Safe from the clutches of their human enemies, perhaps, but by no means
safe from the angry sea. Had some of the crew been able to foresee what
was in store for them, they would perhaps have welcomed the arrival of
that British patrol with outspread arms and expressions of joy. Once
more they were caught up in the embrace of a furious storm, and driven
helplessly westward, expecting every moment to be their last.
On October 24th another brief calm set in, enabling the navigator to
ascertain his position. The little vessel was found to be some distance
west of Bantry, on the south coast of Ireland. Here the storm again
increased in violence, and once more the ill-fated _Virgen del Socorro_
seemed likely to founder. A consultation was held by Koch and the
other leaders. They came to the conclusion that it would be madness
to attempt to continue with the original plan. In such seas as were
running, they would run the risk of being shipwrecked a hundred times
before they got halfway round the British Isles. The only thing to
be done, if they were to prevent the _Virgen del Socorro_ from being
smashed to matchwood on the British coast, was to keep as much as
possible in the open sea and steer for the English channel, in hope of
making the Belgian or Dutch coast unobserved.
Six more terrible days followed. By this time more than half the crew
of the _Virgen del Socorro_ were in a parlous condition. Their store of
provisions had shrunk to such an extent that everybody had to be placed
on rations, and the fresh water had dwindled so alarmingly that it was
reserved for those who were actually on the point of collapse. Several
of the crew, through the cold and constant seasickness, were utterly
helpless.
It was about this time that the coast of Cornwall came into view, and
on November 4th the crew found themselves in sight of Lundy Island,
at the entrance of the Bristol Channel. From there, proceeding with a
slowness which must often have driven them to the verge of despair,
they circled the Scilly Islands, and it took them two more dreadful
days before they had rounded the Lizard.
The Odyssey of the _Virgen del Socorro_ had now stretched over no less
a period than a month. Three of the crew had by now become delirious;
all were reduced to half their ordinary weight, and with the exception
of the hardened seamen were on the point of collapse. Although they had
experienced several alarms, they had so far succeeded--no doubt owing
to the awful weather--in avoiding the vigilant eyes of the British
patrols. But now they no longer cared one way or the other; all the
fight had been knocked out of them by their sufferings.
On November 8th the little vessel approached the Goodwins. Shortly
after dawn a British destroyer was sighted and reported by the man
at the helm. Hardly a man on board, unless it was Lieutenant Koch,
took the trouble to raise his glassy eyes when he heard the danger
announced. Nor did they manifest any concern when it further became
evident that there was no avoiding the vigilant war vessel. Nothing
expressed so eloquently the fact that they regarded themselves
as beaten as their attitude of utter indifference when they were
challenged by the British destroyer. One and all were evidently
heartily glad to confess their nationality, the circumstances in which
they came to be there, and the extraordinary dangers through which they
had passed.
The _Virgen del Socorro_ was taken into Ramsgate, says _El Liberal_,
the Madrid newspaper which published the first brief account of the
adventures related above, and there we may well leave Lieutenant Koch
and his companions. They are henceforth in safe keeping, for, with all
their ingenuity and daring, the only thing they succeeded in doing was
to exchange one prison for another, and at the same time drag eight
free German citizens with them into durance vile.