THE YELLOW PERIL
In spite of all their efforts not much injury was done to the
stockade; but in loud tones the leader of the mutiny urged on his
followers to yet another attempt to destroy the barrier. Scores of
strong hands seized and wrenched at it, until the structure seemed on
the point of parting from its stout bolts, and a fiendish cry of
satisfaction arose. Several shots were also fired at the crew, but
no one was hurt. Mr. Sennit became alarmed, yet, although the
protection seemed about to collapse, Captain Thorne would not permit
a shot to be discharged.
'We must wait a little longer,' he said. 'I think there is some sign
of exhaustion, and they may become weary of the foolish struggle.'
'They'll have the bars about our ears directly,' the mate replied.
'You are too lenient.'
'Perhaps. I do not wish to give an order that will prove disastrous
to them,' was the calm reply.
It was not long before even his cool judgment was compelled to
acknowledge that further forbearance be taken by the foe as a sign of
weakness, or, perhaps, cowardice, and they were becoming bolder.
At last the order to fire was given.
The result proved serious, but a corresponding volley from the enemy
inflicted no injuries among the sailors, since the Chinamen had
slight knowledge of their weapons, and either could not or would not
face the European fire, and all their bullets, being discharged over
the heads of those in front, flew high among the after spars and
canvas.
The tottering stockade was almost torn down. The leader of the
mutiny yelled his delight, and forcing his way aft he called for a
final assault. His burly form rose head and shoulders above all
others. The moment he appeared, however, several rifles took steady
aim, but it was the man Walker, who had given the proof of
marksmanship when lying at the Malay island, that got in the first
shot. In an instant the instigator of all the trouble lay a lifeless
mass among the feet of his misguided followers.
A terrible cry of mingled regret, vengeance, and savage lust of blood
followed the death of the Chinaman, and the pressure on the stockade
immediately ceased. Bereft of their leader, the mutineers became
less formidable, and as darkness quickly succeeded the disappearance
of the sun, their efforts to gain the upper hand diminished. The
numbers of dead and wounded had reached serious proportions.
The 'cease fire' was called, and Captain Thorne promptly offered
assistance to those who needed it, also offering to end the fight;
yet the infuriated survivors stubbornly refused to submit, or even
allow one of their wounded to be touched by white hands.
The heavy loss of life was deeply regretted by the skipper, but he
knew that by no other means could the safety of the vessel and the
lives of his men have been secured.
The stolid, unheeding Chinamen made no attempt to leave the deck. In
the deepening gloom half their numbers seemed to have fallen, but
they still remained facing the stockade, and only awaited the
cheering voice of some new leader before making a final attempt to
reach their opponents. Such a move was, however, not immediately
undertaken. They seemed quite aware that any advance would certainly
add to the heap of bodies lying across the front of the barrier.
Those abaft the latter paced from side to side of the deck, ready to
fire on the slightest provocation, and eager to avenge the deaths of
their unfortunate comrades surprised in the forecastle. Indeed, had
it not been for the watchful anxiety of the captain, not one Chinaman
would have survived that terrible mutiny.
It was not long before a serious disagreement arose among the
remaining emigrants. Many of them, possibly alarmed by the result of
their late action, separated from their companions, and after what
appeared a long and highly-excited discussion they suddenly set to
work removing the dead and wounded, but treated all alike. Within a
few minutes scarcely a trace of what had happened in front of the
stockade remained. Then the deck was washed down, and all returned
to the bow.
Captain Thorne immediately took steps to secure the almost useless
stockade, and during that operation one hand at a time went to the
cabin for refreshment.
Now, almost from the beginning of the desperate struggle a light
breeze, unnoticed by anyone save the skipper, had set in, and Jack
Clewlin was sent to the wheel. From that position he had
breathlessly followed the progress of the mutiny, and he was pleased
to see that none of his shipmates, save Clark, received any injury.
Of course, the wounded sailor received prompt attention, and soon
recovered his usual health. Nearly two watches, eight hours, had
passed since the trouble began. All that while the 'Alert' had been
slipping along before a nice fair wind. The loss of nearly half the
crew necessitated an alteration of the course, and Captain Thorne now
determined to steer directly toward the nearest of the Sandwich
Islands, where assistance might be obtained. The ill-fated barque,
however, never reached any port.
The dead sailors in the forecastle were buried quietly that night.
Another heated argument among the mutineers presently arose, and
about half of them again came aft, and thrusting their arms between
the bars of the stockade begged for some food.
'Not a morsel till you surrender,' the skipper sternly replied.
'We no wanchee fight,' a man replied. 'Noder Chinaman him no good.
Plenty shoot. Savvee?'
'I think you might let them through the gate, sir,' Mr. Sennit said.
'They seem to have had enough of it.'
'Not so fast, man,' the captain sang out. 'This may be some dodge to
seize all hands. Let us find out what is meant.'
The applicants were suddenly assailed by the still mutinous portion
of their countrymen, and a desperate encounter ensued. Captain
Thorne would not interfere, but after a prolonged struggle the
attackers were finally defeated and driven to the 'tween deck. Then
hastening to the stockade those left on deck again asked for help,
and promised to behave well in future.
'I now believe they are sincere,' the captain said. 'Let them pass
through, Sennit.'
When grouped at the stern and supplied with biscuit and water the men
expressed their gratitude. Some of them made extraordinary signs,
apparently directed toward those down below, and the surrender proved
genuine.
The men numbered thirty-eight all told, and seemed surprised by the
kindness bestowed. They continued to direct attention to the 'tween
deck, and had the captain correctly understood what was intended,
much subsequent trouble might have been avoided. He could not be
expected to waste more time over such considerations, and no one took
any notice of the well-intentioned warnings.
Armed sentinels were placed over each of the hatchways. Then the
remaining hands set to work clearing up the forecastle, where
everything movable had been knocked about and the sea-chests
ransacked, and it even appeared that some attempt had been made to
set the place on fire.
All that while no sound of voice or footstep could be heard in the
'tween deck, and it was surmised that all the men there had gone to
sleep. The silence, when subsequently recalled, proved beyond doubt
that the mutinous Chinamen were quite differently engaged.
The forecastle having been set straight, Mr. Sennit turned his
attention to setting up another galley; and when that had been
arranged, one of the hands helped the steward to get the fire lit and
some coffee served out.
At last Jack Clewlin's long spell at the wheel ended, and in the
cabin he found Captain Thorne who commended his conduct, and ordered
a substantial supper.
For some time nothing of importance was noted, but just after four
o'clock that morning a strong smell of smoke became noticeable fore
and aft, and instantly aroused much alarm among the crew.
'They are firing the barque!' Captain Thorne exclaimed, in great
anxiety. 'Arm yourselves, all hands, and follow me!'
As he and Mr. Sennit stepped on the main 'tween-deck ladder it gave
way under the strain, and both men were precipitated into the midst
of a howling mob below.
By the use of their revolvers, however, both men succeeded in keeping
the enemy at bay, while without hesitation the crew leaped after
their leaders, and with cutlass and rifle speedily cleared a space
round the endangered officers.
By that time the smoke in the hold had become so dense that it was
impossible to follow the mutineers, but by repeated volleys the
latter became so cowed that no further annoyance came from that
quarter. The crew promptly endeavoured to discover the seat of the
fire. That it had originated somewhere in the bow there was no
doubt; yet to reach that place became almost impossible, so thick
were the volumes of smoke filling the 'tween deck, and all hands were
consequently compelled to return to the open.
The main hatch ladder, which had been cut from its fastenings by the
mutineers, was speedily reshipped in its place, and such of the
emigrants as could be found were dragged on deck, while the fore
hatch grating was removed. The head pump was rigged and its hose
attached, and then lowered into the 'tween deck.
Both mates, with large oakum respirators fastened over their mouths
and nostrils, descended into the hold, and presently reported that
the outbreak had been started in the bo's'n's locker, immediately
beneath the forecastle, which was stocked with bales of rope, oakum,
spun-yarn, old canvas, and other highly-inflammable gear.
As though such material was not considered sufficiently dangerous,
the desperate-minded Chinamen had removed all the light wood from
their own bunks, and forcing the bulkhead had thrown the pieces on
the fire.
Without delay a copious stream of water was directed on the flames.
The conflagration had now become very dangerous. The smoke was so
suffocating, that in spite of all their gallantry both officers were
compelled to retire, and when hauled on deck fell exhausted. Their
places were, however, immediately filled by others, while every
available emigrant was also pressed into the service, and by means of
buckets an endless stream of water was added to that pouring through
the hose.
To give them their due, the Chinamen, knowing full well that by their
extra labour the vessel could alone be saved, and that if anything
happened to her their chances of reaching San Francisco would be
slight, worked splendidly, and did everything in their power to carry
out the orders of the captain.
Hour after hour, without a moment's cessation; all hands struggled
desperately to subdue the flames, many men being constantly overcome
by heat and smoke; yet no sooner had they recovered the effects of
semi-suffocation and exhaustion than each again tackled the outbreak
with determination.
In spite of their heroism, however, it was no easy matter to cope
with such an outbreak. Under ordinary conditions the locker was not
readily reached, and for many hours it seemed that all the water
poured on the fire had no effect, while everyone felt that such a
serious attack on the bow of the barque would render it difficult to
resist the outward pressure of water.
Although the 'well' was constantly sounded, no great quantity of
water had as yet leaked through the sides, showing that they were
still sound.
The immense volumes of smoke rolling from the hold seemed to become
less dense; but Captain Thorne, wishing to be prepared for any
emergency, ordered Readyman, Jack Clewlin, and the steward to clear
away and provision both quarter boats.
All that morning, and throughout the rest of the day, the desperate
battle continued without cessation. Somewhere about five o'clock in
the evening unmistakable proof that the fire had been subdued sent a
thrill of joyous satisfaction fore and aft.
[Illustration: ALL THAT DAY THE DESPERATE BATTLE CONTINUED WITHOUT
CESSATION. See page 176.]
'We've succeeded, sir,' Mr. Sennit exclaimed on coming from below,
his beard scorched and face and hands blackened; 'but I'm much afraid
that the injury to the bow is almost irreparable. In fact, captain,
it seems to have been nearly burned through.'
'I am not surprised,' the old man replied; 'if we can only succeed in
getting her ashore on the nearest island, we may consider ourselves
more than fortunate. Could any repairs be done so that she might
remain afloat even for a few days?'
'Well, at present, sir,' the mate returned, 'I should not like to
touch a single rib or timber, they seem so badly burned; yet if we
can manage to lay some gear against them, so as to resist the outward
pressure, she might just succeed in getting on the coral.'
'Let go the royal and top-gallant halyards fore and aft,' the skipper
ordered. 'Lay aloft there, men, and stow the canvas. That will at
least lessen the strain.'
When that work was completed the men tackled the pumps, and soon
discovered that the barque was beginning to leak badly, since the
fierce heat of the fire had melted all the pitch in the bow seams,
and probably also destroyed most of the oakum caulking.
The available Chinamen were immediately divided into two watches, and
in regular relief took their share of work at the pumps, and the crew
were allowed some hours of repose after their late arduous labour.
So, under her topsails, fore and maincourses, spanker and head
canvas, the 'Alert' stood away for the nearest island, which was only
one hundred and fifty miles off. Most fortunately the breeze held
fairly strong and steady, but without her upper canvas or even
studding-sails to help the rate of sailing was slow, and never
exceeded four knots an hour.
Captain Thorne was very anxious throughout those trying times, yet as
soon as the hands had had some sleep and good meals, they promptly
set to work getting the long-boat over the side. Although at first
she leaked even worse than the barque, a few hours in the water
closed the seams, and she subsequently proved of considerable use.
The quarter-boats were also ready for lowering at a moment's notice,
and as the pumps still managed to keep down the flow of the sea into
the hold everyone believed that the badly-damaged barque would
continue to remain afloat.
With the disappearance of the smoke from the 'tween deck some of the
hands were sent there, to discover what had become of the Chinamen
who made such a dastardly attempt to kill the captain and Mr. Sennit,
and in a heap right aft all of them were found suffocated.
Fifteen of them thus suffered death for participation in the mutiny,
and from what their countrymen stated there could be no doubt that
they were the murderers of the whites in the forecastle, and the
chief instigators of the whole lamentable affair.
During that first night under reduced sail the 'Alert' leaked so
badly that even a constant working of the pumps could not abate the
rise of water in the well, and much anxiety was consequently aroused.
'I think it is owing to the stronger breeze,' the old man sang out.
'Haul up and stow the mainsail.'
That was speedily accomplished, and, sure enough, the inflow
immediately decreased.
'At daylight we must endeavour to strengthen the bow either inside or
out,' the captain added. 'Otherwise I don't see how we can reach any
island.'
Throughout that night matters remained somewhat hopeful, and as the
vessel sailed very slowly the water below was kept under control.
An inspection of the damaged bow next morning disclosed such serious
defects that Captain Thorne could not conceal his anxiety.
'It is worse than I had supposed,' he exclaimed. 'The entire bow
seems almost gone. Clewlin!' he added, 'run on deck and tell Mr.
Statten to haul down and stow the whole of the head canvas. We must
use the utmost caution.'
In several places the planking had been three parts eaten away, some
of the ribs were burned right through, the forecastle deck overhead
was gone, and but for the outer copper sheathing it was certain that
the 'Alert' could not have remained two hours above water.
'I would abandon her now,' the skipper said, 'had it not been my
desire to save all the stores. The island we are shaping for is, I
believe, uninhabited, and how long we may be compelled to remain
there before assistance arrives depends on luck! There are the
Chinamen to feed, and so we must endeavour to put her on the coral.'
'A thrummed sail secured outside the bow might stop the leak, sir,'
Mr. Sennit observed.
'Yes, that may be tried,' the old man replied; 'but the bow is so
seriously injured that I'm afraid nothing can be of much use.'