AN ADDITION TO THE CREW
BY daybreak on the following morning the gale had moderated, and, the
wind being dead aft, the mainsail and mizzen had been stowed and the
square sail set.
We had passed Ushant light during the night and were now well into
the Bay.
When I came on deck there was nothing to be seen save an unbroken
waste of water; although the waves were not so high nor so steep,
they were of great distance from crest to crest, as, with unfailing
regularity, they rolled into the Bay from the vast Atlantic.
After breakfast I went into my cabin to see how the rescued man was
progressing. He was asleep, but while I was engaged in taking some
articles from a drawer he awoke with a sudden start and sat up in his
bunk.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"On board the yacht 'Fortuna.'"
"How did I get here? Ah! I remember."
"How do you feel this morning?" I inquired politely. "Is there
anything you require?"
"I should like something to drink, for my throat is like a limekiln.
What's this?" he added, placing his hand over his bandaged face.
"Have I had a cut?"
"Yes, a slight one," I replied. "Take it easy, and I'll send Johnston
in with your breakfast."
I went out, and, having told our steward to take the stranger a good
meal, I rejoined the pater and informed him that the man was awake.
"What are we going to do with him?" I asked.
"Put him aboard the first homeward-bound vessel we speak to, or else
land him at Gib. Poor fellow, he's had a narrow squeak, but I cannot
for the life of me understand why foolhardy fellows persist in
taking, single-handed, risks in small yachts. When we had the
'Spray,' keeping in sight of land was good enough for me, and then
only with a sharp eye on the barometer. Where he came from and where
he was making for seems a mystery, but I suppose we shall know before
long."
"How far have we come?" I asked, as I saw my father examine the
indicator of the log.
"A hundred and fifty-six miles in twenty-three hours."
"And how far before we sight land?"
"Roughly, it is three hundred miles to Cape Finisterre, and then we
shall be practically in sight of land right round the coast of
Portugal and Spain till we reach Gib."
"And where's Uncle Herbert? I haven't seen him this morning."
"But haven't you heard him? It's his watch below, and most likely
he's sound asleep and snoring. But look, here's a sight for you."
Rapidly bearing down towards us was a huge liner, her graceful hull
glistening in the sunlight as she thrashed her way through the water.
As she drew nearer we could see her decks crowded with passengers,
who were regarding, doubtless with considerable curiosity, our little
strangely rigged craft as she ploughed her way over the rollers.
We dipped our ensign, and in reply the liner's flag was slowly
lowered and as slowly rehoisted, and twenty minutes later she was a
mere speck on the horizon.
Soon afterwards the rescued yachtsman appeared' on deck, assisted by
Johnston, and, making his way towards us, warmly thanked my father
for saving his life. "You certainly were in a bit of a pickle,"
remarked my pater, offering him a deck-chair and producing his
cigar-case. "Let's hear all about it, for, with pardonable curiosity,
I am eager to learn the facts of the case."
"With pleasure, Mr. Trevena. You see, I obtained your name from the
steward, and have gathered some particulars about the 'Fortuna.' But
to proceed to the story of my adventures. My name is Arthur Conolly,
by profession I am a doctor of medicine, by choice I would be a
yachtsman, for the sea always had a strong attraction for me. When at
home I live in Dublin--or 'dear dirty Dublin,' as my compatriots
fondly term it--but on every suitable opportunity I cruise around the
British Isles in my three-tonner 'Sea Shell,' or rather, I should
say, I cruised, for my snug little craft is unfortunately at the
bottom of the sea.
"On Monday last I left Wexford Harbour, intending to fetch Falmouth
and thence by easy stages round the Solent, where I have invariably
spent the months of July and August during the past seven years. The
'Sea Shell' is, or was, a modern type of boat, with spoon bow and
short counter, and a short keel. She had a watertight cockpit, and
was in every way fitted for single-handed work, except for one thing:
she would not lie hove-to without constant attention, a fault which
the older type of straight-stemmed boats never possessed; and that
defect was the cause of my misfortune.
"All went well till I had reeled off a hundred and sixty miles by the
log and had sighted the Wolf on my port bow. The glass had been very
irregular during the last twelve hours, but just before nightfall it
came on to blow hard from the north-west. Knowing I was in the
vicinity of the dangerous Scilly Islands, I bore up to the south'ard,
intending to give them a wide berth before heading up Channel, but
about two in the morning the squalls were so frequent and violent
that I threw out a sea-anchor.
"Daylight showed that I was within five miles of St. Agnes, and the
wind having veered to the north'ard I knew that I was comparatively
safe and was in no danger of being cast ashore, though the shift of
wind had knocked up a nasty cross-sea.
"However, for six hours the 'Sea Shell' rode to the sea-anchor, but
about noon, while I was down below having something to eat, the
yacht's motion became so erratic, and such heavy seas tumbled on her
decks, that I knew something had gone wrong.
"Upon going on deck, I found, to my horror, that the riding-rope of
the sea-anchor had chafed through, and consequently, the anchor being
lost, the yacht was aimlessly tossing in the crested seas. Only one
thing remained to be done: to show the merest spread of canvas and
try and gain the shelter of the land. I managed, although I was
frequently up to my waist in water, to hoist the reefed foresail,
and, the yacht's head having been paid off, I thereupon began to set
the close-reefed mainsail. Hardly had I hoisted the throat than an
extra strong squall struck the boat, and in a moment the mainsail had
burst right along the dentre-cloths. Nevertheless I set the
storm-jib, and by dint of careful nursing I managed to keep a small
amount of way on, though every time the 'Sea Shell' rose on the crest
of a wave she was nearly knocked on her beam ends by the force of the
wind.
"Then I tried to lay her to, but she yawed to such an extent that
that manoeuvre was impossible, so I had to let her go, handling her
as gently as I could for fear of carrying away the gear.
"This went on for several hours, and though the watertight cockpit
was continually getting full of water, it drained out without a drop
getting below. After a time, however, I realized that the 'Sea Shell'
was not so buoyant as she had been, and that she plunged sluggishly
into the crests of the waves, and on looking down the hatch I found
that the cabin floor was awash, and the yacht was slowly, yet none
the less surely, foundering.
"Then, for the first time, I realized the absolute danger of my
position. During the terrible buffeting she had received, the 'Sea
Shell' had opened a seam, and the cabin being panelled, it was
impossible to caulk the leak from the inside, even had the yacht been
capable of being hove-to for a sufficient time to effect the repairs.
"Under these circumstances I was helpless. At one time I thought
seriously of cutting away the mast and gear, and riding to the
wreckage as to a sea-anchor, but the almost certainty of having more
planks stove in by the mast before I could get it clear made me
abandon that plan. So I set to work at the pump, hoping that I might
keep down the leak until, perhaps, some passing vessel might sight
me, or even--vain hope--that, even though there was no sign of the
coast, I might gain the lee of the land before the little craft sank
under me."
"It seemed hours, though in reality it must have been less than an
hour, before I was compelled through sheer exhaustion to desist, and
upon looking round, hoping against hope to see a friendly sail, I
found that your yacht was close to windward of me, and the rest you
know."
"Don't you think you tempted Providence once too often?" asked my
father. "After all, long single-handed cruises may be considered
smart in their way, but are they worth the risk?"
"No more risky than ballooning, mountaineering, or, if it comes to
that, playing football or cycling."
"No man could be keener on sailing than I am, but I would think twice
ere I made a long cruise in a craft like yours. I certainly admire
your pluck, but at the same time I think you ran a needless risk."
"A man can only die once."
"That, if I may be allowed to say so, is a foolish expression, and
one that one hears from unthinking individuals after they have safely
passed through danger. I will explain what I mean. You are still a
young man, I believe?
"Thirty years of age."
"Then, taking a moderate estimate, you are good for another thirty
years."
"From a medical point of view, I should say yes."
"Then, had you gone down with your yacht it necessarily follows that
you would have, through your own rashness, thrown away thirty years
of a pleasurable existence. I, for instance, am fifteen years older
than you are, but I still call myself young for all that; and I can
assure you that, unless a man realizes that he must make the very
best of life, his mission on earth is wasted. How many instances are
there of people living in hope of having a 'good time' at some future
period of their existence who fail to appreciate their present
position, and so waste their lives in a miserable longing for the
unattainable. Now, Mr. Conolly, I hope you will excuse my lecturing
you, but from the nature of your remark I found it impossible to let
the opportunity pass; but we will now change the subject."
For some time my father and the doctor talked about a variety of
topics, and I could see that Mr. Conolly grew deeply interested when
the nature of our cruise was told him.
"I have just mentioned to my son," said the pater, "that I propose
transferring you to a homeward-bound ship or else landing you at Gib.
Naturally we could not beat back fifty miles or so against half a
gale to set you ashore at Falmouth, so you must be our guest, willing
or unwilling, for the next few days."
"I am deeply obliged to you," replied the doctor; "but pardon me if I
make a suggestion that may not meet with your approval. Like most
Irishmen, I am a man actuated by sudden impulses. My proposition is
this: You have no medical man on board, and you are bound for the
tropics. I am a fully qualified doctor and could be handy to you in
more ways than one. Why not allow me to fill the post of medical
officer? As a matter of fact, I have been promised a berth in a big
steamship company in a year's time, so that the cruise would help
pass the time in a most pleasant and instructive manner. I would ask
no remuneration, save my rations and clothing, for, as you know, all
I possess at the present moment is the clothes I wore when I was
hauled on board. Now, Mr. Trevena, what do you think of my proposal?"
"Rather sudden, isn't it?" replied my father, laughing. "Well, well;
I must see what my brother has to say about it first, though
personally I think it an admirable arrangement."
So saying, the pater went below to arouse his sleeping brother; but
apparently they soon came to an understanding, for within five
minutes he returned on deck.
"Herbert is delighted at the suggestion. He always was a livery
subject in hot weather," said my father. "So you can consider
yourself one of the officers of the 'Fortuna.' I think you had better
stick to the cabin you slept in last night, and Reggie will have to
make the best of it."
"I don't mind, father," I exclaimed.
"It wouldn't matter if you did," returned the pater dryly. "But there
is one condition I must make, Mr. Conolly."
"And that is----?"
"On board this yacht we all, officers and men, mean to be as
comfortable as we possibly can, so there is one topic of
conversation, and one only, that I must ask you to avoid. As you are
of Hibernian birth I am afraid you will find it difficult to do so."
"Then what is it?" said the doctor, with a slight trace of anxiety on
his features.
"Politics," replied my father, with a chuckle.