OCTOBER 30th.--At the first gleam of daylight we eagerly scanned the
southern and western horizons, but the morning mists limited our view.
Land was nowhere to be seen. The tide was now almost at its lowest ebb,
and the colour of the few peaks of rock that jutted up around us showed
that the reef on which we had stranded was of basaltic formation. There
were now only about six feet of water around the “Chancellor,” though
with a full freight she draws about fifteen. It was remarkable how far
she had been carried on to the shelf of rock, but the number of times
that she had touched the bottom before she finally ran aground left us
no doubt that she had been lifted up and borne along on the top of an
enormous wave. She now lies with her stern considerably higher than her
bows, a position which renders walking upon the deck anything but an
easy matter; moreover as the tide-receded she heeled over so much to
larboard that at one time Curtis feared she would altogether capsize;
that fear, however, since the tide has reached its lowest mark, has
happily proved groundless.
At six o’clock some violent blows were felt against the ship’s side, and
at the same time a voice was distinguished, shouting loudly, “Curtis!
Curtis!” Following the direction of the cries we saw that the broken
mizzen-mast was being washed against the vessel, and in the dusky morning
twilight we could make out the figure of a man clinging to the rigging.
Curtis, at the peril of his life, hastened to bring the man on board,
It proved to be none other than Silas Huntly, who, after being carried
overboard with the mast, had thus, almost by a miracle, escaped a
watery grave. Without a word of thanks to his deliverer, the ex-captain,
passive, like an automaton, passed on and took his seat in the most
secluded corner of the poop. The broken mizzen may, perhaps, be of
service to us at some future time, and with that idea it has been
rescued from the waves and lashed securely to the stern.
By this time it was light enough to see for a distance of three miles
round; but as yet nothing could be discerned to make us think that
we were near a coast. The line of breakers ran for about a mile from
south-west to north-east, and two hundred fathoms to the north of the
ship an irregular mass of rocks formed a small islet. This islet rose
about fifty feet above the sea, and was consequently above the level of
the highest tides; whilst a sort of causeway, available at low water,
would enable us to reach the island, if necessity required. But
there the reef ended; beyond it the sea again resumed its sombre hue,
betokening deep water. In all probability, then, this was a solitary
shoal, unattached to a shore, and the gloom of a bitter disappointment
began to weigh upon our spirits.
In another hour the mists had totally disappeared, and it was broad
daylight. I and M. Letourneur stood watching Curtis as he continued
eagerly to scan the western horizon. Astonishment was written on his
countenance; to him it appeared perfectly incredible that, after our
course for so long had been due south from the Bermudas, no land should
be in sight. But not a speck, however minute, broke the clearly-defined
line that joined sea and sky. After a time Curtis made his way along the
netting to the shrouds, and swung himself quickly up to the top of the
mainmast. For several minutes he remained there examining the open space
around, then seizing one of the backstays he glided down and rejoined us
on the poop.
“No land in sight,” he said, in answer to our eager looks of inquiry.
At this point Mr. Kear interposed, and in a gruff, ill-tempered tone,
asked Curtis where we were. Curtis replied that he did not know.
“You don’t know, sir? Then all I can say is that you ought to know!”
exclaimed the petroleum merchant.
“That may be, sir; but at present I am as ignorant of our whereabouts as
you are yourself,” said Curtis.
“Well,” said Mr. Kear, “just please to know that I don’t want to stay
for ever on your everlasting ship, so I beg you will make haste and
start off again.”
Curtis condescended to make no other reply than a shrug of the
shoulders, and turning away he informed M. Letourneur and myself that if
the sun came out he intended to take its altitude and find out to what
part of the ocean we had been driven. His next care was to distribute
preserved meat and biscuit amongst the passengers and crew already half
fainting with hunger and fatigue, and then he set to work to devise
measures for setting the ship afloat.
The conflagration was greatly abated; no flames now appeared, and
although some black smoke still issued from the interior, yet its volume
was far less than before. The first step was to discover how much water
had entered the hold. The deck was still too hot to walk upon; but
after two hours’ irrigation the boards became sufficiently cool for the
boatswain to proceed to take some soundings, and he shortly afterwards
announced that there were five feet of water below. This the captain
determined should not be pumped out at present, as he wanted it
thoroughly to do its duty before he got rid of it.
The next subject for consideration was whether it would be advisable to
abandon the vessel, and to take refuge on the reef. Curtis thought not;
and the lieutenant and the boatswain agreed with him. The chances of an
explosion were greatly diminished, as it had been ascertained that the
water had reached that part of the hold in which Ruby’s luggage had been
deposited; while, on the other hand, in the event of rough weather,
our position even upon the most elevated points of rock might be very
critical. It was accordingly resolved that both passengers and crew were
safest on board.
Acting upon this decision we proceeded to make a kind of encampment on
the poop, and the few mattresses that were rescued uninjured have been
given up for the use of the two ladies. Such of the crew as had saved
their hammocks have been told to place them under the forecastle where
they would have to stow themselves as best they could, their ordinary
quarters being absolutely uninhabitable.
Fortunately, although the store-room has been considerably exposed
to the heat, its contents are not very seriously damaged, and all
the barrels of water and the greater part of the provisions are quite
intact. The stack of spare sails, which had been packed away in front,
is also free from injury. The wind has dropped considerably since the
early morning, and the swell in the sea is far less heavy. On the whole
our spirits are reviving, and we begin to think we may yet find a way
out of our troubles.
M. Letourneur, his son, and I, have just had a long conversation about
the ship’s officers. We consider their conduct, under the late trying
circumstances, to have been most exemplary, and their courage, energy,
and endurance to have been beyond all praise. Lieutenant Walter,
the boatswain, and Dowlas the carpenter have all alike distinguished
themselves, and made us feel that they are men to be relied on. As for
Curtis, words can scarcely be found to express our admiration of his
character; he is the same as he has ever been, the very life of his
crew, cheering them on by word or gesture; finding an expedient for
every difficulty, and always foremost in every action.
The tide turned at seven this morning, and by eleven all the rocks were
submerged, none of them being visible except the cluster of those which
formed the rim of a small and almost circular basin from 250 to 300 feet
in diameter, in the north angle of which the ship is lying. As the tide
rose the white breakers disappeared, and the sea, fortunately for
the “Chancellor,” was pretty calm; otherwise the dashing of the waves
against her sides, as she lies motionless, might have been attended by
serious consequences.
As might be supposed, the height of the water in the hold increased
with the tide from five feet to nine; but this was rather a matter for
congratulation, inasmuch as it sufficed to inundate another layer of
cotton.
At half-past eleven the sun, which had been behind the clouds since
ten o’clock, broke forth brightly. The captain, who had already in the
morning been able to calculate an horary angle, now prepared to take
the meridian altitude, and succeeded at midday in making his observation
most satisfactorily. After retiring for a short time to calculate the
result; he returned to the poop and announced that we are in lat; 18deg.
5min. N. and long. 45deg. 53min. W., but that the reef on which we are
aground is not marked upon the charts. The only explanation that can be
given for the omission is that the islet must be of recent formation,
and has been caused by some subterranean volcanic disturbance. But
whatever may be the solution of the mystery, here we are 800 miles from
land; for such, on consulting the map, we find to be the actual distance
to the coast of Guiana, which is the nearest shore. Such is the position
to which we have been brought, in the first place, by Huntly’s senseless
obstinacy, and, secondly, by the furious north-west gale.
Yet, after all, the captain’s communication does not dishearten us. As
I said before, our spirits are reviving. We have escaped the peril of
fire; the fear of explosion is past and gone; and oblivious of the fact
that the ship with a hold full of water is only too likely to founder
when she puts out to sea, we feel a confidence in the future that
forbids us to despond.
Meanwhile Curtis prepares to do all that common sense demands. He
proposes, when the fire is quite extinguished, to throw overboard the
whole, or the greater portion of the cargo, including of course, the
picrate; he will next plug up the leak, and then, with a lightened
ship, he will take advantage of the first high tide to quit the reef as
speedily as possible.