WE have said already that Lady Helena was a brave, generous woman, and
what she had just done proved it in-disputably. Her husband had good
reason to be proud of such a wife, one who could understand and enter
into all his views. The idea of going to Captain Grant’s rescue had
occurred to him in London when his request was refused, and he would
have anticipated Lady Helena, only he could not bear the thought
of parting from her. But now that she herself proposed to go, all
hesitation was at an end. The servants of the Castle had hailed
the project with loud acclamations--for it was to save their
brothers--Scotchmen, like themselves--and Lord Glenarvan cordially
joined his cheers with theirs, for the Lady of Luss.
The departure once resolved upon, there was not an hour to be lost. A
telegram was dispatched to John Mangles the very same day, conveying
Lord Glenarvan’s orders to take the DUNCAN immediately to Glasgow, and
to make preparations for a voyage to the Southern Seas, and possibly
round the world, for Lady Helena was right in her opinion that the yacht
might safely attempt the circumnavigation of the globe, if necessary.
The DUNCAN was a steam yacht of the finest description. She was 210
tons burden--much larger than any of the first vessels that touched the
shores of the New World, for the largest of the four ships that sailed
with Columbus was only 70 tons. She had two masts and all the sails and
rigging of an ordinary clipper, which would enable her to take advantage
of every favorable wind, though her chief reliance was on her mechanical
power. The engine, which was constructed on a new system, was a
high-pressure one, of 160-horse power, and put in motion a double screw.
This gave the yacht such swiftness that during her trial trip in the
Firth of Clyde, she made seventeen miles an hour, a higher speed than
any vessel had yet attained. No alterations were consequently needed
in the DUNCAN herself; John Mangles had only to attend to her interior
arrangements.
His first care was to enlarge the bunkers to carry as much coal as
possible, for it is difficult to get fresh supplies _en route_. He
had to do the same with the store-rooms, and managed so well that
he succeeded in laying in provisions enough for two years. There was
abundance of money at his command, and enough remained to buy a cannon,
on a pivot carriage, which he mounted on the forecastle. There was no
knowing what might happen, and it is always well to be able to send a
good round bullet flying four miles off.
John Mangles understood his business. Though he was only the captain
of a pleasure yacht, he was one of the best skippers in Glasgow. He
was thirty years of age, and his countenance expressed both courage and
goodness, if the features were somewhat coarse. He had been brought
up at the castle by the Glenarvan family, and had turned out a capital
sailor, having already given proof, in some of his long voyages, of his
skill and energy and _sang-froid_. When Lord Glenarvan offered him the
command of the DUNCAN, he accepted it with right good will, for he loved
the master of Malcolm Castle, like a brother, and had hitherto vainly
sought some opportunity of showing his devotion.
Tom Austin, the mate, was an old sailor, worthy of all confidence. The
crew, consisting of twenty-five men, including the captain and chief
officer, were all from Dumbartonshire, experienced sailors, and all
belonging to the Glenarvan estate; in fact, it was a regular clan, and
they did not forget to carry with them the traditional bagpipes.
Lord Glenarvan had in them a band of trusty fellows, skilled in their
calling, devoted to himself, full of courage, and as practiced in
handling fire-arms as in the maneuvering of a ship; a valiant little
troop, ready to follow him any where, even in the most dangerous
expeditions. When the crew heard whither they were bound, they could not
restrain their enthusiasm, and the rocks of Dumbarton rang again with
their joyous outbursts of cheers.
But while John Mangles made the stowage and provisioning of the yacht
his chief business, he did not forget to fit up the rooms of Lord and
Lady Glenarvan for a long voyage. He had also to get cabins ready for
the children of Captain Grant, as Lady Helena could not refuse Mary’s
request to accompany her.
As for young Robert, he would have smuggled himself in somewhere in the
hold of the DUNCAN rather than be left behind. He would willingly have
gone as cabin-boy, like Nelson. It was impossible to resist a little
fellow like that, and, indeed, no one tried. He would not even go as a
passenger, but must serve in some capacity, as cabin-boy, apprentice or
sailor, he did not care which, so he was put in charge of John Mangles,
to be properly trained for his vocation.
“And I hope he won’t spare me the ‘cat-o-nine-tails’ if I don’t do
properly,” said Robert.
“Rest easy on that score, my boy,” said Lord Glenarvan, gravely; he did
not add, that this mode of punishment was forbidden on board the DUNCAN,
and moreover, was quite unnecessary.
To complete the roll of passengers, we must name Major McNabbs. The
Major was about fifty years of age, with a calm face and regular
features--a man who did whatever he was told, of an excellent, indeed,
a perfect temper; modest, silent, peaceable, and amiable, agreeing with
everybody on every subject, never discussing, never disputing, never
getting angry. He wouldn’t move a step quicker, or slower, whether he
walked upstairs to bed or mounted a breach. Nothing could excite him,
nothing could disturb him, not even a cannon ball, and no doubt he will
die without ever having known even a passing feeling of irritation.
This man was endowed in an eminent degree, not only with ordinary animal
courage, that physical bravery of the battle-field, which is solely
due to muscular energy, but he had what is far nobler--moral courage,
firmness of soul. If he had any fault it was his being so intensely
Scotch from top to toe, a Caledonian of the Caledonians, an obstinate
stickler for all the ancient customs of his country. This was the reason
he would never serve in England, and he gained his rank of Major in the
42nd regiment, the Highland Black Watch, composed entirely of Scotch
noblemen.
As a cousin of Glenarvan, he lived in Malcolm Castle, and as a major he
went as a matter of course with the DUNCAN.
Such, then, was the PERSONNEL of this yacht, so unexpectedly called to
make one of the most wonderful voyages of modern times. From the hour
she reached the steamboat quay at Glasgow, she completely monopolized
the public attention. A considerable crowd visited her every day, and
the DUNCAN was the one topic of interest and conversation, to the great
vexation of the different captains in the port, among others of Captain
Burton, in command of the SCOTIA, a magnificent steamer lying close
beside her, and bound for Calcutta. Considering her size, the SCOTIA
might justly look upon the DUNCAN as a mere fly-boat, and yet this
pleasure yacht of Lord Glenarvan was quite the center of attraction, and
the excitement about her daily increased.
The DUNCAN was to sail out with the tide at three o’clock on the morning
of the 25th of August. But before starting, a touching ceremony was
witnessed by the good people of Glasgow. At eight o’clock the night
before, Lord Glenarvan and his friends, and the entire crew, from
the stokers to the captain, all who were to take part in this
self-sacrificing voyage, left the yacht and repaired to St. Mungo’s, the
ancient cathedral of the city. This venerable edifice, so marvelously
described by Walter Scott, remains intact amid the ruins made by the
Reformation; and it was there, beneath its lofty arches, in the grand
nave, in the presence of an immense crowd, and surrounded by tombs as
thickly set as in a cemetery, that they all assembled to implore the
blessing of Heaven on their expedition, and to put themselves under the
protection of Providence. The Rev. Mr. Morton conducted the service, and
when he had ended and pronounced the benediction, a young girl’s voice
broke the solemn silence that followed. It was Mary Grant who poured
out her heart to God in prayer for her benefactors, while grateful happy
tears streamed down her cheeks, and almost choked her utterance. The
vast assembly dispersed under the influence of deep emotion, and at ten
o’clock the passengers and crew returned on board the vessel.