ON THE RAFT.
Joshua, opening his eyes, saw Minnie sitting by his side. She, seeing
that he was awake, moved quietly away without a word, and went to
where the other women were lying. He had been so fatigued when he lay
down to rest, that his sleep had been very profound; and when he
awoke, the full sense of his situation did not come upon him. Minnie,
sitting by his side with her brown face and short curls, was the first
thing he saw; and it seemed to him for a brief space that he was
dreaming. But when she moved away and joined the other women, he
remembered the perils they had encountered, and the terrible position
in which they were placed. He would have called to her, but that some
feeling restrained him; and although he thought much of her during the
day, he was glad that he had not spoken to her. Besides, his attention
was diverted for a time to another circumstance. Some of the men were
clamoring for breakfast. Neither Scadbolt nor the Lascar was among the
murmurers; these last consisted of the weakest of the party, who were
less able than the others to bear hunger, and to whom the fear of
starvation made it appear as if they had been already fasting a day.
"Breakfast! breakfast!" they cried.
"Wait till ten o'clock," said the captain, in a stern determined
voice; "you can't be hungry already. If you don't cease murmuring, I
will put off breakfast until twelve."
This threat silenced them.
In the mean time the captain called his council together, and
consulted with them. There were four in the council: himself, Joshua,
Rough-and-Ready, and an old sailor named Standish, who had been
wrecked twice before, and who consequently was looked upon as a
distinguished personage. At eight o'clock the captain read prayers.
Then the men, with the exception of the council, sat idly watching the
water, and looking out for a fish. The morning was fine; one of the
sailors noted for quaint sayings remarked that the weather had no
business to be fine; it was a mockery. At ten o'clock the captain
piped all hands; the call was answered readily, but there were no
signs of breakfast.
"Be seated," said the captain.
They all sat down, with the exception of the captain and his three
counsellors. The captain stood in front, his supporters behind.
"We who stand," said the captain, "have been constituted by me,
commander of this ship, into a council for the discussion and
deliberation of all matters relating to the general welfare. The
fairness of the selection will recommend itself to the crew, for the
council is composed of three sailors and one passenger. Are you
content?"
"Yes, yes!" cried a large number.
Up rose Scadbolt.
"Let us hear first what you have to say about the provisions," he
said. "I am not one who says yes without consideration."
"That's fair too," broke from half a dozen throats.
Captain Liddle eyed Scadbolt steadily. Scadbolt returned his gaze. He
knew that in the position he had assumed, he could command the
sympathies of a certain number, and the knowledge gave him confidence.
"Well, it is fair," said the captain; "and a reasonable suggestion is
always reasonable, never mind who makes it. The council have drawn out
a set of rules this morning, which I have here writ down on paper. If
you approve of them you will approve of the council; do I understand
that?"
"Yes, yes!"
The captain produced his paper and commenced.
"Rule 1. All questions in dispute, with the exception of such as are
properly within the province of the duties of Captain Liddle--whose
orders as Captain of the 'Merry Andrew,' we promise to obey and uphold
to the death--shall be decided by the majority."
"Agreed!" some cried.
"Stop!" exclaimed Scadbolt; "how about the women? We are not going to
let them vote."
Thought Captain Liddle, "This is no common scoundrel; he puts in
speech what many a malcontent would only dare to think." Said Captain
Liddle aloud, "That was not mentioned by the council. I don't suppose
the women would wish to vote; a proper man would not have mentioned
it. Decided, however, that the women do not vote."
In arguing with Scadbolt, Captain Liddle committed a grave mistake; it
put them upon a kind of equality, and from that moment Scadbolt could
boast of being the leader of a party, small as it might be.
"Rule 2," continued Captain Liddle. "The small stock of provisions
shall be equally divided between every soul on board"--
A little faint cheering here broke out.
"But, in consequence of the smallness of the supply, the quantity to
be measured out to each person shall be regulated, as occasion
demands, by the Captain and his council."
No demur was made to this.
"Rule 3. That all fish, birds, or food of any kind which may be found
in air or water shall be added to the general stock, and shall be
fairly and equally divided."
"Unfair!" exclaimed Scadbolt; "each man is entitled to what he can
catch in air or water."
"Not so," replied the captain; "for what then would become of the
women?--Men, I appeal to you: does this man, who speaks while you are
silent, represent your views?"
Two or three voices answered, "Yes;" a score answered, "No."
"Good," said the captain; "he represents but one in a dozen; and even
the two or three of you who seem to side with him may be brought to
see the selfishness of what he advocates. If he had his way, the weak
would be left to die; the strong alone should live, and have a chance
of being saved. Is this fair? is it manly? is it honest?"
"Every man for himself, and God for us all," muttered Scadbolt trying
to fan the flame.
"Then the strongest man would crush the rest, and might would take the
place of right," continued the captain, beginning to see that he had
made a mistake in listening so patiently to Scadbolt. "We were never
nearer to death than we are this day; but shall that make us forget
that we are men? Shall that turn us into brutes? We have helpless
women depending upon us, and upon our manliness. They shall be shown
no favor in the way of provisions; they shall divide equally with us,
share and share alike. But, by God, the one who seeks to deny them
their fair chance of life, dies by my hand!"
"I am with you, captain," cried Rough-and-Ready.
"And I," said Joshua.
"And I," said the sailor who had been twice wrecked.
"And I," "And I," from most of the rest.
"Decided, then, that all food that may be found in air or water shall
be added to the general stock, and shall be fairly and equally
divided."
Scadbolt did not dare demur.
"Rule 4. That, recognizing the full extent of our dread peril, and
knowing that death stares us in the face, we resolve to die like men,
if it be God's will; and thus resolving, we solemnly declare that,
supposing all our food to be gone, we will not eat human flesh"--
A shudder ran round the attentive group, and Mrs. Pigeon fainted; but
Captain Liddle proceeded firmly,--
"Nor draw lots as to who shall be killed to feed the rest. This we
solemnly resolve, in fear of the Lord, out of common humanity, and out
of respect for ourselves as Christian men."
Assented to in silence; not one of them could realize the horrible
craving, born of raging thirst and hunger, that had come upon men in
such a strait as theirs.
"That is all," concluded the captain after a long pause. "You approve,
then, of the council and these rules?"
"Yes."
"Now to breakfast. Water, for the first week, will be served out
twice a day--a quarter of a pint in the morning, and a quarter of a
pint in the evening--half a pint a day to each person. Of food we
have only preserved meat and sugar, and very little of either. One
tablespoonful of preserved meat will be served out to each person at
eleven o'clock every morning, and at five o'clock one ounce of sugar.
Of rum we have about a gallon: a teaspoonful will be served out to
each person once in every other day, in the morning or in the evening,
as he may choose. The general stock of previsions will not be touched
by any one on board, except in presence of all, and it will be guarded
by two of the council; the penalty of tampering with the stock, or of
attempting to steal any portion of it, will be death. And God give us
strength, and send us happy deliverance!"
When breakfast was served, the men lay about the raft idly, watching
the water for fish, which they were not successful in catching, and
rising every now and then to scan the horizon for a sail. Some slept
or tried to sleep; some talked over the chances of deliverance; some
spoke in whispers of what they had heard from men who had been
wrecked. While the provisions were being measured by the captain, the
other three of the council stood by with cocked pistols, ready to fire
should a rush be made. Most of the men took their spoonful of
preserved meat, and ate it quickly and greedily, some of them at one
gulp; but a few, wiser than their fellows, retired with their portion,
and sitting down, ate it very slowly. These last were the best
satisfied. The council were busy enough all the day; assisted by Mr.
Pigeon and the two friends, Wall and Heartsease, they were employed in
re-arranging every thing on the raft, and in making things more
comfortable for the women. A kind of low tent was built, under cover
of which the women could lie down and rest, screened from the men; but
it was only used at night; for at first the women mixed with the men
during the day, and made themselves useful. Mrs. Pigeon, of her own
accord, crept to where the sailors were lying about, and asked if they
wanted any thing mended. At first they were too surprised to reply;
but presently a dozen voices answered her. One wanted a pair of socks
darned; another had half a dozen rents in his shirt; and in a very
little while Mrs. Pigeon's hands were full. She made her way back to
her female companions, and throwing a heap of clothes in the midst of
them, proposed that they should set to work at once. Soon all of them,
with the exception of Rachel Homebush, were busily and cheerfully at
work; and while their fingers were plying, Mrs. Pigeon sang snatches
of songs. It was as little like a picture of shipwrecked persons as
one could imagine. But it was a picture that did an immense amount of
good. The men looked at the women admiringly, and Rough-and-Ready's
eyes glistened every time they wandered that way.
"A pretty bunch!" he observed to Joshua.
Joshua nodded hopefully, for the sight cheered him.
"That's a good little woman of yours," said Rough-and-Ready, turning
to Mr. Pigeon. Rough-and-Ready held a very different position now from
what he did when he first stepped aboard the "Merry Andrew;" he was a
general favorite with men and women. Even Rachel Homebush cast glances
of approval at him.
"I tell you what," answered Mr. Pigeon in a confidential tone; "I've
not seen much of women--you know out there in the bush they're rather
scarce--and we had some hope of getting home"--
"_Had_ some hope!" interrupted Rough-and-Ready. "Say _have_ some hope.
If there's one thing in the world that makes me certain of it, it is
that picture there," pointing to the women.
"I am heartily glad to hear you say so. _Have_ some hope, then, of
getting home, where the streets are crowded with women they say. But
there isn't one among 'em to come up to her. Although there were not
half a dozen lasses to choose from when I first made up to her, I'd
choose her now out of a million."
Having delivered himself of these, his articles of faith in his wife,
he sat down by her side, and held her cotton for her as she stitched
and sewed.
Meantime the current and their one sail carried them along at the rate
of about two miles an hour. No land was in sight, and there was no
sign of a ship, although during the day many a false alarm was given.
The weather remained fine. The light wind died away in the evening,
when the thin crescent of a new moon came out in the sky. It was
welcomed as a good omen; and the women looked at it, and smiled at one
another, the foolish things! as if the silver crescent were a
messenger of good tidings. Then the stars came out brightly--another
good omen. Many a one on the raft thought, "This is better than being
jammed on the rocks, in the 'Merry Andrew;' we are moving towards
safety. If we do not see a ship, we may see land, and may manage to
get ashore." References were made to Robinson Crusoe and the Swiss
Family Robinson; not in a gloomy, but in a cheerful spirit. It was the
admirable bearing of the men in command, no less than the virtues of
the women, that contributed to this state of hopeful feeling. The
sailors were also comparatively contented; most of them had a little
stock of tobacco--some more, some less--the chewing of which gave them
comfort. Each man hoarded his store more jealously than a miser hoards
his gold; but some were greedier than others, or craved for it more,
and could not withstand the temptation of chewing it almost
wastefully, certainly not prudently. But then sailors are not a
prudent class of men.
To Joshua, who was sitting musing of home, came Rough-and-Ready, and
sat beside him.
"You don't smoke?" asked Rough-and-Ready.
"That's not sailor-like."
Joshua shrugged his shoulders, and smiled.
"Nor chew?"
"No."
"Here is a little piece of tobacco. Chew it."
Joshua put it in his mouth and chewed it, because he thought it was,
after all a certain kind of food, and might make him less hungry. But
it made him sick.
Rough-and-Ready laughed a little when he saw the effect of it, and
presently said, so that no one else should hear, "You must learn to
chew."
"Why?"
"It will help to keep you alive when the provisions run out. I have a
dozen pounds of tobacco strapped round me; it was my own, so I thought
I had a right to it. By and by it will come in handy. I wish I could
teach the women to chew."
"If the men knew you had so much," said Joshua, "your life would not
be safe."
"I know that. I had an idea at first of handing it to the skipper for
general use; but I thought better of it. There are a few on board to
whom I don't think I'd give an ounce to save their lives. What is that
in your handkerchief?"
"My accordion."
"Do you play? Of course, though, or you wouldn't have it. I should
like to hear some music."
Joshua untied his handkerchief and took out his accordion. The night
was very still, and the soft tones floated in the air, and seemed to
linger about the raft as it glided through the sea. The quiet bubbling
of the water as it stole through the openings between the spars, as if
in sport, was in consonance with the melody and the still night and
the beautiful peaceful heavens. Men who were lying at full length sat
up when the music commenced, and were the better for it. The women
crept from out their shelter, and listened and shed tears, not
entirely unhappy. Surely it was a night of good omens. As Joshua
played, his thoughts wandered back to his boyish life, and to the
tender conversations that had taken place between him and Dan. Often
he stopped as he mused and thought; but presently his fingers would be
on the keys again, playing a few bars of "Poor Tom Bowling," and other
more cheerful songs of Dibdin, which the Old Sailor loved so well.
They came back to him, the memories of that happy time. Their anxiety
about their birds, when they first commenced to train them; the death
of Golden Cloud, and the after conversation which he had never
forgotten, in the course of which they had read together of the wreck
of Robinson Crusoe. Why, it seemed all to have come true! Here he was,
wrecked, certainly not alone, and therefore better off than Crusoe
was, but wrecked for all that. But under what circumstances, and with
what a dreadful web of suspicion surrounding him! Oh, if he could see
the end of it! It was horrible to think that he might die--he and all
of them on the raft; and that Dan might believe him false because of
Minnie. It would not bear thinking of. He ceased playing, and bathed
his fevered head and face. Often and often had he said to himself, in
former storms and former scenes, the words that Dan had impressed upon
him; and now he tried to fancy that Dan could see him, and knew that
he was true.
Rough-and-Ready, seeing that Joshua was engrossed in thought, did not
disturb him, and presently dozed off. How long he had been asleep he
did not know; but he woke up with a curious impression upon him. He
must have slept long, for the night was far advanced, and no sound was
heard but the plashing of the water against and through the spars. The
impression was this: that he and Joshua were lying side by side (as,
in fact they were) asleep, and that a woman suddenly came between
them. Her back was to him, her face turned to Joshua; that she sat
down so, and so remained, for an hour and more, making no movement,
uttering no sound; but he could tell that all the while she was
watching Joshua's sleeping form. That then she inclined herself gently
to Joshua, and pressed her lips to his hand: and that rising to go,
she turned her face to Rough-and-Ready, and he saw that it was Mrs.
Liddle's gypsy-maid. So far his fancies went. Starting into a sitting
position, he saw Minnie a few paces from him, making her way to where
the women were lying.
Now this set Rough-and-Ready thinking--for more reasons than one. Had
he been dreaming, or had it really occurred? If it had occurred, it
must have been love that prompted her. He had observed her the
previous night sitting near Joshua; but then it had not been so
noticeable, for there was no kind of order on the raft. How long had
she known Joshua? He was the more perplexed because he had never seen
the two in conversation, and because of the mystery surrounding the
acquaintance. He was troubled, too; for, rough as he was, and old
enough to be Minnie's father, he had taken a tender interest in her,
and the discovery he had just made came upon him like a shock.
Every person on the raft was asleep with the exception of the men in
the watch and himself. He did not feel inclined to lie down again, so
he sat and thought of things. In such a solemn scene, and at such
solemn moments the spirit of nature works wonders in the minds of the
roughest men--quickens the sympathies, and stirs into life the
tenderest memories. It was so with Rough-and-Ready at the present
time. Incidents in his life which had been so long unremembered that
he wondered how he thought of them now, came vividly before him. His
home--his mother--small domestic joys and griefs--a brother who died
when they were both children, with whom he used to play and pelt with
daisies--Good God! what kind of a bridge was that in his life that
spanned that time and this? By what strange step had he walked from
then to now? The stars grew less bright and paled out of the skies;
the water grew grayer in the brief space before the morning's dawn.
Soon in the east a thin line of water at the edge of the horizon
quickened into life, and Nature's grandest wonder began to work in the
dawning of a new day. The waterline, a mere thread at first, but
broadening with every second that marked the flight of gray shadows,
was rosy with blushing light. Purple clouds, fringed with wondrous
colors, surrounded the clear space, in which presently the glorious
sun rose grandly from the golden bed of waters; and as it rose, sky
and sea rejoiced. At one time, for a few moments, the sea was like a
field of golden corn waving in the sun's eye; but soon it deepened,
till it and the heavens, that looked down into its mighty depths, were
filled with flaming restless light, which in their turn gave way to
softer shadows. Many a sunrise had Rough-and-Ready seen, but never one
that he had watched so steadily as this; but it seemed as if his
thoughts were in harmony with it.
Late in the day, Rough-and-Ready asked Joshua how long he had known
Mrs. Liddle's maid. Joshua looked at him curiously, but did not reply.
He had not spoken to Minnie since they had been on the raft, and had,
indeed, taken pains to avoid her. She did not intrude herself upon
him; she submitted in patience to the silence he imposed upon her by
his manner. But a strange phenomenon took place in her. While the
others grew weaker and paler and more unhappy, she seemed to gather
fresh strength, and actually grew rosier and more hardy. The dark
color, too, was dying out of her face.
"I have a reason for asking," said Rough-and-Ready, as an excuse for
his question.
Joshua nodded, not unkindly, but with a troubled face.
"There is a strange story connected with your question," he said; "so
strange and so gainful, that I cannot give you an answer."
"I thought there was some mystery in the affair," observed
Rough-and-Ready; "but I will not press upon your confidence. Do you
know that the night before last she watched by you the whole time you
were asleep?"
"Watched by me?"
"Ay. And last night, too, for some time--I don't know for how long."
Joshua gave Rough-and-Ready an amazed look, and turned away to where
Minnie was sitting. She saw him coming towards her, and her heart beat
fast.
"Why have you watched near me for two nights?" he asked, without
looking at her.
"You have enemies on the raft," was the answer, very quietly given.
"I know; Scadbolt and the Lascar. But I can take care of myself."
"Not when you are asleep," she said, almost in a whisper.
What could he do? What could he say? Together on the raft in the
presence of Death, from which only something very like a miracle could
save them, could he be stern and harsh to her? And his great misery
was, that he knew and felt his power. He knew that an unkind word from
him to this young girl was as bitter as death could be.
"You are like the rest of us, I suppose," he said, gently; "growing
very weak."
"I do not think so," she answered, trembling at the gentleness of his
voice; "I feel strong as yet. Shall we be saved?"
"We are in God's hands," he said. "I think there is but little chance
of being picked up, or even of making friendly land."
Neither addressed the other by name.
"If the end comes, and you know it, and I am not near you, will you
try and find me, and say a kind word to me before I die?"
He gave her the promise, and hurried suddenly from her, for his heart
was fit to break, and he dared not trust himself to say more.
The third day passed, and the fourth. No sign of succor near. Hope
began to die.
On the sixth morning, when the roll was called, one of the passengers
did not answer to his name. It was Mr. Bracegirdle.
"He is asleep," said one.
They shook him, but he did not move. He was dead. This was the first
death, and it affected them deeply. Before he was sewn in the canvas,
he was searched, in the anticipation of finding something useful. A
surprising discovery was then made. He had in his pocket-book and
round his waist bank-notes and bills for more than ten thousand
pounds. But nobody knew any thing about him; he died, as he had lived
among them a mystery. After his body was slipped into the sea, a
whisper went about that the money found on him had not been honestly
come by.
That same night two sailors were washed into the sea. When it became
known, there were some among them who secretly rejoiced in the thought
that there would not be so many mouths to feed. Nearly a third of the
provisions was eaten, and the women were very weak. Little Emma Pigeon
held out the best; but that was because her mother, from even her
small portion, gave some to her child between the times of serving out
the provisions; the child also was petted and nourished by the other
women. Rough-and-Ready as especially considerate to the females.
Joshua saw him chewing something, and wondered what it was. Noticing
the look of inquiry on Joshua's face, Rough-and-Ready enlightened him.
"I am eating leather," he said.
Joshua stared at him. Then Rough-and-Ready took from his pocket a
dozen very thin strips of leather which he had cut out of his boot,
and told Joshua that he had found a new food. He gave Joshua a couple
of strips--very thin they were, almost like a wafer--and Joshua set to
work on them, and after some difficulty, chewed them to a pulp and
swallowed them.
"There's nothing like leather," said Rough-and-Ready with a quiet
laugh. "It wants strong teeth, but it fills up an empty place in the
stomach."
The next day Joshua noticed that Rough-and-Ready received his
tablespoonful of preserved meat in his handkerchief, and later on he
saw Rough-and-Ready slyly feeding little Emma with a portion of the
meat, and then go to her mother and slip what remained into her hand.
Now and then a few small fish were caught. There being no means of
cooking them, the women refused their share with horror, but the men
ate them raw. They also snared some birds, and ate them in the same
manner.
On the twelfth night Scadbolt and the Lascar lay side by side awake.
Nearer than they to the edge of the raft lay a shipmate, chewing
tobacco.
"All mine is gone," said Scadbolt enviously.
"And mine," said the Lascar, with a horrible look at the man who was
chewing.
"I think he must have a good lot left. I heard him boast of it last
week."
"Two men are better than one."
"Wait till that black cloud touches the moon; then stop his mouth;
I'll do the rest!"
The black cloud travelled on and on, crept before the moon, and soon
shut out its light. When the moon shone again upon the waters there
was one man less on the raft, and Scadbolt and the Lascar were chewing
tobacco greedily!
These two men had a line out in the water, with a small hook at the
end of it. The Lascar felt it jerk. He pulled in the line; there was a
fish at the end of it, weighing more than a pound. He took from his
pocket a six-bladed knife, opened the largest blade, and cut the fish
in two equal parts. He gave one to Scadbolt, and ate the other
himself. So that they should not be observed, they lay down on their
faces while they ate.
"That was a good bit of luck," said Scadbolt; "I feel stronger."
"If the skipper caught us, he would throw us overboard, whispered the
Lascar.
"He'd try to; but one man is as good as another now. Let us do this
and take care of ourselves; we shall outlast the others. I wish they
were all dead--all but two."
"Ay, Joshua's Marvel's one. I know what you mean. You'd like to have
the doing of him. So would I. Who's the other?"
"The gypsy-maid. She's a rare beauty."
The Lascar did not say any thing to this. He had seen enough since
they had been on the raft to convince him that his first suspicions
were right, and that the gypsy-looking girl really was Minnie.
Notwithstanding their desperate condition, he had cast many admiring
glances at her.
"How fine," he thought, "to strike at Joshua Marvel through her!"