Masterman Ready; Or, The Wreck of the Pacific
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CHAPTER SIXTY SIX.
Before we wind up this history, it will be as well to state to my youngreaders how it was that Captain Osborn made his appearance at sofortunate a moment. It will be recollected how a brig came off theisland some months before this, and the great disappointment that theparty on the island experienced in her not making her appearance again.The fact was, that those on board of the brig had not only seen theirsignals, but had read the name of the "_Pacific_" upon the flag hoisted;but the heavy gale which came on drove them so far to the southward,that the master of the brig did not consider that he should do his dutyto his owners, if he lost so much time in beating up for the islandagain. He therefore decided upon making all sail for Sydney, to whichport he was bound.
When Captain Osborn was put into the boat by Mackintosh and the seamenof the _Pacific_, he was still insensible; but he gradually recovered,and after a stormy night, Captain Osborn was so far recovered as to hearfrom Mackintosh what had taken place, and why it was that he foundhimself in an open boat at sea. The next morning the wind moderated,and they were fortunate enough to fall in with a vessel bound to VanDiemen's Land, which took them all on board.
From the account given by Mackintosh, Captain Osborn had no doubt in hismind but that the Seagrave family had perished, and the loss of thevessel, with them on board, was duly reported to the owners. When atVan Diemen's Land, Captain Osborn was so much taken with the beauty andfertility of the country, and perhaps not so well inclined to go to seaagain after such danger as he had incurred in the last voyage, that heresolved to purchase land and settle there. He did so, and had alreadystocked his farm with cattle, and had gone round to Sydney in a schoonerto await the arrival of a large order from England which he had sentfor, when the brig arrived and reported the existence of some whitepeople on the small island, and also that they had hoisted a flag withthe name _Pacific_ worked on it.
Captain Osborn, hearing this, went to the master of the brig, andquestioned him. He found the latitude and longitude of the island to benot far from that of the ship when she was deserted, and he was nowconvinced that, by some miracle, the Seagrave family had been preserved.He therefore went to the Governor of New South Wales, and made himacquainted with the facts which had been established, and the Governorinstantly replied, that the government armed schooner was at hisservice, if he would himself go in quest of his former shipmates.Inconvenient as the absence at that time was to Captain Osborn, he atonce acquiesced, and in a few days the schooner sailed for herdestination. She arrived off the island on the same morning that thefleet of canoes with the savages effected their landing, and whenWilliam made the remark to Ready as they were hastening into thestockade, that there was another vessel under sail off the garden-point,had Ready had time to put his eye to the telescope, he would havediscovered that it was the schooner.
The schooner stood in to the reefs, and then hauled off again, that shemight send her boat in to sound for an anchorage. The boat, whensounding, perceived the canoes and the savages, and afterwards heard thereport of firearms on the first attack. On her return on board theschooner, they stated what they had seen and heard, and their idea thatthe white people on the island were being attacked by the savages. Asthe boat did not return on board till near dusk, they had not time tocanvas, the question when the night attack was made, and they againheard the firing of the muskets. This made Captain Osborn most anxiousto land as soon as possible, but as the savages were in such numbers,and the crew of the schooner did not consist of more than twenty-fivemen, the commander considered it was rash to make the attempt. He did,however, show the utmost anxiety to bring his schooner to an anchor, soas to protect his men, and then agreed that they should land.
The boat had reported deep water and good anchorage close to thegarden-point, and every preparation was made for running at daylight onthe following morning; but unfortunately, it fell calm for the best partof the day, and it was not until the morning after, just as the savageswere making their last attack upon the stockade, that she could get in.As soon as she did, she opened the fire of her carronades, and theresult is already known.
My readers must, if they can, imagine the joy of Mr and Mrs Seagravewhen they beheld their old friend Captain Osborn. All danger was nowover; the party who had landed with him went out under the command ofthe mate, to ascertain if there were any more of the savages to befound; but, except the dead and dying, all had escaped in some of thesmaller canoes. Captain Osborn remained with the Seagraves, and theyinformed him of the state of poor old Ready, whom William had gone toattend as soon as Captain Osborn was engaged with his father and mother.Captain Osborn hurried out to see him; Ready knew his voice, for hiseyes were already so dim that he could not see.
"That is Captain Osborn, I know," said Ready in a faint voice. "Youhave come in good time, sir; I knew you would come, and I always saidso: you have the thanks of a dying man."
"I hope it is not so bad as that, Ready; we have a surgeon on board, andI will send for him at once."
"No surgeon can help me, sir," replied Ready; "another hour of time willnot pass before I shall be in Eternity."
The old man then joined his hands across his breast, and remained forsome time in silent prayer. Then he bade them farewell in a faintvoice, which at last was changed to a mere whisper. They stillremained, in silence and in tears, standing round him, William onlykneeling and holding his hand, when the old man's head fell back, and hewas no more!
"It is all over," said Mr Seagrave mournfully, "and he has, I have nodoubt, gone to receive the reward of a good and just man. `Happy arethose who die in the Lord.'"
Mr Seagrave then led away his wife and children, leaving Juno andWilliam. William closed his eyes, and Juno went and fetched the ship'sensign, which they laid over the body, after which they joined the restof the party in the house.
It was decided that the following day should be passed in packing up andgetting on board their luggage, and that the day after the family shouldembark. William then mentioned the wish of poor old Ready as to hisburial. The commander of the schooner immediately gave directions for acoffin to be made, and for his men to dig the grave at the spot thatWilliam should point out.