TOM AND DESMOND DISCOVER A WRECK--HORRIBLE SCENE--FIND TOOLS AND STORES
ON BOARD--RETURN WITH THEIR TREASURES TO THE CAMP--VISIT THE WRECK IN
THEIR BOAT, AND BRING BACK STORES--THE BOAT FITTED FOR SEA--LAST NIGHT
ON SHORE--SETTING SAIL--STEER FOR JAPAN--WIND CHANGES--STAND TO THE
SOUTH--A LONG CALM--FOLLOWED BY A SHARK--A BREEZE, BUT AGAINST THEM--
RUNNING SHORT OF PROVISIONS--REDUCED TO YAMS AND OIL--BOAT RUN DOWN BY A
WHALER--DESMOND AND TIM MISSING--TOM AND JERRY FIND THEM.
Tom and Gerald trudged manfully forward on their survey of the island.
The path was very uneven. They kept as near to the coast as they could,
and frequently they could only make their way, on account of the
ruggedness of the rocks, by turning inland. They had to clamber over
fallen trunks or to cut a path with their axe through thick creepers.
At other times they had to climb wild rocks and rugged hills, then to
descend again, either into some valley running up from the shore or to
the shore itself. Their object being, however, to examine the
productions of the island, they generally kept away from the beach.
They had made good eight or ten miles, when, ascending a rocky height,
they obtained a view of the sea and a line of coast for some distance.
Suddenly Tom stopped and put his hand on his companion's arm.
"Tell me, Desmond, what do you think is that dark object out there? It
is curiously shaped, like--or, is it--"
"A vessel, to be sure," exclaimed Desmond, whose eyes had been turned
towards the spot. "How could she have come there without our seeing
her?"
"She may possibly have been there for some time," said Tom. "Certainly
she must have been wrecked during a gale before we landed here, and she
appears to be thrown high up on the rocks."
As they got up to the vessel, they saw that she had been driven on shore
between two ledges, where she had remained fixed. It had probably been
high tide when she was wrecked, as the water had completely left her.
After much difficulty, by scrambling along over the rocks, the
midshipmen got alongside, then hauled themselves on board by some ropes
which were hanging over the bows. The vessel was a fore-top-sail
schooner. Her masts were still standing, and her canvas was hoisted,
though torn to tatters, now fluttering in the breeze. A horrible odour
came up from the main hold as they went aft, and on looking down what
was their horror to see three bodies, one apparently a white seaman,
from his dress, the other two evidently blacks, from the few rags still
hanging to their remains. The two midshipmen anxious to accomplish the
survey of the vessel, hastened aft. About the companion hatch and on
the bulwarks, the wood had been chipped off, as if by bullets, and there
were other signs that a severe struggle had taken place at some time or
other on board. They descended the companion ladder; at the foot were
stains of blood, traces of which were discovered on the steps. They
expected, from the odour which pervaded the whole vessel, to find some
festering body in the cabin, but no human being, either dead or alive,
was there. They discovered, however, what had evidently been the
captain's log-book, by which it was shown that the vessel was the _Ark_,
of Brisbane, Queensland, and that she had been engaged in carrying
labourers from various islands to serve as apprentices for three years
in that colony. How she had come thus far north it was impossible to
say. The last entry in the log showed that she was in the latitude of
the Caroline group; so that if she had been deserted there, she must
have drifted several hundred miles. Tom and Desmond concluded that the
blacks must have risen on the white crew, and that the latter, after
defending themselves desperately, must have been overcome, while the
former had probably swum on shore. One thing was certain, that a
terrible tragedy had been enacted on board. The dead bodies below could
tell no tales; probably they had fallen in the struggle and been left
there by their companions. Perhaps the blacks, after murdering the
crew, had steered to the northward, fancying that their own islands lay
in that direction.
"We may suppose anything we like," said Tom; "but we shall not get
nearer the truth. However, we will take care of the log, and see if
anything more can be got out of it. We will see now if the vessel
contains anything likely to be useful, and if there is, we must send and
fetch it without delay, as another gale might knock her to pieces."
Before they could further continue their search they had to come up and
take fresh air; and they then again descended into the little cabin. No
sooner had they commenced their search than they found a set of
carpenter's tools, some parcels of nails, and several other articles
which they required for repairing their boat.
"These are indeed treasures," said Tom, as he examined them. "Now, if
we can only find a cask of tar, we shall be fortunate."
"That most likely is forward, or in the hold," said Desmond.
"Ugh! I don't like having to go into the hold," said Tom; "but we must
go down, if we do not find what we want forward."
Nearly all the articles they wanted most were in the after cabin: a
quadrant, a chart, canvas and rope, sail-maker's needles, twine--indeed,
almost everything they could possibly require. They at once placed,
ready for packing up, the things which were of the most value to them,
such as some of the tools, the quadrant, and chart, a spy-glass, and
other articles. They then, as they were unwilling to remain longer on
board than was necessary, made their way forward. Almost one of the
first objects which their eyes encountered as they examined the fore
hold was a cask of tar, which had been got up apparently for use; there
were also oil, turpentine, white lead, and brushes.
"I only wish we had time and skill, and we might, instead of repairing
our own boat, have built another better fitted for our intended voyage.
Perhaps we could get the vessel off?" suggested Desmond.
"You would not say that if you saw her at high tide, when the water must
flow in and out of her, for her bottom is like a sieve," answered Tom.
"We must not think of launching her, or of building another boat; but we
may improve our craft, so as to make her thoroughly seaworthy."
As the tackles were at hand, they at once hoisted the tar-barrel on
deck; but by this time it was impossible to remain longer on board, and
therefore, doing up the more valuable articles in two parcels, Tom
having first descended, Desmond lowered them over the side to him.
Altogether their packages weighed a good deal; but, delighted with their
acquisition, they trudged along right merrily, hoping to get back before
night.
"We shall astonish them," exclaimed Desmond, "when they see us and the
things we have brought."
They had no little difficulty in getting back, and had frequently to
stop and rest; but eager to join their comrades, they persevered, and at
length, as night closed on them, they caught sight of the welcome fire
under the cliff. Pat had just concocted their potful of turtle soup,
and had some yams roasting in the embers. He and the rest could
scarcely believe their eyes when they saw the treasures Tom and Desmond
had brought. The men were all eager to set off the next day. Tom,
however, determined to go in the boat, as there was a landing-place not
far off, and the weather promised to be fine. Next morning they
accordingly launched their boat, carrying several cocoa-nut shells with
which to bale her out, not forgetting to take also a supply of
provisions.
The wind was off the land, the water smooth; and setting the sail, they
skimmed merrily along outside the reefs, keeping a bright look out for
any which might be just below the surface.
The only disagreeable part of the expedition was the necessity of
keeping two bands constantly baling. This showed how utterly impossible
it would have been to have attempted the proposed voyage before the boat
had been repaired. They found a sandy beach about a quarter of a mile
from the wreck. Here they hauled the boat up, and all hands at once
eagerly hastened on board. Pat suggested that the first thing to be
done was to bury the bodies, so that they might search the hold without
inconvenience; and he and Tim agreed to perform the disagreeable task.
Having found an old sail, they placed the remains in it. Among the
articles on board were a couple of spades, so that having dragged the
bodies to a piece of soft ground inside the rocks, they quickly dug a
grave, in which the white man and the blacks were placed together.
"They'll not fight there," said Tim, "whatever they may have done while
they had life in them."
The hold was then washed down, after which some cases of gun-powder
having been found, Tom devoted a portion to fumigating the hold. They
were now able to search the vessel thoroughly. Almost everything they
could possibly require was discovered in her. Still Tim was seen
searching about, as eagerly as at first. At length he gave a shout.
"Hurrah!" he cried out, "here is the treasure, my boys;" and he produced
a box of tobacco, in which was still a considerable portion of its
original contents. "It will serve us for many a day to come."
Some pipes were also found, and Tom at once gave the men leave to take a
smoke, for which they were truly grateful after the unpleasant duty they
had performed. The midshipmen in the mean time were engaged in
selecting the articles which they considered would be of the most use,
so that should any accident happen to the wreck before they could
return, they might at all events have secured the most necessary things.
In Tom's eyes the cask of tar was the most valuable. The voyage had
apparently been a long one, as nearly all the provisions had been
exhausted. A small barrel of biscuit, with a few pieces of beef at the
bottom of a cask, were almost the only provisions remaining on board.
There was, however, some tea, coffee, and sugar, and they did not forget
to carry off some cooking utensils, as well as a few cups, plates, a
tea-pot, some knives and forks, as also several articles of clothing,
which would enable them to enjoy the luxury of a change of linen.
Tom at first thought of shifting their head-quarters to the little bay
where their boat was drawn up; but on consideration, as it was in an
exposed situation, he and Desmond agreed to return to their original
camp. They found a sufficient amount of planking to raise the boat's
gunwales, and to put a small deck forward and some lockers aft.
Altogether they were highly satisfied with the treasures they had
obtained, and having laden their boat, they once more put off. The wind
again favouring them, they had a pleasant sail back to the bay. It was
night by the time they landed their stores and had conveyed the articles
of food to their encampment.
Tom and Desmond were in much better spirits than they had been before.
They had now, as they could make their boat seaworthy, great hopes of
performing their intended voyage. They had a good store of provisions,
with a compass, chart, quadrant, and almanac, so that they could direct
their course in any direction which was considered advisable. They were
still in some doubt whether they should go on to the Ladrones or steer
for Japan. In the latter case they would be likely to fall in with an
English man-of-war, but the voyage must be difficult, and they finally
decided to be guided by the winds and the state of the weather.
Japan was certainly nearer, but they might make a port at which no
Englishmen were settled, and it was very uncertain how they might be
treated by the natives. They hoped, too, that the _Dragon_ might have
escaped and managed to reach the Ladrones, where, as she would without
doubt remain some time, they might be able to rejoin her.
None of the party, unfortunately, had much practical knowledge of
carpentering. Pat, from having lived so long among the savages, was the
most skilful and accustomed to turn his hand to all sorts of work. They
trusted, however, for success to the right exercise of their wits. They
had to make a couple more trips to the wreck, to bring away various
articles which they thought might be of use. They then, without further
loss of time, commenced operations.
The first task was to fix on a false keel, about half a foot in depth,
to enable the boat to sail closer to the wind than she would otherwise
have been able to do. It took some time, as they were greatly afraid of
injuring the original keel. Fortunately, they had found some long
screws, which much assisted them.
"I have a bright idea," said Tom, as they were about to begin. "We'll
nail on a length in the first place two inches deep, which we can firmly
secure with iron hoops to the side of the keel, and into that we can run
our screws, so that there will be no risk of splitting the keel."
This plan was carried out.
"To my mind, no carpenter could have done it better," exclaimed Jerry,
as he surveyed the work.
The fore-part of the boat was next decked over, a piece of canvas being
nailed down on the top of it, and well painted, thus rendering it
perfectly water-tight. On the same principle they formed some large
lockers aft, and another amidships, in which their heavier previsions
could be stored.
These being made water-tight, would materially assist in keeping the
boat afloat should a heavy sea break on board of her. The gunwale was
then raised a foot all round, and a bulwark placed athwartships, abaft
the forecastle deck, from which, extending some feet further aft, a
sliding hatch was fitted, so that in reality their boat was half decked
over. They lastly gave her a thick coat of tar outside, and two coats
of paint all over inside. She was rigged with a mainsail, a mizen, and
a foresail, to which they added a sliding bowsprit, so that a jib could
be set in light winds, with a flying gaff topsail. Having plenty of
canvas and spars, they also fitted a square sail; some sand-bags served
for ballast, although the stores they intended to take would reader them
at first unnecessary. Tom had, however, half a dozen spare ones made,
which could be filled from the beach of any island at which they might
touch, as their stores became exhausted. Altogether the craft was made
thoroughly seaworthy. They had been working hard all day, the last
touch was given, and after a critical examination she was pronounced
complete.
"Now, lads, we will launch her," cried Tom.
By means of the rollers placed under her keel, this was done without
much difficulty, and all hands jumped on board. Ballast was then placed
in her, and she was found not to make a drop of water.
"For my part," exclaimed Tom, anxious to encourage the rest, "I should
be ready to sail right across the Pacific in her."
"And so should I," cried Billy and Desmond in chorus.
"Pardon me for saying it, sir; there are two things we cannot carry
enough of to do that--water and fresh provisions," said Jerry Bird, the
oldest seaman of the party. "If we did not meet with a hurricane or too
heavy a gale for the boat, we might of course get across. Such voyages
have been performed before now, but no man would willingly undertake one
if it could be avoided."
These observations of Jerry set Tom thinking. "We must calculate the
quantity of water we can carry, and go on an allowance from the first,"
he said to Desmond. "We must do the same also with regard to our yams
and all our other provisions, or, after all the pains we have taken, we
might run short, which would not be pleasant."
"I should think not," remarked Billy. "I don't mind how long we remain
in the boat, but I should not like to be on short commons."
The weather promising to be fine, the boat was anchored close in shore,
being also secured by an additional warp fastened to a stake driven into
the ground. Their intention was to carry their provisions and stores on
board the next morning and immediately sail. With the writing materials
he had found on board the schooner, Tom wrote a short account of their
adventures, and their intentions as to their _future_ proceedings, and
corked the paper up in a bottle. This they lashed carefully to a stake
close to the flag-staff, which they felt sure would be visited should
any vessel come off the island.
"At all events, our friends will some day or other learn what has become
of us if we are lost," said Desmond.
"Oh, pray don't talk about that," cried Billy; "I can't bear to think
about, anything so dreadful."
It was some time before Tom, who felt the responsibility of the
undertaking resting on his shoulders, could go to sleep. He thought
over what had to be done, and how he should act under the various
circumstances which might occur.
Just as the first streaks of dawn appeared in the sky, he awoke. He
immediately got up and went out to look at the state of the weather. As
far as he could judge, from the sheltered position of the hut, it was as
fine as it had been for some days past. "Thank Heaven, we shall
commence our voyage under favourable auspices, at all events," he said
to himself. Then he shouted--
"Rouse up there, rouse up!" His companions were quickly on foot. Billy
wanted to have breakfast immediately. Tom would not hear of it.
"No, no, we must get the cargo on board, and then we will take our last
breakfast on the beach," he answered.
The party now loaded themselves with the various articles which were to
be taken from the hut. The heavier stores had been housed close to the
beach. Tom took a look round to see that nothing was left behind. They
then all set off to the boat, which floated in the calm water of the
bay. Some time was occupied in loading her and stowing the stores
judiciously away, so that those first required might be uppermost.
Their live stock were the last articles carried on board, consisting of
a couple of turtle, which they hoped would live and serve them for fresh
provisions. The survivors of those in the pen they allowed to scramble
back into the water, a proceeding at which Billy sighed deeply.
"Can't we tow them after us," he said, "or haul them on board as we
might want them, or during calms make them tow us?"
"Bosh!" was the only answer Tom made to Billy's remark. It was with
considerable anxiety that Tom watched the depth to which the stores, as
they were placed on board, gradually brought down the boat. They had
still more water in cocoa-nuts and pigskins to bring on board. He, soon
saw that should they meet with bad weather they might have to heave
overboard a considerable portion; still, as long as the sea remained
smooth, she was not considered much overloaded.
Pat having lighted a fire on the beach, the party sat down to take their
last breakfast on the shore. It was a hearty one, it may be supposed,
as after this they could not venture to have more than one hot meal in
the day. They had found a small cooking apparatus on board the wreck,
which could be heated either by an oil-lamp or by wood chips.
"All hands on board," cried Tom at length. He stood the last on the
beach. Having a gain cast an eye around to see that nothing was left
behind, he once more gave a look at the boat. "She is indeed deep in
the water--almost too deep," he said to himself. "She will, however, I
trust, weather any gale we are likely to meet with. We must, at all
events, run the risk, and trust to providence to take care of us."
Having cast off the warp, Tom waded out to the boat and got on board.
Before giving the order to weigh anchor, he saw that everything was
properly stowed, and that the chart, quadrant, and compass were in the
locker ready for use. The wind in the bay was very light, but by the
colour of the water outside, it could be seen that a breeze was blowing,
though from what quarter it was difficult to determine.
"Now, lads, we will get up the anchor and pull away into the offing,
though one cheer before we go for our island home."
A cheerful hurrah burst from the lips of the party, the anchor was
lifted and stowed, and the oars being got out, they pulled merrily down
the harbour. The entrance to the passage was as smooth as the rest of
the bay. Having at length got well into the offing, Tom and Desmond had
to decide in which direction to steer. The chart showed them Guam, the
principal of the Ladrone Islands, much further off than Yokohama, on the
coast of Japan, towards which they proposed steering. The wind, too,
was from the north-east, and should it continue from the same point,
they might reach some place in the latter islands, much sooner than they
could hope to arrive at Guam. Still, as they had taken it into their
heads that the _Dragon_ would touch at Guam, they were far more inclined
to go there than to Japan. When Tom, however, considered the risk of
running short of water and of fresh provisions, he decided that they
ought to attempt to reach Japan. Desmond agreed with him, and he
accordingly at once put the boat's head to the north-west. The wind was
so light that both the jib and gaff-topsail were set, and the boat
which, at a distance, would have looked like a little cutter, stood well
up to her canvas.
"She will do it, sir," said Jerry Bird. "She is going better than four
knots an hour now, and if there comes a stiff breeze, we shall get six
out of her."
Tom was not quite so sanguine as to that; indeed, when he came to heave
a log which he had fitted, he found that she was making really only
three and a half knots, though that, considering the lightness of the
wind, was very good. The little island on which they had spent so many
days drew gradually astern. They could see others away to the
northward. They concluded that they were also uninhabited, or, if there
were any people on them, that they were not likely to afford them any
assistance. At last the island itself faded from sight, and as the sun
went down they floated in the midst of a watery circle. Tom, with
Desmond and Jerry Bird, had taken the helm one after another, for Billy
had had no experience, and neither of the other men could be trusted to
steer by the compass. As it got dark Tom wisely took in the
gaff-topsail and jib, while he kept a hand always ready to lower the
mainsail, should a sudden squall strike the boat. There appeared to be
little chance, however, of that, for scarcely had the sun gone down than
the wind fell to a perfect calm, and the boat lay motionless on the
water.
"Don't you think it would be well to take to the oars?" asked Desmond.
"If we were certain of making good our passage in this direction. I
should say so, but before exerting our strength we must see from which
quarter the wind will next blow. It may be in our teeth, and all our
labour will have been in vain."
Tom divided the crew into two watches: he, Billy, and Pat taking one;
Desmond, with Jerry Bird and Tim, being in the other. Tom took the
first watch, as he had an idea that the weather would change before
midnight.
"You need not sit up, Billy," he said. "If you are wanted I'll call
you. Tim will tend the main halyards and keep a look-out forward."
Billy, who was always ready for a _caulk_, lay down in the stern sheets.
Tim kept himself awake by alternately singing snatches of Irish songs
and whistling. Tom himself had some difficulty in keeping awake. He
had lighted the binnacle lamp, by which he saw that the boat's head was
turned now to one, now to another point of the compass. Several times
he got up to look about; though no sailing vessel could near them, a
steamer might, and often and often he fancied he heard the sound of one
in the distance. Hour after hour passed by; he looked at his watch,
which had fortunately kept good time. At midnight he roused up Desmond,
charging him to keep a good look out for any sudden squall. "Which way
it may come it is impossible to say, but I think very likely from the
point for which we are steering," he observed.
Bird was of the same opinion. "We'll not be caught napping, sir," he
said, as Tom lay down, thankful for the prospect of getting some rest.
Desmond managed to keep awake, and amused himself by listening to Pat
Casey's yarns, which were so extraordinary that Desmond fancied he must
be drawing upon his imagination, though he did not think fit to say so.
The middle watch passed away much as the first had done. Now and then a
whale or some vast fish was heard blowing or splashing in the water, but
nothing could be seen, the sound travelling over the smooth surface to a
great distance.
"We will let the first watch have their sleep out," said Desmond. "It
is a pity to rouse them up until daylight, though you, Pat, can lie
down."
"Shure, it's only my tongue that's been kept hard at work, and that will
get along very well without any rest, so with your leave I'll sit up and
keep Jerry company," answered the Irishman.
Scarcely an hour after this, Desmond, who fancied he was awake, was
sitting near the tiller, with his hand placed mechanically on it, when
he felt it suddenly move. There was a rushing sound, the boat heeled
slowly over. Tom, who even in his sleep felt the movement, jumped up,
and finding the boat heeling over, "Let go the main-sheet," he shouted
to Pat, who, being in the land of dreams, had neglected to lower away on
the main halyards. Once aroused, he quickly obeyed the order, and the
boat happily righted. Fortunately, the stores being well stowed,
nothing shifted, or it might have gone hard with them. Tom's first act
was to look at the compass. The wind, as he had expected, was from the
north-west. Desmond was keeping the boat close on the starboard tack,
heading away to the southward of west.
"I was afraid so," exclaimed Tom. "However, we will try what we can do.
Perhaps it will shift again to its old quarter; but if it holds as it
now does, we shall have a dead beat to Yokohama, and it may be many a
long day before we get there. We will give it a fair trial, however, in
case the wind should change."
Daylight soon came. Tom gazed anxiously around.
"We will heave to and go to breakfast. Should the wind continue as it
is for a couple of hours, we will then bear up at once and run for Guam.
It is a sign to us that that must be our destination."
Having boiled their kettle, they took their first breakfast on board the
boat.
"Follow my example, and make a good one," said Billy. "If it comes on
to blow, and we should have to heave any of our cargo overboard, it is
as well to save as much as possible."
The men, at all events, were inclined to follow the midshipman's advice;
and after breakfast Tom got out his chart and pricked off their course
and present position.
"With this wind we shall soon sight the Bonins, so that we shall not
have lost much time. We shall, I hope, make Bailey Islands before dark;
after that our course must be south by east, which will carry us clear
of several rocks and reefs to the westward, and I hope that if we have a
good breeze we may sight one of the more northern of the Ladrones in the
course of a week or ten days, and Guam is about three hundred miles
further south."
Desmond fully agreed to Tom's proposal, and the time they had fixed on
having arrived, and the wind blowing as strongly and steadily as ever,
the helm was put up, and the boat was steered on the proposed course.
Although the Bonins were seen, night came on before they sighted Bailey
Islands; and Tom, afraid of running on them in the dark, steered more to
the eastward than he otherwise would have done.
Before the first watch was set he addressed his companions, urging them
one and all to keep a vigilant look out ahead, both day and night. "We
have not the advantage, recollect, of a large vessel, when a rock or
reef may be seen from the mast-head," he observed. "Should there be any
sea running, the first intimation we may have of our danger may be by
finding ourselves on the top of a coral rock. We must be always ready,
at a moment's notice, to alter our course, and get out the oars should
the wind fail us. By that means we may escape the dangers we must
expect to meet with. Remember, the chart we have got is an old one and
may be inaccurate, so that it would be unwise to trust completely to
it."
"Very important remarks, and I hope the men in my watch will remember
them, as I shall myself," said Desmond.
Though the wind was fair, they ran on all night, under the main-sail,
foresail, and mizzen, in case they should suddenly have to haul up to
avoid any danger upon which they might be running. "As soon as we have
daylight we will set the square sail, and make up for lost time," said
Tom. The wind held fair, but towards morning it began to fall, and by
daybreak it was again perfectly calm.
"Suppose the wind springs up next time from the southward, are we to run
north?" asked Billy.
"Wait until that time comes," answered Tom. "We have now laid a course
for Guam, and Guam I hope we shall reach some day or other."
As the sun rose the heat became very great, increased by the glare from
the ocean, which shone like a sheet of burnished gold. Having a second
suit of sails, Tom had the mainsail rigged as an awning, which, as the
sun got higher, served to shelter their heads, and to prevent the risk
of a sunstroke. The awning, however, could only be kept up as long as
it remained calm, when it was of course most required. Although some
progress might have been made by rowing, Tom was unwilling to fatigue
his crew, thinking it better to husband their strength for any emergency
which might occur. At the usual hour Tom piped to breakfast, which was
made to last as long as possible. Tom's great difficulty was to find
occupation for all hands. Unfortunately they had no books except the
nautical almanac, which was not interesting reading. Yarn spinning is
very well in the evening when men have done their work, but few can go
on all day either as listeners or narrators. Even singing songs becomes
somewhat monotonous, especially when the list is small and the singers
have already trolled them forth over and over again. Their chief
amusement was watching the coveys of flying-fish which rose every now
and then from the ocean, and darted through the air, their bright scales
glittering in the sun. Occasionally a whale spouted forth a jet of
vapour and spray with a loud noise like that emitted by the safety valve
of a steam engine; while albicores, bonitos; and dolphins, with various
other fish, could be seen here and there, sporting and tumbling, as they
came to the surface, sending a circle of wavelets extending far and wide
around. Sea birds also flew through the blue ether, their wings
appearing of snowy whiteness as they caught the rays of the sun in their
rapid flight.
Jerry Bird proposed getting out the oars. "Maybe, sir, if we pull on
for a few hours we may fall in with some craft becalmed; and though we
may wish to continue the voyage in our boat, we may have a talk with her
people, hear the news, and maybe get a glass of grog."
"Or slice of plum pudding, or pot of jam," put in Billy.
As there appeared to be no signs of a breeze springing up, Tom agreed to
Jerry's proposal, and the oars were got out, Billy taking one of them,
at which Gerald promised to take a spell when he got tired. Heavily
laden, however, as the boat was, they could scarcely send her ahead at
the rate of two knots an hour; but even that was something; and
supposing they could row for fifteen hours, night and day, thirty miles
might be made good during the four and twenty.
Jerry, to keep up the spirits of his companions, led off with a song,
when Tim and Pat followed him; and thus they continued until Tom piped
to dinner. They indeed seemed much happier than when doing nothing. As
soon as dinner was over they again took to the oars, and pulled on
steadily until dark; but no land was seen, nor was a sail in sight.
Indeed, so limited was their horizon, that they were likely to pass low
islands without observing them. The night was as calm as the day; but,
as the men required sleep, Tom kept only two oars going. When the sun
rose the next morning it shone on the same polished surface as on the
previous day.
"Not an air in the heavens," said Jerry, in answer to Tom's inquiries,
as he rose from his sleeping-place in the stern sheets; "and, to my
mind, there won't be."
"We must have patience," said Tom, preparing to take a morning bath by
jumping overboard.
"Be careful, sir, and look out for sharks," observed Jerry. "I would
not, if I were you, go far from the boat."
"I will follow your advice. Keep the oars splashing, and that will
frighten them off, if any are near," said Tom.
Plunging in, the midshipmen swam round and round the boat several times.
Billy jumped overboard, but being of opinion that he was likely to
prove a tempting morsel to Jack Shark, very quickly begged Jerry to help
him on board again. The midshipmen having dressed themselves, the men
imitated their example. They were splashing about round the beat, when
Pat shouted out--
"Bear a hand; get on board, mates. I caught sight of the fin of a big
fellow not twenty fathoms off; he'll be after trying the taste of our
legs, if we don't look sharp."
The midshipmen stood ready to help in the men, for they also had seen
the ominous black fin. Jerry, who had an especial dread of sharks,
quickly threw himself over the gunwale, with the assistance of Tom,
while Desmond and Billy helped up Tim. Pat, who was farthest out,
caught hold of the bobstay and was hoisting himself on board by the
jibboom, when a cry of dismay escaped him.
"He nearly had me, the baste; for I felt his jaws touch my foot."
That this was not imagination was proved by the blood running from Pat's
heel, where the lips, though fortunately not the teeth of the monster,
had struck him. A second later, and Pat's foot would have been off to a
certainty. The shark was directly afterwards seen swimming alongside
the boat and casting a malicious leer at those on board.
"It will be a lesson to us in future not to swim away from the side,"
observed Tom.
"It will be a lesson for me not to go overboard at all," said Billy.
"_I've_ no fancy to become food for a shark."
Another night passed. Tom found at noon the next day that, instead of
thirty, they had not made good twenty miles. The fact was that at times
they were not rowing at all; at others only two oars were going, when
not more than one mile an hour was made, and even when four were rowing,
they had to exert themselves to move the boat at the rate of two knots
an hour. Still progress was being made. They should in time reach the
most northern of the Ladrones, where they might venture on shore without
fear of being killed and eaten, as would certainly be their lot on any
of the islands further to the south-west. Rowing all day under a
burning sun is not conducive to health, and though none of the party
were actually ill, they began to long for a breeze, which would send
them more rapidly on their course; while their spirits, which had
hitherto been kept up, also flagged considerably. Each day, too, they
made less progress than on the former one, a sign that their strength
was somewhat failing. They had hitherto had an ample supply of food.
The salt junk found on board the wreck had been kept to be used only in
case of necessity. Of their turtle, one had been killed, and they had
feasted on it for a couple of days, until the remainder grew bad, and
they were compelled to throw it overboard. One morning Pat, who had
taken charge of the animals, announced that the other was dead, having
died during the night, and that unless it was quickly eaten it would be
lost. This proved to be the case, especially to Billy's regret, who saw
the tempting morsels swallowed by the shark, which had, since its first
appearance, followed the boat. The still more alarming announcement was
that several of their hams, which they had fancied so well cured, were
also getting bad. Some were consigned to the maw of the voracious
shark, though others, which were only slightly tainted, were kept until
the continued heat rendered them uneatable. Pat could not make it out,
but it was discovered on examination that neither the smoke nor salt had
penetrated to any depth, and that they would have done better to have
cut the meat in thin strips and attempted thus to preserve it.
"Well, we shall have fish enough and roots, before we attack the junk;
we must husband the biscuit and other things," observed Tom.
He accordingly put all hands on an allowance. It was with no small
anxiety that he examined the cured fish, which he was grieved to find
emitted far from a pleasant odour; still, as it was at present eatable,
he continued to serve it out.
"It is not often I have known a calm last so long as this," exclaimed
Jerry, when a whole week had passed, and not a breath of air had filled
their sails. "We would have been better off on shore had we known what
was coming."
"We should not grumble," observed Tom. "We have got upwards of a
hundred miles to the southward; when a breeze does come we shall have so
much less distance to make."
"But the food and the water, sir?" exclaimed Jerry.
"We must touch at the nearest island we sight and obtain a fresh
supply," was the answer.
Day after day the shark had followed the boat, and while his hideous
snout was seen, or that triangular fin of his, it would have been
useless to put over a fishing-line, as it would certainly have been
carried off. When, however, the fresh provisions ran short, Gerald and
Tom determined to try and get rid of their fearful foe. The three men
and Billy, who, though fat and short, pulled a very good oar, were
rowing as men do who have been at the task many hours, in a sort of
mechanical fashion, when Tom exclaimed--
"Load the muskets, Desmond, and if we cannot kill that brute astern, and
get a few slices out of his carcase, we will, at all events, drive him
away."
The muskets had been kept clean and ready for use. They were soon
loaded, when the midshipmen, bringing the weapons to their shoulders,
took, as they thought, a steady aim and fired. The shark instantly sank
out of sight. Whether they had hit him or not, they could not tell, but
it was possible that the bullets, being deflected by the water, had
glanced clear of his head. They at once reloaded, expecting that he
would return; but though they looked down into the clear water astern
and on either side, the monster was nowhere to be seen.
"He won't trouble us again," said Desmond. "I feel pretty sure my
bullet went into him."
"And I think mine did," said Tom; "but neither could have killed him, or
he would have floated up."
"Then the sooner we get out the lines and try and catch some fish for
supper the better," exclaimed Billy.
Taking off the heavy leads, two of the lines were baited with pieces of
rancid pork and allowed to tow astern. The lines had been out for some
time, but not a bite had been obtained.
"Perhaps the lines are not deep enough, or the bait is not as good as it
should be," observed Desmond, beginning to haul in upon his line. He
had got it in a third of the length, when he felt it torn from his
grasp, and he caught sight of a monster running off with it. The next
instant, as Desmond had the line round the thwart, it snapped short off.
Away went hook and line. Directly after, Tom's line, hanging over the
other quarter, without any warning was snapped off.
"It's that brute of a shark come back again," cried Tom. "Get the
muskets, Desmond, and if we can entice him near, we will settle him this
time."
"He's too knowing for that, sir," observed Jerry. "You may fire away
every shot you've got--he'd see them coming, and be out of the way
before they reach him."
Tom, not believing this, determined to try once more. He got out
another piece of pork, and fastened it to the end of one of the broken
lines.
"The hooks will puzzle his inside," said Desmond, "when he begins to
feel them. He'll think twice before he has another bite."
The muskets were loaded, and the midshipmen standing up, kept their eyes
closely watching the bait, which floated on the surface, two or three
fathoms astern.
"There he comes," cried Desmond. And as the shark, turning on his back,
exposed the white of his belly, they both fired. The brute disappeared,
and so did the bait, sinking like a rocket until lost to sight.
"We have finished him this time, at all events," cried Desmond. "He'll
not take any more of our hooks."
"Yes, but we have lost the slices out of his back," cried Billy; "and,
unless we can now catch some fish, we shall be on short commons for
supper."
Hoping that they should not be again troubled by the shark, fresh lines
were got out. No fish, however, took the bait; either none came near,
or it was not suited to their tastes. Supper consequently consisted
only of biscuits and tea; but the warm tea was a great comfort after the
heat of the day. The watch kept the lines down all night, but still
without success. Two more days went by with little variation. Now and
then their hopes were raised seeing a ripple far away on the surface;
but, if caused by wind, it died away before it reached them. They were
now on a short allowance of water; that in the skins had either
evaporated or leaked out, the store in the cocoa-nuts had soon been
exhausted, and they had only the boat's breaker, on which they had
already commenced. A few biscuits and a portion of the salt beef, which
was at the best scarcely eatable, and possessed but slightly nutritive
qualities, alone remained. Still they had enough to keep them alive for
three or four days, perhaps for longer; but before that time, should a
breeze spring up, they might at all events reach Faralon de Pajaros, the
most northern of the Ladrones. There were other small islands marked
down to the westward, one of which they might sight; and, if so, Tom
determined to land, and try to obtain water and any food they might be
able to find. They would most likely be able to get shellfish from the
rocks, which would be an improvement on the junk. It was night.
Desmond had the watch, and Tom was lying down fast asleep. He was
aroused by hearing Desmond sing out, "A breeze! a breeze! All hands
make sail!" Tom in a moment was on his feet. He looked around him and
up at the stars.
"From which quarter does it come?" he asked.
The binnacle lamp had not been lighted. A light was soon struck. Tom
examined the compass. "It is dead against us," he exclaimed, with
almost a groan.
"It is coming on very strong too, sir," observed Jerry. "It would be
better not to set the mainsail, until we see what happens."
As Jerry had feared, the wind became stronger, and they presently had as
much as the boat could stagger under, with only her mizzen and foresail
set. The sea, however, was not as heavy as might have been expected.
Tom kept the boat's head close to it, and she rode easily over the
fast-rising billows. The hatch, which had hitherto been of no use, was
shipped, and kept out the seas which occasionally broke on board. The
boat was much lighter than when she had started; indeed, as Jerry
observed, "she would have been the better for a few more sand-bags in
her bottom." Tom was delighted at her behaviour.
"She rides beautifully over the seas," he exclaimed. "I should have
been sorry not to have given her a trial. The wind will very likely
change before long, and we shall have a quick run to Faralon. I wish
that I knew more about it, but if we can get water and cocoa-nuts and
shellfish there, we must not complain. We can afterwards make our way
without difficulty to Guam, having plenty of islands to stop at in our
course."
Tom said this to keep up his own spirits and those of his companions.
They had not as yet begun to suffer from hunger, but he well knew that
they should in a few days unless they could reach land. They had none
of them calculated on the contingency which had occurred. The gale
continued all day. At night the sea went down, and the wind fell
considerably, but still blew from the southward. The boat was put
about, as Tom and Desmond agreed that they must try and beat up to
Faralon, which they might hope to sight in two or three days at the
utmost. By daylight the wind had fallen sufficiently to enable them to
set all sail, but they agreed that it would have been better to have had
a dead calm, so that they might have pulled the boat in the direction
they wished to go. At present, however, there was too much wind to
enable them to do that.
Tom, who had hitherto bravely kept up his spirits, began to feel far
from happy, although he did his best not to allow his companions to
discover this. He could not help reflecting that in three or four days
their water and provisions must come almost to an end. They had not
enough now, even to keep up their strength, and it might still take two
or three weeks before they could reach an island inhabited by civilised
people. He, however, did his best not to communicate his feelings to
his companions.
"I wish we had gone to Japan," exclaimed Billy Blueblazes. "We should
have been there long ago, and I don't like these short commons--that I
don't."
"I acted for the best," answered Tom. He could not say another word: he
felt more for his companions than himself.
The two Irishmen were looking very woe-begone. All Pat's fun had left
him; he had just strength enough to tend the jib sheets. Tim was
stationed at the foresail, while Jerry stood by the main halyards.
Tom and Desmond, who had never played tricks with their constitutions,
which were remarkably good ones, suffered much less than the rest, but
even they felt themselves growing weaker and weaker. They had each day
taken an observation. According to the chart they were nearly up to
Faralon, but no land appeared in sight. Each day Tom had lessened the
allowance of food and water; he now took stock of what remained. Half a
dozen yams had been discovered, and these, beaten up with some oil, were
all they had to sustain life. It was nauseous at best, but they ate it
greedily. Another night came on; the sea was tolerably smooth, the sky
was overcast, and a thick mist arose, although it still blew very fresh.
The boat was kept under easy sail, close-hauled. Tom had the first
watch with Billy and Pat. It was unusually dark, so that it was with
difficulty that he could see the length of the boat. Before night came
on Tom had again examined the chart.
"I am convinced that by noon--perhaps earlier--to-morrow at latest, we
shall see land," he said.
"I agree with you," exclaimed Desmond. "On the strength of it, I
propose that we have a glass of grog apiece."
"You'll not be afther laughin' at us, shure, Mr Desmond?" said Tim.
"If we could but have a dhrop of the creature, it would cheer our hearts
mightily."
"Indeed, I am not," said Desmond, producing the bottle from one of the
after lockers. It was but a quarter full of rum, but even the small
portion mixed with water which Desmond served out was sufficient to
restore energy, to the almost exhausted party. The remainder he
carefully put by for the next day. After this the watch below lay down
and went to sleep.
Tom sat at the helm. Every now and then he told Pat to keep a bright
look out.
"Arrah, sir, it will be a hard matter to do that, since I cannot see
half a fathom before my nose."
"There cannot be much use in looking out," said Billy. "If we were near
the land we should have seen it before dark; and as we have not fallen
in with a single vessel since we left the Bonins, we are not likely to
meet with one to-night."
"That's not sound reasoning, Billy," answered Tom. "We must, until the
fog lifts, make more use of our ears than our eyes. We may hear
breakers ahead in time to avoid them if we listen attentively."
They were silent for some time. Tom's chief object in speaking was to
keep his companions awake.
"Billy," he said, after some time, "did you hear anything?"
"Yes; I fancied I heard a bell strike."
"More than once?"
"Yes; four times."
"So did I," said Tom; and he took out his watch, intending to look at it
by the light of the binnacle lamp, when at that instant the lamp went
out. The oil had been exhausted, and there was no more in the can.
Pat, he had reason to fear, had taken a pull at it unperceived.
He struck a match, and saw it was just ten o'clock. There could be no
doubt, then, that the bell they heard was that on board a ship; still it
was so faint that she was probably a long way off.
Tom could now only steer by the wind, which, however, he believed was
holding steady. He had settled with Desmond to go about at four bells,
and to keep on the starboard tack until midnight, then again to go
about. He had just ordered Pat to let fly the jib sheet, and had put
down the helm, when, as the boat was in stays, Pat sang out--
"A sail right ahead!" What was Tom's horror at that instant to see a
vast pyramid of sail towering above him. The next moment a crash was
heard; the stranger's stem struck the boat's bow. At the sound Desmond
and Jerry sprang to their feet. Instinctively they knew that they had
been run down, and simultaneously they uttered shouts of "Help, help!"
Ropes were hove to them by the look-out men on the stranger's
forecastle. Tom put one into the hands of Billy, who was too much
alarmed to know what to do, while he himself grasped another. Pat had
caught hold of the dolphin striker, and was making his way up to the
bowsprit. Jerry grasped another rope, and all three swarmed up until
they met friendly hands to assist them. Tom supposed that Desmond and
Tim were following, but, as he looked back, what was his dismay to see
the boat drifting away. The crash he had heard convinced him that her
side must have been stove in, and that she must sink almost immediately.
"There are two men clinging to the craft you ran down, sir. In mercy's
sake, lower a boat and pick them up," he shouted out.
"Aye, aye," was the answer.
And he thankfully heard the order given to shorten sail and bring the
ship to the wind. Rushing aft, he found a party of men preparing to
lower a boat. He begged to go in her. Before she was in the water
Jerry joined him, and, together with three other hands, they shoved off.
He then saw that she was a whaleboat. One of the men, an officer he
concluded, took the steering oar.
"Desmond! Tim!" he shouted out.
No answer came. The boat must have gone down, but they could both swim
well.
"Do you know the bearings?" he asked of the mate.
"Aye, aye! I guess I do," was the answer. "We will give them another
hail presently."
The boat pulled on. Then Tom, standing up again, halloed, the rest of
the party joining him. An answer came from right ahead. Tom recognised
Desmond's voice. With renewed zeal they pulled on and looked around.
Tom could distinguish the boat through the gloom, just above the water.
"Bear a hand," shouted Desmond again, and they were up to the boat.
She had gone almost over, her side being only above water. Desmond was
clinging to it.
"Here, take him off first," he said; and the crew of the whaleboat
lifted Tim on board. Desmond sprang after him. Scarcely had they got
clear of the wreck of the boat than she went down.
"Thank Heaven, you are safe," exclaimed Tom, as he rung Desmond's hand,
as if they had been long parted. "Did you not hear our first hail?"
"No; I suppose it was when I was dragging poor Tim up. He got a blow on
the head, I think, and was very nearly slipping off. As the boat broke
clear of the ship I was on the point of hauling myself up, but I could
not bear to desert him."
"Just like you," said Tom. "I hope he will recover."
"No fear of that. We Irishmen have good hard heads. If there is a
doctor on board he will soon bring him round."
"Have you a doctor on board?" asked Tom of the mate.
"I guess we have; a smart man he is, too," answered the mate. "Are
there any more of you to pick up?"
"No, thank you," replied Tom; "all the officers and ship's company of
our craft have been rescued."
"What craft was she?" asked the mate.
"The jolly-boat of her Majesty's ship _Dragon_," answered Tom.
"And how did you happen to be out here?" Tom explained that they had
lost their ship, and that they were steering for Guam, where they
expected to find her.
"I guess you'll not do that, for we put in there a week ago, and there
was no British man-of-war there at that time."
This was unsatisfactory news. The mate had not time to ask many more
questions before the boat was alongside. Tom and Desmond, on reaching
the deck, found the master, who informed him that he was Captain Paul
Sibley--that the ship by which the boat had been run down was the whaler
_Columbia_, of Boston. "I am very sorry for the accident," he added,
"but I do not see that any one was to blame. It could not be helped.
We could not see you, and you could not see us, and of course the
weakest went to the wall, or rather to the bottom. However, now you are
on board, you are welcome to remain until we can put you on board your
ship, or set you on shore wherever you wish to land. I guess it won't
be on any of the Solomon Islands of New Hebrides, where they have an
ugly fancy for eating their visitors."
"Thank you," answered Tom. "If our ship is not at Guam, where we expect
to find her, we must consider at what other place it would be best to
land, so that as soon as possible we may get on board a ship of war."
"Well, well, there, is no hurry," answered the captain. "And just now,
the best thing you can do is to get off your wet clothes and turn in. I
will have some shakedowns made up for you young gentlemen in my state
cabin, while your three men can go forward, and the doctor will look
after the one with the broken head."
Tom, Gerald, and Billy thanked the good-natured captain for his kind
offer, but hinted that, as they had had nothing but mashed yams and oil
for the last two days, they should be thankful for something to eat.
"Not very pleasant fare. It's an ill wind that blows nobody good; so,
though I ran you down, you are better off than you would have been
starving on such food as that, I guess. Here, Peter, light the galley
fire, and get some food as quick as possible. Hot tea in the mean time;
and look after the men forward--they want food as much as their
officers."
The black steward, who had been asleep, came out rubbing his eyes, and
hurried to obey the orders he had received; while the captain ushered
his guests into the cabin, and soon produced three blankets.
"There, strip off your wet duds, and wrap yourselves in these," he said,
"while I make up your beds."
The three midshipmen, weary and hungry as they were, indulged in a
laugh, as they sat with the blankets over them, like three Indian squaws
looking at each other, while the kind captain completed the arrangements
he had promised.
The steward quickly returned with a pot of hot tea, and the captain
produced a box of American crackers, which soon took off the edge of
their appetites.
"There, lie down now, until Peter is able to bring you mere substantial
fare," said the captain.
They followed his advice, Billy carrying a handful of crackers with him,
munching which he soon fell fast asleep. They were roused up, it seemed
to them, a moment afterwards by the steward, who announced that supper
was on the table; when they again, not _unwillingly_, wrapped in their
blankets, sat down to discuss some basins of hot soup and slices of cold
beef, which, as Billy observed, "was a great improvement on the raw salt
junk, which had so long been their only substantial fare."
At length the captain, observing that all three were nodding over the
table, advised them to return to their beds; and scarcely had they put
their heads on their pillows, than they were fast asleep.