STORM IN THE BLACK SEA--JACK AIDS VESSELS IN DISTRESS--RESCUES MURRAY--
THE TORNADO RENDERS ASSISTANCE--SHIPWRECKED CREW ON SHORE ATTACKED BY
COSSACKS--THE LATTER ARE DRIVEN OFF.
The _Tornado_, exerting her steam-powers to the utmost, was on her way
back to Balaclava. On the 13th of November the glass fell; the weather,
which had hitherto been calm and sunny, began to change, and there was
every indication of a heavy gale. The commander knew that his safest
course would be to run back to Constantinople, but his orders were to
proceed to Balaclava without loss of time. Soon after sunset a heavy
squall struck the ship, followed by fitful gusts, gradually increasing
in strength, while the hitherto calm sea was covered with foaming waves,
through which the _Tornado_ forced her way. Most of the officers were
on deck, for few felt inclined to turn in; the lieutenants stood near
the commander, ready to carry out his orders, while the midshipmen were
collected in a group on the quarter-deck.
"This seems likely to prove a pretty heavy squall," observed Tom.
"You may call it a hurricane, lad, and you won't be far out," observed
Jos Green, who overheard him. "May Heaven have mercy on the unfortunate
vessels caught by it outside the harbour! the holding-ground is none of
the best."
During the remainder of the night the _Tornado_ stood on, a bright
look-out being kept for any vessels which might, rather than trust to
their anchors, be endeavouring to haul off the land; though none but the
most powerful steamers, or very well-handled vessels, could hope to do
so successfully with the fierce gale now blowing. As morning broke, the
high cliffs of the Crimean coast could be seen ahead, while the masts of
numerous vessels were distinguishable rolling from side to side, or
tossed wildly up and down amid the sheets of spray which flew off the
troubled waters. Jack could trust to his engines, and Jos Green, who
was thoroughly acquainted with the entrance to Balaclava harbour,
undertook, if necessary, to carry in the ship, though there was a risk
of running foul of some of the numberless vessels brought up before it.
"Our orders are to go in, and the despatches we carry may be of
importance," observed Jack. The _Tornado_ accordingly stood on; as she
approached, the fearful danger to which the ships at anchor were
exposed, became more and more evident. Over many of the smaller vessels
the sea was making a clean breach, sweeping their decks fore and aft;
several of the larger ones were dragging their anchors; and three or
four vessels had already broken away from them, and were driving rapidly
towards the threatening rocks which frowned under their lee. Steamers
were endeavouring to get up their steam; but too many had been caught
unawares, and before they could get their engines to work, might be
driving helplessly towards the cliffs.
Such was the spectacle which presented itself when the _Tornado_ was
still at some distance off. As she drew near, it was seen that matters
were even worse than had been anticipated. "There are three vessels on
shore already," cried Higson, who had been looking through his glass;
"their masts are gone, but I can make out their hulls, with the sea
breaking over them and flying high up the cliffs--and there goes another
large craft, a screw from her appearance. Had she got up her steam in
time, she might have worked off the shore, but as it is, no power can
save her."
As he spoke, the vessel at which he pointed was seen, by those who had
their glasses at their eyes, to strike an outer reef; the next instant
her hull was scarcely visible from the mass of foaming breakers which
dashed furiously over her, and ere another minute had passed, she looked
as if utterly torn to pieces, her vast hull rapidly melting away, till
scarcely a single dark spot remained to show where her stout timbers had
lately been. "Can any of the poor fellows have escaped?" asked Tom.
"Not one," answered Green; "and from the size of the ship her crew must
have numbered upwards of a hundred. It is only to be hoped that her
passengers had landed; she was, I suspect, a large screw we saw pass
through the straits a few days ago with troops and stores. There must
be a fearful loss of life."
Jack was consulting with Higson as to the best means of rendering
assistance to the vessels most in peril. Several had signals of
distress flying; he was steering towards one of the nearest, over which
the sea was breaking with extreme violence; it would be impossible to
run alongside her, but ropes might be hove on board as the _Tornado_
passed within a comparatively safe distance. Jack stood on, intent on
his mission of mercy, but when his ship was scarcely three cables'
length from the hapless vessel, a heavy sea with a prodigious crest went
hissing towards her, just as a previous one of less height passing on
had lifted her stern. The mass of water rolled onwards; for an instant
her masts could be seen inclining forward, but her bows never again
rose, and the foaming waves leaped wildly over the spot where she had
been. Not a human being could be discovered to whom a rope or lifebuoy
might have been thrown; the latter, indeed, would have been useless; for
even had a struggling swimmer clung to it, he must ultimately have been
driven towards the cruel rocks on which the sea was fiercely beating.
But another sight still more fearful was to be witnessed. A Turkish
line-of-battle ship lay some way out, pitching heavily into the seas.
Suddenly her cables parted, her vast bulk availed her not, the savage
seas caught her on the broadside. An attempt might have been made to
cut away her masts, but long before the task could be accomplished, she
heeled over, till the water rushed in through her lee-ports.
"She's gone! she's gone! no power can save her," exclaimed Higson. She
never again rose on an even keel; for a few minutes her dark hull could
be seen, the waves dashing over it. It sank lower and lower; again her
masts rose suddenly, but already the foaming waters were above her
bulwarks, and ere another minute had passed, her mastheads had
disappeared beneath the surface. Many a stout heart on board the
_Tornado_ uttered a cry of grief as they saw the catastrophe. Long
before they could reach the spot, the strongest swimmers of her crew
must have perished. Not a human being could be discovered amid the
tumbling seas.
Jack was unwilling to run into port while he could hope to render
assistance to any of his fellow-creatures. Several vessels had signals
of distress flying, and others could be seen in the distance, either
driving towards the shore, or pitching so heavily into the seas that it
was evident they were in the greatest possible danger of going down.
Jack had been looking at one some way off along the coast, when his
attention was directed to another vessel to the northward. When he next
turned his head, the first had disappeared suddenly. In those few short
moments she must have gone down with all on board. They had now to
decide whether they would run into the harbour or keep the sea. Green
urged that they should not venture nearer the coast; for should anything
go wrong in the machinery, the _Tornado_ must inevitably be driven on
shore. The difficulty of entering the harbour was increased in
consequence of several vessels, some of which had brought up off it,
others having been drifted in that direction. The _Tornado's_ head was
accordingly brought round during a lull, and with topgallant-masts on
deck and yards pointed to the wind she stood off-shore.
"We came round not a minute too soon," observed Green, as he watched the
progress the ship was making; "we are going ahead scarcely half a knot
an hour."
Another vessel still lay a considerable way out on the port-bow.
"She'll not keep afloat many minutes longer," observed Higson, who had
been watching her, "unless she parts from her anchors, and then it will
only be to get out of the frying-pan into the fire."
"We might reach her, and should she appear likely to go down, we might
get the crew out of her," observed Jack.
"It will be no easy matter, but it may be done," answered Higson.
"We'll try it," cried Jack, giving directions to Green, who was standing
by the men at the helm, to edge the ship off towards the transport. As
they approached her, they saw that they were arriving not a moment too
soon. Already the seas were sweeping over her deck, and it seemed that
each plunge she made would be her last. Jack determined to steer up on
her starboard side; picked hands were stationed in the rigging, and in
every spot whence ropes could be hove on board to assist the crew in
escaping. They could scarcely hope to save all, but some by activity
might avail themselves of the assistance offered them; the chief danger
in the undertaking was that the sides of the vessels might strike each
other, or that the rigging might get foul. To guard against this as
much as possible, the lower and topsail braces were "manned" ready to
"brace round" smartly in the event of her yards fouling those of the
other vessel, and men were stationed with axes and tomahawks to cut the
ropes.
The _Tornado_ stood on till she was nearly astern of the vessel she was
about to assist. The faces of the crew could be seen, as they turned
their eyes towards the coming succour, while they clung on to the
rigging and bulwarks of their ship, ready to seize the ropes hove to
them. The danger to the _Tornado_ was very great; for should the cable
of the vessel ahead give way at that critical moment, she might be
hurled against her bows, when, in all probability, both vessels would go
down together. The _Tornado's_ progress in the teeth of the gale was
very slow, and the fear was that the vessel ahead would go down before
she could reach her. On the other hand, when once she got alongside,
more time would be allowed to the crew to leap on board. At length the
_Tornado's_ bows were up to the transport's quarter, but not till she
was completely alongside, and both vessels should rise and fall on the
same seas, could any attempt be made to rescue the crew.
"Don't heave a rope till I order you; and take care that the men are
secure before you haul in," cried Jack. More than another minute
passed; Green, who with two hands to assist him was at the helm,
skilfully brought her alongside. "Now heave," cried Jack, and twenty
ropes or more were hove with a good will on board the sinking vessel.
Most of them were eagerly seized by the almost despairing crew; some
fastened them round their waists, others, grasping them tightly,
attempted to leap on the _Tornado's_ bulwarks. Some succeeded, and were
seized by the hands of those on board; others missed their footing, and,
with shrieks of despair, letting go their hold, dropped into the
intervening space. Many still remained on board; more ropes were hove
to them; of these several were officers. Warned by the fate of those
who had failed to leap on board the _Tornado_, each of them, as he
caught a rope, secured it round his waist; some springing into the main,
others into the mizzen-rigging, thus attaining a greater height. Among
them Jack observed one who wore a naval uniform, though he had as yet
been unable to distinguish his features.
The risk the _Tornado_ was running of falling on board the vessel was
very great, and Jack was about reluctantly to give the order to sheer
off from her, when he saw the remainder of those on deck prepare to make
the desperate leap which would either terminate in their destruction or
place them in comparative safety. Just at that moment, as his eye was
fixed on the naval officer, he recognised Murray.
"I must save him, at all events," was the thought which passed through
his mind. Murray had grasped the rope, which he was fastening round his
waist; he sprang into the main rigging of the ship, and stood waiting
for a favourable opportunity to take the desperate leap. Jack pointed
him out to Higson, who, securing himself in the same manner, sprang up
on to the hammock nettings, and, stretching out his hands, stood ready
to grasp him. In another instant the two vessels must either be
separated or be hurled against each other. Murray stood calmly holding
on to the rigging by one hand, while with keen eye he watched the
movements of the _Tornado_. Now her side rolled away from him, now it
again approached, and seemed to be sinking far lower down than the level
on which he stood. It was the moment for which he had waited; letting
go his hold, he sprang with outstretched arms towards the _Tornado_.
The crew held the rope; hauling it in, Higson grasped his hand at the
same moment that his feet touched the hammock nettings of the _Tornado_,
which the next was separated several feet from the vessel he had
quitted.
Those who had hitherto hesitated to leap now sprang overboard, and were
dragged up the side of the _Tornado_ by her crew. The master and one of
his mates were thus saved, but nearly half a dozen people still remained
on board. Jack had barely time to shake Alick by the hand, but not a
moment to inquire how he happened to be on board. Jack's wish was, if
possible, to save the poor fellows still clinging to the sinking vessel.
"We may do it," said Higson; "but we've run a fearful risk already of
losing the ship."
"We will try it," cried Jack.
"She's sinking! she's sinking!" shouted several voices.
Such indeed was the case; a heavy sea came rolling up, which even the
_Tornado_ with difficulty breasted, while it ran clear over the other
vessel lying at anchor. For some moments it seemed doubtful whether she
would rise, but another sea came hissing on into which her bows plunged,
not again to appear. Those on deck must have been washed far away, for
no human power could have withstood the furious sea which assailed them.
Ere another minute had passed, the masts of the ill-fated vessel had
disappeared beneath the foaming ocean.
The _Tornado's_ best chance of safety was now to stand out to sea, and
to battle bravely with the storm while it should last; still, while
there was a possibility of rendering assistance to others in distress,
Jack was unwilling to go to a distance. Some way off was another vessel
with signals of distress flying; he ordered Green to keep away for her,
intending to try and get the people off if there was a risk of her
foundering, as he had done from the first vessel. The sound of a gun
came from her, as if to show her urgent necessity for help; another and
another followed.
"We are doing our best," muttered Higson; "though it's little good, I
fear, we can do you."
The sound of the last gun had just reached their ears when the vessel
from which it came was seen to be moving; her cable had parted. Away
she drove before the fierce gale; her crew were seen attempting to range
another cable. The sea caught her starboard bow, and she drove bodily
onwards towards the rocky shore on which the fierce breakers were raging
savagely. To attempt getting nearer would have been worse than useless,
for Jack saw that should he try to do so, he might involve his ship in
her fate.
Though many others had signals of distress flying, Jack knew well that
he could render them no effectual assistance, and therefore once more
put the _Tornado's_ head off-shore. He now for the first time had
leisure to inquire from Murray how he happened to be on board the vessel
which had gone down. Murray briefly told him that he had been sent by
the admiral, who had steamed on to the Katcha, with despatches on board
the Turkish flagship, with directions afterwards to visit several other
vessels, and then to run in to Balaclava. He had been detained on board
the Turkish ship longer than he expected, and his boat being nearly
swamped before he had finished his mission, he had gone alongside the
nearest vessel, intending to remain on board till the morning. His boat
had been lost before she could be hoisted up, and the gale having so
rapidly increased, he had been prevented leaving in one of her boats.
Three of his people had unhappily been lost, but the remainder succeeded
in reaching the _Tornado_.
"I am indeed thankful that we came to you in time," said Jack; "though I
little expected when I determined to run down to the assistance of that
vessel, that I should be the means of saving your life."
"Not the first time that we have helped each other, and I am very sure
that it will not be the last if we either of us require help and have
the opportunity of rendering it," answered Murray. "I expect soon to be
appointed to the command of a ship, as the admiral has offered me the
first vacancy, which Hemming advises me to accept, as the smaller craft
will in future have more to do than the line-of-battle ships."
As may be supposed, there was but little time for conversation. Jack
still wished, if possible, to try and render assistance to some of the
many other vessels at anchor off the coast, but both Higson and Green
strongly expressed their opinion that the attempt to do so would
endanger the ship; and Murray concurring with them, he was compelled to
abandon his intention. The _Tornado_ proved herself a first-rate
seaboat; indeed, had she not been so, she would have shared the fate of
so many other vessels during that fearful gale. By keeping her head to
the southward, she was able in a short time gradually to draw off-shore.
For the greater part of the night the gale blew with unabated fury.
Towards morning, however, the wind began to abate. Soon after daylight
the ship's head was brought round, and she stood back towards Balaclava.
A melancholy spectacle was presented to those on board, as she neared
the harbour; the whole coast, as far as the eye could reach, was strewn
with masses of wreck, while the entrance was nearly blocked up with
shattered spars and pieces of timber; while numerous dead bodies floated
about, or had been thrown by the foaming surges on the rocks on either
hand. The _Tornado_, having not without difficulty made her way in,
brought up; and Jack immediately sent his despatches on shore. The
vessels in the harbour had not escaped. Brought up close together, they
had been driven in one mass towards the head of the harbour, directly
down upon the line-of-battle ship at anchor, carrying her upwards of a
hundred yards, when she grounded by the stern; while few had escaped
without more or less damage.
The gale considerably abated towards noon, when Jack received orders to
run down the coast, to try and bring off any of the crews which might
have escaped from the wrecked ships. Accordingly, he immediately got up
steam and put to sea. A number of boats were already engaged in the
humane object; but few of the people belonging to the vessels which had
been wrecked in the immediate neighbourhood of Balaclava had escaped.
Farther down the coast, however, two or three ships were seen on shore,
from which it was possible the crews might have landed in safety. Jack
kept in as close as he could venture, steering for the first wreck he
saw. She lay with her masts gone broadside to the sea, which was
sweeping fiercely over her. Not a human being was seen near the wreck.
"Not a man, I fear, could have escaped," said Jack, as he surveyed the
coast with his glass; "and yet, from the position of the vessel, I
cannot help thinking that they might have made their way to the shore--
see, near yonder wreck farther south, a good number of people appear to
be collected."
The _Tornado_ was accordingly steered in the direction Jack pointed.
Higson had been watching the group through his telescope.
"They appear to be expecting an attack," he observed; "there are fifty
or more of them, and they are standing to their arms. Their ship is
evidently a large transport, and from her position I should judge that
they managed to land without much difficulty, and would carry their
muskets and ammunition with them."
Directly afterwards a forest of lances were seen above the hill, and a
band of Cossacks came galloping towards the wreck. Jack immediately
ordered the port gun to be brought to bear on the advancing horsemen,
who seemed not to be aware that they could be reached from that
distance, and went on, making sure of being able to capture the whole
shipwrecked crew. On seeing that the latter were armed, they levelled
their lances, and were bearing down upon them, when Jack gave the word
to fire. The first shot struck the horse of their leader, which came
down, rolling over him; it seemed as if both rider and steed were
killed. The next shot pitched into the midst of their ranks, emptying
at least a couple of saddles. The third shot did still more damage;
when the cossacks, not knowing how many more might be coming, wheeled
quickly round and galloped off into the interior; the crew of the
transport, meantime, firing a volley which, though at a considerable
distance, brought two or three to the ground.
As soon as he came abreast of the wreck, Jack sent three of his boats on
shore to bring off the crew; Murray volunteered to take command of them.
As he neared the beach, he saw the Cossacks still hovering in the
distance, out of the reach of the guns, but threatening to pounce down
again, probably still in the hopes of making some prisoners. The
_Tornado_ accordingly stood in as close as she could venture, to cover
the boats, which soon reached the beach. The transport's crew stood
ready to receive them; scarcely, however, had they begun to embark, than
the Cossacks once more came galloping up. Murray immediately ordered
those still remaining on shore to face about; while, just as the
Cossacks reached the high ground above the beach, a couple of shells
thrown from the _Tornado's_ guns burst amid their ranks; when, once more
wheeling about, they galloped off at a rapid rate, leaving the rest of
the crew to embark without molestation.
Having carried them on board, Murray returned for the purpose of
destroying the transport, that her stores might not fall into the hands
of the enemy. He had for this purpose to pull round inshore. It was
not without some difficulty that he, Higson, and Needham made their way
on board. Such combustible materials as could be found were soon
collected, and lighted in the hold of the transport; the boat then at
once pulled away for the _Tornado_. She had got to some little distance
from the ship, when the Cossacks were again seen coming down towards the
shore, this time accompanied by a couple of field-pieces, which quickly
opened fire. The first shot, however, fell short, and the party were
soon safe on board the _Tornado_.
As the _Tornado_ steamed off, the Cossacks were seen again coming
forward, in the hopes possibly of still being able to plunder the wreck.
Just then, however, the flames burst furiously forth from every part of
the wreck, and in another minute a loud roar was heard, and a portion of
her deck rose high in the air, while her sides, rent and shattered, flew
out in every direction; and as the smoke from the explosion cleared
away, a few burnt timbers of the wreck alone remained, while the
Cossacks, disappointed of their booty, were seen galloping off in the
distance.
The scanty remnant of another shipwrecked crew having been saved by the
_Tornado_, she steamed back to Balaclava. During that fearful storm no
less than forty vessels, with upwards of four hundred men, had been
lost; one Turkish line-of-battle ship, and several transports, had gone
down with all hands. The French lost one of their finest line-of-battle
ships and a corvette, with nearly twenty smaller craft. The most severe
loss was that of the _Prince_, with a crew of a hundred and fifty men;
she had arrived two days before with troops, who had providentially
landed--but the army was doomed to suffer terribly from the loss of her
cargo, consisting of warm clothing, ammunition, medicine, and supplies
of all kinds.
A few ships being left to watch Sebastopol, the remainder of the fleet
and all the transports were sent back to the Bosphorus; and soon
afterwards, Admiral Dundas having struck his flag, Sir Edmund Lyons
became commander-in-chief.