The Phantom Ship

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

  We must leave Amine to her solitude, and follow the fortunes of Philip.The fleet had sailed with a flowing sheet, and bore gallantly down theZuyder Zee; but they had not been under way an hour before the VrowKaterina was left a mile or two astern. Mynheer Barentz found faultwith the setting and trimming of the sails, and with the man at thehelm, who was repeatedly changed; in short, with everything but his dearVrow Katerina: but all would not do; she still dropped astern, andproved to be the worst-sailing vessel in the fleet.

  "Mynheer Vanderdecken," said he, at last, "the Vrow, as my father usedto say, is not so very _fast before_ the wind. Vessels that are good ona wind seldom are; but this I will say, that, in every other point ofsailing, there is no other vessel in the fleet equal to the VrowKaterina."

  "Besides," observed Philip, who perceived how anxious how captain was onthe subject, "we are heavily laden, and have so many troops on deck."

  The fleet cleared the sands and were then close-hauled, when the VrowKaterina proved to sail even more slowly than before. "When we are so_very_ close-hauled," observed Mynheer Barentz, "the Vrow does not do sowell; but a point free, and then you will see how she will show herstern to the whole fleet. She is a fine vessel, Mynheer Vanderdecken,is she not?"

  "A very fine, roomy vessel," replied Philip, which was all that inconscience, he could say.

  The fleet sailed on, sometimes on a wind, sometimes free, but let thepoint of sailing be what it might, the Vrow Katerina was invariablyastern, and the fleet had to heave-to at sunset to enable her to keepcompany; still, the captain continued to declare that the point ofsailing on which they happened to be, was the only point in which theVrow Katerina was deficient. Unfortunately, the vessel had other pointsquite as bad as her sailing; she was crank, leaky, and did not answerthe helm well, but Mynheer Barentz was not to be convinced. He adoredhis ship and like all men desperately in love he could see no fault inhis mistress. But others were not so blind, and the admiral, findingthe voyage so much delayed by the bad sailing of one vessel, determinedto leave her to find her way by herself so soon as they had passed theCape. He was, however, spared the cruelty of deserting her, for a heavygale came on which dispersed the whole fleet, and on the second day thegood ship Vrow Katerina found herself alone, labouring heavily in thetrough of the sea, leaking so much as to require hands constantly at thepumps, and drifting before the gale as fast to leeward almost as sheusually sailed. For a week the gale continued, and each day did hersituation become more alarming. Crowded with troops, encumbered withheavy stores she groaned and laboured, while whole seas washed over her,and the men could hardly stand at the pumps. Philip was active, andexerted himself to the utmost, encouraging the worn-out men, securingwhere aught had given way, and little interfered with by the captain,who was himself no sailor.

  "Well," observed the captain to Philip, as they held on by thebelaying-pins, "you'll acknowledge that she is a fine weatherly vesselin a gale--is she not? Softly, my beauty, softly," continued he,speaking to the vessel, as she plunged heavily into the waves, and everytimber groaned. "Softly, my dear, softly. How those poor devils in theother ships must be knocking about now. Heh! Mynheer Vanderdecken, wehave the start of them this time: they must be a terrible long way downto leeward. Don't you think so?"

  "I really cannot pretend to say," replied Philip, smiling.

  "Why, there's not one of them in sight. Yes! by Heavens, there is!Look on our lee-beam. I see one now. Well, she must be a capitalsailer, at all events: look there, a point abaft the beam. Mercy on me!how stiff she must be to carry such a press of canvass!"

  Philip had already seen her. It was a large ship on a wind, and on thesame tack as they were. In a gale, in which no vessel could carry thetopsails, the Vrow Katerina being under close-reefed foresails andstaysails, the ship seen to leeward was standing under a press of sail--topgallant-sail, royals, flying jib, and every stitch of canvass whichcould be set in a light breeze. The waves were running mountains high,bearing each minute the Vrow Katerina down to the gunwale: and the shipseen appeared not to be affected by the tumultuous waters, but sailedsteadily and smoothly on an even keel. At once Philip knew it must bethe Phantom Ship, in which his father's doom was being fulfilled.

  "Very odd, is it not?" observed Mynheer Barentz.

  Philip felt such an oppression on his chest that he could not reply. Ashe held on with one hand, he covered up his eyes with the other.

  But the seamen had now seen the vessel, and the legend was too wellknown. Many of the troops had climbed on deck when the report wascirculated, and all eyes were now fixed upon the supernatural vessel;when a heavy squall burst over the Vrow Katerina, accompanied with pealsof thunder and heavy rain, rendering it so thick that nothing could beseen. In a quarter of an hour it cleared away, and, when they looked toleeward the stranger was no longer in sight.

  "Merciful Heaven! she must have been upset, and has gone down in thesquall," said Mynheer Barentz. "I thought as much, carrying such apress of sail. There never was a ship that could carry more than theVrow Katerina. It was madness on the part of the captain of thatvessel; but I suppose he wished to keep up with us. Heh, MynheerVanderdecken?"

  Philip did not reply to these remarks, which fully proved the madness ofhis captain. He felt that his ship was doomed, and when he thought ofthe numbers on board who might be sacrificed, he shuddered. After apause, he said--

  "Mynheer Barentz, this gale is likely to continue, and the best shipthat ever was built cannot, in my opinion, stand such weather. I shouldadvise that we bear up, and run back to Table Bay to refit. Depend uponit, we shall find the whole fleet there before us."

  "Never fear for the good ship, Vrow Katerina," replied the captain; "seewhat weather she makes of it."

  "Cursed bad," observed one of the seamen, for the seamen had gatherednear to Philip to hear what his advice might be. "If I had known thatshe was such an old, crazy beast, I never would have trusted myself onboard. Mynheer Vanderdecken is right; we must back to Table Bay ereworse befall us. That ship to leeward has given us warning--she is notseen for nothing,--ask Mr Vanderdecken, captain; he knows that well,for he _is_ a sailor."

  This appeal to Philip made him start; it was, however, made without anyknowledge of Philip's interest in the Phantom Ship.

  "I must say," replied Philip, "that, whenever I have fallen in with thatvessel, mischief has ever followed."

  "Vessel! why, what was there in that vessel to frighten you? Shecarried too much sail, and she has gone down."

  "She never goes down," replied one of the seamen.

  "No! no!" exclaimed many voices; "but we shall, if we do not run back."

  "Pooh! nonsense! Mynheer Vanderdecken, what say you?"

  "I have already stated my opinion," replied Philip, who was anxious, ifpossible, to see the ship once more in port, "that the best thing we cando, is to bear up for Table Bay."

  "And, captain," continued the old seaman who had just spoken, "we areall determined that it shall be so, whether you like it or not; so upwith the helm, my hearty, and Mynheer Vanderdecken will trim the sails."

  "Why! what is this?" cried Captain Barentz. "A mutiny on board of theVrow Katerina? impossible! The Vrow Katerina! the best ship, thefastest in the whole fleet!"

  "The dullest old rotten tub," cried one of the seamen.

  "What!" cried the captain, "what do I hear? Mynheer Vanderdecken,confine that lying rascal for mutiny."

  "Pooh! nonsense! he's mad," replied the old seaman. "Never mind him;come, Mynheer Vanderdecken, we will obey you; but the helm must be upimmediately."

  The captain stormed, but Philip, by acknowledging the superiority of hisvessel, at the same time that he blamed the seamen for their panic,pointed out to him the necessity of compliance, and Mynheer Barentz atlast consented. The helm was put up, the sails trimmed, and the VrowKaterina rolled heavily before the gale. Towards the evening theweather moderated, and the sky cleared up; b
oth sea and wind subsidedfast; the leaking decreased, and Philip was in hopes that in a day ortwo they would arrive safely in the Bay.

  As they steered their course, so did the wind gradually decrease, untilat last it fell calm; nothing remained of the tempest but a long heavyswell which set to the westward, and before which the Vrow Katerina wasgradually drifting. This was respite to the worn-out seamen, and alsoto the troops and passengers, who had been cooped below or drenched onthe main-deck.

  The upper deck was crowded; mothers basked in the warm sun with theirchildren in their arms; the rigging was filled with the wet clothes,which were hung up to dry on every part of the shrouds; and the seamenwere busily employed in repairing the injuries of the gale. By theirreckoning, they were not more than fifty miles from Table Bay, and eachmoment they expected to see the land to the southward of it. All wasagain mirth, and every one on board, except Philip, considered thatdanger was no more to be apprehended.

  The second mate, whose name was Krantz, was an active, good seaman, anda great favourite with Philip, who knew that he could trust to him, andit was on the afternoon of this day that he and Philip were walkingtogether on the deck.

  "What think you, Vanderdecken, of that strange vessel we saw?"

  "I have seen her before, Krantz; and--"

  "And what?"

  "Whatever vessel I have been in when I have seen her, that vessel hasnever returned into port--others tell the same tale."

  "Is she, then, the ghost of a vessel?"

  "I am told so; and there are various stories afloat concerning her: butof this, I assure you--that I am fully persuaded that some accident willhappen before we reach port, although everything at this moment appearsso calm, and our port is so near at hand."

  "You are superstitious," replied Krantz; "and yet, I must say, that, tome, the appearance was not like a reality. No vessel could carry suchsail in the gale; but yet, there are madmen afloat who will sometimesattempt the most absurd things. If it was a vessel, she must have gonedown, for when it cleared up she was not to be seen. I am not verycredulous, and nothing but the occurrence of the consequences which youanticipate will make me believe that there was anything supernatural inthe affair."

  "Well! I shall not be sorry if the event proves me wrong," repliedPhilip; "but I have my forebodings--we are not in port yet."

  "No! but we are but a trifling distance from it, and there is everyprospect of a continuance of fine weather."

  "There is no saying from what quarter the danger may come," repliedPhilip; "we have other things to fear than the violence of the gale."

  "True," replied Krantz; "but, nevertheless, don't let us croak.Notwithstanding all you say, I prophesy that in two days, at thefarthest, we are safely anchored in Table Bay."

  The conversation here dropped, and Philip was glad to be left alone. Amelancholy had seized him--a depression of spirits, even greater than hehad ever felt before. He leant over the gangway and watched the heavingof the sea.

  "Merciful Heaven!" ejaculated he, "be pleased to spare this vessel; letnot the wail of women, the shrieks of the poor children, now embarked,be heard; the numerous body of men, trusting to her planks,--let notthem be sacrificed for my father's crimes." And Philip mused. "Theways of Heaven are indeed mysterious," thought he. "Why should otherssuffer because my father has sinned? And yet, is it not so everywhere?How many thousands fall on the field of battle in a war occasioned bythe ambition of a king, or the influence of a woman! How many millionshave been destroyed for holding a different creed of faith! _He_ worksin his own way, leaving us to wonder and to doubt!"

  The sun had set before Philip had quitted the gangway and gone downbelow. Commending himself, and those embarked with him, to the care ofProvidence, he at last fell asleep; but, before the bell was struckeight times, to announce midnight, he was awakened by a rude shove ofthe shoulder, and perceived Krantz, who had the first watch, standing byhim.

  "By the Heaven above us! Vanderdecken, you have prophesied right. Up--quick! _The ship's on fire_!"

  "On fire!" exclaimed Vanderdecken, jumping out of his berth--"where?"

  "The main-hold."

  "I will up immediately, Krantz. In the mean time, keep the hatches onand rig the pumps."

  In less than a minute Philip was on deck, where he found CaptainBarentz, who had also been informed of the case by the second mate. Ina few words all was explained by Krantz: there was a strong smell offire proceeding from the main-hold; and, on removing one of the hatches,which he had done without calling for any assistance, from a knowledgeof the panic it would create, he found that the hold was full of smoke;he had put it on again immediately, and had only made it known to Philipand the captain.

  "Thanks for your presence of mind," replied Philip; "we have now time toreflect quietly on what is to be done. If the troops and the poor womenand children knew their danger, their alarm would have much impeded us:but how could she have taken fire in the main-hold?"

  "I never heard of the Vrow Katerina talking fire before," observed thecaptain; "I think it is impossible. It must be some mistake--she is--"

  "I now recollect that we have in our cargo several cases of vitriol inbottles," interrupted Philip. "In the gale, they must have beendisturbed and broken. I kept them above all, in case of accident: thisrolling, gunwale under, for so long a time must have occasioned one ofthem to fetch way."

  "That's it, depend upon it," observed Krantz.

  "I did object to receive them, stating that they ought to go out in somevessel which was not so encumbered with troops, so that they mightremain on the main-deck; but they replied, that the invoices were madeout and could not be altered. But now to act. My idea is, to keep thehatches on, so as to smother it if possible."

  "Yes," replied Krantz; "and, at the same time, cut a hole in the deckjust large enough to admit the hose, and pump as much water as we candown into the hold."

  "You are right, Krantz; send for the carpenter, and set him to work. Iwill turn the hands up, and speak to the men. I smell the fire now verystrong; there is no time to lose. If we can only keep the troops andthe women quiet we may do something."

  The hands were turned up, and soon made their appearance on deck,wondering why they were summoned. The men had not perceived the stateof the vessel, for, the hatches having been kept on, the little smokethat issued ascended the hatchway, and did not fill the lower deck.

  "My lads," said Philip, "I am sorry to say that we have reason tosuspect that there is some danger of fire in the main-hold."

  "I smell it!" cried one of the seamen.

  "So do I," cried several others, with every show of alarm, and movingaway as if to go below.

  "Silence, and remain where you are, my men. Listen to what I say: ifyou frighten the troops and passengers we shall do nothing; we musttrust to ourselves; there is no time to be lost. Mr Krantz and thecarpenter are doing all that can be done at present; and now, my men, dome the favour to sit down on the deck, every one of you, while I tellyou what we must do."

  This order of Philip's was obeyed, and the effect was excellent: it gavethe men time to compose themselves after the first shock; for, perhaps,of all shocks to the human frame, there is none which creates a greaterpanic than the first intimation of fire on board of a vessel--asituation, indeed, pitiable, when it is considered that you have tochoose between the two elements seeking your destruction. Philip didnot speak for a minute or two. He then pointed out to the men thedanger of their situation, what were the measures which he and Krantzhad decided upon taking; and how necessary it was that all should becool and collected. He also reminded them that they had but littlepowder in the magazine, which was far from the site of the fire, andcould easily be removed and thrown overboard; and that, if the firecould not be extinguished, they had a quantity of spars on deck to forma raft, which, with the boats, would receive all on board, and that theywere but a short distance from land.

  Philip's address had the most beneficial effects; t
he men rose up whenhe ordered them; one portion went down to the magazine, and handed upthe powder, which was passed along and thrown overboard; another went tothe pumps; and Krantz, coming up, reported the hole to have been cut inthe planking of the deck above the main-hold: the hoses were fixed, anda quantity of water soon poured down, but it was impossible that thedanger could be kept secret. The troops were sleeping on the deck andthe very employment of the seamen pointed out what had occurred, even ifthe smoke, which now increased very much, and filled the lower deck, hadnot betrayed it. In a few minutes the alarm of _Fire_! was heardthroughout the vessel, and men, women, and children, were seen, somehurrying on their clothes, some running frightened about the decks, someshrieking, some praying, and the confusion and terror were hardly to bedescribed.

  The judicious conduct of Philip was then made evident: had the sailorsbeen awakened by the appalling cry, they would have been equallyincapable of acting as were the troops and passengers. Allsubordination would have ceased: some would have seized the boats, andleft the majority to perish: others would have hastened to thespirit-room, and, by their drunkenness added to the confusion and horrorof the scene: nothing would have been effected, and almost all would inall probability have perished miserably. But this had been prevented bythe presence of mind shown by Philip and the second-mate, for theCaptain was a cipher:--not wanting in courage certainly, but withoutconduct or a knowledge of his profession. The seamen continued steadyto their duty, pushing the soldiers out of the way as they performedtheir allotted tasks: and Philip perceiving this, went down below,leaving Krantz in charge; and by reasoning with the most collected, bydegrees he brought the majority of the troops to a state of comparativecoolness.

  The powder had been thrown overboard, and another hole having been cutin the deck on the other side, the other pump was rigged, and double thequantity of water poured into the hold; but it was evident to Philipthat the combustion increased. The smoke and steam now burst throughthe interstices of the hatchways and the holes cut in the deck with aviolence that proved the extent of the fire which raged below, andPhilip thought it advisable to remove all the women and children to thepoop and quarter-deck of the ship, desiring the husbands of the women tostay with them. It was a melancholy sight, and the tears stood inPhilip's eyes as he looked upon the group of females--some weeping andstraining their children to their bosoms; some more quiet and morecollected than the men: the elder children mute or crying because theirmothers cried, and the younger ones, unconscious of danger playing withthe first object which attracted their attention, or smiling at theirparents. The officers commanding the troops were two ensigns newlyentered, and very young men, ignorant of their duty and without anyauthority--for men in cases of extreme danger will not obey those whoare more ignorant than themselves--and, at Philip's request, theyremained with and superintended the women and children.

  So soon as Philip had given his orders that the women and childrenshould be properly clothed (which many of them were not), he went againforward to superintend the labour of the seamen, who already began toshow symptoms of fatigue, from the excess of their exertions; but manyof the soldiers now offered to work at the pumps, and their serviceswere willingly accepted. Their efforts were in vain. In about half anhour more, the hatches were blown up with a loud noise, and a column ofintense and searching flame darted up perpendicularly from the hold,high as the lower mast-head. Then was heard the loud shriek of thewomen, who pressed their children in agony to their breasts, as theseamen and soldiers who had been working the pumps, in their precipitateretreat from the scorching flames, rushed aft, and fell among thehuddled crowd.

  "Be steady, my lads--steady, my good fellows," exclaimed Philip; "thereis no danger yet. Recollect we have our boats and raft, and although wecannot subdue the fire, and save the vessel, still we may, if you arecool and collected, not only save ourselves, but every one--even thepoor infants who now appeal to you as men to exert yourselves in theirbehalf. Come, come, my lads, let us do our duty--we have the means ofescape in our power if we lose no time. Carpenter, get your axes, andcut away the boom-lashings. Now, my men, let us get our boats out, andmake a raft fur these poor women and children; we are not ten miles fromthe land. Krantz, see to the boats with the starboard watch: larboardwatch with me, to launch over the booms. Gunners, take any of thecordage you can, ready for lashing. Come, my lads, there is no want oflight--we can work without lanterns."

  The men obeyed: as Philip, to encourage them, had almost jocularlyremarked (for a joke is often well-timed, when apparently on thethreshold of eternity) there was no want of light. The column of firenow ascended above the main-top--licking with its forky tongue thetop-mast rigging--and embracing the main-mast in its folds: and the loudroar with which it ascended proved the violence and rapidity of thecombustion below and how little time there was to be lost. The lowerand main decks were now so filled with smoke that no one could remainthere: some few poor fellows sick in their cots had long been smothered,for they had been forgotten. The swell had much subsided, and there wasnot a breath of wind: the smoke which rose from the hatchways ascendedstraight up in the air, which, as the vessel had lost all steerage way,was fortunate. The boats were soon in the water, and trusty men placedin them: the spars were launched over, arranged by the men in the boatsand lashed together. All the gratings were then collected and firmlyfixed upon the spars for the people to sit upon; and Philip's heart wasglad at the prospect which he now had of saving the numbers which wereembarked.