NASSAU.
A semi-tropical port in midsummer is by no means a pleasant place
however diversified and picturesque the scenery may be, and when the
boys awakened from their restless slumber the lassitude which beset them
told how great an effect the climate could exert.
Even Mr. Emery was disinclined to any severe exertion; but his business
must be transacted, and, after a breakfast eaten on deck, he ordered the
boat to be made ready.
"If possible I shall leave to-night," Neal and Teddy heard him say to
the sailing master, "therefore it will be well to get your ambergris on
shore before noon."
Neither of the boys cared to see the town at the expense of walking
around under the blazing sun, and when Mr. Emery was being rowed toward
the dock-yard they joined Jake who, in the coolest spot under the
awning, was watching the fishermen near by.
The water was clear as crystal, and of a bright greenish tinge which
admitted of their seeing very distinctly the tiny fish of silver and
golden hues as they darted to and fro; the violet and blue medusæ, and
the cream-colored jelly-fish as big as a watermelon. There were angel
fish of a bright blue tinge; yellow snappers; black and white sergeant
majors; pilot fish; puff fish which could inflate their bodies until
they were round as a ball, or flatten themselves to the shape of a
griddle cake.
The cow fish attracted the boys' attention more particularly, for it had
two horns, and its head was shaped exactly like a cow, and when one
passed with a "calf" as Teddy called it, swimming by her side, both
agreed that it was well worth suffering so much from the heat to see
such a sight.
Fish of all colors and sizes swam around the yacht as if examining her
hull, and the effect of such brilliant hues displayed through the
crystal-like water was actually startling because of the gorgeousness.
Before they were weary of admiring this aquatic panorama Jake called
their attention to a fisherman who, in a small canoe, was pursuing his
vocation in a very odd manner.
In his boat he had a hideous looking sucking fish, around the tail of
which was tied a long cord with a wooden float at one end. While the
boys were watching him he dropped the monster overboard, and in an
instant it darted at a medium-sized Jew fish, attaching itself to the
latter by means of the sucking valve on the top of its head. Having done
this he remained motionless, his victim seeming to be literally
paralyzed, and there was nothing for the boatman to do but pull in on
the float, disengage his animated fishhook by a dextrous pressure on the
sucker after both had been drawn aboard, and send the repulsive looking
servant out again.
Although the Jew fish must have weighed at least a hundred pounds, he
was landed without difficulty, and Jake gravely assured his companions
that a sucking fish could "pull up the whole bottom of the ocean
providin' the rope on his tail was strong enough to stand the strain."
Then the engineer told a story which did not bear quite so hard on the
imagination since it was absolutely true, and began by saying as he
pointed toward the little fortification known as Montague fort:
"That place has been the headquarters of at least a dozen pirates, the
worst of which was called Black Beard, a bloodthirsty villain who sunk
two vessels right where we are anchored this blessed minute. The
feller's real name was John Teach, an' that big banyan tree over there
is where he used to hold what he allowed was court martials.
"He was drunk about three-quarters of the time, an' allers had a great
spree when there were any prisoners on hand. He an' his men would get
the poor wretches to the tree, go through all the ceremony of a reg'lar
trial, an' allers end by stringin' every blessed one of 'em up in such a
way as to prevent 'em from dyin' quick, when a fire'd be built
underneath, so's to roast the whole lot.
"They do say he buried all the treasure among the roots of the banyan,
an' many's the one who has dug for it; but so far as I ever heard, not a
single piece has been found. While he lived this wasn't a very pleasant
harbor for them as cared about a livin' to make."
"What became of him finally?" Teddy asked.
"An English man-of-war got hold of him after awhile, an' he was strung
on the yardarm to dry. If I'd been in command of the vessel he should
have found out how it felt to be roasted. Say, don't you boys want to go
over to Potter's cay?"
"What is to be seen there?"
"The sponge yards, an' it's a great sight if you never visited one."
"It is too hot," Neal replied with a very decided shake of the head.
Jake did not urge the matter, for just at that moment the second port
boat was lowered, and Mr. Walters made ready to go ashore with his
precious bundle of aromatic ambergris.
Idly the boys watched the perspiring party, pressing handkerchiefs to
their faces meanwhile, since, despite the wrappings of canvas, the
valuable mass gave most decided proof of its being in the vicinity, and
when the boat started for the shore Neal and Teddy clambered into the
hammocks, for even leaning over the rail was an exertion in the sultry
atmosphere.
During the middle of the day both the boys slept, for a siesta is as
necessary as food in hot climates, and when the light breeze of evening
crept over the waters Mr. Emery came aboard with the welcome
intelligence that his business had been concluded.
"We will get under way again before midnight," he said as he stepped
over the rail, and was received by Mr. Walters. "Now that a breeze has
set in it should be cool enough to permit of the men's working without
fear of prostration."
"It would use me up to walk fore and aft twice," Neal said in an
undertone to Teddy; "but it isn't for us to complain of the heat if we
can get out of this furnace."
Jake was nowhere to be seen. It was as if after his invitation to go on
shore had been declined he betook himself to some other portion of the
yacht, where he could perspire without allowing the others to see his
suffering, and the boys swung to and fro until the hour came when the
singing of steam told that preparations for departure were being made.
There could be no doubt but that Nassau would be a pleasant place in
which to spend the winter months; but it was by no means desirable
during the summer, and when the Sea Dream left the little harbor where
the water was hardly more than sufficient to float her, both Neal and
Teddy gave vent to a sigh of relief.
"We are to run south until it is possible to give the banks a clear
berth, and then stand straight up the coast for home," the former said
as the yacht glided almost noiselessly over the phosphorescent lighted
waters down the eastern side of the shoals. "If a good head of steam is
kept on we should be in a colder latitude very soon."
"We can't get there any too soon to please me," Teddy replied, as he
waved the palm-leaf fan languidly. "I believe it would be a positive
comfort to have my nose frost-bitten."
"It isn't possible you will have such comfort as that for some time to
come; but we may be able to make your teeth chatter in a few days," Neal
replied laughingly, and then as the breeze caused by the movement of
the yacht over the water fanned his face, he added sleepily, "Good
night; I don't believe I shall open my eyes until after sunrise
to-morrow."
As a matter of fact this prediction was not verified; before evening a
wind had come out of the sea which caused the yacht to bow before it
like a reed in a storm, and the hammocks that, a few hours previous, had
seemed so rest-inviting, were swinging at a rate that threatened to
throw their occupants to the deck.
"I fancy it is time we went below," Neal said, as he awakened his friend
by a series of vigorous shakes. "If we stay here half an hour longer it
will be doubtful whether we're on board or in the water."
The Sea Dream's lee rail was already so near the surface that the green
waves curled over it now and then, and before the boys could reach the
cabin they were thoroughly drenched.
It was the greatest possible relief to crawl into the bunk and pull up
the bed-clothes to defend themselves against the cold wind which came
through the port-hole, and so delicious was this sense of being chilly
that they failed to realize the cause of the sudden change in the
weather, until they heard the sailing master in the cabin reply to Mr.
Emery's question:
"You are getting your first taste of what is known as a norther; but
there isn't the slightest danger if we can crawl away from the land, and
we shall have no trouble in doing that so long as there is a full head
of steam on."
"What does he mean by a norther?" Teddy asked of Neal, who had shown, by
rising on his elbow, that he was awake.
"A wind coming from the north, more frequently met in the Gulf of
Mexico, when the temperature falls very suddenly, as was the case this
evening, and a furious gale is often the result."
"So long as it holds cold I don't see that we have any cause to
complain," was the sleepy rejoinder; but before the night came to a
close he had good reason for changing his mind on the subject.
It was about midnight, as near as the boys could judge without looking
at a watch, when the yacht was flung on her beam ends with a sudden
force which threw both out of the berth, and before the port-hole could
be fastened, flooded the state-room with water.
Teddy might well be excused for the shrill cry of alarm which escaped
from his lips, for at that moment even an experienced sailor would have
fancied the little craft had struck upon a reef, more particularly
since it was known they were in a dangerous locality.
"We are sinking!" he cried frantically as he tried in vain to open the
door, and Neal was of the same opinion.
After what seemed to be a very long while although in reality it could
have been but a few seconds, the Sea Dream slowly righted, and then it
was possible for the boys to gain the cabin.
Here they were met by Mr. Emery, who had just succeeded in leaving his
own room, and before any conversation could be indulged in the steamer
began pitching and rolling about in a manner that showed she was not on
the reef even if the first shock had been the result of striking one.
It was only by holding with all their strength to the immovable articles
of furniture that they avoided being flung from one end of the cabin to
the other, as the yacht plunged and tossed, throwing violently to and
fro everything which had not been securely fastened.
The cabin lamp was burning dimly, and the faint light only served to
reveal more clearly the general confusion.
Once amid the tumult the boys heard Mr. Emery shout:
"Don't be frightened; if there was any immediate danger Mr. Walters
would warn us."
"He may not be able to come where we are," Teddy thought; but he
refrained from giving words to such a dismal foreboding, and in silent
fear waited for--he knew not what.