We must leave Amine to her solitude, and follow the fortunes of
Philip. The fleet had sailed with a flowing sheet, and bore gallantly
down the Zuyder Zee; but they had not been under way an hour before
the _Vrow Katerina_ was left a mile or two astern. Mynheer Barentz
found fault with the setting and trimming of the sails, and with the
man at the helm, who was repeatedly changed; in short, with everything
but his dear _Vrow Katerina_: but all would not do; she still dropped
astern, and proved to be the worst-sailing vessel in the fleet.
"Mynheer Vanderdecken," said he, at last, "the _Vrow_, as my father
used to say, is not so very _fast before_ the wind. Vessels that are
good on a wind seldom are: but this I will say, that, in every other
point of sailing, there is no other vessel in the fleet equal to the
_Vrow Katerina_."
"Besides," observed Philip, who perceived how anxious his captain was
on the subject, "we are heavily laden, and have so many troops on
deck."
The fleet cleared the sands and were then close-hauled, when the _Vrow
Katerina_ proved to sail even more slowly than before.
"When we are so _very_ close-hauled," observed Mynheer Barentz, "the
_Vrow_ does not do so well; but a point free, and then you will see
how she will show her stern to the whole fleet. She is a fine vessel,
Mynheer Vanderdecken, is she not?"
"A very fine, roomy vessel," replied Philip, which was all that, in
conscience, he could say.
The fleet sailed on, sometimes on a wind, sometimes free, but let the
point of sailing be what it might, the _Vrow Katerina_ was invariably
astern, and the fleet had to heave-to at sunset to enable her to keep
company; still, the captain continued to declare that the point of
sailing on which they happened to be, was the only point in which the
_Vrow Katerina_ was deficient. Unfortunately, the vessel had other
points quite as bad as her sailing; she was crank, leaky, and did not
answer the helm well: but Mynheer Barentz was not to be convinced. He
adored his ship, and, like all men desperately in love, he could
see no fault in his mistress. But others were not so blind, and the
admiral, finding the voyage so much delayed by the bad sailing of one
vessel, determined to leave her to find her way by herself so soon
as they had passed the Cape. He was, however, spared the cruelty of
deserting her, for a heavy gale came on which dispersed the whole
fleet, and on the second day the good ship _Vrow Katerina_ found
herself alone, labouring heavily in the trough of the sea, leaking so
much as to require hands constantly at the pumps, and drifting before
the gale as fast to leeward almost as she usually sailed. For a
week the gale continued, and each day did her situation become more
alarming. Crowded with troops, encumbered with heavy stores, she
groaned and laboured, while whole seas washed over her, and the men
could hardly stand at the pumps. Philip was active, and exerted
himself to the utmost, encouraging the worn-out men, securing where
aught had given way, and little interfered with by the captain, who
was himself no sailor.
"Well," observed the captain to Philip, as they held on by the
belaying-pins, "you'll acknowledge that she is a fine weatherly vessel
in a gale--is she not? Softly, my beauty, softly," continued he,
speaking to the vessel, as she plunged heavily into the waves, and
every timber groaned. "Softly, my dear, softly! How those poor
devils in the other ships must be knocking about now. Heh! Mynheer
Vanderdecken, we have the start of them this time: they must be a
terrible long way down to leeward. Don't you think so?"
"I really cannot pretend to say," replied Philip, smiling.
"Why, there's not one of them in sight. Yes, by Heavens, there is!
Look on our lee beam. I see one now. Well, she must be a capital
sailor at all events: look there, a point abaft the beam. Mercy on me!
how stiff she must be to carry such a press of canvas!"
Philip had already seen her. It was a large ship on a wind, and on the
same tack as they were. In a gale in which no vessel could carry the
topsails, the _Vrow Katerina_ being under close-reefed foresails and
staysails, the ship seen to leeward was standing under a press of
sail--top-gallant-sail, royals, flying-jib, and every stitch of canvas
which could be set in a light breeze. The waves were running mountains
high, bearing each minute the _Vrow Katerina_ down to the gunwale: and
the ship seen appeared not to be affected by the tumultuous waters,
but sailed steadily and smoothly on an even keel. At once Philip knew
it must be the Phantom Ship, in which his father's doom was being
fulfilled.
"Very odd, is it not?" observed Mynheer Barentz.
Philip felt such an oppression on his chest that he could not reply.
As he held on with one hand, he covered up his eyes with the other.
But the seamen had now seen the vessel, and the legend was too well
known. Many of the troops had climbed on deck when the report was
circulated, and all eyes were now fixed upon the supernatural vessel;
when a heavy squall burst over the _Vrow Katerina_, accompanied with
peals of thunder and heavy rain, rendering it so thick that nothing
could be seen. In a quarter of an hour it cleared away, and, when they
looked to leeward, the stranger was no longer in sight.
"Merciful Heaven! she must have been upset, and has gone down in the
squall," said Mynheer Barentz. "I thought as much, carrying such a
press of sail. There never was a ship that could carry more than the
_Vrow Katerina_. It was madness on the part of the captain of that
vessel; but I suppose he wished to keep up with us. Heh, Mynheer
Vanderdecken?"
Philip did not reply to these remarks, which fully proved the madness
of his captain. He felt that his ship was doomed, and when he thought
of the numbers on board who might be sacrificed, he shuddered. After a
pause, he said--
"Mynheer Barentz, this gale is likely to continue, and the best ship
that ever was built cannot, in my opinion, stand such weather. I
should advise that we bear up, and run back to Table Bay to refit.
Depend upon it, we shall find the whole fleet there before us."
"Never fear for the good ship, _Vrow Katerina_," replied the captain;
"see what weather she makes of it."
"Cursed bad," observed one of the seamen, for the seamen had gathered
near to Philip to hear what his advice might be. "If I had known that
she was such an old, crazy beast, I never would have trusted myself on
board. Mynheer Vanderdecken is right; we must back to Table Bay ere
worse befall us. That ship to leeward has given us warning--she is not
seen for nothing,--ask Mr Vanderdecken, captain; he knows that well,
for he _is_ a sailor."
This appeal to Philip made him start; it was, however, made without
any knowledge of Philip's interest in the Phantom Ship.
"I must say," replied Philip, "that, whenever I have fallen in with
that vessel, mischief has ever followed."
"Vessel! why, what was there in that vessel to frighten you? She
carried too much sail, and she has gone down."
"She never goes down," replied one of the seamen.
"No! no!" exclaimed many voices; "but we shall, if we do not run
back."
"Pooh! nonsense! Mynheer Vanderdecken, what say you?"
"I have already stated my opinion," replied Philip, who was anxious,
if possible, to see the ship once more in port, "that the best thing
we can do, is to bear up for Table Bay."
"And, captain," continued the old seaman who had just spoken, "we are
all determined that it shall be so, whether you like it or not; so
up with the helm, my hearty, and Mynheer Vanderdecken will trim the
sails."
"Why! what is this?" cried Captain Barentz. "A mutiny on board of the
_Vrow Katerina_? Impossible! The _Vrow Katerina_ the best ship, the
fastest in the whole fleet!"
"The dullest old rotten tub," cried one of the seamen.
"What!" cried the captain, "what do I hear? Mynheer Vanderdecken,
confine that lying rascal for mutiny."
"Pooh! nonsense! he's mad," replied the old seaman. "Never mind him;
come, Mynheer Vanderdecken, we will obey you; but the helm must be up
immediately."
The captain stormed, but Philip, by acknowledging the superiority
of his vessel, at the same time that he blamed the seamen for their
panic, pointed out to him the necessity of compliance, and Mynheer
Barentz at last consented. The helm was put up, the sails trimmed,
and the _Vrow Katerina_ rolled heavily before the gale. Towards the
evening the weather moderated, and the sky cleared up; both sea and
wind subsided fast; the leaking decreased, and Philip was in hopes
that in a day or two they would arrive safely in the Bay.
As they steered their course, so did the wind gradually decrease,
until, at last, it fell calm; nothing remained of the tempest but a
long heavy swell which set to the westward, and before which the _Vrow
Katerina_ was gradually drifting. This was a respite to the worn-out
seamen, and also to the troops and passengers, who had been cooped
below or drenched on the main-deck.
The upper deck was crowded; mothers basked in the warm sun with their
children in their arms; the rigging was filled with the wet clothes,
which were hung up to dry on every part of the shrouds; and the seamen
were busily employed in repairing the injuries of the gale. By their
reckoning, they were not more than fifty miles from Table Bay, and
each moment they expected to see the land to the southward of it. All
was again mirth, and everyone on board, except Philip, considered that
danger was no more to be apprehended.
The second mate, whose name was Krantz, was an active, good seaman,
and a great favourite with Philip, who knew that he could trust to
him, and it was on the afternoon of this day that he and Philip were
walking together on the deck.
"What think you, Vanderdecken, of the strange vessel we saw?"
"I have seen her before, Krantz; and--"
"And what?"
"Whatever vessel I have been in when I have seen her, that vessel has
never returned into port--others tell the same tale."
"Is she, then, the ghost of a vessel?"
"I am told so; and there are various stories afloat concerning her:
but of this, I assure you--that I am fully persuaded than some
accident will happen before we reach port, although everything, at
this moment, appears so calm, and our port is so near at hand."
"You are superstitious," replied Krantz; "and yet I must say that, to
me, the appearance was not like a reality. No vessel could carry such
sail in the gale; but yet, there are madmen afloat who will sometimes
attempt the most absurd things. If it was a vessel, she must have gone
down, for when it cleared up she was not to be seen. I am not very
credulous, and nothing but the occurrence of the consequences
which you anticipate will make me believe that there was anything
supernatural in the affair."
"Well! I shall not be sorry if the event proves me wrong," replied
Philip; "but I have my forebodings--we are not in port yet."
"No! but we are but a trifling distance from it, and there is every
prospect of a continuance of fine weather."
"There is no saying from what quarter the danger may come," replied
Philip; "we have other things to fear than the violence of the gale."
"True," replied Krantz; "but, nevertheless, don't let us croak.
Notwithstanding all you say, I prophesy that in two days, at the
farthest, we are safely anchored in Table Bay."
The conversation here dropped, and Philip was glad to be left alone. A
melancholy had seized him--a depression of spirits even greater than
he had ever felt before. He leant over the gangway and watched the
heaving of the sea.
"Merciful Heaven!" ejaculated he, "be pleased to spare this vessel;
let not the wail of women, the shrieks of the poor children, now
embarked, be heard; the numerous body of men, trusting to her
planks,--let them not be sacrificed for my father's crimes." And
Philip mused. "The ways of Heaven are indeed mysterious," thought
he.--"Why should others suffer because my father has sinned? And yet,
is it not so everywhere? How many thousands fall on the field of
battle in a war occasioned by the ambition of a king, or the influence
of a woman! How many millions have been destroyed for holding a
different creed of faith! _He_ works in His own way, leaving us to
wonder and to doubt."
The sun had set before Philip had quitted the gangway and gone down
below. Commending himself and those embarked with him to the care of
Providence, he at last fell asleep; but, before the bell was struck
eight times to announce midnight, he was awakened by a rude shove of
the shoulder, and perceived Krantz, who had the first watch, standing
by him.
"By the Heaven above us! Vanderdecken, you have prophesied right!
Up--quick! _The ship's on fire_!"
"On fire!" exclaimed Vanderdecken, jumping out of his berth--"where?"
"The main-hold."
"I will up immediately, Krantz. In the meantime, keep the hatches on
and rig the pumps."
In less than a minute Philip was on deck, where he found Captain
Barentz, who had also been informed of the case by the second
mate.--In a few words all was explained by Krantz: there was a strong
smell of fire proceeding from the main-hold; and, on removing one of
the hatches, which he had done without calling for any assistance,
from a knowledge of the panic it would create, he found that the hold
was full of smoke; he had put it on again immediately, and had only
made it known to Philip and the captain.
"Thanks for your presence of mind," replied Philip; "we have now time
to reflect quietly on what is to be done. If the troops and the poor
women and children knew their danger, their alarm would have much
impeded us: but how could she have taken fire in the main-hold?"
"I never heard of the _Vrow Katerina_ taking fire before," observed
the captain; "I think it is impossible. It must be some mistake--she
is--"
"I now recollect that we have, in our cargo, several cases of vitriol
in bottles," interrupted Philip. "In the gale, they must have been
disturbed and broken. I kept them above all, in case of accident: this
rolling, gunwale under, for so long a time must have occasioned one of
them to fetch way."
"That's it, depend upon it," observed Krantz.
"I did object to receive them, stating that they ought to go out in
some vessel which was not so encumbered with troops, so that they
might remain on the main-deck; but they replied, that the invoices
were made out and could not be altered. But now to act. My idea is to
keep the hatches on, so as to smother it if possible."
"Yes," replied Krantz; and, at the same time, cut a hole in the deck
just large enough to admit the hose, and pump as much water as we can
down into the hold."
"You are right, Krantz; send for the carpenter, and set him to work. I
will turn the hands up and speak to the men. I smell the fire now very
strong; there is no time to lose.--If we can only keep the troops and
the women quiet we may do something."
The hands were turned up, and soon made their appearance on deck,
wondering why they were summoned. The men had not perceived the state
of the vessel, for, the hatches having been kept on, the little smoke
that issued ascended the hatchway and did not fill the lower deck.
"My lads," said Philip, "I am sorry to say that we have reason to
suspect that there is some danger of fire in the main-hold."
"I smell it!" cried one of the seamen.
"So do I," cried several others, with every show of alarm, and moving
away as if to go below.
"Silence, and remain where you are, my men. Listen to what I say: if
you frighten the troops and passengers we shall do nothing; we must
trust to ourselves; there is no time to be lost.--Mr Krantz and the
carpenter are doing all that can be done at present; and now, my men,
do me the favour to sit down on the deck, every one of you, while I
tell you what we must do."
This order of Philip's was obeyed, and the effect was excellent: it
gave the men time to compose themselves after the first shock; for,
perhaps, of all shocks to the human frame, there is none which creates
a greater panic than the first intimation of fire on board of a
vessel--a situation, indeed, pitiable, when it is considered that you
have to choose between the two elements seeking your destruction.
Philip did not speak for a minute or two. He then pointed out to the
men the danger of their situation, what were the measures which he
and Krantz had decided upon taking, and how necessary it was that all
should be cool and collected. He also reminded them that they had but
little powder in the magazine, which was far from the site of the
fire, and could easily be removed and thrown overboard; and that, if
the fire could not be extinguished, they had a quantity of spars on
deck to form a raft, which, with the boats, would receive all on
board, and that they were but a short distance from land.
Philip's address had the most beneficial effects; the men rose up when
he ordered them; one portion went down to the magazine, and handed up
the powder, which was passed along and thrown overboard; another went
to the pumps; and Krantz, coming up, reported the hole to have been
cut in the planking of the deck above the main-hold: the hoses were
fixed, and a quantity of water soon poured down, but it was impossible
that the danger could be kept secret. The troops were sleeping on
the deck, and the very employment of the seamen pointed out what had
occurred, even if the smoke, which now increased very much, and filled
the lower deck, had not betrayed it. In a few minutes the alarm of
_Fire_! was heard throughout the vessel, and men, women, and children
were seen, some hurrying on their clothes, some running frightened
about the decks, some shrieking, some praying, and the confusion and
terror were hardly to be described.
The judicious conduct of Philip was then made evident: had the sailors
been awakened by the appalling cry, they would have been equally
incapable of acting, as were the troops and passengers. All
subordination would have ceased: some would have seized the boats,
and left the majority to perish: others would have hastened to the
spirit-room, and, by their drunkenness, added to the confusion and
horror of the scene: nothing would have been effected, and almost all
would, in all probability, have perished miserably. But this had been
prevented by the presence of mind shown by Philip and the second mate,
for the captain was a cypher:--not wanting in courage certainly, but
without conduct or a knowledge of his profession. The seamen continued
steady to their duty, pushing the soldiers out of the way as they
performed their allotted tasks: and Philip perceiving this, went
down below, leaving Krantz in charge; and by reasoning with the most
collected, by degrees he brought the majority of the troops to a state
of comparative coolness.
The powder had been thrown overboard, and another hole having been cut
in the deck on the other side, the other pump was rigged, and double
the quantity of water poured into the hold; but it was evident to
Philip that the combustion increased. The smoke and steam now burst
through the interstices of the hatchways and the holes cut in the
deck, with a violence that proved the extent of the fire which raged
below, and Philip thought it advisable to remove all the women and
children to the poop and quarter-deck of the ship, desiring the
husbands of the women to stay with them. It was a melancholy sight,
and the tears stood in Philip's eyes as he looked upon the group of
females--some weeping and straining their children to their bosoms;
some more quiet and more collected than the men: the elder children
mute or crying because their mothers cried, and the younger ones,
unconscious of danger, playing with the first object which attracted
their attention, or smiling at their parents. The officers commanding
the troops were two ensigns newly entered, and very young men,
ignorant of their duty and without any authority--for men in cases
of extreme danger will not obey those who are more ignorant than
themselves--and, at Philip's request, they remained with and
superintended the women and children.
So soon as Philip had given his orders that the women and children
should be properly clothed (which many of them were not), he went
again forward to superintend the labour of the seamen, who already
began to show symptoms of fatigue, from the excess of their exertions;
but many of the soldiers now offered to work at the pumps, and their
services were willingly accepted. Their efforts were in vain. In about
half an hour more the hatches were blown up with a loud noise, and a
column of intense and searching flame darted up perpendicularly from
the hold, high as the lower mast-head. Then was heard the loud shriek
of the women, who pressed their children in agony to their breasts,
as the seamen and soldiers who had been working the pumps, in their
precipitate retreat from the scorching flames, rushed aft, and fell
among the huddled crowd.
"Be steady, my lads--steady, my good fellows," exclaimed Philip;
"there is no danger yet. Recollect, we have our boats and raft, and
although we cannot subdue the fire, and save the vessel, still we
may, if you are cool and collected, not only save ourselves, but
everyone--even the poor infants, who now appeal to you as men to
exert yourselves in their behalf. Come, come, my lads, let us do our
duty--we have the means of escape in our power if we lose no time.
Carpenter, get your axes, and cut away the boom-lashings. Now, my men,
let us get our boats out, and make a raft for these poor women and
children; we are not ten miles from the land. Krantz, see to the boats
with the starboard watch; larboard watch with me, to launch over the
booms. Gunners, take any of the cordage you can, ready for lashing.
Come, my lads, there is no want of light--we can work without
lanterns."
The men obeyed, as Philip, to encourage them, had almost jocularly
remarked (for a joke is often well-timed, when apparently on the
threshold of eternity), there was no want of light. The column of fire
now ascended above the main-top--licking with its forky tongue the
top-mast rigging--and embracing the mainmast in its folds: and the
loud roar with which it ascended proved the violence and rapidity of
the combustion below, and how little time there was to be lost. The
lower and main decks were now so filled with smoke that no one could
remain there: some few poor fellows, sick in their cots, had long been
smothered, for they had been forgotten. The swell had much subsided,
and there was not a breath of wind: the smoke which rose from the
hatchways ascended straight up in the air, which, as the vessel had
lost all steerage way, was fortunate. The boats were soon in the
water, and trusty men placed in them: the spars were launched over,
arranged by the men in the boats, and lashed together. All the
gratings were then collected and firmly fixed upon the spars for the
people to sit upon; and Philip's heart was glad at the prospect which
he now had of saving the numbers which were embarked.