JOURNEY OF EMIGRANTS TO VILLAGE--ROUGH TRAVELLING--PURSUED BY
MUTINEERS--TIPPO COMES TO THE RESCUE--WELCOME AT THE VILLAGE--ARRIVAL OF
PROVISIONS--ARRANGEMENTS FOR VICTUALLING THE SETTLEMENT--MUTINEERS SEEN
WATCHING VILLAGE--THE CUTTER CARRIED OFF--THE "YOUNG CRUSADER"
COMPLETED--MRS MORLEY RESOLVES TO REMAIN--MRS RUMBELOW STAYS WITH HER
CHARGES--PREPARATIONS FOR EMBARKING--THE "YOUNG CRUSADER" AT THE
SETTLEMENT.
Ensign Holt and the party of emigrants he was leading made very good
progress on their journey towards the settlement. The only grumbler was
Mrs Clagget, as she trudged on with a long stick in her hand, sometimes
by the side of the Diceys, and at others addressing her remarks to Mrs
Jones. However, as it was so evident that she talked for the sake of
keeping her tongue in motion, no one minded her. She regained her good
humour when, soon after mid-day, the party halting for dinner, fires
were lighted, and steaks frizzling before them. They had had woods to
cut through, boggy ground to cross, and rugged stony hills to climb.
She, however, got along as well as any one, and her example encouraged
the other women who had to travel on foot. Their spirits were revived
when their young leader told them that they were within a mile of the
settlement.
The last of the party were climbing the ledge of rocks which formed one
side of the sandy bay when, on looking back, they saw several men
following.
"Why, I do believe they are those fellows who would not work yesterday,"
observed one of the emigrants. "And there is that ill-conditioned chap,
Job Mawson, among them. I cannot help thinking they mean mischief."
The mutineers, for such they evidently were, on seeing the party,
hurried on; but as they got halfway across the sandy shore of the bay, a
huge seal suddenly darted out of the wood, and seeing the men running,
made chase. He soon overtook the nearest, whom he knocked over, giving
him a fierce bite, and then rushed at the next, whom he treated in the
same way. Willy and Peter, who had stopped on the top of the ridge to
rest, hearing the cries, looked round.
"Why," exclaimed Willy, "that is our old friend Tippo Sahib, and he is
giving those fellows their deserts."
Tippo Sahib sure enough it was. The mutineers, who had never seen such
a creature before, seized with a panic, ran off in all directions, two
or three overtaking the party of emigrants.
"No, no, we don't want you fellows," cried the men. "You be off now, or
you will be sorry for it."
Two of the mutineers humbly petitioned to be allowed to keep with the
party, when Willy at length told them that they might do so if they
would behave better in future. The rest by this time were nowhere to be
seen, having run into the wood to escape, as they hoped, from the
strange beast which had attacked them.
As the travellers neared the settlement, Mrs Morley, with her daughters
and Mrs Twopenny, came out to welcome them. The former invited Emily
and May to their cottage, while Mrs Clagget, introducing herself to
Mrs Twopenny, told her she should be happy to take up her abode with
her.
Harry having reached the settlement some time before, preparations were
already being made for the reception of the party. The men willingly
turned out to give up their huts to the women and children. Fires were
lighted, and several of the people were busy, under the direction of
Mrs Rumbelow, cooking food, while the men were employed in bringing in
wood for forming fresh huts. Harry started off a fresh party to assist
those already engaged in the work. The gentlemen laboured as hard as
any of the men, and in a short time a row of huts, constructed after the
fashion of those already built, rose near them.
Harry's chief anxiety was, however, to provide food for so many mouths,
as he saw the store which had been made for the former party rapidly
diminishing. Some of the emigrants grumbled, too, at not having a
greater variety. Seal-soup and fried roots served for breakfast, and
boiled or roasted seal, with baked roots and water, for dinner, while
the same fare was served at supper. Sometimes fish varied the material
for their meals; but neither they nor mussels were to be obtained when
the weather was stormy, and the sea broke with violence on the rocks.
Several days passed away, when a sail was seen coming up the harbour.
She was recognised as the cutter. Nearly all the inhabitants of the
little settlement ran down to welcome her. She had on board several
casks and kegs brought by the boatswain from the wreck. They were
eagerly rolled up to the huts, when they were found to contain flour and
beef, raisins and suet. "Hurrah! we shall have English beef and
plum-pudding now," exclaimed numerous voices. The doctor, however, who
acted as store-keeper, ordered them at once to be placed in safe
keeping, to be served out as required. He soon afterwards held a
consultation with Mrs Rumbelow. Under his directions, an oven was
constructed, while he set to work in his laboratory to manufacture some
yeast, or risings, as Mrs Rumbelow called the composition; and the next
morning a supply of hot rolls was distributed among the women and
children. How delicious they appeared to those who had for many a long
day not tasted a morsel of bread!
Bollard brought word that considerable progress had already been made in
building the "Young Crusader," and Captain Westerway requested that he
might be supplied with such provisions as the island afforded, in order
to husband those which had been saved from the wreck, as they would be
required as stores for the vessel. Among other things, he brought
several cases of gunpowder, and the sportsmen were therefore able to
range the island with their guns in search of game.
Parties went out daily to dig for roots. Traps were constructed for
catching birds; at low water, mussels were sought for on the rocks; and
more hooks being made, the number of fishermen was greatly increased.
The days, however, were short, and the weather frequently so very bad
that they had literally to make hay while the sun shone. As provisions
could be obtained they were sent by sea to the shipbuilders, and when
the wind blew too strong to allow the boat to make the passage, they
were sent overland.
Harry's cares, in providing food and maintaining order among so mixed an
assemblage, were greatly lightened by the assistance offered him by Mrs
Morley and Mr Paget, as well as by Charles, Tom Loftus, and Jack
Ivyleaf, who also did their best to instruct and amuse the people, old
and young, when their hours of labour were over. The school was kept
with less difficulty than before, as several books had been saved from
the "Crusader." Harry's great care was to keep all employed; indeed, he
foresaw that it would be necessary for every one to exert himself to the
utmost to obtain a sufficient supply of food for the support of their
lives during the winter. Happily, the weather was not nearly so cold or
stormy as he had expected to find it; and though occasionally it froze
hard, the frost seldom lasted long, while the snow which fell quickly
disappeared again from the lower ground.
Nothing was seen for some time of the mutineers. It was supposed that
they were living a savage life by themselves in the woods, unwilling to
submit to the discipline to which they would have been subjected in the
settlement. One day, however, when Captain Twopenny and several of the
other gentlemen were starting on a shooting expedition, they caught
sight of a man in the neighbouring wood, whence he had apparently been
watching the settlement. As soon as he found that he was discovered he
ran off, and disappeared before they were able to overtake him. This
circumstance gave Harry some little anxiety, though, as it was known
that the only arms the men possessed were their knives and an axe or
two, they were not likely to prove formidable enemies. The
probabilities were that the man only intended to steal into the village,
and carry off any provisions on which he could lay his hands.
Two or three days passed away; the cutter had just returned, after
taking supplies to the shipbuilders, and had been hauled up for safety
on the beach. Early in the morning the boatswain and several men went
down, intending to go off in her in search of seals. She was not to be
seen. They went up and down the shore, but not a trace of her could
they discover. It was too evident that she had been carried away by the
mutineers. This was confirmed on the following day, when the
"Crusader's" boat, which had been repaired, arrived with the information
that she had been seen passing down the sound early in the morning; but
whether those in her intended to attempt a passage to New Zealand, or
only to land on another part of the Aucklands, it was difficult to say.
As, however, they could have had but a scanty supply of provisions, and
little means of carrying water, it was most likely that they intended to
land on the northern part of the island.
Although the loss of the cutter was a very serious matter, still Harry
felt that it was satisfactory to be relieved of the presence of such
lawless characters. Captain Westerway sent word that he would either
leave his own boat or build another of sufficient size to go in search
of seals, the chief purpose for which she was required.
At length the satisfactory intelligence arrived that the "Young
Crusader" was ready for sea. It was now necessary to determine who
should go in her, as she was unable to carry more than a sixth of the
number. When Harry asked Mrs Morley what she wished to do, she
replied, "My daughters and I are determined to remain, and watch over
those who are entrusted to our care. When the schooner reaches New
Zealand, a vessel will probably be sent to our assistance; until then we
feel confident that He who has hitherto preserved us will keep us in
safety. And what do you intend doing, Mr Shafto?"
"My duty is clear. I will remain, for the same reason, Mrs Morley," he
answered. "And Dr Davis desires also to stay with us; indeed, few, I
believe, of the `Ranger's' people wish to quit the island. I will,
however, send young Dicey, with his brother and sisters, and he will
apply to the senior officer on the station, who will probably send a
man-of-war, or some other vessel, as soon as one can be despatched."
The question was put to the various members of the community, "Whether
or not they would desire to remain."
"Remain! to be sure I will," exclaimed Mrs Rumbelow, when she was
asked. "While the wife or child of one of the men of our regiment stops
here, it's my duty to stay and look after them. And especially if the
colonel's lady stays, do you think I would desert her, Mr Shafto? Her
husband was like a father to the regiment, and I would as soon desert my
own mother as her."
The Diceys, however, and Mr Paget, as well as Tom Loftus and Jack
Ivyleaf, resolved to sail in the "Young Crusader." Though Captain
Westerway warned them that the voyage might prove boisterous, and not
without danger, still Charles was anxious to reach the colony, that he
might begin the life of a settler, and write home to relieve the anxiety
of his family. The greater number of the emigrants, however, begged to
remain, unwilling again to encounter the dangers of the sea, especially
when they compared the size of the "Young Crusader" with that of the
large ship which had brought them to the island. She had come up to the
settlement in order to land such stores as could be spared, and to take
others, as well as her intended passengers, on board. As Harry surveyed
her, he was well pleased with her appearance. She was a stout little
schooner of about 30 tons, and he felt satisfied to entrust his friends
on board her, especially under the guidance of such experienced seamen
as Captain Westerway and Bill Windy.