On landing on the lee side of the island, I climbed to a high point near
at hand, whence I could take a glance over the sea to the westward, but
could discover no sign of either raft or boats, and therefore concluded
that they must have been cast on the weather side; and if so, from the
heavy surf which broke against it, I feared few could have scaped it.
However, with Dick and several of the men, I pushed across, carrying
ropes and boat-hooks and some of the oars, to try and save any who might
be clinging to the neighbouring rocks. We had not got far when I heard
a voice hailing, and we caught sight of a man on the top of a rock in
the centre of the island, waving to us. "Make haste! make haste!" he
shouted, "or you will be too late." The stranger hurried down the rock,
and we followed him.
In a few minutes we again caught sight of the sea on the east side of
the island. As we were climbing over the rough ground, I saw that a
reef extended some distance from the mainland, with wild rocks rising
out of it above the foaming waters. Midway between them and the land
was a large boat, surrounded by people, some on the reef, others
clinging to the boat; while several were at that moment being carried
away by the sea, which, sweeping round the rocks, beat with violence
against the shattered boat. The men with frantic efforts were
attempting to drag her up farther on the reef, as the only hope of
saving their lives. Now one poor fellow, now another, was washed away,
as the sea swept round over the reef with ever-increasing force. We
were hurrying down the rocks, when I saw just below us a young lady, for
I could not doubt, from her appearance, that she was such. She had been
gazing at the dreadful spectacle, and apparently unable to witness it
longer, she sank on the rock, pressing her hand on her eyes, to shut it
out. At this moment we were joined by the stranger who had called to
us.
"I caught sight of your boat coming towards the island, and was hurrying
across, to entreat you to try what you could do to assist our friends,"
he said. "Help is at hand, Emilie; they may still be saved," he
exclaimed, as he made his way to where the young lady was seated.
We got as close to the people as the sea would allow us.
"Hold on to the rope," cried Dick, securing the end round his waist. "I
will swim out, and make it fast to the boat."
Fearlessly he plunged into the boiling surf, but was soon carried down
far below the boat, and we hauled him back, not without great risk of
his being dashed against the rocks.
"I will try it again, and start higher up the shore," he exclaimed,
still undaunted.
"Let me go," cried the young stranger; "they are my friends, and I ought
to run the risk."
"If I cannot manage it, you shall go the next time," answered Dick, once
more plunging into the water.
He swam on directly across the boiling current, which swept him down
towards the boat. He had very nearly gained a footing on the rocks,
when once more he was carried down, and we hauled him back, utterly
exhausted. His bravery had encouraged the rest of the men, several of
whom begged that I would allow them to make the attempt.
"I said that I would go next," exclaimed the young stranger, fastening
the rope round his waist, and, before I could stop him, he plunged into
the water. He buffeted the waves bravely, but his strength was not
equal to the undertaking. I trusted that, notwithstanding his light
figure and delicate appearance, he would succeed. Every moment was
precious, for one after the other the people were being carried away
before our eyes, without our having the means of saving them. He had
already got a footing on the reef. Just as some of the men were making
their way towards him, and he had nearly got up to the boat, a sea
lifted him off his feet, and he and those who were near him were swept
away. My men and I hauled in the rope, but, unable to guide himself, he
was dashed with violence against the rocks, and when we drew him on
shore, he was almost insensible.
"Oh, my poor, poor brother!" exclaimed the young lady, who knelt down by
his side. "Can nothing be done for him?"
"He will, I trust, recover," I said, "though I fear he is greatly
injured. But we must make another attempt to help the poor people on
the rock."
"Oh, do so, brave men!" she said, looking up with an imploring glance,
her thoughts being evidently divided between her brother and those he
had attempted to rescue.
Dick was preparing again to make the attempt. This time he fastened two
oars under his arms, with a boat-hook lashed across them, and, supported
by this simple sort of catamaran, he at length, by great exertions,
reached the rocks, and secured the rope to the bow of the boat, round
which the survivors were clinging. Among them were two females.
Securing one of them to himself by means of a spare piece of rope, and
pushing back some of the men, who were attempting to reach the shore by
the rope, he began to make his way along it, resting on the oars. Every
instant I dreaded to see him and his burden carried away, but he landed
in safety, and we placed the almost senseless lady by the side of her
friends.
We had fortunately brought a second coil of lighter rope. As I saw that
Dick was exhausted I determined to go myself, and, making the rope fast
round my waist, I hauled myself across, as Dick had done, though, from
the difficulty I had to hold on, I judged of the danger he had gone
through.
As the tide was still rising, I knew that the boat and all clinging to
her must shortly be washed off the rock.
The youngest female was still safe. I secured her to my back, following
Dick's example, and began hauling myself across, though every moment I
expected to be washed away. As soon as she landed, she threw herself
into the arms of the young lady whom we had first seen, and, from their
likeness, I judged that they were sisters. I was about to return, when
I saw one of the men making his way across by the rope, and that others
were preparing to follow, not waiting for the assistance which the oars
might afford them.
"Oh, my father, my father, is he not coming!" exclaimed the young lady I
had brought on shore.
I had observed among the people on the rock a gentleman who had
committed the young lady to my charge.
"I will try and save him!" I exclaimed.
At that moment loud shrieks were heard, for the sea had lifted the boat
and swept her and all clinging to her off the rock. The rope still
held, and my men hauled on it with right good-will. The other rope was
still round my waist. I plunged into the water, and swam towards the
boat. I caught sight of the gentleman just at the moment that he had
been forced from his hold. In another instant he would have been
carried away, when, grasping him tightly, I shouted to my men to haul me
in. Almost exhausted, I was drawn on shore with the person I had
rescued. Of the rest, three were thrown on the rocks, one of whom was
carried away before he could make good his footing, while the remainder
were swept out to sea. Besides the two we had first seen, only eight
were saved. The sorrow exhibited by the ladies and the old gentleman
when they saw how severely injured the young man had been in his effort
to help them, made me suppose that they were relatives.
"Oh, Henri, Henri!" they murmured, bending over him.
Their accent and the last words they uttered showed me that they were
French.
The young man opened his eyes and tried to smile, as if to reassure
them.
"I am not so very much hurt," he answered, in a low voice.
Just then I was sure I knew the expression of his countenance; his eyes,
too, glanced at my face.
"Are you not Frenchy?" I asked, "My old friend Henri de Villereine?"
"Yes, Charley. I thought I knew you," he answered. "Thank you, thank
you, for what you have done!"
His companions looked at me with surprise. "I am an old schoolfellow,"
I said; "and I am doubly thankful that I have been the means of helping
those belonging to him."
There was, however, no time for conversation or explanation beyond this.
Having formed two rough litters with our oars and ropes, we placed my
old schoolfellow on one and the elder lady on the other, while I and the
other gentleman assisting the young ladies, we proceeded back to the
boats. The provisions we had brought somewhat restored all the party.
The evening was approaching, and when I looked out for the ship I could
but just distinguish her topsails above the horizon. We had a long pull
before us, and I feared we should not reach her before dark, and, if so,
we might have to spend the night tossed about on the stormy sea. I
cheered my men, and they did their utmost. Dick had taken the seamen in
his boat, and I had the passengers in mine. They were much cast down at
the loss of their companions and the horrors they had gone through.
I found that the young lady who had at first landed was Henri's sister;
the other I had saved was Sophie, his cousin; and the old lady and
gentleman her father and mother. Thus the whole of one family had been
saved, but several other passengers, men, and women, and children on
board, had lost their lives.
They belonged, they told me, to the island of Saint Lucia, and were on
their way to pay a visit to England, which neither of the young ladies
had seen.
Emilie was an intelligent, interesting-looking girl, and appeared much
attached to her brother, by whose side she sat, trying to support him in
as comfortable a position as could be arranged in the stern-sheets. I
was, however, more struck by the gentle and sweet look of Sophie, whose
features also were decidedly prettier than those of her cousin, though
few girls under the circumstances could have looked attractive; and it
may seem strange that I should have thought about the matter, but I had
saved her life, and naturally felt an interest in her. Henri, I
observed every now and then, gazed at her when he could lift up his
head, but she turned away her eyes, as if unwilling to meet his, and
then he sank back with a sigh.
While we pulled southward inside the reef, although the sea was somewhat
heavy, it was much smoother than outside, and I feared that we might
have some difficulty in getting our passengers on board. I had
fortunately brought a musket and powder-flask, with some blue lights,
from the ship. The sun set before we reached the southern end of the
reef, and we had barely light sufficient to steer with any degree of
safety round it. At length, however, I judged that I might venture to
do so, and we commenced our pull out to sea. The waves broke with a
loud roar on the rocks close to us, and I could distinguish the surf
rising up like a white wall as we made our way to the westward. I was
thankful when I saw it well over the quarter. My men exerted themselves
bravely. As soon as we had got to a sufficient distance from the reef,
I fired the musket and let off a blue light. There was no answer from
the ship. We pulled out still farther, and in half an hour made another
signal. My relief was great when, about as I judged a mile away, a blue
light burst forth from the ship, showing clearly her rigging and sails
as she bore down towards us.
Scarcely an expression of anxiety or alarm had escaped my new friends,
although to them the foaming seas, as we made our way over them that
dark night, must have appeared truly terrible.
In a short time the ship appeared like a phantom moving over the ocean.
I let off another blue light, to show our position. She hove-to, and we
pulled up under her lee. As we approached, I ordered a chair to be
slung, to hoist our passengers on board. The operation would be a
dangerous one.
By the time we were alongside the chair was ready, with lanterns let
down on either side of it. The old lady was first sent up, and then his
sister and cousin entreated that Henri might go. I secured him in the
chair, for he had not strength to hold on. He groaned as I did so, the
boat all the time rising and falling, and there was a risk that, before
he could be hoisted clear of her, she might be lifted up and strike the
chair. This risk, indeed, was run by all the party. I was anxious to
get the old gentleman to take his seat next, as I knew that I could with
greater ease carry the lighter forms of the young ladies up in my arms.
Henri was lifted on deck, and then, almost by main force, I placed
Monsieur de Villereine in the chair. As soon as I saw him swinging well
out of the way of the boat, taking Sophie round the waist, and telling
my coxswain to follow with her cousin, I sprang up the side. It was
well that I did so, for at that moment, a sea surging round almost stove
in the boat and half filled her with water; but the men were ready, and,
hooking on, the falls were let down, and the boat was hoisted up in time
to save her being completely knocked to pieces. The party in Dick's
boat took but a short time in getting on board, and she also was quickly
hoisted up.
While the ship stood off the land, I went down to the cabin to attend to
my passengers.
I fortunately had plenty of berths. The steward set to work to get them
ready, and the cook meantime was busy in preparing hot soup and
arrowroot, and other things which he thought might conduce to the
comfort of my unexpected guests. Having served in passenger ships, I
was at no loss what to do, and the mates and I turning out our
wardrobes, supplied clothing which might serve while that of the party
was washed in fresh water and dried.
The night was stormy, and I was obliged constantly to be on deck, but
whenever I went below, I visited poor Henri, who was suffering much. I
did all I could to relieve him, and directed my steward, who was a
trustworthy man, to remain by his side during my absence.
The next day the weather moderated, and I was thankful to find the rest
of the party greatly recovered. They all expressed their gratitude to
me for the attention I paid to their relative.
"You forget," I answered, "that he is an old schoolfellow, and that I
have the greatest satisfaction possible in being of service to him."
"Ah, you must be the friend then of whom he has often spoken to us, who
was so kind to him at school," observed Emilie. "We have so longed to
see you, to return the kindness you showed him when he was a boy, and we
hope to do so, as he said you promised to pay us a visit should you ever
come to the West Indies."
I replied that I should be very glad to avail myself of the invitation
he had given me, could I manage to do go, but that I feared my duty
would not allow me to leave the ship on that voyage.
Henri appeared to get much better during the day. While I sat by him,
he repeated the invitation his sister had given me, and entreated me to
visit them, saying, his father and mother, he was sure, would be most
anxious to see me.
None of the rest of the party suffered much from the exposure and alarm
to which they had been subjected.
Within a week we were safely at anchor in Carlisle Bay, on the shore of
which, Bridgetown, the capital of the beautiful island of Barbadoes, is
situated.