Adrift in a Boat

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER FOUR.

  A STORM--THE BOAT LOST--A DISCOVERY--HARRY SAVES DAVID'S LIFE--PUMPING--THE STRANGE SAIL.

  Another night began on board the wreck. The boys, however, saw nothingunpleasant in the prospect. They had plenty of food and firing, theirclothes were dry, old Jefferies appeared to be recovering, and theyhoped he would be able to assist them in navigating the boat homeward.They agreed that they would be up by daylight, and fit the boat with amast and sails and oars, besides loading her with as many provisions asshe could carry. They felt rather chilly, so they made up a fire, andsat chatting over it quite comfortably, till they almost forgot theywere out on the ocean, no land in sight, in a dismasted vessel, and allby themselves. Harry again broached the idea of carrying in the shipherself, but David doubted whether they could manage to do so. Harrythen explained that they might form ury-masts out of a number of sparslashed together, and that sails might be hoisted on these, fixed indifferent parts of the deck.

  "The rudder is in good order, so that we may just as easily find our wayto the land, and into port, I hope, in the ship, as in the boat; whilewe shall be far more comfortable, and not much longer about it, I shouldthink," he remarked. "I only fear lest an enemy's cruiser should seeus, and either take possession of the brig, or burn her, and carry usoff prisoners."

  "Not much chance of that, I should hope," answered David. "We shouldnot prove a prize of much value, after all."

  "Oh, indeed! they would think it no small thing to capture a Britishnaval officer," remarked the young mid, drawing himself up to his fullheight, which was not very great; "and I vote we do not give in withouta fight for it."

  "But I only saw two guns on deck, and I do not think that we should beable to work them, even if we can find powder and shot," said David.

  "Oh, there is a store of both on board, depend on it, and if we put on abold face, we may drive off an enemy, provided he is not a very bigone," answered the midshipman.

  Some time was occupied in these discussions. They then went on deck andlooked about them. Though a long slow swell swept as it wereoccasionally across the ocean, the surface was otherwise perfectlysmooth; indeed, there was not a breath of air to disturb it, but a thickmist hung over the sea, which prevented any objects from being seen evenat a short distance off. This was as likely to prove advantageous tothem as the contrary; and so, having taken a short walk on dock, theywent below, said their prayers, found that the old man was asleep,turned in and followed his example. Harry knew perfectly well that,according to strict discipline, a watch ought to have been kept, but heand David agreed that, as there was a calm, they could not be run down,and that the wreck was not likely to drift far from where they thenwere, while it was clearly far pleasanter to be asleep than walking thedeck. Hitherto they had not had time to examine the hold or the forepart of the vessel. This, however, they purposed doing in the morning.Happy time of youth! They slept very soundly and comfortably, lookingforward with confidence to the future, and little dreaming what was tohappen. When people have been deprived of their night's rest, theyfrequently sleep a very long time on a stretch. Harry was awaked byDavid, who exclaimed--

  "Dear me! the ship is tumbling about fearfully; the gale must havesprung up again."

  He then heard old Jefferies say, in a weak voice, "What, lads, are youthere? I was afraid that you had deserted the old man."

  "No, no, we would not do that," answered David. "But I am afraid thatthe ship must be shaken to pieces if this continues."

  "If she has floated through one gale she may float through another. Wemust trust in God," said the old man. "Ah me! I am very feeble. If wecouldn't put our faith in Him, we should be badly off indeed. I cannothelp myself, much less you."

  Harry was by this time fully awake, and called David to follow him ondeck, to ascertain what was the matter. When David got there, he wishedhimself below again. The gale had returned with tenfold fury, and thehelpless ship was driving before it, surrounded by high foaming androaring seas; the mist had cleared away, but the clouds were as thick asever, chasing each other across the sky. Nothing else was to be seen.Mountain waves and dark clouds almost pressing down on their heads--nosail in sight to bring them assistance. So violently was the shiptossed about, that they could scarcely keep their feet, even by holdingon.

  "Oh, the boat! the boat!" shouted David. Just before, they had seen herstill afloat, secured by the hawser, when a heavy sea, rolling towardsthe ship, broke aboard the boat, and filled her in an instant. She roseon the top of a high foaming sea, when the thwart to which the two ropeswere secured was torn out of her, and the next moment she sunk fromsight. The boys looked at each other for a minute or more withoutspeaking.

  "We shall have to stick to the ship now, at all events," said Harry atlast.

  "I hope that the ship will stick to us, and keep afloat, then," remarkedDavid.

  "We'll sound the well presently, and see what water she has in her,"said Harry. "In the meantime, let us go down into the hold, and see ofwhat her cargo consists. Much depends on that, whether or not she keepsafloat. I want to have a look into the fore peak also; I cannot makeout why the vessel should have been deserted."

  The main hatch was on, and as it would have been dangerous to lift it,even if they could have done so, when any moment the deck might havebeen swept by a sea, they worked their way on to the fore hatch. Thiswas not secured. They descended. It was some time before they couldsee about them in the close, dark, and dirty abode of the seamen. Oneither side were bed-places, one above another, with a few large woodenchests below them, and jackets and trousers, and various other articles,hanging up against the bulkhead. They observed nothing of consequence,and as the atmosphere was stirring, they were about to climb up again ondeck, when a low groan was heard. Both were brave fellows, but it mustbe confessed that their hearts sunk, and their first impulse was tohurry up the ladder as fast as they could go. Again there was a groan.They looked at each other. Was it a human voice? There could be littledoubt about that. Where could it come from? They stopped for a fewseconds, holding on to the ladder, to recover their composure. Thevoice came from one of the berths; of that they were soon satisfied.Just then Harry observed a small locker close to the ladder, and puttingin his hand found a candle and tinder-box. A light was soon struck; andthey approached the berth whence the groans had proceeded. It is notsurprising that they should have started back with horror. The dimlight of the candle fell on the ghastly features of a human being, who,except that his eyes moved wildly, might have been taken for a corpse.His beard was long and tangled, and blood, which had flowed from afearful gash across his brow, stained the blankets in which he waswrapped. His eyes were staring wildly, his mouth was open. He seemedat the point of death. Yet he was not dying of starvation, for withinhis reach hung a bottle of water and a bag of biscuits. Why, however,he had been deserted was a mystery which he himself seemed incapable ofsolving. In vain Harry and David asked him. Not a word did he speak inanswer to their questions. He was, however, conscious of theirpresence, they thought, by the way his eyes followed them as they movedabout the cabin. Had they discovered him before, they might have beenof some assistance to him, but they could not now even attempt to movehim into another berth. David, however, undertook to get some betterfood from the cabin. Harry did not feel altogether comfortable whenleft alone with the dying man. He looked so horrible, and the groanswhich he uttered were so fearful. David seemed to be absent a longtime. He did not like to leave the wretched man, or he would have goneto look for him. What could have become of David? The sea every nowand then washed with a loud sound across the deck. Could he have beencarried away by it? How dreadful the thought! He went back to thedying man, and stood over him, hoping that he might return, toconsciousness. Suddenly the man sat up, and pointing with his thin handacross the cabin, uttered a loud shriek, and sinking back was a corpse.The young midshipman was left alone in the dark fore peak of the sinkingvessel.
The sad thought came across him that perhaps he might be theonly living person on board. Old Jefferies was apparently on the pointof death, and perhaps David had been washed overboard. As he could beof no use where he was, he determined to ascertain the worst, andclimbed up on deck, immediately closing the hatch again. He lookedabout him. David was not to be seen. Even during the time he had beenbelow matters had grown worse--the ship was tumbling about more thanever, and the seas, which rose high above the bulwarks, seemed everyinstant about to engulf her. But where was David? He worked his way,not without great danger of being carried overboard, to the companionhatch, over which, stooping down, he shouted David's name. His heartsank within him. There was no answer. "David! David!" he cried again."Oh, David, where are you?" Was his dear brave friend really gone?Just then he observed that some rigging had been washed over thestarboard quarter, and he fancied that he heard a faint cry. From thetemporary position of the wreck, the sea ceased just then to breakaboard. Harry sprang aft, and there, clinging desperately to therigging, now almost under water, now lifted into the air, as the sternof the ship was thrown upwards, he saw David. His friend recognisedhim, but seemed unable to speak. Though Harry could not swim he couldclimb well, and was strong and active. His immediate impulse was tofasten a rope round his own waist, the other end secured round astanchion, and to spring towards David. "We will die together," he saidto himself as he did so, "or I will save him. May we be protected!" Healighted on a spar close to David, whose arm he saw was caught by arope, from which he could not disengage himself. To do this without therisk of his friend being washed away was no easy task. He succeeded atlength, however, in doing so, and by an effort, of which he would nothave thought himself capable, he scrambled up on deck again by means ofthe tangled mass of ropes, and tattered sails and spars, which hungoverboard. Then, dreading that another sea would come and sweep themback together into the seething ocean, they tottered to the companionhatchway, down which Harry half dragged, half carried his friend,closing the hatch above him. Scarcely had he done so than a tremendousblow on the hatch, and the loud rushing sound of the water as it passedover the deck, told them that another sea had broken aboard, which wouldin all probability have swept them away to destruction. They fell ontheir knees in thankfulness as they reached the cabin, that they hadbeen thus providentially preserved. They then went to the berth inwhich old Jefferies lay. He was still too weak to move, but perfectlysensible. They told him what had just occurred, and of the death of thepoor seaman whom they had discovered in the fore peak. He could notconjecture why the man had been left there. The boys, however, thoughtthat, by examining all the papers, they might elucidate the mystery.They feared, from the appearance of the poor stranger, that some fouldeed had been done on board. Now, however, they were more concernedabout themselves. The brig had hitherto withstood all the buffeting shehad received without apparently leaking much, but would she continue todo so? Old Jefferies thought not. He had heard, he said, strangesounds as he lay in bed, which he knew well proceeded from water forcingits way into the hold, or rather from the air which was thereby forcedout--groans, and sighs, and low cries.

  "Some people, when they hear these sounds for the first time, think thatthe ship is full of ghosts and spirits, and that they are crying outthat she is going down," observed the old man. "But I know better. Iwish that I hadn't heard them, for they make me sad. Not for myself,though, for I am well-nigh worn out, and that poor boy's death weighsheavy on me. I daren't face his grandmother, and tell her that he isgone. But, boys, I am sorry for you. You are young and full of life,and there are many who love you on shore, and will mourn your loss."

  "What, do you think that the ship is going down?" exclaimed Harry andDavid together, in a very natural tone of dismay.

  "It would be cruel in me not to tell you so, and I hope that you areprepared to die, my boys," answered the old man. "Still I don't say butthat in God's mercy you may escape. A vessel may heave in sight in timeto take you off, or you may build a raft, and it may float you till youare picked up. I don't say give in, but be prepared for the worst."

  The boys listened calmly to what the old man said.

  "We will hope for the best, rig the pumps, and try and keep her free,"answered Harry.

  "Not much hope of that, I fear," said the old man. "We can but try,"exclaimed David. "Let us go on deck at once, and see what we can do."

  "You may be washed overboard if you go now on deck," said old Jefferies."You must wait till the sea goes down again somewhat, and you may thenpump away with a will."

  The latter part of this advice the boys agreed, after waiting some time,to disregard. If the ship was sinking, the sooner the water could bepumped out of her the better. They fancied, also, that she rolled lessthan before. In spite of the old man's warnings, they once more,therefore, found their way on deck. The state of the wreck seemedalmost hopeless, but, like brave boys as they were, they still kept totheir resolution of trying to pump out the water. They fortunatelyfound the brake of the pump, as the handle is called, and shipping it,began to work away with might and main. The water quickly came up in aclear, bright stream, which told too plainly, without their sounding thewell, the large amount of water which had either leaked in or found itsway below. They had left their coats and shoes in the cabin, everythingthat would encumber them, in case they should be washed from their hold.The waves rose up around them, the spray in dense showers dashing everyinstant over their heads, and almost blinding them when it struck themin the face. Still undaunted they stood at their post.

  "This must tell," exclaimed David, as he watched the full stream flowingfrom the pump. "If we get the ship clear, all may yet be well."

  "It may be coming in faster than we are pumping it out," said Harry."Still it may keep us afloat till help comes."

  "I am afraid that there is not much prospect of that," said David."Though, to be sure, we cannot be so very far from land, or thosescreeching seagulls would not be hovering about us."

  "They have powerful wings, and can fly a long way from land," observedHarry. "Those come probably from the west coast of Ireland."

  These remarks were made at intervals and by jerks, as it were, whilethey stopped pumping for an instant to change their position. They wereencouraged to persevere, first, by believing that their efforts wereproducing some effect on the amount of water in the ship, and then, byobserving that the sea was again going down. During one of theseintervals, when the wreck had been thrown higher up than usual, Harryexclaimed, "A sail! a sail! she is standing this way."

  The glimpse was momentary, and before David could catch sight of thestranger the ship had again sunk into the trough of the sea. In vainDavid looked out for the ship. Still Harry asserted that he was notmistaken. After pumping for some time they were compelled to knock offfrom fatigue. For fear of being washed away they lashed themselves tothe stump of the nearest mast, and thus secured they lay down on the wetdeck to rest. Again they rose bravely to their work, but each tune theyhad to stop pumping they rested for a longer period, and continuedpumping after it for a shorter period.

  David, at last, caught sight of the vessel Harry had seen, and was alsoof opinion that she was approaching them. The hope of being saved,which had never died, now grew stronger and stronger. Now, as the wreckwas lifted up the side of a sea, or the stranger mounted a foamingbillow, her whole hull was visible, and they saw she was a long, lowblack schooner. Even at that distance Harry did not like herappearance. To satisfy himself he went to the companion hatch, insideof which a telescope was hung up. With it both he and David took a moreexact examination of the stranger, and came to the same conclusion.

  "She is not an English craft, of that I am certain," observed Harry."She may be a privateer, but is more like those rascally pirates whoinfest the West Indies and African coast, and used to be found down onthe Spanish main; she has a large crew, too, I see. Now, I suspect, ifwe were to get aboard her the fellows would make
us join them or walkthe plank. Still, it might be better to pretend to enter on board thanto go down with this wreck. What do you say?"

  "If yonder craft is of the character you fancy, I say let us stick tothe wreck; but we will ask old Jefferies what he thinks about it--wewouldn't leave him on any account; at the same time, if he wishes to go,I should say that we ought to go."

  "I agree with you," answered Harry. "Let us pump away till she getsnearer, and then we will go and consult Jefferies."

  The schooner approached, and a nearer view only confirmed the boys intheir opinion of her character. Why she came near the wreck it wasdifficult to say. Another look through the spy-glass showed them anumber of men on board and several guns on her deck.

  "I do not suppose they will trouble themselves about us unless we hailthem, and then, perhaps, they might endeavour to take us off the wreck,but I am not quite certain about it," observed Harry. They werestanding while speaking inside the companion hatch, with their headsjust above it.

  The schooner was coming up fast. Suddenly the ports nearest them wereopened, wreaths of smoke burst forth, and several shots whistled closeabove their heads, one going through the bulwarks and ploughing up thedeck. Their impulse was to jump below. They could do nothing to helpthemselves, but they hoped that the strangers would not continue to makea target of them.

  Jefferies had heard the shots, and wondered why they had been fired.When they told him their suspicions, he advised them to keep below.

  "I have my thoughts on the subject," he remarked. "Hark! they arefiring again; there! another shot struck the ship. If it was not forthe heavy sea running we should be worse off than we are. It is no easymatter to take aim from the deck of a craft tumbling about as theschooner must be. If it was, depend upon it there would be a score ormore sent into the brig between wind and water."

  "But why should the schooner's people be so anxious to make a target ofthe brig?" asked David.

  "To sink her," answered the old man. "They think, if fallen in with,she might tell a tale they don't wish to have known. That's my notion,but I may be wrong."

  "There they go again at it!" exclaimed Harry. "Two shots struck us.Don't you think, David, that we had better go on deck and showourselves? They would scarcely try to sink the wreck if they found thatthere were people on board, even though they might not take us off."

  "The very reason that would make them still more anxious to send us tothe bottom. You had better not show yourselves," said the old man; butthe lads did not hear him, for they were already on their way on deck.