THE RESCUE.
Our three friends--although it seems equally proper to speak of four, as
Terror was a most important member of the party--walked away from the
sea-shore and began making their way back into the country. As we have
hinted in another place, they found this section wild and desolate.
Little else than huge rocks, bowlders and stunted trees met the eye,
while there was no appearance of vegetation, nor was the slightest
vestige of a human habitation visible, let them look in whatever
direction they chose.
The air was clear, the sky decked by a few fleecy clouds over the
Pacific, and there was little doubt that the day would be a fine, warm
one. The climate of California is mild, except when the winds from the
Pacific bring chilling fogs along the coast. The view in the east was
particularly grand, the peaks of the gigantic Coast mountains and of the
smaller range rising and swelling in vast peaks, appearing as if the
Pacific when tossed and driven by some hurricane had suddenly congealed
with the foam upon the tops of its mountainous billows. Looking
northward, the last object that met the eye was these mountains
gradually blending with the brilliant sky, while to the southward the
prospect was repeated.
They wandered along, springing up the sides of rocks, jumping quite a
distance to the ground, again passing around those that were too high to
climb, Terror all the time frolicking at their sides, certainly as happy
as any of them, while they chatted and laughed, their hearts buoyant in
the beautiful summer and the pleasing retrospect of a thrilling
adventure already safely passed through and the prospect of a few others
close at hand.
In this wandering manner they at last found themselves fully a mile from
shore, and in a wild, rocky place where they felt secure from
observation. Here all removed their clothes, subjected their bodies to a
vigorous rubbing that made the surface glow with warmth and reaction,
and then spread their garments out to dry. Their extended walk before
reaching this place had partially done the latter for them, so that in
the course of an hour or so they found them free from all moisture, and
as they donned them they once more felt like themselves.
"Now," said Elwood, "I am very tired and sleepy; is not this a good
place to lie down and rest?"
"I was going to suggest the same thing," added Howard. "I do not see in
what better manner we can spend a few hours."
"And it's the same idaa that has been strhiking me ever since we sot
foot in this qua'r looking place. It's meself that is so sleapy that at
ivery wink I makes I has to lift the eyelids up with my fingers, and me
eyes feels as though the wind has been blowing sand in 'em all day."
The proposal thus being satisfactory to all, they proceeded to carry it
out at once. The day was so mild that the only precaution necessary was
to secure themselves against the rays of the sun. This was easily done,
and stretching out beneath the shelter of a projecting ledge of rocks
they had scarcely laid down when all were sound asleep.
And leaving them here for the time being, we give our attention for a
few moments to the survivors of the steamer.
Some thirty odd of the passengers succeeded in reaching the shore, while
about a dozen were saved with the crew, who, as is generally the case at
such times, acted upon the idea that it was their duty to take charge of
the boats and prevent the passengers from risking themselves in such
frail structures. After all, no doubt their lives were as valuable as
were those of the hundreds they carried, and their conduct, when viewed
in an unprejudiced manner, perhaps was not so criminal.
The destruction of so large a steamer along the California coast, in the
regular track of the vessels going to and coming from Panama, could not
occur without the knowledge of many upon the ocean. Indeed, the glare
upon the heavens was seen far up the coast, and in San Luis Obispo, to
the south, was pronounced by all to be caused by the burning of some
large vessel at sea.
It so came about that there were but two vessels near enough to go to
the relief of the unfortunate steamer; but these were controlled by
rival captains, each of whom hoped to enter the Golden Gate an hour or
so in advance of the other; and therefore they had not time to slacken
sail and lay to, but pressed forward with an expression of regret that
the necessities of the case compelled them thus to refuse all succor to
the needy ones.
But there were others at a greater distance who bore down upon the fiery
scene at once; but they were miles away when the last vestige of the
steamer disappeared, and it was only a matter of conjecture as to where
a few of the survivors might be struggling with the waves. Not until the
sun had been up over an hour did the man at the mast-head of the nearest
vessel call out that he saw several boats pulling up the coast, while a
few persons could be seen on the shore making signals to attract their
attention.
Some time after, the Relief--happily named--cast anchor a half-mile from
land and two boats put off from her side. The survivors were quickly
within them, and they were about putting off again when the mate of the
Relief said:
"Are you all here?"
"Yes, yes," was the impatient reply of Mr. Tiflings, the man who had
sold the suit of clothes to Mr. Yard, "don't wait any longer. I shall
lose $500 by not being in San Francisco to-day."
"But they are not all here," interrupted Mr. Yard, in some excitement.
"There are two boys in charge of an Irishman that are missing."
"Where are they?" asked the mate.
"They went back from the shore some time ago. I do not think they can be
at any great distance."
"Perhaps if you called to them they might hear you."
Mr. Yard sprung out upon the beach, ran to and mounted a goodly-sized
rock, and shouted at the top of his voice. He called again and again,
and listened intently, but there was no response.
All this time Mr. Tiflings sat leaning his head forward and nervously
beating a tattoo upon the side of the boat with his long, thin fingers.
Occasionally he glanced at the "foolish" Mr. Yard, and muttered:
"What nonsense! What valuable time we are losing by his childishness!
Time is too precious to fritter away in this manner!"
While the kind-hearted merchant was shouting himself hoarse, our friends
were heavily and sweetly slumbering, totally oblivious to external
things, as indeed they would have been were he within a few rods of
them, instead of over a mile away. Finally he was compelled to give up
the task and reluctantly return to the boat.
"This is too bad," said he, "to leave them in this manner. What will
become of them?"
"They will be picked up by some of the passing vessels."
"Certainly, certainly," assented Mr. Tiflings, "don't wait any longer;
it will be a week before we get into San Francisco."
"We will row away," said the mate, "and if we see anything of them
before we reach the vessel we will put back and take them aboard."
This was reasonable, and Mr. Yard could not object to it. The sailors
plied their oars, and the passengers were borne swiftly toward the
friendly Relief. Mr. Yard kept his eyes fixed upon the bleak coast which
they were so rapidly leaving behind them. He saw nothing of his friends;
but, after reaching the ship's deck, he took the spy-glass from the
captain and discovered a party of a dozen Indians wandering up and down
the beach as if in quest of plunder. Finally, sail was hoisted, the
Relief bore away to the northward, and the scene of the rescue dwindled
away and vanished in the distance.