written up, norhad our course on the chart been pricked off; so there we were, drivingbefore a heavy gale, and not knowing what island might be in our courseto bring us up. The brig also had sprung a leak, and we had to turn-toat the pumps. Our provisions and water were running short. We were ina bad case. Even had we sighted an island, we should have been afraidto go ashore, for we had played so many tricks at different places,that, after what had happened, we thought that we might be treated inthe same way as the captain had been.
"The gale at length came to an end. Still we had to keep the pumpsgoing. Our last biscuit was eaten; we had not a drop of water in thecasks. Bill, who had been studying the chart, told us that if we wouldkeep up our spirits he hoped in another day or two to make an island tothe southward, where we had not before touched. That night, however,there came on a dead calm.
"When the sun rose the next morning the sea was like glass, with not asign of a breeze.
"When men are starving they will eat anything. We began to stew downour shoes and every bit of leather we could find about the ship. Thelockers were searched for biscuit crumbs, or lumps of grease, oranything eatable, till nothing which could keep body and soul togetherremained.
"The men knew that Bill and I were friends. I heard them talkingtogether and casting looks at him. He was thin enough, poor fellow, bythis time; but the rest of us were thinner still, all bones and sinews.Bill and I were on deck together, and I told him to keep by me when Isaw the rest of the men coming aft with a glare in their eyes, themeaning of which I well knew. Telling Bill to keep behind me, I drew myknife, and swore I would kill the first man who advanced. Jos Noakescame on in front of the rest. He had not forgotten the knock-over Billhad given him; still I had little hopes of saving my friend, for whenmen are desperate they will do anything. Jos was close up to me, andthough I might have killed him the rest would have set on me; when justthen the sails gave a loud flap, and some of the men, looking round,cried out that there was a fresh breeze coming.
"`My lads,' cried Bill, who, though the moment before he expectednothing but death, was suddenly himself again, `that breeze will take usto the island we were steering for in the course of a few hours. Youmay eat me if you like, but I don't think you will find your way therewithout my help.'
"The men saw the sense of this, and told him he had nothing to fear.While he and I went to the helm, the rest trimmed sails, and we weresoon running at a brisk rate through the water.
"Fortunately, some small casks of hams which had got stowed away underthe sandal-wood were discovered. This satisfied our hunger, though itincreased our thirst. The wind, however, brought rain, and we were ableto collect enough water to keep us alive. We thought all would go well,in spite of the leak, which made it still necessary to keep the pumps atwork.
"Bill and I had just come on deck at night for our middle watch, whenjust as he had been telling me that he hoped next morning to make theland, the vessel's keel grated on a coral reef which the look-out hadnot discovered. On she drove, and I hoped might be forced over it, butthe grating, tearing sound which came from below told me that the sharppoints were ripping off her planks, and the rest of the crew, springingon deck, cried out that the water was rushing in on every side. Weclewed up the sails, and got our only boat ready for launching.
"The wind was increasing, and forcing us further and further on thereef. As we could not tell in what direction to pull, we determined toremain till morning, but before the morning arrived the wind increased,and the sea broke over us. The mainmast went by the board, and most ofthe men cried out that if we did not get the boat in the water we shouldbe lost.
"Bill and I had gone forward. I heard some loud cries. My shipmateshad managed to launch the boat, but the next instant she had beenswamped alongside, and they were struggling for their lives in thefoaming sea. We clung on to the wreck. The sea was making a completebreach over her, and the after part appeared breaking up. Suddenly sheswung round, and seemed to me to be slipping off the rock. At thatmoment a sea took me, striking me on the head, knocking the senses outof me; the next I found myself in the foaming waters, and looking up,the moon bursting forth just then, caught sight of Bill making his wayup the fore-rigging. I sung out to him to heave me a rope and haul meon board. The vessel appeared to have been brought up by a lower partof the reef, and to be sticking there. Bill heard my voice, andunreefing the fore brace, hove it to me just as a sea washed me backtowards the wreck. I caught hold of it when pretty nigh exhausted, forthough I hadn't had much enjoyment in life, I didn't wish to leave it,and so clung on with all my strength, while Bill gradually hauled me upto the fore chains. From thence I made my way into the top, where heand I sat, expecting, however, every moment that the mast would go andcarry us overboard.
"`Are the rest all lost, think you?' asked Bill.
"`No doubt about it,' said I. `The boat could not have lived a minutein such a sea as there is running. We are better off even here.'
"`Terrible,' said Bill. `And you and I are left alone out of the wholelot.'
"`We may thank our stars for that,' said I. `And I say, Bill, if wehold out till morning, and it comes on calm, maybe we shall find some ofthe pearls, and after all it won't be so bad a job for us.'
"`Don't talk of the pearls,' he answered, with a groan. `I wish that Ihad never been tempted to try to get them. The captain and the resthave got their deserts, and I would not touch one of them, gained asthey were by cruelty and fraud, if they were to be washed up into myhands.'
"`I only wish I could catch sight of some of the boxes with the chanceof getting them,' said I. `And if you were to do so, Bill, I would nottrust to your good resolutions.'
"`I don't want to talk about the matter,' answered Bill, gloomily.`What chance have we of getting away from the wreck? we may be miles offfrom the shore, for what I know.'
"`If the wind goes down, we may build a raft and reach the land, or maybe a vessel will pass by and take us off. If not, and it breezes upagain, we shall be in a bad case.'
"Bill groaned again.
"`I am not prepared to die,' he exclaimed. `I would give anything toget on shore.'
"`You haven't anything to give,' said I. `So you had better make upyour mind to brave it out, just as I mean to do. I wish that I couldget at some liquor, though; that would keep up our spirits better thananything else.'
"Bill groaned again.
"`I don't want to die like a brute with my senses gone,' he answered.
"`As to that, seamen have to go out of the world somehow, and for mypart I don't think myself worse than the rest,' I answered; `and withregard to the things done aboard this craft, that was the captain's lookout, not mine, nor yours either; so cheer up, Bill, don't bedown-hearted. Daylight will soon return, and then, may be, we shallfind ourselves better off than we fancy.'
"You see, I kept up my spirits, and tried to keep up Bill's; but he gotworse and worse, and began raving away so curiously, that I thought hewould throw himself into the sea and get drowned.
"To prevent this I passed a rope round his body when he didn't see whatI was about, and lashed him to the top.
"As the night drew on the wind dropped, and at daybreak my eyes weregladdened by the sight of the land about two miles away, while betweenus and it were numerous small rocks scattered about, by means of whichwe might make our way, even if we had to swim for it. I remembered,however, the sharks, so I determined to build a raft. Poor Bill couldnot help me, so I set to work by myself. I was some time putting onetogether to carry us both, and then, being very hungry, I thought Iwould try to get hold of the keg of hams and the cask of water whichwere stowed forward, and also that I might pick up some of the boxes ofpearls. I got the hams and water, but could not find the pearls.
"I took some of the food up to Bill, but he would only touch the water.
"At last I managed to lower him on to the raft, and, afraid that theweather might again change, shoved off to make our voyage to the land.It was sl
ow work, for I had only a long pole and a paddle. If Bill hadbeen able to help, we should have got on much faster. At last we cameto a small island. I thought to myself I'll leave Bill here with someham and water for food, and go back and have another search for thepearls. Bill made no objection; I don't think even then he knew wherehe was. I got back with less difficulty than I expected.
"The tide had now fallen, and the after part of the vessel was clear ofwater. I cannot tell you how I felt when I caught sight of the boxeswhere I knew the pearls had been stowed in the captain's cabin. Therewere a couple of large chests, and in these were several more boxes,with the captain's money, and some other things of value. I thought tomyself, if I turn out everything heavy, these boxes will
Kidnapping in the Pacific; Or, The Adventures of Boas Ringdon Page 12