Clare wish he had had a hand in catching that haul?"
Having finished the cold dinner with such an appetite as pleasure,
exercise, and sea air give, we made sail and stood to the northward.
The breeze was so fresh before long that the Captain told us to take a
reef in our mainsail. Walter held the helm, and in little more than an
hour we were sailing near the grand rugged shore that Captain Mugford
had wished us to see. Here and there, in little coves defended by rocky
sides, were the cottages of fishermen, and then great headlands of
cavernous stone dashed by the waves. Again the shore fell to a lower
level, and pines and other trees clustered together to defy the storms,
and give pleasure to the eye. Farther on, the roughness of the coast
vanished for a few hundred yards to make place for a yellow sandy beach
where was stretched a long seine. Opposite that piece of strand, and
close by our cutter's course stood a small stony island, bearing a
single invalid old pine, from whose topmost branch a great bald eagle
rose and hovered over our craft. Then the shore grew again like an
impregnable fortification, and made out to a sharp cape, on the point of
which stood a lonely, snow-white lighthouse.
"There, boys, we must go about now," said the Captain, as we neared the
cape. "But see how the wind has fallen. If it holds on in this way we
shan't have enough to take us home before night. Let's see what o'clock
it is. That lighthouse is seventeen miles from the point of our own
cape."
The Captain fumbled away at his waist-band--encircling a rotundity like
that described of Saint Nicholas--and pulled out his immense gold
turnip.
"Columbus' compass! Twenty minutes to five! Come, Walter, haul in the
mainsheet, and come up to the wind. Are you ready to go about? Well,
down with the helm then. I'll tend the jib. Those boys are so busy
examining the fish that we will not interrupt them."
"No, sir," I said, "we are ready for anything."
"Oh no, Bob," replied the Captain, "go on with your studies. There is
nothing to do just now. Walter, you may steer by the shore. But I
don't like this slackening of the breeze, and it is drawing more to the
south-west; we shall have it right ahead soon. The sun looks ugly, too.
That murky red face foretells a row of some kind."
"I hope that we shall get the _Youth_ safe at her moorings before night
comes, or a storm either--shall we not?" asked Harry.
"We'll hope so," answered Captain Mugford, who pulled out his pipe and
filled it hard, continuing, "Who'll hand me out a light from the cuddy?"
I went in and struck one, and brought him a match, blazing famously.
"Thank, you," he said. "Drake--just," (puff puff)--"just shake--oh!
there goes that light!" I quickly brought him another--"just shake
out--that--that--" (puff, puff). He had it all right now, the smoke
coming in vast volumes; so he replaced his hat and removed the pipe from
his teeth for a moment to complete the order--
"Drake, just shake that reef out of the mainsail."
"All right, sir!" said Drake. I helped him; but in half an hour the
wind, as the Captain had foretold, was ahead, and not strong enough to
fill the sails.
Fifteen or sixteen miles we were from home, with every indication that a
heavy squall was to follow the calm settling down upon us. The dancing
white caps of the morning had died away in a quiet, sullen sea, which
only a land-swell moved. The sun had gone down to within a half-hour's
distance of the horizon, shining on the distant western cliffs, whose
variety, boldness, and ruggedness were magnified in outline and
intensified in colouring by the heavy, yellowish-red glare which fell on
them, and the sun's rays shot out in long forks, piercing the dark blue
of the sea at all points in the western semicircle of our view. The
atmosphere had grown warm--very warm for a September afternoon.
We boys felt something portentous in the scene. The Captain grew
uncomfortable, too, no longer laughing heartily or joining in our talk.
He kept his eyes on the sky, and smoked pipe after pipe.
Even Ugly ceased napping beside Walter, and, uttering a whining yawn, as
if sleepy but uneasy, walked forward to the idle foresail, and stood
there with extended nose to smell out, if he could, what was wrong.
So we lay for nearly an hour, our only movement being with the outgoing
tide, the sails flapping with the slow swell of the sea. But when the
sun had disappeared the wind commenced to come, first in little puffs,
now from one quarter and then from another. The gale would be on us in
a moment.
The Captain took the helm then, and ordered us to stand by and be ready
to tend the sails.
"Look out, too, for the swinging of that boom," he said, "and make Ugly
get out of the way and lie down somewhere."
Ugly, hearing that speech, did not wait for further commands, but stowed
himself away at the foot of the mast.
Now the wind came in heavier puffs, and then in squalls from the east.
"I hope it will settle there," spoke out the Captain. "It is coming
heavier, but I hope steady."
He kept his eyes on all parts of the now lowering sky, and presently
added--
"Take two reefs in the mainsail and shift the jib! Get the storm-jib
up. Now hook on. Run it out. Hoist away."
That was done, no easy matter for novices in a heavy sea, and we flew
away before the increasing gale. Fortunately the night was not very
dark, there being a quarter moon to throw its light through the rifts of
clouds.
How fast the sea got up! The wind grew heavier every moment. The mast
of our little cutter creaked with each plunge, and the plunges were hard
and quick. The scene was truly alarming, and we felt the danger of our
situation. To be sure, we were comparatively safe if the gale should
grow no worse; but it was increasing every moment in a manner that
threatened in another hour to be too much for us. There was danger,
too, that something might be carried away, or that, in the frothy sea
and uncertain light, we might strike some of the sunken rocks that now
and then stood off from shore like sentries. But the _Youth_ leapt
furiously onward from one mad wave to another, our good Captain steering
with a strong hand.
The black, broken clouds rolled close to the sea, which seemed striving
madly to swallow them; but on they flew with the screams of the wind.
The thin moonlight, streaming unsteadily through the troops of clouds
across the riven waves, had a ghastly effect--sometimes obscuring,
sometimes exaggerating the terrors surrounding us. The shore, a mile to
leeward, was to our sight only a bristling, indefinite terror; for
there, where loomed the land we longed for, was the greatest peril--the
line of fierce breakers that shouted their threats in terrible chorus.
I suppose we boys were all much terrified. I _quailed_ with dread, for
it was my first experience of a storm on the water, and its time and
appearance were so imposing.
One would never have suspected from Captain Mugford's manner that we
were in any danger. His face was as calm and his hand as steady as if
we were having the pleasantest sail imaginable; only the violence with
which he smoked, ramming fingers full of tobacco into his pipe every few
minutes, betokened any unusual excitement, but we knew how absorbed he
was in his charge by his silence.
We were speechless, too, holding on fast to the backstays or gunwale to
keep our places in the desperate leaps and lurches the gallant little
craft was making. Ugly was soon thrown from his station, and, finding
he could not keep legs or position anywhere unaided, went and ensconced
himself between our skipper's legs.
Harder, heavier blew the wind, and wilder grew the sea, so that it
seemed sometimes as if we must go over, and the bowsprit now buried
itself in every billow. Then the Captain said to us in a calm, steady
voice--
"Boys, you must get another reef in the mainsail and lower the foresail.
Now, be careful and steady about it. There is no hurry. Bob, you come
here; the others can manage that work. You sit aft out of the way."
I did as directed; and the orders were speedily carried out without
accident.
Boatswain's Half-Acre Reef, a low rock that stood out at sea, about
three and a half miles south-east-by-east from our cape, now came in
sight ahead of us to the windward. In the spectral light, and beaten on
by the waves, it looked like some sea monster moving in the water. As
we were going we should probably pass close to its lee side in about ten
minutes, but the wind blew a tempest, and the sea increased so in a few
minutes that our peril was terrible. For two hours we had battled--
though evidently the storm was soon to be the conqueror.
Several seas came aboard in angry haste, and the punt, which had been in
tow all day, broke loose and was carried away. Another sea, stronger
than its fellows, suddenly struck us a tremendous blow. The cutter
heeled over, so that the water boiled above the lee gunwale. The
assaulting sea, too, broke up and over the weather-side, and drenched us
all in its cataract. To increase our terror, a cry came from Alfred,
who had been tossed from his hold and nearly cast overboard, but he
caught the backstay as our yet unconquered boat rose from the blow like
some brave but wounded animal. The water was several inches deep about
our feet, and the good _Youth_ had lost half its buoyancy.
Then came the Captain's voice again, steady and strong, but full of
feeling--
"We'll get through it yet, lads, God protecting us," he sung out. "But
all hands must try and do their duty. You know Nelson's last general
order--`England expects that every man this day will do his duty.' That
same motto carried out has saved many a stout ship and rich cargo, and
the neglect of it has lost many more. Now, there's work for all of you.
Walter, do you rig the pump, and Bob, do you help him, and the rest of
you set to and bale. Be smart, now. There are two skids and a bucket,
or use your hats. Anyhow, the boat must be cleared."
He spoke deliberately, not to alarm us, but at the same time we all saw
that there was no time to be lost. Walter and I now got the pump to
work, while the rest set to and baled away with might and main. I also
joined them, using my hat as the Captain advised, for Walter could
easily work the pump by himself. Still, in spite of the excellent
steering of the old skipper, the seas came tumbling in over the bows and
sides also so rapidly that it was hard work for us to keep the boat
clear. Besides this, (notwithstanding her name, being an old boat), she
strained so much that the seams opened and made her leak fearfully. It
soon, indeed, became a question--and a very serious one--whether the
boat could be kept afloat till we should reach our own harbour. We were
now laying well up for the cape, though we were making what sailors call
"very bad weather of it;" but, should the wind shift a little, and come
more ahead, we might have a dead beat of several hours before us. We
saw the skipper looking out anxiously at the reef I have described. A
considerable portion, even at the highest tides, was several feet above
water, and easily accessible. As the rock also afforded a shelter to
numerous seafowl, which built their nests in its crevices, it would
afford some security to a few human beings. Still, during a gale such
as was now blowing, the sea washed tumultuously round the rock, and
rendered the landing--even on the lee side--not only difficult but
dangerous. I, for one, did not at all like the condition of the boat;
still, as the skipper had hitherto said nothing, I did not like to
propose that we should try to land on the reef. The old man was silent
for some time; he again scanned the reef, and then he turned his eyes to
the distant shore.
"Boys," he said at last, "I wish you not to be alarmed. The boat may
very possibly keep above water till we reach the cape, if you can bale
out the seas as fast as they wash in; but I am bound to tell you that
there is a risk of our being swamped if we were to meet such a sea as I
have seen, under like circumstances, come rolling in. There lies
Boatswain's Reef--in five minutes we may be safe upon it--but much
depends on your coolness and courage. The most difficult and dangerous
movement will be the leaping on shore. Do you, Walter, make a rope fast
round the bits; unreeve the fore halliards, they will suit best, and are
new and strong. That will do; secure them well, and coil the rope
carefully, so that it may run out free of everything. Now stand with
the rope in your hand, and as I bring the boat up to the rock, do you
leap out, and spring up to the upper part, where you will find a jagged
point or more to which to make it fast. The rest of you, when the boat
touches the rock, be ready to spring on shore; but remember, don't
spring till I tell you. I'll call each of you by name, and the first on
shore must stand by to help the others. There, I can't say more, except
one word--be steady, and cool, and trust in God."
Walter did as directed, and we all stood watching the skipper's eye,
that we might obey him directly he gave the word. It is a most
important thing to have confidence in a commander. It is the great
secret of England's success in most instances. Although there may be
many shortcomings, both her soldiers and sailors know that, in nine
cases out of ten, they will be well and bravely led, and the officers
know also that they will be thoroughly supported by the men. If they go
ahead, there will never be a want of men to follow them, even to the
cannon's mouth.
On we dashed, amid the boiling, foaming seas. We had to continue
pumping and baling as energetically as before. Had we ceased, but for
half a minute, it seemed as if the boat would to a certainty go down,
even before we could reach the rock. Captain Mugford did not address us
again, but kept his eyes watching, now the heavy seas which came rolling
up on the weather bow, and now the black rock towards which we were
standing. All the time we kept carefully edging away, till we were
under the lee of the reef--of that part, however, over which the sea
broke with great force. Still, the water was smoother than it had been
for some time. We stood on, continuing to bale.
Suddenly the Captain cried out, "Now, lads, to your feet, and be ready
to spring on shore when I give the word." We all jumped up. Walter
stepped forward and took the rope in his hand, as he had been directed.
The Captain luffed up, and ran the boat alongside the rock; but there
was still great way on her, and a tremendous crashing sound showed us
that she had struck the rock below water. Walter sprang on shore, Drake
and Harry followed, and as he leapt to the top of the rock, followed to
help him make fast the rope round one of its roughest projections. Ugly
sprang at the same time, and the rest of us went next--not a moment too
soon. I was the last of the boys. The Captain came close behind me.
He was securing another rope round the mast, and, with the end of it in
his hand, he leapt on to the rock. As he left the deck, the boat seemed
to glide from under him. "Haul, boys! haul! all together," he shouted.
Our united efforts, aided by the surging water, got the fast sinking
boat on to a rock. There the boat lay, little better than a wreck; but
we were safe. We now saw how anxious our good skipper had been, for,
taking off his hat, and looking up to heaven, he exclaimed, with a
fervour I did not expect, "Thank God for His great mercy--they are all
safe."