At eight o'clock next morning, nothing having occurred during the night
worthy of record, we went about and stood away about north-east on the
starboard tack. The wind continued fresh, but steady, and we averaged
quite thirteen knots during the whole of the next twenty-four hours.
Having carried out our plan for eluding the brig, and being by this time
well to windward of the spot where we parted company with her, I
considered we might now with safety bear away upon our course, which we
accordingly did directly after breakfast, setting our balloon
gaff-topsail once more, and getting the spinnaker to the bowsprit-end
again.
This additional canvas had the effect of increasing our speed to fully
sixteen knots; and the alteration of our course produced a corresponding
and very agreeable change in the motion of the yacht; the quick jerky
plunge of a vessel digging into a head-sea being exchanged for a long
easy swinging roll, which was far more conducive to comfort, especially
as we now enjoyed the added luxury of a dry deck.
Three days passed utterly devoid of incident, except that the wind
gradually hauled far enough aft to enable us to shift our spinnaker from
the bowsprit-end to the starboard side; and once more we were flying
along upon our course with the wind nearly dead fair, and every stitch
of canvas spread that we had the means of packing upon the little craft.
With our low hull, we must have presented the appearance of a snow-white
pyramid, gliding, unsupported, over the surface of the ocean. On the
morning of the fourth day, as I came upon deck at seven-bells to relieve
Bob, whilst he looked after breakfast, the old fellow said, "Here,
Harry, your eyes are younger than mine; what d'ye make this out to be
away here broad upon our starboard-bow?"
I looked in the direction indicated, and saw what appeared to be the
stumps of three spars just showing above the horizon. I took the glass,
and went aloft as far as the crosstrees, and from that "coign of
'vantage" made out that they were the lower masts of a full-rigged ship
of considerable size; for I could see the three lower yards with long
streamers of canvas fluttering from them.
The topmasts were carried away close to the caps and hung over the side,
with topgallant-masts, yards, sails, etc., still attached, a great
tangled mass of wreck. There was no signal of distress flying on board
so far as I could see, so I concluded that the vessel was derelict; but
as it would not take us very much out of our way, and as we were in no
great hurry, I resolved to haul up and take a nearer look at her.
Accordingly, having advised Bob of what I had seen and of my intention,
we took in the spinnaker and gaff-topsail, lowered the topmast, and then
hauled up for the stranger.
An hour afterwards we were near enough to make out that she was a most
beautiful craft of about eighteen hundred tons register, with very
little the matter with her apparently, except that she had been
dismasted, doubtless in some sudden squall.
We saw but one boat at her davits, and that was the one at her starboard
quarter, which had been smashed completely in two by the wreck of the
mizzen-topmast in its fall; we therefore concluded that the crew, seized
by an unaccountable panic, had left her.
We were within a quarter of a mile of the vessel, when a solitary
figure, that of a female, appeared upon her lofty poop. She no sooner
saw us approaching than she waved her handkerchief to us vehemently, to
which we responded by waving our hats; when, seeing that her signal had
been observed, she sank down upon the lid of the skylight, and seemed to
give way to a violent flood of tears.
"Why, damn me if it don't look as if the mean cowardly crew have been
and desarted the poor thing," exclaimed Bob with unusual vehemence, as
we noticed that the figure never moved as though to direct the attention
of others to our approach.
It looks very like it, I replied; but we shall soon see. It will be an
awkward matter to board, however, with all that wreck dangling about to
leeward. Stand by to ease the jib-sheet up, as I put the helm down.
Another minute, and we were hove to on the ship's lee quarter, as near
as we dared approach.
The young girl (for such we now saw her to be) had by this time so far
recovered her composure as to rise up once more and approach the
lee-side of the deck.
Taking off my hat, and making my best bow, I hailed, "Are you all alone
on board there?"
"Yes, oh yes," she replied, in the sweetest voice I had ever heard; "I
have been quite alone for more than a week. Pray, pray do not go away
and leave me again, sir. I have been nearly mad, and I shall die if I
remain alone here much longer."
"Make your mind quite easy, my dear young lady," I replied; "we
certainly will not leave you, come what may. But it will be very
difficult for us to get on board, with those spars swaying about; and
the attempt to do so may occupy much time. But do not suffer the
slightest apprehension; we will get you off the wreck somehow, never
fear. After all," I remarked, half to her and half to Bob, "I believe
the quickest way out of the difficulty will be for me to jump overboard
and swim alongside; there are plenty of ropes-ends hanging over the side
to help me on board."
"Oh no, sir!" she exclaimed eagerly, "indeed you must do nothing of the
kind. There is an immense shark down there," pointing under the
counter; "he has scarcely left the ship a moment since the sailors went
away."
This was awkward. There seemed no chance of being able to get on board
to leeward, the whole of the ship's starboard side being completely
encumbered with wreck; and there was far too much sea to permit of our
running alongside to windward.
I took a careful glance at the gear aloft, and then made up my mind what
to do.
The ship's fore-yard was lying nearly square, the yard-arms projecting
several feet beyond the ship's sides, and I decided to board, by means
of the fore-brace, to windward.
I hailed the young girl, telling her what to do to assist me, and then
set about making preparations for leaving the _Water Lily_ in Bob's sole
charge for a while.
We took a double reef in the mainsail, and took the jib in altogether,
running in the jib-boom also. This placed the craft under handy canvas
for one man to work, and, at the same time, prevented the possibility of
the jib-boom being carried away. We also got our cork-fenders upon
deck, in case of unavoidably dropping alongside, and were then ready to
make the proposed experiment.
The young girl had, meantime, made the lee fore-brace fast, and had then
gone over to windward and cast off the running part of the
weather-brace, which she threw overboard.
I now hailed again, telling her what we were about to do, and then
signed to Bob to put the helm up.
The cutter fell off until she was dead before the wind, when we gibed
her and hauled again to the wind on the starboard tack, so as to cross
the ship's stern at a sufficient distance to insure the success of our
contemplated manoeuvre.
Bob was a splendid helmsman, or I should have hesitated about attempting
the feat we were now going to put in practice, as the slightest
nervousness or want of tact on his part would have resulted in very
serious damage to the _Lily_, if it did not actually cause her total
destruction. But I had full confidence in his skill; and, moreover, was
there not a woman to be rescued from a position which might at any
moment become one of the most imminent peril, even if it were not so
already?
So, as soon as we were far enough to windward, I signed to Bob to put
down the helm, and round the little craft came like a top, and away we
flew down towards the ship's weather-side, going well free, but with the
sheets flattened in, all ready to luff and claw off to windward the
moment I had got hold of the brace.
Down we swept direct for the ship's weather-quarter, the fair girl
standing again upon the poop and watching our motions with the most
overwhelming anxiety.
At exactly the right instant, Bob eased his helm gently down, and the
cutter shot along the ship's lofty side within ten feet of it. I stood
just forward of the rigging, ready to seize the brace the moment it came
within reach, and in another instant I had it.
Shouting to Bob to luff, I swung myself off into the air, and made the
best of my way aloft hand over hand.
It had been my original intention to ascend to the yard-arm, and, laying
in from thence, descend the fore-rigging to the deck; but, pausing for a
moment, in my anxiety to see whether Bob would scrape dear--which he
very cleverly did, having kept good way on the boat--I found that, aided
by the roll of the vessel, I might easily swing myself in upon her rail.
This I soon managed, landing upon the deck to find myself confronted by
the most lovely little creature you can imagine, who extended both her
hands impulsively to me as she exclaimed, "Oh, welcome, sir, welcome!
and a thousand thousand thanks for coming to my help! and at such danger
too! How can I ever repay you?"
"I am more than repaid already," replied I, "for the very slight trouble
I have taken, by the happiness of finding it in my power to rescue you
from your present situation. The first thing to be done," I continued,
"is to provide for the safety of my little craft, after which we shall
have ample time, I hope, to make suitable arrangements for transferring
you on board her. Ah! a lucky thought," continued I, as I saw the
sounding-rod and line attached to the fife-rail, "let us see what water
the craft has in her."
I sounded, and found there was barely two feet of water in the hold, so
it was evident that the vessel was perfectly tight and seaworthy, except
as to the damage aloft.
Bob had by this time passed ahead and to leeward, and was now
approaching on our lee quarter once more. I waited until he was within
hail, and then told him to heave-to well clear of the ship, as I
proposed to cut adrift all the wreck, a task which I thought I could
manage without very much difficulty, and which when done would enable
the _Water Lily_ to come alongside to leeward.
He waved his hand in reply, and the fore-sheet being already to
windward, he left the cutter to take care of herself, while he seated
himself composedly in a deck-chair to smoke his pipe and watch my
proceedings.
I soon found a tomahawk, and, armed with this, I went up the
mizzen-rigging, intending to work my way forward. It was hard work
single-handed; but by noon I had succeeded in clearing the whole mass
away, and the ship soon drifted free of it, leaving her upper spars a
confused floating mass upon the water.
As soon as this was done, I got an eight-inch hawser off the top of the
house forward, and managed with considerable labour to get it coiled
down afresh upon the poop. I then bent on a heaving-line to one end of
the hawser, which, by this means, I got to the cutter, when we moored
her securely astern of the ship.
Bob then came on board up a rope which I had lashed to the mizzen
boom-end for his accommodation; and we found time to look around us.
As soon as our fair hostess saw me fairly at work upon the wreck aloft,
she had betaken herself to the galley and I saw her from time to time,
during the intervals of my labour, busying herself in sundry culinary
operations; and she now came upon the poop where Bob and I were
standing, and announced that dinner was ready, adding, "And I am sure
you must stand in need of it after your hard morning's work."
I thanked her and said, "But before we go below, permit me to introduce
myself. My name," raising my hat and bowing, "is Henry Collingwood, and
I am the owner of the small craft now hanging on astern. This,"
indicating Bob, who took off his hat and made a most elaborate "scrape,"
"is my friend and well-tried shipmate, Robert Trunnion, who, with
myself, will do all we can to make you comfortable on board the cutter,
and will stand by you to the death if need be, until we have placed you
in perfect safety."
The fair girl seemed much affected by my speech, but bowing most
gracefully in return, she said, "And my name is Ella Brand. I have been
left alone in this ship by what I cannot but believe was a dreadful
mistake, and I accept your hospitality and help as frankly as you have
offered it. And now, gentlemen, that we are properly introduced," with
a gay laugh, "permit me to conduct you to the cabin. Come, pussy."
This last invitation was bestowed upon a pretty little playful kitten
which had been following the girl about the ship all the morning.
When we entered the cabin which, as is the case in most large ships, was
on deck, we found a most sumptuous meal prepared. Whatever other
dangers the little fairy might have been exposed to, it was quite
evident that Miss Brand had been in no immediate danger of starving.
Like a sensible girl she had obtained access to the ship's stores, and
was evidently well acquainted with the most approved methods of
preparing food for human consumption. The meal was a thoroughly
pleasant one, for we were all happy; she, that assistance had come to
her, and we, that it had been our good fortune to bestow it.
Whilst sitting at table the sweet little creature gave us her history,
and recounted the circumstances which had placed her in her present
position; but as there was nothing very remarkable in either, I shall
give both in a condensed form, as I have a most wholesome dread of
wearying my readers.
She told us that she was an only child, and that for the last ten years
she had been a resident in Canton, whither her father had proceeded to
take possession of a lucrative appointment. After a residence of five
years there, her mother died; and her father, who was passionately
attached to his wife, seemed never to have recovered from the blow.
Five years more passed away, and the husband followed his fondly-loved
companion, dying (so Ella asserted sobbingly) of no disease in
particular, but of a gradual wasting away, the result, as she believed,
of a slowly breaking heart.
She thus found herself left alone and almost friendless in a strange
land, and, after taking counsel with such friends as her father had
made, she had, with their assistance, disposed of everything, and had
taken passage in the _Copernicus_ to London, in the faint hope of being
able to find some friends of her mother's of whom she had heard, but had
never seen, her mother having contracted what is termed a
_mesalliance_--in other words, a love-match with one whom her friends
chose to consider infinitely beneath her in social position.
The ship was bound home by way of Cape Horn, having to call at the
Sandwich Islands and Buenos Ayres on her way; and all had gone well
until eight days before, when, it appeared, the ship was struck by a
sudden squall some time during the night, thrown on her beam-ends, and
dismasted; and as Ella had remained, during the whole time, cowering and
terrified in her berth, she supposed the crew had gone away in the
boats, forgetting her in their hurry and panic.
As soon as the squall was over, the ship had gradually righted again;
and when she went on deck next morning, she found everything in a state
of wreck and confusion, and herself, and her pet kitten, and a few fowls
in the coops, the only living things on board.
Her story ended, Bob and I expressed our sympathy for her friendless
condition, and repeated our protestations of devotion, for both of which
we were thanked anew, so sweetly that we could have gone on making
promises for the rest of the day with the prospect of such a reward at
the end of it.
I am not good at personal description, so I shall not attempt
elaborately to describe Ella Brand.
Imagine a _petite demoiselle_ of seventeen years of age, of almost
fairy-like proportions, faultlessly formed, with most lovely features,
and a delicate little exquisitely poised head, crowned with a luxuriance
of rich chestnut hair, which, apparently defying all its owner's efforts
to control, flowed in a profusion of soft sheeny waves over her
beautiful shoulders and down to her taper waist.
Her eyes were clear hazel, large and soft as those of a gazelle; her
lips full and beautifully curved; and the expression of her sweet face
confiding as that of a child; while her manner was a most fascinating
combination of the innocent frankness of childhood with the more subtle
and graceful refinement of a modest and educated woman.
Her temper, as we soon found, was perfect; and she was gifted with a
genial flow of spirits, which not only made their owner light-hearted
and happy, but conferred happiness upon all who had the good fortune to
be thrown in her society.
Dinner ended, Bob and I adjourned to the deck to make preparations for
transferring our fair young guest to the _Water Lily_, so as to be
fairly away from the wreck again before nightfall.
As soon as we were out of the cabin, Bob observed:
"I call the falling in with this here _wrack_" (so he pronounced the
word) "downright providential, Harry. Here we has, fust of all, the
very great pleasure of being of sarvice to a most charming young 'oman;
and next, we has a chance of filling up our stores and water--and not
afore 'twas time, too, for I bethought me this morning of seeing how our
tank stood, and I'm blest if we ain't a'most at our last drop. It's
lucky there's plenty of it aboard here. I sees more water-casks about
the deck than will supply all as we wants; and I think our first job had
better be to get the hose and pump under weigh, and fill up our water;
a'ter which we can soon strike a few odds and ends into the cutter such
as'll be useful, and then the sooner we're off the better."
We set to work with a will and Ella coming on deck at the moment, I
requested her to pack her boxes in readiness for sending them over the
side, asking her, at the same time, whether it would take her long.
She replied briskly, Oh, no; she had brought hardly anything with her--
only three large boxes and one small one.
Only! A chest apiece held Bob's and my own stock of clothing, and we
considered ourselves opulently supplied; and here was a young girl who
had brought hardly anything with her--only such few trifles as she could
stow away in three large boxes and one small one. The three large
boxes, by the way, turned out to be considerably larger than either of
our sea-chests, and the small one would have sufficed for a seaman on a
three years' voyage.
We did not hesitate about helping ourselves freely to the best the ship
afforded, judging that it was highly improbable she would ever reach a
port, unless fallen in with and taken possession of by an exceptionally
strong-handed vessel (and even then our petty appropriations would never
be missed); and we laid in a liberal stock of dainties of various kinds,
for the especial benefit of our lady passenger, which we should never
have dreamed of taking on our own account. We also transferred one
coop, with as many fowls as it would conveniently accommodate, to the
cutter; and I made free with a very handsome swinging-cot which I found
in the captain's cabin, also for our passenger's use, together with a
good stock of bedding.
All these we collected together on the lee-side of the deck; and when
everything was ready, we got the cutter alongside, and, with
considerable difficulty, got them over the side and down on her deck.
Bob went on board the _Water Lily_ to receive them and stow them away as
I lowered them down, and at length all was ready, and it only remained
to get Ella herself on board and shove off.
We had less difficulty with her than I expected. She was rather
nervous; but, nevertheless, she seated herself courageously with her
beloved kitten in her lap, in the bo'sun's chair I had rigged for her
accommodation, and held on tight, shutting her eyes as she swung off the
ship's bulwarks, until she felt Bob's brawny arms receive her on the
deck of the cutter.
I then quickly followed; the fasts were cast off, and we wore round and
stood away once more upon our course just as the sun dipped below the
horizon.
Our first task was to crowd all the canvas we could muster upon the
yacht, to make up for the day's delay; and when Ella came up from the
cabin, whither she had gone upon an exploring expedition, she expressed
the greatest surprise and a little alarm at the change we had wrought in
the _Water Lily's_ appearance.
She could not understand, she said, how so small a vessel could support
such a towering spread of canvas as she now saw courting the fresh
evening breeze.
The presence of our fair guest on board made certain alterations
necessary in the internal arrangements of the cutter, and I left Bob at
the helm in animated conversation with Ella, whilst I went below to
effect them. Our cooking-stove was shifted aft, and the whole of the
fore-compartment was thus left free for the accommodation of the young
lady; and I at once converted it into a sleeping apartment for her by
swinging her cot there.
I selected this part of the vessel for this purpose, as it was the only
one in which she would be entirely uninterrupted by our passage to and
fro; and it was a nice light and _roomy_ apartment, in proportion to the
size of the vessel, there being nothing in it, and having a large
circular plate of very thick roughened plate-glass let into the deck
above.
Having made the place as comfortable as our resources permitted, I
returned to the deck and relieved Bob at the tiller, desiring him to
look after the arrangements for tea.
Our guest was sitting close by in one of our deck-chairs, which Bob had
gallantly offered her, and hearing me speak of tea, and understanding
that friend Robert was about to turn cook, she started up with childlike
impetuosity and said, "That is my work now; come along, Mr Trunnion,
and show me your pantry, and where you keep all your things, and I will
soon have your tea ready for you."
I protested against this, as did Bob, both of us declaring that we could
not possibly consent to her being troubled with the cooking or anything
else; but she drew herself up in a pretty wilful way and said, "Not let
me do the cooking? Indeed, but you must; I insist on it. Why it is
woman's peculiar province to attend to the cooking always. Men never
understand how to cook properly they have neither tact nor patience for
it. They dress food, but women cook it; and I will soon prove to you
how great a difference there is between the two. Now you must let me
have my own way just this once, please," turning coaxingly to me, as she
saw that I was about to make a further protest, and then, when I had
reluctantly consented, she turned to Bob, and said, "Come along, Bob--
Mr Trunnion, I mean; I really beg your pardon--you shall help me this
time, and afterwards I shall know exactly where to find everything," and
the strangely-contrasted pair dived below, Bob grinning from ear to ear
with delight at his novel situation.
"Reminds me of little `sauce-box'," (my sister), "this do," he murmured
gleefully, as he followed his fair companion below.
In rather over half an hour I was invited into the cabin to the evening
meal, Bob taking my place at the tiller meanwhile; and when I descended
I found that a change had indeed taken place in the aspect of culinary
affairs.
A snow-white tablecloth was spread, having been routed out from the
deepest recesses of my chest, where it, in company with others, had lain
in undisturbed repose since the commencement of the voyage, and upon it
was spread a variety of dainties of various kinds, the produce of our
raid upon the _Copernicus's_ provision lockers; and, of all things in
the world, a plentiful supply of delicious little cakes, smoking hot,
which Miss Ella's own dainty hands had prepared.
The tea too, instead of being boiled in the kettle as was our usual
practice, had been prepared in accordance with the most approved rules,
and was certainly a very different beverage from what we had been in the
habit of drinking; and, altogether, the meal was a perfect Epicurean
feast compared with what we were accustomed to.
Ella presided, doing the honours of the small table with the grace of a
princess, and I began to feel as though I had suddenly become an
inhabitant of fairy-land.
As soon as my meal was over I relieved Bob, and he went below for his
share of the good things; and though Miss Ella had been very demure with
me, I soon discovered, by the peals of musical laughter which, mingled
with Bob's gruffer cachinnations, floated up through the companion, that
the two had completely broken the ice between them.
As soon as the remains of the meal had been cleared away, and the wants
of her pet kitten attended to, the little lady came on deck and
commenced an animated conversation with Bob and me, as we smoked the
pipe of peace (Ella declaring that she quite liked the odour of
tobacco), asking a thousand questions, and full of wonder that such a
"dear little tiny yacht" had come all the way from England.
She was most anxious to try her hand at steering, which she thought she
could do quite well; and I promised I would instruct her at a more
favourable opportunity, explaining that we were just then so
circumstanced that none but _experienced_ helmsmen could be trusted with
the tiller, it being more difficult to steer properly when running
before the wind than at any other time.
"But it _looks_ quite easy," she persisted, "to hold that handle. _You_
do not move it much, and surely I could do the little you are doing. I
used to steer the _Copernicus_ sometimes, but she never _would_ go
straight with _me_; and it was _so_ tiring to keep turning that great
wheel round."
Bob laughed joyously at this quaint speech, and proceeded laboriously to
hold forth on the science of the helmsman, interlarding his lecture
copiously with nautical illustrations and sea phrases, which were so
much Greek to his pupil, who listened with an open-eyed earnestness
which was most entertaining.
She heard Bob with the utmost patience and attention until he had
utterly exhausted his entire stock of precepts, when she thanked him as
courteously and sweetly as though she had understood every word of it;
and then electrified us both, and set me off into a fit of perfectly
uncontrollable laughter, by asking him, in the same breath, to sing her
a song.
Whatever Bob's accomplishments might be, singing was certainly not one
of them. He could hail the fore-royal-yard from the taffrail in a gale
of wind, and make himself pretty plainly heard too; but when it came to
trolling forth a ditty, he had no more voice than a raven; and my sister
had often thrown him into a state of the most comical distress by
proffering a similar request to that now made by his new friend.
As soon as she found that Bob really could not sing, she tried me; and,
as I was considered to have a very tolerable voice, I immediately
complied, giving her "Tom Bowling" and a few more of Dibdin's fine old
sea-songs, as well as one or two more frequently heard in a
drawing-room, which I had learnt under my sister's able tuition.
She then sang us a few favourites of her own in a sweet clear soprano,
and with a depth of feeling for the sentiment of the song which is but
too seldom heard in the performances of amateurs.
About ten o'clock she wished us "good-night," and retired to her cot;
and Bob then also went below and turned in, it being his "eight hours
in" that night, and I was left to perform the rest of my watch alone.
The next morning, Bob turned out of his own accord, and made a
surreptitious attempt to resume the duties of the _cuisine_; but at the
first rattle of the cups and saucers he was hailed from the
fore-compartment and ordered to desist at his peril, and in a very short
time the little fairy appeared, blooming and fresh as the morning, and
Master Bob received such a lecture that he was fain from that time
forward to leave the cookery department entirely in her hands, and he
retired discomfited to the deck, and began forthwith to wash down.
A permanent improvement now occurred in our style of living, and we
began to enjoy many little comforts which, it is true, we never had
missed, but which were singularly welcome nevertheless; and altogether
we found ourselves vastly gainers by the presence of the sweet little
creature on board.
She quickly learned to take the chronometer time for my observations,
and that, too, with a precision which Bob himself could not surpass; and
in a very short time she could steer as well as either of us, which was
an immense advantage when shortening or making sail. Add to all this
the amusement we derived from her incessant lively prattle, and the
additional cheerfulness thus infused into our daily life, and the reader
will agree with me, I think, that it was a lucky day for us when we
first fell in with little Ella Brand.
Volume Two, Chapter II.