THE EMPRESS SAILS FOR THE FIJI ISLANDS--PICKS UP TWO PAPUANS--CALLS OFF
THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA--THE WRECK SEEN--TWO BOATS GO ON SHORE--WHAT
HAVE BECOME OF THE CREW?--LIEUTENANT NORMAN ASCENDS A HILL--TOM DESMOND
AND THEIR PARTY PUSH ON--THE LIEUTENANT ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES--
RETREATS--TOM AND DESMOND MISSING--AFTER A SEVERE FIGHT, REGAINS THE
BOATS--CAPTAIN ROGERS LANDS, TO RECOVER HIS BROTHER AND HIS COMPANIONS--
UNSUCCESSFUL MARCH--NATIVE VILLAGE BURNT--BOATS SENT IN AGAIN--GALE
COMES ON, AND THE SHIP STANDS OFF THE LAND--RETURNS--NO TRACES OF THE
MIDSHIPMEN--CONTINUES HER VOYAGE--LONG STAY AT FIJI--EMPRESS AND ORION
SAIL FOR SYDNEY--A WRECK SEEN.
The Japanese difficulty having been satisfactorily settled, the ships of
the squadron separated to proceed to their various destinations. The
_Empress_, while lying in Victoria Harbour, received orders to proceed
to the Fiji Islands, with directions to touch on her way at the northern
coast of New Guinea in search of the crew of a merchant vessel said to
have been lost thereabouts. Captain Rogers was afterwards to visit
Sydney and other Australian ports before returning home.
All hands were well pleased at the thoughts of the number of places they
were to visit, and the curious people they were to see.
The _Empress_ was once more at sea. Passing by the north of the
Philippine Islands into the Pacific, she steered to the southward until
she sighted the Pelew Islands, about eight degrees north of the equator.
As they are surrounded by a reef, she did not stand close in. Several
well-built canoes, however, came off, manned by the dark-skinned race
who inhabit the group. They brought tropical fruits and vegetables, and
appeared eager to trade. Hills covered with trees, and fruitful valleys
with streams trickling down them, could be seen. The distance to the
shore, however, was too great to allow of a landing being made, and
further intercourse being opened up with the people.
The natives, having disposed of the cargoes of their canoes, were about
to return, when another canoe came off, having on board two black men
with frizzly heads of hair, evidently not Pelew Islanders. Having come
on board, they made signs that they wished to go to some country to the
southward. The captain on this placed a chart before them, pointing to
the islands off which the ship then was. After regarding it for some
time, one of them drew his finger along the chart until it reached the
coast of New Guinea. On a picture of a group of Papuans being then
exhibited to him he seemed at once to recognise it; indeed, on looking
at his features and then at the picture, Jack was himself convinced that
his two visitors were themselves Papuans. One of the Papuans, who had
been on board a whaler for some months and could speak a little English,
confirmed this. Jack accordingly, without hesitation, undertook to
carry the men to their native land. Their names, they informed Pat
Casey, who took to them at once and managed by some means or other to
understand what they said, were Nicho and Picho, and forthwith they were
dubbed Nick and Pipes.
Nick was a curious-looking little fellow, scarcely four feet high, but
with broad shoulders, and as strong as Hercules, his face being as
hideous as could be well imagined. Pipes was taller by a foot or more,
and was intelligent and not so desperately ill-looking as his companion,
though far from a beauty. They rapidly acquired a knowledge of English,
and Pat took great pains to teach them. They were evidently accustomed
to a ship, and he discovered that they had been brought off from their
native land by a whaler, on board which they had picked up some
knowledge of the language.
Captain Rogers hoped that they would make themselves useful in
communicating with their countrymen. He would indeed gladly have had
them on board for some weeks, in order that they might express
themselves better than they now did. However, Pat understood them, and
so did Tom and Gerald, who were constantly talking to the men. The ship
continued her course under sail in order to spare the coals, but as the
wind was light she made but little way. At length, however, the coast
of New Guinea was sighted, ranges of lofty mountains appearing in the
distance, while the ground from their base was of a more level
character, and thickly covered with trees down to the water's edge. The
ship stood along the coast, sending her boats frequently on shore, but
nothing of the wreck was seen, nor could Nick or Pipes manage to
communicate with any of their countrymen, whom they described as "bad
mans," and made gestures significant of knocking on the head any
intruders. Captain Rogers began to fear that such had been the fate of
the crew of the _Fair Imogene_, the vessel of which they were in search.
The ship occasionally came to an anchor, but the two Papuans invariably
gave the same character to the inhabitants.
She was running along one afternoon before a light breeze under easy
sail, the lead going, and the fires banked ready to get up steam should
it be necessary, when the master, who was standing on the bridge, with
his glass turned towards the coast, exclaimed--
"I see a wreck close in shore, though her masts are gone; but that's a
ship's hull, or I'm a Dutchman."
Several glasses were pointed in the same direction, and all came to the
conclusion that the master was right. The ship was accordingly hove to
with her head off shore, and two boats were sent in, the second
lieutenant going in one to command the expedition, and having Billy
Blueblazes with him, Tom having charge of the other with Desmond, Pat
Casey, and Peter the black, with Nick and Pipes. The sea was perfectly
smooth, so that they were able to get alongside the wreck. A cursory
examination left no doubt that she was the vessel of which they were in
search. She was in a fearfully battered condition. Her after-cabin had
been knocked to pieces, and the whole of her cargo washed out of her;
still it was possible that her crew might have escaped to the shore, and
not have been destroyed by the natives. Pipes asserted that they were
"good mans," but Nick was evidently doubtful about the matter. On
reaching the beach the party from the boats landed without difficulty,
and two men being left in charge of each, the rest proceeded in search
of any signs of the _Fair Imogene's_ crew. Mr Norman said he thought
they might probably have built a hut on the shore with part of the
wreck, or erected a flag-staff to make signals to any passing vessel.
Not far off was a stream of fresh water, which would have enabled them
to remain on the spot.
Birds innumerable, of gay plumage, and the traces of four-footed
animals, showed that they could have been in no want of food. A search
of an hour and a half or more, however, convinced Mr Norman that if the
crew had landed there, they must have soon taken their departure, either
inland or along the coast, for not the slightest sign of them could be
found. The next thing was to discover some natives with whom to try and
open up a communication. Not far off to the right was a rocky hill
partly covered with trees. Mr Norman, taking two of his men with him,
climbed to the top, hoping from thence to be able to obtain a good view
over the country, and to ascertain if any human habitation existed in
the neighbourhood. Tom and Gerald, with their party, accompanied by the
natives, had, perhaps imprudently, pushed further inland, intending to
return to meet the lieutenant, who had neglected to give them any
directions to remain stationary until he had come down from the hill.
This was considerably higher than he had supposed, and occupied him a
much longer time than he had expected in gaining the summit. He
obtained, however, a much more extensive view than he had thought
possible. Although the shore was fringed with trees, which made it
appear as if the whole country was covered with them, there were here
and there plantations or open grassy spaces, as also numerous huts,
built apparently like those of the Malays, on piles. He had been for
some time noting these and various other objects, when he caught sight
below the hill, to the westward, of a considerable body of men, some
armed with muskets, others with bows, spears, and swords. As they were
making directly for the hill, he had but little doubt that he had been
observed; and as they might cut him and his companions off from the rest
of the party, he considered it prudent instantly to descend. Just as he
got to the bottom, he caught sight between the trees of a body of
natives advancing towards him.
"Where are Mr Rogers and his men?" he inquired.
"They went in that direction," was the answer.
"It is possible, sir, that they have got back to the boats by some other
way," said Bird. "We fancied we caught sight of them between the trees
in the distance."
Mr Norman, however, not satisfied that such was the case, was about to
lead forward his men in the direction which Tom, Desmond, and his
companions had taken, when the natives in considerable numbers spread
out in front of him, evidently intending to dispute his advance. As the
captain had given him strict orders on no account to show any hostility
to the inhabitants, he considered it his duty to halt and make signs of
friendship. This, however, produced no effect on the natives. Had
either Nick or Pipes been with him he might have opened a communication,
but they had gone on with Tom Rogers, and he had no means of making the
natives understand that he wished to be on friendly terms with them.
They soon showed their hostility by firing several shots. The
lieutenant, therefore, felt it his duty to call his men together and to
retreat in order to the boats, hoping to find that Tom and his party had
already reached them. As soon as they began to retreat the enemy
pressed on. He now gave the order to fire in return, but no sooner did
the seamen lift their muskets to their shoulders than the natives got
under cover, and although the shot must have passed close to them, no
one apparently was hurt. As others were seen coming up, Mr Norman
continued to retreat.
The enemy now grew bolder, and showers of arrows fell around the seamen,
in addition to the bullets which whistled past their ears. The moment
they halted to fire, the natives again dodged behind the trees, though
they did not altogether escape, and two or three were seen to fall. The
enemy, increasing in numbers, rushed boldly on, and only stopped when
the sailors turned round to fire at them. Mr Norman was wounded in the
arm by a bullet, and an arrow struck him in the side. Calling on his
men again to halt and fire, he succeeded in pulling it out and continued
to retire. Four of his men were shortly afterwards wounded, either by
bullets or arrows, but happily as yet none had fallen.
At length he could see the boats in the distance. He hoped that Tom
Rogers and his men would come to his assistance, but he looked in vain.
Except the two men in the boats, who must have heard the firing and were
standing up with their muskets ready for service, no one was to be seen.
His great object was now to prevent the enemy getting between him and
the water. Continuing his retreat, he ordered his men to reload and
fire as rapidly as they could, and then to push on for the boats. From
the courage and hostility of the people, he doubted very much that they
were Papuans, and was convinced that they were Malays who had taken
possession of that part of the country. One thing was certain, that
they must have had constant intercourse with white men to have obtained
so large a supply of firearms and powder.
Not seeing Tom and Desmond, nor any of the men who accompanied them, he
began to fear that they must have been cut off by another party of the
natives. He determined, however, on reaching the boats, should the
enemy advance, to shove off to a distance, and there await the possible
reappearance of the midshipmen, or, should they not return, to go off to
the ship for reinforcements, and if they had escaped with their lives,
to endeavour to rescue them.
It was a serious question, however, whether he should succeed in
reaching the boats. He called on his men to fight to the last, and to
sell their lives dearly. A hearty cheer was the reply, and the seamen
fired a well-directed volley, which knocked over several of their
enemies; but before they could reload, the natives were upon them, and a
hand-to-hand fight ensued. Animated by the voice of their officer, they
got their bayonets fixed and charged the enemy. Two poor fellows had
dropped, shot through the heart. Besides those already wounded, another
close to Mr Norman had his brains knocked out. The survivors making a
desperate effort, finally succeeded in reaching the boats.
Scarcely, however, had they got on board than the enemy regaining
courage rushed down upon them, and not without a severe struggle did
they manage to shove off, so many being wounded that it was with the
greatest difficulty they could man the oars. Scarcely had Mr Norman
taken his seat in the stern sheets than he sank down fainting. He
recovered somewhat as the boats got beyond the reach of shot from the
shore; and although he wished to put himself and the other wounded men
under the care of the surgeon, he felt a great unwillingness to pull off
without having ascertained the fate of the midshipmen.
"Did any one see them?" he asked.
"No, sir," answered Jerry Bird in a mournful tone. "Not a glimpse of
them. I have been listening in case they should fire, but I have not
heard a shot from the direction I've an idea they took."
"Give way, then, lads," said the lieutenant, putting the boat's head
round; the other following his example, they pulled back to the ship.
The sound of the firing having been heard, the captain had just ordered
three boats to be got ready, and a party of marines and blue-jackets
well armed to go in and help their shipmates, when the boats were seen
coming off. As it was supposed that all had returned in them, the order
was countermanded. On hearing from Mr Norman what had occurred, the
boats were immediately ordered off, the captain himself taking command,
the third lieutenant and the senior mate having charge of the other
boats, with two or three other midshipmen and master's assistants, who
were all eager to recover their lost messmates.
No one would believe that they had been actually cut off, and fully
expected to find them either defending themselves in some strong
position, or on the beach, having cut their way through their enemies.
The boats drew near the shore, but no natives were to be seen, nor were
the missing party. On landing, Jack ordered the marines to form, and
threw out skirmishers in front and on either side, to feel the way,
fully expecting every moment to come in sight of a large body of the
natives. Still on they went, but no one appeared. On getting to the
foot of the knoll from which Lieutenant Norman had obtained a view of
the country round, the captain and a party of men climbed up to the
summit. Not a native was to be seen. In vain Jack turned his glass in
every direction, hoping to see his brother's party. No human being was
visible, not even among the huts in the distance which Lieutenant Norman
had discovered. To be sure, there might be natives close to them, yet
concealed by the dense growth of the trees.
Jerry Bird, who had returned in the captain's boat, and was as anxious
as any one to recover the young officers, expressed his opinion that
they had gone to the southward or south-west, and Jack resolved to make
his way in that direction, in the hopes of coming upon their "trail," as
the expression is in North America. Desirous as he was of recovering
the lost ones, he did not forget his duty to his ship. He felt that he
must not run the risk of being drawn into a trap and surrounded by a
superior force of the enemy, while it was incumbent on him to return to
the boats before nightfall. The party could advance but slowly through
the thick brushwood, in many places having to hew away with their
cutlasses, every instant expecting to see the enemy start up before
them. There were traces of blood on the ground and bushes, showing
where some of the natives had fallen by the bullets fired by Mr
Norman's party, but the bodies of those killed had been carried off.
Indeed, savage as these Papuans appeared to be, they apparently
considered that "discretion is the best part of valour," and seeing a
superior force landing, had beat a retreat into their inland fastnesses.
Jack began to feel sick at heart as hour after hour went by, and several
miles of ground had been passed over, without any traces of Tom and his
companions having been discovered. The heat was intense, and the men
began to show signs of fatigue, though they endeavoured to keep up as
well as they could. Jack, finding a tolerably open space with a rivulet
of fresh water running through it, called a halt. He considered that
here there was no risk of surprise, as by placing men on the watch,
there would be time to stand on the defensive before they were attacked.
The rest, with food and fresh water, restored the men, and they were
eager once more to push forward. The "bush" in front was becoming
thicker than ever; should they once work their way well into it, they
might find it a difficult matter to get out again. He accordingly
ordered them to fire off their muskets and to give a good hearty British
cheer, so that should the missing party be anywhere in the neighbourhood
they might hear it. They waited in silence; no reply came. Jack looked
at his watch. There would be barely time to reach the boats before
dark, and should the enemy get between them and the shore, they would
have to cut their way through them.
With a heavy heart the captain at last gave the order to retire.
"What! are we going off without punishing the rascals for the opposition
they have shown us?" Jack overheard one of the officers remark. "They
will consider that they have gained the day, and will behave in the same
fashion to any who may pay them another visit."
Jack's thoughts had been so completely engaged about Tom and the other
midshipmen that the necessity of inflicting punishment on the natives
had not occurred to him. Perhaps, after all, should their friends not
have been killed, they might have been carried prisoners to the village
he had seen from the height. He accordingly directed his march towards
it, and as the country was pretty open in that direction, the party made
good progress.
The huts were reached; they were of considerable size, raised above the
ground on piles, and were constructed chiefly of bamboos and thatched
with palm leaves. The first they entered was deserted. They went on
from house to house. Not a human being was to be found, even the old
people and children had been removed. As the only means of punishing
the people for the uninvited attack they had made on the boats' crews,
Jack ordered the whole village to be given to the flames. By igniting a
few handfuls of dried leaves which were thrown into the houses, they
quickly blazed up from one end to the other. They were left burning so
furiously that even should the inhabitants return, they could not
possibly extinguish the fire.
Even this necessary act did not induce the enemy to come from their
hiding-places, nor did they appear even in the distance as the party
marched back to the boats. It was a bitter disappointment not to have
recovered the midshipmen and their companions, while, from not having
got hold of any of the natives, it had been impossible to ascertain
their fate.
Night was approaching. Jack felt it his duty to return to the ship, but
he resolved on leaving one of the boats under Mr Hanson, the third
lieutenant, who volunteered to remain. He was to keep close in shore,
prepared to shove off at any moment, should he be attacked by a superior
force of the enemy.
Much regret was expressed when the captain returned on board, that Tom
and his companions had not been recovered. The ship remained hove to
all night, and many hoped and believed that the boat would return with
the missing ones in the morning.
When the morning came, however, no boat appeared. Jack accordingly
pulled in with two other boats, intending to relieve Lieutenant Hanson.
The latter was seen coming out to meet them. He had remained at his
post, he said, all night, and although he was not attacked, he heard the
natives shouting and occasionally firing off muskets, so that even had
the midshipmen attempted to do so, they could not have succeeded in
making their way to the beach without fighting.
Jack, unwilling to give up all hope of getting Tom back, again landed
with his whole force and marched inland, but, as on the preceding day,
the enemy retreated and hid themselves, being evidently conscious that
they were unable to cope with so strong a party. The difficult nature
of the country rendered it impossible for them to advance further than
they had done on the previous day, and Captain Rogers was again
compelled to return to the boats, without having effected anything. He
left another boat under Mr Tomkinson, the senior mate, with the same
directions he had given to the lieutenant. In addition, however, he
instructed him that should the natives approach, if possible to get hold
of one or more of them, charging him on no account to fire, unless
attacked. Once more the boats pulled back to the ship. On getting on
board, Jack, finding that the barometer was falling slightly, though the
sky looked as serene as ever, considered it prudent to get a better
offing than on the previous night, intending to stand back in the
morning to pick up Mr Tomkinson's boat. He talked over with his first
lieutenant the possibility of penetrating further into the country with
a larger number of men than he had before landed. Much would depend on
the state of the weather; should it continue calm the larger boats might
go in with guns in their bows, and securely hold the beach against any
number of the inhabitants who might appear, so that a party landing
might advance a considerable distance without fear of being attacked in
the rear.
Their plans were, however, defeated. As the night drew on the weather
began sensibly to change, and fears now began to be entertained that Mr
Tomkinson's boat would not succeed in regaining the ship. Should the
expected gale blow on the shore, it would be necessary for the ship to
gain a good offing as soon as possible. Steam was got up, and her head
was put towards the shore; she slowly made her way back, so as to be as
close in as possible, in the expectation that Mr Tomkinson would,
seeing the change in the weather, pull off to meet her. The lead was
kept going, that she might run no risk of getting into too shallow
water. Just before daylight the captain ordered a gun to be fired, and
another shortly afterwards, which Mr Tomkinson would, of course,
understand as a signal of recall. When at length the gloom of night had
cleared away, the boat was seen pulling off as fast as the crew could
lay their backs to the oars. The ship's head, in the meantime, was put
round, as it would have been dangerous for her to approach nearer. Mr
Tomkinson reported, as Mr Hanson had done, that the natives had
continued making a noise the whole night and firing, but that they had
carefully kept out of the way, so that he had been unable to catch hold
of any of them. Scarcely had the boat been hoisted up, than a heavy
squall struck the ship, and it became necessary to put on all the steam
to enable her to obtain a sufficient offing from the land. As the wind
continued to get up and the sea to increase, all hopes of communicating
with the shore for some days to come, had to be abandoned. Jack still
would not believe that his midshipmen had been killed, though it was
generally supposed on board that such had been their fate.
The surgeon, Dr McGauley, however, was inclined to hold with the
captain. "Dinna fash yourself, Captain Rogers," he observed,
"midshipmen have nine lives, like cats, and it is hard if the three
together don't manage to get clear of the savages, although, should they
be addicted to cannibalism, master Billy will run a good chance of being
eaten."
"It is said, however, that the Papuans are not cannibals, and the
fellows we encountered are certainly not the sort of savages I supposed
we should meet. My hope is that they have either made prisoners of the
midshipmen and the other men, or that our people have managed to escape
to the southward, and perhaps we may pick them up further along the
coast," observed the captain.
There was, however, no abatement of the gale; on the contrary, it had
become a perfect hurricane, and as reefs abound along the coast of New
Guinea, it was necessary for the safety of the ship to stand out to sea.
For nearly ten days the bad weather continued, and upwards of two weeks
elapsed before the _Empress_ could get back to the coast. Boats were
sent on shore as before, but the natives took good care not to appear.
The ship then slowly steamed to the southward, firing guns and making
signals, and, whenever possible, sending the boats in on two or three
occasions the natives were seen, but without an interpreter it was found
impossible to hold intercourse with them.
At length Jack was reluctantly compelled to give up all hope of
recovering his midshipmen and the men with them. He felt bound to
continue his voyage and to visit the islands at which he was directed to
call, before going to Fiji.
Several places were touched at in New Ireland, the Solomon Islands,
Santa Cruz and New Hebrides. One of the duties Captain Rogers had to
perform was to overhaul vessels suspected of unlawfully having islanders
on board for the purpose of taking them to work in Queensland or Fiji.
Several were met with, but their papers were regular and their
passengers appeared to be willingly on board; but at the same time, as
there was no one to interpret for them, the latter point remained
doubtful.
The _Empress_ continued her voyage, touching at numerous places, until
she reached the Fiji group, which has since passed into the possession
of England. Here she fell in with the _Orion_, commanded by Captain
Adair; and the two old friends, after spending some time in visiting the
various chiefs, sailed for Sydney, their ultimate destination. A visit
was paid to Noumea, the French settlement in New Caledonia, and the
ships also touched at Norfolk Island, no longer a convict establishment,
but now the habitation of the Pitcairn Islanders, and the head-quarters
of the Melanesian mission.
The ships had been at sea five days after leaving Norfolk Island, being
under sail, when the look-out from the mast-head of the _Empress_
announced that he saw what looked like a dead whale away on the
starboard bow.
"A whale does not float so high out of the water as that," remarked Mr
Hanson, who went up the rigging with his glass. "That's a vessel of
some sort, and a good large one, on her beam ends. Possibly her crew
may have escaped, and are clinging on to her."
On returning on deck he made his report, and the captain ordering the
yards to be braced up, the ship stood in the direction of the wreck.